Volume IV No. 1 February 2021 New Normal: St. Bridget College opens classes virtually Carlos Kim Raphael Perez Opening Of Online Classes Online Orientations Before public schools across the country Prior to the opening, an online orientation were set to open online classes last October 5, was held from August 12-14, through the 2020, other private schools have already done platform of Google Meet. so, particularly St. Bridget College. Last August 12, the students met with their In its very first, the St. Bridget College class advisers and the administrative team who Senior High School level opened its online gave them important reminders to remember classes last August 25, 2020. throughout the school year. Students were warmly welcomed On the other hand, a two-day online virtually by their respective advisers in orientation with subject teachers were held the their homeroom sessions then, they are following days. The students had the chance to immediately immersed into the virtual know their different subject teachers, plans for discussions with their respective subject the 1st semester, and other important agendas. teachers. Screenshot by Ms. Jean Valerie Collera Activities aimed at improving the learning competencies of the students were given by STATS OF THE CLASS the subject teachers to their students during STEM 2 – Mother Dorothy O’ Connor actively engage in the discussion of Ms. Jean Valerie Collera, a Grade 11 the first week of online classes. Statistics and Probability teacher. hSTaRnAdNleDnt AtoRGCHraIdVeES1:1 sAtudheenlptsing Miguel Tolentino The group was made to assist students To help students in the new struggling to adapt to the new normal, challenges brought by the “through this, we can aid students by COVID-19 Pandemic, SBC actually giving them our past learning SHEEP Leaders League created STRAND materials that we personally made ARCHIVES – a compilation of notes and noong kami naman yung nasa pwesto reviewers for fellow Senior High School ng mga grade 11 ngayon,” as per HUMSS Representative Maria Sophia Louise Arceo, students. one of the students who spearheaded Through the collaborative efforts of Strand Archives. Posted from Facebook by Alliah Erin Cabiscuelas the Strand Leaders, “Strand Archives” and SPOKEN POWER. Alliah Erin Cabiscuelas of STEM – Sr. Mary Consuelo Chuidian receives the certificate and cash prize for its Facebook group was created and made This project’s value is proven by Grade winning 2nd place in the Spoken Poetry Contest sponsored by JCI Batangas Caballero, August 31. open to Grade 11 students on September 11 students like Ingrid Malantic, a student Cabiscuelas bags silver in Spoken Poetry contest 14, 2020, 3 days before the preliminary from STEM – Mo. Dorothy O’Connor, “Useful examinations. po dahil madali po akong nakaka-access ng mga notes and reviewers na nakakatulong Those who joined the Strand Archives po sakin during study day po and sa pag have exclusive access to notes and pre-prepare for the upcoming exam,” he Mary Lou Feliz Torino reviewers on all subjects in their respective stated. Strand archives is still open to all With the theme, “Kwentong Frontliner strands for every semester. students and those who wish to join are sa Panahon ng Pandemya”, Alliah Erin only required to fill up a Google form. Cabiscuelas of STEM – Sr. Mary Consuelo Chuidian showed excellence in delivering Posted from Facebook by Viencee Garcia Spearheaded by said batch of students, an original spoken poetry piece as she OPINION pages 6-7 they started planning to help those affected was hailed second last August 31. FEATURE pages 8-11 POWER OF GIVING. by Typhoon Rolly, but as Typhoon Ulysses LITERATURE pages 12-13 battered the Province of Cagayan, they decided This is the third year run of the spoken Ma. Sophia Louise Arceo former Red Batch S.Y. 2018- to include it too with the help of Mr. John Rey poetry contest during the celebration of 2019, hands the donations to the Typhoon Victims from Banlasan and the National Youth Volunteers Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa initiated by Sitio Gitna San Isidro Batangas City, November 9. Coalition. Board Member (BM) Claudette Ambida along with JCI Batangas Caballero and the S.Y. 2018-2019 Red Batch Thanks to the hundreds of kind- Provincial Government of Batangas. leads a Donation Drive hearted individuals who pitched in for the for Typhoon victims #BangonBatangas donation drive, as of Cabiscuelas stood out as second place SCI-TECH page 14 November 20, they managed to give essential from the 16 participants from different Miguel Tolentino items to 10 chosen families and distribute public and private schools in Batangas City 143 ready-to-eat food packs to 6 different and received a trophy, cash prize, and an After being hit by three consecutive communities with their latest drive giving away educational assistance from the Provincial typhoons Quinta, Rolly, and Ulysses, 200 food packs and 80 pieces of ice cream to Government of Batangas. thousands of people were displaced, urging the Badjao Community in Malitam, Batangas some students from the Senior High School City. BM Ambida handed the prizes to her SPORTS pages 15-16 department to initiate a Donation Drive for and Mr. John Rey Banlasan, who served as those affected. Even with workloads from academic her coach, last September 4. requirements, the dangers of the pandemic, With thousands of people affected by and being hit by the typhoons itself, did Typhoons Quinta, Rolly, and recently Ulysses, not stop Bridgetines from letting their light entire towns were left submerged in floodwater. shine. “…ang nakakapagpatuloy sa’min, Students from the SBC-JHS Batch 2019 aimed yung simpleng ‘thank you’ nila, karamihan sa to provide material and monetary donations to kanila, nagpapasalamat sa’min na talagang help the people bounce back. nakakapang-lambot ng puso…”, “...yun ang sukli sa pag aasikaso namin, sa hassle, sa pagod, sa pagsingit ng oras na makausap sila,” statements from Viencee Garcia, one of the project leaders. With Filipinos still displaced and in need of food, clothing, and shelter in Cagayan, a separate donation drive was set to provide material and financial aid for those affected by Typhoon Ulysses.
LUMIÈRE N E W S 02 Seniors celebrate month of the Holy Rosary virtually Carlos Kim Raphael Perez On the other hand, the First and Second CJ Ilagan Luminous Mysteries had sharers who imparted Streaming of the Holy Rosary Celebration And important lessons and experiences regarding COLLOQUIUM. Participants the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Holy Rosary. Potentials virtually attended the online mediated activity last September 11, 2020 through Microsoft Teams to discuss the concerns of the students and make announcements. Last October 29, the Senior High school The first sharer, Kim Abigail Abag from level celebrated the Culmination of the HUMSS, gave an acronym about the Blessed Bridgetines in Moment with Prefect, Month of the Holy Rosary through Facebook Virgin Mary in which M represented Meaningful, Guidance, and Librarian Live. A for Arise, R for Reflect, and Y for Yield. Ma. Kristine Dawal Facilitators, speakers, and sharers who Meanwhile, Mr. John Rey Banlasan, a participated in the celebration used the video faculty member, narrated his habit of praying To further welcome the students guidance office and the services that they conferencing platform Zoom to conduct all the Holy Rosary when going to school from his in this new normal learning are offering to all seniors. activities and was streamed through Facebook. home, how he lost the habit because of the system, Bridgetines participated COVID-19 pandemic, and how his COVID-19 in their first online mediated period called A question-and-answer portion Mr. Edwin Castillote, Ms. Lea Chariz Castillo, quarantine experience had him hold tightly to Moment with Prefect, Guidance, and followed to cater to students’ queries. Mr. Isidro Pelingon, Ms. Jazel Paula Blanco, Mrs. his devotion to praying the rosary. Librarian, on September 11 via Microsoft Geraldin Vergara, and Dr. Dolores Borras are Teams Live Event. Questions that were asked in the the ones who served as the facilitators of the Moreover, an inspirational message was The event was formally started by Mrs. portion were “Puwede po bang naka- celebration. given by Sr. Mary Celeste Yuzon, RGS after the Geraldin Vergara, the Prefect of Disciple, uniform pag nagti-TikTok?”, “Ano lang praying of the Holy Rosary. She emphasized by giving out the details about the start of pong hair color ang puwede?”, “Mababago The Virtual Celebration how the world will change if the youth will the classes. pa po ba ang schedule para mas maiksi change, and we should never stop in praying As Prefect of Discipline, she laid ‘yung time na naka-harap sa computer?”, The virtual celebration started with a the Holy Rosary. out the rules and regulations that the etc. welcoming message by Dr. Dolores Borras, students must abide including academic SHS principal, where she highlighted the 3Ps “Kaya, sana, hindi tayo magsawa sa dishonesty, hair color (strictly no color After that moment, SBC-SHS librarian that revolved around the life of the Blessed pagdarasal ng ating Santo Rosaryo. Ito ang other than shades of black and brown), Mrs. Marissa Agtay started informing Virgin Mary, which were ‘Pakikinig’ or listening, magdadala sa atin patungo kay Kristo,” Sr. and uniform (PE shirt, white shirt, or any students about the services offered by ‘Pananalangin’ or praying, and ‘Pagtalima’ or Celeste added. school-related shirt) for the academic year. the library including the Online Library obeying. Mrs. Vergara was followed by guidance Management System (OLMS) and Sr. Mary Clare Bagot, RGS, School President, associate, Ms. Mae Glaizel Cardasto, who presented a virtual tour of the physical The introduction of the Holy Rosary was concluded the celebration by giving a final reminded students of the functions of the library. led by the Religion and Values Education blessing. instructors, faculty members, and student The event ended with question-and- leaders. answer portions and a prayer. During the praying of the holy rosary, presentations from different sections regarding the devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary were presented. Administration appoints SHEEP and Strand Officers as interim student government body Miguel Tolentino UNICEF Philippines | Geo Lapina With the challenges brought upon by online learning, the annual elections IN A SNAP. for the Senior High School Executive Envoy Typhoon Rolly made landfall in the city of Bato, Catanduanes at 5 in the morning, November 1st of 2020 sweeping everything that it passed by and leaving terrible Panel (SHEEP) were postponed and the aftermath behind it. SHEEP Leaders League was formed to act as a temporary Student Government. Super Typhoon Rolly devastates parts of the Philippines Carlos Kim Raphael Perez Last September 1, the Senior High School level announced the selected Strand and Considered as 2020’s world’s strongest The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical The recorded infrastructure damage cost SHEEP representatives for S.Y. 2020-2021, two typhoon, Super Typhoon Rolly, and Astronomical Services Administration Php 8.4 million while the agricultural sectors representatives from the ABM and HUMSS with international name “Goni”, (PAGASA) had also given several warnings lost over Php 2.9 billion due to the onslaught of strand and three representatives from the devastated and left huge impacts in some on possible storm surges, flash floods, and the typhoon in various provinces. STEM strand. parts of the Philippines. landslides and public storm warning signals to guide and prepare the residents in different Furthermore, the super typhoon affected From ABM strand, Micaella Pet E. Bay and It made two landfalls in the Bicol region provinces of the country that might be affected more than 230,384 families or 906,146 persons Rhica Angela M. Sison from ABM – Sr. Mary last November 1 and after passing through of the super typhoon. in 3,586 barangays. Dominica Long were appointed to represent the region, it weakened and made another their strand while Maria Sophia Louise B. Arceo two landfalls while passing the provinces in The Damages Left By 2020’s World’s Donation Drives And Other Charitable and Elenica Ginaela I. Ferriols of HUMSS – Sr. CALABARZON where it also left its path of Strongest Typhoon Efforts Mary Elizabeth O’Dowd were the ones assigned destruction. for the HUMSS strand. In Bicol region, thousands of houses Given the devastating effects of the super Preparations Before The Devastation were destroyed, widespread power outages typhoon, donation drives and other charitable Meanwhile, Alliah Erin C. Cabiscuelas of occurred, agricultural crops were damaged, efforts from members of the government, Non- STEM – Sr. Mary Consuelo Chuidian, and Vera Before the formation of the super typhoon, structures and vehicles were submerged due to Government Organizations (NGO), businesses, Khrizel M. Manalo and Viencee Bren M. Garcia of the Philippines has had suffered from the the lahar flow from the Mayon volcano, bridges schools, and influential people were initiated. STEM - Sr. Mary Immaculate Concepcion Cahill devastation left by the previous Typhoon were destroyed, airports such as those in Naga were selected to represent the STEM strand. Quinta with the international name Molave. and Legazpi were damaged, and some people Countries such as the United States were reported to be missing. of America, United Kingdom, United Arab Alongside the representatives from The national, provincial, and local Emirates, Australia, France, Singapore, and each strand, two representatives were also government units made various preparations On the other hand, in CALABARZON, South Korea have all pledged their financial appointed from the previous set of SHEEP where citizens in affected areas were evacuated particularly areas in Batangas City, suffered aid and donations while international officers namely Reigne Pauline R. Montalbo and days before it made landfall in the country. from heavy flooding including Barangay San organizations such as the United Nations and Kim Loren A. De Torres. Isidro and Tierra Verde Subdivision where the European Union have pledged the same Emergency equipment and relief goods houses were submerged. This led efforts from commitment. Gaining almost the same responsibilities were prepared, clearing operations were multiple rescue teams such as those from the as the SHEEP, Student Leaders League was built conducted, branches of some trees that might Philippine Red Cross, the city government, and with the guidance of Mrs. Geraldine A. Vergara, be affected were cut down, and rescue teams local government units to rescue and evacuate Prefect of Discipline, and Dr. Dolores Borras, also made rigorous preparations. residents in the said subdivision. Principal. Apart from that, some SM Malls located In parts of MIMAROPA, power interruptions, After the temporary government of the in Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon opened overflowed rivers, and submerged structures SHEEP Leaders League which lasted for three its facilities to affected residents where free and vehicles were left by the wrath of the super months, the SHEEP Elections finally pushed charging stations, internet connection, and typhoon. through on December 15, 2020, and was done help desks were made available to them. via Microsoft Forms. Two days after the elections, the results were announced at the SHEEP’s social media pages in which the said results finalized the new set of officers and representatives that will serve the next semester, replacing the temporary student government or the SHEEP Leaders League.
