ASHS Pilots Strengthened SHS Program; sees promising result
by: ZAIJAN ACOBA
“Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for ittoday.” But what happens when the passport itself no longer works.
Aurora Senior High School (ASHS) finds itself at the forefront of education reform as one of four pilot institutions in the Schools Division Office (SDO) of Isabela implementing the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Strengthened Senior High School (SHS) program. Vision Drives Action
Launched this June for School Year 2025–2026, the revised program aims to better prepare students for college, employment, and entrepreneurship.
In an interview, Arturo B. Nool Jr., Principal IV of ASHS, he noted that the Strengthened program is a necessary step forward, emphasizing that their freedom to choose their electives gives students greater ownership of their learning.
“Ang strengthened curriculum ay naka-align para suportahan ang mga pangangailangan sa pag-aaral sa kolehiyo,” he explained. “Mas naka-focus sila sa pag-aaral dahil sila mismo ang pumili ng subject na gusto nilang matutuhan at kaugnay ng gusto nilang maging pagkatapos ng Senior High School.”
Guided by Change
For educators like Beverly Paraiso, Teacher in Life and Career Skills, the updated curriculum brings more relevance and direction.
“Mas naaangkop sa kasalukuyang panahon ang mga aralin at sa mga career path na gustong tahakin ng mga mag-aaral,” she said. It’s a subtle shift — but one that matters. When students choose what they study, their motivation grows. But with that freedom comes responsibility and pressure.
28.57% of agriculture students agree to continue pursuing agriculture
BY THE NUMBERS
Students’ Opinions on the Future of Agriculture
71.43% disagree or are uncertain about agriculture’s future
by: AZLENNE TIMOTEO & ZULEIKA BIMMOY
HARVEST OF HOPE. At 84, Danilo Acedo, a farmer in Aurora, Isabela, continues to harvest rice under the scorching sun— a routine he has kept for over five decades, along with his hope that true help would soon reach their fields
Photo taken by: MARIA CRISTINA SADIAN
New Gymnasium reflects school’s commitment to development
by: ZAIJAN ACOBA
Construction of a new gymnasium in Aurora Senior High School (ASHS) signals progress for learners and the campus, marking a step toward improved spaces.
The gym, a promised project of the Local Government Unit (LGU) Aurora last school year 2024-2025, is envisioned as a space for development, opportunity, and empowerment.
Dr. Arturo B. Nool Jr., Principal VI, shared that the construction is now on its first phase and targeted to be finished in 2026.
“Isa itong malaking bagay para sa paaralan dahil dito maaring idaos ang mga events, graduation, P.E. activities, at mga bagay na maaring gamitin ng mga mag-aaral,” Nool emphasized, showcasing the commitment of LGU Aurora towards quality and accessible education.
According to Dexter Domingo, a construction worker, work is being carried out in phases to finish it as soon as possible.
“May pagbabago na pero kailangan pa ng time para mas maayos at maganda ang pagkakagawa,” he stated.
He also shared the challenges faced during the construction, highlighting the obstacles caused by rainfall, labor shortages, safety risks, and school community concerns.
Meanwhile, learners expressed their excitement, stating it as an opportunity for learners’ development.
“Mas maayos na maidadaos yung mga events and mas comfortable ang lahat kasi minsan paiba-iba ang panahon at naapektuhan ang mga practice and activities outdoor,” Macekrelle Taquiqui, a grade 11 student, noted, stating it as a door for improvement and progress.
She said that many learners would be engaged to join activities since there will be enough space to participate.
“Hindi na kailangang mag-worry sa limited space,” Taquiqui added, highlighting the importance of the gymnasium building.
BY THE NUMBERS
Students’ Opinion on the Proposed Anti-Pabebe Bill
Out of 439 respondents, 277 students disagreed while 162 agreed with the implementation of the proposed Anti-Pabebe Bill, showing that most students oppose the measure.
The Anti-Pabebe Bill or the Senate Bill No. 1300 authored by Robinhood Padilla, is an act promoting holistic development in early education through imposing mandatory integration of practical life skills, values formation, and environmental awareness as part of the subjects in the Basic Education Curriculum.
FROM COVER PAGE
The systemic rice price crisis undermining Filipino Farmers
Aid Not Enough To alleviate the situation, the government launched several initiatives, including the P12 Billion Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RFFA) program, which grants P5,000 each to over two million small rice farm owners. The initiative is funded by tariff revenues intended to cushion the impact of the Rice Tariffication Law.
However, farmers’ incomes continue to decline, proving the limitations of one-time aid in addressing the persistent price imbalance.
Alan Molina, 40, of Ballesteros, Aurora, Isabela, who relies on farming to support his three children, said that despite working daily in the fields, his income barely sustains his family’s needs.
“Gusto ko sanang tumaas ‘yung presyo ng palay kasi mahirap talaga. Hindi kakasya kahit anong tipid,” he said, expressing his frustration over receiving ‘ayuda’ instead of higher rice prices.
Arjay Tulagan from Barangay San Andres, Aurora, Isabela, 28, with a four-year-old and a four-month-old fully breastfed baby, shared the same sentiment.
“Mas makatutulong kung itaas ang presyo ng palay kaysa ayuda,” Tulagan uttered. “Hindi pangpamilya ‘yong ayuda, kahit pa hindi ako bumibili ng gatas ng baby ko.” Intervention
Moreover, Aurora Municipal Agriculturist Fredalyn Gajes supports the local farmers’ idea that a higher floor price would be a better option.
“Parang kulang pa rin kasi, kaya mas magandang taasan na lang sana ‘yung floor price para lahat makinabang,” said Gajes, noting that direct cash aid can only provide temporary relief, not structural reform.
When asked during the interview about the National Food Authority (NFA) as a palay buyer, Gajes pointed out that selling to the agency could have been a safety net, but many small farmers fail to meet its buying standards.
Zero Aid for Farm Laborers
While small farmers receive government assistance, farm laborers—who toil in fields they do not own—remain largely excluded.
Municipal Agriculturist Fredalyn Gajes confirmed that as of now, assistance is only given to farm owners with 1.5 hectare and below, but no aid is programmed yet for the farm laborers.
In an interview with the Quest to Tatay Danilo Acedo of Barangay San Ramon, 84 years old, and has been a farm laborer for more than 50 years, he also looks forward to receiving the announcement of Dy's cash assistance.
“Nu kasali kami nga makipor-porsyento, mayat ajayen ah nga ayuda, awan bannog ko ajayen eh. Ngem mas mayat manen nu ingato da presyo ti pagay,” he said, expressing that while the dole-out brings relief if they be considered but rice price hike would even be better as everyone, including them as farm laborers, will surely be benefited.
Declining appeal
For Mc Elritz Vino, a Grade 11 student-farmer of Aurora Senior High School (ASHS), the struggle of the farmers today goes beyond economics. He added that the continued decline in palay prices affects not only their livelihood but also their chance to continue schooling comfortably.
“Dun lang din po kasi kami kumukuha ng kapatid ko ng para sa allowance namin, pantulong na rin sa parents ko na nagtatrabaho abroad,” he shared.
As a student-farmer, Vino said the ongoing rice price crisis makes agriculture less appealing to the youth and could drive young people away from farming altogether.
In a survey conducted by The Quest to the 45 agriculture students from Aurora Senior High School, only 11 said they still wish to pursue agriculture, while 34 expressed doubts about its future viability if conditions do not improve.
For Municipal Agriculturist Gajes, there is also a need for the youth to have a wider look at agriculture as a course as many have a misconception about it.
Filipinos’ functional literacy drops to 70.5%; Capellan urges serious action
by: AZLENNE TIMOTEO
Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported a 70.5% rate in the functional literacy rate among Filipinos aged 10-64 based on the 2024 results of the Functional Literacy, Education, and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS).
From the same survey, it is also found that one in five Filipinos— or approximately 18.9 million high school graduates—failed to meet the new definition of functional literacy standard which now includes the higher-level comprehension skills as one of its components, in addition to basic reading, writing, and numeracy skills.
Report from World Bank supports this finding, noting 91% of Filipino children aged 10 struggle to read a simple text—a figure highlighting a serious learning crisis in the country.
In contrast, the 2021 literacy survey showed a high literacy percentage which stood at 99.27%, however, the said assessment used the old definition of being
“Ang common naman kasi na perception nila kapag agriculture course e sa bukid na agad. Kailangan ding ma-orient ng mga kabataan ngayon sa mga opportunity na meron sa agricultural course,” Gajes added as she explains that agriculture—like any other courses, can be promising.
Currently, ASHS has 83 agriculture students of different specializations.
What Farmers Truly Need
Farmers themselves agree that cash support alone is insufficient. What farmers truly need are long-term reforms—including a guaranteed floor price, market protection against import surges, and better postharvest infrastructure.
Without these, financial assistance programs will remain band-aid solutions to a deep-rooted agricultural crisis.
As Gajes summed up, “Ang gusto ng mga magsasaka, hindi tulong na pansamantala, kundi presyo na makabubuhay.” New Promise, Same dilemma
During his visit to Cauayan City, House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III announced a new P7,000 cash assistance to rice farmers to help them recover this cropping season.
Yet this was met with skepticism among farmers, who view it as another short-term measure.
“Kung ganun pa rin ang presyo ng palay, kahit may ayuda, mahihirapan pa rin,” Gajes said, emphasizing that the root of the problem lies in systemic market inequalities, not the lack of temporary financial aid.
She added that similar programs had been implemented before—such as the cash assistance under RA 11203 in 2019 and the P5,000 RFFA distribution in 2024—without lasting improvements.
“Hindi pa rin kasi sigurado kung yung ibinalita ni Speaker Dy ay ‘yung dati nang ibinibigay ng DA sa mga rice farmers,” Gajes remarked, noting that there is no clear guidelines yet for the newly announced assistance.
functionally literate, which only focused on basic reading and writing skills. This literacy crisis has long been cited as a problem by the education sector in the Philippines, even before the pandemic. In the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), Filipino students aged 15 scored low in critical thinking, ranking the country among the bottom four out of 64 participating countries.
In response to declining literacy levels, the Department of Education (DepEd) launched the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning Program in Reading (ARAL-Reading) which observes a spiral progression approach under the MATATAG curriculum.
Through the Project ARAL-Reading, the Filipino students will undergo three key stages in the languages curricula wherein the learners will learn the basics in becoming functionally literate step-by-step.
Meanwhile, Aurora Senior High School (ASHS), through Reading Coordinator Katleen Capellan, strengthened their implementation of the Reading Program,
ASHS numeracy program’s retest exposes deep math deficits
by: ZULEIKA BIMMOY
More than 400 Grade 11 students at Aurora Senior High School failed to pass a basic math assessment on June 17, prompting a rare retest that later reduced the number of failing students in half.
The aptitude test only covered the basic arithmetic fundamentals such as addition, subtraction, multiplications of integers and fractions— a way of the three-year-old intervention program to assess which grade 11 enrollees should undergo to numeracy class.
However, despite the simplicity of content, almost 60% of the grade 11 cohort failed to past the test.
Prompted by concerns that the exam was given too early in the school year unlike last year which took place during the quarter 2, a second round of competency takers was organized.
“So ayon, nagkaroon ng paguusap-usap tapos we decided to have a second take. Kasi possible factor din yung second take pa lang eh nag-exam na sila,” Sannyval Estabillio, Numeracy Coordinator, stated.
After the second take set with new questions, a noticeable improvement was observed;failures dropped from 400-200.
Regardless of the drop, majority of the grade 12 learnet was okedwith the new at numbers of grade 11 numeracy takers.
“Nakakabahala siya kasi eh, ang laki ng numbers parang hindi sila dumaan ng almost 10 years na nagaaral ng mathematics” one of the learners stated.
Grade 5 Findings, Grade 11 Struggles
One of the findings from the Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics (SEA-PLM) assessment connects to these concerns of grade 12 students where it revealed that in 2019 most Filipino Grade 5 learners had not yet mastered the basic mathematical skills that they are supposed to know by the end of primary
school.
At that time, researchers suggested for the nations to improve the system-level support for primary schools as without stronger interventions, such deficiencies would affect the learners performance in secondary education.
These 2019 grade 5 learners tested by the SEAPLM before would now be in grade 11 for the school year 2025-2026.
While not the same exact group assessed, the challenges seen at Aurora SHS are consistent with
learning poverty as they struggle with both literacy and numeracy skills.
These foundational issues explain why difficulties persist as students progress through higher levels of education.
Grade 11 learners retest may have reduced the initial numbers for numeracy takers, but the number of students still below the minimum competency remains substantial.
The result of the second take suggest that while local interventions such as numeracy program are
BY THE NUMBERS
CONCRETE VISION Skeletal frame yet full of expectations, Aurora Senior High School's gym, promised by the LGU is now under construction—standing as a vision of progress that will soon shelter the school's future events and milestones.
Photo taken by: MARK JEROME MANUMBALE
BY THE NUMBERS
supporting the learners who are struggling with comprehension and fluency.
This School Year, ASHS reported a slight decrease in the number of students under the “frustrated” category—from 700 learners out of 1268 text takers in 2024 to 653 out of 1155 students.
However, Capellan also reported that some of the takers of the said assessment did not took it seriously.
“Know deeper, read between the lines,” Capellan emphasized, highlighting the importance of being functionally literate in today’s generation.
70.5%
source:FLEMMS
Castillio: ‘Ang pagmaintain ng cleanliness at sanitation ay obligasyon ng lahat’
by: ZAIJAN ACOBA
Aurora Senior High School (ASHS) mobilizes its efforts to maintain canteen cleanliness as part of its commitment onto promoting order, discipline, and student responsibility.
The initiative serve as the school’s broader campaign to ensure a safe and healthy learning environment.
According to Emelita Castillo, canteen manager, keeping the canteen clean is not a one-person job.
“Ang pagmaintain ng cleanliness at sanitation ay obligasyon nating lahat hindi lang ng mga kantinera kundi pati ng mga estudyante at teacher,” Castillo said.
She mentioned that canteen staff wear aprons, hairnets, and gloves when preparing food, while condiments are kept in designated areas to ensure meals are safe.
“We see to it na fresh at malinis yung mga raw materials na niluluto,” she added,. She added that the canteen staff is careful in choosing quality ingredients to ensure that students are served safe and nutritious meals.
