3 8

HERstory: Forgotten
MSUans Women in History
embark
history with
Danas 2023

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF MINDANAO STATE UNIVERSITY - COLLEGE OF EDUCATION TRAINING DEPARTMENT, GENERAL SANTOS CITY VOLUME XXXIII NUMBER 1 | AUGUST 2022 - MARCH 2023

MSU-CETD students
put in their hands
for Mangrove Tree Planting
by CONNIE BERGONIO

M
embers of the Junior Ecologist Movement and of
the Science Club planted 70 Mangrove seedlings
to protect mother nature in line with the World
Wetlands Day Celebration in Zone 6, Bula
Mangrove Sanctuary on Wednesday, February 22,
2023.

Fifty-six students of Mindanao State University-College

of Education Training Department (MSU-CETD) participated
in a Mangrove Tree Planting prepared by the Junior Ecologist
Movement, in collaboration with the Science Club. Mrs. Aida
Docena, club adviser of the Junior Ecologist Movement, and Mrs.
Ammabel Alza, club adviser of the Science Club, accompanied
the said students.

As they arrived, Mr. Marlon Salmorin of Zone 6 Small

Fishermen Association oriented the students about the purpose
of Mangrove trees. He said that they serve as protection against
storms, a habitat for animals, and also filters pollutants.
Salmorin also mentioned about the four varieties available in the
sanctuary, the “Bakawan”, “Bungalon”, “Pagatpat”, and “Tungog”.
He demonstrated the proper way of planting these seedlings as
well. It is by taking one fourth of the length of the seedling then
sticking it to the mud and in making appropriate distance of one
foot apart.

Andrea Aban, president of the Science Club said "It was

one of the best moments of a lifetime. Not only was I able to
contribute to our environment conducive to live in but I was
also able to learn more about the importance of mangrove tree SAVING EARTH, SAVING OURSELVES. In celebration of the World Wetlands Day, students from MSU-CETD plant mangrove seedlings
planting and get the chance to bond with other participants." last February 22, 2023 at Zone 6, Bula Mangrove Sanctuary to protect marine life and have barriers against strong typhoons.
photo take by Feevol Into
While the vice president of the Junior Ecologist Movement,
Keisha Pantoja said “When it was time to plant the mangroves,
I had to remove my slippers and walk towards the sticky and National Women's Month: WE for gender equality
muddy planting site. All of us were in the mud but it was really by ANTONIA CLARISSE SUAN

T
fun.” Through this experience, the students not only made a
huge contribution in improving our environment’s health but he 2023 National Women's Month Celebration introduces a new recurrent theme from this year to 2028: WE for gender
equality and an inclusive society, signalling a turning point in the growth of women's rights. The 2016–2022 theme, WE
also created memories and relationships for them to treasure. Make CHANGE Work for Women, which emphasized the need for caring and coordinated networks to advance gender
equality and women's empowerment, inspires a fresh commitment to activism and builds on the successes made during
that time (GEWE).
The recurring theme also lines up with the Philippine Development Plan 2023–2028, which emphasizes that growth must
be inclusive, creating an environment that offers equal call for urgent action to double the efforts toward this absolute
opportunities to all Filipinos and equipping them with skills aspiration. In the Global Gender Gap Report, at the current rate
to fully participate in an innovative and globally competitive of progress, with the global gender gap being closed by only
society, in order to "reinvigorate job creation and accelerate 68.1%, it will take 132 years to reach gender equality worldwide,
poverty reduction by steering the economy back on a high- a stark difference from the figure of 99.5 years in the 2020
growth path." report. Hence, this means that none of us, or most likely many
The world begins this new era of the National Women’s of our children, will see gender parity in our lifetimes. But not
Month Celebration with the hope and ambition that WE are all all hope is gone because our right for gender equality today is
for Gender Equality, WE are all for an inclusive society. for a better and more inclusive tomorrow, albeit not in the next
WE stands for Women and Everyone emphasizing the role generations.
of women themselves and everyone in the pursuit of gender The term gender equality is also preceded by the word

5
The Two equality. WE also stands for Women’s Empowerment, which
can only be achieved when agencies, mechanisms, institutions,
“for”, signifying our call to women and everyone to vote for,
take action on, and promote equality and inclusivity.
Sides of Our private partners, and duty-bearers from the national to the
local level provide women equal rights and opportunities, and
Inclusive society. This is a call not only for a gender-
responsive society but an inclusive one. A society that overrides
Technological women take these opportunities to further themselves. With differences in SOGIE, class, ability, generation, status, and
Coin women and everyone in synergy, WE can make gender equality
a possibility.
culture; a society where every individual, each with rights
and responsibilities, has an active role to play. Equality and
Gender Equality. Gender equality is the first half inclusion go hand-in-hand in the GEWE advocacy.
of the GEWE advocacy, and it is the ultimate goal when we
advance the rights of women. Thus, the theme bearing this is a

PH REPRESENT. Bea Clarisse Miase presents Project Binhi during the Chili Padi Together-
Gather event last Sept 24-26, 2022 at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It aimed at raising action and
promoting youth movement for environental problems and how it affects our IP communities.
photo retrieved from Bea Clarisse Miase

by the numbers
MSUan partakes in int'l environmental conference

72.5%
by KRISTINA MANALO

B
earing the name of Mindanao State University- General Santos City (MSU-GSC) and the
country, Bea Clarisse Miase, a STEM 12- Euler student, partook in the Chili Padi Academy -
"Together- Gather" Conference held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on September 23-26 last year.
The said conference was project — "Project Binhi: campaign in the first phase,
an environmental education Kabataang Konektado sa an immersion in the second
accelerator program for Bayan" — which particularly phase, and a mangrove
Senior High School students aims to create a space for the planting in the last phase.
aged 16-21 from various Asian youth and the IPs to produce The accelerator program
of the total population in countries including Malaysia, a sustainable change in the virtually started on June 18
the Philippines are social Indonesia, Singapore, and community. The project to July 16, 2022 and Miase
media users as Philippines. consisted three phases: the was one of the 11 selected
Miase, along with 14 Head, Heart, and Hands. participants, four of which
of January 2023. other participants, has been They conducted an online came from the Philippines.
source: datareportal.com implementing their proposed webinar series and awareness
art by dohniero lozano
SPIRE | THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF MINDANAO STATE UNIVERSITY - COLLEGE OF EDUCATION TRAINING DEPARTMENT, GENERAL SANTOS CITY VOLUME XXXIII NUMBER 1 | AUGUST 2022 - MARCH 2023

news
YOUTH EMPOWERMENT. Mindanao State University - College of
Education Training Department conducted a one-day Leadership
Seminar at the Audio Visual Room last February 8, 2023. The event was
done to showcase the importance of developing one's skills especially
in showcasing one's leadeship prowess. photo taken by Feevol Into

MSUans,
The Leaders
of Tomorrow:
Leadership Seminar With
SK Federation President,
Hon. John Salvador
Demdam
by FEEVOL INTO

N elson Mandela once said, "The youth of today are the leaders of
tomorrow."
Leading is not a smooth-sailing course. The pandemic
has placed a profound strain on students' ability to lead and
communicate. Many activities were postponed, and students have
had to adapt. After two school years of online learning, face-to-face
classes have finally been reinstated. The search for the next student
leaders has been inaugurated. Who will be the next leaders of the
student body?
As the school year 2022-2023 began, clubs and organizations
emerged from dormancy and selected their leaders as new
activities and ventures awaited the student body. On February
8, 2023, the Supreme Student Government of MSU-CETD, led
by SSG President Sharie Allyna Colano, arranged a leadership
seminar with the SSG, classroom, club officiers, and student police
invited the Sangguniang Kabataan Federation President and City
Councilor, Hon. John Salvador Demdam, as the resource speaker on
leadership at the graduate school AVR. He imparted his expertise
and experiences and focused on “Being an effective student leader”
and “How to properly conduct parliamentary meetings”. During
the seminar, he emphasized, "Lead with a sense of purpose and
passion." This was a profound learning experience for student
leaders, as it served as a stepping stone to inspire the student body
and involve them in their advocacies and mission toward a brighter
future.
Sharie Allyna Colano, the SSG President, said, “As a student
leader conducting a seminar with the goal of improving the
leadership we have in ourselves is very beneficial. It improves our
communication skills and critical thinking, and we are able to gain
knowledge and wisdom about leadership such as parliamentary
meetings. Also, we are able to share our experiences with our peers
and we can gain lessons from them. Conducting a seminar for the
leaders is a big step towards embodying and molding great leaders
in our future.” We can profess that having the Leadership Seminar,
especially with Hon. John Salvador Demdam, is a turning point
for MSU-CETD student leaders to be better and “Be the leaders of
tomorrow”.

SHS dep't flaunts in Opening Salvo by CHORENA GRACE LORANIA

T
o formally kick off the return of face-to-face classes after the 2-year long pandemic, Mindanao
State University- General Santos City (MSU-GSC) welcomes the students back on campus
through the “Kalinaw! Dayon Kamo” Opening Salvo Celebration last September 12, 2022.

The main ceremony held
at the University Gym featured
a Cheering competition, Group
TikTok Dance Challenge,
Organization Fair, Creative
Denim and Headpiece
competition. There were also
bonus contests such as the Best
Balik Eskwela Attire and Best
Balik Eskwela Groufie.
Despite the abrupt
Dance contest and Creative
Denim and Headpiece
competition. Mika Hamajo
and Dohniero Lozano of
STEM 12- Euler earned a win
by presenting their dragon-
inspired headpiece and denim
fit which was collectively
crafted by the SHS design
team. Meanwhile, the dancers,
spearheaded by Denisse
with the trendy TikTok music.
Aside from the main
ceremony at the University
Gym, a mini-program for the
students entitled “Pagsindi:
Pag-abiabi” was also organized
within the Siklab building to Clubs launch Diversity,
encourage social connection
between them as the new
school year commences. It
Mapeh Day celebration
included various activities and by DAVID LAXAMANA

M
preparation, the Senior High Tocao of ABM 12- Ford, Rene games such as tug of war, sack
School department managed Amantillo Jr., Cyd Basan, race, longest line, blind date, indanao State University — College of
to bag three awards during and James Baluso of STEM photo booth, and club booths, Education Training Department (MSU-
the ceremony namely Most 12- Euler, Roi Jorideco and which were all set at the CETD) , in collaboration with the MAPEH,
Organized College and 1st Elmer Octa of STEM 12- Gauss building’s library. Future Homemakers of the Philippines
Runner ups in both TikTok showcased their dancing skills (FHP), and Araling Panlipunan Club, successfully
launched the Diversity and Mapeh Day Celebration
ROARING, SOARING, SLAYING. Dohniero Lozano and Mika Hamajo of the Senior High School department bag with aims to recognize the history and culture of
the first spot for the modeling competition during the schoolwide Opening Salvo. The two students unleash their Filipinos.
competitiveness in the said event, which made their department roar as they sparked the first win for the SHS.
photo taken by Jhyztin Kyrr Vallestero
The Cultural Week kick-started with
Diversity Day on March 8, 2023, with the theme
"Pagkakaisa sa Harap ng Pagkakaiba–iba", initiating
Legends grab awards on Quizmas Challenge 2022 by DOHNIERO LOZANO a celebration of the places and tribal motifs of
Filipinos in the islands of Luzon, Visayas, and

S
enior High School department achieved another victory before the year ended as Alexie Flores, Jessie Bagatela Jr., and Yaj Nabing from STEM 12 - Euler
placed second in the Quiz Show category during the Quizmas Challenge of the University of the Philippines SOCCSKSARGEN, held at SM City General
Santos Trade Hall on December 28, 2022.
“In the intermediate round, we only
answered 3 out of 9 questions correctly, which
made us doubt that we would win, but it must
have been our moment because we scored 30
points in the difficult round that clinched the
competition,” said Bagatela.
Bagatela, along with his fellow group
members, did not expect to win as there were
20 equally-competent teams in the contest
and the students garnered few points during
the early rounds of the quiz. However, they
managed to take over the spots as they scored
high in the difficult level of the competition.
Another team from the same
department, composed of Sophia Abaquita,
Rene, Jr. Amantillo, and Dohniero B. Lozano
from STEM 12 - Euler, also participated to test
their general knowledge about the region’s
recent happenings and heritage in the same
category alongside teams from various
schools located in Region 12.
A BOLT FROM THE BLUE. Three students from senior high school
department prevail during the UP SOX QUIZMAS Challenge held last
December 28, 2022. With little to no preparations, the students still
managed to secure the second (2nd) place.
photo retrieved from Quizmas Challenge Facebook page
With its 16th-year theme,
“BANYUHAY: Blossoming Into the
Holistic Youth," the Quizmas Challenge
aimed to display the skills and
capacities of the region’s youth. Student
participants were encouraged to share
their capabilities and formulate new
ideas about the region’s arts and culture
through contests such as the Quiz Show,
the Spelling Bee, and the Poster-Making
Competition.
As stated in their publication
materials, UP SOCCSKSARGEN sought
to fulfill the two goals which included
the promotion of better cultural and
socio-political awareness in Region XII
and Mindanao as well as the extension
of services to the youth of the region
by initiating activities to connect with
them such as presenting fun-learning
activities.
Mindanao.
"To celebrate our roots is to commemorate
where we come from and make us appreciate them
highly now." Araling Panlipunan Club President
Richner Valila remarked.
Following Valila's opening remarks, the
"Cook-Off" competition of grade levels 7 and 8,
officially started, aiming to showcase the culinary
cuisine and day-to-day meals of the region. The
event proceeded with the three houses, "Masskara",
"Panagbenga", and "Kalilangan" competing against
their "House Trailer", "Hand Painting Mural", and
"Museum Exhibit", where they showcased the
different treasures, landmarks, and region's theme
of the birthplace of the respective festivals.
MAPEH Day followed on March 10, 2023
where each grade council performed with different
genres of dances starting with the Grade 7's
Philippine folk dances, Grade 9's social dances,
Grade 10's dances of the World, and a finale with
the Grade 8's Kalilangan festival dance.
The event came to a close with the
announcement of the official winners with
the house of "Masskara" emerging as "Overall
Champions", followed by "Panagbenga", and the
house of "Kalilangan" .

