European Tabloid Volume 24 Issue 1

VOLUME 24 | ISSUE 1 | BONIFACIO STREET, BAGUIO CITY | AUGUST 2021

BUILD. BUILD. BUILD. Saint Louis University installs a LED screen in front of Main Campus during the 1st semester of AY 2020-2021 as part of its remodelling plans amid distance learning.

PHOTO BY KIM ANGELA SANTOS

Finance: ‘No payment, no enrollment’

NEWS

3

OST Series rebirth: SLU Concert Orchestra serenades audience online

SLU shifts to Dragonpay, offers student loan with Bukas.ph

BY ZYRA GRACE BINWAG

S

aint Louis University ignited uproar among the Louisian studentry after releasing a financial advisory through the Technological Management Development Department (TMDD) containing new guidelines for the payment of fees during the commencement of the online enrollment for the first semester of Academic Year (AY) 2021-2022 last August 9.

The financial advisory that was sent to the students’ institutional emails stated

that “a student cannot enroll unless the old balance has been paid.” Without settling the balance, the student is only allowed to view the “Transcript of Records” and the “Statement of Account” menu tabs in the SLU Student Portal. This means that enrollment for the next term is not possible.

Last July 7, an online meeting was conducted among TMDD Director Jonathan Ramirez, Office of Student Affairs (OSA) Dean Triceayn Marie Prestousa, recognized publications, and duly appointed officers from the student

Chemical, Mining Engineering merge into ChEM Department

BY MERCY GRACE TACLOY

D

epartments of Chemical Engineering (ChE) and Mining Engineering (EM) merged as one naming it the Chemical and Mining Engineering (ChEM) Department as A.Y. 2020-2021 started.

The merging was made to comply with the Policies Standards and Guidelines (CMO 99, s. 2017) of the EM Department requiring a master’s degree holder as a qualified full time department head. In reference to the policy, School of Engineering and Architecture (SEA) Dean, Dr. Cynthia Posadas, explained that the

merger addressed the dearth of qualified EM personnel to replace the former EM department head, Engr. Romeo Santos, who retired last July 31, 2019.

Before the merging, the program was under the supervision of the SEA Dean after Santos’ retirement. This is also the first time that ChE is combined

In 2019, SLU signed a contract with PhilSmile Inc. as it planned to implement the first online method of enrollment.

PhilSmile Inc. is a social enterprise that offers resource planning for schools.

During the first online enrollment for the Short Term of AY 2019-2020, the services of the company were utilized; however, it was met with several complaints due to

technical problems that arose in the online payment of fees and the enrollment itself.

Ramirez said that PhilSmile was one of the companies that were greatly affected during the early months of the pandemic.

The contract was terminated in October last year.

Meanwhile, the old or classic method of payment was done via Over-the-Counter (OTC) payment through the different banks such as Metrobank and Philippine National Bank (PNB), through online payment or interbank transfer and continue on page direct deposit to SLU accounts.

with another program while EM has been merged with Civil and Geodetic Engineering in 2010 which lasted for two years under the headship of Civil Engr.

Jose Cacdac.

During this time, Santos was the head of the Physics Department. Not long after, he was appointed as Head of the EM program in A.Y. 2012-2013. This has led to the separation of the two programs.

Moreover, Engr. Santos and Dr. Herman Mendoza, Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Technical Panel for Mining Engineering and allied fields, were consulted on the proposed merging of ChE and EM. Posadas also said that the formation of the merged department is a benefit to both with regards to the use of laboratory equipment of the students as well as the collaboration of the two

departments in terms of research projects, extension, and outreach programs.

According to the appointed ChEM Department Head, Engr. Melissa May Boado, although both professions are concerned with converting raw materials into useful products and both can work in mineral processing, the changes brought by the merger will only affect the management of students, faculty, and facilities since the two departments still have different specific Policies, Standards, and Guidelines (PSGs) set by CHED. “Professional courses should be taught by the respective aligned profession, that is – licensed chemical engineers for ChE students and licensed mining engineers for EM students to address the specialized needs of each,” Boado said.

council, regarding SLU’s online payment system and its launching of a student loan program, among others.

Transition of payment system

A

midst close gates of the institution caused by the COVID-19 restrictions, Saint Louis University renovated three of its buildings in the Main Campus, the Jose Rizal, Waldo Perfecto and Otto Hahn Buildings, during the A.Y 2020-2021.

SLU MAKEOVER. After several years, STELA flexes a fully furnished Mass Communication Laboratory installed with upgraded production equipment at the Waldo Perfecto Building.

PHOTO BY LORENZE CAMILLO, STELA FACULTY

In recent social media posts of the university, the main buildings for the School of Natural Sciences (SNS), School of Teaching, Education and Liberal Arts (STELA), and School of Engineering and Architecture (SEA), were seen lightened up with newly painted walls and installed with new facilities.

The Dr. Jose Rizal Building of the SNS opened two new research laboratories, the Tuklas-Lunas Laboratory and SLUSNS Molecular Biology Laboratory. The Tuklas-Lunas laboratory is a Department of Science and Technology (DOST) funded research project which will cater pharmaceutical procedures and medicine production in the university while the Molecular biology laboratory will cater activities that focus on molecular biology.

Further improvement includes the creation of a chemical room, renovation of the Rizal Audio-Visual room and of the SNS Faculty room, modification of all laboratory rooms, and the addition of two classrooms and two laboratory rooms.

Moreover, an emergency shower and eye station were also installed in all floors of the Rizal and Adenauer buildings According to Ann Opina, RMT, SNS Dean, the laboratories were modernized for the advantage of both students and faculty. Aside from the layout modification

8

Consistency in Inconsistency: Mishandling the Pandemic

2

SLU revamps 3 buildings in main campus

BY MEHA SHANE DAMIYAY

FEATURE

and upgrading the granite tables, the new laboratories are now equipped with television for virtual and simulated procedures while the faculty room is equipped with personal lockers and pantry to provide comfort to the faculty.

“Our environment is constantly changing, thus, we keep an open mind and see what will be the needs in the future,” Opina stated.

Other notable upgrades include the addition of a recording area at the SNS faculty room to provide the faculty members a space for recording lectures for online classes. The AVR was also modernized and was equipped with good air conditioning unit, a new stage, lightings and chairs.

On the other hand, STELA can finally use their elevator at the Waldo Perfecto Building. Moreover, the Perfecto AVR was also upgraded and now has new lighting, design, stage and chairs. The Mass Communication Laboratory was also modified and new facilities were installed.

In addition, the department offices and the dean’s office was also re-modelled for the benefit of faculty members.

Dr. Felina Espique, STELA Dean, stated that the improvements can continue on page make a more conducive learning 6 environment for both students and

SPORTS

14

Philippines’ Pantheon of Olympic Greats

SLU KASAMA/SSC Timeline: Congress appoints various council officers, invokes succession rule

BY JULES PHILIP TILLAY

D

ue to the restrictions brought by the CoVID-19 pandemic, the annual Kataas-taasang Sanggunian ng mga Mag-aaral/Supreme Student Council (KASAMA/SSC) Elections were initially postponed through Resolution No.3 series of 2020-2021 paving the way for the Congress of Louisians (COL) to invoke the rule of succession in the vacant positions of the Student Council.

House Speaker Markus Masi explained that the rule of succession is parallel to the same rule in the 1987 Philippine Constitution.

“Ideally, the process observes that whatever elected positions are made, determined, fixed, and vacated within the assembly, it is the second-highest officer following the vacated position that should succeed,” Masi said.

Aquino assumes presidency for short term 2020 Through the rule of succession, Congress named Shaena Kassandra Aquino as KASAMA/SSC President for Short Term, 2019-2020.

Aquino previously served as Vice President of the KASAMA/SSC for the academic year 2019-2020, alongside former President Jedreich Lorenz Manangan.

By virtue of the same rule, all other Executive Committee positions for continue on page the short term were filled in.

6

NEWS

VOLUME 24 ISSUE 1 AUGUST 2021

SLU-MLS allows limited face-to-face internship for 340 students

BY MEHA SHANE DAMIYAY

F2F INTERNSHIP. SLU 4th Year Medical Laboratory Sciences interns attend to their duties at the SLU Hospital of the Sacred Heart, August 21, 2021.

PHOTO BY ANDREW SENO

A

EDITED BY KHAMILLA MAE SUALOG and LAYOUT BY CYBER DOMINGO

SLU COMELEC launches first online elections; REPORMA-ACS dominates SSC lineup

BY MEHA SHANE DAMIYAY AND JULES PHILIP TILLAY

I

n lieu with Saint Louis University’s Commission on Elections (SLU-COMELEC) Resolution No.3, SLUCOMELEC conducted the first fully-online elections for the Kataas-taasang Sanggunian ng mga Mag-aaral/ Supreme Student Council (KASAMA/SSC) last May 10 to 15.

Resolution No.3 which was crafted last August 11, 2020 postponed the annual KASAMA/SSC election and moved it to the second semester of A.Y. 2020-2021. A research on the feasibility of online election was then conducted to cater the new normal setup.

Consequently, University President Rev. Fr. Gilbert Sales signed the Congress Bill No.1 s.2021 enabling the online KASAMA/SSC elections in May. SLU COMELEC IT Committee improved the website that was used during the 2019 SLU KASAMA/SSC elections for a smooth voting process.

Former COMELEC Chairman, Noel Tizon IV, also explained that the commission coordinated with the Technological Management and Development Department (TMDD) to be able to use SLU’s internet domain to accommodate the software so students can access the voting website.

This year’s elections began with the absentee voting last May 7 to 9 and the official elections running from May 10 to 15.

Considering the current distance learning setup, COMELEC Commissioner Vianca Viloria explained that the week-long elections was an opportunity for them to address technical issues as well as to give way for students who have internet problems to cast their votes.

Among the issues encountered were the spammed one-time password (OTP) generators, which were caused by students’ repetitive clicks on the submit button. "Due to the issues on the OTP, the commission tried another password generator through Google forms,” Viloria said.

With a 36.48% voter’s turnout, the week-long online voting ended with Partido Reporma ng mga Mag-aaral ng San Luis-Alliance of Concerned Students (REPORMA-ACS) winning all seven positions in the Executive Committee.

Mystica Rose Angelica Bucad of REPORMA-ACS led the presidential poll after gaining 2,537 votes. Gleanna Marie Cuyugan, presidential candidate of Democratic Alliance of Students for Integrated Governance (DASIG), came close with 2,233 votes. Meanwhile, Jowin Angelo Navarrete, the standard-bearer of Responsible and Intelligent Governance Highlighting Transparency and Studentry (RIGHTS), received 1,550 votes.

REPORMA-ACS bets Sean Vincent Ochave emerged as the Vice President-elect and his party list co-candidate Acela Khenika Simon secured the Executive Secretary position.

Nicole Faye San Miguel and Angelica Aaron were elected as the Secretary for Audit and Secretary for Business Affairs, respectively.

Completing the executive committee roster were Rani Lei Magno as Secretary for Finance and Joaquin Miguel Yabut as Secretary for Public Relations.

Thereafter, COMELEC inducted the new set of KASAMA/ SSC officers last June 18 at the Saint Aloysius Gonzaga Parish.

In her privilege speech after the induction, Bucad promises to be the backbone [for students] and to provide the service that students deserve.

Broadcasted via Facebook Live, the proclamation and oath-taking ceremonies took place after a thanksgiving mass presided by Rev. Fr. Macwayne Maniwang, CICM.

Finance: ‘No payment, no enrollment’ SLU shifts to Dragonpay, offers student loan with Bukas.ph FROM PAGE 1 The method requires uploading the receipt or the transaction slip for OTC payments or a screenshot with the reference number for payments made online. The confirmation of the receipts takes a couple of days. Therefore, the student’s status in the SLU student portal remains unenrolled until the payment made is confirmed and reflected in the portal.

During the second semester of AY 2020-2021, the university added Dragonpay in its payment system along with the classic methods. By the time the short term started, the classic method was no longer available as all of the payment transactions are already done with Dragonpay.

Dragonpay is an online payment platform offering various payment solutions to companies and consumers in the country.

Payment using Dragonpay The transition to Dragonpay invalidates payments that are made using the classic method as they will not be acknowledged right away and the enrollment is nullified after two days as stated in the 9th guideline in the financial advisory.

According to TMDD Director Ramirez, the utilization of the new payment scheme is in order “to provide a faster way of posting financial accounts by enabling the proper Applications Programming Interface (API) to do such networks.” With this software, all processes made after payment will no longer involve human intervention.

Ramirez said that the old or the classic payment method demands a tedious process on their part as it requires manual processing of transactions made by around 15,000 to 20,000 enrollees.

Furthermore, payments made through banks take a long time to process as banks have different report formats which are needed to be followed before they are entered into the system.

Based on the services provided, Dragonpay covers several of the payment channels. These include OTC payment, online banking payment, non-bank OTC payment, and mobile e-wallet such as Grabpay and Gcash.

Ramirez said that they have reviewed several options but are way too expensive, are not secured, and require separate reports for every payment channel. “Our objective is to find the best way to make payment accessible to all,” he added.

However, the use of Dragonpay demands a service fee of 25 pesos per

transaction plus another service fee from other payment channels. Aside from this, confusion arose among students regarding the several steps on the usage of the new payment method.

Furthermore, OSA Dean Prestousa reiterates that the service fees from the different payment channels are not directed to or received by SLU. Students cannot also pay less than the required amount that is provided using Dragonpay. Instead, the student will still be required to pay the remaining balance or else, the payment made will not be reflected in the student’s account.

In cases of overpayment, the student needs to ask Dragonpay to credit the excess amount to SLU or have it refunded.

Despite the instant confirmation of payments made with the new method, the delayed eflection of it in the SLU portal still prevails. This means that students still do not know if they are officially enrolled unless the SLU portal indicates it.

Student Loan Program with Bukas.ph In a post in their Facebook Page last July 8, SLU announced its partnership with Bukas.ph to offer tuition installment plans starting the first semester of AY 2021-2022.

Bukas is a private-owned company

fter complying with the guidelines of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) 2021-001 for limited face-to-face classes, 340 fourth-year students began their internship under Saint Louis University’s Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Sciences (BSMLS) program for the A.Y. 2021-2022.

Students who were assigned at the university’s three affiliate institutions officially began their training last June 25. 80 students were assigned at the SLU Sacred Heart Hospital, 42 at the Notre Dame de Chartres Hospital and 18 at the Luis Hora Memorial Regional Hospital in Bauko, Mt. Province. The other 200 students began their internship at the SLU Clinical Laboratories at the Adenauer Building, Main Campus last June 28.

According to Marji Sim JamiasRaganit, RMT, MSMT, Chief Medical Technologist of the SLU Clinical laboratories, prior to the gradual reopening of the department for the internship, they were first mandated by the JMC to create a Crisis Management Committee, Institutional Policies and Protocols pertaining to the control of COVID-19 and learning continuity plans for internship.

“One of the requirements is the retrofitting of facilities for the limited face-to-face internship. It is a good thing that the new SLU Clinical Laboratories has adequate ventilation and space to allow the 1.5 meters physical distancing.

