The Western Visayas Portal (Volume 1, Issue No. 1)

Aged Aklanons look forward to the proposed Aklan Geriatric Medical Center

Story by Neil Terrence Masigon

AKLAN—After receiving approval from Congress on its third and final reading last November, senior citizens in Aklan are looking forward to the bill creating a specialty hospital for the aged.

As per House Bill No. 10297, the Aklan Geriatric Medical Center (AGMC) will be established in the municipality of Kalibo to serve the “primary and special medical needs” of the elderly in the province of Aklan.

Erlinda Susano, a 73-year-old senior citizen, said they are really hoping for the implementation of the specialty center since most geriatric centers in Aklan are found in private hospitals.

“Healthcare shouldn’t be a luxury, but a basic right we should all enjoy. Pushing through with the center would be a big help since there is only one public hospital in Aklan,” said Susano.

Principal author and Aklan 1st District Rep. Carlito Marquez stated in his explanatory note that “it is high time to institutionalize centers exclusive for the elderly to address health-related concerns.”

Marquez claimed that the measure will take into account not only the aged sector’s health

concerns but also their tax contributions when they were younger. The bill ensures they receive the full range of healthcare services they deserve, including primary care, wellness services, and behavioral health care.

Dodong Requiro, a retired Overseas Filipino Worker, appreciates the intentions of the bill and anticipates its implementation.

“This initiative will give us the assurance of quality geriatric care

Pototan reveals strategy to increase vaccination roll-outs

Story by Karen Joyce Pumaren

ILOILO—After topping consecutive vaccination accomplishment reports of the Iloilo Provincial Health Office, the landlocked town in the coastal province of Iloilo, Pototan, unlocked its closeted strategy to increase COVID-19 vaccination roll-out in the municipality.

Dra. Rodina Mondragon, Pototan Municipal Health Officer, said that simplification of COVID-19 vaccination process, and Barangay based vaccination and information dissemination paved the way for the successful performance in administering COVID-19 vaccines in Pototan.

“We wanted to improve the accessibility of the vaccines to the people. So, what we did was we simplified the process of vaccination to make sure that people won’t be discouraged to avail of the vaccines and reached out to the citizens in the Barangays,” Mondragon said.

Simplification of Vaccination Process

At the outset of the town’s vaccination program, the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Pototan noticed that delays and time lag during COVID-19 vaccination drives upset and discouraged Pototanons to get the jab.

To address the issue of the prolonged waiting period in the COVID-19 vaccination program, the LGU trimmed down the process of vaccination.

“The lesser the waiting time, the lesser the people are discouraged

from availing the vaccine. For that, we trimmed down the process by focusing on the important details during the evaluation so that it will just take a few minutes for the assessment and they can directly proceed with vaccination. It’s just simplifying the process of vaccination,” Mondragon shared.

Fely Sosarno, a vaccinated Pototanon and a Barangay Health Worker (BHW), commended the immediacy of the vaccination procedure.

“Manami kay madasig lang ang vaccination. Siyempre ang mga pumuluyo masako ina, iban indi namagpavaccine kay basi madugayan kay may ginapanghikot pa. Pero tungod nga mahapos kag madali lang process nagaenganyo sanda magpabakuna,” Sosarno commented.

Barangay-Based Informational Caravan

Aside from procedure delays, the local government recognized that the growing misinformation regarding COVID-19 vaccines triggered vaccine hesitancies among the citizens of the municipality.

“Hesitancies stemmed from misinformation, and it is challenging on our part to change the mindset of the people who are not really into COVID-19 vaccination,” Mondragon shared.

To combat the misleading misinformation, the municipal health office led by Mondragon conducted informational caravan services in the barangays of Pototan.

“We have these caravan services in the barangay where I get to speak to the people about the importance of COVID-19 vaccination. Some came to me and I got to counsel them and let them see the wider perspective of the need to be vaccinated,” Mondragon said.

Mrs. Sosarno, as BHW, pointed out that the caravan helped the barangay officials to encourage their constituents, especially the elderlies, to get vaccinated.

“Mabudlay paintindihon ang mga tawo labi nagid ang mga senior citizens kung kami lang nga mga barangay workers ang maistorya. Sa caravans mapaintindi gid sa ila ang importansiya sang bakuna lalo na kay dali sila matapikan sang virus,” Sosarno said.

Barangay-Level Vaccination

Promoting the aforementioned approaches of the municipality is the Bakuna sa Barangay project of the Iloilo provincial government.

“The help provided by the provincial government, especially from the Iloilo Provincial Health Office, contributed to the increase of the numbers of the vaccinated individuals in Pototan,” Mondragon added.

The project furnished vaccines to the people of the barangay who can’t visit the Rural Health Unit of the town, the fixed site where vaccinations are administered from Monday to Friday, 8 am to 5 pm.

“Mas malapit mas maayo, indi na magasto ang tawo sang pamasahe kag sang tiyempo,” Sosarno said.

we deserve after working hard for years,” Requiro expressed.

AGMC will also promote medical and scientific research. Training in the areas of elderly care, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation, as well

as developing, adopting, and implementing Geriatric Medicine education and training programs for physicians, nurses, health officers, social workers, and other healthcare medical providers are also being looked forward to.

Antique successfully hosts AFP unilateral exercise

Story by Marie Andrea Pefianco & Mariane Gabrielle Cagalawan

ANTIQUE—Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Joint Exercises (AJEX) DAGIT-PA 05-21 in Patnongon, Antique on November 18, 2021 was dubbed the “most successful and grandiose one” by Major General, Robert C. Dauz, PACommander, Visayas Command of the AFP.

Due to its strategic location and conducive training ground, the town hosted the AFP’S joint military exercise.

DAGIT-PA meaning “Dagat, Langit, at Lupa” represents the three major military services which are the Philippine Army, Philippine Air Force and Philippine Army, including AFP Reservists.

The fifth year of the unilateral exercise of the AFP included a showcase of the amphibious operations and a simulation of defense exercises.

Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division spokesperson Capt. Kim Apitong said “These exercises does not only show the capabilities of the Armed Forces of the Philippines but also integrate and synchronize yung mga assets natin and also to integrate ‘yung mga reservists natin.”

He added that the exercises are a way to prepare the reservists to be equipped with the skills in combating in case of wars or armed conflicts since they are only limited to relief goods distribution, and medical and technical assistance during the pandemic.

Patnongon Vice Mayor Johnny Flores Bacongallo said that it has been almost 30 years since the town has hosted an event as big as the AJEX. This is the reason why they immediately accepted the responsibility to host the joint military exercises.

He continued that the event is a unique experience for the witnessing residents of the town and province because such drills are commonly limited in the screens. “Ang mga amo dya nga events, sa sinehan lang natun dya mung,” he said. “Nami gid dya nga eksperiyensya sa mga Patnonganon, ilabi ron gid ang nakasaksi kang ja nga event.”

However, hosting AJEX was a big task for the municipality, given its lack of funds, limited time for preparation, and pandemic restrictions.

According to Bacongallo, regardless of the challenges, they were able to realize the event because of the support from the Local Government Unit (LGU) and the community’s collaborative efforts or bayanihan.

The municipality tapped Brgy. Poblacion’s barangay officials, traffic enforcers, and Citizens Crime Watch (CCW) to assist in the preparations and maintain order during the exercises. The residents also volunteered to participate in the putting together of plans and construction of the sheds for guests and spectators.

Brgy. Tanod, Vincent Placido, expressed their fulfillment as one of the people who helped facilitate the event. “Proud kami nga may amo ja nga activity sa Patnongon kay talagsa lang gid dya matabo kanatun,” he conveyed.

After the exercises, the AFP extended their gratitude to the province and host municipality for the success of AJEX.

“I could attribute that to the hospitality, the warm reception, cooperation ng mga participants natin, especially sa host,” said Dauz.

HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL. A senior citizen grabs the opportunity of a free medical check-up by a group of physicians in Banga, Aklan. Several senior citizens anticipate the implementation of the proposed Aklan Geriatric Medical Center. Photo Courtesy of Terrence Masigon.

First Published in Daily Guardian on 28 December 2021

VACCINATE AND EDUCATE. Pototan Local Government Unit led by the Municipal Health Office maximizes COVID-19 vaccination drives to educate Pototanons of the importance of getting COVID-19 jabs. Photo Courtesy of Pototan RHU Facebook Page.

ICDJ-MD inmate shares his COVID-19 journey to recovery

Story by Karen Joyce Pumaren First Published in Daily Guardian on December 22, 2021

ILOILO—After two months in quarantine isolation, Iloilo City District Jail - Male Dormitory (ICDJ-MD) inmate who tested positive for COVID-19 recovered to tell his story.

Homer Morales, a 27 years old person deprived of liberty (PDL) at ICDJ-MD, detailed his COVID-19 journey to recovery.

Jail Situation and COVID-19 Acquisition

Morales, months before the deadly microscopic enemy erupted in the country, was sent to prison for substance abuse, a year later he was brought to isolation for no violation but contraction of coronavirus.

Morales said he and other PDLs of the same cell were isolated after the death of another prisoner positive of COVID-19 from their quarter.

“Napatyan kami diri sa amon selda, kag nabal-an positive siya sa COVID. Sang nagwa ang result, diretso ginquarantine kami,” Morales said.

He added that in their cell more than thirty inmates are dwelling, hence, the likelihood of acquiring the virus is high.

“Nagworry gid ako nga magpositive kay sa selda namon

subra kami sa trenta nga daan,” Morales expressed.

Jail Chief Inspector Denver Beltran, warden of ICDJ-MD, acknowledged that prison overcrowding which facilitates and furthers the transmission of the virus is the primary concern in their jail facility.

“Our number one challenge in the jail facility is the high number of inmate occupancy. The facilities are congested making it hard for us to implement social distancing among the prisoners inside, the one-meter distancing protocol is hardly to not be achieved,” Beltran explained.

Management and Isolation Consequently, Morales’ worries intensified during the initial days of his quarantine when he started losing his sense of smell and taste, conditions identified as COVID-19 symptoms.

“Sang gin-isolate kami, amatamat nga indi na ako kapanimaho kag makapanabor. Sang nagabot ang result kang swab didto ko nabal-an nga positive ako sa COVID,” Morales said.

He added that after been tested positive, he was relocated to another BJMP quarantine facility in Dumalag, Capiz.

Aklanons say no to BIDA GOCC amid House nod

Story by Neil Terrence Masigon

AKLAN—Several

After gaining approval on its third and final reading from the House of Representatives last September, House Bill No. 9286 or the Boracay Island Development Authority (BIDA will undergo another set of hearings in the Senate.

The BIDA will formulate the Boracay Action Plan and will be responsible for managing, developing, operating, preserving, and rehabilitating the Boracay Island Development Zone (BIDZ), which encompasses the entire island of Boracay, its neighboring islets, including Barangay Caticlan.

Bida or Kontrabida

Janica Dela Peña, president of Pulong ng Kabataan, is concerned of how the BIDA Bill, as a GOCC, violates the 1987 Philippine Constitution and the Local Government Code of 1991.

She said they recognize and appreciate the proposed legislations’ good intentions to “promote and accelerate sustainable development and balanced expansion” in the island.

“However, no law should be valid no matter how noble the intention is if it conflicts with the Constitution,” Dela Peña added.

Malay Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Federation President Christine Hope Pagsuguiron disclosed how “unfair, unreasonable, and unjust” it was for congress to approve the bill without any consultation from LGU Malay or the provincial government of Aklan.

Pagsuguiron is alarmed that once BIDA is passed into law, the local government of Malay and Aklan will lose their regulatory and taxing authority.

Additionally, BIDA will have the corporate power to “contract, lease, buy, sell, acquire, own, or dispose” any real property of whatever nature.

She argued that BIDA’s redundancy of functions could be a “waste of resources,” and emphasized that the bill contradicts President Duterte’s executive order no. 138, which advocated for the devolution of powers to the LGUs.

Aklan’s Collective Efforts

Various leaders, sectors, and municipalities banded together as a united opposition to establish the One Boracay Movement (OBM) in their fight against the BIDA Bill.

Presently, streamers and tarpaulins against BIDA GOCC are strewn across Aklan’s streets, churches, public vehicles, and buildings.

In the past few months, OBM organized several online and physical protests, caravans, and educational forums. Dela Peña, along with other youth volunteers, collaborated to create infographics and raise awareness about the bill’s provisions.

“Knowing the power of social media, I also used it as a medium to share my opinions about the bill hoping others would reflect on the negative impacts it could bring,” the youth leader said.

Nonetheless, Pagsuguiron said the movement sent numerous position papers and petitions to Congress, the Senate, and the Office of the President, but their efforts were to no avail.

As they are currently awaiting the collated output of the Senate, OBM is planning to send another set of petitions, exhaust their networks, and encourage Aklanons to vote for the right people come 2022.

“Regardless, we continue to be watchdogs of society while protecting and ensuring the welfare of Aklanons,” Dela Peña said.

“One month kami ginquarantine sa ICDJ-MD, pag-abot sang positive swab result ko gindala ako sa facility sang BJMP sa Dumalag, Capiz,” Morales added.

Jail Chief Inspector Beltran mentioned that the Bureau of Jail Management and PenologyRegion 6 has separate facilities for COVID positive inmates and new admitted PDLs.

“The BJMP Regional Office 6 has these so called Panay Isolation Facility and Negros Isolation Facility. These are facilities intended for newly admitted PDLs, before they enter the jail facility they must first be quarantined there. For those COVID positive inmates in different jail premises in the region, the office provided them with another area for isolation which is called Ligtas COVID Centers,” Beltran said.

Furthermore, Morales brought out that jail officers during the duration of their quarantine isolation aided them for their recovery by providing them with bodily supplements and time for regular exercise.

Recovered and Vaccinated

After a month of quarantine in Dumalag, Capiz, Morales was brought back to ICDJ-MD COVID-19 negative and recovered.

“Pagkatapos sang thirty one days sa quarantine sa Dumalag, sige-sige nga Vitamin C kag pagpabaskog sang resistensiya, nagnegative ang result sang akon

ng swab test kag ginbalik nila ako sa ICDJ-MD,” Morales said.

Now, Morales belonged to the 98% fully vaccinated PDLs in ICDJ-MD according to Jail Chief Inspector Beltran.

“98% of our PDLs in ICDJ-MD are fully vaccinated, the remaining 2% are those newly admitted PDLs. Meanwhile, our jail officers and personnel are 100% vaccinated,” Beltran said.

Jail Officer 1 Ezra Miles Brinan Jagorin, RN., from BJMP-6 Health Service Division, added that the total percentage of vaccinated PDLs in the region reached 94% “ By far, through the collection of data of the regional office, the

total percentage of PDLs who received COVID-19 vaccination is 94% and the remaining percentage pertains to the newly committed. And also 100% of our jail facilities are awarded with safety seals,” Jagorin added.

Conclusively, Morales, based on his COVID-19 experience, encouraged the free men of the country to make health a top priority and adhere to the government protocols to have a less challenging COVID-19 journey.

“Health ta ang pinakaimportante, maghalong kag magsunod sa health protocols. Labi nagid magpabakuna,” Morales expressed.

Two UPV student journalists break through the international scene

Story by Karen Joyce Pumaren First Published in UPV Libertas on 19 November, 2021

ILOILO—Following the record breaking performances of two CMS journos, another pair of University of the PhilippinesVisayas student journalists made headway to the international stage.

Angelika Buergo and Flory Ann Tacuban, BA in CMS IV, were qualified as global correspondents for the 9th cohort of Development Innovation Insider’s (Diinsider) Global Correspondents Program.

Under this five-month program, started in August and will end in December of this year, Buergo and Tacuban will be writing stories of people in the grassroot community for Change Magazine, a flagship media hub of Diinsider with audiences in 180 countries around the globe.

“Through Diinsider we can tell stories locally and publish it globally. It’s a wider platform and a good way to amplify the voices of the people we want to be heard,” Buergo said.

Tacuban added that in this mission to write stories for the global audience, especially in this time of pandemic, essential qualities of a journalist must be applied.

“Writing for a global audience requires stories that resonate with people around the world, for this I have to apply what I have learned from my journ classes in UPV,” she shared.

Along with their stride towards the global arena, Buergo and Tacuban carried the quality of journalism education of the Humanities Division of the university.

“UPV, especially my journ classes, taught me the skill in time management, ability to look for

the angle, and courage to ask bold questions,” Buergo said.

Meanwhile, Tacuban established the “nose for the news” quality through the various writing activities in the class.

Dr. Zoilo Andrada Jr., journalism professor who introduced them to the program, said that CMS 131 (Covering and Writing the News) and CMS 132 (Editorial, Column, and Cartoon Journalism) developed the skills and qualities of a journalist among his students.

“CMS 131 and 132 are focused on developing the essential qualities of journalist among the students and allow them to understand the basics of news writing especially in selecting news beats and angles, writing the headline and lead, and finding the news sources,” Dr. Andrada shared.

These values and standards were utilized by Buergo and Tacuban as they sought and crafted their stories.

“I have limited sources, respondents, and topic choices because we aren’t allowed to go out and search for a topic. But having that nose for the news, I was able to decide which is feasible and doable for me as a writer and identify if the story is newsworthy or not,” Tacuban shared.

Correspondingly, Buergo made use of the same quality in looking for the best angle that will interest or appeal to the audiences.

“There are topics that appear generic but if you look at it and write it from a certain angle it offers a different spice and color,” she added.

Additionally, Buergo and Tacuban shared that these qualities instilled in their journalism classes

enabled them to be in the lead with the other correspondents of the Diinsider from different regions of the globe.

Dr. Andrada claimed the same stance.

“If you have taken subjects or courses in journalism, you have the edge among everyone. As they say you cannot perform well if you do not know how to write,” the professor expressed.

Now, Buergo and Tacuban are taking advantage of the perks of taking journalism classes as they conquer the global arena.

In due course, another batch of student journalists from the university will follow their lead and break through the global and international scene.

Read the written stories of Buergo and Tacuban under Diinsider through the links below:

By Angelika Buergo

http://www.changemagdiinsider.com/blog/on-rights-andsafety-the-precarious-case-of-thedelivery-riders-in-the?fbclid=IwAR3 stxmamsj9hkXUmDyHrc87zWysnLh IuYjXS_WlWSvHLNoRN92HVs2UGi4 http://www.changemagdiinsider.com/blog/beyond-fear-acloser-look-at-vaccine-hesitancyin-the-philippines

By Flory Tacuban

http://www.changemagdiinsider.com/blog/4-things-youshould-know-about-the-strugglesof-filipino-teachers-amid-a http://www.changemagdiinsider.com/blog/coils-curlsand-battle-for-acceptance?fbclid =IwAR3MpuNrTYt2iUe2Bggh3V b5GnjBjcAHbLizUd7QACvus_UB_ dnT3Vz8HRI

INCLUSIVE VACCINATION. BJMP Region 6 proved that prison health is part of public health as they conduct mass COVID-19 vaccination among the inmates of ICDJ-MD. Photo Courtesy of Iloilo City District Jail Male Dormitory/Jerry Treñas Facebook Page.

Aklanon organizations continue to oppose the controversial bill that would create a government-owned and controlled corporation (GOCC) to oversee Boracay despite its passage in Congress.

ONE BORACAY. Malay LGU employees and youth volunteers go around the island carrying tarps and streamers saying “NO” to the BIDA Bill.

Photo Courtesy of One Boracay Movement Facebook Page.

GONE GLOBAL. Angelika Buergo and Flory Ann Tacuban, CMS journos of UPV, took two spots in the 9th Cohort of Diinsider Global Correspondents. They will be writing for Change Magazine, a media hub of Diinisder with audiences from across the globe. Photo Courtesy of Diinsider’s Official Website.

UPV student experiences Korea virtually

Story by Karen Joyce Pumaren First Published in UPV Libertas on

ILOILO—A University of the Philippines-Visayas student proved that though the world is on a pause dreams can still be pursued, maybe not physically but virtually.

Primitivo Galan Jr., a BS Chemical Engineering III student, lived his dream Korean life from across his computer screen through the Online Summer School of Kyungpook National University (KNU).

“It was really my dream to participate in an international exchange program and to visit Korea, they were realized but virtually”, Galan said.

From 1 to 6 pm for fifteen days, 9th to 20th of August 2021, Galan learned and lived the culture, the language, and the lifestyle of the fastpaced East Asian metropolis, South Korea, from the comfort of his home and pajamas without spending a single centavo.

The first hour of the virtual classes, from 1 pm to 2pm, is dedicated for sharing and teaching of a specific Korean culture, from Kpop to Kdrama, Kfashion, Korean food, Korean etiquettes, Taekwondo, and many more.

“Every day was memorable because different topics were introduced and they invited experts of such topics to discuss and present”, Galan added.

He furthered that these experts taught and explained to them how dance performances by the K-Pop stars are expertly choreographed, how Kdrama scenes and scripts are crafted, how the nation’s signature dishes like kimchi, bulgogi, and bibimbap are made, how Koreans dress, and how to properly interact with citizens of various demographics.

“You will certainly feel that you are exploring and peeking through the country”, he shared.

For the next two hours, Hangul and the Korean language are taught.

“The Korean language class is divided into two, the basic and intermediate. I joined the basic class because my knowledge of the language is very little”, Galan admittedly said.

Each day of the fifteen-day class, from 2 to 4 pm, every element of the Korean language was tackled, the Korean alphabet, the sentence structure, and proper pronunciation.

Furthermore, Galan said that teachers tried to converse with them in Korean, as much as possible during the class.

“The professor speaks Korean during the class, it was challenging but I felt like I was an actual Korean student”, Galan shared.

Living in Korea would not be complete without interacting with Korean people and other foreign travelers.

Galan, from 4 to 6 pm, is given a chance to interact with their Korean study buddies and foreign groupmates.

“I’ve been grouped with students from China, US, Czech Republic, Poland, Croatia, and a student volunteer from Korea. During breaks, we share our own culture, opinions, and perspectives about the discussed topics”, Galan shared.

He added that interacting and learning with diverse students is mentally stimulating but enlightening given that each one has their own norms and beliefs.

Klaudia Jackiewicz, a student of Wroclaw University in Poland, who’s enrolled in the KNU online class, shared similar sentiments with Galan.

“It was wonderful, I could know the opinions and habits of people from different countries and I got to know that we have so much in common even if we are thousands of kilometers apart,” she shared.

For two weeks Galan and his fellow KNU online summer class participants were able to immersed themselves and lived in their sought after country of destination, Korea.

But this experience is not a privilege only Galan can be granted.

A chance to experience life in Korea is open to all students with such a dream.

“This opportunity is open to all UP students. They just need to communicate with the Office of International Linkages (OIL),” Galan noted.

A certified K-Lover and UPV student Hans Ethan Carbonilla was delighted after learning about the program.

“I feel surprised knowing about the program and I want to try my luck to apply because this is a very rare opportunity to live our dream Korean life,” Carbonilla expressed.

Now that the world is on a pause, dreams like that of Galan, Jackiewicz, and Carbonilla may not be fulfilled physically but virtually.

UPV students balance work and remote learning

Story by Marie Andrea Pefianco First Published in UPV Libertas on 11 December 2021

ILOILO—The sudden shift to the virtual world during the pandemic gave students the opportunity to have plenty of time in their hands so some have chosen to juggle work and remote learning.

Students find work to increase their productivity among other reasons but with that comes the challenges of a working student.

In contrary to face-to-face classes where students had a fixed schedule for their daily class activities, remote learning allows students to work at their own pace. It became easier for them to get hold of their own time.

Thus, students who simultaneously work and study have become part of the new normal.

The Pushing Factors

Millions of students worldwide are at risk of learning loss due to extended school closures and most have the tendency to lose motivation to study in the remote learning setup.

Doxford D. Perlas, a 2nd-year B.A. in Sociology student who works at a BPO company expressed that he initially wanted to work because he wished to utilize the free time that he has in his hands.

“The thing with the online setup is that I got really unproductive. That’s the reason why I wanted to keep myself busy, I wanted to keep myself motivated and have something to do all the time,” said Perlas.

Just like Perlas, Clyde Xerxes Ortencio, a B.S. in Accountancy busker in Iloilo City conveyed that working is his coping mechanism to maintain his wellness.

Working as a singer improved his overall well-being instead of being cooped up inside their house. He added that he did not start working for financial reasons but because singing is his passion. Busking around Iloilo City serves as his training ground and foundation in the music industry so he could gain more experience.

Building a portfolio with substantial work experience is also one of the reasons why students from the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) chose to apply for work.

Roi Oliver Gonzaga, a B.A. in Communication and Media Studies (CMS) student stated that “The first thing that comes to mind is that after college, you get a job and in order to

get a job, you first need a portfolio. The only way to build your portfolio or resume is to get professional experience.”

He said that his work as an inhouse layout artist and video editor adds substance to his resume.

Working in the remote learning setup also serves as early exposure to the real world for Agripino John Patrick Gaan who is also a B.A. in CMS student. “It’s a good thing that my work is in line with my course,” Gaan noted.

He initially wanted to work to purchase a laptop for his studies but he realized that working is more than just the money. “It’s a continuation of what you are learning in your CMS electives,” Gaan noted.

