Today's CAROLINIAN - July 2015 Newsletter

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Photograph by Cynthjune Goden

USC TANKERS COMPETE IN INTERNATIONAL SWIMMING COMPETITION Miriam Burlaos & Katrina Jaiun Roa Four Carolinians — Keith Ocampo, Cynthjune Goden, Pia Angelyka Cardinal and Lister Tungala — will be competing in this year’s 2015 World University Games, also known as the Summer Universiade.

Organized by the International University Sports Federation (FISU), the Games highlight both summer and winter sports with around 13,000 participants from 172 countries.

Additionally, Loren Dale Echavez, a BS Biology graduate of the University of San Carlos and one of the 50 swimmers from the Philippine Swimming League (PSL), competed in the said competition from July 3 to 14 at Gwangju, South Korea.

Echavez, who was also awarded Most Outstanding Athlete in the recently-held swimming tournament of the Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA) in Iloilo City, will represent the Philippines and compete with other university athletes all over the world along with the USC Tankers.

Cardinal stated that she is grateful for the experience to represent the university abroad, as it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Meanwhile,

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Ocampo described representing the university in the Universiade for the first time is competing against Olympians from across the world as “an honor”, and Tungala said that although competing in Universiade was a scary and exciting experience, this did not stop him from trying his best.

The Philippine delegation arrived in the 28th Gwangju Universiade Athletes Village on July 1 accompanied by former Sen. Nikki Coseteng and PSL president Susan Papa.

Overall, Echavez ranked 36th in the Women’s 50-meter Freestyle and 40th in the Women’s 100-meter Freestyle. Ocampo, on the other hand, placed 39th in the Men’s 200-meter Individual Medley.

Although the team was unable to win any medals, Coseteng expressed fulfillment regarding the Philippine swimmers being able to compete with the best swimmers in the world. Moreover, Papa said that regardless of the results, PSL will stil continue to mentor young athletes to represent the country in future tournaments. TC

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NEWS

JULY 2015 | Vol. 3 No. 2

Enactus-USC Competes for National Finals

‘Cost Guard’: On-guard

Miriam Burlaos

Hazel Olive Parmes

Representatives of Enactus-USC, an organization that aims to uplift and transform lives through social entrepreneurship, competed in the National Finals in July 10 to 11 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City to showcase the significance and quality of their sustainable entrepreneurial projects, GusoPreneurs and natural hog farming project.

Business Administration students Janna Lim, Danica De Gracia, Joe Marie Galono, Alyssa Dayot and Rey Tacder represented the University of San Carlos to compete with 15 other member schools around the country.

The national winner will then represent the Philippines for the World Cup to be held at St. Johannesburg, South Africa.

Enactus-USC did not make it to the final four of the National Finals but, as stated in the organization’s Facebook page, they will not stop and will continue to serve communities to help them achieve true sustainability.

According to Lim, GusoPreneurs began as a project of Enactus and Ambit Foundation Inc. to address the need of the local farmers in Doong, Bantayan and regain their livelihood after the damages typhoon Yolanda left in 2013. She added that through the business mentoring programs led by Enactus, the locals can already see farming as a business opportunity and not merely a means of livelihood.

In a demo presentation, Tacder emphasized branding as one of the key factors in setting the standard price for natural hogs in Alegria.

Moreover, they were able to sabotage the traditional pricing methods and eliminate the middleman resulting in a higher profit for the hog raisers.

Issues regarding the transparency of the usage of student fees in USC are projected to be resolved upon the approval of Supreme Student Council’s (SSC) resolution on the socalled Cost Guard (CG), according to Hon. Lorelyn Sacol, the main proponent of the project.

Aside from these projects, Enactus already has future programs in store for the marginalized communities and one is Terra Enterprise, which is managed by faculty adviser Kristian Marc Cabahug. The enterprise manufactures bags from recycled materials with the aim to help the planet by producing environmentfriendly products while being of service to the people.

CG will serve as a means for all Carolinians to observe the underlying increase in fees. It is a feature of the proposed Inform, a website planned to be a major source of information for every school in the university. Before any information will be posted in CG, all collegiate heads will be called to collect all the assessments per program in their school and will be tasked to gather all the necessary grievance reports from their respective areas.

The data gathered will then be posted in CG, wherein an assessment link will be beside the corresponding reports link, for the SSC to have a more immediate response, guided by the university administration.

In a press conference held in July 8 at the Business Administration Department, faculty adviser Angelo Bordeos stated that the event is not just about winning but also learning about other schools’ best practices in social entrepreneurship. Furthermore, he said that the organization itself seeks to encourage students to get involved in projects that extend help to communities. Lim supported this and stated that the projects intend to develop people and are aimed at a long-term growth.

Enactus-USC won second runner-up last year with the GusoPreneurs project still lacking maturity, according to Bordeos. After this year’s event, they hope to further strengthen the organization’s mission of helping people. TC

Cebu City investigates illegal solicitation controversy Yenna Deliman & Emmanuel Alquizola Belinda Navascues, secretary of Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, was accused of illegal solicitation of bottled water in Cebu City.

Last June 25, 2015, Councilor Sisinio Andales posted on his Facebook account the copy of the letter dated June 16. The said letter asked business establishments “to share bottled water for the upcoming State of the City Address of Mayor Michael Rama on July 1, 2015” for Cebu City constituents and guests. This prompted an initial investigation made by Ombudsman Johnson, since Navascues’s action violated Section 7, paragraph D of Republic Act 6713, otherwise known as the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.

Despite initially denying the allegations, Navascues admitted last July 4 that she signed letters asking Gardenia and Philippine Spring Water Resources Inc. to donate bread and water for public school students

for the Independence Day celebration.

In one of the reports, Mayor Rama said Belinda showed her initiative and resourcefulness. He added that “partnering with the private sectors” is not a violation of the law, and that it is consistent with his “people-privately driven governance”.

