SCHOOL PAPER VOLUME XXXV ISSUE 1

USANT bags 2nd place in Infomercial for Radio-Based Instructions Contest

HUMAN DIGNITEAM. International Human Rights Youth Ambassadors attends completion ceremony at Villa San Antonio Subdivision, San Roque, Iriga City, on April 30, 2022, officially committing to their role of becoming the guiding light for human dignity around the world. - Moira Sabordo

By: Jeseylou B. Bayan

25 Anthonians make it as International Human Rights Youth Ambassadors By: Jheanne Ehrico B. Adan

Student Leaders coming from the University of Saint Anthony Junior and Senior Highschool department have graduated as official International Human Rights Youth Ambassadors last August 21, 2021.

A Virtual Certification Ceremony was conducted and spearheaded by Ms. Angela Morales, Human Rights Facilitator, where student leaders played a video presentation of them sharing different realizations and learnings derived from completing the Human Dignity Course, a Community Development Network (CDN) training and outreach program.

According to Attorney David Moore in

his featured talk about human rights, “As Human Rights ambassadors, we have the opportunity to educate others. We have the opportunity to spread understanding through educating.”

Present also in the meeting were Tiffany Ivins Spence, Founder of CDN, and Emily Bradshaw, International Program Director, who each expressed their gratitude and congratulations to the ambassadors for making it as the second class to complete the Human Dignity Course.

Among the students who took part in the training are the officers of the Student Government Federation (SGF), Senior Students’ League, and

Yraga/Amudyong namely Ann Kyla V. Aquiler, Aeriel Aze A. Austria, Christine Anica B. Batalla , Ganther T. Coronel, Francis Cenon E. Elevado, Lorian Kate B. Ibias, Hera Kate M. Ibias, Jordana Ashley M. Lopez, Erica Mae C. Naron, Ellise Andrea D. Nuyda, Patricia Anne B. Rebollido, Jascyl Jee H. Sayson, Trisha Fae M. Zarzoso, Ronald C. Asis IV, Angelica R. Panaligan Jheanne Ehrico B. Adan, Josiah Nathaniel C. Camila, Sofia Moira B. Dolorical, Vincent Anthony R. Prades, Jon Mare P. Lontayao, Nicole Mae A. Contreras, Moira L. Sabordo Jester Carl SJ. Sumpay, Szachi RoChelle B. Daza, and Marlo O. Albaño.

CHED Region V recognizes USANT for its Best Practices on Flexible Learning By: Jheanne Ehrico B. Adan

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Regional Office V recognized the University of Saint Anthony (USANT) for its Best Practices on Flexible Learning during the 27th CHED Foundation Anniversary and National Higher Education Week with the theme “PADYAK: Moving Forward, Claiming Victory for Philippine Higher Education, Pamantasan Pandayan Tungo sa Kaunlaran” held in May 2021.

In pursuant to CHED Memorandum Or-

der No. 4 series of 2020 on the Guidelines on the Implementation of Flexible Learning, a Plaque and Certificate of Appreciation was received by Atty. Santiago D. Ortega, Jr., President and Chairman of USANT, together with Dr. Jose B. Ballesteros, Vice President for Academic Affairs last August 4, 2021. The awards were given by Dr. Freddie T. Bernal CESO III, Director of CHED Regional Office V. USANT has shared its Best Practices and Activities on Flexible

Learning along with the university’s strategies to cope with the New Normal Education through a live video presentation, during the CHED Foundation Anniversary.

Moreover, the celebration commemorates significant milestones for the commission including groundbreaking undertakings and recognize different learning institutions who pursued quality education amidst the challenging circumstances brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.

As part of the Buwan ng Wika celebration, the Department of Education (DepEd) Schools Division Office of Iriga City held a division-wide contest in which Irigueños actively participated. The winners of numerous contests were awarded last September 2, 2021, in the closing program held on DepEd-Iriga’s official Facebook page.

The competitions participated by various schools in the Iriga were namely: Aba, Nakababasa na ako! Masining na Pagkukuwento, Patimpalak sa Pag Tula, Infomercial para sa Radio-Based Instructions, Tiktok-Galing, and Leksiyon ko Dunong mo Elementarya.

The University of Saint Anthony Junior High School students secured the second place in the Informercial for Radio-Base Instructions Contest comprising Ella Ivy M. Barra, Lorian Kate B. Ibias, and Althea Ann R. De Lo Virges accompanied

by Mr. Jenri P. Azuela and Ms. Maria Krishna M. Jove, as their coaches, with the assistance of Gian Nicole Ignao, Erica Mae Naron and Liz Rheann Malapo.

The first place was awarded to San Antonio National High School while Santiago Integrated School placed third.

For the overall results affiliated with different events, Lads and Lassies Learning Center obtained the third runner-up, North District for second runner-up, South District obtained 1st runner up and Central District was declared overall champion in the Elementary Division. Moreover, the University of Saint Anthony was awarded fourth runner-up, followed by Rinconada National Technical Vocational School Main Campus as third runner-up, San Antonio National High School for second runner-up, while Santiago Integrated High School seized the first runner up and Zeferino Arroyo High School was announced champion in the Secondary Division.

Due to the initiative of DepEd Iriga led by School Division Superintendent Dr. Danilo E. Despi and with the effort of Dr. Rechie Salcedo, EPS 1 Filipino, the division-wide competition was launched smoothly and successfully.

TEAMWORK. Representatives of USANT Junior High School Department with their coaches, Mr. Jenri O. Azuela and Ms. Maria Krishna M. Jove smile as they bag 2nd place in Informercial RBI (Radio-Based Instruction) last September 2, 2021. - Sabine Audria C. Jacob Photo Credits: Liz Rheann Malapo

JHS SSC students take part in POGS-Bicol Webinar By: Angeline E. Guevarra

MGS and JHS achieve Level III Reaccredited Status by PACUCOA By: Jheanne Ehrico B. Adan

NOT ALL HEROES WEAR CAPES. Sirikit Dames-Zafra,MD, FPOGS, Regional Director of the Philippine Obstetrical and Gynecological Society (Foundation) Inc. (POGS) BICOL, introduces Adolescent Health Issues and Perspective (AHIP), one of their many advocacies aimed to educate young adolescents in a heartfelt speech last August 26, 2021, via zoom.

- Denise Abaño Photo credits: AHIP - Adolescent Health Issues & Perspectives

To inform and widen the knowledge of teenagers about adolescence, The Junior High School SSC students of University of Saint Anthony took part in a webinar hosted by Philippine Obstetrical and Gynecological Society (Foundation) Inc. powered

by Multicare about Adolescent Health Issues and Perspectives, conducted last August 26, 2021.

The webinar was composed of 6 Modules including Adolescent Health and Development discussed by Juria Lilia M. Tanchuling- Listana, MD, DPOGS; Myths and Misconceptions about Sexuality was clarified by Donna A. Villafuerte, MD, FPOGS, FPSUOG.; The 3rd module

was discussed by Irish May B. Leabres- Joson, MD, DPOGS entitled Healthy and Happy Risk Takers; Ruth Lizaso-Dy, MD, FPOGS talked about The Clean Teen; Mental Health for Teens was tackled by Marofe Merillo-Bajar, MD, FPOGS; and Celestine Gonzales-Lim, MD, handed her knowledge about The New Normal Teens and Social Media.

According to Kent Charles B. Namoro, one of the participants and winner of the quiz conducted, “The webinar was as informative as it was interactive. Someone was cleared as truth came to light throughout the webinar, not a second was not informative, right from the start we experienced

the educating of the doctors with interactivity every couple of minutes, it was nothing short of exciting as the topic is very relatable to us. I felt excitement and grateful for the experience.”

In addition, there were other schools who attended the webinar. They prepared entertaining and challenging quizzes to the participants which tested the knowledge and the typing speed of the attendees.

The statement, “You are free to choose, but you are not free from the consequence of your choice,” was quoted to remind the teens to contemplate about the acts they are going to do and to be careful with all decisions they will make.

USANT JHS commences limited pilot Face-to-Face Classes By: Erica Mae C. Naron

SCHOOL SPIRIT. Grade 9-Narra SSC’s Group B listens attentively to Richelle Amaro, their first subject teacher, at USANT Junior High School Building for the Limited face-to-face classes. School administrators chose SSC students and other selected sections for this learning modality. - Jewel Angeline Martinez

After years of preparation, the University of Saint Anthony Montessori Grade School (MGS) and Junior High School (JHS) Departments both successfully achieved the Level III Reaccredited Status granted by the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities Commission on Accreditation, Inc. (PACUCOA).

The departments underwent a rigorous Remote Virtual Accreditation last April 29-May 1, 2021, in which 9 different areas were evaluated namely: Philosophy and Objectives, Faculty, Instruction, Library, Laboratory, Physical Plant, Student Services, Community Involvement, and Organization and Administration a letter addressed to the late Atty. Santiago D. Ortega, Jr., USANT President and Chairman of the Board, the PACUCOA awards committee gladly informed that the two departments have been successfully elevated to Level III Reaccredited Status.

Moreover, MGS and JHS also bagged an award for being

the first among the schools in Region V evaluated by PACUCOA to attain such recognition for Elementary and High School programs respectively.

The awards were conferred last December 7, 2021, during the celebration of the commission’s 48th founding year and its 32nd Annual General Assembly via Zoom Conference.

In a statement posted in the USANTOfficial Facebook page, “This feat is another testament to the university’s long-standing commitment geared towards the said purpose [ensure the provision of high-quality service].

Indeed, USANT shares PACUCOA’s battle cry: to be an organization that is governed by high standards of excellence.”

PACUCOA is a private accrediting agency which gives formal recognition to an educational institution by attesting that its academic program maintains excellent standards in its educational operations.

3 JHS Anthonians Conquer BFP-Iriga Competitions By: Lorian Kate B. Ibias

In connection with the annual commemoration and celebration of fire prevention every month of March, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Iriga City handled the games and contest station-level competitions which various schools of the city have joined. The theme for this year is: “Sa Pag-iwas sa Sunog, Hindi ka Nag-iisa!”.

A total of three Junior High School Students coming from the University of Saint Anthony have dominated during the awarding commencement of the event. These talented students are Lorian Kate B. Ibias (Grade 9-Narra) winning first place in the Ibandilyo mo, Fire Safety tips mo, Cleo Areej S. Lopez (Grade 10-Diamond) also the first placer for Digital Arts Making, and Jascyl Jee H. Sayson (Grade 10-Diamond) garnering the second place for the Traditional Poster Making. The winning participants received a certificate of recognition and cash prizes. On the

other hand, the coaches who provided vision and guidance to the students are Mr. Jenri O. Azuela for the Ibandilyo mo contest and Mr. Ryan J. Roman for both the Digital Art and Poster Making contests.

For a piece of additional information, the contest proper for every competition happened in their respective houses and the platform for submissions was either via the BFP-Iriga Gmail or through submitting it face-to-face with the help of the coaches at the Iriga City Fire Station.

The said event serves as the yearly observance of fire prevention and it is always held in the month of March since it is the time of the year with the increased rate of fire incidents in the country. As students and responsible citizens, we need to take action by being well-informed and also we need to participate in various BFP activities to be prepared and ready for any disaster brought by fire.

Photo captured by: Angelica R. Panaligan

As a transition from online classes into a traditional set-up, the University of Saint Anthony (USANT) Junior High School (JHS) department launched a two-week pilot face-to-face (FTFt) classes last May 16 to 27, 2022.

Modifications to the campus area have been made available to comply with the Inter-Agency task force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) guidelines.

Examples of these are the hand wash-

ing areas made near the USANT Gate 1 and JHS Building canteen. Markers in the form of arrows were also painted on campus floors as guides for the assigned pathways students are to take to minimize contact with each other.

Meanwhile, during class proper, students were seated one space from each other and with seating arrangements where the first students to arrive will occupy the back seats first, and the last ones to come in the front to minimize

contact with each other. Furthermore, only two classes from each grade level were allowed to participate in the pilot FTF with each section separated into two groups that will occupy a different classroom each, and alternate in morning and afternoon classes. Grade levels also alternated schedules, with grades 7 and 9 studying on-campus on Mondays and Thursdays, and grades 8 and 10 on Tuesdays and Thursdays, allowing only two half-day class sessions per week.

HEARTS AND PENS ABLAZE. University of Saint Anthony Junior High School students, Cleo Lopez, Lorian Ibias, and Jascyl Sayson (2nd, 3rd, and 4th from left), joined by their coaches Jenri Azuela and Ryan Roman (1st and 5th from left), receive a certificate of recognition and award during the Fire Prevention Month Games and Contests by the Bureau of Fire Protection at Iriga City Fire Station on March 28, 2022. Sayson wins 2nd place in Poster Making, Lopez earns 1st place in Digital Art Making, and Ibias garners 1st place in I-Bandilyo mo, Fire Safety Tips Mo. - Moira L. Sabordo Photo captured by: Jester Sumpay

Anthonians showcase talents through USANT CMC By: Ma. Francia Ysabelle A. Camila

The Student Government Federation (SGF), the central organization, and the Yraga/ Amudyong, the student publication from the Junior high school department have collaborated and poured their efforts into producing shows through USANT Campus Media and Creatives (CMC) throughout the school year 2021-2022.

The above-mentioned organizations produced a 2 episode - interactive gameshow exclusively for Junior High school students, entitled ZOOMAGOT KA! The first episode was streamed via Facebook Live in USANT Campus Media and Creatives last October 29, 2021. The game show was hosted by Josiah Nathaniel Camila and Sofia Moira Dolorical, the Sports Editors of Yraga/Amudyong. Moreover, the contestants are chosen in each division with 2 students.

The program started with a witty and creative introduction from the contestants. Shortly after, the portions; USANT says, General Trivia, and I’ll take it— of the program started. The winner was later announced after the last portion.

Days later, the second episode was streamed also via FB

live on USANT Campus Media and Creatives’ FB page. Following the same order of the game show’s program, and later announcing of the winner.

Garnering 300 points, Lara Juliana de Leon, from the Grade 8 division won the First episode.

Meanwhile, Karen Yliz Jose, from the Grade 9 division, who got 800 points won the second episode.

Furthermore, the two organizations mentioned were then collaborated to create a sitcom series titled “Love at First Recite” with the help of USANT Campus Media and Creatives (CMC) powered by MITC. Officers from the said organizations made it possible to create a 4-episode school serye, streamed via FB live on USANT CMC’s FB page.

The series features different types of students, school scenarios, and a Love triangle between the leads. The Sitcom series was directed by Christine Anica Batalla and Led by 3 Junior High School Students; Ganther Coronel, Ladyrose Magistrado, and Sebastian Castro.

Love at First Recite is the first-ever school serye to be produced by organizations from the USANT Junior High School department.

Bolalin tops DFS Exam with 99.76% Percentile Rank By: Claire Ashley S. Malate

BE ONE WITH USANT. Students and Facilitators took a photo after the Examination while showing the Usant hand Sign. - Kristine Kaye T. Postrado Photo Credits: Maicah Magistrado

Liam Dezekiel DR. Bolalin ranked first and garnered an average score of 99.76 after taking the Doña Felisa Scholarship Exam conducted by the University of Saint Anthony Junior High School Department (USANT-JHS) last July 12, 2020.

Over 22 passers from different schools, Bolalin from Arborvitae Plains Montessori Incorporated dominates the said exam that was taken through

an online LMS platform due to COVID-19 regulations and restrictions.

Moreover, the topnotcher is now a student of Grade 7-Eagle SSC and a consistent honor student under Ms. Vivian I. Biag, the adviser of the above-mentioned section. he DFS test was of speed and accuracy. Therefore, there was no risk of cheating as the test was monitored from the device and

USANT celebrates 75th Diamond Foundation Anniversary By: Erica Mae C. Naron

ILLUMINATE. University of Saint Anthony President, Atty. Emmanuel SD. Ortega, LLM, delivers a message of inspiration to the university’s students via Facebook Live during the 75th Foundation Anniversary’s Virtual Student’s Day on March 1, 2022. - Moira L. Sabordo Photo captured by: Richelle Amaro

With the theme “USANT @ 75: Shining Forever”, the University of Saint Anthony (USANT) has virtually celebrated its 75th Foundation Anniversary last March 1 to 10, 2022.

The week-long celebration gave Junior High School (JHS) students opportunities to showcase their talents in the “JHS Day Celebration”, held via Facebook Live in the USANT Official FB Page.

Inter-school competitions were also conbrowser used, and the time consumed in answering each question. This will ensure confidence in the validity of the exam results.

The Doña Felisa Scholarship Exam is held every year before the start of the school year for incoming Grade 7 students. Those who perform well on the exam will get a 100% free tuition fee as well as free use of textbooks. Prior to the examination, a student must have been formally enrolled. Furthermore, during Grades 5 and 6, he or she must not have a mark lower than 80% in any academic area.

The student must announce his or her intent to take the exam and pay the exam cost through his or her parent or guardian.

ducted, including a virtual I.Q. Blitz for Grade school, a Battle of the Brains for JHS students.

While Demo teaching, Drawing, Sales Pitch, Infographics and Extemporaneous competitions as well as Engineering and Accounting Quiz Bees, were held for Senior High School delegates.

An International Webinar on Teaching was also made possible, featuring speakers coming from USANT’s dif-

ferent partner schools from other countries.

Other events observed during the anniversary were a virtual parents’ talent showdown and awarding ceremonies for the winners of respective competitions.

Supposedly held during early February, the celebration was postponed in order to give way to the mourning of the passing of the late Dr. Santiago D. Ortega Jr last February 9, 2022.

USANT JHS population deflates by 0.03% By: Erica Mae C. Naron

As compared to the number of enrolees in the Academic Year 2020-2021, the number of students enrolled in the Junior High School Department of the Uniaversity of Saint Anthony has deflated by 0.03% with a 62-student decrease in Academic Year 2021-2022.

Based from the statistics given by the USANT registrar, a total of 2085 satudents were admitted for this school year, with the Grade 9 division having the biggest population with 562 enrolees;

a 0.03% hike in contrast to last year’s count: 547.

Second to in the list is the Grade 10 division, with 0.06% inflation resulting to a 542-student population from last year’s 513 admissions. Following is the Grade 8 Division holding a total of 542 students, a 0.08% decrease from A/Y 2020-2021’s 571 students.

Lastly, the Grade 7 division holds the least number of enrolees and the biggest decrease rate out of all the divisions with a 0.11% deflation rate, dropping from 516 to 457 students.

Fajardo wins Anima 2021 By: Denise C. Acuña

HOP TO WIN. Jhazrelle Pauline T. Fajardo, grade 10 student, wins the Anima 2021 portraying Jiangshi, a Chinese Legend known as the hopping vampire during the Book Month Celebration of the University of Saint Anthony, Junior High School Department via Zoom and Facebook live on December 10, 2021. - Mary Angel B. Ybarola Photo Credits: Francis Cenon Elevado

Jhazrelle Pauline T. Fajardo, a student from Grade 10-Beryl portraying a Chinese mythical monster named “Jiangshi” emerged as the winner of Anima 2021 during the Book Month Celebration of the University of Saint Anthony Junior High School (JHS) Department, hosted by the Communicator’s Club, Bookworm Club, and High School Oration and Debate Society last December 10, 2021.

Fajardo outshone 19 other candidates from different sections in JHS, each representing mythical creatures of different origins around the world.

Patricia Anne B. Rebollido of Grade 10-Diamond SSC, secured 1st Runner up portraying “Werewolf ” and Akhira Mare P. Lontayao from Grade 7-Maya SSC bagged the 2nd runner up title as “Zombie”.

According to Fajardo in an interview, “I had quite the experience joining the last anima held ngayong S/Y [School Year]. Very overwhelming since it was my first time entering a huge event sa school since nung nasa elem [elementary] pa ako. I always thought na ‘di ako suited for these type of contests pero sabi ko, siguro it was a chance for me to try and step out of my comfort zone.”

The candidates competed in different parts of the mythical creature-themed pageant such as the Character Poster and Introduction Video Making posted in Communicators’ Club’s Facebook page, and the Question-and-An-

swer portion held last December 2021. The pictures and introduction videos of the candidates were judged by Mr. Arnel A. Turiano, the chairman of the board, Mr. Juan P. Haber, and Ms. Regine Mae L. Quite. The scores were computed along with FB reactions and shares.

Lontayao bagged numerous Minor Awards including Best Character Poster, Best Re-created Character, Spooky-genic Award, Best Photo Edit, Creepiest Photo, and Horrific Character Presentation.

Rebollido, meanwhile, attained Best in Q&A. Furthermore, Mary Jony Presado, from 8-Daffodil who played “Sadako” took home the Most Reacted Photo and Video Awards.

Richelle Andrei I. Manalo, “Amomongo” from 9-Acacia got Best in Video Editing and Thrilling Video. John Remle O. Nuyda, “Cyclops” from 10-Amethyst obtained the Most Shared Photo.

“Without their [classmates] help and dedication, panigurado I wouldn’t have made it. Kaya I still thank them ngayon. This will forever be memorable for me kasi madami na madami akong natutunan at na-overcome in this event and I wouldn’t be in it without them. Teamwork makes the dream work they say,” Fajardo concluded.

The Closing Ceremony of Anima 2021 and Book Week was held last December 10, 2021 with the theme “OUTCOUMES. OUTREACH. OUTSTANDING. Libraries Beyond Boundaries” streamed via FB Live.

USANT JHS Students participate in Local Science and Math Fair 2021 By: Nathaniel Jemm Justine R. Rebato

Hosted by the Philippine Society of Youth Science Clubs and Math Circle, the University of Saint Anthony Junior High School Department students participated in the Local Science and Math Fair which concluded last October 11, 2021 with the theme: “Agham, Pananaliksik, at Teknolohiya: Kabalikat sa Matatag at Maunlad na Pamayanan.”

According to Christian I. Lamud, the guest speaker of the program, “This year’s theme is very timely and empowering as we continue to face a global crisis and these challenges of times. It’s timely because now more than ever, we need the combined powers of Science, Research, and Technology to cope with the challenges of these days and it’s empowering

because the theme gives us hope that with the help of Science, Research, and Technology we will once again achieve a strong and progressive community,” emphasizing the theme of this year’s fair. In his talk, he referred to Science, Research, and Technology as the “big three” that continue to change the world for the better, and how these three are necessary for attaining progress and prosperity in the community.

“To the Science and Mathematics Teachers, let us not get tired of planting the seeds of wisdom into the minds of our students. This is the time when our youth need competent and compassionate teachers who can deliver quality instruction despite the difficulties that we are experiencing.

And to you my dear students, I hope that you continue learning and exploring no matter how difficult it seems. Be curious, be inquisitive, and be open-minded. The world is full of possibilities and opportunities,” Lamud concluded.

The awarding ceremony for the different contests conducted in September highlighted the whole event. The winners for Capture it, Hydroquiz, Essay Writing, Book Cover Competition, Digital Poster, Editorial Cartooning, and Infographics Design were recognized. Furthermore, the winners of Speed and Accuracy, Math Quiz, Modulo Art, Math Jingle, Video Tutorial Making, and Tiktok Challenge were also awarded in a live video presentation streamed via FB Live.

USANT JHS Department Conducts 2021 Buwan ng Wika Celebration By: Glynnisse Alleina San Juan

READY. SET. SING! Khendra Jayleen B. Carranza, a pupil from the University of Saint Anthony Montessori Grade School, sings “Tagumpay nating Lahat” by Lea Salonga as she performs during the Buwan ng Wika Celebration of USANT via Facebook live at Usant Official last August 27, 2021. - Kristine Kaye T. Postrado Photo Credits: Rjay Carranza

To honor the importance of the Filipino language, the University of Saint Anthony Junior High School Department joins the Buwan ng Wika Celebration last August 14, 2021, with the theme, “Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa 2021: Filipino at ang mga Wikang Katutubo sa Dekolonisasyon ng Pag-iisip ng mga Pilipino.”

In accordance with the celebration, the Student Government Federation (SGF) and Department of Filipino – Ilaw at Panitik organized various competitions: Wikarambu-

lan, Paligsahan sa Pagguhit, Pagbigkas ng Tula (Spoken Word Poetry), Patimpalak sa Pag-awit, Tigsik, Pagsulat ng Sanaysay, Vlog, at ang Pagsayaw sa Tiktok, which are open for students from grade 7 to 10. Prior to the competition, indtructions and rules were announced. The event Wikarambulan was participated in by 88 students from SSC sections of USANT Junior High School, and was led by Ms. Lady Lyn Nuera, Ms. Lenie Altar, Ms. Jociemer Hosana, and Ms. Charlem-

agne Juanillas. The competition was held via zoom last August 20, 2021. Spearheaded by Ms. Mae Benipayo and Ms. Nemy Rose Archero, the Paligsahan sa Pagguhit was joined by 18 participants and was divided into two categories: digital and traditional.