LUMIÈRE 03 N E W S Potentials elect new set of SHEEP and Strand Representatives for S.Y. 2020-2021 Lyka Gabrielle Manalo Photo from Reign Montalbo Facebook Profile Picture To provide aid and to represent Strand Representative Elections the student body, new leaders ABANTE, BABAE! were elected in the Senior The Strand Elections were also held, Reign Pauline Montalbo, SHEEP President of the Senior High school Department, participates in the High Executive Envoy Panel and Strand wherein students of ABM, HUMSS and International Day of the Girl Child by using the Facebook frame with the hashtag #MyVoteOurFuture. representative elections, December 15. STEM elected their own set of leaders for each corresponding strand. SBC supports Int’l Day of the Senior High Executive Envoy Panel Elections For the ABM strand, Lara Nicole A. Girl Child system of support for them, where the girls Coloma of ABM – Mo. Vitalis Winkler Teresa Claire Agtay can freely share their successes, concerns, Reigne Pauline R. Montalbo of secured the position as the ABM and even speak up when their rights are HUMSS – Sr. Mary Elizabeth O’Dowd got Representative, while Donnel Chester B. To address girls’ empowerment violated. the highest position as President while Muñoz of HUMSS – Mo. Domitilla Larouse and promote their rights, Senior Alexandra Mikaella M. Ulayao of HUMSS – became the HUMSS Representative, and High School level actively As part of the Day of the Girl campaign, Mo. Domitilla Larouse secured the position as for the STEM strand, Alliah Chelsea participated in this year’s International the RGS also hosted a live forum and of Vice President. R. Guevarra of STEM - Mo. Cyra O’kane Day of the Girl Child last October 11. panel discussion where young girls across got the spot as the STEM – Engineering Asia Pacific shared about the challenges Meanwhile, Kim Loren A, De Torres representative and Marga Sophia Jose M. With the theme “My voice, Our they faced, and how they were able to secured the Secretarial position while Aguado of STEM – Mo. Constance Phelan future,” one with the Religious of the overcome them. Kim Abigail C. Abag was elected as the garnered the place for STEM - Medical Good Shepherd (RGS) - Asia Pacific, SBC Public Information Officer (PIO), both from Representative. SHS conducted different activities such as The said forum aired at 9:30 am, HUMSS – Sr. Mary Elizabeth O’Dowd. poster making contest, hashtag campaign, Malaysian time, moderated by Sr. prayer dance and special sessions on Winifred Doherty, RGS, the main NGO Screenshot from Tina Arguelles women to highlight challenges facing by Representative to the UN for the Good the girls throughout the Asia Pacific and all Shepherd Sister’s. The four panelists were Dr. Dolores Borras and the Senior Highschool Strand Coordinators with some parents and guardians in an over the world. sponsored by RGS Asia Pacific Circle of online webinar, Ptalk: Kumustahan with parents & Guardians, which transpired last October 24,2020 Leaders, RGS International Justice Peace “Good Shepherd Asia Pacific has Office and RGS International Foundation. Parents voice out concerns through Online organized a regional campaign to PTalk advocate for girls during the Day of the On the other hand, the winners Girl campaign. It involves schools and for SHS’s poster making contest were Teresa Claire Agtay social services agencies across each of announced during their monthly assembly, the Good Shepherd units in Asia Pacific,” where Erine Angela Borbon of STEM - Sr. To provide ground for the St. stated by Jeanette McDermott, the Mary Concepcion Conti was hailed as Bridget College’s administrator Communications Coordinator for Sisters of the first place, seconded by Sedrick Maru and parents’ opinions and the Good Shepherd Province of Mid-North Gutierrez of STEM - Mo. Dorothy O’Connor, concerns towards the new setting of America, in one of her posts on the Sisters while Alexie Margaret Aguirre of HUMSS - classes, the SBC Senior High School of the Good Shepherd’s official website. Sr. Mary Elizabeth O’Dowd got the third Department had its online Parents Talk last October 24. In addition to that, McDermott also place. cited that one of the campaign’s aim is In the said Online Kumustahan to bring awareness to the world about prepared by the Admin team with the the girls’ human rights and to provide a Guidance office, the parents were given the opportunity to express their insights and SBC SHS celebrates first virtual concerns about the new online learning the school stressed the importance of Teachers’ Day celebration environment such as cyberbullying, slow communicating concerns using the class internet connectivity and data privacy of group chat so their teachers can give Carlos Kim Raphael Perez the students. extra considerations on failure to attend synchronous sessions. As part of the yearly and international tradition of honoring teachers, the Senior High School celebrated Teachers’ Day virtually last October 6. In addition, synchronous sessions were also lessened, and the department A video tribute was posted on the Facebook page of the Senior High Executive Envoy decided to include a mid-week break every Panel (SHEEP), as a gift of appreciation, where current and former students mentioned Wednesday for the students. their favorite teachers and their reason why, and personal messages for them. From having classes from 8:00 AM Meanwhile, photo and GIF posts honoring the dedication and work of the teachers to 4:30 PM from Monday to Friday, class were posted on the SHEEP and Lumière Facebook pages, respectively. sessions were changed and shortened with sessions starting from 8 am and Regarding the institutional celebration of Teachers’ Day, the Performing Arts Office ending up to 2:30 pm only. – Institutional Culture and Arts Program (PAO - ICAP) posted a video with a rendition of the song “You’ll Be Safe Here” by Rivermaya to recognize the works of the teachers, “The talk provides venue for parents Dr. Borras also assured that the school staffs, and other employees while the Performing Arts Office – Repertory Brigid (PAO – and school administrators to exchange would continue to remind the regular RB) posted a video performance honoring the employees as part of the celebration in opinions & practices on how they can best reminders on netiquette & online rules of their respective Facebook pages. support their children on this new normal engagement to avoid cyberbullying. online learning environment,” Dr. Dolores On the other hand, classes of Grades 11 and 12 had offered their appreciation to Borras, SHS Principal stated. Parent-sharers who were invited their respective advisers and subject teachers through simple virtual programs and even are Mr. Angelo Arguelles, Mrs. Eloisa performances on Google Meet. To respond to the said concerns, Macabidang, Mrs. Nida Santos, Ms. Ghirlee especially the issue on slow internet Manalo and Mrs. Donna Alvarez who connection, teachers were encouraged shared their ways to support their children to give modules ahead of time, and in this new normal.
LUMIÈRE N E W S 04 Parenting Webinar Strengthens resiliency in families amidstthepandemic Teresa Claire Agtay St. Bridget College - College Department and Senior High School Level jointly held a parenting webinar through Microsoft Teams live last October 3 to talk about the roles of parents in this time of uncertainty and way to build resiliency among family Screenshot from Tina Arguelles members, with the theme “Parenting and RESILIENCY IN HARDSHIPS. Family Resilience”. The College and the Senoir Highschool Coordinators with some parents and guardians in an online webinar conducted by Mr. jeronimo L. Perez, which happened on the 3rd of October, 2020. The said webinar was conducted by education. Attending parenting sessions Mrs. Manalo added that attending in power of choice, and being a loving Mr. Jeronimo L. Perez, a former priest would be of great help in knowing about this kind of webinar and event can help presence among their families. The turned soft skill trainer and social media how to raise their children especially their parents improve their sense of competency webinar aims to spread awareness and influencer and former Executive Director teens and adolescents. This kind of session and efficacy when it comes to dealing with knowledge about parenting to a lot of of GMA Kapuso Foundation, as the main would inform them of the things they different situations and improving their guardians, especially in the midst of online speaker. need to do and should do throughout parenting skills. class and this pandemic. “The role of the parents in this time of the development of each member of their In the said webinar, Sir Mimo gave SBC Alumnus and pandemic is really very important in the family.” Mrs. Rona Manalo, the guidance three parenting tips to the parents such former SHEEP well-being of their children. Parents need counselor in charge of the event said in a as being kind to themselves, using their LPureaslhidaetni bt aYgoselJCI’s to be involved most especially in their statement. Youth Leadership Exellence Award SBC streams first ever virtual First Friday Mass Carlos Kim Raphael Perez Carlos Kim Raphael Perez the adjustments of the people in the “new normal” due to the Due to the pandemic, SBC streamed their first ever COVID-19 pandemic. Victory Emmanuelle “Yoel” virtual First Friday Mass on a Facebook Live last Lualhati, who served as the September 4. “Kung kayo ay tunay na magpapagabay sa Espiritu Santo, ay SHEEP President last S.Y. 2019- 2020, was awarded the Youth Leadership Presided by Fr. Angel Marcelo Pastor, the Eucharistic di lubos-lubosan na ninyo ang pagpapagabay sa Espiritu Santo,” Excellence Award by JCI (Junior Chamber International) Batangas Caballero, a celebration was streamed using the Facebook page of the he said. nonprofit organization, last July 10 during the Virtual Youth Leadership Integrated Basic Education Department (IBEd), the sponsor of the Seminar. month. “Maging inspirasyon ninyo ang mga taong sumusuporta at nagtataguyod sa inyo para mapagbutihin ninyo ang pag- In his homily, Fr. Angel emphasized how people seek aaral, upang kahit ganito ang sitwasyon, edi tayo’y natuto ng guidance from Above whenever there are challenges ahead, pandemya, para tayo’y mas lalo tayong lumakas, mas lalo tayong how the Holy Spirit inspires, and how the Holy Spirit can help in maging matatag sa tulong ng Espiritu Santo,” he added. She is one of the 25 ‘young and excellent youth leaders’ by JCI for 2020 and was qualified for the award during her tenure as the SHEEP President last school year. Other youth leaders from different public and private schools in Batangas City also bagged the award. “Yung mga kasama ko doon, are not just leaders in school but also active leaders in their communities,” Lualhati said. The award is a national award, but recipients were per sector. Screenshot from Charmelle Chavez Youth leaders from different schools and universities can be eligible for the SIEMPRE ARRIBA, SIEMPRE LETRAN! award. Mr. Carlo Macasero, Marketing Officer of the Collegio de San Juan de Letran expounds the detail about the college scholarships’ benefits and privileges via Zoom, “The award itself is also a responsibility, January 20. since after the awarding we attended another seminar regarding Coral Ateneo de Manila University and Centro Escolar University holds Bleaching,” she clarified. a virtual career talk for Grade 12 students YOEL ON YOUTH LEADERSHIP Carlos Kim Raphael Perez When asked how the members of Last December 21, the Ateneo de In the afternoon, the career talk of students/alumni, scholarship programs, the youth today can act as leaders in Manila University (ADMU) and the CEU was held via Microsoft Teams application processes, and important today’s world, she stated that the youth, Centro Escolar University (CEU) and hosted by Ma. Christina B. Licudine, contact information for possible inquiries particularly the Generation Z, is in a fight hosted their virtual career talks for Grade Elaine Sesbreno, and Mika Ongkiko, of the students. against conformity. 12 students who will be graduating from representatives from the said university. the Senior High School in 2021. Question and answer portions were “What I meant by conformity is, we are Both career talks from the also made available for clarifications of the in a fight against traditions that appear to be oppressive,” she stated. The first career talk, attended in the aforementioned educational institutions students. morning by the students was that of discussed different programs being offered, For her, the members of the youth ADMU via Zoom, and was organized by its campuses, recognitions, achievements of have the power, and they are no longer in the era of not using it. Office of Admission and Aid. When asked on the youth’s power, she reminded them to “Be strong, assertive, and bold. Most importantly, register and VOTE!”
