THE WEAVERS

Mangansag journalists dominate the 2023 RSPC Photojournalism Podium

Photojournalists Keren

Anne and Matt Anthony Fruelda of Mangansag made history in the 2023 Regional Schools Press Conference in Angel’s Hills, Tagaytay City, defeating other journalists in the MIMAROPA Region. Keren

Anne won second place in the English category, while Matt Anthony took third place in the Filipino category.

by KENDRA FALLARNA

Local Government Unit (LGU) of Corcuera through the leadership of Mayor Elmer Fruelda is now in the forefront in rehabilitating and repairing roads in the municipality. This program aims to raise the quality of roads, make them safer, and stimulate the flow of goods across the district.

highlightstories

LGU drives road rehabilitation and repair across the municipality Breaking Point

Matatag 2024 Pilot: Students, Teachers Spark Challenges Amid ‘Trial and Error’ Fears

FROM K-12 TO MATATAG

A Hard Pill to Swallow

OPINION/PAGE 8

PBBM extends lifeline to Romblon farmers and fishermen affected by El Niño

by

3K

individuals in Romblon province are set to receive financial aid in response to the adverse impacts of the El Niño phenomenon.

The farmers and fishermen of Romblon defined the latter agencies in terms of releases of related monetary assistance at more or less 116 million PH through the different agencies spearheaded by the Department of Agriculture with Sec. Francisco “Kiko” Tiu Laurel Jr., Department of Social Welfare and Development with Sec. Rex Gatchalian and the Department of Interior and Local Government through Sec. Benjamin Abalos, Jr. on July 18, 2024.

In 2013, the K–12 program changed basic education by adding more years of schooling to help students compete with others around the world. It was implemented in the whole country and affects millions of students. Now, over ten years later, we are introducing the new Matatag curriculum. This curriculum focuses on key thinking skills and uses a straightforward approach to learning. It reduces daily teaching time from one and a half hours to just 45 minutes. The purpose is to improve the rate of learning.

WHO SUFFERS?

Thus, QCPSTA (Quezon City Public School Association) president Erlinda Aquino said that Matatag curriculum “does not help improve the quality of education if our teachers are completely worn out, let alone the additional workload brought by the Matatag curriculum. The same can be said of students

The students are undoubtedly the most significant victims of this continuous experimentation.

source: BULATLAT.COM and their studies. We are not robots. By the evening, we are fully exhausted because, with the new timetable, we teach eight classes in contrast to the previous six.

In the meantime, the DSWD recently released ₱10,000 to each of the 3,000 families of farmers and fishermen in Romblon province affected by El Niño. DA Secretary Kiko guaranteed that the department would continue providing support in his message. “Makakaasa kayo na kung ano man ang pangangailangan ninyo ay makakarating sa lalong madaling panahon. Babalik at babalik kami sa inyo upang matutukan ang mga programa ng DA. Pagtulungan po nating punuin ang hapag kainan ng bawat pamilyang Pilipino,” said Secretary Kiko.

Secretary Abalos read a message from President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., who couldn't attend due to the bad weather in the province, encouraging farmers to trust the government. “Nawa’y maging susi ito [mga interbensyon] upang lalong mapasigla ang ekonomiya ng MIMAROPA at ng buong bansa. Hangad ko na mas mapaganda ang inyong mga buhay pagkatapos ng tagtuyot. Sabay sabay nating salubungin ang isang Bagong Pilipinas," read Secretary Abalos.

Photo by KEAN MARLEY FAMODULAN

MES faces enrollment decline

MAccording to the survey report, parents use family planning methods while some families transfer to other areas. Those factors are the reasons why parents slowly withdraw their children from school.

Mangansag

by SHEMIAH FAJICULAY

BUILDING STRONG FOUNDATIONS. Tommy Fajiculay and Arnie Miňon mix the cement and sand to be used for the construction of the signboard in Mangansag Elementary School on Monday, September 9, 2024

angansag Elementary School (MES) reports that the total number of enrollments for 20242025 was only 101 students. It represents a drop down of 9.82% from last year’s enrollment from registration of 112 and a down of 0.88% from the 113 students enrolled in 2022-2023.

strategies to ensure parents do not withdraw their children from Mangansag Elementary; its growth is very important to us; we understand why such changes have to take place,” he noted

The school has lately embarked on

educate the community, parents, and the public, parent involvement programs in school, and informing the public of the benefits and quality of education in Mangansag Elementary School.

“We hope to maintain strong growth

As the school year proceeds, Mangansag Elementary School expects these actions to produce such fruits so that the school will continue to be the academic institution needed in the community.

basedonstatistics

The Mangansag Elementary School Alumni Association, led by Yoly Fadriquelan, has officially begun the construction of a new school signboard. The project started on September 9, 2024.

MES intensifies Project

F.R.I.E.N.D.S. to address reading gaps

This school year, Mangansag Elementary School intensifies reaching out to pupils who are having difficulties in reading through Project Friends to increase their literacy level. In the first PTA Meeting where parents and teachers of pupils share some valuable information, Albert F. Factor, principal, spoke about the growth

Under DepEd Matatag Program

Corcuera District

TVs in major tech

upgrade

by DERANZ FLOYD FADERAGAO

In DepEd's on-going program to improve digital learning facilities in schools, DCP Packages 2024 Batch 2024-02 and Smart TV Package have been implemented, installed, and commissioned in 12 schools at Corcuera District on September 24, 2024. The delivery was made through Silicon Valley Computer Group

of the laptops and tv sets during the delivery of equipments in Corcuera District on Tuesday, September 24, 2024.

Drawn from school data, it decrease in enrollment from 2022 to 2025

of the program F.R.I.E.N.D.S., which means Formation of a Reading Initiative Environment to Nurture Development.

The project will run outside regular class hours from 12:30 to 1:00 PM throughout the year. It targets pupils who scored low in the Group Screening Test (GST) under the Phil-IRI and CARLA assessments.

receives 183 laptops and 11 Smart

Philippines Inc. in cooperation with the DepEd Matatag Central Office.

A total of 183 laptops and 11 smart TVs were delivered to the twelve beneficiary schools, depending on the educational programs offered in the respective schools.

The equipment was not only supplied but also set up and tested by Jomel Macabuhay, technician at the substantive company, Silicon Valley Computer Group Philippines Inc. He also gave a short orientation on how to set up the laptops.

The Matatag program of DepEd strengthens its thrust of closing the gap in terms of the technological enhancement of classrooms throughout the coun try. This recent delivery of technology equipment demonstrates DepEd’s continuous effort to im prove education for learners and teachers in remote areas such as Corcuera District.

This project promises a large effect on the students’ experience and gives the teachers more effective techniques for delivering the lessons.

SDAs bless MES pupils with 150 ap-

by AICHELLE

In celebration of 150 years of foreign missionary work, the Seventh(SDA) Church has

mentary School as one of the benefioutreach program. As a part of this church wanted to show its love and blessings to the pupils and so they ples for the day. The distribution was coordinated Ernie Fruelda, Sr., the head elder of theChurch, who under-

As the first identified priority project of the association, its objective is to enhance and beautify the school’s presence and develop pride within the community and the district as a whole.

This new signboard is expected to be a testament of the alumni towards the enhancement of school image in the society.

Also, this project shows that Mangansag Elementary School Alumni Association has not forgotten the responsibility of nurturing and improving the lives of the Mangansag School students and the improvement of Mangansag Elementary School in the future.

lined the necessity to spread love and care. Fruelda also noted that the church has a social role in addition to its religious education with a major emphasis on service delivery, particularly in affecting positive change through habit making among learners. The teachers of the school headed by Sir Albert F. Fruelda expressed their joy having been selected as beneficiaries of this gesture added the morale and well-being of the pupils. This is one of the missionary activities that the Seventh-day Adventist Church is conducting in the world today as it celebrates, spreads and shares the goodness of God in its 150 years of foreign missionary works and services to the needy.

APPLES OF HOPE. Rea Kristine Falqueza distributes apples to Mangansag pupils as part of the Seventh-day Adventist Church's 150th anniversary celebration on Monday, September 23, 2024.

Students, Teachers Spark Challenges Amid...

Irene F. Ruga, a teacher at Mangansag Elementary School, shared her struggles: “For information, there is barely enough time to convey all that. There is a tendency to appear to rush through topics, and that feels like our pupils are not even receiving adequate attention. I am greatly worried that my students are not fully grasping the lessons because the class progresses before they have a chance to digest the material."

Another teacher, Kandice B. Fajiculay, expressed similar concerns: “The Matatag Curriculum requires a lot of preparation; the lessons delivered at such a fast pace that it has become very tiring for me to try and get as much as I can in a very short time. Now, it is affecting my concentration, and I am gravely concerned that my pupils are also not getting all they need from a class because the class progresses before the pupils fully digest the lessons taught."

