THE HERALD, Vol 8, A.Y. 2021-2022

THE HERALD, Vol 8, A.Y. 2021-2022

Kings Olympics SSIS-M brings back the spirit of sportsmanship and camaraderie with online tournaments! Adjusting to the NEW new normal With more opportunities to go out, new routines are made. How did our Kings adjust?

SGEN Model United Nations Recap what happened during the second online SGEN MUN conference!

Let’s HYVOLT in! Take a peek at how blended classes are done in SSIS-M.

VOL VIII ISSUE 1

FEBRUARY - MAY 2022

Let’s HyVOLT In! SHS Conducts Limited F2F Classes Photo from SSIS-M archives

A fter more than 2 years, SSIS-M finally welcomes back SHS students for their first Limited Face-to-Face classes, May 11. Grade 12 classes were conducted under the Hy- brid Virtual Online Learning and Teach- ing (HyVOLT) model while abiding by safety protocols set by the Department of Education (DepEd). During their synchronous sessions, students were in school for more than 4 hours, from 8:00 AM to 12:45 PM. Those who could not physically attend their classes still joined through the class video conference links. To ensure that both face-to-face and online stu- dents were engaged, teachers used new equipment and HyVOLT strategies. In the afternoon, once everyone was dismissed, the students were al- lowed to work asynchronously to com- plete the tasks given by their teachers in the morning. Teachers also stayed in the class video conference links in case stu - dents would like to consult with them. In a week, HyVOLT sessions were conducted two to three days a week. As of A.Y. 2021-2022, only Grades 12 and 11 were able to conduct limited Face- to-Face classes from May to June. For other grade levels, they were able to go to school only for a day during their de- partment’s scheduled Well-being Day. To ensure that HyVOLT classes

and activities were conducted success - fully and safely, students, teachers and staff followed safety protocols set by the institution. Some protocols include following the traffic flow markers on the floor, constantly sanitizing their hands, wearing face masks and social distanc- ing. After the conduct of limited Face- to-Face classes and Well-being Day activities, students expressed their thoughts on the experience. Grade 12 student, Max Mangubat, said that it was a fun time with school- mates, especially since they had the chance to experience activities physical - ly. “The face-to-face games were much more enjoyable in person because of all the side comments and jokes. [There’s] no such thing as awkward silence when the people you love are around, right?” Another senior, Nico Miranda echoed this sentiment, saying “It was more thrilling than having a Students Well-being Day in person virtually be - cause we really get to interact with our classmates.” Michael Lumbera, Jr., Grade 11 student shared his thoughts. “Finally returning to school was nothing but a joy for me. While there was some ele- ment of nervousness seeing everyone again, but I was mostly captured by the feeling of how surreal it was to finally

have this. At first, I was reluctant to go to these face-to-face classes, seeing as they were only a few days a week. But after going to the first one, I saw the val - ue was beyond just learning or taking a break from my screen. What really kept me going was the people. There’s just something about being surrounded by others that makes you feel… better, I guess.” He added. “The school did a great job at starting us all off with these pi - lot classes. I felt safe and never too re - stricted. The times when we were told to have some social distancing made sense. But of course, I hope we get to the point where it really is back to nor- mal.” His classmate, Victoria Dorothy Garcia also expressed her sentiments. “After experiencing our first round of face-to-face classes, it felt like the pan- demic had never happened since the school did a great job in making online classes feel like face-to-face classes. The only difference is that we were not separated by our screens and homes. With this, there was no awkwardness or uneasiness during our experiences in this set-up, which made it easeful to adjust and have fun. I found it peaceful to focus and listen in F2F classes since there were no distractions and the envi - ronment was suitable for learning.”

SHS conducts their Well-being activities in the Mondrian Court. Photo from SHS teachers

She added. “In terms of safe- ty, SSISM really amused me with the number of safety precautions that they practice and it was the safest I’ve felt outside of my own home. I look forward to more F2F activities online before we graduate and I’m hoping that we are able to do more things as the pandemic slows down in the next school year.” Meanwhile, Grade 10 students who only experienced one day in school, re- ally appreciated the experience.a “I got to spend quality time and bond with my classmates and teachers on Well-being Day. It was a great activ - ity since it was our first time meeting one another face-to-face in the last two

years,” Grantt Christian Cueto, Grade 10 student said. Ann Cielo Cabungcal, another Grade 10 student, shared. “Well-being Day made me happy to see my friends and teachers again after the pandem- ic. It also helped me move away from my gadgets for a while because we did amazing extracurricular activities.” “Well-being day is a time for stu- dents to have fun for a day. I think it helps students a lot be at ease since of course, it’s a free day and the fact that at some point it helped students to mingle with each other without thinking that much of school,” Je Ann Dimailig ex- pressed.

