SCARED. Calamba City Science Integrated School students evacuate from their classroom as 5.9 earthquake shakes Calamba in tremors, although the evacuation area is between two large buildings.
SALVAGED
CCSIS bats better support for tilts LEANN CAUSAREN
INHERITORS keeping the flame for change alive
TOM ESPEJON caption by AVIGAIL MONSALUD
Vol 11 Issue 1 • The Official Publication of Calamba City Science Integrated School Division of Calamba City Region 4A - CALABARZON August 2023 - May 2024
BFP hits CalSci on fire safety equipment deficit
Amid schedule curbs,
Teachers back out of research confab
LYNDON DIESTA
F
earing mass damages in case of a fire breaking out, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) of Region 4-A CALABARZON calls out Calamba City Science Integrated School (CCSIS) on the school's lack of fire safety equipment. As finalizations are completed on the new third-story extension on the JHS building of CCSIS for the school year, students and parents also air their fear, noting the lack of a fire hose for the two school buildings. “Nakaka-concern lang rin kasi kung magkakaroon rin ng sunog o kung kaya’y lindol, kakaunti lang ang magagawa ng mga bata sa ganoong sitwasyon, lalo na’t nasa mga fourth floor rin sila, kaya nakakanerbyos rin kapag minsan,” Eddie Revilla, a parent of a G11 student claimed. To alleviate the issue, fire extinguishers have been placed throughout the school in case a fire emergency happens, as well as fire alarms to alert people who are on school grounds. CCSIS also conducts fire safety demonstrations in collaboration with the BFP such as how to use a fire extinguisher, as well as how to put out small fires, so that students know the protocol and how to act in case such events happen.
SCHOOL NEWS
CCSIS learner’s kits dip in number as enrollees boom EDWARD DIESTA
A
s Brigada Eskwela 2023-2024 commences, the number of learner’s kits distributed in Calamba City Science Integrated School (CCSIS) has substantially decreased as compared to the previous year after the recent rise of enrollees throughout public schools in Calamba. “Maraming eskwelahan ang nagincrease ang kanilang enrolment. So yung data na pinagbasehan last year para sa incoming batch ay nagkaroon ng gap, kaya nagkaroon ng parang shortage doon sa number ng items sa learner’s kit,“ Christine Abenojar, CCSIS school head, explained. As a legislated science high school, CCSIS receives special privileges such as a more advanced curriculum, more opportunities for competitions, and a more competitive environment, increasing the expectation that incentives in the institution will be more prioritized in comparison to their regular public school counterparts. Consequently, to combat the recent dip, Abenojar mentioned that the local government unit has started to commence the provision of supplies to the students, beginning with the measurement of shoe sizes for current seventh-grade learners. “Actually, the shoes are already in the process of being given to grade 7 students. Hopefully, more will be distributed towards the higher levels in the future,” she concluded.
NILES CABRERA
M
SETTLED FOR LESS. Senior high school students of Calamba City Science Integrated School disassemble older robotic devices for parts in order to create their research, as the school cannot provide the students with new equipment due to the lack of funding. photo and caption by AVIGAIL MONSALUD
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alamba City Science Integrated School (CCSIS) seeks to address the shortage and outdatedness of its robotics equipment and materials, which was made evident by the school’s recent lack of success in Samsung's Solve for Tomorrow Competition. In response to such queries, Mayor Ross Rizal proclaimed in an interview that the school should submit a proposal for its needs in competitions, and it will be prioritized by the local school board in allocating the Special Education Fund (SEF). According to the city government of Calamba, the city’s SEF for the second quarter of 2023 totals up to 790 million pesos, which is put towards school operations, facilities, equipment, expenditures, construction, and repair of school buildings. “Oh, dapat lang kasi nga kayo ang flagbearer ng city pagdating sa competitions, kayo ang mga iskolar ng bayan,” Rizal added. Rowena Acosta, the head of the science department and CCSIS team co-adviser, remarked that
the school’s provisions are currently considered outdated, especially when compared to the provisions given to other schools. Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow is a worldwide competition that allows STEM students to bring their ideas, which can improve communities, and promote Sustainable Development Goals. Its first implementation in the Philippines has urged CCSIS to participate with its 26 entries, earning three spots in the final top 10 out of 206 entries. “I think the difficulties and obstacles that we encountered during the competition were the prototyping. We are not prepared for the mock prototype. The students don’t have the budget to make the prototype itself since it needs materials that are not available for the limited time given,” explained Sarah Jane Detruz, the team adviser. Furthermore, head school paper adviser Nelfren Sambalod also noted that the qualifiers for the Regional Schools Press Conference lack 16 digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras across several categories. “Wala po talaga kami ni isang DSLR, ang hirap po maghanap, and mahirap rin makiusap sa mga students,” Sambalod revealed.