Moreover, other competitions were led by the SGF and their Volunteer Corps. In addition, Yraga/Amudyong provided interesting facts about the celebration that could be viewed on their Facebook page and other social media platforms.

Yraga/Amudyong conducts 2nd BEOPC By: Jan Michael T. Cervas

Yraga/Amudyong, the Uni-

aims to harness the journalistic

versity of Saint Anthony Ju-

skills and abilities of the youth

nior

official

despite the hindrances brought

student publication, conduct-

by the inevitable circumstanc-

ed the Second Basic Educa-

es. The event was spearhead-

tion Online Press Conference

ed by the Editorial Board of

(BEOPC) last April 8-9, 2022,

Yraga/Amudyong in partner-

through Zoom and Google Meet

ship with Doodles, the student

streamed via Facebook Live.

publication of the Montessori

With the theme “Rising above

Grade School Department. The

High

School’s

Circumstances:

Empowering

event boasted an overall num-

Youth Through Campus Journal-

ber of 249 participants from

ism”, the two-day event featured

the Montessori Grade School,

different

journalism

Junior High School, and Se-

contests in both English and Fili-

nior High School Departments.

pino Medium such as News Writ-

The virtual BEOPC was first

campus

ing, Feature Writing, Editorial

implemented

Writing, Science and Technol-

year by the Yraga/Amudyong

ogy Writing, Photojournalism, Editorial Cartooning, and the prime event for this year’s online press conference, Newscasting.

The opening program of the OPC was held through a zoom

meeting which was live-streamed

by the judges were given in the

Teacher at Ministry of Educa-

on the Yraga/Amudyong offi-

morning, while the contest prop-

tion Taiwan and keynote speak-

cial Facebook page last April 8.

er was held in the afternoon.

er of the event, “Journalism is a

After the program, the partici-

According to Ms. Maegan Alexis

thing. It’s a thing worth doing.”

pants were oriented and lectures

Ababa Almasco, Foreign English

Furthermore, this year’s OPC

last

academic

Editorial Board Batch 20202021 headed by Mary Lorelie A.

Potencio,

Editor-in-chief,

during the application of Online Distance Learning modality due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

USANT JHS commemorates Rosary Month By: Angeline Guevarra

DIVINE CONNECTION. Campus Youth Ministry organization held a virtual conference last October 22, 2021, to teach Junior High School students how to appreciate the holy rosary during the rosary month. - Mary Angel B. Ybarola Photo Credits: Freya Sophia Lorin Aquino

The University of Saint Anthony Junior High School students commemorate the Rosary month. The Campus Youth Ministry, one of the JHS organizations, led the Rosary praying, which started last October 8 up to October 22, 2021. The cele-

bration was done to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary in gratitude for the protection that she gives the Church.

In addition, the officers led every Friday morning and there are at least 2 officers that will lead the prayer in every section per grade lev-

el. The prayer was conducted before the class started with the selected section’s adviser.

The Values Savers’ Club officers also helped with the implementation. The activity was successful and helped the students commemorate Our Lady of the Rosary liturgical feast.

JHS English Department organizes 2021 Book Week Celebration By: Joshua Hebrew R. Andalis

The Communicators’ Club, Bookworm Club, and High School Oration and Debate Society of the University of Saint Anthony—Junior High School Department have collaborated to organize the 2021 Book Week Celebration with the theme, “OUTCOMES. OUTREACH. OUTSTANDING. Libraries Beyond Borders.”

Contests and events such as Book Cover Making and Whiz Battle were conducted in accordance with the said event, allowing the students to showcase as well as enhance their skills and talents in creative layouting and recall.

The celebration featured the Anima 2021, a pageant that enables students to exhibit their creativity in designing costumes and skills in por-

traying mythological creatures from across the globe with Jhazrelle Pauline T. Fajardo,

being crowned as the winner of this year’s Anima. Fajardo is a student hailing from Grade

10-Beryl, portraying Jiangshi, a Chinese mythological monster.

The said English organiza-

tions have also partnered up to organize a webinar on the Creative Processes in Book Designing, with Mr. Ryan C. Cuatrona, as the event’s guest speaker, held on November 29, 2021, with the theme: “Cover to Cover: On Designing Books,” via Zoom and Facebook Live.

During the webinar, Mr. Ryan C. Cuatrona, 3D Generalist and Graphic Artist, discussed his experiences in book designing, he shared some of his own works and designs as well as tips and techniques that he had obtained as a book designer over the years. Mr. Cuatrona also taught about the background of the books he has previously designed, explaining why he pursued them and why we need to understand the significance of book designing.

USANT JHS commences Virtual Flag Raising Ceremony By: Angelica R. Panaligan

By: Erica Mae C. Naron

RISE TO A NEW BEGINNING. Mrs. Francia T. Buffe. Principal of the University of Saint Anthony Junior High School, welcomes another school year through a virtual flag-raising ceremony for the department through Facebook live with the theme. “Upholding Resilience: Bracing New Beginnings in the Pursuit of Academic Excellence” lead by the Student Government Federation and Yraga /Amudyong on August 10, 2021. - Liz Rheann B. Malapo Photo Credits: Angelica R. Panaligan

To officially welcome the Academic year 20212022, the University of Saint Anthony - Junior High School Department initiated the Virtual Flag Raising Ceremony and Opening Program last August 10, 2021, with the theme, “Upholding Resilience: Bracing New Beginnings in the Pursuit of Academic Ex-

cellence.” Spearheaded by the Student Government Federation and Yraga/Amudyong, the program highlighted an orientation tackling the learning modality of USANT JHS, the online distance learning.

Members of the Faculty and various organizations of the junior high school department were

USANT JHS ORGANIZATIONS LAUNCH MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS CAMPAIGN

also presented during the live streaming of the program. Moreover, Mrs. Francia T. Buffe, principal of USANT Junior High School, gave her message to welcome the Anthonians to a new academic year.

She also extended her gratitude to the parents of the students for entrusting the university .

As spearheaded by the Student Government Federation (SGF), different organizations of the University of Saint Anthony (USANT) Junior High School (HS) Department have launched an online mental health awareness campaign entitled “HILOM: All will be alright in time” last November 27 and 29, 2021.

With the theme “Paving the road for a better tomorrow, the two-day event aims to give students tips on how to improve and realize the essence of prioritizing their mental health. A webinar was conducted by SGF as the highlight of the event, with Mr. John Lawrence P. Delos Santos as the guest

speaker. During the talk, Mr. Delos Santos gave the participants insights as to how important prioritizing one’s mental health is amid the pandemic, the different factors affecting it, as well as some tips on how to take care of one’s psychological well-being.

Meanwhile, other JHS organizations have collaborated to serve the students different events. Some namely: “Threshold of Hope Island by BYTE, HTC, and IAP Lunas (The Playlist)” by PKC and USANT Rondalla: “Have you changed by the Bookworms club and Ecosopolista; and “Fly Me To the Moon” mini-concert by the GSP, VSC, and Communicator’s Club.

IAP inaugurates Siklab: Pista ng SGF spearheads Grand Sign Up Talentadong Pilipino By: Angelica R. Panaligan

By: Jheanne Ehrico B. Adan

Ilaw at Panitik (IAP), the University of Saint Anthony (USANT) – Junior High School Department Filipino club, conducted SIKLAB: Pista ng Talentadong Pilipino, a series of competitions to recognize talented students in the field of speech, arts, and production with the theme: “Pagbandila sa Talentong Anthonians sa gitna ng Pandemya” last November 2021 to March 2022.

Launched in November and December of 2021, Sauladong Talumpati was the first contest held, in which participants submit their recorded speeches on various issues with regard to our country. Gia Margarette Olea of 10-Amethyst won 1st place in the event; followed by Kirsten Malabanan from 8-Bougainvillea who secured 2nd place; 9-Narra SSC

student, Lorian Kate Ibias, placed 3rd; and Ashley Nicole Coronel of 7-Falcon SSC was the 4th placer.

In order to showcase students’ talents in letter drawing or Baybayin Calligraphy, CaligraFilipino was conducted afterwards. In the Grade 7 division, Pauleen Valeras of 7-Hummingbird bagged 1st place; Quency Faith Serdan of 8-Marigold achieved 1st place in her grade level; Jayla Therese Rosario from 9-Banyan secured the top spot in the Grade 9 division; and the first placer of grade 10 was Clexane Ehra Valle from 10-Fluorite.

Moreover, IAP collaborated with Ecosopolist, the Araling Panlipunan club, to initiate an Infomercial Making Contest as part of SIKLAB. “KaTinig” group won 1st place in the Non-

SSC Category comprising of Kathlyn Nicole Manalo, Rinah Krissha Llegado, Gia Margarette Olea, Freya Sophia Lorin Aquino, and Trisha Mae Panton while “Team Dyamante” reaped the first-place title in the SSC Category with members namely: Hezekiah Lei Serdan, Charmie Buena, Francis Cenon Elevado, Angelica Panaligan, and Kent Charles Namoro.

Alternative last paragraph if too long: Moreover, IAP collaborated with Ecosopolist, the Araling Panlipunan club, to initiate an Infomercial Making Contest as part of SIKLAB. “KaTinig” group won 1st place in the Non-SSC Category while “Team Dyamante”, a group comprising of 10-Diamond SSC students, reaped the first-place title in the SSC Category.

COME AND JOIN THE FUN! Lei Serdan, a student from Grade 10-Diamond, recruits members and advertises his organization for the Grand Sign Up Day, spearheaded by the Student Government Federation, on September 14, 2021. - Jewel Angeline M. Martinez Photo Credits: Angelica R. Panaligan

Student Government Federation, the central organization of the University of Saint Anthony - Junior High School Department, spearheaded the Virtual Grand Sign Up last September 14, 2021, to let students be part of various organizations of USANT JHS. In line with the above-mentioned event, the officers from junior high school organizations encouraged students specifically those in 7th grade to join

the organizations by posting promotional videos and posters introducing their works and objectives.

Prior to the opening of registration, a virtual program was conducted, which was streamed live via the official Facebook Page of SGF to formally introduce the organizations present in the junior high school and to further instruct students on how to sign up for the organization they have decided to join in.

JHS initiates Semana Bikolana

ECOSOPOLIST commences UN Day Celebration By: Joshua Hebrew R. Andalis

By: Rea P. Rombaon

The University of Saint Anthony Junior High School (JHS) Department celebrated Semana Bikolana 2021 last December 17, with the theme “An Pagselebrar kan Paskong Bikolnon sa Makabag-ong Pamamaagi” streamed via FB live.

The celebration began with opening remarks given by Mrs. Francia T. Buffe, the Principal of the JHS Department, followed by a talk by Guest speaker Rev. Fr. Anthony B. Sargento, who took on the topic of Celebrating Christmas.

As part of the said event, various contests such as Christmas Caroling, Tigsik, Quiz Bee, and TikTok Transformation Challenge were held by the different Makabayan Subject Departments and Organizations such as the Home Technologists’ Club, Value Savers’ Club, Campus Youth Ministry, Rhythmic Kinesthetic Club, and Ecosopolist.

In an interview with Mr. Christian B. Infeliz, the JHS Area Chairperson of the Araling Panlipunan department, “Hindi rin naman masama ang humanga at mag-aral ng kultura ng ibang bansa.

Subalit nagmimistulan

tayong mga dayuhan sa sarili nating bayan. Naniniwala ako na malaking bahagi pa rin ang gampanin na nakaatang sa mga nakatatanda. Matagumpay sana nilang maipasa sa mga nakababata ang mga tradisyon at kultura ng kanilang kinabibilangan na komunidad. Ngunit, kasabay nito ay ang panawagan ko sa mga kabataan na nawa ay matanto nila ang kahalagahan ng kulturang Bikolanon/ Bikolnon. Sapagkat ito ang nagsisilbing kaluluwa at puso ng ating rehiyon.”

Mrs. Neonita R. Marpuri, the Assistant Principal congratulated the participants and gave her closing remarks about the importance and why we should constantly keep in our minds the culture and traditions of the Bicolanos in an awarding ceremony streamed via Facebook Live.

Furthermore, various lessons where added to the JHS curriculum revolving around the Famous Personalities, Festivals, Food, and Values of Bicolanos in subjects namely: Araling Panlipunan, MAPEH, Technology and Livelihood Education, and Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao.

YOUTH SHOULD KNOW. Emily Bradshaw, an English professor at Brigham Young University, Hawaii, and guest speaker for the United Nations Day Celebration, explains the fundamentals of human rights and dignity to Junior High School students of the University of Saint Anthony through Facebook Live on November 3, 2021. Bradshaw’s job and goal is to teach human rights to children and youth all over the world. - Moira L. Sabordo Photo by: Ecosopolist USANT

With the theme “Creating a Blueprint for a Better Future”, the University of Saint Anthony Junior High school department, spearheaded by the Economics and Socio-Political Student Organization (ECOSOPOLIST), celebrated the United Nations Day last November 3, 2021, via Facebook Live.

Mrs. Emily Bradshaw, the event’s Guest Speaker hailing from Hawaii, addressed the significance and principles of Human Dignity and Human Rights during the said event.

In the featured talk given by Mrs. Bradshaw, “The youth of the world are called upon to learn human rights, to know what those human rights are and to respect and preserve those rights for yourself and for those in your community, to look around and see the people around

you with the same measure of human dignity that you have inside you, to treat others with equality, and respect.”

Various contests were also held in accordance with the celebration, planned and prepared by the ECOSOPOLIST club in order to allow the students to showcase and develop their abilities as well as skills. The contests were the Tagisan ng Talino contest, Traditional and Digital Poster-making contest, the Trivia-Making Video contest as well as “Guess the Flag” which is a game held weekly, organized to help the students become more familiar with the many flags across the world.

Mrs. Bradshaw also added that “The youth are the perfect group to carry this [appropriate use of human rights] out. I think you get it, I

think you’re strong, and I think you all are good leaders, and I celebrate United Nations Day and the hope that it gives us for a better world as I celebrate you.”

The Human Rights advocate then shared their initiatives in Ghana, Africa, and the Philippines wherein some students of USANT were mentioned to have taken part in a Human Dignity course over the recent summer, as well as anonymous quotes from the said students showing their reflections after undergoing the human dignity program.

The United Nations Day, also known as UN Day, is celebrated every 24th of October and marks the day in 1945 when the organization entered into force, binding its 51 member states, and has now expanded to cover up to 193 countries worldwide.

USANT JHS Celebrates Teachers’ Day 2021 As a way to show the student

by the JHS teachers, as well as

body’s appreciation for their teach-

the JHS Department Principal

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and Assistant Principal. During

ny (USANT)’s Junior High School

the event, teachers had the op-

(JHS)

celebrated

portunity to be part of activities

Teachers’ Day last October 3, 2021.

like meditation, games, and an

In preparation for the said event,

awarding ceremony where they

classes per section were tasked to

were awarded titles according

make collaborative video greet-

to the results of polls posted on

ings which were then present-

the SGF official Facebook page.

ed to their respective advisers

Other JHS organizations also

in a program conducted by the

took part in the celebration by

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tion entitled “Headspace 2021”.

the event and posting greet-

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ings for their advisers on their

Department

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respective

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By: Erica Mae C. Naron

PASSION STARTS SOMEWHERE. The Grade 10 Division teachers at the University of Saint Anthony Junior High School Department are given a chance to share their thoughts and answer a series of questions related to their life being a teacher during the celebration of World Teachers’ Day, on October 5, 2021, via Zoom video conference. - Patricia Anne B. Rebollido

The End of a Chapter is Not the End of the Story By: Trisha Fae M. Zarzoso

All things come to an end, that is a universal fact that we must come to terms with. But when will it come? We shall never know. The only thing we can do is to brace ourselves, accept what has gone, and cherish what they have left behind. No one could have imagined that our very own President would depart on such a festive occasion, on what was supposed to be the foundation day of our University.

On the morning of February 9, 2022, w e lost the

dear President of our University of Saint Anthony. We deeply mourn the death of Atty. Santiago D. Ortega Jr., and as we part with him, we hope that he is in a better place now and pray that his soul may rest in peace. As our president, he was the cornerstone of our school and the pillar of education. He would always give words of wisdom and encouraged his employees. He also reminded us to always do o u r best and t o

work hard so that we may bring pride to our school. It was in the year 1975 when he took to the office and since then, has served as our President. Under his administration, he set the standard of quality education and excellence. It has truly been such since USANT has proven to be the home of the champions time and time again. During his time serving as the president, he has shaped our prestigious institution into how it is today. A school that values its students and gives quality education, all with teachers who are dedicated to bestowing knowledge to their students, not just academically but even with wisdom about life. He was not only our president, or the Chairman of the board, he was also an educator. He was someone

who would joke around with the students after class hours and was deeply religious. I remember his speeches after masses and how he advised us to go to our Lord and pray during times of trouble.

So now we wish him well in God’s kingdom. Our school took pride in its value of giving back to the community and extending our services in our own little ways. The reason why our University always has community programs is because of him. He taught us to extend our hands to others and because of this, our University was able to help countless people in our community.

As Anthonians, we are so thankful for his guidance all these years and to the University and its administration.

We may not be able to celebrate the school’s foundation

with our president anymore but we will continue to keep his memory alive by always doing our best in keeping the legacy that he built for our school. We will continue to uphold his values and remember what he lived for, and that is to keep the burning passion for education and the teachings he has given us.

USANT may have lost its head but the end of a chapter doesn’t mean it’s the end of the story, a new chapter will open and the happenings of the past will carry on to live in our memories. USANT will keep on shining forever and we have our President to thank for that. Guide us all as you have guided us all these years, and may you smile in heaven as you see us continue to push forward in keeping your dreams alive.

Get to know More About Social Media By: Freya Sophia Lorin L. Aquino

Social media has always been a part of our daily lives, especially during the pandemic, wherein we need to interact with each other online through our screens with just a single tap. In fact, social media has become a household name and a term for all seasons. So, what is social media? It refers to a user-friendly way that connects users to help them to interact, engage, and communicate with others. 4.8 billion people worldwide use social media on a day-to-day basis. As it provides and creates an opportunity for creativity and inspiration for many, social media creates a presence in our daily lives. Stated below are the beneficial impacts of social media: • Marketing One of the benefits of social media is how easy it is to cater to your needs. According to Grand View

Research, the global e-commerce market is estimated at 9.09 trillion since the pandemic. The E-commerce industry is increasing fast, with an annual rate of 14.7% from 2020 to 2027. It is easily one of the biggest markets on the internet.

Social media is one of the reasons why marketing toward users can be more reachable. There are a lot of marketing strategies such as sponsoring your favorite influencer or putting up an advertisement on your feed. Social media is not only a way to sell products but is also a way to keep up with the trends online.

take this as a full-time job and it could be a great way to earn money these days, especially when we are stuck inside our homes. We all know that most of us download social media for entertainment so this can be a great opportunity for others. The marketing and the entertainment industry are interconnected. For example, the music industry seems to thrive on TikTok, a lot of our favorite artists like Doja Cat became a sensation overnight, as well as her song “Say So”. According to EOnline “As TikTok grew in popularity, so did Doja.”

• Entertainment The entertainment industry is rapidly growing e.g. YouTube, Netflix, TikTok, etc. According to a study, 88% of respondents view social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook as a new form of entertainment. A lot of influencers

• Communication Social media in its deepest meaning is all about communicating with each other. Approximately 2.77 billion people around the world are expected to be active on social media in 2019, a 45% increase in the past five years, and

a 100% increase in the past seven years, according to statistics. And with those numbers, we can basically communicate with everyone around the world. We are probably aware of the apps like Messenger, WhatsApp, Discord and etc. With these apps, we can talk to each other through a screen, especially during the pandemic wherein it is much safer to talk online than to meet them in person. Not only does it save time but also saves energy. It is commonly used during online class or work these days, where apps like zoom and google meet are mostly used.

• Education The education system here in the Philippines counts on many online apps that help students and teachers to communicate with each other. As always, we rely on online websites for our studies such as

Brainly, Schoology, Quipper, etc.

Not only do these websites help the students but also the teacher themselves. Online platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, and other social media apps always post informal education, from cultures from other countries to learning how to find a percentage of a number more simply. Always be careful about information found online, it is important not to believe everything that you see, learn to fact check and call out any misinformation online. There are many benefits of social media but there are always its cons. Never forget that the internet can be a harsh place.

Remember to stay offline every once in a while for it’s important that you spend time with your friends and family, and use social media responsibly and wisely.” In the Age of misinformation, Ignorance is a choice” – Donny Miller.

Speak Up, Let it be Heard!

By: Denzille Reign G. Sales

We have the right to express ourselves as human beings, and no one can take that away from us. Expressing ourselves in the way that we want will give us the confidence that each person should possess and empower us to achieve greater things in life. Freedom of speech, expression, or the press, as well as the freedom to acquire and distribute information and ideas, enables people to stand up for the truth and their perspectives in life.

As campus journalists, we

pursue the truth in a variety of ways. Journalism serves as the front line, giving journalists a reason to impart knowledge through writing. It serves no purpose, much like a pen without ink, if our voice cannot be heard. One of the most powerful ways to express oneself is through writing. Having liberty means that we are free from oppressive government constraints on one’s way of life, be-

havior, or political beliefs. It express and communicate what you want to the may be tough to express ourpeople, but also selves and maintain our valsharing every part ues, morals, and ideas and piece of oneself. without fear of Do not allow it to debeing crittract from the pressure and drive within because I believe we have passion within our greatest aspirations and by embracicized in ing fate as it is, we may beevery aspect gin to claim our true voices. but, speak- You’re revealing your true ing entails not identity to others so they can only having the comprehend you and have a confidence to connection to further grasp

what you’re really fighting for. Because, just like having a voice, it is necessary to go out of our way to stand up for what is right, to let the world know your ideas and opinions, and not be afraid to take up space and feign ignorance as you watch from the sidelines. Without those who can speak out against wrongdoing, the world will descend into chaos. This is not the time to stay silent, for the world needs to hear a voice strong enough to build a fire in the hearts of all people.

Rekindling the Flame By: Gian Euijin C. Isaac

Are you eager to learn a new instrument, start working out and finally push through with your diet, or do you want to finish that project of yours that you still haven’t submitted yet?

But halfway through, all of a sudden you started to lose enthusiasm. This is a common occurrence amongst the youth, and when you lack motivation you become passive, miserable, and stuck in the same position, unable to move forward. It’s like all the creative juices you once had has left your body.

Do you have trouble staying motivated? And how do you regain that lost enthusiasm?Motivation is considered to be a significant variable of academic success since it energizes and guides your behavior towards achievement.

It is the driving force that propels you to take action and achieve your goals or objectives. If you have a goal that you want to achieve but can’t seem to summon enough drive and motivation to take action, it’s a difficult situation.

You may start to think like the tasks at hand are impossible and you end up wanting to give up, and that is where a lot of us fail. Two of the most common reasons for failure and living a mediocre life are a lack of motivation and passion. Once you lose the will to do certain tasks or activities, you will be at a disadvantage, the hours lost that you could have spent doing that are wasted on other things, and you won’t get anything done and end up procrastinating the whole day. Artists may know this feeling all too well, the sudden inspiration to draw and make

art that suddenly goes away in the middle of the process, leaving it as a work in progress until they forget they ever did it. This is a problem that we must learn to overcome. Without the motivation to do anything, humans would have never achieved anything.

The willingness to learn more about our world and the universe is how we were able to build society as we know it, and without that passion, we would stay at a standstill for decades, and no growth or progress will ever be made. Now how are you supposed to do this, you might ask? Well, just relax and think about why you started in the first place. Think about who motivated you, and what led you to do so. Because at some point, there was something that sparked your willingness to pursue and stay true to that will allow you to rekindle that flame. It is your heart and soul that are powering you to complete your journey because you are destined to achieve whatever you set your mind to. To those who are reading this, congratulate yourself for making it this far. You have committed to getting to where you are now, and there were times that it was hard and you felt like you wanted to give up, but remember all the hard work you put in thus far. According to Thomas Edison, “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” There’s no greater regret than knowing you could have kept going but chose not to, so take it one step at a time and keep moving forward.