BRAVE at 15: SSIS-M Celebrates 15th Foundation Day Text by Yja Coelis Regina L. Castor

Teachers, students, parents, and alum- ni of SSIS-M spent a week filled with hap - piness, appreciation, and excitement during its 15th Foundation Celebration, Feb 13-18. To kick-off the festivities, members of the SSIS-M community joined the #WeAre15 social media campaign, Feb 13. All the participants showed enthusiasm in their creative shots showing the number 15 through selfies, edits, and group photos with props such as medals, stuffed toys, books, food, etc.

long celebration on Feb 14 during the school’s weekly general assembly where the events for the week were introduced, along with the competition for the “Longest 15”. The student council also hosted a short program consisting of a short game and a small toast. On the evening of the same day, fifteen (15) sky lanterns were sent out from the grounds of SSIS-M with the fac- ulty, staff, and their families in attendance. A parenting talk was conducted on Feb 15 where pioneer parents Mr. Floro Marasigan and Dra. Imelda Siasoco, ce- lebrity mom, Ms. Melissa Ricks-Macatan-

DepEd representatives visited the SSISM campus to approve the conduct of limited face-to-face classes. Photo from SSISM PR/Marketing team

The school formally began the week-

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CAPS Administers SEL Test

Text by Sydney Miyen M. Jordan

Clusters. The Grit Competency Cluster measures set- ting long-term goals, overcoming setbacks, working hard and finishing tasks. Growth Mindset Cluster in - cludes believing intelligence and ability can change with practice and persistence, and believing behaviors and interests can change with effort and learning. Con - trolling impulses, motivating self, goal setting, and stress management for Self-Management Cluster. So- cial Awareness Cluster contains empathy, appreciating diversity, and respect for others. Self-Efficiency Clus - ter involves self-confidence in completing tasks, and self-belief in controlling emotions. Lastly, the ability to understand and explain one ‘s feelings and emotions as for Self-Awareness Cluster. Results are scaled 1 to 10 from low to high, a distribution of individuals on a particular scale behav - ing in a particular manner. The score any given individ - ual obtains on these scales depends not only upon that person’s pattern of strengths and weaknesses across the behavioral dimensions but also on the importance of each behavioral dimension in contributing to the partic - ular competency. Feedback for improvement and tips are also provided in the test results. “I am really happy that we now have an ad - ditional assessment focusing on the mental health of the students, which is the SEL. I believe that it is re - ally helpful because it guides the students, as well as the teachers, to reflect on their current mental health. We got to see the strengths and weaknesses of the stu- dents. With this, they will be able to enhance some things about themselves that will greatly help them in the future. The SEL survey is really a helpful tool for everyone,” stated Ms. Samantha Latorre, the head of the Guidance Counselor, Counseling, Assessment and Psychological (CAPs) Office.

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) survey, launched by the Asian Psychological Services and As - sessment Inc. (APSA), was implemented in Stonyhurst Southville International School - Malarayat (SSIS-M) on Sept 7 (pre-test) and Oct 19 (post-test). The SEL test aims to measure one’s Emotion- al Intelligence (EI) in terms of the conceptual frame - work proposed by Daniel Goleman and his colleagues. The framework defines EI as a set of personal and in - terpersonal competencies that can be refined and de - veloped through mentoring, coaching and training. It describes the test taker’s EI competencies by his/her typical behavior, not on their best and most effective performances but rather on their actual performance at any circumstances and in any particular being influ - enced by a number of factors. According to psychology professors John D. Mayer and Peter Salovey, “emotional intelligence is the ability to accurately perceive your own and oth - ers’ emotions; to understand the signals that emotions send about; relationships; and to manage your own and others’ emotions.” Daniel Goleman, who formed the framework used in the test, connects EI with leader- ship, anchoring it on the research that shows that EI contributes to several factors of interpersonal effective - ness and leadership capability. People who demonstrate high levels of EI are better at understanding themselves and others, making confident decisions and expressing their views. They have also been found to effectively manage their emotions and have the drive, energy and optimism to succeed. Six dimensions are being assessed – Grit Competency, Growth Mindset, Self-Management, So- cial Awareness, Self-Efficiency and Self-Awareness

Photo grabbed from the Student Council official Facebook page

Text by John Christian F. Iglesia SSIS-M Got Talent Revival Season Bows On a High Daenerys Jilian L. Espina (2-Finland)

for their respective houses in the Kings’ Olympics. Aside from ending the season with spectacular performances, the reviv - al season of the talent showcase also bows out on a high when it had garnered a total of Php 83,040.00 through Gcash after logging a countless number of votes for the People’s Choice Awards - the funds of which will be used for the student council’s legacy project that is set to be unveiled at the end of the school year. “SSIS Got Talent is one of the biggest events of the council this school year. As always, because of the great teamwork and efforts of the council members, it was indeed memorable and most importantly, appreciat- ed by many”, said Ms. Samantha Latorre, the student council for this school year. “Garnering a big amount of money is just a bonus, but we are indeed happy as a council that we were able to garner more than enough for our legacy project”, Ms. La- torre added. SSIS Got Talent has been a staple event and fundraiser of the student council. It ini- tially ran from 2011 to 2018. During its hi- atus, two seasons of Tawag Ng Tanghalan: Kings Edition, which ran from 2019 to 2021, took over its place.