He tends to incorporate what he is learning in school into his work as a writer and broadcaster in the Public Information Office of the province of Antique.

The student writer also added that it is his social responsibility as the eldest child of their family to share his earnings among his four siblings by providing them with load allowance and money for their school requirements.

Facing Challenges

While working part-time as an online class student can be rewarding, there are also countless challenges and compromises that have to be faced along the way.

The time conflict for work and school is one of the main struggles for working students.

“I thought it would be easy juggling these two things but in reality, once you get to experience both things at the same time, it s very hard to balance and maintain work and academic life,” said Perlas.

On top of that, maintaining their class standing is also put into consideration.

“Andami mong demands sa work mo and it’s a separate issue nanaman sa acads mo kasi hindi ‘rin naman pwedeng half-assed lang yung acads mo. Mas hindi pwedeng half-assed yung projects na ginagawa mo,” said Gonzaga.

He added that he would not recommend working part-time to other students since it is hard to find time for academics when your work has a lot of demands.

“The industry can be quite a bit exploitative especially when it comes to a profession that requires

skills. Sometimes you find yourself working up to the late hours, minsan umaga na para lang matapos ang project,” said Gonzaga.

Additionally, Ortencio explained that the cost of his busking is his academic performance. He already gave up with the idea of that he has to aim for the highest grades. Instead, Ortencio only does what he is capable of so he could have time to be happy and to enjoy his passion.

Another factor working students struggle with is the distance from family and friends.

Gonzaga who went to Quezon City for work expressed that living in a place that he is foreign with is a big struggle. “I have no one to reach out to,” he added.

The same goes for Perlas whose workplace is in a far distance from his boarding house.

For these working students, there are a lot of compromises that have to be made in order to maintain their job, academics, social life, and other extracurricular activities.

“To maintain my academics, I have to sacrifice sleep. To maintain my work, I have to sacrifice my academics, and to maintain my relationship with my family, I have to sacrifice all of those things at once so it’s really difficult,” Perlas explained with a sigh.

He expressed how hard it is to be independent since he is still quite

young, even though he is not reliant on his parents anymore.

“Once you get to fill the shoes of an independent person, that’s when you get to realize that the stories you hear from the media, the stories your read on literature is very different when you get to actually be in the real world,” said Perlas.

Overcoming Hurdles

The challenges brought by the exhausting demands of work and online school pushed students to find a way to cope with their situation.

Gaan learned how to prioritize his tasks now that he is working. “Do it one by one until you finish all of your tasks,” he said. In addition, he also sees to it that he enjoys his work as a writer.

“If you love what you are doing, it’s not just like you are working for the rest of the day or for a lifetime,” Gaan added.

On the other hand, Gonzaga uses applications like Notion and UPV’s Learning Management System which have been helpful in tracking his workflow.

Now that the university imposed the No-Fail Policy, they expressed that it has been a big help for iskolars because their academic burdens have been lessened.

“It is very considerate not only for those who are working but for all students,” said Gaan.

They expressed that professors from UPV have been very lenient with the deadlines. Some professors accept submissions past the deadline without grade deductions and lessen the workload to adjust to the students’ demands.

“I’m very compassionate to my students especially in this time of so much inflation, people losing their jobs, and parents losing their jobs,” said UPV instructor Jose Ruel Garcia.

He shared that he was really amazed by one of his students who is a call center agent. After this working student’s shift ends at 4AM, she goes home at 5AM, sleeps for three hours, attends her morning classes, and then works on her assignments.

“I cannot help but feel proud for students like this na sobrang ginagapang talaga nila ‘yung pag-aaral nila and I think it’s a good training that’s why I’m very understanding with them,” Garcia added.

Most of the students the instructor has handled have been vocal about their needs and most of them finished the past semesters

Google Developer Technologies begins DSC in UPV

DSC UPV chapter aimed to let the students grow their knowledge in a peer-to-peer learning environment, enhance their skills on web design, graphic design, UI/UX designs, while aiding the development and building solutions for local businesses in Miagao.

“In a university with students coming from different backgrounds, we can create many meaningful solutions for our community through DSC,” Tamara Louise Fuentesfina, DSC UPV Lead said.

Their faculty adviser, Fermar Novilla, said that DSC is open to all students ranging from novice to advanced developers.

Novilla also added that students interested in developer technologies can meet on campus and connect with DSCs from other universities and institutions.

“The array of things it can offer to the community is limitless, especially now during pandemic where most of our interactions are mediated by technology,” he said.

The group has started inviting members last September 7, 2020 and will end on October 12, 2020.

Google Developer Technologies, the partner organization, is an online onestop self-guided learning on software skills needed to develop google technologies.

It created communities to connect with fellow developers in the area, inspire members with industry experts and learn skills through physical training sessions and workshops, hence the DSC.

DSC UPV chapter can now hold events and activities acknowledged by Office of Student Affairs.

strong. As long as students comply with their tasks on their promised deadlines, Garcia does not have a problem with them.

However, that is not always the case.

Perlas believes that students should not exhaust the professors’ considerations all at once.

“I actually experienced a professor turning down a request because I haven’t had sleep and I already opened the exam accidentally so I asked for consideration but it wasn’t given to me so I had to sacrifice my sleep,” he said.

He admitted that he may be exploiting the freedoms brought by online classes because he does not get to attend classes anymore.

“I think that is a mistake on my part because I don’t like to exploit things especially when it is given to me as a courtesy because it makes me feel bad as a person. However, I really cannot maintain things all at once,” said Perlas.

UPV’s Guidance and Counseling Services Unit (GCSU) gives students assessments to know how much they need a job, its demands, and if they can handle both the job and their studies.

In an interview with, Guidance Specialist III Paula Khryss Ushiyama, she explained that they usually try to explore the gravity of a student’s economic situation because they do not want to impose a certain action without hearing their grievances.

There are some physiological needs like food that the students have to provide that is why they could not just quit their jobs to prioritize their academic situation.

Ushiyama also mentioned that there are available scholarship programs so the students’ financial burdens will be lessened.

“If we see that the student has some sort of credibility to become a scholar, we refer them to the scholarship office if there could be a scholarship that would be available to that particular student,” she added.

The GCSU is open from 8AM to 4PM on Mondays to Fridays to cater to students’ psychological needs among other things.

Ushiyama reminds students, especially those who are experiencing distress, that they should prioritize self-care especially now that most are prone to fatigue.

“Don’t be too hard on yourself,” she added.

KOREAN ACCULTURATION. Primitivo Galan Jr., UPV student, presented the Korean culture he learned and acquired in the two-week program during the Completion Ceremony of the KNU Online Summer School. Photo Courtesy of Primitivo Galan Jr.

Story by Richelle Mae Tabigne ILOILO—University-based community group, Developer Student Club, organized the UP Visayas chapter recently.

THE PASSION GOES ON. Clyde Xerxes Ortencio performs his renditons in foront of a crowd in Iloilo City. To sustain his mental wellness while studying, Ortencio decided to becom e a studentbusker to so he could boost his productivity while pursuing his passion. Photo Courtesy of Kenneth Gohel.

A Global Race for CoVax: Gamble of Life

According to the World Health Organization, 80 countries across the globe are racing to develop a vaccine for COVID-19.

To lead the race, countries are eyeing for nations that will bethe site for these experiments, the Philippines is on the top ofthe list.

Medical experts said that the active community transmissionof the virus in the Philippines makes it a good site for conducting a vaccine trial, the reason why nations across the globe are rushing to the country to test the efficacy of heirvaccines.

But is the Philippines convinced that the only motive ofthese countries is directed in knowing the efficacy of thevaccines?

Judy Twigg, a senior associate with the Global Health PolicyCenter, said that this is the chance for Russia President Vladimir Putin, one of the leaders to whom President Duterteagreed on conducting their vaccine trials in the country, toposition Russia as a savior.

Russia, however, was recently questioned for the pacing of their vaccine trials an accused of fragmenting information.

If that is indeed the case, then the Philippine President should have though about it beforehand, so the welfare and well-being of Filipinos who are joining the trials will not put nto danger due to the aims of countries in winning the race for allegedly political benefits.

To ensure the safety of vaccines, the Department of Health Undersecretary Mario Rosario Vergerie clarified that approval from the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) and ethics review board must be secured first before the conduct of any clinical trials.

But if we think about what happened three years ago with Dengvaxia vaccine, which had an adverse effect on children who were injected, was also FDA approved.

Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) President Arsenio Evangelista urged that the government should not repeat the mistakes from the controversial dengue vaccine Dengvaxia and should act with utmost caution and due diligence to ensure the quality and safety of any vaccine.

However, for those on power, FDA fast-tracking the approval process and Filipinos joining these vaccine trials is the country’s “best short-term strategy”.

In a statement given by Philippine Council for Health Research and Development Executive Director Jaime Montoya, the Philippines does not have any resources yet to produce a vaccine, the reason why the country must take part in the clinical trials.

President Rodrigo Duterte also said that Russia guaranteed to give free vaccines if the results of the trials are positive.

Does the word “free” even exist in these capitalist countries? If these vaccine trials with allegedly fragmented information fail, the public trust on governmentapproved vaccines will be dismantled.

For Jeffrey Kahn, director of Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics, if you can’t be confident about the risks of vaccine trails

then there’s no way you can be confident about the risk- benefit balance.

Other nations are racing to develop a vaccine, not mainly because of humanitarian reasons, but to be the first one in claiming the glory of a vaccine breakthrough even if that means cutting corners and offering false hope. But, the Philippines, unbothered by the

risk, is standing on the final track as powerful nations race to reach the finish line.

We must get out from this path and exhaust practical means and measures such as mass testing, accurate and wide contact tracing, and other socio-economic strategies. Gambling Filipino lives for the possibility to get free vaccines is never worthy.

Creating tennis champs to breaking champs?

This basically means that Filipino tennis players would not be given a chance to play and represent the country in any ITF official tournaments with the likes of the Davis Cup.

After a year of suspension, still with no remedies, the Philippine tennis team, who once brought glory to the country during the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in 2019, totally missed out competing in the 2021 Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group III slated last September 15 to 18 in Amman, Jordan.

groups like Cebuana Lhuillier and Palawan Pawnshop, I did not feel the presence of Philta at all. In fact, I never have known who sits on the board and who are the members.

That is what the ITF wants to resolve. In 2018, the federation already issued Philta to “democratize its membership” and start submitting reports regarding their programs on coaches, officials, and players.

responsibly works. On the flip side, if UTP is more visible than Philta, then perhaps the national sports commission should just directly forward the financial aid to them and let them lead.

While the whole world succumbed to the horrors of the global pandemic, rising Filipino netters, who are starting to find their footing in the international lawn tennis scene are affected. Not just because of the status quo, but also because of their national sports association’s mishandling.

The Philippine Tennis Association (Philta) failed its athletes as it was barred with a two-year suspension by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) due to “long-standing governance failings” and “representation issues.”

I could not help but heave my frustration because of Philta’s shortcomings. Filipino netters, who have dreams to become bigger tennis stars should not cave in just because of their incompetence.

But I was not surprised with the issues, for these have been brewing since years ago. I have a younger brother who is a lawn tennis player and who has been competing internationally. He is currently under the supervision of the Philippine Tennis Academy. Because of the issue, he also cannot join ITF sanctioned events.

Ever since he started participating in grassroot tournaments organized by private

Then and again, Philta did not comply, and the overall Philippine tennis system became more entangled. I have witnessed the emergence of a separate entity, in the name of Unified Tennis Philippines (UTP) which has its own ranking that claims itself to be authorized by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).

What is even more interesting is that private groups like Cebuana and Palawan under UTP have been keeping the sport alive at the grassroots level, which in fact is the very job of Philta.

If Philta’s faulty system is hampering the potential and future of Filipino tennis players, then it is high time to redefine it and create a brand new national governing body for tennis that

You are in a Healthy Relationship If...

I started what seemed to be the plot twist of my 2021 earlier than expected after entering in a fortuitous romance in February. Didn’t know whether it was just a twist of fate or destiny but it is by far the healthiest relationship I’ve been in. But what does it really mean to have a healthy relationship?

A healthy relationship comes in different forms and does not look the same for everyone since we have different needs and inclinations. But a relationship, whether romantic or not, will thrive if it displays the following basic signs that stand out in the connection of two or more people.

So, you are in a healthy relationship if…

1. You openly communicate.

Healthy people are not afraid to communicate just about anything: family, friendship, work, successes, failures, and even traumatic history. There is an assurance that they are addressing the right person who would understand and listen to them without prejudice. It is important that partners are honest to each other about how they feel, what they think about a particular shared experience because this would establish trust between them. However, it’s also as important to do these things at the proper place, at the right time - open up only when you feel comfortable.

Healthy communication doesn’t mean that you have to be an open book to your partner or to your friends all the time.

2. You compromise. To compromise means to settle and adapt to each other’s opinions, preferences, and needs.

It is all about reconciling your differences as individuals and strengthening your similarities in the relationship. I have always considered myself an Alpha female - independent, empowered, anything but submissive - and dating an Alpha male is actually

tougher than I thought it would be. In all the little fights we had, we always found a way to outscore the other person and assert dominance. But because we want to be healthy for each other, we resolve these disputes rationally and compromise from a place of empathy and, again, good communication.

3. You cherish your good memories more than you remember the bad times.

I’ve been in a relationship where the both of us constantly brought up mistakes that each did in the past. Not only it was repetitive and exhausting, but also traumatic. We definitely don’t want that!

We can talk about the past for a time or so but it should not be the only source of our conversation. To keep your relationship healthy, despite your hectic schedules at school, work, or life in general, be sure to make time for each other to create good memories. It doesn’t have to be as grand as travelling from one place to another but could rather be as simple as eating your favorite ice cream together after a long, tiring day. More than anything, cherish these memories and don’t dwell on the bad times you’ve had with each other because no matter how much you talk about the bad things, you can never go back and can only learn from it.

4. Trust

“Trust”: big word!

When you truly love someone,

The future of the Filipino netters is limitless. They delivered an outstanding performance during the 2019 SEA games. Like the young tennis star Alex Eala, they can break through the Australian Open, French Open, and even the Davis Cup. And like my brother who had a two-week free scholarship training at Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca, Spain, they can soar even higher.

But the ban on Philta was a deep pitfall to what these emerging netters accomplished the past few years. Not the kind of ending to what has otherwise been a great streak for Philippine tennis.

Philta should stop blaming and blabbering and start doing actions to resolve the issue if they care for their athletes. They must recalibrate their actions and make positive changes for the betterment of Philippine tennis because they should be the ones creating champions, not the ones breaking them.

you give your heart to that person unconditionally. You trust them fully. That means you are safe and comfortable with them. Your relationship is built on honesty and integrity. If you’re a naturally anxious partner, it’s not going to be a walk in the park to trust the other person because of various factors external to your relationship. But if you truly know your partner, you are ensured that they will decide for your relationship’s best interest.

5. You give your best to the relationship but not to the point of exhausting yourself.

“I love you. You are my world, my everything.”

Romantic, isn’t it?

But as much as we want to give our all to the relationship, we have to remember that we are individuals who have separate lives to enjoy and fulfill outside our relationships. It’s okay to give space when necessary. It’s okay if your energy isn’t always reciprocated as you’d like it to be. Always save something for yourself, because at the end of the day, you cannot pour from an empty cup.

In these times when red flags are normalized and genuine love and connection seem to be rare, it has become harder for relationships to be healthy. Although there isn’t a standard recipe for relationships to be successful, one sure thing we must remember is to help ourselves grow and make the best of our shared experiences together as partners, friends, or in whatever affinity we belong to.

Graft Busters or Graft Granters?

Editorial by Karen Joyce Pumaren

A week after announcing a limit to those who can request a public official’s Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN), Ombudsman Samuel Martires removed another key tool in combating corruption in the government, the lifestyle checks.

These self-opinionated pronouncements are beyond the pale and unconstitutional.

Martires, former Supreme Court and Sandiganbayan justice, recently revealed to the Congress that he had not been conducting lifestyle checks on government officials ever since he was appointed by the president to lead the office.

The chief graft buster said he wanted to change the process of lifestyle checking, a procedure specified in RA 6713, saying that wealth does not necessarily translate to graft and corruption.

Relatively, he has a point, the law is indeed faulty in this aspect. It reflects a recurrent preconception

in society that wealth, if obtained in a very short span of time, must have been the product of illegal or corrupt activity.

While wealth does not necessarily equate to corruption, a SALN or lifestyle check also serves as a useful tool to demonstrate that public officials are not abusing their power. These processes must be sustained as stated in the AntiGraft and Corrupt Practices Act, as well as the Code of Ethics.

In addition, being chief of an autonomous constitutional body does not give him the power to change the law based on his own opinion of it.

The Ombudsman defended his choice to limit access to SALN, result of life checking, by claiming that the wealth declarations are “weaponized” against political rivals. He also stressed that there is a provision on RA 6713 that holds that it is prohibited to use wealth declaration documents “contrary to morals or public policy”.

Conversely, neither “weaponized” nor it contradicts to morals as SALN or a lifestyle check often operate much as RA 6713 aims.

Furthermore, the next provision in the law mentioned that wealth declaration can be accessible to communications media for the purpose dissemination to the general public.

It is evident and recognized that most politicians and government officials came from rich families, they have all the means to live a luxurious life. But if an official’s expenses exceed his/ her income and all other revenue taken together, which must be honestly declared in the SALN and lifestyle checks, then that serves as a signal, a pointer, on where to look more strictly.

Transparency and accountability must be provided to people. After all, it’s the people’s money that is at stake, it’s very much of their business.

Film is an Open Door

Philippine Cinema is not dead.

Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) Chairperson Liza Diño-Seguerra says, “it is changing and evolving.”

I say, they do it for us young, regional filmmakers.

Why? —because in the recent years, we have been at the receiving end. Every masterclass, every webinar and small film fests now recognize regional filmmakers. Even Locarno Film Festival, one of the most prestigious international film fests based in Switzerland, has spotlighted PH Cinema. And the regions are a big part of that collection, as it should.

The industry is beginning to open its doors for us. All we have to do is let ourselves in.

I remember the first time I realized I wanted film. It was six in the evening and my sister took me to this shady street downtown. We entered a building that looked suspicious and to my surprise, she bought two movie tickets from a security guard—for only a hundred pesos each! I even questioned her if what we were doing was legal. Little did I know that that was the start of my being a Cinematheque tambay. Though I knew I liked films then, I never really thought about making them. Well, up until that point. Along with this growing interest were the second thoughts I had of the path I was currently in. Unfortunately, I was a STEM major who graduated from a program that had “science” in its name. I reckoned that I can find the value of x more than I can find my voice as a filmmaker. Just thinking about straying from my maths and sciences comfort zone scared me. On top of that, I was well aware there were a lot of people my age who are fluent in the camera language, who CAN write, and who are already far into the industry than I am.

It was not until we joined a one-minuter film contest for students that I learned: Story is king.

Owning the best lens and equipment will not get your point across. Of course, that would help, but as beginners, you only need heart to first decide you want this. And you need to open that heart to absorb every advice you can get from experienced filmmakers— regional filmmakers at that.

Frankly, my grades went downhill from there. I could not see the point of continuing my education anymore.

I was so caught up with being in the wrong strand, taking the wrong subjects, and being mentored by teachers who cannot grasp the idea of changing paths, who think that securing an excuse permit to attend a Cinemalaya workshop instead of a Chemistry class is an act of rebellion.

Looking back, I never regretted that day. I also never regretted choosing Communication and Media Studies for my degree program. I would choose it a hundred times over.

If not for CMS, I would not have this love-hate relationship with media; I would not be writing this column, and; I would not have met the right mentors. In CMS, I learned that talent, maturity, and connections are what you need to venture into the industry. A good grade is an edge, but not as much as those three. At least that’s what Regional Filmmaker and UPV Lecturer Arden Rod Condez said. And I trust him, along with all my other mentors from CMS, UPV, and the film industry.

I do not deny the privilege I possess to have the option to pursue what I want. That is, honestly, one of the things that drives me to hold that door open for every dreamer there is when I eventually find my corner in the industry. So if you ask me when is the right time to pursue film, I would say it’s now. Being at the receiving end when PH Cinema is evolving is an advantage.

Is it frightening? Yes. Is it worth it? That is something I have yet to conclude and for you to find out. But is the door open? Definitely.

Quaran-flings: Maintaining romantic relationships amidst the pandemic

Building romantic relationships was never easy. Now imagine having to do that without being able to meet each other.

With the pandemic, building and maintaining relationships has become a difficult. Many people have resorted to online dating during the pandemic, however, do these relationships share the same sentimentality as those that were formed pre-pandemic?

Activity of online dating apps spiked during the first few weeks of the pandemic. According to a yearend report by Tinder, 2020 was the app’s busiest year On March 29, 2020, just after most of the world began lockdown. Tinder broke its record for the most activity in a single day, and that’s not a surprise. In the week after March 12, Bumble claims a 21% spike in messages exchanged via the app in the United States, with significantly higher increases in specific coronavirus

hotspots. Message traffic increased by 26% in San Francisco, where officials ordered people to stay in place that week. The pandemic has changed the way people develop relationships. Because of the pandemic, people aren’t allowed to go on traditional dates, like eating in restaurants, watching movies, or just going out together in general. Before the pandemic, people would first connect with each other online, then exchange messages and finally meet each other in person.

However, this is no longer the case because of the pandemic. People now rely on sending messages, video calls, and the like to maintain relationships amidst the pandemic. They would get to know each other online and making sure that they are compatible with one another before meeting up in person since it would be an additional risk.

Not everyone on dating apps are looking for something serious. This has been the impression left by dating apps, pandemic or not. Now without being able to see each other in person, how does one make a relationship formed online last? Well, based on experience, first and foremost, communication is key. Being separated from each other because of a pandemic is

difficult- Not being able to tell what a person really means, the absence of non-verbal cues, tone of voice. Misunderstandings are bound to surface and end relationships when they aren’t addressed, which is why it’s important for partners to openly communicate with one another.

Honesty and transparency also play a huge role in relationships formed online. Since you aren’t with each other all the time, it’s inevitable for one to feel neglected, or they feel like their partners are hiding something from them. Updating your partner on what you’re doing, who you’re with, or if you won’t be able to message or call does wonders.

It builds a bond of trust that strengthens relationships.

Being in a relationship during the pandemic is hard. Before COVID, I remember being able to run our errands together, hanging

Taming a Feral Cat: A New Furry Friend

2.

Ferals are afraid of human interaction. They are afraid to be touch or pet, unlike pets at home. One should know how to handle and gain their trust. After earning the trust, you would also earn a new furry friend that comes in with benefits.

First, how to tame a feral cat?

1. Be Patient

The growing numbers of stray cats and dogs into millions caused animal shelters in the Philippines to be full, unable to shelter more of these furry organisms. Thus, cats and dogs continue to wander in the streets and avenues of the country finding food and a place to stay in.

To tame and care for a feral cat is to help lessen theirs and the society’s burden. However, taming them does not come in handy.

Like humans, cats come close to you when you have their trust. They are unpredictable. My cats always act up like they don’t trust me and end up biting and scratching me sometimes. What more from a feral cat?

One must have lengthy-long patience for some of the cats can be tamed in a week and some take months or an entire year.

You may get tired of taming them but the satisfaction and happiness that comes after they have trusted you are priceless.

Make Them Want You

Give them treats! A way to a cat’s heart is through her stomach. By feeding the cat, you can go on with your ulterior move. That is to touch them. You can place a treat

more. Remember, always initiate an interaction during meal times.

3. Slowly introduce life with a human.

They are ferals and probably have a mindset that every human is a predator. You can start desensitizing the cat by performing every interaction slowly. One should have a low tone of voice to avoid them from running away. Do not initiate a touch when they hiss. Talk to them like you do. Tell them nice things and they would understand. You can also introduce them to toys and spend time playing with them.

4. Respect Spaces

out in cafes, going to movies, eating out in different restaurants. Now, we’re restricted to just talking to each other on social media, playing games online together and the like. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy every moment I spend with my significant other. Despite being separated during the pandemic, I still look forward to spending time with them and I look forward to the next time I’m able to meet up with them.

Relationships were always confusing to begin with, so pursuing one when you can’t meet up in person isn’t something that one can do in a whim. However, just because a relationship was formed online doesn’t make it less meaningful than ones formed before the pandemic. Love whoever you want to, and form relationships online. At the end of the day, all we want is just a connection to feel less lonely during these difficult times.

room with water, food, and a litter box and slowly introduce her to bigger spaces in the house.

5. Help them with the transition.

These transitions are bathing, eating, and sleeping habits. Introduce her to a calming and relaxing bath because ferals lived their life without baths. A feral can also be susceptible to illnesses when introduced to new foods and you must slowly help them adapt to it by adding a small portion of the food you wished to be eaten by her. Lastly, give them a comfortable place to sleep.

When one can tame this hissing, scratching, and biting cats, satisfaction is the feeling.

on your hands and wait for the cat to come at you. Know when it is dangerous. Place a treat in a bowl and place it near you ensuring that you won’t hurt them. Creating a safe and comfortable place for them will make them want you

When one does not want to be touched, don’t touch them. Don’t let the feral feel cornered and don’t push yourself too much. When you welcomed a feral cat into your house there is still work to be done.