There are also the installation of plastic barriers, floor markings to direct one-way foot traffic and readable health and safety reminders,” Raganit stated.

To ensure compliance and also to monitor the students, an internship coordinator is assigned in affiliate laboratories. The monitoring shall be both conducted online and physical visits.

Those assigned within Baguio shall be physically checked two or three times a week while those in Bauko shall only be visited once or twice a month.

Moreover, Jeffrey Anague, RMT, Clinical Instructor, explained that the affiliate laboratories were also assessed by CHED, and a certificate of accreditation

from the affiliate laboratories was secured before the deployment of interns.

Anague also explained that the MLS department oriented the parents and students regarding the internship. A notarized parents’ consent was required permitting the students to enroll in the program despite the pandemic. Students who are not yet ready or those who have health and financial issues were allowed to file a leave of absence.

“The University shall respect the decision of the families not to send their children to school during this crisis without the standing or academic status of the student being compromised,” Anague said.

On the other hand, the internship period shall be performed in a cyclical manner wherein the interns shall have four days duty in their assigned areas and shall take 10 days quarantine after. During their quarantine period, a prepared course guide is given to interns through online modalities.

Anague reiterated that during their duties, the interns are required to follow health and safety protocols that are implemented by the department.

“All BS MLS students are required to strictly follow the health and safety protocols, social distancing, wearing of masks, face shields, PPE. They are required to have with them, at all times, their personal hygiene kits,” Anague stated.

The interns are to train in their respective areas for six months. For the second semester, those assigned in the SLU clinical laboratory shall then be assigned in the affiliated institutions and will train for another six months and vice versa for students who are currently training at the affiliate laboratories.

that works with colleges and universities to provide integrated tuition installment plan for students. It has partnered with over 20 schools in the country. Among them are Mapua University and the Technological Institute of the Philippines.

According to Bukas, their installment plan offers students “an affordable and alternative way of paying for their tuition with longer payment terms, competitive interest rates, and hassle-free online process.”

Ramirez said that they have been studying the student loan program since last year and after being in talks with other loan programs, they have chosen Bukas due its credibility, security and lowest interest rate.

When asked why the university did not opt for government-owned loan plans, such as the Land Bank of the Philippines, as they offer lower interest rates, Ramirez said that Land Bank requires a tedious process in its reports and there is a need to provide security infrastructure. Upon evaluation, he said that the capitalization of Land Bank requires a great amount of money that outweighs its low interest rates.

Furthermore, he also said that SLU is not a registered lending institution which makes an institutionalized loan program impossible.

Bukas offers 1.5% interest rate monthly with 3% one-time service fee. It can cover 100% of the student’s tuition that is payable within twelve months. The first monthly installment shall be paid 30

days after the disbursement. However, SLU clarifies that the student can pay the total amount at an earlier date without early termination or penalties.

Along with the financial advisory, SLU stated that the student loan program is a success after a month of its implementation and that there were several students who have availed of the program.

Removal of Online Promissory Notes With the reopening of the new AY and the launching of the student loan program, the university removed the “Promissory Note” option in the SLU portal signifying that it no longer accepts promissory notes.

According to Ramirez, the rationale of a promissory note requires payment of the balance at a later date and that it must be reasonable.

“To us, it requires a 100% down payment plus 50% of the old account and the remaining will be paid at certain duration of time,” he explained.

Ramirez also said that this is to ensure that SLU will thrive amidst schools shutting down due to the pandemic. He explained that the continuous acceptance of promissory notes will not help the students as the amount keeps on adding up if the balance is not settled making it harder for the amount to be paid.

Nevertheless, the removal of the promissory notes forces the student to either stop college for the meantime or to apply for a Bukas installment plan.

NEWS

WHITE & BLUE Volume 24 Issue 1 August 2021

3

OST Series rebirth:

SLU Concert Orchestra serenades audience online

BY ZYRA GRACE BINWAG AND PHILLIP JEROME POSAS

W

ith intricate orchestrations from well-known animated series, the Saint Louis University Center for Culture and the Arts (SLU-CCA) Concert Orchestra made a successful comeback online with its popular OST Series, OST VI: Anime Alliance concert, last August 1 via Facebook Live. microphone quality, environment of the Story behind the OST Series The Original Sound Track (OST) performers, and the connection that would never keep in sync with timing, a very Series has been the most popular line up for the SLU Concert Orchestra peaking crucial element to our performances.,” Tadena explained. the highest during its 2018 anime-themed Online collaboration and “OST V” and its blockbuster sequel “OST V: OVA (Original Video Animation).” communication was also a barrier as it required definite effort to execute an According to the Orchestra’s President, optimal coordination. “As president and Dominic Tadena, OST V greatly appealed senior concertmaster, the effort spent the Louisian community that it cued a line on communication both made me more reaching beyond the SLU fountain during efficient yet despairingly frustrated as not the day of its performance. all of the members were able to keep up “Even when the show was already at with all of our different class schedules,” half its runtime, many of those in line by Tadena said. the fountain were still unaware that the Aside from these, the arrangement show already started and didn’t know that process of the pieces was a major challenge the theater was more than a full house,” to the score arranger as there was no Tadena shared. way to truly measure if the pieces were The series’ popular demand paved executable the way they were intended the team to settle to one more OST series to be until they were recorded raw in the with anime soundtracks and bring it to a most ideal settings. wider audience after a long break behind Moreover, the sets of recording the curtains. This birthed the orchestra’s were divided into two: audio and video comeback and first online feature-length recordings. The editors were also faced show, “OST VI: Anime Alliance.” with challenges such as the lack of access Preparing for the Concert to sophisticated equipment in rendering Rehearsals started as early as January tons of video layers of different players this year while the actual master planning while taking into consideration the for the production commenced last July 5. copyright issues that are automatically Recording, production designing, editing raised by streaming platforms. and other preparations were made after Interestingly, the last piece that was a week. With just the production, Tadena performed took five months to complete said that they had less than a month to but was only rehearsed, recorded and prepare. edited in just two weeks before the concert.

Furthermore, producing the concert Tadena’s role as the president was has been met with problems as it was their to make sure that everything comes in first time to perform in an online setting. order, from cohesively master planning The virtual setup has forced the orchestra the program, with all line items timed to take drastic measures with regards to properly and conforming to the entire rehearsing, communicating, arranging production design, and direction, to pieces, recording, editing, and, solidifying which he said that he is satisfied on how the production with respect to intellectual everything turned out. property.

The concert “On the aspect of rehearsing, there The online concert was comprised was no absolute way to truly gauge or of nine pieces presented by a total of 39 evaluate pieces that were rehearsed online. performers led by SLU-CCA Head and It was only a matter of keeping up with Concert Orchestra Director, Mr. Ethan the virtual setup that only complicated Andrew Ventura. teaching or checking with factors such as

O

ne year and five months – almost two years passed when the supposed one-week lockdown turned to a year and more. Within that period, the Philippines seemed to have developed two types of variants: one is an alteration of the Covid-19 virus while the other is the alteration of lockdowns to ‘supposedly’ contain the virus.

For the record, the Philippines developed more variants of the latter than that of the virus.

To date, the Philippines have recorded cases of the Alpha, Beta, Delta and now the Lambda variants. There are five Greek alphabets that the World Health Organization uses to classify the variants, four of which were already detected in the country.

On the contrary, the Philippine government formulated six categories of community quarantines in hopes to control the spread of the virus. These are the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ), General Community Quarantine (GCQ), Modified General

LAYOUT BY ELYZSA RENEE JASMINE PAJE

X and Y’s: Pandemic Variants

BY MEHA SHANE DAMIYAY

CRAVE FOR MORE

Community Quarantine (MGCQ), NCR + Bubble and the recently coined “Tiny Bubbles.”

Despite the categories of quarantine, the graph on Covid-19 cases seems to remain high. However, either every month or every two weeks, the national government assigns a quarantine category to various local government units to hopefully contain the virus.

It had been a cyclic process of quarantine shifting, leading Filipinos confused on what protocols to follow.

Quarantine restrictions play a good role in controlling the movement of the public as it prevents the further spread of the virus to other uninfected areas. However,

A TRIUMPHANT COMEBACK. SLU CCA-Concert Orchestra dazzles the audience online after a long break behind the curtains with OST VI: Anime Alliance featuring timeless and famous anime soundtracks.

SCREENSHOT TAKEN FROM FACEBOOK LIVE DURING THE SLU CCA CONCERT ORCHESTRA’S OST VI: ANIME ALLIANCE PERFORMANCE Eight of the pieces revolved on soundtracks of famous animated series and movies while the final piece that was performed was an original composition of Dominic Tadena. These are soundtracks from Slam Dunk, Food Wars, Howl’s Moving Castle which was performed by a quintet, Ghost Fighter, Your Lie in April which was performed by a duet, Haikyu, Weathering with You, and Demon Slayer.

The final piece and original was entitled “Midwinter Sonata III: Shõnen Cantabile” and was the composer’s tribute to the SLU Concert Orchestra.

Inspiration to the original sonata “I actually did not know what drove me to draw this tune in my mind with just a spark of inspiration last March, until I completed the sonata. It really was just a random tune that was singing in my head.

And then I opened the piano, translated what was written in my thoughts in succession to what I wanted to bring out,” Tadena said.

According to him, prior to it being a sonata, it was actually originally written to be a symphony to which he said it lacked him time to internalize and compose. He said that it was intended to be the “first continuously depending on it without taking suggested medical measures depicts placing a Band-Aid on a wound that needs suturing and professional medical intervention.

In the case of Covid-19 variants, the original coronavirus mutates and changes genetic information leading to faster transmission and different disease severity and symptoms. Whereas, the quarantine variants contain the same information, placed in just different levels, and applied to varying regions.

If the coronavirus mutates, maybe it’s also time for the government to mutate their action towards both variants affecting the public. Shift the actions to a more health-focused solution like extensive testing and contact tracing, mass vaccinations, and support to the health care system.

To enable the goal of a new normal, the different agencies concerned in formulating actions for this pandemic should start stepping up their actions before both variants devastate the wellbeing of the public they serve.

movement” of the piece but after listening to it, he realized that it fits more of a finale that can only be expressed through music.

Codenamed “Project: Solstice,” the composer even went as far as releasing it as a “secret single” for his audiences. He shared that he was able to keep it even from his family for almost five months.

“It was a sonata, but it was singing to me. And sonatas were never meant to be sung. In the end, it was actually me who was singing the sonata. My original sonata was actually a time lapse of my entire college life. It was written like an anime opening—because it’s as if college was like an anime arc on its own,” Tadena said.

The sonata is the story of a young man who was youthful in thinking. “It was a half-decade-long story in the middle of the winter solstice by a young protagonist. It was a “midwinter” story shared at spring; a stark contrast of depiction but rather a compliment to two different ideas. It was a “shōnen” story; the story of a young boy discovering his life. And lastly, it was a cantabile, a piece that was “songlike” or that was meant to be sung,” Tadena said on how its title “Midwinter Sonata III: Shõnen Cantabile” came to life.

Upcoming events As SLU opens another academic year, SLU-CCA Director Ventura assures

Louisians of more and better virtual performances saying that it has been their mission to keep the arts alive especially in the CCA amidst the pandemic.

Ventura also said that there will be another Virtual Arts Festival for this year and encourages everyone to watch out for their upcoming performances.

In their Facebook Page, the SLU Concert Orchestra thanked everyone who watched and enjoyed the show and hopes for them to continuously support their shows and all other CCA performing groups.

Ventura also expressed his gratitude towards the members.

“For all the artists, the performing artists, alam ko mahirap ngayon na wala tayong outlet, pero meron naman kung tutuusin – may mga online platforms tayo so, please try to make use of this kasi marami tayong virtual platforms for performances also so, ‘wag kayong panghihinaan ng loob. This is an opportunity. Make this an opportunity for you to discover what you can do virtually for your performances. For our audience, thank you for supporting the virtual performances of the CCA. Please continue to support us. What can you do is share ‘pag meron kaming mga concerts. Please share and share para lang kumalat ‘yong mga performances namin,” he said.

Louisians ignite ‘Binaddang’ spirit to Typhoon Rolly, Ulyesses victims via donation drives

BY PHILLIP JEROME POSAS

A

s Super Typhoon Rolly and Ulysses dimmed the regions of Bicol and Cagayan during the near end of the first semester of academic year (AY) 2020-2021, Saint Louis University, dubbed as the “Light of the North,” radiated hope to the victims by initiating donation drives, reflecting its Cordilleran version of bayanihan, the “binaddang” culture, last November 2020.

In collaboration with the Philippine Red Cross–Baguio Chapter, the Saint Louis University–Community Extension and Outreach Programs Office (SLUCOEPO) and Kataas-taasang Sanggunian ng mga Mag-aaral (KASAMA) / Supreme Student Council (SSC) spearheaded donation campaigns in a flexible, accessible and safe manner as COVID-19 pandemic limited the bayanihan movement.

In the mission to make an effort to reach out for help and immediate assistance, university organizations, groups, and external stakeholders collaboratively responded through fundraising shows and drives to join the cause.

Bank transfers and deposits, remittances, and e-money transfers were utilized for monetary donations and were channeled to the SLU Finance Office. For inkind donations, drop-off points with focal persons were designated accordingly.

All proceeds were directed to the Saint Louis University-Main Campus as a hub for packaging and sending operations.

In partnership with the Diocese of Baguio for Bicol operations and the University of La Salette – Isabela, University of Saint Louis-Tuguegarao, Parokya San Jose Mangmangged, St. Joseph the Worker Parish Tuguegarao for Cagayan operations, the collected donations were extended to the hands of the beneficiaries.

Meanwhile, SLU President Rev. Fr. Gilbert B. Sales personally handed a total amount of 350,000 pesos to the grantees of the Project Salinong, a shelter assistance program of Parokya San Jose Mangmangged in Cagayan that aims to rebuild lives by providing shelter to those rendered homeless by Typhoon Ulysses. The remaining amount given to the beneficiaries came from monetary donations, 270, 600 pesos from White & Blue, Saint Louis University’s official student publication, and 65, 040 pesos from the SLU KASAMA/SSC. According to the transparency report released last December 4, 2020, the Louisian community raised a total of PHP 1, 197, 163.29. It has funded ten housing projects amounting 500, 000 pesos and the remaining amount was given as cash assistance and converted to relief goods.

Mrs. Charmaine Pumay-o Mendoza, head of SLU-COEPO, expressed her gratitude as Binnaddang spirit, which is a Cordilleran act of communal unity, solidarity, and volunteerism, was evidently seen in Rolly and Ulysses missions.

“With the community solidarity of Saint Louis University (students and student organizations, parents, administrators, teaching and non-teaching staffs, parishioners, and others) from the Basic Education unit (Laboratory Elementary School, Laboratory Junior High School, and the Laboratory Senior High School) to the tertiary level, the St. Aloysius Gonzaga Parish, and the Hospital of the Sacred Heart, our call for help reached many people as we say “Ipey-as nan gawis” meaning, let goodness overflow,” Mendoza stated.

