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PANGUHANING EDITORYAL
ISSUE 02
Nagka NOCHE-LECHE Buena na Sa bawat tahanan ng Pilipino, ang Noche Buena ay hindi lamang pagkain. Ito ay simbolo ng pagsasama, kasaganaan, at pananampalataya. Sa kabilang banda, habang rumaragasa pataas ang presyo ng mga pangunahing bilihin, ang pahayag ng Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) na maaari nang maghanda ng Noche Buena ang isang pamilya sa halagang ₱500 ay tila isang biro na hindi nakakatawa. Tunay ngang napaka maligalig at masisipag magtrabaho ng ibang mga kawani ng gobyerno dahil bukod sa kanilang mga matataas na puwesto, nagawa pa ng mga ito ang maging isang payaso sa entablado ng kahirapan. Ayon kay DTI Secretary Alfredo Pascual, posible raw ito kung bibili sa mga Kadiwa stores at pipili ng murang alternatibo. Subalit, ayon sa ulat ng Rappler, higit 100 Noche Buena items ang nagtaas ng presyo noong 2024, kabilang ang ham, queso de bola, pasta, at fruit cocktail. Dagdag pa rito, ayon sa Manila Bulletin, mismong mga senador ang nagsabing hindi makatotohanan ang ₱500 budget para sa isang tradisyunal na Paskong Pilipino. Hindi rin lingid sa kaalaman ng lahat na habang lumilipas ang panahon ay nagbabago rin ang anyo ng ating lipunan at gaya ito ng mga presyong nagkukumpulan pataas ay isang malaking sampal sa reyalidad ang pagbabalik na pagkasiyahin ang limang daang piso gayong palubog na ang ekonomiya ng bansa. Sa SOCCSKSARGEN Region, nasa ₱460 ang minimum wage ng mga non agriculture/ retailer/service at P443 naman para sa mga agrikultural na sektor. Ito ay ayon sa tala ng National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) na naging epektibo lamang hanggang Ika-15 ng Disyembre. Tanging sampung piso lamang ang itinaas mula noong Ika-2 ng Nobyembre. Ngunit ayon sa mga labor groups, hindi ito sapat upang matugunan ang buwanang gastusin ng isang pamilya. Ang karaniwang utility bills gaya ng kuryente at tubig ay umaabot ng ₱5,000–₱7,000 kada buwan, samantalang ang renta sa mga urban areas ay hindi bababa sa ₱10,000. Kapag holiday season, tumataas pa ang presyo ng mga bilihin
dahil sa demand, kaya’t lalong lumalaki ang gastos ng mga pamilya. Ang ₱500 na Noche Buena ay hindi lamang kulang, ito ay insulto sa reyalidad ng pamumuhay ng mga Pilipino. Sa halip na magbigay ng solusyon, tila binabalewala ng gobyerno ang tunay na kalagayan ng mamamayan. Kung tutuusin, para kanino ba ang ₱500 na Noche Buena? Sa aling antas ng lipunan matatagpuan ang mga pamilyang kayang pagkasyahin ang halagang ito? Ito ay maaaring magbigay ng spaghetti at tinapay, ngunit hindi nito matutugunan ang inaasahan ng isang tradisyunal na Pasko. Ang mga nasa laylayan, na arawaraw ay nakikipaglaban para sa tatlong beses na pagkain sa isang araw, ay lalo pang nadadagdagan ng pasanin sa tuwing holiday season. Hiindi ito isang solusyon o pananakip butas sa pagkukulang ng gobyerno, kundi panlilinlang. Walang patutunguhan ang limang daan kung ang ipinupunto rito ay ang tradisyonal na noche buena. Sa kabilang banda, halos lahat ng mga Pilipino ay ramdam ang bigat ng gastusin tuwing Pasko. Ang mga anak ay umaasa ng masaganang hapag, at ang mga magulang ay nagsusumikap upang hindi mapahiya sa kanilang pamilya. Ang limang daan ay hindi lamang kulang, ito ay tila pangungutya sa kanilang pagsusumikap para lamang makapagbigay ng pagkaing sasapat sa kanilang mga kumakalam na sikmura. Kung mayroong mitolohikong populasyon na kayang pagkasyahin ang ₱500, marahil sila ay naninirahan sa isang pantasyang mundo na hindi naaapektuhan ng inflation, VAT, at mataas na presyo ng bilihin.
VOLUME 45
1ST SEMESTER
PANGUHANING EDITORIAL
ISSUE 02
Likas na sa mga Pilipino ang maghanda ng Noche Buena tuwing Pasko. Ito ay hindi lamang tungkol sa pagkain kundi isang tradisyon ng pagbabahagi, kasiyahan at pananampalataya. Ngunit sa patuloy na pagtaas ng mga pangunahing pangangailangan natin, tila binubulag ng gobyerno ang diwang ito. Ang isinaad na perang kasya sa mahalagang gabi ay hindi tumutugma sa tradisyon kundi nagbibigay ng lamat. Ang budget na ito ay nagpapatunay na hindi lamang ito kapos, kundi kontra-kultura rin. Malalaman nga ba ito ng mga taong nagpapakasasa sa taas ng kanilang salary grades kumpara sa mga karaniwang taong nasasaklaw sa national minimum wage? Marahil ay napakahirap tumingin sa laylayan kung ang kinauupuan mo’y nasa tuktok, mahirap ilibot ang paningin kung nasisilaw na sa sariling mga delusyon. Ang hindi inaalala ng kung sino mang nasa katinuan ng kanilang pagiisip, maliban sa limang daang pisong Noche Buenang nakakabusog lamang sa imahinasyon at sa galit, marami pang pasanin ang mga Pilipino na tiyak ay hindi sasapat ang isang dilaw na perang papel. Kasama pa sa dapat tandaan ay ang pamasahe, at sa kabuuan, ang transportation inflation na ayon sa Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) ay tumaas ng isang porsyento, ilang buwan lamang ang nakaraan. Lalo na ang iba pang buwis na nasa mandato ng kaltasin bago pa man napasakamay ang sobreng naglalaman ng sahod. Walang mabubusog hangga’t hindi sumusobra ang kanilang kita sa gastos palang pagtapak sa labas ng tahanan. Walang panalo, walang piging na maihahain kung ang gastos pa lamang upang magtrabaho, magsimulang mag-ipon at kumita ay gugutumin na ang pitaka ng mga taong pilit na namumuhay nang marangal. Kung matapang ang gobyerno
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sa kanilang pahayag, bakit hindi sila ang sumubok sa P500 challenge? Bakit hindi sila mismo ang maghanda ng Noche Buena gamit ang halagang iyon, habang dinadanas ang iniinda ng mga Pilipino? Nilinaw mismo ng DTI na ang P500 ay sapat lamang para sa isang pamilya ng apat kung pipili ng pinakamurang brand at bibili sa Kadiwa stores. Ngunit ilang pamilya ba ang may akses sa Kadiwa? Ayon sa Ibon Foundation, ito ay maituturing na ‘government propaganda’ at isang ‘mockery of Filipinos’ dahil hindi tumutugma sa aktwal na presyo ng mga bilihin. Kung kaya ng mga opisyal, ipakita nila. Kung hindi naman, sana ay tigilan na nila ang pambibilog ulo sa mga Pilipino. Sa kasamaang palad, ang pang-araw-araw na pamumuhay ng karaniwang Juan dela Cruz ay hindi kailanman kayang maisulat bilang isang maikling buod na madaling maintindihan para sa mga taong namuhay sa kamangmangang mula sa ginhawa ng pribilehiyo. Ang mabigat na patong ng VAT sa bawat bilihin kumpara sa ipinapataw ng ibang karatig bansa sa Asya, ang walang kwentang kinahinatnan nito, at ang walang humpay na sakripisyo para sa kaunting ginhawa at pamumuhay… iilan pa lamang ang mga ito. Hindi na makakayang paikliin pa sa ilang mga salita ang mga dekada at bawat araw ng buhay na sinapit nang puno ng pag aalala kung saan na naman kakahig para sa isang tuka. Hindi naman mahirap ang magbigay na tunay na ayuda sa mga pamilyang Pilipino, hindi retorika ng limang daan ay sapat na. Dapat ding higpitan ang price monitoring at bawasan ang VAT sa mga pangunahing bilihin. Higit sa lahat ay palakasin ang lokal na produksyon upang bumaba ang presyo ng mga sangkap pang Noche Buena. Sa pagkakataong ito, hindi natin katuwang ang gobyerno sa kahirapan dahil sila pa mismo ang sumasalungat. Ang tunay na diwa ng pasko ay hindi naman nakakulong sa mga pagkukulang, kundi sa kasaganahan na dapat maranasan ng mga Pilipino na kahit anong okasyon ay ipinagkakait ng gobyerno.