is hailed as SSIS Got Talent’s newest winner after the revival season of the school’s sta - ple talent showcase platform, held virtually through Facebook Live, closed its curtains during its finals round, April 12. Espina wowed the virtual audience with her breathtaking cover of the song, “On My Own”, a notable song from the hit-Broad- way musical, Les Miserables. She is also the recipient of the season’s People’s Choice Award after garnering the most number of Gcash votes that was also included in her overall score. Following Espina in second place is Agatha R. Marcaida (5-Iran) with her beau - tiful rendition of the song, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” from the Wizard of Oz, and in third place is Bianca Elysse O. Rubio (12-South Africa) who showcased her draw - ing skills with a portrait of the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland. Other contestants who have qualified for the finals include Akira Beatriz S. Bautista (3-India), Simon Nathaniel A. Cabaguio (10-Peru), and Ange - line Rebecca Serrano (11-Egypt). All contestants who have participated in the talent showcase have contributed points

The community gathers at the lobby for the foundation day ceremony. | Photo from SSIS-M archives

15 Years of BRAVE Journey

BRAVE at 15... /p.1

Text by Charleen Nicole C. Gonzales

The week-long celebration culminated on Feb 18 with a two- hour virtual celebration entitled, “BRAVE at 15”. Several videos were presented throughout the event such as interviews with the school’s pioneer students, alum- ni, teaching and non-teaching staff, historic principals, and the community dance where students danced to the song, “Brave” by Sara Bareilles. Entries from a few students and teachers for the “I Love SSISM” video-making con - test were also shown. Despite it being virtual, the SSIS-M community still found it memorable as they have enjoyed the activities prepared throughout the week. “The 15th year anniversary brought students, teachers, and staff together to celebrate this milestone of Stonyhurst. As a stu- dent, I enjoyed the activities and helped fuel my school spirit”, said Bianca Rubio, a Grade 12 student.

Time forms the core of memories and moments that would be deeply en- graved in one’s mind and heart. It cre - ates one’s persona and their bond with other individuals. As the clock ticks and the years pass by, footprints and memorabilia are left behind and cher- ished throughout the years. 15 years or more produce a lot of the chapters and pages throughout one’s life and this could be said for the foundation of Stonyhurst Southville International School-Malarayat Campus (SSIS-M). The story started back in 2007 when the demand for international ed- ucation in Lipa City has been growing drastically given that the number of potential clients has been increasing in the locality itself and the vicinities near it. With this, Peter P. Laurel, the great founder of the institution, has de- cided to establish SSIS in Lipa which offers an international-based curricu - lum. That is how the story of SSIS-M began 15 years ago. As the ‘once upon a time’ of the said educational institution began, the first 44 students of SSIS-M joined the journey. With time, each blank page was filled with different hues and sto - ries that were passed onto the next batches and now, more than 500 stu- dents are part of the institution. Smiles that were captured through both the photographs and the mind, laughter that could be heard in the four corners

of the classroom and the hallways, the clumsy moments and epic fails that are surely unforgettable with a big ‘lesson learned’ carved in them, and the marks both former teachers, students, and parents left in the different parts of the school - all of these made the history of the school more meaningful. No journey is perfect, and no path is easy, but there are wonders hidden within the pages as time ticks away; therefore, the only way to find happiness and to make it happen is by being courageous and brave, with no hesitation. That is and always will be the way of a Stony King. After all, the 15 years that SSIS-M spent building itself was an adventure with thrilling and euphoric feelings, battling with uncertainty but fighting for the welfare of the school and enjoying every single second with its staff and students. Gen - eration after generation, as one book closes and another begins, as a year passes by and a new one arrives, every trace left behind is a new one imprint- ed right beside it. The 15 years of the BRAVE journey with SSIS-M keeps the passion for learning ablaze with all of its members wearing their rightful crowns. The history of the school re- minds us that we do not always have to be sure about everything because most of the time, we just have to be brave enough to take a step forward. Only then will the journey be worth taking.

