FROM THE GROUND UP:
A tribute to UPOU student representation
REALITIES AND TENACITIES
Critical issues and the challenges of delivering difficult truths
THE CURSOR
EDITORS AND CONTRIBUTORS
Our Team
FOREWORD
Letter from the Editor
UPOU Events and The Cursor’s Milestones 06
CELEBRATING STRUGGLES
External coverages CREATIVE CURSORS
A showcase from The Cursor’s creative team 44 46 24
Featuring Cy Bundalian, Jeorgina Ebora, and Iad Abbu REALITIES AND TENACITIES
our teaM
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
JENEEN PUDA
LAYOUT EDITOR
SABRINA MENDIGORIA
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
FAYE LOPEZ
GRAPHICS COORDINA
CY BUNDALIAN
HEAD PHOTOJOURNA
IAD ABBU
HEAD ILLUSTRATOR
JEORGINA EBORA
PHOTOJOURNALISTS
IAD ABBU
DJ CASTRO
AARON CRUZ
ANGELA LUMAGUIP
HUTCHENCE MEDINA
ATHENA PACLIBON
VIGGO SARMAGO
JULIANNE SUPNET
ILLUSTRATORS
JOINNE ALCANO
JEORGINA EBORA
JERMAINE LOBO
JORDAN CONSTANILLA
NICO GUTIERREZ
BALITA ZIZI
GRAPHIC DESIGNERS
CASSANDRA ARGUELLES
BETHEL AQUINO
TRICIA BILOG
CY BUNDALIAN
DARLAINE ESPERAS
CAMILLE LEGASPI
LETTER FROM
THE EDITOR
FOREWORD
Within these pages, you'll embark on a chronological odyssey, and witness the arduous process that shaped UP Open University’s Official Student Publication, The Cursor From university system to nationwide Pixel Prophets celebrates forward-thinking perspectives, and upholding the moral responsibility of truth-telling the realities often unseen
SABRINA MENDIGORIA LAYOUTEDITOR
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to aProf. Mark Pere Madrona Your continued mentorship and encouragement have been a constant source of support throughout our editorial endeavors Your guidance has been instrumental in shaping our vision and propelling us forward
We would also like to express our gratitude to the Office of Student Affairs, under the leadership of DirectorRiaBorromeo
We are thankful for your unwavering commitment to fostering student initiatives like The Cursor Your dedication and support have provided a crucial gateway o the long-term sustainability of our publication
With your trust in our vision, we've been able to make significant strides towards achieving our goals
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
proph·et
/ˈpräfət/ a person who advocates or speaks in a visionary way about a new belief, cause, or theory.
In September 2023, a team of six built UPOU The Cursor from the ground up In the fortuitous formation of this team, the shared passion ignited our collective drive to serve the University of the Philippines Open University and its Studentry with stories of our campus, and stories that should matter to us, whether institution-related or on the societal scale
As we move forward, this collection of stories we’ve pursued over the past few months since The Cursor’s establishment are ones we would like to share, this time, in a concrete issue of Pixel Prophets, the very first photo magazine issue of The Cursor.
With this title at the footing of this production, We aim neither to deliver sectarian proclamations nor to predict society’s future, but instead, to be the innovative navigators of advocacies that matter now more than ever.
The Cursor, as it has always been, aims to provide stories of the UPOU student community and the stories that the mass media falls short of shedding light upon. And henceforward, The Cursor shall aim to do better in fulfilling this role
This issue, almost four months in the making, is a lush fruition of the publication’s staffers in the last quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of 2024
The Cursor gives its utmost thanks to the Creative Department led by Director Faye Lopez, and the Head of the Layout team, Editor Sabrina Mendigoria who are both equally at the birth and cornerstone of this production;
who vity and refinement to the overall quality of the photo magazine; and to the staffers who stepped up and graciously contributed their creative pieces and the very fragments of themselves in the media coverages and the creative showcase section of this issue
We further extend our thanks to our incumbent adviser, aProf. Mark Pere Madrona, who continually guides The Cursor to its betterment, and to the Editorial Board, responsible for opening opportunities for our staff to cover these stories thus far
The Cursor hopes that the Studentry equally savors this and that with the next issue, our publication can present an even better reflection of the narratives within UPOU and society as a whole
JENEEN PUDA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
from theground up.
A tribute to the collective achievements and events that have shaped representation in the UPOU community
ILLUSTRATED BY JOINNE ALCANO
GO THE DISTANCE
UPOU student leaders convened at the UP Diliman-DICT Building for UPOU USC's 'Go the Distance' leadership seminar last October 24, 2023. The event aimed to solidify the leadership foundations of potential candidates for UPOU organizations, student council, and communities to come
futureuniversity ofthe
Reimaginations, Reconfigurations, Realizations
the cursoris ratified.