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NEWS
ISSUE 02
VOLUME 45
1ST SEMESTER
ISSUE 02
NEWS
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OPINYON
ISSUE 02
VOLUME 45
Lavish Labis: Pondong Puro Mintis Patuloy pa ring naghihikahos ang sambayanang Pilipino mula sa hagupit ng mga naranasang bagyo na nagdulot ng walang pakundangang pagbaha sa iba’t-ibang panig ng bansa. Kasabay ng rumaragasang tubig ang pagbuhos ng luha at impit na sigaw ng mga mamamayang dalawang beses na naging biktima – ng likas na kalamidad at bulok na pamamalakad. Sa laki ng halagang inilalaan upang magsilbing panangga laban sa trahedya, hindi pa rin naprotektahan ang libo-libong mamamayang patuloy na nilulunod ng higit pa sa baha — sa pagsasawalang bahala ng pamahalaang pinamumunuan ng mga buwaya. Ayon sa Philippine Star, mula 2022 hanggang sa kasalukuyang taon, umabot na sa 545 bilyong piso ang naigastos ng pamahalaan para sa flood control projects. Kaugnay nito, batay sa naturang pahayagan mula sa datos na ibinahagi ng National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council, tinatayang nasa 112 na tao ang namamatay taon-taon, mula noong nag-umpisa ang termino ni Pangulong Bongbong Marcos Jr. (PBBM). Pangunahing rason ng kanilang pagkamatay ay ang bagyo. Indikasyon ang mga numerong nabanggit kung gaano kalayo ang agwat ng pondo mula sa antas ng pagiging epektibo nito. Matatandaang naging patok kamakailan lang ang dokumentaryong ibinahagi ng beteranang mamamahayag na si Jessica Soho ukol sa lumalalang pangongorakot sa sektor ng imprastraktura. Sa kanyang serye ng mga espesyal na ulat patungkol sa anomalyang kaganapan sa flood control, pinangalanan at binigyang mukha ang ilang lugar, maging ang mga nangungunang kompanya at kontraktor na sangkot sa mga anomalya. Isa sa mga nabanggit ang Bulacan na ikalima sa 10 pangunahing lugar sa bansa na madalas bahain at may pinakamaraming flood control projects na umabot sa 668 ang bilang. Isa sa mga proyektong ito ang dike sa Barangay Frances sa bayan ng Calumpit na pinaglaanan ng 77.1 milyong piso. Personal itong binisita at sinuri ni PBBM. Aniya, ‘substandard’ ang mga ginamit na materyales. Pinuntahan niya rin ang bayan ng Baliuag para sa proyektong nagkakahalaga ng 55 milyong piso subalit nang makarating sa mismong lugar, walang proyektong bumungad sa kanya. Malinaw na isa itong ‘ghost project.’ Ilan lamang iyan sa mga sandamakmak na kapalpakang isinagawa. Sa laki ng perang inilalaan sa bawat proyekto, nauuwi pa rin sa pagiging depektibo. Kung gaano kalaki ang halaga ng pondo, kabaliktaran naman nito ang pagiging epektibo ng mga nagawang proyektong karaniwang na nagiging multo at hindi konkreto ang mga materyal na ginamit sa pagbuo o pagpapatayo. Dagdag pa rito, hindi na bago sa sambayanang Pilipino ang makaranas ng mga natural na kalamidad sapagkat hindi naman ito maiiwasan bilang bansang malapit sa Pacific Ring of Fire.
Subalit mababawasan ang peligro kung may wastong paghahanda at matibay na panangga. Sa bawat sakuna, hindi mawawala ang mga biktima. Ngunit ang patuloy na pagdami nito ay hindi na normal at lubos na nakababahala lalo na kung ang dahilan kung bakit lumalala ay hindi ang sakuna kundi ang sistema ng pamamahala. Ayon kay Dr. Tony Leachon, isang independent health reform advocate, higit pa sa patuloy na pagtaas ng kaso ng leptospirosis, kinakailangang pagtuonan ng pansin ang ugat ng patuloy na paglaganap ng sakit na ito na tinatawag niyang kleptospirosis. Hango sa dalawang pinaghalong salita na leptospirosis at kleptomania na nangangahulugang hindi mapigilang pagnakaw. Aniya, ninakaw kasi ang mga perang inilaan sa pagpapagawa ng mga proyektong panangga sa mga kalamidad gaya ng patuloy na pagbaha. Sa ganitong mga panahon, nasusubok at naipapakita ang katatagang nananalatay sa bawat Pilipino subalit hindi ito dapat na gawing dahilan upang pagtakpan ang pagkukulang ng pamahalaan. Ang bilang ng mga nasawi ay hindi lamang bunga ng kalikasan bagkus ng kapalpakan ng sistemang sa halip na magbigay ng ligtas at maayos na pamumuhay ay siya pang dahilan ng pagkamatay. Higit sa lahat, matatandaang nagsimula ang pagdinig ng senado hinggil sa usaping ito noong buwan ng Agosto. Apat na buwan na ang nakalipas ngunit nananatiling malaya ang mga buwayang mapangahas — patuloy na nakakapaghanap ng panibagong biktima sapagkat wala pa ring nailalagay sa rehas na bakal bunsod ng prosesong lalo pang pinatatagal. Isiniwalat ni Senador Panfilo Lacson sa seryeng ‘Katakottakot na Kurakot’ ni Soho na hindi bababa sa 67 kongresista ang kontraktor din mismo ng mga proyekto ng gobyerno. Kaugnay nito, pinangalanan ang mga sangkot na kontraktor kung saan kabilang ang mag-asawang Pacifico Curlee Discaya II at Sarah Discaya na sumikat dahil sa mga kakaibang pinaggagawa nito sa panahon ng pagdinig gaya ng walang habas na pagkain. Isang representasyon kung paanong hindi sineseryoso at patuloy na inaabuso ng mga nasasakdal ang nasabing proseso. Habang patuloy ang pagdinig ng kongreso, nakakarinding pakinggan at tingnan ang paulit-ulit na prosesong wala namang progreso. Walang katapusang ulat ukol sa mga pangalang may kinalaman
sa anomalya subalit kasinglabo ng tubigbaha ang inaaasam na hustisya ng pamilya ng mga biktimang nasawi sa kasalanang hindi naman sila ang gumawa. Sa huli, kahit gaano pa kalaki ang halaga, mahuhulog lang din sa wala kung walang konsensya ang namamahala. Bilyonbilyong pisong nagsilbi sanang panangga laban sa trahedya kung hindi lamang binulsa at inabuso ng mga nakaupong hayok sa karangyaan at kaban ng mamamayan. Mga proyektong limpak-limpak ang inilalaan subalit ligwak pa rin ang kinalabasan, bilang ng mga nasawing repleksyon ng mahinang pamamahala, maging ang prosesong kasingtaas ng palabas kaya wala pa ring nananagot sa dami ng mga sangkot. Sa pamahalaang ginagawang kabuhayan ang taon-taong dahilan ng paghihirap ng mga mamamayan, patuloy na maghahari ang katiwalian. Ginawang kayamanan ang pondong nararapat na ibalik sa mamamayan at inilaan para sa kanilang kaligtasan. Sa halip na gawing proyekto, ginawang luho ng mga tiwaling wala sa bokabularyo ang matuto. Kaya nararapat lamang na huwag na tayong magpauto. Panahon na upang palitan ang mga hayok na nakaupo at isaayos ang bulok na sistemang palaging tayo ang biktima lalo na sa panahon ng trahedya gaya pagbaha kung saan nagsisilitawan ang mga buwaya. Matuto na tayong mangilatis upang tuluyan nang matapos at hindi na muling magtitiis sa pondong labislabis ngunit puno ng mintis.
1ST SEMESTER
OPINION
ISSUE 02
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Politics is non-binary JEROMELEE M. PIANA
“I deserve an explanation. I deserve an acceptable reason!” – Marco to Ginny in ‘Starting Over Again’
wield the sword of justice. Sadly, this is not a Star Magic blockbuster. The show always goes on.
