The PANTOGRAPH Magazine Vol. III, Issue no. II

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THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NUEVA CACERES SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | NOVEMBER 2018 - APRIL 2019 | VOL. III, ISSUE NO. II

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EDITORIAL 3

NEWS

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Extra Pay, Extra Benefits?

Tuition, Other Fees hike Again Tingson, Pineda top Class of 2019’s 706 graduates Sereno, Elago to UNCeans: Fight for democracy Novio, Mariano to lead SHS SSG 19-20 SHS wins big time in 71st UNC Foundation Anniversary Laguardia, Sibulo take part in AWMUN II Genio, Tingson break in BDO IV HS Cup Finals SHS Glee Club, Chamber Orhcestra serenade UNC SSG holds 1st USLC, molds leaders amid diversity Teatro Primiero bags 3rd Place in Dulaan Pangmamimili 2018

OPINION 10 11 12

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Voice of the Voiceless Parenting 101 Don’t Fit in, Stand Out! The Voice that Matters You’ve Got a Friend in Me Thoughts on Tuition and Other Fees Increase What Do You Meme?

Shoutout kay Mamser!

Shoutout kay Klasmeyt!

FEATURES 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 29

Hallo, Hallyu!

The Pearl of the Orient Sea Malayang Nakagapos Multiple Stab Words Asymmetrical Symmetry Abnormally Normal LGBTQ Clearing Out Unusual Terms Rainbows are Beautul Too Identity Your Public Servant: Check All that Applies Your Decision is Your Responsibility Hearts’ Day: Not a Love Story ABM Trade Fair: Is the Experience Worth It? Sensitivity Makes a Queen

SPORTS

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Greyhounds champs PCCL South Luzon 3x3 Basketball Born to Roar 3 SHS studes emerge Palarong Bicol ‘19 victors

SINTIDO KUMON (Literary Folio) ABOUT THE COVER

Memes have become a popular way on how people in the society express themselves. The meme on the cover page features how students and parents struggle every year as the tuition and other school fees of the school increases, thus being drifted away from Dr. Jaime Hernandez’s goal, which is to provide an affordable yet quality education to Bicolanos. The question whether UNC is still on the right path towards “affordable” quality education or not remains in every UNCean’s mind.

GRAPHICS BY: HERNIELETTE TRISHA CADAG WORDS BY: CATHRYNN JOYCE MIRAÑA

34 35 36

37 38 39

40-43 43 44-48 49 50

Introduction Martyrdom Amidst the Angst Alab If You’ll Not Stay, I’ll Destroy You Hanggang Dito na Lang Matigas at Mahaba Gone.

Euphoria, Lust, Lament Pa’no Magka-jowa?

The Tangent Love in 1941 7 Ways to Avoid or Get Rid of Pimples My Heart and the Other Half

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Cathrynn Joyce Miraña ASSOCIATE EDITOR Modesto Remo, Jr. MANAGING EDITOR Vanessa Joy Barrio

The PANTOGRAPH EDITORIAL BOARD & STAFF 2018-2019

NEWS EDITOR Princess Coral FEATURES EDITOR Ella Mae Lopez CHIEF PHOTOJOURNALIST Francis Owen Payte CHIEF GRAPHIC ARTIST Hernielette Trisha Cadag

WRITERS Justin Carl Cabaltera Irish Sierda Katherine Berunio Luc Linus Blanca John Louie Texon Sophia Gabrielle Belleza Trisha Mae Canton Criscel Anne Bognalos John John Estuya Ellise Abundo

PHOTOHOURNALISTS Coleen Therese Agsao Keren-Happuch Vinas

Ma. Carmela Calisura

GRAPHIC & LAYOUT ARTISTS Brandon Delos Santos Lester Isip Rose Ann Clavano

TECHNICAL ADVISERS

Charlene Kris Borbe Juvin Durante

EDITORIAL 03

3xtRa p4y,3xtRa b3n3Fits??¿ Due to the 38-7 votes by the members of the consultation body, the proposed 5% increase in tuition and laboratory fees and 7% increase in other school fees have been approved last Jan. 29. Others wanted the increase to be 10% in tuition and 8% in other fees, while some wanted 3% increase on both.

Since the day Ayala Education took over the university, tuition and other school fees have been increasing every academic year.

The administration tells us that the increase in school fees are necessary for the development of the facilities and services that the school offers, however, most of the student body disagree with this decision.

Is the student body ready for this increase in the school fees?

Most of us don’t want to add extra payment during the enrollment season because, nowadays, basic goods and necessities are getting harder and harder to acquire due to the increase of their prices. Is this annual increase in tuition fee

even worth it? Are both sides of the story, school’s and student body’s, meeting at the middle with this decision?

Looking back five years ago, before Ayala Education took over UNC, some of the facilities in this university have gradually improved and benefited the students in terms of their academic endeavors. The school wants the student body to understand that quality education needs quality facilities and through the increase of the school fees, the facilities of this university continue to develop.

Eleanor Salumbre, vice president for administration and finance, reported during the TOFI consultation on the finances of the university wherein a staggering 189 Million was spent by UNC on the improvement of facilities such as drainage rehabilitation, airconditioning of rooms nd halls, continuing infrastructure improvement, and internet network rehabilitation.

Despite the amount spent for the improvement of facilities, why is it that some students don’t feel the improvement?

On the day of the

announcement of school fees increase, The DEMOCRAT’s post was bombarded with negative comments from both parents and students of the University.

Some claim that the so-called improvement on the internet connection, comfort rooms, library resources and science laboratories are not meeting up to their expectations.

In Senior High School alone, most, if not all, of the students have been complaining of the very slow internet connection, and yet, nothing has changed even now that the classes have already ended. A lot of milestones and other school works were delayed because of the weak stability of the internet connection. Some even spent to get their mobile phones loaded with data for them to accomplish the school workds online and on time.

Students feel that the socalled “innovation” is just the way of the school to promote itself regardless of the reality that some of the students cannot afford to utilize them.

The University may have scholarships offered to students,

however, its number is not sufficient to the number of students who cannot afford the school fees.

Parents find this news heavy on their part because it is an additional burden in budgeting for their families’ basic needs and yet the school has to add another worries this time.

It seems as though the school and the student body are not meeting halfway. The problem here is miscommunication between the two parties. The school gives too much expectations to the students, so the students expect too much from the school in return.

Upon entering the school, the said facilities are present but they don’t exceed the set high expectations of the students, thus they would plummet and blame everything on the school.

The school is striving hard to live up to their school motto and to their newly established goal, which is for everyone to make it. But how could we ensure that everyone would make it if, in the very first place they could not afford to enter the university because the high tuition and other school fees hinder them from doing so?

04 NEWS

3 years after AC Education take-over,

Tuition, Other Fees hike again

BY CATHRYNN JOYCE MIRAÑA

Garnering a 38-7 approval from the consultation body, the University of Nueva Caceres is set to hike its tuition and other school fees by 5% and 7%, respectively, for academic year 2019-2020.

The decision was made final after the consultation on tuition and other fees increase (TOFI) held on Jan. 29 at the President Office’s Conference Room.

Since 2015, miscellaneous fees have been increasing for the fourth consecutive year and second year for the tuition fee. This has become the trend since Ayala Education took over the university.

Representatives from the different sectors of the university were present in the said consultation.

Selected staff from The DEMOCRAT and University Student Government (USG) President Khyrwin Hidalgo represented the student body.

Other proposals during the consultation were 10% increase in

tuition and 8% in other fees, which the Parents Teachers Council disagreed and suggested to reduce it to only 3% increase both in tuition and other fees.

Other fees increase is limited to the Library, Internet, Athletic, Registration, Guidance, MedicalDental, IMC, Band, and Energy Fees.

According to USG President Khyrwin Hidalgo, he supported the TOFI for so as long as it is not excessive and will be implemented little by little.

Before the voting process, Vice-President for Academic Affairs (VPAA) Nora Elizabeth Maniquiz, Asst. Vice-President for Sudent Affairs and Services (AVPSAS) Armin Fullante, and Vice-President for Administration and Finance (VPAF) Eleanor Salumbre reported the accomplishments and plans of their respective offices.

VPAA Maniquiz unveiled UNC's plans for securing quality Education, giving emphasis on the mentoring programs and integrated employment-learning schemes.

VPSAS Fullante reported on the accomplishments of the

Student Affairs team where the UNC's mental health assistance programs, industry mentoring, and academe-community linkages are included.

VPAF Salumbre elaborated on drainage rehabilitation, airconditioning of facilities, continuing infrastructure improvement, and internet network rehabilitation.

She also reported that UNC spent 189M for the improvement of facilities--70% on the new building, 6% on infrastructure improvements, and the remaining is on supporting academic requirements.

Meanwhile on social media, some UNCean netizens expressed their dismay on the said increase through commenting on The DEMOCRAT’s update on the TOFI consultation.

“6K mahigit ang miscellaneous namin sa Law School. Ta[po]s simpleng Legal Technique and Logic lang na book, wala. Really, UNC?” Jessa Nieves, first year College of Law student, decried.

PROPOSAL. Engr. Manuel Balaquiao, president of the Federation of Faculty Clubs, suggests for a 10% increase in tuition fee during the consultation for tuition and other fees increase held on Jan. 26 at the Conference Room. (Words by Francis Owen Payte and Photo by The DEMOCRAT)

STEM, ICT-CP studes top Class of 2019’s 706 graduates

BY LUC LINUS BLANCA

Seven hundred and six (706) graduates were produced by the University of Nueva Caceres as the second batch of Senior High School finished Grade 12 in 2019.

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) student Yancy V. Tingson and Information and Communications Technology - Computer Programming (ICT-CP) student Geo Dominic B. Pineda topped this year’s class as they were awarded as the valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively.

Tingson and Pineda were scrutinized by a panel of deans from UNC who checked their credentials from academic to non-academic performances.

Another set of awards were given to the top 10 students who excelled solely in academics, and they are as follows: First Honor - Cathrynn Joyce Miraña; Second Honor - Jose Emmanuel Sinogba; Third Honor - Yancy Tingson; Fourth Honor - Grygghnn Beltran; Fifth Honor - Geo Dominic Pineda; Sixth Honor - Joanne Louise Moneda; Seventh Honor - Josef Rey Papillera; Eighth Honor - Sabrina Mae Ortiz; Ninth Honors - Vincent Alvaro Apin and Melvin Angelo Cilocilo;

SPRING IN AUTUMN. Class of 2019’s Valedictorian Yancy Tingson (left) and salutatorian Geo Dominic Pineda (right) challenge their fellow graduates through their speeches to face the new rising challenges as they move forward to college. They were awarded during the 2nd UNC SHS Commencement Exercises held last March 30 at the autumn-themed UNC Sports Palace. (Words by Francis Owen Payte and Photos by UNC Instructional Media Center)

and Tenth Honor - Alliza Kaye Casulla.

Students who excelled in different disciplines were also given achievement awards. The following are the said awardees: Mathematics - Divino Aguirre, Grygghnn Beltran, Joy Agnes Bombase, Michael Angelo Roque, and Geo Dominic Pineda; Natural Science - Cathrynn Joyce Miraña, Modesto Remo, Jr., and Yancy Tingson; Social Science - Grygghnn Beltran and Kathleen Carla Cañete; Business Courses - Rose Abundo; Research and Innovation - Jose Emmanuel Sinogba, Grygghnn Beltran, John Andrew Mutya, and Michael Angelo; Communication Arts - Cathrynn Joyce Miraña; Komunikasyon sa Wikang Filipino - Jessa Mhae San Juan; Food and Beverage Services - Baby Angelica Namoro; Food and Beverage Services Work Immersion - Christian Jay Vista; Computer Programming - Manuel Joshua; and Computer Programming Work Immersion - Roberto Balatan.

The Young Innovators Awards were given to the students who took part in the creation and presentation of PHOTON in different conferences in the country. The recipients are Vincent Alvaro Apin, Ana Louise Batalla, Jose Francisco Pio Bermejo, Hernielette Trisha Cadag, Vince Mitchell Lina, and Modesto Remo, Jr. Twenty-three (23) students who spent their education in UNC from elementary to SHS received the loyalty award.

All of the abovementioned studentachievers were awarded during recognition rites and commencement exercises held on March 30 at 8 AM and 4 PM, respectively, at the UNC Sports Palace.

NEWS 05

Sereno, Elago to UNCeans: Fight for democracy

BY IRISH SIERDA

To sustain social responsibility over the nation, Former Chief Justice (CJ) Maria Lourdes Sereno and Kabataan Partylist Representative Sarah Jane Elago spoke before hundreds of UNCeans in an open forum, held by the Christ’s Youth in Action last March 8 at the UNC Sports Palace.

Entiteld as “MAKIARAM: Facing the Challenges in the Present National Situation,” the open forum was divided into three parts, such as the Voter’s Education program (8 AM 12 PM), The Youth Forum (1-5 PM), and a press conference with Ex-CJ Sereno (5-6 PM).

Different organizations and students from other schools were also present in the said event.

During the Youth Forum, Sereno discussed politics, her stand against federal system, injustice, charter change, extrajudicial killing, and corruption in the Philippines.

“Everyone of us is important. We are being blinded by the government and its system.

Stop living with all the lies. We should believe in ourselves and together we will fight. The promises

that were broken and the wealth that has been stolen from us, let us fight them because justice will prevail,” Sereno encouraged the audience.

According to her, there is no assurance that the economy of the Philippines will be better if the Federalism happens. Federalism is equivalent to the price of our freedom and dignity,” she added.

“Corruption is the basic denial of our identity.

Parang sinasabing kaya tayong bilhin dahil lang sa pagbili ng boto. Para tayong mga katawang sinususian na dinidiktihan lamang,” Sereno said persuading the audience to fight against corruption and stand with democracy.

Meahwhile, Elago tackled the youth involvement in the society, youth rights, democracy, and the status of the Philippines.

Her advocacy also includes the campaign for the rights of women.

“7.49 Trillion is the debt of the Philippines from other countries. 60% of households, it means that 12 Million Filipinos are poorly hungry and suffer income loss due to TRAIN Law. 10.1M are jobless. Six thousand people are going abroad daily. 62% job mismatch (the government said that they are giving a focus to this) 80% college drop out and 27 000 deaths under investigation,”

The youth say, ‘We are the leaders of tomorrow,’ when we can be the leaders of today.

HON. SARAH JANE I. ELAGO Representative, Kabataan Partylist 17th Congress of the Philippines

“We are being blinded by the government and its system... We should believe in ourselves and, together, we will fight.”

MARIA LOURDES SERENO

Former Chief Justice, Supreme Court of the Philippines

stating the status of the Philippines.

She also emphasized to give attention to the youth that failed to finish their study especially those who lost their scholarship and to give guidance to the youth of today.

“We must go against big syndicates who use children for criminal liability. Instead, na makatulong, magiging mataas ang exposure ng mga bata sa krimen. Kailangan nating bigyan ng oportunidad at atensyon lahat ng mga pangunahing pangangailangan ng mga kabataan,” she said when asked about her stand on lowering the minimum age of criminal liability.

A closed-door press conference with Ex-CJ Sereno followed at AMS 104, which was attended by various student leaders, student publications, and local media.

Asked on the importance of honesty among elected officials and election candidates, Sereno emphasized that the value has been taught even among children as early as kindergarten, thus a very important criterion in choosing the leaders of our country.

Dean Kenjie Jimenea asked Sereno if she has already forgiven her former fellow SC justices who ousted her through the quo warranto petition filed against her, however Sereno refused to answer it directly.

“We had learnings on how to be our own voice to the “kabataan”... by knowing our rights and also balancing the quality of service we can give to Filipinos,” Mitzi Jane Rebancos (STEM B) expressed after the open forum and interview.

BY IRISH SIERDA

Novio of Tingog Party took the presidential post from Luijoy France Salcedo of Padayon Party with 506 and 97 votes, respectively.

“I knew that my life as a student will change because students would be looking up to me as their president and I should be a role model and inspiration to everyone,” Novio said.

As the newly elected president, she mentioned some of her plans

only.

“The plans are yet to come and we will still finalize them to give out the best platforms and activities for the student body,” Mariano said when asked about her plans.

According to her, she was overwhelmed knowing that she won the second highest position in the SSG, and the winners felt pressured because the previous SSG is said to be the best so far, but they assured that they will serve the student body with the best of their abilities.

The other SHS-SSG Elections winners are as follows: Secretary - Christian Johree S. Moreno; Treasurer - Keren-Happuch N. Viñas; Auditor - Julius Christian L. Abe; Public Relations Officer (PRO) - Belle Ashley A. Macalintal; ABM Representative - Ynna Frenchesca

MARIANO

Jenivie Novio and Stella Mariz Mariano will lead the Senior High School (SHS) Supreme Student Government (SSG) 2019-2020 as president and vice-president, respectively, after winning in the 2019 SHSSSG Elections on Feb. 27.

in which every activity of the SSG will be open for opinions and suggestions regarding the event but weighing their pros and cons.

She said that students’ voice is important because they are the main stakeholders in the SHS Department. Furthermore, she added that the SSG will serve as a bridge of the students to the administration. Issues that are needed to be solved will be relayed to the admin. Lastly, there will be various events that would definitely enhance the skills and talents of the students and, at the same time, develop their camaraderie with each other.

As for the vice-presidency, Mariano of Padayon Party won the position with 464 votes against her opponent Marvin Kiyoshi Takeuchi of Tingog Party, who got 143 votes

NOVIO

Novio, Mariano to lead SHS SSG 19-20

Cea; GAS Representative Honey Lou DL. Mendoza; STEM Representative - Jurica Francia C. Curva.

The 2019 SHS-SSG Elections was organized by the Student Election Commision, with their adviser, Renz Edlem San Andres.

06 NEWS

SHS wins big time in 71st U

BY LUC LINUS BLANCA AND IRISH SIERDA Students and faculty members of the Senior High School Department won big time in various competitions held during the 71st UNC Foundation Anniversary celebration last March 12-15.

The week-long celebration spearheaded by different offices organizations of the University.

was and

a week as a band, what we did was to practice an hour per day, twice a week,” he added. He also explained that prolonged period of practice time means more fatigue, and may result to concentration lost.

“But with our preparation, muscle memory was the key.”

On the other hand, Roaring revealed that their band was not really expecting to win in the event because they knew that so much expectation can hurt them at the end.

SAVE THE BEST FOR LAST. Esemenahana’s (from left) Rey Joseph Roaring, Ronil Giobert Bañadera, Christian Louis Pado, and Paolo Luzada render a refreshing and unique taste of music as they performed last during the #BandaRitoSaUNC held on Feb. 12 at the UNC Sports Palace. They proved that they were not the least among the 12 performing bands for they were hailed champion at the end of the competition. (Words by Francis Owen Payte and Photo by UNC Facebook Page)

STEM 11’s Esemenahana champs 1st #BandaRitoSaUNC Four grade 11 students from the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Strand emerged champion in the first ever #BandaRitoSaUNC held last Feb. 12 at the UNC Sports Palace.

Despite performing last or twelveth among all the participating bands, STEM D’s Ronil Giobert Bañadera, Christian Louis Pado, and Rey Joseph Roaring and STEM F’s Paolo Luzada proved that they were not the least.

Bannering their name ‘Esemenahana’, the band offered the audience a refreshing and unique kind of music.

Asked about the meaning of their name, Bañadera said that it “came from a friend who read gibberishly.” He added that they felt pressured in choosing the best name of their band because they wanted to catch the audience’s attention once they hear it.

They first performed the song Superstition, an 80’s song popularized by Stevie Wonder.

The audience applauded them more when they started to play a 70s-like rendition of ‘Kahit Ayaw Mo Na’, which This Band’s lead vocalist complimented later on.

Pado, the rhythm guitarist, shared that they were different compared to other bands.

“Instead of practicing straight 6 hours once

According to the band, they plan to be recognized in the Original Pilipino Music (OPM) industry and make income through attending gigs everywhere.