“Lahat ng pagkain na niluluto at nilalagay ay may takip. Pati paghahanda
ay malinis naka-gloves kami at walang alikabok ang paligid,” said Raiza Bruno, one of the canteen staff members.
Building Culture of Cleanliness
Teachers and students show support for the school’s efforts in order to keep the canteen clean and organized.
Beverlyn Paraiso, Teacher III, that when students take responsibility to their surroundings, it shows the unity and cooperation within the ASHS community.
“Kapag responsable ang mga estudyante na bumibili at kumakain sa canteen, nagre-reflect ang pagkakaisa at pagtutulungan ng mga ASHSiano,” she highlighted.
She underscored the importance of collective effort in ensuring a clean and safe area.
“Simple lang ang pagCLAY-GO at pagtatapon ng basura, huwag nating pahirapan pa ang mga kantinera,” Stephanie Bautista, a grade 11 student, stated, pointing out the significance of helping.
Stakeholders stress that keeping the canteen clean, not only protects wellbeing of students, but also nurtures a culture of discipline and mutual respect.
ASHS PFC Club joins global call for awareness through Mental Health Symposium
by: AZLENNE TIMOTEO
In line with the World Mental Health Month celebration, Aurora Senior High School’s (ASHS) Peer Facilitators Circle (PFC) holds a Mental Health Symposium on October 17, amplifying the world-wide call for awareness and collective action towards mental well-being.
The program highlighted the importance of selfawareness, emotional honesty and the benefit of seeking support in maintaining a good mental wellbeing through interactive discussion of Annaliza Hernando, Psychology Graduate and Humanities and Social Science (HUMSS) teacher.
“It’s okay not to be okay, but it’s not okay to stay that way,” Hernando reminded the learners. “Help is always there, ending your lives is not the only solution,” she added as she emphasizes the need to seek help specially when battling mental issues.
The initiative echoed the global call of the World Health Organization (WHO) as they revealed that more than one billion people are living with mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression, with its prevalence leading to being the second biggest reason for long-term disability.
Reports from World Mental Health Today also showed that deaths caused by suicide was already up to 727,000 in numbers last 2021.
Moreover, despite the global efforts in reducing suicide cases, the mortality was still high that it was hard to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of a one-third reduction in suicide rates by 2030.
As of the current trajectory, it is expected that only 12% reduction will be achieved by the deadline.
These findings, according to WHO, underscore the urgent need for attention in the mental health response of the government.
“Investing in mental health means investing in people, communities, and economies – an investment no country can afford to neglect,” Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General emphasized in a meeting with global health leaders. “Every government and every leader has a responsibility to act with urgency and to ensure that mental health care is treated not as a privilege, but as a basic right for all.”
Considering the global concern, the school-based symposium ensured that every participant is well-informed with the significance of taking care of one’s mental health.
“After the symposium, sobrang gaan sa feeling kase I feel like I was heard, tapos na-enlighten po ako sa iba’t-ibang mental health issues na hindi dapat ipagsawalang bahala.” Renalyn Domingo, one of the participants in the symposium shared.
The symposium concluded by encouraging everyone to take part in promoting mental health awareness, not just during the month of celebration, but throughout the entire year.
by: PRIXLAE MADAMBA
Ensuring that every class is attended, Aurora Senior High School (ASHS) imposes new attendance checking measures, promoting quality education.
Under the said attendance checking method, class secretaries are assigned to monitor teachers and student’s attendance, requiring every mentor to sign a logbook after every class.
Arturo B. Nool Jr., Principal IV, spearheaded the initiative, promoting accountability and ensuring that every student gets a quality education.
In an interview with The Quest, Katleen Capellan, a teacher in ASHS shared that the new stricter measure is a great way of monitoring both the teachers and students’ attendance.
“Mas humigpit siya in terms of supervision, okay na rin para makita ng teachers kung sino ang wala sa klase niya, at ganoon din ang advisers, para makita kung sino ang walang teacher by subjects.” she stated.
Meanwhile, according to Precious Meneses, one of the Grade 12 students in ASHS, the implementation of the new attendance monitoring lessened the cases of students skipping their classes.
“Ang ganda ng ganon na bawat period eh mache-check yung attendance kasi makikita mo agad kung sino yung mga nagka-cutting classes tapos maaaksyunan agad. Meneses noted. “Kaya nga wala na gaanong nagkacutting sa amin eh, bihira na rin yung may nakikita akong pakalat kalat na students sa school habang may klase.”
ASHS enforces new measure in monitoring teachers, students attendance WAYS ASHSians COPE UP WITH STRESS CAUSED BY ACADEMIC-RELATED MATTERS
High school graduates failed to meet new literacy standard
BLURRED VALUES
Discipline links to unresolved road problems
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has long set the rules of the road — clear signage, standard pavement markings, and open rightsof-way. These are simple, practical guidelines meant to keep order. Yet across our towns, signs are missing or ignored, sidewalks are turned into stalls, and shoulder lanes have become private garages.
This is not mere neglect. It’s a reflection of our declining discipline in daily life.
Out of Convenience
Every road problem mirrors a behavioral one. The cluttered sidewalks, illegal parking, and disobedience to traffic signs all point to what we often overlook: kawalan ng pakikipagkapwa-tao.
Along the national highway, signboards of establishments often spill over to shoulder lanes, squeezing out pedestrians and vehicles. Trucks Park carelessly, creating blind spots that make every intersection a hazard. These are not accidents waiting to happen — they are choices made daily, out of habit or convenience.
Problematic Improvement
Traffic on the national road is seen to have a better flow than last year. There are no more records of students’ complaints coming to school late in the morning and going home exhausted in the afternoon due to heavy traffic. The Aurora Public Order and Safety Unit (POSU), in collaboration with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and local officers improved its ways in mitigating the traffic congestion along the national road and streets connected to it.
However, problems persist. Near the public market, drivers continue to counterflow despite visible signs indicating alternative routes. Clearly, rules exist — but discipline does not always follow.
Last year, The Quest raised to the Ballesteros Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association (BALTODA) reported frequent complaints of speeding, overloading, and overcharging among tricycles plying the Aurora Senior High School (ASHS) to market route. At least, a lesser report for now.
During rainy days, the level of discipline of both student and adult drivers is tested. Cars squeeze into every inch of road, blocking lanes and arguing for right of way. Meanwhile, students are left standing in the rain, waiting to cross flooded streets or weave through congestion.
These scenes show that discipline isn’t just about rules. It’s about empathy — about thinking beyond oneself to make space for others
Institutionalizing Morals
Discipline is an important value taught at school through the Homeroom Guidance Program (HGP) and daily reminders from teachers and school leaders. Students are strictly guided to follow rules, respect others, and build good habits. In fact, since the installation of Arturo B. Nool Jr. as principal of ASHS, discipline has become the major mantra of the school as he always says, “Napakahalagang rekado ang disiplina para magtagumpay,” showing that discipline is a key part of success in school and in life. Even though the situation
improved in town, it would be better if everyone exercises it. This discipline must not stop at the school gate. It must continue at home — and be exercised on the road.
Temporary Discipline
It has been remembered that Region 2 had the highest record of road traffic incidents among all regions in the country with 161 cases as of the report of Department of Health (DOH) last year. These are not merely plain accidents, as many of these are due to disregarding rules
by: JOE DARYLL BLANZA
Discipline is what connects safety to respect, and respect to community. It is, quite literally, the missing lane that can make our roads — and our lives — run smoothly again. If we want the next generation to grow up disciplined, we must live that discipline today.
Discipline is more than rules we need to display, it’s our respect in action every day. “
ASHS Pilots
Strengthened SHS Program; sees promising result
Student Voices
For Jelai Tamayo, a Grade 11 student, the new program is a personal discovery tool.
“Parang tulay siya para malaman kung bagay sa’yo yung course na gusto mong tahakin.”
While for Precious Acierto, it may be tough, but it finally feels purposeful.
“Mahirap pero may saysay, kasi connected sa totoong buhay at sa career na gusto mo.”
Backing the Vision ASHS currently houses over 1,200 books, five laboratories, and 14 teachers — all undergoing specialized training to support the new curriculum.
Still, even the most promising reforms risk falling short without adequate infrastructure, ongoing support, and equitable access for all students.
Time to Deliver ASHS continues to monitor its rollout. DepEd, in turn, is collecting feedback from pilot schools to evaluate whether this reform is ready for nationwide implementation.
Fingers crossed that what they see isn’t just promise — but progress. Because students don’t just need new content. They need an education that truly prepares them for what’s ahead. The blueprint is there. The ambition is clear. Now comes the real test: making it work.
BY THE NUMBERS
Grade 11 Enrollment Drops by 87 This School Year
ASHS TVL Dept aims for 100% NC2 passers through intensive training
by: AZLENNE TIMOTEO
Graduating Technical-Vocational-Livelihood (TVL) students of Aurora Senior High School set sights on passing the National Certificate Level II (NC2) exam through rigorous hands-on training and skills development.
“Prepared na prepared ang school to ensure a 100% passers sa NC2. Our teachers are undergoing an upskilling and reskilling in order to equip them with enough knowledge and skills,” Jasmin Lappay, the head of the TVL department, ensured, adding that they are looking forward in producing competent learners.
The Information and Communication Technology (TVL-ICT) learners already started their hands-on activities in Technical Drafting, where they are tasked to do a floor plan and elevation designing as part of their curriculum objective. The students are using the AutoCAD application, a computer-aided design software used by professionals inclined in architectural designing, which requires them to do floor plan and elevation designing.
“Nae-enjoy naman ng mga students yung ginagawa nila, yung iba pa nga nagrerequest pa ng dagdag na gagawin,” Andrew Felipe, an ICT teacher, shared.
Meanwhile, the students in Home Economics-Cookery are now learning the seven competencies in cookery which will also be part of their NC2 examination such as appetizer, soup making, sandwich preparation, dessert, main course, side dishes, and the salad and dressing.
“They are enjoying, but ang problema lang ay sakit sa bulsa,” Roger Ariola, a cookery teacher, noted his observations, adding that his strategy to encourage his students to develop self-interest is by grouping them accordingly.
The students from Electrical Installation and Maintenance (EIM) and Animal Production are also working on their hands-on activities, as well as intensive discussions related to their specializations as preparation for their work immersion and NC2 examination.
“I am confident that we can achieve competent TVL graduates because before they take the NC2 exam, we are conducting an institutional assessment to ensure that they are equipped with knowledge and is fully prepared,” Lappay further discussed in an interview with The Quest.
The TVL students are expected to take their NC2 exam as one of the requirements before graduating.
ASHSians receive free healthcare services through the PhilHealth Konsulta Caravan, on September 3.
The caravan offers free medical check-ups, medicines, blood typing, and laboratory tests for students who are dependents of PhilHealth members.
Anchored to the Universal Healthcare Law, every Filipino is required to register with PhilHealth so that the government can shoulder medical costs.
According to Dr. Jedidiah B. Perez, Doctor of the Barrio, assigned in Aurora, the activity focus on achieving health services closer to the youth while also updating PhilHealth records in the system.
“Pag estudyante kaba hindi ka nagkakasakit? Lahat ng tao pwedeng magkasakit lahat anytime pwede mapunta ng hospital pwede magpacheck-up, ‘yun yung importance ng PhilHealth kahit estudyante ka,” she emphasized, underscoring the importance of health coverage even among the youth.
“Pag estudyante kaba hindi ka nagkakasakit? Lahat ng tao pwedeng magkasakit lahat anytime pwede mapunta ng hospital pwede magpacheck-up yun yung importance ng PhilHealth kahit estudyante ka,” she noted, focusing on the vital role of health even for the youth.
Meanwhile, some learners said it was their first time receiving free health services.
“Masaya ako kasi libre, and at least alam namin na covered pala kami ng PhilHealth kahit estudyante pa lang,” Rhea Tomas shared, highlighting the reassurance and importance of having access to healthcare early on. The caravan also highlights the effort of PhilHealth and the national government to bring the benefits of the Universal Healthcare Law directly to communities, including schools.
“Nakaka gaan ng kalooban na may ganitong program kasi alam namin may tutulong sa amin kapag kailangan,” Tomas added, pointing out that programs like this give learners’ peace of mind and much-needed support.
ASHS bags 3 medals in Buwan ng Wika 2025
by: AZLENNE TIMOTEO
Clinching off three medals, learners from Aurora Senior High School (ASHS) showcased their talents during the recently concluded LD5 Buwan ng Wika 2025 celebration held at Burgos National High School, Caliguian, Burgos, Isabela. The school brought home two championship trophies, one earned by Dwayne Ramento in Pagsulat ng Sanaysay, coached by Sir Harold Lustina, and another by the Likha Awit team composed of Alliyah Czyrene Panopio, Dennis Vicente III Perez, and Acead Eiran Baui, under the guidance of Sir Carlo Guerrero. The Likha Awit team also triumphed at the division level, further demonstrating their dedication to promoting Filipino music and culture through original composition and performance. Adding to the school’s success, Zuleika Althaea Bimmoy secured fourth place in Dagliang Talumpati, coached by Ma’am Jonaed AmbulanAbalos.
“Medalya man o sertipiko ng pakikibahagi, dapat itong pahalagahan, ngunit malaking biyaya para sa akin ang makamit ang dalawang ito sa entablado,” said Ramento, expressing her gratitude and sense of fulfillment. She emphasized that representing the school is both an honor and a responsibility.
She also shared a message for fellow Filipino youth, reminding them that being the “pag-asa ng bayan” carries the duty to learn, use, and enrich the Filipino language wholeheartedly.
Grade 11 enrollment dropped by 87 students (11.8%) this year.
GRADE 11 ENROLEES SY 2025-2026
SEVEN THOUSAND LIES
they don’t even cover the cost of seeds, much less the sweat and labor poured into every grain. According to farmer groups, the average cost of production per hectare of rice field can reach up to P70,000, while the P7,000 cash aid covers only about 10% of a farmer’s production cost, making it mathematically inadequate to recoup losses or restart a farming cycle.
Rather than assistance, this is abandonment disguised as generosity, a mockery of people whose survival depends on soil the government has poisoned with neglect.
Moreover, the agricultural backbone of this nation is crumbling because support has been reduced to empty promises and token gestures.
As confirmed by agricultural students in Aurora Senior High School (ASHS), the agricultural sector is not being properly supported by the government, instead it’s being systematically dismantled through indifference and bureaucratic cruelty.