OPINION

VOLUME 24 ISSUE 1 AUGUST 2021

W&B EDITORIAL Like candles fading in the creeping darkness

M

ore than a year had passed when the education sector adapted distance learning as COVID-19 swarmed nation after nation. It entered a sudden change as what was thought to be just a few weeks of class suspension, extended to a time no one ever knew. It has left them no choice but to embrace the transition.

The consequences of the pandemic to education were clearly seen with the decrease of enrollment rates and with the increase of reports of students suffering depression and other mental health issues. A whole academic year came to pass with distance learning as the solution to continuous education. But what seemed to be an easier setup, was actually a survival in the process.

With the online-based learning modality, students are faced with challenges to cope with the requirements of learning. This is not limited to having a stable internet connection as it entails several other factors that affect the learning capacity of students. These include but are also not limited to having a noisy and uncomfortable environment, varying responsibilities at home, lack of proper equipment, all kinds of distractions, difficulty in understanding the subject matter through online means, and personal factors such as time management difficulties, lack of motivation, falling in a state of depression and several other mental health illnesses, and suffering from multiple breakdowns, among others.

The struggle actually begins in the online enrollment process where students take several hours of waiting before they are officially enrolled. This is due to repeated system failure and maintenance of the SLU student portal. Despite the improvements in school facilities and renovations, the SLU student portal seems to be left behind as evidently experienced during the recently conducted enrollment for the first semester of AY 2021-2022.

This is made worse with the continuous raise and addition in tuition and other fees. The pandemic made students enter all sorts of moneymaking livelihood in order to help sustain their education. This is also one of the factors that affect their studies as their time is even more divided with class requirements piling up and due dates drawing near.

While some students have the privilege to a smooth learning environment, unfortunately, majority are trying to juggle everyday responsibilities not only for themselves but for their families as well.

Furthermore, everyone might be affected by the pandemic but not everyone is dealing with the situation at similar circumstances.

With the escalation of COVID-19 cases and the emergence of its variants, the call for Ligtas Balik Eskwela seems to become blurry.

However, the fact remains that students are still struggling in the current distance learning methods and that concrete actions and plans must continually show progress and put into action to make safe and quality education attainable by all students and for all courses.

Louisians are known to be bearers of the “Light of the North” but with all the prevailing struggles and incoming challenges creeping through the current mode of learning, these lights might eventually fade, or even worst – consumed.

B

Mga Alaala at Muni-muni

langko. Kagaya ng aking isipan.

Ilang oras at araw na rin akong nag-iisip ng maisusulat ngunit hanggang ngayon ay wala pa rin akong maisip.

Sa kabila ng sandamakmak na mga bagay at isyung hinaharap ng bansa at maging ng buong mundo, ay wala pa rin talaga akong maisip na isulat. Sa ganitong sitwasyon, kung hindi dadalawin ng antok ay madalas naglalakbay ang aking isipan hanggang sa wala na akong matapos na gawain. Masarap balikan ang nakaraan lalo na kung ito ang dahilan kung bakit mo narating ang kasalukuyan. Dahil pagod na rin akong mag-isip, babalikan ko na lang din ang nakalipas at magmuni-muni.

Unang araw sa kolehiyo, dahil lumaki ako sa probinsya ay wala akong kakilala ni isa sa mga naging kaklase ko. Sa dami ng bakanteng upuan sa loob ng klasrum ay pinili kong umupo sa likuran.

Madalas ay mas gugustuhin nating manatili sa ating comfort zone kaysa sumugal sa mga bagay na bago o kakaiba sa atin, sa malayo sa ating kinagisnan. Wala ka raw matatamong pagbabago sa iyong sarili kung patuloy kang magkukulong sa isang hawlang nakabukas.

Kung gusto mong makita at malaman kung hanggang saan ang kaya mo, handa ka dapat umalis sa lugar kung saan ka pinakakomportable. Doon mo makikita ang tunay na ikaw. Magugulat ka na lang sa mga bagay na kaya mo palang gawin at marating na kailanman ay hindi mo pa nasubukang gawin. Wala kang aasahan

BY ZYRA GRACE BINWAG

PAPER PLANES

na makikitang bago kung hindi mo susubukang lumayo sa iyong nakagisnan.

Ilang buwan na rin ang lumipas pero hindi pa rin ako naka-adjust sa bagong kapaligiran sa unibersidad at pamumuhay sa boarding house. Sa paglabas ng mga paunang marka, hindi ko akalaing ang paglitaw ng siyete sa SLU Portal ang magpapaalala sa akin na nasa kolehiyo na talaga ako na kailanma’y hindi magiging kagaya sa hayskul.

Isa sa pinakamahirap gawin ay ang pag-adapt sa isang bagong kapaligiran dahil sa kabila ng mga taong may pakialam, sa dulo, sarili mo pa rin ang iyong aasahan. Ang pagtahak sa isang landas ay may kaakibat na mga hamon at balakid.

Minsan, kinakailangan nating mabigo upang tayo ay matauhan at matuto. At hindi ibig sabihin nito ay katapusan na ng mundo. Sabi ng isa sa mga naging propesor ko, “hindi lahat ng panahon ay nasa itaas ka, minsan kailangan mong lumagapak upang makabangon.”

Lubos ko rin palang niyakap ang kolehiyo dahil imbes na limang taon ay pinahaba ko pa ng isang taon ang aking kontrata. Naniniwala akong lahat ng bagay ay may dahilan at katapusan

dahil sa loob ng anim na taon na puno ng kulay, mga alaala, mga aral sa buhay, paghihirap makakuha ng otso sa Finals, pag-inom ng maraming tasa ng kape, pagkain sa siomai rice at kakanin sa Gate 4, pagpupuyat, at paggawa ng maraming reports, makakamit ko na rin ang aking diploma.

Bahagi ng buhay ang pagkabigo at paghihirap. Pero lagi mong tatandaan na wala pang nananalo na sumuko. Sa umpisa ay parang ulan lang ‘yan, parang walang katapusan, pero lovelife mo nga nagwawakas, mga paghihirap pa kaya?

Hindi kailanman naging isang karera ang buhay kaya ‘wag kang mahiya o magalala kung sa tingin mo’y huli ka na, sadyang nauna lang sila. Mag-aral ka hangga’t kaya, magpahinga sa tuwing kailangan, at higit sa lahat, maging masaya sa bawat bagay na iyong gagawin. Hindi man sa oras na ginusto o plinano mo, pero ang sigurado, makakapagtapos ka rin sa oras na itinakda ng Diyos para sa’yo.

At dahil inaantok na ako, dito na nagtatapos ang pag-alala at pagmumunimuni. Minsan talaga’y ‘di maiiwasang balikan ang nakaraan na nag-iwan sa atin ng mga aral at nagsisilbing mga dahilan kung bakit tayo nasa kinaroroonan natin ngayon. Ang mga bakas ng kahapon ang magsisilbing mga padyak patungo sa ating hinaharap. *** Sa Lumikha at sa lahat ng mga taong nagbigay kulay sa aking mundo sa loob ng anim na taon, maraming salamat.

Include Women in the Sequel Editorial Board 2020 - 2021 working staff for this issue

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF INTERNAL ASSOCIATE EDITOR EXTERNAL ASSOCIATE EDITOR MANAGING EDITOR EXCHANGE EDITOR NEWS EDITOR Meha Shane Damiyay FEATURES EDITOR Bianca Irish Rivera ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Rio Jane Rabaca SPORTS EDITOR Grail Lubangas

SENIOR STAFF WRITERS Allison Binay-an, Dahlia Marie Elysse Camacam, Jonas Angelo Catubay, Roselle Kaithrynne Celi, Vianca Joyce Cordova, Ayrton Cris Dizon, Daniella Ivy Ducusin, Mikhael Raeon Felix Ebalo, Jude Michael Gagarin, Sheryl Lai, Japheth Lance Pecaoco, Philip Jerome Posas, Athena Myrrh Puday, Sharine Mae Ramirez, Stephen John Sabadao, Hannah Rouie Tamayo, Mercy Grace Tacloy, Emmanuel Tinio SENIOR LAYOUT ARTISTS Myrisha Jhen Dela Cruz, Cyber Domingo, Steven Ray Estabillo, Julian Luis Padilla, Elyzsa Renee Jasmine Paje

Zyra Grace Binwag Kim Angela Santos Marc Jandel Buccat Jules Philip Tillay Leah Monica Bandoc

CHIEF PHOTOJOURNALIST Martin Shan Cheung CHIEF CARTOONIST Khamilla Mae Sualog CHIEF LAYOUT ARTIST Chriselyn Alconis

SENIOR PHOTOJOURNALISTS Shirleen Joy Aronchay, Angellie Eunice Baluyut, Lance Anthony Cruz, Margarette Flor Curilan, Andrei Francis Rod Gasmen, Emmanuel Gregorio, Sonai Longsiab, Aldrich Francis Peñaflor, Robe Martin Reyes, Andrew Seno, Carl Kayne Valeriano SENIOR CARTOONISTS Angelo Antolin, Naomi Bumal-o, Jonekah Alexine Catadman, Andrely Ciano, Luwy Jane Colina, Stephanie Imingan, Janine Edriz Laureta, Karen Faith Nuguid, Jayne Macrine Sayson

ADVISERS Engr. Jeffrey Des Binwag, Mrs. Analyn Caroy

WHITE & BLUE is a member of the College Editors Guild of the Philippines Editorial Office: Rm. 06, Student Center Building, Saint Louis University, Assumption Rd., Baguio City 2600

I

t’s been a constant struggle for a woman to be a woman. As if being one is a curse for a lifetime. Women are always underrepresented, perceived as weak and vulnerable, and always scratched out from the narrative.

As someone who dreams of thriving in the field of photography and filmmaking, which are male-dominated industries, I wonder if I can make it there. It’s not the lack of talent or skill, but because of the barriers that hamper in pursuit of working in these male-dominated industries – the implicit and explicit bias, sexual harassment, pay inequity, discrimination, and the underrepresentation, among others.

Just recently, Canon, one of the world’s preeminent camera makers, released their list of Filipino ambassadors which only featured men. This is met with resentment and outrage and drawing flak in social media because of the obvious biased and misogynistic choice of the lineup.

Canon never learned their lesson from Nikon’s mistake in 2017 where they featured 32 all-male photographers. This caught attention online and once again,

BY KIM ANGELA SANTOS

CERVANTES slammed for being sexist on their public relations campaign.

Although Canon released a statement after the countless resentment from local photographers, their response adds more flame to the fire because of its lack of action toward the issue.

What makes this more disturbing is how different male photographers responded to this, as if it was an issue not worth focusing on. Many narratives of struggles from women and non-binary photographers surfaced, prompting to end mistreatment and unequal opportunity in the industry.

One of the ambassadors said that women photographers need to prove themselves first. This is a by-product of how deeply-rooted misogyny remains in our society. We are so accustomed to a macho society so women are considered the weaker gender. Or maybe it is just their fear of losing their dominance, toxic masculinity and patriarchal culture.

As a photojournalist, I often work

WE WANT YOU! Be part of White & Blue | Academic Year 2021-2022 For more updates regarding the registration, like us on Facebook at https://web. facebook.com/whiteandblueslu and follow us on twitter at https://twitter.com/ whiteandblueslu.

harder than the men around me just to be seen, heard, and prove myself. I need to reach the bar they created in the industry and they expect me to follow their standards. How many times have women ended up with less than we are capable of?

Surviving in a male-dominated industry is hard, and thriving here is more burdensome. But we need to change the game and turn the tables around. This is the time to recognize the power of being a woman. We are equipped to do more and to be game-changers. This is not just a battle of who needs to have the fame and spotlight in the arena. This is a fight for the undervalued and underestimated women in all industries. This is a fight for the younger female generation for them to have the freedom to dream whatever they want without hesitation and questioning whether they are fit to do the things they desire. We need to fight and win the battle for gender equality and inclusion for ourselves, for our sons and daughters.

I have always wondered if I can thrive in the industries I choose but my dreams will not die because I am a woman. We are capable of doing more, and we have stories to tell. We must be included in the sequel.

After all, we are all created equal.

OPINION

WHITE & BLUE Volume 24 Issue 1 August 2021

5

Still Far from being Flexible

C

ommission on Higher Education (CHED) Chairperson Prospero de Vera III said on May 21 that flexible learning will be the new norm of the educational system and there is no going back to the traditional face-to-face classroom instructions. More than a year since the shift in this new normal, this system remains to favor a few as it remains to be a struggle for many students to cope in this unfamiliar environment. As the Academic Year 2021-2022 starts, is this the quality of education we envision for our country’s future?

Internet in the Philippines ranked up in the global ranking as internet connectivity speeds up landing on the 86th spot from 111th as Ookla Speedtest Global Index reports. However, in this setup, internet speed is just one of the problems of virtual classes. There are a lot of far-flung areas in which internet signal is not accessible. Adding the unjustifiable cost of internet, load and packet data, flexible learning is flexible only to those who can afford and are privileged enough.

BY MARC JANDEL BUCCAT

LOREM IPSUM

Considering millions of Filipinos under the poverty line, education for all is not feasible in an online setup.

Countless webinars and consultations are being conducted to help students keep their sanity and increase their productivity but until when? We cannot deny that students and teachers alike are tired.

We are all drained financially, physically and mentally. With all the demands of educational institutions for students to pass, the burden persists because they juggle not only academic and personal life but also life and death as the fear of COVID-19 lingers. It is just right to demand our government to allocate funds in research, science, medical and health system to pave the way for the resumption of face-to-face classes among other projects that do not necessarily contribute to this urgent need.

The efforts to conduct limited face-to-

face classes for medical-related programs in some institutions like Saint Louis University are little steps to at least go back to the traditional setup but how about for the other programs? The pioneers of the K-12 curriculum experiences double jeopardy in the education system as they become the experimental batch for K-12 and now experiencing online classes and virtual internships. Students enrolled in skill-based courses are being deprived of the education that they deserve.

Theoretical courses became difficult in this mode of learning, how much more for those courses that teach skills with the absence of laboratories, actual simulations and hands-on instruction and training?

The statement of CHED clearly refuses the youth’s interest. What we need right now is to move the call to “Ligtas na Balik Eskwela.” With the opening of malls, bars and leisure activities, when will it be considered to push for the reopening of face-to-face classes? Although CHED reiterated that flexible learning should not be confused with online learning solely, the issues revolving around it prove that we are still far from being flexible.

Vultures attack the vulnerable

T

he locals always knew my Lolo Abil as one of the last mumbakis in Lagawe. For all occasions, from house blessings to a “bogwa” (bone exhumation ritual), people from neighboring Ifugao towns would even fetch him from home just to avail of his “baki” expertise.

He would begin chanting, whisper some inaudible words and then sip some rice wine. Thereafter, he would slaughter a chicken while carefully examining the innards of the fowl. He would further chew on “moma” and continue chanting.

In exchange, Lolo Abil would come home with huge pig carcasses. He rarely accepted cash, as he believed that his service was meant for a greater purpose rather than just wealth.

And he lived a great life. Yes, past tense.

The truth is, I did not exactly know the true history and the deeper significance of the rituals he had been doing. This is already coming from a grandson of a mumbaki. And to say that I am devastated of not producing a documentary about the “baki” would be such an understatement.