Another winning band from SHS was The Peculiars, which was awarded as 2nd runner-up. #BandaRitoSaUNC was sponsored and organized by the UNC Junior High School’s (JHS) Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) and Supreme Student Governement (SSG). PTA

President Dr. Jordan Chavez, IV hinted, during his closing remarks, that another installation of the event may happen next year.

Magana brings Miss U crown back to SHS After losing the chance for a back-to-back win last 2018, the Miss University crown is back to the SHS Department and worn on the head of Elijah Magana last Feb. 13 at the UNC Sports Palace.

Magana is a grade 11 student from STEM A and a consistent honor student since she entered the UNC SHS. During the final question and answer portion, Magana was asked of what she would do if she has a friend who is suffering from depression.

“Indeed, depression is an issue among youth like me and other peers who belong in this generation and what I can say is that I should encourage them,” she answered.

“As their friend and a member of youth, I should do something to alleviate and to say something that will encourage them or prove that there is a life, a happy life, after everything. There will always be challenges and obstacles that you can encounter but it won’t end everything and it won’t end your life but continue to strive hard and be passionate about everything.

Be passionate about your dreams and then depression may end, or ‘your’ depression may end,” she continued.

Right from the very beginning of the search for representative of the SHS to the Mr. and Ms. University 2019, the Department used the hashtag #BringBackTheCrown.

“I was desperately driven to bring back the crown to our department. The very first time we joined there was in 2017 and we brought the crown home for Ms. University and placed 1st runner-up for Mr. University,” Kirth Harvey Cordis, one of the coaches and Math Learning Supervisor (LS), explained.

Cordis further stated that they were not just looking for a potential candidate, but also a real

UNC’S CATRIONA. Worn and made up in a Catriona Gray-inspired gown and look, Elijah Magana of STEM A stuns the crowd with her wit and beauty as she contested to bring the Miss University crown home last Feb. 13 at the UNC Sports Palace. Magana is the second Miss University title holder from the SHS since it joined in 2017. (Words by Francis Owen Payte and Photos by UNC Facebook Page)

NEWS 07

UNC Foundation Anniversary

Panergayo, English LF. Dressed in a voodoo-doll inspired costume, the selected grade 11 students caught the attention of and gave the audience goosebumps during the speech choir competition.

They interpreted and performed the piece “The Congo: A Study of the Negro Race” written

by Vachel Lindsay.

The team was coached by Jona Christine Papillera, English LF. The 1st UNC Speech Fest was organized by the Office of Student Affairs (OSA).

SHS contingent is best in gimmick

GRAND SLAM TEAM. Winners from the UNC Senior High School cheer for their grand slam win during the 1st UNC Speech Fest held on Feb. 14 at the Social Hall. The pool of speakers centered their speeches on the gender and development (GAD) which tried to break some misconceptions about genders. (Words by Francis Owen Payte and Photo by Ma. Theresa Reginaldo)

crowning material.

“Elijah was the perfect candidate to my standards,” he added.

Krystel Sales, English learning facilitator (LF) and one of the coaches of Magana, recalled the time when she, together with coaches and LSs Juancho Romero and Cordis, was looking for prospective candidates, “When I first met her, I noticed that she is a humble girl with a beautiful face and good communication skills. Right there, I already knew that I was talking to the next Ms. University of our institution.”

Magana was partnered to Jericho Jamolin, ICT-CP A student, who also won a number of minor awards, like Mr. Photogenic and Mr. Congeniality.

others should act towards you. But what scares me the most is that it’s attached to the word ‘normal’,” she exclaimed.

The declamation piece was written by Neil Formalejo, a grade 12 student from GAS L, and Laguardia was coached by Juvin Durante, English LF. “The piece is entitled ‘Abnormally Normal’

Right after the opening program on Feb. 14 at the UNC Sports Palace, the SHS contingent was given the best in gimmick award for the unique concept shown during the opening parade of the 71st UNC Foundation Anniversary.

The contingent were composed by the students from STEM A and B, GAS A, and ABM A. They wore laurel headresses which, according to them, symbolize achievement, success, and triumph.

SHS faculty, staff join employees’ Unity Games Aiming to instill a harmonious relationship among its employees, the Human Resource (HR) Department sponsored the Unity Games in lieu of

SHS studes advocate for gender equality, rack up 1st UNC Speech Fest championship Centered on Gender and Development (GAD) theme, the first UNC Speech Fest commenced last Feb. 14 at the Social Hall, where the UNC SHS racked up three championships and a runner-up.

The winners and awards received by the SHS are as follows: Camila Crispino Champion, Oration; Alodia Berzel Laguardia - Champion, Declamation; Selected Grade 11 students - Champion, Speech Choir; and Cathrynn Joyce Miraña - 1st Runner-up, Extemporaneous Speech.

Crispino, coached by English LS Joey Claveria, adopted the speech of Emma Watson on feminism which she delievered in a United Nations convention in 2014.

“Feminism by definition is the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities. It is the theory of political, economic and social equality of the sexes,” Crispino delivered.

Meanwhile, Laguardia focused on rape victim-blaming, which she believes to be timely and relevant nowadays.

“It scares me that, somehow, your clothing and the way you look determines how decent

A DAY AWAY FROM ACADS. Learners, faculty members, and staff of the Senior High School join as the University celebrates its 71st Foundation Anniversary on Feb. 14, 2019. The celebration kicked off with a parade on the major streets of Naga and was sustained by various programs for the students and employees. (Words by Francis Owen Payte and Photos by UNC Facebook Page)

which clearly challenges us that, in times when catcalling, rape jokes, and other forms of sexual harassment are being normalized by others, especially those in power, we should collectively put an end to it and protect everyone’s rights,” Durante explained.

After the declamation, the event proceeded to the extemporaneous speech competition.

Miraña emphasized that as early as childhood, parents should not instill in the minds of their children the socially constructed gender roles. She deemed that parents should let their children discover their own identity.

Miraña was coached by Francisco Paulo

the Foundation Week Celebration last Feb. 14.

The SHS faculty members and staff were one of the teams who joined the said event. They were teamed up with the staff members of the HR Department and the office of the Assistant Vice-President for Student Affairs and Services.

The SHS team brought home a championship title from the 3x3 Basketball Game, which was represented by LFs Mervin Osiana, Nikko Junio, Server Room staff Rommerson Corre, and a personnel from the Property Office.

The team stole the title from the UNC Band during their match at the UNC Covered Courts.

08 NEWS

Laguardia, Sibulo take part in AWMUN II

BY PRINCESS CORAL

Two UNCeans from the Senior High School Department participated in the second year of the United Nation convention called Asia World Model United Nations (AWMUN) organized by the International Global Network, held last Jan. 30-Feb. 2 in Bangkok, Thailand.

Out of 1,326 delegates coming from different countries with different personalities and backgrounds, two of these were Alodia Berzel Laguardia and Arvin Sibulo, both from the UNC Senior High School Department.

With the theme, “The World’s Dilemma: Enhancing World Action on Climate Change,” the delegates talked about how they would help the world to solve the different problems of different countries.

Sibulo and Laguardia shared what they felt as part of the delegates representing their country and the experiences of working with different people.

Sibulo stated, “It’s very exciting but I felt really nervous because I didn’t have any idea of what would happen in the event and I felt like people were expecting something from me as I am one of those few people who has a profession already because majority are still students.”

He also stated that working with people from different countries with different backgrounds made him realized that when it comes to solving the world’s problem, they are working as one and

UNC REPRESENT! Alodia Berzel Laguardia (2nd from right, left photo) and Arvin Sibulo (center, right photo) pose for a photo opportunity with their fellow delegates during the Asia World Model United Nations II held on Jan. 30-Feb. 2 , 2019 in Bangkok, Thailand. (Words by Francis Owen Payte and Photos by Arvin Sibulo)

that they are doing this for humanity.

On the other hand, Laguardia stated, “If you are in a different country, you will really feel that you should be proud that you are a Filipino and that you will have that overwhelming feeling with you because, I was immersed with people from different countries, with different personalities, religions, and beliefs, and working with them was a really good experience.”

One of the highlights that she had in Asia World Model United Nation is when she

was assigned in a room where her roommate is from Nepal. She said that she was able to share with her roommate the culture of the Philippines, vice-versa, and though she didn’t experience it personally, she felt that she’s still able to experience it through the exchange of thought that they had.

“I can give more of what I am giving now.

It’s not just about representing Philippines, but more of what I can do to make the world a better place,” Laguardia added.

Genio, Tingson break in BDO IV HS Cup Finals

BY JOHN LOUIE TEXON

Emmanuel Genio and Yancy Tingson from STEM L and K, respectively, made it until the finals of the recently concluded Bicol Debate Open IV: Clash of Civilizations, under the High School category, which was held on Jan. 25-28 at the University of Nueva Caceres.

The duo, tagged as ‘Sana maka-march sa March,’ was able to get into the finals after seven (7) rounds, only being defeated by eventual champions from University of Saint Anthony-Junior High School (USANT-JHS) team.

Other teams who made into the finals were, the two (2) groups from Ateneo de Naga University-Junior High School (AdNU-JHS).

UNCEAN PRIDE. After winning the final debate round, the UNC Debate Society cheers for the success of the 4th Bicol Debate Open held on Jan. 25-28 at the University of Nueva Caceres.

(Words by Francis Owen Payte and Photo by BDO IV)

Setting an Example Genio and Tingson were also in-charge of the Senior High School’s Debate Society (DebSoc) as Chancellor (president) and Team Leader (leads training), respectively.

“We were almost on a point where we feel like an independent club because even if Ma’am Sharmie is not around we still have our daily trainings, it is as if she was with us,” Genio said.

“I even hold on to what Miss Ruth keeps on telling us that whenever we are going out for tournaments, we’re not out there to get our asses kicked, we’re there to kick some asses,” he added.

Tingson expressed that he was very overwhelmed and honored to be part of the HS Cup Finals BDO. He revealed that his and his partner’s goal was just to qualify or break to the next round.

“We did not expect that we can advance up until the finals,” Tingson said after clinching a spot in the finals, and also added that.

“Honestly, we had only a week of proper training before the tournament, that’s why we did not expect to be in the finals, but since

there were students from the SHS cheering and rooting for us, we did our best to reach that goal,” Tingson admitted.

UNC’s Future Winners Aside from this duo, another team bannered UNC in the High School Cup, namely “Chin Chong,” who made it into the semi-finals.

The team was composed of Grade 11 students Jenivie Novio (ABM C) and Christian Johree Moreno (STEM F). Hermie Caballero (STEM L) was lone adjudicator from UNC SHS who joined in the competition.

Moreno shred that his mindset ahead of the contest was just to enjoy and to have more than eight scores to continue to the next stage of the competition.

His goal exceeded to what he expected, as his team was able to reach the semi-finals even though tagged as first-timers of the said event.

Moreno’s plan for upcoming debates to have more matter loadings and practices so that it will be easier for him to analyze motions and come up with good speeches.

NEWS 09

SHS Glee Club, Chamber Orchestra serenade UNC

BY COLEEN THERESE AGSAO

Together with various choral groups and bands of UNC, the Senior High School Glee Club and Chamber Orchestra serenaded the University through a free and live concert last Dec.12 at the UNC Sports Palace.

A fanfare opened the concert “Adeste Fideles”, which was performed mainly by the University Band. Subsequent to the fanfare, an oration of The Nativity from the Gospel of Luke followed.

The audience also sang along as the University Glee Club sang the first carol “Oh Little Town of Bethlehem,” in a cappella, then later on accompanied by the University Band and SHS Chamber Orchestra. After the first carol, the oration of The Three Kings

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow followed. The Christmas Carols sang by the University Glee Club included the “We Three Kings of Orient Are” and “Angels We Have Heard on High”.

The Voche Schola and SHS Glee Club performed the Christmas tune “Payapang Daigdig”. The University Band and SHS Chamber Orchestra also

played the interlude of the “Hark the Herald”. The place became a sea of waving lights as the mob lit up their mobile phone flashlights when a sudden power interruption occured.

Then, the UNC choral groups performed the Ukranian Carol “Carol of the Bells” accompanied by the University Band and Orchestra. “Jolly Old St. Nicolas” was also dedicated by the SHS Glee Club. A solo sang “Have

Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”.

Aldrin Alcantara, adviser of the SHS Chamber Orchestra, stated that this event is important since it is the onset or first event of the whole University if Christmas Season is concerned. The reasons why the’ve done this are, one, to showcase the UNCean’s talents, and two, to give back to the entire UNC populous.

“We know that we celebrate to commemorate the birth of

Jesus Christ, so most of the songs and progression of the program, especially the orations, are inlined with that from how he was born, until calling the ones who are faithful,” Joalex Nillo, adviser of the SHS Glee Club, said.

Dr. Fay Lea Patria Lauraya, UNC president, gave a warm message to the populous before the Christmas Concert ended with final carol “Adeste Fidelis”, and the University Hymn.

NOT-SO-SILENT NIGHT. Various choral groups, orchestra, and band from UNC join together to serenade the community with their angelic voices and magnificent talents last Dec. 12 at the UNC Sports Palace. (Words and Photo by Francis Owen Payte)

SSG holds 1st USLC, molds leaders amid diversity

BY JOHN LOUIE TEXON AND SOPHIA GABRIELLE BELLEZA

To help the students unleash their leadership skills, the Senior High School (SHS) Supreme Student Government (SSG) held the first Union of Student Leaders Campground (USLC) on Nov. 23-25 at the University of Nueva Caceres.

With the theme, “Molding Servant Leadership and Diversity,” it aimed to target non-student leaders to use their differences to serve by leading others.

The three-day event was participated in by approximately 80 students, including the SSG officers, as the expected number of delegates were not reached as “some of the students were hesitating or having doubts,” said by Alodia Berzel Laguardia, SSG president, when asked about how the expected number of delegates was not observed.

Moreover, Laguardia said that the camp’s main objective was to help the students find themselves, especially when it comes to student leadership.

“It was composed of many physical activities to make sure that the students would

FUELED AND DRIVEN. Participants and organizers of the Union of Student Leaders Campground (USLC) strike a pose after the 3-day leadership training held on Nov. 23-25 at the UNC Grounds. (Words by Francis Owen Payte and Photos by @SHSUNCSSG)

explore or at least experience different kinds of team building activities or siguro activities that would help them find their conformity,” she added.

“USLC did not just let the participants enjoy the outdoor activities, but it let them experience the actual life scenarios, which do not always go smoothly. Planning and executing USLC were indeed the best part of my SSG journey,” said by John Karl Bendiola, General Academic Strand (GAS) vice-governor, when asked about the feeling of being part of the first-ever implemented leadership camp.

“10/10” was the rating of Evan Mari Camu Menes on the organized camp, as he tagged it as “freaking fun”, since it enabled him to have new friends and a lot of things happened that made his experience on the said camp unforgettable.

When asked about how this camp was able to provide realizations to the president, Laguardia said, “After the event, we realized that the hard works, the pagpuyat and everything else suddenly disappeared, because clearly, it manifested to the students that they learned something and they were all very happy. And it’s a big accomplishment for the SSG to see our students happy as well as they have something to bring. Kumbaga may ‘take out’ sila na nakuha saaming project.”

10 OPINION

VOICING HOPE CATHRYNN JOYCE MIRAÑA

VOICE OF THE VOICELESS Finally! This is the last article that I'll be writing for this student publication of this university. It's been 8 years since I first wrote my first article as a campus journalist.

I've been a part of the student publication of UNC since I was in fifth grade. It molded me into a person whom I was not envisioning.

Since this would be my last article, might as well let you all know what is it like to be a campus journalist and how the freedom of campus press molded me into the strong individual that I am now.

Well, here it goes. . .

We are all afraid. Not everyone has the courage to speak out the thoughts, ideas, and opinions that are in their heads. Everyone is afraid of being ridiculed because of what they have to say. We all need to be conscious enough and watch out for the words that come out of our mouths just to please the society that surrounds us.

Eight years ago, I was exposed to a world where it taught me that it's okay to speak your heart out. It's okay to defy the expectations of other people. I never envisioned myself as a campus journalist. As a child, I grew fond of reading books that led to me being good at creating essays. Later then, I was recruited as a campus journalist. Being the kid who had no idea what that is, I accepted the offer. Hahaha!

At first, I didn't enjoy writing articles but little by little, I grew fond of doing it. Having the power to tell the public whatever you want through your articles makes me want to write more. I didn't know why I grew fond of writing articles in the first place until one person asked me a crucial question, “What is your purpose in life?”

I absentmindedly answered that I want to serve

as the voice of others. I want to speak out for those people who don't have the courage to do so. I want to help them express their ideas and opinions to everyone.

This purpose fuels my willingness to be a campus journalist.

Being a campus journalist has its harms and benefits. Life wasn't all fun and games as a student writer. I've had several ups and downs and was close to giving up as the EIC of this publication, but here I am, writing my last article. *sad face*

president of the University who is Madam Fay. Because of the school paper, I got to travel to different places in Bicol Region due to competing in the Regional Schools Press Conference. I got to meet new people and experience the culture and tradition of the places that I went to.

Despite the benefits that the school paper has brought me, it also has its downsides.

Being the Editor-in-Chief of The Trailblazer and The PANTOGRAPH is a great honor and privilege but it wasn't easy handling everyone in the staff whenever we would be making an issue to be released to the student body. It was As a campus journalist, I was given the challenging to be the head of everything; to list freedom to express myself and the thoughts of the articles and graphics needed and to assign it others through the school paper. to the people whom you think can do it. It was a real pain to always keep on reminding the One example of this was when I created staff to submit their articles and an article that exposes the graphics on time. There were bad side of LINC SHS, which All the pain and times wherein I was forced to are being experienced by the stress that the school learn how to layout just to help students themselves. I had paper brought me, is my adviser because he is the the idea of creating that article just another stepping only one left to do the layout for because (1) I am first-handedly us. I've had several breakdowns experiencing the major flaws of stone towards my throughout the process of the system and I've witnessed goal , which is to making the magazines and how it affected my academic serve as the voice tabloids, but at the end of the day, performance and (2) I can also of those who don’t I had to wipe those tears away observe the same thing with have. and keep on working. my fellow schoolmates. I need to do something about it. I need Honestly, I thought school paper acted as to let the admin know that the students are not a hindrance to my progress as a person. There satisfied with the services that were promised were instances that I'd choose to do my work in to them when they were just enrolling in this the school paper than to hang out with friends and university. That's why I created that article. family, or to do my hobbies and the things I like to do during my free time. Instead of just stressing I received several comments about that over the school works, I'd have additional things article. Some praised me, others jokingly stated to worry about, which is managing the school that maybe I'll get suspended or expelled but I paper. I really hate it when problems would just just ignored every bad comment that I received keep on stacking and those usually cause my because I know that what I've written is true and mental breakdowns. I've had countless times is not entirely one-sided because I explained why when I've considered resigning as the EIC but I the admin should know about this stuff. guess it was fated for that to never happen.

Another benefit of being a campus journalist In the end, I realized that all this time, all the is that I’m exposed to interacting with others pain and stress that the school paper brought me, because I'm obliged to conduct interviews with is just another stepping stone towards my goal, all kinds of people whenever I create an article to which is to serve as the voice of those who don’t obtain first-hand information. I got a chance to have. interview different types of people, including the

OPINION/NEWS 11

IRON FIST VANESSA JOY BARRIO

PARENTING 101 that good parenting is more about the things that money cannot buy.

Whether you are a parent or still a young individual taking your way towards the future, you might want to pause on this page and contemplate about the essence of one huge factor that affects every one’s development.

If you are a parent, it is important that you are aware of your role in your child’s life. If you are just a young person, you have to know about this topic sooner because in one way or another, you will probably be in your parents’ shoes in the future. It is also essential that you understand the means that your parents use to raise you and feed you with knowledge and skills to deal with the complexity of certain circumstances in life.

Being a parent is a huge responsibility.

It’s a heavy boulder that parents carry on their shoulders when they decide to start a family.

This topic might have already crossed some people’s minds, but it is better if it crosses people’s minds at large.

What does good parenting really mean?