Cats can also be overwhelmed and be curious. Leave them in a small

A new furry friend gives you the benefits of joy and happiness they would bring for they are playful and adventurous. They will also teach you how to be responsible. You have to wake up and prepare their food. Clean their litter and cuddle them to sleep.

Child Raising a Child

Thin arms carrying even thinner hands. Child eyes staring at even more innocent ones. A small voice singing lullabies to a fragile newborn’s cry. Wisdom and burden that should be placed upon the shoulders of a grownup can now be seen in the eyes and shoulders of a kid that’s supposed to have eyes of wonder. This is the painful reality that teenagers need to face when they decide to carelessly perform sexual intercourse that would result to a new life being born.

When a teenager, that means somebody that is 19 years old and younger, become pregnant, they’re risking themselves on physical, mental, emotional, and psychological negative effects of giving birth, and being a parent at such an early age. According to Carey and Schulman (2018) from the Healthline, teen mothers are at a high risk of suffering from preeclampsia or new onset high blood pressure during the pregnancy. They also run a higher risk of experiencing postpartum depression. Based on a journal published in the American Academy of Pediatrics, the rate of postpartum depression on teenagers are twice higher than those of adult women. Now, the happy days in the life of a farmer is gone. It turned into cries for government subsidies and call to review and amend the RTL.

As an agricultural country, the story of the life of a farmer is an irony. A farmer, the nation’s provider and feeder, has nothing to feed themselves, isn’t that ironic?

Teen moms also run the risk of being isolated from their peers because of their more advanced responsibilities that would greatly impact their psychological state.

Gone are the days when their only concern is if they have passed their project on time or not.Now, they will be worrying about whether the baby has been fed, or if they still have time to make assignments.

According to Next step Philippines, teenage mothers are constrained in their ability to pursue education opportunities. The very reason why most likely, teen parents will have finances as one of their main problems as well, on top of the physical, mental and psychological dilemmas.

The National Nutrition Council stated that families formed from teen parents or parent, usually occupy the population of poorest households.

This would even be harder if the baby’s father did not stay to take responsibility, or is a kid himself, who did not finish any educational degree.

I have seen first-hand what teenage pregnancy can bring on the new family it will be raising.

A neighbor got pregnant at 18 which resulted to her and her common law husband having to drop out from college. They do not exactly have a peaceful home, with a “tambay”, vice-hooked father and

a minimum wage earner mother to 4 little kids. They both started out with childish minds, not knowing how to manage their problems as live-in partners that often resulted to screaming matches and the battle of throwing-things. They also live in a small hut by the sea, with the mothers of both parents having to fill in their financial gaps that they could no longer keep up with.

This is not the ideal family that a child would want to grow up in, more so never the dream of any mother to have as a family.

Teenage is supposed to be having catfights and sleepovers with frenemies.

It’s supposed to be the era of finding true friendships, and making high school a memory people will never forget.

It’s supposed to be the time to learn how to be comfortable alone and to make stupid decisions that will not lead to lifetime regrets.

It’s supposed to be the time of gushing over crushes in the hallways and signing up on jail booths.

It’s the time of maximizing teenage innocence because this is a period that we will never get back. It is the time of discovering who we really are, what we are good at, and what more can we do.

It’s the time of feeling like we can conquer the world and soar as high as the skies permits us. It is the time where we imagine that we are unstoppable and we can do anything.

Thin arms carrying even thinner hands. Child eyes staring at even more innocent ones. This is a predicament that we should actively discourage and prevent. We have to remember that a child raising a child is not the key to a brighter future.

The Power of Volunteerism

“No man is an island,” this quote may be a cliche but sometimes it stands correctly and can be tested by people who need help inevitably.

In each sector of society, volunteers are necessary for certain events to be successfully made. According to philanthropist Gary Hendty, owner of TentLogix, volunteerism is equally essential for an individual and society as it positively affects both.

Volunteerism provides necessary help to deserving people and causes.

Last December 21, 2021, the Borres Youth Leadership Institute (BYLI) conducted an outreach program for the children of Brgy. Guise, Pilar, Capiz as part of the core projects of the non-governmental organization. The project consists of youth volunteers coming from different parts of the province of Capiz.

The recent events showed the power of volunteerism and how it has an innate impact not just on the organization but also on

the community. As BYLI founder Atty. Mark Borres, mentioned in his remarks that no programs or events are implemented by a single individual as he/she cannot make it, volunteers are the manpower to generate them.In the recent typhoon Odette that leaves the central Visayas and Northern Mindanao in an onslaught, there are tons of volunteers who show empathy and care for the people who were affected.

They helped with search and rescue, cleaning the roads and rivers, sending goods to rural areas, and implementing programs to earn funds for the families of victims.

These actions done by these regular people who are not expecting any incentives portray how powerful volunteerism is. Their minor efforts can have a macro effect in each life of this individual who loses hope due to the tragedies. In the record, a PhilStar report showed that Filipinos were the Top Volunteers in the world as it reached 25

million volunteers in 2016 based on the CAF World Giving Index 2017.

This number surely added up to this year in which the country experienced several tragedies that pushed people to be kind and help others.

Being a volunteer for about half of my existence showed me both sides of the world. The kind one and the greedy one. For instance, there are volunteers who joined just for fame or for fun.

Once Upon a Life of a Farmer

The months of November and May used to be the happiest moment in the life of a farmer. It’s time for them to harvest palay, the fruit of their labor.

But take note of the term “it used to be”, an expression that signifies events of the past, the past that is no longer true.

Not so long time ago, palay harvest season beats Christmas in almost all aspects.

I could still recall receiving gifts, either monetary or material, from my relatives after waiting for long hours in rice fields while men in long sleevesnand brown boots are counting and weighing the harvested palay

I could still remember the feeling of fullness after eating lechon manok and baboy, humba, dinugu-an, kilawin, pancit on the night after the harvest.

My cousins and I used to brag our new clothes to be worn in the upcoming Christmas party, days after the harvest.

Those experiences gave a clear picture of the transition and change that occurred in the life of a farmer.

The excitement has turned into anxiety of whether the value of their crops can compensate the labor cost.

The buying price of locally grown rice has reportedly plummeted to as low as P12 per kilo. With this alarming drop farmers have all the right to worry.

According to the Federation of Free Farmers and Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura, the competition with imported rice products is the major cause of the price fall.

Last year, our country opened for cheaper imported rice from Vietnam and Thailand under the Rice Tarrification Law or RTL.

The main objective of the law is to provide affordable rice prices for consumers, coupled with the goal of raising the income of palay or rice farmers.

Though the rice-eating populace benefits, farmers, on the other hand, suffers as the prices of local rice plunges. With the presence of cheaper imported rice, farmers have no choice but to lower down the buying price to compete and sell their palays

Now, the happy days in the life of a farmer is gone. It turned into cries for government subsidies and call to review and amend the RTL.

As an agricultural country, the story of the life of a farmer is an irony. A farmer, the nation’s provider and feeder, has nothing to feed themselves, isn’t that ironic?

Meanwhile, there are those who are passionate about helping others and sharing their blessings with others who are abused, unprivileged and unloved. In addition, I would agree with the statement of Atty. Borres that no single person can implement a program. Afterall, we are not robots nor possess artificial intelligence. We are humans who easily feel tired, get illnesses, and need companions to make a difference.Volunteerism also gives benefits not just for the physical but also strengthens the mentality of an individual.

Editor Calvin Holbrook, writer of the Happiness website stated, “ Volunteering is huge –improved physical and mental health, new friends and avoiding loneliness, a sense of purpose and deeper self-confidence.

In turn, all of these things will help to boost your overall happiness: a win-win situation for all involved.”

Although we do not want to experience any disasters, this

kind of incident pushed people to be volunteers just like what happened in the recent Typhoon Odette. This phenomenon helps people to realize the importance of disturbing the comfortable people and bringing them into the grassroot venues.

Volunteerism is not genetically transmitted, it is a piece of shared knowledge and touches the morality of the people. The more we expose people to volunteerism, the more we can influence everyone to be kind at any event.

Most of us are busy in our own lives which makes volunteering impossible to embody or practice. However, if you are mature enough and can be able to possess time management skills, then you have enough time to help others.

Everyone must always connect with others and link to the core of humanity.

Volunteering is not only vital to your community, but it can also give you some of the most gratifying rewards of your life.

Reality check: “Sustainable fashion’ isn’t always sustainable

global CO2 emissions every year. In the Philippines, according to a 2017 study of YouGov, fast fashion caused a third of Filipinos to throw their cheap clothes after using them once. In an attempt to combat this kind of consumption which leads to increased pollution, brands and consumers started to embrace sustainability.

The lack of diversity and representation among genders, social classes, and - most importantly - races, also brings forth a matter of concern in this development. In the Philippines, where standards, whether on beauty or fashion, have

Fashion, more than a way to clothe and protect our bodies, is also a form of expression for many people. Fashion may reflect our beliefs and interests, and also reveal the different global trends. However, in a time when trends come and go easily, fashion also adapts and changes dramatically. For a time, these trends vary per season but today, it’s almost as if they alter every week.

Clothing companies and mass-market retailers have been rapidly producing collections of clothes either inspired by high-end fashion shows, celebrity styles, or social media trends. This instant, more accessible, and affordable production of clothes account for the term “fast fashion.”

According to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2019), the fashion industry is responsible for 10% of

To go sustainable means patronizing alternatives that are “slower,” with minimal environmental effects, and those that put high respect and dignity to the rights of the workers. However despite the continuous calls of many activists and fashion enthusiasts to shop sustainably, the truth is…sustainable fashion isn’t always sustainable and accessible to everyone.

The limitation and inaccessibility to sizes - especially with the plus-sized community, continue to be a barrier to the sustainable movement. Marielle Elizabeth, a globally-acclaimed slow-fashion advocate, in her interview with teenVogue, emphasized that since sustainable fabrics are made to biodegrade, this limits the bodies to have higher points of friction. Sustainable clothing tends to be more expensive due to the costs of fabric and its ethical production.

Understandably, there’s more fabric needed for bigger bodies, thus fashion becoming more expensive for those who have plussized bodies.

always been patterned to Western ideals, sustainable brands struggle to dismantle the “whiteness” in most Filipinos’ perspectives. Apart from the goals of making a greener planet and fashion that’s less degrading to the environment, sustainability should also prioritize diversity and equity. A sustainable industry is one that that embraces all kinds of people regardless of their backgrounds and status.

Since the ‘sustainable,’ ‘ecofriendly,’ and ‘organic’ fashion movement became mainstream, several brands have jumped to more ‘conscious’ collections in order to win the hearts of consumers who are trying to increase efforts in responsible shopping. However, there are companies that fail to encompass all aspects of

sustainability and take advantage of the hype for money-making. ‘Greenwashing’ or the marketing tactic used by companies to appear more environmental-friendly than they actually are, has been on the rise. Some brands label themselves as ‘sustainable’ by highlighting the materials they used for their garments, without actually explaining why and how these materials are more ‘green’ than others. While some companies may be doing their best in their environmental efforts, there are others that do not prioritize the welfare of their workers. When a company is not mindful of the sustainability of its holistic production, we can only think of it as a company that masks behind the green label and still thinks highly of gaining profit than actually fulfilling the goal of going green.

Meanwhile, in the 2021 survey of Kantar World Panel. Entitled ‘Who Cares, Who Does,’ it was reported that 75% of Filipino consumers seek for ecofriendly brands especially after the pandemic has stressed the significance of health and wellness. However, despite this increasing interest towards sustainability, alternative options are still either hard to find or expensive for an average Filipino. If only there are more options and more accessible slow-fashion clothing in our country, then perhaps we can see sustainability more as a lifestyle that anyone can practice rather

than a trend that only the privileged can hop onto.

It’s always the poor countries, including Philippines, and poor people being blamed for climate change and environmental degradation because they patronize the ‘fast market’ - singleuse packaging or fast fashion - and are the top contributors of trash and other harmful emissions. But shouldn’t we be more worried how the big companies are using us and the trends for their capitalist gains? These issues on the lack of inclusivity, classism, misrepresentation, and greenwashing make the movement more of a blur rather than a clear solution towards sustainability. But don’t be disheartened because there are still brands who put real effort in going green holistically, so let us patronize and support them. As responsible consumers, it’s our obligation to ‘sustain’ sustainability, not only in the way we dress but also in our everyday actions. We carry that duty to pass the deed forward to those who may be confused or those who are just starting to explore the movement. More than that, it is our commitment to continuously call for climate justice and action. Learning about what we wear is just one thing that can contribute to the systemic change that we are aiming for: a better environment, a healthier planet. Nevertheless, it’s always good to begin at something and it’s best if we do it now.

In this era of technology, kids feed their boredom with videos on Youtube, series on Netflix, and games offered by the virtual space. Evidently, the robust Larong Pinoy in the past became an unusual practice in contemporary Philippine society, one example is the game called spinning tops.

The very origin of spinning tops, what Filipinos call as Trumpo or Turumpo, can be traced back to the 35th century BC, nearly six thousand years ago, but in the context of the Philippines it was robust during the 80’s up to early 20’s.

The popularity of this outdoor game resonated throughout the past generations that it was recognized as a traditional game of Filipinos and tagged as Larong Atin or Larong Pinoy by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).

Notably, Larong Pinoy, like Turumpo, is dubbed as “Laro ng Lahi” and categorized as “Yaman ng Lahi”, it’s a game of our heritage and the treasure of our culture.

Hence, as we embrace the continuously advancing technology, let’s keep our culture and heritage alive by remembering and playing our traditional games beginning with spinning our Turumpo.

The Making of Trumpo

The term Trumpo refers to both the actual game and the instrument used. To play the game, it is essential to first learn about the instrument and how to make it.

Bonifacio “Boning” Eclarino, a native of Iloilo born in the 80s, described the Trumpo instrument and detailed the step by step process of crafting it.

“Ang Trumpo ginatawag man day-a nga kasing diya sa Iloilo, kahoy ini nga ginkorte kono nga kalabanan may lansang nga stand sa idalum,” Eclarino said

According to Tito Boning, the process of Trumpo making resembles woodworking. The craftsman must find the right material, measure and cut properly, shape accurately, and polish perfectly.

In making a good and durable Trumpo, the first step is to find a strong and smooth wooden material.

“Bayabas, Ipil-ipil, kag Narra ang sami nga ginagamit nga kahoy mag-ubra sang Trumpo kay bisan ano mo kapabuyong kag paupas indi dali-dali nga maguba kag manami ang pagbuyong na. Pero bisan ano nga kahoy pwede man subong gamitun ta danay acacia,” Eclarino explained.

If the wood material has been chosen, the next step is to cut a portion of the tree depending on the size of the trumpo you would like. The sizes of Trumpo varies but commonly the body is measured in five centimeters and the stand is in two centimeters.

“May hanggod may gagmay man pero kalabanan daw mga sa lima siguro kasentimetros ang lawas tas buli daw mga duha,” Eclarino added.

The chosen wooden material will be skinned out and lined according to the desired size and measurement then cut accordingly.

“Linyahan mo ang kahoy dayun udton mo depende sa gusto mo nga kahanggudon sang imo trumpo. Kay maubra ta ka normal size nga trumpo nagutod ako mga pulo ka sentimetro ang kalabaun.

Dayun dapat hilagisan,” Eclarino furthered.

After the measuring and cutting, the tedious shaping process awaits.

“Ang pagkorte sang trump mabudlay kag madugay. Manomano ang pag-ubra gamit ang sundang ukon tinggib,” Eclarino warned.

To Boning opted not to use nails in making trumpo since he finds it dangerous for the children playing instead he skillfully shaped the bottom portion of the wood to mirror the nails.

When the trumpo is successfully shaped, it is important to polish it using either a polishing equipment or papel de liha/ sandpaper. The craftsman can even design or color his or her trumpo based on his/her preferences.

“Kung makortehan mo dun, ipolish kag designan mo para manami turukon. Kuskusan papel de liho pwede man drawing kag pintahan,” Eclarino advised.

In order to use the trumpo, one needs a ‘tyate’ or a thread with a tanzan on the other end.

“Para sa higot ukon tyate, gagamit sang small or medium sized nga lubid. Mga 80 to 100 centimeters ang gamitun dasun ihigot ang isa ka punta sa tanza,” Eclarino added.

The tanzan will act as the player’s grip to the tyate.

When everything is ready, it’s time to play Trumpo.

The Playing of Trumpo

Nexier Lex Sosarno, a 90s kid and certified trumpo player, explained how the trumpo game is commonly played in most parts of Iloilo.

“Damo pamaagi sa paghampang sang trumpo. May ara

exhibition kung sa diin gapalawiglawing kag panami-nami buyong sang trumpo, may ara man paupas trumpo,” Sosarno said.

If the spinning of the trumpo is unstable or not good players it kangkarot however if it is smoothly spinning they refer to it as matining.

“Para magtiyob ang trumpo, dapat ihigot ang tyate sa lansang pero sa tunga-tunga lang, ang punta sang lansang gaguha. Kung sa mga puro kahoy nga trumpo may ihigot ang lubid sa tunga sa magtinigiban,” Sosarno detailed.

In a Trumpo target match the main objective is to keep the trumpo spinning and undestroyed.

“Magpa-upas ka trumpo, ang player ginatarget kag ginaigo ang trumpo sang iya kontra, ang una matumba kag guba amo ang pride. Amo na bintaha kung baskog ang kahoy nga ginamit sa paghimo sang trumpo,” Sosarno noted.

The loser of the game receives a katis, a punishment wherein the loser’s trumpo receives a direct hit from the winner’s trumpo.

The Importance of Trumpo “Sa paghimo sang trumpo

madamo nga bagay ang matunan sang bata. Una malawig nga pasensya kay ang pag-ubra sang Trumpo indi mahapos. Sunod, sa ang mga kahoy sa palibot makilala nila halin, narra, ipil-ipil, bayabas, acacia, kag damo pa nga iba,” Eclarino expressed.

The process of making trumpo is a way of cultivating essential Filipino values to the younger generation. Furthermore, it allows kids to explore their community and learn important elements of their country.

“Ang paghampang sang Trumpo gintudlo ni tatay sa amon nga mga magburugto. Ang nabalan ni tatay gintudlo may daya kang amon nga lolo kag mga apoy. Pila ka henerasyon nga ginatudlo ang hampang nga daya importante nga ipadayon ni,” Sosarno expressed.

Trumpo is a traditional game that encompasses generations, it is a bridge that connects youths with their parents and elders.

Indeed, Trumpo holds a great value on the country’s culture and heritage. Now that stellar products of technology are rapidly emerging, will we keep trumpo spinning?

Highlighting the rich history and artistry of clothing, the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) led by its Office of Initiatives in Culture and the Arts (OICA) opened the “Panapton Gallery” at the Lozano Hall, UPV Iloilo City Campus Main Building on June 27, 2022.

It is one of the various exhibits dedicated to cultural heritage and the arts managed by OICA at the UPV Museum Complex. It features various textiles and fabrics produced from different localities in Panay and showcases history, shaping how the islanders cover themselves for protection, identity, and self-expression.

“This is very much a part of our vision to develop the city campus as a heritage hub. As a heritage hub, it is only proper that it would have facilities like this and of course, it would have exhibits that feature the textile tradition of not just Iloilo but Panay,” Dr. Clement C. Camposano, UPV Chancellor said in his message.

Panapton Gallery presents pieces of mostly embroidered clothing such as Barong, Kimona, Patadyong, Panyal (baptismal garments), Traje De Mestiza

(mestiza gowns), and traditional Panay-Bukidnon costumes among many others. They are made using different materials such as hablon, sinamay, cotton, and piña fibers.

“It simply shows that we Ilonggos, Filipinos, and human beings in general are very creative in creating fibers that they can convert into textiles. Basically, even with less technological advancements at that time, they were able to create beautiful fabrics and I think that’s a credit to their generation,” Prof. Martin G. Genodapa, UPV-OICA Director and head curator of the gallery said.

Pieces at the exhibit came from the collection of the Center for West Visayan Studies (CWVS) and those donated or loaned by private collectors and entities.

According to Dr. Randy M. Madrid, CWVS Director, the gallery emphasizes our rich textile culture that continues to persist and starting to penetrate current fashion circles especially in the field of pageantry.

“Exhibitions like this are not only for the preservation of the material, but also for the popularization of the tradition. The younger generation can

appreciate the attires of people in the past. Culture is not static and here we can see the evolution of our clothing and highlight the fact that once upon a time, Iloilo was hailed as the “Textile Capital” of the Philippines,” Dr. Madrid added.

The Curatorial Team of the Panapton Gallery is spearheaded by Prof. Martin Genodapa, together with Dr. Randy Madrid, Dr. Alicia Magos, Prof. Jose Taton, Ms. Anna Razel Ramirez, and Mr. Sashah Dioso.

Galleries at the UPV Museum Complex are open to the public during weekdays, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, requiring proper compliance to COVID-19 health protocols.

First Published in Daily Guardian on 06 July 2022

WEAVING WITH PRIDE. Ms. Mary Jean Nabong is one of the shawl makers who are creating the fabrics that will be hand-painted. Photo Courtesy of Marjune Muzones.

INDIGENOUS FASHION. Intricately designed traditional costumes of the Panay-Bukidnon, the Barong, and Baro’t Saya are being displayed at the gallery.

Photo Courtesy of Marjune Muzones.

FAITH AND CLOTHING. Also on display are traditional garments typically used by Catholics such as the Manto (veil) and Panyal (baptismal garments). These however are rarely worn and seen at the present. Photo Courtesy of Marjune Muzones.

Story by Karen Joyce Pumaren

First Published in Daily Guardian on 28 May 2022

THREAD. The trumpo is swirled using a thread attached on the tanza. Photo Courtesy of Karen Joyce Pumaren.

Indag-an

“Sige-sige

diri

Coop para indi madulaan

ang mga manughabol. Sang August lang gid nag amatamat balik ang mga bisita kag mga orders. Naisipan namun nga maghimo sang face masks kag hand-painted shawls para mag-innovate kag makabawi”, Mrs. Anilene Tijing, IPMPC Manager said.

Some

with floral designs and it ranges from Php 600- Php 700 per piece.

At the end of the day, it’s another sun dusking —not for the fisherfolk from the provincial town of Valladolid. About 30 kilometers south of Bacolod City, this coastal community heavily relies on the sea for a living. The time is 8:40 pm. The moon shines a thin crescent amidst the western evening sky. “Tonight is the last chance to catch our blessings,” Jovito whispered. It seems that fishes feed aggressively on the night before a new or full moon appears.

On nights like these, Jovito and his crew must come home with enough fish they could sell for a week. The weather forecast reported a storm landfall by tomorrow afternoon. They could have continued the next morning, only if the tides were in their favor. When the sun is up, you run out of luck, they say.

There’s a faint scent of rust in the air. Sparrows fly towards the east. Gray clouds overcast the stars as the sky echoed a low rumble. Then suddenly, drizzles start pouring in. Not far from the shore is a hundred-hectare coastal prairie. This grassland was filled with flashing fireflies eight months ago. Today is different. The October sea breeze keeps the cold-blooded insects from flying around. Although mysteriously, strange lights casually appear. At a distance, it seemed like a lonely lightning bug looking for shelter through the storm. On a closer look, it was a bluish-white orb of plasma energy crackling through the field.

This is not the first occurrence of its kind. Locally known as Santelmo (St. Elmo’s Fire), this ball of glow discharge has been recorded since the 1500s - particularly in the voyages of Ferdinand Magellan and Christopher Columbus. St. Elmo’s Fire was named after the patron saint of sailors, St. Erasmus of Formia, because it is frequently seen over or near the waters.

Santelmos warn foreign seafarers that they are surrounded by storms. Therefore, instead of cruising forth, mariners will change directions opposite from where the luminous spheres emerged. Hence, they are widely regarded as a sign of protection.

The story of Santelmo is quite different through the lens of Philippine mythology. Most oral records are traced from far-flung areas. Rural folks believed these

creatures are lost spirits who remain on Earth to seek revenge. There are also different stories as to why they appear. Some say that if the fireball spots someone at night, it will chase and kill them. Others consider Santelmos as predeath warnings of them drowning.

Jovito and his crew claim that if you follow the light, you can never go back.

The Myth and Political Reality Mythologies play a crucial role in creating societal values. They mirror a common reality the masses face, making the stories more identifiable to various people. Perhaps the most important contribution of myths was its intergenerational symbolism. Myths address major issues retold in every generation. Some have factual origins, others are fictional tales of human experience - yet all outlive many contemporaries of their time.

The stories of Santelmos have been actualized in contrasting perspectives. In the foreign viewpoint, they are presumed to be torchbearers lighting the way out of an ocean tempest. In Philippine mythology, they are creatures that hunt people towards the abyss. Like standing in the eye of a hurricane, it was the calm before the storm. If you are lucky, it might lead you to still waters. If you are not, it might bring you to where the wildest waves come crashing in.

