by Elijah Kesh Rosales || Photo Credit: Nathalia Canlas

So…, you’re going to be due in just a few months, for… graduation, that is. Right now, you might have a flurry of emotions overwhelming you one way or another. And I get it, there will be feelings of fear and anxiety as you enter your last year of school, so to help with that, here are a few tips to help you out a bit. 

Tip #1: Take a picture, it’ll last longer.

Bet you didn’t expect this to be the first tip. But you’re going to be applying for colleges soon and they all want a piece of you—your gorgeous face. And I know, right now, it may seem like deadlines are far away, but trust me those numbers will creep up on you like a cockroach smelling fear, so get those ID pictures taken. 

Typically, it won’t be a one size fits all kind of deal, different universities and scholarships require varying sizing and formatting. Having to take multiple shots for an ID picture could get costly, so my advice is only to get one taken and ask for a digital copy. By having that one digital copy, you can now manipulate the dimensions to what the universities require. The most common sizes they would ask for would be 1×1, 2×2, and passport.

Tip #2: Prepare more and more (documents)!

Just your ID pictures are not gonna cut it for your college applications, you know what? So prepare a lot of your documents in general. Note that you can’t really prepare all documents that you need as some of them, if not most, would be given in the following school year. So, for now, here are a few documents that you would be needing that you’d also be able to collate within the summer break leading to the 12^th grade: your birth certificate, your parent’s income tax returns, and your Grade 11 report card (if already given by the end of the school year). 

Should you have any time to spare, it’s also a good idea to start brainstorming on what you’d like to include in your college essays and letters of request for teacher recommendations. These usually take the most time to finish and process, so start working on them as soon as you can!

Tip #3: Choose wisely.

Surprise! More college stuff. 

Think about your preferred courses now. This instant. Or else…

Just kidding, but do try to think about what courses you would like to take and sort them out on a priority list. Most universities will be giving you a myriad of choices, so think about what you really want as much as you can to avoid making hasty decisions about your future. You should think of different factors that would affect your decision. First, think about what your interests are, and what fields in STEM really excite you. Then, think about your strengths and skills and see where they intersect with your interests.

Last, but definitely not the least, is to think about those courses’ earning potential. We don’t live in an ideal world so don’t look into the future with rose-tinted glasses where we can all simply follow our dreams and become whoever we want, so try to think about how sustainable the course you’re picking is in the long run.

Tip #4: Get your head in the game. 

Finally, something not college-related this time!

College applications aren’t the only things you’re going to do. You’re going to have to finish your STR research paper on top of all your other academic requirements. My advice is to basically just do anything as soon as you can. Procrastinating for just even one day can lead to mountains of work in the long run, so just try to do whatever you can as early as you can do it.

 Tip #5: Take a break. 

Hey, it is your senior year. You’ve gone through so much to get to the point where you stand today. So don’t be too hard on yourself; don’t forget to take a quick break or a breather. 

Make sure to spend as much time as you have with your friends. After all, it’s your last year before you all go on your separate ways to higher education. Cherish all the time you have with them because time goes by unbelievably fast. I literally can’t believe I’m writing this only barely a month away from our graduation; I already miss my friends, and I’m fortunate enough to be able to talk to them, albeit online, every day.

And that’s it for my tips to get you through the 12^th Grade. I hope these tips help you out somehow. Nevertheless, keep going and keep fighting, cause now you know a bit on what to expect for the upcoming school year.

So, to the upcoming seniors, good luck, congratulations for making it this far, and remember: “papunta palang tayo sa exciting part.”

by: Norielle Eco || Photo Credit: Philippine Science High School System

“Students? Discussing international political issues? What do they know? They’re just kids!”

Well, the goal of Model United Nations (MUN) is to help the students develop a deeper understanding of the world’s most pressing problems by letting them engage in research-based discussions.

As an educational simulation of the United Nations, MUN allows students to discuss and come up with meaningful solutions for current international issues and, at the same time, hone their skills in research, critical thinking, public speaking, and leadership.

This year, the Philippine Science High School System hosted the Model United Nations Youth Summit (PMUNYS) for the second time. Similar to the previous year, students from different PSHS campuses gathered virtually for the event. The three-day summit was held through Zoom from April 20-22, 2022.

When asked about how the preparations went for the summit, Mr. Emman Patata, a coach and now EVC’s MUN coordinator and Technical Working Group (TWG) member, said that compared to last year, there were improvements in how they prepared for the event.

“This time we really learned how to do the MUN the right way. The TWG really went into training with an RP from Singapore to do things right this time,” he shared.

However, despite the changes, it was still not a smooth ride for them. 