As obvious as we can observe, we may say that good parents are those who adhere to their responsibility and provide their children’s basic needs such as food, a roof to take shelter in, clothes, and education. But good parenting is not just about the tangible things that parents could provide. It takes more depth to understand

Teatro Primiero bags 3rd place in Dulaang Pangmamimili 2018

BY JUSTIN CARL CABALTERA

autonomy and independence, stress management, life and relationship skills, and health and safety. What parents need to do is to invest their time and show interest not only to their child’s academic performance, but also to their principles and attitude as an individual and toward real-life circumstances. They are basically responsible for their child’s further improvement.

What really is good parenting? I say it is more about the ethics, the wisdom, rather than the knowledge that one can inscribe in a child’s mind. Schools are indeed important in establishing knowledge, skills, and development.

It is our training ground. But as students, we can easily Parents must know relate when some people However, it is also that they are present say that the involvement of necessary for parents to know for the purpose of parents plays a huge role in the concept of boundaries and guiding their child, our academic development. to understand the things that not controlling, them they can only control. Parents You might probably have and they should experienced being someone are important but not in all the who is competitive and way they think they are. They keep in mind that academically inclined because play a big role in their child’s life parents’ parenting your parents praise you for and they necessarily have the stays with the child, your achievements and you power over them but they have for better or worse. feel like you make them happy. to realize that this power has to This is just a piece of evidence be handled accordingly. Parents that the academic performance of a child is not must know that they are present for the purpose only based on a child’s IQ, rather, it also depends of guiding their child, not controlling, them and on the quality of parental involvement in their they should keep in mind that parents’ parenting life because students perform best when their stays with the child, for better or worse. parents take a high interest in their education.

Children might be trained well in the academic The importance of good parenting can be training ground but they will always have easily understood by considering and absorbing tougher challenges without a strong foundation. that good education and credentials may Good schools help raise competitiveness and take children higher in their careers, but good accomplishments, yes. But the impact of what personality, attitude, and values are what’s going parents teach their children is actually stronger. to make them survive with the people they are going to deal with in the future and through the Parents are actually like life professors process of reaching that future. Simply, it’s the teaching six different courses. These courses students’ good upbringing that will help them are love and affection, behavior management, succeed in the future.

Teatro Primiero bagged the 3rd place in the Dulaang Pangmamimili 2018 sponsored by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), held last Oct. 26 at Coco Cafe, Ateneo de Naga University.

They performed a 15 to 20-minute comedy skit with the concept of “scam” which aims to heighten consumer awareness among the youth during the competition.

The members of Teatro Primiero who joined in the

competition are as follows: Eduardo Francisco Jr., Frank Benemerito, Adeliza Fe Canlas, Maria Erica Herrera, Patricia Jem Capagas, Owen Orillosa, Austin Chris Raynes, Mark Gerald Panganiban, Gian Edward Cabral, Belle Ashley Macalintal, Albert Morota, Phil Marco, Kyla Modino, Jaeron Panelo, and Lheanne Maravillas.

The moderator of the theater club is Ana Diaz.

“This kind of event enlightens the students, especially on

consumer awareness. It intends to impress upon the minds of Filipino students and be able to know the consumer rights and responsibilities which must be respected and protected at all times.” Diaz said.

With the proper endorsement of their schools, the yearly event was open to all high school students, both public and private. As part of the 2018 Consumer Welfare Month Celebration, the event was anchored on the theme “Making Digital Marketplaces Fairer”.

12 OPINION

INNER BELIEF IRISH SIERDA

DON’T FIT IN, STAND OUT! In other countries, you get called a nerd for knowing perhaps “too many” academic stuff and achievements. But here in the Philippines, you get called “pabibo”, “bidabida” or “perfectionist” and such terms that would make you be ashamed instead of being proud. If not, then you’re “tanga” or “walang alam”. Well, that is called “smart-shaming”, my friend. If stepping out of your comfort zone means being “pabibo” to them, where are you going to place yourself then?

prone to judging. Unfortunately, society works that way. Smart-shaming is now a growing trend, an epidemic that needs to be stopped. It is as if intelligence seemed a danger to normality.

As if thinking outside the box is not normal anymore. As if being curious and analytical is somehow elitist. As if being right is a liability that results in hurling insults from many antiintellectuals.

Nowadays, being energetic is pabibo, being happy is weird, enjoying little things means you’re low-standard, being black means you’re ugly and standing up for something you think is right means you are a culprit. Quit that mindset!

Filipinos are known for being good at doing something and for having good traits as well.

But eventually, we tend to compare ourselves to others and even if you accept it or not, we are all

nothing wrong when you’re doing the right thing.

It means that you’re in the process of learning.

There is the willingness to gain new knowledge or information, not being “pabibo”

Instead of laughing out loud into somebody’s grammatical mistakes, why don’t we correct him/her instead of being ignorant and shallow?

Smart-shaming is Why don’t we try to consider Is it bad when a student now a growing trend, changes? Why don’t we be is actively participating in the open-minded, instead of being an epidemic that class? It’s not “pabibo” if a needs to be stopped. a perfectionist? Why don’t student can answer, or ask we accept ideas instead of It is as if intelligence questions. It only means that plainly criticizing them? Why seemed a danger he/she listens well in class, don’t we contribute to learning right? to normality. As if and not contribute to other’s humiliation?

Knowledge thinking outside the Instead of mocking is better than ignorance. box is not normal someone for using terms that We are so fed up with the anymore. are foreign to us, why don’t we smart-shaming culture. Start just look up its definitions and engaging in a healthy discourse concepts to learn? Instead of calling names and study harder. for someone acting up and throwing questions out of curiosity, why don’t we also look beyond There is nothing wrong in sharing and that and find answers for ourselves? I think expressing your thoughts because it is not being it’s cruel to say “pabibo” to students who are “pabibo”. It’s about doing the right thing that you trying so hard to do better, study smarter, ask should be proud of. You’re not meant to fit in, questions, engage more, and be active. There’s because you’re meant to stand out.

Family voice 97 Day matters

the

that

NEUTRAL R E SPO N D E NTS

REMOVAL OF FILIPINO SUBJECT IN COLLEGE

41

RESPONDENTS

23% 77% 134

RESPONDENTS

ALLOWING TRANSGENDERS TO COMPETE FOR MISS UNIVERSE 54

RESPONDENTS

31% 69%

121

RESPONDENTS

BY JUSTIN CARL CABALTERA & KATRINE FAYE BERUNIO

33 SATISFIED R ESP O N D ENTS

12

VERY DISSATISFIED R ESPON DENTS

15 DISSATISFIED

R E SP O N D E NTS

8

VERY SATISFIED R E SP O N D E NTS

SATISFACTION SURVEY

165 TOTAL NO. OF

RESPONDENTS

BY MARIA CARMELA CALISURA & KEREN-HAPPUCH VIÑAS

OPINION 13

DAWN TREADER LUC LINUS BLANCA

YOU’VE GOT A FRIEND IN ME is no pressure for competing to get to the top spot nor the drive to prove that you are the best.

Everybody was just there learning together while having fun.

People say that there is nothing more horrifying than to see a dino and a cactus early in the morning. Some say that if there is a thing worse than break up, that would be getting a level 1 in Research. There are also a few who gave up on the semester after gaining a lone line-of-eight grade. But have you ever thought of something that would help you get through these stuff?

A friend maybe? 40 of those perhaps?

The first few months of our class was fun.

Everybody seems to have a good time. There

“No. Fix the internet in SHS first. There was a great

“I agree as long as it benefits the students.”

- Arya

increase in the miscellaneous fees, how sure are they that they can actually utilize the money?”

- Elysian

“Yes, as long as the university gives the students the improvements

and equipment that they need for better education.”

-W

““No because we suffer from poverty in the country and the immense increase of the tuition fee will be difficult for us especially for the parents. Finding

or earning money is not that simple

and the increase of the tuition fee will be hard also and we do not have a huge amount of money to suffice the increase of tuition fee.”

- Master Pogi

you can’t answer it and then suddenly a friend came in to help you out? Do you remember the time when you don’t have any money left, then a friend came to lend you some? Do you remember the time when a friend made a homework for The moment you think of your you because you forgot that you have one? classmates as a catalyst for your Pass the kindness that improvement, not competition, is you received until you build the moment you start your senior an inseparable bond, a Pass the kindness that high school. We are in a program friendship that would stand you received until you where everybody is expected to the test of time. build an inseparable work together. We are given a bond, a friendship that Chromebook for two students At the end of the day, it would stand the test for a reason. We are grouped for doesn’t matter whether you of time. research papers, milestones, and get a level 4 on a milestone, final outputs for a reason. We high-end research, or a have to work as a team. Well, it is perfect score on an exam. probably easier to work with a friend than with We will eventually forget about these kinds of a rival. stuff. The journey is somehow better than the destination and the travel is worthwhile if you Do you remember the time when you had a have friends that got your back because that is defense and the panel asked you a question but how everybody makes it.

“I disagree because the

facilities are not wellorganized and the internet is not yet stable.”

- Sexy Pats

“No. I think it’s not makatao especially for senior high students. We’re paying for the “internet-based” studying but during the early months of this school year, we spent so much to have our own internet through [mobile] load. Maybe it would be better to first improve all of the facilities. Then dun patunayan nila na worthy na magtaas ng tuition fee.”

- Anon

“Yes, as long as there are improvements that will happen, such as sa wifi connection, facilities, etc.”

- Athena “I disagree because for me, LINC is

not efficient for us.”

- Basta

ON THE RECENT

Tuition and Other Fees Increase...

“No, bumabayad ng tuition pero hindi naman nagagamit yung binabayaran. It’s like bumili ka ng adobo pero binigay sayo monggo.”

- Tohru “Personally I do not agree with it. Because not all of the students who are studying here can afford the current fees. Yes, it’s not bad to innovate and

improve the facilities or the school itself but for me, they should think about their students first. Can they still afford it? Or the worst is they are just thinking of their own pockets rather than thinking of their students. Many students/parents are struggling just to pay the fees in schools and I hope that my alma mater will not be one of it.”

- Jpogi

14 FEATURE

Yeoboseyo! Annyeonghaseyo!

The familiarity of these words will not even allow you to blink twice nor think deep because there is no doubt that these are some of the most famous Korean greetings that are very familiar to us. We often hear them in dramas, music, and the language itself. Indeed this is a culture that is rising not just around Asia, but also around the globe.

Hallo, Hallyu!

I

t is such a magical scene for me to see fans that are filled with euphoria as they get a chance to meet their Korean idols face-to-face, although I am one of those who are with a tinge of jealousy for not being able to. Ideally, I am one out of the thousands or millions who are hoping to see our beloved K-Pop idols perform live.

Indeed, the love for the Korean culture has taken over the Philippines for quite some time now and it is not a secret why. But in case you are not part of the population who have the love for K-Culture, then welcome to ‘Why People Love Korean Culture 101’.

For starters, the following are ideas and opinions pulled out from my point of view. So for anti-fans, no hate, just love. Here are what most people love about the Korean culture: Korean Dramas The art of drama is one of Korea’s edges, in my opinion. I think that the reason why Filipinos are interested in their shows is because Korean entertainment does not give audiences something that they expect. They always come up with something new which is a total contrast to the Philippines’ entertainment industry. Although the dramas and movies of the Philippines are now slowly diverting from their cliché storylines in which they are stuck for how many decades, the Korean story lines, no doubt, have the spotlight now for having the anti-cliché quality. Their ideas reach far and wide, from the depths of the ocean, the vastness of the universe, and even the complexity and possibilities that the human brain can do. That is why, despite the subtitles and the unfamiliar accent and words, we, Filipinos, are still drawn to watching K-Dramas.

Korean Pop Music (K-Pop)

BY KATHERINE BERUNIO

The sound and beat of the Korean music has just something to it I cannot quite explain.

The tones that they come up with every time they release a new song are just different every time. Plus the bop choreography of upbeat music which takes dance into a whole new level with their intricately choreographed, complex dance and not to mention, their obviously high-budgeted music videos. To those who are fans of K-Pop, you sure get me if I say that I like it because it is an ear and eye candy, right?

Beauty We are also greatly influenced by the Korean culture when it comes to beauty.

Nowadays, most Filipinos prefer to look white or fair. They want to look like that flawless actress in Fight For My Way or Descendants of the Sun. We are also influenced by the preference of a thin body that our Korean idols possess. But of course, there’s nothing wrong with our ‘kayumaggi’ skin and chubby bods.

Language & Writings Aside from all of those mentioned above, let us not forget how people who have a great appreciation for the culture noticeably copy how

Koreans speak and even try to learn how to write Hangul. Well I am not surprised because if you listen to the sound of their language, admit that it’s kind of disorienting but fun to pronounce and hear.

While their writings, those are not the most difficult to learn, so why not?

The Philippines is one of the countries that are greatly influenced by Korean culture. In fact, it started in 2003 when

the first Koreanovelas aired in Philippine television. Korean "Hallyu" refers to the "wave" of the popularity of South Korean entertainment and culture starting in the late 1990s. The Korean Cultural Center in Manila recently organized ‘Hallyu sa Pinas’, a forum about the impact of the so-called "Korean Wave" in the country, where Korean cultural products are becoming increasingly popular according to Rappler.

But amidst the growing population of K-cCeople who hate the idea of their fellow Filipinos seemingly showing patriotism to the culture of another country. With the existence of a more vast and free platform to voice out each and every one’s opinions, the existence of opposing comments is

FEATURE 15 not a surprise.

But just because there is hate doesn’t mean that there is no bright side about this matter. What people don’t realize is that by allowing other cultures to enter our country and our lives, we are also welcoming the diversity of the people around the world which can positively influence us and teach us new things. Despite having different beliefs and languages, we have to learn to accept the differences that we all have. Entertaining other cultures does not mean that we are forgetting our own. Instead, we are actually expanding our understanding of the stories and the intense passion of certain countries.

A famous Filipino band lead singer, Chito Miranda, has been a hot topic in the online world when he posted with a caption “Mabuhay ang OPM”, and a non - K-Pop replied “Solid pa rin ang OPM. ‘Yong di maniwala nilamon na ng K-Pop.” In a positive way, Chito replied, “Kung apektado ka sa K-Pop,then you are focusing on the wrong things.

Ako, trip na trip ko ang K-Pop band walang masamang tumangkilik ng K-Pop.” People often tend to misunderstand the beauty of music because of the language it was created from. But language is not, and will never be, a barrier when it comes to music. Music has no language, it allows us to see the deep message and communicate with us not just through its words but its tone and structure as well. This is how Korean lovers help us to realize that it is not completely about idolizing what’s in their culture but it is more about allowing one’s self to see and experience the other culture as well as learn from it.

The Pearl of the Orient Seas She gazed upon the stars, mesmerized by its beauty. Little did she know, her light shines the brightest. A fool, she was losing herself trying to fit in the crowd. Now, she doesn’t even know who she was, who she is, or whom she wants to be. Her words sound different than before, she acts no better than a stallion.

I was saddened of what she became.

Feels like an anvil in my heart, it broke me.

She then began to realize the mess she made, trying to break free in the dragnet of desires. But the time was lost and the damage has been dealt.

Her thoughts reached the far depths of the Pacific. Like a frigate she was, swayed by the tides of her thought, lost in the valleys of discernment. She stood in front of a mirror, yet she sees no reflection. She cried for help, yet no one seems to bother. She is not the woman she once was, not the one that I loved.

I saw a woman once. Long black hair, tan skin, pale lips, and a slim waist. Yes, she was beautiful. She is the pearl of the Orient Seas after all.

BY LUC LINUS BLANCA

GRAPHICS FROM PINTEREST.COM

ng layo agla aba n a n b ito 630 pina a 10 a. Mas na 12, en k i l b d t u a a m i p d b r e e k t R wat awa tas a sa ty sa g Ba n ang b onsibili g sa ba ga bat ng n a a a m na ktah sp kalas yo ang l Re e nga prot rimina isilbing gamitin aari na d ko.

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16 FEATURE

g n a y a l s a a M apos k a N Z OPE AE L M LLA NI E ala

k n. A an sa a h i ind lab g aint nggol m a s an o? o t k o g i a m rit ind -p us o. H g taga mga m alanan k a s in o alilit na kam kit ang 't maka n a a a Til roon nit b asam u y g a n m ko m sama giging a a mas lang n ang tu biro s a i l a m ap di n

lis. ng laya g sa pu a m a on mga nam apakul ong o r y p a n. oong pag la, m laba r a pa alang o. May an g n w s m , u Oo ang k b i yon na tin n tay g mga i kaya’t ae. Nga a n o i a k p g b n g roon kun indi g aba oon May gutom g pagk sabihin patan n ko. H o mayr n sa a a n o a a a t s k t a i r i l g l b i i n a a a l i l a l p k n m a h a a l n k slit ma akit t ng Tila ihan. A tanggo ang mg ang mga pa g laha gunit b rehas? ing ind a-pag bakit n t n g y a i , n s a i g a y g a m wa ma ing tag gunit ng na Ang aga ta, mala ukulon n a ? g l g , o g a m u n a t t i n n a o i r a t m k is akin t ik gb nan asa was gm g sa luyang isan posas a n mas mos an akasala a nasa mga o tu o ng an g ipino ng t k man mus ama’t m lang mg a amin ng i ako ago pa ndi na a n ni i a s n s n g a m a a n n n s a i a a r m lana l a a b s i l a w p t a g a i M k ra na as na un kasa na’y pi mi ang d ng k i ang ay la g death . Ng g gabi, n m a a a m d a p n an isi y s alawa eda . Bakit k agbay man ka alim aga m lum ila’t inil ang ik bata agot at hindi na n d kan . Ngayo i kuya. lan man gay na nga a ring a ya sary n b a p u ? , k a w a s ko un iver mits ng a los , ang g ng k ann nag gula Santos ian De sila bataan an. t i g o k n u a K y a a o b s i b a k n a u o n t b l g ko tid 12 rly De Bum sa mga asa ng na kun anay. apa i-miss e k n h a o i g g s k S n a n m t n p -a ko’y babata ang na pag uriang tindiha ng tako bibigay y r a n g la g nak os. Sob tina on naii mang a ang na ang ku . t y a San uya ko Nga on na l agligtas ura nila ubre pa o k k b o g k p i u n n s D a ga g taga n. Bin dinidi ko. ‘ a t n Sila hamak nipinta’ ng gaya i a a kap lit na ip ga bat i na p ng ng m a lam

“

FEATURE 17

'Speak your heart out!’.

Almost every motivational speaker would highly encourage you to exercise your freedom of speech.

Despite saying the things that you believe are true, there will always be one person who'll ridicule you and will tell you to shut your mouth up. Is it right to call it 'freedom of speech’ if we still need to be bound by the norms of society on what should be and should not be said?

”

If I were to answer that question, YES, it is still called freedom of speech though we have limits because in the society that we are living in, absolute freedom does not exist. Meaning, no one is truly free. We are all bounded by the socially constructed norms enforced by us, humans.

It must be so ironic for someone, such as myself, to talk about limiting freedom of speech.

Given that I, myself had a change of perspective when it comes to freedom of speech because I am a human. We, humans, never truly stop learning. The essence of a human being is to learn and build their character from their mistakes and experiences.

The only reason why I wanted to write about freedom of speech in this article is that I want to elaborate on how words can truly hurt.

Words can go wrong in different ways. The problem usually comes down to the distinction between what a speaker intends and what a listener understands. Words don’t just convey meaning. They can also

Multiple

relate attitudes. When a speaker’s attitude doesn’t match that of their audience, their words - only intended to just be funny or dirty can end up being seriously harmful.

Some sentences are confusing because we understand most language by its idea or context.

Somebody could make a stupid offthe-cuff joke about ‘your mother’, that could turn out to be painful if your mother has recently died.

One person says something as a joke, but the other person reads it seriously and takes offense. The speaker might defend themselves by saying that they were just joking or being sarcastic. The idea of sarcasm has been heavily abused by people. They joke around or use sarcasm to sometimes try and give a hint to what they truly want to say to someone without realizing that they are mildly sounding offensive.