Isn’t it amusing how an excerpt from a Toni Gonzaga and Piolo Pascual film now reverberates so loudly across the DDS political echo chamber? When news broke of the tiger from the north striking Davao’s fiercest eagle from behind, only then did the Dutertes’ loyal partisan base awaken: the Marcoses—especially Bongbong—were never the friends they thought they were.
This time, it takes a more surprising turn. The DDS echo chamber now resounds with a new campaign slogan, a new political slaughter—one that not even Nostradamus could have predicted: Marcos loyalists and Kakampinks being crucified side by side.
Not only was Vice President Sara Duterte impeached, the dynasty’s strongman patriarch, former President Rodrigo Duterte, was also sent to The Hague in mid-March this year, where he now faces charges of crimes against humanity. This would be the final act in his blood-stained “War on Drugs,” a campaign that—for better or for worse—claimed the lives of many. As to why the Marcos-Duterte alliance of 2022 fell apart in recent times, there may be more theatrics behind the curtains than what is shown to the public. But one acceptable reason escapes the thick covers: there is no friendship in politics, only strategic alliances. The MarcosDuterte unity scheme is proof that their intentions were never to advance the public good, but to secure personal interests. Vice President Sara Duterte made this clearer than anyone else in her infamous tantrums during one of her interviews— throwing fits and verbal kicks at President Marcos, to whom she once proclaimed her love during a 2022 campaign rally: “I love you, BBM!” Duterte’s case before the International Criminal Court (ICC) only worsened matters. On November 28, the ICC denied his request for interim release, citing risks of flight and possible evasion of trial. His defense counsel, insisting that he was unfit to stand trial, argued alleged cognitive decline, including memory and reasoning problems. An independent panel of medical experts, however, reported otherwise, stating that Duterte was generally fit to participate in pre-trial proceedings. It is almost as if justice is—at long last—closing in, emerging from a horizon once deemed unreachable, once largely impossible. This could have been the moment when we let the fate of the victims’ fight for truth rest in the hands of those who
The DDS narrative has shifted. It no longer attacks only the Kakampinks, but also its ally-turned-foe: Bongbong Marcos’ supporters. According to this narrative, the Kakampinks have suddenly fallen silent amid corruption scandals so massive they sent shockwaves across the country. Why, as these events unfold, are they allegedly playing the bystander? Of all people, they were once the loudest against corruption. Hence, this silence—real or perceived— is framed not merely as misalignment with their often symmetrically moralist political values, but as hypocrisy in its profound sense. But talk about hypocrisy, how about accountability? Who voted for the Marcoses in the first place? These are the cries of the Kakampinks who once recalled being told not to meddle in the “away ng mga nanalo,” yet are now being dragged back into the arena—phones in hand, social media at the ready—to parrot DDS-filtered calls for transparency and accountability. All this, while still supporting politicians who themselves keep records of anomalies. Condemning the corrupt, until it goes against the narratives manufactured within their base. A counterargument, nevertheless, resounds with reason: demanding honesty from the government should never be reduced to partisanship. It should stem from a neutral desire to uproot corruption from the dark corners of our institutions. It should be the equalizing zone for all. Whoever we support during elections should only get our loyalty when it is warranted—not as blind allegiance we so easily grant politicians who benefit only within a single cycle. Politics is not binary, it’s multifaceted and layered with countless truths and lies. Accountability, therefore, should never be hollow and selective; it must be an act of scrutiny, not just when convenient. Most importantly, political idolatry cannot take up space as we occupy the largest parliament in the country: the very same streets that saw revolutions topple the corrupt we now see in the government today.
1ST SEMESTER
COVER STORY
ISSUE 02
Nang lumubog ang bayan, anong kalagayan ng mamamayan? Hindi lang tubig ang umabot sa leeg ng mga tao nang lumubog ang bayan—pati takot, galit, at pagod ay sabay-sabay na umapaw. Nagmistulang bangkang yari sa pawid at pangarap ang mga bahay na tinangay sa estero. Maging ang lansangan ay binalot ng panaghoy—pilit nilalamon ang sigaw ng hustisya. Nagpalutang-lutang naman ang salbabidang papel mula sa mga dokumentong nagsasaad ng proteksyon sa oras ng sakuna. Nanunuot ang lamig, gutom at balisa sa bawat pamilyang Pilipino na nasalanta. Binabangungot ng tanong kung hanggang saan aabot ang pagtitiis ng mga mamamayang sanay nang lumangoy sa pangako ngunit nalunod sa dismaya. Sintomas lamang ang baha sa mas malalim na sugat—isang bayang pinabayaang maging marupok sapagkat ang salaping dapat sana’y sagip sa kalamidad ay puhunan ng kasinungalingan. Bilyun-bilyong piso ang naagos sa kaban ng bayan dahil sa mga gahaman at ang taumbayan ang siyang naging panangga sa pinsalang hindi nila nilikha. Kaya habang ang baha ay unti-unting humihigop ng lupa, ang mamamayan nama’y matagal nang nalunod sa sistemang walang konsensiya. Sino nga ba ang dapat singilin sa paglubog ng bayan? Hindi sakuna kundi katiwalian ang dahilan Huwag nating lokohin ang ating sarili: hindi sakuna ang dahilan ng paglubog ng bayan. Isa itong desisyong paulit-ulit na pinili—sinadya, pinakinabangan, at pinagtakpan. Habang ang mamamayan ay pinapaniwala na ang baha ay likas na kalamidad, ang flood control ay ginawang alkansiya ng mga nasa upuan. Umagos ang baha hindi dahil kulang ang paghahanda, kundi dahil ninakaw ang dapat sana’y panangga. Sa loob ng mahigit isang dekada, humigitkumulang 800 bilyong piso ang inilaan para sa flood control at drainage projects. Subalit sa kabila ng laki ng pondong ito, nananatiling lantad ang bayan sa baha. Paulit-ulit nang binigyang-diin ng Commission on Audit ang mga anomalya: overpricing, substandard materials, at mga proyektong “tapos” lamang sa ulat. Nasiwalat na may mga kanal na hindi konektado, mga dike na gumuho ilang buwan pa lamang matapos itayo, at mga istrukturang hindi kailanman umiral sa totoong mundo. Minaliit ang taumbayan. Walang habas na ininsulto ang karapatan ng mamamayan na mabuhay nang ligtas. Bawat pisong kinamkam, bawat kontratang minanipula, bawat pirma ng opisyal, may isang Pilipinas na naagnas sa kabuuan. Maging sa antas ng pamantasan, malinaw ito sa mga estudyante. Para sa mga MSUan, ang flood control ay hindi lamang isang konkretong istruktura—ito ay araw-araw na paalala na ang edukasyon sa bansang ito ay laging napagiiwanan kapag nanaig ang kasakiman. Habang ang mga kurakot ay tuyo at ligtas sa kanilang
opisina, ang kabataan nama’y sinusuong ang baha bitbit ang mulat na kaisipang—korapsyon ang kanser ng lipunan. Hindi kulang ang solusyon, ang kulang ay konsensiya ng mga may kapangyarihan. Hindi kulang ang pondo, ay kulang ay pananagutan. At kung patuloy ang ilusyong “sakuna” ang isang krimeng matagal nang alam ng lahat, malinaw ang katotohanan: hindi na lamang tayo basta nasalanta—tayo ay ginawang bahagi ng sistemang ang ugat ay pandarambong.
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Pilipino—ang ating pananahimik sa opresyon, ang ating pagbalewala sa moralidad bilang tao, at ang ating pagpayag sa tahasang panggagahasa sa dangal ng bayan ng mga gahaman sa kapangyarihan. Kahit man lamang sa kapakanan ng iba, matuto sana tayong magmahal: para sa mga bata, para sa susunod na henerasyon, para sa Inang Bayan. Ituwid ang baluktot na sistema at iluklok ang mga tunay na karapat-dapat nang walang kulay at walang pamilyang sinasamba. Nawa’y sa yugtong ito ng paglubog ng bayan, matuto na tayong mamulat—at huwag kumurap sa korapsyon sa pamahalaan, at maging sa pagbagsak ng ating kapantasan.