“It’s really challenging to teach students how to do the MUN because we have to do it virtually,” Mr. Patata added. “But I guess the good thing now is na-institutionalize ang MUN program ng PSHS system through the MUN club.” [But I guess the good thing now is that the MUN program of the PSHS system has been institutionalized through the MUN club.]

The Participants

Together with Mr. Patata, a total of 18 students and four coaches represented EVC in the PMUNYS 2022.

The participants spent the first two days of the summit attending simultaneous committee sessions where they tackled subtopics that align with this year’s main theme: Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 – “Quality Education: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.”

Eight students from Grades 9-11 were chosen as delegates and grouped into pairs to represent four countries, each belonging to a different UN committee.

DELEGATES	COUNTRY	COMMITTEE	COACH
Alchris Marie D. Ceballos Joshua Christopher P. Capada	Grand Duchy of Luxembourg	United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)	Ms. Noemi A. Agner
Poimen Deb H. Agnila Zenas Praise H. Agnila	Cooperative Republic of Guyana	United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)	Ms. Camille Alvarez
Kyle Matthew B. Balasanos Honey Precious Claire M. Yao	Federal Republic of Somalia	The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women)	Ms. Gina Cañete
Ma. Hannah Ninna C. Saliganan Kyrus Mathew A. Pampanga	Swiss Confederation	United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF)	Mr. Bong Ablay

As delegates, they were expected to research beforehand their countries’ policies and involvements regarding the topic. A position paper containing the data that they have gathered, along with a proposed action plan, were to be submitted before the conference. In the summit, the delegates had to study these proposals and discuss them extensively during the debate.

Eight other participants, namely Aine Latoja, Crishelle Yu, Katharine Manalo, Kyle Abello, Lorenne Limsiaco, Margarette Nunez, Tiffany Afable, and Vince Boonyarat, served as observers. They were expected to watch how the simulations work and learn from the delegates. Additionally, a select number of the observers were required to present a cultural presentation of their assigned country, the Republic of Korea, during the Youth Delegates Socials program on the first day.

The remaining two students were part of the DAIS for the UN Women committee. Vehuel John Bateo was the Rapporteur and Ruan Tady Baillo served as the Secretary. Prior to the event, the DAIS were trained to lead the committee and moderate the progression of the sessions.

As someone with previous MUN experience, Baillo shared how this year’s experience differed from his first one.

He recalled how he started as a delegate of a small intercampus MUN enrichment program where the training was rushed, and how they ended up just ‘joking around’ on the actual simulations—a huge contrast to being a DAIS this year with a much bigger and more serious responsibility.

“It was really different [being a DAIS] compared to being a delegate,” he stated.

“It was initially scary during PMUNYS 2022. I was secretary so I was in charge of analyzing all the delegates. I had to look at all of them and note down what they did, said, body language, and how they were as a delegate. At some point, the nerves wore down. We did what we had to do, and it wasn’t as bad as we thought.”

Awards

It was during the last day when the General Assembly for the presentation of resolutions was held and was followed by the Closing and Awarding Ceremony. The participants did not fail to make EVC proud as they bagged multiple awards.

Representatives from the UDNP Committee, Capada and Ceballos, were given the Best Position Paper Award and Honorable Mention for Best Presenters.

When asked about how he felt about winning Best Position Paper together with his partner Ceballos, Capada shared, “Personally, I didn’t expect that we would win. It was my first time participating in a MUN conference, and to represent EVC in a systemwide event for your first was a daunting task for me. So, when we were announced as winners, I was honestly surprised, but ultimately, I was happy because the payoff was more than enough in exchange for the time and effort that we have exerted into this event.”

From the UNESCO committee, the twins Agnila, P. and Agnila, Z. also bagged two awards as they received Honorable Mention for Best Position Paper & Honorable Mention for Best Presenters.

Yao and Balasanos from the UN Women committee also received the Honorable Mention for Best Position Paper.

Aside from that, our talented observers were also awarded Honorable Mention for Cultural Presentation.

Indeed, MUN not only hones the diplomatic, leadership, and public speaking skills of participants but it also teaches them to value inclusive and research-based solutions. 

As scholars, it is important that as early as now, individuals engage in these kinds of activities and expose themselves to issues that affect their community and the world since as they say, the children are the nation’s future leaders. 

by: Aine Latoja || Photo credit: The Sociable

When President Corazon Aquino signed the mandate in 1988 allowing March 8th to be declared as a special working holiday known as National Women’s Day, it allows Filipinos to acknowledge the women who have fought for better working hours and equal pay in their workplaces and have become triumphant in doing so. The holiday allowed everyone to recognize women and the long battle they waged against society’s crushing standards.