Whenever someone would just joke around or speak sarcastically to us, we would see them as less threatening and it would be no big deal. they could actually be more likely to cause unintentional harm.

There are words however that are used to belittle a person for simply being who they are. The word ‘faggot’ hurts because it tells

Stab WORDS

BY CATHRYNN JOYCE MIRAÑA

its target that an essential part of his identity is bad (which is being homosexual). You won’t get too offended if you’re wearing an ugly shirt nor if you have a bad haircut, it won’t hurt too much because those aren’t essential parts of you. We are hurt because the concepts that we know about ourselves that we think is okay are not acceptable by the society in reality.

The way we think of ourselves is largely shaped by what we believe others think of us. We tend to act according to the expectations that we think others have on us. The words people use to refer to us, end up influencing the way we understand ourselves.

With reasoned arguments, we can understand and explain how the language we use can inflict harm on others. Only by thinking seriously about the words we use, and what they mean, can we understand how they might be perceived by others.

18 FEATURE

Asymmetrical “Oh, you’re a woman, you’re weak!” “He’s a man, he’s toxic in nature.” People have been fighting over for years about who is more dominant in nature. People have been so linked to their egos that they forgot how to maximize the appreciation for the uniqueness of every individual living in this world.

Gender equality means that the different behavior, aspirations, and needs of women and men are considered, valued and favored equally. Gender equity means fairness of treatment for women and men, according to their respective needs.

There are so many subtle phases that changed in the equality of men and women over the long period of time.

Society is the entirety of relations of a community. However, in late 1600s patriarchal society already exists, a general structure in which men have power over women. People are linked to the standards of the society that women can only do agriculture and household chores. While men on the other side are considered as the “apex” who hunt for the foods of their own family and interconnected to physical works. Talents of each gender are so limited to the point where they no longer realize their huge potentials or other talents they may acquire while living.

Men are physically stronger.

By nature, they are usually more aggressive and externally oriented. In contrast,

Symm etry

BY FRANCIS OWEN PAYTE

women usually embody the ideal of inner dignity.

Some people confuse such subtlety with weakness; in truth, it is stronger than the most aggressive physical force imaginable. True human dignity does not shout; it is a strong, steady voice that speaks from within.

The nature of a woman, while subtle, is not weak.

And the nature of a man, while aggressive, is not brutish. For man and woman to be complete, each must possess both energies.

Man and woman represent two forms of divine energy; they are the male and female elements of a single soul.

For a human being to lead a total life, he or she must have both forms of energy: The power of strength and the power of subtlety; the power of giving and the power of receiving. Ideally, these energies are merged seamlessly.

Now, there is a magnificently big change in society. Patriarchal society is still present but it is gradually deteriorating. Standards are bit by bit shifting into the appreciation of flaws of each gender. The change can now be vividly seen by the naked eye.

The strength of men are now being portrayed by women and the subtlety of women are now being portrayed by men.

The answer is not for men and women to try to be alike. All men and women must be themselves, realizing that God has given each of us unique abilities with which to pursue our goals and that our primary responsibility is to forge to the full advantage of those abilities.

FEATURE 19

b A

l a

n

orm

“Hey! Whore!”

Someone called me while having my morning walk; the usual scorning I get.

It feels ordinary that everytime I go out while wearing this, I don’t know what type of sorcery or witchcraft is needed to acquire telekinesis or telepathy, but it’s so strong. Just using the power of their mind and lustful gaze; those malicious eyes, it’s so strong that even without contact, they’ve managed to touch me, pinch my buttocks, rub my crotch or my bosom.

Well, I’m used to it. I eat catcalls for breakfast, lunch, dinner and even for midnight snacks.

But deep inside, this so-called “bitch” feels so ashamed.

I was once a shy, nerdy girl with low-self esteem. Then I decided to have a style and dress myself up, and confidence I gained.

Then those neighbours would say, “What a degenerate?!”

Ignoring was the best way to deal with their arrogance.

BY NEIL FORMALEJO

A ll

I then remember right in a jeepney, a guy sitting beside me placed his hand in between my legs. Slid it a little bit and said, “Hey, sexy!”

I took off his nasty hand from my legs. You know what, I should be the one who’s angry, yet he lashed out to me and said, “Watcha problem, girl? I’m just admiring you.

That’s what you want, right? That’s why you dress that way. Don’t look so pissed now. With that beauty of yours and skin you show, my response is pretty normal as others would’ve done ‘cuz you’re asking for it!”

Then I was shocked by all the words that came out of his mouth.

Really?! This is normal for you? Others would have done the same? But that incident is vanilla compare to what happened to the progression of this arrogance.

I was dragged. I was raped. I

y

o N

was impregnated. But do you know what my neighbours said?

“Finally, that slutty degenerate got what she deserves. Someone has finally bought food from the displayed menu.”

I was so scared and so ashamed. No one believed me that my rights have been violated. I’ve cried my woes in hope that hands would be lent to me, and instead of help, they further procured my dignity to others against my will, by somewhat pandering me as just flesh, blood and bone for earthy pleasure because they said, that’s how I look, when all I want is being comfortable and having a bit of confidence.

It scares my that, somehow, your clothing and the way you look determines how decent others should act towards you. But what

m r

scares me the most is that it’s attached to the word “normal”, as the jeepney guy said.

This! Do looks, like this, really determine if the person’s rights should be respected or if laws should still protect them?

Look at me! Look at me! I’m bare naked, right? All skin from top to toe. You can see my orifice already, right? Hungry and ready for pounding or groping. Stone me!

Spit on me! After all, that’s what you, conservatives and self-righteous citizens alike, always do.

It’s saintly to point fingers at me, right? Carrying God’s will, or maybe correcting sinners like me.

I deserve it. Uhm no. No, no, no, not deserve it. Actually, it’s my reward ‘cause I’ve asked for it as they always say.

I just pray that I’m partly right of what I think, that normal for majority doesn’t always equate to right and good, and ideals of what is right and good by majority doesn’t always equate to what’s righteous, decent, moral and just.

20 FEATURE

IF A PERSON IS GAY AND SEEKS GOD AND IS OF GOODWILL, WHO AM I TO JUDGE? - POPE FRANCIS

BY ESTHER ELLISE ABUNDO

LGBTTQQIAAP, or commonly known as LGBTQ, is the abbreviated term for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual, ally, and pansexual.

It refers to a broad coalition of groups that are diverse with respect to gender, sexual orientation, race/ ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. It is typically conceptualized in terms of their sexual attraction, identity, and behavior or some combination of all three dimensions. To enlighten us more, here are some of the unusual terms in the LGBTQ community.

LESBIAN

Lesbians are our gay women friends. They are women who are attracted to other women.

GAY

Gay people are our beshies who are attracted to the same sex. This does not only apply to men who like men but also applies to women who like women and they are called lesbians which we will be discussing later. Read on, rainbow friend!

BISEXUAL

Roses are red, violets are blue, what is bisexual? ‘Bi’ is the clue.

Well, there it is my rainbow friends. Let’s focus on our prefix right there. ‘Bi’ means two and yes, you are right! Our bisexual friends are those that you might see liking a girl but you might also see liking a boy. Their love and attraction are not limited to one particular gender only.

ALLY

This is your ate girl or kuya boy who supports and respects the LGBTQ community. These are those who do not look at his/her fellow humans based on their sexual orientation or gender preference but rather looks at them generally as ‘just people’.

TRANSGENDER

They are those who prefer to live as a member of the gender that was not assigned to them at birth. But be careful! Transgenders are not necessarily trans women or trans men. They differ. And the difference is that transgenders are boys who choose to live as girls and vice versa but did not go under the knife to change gender-related parts. While those who do and slowly transform into their preferred gender aesthetically and medically are our transwomen and transmen friends, and guess what? They are women and men too, respectively.

QUEER

Queer means many different things to many different people.

This term has gone through a lot in the past from being a slur to being reclaimed by the LGBTQ community.

This word uses to mean “strange” or “different”. But now, it’s a term we could use to address those who are part of the LGBTQ community. You may use “queer people” instead of “LGBTQ people”.

INTERSEX

These are our friends who might be confused due to their variations in sex characteristics such as chromosomes, sex hormones, or even genitals that do not commonly fit the typical definitions for a male or female body. They are ate girls who might have male sex hormones and vice versa, or those who were born with both genitalia.

HOMOSEXUAL

Synonymous to ‘gay’, homosexuals are those who do not believe in the norm of being limited to loving the opposite gender. They do not basically believe to a certain concept of Science for this matter which says “opposite poles attract, same poles repel.” Because in real life, even if two people are of the same gender, they do not necessarily repel. They can, in fact, be attracted to each other and that explains the concept of homosexuality.

HETEROSEXUAL

Contrary to the concept of homosexuality, heterosexual people are our beshies who prefer to stick to our Science statement here: “Opposite poles attract, same poles repel.” Their hearts are naturally drawn to another person of the opposite gender.

METROSEXUAL

Simply, they are our sassy men friends. They are very meticulous and hands-on about their grooming and have a very refined sense of taste and fashion. A metrosexual individual might be officially gay, straight, or bisexual but what is clear about him is that he takes himself as his own love object.

QUESTIONING

“I don’t know what I want, so don’t ask me. ‘Cause I’m still tryna figure it out.”

Well our friend, Taylor Swift sure got a song right there which perfectly describes our rainbow friends under the ‘questioning’ category.

Yes, they still don’t know what they want nor their sexual orientation or gender identity that is why they are constantly searching and exploring.

Yes, Swift was right! They are still tryna figure it out.

HOMOPHOBE

PANSEXUAL

They are our friends who love all of the colors of the flag. They are blind, but not literally blind.

They are positively gender-blind for they believe that gender is not a determining factor in their sexual or romantic relationships to others.

Well, people with this brand are those that are the enemies of the rainbow kingdom that we are carefully establishing. They are the ones who cannot be happy to see people who are happy to express their sexual preference freely. They are the ones who have a prejudice against our homosexual friends. There also others labeled as transphobe who hate trans, but generally, they are all bigots. But fear not because we have our allies to make them understand the universality of love and identity expression that we are slowly getting out of the cage of judgmental society.

These are just few of the LGBTQ terminologies today in the 21st century.

In the end, no matter if you’re straight or not what matters most is respect.

You respect their stand and beliefs, they respect yours too. #LoveWins

Rain bows are beau tiful too

BY ELLA MAE LOPEZ

They always fill the alleyways up with the loudness of their laughters.

They’ve always been a head turner whenever they pass through a bunch of people looking at them from head to toe. They believe that their matte lipsticks and on fleek eyebrows make them even more beautiful, which is true enough.

FEATURE 21

Hiding all the blemishes and scars behind their smiles, gays are always known as the barkada’s comedian. They say, A group of friends wouldn’t be complete without a “beki” friend who always showers jokes and craziness.

Their humor has always been loved by many. Without them, life would be boring.

We are living in a world where freedom is embraced, yet they still build their own empire to at least protect their castle with bleeding words and untamed actions of enemies who wear masks and proclaim themselves as allies. We often hear them swardspeaking or also known as gayspeak or gay lingo. It is an argot or cant slang derived from Taglish (TagalogEnglish code-switching) and used by a number of LGBT people in the Philippines. We thought that it is a way of getting yourself on

trend but for them, gay lingos are used as a way of expressing themselves, free from harsh opinions and gossips.

We all dream to write our own fairytales with people we love. We often get confused about how LGBT couples do their relationship goals. Same-sex couples have ‘male’ and ‘female’ roles, too.

Same sex relationships come in different shapes and sizes. Some people may display attributes or take on responsibilities typically associated with what it means to be ‘male’ or ‘female’ but others won’t. People’s assumptions that same-sex couples don’t form families is also not true, because there’s a lot of ways for LGBT couples to have children, whether that’s donor insemination and fertility treatment, adoption, fostering, or surrogacy.

On the other side of the story, they sprinkle colors to everyone even if it cost them to be dull and pale. Echoes of judgments and hatred are still screaming on their head. They’ve been tagged as ‘Salot sa Lipunan’ as some people can’t still embrace them

as part of the society, for they believe that God has only created man and woman. We all long for acceptance and equality.

These are just very few misconceptions about LGBT, there are a lot more. People might be mesmerized with sunsets, some might feel serenity with the sound of pouring rain, but we know that there are a lot of people who are madly in love with the vibrant colors of the rainbow. To all LGBTQ people out there, heads up and keep shining, sweeties. Someday, somewhere, somehow, someone will choose your beauty over all the stars and tint of crepuscule.

22 FEATURE are more likely to drive change that impacts organizational performance. Building a culture of trust starts at the top and requires a candid and transparent approach to leadership.

P

ublic servants are committed to deliver the best service possible. They are committed to create a fair and transparent governance, to deliver high-quality services, and to be a steward of government funds that maximize cost-effectiveness and accountability.

Servant-leadership has a growing emphasis on serving others. It is a holistic approach to work promoting a sense of integration and participation in the decision-making power. In general, the premises of servant-leadership is the leader who seeks to serve, and this service is an essential component of people and building community.

Good leader refers to someone who has the eagerness and willingness to serve others.

Elections are drawing nearer and nearer and we are about to exercise our power to choose the people that we think are worthy of our votes. The people of today are well-exposed to certain factors that could influence their decisions in choosing the right leaders who can better the status quo, like the social media. The social media can tell us information about the candidates but these information are not always true. Nevertheless, here are some qualities of a good servant-leader that we are looking for that might help you in making a good decision in the upcoming elections: LEADING WITH OTHERS IN MIND A servant-leader values everyone’s contributions and regularly seeks out opinions.

As a leader, you should accept and value the opinions of your subordinates. Let your members voice out what is in their minds and accept it so that you will come up with a good idea.

CULTIVATES A CULTURE OF TRUST Trust is a powerful leadership skill. In fact, leaders who have the trust of their employees

DEVELOPS OTHER LEADERS The replication factor is very important. It means that teaching others to lead is basically providing opportunities for growth. In teaching others on becoming a leader, a leader must demonstrate by example. Leaders should not always lead, instead they should learn how to give up power and know how to deputize and represent his people.

HELPS PEOPLE WITH LIFE ISSUES It is important to offer personal development beyond the job. When your people sees the openness you are radiating and feels that you can be approached about their work or life issues, it will largely help them externalize those problems and make them feel better and clear out the negativities that they are battling with. This characteristic is very important because there is something in the interactions that changes the way someone thinks about problems.

ENCOURAGES The hallmark of a servant is encouragement and a true servant-leader says, “let's go do it” instead of “you do it”. A servant-leader does not let his members work alone, rather a leader is the one who initiates the commencement of a task and encourages his members to work with him and be productive.

SELLS INSTEAD OF TELLS A servant-leader is the opposite of a dictator.

Being a servant-leader is more about persuading instead of commanding. A leader should know how to tell his members about what to do without commanding them and that means that he should know how to make them understand why they should be doing a certain job instead of forcing them to do it. A servant-leader is the one who does

the works with his members instead of always commanding his members on what to do. Leader engages with others and doesn’t let his members do alone without his help.

If leadership is defined as influence then persuasion is an important element of effective leadership. Leaders, by definition, must effectively influence change, improvement, innovation and performance. Their task is to create positive, sustainable performance environments – often in the face of challenge, an unacceptable status quo or a window of opportunity.

THINKS “YOU” NOT “ME” A servant-leader should have a selfless character. Someone who entertains thoughts such as “How does this benefit me?” and “What do I get from this?” is disqualified. A servant-leader should think about what others need before he thinks of all the needs of himself.

THINKS LONG TERM A servant-leader is thinking about the next leader, the next generation, the next opportunity. He should always keep in mind the trade-off between what’s important today versus what’s important tomorrow and he should make choices that could not only benefit the present but the future as well.

ACTS WITH HUMILITY The key factor on understanding what a leader is, is that one should understand that leadership is not about the leader himself, but about the others.

A leader does not exist just to wear a title and show everyone who’s in-charge. He should not think that he is better than everyone else. Instead, he should always act in a manner wherein the priority is caring for others. A leader may in fact, pick up trash, clean up a table, or sweep the streets just to set an example of service.

BY JOHN ESTUYA

Identify your Public Servants Check All that Applies

5

Your

AFTER VOTING, RUN THE BALLOT BY THE VOTE COUNTING MACHINE AND REVIEW YOUR VOTING RECEIPT IF THE WRITTEN INFORMATION IS CORRECT

Decision is your

Make sure to put the receipt in the voting receipt receptacle and get your finger marked with the indelible ink. DON’T bring the voting receipt home as this is an act of election offense to the polling place and is punishable.

Responsibility!

The Philippines is one of the countries to have a democratic form of government where people create a government by casting votes. As an individual, it is our right and obligation to vote as stated in Article 5 of the 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines.

Stay silent when voting and avoid looking at other’s ballot. Respecting privacy is also respecting others decision.

Voting is our freedom to express who we want to sit in the government who we think are worthy of our votes. And by having this freedom, we are also carrying with us heavy loads of responsibilities. But what are our responsibilities as a voter?

1

FAMILIARIZE THE CANDIDATES Know at least their basic background to ensure that the reputation of the one who will sit in the government is not tainted with issues and illegal affairs. Be sure to prepare a list of the candidates that you wish to vote. Remember, don’t let other people steer your mind.

4 3

LEARN TO RESPECT THE PRIVACY OF THE OTHER VOTERS

BY PRINCESS CORAL

Here are some tips to be a responsible voter:

FEATURE 23

FAMILIARIZE THE USE OF THE EQUIPMENT IN THE POLLING PLACE

2

Or ask a question if needed to the polling place worker. Be courteous and polite when doing so. Remember to shade the ballot properly for your vote to be counted by the machine.

A VOTER SHOULD KNOW THE NEAREST LOCATION OF A POLLING PLACE IN HIS/ HER AREA AND ITS OPERATION TIME

Be sure to go early at the polling place with a proper identification card to avoid the long lines.

As a citizen of the Philippines, one should understand that you are responsible for who you choose and how you vote as he or she will carry the desire of the majority.

24 FEATURE

Hearts’ Day NOT

A

LOVE

STORY

BY VANESSA JOY BARRIO

Page 25 of 365: Hearts were everywhere! People were like waves going to and from, rushing in that enclosed space. You might think that it’s that special day flooded with flowers and handwritten letters, but sorry to pop your thought bubble but you need to re-read the subtitle.

For the past school-years, different strands from the university have exemplified extraordinary skills and talents through their ownspearheaded events. So far, your eyes have probably witnessed the STEM Science Fair and the ABM Trade Fair where students were given the opportunity to exhibit what they have learned and what they have done. People have seen the Predators and the Generals at work, but have you ever seen the Lions? That is exactly the reason why the 25th of January 2019 was a moment of pride for the General Academic Strand. Because that day, the lions broke out of the

cage of stereotypes and strand discriminations when they proved that they have also skills and knowledge to showcase. For the first time in the young history of the Senior High School department, the first GAS Exhibit was done.

GAS Exhibit: “We are Tech Savvy” was spearheaded by Grade 12 learners with the guidance of Mae Roselle Clemente, learning facilitator, and Juancho Romero, learning supervisor. The event paved the way for GAS students to showcase their media and information literacy as well as their capabilities and skills in computer and technology. Outputs in the form of print advertisements, infographics, public service announcements, and career interview videos were free for the eyes that day.

The program was hosted

by GAS K students, Alodia Berzel Laguardia, and Jacklourd Prado, and was formally opened by GAS N’s John Andrew Mutya, followed

by an intermission number from the UNC SHS dance troupe. Then, at last, the floor of the university’s social hall was open for viewing.

An exhibit is probably not as fun and exciting as the other forms of event but it was not a problem for GAS. To make the exhibit fun and atypical, GAS incorporated the exhibit to an interactional-physical web experience, with social media page standees wherein visitors can “heart” the outputs that they like the most (now you know why hearts were literally everywhere).

As time went by, the hall was filled with guests and visitors who went to appreciate and critique the students’ works to determine the outputs most worthy of their hearts (of course, hearts weren’t supposed to be easily surrendered).