Unfortunately for Jovito, it was the latter.

When Help Meets Business

For decades, about 1500 families fought for their land rights on Sicogon - a tiny island northeast of the Iloilo province. Jovito grew up in the village of Buaya, home to the island’s richest fishing grounds. Like the majority of the Sicogon people, the turquoise Visayan waters make their ends meet. However, all that changed when Typhoon Haiyan raged over their rural community last 2013.

Haiyan destroyed their houses, boats, and fishing nets. At this time, the Philippine government also struggled to provide aid to all of the victims. This was when foreign and private corporations stepped in. As optimists would say, it was the Bayanihan spirit; a sense of communal unity, that helped Filipinos bounce back from calamities.

The foreign and private corporations have positioned

themselves as catalysts of relief and recovery. They deployed aircrafts bringing food, clothing, and medical supplies. Some even offered housing projects to immediately relocate the Sicogon people towards the mainland. It was a heroic act straight out of an epic plot - or so they thought.

When you follow the money, you can see where it goes. It was not for fishermen like Jovito. Nor was it for the 1500 families who had their rights over their land. It was for an aggressive introduction of a multimillion project that converts the fishing island into a tourist spot. As eloquently described in the book Shock Doctrine, this event goes by the name of Disaster Capitalism. It refers to how the rich profit over tragedy. For them, disasters open up opportunities from people’s devastating lives.

A month later, assistance stopped coming. The villagers were given two options: either take a lump sum payment of ₱100,000 and leave the island, never return or take the ₱5000 and transfer to the substandard settlement area the corporations provide. Jovito took the first option and moved to Negros Occidental. Meanwhile, his townspeople battled their way with occasional jobs in the big city. The tycoons no longer allowed them to go back fishing in Buaya.

What seemed to lift them up to their destitute stations instead pushed them further down the pits of poverty. It was not the guiding Santelmo that warned ships of upcoming storms. It was the fiery Santelmo that burns and kills. Like a yellow sky ringed in the rainladen clouds, they thought they were safe for a moment. They were in the eye of a hurricane, and they were not lucky.

There would be nothing left to do for someone less astute like Jovito. The storms and waves are coming fast, ready to kill. It is either accepting the unfair deals, or it is back to the crumbs off the table. They are standing in the eye of the hurricane. There was no help. There was only another morning nearer to dying - and a Santelmo that burns their odds of surviving to ashes.

At the end of the day, it’s another sun dusking - but the fishermen must set sail. It will be dark. It will be dangerous. Their oil lamps will only last enough for the night. Despite that, they still carry the hope of bringing back something - a catch just enough to make their families live through another day.

“Nalipay

depende sa kung pila ang akon mapintahan”, Mr. Johnrod Fermocillo, SK Chairman of Indag-an and commissioned artist said.

Fermocillo also stated the importance of the youth’s role in creative innovation and preservation to further promote Hablon in the global stage.

“Bilang isa ka pamatan-on ako naga suporta gd sa pag panami kg pagpreserbar sang industriya sang Hablon. Mapreserbar ini paagi sa pag tudlo sa mga ulihing-tubo sang proseso sini, kag dapat ini dedikaran sang mga kabataan agod hindi madula ang hablon”, Fermocillo added.

Aside from these initiatives, IMPC is planning to add more designs to the shawls and revive the weaving of pure cotton fabrics.

“Plano namon nga ibalik ang paghabol sang pure cotton nga tela kay ga amat-amat na ini dula kag dako ang demand. Dugangan man namon ang mga disenyo sang hand-painted shawls agud ma-feature ang mga tourist spots diri sa Miagao”, Tijing said.

The weaving center also turned online in promoting the products as perfect gifts this holiday season, hoping to recover even further before the year ends.

Story by Zion Grace Rosareal

FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL. Fisherman faces the sea despite typhoon onslaught. Photo Courtesy of Live in the Philippine Website.

Story by Marjune Muzones

Weavers in Brgy. Indag-an, Miagao recently introduced new products such as Hablon Face Masks and Hand-painted Shawls to innovate and foster recovery.

Primary Multipurpose Cooperative (IPMPC) is one of the weaving centers hugely affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, suffering significant losses in sales and visits from local and foreign tourists.

ang habol

sa

sang pangabuhian

of the shawls left in their stockpile were converted into plain and intricately designed face masks ranging from Php 100 to Php 150 per piece while others were hand-painted shawls

ko kag na-excite nga ako ang napilian magpinta kang mga shawls, ang nag commission sa akon amo ang ila BOD Vice Chairman, Marjorie Segurigan. Ang pag pinta sa shawls nakabulig sa akon nga maexplore pa ang akon talent sa pagpinta sa iba naman nga medium kag financially man kay maka ganar ako kwarta

First Published in Daily Guardian on December 12, 2020

WEAVING WITH PRIDE. Ms. Mary Jean Nabong is one of the shawl makers who are creating the fabrics that will be hand-painted. Photo Courtesy of Marjune Muzones.

INNOVATE AND RECOVER. IPMPC unveils new products such as Hablon Face Masks and Hand-painted Shawls to innovate and recover from the effects of the pandemic. Photo Courtesy of IPMPC Facebook Page.

Story by Karen Joyce Pumaren

First Published in Daily Guardian on 18 May 2022

Along with the surging water, indigenous stories of the Tumandok people of Calinog cascade over Jalaur River. Rippling therein are hundreds of years old ancestral memories and noteworthy monuments of Tumandok culture, heritage, and identity.

From Mount Baloy in the Central Panay Mountain Range, Jalaur River, the second longest river on the island of Panay, journeys east to southeast before it withdraws into the strait of Guimaras. It drains the eastern portion of Panay as it courses through Passi City and the towns of Leganes, Zarraga, Dumangas, Barotac Nuevo, Pototan, Dingle, San Enrique, Duenas, and Calinog.

As one of the three major river basins in the province of Iloilo, Ilonggos value the river predominantly because of its role in irrigation and provision of potable water. However, to the Tumandok people of Calinog, its service is more than practical, rather, cultural.

Lodged on the corners and sections of the water place are sacred sites carrying long-lived tales that depict the traditional way of life of the ancient Tumandok people of Calinog.

Tumandok couple, Romeo Castor (64) and Berna Castor (60), born and raised in the floodplain of Jalaur River, retailed these stories weaved by the precious river of Jalaur.

Tumandok Chronicles alongJalaur River of Calinog

“Hulaton ta ikaw sa Bukay Isda, masami nga harambalon sang

amon mga apoy kag uwaw sang bata pa kami bilang palatandaan kung sa di-in kami dapat maagi,” Romeo Castor recounted.

Today, Castor will cite the area not to communicate a location but rather to begin the narration of the deep seated Tumandok chronicles along the Jalaur River of Calinog.

During the great flood, Tumandok, referred to as Anaw, masses of fishes flocked the Jalaur River. However, mysteriously, after the water subsided a stone so big and so white with features like that of a fish appeared at the center of the river, they call it Bukay Isda.

“Ang Bukay Isda, ara sa tunga sang suba sa Agcalaga, isa ka bato ini nga ang porma daw isda. May ara siya baba, hasang, ikog, kag talinga ugaling daw helicopter ini siya ka hanggod. Kag ang iya nga kolor daw karton nga maputi pero daw mahigko tulukon, kung lantawon mo sa marayo daw bukay. Amo daya gintawag nga Bukay Isda,” the Castors detailed

The mystic existence of Bukay Isda was revered by the Tumandoks that later, it became a sacred site where they perform their rites and rituals.

“Kung ara ikaw sa suba o malapit sa Bukay Isda, sa wala kag tuo imo makita ang duha ka pinasahi nga mga bukid, ang Diladila kag Patawan” Castor said furthering his narration.

Like Bukay Isda, these two mountains were strangely shaped by the ancient massive flooding.

“Suno sa amon mga apoy kang sanda buhi pa, sang panahon sang anaw nalab-ut gid ang mga dalagko nga bukid. Sang naghubas ang tubig ang mga bukid nga ini

nagbag-o ang porma ang isa daw dila amo ran tinawag nga Dila-dila ang isa daw pataw sang manok amo ra ginhingalanan Patawan,” Castor described.

“Kadtu kita sa iraya, sa babaw sang Bukay Isda atun duman makita ang isa naman ka malapad nga bato nga kon tawagon sang mga kamalaman, Boracay Sintes,” Castor added.

Boracay Sintes was named after the man they call Sintes who constantly dropped by the river and set himself on the huge stone to wash his clothes. People often see him on the place that they decided to name the stone Boracay Sintes.

“Si Sintes pirme gapamunak ukon gapanglaba sa suba, sa isa ka malapad nga bato siya nagapwesto, amo na subong natawag na Boracay Sintes. Kay wala pa habon sang una ang pipi sang kahoy kag bunsilak amo ang ginagamit nga habon sa mga bayo,” Castor gaily narrated.

Boracay Sintes, for the Tumandoks is mnemonic of how their ancestors drew living from the objects of their environment like plants and animals.

“Tabok kita sa daw gay-ub nga daw balay nga kweba,” Castor said transitioning the story to the tale of the close by cave, that like the Boracay Sintes, highlights Tumandoks’ relationship with nature.

Bordering the mountain and the river, is a cave unexplainably structured like a house after a sudden rupture in the mountain. Tumandoks think of it as the nature’s endowment that saves them from unforeseen natural phenomena.

“Ang nahubag sa bukid nagtumbok sa kilid suba, nagporma ka kweba nga biskan sobra bente kamo da manirong indi gid kamo mabasa. Tama ini kalapad daw balay nga nagaprotekta,” Castor explained.

“Dason kaday-a ang Tabonan, ang lugar gid sang akon lolo kag mga uwaw. Patag daya nga malapit sa suba kung diin kami nagapanguma sang una,” Castor continued his story.

In the floodplain near the river, birds as big as chicken, which is known to many as Tabon, assembled in large numbers. They took advantage of the prosperous crop production in the area for their reproduction. Ancient Tumandoks began to notice their growing number, hence, named the plain as Tabonan.

“Ang Tabonan, malapad ina nga patag. May mga patubas nga abaka, niyog, mais, kag paray. Gintawag nga Tabonan kay duro pispis nga Tabon kung mangitlog gani nagakutkot sa baras dason tabunan liwan, amo na gintawag Tabonan” Castor said.

Castor ended his narration with the story of a location where his ancestors meet their ends.

Not so far away from the river is the sacred Alabihud Burial Ground where more than hundreds of dead Tumandoks are buried.

“Sa Alabihud ara dira ang amon mga kamal-aman na lubong. Bilang pagrespeto sa ila tradisyon namon ang pagtanom didto sang kawayan kag gumamela,” Castor said.

Bukay Isda, Mount Dila-dila, Mount Patawan, Boracay Sintes,

Tabonan, Alabihud, and the Jalaur River that binds them are tangible reminders of the complex culture of the Tumandok people of Calinog that encompasses language, systems of classification, resource used practices, social interactions, ritual and spirituality.

“Importante sa amon nga mga Tumandok ang mga lugar nga ini kay ang amon tradisyon kag kultura nagapanalaytay sa kada isa nga mga isturya,” Berna Castor expressed.

John Ian S. Alenciaga, Coordinator of Jalaur River for the Peoples Movement, who works closed with Tumandoks pointed out the importance of the ancestral lands and the Jalaur River to the Tumandok people.

“Land is Life. This is the heart of the struggle of the Tumandok people. Land defines their culture and identity. This is the source of their livelihood, a place for their abode. The land is their only inheritance to the future generations. Protecting their land means ensuring that their children and grandchildren will not worry about their future and place to live in. Without their lands, the Tumandok identity will never be known. Safeguarding IP culture and lands means ensuring that the rights of IPs are being respected and uphold,” Alecianga expressed.

When these places vanish and these stories are forgotten, then, gradually the Tumandoks, our natives, will be no one. Hence, the surging water of Jalaur River must be kept flowing because embedded therein are Tumandoks’ culture, heritage, and identity.

NOTEWORTHY PLAN. Tabonan is more than just a plain, it carries a story that depicts Tumandok’s civilization. Photo Courtesy of Calinog Attractions.

BORDERING MOUNTAINS. Alongside Jalaur River are Mount Dila-dila and Mount Patawan named after their bizarre forms and origin.

Photo Courtesy of John Ian Alenciaga.

REALM OF THE ANCESTORS. Tumandok’s greatly value their burial ground as it is the place where they traditionally connect with their descended forefather. Photo Courtesy of John Ian Alenciaga.

When we see waters from the river flowing, lakes being calm, waterfalls roaring, the first thing that comes to mind is how picturesque the scenery is. We usually take photos and post them on our social media accounts. Travel goals. The beauty deserves no filter. But the reality is more than what meets the eye. Behind every country’s grandeur, is an increasing environmental problem that poses much danger to our home, the planet Earth.

The Alarming Dilemma

As per the United Nations Environment Programme, 11.2 billion tonne of solid waste is collected worldwide and this contributes to nearly 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Simply put, solid wastes are unwanted solid materials generated from human activities domestically and commercially. It is a wide category that encompasses numerous different kinds of waste made up of different materials. The pie chart below shows the kinds of solid wastes generated globally in 2016.

Therefore, the largest contributors to solid wastes are food and greens; something that would be generated in every home globally. As per World Bank data, high income countries that account for only 16 % of global population generate almost 34 % of global solid waste. They found a high correlation between income levels and waste generation. Waste generation initially decreases with increase in income post which it again increases steadily.

However, it is the low-income countries that generally do not have the means or technology to dispose off properly the solid wastes, some of which comprise harmful materials like medical wastes and nonbiodegradable plastics.

The harm that they cause to the environment is immense. They are unhygienic and are a source of pathogen collection and disease. The plastic waste generated is deadly for animals. It enters water bodies and impacts the marine life to name a few. Therefore, the management of solid waste becomes an important policy issue for most countries given the sheer amount of waste that is being generate, based on the data shown below:

Another example is the Ghazipur landfill of New Delhi, India. In 2019, it had a height of 65 metres and it caved in killing two people. Since then, by the efforts of the Municipal Corporation, the height of the landfill has been reduced, but yet 2500 MT of solid waste continues to be dumped at the landfill site every day!

The problem of solid waste is also getting worse during the Covid-19 pandemic as the usage of singleuse plastic has skewed the trend of waste generation. Personal protection equipment (PPE) such as facemasks and disposable gloves are found scattered across the sea beds.

Cited from the study of Environmental Science and Technology published last June 2020, a calculated number of 129 billion face masks and 65 billion gloves are used monthly globally during the pandemic.

The Asian Development Bank reported that the hospitals in the National Capital Region is expected to generate 280 metric tons of medical waste in a single day. This is the region that is responsible for the approximately 55% of the country’s COVID cases.

Even though the PPEs are necessities in this time and age, but those masks and gloves used by the ordinary masses are not disposed properly. Moreover, the mandatory face shields and public dividers in public transportation and establishments are entirely made from plastic.

Disturbing. The rising number poses not just an alarming environmental problem but a danger to public health. The COVID wastes are vectors for the COVID-19 virus, which survives until three days on plastics.

It has been a year since the start of the pandemic, and if the trend will continue to grow, it will presumptively spark a surge in ocean and land pollution. Dangerous.

Eco-Friendly Solutions

1. Comprehensive Guidelines and Systems on COVID Wastes

There should be proper guidelines and systems that must be imposed in every community to ensure that PPEs worn by the public are not discarded anywhere and fall into a grey area between “general waste” and “medical waste.”

This can be done by holding press conferences, public service announcements, and webinars on different social media platforms to educate the public on how to dispose PPEs properly. In addition to that, there should be a reinforcement on environmental laws to ensure that these types of wastes are supervised efficiently.

Comprehensive guidelines and systems, if imposed with utmost security and enforcement, can maintain a balance between public safety/health and environmental sustainability.

2. Reinforced Material Recovery Facility

Extended

Here, the waste generators are required to collect back the waste through means of a Producer Responsibility Organisations and then take care of recycling or healthy disposal.

For instance, in India, most of the waste is collected by informal rag pickers. They recycle this waste to make money. However, as has been reported, about 7 to 9 million tonnes of plastic waste is not picked including the harmful multilayered packaging that cannot be easily recycled. EPR companies can formalise this sector and incentivise the rag-pickers to pick even these kinds of waste.

Therefore, applying a polluter pays principle could ensure more organised treatment and disposal of solid waste.

4. Moving to more Eco-friendly options.

There needs to be a conscious change in lifestyle to reduce usage of things made of harmful polluting material and replace them with more eco-friendly options. For example, the current movement towards doing away with plastic straws in favour of paper ones in most cafes, using cloth bags as against plastic ones or banning of plastic water bottles as has been done in few Indian cities.

5. Encouraging Composting

Most of our methods of waste disposal are not ecofriendly. Burning of wastes is extremely common, the smoke through which is a potent source of air pollution. Another common means is disposal through landfills. Disposal through landfills is seen as a simple and cheap method for waste disposal.

However, if toxic waste is disposed in these areas, it can impact groundwater supply and may even be deadly to those living in nearby areas. Dumping of wastes in sea bodies is a terrible method for obvious reasons.

The Increasing COVID Wastes

While diving into the stillness of the Philippine

Under the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2001, communities in the Philippines were obliged to establish Material Recovery Facilities to segregate garbage and recover materials that are still recyclable. Suddenly, this captured little to no degree of accomplishment. It is because the communities lack understanding on the design and operation of MRF.

However, there are still communities in the country with functional MRF that serves as their recycling bank for income-generating projects. It lets them incorporate resourcefulness, creativity, and skills for entrepreneurship. It is a great blend of art and sustainability in the sense of making recycled products out of the ordinary wastes.

In 2019, a Municipality in Eastern Samar, did not fail to realize the significant purpose of MRF. The Local

As mentioned before, composting is one of the best ways to get rid of organic solid waste, one of the largest components of solid waste. Children should be encouraged to take up composting and recycling activities in schools as part of projects. Communities and resident associations should be encouraged to do the same. Governments could incentivize fertilizer businesses making composts of such kinds.

Global waste is expected to grow to 3.40 Billion tonnes by 2050, more than double the population growth. One mismanaged plastic waste is already a huge problem. We still have time to avoid this impending dilemma.

There are a lot of living things out there struggling to live because of our actions. Climate change is happening, and we should be bothered. In this world, we should be reminded that we are not alone. The fight is not yet over. It starts within us to realize the hopeful dream of a plasticfree world.

Story by Hans Ethan Carbonilla and Punkhuri Kumar First Published in Changemag Diinsider on 11 May 2021

Trench, Filipino Oceanographer Deo Florence Onda and American Explorer Victor Versovo did not expect to see that even the deepest portions of the world are not safe from solid wastes. At a depth of 10,045 meters or more than 33 Eiffel Towers, both were shocked to find a stuffed teddy bear, plastic bags, and clothes that seemed fresh and new, half buried in the sediment.

After China and Indonesia, the Philippines hits third as the world’s biggest plastic polluter with 2.7 million metric tons or approximately 2,700,000,000 kilograms of solid waste generated every year.

Government Unit of Arteche in cooperation with the people and other organizations utilized plastic bottles and shredded plastic wrappers from the MRF to create ecobricks. These eco-bricks were used in the construction of local projects such as dog pound houses and community beautification.

3. Extended Producer Responsibility

Producer Responsibility is a policy where producers of goods have the responsibility for treatment and disposal of the waste produced post consumption of the goods. The cost of disposal shifts from the government to the producers. This also acts as an incentive for producers to use sustainable environment friendly materials.

MAKE IT HAPPEN. Filipinos fight for a plastic-free Philippines during the campaign rally last 2020. Photo Courtesy of Greenpeace Philippines.

PLASTIC TO BRICKS. Plastic wastes are turned into eco-bricks in Philippine hostels. Photo Courtesy of The Observer.

Story by Hans Ethan Carbonilla First Published in Changemag Diinsider

When I was younger, I used to wake up imagining that the world only bears happiness. Never did I taste the bitterness of life. It was always about rainbows, gummy bears and not about hunger and thirst.

But the moment I decided not to turn a blind eye, I was able to peek outside my privileged bubble. The world is not all about happiness. It never was, and never will be.

Today, as we face the Covid-19 pandemic, the so-called new normal is unfortunately suitable for the fortunate ones. Not for Mayrialona and Berhinezastudents from a remote fishing community in Matampay Bucana, Lanao del Norte, Philippines whose dreams are way bigger than their family’s social status.

No students left behind?

Mandated to follow a “no vaccine, no classes” policy, the Department of Education (DepEd) continues to implement distance learning programs to its educational system that gradually deepen existing social inequalities.

Despite the assurance from the DepEd, the country’s education system amid a pandemic is only for those who have money. It is immensely struggling to extend a helping hand for those students who lack the resources of doing so.

“The activities required from the modules every week cost higher than face-to-face classes because I had to go to an open computer shop to do my research; I had to buy materials needed for some activities, and I had to look for shops who are offering printing services,” eighth-grader Mayrialona Alebiano, who opted for a modular way of learning said in an interview.

Mayrialona is a daughter of a housewife and a father who works in the fishpond. Living in a fishing community is both a blessing and a struggle for her. Even though they are far from the noise of the

urban municipality, resources for both basic needs and education are limited in their place.

Hard-working as she is, she shared that she would not want to become a burden to her family in these trying times, so she financed her school-works with her savings from selling crabs.

“My older brother is the one who is getting crabs from the ponds, and I always help him to peddle the crabs inside and outside our community. He usually gives me 20 to 50 pesos a day. The money I get from selling crabs is the money I spend for school-works,” she expressed while smiling, feeling proud of helping her family even in her little ways.

When asked about what she would want to be, she said with full enthusiasm that she would want to become either a photographer or a singer. But with the current situation, she said that she does not know anymore what her future would look like.

Even though she is worried of her future, the determination and drive that are parching in her eyes

New price cap in economic housing seen as growth driver

Story by Marjune Muzones

First Published in Daily Guardian on 18 July 2022

A joint declaration was recently inked by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) to adjust the price cap of economic housing in the country from P1.7 million to P2.5 million.

DHSUD implemented the Department Order 2022-03 last June 10, 2022, which states that the adjustments will apply to new projects yet to be launched. For projects already having licenses to sell, the new price cap will apply to unsold and unconstructed housing units only.

The move is welcomed by the private sector, pointing out that the new price ceiling adjustments align with the increases in cost for inputs to production, as well as inflations caused by economic and political uncertainties worldwide.

According to Mr. George Siy, Chairman of the Subdivision and Housing Developers Association (SHDA), the largest housing organization in the Philippines, this as an opportunity to pump-up the economy, and the improvements will harbor positive effects for economic housing as it considered the income and affordability of home buyers, and costs of input to production as more homes are being developed.

“Like all the other sectors, the housing industry is likewise affected by the increases in prices of all inputs to production but due to price controls, much of production in socialized level has been unprofitable and production has been discouraged. This is why the price ceiling adjustment, due some years ago, is needed to encourage housing production for our countrymen,” Tiy said.

SHDA projects that the housing backlog of the Philippines could reach 6.5 million by 2030 and would go as high as 22 million by 2040 if neglected. The industry needs to increase production to bridge the gap. The economic incentives and the new price ceiling are expected to attract more developers to build more economic and socialized housing units, address the backlog, and stimulate the economy.

“The demand for housing will always be there. Factors for demand are not just cost – income levels, economic activity, optimism, community planning, interest rates, and other factors come into play… Funding facilities for buyers and development from both the government and private financial institutions are very helpful, available, and accessible. The interest and the participation of the private sector is evident. Moreover, the housing demand is increasing. Again, housing is both a social and economic instrument that the government can utilize for recovery, growth, and development,” Tiy stated.

In terms of socialized housing, talks are already underway to determine new adjustments in its price ceiling.

“SHDA, together with other housing organizations, has been meeting and working with the government, DHSUD and NEDA in the determination of the adjustments in the price ceiling for socialized housing, after the adjustments were made on economic housing. This takes into consideration increases in the last 4 years in costs of inputs, as well as income and affordability of the population, especially those that belong to the lower 30 percent of the strata”, he added.

Displaying a brighter outlook compared to other sectors, housing plans, programs, and policies are already in place and continually improved by the DHSUD, in collaboration with private stakeholders.

to finish school made her decide to continue the same learning setup for the next academic year if the situation does not permit to go back to normal.

Mayrialona is not the only one in her household who has struggles in distance learning. Her sister, Berhineza Alebiano is currently doing online classes as a Bachelor of Science in Criminology student.

Her classroom right now is not the ordinary classroom where every student is thrilled to be in every day. She has to maximize her 5-inch-mobile phone for real-time online classes.

Since they do not have an internet connection and a laptop that is suitable for online learning, Berhineza either buys load for internet data that costs her 70 to 100 pesos a week or runs into a piso wifi if the data’s signal is weak.

“For me, face-to-face classes are better than online classes because, for students like I am who lack the resources, we usually lag from the rest,” she added.

The amount of money spent by both sisters in distance learning

programs they said is enough to feed their empty stomachs three times a day.