Furthermore, critics of the government’s priorities note that the estimated P118.5 billion lost to the recent DPWH flood control corruption scandal could have been used to purchase an estimated 6.27 million metric tons of palay at a floor price, highlighting the disastrous misallocation of public funds away from core agricultural
support.
While billions vanish into the pockets of corrupt officials, farmers are expected to survive on scraps, students are forced to abandon their dreams due to the fact that in their eyes, agriculture is just another back-up savings for our leaders, and this is not just negligence, it is a declaration that Filipino farmers are expendable.
Farmers don't need theycharity,need justice “
On top of that, this sudden one-time compensation is nothing but a political palliative, a reactive measure made to silence widespread unrest rather than address the systemic collapse destroying the agricultural industry. In their own words, farmers have voiced that while they welcome the aid, receiving subsidies like the P7,000 makes them feel like “beggars,” underscoring the
indignity of a policy that destroys their livelihood and then offers a fraction of the solution as charity.
Furthermore, this represents a violation of the 1987 Constitution’s Just Compensation Clause, as the government’s failure to prevent the collapse of farmgate prices to unviable levels, a consequence of liberalized importation, is arguably a direct violation of Article XIII, Section 4 of the 1987 Constitution.
Although this provision is traditionally applied to land reform, the spirit of the law requires the State to “provide incentives to landowners to increase the productivity of their land” and “ensure that the rights of farmers are protected,” yet by implementing policies like the Rice Tariffation Law that effectively devalue a farmer’s yield to below production cost, the State is denying farmers the right to earn a decent living and failing to provide just compensation for their immense labor and contribution to national food security.
The government must immediately establish a sustainable price floor that covers production costs, drastically increase agricultural subsidies and infrastructure support, and hold accountable those who siphon funds meant for farmers into their personal fortunes.
Farmers don’t need charity, they need justice, they need prices that reflect the true value of their labor, they need a government that protects rather than exploits them, because P7,000 is not seven thousand reasons to be grateful, it’s seven thousand reasons to realize that in the eyes of those in power, the people who grow our food are worth less than the rice they plant.
House Speaker Bojie Dy III’s announcement that farmers will receive P7,000 as compensation is not a solution, it’s an insult wrapped in the language of assistance, a band-aid placed over a hemorrhaging wound that requires surgery.
Illustrated by: Alexander Timbreza, Yz-ra Pajarillo
theNpoint
Noise of Progress
NATAHLIE NICOLE VILLON
"Ang ingay,hindi na kami makapagklase ng maayos". That's a common complaint around the school lately, and its hard to ignore the noise coming from the ongoing gymnasium construction at the back of Aurora Senior High School. Yes it's quite loud,but it's a small price to pay for something that will benefit us in the long run. Continuing the construction despite class hours is better than delaying it which means delaying progress.
The impact of the noise might make focusing a little harder, but it also means that the faster the construction finishes, the sooner we'll be free from all the distractions. Dealing with a few months of noise than to stretch the project longer is more beneficial. Because once the gymnasium is built, students will finally have a proper place to conduct programs,events,practices and other social activities.
Fellerita, a student from 11-Argon at Building E said, "Kung matatapos nang mas mabilis yung building, mas maganda rin para sa ikabubuti ng lahat". It exemplifies that it's better to continue construction so that the gymnasium would be ready when the student majority needs to use it.
The fact that building is taking place while courses are in session is encouraging. It demonstrates the school's commitment to completing the project as quickly as feasible so that students can perform
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programs without being exposed anymore to severe weather conditions.
Regardless of the obstacles, it is apparent that we are making progress. All we need to do is be more understanding and patient with one another. Students may need to pay close attention, while teachers may need to talk louder. These are minor setbacks we can handle for a better tomorrow.
It's better to look at the bigger picture. Instead of complaining,it's best to support the effort. Stay focused, help with each other to cope with the noise, and trust that this short term sacrifice will lead to something great for all for us.
Continuing progress on construction is better than prolonging it for years. We're just not hearing the noise of construction; we're hearing the noise of progress. It's more beneficial to continue construction despite classes to see the results of everything that transpired just to complete it. Soon, we'll be standing inside that new gymnasium, proud that we endured and witnessed the growth of our school little by little.
“ When wisdom bows to privileged few, the light of learning fades from view
Consecutive Efforts
JOE DARYLL BLANZA
After just a few weeks since classes resumed for the School Year 2025-2026 in the country, numerous programs and activities have already been launched. These include events related to Journalism, the Founding Anniversary of the School, Palarong Bayan, Nutrition Month, and many others. All the activities happening at the same time are giving students a hard time adjusting to crammed schedules that undermine their enthusiasm to participate. Extracurricular activities should not be simultaneously done at the same time to give every student a fair chance to join them.
What should be exciting opportunities are turning into a source of stress. Instead of inspiring students, the packed schedule is pushing many to their limits. Many of whom are struggling to keep up with their academic responsibilities. Some can’t even pass their outputs on time because there’s simply too much going on. In terms of class schedules, subjects are being affected by practices and programs. Classes are being neglected for event preparations, leading to missed lessons and delayed progress. Although there is only a specific time for practices, but there are also times that class and practice schedules are conflicting. Combine this with the simultaneous conduct of activities that now hinders the capability of schools to perform classes normally. It’s no longer just events anymore; its academic progress being threatened.
Rain, a Grade 11 student stated,"Hindi ko na alam kung saan ako pupunta, slogan ba o street dance?". He is a student who values extracurricular activities just like academics. He's partaking in various events all at the same time. However, even with proper time management, activities can still burden students.
As students, being part of these activities is important because they help us grow, discover our interests, and build valuable skills. But they should be empowering, not exhausting. When too many programs are done together, students lose the chance to give their best. Worse, some are left out entirely.
To balance academics and extracurricular activities, school staff, especially those who plan these
events, need to check class schedules to minimize the classes affected by them. Spreading the activities would also ensure that every student has a fair chance to attend without sacrificing their academic performance.
The activities should not be crammed into a short time to ensure their full participation and to give them enough time to get familiar with the said activities.
The purpose of these activities is to develop the skills and creativity of students; they must be accessible to everybody without sacrificing academic learning. The goal should never be to overwhelm them by competition for time, energy and attention; it should be to find those who have the capabilities and mold their talents to be seen and expressed. This is not about asking for fewer opportunities; this is about giving students ample time to have better chances.
by: JOE DARYLL BLANZA
Raise your voice and take a stand, for silence will not save this land.
Flood control projects in the Philippines are supposed to protect our communities from the merciless wrath of typhoons and rains. But beneath the waters is a stark reality that these projects tend to collapse under the pressure of corruption and neglect.
A Department of Public Works and Highways internal audit found that of P545 billion spent since 2022, hundreds of projects were subpar, undocumented, or simply fabricated. Alarmingly, only 15 of over 2,000 accredited contractors received 20% of the total budget, and some projects had the same price tag, despite being miles away from each other.
This isn’t merely mismanagement but a betrayal of the very individuals these projects were designed to protect.
The aftermath is mind-boggling. Finance Secretary Ralph Recto stripped bare that almost 70% of the money allocated for flood control up to $2 billion in two years, has gone down the drain of corruption. These are not lost figures; these are lives at stake. Lives worthy of schools, hospitals, and decent
9,855
Flood-Control Projects source: pcij.org
Funded nationwide between July 2022 – May 2025
THE AESTHETICS OF ENDURANCE
“Those who have less in life should have more in law,” President Ramon Magsaysay once stated. Every hurricane season brings the same predictable media cycle: devastating images followed by uplifting communities “bouncing back stronger than ever.” However, this story of idealized resilience is not only deceptive – it’s harmful. When we honor individuals for suffering what they should never have experienced, we turn systemic breakdowns into uplifting stories and create heroes from those harmed by governmental neglect.
Typhoon season has arrived, and various media are flooded with portrayals of neighborhoods, towns, and villages enduring their catastrophe and glorifying Filipino resiliency. They are showing that trauma is a gift that builds character rather than something that causes lasting harm and should not be handled.
Over the years, the camera of truth slowly turned into the photogenic poverty lens. Instead of unveiling the lack of disaster preparedness, they deliberately focus on children playing in the flood or families forcing out a smile despite losing everything.
This is a sad reality that has become a norm. If only the government acted with a purpose instead of showering themselves with money, then the innocent would not be drenched amidst the rain.
The harm these disasters bring is inclusive. Flooding not only happen in the metro, it is also happening in our localities. Although large cities often capture media attention during disasters, rural towns, suburban areas, and isolated communities experience equally
devastating impacts, typically with limited recovery resources and less coverage to underline their challenges.
From 2011 to 2025, the government allocated approximately P1.47 trillion on flood control projects alone. Moreover, President Bongbong Marcos stated in his 2024 State of the Nation Address speech that more flood control projects are to be built.
Yet, the impact is not even felt in small communities. The Filipinos have endured this tragedy for years and even decades, but until now, the crocodile politicians and media refuses to hear their drowning cries. The truth is that a preventable tragedy is being normalized in today’s time. The problem is not that people are not resilient enough – it is that we expect them to be resilient at all.
We romanticize resilience because it is easier than confronting the system that makes such heroic endurance necessary. We are unknowingly applauding the system that should have protected them. Every story of neighbors helping one another is also a story of institutions that did not.
Instead of basking in glory, the government should implement more working sewage systems and compelling projects that prevent flooding. Moreover, we must also learn to discipline ourselves and control our actions. They should provide more dump sites for garbage disposal, as it is the main cause of most floods. Mutual aid should not be necessary if proper means existed.
If the government fails to prevent such tragedy, then communities will not bounce back – they will bleed and die out while we applaud their grace and tenacity.
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Drowning in Deceit
homes rather than shattered promises and hollow dikes. Faith has been depleted, and with it, the faith that our government shall actually serve its people.
The Youth’s Stake
We youths are not spectators of this tragedy because we are also stakeholders. Each time we purchase something, the 12% added value we pay goes into this corrupt system. Our funds find their way into these projects, yet what do we have to show for it? Defective flood walls and wasted resources. It’s high time we assert our right to be heard, to call for transparency, and to hold the responsible accountable. We dare not remain quiet when our future is being suffocated by lies. We need to become the guardians of our own neighborhoods, learning, teaching, and mobilizing others to join us. This battle is not just for suited-up adults - it’s ours as well. Our voices are capable, and our watchfulness is the key that can ignite the reform our nation so critically requires. Being mere passive players is no longer sufficient; we have to
become active protectors of our future. Angel Grace Infante, a Grade 11 student said, “Mahalaga ito dahil tayo yung next generation kaya dapat aware tayo para hindi na maulit yung mga ganyang pangyayari”.
A Tide of Change
Corruption is a tidal wave that drowns everything in its wake-but floods can be stopped by sturdy walls made of unity, courage, and action. We, the youth, possess the blueprints for these walls. We need to bring down the firm hand of silence and insist on the truth about where every peso goes. We deserve projects that stand strong, not facades that fall with the first rain. Our taxes aren’t figures; they are seeds of hope that have to be nourished into actual protection. So let this be a call to rise, not only as victims of a flawed system, but also as builders of a brighter tomorrow. We cannot wait for change to come; we must be the rising tide that washes corruption away for our future, communities, and the country. The floodwaters won’t wait, and neither should we.
by: MARK NORWIN EDROSO
“
We romanticize resilience because it is easier than confronting the thatsystem makes such heroic endurance necessary
“ Students shine through their
own pace, a franctic schedule
puts
them in a hectic race
LEEmitlessvoice
Consecutive Efforts
After just a few weeks since classes resumed for the School Year 2025-2026 in the country, numerous programs and activities have already been launched. These include events related to Journalism, the Founding Anniversary of the School, Palarong Bayan, Nutrition Month, and many others. All the activities happening at the same time are giving students a hard time adjusting to crammed schedules that undermine their enthusiasm to participate. Extracurricular activities should not be simultaneously done at the same time to give every student a fair chance to join them.
What should be exciting opportunities are turning into a source of stress. Instead of inspiring students, the packed schedule is pushing many to their limits. Many of whom are struggling to keep up with their academic responsibilities. Some can’t even pass their outputs on time because there’s simply too much going on.
In terms of class schedules, subjects are being
Likes Over Lives
Illustrated by: JESTER JHON LAUNGAYAN & JEA MAE
GUILLERMO
by: MARK NORWIN EDROSO
The act of cutting corners on construction has erupted into a national catastrophe where "saving money" has become the most expensive blood money ever spent.
affected by practices and programs. Classes are being neglected for event preparations, leading to missed lessons and delayed progress. Although there is only a specific time for practices, but there are also times that class and practice schedules are conflicting. Combine this with the simultaneous conduct of activities that now hinders the capability of schools to perform classes normally. It’s no longer just events anymore; its academic progress being threatened.
Rain, a Grade 11 student stated,"Hindi ko na alam kung saan ako pupunta, slogan ba o street dance?". He is a student who values extracurricular activities just like academics. He's partaking in various events all at the same time. However, even with proper time management, activities can still burden students.
As students, being part of these activities is important because they help us grow, discover our interests, and build valuable skills. But they should be empowering, not exhausting. When too many programs are done together, students lose the chance
to give their best. Worse, some are left out entirely.
To balance academics and extracurricular activities, school staff, especially those who plan these events, need to check class schedules to minimize the classes affected by them. Spreading the activities would also ensure that every student has a fair chance to attend without sacrificing their academic performance. The activities should not be crammed into a short time to ensure their full participation and to give them enough time to get familiar with the said activities.
The purpose of these activities is to develop the skills and creativity of students; they must be accessible to everybody without sacrificing academic learning. The goal should never be to overwhelm them by competition for time, energy and attention; it should be to find those who have the capabilities and mold their talents to be seen and expressed. This is not about asking for fewer opportunities; this is about giving students ample time to have better chances.
Just Enough Steel
Even more damning, the Department of Education's 2024 report reveals that 1,247 school buildings are classified as "high-risk structures."
This means millions of Filipino students are walking into death traps daily, a direct violation of Republic Act 9523 which mandates safe learning environments for every Filipino student.
Every morning, young minds cross the threshold into buildings that fail basic safety standards. They attend classes under the shadow of imminent structural collapse, a literal life-or-death gamble disguised as education.