At the end of the day, Laguardia’s group (GAS K) garnered the most hearts for the print ad category, having Erika Jane Ebron’s group (GAS L) as

1st runner-up. Vanessa Joy Barrio’s group (GAS L) emerged as the champion in the infographic category. Walther Anthony Luzon’s group (GAS N) won the best PSA, having John Andrew Mutya’s group (GAS N) as the 1st runner-up and Grygghn Beltran’s group (GAS K) as the 2nd runner up. For the Career Interview Video category, Frank Joseph Benemerito’s group (GAS L) was the crowd’s favorite gathering the most hearts.

The GAS Exhibit ended with not just paper hearts on printed outputs and Chromebooks but also overwhelmed the hearts of the GAS students who received appreciation for the products of their hard work.

Hearts were indeed everywhere as that day was filled with smiles, laughter, good memories, and good photographs. Page 25 might not be generally special for everyone, but it was for GAS. Although this was not a love story, it was a story which made some hearts overwhelmingly happy.

FEATURE 25

ABM TRADE FAIR Is the Experience Worth It? December 12-14, 2018.

Those were the unforgettable days of panic, worries, determination, and hope. Three fun days of strategies and overwhelming memories that will forever stay in our hearts as we walk to the life path of reality. Who would have thought those in that three days, our patience and commitment would be tested? Who would have thought that despite all of our rants, we would have an extraordinary experience that will be a part of who we will become in the unforeseeable future?

F

irst day was most likely the preparation and adjusting day for most of the businesses. Panic was in the air when a lot of students came to buy. You would see attempts of persuading customers and confusion on what booth to support. Yet, the wildest thing about this day was when the biggest competitor arrived and declared war which caused delay and rage for some businesses. And to give this competitor a recognition for his effort, I would like to introduce you to… Mr. Wind whose goal was to destroy his chosen targets.

Second day was the most challenging part of the trade fair because, unlike the first day, the number of customers decreased.

Some of them even came back with a

BY CRISCEL BOGNALOS AND TRISHA CANTON preferred food to buy, ignoring the existence of other businesses that offered a variety of products. So it was really hard for other businesses to compete. Yet, this day was not about giving in to the pressure, rather finding a solution to attain the goal that every business wanted. This day was not only about whys rather it was about hows.

Third day was mostly about enjoying our last day as business owners. There were song performances from the representatives of each business and loud voices of cheers and laughs that could be heard everywhere.

Yet, the competition was still ongoing and no one would back down for this one final chance to be on top. At exactly 3 ‘o clock, everyone was so eager to achieve “sold out” for the

last time. And soon, after the restoration, the awards and prizes were announced.

This Trade Fair maybe an exciting event for other students or another stressor for some, but it should not be something to regret. That three-day experience is nothing but something that we should be thankful for because even if it gave us a lot of struggles, it was an experience that taught us a lot about the competition that we are going to face once we finally step-out of this university.

Even if you succeeded or not in that event, it doesn’t matter. What matters is how strong you were able to face the challenges that was thrown at you because that’s enough to show that you are tough and strong-willed enough to face the real world.

What do you

Me me?

What do you Meme?

FROM ESTUDYANTE PROBLEMS, JEEVIE SEVERINO, CYEN ESCLANDA, GRYGGHNN BELTRAN, AND UNC HS FILES

FEATURE 29

“Beauty pageant is created not for specific individuals only, it was made for the people to boost their confidence, to prove their worth and to share their advocacies.”

awards and the most exalted award of the night.

Her first award was People's choice award and she is grateful to all the SHS students who voluntarily donated some of their money. Second was Best in Production Number.

She was really amazed when they announced her name but she knows that she gave her best to stand out in the eyes of the crowd and the judges.

Last was the title Miss University This statement is from the 2019. She and the people who one who brought back the crown of believed in her, know that she Miss University to the UNC Senior deserved every inch of the High School (SHS) Department awards she received. during the foundation week of Elijah proved that she the said university last February. is indeed beauty She is a Science, Technology, with brains with Engineering, and Mathematics this moving (STEM) A student who dreams and winning to be a pilot in the future. She is a n s w e r a typical teenage girl who loves about the reading novels and watching o c c u r re n c e K-Dramas, but she never neglects of depression the importance of education as among young she consistently becomes one of adults and how she the achievers of her class. can alleviate it among “Eli” and “Alet” are the her peers: nicknames her friends and family “Indeed, depression is fondly call her. Her name is Elijah an issue among youth like me Elaurza Magana, a 17-year-old and other peers who belong in this lady who is fun to be with because generation and what I can say is no one can stop her from telling that I should encourage them. As her own jokes to her friends and their friend and a member of youth, classmates.

I should do something to alleviate She was the representative of and to say something that will the SHS Department, together with encourage them or prove that there Jericho Jamolin, who also won a is a life, a happy life, after everything. few awards in the male category There will always be challenges and of the pageant. She showed obstacles that you can encounter everyone her poise, wit, beauty, and but it won’t end everything and it especially her confidence as she won’t end your life but continue deservingly took the crown from to strive hard and be passionate other candidates. about everything, be passionate about Road to the Crown We have similar your dreams and then Even though depression may end, or thinking capacities in she already joined ‘your’ depression may making our country a few pageants end.” or the world better, before, she eagerly After the event, prepared for no matter what your even when they got the prestigious gender is... home already, she university pageant was still 'shookt' (as because she really what this generation calls it) about aimed to get that prominent everything. Of course, she was very crown. Like what 'pageanteras' happy, all of the hard work she and her do, she trained her mental and supporters did, paid off. She was and physical health. She tried to lose still very thankful for that night. And weight as well within 2 weeks, she will always be grateful that being and even controlled herself from Miss University became part of her life. eating unhealthy snacks. Through You may ask, what made her reading a lot of documents about stand out among he other candidates? the university, and current issues Eli thinks that all of them were equally happening in the Philippines, beautiful and presentable that night, it prepared her mind to grow yet she have no idea what made the wider and be able to answer all judges and the people think to choose of the possible questions. Not just that, she listened carefully to her coaches, Ms. Krystel, Sir Juancho, and Sir Kirth as part of her preparation for the prestigious pageant. She also has undergone through trainings to improve her ramp and posture, with the help of her handlers.

Finally, the pageant began.

Elijah Elijah confidently showed what she Magana’s got and what she prepared for. She Journey was afraid and confused during the contest because she was feeling to the Crown odd, like she was not nervous at all.

But, this helped her to bag special

Sensitivity makes a

her as their new Miss University. What she can think of is, having the presence of God with her helped her continue being confident during the pageant.

That night, she didn't change who Elijah is. She showed the real her, fighting for her department and unleashing the character and skills she have. And to her supporters who gave their best high-pitched voice to support her, know who the real Elijah was and for her, they were also part of the reason why she stood out. With the help of God who guides her and her mom who motivates, supports, and inspires her, Elijah knows that she can reach any goals and overcome any challenges.

Being a Miss University is a big shoe to fill and the one who is bringing the title must be courageous enough for being the student to look up to by other learners and to influence them positively.

How do Elijah plan to maximize the reign?

Eli is willing to do the responsibilities. She will not fail everyone who believed in her and even if she already passed the crown to the next deserving Miss University, she will still show what a good student is.

Not only to the university, but to the community as well. Elijah will continue to be a good role model to everyone through doing what her advocacy is all about from the first place, and she will bring with her what she learned all throughout the Miss University reign.

“Beauty pageant serves also as a platform for their voices to be heard, and for other people to hear out the changes the contestants can make and improvements they envision. And I do believe that we have equal strength and we have similar thinking capacities in making our country or the world better, no matter what your gender is or disregarding the community you belong in. Beauty pageant does not objectify men and women only, but also all the people who are willing to share what they truly have and what they can serve to the nation's people. Respect is what the world needs.”

BY JUSTIN CARL CABALTERA AND KATRINE FAY BERUNIO

Queen

30 OPINION

y a t k u o t u ! r o e h S Mams

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Nikk i y Sir a m k t c t efe halion t ou lav” pe-p Shou x ka!!! lav a, ma ke!! Basta a.” t e b m a d g ag exa . Jo dog a nan “Ang lang ‘yan ayon ka b - Bal san k r? g a n ir a n a , m r m ath, S sa ss si a ta e! Si ’am K ank you elski ka ng cla mo n a N M r ( i th “S ngan 12 sir!

-J e.” ssa), TEM kaila he. Labyu AM S ’am Ode kami yie o! p g r n i s e r a d ! h u M o u e o u f h . d H n a ig an na si uhu n o po “Sa B , Sir Pau, least nak er ko hh.”

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M v i h “ p g d a n o i y m d r h .H na “Ve us teach agtutuk - aye man a LF a mg ES, mayo vario retong n da!”

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n uma ate sa in g dae m i s r s u a l ah lin t sa c ag-joke gpap mau e pa m utou na na mbagan, ag, grab an.” e t “sho aduyon gma niya a t b a m u l s m a b s u n u s a an yad y cla an p para kong napapa i. Keep o .” ut ka g ang ba e nagpa makan k - Batm o t u pero klase m h friend o u n n h k a a l S g “ t ang kin’, ma - jok3r na n diki para urat. Dae roc o. k abos b e t t sa g o ta ssma l year a a h l u c m b a ga schoo ga pa man k mo.” ll!!!” is t sa m ong mga-higos lag ko ka TEM utou aking th ove you aruto k o e h s S “ gta sa S akla alag - Na for m orable. L “Sa k bject, maatimpi. il gabuhat m k you u a k s T a Than e and me a n n ko e/ uctiv dai a aklas or, prod ‘pag k a s t ball. t out y mo olley ka.

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“Sho klase mi a mabat ay.” he lassm et sa s n t t r a o n “Sa c to do t ng intern atulong naman.” k a D w “wa na an daka nang mnda <3 ala gis law mak your ind that ka m a ang w ra hindi galaw ga blackma g m n ple i y pa em Bear ome peo to baha ojects. eh s g y n i a ! y r pr aps et m a are t u. Don’t “Hi P ako pork s yo e na ahon pa n t o t f i a l ders m i m lass s dadar bawasa ” eeloa ehe.” alag ma pero r c P f y e a . a b h “K uck eb om kasa true a starb nakal, da bot sa ro piko naka iding my one - Ary i a o b K a i h a k s n a e ’m g I s m n y a i l k op Sta gang self h wede na. e =)” hang r p a y u a d yo -P who

SPORTS 31

Greyhounds champs PCCL South Luzon 3x3 Basketball

BY LUC LINUS BLANCA UNC Greyhounds Basketball team donned the championship crown as they reigned in the South Luzon 3x3 under 18 regional championship of the Philippine Collegiate Champion’s League (PCCL) held on Nov. 29, 2018 at the Jesse M. Robredo Coliseum, Naga City.

The team was composed of four (4) Senior High School students, namely Jerome Almario, Kobe Baesa, Christian Manrique, and Sheldon Versoza. Battling against six (6) other schools from the Region that participated in the event, the UNC Greyhounds emerged victorius gaining the championship title.

“We are very happy that we represented Naga,” Manrique said.

The Greyhounds represented the Bicol region in the national championship of PCCL held at Ynares Sports Arena, Pasig City last Jan. 24 against the participants from the cities of Davao and Pampanga.

According to Alven Lumberio, coach of UNC Greyhounds Basketball team, the team is hoping to win next year’s national championship.

“Hopefully, next year, tayo ang i-crown na talagang national champs,” he exclaimed.

In lieu of the said achievement, the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Naga commended the team’s accomplishment last Feb. 11 at the Naga City Hall Compound.

“We are very much privileged and proud. Tuwang-tuwa kami sa award na ‘to, to be commended by the City,” Lumberio expressed.

MVP VP

BREAKING BAD. UNC Greyhounds’ Forward Jerome Almario (22) penetrates through a couple of defenders from La Finns Scholastica Colleges during the PCCL 3x3 National Championship game held last Jan. 24 at Ynares Sports Arena, Pasig City. (Words by Luc Linus Blanca and Photo by PCCL Facebook Pagev)

Born Roar to

BY LUC LINUS BLANCA

The UNC Greyhound Junior basketball team had a lot of ups and downs this year. Well, ups mostly. Although it is a team effort that got them this far, one man shines brightest than the rest. The 18year old lad from San Felipe made his name known after a very much successful year.

Aside from being part of the Mythical 10, Jerome Almario has also been titled as the season’s Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player in this year’s Bicol Universities and Colleges Athletic League (BUCAL). His skill and efforts helped the Greyhounds to secure the third spot against Ateneo Golden Knights.

Five months later, he set up another impressive feat.

The UNC Greyhound Junior Basketball team swept away the crown against the NCF Cubs during the National Basketball Training Center

(NBTC) Junior Championship game last Feb. 6, with a final score of 73-62. Once more, Jerome was awarded as the Most Valuable Player for the said event.

Hardwork and talent plays a big role on his achievements but everything may be in vain without the love and support from his friends and families.

“Nagpapasalamat ako sa coach namin and teammates dahil sila ‘yong tumutulong sa akin and lagi nila akong minomotivate every game. Sa lahat ng sumuporta sa amin, sobrang nagpapasalamat ako, lalo na kay coach Alven Lumberio. Thank you sa UNC Greyhounds Community!”

Jerome expressed.

This year’s basketball events have been fun to watch, and it is the players’ skill and dedication that makes it even better. Who will stand out next season? Will Jerome continue to improve to help the greyhounds to another championship or will another Jerome from the neophytes roar aloud as he did? We have to watch out.

3 SHS studes emerge Palarong Bicol ‘19 victors

BY LUC LINUS BLANCA Three (3) Senior High School members of the UNC Swimming team shone on the spotlight once more as they brought home golden medals from the Palarong Bicol 2019 held last Feb. 24-March 2 in Masbate Province.

Determined to bring glory to the Red and Gray, as well as to the City of Naga, UNC’s swimming team conquered foreign waters bagging a combined number of 10 medals, 8 gold and 2 silver, in the Palarong Bicol 2019.

John Michael Dela Torre from STEM E managed to gain possession of a gold medal from the 4x50 freestyle relay event.

Meanwhile, Karl Angel Indico from GAS E bagged gold medals from the 200m and 100m backtroke and 4x50 medley and freestyle relay events.

Raymond De Leon from GAS E won gold medals in 200m IM and 4x50 medley relay and 4x100m freestyle relay events and silver medals in the 200m and 100m breakstroke events.

In an interview, Dela Torre shared the hardships they endured during their preparations. “Actually, ang training naming swimmers is everyday, pero in preparation para sa Palarong Bicol, meron pa kaming tinatawag na 1-month concentration, which is diyan na ‘yong super hirap na training.”

S SINTIDO INTIDO

THE OFFICIAL LITERRARY F

O KUMON

F O L I O O F T H E PA N T O G R A P H

INTRODUCTION

O

n the 15th day of March, year 2019, diverse voices were heard, thoughts and feelings were expressed and people were entertained by the literary pieces presented by the grade 12 students of the UNC Senior High School Department. Dr. Jaime Hernandez, Sr. wouldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been so proud with the students as they presented and performed their literary pieces in front of his statue under the blanket of darkness, illuminated by the twinkling stars.

Topics performed went from cheesy love stories to unsolved murders to self love/ hate to environmental awareness. Every thought, idea and opinion left unsaid of a student was echoed throughout the grounds of the university.

Open Mic Year 2 features the literary pieces created by the grade 12 students in their 21st Century Literature Course.

This literary section features some of the literary pieces that stood out during the said open mic.

PHOTO BY YOUTUBE.COM/ Y. HSU

SINTIDO KUMON 35

Martyrdom.

GRYGGHNN BELTRAN

I I'm strangled by reality A fantasy of you and me I was living in ecstasy That you can never really see You caused an uproar in my mind You tore my heart a thousand times Aesthetically I was blind I heard your melancholic chimes I even tried to understand Your situation and feelings I stayed even though I can't stand What they call a mercy killing Your voice is all that I can hear But maybe this is a murder Dying for something I can bare Maybe I'm a freaking martyr

II Yes I'm a martyr, And I should not be here I should be in plaza, not saying any stanza and standing still while remembering every tear.

Yes, I'm a martyr, but I'm not a hero, because for you, even though your my number one, I've always been your zero.

Yes, I'm a martyr, I don't know what I have to do, because other people of my age is fighting for their rights, and I'm still right here fighting for you.

Yes, I'm a martyr, and I'm proud of it, even though my heart is now hardened because in your mind, just like the other martyrs in History, I will be forgotten.

Yes I will be forgotten but what other people told me that I should have done, is a lesson that I will always remember because...

III I remember a lot of people, who said that I should really stop Because a girl like you is someone that I can't really top Maybe your image is a bluff, or maybe I should understand How my heart beats for you, is something I can't comprehend I don't really understand what is really happening to me An escape route to your life, is something I can't really see Something I can't really seek, something I should really find An escape route to your life, is all I ask in any kind How can I freaking destroy, something that's already set How do I change my mind, because you're someone to forget How can I freaking rewrite, what's written in our stars How do I heal my heart, because what you gave are scars Yes what you gave scars, that will remain forever I wrote this for you, last month of December And it's not your fault, that I suffer every pain Because your place in my heart, will always remain.

Yes it will always remain, wherever you are. In a country or a kingdom. It will always remain, just like our history, that will end in a martyrdom. Can I change everything? I'm afraid not and we can't even hide it. Because just like the History of Martial Law, all we can do is reflect because we should never rewrite it.

36 SINTIDO KUMON LANCE RICAFORT

Amidst the Angst I look at the huge breathtaking buildings, I had a peculiar feeling.

I realize how small I am, As I stand in the city where I came from.

I stand in the middle of a medium size planet holded by gravity, Sitted in a relatively small galaxy, Spinning and travelling aimlessly, In a universe expanding infinitely.

It may take irritatingly long to travel from here to New Zealand, But if you take a closer look, it’s nothing but trails of an ant.

I am so tiny and fragile, I feel like I’m in danger all the time.

A brief earthquake and I might be gone, Be struck by a lightning and it’s no longer fun.

A tiny blood clot and I’m dead, In the hands of flies and bacterias I’ll be fed.

I am awestruck by the giants I’m up against, All my problems and occasional glories seem like irrelevant events.

Our life may seem so good and fine, Yet catastrophe can strike us anytime.

So we should appreciate and cherish life While we still have some time.

Let’s stop obsessing about all that’s missing and absent,

And start to appreciate all that’s present.

It’s quite amazing that I could see I’m glad that I’m surrounded by trees.

The afternoon sun is so warm and hopeful.

The cup of coffee was so delightful, The last book I’ve read was splendid, What a beautiful stray cat, wonder where it’s headed, The pillow feels so nice on my cheek, It’s fascinating to have feet.

SINTIDO KUMON 37

If you’ll not stay,

I’ll destroy you

ELLA MAE LOPEZ

I love your kiss, I love the way your touch burns me, the taste of your love feeding my soul.

Your fingers crawl up on every part of me.

Memorizing. Knowing. Devouring every inch of me.

I was your slave.

I let you go inside my paradise.

Even if it hurts, even if its wrong, even if it bleeds.

I played the game that my foolish heart offered me.

You pushed and I moan. You pulled and I scream.

Please, just please stay.

And uhh. You gave me colors, you were the ink in my pen.

Our heartbeats became the rhythm of my every poem.

Your voice became my metaphor, and little did i know, you became my poetry.

You are my serenity in all my chaos.

I find comfort in the warmth of your hands exploring my body and whenever melancholy embraces me, it’s your soft pale red lips that became my favorite dish.

Delicious.

Even though it’s her name that you always whisper at night.

I was deceived in the idea that I could free you from her memories.

That I can replace her with my hands, and my tounge and my hips and lips.

Love, you are an imprisoner of the past.

You pushed and I moan.

You pulled and I scream, uhh.

If you’ll not stay, then I’ll destroy you.

I wanna cut your fingers that once laid on me, one by one. Until I hear the sound of grief.