LUMIÈRE 05 D E V C O M M WWF PH CITY OF LOVE. World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) We Love Cities (WLC) campaign awards the World’s Most Loveable Sustainable City 2020 to the City of Batangas in the Philippines. (Photo from WWF PH) Batangas City hailed as the World’s Most Lovable Sustainable City 2020 Teresa Claire Agtay Batangas City was declared the “World’s Most for this city,” Oliver Gonzales, Environment and Natural in promoting sustainable urban development by voting Lovable Sustainable City 2020” and overall Resources Officer of Batangas City stated in the news for their favorite finalist and posting improvement winner in We Love Cities Campaign 2020 of statement released by WWF. suggestions for these cities, giving the public an the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) last October 28 opportunity to celebrate, vote, and upgrade their city. which was announced online via Zoom. According to Atty. Angela Ibay, Head of Climate and The public may vote using their official city’s hashtag on Energy Program of WWF, the three Philippine cities that Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter. Meanwhile, every photo, Batangas City was able to enter the top 10 together participated in the We Love Cities initiative really stepped videos, and ideas that are posted counts. Furthermore, the with the two national finalists—Muntinlupa and Santa up to the plate and did quite well while addressing the public may visit the city’s page and click the vote button Rosa City out of 54 finalists in 26 different countries. current challenges brought by the pandemic. or submit an improvement suggestion to make the city better. “We’re overwhelmed and happy. This challenge “We are truly honored by their participation. Thus, The campaign lasted for four weeks from September brought us together and made us proud as citizens of this We Love Cities award for Batangas City is particularly 14, 2020 to October 11, 2020. The city with the most our city. We want to thank WWF-Philippines for their special. It also highlights the active engagement that number of votes won. great support and guidance throughout this challenge. Filipinos have with their cities as they promote their This means a lot to us especially since we’ve been hit by solutions, and aim to make their cities more livable, In addition to this, Batangas City aims to be the first the pandemic. The city is doing its best in implementing sustainable, and resilient. It is truly aligned with WWF’s carbon-neutral city in the country by 2030. In line with various initiatives and efforts. We have something new call: Together Possible.” Atty. Ibay added. to hold on to, and this is great news to all of us. This win this, the city has developed a comprehensive climate will inspire us to keep on going and to work hand-in-hand The said campaign engages people across the globe mitigation and adaptation plan to realize this said vision. Typhoon Rolly lashes Batangas City Ma. Kristine Dawal the departure tao na [more than the average person’s Shortly after Quinta, Rolly height],” said JR Dagos, 29, on Monday of Typhoon name: Goni) as he was cleaning the house that was (international made its fourth landfall Sunday afternoon, damaged by the typhoon. November 1, and swept away houses and belongings, and damaged several With the resiliency of Batangueños, Palakat Batangas City infrastructures in Batangas City. numerous organizations including the BLESSED ISOLATION. Provincial Health Office opens the newest Isolation Facility at Don Manuel Lopez Memorial District Hospital Bag of Hope intiated by Teacher John Rey in Balayan, Batangas on Friday, December 11, 2020. Banlasan, SBC-SHS teacher, offered help The typhoon made several families to those struck by the typhoon. Of all the Batangas opens additional Isolation Facilities to from different barangays evacuate from victims of the aftermath, Barangay Bolbok their homes and among those are living and Barangay San Isidro were chosen accommodate home-quarantined COVID-19 patients in Tierra Verde Subdivision, Barangay as the beneficiaries of the said donation Pallocan West, and other parts of Barangay drive. The donation drive will not just be Alliah Erin Cabiscuelas accommodate all them and prevent the Libjo and Barangay San Isidro. spreading of virus. With the implementation of Residents say that the flood was so for the victims of this certain calamity but the ‘No Home Quarantine’ As of December 19, 2020, a total of sudden, from ankle to about 3 meters will also be extending to those who are in 21 new cases were recorded from the high, that they were rushed to leave need from time to time. Policy last September different cities of Batangas, 7 of which their homes immediately in just under are from Batangas City. The total number 26, 2020 by the National Government, authorities started the extraction of COVID-19 patients in Batangas province. According to the provincial of recoveries were 10,490 and the total 30 minutes considering that cars in an In partnership with the employees of government data last September 2020, number of deaths resulted to 329 in elevated basketball court were easily Nestlé Philippines, 20 bags of goods were 77 percent of the positive cases back the province of Batangas. The official submerged. Moreover, several residents distributed to Brgy. Bolbok, 118 to Brgy. living near a river creek in Barangay San San Isidro, while 20 sacks of rice and goods then were home-quarantined COVID-19 Department of Health (DOH) COVID-19 Isidro, Batangas City also said that water are off to be donated to Cagayan Valley. levels rose in just under 30 minutes and patients. Before the implementation of the reported that Batangas province has a said policy, the province of Batangas only total of 11,278 confirmed cases while the has 27 functional and temporary treatment active cases amounted to 459. washed away their houses and livestock “Kahit sino ka man, kahit estudyante and monitoring facilities with only 507 Everyone is advised by the government and knocked down cars. ka pa lang, may maiaambag ka na. This bed-capacity. These home-quarantined to continue to stay in-doors and practice patients from different locations were all safety measures not only for one’s own “We were terrified. It was only donation drive is for all,” Mr. John Rey brought to the designated isolation safety but also for the safety of the people facilities in Batangas including resorts and around him/her. [ankle-deep] then all of a sudden lampas- Banlasan stated in an interview. hotels at the end of September in order to
6 opinion E Eahrielle Andhrew Plata Agathokakological D Mary Lou Feliz Torino I T Masking 101 O R W earing masks is a must now, especially that we are in the midst of a I pandemic. However, there are still other types of masks figuratively. A Many people put on a daily mask of being okay. There are some who puts up L a mask of happiness and contentment. The latter is commonly observed in Filipinos – that whatever disaster comes, smiles and laughter could still be “ seen and heard from them as long as their families stay together. This is the rusty resiliency that Filipinos tend to display during and at the aftermath of \"A friend just tagged you in a post!” a disaster. Although there are those masks of smiles and laughter, the true his is a common notification to those who are fond of using the application Facebook. It is where a face of accountability which the citizens plead for is blocked and therefore, ignored by those who should be held responsible for what happened. T person might tag others as a companion in a picture or a post. However, it does not end there. It is not new to the Philippines to be struck by multiple typhoons each Tagging can also be done in real life in a verbal way whether it be done with a good intention or year and its results of floods and fatalities are also not new to the ears of the otherwise. In a political manner, tagging someone with a bad intention is commonly known as red- public. However, is it not tiring to hear the praises for the resiliency of the tagging. Accusing individuals or organizations as left-leaning or part of any rebel groups against the citizens instead of being accountable for the shortcomings which resulted to government because of an action posed as a threat to those in power is considered as red-tagging, a terrible aftermath? Years and years had passed, and it is still resiliency which according to the Supreme Court of the Philippines. Whether it is done publicly or not, anyone who they see and glorify. They would always say that the affected citizens would witnessed it should not turn a blind eye and remain silent. People who resort to red-tagging should be surpass it because they are Filipinos and Filipinos are known to be resilient, but held accountable for the damage they did for the dignity and image of the victim. until when would this resiliency card be used? October 13, 2020 when the organization Gabriela Youth had a webinar in connection to the Accountability and concrete plans are what they are shouting for International Day of the Girl Child and had the actress, Liza Soberano as their special guest. Tackled in behind the masks of resiliency. Nothing would ever happen if the glorification the webinar were the personal experiences of the participants including Soberano when it comes to of the trait associated to the Filipinos would just remain glorified. Action plans different circumstances where the women are the victims of oppression. At one part of the event, the are demanded by the public and not just empty words of promises but they actress encouraged the participants to use their voices against the oppressors and join the Gabriela Youth. apparently fall on deaf ears as the ones who should be held accountable focuses However, this part was recorded; it went viral and reached General Antonio Parlade Jr. who is known for on glorifying the worn-out card of resiliency and other non-urgent matters for his strong-willed opposition to communist rebels. Soberano might not be a part of any communist rebel the country. group but Gen. Parlade released a statement that allegedly accused Soberano as a part of the Gabriela The months of October and November has been a rollercoaster ride Youth organization and associated them with the New People’s Army (NPA) and many saw the whole for the Luzon islands as it conquered several typhoons almost simultaneously. statement as a subtle threat to the actress. Stated also there was the accusation that the sister of the It resulted to floods, landslides, and even lahar flows. Citizens pleaded for help actress Angel Locsin is part of the NPA, which they both denied being true. from the authorities, but the response was slow-paced and even the government However, being a part of an organization who uses their platform and voices to speak up for the officials tried to ignore the distress of others because it is inconvenient for them. oppressed does not mean they are already rebelling against anyone and leaning on the leftists. It is the Help did reach those in need but after it, there was nothing more. The people same with speaking up about the shortcomings of the administration which is seen as bad governance were forced into the masks of resiliency because they are Filipinos, muting by the citizens. Criticism should not be the reason why people would be subject to red-tagging by the them while they try their best to shout and demand for the accountability people in power. Spitting allegations without proper evidence is a bold act and could possibly lead to and concrete plans that is due to them. Until there is no accountability done injustice. and action plans laid, everything would just be in a loop – disaster, aftermath, Organizations like the Gabriela Youth and their mother organization, Gabriela Women, advocate resiliency, glorification of resiliency, and from the top once again. themselves in pushing forth equal rights in all gender and in all levels of society. They voice out the Resiliency is a great trait to embody, but overly glorifying it and doing concerns of the citizens who find it difficult to raise their voices. Red-tagging is an unprofessional approach nothing in order for the conflict to not happen again is not what the Filipinos in making others look bad in the eyes of the public especially when the victims of red-tagging are the ones deserve. As long as the mask of resiliency is forced unto the Filipino citizens, who are advocated to serve the citizens and raise their concerns. their demands would just reverb back unto themselves and the slapping truth Therefore, seeing a post in your news feed and relating to it is good but tagging other people of the needed accountability would not reach those who are truly responsible should be done in a mindful manner. Tagging others whether one has a good intention might be for the shortcomings and divided attention given to the people and the interpreted otherwise. Fact-checking everything shall come first, and pieces of evidence should be put current situation. Masks are important nowadays, but the mask of resiliency is into place before involving others and accusing them of something which is not deliberately true. not needed and should not be tolerated. Stop glorifying resiliency and start demanding accountability. the activists were held in the said region. With his reputation and background, it is clear that he is one of those people who blindly follow Duterte's bloody orders. No wonder why the President protected him so dearly. Clearly, Sinas is one of the President's puppets. This means, the President can now easily control the Police department especially that his appointed Chief will obviously follow what he says. Olokliros Psyche A party of abominable leadership and human rights violations lies ahead the appointment of Sinas as the PNP chief, together with Duterte who knows what he wants Teresa Claire Agtay and turns a blind eye whenever one of his lapdogs did something wrong. Clearly, the term \"Tatay Digong\" is not for us, but for the people whom the President is loyal with. From the very start, Sinas, if he were decent enough as a police officer who took a vow, must have resigned from his position, and reflect from his sins. But instead, with head held high, he is now bound to lead our country. This shows how manipulative the elected President can get. This is rooted from the wrong decision that a lot of citizens made when they THE BOLD SINAS decided to put their fingerprint mark on that ballot. Filipinos were desperately searching In every party, oftentimes, there is a clown. for change without analyzing how it would happen. There were even citizens who sold this nation's future by a few hundreds, not minding how one vote can change everything. Lack of education and awareness are also to be blamed for numerous killings and foolish But that was not the case when the respected former National Capital Region Police Office appointments of officers in the government seats. Now, watching those clowns run the Chief, Major General Debold Sinas held a party for his birthday. It is because the said government and host a party, along with hoping for a miracle as a lot of people cry and \"party,\" did not only have one clown, but actually a bunch of it dressed up in a light blue shirt suffer from their not so funny little jokes is what most of Filipinos can only do. Especially that clearly says \"Pulis\". They preferred to call it mañanita, or the serenading of the birthday now that another clown is set to lead us – the bold Sinas. celebrant at dawn to welcome his special day, which President Rodrigo Duterte saw as a normal When the party that all of us started is over, and the clowns step down from their celebration and said there is nothing to be punished about even if it was held during the strict stage, I hope everyone will be wise enough to elect a leader, not an entertainer. implementation of Enhanced Community Quarantine in Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon. Aside from that, from the pictures taken from the party, everyone can clearly see the violations that the law enforcers did during their celebration such as the lack of social distancing, not wearing face masks, and even consuming alcohol amidst the liquor ban. How ironic that those police officers, who should be the first ones following the newly implemented regulations but boldly violated it, were not punished at all, while normal citizens who were silently protesting with social distancing and face masks were immediately sent to jail. But the joke did not end there, because months after the controversy, Sinas once again filled the news headlines and articles as President Duterte promoted him to be the Chief of the Philippine National Police, which means he is now the highest law enforcement officer of the country. That Major General who ignored strict policies and regulations made to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is now sitting at one of the highest positions in the country and expects every citizen to follow the law. However, considering his non-compliance to policies, he must not be there. \"We, as law enforcers, are bound to respect existing rules and regulations in the Philippines,\" Sinas boldly stated in one of his interviews. Clearly, him being appointed as the Chief of PNP pays no justice at all since almost everyone knows how he and his coordinates violated the quarantine rules. How can he lead when people are already doubting his capability when it comes to upholding and following the law? To be an effective leader, it is essential to gain the respect and trust of the citizens, or else, you will be nothing but just someone who holds a title. Being a leader and a follower are greatly connected towards one another because an individual cannot become a good leader, especially a law enforcer, if they cannot obey even the simplest of laws. From the way the President defended him and stayed loyal to Sinas, it can be concluded that in the moment he became NCRPO Chief, the President was already eyeing him to be the Chief of PNP. It is because, aside from the mañanita issue, Sinas was known for his bloody campaign against drugs – living up to Duterte's legacy. When he was still the Central Visayas Police Regional Office director, drug-related killings and police brutality and abuse were recorded and complained by human rights groups. Sinas was also the head in slaying 14 farmers in police operations, because according to him, the farmers were members of New People's Army. Those executions were part of his \"Oplan Sauron,\" where numerous killings and political execution of