Express to Impress By: Jill Queenie M. Bo

As social media keeps on growing, lots of changes can be observed within our society, which is very different compared to what it was before.

With the advancement of technology, social media has become a platform widely used by people to express themselves, where they can put their best foot forward and show the best version of themselves, building relationships, connections, and of course, socializing.

This is an example of what we call freedom of expression.

Freedom of expression is referred to as the ability of a person or group to express their opinions, ideas, thoughts, beliefs, and emotions regarding different topics. It covers freedom of speech, religion, press, and the right to petition the government. These are granted to every individual and are a fundamental human right, and no one has the right to deprive someone of this freedom unless one violates the rights of another person. Social media nowadays plays a significant role

when it comes to self-expression, and in our country, social media is where the freedom of expression is usually observed, there are numerous apps and platforms present nowadays where people can freely express themselves. So how is self-expression something that can impact how others see you? In our society where fitting in is highly regarded, it is important that we also break free from the norms and express ourselves individually. People are attracted to those who have a sense of self-worth. Regardless of what society thinks, they stay true to who they are and what they believe in. Our hobbies or passions are some of the many ways to convey ourselves and what is essential in self-expression is how we feel, may it be from the piece of art you created, the essays you wrote, the songs you sing, or the dance you pour your heart into, every single one of these activities is part of who you are and promote self-expression. Always remember that you have the

courage within you, and what radiates from the inside will surely reflect on the outside; stand out to others and leave a lasting impression. The ability to freely express one’s opinions and connect with others promotes each individual’s dignity and value in society and as students, this freedom protects our rights to express our ideas, speak out through our passions, and leave an impact on what we say and do, in every possible way that we may express ourselves. Let your voice be heard because your voice matters. Having the right to speak your mind and express yourself plays a vital role in the advancement of our community; everyone has the right to speak for themselves, so share your thoughts or expression regardless of their type, but always remember that with freedom comes with responsibility.

Keep in mind that expression is always the key, but be careful of what impacts it may leave on others, always use that freedom for the good of all.

Monsters Inside Me By: Nikka R. Naparato

Do you remember when you were a little kid and would be so scared of those ghost stories that your friends used to tell you? and when you get ready to sleep in your bedroom, suddenly you would feel like there’s “something” staring at you so you’ll get inside a blanket just to hide from “it”. As a little kid (around 8 years old), I was always trembling with fear whenever the darkness of night seemed to haunt me. This all started when we were playing hide-and-seek at around twelve at midnight at our Grandma’s place, lights-out, and just...us.

As the moonlight shined even clearer that night, the first round of the game begins. I was the one to hide and my cousins were the ones to seek.

The timer starts at 30 seconds, and I nervously run all around the house trying to look for the perfect place to hide. Back in my childhood days, I guess I was the competitive kid who wanted to win at everything. And it showed when we were playing hide-and-seek that night.

While I was approaching the window area around the terrace, I stumbled across a box.

A very big box, almost the size

of a refrigerator but more boxlike. So, I took the opportunity to hide there because I thought that a big box was the perfect hiding spot and it would be hard for the seekers to find me since it was so dark that even the dimmest light can attest to it. And who would’ve thought I was inside a box, right?

I opened the box and hid inside while I was confidently sure that they would not find me. I heard their footsteps as I nervously stayed there, hoping not to make any noise. The game seems to have started, and it sounds like they are taking their time to look at every corner. Time had passed so much that I got suspicious of how things were going on and decided to open the box to take a little peek outside. My hands reached and opened the box, but I think I saw something - a Monster.

I didn’t know what to do, so I

wailed so loud and tried to call for help, that my voice echoed along the walls of the empty house. No one answered - I was all alone. Just when I thought I would pass out from fright, thinking that the monster might come near me, I heard the front door open. It was an antique door, I guessed because every time it opens it made a very loud noise.

My mind went blank and my feet moved on their own towards the door, hoping someone would save me.

I took the last step with a sigh as I saw my cousins standing there. I asked, “Where did you all go?” while I was crying so hard. But they asked back, “Why are you crying?”. So, I pointed out toward the terrace and trembled while I said, “I think I saw a monster there”. They laughed and said, “There isn’t any monster there, maybe you saw something else. Maybe, it’s just made-up in your head”.

Hearing those words, I was ashamed of myself that I cried because what I experienced really didn’t exist after all.

Days have passed and I noticed that I became frightened of the dark. Night after night, I kept it to myself hoping that it would all go away.

But as time went by, those monsters came closer and closer.

This is what having a Mental Illness can feel like - scared, alone, and ashamed to say anything.

Bringing back the story, the monster that I saw back then represents depression and anxiety. We may or may not know that it’s there, but

we’re still afraid of its existence. Oftentimes, we isolate ourselves from others just like how I hid inside that huge box, hoping not to be found. When I was inside the box, I was so frightened that I was all alone in a place with a “monster”.

When I heard the door open, I was still quivering with fear but I knew that I had to get outside somehow, hoping for someone to help me. The door opening is the catalyst that showed me that there is still hope to get out of the “box” and be free once again. When I got out of the box, running while I felt like giving up, it still felt good to get out and leave my four corners even though I was afraid to move.

In our lives, we might not truly feel its purpose and live to the fullest if we always keep ourselves locked up inside a box. Being aware of how things are going for us is a very important part of our mental health and or personal well-being. It’s okay to not be okay for a moment because not being okay isn’t your fault, it isn’t your identity, it isn’t you. No one talks about what keeps us up at night. Do you?

Spending Time Productively By: Jordana Ashley M. Lopez

Are you one of those people who have a lot of work to do but still say “yes” to doing other people’s tasks? And then gets frustrated because you don’t know what to do, how to start, or even how to spend your time doing all of the tasks given, and how can you finish them all, then you just explode and lose the will to do it. Or are you one of the people who like to wait before doing a task? We’ve all probably had those “lost hours”, the time wherein you spend more of your time doing other things than finishing your tasks, and you get frustrated, then feel helpless, and end up not doing your task because you just lost your motivation to do it. Then you’ll probably say, “I think things will get better tomorrow. I can do this. Fighting!” repeating the cycle all over again. You always end up not doing your tasks because of poor time management and lack of the will to do so.

But here’s a piece of good news; there are a lot of ways for reclaiming those “lost hours” of supposed work. It’s all about managing your time rather than allowing it to manage you. Start spending your time productively, and don’t waste any second.

To get you started, here are some time management strategies for you to work at: Avoid Laziness, Procrastination, and Distraction In doing tasks, there is no doubt that there is always a person who tends to spend more time chilling, scrolling on their phone, watching some latest Korean drama series, and probably laughing at some TikTok video. Then they become “The Flash” while doing their tasks for it to be passed on time the next day, which is not good. In the first strategy, you need to stop being lazy. Get up and start doing your task and stop cramming, it will do you no good. And at the same time, determine all of the things that are distracting you and eliminate them just for now. Also, avoid using your phone at the moment. The phone is one of the top distractions nowadays. After that, you need to stay focused on the tasks at hand.

List and Organize your Daily Activities.

The most vital aspect of successful time management is planning ahead of time. You need to recognize when you’re most productive: whether you’re the most awake first thing in the morning, or perhaps you’re most productive at night. Save your most critical and difficult chores for when your productivity is at its highest. In the second approach, you have to make a list and arrange it. Go grab a pen and a piece of paper. Start writing down everything you need to accomplish, including household tasks, schoolwork, breaks,

and personal matters. Following that, begin to schedule your time for each activity.

Prioritize Prioritization is essential for effective time management at work as you plan your everyday life activities. You need to set what is your top priority of the day and save the less important activities or tasks that haven’t yet become necessary at the moment for later, so you can focus on them more when you have already finished your big tasks. Prioritize your work based on significance and urgency.

Create Deadlines When deadlines are fast approaching, some people like procrastinating. That is why this fourth strategy would be useful for them. Here, you must set deadlines for each task. You must track your time for each assignment since it allows you to be flawlessly organized with your daily routine at work because you will not have a single minute to even consider delaying.

Don’t Multitask Some say that doing two or more things at the same time is good. Yes, it is good for decreasing the number of unfinished tasks, but it is unhealthy because it reduces your productivity. And instead of finishing one or two tasks, you end up just starting everything because you don’t know which to start on. To prevent this from happening, the easiest method to manage your time is to focus on a single activity at a time and give it your complete attention while working on it.

Reward Yourself Last but not least, reward yourself, you’ve earned it. Why don’t you give yourself a tiny treat after a long day of accomplishing work? For example, you may reward yourself for completing a task by taking a 5-15 minutes rest or by treating yourself to some tasty goodies.

Workplace rewards keep you engaged and can help you achieve a better work-life balance.

When you spend your time productively, you’re much more in control of the things you do and you are also able to fulfill deadlines and avoid last-minute cramming.

You also grow to be more efficient, disciplined, and equipped to deal with anything life throws in your way. You will eventually feel less anxious and calmer, and get to enjoy life more. That’s why you should stop wasting every second, time is gold and it’s running fast. It’s up to you if you’re going to control it or the other way around.

Continuing the Learning Process With Good Quality Education By: Kherstine Jhoy C. Tabuzo

Pandemic is a word that all of us have heard or read on many social media platforms. The pandemic struck the whole world for almost 2 years, and some of us thought that it would only last for 2 months. But sad to say, the 2 months that we expected became 2 years and counting. Because of this, many things have changed, in terms of work, school, establishments, and in our daily life.

We still can’t imagine that for 2 years we were only in our houses and kept asking “When will this become normal again?”

Before the pandemic, we could all do whatever we wanted to do. There were no quarantines and diseases and we didn’t need to wear masks. The world was normal and we didn’t mind if a person coughs or sneezes. The mode of learning before was still happening in a school where the teachers and students have face-to-face interactions. Many activities and celebrations were held before the pandemic started. Everything seemed fine but, in March 2020, a nightmare happened. We were frightened because of a virus, COVID-19, which made a huge impact on the world. Suddenly there were checkpoints, quarantines, and wearing of masks. Establishments started to shut down and no one was allowed to go outside and education was put on hold.

Because of the pandemic, the mode of learning also changed and some schools decided to continue the learning of the students despite the pandemic.

According to the Department of Education (DepEd), this is by far the best approach to adjust to the “New Normal Mode of Learning,” which involves using distant and blended learning resources, as well as homeschooling methods, until it is safe to continue the face-to-face classes. Here is a list of some flexible learning modes that were tested and have proven to be effective for the new mode of learning: • Modular Distance Learning In this mode, students have the option to use self-learning modules (SLMs) in physical form which could be delivered by the school advisers to the student’s homes. Through this mode, it enables those students that don’t have internet access to continue their learning even if they are not in school.

• Online Distance Learning Our school is currently making use of this mode of learning. Students and teachers have interaction but it is only held through online apps like Zoom and Google Meet. Those students who have a stable internet connection use this mode of learning where the teachers facilitate online discussions and synchronous sessions. In this way, students submit their activities and assignments through learning management systems (LMS).

Additionally, the students aren’t tasked to go to school to submit their activities and are free from contracting the disease because of this mode of learning.

• TV/Radio Based Learning This mode uses the self-learning modules (SLMs) which are transformed into multimedia materials that could be seen through televisions or transmitted over radio networks.

This approach has the advantage of being very accessible, especially when there are no home entertainment gadgets and the school can only give CDs, USBs, and DVDs. Through this, students can contact their teachers if they are experiencing problems. The teachers can also conduct periodic visitations to the students’ houses.

• Blended Learning In this mode, the combination of face-to-face and online distance learning is being implemented. The students can submit their activities using online platforms and the discussions can be held in a classroom. But this mode is only applicable for those places without any restrictions and where students can move freely. If this mode is implemented, social distancing and safety protocols must still be observed. Our University is expected to adapt this blended mode of learning in the near future.

• Homeschooling This mode is an alternative to regular schooling, the parents are the one who teaches their child and this mode has been widely accepted for many years.

Parents choose this flexible learning for their child that can be partnered with regular school

and to have the knowledge of their children of the standards of a school for the issuance of a certificate or diploma.

The University of Saint Anthony is one of the schools that decided to have online distance learning as their mode of learning after the pandemic struck. It was not easy for the students, teachers, and staff to cope immediately with the new mode of learning since it was a way wherein many students didn’t know how their studies will continue amidst the pandemic. At first, it was really hard since not all the students have internet access, and using the educational apps is not that easy. The struggle was real but as time went by, students understood how the apps function and they now know how the teachers will teach their lessons. Our school uses different platforms in this mode of learning since we can’t still go to the school.

By using these platforms, students can now fully understand the lesson even in an online setup. The Pandemic affected us in terms of the mode of learning, but since our school wanted the students to learn amidst the pandemic, they continued the learning by using online distance learning. Remember that in USANT, quality education is a tradition. No matter how hard it is to cope, our school will assure us we will continue our learning and we will have a better education under their school.

Learning is very important es-

pecially when we have the opportunity to interact with our teachers to have a better understanding of our lessons. It’s almost 2 years since the pandemic started, some countries have face-to-face classes right now but still follow the safety protocols. Many of us are expecting that this year our school will open again to welcome us in the new school year and we will now enjoy our school life. We all know that the coronavirus will not end until there is no 100% cure for the virus. We just need to have faith that the struggle will end soon and our school starts to open again. For sure in the future, the mode of learning will become normal again and we will have more interactions with our teachers, classmates, and friends. This time is not easy for all of us but the one thing that we should remember is that learning during this time is an opportunity that we can share with our children and grandchildren in the future.

There are many modes of learning that our school can choose, but whatever it is, we must continue to study no matter how hard it is. Always remember that our future is based on what we are doing in the present, whatever mode of learning it is, continue to study for a better future for ourselves and our society.

Two-Faced Screen By: Ma. Bettina Kaye R. Pasion

Amid this rampant virus, unbeknownst to us, there is another one slowly consuming the population of students. It may seem fine from posts through social apps, but who would have thought that this facade would linger a little longer than expected. I, for once, felt like the world was too harsh, making me take things that were too much for me to handle. It made me feel devastated to the point of disregarding all dues and living as if there were no necessary things to be done, but I suddenly thought of those people who are more active than I am? How do they manage to deal with it when even for me it was all too excessive?

Showing what you can do best is what we’re all good at.

Living up to the phrase “first i m p r e s s i o n s”, which would, later on, develop to be that person’s perspective of you. That is why most of us try to appear professional and neat in front of others since we want to shape their view that would foster mutual respect between us. Though after showing the world the beauty of your life, you try to hide what is hidden underneath it. Some emerge as strong in front of others, some independent, though sometimes they

are common in one thing and that is they hide what they truly feel.

Nowadays, it is true to life that you should check if a post is verifiable or not. It may come off as a luxurious

lifestyle when in reality it was only a frontage for us to be deceived in a way to not worry.

Thinking back on my days with my friends, it is safe to say that life in face-to-face operation was more enjoyable than that of what it is today. You get to witness real people that show their actual personalities, perceive what they feel, and actually get to talk to them.

You see, in this mode of learning, we won’t be able to communicate more often which would affect us greatly and that is no exception for us students. As I said before, we like to show off what we’re good at, receiving appreciation and compliments, but we don’t know what will happen when the show finally stops. As we turn off our cameras after classes, we are stuck with a mountain pile of problems that are left untouched. We are treating learning as a safe corner in which we get to lie to ourselves and turn our back on what is really true. We don’t want others to see us struggling so we pretend a front that may have been the reason as to why this kept on continuing.

During this time when limitations are implemented, just remember that there are no restrictions on sharing what you feel with others.

Don’t just carry it yourself and go on with life as if there were no problems. Let other people guide you and go through with it together. It is not a burden for them as in the end, someone could be saved. Learn how to be yourself and abandon the word ‘pretend’.

Stop Trying to be a Snail, You Should Slay By: Micah Q. Villar

Waking up in the morning with an exhausted body, you look at the mirror and see the fine and unproblematic sun. You are touched by the rays of the sun that motivated you to stand up on the messy bed you are sitting on. As you step down the stairs, it feels as if you don’t have an appetite. Have you ever felt that kind of scenario? That you know you need to start your day happy, and productive, but you, yourself is forcing you not to.

Productivity develops your mind on how to practice discipline. It trains you to be more focused. Every day, we will always face problems and challenges, we always think about the negative, but for once why don’t we think of it more positively? treat it as a piece of pie and try to balance your time by splitting it into sections. Make a beam scale of time that may help you to be more productive every day for a more positive life. As I have noticed nowadays, because of the pandemic, people are always facing their gadgets and are consumed by the different forms of media just for entertainment. Is that

The Beauty of Sorrows

how our lives are meant to be? Why don’t we make a change? Stop trying to be a snail and start moving at a faster pace. Once you have done what you should, try to think about essentialism.

Being productive is very important, especially nowadays when we need to work our fingers to the bone. It should always be present in our daily lives because that is how we progress, that is how success is made. It is not all about time and necessity. Do it so you can learn, explore new things, and do it because you want to. Being productive helps you to come out with who you really are. That is why time is used just for important and necessary things. Time is gold, don’t spend it but invest in it instead. Learn to depend on yourself, productivity may help you to become a better person but you need to know how to stand up on your own two feet for whatever obstacle you are going to face. Be efficient, and use your time wisely so that you will be able to finish your tasks consistently because a productive person is one who genuinely works hard for their future.

By: Michael Glenn O. Bagaporo

What is depression? Feeling down is a part of life, but when emotions like hopelessness and despair take hold and refuse to leave, You may be suffering from depression. It is estimated by researchers that 3.8% of the population is affected by it, and approximately 280 million people in the world have depression. Although it may be a common occurrence, society is still ignorant about mental health issues because of the stigma that surrounds them. Does a depression simply means the feeling of immense sadness or is there more to it?

Depression is a state of low

mood and activity aversion that can impair one’s ideas, conduct, motivation, feelings, and sense of well-being. It is usually caused by an upsetting or stressful life event or other traumas. It can also be caused by health problems such as anxiety disorders that go hand in hand with depression. Depression is known to be a major cause of disability globally and contributes significantly to the global disease burden. A person who is depressed has a constant sad mood, as well as a lack of pleasure or interest in activities, for most of the day, virtually every day, for at least

two weeks or even longer.

Some of the possible symptoms are the poor focus, feelings of excessive guilt or low self-worth, interrupted sleep, changes in food or weight, feeling unusually stressed out, and thoughts of death or suicide. But not all depressed people are suicidal, some may just lack the will to live, just like a zombie who’s not alive inside but still walking. It isn’t a hopeless case though, a person can be down for as long as they like but at one point they will heal and continue on with their lives, and talking with a therapist is one of the best ways to deal with depres-

sion. You should consult an expert if you want the finest advice available to help you in figuring out what’s causing your melancholy, gain new skills for dealing with life’s challenges and work towards improving your life.

Depression is a very serious matter and you shouldn’t joke about it. Sadness touches our lives at different times but it will come and go. It’s time that we stop judging people for what they are going through, and just help them through it. Take care of your mental and emotional health because it is just as important as your physical health. Don’t be afraid to

open up to your friends or family and always remember that the pain is meant to be felt, the beauty of sorrow is what makes us human.

All the emotions that we feel, may it be good or bad are what make us feel alive.

It is not there to bring you down but to remind you that the joy at the end of the sadness is always worth struggling for, so open yourself to it to allow the healing to start. Though the road to healing may be long and hard, never give up on yourself, take all the time you need, and remember, you are worth more than all the bad days in your life combined.

The Battle Within By: Krishia Mae V. Hiliran

When we think of a battlefield, we usually imagine a bloody war against opposite factions, fighting to the death between soldiers, using every tactic and strategy they could think of to gain the upper advantage over the enemy, and ultimately lead to one side emerging as victorious. It is not every day that we can experience this sort of situation but what if the battle was amongst ourselves, within the borders of our classrooms?

As students, we come into a classroom thinking that it will be a learning experience, where we will cooperate with each other, have the freedom to express ourselves creatively, and have fun with each

other’s company. But it isn’t always like that, with the system that rewards top achievers, breeds competition between the students to reap the most awards. The pandemic has robbed us of any physical contact and communication with others. We are now heavily reliant on ourselves and become distant from others. Competing within an online setting is different from the traditional face-toface setting, it is every person for themselves and whoever gets the most recognition will surely get higher marks. Before the online set up we always used to sit amongst each other and take quizzes with one another, but now we keep

to ourselves and study on our own. There is less teamwork and unity amongst students because we lack the interaction to build bonds with each other and thus we divert our attention to getting higher marks by competing against one another. But what we have to know is that it is not others we should challenge, but ourselves. We are fighting our own fears and are trying not to give in to the frustrations, especially now since the pandemic has affected people like me, who is now struggling with my academics.

The physical and emotional strains it has on an individual can greatly affect their performance in school and

so, how do we help the students during these times?

For starters, it is best to have a support system laid out within the classroom. Students can do study sessions with each other so they can have more inspiration to study and help each other when they need it. Never be afraid to ask for help and remember that your classmates are like your second family. They are the people who have struggled alongside you and they are the people who you can confide to.

Now that everyone is separated through screens, we must rebuild our connection with each other, because just like the famous motto “no

man is an island”, we cannot live alone and must therefore rely on one another to ensure that no one gets left behind.

There is no need to distance ourselves further by competing against each other, and instead, let us all help one another in these trying times.

Don’t let the pressures of academic excellence blind you from developing your relationships with your peers. So it is up to us to change how we interact with people, discard our pride and be better for ourselves and others because “More often than not, a hero’s most epic battle is the one you never see; it’s the battle that goes on within him or herself.” - Kevin Smith

Your Cyber Footprint By: Trisha Fae M. Zarzoso

Have you ever walked across the beach barefooted and looked back to see the trail of footprints along the sand? All throughout history, we humans have left our marks on this Earth, all with the good and the bad; in one way or another. Everything that we do will be a part of history and will be seen for generations to come even after we are gone, though a minority of it may fade through time, such as literature or art, one thing for sure that will remain is the Internet.

The Internet is a vast online space where all forms of media can be found, from news, pictures, articles, music, videos, and so much more. It has been part of people’s lives ever since it came into popularity and will continue to do so. All types of people from all walks of life across the world have access to the Inter-

net and they can search or post anything with just a simple click. Knowledge has been easier to acquire and we can interact with others no matter where they are in the world, there are many advantages of using the Internet, but let us not forget that there are always two sides to a coin. Hidden beneath the surface of a fun and glamorous place is an ugly underbelly, a beast that can consume a person whole and affect the lives of millions as we know it.

Everyone wants to put their best foot forward, they want the world to know that they have a happy life or have more

than what they actually do, most of the time it attracts the attention of people, but along with that, there will a l -

w a y s be

negative

com-

ments. Those who feed on the downfall of others and enjoy seeing them suffer can be found all over the Internet. Most people are told to just ignore those types of people because they only want the attention from the hate they are spreading but oftentimes they can badly affect a person, and if it gets worse, it can really drag them down under. Cyberbulltying has harmful effects on a person and can mess with how they view themselves and lower their self-esteem. Some mental health issues can be caused as a result of getting negative or threatening comments. But because of the anonymity that the Internet gives us, peo-

ple are free to post anything they want without thinking of the consequences, but what they don’t know is that whatever we post leaves a mark on the internet, a cyber footprint if you may call it.

Cyberbullying has been and is still a problem that we continue to face up to this day, and the youth, who are growing up with the internet are at risk of being subjected to this. We must remember that every action that we make has an impact on others, even if it is behind a screen, we are very much capable of making or breaking someone. Instead of spreading hate on the internet, choose to uplift people, be kind, and treat others how you would like to be treated. You have full control over what you want to leave in this world, so be a person that will leave a good mark.

Simple Ability Can Make People’s Dream Effectively By: Maicah Jatasha B. Magistrado

Skills serve as our habits. It can entertain, educate, and also help us in our daily lives. But there is a hobby that everyone should learn because it is a part of our everyday existence, and that is reading.

Reading is one of the most important skills that we all need to acquire and study. It has many uses for us as a student and as a person. Now, what are the benefits of reading, and how does it affect our daily lives?

If you wish to know the answer here are the benefits of reading: • It enriches the mind Reading helps us to speak fluently, improves our study habits, enriches our vocabulary, and also gives us knowledge about various topics.

But before we gain an understanding of how to spell, encounter different matters, write sentences, or even note a single word and realize what it means, we must first know how to read and comprehend it.

• It has an essential duty in our lives.