Worse still, the Philippines is trapped in an endless cycle of reconstruction where structures crumble faster than they can be replaced. Each collapse stands as a monument to our failures.
This is a blatant violation of RA 7160, the Local Government Code of 1991, which mandates the efficient use of resources for community development.
Schools operating below capacity strangle education. Hospitals with structural flaws gamble with healthcare delivery. Every substandard building is a theft, stealing children's futures and robbing every peso that could have built a thriving Philippines.
The evidence is irrefutable. Constructing infrastructure with inferior materials is fatally expensive, massacring public safety while incinerating billions of pesos in renovations and reconstructions that never end.
We, the citizens of this nation, must refuse to accept "good enough" as an answer to our demands. Strict enforcement of RA 6514, the National Building Code of the Philippines, must be immediate, and officials must be held accountable for construction failures that cost lives.
Our buildings must be forged from the strongest materials and unwavering standards, because anything less is murder disguised as economics. Every Filipino life deserves walls that won't become their grave.
Families gathered together, listening to the howling gusts and praying for the typhoon to quickly blow by. But for most, the biggest concern isn't the typhoon itself - it's the slow response of the government that's placing their loved ones' lives in danger. The recent typhoons that hit the Philippines have brought to light the government's struggles in responding immediately to emergencies. In a nation that has frequent natural disasters, it is unacceptable that the government cannot react in time. The lack of transparency and late announcements has created a storm of worry and confusion. The issue of late class suspensions has taken over the front pages, causing public outrage and demands for reform.
Transparency and Uncertainty
The transparent lack of information and irregular announcements have given rise to a perfect problem of fear and confusion. This is not a trivial matter; this is a matter of life and death. Students have to bet their own safety, and parents are fearful, wondering whether their kids will come home in one
piece. The government's late response to class suspensions has ignited the entire country with ire.
Insensitive Remarks "Mga abangers, ang sarap ng bogchi ko. Sa sobrang kabusugan ay nakaidlip ng sandali. Oh, inaabangan na niyo
to," DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla received backlash for his social media post on suspensions of classes, where he appeared to diminish the danger that had beset students. His apparently sarcastic wording caused harsh disapproval, with most of them accusing him of insensitivity. As a response to the uproar from the public, Remulla has already started pursuing the centralization of the power to suspend classes under DILG in the belief that broken announcements from various LGUs only create confusion. Confusion and Prevention
The government must act to put student safety and welfare first. This can be achieved through a legitimate and functional system of announcements for canceling classes, providing simple instructions to students and parents, and making announcements
by: ROMNICK JACINTO
beforehand. A system that can quickly disseminate information to students, parents, and schools in the event of centralized announcements can forestall the confusion and interruption that normally accompany severe weather conditions.
Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro has also urged LGU’s to make announcements sooner. She stressed that the students must not have to take the risk of crossing to school during deteriorating weather conditions while awaiting official notice. "There is no excuse for late advisories
The safety of our students and workers should never be compromised due to delayed announcements". Castro added.
Immediate Action
The indefensible delays of the government have put the lives of hundreds of thousands of students in danger, and it's shameful that they're not taking things with a sense of urgency. Time's up, and every minute ticked is a betrayal of the trust placed in them. It's time the government made their words a reality and put students first and foremost when their safety is at stake. We are the future, and we should be treated as such.
Delayed announcement puts lives in harm’s way, government officials need to act with care without delay.
by: AZLEE TIMOTEO
realicoNIC
benchMARK
“
by: JOE DARYLL BLANZA
Privileged Few
Schools continue to conduct programs that aim to educate and guide students. These include various symposiums designed with good intentions to shape them, but something is being overlooked, only a few privileged students are allowed to attend, while the rest of the class is left behind, which is not considered inclusion. Commonly, the same students are being chosen over and over. The selection process must give students a fair chance to participate.
Not every student is an officer, but many of them still care about the things these programs tackle. Unfortunately, they usually have no chance to attend because they did not hold a leadership position. Besides, there is no re-echoing to the classes so to at least transfer learnings taken outside the classroom to the larger number of students.
Camille, a Grade 11 student, said, "Gusto ko ring mag-attend sa programs para may matutunan ako." The willingness of students to learn is being disregarded because of an assumption that only certain officers are needed to attend them and further spread the information they have learned to the class.
Leadership programs, for example, not only officers, should have the privilege to learn leadership skills, which are all essential for team building and enhancing an individual's management skills. However, because of the
On the night of September 30, 2025, a 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck northern Cebu. By morning, dozens were dead, classrooms destroyed, and families displaced. The ground stopped shaking, but the fear it awakened did not. The quake revealed a truth that echoes beyond Cebu — one that could easily reach Aurora next.
That night proved a simple truth — drills save minutes, but weak buildings erase lives in seconds. The earthquake in Cebu is more than a memory of survival; it is a mirror to our own denial. Because if it happened in Aurora Senior
lack of availability, these programs are being turned into prizes for a few, not tools for all. Officers attend, but they return to the class with nothing shared, nothing explained, and nothing applied.
It is a pattern of exclusion that repeats year after year. Growth, knowledge, and protection are being reserved for those with titles. But the ones who need support the most are often left out. The ones without power. The ones who never raise their hand but carry heavy burdens. Education should not be selective and should not be exclusive.
Limiting opportunities to a small group of officers creates distance and inequality within the student body. The real needs of students are being ignored. The current system does not reflect fairness, compassion, or effectiveness. It reflects convenience, which is not good enough. Every student deserves access to the same resources, the same information, and the same care. Schools must include students who need actual help, and the doors to inclusivity must open wider.
The sole purpose of these programs is to educate and mold lives; they must begin by including every voice. The goal should never be to inform students with positions but rather to build a strong and educated student majority. Titles should not determine who gets to learn and grow because all students deserve to be seen. This is not just about programs. This is about fairness and awareness of making a difference to promote a cycle of equality.
already declared unsafe. Imagine the amount spent, the promises made, only for the building to be left hollow after one quake. Students waited for repairs, for inspections, for anyone to take responsibility — but no one ever came. “Ni wala kaming nakitang pumunta na mag-inspect,” recalls a former student who opted to hide their identity. To this day, the building’s fourth floor remains sealed off, untouched — as if safety were an afterthought that never arrived. It’s a pattern. Inspection teams arrive, take photos, and leave. Promises are made to “contact contractors,” but the cracks remain. Maintenance comes only when complaints
by: YVANNA NAPUDO
memory, that decides if we live.
Preparedness is not the same as safety. If the school truly values its students, it must address not just the performance of drills but the condition of its buildings. In the 2019 Cotabato quake, dozens of students were injured inside classrooms even after evacuation — not because they forgot the protocol, but because their schools failed to hold. The same can happen in Aurora, and we all know it. And yet, every time someone mentions the cracks, the response is the same: We’ll look into it. They always do — until the walls themselves answer back. Temporary fixes,
RYLLuminate When wisdom bows to privileged few, the light of learning fades from view
Building Livelihoods
by: JOE DARYLL BLANZA
When there are storms or when there is a crisis, people form queues for relief packs. Aid has its proper place because it saves lives during emergencies, but as it becomes the long-term solution of the government, it creates dependence instead of resilience. What families really need is not daily handouts but stable and decent jobs that build self-reliance. Subsidy is critical during times of calamity, but as an ongoing policy, it can trap individuals in dependency.
The government has been shelling out billions annually for cash transfer programs and subsidies such as the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in recent years. These programs provide a temporary buffer to vulnerable families but do not address the underlying issue of poverty.
As of June 2025, unemployment was at 3.7 percent, leaving around 1.9 million Filipinos unemployed, the Department of Finance (DOF) and Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported. Genuine Truth Giving jobs is much better than giving handouts
Drills train memory, not concrete — and it is concrete, not memory, that decides if we live.
Adult's Daycare
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urging Filipinos to make discipline their 2025 resolution confirms an unsettling truth. Our problems arise not from undisciplined children but from undisciplined adults who never grew up.
Road rage, mass flooding, and environmental devastation aren't caused by natural disasters. They're manufactured by adults who never learned that discipline doesn't expire at childhood.
Proper waste segregation and disposal isn't just a suggestion. It's a basic human standard. Yet our streets remain filthy and our waters murky, proof that stubbornness is a disease many adults refuse to cure.
A 2018 Filipino Times report found that in poverty-stricken areas lacking waste systems, litter accumulates dangerously in streets and public spaces. This proves that adults will sacrifice environmental safety rather than take personal responsibility.
The polluted air and congested roads are maintained by the same hypocritical adults who demand children behave while excusing their own reckless behaviors.
Obeying traffic lights, using pedestrian lanes, and avoiding illegal parking are laws so basic even children follow them. Yet commute times stretch endlessly, traffic strangles, and air quality deteriorates. All because grown men and women choose immaturity over selfawareness.
According to a 2018 Filipino Times report, sidewalk parking combined with motorists and pedestrians ignoring road rules intensify traffic congestion and worsen air quality. Clear evidence that adult stubbornness isn't merely a metaphor. It literally kills.
Adults occupy positions of immense responsibility as workers, parents, and public officials. Their lack of discipline doesn't just destroy themselves but countless innocent lives caught in the fallout.
When adults abandon discipline, it manifests like venom coursing through society. It normalizes lawlessness and jaywalking, using its fangs to harm on catastrophic scales.
Sociologist Crescencio Doma Jr. noted that indiscipline among adults has become normalized because minor infractions like illegal parking go unpunished. This paves the way for a destructive future where rule-breaking is tolerated and eventually celebrated.
The lack of discipline is spreading like a pandemic, silently ravaging not only our environment but the fabric of our communities.
The government must reform punishments for minor crimes to make examples of negligent adults and implement stricter discipline guidelines in workplaces and poverty-stricken areas.
Children are not the problem. They are the mirror. And if we're horrified by the reflection staring back at us, then perhaps it's time adults finally learned the lessons they've been too stubborn to teach themselves. Because the future won't be saved by resolutions written on January first. It will be saved by discipline lived every single day after.
because each Filipino already gives back in the form of taxes, such as VAT. The government has the duty to give back by providing decent work opportunities, not always in the form of subsidies. Relief can only give temporary solace, but jobs enable families to take care of themselves, contribute to the economy, and create lives founded on equity where chances are available to everybody.
The World Bank’s 2025 Philippines Growth and Jobs Report emphasizes that the nation produced 11.7 million jobs since 2010. This is concrete evidence that job generation has indeed been the actual force behind poverty eradication.
Future Workforce As Filipino students, we stand to inherit the fruits of our current government programs and economic decisions. By providing feedback, we can aid in advancing progress based on work and learning, rather than temporary assistance.
As Grade 11 student Sophia Olifernes said, “Hindi
ng bansa”. The young people must stand for more work and opportunity as it is the real building blocks of a great financial system.
Urgent Action
The government needs to channel resources into job-creating industries, impose labor practices that ensure decent wages, and focus on skills training that prepares individuals for livelihood sustainability. People should insist on accessible labor programs, and students and employees alike need to resist policies that create dependency. Most of all, meaningful reform, such as reducing the cost of electricity and lowering the VAT on necessities, can set families free from their greatest burdens. Assistance can save lives in times of crisis, but it must never be the defining characteristic of our country. A robust society is not justified by how many relief boxes it sends out, but by how many families no longer require them. We shall have a future grounded on independence and strength if we look beyond assistance and create a country where all Filipinos shall stand equal on solid ground.
Dy III announced that P7,000 in cash aid would be distributed to at least one million farmers nationwide. The initiative, part of the 2026 national budget, aims to help farmers recover from their losses due to plummeting palay prices.
In rice-producing provinces like Isabela, Nueva Ecija, and Tarlac, farmgate prices have dropped to as low as P8 per kilo—far below the average production cost of P12. Even with the government’s 60-day suspension of rice imports starting September 1, 2025, to stabilize the market, many farmer groups say prices remain stagnant, hovering only between P10 and P14 per kilo.
Although the Department of Agriculture reported a 6.4% increase in rice output in the first half of 2025, this higher yield has not shielded farmers from the sting of collapsing prices across
(Thatisalreadygood.Idid notgettiredofthat.)
“Kaunti na lang po ang kinikita namin, nalulugi pa. ‘Yung ayuda, hindi naman po talaga sapat para kami makaahon. Ang mahalaga po sa amin ay ang presyo ng palay — ‘yung aming produkto,” Bolos lamented during the hearing of the House Committee on Agriculture in the House of Representatives last October 6.
Fate truly plays differently. For Tatay Danilo Acedo, the same P7,000 is a lifeline—a promise of brief relief, a small sign that their struggle is seen. For Bolos, it is a reminder of how little has changed. They share the same name. They till the same earth. Yet their hopes diverge—one clings to a promise, the other demands lasting reform.
Under the Same Sky
When daylight fades and the sky turns gold, Tatay Danilo stays in the field, brushing the rice stalks with calloused, wrinkled hands — hands that have become both his burden and his blessing. He waits, with quiet faith, for that promise of aid to finally arrive.
For farmers like Danilo Bolos, hope has grown thin. His eyes have seen too many speeches and too few solutions. What he seeks is not another envelope, but a fair price—one that honors their labor and restores their dignity.
Under the same sky, both Danilos wait for tomorrow. One waits for a promise to be fulfilled; the other, for justice to finally take root. And as the wind howls once again through the ripening fields, their stories intertwine—a reminder that even when promises fall like grains of palay, farmers must find the strength to rise,
And when the sound of the sickle returns with the morning breeze, they return to the same soil, to the same faith — still believing that maybe this time,
by: AZLENNE TIMOTEO
it—they
This was the common situation among the Isabelinos, especially those living in the low-lying areas. She stretched her arms and stood up, looking at the windows. It was already dawn, and all she could see was the other homes
“Yes, suspended. Sana hanggang next Friday na.” One of her classmates sent. She stared at it for a long time—stunned. She then took a peek at their sala, already drenched in flood as it was located on a lower area. She can’t help but heave a heavy sigh as she felt helpless and hopeless.