opinion 7 THAI-PHOON COVERAGE Amidst the onslaught of the strongest typhoon in the world that happened to hit the pure heroine Philippines, a poorly dubbed Thai TV show played on every Filipino’s screens in the middle alexie margaret aguirre of the catastrophe. The violent winds and heavy rainfall brought by typhoon Rolly seemed to While some may have rejoiced for the declination of ABS-CBN’s franchise mean nothing as reruns of Pokémon, a dubbed Hotel Transylvania, and an endless supercut of ads renewal, many Filipinos are now suffering from its effects. People may argue that were aired by GMA7 and GMA News TV. The casualties brought by this typhoon was not the only this shutdown should not alarm us for the presence of other news stations are thing that Filipinos felt, but also the impact of the absence of a full coverage from franchised news still continuously running and may serve as a feasible alternative, but the 41,200 stations in the country. houses destroyed, 141,100 minor and significant damages, 67 health facilities Despite having a franchise, news stations such as GMA News TV, PTV 4, and others, failed and schools structures marred, 25 deaths, and a total of $260 million worth of to give the public a live and full coverage of the typhoon Rolly. News stations are created and have infrastructure damage could have been lessened if news stations with a franchise been continuously running in the first place due to one basic duty: to deliver news. However, the fulfilled what is expected of them. mentioned news stations failed to inform the public about the current situation of the areas affected, News stations are given the platform to fulfill their duties, especially at the state and the development of the typhoon itself, and other basic information that matters public times the public needs them the most. concern and should be readily presented during the event. The failure to broadcast news to the public at times like this is a threat to our democratic right to be informed. In line with this, the declination of ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal has contributed to the said threat to our rights. Prior to the cancellation of their franchise, regional stations that broadcasted in their native languages became the main source of information to most Filipinos for almost three decades. However, the actions made by the government backfired and left the public without 12 local TV Patrol programs that aired regular news to far-flung areas. Despite this situation, ABS-CBN was able to deliver news amidst the typhoon’s onslaught through the Internet. According to a statement released by Daryl Baybado, the national president of the College Editors of the Philippines, “Now, more than ever, it highlighted the importance of the ABS-CBN Regional Network group to the lives of most Filipinos as the network has indeed a wider reach in the countryside,” he further added that the Duterte administration must be held accountable for robbing Filipinos of their democratic right to know about the information that concerns the public, such as the mishaps brought by typhoon Rolly. La Republique Carlos Kim Raphael Perez REPRESENT OR RESENT? W e cannot deny that there are many Filipinos working and living abroad, and the Republic of the Philippines has its ambassadors in different countries to represent them. Filipino Ambassadors exist not only to represent the interests of our State, but they are also there to serve our countrymen and promote the important principles of international relations in different countries. To be particular about how these ambassadors ‘serve’ the countrymen abroad, it is more on listening to their concerns, providing necessary assistance, taking care of their welfare, and updating them of the recent developments happening in our Republic. However, it is disappointing to know that there are ambassadors of our own that are not even adhering to these aforementioned duties. Last October 2020, a Brazilian news channel named GloboNews released a report showing the Philippine Ambassador to the Federative Republic of Brazil Marichu Mauro, in a CCTV video, who was caught maltreating her maid in her diplomatic residence in Brasilia, Brazil. The Department of Foreign Affairs, being led by Secretary Teddy Locsin Jr., made a move to recall the said ambassador for her to explain her actions. With this situation, I cannot bother but question myself what do our own ambassadors really do in foreign states. Do they represent us, or do they resent us? The reason why our own country has its own set of ambassadors is for Filipinos, apart from the aforementioned purposes, to be protected abroad and not to be abused. Now, not only the Brazilians know this kind of matter, it is also spreading like wildfire in this world through different international news publications who have had delivered this said matter. It is totally embarrassing for us to have this kind of ambassador who abuses her fellow countrymen. The maid was just doing her job when this ambassador maltreated her and in any standards, that would never be acceptable not only to the laws of Brazil and the Philippines but also to the laws of humans and God. Filipinos abroad deserve ambassadors who really know their duties and limitations, not those who are abusive to the point of embarrassing the nation just because of that. Now, our ambassadors should represent us with dignity, not to resent with evil. Start with a Penny to Grow the Money Orenji Avhy Chris Panganiban Your interest in video games can be more than just a hobby. Playing with passion may bring Iqbal once wrote, “Traffic continued to grow, with 1.5 million broadcasters and you not only followers, but wealth! With this arising mode of popularity, video game blogs 100 million monthly viewers in 2015, rising to 2.2 million broadcasters and 15 bring you more than you can ask for. According to Trinity Owen, “The average e-sports gamer million daily viewers in 2018 – around a million of which could be found using salary is $60,000, and the highest-earning gamer has career earnings of well over $6,000,000 the platform at any given time. Average concurrent viewers were up to 1.4 as of 2020. In the US, some of the top prizes for e-sports tournaments garner up to $200,000 per million in Q1 2020. The platform is integrated with Amazon Prime and allows tournament.” E-sports is a multimillion-dollar industry where players compete in organized streamers to make money by offering in-stream links through which viewers competitions, either as professionals or amateurs. Those competitions are watched live and can purchase the games being played.”, a usage statistic of Twitch Revenue streamed by millions of fans. Fighting games, first-person shooter games, and card games are as of 2020. The more viewers and followers, the faster your penny can grow to popular among e-sports gamers. real, livable money. Some of the most famous game vloggers of today started from YouTube. Not knowing what it can offer, vloggers tried to use it as their main stage, or shall I say their gaming arena. YouTube is a fresh foundation of starting your regular contents to pave the way to earn money. It is not easy to start an account if there are no goals and plans ahead. In a few months with a continuous amount of content, one might earn a decent amount of money which started from scratch. But can you really earn a huge amount of money with this kind of job? Based on my personal research, one can actually earn money just by game streaming. Thus, it crucially depends on your setup, types of games you play, and content that you give out to the public. Every person has their own vibe, style, and mood that attract potential and definitely help them attract money. Starting with a penny, game streaming money gradually increases. Mansoor
MSo8UrFePEAElTiRUkRHeEESRuOpEeSr?-Frontliners! John Roi Gonzales 2020 has been quite a year. Because of the pandemic, businesses are forced to temporarily halt their production, and this is specially made apparent when it comes to the film industry. The number of movies released in theaters this year doesn’t even compare to the myriad number of films shown in theaters for the past couple of years. Money-making movies such as the superhero genre are now nowhere to be seen and that caused a longing for superheroes by moviegoers, people in general. But what most of them do not realize is that this is actually the year where these said heroes are found in the streets more than ever. Who are these heroes? Well, our frontliners are the ones who work in a job that requires them to work outside of their homes, putting themselves at risk of exposure from the deadly virus. Some examples of frontline workers are those who staffed our grocery stores and restaurants, provided waste management services, manufactured Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), operated public transportation, and provided critical police or fire services. People are already referring to them as “modern-day heroes” since without their contributions, we wouldn’t survive this pandemic. Every day they go out there and risk their lives just to keep our world running while also providing for their own families at the same time. They fit the description of what a hero is supposed to be like; an unwavering figure who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage, or strength and most important of all, chooses the well-being of others rather than their own. I once read a story about Yolanda Fisher, a frontliner in Dallas, Texas that provides food for children for a living. She said that she works from 6:00 in the morning until 6:00 in the evening to make sure that every child they come across who is starving eats a decent meal. After a full day of work, she still has to come home to her children and take care of them. What I found most impressive about her is that she said that even if her job is very tiring, she still loves her job because it gives her genuine happiness. Isn’t this story an accurate embodiment of what a superhero is supposed to be like? Clearly, everything she does is very heroine-like, and what’s amazing is the fact that more stories like this exist because people are now starting to pay attention to the good deeds that others are doing. By now, the world has already realized the value and worth of frontliners and what they stand for in our society. Not only are they extremely essential to the safety of all, but they also act as role-models for people especially the younger generation to look up to. It turns out that in this pandemic, there is a silver lining after all. The rise of frontliners will always be remembered as a defining moment in our history, the moment where human beings can also be a superhero to the eyes of others. They are truly a marvel to look at but let us not treat them like this is the only time when frontliners are relevant and praised. Whether or not COVID-19 exists, frontliners should always be considered heroes, not just modern- day but also every day as not a day goes by without them risking their lives for our sake. It is about time they get the recognition they deserve, and if the pandemic ends tomorrow, they will still be considered heroes. As a matter of fact, why not make the upcoming movies to be made after the pandemic about our frontliners so we can really appreciate them and their service to our nation. As the old saying goes, not all heroes wear capes and our frontliners are living proof to this fact. They might not be the heroes we thought we wanted, but they are certainly the heroes we all needed. MEMES: A dose of Happy Pill on the Internet Cassandra Joy L. Comia Admit it or not, memes were one of the reasons why we often laugh and smile. Memes have been popular since everyone is locked down and just exploring what’s on our phone and we tend to look at things that can be their source of laughter. Commonly in Filipinos, there is a generous supply of humor in us, and even on small things, we laugh at it. Noticing famous people with funny reactions or actions, people would make a meme out of it at once, or even of those random people. The memes also had been a way to lowkey say our feelings, insert relatable crush scenarios, and share on our timeline! I personally know more of these memes and stuff since this pandemic happened. Who would have thought that simple pictures we see on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram can immediately turn into a dose of laughter in the crowd? Whenever I open my social media websites, there will always be a meme to pop up on my feed that will surely boost my mood. One time I was so sad, so I decided to scroll through my feed and guess what pops up? None other than a meme! When I saw that picture and read each word from the it, I was just smiling from ear to ear. Who would have thought that a simple picture that was playfully edited by a random person can be the cause of smiles of other people? Memes are not just used for entertainment purposes; it is also used for inspiring others and cheering them up. Have you experienced sending a meme to a person who is close to you during the times they are feeling sad? A person who has received a meme can have their spirits lifted and motivated. Filipino humor is clearly reflected on memes. They usually create memes based on experiences or relatable topics that is why many people laugh at it. Scroll through the social media accounts, stop by a shared post, and realize that “oh, this is an interesting one” and then immediately share it to others – this is the routine of every self-proclaimed ‘memer’ on Facebook. The number of ‘Haha’ or other reactions you get from every shared meme would be a bonus points added to your tally count of happiness. Do you know these people? Have you used their memes? Sammy Griner, who was famous for being the success kid? Zoe Roth, who is famous for being a disaster girl? Mia Talerico, known as good luck Charlie? Drew Scanlon, known as Famous Blinking white guy? And Gavin Thomas with almost millions of memes already created? Internet Meme personalities usually have a story behind it. I watched some videos of people who grew up as a famous meme personality, and now they are successful and happy with their state in life. There are different types of memes. Some popular memes include Rage Comics wherein the iconic stickman is the main meme, and usually people include their faces on the meme and write text below which really became popular in 2008. Exploitable also became popular because this is the easiest meme to edit by simply putting ‘bubble conversation’. Copy pasta is also considered as a meme, this is the visual test that enhances your comprehension and reading skills using words that are shuffled. There are things to consider in creating a meme, first is to consider if picture you created is suitable for all viewers, and second, you must be careful with the words you use because it might offend other people. According to Dr. Umair Akram, Internet Memes can be a coping mechanism for depression. So, what are you waiting for? Continue to make memes, continue to share happiness to other people because sharing laughter does not require your money but only an open mind. Sedrick Maru Gutierrez
FEATURE 9 DYING? Julianna Marie De Chavez The sudden drift from the physical classroom to a virtual one might be baffling, because we were so used to the former. But the COVID-19 pandemic had left us no choice but to adjust in this kind of setting. With the compromised learning situation students have to bear this school year, namely online classes, I had come up with some tips that I really hope would help you to stay on your feet. 1. Organize your study table/place for studying You don’t need expensive shelves or organizers for this one. Just simply piling up your books and notebooks neatly would suffice. You can even exercise your creativity and make DIY containers for your stuff. Doing this will help you ease your mind, and it will set the mood for the rest of the day. 2. Take Down Notes Not only does taking down notes on paper help us to remember the current discussion, but it also helps us be attentive and focus more. In the normal class setting, students can still focus even without doing this but at home, distractions can come just as easily. Taking down notes may seem like an exceptionally energy-consuming task, but it would help you absorb the things being taught. 3. Don’t be shy to ask questions If you’re feeling confused about something about the lesson or the project, ask your friends or even the teacher. You don’t want to be spending an effort on something only to find out later on that you have been doing it incorrectly. Additionally, do not hesitate to ask for clarifications during discussion. 4. Put your phone away If you have many social media apps installed on your phone, most likely it would vibrate from time to time and our curiosity on what that could be would distract us from listening. Those few seconds on your phone will turn into minutes and then an hour, and you’ll realize that your class is already over, and you’re not able to recall what just happened. 5. Have a checklist or a planner This way, you wouldn’t forget what you need to be doing. If you have an empty notebook (which I’ll be guessing is that it’s mostly from your Christmas presents from your past Christmas parties), you can use that or just use your phone. 6. Be aware of your time. If you heard the teacher say that their subject would be an asynchronous one, grab that opportunity to accomplish your pending projects or assignments even though the deadline is still days away. Think that for the next few days, there is a possibility that more tasks will be given, and you don’t want those to pile up. 7. Give yourself a break Staring at the computer screen all day does not only strain our eyes, but also mentally drains us as well. So, go ahead and lay down for a bit, close your eyes and just don’t think about anything. Relax and maybe even reward yourself by doing the things that you want to do; listen to music or watch your favorite Korean drama or Netflix series. And lastly, don’t give up! Just keep on going. All students know how hard online class is, not only because of this extremely frustrating and agonizing Wi-Fi connection issues, but also because of the limited learning materials at home. Moreover, I guess students are yearning for are the social interactions with others. Personally, I missed hearing the laughter in the classroom, witnessing infamous moments, and gossiping nonsense things with my friends. But don’t lose hope! Let us continue to persevere and not succumb into giving up. This too, shall soon pass. Make sure that when your future self looks back to the moments of the present, they won’t have the feeling of regret because regardless of what you have achieved, you tried your best. Bridgetines fighting! SEE WHAT’S HAPPENING: Which App captured the most HEARTS? Aizell Barbosa Ever since the pandemic started, we have been stuck in our homes trying to do things that can ease our boredom such as doing our hobbies, playing online games, watching series and movies on Netflix, and working out. But one of the things we love to do or cannot stop ourselves from doing is surfing the net and using our phones. As a person who stays online for almost the whole day, I am curious to know what applications people use the most during this pressing time. That is why I decided to conduct a short survey on Twitter of people’s most used apps and the result is not what I expected. From the 195 responses, taking the crown for the most used app is Twitter with 53 votes. Twitter is an application where users can post, like, and retweet. Personally, I use this app the most as well because I can easily know what is trending and what people are talking about. It helps me get updates about the things I am interested in. With 42 votes, YouTube took the second place. It is a popular online video-sharing platform where you can share and watch videos of your favorite vloggers, gamers, and beauty gurus online. This app is one of the most popular apps today because it contains a variety of contents that we can enjoy. Next, with 41 votes is Messenger otherwise known as Facebook Messenger. It is a widely used app where you can chat with your friends in real time and you can even voice or video call them for an easier conversation. This app is used by many people today because of its easy access. Up next with 31 votes is Facebook, which allows you to create profiles and share information to the public or to your friends. You can share life updates by posting photos and entertaining videos for your friends to see. This app is widely used by the youth to share memes that they want to share to their friends. Last but not the least, Instagram with 28 votes. It is a visual platform where people share pictures, videos and stories, message friends, and enjoy a variety of filters. With Instagram’s quality features, it is used by many celebrities to advertise products and share their daily life to their fans. The youth also enjoy seeing OOTDs from accounts they follow that influence their fashion sense. As I said, the result is not what I expected. I expected that big streaming services will be included like Netflix, because as we know there are a lot of movies and series that you can watch there. You can also watch popular Korean Dramas that are in demand today. I also expected online shopping apps to be included like Shopee, Lazada, and Zalora because of the high demands of online shopping since we cannot go outside. But I was also quite happy with the result because even in times like this, we did not forget to communicate with our loved ones even if it is in a virtual manner, and I think that’s what matters.