The transition from the standard 45-minute teaching periods for students in the pilot grades has led to crowded and rushed learning experiences. This reduced time may make students think that some lessons and topics will be rushed, and once the student is through with the lessons, there are so many strings left untied that the student has to sort out on his or her own.

The continuous education in the Matatag curriculum is the new attempt to address persistent issues observed in Philippine education. However, the rapid implementation has raised many concerns about whether the Department of Education has initiated another costly and problematic experiment, the effects of which are already being felt by both students and teachers.

Mangansag Elementary School’s roof gets a makeover

by CHINLEE FALO

The local government unit of Corcuera (LGU) has now implemented the repair and rehabilitation project of the roof of the main building of Mangansag Elementary School. The construction started on September 10, 2024. The said project was funded under the 20% Municipal Development Fund with a budget allocation of ₱500,000.00.

classroom in a bid to enable the learners and teachers to have the best environment for learning.

The intention to launch the repair and rehabilitation project is driven by the critical problems faced by the school in recent years, including the state of the main building and other school facilities. Some of the roofs of the school have been in this deplorable state for years and now they are potential hazards to the students and teachers. The project aims to change some of the factors that exist in the

Mangansag Elementary School will be in its second cycle of the mEducation program, which utilizes cell phones to deliver tutoring and help in teaching students numeracy skills at the primary level. It was implemented by Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) together with Your Impact and the Department of Education and focuses on targeted learners from Grades 3, 4, and 5 with numeracy difficulties.

The mEducation program implements its program for eight weeks with weekly text messages and calls to offer customized mathematics classes. Parents of participating students receive math exercises every week in the form of an SMS, and the major ones encompass additions, subtraction, multiplication, and division. At a time convenient for the parents, and depending on their availability, the teacher calls the parents. In the call, the teacher addresses the student directly and teaches teaching content based on the current math proficiency of the learner.

The first initiative began last school year with the enrolment of five pupils in Grades 3-5. Lemuel M. Morada is the identified tutor of the study who monitored the students’ performance. The assessment found that the learners’ numeracy achievement improved.

Motivated by these findings, Mangansag Elementary School is set for the second round of the intervention as well as the third phase of the project. In the survey conducted this school year, the school has identified 11 pupils in Grades 3 to 5 who require intervention in Mathematics.

A second-round online orientation was held on September 25, 2024, and was facilitated by Michelle Ann Santos, IPA Field Manager. The new

The principal of Mangansag Elementary School, Sir Albert F. Factor, has, however, assured the parents that the construction will continue with fewer interferences to its school class hours. The grade levels that are affected are Grades 1 consulted the barangay and requested their

help providing temporary classrooms so that the student's learning is not affected during construction. The barangay allowed

MES scouters, scouts lead Girl Scout Week 2024

by MARJORIE JOYCE PERCULESA

In response to the Girl Scout Week 2024 celebration, the Girl Scouts of Mangansag Elementary School held programs from September 15 to 21, 2024. The event is aligned to Girl Scouts of the Philippines (GSP) Romblon Council Circular No. 12, Series of 2024, and held with the theme “Women of Today for the Girls of Tomorrow.” The one-week celebration was initiated by

Troop Leader Rea Kristine Falqueza, who succeeded in leading the scouts in the implementation of the activities recommended by the regional council. Some of the activities that were carried out were environmental conservation and group and teambuilding activities. The event was done to help the scouts excel in leadership and community service which are the principles the GSP still stands for.

phase is expected to commence in October 2024 and aims to expand the program coverage and relevance.

Acquiring cheap devices such as mobile phones, IPA, and DepEd, together with its partners, aspiring to develop sustainable models that would regain learning lost due to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as any other disruption hindering the delivery of teaching and learning. The education program is one of the learning recovery support programs that DepEd aims to implement to improve the math achievement of Filipino students since it is efficient and inexpensive.

IPA remains hopeful that this program will be a pointer to all schools throughout the nation as a way of filling the gaps in basic education and extending a helping hand to learners. As Mangansag Elementary School starts this second round, the opportunities for change will produce a more sustainable and lasting impact on the learners’ education.

1,015

IPA launches second round of mEducation Program

by JEROME BOTONES

Participating teachers

265

Participating schools

90

Participating

4

Despite so much effort that has been made in an attempt to improve the quality and content of the curriculum by focusing on critical thinking skills, problem-solving skills, and high-level academic achievements in Matatag, these changes appear to have dealt a major calamity to most of the learners.

The change from a K-12 curriculum to a Matatag curriculum under the administration of current Vice President and former Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary, Sara Duterte, has raised many concerns and worries in the Philippines’ education system. In the pilot implementation of the Matatag curriculum, teachers noted that most of the students could not cope with new knowledge and academic demands.

In the areas of Mathematics and Science, the Matatag curriculum brings concepts from higher academic levels in earlier years. However, the results revealed that most of the students who transferred from the K-12 system lacked a basic understanding of those subjects. This situation meant that when students faced new lessons that they considered hard, they struggled a lot to grasp these concepts and use them effectively. Therefore, many of the students lost their reading proficiency progress, and several reported that they did not feel ready for class, making it difficult for them.

curriculum, the knowledge and skills that were most valued did not align with those that are targeted by the Matatag curriculum, particularly in abstract thinking skills. Consequently, students coming from the K12 system were not ready for other activities that required them to think harder. This mismatch resulted in problems in fully acquiring competencies, with the primary result manifested by what has come to be referred to as the “half-baked learners.”

The new curriculum and some of the teachers who were still adapting to the Matatag framework faced challenges in identifying when to connect new ideas to the K-12 curriculum and when to build upon material that students had already studied. This caused the students to develop a lot of confusion and struggle to understand what was expected from them. For instance, there were some curriculum points that the teachers realized students lacked understanding of before they got to learn the new content.

To cater challenges to education, there is a need to fund several particular intervention strategies that include continuous seminars and workshops to improve the quality of teachers as well as effective instruction delivery in the teaching and learning process. Having discussed the care and support that the teachers provide, it will be easier to close the existing gap that exists between K-12 education and Matatag education standards so that all learners will be ready to face new academic challenges in their educational journey.

As we look to the future, we need to ask ourselves if we are doing enough to help students become holistic individuals or are just training them as inexperienced and inadequate ones.

Learners are facing challenges to deal with this change, which is a negative influence on their classroom motivation.

Rising Prices, Heavy Burdens

by JEROME BOTONES

Inflation recently started to rise in the country and should be of great concern because this indicates that the economy is vulnerable to both internal and external shocks. There is a tendency that by July 2024, the inflation rate will be 7%, a figure that is way above the previous month's inflation rate to increase to 4 percent. This situation is a result of such factors as changes in the international price per barrel of oil, interference with the distribution channel, and other naturalrelated calamities that affect agricultural production.

To the ordinary Filipino, therefore, this is a forecast that the cost of food, fuel, and power, is set to go beyond what they can afford. This strain is felt most bitterly when the position of the nutrition basket is bad deep down in the lower-income Filipinos. On this front, the government has moved ahead and acted proactively on meeting inflation with some of the possible solutions like borrowing different funds, altering the interest rates, and importing consumer goods and services. Though these will take some time to start producing, the results will be in the right direction.

To build a more resilient economy, we must focus on three key areas: improving agriculture, developing various forms of energy resources, and carrying out infrastructural development. Making these changes today will form a stronger foundation for every Filipino in the future.

Stuck at the Bottom

by PATRICIA ROSE FALCATAN

The recently released Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) statistics brought shocking news. The Filipino students got a 96 on average score, but their performance in terms of creative thinking was very low as the students ranked 70 out of 79 countries. This negative image proves that our education systems are failing to train our younger generations to fit in the future and rapidly changing economy.

PISA, which previously included reading, Math, Science, and recently added creative thinking skills, a skill that is useful in today’s world. Unfortunately, the performance of Filipino students in this category is very disappointing, or, as they say, a reflection of poor performance. They concluded that the backwardness has something to do with how Filipino students are taught. Instruction is more driven to cover methods and results than to encourage children to be creative and innovative. It doesn’t help students think for themselves, solve problems, and take strategies as part of the meaningful learning process.

This situation means that one can harness creativity skills among the generation currently and in the future. Thus, they can take advantage of opportunities that exist in the production of skill-intensive final products in goods and services. In the Philippines, young people face the risk of choosing a generation of entrepreneurs who have little chance of becoming entrepreneurs in the knowledge economy, where flexibility and creativity are highly valued.

Again, this challenge is not just an issue for schools. Parents and schools have a special responsibility to raise children, including

transportation food and nonalcoholic beverages ₱ education services

source: PSA commonsense

communities that have the key role of nurturing children as well as motivating a child to be innovative. These skills may be affected by curiosity that is sought at home or any other experience. Consequently, until the key jar gets filled, the future of the Philippines rests upon a generation that is capable of designing new solutions creatively. Not taking this approach now means we stand to lose our way in what is becoming an increasingly hostile environment internationally. Now, it is time to start thinking creatively and skillfully grooming the younger generation. Is it valid to be hopeful?