BY JULES PHILIP TILLAY

LO & BEHOLD

I lost a dear grandfather and also an opportunity to help my fellow Ifugaos understand the age-old rituals. I had a digicam and a phone yet I still kept on hesitating until it was too late.

More so, I had the tools and platform but somehow, I stepped back. Now, I want to transform my own regrets into something even more valuable. A part of me also hopes that our nation puts more value to our own cultural stories.

This is the point where our generation needs to realize a bigger purpose beyond just merely using gadgets and social media.

This is when artists, especially Cordilleran artists, contribute to the preservation of the unique heritage of the Cordilleras.

If we are truly concerned with our culture, we deeply acknowledge that it is somehow struggling to co-exist in the era of digitalization. If we are truly proud of our heirloom practices, we compel

ourselves to protect them. If we are truly supportive of our people, we know that we are more than just a profitable clickbait thumbnail by these so-called influencers from the other side of the world.

We are far more capable of storytelling through our own lenses because those stories are truly ours. This truth applies not only to the Cordilleran tribes but to all Indigenous Peoples all over the archipelago. From the Ivatans of Batanes to the Badjaos of Tawi-Tawi, there are still a lot of ethnic songs to listen to, diverse cuisine to try out, and tribes to share stories with.

While it is true that culture is shared, we need to draw the line – the line between genuine appreciation and blatant bastardization. In our thirst for global validation, we fail to see that we are slowly getting robbed of our identity and our ingenuity.

It is not the responsibility of foreign nationals to preserve our culture. It is ours.

And if we ever decide to let our culture slowly die and rot in the background like a wounded gazelle, the vultures are closely watching.

Spectra:

VALUE OF LIFE & THE ARTS VOLUME IV

COMING SOON

TAPE RECORDER What do you want to address the SLU administration for the AY 2021-2022?

"Habang tumatagal mas lalong nawawalan ng gana ang mga estudyante sa online classes. Sana naman may mausisang pagpa-plano ang SLU para maisakatuparan ang face-to-face classes. Sayang naman mga rehabilitated facilities, tigang na mga multo dun kasi wala naman silang matatakot. SANA ALL MAY BADYET! DILI NA LANG AKO MAGTALK DZAI!" BSPSYCH 2 "As an incoming 4th year student, I hope that the administration will make a definite guideline/instruction in the conduct of internship/OJT of the different programs offered. I believe that this is the most crucial part of our college life, since it prepares us to become a competent individual in the corporate world so may the admin consider to find ways in making an actual internship/ OJT possible for the students, regardless of specialization."

BSPolSci 4 1. #LigtasNaBalikEskwela for the other schools (we need quality and safe education) 2. Expensive laboratory fees 3. Transparency in the breakdown of fees 4. Better admin (charot!)

BSChE 4 "Nakakabahala 'yong pagtaas ng tuition fee lalo pa't may pandemic. I suppose na sana maging compassionate ang admin lalo pa't hindi naman nagagamit ng karamihan ang facilities ng school."

BSChE 3

How we can contribute to our nation’s demise

S

ince 2016, our country has been in a virtual civil war.

Posts, comments, and memes are its weapons and the internet is its battleground. This civil war stems from a false dichotomy where stating an opinion automatically categorizes you to be either a “die-hard Duterte supporter (DDS)” or a “dilawan.”

The war itself is an exchange of brutal, damaging and sometimes libelous statements thrown at anyone with an opinion coming from the other side of the spectrum.

The heat of the war can be felt every time a new hashtag trend; #dutertepalpak, #OustDuterte, #YesToABSCBNShutdown, to name a few. Scrolling through these hashtags on social media platforms, I have observed how we are so quick to judge Duterte’s supporters and label them as brainless, uneducated, and idiots when in reality, they are not at fault that they were brainwashed, misinformed, and are victims of propaganda. I, too, am guilty of posting insulting remarks towards DDS or anyone with an opinion contrary to mine. Whenever I come across DDS posts online, my immediate reaction would be to clap back with a sarcastic comment. What is more satisfying than embarrassing an ‘enemy’ because of their beliefs? However,

BY LEAH MONICA BANDOC

VERISIMILITUDE they are not enemies to be defeated.

Rather, they are fellow Filipinos under the same governance who fall victim to its incompetence. While it is indeed more gratifying to respond with a witty disparaging comment with a sarcastic tone on the side than to simply ignore it, rolling our eyes at avid DDS furthers the existing political divide in our country—the same divide that benefits the very ones we fight against.

It seems that the fury most DDS have originates from the abandonment they felt from elitist governance that reigned for decades. These people have long been denied the quality of life they deserved. Their stance came from a strong defiance against the Liberal party and its constituents for the neglect they have endured throughout those years.

Duterte’s radical slogan “Change is Coming” appealed the masses where he accumulated a large number of followers.

From this context, we must understand that their beliefs and opinions come from personal experiences and upbringings.

Most often, the beginning of a nation’s

downfall happens during elections. It is during these times that the Filipino culture of hiya and utang na loob dominates a voter’s choice. Misinformed Filipino voters have a culture of expressing support for political figures for whom they have built an emotional attachment. Instead of prioritizing the candidates’ intentions, platforms, and other crucial qualifications, they tend to fixate on their utang na loob that they have with certain politicians and will be considered as nakakahiya if they choose not to support them. Moreover, we have still yet to learn their other motivations, their reasons for coming up with their political stance.

Social media engagements between DDS vs non-DDS sometimes suggest that non-DDS netizens are more superior, both morally and intellectually. This predisposition poses an automatic loss.

Once we belittle them and invalidate the context on which they are coming from, we have promoted a culture of division and most importantly, miss the chance to engage with them. Without engagement, no progress can be made to convince them to build an informed political stance.

Thus, we must encourage a culture of open-mindedness, willingness to listen and remember what, why and for whom we are fighting for – we, the sovereign Filipino people.

DA HOY!

"We have unnecessary extra fees that would cost thousands. The online class is not effective as a new learning mode for college students. The extra fees are too much as the actual tuition fee. We are in an online class, and we are at home. We pay our internet and other education expenses, so it is questionable why the tuition is still expensive."

BSTM 2 “Sana okay pa rin yung pagong sa fountain."

BSPolSci 4 "Sana hindi kung saan-saang website nagpapa-quiz ang instructors especially if those sites are data consuming and requires strong internet connection in order for the students to take the quiz smoothly."

BSChE 4

Virtual Internship: A hit or a miss?

T

he pandemic has created a massive impact on the education sector. In the Philippines, alongside adopting new means of learning, the pandemic started opportunities and an indefinite amount of difficulties.

Due to the limited physical interactions, incoming interns are about to face online internships.

During the previous years, internships were partnered with highprofile companies by university schools and professors. Senior students have bound opportunities to experience and learn what it's like to be in the "real working world." It is supposedly one of the highlights of college life for most students.

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) published Joint

Memorandum Circular No. 2021-001 allowing medical courses to pursue limited face-to-face classes. The SLU School of Nursing and School of Natural Sciences and other universities in the Philippines have opened limited face-to-face courses and internships. The limited face-to-face classes for medical programs are not mandatory and solely dependent on the decision of the educational institutions.

Academic studies are only pursued at fixed times and dates to observe safety among students.

From a national standpoint, more than half of senior college students are bound to experience online internships.

Although students have spent two semesters online, the uncertainty of being responsive is still in question. Most

BY DANIELLA IVY DUCUSIN

WALL CREEPERS

students still have difficulty complying with their deadlines. Aside from this, professors encounter problems finding companies and organizations that can cater to the students and internship itself.

Online learning alone is still subject to tests and changes. There are a lot of grounds needed to consider in pursuing online internships. Organizations and the university are still in the process and discussions as to how the training will take place.

Consequently, online platforms and start-ups have opened online portals

to support possible interns. Popular online platforms for job seekers such as Jobstreet, Upwork, and LinkedIn, encourage and empower remote work and internships. Although this is accessible for graduates or current college students, internships provided by the university still serve different purposes.

Remote internships by the university could either go well or entirely hit rock bottom, but at the end of the day, the students carry all the baggage that comes with it.

During the Short Term, some students have started their online courses and internships. Although it is attainable by some, students couldn't maximize the experience. Aside from being students by default, students also attend to their

errands. Some are working part-time to help with their family expenses; some need to take care of their parents; some are negatively influenced by the situation mentally and physically, and the list goes on.

As of August of 2021, there is no follow-up memorandum from CHED regarding internships for non-medical programs. Enrollment has started during the first week of August in most universities. Without concrete instruction from authorities, students have vague impressions of how their internships will take place.

Incoming interns still have no clue of what awaits them. Until then, and since then, professors and students get to do the most challenging job, which is to adjust to the changing systems.

NEWS

WHITE & BLUE Volume 24 Issue 1 August 2021

6

UnivWeek 2020: SOL reclaims title in first online Lantern Parade

BY HANNAH ROUIE TAMAYO

A

fter a two-year drought, School of Law (SOL) was declared champion with its “Ilaw ng Amianan Entry,” beating School of Medicine (SOM) and School of Engineering and Architecture (SEA) landing as 2nd and 3rd Runners Up, respectively, during the Lantern Parade On-Air that was held via Facebook Live and Youtube last December 1, 2020.

Highlighting last year’s University Week celebration were Saint Louis University’s 109th Founding Anniversary, Christmas Tree Lighting and the annual Lantern Parade. With the theme “Providence and Mission: Moving Forward with Hope in the Lord,” these activities were streamed online.

During the live stream, Chairperson of the University-wide Programs and Events Logistics Committee Andrew Macalma said that the SLU Lantern Parade had been showcasing Louisians’ ingenuity, creativity, and talent.

“Had it not been for the pandemic, we would have all been in Session Road or at the Athletic Bowl today,” Macalma said.

University President Rev. Fr. Gilbert Sales also encouraged the whole Louisian Community to be a sign of hope to everyone and take to heart the Light of the North’s mission.

The 12th Lantern Parade was

VIRTUAL LANTERN SHOW. School of Law reclaims title with their entry that revolves around the theme “Ilaw ng Amianan” during the first online Lantern Parade held via Facebook Live last December 1, 2020.

PCREENSHOT TAKEN FROM FACEBOOK LIVE DURING THE VIRTUAL SLU 12TH LANTERN PARADE

SLU KASAMA/SSC Timeline:

White & Blue

Congress appoints various council officers, invokes succession rule FROM PAGE 1 Following said process, Lhyka Nicole Villa, the former Secretary for Finance, was appointed as Vice President, while Dhenz Lester Delos Santos, former Secretary for Audit, was appointed as Executive Secretary.

Masi stated that Aquino and the abovementioned officers, ideally, should serve until the end of short term.

However, he added that the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) decided to reschedule the October 2020 Elections via the Resolution no. 3 and has agreed to extend the term of Aquino and the rest of the Executive Committee through the crafted Resolution No.4. Whereas, the resolution states that all interim officers can continue their tenure of office for the first semester of the academic year provided that they have submitted the needed forms for the position.

“Ms. Aquino succeeded Mr. [Jed] Manangan last short term of AY 20192020; then, COMELEC released a resolution stating interim officers should continue their term for the first semester of AY 2020-2021,” Masi said.

Villa succeeds Aquino, various council positions vacated Aquino exited alongside Executive Secretary Dhenz Lester Delos Santos and eleven other officers in the KASAMA/SSC

due to personal reasons. Vice President Lhyka Nicole Villa then assumed the position from January until a week prior to the SSC election.

Thereafter, all other positions were filled following the Student Council hierarchy, including some positions in the school assemblies.

Masi clarified that the succession rule is not necessarily mandatory and that next-in-rank officers can always decline.

“For instance, if the officer prefers to remain in his/her current position in the office, the Committee on Appointments will respect the officer’s decision,” Masi said.

COL appoints House Speaker Mercedes as ExeCom president Following the three-day resignation period of incumbent officers, Congress of Louisians appointed Joeilley Nichole Mercedes as the President of the KASAMA/SSC on April 14.

COL cited Resolution No.25, s.

2020-2021 the rule of succession and the vacancy of Executive Committee positions behind Mercedes’ appointment.

Mercedes served as the KASAMA/ SSC President until COMELEC proclaimed the elected officials last June 18 following the first online elections.

SLU revamps 3 buildings in main campus FROM PAGE 1

faculty and that the new AVR will provide better and meaningful experiences for the STELA students for their co-curricular activities.

“Aside from the mentioned, there is also a plan to install CCTV in all of the Perfecto Classrooms, provision of new tables and chairs in classrooms and providing additional equipment for the laboratories used in Psychology program,” Espique reavealed.

Meanwhile, SEA also unveiled their new facilities days before the new academic year started. Through the social media account of Rev. Fr. Gilbert Sales, University President, the Otto Hahn Building shows off the newly installed elevator, improved classrooms, workshop rooms and laboratories.

Last August 27, the blessing of the Rizal and Hahn Buildings, including the Konrad Adenauer Building, were held

during the Mass of the Holy Spirit by Rev. Fr. Sales.

Sales said that the Hahn Building, catering engineering programs, is ready for face-to-face classes following the announced expansion of possible limited face-to-face classes by the InterAgency Task Force (IATF) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) for Engineering, Maritime, and Hotel and Restaurant Management (HRM) degree programs.

Aside from the modifications made within the buildings, SLU has also flexed its new LED TV, alongside the new ID detection devices at the main gate in previous Facebook posts.

In total, the upgrades made at the Rizal Building took 11 months to complete while Perfecto Building took six and a half months for the upgrades.

IGLAp X

PHOTO STORIES

COMING SOON

participated by the different schools showcasing their entries through video presentations of their archives from previous lantern parades featuring the song Magandang Parol by Mrs. Normita Rio-Pablico. This was the first online lantern parade conducted by the university due to restrictions brought by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Furthermore, the Associate Dean of School of Law, Atty. Yzanne Merced, said that their entry not only aimed to showcase and to reminisce the school’s previous lanterns but to impart hope as well and that their team’s concerted effort and contributors brought them to their success.

Falling behind SEA are School of Teacher Education and Liberal Arts (STELA) as 3rd Runner Up and Laboratory Senior High school (SLU-LSHS) as 4th Runner Up.

NEWS BITS LOCAL

REGIONAL

CAR advances call for 2020/2021 Bar Exam to be conducted in CAR; autonomy with SC picks SLU as venue BY JONAS ANGELO CATUBAY Court en banc signed Along with the signing, Associate 3 filed bills Supreme Memorandum of Agreement with Justice Leonen introduced various

BY MERCY GRACE A. TACLOY

A

fter two failed attempts for autonomy with the 1990 and 1998 plebiscites, Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) now pushes stronger in their appeal with the House Bill (HB) 5687 and HB 7778 alongside the Senate Bill 1232.

Despite the filing of the HB 5687 authored by CAR representatives; supplemented by the senate bill authored by Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri in 2019, Congressman Eric Yap filed HB 7778 in September 2020 which seeks to establish the Autonomous Region of Cordillera (ARC).

The Senate Committee on Local Government Chairman, Sen. Francis Tolentino, and former House speaker, Alan Peter Cayetano, have earlier expressed their support in the passage of the three bills currently pending in the House of Representatives and of the Senate.