The city hall’s resident ombudsman, Atty.

Johnson Hontanosas, cleared Navascues of any wrongdoing after an inquiry last July 29. Hontanosas said there was no proof that they benefited from the donations. After the clearing, Andales said that he will talk with the councilors for the possibility of another investigation with the council or the Office of the Ombudsman Visayas. Nonetheless, Hontanosas said he already signed a resolution stating that his office was not able to find any probable cause for Navascues to be liable of any violation of the law. TC

Sacol also added, “The reason why we are also giving attention to Teacher’s Evaluation because we can’t deny that most of our fees go to our instructors’ pockets. Of course, we are paying for quality education, and so TE will be a part of Cost Guard.”

Sacol, assisted by Hon. Leah Calomarde, assures that on July 24, the Inform system will be created by Hon. Kendrick Siao, with a budget of 4,000 PHP from the SSC funds.

Additionally, Sacol envisions that the said system will be accessible to Carolinians in August.

“I just want to let the Carolinians know that the SSC is doing something for the betterment of the student body, but no matter how great our projects are and would be, without the cooperation of everyone, they would be ineffective”, said Sacol, hoping for the success of Cost Guard. TC

SEA Games 2015 Results Kurt Bidua Singapore marked the end of the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games 2015 on June 16 with a pulsating closing ceremony as it prompted the extinguishing of the cauldron flame and passed the symbolic SEA Games Federation Flag to Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur, the next host.

The event, which concluded after 12 days of competition in 36 sports with 4,370 participants from all the 11 Southeast Asian

NEWS

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Two Carolinians Top Architecture Licensure Examination Christian Rey Camay

Photograph by Jasper Gabriel Ramirez

Amphibious Trisikad Wins First Runner-up at DOST Invention Contest Esther Abigail Daang A trisikad or pedicab, upon being modified to accommodate a set of paddles on its wheels and a detachable buoy, won the first runnerup award at the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Regional Invention Contest and Exhibits (RICE) in Central Visayas, June 23, for the category of college student creative research.

Naming the vehicle “amphibious trisikad”, its concept was conceived and developed by three USC engineering graduates as a thesis project, a requirement for graduation by then BS Mechanical Engineering students Jesse Pastor Magno, Kenn Edward Mirasol and Hembrick Palmitos. Their advisor, Ronald M. Galindo, had suggested the idea of a land-and-water pedicab after witnessing the frequent flooding of Cebu City, particularly at the Talamban area by the TC campus.

“The amphibious trisikad was tested to be effective on both land and water and can carry about three to four passengers onboard,” the researchers were quoted in Sun.Star. “Aside from being an amphibious transport vehicle, it can also be utilized as an emergency rescue vehicle during street flooding.”

Galindo, however, cautioned that the amphibious trisikad is intended for use only in relatively still waters as in the case of floods, and not on rough seas.

The amphibious pedicab was the product of 10 months — equivalent to two semesters — of development and research, with the actual fabrication starting in December 2014 and completed in March this year, a project that cost the team 30,000 PHP. The invention is in the process of being patented with the assistance of DOST-Technology Application and Promotion Institute (TAPI). It will also be exhibited along with other winning entries of the regional contest during National Science and Technology Week, July 24 to 28 at the SMX Convention Center. TC Sources: gmanetwork.com/news/story/515250/scitech/technology/ look-amphibious-pedicab-makes-waves-in-visayas-sciencefair sunstar.com.ph/cebu/business/2015/06/23/dost-awardsamphibious-trisikad-414888 interaksyon.com/article/113163/3-cebu-universityengineering-graduates-get-dost-award-for-amphibioustrisikad

The Architecture Licensure Examination (ALE), held simultaneously in Manila, Cebu and Legaspi last June 12 and 14, was taken by 1,964 hopeful BS Architecture graduates, 1,201 of which passed the said examination.

The results were released by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) last June 19, 2015.

Out of the 71 examinees from the University of San Carlos, 61 passed the ALE. Among 66 first-timers, 59 made the cut.

The university ranks second next to the University of Santo Thomas, garnering 85.71 percent passing percentage for having 50 or more examinees with at least an 80 percent passing percentage.

Two Carolinians were enlisted as part of the board topnotchers: Joachim Michael Espina with 83.50 percent and Francino Deliman with 84.10 percent, landing them on the second and seventh place, respectively.

“I prepared for my examination by examining my strengths and weaknesses. I acknowledged them and formed a strategy that suits my study habits. I also prayed to God a lot for guidance with my friends. Getting with a group of friends also helped. Keeps everyone calm and well informed,” Espina stated.

When asked if he was confident about landing in to the roster of topnotchers, he said, “I was not confident because I found the second exam a bit tricky. It’s always best to never underestimate the exam.” He then added, “I was surprised that I got second place. So did my parents, family and friends.”

For Espina, a Carolinian architect is someone who values the community as a priority, higher than that of the minority and of oneself. TC

continued from page 2 nations, had the National Stadium ignited and brightly flaming for hours.

With a total medal count of 247 - 95 of which being gold, 83 being silver and 69 being bronze, Thailand became the overall champion and successfully defended its title.

The host country, Singapore, ranked second

overall, with a total of 259 medals: 84, being gold; 73, silvers; and 102, bronze while Vietnam followed with 186 medals: 73, gold; 53, silver; and 60, bronze.

The Philippines, on a decline, had aimed for 50 gold medals and a top 5 standing but ended with only 29 gold medals, 36, silver,

and 66, bronze, enough for sixth place.

Brunei placed 10th with no gold medals and a total medal count of 7 while Timor-Leste, a newly acknowledged region, only got 2.

Sixteen years after last hosting the games, Malaysia will again be the host of the biennial event in 2017. TC

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Today’s CAROLINIAN

MAIN OPINION

JULY 2015 | Vol. 3 No. 2

QUOTES FOR THE HYPOCRITE

Illustration by Zachary Borromeo There are things that suddenly appear that prompt us to react. There are also things that suddenly appear without us knowing, thus the absence of a reaction.