Both Mayrialona and Berhineza’s schools are located far from their community. Before Covid-19 stirred the education system, both always journey through a seemingly adventurous way just to get to school. Depending on the situation, going in or out of the community can be done by either a 15-minute-walking or riding a boat to reach the other side.

Rusty footbridge. Slippery dirt roads. Bridges made from slim bamboos. It is not as easy as a piece of cake. But for people living there like the Alebiano sisters, they do not have a choice but to make themselves familiar with the ways.

The gap widens

The Alebiano sisters are just two of the roughly 28 million Filipino students who have been widely affected by school closures to prevent the spread of Covid-19. As a college student myself, the only wrinkles to my online classes are

the unstable internet connection and the unannounced power interruptions.

I even winced from strained eyes and backaches from sitting and being on my laptop for a long time. Hearing the story of Mayrialona and Berhineza from the fishing community just proved that the distance learning programs widen the gap between those who are privileged and not.

A DepEd survey showed that of 6.5 million students who answered that they have access to the internet, nearly 20 percent of them use computer shops, piso wifi, or other public spots to go online. On the flip side, 2.8 million students have no access at all.

Frightening. The data represents how inaccessibility in this third-world country continues to spike up. According to the latest census, the age group with the highest population in Matampay Bucana is 10 to 14 years old – and those are students.

In Matampay Bucana where most of the residents are fisherfolk, the majority did not finish school. With the distance learning programs, parents of Alebiano sisters worry about helping and teaching their children regarding problems in their modules because they believe that their children achieve and know better than them.

The Alebiano sisters both said that they do not have a choice but to cope with the new normal of learning because they still have dreams to chase.

Today, I always wake up thinking that the world is not fair. It never was, and never will be. Life may be sweet for me, but for others, it is not.

As the world faces the Covid-19 pandemic, the so-called new normal is unfortunately suitable for those fortunate ones. Education should be made accessible under any circumstances for students like Mayrialona and Berhineza who are from a fishing community in Matampay Bucana, Lanao del Norte, Philippines and whose dreams are way bigger than their family’s social status.

Biz execs explore ideas for nutrition and education dev’t in PH

Story by Marjune Muzones First Published in Daily Guardian on 18 July 2022

the Shared Prosperity Forum: A People-Centered Agenda for Nutrition and Education held last July 13, 2022, at Makati City.

The forum was organized by LiThe forum was organized by Liveable Cities Philippines in cooperation with the League of Cities of the Philippines and Globe Telecom.

Dr. Chito B. Salazar, PBED President, amplified the different social ills that continue to beset the country like food insecurity, lack of proper nutrition, and poverty which in turn affects the learning ability of children and the youth.

“Child malnutrition caused by poverty leads to poor learning. Poor learning leads to underemployment and poverty, and poverty leads to child malnutrition. It’s a vicious cycle that affects at least 26 million

Filipinos. We need to stop it now,” Dr. Salazar remarked.

“Investing in the nutrition and education of our youth is an economic imperative. We need to build strong human capital to drive productivity and inclusive economic growth,” he added.

The agenda for education and nutrition were hauled from the research, success stories, and evidence that the private sector garnered through the years and the belief of high returns from investments made for the younger generations.

“A Filipino child with optimal nutrition will have more significant cognitive development in order for them to stay in school longer, learn more in school, and have a brighter future as an adult, while malnutrition robs other children of a chance to succeed,” Mr. Melvin Uy, PBSP Executive Director said.

While battling malnutrition continues to be an uphill climb, a learning crisis also looms, and business sectors are pushing for

greater involvement and support from the government so that crafted strategies will be put into action and lead to inclusive development for all.

“If we want learning for all, we should commit to “all for learning”. We implore our new administration to make effective learning a serious goal for its first 100 days… I call on them to make investment in our human capital their first order of business,” Mr. Ramon Del Rosario Jr, PBED Chair said.

“We need to shock our country about this crisis to give a sense of urgency that will mobilize all sectors of society… Together with the government, national and local, business sectors, and the church, we will succeed in overcoming this crisis,” Mr. Edgar Chua, Makati Business Club Chair also stated.

For a more comprehensive understanding of topics discussed, the recorded webinar session can be accessed through One PBEd’s Official Facebook Page.

DEDICATED STUDENT. Eighth-grader Mayrialona Alebiano works hard to finish her weekly modules amidst the struggles of distance learning program. Photo Courtesy of Hans Ethan Carbonilla.

Amid current health and education crises, business leaders called for action on how the government and private sectors can strive for inclusivity and development during

EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE. Experts share ideas during the Shared Prosperity Forum: A People-Centered Agenda for Nutrition and Education, that aims to craft recommendations for policy making and promote growth for all. Photo Courtesy of PBSP.

Antiqueño storytellers bring Kinaray-a titles to communities

Story by Marie Andrea Pefianco

First Published in Daily Guardian on 27 December 2021

ANTIQUE—To promote a reading culture and make Filipino literature accessible to remote and indigenous communities in Antique, budding Antiqueño storytellers visited communities to conduct storytelling activities through The Book Nook project.

The Book Nook is an initiative of the National Book Development Board (NBDB) in partnership with the Local Government Unit and the Rotary Club of Antique.

San Jose, Antique was chosen to be one of the 52 reading spaces in the country.

According to resident storyteller and trainer Anna Cecilia Pefianco, the site serves as a resource center for children, their parents, and teachers to inspire them to read and to write their own stories.

Through this project, over a thousand books were donated to the site. While waiting for the books to arrive at the site, five volunteer storytellers underwent comprehensive storytelling sessions facilitated by Pefianco. Reechoing Kinaray-a Stories In provinces like Antique, there is a lack of access to community libraries even in schools. What makes The Book Nook unique is that it brings a variety of stories written by Filipino authors to the communities.

“It is not just a library but it has activities like storytelling and other workshops that will encourage children and adults to learn and be interested in reading,” said Pefianco.

The team of six storytellers conducted 10 storytelling activities to nearby and remote barangays in Antique.

During one of their visits to an indigenous peoples’ community in Tobias Fornier, Antique they had

to hike and cross a river to do the outreach activity.

“Going to the communities to tell stories can be tiring but it is also fulfilling when one sees the joy of the children as they listen to stories,” Pefianco added.

18-year-old volunteer storyteller Joebelle Marie Pe agrees that storytelling is not an easy task since there are necessary preparations that are essential to deliver a good show.

However, she is grateful that she met new people and saw a glimpse of their realities.

For teacher and volunteer storyteller Rodel S. Banday, this experience made him realize the impact of bringing stories to life through storytelling. Even though he has worked behind the scenes in developing children’s storybooks, he would often question if these stories actually reach the target readers.

“Verbally sharing these stories gave me a feeling of assurance that the stories we created were able to entertain and educate the kids,” said Banday.

He added that his voluntary work was genuinely out of his love for storytelling. It gave him a rewarding feeling and it imposed a challenge for him to continue and reach even more listeners.

The Ripple Effect

According to Pefianco, reading is an activity that should start from the home since it is a good way to motivate children in their learning process.

“The pandemic has limited the learning of children through modules. Reading a book to a child every day is one way of opening his/her mind to new learnings,” said Pefianco.

Now that the pandemic has been going on for more than two years, children have been more exposed to gadgets making them

more distant to physical copies of books compared to when they were in face-to-face classes.

One of the children’s parents, Christine Gay Reyes affirmed that aside from the fun and life lessons the children get from the storytelling activity, it is also a time for them to take a break from their eyes being glued on their phones.

“Ang ila mga ginapamatian ma-share man nila sa iban nga wala nag-storytelling activity. Pagkatapos ka istorya, sila man mismo nag-istorya sang storytelling daw bisan papaano may nagsulod gid sa utok nila instead sa cellphone,” said Reyes.

Additionally, Banday expressed the joy he gets when he meets the children after the activity and when they recognize him as a storyteller. He said that the best feeling was when they started retelling some parts of his story.

Because of The Book Nook’s initiative, a school principal from a mountain barangay in Sibalom,

PH real estate industry show signs of recovery amid pandemic

Story by Marjune Muzones

First Published in Daily Guardian on 01 August 2022

Leading real estate company Colliers Philippines convened a panel of experts during its Q2 2022 Philippine Property Market Briefing, July 18, 2022, via Zoom.

Industry scholars laid out the how the Office and Residential sectors performed during the second quarter of 2022, and the Industrial and Hotel sectors on the first half of this year.

A positive net take-up of office spaces was seen after seven consecutive quarters of negative growth, mostly due to the pandemic. But it remains to be seen if growth will be maintained due to other economic shocks.

“After the first two quarters, we have a total of 325,000 sqm of office space transactions just in the first six months. This is already nearing the full-year performance of 2020. So, this may be the signal of the start of the recovery in the market,” said Kevin Jara, Associate Director-Office Services-Tenant Representation.

Jara also added that while office rentals declined by 6%, recovery will be felt by next year starting with the central business districts while office space transactions in the provinces comprise 20% of the total by having 82,000 sqm, with Davao and Cebu cities leading the pack.

“Overall, the Philippines is open for business. We are looking forward to the continued impact to the office space demand of the past legislation from the previous administration. We like the increase of FDIs in the country, coupled with the strengthening of the Dollar to support office demand especially in the BPO sector,” he stated.

The Residential sector continuous to show signs of recovery with expected decline in vacancy rates and boosted supply due to the ongoing return to normalcy.

“In terms of supply, we are seeing sustained recovery in the condominium completion across Metro Manila, 2022 up to 2023. But because of the return to office mandates, employees are now returning to traditional workspaces. They are looking for condominium units near their workplaces or they are now renting condos and some of them even buy, taking advantage of the attractive prices in the secondary markets. So, we expect vacancies to decline and that should have a positive impact on rents and the prices in secondary residential markets in Metro Manila,” Mr. Joey Roi Bondoc, Associate Director for Research said.

Bondoc also noted that the Hotel sector performed better and

will continue to do so because of revenge travel and improvements in foreign tourist arrivals.

“We now see more MICE activities, more face-to-face briefings held all across the country and what we will be seeing moving forward is the opening of more foreign-branded hotels across the country, especially in Metro Manila,” he stated.

The Industrial sector meanwhile maintained relative stability on the first half of 2022 with e-commerce and manufacturing investments keeping the sector afloat.

“We have been seeing the expansion of industrial facilities in Batangas, as well as Central Luzon especially in Pampanga… There has been an increase in vacancies especially for Cavite, Laguna, as well as Batangas but we’re still optimistic that warehouse rates will improve moving forward, especially with the demand coming from e-commerce companies,” Bondoc expressed.

Recommendations were also given to consumers and developers and an open forum summed up the said webinar.

To watch the full video of the open forum, visit the Colliers Philippines Official YouTube Channel.

Antique was also inspired to bring Kinaray-a stories to the community.

Principal of Catungan 3rd and 4th Elementary School and Tabongtabong Elementary School Alma Bella Ireneo Bautista with the help of one of the teachers, Jasmin Melocotones, gathered the children to conduct the activity.

During the Book Nook’s first online interaction with school children, teacher Dorelyn Ahmor Clamor Naldo of V. Gasparil Elementary School in Sibalom, Antique gathered about 40 children.

“This activity strengthens our school Brigada Pagbasa for the children. The eagerness and interest to their faces that they want to learn and read more made us motivated to push through our plans with the cooperation of the parents,” said Naldo.

She added that the parents wish to provide a learning space in their homes where their children could study and read books without distractions and give

time to their children even though they are busy with farm work. Additionally, they aim to build a nipa hut called Balay Turun-an where the teachers will provide reading materials so the students could read.

According to Pefianco, The Book Nook project inspires people to initiate the same activities in their communities.

A caption of a Facebook post of The Book Nook San Jose Antique writes, “This is the kind of spirit that we would like to bring to our Book Nook Project.”

In the future, Rotary Club of Antique president Carolyn May Deslate, The Book Nook plans on continuing with its community storytelling sessions. They also wish to create a mini-library on wheels and to improve the Book Nook site for a safer shelter for the books sent by the NBDB.

The Book Nook Site in San Jose, Antique launched on December 22, 2021 is located in the Municipal Library and is open to the public.

Scholars discuss current economics of PH and Asia-Pacific

Story by Marjune Muzones

First Published in Daily Guardian on 25 July 2022

Sharing bits of knowledge, scholars and the public partake in the virtual policy forum entitled “Toward an Inclusive Economic Recovery and Development in the Asia-Pacific Region and Ensuring Fiscal Sustainability for the Philippines” last June 14, 2022.

This is the second in a series of webinars organized by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) for the month and this time, they partnered with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP).Head, Corporate Legal Service Group of Globe Telecom stated.

It features topics such as the Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific 2022 by UNESCAP and a PIDS research examining the sustainability of the country’s current debt level.

“The rapid development of Asia-Pacific economies over the past decades has put millions of people out of poverty. However, the economic successes have not been equal across various levels. The failure of individual countries and areas to grow together led to scarring effects especially during the pandemic which brings the issue of inequality to the fore,” Dr. Aniceto Orbeta Jr., PIDS President said.

Mr. Michal Podolski, Economic Affairs Officer at UNESCAP discussed their recent survey that focused on long-term trends and relevant data pertaining to the issues of inequality and crisis management initiatives of countries in the region amid the current pandemic and economic or political shocks.

“The scars on macroeconomic stability will be very permanent and still rising. Which means that if we think about the policies which would decrease inequalities, we should think of how to decrease them in the long term because it won’t be easy to recover from what is happening,” he said.

Podolski also emphasized the need for inclusivity in economic policies, focusing on efficiency and impact, expanding domestic revenues, empowering the labor force, and redesigning monetary strategies through digitalization and innovation.

Meanwhile, researchers from PIDS presented their assessment on the Philippines’ public debt sustainability.

“Historically, the country’s debt tended to climb with every recession, but government eventually managed to generate primary surpluses and fiscally consolidate, albeit with a lag,” Dr. Margarita Debuque-Gonzales, Senior Research Fellow at PIDS said.

“From fiscal gap analysis, it’s not feasible to immediately aim for low debt. But it is important to have a sound medium to long term fiscal consolidation plan,” Gonzales also stated.

The researchers recommend avoiding structural breaks like fiscal policy reversals and weakening of fiscal institutions, spending should be well targeted and efficiently allocated, and to rebuild fiscal space and maintain macroeconomic stability.

The presentations were then followed by a discussion together with executives from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and Department of Finance. Questions from the audience was also answered at the open forum.

Access to the recorded webinar session is provided through this link: https://www.facebook.com/PIDS.PH/ videos/3263742457205719

REECHOING KINARAY-A TALES. 18-year-old volunteer storyteller Joebelle Marie Pe narrates a Kinaray-a children’s book to an indigenous people’s community in Brgy. Igcalawagan, Tobias Fornier, Antique. Pe, along with other volunteer storytellers and members of the Rotary, Interact, and Rotaract Clubs of Antique had to hike and cross a river to reach the remote mountain barangay. This initiative is part of The Book Nook project of the National Book Development Board (NBDB). Photo Courtesy of Justine Questorio.

INDUSTRY UPDATES. Scholars laid out the how the Office and Residential sectors performed during the second quarter of 2022, and the Industrial and Hotel sectors on the first half of this year during a webinar organized by Colliers Philippines.

Photo Courtesy of Marjune Muzones.

COVID-19 pandemic accelerates digital wave in PH

Story by Marjune Muzones First Published in Daily Guardian on 25 July 2022

Increased access to information and accelerated shifts to digital interaction amid the ongoing pandemic were discussed by stakeholders during the online webinar “Building Digital Cities” on July 20, 2022.

The forum was organized by Liveable Cities Philippines in cooperation with the League of Cities of the Philippines and Globe Telecom.

As usage of digitally enabled services continue to increase, adaptation and innovation are necessary to promote inclusive growth and development in cities and the countryside and create a digitized economy.

“We, the DICT, are building the country’s digital landscape to spark interest in our people, interest in ICT that can fuel passion and more Filipino innovations. By embracing data and technology, we are one step further in realizing our vision for a digitized Philippines, a country that is capable of actively engaging in the global digital economy,” Secretary Ivan John E. Uy of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) expressed.

Mr. Jack Madrid, President of IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines (ITBPAP) discussed the current resurgence of the country’s Information TechnologyBusiness Process Management of IT-BPM industry which exceeded forecasted growth with a headcount

increase of 9.1% and revenue up by 10.6% last year.

“The industry has really been instrumental in preserving jobs, generating new skills and opportunities, and very interestingly, stimulating countryside development, driving investments, and creating even more demand in real estate. These are the unequivocal contributions of the industry to our task of nationbuilding,” he said.

The CEO of Leechiu Property Consultants, Mr. David Leechiu expects that COVID-19, high inflation, currency crisis, and the Russia-Ukraine conflict to pumped up global remittances, offshoring, and tourism in the Philippines and lead the country’s economy to prosperity far into the future.

“The landslide victory of this administration (Marcos-Duterte) will just mean the strength of political will to carry forward reform that is much needed through the country and to ensure that all these projects, infrastructure and others will be completed on time and within budget. We are very confident about the economic team… There are many things to be optimistic about. We are very excited about the future,” Leechiu stated.

Cities around the country like Bago in Negros Occidental are also bracing for the impacts of an increasingly digitized economy and

ensure that they can well adapt to opportunities and uncertainties presented by current dynamics and the near future. Digital cities and innovation hubs are also projected to rise beyond present urbanized areas and spread growth to the countryside.

“We will continue to work with development partners and like-minded institutions towards achieving greater heights in ensuring that the best government service is offered to Bagonhons. It is our thinking that this can only be realized through improved e-governance. We hope that one day, we will be able to commune, identify, and discuss issues on how we can better collaborate for the purpose,” Mayor Nicholas Yulo of Bago City remarked.

“There is no way for us to move forward but to go digital. We have the technology. I believe that we have the resources… and we also have the skills, the competence, and the willingness to really make a difference,” Mr. Manny Estrada, Regulatory Development and Strategy Head, Corporate Legal Service Group of Globe Telecom stated.

The presentations were followed by a panel discussion and questions from the audience were also answered.

The recorded webinar session can be accessed at the Liveable Cities Philippines Facebook page.

DAGYAW helps educate learners in time of pandemic

Story by Flory Ann Tacuban

First Published in Daily Guardian on 18 August 2021

ILOILO— To bridge the learning gaps amid the COVID-19 pandemic, an initiative was launched at Brgy. San Jose, Tubungan, Iloilo last April 24, 2020 dubbed Project DAGYAW (Delivery of Assistance and Guidance for Young Minds Advancement Welfare).

It is a community-based program which aims to help children and spearheaded by Darwin Tadifa, District ALS (Alternative Learning System) Coordinator.

Project DAGYAW is one of the components of Project DAL-ON TA (Delivery of Assistance Towards Literacy, New Techniques and Approaches), a literacy program of the municipality of Tubungan.

Dagyaw is the Hiligaynon word for bayanihan which refers to the spirit of communal unity, work and cooperation to achieve a particular goal.

It started with the town’s dream of making education available for Tubunganons. It aimed to improve reading, writing, arithmetic and as well training of livelihood skills.

Project DAL-ON TA began in 1999 and was supported by DepEd (Department of Education) together with ALS and has been running for two decades.

Project DAGYAW emphasizes literacy integration amid the

pandemic wherein kabataan volunteers together with the learners, parents, local officials and the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) work together to deliver education to every home while following proper health protocols.

Its objectives are: buhayin ang literasiya at tulungan ang mga magulang, sanayin sa arithmetic ang mga bata, kabataan bolutaryong magtuturo at basang may pag-unawa tutukan para sa kinabukasan.

Tadifa collaborated with the SK to support the advocacy. It started with the training of 17 selected Kabataang Guro volunteers with 54 learners.

It later extended its services to Brgy. Teniente Benito, and Brgy. Buenavista.

As of now, Project DAGYAW has 42 volunteers who work and train to teach 113 learners.

Parents and guardians were also trained as parent-teachers for their children under the new normal learning.

Project DAGYAW was also presented as one of the innovations in the launching of the Circle of Innovators in the new normal of the Department of Education Central Office.

“Through this initiative, Project DAGYAW has won in the SK Province of Iloilo in the celebration of Linggo ng Kabataan

2020. The provincial government allocated an amount of P50,000 for the sustainability of the project,” Municipal SK Federation President Mark Joshua Tacsagon said.

Dagyaw continues to improve its advocacy for literacy and recently launched the startup BAUL (Bumasa Ating Ugaliin Lagi) program.

BAUL was derived from the word baul, a wooden box wherein important and valuable items like heirlooms are kept.

Households with learners within Project DAGYAW areas were divided into groups with one baul each.

Found inside the BAUL are flashcards of CVC words and four fundamental operations, comics, booklets, and activity sheets.

The BAUL is transferred to a different household daily for six days. The Kabataang Guro Volunteers retrieves the box on the seventh day.

This allows learners to read, add, subtract, multiply, and divide with parents as their teachers.

“Makabulig gid ang Project DAGYAW sa mga nanay nga nabudlayan or indi capable magtudlo kay gina train nanda kami nga mangin teacher-nanay,” according to mother Joan Tamonan.

DAGYAW also extended its program to the out-of-school youths and adults.

Since no one must be left behind, the Tubunganon out-ofschool youths as well as adults are also taught the importance of education.

“I believe Tubunganons will later on gain knowledgeand contribute to the development of our municipality through Project DAL-ON TA and its Project DAGYAW education,” Mayor Roquito Tacsagon said.

Project DAGYAW also qualified as one of the 23 National Finalists in the 2nd National Search for Outstanding SK Project Awards under the education category.

Looming Dengue Epidemic on Iloilo’s South: The Case of Brgy Lawigan in San Joaquin

Story by Karen Joyce Pumaren

First Published in Daily Guardian on 31 May 2022

Three years ago in 2019, Iloilo exceeded the dengue epidemic threshold which resulted in patients overcrowding province-run hospitals in the province.

Fast forward today, the first five months of 2022 saw an alarming increase in dengue cases, posing a possible recurrence of another dengue outbreak.

“We want to start preparing for dengue together with our mayors. Looking back three years ago, the outbreak was gradual, beginning in the first quarter. It started to really surge by July 2019,” said Defensor in an interview last February.

The number continuously rises which will likely lead to another outbreak.

In the face of this looming epidemic under the COVID-19 pandemic, it is imperative to look into the factors that may have triggered the increase in order for immediate action to be taken into motion and for an effective policy and strategy to be crafted early on.

Dengue Situation in San Joaquin

San Joaquin is a coastal municipality in the southern part of the province of Iloilo. The trend of dengue cases follows the three-year cycle of dengue outbreaks, according to Dr. Abraham Elgario, Municipal Health Officer.

“As you can see on the history of dengue cases in the municipality for ten years, makita mo nga ang cases ga-surge every three years. In 2016 we have 85 cases, it dropped down in 2017 and 2018 but nagsaka balik in 2019 when we have recorded 144 cases. Based on the data last May 18, 2022, we already have 46 cases,” Elgario said.

Children 5 to 17 years old were documented to be the most affected in the municipality, accounting for 38 out of the 46 in the May 18, 2022 data.

Currently, there are 13 barangays in the municipality with dengue cases, including three with clustering of cases – Lawigan, Qui-anan, and Sinogbuhan.

Barangay Lawigan, with eight clustered cases, tops the list of barangays with dengue cases in the municipality with 18 as of May 23, 2022.

The dengue situation of Lawigan showcased gaps, both from the government and the people. Gaps that may fan the flames of brewing dengue outbreak if not confronted.

Lawigan Case

Lawigan is the biggest and most populated barangay in San Joaquin with 2,881 residents. A single dengue case here can cause a ripple effect and infect thousands if the dengue prevention control program falters.

According to Ma. Jacinta T. Secondes, midwife of Lawigan Health Station, the first recorded dengue case in Lawigan this year was in March. After which, cases rapidly increased.

“Ang first dengue case namon na-record last March. After that ang cases sige-sige na ang pag-increase. May ara nga nakarecord kami 2-case increase every day. So far kadya palang gid ako ma-stress sa pag-deal sang dengue,” Secondes explained.

After the sudden dengue case surge in the barangay, the Department of Health Region VI, IPHO, and San Joaquin MHO conducted an entomological survey which revealed that five out of eight mosquitoes that were tested were carriers of dengue virus.

The assessment and report suggested the abundance of dengue vectors in the community. Local officials observed that garbage are the evident and notable breeding sites for mosquitos.

“May ara sa mga baso, plastics, botelya, lata, mga plastic cellophane, kag may ara kami gani nakita sa mga tanzan. Kay ang iban ginapilak-pilak lang nila ang ramo da,” Secondes noted.

The first factor local officials noted is the people’s attitude towards cleanliness.

In response to the case surge, local government unit of San Joaquin conducted clean-up drives to root out mosquitoes’ breeding sites and public awareness programs to disseminate information about dengue.

“Sang naka-record kami sang amon first nga mga cases nagkadtu diya ang sanitary inspector para i-check ang area nga may case kami una. Dayun sa sunod nga adlaw nagconduct sang clean-up drive kag nagbalik liwat ang sanitary inspector for the next day tas nagisturya sa barangay captain kag mga volunteer para sa awareness program,” Secondes said.