Lyndon Diesta, one of the interviewers, expressed his gratitude that the city government is willing to assist CCSIS in tilts. "Parang may nawala nang burden, so I'm happy na naliwanagan kami regarding this," Diesta exclaimed. On the other hand, Ronald Trigueros, the school’s administrative officer, stated that due to the strict and limited budgeting of the Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE), the school cannot allocate additional funds in order to compensate for the excess contest expenses as of now. “Hindi siya sapat, kasi from time to time meron nangangailangan, for example meron tayong contest, kailangan ng camera. So yung ginawa nating Quality Control Plan wala dun yung camera, so ang gagawin natin mag-iisip tayo ng paraan paano natin bibilhin, pero next year na. Kasi ‘di kasama yun sa ating Annual Procurement Plan,” Trigueros stated. CONTINUE TO PAGE 2
BY THE NUMBERS
TOP 5 LARGEST ALLOCATIONS OF THE SPECIAL EDUCATION FUND (SEF) FOR THE 2ND QUARTER OF 2023
151.9M
26.7M
ICT EQUIPMENT
INTERNET SUBSCRIPTION
PHP
FURNITURE AND FIXTURES
20.8M PHP
CALAMBA CITY'S 2023 SEF
PHP
PHP
MR. RONALD TRIGUEROS CCSIS ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER
PROPERTIES AND EQUIPMENT
MILITARY EQUIPMENT
10.9M
Hindi siya sapat, kasi from time to time meron nangangailangan.
$$
$
8M
PHP
790,690,496.68 PHP
SOURCE: CITY HALL OF CALAMBA
FEATURED STORIES MATATAGOALS
CCSIS pushes for more rooms over 4% slated pop hike NEWS 02
AQUA PURA
Purifying Waters with H2O-CLEANER SCIENCE 04
CONSISTENT INCOMPETENCE OPINION 10
ELECTRIFYING POSSIBILITIES
Christine’s Odyssey from Wattpad to MBIF FEATURE 18
ost teachers from Calamba City Science Integrated School (CCSIS) did not commit to participating in the recent 7th Division Research Conference and Continuous Improvement Program Symposium held in November 2023, as their lack of schedule flexibility made them unable to do so, said Rey Alex Landoy, a CCSIS educator. Landoy also emphasized that teachers were not updated and informed about the event until much later, compounding the already narrow time allotment given to them to complete their studies. “I think teachers should be provided with adequate time and comprehensive support to enable them to undertake and complete a research project without compromising their primary responsibility, which is to be in the classroom teaching and facilitating learning,” he added. The event in question was initially spearheaded by DepEd Calamba City, which then encouraged teachers to present action research proposals in accordance with the topics of teaching and learning, child protection, human resource development, and governance, as per the stipulations made by the Division Memorandum No. 263, s. 2023. Moreover, CCSIS teachers submitted research proposals for Basic Education Research Fund (BERF); however, only a few were able to finish their research studies in full, as they not only had too much school-related work, but they were also unable to pass the strict qualification process for receiving the BERF, which could have helped allay research costs.
CalSci prods on empty principal post EDWARD DIESTA
C
alamba City Science Integrated School (CCSIS) has yet to have a principal with suitable qualifications to lead its administrative body despite its standing as one of the most prestigious schools in Calamba. Christine Abenojar, the current school head, has been in the top position of CCSIS’s faculty since School Year 2023-2024 as there is no principal available in the rotation. To recall, principals in Calamba rotate on an exigency basis to various public schools within the city, including CCSIS, wherein former principal William Bartolome was in rotation last school year 2022-2023. However, for the ongoing school year, CCSIS did not have a principal as only the rank of Principal II is qualified for the position. “Hindi naman sa binabash namin ang current school head, pero wala kasi talagang qualified kasi wala nang Principal II na available sa Calamba para mag-lead ng school,” said Sarah Jane Detruz, a CCSIS teacher. She also made comments on the lack of a specialized robotics teacher in the school, stating that the school should have one as it is a science-based and research-oriented school.