10 Feature After the R llof THE ROLL of the world’s strongest tropical typhoon Rolly Rolly ended at the night of the 3rd of November as it completed its passage through the country and exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility into the West Philippine Sea. Within a few days, the storm has left startling Miguel Hocbo $200,000 to help Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, and numbers of casualties and evacuees in its wake, Laos. affecting certain areas of our country such as the Bicol Our province has begun advancing to more action since November 4 as region, Cavite, Quezon province, and our very own the Batangas Public Information Office issued that the Batangas Provincial A light of hope shines bright from our very own Batangas Province. Included in the known series of Government had extended aid in donations, relief goods, and sleeping and institution, from students and teachers alike with Mr. five consecutive tropical typhoons to hit the country, hygiene kits to the gravely affected residents of Barangay San Isidro, and John Rey Banlasan’s Bag of Hope in affiliation with Rolly had marked itself as the strongest and most Tierra Verde Subdivision in Batangas City that had been overwhelmed with National Youth Volunteers Coalition’s Bangon Luzon powerful typhoon to have struck Batangas province. the quick buildup of floodwater. reaching Cagayan Valley in relief efforts with the aid of our Senior High School students, and the quick action At present, the country is left with the aftermath The weight of the situation of the typhoons has yet to sink in more as the Red Batch S.Y. 2018-2019 in offering relief rations from the 3 other typhoons Siony, Tonyo, and Ulysses international aid has become considerably more involved in the recovery for the victims for the Tierra Verde flood victims, and that urges Filipinos to deal with and work towards of the country when the entirety of Luzon was declared under state of Sitio Gawad Kalinga in Barangay Libjo. recovery and aid more of our fellow communities that calamity. are struggling from the havoc done by the chain of Thus, the call for help has extended across different calamities. The European Union (EU) expressed welcoming concern and readiness in nations, focusing on one common cause for recovery. assisting the Philippines in its efforts to recover after the storm in a tweet The chain of International aid from different countries In facing this aftermath, the Philippines, slowly but at the night of November 1. “Our solidarity with the Filipino people as continues as the series of disastrous events bombard surely, eases towards recovery. An early reminder typhoon #RollyPh batters the country, particularly Bicol region. #EU stands the country, drawing in the attention of foreign of hope surfaces on the 1st of November prior to ready to assist in recovery efforts,” stated in the tweet Sunday evening, connections for the collective efforts to rescue the the landfall of the storm, with the assurance of stating furthermore that £1 million (about P62.8 million) would be donated Philippines from literally drowning from the typhoons. assistance to our country that would be given through to help the victims of the typhoon. International means. Our mother land, even after having to have dealt with The US Embassy in Manila follows with providing $200,000, amounting numerous storms in the past, still stands in hope along All the country’s efforts came into motion. Different to P9.7 million, for the backing of the Philippine government’s efforts in with the solidarity of nations from different parts of foundations of the country began to send out aid for recuperating the wrecked and destroyed areas and assisting the victim the world. Landfall after landfall, the country’s spirit the provinces of Albay and Batangas on November 2 families to recover from the damages. shall stand tall. and 3 in response to the typhoon. The Manila Water Foundation along with GMA Kapuso Foundation has Furthermore, coverage of our country’s suffering from the impact of the given out 500 5-gallon jugs of drinking water for Albay world’s strongest storm alone had spread like wildfire which resulted in and another 500 more jugs in affiliation with the Ayala UAE’s involvement with pledging over 35 million AED which amounts to Foundation Inc. for the areas of Lobo, San Juan, Balete, more than P450 million in financial aid for the affected, the arrival of the Mataas na Kahoy, Nasugbu, Calatagan, and Cuenca of Emirates Red Cross in Manila, and Singapore’s contribution of Batangas. You Let us ask the question: What made a plantita become a reduce stress, and eliminate air pollutants — making plantita? Well, Shiela Tolentino says it is her love for nature and for a healthier, happier you, plantita or plantito or G row, how each variety of plants amazes her with their color, foliage, not! Arlene noted that it helps in creating positivity, texture, and characteristics! Her days became better and more keeping herself calm, and feeling at peace. It also Girl! exciting as she always looked forward to waking up early in gives her a sense of compassion as taking care of other the morning to check on her plants. Her day goes as such: in living things fulfills her. For Shiela, being a plant mom the morning, she checks on her succulents for any signs of gives her more purpose in life as witnessing her plants pest or fungus infestation. She sees to it that they are getting grow healthy and happy before her eyes just puts a enough sunlight, good air flow and just the tolerable amount of big smile on her face. Based on their responses, it may humidity throughout the day, watering them just once a week. be safe to assume that as we care for our environment, Most of them are under grow lights especially during gloomy our environment cares for us. As we give it our time weather. For indoor and house plants, she also makes sure and effort, the fruits of our labor are invaluable so let’s that they are pest free, well-fertilized, and with more frequent just keep going and keep growing! watering compared to succulents. Alyce Panganiban Arlene Yasis, another plantita, says it became her pastime after retirement. Now having more time than ever, she spends The relationship between nature and human her waking hours tending to her lovely potted plants in her fosters in numerous ways. The innate maternalism of appreciation of nature. As a brand-new day arrives, she opens humans sees the prosperity of the world around them her eyes and finds herself taking care of her beloved plants as their responsibility and from this, springs a loving immediately after. Within the day, the times she checks upon relationship. As stewards, we are called to take God’s them is as many as the idea of them wilting and withering creation under our wings to protect and care for this, pains her deeply. She feels the happiness building inside along with their passion, a certain community is now her continuously as she glances at the rich colors of her beginning to show themselves to the world. Let’s surroundings and ultimately, her life as a plantita. meet some plantitas! Studies have shown that plants boost moods, increase creativity, G a m e S t r e a m i n g :AvhyChrisPanganiban Technological Call of Duty, Valorant, Mobile Legends, League of Legends. Popularity of Today These are just some of the most famous online games today. The Philippines is currently riding with this trend as it goes as popular Casually just scrolling through Facebook and seeing someone as it could. Filipino celebrities such as singer Kiyo, actress Dexie Diaz, sitting on a gaming chair and broadcasting live while playing and beauty queen Megan Young, happen to be some of the best game- Game Streaming can be accessed very easily through games can be quite interesting! That is what they call Game streaming artists. Big social media platforms used in game streaming your own Facebook or YouTube accounts, and can Streaming. With no specific year stated, 2000’s were the years includes Facebook and YouTube. Game Streaming can be beneficial sometimes be an online interactive activity. It depends when walk through gaming started to rise in popularity from not only in gaming aspects but also in financial aspects. The viewers on who you are playing with, where you are playing, Japan to other parts of the world. Streaming wise, Twitch.tv and likes that the game streamers gain for each video or live can easily and how you are playing. Just make sure that no one might be the first and the originators of game streaming. The be converted to money and can be a source of living. Especially if the will comment BM (bad mannered). Whatever way it mentioned site has a video blog which they broadcast live gamer is already popular in the gaming world. Not only that, but game is, game streaming is fun and a stress-reliever. Your every time they play a game. With that being stated, YouTubers streaming is proven to relieve stress by conversing with other people time away from school, work, and chores at home. It’s like Felix Kjellberg (PewDiPie), Mark Fischbach (Markiplier), and having a fun interaction. Bridgetines and faculty members are no basically playing a game that you like or would like to try and Lannan Eacott (LazarBeam), are known for their game exception to this budding trend. Along with friends, students, and other and sharing it to people through a video or a live stream. streaming videos which are combined with comedic dialogues peers from school, game streaming is used as an entertaining activity There is no limit to what you want to do in your game and communication with their viewers through live streaming. to replace stress with fun. However, Bridgetines make sure that they go streaming as long as there is no violent act involved in AFK (away from keyboard) at times, so school won’t be thrown to the the stream itself. With all this information given, let us dark while they keep up with the trend. This makes us want to say WP remind ourselves that a game is a game and reality is (well played)! very different from it. Play at your own risk and do not take it seriously. GLHF (good luck, have fun)!
FEATURE 11 Whohfaafsetrtpheodiss/ibtnrioevuwegnhtothriymnoagul/?s The ongoing pandemic surely brought us lots of challenges and struggles. Audrey Nicole Gupit We had to face and adapt to the change ABM 1 – Mother Vitalis Winkler this new normal has offered us. We were Despite all the negativities that has been happening due deprived of the things we do normally to the pandemic, I can still attest to the positive things that back then. But despite all these, there this new normal offered us. For me, I had more time to bond with surely is at least one positive thing my family because all our members are at home all the time. I got that has happened during this time of closer to my family during this time and I have been more aware pandemic. Opportunities were given and about the different issues in my environment. Because of these situations bring us realizations. What issues, I take time on reading the news to stay updated. I have were the positive things this new normal given more importance to me and my family’s health by engaging has offered/brought you? in physical activities every other day. Shearlene Marcial STEM 3 – Mother Cyra O’Kane In this new normal setting, I had the chance to bond with my family because of the fact that we are all inside the house. We make more memories to treasure unlike before, we only see each other when we’re on the way to school and vice versa. It is understandable because we have different agendas – school and work, which is why we are not able to talk that much. What I like about this new normal is that today, we can adjust our time and ourselves thinking that at any time, we can catch up with each other spontaneously. Elizabeth Aguila STEM 4 – Mother Margueritte O’Keilley After long months of struggling with the adjustment to this new normal, it gave me the time to reflect on myself. The new normal gave me time to focus on improving myself and made me realize that what I want is really different from what I have imagined. The way I view life changed from simply wanting to be happy up to now that I want to overcome all the struggles and battles that will bring me to my dream. Angelica Mae dela Cruz Viencee Bren Garcia STEM 1 – Mother Constance Phelan STEM 6 – Sr. Mary Immaculate Concepcion Cahill This new normal offered me more quality time with my One of the positive things this pandemic offered me is the opportunity family, having all of them at the comfort of our own home. to reflect with the Lord given that all of us are facing our own silent Although we are still busy with school works due to online battles. Many of us struggle with the changes and these changes lead some classes, everything just feels different knowing that your of us to have unstable mental health. As for me, I make sure that whenever family is a few steps and a few doors away from you. Hoping that I come to that point, I always reflect. I always try to calm myself down. this pandemic would end soon, I also hope that after all this, Take a deep breath. I learned how to be independent while depending on families always stay together and make quality time for each God alone. I also learned how to cut ties and let go of toxic relationships other. which I classify as one of my achievements. As of now, my aim is to have peace of mind and growth without toxicity. This pandemic led me to meet Juliana Kassandra Gamboa new and better people and at the same it gave me the opportunity to be of HUMSS 1 – Mother Domitilla Larouse help to others in need. Even though it is tiring and challenging, it will Unlike before when people were careless of the queue always be worth it. Their simple “thank you” means a lot to me. I was touched on malls, people during this new normal now know how to and motivated even more to be able to help others. I think it is one of my distance themselves from other people. They learned the purposes in life, to give or pay back the kindness and help given to us when meaning of falling in line, comparable to when people just we were the ones who needed help back then. This pandemic led me to find my push each other in queues. This, for me, is something positive purpose. that the new normal brought. It has instilled in people the essence of being a disciplined person. Princess Ariane Comia HUMSS 2 – Sr. Mary Elizabeth O’ Dowd)S Jana Haira Vergara Still as a student, this pandemic had also hit me hard especially STEM 6 – Sr. Mary Immaculate Concepcion Cahill my emotional and mental health. But despite this, I still able to see the The emergence of the pandemic brought changes and positive things that happened to me during lockdown. Being away from adjustments in our lives, and we experienced things we normally my friends was really difficult because there are times when I really wouldn't expect that we'd experience (like quarantine). It was a hard need them to be by my side. This pandemic made me realize how deep my adjustment, it still is. Amidst the challenges I had to experience relationship with them grew stronger. Another thing that the pandemic and situations I had to cope with, the pandemic helped me, as a brought me is being practical and being appreciative of the simples citizen and student, to perceive different perspectives among the things because together with it is an amazing feeling. community with different social classes and discern what could be beneficial for many without compromising the integrity of Micaella Pet Bay each individual. I was able to be open to varied experiences, and ABM 2 – Sr. Mary Dominica Long from it, I was able to learn from the incompetence that we have This new normal affects my life in both positive and negative way. (still are) been under that changed my viewpoint among various Being with my family and having a tight bond with them are the positive circumstances that I thought was just an issue for the few but things in this new normal. Also, I learned to be patient at home, remember affects many. The pandemic also taught me to open my eyes and not to have priorities, and value time. Lastly, being at home for several months be blinded by any societal issues and not let it hinder me from made me unlock another hobby to enjoy. trying to speak my mind to support those who are most oftentimes being suppressed with the constructs that have been present even before this pandemic happened. Releighjane Marien R. Bool ABM 2 – Sr. Mary Dominica Long Honestly, for the first part of this pandemic, I felt like a withering tree because I was used to always being out of the house. But a few months in, I realized, this quarantine helped me reconnect with my family. We were so busy with our own responsibilities outside our home before the pandemic, but we were able to rekindle our bond through this quarantine. Aside from that, as a student, I was able to work more independently, manage my time more effectively and maximize the resources I have at home. Overall, I was able to appreciate the things I used to overlook before. Hannah Laugo STEM 2 – Mother Dorothy O’Connor Pandemic has been tough battle that each one of us have been fought for. But God has been so faithful that we managed to survive and surpass these challenges. Love for family and faith has been exercised and strengthened. And most importantly it offered me the value of having a complete family.
