Learning meets tech-nology

This year STC has taken initiatives in bring-ing its education sys-tem to a new and revo-lutionary level. STC has partnered with LifeWare Technology, Inc., a Fili-pino company special-izing in consumer elec-tronics for education, to turn old classrooms into high-technology zones. And making this possible is the pilot phase wherein tech-savvy Grade 5 pu-pils and ESEP students of Basic Education de-partment embraced the educational transfor-mation in the face of an emerging technological learning device, FabTab Brio, a generic tablet.

“This move will pre-pare students well for life in an increasingly infor-mation-based economy and an electronically net-worked society,” said Dr. Randy M. Baja, Director of Academics.

The first phase in-volved the conversion of textbooks to e-books. This would allow stu-dents and teachers to ex-plore and experience the PC tablet as a new me-dium for learning. This project would also give parents a chance to un-derstand and participate in the use of technology as part of education. Adjustments on Both Parts

STC implemented

a set of rules and regula-tions to guide Teresians in operating the tool more effectively and maximiz-ing its use. The IT ad-ministration of STC took responsibility on moni-toring how the devices are being used, ensuring that students only access sites and applications that are allowed to be used during school time.

To get the best out of the e-learning tool pro-ject, teachers who handle the classes of students using PC tablets are also given the opportunity to engage the tool in recre-ating and reinventing the concept of teaching.STC all set

In line with this up-grade, STC also installed projectors and air condi-tioning units in all rooms of the HS Department. Apart from this, students of the ESEP classes are now experiencing the use of whiteboards and graphing boards in their classrooms. A system was set up for the use of PC tablets in school work, including other technolo-gies and systems of learn-ing.

“We are now at the digital age. And as we move towards global re-alities, more dynamic and interactive classroom ses-sions are made available to the students of STC.” Fr. Carlo Magno C. Ilagan, the school president, said.

/Alenna Dawn Magpantay

MOTIVATING AND INSPIRING. These two words close-ly describe the speeches given by renowned journal-ists, TV5 Newscaster Paolo Bediones, Hon. Riza Hon-tiveros, and TV Patrol reporter Francis Faulve, at the 7th Mass Communication Convention- Oct. 2.

Shaping minds towards global realities

STC embraces e-ducationLyceum of the Philip-pines University- Bats. - “The prevalent trend being followed by me-dia organizations needs to be revisited with in-creasing focus on so-cial problems in order to ensure a robust so-ciety.”

These were the opening words of Former Akbayan Rep. and jour-nalist Riza Hontiveros, keynote speaker during the CALABARZON mass communication conven-tion, Oct. 1-2. Media personalities in the field of journalism –, Paolo Bediones, TV 5 news anchor, Ricky Ro-sales, DZMM radio anchor, and Francis Faulve, TV Patrol report-er addressed the event. Sev-e r a l

members of the Leaf were sent to represent STC in the said conference.

“The role of media is increasingly becom-ing crucial in the wake of ever increasing social issues and growing de-mocracy,” Hontiveros cited as she shared her experiences as a politi-cian and journalist in the early part of her career.

Paolo Bediones, in his speech mentioned that the emerging social media could play a vital role in addressing social issues as the news chan-nels could reach a wider audience as compared to

other media. “However this does not mean

that print media has no role to play”, he said add-ing, “it has its own significant role in

highl ight ing issues con-cerning peo-ple.”

VOL. XLVII NO. 1 THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF STA. TERESA COLLEGE JUNE-OCTOBER 2013VOL. XLVII NO. 1 THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF STA. TERESA COLLEGE JUNE-OCTOBER 2013

Days when education is not merely con-fined with the domain of flipping book pages, students not hunching their backs from carrying heavy backpacks, and many from the school community carrying just one device: an 8-inch PC tablet that has all books in it.

CALABARZON Mass Communication Convention

‘Media’s role, crucial’ Rep. Hontiveros

NEWS OPINION FEATURES SCI TECH/DEV COM

JUST A SLIDE AWAY. ESEP students are now at a different level of learning because there’s technology interface.

He also quoted Oprah as saying: “there is no such word as luck; success happens when prepa-ration and opportunity meet,” mentioning there

should be effort in e v e r y -thing we do.

On the other hand, Francis Faulve showed his TV documentary sur-rounding the Catholic bishops who were alleged to have received sports utility vehicles (SUVs) from the PCSO during the Arroyo administra-tion. “If you want to bring out the truth, you should take courage to carry out investigative journalism.”

“Media’s duty is to highlight issues so that concerned authorities take prompt action. Un-fortunately people love more entertainment than real issues in life, DZMM anchor shared.”

During the event, top performing school publications were also awarded in which the Leaf bagged the Best School Paper Category followed by De La Salle Lipa and St. Bridget Col-lege./Alenna Dawn Magpantay

A paradigm shiftin the medium for educationLa Salle Green Hills, A 100 Year old school in Manila becomes probably the world’s first school with fully digital classrooms with their children carrying just one device: an 8.9-inch tablet com-puter that has all their books; which will now take their class work, homework and exams in-cluding classroom reporting.Source: WordPress.com site

In the know

Digging Deeper:A Peek into the Barrel

Highway run Wings beneathher wheelsP 3 P 5 P 9 P11A Ruler’s

Role

Hardened like a dia-mond.

Prevailing over relatively turbulent be-ginnings due to World War, Sta. Teresa College formerly St. Theresa’s Academy, inched closer to its Jubilee Diamond Celebration as the count-down for the historic event officially begins, Oct. 15, 2013.

Coinciding with the Eucharistic mass for the feast day of Sta. Teresa of Avila, Rev. Fr. Oscar L. Andal, Chancellor of the Archdiocese, read a decree announcing the two-year preparation of the 75th anniversary of Sta. Teresa College, which culminates on the 15th of October 2015 on the occasion of the 5th centenary celebration of

St. Therese of Avila. The order was signed by Most Rev. Ramon C. Arguelles, main celebrant of the mass.

“Kaya maaga at long term ang ating prep-aration ay para maging meaningful ang ating cel-ebration. Ito ay malaking event at napakagandang araw sa kasaysayan, and we have to make the most of it,” Fr. Carlo C. Ilagan, STC President said.

Afterwards, Jus-tine Kyla Boongaling, I-St. John student, with Mr. Aurelio D. Manalo Jr., Director for Admin-istrative Services, and Rev. Fr. Ilagan, adminis-tered the beginning of the countdown by hitting the gong. Also, an anniver-sary logo was unveiled to

commemorate the foun-dation year of the school.Emerged as a shining gem.

Teresians made waves in and out of the school in the course of time.

STC, previously ad-ministered by the Fran-ciscan Sisters and the Good Shepherd Sisters, was included already in the leading Catho-lic schools in the arch-diocese for being a living testimony of how schools can be effective instru-ments of promoting ho-listic Christian educa-tion.

The school’s sing-ing pride, the STC Cheru-bim, elevated Teresians’ excellence through mu-sic when they won the VII Malaysian Choral Ei-

steddfod four years ago. The Leaf even reaped gold in the national Level the same year after winning the Best Sports Page.

Meanwhile, nota-ble alumni gave pride to the school as Debbie Marie Bais, landed the eight spot in the Nurs-ing Board Exam. Alum-na and former editor in chief of the Leaf, Angelita Bombarda was included in the TOSP (Ten Out-standing Students of the Philippines).

Through the years, like a diamond, the school has been subject-ed to pressures and chal-lenges, but in the end, it will emerge a shining gem worthy of every plaudit possible explained by Fr. Ilagan/Kristine Joy Aguirre/

Jullia Margarett Tatlonghari

Three pilgrim images blessed Teresian commu-nity this year. The images of St. Pedro Calung-sod, Our Lady of Fatima, and Our Lady of Mary Mediatrix of All Grace were paraded before stu-dents, devotees and pilgrims, July 26, Aug. 19, and Sept. 10, respectively.PEDRO CALUNGSOD

Since its arrival in the Philippines, thou-sands of the Filipino faithful have arrived in droves to see and venerate the international pilgrim im-age of Pedro Calungsod including Batangueños.

From St. Francis Academy, his pilgrim im-age was fetched. Dr. Randy M. Baja and Mr. Aure-lio D. Manalo , school administators, brought the image to students who were eagerly waiting to see the new saint.

“Nakakapanindig balahibo ang kaganapan sa pagdating ng Imahen ni San Pedro Calungsod dito sa ating komunidad. Sa Gate 1 pa lang, ito ay sinalubong ng buong pagmamahal, sa bawat dadaanan ay may naghahagis ng bulaklak,” stat-ed Mr. Brian Jay Giman, Prefect of Student Dis-cipline.

A mass was celebrated in honor of the new saint at past noon then students were given chance to touch and see the image.

“Ito ay isang patunay na ang Sta.Teresa Col-lege ay kasama sa gawain at aktibidad ng sim-bahan. We are fortunate to have this momentous event because this is a blessing to all of us,” Rev. Fr. Ilagan, commented.

OUR LADY OF FA-TIMA

Despite heavy rain, the pilgrim image

of Our Lady of Fatima was welcomed by hundreds of

devotees along the street of Bauan. From the parish, her image was placed in the chap- el of STC for the

vigil of the HS and GS de-partments.

“ T h e visit of Our Lady of Fa-tima fills us with joy as we draw nearer to the close of the Year of Faith,

a period of grace for our Church,” Archbishop of Manila Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle said in a let-ter addressed to the archdiocese on t h e image’s visit.

“We feel happy that the peo-ple here still recognize the special role of Mary in our lives,” Miss Mercy Ramos, STC Campus Min-istry Head said.

After a month of stay, final veneration was con-ducted at St. Lor-enzo Ruiz Hall. As a concluding activ-ity, Mr. Orlando Vil-lanueva shared to the whole community the reputed appari-tions of Mary to the three shepherd chil-dren at Fátima: Lucia Jacinta and Francis-co.OUR LADY FROM LIPA

The devotion to Mary Mediatrix, how-ever, did not die despite the ruling in the past.

Still the people from Bauan flocked to welcome Our Lady of Mary Media-trix of All Grace late July.

Members of the procession were STC Siglayaw Dance Troupe, Saliw Kayumanggi of Bauan Technical High School, Sining Kumintang of Bauan High School, danc- ing Subli, Rev. Fr. Dodo Mandanas, Rev. Fr. Carlo and parishoners.

/Jullia Margarette Tatlonghari

2 JUNE - OCTOBER 2013

At Crossroads Pilgrim images arrive in Bauan

OFFICIALLY STARTING. To commemorate the much anticipated celebration of STC, it launches its countdown for an early preparation.