R
ed Cross Youth (RCY) of Mindanao State University - College of Education Training Department (MSU-CETD), in collaboration with Disaster Risk
RCY, DRRMC-MSU Reduction and Management Council (DRRMC) of MSU system, conducted Disaster Management and Risk Reduction Orientation at MSU-CETD Covered
conduct Disaster Court last March 15, from 1:30pm - 5pm.
Management and Risk Approximately 250 Junior 7-10, facilitated by the school nurse several fire-fighting methods. In speaker for Disaster Risk and
Reduction Orientation High School students of MSU- in collaboration with the RCY club. addition to being engaging, some Management Orientation, also talked
by RITCHIE JR. TUPAS CETD attended the said orientation Francis Antopina, EMT, one of kids even had the chance to take about the safety measures needed in
that aimed at helping the school, the resource speakers, talked about part in the demonstration so that schools and do's and don'ts in terms
employees and students to be fire safety and demonstrated various we could completely understand of natural disaster, calamities, and
prepared in case of emergencies ways and measures whenever fire what we had learned," Gerby Dame accidents.
and disaster due to natural hazards occurs and students were also taught Malinog, one of the JHS, present The said activity was conducted
or man made causes to protect on how to use the fire extinguisher. during the activity, expressed her to assess students about fire safety
themselves from personal injury. "The activity was entertaining amazement on the said event. lectures and drill that helps students
The participants from the said and informative, but my favorite part Maychelou Castillo,LPT know what to do in the face of
event were students from grades was when Sir Francis demonstrated (UDRRM TWG Chairman), keynote danger.

FIRE PREVENTION IS SELF PROTECTION. Bryan James Sales, a student from Mindanao State University - College of Education and Training Department, volunteers to
try and use a fire extinguisher during the fire drill conducted last March 15, 2023 at the CETD campus. photo retrieved from Red Cross Youth MSU-CETD
 news 03
SPIRE | THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF MINDANAO STATE UNIVERSITY - COLLEGE OF EDUCATION TRAINING DEPARTMENT, GENERAL SANTOS CITY
VOLUME XXXIII NUMBER 1 | AUGUST 2022 - MARCH 2023

Legends embark history with Danas 2023

by EUNICE TAYONE

F
or the first time in Mindanao State University - General Santos City
(MSU-GSC) Senior High School history, students hosted a documentary
filmmaking event entitled Pista ng Pelikulang Siklab: Danas 2023, held at
the MSU - CETD Audiovisual Room, January 21–22.

Led by Mr. Yancy Tonio Dizon and in participation with the grade 12
students of STEM Gauss, STEM Wiles, ABM Ford, and HUMSS Comte, the
production teams were divided into three, which then prompted the creation of
12 documentaries.
With the event’s main tagline, “Panatagin ang mga bulabog at bulabugin
ang mga panatag,” the documentaries tackled people’s (and even dogs)
hardships faced in their lives, aiming to amplify the voices of the minorities.

"
Ito kasi ang pinakatunguhin ng
Komunikasyon at Pananaliksik [sa
Kultura at Wikang Pilipino]–ang
pagkakaroon ng kombersasyon sa
mga isyu na hindi natin napapansin
at nakikita. Sa pamamagitan ng
komunikasyon, nasisimulan ang tugon
at pananaliksik. ‘Yung output nila ang
magsisimula ngayong mambulabog
sa mga panatag. Ang bunga nito,
kapag nagkaroon na ng talakayan ay
magiging paraan para maririnig ang
mga kubli sa laylayan.
- Mr. Yancy Dizon, Project Adviser

Documentary film experts Gabriel Carmelo, Maryll Dame Delposo, and

BEHIND THE LENSES. Senior high school students of Mindanao State University - General Santos held a culminating activity
last January 21-22, 2023 at the CETD Audio Visual Room, to commemorate the lives of the people residing in General Santos. The
struggles and adversities of the locals are highlighted, especially those that are not being talked about in a normal day-to-day.
photo taken by Eunice Dela Cruz
Annaliz Cabrido were invited to judge the 12 documentaries and were given
the chance to share their experiences and stories with the students during the
awarding ceremony.
The 1st Best Film was awarded to “Lakó” of Kalimbahin Films from
HUMSS Comte, followed by “Tommy” of Ang Balintataw Productions from ABM
Ford as 2nd, “Uhaw Na Naman Sila” of Bugtao Productions from STEM Gauss
as 3rd, “Kasaysayan at Kasalukuyan ng Espeho” of Vijaheng Marilag from ABM
Ford as 4th, and lastly, “Pakol” by AlpaSilakbo Productions from HUMSS Comte
as 5th.
Special awards were Best Poster for “Tommy” of Balintataw Productions,
Best in Editing for “Uhaw Na Naman Sila” of Bugtao Productions, Best in
Musical Scoring for “Kasaysayan at Kasalukuyan ng Espeho” of Vijaheng
Marilag, Best Trailer for “The Great Kodakers” of Balangaw Productions; Best
Cinematography for “Kasaysayan at Kasalukuyan ng Espeho” of Vijaheng
Marilag; Best Storyline for “Lakó” of Kalimbahin Films; Best Director for Joieryn
Robles of Balintataw Productions, and Best Screenplay for “Lakó” of Kalimbahin
Films.
Moreover, Sir Dizon said he wished to continue the Pista ng Pelikulang
Siklab: Danas 2023 for the next school year.

STEM studes bag silver in team quiz competition by SOPHIA ABAQUITA

R
ene, Jr. Amantillo and Xandara Marie Florentino of STEM 12 - Euler, and Ishmael II Marohom of STEM 11- Ganymede,
together with their coach ma’am Estrelleta Maningcara, got the second place spot in the virtual Team Quiz Bee
Competition - Senior High School Category held on November 7, 2022 in Zoom and Quizizz application platforms.
In celebration of the United tested on easy, average, and difficult The event also covered other
Nations Month, San Pedro College rounds. contests including the English
Internationalization and Linkages The three student quizzers Extemporaneous Speaking
Office held "CONCORDIA: Overcoming battled their wits and intellect in Competition, Essay Writing
Barriers To Peace Through Culture" the event’s Category B with several Competition, Domini Canis Debate
from October 14, 2022 to November 7, Senior High Schools around Mindanao Cup, Flag Making Contest, and Photo
2022. The said event was participated as they showcased their knowledge Contest along with the respective
in by groups of three students from about the United Nations' associates, mechanics and guidelines of the
varied grade levels of high schools and origins, latest episodes, and the 2030 activities revealed during its opening
colleges as the registered teams were Sustainable Development Goals. ceremony on October 14, 2022.

Kadtinabangay Donation Drive: Groups provide aid

to Paeng victims in Mindanao by ANTONIA CLARISSE SUAN
COMPASSION TO ACTION. With the initiative to alleviate the adversity

V
arious school organizations throughout Mindanao joined forces to donate much-needed goods for the aid of Typhoon Paeng of Bagyong Paeng victims, MSU-CETD amalgamated with other school
victims in the region. The goods were dropped off at Mindanao State University — College of Education Training Department organizations in KADTINABANGAY Donation Drive led by the University Peace
(MSU-CETD) and on November 12, goods were shipped out to the affected areas in Southern Mindanao spearheaded by Sharie Champions of MSU – GSC in General Santos City last November 2022. The
Allyna Colano, SSG President of MSU-CETD. These donations were collected through the Kadtinabangay donation drive, a campus- campaign's achievement is a proof that the community's spirit of bayanihan and
wide initiative that was led by the University Peace Champions of MSU – GSC that is under the auspices of Institute of Peace and compassion is still thriving. photo retrieved from MSU-GSC Pre-Med Society
Development in Mindanao (IPDM) in collaboration with different organizations and schools in General Santos City.
The Kadtinabangay donation drive launched by the Supreme The success of the Kadtinabangay donation drive would not have been place on November 9, 2022, at the IPDM Office.
Student Government (SSG) of the University of the Philippines Cebu possible without the efforts of the SSG and their partners, including The success of the Kadtinabangay donation drive is a testament
(UPC) has been proven to be a huge success. Thanks to the generosity the Institute of Public and Development Management (IPDM), and the to the spirit of bayanihan and compassion that is alive and well in the
and support of the community, the university also pledged to continue Office of the Chancellor of UPC. community. The SSG and their partners extend their heartfelt thanks
providing support and assistance to those who need it the most. The in-kind donations were handed over to the Maguindanao to everyone who donated and supported the campaign. Together we
The SSG also received a significant amount of monetary State University (MSU) for distribution to the typhoon victims. The have made a positive impact on the lives of those who were affected by
donations, which were sent through GCASH to designated accounts. MSU Vice Chancellor was present during the handover, which took Typhoon Paeng.

Red Cross Youth in Empowering with Lifesaving Skills and Knowledge by ANTONIA SUAN

M
indanao State University — College of Education Training Department (MSU-CETD) Red Cross Youth (RCY) participated in the BFP Region XII
Fire Square Roadshow & Art Contest. The event aimed to promote basic firefighting equipment, proper rope rescue training, CPR, and anti-drug
campaign last March 13.
The RCY members actively engaged in the event, learning about Roadshow & Art Contest. By participating in events such as this, the youth
the proper use of firefighting equipment and techniques from the BFP can help create a safer and more prepared community equipped with the
firefighters. The Special Rescue Forces demonstrated their expertise in rope necessary skills and knowledge to respond to emergencies effectively.
rescue training, teaching the students the importance of proper techniques The event highlighted the importance of empowering the youth with
and safety protocols in rescuing individuals from high-rise buildings or lifesaving skills and knowledge. As the future leaders of our society, it is
other dangerous situations. essential for them to be equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge
Moreover, the RCY members also received valuable information on to respond to emergencies and help save lives.
the importance of timely response in emergency situations through CPR The MSU-CETD Red Cross Youth's participation in the BFP Region XII
demonstrations. The event also provided insights on the harmful effects of Fire Square Roadshow & Art Contest is a step towards creating a safer and
drugs and paraphernalia and the importance of prevention. more prepared community. By actively participating in events like this, the
SFO2 Romeo Gentapanan, who organized the event, expressed his youth can make a significant contribution towards building a better future
gratitude to MSU-CETD for participating in the BFP Region XII Fire Square for themselves and their community.

EXPLORING EXTREMITY. In celebration of the Fire Prevention Month, last March 14, 2023, the MSU-CETD Red Cross Youth joins the BFP Region XII Fire
Square Roadshow & Art Contest at Veranza Mall, promoting the use of basic firefighting equipment, proper rope rescue training, CPR, and anti-drug campaign.
photo retrieved from Integrated Multimedia Group
 THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF MINDANAO STATE UNIVERSITY - COLLEGE OF EDUCATION TRAINING DEPARTMENT, GENERAL SANTOS CITY | SPIRE
VOLUME XXXIII NUMBER 1 | AUGUST 2022 - MARCH 2023

EDITORIAL
opinion
FROM ZOOM
TO ROOM
The Philippines' Transition
to Face-to-Face Classes

"
“Face-to-face classes na naman.” (“We’re going back to face-
to-face learning again.”) These were the words that came out
from the mouths of students after hearing about the return
of physical learning after two years of online classes due to
the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. These days the pandemic is
about to wane and students are finally able to see their teachers
and classmates in their classrooms again. But with the new
excitement brought by the news, what set of new challenges
would this sudden shift pose on students?
Learners are now forced and pressured to study their lessons overnight
before classes, so they can answer the quizzes and exams given by their teachers.
They need to manage their time much more effectively as they can’t cram all the
piles of school loads like before. They can’t escape through their cliche excuses
now and can’t rely heavily on Google during recitations. This is a great news
as this would enable students to listen intensively, participate actively, and
understand deeply their educators' lectures.
The swift transition to face-to-face classes has also led students to develop
feelings of being overwhelmed and anxious about the change. They have grown
accustomed to the comfort and safety of their homes, making the thought
of going back to school nerve-wracking. The pandemic brain that they have
developed, a state of constant worry and stress, makes it even harder for them
to cope with the transition. The lack of socialization and physical activity, which
were prevalent during online classes, can also contribute to the difficulty in
adapting to the new norm.
Another challenge that some students have to face is commuting. Those
who are far from school have the disadvantage of having to travel for minutes
(or hours) due to traffic and having to spend more on transportation. Not to
mention the possibility of coming to school late and being penalized. For the
past two years, they don’t have to worry about budgeting their money because
they don’t need to travel from home to school as they have the convenience of
being present in online classes at their houses.
Furthermore, there are students who have the desire to excel in their
respective classes. They said that this return to physical education is their
opportunity to participate in classes more and listen attentively to their
teachers. It is also a chance for them to showcase their skills through the
different activities and programs that will be held in school.
It is also important to recognize that students are not the only ones having
a hard time adapting to the new mode of learning but also the teachers. In fact,
according to Sir Judy Baldemor, an English Teacher at MSU-CETD, he was having
a difficult time breathing and speaking while lecturing due to his face mask. He
also stated that learners have a “knowledge gap because of the 2 years hiatus.”
In addition, he also talked about how the scorching heat of the sun has affected
his health. As to how he deals with these, he said, “I deal with such challenges by
not wearing a face mask sometimes during class discussions, by asking learners
about their experiences and connecting them to the present, and lastly by
hydrating myself all the time.”
Embracing change has never been easy, especially for students who are
used to a routine. The transition back to face-to-face classes is like starting
anew. It is a time when they have to familiarize themselves with their
surroundings, learn how to interact with people, and adjust to new classroom
dynamics. It can be a daunting task, but with the right mindset, students can
overcome this challenge.
However, the sense of reverse nostalgia is also present. The nostalgia of
art by RICHELLE DE ARCE pre-pandemic times, where students could interact freely with their peers and
have a sense of normalcy. It is something that they want to go back to, but the
fear of the virus and the uncertainty of the future make it hard to fully embrace
by the numbers the change.