Garbage coupled with the frequent and early rains is the possible primary cause for the rise in dengue cases, according to Secondes.

“Dako nga factor ang tiyempo, temprano nagabot ang uran. Ang tubig nagastock sa mga containers nga wala takop labi nagid sa mga higko kag ginaitlogan sang lamok,” she added.

The DOH, IPHO, and San Joaquin local government, have been urging the people to observe the 5S Strategy – search and destroy mosquito breeding sites, self-protection like using of insect repellents, seek early consultation at the neatest health care facility, support fogging, spraying, and misting in hot spot areas, and social distancing.

However, clean-up drives and awareness programs without active community participation will not do much in preventing and controlling the growing dengue cases.

“Halos kami nalang matinlo kay kung hambalan mo sanda maninlo daw waay lang. Gahuo lang pay pagbalik mo wala man gihapon. Ang iba wara gidya sakalag,” Secondes added.

The second factor to be addressed is the formulation of a communication strategy that aims for behavioral outcomes. Information dissemination does not always convince and persuade people to act.

Dengue Prevention and Control

“May ara kita sang free NS1 antigen test nga ga-allow sang rapid detection of dengue. To isolate dengue patients, we provide them with mosquito nets. For indigent patients, libre na ang tanan. And may ara kita constant meetings with other sectors of the community,” Dr. Elgario noted.

Lawigan also has a vigorous community-based dengue vector control plan of action.

Sanitary inspections are conducted every week to assess the environmental sanitation situation of the area. Dengue control personnel, local health workers (BHWs), and barangay officials are regularly conducting clean-up drives in the seven zones of the barangay. Four cycles of fogging and indoor residual spraying are done every week in the barangay. DOH-Region 6 and Provincial Health Office Dengue Committee periodically visited the barangay from March to May for have Dengue Surveillance and Case Finding.

Moreover, information drives have been performed, primarily in elementary schools as data suggest that this age group accounted for the highest number of dengue cases.

The Lawigan Health Station is accessible and open daily for dengue concerns and consultations. They gave out medicines like bottles of aerosol and paracetamol to patients and those in need.

The San Joaquin LGU assured that in case a dengue epidemic occurs, the municipality is well prepared, having two huge hospitals that can address, cater to and can manage dengue cases and patients.

Drawback

Notably, a systematic planning of a behaviorally focused communication strategies for modifying behaviors associated with dengue was not successfully laid out. Hence, public behavior remains problematic.

Though, perhaps, hospitals are capacitated and financial concerns that may arise can be quickly answered, life still is at risk. Hence, a Dengue and Prevention Control Program can never be called effective.

MOVING FORWARD. Stakeholders discuss the current dynamics of the digital economy in the Philippines and the creation of innovation hubs across different cities to promote inclusive growth and development.

Photo Courtesy of Marjune Muzones.

ILOILO—In the first week of February 2022, Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. issued an order placing the province of Iloilo under Dengue Alert Level 5 in the anticipation of possible surge in dengue cases in the province. The decision was rooted in the three-year cycle of dengue outbreaks in the province and even the country.

Kabataang Guro Volunteers hand in educational materials inside the BAUL.

PhotoCourtesyofKProjectDagyaw’s Facebook

Gov’t researchers, officers scrutinize disaster management in PH

Story by Marjune Muzones First Published in Daily Guardian on 01 August 2022

ILOILO—Owing to the fact that the country, being at high risk for natural disasters and calamities, the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) conducted the webinar entitled “Examining the Philippines’ Bottom-up Approach to Disaster Risk Reduction and Management” on July 28, 2022.

It is the culmination of the series of webinars spearheaded by PIDS for the month of July.

“As we continue to recover from the severe socioeconomic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the threat of natural hazards lingers in our midst. The country’s ranking in the Global Climate Risk Index of 2021 speaks of critical risks we are exposed to, the COVID-19 pandemic and the new contagious diseases that may threaten public health,” Dr. Aniceto C. Orbeta Jr., PIDS President expressed.

The virtual forum featured a PIDS study authored by Dr. Sonny N.

Domingo, Senior Research Fellow, and Ms. Arvie Joy A. Manejar, Research Specialist. It foocuses on the policies, institutions, community participation, and public investments in DRRM or Disaster Risk Reduction and Management in the Philippines.

“Specifically, we look at policy and institutional frameworks, and then we back-map budget and expenditure in the national and subnational levels, then we assess how this public investment are allocated, utilized, and inform policy priorities, and then we recommend ways to address these gaps,” Manejar said.

Key insights garnered from it include minimal investment in participatory PPAs, inefficient resource distribution among LGUs, the ambiguous or even difficult process of implementation, dependence on institutional leadership and spending in terms of DRR initiatives, weak reporting,

tracking, accounting, and feedback on DRR resources, and the need for transparency and ease of audit regarding public funds and private donations.

“In terms of ways forward, we have to capacitate LGUs on DRR policy and fiscal management. As evidenced by the sub-optimal use of what’s available to them, we need to empower them in terms of using what’s current in terms of assets and resources… We need to enhance reporting and transparency platforms and possibly compelling our local governments to come up with

Experts share insights about social protection in PH

Story by Marjune Muzones First Published in Daily Guardian on 12 July 2022

ILOILO—The Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) in partnership with World Bank Philippines conducted a webinar entitled “Policy Insights for More Efficient and Adaptive Social Protection in the Philippines” on July 7, 2022, the first in a series of virtual discussions slated for this month.

Invited scholars shared crucial data, lessons, and insights about social protection in the country and how to strengthen and improve policies to become efficient and adaptive amid current economic and political issues, as well as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Aniceto C. Orbeta Jr., the current President of the PIDS, discussed different research of the institute and shared his views about the current state of social protections in the Philippines such as social health insurance coverage, income security for children and elderly, labor market interventions, social assistance, disaster-related response, and the different lessons brought about by the pandemic.

“I would like to emphasize that in many social protection areas, almost every targeted beneficiary is already covered by some law. We have seen this in the case of health insurance and programs addressing many risks of the working age population in the private and public sectors,” Dr. Orbeta said.

Obstacles remain to be hurdled such as inequality and the lack of a comprehensive and sustainable implementation, evaluation, and monitoring of health and social security coverage for Filipinos.

“When we look at actual coverage however, we see the graphs. That’s the challenge. Closing these gaps is what we should focusing on. In addition, improving the efficiency of the operations of these programs will always be translated to better coverage,” he added.

Dr. Yoonyoung Cho, Senior Economist at the Social Protection and Jobs Global Practice at the World Bank shared insights regarding about social assistance.

According to Dr. Yoon, among the different social protection instruments mentioned, social assistance is the most common in the Philippines. 4Ps, Social Amelioration Program (SAP), and social pension for indigent elderly are just a few examples of wellknown programs.

“They play very important roles in protecting poor and vulnerable households in the time of crisis. The country may be transitioning out of the pandemic, but it is exposed to frequent shocks and disasters,” Dr. Yoon stated.

She also added that it is critical to look back and review social assistance responses to the pandemic and reflect on the lessons to build resilience for future shocks which includes the streamlining of contingency financing, clean beneficiary and citizen database, targeted responses, and digitization of delivery systems to promote efficiency, transparency, and adequacy.

A panel discussion by development practitioners and experts followed the presentations. It was moderated by Dr. Michael Abrigo, Senior Research Fellow at PIDS, together with Assistant Secretary Rhea Peñaflor of Specialized Programs in the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Mr. Jun Jay Perez, Executive Director of RIMANSI Organization for Asia and the Pacific Inc., and Dr, Nassreena Sampaco-Baddiri, Country Director of Innovations for Poverty ActionPhilippines.

Among the topics are the initiatives as well as the challenges faced by the government and private sectors in delivering social protection services.

“Targeting helps us understand whether we are reaching the people that we want to reach…We know that effective identification of the target population is extremely important to the success of social protection programs with the limited resources that we have,” Dr. Baddiri stated.

Efficiency in terms of the digitalization of data and processes such as digital payments, identification, and information gathering is still a big challenge especially to the delivery of social protection services.

“The use of digital payments remains a challenge especially to the low-income sector. In fact, the Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas Financial Inclusion Survey reported that only 1 out of 10 adults use their mobile phones and the internet for financial transactions… The lack of awareness is the most prominent reason for not using these financial services,” Mr, Perez said.

Asst. Secretary Peñaflor meanwhile laid out plans to promote improved services to the public through efficient and proactive measures and empower local government units to assist in the successful delivery of social protection services to the public.

“To prepare LGUs to handle DSWD programs, the Devolution Transition Plan (DTP) provides the LGU implementors and our partners of an orientation to generate their commitment and involve them in the project implementation, case management, MNE training, and the conduct of empowering learning sessions with indigenous people initiatives,” Peñaflor said.

Questions from the attendees in Zoom and Facebook Live were also answered by the panelists and other scholars from the PIDS.

To learn more about the topics discussed, access to the webinar is provided via the PIDS and World Bank Philippines Facebook pages.

yearly reports on disaster related initiatives and even events in terms of the impacts of disasters in their communities,” Dr. Domingo uttered.

Insights were also heard from officials of the Office of Civil Defense and Bureau of Local Government Finance of the Department of Finance (DOF), together with Abuyog, Leyte LGU represented by Vice Mayor Lemuel Gin Traya.

“Ang DRRM tactics naming dito sa Abuyog ay syempre formulation and furnishing local plans, thorough risk, and hazard assessment, enlisting all possible

needs, projects, programs, and activities, Securing MOA and MOU, and acknowledging and encourage DRR partners’ participation. Awareness, preparedness, security, sustainability, and investment yung ginagawa naming,” said Vice Mayor Traya.

An open forum was also conducted to answer queries and provide further clarification for virtual attendees.

For a more comprehensive understanding of the topics discussed, the recorded webinar session is accessible at the PIDS Official Facebook page.

New Kalibo, Aklan Mayor topples Lachica clan’s long-time mayoral rule

First Published in Rappler on 10 May 2022

AKLAN—Sangguniang

With 25,907 votes in his favor, Sucro’s win toppled the 12-year mayoral rule of the Lachicas in Kalibo. For context, this is Lachica’s attempt at a second term to carry on his brother William’s legacy, who was mayor from 2010 to 2019. Since then, William ran and lost the gubernatorial race in both the 2019 and 2022 elections.

Sucro previously served in both the Sangguniang Bayan in Kalibo as councilor and as board member in the 1st District of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Aklan.

Meanwhile, his running mate, Doc Cynthia Dela Cruz, secured her reelection for the vice mayoral seat with 25,788 votes. Dela Cruz bested her opponent, Greg Malapad, with a margin of over 9,000 votes, as he got 16,783 votes.

The newly proclaimed Kalibo councilors are as follows:

• incumbent Phillip Yerro Kimpo (22,124 votes)

• Atty. Christine Dela Cruz (21,262 votes)

• William Lachica Jr. (19,863 votes)

• incumbent Matt Guzman (18,651 votes)

• incumbent Ketchie Luces (18,313 votes)

• former mayor Raymar Rebaldo (17,762 votes)

• incumbent Augusto Tolentino (15,217 votes)

• Kalibo Alliance for Barangay Concerns President Ronald Marte (14,972 votes)

Antique clan maintains decades-long hold over Hamtic town

Story by Marie Andrea Pefianco and Mariane Gabrielle Cagalawan

First Published in Rappler on 11 May 2022

ANTIQUE—The Pacificador clan remains true to its tagline “Pacificador sa Guihapon” (Pacificador still) as they extend their decades-long hold on the town of Hamtic, Antique.

Incumbent vice mayor Julius Ronald “Junjun” Pacificador bested rival Cezar Autajay in the mayoral race with 17,839 votes. Autajay got 6,448 votes.

Meanwhile, Junjun’s father, incumbent mayor Julius “Julie” Pacificador secured the vice mayoral post after getting 15,634 votes, defeating rival Lot Bulac Jr who got 9,106 votes.

The older Pacificador is the son of the late Antique governor Julian F. Pacificador, the first elected mayor of the town of Hamtic in 1956.

Since then, the family maintained a stronghold in the town and became a household name in the province of Antique.

Former Antique assemblyman Arturo “Turing” Pacificador, brother of Julian, is a staunch ally of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr.

Presidential bet vice president Leni Robredo is leading in the province of Antique with 142,663 votes compared to rival Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s 115,027, as of 4:39 pm on Wednesday, May 11. However, the PacificadorMarcos ties maintained the clan’s support for Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s presidential campaign, reflecting his victory in the town of Hamtic where he got 11,627 votes while Robredo got 9,822 votes.

THOROUGH ASSESSMENT. Researchers and officials from agencies and local governments examine disaster management initiatives in the country and how to address current challenges faced by the system. Photo Courtesy of Marjune Muzones.

POLICY INSIGHTS. Experts share crucial data, lessons, and insights about social protection in Philippines and how to strengthen and improve policies to foster efficiency and adaptability amid frequent economic and political shocks. Photo Courtesy of Marjune Muzones.

DECADES-LONG RULE. (From left to right) Newly proclaimed Mayor Julius Ronald “Junjun” Pacificador, his father Vice Mayor Julius “Julie” Pacificador, and Sangguniang Members of the town of Hamtic, Antique during their proclamation on Tuesday, May 10. Photo Courtesy of Catherine Checa.

Story by Neil Terrence Masigon

Panlalawigan Member Juris Bautista Sucro was proclaimed the new mayor of the capital town of Kalibo, Aklan, beating the incumbent Emerson Lachica on Tuesday, May 10.

Former rebels find new hope in town’s reintegration programs

Story by Flory Ann Tacuban First Published in Daily Guardian on

ILOILO—The Local Government Unit (LGU) of Tubungan, Iloilo has been providing opportunities services to rebel returnees since 2012 two years before the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-Clip).

E-Clip is mandated by Executive Order No. 70 issued by President Rodrigo Duterte in a bid to end the armed insurgency. It is implemented by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). A group of rebel returnees dubbed TAGPDA (Tubungan Amnesty Grantees for Peace and Development Association) was organized by the LGU under its Tubong-Tubong Project with help from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and Philippine Army to provide sustainable programs to returnees to be productive and to prepare them for reintegration to mainstream society.

The TAGPDA program includes services the LGU can offer if rebels decide to return to the folds of the government such as formal employment whether local and abroad through skills training, livelihood projects which includes giving of cattle, sari-sari store or swine production and values formation conducted by the Parish Pastoral Council.

Through E-Clip, former rebels are offered a more holistic package of benefits such as education, housing, medical assistance, legal assistance, firearms remuneration, psychosocial assistance, market livelihood and employment opportunities.

Municipal Labor and Employment Officer Emelyn Tano said the program was established in 2012 to address Tubungan’s reputation as a ‘red tag’ area since the 1980s.

“The LGU did this to bring the government closer to the people and to urge them that the purpose of this program is to let them know (rebels)

that may nagahulat nga programs and services for them kun magbalik sanda sa sabak kang gobyerno unlike their misconception nga basi i-threat sanda or patyon,” Tano said.

Each rebel received a livelihood assistance of one head cattle and cash remuneration for every firearm they surrender.

In 2020, DOLE is allotting P3.5 million for insurgency affected areas to be facilitated by the PESO (Public Employment Service Office), with Tubungan as one of its beneficiaries.

Data from the Former Rebel Information System indicated that a total 40 rebel returnees availed of these programs and services and the LGU is also assessing rebel returnees so that they can pass the criteria.

The LGU also ensured that the rebels will not go back to their old ways after receiving the E-Clip benefits.

Changing Lives

“Nagbalik-loob ako sa gobyerno

Antique governor receives overwhelming support for last gubernatorial bid

Story by Marie Andrea Pefianco First Published in Rappler on 10 May 2022

ANTIQUE—Reelectionist Rhodora “Dodod” Cadiao was again proclaimed as the governor of Antique for her third and final term, on Tuesday, May 10, following a landslide win.

Cadiao won with a whopping 217,573 votes, more than triple her challenger, Vega Manila Crew Management CEO Vicente “Vic” Fedelicio, who got 66,207 votes. Remegio “Mayong” Petinglay came third in the race with 4,085 votes.

Winning alongside the governor is running-mate Vice Governor Edgar Denosta, who is also on his final term in office, and Loren Legarda’s brother, Antonio Agapito “AA” Legarda Jr., who is taking over his sister’s post in congress. The political trio is widely known as Team LCD, or Team Legarda, Cadiao, Denosta.

Out of 10 Sangguniang Panlalawigan members in the province, seven are allies of the governor, which guarantees her support from the board.

The following are the newly-proclaimed members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan in Antique:

Southern District:

• Mayella Mae “Nene Maye” Plameras-Ladislao (79,637 votes)

• Rony Molina (79,427 votes)

• Dante Beriong (69,810 votes)

• Alfie Jay “Dondon” Niqua (64,484 votes)

• Pio Jessielito Sumande (61,272 votes)

Northern District

• Victor Condez (72,285 votes)

• Noel Alamis (71,451 votes)

• Karmila “Milay” Dimamay (70,585 votes)

• Sueki Palacios (63,270 votes)

• Egidio Elio (52,570 votes)

Molina, Dimamay, and Elio are not allied with the governor.

kay budlay kung gasunod kaw sa hublag bala kay gamo tapos kis-a nalipasan pa kamo kang kagutom kay gapanago kamo, kapin pa kun may operation ang Army budlay pa gid kay rayo kaw sa pamilya mo,” according to Alias Nona, 53, former Head Officer of the Alliance of Mass Campaign.

The former rebels said the LGU and E-Clip programs changed their lives.

“Didto man kami nagkilalahay kang bana ko sa hublag. Indi man pwede nga sige sunod mo sa grupo tapos may bata kaw nga naatipan. Alangan mo ra dar-on ma bakwit. Amo to nagtukod kami kang pamilya kag nagdesisyon kami bala nga magwa na lang kag mangabuhi ti malinong,” Nona added.

Ka Nona left the group together with her husband who became the president of their organization. She influenced others by becoming a living example that a rebel can change if one wants to through Balik Loob programs.

“Wara ako ga-take initiative nga manghaylo gid sa mga rebels nga dyan pa sa bukid gapanago nga mabalik sa goyerno bala kay delikado. Ang akon lang nga sanda mismo makatalupangod paagi sa kun paano da makita ang pagbalhin kang kabuhi namon,” she added.

Now, Ka Nona’s daughter is a registered nurse in United Kingdom and her son is a priest in South Africa.

Another returnee, Rosa, said she is thankful for the government intervention. She is now a teacher in a barangay Day Care Center of the municipality through the help of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Five rebel returnees also underwent and successfully completed Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) trainings that enable them to work abroad.

“Napaminsaran namon nga kung mabato kami sa gobyerno kag magamit kang pakusog nga paagi.

Kami ang pierde kay nasugal amon kabuhi, ti indi sabat ang armas kun gusto mo nga magbag-o ang sistema kang gobyerno kay ang pagbag-o dapat kanimo mismo maghalin,” according to Ka Badong, another former rebel.

Ka Lino became a Bantay-Gubat Forest Protection Officer under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Office (DENR) program.

Lino helps deter illegal activities in the forest and preserve the wildlife since he knows the terrains after staying in the mountains for a long time.

“Tungod ka dya makaturog ron kami ti mahamuok nga wara ti kakulba bala tapos namon ronda,” he added.

Four rebel returnees also became officials on their respective barangays.

The LGU also employed Ka Stanley as a job order employee for almost 10 years.

The Philippine Army had commended Tubungan for implementing programs for rebel returnees that came into being even before the present administration conceptualized it.

“Livelihood program is an opportunity for the surrenderees’ potential source of income and make the returnees busy, thus it prevents them from going back to their armed struggle and being an agricultural town, the lives of the people depend on farming,” Labor and Employment Officer Emelyn Tano said.

Now these surrenderees became active citizens of the society and are actively participating in government programs.

“Kung ipatawag sanda [during their monthly meetings] naga-attend sanda kag they are free to suggest plans kun ano ang makapamayad sa banwa unlike sang una nga sa bukid sanda kag nagarebelde,” Tano added.

“The LGU is sincere to improve the lives of our surrenderees by giving them sustainable source of livelihood for their families we are hoping that more rebels will return to the fold of law and seek a peaceful and productive life,” Tubungan Mayor Roquito Tacsagon said.

Iloilo province sets precept for contact sports resumption

Story by Karen Joyce Pumaren

ILOILO—As contact sports in Iloilo was given the green light, the provincial government, on yellow caution line, set down a general condition for the conduct of games in the province under the new normal.

‘No vaccine card, no play’, the requisite put forward to ensure that Ilonggo players enjoy without sacrificing health safety and undermining the COVID-19 transmission reduction measures.

Mr. Ray Cabarles, Provincial Sports Development Officer IV, said that requiring players and athletes from and playing in Iloilo to be fully vaccinated is the major rule in the new face of sports in the province.

“For all the sports competitions held in the province in the new normal, participants must be fully vaccinated and have a vaccine card as proof for their vaccination,” Cabarles said.

Ronald I. Sta. Ana, sports podcast host, swimming coach, and basketball enthusiast from the province, favored and seconded the aforementioned precept.

“Players, coaches, sports enthusiasts, and everyone concerned have the responsibility or part to get vaccinated, better yet took booster shots. In that way we’ll be lessening the possibility to contract the virus,” Sta. Ana said.

While COVID-19 full vaccination is the general condition, consent and other guidelines for the resumption of contact sports shall be upon the jurisdiction of the local government of each municipality in the province.

“Iloilo is under Alert Level 2 with more relaxed COVID-19 restrictions which allowed the reopening of contact sports and the main rule to ensure health safety is requiring athletes to be fully vaccinated, but the governor instructed that the contact sports shall be directed to the local government unit for control,” Cabarles added.

Furthermore, the provincial government acknowledged that despite decreasing positive cases

in Iloilo, the risk of acquiring the virus is present especially during direct interaction like in contact sports.

“My advice, and that of Governor Defensor, is for LGUs and contact sports players or groups to assess the COVID-19 cases status in their area before organizing contact sports activities,” Cabarles said.

Joshua Carisma, Iloilo Young Booster Football Club (IYP-FC) player, despite the itch to play football, expressed agreement to the views and recommendations of the provincial government.

“Football has been part of my life. But as much as I wanted to play, we cannot erase the fact that COVID-19 is still there and anytime we can get infected by the virus. So, we just need to obey the rules of the government and trust its process. I believe that someday we can go back to action,” Carisma expressed.

Sta. Ana shared the same sentiments as Carisma.

“I am excited to go back to contact sports but of course extra precautions and safety measures should not be taken for granted. Everyone should still follow standard health protocols and not letting our guard down,” Sta. Ana added.

Meanwhile, to set athletes and sports enthusiasts in motion and to break the inactivity of sports in Iloilo, the province through Center for Sports and Physical Fitness (CSPF) arranged a Governor’s Cup for dual sports.

“Since our alert status has gone down, the province would like to provide an alternative and an opportunity for players and athletes to regain their sports drive, thus we organized an open and age group tournament for badminton, table tennis, and tennis,” Cabarles stated.

The tournament shall be held in Iloilo Sports Complex (ISC)but sports enthusiasts anywhere in the Philippines are authorized to join as long as they have their proof of vaccinations.

“The Province of Iloilo will have a badminton, table tennis, and tennis tournament on December 11-19. This is open for all fully vaccinated athletes and players in the country, all they need to do is to register in the CSPF Office,” Cabarles said.

In effect, the tournament serves two purposes: to revive sports in Iloilo and encourage Ilonggo athletes and sports enthusiasts to get vaccinated.

“Let’s get vaccinated so we can play sports,” the slogan of the said activity.

Reasonably, when all are vaccinated contact sports in the province will be back without hesitation.

ONE ANTIQUE. The newly-proclaimed leaders of the province of Antique. From left, South District Provincial Board members Dante Beriong, Alfie Jay “Dondon” Niqua, Pio Jessielito Sumande, Rony Molina, Nene Maye Plameras, Vice Governor Edgar Denosta, Governor Rhodora “Dodod” Cadiao, Representative Antonio Agapito “AA” Legarda, South District Provincial Board members Sueki Palacios, Victor Condez, Karmila Dimamay, Egidio Elio, and Noel Alamis. Photo Courtesy of Karmila Rose Milay Dimamay‘s Facebook Page.

GOING BACK TO ACTION. Iloilo province gradually opens sports activities for players and athletes in the province after being placed under Alert Level 2. Photo Courtesy of Center for Sports and Physical Fitness Facebook Page.

FROM ARMS TO FARMS. A former rebel is busy with farming after returning to the mainstream society. Photo Courtesy of Flory Ann Tacuban.

Panel evaluates PH irrigation sector, social services for elderly

Story by Marjune Muzones First Published in Daily Guardian on 26 July 2022

ILOILO—A panel of experts gathered to evaluate the current state of the country’s irrigation sector and health insurance program during the webinar entitled “Evaluating the Philippine Irrigation Sector and Health Insurance Program” on July 21, 2022

The virtual forum was organized by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) and joined by discussants from the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) and Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).acquiring the virus is high.