Remembering our freshman years in Talamban, we had to walk through mud just to get to the GB building – now known as the MR building – to have our PE class. If it was our first class in the morning, and we can already imagine how dirty our shoes already were the moment the teacher starts the roll. Yes, shuttles would have been the best option, but we all know the mentality we have when it comes to 7:30 a.m. classes: We arrive late, and to line up for a shuttle would only make the situation worse.

Time to walk!

Today, things have changed a lot. The discomfort may still be there, but the situation is far better than what it was before. The people who have been in Talamban for quite a while can attest to this.

Lately, there have been a lot of negativity about the on-going construction of a tiled-sidewalk starting at Gate 3 going all the way to the RH building. When the sidewalk was non-existent, we students complained about the lack of

Denzel Washington1, Mark Jackson2, Pablo Picasso3

access for people who preferred walking.

When a sidewalk was finally constructed, we students still complain about it being slippery.

Soon, when the roofs are now installed, making it a long shed, many will praise the sidewalk and regard it as one of the best innovations inside the campus.

“You pray for rain, you got to deal with the mud too.” 1 A number of us criticize the school for being too harsh – inconsiderate to late students, the ever-famous desperate move of appealing to the teacher to convert a grade of 3.4 to 3.0, and who could ever miss the nahagbong-kobai-tungod-sa-maestro defense. The twist is that whenever a student lands in the top 10 of a board exam, hashtags like #ProudCarolinan and #USC4Ever suddenly come out of these students who whine a whole heap. We disrespect the school’s policies and practices and when the Carolinian body does something good, we identify ourselves as proud products of it.

“Don’t disrespect the caterpillar and rave about the butterfly.” 2

We made #SaveUSCTrees prominent in social media when trees were cut down to make way for the USC Stadium. It is funny how a number of us having our pictures taken with the stadium as the background. It is funny too when we started to gain interest in having events at the stadium. That speaks so much about how we hated the stadium because trees were cut to make way for its construction. Let us remember that before the Ayala Terraces was there, the area was a lagoon. People lambasted Ayala for destroying such lagoon, and the same people praised Ayala for the Terraces. We rage about how awful our airport is compared to others, and when we learned that it will be the world’s first “resort airport” that is due to be finished by 2018, we instantly become proud Cebuanos.

Way to go, #ProudCebuano!

“Every act of creation is first an act of destruction.” 3 Critiquing is good. However, an unwarranted, derogatory remark makes a good component of an untaught individual. After all, what is five or ten minutes to perhaps learn the whole story?

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OPINION

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Back to Where It Came From When I grew up, I was not trained to speak in Cebuano, yet there was a need for me to learn it because of the people around me. Thus, it took me years to understand and finally embrace the dialect.

Though it began slowly, I ended up appreciating Cebuano as I witnessed its impact on our culture.

Katrina Jaiun Roa

Indeed, dialects are one of those that add impact to the identity of one’s culture.

Before Filipinos were trained to speak the universal language — English — they naturally spoke in their native dialect. Speaking in one’s native tongue made each Filipino culture unique. One of such aspect of uniqueness is Cebuano, a

300-year old, diverse dialect in Visayas that is being spoken by approximately 21 million Filipinos.

Let us take a look at how it is being used in terms of being a form of verbal and written communication. Today, music and literature, two important factors that have an important effect on a country’s culture in terms of language, still employ Cebuano, and seeing authors and musicians communicate in this beautiful language is indeed a sight to behold.

of the local’s first languages gives undeniable proof that the dialect is not and will not be dying anytime soon. Definitely, who is a true Cebuano if he or she cannot appreciate the words of his or her people?

I cannot speak fluent Cebuano, even more, maglisud pud ko og suwat sa Cebuano tungod naa’y terms nga dili ko makasabot hantud karon, but I am proud to say that I have grown to appreciate it, and I promise myself that I will learn more about it. TC

In addition to this, in terms of verbal communication, Cebuano is still stronger than ever. Seeing how it is being used today as majority

The Rainbow is Nowhere Near There was a man and then a woman; nothing else follows — at least, this was what I have always been told.

In a study by Pew Research Center published in 2013, 73 percent of Filipinos declared that “society should accept homosexuality”.

Having the most widespread acceptance among seven participating Asian countries, it is intriguing to note that the same research concludes that acceptance of homosexuality diminishes in countries where religion plays an important role to people’s lives.

Kerstein Kylle Despi

Perhaps, this is because Filipinos only tolerate gay people. It does

not matter that they are bisexual, transsexual, transgender or whatever they identify themselves as. They are essentially the same gay people.

Gay, itself, is derogatory. It is a slur that carries its own bag of social stigma. They only destroy family values, distort the concepts of sexuality and promote the spread of STDs. Gays are fine, as long as they do not act gay because homosexuality is a sin. However, the sinner will always be loved, and sin, hated. It is no less than ironic to assume that gay people find comfort to hear that others love them but abhor who they

are. Even our country’s legislator openly suggests on national television that a gay father return to the closet to save his sons from assault, as if assault and bullying are the lesser problems. Perhaps it was in the spirit of fun, yet it is hard to deny that this only perpetuates a gay-shaming culture in a society that barely tolerates its existence.

It is great that after all the struggle, the US finally legalized same-sex marriage in all its states, but this needs a long time to implement.

Change is a step we struggle to take. In the Philippines, this change is a struggle we are not even willing to face. TC

The Other Side of Forever “Magbuwag ra mong manag-uyab! #WalangForever” #WalangForever — this hashtag has been a clamor in social media. Facebook posts, Tweets, Instagram captions and the like are being punctuated by this pair of words to speak of events that are perceived to end. The phrase found popularity from a TV series, as a negative answer to its finale, and judging from the nature of how it is usually used — it evolved into an expression of endings bitterly.