This ranking presents not only a challenge but also an opportunity.

Another important change in Philippine maritime gaming laws was instituted by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in his 2024 SONA when he ordered the permanent closure of the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) and ordered PAGCOR to comply to commence the phase-out before the end of the year. This decision resolves fears that POGOs are causing social ills by increasing crime, human trafficking, and others such as financial fraud.

This time, Marcos is insisting that the government cares less about the so-called ‘economic benefits’ of the POGOs than the welfare of the Filipino people. Although there are some anticipated financial consequences that can test some projects, this is a gradual process that opens the door to a sustainable and ethically acceptable financial system. It means committing to reclaiming the social fabric of the country and the problems that attacked communities in the aftermath of the POGOs.

This is probably going

to be economically costly since various transactions are involved with the companies involved in POGO; however, it’s also one of those areas where the Philippine economy can be good and promote socially responsible practices. Caring for the additional solidity of institutions and moral strings, Marcos has established its rightful process, which can result in a new, stronger Philippines. The next step is to find out how this ban is implemented and how this country detaches itself from this highly sensitive category.

by CHINLEE FALO

Regarding the Philippines and China, the question of the West Philippine Sea is back on the agenda again. It has been evidenced that recent actions escalate the need to be assertive but polite. A series of contestations are present in Ayungin Shoal, wherein the Philippines receives aggressive behaviors, including blockage, and a threat to unmaking the reclamations of the Second Thomas Shoal.

In his 2024 SONA, Bongbong Marcos has not swerved from his course on sovereignty safeguard as the President of the Philippines. He restated that the Philippines would not relinquish the positions that it held concerning the West Philippine Sea. “The West Philippine Sea ay hindi kathang-isip lamang. Ito ay atin”.

To this end, he wanted to calm the country so that his government would defend the country’s territorial integrity while, at the same time, allowing the Philippine fishermen to continue their fishing activities at their traditional fishing grounds. In his case, Marcos concentrated on the appreciation that

the Philippines is a friend of China on condition that the Philippines would never surrender its territories to China.

The two nations have agreed to diplomacy and dialogue at the highest level over the issue through the PhilippinesChina Maritime Communication Mechanism to solve the dispute non violently.

However, the recent incident where the Philippine Coast Guard came into the limelight has caused people to start thinking of many expectations and panic of a largerscale event with interests from the international community, especially from the U.S. on how this transpires.

This is the general feeling in the country at the moment. The people want President Marcos and his administration to be strong and smart when it comes to the conflict with China. The Philippines has never relented from looking for a diplomatic and legal resolution to the WPS concern together with the international community. Will diplomacy conquer intimidation? Is it possible to fight the antigoras with the logic of force and have justice prevail?

What will happen next?

Are We Trapped in a Time Warp?

by JHON DAVID MACAM

When Senator Robin Padilla stirred the pot with his comments about consent in marriage, his words not only focused on headlines but also on our own ‘normal’ ethics in relationships. Is it just one crank complaining about issues no one cares about anymore, or does it reflect more on the way world systems approve in the twenty-first century?

Are we in 2024 or 1924? What Padilla’s comments exposed was the fact that in some respect there are always questions regarding whether or not consent can be a valid excuse to get married. Has the concept of consent changed from the idea that consent is a word or mantra that means Yes, I agree to continue to consent? Is it right when a person requiring consent to marriage is equiva-

lent to the right to permanent consent? Could it be that we are debating topics that were synonymous with the Trump-of-the-moment before Trump emerged on the political scene?

By raising legal issues with spousal consent, Padilla has stumbled on a social ill in our midst. The idea is that marriage is like some form or fashion that has to remove the possibility of choice from someone’s existence. This concept is not only outdated but, to some extent, also malign. It renews ideas that devalue a man, especially a woman.

by SHEMIAH FAJICULAY

This event underscores how much lawmakers and, particularly, politicians should be more careful about what they convey to the public. It is, therefore, not a matter of sorry come after but one of preparing for and canvassing support for and respecting the rights of every individual, whether married or not. Of course, it would be even better if the leaders of our societies continued to choose education, raising people’s awareness of the question of consent and selfdetermination. What he said has pointed out hitches about the culture of sexual consent in today’s society.

Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor,

Angara, who once complained about the absence of compliance checks on DepEd when he was still a congress delegate, is also demanding the reinforcement of checks on the school's stand against bullying. Angara also noted that Marcos referred to a study conducted in Singapore, which, to him, was to confirm that Filipino youths are some of the most lonely people in the whole world.

tion, Angara noted that each school is required to have an anti but the law did not say how strictly they have to implement the Anti of 2013. He was among the people who supported the law on the floor of the House of Commons.

expressed this statement. "I must tell you that there are very few schools that have a policy against bullying. So, on the part of the DepEd (Department of Education), we will track or monitor the compliance with the law," he said.

The written provisions addressing issues to do with anti-bullying policies should not just be written on paper alone.

net. These results suggest that each school should make an effort to have and unveil

least one of the parents of the bullied pupil must reach out so that there is a united front against bullies. On the other hand, to eradicate cases of bullying, Marcos encouraged the Department of Education to clarify that, in case the learners have some challenges, there should be someone to call for help. On the other way around, depending on the results of these given

This letter is to inform people that honest journalism is needed now more than ever because we are flooded with fake and scandalous news.

As students of Mangansag Elementary School, we were put in a positive frame of mind in light of these realities so that we could safeguard the public from fake news. Student journalists known as ‘The Weavers’ at Mangansag Elementary School have sworn off reporting on True Weaving. That’s why it was so profound when my adviser said we were student journalists and fell back on being a living witness to the truth.

In that regard, I hereby invite every student, teacher, and journalist available to participate in this mission. Our power will surely make a difference by defending righteousness and calling all people. Thus, we make sure that after we depart, other writers, and other journalists, will remember the value of the truth and, at the very least, look for it when they are on the clock, even if the rest of the world won’t.

Thank you for focusing on this important problem.

Sincerely,

If one stands or falls with knowledge right at his/her fingertips, can students float across the sea of knowledge if they cannot read well? Such a question should make most of us stop and reflect at some point. Should these basic skills required in our schools be stressed more so we lower our expectations when waiting for good results on exams?

by MARJORIE JOYCE PERCULESA

Some current research reveals a worrying fact. The majority of Filipino students have claimed reading problems. But why does all of this matter? Are these assessments as simple as arriving at a test with an understanding of how to respond to the correct questions, or are these tests more than this? If one is being liberated in society by information, then educational principles cannot be about how one processes this information. Think about it how then can we speak up and make important decisions for ourselves

and Filipino youths rank as some of the loneliest on the pla-

Bullying and loneness at a young age are not problems of an individual school but of society as a whole.

basedonstatistics

The 2018 round of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) noted that reported being

policies, the Filipino youth is the major beneficiary. It is high time for schools to wake up and do something to protect the students and ensure respect for each other. Only if we can stop these aggravating patterns, attitudes, and processes, it will become possible to begin to promote the idea that young people grow in a protected environment. It is evident from these studies that the implications are massive. Bullying is dreadful and stops the personal development of people’s character which influences their life. In other words, it is high time schools play this role and make sure that the bullying policies that schools

by

KEAN MARLEY FAMODULAN

Have you ever wondered how it’s possible that the Philippines, for example, is still one of the few countries in the world that hasn’t legalized divorce? Are we so traditional that we allow hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of Filipino women to suffer toxic relationships? Perhaps it is because people’s rights and freedoms are ‘in the abyss’ now, at a time when human disappearance seemed to be the norm.

Of course, marriage doesn’t happen until death sometimes separates us; otherwise, no one would agree that these unions are infallible. However, in the Philippines, no matter how the relationship turns out to be a living hell, we are given the unique option to wear it ‘til death do us part. Does it make sense to have such a system that allows people to eat together when it is done in the same way because of tradition? It is time to start replacing always with lasting happiness, happiness, and security TV and

tion? It doesn’t even annul the marriage; it just legalizes the abuse. Why not go all the way when it has become easy to obtain the complete solution to your problem?

The question, therefore, arises: why haven’t we moved on from this yet? Or isn’t it high time we embrace the fact that allowing for divorce, in any case, does not equal planning to disassemble society; it just means letting people ferry their lives free from cumbersome laws? Maybe it has changed, and

what we have been reading because it helps in our studies for a lifetime. This is the foundation of most issues, solutions, and decisions present in the majority of the disciplines in today's life. Without it, how do students make sense of themselves when presented with context and society?

We’re not just teaching learners how to read, but how to transform thoughts , learning and living.

approach to achieve the goals. Can we then say that, by teaching them to understand what they read, we are creating a society that will one day be wiser, more tolerant, and, consequently, more responsible? That thought was the great offer not literacy but criticism.