Dr. Roehlano M. Briones, PIDS Senior Research Fellow presented the award-winning PIDS book entitled “Revitalizing Philippine Irrigation: A Systems and Governance Assessment for the 21st Century”.

Among key findings are lacking elements, efforts, and transparency in project identification, implementation and procurement, operations and maintenance, and monitoring and evaluation.

Recommendations include the need to improve human resource capacities, increased coordination with the Department

of Agriculture and LGUs, estimating irrigation potential through land conversion trends, watershed integrity, water availability, and other geo-referenced data, rigorous cost-benefit analysis, improve irrigation system designs, among others to ensure efficient services and promote better production outputs.

“Going forward, we know that we will continue to invest heavily in our irrigation. Even now more because food has always been a top priority but then again, elevated

now because of the current 5Fs crisis that we are undergoing; Food, Feeds, Fertilizer, Fuel, and Finance. Hopefully, this book will be of renewed relevance under these conditions,” Briones said.

In response, NIA Deputy Administrator for Engineering and Operations, Engr. C’zar Sulaik, laid out the agency’s perspectives and insights in the development of the country’s irrigation sector.

“NIA is formulating plans for rehabilitation and protection of water resources, supporting

Voters in remote Antique village struggle to know national candidates

Story by Mariane Gabrielle Cagalawan First Published in Rappler on 02 May 2022

ANTIQUE—Netizens brawl on Twitter and Facebook over rival candidates in the May 2022 national elections but residents of Aningalan, an isolated barangay in San Remigio town, don’t even have access to the internet or cellular communications.

“Naghipus kaja nga eleksyon. Asta kaja, wara gihapon kami ti mapili-an nga presidente,” farming couple Patria and Ephraem Gomez Sr. told Rappler.

That’s because they haven’t heard from any of the presidential bets. They haven’t watched the debates or the live-streamed interviews. No national candidate nor their campaign staff has visited the farming village that Antiqueños call their summer capital.

The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed election campaign habits in the Philippines as health and safety concerns limit crowd gatherings, rallies, and doorto-door visits.

Ads, gossip as info sources

Aningalan residents rely on radio and television political advertisements to familiarize themselves with national candidates. Free radio and TV rarely run the full debates and fora available on the Internet.

Jocelyn Tapulayan, a local tourist guide, said they also rely on roaming vehicles playing political jingles, displayed tarpaulins, and barangay gossip about certain politicians.

Most locals are unaware of the national candidates’ visits to the province, and nor has campaign literature trickled down to the area.

“Kung

Patria said that since she hasn’t witnessed the debates or interviews, stories going around the barangay are her primary source of information.

Aningalan’s youth voters struggle to maximize their participation in this year’s elections because of the limited information they are getting.

First-time voter Abeguel Tahum feels a significant disadvantage as a Gen Z who can’t access crucial information from social media.

“Gusto ko nga may mamanan man ako para sakto akun boto,” Tahum said.

Voters’ appeal

Locals appealed for personto-person efforts from the national candidates’ coordinators and volunteers to learn about their plans and platforms.

Gomez said they are willing to open their homes to campaign teams and asked for videos of debates and interviews.

“Nami gid daad kung malabot kami rugya para mas mapamatian namon ang andang mga plataporma,” she added.

Locals also suggested flyers or brochures and tarpaulins with a comprehensive list of credentials and platforms, preferably in Kinaray-a language, to help them scrutinize and choose their candidates.

According to Gomez, they are also wise voters as long as they receive sufficient information that

will help them decide for the sake of their families, community, and livelihood.

Outreach

Their appeals were answered on April 1 when volunteers of Robredo People’s Council (RPC) visited Barangay Aningalan.

These volunteers, who conducted house-to-house and market day campaigns in San Remigio villages, witnessed the disinformation and misinformation circulating in the municipality’s far-flung areas.

“Their responses are always associated with hearsay or rumors, and from sources with no credibility,” said youth volunteer Krizn Janica Tacaisan, who cited unvetted reports of candidates’ credentials.

Volunteer Feliz Mission also emphasized that people in the uplands can be easily swayed because they have a hard time checking if information is factual.

Based on their interaction with the residents, Mission realized that local politicians’ support for national bets influences residents’ choices.

When people have little to no verifiable information about national candidates, it is easier to persuade them to trade votes for money and commodities, the volunteers said.

Given the challenges, Mission hopes to continue their grassroots campaign.

“Seeing some of the situation of people there, you will really be motivated to continue since we all yearn for a government which will help them,” she said.

irrigation systems nationwide. Relatively, the modernization of irrigation systems and establishment of command centers are being pursued to monitor flood levels and enable stakeholders to act in a timely manner and avoid unnecessary loss of of lives and properties during calamities,” Engr. Sulaik stated.

Moving over to the country’s health insurance for senior citizens, Dr. Michael Abrigo, also a Senior Research Fellow of PIDS presented the study “Expanding Health

Insurance for the Elderly in the Philippines”.

Key takeaways include the increased social health insurance coverage by 10-20 percentage points with female middleclass citizens being the biggest compliers. However, out-ofpocket expenditures surpassed expectations and grew over 100% due to non-covered expenditure categories like outpatient services and medicines.

“We need to ensure that increased expenditures reflect use of necessary care… and that healthcare providers are not charging higher prices to insured patients or that they are not passing the cost to other patient groups,” Dr. Abrigo said.

“Isa sa magpu-push for those reforms ay ang Universal Healthcare Act wherein we want to ensure that all Filipinos are guaranteed equal access, meaning lahat makaka-access regardless of your socio-economic status in life, quality and affordable healthcare goods and services, and protected from financial risk,” Dr. Gilberto De Guzman, Head of PhilHealth CARES Management Office stated in his response.

The presentations were followed by a discussion and an open forum wherein panel members answer questions from the audience.

The recorded webinar session is available at the PIDS Official Facebook page.

POPCOM-6 optimistic on population growth but…

Story by Marjune Muzones

First Published in Daily Guardian on 21 July 2022

ILOILO—As the world anticipates reaching the 8 billion population mark later this year, the Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM) Region 6 gathered members of the media to discuss current issues and initiatives at Diversion 21 Hotel, Iloilo City on July 19, 2022.

The discussion was in connection with the World Population Day celebration last July 11 with the national theme “110 Milyong Solusyon: Tungo sa Pagkamit ng Potensyal ng Bawat Pilipino,” which highlighted the country’s growing citizenry.

POPCOM-6 Regional Director Harold Alfred P. Marshal said a growing population has its upside.

“We’re not pessimistic about having 110 million. So, we have 110 million opportunities to improve our lives, to improve our society as Filipinos,” POPCOM-6 Marshal said.

But he also cautioned that while population growth present potentials to achieve development goals, there is a chance that the country would face problems if the populace is not empowered.

The discussion mainly focused on the current statistics regarding the Philippine and Western Visayas populations and the persistent issue of teenage pregnancy in the region.

The country has a very young population, with the age pyramid having a huge baseline. As of 2015, adolescents aged 10-19 comprise 20.11% of the total population and each year, at least 2 million individuals are added to the number.

“Just imagine when 20% of your population begin to give birth, I think we need to be prepared for that,” Marshal said.

As of 2020, Region VI’s population numbered to around 7.95 million with a growth rate of 1.14%, making it the 5th most populous area in the country.

Among the six provinces in the region, Guimaras has the highest growth rate at 1.55% from 2015-2020 despite having the lowest population.

Modern family planning methods were also discussed, citing the Contraceptive Prevalent Rate (CPR) of Region 6 at 60.02% in 2020, just enough to reach the target 60 % of women in reproductive age. It shows that more women and men are using family planning commodities.

“For local government units (LGU) that have already reached the desired CPR target, the challenge remains in the sustainability of maintaining it. Pero masami, family planning has always been one of the least prioritized sa budget sang aton local government. So, I think it needs more pushing sa aton mga local chief executives kag mga sanggunian naton to really support the family planning program,” he added.

Teen Pregnancy

Turning to the issue of teenage pregnancy, the 2020 census conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority revealed that 9 out of 100 or about 9.10% of live births in the region are a result of adolescent pregnancy cases.

Negros Occidental topped the chart with 36.63% or 2,912 out of the 8,409 live births from 10–19-year-old females, followed by Iloilo province with 27.55% and Capiz with 11.37%.

From the total number, 2,842 births are by minors aged 10-17, with the youngest case of 11 years old from Silay City.

“Teenage mothers put themselves at risk of not finishing their education… Teenage pregnancy is associated with a higher risk of health problems and complications to both mother and child of too early childbearing,” Marshal stated.

Marshal said that adolescent mothers are more prone to social stigma and rejection by family and friends, and violence within a marriage or partnership.

“Adolescent pregnancy cases in western Visayas are very alarming. At the aggregate level, a high teenage pregnancy rate could be an enabling factor to high population growth. Gaps must not only be reduced but must be addressed as rapid as possible to open windows of opportunity from the demographic transition,” he added.

Localization strategies are continuously being employed and strengthened by the POPCOM Region VI in partnership with other government agencies amid the pandemic such as counselling sessions for couples, provision of family planning commodities, adolescent classes on reproductive health, presence of population offices across LGUs, online help desks, and more in order help mitigate risks and solve persisting issues.

Director Marshal also expressed the importance of owning the problem and a whole of nation approach to solve these issues and advised that it all boils down to individual responsibility in order to enjoy the fruits of socio-economic developments.

REGULATE. A panel of scholars and government officials evaluated the current state of the irrigation sector and health insurance program in the country. Photo Courtesy of PIDS.

sin-o ang sikat kag ang daw nakilala run, tana lamang ang botohon kang mga tawo,” Tapulayan said.

INFORMATION DELIVERY. Election volunteers reaching the corners of San Remigio to inform citizens about the election candidates. Photo Courtesy of Mariane Gabrielle Cagalawan.

Story by Richelle Mae Tabigne

I sighed and closed my eyes as I read my close friend’s post about me on his Facebook wall. I knew it was me despite the clear absence of my name because of the screenshot of my Facebook profile, covering my name and pictures but with the evident bio, and my educational background.

I battled with anger and sadness as I saw his slandering words directed towards me, accusing me of choosing politics over our friendship and how I let a “mere election” affect our relationship built over the years as I cut him off.

He was right. I did let the elections influence our friendship because the elections shined a bright light on his refusal to believe the truth about what happened during martial law.

Misinformation is a battle against the past, the present, and the future. With the upcoming 2022 elections, the fight against “fake news” and misinformation is stronger than ever as political propaganda sought to rewrite the truth during martial law.

Our decisions made today that will determine our future can be influenced by our knowledge of the past. False information in political propaganda that rewrites the past can heavily and negatively impact our views and decisions of today. The very reason why we must raise arms and unite to battle the rewriting of our past.

I remember the younger days when he called me with that smile in his voice. His endearment to me was “little sister” and I called him “older brother”. I remember how

he laughed as he offered me a piece of his siomai and how his laughing eyes always held gentleness. But now, all I can see is his homophobic slanders towards my LGBTQIA++ friends who support Leni, while he calls them inhuman names in his quest to defend his candidate, Marcos.

Before I used to get excited seeing notifications from him, now he refuses to view my messages and

ignored my plea to have a logical conversation. The “mere elections” he referred to showed me colors of him that I did not know existed.

I am proud to see him defend his candidate and his belief, but I ache that he is a victim of misinformation and refuses to see the truth. He blinded his eyes and deafened his ears so the truth he chose would not be clouded in his mind. To add salt to the injury, his

way of defending is inhumane, instead of establishing a healthy exchange of ideas and beliefs.

Misinformation and history revisionism has made an enemy of us all, and those unsuspecting fall victim to the deceiving voice of “fake news”.

But no matter the pain of losing a friend, I would imagine losing a loved one is so much worst. Worrying why your son isn’t home

yet and seeing his dead body the next day. Seeing your dad dragged out of the house in the middle of the night by officers in uniform to be returned a few days after, dead. The countless sleepless night from parents whose children never returned home.

Let us remember the things we learned from the past so we do not repeat them. So, we continue to fight and educate. Fight and inform the future generations would never experience the pain of the past. Loving our country may be hard and tiring, with the constant backstabbing coming from the people we should be relying on, the very people we placed in their current seat of power, but there is hope.

Amidst the pain, blood, and corruption, there is a flower that blossomed and bloomed. It happened when we were enslaved and abused by Spain, it happened during the Marcos reign, and it will happen again. We will rise from the ashes and fight for what we deserve.

Losing that friend who became the older brother that I’ve always wished to have left a gaping hole in my heart until now. I can only reminisce about the past we had, and wish I could turn back time, but I can never look past his actions and his political view. I know we will never share the same moral views and if it were not that time, somewhere along the line, we would still have a fallout, it would have only been a matter of when.

Losing a friend is painful, yes. But this fight is not just for me. This is for everyone, those I share the same values with, and even those I don’t. We may no longer be friends, but this fight is for him too, and I will continue to love him by fighting for the governance that we deserve.

Visayan students, progressive groups protest alleged election irregularities

Students, militant groups, and labor unions from the Visayas took to the streets on Tuesday, May 10, to demand fair and transparent elections after reports of Commission on Elections (Comelec) irregularities on election day.

Additionally, some groups were discontented as numbers favored late dictator’s son Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and running mate Sara Duterte in the partial and unofficial Comelec tally one day after the 2022 election.

They cried, “never again, never forget,” as they challenged people to remember Martial Law atrocities.

In Aklan, University of the Philippines Visayas – League of Filipino Students General Secretary Jomer Malonosan delivered an emotional speech during a picket protest in front of their provincial Comelec office.

“Ayaw po namin na malulong ang Pilipinas sa bilyun-bilyong utang ng mga Marcoses. Ayaw

According to RJ Ledesma, 7th nominee for Kabataan Party-list, the youth refused to accept the election anomalies.

“Gina pakita subong sang mga pamatan-on sang Bacolod nga indi kami mag hipos samtang gina basura na ang aton demokrasva,” he said in a statement.

Some protesters in Bacolod also shared their fear as their newly-elected Mayor Albee Benitez has previously endorsed Marcos Jr. and is also the son of a Ferdinand Marcos ally.

The Visayas has a rich history of resistance against the Marcos dynasty after facing thousands of human rights violations, economic crisis, and even famine in Negros during the late dictator’s regime.

RAY OF HOPE. Leni-Kiko supporter raises placard containing his sentiments about what the next president of the Philippines should have.

Photo Courtesy of Jire Carreon for Licas News.

LEARN FROM THE PAST. Activists cry for filipinos to remember the curelty during the Martial Law. Photo Courtesy of Bullit Marquez.

NEVER AGAIN, NEVER FORGET. With Marcos Jr. leading the polls and numerous reports of VCM malfunctions, several progressive groups in Aklan protest in front of the provincial COMELEC office on May 10, a day after the election. They are fighting for a fair and transparent elections. Photo Courtesy of Neil Terrence Masigon.

Story by Mariane Gabrielle Cagalawan, Marie Andrea Pefianco, Neil Terrence Masigon, and Joey Baldonado

First Published in Rappler on 10 May 2022

namin na magkagutom ulit sa Negros dahil gusto ni Imelda bumili ng mga alahas! Ayaw namin na bumili si Imelda ng kwintas na katumbas ng dose na airport! At ngayon, tumitindig po ang kabataan dahil gusto naming ituwid ang kasaysayan,” Malonosan said.

An 18-year-old girl bravely said goodbye to her hometown in Cebu and traveled to the uncertainties of Metro Manila, in hopes of finding her luck in the entertainment industry, Aiah Arceta’s luggage was just full of dreams, determination, and her pageant heels.

It was not part of the plan, but while gracefully strutting the ramp of her dreams, she stumbled upon a rare opportunity of becoming a P-Pop trainee. However, as she arrived at the Star Hunt Academy, she had to triple her efforts – most especially she confessed that she was no singer, dancer, nor a performer.

While Arceta was still undergoing rigorous training in 2019, two active P-Pop groups, MNL48 and SB19, were already making a mark in the music scene as pioneers. Over the years, the P-Pop community has shown potential of making it big out there, trailblazed by them.

Driven by the P-Pop rise movement, more and more groups from different known media companies debuted during the pandemic. But a lot of Filipinos are still skeptical about P-Pop, posing questions about its authenticity and originality as the new generation takes its pattern from K-Pop.

Mabuhay, P-Pop In the country, celebrities do not train before debuting. The stardom journey begins directly after a stint on a reality television show and is straightly pushed into the spotlight without proper training.

For the past years, media companies, ABS-CBN and VIVA for instance, have taken an attempt of creating their own groups, but obviously failed to capture Filipinos’ hearts who have K-Pop standards.

But this is not the case anymore with Arceta. Within two years of staying in Star Hunt Academy, the idol training ground of ABS-CBN formed in 2019, she was able to transform herself – from a pageant hopeful who does not know how to sing and dance into someone who is always ready to rock the stage.

All because of her everyday training and the sacrifices she made from the esteemed mix of Filipino and Korean coaches (MU Doctor, an established K-Pop training institution in South Korea) for years

According to Mylene QuintanaMallari, head of Star Hunt Academy, experimenting with K-Pop strategies was a risk and a very big investment in terms of time, money, and effort.

Just like the K-Pop format, Arceta underwent a rigid audition process and bootcamps before getting housed under one roof that is supported and financed by the head management. Other trainees also went to school remotely while balancing their lessons in dancing, singing, styling and even personality development!

Unfortunately, like most idol training programs, there were also trainees who failed monthly evaluations and were sent home, one by one.

“Primarily, it was really the training and the discipline of K-Pop that we wanted,” Mallari said in her interview with VICE Asia. “That’s why we also had to enlist Korean trainers to be on board, because

we really wanted to learn how they do it.

In the academy, they incorporated strict schedules and precise protocols, long training periods and self-practice. But Mallari also highlighted that as much as they wanted to follow K-Pop’s training format, they have also consciously avoided the more toxic elements of the K-Pop training system – strict diets and deteriorating mental health – that is why the academy always gives the trainees a healthy break once in a while.

Vixen as she is, Arceta believed she could make it – and after two years of diligent training, voila! From a soon-to-be-Miss Philippines now redirected her path to become the main visual and main rapper of an eight-member P-Pop girl group, BINI.

This proves that upending the old model was a smart move as BINI has already reaped awards and garnered global fans in less than a year since debut.

But this has cost them critics: where does P-Pop belong?

K-pop but in Filipino?

Arceta’s group pre-debuted with an electro-pop remake of Ryan Cayayab’s classic, Da Coconut Nut. This “P-Pop-fied” novelty song with synchronized choreography and addictive beats they learned for months, stirred buzzes in social media and instantly accumulated a swarm of support from Filipino fans.

However, doubters are always present and still do not acknowledge the existence of performing groups as part of an evolution of the Original Pinoy Music (OPM).

Tracing the history of OPM, were Filipino pop acts in the past who succeeded their musical career out of singing and dancing their songs. One of them was Smokey Mountain, who originally sang Da Coconut Nut. But these acts were only few and far between.

For Jonathan Manalo, Creative Director of ABS-CBN Music and one of 2020’s recipients of National Commission for Culture and the Arts who has worked with BINI, OPM is the by-product of varied influences from colonialism to modern day.

“Huwag natin ikahon sa iisang style lang ang OPM…may R&B, may rock, may ballad, as long as ginawa ng Filipino, OPM ‘yan,” he justified. Hence, forwarding OPM to a more dynamic genre, there goes P-Pop which continues to blend to the contemporary flavors the masses love to consume.

This was evident when Arceta, together with her group, performed Da Coconut Nut live in a noontime variety show and became the hottest trending topic in social media for days. They were even called as the “coconut girls!”

Manalo further discussed that because Filipinos are highly talented at making versions of what is considered as “pop,” the country’s music scene was able to embrace the prevailing pop sound, and that happens to be K-Pop due to the so-called Hallyu wave.

“Gumawa tayo ng sarili nating version ng pop music not para gayahin ang K-Pop, ” he further shared. “Pero dahil naga-gravitate tayo sa nagiging flow ng pop music sa world which is the sound of K-Pop, ‘yon yung lumalabas –especially sa mga new generation

of artists who are exposed to the prevailing pop sound.”

The new generation of artists are also the budding OPM songwriters who shared their expertise on writing BINI’s original songs – Kapit Lang’s words and music were made by Lian Kyla, while that of Golden Arrow were created by Sabine Cerrado. Arceta, being the main rapper herself, was even part of the creative process by writing her rap verses!

Prior to the current era of K-Pop influence, is the same concept when the global pop sound back then was that of the Western. Famous American band, Hanson, had a counterpart in the Philippines with the boy group named JCS – John Prats, Carlo Aquino, and Stefano Mori. They also had Streetboys who were focusing mainly on hiphop, and who would not know any Sexbomb songs?

But the significant difference from the past is that today’s performing groups have solid plans, programs, and visions – they are made to last long.

This solidifies that OPM or any other genre is never static. It is not locked to one musical style as it never pauses to adapt through the demands of changing times –which gives birth to P-Pop. K-Pop is not original either for it takes its origin from J-Pop…and following that, the P-Pop industry is chasing fame the K-Pop way.

So, where does P-Pop belong? Even though a portion of P-Pop falls among the waves of K-Pop’s influence, it is also something Filipinos can take pride in and can call their own as P-Pop takes its root from OPM and as it revamps the local pop music scene into a universal visual language. Debating between where it belongs caged P-Pop into an isolated genre. Limiting, as it can operate in various spaces.

Prior to the current era of K-Pop influence, is the same concept when the global pop sound back then was that of the Western. Famous American band, Hanson, had a counterpart in the Philippines with the boy group named JCS – John Prats, Carlo Aquino, and Stefano Mori. They also had Streetboys who were focusing mainly on hiphop, and who would not know any Sexbomb songs?

But the significant difference from the past is that today’s performing groups have solid

plans, programs, and visions – they are made to last long

This solidifies that OPM or any other genre is never static. It is not locked to one musical style as it never pauses to adapt through the demands of changing times –which gives birth to P-Pop. K-Pop is not original either for it takes its origin from J-Pop…and following that, the P-Pop industry is chasing fame the K-Pop way.

So, where does P-Pop belong? Even though a portion of P-Pop falls among the waves of K-Pop’s influence, it is also something Filipinos can take pride in and can call their own as P-Pop takes its root from OPM and as it revamps the local pop music scene into a universal visual language. Debating between where it belongs caged P-Pop into an isolated genre. Limiting, as it can operate in various spaces.

The Distinguishing Factor

It was never a cakewalk to debut as one idol group, most especially not within the global pandemic. But with BINI’s tenacity armed with dreams, not even a pandemic nor a denial of franchise can stop them to be next the global filomenon.

Their debut album released on October 17, 2021, was a culmination of their sacrifices for the past two years of holistic idol training…and a lot more years to unfold.

If there was a word to describe how she felt during the release, Arceta expressed that she was “proud” for being able to come up with an album that showcases different sides of being a Filipino youth – fierce, youthful, and inspirational.

Not hearing BINI’s debut album, a decade K-Pop fan, Franz Jackist Eya is one of those people who currently sees no line between both genres as she has a prejudice that P-Pop and K-Pop share the same identity.

But Manalo said that what sets P-Pop apart from its counterpart is that it does not sound and look “manufactured.” P-Pop’s rawness and relatability hold their own solid grounds. This can be traced back to the two of the main characteristics of OPM that appealed to the masses – which are relatability and sentimentality. These attributes are what he considered as the common grounds between usual OPM songs

and P-Pop – as the contemporary pop music originated from it.

“Ang P-Pop hindi siya cold pop,” he expressed. As he examined the growing community, he assessed that it always has a Filipino warmth injected into their craft, and in his words, Pinoy na Pinoy pa rin.

Here are some of the original P-Pop songs that belong into the premise:

1. MAPA – SB19

2. Kundiman – BGYO

3. Na Na Na – BINI

4. Sa Panaginip Na Lang – ALAMAT

5. S. – VXON

Here are other distinguishing factors of P-Pop:

1. Cultural aspect. BINI’s sibling group, BGYO has music videos (The Baddest, The Light, Kundiman) that have historical representations embedded in them; VIVA’s ALAMAT sings in their respective regional languages and wears cultural fabrics. Arceta even had a Bisaya rap part during their grand launch.

2. OPM remakes. BINI revives old OPM songs as if they were new. Just like how they did with Da Coconut Nut, they incorporated hard-hitting and danceable beats along with their synchronized choreographies to Sarah Geronimo and Gary Valenciano’s classics.

3. Filipino production. From training to songwriting to producing quality music videos, BINI’s production team just like other P-Pop groups are all Filipinos!

4. For P-Pop fans, they do not see Filipino idols as unattainable celebrities as compared to K-Pop. Majority of them see these idols as aspirational figures because they resonate well with the stories they tell and Filipino values they hold. Christian Lachica, a BGYO and BINI fan said that he could see himself from them.

While P-Pop takes its influence from K-Pop, slowly and surely, it is carving its own path to a more authentic Filipino representation in the global pop scene. For instance, BINI’s presence is not just felt among the Asian neighbors, but they are also making waves in the Americas when they kicked-off their Global Virtual Tour last year, and when they had their first live international stage in Dubai, UAE.