Faculty and staff light up lanterns to celebrate the foundation day. | Photo from SSIS-M archives

gay, and psychologist Dr. Gayle Gomez shared their respective journeys in parenting. Along- side this, the launching of the “15 Years Ago…” social media blast received thrilled responses. Members of the SSIS-M commu- nity shared their ‘then and now’ achievements such as being a stu - dent fifteen years ago to being a teacher fifteen years later. During the fourth day of the celebration, students of each class set aside their academic tasks and bonded with their class- mates through playing games and watching movies during the Kings’ Day. The first day of the

live Kings Olympics followed in the afternoon where students showcase their skills in executing different basketball, volleyball, and football drills. On the fifth day, the school hosted a spiritual convocation and Thanksgiving service, with Fr. Randolph Lopez and Pastor Aar - on Gerard Santos for the Catho- lics and non-Catholics respective - ly. The second and last day of the live Kings Olympics followed in the afternoon where students showcased their skills in execut- ing more volleyball and football drills, along with jump rope and sipa.

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SC Holds BenCon for Three Beneficiaries

Text by Pia Margaret V. Ozaeta | Photos compiled by Grantt Christian L. Cueto

Stonyhurst Southville Interna - tional School – Malarayat Campus (SSIS-M) student council hosted a benefit concert in support of the school’s Stonyhurst Southville for Others (SSFO) outreach program, Dec 15. The event was broadcast live on the school’s official Face - book page. Since the beginning of the pandemic, this was the coun- cil’s second virtual benefit concert. With the theme of Christmas, the SSIS community and alumni showcased their talents through a two-hour concert of pre-recorded performances that garnered 1.8K views, 1.2K comments, and 149 replies throughout the live stream. The event served as a catalyst in

raising a total of Php 21,923.00 for the council’s three beneficiaries: the residents of Barangay Dagatan through a Community Pantry, the victims of Typhoon Odette, and the seniorate of St. Francis. Ms. Samantha Latorre, the school’s guidance counselor and student council adviser who was a significant contributor to the at - tainment of the event, expresses her sentiments, saying “The stu- dent council prepared ahead and did what they ought to do. And the most rewarding part for me was seeing how the council felt fulfilled after the event, the congratulatory messages from the teachers, staff, parents, and students, the active

comment section, and the smiles of the people who watched the con- cert.” The members of the SSIS-M school community and the Face- book livestream audience met the entire event with positive acknowl - edgements. Overall, the benefit concert gave the SSIS-M students, teachers, parents, and alumni an opportunity to exhibit their talents in front of a large audience, subse- quently raising funds for the afore- mentioned beneficiaries. Accord - ingly, the outcome of the activity hence marked a significant contri - bution to the needs of the beneficia - ries.

Kings Show Powerful Performances at SGEN Music and Monologues

Text by Sydney Miyen M. Jordan

SGEN schools came together to open SGEN Music and Mono- logues, an event wherein students showcase their acting and sing- ing skills, Mar 31. The event is a yearly endeavor that the network utilizes to bring the best out of stu - dents with the competition. While it would usually take place in a face-to-face setting, the event has certainly utilized this new medium. Because it is virtual, accessing re - cordings of the performances has never been easier, and if the audi - ence missed it, you can find them posted online. Each school brought in 2 sing- ers, with 2 actors to give an intro - ductory skit for the song according to the theme. There were several categories that participants were split into, such as pop, musical, and monologues categories. While only the singing categories had a top 3, monologue participants were still given the chance to be recognized with specific awards for the char - acteristics of their performances. SSIS-M was represented by the school’s very own batch of 2 singers and 2 actors. For the first performance, we had an intro done by Marya Ozaeta for Leila Fer - nandez’s performance of “Pretty Funny” from the musical, Dog- fight. This was followed by Ayesha Mendoza’s cover of “Akin Ka Na Lang”, accompanied by the intro skit of Ella Angela Corong. The performances by these 4 have gar - nered awards and recognition. For her performance, Ayesha Mendoza received 3rd place in the pop cate - gory of song performances in addi- tion to her People’s Choice Award. Leila Fernandez also comes in with her performance being able to win 3rd as well in the musical category.

In the acting department, SSIS-M garnered recognition shown by Pia Margaret Ozaeta’s award for the “Most Powerful Per- formance” and Ella Panergalin’s “Most Realistic Performance” award. To gain further insight into the nature of the Music and Mono- logues experience, Ozaeta was in - terviewed about her perspective. When asked about what she thinks the purpose of the event was, she said, “I feel like the purpose of Music and Monologues is to cul- tivate talent and art from students of the participating schools.” She believes that there was a big dis - tinction between every perfor - mance and that everyone showed a different emotion. She says that all the students have a love for per - forming, and showcased it during the event. Her favorite part of the event was watching all of the stu - dents’ performances. She was sur- prised to find that her friends were participating as well, so as she was part of the last pair to perform for the second category, she was as- tounded watching performances from her friends. To her, each per- formance created its own exclama- tion point, making every perfor - mance her favorite part. SGEN Music and Mono- logues has accomplished its goals, encouraging students to express their passion, and giving them the platform to do so. It introduces an element of competition but keeps the focus on the art that these stu- dents perform. Singers, actors, and even audience members alike will always have this event to look for - ward to annually. May the next one be filled with even more talent and skill than the last.