12 literature inpoasuidnindte emic Joy Guess Khorinne Maramot Sun is bright, Normals are new. Put a smile behind those masks, Everyone is rooting for you. More time with bed and pets, The comfort I experience is true. Without feeling alone in the blue, I hope you do so too. I make a little extra art, Oh, the simple joy it brings. The appreciation from their heart, Cannot be compared to a million rings. Found my new hobbies, I dance and cook a little more, To make myself happy, And to save me from this bore. We are unsure about tomorrow, Might take a while to bring our old life back, Hope we all find light in darkness, Just let me call it happiness. FEAR Guess Khorinne A. Maramot Hopes, dreams, doubts, and sorrows What could be your fear of tomorrows? When everything became uncertain, Will you be able to sustain? With all our tomorrows, what are you afraid of? Stare at nothingness, fell into reality, What are you capable of? Lurk into darkness, find your own tranquility. Maybe, the pandemic will end. Maybe, the blind will see colors again. With our maybe’s, your mind might now comprehend, It’s pretty scary out there to begin. But it’s your loss if you stop, Let fear sink in, let your soul be free, Fly until you make it to the top, What will be, it will always be.
literature 13 ANGER Disgust Denise Ann Maderazo Denise Ann Maderazo Hawak mo na naman ang aking mga kamay, ,Pinagpatong-patong natapong kaban ng bayan Para bang saulo mo na ang aking katawan at gamay na gamay. .Saan nga ba napunta? Hindi ko na namalayan Nakakairita, nakakasulasok ayaw ko na maging bagay, Tama na, pagod na ako, nakakadiri, nakakaumay. Akala ko tapos na ngunit hindi pa pala nag-uumpisa .Pinapatayo nang husto, ngunit himbing pa’t namamahinga Nagmarka na’t hindi na maaalis, Kahit anong linis, kahit anong kiskis. ,Mistulang mga langgam na hinampas ng malaking suliranin Bitawan mo ako hindi ko ito na-miss, Nakakadiri, nakakasuka, nakakainis. .Nasaan siya?”, ang daming nagtatanong ngunit siya’y himbing pa rin“ Kapag nagsalita’y ikaw pa ang mali, ,Nagkalat ang mga dugo, mga katawang nakahimlay Bawat hawak sa’kin nakakagalit, nakakadiri. “Ayusin ang pananamit” iyan ang laging .Parang pisong tinanggalan ng halaga, itinapo’t ipinamigay sambit, Nag-iinit, nag-aapoy, ang damdaming pagka-Pinoy Hindi ko maintindihan, suot ko’y maayos na damit, hindi nakakaakit. Kinalimutan, itinaboy, tinanggalan ng karapatan at binaboy Ayaw ko ng ganito, hindi ko ito gusto, Kapag nagsalita’y tatakutin Hindi ako ipinanganak para lang bastusin mo. .Imbis na pakinggan ay kalalabanin Bitawan mo ako, parang awa mo na, ?Hindi ka pa galit? Kailan ka magagalit? Kailan ka magigising sa pagkakakapit Hindi ko na kaya, nakaka-trauma. ,Sa hustisyang binaliktad at mistulang pikit ?Hanggang kailan ka magiging maliit Huwag mo akong hawakan, Huwag mo akong lapitan. Ang iyong halaga’y wala na sa kanyang mga mata Hindi kita kailangan, hindi ako laruan, .Dahil natapos na ang pagiging mukhang anghel niya Babae ako, hindi babae lang. .Karapatan mong tumayo ‘pagkat mas malakas ka sa kanila .Ikaw ang dapat tinitingala, hindi sila Sadness Alizzandra Ilagan Nais kong malaman kung hanggang kailan, may pag-asa pa ba na ito ay mawakasan? Sa tuwing ako’y nagmamasid sa paligid ay napakaraming ala-ala ang bumibisita sa aking isipan Ala-ala ng kahapon na aking nais balikan ngunit para bang malabo na sa bawat paglipas ng mga araw Panibagong pagsubok ang kahaharapin na tila ba wala nang katapusan; Sa bawat pagpatak ng ulan at pagsikat ng araw, mabibigat na bagahe ang aking pasan-pasan. Napakaraming pagbabago kalakip ng mga pangyayaring hindi inaasahan. Noon, sa aking pagsilip sa bintana, sikat ng araw ay bumubungad sa aking mga mata kasabay nga mga tawanan at kwentuhan ng mga nagtitipon-tipong kabataan. Subalit hindi ko inaakala na ang mga ngiting iyon ay may hangganan. At sa aking muling pagsulyap, larawan ng kahapon ay naglaho na nagdulot ng aking pagkabigo. Sa likod ng pintong nakakandado ay ang emosyong itinatago na patuloy umaasa sa magkaibang hangganan. Ang kwadradong espasyo na binabalot ng katahimikan, na sa akin ay nagsisilbing hantungan, Hindi ko na namamalayan na unti-unti ko ng nagugustuhan ang kakaibang hatid ng pakiramdam na nais nitong iparating. Subalit kasabay ng aking pagkahumaling ay ang naglalahong kalayaan, Bagama’t walang kasiguraduhan, katiting na pag-asa ay natatabunan. Nasaan na nga ba ang susi sa kandado ng pinto? Sa bawat hakbang ay masasabi na bang tuluyang malaya gayong ang mga balakid ay hindi nakikita ng mga mata. Kailan darating ang takdang panahon upang muling maipinta ang mga larawan ng kahapon; sapagkat sa akin ay patuloy na bumabagabag at nalilito. Anong hangganan nga ba ang aking inaasam? Patungo sa kahapon o kinabukasan?
14 SCI-Tech EDITORIAL Edsel Bunyi What could be a better view to the eyes than seeing the Manila Bay, a very popular tourist spot by the metro plagued by garbage and pollution, transform into a Boracay-like white sand beach. Well, that is what the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources (DENR) and officials of the government think when Artificial white sand by the bay: they commenced the construction of a 500-meter stretch of artificial white sand by the shores of Manila Bay as a part of the agency’s Manila Bay Rehabilitation a looming environmental and Project. health disaster Many question its cost since it has a Php 349 million price tag. The Health Hazard sustainability of the sand is also questioned along with the timing of the On the other hand, the effect of those crushed dolomite is said to be project because many believe that it should not be a priority project as detrimental to human health as well. Although DENR and its officials already cleared it the country continues its battle against the COVID-19 pandemic. from being hazardous and free from harmful chemicals, many experts still debunk this Based on a scientific approach of the issues linked with the project, critics statement. of the project includes experts and environmentalists who thinks that the Starting with the basic facts, Dolomite, or calcium magnesium carbonate, is a project poses many risks not only to people but also to the ecosystem. material commonly used for construction, and as per Lehigh Hanson Inc., a producer of Frankly, the project has good intentions but unfortunately as the experts construction materials, it contains crystalline silica in dust form that is dangerous to the said, “the project is a looming environmental and health disaster.” respiratory health of someone inhaling significant amounts of it. Even the Department of Health (DOH) backs the statement. Moreover, DOH Environmental Threat Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that when ingested, dolomite can cause The first concern that experts fear upon is its consequence to pain in the stomach and cause diarrhea. Since the area where the dolomite resides is the ecosystem in the Manila Bay. DENR declared already that the crushed accessible to the public and is considered as a tourist attraction, it can increase the low dolomite will not disrupt the bay’s ecosystem. However, such claim is risk that DOH said to be posed by the dolomite particles. opposed by statements coming from experts. Unfortunately, we cannot do anything to reverse the progress of the project According to the University of the Philippines Institute even if we want to and even collecting and removing the sand is not feasible and is of Biology (UP IB), the project is detrimental rather than beneficial really expensive. However, there are still applicable ways or solutions to ensure the especially to the existing biodiversity in the area. Aside from that, other rehabilitation of the bay that is science-based and follows a specific process, not just environmentalists also point out the fact that the crushed dolomite used temporary and for aesthetic purposes. Take for the suggestion of UP Marine Science as sand is not naturally occurring in the area. The implication would be, Institute (UPMSI) and the UP IB for example. not only will the natural ecosystem of Manila Bay be altered and probably For UP IB, they already presented to help DENR for a “science-based be destroyed but the source of the synthetic sand might be as well – rehabilitation program for Manila Bay that targets the recovery of its biological functions which according to DENR, came from a quarry in Cebu. and services” which involves restoration and protection of key habitats, managing Furthermore, according to Diovanie de Jesus, a Marine invasive species, reducing pollution, and etc. On the other hand, the UPMSI said that scientist, the dolomite is dangerous for marine creatures living in the the government should focus more on investing in wastewater treatment plants, Manila Bay such as sardines, mackerel, anchovies, and other fishes as transferring informal settlers, especially those in the riverbank and coastal areas, and the sediments of those synthetic sand gets carried away in the water, reforesting in watershed areas than in the dolomite project. the water may become opaque and that polluted water can also make it All in all, the government should consult and rely on research and studies “stressful” for the marine life. for decisions made especially if it has significant impacts not only to the environment but also to the public’s health. Projects such as the dolomite project must never be implemented again to prevent impending environmental and health disasters that might occur because of it. Sagacity Virus him to pay damages, without even presenting scientific evidence and accordingly. In contrast to this, Dr. Farrah gives medical advices that are said ANGELEE ATIENZA reasonable counterarguments. to be based on her medical experiences, and without scientific evidence Doc Adam is a licensed doctor who has almost 20 years of medical and studies supporting such claims. Aside from not having enough I studied CABBAGE at HARVARD experience, including tons of medical missions in the Philippines. He scientific studies to support them, it is misleading, which gives false hopes, has been correcting misinformation and medical rumors and giving and can be deadly to people who are actually experiencing serious illnesses On October 14, 2020, a Filipino-speaking Australian physician named Adam Smith, free medical advice to Filipinos through his YouTube videos since and choose to follow the advice rather than having real physicians examine also known as Doc Adam, bid goodbye to his 1.7 million followers on YouTube as 2017. He also runs a medical clinic in Australia and has his very own them. Additionally, Dr. Farrah does not claim responsibility for the people a lawsuit was filed against him by another popular doctor in the Philippines known Doc Adam-branded health and food products that are approved by who got worse or lost their lives because of her advice. as Dr. Farrah Agustin-Bunch. This was following his YouTube video that he posted the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Regarding the actions they took during the peak of the issue: last September entitled ‘The worst “DOCTOR” advice in the Philippines’, wherein he On the other hand, Dr. Farrah’s ‘About’ section in her Doc Adam defended himself and clearly continued practicing his purpose condemned the huge mistakes that Dr. Farrah committed on her medical advices Facebook page, based on a screenshot taken on August 2020, stated of helping the Filipinos recognize real information from the wrong ones towards serious illnesses, and how the misleading information she gives can be that she is a “Harvard University and St. Louis University trained” and stated in Dr. Farrah’s advices using sufficient knowledge and evidence dangerous to people. However, as a response, Dr. Farrah sued him and demanded licensed medical doctor who has been promoting natural medicine from science and investigations. Whereas Dr. Farrah called him out in her since 2002. However, on Harvard University’s record of graduates, her Facebook group for “bullying” and spreading false information and had name does not appear anywhere. Instead, it is confirmed by various her lawyer intimidate Doc Adam by threatening to have his medical license news outlets that she has a Certificate of Completion on a 5-hour removed, without presenting counterarguments. online course in Harvard. Additionally, she invented products, which All in all, Doc Adam is evidently only fulfilling his purpose of she claims to be ‘world famous’ food supplement products that working for the betterment of the Filipinos’ health and awareness, while Dr. can effectively cure various serious illnesses, but they are not FDA Farrah seems to be in it only for the profit. The statement “I studied CABBAGE approved. Considering these information, it makes people doubt her at HARVARD” was used by Dr. Adam Smith to serve as a reminder to people reliability and credibility. that we must be careful and verify information first before believing and As to their medical advices, Doc Adam states all the possible sharing them, and we must not tolerate these, but rather practice our rights causes of a disease before explaining the process of treating it in fighting to bring down those who put themselves in a high place just so they could step on others. New Technology for the new normal! Coconut oil vs Corona: Angelee Atienza Experts revealed the “potential” of VCO It is not unknown to us that the on-going fight against COVID-19 has paved the way for the need for technology to increase, in as treatment for Covid -19 order to remain socially interacting with other people and continue with our education through online courses, among other reasons, while still being able to avoid contracting the disease. According to Rahul De, et al., in a journal published in the National Eahrielle Andhrew Plata Center for Biotechnology Information, the pandemic has caused an “inevitable surge in the use of digital technologies due to the social distancing norms and nationwide lockdowns.” However, smartphones are more widely used compared to laptops and An expert of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) recently revealed the other digital devices, as Mike Elgan says in Computerworld, “Smartphones are powerful enough to serve as laptop or desktop promising potential of the Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) in treating COVID-19. In an interview, computers.” This is why smartphones are being scrutinized based on their quality nowadays more than ever before people decide to buy them. Dr. Jaime Montoya, the executive director of the DOST’s Philippine Council for Health Research However, they are the ones that carry the most To further explain how this is possible, Onawole de- and Development (PCHRD) said that VCO contains certain components which can help reduce number of bacteria while being the very thing that we can’t scribed in his article how Xiaomi used silver ion antimicrobial the amount of the virus. In here, he cited an earlier research done by the Ateneo De Manila University led by survive without every day. A disturbing question was raised by technology which are originally found in coatings in order to Dr. Fabian Dayrit which says that the VCO contains antiviral properties which helps decrease 60-90% of the amount of the virus in laboratory experiments. However, he emphasized the Ed Uy in his article posted in Business Mirror—“Did you know prevent the spread and growth of bacteria. Silver