Their strong will to grow as P-Pop idols and in Arceta’s words “brave and courageous,” is an embodiment of what they truly want to transpire.

Manalo then concluded that P-Pop is not a niche genre anymore and that in the next two to three years, it will reach its golden era.

Recently, a P-Pop Convention was held in Araneta Coliseum which convened today’s rising P-Pop groups. After hearing the roaring cheers of the fans, Manalo, who was there, proudly said that “P-Pop is really rising.”

The soulful sigh of back then Star Hunt Academy trainee, Aiah Arceta who left her hometown at 18, became a joyous exclamation. Now 21, Arceta’s blood, sweat, and tears led her to performing in front of a huge crowd as a premier member of ABS-CBN’s main girl group and nation’s girl group, BINI.

FIRST. BINI performes Da Coconut Nut in the ASAP stage for the first time. Photo Courtesy of ABS-CBN Entertainment.

P-POP POWER. BINI shares the stage with their sibling group BGYO during their first-ever sibling concert. Photo Courtesy of Starmometer.

Story by Hans Ethan Carbonilla

First Published in Daily Guardian on 19 May 2022

With heart-throbbing music, satisfying choreographies, and charismatic visuals, Korean pop (K-pop) has taken away the hearts of every Filipino. The immense love for K-pop has encouraged fans to delve deeper into the Korean culture. The trend is crazy.

But with 21st-century technology, media has encouraged fans on the internet to be more active and dynamic as they can be content creators themselves. The user-generated technology has paved the way for fans not just to rally support for their favorite groups’ global recognitions but has also used their influence to promote social good towards social impact.

The Hallyu Wave in the Philippines

Last year, Twitter celebrated the ten years of the K-pop community through #KpopTwitter. The Covid-19 situation did not stop the fans as there were a massive 6.1 billion K-poprelated tweets in nearly 20 countries worldwide.

The Philippines topped the list as the 5th placer and ranked 4th with the most tweet volume. On Youtube, the country placed 7th on the ten-nation list with 6.8% viewership.

The intense passion brewing in every fan is translated into every social media platform, with their tags dominating almost all the trend list spots.

However, when the call to stand for advocacies, social issues, and calamity help, Filos (a slang term for K-pop Filipino fans) are willing to set aside their tags, put down their lightsticks, and unplug their earphones to use their vast following to echo their voices and extend a helping hand to those in need.

K-pop Fans Unite! When a series of unfortunate events such as the Covid-19 pandemic and natural disasters struck the country in 2020, Filos did not hesitate to assemble their troops to organize charity events.

Inspired by the influential lead their idols have initiated, they have channeled their sense of solidarity. The Neo Culture Technology (NCT) Philippines, the pioneering NCT fanbase in the country, organized Project Renaissance along with the other fandoms to provide prepaid loads, medical supplies, and cash donations to people heavily affected by Typhoon Ulysses.

“At first, we started this fan club because of NCT only. But as time goes by, we slowly realized our purpose. The purpose is not just for NCT and the fandom itself, but as to how we can use our influence to help the community,” they said.

Aside from the Project Renaissance, the fandom has its annual charity project named “Balik-Aral” or “Back-to-School” held on hold due to the pandemic. However, they hope to continue the said project for the upcoming academic year.

When Bang Yedam, Treasure’s main vocalist, uttered the statement “ten people’s one step is more important than one person’s ten steps,” Yedam Star International was moved with it making them shift their original plan of buying him an expensive gift to a more charitable cause.

The group donated necessities for the typhoon victims in Bicol and Cagayan. They shared that Yedam would be pleased to know if they were living with his aspirations not only as a K-pop idol but as a role model.

“His main goal was not fame but good influence, and as his fans, we want him to achieve this goal by living up to his words,” the group expressed.

Recently, to celebrate Yedam’s high school graduation, the group donated five tablets to five students and sponsored a biking organization. In addition to that, they are planning to donate musical instruments to chosen schools in different countries.

“He wants to be an artist who gives courage and hope to people and be influential in many ways. With all the efforts he has put on since he was younger, we believe that he has achieved his goal,” the group added.

Moreover, Hanbin, a former member of iKON, released a brand-new single since leaving the group. All the proceeds from sales to copyright royalties will be donated to World Vision, a non-government organization supporting children.

Like Idols, Like Fans

Individual Filos have also shared their sentiments as to how K-pop influenced their way of thinking.

“They have influenced me to have an open and a bigger

way of thinking about social issues such as racism, xenophobia, and cultural appropriation,” said Ma. Arvie Joyce Escasiñas, a K-pop fan since 2009.

She shared that she is proud of her most favorite group, NCT, for the members are ambassadors of various international brands and organizations that are fighting for social change.

“The fact that they can give influence on so many people and bring upon good change is the very reason why they deserve the title of being the ambassadors. As an NCTzen, I’m proud that they are recognized for what they can do, not just for music but to different fields as well,” she added.

NCT Dream is a global ambassador for World Scout Jamboree; NCT member Jaemin is a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF); Jisung and Jeno are ambassadors for M-Clean promoting the responsible use of social media; NCT 127 members are the Gangnam Tourism Ambassadors and a lot more ambassadorships.

She also shared that it is not only NCT who took extra miles. EXO’s Baekhyun and Chanyeol gave light to the Nth Room scandal in South Korea. Both idols posted links of petitions to hold the criminals liable for the rampant abuse of young Korean women who were blackmailed into performing sordid acts online.

Moreover, SuperM is also advocating for mental health awareness together with the World Health Organization.

“Some of their most inspiring takes on life and society can also be seen in candid videos on Instagram Live and other platforms where they talk to fans and encourage them to better themselves individually,” she said.

Zairah Mae Cañeda, a K-pop fan for eight years, said that the groups she stan such as Super Junior, Red Velvet, EXO, and SNSD are role models not only when it comes to performing but also to helping other people.

“Red Velvet’s Wendy and EXO’s Suho released a song entitled This is Your Day in collaboration with UNICEF for the 30th Anniversary of the UN’s World Children’s Day. Idols like them are truly setting the standards high,” she added.

On the other hand, fans’ money from albums and merchandise will not go to waste because a single purchase from any SM Entertainment groups, a portion of it will be donated to SMile For U, a children’s music education support program launched by SM and UNICEF.

The strong following of K-pop not just in the Philippines but worldwide is undoubtedly a significant advantage to forward the plight of different social issues nowadays. Both the idols and the fans have used their power to amplify voices and forward advocacies for social change

The K-pop industry is tough. Every group vies for a chance in the spotlight. But regardless of what group, influencing the world through their art is what they all want to achieve. They have proven themselves that K-pop is not just about heart-throbbing music, satisfying choreographies, and charismatic visuals. It is more than that. The immense love for K-pop has encouraged fans to delve deeper not just into the Korean culture but also into the world’s social issues.

“Red light.”

You might have acquainted yourself with a gigantic doll in orange and yellow that rotates her head in 360 degrees—detecting movement to shoot people. Squid Game, an original Korean Drama became the most watched Netflix series in 76 countries after its premier last September 17, 2021.

In less than a week, the survival series has dominated social media platforms with memes, reenactments, and parodies. However, this enormous television smash hides an immensely gloomy message behind its colorful and almost cartoon-like elements. Squid Game is an allegory of a modern capitalist society inspired by Korean history, according to its writer and director, Hwang Donghyuk. It depicts socioeconomic inequities and violence, and when examined closely, the Philippines can definitely relate.

Looking back, the Philippines has its own story of a traumatic history. Up to now, it continues to suffer with poverty, inequality, and other associated concerns. Viewed as a poor country, it became divided into predators and prey— enduring an unequal and violent society. So, here’s how Squid Game is not new to the Filipinos.

Money As the Divisor

The series began with the assembly of hundreds of misfits in deep debt, notably 456, to compete in a childhood-themed arena. They were dressed in green tracksuits that looked nearly athletic, and they were only identifiable by numbers, as if they were rats in a scientific experiment. This game of death was initiated by an elderly man who was bored, supported by his rich guests—the VIPs. Participants on the verge of bankruptcy were portrayed as horses working for the benefit of the wealthy.

However, the 456 players were very willing to suffer for the prize money—45.6 billion Korean Won, equivalent to 1, 949, 400, 000 in Philippine Peso. For every decrease in the number of players left, the reward increases by 100,000,000 Won.

In Southeast Asia, the Philippines has the highest level of economic and social inequality.

When starting a business or pursuing a passion, Filipinos who have no ties to the powerful or higher authorities are compelled to

ask for a loan. When what they make merely covers their daily needs, debt becomes a burden in the long run. Lack of chances, exploitation, and modern capitalism are all factors that contribute to the rich getting richer while the poor struggle to make ends meet on a daily basis.

This is when money begins to divide people. The disparity in wealth distribution isn't solely based on money. Land distribution, educational and occupational opportunities, and basic social services all play a role in the widening imbalance between the Philippines' richest and poorest citizens.

Violence Solves Everything

For the entire duration of the series, there is a frequent display of violence. Blood would spray all over the place and washed away like typical stains on a concrete floor. When you move, you die. When you can’t finish a task on time, you die. When you make one wrong decision, you die. For every little fault committed, a gun is pointed at a player’s head. They fall to their knees, apologize, plead, cry. But they all share one fate— death. Whoever is eliminated goes straight to a black box with a pink ribbon, seeming like a gift ready to have their organs procured.

This approach reminds us of the extrajudicial killings in the country as part of President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs. This widely criticized campaign started in July 2016 and, as of August 31, 2021, now has a death toll of 6,191.

“Huwag tularan, pusher.” This three-word phrase was a prominent sign during the early years of the Duterte regime. Similar to the Squid Game, people were straightly killed when suspected. The story of the police is immediately believed as objective. No due process, just ‘nanlaban’.

Crab Mentality

There was one episode where the red-clad guards intentionally distributed less food that cannot feed everybody. The first in line were lucky enough to receive their lone boiled egg, while the others got to eat envy for breakfast. In a confession, this was done on purpose to pit the players against one another and, once again, reduce their number to grow the prize money.

Participants were divided into teams and given the freedom to kill for the sake of survival. At this time, in a life and death situation, they were already desperate.

This is a prominent toxic quality in the Philippines—the crab mentality. A negative reaction towards someone ahead, inspired by a bucket full of crabs tugging each other down so no one reaches the top.

But no one really questioned why these crabs sabotage one another. Maybe they’re supposed to be under natural bodies of water and not inside the bucket. Maybe they’re in the wrong situation to start with.

The recent pandemic is a perfect example of a problematic management that triggers competition to survive. When most livelihood and transportation were suspended, the middle and lower class became reliant on the government. They were crippled by anti-poor responses to the pandemic. People living on the edge of poverty were criticized and questioned about why they were constantly in need of basic essentials.

Why blame the poor when they compete for the things they’re deprived of? Unlike big businesses in the country, they weren’t given adequate education, resources, and opportunities to “save for rainy days”. During these situations, it is the system that must be questioned and held accountable.

The “W” in Women Stands for Weak Patriarchy was evident in the series and female characters were seen as dependent, weak, and low. During the games, having female players in the team was perceived as a disadvantage for the group.

“And it was Adam’s rib the Lord used to make Eve after all,” a player grounded, refusing to have a girl in the team.

Women were constantly objectified and viewed as mere pleasure givers to the male players. They were degraded as a sick joke among the men—using words such as “slut” or “whore”. Even the guards had their share of sexual abuse to a player—they took turns to a helpless female before completely disposing her body.

While feminists continue to fight for gender equality in the Philippines, patriarchy is still

apparent in the country. Women’s rights and discrimination issues have become a mainstream topic all over mass and social media platforms.

Filipinas are expected to endure their “kalbaryo” as male subordinates. They are anticipated to serve the men which justifies the romanticization of domestic violence, rape, or abuse.

“He hurt you because he loves you.”

So do not wonder why divorce, contraceptives, and abortion are still taboo in the Philippines.

Selective Democracy

The game’s head expresses how the system values democracy. At least, that is what he repeatedly says.

When the doll started shooting whoever moves during ‘red light’, the players were aghast about the killings. They squeezed their disgust out and asked the system to stop the game. A woman started exclaiming her confusion and she was shot for silence.

On the flip side, when the first killing among players happened, the game-makers turned a blind eye and refused to listen to the complaints—signaling their approval for the killings. They only take the opinions that serve them.

In the Philippines, activists that go against the government are attacked, red-tagged, or killed, similar to journalists that report critically about the administration. Media companies and organizations are also threatened with lawsuits. If they can’t be neutralized, they are hushed. On the contrary, breeding grounds of misinformation and disinformation are permitted and even encouraged. They expect the media to serve as propaganda— communicating only the ‘good side’ of the administration.

The country really terms itself as democratic but it only listens to the voices that are music to its ears. The concepts depicted in Squid Game are universal, and are not only limited in the Philippines. It may appear strange or shocking, yet it is a reality that most people can relate to.

If viewers look beyond the stories conveyed from their screens, they collect signals and messages that mirror their worst fears and survival traumas. Through this, people can become aware of the injustices and push oppressive constructs of a capitalist and patriarchal society. They might even join in the games of awakening ang seeking accountability.

Ready?

“Green light.”

VOLUNTEERISM. NCT’s Jaemin and Jeno invest their time to volunteer for the children in Indonesia. Photo Courtesy of Koreaboo.

FAR FROM CHILD’S PLAY. The 2021 hit series’ cast, Oh Il Nam (O Yeongsu), Sang-woo (Park Hae Soo), Abdul Ali (Anupam Tripathi), Front Man (Lee Byung-hun), Jun ho (Wi Ha-joon), Sae-byeok (HoYeon Jung), and Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) [from left to right] represent varied characters with complicated life stories — stories that push them to win the game no matter what it takes.

Photo Courtesy of Netflix.

Story by Hans Ethan Carbonilla First Published in Changemag Diinsider on 21

Story by Mariane Gabrielle Cagalawan

Chai Fonacier on Acting Beyond Barriers in Nocebo

Story by Kryzzle Nova Cailing and Hans Ethan Carbonilla

You know you’re a Filipino if, at some point in your life, you believe in superstitions. Like Cagayan de Oro-raised actor Chai Fonacier who used to believe that if you end up pointing at something, you need to bite your hand or else it will be cut off by some elementals. That’s a myth, for sure. But if there’s a thing Chai believes right from the start, it is that she always wanted to act.

Excellence personified, Chai always takes on exciting roles that help her cement her name in the roster as one of the most versatile actors of her generation.

From her remarkable performance as a transgender call center agent in Patay na si Hesus to recently being one of the cast members of the hit historical TV series Si Maria Clara at Ibarra, she’s always ahead of the game, not only with her impeccable acting prowess but with her courageous might to venture more into the art of acting.

Now, she’s taking it all under her wing as she breaks stereotypes and raises Filipino representation on the international film scene. And just like that, Chai’s getting global attention as she attempts to heal Bond Girl Eva Green in Lorcan Finnegan’s psychological horror, Nocebo.

On Bagging a Surprising Role

Chai playing unusual roles isn’t much of a shocker, but when she appeared in that trailer alongside international stars, one couldn’t help but stop their jaws from dropping.

Walking us through the selection process, Chai takes us back to the pandemic time to share how she landed the role. Without too much thought, Chai auditioned through an invitation. Weeks later, what she thought was just a support role ended up as a lead acting stint in her second international film.

“Bianca told me then that it was for another character, so I had the panic attack of my life. I sent my audition video at the last minute. Didn’t think of the audition for

the next couple of weeks ‘til I got the news from Bianca and Lorcan that I bagged the role. Then I read the script. Then I realized, ‘Oh, not support role. Kind of lead, okay!’ So I panicked again,” she recalled.

The pandemic made life difficult for everyone. So when Chai took the job when she had nothing, it opened up opportunities she had not anticipated, just as she had not anticipated the pandemic.

On Breaking Stereotypes and Elevating Filipino Representation

The Filipino accent is in a league of its own. We even generated memes about it out of fun. But it’s another story when it is solely used to represent Filipinos in the media. Thirty seconds into the trailer, Chai’s English accent created a big buzz online. Filipinos reacted differently because Chai does not speak like that in real life.

Chai’s response to the skeptical viewers will finally lay the issue to rest. If there’s anyone in the film who knows more about who Filipinos are, it’s Chai, and she knows we are more than just our aksent.

“The accent, the way she moves—that came last. All of these weren’t formed by how old she was, where she came from, had she gone to school, etcetera. All of this stuff informed whatever physical traits, mannerisms she may have, and to us, it made sense that this is probably how she might speak given the information I have about her (Diana),” she said.

Foreign films with Filipino lead actors are hard to come by, more so when the character is portraying Filipino culture itself. Chai’s folk healing role just contributed to the many narratives that Filipinos in the international film scene should weave together to break the stereotypes that we are known for.

“When you hear only one story being told repeatedly about a group of people, that’s where your negative stereotypes come from. It’s important to have many stories from any culture because it gives us

some more nuanced understanding of who they are,” she remarked.

Chai shared that putting together a character isn’t as easy as it sounds. It’s not just a piece or two that you need to establish, but their whole story. Chai has been bouncing ideas with her friend, their director, and their writer to process and form Diana that makes sense beyond the stereotypical Filipino character.

“For us Filipinos, the more stories about ourselves we see, the more we get to collectively introspect because I think art is introspection not just for the creator but also for the audience, for those who enjoyed that piece of art. When we see ourselves on screens, we get to think more deeply about ourselves as Filipinos,” she noted.

On Immersing Herself to a New Filming Condition

Younger Chai thought that she would only be acting in theaters. She had no idea that it would snowball into big film after big film, eventually leading her to a Lorcan Finnegandirected film. In her words, “it just fell on my lap.”

About her first out-ofcountry working experience, she said that everything was rightful. She could have a good sleep and could take naps in between takes. In fact, she has never been happier about having a twominute warning from an Assistant Director before her turn.

“I have never been happier about a two-minute warning in my entire life. Unfortunately, in the Philippines you have overworked ADs (Assistant Directors). It’s not the AD’s fault of course, because they’re overworked, and usually dalawa lang sila. In Ireland, there’s like seven of them in a whole team. So, nakakainggit diba?” she shared.

It became her sana all moment when she was handed over a menu list for lunch. This lets her see the furrow in the country’s creative industry and the importance of the government’s support.

“Being able to compare Ireland and the Philippines, I have deeply learned how important it is for film and TV workers to care

about labor traditions and to fight for our labor conditions,” she said. That’s why, when she heard about the issue of banning K-dramas, she thought it was, in her words, a sore loser vibe. “When you’re running a race, somebody else’s winning, and you’re not winning, and then you tell the referee to ban the winner, a very sore loser. I don’t think we should do that. You do not ban the competition, you compete with the best,” she quipped.

Chai just proves that a country doesn’t need to restrict competitions to hoist the local creative industry to a new level. Filipinos are highly talented, and they only need two things: investment and solid support.

Two or three years from now, Chai doesn’t have any idea where she will be. But one thing is certain at the moment: she is making a name for herself. Every role she portrays leaves an exceptional impression. It’s neither a superstition nor a myth that she’s opened a bigger door not just for herself, but for more Filipinos in the realm of global film.

On Weekends, We Heal” HomeCha in the eyes of Pre-Med Students

Story by Hans Ethan Carbonilla

A breath of fresh air. A welcome distraction. A life reset.

For years, Korean dramas have always captured the hearts of Filipino viewers. They have mastered the craft of not just entertaining but stirring rollercoasters of emotions and bringing us to different dimensions...even far beyond what’s imagined!

Under the umbrella of a seemingly endless pandemic which caused us to be locked down for months, some of us, who are not huge K-drama fans at first, unexpectedly became one and are even eager to binge-watch more.

It’s safe to assume that K-dramas have somehow glittered magic that enchanted us to keep wanting more...and more...and more.

What’s best about these dramas is that some of them don’t just make us feel kilig or thrilled. Some of them have the innate power to lurk deeply inside our soul.

They trigger our deepest emotions, break us into thin pieces, and everything feels so much better after. A certain intimacy, attachment, and vulnerability are what we’ll be getting after devouring ourselves to the so-called healing dramas.

And tvN’s Hometown Cha Cha Cha is one latest healing drama that pre-medical students have taken comfort in. Here’s why.

An Escape from Reality

Everyone has a fair share of experiences waking up repeatedly to dull mornings as if we’re stuck in a loop machine for decades. Intoxicated.

With our eyes burning from white radiance produced by our compressed realities, nothing’s left but to cling to a single ray of hope- a temporary warmth for a cloudy day and cold, sleepless nights.

For Framyson Limpiado, a third-year biology student at Cebu Doctors’ University with lots of heavy academic loads on his back, Hometown Cha Cha Cha is his ‘breather.’

After a long, bloody weekly schedule he endures, a therapeutic watch every weekend is what he looks forward to, “Saturday and Sunday evenings with HomeCha became my brief but well-deserved escape. It made me breathe.”

The plot, characters, cinematography and setting - there must be something about this drama that’s so relatable to many. Plus, the rawness of it makes it easier to connect.

In his words, “living vicariously through the characters provided solace to my state of mind.” Indeed, a much needed reset for a brand new week that’s coming!

Sharing the same narrative with Framyson is a third-year nursing student at Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology, Nathanielle Keith Penaso who makes HomeCha a rainbow after all her rainy days. For her, it saves her from drowning to anxieties.

“There are different scenarios in this drama that highlight acceptance to the situation we are in, and not forcing our efforts to fix things that are out of our control,” she expressed.

If there’s a word to describe the series, Keith believes it’s ‘heartwarming.’ Little did she notice that after being curious about the drama, she was already on the latest episode and had to wait for the next five days to come. That level of anticipation!

But what really is in the drama that has people talking? What’s in the Story?

At first, we might be very ecstatic like Framyson and Keith upon hearing that good boy, Kim Seon-ho from the 2020 hit K-drama Start-Up, is finally having a new series! It gets more fun that we’ll be finally seeing him as the main lead and (presumably) get the girl.

By the girl we mean, My Girlfriend is a Gumiho star, Shin Min-a in her romantic-comedy comeback! Even though she doesn’t want to be called as the queen of rom-coms, we must say that she’s one of the best in this genre.

A good boy and a gumiho in one drama? That idea alone gets people on the verge of their seats, excited to watch the series.

Directed by Yu Je-won, HomeCha revolves around a story of a Seoul city-girl and dentist, Hye-jin (Shin Min-a) who moves into a fishing community of Gongjin to establish her clinic. Along the way, she unveils the grandeur of peaceful and quiet life that’s so much the opposite of her life in a big city. In that village she meets Hong Du-Sik or Chief Hong (Kim Seon-ho) whose character is the most loved and trusted by the villagers. She dwells herself with a diverse set of characters that eventually forms a comforting bond between them...and leads to a new chapter of her life.

“HomeCha is everything but eventful, in a good way, to say the least. No overdramatic, grandiose plots; just stories about normal everyday life,” Framyson said and playfully added that it’s a “plain vanilla with a hint of spice (and chismis).”

The band of diverse characters and their stories immensely adds to the authenticity of the drama itself. Each character represents a narrative and somehow portrays our silent battles.

For Keith, “the life stories of each character play a big chunk to my list of reasons why I consider HomeCha as a healing drama. It projects different aspects in life where we need to be understood by the people surrounding us.”

More than a K-drama, it teaches us life-long lessons we’ll be using for the next days to come.

The Lessons that Transcend

HomeCha is a reality caged inside a fiction. Every episode always feels real as if we are with them on their journey to healing. It heals us as well.

It doesn’t exaggerate but gives meaning to simple things in life. It teaches us to be grateful with what we have and appreciative with the people who are willing to understand and stay by our side.

Director Yu Jewon explained in a recent virtual press conference that the drama is not about big events, “it’s about the small stories in our daily lives.” He further shared that “it’s about healing and warmth.”

Something that greatly transcends not just in the Philippines but to the global community as it remains one of the most streamed K-dramas on Netflix every week.

A major takeaway from Framyson is that it made him realize that sometimes we have to take it easy and walk away responsibly from the hustle and bustle of life.

For Keith, Chief Hong’s selfless character reminded her that being wealthy and successful in a chosen career are not the only valuable things in life. The character showed her that she can live her life the way she wants it to be.

As pre-medical students who have an ominous future ahead of them, HomeCha keeps them both sane and helps them remember that there’s more to life than today.

In these unprecedented times where most of us feels like drifting away, we need healing dramas like HomeCha that will pull us back even for a split amount of time.

With new episodes releasing every Saturday and Sunday evening, our dreams of sunsets and seascapes are somehow fulfilled. It is a breather in a suffocating world and a heart warmer in these chaotic times.

Truly a breath of fresh air, a welcome distraction, and a life reset.

PINAY IN HOLLYWOOD. Rising Filipino Actress Chai Fonacier raises Filipino flag in her role for the 2022 psychological thriller Hollywood film, Nocebo. Photo Courtesy of IGN/YouTube Channel.

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ESCAPE FROM REALITY. Korean drama “Hometown Chacha” starring Shin Min-A and Kim Seon-Ho captures Filipino hearts as a designated break from the busy schedules. Photo Courtesy of TVN/Netflix.