508M
internet users had grown since the pandemic. This is 11% more than
the figure reported before the pandemic started. The increase in
number may be related to the effects brought about by the pandemic-
with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, social media rising to
prominence as a critical instrument for information dissemination and
consumption. data from datareportal.com
In conclusion, the transition back to face-to-face classes in the Philippines
is not not a piece of cake for both learners and teachers. The sudden change
and the pandemic brain that students have developed make it a challenging
task. However, with the right mindset, support, and guidance, students can
successfully overcome this challenge. Embrace the change and look forward to a
brighter future for our education system.

S
hifting all grade levels to morning classes for the 3rd quarter is a practical solution to optimize
learning and address logistical concerns. The start of the 3rd quarter marked a change with the
student's class schedules, and it was the right thing to do. As the world adapted with the changes due
POORFORMANCE to the pandemic, school settings were also drastically part of the change. Slowly, as we moved to a

OverSLAIN
safer country, institutions like ours went for the traditional way of doing classes, face-to-face, but it
was a bit unusual since classes were cut into two schedules for different grade levels. Classes for grades 7 and
9 would be held in the morning and classes for the grades 8 and 10 in the afternoon.

FiliPAINo Workers It was exhausting for

everyone, especially for the
by ANDREA YSABELLE ABAN afternoon schedule who had to
use up all their morning time
to prepare for their classes.
the brain is better able to focus.
This helps for better student
engagement and overall learning
which not only benefits the
student but also the teachers who
eased school setting. The
old schedule was very much
exhausting for every student
of both schedules because of
different factors like logistics,

Y
Logistical problems also put a toll also heed for total development time conflicts, and the like but
et again an OFW has lost her life at the dirty hands of her own foreign employer. on the students since a diverse to their students. Not only this, with the benefits that outweigh
Her body, abandoned like a mere, emotionless object in a desert. Her family, amount of them are coming from the change also helped for more them like efficient use of school
grieving and suffering from the pain of losing a beloved member. Her nation, far barangays in GenSan which is efficient use of school resources. resources, better coordination,
crying for rightful justice to be served. Her unborn child who could have seen the hard since there are different time Unlike the past schedule, and improved student learning
light of this world. Yet again another compatriot has suffered a horrendous death schedules where available public resources like electronics, indeed that the change in class
under the "comfort" of her "second home." vehicles will be around, not to appliances, and school materials schedule helped a lot. It was
mention, the daily expenses used are used twice which is very a wise choice that MSU-CETD
up just for transportation. Still inefficient. Now with one made. With this it is now also a
Numerous cases are reported every regulations on foreign employers. This can it also had its benefits, morning universal schedule this problem call for action to the schools and
year of fellow Filipinos abroad abused and be achieved through diplomatic efforts, such scheduled students had half a day can be managed. Lastly, it also academic institutions who still
killed by their employer-turned-abuser or as negotiations with host countries and to use up for their assignments helped for better coordination have the similar schedule as our
employer-turned-murderer, with Jullebee international organizations, to ensure that and prior tasks given during the of academic and extracurricular old one to consider moving into
Ranara being the most recent news. This the rights of OFWs are protected and their day and afternoon scheduled activities. With the old schedule, a full blast face-to-face mode
continuous issue must come to a halt welfare is not compromised. students had more time for sleep events like the SciMath Day had of learning that may also help
and this could be done by the Philippine Furthermore, the Philippine since they have no classes in two separate celebrations with them with moving forward to a
government taking reformative actions government should provide more support the morning. Regardless of the respect to the schedules, but now progressive learning experience
but should never consider banning the for OFWs, such as access to legal services, disadvantages, MSU-CETD was one whole celebration can be that shifts the part of learning
deployment of workers to a particular financial literacy programs, and mental right for the schedule change. done. before to the whole and bigger
country with high recorded cases of abuse. health services. These support services The shifting of schedule The changes of schedule aspect.
Firstly, the deployment of OFWs would help OFWs navigate the challenges posed great scientifical benefits not only benefited the studentry,
has become a lifeline for many Filipino they face while working abroad and ensure for student learning. According faculty, and staff but also paved
families, providing them with better that their welfare is prioritized. to Oxford Learning, studying in way for the official start of
economic opportunities and improved living By doing so, the Philippine government the morning works best when reclaiming a more pandemic
standards. Many OFWs work in industries can ensure that the rights and welfare of
that are vital to the economies of their host OFWs are protected, and their contributions
countries, such as healthcare and domestic to the Philippine economy are sustained.
services. Banning their deployment would We should live in a world where
have significant economic consequences, not OFWs are untangled from the thorns of
only for OFWs and their families but also for harassment and horrific deaths. We ought to FAZED-TO-FACE
the Philippine economy. make sure that our fellow Filipinos abroad
Secondly, the deployment of OFWs
is not the root cause of their exploitation
could go back to their homeland safely and
make sure that they are able to see and hug Shifting from Part to Whole
and abuse. The Philippine government their families again. We should and must be by MOHAMMAD HIZAM TUAN
should focus on improving the working the defenders of our country's 'modern-day
conditions of OFWs and enforcing stricter heroes'.
 opinion 05
SPIRE | THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF MINDANAO STATE UNIVERSITY - COLLEGE OF EDUCATION TRAINING DEPARTMENT, GENERAL SANTOS CITY
VOLUME XXXIII NUMBER 1 | AUGUST 2022 - MARCH 2023

"
TRADIETION Shared traumas and struggles
Tau Gamma Matay really make a community stronger
and closer. It can create a lifelong
by AARON KATE DAMASO connection and bond within them.

Yet again, another dead body was found. It suffered severe physical and emotional trauma, dumped and buried like an animal in a vacant
lot– all, in pursuit of becoming one of the brothers.

A 24-year-old chemical
engineering student from
Adamson University reportedly
died during his fraternity– Tau
Gamma Phi’s welcoming rites
on February 18, 2023, in Laguna.
He was reported to suffer from
extreme blunt force trauma on
his thighs. Many are saddened
but mostly angered when the
news has sparked. Because even
with the existence of Republic
Act 11053 also known as the
Anti-Hazing Act of 2018, a person
has yet again died due to these
extreme initiation rites of
fraternities. This absurd culture
should be stopped.
Hazing is a deadly way of
welcoming someone. It involves
physical tortures like battering
and abuse; mental tortures like
degradation and humiliation.
The case of John Matthew Salilig
is like any other hazing victim in
the past. They must endure the
inflicted pain of their seniors for
them to enter the brotherhood.
Shared traumas and
struggles really make a
community stronger and
closer. It can create a lifelong
connection and bond within
them. This can be easily observed
in the resiliency of Filipinos in
facing disasters. However, when
these traumas and struggles have
been inflicted by your so-called
“brothers”, this is different. Not
only it brings you physical injury
and emotional dilemma but also
may have the potential to kill
you– long before you are part of
the brotherhood.
Another thing, being violent pose stricter implementation
and abusive can also be a result and policies regarding the
of hazing. It teaches the involved Anti-Hazing Act of 2018. For
individual that inflicting pain on fraternities and sororities to
someone is justified, as it became really stand up to their name as a
the tradition of the fraternity. family, tolerable initiation rites
Hence, it may develop a sense that do not diminish the dignity
of revenge on the brothers who and welfare of an individual are
have passed the initiation rites; what they need. Besides, not
to do the things they underwent all traditions are good. Some of
to the newly recruited ones. An them are absurd and need to be
undying cycle of violence, abuse, stopped like hazing.
and brutality.
Needless to say, fraternities
should reconsider their
initiation rites that involve
hazing. Not only this is illegal
under the law but this also
brings great danger to the ones
being initiated. Subsequently,
the government should also
do its part. They should

FARE NOT FAIR
General Santos’ Tricycle Woes: When
Getting Around Becomes a Tuna Nightmare
by SOPHIA ABAQUITA
General Santos City, also known as the "Tuna Capital of the Philippines," is a bustling city in Mindanao with a thriving fishing industry.
However, its transportation system is a complete disaster, causing a major inconvenience for commuters.
The city's transportation system is dominated by tricycles
which are not only environmentally unfriendly but also unsafe for
commuters. The lack of proper regulation and enforcement has led
to overcrowding, reckless driving, and accidents. Moreover, the city's
roads are congested, leading to long hours of travel and delays. The
city's traffic management system is inefficient, resulting in traffic
jams during peak hours, leaving commuters stranded in traffic for
hours.
The lack of public transportation options is also a significant
issue in General Santos City. The city does not have a reliable bus
system or railway network, leaving commuters with no choice but to
rely on tricycles or private vehicles. The high demand for tricycles has
led to exorbitant fares, leaving low-income commuters with no other
option but to endure the long hours of walking. The situation is worse
"
The government
should prioritize the
development of a
modern and efficient
transportation system
that caters to the needs
of all commuters.
bus system or railway network. The lack of government intervention
has allowed private companies to monopolize the transportation
industry, resulting in overpriced fares and poor quality service.
It is high time for the government to step up and take action. The
transportation system is a crucial component of any city, and the
government's failure to provide a reliable and safe transportation
system is an indication of their neglect for the well-being of the
citizens. The government should prioritize the development of a
modern and efficient transportation system that caters to the needs
of all commuters. This can be achieved by investing in a reliable
bus system or railway network that can alleviate the congestion
and provide a comfortable and safe journey for commuters.
The government should also consider regulating the prices of
transportation fares to ensure that they are affordable for everyone.
art by ADNAN EDRIS
Undeniably, people’s lifestyles drastically changed.
When the COVID-19 pandemic started, online shopping
became the new norm. Online shopping is a process where
consumers buy products and services over the internet.
A lot of people, including myself, find it better than the
traditional shopping experience. Shopping in crowded
stores is time-consuming and uncomfortable for most
people.
Two of the many reasons I prefer online shopping are
that it saves money and is more convenient. First, prices
online are much cheaper compared to physical stores.
Whenever I want to buy something, I always compare the
prices and eventually opt for online shops. I could get the
same product and quality but saved money. Second, it is
very convenient because it does not necessitate much effort.
I would simply sit or lie comfortably anywhere, at any time,
and browse various apps and social media platforms. Just a
few clicks, then sit back and wait for the package to arrive.
During holidays, online shopping saves me from long lines.
In addition, with the pandemic, shopping online wards off
direct contact with different people that might cause the
spread of the virus.

"
during rainy days when the roads are flooded, making it impossible to This move will not only benefit the commuters but also the economy
walk or ride a tricycle. The transportation system's inefficiency is also as a whole.
impacting the city's economy. The long hours of travel and delays are In conclusion, the transportation system in General Santos City It would lead us to unpleasant things
causing significant losses for businesses and individuals who rely on is a complete disaster. The lack of proper regulation and enforcement if not regulated.
transportation for their livelihood. coupled with the absence of reliable public transportation options,
The government's lack of action is also contributing to the has resulted in a nightmare for commuters. The government's failure
problem. The local to invest in a modern and efficient transportation system is an
government has failed indication of their neglect for the well-being of the citizens. It is high
to invest in modern time for the government to prioritize the development of a modern THE COINTRAST
and efficient modes of and efficient transportation system that caters to the needs of all

Online
transportation, such as a commuters.

Shopping:
Boon or

"
BLACK AND WHITE
Along with its developments
The Two Sides of Our and benefits, it also has Bane?
Technological Coin drawbacks and limitations.
by DOHNIERO LOZANO
by DANN JOSHUA AMADA

We live in a time when technological developments are prevalent. In our ever-changing world, the use of technology is exponentially
expanding and it influences every area of our lives, from our ability to communicate to accessing information at our fingertips. Even though
technology has many good advantages, it also has potential drawbacks.
Nowadays, we are at a stalemate in which our lives are dominated
by technology. We are obliged to employ technological improvements
in our everyday lives because we are unable to go out and do the things
we used to do. We utilize our phones, computers, and other devices to
live, rise, earn and perform.
Amidst the pandemic, one aspect of technology that has
immensely influenced us is how it aids and affects our learning. It has
made learning more dynamic and collaborative, which allows us to
better engage with the content we are studying and struggling with.
Not only that, but it also improves our access to resources, which gives
us a wide variety of things to process and take in. It also brought in
disparate mechanisms on how we talk and communicate, as it ushered
in a slew of improvements in communication. Examples of this would
be social media sites and the aggravation of video conferencing that
abets in conducting meetings anytime, even in the comfort of our
homes.
Although technology has enabled us to live comfortably, serious
concerns are linked to its expanding use. Our screen time and social
media usage, in particular, have been connected to an increase in the
prevalence of mental health issues. Whereas technology progresses
access to mental health care, it also increases overall psychological
illness.
According to research, internet addiction is becoming a prevalent
problem, particularly among younger groups such as teens. It has also
been related to despair, poor self-esteem, and loneliness — feelings
that frequently lead to diagnosable mental diseases and exacerbate
pre-existing difficulties. In line with this, interactions on the internet
are also mostly unpleasant, and the stuff we view and take online
causes social comparison, feelings of missing out, and cyberbullying.
Moreover, it amplifies anguish and anxiety.
Research also revealed that children and adolescents who use
media before bed are twice as likely not to get enough sleep at night.
Along with that, it is difficult to give up technology due to dopamine’s
motivating effects. Furthermore, addictive tendencies utterly
perpetuate the cycle.
Conclusively, technology has a significant impact on how we
behave nowadays. However, along with its developments and benefits,
it also has drawbacks and limitations. While not all of our concerns
can be traced back to technology, it is critical to acknowledge the
consequences of crossing technology’s harmful and detrimental sides.
It may be practically difficult to avoid all types of technology, but
watching ourselves and limiting the amount of time spent on social
media or gazing at a screen is essential. Although our behavior in the
modern day is molded by technological influences, as humans, we
should be mindful of what we take in and process as a whole.
However, there are some disadvantages to shopping
online. It occasionally is susceptible to delivery delays,
particularly during natural disasters. I must admit that I
get irritated whenever my parcel takes longer than usual
to arrive. It also results in a lack of shopping experience.
Moreover, it is prone to scamming tendencies. There have
been reports of delivered wrong or defective items, and the
seller is becoming unreachable. There are also times when
shipping fees are excessively charged, costing more than
the product itself. Furthermore, posts are circulating the
internet about issues with expectations versus reality. These
are instances where the product that arrived differed from
what was advertised on the online store. Consumers often
create memes to redirect their frustrations. Lastly, it can be
the cause of addiction and financial struggles later on.
An article from Addiction Center stated that
compulsive shopping, also referred to as “buying-shopping
disorder” (BSD) exists. It is a term coined for the extreme
craving to shop or seek consumer goods. People with BSD
use shopping as a coping mechanism to regulate emotions.
They will often spend more than they can afford, experience
post-purchase guilt, shop again to feel better, and the
cycle continues. BSD is linked to different mood disorders
that can lead to financial distress, conflict with family and
friends, and a sense of less control. Experts suggest that it
has similarities with other behavioral addictions such as
gambling.
As the world progresses, new trends emerge that pique
people’s interests. We must, however, remind ourselves
to do things in moderation. Online shopping may bring
us a whole new level of the shopping experience, but we
must not forget that it would lead us to unpleasant things
if not regulated. It may be safer to shop online to avoid
getting infected with COVID-19, yet we must not exceed our
expectations, or else we would end up being mad.