Math and ScienceCreative young minds proved to be the cutting edge of the winners during the Math and Science Day with a theme “Catalyzing Young Minds, Transcend-ing Academic Potentials” held at SLR Hall, Sept. 26./Marvin Datingaling

ANAWIMANAWIM facilitated a youth camp entitled, “Cama-raderie: Enhancing One’s Friendship with Each Oth-er,” St. Lorenzo Ruiz Hall, Sept. 16./Jacob Jodloman

SSCSSC sponsored Leadership Training Seminar with a theme “Service Touches Character” at STC AVR, Aug. 17 and 24./Kristine Joy Aguirre

CCDCathesists gathered to celebrate ACCD Day held at St. Thomas Academy, Sto. Tomas, Sept. 14.

Archbishop of Lipa, Ramon C. Arguelles, pre-sided the Eucharistic celebration. After that, Mr. Jojo Binay gave *a talk for the cathecists followed by the cul-tural presentation of the Vicariate 6./ Kristine Joy Aguirre

Club Insiders

Scholastic reading countsTeresians proved their reading enthusiasm as they bested 87 schools across the country under the As-sessment and Enrichment Program “AEP” in the Big Fat Reading Contest for the S.Y. 2012-2013.

STC took home the first place in the 1,000 and up population, beating contenders Ateneo De Davao Univer-sity (2nd place), University of Batangas, Our Lady of Cay-sasay Academy (OLCA) Assumption College San Lorenzo and Holy Family Academy in Pampanga among others.

Rev. Fr. Carlo Magno Ilagan, Mrs. Lourdes Cadevida, Mrs. Violeta Ramos, Mr. Aurelio Manalo Jr., and Dr. Randy Baja attended the ceremony where-in they brought home a plaque for being the event First placer, Kindle Ebook Reader and banners for winning the contest./Kristine Joy Aguirre/ Daphne Jewel Bais

In campus and communitY

NE

WS

ON TOP OF ALL. During the Big Fat Reading Contest held at EDSA Shangri-la, 1 Garden Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City, Manila last May 24, 2013. STC was hailed first among 87 participating schools.

Advance News STC starts countdown,

to celebrate 75th year foundationAdvance News

STC starts countdown, to celebrate 75th year foundation

JUNE - OCTOBER 2013 3In campus and communitY

E D I TOR IALE D I TOR IAL

Beyond the papers and circuits

With 10 billion pesos at hand, What should have been?Thousands of students

on full scholarships, more than 30, 000 fully equipped class-rooms constructed, drop in out-of-school youth rates… and the list goes on.

What shouldn’t have been?

An elaborate NGO’s mechanism for the siphoning of Priority Development Assis-tance Funds supposedly appro-priated for the discretion of leg-islators on how to better meet the needs of their constituents.

This is the scenario we are facing today.

It’s no surprise that the public outraged after the un-covering of the truth behind this immense amount was spotlighted. This is not new in the eyes of Filipinos since back in 1996, congressional kickbacks in the Countrywide Development Fund (CDF) was made known to the public wherein the modus operandi of lawmakers who sought to limit the enjoyment of the CDF’s al-lotment for their own accounts, as well as the accounts of their business partners, auditors, and local government partners were exposed. Now we’re back, the same dynamic seems to have still prevailed in the re-formed CDF which is PDAF known today despite the peo-

Barangay election is now approaching again. Bickering politicians through their differ-ent campaign posters, jingles, and sorties already started to take their move on earn-ing the people’s heart and support. SK elec-tion includes such matters. Speaking of SK elections, these became a rumor all over the country after the broadcast that it will be postponed.

We are all very familiar to the adage “Ka-bataan ang pag-asa ng bayan”. But if the youth is truly the hope of our nation, then why is there a need to postpone the rule of the youth in our barangay? After President Aquino signed the Republic Act 9340 to adjourn the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections this coming October 28, many were disappointed but many also agreed in this issue.

On the other hand, SK or the Sangguniang Kabataan is given 10 percent of the barangay’s funds for the youth’s projects. But it seems that in most of the barangays, nothing is happen-ing with these projects. Does it mean that the government is simply wasting funds if they con-tinue the SK election?

I know that an SK’s role is to help in the

projects for the development and betterment of the barangay. But now, it seems like it became a training ground of being corrupt and most of them are not doing anything. Hearing this news really smashed my heart. It caught my attention that leads to disappointment.

Every time I will encounter an SK, I really look up on them because they act as the role model in the community. But in this contro-versy, they must prove themselves that they are not the kind of persons that we are thinking. Postponing the SK election might be the solu-tion first to test if there will be improvement in our society. When this happens, they might ab-solutely abolish the SK election. It is also said that it will soon be continued next election on February 23, 2016.

Currently, it simply shows that lawmakers want to change the present system of participa-tion of the youth in our government while an agreement has not yet been made on whether to reform the SK or to totally abolish it. For now, as a citizen of our country, observing the effects will probably help us to answer the questions that linger in our minds. The concluding judg-ment will still depend on the administration.

Alenna Dawn Magpantay

Bike Diaries

It’s raining pork in barrel

COMMENTARY

SKrap SK (sa Corrupt)Kimberley Ilagan

HIGH SCHOOL EDITION

EDITORIAL BOARDSY 2013-2014

Christine Mae FaltadoFeature EditorJoshua Caringal

Assistant Feature EditorMaribeth Tumambing

Assistant Sports Editor

Jullia Margarette TatlonghariAssistant News Editor

Kathleen Izza Marie NopreLiterary Editor

Sports Editor

Lai Heinrich MedranoCirculation Manager

Mrs. Julie Ann Alberto-IlaganModerator

Christian Calizon / Gabriel RivaArtists

Dr. Randy M. BajaHS Principal

Staffers:News: Lara Denise Dimalibot, Althea Patricia Laza, Lady Rose Ricel Montano, Novaya Angela Dolor, Nenotchka Vallo, Marvin Datingaling, Jacob V. Jodloman, Maica Lorraine Carmona Sports: Daniel Her-nandez, Marc Aaron Gonzales Features/Literary: Rizza Mae Robles, Colleen Deirdre Villacorza, Pre-cious Ann Carandang, April Rocel Allen Andoy, Jeselle Gem Alcantara, Angelica Marie Castillo, Patricia Grace Barre, Jhudiel Albert Sabalvarro, Reinz Deneb Marco Silang, Stephanie Acuzar, Diane Claire Araño, Ann Clarisse Corona, Christine Aloya, Shanell Escalona, Rey Emmanuel Ilagan, Jenica Cas-tor, Christel Anne Medrano, Ron Mark Tatlonghari, Angelica Visaya, Angela Kate Marquez, Michaela Divine Panopio, Trigelyn Aclan Sci-Tech/Dev.Com: Fiona Madelle Villalobos, Jaira Claire Jacinto, Krys-tel Grace Dimalibot, Rezzie Marion Castor, Riva Dominique Cornejo, Abegail Arevalo, Paulo Medrano Photo Journalist: Mel Luz Mauro, Katherine Mae Hernandez

Alenna Dawn MagpantayEditor-in-Chief

Daphne Jewel BaisAssociate Editor

Kristine Joy AguirreNews Editor

Kimberley IlaganSci. Tech/Dev. Com Editor

Angelica DimayugaPhoto Capcion Editor

Wilfred James DolorLayout Editor

Mr. Aurelio D. Manalo Jr.Consultant

“They always say time changes things, but you ac-tually have to change them yourself.” – Andy WarholWith the advancement of technology in our genera-tion, a significant influence has been inculcated by technology in our everyday routine. Now, technol-ogy has one more aspect in mind in which it aims to innovate – education. But will innovation succeed in its endeavor with tradition as its most fearsome foe?

Recently, Sta. Teresa College took an experimen-tal step to promote innovation in the education system. Tablets have been introduced to the ESEP (Engineer-ing and Science Education Program) with Lifeware as its primary sponsor and distributor. The ESEP classes will be the pioneer class for their leap, initiated by the College President, Fr. Carlo Magno C. Ilagan, last July 2013. Also, the school has secured classrooms, with LCD projectors to further aid in efficiency and effective learning process of the students. With the advantages that entail the new leap in the introduction of digital education, we took on the risks. But are the risks worth taking compared to the advantages the traditional edu-cation system offers?

Throughout the years, books and other written materials have been man’s “immobile” transportation to the information beyond man’s possible means of ac-quiring knowledge that is beyond his physical reach. But they possess the burden that most of us can relate to.

Selecting which backpack will be suited for car-rying most of the books we need in school has been a taxing process. Even more demanding aspect of this lot is carrying the weigh that the totality of the books and written materials possess. We can also point out the deterioration aspect of them. Indeed, man’s need for a more durable, efficient and portable source of knowl-edge pave the way for the innovation that technology eagerly craves for education – the creation of down-loadable ebooks, efficient gadgets and online student courses.

Electronic books, or ebooks, are portable book-length digital form that resembles a tangible book.These gadgets are home to ebooks with which students have the leisure of browsing through the pages through the simple “slide” technique on the LCD screen. They need not carry the ebooks too, they just have to carry the gadget, and oh, the charger too, just in case. But such advantages have their downsides.

The possibility of file corruption through the ap-pearance of digital viruses is present. One virus can delete everything inside the gadgets internal memory. Another disadvantage of digital education is its depend-ency on electricity for it to be used.

Truly, innovation has its loopholes that tradition can provide. Risks are present and challenges to be faced. But as our world progresses with change, we are deem fit to carry on change for progress to be welcomed.

Change is never negative when used properly. Likewise, technology when used properly will yield grander visions and high-quality results. Education, in-novated by technology, may bring out more of the best in students and in teachers. alike. We are not forgetting tradition because it has been the foundation of what we have now. We are just innovating what we have, adapt-ing in an ever-changing world. We just have to see the brighter side beyond papers and circuits.

“Minds are like parachutes, they workbest when open” – T. Dewar

ple’s outrage at the misuse of public resources. This pattern is one of the reasons why we would remain against any pork barrel fund, with affirmation that the decision would benefit the nation. Traditional ways of corruption even sought after new ways of feeding its nature of greed.

On the other side of the

coin, some say this pork barrel paves an avenue for many un-derprivileged Filipino youth to study. It supports these con-stituents, scholars, financially and gives them an opportu-nity to be educated despite the fact they can’t afford it. This proves there’s always light in the dark, right? But the prob-lem with this is that not all the numbers designated for schol-ars are handed to them rather a small portion of these big numbers is given.