And it is time to turn our attention to the called righteous and so-called alternatives. Annulment? It is costly, time-consuming, more law than froth, and a system that remains best barely accessible to those people who could most benefit from its use. Legal separa-

There are many Filipino are suffering in the violent, unhappy or damaged beyond repair marriages.

by KEAN MARLEY FAMODULAN

opinion

It is an evil and horrible crime that touches genders, classes, and regions of children in the whole wide world nowadays. However, the story rarely reaches out to male victims because it is being masked by the culture and many perceived misconceptions. Sexual abuse of boys or male children is equally rife in the Philippines, but their stories are slowly bringing out the untold stories of male sufferers, pushing the nation to accept an issue that has been hushed for a long time.

A sexual assault cases according to a 2021 article in Forensic Science International, "An integrated system for forensic DNA testing of sexual assault cases in the Philippines," reported more than 7,000 every

rates, each estimated to be 95 reported rates per million population.

A crosssectional study conducted throughout the Philippines in 2015 among 3866 Filipino young people

They are trained to be real men who

A Budget Blunder or a Priceless Lesson?

by AICHELLE FALCUNAYA

In our country, where education is already a necessity, it is rather interesting to note that Vice President Sara Duterte, funded a big amount for the publication of the book Isang Kaibigan. Which aspect of this book was sufficient enough to justify such a huge sum of invested money? Could one wish to concentrate more of the money on other areas of education that require more attention from students and teachers?

by DERANZ FLOYD FADERAGAO

again, are on the receiving end. In many societies, heterosexual, powerful, and manly mean the same thing; a boy, and especially one who is the victim of sexual violence, receives an additional mouthful of shame knowing that he will be regarded as weak, gay, and thus easy prey. The stories are still either unfamiliar or unnoticed by those who remain silenced, embarrassed for what they endured, or otherwise socially ostracized.

There must be a justice system to face cases of male sexual abuse and be

What is Isang Kaibigan? Specifically, it has been proposed that Isang Kaibigan can neither educate nor portray the Filipino youths more on human values like friendship, loyalty, patriotism, etc. Even though these values are needed today, the way of allocating ₱10 million to a single book is questionable. About the case, are we able to argue that this is the best way of developing these qualities in the students that we currently have? Is there a better possible way that these values could be instilled more cheaply?

However, this budget allocation has come at a time when lots of schools and learning institutions in the country are struggling with some of these factors such as students suffering from limited school textbooks, inadequate learning resources, and poor facilities. With all these pressing problems arising, one cannot help but wonder, while you are giving out ₱10 million for one book, why not use that amount for quality education, which is more pressing and crucial for the development of basic education in the country? Could this money instead have been used to uplift schools, making them technologically and with other teaching aids, or on training teaching

aids, or training teachers and professors? There are one or more challenges affecting the systems of many schools, like weak structures, poor learning facilities, and an inadequate system that lacks the qualities of enhanced teaching.

What important allocation with that ₱10 million, which definitely could have bought thousands of learning modules, sponsored probably tens of thousands of teachers’ training, or provided appropriate platforms or support for digital learning in remote areas? The ₱10 million decision compels us to raise questions that question the wise applications of public funds and be held accountable for the future of the educational system.

that 40 pesos can purchase today. Will we then realize and understand that it is possible for the family to get their essential nutrients, not to mention a balanced diet, from such a ridiculous amount?

Have you ever been in a situation where 64 pesos can meet the food needs of the entire family? What’s on the

watered down?

Among the people’s opinions were that all the basic foods, such as rice, vegetables, canned foods, etc., are expensive and cannot be bought with such an amount of money. Others brought out their grocery receipts, only to find out that it is impossible to feed an entire family with only 64 pe-

are facing today. If the issue of food insecurity persists, then should we focus on policies like cost of living that actually don’t seem like a bad idea? Many discussed that it is not a social budget. In a country where inflation has continued to rise, can we assume that families can survive on such a ridiculous amount?

This budget may work on paper, but in real life, it’s a different story.

basedonstatistics

Here’s an overview of past estimates for daily meal expenses per Filipino:

2023: The studies showed that the daily cost of food per capita was ₱60-₱62 based on the region and household’s income level.

2022: With regards to the daily food cost it would be approximately ₱58 on meals expenses, it was changing in an economical manner.

by ANGEL KARYLE FORCADAS

Have you ever found yourself wondering where the teachers get their enthusiasm from in order to continue aglow how hard the environment appears? When the classroom transforms into a due date and expectation war zone with a shrinking number of resources, how do they keep the light burning?

When educational problems get transformed into some sort of headline, teachers are the unsung heroes in the classroom. Over time, they work with a decreasing number of resources, yet they make the students feel and work like it is one thing they would love to be doing forever. What is their secret? Is it for the reason that they think every student can score high, or is it actually their interest in learning that drives them?

Teachers point out the light in the middle of the long black tunnel in learning, just like the role of a candle illuminating many and the secrets of the dark. Yes, they are not only the teachers; they perform like architects of the future along with the young learners with a lot of knowledge, numbers, and passion. Why do teachers work tirelessly, even in their free time? Is it originating from the belief that everyone can do it better than the other person this is most likely then an affirmative, desire to improve then might be the latter. Teachers

Source: CANVA.COM

work through observing a student solve a particular problem that he or she failed to solve before or by observing the light bulb moment in a student's eyes. Nevertheless, the profession of teaching is not greatly valued most of the time. The hours that one is likely to work in a day are many, the difficulties are many, rewards are many but cannot be so easily measured. However, this stays in parallel to the flame of the candle as the teachers are still on the field as they have passion for students. They understand that learning is much more than the process of transferring knowledge from the teacher to the stu dents; it is cultivating pupil of reason and moral compass and cultivating learner who strive for the best. Teachers are not simply showing the direc tion; they are making the students look for their own light that cannot be put off.

by JEROME BOTONES

IIt is possible to forget that the act of silence can be quite powerful in a world where words are inundating from social networks to chats or com-

regime, then quiet can serve as a mediator between the person who is talking and the one who is listening. It lets the two of them look at each other silently and comfortably in each other’s company. Here resides something not void but something shared something that cannot be put into words and which is common.

On the practical level, we are conscious that on certain occasions they need to express themselves and at other times, they have to remain silent. If you cannot speak if what you say might hurt, confuse, or mislead it is better not to speak at all.

So, when the kid stays silent, society is not saying that the kid has no voice, but they are just using it. It is now necessary

the absence of conversation or thought because modern people cannot exist without any speech for several minutes. Sometimes, it is more powerful not to explain something but to let events do the speaking, or better, to show examples between these events.

In journalism for instance students are made to understand that choosing the right words to convey a story or convey a certain human experience is very crucial.

One late evening, I was browsing my news feed on Facebook, and an article just popped up in my notification bell. I am a person who deeply engages in the current news, and therefore, my joy in participating was superb. The news was convincing quotes and pictures presented. I posted it on my Facebook and other social media accounts, hoping that everyone would read this. I thought we received great news.

Several days later, the suspicions came into the scene. My messenger and the comment section were flooded with messages from my classmates, friends, and close ones asking me about the authenticity of the article. Triggered with my curiosity, I search, and search and search deeper. Oh no, this is

bad! The news articles are written in an unreliable source, and the information given in the article does not have a single peer-reviewed study. The website that published the news was identified as propaganda, which includes fake news. What made me more shocked is that the article was from a site that has been linked to fake news. Looking back, I was quite shocked at how people can easily be fed wrong information. I realized that watching and reading news makes me more skeptical to avoid getting just news fed right to my ass. From that day on, I cross-check information before posting or sharing it. It was a lesson learned in the right and wrong way of going about trying to verify the authenticity of a news, and at the same time not letting it get in the way of one. Thus, in an

environment where fake news is the same as a virus that spreads rapidly, I now attempt to become a more selective reader.

by SHEMIAH FAJICULAY

As the sun starts shining from the east, it is the alarm that shakes me awake and shakes me with its awakening weight for the day ahead. I am 12, and I feel the world on my shoulders. There seems to be an endless todo list: exams to be studied for, assignments and outputs to be made, somehow prepare for SELG (Supreme Elementary Learner Government) activities.

at night, when I have nothing to share in my head, that stress truly does make one feel like it will swallow me up. Constantly, I replay every blunder, every lost chance with the thought if ever am I great enough. This creeping fear of disappointing those people my parents, my relatives, teachers, even me gnaws at me. And yet, I keep on going. What am I to do? Quit?

I have thought of telling someone, possibly my class adviser or maybe even our pastor. Inside my head, however, there's this saying: Be strong. Everybody else seems to do it; why can't I? Now, deep inside, I know that is not so. We all fight inside, and we are only scared enough to say it.