art by FRANCIS CALONIA

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Connie Bergonio Lee Cybill Edullantes Richelle De Arce Eunice Tayone CO-PAPER ADVISERS COLLEGE DEAN
Andrea Ysabelle R. Aban OPINION EDITORS SCITECH EDITORS Juliana Dyanna M. Bangos Ethan Jeff Mernillo Ms. Ruhama Gomez Ma. Theresa P. Pelones, Ph. D.
EDITORIAL BOARD

ASSOCIATE EDITORS Aaron Kate Damaso Farrah Elysha Jen Dela Calzada LAYOUT ARTIST PHOTOJOURNALISTS Ms. Myrlyn Ng VICE-CHANCELLOR FOR
A.Y. 2022-2023

Dohniero Lozano
Mohammad Hizam Tuan
MANAGING EDITORS
Richner David Valila
Hannah Levee Santos
NEWS EDITORS
Ritchie Tupas
Chloe Luis Restauro
Sophia Abaquita Princess May B. Zambrona Dohniero Lozano Carlos Minoza Mr. Leo Leonida ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
Dann Joshua Amada Jezzu Quimosing CONTRIBUTORS Golda Rebolido CONSULTANT Engr. Mishelle D. Lawas, D.Eng
Adnan Edris Nina Ricci Villasenda Angel Abao Jhyztin Kyrr Vallestero Ms. Jean D. Bergante, MS ACTING CHANCELLOR
Jhersey Mae Guazo SPORTS EDITORS David Andrei Laxamana COPYREADERS SCHOOL DIRECTOR JD. Usman D. Aragasi, MPA
Jezzu Morrisen Quimosing Junah Grace L. Castillo Antonia Clarisse Suan Sean Abranilla Esmaida H. Andang-Alaiden,
Renziene Bago Christian Rich Teves Kristina Manalo Arabella Reign Villegas MAED
FEATURE EDITORS EDITORIAL CARTOONISTS Feevol Into PAPER ADVISER CHAIRPERSON, BSED DEPT.
Neylan Kiel Rallos Francis Albert D. Calonia Chorena Grace Lorania Mr. Judy L. Baldemor, MAED Salome F. Sestina, Ph.D.
SPIRE | THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF MINDANAO STATE UNIVERSITY - COLLEGE OF EDUCATION TRAINING DEPARTMENT, GENERAL SANTOS CITY VOLUME XXXIII NUMBER 1 | AUGUST 2022 - MARCH 2023

feature
by NEYLAN KIEL RALLOS

C
ulture. It is more than just a way of life. It is an identity that emphasizes an individual's spirituality, beliefs, traditions, and sense
of belongingness. More importantly, it is not static. For some time, I was incurious about culture and how it affects me. Not
until I started composing my essays for application to the Asia Kakehashi Project under AFS. That application allowed me to
think more deeply about my personal goals and possible contributions to bridging two cultures. The whole process was nerve-
wracking, but I was resolved to go through it. I was fully convinced that this was what I wanted to do that year.

My interest in the history between
my country, the Philippines, and my
host country, Japan, gave me the drive
to discover things, fight homesickness,
stretch myself, and make meaningful
connections during my entire stay in
Ibaraki Prefecture. I had the wonderful
opportunity to homestay with my host
mom (Kazumi-san) and host sister (Sana).
They were instrumental to my many
first-time experiences with the Japanese
way of life such as onsen, ofuro, skiing,
apple picking, soba making, visiting Tokyo
Disneyland and other historical sites, trying
natto (which I now love), eating bowls upon
bowls of ramen, celebrating the Japanese
New Year, kimono photoshoot and speaking
in Nihongo.
I was placed at the Ibaraki Christian
High School. I introduced myself as an
exchange student on my first day of class.
When the bell rang, I didn't expect my
curiosity pushed me and my classmates
to reach out to each other despite the
language barrier. Communication is not
just about words and sentences after all!
My typical school life consisted of the
same classes as my classmates, frequent
trips to the library to study Nihongo,
and after-school activities like sadō (tea
ceremony) and the handbell club. When
there were school events, the handbell
club and I would perform in front of all
the students and teachers. Classes were
held from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm with another
hour or so for club activities. My late train
rides going back home were considered
normal. It appeared to me that school in
Japan is rigorous. When typhoon Rai hit the
Philippines last 2021, my school initiated
a donation drive, part of which I brought
home and donated to my local community
that got hit by a flood. Of course, there were
days when I missed the aroma of newly
opportunities to share the rich culture
of the Philippines with my host family,
classmates, teachers, friends, and
community. Proudly raising my flag and
showing others the country that I am proud
to call mine is something that I would
do again and again. To me, this is part of
developing into a global citizen through
intercultural learning and immersion.
Through this exchange program, I was
given the platform to advocate for
inclusivity and to break down stereotypes,
biases, and prejudice. A valuable lesson
I learned is inclusivity is the driving
force for the growth of organizations and
nation-building. To achieve an inclusive
mindset and practice, one needs to
develop awareness and open-mindedness
to diversity, which is the foundation for
building friendship and impactful linkages.
Without my participation in the 2021-2022
Asia Kakehashi Project, I would not have

classmates to rush toward me with many
questions that I could not answer because
I barely knew even simple Nihongo. I
realized there and then that they were just
as curious of me as I was of them. This
cooked adobo and the late-night karaoke
sessions of neighbors. Being away for 5
months made me appreciate my Filipino
culture and community.
While in Japan, I was given many
Exchange Sch
achieved this level of understanding of
global citizenship and my role as a youth
ambassador for bridging people and
cultures.

An Asia Kake
Protection or Power-Tripping in the Immigration Office?
by NEYLAN KIEL RALLOS

A
s an avid traveler, there is no better way to describe the airport as one of the most stressful places
to be in. Imagine being excited about your trip that you have saved up on for many months only
to miss your flight because immigration kept you for too long. Well, unluckily for Cham Tanteras,
not only was she subjected to an intense interview by the immigration officer, but she was also
seemingly requested for her school yearbook. Cham’s P19,000 goes down the drain when she later
finds out that she was offloaded from her flight.

The Filipina traveler was
headed to Israel for a solo trip
last December 2022. As per
protocol of the Ninoy Aquino
International Airport, she
went through immigration to
be asked what her purpose for
traveling was. She answers
how she wants to spend her
Christmas alone.
The request for a
yearbook disorients Cham. “I
already graduated. What is the
relevance to this?”, Cham asks
the immigration officer. She was
not enlightened and was asked
to just present a graduation
photo. Fortunately, she had
saved a few wacky pictures of
her in her toga from 10 years
ago with the officer asking if it
was really her.
Cham was also asked
about the status of her parent’s
relationship — if they were
married, or not. This only
further confuses Cham as she
has frequently been traveling
solo way before and was
no longer a minor. Another
seemingly irrelevant question
was asked by the officer, “Who
booked your flight?”. The
traveler answers that it was
she who booked her flight and
the officer asks for the email
that she used and browses it to
check if it was really her.
After the secondary
interview, Cham was later
released from the main
immigration office after filling
out a document. In the turn of
events, Cham was offloaded as
she was kept for interrogation
for over an hour. Desperate
to be in Israel, she books
another flight worth P27,000
under a different airline the
day after the incident. Things
went smoothly but with
no accountability from the
immigration officer. “You don’t
have accountability. Cheers
to that”, she concluded in her
video.
Dana Sandoval, the
spokesperson of the Bureau
of Immigration (BI), released
a statement addressing the
inconvenience that occurred
only after Cham’s “immigration
rant” went viral on TikTok. The
BI mentions that they looked
into the incident and requested
for a full report from the officer
in charge. For the current time,
the officer was transferred
to the back-end office after
the issue. Sandoval explained
that immigration has become
stricter as cases of human
trafficking and illegal activities
were rising.
The incident enrages
people on the internet as the
questions asked were deemed
irrelevant to Cham’s travel
and even caused financial
damages. Concerns were
raised as this was not the only
incident of power tripping that
has occurred in NAIA. Many
other Filipinos shared their
experiences with IOs and some
even called them out for their
lack of accountability. Others
condemn the immigration
personnel as “power-tripping”
Filipino travelers.
“The least that the BI
should do is refund the victim’s
fare by docking it from the IO’s
salary. Nothing less would do”,
one Filipino said. We
“Dapat bayaran nila ang the ovisited S
ldest en
nasayang ticket.”, another tempsō-ji Tem
le in
Filipino added.
Tokyple which
o Cit
y. is
The situation has brought
concern to many Filipino
travelers as they start to
question whether the Bureau of
Immigration is really doing its
job or abusing its power.

How to Kickstart Your by HANNAH LEVEE SANTOS CHOOSE YOUR CATEGORY/FIELD!

JOURNEYlism:
After scanning through different types of
journalism articles, it’s time or you to choose
what journalism field to pursue. Some of these
categories include writing news, editorial and
A Guide for Journalism Novices column, feature, and sports articles, and even
editorial cartooning, layouting, and photo
journaling if you are more inclined to the artistic
ki
side of journalism. Make sure that the field you
bara
choose corresponds with your interest so that you
e s in Ismatese
ss las m
f clla, my crprised played
will be able to work efficiently and produce a piece
with genuinity and passion. d a y oh o o s u w e
st ighsc acher here f my
y la te y w o o
PUT YOUR KNOWLEDGE INTO ACTION! In rmistian H r oomell part a vide
C h m e
The last step is to actually apply the ho ew hed
knowledge that you have gathered from the andh a fard watc
previous steps. If you have chosen a category wit es an e.
that involves writing articles, start grabbing gamool lif
a pen and paper and just write! Choose an sch
appropriate topic and from there, create your
outline, write out your paragraphs, and voila! You
have your first article!

H
art by ave you been thinking of entering
DOHNIERO the world of journalism lately?
With its current hype in the media
LOZANO and in recent events, your interest
is totally valid! As your journalism
gurus, here are four simple
yet useful steps to officially kickstart your
Journalism Journey!
On the other hand, if you have chosen a
category that leans more to the artistic side of
journalism, the first thing to do is to imitate.
Imitation is not always a bad thing, and through
it you will be able to develop your own style.
Referrences are always a helpful tool in improving
your work, and one day, you will be able to produce
something original and distinct to yourself as a
journalist.

REVIEW AND REPEAT! Du

READ AND EXPLORE! su ring
Whether it’s from an online journalism If you are able to let down your pride and sincrpriseChris
ear thed me tmas,
websites, or a hardcopy of a newspaper, scanning accept criticism about your work, you are already w e
journalistic publication materials should always considered as a true journalist. Always ask for a k y kn with my
imo ew h
be the first step! When you read, you will be feedback and criticism about the articles or no. thaa kim ost f
open to different contents and knowledge within pieces that you have produced. Learn from those t it ono ami
certain fields of journalism. Reading will expand critics and apply them in your next work. Life is a was phot ly
continuous journey of lessons and the only way to my osho
your current understanding and will provide you dre ot
with more insights for both writing and analyzing improve yourself is through changing and learning! am
to
articles and journalistic pieces.
 feature 07
SPIRE | THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF MINDANAO STATE UNIVERSITY - COLLEGE OF EDUCATION TRAINING DEPARTMENT, GENERAL SANTOS CITY
VOLUME XXXIII NUMBER 1 | AUGUST 2022 - MARCH 2023

Two Homes, Miles Apart

by NEYLAN KIEL. RALLOS

O
ne step outside the airport and the warm breezy
air welcomes me back to my homeland. The
notes in the air hit me like a wave of nostalgia
as the first thing that comes to my mind is how
badly I wanted to eat my Lola's adobo.
Many had warned me about another readjustment period
which they called, “reverse culture shock". In the early days
of on exchange, I had the desire to go back home. Contrary
enough, once I had reached my hometown, my only wish was
to return back to Japan. No one ever mentioned the challenge
between having two homes and yearning for each at the same
time. The feeling of having a rich experience abroad in only 5
months, and having reality set in right after, was like waking up
from a really good dream. Athough you are filled with stories
of adventure, it seems as though people are unwilling to hear
about it and so you are drawn to reminisce in silence.
adjustment but this time, a good one. I was drawn back a
year which I didn’t mind. This meant meeting new people,
memorizing new faces, and learning new names. This idea
overwhelmed me but as a social butterfly, forging new
relationships was like child’s play. That was how I learned how
curious my classmates were of my stories.
Being back in the Philippines made me understand
the importance of bridging cultural differences, making
sure to create impactful linkages that would mold stronger
connections. I was given the platform to promote inclusivity
which I am now an advocate of. Without Asia Kakehashi Project
2021 - 2022, I would never be able to envision myself as a youth
ambassador for bridging people and cultures.
After my exchange, I grasped the realization that although
I was already back in my home country, I would now have two
places, miles apart , that I could call “home”.