Employees’ Homecoming Held after Almost 2 Years

Non-teaching staff pose for photos before the celebration. | Photo from SSIS-M archives

Faculty and staff gathered for the Employ - ee’s Homecoming celebration, April 1. This was the first big event for SSIS-M employees since the declaration of a lockdown due to the pandemic. Various activities were conducted during the event. Team games were played such a sensitivity game where the group had to form a particular shape without verbally communi - cating and a balance game where individuals chose between two options given. After play - ing games, employees enjoyed a scrumptious dinner with numerous dishes prepared by each department. The highlight of the even were the testimo - nies shared by the teachers. One representative per department shared the victories and strug -

gles they experienced during the pandemic. In doing so, they inspired their colleagues to have faith, especially since circumstances are slowly coming back to normal. Because of the Employee’s Homecom- ing celebration, the SSIS-M community re- freshed its sense of community and camara- derie. Through this event, the institution is hopeful that everyone will slowly be able to adjust to the changes that would happen for the remainder of the school year and for the next academic year. “Because of this celebration, I was able to see my colleagues once again. It’s a different experience, eat - ing and talking with them in person,” one teacher said.

Contribute to our literary folio NOW! To catch the chance to share your quarantine story through photographs, poems, short sto- ries, flash fiction, photographs and artwork, you may submit your entries to theheraldgroupof - [email protected] or look for Mary Megumi Aithea (EIC) or Ms. Pauline. Deadline of submissions is until Feb 26, 2021. This project is open for students, teachers, staff and other stakeholders of SSIS-M.

Facebook page This is the main platform that the group is current- ly using to post articles, photos, illustrations and other related media. We also broadcast our video coverage and various projects though this page.

Twitter page This page features

snippets of the contents of the Facebook page. Live tweeting coverage is also done through this platform.

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How the Philippines and Filipinos should be involved in the Russian invasion of Ukraine (and what we can learn) Text by Michael Lumbera Jr.

On February 24, 2022, Russia launched the invasion of Ukraine. It is currently March 16, 2022, and the conflict is still ongoing and only intensi- fying as time passes. The vi - olations of human rights, the loss of innocent lives, and the suffering of Ukrainian people and the nation’s inhabitants continue with no end in sight as of now. In response, the major- ity of the world has worked to weaken Russia’s economy with many sanctions and public de- nunciation. Sanctions that have been implemented include vod - ka, luxury goods, oil, gas, and more. Not only does opposition come externally, but internally as well. It is evident that even many of the citizens of Russia are not in support of this war. This is made clear with the up- rising of many protesters who advocate for peace and the end of the invasion by their own na - tion. However, in their effort to protest, many are detained for practicing their right to freedom of speech. It seems that nothing will stop Putin and his efforts to take control of Ukraine. All the rest of the world can do is col- laborate and unite against this violence. The Philippines geo- graphically finds itself quite distanced from the whole con- flict. With no immediate threat posed against the country, some may belittle the urgency that this whole situation calls for. Luckily, this is not an idea that many people, citizens, and civ - il servants stick to. With social media and many individuals being able to voice their opin - ion, it is made clear through posts, shares, and more that, the people will not stand for this. Distance means nothing when people somewhere in the world are facing injustice, especially on a scale such as this. This means that all situations similar to this, call for the appropriate response. Now, the question is, what should a country like the

Philippines do in response to this war? As of now, there has been no outside military assistance to Ukraine in fear of escalat- ing the war even more. This is something that the Philippines, due to distance and resources, will not be trying either. This is an obvious choice but leaves us with alternatives. For instance, a good start would be following the trend of publicly denounc- ing Russia’s actions. Every peace-loving nation’s stance should be clear to the whole world. After this, as a concerned government, we should be find - ing ways to keep our people safe. Any overseas Filipinos should be consulted and guid- ed in this crisis. This is also an effective way to address the concerns of mass migrations to neighboring countries from Ukraine due to the fleeing of citizens. With this, we can re - turn the people back to their homes safely. Other than government action, we should look to our people. As everyday members of society, our parts are not in- significant. We must work to raise awareness, bring others up through donations or any other channels of support, and most importantly build trust with the public. To build trust and an effective flow of information, we must properly avoid and fil - ter misinformation, especially on social media. Get our facts straight, and check your facts. Knowledge is a powerful tool in times of crisis. For the cit- izen, in conclusion, the key is empathy and recognizing what you are and aren’t capable of. Another reason why Fili- pinos should care is the lessons to be learned from this invasion and how Russia has dealt with others and its own people. Rus- sia’s abuse of power is another