I’ll get a knife and slowly slice your skin.

I wanna check your lungs and smell the fragrance of your dripping blood.

I’m gonna smash your skull and get your brain, I’ll wash it over and over and over again until she no longer stays in your memory.

My love, if you cannot love me then maybe I can own your heart.

I’ll open your chest and hear how it beats only for her. I’ll put it in a jar and display it in my room.

My precious, I’ll take good care of it.

If you’ll not stay then I’ll destroy you.

Maybe this isn’t the right time for us, or not the right world. But, Love, always remember, if I cannot have you then no one must have you too.

Not even her.

I love you.

38 SINTIDO KUMON

Hanggang Dito na Lan TRISHA MAE CANTON

"Jace..."

Hindi ko mapigilang mapangiti habang pinagmamasdan ang taong nakatayo sa harapan ko.

Nandito kami ngayon sa lugar kung saan nagsimulaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t nagtapos ang kwento naming dalawa.

Sa harap ng flag pole.

Limang taon na rin ang nakalipas. Iba na ang mundong ginagalawan naming pareho. May kanyakanya na kaming buhay at marami ng nagbago sa aming dalawa. Siguro kung may hindi nagbago, iyon ay ang nararamdaman ko para sa kanya.

Mahal ko pa rin siya.

Tandang-tanda ko pa kung paano kami nagkakilala noon. Pareho kaming na-late sa flag ceremony kaya pareho kaming nakatanggap ng parusa. Tawa kami nang tawa habang para kaming tangang kumakanta ng National Anthem. 'Yon ang naging unang pagkikita namin. Hindi man namin nalaman ang pangalan ng isa't isa, hindi pa rin namin nakalimutang magbatian at magpalitan ng ngiti tuwing nagkakasalubungan.

Nagkaroon ako ng paghanga sa kanya at mas lumalim pa iyon ng maging kaklase ko siya no'ng mag-high school kami. Ako ang unang umamin kahit alam kong wala akong pag-asa. May girlfriend kasi siya no'n. Pero mukhang naawa ata sa akin ang tadhana kaya pinaghiwalay niya ang dalawa.

Unang heartbreak niya iyon at ako ang kanyang sandalan. Mas nagkaroon kami ng oras sa isa't isa.

Naging magbest friend kami kahit ayoko. Dumating sa punto na napagod na akong maghintay na mapansin niya. Tinanggap ko na lang kung anong meron kami hanggang dumating ang araw ng graduation namin.

Nagtapat siya at niligawan niya ako. Hindi rin nagtagal ay naging kami.

Ngunit kahit gaano namin kamahal ang isa't isa, baliwala pa rin kung maraming humahadlang.

Magkaiba kami ng pinapasukang University. Nawalan kami ng oras para sa isa't isa at may mga problema ang dumating sa relasyon namin.

Hanggang sa sumuko siya at itinigil kung anong meron kami.

Kaya ngayong nasa harapan ko ulit siya, matapos ang lahat, hindi ko mapigilan ang sarili kong maiyak. Miss na miss ko na siya. Gusto ko na siyang yakapin. Pero kahit gusto ko, hindi na pwede.

Sumama ako sa kaibigan ko sa reunion na 'to, hindi para makita ang mga elementary friends ko, kung hindi para makita siya, kahit man lang sa huling pagkakataon. Kahit gaano ko kasi kagustong ibalik kung anong meron kami, hindi na pwede. Wala nang pag-asa.

"Jace, anong ginagawa mo rito? Hinihintay mo ako 'no?" biro ko. Simpleng ngiti lang ang isinagot niya sa 'kin. "Nakakatawa 'no? Dito pa talaga tayo nagkita ulit. Kamusta ka na? Maayos ka ba?

Alam mo ako kasi hindi. May mga araw na naiisip ko pa rin 'yong dating meron tayo. Nakakapanghinayang kasi. Kaya lang, alam ko naman na hindi ko na maibabalik 'yon. Hindi na ulit mangyayari 'yon," ngumiti ako ng peke. Kahit anong pigil ang gawin ko, nagbagsakan pa rin ang mga luha na kanina ko pa pinipigilang pumatak.

Nakakainis kasi ang tadhana eh. Bakit pa niya hinayaang mahulog kami sa isa't isa kung ganito lang naman pala ang kahahantungan ng lahat? Ang

masaktan kaming pareho.

"Sheena" banggit niya sa pangalan ko. Kita ko ang saya sa mukha niya pero hindi nakatakas sa mga mata ko ang luhang dumaloy sa pisngi niya. "I miss you so much."

Napapikit ako. Ang sarap marinig 'yon mula sa kanya. Ang weird lang dahil masakit din sa pakiramdam. "Miss na rin kita 'no! Pero hindi na pwede eh. Alam mo na, madaming nangyari. Kahit mahal natin ang isa't isa, wala tayong magagawa.

Hindi tayo ang nakatadhanang magsama eh."

"Sheena! Nandito ka lang pala eh!" Dali-dali kong pinunasan ang luha sa mga mata ko ng lapitan ako ni Aira, ang best friend ko. "Anong ginagawa mo rito? Umiyak ka ba? Ikaw, nag-e-emo ka na naman 'no?"

"Hindi ah!" tanggi ko. Nilingon ko si Jace.

Nakita ko ang lungkot sa mga mata niya habang nakatitig sa 'kin. Pinilit ko ang sarili kong ngitian siya kahit man lang bago kami magkahiwalay ulit. "Tara na nga," aya ko kay Aira pero nanatili lang siya sa kinatatayuan niya.

"Jace" sambit ni Aira. Kilala ni Aira si Jace.

Siya ang saksi sa pagmamahalan naming dalawa mula sa simula hanggang sa wakas. "Sheena, siya ba ang rason kung bakit ka sumama sa 'kin dito?" tanong niya.

Hindi ako umimik at napaiyak na lamang. Niyakap niya ako ng mahigpit. "Sheena naman! Kailan ka ba makakamove-on sa kanya? Five years na ang nakalilipas, tama na. 'Wag mo na pahirapan ang sarili mo. Hindi siya matutuwa kapag nakita ka niyang ganiyan. Tanggapin mo na, na wala na siya."

Alam ko naman ang katotohanang wala na siya.

Dapat magkikita kami noon para ayusin ang relasyon namin pero naaksidente siya. Dead on arrival.

Ginusto ko ring mamatay ng mga panahon na 'yon.

Buti na lang nandiyan ang pamilya ko. Hindi nila ako pinabayaan kaya nakabangon ako. Pinagpatuloy ko ang buhay ko kahit nanatiling patay ang puso ko.

Tinignan ko si Jace pero wala na siya sa kinatatayuan niya kanina. Napaiyak ako lalo. Tama nga ang hinala ko, hinihintay niya pa rin ako rito. Dito dapat kami magkikita noon bago siya maaksidente. Kaya lang, nangyari na nga ang mga nangyari. Kahit gusto kong baguhin ang naging kapalaran niya, alam kong wala ng mangyayari.

"Tara na nga. Hinahanap ka na nila," sabi ni Aira habang tinutulungan niya akong ayusin ang sarili ko.

Habang naglalakad kami ay nakaramdam ako ng isang malamig na yakap. Napahinto ako. "Mahal na mahal kita Sheena," bulong niya bago siya tuluyang nawala sa 'kin.

Pilit kong pinigilan ang luha ko sa pagbagsak.

Ngumiti ako kahit masakit. Eto na talaga ang patunay na wala na kaming pag-asang magsama. Hindi na maibabalik ang nakaraan. Hindi na kami pwedeng magsama sa kasalukuyan. Hindi na mangyayari ang mga nangyari noon, kahit ngayon gaano ko pa kagustong maulit ang pagmamahalan namin, na alam kong bubuhay muli sa puso ko.

Mahal din kita Jace pero hanggang dito na lang ang kwento nating dalawa.

SINTIDO KUMON 39

Matigas at Mahaba ELLA MAE LOPEZ Matigas.

Mahaba.

Hinahanap-hanap na ng aking kamay.

Tila ba nasanay.

Tuwing gabi'y nangangapa.

Sinusubukan, ngunit animo'y nanghihina. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Di mailabas.

Limot ko na yata kung anoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ng pakiramdam na mahawakan ang aking pluma't muling magsulat ng mga metapora.

Gone.

ELLA MAE LOPEZ

sometimes i look up at the sky. i try not to cry. its so hard to miss someone in heaven. u have nothing to do but to smile.

40 SINTIDO KUMON

his is going to be boring.”

Liam thought dully while they sit and wait at the grand dining table.

Apparently, the kingdom from the north-the Clover Kingdom visits the Garland Kingdom for a proposal that Liam never had a knowledge about.

“May I present to you, the Clover Kingdom.

His majesty, King Wolfgang Green, her majesty, Queen Zafra Green. His highness, Prince Charles Green and finally, her highness, Princess Olive Green.” The butler announced as the Royal family of the Clover Kingdom entered the palace.

Prince Liam sighed from boredom as they stood up to greet the other family.

“Oh my good lord!” he thought as he saw the beautiful face in front of him.

“Look at those ocean eyes, those blonde hair which are perfectly in place”--- Liam snapped from daydreaming as the butler called his name.

“The 2nd Prince, Prince Liam Allison Garland!” He cleared his throat, looked at everyone, smiled and bowed.

“Ah! My boy, Liam! Isn’t Princess Olive very lovely?” King Clark Garland, Liam’s father said enthusiastically. Liam looked at the princess and smiled at his father and said, “Indeed, father. She is.” Princess Olive blushed and giggled.

“I don’t see any problem to arrange a wedding for our children, Clark!” King Wolfgang proclaimed which made Liam widen his eyes.

“Pardon me?” Liam asked confusingly, his father glared at him and said, “We have discussed this before, am I correct?”

Liam suddenly remembered what they talked about yesterday, but he barely recalled it as he did not give much attention to the discussion before.

As a perfect prince he cannot disobey the king’s orders.

“Oh, yes father, we did. “ He replied and gave everyone a smile. The princess chuckled as she met Liam’s gaze.

“It is settled then! Congratulations, my dear!”

Queen Zafra happily said and hugged Princess Olive.

“Let us rejoice for our children who will be joining a holy wedlock! For Garland and Clover Kingdom!” The king exclaimed, and everyone shouted in chorus, “For Garland and Clover Kingdom!”

Liam cannot do anything but nervously smiled and drank from his water.

“It’s so difficult to be a perfect prince!” he said to himself and rested his chin onto his hand while he sits on a swing at the palace’s garden. Liam stared at the sky blankly, not realizing that in front of him was the beautiful person from before. He flinched, stood up and bowed, while this person smiled and asked calmly, “Is there any problem?

You look quite crestfallen even from earlier.”

“Oh no, please don’t mind me. I beg your pardon if I cost you any trouble.” Liam replied and looked down.

T

Euphoria, Lust, Lament.

Frances Danielle Hidalgo

“No, apologizing isn’t necessary. Also, I would mind because, you will be tying-knot with my beloved sister.”

“F-fear not. My worrying is not in regards with the marriage.”

I almost lost my cool, Liam thought while he presents himself confidently.

“Very well. I suppose, I have not properly introduced myself yet, Prince Charles Green.”

Prince Charles extended his right hand towards Liam.

“Liam--Prince Liam Allison Garland, pleased to meet you, your highness.” Liam happily took the prince’s hands and shook it.

“Oh please, call me Charles, your Highness?”

They laughed together and looked at each other’s eyes. Liam suddenly felt butterflies in his stomach.

As the sun went down, Liam bursted onto his room and let his feelings out by jumping and screaming onto his pillow.

Oh my freaking good lord! I cannot believe what just happened! Charles and I, are friends!

Though, I’m poor at archery! But, oh my gods, he’s so hot and so nice! How can such a guy be so nice?!

Oh right, he’s a prince too, that’s why.

As ridiculous as it seems, but, Liam is talking to the air while walking back and forth on the aisle of his bed. *knock knock* The prince was startled by the knock onto his door.

“L! It is I!” A familiar voice from the back of his door.

“You are so right on time, sis! I’m coming!”

Liam shouted back and opened his hatch. It is his sister, Princess Suzy, Liam’s best friend and his human diary.

“L! You have a lot of things to tell me!” her sister barged into his room and sat down comfortably on his matress.

“Well, how did you know I’d tell you something?” Liam crossed his arms “Duh, I’m your sister, L. I can read you like a book.” She smirked that made Liam frown.

SINTIDO KUMON 41

“Was I that obvious?” he anxiously asked.

“Basically, you can’t take your eyes off him.”

He gasped.

“Murder me, Suzy!” Liam dramatically fell on his feet, the princess only glared at him.

“Don’t be ridiculous, L. You’re overreacting.”

“Because it is you making me anxious!”

“Look, it’s fine! You’re fine. Don’t worry about it too much.” Suzy comforted him and changed the topic by asking, “But, hey. I saw you two talking in the garden a while ago. Mind to tell me about it?”

Liam’s face lighted up.

“Yes! Thank you for mentioning it, I almost forgot. We introduced ourselves, yeah? And we talked about a lot of stuff, and he’s into archery, so we played a little bit...”

“You are bad at it, are you not?” she cutted Liam off.

“I know! That’s why, when they get back here, I have to be good at it.” I said courageously.

“How are you supposed to do that, may I ask?” Suzy’s tone sounded like she’s mocking.

“I don’t personally like archery, yes. But, I’d love to give myself a little challenge.” Liam confidently said. “‘A little challenge?’ We’ll see about that, brother. Remember that you hate it so much?

Well, best of luck.” Suzy flawlessly walked out of the room.

“I don’t hate it that much now!” Liam shouted. He only shrugged the thought that his sister did not believe that he is eager to master archery, of course, for Prince Charles.

--- Liam --I arouse early from bed, thinking exhilaratingly from the thought of learning to handle a bow and arrow. After the handmaidens bathe and dressed me, I proceeded to the dining chamber to have breakfast.

I cleared my throat as I wiped my mouth with a serviette.

“Sebastian, I will be taking a stroll in the palace with Stallion, I want to be with myself today so

please do not bother to look for me. I will be back before the sunset.” I told my butler and hurriedly stood up to leave the chamber and get my horse.

“B-but your highness!” He insisted and tried to stop me. “Just for today, Sebastian! Give yourself a break if you wish.” I dodged him and ran towards my chamber to take my bow and arrow secretly. I went to the stable at the backyard of the palace.

I rode my white horse and went around the pond, hiding from the watchmen, guarding the palace. Then, I successfully snuck out of the gate and went towards the woods to practice my hideous archery skills.

I leaped off my horse and saw a wild pig from afar. This is the best subject I can practice on. I thought to myself. I stretched and pointed my arrow towards the pig, and..

“Fuck!” a man shouted as I released my arrow.

Unfortunately, I missed the target, and this man seemed he’s hunting the boar. He looked towards me and widened his eyes as he saw me.

“Y-your highness!” He bowed and kneeled.

42 SINTIDO KUMON “Oh no, you don’t have to do that, Sir.” I helped him to stand up and our eyes met.

His eyes are so beautiful, I thought.

“I’m Trevor Holmes, a huntsman.”

“Liam Garland.” I slightly bowed, and gave him a smile.

“I am deeply sorry, your highness.” He apologised and began picking up his things.

“I should be the one who should apologise, I let the animal run away.” I said and looked down.

“Don’t worry about it, your highness. What are you doing here, if I may ask?” he questioned with a curious look on his face.

“I-I was practicing my archery skills. Pretty bad isn’t it?” I asked while I watch him wipe his face with a towelette.

“Honestly, I can’t say no, but, we can perhaps work on it? I will happily teach you. And also to pay back what happened earlier,” he offered and smiled comely. My heart skipped a beat. What an angel.

“I’d love to! However, I have a little request, could you please do not tell this to anybody, because I am only sneaking out of the palace.” I said in a silly manner.

“You have my word, your highness.” He firmly said and extended his pinky finger.

“It is a pinky promise, then! And please, call me Liam.” I interlocked our pinky fingers together, just like what childrens do.

“A’right. I’ll call you Liam, and don’t call me Sir, call me Trevor.” We both laughed and he began teaching me how to handle a bow and arrow properly.

----“Who is this guy you’ve been talking about since you ‘studied’ archery? Are you forgetting that you are learning it for a prince, right?” Suzy castigating the person I’ve been telling her for a week now.

“Aye! But, Trevor.. he’s different! I don’t even know!” I confusingly exclaimed and sat down on my couch.

“You don’t know him!”

“I do!”

“How can you say so?” she crossed her arms and tapped her feet continuously on the ground.

“W-well, he’s a...” I took a slight pause as I gather my thoughts. “..a hunter and a lumberjack. He is 4 years older than I am, and he likes sculpting.”

“That’s it?” she raised an eyebrow.

“And, he has a wife...” I looked away, “What?! Wait, let me get this straight, so, you are not into him?” she flashed a puzzled look.

“I don’t know! I mean, he’s cute and do silly things that makes me smile. We have a lot of similarities, we both like sculpting. He’s kind of childish but very sweet and kind. Plus, he’s hot.” I smiled at her foolishly.

“Then, what about Prince Charles?! Also, he’s married!” she shouted.

“Keep it down! Anyway, what about Charles?

I think I was just infatuated by him--” “Do you not think that you are infatuated by that huntsman as well?” she broke me off.

“I have no idea, okay? He captivated me that’s for sure. And I think I’m going to see him even more.”

“You’re insane. You don’t even know if he’s into you.” she responded, still opposing to me and shaking her head.

“He will. I’ll make sure of it.” I smirked.

“Alright, break a leg, L.” she said mockingly and left the room.

I will really make sure of it.

As I make my way to the woods, I stopped by at the blacksmith.

“Pardon the intrusion.” I said when I opened the door.

“Ah! Your highness! What a surprise! What can I do for you?” the blacksmith said and offered me a seat.

“I humbly ask you to make me a beautiful pair of bow and arrows...” I nodded at the blacksmith and he stood in front of me with a bamboozled face.

“I will give it as a present.” I continued.

“Oh! Yes, your highness, I will make the most beautiful pair you’ve ever have!” The blacksmith exclaimed and it made me very delighted. I payed the old man and I was off to the forest.

I saw Trevor sitting and sculpting a bird.

“Oh hi, I didn’t see you there.” He said when I poked him in the cheek. I joined him to sculpt then after that we started to hunt for some animals.

“Psst. Trevor, come quick!” I said with a loud whisper when I saw a deer lurking. He told me to release my arrow because it is going to twilight soon. Trevor guided me from behind, but he stumbled his feet and “Aaaah~” I groaned as he plunk down on top of me.

“Damn it. I’m so sorry.” He apologised.

I can’t let this moment be wasted. I thought as I move on top of him. He looked so confused and asked me what am I doing, but I cutted him off by kissing him. He struggled before me, but I, a prince cannot be stopped. I moved my hungry lips onto him, and in my surprise, he responded to my kisses!

I stopped. He stared his lustful green eyes at me as the sunlight shined his beautiful face. I attacked him with a passionate kiss. I moved my lips skillfully and he sat us down without breaking the kiss. I placed my arms around his neck and pulled his hair lightly.

I moaned as bit my lip accidentally, and slid my tongue in his hot mouth. He held and squeezed my arse and I rubbed it onto his crotch.

“Your highness?! Your highness?!”

We stopped as we heard the guards looking for me. I told Trevor to run, and he managed to escape quickly. I wiped my lips and fixed myself.

“Your highness!” the guards hollered as soon as they saw my figure. They pointed a torch on my direction.

“What seemed to be the problem?” I innocently asked them.

“Sir! You are a mess! Look at yourself!” My butler, Sebastian grumbled when he saw my crumpled suit and ruffled hair.

“So that is where you have been going! What are you doing there in the first place?! We have a chamber, backyard, a garden or even the lake

to study archery!” my brother Finnick, the first prince howled before me for my actions, leaving the palace without consent.

“I told you brother, I was trying to get away with my stress in the palace by learning the sport!”

I responded to his lecture.

“Stress and archery? Don’t make me laugh, L. You are now prohibited to leave the palace! That is an order,” he reprimanded.