Since when did our gov-ernment become a game of numbers?

From the given situation, we can clearly see the power of numbers in our government. Undeniable as it is, we all need money. But this turns absurd-ly wrong if the means of how we obtain it are through injus-tice. Can’t we just bring our-selves to understand our pow-er’s limits? Can’t the unfair be fair even if it means breaking the traditional cycle? Can’t the trust given be rewarded jus-tice? Can’t people in power be-have as legislators rather than being vehicles of corruptions? Can’t we just raise compensa-tions without making use of in-justice means?

We need not to be dictat-ed nor preached on this mat-ter. The answers lie within us.

Definitely, this issue is believed to have been a wake-up call affecting most Filipinos not only the adults but also the youth for them to be aware of the national issues prevalent in our country. At least if many will be concerned and vigilant, then there may be a chance that our country might hoist from corruption.

The decision still remains to be in our hands whether we’d be watchdogs – alive, awake, and barking madly at thieves, or stay not heeding on the hidden whereas permitting the government to feast on lay-man’s tax.

4 JUNE - OCTOBER 2013

in our eyes

OPINION

Since when did ourgovernment become a game of numbers?

Living along the highway gives me the benefit of an easy transportation but a noisy environment.

I remember one Sunday when I came from our parish and I will review for our first quarterly test when suddenly I heard a loud disturbing sound and felt the ground shaking as if there is an earthquake. When I looked outside, I found a huge truck digging the road. I was so annoyed about seeing that truck but then I have no choice but to study or else I will get low grades. And then came the second quarterly test and the same panorama happened.

It’s been four months since the road reconstruction started. Many violent reac-

Highway run

I am personally a hardwork-ing student. I spend most of my time doing school works. Almost 75% of my year was in school and I have less time for my family. Even if such things happen, I still accept the fact that this is how students’ life go. It’s quite miserable but mostly full of fun and adventure. Primarily, waking up at five in the morning is one of the hardest task that a student like me can do everyday. It seems like my bed is a big magnet pulling my body to-wards it but the voice of my mother is a bigger magnet making me stand up and be-gin my day.

Students will always pass this level in their lives wherein their time will be al-located for a thing that they don’t value much. Education, in its general sense is a form of learning in which the knowl-

Sta. Teresa College, former-ly known as St. Theresa’s Academy is my beloved Alma Mater. Words will never be enough to express my end-less gratitude for what it has done to shape my whole be-ing. Though I am not a per-fect person, I can say that I am a reflection of the good-ness that is continuously sharing to its students who find shelter in its caring wings. I will never forget the good values that the teach-ers and administrators im-bibed in us. Respect for the teachers, parents and the old ones, the value of prayer, attending mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation and genuine concern for others are among the val-ues they have shared to us. These values were inculcat-ed in my mind and I have never departed from these values since then.

Time flew so fast. It’s been twenty-five years after I graduated from high school. It seems only yesterday. The memories of our high school

edge, skills, and habits of a group of people are transferred from one generation to the next through teaching, train-ing, or research. As the mean-ing implies, education cannot be attained if we will not at-tend a formal training for the real grounds, the school. Un-fortunately, some students are going to school just to see the apple of their eyes and the love of their life while others just want to escape the boredom they feel at home. But on the brighter side, few students give the reason that, studying is the only thing that they can do to give back the sacrifices that their parents have done just to support their living.

In our generation, only a few people will probably choose the latter ones. It’s always the pleasure that they want to ac-quire. Students today as com-pared to the older generations have less passion for educa-tion and this is the reason why many efforts were made by the institution to awaken the fro-zen minds of students. As of today, this institution still be-lieves in the power of influence that an obedient student can do to the incompliant ones.

It’s true that you cannot enjoy anything you do without the love and passion for it. Be-ing educated is one of the high-est privileges that a person can get through his or her life. So why not grab it? It is not yet the end. You still have the time to choose the right path of life because that will lead you to a brighter future with 75% of happiness and 25% of joy.

School for future

Looking back with gratitude

Daphne Jewel Bais

Despicable Me

tions sprung from students, teachers, workers, etc because of the traffic caused by this development. A progress it is, but it really is a nuisance to be frequently late in your classes and appointments. Difficulty in going home is also expe-rienced because of hours of waiting for jeepneys and tri-cycles to arrive in Bauan and when you finally got a ride, another hour will be spent for-waiting to get through the traf-fic. Isn’t that great? You will

leave before the sunrises and arrive after the sunsets. Well, actually the key to survive this dilemma is to wake up very early and be as fast as you can or else you will be experienc-ing Alay-Lakad everyday.

The real problem today is not the road reconstruction itself, but the attitude of the people especially the drivers toward the scenario. If they would just be patient in taking turns, held their tempers and try not to overtake the other vehicles then the problem will be reduced.

As a graduating student, I should be aware of receiving tardiness slips because it can be a hindrance to my endeavor in my high school life.

Compiled by:Daphne Jewel Bais/Shanell Escalona/Paulo Medrano

Mildred Salcedo

HS Batch 88

Christine Mae Faltado

Music Heals

life are still vivid in my mem-ories. The flag ceremonies in the old gymnasium, the deli-cious macaroni on banana leaves with the banana stick used as a substitute for fork and the mango slices inside a small plastic with soy sauce and salt. How I missed the Friday afternoons when eve-rybody was excited polishing their shoes and swords for the CAT training. These are some of the unforgettable memories that I will cherish throughout my whole life.

Our alumni homecom-ing last October 13, 2013 brought a mixture of emotions. I felt happy seeing faces of my classmates and friends. Some looked the same while others changed. I have waited long for this reunion. Being gathered as one group brought back the old times. Some of my classmates

and friends told me that they can’t keep their tears from fall-ing when our graduation song “Here and Now” was sung. It seems to propel back us back to the times when we were still young. During the homecom-ing, we once more sang the song but not as graduates but as successful people in our own fields. I used the word success-ful because I believe that suc-cess is not only measured by how you excel in your chosen profession but by how good you are in your own craft. Being a plain housewife or having no stable job does not mean fail-ure. The true measure of suc-cess is the contentment and fulfilment in whatever you do.

Sta. Teresa College still stands proud and dauntless. Its pillars are the stories of successes of the different in-dividuals it had moulded to become what they are today. It will not stop until there are in-dividuals like us who dreamed of becoming better persons. It will continue shaping the lives of individuals intellectually, spiritually and morally.

Dear Editor,

Greetings!I would like to express my sincerest gratitude for being given

the chance to write for the school paper. My alma mater’s diamond year is fast approaching, and

I can see the school’s preparation for this event. I have seen great technological improvement of the school in my senior year. Projectors have been permanently provided in every classroom, throwing away the old tradition of bringing such heavy-weighed projectors in every class. Also, air conditions have been provided for a conductive atmosphere to education, setting aside the old tradition of having only two fans for ventilation.

And of course, the tablet PCs for ESEP students and grade 5 students as their e-books were recently implemented. This has been an immense turning point in the school’s history, consider-ing the fact that STC is one of the pioneers of this technological advancement in education. But it seems that the students tend to forget that there are still disciplinary measures to be considered in bringing gadgets.

I think that now is the time that the school should remind the students of their limitations in bringing their personal belongings to school. Yes, we are in a democratic country and we have the right to be free, but I think we should still be responsible in every action we make.

Respectfully yours,Ms. Lemniscate

Dear Ms. Lemniscate,

We appreciate your initiative of expressing your insights about the developments of the school and the attitude of the students to-wards it.

We conferred with the Supreme Student Council (SSC) regard-ing your concern. The habit of students in bringing gadgets without parent and teacher’s permission is not really a new issue in STC. The difference today is that they had found an excuse of carrying tablets and iPods since tablet-PCs are utilized by the ESEP and grade 5 students.

The SSC said that their solution to this problem is the unan-nounced inspection of bags in classrooms. The gadgets taken from the student will be brought to the adviser and he/she will be the one to decide when the gadget will be given back to the student.

We hope that we are able to provide explanation to your que-ries.

Thank you.Yours truly,Daphne Jewel D. BaisAssociate Editor

JUNE - OCTOBER 2013 5in our eyes

OPINION

T-EXPRESS

Solo Dios Basta! It’s been 73 years of molding hearts and sharpening minds and there is no doubt that there are many changes that invad-ed our Teresian community. Let us hear our fellow Teresians’ voices… As a concerned citizen in this community, what is your stand about the pork barrel is-sue? Are you in favor of abolish-ing it or not? “NOT IN FAVOR. Dapat lang na magkaroon ng inspection sa mga nasa posisyon. Kawawa na-man yung mga scholars kung tatagtagin.”

- Mrs. Marifi Silang “Charity requires a pure heart to conquer temptation. For this matter, leader must preserve the meaning of helping others and the citizen of their nation. To stop this, it must be abolished! “

- Elaiza Mae Tan “Sinasabi ng mga tao ngayon na kailangan nang tanggalin ang pork barrel. Para saken, pwede pa naman itong ituloy. Kailangan lang meron talagang mapapagkati-walaang tao na mag-aasikaso nito at meron ding mga taong laging magmo-monitor sa mga aktibidad ng pork barrel.”

- Jejomar Cabral Are you in favor of estab-lishing a hotel at the expense of Bauan Plaza? “Bad. Ang bastos kasi sa tabi pa ng simbahan.”

- Dale Christian Dolor

“Development wise, naapreciate ko sya, pero yung name na Bauan Plaza hotel tapos in front pa ng simbahan, ay parang hindi magan-dang tingnan”.

- Mrs. Josie Sabalvarro “For me, neng, this will be a great change. A new place for us to visit because it’s been so long since we had one & added employ-ment for people in Bauan but this will cause traffic since it’s very near our place and roads are somewhat narrow.”

- Mrs. Joena Atienza STC is now embracing the emerging technology. What are your insights about it and which improvement in the campus do you much prefer? “Projectors. Makakatulong ito sa mga estudyante because it makes our life easier. Instead of making manila papers eh PPT na lng. Ang disadvantage naman ung pagdating sa aircon eh it contrib-utes in ...bsta ung sa chlorofluoro-carbons yung ganun....un lng po ang msasabi ko.”

- Simon Christian Arago “St. Lorenzo Ruiz Hall. Naging isang malaking tulong ito kapag may okasyon lalo na pag may misa at in-trams. Hindi na din mangingitim.”