Mamulat at huwag kuKORAP
Maniningil ang dukhang nabuwal
Hipokrito ang Pilipinong nananawagan ng pananagutan, ngunit nagiging kasangkapan ng kamangmangan at kawalang-katarungang pambibintang.
Sa paghupa ng baha, sisingilin at uusigin ng mga pinagnakawan ang mga hayok sa kapangyarihan.
Sa kamakailang White Sunday Peace Rally na ginanap sa Notre Dame of Dadiangas University (NDDU), nagtipon ang iba’t ibang sektor at antas ng mamamayan sa lungsod ng General Santos—kabilang ang mga Iskolar ng Bayan— upang magsagawa ng mapayapang protesta laban sa katiwalian at kawalan ng pananagutan. Matapos ang madulang sabayang bigkas ng mga estudyante mula sa Kolehiyo ng Agham Panlipunan at Humanidades ng Pamantasang Mindanao, na nagsilbing makabuluhang panawagan laban sa mga umuugong na anomalya sa gobyerno at kakulangan ng hustisya, naglipana naman ang samu’t saring red-tagging at walang pakundangang akusasyon sa comment sections ng mga kuhang video na ipinaskil sa Facebook. Hindi rin ito hiwalay sa mas naunang insidente kung saan isinama ang Pamantasan sa listahan ng mga institusyong umano’y konektado sa Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army (CPP–NPA) recruitment—isang paratang na mariing tinuligsa ng pamantasan at mga estudyante bilang “unfounded and malicious.” Habang libo-libong Pilipino ang patuloy na sinasakal ng tanikala ng karukhaan na dulot ng garapalang korapsyon, ang mismong mga tumatayo para sa katotohanan at katarungan— ang mga mulat na kabataan at Iskolar ng Bayan— ang siya pang nakararanas ng panggigipit sa kanilang kalayaang magpahayag, sa ngalan ng hangaring baguhin ang bulok na sistema. Bagama’t ginagawa naman ng administrasyon ang sinasabi nitong masusing pagbuo ng mga kaso laban sa mga sangkot sa anomalya sa flood control projects, ayon sa ulat ng Presidential Information Office (PIO), nananatiling mailap sa publiko ang kongkretong tugon ng pamahalaan. Matatandaang hanggang sa kasalukuyan ay wala pang malalaking conviction o sentensyang kriminal na naitala laban sa mga pangunahing personalidad na sangkot, sa kabila ng malawakang mga protesta na ginanap sa iba’t ibang panig ng bansa. Marahil, ang korapsyon ay isa lamang sa mga sintomas ng mas malalim na sakit ng lipunan. Sapagkat sa simula’t sapul, ang tunay na salarin sa pagdurusa ng nakararami ay tayo ring mga
Matapos lumubog ang bayan sa rumaragasang baha ng panlilinlang, sa mga barungbarong na tinangay ng agos at sa mga palayang ginawang latian ng kasawian, hindi na dapat umusbong pa ang paulit-ulit na siklo ng korapsyon sa bansa. Ang sakunang ating nararaanasan ay dulot ng sistematikong kapabayaang paulit-ulit na ipinapanataw sa mamamayan. Ngunit sa yugtong ito, maniningil ang dukhang nabuwal; maghahanap ng tunay na hustisya laban sa mga nagpayaman sa gitna ng pagkalunod ng bayan. Sa bawat bilyong pondong winawaldas, natatapyasan ang pondong para sana ay para sa scholarship program, health assistance, at livelihood support na dapat ay matamasa ng bawat nangangailangan Pilipino. Halimbawa nalang nito ang lusak sa backgate tuwing umuulan dulot ng bitak-bitak na daan na dumudungis sa puting sapatos at nagpapahirap sa pagpasok ng mga MSUan bago ito naayos. Maraming pangarap ng mga estudyante ang nauudlot dahil sa kakulangan ng pondo; totoo ngang ang mga estudyante, magsasaka, at mangingisda ang unang nawawalan ng tirahan, ani, kabuhayan, at kinabukasan. Kaya nararapat lamang na maging mapanuri ang bayan sa mga pulitikong nagkukubli sa bandaid solutions—sa pamimigay ng bare-minimum na ayuda at sa mga pansamantalang hakbang na lalong nagpapalubog sa mentalidad na nagpapabaon ng kuko ng kahirapan. Bagama’t may iilang patuloy na naglilingkod nang bukal sa kalooban, hindi sapat ang mabubuting intensyon kung ang sistema mismo ay bulok. Makakapaningil lamang ang bayan kung maisasakatuparan ang ganap na transparency sa paggamit ng pondo, independent audit na hindi minamandohan ng sinumang opisyal, aktibong partisipasyon ng komunidad at mga NonGovernment Organizations (NGOs) sa disenyo at paglalathala ng mga proyekto. Lumubog man, ang dukhang nabuwal ay may dignidad na hindi kayang tangayin ng baha. Sapagkat ang tubig ay humuhupa, ngunit ang alaala ng nakapanlulumong katotohanan ay nananatili. At sa panahong iyon, ang mamamayan ang huhusga kung sino ang karapat-dapat pang manatili sa pampang ng kapangyarihan—at kung sino ang dapat managot sa pagkalubog ng bayan.
14 FEATURE
ISSUE 02
VOLUME 45
1ST SEMESTER
ISSUE 02
FEATURE
15
16 FEATURE
ISSUE 02
VOLUME 45
The Life of a Freshie KEZIAH REIGN CARIÑO, LESLIE ANNE PAYONGAYONG “I swear my loyalty to me, myself, and I,” Taylor Swift sings in Fate of Ophelia. For freshmen, that loyalty is tested the moment we step onto campus. We arrive promising to choose ourselves–our peace, our health, our sanity–only to realize that college demands a very different kind of performance. On the broad stage of a student’s college life, the freshman year is the opening act. “We are told to be independent and mature, yet we are immediately thrown into a whirlwind of academic challenges that makes it difficult to prioritize ourselves,” an iskolar shared. Much like a performer who must go on even when the lights are blinding and the costume is heavy, an iskolar learns the art of composure and perseverance in the never-ending cycle of academic hurdles. We promise loyalty to ourselves, but in practice, we sacrifice. Sleep becomes the price of a passing grade. Home-cooked meals are replaced by caffeine. Weekends vanish into study sessions. It feels less like self-loyalty and more like a relentless commitment to a script we did not write—the pursuit of excellence in the face of survival. How do we keep choosing something that doesn’t always seem to choose us back? Why do we do it? Why do we keep showing up and giving our all to a stage that leaves us exhausted? Because we are fueled by the visions of our own success. We endure the sleepless nights and the canceled plans because we believe in the reward at the end of the storm. We aren’t just students; we are big dreamers trying to build better futures. To be an iskolar is to be a master of the “show must go on” mentality. It is realizing that sometimes, loyalty to yourself means honoring the version of you that exists four years from now—the one who will walk across that stage dressed not just in sotra toga but in happiness and pride. We choose to endure now because our
dreams are the only things loud enough to drive out the noise of the struggle. The Hard Slap of Reality The first few weeks feel like standing under a spotlight you didn’t rehearse for. Orientation week introduces us to buildings, systems, and faces, but no briefing truly prepares us for the weight of expectation that follows. Suddenly, deadlines appear faster than class roll calls, and cases to read pile up more quickly. At MSU–Gensan, freshmen quickly learn that university life does not wait for anyone to catch up. Professors expect accountability. Peers assume competence. The freedom we once longed for becomes a test of discipline. For Adrian Arcuna of Bachelor of Science in Biology, “Siguro, one of the biggest adjustments I faced during the first semester is ‘yung study methods and load works ko,” he shared in an interview. “The way how our college, the CNSM, or the whole MSU creates exams and quizzes is iba jud compared to when I was in senior high school.” With no one reminding us to wake up or doublecheck requirements, responsibility becomes both empowering and terrifying. The spotlight feels harshest when no one is there to guide you. Finding Your Own People Behind every performance is a backstage—messy, loud, and real. For freshmen, this backstage is built through friendships formed in hallways, group chats, and shared struggles. These are the people who lend notes when you miss a class, listen when homesickness creeps in, and remind you that you are not alone in feeling lost. For Adrian, “Friendships and support systems totally help with academic pressure. Kasi sometimes they lessen yung tasks mo,” he stated. “For instance when you’re past na from studying for the
upcoming exam, you can ask reviewers from friends and eventually, maka-study ka and maka-answer sa exam.” Yet not all connections last. Some fade after midterms, others shift with priorities. Learning who stays and who goes becomes one of the semester’s quiet lessons. In college, companionship is not about quantity but sincerity. Be it an eleven-member group or just one single person who gets you through the day, sometimes, surviving freshman year is less about having many friends and more about finding a few who understand your silences. Leaving Home For many iskolar ng bayan, the hardest part of freshman year is not academics but distance. Distance from home, from familiarity, from the version of yourself that existed before college. Independence sounds exciting until you crave the comfort of someone else carrying the weight for you. “I guess it was fulfilling and sad at the same time. Kasi, when you’re in college and away from home, ‘yung sole focus mo is not only your academics, kundi ‘yung bills, safety, and yung kakainin mo every day,” Adrian also shared. Living away from home–or simply living differently– forces growth. We learn to navigate loneliness, to selfsoothe, and to stand firm in moments of doubt. Every day we choose to stay, to attend class, to try again, is a quiet curtain call to your old comfort zone. Freshman year does not end with applause. It ends with tired eyes, deeper self-awareness, and a stronger sense of purpose. The first semester taught us that choosing yourself does not always mean rest—it sometimes means persistence. At MSU–Gensan, to be a freshman Iskolar ng Bayan is to learn how to keep showing up even when the script feels unfinished. The encore is survival–and in surviving, we become worthy of the dreams that carried us here.