We can make use of it at school, at home, and even outside. It can serve as a stress reliever, perhaps to exercise our mind, and can be a source of entertainment for us, as well as to nourish our memories.

Moreover, it is an advantage for us to be more focused, and reading a lot helps train us to do so.

• It fuels our imagination

Books can be a doorway to another world, by reading stories you imagine yourself living through them as if you were really there.

Our imagination spikes and it makes us feel different emotions.

But as we notice, some children have forgotten to read books, and one of its causes is the addiction to gadgets. Some of the people of today’s generation mostly spend their time playing online games and concentrating on technology and social media instead of studying.

Some students are not supervised by their parents for the reason that they are working to earn for their families. Due to this, governments organize programs in different areas wherein volunteers teach the

youth how to read. We can work up this complication by decreasing our screen time and making more use of it for reading and educating ourselves. Let us make reading a fun, lively, and informative skill by using our imagination and creativity like putting pictures and drawings.

By this way we can get the attention of the readers. Let’s call to our minds that all of us are required to attain to be functional members of society considering that its future counts on us, the youth. Reading is not just a hobby or a simple pasttime, it is a valuable experience that everyone needs to learn to love.

Dr. Seuss said that “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go”, and it is re-

ally true. The more we read from different sources such as books, dictionaries, and even the internet, we get to discover many kinds of things that we can someday apply to life and those learnings will lead us to many opportunities as well. They serve as the key to success not just for us individually, but including everyone around us.

And through it, we could achieve far more, and together we would rise up and make the world a more friendly and nice place for all of us.

Now that we know what the benefits of reading are and how powerful it is to us, I encourage everyone to read, because reading is an invaluable exercise. A simple ability such as reading can make our dreams into reality.

Tinagba 2022: The Spirit of Irigueños A Whole Different Kind of Experience in an Array of Sounds The Philippines is parade features street By: Nicolas Francis E. Deniña

By: Allysa Bianca V. Guinoo

An outstretched toast for triumph, a river of tears for misery, a full set of teeth smiles for glee, a feel of butterflies for affection, a heartfelt scream for frustration, and ideal music for emotional expression. All of the things that are mentioned prior can be done under the latter. Something that is incomparably powerful to the point of fixation. A single word speaks a whole narrative, and a single beat is like an instant portal to nirvana.

May it be wordless or not, it speaks to you on a deep emotional level. It’s the intrinsic awakening of your other personalities that resonates with the wafting notes. A moment of confidence for a song that boosts your ego, a moment of breakdown for a song that relates to your current struggle, a moment of villainy for a song that screams God complex, or a moment of vibe for an electronic pop song. It’s a paroxysm of emotions depending on your next character to act in your playlist.

How does it play with your emotions? Does it also make you feel like a villain, hero, lover, princess, or the main character in a world built within three minutes? Does it make you feel nostalgic for a time that you’re not even born into yet like aesthetically living in the 80s? Or like in a royal ball dancing with a tall, black and long-haired, handsome man with a moving castle? Or does it make you feel like living the best life as a modern life teen?

Its relevance to any timeline makes it like a wine that tastes better with age. It’s the only thing that could make you time travel and tells you a whole story of a generation.

As amusing as it is, you either listen based on your mood or your mood

changes when you listen.

Whether it inspires or incites something within us, it is a feeling we all undeniably felt at least once. The power that music holds is far unmatched and in a class by itself. It can serve as the brush of an artist, the rivulet tears of the heartbroken, the pillow of the drowsy, the entertainment for the bored, the cupid of the lovesick, the disco ball of the partygoer, the flame of a musician burning with passion, or just the escape of a young person like you.

After a long day of school or work, you lay in your cozy bed, grab your earphones and press the play button of the first song in your playlist. You relax your whole body as your vision gradually turns into complete darkness. In a silent world enclosed within your room with dim light, inside your head is an entirely new realm filled with vividity and colors. A world you created just the way you wanted. Suddenly, your fatigue disappears in a mere second, and your body feels so light now. An elated feeling that you never wanted to end.

Long ever since before the era of enlightenment in human history, music has been thriving in different parts of the world.

With the use of different instruments, voices, or any form of medium to produce sounds, early people have created the essence of the melody.

Humankind has always been known to be so inventive and creative when it comes to the expression of emotions, thus, music was born. Over the past centuries, different musical styles were created by talented musicians, and one of the most prominent was classical music.

These styles portray the different eras of music

where each is known for its uniqueness in form.

As time gets modern, new kinds of music were produced and various genres categorized their distinctions. Some of the genres such as pop, rock, jazz, and country are known for their characteristics which listeners can choose to vibe to. Pop music generally makes you feel a summer mood that makes you want to move your body and sing at the top of your lungs. Rock music makes your spirit high and electrified. And jazz music stimulates a calming and positive effect in your body with its mellow tune.

Different genres for different preferences, but bring everyone the same feeling of pleasure from listening.

In this contemporary world, technology and social media’s widespread usage prevail, and the youth became prone to succumb to negativity. So, one of their ways to close the door to the harshness of reality is to enter a fantasy by listening to the melody. Music is so powerful that it controls your whole self in the moment of immersion. Once you let it engulf your consciousness, your emotions will overwhelm you on a spiritual level. You smile because it’s a banger and boosts your mood on a whole other level. You cry because the lyrics hit you so hard, or you just sway your head to the gentle harmony. Nevertheless, it evokes your inner self and lets you experience an unexplainable kind of freedom in disregarding the outside problems.

The fleeting moment of escapism makes you feel so surreal and appreciate the idea of being alive. From the deepest depths of our consciousness, it’s a whole different kind of experience in an array of sounds.

known for being a very festive country, with celebrations from different places all giving color and joy to the lives of people and are a representation of our roots as Filipinos and give us a deep dive into our cultures and traditions. During the month of February, our city is known for a very bountiful celebration of the harvest, originating from the old traditions of the Irigueños. This is the Tinagba Festival.

Every year on the 11th of February, the City of Iriga celebrates the Tinagba Festival. It is a reenactment of an old pagan ritual of offering the best produce of the land, this is to show gratitude to their Gods for a successful harvest and bring in more blessings for the next harvests, and today the event is now also being celebrated by offering a mass to our city’s patron saint, Our Lady of Lourdes in which its image is situated in the historical place of worship called the Grotto. A parade of colorfully decorated bull carts with equally colorful dressed men & women from all walks of life makes the celebration lively and festive. This celebration is not only held to commemorate the harvest of farmers but through the pursuits of the government, they aim to promote eco-tourism by presenting their feelings of pride and originalities through the various events. The most well-known of which is the parade around the city, participated by the different government and non-government agencies of Iriga City. The

dancers, marching bands, carts filled with the harvest drawn by carabaos, and grandly decorated floats in which the most beautiful and creative ones will receive awards from the city government.

But due to the pandemic, the City was on Alert Level 3 during the time of the Tinagba Festival, so there were only a few activities held during the celebration. Nevertheless, some activities were still conducted under the supervision of the local government and following the IATF Protocols. Some of these activities are the “PEREDALAN SA RINCONADA PARA SA BAKUNA (Mt. Asog Mountain Bike Extreme Challenge)” held on February 13, 2022, and the “TINAGBA FESTIVAL MOTOCROSS INVITATIONAL RACE”. Although this year we may not celebrate the Tinagba Festival to its full extent as how we did before the pandemic, it doesn’t stop us from practicing our faiths and traditions.

Let us all pray that this COVID-19 will be gone in next year’s Tinagba Festival, so that the people of Iriga will return to their old ways of celebrating, with fun and happiness in full blast. But for now, remember to stay safe and always look forward to the years to follow because God will surely provide for us. The passion in our hearts will continue to burn bright and this pandemic cannot stop the spirit of the Irigueños. “Stand mighty against all storms and pain. They are nothing but a dim-lit pathway to your shining heroic destiny.” ― Hiral Nagda

THE EDITORIAL BOARD OF YRAGA/AMUDYONG Academic Year 2021-2022

Angelica R. Panaligan Editor-In-Chief

The Power It Holds Lorian Kate B. Ibias Associate Editor

Jheanne Ehrico B. Adan

Francis Cenon E. Elevado

Christine Anica B. Batalla Head Layout Artist

Assistant Layout Artist

Erica Mae C. Naron

Trisha Fae M. Zarzoso

Szachi Ro-Chelle B. Daza

Managing Editor

Gian Nicole A. Ignao

News Editor

Assistant News Editor

Hezekiah Lei O. Serdan

Nicole Mae A. Contreras Assistant Opinion Editor

Senior Photojournalist

Assistant Photojournalist

Jascyl Jee H. Sayson

Vincent Anthony R. Prades

Josiah Nathaniel C. Camila

Sofia Moira B. Dolorical

Opinion Editor

Senior Editorial Cartoonist

Feature Editor

Assistant Editorial Cartoonist

Marian Janel L. Palos

Science & Technology Editor

Mrs. Francia T. Buffe Principal

Moira L. Sabordo

Sports Editor

Assistant Feature Editor

Liz Rheann B. Malapo

Assistant Sports Editor

Ella Ivy M. Barra

Assistant Science & Technology Editor

Ms. Maria Krishna M. Jove School Paper Adviser

Mrs. Neonita F. Marpuri Assistant Principal

With the wide gap between rich and poor, continuous killings, injustices, and oppression, people are undeniably longing for good governance and a change that will eradicate all of these inhumane actions. One of the main steps in achieving this is to let people, especially in a democratic society, choose leaders that will create systematic acts toward solving social issues.

The Philippine National Elections is one of the momentous events in the Philippines. On this, Filipinos have the right to elect candidates who will govern the country. Emphasizing the people’s right to vote, the 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines, Article 5 section 1 states that suffrage may be exercised by all citizens of the Philippines not otherwise disqualified by law, who are at least eighteen years of age. Thus, people have the capacity to give their trust to the candidates who will lead the country for the sake of their future.

For the past years, and even at present in which people still grapple with the effects of the global pandemic, political issues that massively affect society remain controversial. The usage of the extreme power of those seated in positions for their personal benefits and betterment is nothing new but a disease that the Philippines has. Despite this, people continuously turn a

blind eye to what is really happening in the country. Most of all are blinded by money, leading them to do things against what is morally right and just.

Living in a democratic country, everyone must know what it means to be part of the masses and a leader. Citizens have the right and power to decide their fate by choosing leaders. Their own fate is in their hands. It’s only a matter of being critically and open-mindedly aware of choosing because one’s decision can affect the whole. On the other hand, leaders of the country – those in the Philippine government, have the power to turn the country into either a better or worst one.

They have the ability to solve a country’s problems by hearing out the voice of the masses, but they also have the power to worsen the country’s situation if they choose to.

Amongst all of these, everyone is encouraged to open their eyes and minds to using those power for the country’s future and of the next generations. It is clearly understood that all people have the power, but what is important is that people use these powers, especially those who sit in the position for the betterment of all and not for personal gains. Because at the end of the day, it would be better if all of these powers will be executed toward a change that everyone aims for.

• Jaden Paolo Romeo J. Espiritu • Kristine Ann A. Layosa • Mark Amiel Soreta • Felipa Irish N. Ballecer • Zener Gabriel R. Arizala • Chelsea Ysabel V. Ramboyong • Gaelann Inocentes Camila • Ryker B. Bernales • Marcus Nicolo E. Pandes • Mary Jonica R. De Los Reyes • Mark Amiel P. Soreta

• Jovizel Regalado • Mary Denise V. Abaño • Kristine Kaye T. Postrado • Liz Rheann B. Malapo • Mary Angel B. Ybarola • Jewel Angeline M. Martinez • Patricia Anne B. Rebollido • Sabine Audria C. Jacob • Hannah Angeli N. Sta.Cruz • Junifer M. Barce Jr. • Kyz Denise L. Aquino • Ezekiel Clive T. Prades • Angel Joy Oliva Tabayag

CONTRIBUTORS

• Jeseylou B. Bayan • Denzille Reign G. Sales • Sophia Bianca S. Tijam • Angeline E. Guevarra • Gian Euijin C. Isaac • Karen Yliz I. Jose • Ma. Francia Ysabelle A. • Jill Queenie M. Bo • Richelle Andrei I. Manalo Camila • Nikka R. Naparato • Hera Kate M. Ibias • Claire Ashley S. Malate • Jordana Ashley M. Lopez • Lara Juliana R. De Leon • Denise C. Acuña • Kherstine Jhoy C. Tabuzo • Dwayne Liam C. Atay • Nathaniel Jemm Justine R. • Ma. Bettina Kaye R. Pasion • Martina Kassandra O. OdaRebato • Micah Q. Villar var • Glynnise Alleina San Juan • Michael Glenn O. Bagaporo • Eulalia Naomi J. Espiritu • Jan Michael T. Cervas • Krishia Mae V. Hiliran • Mary Vianei Sumpay • Joshua Hebrew R. Andalis • Maicah Jatasha B. Magistrado • Angeliah Monje • Rea P. Rombaon • Allysa Bianca V. Guinoo • Hannah Jianne A. Pineda • Freya Sophia Lorin L. Aquino • Nicolas Francis Deniña • Rafaela Jehan J. Cedo

POSTIES

Taking the First Step Towards a New Me By: Sophia Bianca S. Tijam

We see a lot of New Year’s resolution posts on several social media platforms. Saying “I promise that this year, I will work out and study diligently”. This is just one of the many posts we may have come across. Every year, our teacher also instructs us to write essays about what we would like to change about ourselves.

But do we actually imply them, or are we simply just saying that? “Wherever you go, go with all your heart” Confucius famously remarked. Your resolution must be something you’ve thought about a lot and believe you should alter about yourself. Don’t merely decide to do anything and consider it carefully since it is a choice you are willing to make about yourself.

Humans are, by nature, emotional beings. Emotions have an impact on our behavior. How you see and interact with the world is shaped by your viewpoint. As a result,

how you approach and handle your emotions should be shaped by your beliefs. We can’t control everything that occurs to us, but we can learn to respond and react differently, both physically and intellectually. We can learn to control our feelings and behaviors. However, there is one individual who is quite close to me; who is always angry and disgusted. She’s been my worst critic. She’d say things like “your fat” after I had eaten. “You’re stupid” when I don’t achieve a perfect test score. She’d also analyze every step I made, making sure I didn’t make any mistakes. That person is me.

Others often say, “You’re so young, why are you being so hard on yourself?”

I’m feeling incompetent.

Every person I come into contact with is always calm and presentable. I’m afraid of making mistakes and disappointing others.

I have a gut feeling that who I am will be the rea-

son people distance themselves from me. I had this conversation with a friend a few months back; we had only met when I switched schools. Since she was the youngest kid, she has always been used to people saying yes to her. “I’d just get a few ideas from it,” she said when she asked for my performance task. I’m saddened and maybe angry; because all of the nights I’ve spent reading the book just to have someone copy it makes me feel like I’m being trampled on. I paused for a moment, thinking to myself. If I say no, would she disregard me as her closest friend? I realized as I was writing this paragraph, that constant self-criticism can lead to feelings of sadness, anger, shame, or guilt. As a result of what I saw in others, I became completely conscious of what I was doing. It took me a long time to realize that what I’d been pushing myself to do wasn’t actually who

I was. If it violates my beliefs, I should decline.

This is something I’ve been thinking about for a long time. I should be myself, but why does it feel so difficult when it is so simple to others? We may be satisfied with where we are and afraid of stepping into the unknown.

Transitioning will be difficult as long as we are comfortable and secure in our current situation. Personally, behavioral change is hard for me. It requires a person to change or stop a certain habit that they’ve been doing for a long time. It is hard to break a cycle and start a new one. It takes time and patience to fully accept, plan, and execute your idea. I decided to take a step a few hours before midnight on New Year’s Eve. I made the decision to make a positive change in my life. I’d like to concentrate on internal transformation. I’d like to become the person I want to be as a result of this shift.

According to studies, forming a new habit can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days, with an average of 66 days for a new behavior to become automatic. It’s natural to feel better at certain times of the year than at others, but that doesn’t mean you can’t create a pattern of happiness and thankfulness in your life. To begin, you must learn to be content with yourself. Add appreciation and compassion into your everyday routine. I’ve been concentrating on myself for the past three months. I had breakdowns and went through an identity crisis.

There are ups and downs to going through this but it is part of the process of growing. I’ve changed a lot, even though I haven’t totally gained confidence, I developed a genuine feeling of self and began to discover what I’m good at, and it feels incredible. I still have a long way to go, but I’m glad I took the first step towards a new me.

Recharging Your Batteries By: Szachi Ro-Chelle B. Daza

Do you yearn for the life you had two years ago? Certainly, the majority of us miss life before the pandemic. Who wouldn’t want to go on an after-class snack trip with their friends every afternoon? The get-together with your relatives, including your favorite cousin? Overnights, camping, school activities, and endless humorous conversations and jams with your classmates?

Isn’t it funny how each time we bring up this subject, it brings up so many memories?

Due to the sudden situation, it feels like we’ve been cut off from the world for two years and since then, the connection we used to have was abruptly turned off like a light switch.

Despite this, how will you still manage to be connected to the world you have before?

As the pandemic started, it was implemented to avoid social gatherings and interactions. We are required to stay in our homes during the quarantine period. Thus, the only connection we could make is

through the use of social media and other online platforms.

Researchers say the effects of social distancing and the long quarantine period can affect a person’s social interaction and well-being. According to EEhealth.org, they researched and scaled the responses of extroverts and introverts during a pandemic. The results said it is harder for introverts to cope because of their nervousness and fear, while extroverts are more focused on their positive, optimistic side. Both personal traits have faced mental health challenges during quarantine and are stressed in their own ways. Not seeing our friends for a long time and being stuck in our homes brings stress and anxiety to us. One of the most important human needs is social belonging and our relationships with our friends and family play a critical role in our happiness and state of mind. It provides people companionship and affection.

Staying connected means creating a good social life. Posi-

tive social connections help people improve and maintain their good mental health and avoid the feeling of burnout. It also improves a range of physical health benefits and relieves cardiovascular diseases.

Here is a guide to staying connected with our family, relatives, and friends: • Connect Digitally.

Since we are living in a digital world, technology, more specifically gadgets, can be a great help in connecting with others. Using social media, online mobile games, and joining online groups, allow us to be connected with people far from us. To keep in touch with friends, you can have an online party and movie session.

Through this, you can catch up with each other’s life happenings and how they are doing during the pandemic.

• Attend online classes or seminars.

The government implement-

ed online classes to be an alternative to face-to-face classes during this pandemic.

Attending online classes and participating in online school activities is also a good way of staying connected and being socially active. You can also attend ongoing virtual seminars to enhance your knowledge while staying at home.

• Reconnect with family.

Take this time as an opportunity to reconnect with your loved ones. Have a good time and do interesting stuff like trying out a new recipe, finding a new hobby, developing the front garden, or having a movie night every weekend.

This will improve your relationship and bond as a family.

• Make time for yourself.

Of course, it is also important to reconnect with yourself once again. This means that instead of focusing solely on the things that constantly stress you out, make time for your-

self and be happy. To help you relax about what is going on around you, you can do yoga, or do journaling at the end of the day. This helps you reflect on the things you have done and helps ease your problems.

Connecting with the people who matter to us and motivating us to do better and grow would help us deal with this situation. But keep in mind that being overly connected might also lead to burnout. It’s important to remember that having too much of something is harmful. If being overly connected to everyone else is exhausting you, take some time for yourself. Do some meditation, read a book, ponder on the current circumstances, or do anything you enjoy doing alone to recharge your energy and yourself. Remember to give yourself some alone time. If you are already fine and feel like reconnecting with the world, open your doors. Everyone who truly cares about you will wait until you’re ready again.

An eye-opener on parenting: Juvenile Delinquency

NURTURING By: Karen Yliz I. Jose

It is clearly undeniable that committing a crime no matter how old you are is wrong and should never be tolerated. With the increasing amount of crimes committed everyday what would our world be like in the near future?

As the years pass by, children under the age of 18 committing serious crimes also increase. Resulting for the parents of these juveniles being blamed for the delinquent behavior of their children. Thus, a link is established between parenting and juvenile delinquency forming the question “Where did it all go wrong?”

A juvenile delinquent is a young person or teenager aging 18 and below who breaks the law by committing a crime. Family, as well as peer influence, plays a vital role in pushing these delinquents to commit a crime.

An article featuring Philippine delinquents way back in 2019 stated that the number of juvenile delinquents in the Philippines increased from 10,388 in 2017 to 11,228 in 2018, with physical injury as the most committed crime by minors. A village council chairman from Manila, Ernan Perez, even stated, “We’re getting more scared of children than adults. They have weapons. They carry guns. They aren’t afraid because we can’t file charges against them,” he said.

Michael, an 11-year-old child from the Philippines, jumps onto cargo trucks to steal goods and make off his loot. When he was asked why he does it, he said, “Because our family is short of

money.” It also became addictive and “fun,” he admitted. In another article from Korea last 2020, A police official investigating the case stated, “From experience, young offenders know that the police will let them go home after the investigation is completed.

Therefore, instead of worrying about being caught by the police, they steal the money they need and spend it right away.” Another police official said, “Even if we contact their parents, their parents don’t care for the children.” Juvenile Delinquency not just happens in the country stated above but also worldwide.

Parenting plays a significant role in the behavior of juveniles.

It is also believed that family influence contributes more to the conduct of these juveniles than peer influence. In research, it is proven that a family with fewer bonds with their children tends to have increased the possibility of these children becoming delinquents. Broken Families can also cause these children to become delinquents since single parents are busy working. They are sometimes unable to spend quality time and bond, which causes teens to seek attention from others. One’s lack of communication with a family member for a very long time can lead to the loss of trust and unity within the family. Often leading to destructive lifestyles, and they tend to become more violent. Problems when it comes to finances also result in these delinquents committing

crimes. A child who also suffers from being abused or brought up in a place prone to crimes can lead to trauma and possibly do this to another person.

Adults will never realize that their words could hurt their kids.

The pain and scars would always be there when the kids just wanted to be noticed. They want affection from their families.

Time will surely pass by, but the wounds instilled into these children will always be there. They know they shouldn’t do that, but they want others to see that they’re also having a hard time.

The family should be a haven; it plays a vital role in molding what they can become in the future.

Rather than possibly lowering the age of possible incarceration, social services should also educate parents to be better for their children and not just give up and quit. Parenting is tough, but it will also influence their children to do better when executed properly. Start with being financially stable because doing so will lessen the risks of poverty and the chances of kids being delinquents. Communication is essential within a family to keep track of whether a child is struggling mentally, physically, and emotionally.

As parents, one should always know what’s right and wrong. It is never too late to change. Juvenile Delinquency serves as an eye-opener not just for parents but also for the children.

Change for the better; let’s make the world a better place to live.

A Change for Rights

LIBERALIZATION By: Richelle Andrei I. Manalo

Along with the change that today’s generation are fighting for, the right to marry is one of it. As observed in the society we live in today, people are now open to accepting the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, other gender and sexualities (LGBTQI+) community and fight with them on facing the struggles towards discrimination. The country shows slow progress in confronting the LGBTQI+ community by having unconstitutional laws that prohibit them from having the rights that they deserve. Atty. Jesus Ricardo Falcis III signed a petition last 2015 expecting the Supreme Court (SC) to nullify Articles 1 and 2 of the Family Code and Articles 46 and 55. Articles 1 and 2 limited the marriage between men and women only, while articles 46 and 55 showed that homosexuality could be grounded on annulment and legal separation. How can the Philippines be ready to take this new change if there’s a problem with the system?

On January 6, 2020, the SC announced the dismissal of the petition to approve same-sex marriage in the country with finality. Last September of 2019, the SC dismissed the same petition pointing out that the petition should be issued to congress. The petitioner, Atty. Jesus Ricardo Falcis III was said to violate the principle of hierarchy of

courts and failed to raise an actual justiciable controversy according to the SC. As time flies by, individuals still oppose arguments they believe are against the divine rules with same-sex marriage belonging to these issues.

Throughout the years, the Philippines has been known for being a conservative and God-centered country, which makes opening the discussion regarding the legalization of same-sex marriage more complicated than it seems, considering that this has remained controversial for some time now.

The LGBTQI+ community fought for equality for several years. People on their page are most likely to be victims of discrimination in our country.

Living their lives facing unlawful and insulting terms head on, it is without a doubt that this kind of situation has been looked at as a normal encounter rather than as a humiliating circumstance not to mention the added fear for them to walk in the streets knowing there are filthy eyes looking at them with disgust. The respect they deserve as a human being are mostly taken away from them. Although awareness has generally increased in our country, misconceptions remain rampant.