- Renee Chelsea Dolor “Discipline. Because it was ob-served that discipline improved a lot. And I would like to emphasize the big improvement in our core val-ues.”

– Mr. Brian Jay Giman

Letter to the Editor

“When we are high up, everything looks very small. Our glories and our sadness cease to be important. We have

left whatever we won or lost down below. From the top of the mountain you can see how large the world is and how

wide the horizon.”- Paulo Coelho

Biking/cycling is my great excuse to trav-el. It is my sweet escape from my eve-ryday stress as a student. It allows me to experience the world in different ways

that many never will, this is my outdoor perspective. One thing that I admire whenever I go on travel is seeing magnificent view of places and surround-ings. Seeing such things make me feel relaxed and at ease. Indeed, the joy of having a great view wher-ever I go is so irre-placeable.

The sky was so clear that day, not a single sign that rain will drench and make trails muddy. Clearly, it was a perfect day to ride my bike. In the midst of my undy-ing desire to bike farther, higher, and more challenging mountains, my inner voice tells me not to forget those peaks nearby. Actually, it’s been a while since I cycled near distances because in the previous rides I had, I cy-cled great and very long distances. All these that I’ve been doing is, somewhat, tiring. So I thought, a break from all these is what I need, a close-to-my-home bike ride!

After wondering on where to go, I recalled the advice of elders which is to pay a visit at our very own Gulugod Baboy. They reminded me that this would be a challenge despite its short distance compared to my other bike rides. The Southern Batangas peninsula is more known for the diving resorts of Anilao – the birthplace of Philippine scuba diving. But since tourists are enthusiasts for any-thing ‘outdoor’, they began exploring the hills, and soon, Gulugod Baboy became a hiking destination on its right, although today it remains a popular side trip to a diving escapade to Anilao. The thought of making a hiking destination into a biking des-tination tickled me and stirred my excitement!

It was just starting but the steep path is already labori-ous to bike on. But all along, I thought the climb already started until I saw the sign that leads to the mountain. It was then just a preamble to what will come upon during my climb. What made it hard is the steep pathway I need to surpass by pedaling with my mountain bike.

Mountain biking is for the tough ones I must say, especially when cy- c l i n g on trails. One has to en- d u r e the hardships. Good t h i n g the weather is so good that day that I didn’t have to endure so m u c h pain. While trekking, I realized t h e climb was

not as easy as

“Miss World Philippines is self-less and to be selfless, you need to

have a heart. If I win Miss World Philippines, I would give

myself wholeheartedly to be of service. Beauty with a heart.”- Megan YoungThe beauty of Filipi-nas was finally given its own precious time by winning the most recent prestigious

beauty pageant, Miss World 2013. The 23-

year old Filipina actress, Megan Young, whipped 128 candidates and bagged the

crown as she walked with dash in the glis-tening finale held at the Indonesian resort Island of Bali. After a

long wait called ‘forever’, the Philippines has finally earned the taste of success.Young being young Zooming in her personal life, Young is a Filipino Ameri-can darling who lived in Virginia and moved to Olongapo, Phil-ippines at 10. Knowing that this darling would be glamorous someday, her parents approved her to join her first ever show-biz break, Star Struck. She may not be so lucky holding the sixth spot, but this paved her way to stardom. She decided to move to another network and started building her fascinating life. She first played some roles in “Star Magic Presents” and “About Ur Love” in which she has shown her versatility and capability as an actress. Today, surely before joining Miss World, she was an oc-casional host in several shows and has newly portrayed the role of Toyang in the movie, “The Reunion”.The Secret Spice It is really evident that the Filipinas’ native beauty always standout in every International pageant that they are joining. Aside from the eyes that sparkle like a million dollar diamond,

“I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter, dancing through the fire. ‘Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me roar” With the premier of American pop star Katy Perry’s, newest single, “Roar”, it garnered additional fandom and atten-tion, not only for its splendid musicality and content, but also for the sceneries and landscapes included in the song’s music video. One of the said landscapes is the infamous Taal Volcano, located in the Taal Lake, part of the Taal Caldera, Talisay and San Nicho-las Batangas, Philippines. With the feature of this heavenly-made volcano, the Filipinos beamed with pride, most especially, Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez. “It’s no secret that when Katy Perry Came to the Philip-pines, she fell in love with our country. I wouldn’t be surprised if she made the choice (herself). But I do not know that for a fact,”, Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez stated in an interview with him. Indeed, Katy Perry performed once in the Philippines for her “Teenage Dream” Concert Tour held last January 2012.

There’s no telling what ardor the Taal Volcano brought to her during her visit that left her momentarily in awe. This just goes to show that the minute Taal Volcano is humongous enough in beauty to even captivate foreign stars. Taal volcano is considered as the smallest volcano in the world. Uniquely, its lo-

cation can be described as “island within a lake within an island”, making it a geologic wonder. The lake where it is located covers an area of 23 km2, consisting of numerous craters and overlap-ping cones. It is part of the “Pacific Ring of Fire.”. With the violent activities of the volcano beforehand, the death toll amounted to an estimate of 5000 people through the years. Yet amidst the risks, many enthusiastic tourists and curious geologists visit the known paradise. Truly, if foreign visitors and international eyes are captivated by our natural wonder, what more of us Filipinos who can call this wonder as our own? “After watching the music video for ‘Roar’, this surge of pride emerges. It really makes me proud that I am a Filipino,” says Mr. Brian Jay Giman, school’s prefect of student discipline. We have our talented people up in the international pedestal, like Lea Salonga. Now, one of our natural wonders is up for admiration in the international scene. Wow. Just wow.”, says Kim-berly Noriega, SSC president. Truly, we have so many things to be proud for that is ours, that can be called, “certified Filipino”. Taal Volcano will remain to be ours for as long as we take good care of its natural formation and beauty. There’s no telling how many more international stars and experts eye for our natural wonder to be featured in their music videos or even in movies. Indeed, Taal Volcano is worth “roaring” out loud to the world.

Knees shaking.Voice trembling.Palms sweating. Heart racing.Gut wrenching.Stomach cramping.Throat tightening.

Most of us are prone to this common fright – stage fright. As one walks into a sterile room, one might tend to keep a straight face while walking to the center to address the crowd. Yes, this wi l l definitely establish a professional atmosphere. Although one’s face is not too animated, a look of passion jutting out of one’s dark piercing eyes as one stares back at the faces in the crowd will surely grab their at-tention. At the moment one opens his or her mouth to speak, he or she must speak for the voice that calls his or her specific look. A clear and distinct voice is truly the key to a suc-cessful speaking experience. Just take the center of the stage! This will make the audience examine one’s words and watch one intently. By the time the question and answer session comes where ques-tions are thrown in one’s way, pause and think about the potential answer. Filling up one’s face with expression and hands coming out of hid-ing to help one’s elaboration will give one’s

figure some life. As the atmos-phere gets serious, lighten it up by cracking a joke then beam-

ing back at the laughing crowd. Let go for a moment and when the timing is perfect, let professional-ism take back its place.

Don’t forget to 1. Prepare. 2. Prac-tice. 3. Breathe. 4. Chunk! Won-dering what is chunking? One of the best ways to knock these filler

words (uhms, ahs) out of your vo-cabulary is to use a technique called

chunking. This means splitting your presentation up into short burst of words followed by a short break

and then continuing on with another short burst of words. This will help you develop a speaking rhythm and eliminating your uhms and ahs!

Taking the center of the stage can be scary but it’s a necessary part of almost every career. Hopefully,

equipping yourself for your pres-entation and knowing how to overcome

it will bring out an awesome stage pres-ence in you!

Who would have known that mixing assorted kinds of sweet would be heaven? Well, Filipinos do have a sweet tooth and a great mind that’s why our very own halo-halo came as 11th place in the top 25 summer delights handpicked by Cable News Net- work (CNN). C h e f Anthony Bourdain of U n k n o w n Parts described halo-halo as oddly-beautiful and

r e m a r k e d , “ D i g d e e p and you h i t delicious

s t r a t a s of r e d

beans, w h i t e beans, a n d chick-

p e a s ,

cubes of red and green jello, young white coconut, shaved ice, and is that flan? It makes no goddamn sense at all. I love it.”. Besides, other foreigners who had tasted this iconic dessert of the Philippines enjoyed its delectable presence and considered it as one of the best impromptu desserts. It was even featured as a Quickfire Challenge dish in episode seven of Top Chef 4.In addition to the growing fame of halo-halo is its exposure on “Degrassi: The Next Genera-tion” in Japan. This scrumptious treat can be made easily by procur-ing shaved ice, evaporated milk, nata de coco, pinipig, maca-puno, leche flan, slices of saba, langka, mung beans and chunks of ube . Adding a scoop of ice cream can be \done to make the flavors burst even more and combining them all in a parfait glass would be perfect. We should be very proud of having halo-halo in our country since it gives us a cool, colorful and luscious indul-gence. It represents our vast culture that is a result of mixed customs and traditions of different races.

Christine Mae Faltado

Reaching the Unreachable:A Trek from Sea to Summit

the unnerving confidence and commitment to their goal gave them the edge of surpassing their opponents. Physically small as they may be (probably as small as their country), they seem so big with their head held high as they were put in line with oth-er undeniably beautiful candidates. Others might say, a beauty queen needs beauty and brain but here in the Philippines, a heart burning with love for the country is one of the primary require-ment and this maybe is our secret spice that made us reign.Sparkling Night This is the night we are all waiting for. Everybody jumped for joy on their seats as Megan was called in every elimination and cheered as the finalist were rounded to five. Megan, together with Misses France, Ghana, Brazil and Spain were all in the same mode of nervousness. Well, who would dare miss the Question and Answer Por-tion? Everybody stayed calm. People were holding their breath as the gorgeous contestants answer the question, “Why do you deserve to be the Miss World 2013?” Everybody seemed static at the moment but then, all gave a big hand as Miss Megan Young answered, “I treasure a core value of humanity and that guides people why they act the way they do. I will use this to show other people how they can understand each other. … as one, we can help society.”One in a Million This is one of the best thing that ever happened to the Philippines. Another unique beauty shined brighter than the sun and gave glory to the land. After 63 years of waiting, we finally had our candidate who luckily caught all the charms, overflow-ing wisdom, and a heart tied to the country which then resulted in claiming the title of the “top-notch” beauty queen. We finally have conquered! Cheers to Filipina Beauty!