This month, we strive to inform and engage everyone to promote change in society, particularly actions toward gender equality in our communities. Additionally, we continue to create and facilitate platforms to give women space to discuss good practices, gaps, challenges, and commitments in pursuing gender and development. Lastly, we aim to inspire everyone, not just women, to be agents of change to promote gender equality and women empowerment. 

As we celebrate Women’s Day, we must also recognize women in STEM, especially as Pisay scholars. It is important to encourage and uplift women who want to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM), such as the freshmen who, upon entering the school, are bombarded by these subjects while they are still finding their own passion. As Grade 7 student Christine Mutthan says, 

“… Though they’re mainly male-dominated courses, I feel empowered to reach my goals where a minority of women stand. I’d love to be one of many inspirations as to why women do what they love despite the society we’ve grown to live in.” 

However, gender alone should not be the leading drive for committing to a passion in this field. When asked, “Does being a woman working toward STEM drive your passion in some way? If so, how?” Helena Enero, a Grade 10 student, says: 

“It doesn’t. Some will say it’s empowering but it’s not. It’s only empowering if you’re in a male-dominated workplace when STEM isn’t…” 

Nevertheless, being a woman in STEM is still a challenge. Research teacher Ma’am Jan Morata stated that the inequality in number and opportunities is because of how traditional Filipino families see their female relatives entering such careers. Moreso, as women have always been expected to assume the position of the caretaker of the household, they are left with little to no time dedicated to building their own careers. 

However, her position as a mentor to Pisay scholars allows her to encourage girls and boys, regardless of gender, to become researchers. She further expressed:

“It matters a lot that we have a strong research program which aims to integrate all learnings into a project which tests their understanding of science and technology and uses skills learned from other subjects…” 

With all that said, it doesn’t mean that these women are in STEM; these are real people who actually have a passion for this field. These are women who advocate for equality in opportunities and resources. And because of those who have succeeded in trodding the hard path before them, it becomes easier for women and girls to succeed in their careers. 

In this male-dominated field, the women are here to stay: to uplift, to empower, and to encourage. 

by: Aine Latoja || Photo Credit: Oprah Daily

As the month of love rolls in, many anticipate the holiday that falls on a lovely-looking number, 14. 

Valentines’ Day is a celebration of everything related to romance and love. From romantic comedies to cheesy pick-up lines, this special day is associated with dreamy hues of pink and red, boxes of chocolates, bouquets, you name it. But, this doesn’t mean that you are required to have a romantic date to celebrate V-day. As much as the media romanticizes finding your soulmate in high school, that isn’t the case most of the time. We, as a society, put so much pressure on teenagers to mature quickly and get into steadfast relationships without even knowing what exactly these relationships are.

There are other people whose love is just as important to celebrate the month of love, and what better way to show them than good old-fashioned romantic gestures? Romantic relationships aren’t the only ones with a special pass. Who needs a date just to feel loved, anyway?

Though if you’re one of the few people that have a date, then good for you. Romantic love—or eros, as the Greeks call it—is the type of love people most associate with when thinking about Valentines’ Day. The romantic feelings for a person distinguish this sort of love. It’s similar to platonic love, but there’s some physical intimacy as well. Romantic love is passionate but can be hard to find. Cherish this love while you have it, except when they are a walking red flag, then run! 

However, there are plenty more relationships to focus on. 

Philia, or the love of friendship, is often formed when mutual interests and understanding are present. Everyone in the world has probably created these special connections. According to Plato, this type of love is the best and lasts the longest. Acknowledging the love you have for your friends can help bring you closer and deepen your bond even more. Go on Discord calls, play games together, or meet up in person. Who better to celebrate Valentines’ with other than the people who have always had your back, good or bad?

Meanwhile, this holiday also calls for treating those who have loved you the longest: your family. We can all agree that, blood-related or not, the people we call family are those we think the whole world of. Even in the worst times, familial love always comes through. Order a bouquet for your parents, treat your siblings with a box of chocolates, or write your dog a love letter. There are many ways to express the love you feel for the people you consider as home.

And most importantly, self-love. Many people tend to forget this, but love always starts with oneself. How we treat the people we love is and always will be reflective of ourselves. Despite Cupid not hitting you with an arrow this year, take yourself out on a date. It can be a bit challenging focusing on yourself more, but it’ll be worth it in the end. Once you finally learn not to measure your self-worth over other people’s validation and realize you are worthy of love regardless of who you are, maybe love will find itself back to you.

by: Norielle Eco ||

June 2020. Dozens of reporters fill the venue, each of them eagerly awaiting answers. They stand outside the courtroom of Manila Regional Trial Court, where, sitting in the center is a prominent journalist, devastated by the court’s verdict. Beside her are her lawyer and a former colleague who shared the same fate. 