Christabelle Escudero

Indeed, there is no forever. Nothing has been proven to last for an infinite amount of time. However, why do we only have to look at that thought in a bad light?

We think about everything in this world ending, but usually, that “everything” only constitutes the good things. If things like vacations, TV show series and relationships have to end, then war, poverty, injustice and inequality have to end, too.

We can drive recurring issues in the society to a halt, even when society tells us that doing so is impossible. There is something we can do. The solutions may vary in every situation, but they should all boil down to one encouraging belief: These issues will not last forever. It is even finally starting to occur, with all the recent happenings that allow rays of hope to come through:

“Corrupt officials are finally charged with plunder. #WalangForever” “A graduate from a prestigious university shares humble beginnings as a street kid. #WalangForever” “Same-sex marriage is finally legalized in the United States. #WalangForever” See? These show that we can be proud nonbelievers of forever without necessarily being pessimists. We can use #WalangForever as idealistic optimists who believe in the end of a seemingly limitless struggle. #WalangForever is not so bad, after all. TC

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Today’s CAROLINIAN

FEATURE

JULY 2015 | Vol. 3 No. 2

We Eat Pigs, They Eat Dogs “When a dog bites a man, that is not news, because it happens so often. But if a man bites a dog, that is news.” – Alfred Harmsworth

Christian Rey Camay

Food – this is an element that every culture boasts of, but not all of it look pleasing. The Yulin Festival of China made a colossal uproar in the internet as fellow dog owners, dog lovers and mainstream riders expressed their anger and disgust on the brutal way of how dogs were slain Evidently, all were in unison in pushing for the cessation of this practice.

One thing that people tend to forget is that it is part of the Chinese tradition, which means that it is inseparable from it.

Positive changes may happen but not in just the burst of a bubble. It takes years, decades or, to some extent, centuries for traditions to fully disintegrate, and this is true for the Yulin Festival.

What baffles me the most is how we Filipinos never fail to take part into – yet again – what is internationally trending. As we give our hearts out savagely commenting on what is widely talked about in mainstream media like the Yulin Festival, we somehow forget that the same things happen within their own country.

We Filipinos must not forget that we too have a similar tradition, which is the La Loma Lechon Festival – less brutal and less numerous. Strangely, it has never attracted the eyes of the online social justice warriors.

Before we start nit-picking with another’s way of life, why not be nit-picky with ours first? TC

IDEA: FOSTERING AN ENTREPRENEURSHIP ECOSYSTEM Kerstein Kylle Despi

“It is not sufficient to diminish poverty. We need to eradicate poverty.”

–Dado Banatao, PhilDev Founder Poverty has long been a challenge in the Philippines. It has continued to wade through the archipelago despite the country’s continuing economic growth. As a response, the Philippine Development Foundation (PhilDev), in line with its belief that entrepreneurship is the fastest way to distribute wealth in a society, encourages the formation of new businesses for its mission to ignite a sustainable and longterm economic growth in the country.

country gathered for the second leg of the workshop. The three-day event aims to develop entrepreneurship among attendees by creating an avenue for them to collaborate with experienced entrepreneurs, creating further an entrepreneurial ecosystem with legal, financial and support infrastructure in the Philippines.

In partnership with the United States Agency – International Development (USAID), PhilDev launched the Innovative Development through Entrepreneurship Acceleration (IDEA) Global Entrepreneurship Workshop and Symposia.

On the second year of the partnership, the IDEA Workshop and Symposium 2015 was brought to Cebu, with its first leg held at the Radisson Blu Hotel and the University of San Carlos – Downtown Campus last February 26 to 28, and its second leg of the workshops continued at the university last July 9 to 11.

The second leg of the IDEA Workshop is compounded into a series of hands-on entrepreneurship activities.

Established entrepreneurs from the Philippines and Silicon Valley — a metropolis of many of the world’s high-tech corporations including numerous startups located in San Francisco Bay Area, California — served as speakers, mentors and technical advisers of the participants. The workshop focused on the heart of entrepreneurship discussing topics such as communication skills for startup entrepreneurs, sound execution plan, company building and classification of solid financial support.

More than 300 students, professors and startup entrepreneurs from all over the

Over the course of three days, the breakout sessions of every topic and discussion

became the breeding grounds of idea generation. The resulting product pitches and presentations were scrutinized by no less than the entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and professionals of the field. Ultimately, among the presented product pitches, three were seen to have greatest potential of becoming a real endeavor.

Dado Banatao, PhilDev founder and Filipino inventor dubbed as the “Father of SemiConductor” in Silicon Valley, remains hopeful that the Philippines will achieve true development through the transformation of science and technology education into entrepreneurship guided by the realization of the learning imparted by the workshop.

Overall, the IDEA Global Entrepreneurship Symposium and Workshop 2015 did not only provide the participants the knowledge of building the pillars of their entrepreneurship endeavors but it has also provided the strategies relevant to achieving success in such endeavor. TC

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FEATURE

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VISPOP: CEBU’S CEBUANO POP FESTIVAL Josemaria Ouano

Illustration by Geralden Morre A common thing for most of us is to tune in to our favorite radio station on a Sunday morning, letting the familiar sound of classic Cebuano songs of the ‘80s and ‘90s serenade us throughout the day.

However, have we ever wondered when was the last time we heard a modern Cebuano song play on the radio that is not kinaraan or baduy?

VisPop, or the Visayan Pop Music Festival, was created in order to bring something new to the table: a fresh take on Cebuano music. The festival was organized by Artists & Musicians Cooperative (ArtistKo) led by Ian Zafra, Cattski Espina, Jude Gitamondoc and Insoy Niñal in partnership with the Filipino Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (Filscap).