"
Going back to face-to-face learning was another big

As an exchange student, I saw how Japanese people

value their own culture. I learned to strengthen my
love for my country. I became inspired to be more
aware of my community and its practices.

holar's Story
ehashi Project

V
Universal Love
by JHERSEY MAE GUAZO
alentine’s Day has been observed for years
now, yet the said celebration never fails to
catch the citizens attention and interest.
Mindanao State University—College of
Education Training Department (MSU—CETD)
unexpectedly conducted a Valentine's Day
special event, which they called the ‘Higugmaay sa MSU
2023'. The activity included color-coding in shirts, booths,
and, of course, the highlight, the live band performance of
MaxGroup2ApResearch (MG2AR). The event did not only
revolve around the planned activities; it was completed with
the students' flower or gift giving for their special someone,
which surely fueled up the thrill.
The TSG club's activity, in which they handed out
exciting as they surprised their friends with their status.
There were also few booths that made up the event;
one was the marriage booth, and the other was the JEM
club booth. The marriage booth was prepared by the
students of Grade 9-Thomson. Meanwhile, the JEM club
opened up a booth that sold a variety of fresh flowers,
chocolates, bouquets, and a juice they called ‘gayuma," or
love potion. The other grade 9 Rutherford, also opened up
a simple booth that sold Valentine-related K-pop items.
The SSG also opened a photo booth for everyone. A few
students who were gifted in arts and crafts also sold their
own handmade items, such as paper and crochet flowers.
For the main event, the campus-known band of
MSU–CETD, MG2AR, offered 14 songs for the February 14
half-hearts with song lyrics as students entered the school celebration. The live band surely completed the crowd’s
gate, served as the official start of the celebration. The day as it included unexpected twists such as unexpected
task was to find the other half of their hearts that also had serenading. The songs were a mix of recent love songs and
the continuation of their song lyrics. The first group of 10 old love songs, which radiated a very comforting energy and
students who, fortunately, completed a song will receive gave the students a feeling of comfort. The performance
and
City d prizes as the official winner. However, none of the students was hype, as expected, as the students were very familiar
H i t achi extende completed the songs, regardless of whether it was an and sang along as much as they could.
p a r t ed ee my
de uld s amazing experience. The activity kept the students busy as The day was indeed amazing, as seen in the smiles of
hen I I wo
i s w as w st time the main activities were being prepared. every MSUan when he left the campus. The unexpected and
Th the l . a The main activities started when most of the classes rushed event was very successful, enjoyable, and amazing,
alsot family were finished to make sure that the event wouldn’t affect and it would surely leave a wonderful memory for each and
hos
the students' academics. As soon as their classes ended, every student who witnessed such a lovable day. Loving
everyone changed into the shirt of their choice. The colors is universal; it doesn’t only work for couples but also for
were based on the SSG’s given list, which apparently would people who dearly give each other importance. To conclude,
determine the pupil’s status in love: red for a walking red love doesn’t only revolve around relationships but also
flag, orange for taken, gray for a ghoster, rainbow for a through friends, family, and other relationships.
mixed-signals enjoyer, etc. The simple event was surely

HERstory:
Forgotten
ADA LOVELACE
CLEOPATRA VII ROSALIND FRANKLIN Ada is considered as the
This Egyptian Leader’s notable She is the pioneering first computer programmer
Th chemist whose research

Women in
accomplishments include
pra is is and discovery of the DNA’s due to her visionary
ctic a p expanding her country’s mathematical contributions
e w ictu economy, securing alliances structure set the foundation on the Analytical Engine, an
ith re o for modern genetics.

History
our f m with powerful Romans, and early mechanical general-
han y la promoting Hellenistic culture. purpose computer.
dbe st
ll c
lub
.
by HANNAH LEVEE SANTOS
art by HANNAH LEVEE SANTOS

W
hen we look at our
textbooks, we are
often bombarded
with multiple pictures of
men in various fields of
knowledge. Society has
always chosen to bring the
spotlight to the said sex,
leaving women out of the
equation. We know Roman
leader Julius Caesar, we know
scientist Isaac Newton — But
do we know of the greatest
female Pharoh of Egypt? Of
the woman who discovered
DNA? Of the first computer
programmer?

t This Women’s Month,

ng. I d
t i m e skiritime I hfaull let us look at some important
fir s t o v e h i l l women in history and learn
y ut a
was m rst bing down about their contributions to
This hard at fi
t o g lid modern society!
was en used
gott now.
of s
 feature
THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF MINDANAO STATE UNIVERSITY - COLLEGE OF EDUCATION TRAINING DEPARTMENT, GENERAL SANTOS CITY | SPIRE

08 VOLUME XXXIII NUMBER 1 | AUGUST 2022 - MARCH 2023

Retrouvailles
written and art by
HANNAH LEVEE SANTOS

[Ruh-troov-eye] noun - French

The joy of reuniting with someone after a long separation.

T
he story that I am about to
tell you is a story that I have
told others before.
However, despite having
written my journey before, I will
never be tired of sharing it to
whoever comes across my writing.
My story is just one in a billion. But
it is mine, and that is what matters
most.
Like Odysseus, whose
arduous journey doesn’t begin
in the Odyssey but in the Iliad,
my story didn’t start on the day I
encountered my first existential
problem. It started all the way back
when I was born. A new soul in
this new world. A child, the unica
hija, with limitless potential. A
dreamer in the form of an 8-month
premature, cord-coiled infant with
low blood sugar.
Looking back, I didn’t really
have a “horrible” childhood. I
remember receiving hugs and
kisses. I remember being given what
I needed, and sometimes, even what
I wanted. I remember being happy. I
remember being loved. A picture-
perfect life. So what went wrong?
Ah, yes. The monsters.
My first encounter with the
monsters that slowly flipped my
life and my mindset upside down
happened when I first started
school. I couldn’t deal with the
monsters physically. They were the
worst kind of monsters that exist.
They took the form
of negative comments and
overthinking. Monsters that
shapeshifted into self-doubt and
self-gaslighting. .
I became a teenager. Nothing
changed, though. I was still fighting
the inner demons that were driving
me closer and closer to the edge
every day.
I did everything with the mask
on. Not even my closest friends
knew. My only coping mechanism
was unhealthy habits that took my
mind off the monsters. Habits that
the monsters would use against me
and start the cycle of insecurities all
over again.
I began to rely heavily on
the attention I got from other
people. I was thirsty to be noticed.
I was desperate to be loved. So
I did everything they asked with
no questions. I became the model
student to my peers. The smart alec
to my cousins. The polite child to
my elders.
Inside, the war was getting
worse. Is it really a war when only
one soldier is standing on the
losing side? Along with the harsh
winds and rain, came the powerful
currents that led me to a whirlpool
of nothingness. My Charybdis.
A whirlpool that resembled
a dam breaking. A whirlpool that
would make me snap and destroy
everything I spent so much time
building. A whirlpool that would lay
waste to what I had left.
A whirlpool that-
…
A pause.
A global pandemic.
A break from everything.
The monsters retreated.
The monsters couldn’t overtake
nature. The monsters were gone
for a while. And during that period,
I meant to just stare
at my reflection until
someone arrived?
That’s exactly
what I did. Day by day, I
came back to the mirror, inspecting
myself and waiting for something
to happen.I began small. Just saying
some nice things to the reflection
every week. Then I worked on the
mantle the mirror was placed on.
Oftentimes, I would just observe it
up close. I would soak in the details
about me that seemed to shine
brighter in the glass. I would tap
the curves that the monsters told
me to get rid of. I would trace the
miniscule scars that ruined smooth
skin.
After a few weeks with
the mirror, I can safely say that
I’m getting used to being alone.
Occasionally, people came to stop
by and asked me to follow them
but I stayed. I didn’t know why.
Maybe it was because I was fine
when classes came rolling around
again, no longer feeling the painful
tug of the monsters that used to
overworked me. Maybe it was
because I felt happy in the palace.
Maybe it was because I felt loved.
Wait.
Ah, so that was it all along?
This is what I had been searching
for.
I never realized that in the Procrastination
chaos of the monsters and reality, I
had lost myself. to Productivity:
That day, I cried. I apologized Proven Techniques for Efficient
to the person I had hurt the most.
The person who the monsters told and Effective Studying
me to break down and ruin. The
by HANNAH LEVEE SANTOS
person who stayed, and will forever

Monsters that you had to
deal with, on your own.
For the first years of my life,
I was pretty good at handling my
ground against the terrible mind-
beasts. I learned how to hide my
emotions and pain. Putting on the
mask wasn’t hard. When I had the
mask on, others loved me more.
With the mask on, I had a
permanent mute on my feelings. At
one point, I thought of removing
my mask. Of revealing my fears and
shortcomings. Of not being able
to live up to expectations. But I
decided against it.
It was selfish, I thought. What
worth would I have if I let people
down? Who would I be without
their feedback and guidance? I
would have nothing. I would be
nothing. I would have nobody. I
would be nobody. The thought of
disappearing and being forgotten
terrified young Hannah greatly.
And so I lived on. As I
grew, so did the monsters. They
followed me as I sailed across the
came…
A time of something
different. Something new.
A time of reflection.
Months after the official
lockdown order on the planet, I
put my hands off my ears. I opened
my eyes. I breathed clean air for
the first time in a while. And I just
sat there, on the crows’ nest of my
battered ship, looking at the clear
horizon and calm seas.
I was alone. I had no
deadlines to finish. I had no tests
to study for. I had no one to prove
myself to.
I was alone. And yet I never
felt so free.
Everything was bright and
vivid to me. Suddenly, life didn’t
seem like this exhausting cycle that
sucked your soul out. Instead, it felt
electrifying. It was overwhelming,
but the good kind. It cleared my
head and eased my pain. Life was
everything that I needed all along.
But it was not the one I was
looking for.
remain.
I finally arrived. I finally got
my answer. The one who will
always be by my side throughout
life. The one that I need to
appreciate more. The one that
will never leave me. The final
destination. The reward that will
last a lifetime.
My Ithaca. Me.
Together, we will fight the
monsters that will invade our minds
again. Together, we will embark
on a journey of forgiving others,
and ourselves. I had the rest of my
life ahead of me. I will face new
monsters, new hurdles in my path.
But as long as I never forget who
I’m pushing through for, who I’m
surviving for, I will never stray too
far off the path.
One day, you’ll find your
Ithaca too. And if you have already,
remember to always treasure
them. Life is a never-ending story
of struggles and monsters, but if
you find something to cling on to -
your Penelope, your Telemachus,
W
hether you’re a high school student preparing for a quiz, a college
student studying for his finals, or an adult learner seeking to learn a
new language, it is difficult to find a study method that actually works.
However, all hope is not lost! With the right techniques and strategies,
anyone can learn how to study efficiently and reach his academic or personal
goals. Below are some of the most effective study tips and techniques that can aid
learners of all ages and backgrounds to improve their study habits and optimize
their study sessions.
1. POMODORO TECHNIQUE a different box based on the levels of
This technique is a time management difficulty. The learner will then create
method that includes working on a task another box for the answers that
for 25 minutes, followed by a 5-minute they have answered correctly while
break. This cycle is expected to be reviewing.
repeated for four times, with a longer
break of 15-30 minutes after the fourth 3. FEYNMAN TECHNIQUE
cycle. This is a learning strategy that involves
explaining a concept or topic in the
2. LEITNER SYSTEM simplest term possible. By breaking
This system employs the use of down complex ideas into simple
flashcards. After writing the needed explanations, you will be able to improve
definitions or notes for memorization your understanding and comprehension
on the cards, each card is placed into about the lesson.
An Ecological Nightmare: Oil Spill on
Verde Island
by NEYLAN KIEL RALLOS

sea of tween years, where one is no
longer a child, yet not a teenager.
They interfered with my quest to
find… Something. Someone.
I didn’t know who it was. All
I knew is that I had to find them.
Maybe they would give me the
peace I needed. Maybe they would
help me defeat the creatures that
resided in my mind. Maybe… Just
maybe… They were my Ithaca. But
I wouldn’t be meeting them for a
very long time.
Because the monsters were
stronger now.
They got louder. They would
laugh and mock my physique and
style. They would whisper amongst
themselves and point at me in
distaste. They would scream in my
ears and make them bleed.
They got physical. They
would then be the reason for the
scars on my left arm. They would
then be the reason for the subtle
uniformed discoloration on my
thighs. They would then be the
reason why I got a tetanus shot at 2
am on a school night. They would
then be the reason for the bags
under my eyes. They would then be
the reason why I nearly gave up.
This went on for years. And
years. Years of pretending I was
fine to other people. Eventually,
And so I searched and
searched. I had the time now.
I had the freedom. I scoured
apps, magazines, books, islands,
shipwrecks. I wanted to find the
missing treasure. The puzzle piece
that completed the mess that was
my heart. The answer to everything.
The one that keeps on being
mentioned in those passages about
being a better person. The one that
my parents keep on talking about.
The one that will love me
without requisite or deadline.
I was nearing my destination.
A small bedroom. A palace on
an island. My Ithaca. I just had to
open the door. I just had to walk
up to them. And then they would
embrace me. They would tell
me how proud they were of me.
How much they love me, despite
everything.
There were just a few steps
left.
One. Inhale.
Two. Exhale.
Three. How odd. There was
a mirror in the middle of the palace.
There were no guards, no
person with the warmest smile
and gentle arms. No person with
a shield and sword to defeat the
monsters. Nothing. It was empty.
What could it possibly mean? Was
your Ithaca, you’ll get through and
become an improved version of
who you are. Trust me.
Odysseus lived because he
believed. He believed in hope. He
believed in people. He believed in
love. And you should too. Believe
in the hope that tomorrow will be
better. Believe in the people around
you. Believe in the love that you
have within you.
Believe in yourself, and
everything will turn out better than
you expected.
art by HANNAH LEVEE SANTOS
T
he benefit of living in an archipelagic
country means having the ability to
drive only a maximum of 10 minutes
to the beach. For the privileged,
the ocean is a place to wind down but for
others, it is their very source of income and
their only way of living.
In Oriental Mindoro, the total fishing
volume for the year 2021 reached 9,750
million metric tons with the MIMAROPA
Region being the 3rd largest contributor
to the fishing industry. What happens to
the fishermen in the region when an oil
spill threatens their very livelihood and the
biodiversity of the environment around
Oriental Mindoro?
Tourism, trade, and transport are
affected as Tanker MT Princess Empress
spills 800,000 liters of industrial fuel oil
(also called “black oil”) in the ocean of
Oriental Mindoro back in February 28. It
was confirmed by PCG Batangas Station
commander, Capt. Victorino Acosta, that
the oil spill has reached Verde Island.
Traces of it were found in three coastal
barangays namely, San Antonio, San
Agustin, and San Agapito.
The Verde Island Passage (VIP)
is home to one of the most biodiverse
regions in the country. The area is a high
concentration of coral reefs, seagrasses,
and ecosystems. Multiple species are now
labeled as “endangered” such as hawksbill
turtles, whale sharks, and manta rays. Not
only that but the very source of income of
the barangays is diminished in a snap as
tourism comes to a quick decline.
According to the Coast Guard
official, the local government had taken
precautionary measures to make sure
that the spill was contained. A fishing ban
was implemented in the affected areas.
Claim caravans are to open on the week of
March 27, 2023 in Calapatan City, Oriental
Mindoro, and will be collecting claimants.
Fishermen and lawyers request for the
government’s activeness in bringing light
on the owner of the oil.
“At alam ‘nyo, ‘pag nawalan nanaman
po kami ng hanapbuhay, kawawa po ang
aming mga kababayan. Babalik nanaman
po kami sa panghihingi nanaman ng bigas
(And you know, it’s the people who suffer
when they lose their jobs. We would have
to ask for rice supply again).”, a statement
from an Oriental Mindoro resident.
As thousands of fishermen are
devastated by the loss of their livelihood
and the damage that was done to the
marine ecosystem, we cannot help to
feel the same way and mourn to our once
ecological treasure.
VOLUME XXXIII NUMBER 1 | AUGUST 2022 - MARCH 2023 THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF MINDANAO STATE UNIVERSITY - COLLEGE OF EDUCATION TRAINING DEPARTMENT, GENERAL SANTOS CITY | SPIRE

sci-tech
'ONE DOST FOR YOU'. DOST XII displays S&T

DOST XII launches NSTW ‘22; exhibits as part of the celebration of NSTW
2022 - SOCCSKSARGEN last October 11-13, 2023