This includes the common phrase that what they go through is just a phase.

It is not a stage of a transition thus

should not be expected to “revert” back to what they have been just to achieve the heteronormative standards society have set.. They experienced verbal abuse and hate crimes solely because of their sexuality; thus, taking a step forward can change something in this harsh society. LGBTQI+ couples should be allowed the same treatment as heterosexual couples do.Regarding civil rights and adoption rights, samesex marriage will be beneficial to these couples, particularly with rights on land ownership and government benefits.

Everyone should be given the right to marry despite their sexuality, and segregation that strengthens prejudice goes only against the discriminated.

Passing same-sex marriage can mean a big progress for our country and at the same time equal treatment to those who have been suffering all this time.

We have remained silent for many years. Now, it’s time to speak and stand with them. If they alone cannot receive what they deserve for themselves, it shows that we as a society have turned a blind eye to a problem we can easily fight for. A close-minded system should be long gone and reformed. Same-sex marriage does not place anyone under oppression nor does it hurt and bring others down, proving that it’s for those who need it and those who want it.

Crisis not a Trend By: Nicole Mae A. Contreras By: Karen Yliz I. Jose

Teenage Pregnancy is seen today as a normal thing and trend in the eyes of teenagers and a crisis in the eyes of parents and adults. While some teenagers view their Pregnancy as positive, fulfilling, and a blessing, others reveal negative views about it. Doctors say otherwise about teenage mothers’ conditions in early pregnancy as well as them having a not fully grown body to respond to the child’s needs.

According to the official data of the World Health Organization, every year, an estimated 21 million girls aged 15 to 19 years and 2 million girls aged under 15 years become pregnant in developing regions. The Philippines has one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates among the ASEAN members and states that more than 500 adolescents are becoming pregnant and giving birth every day. Having a child at a young age brings many risks to the mother, the child, and their future; teen mothers are more likely to give birth prematurely than mothers over the age of 20, being pregnant early brings physical risks such as preeclampsia, anemia, contracting STDs, premature delivery, delivering a low birth weight and etc. They are more likely to have higher risks of having low incomes lower educational attainments when compared to their peers.

In the social media world, some teenagers wanted to normalize Teenage Pregnancy as a common thing and not a problem; however, society wanted to stop teenage Pregnancy as it will result in social consequences, for example, continuing the cycle of poverty and early dropout in schools because of Pregnancy. Education is really important because it is one way a girl or a woman can empower themselves and live independently. On March 15, 2019, the government declared Adolescent Pregnancy as a National Social Emergency Requiring Inter-Agency Action, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) along with the Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM) handled the Social Protection Program for Teenage Mothers and their Children (SPPTMC) as directed on the special provision of 2021

General Appropriations Act of 2021.The Government agencies are implementing education for teenagers such as education in sexuality, education, and employment for them, and health advertisements and promotions through social media; Nevertheless, as the Covid-19 pandemic came, the number of pregnant teenagers giving birth or knowing their pregnant worsened until now. The Lockdown meant hundreds of thousands of women and teenagers were unable to gain access to birth control resulting in unplanned pregnancies, which resulted in it being a threat to the country’s economic growth as they couldn’t finish their years because of being pregnant.

Teenagers are flaunting their Pregnancy on their social media accounts, mainly on Facebook and TikTok; other teenagers are even supporting them, which is very wrong because it has very negative feedback to them and everyone else.

Maybe someone would copy them because they said it’s worth the experience, but actually, what some don’t know is that being pregnant early brings many medical risks to the mother and to the child, which can be fatal, and she’ll bring it for the rest of her life. As teenagers are more fertile by 90% by the time they get their first periods, they should be cautious with what they do and not be too curious about many things inappropriate for their age and instead live and enjoy their life. They shouldn’t think that being pregnant is easy and fun because it isn’t, raising a child isn’t a joke, and it’s even hard when you don’t have a job or a stable income, and you can’t always rely on your parents because it is your responsibility since you’re the one who did the job.

Being a teenager is the hardest and best part of our life; it’s the beginning of something, the beginning of dreams, hope, and envisioning futures of possibility. But you should always be cautious, and you shouldn’t be too curious about things age-inappropriate and wait for the time until you are ready. Being Pregnant at a young age is not something to be proud of; Teenage Pregnancy is not a joke nor a trend but a crisis that needs to end.

Lock in, Lock out By: Hezekiah Lei O. Serdan The worldwide economy has suffered severe collateral damage as a result of the COVID-19 lockdowns, which have also disrupted access to non-COVID-19 related medical care, routine immunization programs, and family planning. Now that several nations are relaxing their restrictions after years of absolute social and economic standstill, how effective were the lockdowns in their intended impact of flattening the epidemic curve and preventing health services from becoming overloaded?

The present COVID-19 epidemic has impacted all of us. However, depending on our standing as individuals and members of society, the pandemic’s impact and consequences are perceived differently. As the pandemic of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues, nations throughout the world are progressively pursuing a variety of remedies aimed at preventing the disease’s spread.

In the absence of medication or a vaccine, the virus’s transmission can only be slowed by avoiding most human contact. In other words, the fewer individuals come into touch with one another, the less the virus may spread. Given the virus’s fast spread, social lockdown is necessary to minimize overall transmission and determine if testing followed by isolation is beneficial - all in an effort to ‘flatten the curve,’ or reduce infections and spread cases out over a longer time frame, to prevent overloading health services.

Most people’s freedom of movement and everyday life have been severely curtailed as a result of government-imposed lockdowns and quarantines to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus. There have been several cases of people disregarding warnings about social distance or isolation while under lockdown. The more individuals who follow it, though, the more successful it will be. Few of the nations that have imposed complete lockdown are committing to a timetable when restrictions will be lifted, owing to the necessity to monitor the pandemic’s progress.

According to the study by Dr. Abdulkadir Atalan from the Annals of Medicine and Surgery, the quick spread of the COVID-19 epidemic throughout the world and the appearance of catastrophic consequences have caused some misunderstanding. Lockdown has been linked to human psychology, according to the preliminary findings of the study. During the COVID-19 pandemic, stress (8.0 percent) and depression (16.0– 28.0 percent) were shown to be psychological responses. There

are obvious limitations to these results. These psychological symptoms were seen in only a handful of the impacted nations and may not be representative of individuals in other areas of the world.

Many studies have looked into the impact of the Covid-19 lockdown on the environment. The environment has begun to regenerate itself as a result of all types of industry, vehicle traffic, and people’s social activities have remained at a low level for a long time. Lockdown limitations have been shown to have a favorable impact on air and water quality in particular. Even though it has many good effects on our environment, lockdowns contribute to economic breakdown due to the closure of businesses and tourism in the country. Because of the absence of supply of intermediate products and services when a business is closed by a lockdown approach, the productivity of its client firms is likely to suffer. Due to a demand deficit, suppliers of the shuttered business are likely to face reduced output.

Nations with tight lockdown restrictions may be experiencing economic hardship today, with more fatalities to come in the future. However, if a safe and effective vaccination is widely used, and illnesses caused by lockdowns are prevented, such fatalities may not occur.

The eventual worth of lockdowns, like many other aspects of COVID-19, is yet unknown and will be determined by the decisions and actions of individuals all around the world. The advantages of lockdown, like any treatment, may eventually be demonstrated to be dependent on time, dosage, and duration. The aim is to guarantee that persons who are infected but asymptomatic or have mild disease may seek medical help and that those who are infectious but asymptomatic or have a mild sickness do not spread it to others.

Lockdowns have its own advantages and disadvantages and it’s on us how we perceived them.

Even though it causes economic breakdown and depression in people yet it helps the environment to breathe and helps mitigate the spread of the virus. Now that we experienced mild lockdowns and restrictions, what we need to do is to be mindful and careful about the things that we do to prevent the spread of Coronavirus disease. We must evaluate our environment’s future and act quickly to address climate change and environmental deterioration. Only then will we be able to safeguard everyone’s health, livelihoods, food security, and nutrition, and ensure that our “new normal” is a better one.

HATE IS A VIRUS

BREAKTHROUGH By: Hera Kate M. Ibias

The COVID-19 pandemic brought about a great deal of fear and limitations, but little did the world realize that they were battling two viruses: COVID-19 and anti-Asian hate.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, racial discrimination against Asians has increased dramatically in number and severity worldwide. This rise has been exceptionally rapid and severe in the United States of America, fuelled by xenophobic political rhetoric and racist language spread via social media. Asian Americans were harassed, vilified, bullied, and killed based on the false assumption that they should be blamed for spreading the COVID-19 pandemic, which was initially discovered in Wuhan, in the Hubei province of China. As a result of it, numerous Asian Americans have had their lives jeopardized.

Racial prejudice towards Asians is nothing new. It dates back to when East Asian Americans began moving to the West and were dubbed “The Yellow Peril.” They were deemed dirty and inferior and were perceived as a menace to the Western world. They were condemned for seizing positions from White Europeans and Americans, despite being responsible for many advances and buildings in the West. This shows that skin color has been exploited as a weapon of hatred against Asians since then.

A concept that adds fuel to the fire of anti-Asian discrimination is institutional mythology called the Model Minority Myth. The model minority is a form of stereotyping where a group is viewed as more socioeconomically successful than other individuals or groups and is often applied to Asian Americans. This myth pits ethnic

minorities against one another, resulting in a progressive system where Asians are frequently addressed at the top. Instead of uniting and fighting against racial injustice, it becomes a race to anywhere but the bottom.

According to the National Report of the Stop AAPI Hate, a non-profit organization that tracks and reports incidents of hate and discrimination against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) in the United States of America. There were 10,370 hate incidents against AAPI people reported to Stop AAPI Hate (SAH) from March 19, 2020, to September 30, 2021.

Of the hate incidents reflected in this report, 4,599 occurred in 2020 (44.4%) and 5,771 in 2021 (55.7%). The Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino, reported that anti-Asian hate crimes have increased by 145% in 2020, and Stop AAPI Hate has received 3,795 discriminatory incidents r e p o r t s since the beginning of the pandemic. According to t h e o r g a nization, crimes against

Asians have escalated since 2019.

Consequently, movements and advocacies led by Asians were implemented to take a stand against this matter. The Stop Asian Hate Movement is being used around the world to show the grit and unity of the Asian community against systemic racism. As stated in “The Story Behind the Group Tracking Anti-Asian Hate Incidents” by NBC News, “Stop AAPI Hate is more than a popular hashtag or aggregator of anti-Asian incidents. It’s a rallying cry for a community experiencing the pain and heartbreak of relentless harassment, assaults, and even murders.”

Thousands took part in protests and rallies, holding placards with written text such as “I am not a virus!”, “Protect Asian Lives,” and “We belong here.

Stop Asian hate!” demonstrating against anti-Asian violence.

Keeping a blind eye on issues like this to survive and not threaten one’s life sometimes outweighs the will to speak out and stand up for what is right. Human rights violations, including oppression and discrimination, should not be condoned and enabled.

Change is needed, and there are various ways we can achieve it.

Anti-Asian hate is something we need to talk about. We must educate people and raise awareness on racial discrimination and how the Asian community and other marginalized groups can support each other in this movement. All perpetrators should be held accountable, and in response, society must recognize and assist victims of racial discrimination in overcoming their fear and trauma. History does not have to repeat itself. Now is the time to break the cycle.

Addressing Income Inequality: A Philippine Problem By: Lara Juliana R. De Leon

Income inequality has become a high-rising issue all over the world. Income distribution in the Philippines is uneven comparing it to the other ASEAN countries. The GINI coefficient, is a number between zero to one. Zero, a population wherein everyone makes almost the same income and wealth is properly distributed, and one, where income inequality is most common. With that, amongst all the ASEAN countries, the Philippines has the highest GINI coefficient with 0.479. The widespread of the economic growth has not been evenly distributed, as a result, the gap between

the rich and the poor widened.

The Philippines is persistently on track to accomplish a status of an upper-middle-income country in the next few years, after achieving a high rate of economic growth outcomes over the past years where income inequality in the Philippines was well-known. This significant accomplishment is a highly big milestone for the Philippines which often struggled to compete with the ASEAN countries. Despite this, the Philippines continues to face a number of fundamental challenges, including high rates of poverty, massive inequality, and a lack of government ca-

pacity. The number of elites in the political area is both a cause of these problems and a restraint in addressing them.

Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or commonly known as 4Ps, is a human development of the national government that provides cash grants to the poorest of the poor. This program gives a great help to destitute Filipinos by giving them subsidiary income, in addition, 4Ps is also one of a successful way of making sure every Filipino get the same resources.

To close the inequality gap, tax the wealthy and improve education. Governments can reduce income inequality through var-

ious policies such as tax relief and income support, as well as transfers such as welfare, free health care, and food stamps.

People have more opportunities to find better jobs, but their incomes are significantly lower when compared to the top ten percent of rich people. In this manner, poor people will never rise to high status and become millionaires. As a result, the government must raise all tax rates on the wealthy in order to reduce income inequality.

Thus, income inequality in the Philippines is extremely high comparing it to the other ASEAN countries, with a GINI coefficient of 0.479 and having it

as the highest GINI coefficient in all the ASEAN countries.

Nevertheless, the Philippines is trying to achieve the status of an upper-middle-income country after achieving a high rate of economic growth outcomes which is a big milestone to the Philippines.

A human development launched by the government, 4Ps provides cash grants to destitute Filipinos to ensure that everyone gets the same resources. If we are to see the Philippines free of income inequality, poverty, and end the extraordinary living standards amongst the Filipinos, we must start this at a contingency.

Poverty: The Worst Form of Violence

HOLDING CELL

A New Generation in a Society Made for Whites By: Dwayne Liam C. Atay

By: Hezekiah Lei O. Serdan

Hunger, lack of sanitation and access to clean water, and absence of resources for proper health care are the main reasons why poverty is a worldwide issue. It’s easy to say that “life is about choices” — but it’s misinformed. Many of us feel that impoverished people suffer as a result of their poor life choices, but what we don’t realize is that they don’t have a choice because of the consequences of society’s implications.

When a child is born into a poor household, he or she begins the initial stage of a lengthy and difficult cycle that can last generations. When a family is poor, they typically have little or no access to resources. As a result, they have little prospects to advance in their careers, trapping the entire family in poverty. It only takes one minor accident or illness in the family for an impoverished child to go hungry. If a child falls over in an unsanitary environment, an infection can take hold very quickly. An injury we can easily treat at home in a developed country can start a chain of events that end in illness, hunger, or death in the developing world.

According to Concern Worldwise US in 2020, 7.7% of the global population lives in severe poverty, with a little over 588 million people living below the international poverty line of $1.90 per day.

Poverty is one of the most critical issues that the Philippine government must address. Poverty in the Philippines originated, in part, as a result of the country’s fast population expansion. Its effects are easily visible in nature. Poverty prevents many Filipinos from continuing their education. Others appear to be pleased with their life despite their hardship. Due to financial constraints, many parents are unable to send their children to school. Only roughly 60% of the family members in most of these impoverished households have completed elementary school. As a result, more than 18.4 million Filipinos live in abject poverty, surviving on an average daily budget of $1.25 or 65.35 pesos. The Covid-19 pandemic has brought many social issues to the surface—none more than breaking the poverty cycle and education. This has impacted the entire world, claiming the lives of around 3 million people and infecting close to 140 million people. COVID-19 has had a substantial influence on poverty in the Philippines, as the Philippines was one of the first countries to be hit by the virus. The virus’s consequent lockdowns have caused a substantial decline in the employment market, compounding COVID-19’s impact on poverty in the Philippines. Its unemployment rate was around 5% before the start of the

epidemic, but it has since risen due to lockdown measures. According to the Philippines Statistics Authority, the COVID-19 pandemic caused unemployment to rise to 17.6% in April 2020. Furthermore, as the lockdown measures continue, this number could rise, resulting in increased hardship and hunger.

Education can play a key role in ending the cycle of poverty for families living in developing countries like the Philippines. Sexual abuse, domestic violence, substance misuse, injury, and disease are more common among children from low-income homes. Safety and support are the first steps to eradicating poverty. During a crisis, a strong community school can provide a safe haven for children and families. Children are not left alone at home while their parents work; instead, they will attend school under adult supervision. Schools should be designed with child safety in mind and can be used for other community activities for families, such as athletics and a playground.

Increased future employment opportunities are a great investment for a better community. The more skilled individuals in a household that can read, write, problem solves, and have greater comprehension abilities, the faster that family and future generations will be lifted out of the poverty cycle. This is because as adults, the children will be able to work in higher-paying positions and will have more opportunities than their parents. In poor households, where dayto-day survival is the primary concern, education is sometimes overlooked. Illiterate parents are considerably less likely to prioritize school attendance, encourage high school, and break established gender roles to help their children learn.

Education is not a problem, it’s an opportunity. When children born into poverty are sent to school, they have the power to transform their families’ educational culture. If we create a culture of education and learning within families, we can build more ideas and help lessen hunger and any terms of poverty globally.

When it comes to poverty if you’re stubborn enough to believe that “life is about choices,” here’s a decision you should make: educate yourself. This is a call to action for the benefit of mankind, not for political reasons. For some, caring about this issue may imply supporting extensive social services, but it does not have to. Supporting private organizations that help the poor is one way to care about this issue, but it isn’t the only way. Caring about this issue can take various forms, and we should all work to create a society where every child has the opportunity to be successful.

From unequal treatment in the standard of living to governmental scandals, incidents such as killings in different countries, and cultural genocide, racism can be found in almost every aspect of society. Let’s travel to Africa. African people face never-ending racism because of their color in different parts of the world, especially in Ukraine. “As long as you are Black, no one likes you,” says Ethel Ansaeh Otto, An African student. According to the report of Kandace Redd from ABC10 in Sacramento, California, they were attempting to flee from Ukraine.

For the past years, Africans, precisely the black skin color, have continuously been judged and criticized because of their race. Countless killings of South Africans have been reported. Let’s start with the infamous event, the Soweto Uprising of 1976.

A shooting incident caused many Black African children to die because of the Afrikaans Medium Decree of 1974, which mandated that all black schools use both Afrikaans and English as the language of learning and teaching beginning in the final year of primary school. In July 2021, a group of Indian men abused Black people, leading to 36 deaths. These are two examples of racial killings in South Africa. Also, Africans are commonly perceived by white people as idle and less inclined to commit to gov-

ernment poverty-reduction projects. It is assumed that black people are ignorant or vicious. A story about the African enslavement remained hidden and unacknowledged.

The truth about African subjugation is not being taught in schools. Slavery was practiced in various forms in historical Africa, including indentured servitude, the enslavement of hostages, and the enslavement of felons.

Slavery for household and legal reasons was shared all across Africa. Today, Africans in Ukraine are a hot topic.

As the Russian Invasion continues in Ukraine, numerous people from foreign countries are starting to flee Ukraine.

According to the statement of a foreign student from Ghana, “Mostly, they would consider white people first. White people first, Indian people, Arabic people, before Black people.”

Ukrainian security services are accused of racially categorizing them and preventing them from boarding trains.

We can say that African students are being mistreated.

A big war is ongoing, yet people still find time to hate people from different races.

Racism is comprised of much more than words, perceptions, and behavior. It encompasses all of the obstacles preventing people from enjoying dignity and worth because of their race. Treating every human equally regardless of race, socioeconomic status,

and identity is never complicated. Whatever the person’s ethnicity, it is not the basis for degrading or harassing them.

Racism can cause abounding changes in a person’s or black person’s self-esteem and mental health. Anxiety disorders and depression are the most common mental illnesses in South Africa. People suffering from mental illnesses are frequently neglected by the healthcare system and stigmatized and discriminately opposed. One of the things to prevent and stop racism is to recognize racism in all its kinds, recognizing racism’s presence is the first step toward ending it. Numerous individuals believe that racism is always obvious or deliberate, but racism takes different forms. As well, we should devote ourselves to anti-racism. Anti-racism is a lifetime endeavor. It’s not something you can check off from a record, it’s a constant state of self-reflection and eagerness to be made responsible. In being anti-racist, you must accept variations instead of trying to pretend they do not exist. Adults must learn and study racism. We can also teach children from an early age that it is acceptable to discuss race, and we make them learn, honor, and acknowledge the diversity of people. We should take this chance to learn more about racism. Be a standing voice to those who need help.

Dear Editor,

We appreciate your effort in writing your concerns about the massive effects of Coronavirus on our lives, especially when it comes to our mode of learning at present. Traditional classes have truly been shifted to online classes, modular learning, and other platforms for the continuous learning of students amid the challenge of the global pandemic. It is undeniably true that online learning is much more difficult compared to how we used to learn inside classrooms. There are a lot of adjustments to be able to cope with it, and the fact that we cannot be with our classmates and teachers physically affects our mental health in such cases. Just what you feel, we know that overload schoolwork and other factors encountered in online learning enormously affect the mental health of students and even teachers. That’s why a call for serious attention to this issue is important. It is a must.

Besides, we never know what life a certain individual has behind the screens, so one of the things we can do to help each other is to be considerate about how someone feels. Various problems will be encountered as we continuously go with the new mode of learning, but one thing’s for sure; it is not permanent. Perhaps at this time, we may feel exhausted from battling life’s challenges, but if we continue to persevere until we achieve our goals, all our sacrifices will surely be paid off.

With great admiration and belief in the columns of your newspaper, I am writing this letter to vent these pent up feelings I had before. Have you ever felt like life is not going the way it’s supposed to be?

Or a never-ending line that seems to never stop? I could still remember the shock and fear instilled in us when the first Covid19 case in our country was reported. Everyone was frantically buying things and all of the basic necessities were sold out in a matter of days. Never have I imagined that there would be a sudden change in our mode of learning, suddenly we are all shifting to online classes and modular learning which was never really familiar to us. But, we cannot do anything since it was the safest option to avoid Covid19. Along with the never-ending change, I didn’t know it would greatly affect me too.

I got to admit that the first few months of online classes were really enjoyable, not until those sleepless nights just for the sake of passing a certain project, the activities that were simultaneously given, and the lack of focus due to mental health problems came. I remember ranting to my friends about how difficult it is to be able to keep up, and the latter would also share their same sentiments about the difficulty of the new mode of learning. I even came to the part of my life where I was confused about whether I was or was not making progress, it felt like I was stuck running around in circles.

We couldn’t deny that the shift in our mode of learning greatly affected each and every one of us.

I had many realizations when the pandemic came, and one if it is words are indeed a powerful thing, that a simple “How are you?” and “Are you okay?” would really mean a lot especially in checking your friends and family members. I also realized that we are all making progress after all, don’t ever invalidate yourself for the small progress you make everyday, because little by little it would bloom into a beautiful masterpiece. Another thing that every one of us should consider is that instead of belittling ourselves with our mistakes, we should take that as a lesson to look forward to something new and explore new things because God surely has a better plan for us. No man is an island, that’s why we should always remember to lend and to receive a helping hand if needed be it from friends or family members. In times like this, although there are a lot of changes made, the eagerness to learn never stops. The same goes for Journalism, it will always light up like a burning torch giving ways for the student body to be heard. I am very glad that even though everything is done through online now, the school’s publication still managed to find a way to give us an online publication with quality information. Indeed, the spirit of learning never stops with the right perseverance and determination everything is possible to happen in God’s perfect time. Padayon!

Sincerely Yours, The Editor

Karen Yliz C. Jose

Dear Karen,

Sincerely Yours,

Climate Change: Too Hot to Handle By: Martina Kassandra O. Odavar

Concerning world peace, Today, there are various issues of concern about the survival of humanity in the universe.

There is growing interest in the subject of the arms race, regional conflicts, and ongoing injustices among people and nations. However, among the challenges related to these issues, one surpasses the understanding of humanity on measures to adopt in combating it.

This is the subject of climate change. Given the universe’s conception, it presented a sustainable and self-sufficient habitat for humanity and life in general. However, continued irresponsible and downright misuse, overexploitation, and production pollution to the environment created the current issue of climate change.

Climate change presents a threat to life from animals to plants and people. It entails the drastic change in weather phenomena and patterns such as irregular and very unpredictable temperature changes, rainfall patterns, and very extreme drought. Therefore, Climate change as an issue has several subsequent parts, including global warming, drought, flashfloods, increasing pollution levels and the rise of sea level among others. Hence, Climate change is an issue of concern for social existence overall.