What the hell?!

“You can’t do that, Finnick!” I stomped my foot on the ground.

“Do you not remember what happened before? People from the town broadcasted a rumour about you saying you were a homosexual?

Do you have no shame, L?” He blurted out and left my chamber.

He brought it back again! I hate when he speaks about it. I was just talking to one of the palace’s watchmen before! Damn people are crazy, but they were not wrong, though. Just, shit! Curse you, Finnick!

Thereafter, I did not leave the palace in two days. I am in my chamber, and planning to leave the palace.

I cannot constrain myself any longer, I have to go. I muttered to myself.

As the sunset strucked, I wore my charcoalcolored hoodie to at least hide myself from Sebastian and any guards roaming around in and out of the palace. I went to the stable and get Stallion and I made my way to my secret path, the lake, through the woods.

I saw Trevor making his way home, I immediately got off my horse and ran towards him.

He took off what he was holding and embraced me with smacking our lips together. We made out and leaned onto a tree. He lifted me effortlessly without stopping our session and he made me wrap my thighs around his waist.

“I missed you,” he said while panting and our forehead touched.

“Obviously,” I answered and he chuckled softly. He stared at me with so much passion in his eyes. I held his face with my left hand and we hungrily made out again. He broke off and started planting kisses on my neck. It tickles me. I moaned and he sucked my lower jaw leaving a hickey. I buried my face on his shoulder for the pleasure I’ve been receiving from this beautiful man. He bent down and he made me sat down on his lap. I widened my eyes as I felt the huge bulge that I am sitting at. Then he unbuckled his belt and unzipped his trousers. He licked his lower lip and looked at me, he kissed me again. I am so captivated by the moment when I did not realized, he unbuckled my lower garments. I moaned loudly as he touched me.

“Tell me if you want to do it,” he whispered with his deep manly voice which made me lost myself.

“I want you.” I immediately unbuttoned his gray flannel, and he removed my robe covering my body.

He lifted me, and inserted himself inside me.

I cannot control myself but to let a loud moan and gyrated my hips onto him. He groaned and

SINTIDO KUMON 43 whispered “more,” I obeyed him as I arched my back from the pleasure.

Our “love making in the woods” did not happened once, however, it was the beginning of our relationship that made us continue what we desire.

Morning light fell from the sky and reflected at the window of Liam’s chamber. Sebastian awoke the second prince as he should prepare for the arrival of the Clover Kingdom. They welcomed the kingdom from the north and discussed the wedding for the prince and the princess. After the meal of the two kingdoms, Prince Charles approached Prince Liam who were about to leave the palace.

“Liam, are you off to somewhere?”

“Oh, yes. Why do you ask?” Liam went down of his horse.

“I just want to have a chat with you.” The prince said and smiled.

The two prince talked to each other while they walk around the palace. Their feet brought them to the left wing of the palace which there is no people around, but the two princes.

“Liam, you know what?” Charles said.

“What?” Liam innocently asked. Then Charles forcely kissed Liam who were astonished by the sudden action. Liam broke off and said, “I will pretend that, that did not happen.”

Liam was about to leave when, “I thought you like me? Didn’t you liked men?” He smirked. Liam angrily punched Charles on the face. The prince held his aching jaw and shouted, “What the fuck!” Liam stormed away while stomping his feet.

What a douchebag, he deserved that. He thought.

Liam decided to go to the woods to clear his head and to meet his secret lover. He instantly saw Trevor hunting a bird and surprised him, but what astound them the most is that Trevor managed to hit the animal.

“Woah!” Trevor went to the bird but Liam held his hand from behind and kissed him as soon as he looked back. Trevor pulled away, “Eve! Eve! I can explain! Honey wait!!” he cried and ran towards the lady.

That must have been his wife! Oh my gods!

Liam said to himself and followed them as well.

“Liam, please leave! I’ll handle this.” Trevor pleaded.

Liam cannot comprehend what he witnessed.

He froze and stuck up. What bombarded him is when he saw Trevor being stabbed by his wife with a knife continuously.

“Ah! AHHHHHHHHHHH!” He screamed and stumbling on his feet, then ran away.

Liam is lost in his thoughts. When he arrived at the palace, he went down of his horse but he lost his energy and fell on the ground. He yelled and cried, the guards helped him to stand but he collapsed right away.

The prince dreamt of the scenario what happened earlier. He screamed and panted as soon as he woke up. Suzy was looking after him, and he cried when he saw his sister. He told her everything what happened while he let out his sorrow by wailing on the pillow. Suzy gave Liam a box, it is the pair of bow and arrow. Liam cried even more clenching the box on his arms.

Prince Finnick entered Liam’s chamber

o n : a P a w oz j a k mlaa gMae H. Lope man yan di na ‘ i s a tip k g n a l uh.

D . n 1. Wa anap. g ya n i h t a a r n hi g da n a s 2. Ku

El

by exclaiming, “You’re a fucking disgrace to the Garland Kingdom!” he pointed at Liam and slapped him on the face.

“Finnick! Stop it!” Suzy defended.

“Do not protect him! He humiliated our family! Get away from that disgrace!” The prince tried to pull Suzy away from Liam.

“What the hell are you saying, Finnick?!”

Suzy got away from Finnick and embraced Liam.

“Prince Charles told me! That faggot tried to kiss him! But when Charles refused, he punched him on the face!” Finnick wanted to hit Liam again, but Liam screamed and stormed out of the room.

Liam went to the lake, barefooted.

Reminiscing the time when the prince and Trevor went fishing. Liam cried and mourn with the bow in his hands.

“Trevor!!!!” He shouted, grieving.

“Trevor?” Liam looked at a figure and blinked, it is a light. Liam followed the light.

“Trevor, wait! I’ll go with you!”

A year later.

“Oh, L. I miss you so much.” Suzy agonized with Sebastian beside her. She looked at the grave once more, and left.

Fin.

44 SINTIDO KUMON

T

Jose Emmanuel Sinogba, Sophia Belleza, and Jan Anthony Nacion

he sky is clear and bright because of the stars shining above, like the smile of the lady in front of me. She has this lovely smile and eyes that spark with joy whenever I look into them. She’s wearing a button-down white shirt dress and a pair of black sandals that matches her beauty. We’re here around Intramuros, enjoying each other’s company.

She always laughs at my corny jokes and tells me how weird I am. But what’s important is, I love hearing her laugh. It’s music to my ears which I would want to hear during bedtime.

I stare at the sky full of stars. Suddenly, I heard an explosion and it seems like it’s getting louder and louder. As I look to the place, I see dead bodies everywhere and the buildings are already destroyed and dusty. I also noticed the gun I am holding and the army uniform with blood stains that I am wearing. I look for the lady beside me when I hear a gunshot from afar. “Felix!” someone shouted my name and added, “I love you!” I look at that person but everything is a blur. But I know someone is falling to the ground. My instinct told me to catch that person then...Blag!

I woke up from that dream again. I felt a single tear rolled down from my left eye to my cheeks.

“How many times do I have to see that dream?” I said while I wipe my tear away from my face. “And unknowingly, one tear always falls from my left eye and my heart feels so heavy every time.”

I sighed. “Who is that girl anyway and who is that person who shouted my name? Is it the same person or not?” I growl while touching my due to headache again. It’s kinda real to me but I need to forget about that again. Focus, self. Focus.

“Kiko, our breakfast is ready! Good thing you’re already awake, son. You might get late because of traffic. Eat first then take a bath. Be quick so that you won’t be late for your first day in school at Colegio de San Juan de Letrán.” my lovely mom said.

How talkative right?

“Here is my mom again, so talkative.” I murmured. But I answered “Mom! I am already a college student, no need to tell me over and over. I’m not a baby anymore.” My mom answered, “I know son! But you’re my only baby so,” but I cut her off ‘cause I know it will be a long argument again. “Okay mom! I got it. Tss.” After a while, I’m done eating!

I’ve just finished taking my bath. It’s time for me to head to my new school. As I enter the school, I can not describe how amused I am. I said to myself: “This is just the entrance but this school is really big! There are a lot of students and the place is so lively.” While I’m walking in the pathway, I can’t help but stare at the beautiful scenery and buildings.

I am mesmerized by the aesthetics of the school’s architecture when I accidentally bumped into a girl

student.

Her phone fell, and I hurriedly picked it up and said how sorry I am. “Stupid me. I should have been more careful!” was all I could think about that moment. Suddenly, my eyes locked onto hers and so was her eyes and I’m pretty sure I felt a spark between the two of us. We were both startled by the sound of the bell which means that the first period is about to start. The girl quickly replied “It’s okay I gotta go now, bye!” and the girl started running to her class. I said to myself, “Her face... Her face looks familiar. It was her. The girl in my dream.” I suddenly pause for a brief moment, to redeem my composure.

I’m walking down the hallway to find my classroom, realizing that I’m the only one who is late in the class. My professor said “Mister I-don’tknow-your-name, since you are the only student who came in late in this class, you go here in front and introduce yourself. Hurry!” and I replied, “Okay sir!” I confidently stood in front of the class and introduced myself “Hi everyone! Good morning I am Francisco Felix E. Esperanza, 19 years old. HalfFilipino Half-American.”

As I sat in my chair, I realized that I’m the only one who introduced myself in front of the class, so I asked my professor about it, I said “But sir why am I the only one who introduced myself in front? What about the rest?” He replied quickly and said “You’re already in your first year of college and I don’t usually want my students to introduce their names.

But since you are late, I made you introduce yourself.

Okay? For this class, never ever come to my class late okay? Or I might give you all crazy punishments you don’t want to do. Understood?” all of the class said, “Understood sir!”

I listened attentively all throughout the discussion and before it ended, he announced about an educational tour. “By the way, before I forgot, all of you are required to attend the tour at the National Museum this coming September 1, 2018, okay?

That’s all! Dismiss!” I went out of the room and the rest was history. As the day ended, I went home already. As I sat in my room, I grabbed my diary and write some things: “August 28, 2018 - Tuesday, the first day of class being a college student the day where I met the girl in my dream.”

Fast forward, nothing extraordinary happened, well, not until today, September 1, 2018- the day of our tour. I’m currently with my classmates and our professor. Before we entered the bus, I saw the girl again entering a different bus just right beside ours.

Again, we stared at each other for a brief moment but acted as if nothing happened. 15 minutes later, we now arrived at the National Museum of the Philippines at Padre Burgos Ave, Ermita, Manila.

I felt an unusual feeling as I stared at the museum. It’s like I’ve been here before and I felt

like something bad happened here years ago. I swept it off and just focused on listening to my professor: “National Museum of the Philippines did not survive the American bombs that leveled the city of Manila in 1945. The plaque at the entrance tells us, the American government paid for the building’s rehabilitation in 1946, keeping to the plans of the original architect, Antonio Toledo, who also built the nearby Manila City Hall. As you wander through the galleries, for sure you can’t help but marvel at the building’s Neoclassical architecture and its details.”

“Here at Level 2, which is The Old House of Representatives Session Hall, we have here South Wing Galleries and North Wing Galleries.

In South Wing Galleries, we have here Gallery I up to Gallery 8 such as: A Religious Art from the 17th to 19th centuries; the Art Prints from the Archives of the Royal Botanical Garden in Madrid; the Academic and Romantic Art; the Academic and Neoclassical Sculpture; the Homage to Dr. José Rizal; lastly, the Classical Art from the 20th century.”

Our professor stated as he continued to explain while I roam around the said galleries.

“Next is the North Wing Galleries, Gallery VIII (Silvina & Juan C. Laya Hall). This gallery is all about World War 2, so class the images you are about to see might be disturbing for you. So hold yourself tight,” said by our professor. Inside this gallery, it expressed conflicts and sufferings during the Japanese era or the Imperial Japanese Occupation from 1941 to 1945, the Liberation of the Philippines

by American and Filipino forces, and the destruction of Manila.

I stroll along the said gallery and look at each painting and descriptions.

One of these is Capas by Demetrio Diego, which shows soldiers resting on bamboo beds after walking the Bataan Death March; Doomed Family by Dominador Castaneda, painted in the year 1945, it conveys the idea of what Japanese did to the Filipino family; Rape And Massacre In Ermita by Diosdado Lorenzo, it depicts the idea of rape and abuse to women by the Japanese soldiers and some of the Filipinos murdered during that time. Those paintings made me feel uneasy and it felt like I know what suffering they felt during World War 2.

The next thing I looked at is the ring. It is stated that the ring was owned by a Japanese soldier whose finger was cut by one of the American soldiers. I stared at it for a long time until one of my classmates tapped my shoulder, that makes myself back to the world again, telling me that we need to move to the next gallery. “Okay, I’ll follow after I finished checking this whole gallery,” I said. “Okay bro.” said by my classmate and left. I looked again at the ring for the last time saying to myself, “This ring is so familiar to me.” I decided to leave the place since I was the only student left at the gallery.

I touched the doorknob and I felt a strange tingling feeling that electrified my veins. I looked at the floor as I open the door and closed it as soon as I got in. I looked straight after and realized that the structure inside the museum changed. Even the

SINTIDO KUMON 45

46 SINTIDO KUMON tiles changed into wooden floorboards. I strolled the said museum and noticed how it changed from modern structure and materials. Even the galleries turned into libraries. I looked for my classmates, schoolmates, and professors but I can’t see them. I tried using the stairs but the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floor were occupied by the Senate and House of Representatives, and no one can go inside without permission. I decided to go out of the museum saying, “Maybe, they already went to our bus. I better check it outside.”

As I walk out of the museum I noticed how the building was full of classical sculpture, Western elements, and motifs of the neoclassical style. Outside of the museum, the building's front and side portion are colonnaded with beautiful Corinthian columns and pilasters; the main wall above the rostrum with its fretwork and garlands; and the sculptural groupings surrounding the top of the hall. I also noticed a triangular pediment with sculptures representing Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao, Law, Education, Commerce, and Agriculture. At the end of the building is a two-columned portico complimenting its central facade. The name of the building changes from the National Museum to Legislative Building.

I looked at the place outside and

see how the vehicles turned into an old design just like years ago.

Our bus is nowhere out of sight as well as my classmates. I strolled the old Ermita and asked someone, “May I know what day is it today, sir?” I said. “Today is September 1, 1939, why do you ask, sir?” the stranger said to me and I responded “Nothing. Thank you by the way.” I walked and

SINTIDO KUMON 47 walked and walked while I slap my face and pinch myself with the thought that maybe this is just a dream. “Aww. Damn! It hurts!” I stopped walking and noticed a glass and mirror store in front of me. I accidentally look at myself in the mirror and I saw someone who looks exactly just like me but somewhat looks a bit mature compared to who I was before. “Wait! Is this... Is this guy me?” I touched my face then bang! It’s me! I am wearing a khaki outfit like a soldier and military combat. My age seems higher than 25 years old.

“Sergeant Felix!” someone tapped my shoulder.

“Sergeant Felix, why are you checking yourself in the mirror?” the stranger said to me. What am I going to respond, bro? dude? Sir? “Nothing. Sergeant John!”

I said while I looking at his name in his uniform and the insignia that gives me an idea that he is also a sergeant. “Let’s go, Sergeant! We need to go to the headquarters, the higher officials will give us some announcement and updates,” he said. “Okay,” I said in an unsure voice.

“Listen up soldiers! We got news about the said invasion of Germany to Poland just this day, September 1, 1939, and declared a Second World War. I want you to train your troops harder and prepare yourself.” one of the higher officials said.

Then we left and Sergeant John direct me to go to our rooms to rest so I followed him.

I changed my outfit but not decided to rest.

I tried to peek out of the headquarters and luckily succeeded. I roam around Intramuros which is sometimes called “The Walled City”. I was fascinated with how it looked like in the year 1939 and just wished to stay here but I know 2 years from now it will be destroyed by Japanese attacks.

I looked at the sky as I walk, it was clear and no spot of pollution. The air is fresh and there were many trees unlike in the present time. I accidentally bumped into a lady, I caught her due to the collision.

“It’s you again! Why are you here?” I said while my heart pounded very fast.

But the girl looked so confused and replied “Do you know me, sir? I do think that it’s our first time seeing each other?”

I murmured “Maybe she’s not the girl in the school.” and responded to her “I’m deeply sorry maybe I have mistaken you from somebody else, by the way, I am Felix but may I know your name, Binibini?”

“I am Juana. Nice meeting you Felix, I mean Sergeant Felix!”

“Nice meeting you too Juana, but Felix will do, no formality okay?”

“Okay, Serg---I mean Felix.”

“So why did a beautiful lady like you went out at this hour?” I asked.

“Bolero! But I just want to get fresh air and appreciate the beauty of the city. How ‘bout you?”

She said.

“Same as your reason,” I responded and we laughed.

“May I accompany you for this evening, Juana?

If it’s okay with you.” I added.

She let out a quick sigh and smiled.

“Yes you may,” she replied.

We went to the plaza and ate a lot of street foods there. I bought her flowers as a gift of gratitude for spending the evening with me.

She said, “Thank you, Felix. I don’t know you are just this sweet.”

“My pleasure Juana. I’m sweet especially to the lady who caught my heart,” I said and I saw her cheeks turned into roses. She giggled then smiled sweetly.

I found a bench and we sat there as we savor the crisp air of that night and as well as its picturesque view. We talked about each other and I found out that she is a teacher since she likes to teach kids. Her full name is Juanita Juana Montefalco but she wants to be called ‘Juana’. She doesn’t have a suitor so it means she is not in with someone. She also has two sisters and one brother. She is a half-Filipina and half-Spanish.

She likes to read books and cook food.

I also shared some of the information since I don’t really know who’s Sergeant Felix and his life. So I just told her my life as Francisco Felix Esperanza. I said corny jokes to her that made her laugh and some sweet pick-up lines.

“You know what? You are kinda weird but sweet.”

“How can you say that I’m weird?”

“It’s because of the words that you use it’s like you’re from outer space but I like it.”

“If you only know that I’m from the year 2018, Juana.” I murmured softly.

“I like you too,” I responded to her last statement.

Then she stops laughing and look at my eyes. “And that’s true,” I said then she looks away, maybe because she feels awkward.

“Let’s go! I’ll bring you somewhere.” I said trying to break the awkwardness and the silence.

“Where?” she asked. I said, “Secret you will know after.”

I brought her to the bridge where all the fireflies are visible and grouped in every tree. The moon was reflecting because of the river that’s in front of us. I look at her face to check her reaction and I saw nothing but amazement.

“How do you know this place?” she asked.

“I discovered it when I was a kid wherein I lost here in Intramuros and accidentally stop in this place.

Do you see that note there? It stated that if you bring the girl you want to be in your life forever to this place and make a wish, it will be true.” I said while looking at her eyes.

“Why me? You should have to bring your mother here instead” “I already did that but aside from her, I choose you...No. My heart chooses you.” I said.

We stayed there for more than an hour then decided to go home.

I decided to rest and sleep knowing that maybe I’ll be back to the present but somehow I don’t want to because of her, because of Juana. I close my eyes and I can’t see.

I open my eyes and heard a lot of murmurs outside. “Sergeant Felix! Let’s go! The higher officials will announce something. Hurry or you will be dead.” said Sergeant John. “Fine dude!” I lazily said while I started to prepare and go with him. “Yes! I thought I am in the present already.” I murmured.

Meanwhile, “Good Morning soldiers! We have news that an attacked happened at the Pearl Harbor in Hawaii yesterday December 7, 1941, ten hours after. Now I want you to prepare yourself and be ready…..” the higher official said but was cut because of a call. Oww damn, it’s December 8, 1941, today where the Japanese bomb the Philippines. I started to get my guns and lots of bullets like I know how to use this thing. All the other soldiers did the same thing.