Various events were also held lately to strengthen the advocacy for autonomy which included the 2021 celebration of CAR founding anniversary with the theme “Working Together towards Cordillera Autonomy through Green Recovery,” as well as the consecutive meetings of CAR Indigenous Peoples’ Mandatory Representatives (IPMRs).

Saint Louis University and 15 others for the conduct of the 2020/2021 Bar Examinations last July 8 at the SLU Main Campus, Baguio City.

Present in the contract signing was Rev. Fr. Gilbert Sales, SLU President, and Associate Justice Marivic Leonen, the BAR Exam Chairperson. Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo and School of Law (SOL) Dean Christine Elvena served as witnesses.

innovations to help aspiring lawyers achieve their goal with ease. Among these is the Bar Personalized Log In System or Bar Plus which can allow students to take the bar exams without going to Manila.

As of the time of writing, fifteen other universities have also signed as regional testing centers. A target of 25 testing sites is aimed to cater the examinees.

N AT I O N A L

DOH-PH detects COVID-19 variants in 10 regions

BY HANNAH ROUIE TAMAYO

D

epartment of Health (DOH) records a spike in COVID-19 Delta variant cases since the end of July with reported cases in ten regions across the country.

Dr. Alethea De Guzman, OICDirector of the DOH Epidemiology Bureau, said in a town hall event in August 4 that the impact of the Delta variant is now observed nationally and in selected regions including Ilocos, Central Visayas, Northern Mindanao, National Capital Region, Central Luzon, Western Visayas, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon), Eastern Visayas, and Davao. Meanwhile, Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) records its first Delta variant case last August 6 in Apayao province. Another case was

confirmed in Baguio City last August 15.

As of August 5, there are 1,619, 824 total COVID-19 cases in the country with 63,171 active cases, 1,528,422 recoveries and 28, 231 deaths. From the total cases, 331 were confirmed cases of the highly transmittable Delta variant.

Moreover, DOH said that there are still no confirmed community transmissions of the Delta variant but it is best to assume this despite the lack of evidence.

“We are now assuming that there are really a lot of delta variants already and we are managing and doing our response diyan sa direksyon na ‘yan,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said.

The DOH has also confirmed the first Lambda variant case in the country last August 15.

I N T E R N AT I O N A L

Nas Daily faces backlash amid Whang-Od Academy controversy

BY MERCY GRACE A. TACLOY

W

hang-Od’s grandniece, Gracia Palicas, slammed the international vlogger, Nas Daily, last August 4 for launching Whang-Od Academy without their consent drawing public outrage and causing the content creator a massive drop in his followers.

As a response, Nas Daily creator Nuseir Yassin turned down the academy and posted video evidence that the famous tattoo artist signed a contract

with them for the program that is supposed to teach courses on traditional tattooing. The video, however, drew more backlash as it presented only a part of the clip showing the national artist placing her thumb mark on the said contract.

Meanwhile, Cordilleran leaders and indigenous culture experts explain that the permission of the members of the Butbut tribe is needed for a legitimate agreement to be formed as according to Republic Act No. 8371, also known as the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA).

When an indigenous knowledge is

used commercially, the law requires free and prior informed consent (FPIC) which can only be obtained collectively from the whole ancestral domain.

Marlon Bosantog, Regional Director of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples- Cordillera Administrative Region (NCIP-CAR), said that while the promotion of culture is welcomed, the attempt to exploit it will be harshly dealt with appropriate laws.

He also has assured the public that proper interventions will be taken regarding the issue.

Afghanistan observes Independence Day with fallen government

BY JEROME PHILLIP POSAS

A

fter 20 years of war in Afghanistan, the Taliban wages an insurgency against the allied forces and US-backed Afghan Government a few days before the Afghan Independence Day as Taliban seized Kabul, the Capital of Afghanistan last August 15.

Forces of Taliban started to conquer Afghanistan back after US President Joe Biden announced the smooth withdrawal of US troops in the country in April 14.

Furthermore, Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani abandoned and left the country in chaos, shortly after the Taliban took over Kabul.

Meanwhile, various agencies and countries worldwide offer aid and ammunition to the Afghan Resistance fighters led by Ahmad Massoud, son of the late Anti-Taliban Militia Commander,

to suppress the Taliban forces. Panjshir Valley, a province in Kabul’s north, stands firm to defy the Taliban and now serves as the base of the Anti-Taliban.

Several countries offer assistance to refugees from Afghanistan as some citizens flee from the country due to fear.

Taliban is an ultraconservative political and religious faction that emerged in Afghanistan in the mid1990s. They were ousted from power in Afghanistan by US-led forces in 2001.

"Circus"

BY NAOMI A. BUMAL-O & LUWY JANE COLINA

SANA GAn'TO RIN MANGULIT SI CRUSH! PLEASE LANG!

Change is Scamming

The Pain of Explaining your Location to the Delivery

WHI TE

DIVER

CONSISTENCY IN

BY VIANCA JOYCE CORDOVA

M

Mishandling t

utation of the virus is an aftermath of errors in their usual processes, so does our worsening situation, of which is likewise a result of an avoidable fault.

Most people would agree that the unexpected has the most impact on a person’s life and it has to be the other way around for our status to be steady. Contrary to such, the unexpected can still and should keep us steady with a combination of competence and enough preparedness. Our country still has a thousand miles to go through the health crisis as Enhanced Community Quarantine was then placed again in various regions due to the increasing number of Delta Variant Cases in the country.

Since the pandemic began, the battle with the unseen foe continues as cases emerged to 1.61 million with 28,093 deaths as of writing. These numbers are more than just mere data. These are the people who lost the head of their household, a mother to look after them, a child who is bound to chase his dreams and a friend they run to when things go wrong. For some, these numbers meant losing everything they had.

Consistent neglect of healthcare cries Our current situation is a reflection of what has been missed and is still missing. From the plan of only imposing a travel ban unless a case has been identified to the lame response to the acquisition of COVID-19 vaccines, even an ordinary citizen can vividly observe the hole on the ground and the missing pieces of the puzzle. This inevitably marked the beginning of a seemingly endless fight against the health crisis.

If one aspect has been crippled, yet in a continuous process of beating the odds, that is undoubtedly the healthcare sector.

This led to an overworked and more burdened healthcare force because of the increasing cases each day, on top of which are the underpaid healthcare professionals which are forced to work for multiple hours.

Perhaps, the problem lies in being deaf to pleas and being blind to what is presented. Last August 2020, medical front liners asked for a timeout, which is basically a suggestion to impose Enhanced Community Quarantine in some regions to mitigate the surging cases. Sen. Cynthia Villar misinterpreted this with yet another statement that sparked controversy. Uttering "Gawin na lang nila nang mabuti ang trabaho nila” in times where their lives are at stake in doing their jobs without enough security and assurance from the government, is uncalled for and a manifestation of how our country deals with the problem.

Tolerance of failure and incompetence perpetuates the cycle of mishandling the course of this health crisis. As it is called a cycle, the continuity of such becomes extremely dangerous as those in power continue to exploit the powerless. Nothing is more expensive than a missed opportunity which is especially true when that decision is detrimental for the millions of Filipinos dying because of the virus. The government laid out a plan to procure vaccines in the first month of 2020. However, they like to be consistent in things, in being the talk of the town, to be more specific.

As per the reports, Sen. Panfilo Lacson stated that it was

Health Secretary Francisco Tiongson Duque III who bungled the deal to procure 10 million doses of Pfizer vaccines. The latter failed to submit a necessary documentary requirement paving the way for Singapore to procure such. Isn’t an innate part of the qualifications of a health secretary to be the leader of health for the nation? This just exemplifies that a thing that is supposed to be innate in the first place shouldn't be expected to be possessed by all people. After this mishap, the government procured Sinovac, a vaccine developed by the Chinese company Sinovac Biotech. As of writing, the Philippines also received the first 193,050 doses of donated Pfizer vaccines from the WHOled COVAX facility. Nothing but an ounce of gratitude should be deemed with these donations, but it will be a common query to ask, where is the budget allotted for procuring vaccines? Once more, the discrepancy which will never be put into place remains an obstacle in fighting this pandemic.

Information Inconsistency Another dilemma in achieving herd immunity is the ignorance of people. According to the World Health Organization, herd immunity is achieved when a significant portion of the community is vaccinated against a particular disease preventing the further spread of the illness. With this, a more substantial part of the population becomes protected. Unfortunately, social media platforms, which are supposed to be a reliable tool for information dissemination, become a bridge in the proliferation of fake news.

Fear and mistrust of vaccination, and the immunization process, which is the only way to alleviate the ill effects of our situation,

&

BLU E

RSIONS

INCONSISTENCy:

the Pandemic induce progress to reverse its path. A dangerous combination of the government’s lack of urgency and its people’s misinformation can be a graver issue compared to the fast spread of the disease.

These are the things that have to be unmasked so the healthcare in our country doesn’t move backward.

Lies ahead of perceived ties Decline in various sectors of the economy due to the pandemic affected not only big enterprises but also those relying on small businesses. Statistics from PMI Research and analysis show that The Philippines economy suffered a deep recession in 2020 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, with GDP contracting by 9.6% year-on-year. This was the most significant annual decline ever recorded since the National Accounts data series for the Philippines commenced in 1946. A research from Asian Development Bank financial sector specialist Shigehiro Shinozaki last September 2020 showed that 70.6% of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the Philippines were forced to close due to the COVID-19 outbreak temporarily.

We have long dug our own grave. One of the greatly affected sectors, aside from health care, is the livelihood of people who rely on small businesses to meet their ends. Tyranny has been part of the Philippines’ history both in its leadership and the supposedly “ties” with other countries. As the immortal classic goes, “nothing comes for free,” and the people have to pay for every cent China has lent to the Philippines. The thing is, they were never oriented that in exchange for these favors, their own life and livelihood will be the price.

Recently, Chinese vessels occupied Juan Felipe Reef, a part of the exclusive economic zone of our country. This is part of Beijing's vast claims in the South China Sea including areas in the West Philippine Sea. The Agham-Advocates of Science and Technology for the People, a national group of Science and Technology professionals, reiterated that the presence of Chinese vessels in this reef will significantly affect the livelihood of approximately 627,00 fisher folks and will impede the studies of the marine scientist being conducted in that area. More than its inconveniences and stolen opportunities for livelihood, the imperial power and pressure the Chinese government has been placing on the shoulders of the Filipino people is a great deal of burden in battling the COVID-19 pandemic. If we are to ponder what is about to transpire if the decisions were blindly made for the “bilateral ties” with China, then we are indeed taking the destructive path where the interests of our debts are already beyond our means. Amidst all the uncertainties that this pandemic brought and enlightened, one thing is for sure – it’s the battle between priorities that should not be deemed to be problematic in the first place. It is and should always be for the Filipino people.

Negligence: The most fatal foe Little did we know, what is deadlier than the virus is the continued tolerance of people on settling for less when the government can lead better and do more but only if they desire it in the first place. It is a fact that the government is not solely to be blamed for our current situation because it is likewise an

individual responsibility to prevent the further spread of disease.

What is troublesome is that this is not a sole responsibility of either but a combination of the two. It is the government’s responsibility to procure vaccines when the opportunities arose but they failed. It is their job to create policies concerning public health and safety, yet they failed. It is their job to support the ire of health care workers but they will never listen. It is part of their function, along with other officials and local government units, to do all in their power to help, but they always deem such harm to the President’s reputation. Perhaps admitting to one’s shortcomings is one of the toughest yet essential things to do that may have initially been overlooked. Indeed, no one is solely to blame but being free of charge is yet another story to tell.

“The government is doing its best, and all we do is to complain.” In the first place, the people will never grumble if what they claim that’s best is good enough. What fuels the government’s inconsistency is nothing and no one other than their confidence to deceive as if they have long forgotten their sworn oath of being the advocate of the people. As long as they try to deviate from being of service, we can expect that their actions will still reflect the gruesome hurdle we are trying to conquer.

Inconsistency is a rope that keeps constant reinvention stagnant. The cruel reality paves to a reversible cycle consisting of three fatal phases as lethal as the virus: a moment of deception, reign of tyranny, and tolerance of negligence, all rooted in the same pathologic agent – inconsistency.

ILLUSTRATION BY KHAMILLA MAE SUALOG

W H I T E

&

B LU E

FEATURES

KNOWLEDGE IS HEALTH: COVID-19 VACCINES IN THE PHILIPPINES

BY AYRTON CRIS DIZON ILLUSTRATION BY KHAMILLA MAE SUALOG

T

he increasing numbers of patients infected by the more contagious and transmissible Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2/ COVID-19 has led the Philippines to progressively vaccinate its population. Thirteen out of the 17 regions of the country have reported local cases of the Delta variant.

Reports say that the Delta variant of COVID-19 is nearly twice as contagious as the previous variants of the virus. The variant may also cause more severe illness and longer hospitalization. Researchers show that the COVID-19 vaccines authorized for distribution are highly effective at preventing severe disease and death, including against the Delta variant. This, together with the rise of COVID-19 cases, has prompted the government, known personalities, and vaccination centers to encourage more and more individuals to get vaccinated.

In general, vaccines help protect the body from pathogens (diseasecausing organisms) by giving the body the antigens of the pathogen.

These antigens would stimulate the body’s immune system, producing antibodies that will fight those antigens off. Through this, our body can learn to develop the specific antibodies required to counter those antigens.

These are all the COVID-19 vaccines available in the Philippines.

1. SinoVac’s “CoronaVac” Inactivated Virus Vaccine

There have been some popular inactivated live-cell vaccines that have been used, such as for polio or the flu. Inactivated live-cell vaccines contain the altered causative agent (in this case, COVID-19) making it unable to replicate, and thus, not causing the disease.

However, inactivated vaccines generally may not provide strong or long-lasting immune responses as compared to the other vaccines, and several doses may be required for effective immunity.

According to SinoVac, CoronaVac reports 51% vaccine efficacy against symptomatic COVID-19 and 100% vaccine efficacy against severe COVID-19, supposedly including the Delta variant. Two doses are required.

There have been some concerns as to the vaccine’s effectiveness, especially against the new variants. These concerns may stem from reports claiming that SinoVac antibody levels have lowered months after the immunization but researchers say that it is still unclear as to how the decrease in antibodies may affect the shot’s effectiveness.

Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia have all opted to distribute booster shots to those injected with CoronaVac due to these concerns. Indonesia reports that many of their healthcare workers vaccinated with SinoVac endured medium and severe symptoms of COVID-19, potentially the Delta variant.

Philippines’ Health Secretary Francisco Duque said that there is no recommendation yet from the country’s vaccine expert panel under DOST on giving booster shots to those who have been given the SinoVac vaccine. As such, it is still a possibility.

2. Oxford/AstraZeneca’s “AZD1222” Adenovirus-based Vaccine As an adenovirus-based vaccine, AZD1222 uses a non-replicating form of an adenovirus as a viral vector to enter a cell in the body. Using the cell, the vector would then produce a spike protein which is a part of COVID-19 that is used to penetrate host cells and cause infections.