The constant change of climate on earth is affecting the weather of the universe, the oceans, snow, ice, ecosystems, and our society. The issues causing these changes include the natural and human related activities. However, on account of the natural factors, the environment out to be self-sustaining; hence the conclusion that the argument as to natural factors causing the climate change do not hold true. Primarily the leading factors in contributing towards climate change are human activities. These factors include activities that result to the release of billions of tons of Carbon Dioxide among other greenhouse gasses that trap heat in the atmosphere on a yearly basis. Consequently, climate change is primarily due to human industrialization. This makes an issue of concern for the society, as it threatens the social injustice aspect of the society. The effects of climate change, such as drought, floods and high temperatures among others en-

danger the lives of people and animals on the world. The fact that lives of people are at stake due to climate change makes it an issue of social injustice and common good of the society.

The Philippines ranks third among countries at risk of disasters caused by climate change. According to the World Bank (WB), by the end of the 21st century, sea levels will rise by up to fifteen percent (15%) in southeast Asia which means more frequent and higher levels of flooding especially in the flood prone areas. The WB warns that informal settlers, particularly the urban population of the Philippines, are most affected by this, whose homes are located on estuaries and other waterways that are easily accessible and are likely to cause excessive flooding. In this regard, the WB urged the Philippines to increase funding for programs related to climate change. According to the World Bank (WB), it warns of the worsening of various disasters in the world due to ongoing global climate change.

The issue of climate change has long been discussed in the Philippines because our archipelago is surrounded by water.

According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration or PAG-ASA, the temperature in all areas of our country is likely to rise to 0.9 ° C to 1.1 ° C in 2020 and 1.8 ° C to 2.2 ° C in 2050. When this happens, the summer sun may rise and it will be a long time before it rains, but the summer season in Luzon and Visayas will be reduced, and this will be replaced by strong rains. Rain and typhoons due to the southeast and northwest monsoon, when it comes to Mindanao, the rainy season can be reduced and replaced by a long summer because of the topography of the towns in Mindanao that can be noticed only occasionally when visited by typhoons.

Also, last April 2022 over 1,000 scientists from 25 different countries put on protests following the release of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s new report.

The report showed warning that rapid and deep cuts to greenhouse gas emissions are necessary by 2025 to avoid catastrophic climate effects.

The group who started the protest Scientist Rebellion,

writes in a letter that “current actions and plans are grossly inadequate, and even these obligations are not being met.” Their protests “highlight the urgency and injustice of the climate and ecological crisis,” per a statement from the organization.

“We’ve been trying to warn you guys for so many decades,” said by one of the scientists, his voice shaking. “The scientists of the world have been being ignored. And it’s gotta stop.

We’re going to lose everything.”

These organizations were faced by about 100 police officers outfitted in riot gear and they were apprehended. Scientists historically have had differing opinions about becoming activists on issues related to their work, but that has started to change in recent years. They have been active in social protests regarding the Earth’s condition. Scientists around the world are joining forces to help spread awareness and safety for all mankind.

As a citizen how can we help to prevent and save our world? We are only temporarily living here, will we allow the next generations to come to a life so deprived of water, food, and fresh air?

As young people the smallest thing we can do is let citizens know what climate change is, how it is happening, and how it can be solved. We can also be a good influence on other people by cleaning up the environment, planting trees and avoiding the burning of plastics and so on. We still have a lot to do and instead of wasting time using obsessive gadgets join the community services of your towns.

Let’s remember, people are destroying the beauty of the world and now it is better to replant trees and plants to increase the amount of Oxygen than Carbon Dioxide, we need to reduce the excessive burning of things that can pollute our environment, reduce the overuse of fossil fuels and if possible, we will only do the things that are better for us and the world. We alone have the key to preserving our world and future. Let us think about how good our simple things can be, clear and beautiful scenery, fresh air, plenty of food and limited disaster. We should not add to the cause of climate change.

When Freedom Speaks By: Hezekiah Lei O. Serdan

The most vital wheel of democracy is press freedom. A democracy cannot live without a free press.

In reality, the press is an excellent tool for informing people about the facts. The right to freedom of expression is a basic human right.

It is not the politician’s entitlement. It is also not a journalist’s privilege. However, it cannot function fully if the press is not free.

People have probably heard the expression “the cost of liberty is eternal vigilance.” As a result, the media must be vigilant for the safety of the public. Furthermore, the media keeps an eye on people’s freedom especially on persons in positions of power to ensure that they do not abuse it.

Media is crucial in today’s society because the mass media performs a number of spherical essential functions in our lives. First and foremost, they provide information or surveillance. Second, they help frame the agenda and assess the results.

Third, they assist us in forming and maintaining relationships with diverse social groupings. Fourth, they assist us in socializing and educating ourselves. They also entertain us by persuading us to buy specific goods or embrace certain beliefs.

The press has been entrusted with the task of criticizing and balancing the administration and government.

The press is the first to raise a voice whenever a societal evil lurks or corruption and tyranny occurs.

Furthermore, we trust the press to gather, verify, and spread information that influences people’s judgments. People will be in the dark if the press does not have the freedom to do all of this. As a result, we can see how the voiceless will lose their voice if even one of these rights is taken away from the press. Worse, if the press is prevented from doing its job, those in power will rule the country according to their wishes.

According to Rappler+ member and Project Coordinator of Foundation for Media Alternatives Bernice Soriano “Press freedom is needed for democracy, as it is one of its pillars. Without this, the citizens will not be informed on actual happenings and events, whether good or bad, and cannot make informed independent choices.” Speaking for truth is something we rely on and as a part of society it is our greatest key to have freedom of media.

The basic freedom to seek and communicate knowledge through an independent press is under threat, and a surprising source has joined the battle. Many democratic leaders, who should be the fiercest ad-

vocates of press freedom, have taken clear measures to silence critical media voices and empower outlets that provide favorable coverage. The degradation of press freedom is both a symptom of and a cause t o the downfall of other democratic institutions and norms, which

makes it particularly troubling.

According to Freedom House’s Freedom in the World data, media freedom has declined globally over the last decade, with new kinds of repression emerging in both liberal societies and authoritarian nations. The core yearning for democratic liberty, including access to honest and fact-based media, will never die, and it is never too late to renew the call for full implementation of these rights. Large sectors of the population in some of the world’s most powerful democracies are no longer receiving fair news and information. This is not because journalists are imprisoned, as may be the case in dictatorial states. Instead, the media has been subjected to more indirect attempts to limit its independence.

Make a public statement on the need of a free press and promote civic education for the next generation. Press freedom is one of the most important cornerstones of democracy. Among the defamation and inflammatory criticism in the media, citizens may easily overlook this. Political leaders and educators should emphasize how professional journalists who hold those in power accountable benefit us all.

Take immediate and aggressive action against any violations of media freedom across the world, including public statements, phone calls, meetings, letters, and targeted punishment against violators.

This includes speaking out against violence against journalists and authorities’ inability to identify and punish perpetrators, as well as limits on media access, website blocking, and topic censorship. When you have the ability to influence the opinions of a large group of people, you must exercise even greater caution. In certain cases, the media has greater authority than the government. They have the confidence and support of the public. However, giving any individual or entity such authority is extremely risky.

In other words, any kind of media that is not managed may be dangerous. They may report anything and alter the facts to suit their goals since they have the capacity to highlight anything.

They have the ability to stir up public discontent. A free press has the ability to readily alter public perception. This is why we need responsible journalism to prevent the media from presenting misleading information that might threaten a country’s harmony and peace.

MUTED

CROSSING BOUNDARIES By: Nicole Mae A. Contreras

On December 15, 1791, freedom of speech was established for the people to express themselves without government interference. The people chose to use it to voice out their opinions on the current issues in the country.

As the people’s voices got louder and threatened, the Philippine Government limited the sound and planned to mute it.

In the 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines; Article 3-Section 4, “No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances.” Freedom of Speech gives the people the right to have their own opinions on the current issues in the country; however, some laws limit this freedom. For example, some sections of the

Flag and Heraldic Code, which requires particular expressions and prohibits other words, came to life when the Duterte administration took over the Government.

Since President Rodrigo Duterte was elected in 2016, press freedom has taken a further blow. He takes out individual media outlets that criticize his policies, creating a dangerous feel to the country’s independent journalists and free speech. In 2020, crusading journalist Maria Ressa, the founder of journalism outlet Rappler, and Reynaldo Santos Jr., a former writer, were sentenced to six years in prison. Rappler has been a Vocal Critic of the Duterte Regime and targeted by the Duterte Administration because of the Outlet’s criticisms of the current administration and its response to pro-Duterte bloggers, and other me-

dia outlets are given positions in the Government.

“Free Speech is being Smothered” is a line that speaks all about how free speech is treated in the country. Section four of the 1987 constitution is like nothing to the eyes of the people seated in the Government as they continue to make laws that violate that rule for they are not being punished quickly. However, some brave bloggers and media outlets still criticize Duterte’s Regime openly, even if it’s dangerous for them; this gave other people the strength to fight for their rights without thinking twice. Free Speech Rallies are done worldwide even in the Philippines, may it be online or actual.

Suppose the politicians don’t want to hear the critics from the people, they shouldn’t run for a seat in the Government in the very first place. The

people voted for them because they think that politicians can absorb all of their suggestions and critics of what they believe can help the country and not just shut them down. They are not given the power to remove the people’s rights but rather to protect those rights from other people abusing them. Before running in politics, they should know that they aren’t showered with praises once they are in power. Still, with insults and criticisms, they should use those criticisms to help and give what the nation needs and what crisis needs to be solved instead of focusing on small things and disregarding the bigger picture.

“We have to uphold a free press and freedom of speech—because, in the end, lies and misinformation are no match for the truth” -Barack Obama. Without freedom

of speech, people are not able to say something that the Government doesn’t want them to say. With that, it will cover the truth until it’s six feet underground. We’ll realize that freedom of speech has its limitations on other parts, like watching what we say to other people, but that’s not an excuse for the Government to use; they can’t use those to get through the problem and not be held responsible.

The Government should provide substantial justification for the interference with the people’s right to free speech when it attempts to regulate the lesson’s content. If they don’t have any decent reason, there is no reason to stop them. It is time for them to turn on the sound again and listen to the voices of their people. Let’s not be muted to those who turn a deaf ear to the cries of its people.

Divorce: the 21st Century Liberation By: Eulalia Naomi J. Espiritu

Growing up, I attended many weddings, and never was I invited to divorces. Maybe it’s because of the social stigma surrounding it. Marriage is a sacred thing.

You say vows in front of the altar and legalize it through the civil registrar. But compared to divorce, the marriage procedure seems a bit lax. Trials for property and child custody, if you’re lucky, the judge may resolve it within weeks, but in worst cases, it could hold up to a few years, and added to that are the legal fees that will accrue over that period. Divorce is a truly mentally and financially draining process.

Apart from the legal repercussions it causes, it ripples through the rest of your life. Back then, I perceived divorce as horrible.

Especially when the couple has children involved, it scars the kids, something I do not wish upon anybody. But now, it makes me ponder how enormous the shadows cast by the reasons that made them appeal for di-

vorce. And still, even if divorce is now considerably addressed and done, it is considered a sore topic and treated like a plague.

As I grew up, I thought that maybe divorce is not that bad, better even for unreconcilable marriages. It frees the couple from leading a toxic and regretful life ahead that will make them destroy each other. According to research an unhappy marriage, no matter how hard the couple tries to hide it, the children will know. Kids can feel, at most, that there is something not right between their parents through hidden fights in the bedroom at night, long frosty silences, and uncuttable tension.

After all, before getting married, a spouse is an individual with their own goals and dreams they wish to achieve. Those visions of what they want may clash with the other party or the route to a supposedly happy and contented marital and family life, and compromising will be akin to shred-

ding a part of their soul, but not doing so will draw a chasm in their relationship. And in cases where divorce is the outcome, the rift must have been too far and unfixable that he who was trying to patch it fell straight down. But staying on top too without stitching the cut while depending on words of comfort like: “it is for the kids” doesn’t resolve anything but will burden the children growing up. Do you not think that the kid stuck in that situation would not feel any guilt because, in some way or form, he discerns that he is the reason why his parents are not what they are supposed to be?

Living without a dream or motivation for yourself will make you miserable, and continually trying to patch up a broken relationship beyond repair will hurt you, leaving you with scars and an exhausted heart.

After all, no one can stay and do things continuously without getting hurt because we are all

human. Divorce, at first, is like getting thrown into bitingly cold waters without warning; very shocking and brutally cleansing.

But like a phoenix rebirthed, the individual will emerge out more empathic, clear-headed, and free from binding chains.

A relationship that makes you lose your sense of self is like a tumor; it is better to remove it before it gets too late and implicates the innocent ones. Remember, you are not doing this just for yourself but also for your children. Because children, as young as they are, see the world through the eyes of their parents.

Like Adele, who wrote her recent album, 30, to help her son understand the rationale behind their decision to divorce or why his mother or father can’t live under the same roof. She wants to let her son see her love and be loved, among other things, as said in a Vogue interview. She took a significant risk and went through the stages of divorce

and overcame it with her courage and love for her son and herself, and everyone can do it too.

Staying married, of course, is the best choice for those marriages which are salvageable, but to those who are a lost cause, divorce is better. Everyone will be happy in the long run; it might be hard to stomach at first, but as time goes on, everything will ease gradually. You can’t love another individual without loving yourself first. Divorce is self-love, liberation, and happiness for those who lost themselves in marriage life. I do not think divorce is something to be ashamed of, and I know it will be a long and rigorous journey to partake in. So, to the couples who successfully divorced with a reasonable cause, be proud and take it as an accomplishment for going through the obstacles. Take it as freeing yourself, loving yourself, being your best self, and most importantly, giving your children a better life.

MALNUTRITION CAUSED BY POVERTY By: Ella Ivy M. Barra

Malnutrition is caused by poor diet, illness, poor access to clean water, disease, and poverty. Children in poverty may not have enough food, so they don’t get the nutrients they need to grow.

They may not have sufficient access to health care to prevent diseases.

Poverty is the state of having few material possessions or little income, and it is one of the factors that cause malnutrition. The causes of poverty are a rapid increase in population and unemployment.

Early family planning affects our population.

The people who started a family early were forced to stop studying to support their families, but there are only a few job opportunities for people who didn’t finish college, so it led them to poverty. Their lack of money affect-

ed their health and led them to malnutrition.

People living in poverty frequently encounter financial constraints, making it difficult for them to obtain safe, sufficient, and nutritious meals. Food insecurity jeopardizes people’s ability to obtain the amount of food required to meet their bodily calorie requirements, and without enough calories, an individual may not be able to build up enough energy or strength to carry out daily activities, which also affects their earning capacity and productivity.

To advance socially and economically, it is critical to acknowledge the impact of poverty and malnutrition and to take immediate actions to break the cycle. It’s crucial to understand what elements feed and reinforce this goal to achieve it. The first of

the 17 Sustainable Development Goals is to eradicate poverty in all of its forms, followed by ending hunger, reducing food insecurity, and improving nutrition and agriculture. In addition, at least 12 of the 17 goals include metrics that are extremely relevant to nutrition. Poverty and hunger are inextricably linked, with one feeding the other.

It is therefore critical to address both challenges simultaneously rather than in separate silos.

Both elements are the source and consequence of each other, forming a two-way link.

This vicious cycle is still a major public health risk, and fast action is required to break it.

The fight against poverty and hunger must be waged on all fronts if we are to see longterm improvements in nutritional outcomes.

HOW PEOPLE ADJUST ON TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS By: Kristine Ann A. Layosa

Technological advancements are part of everyday life, in all types of industries. But what does it take to keep up with the latest technology? How do you know when to make the jump from one type of technology to another?

And how can you be confident that the next step is a good one? The world is filled with technology.

Devices that are intended to simplify daily tasks.

Training is the number one key to adjust on technological advancements.

People need to devote their time and resources to learn something.

Learning how to use technology is actually very easy because, as time passes by, technology has evolved to the point that even a child or a grandfather can use it. It is becoming more lightweight and intuitive.

The trend toward ease of use and simplicity will almost certainly accelerate, making it easier for all of us to use technology.

You can also help oth-

VACCINE HESITANCY

ers adapt to technology by helping them understand the benefits we can get from technology.

Technology allows us to have easy access to information and better communication with others, which saves us more time.

Our century has been called the era of science and technology because of the new technological developments. People should realize how lucky they are to be born in this century because technology has made t h e i r l i v e s v e r y e a s y c o m p a r e d to those who were born much earlier.

T e c h nology is not a thing— it’s a way of life.

Technology is so much a part of our lives that it has become the single most dominant force on the planet, shaping nearly everything we do, from how we communicate to how we work and how we play.

By: Hannah Jianne A. Pineda

There had always been people who were the type to disagree with facts. Of course, there is nothing wrong with having your own views. Trust is a difficult thing to earn, which is why it is understandable for someone to feel uneasy with something new.

Vaccines have been here for a long time. They were created for the sole reason of reducing the risk of getting a disease. They mimic the virus to trigger the antibodies in us, which will provide us with protection if the person becomes in-

fected by the real thing.

Countless Filipinos are rising up and saying how they don’t want them or their children to be vaccinated as they think it will only put them to harm.

Because of the pandemic, people have struggled to live a new way of life. Some people were too upset because of their loss, whether it may be of a business or a loved one. There are a few popular opinions on this new lifestyle. Some would say it is a fake disease and some would say that they are trying to reduce the

population by tricking us into taking the vaccine which they claim to have toxic chemicals mixed in.

Needless to say, all of these negative claims are factually incorrect as they don’t agree with what is actually happening right now.

To ensure that people wouldn’t be a victim of COVID-19, safety protocols were made. Masks alone won’t save you, a person must always be clean, distanced, and healthy.

Naturally, having different opinions, not everyone followed these instructions.

People wear masks above their noses and complained about how they couldn’t breathe in them. If doctors could wear so much protection to deal with diseases like these, then surely one mask shouldn’t be able to stop you from breathing.

Even though safety protocols and vaccines won’t harm you at all, there are still so many people refusing to accept them. Imagine you were lying in the hospital because you were infected by COVID-19 and you were told how big the bill was. There is no doubt

that it would cost you thousands to be treated. So instead of spending a great amount of money on treatment, you could spend zero amount on prevention.

Vaccines are important, they protect you and aren’t scary at all. It’s normal for a person to get sick after their first dose because that only means that the vaccine is working. It doesn’t matter if many people think negatively of it, just because their opinion is popular, doesn’t mean it’s accurate.

Vaccines are tested and are all proven to be effective.

Pollution Affects Every Part of You By: By:Mary MaryVianei Vianei Sumpay Sumpay

Humans do not live in a vacuum, but rather in a polluted environment that has an impact on people’s health every second of their lives. People can’t avoid breathing air, drinking water, or eating what grows on land because they have to. Polluted chemicals from the environment, damage a human’s health system, resulting in a variety of ailments, disorders, and developmental abnormalities. Environmental pollution takes many forms, but it affects everyone, leading to physical, psychological, and behavioral harmful effects.

People’s health and lifestyles are affected by the environment they live in, as well as the nature around them, such as plants, animals, water bodies, and the atmosphere. Humans’ misuse of natural resources and disrespect for nature

have resulted in certain undesirable effects on the environment making pollution as one of the most serious issues that people face nowadays.

Major emissions of carbon dioxide, as well as chemicals created as a result of the combustion of fossil fuels, are common causes of pollution.

This occurs as a result of various factories’ operations and waste, which is released into water, land, and the environment.

Apart from large production components, pollution is created by individuals. This includes automobile emissions, the consumption of a lot of energy for various activities, and the production of massive amounts of garbage, particularly waste that isn’t decomposable or takes hundreds of years to decompose.

The atmosphere is the first aspect of the ecosys-

tem to be influenced by pollution. Air pollution is described as a mixture of toxic gases or particles that build at dangerously high concentrations in the atmosphere. Air pollution is linked to a variety of health problems, including heart disease, lung cancer, and chronic and acute respiratory disorders. When air quality is measured across the world, various flaws are discovered that have a direct impact on human existence. Air pollution affects not just individuals who live in large cities, but it is also expanding around the world.

Water covers the majority of the earth, so water contamination is a huge issue. Water pollution is caused by the discharge of waste and fertilizers into bodies of water, which can make water unsafe for human consumption. Contaminated

water will damage or even kill aquatic species and plants, as well as transfer to crops, making them toxic. As a result, not only are the major water bodies heavily contaminated, but the damage also spreads to the soil.

Polluted soil can cause problems since it grows a large portion of the food for people and domestic animals. When substantial levels of certain harmful substances accumulate in the soil, this is referred to as soil pollution. Harmful chemicals can influence soil as a consequence of industrial waste being dumped into the ground, contaminated water interacting with it, or the application of excessive pesticides or fertilizers. As an outcome, plants and crops are unsafe to eat and can cause a variety of health issues.

Pollution is a worldwide phenomenon that harms

people and other living species while wreaking havoc on the environment. It can take many various forms, but it always has a negative impact. It is a severe issue in our society since it offers several threats to both our world and ourselves.

As a result, it is critical to be aware of pollutants and to increase awareness in our culture so that we can understand how to mitigate their impacts. Finding answers to this problem is currently one of humanity’s top priorities, and it can only be accomplished through a concerted effort from government structures, as well as community and individual initiatives. People will only be able to safeguard their health and create better conditions for future generations if they are aware of the situation and take steps to change it.

DEPRESSION: Important Things You Need to Know By: Jaden Paolo Romeo J. Espiritu

Do you ever feel depressed and sad sometimes? As the pandemic continues in 2022, many people have been developing the state of depression. Emotions filled with sadness and fear of facing the reality. Depression is a major disorder to our mental health, influencing our decisions negatively. But nothing is forever, and every problem has a solution, to make the impossible possible.

Depression can affect many people, but we can avoid it. But avoiding it is not easy, as covid-19 is still here, we will have many lockdowns, and it caused mental illness and obstacles on our way back. To avoid depression, psychiatrist have said we have to connect with other people, we must have people like friends, family, and relatives that we can trust to be on our side and to support us whenever we get in trouble. They are helpful but be sure to have healthy relationships with them. We must be in the real world not just on the virtual one, social media can get you in a state of loneliness but connecting with friends and family helps you to get happy and be positive.

Doctors all around the world treat patients with depression,

and the one thing that they are missing is connection, connection is important to our everyday lives.

The brain of a human is complex, our emotions, and feelings are complex. But what can you do if you’re in depression? If you’re experiencing depression, you feel like all the air around you are negative, like you’re useless, but that is not the reality, there are p e o ple, not just your fam- i l y worrying about you, but your friends and relatives too.

What happens in your if you’re in depression is that it will malfunction like a telephone t h a t can’t call, like a string connecting a person to another person has been cut off. This is how y o u solve it, let’s picture you fell into a hole, a deep, deep frictionless hole. It seems impossible to escape, that’s like how you start- e d to get depressed, it seems that n o one would help you, but if you get the right habits, you will find a way

out. Now you are in the hole, let’s picture that hole has 5 apple trees and 8 mango trees with a lake full of fishes, if you don’t harvest the apples and mangoes you’re not getting out because you need food, and you have to take care of the trees that supply you food, in the real world we can relate that you must eat

and sleep at the right time. Now what? After years have passed, you feel, like “how can I escape here?” You must connect to your close ones and get therapy to get better and have hope that will be the one you used to be, like when you’re down a hole, and you met a bird, a smart one, you can tell the bird that you need help and send a message to your love ones, buy ropes and when you are finally out, it feels like you are the happiest person alive! After that, you feel much better, participate in organizations, accepting what happened, it is not so hard, you just need the willpower to fight back the emotions that are negatively affecting you to get some support, because no man’s an island. But what about if you are not the one with it, but maybe your friends, family members, or relatives. Well, it’s reality, we can’t be perfect the way we are, but we stand still again as imperfections arise, like falling into a deep hole

and getting out happily. When your loved and close ones are in depression because of grief and sadness. We must comfort them, tell them that it’s okay and move on with life, to accept what happened. When they are just alone in the dark, you must make light for them, to guide them to the world where they can be happy and have hope again. We must look for therapy, scientifically depression is a highly treatable illness not like Alzheimer’s disease, counselling and therapy can help to lift depression. The fears and anxieties are scary, to treat them we must not turn back and face them, like a lion roaring at you menacingly, and we will be forced to draw our swords. If one person will just fight, he is going to lose, that is why we must have teamwork.

Teamwork makes the dream work!