1ST SEMESTER
ISSUE 02
Too Dead to Die
LITERARY LITEARARY 17
ESTEBAN’S DIARY
There is no casket surrounded by white flowers, nor corpse for someone to cry over. No coffee prepared on the table, neither cards for elders to gamble. There aren’t even relatives having their visitation until dusk breaks into the black sky. It was something more than a wake, for there is no dead body displayed.
SAUDADE DODE ALFAYED B. GANI
The road tells me a thousand stories, where it’s just one step to save someone, but too late for a few seconds. Teardrops fall to the pavement as blood mixes with gasoline. Thunderclouds raging, where a cold embrace of the rain covered the pass. Unable to see through this mist, as lifeblood dripping from the shattered bones. The nostalgic yesterday came to its dead end, where a pareidolia of our golden laughter painted in the afternoon of 2011. I don’t want to climb this gooseberry anymore, it shattered me into thousands of pieces. The undulation of waves is no longer there cause I
Hope’s Sin MH GARCIA
It was not as generous as a burial, where people give their all for the lifeless. It was death within me, seen by nobody— no one noticed, no one tried to revive. For there’s only empathy when something looks odd— or if my pale body lies bloodless on the floor. I just know that I don’t need to die with my corpse, to have a burial and be mourned by people,
For I was already dead deep inside— God knows since when— for He witnessed how I pray to Him, to give me peace, to make people bear with me. And if I truly die bodily, in faith or in will, I will no longer be caught in astonishment, as I have already rested in peace, a long time ago.
can’t catch the sea crabs now. The dream is now just a dream, no more possibilities to ignite the campfire with anyone. I got the blues, I should keep moving towards the places we used to go. Indeed, I regret the time that it should have been spent together. I was chasing the future and forgot to live my present. In search of a new dawn, I let slip the placidity of the night. The pond that we used to play as we chased the kingfisher. The plumage of vintage, I wish I can go back the way it was before. My heart belongs to yesterday, so my loved ones are. Maybe, I didn’t heal after all, it’s just I got used to it. But I perceive now, the shades no longer hide me from the sunlight. I should step one more, we’re in different dimensions at this time.
The oppressed dreamt of a great feast, But not those of gluttonous meals. They want the flesh of their oppressors—ravaging like a beast. Eating them alive for every steals.
I did not see hope as pure nor beautiful. It was ugly, unsightly, and nasty. The light that would shine on you like a fool, Blinding your eyes as you would say it’s pretty.
Hope is not written in our hearts, It was branded by our ancestors. A scorching flame that flickers in parts, Envisioning distrust of our so-called protectors.
Hope is not a thing with feathers. It is abhorrent, irreal, and horrid. It is the rust stained on your ankles from fetters, Reminding you of the chains that left you morbid.
Hope is not mere faith but carnage, Turning every sane being into rabid dogs. Mauling dictators and governors with rage, A sin of wrath forbidden in synagogues.
It’s not a small bird flying over the sky, It’s a mischief of rats crawling under the sewers. With each perfectly-crafted saccharine lie, Rats gnawed away at every rotten leftovers.
If to believe is to be angry, Then so be it. Nobody minded the flesh of a crook to be tasty, This would be a crime I would happily commit
23
18 LITERARY
I Fed The Thing That Ate Me
ISSUE 02
VOLUME 45
MGA PASILIP SHURI
Malakas ang hangin, at ang araw ay bumababa na. Madaming estudyante na ang umuuwi mula sa campus, habang ang iba naman ay bagong dating lang para sa night class nila. Sa rooftop ng isang building, may isang babaeng nakatayo lamang sa dulo nito. Makikita ang kanyang silweta, hinayaang hinipan ng hangin ang kanyang buhok at palda. Hindi klaro ang kanyang mukha at ang tanging mata niya lamang ang makikita, na para bang nauna nang mawalan ng buhay, nakatulala lang sa kalayuan. Tinangay na siya ng hangin. Ngunit hindi man lang siya nagtagal sa ere, ay bumagsak na siya sa lupa. Dahan-dahang kumalat ang kanyang dugo sa semento. Ang katawan niya’y hindi na gumagalaw. Ngunit wala ni isang tao ang pumansin sa kanya.
SACHI JIMMIA REMOLLO
I can’t believe how something so small could unravel me so completely. One word. One moment. One memory. That’s all it takes. I thought I had everything under control. I thought I could bury it, lock it away, and never let it see the light again. I was wrong. Now it’s spilling out of me. Bleeding out. My hands shake. My chest tightens. My skin burns where I’ve left the marks of my own war. People think I must like this. That I crave the pain. You do, don’t you? They’re wrong. I hate it. So why can’t I stop? Because you’re weak. I try to fight it, but it’s relentless. You can’t fight me. The voice in my head is louder than my own. It whispers to me when I’m alone. It wraps itself around me, pulling me under, deeper into its cold, suffocating grasp. You’ll never escape. How do you fight something that knows your every thought? Every fear? Every scar? You can’t. Today, I saw a Jenga set on the shelf while cleaning my sister’s toys. It almost made me smile. Almost. For a moment, I remembered what it felt like to be happy. But then I thought about how Jenga is a game of destruction. You build something carefully, piece by piece, only to pull it apart until it collapses. That’s what I do. I tear myself down. Block by block. Piece by piece. Until there’s nothing left but rubble. Why? Because I don’t know how to stop. Because I don’t think I deserve to stay whole. You don’t. I don’t even know who I am anymore. A daughter? A student? A failure? A success story? A joke? Or maybe just the debris left behind after the storm. The monster doesn’t care. You’re nothing. Stop pretending. This is all you’ll ever be. I try to prove it wrong. I smile. I laugh. I play the role. My mask is seamless. Unbreakable. Perfect. It’s been on for so long, I don’t even know if there’s anything underneath anymore. There’s nothing. Maybe the monster is right. It always is. Smile. Sit still. Shut up. And so I do. Every. Single. Time.