reminder of the fragility of our human rights and power as the people. This would be especial- ly important to keep in mind with the upcoming elections. Another realization that comes with the war and media, is a show of the power that social media and news have on the world. We have seen countless supporters and actions because of the spread of information. This is exactly why once again we must ensure the knowledge we have is correct. Filipinos must know and remember that as a community, exchanging information and collaborating is our strength in times when those in power abuse what they have. Lastly, with this massive wave of news on this specific conflict, Filipinos and really the whole world should ask themselves why other conflicts never got this much coverage. If all lives and cultures around the world are equal, why aren’t all covered on the same level? We must practice an even dis - tribution of support no matter the conflict. Some may not re - alize it, but spreading the word and finding support truly does make a difference. All in all, I hope citizens of all countries have learned to be a supporter of Ukraine and human rights in a time when it seems like it can be so easily stripped away. With the count- less losses of lives, money, and time, we are still in disbelief that we humans continue to do this. It would be expect- ed by now with World War 1 and 2 in the past, we’d learn, but it seems that is not yet the case. Despite this, the world will continue to come together, and work against the very forc - es that negatively impact the peace we have worked to sus - tain. Hopefully, each one of us can be a part of this process as well.

tine in my everyday life. A small change in my routine can already stress me out and make me uncom- fortable. Nevertheless, the last two years of living in this pandemic has taught me that we all have to expe - rience change, whether we like it or not. Just to share, I used to live a rather uptight life. I was busy, I had a lot of things on my mind, and I did not have time for myself or for other people. That’s why, when the pandemic hit, I was restless to get my life back on track. But things have changed over these two years, and I have learned to adapt to the simplicity of life while I stay at home. Moreover, I was able to have more time for myself, and for the people I rarely had time to communicate with. I know for a fact that there are people who have the same senti - ments. Change can sometimes be perceived as negative at first, but eventually people would realize that there can somehow be posi- tive outlooks that rise from these initially negative changes, at least in situations like COVID-19. Sometimes, in the midst of adverse situations, things would eventually work out in the end. Based on the current situa- tion, the world seems to be em- barking on the final stages of the pandemic. Restrictions are easing up, and things are slowly opening, things are changing. The normal we once knew is resurfacing bit by bit, however, things are not the same. This is the new normal, and the sudden changes that we have experienced recently have, in some way, prepared us for what is to come.

What does one think about whenever they hear the word ‘change’? Although the dictio - nary has one general definition for it, in truth, the word itself can be defined in many different ways, particularly based on how a per- son perceives it. The concept of change can be either positive or negative depending on how peo - ple see it. There are people who describe change as beautiful in dif- ferent situations such as witness- ing a seed grow into a flower or how the seasons change from time to time. There are also people who describe change in an unfavorable light in certain situations like soci- ety getting meaner each day, and the air we breathe becoming more polluted. I, however, believe that despite the ways we define change, it is actually the way we adapt to it that matters. Sometimes, the way we adapt to change generates our thoughts about it. One relevant example of adapting to change would defi - nitely be this pandemic. Who would have thought that the free, normal life we once knew would disappear in a snap? When the pandemic began in March of 2020, people thought their lives would be on hold for a couple of days. However, the days became weeks, months, years, and here we are, still yearning for the re- turn of times where hugging was legal, masks or face shields did not cover smiles, and experiencing a cold was not the worst thing in the world. I am one of those people who do not adapt to change very well. I like to keep things within a rou-

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part of the prog- ress and succes- sion to improve - ment. To battle all

Have you ever felt like you cannot breathe, like you are sinking in the depths of

The thing about expec- tations is that it can be good to a certain extent. It pro- vides the person a boost to overcome certain obstacles, however, imposing too much within a given span of time can cause damage and lessen the chances of success in cre- ating progress. It can be said that the minimal and neces- sary amount of expectation can help but a downpour of it can hurt. With this, one can wonder: how does one man- age the pounding pressure of it all? Sometimes closing your ears and opening your mind, together with aligning it with your heart and passion is bet- ter than hearing everything else. Doing what you do best and accepting your circum- stances without regrets is more than enough. At the end of the day, you would still be considered a victor. Expectations have always been associated with the thought and concept of winning, but we need to understand that losing does not mean that it’s the end of the line. Losing and learning come hand in hand, and it’s like a girl who’s too fat.” “She’s too thin and the wind could take her.” “Everyone’s looking at her because she’s wearing too little clothes, honestly it seems like she wants the attention herself.” These statements make it look as if the fault solely falls on a wom- an’s shoulders, as if the weight of all these comments were tru- ly from what they wear and how they look but in reality, it is just the cruel perception of society Thankfully, in the mod- ern-day world, everyone is en - couraged to speak up about any- thing that they are currently going through or experiencing. The use of social media platforms allowed people to feel a sense of comrad- ery in knowing that it is not only them who went through such things. This allowed women to take pride in speaking up for the things they’ve continuously ex - perienced, may it be body-sham- ing, cat-calling, misogyny, and many more others. With these said, many movements have been put into action such as body pos- itivity and sex-positivity move - ments.