I was beginning to realize that it was okay to ask for assistance, and truthfully I did not need to struggle this alone. Breaking the silence seemed to admit that I am not as happy as someone wants me to be. This pressure is just temporary. All that I am trying to do is to take things one day at a time. I am enough even when I'm not.

by CHINLEE FALO

Half an hour into my first lesson of the day, my phone vibrated in my backpack. This was the reminder of my science assignment that I knew was due in the later part of the afternoon. For this reason, taking into mind that in today’s world a person is always engaged and involved in other activities, my cell phone, in fact, is a necessity to me.

It’s on me wherever I am and as long as I’m awake from morning until night; it assists me with further organizing the day, being more or less orderly, and with ideas for certain things. Since I have poor time management, there is

I lay awake at night with no end to the pages or videos in sight, just captivated by the content of my phone. However, I could not resist it, even though the outcomes were negative. I was helpless. I was glued to my screen because I could-

my apps for preparing my examination and also to communicate with my friends for group projects. Student life has made me realize that my cellphone is not a communication tool but a very useful learning tool. It is not something to play with; instead, it performs an important function in my educational activities that necessarily needs discipline in order to be properly dealt with. This balance has given me ideas for increasing my time management skills as well as gave me an insight into real life.

May we never forget that we have the ability to control how we interact with our phones not as a masters, but as mindful

experience stress caused by school on a daily basis

by DERANZ FLOYD FADERAGAO

My poundings echo in my ear; each thump of the heart races away farther than the other. I look at the other questions on the summative test paper and feel the throbbing of the pulse in my neck. Yes, it is familiar territory but it was never comfortable – that last five to ten minutes, that final burst of high intensity writing when it is just the brain and the paper against the clock.

I attempt to concentrate; the pressure becomes unbearable. My head is a tome of forgotten symbols such as formula and even grammar not to even mention pieces of information that do not fit together. The ing. Practically, there’s work left to be done, a lot of work, and time the time, alas, runs out!

My eyes shift to the clock once more – two minutes are remaining. I pass over a question that puzzles me for a long time and go on to the next one which I know well. I quickly write down whatever comes to my mind, it is by no means good, but I do it to at least get through with it.

Guess what? The words that followed that we all dread to hear, ‘Time’s up! Pens down,’ belonged to our subject teacher. My hand freezes, midsentence. I’m not done. But it’s over. The summative test paper is withdrawn and all I can do is sit staring at the wooden table top, my head full of maybe’s.

Did I do enough?

by JHON DAVID MACAM

The clock is ticking. Each second counts. The deadlines which I have been neglecting for these last weeks are measured in hours now, and here I sit, terrorized, in front of the uncompleted works. Mountains of paper are looming over me, all those papers that symbolize work I unwillingly postponed. The worksheets, the projects, the readings and the numeracy are all piled up and guess who is to blame for it?

I knew this day was coming. Of course, the due dates were highlighted in my planner, but I kept on ignoring and pretending I don’t see it. There was always something nicer to get done than sitting down to work. A quick scroll through social media, a binge-watching session of my favorite show and movies, hanging out with my classmates or just the simple belief that I had more time than I actually did. Now, time has run out. My mind is racing, aching, calculating, words are swirling, trying to figure out how to complete everything before the clock strikes midnight. The stress is overwhelming, my heart pounds as I realize just how much I’ve left to the last minute. I’m frantically writing, hoping that somehow, I can pull this off.

Here I was writing, cramming as though I recently could have learned those concepts a few weeks ago. The all-underlying regret that one cannot begin the habit formation process and accumulate such positive reminiscences earlier emerged. The quality is suffering. It is rather poor instead of my best I am doing it like a chore, or something like that. Survival at its finest: filled with caffeine and first-degree desire instead of the fire inside. The hands of a clock only circle round and round, and as far as written words may be concerned all of them become blurred out. How I am feeling right now is there is so much work being done on my head, it feels that the brain cells are doing extra shifts. Therefore, in harmony with all the work

that has been done and the investment that has been made in the quarter, there is only one direction: to advance. This causes me to conceal what I am experiencing in me and believed that next time it will be different – next time, I will set my own time and arrangement. Lastly with the time even more elapsing I wrote the last word on my last output. Oddly the relief would come but would be only temporary and then the rest of the day I would look at the clock in frustration. Last but not the least, I secretly remember that if everyone did not delay and rush till the eleventh hour everyone could do lot better. The stress, the sleepless night, the frantic effort to race against time they could all be eliminated.

by PATRICIA ROSE

How does it feel to shape someone’s life, like weaving a mat or bag? Can that process help define not only what was created but the weaver as well?

I found out that every movement while weaving with these pandan leaves has

I started practicing weaving as a means of keeping the tradition of my grandmother. I recall my first try small clumsy fingers, dubious size of strips, and a mat that did not even resemble something useful but looked like a pile of tangled something. That, but in the moment, there was something magical. It transforms into something beautiful that I’ve never expected.

Every time I get to my seat and start weaving, I think of life. The strip of leaves must weaved properly; they cannot be too tight; otherwise, they break, on the other hand, they cannot be too loose to influence the fall of the weave. With this leave, I study something I was never before taught patience, precision, perseverance to create out of nothing a masterpiece. When excessive force is applied, it results in destruction. The use of force brings along with it the notion that there will always be loss in the whole process. If you try to make little effort, then nothing will start to form or create.

Thus, even though weaving can be referred to as craft or certain type of job, for me it is the thing that is very important in my life. Every time I try to make a mat or a bag, I am a part of a tradition of my foremothers and fathers; I am part of our heritage, and every

design that I introduce strengthens what has been handed down to me and creates history.

Weaving has also been one of the most effective ways in which I have learned to appreciate the existence of community. It is not about how a basket was made it is about the information that we receive, the stories that people tell, and the friendship built while people twine the leaves.

Every single item woven into a leaf is part of my identity, and each product crafted narrates a part of the legacy of Simaranhon’s culture in the making.

Every twist, turn, and pull of the pandan leaves holds a story. Every leaf, every strand, is a part of my story. Weaving tells who I am.

by MICHAELA LEI MULIG

How nice if all the things that one needs to learn about the treasure trove of Simaranhon are inside the green and fluid-like leaves of the plant? What kind of plant can weave a neighborhood through its artisanship of the items people need for rest and proper dress? Here in Corcuera, you can see pandan as a decorative plant and also as the cloak once worn by human beings at one time in their lives.

The use of the leaves of pandan is most important in weaving mats, or what the locals call banig. Apart from mats, other uses of twinned pandan leaves are for creating bags, placemats, coasters, and the traditional ethnic fabric, which has transformed into fashion wear. Some are the story-telling patterns where each design tells a different aspect of life in Simaranhon, including how artistic they are and how much they love nature.

As earlier described, the regard of pandan leaves in weaving has touched almost all facets of the life of the Simaranhon. Economically, it becomes the source of income for many families, and sometimes it is the only source of income for such families, and for women in most cases, they are weavers. This craft is not only used in meeting the basic needs of their families, but it also ushers’ economics into society’s economy. It makes people who are in that group feel welcomed and wanted. It will also help prevent the valuableness of history from being lost but passed on or restored

instead.

Of course, even the stem of pandan leaves is not only about material want but once a pride of a community that stages its ingenuity in turning the basic and renewal resource into beautiful products. By this, the Simaranhon can do the following: sustain themselves, nourish themselves, and entertain themselves at the same time as they realize their culture and present the past as well as the future.

One would hardly believe that such a tiny organ as a leaf can support such an amount of mass. For the people of Corcuera, therefore, the pandan is not a mere plant but is power or strength, creativity, or Filipino native spirit. So the next time you come across a woven mat or a twinned bag, arguably of local atoll origin, take another look. It wouldn’t be surprising if you could witness the core of Simaranhon being infused into every fiber.

by PATRICIA ROSE FALCATAN

n June last year, Senator Win Gatchalian filed the Electronic Gadget-Free Schools Act (Senate Bill No. 2706) to totally ban the use of mobile devices and electronic gadgets from Kindergarten to Senior High School inside the school premises and during school hours.

IA survey conducted by Pulse Asia and Senator Win Gatchalian showed that seventynine percent of Filipinos agreed that students should not be allowed to use cell phones in school. For Gatchalian, the outcomes of the poll show that Filipino consumers consider the implementation of a ban on the use of cellphones in school as positive, which is more positive, as Gamble confirms that the distraction caused by the use of mobile phones while in school translates to poor performance among learners. The Senate Committee on Basic Education’s analysis of the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reported that 80 percent of Filipino learners aged 15 said they had used their smartphones in class and got distracted, and another 80 percent said they were distracted by other students’ smartphone use.

of 1,200 adult respondents nationwide agree with having a cellphone ban inside schools

expected to follow and make it very difficult for the student to focus in class. Of course, Filipinos supporting a ban may well know that technology has to be used purposefully and in monitored settings to ensure a conducive learning environment.