The event kicked off in 2013 with a string of songwriting workshops across different

schools, inviting students to improve their song composition skills in Cebuano. This resulted to the first VisPop songwriting competition, which garnered over 80 entries, six of which performed in the finals night held at the Benedicto College Artists Hall. The success of this event brought songs like Balay ni Mayang by Kyle Wong and Marianne Dungog, and Duyog by Jewel and Joe Villaflores to the airwaves. Their songs broadcasted on different local radio stations.

The essential goal of Vispop is to encourage Cebuanos to embrace their local dialect and at the same time raise awareness on how we should change our mindset on how Cebuano is used around us, including music. It pushes everyone who joins to express their creativity by composing excellent songs in Cebuano.

The 3rd Vispop Festival Finals Night was celebrated at SM Cinema One last June 26. With over 220 entries, this year has seen the most number of participants. The battle was brought to an end by Lourdes May Maglinte with her song Buwag Balik, a piece which portrayed an on-and-off relationship. Maglinte’s song’s hook and upbeat melody was more than enough to make it an instant crowd favorite. Other local acts such as Missing Filemon and Cebuano poet Cindy Velasquez also shared the stage with the rest of the finalists, leading to another successful celebration of Vispop.

In the end, Vispop is not about the competition. It is a movement to produce quality Cebuano songs. It is more than just winning a prize; It is an invitation for a new generation of artists to be recognized.

TC

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FEATURE

Today’s CAROLINIAN

JULY 2015 | Vol. 3 No. 2

LOVE WINS Paolo Perez

Illustration by Xene Cabahug Last June 25, the population of the United States, as well as a significant portion of the world, stood poised with bated breath as the U.S. Supreme Court’s nine justices deliberated over a case with the power to change the lives of millions of people. One day later, that breath became a roaring cheer as the verdict was handed down.

“The judgment of the Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit is reversed,” wrote Justice Anthony Kennedy in his majority opinion. “It is so ordered.”

In short, after decades of struggling, compromise and discrimination, same-sex marriage in the United States is finally legal.

Love, as the good book says, is patient, and perhaps nobody knows this better than gay and lesbian couples who have struggled for years, decades even, and have finally seen that their efforts paid off.

Thus we hoist the rainbow flag in the air. We let the corks fly and the glasses clink against one another because this is no place for cynicism.

We can put away all of our jadedness, at least for a few precious moments. Somewhere in the world, there are two men who can speak their vows without shame of who they are or guilt for being “the lucky ones”, those living in one state out of the previous 35 that would recognize their union for the simple thing that it is: love.

Somewhere else, there are two women who can do the same, as well as millions of others like them.

LGBT individuals are not the only ones celebrating. This victory belongs to everyone who waited for it, including the straight allies of the LGBT movement. We cannot breathe the same breaths of relief that our queer friends and family felt, and some might say that we cannot love the same way. Perhaps this is true, yet when we see their glinting eyes, hear the quiver in their voices, and feel the air charged with their uncontainable joy, we realize that there are more important matters at hand. How we love does not matter. Who we love does not either. What is truly important is that love is there.

Out of everyone, gay or straight, affected by the verdict, perhaps none of them can compare to Jim Obergefell, the main plaintiff of the Supreme Court case. Unfortunately, when the banners came up and the parades marched down the street, one person was missing: Jim’s husband, James Arthur, who passed away from ALS barely a month after their wedding in 2013. Still, Obergefell continued to fight for the recognition of his and James’s love, and that of everyone else like them. Cary Elwes said it best in The Princess Bride, perhaps one of the greatest love stories ever put to film: “Death cannot stop true love. All it can do is delay it for a little while.”

Of course, we still have a long way to go and bigger fish to fry; the legalization of samesex marriage put a major dent in homophobia and LGBT discrimination, but it is far from extinguished. For now, though, we keep our eyes up and our hearts full, because no matter who we are or who we love, one thing is true for everyone: Love wins. TC

VOX POPULI

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Carolinians! What is your opinion on the legalization of same sex marriage in the States?

Regarding the same sex marriage legalization, I truly understand how the lgbt community feels but I don’t know if I truly agree about it. I think there is an ethical issue about it but if that’s what they want to be happy, then it would be a happy ending for them. I don’t think I would like the Philippines to try or apply that idea.

Yes. I am not saying this because it’s a new generation but I am saying this for peace.

Humans, as we are, are seeking for happiness for the world is temporary. Also, love is eternal.

Love can’t be stopped. Love is freedom.

Love is happiness. As long as they are living with God and with peace, I guess there is no problem about it.

- Marjelle Tan, BS PHARMACY II - Drexler Signe, BS CpE - 3 It was about time that they legalized the same sex marriage. Bible bashers would just keep on ranting about same sex marriage being immoral and all that, but the thing is, the Bible isn’t the only thing that can ‘define’ marriage. Who’s to say that marriage is made by the Bible? Marriage is a union between two people which is recognized by the state, not recognized by the church. Does the church give benefits for married couples? No. These two entities are getting married for the state, not for the church. #LoveWins

I respect it. It’s not something to debate, denounce, or celebrate. Society says that this is the new normal.

- BS-CompE 5 I think legalizing the same sex marriage in the States is a sign that Love really wins, but we can also assume that even legalizing this can cause misunderstanding especially to Christian people.

- Richard Santos, BS-CpE 2

- BFA-AA 1

Apathetic. Why should anyone else’s life choices (unless they’re trying to kill me) affect mine?

For me, I have no right to discriminate people for I am only a human being living in this world.

I don’t know but, for those who are against it probably knows nothing about love. You love for who you are no matter what gender or race they are, love is love.

- Andre-Luciano Augusto, BS ECE 4 “I am actually very supportive with the legalization of same-sex marriage [or ‘marriage’ as I call it] in the United States. I believe in the fact that everybody has the right to have the kind of happiness he/she deserves.

If God is unhappy about it then LGBT would never exist in the first place. God has the only power to judge people. God is our creator thus; he knows everything. Love has no gender, take whoever loves you.

Some may refer to it as the beginning of the destruction of humanity and of the world whereas I believe that it is following the right path for growth among humanity: where love thrives, equality suffuses, and freedom lives.