Nakatitig ang kanyang mga mata sa akin, tila may sinasabi. “San!” Biglang may tumawag sa aking pangalan. Lumingon ako at binati ako ni An. Ibinalik ko ang aking tingin sa katawan ng babae, ngunit agad naman itong nawala. Hindi ko na lang pinansin at sumabay na lang sa aking kasama. “Huy, okay ka lang? Baka sineryoso mo ang sinasabi nila ha? ‘Wag mo na yun isipin!” sabi ni An. Hindi ko mapigilang mapatingin sa kanya, walang imik. Para bang may gusto akong sabihin gamit ang aking mga mata, ngunit sa ilang taon kong pagkakakilala kay An, hindi niya mababasa ito. “Mabigat lang ang bag ko…” Pagkatapos ng ilang minutong paglalakad, nakauwi na ako sa aking boarding house. May napansin akong sticky note na nakaplastar sa pinto nito. “Rent due: February 12, XXXX” Bukas na yun… Kinuha ko ang aking pitaka, umaasang may lalabas na dalawang libo mula dito. At gaya ng inaasahan, wala itong laman maliban sa isang daang piso. Pumasok na lang ako, binaba ko ang aking bag at pumunta sa kusina upang magsaing ng kanin. Napansin ko ang kutsilyo na nakakalat lang sa lababo. Nakalimutan ko yatang iligpit kaninang umaga. May babaeng nakatayo sa kusina at kinuha ang kutsilyo. Ang tanging mata niya lang ang makikita. Nakatitig siya sa akin, walang buhay sa kanyang mga mata, kagaya ng babaeng nahulog kanina. Kung iisipin mo, parang pamilyar ang mga ito. Bigla niyang isinaksak ang kutsilyo sa kanyang dibdib, dahilan para mapasigaw siya sa sakit, na akala mo ba naman may mamamatay-tao dito. Ang tanging pumapatay lang sa kanya ay ang kanyang sarili. Hindi na siya gumalaw pagkatapos ng ilang minuto, at binitawan niya ang kutsilyo. Umawas ang kanyang dugo at tumulo sa sahig. Nakatingin pa rin sa akin ang kanyang mga mata, may gustong sabihin sa akin ngunit ungol lang sa sakit ang maririnig mula sa kanya. Binalewala ko lang ito at ipinagpatuloy ang aking pagsaing. Tumingin ako muli sa lababo at nandun pa rin ang kutsilyo. Kaya napalingon ako pabalik sa babae at kagaya ng hinala ko, nawala na siya. Doon ko na napansin. Nilapitan ko ang nag-iisang salamin sa aking kwarto. Napagtanto kong mata ko pala yung nakikita ko sa kanila. Ang mga matang nauna pang mamatay kesa sa akin. Nang malaman ko ‘to, napabuntung-hininga ako. Mukhang bumalik na naman ang mga pasilip sa isip ko.
1ST SEMESTER
ISSUE 02
Words of Affirmation
LITERARY 19
CANDIEDPEPPERMINTS
At the ripe age of nine, Alex learned how to lie. It was not questions like ”who ate the last candy?” or “did you do your homework?” where kids might answer yes or no, her lie was more than that – it was when she was older when she realized why she did learn. As girls her age started to talk about crushes and such, she would always rehearse the lines in her head if the girls were to ask her who she had a crush on: “It’s Carl, ‘cause he’s cool.” Carl was in fact, not cool in the slightest. He would pick his nose whenever no one is looking, he is loud, he’s always running around at lunch, and he laughs way too loud. None of the girls would answer his name when asked who their crush is, but Alex would always say his with a flustered look on her face. “That was a close one.” At age 12, she learned how to make it believable. She doesn’t just pick a random guy, she would think it through; listing the pros and cons, reasons for liking, and when it started – deluding herself of a standard for men. This way, maybe the girls won’t ask her anymore, not when she can give them the necessary details they want to know. And just as she thought, they stopped asking her about the guys she like. “This is better. This is fine. This is perfect.” She lied and lied until she ran out of tales to tell. At some point, it must’ve been obvious that she’s faking. But how would they know? It’s not like she avoids the topic or anything. It’s not like it’s not normal for a person girl to like a boy, right? Normal. She… has been contemplating that word for a long time now, since she was nine she had been so confused if she is normal or not. Is not liking anyone ever since, not normal? Would anyone even believe that? People would think they’re she’s abnormal, a person who does not like someone romantically is ridiculous. At age 14, she witnessed something peculiar. Beyond the crack of her door, she can see how her mother is talking at her older brother. First it was muffled sounds, something Alex cannot comprehend. Until it turned into yelling, Alex can hear and comprehend then clearly. “I will not break up with my boyfriend! I love him!” her brother yelled. “What you are doing is wrong, you will go to hell if you continue doing that! No son of mine will go to hell, that’s why I’m telling you to change,” her mother coerced his brother. “You can still make things right, honey. Break up with that freak, he is an abomination because God did not create something like that, He only had room for women and men in heaven, men like you,” this time her voice is gentle but more assertive, as if casting a spell on someone. Alex continued to watch in horror, tears began to trail down her cheeks, she did not know why, they just did. My brother is a faggot? Is he part of the homosexual cult my mother told
us about? But then her brother answered her mother with such hurt in his voice that she even felt his agony. “Is it really wrong if I’m just loving someone?” He paused for a while, stopping himself from letting the waterfall run down, “tell me mom, is it wrong to love someone?” Her mother went silent, she looked down for a moment, then her head shot back up again. “You are not normal! If only you would love a woman, your love will not be a sin against God!” Her mother pointed at her brother; Anger, disgust, shame, and discomfort is evident in her mother’s face as she uttered those words. That was the moment she knew SHE needs to stay where she is. At age 16, Alex convinced herself that only normal people are accepted in society. Never mind the sleepless nights she had wondering if she can live by the normal people, because she knows in her bones that she is not what society deemed to be normal. A defect must have been overlooked when she was born, right? What else could be the reason? Every now and then she would tell herself that she should be normal, that way she would not be neglected by everyone around her. She brushed off the feeling in her bones and once again deluding herself, only this time her delusion is being a normal girl. But it gets to a point. In the middle of a cold night, curled up in the corner of her room, Alex had never been more sure in her life than now. This skin is not hers, this body is not hers, she doesn’t want this. Is she supposed to be a man? A male trapped in the female anatomy? She… He… Alex does not know; Alex just wants to be Alex. Still, she refuses to accept it. “I am normal. I am a woman. I am normal. I am a woman. I am normal. I am a woman…” she repeats until she oscillates herself, tears streaming down her face, and not knowing that she had been clawing on her forearms till they draw blood. She’s a woman. She’s normal. She is not sick. She will not be part of the homosexual cult with disgusting people in it. With people like her faggot brother, with people like Alex. At age 16, Alex also realized. As months passed by, she grew envious of those who are part of the homosexual cult she so despises. Envious of their freedom, their joy, their smiles, their everything. How can they parade themselves on streets without thinking about what other people might say? How are they so… free? Upon asking herself these questions, she became aware of what she could have had if she only accepted herself sooner, if she did not think of what others might say behind her back. She contemplated for a long time, to the point where it’s plaguing her every being. Her truth is slowly being visible to her, like bile waiting to be let out of one’s system.
I’m Shore Now
Alex began to understand now, they not only lied to everybody all those years ago, but they also lied to them self. They lied because they were afraid of what might happen to them if they suddenly say that they are void of any romantic and sexual intimacy. They even realized that Alex should not conform to any gender. Alex is Alex. They need not fit into society, like those happy people waving rainbow flags, they should be proud of what they are. They are queer, as in someone who is strange, who is not held back by social norms, someone who is not normal by societal standards. In the dark space of their mind, the words left unsaid are now out in the open. Words they should have said to their person a long time ago before all the lies they told everyone, especially them self. “
I am here. I am me. And I will not hide anymore.”
I was once the wandering tide, carried away by every wave. once becoming a tsunami, that scattered across the shore. But I learned from the tide, it’s not always low or high. it is never permanent, so don’t wait for the tide.
Now I am the shore. I let every wave flow, and then let it go. I no longer beg the current . I’m Shore Now. I’m no longer wander, I’m no longer the tsunami. I have learned to break, without drowning.
LITERARY 18 SCI-TECH 20
ISSUE ISSUE 021
VOLUME 46 45
IMPLUWENSIYA NG IMPEKSIYON “Pilipinas ang may pinakamataas na bilang ng mga panibagong kaso ng HIV sa buong mundo”
cases are among those under 35 years ng panibagong kaso ng HIV at mga old, clearly indicating that HIV continues sexually transmitted infections (STIs) sa to disproportionately affect younger buong mundo ngayong 2025. populations,” ani ni Palaypayon. HIV laban Immune System!
Ikinababahala ngayon ng Department of Health (DOH) ang pagtaas ng panibagong kaso ng humanimmunodeficiency virus (HIV) sa Pilipinas sa kabila ng global decline nito sa buong mundo.
50%
30%
Batay sa tala ng DOH, nasa 5,583 ang bilang ng panibagong kaso ng HIV simula Hulyo hanggang Setyembre ngayong taon. Nasa 22% ang itinaas ng mga kaso sa kaparehong mga buwan ng pagtatala noong nakaraang taon.