The typhoon has maximum sustained winds of 95 km/h near the center, gustiness of up to 115 km/h, and central pressure of 994 hPa. Heavy Rainfall Warning was also raised in the Northern Luzon area, particularly across Isabela, bringing intense rains in the province. Frustrations filled her up, she took a picture of their sala and sent it to their group chat. And from there, there was silence. But she didn’t stop. She went outside their home and took a video of the current situation in their area, and once again sent it to their group chat. Her classmates started sympathizing for
her. But she didn’t feel happy about it. She felt disappointment as she realized how the privileged ones could only see how hard life can be for others when it was already slapped in front of them. Bonna is just one of the few students struggling during the typhoon season, silently hoping for a change in people’s perspective that not everyone could see the unseen reality of class suspensions due to typhoons.
She went back to her room. Her phone ringing from flood of messages probably coming from her classmates sympathizing for her. She didn’t want that. She doesn’t need sympathy. She wants others to see the reality of life—that not everyone has a safe roof on top of their head during this season, that not everyone can call their houses a shelter. And for once, with a hopeful heart, she wished to the heavens above—for the privileged ones to see the unseen reality of class suspensions.
Calm weather and the faint rustle of fallen
Danilo Bolos, a farmer from Nueva Ecija.
Danilo Acedo farmer from Aurora Isabela
BEYOND THE PAUSE. Bonna Talledo looks out from the window of her home in Ballesteros, wAurora, Isabela, as rain begins to fall following the suspension of classes due to Tropical Storm Paolo.
Illustrated by: REI SAGAYSAY, YZ-RA PAJARILLO
by: CHARLENE HERNANDEZ
To others, it’s just rain and dirt.
To farmers, it’s life itself.
When the rain begins to fall, most people rush to find cover — the streets bloom with umbrellas, and sighs of complaint echo from every corner. But somewhere beyond the noise of the city, there are people who do not flee from the rain. They welcome it. For them, rain is not a bother. It is gold from the sky.
To others, it’s just rain and dirt. To farmers, it’s life itself. “
The True Worth of Soil
In Aurora, Isabela, rice paddies stretch wide and endless, carrying the quiet legacy of those who have tended them for generations. Soil, often seen as something to be avoided, takes on a sacred meaning in the hands of farmers like Jhonny Olaya of Barangay San Andres. His palms are darkened by years of tilling, yet his eyes gleam with the same patience that keeps the land alive.
“Duray idi ubing nak pay sumursurot nak nga apan agtaltalon kinni tatang ko,” Jhonny recalls in Ilocano. “Idi nalaka lang nga biruken iti danom, ngem tatta mauray pay nga mabittak jay taltalon kakauray ti irrigation.”
(When I was young, I used to go with my father to the fields. Back then, water was easy and was a problem, but now, soils would crack from waiting too long for the irrigation to come.)
To farmers like him, is more than a water from the sky —Each drop softens the soil, feeds the roots, and whispers growth into the fields.
Rain as a Blessing, not a Burden
During planting season, Jhonny finds music in every falling rain. The fields glow with wet light; the air fills with the scent of growth. It is during these moments that hope quietly takes root again.
For Kc Gadayos, a Grade 11 agriculture student from Aurora Senior High School, that same hope is what keeps their young hands working the soil.
“Bilang isang agriculture student, grae ang halaga ng tubig sa pagtatanim,” she shares. “Kapag wala kasi ito, mahihirapan tumubo ang mga halaman, at masasayang lang yung buwan ng aming pagtatanim.”
Her words echo the truth every farmer knows: the rain they wait for is more than weather — it is survival, a promise.
Rooted in Resilience
Like Jhonny and Kc, every farmer knows that work in the field will never be easy. Crops would bend under the storms, the sun burns too long, and prices of rice sometimes fall too low. Yet, the fields are never left barren for long.
Even after loss, between land and hands, between seasons and souls, the land is turned again, seeds would be pressed gently into place again, and the waiting begins anew.
Farming stands tall where strength is quiet and faith runs deep. It is a commitment that does not rely on comfort, but on an unspoken bond .
Growing Gold
And within each harvested grain tells a story of endurance — a testament that real gold does not glitter in vaults or coins, it shines because it is surrounded by the soils that gives and in the people who never stop believing in its power to give again.
While rain may wash away roads and dirt the shoes but in the fields, it builds life. Beneath the mud, gold emerges softly, steadily, and always in season.
And so, when the rain falls, they rise — carrying not just the hope of their families, but the promise that as long as there is rain, there will be life.
BY THE NUMBERS
Isabela’s average rainfall:
1,800–2,000
mm per year
Climate-Data.org,
by: MISSY NATASHA GALANG
10 pesos. That is the price per kilo from buyer to the farmer. With fear in his eyes, worried that when he held his palay for too long the price may hit rock-bottom, Tatay Elo, a farmer in Isabela, agreed.
It might look like the price per kilo of rice grains were actually not that high, considering how small Tatay Elo earned from selling his palay; but behind all of that, there is still a lot going on.
Before the grains became rice, it first went through a plenty of hands; the agents, traders, and millers, and then to the consumer. It may look like a simple quality-monitoring system, yet it makes so much difference.
The Agent’s Pricing
The agents are the ones communicating with the farmers regarding the pricing of their palay. They can be called the “game changers” because of their privilege to decide about the price of it. They are the ones inspecting the harvest, validating the quality of the palay.
When the climate is inclement and the rainy season starts, where the country struggles with multiple typhoons, the quality of the grains diminish and the price declines. Therefore, making it a factor on the low pricing of agents. Agent’s pricing may also vary depending on the supply of the farmer and the demands of the consumers. This sector most of the time
is known to cheat on their customers. They are often hired by traders and millers to work for them. But sometimes, they do things by themselves.
Traders’ Deal
This sector often gets the lowest income. They can buy directly from the farmer but they are the most vulnerable to bankruptcy.
According to a study by the International Journal of Accounting Finance and Education in Laguna State Polytechnic University, there is a lot of competition when it comes to trading so the traders are forced to just lower their prices.
Consumers’ Harvests
According to the Department of Agriculture (DA), in Isabela, one of the major rice producers in Region 2, fresh palay is currently priced as low as 11 pesos per kilogram, while the regular milled rice is ranging from 43 up to 50 pesos.
Tatay Elo just bought 55 pesos worth of 1kg milled rice for his family, an equivalent of 5 kilograms of palay he sold for only 11 pesos; palay he has worked hard, put in effort and time. “Ganito po ata talaga sa Pilipinas. Hindi patas mga ng nangyayari,” he expressed. 55 pesos. That is the price of the rice that Tatay Elon bought. The rise of price from palay to grains has not only doubled, nor tripled, he bought four times the money he earned. Because he needed it, he agreed.
He sold his hard-earned palay for ₱11 a kilo—then bought rice for ₱55 just to feed his family. “
Page illustrated by: YZ-RA PAJARILLO
BREAKING CIRCUITS
Zyrine's journey in the Man's Field
In the deepest and untouched corner of the room, there lies Dustin. He sits there every day feeling lonely and bored.
No one notices him. He is so fed up with being alone. He likes to mess with things around him making it untidy and unclean.
Then a day comes, the corner becomes bare and the sun hits exactly at that space. Dustin is nowhere to be
On the same day, the ground trembles and crumbles from the loud shouts of the students in Aurora Senior High School (ASHS). It is finally Monday, the day of announcing the dirtiest area in the school premises.
According to the Supreme Secondary Learner Government (SSLG) of ASHS, search for the dirtiest area is an initiative of the school administration that identifies classrooms observed to be consistently untidy or unclean. This aims to encourage as well as to discipline students to practice cleanliness and orderliness of the school at all times.
Based on the records of SSLG, this type of change is not new, in 2018, the award was also renamed from cleanest classroom award into model class which is up until this year, when it was rebranded once again, but with a bit of twist—dirtiest classroom.
This sudden change from the previous model class award to dirtiest classroom made it hard for the students to adjust. "Dati po kasali kami sa model class pero ngayon naging top 5 na kami sa dirtiest area," said by the student whose section was announced to be one of the dirtiest areas.
This scenario shows that discipline comes from the students themselves. In line with this, the search for the dirtiest classroom aims to instill discipline to students in a stricter approach.
"Beep!" Heard by many students. Picking the trash in the dustbin, Dustin was there. He was finally removed from the corners of the classroom. Now, the room is free from dust.
In the deepest and untouched corner of the room, there lies dust. But because of the initiative, Dustin is in the dustbin.
Electricity flows through every corner, unseen yet powerful and within that flow, one uncommon spark stands out, hands steady in a field shaped mostly by boys.
At Aurora Senior High School (ASHS) that spark belongs to Zyrine Acoba from 11-Wrench, the only girl in Electrical Installation and Maintenance, Mutya ng Section E as some students says.
What began as curiosity grew into passion, until it became the current she chose to follow.
"Noong nasa Junior High School palang ako, Electrical Installation and Maintenance na talaga ang kinuha ko, kase na eenjoy ko talaga siya, kaya napagisipan ko na ring ipagpatuloy ngayon" Zyrine says.
Electrical Installation and Maintenance (EIM) is one of the electives offered through the new strengthened curriculum. It is a course that trains students to install, inspect, and repair electrical systems skills.
Gender related challenges in learning technical courses, often soar high through the horizon of profession, limiting females from achieving their full potential and forcing them to fit into the mold set by countless social expectations.
In both the field and the classroom,
Zyrine learned that patience was more than a requirement but it was the key to handling wires, tasks, and even people.
Being the only girl in Electrical Inspection and Maintenance was never simple. There were days of discomfort, when the tasks felt more static than smooth.
"Minsan medyo panget at mahirap sila pakisamahan kase nga mga lalake sila at alam nila yon kase palagi ko sinasabi sakanila," she admits, though in the end her steady effort spoke the loudest.
At first, Zyrine found it hard to fit in, but with her steady effort the current slowly shifted. Everyday she attended class and performed like the others, not letting the wired expectations that girls are not fit to do hard labor cut through her sparking energy.
As the days go by Zyrine slowly rewired expectations with her steady hands, her persistence and consistency humming through the ears of her classmates
Electricity may flow quietly in the background, but its power is undeniable just like Zyrine Acoba of 11-Wrench. In a field shaped mostly by boys, she stands as that uncommon spark, proving that courage and persistence can light the way for others to follow and go against the current.
year's assessment saw a 7% decline in frustration readers from last year's 700 frustrated-students. According to Capellan, it's because of the students realizing that the assessment should also be taken seriously.
ngayong year alam
by: MISSY NATASHA GALANG
In everyday war, pen is a weapon the students of Aurora Senior High School (ASHS) can be seen carrying around, in their pockets, or hanging on their clothes; seemingly ready to take the battle. But this time, the battle was not taken seriously.
“Siyempre
na nila na hindi dapat
by: MISSY NATASHA GALANG
Photo taken by: MARIA CRISTINA SADIAN
Illustrated by:
by: CHARLENE HERNANDEZ
“Tiktilaok! Tiktilaok!” Roosters call the morning as sunlight spills across the town of Aurora, streets wake slowly with the sun, yet the rhythm of helping hands is already at work.
Ammuyo an illocano term for Bayanihan is not about grand gestures, it is about the quiet ways people show up for one another. In the swept streets of Aurora, Isabela the scent of gardens tended, fills the air reminding each passing individual of the lingering warmth of ammuyo.
In the small community of Divisoria, that spirit of ammuyo is alive in every corner. Neighbors lend a hand without being asked, and streets hum with movement, a rhythm of ammuyo orchestrated by its people.
Every weekend, Harriet Marisse Lagayan a student from Aurora Senior High School joins her neighbors to sweep the streets and clear corners where grass lingers.
"Sa weekends po, kami ay nagtutulungan para sa paglilinis ng kalsada namin without any kapalit at very fulfilling naman siya dahil nakikita ko ang pagkakaisa ng bawat mamamayan," Harriet Lagayan, a 16-year-old student of Aurora Senior High School that lives in Divisoria Aurora says with a wide smile and sparkling eyes. When weeds stand taller than the crops, countless kind and restless hand
appears in the wide field of vegetables and tobacco, standing tall as they bend down ready to lend a hand without asking for anything. And when the time where the helping hand is need of help, its kindness returns as everyone comes together, blooming with unity and igniting the spirit of bayanihan.
During a kasal or binyag Harriet sees that everyone bursts into motion, chairs clatter, tables are arranged, and the aroma of Igado drifts through the whole area, rich and inviting. Steam rises as neighbors stir, taste, and share. Around the fire, every hand count, and every smile matters. In that warmth, the heart of Divisoria quietly shines.
Divisoria is not the only place where bayanihan ignites, across the baranggays in Aurora, a hum of unity can also be heard, serving as proof that even when the night arrives the spirit of ammuyo continues to linger at Aurora, Isabela.
And just like Harriet they learn more than recipes but also the rhythm of care, the meaning of community, and the warmth of ammuyo that fills their home, standing as an example that even when a day’s work is slow, its meaning will always stay.
“Tiktilaok! Tiktilaok!” The morning may rest, but the streets of Aurora still hum with the rhythm of helping hands, carrying the heartbeat of the town, alive and unbroken in Ammuyo.
When the Spotlight Shifts
How devices silence moments
by: CHARLENE HERNANDEZ
Countless breeze of voices and laughter fills the stage, yet the glow of a phone slices through it all, drawing countless eyes downward as words hang in the air, unfinished and forgotten.
The quiet glow of screens casts shadows across the stage, leaving connection only half-alive, laughter and words never fully landing where they belong.
A Missed Line
Phubbing comes from the words “phone” and “snubbing.” It is the act of ignoring someone nearby to focus on a screen.
In the Philippines, that screen dominates the stage. According to a We Are Socials Report, Filipinos spend an average of 8 hours and 52 minutes online per day.
“Minsan kung kinakausap ko mga kaibigan at family feel ko nakikiusap ako sa pader kase masyado sila focused sa phone nila,” Roi Czar, a 16-yearold student from Aurora Senior High School says while scratching his hair. The Stage Disrupted
A survey by Telenor Asia shows that 86% of Filipinos spend at least half their day on their mobile devices, a habit that often spills into schoolwork and group activities.
"Nakikita ko din ito pag nag grogroupings kami, minsan yung iba mas pinipili nilang mag selpon kaysa tumulong, nagagawa ko din eto minsan pag may family events kami at nabobored or ayaw ko maki pag socialize," Roi Czar remarks, for him, the phone feels more of a wall for what should be a moment of teamwork and genuine connection.
The quiet of those distracted moments echos in his mind, making him wonder how easily real connection is traded for the pull of a glowing device.