The thing that leads to destruction is hate, misunderstanding, and discrimination.

- Felyn Glyza, BFA- CIN 1

This move from the US is just very timely.

“It’s never wrong to love, but it’s always wrong to hate.” - Lady Gaga - Kerr Jason Gordon-Quevedo, BSCpE-3 For me, it’s all about choices. Anyone can have their relationship with anyone they choose. No one is forced to be with anyone.

- BSED - ENGLISH 2

I think it’s great! Gay couples should have as much right as heterosexual couples.

For me, not letting them marry is a form of discrimination.

- BSED English 1 Same sex marriage is a civil right. For me, it’s great that the legalizatioon of same sex marriage in the US has already been implemented. That’s a big step towards a great and positive change. :) - Caloy, BED Montessori Education We are a lot more understanding than we were before. I think it was the right decision to legalize same sex marriage in the states. #LoveWins - BSEd Eng - 3 I honestly don’t know what’s gonna happen in the future after this has been legalized whether it will be good or bad but I it’s good to see people very happy now in the states being free of who they choose to spend their lives with. I think this would be a step to how society will be able to accept who they are.

I have a concern though about how some of them are disrespecting catholics by being at the cross naked and kissing each other. Some people disagrees to it but I don’t see them disrespecting gays. They were simply trying to give their opinion and they should at least accept and respect it. What I saw recently was just too much to watch because of how they disrespected some religions.

- Alyza Pelenio, BSBA Mktg 2

The legalization of same sex marriage in the States made me very happy. despite the conservatives, and the less- traditional vomiting their idle beliefs on a harmless prolove community, Today the LGBT community wins. I don’t understand the hate that came with the declaration. If it’s not hurting anyone and it’s making people happy, then why not do it? :)

Personally I don’t mind if same sex marriage is approved in the U.S or anywhere for as long as the celebration of marriage is done out of love and not out of taking advantage of anyone. also just let people be happy. from what i recall God’s greatest commandment is to Love. If they love eachother regardless of whatever their gender is then just let them celebrate there love.

- Katrina Paula Tan Codera, BFA - AA 1

- Nenia Canoy, BSBA Mktg 2

I approve of it. Im a christian and I believe in God but I dont think its wrong to marry same sex. They are allow to marry the person they love and so, they should also be given the rights to marry that someone.

I respect but do not support.

- Devonshire Emily Nastor, BSAct 3

- Bs Pharm - 2

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BOOK REVIEW

Today’s CAROLINIAN

The Brothers Karamazov

by Fyodor Dostoevsky Reviewed by Cesar Carlos Heyrosa Photo Source: http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/lostpedia/ images/5/56/The_Brother_Karamazov.JPG/revision/ latest?cb=20061204193225

Rose Madder

by Stephen King Reviewed by Katrina Jaiun Roa Photo Source: http://i43.tower.com/images/mm111290597/rosemadder-king-stephen-paperback-cover-art.jpg

Sophie’s World

by Jostein Gaarder Reviewed by Christian Rey Camay

JULY 2015 | Vol. 3 No. 2

Written in 1880 as Fyodor Dostoevsky’s final novel, The Brothers Karamazov is easily the celebrated author’s masterpiece. The story revolves around the relationship of four brothers and their abusive father — culminating to a crime that affects the many colorful characters that play a role in the lives of the members of the dysfunctional Karamazov family, while exploring themes of family, love, faith, goodwill, justice, truth and moral struggle. Giving clear proof of Dostoevsky’s undeniable prowess in storytelling, The Brothers Karamazov may be a long uphill climb, but the fulfillment at the end of the beautiful tale is as massive as the novel itself.

Rose Daniels, who suffered a miscarriage after getting badly beaten by her abusive husband when she was only four months pregnant, decides to hop on the next bus and live a new life. As she begins finding happiness, along the way she gets stalked by an investigative cop whose goal is to brutally end her, this man being her husband Norman. This leaves her no choice but to enter a cat-and-mouse game, which could lead her to danger. Ultimately, Stephen King expertly depicts the growth of a battered wife, who later learns to face her darkest fear, in this 1995 novel.

Sophie’s World is an in-depth reading about philosophy. As 14-yearold Sophie Amundsen’s story, decisions and discoveries after being a confused recipient of numerous postcards unravel, author Jostein Gaarder interestingly navigates through philosophy’s history.

Learning about philosophy indeed becomes a delightful experience upon going through the pages of this 1991 novel.

Photo Source: http://www.hotkeyblog.com/wp-content/ uploads/2013/10/sophie_cover_web.jpeg

Cloud Atlas

by David Mitchell Reviewed by Paolo Perez Photo Source: http://www.britgo.org/files/images/books/ cloudatlas.jpg

A palindromic, echoing crescendo of intertwined fates strewn about time, David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas attacks the human condition and all its foibles from six different perspectives. Written in 2004, the narrative hops effortlessly between eras and writing styles, from a voyager sailing through the Pacific during the Gold Rush to a tribesman living in the remains of Hawaii untold years into our future.

Mitchell’s writing is poignant, piercing the questions we never dare ask. Cloud Atlas forces us to realize that, even in the most distant worlds that Mitchell visits, our own is not so different.

COMICS

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Today’s CAROLINIAN

11

HOROSCOPE NI NANG PASING ARIES

CANCER

LIBRA

CAPRICORN

Maglisod ka ug answer sa imong mga test bisag sakto ang imong pagtuon. Ambot ngano. Pero feel nako tungod nas bugas sa imong lubot.

Textan kas imong crush. Open-minded ba daw kas business. Replyi ug kung openminded ba siya sa barang. You’re welcome.

Duolon kang crush. Ingon siya nga mag-date daw mo. Unya murag magka-dayun mo. After pila ka years, kasal dayun. Way char. Swerte kay ka! Ug sa dihang nimata ka kay buntag na.