AGES 25-34
AGES 15-25
80%
Sa kabilang banda, inaatake ng HIV ang immune system ng isang tao— kapag hindi naagapan ay maaaring maging acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Kapag mayroon kang AIDS ay lalong hihina ang immune system ng iyong katawan na maaaring dahilan ng malubhang pagkakasakit o pagkamatay.
BAGONG KASO NG HIV (Hulyo - Setyembere 2025)
5,583
UNDER 35 YEARS OLD
Dagdag pa dito, maaaring umabot sa 457, 600 ang mga PLHIV taong 2030. Aksyon kontra HIV! Alinsunod dito, inihayag ni Senate Deputy Majority Leader Risa Hontiveros ang kinak ailangang aksyon sa mga patakaran ukol sa pagkontra sa bantang dulot ng HIV infections.
“We have the tools to end AIDS by 2030, but what we need is strong policy Samantala, ayon kay Noel Palaypayon, action, full implementation of RA 11166 DOH Epidemiology Bureau, nasa and strategic legislation for a resilient, 252,800 ang mga PLHIV (People Living inclusive, evidence-based response,” with HIV) dito sa Pilipinas. Nasa 21 newly diin ni Hontiveros. diagnosed cases per day noong 2015 ngunit ngayon nasa 56 per day ang Nilalaman ng RA 11166 o ang newly diagnosed cases ng HIV. Philippine HIV and AIDS Policy Act na pahintulutan ang pagtest ng mga kabataang nasa 15 hanggang per day per day 17 anyos upang malaman 2015 2025 kung mayroon nga ba siyang HIV o wala. “Half of all confirmed HIV cases were among individuals aged 25 to 34 years Samantala, sa pananaliksik naman old, while 30 percent fall within 15 to 25 ng Safe Spaces PH, Pilipinas ang age group. In fact, nearly 80 percent of may pinakamataas na porsyento
21
56
Ayon naman sa World Health Organization (WHO) kung apektado ng HIV ang isang tao, posibleng influenzalike ang sintomas nito sa unang linggo ng pagkakasakit. Maaari silang makaramdam ng ubo, sipon, lagnat, pananakit ng ulo, rashes o sore throat. MGA SINTOMAS NG HIV UBO
PANANAKIT NG ULO
SIPON
RASHES
LAGNAT
SORE THROAT
Tatlong Yugto ng HIV Sambit naman ng Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), kung hindi naagapan ang sakit ay dadaan ito sa tatlong stages: Maaaring magkaroon ng malalaking bilang ng virus at pagkakaroon ng flu-like symptoms sa unang stage ng HIV infection o acute HIV infection. Siguraduhing alam mo kung anong nararamdaman ng katawan mo—at
1ST SEMESTER
SCI-TECH LITERARY 19 21
ISSUE 02 1
1
2
3
Acute HIV Infection
Chronic HIV Infection
AIDS
magpacheck-up o magpa-HIV testing. Sa pangalawang stage o chronic HIV infection, tinatawag din itong asymptomatic sapagkat maaaring nawala ang sintomas ng sakit ngunit aktibo pa rin ito sa katawan at maaaring nakakahawa na ito sa ibang tao. Kapag nakapagtreatment ka laban sa sakit, maaaring hindi na tumuloy pa sa pangatlong stage ang sakit. Pagkakaroon ng AIDS ang pangatlong stage ng HIV. Ito ang pinakamalalang stage ng HIV sapagkat mas mabilis kung makakahawa ng tao ang apektado nito at bumababa ang cell count ng 200 cells per millimeter ng dugo. Kung hindi nagpapagamot, nasa tatlong taon lamang ang hangganan ng taong may AIDS. Bagama’t wala pang lunas ang HIV ngayon, maiiwasan naman ito at mayroong mga paraan upang hindi lumala pa ang epekto ng sakit.
apektado ng HIV ang taong ito. HUWAG IBAHAGI ANG GINAGAMIT NA SYRINGES Pangatlo, bagama’t wala pang lunas, magpakonsulta at magpagamot laban sa HIV upang mapabagal at maiwasan ang pagkahawa ng ibang tao. Maraming ospital o centers ang nagsasagawa ng HIV testing at mainam na makisali ka rito. Dagdag pa rito, walang ibang paraan kung paano mo malalaman na mayroon kang HIV o wala kundi sa HIV tests lamang sa ospital o HIV testing sites. Kapag negatibo, maaari mong sundin ang prevention steps upang maiwasan ang sakit na ito; kapag positibo, magpagamot na sa madaling panahon upang mapabagal ang epekto ng sakit.
MAGPAKONSULTA AT MAGPAGAMOT HIV-iwasan!
HIVigyang-pansin! HIVigyang-pansin! Samantala, inilahad ng CDC ang maaaring gawin upang maiwasan ang pagkakaroon ng HIV: Una, gumamit ng condoms sa tamang paraan kapag gusto mong makipagtalik. Siguraduhing maigi na hindi pa gamit o butas ang condom upang maiwasan ito.
GUMAMIT NG CONDOMS Pangalawa, huwag ibahagi ang ginagamit na karayom, syringes o kahit anong drug injection equipment sa ibang tao. Iwasan din ang pagpapagamit o gumamit ng personal na bagay kung
Inilahad din ng CDC ang mga kagamitan upang maiwasan ang pagkakaroon o mapabagal ang pagkalat nito. PrEP o PEP (post and pre-exposure prophylaxis), isang medisina na pinipigilan na humawa ang HIV sa ibang tao sa tuwing nakikipagtalik or gumagamit ka ng injection drug. Maaari rin itong gamitin kahit apektado ka na ng HIV. Bukod pa dito, ang ART ( Anti-retroviral Therapy) isa sa mga epektibong treatment na nirereseta ng mga doktor o health care provider. Nilalayon nitong pababain ang viral load o dungong apektado ng HIV na kung saan malabo itong madetect sa mga tests.
Kapag mayroon kang mababa na viral load, mababawasan ang pagkakataong mahawaan ang ibang tao ng HIV kapag nagtatalik. Kahit papasok na ang panibagong taon, isaisip at panatilihin ang sarili na magkaroon ng kamalayan sa mapanganib na sakit tulad ng HIV or AIDS. Hinihikayat ang lahat—kabataan o matatanda, na maging malinis, aktibo, at gumawa ng hakbang upang maiwasan o mabawasan ang epekto ng HIV sa bansa. Bilang parte ng pagiging alerto sa HIV, sundin ang mga hakbang upang maiwasan at sikaping maging responsable sa iyong gawain.
22
SPORTS
ISSUE 02
VOLUME 45
Five years in the making: MSU-GSC stages resurgent return to MASTS Games 2025 with renewed pride, resilience JOSEPH CARL T. ESTRERA March toward glory begins with one step of resolve — a campaign led by the Mindanao State University–General Santos City (MSU-GSC) delegation, carrying not just their colors and banners, but five years of preparation and pride, finally reaching its destination as the 2025 Mindanao Association of State Tertiary Schools (MASTS) Games kicked off last October 26 in Oroquieta City, Misamis Occidental. What began as a single march now unfolds into a fullblown journey, with 95 student-athletes, 13 coaches, and a full team of officials representing the MSU-GSC Generals standing among 35 State Universities and Colleges across Mindanao, to compete in a week-long showcase of skill and excellence, carrying the MSU spirit onto Mindanao’s collegiate sports stage.
RISING THROUGH UNITY Under gray skies and a steady downpour, the opening ceremony at the Asenso Misamis Occidental Provincial Athletic Complex pressed on with unwavering spirit, as the delegates stood with pride, turning the rain into a symbol of perseverance that reflected the essence of this year’s theme, “Empowering Youth, Strengthening Accountability: Building a Responsible Nation Through Sports, Culture, and the Arts,” proving that even under stormy skies, the flame of excellence and camaraderie continues to burn bright. As the main speaker of the opening ceremony, Governor Henry S. Oaminal welcomed athletes, artists, and leaders from across Mindanao, urging them to embrace friendly competition, camaraderie, and the opportunity to grow not only in skill but in character, while highlighting the significance of the MASTS Friendship Games and Socio-Cultural Festival as platforms for connection and learning. He also encouraged guests to experience the culture, natural beauty, and local cuisine of Misamis Occidental, while inviting them back for the province’s 96th anniversary and the Perangat Festival, framing the event as a celebration of unity and the collective potential of Mindanao’s youth, showing that respect and friendship on the field go hand in hand with excellence.