This was only minutes after Maria Ressa and Reynaldo Santos Jr. were found guilty of cyber libel, becoming the first-ever journalists to be convicted of the crime in the country. 

Government critics called for the journalists’ defense, deeming the conviction as a big blow to press freedom. Loyalists, on the other hand, viewed this as a win, claiming that justice has been served. 

Little did everyone know that more than a year after that conviction, Maria Ressa would become the very first Filipino Nobel Prize Laureate. 

How It All Started 

Maria Angelita Ressa (58) is a Filipino-American writer and journalist. She was born in the Philippines but migrated to the United States at the age of 10. She graduated cum laude at Princeton University with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in English and achieved certificates in theater and dance. In search of her roots, Ressa applied for the Fulbright scholarship, which allowed her to study Political Theatre as a master’s degree at the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman, the flagship campus of the UP System that is considered by Philippine law as the national university. 

In 1987, Ressa landed her first job as a member of the Probe Team. A year later, she became Cable News Network (CNN)’s bureau chief in Manila, holding the position for almost a decade before running the Jakarta bureau from 1995 to 2005. Her focus as CNN’s lead investigative reporter was terrorism in Southeast Asia. Returning from Jakarta, Ressa worked as the head of the ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs until 2010. 

Together with her fellow journalists and entrepreneurs, Ressa co-founded and became the Chief Executive Officer and President of Rappler. Rappler, starting originally as a Facebook page named Move.PH in 2011, soon evolved into a complete website in 2012. As of today, it is one of the biggest news websites in the Philippines, having garnered multiple local and international awards. 

The Perilous Battle 

Rappler is notoriously critical of current President Rodrigo Duterte and his policies. The news site often covers stories that tackle corruption, misogyny, and human rights violations. It also pays critical attention to the anti-drug campaign, together with the extrajudicial killings and the fast-rising death toll. Ressa, in particular, has posted several articles on said topics on the news site and has also been known to personally document the spread of government propaganda and fake news on Facebook. 

These past few years, Ressa and Rappler have been subjected to multiple criminal charges, unending investigations, and harsh online verbal attacks. After being convicted in 2020, Ressa and Santos paid the post-conviction bail to enjoy temporary freedom while filing for an appeal. Ressa and Rappler have currently posted a total of ten bails and are still facing seven active cases, which range from breach of foreign ownership rules in the Philippines to alleged tax violations. Ressa, however, believes that these cases filed against her are used as “political tools.” Moreover, Rappler and other government critics view these acts and cases as harassment and political intimidation that threaten freedom of expression in the country. 

Yet, despite the numerous threats against them, Ressa and the staff of Rappler vow to continue the battle for press freedom. 

Bagging the Prestigious Prize 

The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five prestigious Nobel Prizes established by the will of Alfred Nobel. Every year, the award is awarded to the candidate/s who have done significant action for union between nations, the reduction of standing armies, and the promotion of peace. 

On the 8th of October 2021, Ressa was recognized as the first Filipino to receive a Nobel Prize. Alongside Dmitry Muratov from Russia, Ressa was hailed as this year’s Nobel Peace Prize winner. The Norwegian Nobel Committee commended Ressa for using freedom of expression to “expose abuse of power, use of violence and growing authoritarianism in her native country, the Philippines.” 

Among the 329 candidates, Ressa and Muratov were announced as the recipients of the award in recognition of “their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace.” 

The formal awarding ceremony for the Nobel Peace Prize is set to be held in Oslo, Norway, on December 10, 2021, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death. It is the only Nobel Prize that is not presented in Sweden. Nobel laureates will receive 10 million Swedish kronor (SEK) or $1.15 million, a diploma, and a gold medal. Ressa will share the prize with Muratov. She hopes that she could be granted permission to travel to Norway to receive the award. 

The Nobel Prize is not the only major international award that Ressa has received. Some of her major awards are as follows: the 2017 Democracy Award, the 2018 Knight International Journalism Award, the World Association of Newspapers’s Golden Pen of Freedom Award, and the Committee to Protect Journalists’ Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award. In 2018, she was also included in the Time’s Person of the Year issue. 

Ressa’s Nobel Prize does not signify the end of the battle for press freedom, as her fellow journalists hope that the global attention brought by the award may be what turns things around for them. 

There is still a long road ahead, but to know that they are not alone in this battle and that the world is watching them, has sparked hope in the hearts of Filipino journalists and citizens alike. 

Sources for quotations: 

Nobel Prize Outreach. (2021, October). The Nobel Peace Prize 2021. https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/2021/ressa/facts/