Let’s have a food trip back at memory lane! Most of our fondest memories as Pinoys are set in restaurants, where we celebrate key events in our lives. Some of these are baptisms, birthdays, graduations, weddings, or even just weekend get-togethers with our families, to name a few – celebrated at our favorite restaurants. In fact, certain restaurants have been so revered that they have survived and served at least three generations of Filipinos. Some of them have changed their names, some have revamped their interiors, but their flavors have pretty much stayed the same. Here at Bauan, we have our very own which is Romy’s Panciteria and Restaurant. Romy’s Panciteria and Restaurant (1968) of Bauan, Batangas, open AM to PM daily. Anyone who has satiated on the famous pancit of the place knows that the restaurant’s pe-culiar aroma is a big part of its ambience. You can take some-one here blindfolded and he’d know where he is. For many balikbayans who have been away for years, Romy’s is one of the Pinoy things they wonder about; Are they still open? The younger generation may not be aware of this, but the restau-rant has been visited by famous people including Vice Presi-dent Jejomar Binay, Christopher De Leon, and more popular personalities. First among the best and the oldest in Bauan, like other enduring restaurants, Romy’s built its reputation

among customers with simple dishes that most Filipinos love like its well-known pancit. Only 2 branches survive now – one on Kapitan Ponso St., Bauan, Batangas, the original site, and another located near Bauan municipal hall. The branch’s signage is not easily seen when you’re on a car or jeepney speeding along the main road. So, make sure you look clos-er. The place is just a few meters away from the Im-maculate Conception Parish of Bauan. While fast food chains, prevalent now in Bauan, are greatly making a mark with the younger set, nos-talgic foodies will still go for Romy’s. Romy’s Pan-citeria and Restaurant is still solely owned or managed by its descend-ants.

World says Hello to Daphne Jewel Bais Halo-Halo

Taal Volcano ROARedKimberley Ilagan / Christine Mae Faltado/ Wilfred James Dolor

(Gulugod Baboy Chronicles)Alenna Dawn Magpantay

6 7Christine Mae Faltado/ Alenna Dawn Magpantay

pinoy legaciespinoy legacies

I thought since the first thing that stood my way is the scorching heat of the sun. There are a lot of assaults which are energy-draining.

My eyes feasted on the scenery while trekking despite my pain, I thought the views could not get any bet-ter, but it did when I reached the top. Campers, graz-ing cows, and cool breeze greeted as I summited Mt. Gulugod Baboy. And as expected from an open grassy summit, the view was really nice. The view from the top when reaching the summit is truly priceless. Its 360 degree scenery in the summit is breath taking. Upon reaching the summit, the spaces between the peaks of the mountain is like a playground and the landscape is seemingly amazing. It just makes me want to fall into the gap! Green peaks with grasses bending to the cool wind surrounded me. While the far-off hills and islands were concealed by the fog, the greenery in my immedi-ate surroundings stood out vividly. Bright colors looked sharper. Batangas islands big and small popped out from the blue bay and sea. One can even see the sea and sky meet.

I had all my complaints in my mind on the way even saying I will never climb again but as soon as I get to this area, it was all gone. All the hardships were gone just be-cause of this view. All the hard work paid off as I reached the peak of this mountain. It has an amazing view. And when I meant amazing this is what you will see on top: At its peaks, you can see, from east to west: Janao Bay, Maricaban strait which bears Sombrero and Maricaban islands, a distant, faint blue Mindoro, Verde Island (SW) and Batangas Bay. The city and port of Batangas is vis-ible on the east, and behind and beside them, the moun-tains of Lobo, the nearest one being Mt. Pinamucan (E). There’s a panorama of the surrounding mountains, Bat-ulao (W), Maculot (N-NE), Banahaw Complex (NE), Ba-

noi (E), and the Mindoro Mountains (S), places I’ve already travelled through

biking. What a great feeling when you’re up looking at the places you’ve been. To-gether with my cycling bud-dies, I spent the rest of my stay on top of the mountain taking photos and marveling on the scenery surrounding the mountains.

And somehow, it made me re-alize that mountain biking is not always (or not at all) about climbing the difficult mountains alone. To really have a wonderful experience, there should be a mishmash of both ends: the difficult and the easy mountains, the long distance and the short dis-tance treks, the high and the low peaks.

Trekking on a muddy trail can be a challenge, but still manageable. With Gulugod Baboy’s gentle slopes and only light rain that moistened but did not loosen the earth, my descent was relatively easy. As I descend, this popped up in my mind: One’s Mabini, Batangas adven-ture doesn’t end after you reach back the the jump off point of Mt. Gulugod Baboy. What’s great is that the bay-an of Anilao is just a short distance from the mountain.

There are lush green peaks and valleys all throughout the year and unobstructed views of the sea and

neighboring islands. You’ll encounter a lot of hardships along the way but as soon

as you get into the summit, all those feeling of difficulties will vanish.

A great pot of achievement and happiness awaits on top

of the mountain. From its peak, a 360-degree view of all these sights await you at Mt. Gulugod Baboy in An-ilao, Mabini, Batangas.

Now, what are you wait-ing for? All here, so near.

It’s more fun in Gulugod Baboy!

Alenna Dawn Magpantay

and all these

Imagine that you’re a cyclist. You are now in a race. For prepara-tion, check the condition of your bike. For the purpose of safety, gear yourself up with protection. Put in mind the principles of a pro rider. I will be your coach.

Similar to a cycling competition is the creative market of energy schemes. We have opponents. Our goals would naturally dif-fer from theirs but still we have to stand up to what we are pro-moting. Like preparing, we check the sustainability of our energy schemes. In equivalence to safe-ty, we ensure that our principles of fairness and competitiveness have the strength to be endorsed to the creative market which is the cycling competition itself.

As a professional cyclist of the race, you are bound to play ac-cording to your scheme. A scheme you are now bound to in this race

is an innovative and renewable energy source that can help sus-tain our environment.

The race has started. You have to pedal on and accelerate to pro-mote your scheme. In the route, you will encounter rough roads and muddy tracks that stand for the need of sustainable schemes for the survival of energy and in order to overcome this, you must shift gears or ensure a fair and competitive yet creative market through releasing from restrain. To pass steep slopes, increase the chain’s location and choose the smallest gear – an option whenever you are in tension. Fi-nally, after ascending, you have to descend. Start up by tightening your chain in maximum, shifting to the largest gear, and holding back on the saddle seat – these will in-crease your acceleration. And if ever you’ve gone too fast, press the brakes accordingly. In rela-

tion to what we are promoting, we should know when to stop if we’ve gone too far. Realiz-ing this will lead us to victory.

This is where we are today. With all that we have access on, we’ve only just scratched at the surface of what we can do. The com-p e t i t o r s aren’t going to breakaway; as a mat-ter of fact, we are starting to cope up with the race’s accel-erating pace. We can barely even guess where things will go from here. We just know that it is going to be a really exciting competition. The acceleration of our process in promoting sustainable energy schemes that is fair and competi-

tive o n

the creative market is a wave that is mov-ing very fast, and it is growing in size. It increases to change every-thing in its path. The biggest and most innovative ideas may come from competitors we are yet to im-agine. Our opponents in this race will continue to advance rapidly as we move to the next millenni-

u m – so get on your bike, ride safe, pedal on, and win the race!

What is your trophy as the cham-pion? A sustained environment to pass on to the future generations. It would provide them a smooth road to ride on.

As I was surfing the net and scrolling down my newsfeed, these particular statements ran-domly caught my attention.

1. In Terminator 2, Arnold Schwarzenegger was paid a salary of $15 million. He had a total of 700 words of dialog that translates to $21 429 per word!

If this is the case, students should be billionares!2. 99% of people feel uncom-

fortable when the volume of their television is an odd number.

Oh well, if you’re watching something on TV on a midnight and you feel uncomfortable, don’t think of ghosts, check the volume.3. An average person laughs 13

times a day So, am I above average? or Above above above average? I don’t even count the times I laugh!4. When someone cries and the

first tear comes from the left eye, it’s pain while on the right side, its happiness.

What if it comes from both

eyes? Will you be crazy? Hmm..5. When you dream about

someone, it means he/ she thinks of you.

I dreamt about Sam Concep-cion! Is this the sign? HAHAHA.6. Your thumb is of same

length as your nose Come on! Measure it up.

7. If you utter the word “color-ful” to someone, it’s like you are saying “I love you”

Please, do not say this word in the front of someone who has a crush on you. Please! 8. Before the invention of light

bulb, people tend to sleep 3 hours longer than today

Maybe they have smaller eye bags also, and that is unfair.9. Clinophobia is the fear of

going to bed. People who have this would likely make hard bound research papers faster than ESEP classes. 10. US president Harry Truman

fell in love with his future wife, Bess, in Sunday school when he was only 6 and she was 5.

This is simply AWESOME.

1. Traffic won’t be bad today. I’ll take a nap for just 5 more minutes.

The realm of Expectation vs. Reality now beings. What actually happens is traffic is really bad and you napped for 30 minutes. Rush hour now begins!

2. Just one more. This happens all the time most commonly

when we eat something excessively or play a game. Whenever we indulge too much on something, we always tell ourselves that we’ll just have one more but we rather end up having a hundred more.

3. I’ll do it later. Cliché! Always said and never been done.

We always put important things aside and pledge to do these a time later but that later always turn out to be latest.

4. I don’t care what people say. We say that we don’t care on the opinions of

others but the truth is we do things consid-ering what others might say.

5. This is the last. Whenever we do a mistake, we say that it

will be our last. But well, it never happens. Sometimes we finish off doing the same mis-take several more times.

What little lies do you tell yourself?

Winning piece at UPLB Seles Essay writing competition

Christine Mae Faltado Alenna Dawn Magpantay

1. The statement “We need to talk.” Proved to scare off many, this statement makes

our hearts beat fast and minds go blank and crazy.

2. Seeing “that person”. That person might be someone we have a debt

on or someone who scares the hell out of us.3. Needing to pee when there’s no restroom. Probably the most painful thing is to know

that there is no restroom around or the re-stroom is unavailable when you’re bladder is about to burst!

4. Realizing you’ve overslept. True to most, oversleeping when you’ve set a

time frame for all the tasks you have to accom-plish is one of the daunting things one have to encounter every day or night!

5. Accidentally closing your work without saving it. Accidentally clicking on the X button and

forgetting to save your finished work, it goes boom! Panic time comes now.

6. Finding virus in your flash drive or computer. Realizing you’ve attached your clean flash

drive into a diseased computer and now your device has acquired the contagious disease! Uh-oh.

7. Checking your wallet’s balance. On top of all, opening one’s wallet to see fly-

ing butterflies and spider webs is really fright-ening!