IN THE FIGHT FOR HONOR Through grit and grind, the Generals have fought and endured every challenge to return to the MASTS Games after five years, driven by determination and a relentless fighting spirit.
Sports Development Group President Mearlyn Vargas shared, “I feel very honored, especially as the SDG president, to finally be competing and represent our school in the MASTS Games after five years, because I just feel it in my heart that being a student-athlete, the fighting spirit, pride, and passion have never left us over that time.” Vargas revealed that her greatest challenge was rebuilding the confidence of each student-athlete after years without competition, explaining that being new to the system required patience and trust, which she cultivated by supporting every athlete along the way, turning every training session into a reminder that representing MSU is about honor, resilience, and proving that the Generals can rise stronger than ever. “My hope as the SDG President is to reignite the culture of sports excellence and camaraderie in our school,” Vargas added, “and for this year’s MASTS, our goal is to give our best in every game, make our community proud, and inspire the next generation of student-athletes, carrying the trust of my teammates and coaches with me as we compete, knowing this comeback is not just for me but for the institution we represent.” Men’s Badminton team captain Eubert Vego also said the team feels “honored and elated and, at the same time, anxious,” noting that representing their school is a huge opportunity that comes with pressure to perform their best, adding that balancing academics, social life, and training is a constant challenge, but their love for the sport and drive to improve keep them going.
STRENGTH IN STRATEGY Behind the scenes, the University Sports Development Office (USDO) ensured every part of the preparation was in place, from training drills to travel and funding, turning months of planning into a smooth, coordinated push for MSU’s athletes. Sports Development Office Acting Director Ma’am Jessel Wacan said, “Actually, everything—lahat ng preparations last year—handa na ni Ma’am Sam to really send us this year. I am really thankful to Ma’am Sam, the former USDO Director, because without her efforts, wala ni ma-establish. With the support of the USDO, this is really the goal: to send athletes to higher competitions, despite the challenges of the pandemic and financial constraints.” Securing funding and sponsorships was one of the biggest hurdles, but with the crucial financial support
of Chancellor Atty. Shidik Abantas, the team overcame logistical challenges such as the long travel from Gensan to Oroquieta and schedule conflicts with intramurals, ensuring athletes remained focused and on track. With heartfelt gratitude, the office acknowledged the university’s leadership for its unwavering support and encouragement, which made the delegation’s longawaited return possible. “Our athletes are ready to give their best and embody respect and humility in every game,” the office shared, expressing confidence that the Generals will rise to the challenge and bring pride to the institution.
EXCELLENCE THROUGH EXPERIENCE “Be graceful in defeat but be humble in victory,” Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Services Dr. Norman Ralph Isla told the Generals, highlighting the delegation’s pursuit of the university’s core mission: fostering excellence. The Vice Chancellor also emphasized the importance of safety, enjoyment, and camaraderie, reminding the athletes to take care of themselves, build friendships, and carry the university’s name with pride wherever they go. His message blended care and conviction, setting a tone of unity and purpose as the university contingents prepared to step back into Mindanao’s collegiate sports arena, not merely to compete, but to exemplify excellence in every sense. He reminded the athletes that returning to the MASTS Games was an opportunity to face challenges, inspire the university, staff, and sports program, and carry themselves with pride and determination, while also enjoying the experience despite the pressure. As the opening ceremony concluded and the competitions began, the gathering shone as a celebration of respect, inclusivity, service, and excellence, the very core values of MSU-GSC, with delegates carrying themselves with pride, demonstrating that true success is measured not only by victories but by camaraderie to foster excellence in every effort and endeavor. As the games have unfolded, every match and performance stand as a testament to discipline and shared growth, showing that the R.I.S.E. values guide not just victories but the spirit of unity and inspiration that defines the institution and leaves a lasting mark on the Mindanao community.
1ST SEMESTER
SPORTS
ISSUE 02
23
MSU-GenSan strengthens sports program with facility upgrades, inclusive admission, increased funding BERJAN PAGADATAN, VANESS VILLAFUERTE Set on ramping up its sports development program, Mindanao State University – General Santos (MSUGenSan) are now planning on implementing infrastructure upgrades, equipment procurement, institutional reforms, and increased financial support, alongside its continued efforts in academic and community advancement. In an interview with Chancellor Atty. Shidik T. Abantas, MDM, LLM, he outlined the administration’s ongoing efforts to improve the sports landscape of the campus in preparation for the upcoming Intramurals in October, Mindanao Association of State Tertiary Schools (MASTS) Games and the Mindanao State University System Athletic Association (MSUSAA) Games scheduled in Sulu, next year. FACILITY UPGRADES AND EQUIPMENT PROCUREMENT With MSU-GenSan’s vision to improve the campus’ sports state and with the Intramurals approaching, a budget of P1.5 to P1.8 million has been proposed for the procurement of new sports equipment, which includes digital timers, shot clocks, volleyball and basketball nets, and other essential
gear with the acquisition process happening last October. Recently, the campus gymnasium has already undergone partial improvements, including the installation of large industrial fans, newly repainted flooring, and the addition of mobile fiberglass basketball ring boards.
expand scholarship opportunities by opening additional slots for qualified individuals in the coming years, subject to budget availability.
Chancellor Abantas also plans to air-condition the current gymnasium, complete the under construction new gymnasium, and install roofing and rubber flooring on the volleyball courts, all in line with efforts to prioritize the comfort of the MSUan community.
Following a year of non-participation in the Mindanao Association of State Tertiary Schools (MASTS) Games, MSU-GenSan in courtesy with the Philippine Sports Commission and Senator Sonny Angara has committed P500,000 to support the campus’ athletes involvement in the recently concluded MASTS Games in which the MSU-GenSan campus placed 3rd in Region 12, and 15th Mindanao-wide.
INCLUSIVE ADMISSIONS FOR STUDENTATHLETES As part of its move toward greater inclusivity, MSU-GenSan has implemented a new admissions policy that features a special accommodation program for applicants with exceptional talents such as student-athletes, along with artists, and high-achieving students from remote areas who may not meet the standard criteria of the regular application process. Under this initiative, the administration is also working to
PARTICIPATION IN OFF-CAMPUS COMPETITIONS
In addition to the university’s allocation, coaches have also pledged supplementary funds to help cover training and participation expenses. Chancellor Abantas also shared that the administration is considering improvements in sports branding and institutional support, such as developing an official campus mascot and exploring potential sponsorships for athletic uniforms and gear.
Home Turf Heroics: Mayari Futsal Team powers to podium finish in 2nd Alumni United tourney NIEL ZSUN JOHN VEGA Flying their colors on home turf, the Mindanao State University–General Santos City (MSUGSC) Mayari Futsal Team clinched a hard-earned second runner-up standing in the women’s open category of the 2nd Alumni United Football Club 8-Aside Tournament held last November 16 at the University Football Field. Driven by a week of relentless training, the Mayari overcame seemingly insurmountable odds, seizing victory from five fierce competitors in a display of sheer determination.
each found the back of the net in both of Mayari’s victories, providing the decisive lift that carried the squad to a podium finish. Despite a rocky start in the opening fixtures after taking tough losses to Malandag Football Club and the Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Colleges Futsal Team, the MSU-GSC futsal troupe staged a clutch turnaround, securing a crucial win over Kiblawan Football Club.
The MSU-GSC squad strategically navigated the single round-robin elimination round, maintaining their composure to achieve one win, two losses, and a draw, just enough to secure their advancement to the battle-for-third.
Rounding off their campaign on a high note, the Mayari once again crossed paths with a familiar foe they drew with in their earlier meeting. This time, powered by the Villalva–Anim scoring connection in the third-place decider, they seized the victory and secured the medalwinning placement.
Showcasing sharp attacking instincts, forward Charis Villalva of the College of Education delivered two crucial goals in the tournament: a clutch finish during the eliminations against Kiblawan Football Club and another in their bronze-match showdown with Void Nebula.
This marks the team’s inaugural victory since the post-Intramurals season, with more competitions on the horizon—most notably the 6th Alagang Angara Barkada League SportsFest 2025 at Sultan Kudarat State University–Isulan Campus, scheduled for December 13-14.
Adding firepower to the scoresheet, university alumna Catherine Joy Elicano and Mary Dee Anim
BRONZE PLACEMENT Defending their home soil, MSU Mayari Futsal Team successfully settled for third place in the competition following their 2-0 victory over Void Nebula