MSUans participate S&T Exhibits

photo taken by Dohniero Lozano

by DOHNIERO LOZANO

T
o emphasize science and technology-based programs that have been halted by the COVID-19 pandemic,
the Department of Science and Technology XII launched the National Science and Technology Week -
SOCCSKSARGEN Regional Celebration at SM City Trade Hall, General Santos last October 11-13.
In view of the 2019 Various schools including the existing knowledge. Not only that,
Proclamation No. 780, all sectors of Mindanao State University–Senior but NST week made me realize
society were invited–from DOST High School and agencies also that there's still hope to scientific
XII’s partners in the government participated in the S&T Exhibits to and technological advancements
including LGU’s, non-governmental showcase DOST-funded Research in the Philippines, whether it be on
organizations, academic and and Development project or agriculture, products, computers,
learning institutions, private and outputs during the entire three-day institutions, and more.” one of the
business sector, and the general event. Along with this, conferences participants, Lee Edullantes of
public. were conducted that focus on STEM 12-Euler said
With its theme, One DOST themes such as wealth creation, Furthermore, it aimed at
for You: Agham at Teknolohiya: sustainability and human well- reintroducing the whole of DOST
Kaakibat sa Maunlad at Matatag being. at the ‘now normal’ in line with
na Kinabukasan, the event offered “The National Science Week the Sectretary’s banner slogan
lined-up activities for updates of has shown me that within every One DOST for You bearing the
DOST XII’s Programs, Projects, nook and cranny of science, department’s directions for 2022-
and Activities (PPAs) to encourage technology always gets to 2028 and priorities aligned to the
future collaborative undertakings find amazing and surprisingly socio-economic agenda of PBBM.
with its stakeholders. important applications out of

Antopina discussed and demonstrated how to extinguish a fire. these things when a fire happens.

Unforgettable
According to Republic Act No.10121, 2010, a disaster is a "serious Sir Antopina discussed four classes of fire – Class A, B, C, and D –
disruption of the functioning of a society, causing widespread human, and four types of fire extinguishers – carbon dioxide, water, foam, and
material, or environmental losses which exceed the ability of the affected dry chemical. The four classes of fires all differ in what kind of material

Disaster
by FARRAH ELYSHA JEN M. DELA CALZADA
Ifanswer
you'd ask me about my unforgettable moments, don't expect me to
with my joyous experiences.
I could still remember it clearly, the awarding ceremony of the
Regional Integrated Competition 2019 held in M'lang Cotabato. The winds
of October were a stark contrast to the jolly event inside a covered court.
Was it foreshadowing a disaster yet to come? At that moment, no one
knew. Until suddenly, the ground shook violently, causing everyone to
panic and run to an open field. I remember how my stomach turned from
fear, how I tightly held both of my hands just to stop shaking, how anxiety
crawled over my mind. Since then, I realized just how important
it is to attend orientations and drills for disasters like earthquakes.
Just recently, on March 15, 2023, a Disaster Risk Orientation and
Drill was held in Mindanao State University - College of Education
Training Department (MSU-CETD). I'm thankful for the time and effort
of the speakers – Sir Maychelou Castillo and Sir Francis Antopina – to
share their knowledge about disaster risk reduction and management.
Sir Castillo focused on defining disasters and how they occur, while Sir
society to cope using only its own resources." In other words, you can
call something a disaster if it causes destruction to lots of people and
they can't recover using only their own resources. Nick Carter (1991) also
says disaster can be natural or man-made, and sudden or progressive.
Let us take landslide as an example. They can be natural disasters, due to
earthquakes, or man-made disasters, because of mining. Landslides can
also be both sudden and progressive. Sudden disasters means that we
have no time to prepare for the disaster, while progressive means that we
still have time to prepare for the disaster. Another example of progressive
disaster is typhoon. Public Storm Warning Signals (PSWS) are announced,
giving us time to evacuate.
Sir Castillo said disasters happen because of three factors:
vulnerability, exposure, and hazards. Disasters occur because of the
vulnerability of the exposed elements (such as people) to hazards.
Vulnerability refers to the coping capacity of people in a certain place.
Let's say that out of 100 people, only 9 have been trained in basic life
support. This means that in an emergency, only that 9 people have the
ability to treat and take care of all 100 people. This example shows low
coping capacity. However, if 50 out of 100 people are trained in basic life
support, then in an emergency, things would be manageable, since those
50 trained people only have to take care of two people each, including
themselves.
Now, let's go to Sir Antopina. I'm sure I won't be forgetting his
orientation any time soon since he provided a live demonstration on how
to stop a fire. A fire needs three elements: fuel, air, and heat. Without any
one of these, a fire will not ignite, so the objective is to remove one of
serves as fuel for the fire and what kind of fire extinguisher can be used
on it. Class A fires are from ordinary solid combustible materials like
paper and cloth. We can use any type of fire extinguisher in Class A fires
except for carbon dioxide. Class B fires are from flammable liquids like
oil and gasoline. Water can't be used to extinguish class B fires. Class C
fires are from electrical appliances like broken electric fan. Only carbon
dioxide and dry chemical can be used to extinguish class C fires. And
Class D fires are from combustible metals.
Sir Antopina demonstrated a class B fire. He showed that throwing
water to it won't extinguish it, but instead make it bigger. However, using
foam (mixing water with soap) and a dry chemical fire extinguisher, the
Class B fire was extinguished.
He also pointed out that when spraying the fire extinguisher, make
sure to point it in the direction of the wind, so that the chemical will go to
the fire and not to the one holding the fire extinguisher.
It is also important to check the fire extinguisher. First, check if the
safety pin is in place. Next, check if the gauge is in the green. Then, check
if the hose is free from damage.
If ever a fire occurs and you empty a fire extinguisher, place it on the
floor horizontally so that the firefighters can understand that that fire
extinguisher has been used. Don't place it back where you got it because
there's a chance the firefighters will use it but it's actually empty.
My unforgettable experience may have been a disaster, but after the
Disaster Risk Orientation and Drill in MSU-CETD, I am now prepared to
face another calamity with a ready mind and body.

Beauty is in the AI of the Beholder EDITORIAL

W
ith the AI-generated piece "Théâtre
D'opéra Spatial," a man won in a fine
art competition at the Colorado State
Fair in 2022. When he posted his winning piece
on social media, he gained a lot of traction and
he became viral– for all the wrong reasons.
art by RICHELLE DE ARCE
Jason Allen, a Colorado-based video
game designer disclosed that Midjourney,
an artificial art generator that transforms
written descriptions into valuable visuals
and digital art, was largely responsible for
his prize-winning artwork. Allen claimed
that when he presented his piece
to the committee, he made it
clear that it had been created
using an AI-generated program,
manual editing in Photoshop,
and upscaling with Gigapixel.
However, his sweet victory sparked
a broader conversation regarding
the proliferation of AI art and its
ramifications for the wider art world.
Many traditional and digital
artists express their dismay that an
AI-generated piece of art won the
state fair. It appeared as though
human efforts had no value. This
sparked a debate regarding artificial
intelligence-generated art as a whole
and its detrimental effects on ethics,
employment, racial and ethnic
stereotypes, as well as potential
implications regarding gender and
sexuality.
The Philippine Intellectual
Property Act (IP Code) defines
copyrightable works as unique
intellectual creations in the
literary and creative fields that
are safeguarded from the moment
of their production. These works
include things like illustrations,
paintings, and drawings. The IP
Code states that copyright is the
property of the work's creator, who
is defined as the one who really
developed the work or whose name
is mentioned in connection with it.
Yet, as AI-generated art is produced
using preexisting online collections
of human-made artwork, the
question of who legally owns the AI-
generated art arises.
AI-generated software and
websites are simple to use online.
A complicated image that you can
download is automatically created
itself how to create new pieces. It is
really unfortunate that AI art uses
these works of art that have been
posted online without the artists'
permission; this is clearly a violation
of personal privacy and a conflict
with current copyright rules.
AI, in general, is a threat to
human employment. With the
proliferation of AI-generated
artworks, genuine human creativity
and skills could die out– harming
the art industry and employment as
a whole. This affects not only artists
who belong to a larger chain of the
corporation but also gravely affects
those small-scale artists let alone
the local ones. This hurts them with
a narrative that “Oh, I can make art
and acquire art just by typing a text
on a generator. I don’t need an artist
to make this for me”. This impacts
not only the income of artists who
use their craft as a means of survival
but also the art industry as a whole.
Little by little, appreciation of
genuine art became scarce.
Aside from ethicality and
unemployment, another angle of
harm brought by AI art is how it
also contributes to and tolerates
damaging racial and ethnic
prejudices through its works of art. It
is overtly European or the depicted
characters in these AI arts exhibit
those beloved Eurocentric traits that
the public adores. Nonetheless, it is
disappointing to see how little Black
and Asian traits are depicted in these
works of art. Many generators highly
use Eurocentric and white features
in every artwork it generates that
reflects how the society is still
living under the nightmares of
imperialism.
image of art but to those people who
consume it.
Our lives have been much
improved and made more bearable
by the amazing things that the
development of technology has
brought us. However, as much as
everything else, it has its harmful
setbacks. Many people think that
AI art is an opportunity of making
art accessible even to people
who are not skilled in this craft.
However, with the proliferation of
AI-generated art, we see the death
of artistry and creativity happening
in front of our own very eyes. And to
the people who make their art crafts
their bread and butter, it is a threat
to them, to their craft, and to the art
itself.
For artists to be protected from
copyright issues roaming around
the AI art generators, it is necessary
for policymakers to make copyright
laws inclusive of digital domains. It
is high time for them to be flexible
and cater to the modernization
of time. For programmers, it is
necessary to create strict policy
controls and regulations on their
sites that use other artists’ works
to learn and create art. On a grass
root level, we can battle the harmful
implications of AI art by being a
sensitive and sensible consumers
of art. Even though beauty is in
the eye of the beholder, an art that
is plagiarized and copied from
another is far from what we call
beauty. In this way, we do not only
support artists but also preserve
and protect the art industry where
art appreciation still stems from
genuine human creativity.

when you type text in the text
box. Yes, it works well for small-
scale applications like putting it as
wallpaper, transforming it into an AI
character, or even just for fun. Even
though we appreciate the efficiency
that AI-generated websites have
brought, artists from all over the
world have questioned the ethicality
of these websites.
Ethicality in AI art is
an elephant in the room that
programmers should dip their
hands into. Many questioned the
ethics of AI art because it draws
from a database of images that can
be accessed online and uses works
of art that already exist to teach
"
Many people, like Melissa
Heikkilä, a senior reporter at MIT
Technology Review tried the service
with the purpose of understanding
how AI art generally works. She
was surprised to see that 30 of With the proliferation of
the 100 avatars that were created AI-generated art, we see
for her were overly sexualized. Its
gender and sexual connotations the death of artistry and
reflect how we feel about AI with creativity happening in
our own preconceptions, and it front of our own very eyes.
affects our society's most vulnerable
individuals. On a more serious And to the people who
note, it was also found that AI art make their art crafts their
contained images depicting rape, bread and butter, it is a
pornography, maligned stereotypes,
and racist and ethnic slurs which threat to them, to their
is highly damaging not only to the craft, and to the art itself.
 sci-tech
THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF MINDANAO STATE UNIVERSITY - COLLEGE OF EDUCATION TRAINING DEPARTMENT, GENERAL SANTOS CITY | SPIRE