Following nearly two decades and nine years since the establishment of UPOU, the inauguration of its most recent student publication was successfully held on February 2nd, 2024, at the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) auditorium The Cursor, a staunch advocate for press freedom, reaffirmed its commitment to truth-seeking through its Inauguration and Oath Taking Ceremony
eskos, your leaders:
Last January 14, 2024, former members of the USC push through on passing on their roles to the newly appointed councilors and representative at the CCDL Auditorium,
Councilors
Tomacruz, Robbie Ja Undergrad. now hold th student re upcoming U 57th Studen
UPOU Cha
OSA Direct present in t messages f student bod
N G R E S S !
A D
D
S O L I D A R I
O
C
UP Solidaridad held its annual conference, SoliCon2024, on February 5, 2024 at the UP Visayas Miagao campus.
The opening session adopted a hybrid format, commencing with a press conference that explored the distinctive challenges faced by college publications, including those affiliated with the UP Solidaridad alliance. National Spokesperson Brell Lacerna of the College Editor’s Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) subsequently provided historical context by addressing the enduring significance of journalistic endeavors at the collegiate level.
Each publication unit within UP Solidaridad was then granted the opportunity to present a progress report on their activities over the past two years. A recurring theme among these presentations centered on the various obstacles encountered, including limitations in funding, member inactivity, staffing shortages, and, most troublingly, instances of harassment and attacks directed towards student journalists.
The afternoon featured an investigative discourse led by writer and journalist Rhick Lars Vladimer Albay; delving into the critical importance of the Philippines' biological diversity. Mr. Albay highlighted the archipelago's remarkable biodiversity, which showcased the unique flora and fauna found within the country's borders. He also shed light on the environmental challenges threatening this precious ecosystem and emphasized the role of "Solutions Journalism" in driving systemic change to address such issues.
Beyond its educational offerings, SoliCon2024 serves as a valuable platform for the UP Solidaridad alliance to evaluate the performance of its member units and ultimately propel UP Solidaridad towards continued growth and effectiveness for the future.
student calls in solicon
SOn February 8, 2024, the University of the Philippines (UP) System witnessed a significant gathering as student council representatives convened at the UP Visayas Miagao campus for the 56th General Assembly of Student Councils (GASC) Convention
This forum served as a platform for delegates to share reports from their respective campus units, discuss ongoing protests and achievements, and engage in collective action for the betterment of the student body and the entire UP System
realities,
tenacities.
Critical issues and the challenges of delivering the difficult truths that shape our realities.
BSK ELECTIONS
As the Sangguniang Kabataan(SK) Barangay Elections is fast approaching, the Faculty of Management and Development Studies (FMDS), in collaboration with the UPOU Committee on Elections (CoE) and UPOU Faculty of Education (FEd), organized a hybrid seminar on youth governance, enabling eskolars to attend via Zoom and at the UPOU Headquarters on November 10, 2023
exercise your rights!
turong guro
State and university college students, faculty, and employees, mobilized demanding the removal of the 2024 budget cuts, higher budget allocation for our education system, and the abolishment of confidential funds at the Senate Gates, Cultural Center of the Philippines,onNovember15,2023.
fjustice orslain journalists.
On the 14th anniversary of the Ampatuan Massacre, a commemoration was held at the College of Mass Communication, UP Diliman on November 23, 2023, as part of the BREAK FREE 2023 initiative. The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), alongside campus journalists, student councils, and human rights advocates, gathered to pay tribute to the slain journalists and media workers.
Justice for Ampatuan Massacre victims served as a call for justice and a resounding declaration against the continuing culture of impunity that threatens press freedom in the Philippines.
Manila, Philippines - PISTON and Manibela rallied on December 29, 2023 against the LTFRB's December 31st deadline for franchise consolidation, which threatens driver livelihoods and could cause a transport crisis PISTON calls for a more affordable and inclusive modernization plan.
On the 38th anniversary of the People Power Revolution, the nation commemorates the Filipinos, martyrs, and survivors who rose against the Marcos Sr. regime. The gathering at the EDSA Shrine serves as a dual testament: a celebration of the historic, nonviolent uprising that secured democracy and freedom on February 25, 1986, and a continued commitment to upholding those hard-won principles. The gathering also highlights the ongoing efforts of the Filipino people to uphold the values of democracy and to prevent any attempts to undermine the democratic institutions and principles that they fought so hard to protect.
bosesng bayan, iparinigat ipagsigawan
D E M A N D A N G M A S A
The UP Not For Sale Network press conference, held on March 12, 2024, is another step towards the mitigation of commercialization and privatization within the UP community.
Representatives from the UP Not For Sale Network discussed and gave context to the conflicts that negatively affect the community as a whole. The current UP administration seems to prioritize profit-driven entities letting them set up shop on the campus: GyudFood and the yet-toopen DiliMall, ultimately raising the prices of foods and abolishing other services the community may need. Turning a blind eye to the people whose services cater to the UP community (such as providing students resources for printing, arts and crafts, and catering affordable foods to its students, faculty, and staff).
By the end of the conference, representatives Alex Laquitan and Mary Sunshine Reyes revealed the revised floor plan of the Dilimall, prioritizing community-based stalls such as UP Maninindas food stalls, kiosks, and other nonfood shops, all of which are operated by the UP community. UP needs to set its priorities straight: is it going to be the community or the profit?
Click here to view the showcase.