The produced spike protein is harmless, and is only used to trigger the production of antibodies.

According to the FDA, the AZD1222 vaccine has an overall efficacy of 70.4% against symptomatic COVID-19 and 100% efficacy against severe COVID-19, especially when taking the necessary two doses, 4-12 weeks apart.

Some countries in the European Union have temporarily suspended use of the AstraZeneca vaccine due to reports of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome, or TTS, occurring post-vaccination.

TTS is essentially a rare blood clotting disorder, comprised of the occurrence of blood clots (thrombosis) and low levels of blood platelets (thrombocytopenia).

Notably, there is a very low chance of this side effect occurring.

Other countries in the EU, even having considered this information, have

W

hen people are used to having everything within their reach, they tend to forget that not everyone has the same privileges. And more often than not, this might lead to indifference and ignorance either intentional or unintentional.

So, when people criticize others for not being as successful or as accomplished as them, that is when being privileged matters. The truth is, we all come from different backgrounds and we do not have the same access to resources. One cannot say “just work hard” like me because not

decided to continue with using AZD1222, while the countries that did suspend its distribution have resumed such. It is routine for countries to signal potential adverse events after vaccination, especially since the vaccine and the disease it prevents are both relatively new.

According to WHO, the benefits of immunization with the AstraZeneca vaccine outweigh its potential risks. The risk of TTS appears to be higher in people 60 years and over but due to the variants of COVID-19, there is an increased risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19 in older adults.

3. Johnson & Johnson’s “Janssen” Adenovirus-based Vaccine Similar to AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson used an adenovirusbased viral vector for their vaccine. Unlike AstraZeneca, an individual only needs one dose of Janssen as of this time of writing.

The Janssen vaccine only requires one dose because earlier phase trials reported strong immune responses after just one dose, even in older patients. One dose is claimed to be enough to provide the needed antibody response and T-cell response. Johnson & Johnson is currently conducting a trial to assess the effects of two doses of Janssen.

This one dose can serve to be advantageous, as the individual is protected earlier than with other available vaccines. Its efficacy is 66.166.9% against confirmed moderate to severe COVID-19, and 77%-85% against severe COVID-19.

Janssen distribution was also paused since TTS was seen to be a potential side effect of the vaccine. After some consideration, its distribution was continued as well. The risk of this adverse event is also quite rare.

J&J CEO Alex Gorsky, in an announcement, stated that since COVID-19 can mutate as it spreads (as seen with the Delta variant), people may need to get vaccinated against COVID-19 annually, similar to seasonal flu shots.

4. Pfizer-BioNTech’s “BNT162b2” mRNA Vaccine

mRNA (messenger RNA) vaccines are a new kind of vaccine. Unlike traditional, inactivated vaccines, mRNA vaccines introduce synthetic Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) into immunity cells, teaching them how to produce the COVID-19 spike protein. By teaching the body’s cells how to produce the viral proteins, the body’s immune system would learn how to respond to these proteins with antibodies, eventually building up immunity. Since the mRNA introduced encodes only for the spike protein of COVID-19, the vaccine is unable to cause an infection.

These types of vaccines also carry the potential to generate a stronger type of immunity, due to stimulating the immune system to make both antibodies and immune system killer cells- both of which would attack SARS-CoV-2 upon infection.

However, mRNA vaccines stay true to their other name, being “nextgeneration vaccines.” Since these are a new kind of vaccine, there are currently no approved DNA/RNA vaccines for use in humans.

Pfizer boasts the highest efficacy rate among COVID-19 vaccines, with 95% efficacy against symptomatic COVID-19 for 16 year olds and above, and 100% efficacy against symptomatic COVID-19 for 12-15 year olds. Pfizer’s BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine is so far the only vaccine that is allowed for 12-17 year olds, while all the other vaccines approved for emergency use in the Philippines may only be given to 18 year olds and above. The Pfizer vaccine requires two doses to achieve full immunity.

Akin to Gorsky’s statement, Pfizer’s CEO Albert Bourla also said that people will likely need a third dose between six and 12 months after their second dose, and also an annual revaccination. This may ultimately depend on the present COVID-19 variants arising.

“It is extremely important to suppress the pool of people that can be susceptible to the virus,” Bourla said.

5. Moderna’s “mRNA-1273” mRNA Vaccine

As an mRNA vaccine, Moderna’s mRNA-1273 and Pfizer’s BNT162b2 both work similarly by teaching the immunity cells how to produce the spike proteins, thereby allowing the body to develop antibodies as a result of these generated proteins.

But despite their similarities, Moderna doses have more than three times the amount of mRNA as compared to Pfizer doses. They also have different dose spacing with 21 days for Pfizer and 28 days for Moderna.

Pfizer has also been authorized for use in younger ages, while Moderna is allowed for use in people 18 and older.

Moderna’s efficacy rate is close to Pfizer’s with 94.1% overall vaccine efficacy for symptomatic COVID-19, and 100% efficacy against severe COVID-19. Both mRNA vaccines show an association with an increase in incidence of myocarditis (the inflammation of heart muscle) and pericarditis (the inflammation of the lining of the heart). This increased incidence occurs in about 13 of every 1 million people. This appears to occur mostly in men over 16, but quick and adequate treatment allows for swift recovery.

6. Gamaleya’s “Sputnik V” Adenovirus-based Vaccine

Sputnik V by Russia’s Gamaleya utilizes the same idea behind both AZD1222 and Janssen. The spike protein gene of SARS-CoV-2 is introduced to an adenovirus, which was engineered to be able to invade cells but not replicate. This introduces antigens to the body, allowing it to learn how to create the necessary antibodies necessary to protect the body against true COVID-19 infection.

Sputnik V appears to have the highest efficacy rate among the adenovirus-based vaccines at 91.6% efficacy against symptomatic COVID-19, and 100% efficacy against moderate or severe cases.

It requires two doses with an in-between period of 21 days for its immunity. However, Gamaleya Institute seeks to amend the EUA for the vaccine, extending the interval between doses to three months. This was due to the high demand for the vaccine among the population, as extending the interval would help expedite immunization for more people. According to Gamaleya, the increase in interval would not affect the quality of immunization, and may make the immune response stronger in some cases.

7. Bharat BioTech’s “Covaxin” Inactivated Virus Vaccine

Dubbed by Bharat BioTech as “India’s First Indigenous COVID-19 vaccine,” Covaxin utilizes an inactivated whole virus, containing SARSCoV-2 particles that have been inactivated. This makes them unable to cause infection but simply triggers immune responses for the development of antibodies.

A benefit of Covaxin, which is shared with AZD1222, Janssen and CoronaVac, is that the vaccine does not require sub-zero degree storage.

These vaccines remain stable in normal refrigerators between 2-8 °C. This characteristic is particularly beneficial for low-middle income countries with warm climates, as sub-zero degree storage may be expensive.

Covaxin is reported to have an efficacy rate of 80.6% against PCRconfirmed symptomatic COVID-19, requiring two doses at 28 days apart.

The FDA has granted all the vaccines mentioned Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) approvals, allowing their distribution in the Philippines. The FDA has deemed these vaccines safe, effective, and will provide protection against COVID-19. Although it must be noted that while these vaccines have been granted EUA approvals by the FDA, their full long-term protection and effects are still unknown, since these vaccines have only been recently discovered for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Direct comparison between vaccines is discouraged as each vaccine had different study designs and conditions during their clinical trials.

Although, the population must also be knowledgeable regarding the vaccines they may receive during their schedule.

It is still encouraged that Filipinos undergo vaccination, especially with the escalation of Delta variant cases in the Philippines. An individual’s chances of being severely infected with COVID-19 are significantly decreased when they are vaccinated. It also helps protect those with weaker immune systems, such as the elderly, the sick, and the children.

All pieces of information mentioned are current as of the time of writing. Updates or changes regarding these may be published by the different manufacturers and reported by DOH or FDA after this article’s publication.

Through Different Colored Lenses everyone’s upbringing and circumstances are the same.

During the pandemic, the disparity between the rich and the poor can be easily recognized. One instance is when the upper class often calls poor Filipinos hard-headed because they go out despite the strict lockdowns. But what choice do they have? They need to work in order to eat. Many Filipinos rely on a daily wage which means that if they do not attend work for that day, then they will just have to deal with the hunger. Not everyone has the luxury to stay in the comfort of their

BY BIANCA IRISH RIVERA

SAFE SPACES

homes without worrying of how they can provide food for their families. They need to survive.

Sometimes, people are blinded by their own privilege to see the struggles of others. After all, why would they care when they are not the ones affected. They will of, “why can’t just these people follow orders

or why can’t they just stop complaining?”

Truth be told, people do not like to change the world that suits them well.

On the other hand, being privileged is not something to be considered as a flaw or something bad. It just so happens that they were given something that other people do not have and it can be due to several factors like they were already born with it or it can be due to connections.

But what’s unfavorable is when they do not recognize the privilege they have and they ignore the struggles of other people.

Franklin Leonard once said that “when

you’re accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression.” But this is not a fight between the privileged and the less privileged. It is a fight against the system that brought people in this situation.

So before judging others for speaking out, people should try to walk in that person’s shoes and they might just find out what other people had to deal with.

Empathy is something that people need during these trying times. It will not hurt to look at a situation through different colored lenses.

WHITE & BLUE Volume 24 Issue 1 August 2021

ILLUSTRATION BY KHAMILLA MAE SUALOG

Sitting on the Sidelines

BY MIKHAEL RAEON FELIX EBALO

T

he year 2020 has been permanently dog-eared in the pages of our lives; truly a chaotic way to begin the new decade. With the COVID pandemic taking central stage in nearly every corner of the world, natural disasters and radical political upheaval serve as the backdrop. Despite this, some places fared better than others. Whether the factors are geographic isolation, strict border control, competent response to the virus, or all of these combined, this disaster was met with different methods, each depending on a variety of factors. Each nation has its own viable merits but also possesses its individual downsides. In the Philippines, the responsibility of handling the pandemic was largely given to the Local Government Units (LGUs). As a consequence, the overall responses within the country are largely varied with mixed results.

In the opening scenes of the COVID pandemic, Quezon City was one of the first cities to be hit. It was followed by other cities such as Mandaluyong and Baguio. However, Baguio managed to contain and mitigate the spread for several weeks; other areas failed and had to fully face the brunt of the pandemic. Baguio was initially successful, with aggressive and robust contact tracing, as well as a travel ban to prevent any new cases from cropping up. Unlike the Summer Capital that could easily enforce a travel ban due to its isolated geography, other areas do not have the luxury to do so. With Quezon and Mandaluyong nesting in the heart of the National Capital Region, it was virtually impossible to prevent an outside carrier from entering. Even with the strict implementation of a harsh lockdown, this did not mitigate the spread of the virus. In the case of Baguio, however well it could control the spread of the virus internally; it could not sustain isolation permanently. With its economy heavily reliant on tourism, it was of no surprise that the travel ban was slowly lifted and with that, came a spike in cases. After several months of recovery, Mandaluyong and Baguio began to implement harsher regulations and enforce the usage of a tracing system to better monitor and

PAMAMAHAYAG SA GITNA NG PANDEMYA: Nag-aalab, Tapat, Malaya

BY EMMANUEL TINIO ILLUSTRATION BY KHAMILLA MAE SUALOG

N

11

FEATURES

itong nagdaang taon, ang mundo ay nayanig sa paglaganap ng COVID-19 na sakit. Apektado ang lahat ng sektor mula sa pangkalusugan hanggang sa pangkalahatang lagay ng ekonomiya ng bawat bansa kabilang na ang Pilipinas. Naging tahimik ang dating maalingawngaw na pamayanan dahil sa iba’t ibang bersyon ng community quarantine na salitang ipinapatupad sa loob ng mahigit isang taong pakikipagbakbakan sa nakamamatay na sakit. Bagaman naparalisa at tumigil ang napakaraming operasyon, mayroon pa ring mga nagpatuloy sa kabila ng bantang dala ng virus.

Bukod sa mga medical front liners, lubos na mahalaga ang pagkakaroon ng tapat at wastong kaalaman sa mga ganitong sitwasyon. Ang paglaganap ng virus ay kasingbilis din ng pagkalat ng maling mga impormasyon na kung minsa’y mas nakamamatay pa kaysa sa sakit. Kaya naman ang pangangalap at paghahatid ng tamang balita at pagkakaroon ng responsableng pamamahayag ay isang malaking hamon para sa mga kabahagi nito. Mahalaga ang bawat aspeto mula sa pinakamalaki hanggang sa pinakamaliit kung saan kabilang na dito ang pagkalap ng tamang impormasyon, pagsulat, pagbalita, paglitrato, pagguhit, hanggang sa paglimbag ng mga pahayagan, lathala, maging ng mga tula o larawan.

Kasamang naapektuhan ang mga pahayagan ng mga eskwelahan at unibersidad. Ang lalong pagkatuto ng mga estudyanteng mamamahayag, at paglaganap ng mga impormasyon mula sa loob at labas ng paaralan ay linimitahan ng pandemya. Maliban dito, lubos na nalimitahan din ang mga pagsasanay sa mga hilaw na potensyal ng mga estudyanteng nagnanais ihayag ang kanilang mga talento sa larangan ng pamamahayag. Lubha sanang malaki ang impluwensya sa pagkakatuto ang pagkakaroon ng first-hand experience.

Sa kabilang dako, ayon sa Litreactor, isang website na sumusuporta sa mga manunulat, ang pagsulat sa ganitong panahon ay hindi kailanman magiging madali kaya ang mga nagsusulat mismo ay kailangang magkaroon ng panahon upang kumustahin ang kanilang mga sarili bago kumustahin ang lagay ng kanilang kapwa at paligid. Ang pagbibigay halaga sa mga manunulat ay pagbibigay din ng kulay sa mundo.

Ang pagiging isang mamamahayag sa gitna ng pandemya ay isang karangalan at responsibilidad sa pagpili sa tama at dapat. Ang pagsusulat at paghahayag ay hindi natatapos sa isahang bagsakan. Ito ay nagpapatuloy sa anumang pagkakataon. Higit isang taon na ang pandemya ngunit ito ay hindi hadlang sa tapat at malayang pamamahayag, bagkus, patuloy pa itong mag-aalab upang maging mabisang kabahagi ng lipunan na naglalayong makiisa sa pagkamit ng isang maginhawang bukas.

control the spread. Quezon City does not enforce this regulation and is incredibly lenient with regulations contributing to the absurd number of cases in the area.

Additionally, with social media such as Facebook, information was disseminated throughout the populace.

Despite these countermeasures, cases were still climbing but the spread of the pandemic has seemed to taper out slowly.

Unfortunately for everyone, that was not the direction that it was truly headed in.

At the start of a new year in 2021, more infectious strains entered the country. With the arrival of the Indian and UK COVID variants, cases in the Philippines as a whole shot up once more.

April of 2021 marks the time that the highest number of people was infected daily, even beating the initial infection rates a year earlier. Each city was hit hard

by COVID, none harder than the blow dealt to Quezon City. Without a doubt QC is the area that has the highest number of cases in the entire country, with 116,284 confirmed cases as of August 11, 2021.