ion does need for further research to really ensure the efficacy of VCO as a possible treatment against COVID-19. that your smartphone carries 10 times more bacteria than most its work by halting the basic functions of microbes through He quickly clarified that “even if it works in the laboratory, we still have to see whether it actually works when it is given to people infected with the virus,” he said. In rela- toilet seats?” Well, did you? Most of us are not aware of this fact. making holes in their vital parts, such as the DNA. Similarly, tion to that, he insisted that it can only be proven through clinical trials in which he assured that there are some actual ongoing ones. According to him, these past events in the year 2020, especially Samsung trademarked “antimicrobial coating” which will be Aside from it, Montoya, in a different interview, clarified that the research being done is to know if VCO will only act as an adjuvant remedy or only a support treatment that the unexpected pandemic, has taught us that it is necessary that applied on the surfaces of the cases created by the company. can help the main ones and it should not be considered as the same as vaccines which pro- vide immunity. we take care of our health and maintain proper hygiene. Iphone 12 release reduces environmental impact Antiviral Properties Furthermore, the expert explained more of the actual mechanism on how VCOcan Aside from the current pandemic going on, it is Apple, on the other hand, has decided to remove help treat COVID-19 in accordance with the research led by Dr. Fabian Dayrit of Ateneo De Manila University. “Derivatives of VCO called monolauric acid disintegrates the cell membrane also definitely not new information that our environment the usual earphones and charger in its packaging for all of SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19,” Montoya said. He also added that “because we actually tested the actual virus, it destroys it. It destroys the surface that shields them from has been deteriorating as well due to climate change, and four of the iPhone 12 models. Therefore, it would use less attackers, from antibodies.” In relation to that, in the published paper of the said research, they proposed three pollution, among others. The manufacturing and production of resources and raw materials needed for the manufacturing mechanisms to explain the antiviral activity of lauric acid and monolaurin: first, they cause disintegration of the virus envelope; second, they can inhibit late maturation stage in the technological devices are contributors for this phenomenon to and production of these technological devices, which would virus replicative cycle; and third, they can prevent the binding of viral proteins to the host cell membrane. rapidly occur. decrease our carbon footprint in the atmosphere for the Work in progress As what Dr. Montoya said, the use of VCO would not be proven unless results from As a response to these needs and calls for new betterment of the environment. the actual clinical trials conducted on COVID-19 patients are already finished. There are 2 on- going clinical trials being conducted by the agency: a community-based trial in Laguna, and innovations, here are two examples of changes done by Xiaomi These are only some of the changes that companies the hospital-based trial in the Philippine General Hospital (PGH). Moreover, earlier initial results also suggest that the VCO treatment will only work and Apple in producing their smartphones nowadays that are have done in an attempt to solve the increasing problems on mild cases of the virus because the activity of the antiviral properties slow down if the amount of the virus present is already significant. said to be ways in solving the world’s current problems: faced by humanity nowadays, but they are already proving to Other Adjuvant potentials Aside from the VCO, there are other clinical trials being conducted by the DOST as Xiaomi MI 10T Pro, Samsung Galaxy Note20 series, and their be quite significant and timely. Other production companies possible adjuvants for COVID-19. Secretary Fortunato dela Peña, the head of the agency, gave updates on other clinical trials which involve herbal medicine Lagundi and Tawa-tawa plant. antimicrobial accessories must take these as good examples and an inspiration for He said that 59 of the 200 target participants for the trial on Lagundi have already completed receiving the herbal drug. On the other hand, he added that the study on the use According to Habeeb Onawole of Gizmochina on Au- them to duplicate these actions, if not, possibly think of new of Tawa-tawa, the famous plant known for its benefits on dengue, also just recently been given a go signal as a potential adjunctive therapy for COVID-19. gust, unlike the typical free plastic or silicon cases included by ideas which would also answer to other crises that must be Just as Dr. Montoya emphasized, the clinical trials are yet to be concluded so there are still not enough evidence of that VCO can help those with COVID-19. Besides, as men- other companies in their packaging, Xiaomi decided to include addressed immediately. These happenings are indeed the tioned, the clinical trials only cover the VCO as possible adjunctive treatment and not as main treatment or even act the same as vaccines which can provide immunity. The public is warned an antimicrobial phone case, as well as a pre-installed antimi- new normal that we are almost used to these days. However, of this and informed that for now, they should wait and see the development of the research before investing on Virgin Coconut Oil. crobial screen protector on its new smartphone, the Xiaomi MI we must not be at rest, but instead, still find ways in order to 10T Pro. They came up with this idea since the corona virus are provide solutions to these problems and try the best that we said to survive on surfaces. Because of this, antimicrobial pro- can to put our lives and the world back on track. tectors have become a trend for several companies, including Xiaomi and Samsung.
SPORTS 15 PLETHORIC VOID Anthony ilagaN DEPED, PSC join forces in founding ROLE MODEL National Academy for Sports Lately, sports bubbles are being conducted to keep players in isolation and away Timothy Amiel Catilo from harm primarily caused by the coronavirus. A notable sports bubble is the National Basketball Association (NBA) Bubble, which was held in Disney World, Bay With the sole purpose of developing more promising student-athletes, the Department Lake, Florida in order to put an end to the 2019-2020 season’s 8 remaining regular of Education (DepEd) will team up with the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) on season games and the playoffs. Even in our country, attempts are being made by the establishment of the National Academy of Sports (NAS), October 27. different sport organizations to hopefully follow the NBA bubble’s success. Aiming to follow the NBA’s footsteps, the Philippines Basketball Association (PBA) announced Through creating a new strand in the education sector, the NAS System aims its semi-bubble last September 17, 2020 which will take place in Clark Freeport Zone, to design a special curriculum for athletic scholars, provide holistic and high-quality Pampanga. The players and staff will be staying inside Quest Hotel, while games will education to the students who are excelling in sports, and integrate all sports academies be carried on The University Foundation gym which is around a 10-minute bus ride to one governance and management system. NAS also aims to develop, strengthen, and away from their accommodations. The estimated cost of the semi-bubble is ₱65 integrate future campuses into the system and provide world-class facilities to produce million pesos which is a lot cheaper compared to the NBA which reportedly cost $150 globally competent athletes. million. “Ang DepEd at ang PSC, sa katunayan, ay magkatuwang sa mga initial preparations Despite the awareness of the coronavirus and the implementation of strict para sa pagbubuo nitong National Academy of Sports,” said Undersecretary for Field Operations, Palarong Pambansa Secretariat and DEACO Atty. Revsee Escobedo during the rules, certain issues persisted inside the semi-bubble. A game referee tested positive Handang Isip, Handa Bukas Press Briefing. “Hinahangad ng batas na ito ay magkaroon tayo ng world-class facilities kung saan dito magsasanay ang ating mga potential na mga for the COVID-19 virus on October 21 and was put under isolation at the New Clark manlalaro para sa Asian Games at Olympics,” added Escobedo. The said Undersecretary also shared that DepEd Secretary Leonor Magtolis City Athlete’s Village. The PBA mentioned that the referee’s swab test which was tak- Briones would be the Chairperson while PSC Chair Mr. William ‘Butch’ Ramirez would be the Vice-Chairman of the institution. Giving more dimensions of learning, Secretary en on October 19 turned out negative along with 27 others. Despite the danger, they Briones expressed her delight in the addition of NAS in the education sector, “Sa ngayon, medyo kumpleto na ang ating programs, mayroon na tayong mga science high schools, still declared that the games would continue only with stricter regulations and all mayroon na ding high schools for the arts, ngayon mayroon na tayong high school for sports,” said the Secretary of Education. protocols will momentarily stop for sanitation. As if it was not enough, a player from With the power of Republic Act No. 11470 or the National Sports Academy Act, NAS will have an allotted Php 1.86 billion in the 2021 proposed budget, where Php 264 Blackwater Elite also tested positive for the virus. The unnamed player is placed under million will be for personnel services and maintenance and other operating expenses, and Php 1.60 billion will be for capital outlay. quarantine in Athlete’s Village in Capas, Tarlac and the whole team has been isolat- For the succeeding steps, the organization would create NAS Road Map, focused more on strengthening the curriculum, construct the NAS Main Campus, and plan & draft ed as well. Knowing the fact, PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial and Bases Conversion its operational manuals to improve the system more. Escobedo also shared that the Main Campus is located in New Clark City and will be using the track oval and swimming pool and Development Authority (BCDA) President Vince Dizon prompted for the bubble’s used in the previous SEA Games as a training facility. continuation. Even with a lot of issues in the course of the bubble, the whole manage- ment proceeded to continue the event and compensated by being swift in managing matters regarding the virus. Now that the PBA semi-bubble is nearing its end as the grand finals will begin soon, no other difficulties popped up and everything is going smoothly. Some players made a sari-sari store, documented vlogs, practiced in scrimmage, brewed their own coffee, and etc. The players are enjoying themselves, and the only problem they have to think of is how they’re going to win the next game. It is still questionable as to how the coronavirus entered in the first place as it made everyone doubt the credibility of the management in handling it. It is just saddening that either the referee or the player placed their lives in PBA’s care but an illness is how they repay them. These are the only problems which occurred in the bubble so far, but it’s doing well as expect- ed from one of the biggest leagues in sports in the nation. Is the PBA’s semi-bubble successful only with minor issues? Should other sports organizations not follow the footsteps of the PBA? Or is the PBA the role model that Philippine Sports ought to look up to? SPORTS EDITORIAL National Academy of Sports: A pain or a gain? Sports have a well-defined place in the Filipino culture it was also said that these athletes will be granted a full and tradition. It has been a part of the country ever since scholarship. They envision that the inauguration of the and up until now, it continues in bringing upon excitement NAS would likely produce world-class Filipino athletes and thrill to almost every individual here in the Philippines. who get to train in adequate and specialized facilities and Furthermore, its influence has grown to the extent wherein training grounds so that they can compete and represent even at a very young age, children are trained and prepared the nation on the international stage just like the Asian and to be future athletes once potential is seen through their Olympic games. actions. Some are even enthusiastic and passionate enough that they are able to study their lessons and at the same Indeed, the said implementation of this academy time, rigorously train for their specific choice of sport. would create an impact on the preferences of several student-athletes all around the country. Equipped with Until then, sports have been widely known and the highly anticipated world-class sports facilities and cherished specifically in universities and colleges. Schools adequate sports education, many aspiring professionals have their own varsity teams whom they allow to participate would be wanting to give their best shot at the academy. in such contests. Leagues and tournaments are annually At the very least, they would now be given the chance conducted to discern the greatest and strongest team for to follow their passion of playing their favorite sport and almost every team or individual sport such as basketball, being a member of the national team who would compete volleyball, football, taekwondo, and many others. in world-class competitions and tournaments. After several years of implementing this type of The planned creation of this educational institution management when it comes to sports, news came out about is actually a great move in the long run because it can help the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Philippine those athletes who possess a high potential discern and Sports Commission (PSC) partnering for an establishment enhance their skills and attitudes when playing their sport named National Academy of Sports. of preference. Just like what was mentioned before, this could be the sanctuary for talented amateurs who would What would be the scope and aim of this National like to offer honor and glory to the country in terms of Academy of Sports? How would this affect the life and sports while continuing to pursue what their passion is from the preferences of several aspiring athletes all over the the bottom of their hearts. Well-trained and competent archipelago whose desire dictates that they can play their athletes hailing from this country can bring distinction and favorite sports and for it to be their career in the present and good name to the Philippines in the world of sports. of course for the future? Is it a pain? Or a gain? All in all, it is a gain for the country, if and only if the plans and the vision will not be uprooted by corruption The plan of creating and establishing an academy and greed caused by power and money. Once this first for sports was briefed by DepEd Undersecretary for Field step of creating an honorable school for these athletes is Operations and Palarong Pambansa Secretariat Revsee accomplished, it is now up to these scholars to do their very Escobedo in a press release issued on the 27th last October. It best and train their hearts out in achieving their dreams was after President Rodrigo Duterte signed the Republic Act of possibly being one of the best in the planet, not only no. 11470 on June 9 of the same year which dictated that the National Academy of Sports (NAS) would be established at for themselves, but also for the pride of Filipino people. r New Clark City, Capas, Tarlac with the aim of implementing themselves, but also for the pride of Filipino people. a quality and enhanced secondary education program, integrated with a special curriculum on sports. Moreover, Francine Angeli Vergara