" Sana pag bonding o mag sasama sama bawasan ang cellphone including me syempre kase mas maganda pag maingay at puno ng chismis ang usapan," Czar says, silently longing for a stage where voices shine and every presence is fully seen, not just observed. The Final Curtain
When a breeze carries discipline and respect that stands taller than the blinding light of phones, words land where they truly belong. Every movement, every voice, every presence shaping a performance where nothing is lost and all gestures are felt.
THE NUMBERS
sci-tech
A Gentle Start
The first time I tried rice coffee during our “Dakwes Squad Day”, I didn’t know what to expect. As the grains roasted on the pan, a faint crackle began to fill the air, followed by a smell that was strangely nostalgic — like sun-dried rice fields after a rain. When we finally poured water over the grains and as it boils, the liquid turned amber,
Science and Research Technology, rice coffee naturally reduces caffeine, making it a great choice for those who want to avoid the sleeplessness or anxiety that caffeine sometimes brings. Instead of giving a burst of energy, based on LPU-Laguna Journal of Arts and Sciences, rice coffee gives a steady release of energy through carbohydrates — nutrients that fuel the body more gradually. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) also gives insights that roasting the rice increases its antioxidant content, which may help
Another reason to love rice coffee is its sustainability. It makes use of local grains — from white and brown rice to the more vibrant black and red varieties grown in community farms across the Philippines. By doing so, each cup then will not only create a unique beverage but would also help local farmers to earn more and reduce food waste. A
Today, as the taste of rice coffee stays in my tongue, I hope it finds its way back home to Filipino households — not because of nostalgia alone, but through choice. Because the coffee offers warmth without the rush of caffeine, comfort without crash, and flavor that taste like Now, every sip feels like coming back— to slower mornings, to simpler times, to the warmth of something that is truly ours. From grains to brew, the coffee isn’t just a drink; it’s tells a story of renewal
Growing Solutions
by: RENDELLE AGAS
Aurora Senior High School is placed peacefully near the Malacopa River, but when heavy rain pours, that same river can turn wild. Floodwater reached school grounds, forcing classes to stop and students to head home early. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) works hard to build walls, dikes, and drainage systems to control floods like this. These gray structures look impressive and modern, but they are not always the perfect fix since many were flagged as substandard, as highlighted by the recent flood control issue.
Just across the river lies a promising proposal; the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) believes in a greener approach. Instead of filling the land with more concrete, Secretary Raphael Perpetuo Lotilla encourages everyone to fill it with trees. It may sound simple, but this natural strategy is backed by science and can make a big difference, especially for schools like Aurora Senior High (ASHS).
Nature’s Secret Engineering
Imagine the riverbank as a hardworking student and the trees as its study partners. The trees do the heavy lifting. Their roots hold the soil firmly, keeping it from sliding away. Their leaves act like umbrellas, softening the impact of raindrops. The forest floor becomes a sponge that absorbs extra water, slowing down floods before they reach homes and classrooms.
Concrete flood walls, in comparison, are like short-term homework answers, as they work for a while but need constant fixing. Once cracks appear, or debris blocks the drainage, the problem returns. Trees, however, improve over time. They grow taller, stronger, and even more helpful the longer they stand. That is nature’s way of teaching us patience and resilience.
Lessons Beyond the Classroom
For ASHSians like Rain Eugene Abad, students can help address the flood control issues through volunteering in tree planting activities. Adding that when students plant trees, they are not just learning about photosynthesis or ecosystems. “Tree planting requires careful consideration of several factors to ensure the success of both the planted trees and the surrounding ecosystem," Rain stated, discovering how teamwork, care, and consistency can build something lasting. Tree planting projects in school also make learning fun and purposeful. Students get their hands in the soil, breathe fresh air, and witness how a single seedling can grow into protection for their community. Over time, these activities remind everyone that science is not only about numbers and formulas, but it is also about action and care.
Investing in Green Intelligence
If some of the funds used for concrete flood projects were given to the DENR, schools like AHSH could become partners in local reforestation. Imagine students tracking the growth of trees, collecting data, and turning their results into class reports or research projects. Each tree planted would not just stand for flood protection but also represent learning, creativity, and civic This approach would also show students that science and nature are not enemies. They can work together beautifully. When trees protect rivers, they protect schools too. When students take part, they become both learners and protectors
DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon aims for progress through infrastructure, while Secretary Raphael Lotilla envisions sustainability through nature. When their goals meet halfway, the result could be a balance between For ASHS and students like Rain, that balance begins right beside the river. Every tree planted by a student is a small but powerful act of protection. It is also a reminder that sometimes the best solution is not found in cement or Floods may come and go, but a generation that understands the value of trees will always stand strong. ASHS students have the chance to prove that learning, caring, and planting can make a difference, one tree, one lesson, and one
unnoticed, yet alive as I perform. I am the bacterium that moves through floodwaters and calls the open wounds my home. As each storm gives me life—flu, fever, chills and muscle pain are the things you need to survive. I have lived in silence until I was discovered in an era where they echo my name: Leptospira
I am from the traces of animals, carried through the urine that dances in the flood. I look harmless at first glance as I swim alongside water—but know that the distance of your skin and I was getting
and open wounds, leading to kidney failure, lung hemorrhage, or death
It shows the Philippines’ ongoing struggle with poor drainage systems and the long-promised flood control projects—but the truth behind those appeared like a ghost, haunting people. As communities wait for solutions, the water keeps rising—drowning them with the danger that comes along with it. Years and this has remained a quiet battle, until science finally listened to my beating heart. Opening the Box
I discovered that I am no longer alone in the dark. Their eyes have the CFI level in the blood rises—acting like a signal. When the kidneys also get damaged, their body raises DEFA levels—as if exposing me. Finally Caught Up For years, the Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT) was the standard way to track me. But then they realize it is costly and often unavailable in hospitals. Now, with the help of quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), this new test detects the road I take much faster, as people are now keeping pace alongside the floods that cause disaster.
This development isn't just detection, but foresight. It is a way
Every morning the familiar scent of brewed or 3-in-1 coffee often marks the start of a busy morning. But back in the day, another scent once did. a gentler and earthier smell. Something deeply rooted in Filipino Tradition. tit did not come from beans, but from grains: rice, roasted and brewed into a warm, comforting cup known as rice coffee.
by: RENDELLE AGAS
Photo taken by: DESIRENE MARLGEF MARTIN
Flawed Campaign
Each time we learn of new campaigns to plant more trees, the message is the same: “Plant more trees to save the planet.” It is a message of hope and alarm. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) recently rolled out its hopeful Forests for Life: 5M Trees by 2028 campaign. Despite this great campaign, it lays the ground for flaws that these types of projects face. They collapse the very moment the planting is done, and the fate of these seeds is indefinite.
Most of these tree-planting initiatives do not survive the photo ops, as not all of them are planted properly or monitored throughout their growth period. In a 2022 report by the World Resources Institute, it was found that up to 90% of the trees that are planted in mass campaigns do not survive the first five years because of poor care and failure to undertake follow-up maintenance.
The Reality on the Ground
Take, for instance, the experience of Azlee B. Timoteo, a Grade 12 student from Aurora Senior High School. She was part of one of these activities and had this to say: “Okay naman yung activity na yun, kaso parang hindi
sila ganun ka prepared.” There were no shovels, no watering cans, and no proper equipment. How can volunteers plant trees effectively without the essentials?
Another problem was transportation. Few cars brought volunteers to the site, and they were packed and uncomfortable. Even fewer cars brought them back. Individuals had to squish in and wait longer. Following bodily labor in the sun, a crowded ride home does little to motivate volunteers to come back.
The worst part is that not all of the seedlings were planted. Some were left abandoned and scattered on the ground, being exposed to the sun. When this was pointed out by volunteers, one of the organizers said, “Iwan niyo na lang yan diyan, alis na tayo.” Just like that, seedlings to be grown into forests of the future were abandoned to perish.
More Than Just a Photo Op
Planting trees for show is simply pretending to fix the problem. This isn’t just careless; it’s wasteful. These seedlings weren’t staging props for a single event because they were supposed to be the roots of long-term change. Keeping a tree alive and making it prosper is not as simple as planting it. Without repeated visits and proper
care, most trees will not live outside of planting days. So, what’s the use in promising millions of trees if most don’t make it past a few weeks? A Call for Real Change
This is not a singular incident. Such tales happen all over the country. But all that we hear about are high figures and lofty goals. How many of those 5 million trees will be alive in years to come? How many villages will actually experience the gains of these initiatives?
If the government wishes for genuine environmental change, it needs to do more than release press statements and pose for photos. Genuine reforestation requires adequate planning, appropriate equipment, and sustained surveillance. Residents shouldn’t be asked to plant trees — they should be empowered to nurture them. When we neglect to care for the trees we plant, we are still neglecting our environment, our citizens, and our future.
I live beneath the inner workings under your feet, far longer than you can ever imagine.
I was here before your roads, towers, and cities—I move in silence most days, keeping still as roots dig into me, as rivers carve through my skin. But every so often, I let you know—I'm still here. And when I do, I set tremors that tremble the masterpieces of the human hand.
You may think of me as destruction, but I am more than that. I am a memory, a movement, and the voice of the Earth remembering itself. The Grumbles of Isabela In Isabela, I speak in whispers.
I’ve reached out in the last few months—some small, most are never even felt. Most recently, I grumbled with a magnitude of 4.5 in the vicinity of Maconacon, Isabela. Scientists at PHIVOLCS know these are my breaths, some quiet but consistent. I move along the Philippine Fault Zone, that long wound across your islands, shifting so you might remember—I am still very much alive.
The Summer Capital Remembers Up in Baguio, my memories run deep. I still remember the year 1990—the day I roared loud enough to shake the mountains. You called it the Luzon earthquake, magnitude 7.8. I remember your fear, the dust, and the silence after the When the wind weaves through the pines, people remember that day. They say I never sleep—and they are right. I simply do not. I only rest, wait, and listen.
Draw a line from Baguio to Davao, and you trace my spine—you may perceive it as a coincidence, but it's called the Philippine Fault Zone, a scar over 1,200 kilometers long. I am that scar. I am that line. My movements from the north and south are one heartbeat, one conversation between the sea and the sky. The Ground’s Memory I remember everything—every quake, every silence that followed.
You build your cities on my back and call them permanent, but nothing here truly is. Beneath Metro Manila, I sleep under the West Valley Fault, existing quietly since 1658. Scientists warn that one day, I will rise again. You call it The Big One. I call it a release long overdue.
BY THE NUMBERS
2025 (as of August 10)
4,859
reported cases of leptospirosis have been recorded since the start of the rainy season, the Department of Health (DOH) reported
source: Inquirer.net
Cebu’s Night of Tremors Then came Cebu—the night I broke my silence beneath the depths of the Visayan Sea.
A 6.9 magnitude pulse, rolling through Bogo City. A total of sixty-nine souls lost, countless more scarred. To scientists, I was data on a fault line discovered. To the people, I was the unforgettable night when the ground spoke without warning.
I never meant to harm—only to remind. The energy I hold must move, or it will tear deeper. You see, I am bound by nature’s rhythm, not by your calendars.
When Davao Shook Twice In October 2025, I groaned twice in one day—first a 7.4, then a 6.8.
The land rolled like waves, and you ran into the streets, clutching one another. I saw the fear in your eyes—the helplessness of those who forget that the Earth is alive.
Predators are not only found in freshwater rivers, ponds, and marshes, for they are also found disguised as humans with their greedy golden jaws, like luxurious reptiles.
As the fish in a river peacefully swims in its calm flowing currents, predators with bright green reptilian skin and elongated jaws swiftly snatches the fish with its sharp teeth — the crocodiles. They are commonly seen as greedy.
The Nation’s Spine From Luzon’s mountains to Mindanao’s shores, I run through your islands like a pulse. You think of me as separate—Baguio, Cebu, Davao—but I am one. One body. One breath. One trembling spine beneath your feet. When I move, I do not choose when and where. I simply continue the work that began long before you even took your first breath—shaping valleys, raising mountains, reminding life to adapt. Listening, Not Fearing You fear me, and I understand. But listen closely—I am not your enemy. Every shake is a warning, yes—but can also serve as a lesson. Build stronger. Prepare better. Respect the ground that holds you. I do not destroy out of cruelty. I move because I am alive. When I Move Again Someday, I will rise once more. Maybe in the north, maybe in the south, or in between. Maybe even beneath your city or town as you sleep. When that day comes, do not meet me with panic. Meet me with understanding.
Beneath every home, every prayer, and every dream, I am here—ancient, powerful, and breathing. I am the planet where life thrives—the Earth. And when I move, I hope you listen. For I am not the end of your story. I am the reminder that you live in mine.
as stated by the Kenya Wildlife Service. While they are opportunistic predators that will eat when food is available, they are not constantly on the look out for food and can survive for long periods between meals through storing fat and using energy efficiently.
Beneficial Jaws Crocodiles provide numerous advantages to the ecosystem such as maintaining ecosystem balance, regulating prey populations, and creating habitats.
Unfortunate Extinction
river slowly regain their population, innocent crocodiles in zoos are used as the symbol for the malicious greedy acts of crocodiles in suits. On the extinction of real crocodiles, the opposite occurs for the human crocodiles, for they are the ones increasing.
Science portrays crocodiles as opportunistic predators, not greedy — merely sleeping innocently, while the greedy deeds of humans are reflected to them, who they consider greedy.
Now, crocodiles are not only found in freshwater by:
VINZ SPENCER HAO
by: JOE DARYLL BLANZA
RYLLuminate
Illustrated by: REI SAGAYSAY, GAB VINOYA
Illustrated by: Yz-ra Pajarillo
sci-tech
COLD VS FLU
The skin is like a canvas painted by life’s touch, the sun, air, and time layers it with tones and textures, each line adding depth to its portrait.
But sometimes, strokes that were never part of the design appear. They rise on the surface, small at first, but enough to alter how the picture is
What Paints the Flare When the pores are clogged an unwanted mark draws itself on the canvas. Acne appears when oil and dead skin are piled up like thick paint
And with the scorching climate and polluted air in the Philippines, acne often thrives with sweat, oil, and dust merging to clog the pores, leaving stains on the
"Genetics play a big role sa pag kakaroon ng acne, pag nakikita mong merong mga scars from previous acne yung mga magulang mo most likely mapapass down eto sa offspring " Dra. Teresita Ramirez Razon, a derma consultant from Aurora, Isabela says as she talks about the common causes of acne in teens.