The number only continues to rise with the entry of a new variant of COVID, necessitating another strict lockdown across the region.

Compared to Quezon City, Baguio and Mandaluyong have relatively few cases even with the flood of the Delta Variant; Mandaluyong is faring worse off than Baguio, with 564 active cases and 86 new cases, the road to recovery that the city was seeing was violently cut short by the new variant. We have seen a notable difference between the two cities despite them employing similar tactics at the containment of the spread. Even towards the end, both cities had aggressive contact tracing, enforced mask mandates, and started a vaccination program. The factors that led to this are varied but there are several major ones. First is the location wherein Mandaluyong and Quezon City nestled in the heart of the NCR while Baguio is in relative isolation due to its geography. Not to mention the higher population density that the two cities in the Capital have compared to Baguio.

These are just examples as to why there is a difference. But the point being made here is that while the cities of Baguio and Mandaluyong were competent in their

response to contain this virus, Quezon City has a rather spotty record with their response to COVID with no enforcement of the tracker and a relatively nonexistent response to the pandemic overall. Nevertheless, all of these areas still struggled hard whether or not they were competent in their response. This is attributed to the glacial response from the national government.

The Philippine Government has barely been active in the actual containment of the pandemic. Its focus was drawn towards other matters such as the Manila Bay rehabilitation and the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, and placing command of handling of the COVID response to military personnel instead of officials who specialize in disease control.

The LGUs, whether they performed excellently or poorly, could not realistically contain the pandemic as individual units without national leadership taking the strides to do the same in the entire country. The chance of actually managing and preventing any future spread of the virus becomes incredibly low without a centralized response. The reasoning for this is that as long as COVID has a means of entry into the country or local community, there is always a chance of a renewed surge in cases. The lethargic approach the government has been employing for the past year has shown to be clearly ineffective.

Today, we find ourselves in a similar predicament as the year before, still stuck inside a perpetual lockdown with a virus that is running amok outside.

But at the same time, other countries seem to be entering normalcy, with their lives slowly returning to the pre-pandemic way of living. It is clear that the LGUs, no matter how competent, cannot contain this pandemic alone. This is a crisis that needs to be coordinated on a national level with a competent and proactive response.

The leadership of our country has failed in their part and instead blames the LGUs and the general populace for their failures. No matter how competent Baguio or Mandaluyong are, or how lethargic the response from Quezon City has been, as long as the Philippine Government sits at the sidelines of handling this disaster, the pandemic would only continue to fester.

W H I T E

&

B LU E

ENTERTAINMENT Mga uri ng E-studyante sa quarantine

Electrocardiogram

BY RIO JANE RABACA

ORION'S BELT

A

t what point of the line did we realize that we’ve grown up?

We were once children with missing teeth, scraped knees, and wandering eyes. Days were mostly spent and lived outside. I remember the rush and excitement of feeling the cool breeze on my cheeks and catching raindrops on the palm of my hands.

I remember being forced to take an afternoon nap, racing boats made from scrap papers on puddles, and wondering why the moon always followed me at night.

Life was simpler and a bit more magical back then without the burden that came with it.

So, when did our eyes become a little duller and faces a bit sadder?

Traveling from Point A to Point B was relatively easy. We were children who grew with each tick of the clock. Time almost didn’t exist until I wanted and yearned to grow up. I desired to be bigger and braver, to be less frightened of the monsters under the bed and those looming away from the light. I wanted to reach high shelves, but my hands could only grasp the top of a kitchen counter.

The ambitions we had were greater than our small frames. We dreamt a little deeper than what we could understand. We looked at the world through rose-colored lenses and hoped for time to speed up so we could live out our expectations. We were excited; we were hopeful.

The journey towards Point C and Point D was more difficult. Air became thinner as the road became steeper. More rainclouds appeared now, and they were almost always accompanied by lightning and thunder. The wind blew harshly, and dust blinded the path- tripping and wounding me in places that I thought were protected. We’re literally growing up now. We face our teenage years with beaming eyesa time of self-discovery and socialization. “The best years of your life,” they say, where we’ll meet a lot of people. It’s getting harder to breathe, but we’re having fun; we had fun. The thrill of being alive and present and young touches our very core. The distance between Point D and Point E allows us to make mistakes and grow from them, and all sorts of emotions settled themselves in the pit of our stomachs.

Then, the first fall.

The fall between Point E and Point F was dark, cold, and far. I wish I had clothed myself in bubble wrap so that the impact from my fall wouldn’t hurt as much. Only the sound of a “pop” would echo across this empty dessert. Often when we fall and land, we are alone. And although we feel alone, we’ll come to know later on that others also had similar experiences. It is frightening, confusing, heartbreaking, and painful.

And sometimes, we get trapped in a quicksand made of our thoughts. We feel suffocated and cry out in frustration. It may feel like we are never getting out of here, but then, a string of hope appears. We desperately cling to hope as we hoist ourselves from the quicksand of thoughts. Hope guides us away from the dessert to Point G. Walking to Point G is slow, but it is a better place than the desert and the journey itself is not a smooth ride. There are bumps along the way, and some paths have dimmer light. It is slow, but progress is there, and we find ourselves recovering each step, no matter how big or small we take. It is sometimes hard to catch ourselves from spiraling down our thoughts back to a similar spot, Point H. But Point H was better than expected. Life was once again moving upwards. Like Point G, the journey had its own bumps and pitfalls. But I survived. We survived. We grew a little older and we continue to do so with every day we live.

Life continues to be like this: a pattern of ups and downs. However, in this course, a flatline is needed to break this tiring pattern. Resting is an essential aspect in our journey to catch our breaths and just enjoy the company of ourselves. The flatlines are the vast in-between moments of climbing and, occasionally, in falling. Sometimes they can be pauses in-between little or big moments. They may feel static and unproductive, but remember that humans need to take a break once in a while.

As beings having their individuality, each one of us has completely different patterns in our journey.

Whether you exhaust all the letters of the alphabet as point names, use decimal numbers, or mix them both, it is a fact that we experience life in various ways. We grow old and look back at all those moments we’ve spent with the people who mattered and those who made us matter. We grow up and accept that not everyone we meet travels with us to different points in our lives and us in theirs. We grow old and watch the people we love grow old, grow older than us, and grow old with us. We grow up and learn that kindness, selfacceptance, and love are a few of the things that time cannot measure.

These realizations may come as great epiphanies and may take the wind out of you. They may come in simple moments and leave you surprised. When we do so, our eyes crinkle both in nostalgia and delight. And then we remember: We were once children with missing teeth, scraped knees, and wandering eyes...

--Now we’re here.

We find ourselves standing on a point we never thought we’d reach. Be brave, fearless, and live.

NINA DANIELLA IVY DUCUSIN at RIO JANE RABACA IGINUHIT NI NAOMI A. BUMAL-O

T

ila nagbago na ang takbo ng buhay buhat ng pandemiya. Isa sa pinaka naapektuhan ay ang sektor ng akademiya. Sa pagbabagong ito, limitado sa Synchronous at Asynchronous Learning o talakayan sa online spaces, Modular learning o pag-aaral gamit ang inemprentang modules ang paraan ng talakayan.

Bunga nito, karamihan sa mga estudyante ay hinaharap ang pag-aaral base sa kanilang oras at sariling pagdidirekta sa kanilang pag-aaral. Kani-kaniya silang “teknik” o paraan sa pagharap sa kanilang mga takda. Narito ang ilan sa mga persona o katangiang hinubog ng kasalukuyang moda ng edukasyon, at tukuyin kung alin ka sa kanila:

“VIRTUAL ASSISTANT NI PROF”

“MAY DUGONG BARAKO”

Sa bagong moda ng edukasyon, hindi lahat ng propesor, kagaya ng ilang mga estudyante, ay maalam sa teknolohiya kaya’t minsan sila ay nahihirapan din.

Madalas nagkakaroon ng mga technical errors ang mga guro sa online classes. Biglang hihinto ang mga multimedia files, hindi mabuksan ang mga sites, at minsan biglang mawawala sa talakayan ang guro.

Sa mga pagkakataong ito, ang mga kamagaral nating bihasa sa teknolohiya ang sumasalba sa diskusyon. Kabisado nila ang mga butones at mga site na makakaresolba sa mga suliraning pang teknikal. Dahil sa kanila, nagpapatuloy ang talakayan at maging ang mga guro ay natututo sa mga teknikal.

Gayunpaman, ang mga suliraning teknikal ay madalas pa ring mangyari dahil kulang ang mga naging paghanda ng mga pamantasan. Kulang sa training at higit sa lahat kagaya ng karamihan sa mga estudyante, hindi lahat ng guro, ay may mga kagamitan o di kaya’y hindi pa gaanong gamay gamitin ang mga ito.

Ginagapang nila ang pagsagot ng mga modules mula umaga hanggang gabi. Nakaka-ilang tasa ng kape kahit gaano man kainit o kalamig ang panahon.

Kadalasan silang kulang sa tulog kaya tanging kape na lamang ang nagpapagana sa kanila; ito ang tanging kumukumpleto sa araw nila.

Noong may face-to-face classes pa, sila ‘yong mga may dala-dalang kape – naka-tumbler man ‘yan, paper cup na galing sa 7/11, o ‘di kaya’y mula doon sa vending machines.

“TEAM RAKET” Sila ang mga kamag-aral nating may mga kaliwa’t kanang raket o komisyon. Tulad ng mga “Madiskarte,” kalimitang ang rason ay ang kakulangan sa mga pambayad. Kadalasan sila ang mga artista ng bayan – mga potograpo o litratista, mga gumuguhit, graphic artist, o kaya ay mga pintor na kumukuha ng komisyon kapalit ng kanilang mga talento sa mga iba’t-ibang larangan. Bagama’t limitado sa pisikal na paggalaw, sa tuwing may kliyente, lubhang pagiingat ang kanilang ginagawa. O kaya naman sila ay gumagawa ng paraan sa tulong ng teknolohiya.

Minsan nagkakaroon ng virtual photoshoots at iba pa.

Binabalanse nila ang kanilang mga araw sa pag-aaral at sa paggawa ng obra. Minsan, may ilan sa kanila ang hindi nakakadalo sa online classes, kaya naman ang class representatives ang kanilang takbuhan.

MGA “MADISKARTE”

“DATA-SIGNAL SPOTTERS” Hindi lahat ng estudyante ay may gadyets para tumuloy sa online learning. Tulad ng kaguruan, ang mga estudyante ay hindi rin handa sa naging pagbabago sa sektor ng edukasyon.

Marami tayong kamag-aral na nakapagpapatuloy lamang sa pag-aaral gamit ang tinitipid na mobile data o load. Karamihan din sa kanila ay nakatira sa mga lugar na mahirap abutin ng signal. Arawaraw, humahanap sila ng pwestong makakasagap ng malakas na signal upang makasali sa synchronous classes. At dahil limitado lamang ang kanilang pagaccess sa internet, may mga pagkakataong hindi agad nila nagagawa at naipapasa ang kanilang mga takda. Dagdag pa rito, ang mobile load ay kadalasang nakakapagdagdag sa gastusin ng mga estudyante maliban sa kanilang nagmamahalang matrikula.

Bukod sa buhay-estudyante, kumakayod din sila para makatulong sa gastusin. Karamihan sa kanila ay may mga magulang na nasa limitadong hanapbuhay kaya’t naisipian nilang gumawa ng kanilang “small business” sa panahon ng lockdown.

Ginagamit nila ang social media para humikayat ng mga mamimili. Karaniwan, sila ay nagbebenta ng sweets o pastries o mga meryenda. Ang pinakapatok sa mga kolehiyo ay ang pagla-live selling ng mga damit at iba pang mga gamit. Literal na batak sila sa umaga sa pagpapalago ng kanilang mga munting negosyo at sa gabi ay bumubuno sa paghahabol ng kanilang mga aralin. Ang ilan sa mga estudyanteng ito ay nawili at naghanap lamang ng pampalipas oras. Ngunit karamihan ay napilitang humanap ng paraan upang makapag-umpisa ng pangmatagalang pagkukuhanan ng kita para matugunan ang kanilang pang araw-araw na gastusin.

Kaya’t kung ikaw ay may kilalang tulad nila, ipakita natin ang suporta sa pamamagitan ng pagbili (kung may kakayahan), pag-share at pag-like sa mga ito sa social media.

“SLEEPING BEAUTIES” Pinuyat Napuyat dahil sa kakanood ng series o ‘di kaya’y kakalaro ng online games. Sila ay kadalasang absent sa Synchronous Classes dahil natulugan ang kanilang alarm o tuluyan nang nakalimutan. Minsan, nakakadalo pa rin naman sila sa mga klase, ‘yon nga lang, gagawing background music ‘yong boses ng guro at unti-unting matatawag ng espiritu ng tulog.

Magugulat na lang siya nang malamang siya na lang ang natitirang estudyante sa online meeting app.

MGA “NANG-GHOST”

“CLASS REPRESENTATIVES” Sila ang sinag ng pag-asa tuwing may Synchronous Classes dahil sila ang masisikap na magtala ng aralin at taga-tugon sa titser tuwing may talakayan. Takbuhan sila ng mga kaklaseng hindi nakadalo sa kalase o kung mayroong parte sa talakayan na hindi nila maintindihan.

Ang mga kaklase nating tulad nila ay hindi takot na buksan ang mikropono o/at kamera tuwing may pagbigkas sa klase. Sila rin ang mga may pagkukusa sa pagtatanong sa mga guro kung may mga impormasyong hindi malinaw sa talakayan. Minsan sila rin ang mga tagapagpalaganap ng mga paalala at karagdagang impormasyon sa mga group chats mula sa guro.

ANG MGA

“SAKTO LANG”

Sila ang mga kaklase nating sapat na sa kanila ang pagsumite at saktong pagpasa sa mga proyekto at gawain sa klase. Hindi sila masyadong naapektuhan sa mga nakukuhang marka dahil hindi rin naman sila gaanong katutok sa pag-aaral. Karamihan sa kanila ay may mga bagay na kahati ng kanilang oras at pinagtutuunan ng pansin kagaya ng extracurricular activities, paglalaro ng mobile games o kaya panonood ng kdrama o anime. Kadalasang hindi bumabagsak ngunit hindi rin masyadong mataas ang mga nakukuha nilang grado – sakto lang! Pero mayroon din namang mga pagkakataong nakakakuha sila ng mga matataas na marka dahil nararapat naman sa kanila.

…………..

Nag-enroll pero kadalasan ay hindi dumadalo sa klase at madalas na pinaglulumaan na ang deadlines ng mga takda. Sumasali naman sila sa mga Synchronous classes noong una at nagpapasa rin ng mga proyekto, ngunit habang tumatagal ay tila nawawalan na sila ng gana. Ang iba sa kanila ay nagpapaalam ngunit ang iba’y naglalahong parang bula.

Hindi rin sila palagiang nagpaparamdam sa mga pangkatang gawain at madalang din magpasa ng sariling proyekto. Kung makakatagpo ka ng ganitong kaklase, huwag manghinayang na mag-abot ng “kumusta?” o “okay ka lang ba?” dahil maaaring nagpapahinga o ‘di kaya’y may pinagdadaanan sila.