What little things freak you out?

Crushed to Perfection Joshua Caringal

8 JUNE - OCTOBER 2013

FEATURES

I was snapped from my deep slumber because I felt the

temperature change, from cold to warm. I felt chills all over my body as hot hands touched my fragile skin. The rough hands ca-

ressed me. “Oh no! What is happening to me?!, I

stammered

“This will be delicious!” the man exclaimed

The men in the room laughed hysterical-ly. The man’s hands continued to travel over

my body. I was near to tears because my helpless cries were just devoured by the noise made by the persons around me. They seemed to be enjoying what they are doing.

I was stripped off my garments by a strong blade. They didn’t get enough. They succeeded getting me naked. After some time I was submerged already into a boiling liquid. I just absorbed and relished the heat around me because I know that I can’t anymore escape this fate. Will I just be happy because of the joy that I will bring to others, especially to these men?

After some time, I was removed from the boiling liquid. I felt that my body became more fragile and tired. I felt flabby, soft and wasted. Once more, I felt those rough, hot hands around me and I was laid on a hard platform and I felt strong force crash-ing me into pieces. The man used such force and applied more pressure that I felt hurt and weak. After that, I felt trickling drops of white liquid surround me. It tickled me. It moisturized my weak body. Then I felt yellow flakes, together with colorful powder fall on me. Then I was “scooped” and placed in a glass container. Through the glass, the room was illuminated with lights from big chandeliers. The man holding the glass container stomped at a certain part of the room and laid me on a wooden platform.

“Uhmm. This mashed potato is very delicious! Because of this, I think I got a piece of heaven!” the customer said.

“Yes, and this is how we made this delicious dish. First we boiled the potato un-til its soft enough to be mashed. Then, we crushed it until it is foamy. We added the milk and sprinkled the spices, including the cheese on top. Voila! The mashed potato is done.” The waiter explained.

Now, I understand it all. Although I suffered pain, I was able to make other people smile. My pains paid off because I know that I satisfied other people and made them happy. Now, I am proud to say that I am part of “the legend of a mashed potato”.

No other profession has been so much ex-posed to a thousand surnames than that of a teacher’s. And as the school year pro-

gresses, hundred would surely be added to such a number. In my almost 4-year stay in this institu-tion, I had already been through a myriad; with each surname comes different faces, attitude, academic and non-academic performances, talents, and all others that come along with dif-ferences. But never have I saw a surname which has perfectly fit that of its owner’s as this young student I now handle as a member of my 47-stu-dent advisory class. Surpassing the challenge Justine Kyla R. Boonggaling, whom her classmates and friends fondly call “Kyla”, is a 13-year old lass belonging to Grade 7 – St. John, the first section in the regular class. She had her hum-ble beginnings as a pupil at Centex-Batangas where she graduated with honors. As she faces another chapter of her life as a high school stu-dent, she admits that there are difficulties she has to overcome — one of which is her being physi-cally-challenged. Her situation of having mobility impairment is caused by Spinal Muscular Atrophy or SMA, a genetic disease characterized by progressive loss of lower motor neurons in the spinal cord, resulting in symmetric muscle weakness (Wikipe-dia). Life will definitely not be the same for a per-son with SMA, but Kyla has broken all barriers and surpassed even the darkest alleys her parents have to go through for her. In an interview with Mrs. Rona Boongaling, she had mentioned that when she was 2-years old, she badly wanted to go to school. As a parent, she was troubled with the fact that she would send her child to a place where play and all movements abound and that her medically fragile child had to live with them considering her case. However, because of the pursuit of this child for education, and with the support of her doctor’s advice, they agreed to send her to school. Her condition has kept her motivated;

consequently her parents had borne all respon-sibility in order for her to live normally. When she was 3 ½ years old, her mother had to carry her in her back to school. When she grew older, and when her mother cannot bore her anymore, her father, who works abroad, had to stop doing so and turn to her needs instead. Propelling through Love For a culture which prizes machismo, it is indeed inspiring to see how everyday a father would enter the classroom with her daughter, asking her all of her needs for the day. You could just imagine how a father would sit close to her daughter, trying to catch every word that would come from her. You could just imagine from how neatly he organizes Kyla’s things on her desk to how he carries her to the computer laboratory or to other places remote from her room. Amidst all the challenges Kyla has been facing, she remained barely swerved with every thrust of life, living normally as that of any other girls her age. She attends her P.E classes, goes to the computer laboratory, participates in assem-blies, involves herself in the recently held intramu-rals, appears in every practice and performance of the choir, and even tops her class. And be-hind all these, a silhouette of a man wasn’t left unseen. One may have had encountered the familiar figure who usually sits at the corridor of the main hall, the man who patiently waits at the canteen until the Cherubim practices are over, and the father who proudly lifted the wheelchair of her daughter as she was about to bang the gong as a signal to STC’s countdown to 75. In all these, her father is always behind her, serving as her feet, propelling her to excel in her every ac-tivity. Mr. Plaridel Boongaling, or Tatay Bong as the students call him, had given up many things because he has this firm belief that nothing is more precious than his family. He had been asso-ciated with CITADEL LINES, working as a seaman since 2002. However, circumstances had forced him to leave his work and started looking after his family when Kyla reached Grade 5. Since her wife

had to be with their child and attend to their business every day, he has agreed to stop working to keep her up for her studies. Through God’s blessing, they have found an alternative means for their liv-ing, making them-selves free when-ever their daughter would need assis-tance in school. With regard to her studies, and amidst her case, she is still one of the typi-cal Teresian you see in campus — she attends to her daily class and misses not a single activity. She is ac-countable in her studies — she ranked first during the first quarter and second quarters. She is also active in academ-ic and extra-curricular activity — proof of which is her being a member of the STC Cherubim and Bible Club to name a few. She is responsible and strives hard to be friendlier, as the environ-ment requires her to adapt to an in-creasing number of people she has to deal with. Because of the fire kept ablaze in the eyes of her father who has always been there for her with her mother, Kyla has even jour-neyed farther than any other stu-dent in her class. The motivation of her father, though left unspoken, was enough to keep her moving forward. The strength of his father epitomizes his love not only as a father but as her means to advance in life.

It was almost eight hours since I started watching him sleep right next to me. He was hugging me tightly as if he didn’t want to lose me. Whenever he unconsciously loses me, he would search

for me around the mattress, still half asleep. And when he finally got hold of me, he would never let me escape. He would snuggle and en-velope me with his strong arms. I do enjoy this setting. How I wish this would never end. But I know that this could not last forever. He would still leave me, just like what the others did. But despite this, there is a little spark of hope within me, that he may be different among oth-ers. At the back of my mind, I could see a little tint of light in the midst of darkness, symbolizing the hope that he would not abandon me.

I saw him awake while looking at me closely with his tantalizing eyes. I felt transparent because of his stare, as if he could see through me. I heard a sigh of relief when he finally looked away then he jumped out of a bed after a quick look on his phone. When I sneaked a peak, all I saw was “4:07 AM.” A shadow of confusion enveloped me.

He left the room without saying anything. He left me as if I didn’t exist. He entered the bathroom with a blue bath towel placed on his lean shoulder. After about ten min-utes, he went out of the bathroom. He was wearing a green shirt, maong pants and blue Vans shoes. I somberly watched him walk away from me. I would like to call him but my mouth didn’t respond. Again, my calls were flooded by eerie silence. After a while, I heard footsteps descending the stairs. At that time, I could say that, really, he was leaving me. And there was no certainty that he would return to me.

Before I could shed my tears, a bizarre series of images flashed to view. I could see him but the images were blurred. I could hear clearly what they were talking about, as if I was in a 3-D room. He was running together with the people wearing the same attire. I was re-ally confused because some were laughing and taking pictures while others ran with determination and panic. I was worried so I screamed to call him but he continued running, as if he couldn’t hear me. The

scene shifted and the white smoke dissipated, revealing a room full of people. In front of the seated people, there was a man wearing a black uniform. He was like a teacher. He explained the functions of the different machines invented by a famous man in history.

Then a portrait of a man with white beard and knowing eyes startled me as it occupied the whole view. The character in the portrait shim-mered with yellow light and after a while, it changed into a woman dressed in black. She was smiling in a mysterious way and her e y e s seemed to follow me. I sighed in relief when the scene

shifted again. I saw him feeding cute rabbits and colorful koi fish around him. There were several

animals, both wild and tame. I gasped when I saw the pointed

teeth of

a t i g e r

o o z i n g with saliva. It

would snap my life off me. I covered

my eyes, waiting for the feline cat to devour me. After a minute, I slowly peeked between my fingers only to be astounded by a vast green land. The place was enchanting. The birds above the land soared as if they own the sky. Then a white boat appeared and I saw him beside a girl.

I thought the series of events was already done. I was wrong. I found myself staring inside a tourist bus. I spotted him leaning sleepily on his Jansport bag. The screeching tires and the gasps of the passengers devoured the silence. I saw the driver murmur indistinct words. The

passengers were thrown forward after the abrupt stop. They were lucky that the driver had great reflexes because without his quick ac-tions, they would have been involved in an accident concerning a mo-torcycle that stopped right in front of them, for no apparent reason.

Darkness suddenly engulfed the whole view. I just stared to nothing-ness. I blinked hard but I couldn’t close my eyes. And then I realized why I couldn’t blink; it was because my eyes were clamped shut. I opened my eyes and I was blinded by the light coming from the chandelier in the room. I realized that all of the images that I’ve seen were just a part of a dream. Probably, I accidentally fell into a deep slumber. The images felt so real. They were so vivid. I could tell the story of those images repeatedly. My eyeballs traveled around the room and they stopped on the old grandfather’s clock. It showed “10:00.” I looked closely at the gaps between the curtains, but all I saw was darkness. I concluded that it was ten in the evening. I could still remember when he left me. He ignored my cries of desperation.

I heard footsteps coming up the stairs. He was standing on the doorway looking at me. He did return. My heart danced with joy.

After a while, he changed his clothes into his pajamas. He dove on the bed and he hugged me.

“Oh I miss you, my pillow! You are so soft and comfy. After this tiring yet great day of our educational trip, I would like to sleep.” He said to me while yawning.

“Hey! Son, why are you talking to your pillow? Don’t tell me you also talk to your blanket.” His mother chuckled.

“Good night, Ma.” He murmured sleepily.

His mother left the room. He hugged me and he drifted to sleep.

“Good night.” I whispered.

I was sure he couldn’t hear me. I also fell into sleep with a wide smile plastered on my ‘face.’