10 VOLUME XXXIII NUMBER 1 | AUGUST 2022 - MARCH 2023

"
UP ALCHEME’s Research
Why did you choose to use ethanol as the At exactly 12:30 P.M., the online based on the standard procedures
solvent for the maceration of your leaf program commenced. Our hearts were by Guevara (2005).” We looked at the
racing as we were sitting together panelist’s face and were unsure of her
Competition 2023:
samples in your study?
and faced our laptop screens with reaction. Was she satisfied with our
My heart was beating like a drum as soon anticipation as we waited for the answer?
as the panelist’s question reached my ears from
the laptop speaker. My palms were slicker with
‘A Nail-Biting Experience’ judges to be introduced. Each one was
announced with great reverence yet
Our hearts swelled with pride as
we calmly and confidently responded to
by ANDREA YSABELLE ABAN despite the weight of their credentials, the last few questions, gradually letting
sweat, and I could feel my knees starting to shake the judges spoke with an air of go of the nervousness that had gripped
even harder. The sudden shock of the query had approachability that put us at ease. us before. Finally, we let out a sigh of
also visibly affected my teammates, who looked “LS-013, please proceed to your relief and joyfully hugged each other,
as though they had just been blindsided by an breakout room now.” This was it. congratulating ourselves on a job well
oncoming truck. It was such a simple question, After the presentation of our done.
but our minds raced to try to search for the pre-recorded video presentation, we The research competition was a
preeminent answer… proceeded to the Q&A portion. The mix of tension and enjoyment, with
It was a bright afternoon on February 1 and first panelist asked us her query. It valuable lessons and experiences gained
we were tickled pink as we received the news that was a very unexpected question, one from competing against young Filipino
we will be able to move on to the Closed-Door that never crossed our minds while innovators. Though we didn't make it to
Defense Round under the Life Science category preparing for this portion. the final round, we gained confidence
of the University of the Philippines’ Academic “Why did you choose to use and a deeper appreciation for hard
League of Chemical Engineering Research Fair ethanol as the solvent for the work and perseverance. This experience
2023: Research Competition Event with our maceration of your leaf samples in would not have been possible without
study entitled, “Phytochemical, Cytotoxicity, and your study?” she asked. My teammates the assistance and supervision of our
Antibacterial Properties of Ficus septica (Lagnob) looked equally rattled, and we all research adviser, Mrs. Maribel S. Siao.
exchanged panicked glances. But we Indeed, success isn't just about the end
Leaf Crude Extract Against Escherichia Coli.” To
rallied, drawing on our knowledge of goal, but also the journey and progress
be eligible for the aforementioned round, we the subject matter. One of us responded, made.
initially had to go through the Journal Entry Round “The materials and method that we
wherein only the best 5 entries per category would used and followed for our study were
advance to the Closed-Door Defense Round. There
were three subcategories under the Research
Competition Event: Life Science, Applied Science,
and Physical Science. Only the top two teams
for each category from the Closed-Door Defense MSU conducts online classes on
March 27-31 due to the extreme weather
Interview would be able to proceed to the Final
Defense Round.
February 10 and it was finally the day of the
Closed-Door Defense. Every muscle in my body by FARRAH ELYSHA JEN DELA CALZADA
was tense, and I couldn't shake the feeling of
uneasiness that had settled in my stomach. For
days, we had been preparing for this moment,
poring over our research and refining our
presentation. But now, as the time of the contest
arrived, my confidence began to falter, and I
wondered if all of our hard work would be for
naught.

BEING TECH-LITERATE
Virtual Versus Reality: Weighing the Benefits
and Drawbacks of Online Learning
by JEZZU MORRISEN QUIMOSING

T
he world has experienced a shift towards online communication and interaction in recent years, especially in light of the
COVID-19 pandemic, and education is no exception. The emergence of online learning platforms and tools has brought pubmat from LGU-GenSan FB page; source: PAGASA
about a new era of education that has altered the way we learn and teach.

Online learning has undeniably
changed the face of education,
providing access to a greater range of
learning opportunities and resources.
However, there are advantages and
disadvantages to online learning that
need to be carefully considered.
One significant advantage of
this learning modality is flexibility.
It enables learners to complete
assignments on their own schedules,
allowing them to work and learn at their
own pace. This flexibility is particularly
useful for students with busy schedules
or have other obligations that would
otherwise make it difficult for them to
pursue education.
It is also more cost-effective than
traditional classroom learning. Students
can save money on expenses such as
transportation by not having to pay
for school supplies or commute to a
physical campus.
Another advantage of online
learning is that it can accommodate
a wider range of students. With no
physical limitations, schools can reach
students from all over the world,
providing access to education for those
who might otherwise be unable to
attend a traditional school.
While the online learning modality
has numerous advantages, it also
has certain disadvantages. The lack
of engagement with professors and
students is a significant disadvantage.
Students who learn online may feel
isolated or separated from their
learning environment, which can have
an impact on their motivation.
It also requires a high level of
self-discipline and time management
skills. Without the environment
of a traditional classroom setting,
it’s up to students to stay on top of
their assignments and make sure
they’re meeting deadlines. This can
be challenging for some students,
particularly those who struggle with
procrastination or time management.
Overall, online learning can be a
valuable and accessible alternative to
traditional education. With flexibility,
cost savings, and the ability to work at
your own pace, online learning is a great
option for many students. However, it’s
essential to be aware of the potential
drawbacks, such as a lack of face-to-face
interaction and the need for strong self-
discipline and time management skills.
Ultimately, the decision to pursue
online learning versus traditional
education will depend on your
individual needs and preferences. By
weighing the benefits and drawbacks of
each approach, you can make a decision
about which type of education is right
for you.
D
ue to the expected extreme hot weather conditions,
Mindanao State University-General Santos City (MSU-
GSC) Acting Chancellor JD. Usman D. Aragasi, MPA released
the Memorandum Order No. 022-23C in which all classes
from March 27-31, 2023 are held online (synchronous and
asynchronous).
Last March 25, Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical
Services Administration (PAGASA) released a five-day forecast of heat index
in Mindanao with General Santos having the highest temperature, ranging
from 33°C to 59°C.
MSU's Academic Planning Committee was quick to act on this
information and recommended to suspend all school activities and conduct
all classes online in consideration for the risks and threats of the extreme
weather.
According to the memorandum, faculty members should report in
their respective offices and may conduct synchronous classes, asynchronous
classes, or a combination of both.
All school activities within the week shall also be postponed and
moved to a later date.
The memorandum also clarified that no work or class suspension will
be happening during the week.
MSU-GSC Medical Services Department advises everyone to keep
hydrated, stay indoors, take cold showers, and wear light-colored and loose-
fitting clothes to beat the heat.

CELLPHONES:
The Building Blocks of the Life of Learners
by HANNAH LEVEE SANTOS

L
ong trails of salty beads dripped down Sophia’s forehead as she tried to wedge herself beside two college students. Her eyebrows furrowed and
a grimace made its way to her face as she felt the humid air settle across her back, her white polo now uncomfortably sticking to her skin. When
her fare was eventually collected, she let out a sigh of relief as she heard the jeepney’s engine roar, signaling its departure. Sophia really didn’t
want to be late for class. Her first subject was Physics, a course she could not afford to fail – especially during this semester.

Just then, a soft ping! brought Sophia Cellphones are electronic devices that are Modern-day learners regularly rely on
out of her senses. Sophia carefully fished out used to accomplish multiple tasks. Through its their cellphones to get them through their day.
her phone and opened a notification from her innovative trait of digital convergence – the Cellphones can be used to pass on messages

"
classmate. The message made Sophia’s eyes combination of technological advancements and information among groups of people,
widen. She could not avoid the panicked gasp to work on a single goal, cellphones are similar to how Sophia found out about the
that slipped from her lips. able to provide necessary applications for quiz in Physics. Cellphones can also be used
“Girl, naa daw ta quiz sa Physics. effective communication and information for improving one’s time management due
Due to Nakastudy ka? (Girl, we have a quiz in Physics. dissemination. Modern cell phones contain to their built-in alarm applications as well as
their ability Did you study for it?)” messaging apps, video conferencing tools, To-Do list applications that can be downloaded
to access Now in visible distress, Sophia rushed to and document software, all of which are online. In addition, due to their ability to access
information on grab her notebook and silently prayed that the extremely helpful in one’s day-to-day activities information on the internet, learners are able
the internet, jeepney wouldn’t hit any potholes, so that she – especially in the lives of learners. to absorb new knowledge through the use of
could quickly review her notes and mentally Think of a modern cellphone as a cell. their cellphones.
learners are prepare herself for the nightmare that In biology, a cell is a component of a living Although there are still present negative
able to absorb awaited her the moment she stepped organism that serves as the foundation of their effects that come with the use of cellphones,
new knowledge into her classroom. “Gods,” she entire existence. In this modern day and age, a users must always remember that these
through the thought, “What if I had left cell phone acts as a cell of a learner’s plan for devices were created to help and not to harm
my phone at home?” an efficient and easier educational experience. us. It is simply the way we use our phones that
use of their determines their impact that changes our lives.
cellphones.

art by FRANCIS CALONIA

VOLUME XXXIII NUMBER 1 | AUGUST 2022 - MARCH 2023 THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF MINDANAO STATE UNIVERSITY - COLLEGE OF EDUCATION TRAINING DEPARTMENT, GENERAL SANTOS CITY | SPIRE

sports
EDITORIAL

WOMENSTRUAL DAY OF THE MONTH:

How Pinay athletes face their struggles

H
ave you ever wondered how female athletes handle their menstrual cycles? Can you imagine the amount of suffering and discomfort they have to
endure each month throughout their training and even during actual competitions? Some women find it awkward to talk about their periods, although
that shouldn't be the case since they affect 50% of the population. More and more Pinay athletes are now bringing this issue to light and spreading
knowledge about how periods affect women in sports. Many Filipinas have already brought glory to our country in the field of sports, this is why there
needs to be a bigger effort to recognize women's needs and give them more rights in sport.

According to our very own Hidilyn
Diaz, the first Olympic gold medalist
from the Philippines, “Bilang isang
babae, isang atleta, ang dami din
naming kailangan. Every month, may
dalaw ‘di ba?” Diaz also shared. She
hopes that there will be more female
coaches and sports officials as a result,
in hopes of developing programs
tailored for women. “Kailangan may
participation ng kababaihan, sa sports
officials, sa technical officials, sa
coaches. Kasi paano makakaintindi ang
coaches sa isang babae kung walang
magsasabi or magfi-feedback na
babae?”, she added.
Furthermore, Nesthy Petecio a
2020 Tokyo Olympics silver medalist
SHS Taekwondo Team shared on the Go Hard Girls podcast,
“Ang hirap kapag dinatnan na po 'yung
kicks their way to a mga babae, lalo na pag nasa sa combat
that her male coaches have made the
necessary adjustments, even though it
took them some time to comprehend
what she and her fellow female boxers
were going through. She also added,
“Kumbaga 'di nila kami pinipilit pag
nagsasabi kami na ‘Coach ah, may dalaw
po kami.’ Tas sabi ni coach, ‘O sige, ah
jogging ka lang or papawis ka lang’
or ganun lang. Kung magi-sparring
naman kami sasabihin nila 'yung mga
ka-sparring namin, lalo na lalaki, na
wag muna sa tiyan, sa mukha na lang.
So sila po nag-aadjust. 'Yun po 'yung
pinakamaganda sa mga coaches po
namin.”
Gilas Pilipinas athlete and SEA
games gold medalist Monique Del
Carmen who also partook in the Go
Hard Girls podcast shared “Kapag
nagwe-weights ka, kinabukasan sobrang
ka pa minsan. 'Yung iba pasain kasi
meron.” “Kapag may game, wala kang
magagawa you need to play. For
example, 'yung isang senior namin 'di
niya alam magkakaroon siya that day.
During the game pa!”
With all these, how has your
menstruation affected your training
and performance, if you're a female
athlete reading this? And, if you're a
guy, how does this information alter
your perception of what female athletes
go through? Still hopeful that everyone
would come to accept having period
breakdowns and being ill as normal.
Let's remove the stigma associated with
the female cycle and stop viewing it as
something that weakens and restricts
women and that we shouldn't address.
In order to end this taboo in our society,
we should work hand in hand and

championship gold rush sports talaga.” Petecio is thankful sakit dahil meron ka. Magkakapasa embrace womanity.

by DANN JOSHUA AMADA

Manguda Endo Raga 2022 Statements from the crowned

Raga and Manguda of MSU 2022

KICKING TRIUMPH. The SHS

Legends Taekwondo team proved that they do not
need a weapon because they are one, as they pocketed
five championship golds during the MSU-GSC
Intramurals 2022 Taekwondo Competition, held last
" In order to keep growing, you cannot skip
any steps when climbing up the ladder. Being
crowned as Raga ng MSU 2022 was something
that I had not anticipated. I actually hesitated
if I should join again or not considering what
others will think of me as I gained weight but
alas, the mantra in my head won. I wasn’t just
gonna let a mere perception stop me. During
the pageant proper, specifically the Q&A
portion, there was this voice inside my head
that kept on repeating as if it wants to break
" I had a great time during
the pageant. Despite the
anxiety and nervousness, I
also felt great excitement, I
was excited to show myself
to everyone and also very
excited to represent my
house. During the pageant,
I built friendship towards
my fellow candidates which
made my experience so
much better. As the event
free. It felt like it really was my moment to
November 24 at the University Gymnasium. shine, to conquer, and to inspire the hearts of progress, I felt comfortable
photo taken by Jhyztin Kyrr Vallestero the people. I wasn’t nervous when I was asked and the feeling of anxiety
the question like I used to before and what calmed down. Towards the

S
howing formidable endurance and mesmerizing surprised me most was that I wasn’t even end of the pageant, I was
skills, the SHS Legends Taekwondo team bagged 5 scared of speaking in front of a huge audience! feeling very relaxed and glad
championship golds at the end of their respective After the event, I finally was congratulated that the event was coming
competitive runs in all categories during the Mindanao by the people who had supported me and to and end, but when I was
State University - General Santos Intramurals 2022 cheered me on since the very beginning. At announced as manguda, my
Taekwondo Competition, last November 24 at the that moment, I realized and had thought to happiness skyrocketed, not
University Gymnasium. myself that in order to conquer, you must only because I won the title
Displaying admirable patterns of stances and inspire, and in order to inspire, you must defy but also because I saw my
techniques, black-belters Kirstel Dayne Bombita (STEM 12 all odds. And so, the only message I have for house celebrating my win.
- Wiles) and Ezekiel Limpin (STEM 12 - Riemann) reigned the future Raga ng MSU 2023, may you shatter Manguda endo Raga was a
over all the other participants of the other colleges in every expectation and exceed all limitations! great experience and I am
the Individual Poomsae Competition - Female and Male Padayon, Raga. very glad to be part of it.
Divisions, respectively.
With pure determination and revolting strength,
black-belter Ezekiel Limpin (STEM 12 - Riemann) NINA RICCI LUBATON VILLASENDA PRINCE ARJEN GABATO
once again dominated in the Sparring Competition RAGA OF MSU 2022 MANGUDA OF MSU 2022
- Fly Category after triumphing over a College of
Engineering Asteeg in his first fight, and a College of
Business Administration and Accountancy Tycoon in the
championship round.
Adding to their invigorating championship streak,
yellow-belter Carl Joseph Montero (STEM 12 - Descartes)