Ang mga katangiang ito ay nahubog ng mga estudyante bilang tugon sa kasalukuyang moda ng edukasyon; mga katangiang karamihan ay buhat ng kagipitan na hindi dapat pasan ng mga E-studyante.

Bilang estudyante madalas na nating marinig na hawak mo ang iyong hinaharap, ngunit ang mas mahalagang tanong, sino nga ba tayo sa kasalukuyan— sa panahon na kung kailan ang pagiging estudyante ay tila literal na makina at bilanggo sa likod ng de-kahon at birtual na mundo.

WHITE & BLUE Volume 24 Issue 1 August 2021

ENTERTAINMENT

13

Benevolent Hearts of the Arts: A Classic on Loop

BY DANIELLA IVY DUCUSIN ILLUSTRATION BY ANGELO ANTOLIN

A

rt always finds its way into people's hearts. And sometimes it rewinds and repeats.

Despite the online academic setup, Saint Louis University’s Center for Culture and the Arts (CCA) extends the artistic spirit anchored by blazing hearts with purpose to the Louisian community.

The MUSIKLASIKS: Awit at Indak is a two-day online benefit concert conducted last June 18-19, 2021. The online show was initiated by the SLU Dance Troupe and the SLU Glee Club for an alumnus of the CCA suffering from Lymphoma.

The benefit concert's goal revolves on the spirit of giving and benevolence, emphasizing that there are people out there who are fighting battles and are in need of our help in these thriving times.

The music of the past anchors the online concert. Classics and OPM hits such as bands with the likes of Eraserheads, Rivermaya, and Parokya ni Edgar enticed the audience with a sense of nostalgia. The SLU Dance Troupe and SLU Glee Club prepared heartfelt and fun performances from their homes. They recorded and edited seemingly reimagined versions as well as putting their spins on the timeless hits.

The actual concert commenced through Facebook live streaming which is accessible to everyone that uses the app. Donations were directed to the team through a mobile number (Gcash) in the comment section.

During the first day, the SLU Glee Club serenaded the virtual world with mellow classics such as "I Won't Last a Day" by Nichols and Williams; OPM hits that melt everyone's heart every time played, Rainbow by

Jay Durias and Sharon Inductivo, and "With a Smile" by Eraserheads.

Alongside this, groovy acapella group performances of the Mid-90 hit “Hataw Na” put the viewers in their dancing shoes as the performers sing and dance in their colorful retro get-ups.

Meanwhile, the SLU Dance Troupe gracefully danced to the rhythm of the classics expressing every word of the OPM "Posible" by Rivermaya and "Harana" by Parokya ni Edgar. A modern take put it into light as they danced to Angela Ken's "Ako Naman Muna" portraying most students and working adults’ current online learning and work from home.

On the second day, the SLU Dance Troupe graced the virtual screens as they danced to Munimuni's "Minsan." Furthermore, the SLU Glee Club continued to showcase their creative vocal ranges as they performed reminiscing hits such as "Torete" by Moonstar 88, "Let Me Be the One"

by Jimmy Bondoc, and more.

Aside from being a charity event, virtual viewers of all ages engaged as they posted comments sharing how they loved and reminisced memories with their friends through the songs.

Due to the current quarantine and limited physical contact, the performances were filmed at home. Although the members were enclosed to limited space, their artistic expressions were way bigger. They utilized green screens or digital graphics, their physical house, and backyards, and even included their pets dancing and singing to retro and early 2000's bops.

According to the Musiklasiks Technical Team, like all events, they

conducted a meeting to understand the concert's purpose and necessary designations or assignments. The benefit concert lasted for an hour for each session. The cast spent almost a month in preparation. During the preproduction, time was a general constraint. The pressure of rendering all files on time within limited days was only one of the team's struggles.

Although difficulties arose in the preparation and in general because of the pandemic, the benefit concert was a success. MUSIKLASIKS: Awit at Indak brought inspiration to watchers and nodded to the classic Philippine Pop Culture.

Creativity and passion continue to spell the SLU Glee Club and SLU Dance Troupe’s names, which translated to their performances that even the virtual audience feels their pouring love for the arts.

SLU Dance Troupe Trainer Sir Sherwin H. Santiago stated that “Performance Art is a creative experience that is much needed right now. It provides solace, awakens curiosity, and allows us to be in the moment with our thoughts and feelings. It reminds us of our essential humanity and so often brings us the kinds of beauty so necessary in times of struggle.”

Art inspires.

Above all else, the online concert became a huge part and a helping hand of the benefactor, especially in these thriving times. The show proves that a united Louisian Community remains an essential and beloved part of it regardless of time and distance.

SPORTS

VOLUME 24 ISSUE 1 AUGUST 2021

ILLUSTRATION BY ANDRELY CIANO

PHILIPPINES’ PANTHEON O F O LY M P I C G R E A T S

I

t took the Philippines nearly a century to capture a long-awaited gold medal in the prestigious quadrennial meet and the news of Hidilyn Diaz being the best in world took the country by storm during the time the Filipinos really needed a breakthrough in the midst of the pandemic.

To celebrate the country’s first multiple recognitions in the Olympic stage, it is time to take a step back in memory lane and honor the Filipino athletes’ journey towards the gold which can only be summarized in one heart-breaking word – almost.

The country first joined the Olympic scene in 1924, though uneventful, Teófilo Yldefonso would be the first Filipino to bring glory back home as he secured a podium finish with bronze at the Men’s 200m backstroke in the 1928 Summer Olympics; a feat that he would repeat in the 1932 Olympics held in Los Angeles, California.

Simeon Toribio and Jose Villanueva capped off the 1932 stint with bronze medal finishes in the Men’s High Jump and Boxing,

BY JAPHETH LANCE PECAOCO

respectively. Afterwards, Miguel White in 1936 secured a bronze medal in the 400m hurdle with a 52.8 second finish and was 0.2 seconds shy from tying the world record at the time set in 1927.

Fast forward to 1964, Anthony Villanueva ended nearly 30 years of Olympic medal drought and surpassed his father, Jose Villanueva, as he brought the Philippines to its closest gold in its young history. The Filipino southpaw bagged silver against Russia’s Stanislav Stepashkin in Men’s featherweight title bout which ended in a controversial decision.

A flurry of Filipino boxers after A. Villanueva Akso carved their names in history as Leopoldo Serrantes and Roel Velasco brought bronze medals home during the 1988 and 1992 Olympics, respectively.

Manueseto “Onyok” Velasco came close to deliver the Philippines to the promised land, but the Negros Occidental hard-hitter bowed against Bulgaria’s Daniel Petrov Bojilo after outclassing Chin Hsiu, Yosuani Aguilera, Hamid Berhil to advance in the final round of the Men’s Fly Lightweight of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

Velasco’s silver was the Philippines’ last in two decades until Diaz entered the spotlight in the 2016 Rio Olympics. The 26-yearold, who was just fresh from three bronze medal finishes in the 2015 World Weightlifting Championships, locked in a silver medal finish in the Women's 53-kg Weightlifting Division. But the now 30-year-old Diaz made history in the only fashion she knew how as she lifted a combined 224 kilograms to set a new Olympic en route to the Philippines’ first gold.

The 2021 Summer Olympics proved to be fruitful for the Philippines as it marked the first time that the Philippines would bag multiple medals in the Olympics since 1932.

Nesthy Petecio settled for silver after a heart-breaking unanimous decision loss against Japan’s Irie Sena in the Women’s Featherweight Division.

The 25-year-old Eumir Marcial fell short in a split decision loss against Oleksandr Khyzniak in the Men’s Middleweight Division but still managed to clinch a podium spot.

Flyweight Carlo Paalam followed suit as he also secured silver after a split decision loss against Galal Yafai, ending the Philippines’ historic four medal harvest in Tokyo.

Beyond physical excellence, mental health matters W

hat do you think will happen if Captain America suddenly leaves the rest of the Avengers amidst of war?

Probably, they will have a lesser chance of saving the world against Thanos, right? So why did Captain America leave the team?

This situation actually happened during the plight of Team USA aiming for the gold medal during the Tokyo Olympic Games 2020 on July 27 for the dramatic team competition in gymnastics when their Team Captain, Simone Biles, chose to step away from the competition after having an awkward landing. She later then withdrew from the individual all-around

competition.

This may seem an immature move.

However, Biles has been dubbed as one of the greatest gymnasts of all time as she has managed to earn 30 Olympic and World Championship medals, 23 of which were gold. Basically, she has already proven that she is an ace of the sport. So what went wrong?

According to the twitter account of USA Gymnastics, Biles had to withdraw from the competition in order to focus on her mental health after some medical evaluation.

Biles later on said that she was having a little bit of the ‘twisties’. The twisties happens when suddenly a gymnast can

GRAIL LUBANGAS

MINORITY QUANDARY no longer do a twisting skill that she has already done for a thousand times. These twists are professionally done while the athlete is in the air so once the brain and body do not cooperate, the gymnast will be at great risk of incurring an injury. Thus, mental health comes in as a great issue to athletes as well.

Based on the data from Athletes for Hope, “Among professional athletes… up to 35% of elite athletes suffer from a mental health crisis which may manifest

as stress, eating disorders, burnout, or depression and anxiety.”

An article by Donovan Martin, also claims that some experts believe that college athlete depression is at “epidemic” levels as rates of mental health concerns were 150% to 250% higher than those reported on the earlier years.

Physiopedia website states some of the key factors that impact an athlete’s mental health include injury, overtraining, social media scrutiny and ongoing competition pressure to perform.

Famous athletes Michael Phelps, Ronda Rousey, Kevin Love, and DeMar DeRozan are actually survivors of mental health issues due to various reasons,

like a defeat for Rousey and fear of being perceived as weak for Love. But as DeRozan said on a tweet “Everyone is Going Through Something,” these elite athletes found the light by speaking up about their illness and seeking psychological professionals to help treat them.

In conclusion, athletes’ mental health also significantly matters. Lots of sports are physically demanding. This definitely puts the athlete in danger when their mental well-being gets on the way. Therefore, their mental health must be a top priority of coaches and sports organizations and must be thoroughly assessed before the games begin.

15

SPORTS

WHITE & BLUE Volume 24 Issue 1 August 2021

W&B SPORTS FEATURE

Photos Courtesy of Ernest Obiena, Adam Devy, Ben Curtis, Edgard Garrido and Amy Lemus Edited by Elyzsa Renee Jasmine Paje

Why Basketball should no longer be PH's priority

BY JAPHETH LANCE PECAOCO

R

ecent strides of Filipino athletes in the international scene prove that heart and hard work is the recipe for success but the same formula does not seem to translate well in a sport dominated by giants.

The Filipinos’ love for basketball is always on full display. No neighborhood is complete without a basketball court and locals that sport their favorite player’s jerseys. However, such love cannot undermine the harsh truth that the Philippines is simply not built for basketball–at least outside of Asia.

It can be argued that even Arnis, the country’s own national sport, does not receive the same kind of attention and recognition. The Philippine Arnis team ended their 2019 SEA Games bid with a whopping 14 goldmedal tally but was not greeted with the same type of ruckus and clamor one would expect with a Gilas squad.

To give credit where credit is due, the Philippine national basketball team is nowhere near incompetent. They are ranked 30th in the world and

Physical Education dep’t delivers FIT courses online

BY LEAH MONICA BANDOC

A

midst distance learning, the Department of Physical Education (DPE) does not fail to deliver FIT (Fitness) courses and demonstration videos to students online.

In an interview with SLU-DPE head, Dr. Teresita De Guzman, both teachers and students encountered many difficulties in the delivery of FIT courses especially during the first stage of the pandemic. These include erratic internet connection, power interruptions, and inexperience with technology. However, after several seminars and webinars conducted by the university, the Department of Physical Education was still able to offer FIT courses regardless of the modality.

“Online-Based Learning is implemented through Google Classrooms. Most of the video attachments were personally demonstrated by my colleagues and me. Correspondence-Based/Learning Packets are sent through courier to our CBL students,” De Guzman stated.

“Physical Fitness towards Health and Fitness” promotes the learning outcomes of the two-unit course Physical Education under R.A. No. 5708.

These courses are subdivided into four namely, FIT HW (Health and Wellness), FIT CS (Combative Sports), FIT OA (Outdoor and Adventure), and FIT AQ (Aquatics).

Moreover, these courses promote a healthy physical well-being for students despite the nationwide lockdown according to De Guzman.

“Participating in all activities required in our FIT Courses is very timely and much needed because of the demands of online classes. Students tend to live sedentary lives just facing the screen. Doing FIT courses activities balances the situation,” she added.

Meanwhile, despite not being offered through face-to-face, improvements were made in the SLU swimming pool facility in the Maryheights Campus.

These include roofing, installment of bleachers, development of the surroundings, and minor renovations due to broken tiles and broken showers caused by visiting typhoons.

De Guzman also revealed plans of the renovation of the FIT OA facility but further details are yet to be disclosed as it is still under review.

are Southeast Asian juggernauts that rival South Korea, China, and Iran every FIBA Asia cup.

However, despite promising performances of Kai Sotto and company in their recent stint, giving Serbia and the Dominican Republic a run for their money, the Philippines is still years away from bagging a medal finish especially with European countries catching up with USA basketball.

But, the lack of talent is surely not the main reason why other sports categories are not as prominent in the country.

During the 2019 SEA Games, the Philippines amassed 27 medals in Athletics–11 of which are gold followed by eight silver and bronze medals apiece. The country also bagged 21 medals in taekwondo.

The Filipinos excelled in other martial arts and combat sports especially in boxing. Neshty Petecio, Carlo Paalam, and Eumir Marcial made noises in this year’s Olympics, garnering support from social media networks and exposure in local news outlets as they secured two silvers and a bronze.

Strings of successes during the 2021 Tokyo Summer Olympics

bannered by Hidilyn Diaz’ historic gold prove that now is the right time to scout and foster the local talent into world-class athletes outside of basketball.

This was not the first time that the Zamboanga native was in the limelight. Diaz also rose to prominence when she nabbed silver in the 2016 Rio Olympics. However, even after being second-best in the world, she would still have to beg for financial aid to support her training.

Opportunities are hard to get by without government support, and the very same predicament drove away Wesley So, a chess grandmaster, to become a citizen in the United States.

Perhaps Diaz’ success story will catalyze a change on how PH Sports is handled but it is too optimistic to expect a sports program in the country that rival’s China this soon.

However, to avoid another debacle of athletes leaving for other countries, or lack of training facilities and funding, it is time to shift our attention to sports where we could actually compete in the world stage and invest in other talents.

SARI-SARING LARO SA UNIBERSIDAD

NINA JONEKAH ALEXINE CATADMAN AT ANGELO ANTOLIN

Ang magtangka sa gitna ng daluyong ay higit pa sa tanyag — Sa kabila ng mga pighati ay may nakaukit pa ring ngiti

Tuloy ang laban ng bayan,

Para sa kabuhayan Para sa kinabukasan.

W HI T E

&

B LU E

PHOTO BY KIM ANGELA SANTOS WORDS BY EMMANUEL TINIO

CAMPUS CAMERA