In the world, many people are suffering from this mental illness. But we can fight back to turn the tides from bad to good, get some therapy and help and it will be worth it in the end. We must be healthy, and don’t be sleep deprived, eat healthy foods, and be positive as always. They said that “Positive mindset brings positive things”.

ACTING FAST By: Hannah Jianne A. Pineda

There are times when we end up in accidents and they leave us with wounds. Naturally, these are both inevitable.

There is no way a person can find out when or where it will happen, but what a person can learn is how to handle them.

In the matter of injuries that require immediate treatment, first aid plays a role in keeping it from getting worse before the professionals come in.

Since a lot of accidents aren’t too big to require hospitalization, learning first aid will prove to be useful enough to do the trick. Injuries like these can be treated at home but will still need immediate responses.

Acting fast is crucial if you don’t want to be put in a worse state, but some people find it difficult to get into action because they start panicking. Panic is a natural response to any form of danger. It won’t bring you any harm if you panic, but it is essential to keep yourself calm in these circumstances. Being in this state will help you think forward and prevent any emotions that can get in the way of the procedure.

Treating injuries with first aid isn’t as hard as you may think. Depending on the severity of the wound, you might still need to go to the hospital after treating it at home.

Having first aid kits on the ready in your house is important for these situations.

Bandages, gauze pads, betadine, rubbing alcohol, cotton, and a thermometer are only some of the essentials. These materials will be needed when nursing your wounds.

One fact to remember when you are handling injuries on the skin like cuts and bites is that you should always wash it first with soap under running water before doing anything else to it. It will clean the wound and prevent any dirt from entering the tear. In other cases like sprains and strains, you will need to perform the “RICE” method.

This stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation. If you experience any sprain or strain, remember to do this procedure until you get to a professional.

Being aware of our surroundings and having caution with our movements can prevent us from accidents.

Keeping your house clean and storing dangerous products in cabinets will help to at least minimize the risk of an accident.

For your time outside like when playing sports, you will need to play safe and wear protective gear. It is important to always lower your odds in these types of events.

Still, it is important to learn basic treatment. Knowing first aid procedures can not only help you nurse your wounds but also feel assurance and confidence when handling these types of situations.

Climate Change: When The Nature is in Pain By: Mary Vianei Sumpay

The issue of climate change’s not water bodies overheat as a re- which rely on oil and petronew; it is one of the most pressing sult of high temperatures, which leum products as their primaenvironmental concerns of the may have a negative impact on ry source of energy, this may 21st century. Without a doubt, aquatic animals that adapt to be accomplished by embracclimate change has become one specific hydrological tempera- ing alternative energy sources. of the challenges that affect all tures. Similarly, when gases such Furthermore, effective agriculaspects of human life, includ- as carbon dioxide are dissolved tural practices are necessary ing social and economic aspects. in water basins, the quality of to retain the environment’s It has been stated that climate the water is always affected. worth for long-term support. change will continue to harm This may have an impact on the It is pointless to ignore the the planet as long as suitable species mix in a given environ- truth that climate change is not environmental protection mea- ment. In society, all ecosystems only occurring, but also accelersures are not followed. In this play a critical role. The changes ating at an alarming rate and is line of thought, human actions that occur in the environment a major socioeconomic and enhave been largely blamed for the are determined by the extremes vironmental concern that is afrising consequences of climate to which the climate varies. Cli- fecting the world today. Climate change throughout the world. mate change may also have un- change, which is mostly driven Climate change may be defined intended consequences, such by human activity, provides a as a long-term weather pattern. as changes in soil properties series of problems and hazards Human activities, which have and regime disruption. These to the environment. Changes in a negative influence on the en- include infections, pests, and the quality of the natural envivironment, are mainly respon- diseases, all of which are more ronment, which have an impact sible for these changes. It is no likely to support the survival of on biodiversity, are equally imlonger a myth, but a fact, with some species over others. This portant. Some species have bean influence that has steadily in- will have an immediate im- come extinct as a result of this, creased since the 1950s, owing pact on the survival of partic- while others have seen exponenmostly to growing amounts of ular species as well as the pop- tial increases in their numbers. greenhouse gases in the atmo- ulation of creatures as a whole. Furthermore, it is essential to sphere. This means that human Reducing the number of green- consider that some of the natuactivities have had a substantial house gases in the atmosphere is ral occurrences are being exacrole in this global environmen- one way to fight climate change. erbated by climate change. The tal disaster, which continues to This may be accomplished in a majority of these events are still afflict the majority of the world’s variety of ways that reduce car- classified as natural disasters, alpopulation. Climate change has b o n dioxide emissions though they may be mitigated been an impact on every cor- into the atmosphere. with simple actions. The adopner of the world. Poverty, weak Unlike most tion of renewable energy sourcinstitutions, illiteracy, a lack of e c o n o m i e s , es has long been thought to be knowledge and technology, the most significant approach restricted infrastructure, into protecting the globe adequate resource accessifrom climate change. Albility, bad management, though it is a complex isand conflicts are only sue to handle, collaborative a few of these probworld efforts are imlems. Furthermore, exportant to make progress. tensive land exploitation One thing to keep in mind continues to be a huge regarding climate change is hazard to the climate. As that it refers to the rising a result of these occurtemperatures of the whole rences, nature is expeclimate system. According riencing drought and to these results, the clioverall water scarcity. mate system is heatIn terms of climate ing up. It’s crucial change’s impact on to remember biodiversity, it that climate has an impact change is on the commore than position of just globnatural ecoal warming, systems, as as most peowell as speple believe. cies popAbove all, the ulations battle against cliand their mate change necesability to survive. sitates the participation Oceans and other of everyone in the world.

Procrastination and Sleeping Habits: Affecting our Mental health or Vice versa?

By: Angeliah Monje

Mental health is a huge factor in how we do certain tasks. This can affect many things that may contribute to what we do in our lives; from the things that are done on a daily basis to the extracurricular activities that we choose to do and the time we are expected to do so. Needless to say, this is one of the major reasons why most students nowadays procrastinate. Now, do you often find yourself unmotivated and often feel tired to do the things you intend to do? And tell yourself that “I’ll just do this later/tomorrow”?

Is procrastination affecting our mental health that disrupts our sleep or is our mental state affecting our sleeping habits that may lead to procrastination?

Prior to the knowledge that all of us are going through a lot right now, consequently, stress and procrastination are common terms that stimulate our mental state nowadays. What is procrastination? Based from the article written by Ryan Patrick Jones, procrastinating can lead to vicious cycles, “the more you wait to complete a task, the more impossible it seems, the less motivation you have to start”.

Ergo, many students result in laziness and poor time management skills, which can lead to poor work ethics. However, we cannot associate procrastination with just being lazy. Procrastination can be a reaction to anxiety and unstable mental health.

We gravitate toward avoiding things that make us feel uneasy and uncertain about executing, on account of the fear of failure.

In line with psychological studies, a lot of students/people associate the term procrastination with the phrase, “reduced mental health”.

Why is this? It is a matter of psychological reasons. Nowadays regarding the pandemic, our mental health is a serious responsibility that we all have to deal with. Considering the increased amount of stress and limited time to do the tasks that are given to students, along with the increased expectations of parents and peers, some students may experience so much pressure by j u s t keeping their grades up but f e e l l i k e t h e y cannot keep u p w i t h what they are expected of. According to Joseph Ferra-

ri, a psychology professor at a university in Chicago, “Everyone procrastinates, but not everyone is a procrastinator”. Some people procrastinate chronically in ways that they don’t even notice anymore. In light of the fact that people who are mentally tired or unstable, also have poor sleeping habits that may contribute to that tiredness and sometimes lead to depression.

Depression occurs when our state of mind is no longer stable.

Studies refer to depression and procrastination as two linked subjects. When the human mind is depressed, it loses interest in activities that they normally enjoy or are ok to deal with. This is often caused by stress. With regards to this, experts say that stress is the number one cause on why it can be hard for depressed people to do a sequence of activities or behavior. Perhaps in our sleeping habits, depressed people are often sleep deprived or diagnosed with insomnia or the inability to fall asleep. In association to this, lack of sleep plays a role in depression that is a major cause of lack of motivation. It is associated to the fact of us questioning ourselves, “What’s the point?”

This social withdrawal or dilemma in our mindsets that comes from depression, may lead to what we now call procrastination.

Insomnia is a sleeping disorder where a person finds difficulty in sleep. This concerns a person when he or she is often associated with work, school, health, and other stressful events that can often lead to exhaustion and lower levels of well-being. Which can consequently develop a negative impact on student’s school works, grades, and their overall health, and poor productivity, which will lead to what we fear the most; failure in executing our goals. We sometimes lose interest in the things that we do and choose to lay in bed all day and do nothing, or do other things instead of doing the things that we actually

need to do, due to the fact that we lose all motivation to do so, which can lead to staying up all night doing certain tasks, which will cause lack of sleep when procrastinating. The dangerous part is that it becomes a habit, which can be threatening in doing our given tasks.

Some people reason out that they “do better under pressure”.

However, that is obviously not always the case, especially considering that when we procrastinate, we lose the idea of doing things systematically. So how can we overcome procrastinating that will lead to a better sleep schedule? They say that the mind works well when it is well-rested.

The idea that we do things when the deadline is near, increases anxiety and the chances that you might not be able to do it properly, due to lack of proper planning and execution of the given task. We need to accept this and understand why we often procrastinate and its many factors on how it can affect our lifestyle.

Having a better time management plan isn’t going to work just by itself. We need to find a way to manage our time properly whilst reducing anxiety and increasing the satisfaction that emphasizes how good it will feel when we finish a certain task. For instance, when we make a list of things that we need to do all at once, it may increase anxiety that will lead to procrastinating anyway. We need to learn how to do things in an organized manner by breaking down the things we need to do; perhaps by date of deadline. Set your mindset to the idea that after you do those tasks, you will have spare time for yourself to be able to do things you actually enjoy as something you can look forward to. To achieve this, you need to always be productive.

Find something that can motivate you. Find a reason to continue doing the things you need to do, to achieve the satisfaction and positive reactions in attaining your goals. Do this in contrast of fear of failure and judgement.

Regardless, this isn’t just about satisfying other’s expectations, but your own.

Given by everything that has b e e n stated so far, for who do we really procrastinate?

Do we do it to satisfy ourselves or to satisfy the pressure given by the people around us?

COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY: HOW IT HELPS MENTAL HEALTH IN THE MIDST OF PANDEMIC By: Ella Ivy M. Barra

In this pandemic, the dread of getting the virus is compounded by the considerable changes to our everyday lives as our movements are restricted in support of attempts to contain and reduce the virus’s spread. Working from home, temporary unemployment, home-schooling children, and a lack of physical interaction with other family members, friends, and coworkers are all new realities that need us to take care of our mental as well as physical health. Fear, worry and stress became a normal emotion. No wonder COVID-19 affected not only the adults, but also the children mentally. An estimated 25 percent of children are diagnosed with mental health disorders.

These are often root causes for violent and aggressive behavior, self-harm, or suicide attempts.

The good news is that research on the growing phenomenon of cyber bullying has identified a possible solution: cognitive behavioral therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help alleviate stress and anxiety even if you don’t suffer from a mental health disorder.

It helps you recognize when you are engaging in dangerous behaviors that cause fur-

ther harm, such as bullying.

This article explains how you can use CBT to improve the way you treat yourself, others, and the world around you.

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a short-term, goal-oriented psychosocial intervention. It is among the most widely used evidence-based therapeutic interventions for a range of mental health problems, including anxiety disorders and depression. The fundamental goal of a cognitive behavioral therapist is to help people recognize their beliefs and actions, particularly in connection to their relationships, environment, and lives, so that they may change them for the better. This costs from Php 2,000 to Php 3,000 per session here in the Philippines, but there are also some intuitions that our country also offers free therapy and consultations.

Cognitive behavioral therapy really helped so many people to overcome their depressions and anxieties that they felt during this pandemic. It made the people aware and in control of their own thoughts. It didn’t just help us overcome anxiety but also developed our self-esteem, communication skills, anger management, and many more.

How Proper Diet Affects Your Academic Performance By: Rafaela Jehan J. Cedo

Several studies have shown a correlation between a student’s academic success and their eating habits. This is because there is a direct relationship between the foods we eat and the functioning of our brains. Proper, healthy nutrition can benefit the brain in several positive ways.

Your gastrointestinal tract is home to billions of bacteria that influences the production of neurotransmitters which constantly carry messages from the gut to the brain. A healthy diet increases the production of new neurons. The more the bond between neurons the better they can communicate, and the better we can learn, think, and memorize. Student performance in school is influenced by a variety of elements including their nutritional status, including their ability to think, their behavior, and even their physical health. According to the findings of certain studies,

diets that are heavy in trans and saturated fats may have a detrimental effect on both learning and memory. On the other hand, access to nutrition improves students’ cognition, concentration, and energy levels. Eating foods that are rich in fiber, protein, and healthy fats such as eggs, yogurt, apples, and oatmeal keep the body feeling full longer, providing enough energy to focus and stay alert throughout the entire day.

Try making small healthy food swaps, like trading white rice, pasta, and bread for wholegrain versions. This helps increase good fiber in your body, which aids in digestion.

And instead of a bag of chips, choose a side salad packed with nuts, seeds, and even fruits.

Don’t forget to stay hydrated, don’t skip meals, and be mindful of your caffeine and sugar intake. Always remember that you are what you eat.

Adversity along with Resiliency By: Mark Amiel Soreta

Rigid pieces were brought to fight on a 64 squared board. Oh, how can a game this simple be so intense?

Is it in the midst of losing hope?

Or could it be about the state of a person’s being? As Tim Crothers stated, “When you love something with all your heart, it brings many other things.” Chess is all about mind games and outwitting your opponents, isn’t it? You either play it for entertainment or play seriously.

Chess was invented in India around the 6th century AD when it was still called Chaturanga. The forms presented by the game aided its unique style, which developed in masses to turn out as we know it today, with kings and queens accompanied by infantry and mammals. Each player takes turns making a single move. Besides that, you are supposed to defend your king, as the game’s prominent subject is to checkmate your opponent’s king.

From Katwe, Uganda comes an optimistic individual. Queen of Katwe was originally a magazine

article from ESPN by Tim Crothers and was later picked up by Walt Disney alongside ESPN Films to make a movie out of Phiona Mutesi’s life.

The movie’s central point is Phiona’s accomplishments and shortcomings. Phiona Mutesi didn’t have a dazzling childhood. While wandering around the streets of Kampala, Uganda, Phiona stumbled into a shelter where Robert Katende and his students were about to eat.

This is the phase where she discovers her exceeding talent for chess.

Phases, as defined by the web, are “a distinct period or stage in an event”. Moreover, chess has its own phases, consisting of the opening, middle game, and endgame. Openings are the group of initial moves early in the game.

It helps you to get a good position in the subsequent stages. Although an uncommon opening like the Hippopotamus defense might be sluggish, it provides you with a chance to take control of the next rank. It’s convenient because it de-

velops pieces and gives a reasonable cover for the king. In addition, castling is one of the most effective ways to ensure great protection for the king. It is a typical move to improve the king’s safety while also broadening the mobility of your rook for the following stages.

Chess, like the game of life, has a limit. We individuals have certain objectives to attain. In chess, it’s to checkmate your opponent’s king. In life, it’s to strive for what we want, or something else? Life and chess may guide us to excellence or lead us to adversity, but we must keep trying.

Without the distinction to decipher our flaws, without resiliency, we’ll keep encountering the same result.

Phiona Mutesi shows the trait of being resilient. From all the hurdles, she prevailed to stay straight. A little uneven is all. Losing is usual. Times like an arrow you’ll get past your blunders eventually. Nobody is capable of finessing everything all the time. Enhancing your play together with knowing your imperfections

forms a great path to success.

Continuously, year by year, we sight certain players stride into the chess community. The game has been around for 15 centuries and has enlarged its community along with its status over that span. It might be old, but it’s unlikely chess proceeds into a downwards spiral anytime soon. Chess is unique. It creates conflict with

silence. Its intensity derives from logic, as it gets decisive constantly.

A bit of spark with add-ons of patience, a bowl of determination accompanied by sweeten-

ers that bring positivity, and you brew success.

Sports Participation: Capabilities of People with Special Needs By: Felipa Irish N. Ballecer

I know that all of us will agree that sports are one of the most enjoyable, and fun-loving activities in our society. That’s why a lot of people do this.

Furthermore, it is an activity that helps mankind a lot.

Just like that, it has the advantage of improving our physical abilities and skills. Moreover, it also has the benefit to our health formation, and it helps our character building, and socialization too.

Athletes are the people who are proficient in sports and other forms of physical exercise. They’re the ones who play the sports professionally, and they’re the ones who

compete in one or more sports that involve physical strength, speed, or endurance.

At present, it is not just the people without disabilities or we can call them “normal people” who want to play sports, but also the disabled folks, or it means the individuals who have disabilities that they suppose will stop them from achieving their dreams, or from joining sports. In some ways, other people do not recognize that other disabled individuals who want to play sports also have the athletic ability. And I believe that we should not think in that way.

We should not judge people

who have disabilities easily, because we do not know that they might have the skills that they can take in sports.

Let’s give chances to all of the people who want to play sports, let everything be fair, and it shouldn’t just be normal people who should play sports because we all have the right to play it, especially what I’ve mentioned to the disabled individuals. Besides, it’s better to just encourage them than let them down, and help them understand that it is alright to have a disability because it doesn’t mean they’re not athletic. Let us not make them think that they are not capable

of being in sports, that they cannot access sports. Let us all help incorporate persons with disabilities into sports.

We should be more considerate to them in engaging in sports. They have the right to be happy and have fun with sports. They have the right to show their talent and skills.

That is why let them feel how or what it’s like to win or to lose in sports. I’m sure that they also want to feel the same feelings that they can contribute to a team or group.

Disabled individuals have many barriers or challenges as it is, and sports doesn’t have to be one of them. Trainers or

coaches should help their students adapt to the sport that they are in. Whether you are an educator, think about how you can adapt those sports and include people with disabilities. Think about the big help that you can give to them. And on top of that, classes in schools can boost a person’s self-esteem and can help them recognize that they actually did have athletic abilities and they could bring something to a team or group.

Let us all care for our disabled friends. My friends (disabled individuals) you’re valuable, you have talents, gifts, and skills to offer. And you matter!

Claps and Cheers: The Extent of Support to Sports in the Philippines By: Mary Jonica R. De Los Reyes

In the Philippines, sports are a popular aspect of the country’s culture.

Filipinos love sports - from basketball and boxing to e-sports like online games. Some of the major sports in the Philippines include basketball, volleyball, billiards, badminton, boxing, tennis, and football. It is said that sports play an important role in the country’s culture. Although sports are widely known in the country, it is still questionable if sports are given enough importance in our country.

The Department of Education (DepEd), has said that one high school in every region should have a Special Program in Sports (SPS). The K to 12 system also provides for a sports track in senior high school. There is also what we call the Palarong Pam-

bansa and the Philippine National Games that allow talented athletes to showcase their skills nationwide.

That is why physical education is included in our educational system, specifically in the subject MAPEH. Holistically, it also teaches the students the essence of hard work, teamwork, and discipline. School also provides the student-athletes opportunities to compete in sports competitions like intramurals and interschool sports tournaments.

However, opportunities in participating in sports competitions are not only limited to schools as it can also be accessible through barangay leagues, inter-agency sports competitions sponsored by the LGU, and many more.

Article XIV, Section 19 of the 1987

Philippine Constitution provides that “the State shall promote physical education and encourage sports programs, league competitions, and amateur sports, including training for international competitions, to foster self-discipline, teamwork, and excellence for the development of a healthy and alert citizenry.” Moreover, Section 6 of Republic Act 6847 mandates the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) to set the priorities and direction of a national sports agenda, giving emphasis to grassroots participation. While in Executive Order 64, series of 1993 centers on the national policy of “Sports for All” which shall make accessible to all Filipinos—regardless of age, gender, talent, and capabilities–a program of physical fitness and sports;

and preserve and promote the desirable traditional and universal values in physical fitness and sports.

Although it is shown that the Philippine government supports the accessibility to play and learn sports, athletes are still not able to hone their skills to their fullest potential because of the lack of funds and attention on them. Based on the recent Olympic Games Beijing 2022, the Philippines was not able to bring home any awards. The Philippines still doesn’t thrive internationally as much due to insufficient support from the government.

It is something that has become a part of our daily lives, may it be watching the sports channel after a long day of work or playing basketball across the street with your neigh-

bors. Sports became something truly imperative in the Philippines. Even though the Filipinos greatly give importance to sports, the support given to the athletes is still inadequate.

Just like the first Filipino to ever win an Olympic gold medal for the Philippines, Hidilyn Diaz, experienced.

“It is okay to ask sponsorship sa mga private companites towards Tokyo 2020? Hirap na hirap na ako, I need financial support. Sa tingin niyo okay lang kaya, nahihiya kasi ako pero try ko kapalan mukha ko para sa minimithi kong pangarap para sa ating bansa na maiwui ang gold medal sa Olympics” she says on one of her posts back in 2019. Hence, with proper training and support from the government, Filipino athletes can be at par with other countries.

Connect and Empower: Interrelation of Sports with Academic Success By: Zener Gabriel R. Arizala

Athletes are a celebrity themselves, especially those professional and world-class athletes, who have achieved and experienced enormous recognition. But most particularly, the best-performing athletes are the ones who received fame and are the most iconic people in the world.

They have become role models and it is no doubt that they inspired future generations, not only in terms of sport but also in a lot of things as their ability has expanded throughout the entertainment world. Because of that, almost everyone admires those professional athletes like Rafael “Paeng” Villareal Nepomuceno who is a six-time world bowling champion. Athletes like him gained a lot of reputation and honor all over the world.

Fame can affect an athlete by endorsing and sponsoring brands by using their name.

This also gives them a lot of opportunities to provide other plans on what they want to do in the future and they might also get invited to some TV shows for interviews, which is now an occupation that might turn into a full-time job once an athlete retires.

When it comes to communicating a message about something, athletes may use social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter to reach a lot of

people who can appreciate their efforts and hard work by liking and sharing their posts. But it has also had negative issues about certain athletes. Many athletes are the prey of the media. Whether they win or lose, the media will observe their performance. Winning results give the athletes adoration and respect as well as jealousy. These platforms provide athletes the opportunity to make a change on cultural and social issues.

People have changed their views on sports in recent years, going from hating to being obsessed with them.

This newfound curiosity in professional athletes has made it impossible for them to manage and secure their private life, especially as technology and social media advance. These athletes may find it stressful because “all eyes are on them on or off the field”, they might also feel a lot of pain in their bum and shoulders.

In the context of sports, sports performance is often associated with the excellence of an athlete measuring his or her performance as a development towards a ton of achievements. In both training and in real games, discipline is important. The undisciplined athlete will eventually lead to error and might make a mistake, it can also affect their fame in or out of the game.

Level up, the New Generation: Craze behind the E-Sports Industry By: Marcus Nicolo E. Pandes

I’m sure we’ve all heard of “E-sports,” and some of us may even be enthusiasts or even obsessed with it. E-sports, or Electronic Sports, is a type of video game competition that can be played by single-player or multiplayer.

The newly discovered sport provided many benefits for people who wanted to participate in sports but couldn’t because they didn’t meet the physical requirements; previously, there were no height, weight, age, or diet requirements. Everyone, young or old, can work in the industry if they want to.

Many games have gained popularity as a result of E-sports, including Dota 2 (DOTA 2), Arena of Valor (AOV), and many others. Players of these games are extremely competitive, making it well worth your time to become a Pro Player of these

games. Many people have achieved success as a result of E-sports, particularly in the Philippines.

One of the most popular e-sport games in Southeast Asia is Mobile Legends. Most people consume their time playing the game, due to the depth, the characters, the efficiency, and the game’s aesthetics it became a widely used app. Last year in December 2021, M3 was held in Singapore competing for the M3 trophy. I know that almost all of the kids who play video games aspire to be professional players.

The first game that was on E-sports was published in the year 1972, Spacewar. Stanford students were invited to the Intergalactic Spacewar Olympics. E-sports grew and became popular in South Korea. Then it became present in Arcades, Malls, Phones, Computer and Consoles. Some of

them utilized E-Sports as a hobby, some became enthusiasts, and some even became their job and now are professionals in this field.