Wings beneath her wheels

A Journey Worth A Million Steps Joshua Caringal

Miss Reyna Macaraig

a little bit of everything

. . . And the three inarguable beauties fought over the claim“For the Fairest”. . .

PARIS:Of all those praiseworthy gentlemen, why me?

What drives you to consult a simple man under this tree?Three fair ladies, whom will I choose?

State now your stand, come here, come close.

ATHENA:Young Prince Paris, mighty of all

You are the one who’s finest to callHailed as the best by my father Zeus

Oh Paris, oh Paris, it is I you must choose.

HERA:Oh mighty eligible Paris, don’t fall for her trickYou see it’s just a part of her dominating techniqueTrust no one, not those two, but me‘Cause I deserve the title “For the Fairest” of thee

ATHENA:Trick you, Young Paris? Never will I!

Not by me, but by a pathetic nagging wife!I, Athena, bow to your greatness

Choose me and you’ll be granted undefeatable duressHERA:Who’s more intelligent than a lady who often outwits Zeus?Isn’t it me who stands against the odds and never lose?It is undoubtedly true that power to owe the title lies within meJustifiable power that any mortal and any god could see

APHRODITE:Deserving for the title? It is none other than me!

Enough fighting, goddesses of marriage and wisdomDoesn’t matter how charming and dominating you could be

You can never ever defy what says the prophecy

Dear Paris, the greatest of all greats:

In your hands, I endow herThe mortals’ most beautiful girl

Indeed, there’s no one I’m referring toBut Helen of Sparta and her innocent allure.

When a butterfly doesn’t fly anymoreWould she still make sense?

Does the beauty that she bring in the past be missed?Would they even see her, even before she fades?

If that butterfly doesn’t fly anymoreShe will never ease the pain again, ‘I think?’

Her heart will never weep all over again, ‘I hope so’The happiness that she gives will be hers when she does.

‘would I?’If this butterfly doesn’t fly anymore

What would she be liked?A paralyzed, deaf, mute, or blind?

Will one even care if she becomes one?If I am a butterfly,

that chooses not to fly,How can I live?

...Without getting any ‘pain’ just to gain even a pinch of happiness.“What if I don’t care anymore?

Dear President Aquino,

Come, Sir feel my pain. Touch my soul, which in any second, would die of trauma. Reach out your hand for I could not take it anymore. Give me the chance to taste the life you and your gov-ernment are enjoying in the moment. Sir, truly I must say, in this past weeks I suffered greatly. Though I am small , I also became a victim of all of them. I don’t know who to blame. Should it be those men with guns who were continuously fighting or you and your companions who I saw in the TV sitting and talking? People may say that I don’t have the right to speak out my hidden suffer-ings, but let this letter be my voice and my friends’ I was full of hope you know. I waited for food, water, clothes and maybe some toys too. But nothing came in our area. Why is that? I know you did your best but I think it was not enough to protect all of us and sus- tain our needs. I guess you should add more effort to it for we are talking about the inno- cent lives that may die here. I trusted our government but what happened? My mother became a captive, my father is nowhere to be found, my siblings, and friends are dying out of starvation. Now, I’m all alone in this big world, crying my eyes out. Sir, I guess this country needs a better government. A government which can and should be of help and to protect its citizens. It should not let any war or misunderstandings happen. It must be a government which will not allow the death of innocent lives, like mine. All of these, I wish to come true to prevent the same mistake to happen. Thank you and good day.

From, Little Girl from Zamboanga

A blind man once asked me a favor. I eagerly said yes thinking that the favor would be a piece of cake like maybe getting him a glass of wa-ter or to guide him somewhere. “I’ve been asking people for quite some time now and they just seem to walk away,” he paused for a while. “I’m still here,” I said.” The blind man smiled and continued, “How does the color red look like?” I was silent

for a few moments. I didn’t know what to say. “Or perhaps what does it feel like?” He added. “How are you supposed to explain the feeling of a color?” said my brain. “What’s so special with the color red?” I asked. “You see, a little girl visits me every day, I asked her why she keeps doing it. She simply said that she was feel-ing red for me.” “Sir, red could mean a lot of things, but I honestly think

that her red means love because kids do that a lot.” I think my heart was speaking for itself. “And red feels warm. At least that’s what I think. Love gives me warmth no matter how cold my heart gets.” I added. He remains silent. “I think I feel a rainbow for you, Sir. And you’ll need another person to explain that for you. Goodbye!” I joked. He laughed and that made me feel wonderful.

Judgmentof

ParisChristine Mae Faltado / Kathleen Izza Marie Nopre

A blind’s questionMichaela Panopio

The Proud Ground

When a Butterfly, doesn’t fly anymore

Christel Anne Medrano

LITERARY

10 JUNE - OCTOBER 2013

at a different angle

I bear the weight of hundreds of vehicles eve-ry day. Rain or shine I’m left with no shade or um-brella. I might be old, dirty and dusty as always but I’m thankful that I lived long and witnessed peaceful revolutions throughout the century. For sure all of you know about the first EDSA Revolution as well as the second, I was there. Back then, I saw how the Filipino people fought and every time they would be gathering I saw no ordinary people but a horde of crusaders ready to face any danger for their beloved country. For a long time I’ve been holding on to the crusades of these people. I was strengthened, rebuilt, and re-paired; thanks to these people I was immortalized. And so days, years and decades have passed and I’ve been part of the daily lives of the sons, daughters, and grandchildren of these ordinary people and there’s no doubt, the new era has brought new struggles to people who don’t deserve such. Everyday the Filipino people works so hard to earn for a living. They undergo heavy traffics, walked in crowds of pedes-trians bumping and dealing with each other just to attend to their duties and responsibilities which are essen-tial for the sake of their families. There are also some who came from different provinces just to ven-ture job opportunities waiting for them here at the capital. These people are hard-working for a worthwhile reason and so the

thought that there are some who are jeopardizing their hardships just to soften theirs is something en-raging. Just recently the issues of the Pork-Barrel Scam had flood the news and newspapers arising people’s consciousness that their money and taxes are being evaded. Once again the gluttonous croc-odiles who are selfishly lurking in their mansions and condo units have been corrupting people’s money instead of allocating it for the problems that the Philippines is facing today. People are thirsty of justice and so once again I heard them shouting my name. The rampaging vehicles stopped for a while and I heard the familiar footsteps that I already heard before. From this inexplicable radiance that I’m feeling I know that bearing the weight of thou-sands of people gathered on top of me would make another history in the mere future. And as the foot-steps stopped, the people shouted “No to Pork-Bar-rel!!!”. This is a wonderful sight and their clamour

brought my ears back to life after being numb due to the horns of the vehicles that passed on me every day.

Yes, I’m being passed by every day, I’m being stepped on but I am a Proud Ground because whenever issues arises the Filipino masses would assemble and shout

my name, “EDSA tayo!”. I might be a simple adobe with a mixture of cement and asphalt

on top but my name itself is my wonder. How about you? Do you have the guts to clamour on

top of me? Then together let’s make history.

Letterto the

PresidentTrigelyn Aclan

Rey Emmanuel Ilagan

Being a mayor isn’t an easy task. We can hear this meticulous line in

a promising speech of every candidate during Miting de Avance but everyone will agree that it is a profound truth es-pecially in the situation of a mayor. Now let’s hear some of his platforms and strate-gies on how he is handling the whole Bauan.

The Leaf: How would you rate yourself being the mayor of Bauan?

Mayor: A Mayor is not a spe-cial person compared to ordi-nary people of a town or city. He eats, he pays, he thinks, he sleeps and he works. As the mayor of Bauan, I could not please all the people; whether I perform well or not, whether I work hard or not, whether tell the truth or not. The only thing I am proud of about be-ing the mayor of our town is I lead a team of dedicated, hardworking and unselfish lo-cal government officials and employees for the develop-ment and progress of Bauan in a transparent manner that even common people can ap-preciate. I may not be a per-fect mayor, but I am a hard-

working mayor!

The Leaf: Being the youngest mayor elected in the Philippine history, what could you say as your most important contribu-tion in Bauan, particularly in the government of Bauan?

Mayor: Age is not a hindrance for anyone who wishes to serve his town and his people, and I have strongly proven this when I was elected mayor of Bauan in 2007. As for the con-tribution which I consider the most important, I would say that it should be the comple-tion of the construction of the new municipal hall of Bauan.

The Leaf: What are the future plans for Bauan in this term as you leave your seat, what legacy will you leave to all Batanguenos?

Mayor: A number of admin-istration had dreamed and planned of having a grand ter-minal in the Poblacion area and transferring the Bauan East Central School in a loca-tion that is more conducive for studying. This I think will be the legacy I will give our people as I complete the third term of career as mayor of Bauan.

The Leaf: As a graduate of STC Catholic Schol, how do you ap-ply the core values of being a Teresian to your leadership or management?

Mayor: As a Teresian, I cher-ish the values our alma mater had taught us. Of these val-ues, I employ the belief and trust in Our Lord in each and every undertaking I do. Al-though some of my decisions may not coincide with the thinking of others whether in public, private or even from the church, my leadership and management style will remain unchanged because wat I am doing is right and in accord-ance with the values I have learned from our school.

The Leaf: I know that as a mayor, you have many plans for your constituents in Bauan, Batangas. Which are the most important ones?

Mayor: In all I do, I always want only the best for our people: in health, peace and safety, prosperity and pro-ductivity. But by doing this, there were certain things that were inadvertently overlooked. So now, the important thing I

consider is helping our people in all the way the local govern-ment can without sac-rificing other equally-important matters in running the lo-cal government. With the help and understanding of our constituents, we want to receive the “Seal of Good Housekeep -ing” (SGH) not only for the lo-cal govern-ment but for all our people!

The Leaf: Good governance at any level requires the strong support of constituents. To get this support, what values, policies and virtues do you espouse in your own city and what programs do you have (or are planning to have) to apply them?

Mayor: Well said; good gov-ernance requires the strong support of the populace or the constituents! This is tanta-mount to securing the Seal of Good Housekeeping and to get

this, we plan to educate our people, starting with the ba-rangay captains, in planning well their budgets and not al-ways asking the local govern-ment for what they need. Self-reliance is the name of the game and this is the game we will play.

Behind this developing town – Bauan, is a leader who wants to prove people that good gov-ernance will lead to advance-ment. And let’s see how Mayor Ryanh Dolor will fulfill his promise in his last term.

