UNO-RIAN SENTINEL: Vol. 1 No. 3

UNO-RIAN SENTINEL

SIM REG 90-DAY EXTENSION APPROVED, 20M STILL UNREGISTERED

ELECTIONS THEN, E-LECTIONS NOW

Online elections in virtual learning? Not a chance. Online elections in a face-to-face setting?

Definitely.

The student elections for the University were last observed in March 2020 – face-to-face. But voting stopped for the UNO-Rians come Academic Year 2021-2022 as UNO-R shifted to an online setting.

This all boils down to a single question: why have online elections now?

Students have been deprived of voting without a comprehensive explanation or a transparency report on how the elections were discontinued. No other attempts to further clarify the situation were provided. The UNO-Rians deserve an explanation as to why an online election was impossible until a few months ago.

Sure, the online elections offer a more inclusive and convenient voting for the student body. But are we prepared to cater to a new shift in the trend?

To allow an estimated of 20 million subscribers to register their SIM cards, a 90-day extension was approved by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as per the enacted law aimed to curb cybercrime, Apr. 26.

Republic Act 11934 or the SIM Registration Act states that mobile device users must register their SIM cards by Apr. 26.

In a briefing in the Malacañan Palace last Apr. 25, Information and Communications Technology Secretary Ivan John Uy shared that a ‘low turnout’ is not the main reason for the extension.

“It is just our bad habit of delaying to the last minute, the compliance [with] the law,” Uy said. An estimated of 15 to 20 million SIM cards remain unregistered, according to the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).

Seeing this number, Uy added that low turnouts were observed in island provinces, prompting the department to concentrate on these provinces and islands.

“We discovered that some of the low turnouts were in the island provinces, like Dinagat, Siquijor and Camiguin islands, Tawi-Tawi, Basilan. So, when it was presented, the President noticed that we need to put in more effort to deploy teams to these island provinces to address the low turnout,” he explained.

Furthermore, Uy reiterated that the 90-day extension is the last chance to register all active SIM cards, as unregistered ones may be deactivated come the deadline.

CONQUERING LIMITS: THE CHAMPIONING SPIRIT

It is 32 degrees, at least today, but it feels like 38 degrees or more. Hot. Humid. Drenching. The heat feels oppressive even to move slightly like trees are looking for shade to cool off. However, these are nothing to brave and excited

Games and sports are for people whose abilities and skills are far developed and fit for strenuous activities and hurdles, or so we always believed. But this mentality was shattered by the athletes who did not only bring with them their sportswear but their desires to become winners of

D’ ABILITIES, NOT DISABILITIES

Sports Fest has been a tradition in the university to celebrate and commemorate the students’ skills and abilities and foster camaraderie and sportsmanship in each student. But to make it even more special, the College of Education has given

opportunities to athletes who are ready to prove that they can despite the disabilities they have –turning it to become what makes them eager to reach the finish line.

Nikko Paolo Calumpiano, LPT, MAED, Elementary Education Program Head, shares how being able is a choice, and it is always in someone what to do with what they have not.

“This thing we call disability is just a choice. Some people appear to be able to choose just to troll, not doing anything or doing bad things,” he explains.

For Calumpiano, although some people who are what they call ‘invisibilities’ have both compassion and the skills for sports.

“Some people who appear to be what they call invisibilities have compassionate thoughts, are very skillful in sports, have athleticism in their bodies and minds, the spirit of competition, the spirit of being a winner,” Calumpianio says.

MORE THAN WHAT MEETS THE EYE

Rhey Mark Presquito, LPT, MAED, Adapted Physical Education and Recreation, Music and Health Teacher, shares how looking at children with special needs is an amazing sight to see, knowing that special learners can

do so what is not usually expected of them.

“Seeing these kids is just simply amazing; that is why we quote this program as a ‘Paramazing Games’ because this is an avenue wherein our students with special needs could showcase their skills in different sports activities and games,” Presquito ecstatically shares.

But more than just showcasing their skills and passion for sports, Presquito says that people can be astonished at how the children could perform as others would. But just like any other game, there were hurdles and challenges to beat.

“When all things are planned, it will go through, but one thing that is very difficult on our part during the conduct of the activity is the natural cause of the heat,” he laments.

The summer solstice is hotter than usual, much so for the children with special needs playing outside in the hot weather. Presquito reveals they were looking into other spaces to which the children may be catered.

“We were looking into some other parts in the university wherein we could conduct our activity for our special kids to be catered physically, mentally, and behaviorally because when they feel hot, it could create tantrum behaviors, and they can be easily distracted,” he discloses.

As reported by Tolentine Star last May 21, 2021, University-wide elections are waived until May 2022, according to a joint resolution by the University President. It was also due to the “pandemic and significant changes in the school calendar,” which, according to Joint Resolution No. 02 S. 2021, may increase the concerns of students, teachers, and administration.

But how can we, the school which offers one of the best Information Technology courses in Western Visayas, not manage to hold an online election in the previous academic year? But the bigger question is, why have it now?

A low turnout of votes was observed in the past elections, but what makes it certain that voters will increase if it is completed online? How can the University ensure that everything will be satisfactory should issues with the portal come to rise, or how prepared are we for troubleshooting election-related issues?

As responsible and informed UNO-Rians, our civic duty is to protect our freedom and rights. Let us remain vigilant and critical of the elections because an election discontinued once may happen again.

Presquito also shared that despite the obstacles, they could surmount them and reach the finish line with great enthusiasm.

“As planned, it all went well. From the time we started, the invitations to our guests and people that will be involved in the program, they are all present. No one left behind,” he says.

The Olympic Games are for the best athletes competing and determining the winner, but this does not mean that it limits one’s ability. Sports are indeed for skillful individuals who possess athleticism in them.

Still, we must acknowledge that sports are for people who are determined and who persevere to be the best on their own, too – to be able to do unexpected them.

Individuals with special needs are people who might be lacking in some aspects of their lives, and we should not give them any more reasons to feel excluded and less just because we believe that sports are for those with great strength and who endured arduous practices because true sport is being able to welcome diversity and inclusivity.