E-Sports has evolved into something that practically no one could have expected. Since 2009, E-Sports consumption has been one of the fastest-growing types of media, with no indications of slowing down. This mostly online community has one of the closest and most involved fan bases in today’s industry, which contributes to its long-term success. We have no clue where the E-Sports scene will go in the next five years, but live-streaming, our generation’s competition, and corporate sponsors have helped to shape it. E-sports is the new stepping stone toward the new generation and evolution of the Sports Industry.

In or Out of the Spotlight By: Gaelann Inocentes Camila

Athletes are a celebrity themselves, especially those professional and world-class athletes, who have achieved and experienced enormous recognition. But most particularly, the best-performing athletes are the ones who received fame and are the most iconic people in the world.

They have become role models and it is no doubt that they inspired future generations, not only in terms of sport but also in a lot of things as their ability has expanded throughout the entertainment world. Because of that, almost everyone admires those professional athletes like Rafael “Paeng” Villareal Nepomuceno who is a six-time world bowling champion. Athletes like him gained a lot of reputation and honor all over the world.

Fame can affect an athlete by endorsing and sponsoring brands by using their name. This

also gives them a lot of opportunities to provide other plans on what they want to do in the future and they might also get invited to some TV shows for interviews, which is now an occupation that might turn into a fulltime job once an athlete retires.

When it comes to communicating a message about something, athletes may use social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter to reach a lot of people who can appreciate their efforts and hard work by liking and sharing their posts. But it has also had negative issues about certain athletes. Many athletes are the prey of the media. Whether they win or lose, the media will observe their performance. Winning results give the athletes adoration and respect as well as jealousy.

These platforms provide athletes the opportunity to make a change

on cultural and social issues.

People have changed their views on sports in recent years, going from hating to being obsessed with them. This newfound curiosity in professional athletes has made it impossible for them to manage and secure their private life, especially as technology and social media advance. These athletes may find it stressful because “all eyes are on them on or off the field”, they might also feel a lot of pain in their bum and shoulders.

In the context of sports, sports performance is often associated with the excellence of an athlete measuring his or her performance as a development towards a ton of achievements. In both training and in real games, discipline is important. The undisciplined athlete will eventually lead to error and might make a mistake, it can also affect their fame in or out of the game.

Toughs or Wits: Which one is more significant?

By: Ryker B. Bernales

Mental toughness, focus, and anticipation are just a few mental strategies that the mind develops when playing sports. The mind is used to control the body or movement. Sports also enhance specific regions of the brain and causes structural changes. Every skill and move of a body is made by its mind.

Mental skills are very useful in every sport including chess, fencing, boxing, and tennis. A positive attitude and dealing effectively with teammates as well as opponents are the examples of mental skills you need in sports. The mind controls your every move in any situation while playing. Yogi Berra quoted that 90% are mental in sports. Using the mind in sports can deal a good impact on the enemy and make great teamwork. He also quoted that the Body has only 10% of sports.

Without the mind, the body would be useless. Sports need mental thinking that helps to gain more skills in any game. The mind can also remember all those experiences from the game. The body may be also useful because the body makes the movements yet the mind still controls itself. They are completely focused and aware of the now; making a catch, throwing a pitch, sinking a free throw, saving a goal. Why is the mind important in sports? Athletic performance does not only benefit from a thinking mind, as the mind also benefits from sports.

We must recognize that being physically and emotionally fit is essential for success in all parts of life. Children should be taught about the significance of mental health, which will assist them in trying to break down the preconceptions that today’s culture has developed surrounding mental health. This would also assist them in dealing with mental health difficulties and in living a healthy life. People should be aware of the effects of mental disease and should prioritize keeping the mind healthy in the same manner that we prioritize keeping our physical bodies healthy.

Untangling Mental Health Crisis through Sports By: Chelsea Ysabel V. Ramboyong

Mental health is very crucial in our lives since it affects how we act and think. Experiencing unfortunate events and living in a world where chaos is the only thing that stands out is one of the reasons why people suffer and lose hope. When the pandemic was declared, people were isolated. Many were frustrated but this is a good opportunity to take a good look at ourselves and be involved in physical activities like Sports.

Sports can lessen our stress and they can also lighten our mood.

Some may think that this can only help us physically but in fact, it can also strengthen our mental state. This can keep us away from addiction, depression, and stress. Playing sports with your family or friends is one way to boost your mental health and wash your worries away. With sports, we can also enhance our confidence, resilience, and teamwork. We should always think of our mental health because it is a vital part of our behavior and emotions and if it breaks apart, it may affect us and bring a heavy impact on our health.

It should come as no surprise

that many people develop anxiety, stress, and depression because of what is happening in our world. Being active with the help of sports is something we can do to refresh our minds and lessen the risks of having mental health issues. In doing so, we can also lower the rates of reckless behaviors such as suicide and substance abuse.

Mental health crises may be a hard and problematic issue, but there are many solutions to this; this includes sports.

Sports are a way for us to not only focus to be physically fit but also mentally healthy. This may not fully cure us but it can relieve our minds and forget our troubles which can lessen the serious effects or problems on our mental health. It is not required to be a professional athlete in playing different sports activities. We are doing this for ourselves and the sake of our mental health. Don’t disregard our mental health and treat it as important as your body. In this world where the mental health crisis still prevails, we need to start making a change for ourselves and the people around us.

Inactivity of Athletes during the Pandemic: Trials and TribulaBy: Sofia Moira B. Dolorical

The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on our lives; we had to change our lifestyles; it also affected many events, forcing them to be postponed or cancelled. The world of sports is one of many industries in decline, and its significance has been severely reduced as a result of the public medical crisis, which has resulted in the inactivity of athletes, event postponement, and the temporary cessation of all major sports. For athletes, sports are frequently the foundation of their life plans; some may put aside other matters such as marriages, children, and other career opportunities that may be available to them.

In our current situation, this matter may have caused athletes anxiety or worry, potentially leading to mental health problems. Due to the pandemic, many athletes are quarantined and on lockdown, likely to result in them being isolated from their family, peers, and co-athletes. Isolation causes homesickness and may lead to depression. Another issue that could occur as a result of the constraints imposed is one’s

financial nature. Due to the outbreak, tournaments, meets, and leagues were forced to cancel, and for some athletes, this may be their only source of income.

Following the closure of facilities, gymnasiums, training centers, stadiums, equipment, and lack of training, they may be at a competitive disadvantage and may not be able to stay in shape.

Lawn Tennis player Mqkeyin Avilo B. Oliva, an 8th-grade student at the University of Saint Anthony, is one of the athletes affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. He has been playing lawn tennis for 7 years and has competed in city-wide and regional competitions. When the pandemic began, he faced numerous challenges that hampered his training. Due to the facility shut down and his age, he was unable to attend regular training and participate in different tournaments.

But his passion for his field gave him the courage to continue despite the situation, so he never lost hope. He was fortunate enough to be able to cope with this pandemic because one of the training coaches in this

event was his father; he modifies his training habits to practice specific skills. He continued to train in locations that were convenient for him. For some athletes, such as him, the ongoing crisis can be a great opportunity to improve his skills and performance in his field; he has his family who supports him in everything he does, which encourages him to bring out his best.

When a problem arises, an opportunity arises as well; keeping ourselves mentally and physically healthy and remaining positive may be the best option due to the problems occurring around us; by doing so, we may be able to overcome this crisis.

“My only advice to my fellow athletes is don’t give up on our dreams, not everyone gets it quickly, we have to work hard to achieve it, hardwork is the key, lahat naman tayo magiging successful kung tayo ay determinado at masipag.” The athlete’s words truly show that everyone can be an athlete, we just have to exert our skills and effort and improve them by working hard and being optimistic amidst the obstacles that we experience.

Destroying the Barricades of Gender Stereotypes in Sports By: Mark Amiel P. Soreta

Gender inequality is allaround sports history, with a male-dominated sector it’s clear a significant amount of folks get ridiculed by their colleagues about skills, gender, and much more.

As defined by the web, sports pertain to any form of competitive physical activity or game, it was innovative gaining individuals to exhibit their skills. In 1867 an all-African-American baseball team consisting of only women was formed, located in Pennsylvania Philadelphia the Dolly Vardens formed the first women’s professional sports team. In the dawning age of sports, women weren’t as welcomed nor appreciated as men just off their gender.

The gender detachment within sports allows both genders to have further odds-on partaking in cer-

tain categories, thus giving neither side an advantage based on their gender. Numerous athletes have stated experiencing discrimination off and on the court causing distress and discouragement from playing.

Both men and women encounter discrimination, for instance, men are mocked for participating in events namely gymnastics knowing it’s mostly played by women and the same occurs to them but with a larger scale of categories. This shows the importance of standardizing an individual’s certainty of picking certain sports. With this shape of thinking fewer people will be bullied and stereotypes will slowly diminish.

Though some people believe women aren’t capable of participating in sports, they’ve stood well. Gender

separation has fabricated a lot of women’s legacy in sports one being Diana Taurasi’s. The three-time WNBA champion and 5-time Olympic gold medallist might be the best woman to play on a basketball court, she has influenced numerous beings along with other female athletes who have topped the sports scene showing characteristics of self-reliance and teamwork. Stereotypes are major subject athletes go through daily. It interrupts each contender’s mental state leading to poor performance, as said this is how significant normalizing men choosing particular categories in sports is. With cooperation said conflicts will be considered motivation thus encouraging youngsters to partake in sports or any other topic.

Molding the Youth through Sports By: Jovizel B. Regalado

Sports are an essential part of human life, and it has a significant impact on all aspects.

It matters the most in the life stage of youth as young persons can get a lot of benefits and opportunities from it. It can help them physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, and financially. Young individuals that are active do better in life.

They are likely to be more productive, healthy, possess good social skills, have higher self-esteem, and do well in school.

Sports is an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or a team competes against another or others for entertainment (Oxford Languages, 2022).

Some examples of it that are popular in our country are basketball, volleyball, boxing, and tennis. It offers enjoyment to participants and entertainment to spectators.

In the Philippines, few kids are interested in sports (Amazona & Allegado, 2018). The participation of youth was low even before the COVID-19 Pandemic and it continues to decline due to the restric-

tions put in place to control it. At present, our country is in the process of adjusting to the new normal, and as the health protocols start to ease up, the youth are encouraged to participate and be active.

One could get many health benefits from playing competitive games. It includes improved lung function, a stronger heart, good mental health, and appropriate body weight.

Physical activities reduce many major mortality risk factors such as arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus type 2, coronary heart disease, stroke, and cancer (C D Reimers et al. J Aging Res, 2012). Thus, increasing the life expectancy of a person.

The character and personality of young individuals could be developed through sports.

It can instill discipline, a sense of responsibility, courtesy, and obedience. It allows the athletes to learn the value of patience, how to practice time management, and how to handle failure and pain. Furthermore, it improves leadership skills, communication skills, and decision-making skills.

An excellent young athlete may also enjoy financial benefits.

There are schools that provide financial assistance, tuition fee discounts, and scholarships.

These things are of great help to the student and their families considering the high cost of education and necessary equipment. In addition, if an athlete shows exceptional performance, he/she may attract not just professional coaches and leagues that may assist him/her to a good professional career but also brand sponsorships and endorsements.

The global pandemic that we experienced made us realize how important health is. As young individuals, we should already know how to value ourselves and strive for a better life. It is ideal that we incorporate activity into our lifestyle that could bring us joy, good health, and self-development opportunities. Sports have the capability to develop a young individual into a successful adult. Hence, playing it is good for the youth and it will unquestionably improve human life quality.

The Notion of Who I Am By: Josiah Nathaniel C. Camila

A reminiscence of the history of sports came from the Greeks and the Romans, the two empires that have started to feel the breeze of innovation, particularly for entertainment. It was then involved in the preparation for war or training in the military which tested both their bodies and minds. But as this industry arise from the joyous heats of the concrete paved by our ancestors and from the blood and sweat amalgamated by the soldiers who have used their bodies and minds; came with a psychophysical effect in producing effort that is exerted to provide entertainment.

Sport is not solely for the physical being of a human, it also involves the psychological being of a human being. Psychology in Sports is a broad study that analyzes people’s behavior, activities, and perceptions in sports. Individuals and communities can benefit from the notion of sports psychology because, on the other hand, it aims not just to improve performance but also to integrate physical exercise into society as a whole. Psychology is seen as a critical aspect of competitive performance in current professional sports.

The degree of personal belief and faith in one’s talents, judgments, attributes, methods, and qualities are referred to as self-esteem. It may be gained through accumulating distinct successes across several competitive arenas yet self-esteem still refers to a person’s entire subjective feeling of personal worth or value. To put it another way, self-esteem is how much you enjoy and appreciate yourself regardless of your circumstances. It is the very foundation of performance success in sports, self-esteem is the driving passion of an athlete to participate. But what happens if this self-esteem inside of the burning soul is splashed by the waters of negativity and extinguishes the mind’s drive for success?

Low self-esteem may be a terrible and detrimental way to live your life. It frequently interferes with daily life, causing not just bewilderment but also a depressing sense of pessimism. People who have poor self-esteem frequently strive to look confident and carefree.

However, they regularly do or say things that make them feel foolish and inept in comparison to the rest of society. When you have poor self-esteem, one of the most stressful things is

attempting to talk to someone you don’t know very well. The seemingly simple process of conversing becomes profoundly daunting when you believe you aren’t as excellent as the person you’re conversing with.

Age, disability, heredity, illnesses, physical abilities, socioeconomic status, or mental habits can all contribute to low self-esteem. Many people have encountered prejudice and racism as a result of the pandemic’s use of technology, which has been shown to have detrimental consequences on human participation in sports.

Personality was shown to be substantially connected to self-esteem and sports engagement. It was highly associated with sports involvement. Self-efficacy and self-esteem were shown to be mediators of body image and sports participation, and the combination of the two was found to be a chain intermediate function of self-perception and sports inclusion.

Because without the confidence that provides a framework, you cannot participate if you are not prepared to confront what awaits you on the field.

Healthy self-esteem may assist and encourage you to achieve your objectives since it allows you to navigate life knowing that you are capable of achieving everything you set your mind to. Furthermore, having high self-esteem allows you to set appropriate boundaries in relationships and maintain a healthy relationship with yourself and others. Strive to strike a balance between your family, education, friends, and other job goals. This will relieve stress from your sport and allow your self-esteem to flourish.

Though certain causes of low self-esteem, such as hereditary characteristics, early childhood events, and personality features, cannot be changed, there are measures you can do to feel safer and appreciated.

Remember that no one individual is less deserving than another. Keeping this in mind may aid in the maintenance of a good notion of self-esteem.

So, if you ever doubt yourself that you are not good enough, consider that if you remove a part of you that is who you are, how would you characterize yourself? What would be your attributes now that characterize you? If you’ve answered these questions, then you have figured out the puzzle and the true identity of the foundation of self-esteem.

A Burning Drive of Passion: Excellency in Sports and Academics By: Josiah Nathaniel C. Camila

The University of Saint Anthony’s captivating 75th Foundation Anniversary showcased its prowess shining bright like a diamond in the field of sports. Not only that they nurture and mold the students with education, but they forged the Anthonian’s courage and determination over the decades of their beloved university.

Within 75 years, USANT has consistently produced exceptional athletes who have demonstrated their abilities by expanding borders, bringing pride and delight to their Alma Mater.

USANT is noted for molding athletes’ pure resolve in the face of affliction, leading their route from the city to international athletic meets.

USANT triumphs over numerous categories of sports, such include basketball, volleyball, soccer, swimming,

and tennis. Jasycl Jee H. Sayson, a Junior High School student-athlete of 10-Diamond, shared her thoughts as a witness to this historical expenditure of abilities; she was inspired by the stories of the experience of others wherein swimming is an individual sport. It helped her to become independent and build courage with the support of her parents, coaches, the school, and her peers.

“The feeling of receiving an award is where you will receive the product of your hard work, your sacrifices, and your discipline to oneself that led me to the moment of the awarding; that every time I am standing, ready to dive into the pool, I only not bring my name but also the name of my beloved university,” said Jascyl in a statement.

Athletes and coaches that

Hidilyn Diaz’s enthralling victory at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games By: Josiah Nathaniel C. Camila

The Philippines’ flag rose beyond borders for the first time in a medal event as the Lupang Hinirang swept across the Olympic halls. It was the Philippines’ first gold medal in the renowned Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in over 100 years. An airwoman rose to the top blinked back tears saluted the flag with her almost torn hands and bleeding fingers and was embraced by the bliss of triumph.

History was made by the 30-yearold Weightlifter and Airwoman Hidilyn Francisco Diaz, becoming the first athlete from the Philippines to win a gold medal and broke the nearly-century long wait since 1924 last Monday of July 26, 2021. Diaz wept and embraced her coaches after accomplishing the final prerequisite to greatness. Caressing and grasping her medal while standing on the podium pointing to the Philippine Flag on her jersey.

Reminiscing her origins in weightlifting; Hidilyn was born on February 20, 1991, with the Zamboangueño blood. She is the daughter of Eduardo and Emelita Diaz. When she was little (11), she showed her great interest in sports until her cousin introduced weightlifting that paves her way out of poverty, through her future and headlines across the globe. The young woman used plastic pipes, mag wheels, or concrete

weights to lift as a youngster that destined herself for the country’s nearly-century long wait for victory.

A few months before the Olympics, and with a pandemic sweeping the globe, sports fans would watch snippets of Hidilyn’s constant training on her Instagram and YouTube channels, which she regularly updated as she was stranded in Malaysia with her team for months, unable to leave the country for an Olympic qualifying tournament in Peru. Since Diaz did not have access to any open gyms, she had to improvise to complete her workout. In her gym, she used a few pieces of professional equipment to perform her exercises. Water bottles and bamboo sticks were substituted for the lifting equipment she had originally intended to use.

Her grit was of course forged by her adversity and this spotlight comes with unbelievable perks.

Not only did she receive a Gold Medal, but she also received lavish gifts and incentives from different private and public companies.

Numerous people were astounded by Hidilyn Diaz’s innovative preparation and historic gold-medal performance at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics when she grabbed and broke the Olympic wait. You have brought honor and glory to our country; our country is proud of you.

have genuine relationships develop more trust, improve connectivity, and a winning mindset. An open correspondence allows everyone to be more honest with one another, resulting in better training, athletic achievement, and personal growth.

Within 75 years, Anthonians has been greatly known for their achievement in the field of sports while promoting academic achievement through sport.

Sport is a part of our academic curriculum instilling discipline among students; it is not just an after-school activity. It fosters positive aspects of sports culture and the basics that lead to mastery in sport, which may be brought into the classroom to build an atmosphere that is as engaging, energetic, and gratifying as what happens on the fields and courts.

In an interview, Mr. Ryan Roman one of the coaches of volleyball at USANT discussed how it feels to be a part of USANT’s athletic excellence. “Competing as a university representative is extremely important for a coach. It’s critical to major in something you’re passionate about, and it’s just as important to work hard and thrive in the classroom as it is on the field.” “It was incredible; I still get choked up thinking about it since it was one of the best things that have ever occurred to me. It’s fantastic to be recognized not just privately, but publicly for something you’ve done and – in this case – something you took a chance on.” He also added to his statement that – “People have now heard my tale, examined my work, and concluded that it is worthwhile.

I was so proud of myself when I was standing on the platform at the awards ceremony. Nothing made me happier than to go, coach – right then and there – because it reminded me of the talent that sits at the tables on the court every day. It made me realize that I could make a difference. It motivated me to go and inspire them.”

Despite the adversities brought by the pandemic, USANT proves its resiliency by being consistent in providing an excellent education for students and a training ground for aspiring athletes. USANT has kept the fire blazing within for over seven decades and will continue to do so, lighting the path of the students and athletes by nurturing the mind and the body through excellence in academics and athletics.

Going Back in Time: The Gradual Evolution of Olympics By: Sofia Moira B. Dolorical The Olympics is one of the most anticipated events in the sports industry, as many athletes gather to compete for the commemorative medal. Every athlete to compete in this competition is to stand on that ever so beautiful podium and wear an Olympic medal to represent their country, but the aim of the event according to International Olympic Committee is to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating the youth through sport practiced without any discrimination of any kind in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with the spirit of friendship, solidarity, and fair play. This demonstrates that the aforementioned event is a symbolic representation of the current development of our world’s diversity. However, the question is how did the Olympics start? Where did it come from?

As stated by Britannica the Olympic Games is an athletic festival that dates back to ancient Greece and was revived in the late 1800s. In honor of the God Zeus, the Games were held every four years in Olympia, located in the western Peloponnese peninsula. In 1896, The ancient Olympic Games were initially restricted to freeborn male Greek citizens; there were no women’s events, and married women were not permitted to compete.

Although there were no women’s events in the ancient Olympics, several women appear as the owners of the stables of some victorious chariot entries on the official lists of Olympic victors. Girls and young women practiced and competed locally in Sparta. Aside from Sparta, however, contests for young Greek women were extremely rare, most likely limited to an annual local footrace. The Herean festival, held every four years in honor of the goddess Hera, included a race for young women divided into three age groups at Olympia.

However, the Herean Race, unfortunately, was not part of the Olympics.

According to the 2nd-century-CE traveler Pausanias, women were barred from entering Olympia during the Games. He also stated that the law and penalty were never used. His account later contradicted itself, claiming that unmarried women could attend the Olympics as spectators.

Because of the festival’s pagan associations,

the Roman emperor Theodosius I or his son abolished the Olympic Games around 400 CE. At around 1863 on New Year’s Day, Pierre, baron de Coubertin was born, at the age of 24 he decided to lay on education specifically physical education despite their family tradition pointed toward either an army or a political career, now, he is known as the bestknown architect in the modern games. Around the 1890s, he traveled to England to meet Dr. William Penny Brookes who wrote articles that piqued the Frenchman’s interest, Brookes had also spent decades attempting to resurrect the ancient Olympic Games, inspired by a series of modern Greek Olympiads held in Athens beginning in 1859. Evangelis Zappas founded the Greek Olympics, which were inspired by Panagiotis Soutsos, a Greek poet that was the first to consider a modern revival and started to push the idea in 1833.

Coubertin p ro p o s e d the idea of revivi n g

t h e Olympics as an internationathletic com-

al p e t i t i o n held every four years at a meeting of the Union des Sports Athlétiques in Paris in November 1892. Two years later, he received the necessary approval to establish the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which would become the modern Olympic Games’ governing body.

The first modern Olympics were held in Athens, with 280 athletes from 12 countries competing in 43 events. Two new races were added to the Olympic program after 13 Olympiads: the diaulos (roughly equivalent to today’s 400-meter race) and the Dolichos (a longer-distance race, possibly comparable to the 1,500-meter or 5,000-meter event). In 708 B.C., the pentathlon (five events: a footrace, a long jump, discus and javelin throws, and a wrestling match) debuted, and boxing debuted in 688 B.C. in addition to chariot racing in 680

B.C. Pankration, a loosely governed hybrid of boxing and wrestling, made its Olympic debut in 648 B.C. Even when no Games are held, all subsequent Olympiads are assigned a number (as in 1916, during World War I, and in 1940 and 1944, during World War II). The modern Games’ official symbol is five interlocking-colored rings representing North and South America, Asia, Africa, Europe, and Australia.

The Olympic flag, with this symbol on a white background, was first flown at the Antwerp Games in 1920. And during the development of the games, traditions were made, one of these popular traditions was the flame and torch relay, according to the source, contrary to popular belief, there is no precedent or parallel in antiquity for the torch relay from Olympia’s Hera temple to the host city. There was no need for a relay to carry the torch from Olympia to Olympia. A perpetual fire was kept burning in Hera’s temple, but it played no part in the ancient Games. Not only it did stress the ancient origin but it also promoted the Internationalism of the Mod- ern Games. The games were separated into two events, the Summer and Winter Olympics In 1924, the International Olympic Committee organized an International Sports Week in France in response to the growing popularity of winter sports. This well-attended event was later dubbed the First Olympic Winter Games.

Bobsleigh, ice hockey, curling, skiing, skating, and the military patrol race were the only six sports included. While the number of sports at the winter games has remained relatively constant, the number of events has increased significantly, with over 84 events at the 2006 games. Both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games were held every four years after the introduction of the Winter Olympic Games until 1992. Because the games were separated, the Winter Olympics were able to emerge from the shadow of the Summer Olympics.

Currently, this highly-celebrated event has now spread across the globe, with many athletes thrilled with the opportunity to compete and rejoicing knowing that they proudly represented their country. It is always a relief and an honor to bring home a medal representing your country, knowing that the gold shiny metal has sentimental historical value.