In recent years, there has been much concern and campaigning for the ban on the use of cell phones in schools that began with Mangansag Elementary School. Scientifically and technologically based decisions such as the above can be seen to endorse the optimization results in as much as education is concerned and the general welfare of the students’ cognition. Among the investigations, some have found that having these cell phones, whether the pupils are using them or are idle, affects the pupil, leading to a lack of focus and/or poor working memory for the students.

Teachers at MES appreciate such interferences are limiting factors and should be kept to the bare minimum to improve students’ performance through an understanding of tackled lessons.

In some aspects, the world knows that cellphones are helpful in learning, but, on the other side, they present a range of challenges too. A study showed that if a learner uses a cellphone for purposes not related to learning in class, they will exhibit poor learning performance. The constant notification and the corresponding access to social media networks eliminate the learning process that is

The prohibition regarding the use of cell phones is perceived as an opportunity that may contribute to the students’ savvy about the use of technological gadgets. Since technology is part of a learner's life, especially at a tender age, there should be a development of apprehensiveness concerning the use of technology. One of the useful rules of the school is that it ensures that learners are physically and mentally present at school and not just present virtually and practice personal interaction; hence, the school fosters the development of responsible individuals in the era of digital citizenship. It is consistent with the general task of education, which is to produce individuals able to meet the technological and informational demands of the world without recklessness.

This not only helps them to improve their grades but also their skills as all are trained in digital technology, where one is supposed to learn how to manage distractions.

by KHIELY GANDECILA

Referred to as the ‘golden period’ of Philippine agriculture that tends to fell between 1950 and 1970; this period observed creditable achievements in the enhancement of growth and development of agriculture and related streams in the Philippines and the social and political context that facilitated the improvement of the productive potential of Philippine agriculture.

International Rice Research Institute (IRRI): It was established in 1960 at Los Baños, Philippines, and from then onward it became very effective and productive for the development of HYV of rice including IR8 developed by Henry Beachell with the help of Peter Jennings.

Director of the Bureau of Plant Industry: Headed by Gilda RiveroDrilon, strove to advance the Bureau of Plant Industry particularly on the research, research seed station, and on the right division and techniques in farming to increase food productivity.

Agricultural Scientist: From scientific standpoint, the major achievement of Dr. Gregorio Velasco can be summarized as plant physiology and crop science in the line of breed for better crop that could adapt to the Philippine environment.

Collectively, these figures summed up the period of change in the Philippine agriculture by the integration of modern science, government policies, and patriotic minds that give light to the potential of agriculture.

sources: IRRI ARCHIVES/ NHCP

by IRISH SOPHIA

families of China and has now become a novel product for the farmers as well as the healthier rice for all the consumers out there. The stupendous, striking black grain that is packed with nutrition and antioxidants is now making headlines in the agricultural sciences and farming industries.

These systems regulate the proportions of water and nutrient soil. It favors plant growth in that it allows farmers to harvest crops with little or no force required on their part. It is useful when boring water is impossible or when conventional methods of farming have to be abandoned because of lack of water.

That is why the properties of black rice not only make it a unique product, but the potential health benefits of consuming this rice are gradually revealing themselves to the populace. Also containing fiber, iron, and proteins, it is commonly called the superstar food, which is good for the heart and digestion. It digests slowly. It produces energy for a longer time than the other foods do. It has led to a strong belief that it has anti-

inflammatory properties, thus helping to reduce instances of such chronic diseases, hence making it a product of considerable interest to the health conscious customer.

and helps people know that as long as ancient grains are cultivated in the modern world. It is very much alive and brings healthy nutrients to each plate. It endows the future with the help of technology that made it to the kitchen and a grain that can feed the world 32%

Black rice can reduce the risk of heart disease by

What’s Behind the Choice?

by CHINLEE FALO

The question that perhaps ought to come flooding into our mind is, why a country like the Philippines is as blessed with fertile soils or, just as importantly, hardworking farmers, have to tip truckloads of good produce? It is the same case of tomatoes in Ifugao province, where the tomatoes are being dumped because of excess pro-

imported ones have always remained a real concern. It is not only tomatoes and other local products that are being wasted and rooted here; it’s also the opportunity for local farmers and the future, faith in local farming, and the guarantee of food supply. If we are ready to spend millions on imports, why can’t we spend the same millions and support our farmers by buying excess produce from them? It makes good sense; therefore, is it better to allow our resources to rot on the ground than to feed a nation?

It’s really ironic! Why? We are importing food for our nation while we are letting most of the food commodities, we grow end up wasted. Imagine if, as a government, they could simply reassign a little of the import funds to invest in the surplus produced by our own farmers; then we would eradicate

producers. Shouldn't our government ensure that every Filipino enjoys the produce of our soil rather than imports? To that end, a course correction a complete paradigm shift from import first to farmer first is warranted. It's time we asked not how our farmers can grow more than they can sell, but how we can do more of what they are already cultivating. Who says it is not time to revisit most of the policies that pertain to agricultural practices and ensure that they suit the populace? Let us bring new values out of this waste so that the efforts of our farmers do not go down the drain but rather feed the nation. That is why we have to always buy products made in the country and patronize our lifeblood which is the Filipino farmer.

The next time you admire imported fruits and vegetables on the market stall, stop for some moment and ponder what is the actual cost of such decisions?

Grade

Why

just paper and pencil when you can click, type, and swipe your way to the future?

dents now also practice computer learning and make use of edu-

above. The interest of students in the classroom has enhanced,

Regarding the unceasing conflict between waste, especially plastics, the Municipality of Corcuera in Romblon Island, under the leadership of Mayor Elmer Fruelda, can be considered one of the most praiseworthy LGUs in terms of efficiency in the process of owning the proper disposal of waste. The initiative in using shredder and pulverizing equipment in the management of solid waste in the town was able to secure the Second Runner-Up in the provincial Best Practices in Municipal Solid Waste Management, “The Quest,” held on November 20, 2023. Not only this, they were also awarded the Corcuera Minor Award for Outstanding Contributions to Recycling Innovation, which honors Corcuera’s campaigns in the sphere of sustainable development.

We can no longer let plastic waste roam our streets and pollute our environment.

perfor-

mance. The other advantage of the integration of computer literacy is that it is more effective as a teaching and learning strategy than the traditional methods; hence, the students are receptive enough to understand the mathematical content as compared to before. Therefore, Mangansag Elementary School is capable of producing not only learners with good ments but also a brain capable of facing the odds in a world of high

At the core of this program is the use of a shredder and pul verizing equipment, which have become a game changer in the way that Corcuera handles its plastic waste. The shredder works on large pieces of plastic by reducing them into small sizes that the pulverizer equipment turns into particles. This equipment makes it easier to handle the biggest

By integrating computer literacy in education, the teachers are hopeful that their learning will help the pupils stay updated and be literate in an increasingly digital environment.

threat in our environthe problem in waste management. This indeed is big news, and this accomplishment is being implemented to support Republic Act 9003 known as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000. It is the response of the Corcuera LGU to the increasing bulk of plastics in the municipality. The use of these technologies is a perfect example of the government’s goal, and Corcuera is an excel lent illustration of how science and technol ogy can be applied to compliance with legal and environment tal requirements.

Cool but Deadly by

JEROME BOTONES

Teenagers are always running behind something or the other thing, and more than the other times, they attempt to be cool. However, it is unthinkable what happens when being cool leads to danger.

More recently, vaping has become enormously popular among teens; flashy ecigarettes are almost common in students’ pockets. But is this “cool” habit beginning to do what it has done for so many other foods and is slowly killing people?

How it works? Vapes or e-cigs are items that include batteries that warm up a fluid containing nicotine, flavorings, and other substances to make a vapor. Inhale and exhale, and that’s it; you get it all at once.

Actually, in most ecigarettes, nicotine is dominant, and we all know that it is so dangerous that it affects our brains. They target especially the youth. This is bad for the development of the brain in teenagers, and this can cause different learning disabilities.

Other than nicotine, there is a mix of other substances, such as the deadly formaldehyde and some chemicals used in popcorn, diacetyl. They are real-time bombs in our lungs and can cause long-term impacts such as lung inflammation and a health issue called popcorn lung.

This is one fact that you should not overlook. Being cool might look good now, but it’s probably not worth the price of your life.

such improved adoptions and implementations of technologies in waste management, the municipality serves as a benchmark to other communities, meaning that sustainable practices are not only obligatory but also achievable in the event that appropriate tools as well as zeal are sought.

basedonstatistics

According to Philippine Statistics Authority and other environmental reports, the Philippines is one of the top contributors of plastic waste in the world. It is estimated that an average Filipino person generates around kilograms of plastic waste per year. This figure can vary based on factors such as consumption habits and local waste management practices.