LUMIÈRE SPORTS The primary contender of the west, Los Angeles Lakers emerged victorious against the finals ‘underdog’, Miami Heat, 4-2, in a best-of-7 series of the 2020 NBA Finals which took place at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, Orlando, Florida from October 1-12 PHT. As the Finals initiated, both teams exerted their best efforts their momentum building up, went along the explosive plays of the to create a very good start to the series. Two players from the Heat, Go- Lakers, but only shortening their deficit to 6 for the final score, 102-96. ran Dragic and Bam Adebayo both suffered injuries which made them A rollercoaster ride was comparable to the series as Miami Heat sur- questionable for the upcoming games. However, Jimmy Butler of the prised everyone with a thrilling win against their well-favored con- Heat still led his team primarily composed of young players in trying to tenders on game 5. Team plays were put into consideration as every- suppress the overwhelming strategy used by their rival but failed to do one in the team contributed their parts. In the last seconds of the duel, so as the game ended 116-98 in a Lakers victory. Danny Green was assigned and expected to create the game-winning Game 2 started, and the underdogs suffered the loss of two shot in favor of the Lakers. However, the plan did not go well which of their major players. On the other hand, despite the immense grip of cost the Lakers a game 6, which brought frustration among fans, 111- the Lakers, the Heat managed to get a hold of their situation and tried 108. bouncing back, only to be knocked down once again, 124-114. The most awaited game approached between the two As game 3 inaugurated, the Heat was determined to make contenders of the title. But then, despite the efforts of the Heat, the an epic comeback and doused the Lakers in flames. Along with effi- powerhouse combination of Anthony Davis and Lebron James, over- cient coaching provided by Erik Spoelstra and a strong, unbendable powered the opposition, which brought the Lakers their rings as the mindset possessed by each and everyone in the team, the Heat beat NBA Champions, 106-93. the Lakers, 115-104. Moreover, their Championship title is considered a tribute As the series started to become exciting, the fans were also to Kobe Bryant who passed away in the same year due to an aircraft hyped up as game 4 initiated. The Lakers rose from their previous defi- incident. cit and started firing up once again a barrage of shots from the paint as well as the mid-range and three-point lines. But then, the Heat, with Folayang falls short against Caruso UAAP introduces new LA Dodgers, hailed as World Timothy Amiel Catilo broadcasting partnership Series Champions Antonio “The Spartan” Caruso snatched the biggest win of his mixed martial Anthony Ilagan Kristina Angeline Arguelles arts career after smothering former ONE Lightweight World Champion The University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) The 2020 World Series is finally over. The series began on October 20, 2019 Edward “Landslide” Folayang at ONE: Inside the Matrix, last October 30 in introduces Cignal TV as their new broadcasting partner in their and ended on October 27, 2020. It was played on a neutral site rather than Facebook page following the shutdown of ABS-CBN. at the team’s home stadiums due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was hosted Singapore Indoor Stadium. by Globe Live field at Arlington, Texas, and was a shortened series from a UAAP and Cignal TV’s partnership will flow for 5 years and standard 162 games to 60. The World Series is the annual championship series The Filipino native actually started strong by targeting his foe’s leg, 6 months starting with UAAP Season 83 which covers the entirety of of Major League Baseball between champion teams of the American League but the 29-year old Australian easily countered with various one-two combos 2020-2021. “As part of this collaboration, select events of the UAAP will and the National League. The Tampa Bay Rays emerged as the American that helped him secure the takedown. It was an even match all throughout be aired live on One Sports channel and its other digital assets, ensuring League champions while the Los Angeles Dodgers are the National League the first round up until the near end, wherein Caruso latched onto the neck an engaging and expansive coverage across different multimedia champions. The LA Dodgers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays to win the best of and attempted a guillotine choke. It looked like Folayang was in deep trouble, platforms,” as mentioned by the UAAP. seven series in six games. but eventually managed to break out. ABS-CBN was UAAP’s broadcasting partner since 1988 and With the momentum he built at the end of the premier round, the the games were shown live on the channel Studio 23 which eventually The first game was won by the LA Dodgers with the score of 8-3 challenger continued to dominate at the start of the second round. However, transformed to Sports + Action. The successful 20 years with ABS-CBN which was attended by 11,388 fans last October 20, 2020. Tampa Bay Rays The Team Lakay star is slowly stepping on the gas, as he started to fire more came to an end following its franchise-renewal rejection by the House took their revenge on game two with the score of 6-4 the following day. The highlight-worthy kicks and punches. He also managed to attempt a choke; of Committee last July 10, 2020. National League champions got game three by the score of 6-2 over the however, Caruso easily broke away. “With its affiliate network, TV5, their combined experience American League champions on October 23. It was a seesaw battle between The wild exchange between the two continued in the third stanza. in sports production provides the UAAP with a strong foundation in its the two victors, and on game four, Rays got another win by the score of 8-7. Determined to flip the game, Folayang started the round aggressively and efforts to promote collegiate sports in the country.” Cignal TV and One Dodgers then clinched the series by winning game five and game six respec- continued to target his opponent with leg kicks. It looked like a better Sports are renowned for their skills and talents in delivering successful tively, therefore winning the series 4-2. showing for the Filipino star, as the damage on Caruso’s leg continued to pile broadcasts regarding sports. Both have broadcasting rights to one of It was the LA Dodgers first World Series Championship since 1988. up. However, his momentum was broken near the end of the round as the the biggest sports conferences in the country, the Philippine Basketball 2016 Rookie of the Year, Corey Seager was hailed the MVP. “To be able to two fighters clashed heads, sending Folayang to the ground, that led to the Association (PBA) and the biggest basketball league in the world, the win, to be able to do it with a team like this, it means everything,” he said. closing takedown, c/o Caruso. National Basketball Association (NBA). “Obviously going through the injuries and everything like that, missing out “The Spartan” continues to solidify his ascent in the lightweight TV5 also has some experience in broadcasting other collegiate on a World Series chance, it hurt. But to be able to come back and get back in division, as he grabs a unanimous nod from the three judges. After losing his and volleyball tournaments in the nation. They broadcasted the Filoil the same place with a team that’s been there, and this core’s been around for debut match against Pieter Buist, Caruso continues to flourish with an 8-1 Preseason tournament which contains both UAAP and NCAA teams as a couple years, and to know what it feels like to lose and to be able to rebuild win-lose card, “It’s like Rocky, I felt like Rocky Balboa, it’s a dream, and I made well as the semi-professional volleyball league, Philippine Super Liga. and come back and stay focused and to be able to finish it, it’s special.” it come true.” Khabib Nurmagomedov announces retirement Pacquiao vs. Mcgregor fight set on 2021 The Undisputed Lightweight Champion of the world, Khabib “The Eagle” Nurmagomedov, announces retirement after demolishing Justin Gaethje in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi on October 25, 2020. Genesis Hernandez The largest Ultimate Fighting Cham- immediately announced his retirement following the victory. Equipped with reinforced vigor, Manny ‘Pac-Man’ Pacquiao is set to have a showdown in pionship (UFC) bout of the year is decided when the ring against ‘the notorious’ Conor Mcgregor in 2021 which could be staged in the two beasts, The Eagle is battling The Highlight The Eagle’s sudden retirement is Middle East after the COVID-19 pandemic abates. for the 155-pound belt. The undefeated cham- decided upon the death of his father and trainer, Pacquiao, 41, already flaunted an awe-inspiring display of hammered punches in the previous decade, holding a 62-7-2 record with 39 knockouts and the only man in pion was set to fight Tony Ferguson last April Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov. His father passed boxing history to hold eight world titles in different divisions. His last fight was last July 2019 wherein he dethroned Keith Thurman who held the WBA welterweight title via a 12-round at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, but due to the away in July due to difficulties caused by the split decision victory. This win made him re-establish himself as a top welterweight and still a legitimate contender in the mythical pound-for-pound top 10 list. unfortunate arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, the coronavirus. “No way I’m going to come here A statement was released from Jayke Joson, Pacquiao’s special assistant, which said: “For the sake of all the Filipino COVID-19 victims, Senator Manny Pacquiao will be match was postponed. The event was supposed without my father,” Khabib said. Nurmagomedov fighting UFC superstar Conor McGregor next year. The huge portion of his earnings will proceed to those who are affected nationwide by the pandemic.” to be rescheduled in Jacksonville, Florida, but came up with the decision to quit in the fighting Meanwhile, two-time UFC champion Conor McGregor, 32, previously boxed Pacquiao’s l ong-time rival and world champion Floyd Mayweather, last August 2017 in Las with Russia’s strict travel restrictions, Gaethje took business with his mother following the incident. Vegas, losing his boxing debut by TKO in 10 rounds. McGregor retired 3 times, but all of the retirement was short-lived. The boxer hasn’t fought since January when he beat Donald Ferguson’s place instead. UFC President Dana White mentioned Cerrone via TKO in just 40 seconds. If the match pushes through, it will be a nerve-wracking battle between two elite During the second round, The Highlight to TMZ Sports that he is positive about Nurma- southpaws. The said fight will just be McGregor’s second boxing match in his career. “It will be a true honor to have faced two of the greatest boxers of the modern era,” said smacked Khabib with a heavy leg kick which gomedov’s return. “If I had to make a bet -- and McGregor. caused the undefeated champion to stumble. In I’m a betting man -- I would bet he does [return], an attempt to do the same move, Gaethje was so, yeah ... I think he will.”, he said. Despite punished as Nurmagomedov grappled his neck White’s regards, Khabib thought of the situation using the legs which rendered his moves to a limit. otherwise. “‘There will always be rumors about The match-up ended when the heavy-hitting my comeback, it’s all about big money, views American surrendered to submission via triangle and media coverage, so I am sure they will keep choke with more than 3 minutes remaining in the chasing me,” said the champion. Nurmago- match. This also caused The Eagle to move up in medov said that he would not step foot in the rank 1 pound-for-pound in the whole UFC after octagon just for the sake of money. surpassing Jon “Bones” Jones in the list. Khabib Calvin Abueva Suspension Lifted Lawrence Javier Calvin ‘The Beast’ Abueva of the Phoenix Super LPG The COVID-19 pandemic struck which indeed Fuel Masters has been released from the indefinite suspension led to the postponement of the 2020 PBA Philippine Cup issued by the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) after a year- and therefore elongating the wait for Abueva. During these and-a-half wait last October 25. times, the fans were able to have a glimpse of Abueva’s The PBA star became a controversial figure after compassionate side as he was seen giving donations and food committing below the belt offenses inside the court. This to the poor and less fortunate. includes disrespectful acts on Maika Rivera, the girlfriend of In July 2020, he was informed of the process for his Blackwater Elite guard, Bobby Ray Parks Jr. which happened on ban to be lifted and be able to play once again in the court. May and a clothesline hit on the Talk-N-Text (TNT) Tropang Giga This includes a series of drug tests and psychological tests import Terrence Jones which happened last June, both from the which were conducted to test his capabilities to play once previous year. again. Months passed by and the fans were agitated while After the said violations, PBA Commissioner Willie appealing for the return of The Beast since the PBA bubble Marcial decided to put Abueva in an indefinite suspension for was in the process of taking place in Clark, Pampanga, which an attempt of maintaining and regulating the discipline and was also the hometown of Calvin. respectability in the basketball league. The office also fined him a Eventually, Abueva was lifted from his 512-day total of P70,000-P50,000 for the flagrant foul penalty 2 on Jones, restriction but before entering the bubble, he met with the and P20,000 for engaging with a fan in a verbal brawl. officials of Games and Amusement Board (GAB) wherein the The Beast was penalized and therefore was prohibited regulatory body emphasized his need to undergo a seminar from playing. Their head coach Louie Alas hoped that the on the Code of Ethics of being a professional athlete as well as reinstatement of the star would happen sooner. During the start the recommended mandatory drug testing. of 2020 PBA Philippine Cup, Abueva was then allowed to join Abueva was able to play along with his teammates in team scrimmages but was not allowed to join the tune-up and was back in action as he garnered 21 points, 13 rebounds, games as well as the pocket tournament it arranged during their and 7 assists in his comeback game against the NLEX Road preseason. Warriors. Currently, the Fuel Masters were able to clinch the second seed with a total of 8 wins and 3 losses.
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