During puberty, stressful schoolwork, or monthly cycles, the skin produces extra oil that fuels more breakouts leaving the canvas of the skin carrying even more unwanted strokes.
affects the canvas of their daily confidence.
According to a study by the Philippine Dermatological Society in Valenzuela City, 81.73% of high school students had acne, with diet, stress, and cosmetics often to blame.
The Triangle of Death
Some spots on the face are more delicate than the others, the area between the corners of the mouth and the nose, called the t zone, is like the heart of a canvas, where even small pimples can leave noticeable marks.
In this zone, veins beneath the canvas move like hidden channels, carrying infections and scattering risks that make even the smallest stroke significant.
"Palagi kong sinasabi sa mga patients ko na less is more, wag masyado mag lagay ng kahit ano ano mas lalo na kung prone talaga sa acne at dapat iwasan din ang pag self medicate dahil maaring mas lumala eto,"
Dra. Teresita Ramirez Razon adds, proving that with slow and careful care the skin could gradually repaint itself and regain its soft, smooth texture.
Restoring the Canvas Young or old the skin of Filipinos carry tiny reminders of acne, coloring their everyday life, molding confidence and sketching impressions that go beyond
SYMPTOMPS
source: centers for disease control and prevention
Every brush of the teeth is like striking a match, small, ordinary, and almost unnoticed. Yet in that spark lies a hidden fire that can grow into flames
Dr. Mary Ann Jacinto Dalauidao, 47 years old and a dentist of 24 years from Aurora Isabela, has watched these sparks
“Doctor, is it true that your brushing pattern could be linked to the condition of your heart?" a student curiously says.
“Yes, taking care of your teeth also helps your heart, Bacteria from tooth decay can travel through the blood and reach the heart, which may lead to heart problems,” Dr Dalauidao explains.
According to Dr. Aviv Ouanounou, a dentist at the University of
by: VINZ SPENCER HAO
Toronto Faculty of Dentistry, research has shown that bacteria from common oral infection have been found in blockages of the heart arteries.
Bacteria from tooth decay can slip into the bloodstream, like sparks carried by the wind. Once inside, they set off flames within the heart.
When left unnoticed this hidden fire can burn the arteries, squeezing the body's lifeline until the heart struggles to breathe.
But there is hope research shared by ScienceDaily shows that brushing three times a day lowers the risk of heart failure by 12% and irregular heartbeat by 10%, a small spark of protection within reach.
What once seemed small, ordinary, and almost unnoticed is what Dr. Dalauidao reminds her patients about every day. Each brush is a simple act, yet powerful enough to guard both smile and the heart.
If a brush can spark protection, then neglect can just as quickly set the heart in flames.
internet for more information about E-bikes.
E - Bike is a part of a group of E-vehicles (EVs) that can be powered by an electric motor that draws electricity from a battery and is capable of being charged from an external source.Swift
According to the Build Your Dreams (BYD) Cars Philippines, EVs can help improve fuel economy by lowering fuel costs and reducing carbon emissions. Using electricity as a power source for transportation improves public health and the environment, provides safety benefits, and contributes to a resilient transportation system.
A 5% share of electric vehicles reduced nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations by 52%, as stated by the Institute of Atmospheric Pollution Stenching Snail
Despite the fragrantly swift benefits of EVs, Clark learned that it offers various disadvantages such as high initial purchase price, long charging time, limited
Clark fell into a puzzled state upon learning the pros and cons of EVs.
"Innovations always have room for margin of errors", Clark stated, as he realized that the current technology offered by innovators will keep improving as time passes and will eventually make a significant impact towards addressing pollution.
As the fragrant benefits of EVs bloom with dignity, Clark wore a hopeful expression. He dreams of a world where EVs reach a state of advancement capable of fully addressing both the needs of humans and earth at the same time.
HERNANDEZ
by: CHARLENE HERNANDEZ
Learners
Experienced Flu-like Symptoms
Photo taken by: ALLYAH VILLATUYA
Photo taken by: ROD VINCENT GALIZA
by: RENDELLE AGAS
Nestled in a small, quiet corner of Aurora Senior High School, lies a luscious patch of land that serves as a growing space under the early morning sun. A learning area where pen and paper are replaced by shovels and soil. The Organic agriculture production (OAP) learners of Grade 12-Bobcat
serving as a biocontrol agent against insect and pests; and ·serves as a plant growth promoter.
·Reducing effect of insects and pest by using organic methods. Guided Growth
ACHIEVEMENT SURGE
ASHS marks five year reign in Sci-fair 2025
by: AZLENNE TIMOTEO
Aurora Senior High School (ASHS) reaffirms its excellence in the field of science after clinching a podium finish in the recently held Division Science and Technology Fair (Sci-Fair), marking their fifth year of dominance.
With a total of 5 delegates participating in the different categories of the said event, ASHS brought home two first placers, three second placers, and one third placer
ASHS secured the RSTF tickets after winning the championship through Andrea Joe Bersamira in the Robotics and Intelligence Machine, and Joe Daryll Blanza in the Science Innovation Expo.
The winning-streak, according to Bryan Concepcion, one of the coaches, became possible through the consistent support of the school’s research programs, the Local Government Unit of Aurora, and the parents and stakeholders.
Meanwhile, ASHS’ Life Science Team will also move forward to the regional level as they received the second spot through Fritzy Lheia Ballad, Nicole Parangan and Meryline Cauguiran.
ASHS also won the second place award in the Physical Science Team through Jamie Miel Lamug, Stefanie Ann Sario and James Aquino, and Individual Mathematics and Computational Science through Gerald Del Rosario.
However, the Science Innovation Expo Team Category through Angel Infante, Pia Mona Bumanglag and Lyza Orifon did not make it to the final cut as they earned the third spot.
“Sobrang unexpected po na makakapasok yung study ko sa RSTF and excited at the same time kase I have the chance to represent my school.” Joe Daryll Blanza, one of the participants said. “Full-time na po kami ngayon sa pag-aayos ng papers namin kasi goal po namin ang manalo.”
“We are hoping and praying that all the entries will make it to the final cut,” Concepcion noted.
by: VINZ SPENCER HAO
Intellect is not only found at the bosom of the human mind. It is also found within a swiftly zooming aerial device.
The sunny breeze of barangay Kalabaza, Aurora, Isabela hailed a bright day for Darius Abad, 45, as if pulling him to grab his sprayer filled with seemingly harmless insecticides and head to his precious calamansihan (calamansi farm).
Little did he know that he puts himself at risk of contributing to the 190,000 cancer patients in the Philippines due to his frequent exposure to the toxic insecticides, as stated by the Philippine Society
With this concern, the Department of Agriculture (DA) Regional Field Office No. 02 in tandem with the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Cauayan City, Isabela and New Hope Corporation presented a modern way of controlling rice pests to farmers and agricultural extension workers in a flight demo of the futuristic drone sprayer.
A drone sprayer is a human controlled aerial device that applies agricultural chemicals to crops. With the use of this drone, farmers can effectively control pests in their farms. It can also be used in other crops such as corn, calamansi, and tobacco.
According to the SunStar Philippines, the drone used in the drone sprayer can reach speeds that can cover a one-hectare land in
just under 10 minutes. In addition, one to two gallons of insecticide (four to 8 liters) per acre (2/5 of a hectare). This shows that lesser insecticides are used in drones compared to the traditional met spraying.
Fueled by curiosity, Darius contacted the New Hope Corporation to purchase a drone to test it on his glowing jade calamansihan the drone arrived at his home, he immediately went to his farm. A few tries later, he identified various benefits of the drone and these include efficiency, sustainability, and lesser risks of contracting cancer.
Chemical Error
Despite the vibrant benefits of drone sprayers, Darius noticed several flaws of the innovative drone sprayer which are, its expensive price ranging from 500,000 to one million Philippine Pesos and not portable, transporting the drone requires a van just to transport it. Additionally, disadvantages such as its sensitivity to the weather and lack of further research, affects its performance required standardized within the local farmers community.
“Safety in exchange for a dime”, Darius said with an uncertain expression, as he realized that the safety of farmers from the cell deteriorating properties of insecticides require a large amount money in return. He hopes that in the near future, humans will be able to find a way where every hardworking farmer, rich or poor, is able to use and witness the breathtaking features of the aerial intelle Intellect is not only found at the bosom of the human mind. It is also found within the zooming safe presence of the drone spraye
Photo taken by: MARIA CRISTINA SADIAN
Photo taken by: CRISTA SOUKI DUMLAO
BURNING BENEFITS. Aurora Senior High School's (ASHS) Technical Vocational Livelihood (TVL) students burns leftover rice husk with fertilizer to produce Carbonized Rice Hull (CRH) as their alternative product to harsh chemicals, Sep 16.
FIVE STREAK OF BRILLIANCE. Aurora Senior High School (ASHS) secures podium finish in the 2025 Division Science and Technology Fair held at Doña Aurora National High School last October 24, marking it's 5th year of dominance in the field of science.
reBELLE
sports
Sports Deserve a Seat in the Curriculum
by: FELLERITA ANNABELLE ACUPIDO
Oftentimes, sports in schools are treated like recess – little to no significance, existing for mere pastime or break from academics, optional, and considered secondary to “real” learning – when they deserve to be treated like a subject.
In public schools alone, certain problems regarding sports are noticeable, and alarming to both the physical and well-being of student-athletes.
This includes the inconsistent programs executed, lack of trained coaches or Physical Education (P.E.) teachers to guide athletes, and uneven access to sports equipment.
For many students, the court is where they learn about discipline, resilience, and how to rise after they fall, but school programs remain inconsistent, underfunded, and unevenly implemented.
Because of this, the system feels like it is playing favoritism, portraying inequality treatment and inequity, and, when acted upon far too late, unwanted accidents and burnouts happen to their players.
Some schools have trained coaches and proper facilities while others make use of borrowed balls and broken whistles.
Student-athletes juggle their trainings and academics often without system support that recognize the dual roles they carry – a much challenging game they are required to play.
The Enhanced Basic Education Act (R.A. 10533) and newly published DepEd Order No. 022, s. 2025 outlining the policy guidelines for the institutionalization of School Sports Clubs (SSCs) in public schools promises learner-centered education that shouldn’t be a privilege reserved for well-funded schools.
We build courts, but forget to build systems that protect, empower, and recognize student-athletes.
Sports teach more than physical skills — they teach leadership, teamwork, mental toughness that no textbook can replicate, foster community pride, reduce dropout rates, and promote health equity — it teaches us values that extend beyond the court.
Yet many Physical Education classes are reduced to warm-ups and attendance, with no real investment in talent or growth.
If we want champions, we must first build environments that nurture performance and not just demand it, which means allocating sports budgets, training certified coaches, and integrating athletics into academic support systems.
It means treating sports as a pillar of education, not a weekend hobby or a sideline spectacle or just a game.
A student juggling books, a game, and a broken whistle isn’t just a cartoon — it’s a reality we’ve ignored for far too long.
Institutionalizing sports in DepEd isn’t just about medals — it’s about equity, and empowerment so let’s stop treating
WHERE THE GAME
BEGAN. John Louise
De Jesus (left) and Precious Lhyn
Zalun(right), chess players from Aurora Senior High School, aim to win for their school. According to the athletes they became hooked on the sport out of curiosity and amazement.
Victory's Soon to
Rise
by: FELLERITA ANNABELLE ACUPIDO
Victor was born in a gym — a place where the squeak of sneakers and the echo of whistles gave him life. He was built from blocks, dives, and the kind of teamwork that doesn’t show up on stat sheets. Victor was never alone. He was every player who dared to dream, every fan who dared to believe.
And on September 18, 2025, Victor stood tall.
Alas Pilipinas faced Iran, ranked 16th in the world, in the knockout phase of the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship. It was a five-set thriller, and Victor didn’t flinch. He carried hope in his chest and stared down the net with resolve. The first set ended in triumph — 25–21. Victor smiled.
But the second set slipped away, 21–25. Iran adjusted and turned the tables. Victor hesitated. The ghost of missed chances crept in. In the third set, however, Victor roared back. The Philippines delivered a stunning 27–25 win. It was a beautiful moment. It was almost enough.
Then came the fourth. Victor fought alongside Alas Pilipinas in a tug-of-war between hope and heartbreak. Iran clawed back, taking the set 25–23. The fifth set wasn’t just a tiebreaker anymore — it was a reckoning.
With the score at 14–13, the Philippines reached match point. The crowd held its breath as the ball danced across the net. A clean attack landed. Cheers erupted. Victory was within reach.
But Iran challenged a net touch. The review was slow and agonizing. The call was successful. The point was reversed, momentum shattered, and the ghost returned.
The fifth set ended 22–20 in favor of Iran. The Philippines fell — not dramatically, not disgracefully, but in the kind of way that hurts more: by two points. Two tiny, traitorous points that echo inside the court and linger in dreams.
Victor couldn’t hold back his tears. He watched the people who built him — his teammates, his brothers — fall and break. The same people who brought him to life through their unity, teamwork, and shared dreams.
“Ang sakit,” said team captain Vince Mangulabnan. “We gave everything. But sometimes, everything still isn’t enough.”
“Parang multo talaga,” admitted middle blocker Kim Malabunga. “Nakikita mo, pero hindi mo mahawakan.”
And for volleyball fans watching from Aurora, the heartbreak was personal.
"Personally, as a volleyball fan, mas masakit pa sa talagang pagkatalo," shared
Aurora hoops squad shoots past Roxas to book ticket to IsPAA meet, 114-102
by: GIO LINTAO
Darylle Busto powered Aurora Senior High School representing Aurora District to a thrilling 114–102 victory over Roxas District in the Secondary Boys 5x5 Basketball Championship of the LD5 Meet 2025 held at the Luna Gymnasium, Luna, Isabela on October 12.
Aurora struggled early as Roxas’ fast-paced offense caught them off guard, but a crucial threepointer late in the first quarter helped close the gap, ending the period at 27–20 still in favor of Roxas.
In the second quarter, Aurora adjusted quickly, attacking the paint and forcing turnovers to regain control of the game.
Ephraim Acoba added energy off the bench, contributing key defensive stops and assists that helped Aurora build momentum.