The experience of Corcuera can also be discussed as an example showing that it is possible to make rather good progress in the matters of proper waste disposal with the help of technological changes. Because of source: PSA

Corcuera unites for Mangrove planting

by KEN XIAN NAVARRO

The Local Government Unit (LGU) of Corcuera Romblon, together with the Philippine National Police (PNP), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and the members of the Sangguniang Bayan (SB), conducted a very meaningful tree planting activity on the afternoon of September 27, 2024, from 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM. This activity was held at Sitio Tabok, Mabini, Corcuera, and Romblon during the 124th Philippine Civil Service anniversary.

This activity was spearheaded by Mayor Elmer Fruelda and Vice Mayor Apple Miñon Fabiala. The activity stressed the preservation of the global habitat and environment and held the initiative as an advantage to the municipality from ecological and environmental perspectives. The initiative was to plant trees, particularly mangroves. This important ecological zone can contribute significantly towards lessening climate change effects. In the most conducive environmental conditions, mangroves can sequester carbon from the surrounding environment for quite a long time century, or millennium. Besides that, they are some of the most natural barriers that can effectively minimize the impacts of certain natural disasters, such as typhoons, storm surge and other calamities that occur in coastal areas where the munici Southwest Mon soon or Haba gat.

The Corcuera LGU and other joint agencies’ collaborative activity and initiative painted the picture of the government's passion, concern, drive, commitment, and accountability for environment management and protection of the future generation and the community from the vices of the unwell and unforgiving impacts of climate change.

and DepEd team up to protect young students' health

by DERANZ FLOYD FADERAGAO

What if the next stylish bag you may purchase or possibly the environmentally friendly placemat that you are using today was not produced by the current manufacturing companies but were handwoven? The Enhancement Training for Buri Handicrafts was held in Calapan City last August 19 to 22, 2024 in partnership with the DTI Oriental Mindoro representing a connection between past and present as well as between the old process and the modern process.

Led by the weaving master, Mrs. Sheryl Timbal, who graduated from Mangansag Elementary School and is now well-known in eco-fashion, the training also introduced the Dalig-Batino Buri Weavers Association to multi-faceted strategies in weaving twined buri. In Timbal’s workshop and training, participants are creating fashionable bags and other products for today’s world, thus proving that traditional crafts can be brought to the 21st century and developed. Just think of it! When you are holding your bag, you will be impressing people and, at the same time, promoting culture and sustainability! Nowadays, a great part of the popwelcoming automation and synthetic materials, while will traditional artisans be the face of the future in the fashion industry? Ms. Tims latest creation a summer outfit of twined pandan did not only capture the s Sustainable

Fashion Show 2024 grand prize but also the best sustainability material use and most innovative outfit. It demonstrates that modern design is built upon traditional methods but is not as old as you might think. Is it the revival of the art of crafting things, which will help incorporate the best of what has been learned with what is required in the future? If they can transform basic handmade products into products which are friendly to the environment, the answer has to be definite yes.

In line with the DOH and DepEd initiative, the rural health unit of Corcuera conducted the “Bakuna Eskwela” project from October 28 to November 4, 2024, in Corcuera District. This wellness project was implemented by Dr. Reynald A. Flores, Municipal Health Officer, and Melody F. Fabregas, District Nurse, for the purpose of enhancing the immune system for some easily preventable diseases among the selected students of Grade 1, Grade 4, and Grade 7, respectively.

Beginning with Grade 1 and Grade 7, DOH kick off mass immunization for school -age children against Measles-Rubella (MR) and Tetanus-Diphtheria (Td) to prevent diseas es such as measles, rubella, tetanus, and diphtheria. In Grade 4, it is the Human Papilloma virus (HPV) that is vaccinated in an effort to prevent future cancers relatable to HPV.

On October 29, 2024, Melody Fabregas of District Nurse of Mangansag Elementary School conducted her orientation for the parents with students of Grades 1 and 4. She stressed the availability of the vaccines that

affect a pupil’s health. The vaccination in Mangansag Elementary School is scheduled for November 4, 2024. Thus, in increasing the participation of the eligible Grade 1 students in the program, only four of the seven intended students engaged in the program. In Grade 4, there was no student who had received the vaccine. Vaccines like MR and Td are important and essential in avoiding diseases that have social transmission with effects on the child academically. The difficulties encountered during the vaccination period suggest a need for improved awareness and participation so that more students can be reached by such types of programs in the future. Authorities on health in the localities hope that participation will increase as “Bakuna Eskwela” progresses. These vaccines develop immunity early enough. That is why they help students prepare a healthy future for themselves to perform well in school, in the community, and in other future endeavors. The initiative highlights an important fact. Preserving and safeguarding current health is not an investment towards the future of the youth of Corcuera; it is a necessity.

Another great moment was recorded in the Philippines when gymnast Carlos Yulo triumphed at the Paris 2024 Olympics and won two gold medals. This young giant has impressed judges and spectators as well as performed perfect tricks during the men’s s vault, where he left a mark on the Olympic Games.

Fruelda also reminded the participants that activities within several schools must be independently addressed to ensure that the district will not only participate but compete for the gold in the coming competition. The district will organize volleyball, basketball, chess, badminton, table tennis, and athletics.

really excellent flips, spins, and body control. It also gave the Philippines its first gymnastics Olympic gold.

Two days later, on October 12, 2024, Yulo won another gold medal in finishing the vault finals. A repeat of explosive power together with a graceful form is what set aside the competition and thus added another gold medal around his neck. In both triumphs, Yulo has raised the bar for Filipino athletes as the first person in Philippine history to claim two gold me

dals at one Olympics. According to the Olympic Committee Report, the double gold meant that for the first time, a Filipino gymnast has won two Olympic golds in a single event that the world will remember for generations, while international media cheered for him and called him the new face of gymnastics. According to Philippines Sports Commission Chairman William Ramirez, Yulo’s achievement was a monumental victory for the Philippine Sports Council.

In the interview with ESPN, Yulo also showed how happy he is. “It’s a dream come true. Yes, I have been aiming for this, and I am happy to return these medals to my country.”

Carlos Yulo is one of those sports pickers who achieved triumphs in the Olympics after years of training, and it is high time that such triumphs in Paris will inspire

Suello, Gapasin and Fabul, Sabare, dominate Blitz and Rapid events in Chess

by IRISH SOPHIA RODRIGUEZ

The Unit 2 Chess team showed great strategies in both the boys’ and girls’ Chess divisions in Blitz and Rapid events and gar-

nered three gold, one silver and two bronze at the 2024 District Meet.

John Carlo Suello and Dyneil Gapasin of the boys’ division also showed outstanding results. Suello won the gold in the Blitz individual event by displaying

Each school is expected to hone its talents and skills and bring out athletes with power, which promotes rivalry among students at both elementary and secondary schools. It plans to restore its athletic base by conducting coaching clinics, developing training activities, and guaranteeing consistent interschool contests for the improvement of students’ abilities and talents.

Through improved training and leadership, it is felt that the district will be able to develop. The success of the district’s athletic program will depend very much on the commitment of the teachers, coaches, and administrators who have been urged to exercise frequent interaction with the athletes. That’s why the development of their athletes. That’s why the CAF, with Fruelda at its helm, intends to organize cooperation with school heads to make sure every learner with athletic capabilities gets the right guidance and training.

The sports comeback of the district is not only a question of performance; it is a question of status as well. This year, all the focus will be put on MAGHALI (Unit 7), where everybody will watch this district boast that with hard work and good preparation, it can

Unit 1 ends Unit

2’s five-year reign

in 2024 District Meet

by AICHELLE FALCUNAYA

A historic chapter has closed, and a new era begins as Unit 1 dethroned the long-standing champion, Unit 2, in a nail-biting conclusion in the District Meet last December 13-15, 2024 at Corcuera Central Elementary School.

For five years, Unit 2 remained on top of the district, however, in the 2024 District Meet, Unit 1 defeated them by only one gold medal. Unit 1 scored 21 gold medals to clinch the title. On the other hand, Unit 2 bagged 20 gold medals-a painful one gold lead.

The athletes of Unit 2

giving a perfect team performance. However, in Unit 1, they had other things in mind. In Athletics and Table Tennis, formerly the strong areas of Unit 2, Unit 1 emerged as the winner. These sports awarded more gold medals, and Unit 1 delivered shocking surprises. The overall medal count

events, Fabul and Sabare remained the stars of the competitions. They won a silver medal in the blitz team competition. Fabul also won a bronze medal in the blitz individual event thus making her performances effective in both

the rapid and blitz championship games. The chess team of Unit 2 has performed well in the current competition. Everyone is waiting to see more of the group’s performances on the provincial level. Nag-pay off ra katong inra pagpursigi nak mas umayo sa idamong kali. Perming focus sa pagtira, indi magtinamar sa pagpraktis ag sunron ka mga paalala it coach. Imaw kina kag inra ingpanghuman kada maado ka resulta it inra idamo.

-Romasita Falejo, coach

Who will rise in 2025 District Meet?

Not only did this dramatic upset put an end to Unit 2’s championship victories, but it also fueled massive expectations toward next year’s competition. Can Unit 2 get back on top or will this be the start of Unit 1 dominance in District Meet?