Naa koy nalimtan. Ambot unsa pero naa juy something. About jud to nimo ae. Ambot.

Samuka. Unsa gani to?? Kuan.. uhh. Aw oh!

Di ko ganahan nimo.

Lucky Color: Sikma Green Lucky Color: Pabebe Blue

Lucky Color: Breezy Black

Lucky Color: Ginabot Brown

TAURUS

LEO

SCORPIO

AQUARIUS

Ayaw pag sige ug laag kay wala nas prospectus. Kung gnahan ka, suwayi nag pacredit.

Murag naka feel ko nga masakit ka karong semanaha. Sakit sa kasing-kasing.

Heartbreak geng! Pag lanlan ug luya. Apila ang panit ug yuta. Good luck.

Naay someone nga secretly ganahan nimo.

Maayo sad ug nawng. Pero ang naka-apan lang kay baho siya ug baba. Dunot man tanan iyang ngipon. Pero okay na ui!

Naa kay pirmi makadungan ug sakay sa jeep. Cute. Pero wa pa jud mo nagtagdanay.

Carolinian sad. Tagad ug una. Nawa, di ka tagdon. At least ni-try ka. Life.

Lucky Color: Lagus Red

Lucky Color: Way lucky color para nimo

Lucky Color: Shuttle Yellow

Lucky Color: Muncher Green

GEMINI

VIRGO

SAGGITARIUS

PISCES

Makapasar ka sa tanan nimong mga subject karung sem. As in sakto ra jud. Puros tres.

Swertres! Pero okay ra na kay sunod sem, kwatro napud!

Naay ga sunod-sunod nimo nga di ingon ato.

Pero ayaw kahadlok kay nagtuo ra siya nga kalahi mo. Tagda sad. Basin magkadayun mo.

Katog ug sayo unya kaon ug pamahaw.

Ayaw na ug ka-late. Buhata daan ang dapat buhatonon. Char. Joke ra ui. Laag taman sa ginhawa.

Naay usa sa inyong teacher nga di ingon ato.

Pagbantay-bantay. Pag-baon ug lana. Kanang naay Omega-3 aron healthy.

Lucky Color: #lovewins Rainbow dzae

Lucky Color: Patay nga kuko Grey

Lucky Color: Datu Puti Silver

Lucky Color: CMYK

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Today’s CAROLINIAN

LITERARY

JULY 2015 | Vol. 3 No. 2

DEPRESSED Fick Shore-Head

“I’m depressed.”

You sucker better shut up. You don’t know how it feels — the sadness. You lost a partner. You failed a subject. You went through embarrassment. Nothing like that ever happened to me. One moment everything’s normal. The next, pain struck through my chest for no reason.

“I’m depressed.”

You sucker better shut up. You don’t know how it feels — the ennui.

I had my books. I had my videogames. I had money. I had no reason to be bored, but then what? When you wasted your time crying, I was staring blankly into an empty wall for hours on end — wanting to do nothing, wanting nothing.

“I’m depressed.”

You sucker better shut up. You don’t know how it feels — the frustration. You lost things. I had everything. I aced all my subjects.

I bought everything I wanted. Still, the darkness of tedium and misery sat on a corner in my head. You probably never heard them — the whispering doubts, the clamoring confusion and the cries for peace.

“I’m depressed.”

You sucker better shut up. You don’t know how it feels — the despair. You never knew them — a sting in the neck, lightheadedness, vision blurring, light turning to black. I felt them all — felt the pain in my neck and chest fading into nothingness.

This was the only way for the despair to creep away.

“I’m depressed.”

You sucker better shut up. You don’t know how it feels — the shame.

You never woke up to your shaken brother’s arms. You never woke up on the cold floor with a soft pain in the neck. You never woke up confused, seeing the torn pieces of a leather belt lying near you and your brother. I did — then it sunk in — what just happened, along with guilt and humiliation.

“I’m depressed.”

You sucker better shut up. You don’t know how it feels — the incompleteness. You only had to find another partner. You only had to pass a subject again. You only had to be brave. You never had to face the darkness of being mentally crippled. You never had to literally swallow a bitter pill to feel joy.

“I’m depressed.”

You sucker better shut up. You don’t know how it feels — the reality of depression.

Illustration by Shari Llamis

http://todayscarolinian.net

LITERARY

Today’s CAROLINIAN

13

THE CURE THAT KILLS Written by Julienne Termoso

The constant struggle of having to endure countless tests and tubes pierced through my body, with pints of liquid coming out of my tear ducts, has made me numb to the needles that build temporary shelters in the depths of my skin. Thrice every agonizing month, I welcome rays of chemotherapy making their way to the corpse I once called my body.

I adored Fridays – that one-seventh of the week when I am not forced to do something I despise, that one-seventh of the week when I am myself and I can do things for myself. When it hit, though, that beloved day has now become an epitome of how I can never be who I used to be.

My trips to the hospital were the worst fifteen minutes, considering the unprecedented surrendering of the self to be killed four or five times over. I have to gather up the courage to face the white room of white robes and steel beds, only to be welcomed by men who tell me everything will be “fine” when I know that deep inside me, my belief of being “fine” has been long gone.

The process takes about four hours of drug IVs that are unfamiliar to my ears, nurses who do not understand the meaning of patience, doctors who demand strength from someone so fragile and other patients whom I get the needed strength from. Four months into the therapy, I met a kid named Seth, 7, Stage IV – Brain.

He used to tell me, “It’s all in your mind. This is all pretend! Sometimes, I think it’s real. But I know this is all pretend.”

His hourly nausea after eating his favorite cheese puffs, his uncontrollable discharge of dirt on the sheets, and his sagging eyes and deteriorating features all say otherwise. But it is his smile – the most genuine proof that deep in his heart, he believes it was all pretend. I miss him.