By halftime, Aurora had taken command with their renewed rhythm, leading 59–50 after a strong scoring stretch.
Roxas pushed back in the third quarter,
Jonaed Abalos, a teacher from Aurora Senior High School, and longtime supporter of the sport. "Hindi sila talo, sadyang laro lang talaga, nambola yung bola."
Students who watched the match also shared their feelings about the game. "Masakit, nakakainis, nakakabitin, pero at the same time, nakaka-proud,” shared Joseph Brent L. Gonzales, a Grade 11 – Voltage student from ASHS. “Kasi, one point away na. Maganda yung momentum ng Pilipinas. Tapos biglang successful ang challenge ng Iran na net touch. Malaking game changer yung challenge nila. Pero, nakaka-proud pa rin kasi lumaban nang todo ang Philippine team hanggang sa dulo. Kahit natalo, makikita mo yung puso at determinasyon nila sa court.”
Even the fans weren't alone in their heartbreak. For volleyball players of ASHS – those who’ve felt the sting of a close loss – the pain was all too familiar. They knew exactly what it meant to fight for every point, only to watch the game slip away in a small mistake. Their empathy ran deep, not just as fans, but as athletes who’ve lived that kind of heartbreak themselves.
“Super sayang talaga kasi decision set pa 'yon and super dikit ng laban,” shared Kyle Lagasca, a volleyball player from ASHS’s Boys Team (12 - Polaris). “Kung hindi sana nangyari 'yon, may chance pa sana silang makahabol. But faith has other plans for them. Maybe hindi pa ngayon, pero malay natin sa susunod na taon makamit na nila ang pagkapanalo. But above all, malaking achievement pa rin para sa Alas na maka-apak sa podium kasi history 'yon sa ating bansa and still super proud ako sa kanila.”
“I feel proud parin sa PH,” added Lyka L. Baui from ASHS’s Girls Team (12 - Jobs ABM). “Despite sa nangyari na challenge successful ang Iran, nilaban parin nila hanggang kaya nila. Natalo man sila, but they still carry the heart of a champion.”
“Hindi man tayo nanalo, pero ramdam mo talaga ‘yung puso ng team,” said Mark Agustin, a volleyball player from ASHS’s Boys Team (11 - Locke). “‘Yung grit nila, ‘yung never-give-up attitude—nakakahawa. Nakaka-inspire.”
This wasn’t a story of failure. It was a story of fight.
Alas Pilipinas didn’t just play volleyball — they played with pride. They carried the weight of a nation that rarely sees its men’s team on the world stage. They played for the fans who stayed up past midnight, for the athletes who dream of wearing the jersey, and for Victor — who was with them every step of the way.
tightening their defense and cutting Aurora’s lead to just three points, 78–75.
Aurora remained composed, answering every Roxas basket with steady plays and controlled ball movement to protect their edge.
As the fourth quarter began, both teams traded baskets, thrilling the crowd as the score tied several times.
Midway through the final quarter, Aurora’s offense erupted again, hitting crucial shots to regain the lead, 103–99.
With the final seconds ticking away, Aurora sealed the match at 114–102, showing grit and determination until the end.
“Sa awa ng Ama, tinupad Niya ang aming dasal na manalo,” said Busto, the player of the game, expressing his joy after the hard-fought win.
The victory lifted the Aurora Boys 5x5 team to the LD5 crown and fueled their confidence as they prepare to represent their district in the upcoming ISPAA tournament.
Photo taken by: ROD VINCENT GALIZA
POINT OF VICTORY. Aurora Senior High School Men’s Basketball team debunks Roxas in the Legislative district 5 meet, at Luna Gymnasium, Luna, Isabela. The game ended with a score of 114102.
Photo taken by: ROD VINCENT GALIZA
The Rise of the Queen and the Legacy of the Tactician
FELLERITA ANNABELLE
the 2025 Municipal Athletic Meet
from
Zalun’s journey began in Grade 3 through a summer program called “Let’s P.L.A.Y.” which stands for “Promote Learning Activities for the Youth", where she first learned the basics of chess. She recalled being challenged by an elderly woman whose skill she couldn’t match. “That’s what made me continue playing the game,” she shared. “I hate having something I couldn’t do.”
Meanwhile, De Jesus found his spark at home. “Na-amazed ako sa laro ng papa ko,” he said. “Dahil sa mga achievements niya noon, nainspire ako magpatuloy.” His father’s matches became his foundation, and with guidance from peers like Enrique Abella and Jesley Bayaca, he began building how own path.
Both had represented their
with intent, driven by a desire to play with purpose. Her 5th grade teacher’s encouragement helped her believe in her potential, giving her the confidence to compete with heart.
De Jesus entered the Municipal Meet with excitement, ready to sharpen his skills. “Masaya,” he said, when asked what he felt during the game.
“Mas lalo ko na namang mahahasa yung talent ko sa paglalaro ng chess.”
But a last-minute rule change shifted the competition basis from blitz to standard, altering the outcome and leaving him disheartened.
Still, both players anchored themselves in reflection. Zalun promised to enjoy every moment and honor the essence of the sport. “Chess is a game of mind. It doesn’t mean you’re stupid if you lose,” she stated.
Their performances reflected far more than numbers. Zalun moved with intention, each decision shaped by years of quiet dedication. De Jesus placed not for glory, but for growth, each match a quiet chapter in a legacy still unfolding.
“Learn from your mistakes palagi, at mag-analyze pagkatapos ng game. Para next game, hindi mo na maulit pa yung mga pagkakamaling nagawa mo,” De Jesus shared. “It is not just a mere sport; it is an application to the real world. Always enjoy the game, and appreciate every bit of it!” Zalun shared. Two advises from players with one dream for those considering playing chess.
at
School (ASHS)
onto the
not just as competitors, but as storytellers of quiet persistence and personal growth. For Precious Lhyn C. Zalun and John Louise De Jesus, chess was more than a game. It was a mirror of who they were becoming. by:
Recognition is not a Popularity Contest
by: FELLERITA ANNABELLE ACUPIDO
In every school gym, there’s a moment when applause becomes a scoreboard. Not of skill, but of visibility. The loudest cheers often go to the most familiar faces, and sometimes, none to the most deserving ones.
We say we value effort and growth, but when it’s time to hand out medals or call names on stage, charisma often wins over character. Recognition, in too many schools, has become a popularity contest dressed as meritocracy. And the quiet achievers — the ones who lead without pictures, who shout for their teammates instead of themselves — are left celebrating from the sidelines.
Take Aljerick Jacinto, a midfielder whose voice echoes louder than his status. He’s not the fastest player, but he’s the one who commands the kick with strategy, heart, and a kind of help that doesn’t need a spotlight. “Gusto kong maalala nila yung pagsigaw-sigaw ko sa court,” he said, “para sa growth nila.” That’s not arrogance, it’s the voice of someone who cares. Jacinto once made a mistake that cost his team a tournament — an own goal that haunted him. But instead of being shamed, his teammates lifted him up. They told him to move forward, to redeem himself in the next match. That’s the kind of culture we should be recognizing and not just the wins, but also the resilience.
He admits he struggles in academics, but football became his classroom. It’s where he builds strategies, commands teammates, and discovers a kind of intelligence that doesn’t show up on report cards. Yet when awards are given, students like him are often overlooked because their brilliance doesn’t come with a fan base.
Recognition should be reflective, not reactive. It should honor the student who trains in silence, who mentors others, who leads from the middle, and not just the one who scores the final goal. It should surface the stories we don’t hear, the players we don’t notice, and the voices that shout not for fame, but for growth.
If we keep tying recognition to popularity, we teach students that applause matters more than impact. That being seen is more important than being passionate. And that’s not just unfair, it’s a failure of the very values we claim to uphold. So let’s rethink the way we recognize. Let’s reward the Aljerick Jacintos, those who shout for others, who rise after mistakes, who lead without needing to be liked. Because in the end, the truest champions aren’t always the ones with the loudest cheers.
They’re the ones who never stopped showing up because in the end, recognition was never about popularity.
All in One: No one wins ALONE
by:
Aurora Senior High School's school ground echoed with cheers, laughter, chants, and the rhythmic thud of feet as fifteen Grade 11 sections came together for a team contest entitled "Laro ng Lahi" as a way to turn traditional Filipino games into a living lesson on teamwork.
It began with a whistle. Not the kind that signals danger or dismissal, but the kind that says, "Ready or not, let the games begin."
Organized by the subject teachers of Life and Career Skills (LCS), the team contest was designed to promote traditional Filipino games while developing essential life skills, including teamwork, communication, problem-solving, and sportsmanship.
Chisel, Opal, Thales, Pythagoras, Lewis, Sapphire, Argon, Locke, Archimedes, Kepler, Neon, Beryllium, Voltage, Sanders, Marx, and Wrench stood shoulder to shoulder, sneakers half-tied while some played with their socks and some barefoot, and hearts fully committed.
The school ground was no longer just a school space. It quickly became a battlefield of bouncing sacks, tangled legs, and unspoken strategies. But the twist was, this game wasn't all just about winning. Sure, there were big points to earn. But beneath the touching body throws, and sack of race leaps, something else was unfolding — a quiet synergy and cooperation between the sections.
There were those students from Neon who were chanting, "Left! Right!" to help their team win in the Centipede Race. Beryllium and Argon moved like clockwork in the same game to not break their line. All other sections cheered for their respective teams to boost their confidence and help them win the games through their support.
When someone fell? A hand was offered before the dust even settled. The wounds and minor injuries they felt during the sack game felt bearable knowing their classmates were waiting at the end to help them get back up.
This wasn't just a contest. Across the games, collaboration emerged as the quiet champion. They
learned to listen without speaking, lead without dominating, and to trust each other's instincts and rhythm. Mistakes became moments of learning, and victories were celebrated as collective triumphs while those who lost found their strength in solidarity as they lifted each other with cheers and laughter.
"Laro ng Lahi is aligned with the subject 'Life and Career Skills,'" explained Novelyn G. Pastor, one of the event organizers. "It's a mix of Personal Development and PE. We wanted to preserve some traditional Filipino games while building teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills — including physical fitness."
Beverlyn S. Paraiso, also one of the event organizers, added, "It connects to our lesson on Teamwork and Interpersonal Effectiveness. These games show how respect and communication come alive — and how they prepare students for real life and future careers."
Students reflected on what they've learned after each game. "For me, the developed value that we students learned in palarong lahi was most definitely teamwork because it is one of the main components of how you’ll win the game, so that your section can harmonize as one that can lead to triumph." Christoff Barbieto of Grade 11 - Pythagoras shared.
Joseph Brent L. Gonzales of Grade 11 - Voltage also shared that while the games were fun, they also revealed deeper lessons: "Natutunan kong hindi lang about winning ang games, kundi tungkol din sa teamwork, communication, at trust sa isa't isa."
He also shared that winning without honesty means nothing, and that the most rewarding victories come from effort, cooperation, and honesty. "In the end, it's not about the prize — it's about the bond, and the lessons we learned together."
Laro ng Lahi didn't just test physical skill — it revealed the invisible threads of collaboration that hold teams together.
And in a world where careers will demand cooperation more than competition, these students already know the most important lesson: no one wins alone.
In every match, they carried more than strategy – they carried their stories. Zalun was a pawn that advanced one move at a time until she stood with the power and presence of a queen. De Jesus was a learner who leaned into memory, building a journey worth remembering and a legacy still unfolding.
Together, they proved that the quietest players often carry the loudest lessons. And that in the game of life, the rise of the queen and the legacy of the tactician are victories worth remembering.
shines in throws, bags ticket to IsPAA Meet
Aurora Senior High School athletes proved their strength in the field as they bagged one gold and two silver medals in the throws events of the LD5 Meet 2025 held at the Luna National High School Oval from October 9 to 11.
Junlie Jay Jimenez delivered the highlight with a 39-meter throw in javelin to secure the gold medal. He followed it up with a 21-meter throw in discus, settling for silver after a close battle among districts.
Teammate Jerson Marinay added another silver with a solid 10-meter shot put performance.
Coached by Teofilo Macatiag Jr., the Aurora throwers showed discipline and drive throughout the event.
“More practice pa, actually yung mga nanalong athletes ko ay madisiplina talaga sa sarili at walang bisyo kaya naman may pag-asa talaga silang manalo,” Macatiag said. Jimenez shared that he felt nervous during the game but was overjoyed with the victory and his qualification for the provincial level.
“During the game kinakabahan, as first timer masaya dahil nanalo at magpoprovincial,” Jimenez said.
He added that he plans to train harder and focus on high-intensity stretching before competing again.
With his gold medal, Jimenez also earned a ticket to represent the district in the upcoming IsPAA Meet, marking another milestone for Aurora athletics.
Aurora’s Jimenez
GIO LINTAO
FELLERITA ANNABELLE ACUPIDO
TRADITIONAL. Where everyone’s hand matters, Grade 11 Thales, showcase their solidarity and unity during their participation in Laro ng Lahi, at Aurora Senior High School ground.
Photo taken by: MARIA CRISTINA SADIAN
Aurora Ballers bag LD5 girls basketball crown, 70-36
by: GIO LINTAO
Aurora’s strong defense and fast breaks buried Roxas early, keeping them trailing all game.
Aurora opened the first quarter strong with sharp ball movement and pressure defense, pulling ahead 10–4 midway.
They closed the period maintaining their intensity on both ends, finishing the quarter at 16–8.
In the second quarter, Mikaella Corpuz sparked Aurora’s offense with quick layups, while Kinda Fay Ganela’s steal led to an easy basket, stretching the lead to 26–12.
Before halftime, Aurora tightened their defense even more as Umalla and Corpuz combined for several fast-break points, ending the half with a 34–15 advantage.
As the third quarter clock wound down, Ganela hit midrange shots while Umalla dominated inside, pushing the score to 44–20
By the end of the third, Aurora stayed in control, extending their dominance to 54–25.
With the final seconds ticking away, Aurora sealed the match, dominating both ends to close the game at 70–36.
“Masaya kasi nanalo kami at nakasama yung mga naiwan ko na teammates ko noon, at nadala ko na sila sa ISPAA,” said Umalla, the player of the game, with a proud smile.
The victory showed Aurora’s strength and teamwork as they move forward to the ISPAA Meet under coaches Clarissa Yvette Gervacio and Melvin Maliwat of Aurora Senior High School.