MSU NOW: Champion of Peace,

also surmounted in the Sparring Competition - Fin
Category after defeating a College of Fisheries Angler
in his first fight, a College of Agriculture Reaper in

Builder of the Future

his second fight, and a College of Social Sciences and
Humanities Vanguard in the championship round. by JHERSEY MAE BOLTRON GUAZO
Amidst the dazzled roars and wowed yells of the

crowd, the SHS Legends Taekwondo team, consisting of
black-belters Ezekiel Limpin (STEM 12 - Riemann) and
Kirstel Dayne Bombita (STEM 12 - Wiles), brown-belter
Anna Faye Saulon (STEM 11 - Io), red-belter Christine
Ang (HUMSS 11 - Weber), green-belter Gladys Gleys Sapa
(STEM 12 - Gauss), yellow-belters Carl Joseph Montero
(STEM 12 - Descartes) and Gryka Krissan Balleras (STEM
12 - Euclid), and beginner Hamdie Hadjinoor Abdulcarim
(ABM 11 - Gates), conclusively outperformed all the other
teams of the other colleges in the Team Demonstration
Category with their kindling stances, overpowering kicks,
and eye-catching acrobatics.
The SHS Legends Taekwondo team's overall
championship path was steered and guided by their
coach, Sir Prince Carlo Guillermo, and their student
coach, Samantha Cañete.
data retrieved form Bagwis FB page
T
he MSU-CETD Intramurals 2022—spanning from November 28 to December 1—was first
officially announced on the 4th of November, during the Parents-Teachers Association (PTA)
General Assembly for S.Y. 2022–2023. As for the teams, the school will be divided into three
houses: Garuda, Minokawa, and Naguinid—the same houses from SciMath Day last October,
just with different names.
Intramurals is a lively school event where now learners of MSU-CETD will build strong
competitions involving thinking, physical sports sportsmanship and interpersonal bonds with
and arts, music, and literature takes place. This their classmates, and become champions of
week-long festival is the most awaited event of peace. The Intramurals transformed MSUans to
the second quarter, if not the whole school year, be champions of peace, to be the builders of their
as every MSUan will be able to communicate and futures.
compete through forms of sport and art of their This was one of the highlights of the school
choice. All students are welcome to help and join, year for the CETD students. Athletes, dancers,
and in MSU, it is greatly encouraged to participate writers, poets, artists, and other contestants gave
and be present during practices and the event. their all at practices. Houses worked to reign as
The MSU Intrams promote peace, teamwork, champion, even though we all know that all of
and sportsmanship, and helps in building strong us are winners, one house must be hailed as the
relationships among students. Taken from its over-all champion.
theme, “MSU NOW: Champion of peace, builder The event ended with house Minokawa—
of the future”. This event showcased the hidden yellow house as the overall
talents, skills and attitudes of the students. It also champion garnering a total of 617 points. They
showed the students attitudes and reactions in were followed by house Garuda—blue house with
unfortunate events. 598 points, and lastly the house Naguinid—red
In order to win the games of the Intrams house with 581 points. But before officially ending,
one must be active, competitive, and have great they made sure to atleast award the students
coordination and teamwork with others. One hard work through a ‘Students Night’ where they
must have peace with their peers in order to were given a chance to have fun and vibe with the
be a champion. It helped develop this kind of amazing band—‘ARYA’.
agreement between students, and that is one
of its main benefits. Hopefully, through it, the
 PARADE
THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF MINDANAO STATE
UNIVERSITY - COLLEGE OF EDUCATION TRAINING

sports
DEPARTMENT, GENERAL SANTOS CITY
VOLUME XXXIII NUMBER 1
AUGUST 2022 - MARCH 2023

OF PINK

GEARING UP. After two-long years of being in a hiatus from various

events and celebrations, the Mindanao State University came back on
track once again, making the whole MSU-Gensan vibrant with colors,
during their Intramurals last November 20, 2022. photo retrieved from
Bagwis FB Page and IMG 617 MINOKAWA 598 NAGUINID 601 GARUDA
FINAL & OFFICIAL TALLY
MSU-CETD INTRAMURALS 2023

by LEE CYBILL EDULLANTES

T
he day sets in. Hundreds if not thousands of students and teachers all line up uniformly near their respective places. Flowing House of Minokawa reigns
colors of red, yellow, and even white contrast the usually dull combination of green grass and gray asphalt. Sounds of cheering supreme in MSU-CETD's
emanated from the horizon, followed by the thundering booms of percussion and the clinking of lyres. Siklab, the official
nickname of the whole Senior High School, waits quietly at the side of the road, arms tensed with anticipation and voices Intramurals 2022
lowered to a murmur. And bam! A crowd of pink rushes through, fans waving in unison and cheering at an all time high. Siklab by MOHAMMAD HIZAM TUAN
Legends, like a magnificent dragon, begins the grind of Intramurals 2022 with an unimaginable passion for competition.
The House of Minokawa composed of 10-Joule, 9-Chadwick,
As the name implies, the entire Senior campus. This parade of pink contributed up, senior high students in pink raved 8-Virchow, and 7-Edison ignites the fire of the MSUan spirit and
High School transformed into their own to the surprisingly earned championship with exceptional talent. Showing the flag won as overall champion in the Intramurals 2022 celebration held
titular dragon. The dragon head led the on the parade by Legends themselves, with of the Philippines in separate pieces of last November 28 to December 1 garnering a total accumulated
charge accompanied by loud drums and a win in both the Most Energetic and the cloth was one of the highlights of their points of 617, followed by the House of Garuda composed of
a group of costumed mass dancers all in Most Creative Parade out of all colleges. dance, yet the performance truly peaked 10-Faraday, 9-Thomson, 8-Mendel, and 7-Edison ignited with a
pink. The body—the largest—waved in Winning the parade wasn’t the with colored glowsticks that changed color score of 598, and the House of Naguinid composed of 10-Maxwell,
9-Rutherford, 8-Linnaeus, and 7-Dalton with 581. The said
unison, hands of white and bodies of pink only win Legends grabbed that day; that in command—red, blue, even pink—that celebration was a commemoration from a two-year long hiatus
flowing through like dragon scales. Loud was only the beginning. When night fell portrayed fire, water, and finally themselves. from face-to-face events in MSU-CETD. The overall champion
cheering rallied to give an impression of and all settled in the middle of the MSU This earned them the 1st Runner Up out of for each event category was also recognized during the awarding
a mythical lizard roaring in intimidation, field to formally start the program, mass all colleges as a whole, only one rank lower ceremony like the Outdoor Games Overall Champion, the House
showing the young, energetic passion of the dancers from all colleges set out to put than the champion they were aiming for. of Garuda with 125 points, Indoor Games Overall Champion,
whole student body. The tail, though the on their most ambitious show yet. The Though Legends finished fifth at the House of Minokawa with 255 accumulated points, Musical
least prominent, left a trail of interesting mass consistency of movement and color Intramurals 2022, they got off to a great Competitions Overall Champion, the House of Naguinid with 127
array of colors to signify that the end can enamored both student and visitor alike, start by earning high ranks in both the points, and Literary Competitions Overall Champion, the House of
Naguinid with 70 points. The event ended with the student's night
still come in with gusto. Even a smaller from the surprising addition of Egypt’s parade and the mass dance. Truly, the first for everyone to enjoy.
dragon costume appeared in front to attract most famous wonder by the College of official day of Intrams will be remembered
bystanders. Other colleges and spectators Engineering to the crops and plants of the by many students before their semesters
gawk at the frenzied sight of an energetic, College of Agriculture. Alas, the Legends come to a close. By then, most if not all wish
legendary entity marching down the road,
proclaiming the serious competitive spirit
came with deviously simple outfits at
first glance, coming in formation at the
they would join the next Intramurals and
win. Siklab Senior High!
Senior High Poseidon Swimming
of the Senior High School to the whole center of the field. As the music ramped Team splash their way to victory
by JUNAH GRACE CASTILLO

S
HS Women's Swimming Team bagged 7 golds, 2 silvers and
GSCAA Meet ‘23: Capili pockets four golds in 2 bronzes in their breath - taking rivalry against different
departments including College of Natural Science and
Rhythmic Gymnastics Mathematics (CNSM), College of Social Science and Humanities
(CSSH), College of Agriculture (COA), College of Education
by JUNAH GRACE CASTILLO (COED), College of Fisheries (COF), College of Engineering, College

A
15-year-old Grade 10 - Maxwell student-athlete of Mindanao State University - College of of Business Administration and Accountancy (BA&A) and School of
Education Training Department (MSU-CETD) Junna May J. Capili has once again proved that Graduate Studies (SGS) during the Mindanao State University - General
versatility truly runs in every MSUan's blood as she bagged four golds and 1 bronze medal in Santos Intramurals 2022 Swimming Competition, last November 19 at
the different categories of rhythmic gymnastics (hoop, ball, clubs, ribbon and individual all LC5 Resort, Mabuhay Road.
around), during the General Santos City Athletic Association (GSCAA) Meet 2023 at Dadiangas South Legends proved their Alexa Antiado, Jazmine Balaod,
Elementary School, last March 11. ability and competence in both and Heart Rola, also topped the
With two long years of hiatus and only a gymnast, always a gymnast" through her individual and group categories women's 25 meter medley relay
ten days of practice, Capili was still able to great comeback on the podium. Everything still owing to their gallant 17 - year old and grabbed 2nd place in women's
haul numerous medals for her proud seems familiar to Capili as she delivered eye- team captain Jazmine Kaye Balaod 25 meter freestyle relay.
school. She amazed the judges with opening execution of the movements and tried who dazzled the spectators with Isaac Cadorna, one of the
her astounding performance to catch every risk as much as possible. her astounding performance and SHS Men's Swimming Team's
in every routine and dazzled Capili will be representing General Santos grabbed 5 of the team's golds. gem also placed 5th in men's 50
the crowd as she showcased City Division and will be competing for the Balaod ruled the women's 25 meter backstroke and ranked 4th
difficulties and masteries. SOCCSKSARGEN Regional Athletic Association meter butterfly by a touch in in men's 25 meter medley relay
Capili, who’s also a Palarong Pambansa (SRAA) Meet at Kidapawan City this coming 16.71 seconds, 42.60 seconds in together with Nelz Guillermo,
2018 and 2019 silver medalist with nine years April, vying for the medals that will lead her to Women's 50 meter backstroke, Rhyll Jayoma, and Joseph Punla.
of experience, has shown everyone that "once this year’s most anticipated Palarong Pambansa. 1.28 seconds in women's 100 meter This maxim proves true
individual medley, 34.32 seconds in the case of the unstoppable
in women's 50 meter freestyle. SHS legends or known as the
ONCE A GYMNAST, ALWAYS A GYMNAST. Junna May Capili shines brighter than any diamond as she J.S. Cherrie Mae Guillermo youngsters that they're not
displays her prowess during the GSCAA Meet 2023 held last March 11, providing an opportunity for her also nabbed 1st place in women's called LEGENDS for nothing.
to represent the General Santos City Division. 25 meter freestyle with her brisk This euphoric victory would not
speed, 2nd place in 50 meter have been possible without the
breaststroke, 3rd place in 25 assistance and supervision of
meter breaststroke and another their coach, Sir Algem Crusis, and
3rd place in women's 25 meter student-coach Aeinoon Ampatuan.
Throw it now! Catch me later! by CHRISTIAN RICH TEVES
butterfly. Guillermo, together with

I
magine catching me when I'm falling.
Imagine throwing me in spaces when I
am broken. The game is on.
The feeling of tension has risen
taking over the mood of the area, feeling
their enjoyment without thinking my pain.
I was no one when I freed myself in
the office, I was already broken but trying
to conquer what I feel relieved from the
burden of hiding but scared of going out
without knowing anything.
As I looked at the field that looked
just like a football pitch, a quadrangle full
of students wondering what will happen.
They looked at me with aggression, willing
to take charge of what's next. I was afraid
and willing to run away seeing the two
groups of seven warriors meet and decide
who gets to move first. They marched and
were ready to attack holding me as their
weapon
I was thrown aggressively and
landed in the grass full of thorns, I was
sent flying in the perimeter and often
caught. I was in pain when they almost
cut me in half. Then I stop when I saw
the smile on every student's face. Their
doubts whether to catch me or not,
nevertheless, my pain was replaced with
enjoyment. I was afraid but overshadowed
by the will to make others happy.
Groups were formed for them to
challenge themselves wearing their
mango float-style uniform made me
realized that this is a competition.
Run! It's a curve shot! the boy
shouted.
Preparing to catch me despite
feeling the hell temperature, I rose to send
flying around fueled by the determination
of each student who exhibited, as they
competitively takes charge in academics
but also showed herculean power in
sports. They sent me to greater heights
feeling the freedom like the dove while
leaving me on the ground letting me taste CONQUERING THE
the failure of time. CURRENT. Senior high
Catch it! they shouted. Dashing their Poseidon swimming team's
way in my direction like titans. 17-year-old team captain,
Throw it now! exclaimed by others. Jazmine Kaye Balaod rises
Bringing me up and beyond. out of the water during the
Now I know I am a Disc. I know why MSU-GSC Intramurals 2022
I am here in this very moment. This is Swimming Competition at
the world of Frisbee. This is my calling. I LC5 Resort, Mabuhay Road.
know I was already around early part of photo taken by Golda
the second half of the twentieth century Rebolido
and born in the United States. As of the
moment, I am in the Philippines gaining
my popularity seeing people play me in
parks and streets. As I see collaboration
and teamwork in everyone made me
realized that I am more than a circular
shaped object thrown for dogs to catch,
now I am officially a sport played by
everyone. An ultimate for the world.
They love Ultimate Frisbee. And I
love myself.