Why am I still doing this? I was long lost since that one Friday I thought of the C giving up on me. I thought I won. I thought I could proudly say, “I survived!” But I thought wrong. I make it a victor every first Friday – it wins a trophy, an award, a certificate of completion that it has defeated me. Again, why am I still doing this?

I have lost my ability to hear. And with it, my ability to be heard.

Ironically, I am giving up my life to get a life. They told me this was a cure but why do I feel closer to death?

“All pretend,” he said.

Until when will I pretend to believe in the chance of winning this cruel battle? It’s one against millions but what is a million compared to one big hell of an unforgiving sickness? Sometimes, I wish it was me and not Seth. I wanted the world to prove to him that the C is a pretentious big ash liar. I wish it was. Then a voice broke my solitude.

“Hey, Agnes! When will you stop pretending? I’ve stopped!”

Hope. I hope pretend is all that it will be for me, too.

Illustration by Esther Abigail Daang

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Today’s CAROLINIAN

FEATURE

JULY 2015 | Vol. 3 No. 2

INSIDE THE LION’S DEN Kerstein Kylle Despi Illustration by Zachary Borromeo Our world is at war. However, we have long passed the times of horrid concentration camps and endless bloodshed. No, our battle is a silent chaos. It is something crumpling behind the blinds of virtual opulence. It lies on a massive virtual playing field many of us refuse to get away from: the Internet.

Filipinos are prominent figures in different social settings of the World Wide Web. Like starving predators waiting for a prey to land on its trap, we are on a constant attack stance. Whenever a new fad emerges, our claws never fail to grab its lushness, letting our teeth rip through its breadth, but when the craze dies down, it is always easy for us to simply walk away from the dismembered bones we have feasted upon, without even giving a second glance. We continue to live vicariously spending our sunrise and sunsets staring at screens and tapping our days away.

Simply, we thrive on a consumption-driven ecosystem. SocialBakers, an online provider of analytic tools, statistics and metrics for different social networking sites, showed in 2012 that almost one out of four Filipinos are on the leading global social platform Facebook. This sum up to more than 27 million Filipino Facebook users — accounting to about 28% of our nation’s population and 93% of the world’s online population, and the numbers never stopped growing. The Philippines has since maintained being in the top ten countries with the most number of Facebook users. Moreover, it does not end there. Facebook is not the only online platform we seem to flock upon. Try asking a colleague where that photo of his packed lunch is going and we are sure that it will be within the lines of Instagram. Try asking a friend how he would know that his crush had an almost-encounter with Taylor Swift, and we are sure that it is because of that retweet two nights ago. However, we know that these questions are not really necessary. We are part of this entire social webbing in the first place.

Consumerism is rightfully essential. Social networking sites provide us an avenue for leisure, expression, and communication among others. However, stepping out of its comfort is necessary. Bach Johann Sebastian, a chief strategy officer and SVP of JG Summit Holdings Inc., during a panel discussion at the Philippine Investment Forum in Makati City posited that as much as companies have benefitted from our vast consumerism, the trajectory of Philippine growth cannot be sustained by it alone.

On one hand, the lack of talent or skill is not our problem. We just have the knack of sticking IDs on those lit by the spotlight. Our talents are a smattering of Filipino-Beyoncés, Filipino-Oprahs or Filipino-foreign whose skills and abilities are nothing but a mirror of those whom they are crowned to mime. Why do we force ourselves to thrive in a reality where the finish line lies behind the masks of those already holding on the gold trophies? How much of our success is truly ours?

It is the Filipinos that have kept millions more Filipinos from realizing their great potentials. In the internet, the anonymity gives people the power to say things that they feel like saying without tact or prior thinking. Many of us become a ghost of our own frustrations, attacking victims who are vying for the goal we failed at. However, when the favor is returned, we cry injustice and blasphemy.

It is ignorant to assume that only Filipinos show this behavior online; however, it is herd mentality to continue doing it just because everybody does it anyway. Painfully, ignorance is bliss. Perhaps it is the same irony in ignorance that makes most of us clinging on social media’s web of satires.

We do not bother to check for legitimacy to a point that we become unmindful that we already created chaos in our wake.

Ours is also a matter of a peculiar pride. It resides on people who bear the shades of our skin — only as long as they are in a foreign land, have

already been recognized by foreign people or at least have foreign blood running through their veins. We have continued to carry on the heritage of being excessively subservient and unduly impressed by all things foreign. See, Juan de la Cruz has colonial mentality: If it isn’t his, it must be better and if it is his and they think it better, then it must be best.

The Filipino pride is also a collective. If a quartFilipino suddenly finds fame after having been applauded in an international stage, the celebration is everybody’s. Everybody becomes a proud Filipino. If we try flipping through the pages of Youtube, it might be that those having an ounce of Filipino will have comments full of pride. However, not only does this take away what is rightfully another man’s success, but it also reverberate the lack of our own. It is fine to be delighted by others’ triumphs on the basis of common ancestry but sometimes staying behind their shadows prevents us from having our own light.

We live in a time where everything happens everywhere in front of us. The world has never been smaller even as our eyes see vast spaces.

This is not a time for selfishness to overrule our humanity. The internet provides us a great opportunity to become inventors and marketers of a future that is surely our own. We need to take this chance and make a leap. Our shortcomings can become lessons so that when change comes by and knock at our doorsteps, we would be ready to answer it.

Our world is at war. We are at war — in a battle to win our identity against ourselves. The internet is just our powerful playing field. Perhaps it is high time for Filipinos to try rediscovering its ticks and improve upon it. We cannot always stay as antelopes in a field full of lions. Sometimes we have to be the lion for us to aim and fight for our country’s genuine prosperity. We should know because this world is our den. TC

Today’s CAROLINIAN

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PHOTO OF THE MONTH

Photographed by Andrew Esposa

“All people should be treated equally, no matter who they are or who they love.”

- Barack Obama

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Today’s CAROLINIAN

JULY 2015 | Vol. 3 No. 2