darkness where everywhere feels like a tight space be- cause of the series of what and who you should be? Have you ever felt like inside you is a storm filled with pressure that continuously wells up, waiting to be unleashed unto the world, begging that you set it free? What is the culprit for all of these chaotic feel- ings? Expectations, those that come from the people around you and, most especially, the person you see in the mirror every day. Each individual in this society carries their own type of burden on their shoulders. It may come from school, ca- reer progression, parenting, and even from the smallest things that one does on a dai- ly basis. Society itself is filled with a bucket list of expecta- tions, and the mere fact that one is part of this community already triggers the suffocat - ing feeling inside. It is part of human nature to excel and improve throughout time, however, most overlook the fact that everyone has their own timeline and specializa - tion.

of the pressure, one must be- lieve and work hard at their own pace. The downpour of expectations can be unbur- dened through the help of the light given by hope and faith in your work, passion, the people around you, and your- self. It is more than fine if you take a step back and trip or even fall. The journey to your desires will not and never be smooth nor perfect. What counts is how you valued the experience and the growth that you attained through it.

When was the last time you felt so afraid that you could not do something or have the courage to volunteer? Was it because you doubted yourself or because something was holding you back? As we think of our answers to these questions, let us think about how fear affects our daily lives, and in this case, how fear affects our growth as persons. After all, when we are afraid of failure, change and discom- fort, we are unable to grow. Fear is a natural response to danger which often takes the form of masquerades that serve as a cloak of protection, keeping us from doing the things that may cause us harm. But sometimes, it is what caus- es the real damage whenever it prevents us from taking action. Because of that, we should re- member this: Danger is real, but fear is something we can control. Other than as a warning bell, people have used fear as a tool for procrastination. In order to get work done at the very last minute, they use their panic to work faster. However, this is not an ideal situation. Let’s say you want to start on a project and so you think and plan about it. You’re afraid that things might go wrong be- cause you do not know how to start with the task at hand. You could not get enough informa- tion so you did research for days, which turned into weeks, weeks turned into months, and you end up doing nothing. All the advice, details and infor - mation are useless if you will not use it and actually do it. It could be true that we feel a need to be fully equipped and ready before we do something so we put our tasks off until then. However, it is pointless if you do not trust yourself to actually do the work. George Addair once said, “Everything that you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear”. This begs us to question, “What lies on the other side of fear?” One possible answer

is freedom and the things that you have longed for. It is true that you never know where life will take you since life is unpredictable, but, when you confront your fears, you might see more than just the negative side. “What if things go differ - ently? What if my plans do not go the way I hoped and expect- ed them to be? What if I fail? What if people will think of me differently? What if I regret this? What if I’m not enough? What if I don’t deserve this?” These are some of the many ‘what ifs’ that we ask ourselves when we are about to do some- thing. To calm our worries, we should remind ourselves that we will always face different obstacles and experience some difficulties whether it’s big or small. Failure is a part of life but so is growth. With all that said, how do we combat our fears? There are many ways to do it. You can start by taking a leap of faith. Breaking your fears can boost your confidence. If you are able to overcome your fears once, you will be able to do it again. Facing one’s fears and discomfort is a skill, and the more you do it, the easier it gets. Train your “discomfort muscle”, be comfortable with the uncomfortable and step out of your comfort zone. Em - brace the unknown. It’s easier said than done, of course, and you will not be able to overcome your fears overnight. It takes time to get to the other side, to under- stand what’s more to see but the more you do, the more you will believe that you can ultimately overcome it. If you want to accomplish your goals and aspirations, you need to stand firm and do it for your - self. No one else will do all the things that you want for your- self but you, and with that, you can take ownership and responsibility for your goals. In the end, you’re not just bat- tling fear, you’re battling with yourself too.

What we wear is often influ - enced by society. The Philippines has been known to be a conserva - tive country, es - pecially with the