For now, the champions play crown while the contenders more often plan on how to regain it.

FNOP secures

5th straight M-series crown by

DERANZ FLOYD FADERAGAO

The Philippines solidified its dominance in the global Mobile Legends: Bang Bang in Esports as the Fnatic ONIC Philippines (FNOP) defended the M6 World Championship, the Philippine's fifth consecutive championship last December 15, 2024, in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia.

The thrilling climax put an end when the FNOP stomped upon the head of the TLID through a hard-earned 4-1 set in the best of seven games grand final of the M6 World Champion and showed the prowess of Filipino developed skills.

In the finals, Fnatic ONIC’s Finals MVP Grant Duane “Kelra” Pillas not only continued the Philippines’ winning tradition but also cemented the nation as the kingmaker of MLBB. Following the successes of Blacklist International, ECHO Philippines, and Bren Esports, M-Series has now become associated with Filipino success.

The question is, what’s next behind the Philippines' unrelenting supremacy? Does it mean that one team has innate talent, the other team has a better game plan or one team has better teamwork? The world looks on while the challengers are left thinking. Can anyone unseat the Philippines?

November 17, 2019

Champion: EVOS Legends (Indonesia)

January 24, 2021

Bren Esports (Philippines)

December 19, 2021 Champion: Blacklist International (Philippines)

January 15, 2023

Champion: ECHO Philippines

The M6 World Championship could be the pinnacle of Filipino Esports dominance – or at least until next year.

Unit 2 Volleyball team sweep Districts, advance to Provincials

by AICHELLE FALCUNAYA

The Unit 2 Volleyball team dominated the five-game series of the District Meet to qualify for the Provincial Meet. The boys' and girls' teams continued their powerful performance, leaving behind the teams of Unit 1 and Unit 3 and becoming the winners with the same score of 3-0.

The girls from Unit 2 chilled out and stormed the volleyball court with an impressive and forceful performance through pinpoint serving, majestic attacking, and rockdeterminant digging. Their first encounter was with Unit 1. The match terminated with a crisped clean 3-0 sweep. Continuing to face Unit 3, they kept the same pace, and in

another three sets, they won 3-0 to qualify for Provincials.

Kendra Falceso and Cristal Factor are two brilliant players from the girls’ team whose outstanding performances can credited with the wins.

Faultless service and explosive ability to deliver set the pace by Falceso. Factor came through her playmaking and some awe-inspiring defense.

Both displayed energetic performance in their coordination and perfect cohesiveness among the team and across all the game sets. The boys’ volleyball team also followed the girls’ success and made a sweep against Unit 1 and followed it up with another sweep against Unit 3.

December 17, 2023

Champion: AP.Bren (Philippines)

Their matches are set by a work discipline, a great display of defense, and molten spinning that continues to overwhelm their rivals. They steamed through the whole game sets with a perfect record of three wins and no losses in both games to earn them a spot in Provincials.

Franz Steve Fronda and Prince Yvoh Falogme played phenomenally on the volleyball court. They were setting the game for a more powerful performance.

Constant attacking through service aces from Fronda widened the point differentials with the sets locked and forced opponents to find a way to sustain rallies. His serving and accuracy were key in countering any pressures that

December 15, 2024

Champion: Fnatic ONIC Philippines (Philippines)

brought Unit 2 a huge lead in every game set. On the other hand, Falogme timed the set plays when attacking Fronda, and he dished nasty digs and spikes that his opponents could not hurdle. On the court, they moved in a deadly and devastating gameplay. The double sweep by Unit 2 Volleyball teams has energized their supporters and raised expectations for Provincials. The ticket to the Provincial Meet is in their hands. The volleyball teams of Unit 2 are ready for the challenge. Will they bring home the provincial crown?

Unit 2 fresh faces bag 6 medals at 2024 District Meet

by KHIELY GANDECILA

In an even more surprising twist, the table tennis newcomer team from Unit 2 delivered an outstanding performance, winning six medals at the 2024 District Meet: two gold, three silver, and one bronze.

The team’s golden performances were initiated by Jhon David Macam who won Boys’ Single 1 and Princess Jane Fruelda in Girls’ Single 2. The silvers came from a series of hard-fought matches, with Aichelle Falcunaya shining in Girls' Singles 1, Khen Xian Navarro and Jerome Botones excelling in Boys' Doubles, and Patricia Falcatan and Irish Sophia Rodriguez impressing in Girls' Doubles.

However, Justine Fojas completed the team’s excellent performance by taking home the bronze in the Boy’s Single 2.

“Kali ay pagkarakong balor para sa amo,” said Elgin Fruelda, coach of the team.

“Maaaring kami’y baguhan pero hanrang maghimo it pangayan sa idamong kali.”

Fajiculay, Fondevilla smash records glory to secure

MES hoopers deny to enter 2024 District Meet

gold medal

by KHRISTINE FALCATAN

Shemiah Fajiculay and Angel Fondevilla of Unit 2 rose to the challenge and defeated their opponents to clinch the Girls’ Doubles title in the 2024 District Meet Badminton.

by CHINLEE FALO

resh from their hard-earned victory in the Unit 2 Selection Meet that swept the Mangansag Hoopers against the San Roque and Mahaba teams, the young players are now presented with a huge problem. Remarkably, the team failed to enter the 2024 District Meet.

Playing a do-or-die in a single round-robin system, Fajiculay and Fondevilla started a win from Unit 3 with a slim 2-1 score. The duo rose for the fight in the concluding third set and had their day by clinching the first set.

The second match was also highly one-sided. Unit 2 sweeps Unit 1 in their respective performances, washing them clean with a 2-0 victory.

“Kag amo chemistry sa idamo ay amo kusog,” Fondevilla shared. “Kag amo tiwala sa usa’t usa ag paghuman it tanang amo maka- kaya, kag nagraya sa amo sa pag- raog.”

Unit 7 Bounces Back: Gears up for 2025 Provincial Meet after yearlong hiatus

by AICHELLE FALCUNAYA

The Unit 2 Selection Meet was probably one of the best demonstrations of their skill, cohesiveness, and persistence as true athletes. The team's players made beautiful plays on the field and overpowered the other team to emerge as deserved champions having swept the floor to give everybody a clear picture of the strength they had at their every game. The fans, spectators, local sports enthusiasts and parents were overjoyed and the players could not have asked for more, now they were ready to perform big deals when called upon.

But their joy did not last long as well. One day later, the good news was replaced with the worst news the team members could ever receive. Ringo Ferriol, the Division of Romblon Sports Officer, announced that basketball is no longer included as one of the sporting events in the 2025 Provincial Meet.

Ferriol's announce ment, which was not done ahead of time, has therefore been receiving massive disappointments from the local sports fans, parents, and especially the athletes. For the Mangansag Hoopers, who aimed to go further to district and provincial, the announcement was unbearable to accept

A year out of competition, Unit 7MAGHALI (Banton, Corcuera, and Sibale) is set to recapture the sporting glory of the 2025 Provincial Meet. A major step was taken by Rudy F. Fallurin, Corcuera District Coordinating Principal, when he issued District Order No. 06, series 2024, to revive the athletic spirit of the district on September 13, 2024. This was the start of Corcuera coming back to sports and paved the way to what everyone is looking forward to the comeback.

on what appeared to be a journey ahead.

The news received various reactions from local sports lovers and fans of the event. According to one of the parents, “It is sad that these young talents are being locked out from a chance to prove themselves.”

This has not been nice news to the players at all. “We trained and struggled a lot just to qualify for this stage and it is painful not to have the chance to continue challenging ourselves,” said Deranz Floyd F. Faderagao, team captain. The team’s coach, Lemuel Morada, urged the athletes not to get frustrated and to use such as motivation.

This loss of basketball in the Provincial Meet has again raised the issue of the viability of basketball in Romblon. For now, their victory will always remain the brightest moment in the journey of the Mangansag Hoopers especially because it was a clean sweep. Their district, provincial, regional, and Palarong Pambansa hopes will remain ambitions for the time being but their journey does not stop here. They proceed into the future with a weight of expectations and pride from a people who fully believe in them.

The General Assembly of the Corcuera Athletic Federation (CAF) was held at Mabini National High School’s covered court, bringing together elementary and secondary teaching and nonteaching personnel to discuss the district’s strategic plan for boosting participation in sports.

To remind the district’s focus, the assembly will be a key turning point in strengthening the DO's commitment to sports. Its purpose is to help young talents fulfill their potential and be ready for provincial, regional, and national championships.

During the assembly, Arnold F. Fruelda was elected as the new president of CAF, which means that he will have important authority over the organizational transformation of sports in the district. Fruelda, a senior high school teacher at Mabini National High School has a dynamic passion for athletic upliftment.

The district will organize volleyball, basketball, chess, badminton, table tennis, and athletics to mark its return.

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