Fast forward, Juana and I never miss exchanging letters with each other. I always send her flowers and chocolates. We didn’t lose communication, well, not until……..Japanese troops landed at the Lingayen Gulf on December 22, 1941, and advanced across Central Luzon towards Manila. On the advice of President Quezon, General MacArthur declared Manila an open city on December 25, 1941, and

removed the Commonwealth Government to Corregidor. The Japanese occupied Manila on January 2, 1942. Last April 9, 1942, the 76,000 captured soldiers were forced to embark on the infamous "Death March" to a prison camp more than 100 kilometers north. An estimated 10,000 prisoners died due to thirst, hunger, and exhaustion.

That all happened for just 2 years and lots of people died already. Everyone felt tired, I am tired already but with God’s blessings and grace, I am still alive.

Today is already Feb. 3, 1945, 4 years since the war started and today is the battle in Manila.

American troops are now deployed to protect the city from the invaders. I checked every brothel together with the other soldiers where the comfort women are kept in. As I entered the brothel it was so dark and countless women were being raped and I found a body of a lifeless girl, it was horrifying. I opened a door, there I found a Japanese soldier about to rape a girl. I said “Get away from her you Jap bastard!” but the Japanese soldier didn’t mind me so I shot him instead. I asked the girl if she’s hurt and she replied “Yes, I’m fine. Thank you for saving me, Mr. Soldier!” I’m relieved when I heard her response.

“Take her out of here. Protect her at all cost” I asked my partner.

As I proceed, I came across to this room where a girl is screaming. You can feel her agony by just hearing her scream, it’s a scream of anguish. The door was completely locked, so I bust it open with kicking the front near the doorknob, there I saw 3 Japanese soldiers sadistically dissecting the girl while she’s conscious. I snapped so hard when I saw them doing it, I quickly pulled out my rifle and fired at the 3 soldiers. And in another room, there is a girl where she’s being raped even though she’s pregnant.

We checked every room and corner of the brothel, as soon as we cleared the area we now went out.

But suddenly, as soon we went out, there were Japanese soldiers outside and they fired at us. We hide and I said, “Let's find some cover and wait for the perfect opportunity to retaliate back at them”.

We succeeded in fighting them off. Now constant bombings are being fired by both sides. We now went to another building to check if there are still innocent Filipino that is stuck between the crossfire.

As we checked the building, I heard from afar that there is someone calling out my name. There I saw the girl running with her dress worn out and covered in blood coming out of the brothel. I was so angry and shouted to the one who reported that the area is all clear, I said “Who was the one reported that the area is all clear?! There is clearly another person left there and you didn’t double checked it!” then that soldier replied, “Sir, I deeply apologize Sir!”. I said to myself in frustration “Argh! I should’ve been the one to check the last floor. I was so complacent that it was all clear”. I now hurriedly run towards her to protect and check if there’s a danger with the direction of the girl. I shouted and said “Juana! Just stay right there and look for a place to hide. I’ll just be the one to come for you.” But Juana didn’t hear me, maybe because she has hearing problems due to the severe tortures she went through. I shouted to her and said “Juana! I’m now close to you! I’ll protect you okay.”

We are just approximately 10 meters apart from each other when there I heard a gunshot, then a red spot appeared in the white dress near the heart of Juana.

And she sprawled to the ground and she said to me “Felix……I love you” as she fell down I saw the one who shot Juana, I shot him not once but three times.

After that I hurriedly went back to Juana and placed her head to my lap while saying “Juana don’t leave me, I love you too. Please!” I lift her up and put her

48 SINTIDO KUMON

to a safe place. I went back to my platoon and started fighting again.

Fast forward when the war ended on September 2, 1945. I'm in the headquarters and preparing m y things so that I can go back to m y family in America and plan t o stay there for good. Before I leave my way to the airport, I visited the grave of Juana where I and her family buried it. With just my suitcase and jacket in my hand, I now arrived at the airport. Tears suddenly rushed down in my eyes and I silently cry in the airplane. I said “Goodbye Juana! I’ll be back and if that time will happen, I will protect you even if it means my life.”

I still remembered how Manila’s devastated by bombing in which about 100,000 people were killed and liberated last March 4, 1945. On August 6 and 9, 1945 U.S drops an atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, respectively. On Aug. 15, 1945, Japanese Emperor Hirohito announces Japan's surrender and today September 2, 1945, Japan officially surrenders aboard Missouri. Many Filipinos and Americans were glad that the war stop already but it will never erase those people who died because of this war. Almost 500 thousand up to 1 million of Military and Civilian deaths were recorded. Not all that, buildings and infrastructure were damaged and some are destroyed.

I am here already in the United States with my family. 44 years after, I am still devastated and sad about what happened to Juana, my Juana. I spilled gallons of tears every night every time I missed her.

I always read the letters she sent to me when she was still alive. Every time I dreamt of her, I would always wake up crying in anguish. The year today is 1989, I am already 76 years old. I didn’t marry anyone else and had no kids. I am currently suffering from kidney failure and is staying in a hospital for more than 5 years already. My heart beats slowly and my eyes feel sleepy today. I close my eyes and say “Juana, I’ll see you soon.”

I woke up and was inside of my room again.

Now I know that I am back to the year 2018. I checked my phone and it is just September 1, 2018, our tour at the National Museum. I cried once again and decided to eat my breakfast. I didn’t attend the said tour and just rest.

Today is already Sunday and I went to the Church of San Agustin. I met this girl again and we are beside one another. I said “Juana” and the girl said, “How do you know my name?” “Is that your real name?” “Yes, by the way, I am Angela Juana Montefalco”.

“I thought your name was Juanita Juana Montefalco” “No, that’s my name of my 2nd Lola that died during WW2, she has a sister named Carmela which is really my grandmother and Lola Juana’s sister. But how do you know her?” “My grandfather told me about her, maybe they are acquaintances.” During the Ama Niamo, we touch each other’s hand and we felt that same tingling again. I invite her outside and she said yes. We ate. We had our chit chat. We went to the park and share our stories.

After that, I decided to bring her home.

Then I finally decided to go back to my house, realizing that maybe she looks like Juana but she isn’t the Juana I truly love. I will only love Juanita Juana Montefalco and no one can replace her inside my heart.

Years had passed and I am a successful police already with a rank of Senior Police officer 1 (SPO1). While Angela became a teacher major in History. We became friends and stay as friends. Until now, I still love Juana just like before.

It never altered or erased, it was there forever and ever. Even if our relationship b a c k then is like a tangent line which meets at some point in our life and never ended up together, but I am still hoping that maybe in our next reincarnation, the love between Felix and Juana will find themselves together and their relationship become two lines that overlap each other and will be destined together forever.

SINTIDO KUMON 49

7

S Wa E L ys P IM P to A void or Get Rid of

BY NEIL FORMALEJO

1. Wash your face daily. It’s the most obvious trick here. It’s actually no secret.

2. If washing your face isn’t effective enough, go and buy facial products. Again, it’s no secret. In fact, in a society with a commercialist mindset, this is what business corporations want you to do. They’d set beauty standards in their advertisements like “black is ugly” so you should buy whitening lotion, “being short is ugly” so buy and drink gloxi, and “flat is ugly” so go and have tits augmentation. All of those for the sake of gaining profits. So if you want to be beautiful for the sake of the society’s eyes, maybe there is a sale in your local store.

3. If you’re broke as fuck or you’re allergic to facial products or you’ve tried it already but it didn’t work, then try the natural procedure. You can use lemon, baking soda or both combined to scrub your face with. It would sting but, they say, it’s effective.

4. If those three are still not effective enough, then maybe you’re unwittingly doing and following all the manuals for “Guide to have clusters of beautiful and healthy pimples”, which may include eating oily and greasy food. You should avoid those.

5.

Don’t think. Thinking is stressful and stress is one of the contributors to pimples. Philosophically, it’s effective. Rene Descartes had given us the clue already. “I think, therefore I am” is hinting us already of what we should do or more accurately, what we shouldn't do. Don’t think. If you don’t think, then you won’t exist. If you don’t exist then you won’t have a mortal shell. If you don’t have a mortal shell, then pimples won’t have something to creep and slither to. Anyways, I bet that's why most of you do. A little inconvenience and you think that it’s the end. Instead of doing something to find a solution, you just whine and complain. So if you’re that kind of person who just complains a lot but do nothing, like you keep on saying

6.

Deface your goddamn face. No face = no skin. No skin = no pimples. As simple as that. You just need a scalpel or a razor or a knife. Anything sharp and let your hand do the work. Anyway, you hate yourself, right? You don’t mind harming yourself. If you’re the type of person who has no self-love and has no regards about how hard your body exerts effort just to keep your organs functioning twenty fourseven, fighting diseases by producing white blood cells, remind your lungs to do its job just to keep you alive, so what are you waiting for?

Anyway, when others tell you you’re fat, you’ll begin loathing yourself and would stop eating in an attempt to lose weight or you’d begin to feel guilty about eating because others are dictating you. So you try to purge those food by sticking your nasty fingers at the back of your throat with

7.

The last trick. Here's the ultimate secret in avoiding pimple. Dermatologists don’t even want this secret exposed because they’d lose money, profit, and customers. So what’s the secret of avoiding pimples? Well, you don’t. It’s inevitable.

Fear not because I have to say, it’s normal.

It’s part of growing up. It’s not something that reduces your value as a person. It only means that your hormones are functioning well and it’s properly doing its job. Yes, you can really get rid of it with proper care, but my point here is acceptance of your body and loving yourself. To all those people who judge

that your life is shitty but you just sit there in your couch the whole day, still complaining while hoping that it would get better soon, then you better apply this solution because it works and it’s permanent. Go and be consistent with your negative attitude. Or maybe you don’t want to be branded by the society as hypocrite for not doing it? Let me tell you that changing is not being a hypocrite. Just because you’ve done something bad in the past, it doesn’t mean that what you’re doing now for good is a sign of hypocrisy because you’re detaching from the present version of yourself, the version they used to know. Tell you what, it’s not a bad thing because that means you've learned something and you grew up as a person. So, if you’re a quitter type, then not thinking is probably the best for you. But let me tell you this: Do something for a change for Christ’s sake. Hard it may be because sometimes these mishaps are crippling but there's no damn shortcut in here. Conquering is the only way.

the intent of puking or maybe by drinking laxative.

You might as well donate your body to a Science laboratory for you to feel self-worth. Let me tell you that self-loathing is bullshit. It may make you feel better for a bit as you think that you’re changing for the better and you’re punishing yourself because you deserve it, but it’s actually far uglier than your fat ass. The scar it leaves is somehow hard to erase. So choose, bitches: remove a part of you so you’d fit the doors of society for acceptance or create your own door where you’d fit?

you because of this “Physical flaw”, tell them to go to hell because who are they to have such standards in categorizing people. Their standard is very low. You know what, beauty isn’t about having white skin because how the fuck is it that one of the standards is being as pale as a corpse? Beauty is also not about being slim because how the fuck curves are ugly when anorexia is uglier because it’s a mental illness?

Beauty starts with self-acceptance and being comfortable with your skin. When you do, you’ll see that your cheeks begin to blush and your surroundings would be more colorful. And those insults you get about your physical appearance? Take them as a compliment. Maybe you’re too perfect for them that’s why they have to nerf you and tone you down to their category of realism because they can’t believe that a beautiful and gorgeous creature, like you, exists.

50 SINTIDO KUMON

My Heart & the Other Half Josef Rey Papillera, Yancy Tingson, & Maria Charylle Vargas

“A perfect plan at a wrong time. One chance can change everything” Music, especially instrumental dystopian music, has kinetic energy. If you listen hard enough. You can hear the piano pieces trembling its strings, ready to ignite the notes. To set them in motion. And once the notes are in the air, they collide against one another. They spark. They burst.

“I spend a lot of time wondering what dying feels like; what dying sounds like. If I’ll burst like those notes, let out my last cries of pain, and then go silent forever. Or maybe, I’ll turn into a shadowy static that’s barely there, if you just listen hard enough”, said Agapius. A guy fantasizing about dying. A guy living alone in a small apartment in the city of Manila, an orphan, an introvert who already gave up on life. A guy who always wears a black hoodie every time he goes out of his apartment just to find a place where he wants to die. Agapius already decided to commit suicide three months before he turns twenty-one. But he cannot. Not at that time. He wants to have perfect time, place and plan for his act. He decided to list all possible locations and plans he can possibly do to make his farewell seem more than just dying. He seems like a psychopath, but he is not.

Agapius just want at least one perfect thing, so perfect to happen in his life. He thought of how unfair life is, him being one of the most unfavored. Soon after countless times of thinking about it, he was left with one, his farewell to everything.

One time, his former college classmate who became his seatmate on his fifth year of studying psychology in college suddenly message him through social media asking for help.

“Hi Agapius, remember me?” said Amora, her former classmate in college.

Agapius read the message but did not bother replying. He just closed his phone and turned back with his spinning chair to his small table and resumed thinking about his plans. Amora directly told Agapius what was her reason to reach out for him.

“You might not remember me but you are the only person that can help me think. There are countless people I chatted already but they refused to help me because they think I’m just lying and will not take it seriously”, said Amora.

“These past few weeks, I feel like I want to die but I’m not sure about it. My heart and mind tell me to kill myself since there’s no one who cares for me. My parents died last month due

to a car accident and I am an only child”, Amora added.

Amora continuously messaged Agapius, but Agapius has not been able to read it yet. He was very busy planning for his suicide. “Where should be the perfect place? And when would that be?”, he thought.

She was persistent, even begged Agapius to help her. It was already past 3 am and Amora was still waiting for Agapius to acknowledge her messages.

On the other hand, it seems like something is telling Agapius to open his phone before going to bed. As soon as he turned on his phone, Amora’s messages bombarded him as he read it. He felt like there was something with Amora that he wanted to talk about.

An unexpected reply gave Amora at least an inch of hope that Agapius can help her.

“Later, 9 o’clock.

T i m e

Square. Let’s talk about it.”, Agapius replied.

“I will be wearing a black hoodie.”, Agapius added.

Amora replied and thanked him because finally, maybe there’s someone who can help her who can clear up her confused mind.

It was already 9 o’clock at Time square, but oddly Amora was not there.

Agapius was not that patient, he gave her fifteen minutes more or else he would go back.

When Amora arrived and showed up, Agapius told Amora that they will go to a place where there were no too many people around them.

As they have walked, Agapius was covering his head with his black hoodie and it seemed like Amora noticed it.

When they arrived at the place, Agapius removed his hoodie, revealing his face. He looked at Amora, who was already looking at him. “He never really looked so good before. Ugh! Get a hold of yourself, don’t even dream about it”, she struggled herself, mesmerized. Agapius stared at her blankly. “I have no idea of how dumb and pretty at the same time a girl can be. Why is she looking at me like that? Not that I don’t like it as I usually did with the other girls”, he thought. Their world stops for a few seconds. Agapius redeemed himself first and started the conversation with Amora. It took almost five hours for the conversation to end. It was up until Agapius already decided to

tell Amora what was his plans.

“I-I also have something to tell you”, Agapius told Amora.

“What is it?”, Amora replied.

Agapius told Amora what he was planning for this past few days. Amora was shocked after hearing those. Amora, unsure but still asked the reason why. The conversation continued between the two, not knowing that it was already getting late in the afternoon.

Agapius told Amora about his plans in traveling just to look for a perfect time and location for his act. Suddenly, Amora asks him if he can join him traveling because she wants to think about ending her life or just continue living. Agapius allowed Amora to join him but refuses to destroy and interrupt his plans.

Amora promised him that he will not do anything that will ruin his plans. Agapius told Amora when and where they are going just to make sure that his plans will be “perfect”.

When the conversation ended, they separate ways for the meantime with a hope of getting the real answer to their questions.

The two met up and were prepared to go to a place where they can have peace of minds with nothing to worry about. According to Agapius’ plan, they will go to Siargao because it is an island that not many people know and he thinks that the beauty of the sea will help them a lot, mentally. Upon their arrival, Agapius immediately thought that choosing Siargao is one of the best decisions that he made in his

SINTIDO KUMON 51

life. The breathtaking view of the sunset plus the crystal waters surrounding the island is the perfect definition of paradise. More especially that he was not alone, he’s with someone who almost had the same experience as him.

For three days, they tried a lot of activities during their stay in Siargao including island hopping, surfing, scuba diving & many more.

Their stay in Siargao brought some noticeable changes in their personality but what really changes is the way they treated each other.

As they travel, the two became close to each other. Agapius, an introvert, who always wears a black hoodie, and unexpressive has started to remove his hoodie every time they travel. But because he was new to this, he could not notice the feeling of happiness he felt when he was with Amora, blindly searching for the perfect plan he was looking for. On the other hand, Amora has seemed to clear what was on her mind about committing suicide. It has already been a few weeks now and the two seems got quite close, having fun while looking for the right answers to their questions. Until one day, Amora finally found her answer and immediately told Agapius about it.

Amora ran as fast as she could to Agapius, hugging him and crying at the same time. Telling him that she found the answer already.

“Agapius! I found the answer to my question. I-I realize now that, there are a lot of good things in this world that will make me stronger, yes stronger. I can’t afford to give up now.”, Amora said.

Agapius felt sad about hearing that from Amora. He felt unhappy not because Amora will not leave this cruel world anymore but along their travel; he was afraid that she might leave him because she may already find it that his plans to give up were unreasonable. But unexpectedly, Amora told Agapius that he will not leave him even if she already found the answer. Amora felt downhearted because she began falling in love with Agapius, who was still firm with his decision.

Agapius was afraid of Amora leaving him but he did not realize yet that it was love. A love between two people that might give them a chance to change everything they have right now.

Two months later, and Agapius’ birthday

is already coming but still he's yet convinced if his plans are already perfect. When they arrive at their destination, in a glimpse of an eye, Agapius found the perfect plan for his act. Hanging himself in a watchtower in the evening is the perfect way to wave his goodbyes. He hugged Amora and told her what he sees and the answer to his question. Amora cried and cried when she heard the answer of Agapius.

“Why are you crying so much? I’ve got this all planned out. Is there anything wrong?”

Agapius asked.

Amora told Agapius without hesitation what she feels about him.

“I love you. And that’s the problem! What could be more wrong with that!”

Amora exclaimed.

Agapius was taken aback. He then realized Amora is not just an ordinary girl. During the time they w e r e

traveling, Amora made him realize that there’s at least something good in this world, that we should not give up just because the whole world keeps on denying us.

Agapius realized he also fell in love with Amora b u t he couldn’t tell her. He’s already confused because now that he loves Amora, is he going to give up and let go of the perfect plan for his suicidal act?`` Agapius told Amora that he will execute his perfect plan now. Agapius can’t redeem what he said because Amora ran away as tears fall in

her cheeks. He watched her, crying but no one could notice. Again, he was left alone.

The night comes but Amora is not yet at the hotel they were staying. Agapius decided to give up on his plans of suiciding because he can’t afford to lose Amora. Agapius started to find for Amora until 6AM in the morning for the next day.

A heartbreaking scene was spotted by Agapius when he saw Amora hanged in an Oak tree. A perfect plan for ending their love story. A love that hasn’t even started yet ended miserably. Agapius was broken down into tears of darkness and sadness. He runs to where Amora is hanged and remove the rope tied up in her neck.

“Why! Why did you d o that! Now that I realized that I loved you, you will leave me just like that!”, Agapius shed tears like it was his last cry. Then, he saw a piece of paper stating a message for someone.

“I would like to live in a world where I can be with someone I love. I then again realized that my love will be going to a place where everlasting love is present. The thing that I did was following my love to where he is now”, a message written in the piece of paper from Amora’s pocket.

Agapius can’t believe what happened to Amora. Agapius forgot to tell Amora that they have the same feelings with each other, that they love each other. Agapius world was torn into pieces. Since Agapius can’t afford to lose Amora and wants to be with her, he went up to the oak tree together with the body of Amora and hanged themselves to the rope where Amora hanged herself. Agapius died hugging Amora’s body at the top of the Oak tree. No one was there to rescue them. Only the two of them were there, hanging and executed the perfect plan for a suicidal act that they wish to have in the past. A perfect plan at the wrong time.

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THE PANTOGRAPH

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NUEVA CACERES SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | NOVEMBER 2018 - APRIL 2019 | VOL. III, ISSUE NO. II