Nowadays, the female populi or many women in this generation have chosen to embrace them- selves and their own opinions and

type of clothing Filipino people wear. This can be seen even with the traditional attire called baro’t saya and barong for females and males respectively. In particular, the baro’t saya cover most of the female body through the use of long skirts, a loose long-sleeved top, and a shawl. It is also known as the “Maria Clara ‘’ type of dress since Maria Clara, a famous demure character in Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere, was considered as an ideal woman in the Filipino culture for her modesty in manner and clothing. This perception of Filipino women continued until the early 2000s and only changed in the 2010s. This stigma and obsession to cover up with clothes stems from a long history and will probably take a lot of time to adjust to the standards of the modern world. At times, it’s not just about how a woman dresses but also how a woman’s body itself looks that people judge. Women still hear comments like: “She doesn’t look prim and proper enough to be respected.” “No one would

style in dressing up and rep- resenting themselves through fashion which ultimately boosts their self-esteem and confi - dence. Some choose to do this by showing off their glamorous collarbones and shoulders, their well-worked abs, or their mag- nificent thick thighs. It gave them a chance to be confident and proud of themselves regard - less of the common societal ste- reotypes that have been imprint - ed in society throughout history. Although I believe this is a step in the right direction, we should also aim for a more per- manent, long-term solution to address the main issue which is the shaming and harassment that women of all ages and pro- fessions receive. It was said that humans do not learn unless they’ve come across the conse - quences of their actions. Thus, implementing more laws that correspond to the gravity of their actions should be put in place with hopes that it becomes a les- son for everyone.

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TEXT BY MICHAEL E. LUMBERA JR.

Second, we need to consider students’ and teachers’ mental health. Humans are social beings, and a situation like this arising out of the blue has affected all individuals. It has been a while since humanity has had to face a pandemic at this scale, and its effects are obvious. Many individuals have experienced loss of motivation due to the circumstances we are in. This will especially affect students’ drive, and consequently the quality of education they can receive. Burnout is not an uncommon feeling either. Feelings like this weren’t unseen when face to face classes were had, but they were less common. Finally, the pandemic has affected the accessibility of education across the coun- try. Accessibility of education itself has been a problem even before the pandemic, but now with it, we see even more limits in our schools’ reach. Devices and a stable wifi are required, and even those in private schools experience hardship with this, what more those who were unable to afford a tuition fee at all? Returning to face to face classes will pull down this barrier, so we can once again focus on providing education to all in a more accessible setting. Because of all these reasons and more, we must treat this as an urgent matter. The people must realize that education is what builds those that lead our future, to have that process be of a lower quality level would not benefit us in the long run.

A fter two years of online learning, with student’s eyes glued to a screen, we now see the light at the end of the tunnel with the implementation of blended learning in many areas of the Philippines. This is a change students and educators alike have been awaiting and are excited to experience. However, with all the good news and progress the nation has made, we all know we’re not there yet. Blended learning is an amazing advancement in our efforts to return to the old normal. However, face to face is still our end goal, and now that we’re so close, the question remains: why not push all the way through? The Philippines has been behind many nations in terms of recovering what we’ve lost during the pandemic. Whether it be the waves of infection, the lack of vaccines, or the arisal of new variants, we have a lot of catching up to do. The prospect of returning to an alert level 0 state is one that would be beneficial to many sectors of our society, education being one of the main. It is because of this that I believe we must do everything in our power to loosen our current guidelines to recover 100% face to face classes. What is the difference between online learning and face to face classes? After all, we do need a valid reason if we are to consid- er weakening the guidelines that keep us at home. I believe the major concerns during online class could be summarized into three points: quality education, mental health, and accessibility. Online classes certainly have its benefits, convenience, com- fort, and even freedom. It would be wrong to say there is noth- ing good about it. However, if we’re speaking in terms of where to find a place we can effectively immerse ourselves and inter- act with the educators and our classmates, nothing beats the physical classroom. For many, online learning is a new normal that has been too new. It has taken years for students to adjust, and even now it has its shortcomings. Activities, active inter- action, and overall optimism about the education process has seen a steep decline. Now more than ever, we need to return to the normal we all know and love.

A concern with lowering the alert levels around the country would be the fear of another wave, which means another quarantine. This is a valid worry, and one that I trust government officials will keep into consideration. Loosening does not mean instant implementation; there must be proper evaluation and consideration put into determining if an area is fit to move to 100% face to face classes. It can be expected that if full face to face classes were to be implemented during a time where it is still logical to worry about COVID-19, the option to stay virtual would be present. There should be no feeling of forced attendance, especially for parents who want to stay safe. A sound plan would also acknowledge the risk of new variants and surges in new cases arising. If we are to loosen things up, we must always have that plan B. A guideline for this plan B would be the constant information update on local COVID-19 numbers, and an according plan of action for each level of concern. All in all, the decision falls upon weighing the pros and cons of both courses of action. Two years is too long of a wait to have such a halt in quality and accessible education, and it is one to be ad- dressed as soon as possible. With blended learning becoming the next phase of our recovery, it is time we consider fully returning, especially if it seems like the obvious choice. The pros outweigh the risks, if done correctly. It is hoped that the people and the government see this, and if they choose to loosen up, it can only be wished that it would be in a planned and calculated manner. (THIS ARTICLE WAS ACKNOWLEDGED AS AN HONORABLE MENTION FOR THE EDITORIAL WRITING CATEGORY IN THE 19TH WORD CUP PHILIPPINES COMPETITION.)

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