A Ruler’s RoleKimberley Ilagan

Bauan Police Combats CrimeAlenna Dawn Magpantay

Chikungunya: Newfangled BeguilerKimberley Ilagan

BAUAN - This town of 81, 351 residents has again proven itself as a safe place

to live in. Ranking from 5th to 3rd among the Class A mu-

nicipalities in Region IV-A, Bauan edged out through

the combined efforts of the policemen and citizens,

p roac t ive measures with dif-

f e r e n t incidents, and increased arrests in the ille-

gal drugs, illegal gambling, and index crimes. This ranking improvement is

attributed to the drop of crime figures and boost in crime solution efficiency.

According to the Comparative Crime Statistics re-leased by the Bauan Municipal Po-lice Station, improvement has been found in the first half of this year. The report specifically covers the results of non-index crimes which decreased at 35%. Other than this, the rating on Crime Solution Effi-ciency increased from 48% to 58%. Out of 45 cases inves-tigated, 26 were solved registering 58% as compared to only 48% last year. Crime solution and clearance efficien-cies notched remarkable increases since case conferenc-es conducted were proved to be of great help to probers of the station. Another notable achievement is the record of

After an immersion in a far province, Faye is suffer-ing from a severe fever. She is experiencing headache, fatigue, nausea, vomiting and rashes can be observed around her body. She feels very weak. Now her mother says that it was dengue but when they went to the hospital to consult the doctor, they found out that Faye is being ill with a different sickness. “Let’s go to the doctor. Surely that’s dengue.” says the con-cerned Mrs. Cabalfin. Do you relate in Faye’s story? Or do you know some-one in the same situation? Or haven’t you encountered other people with symptoms similar with Faye’s condition.

Certainly, many of us will think that it is dengue. But it’s definitely not. Rather, it is CHIKUNGUNYA.

What is Chikungunya? Chikungunya is said to be a newfangled

beguiler or an impostor of dengue. Chikun-gunya is a viral syndrome transferred to

hu - mans by the bite of infect-ed Aedes Aegypti mos-quitoes. Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) was first

isolated from the blood of a fe-brile pa-

tient in Tanzania in 1953, and has numerous cases has been identified repeatedly in west, central and southern Africa and many areas of Asia, and has been cited as the cause of many human epidemics in those areas since that time. How is it different from dengue?Aedes mosquito spread both viral infections - Chikungunya and dengue fever. From the bites of female mosquitos, the viruses are transmitted from human to human. A mosquito carrying either virus can infect more than a dozen people in its lifetime. The Aedes aegypti is more likely to spread dengue and the Aedes albopictus, the chikungunya virus. However, both types of mosquitoes can spread both diseases. Fortunately, Chikungunya is rarely fatal and is a self-limiting disease. It is not as dangerous as Dengue. The in-cubation period from a bite to onset of symptoms can be anywhere between 1 to 12 days. Its symptoms are similar to Dengue which include fever, chills, headache, nausea, vomiting, and joint pains. Symptoms can last between 3 and 10 days. According to World Health Oganization, CHIKV some clinical signs with dengue, and can be misdiagnosed in areas where dengue is common. There is no cure for the disease. Treatment is focused on relieving the symptoms. Spread of Chikungunya.

unimaginable but doable objective of zero violent incidents during the election period.

The favorable downtrend of crime incidents could be attributed to the aggressive an-ti-criminality campaign of the sta-tion and the active support of the local government units despite its limited resources and capabilities.

To maintain this, the station will pursue its anti-crime programs

including: conducting regular/initiated check points in stra-tegic areas aside from mobile/foot Patrols; maximum de-ployment of PNP personnel in places of convergence; reg-ular meeting with Barangay Chairmen and tanods for joint ronda operation; enlisting names of apartment occupants for efficient monitoring, and regular inspection in vital/criti-cal infrastructures.

To address problems in crime prevention, control, and suppression, officers are daily deployed at Bauan Parish Church, Poblacion 2, vicinity of Buendia St. corner Kapitan Ponso St., Poblacion 4, Bauan Public Market, Po-blacion 3, and other Poblacion areas and nearby baran-gays for immediate responses.

All of these were reported by Bauan’s acting Chief of Police. PSupt Renato Cantos-Mercado, who was just appointed July 15 of this year. He encourages the public for its continual support to the PNP’s drives. As for his view on Bauan’s ranking, he thinks investment is a must on the part of the local government in order to recruit new police-men, select them orderly, and increase salary. He and his colleagues live by the PNP motto, “To serve and protect.”

JUNE - OCTOBER 2013 11beyond stc

Health Alert:

VOL. XLVII NO. 1 JUNE-OCTOBER 2013VOL. XLVII NO. 1 JUNE-OCTOBER 2013

John Dowell Garcia led the Crusaders with 14 spikes, and was also compacted with his ag-gressive toss and block in the 1st set. The Cru-saders defense also had assistance from mighty setter Erist Gelera, and powerful spiker Kit John Paul Eleda resulting STC to conquer the set. The sets were back

and forth, until the Brahmans built their firm defense on 3rd set. Crusaders assaulted to destroy Brahman’s aegis but their power was not enough to rub them out. The game was finished, giving the set to the op-ponent. Blazing set was started in 4th set. Eve-ryone held their breath.

S PORT S E D I TOR IALS PORT S E D I TOR IAL

Top of the lineFIBA World Cup has come, and Filipinos once again proved that we still have the ‘guts’ in terms of team competitions, bas-ketball to be specific. Recently, our very own Smart Gilas Pilipinas paved their way as they bagged the silver medal and se-cured their position in the next year’s FIBA World Cup in Spain. Over the past four decades, Philippines has not guaran-teed a spot in this prestigious event. This victory has made the Philippines leap-ing 11 places higher in the latest FIBA Ranking Men. The Philippines climbed from 45th to 34th, and became the fourth best team in Asia behind China, Iran, and South Korea.

With the Philippines’ good performance in sports, like football and basketball, there is an increase in funding support and private sponsorship for Philippine sports teams. This is certainly a big help for the Filipino sports delegates who compete internationally.

The recently concluded FIBA World Cup 2013 acquired much attention, perhaps be-cause basketball is one of the Filipinos’ fa-vourite pastimes. Gilas Pilipinas is back to its winning ways, and this could clearly be seen in this international tournament. The team qualified for the finals, together with Iran. In the previous match over Korea, Gilas Pilipinas has shown their eagerness to win. “Laban Pilipinas! PUSO!” – a chant which may be clumsy, but proven the team’s co-ordination, unity, and hardwork. They won over Korea. Well, “Puso” is what they’ve got, and what they’ve had all throughout. “Puso lang!”

Though Gilas Pilipinas was trodden by Iran and clutched the second place, it is still an honor to compete in the finals of this prominent event. Indeed, Filipinos must be proud of the team, and make them as inspi-ration for the upcoming sports events inter-nationally. Their unity, hardwork, and coop-eration are great factors for their winning. The team attested that our country still have the ‘guts’ to win.

We salute the team Smart Gilas Pilipi-nas!

Crusaders shatter Brahmans STC Crusaders demolished their foes, UB Brahmans (25-21, 25-19, 22-25, 26-24) last September 15 giving them the 3rd place at University of Batangas’ Gymnasium in USCAA Men’s Volleyball Semi-Finals.

Each team swapped whipping spikes, slash-ing digs, razing tosses, quenching kills and brawny sets. Eagerness to win the set ruled the play. Every team starved to take home the victory. But Crusaders ammuni-tion wracked the Brah-mans. Defensively, Garcia led the firing game with 33 murderous spikes, 10 scourging tosses, and

5 flogging blocks. “Kaya kami ay nanalo dahil nagkaroon kami ng pag-kakaisa. Worth it yung pagod namin kahit pa-paano. Nageffort kaming lahat kaya nasuklian ng pagkapanalo ang hirap namin. Balak naming ipagpatuloy an g aming nakamit na pagkapana-lo sa sunod pang mga laro”, he appended.

/ Mark Allan Adalia / Abegail Arevalo

AIMING TO ACE. Kit Eleda (middle blocker) of STC Crusaders strikingly spiked the ball against opponents.

Shuttler aces for finals, 2-1 Saint Pedro Calungsod Hall - STC’s badminton player Karl Lauro Cor-dero whipped IHMSV, 15-9 in the third set, during the 17th US-CAA Ball Games Semi-Finals, Badminton Sin-gles B, Sept. 15.

Cordero showed his determination to win even from the start of the set. With power-ful smashes, compelling aces, and drop shots, he made the first set within his control, ending it by 21-12.

The opponent’s fortitude became visible

in the second set. Cor-dero still managed to overcome his opponent’s power, but still he wasn’t able to be persistent. *Imma school abbre-viation*, with a vigorous smash, finished the 2nd set, 18-21.

Series of dazzling moves by STC shuttler flaunted the court, thus making the third set in his dominance again. Imma made lots of errors and faults, which also contributed to the point advantage of STC player. Game ends, 15-9.

/ Maribeth Tumambing

GEARED UP. To heighten the excitement in the opening of USCAA, UB, the host school amazed the audience with the breathtaking stunts and lifts by its cheering squad.

Winning and losing comes along to-gether, in terms of sports and athlet-ics. Winning arises with the feeling of glory. Losing on the other hand comes with disappointment.

But can we call the term “disqualification” as a defeat of one’s game? Is there justice if such dis-qualification comes by protecting your own pride or your team’s pride? This happened to Coach Bo Pera-sol when Ateneo Blue Eagles was disqualified due to his imprudence on court.

Coach Bo Perasol was insulted when a delegate of the De La Salle Green Archers mocked and offend-ed Perasol’s team with their loss against the Archers. Having the feeling of despair with his team’s losing and the mockery that offended him, Perasol charged the delegate causing his team to be disqualified for the rest of the games.

Can we consider Perasol’s act as a tactless move? Or can we call his act as a defensive one? All of us can be harsh when it comes to protecting our pride. Maybe, this was the feeling why Coach Pera-sol assaulted the delegate. He was just protecting his pride as a coach and even the pride of his team. We can still call Perasol’s act as a defensive one.

On the other hand, the delegate’s act should not be tolerated. He shouldn’t have insulted the los-ing team even though he was on the winning side. He should have complimented them because still, the Blue Eagles had given them a good play to watch.

As a summary, we should have intact on our sportmanship in terms of playing. No insults should be done by any player. We should all consider that the essence of games and sports does not depend on either who will win or will lose; it’s on the attitude on how we will take these terms, winning and losing, as a positive thing and not a negative one.

Pisikalan

Mark Allan Adalia

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