by Johanna Macababbad || Photo credit: PSHS-EVC FB Page

For three decades, an institution currently located in Pawing, Palo, Leyte, has been reaching incredible heights through its expertise, resilience, and vigor. The Philippine Science High School – Eastern Visayas Campus (PSHS – EVC) conducted the opening program for its 30^th founding anniversary via Zoom last April 1, with the theme, “Pisay ha Tulo ka Dekada: Kabatikan, Kakusgan, Kadasig.”

138 people, including students, faculty, and staff, attended the online event. Yvonne Esperas, current PSHS-EVC Campus director, welcomed the audience with an opening message, stating that the road to success may be difficult, but in the process, people can create milestones.

The program was followed by a slideshow of pictures dating back to the early Pisay years, and messages from the previous campus directors namely, Dr. Pedrito Padilla, Dr. Reynaldo Garnace, and Erick John Marmol, in which they talked about how PSHS-EVC has grown throughout these years.

“Like bamboo, we are pliant, no matter what we go through, let us always look back and recall the life we threaded years back, as we head on to another year, another decade. Even if challenges and troubles come… look ahead and say to ourselves, ‘We made it, we will continue to head as we face another decade, another milestone,'” Garnace stressed.

Dr. Helen Cativo Belanzor, a PSHS-EVC alumna from Batch 2000 and prolific scientist, relayed her experience in work. She also gave an insightful message on perseverance, stating that failure is natural, and by being resilient, a person can achieve whatever goals they set their mind to.

“Keep trying, keep persisting, show up every day to make the next small step. In a month, in a year, you made a giant step, getting closer to whatever it is you’re trying to achieve,” Belanzor said.

Fortunato de la Peña, Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), PSHS System Executive director Lilia Habacon, Alumni representative Catherine Bartoline-Ballon, and Parents-Teachers Association President Editha Huang, also gave their congratulatory messages. 

To conclude the event, students from Batch 2022 to 2027 wished the school a happy anniversary, with several further expressing that the school has become their home. 

by Ranya Ecaldre || Photo Credit: EVC Direct

Despite the postponement due to the aftermath of Typhoon Odette, the PSHS-EVC Community still ignited its holiday spirit during the Pisay E-Paskuhan 2021, a virtual Christmas party held last January 7 via Zoom. 

The celebration was organized by the Student Alliance (SA) and was formally opened by the Campus Director, Yvonne Esperas. The first half of the program involved games and intermission numbers showcasing the wits and talents of the scholars. Additionally, past music and lip sync videos were viewed during the program, allowing scholars to reminisce face-to-face Pisay traditions. Breakout rooms were then opened for the students to spend time with their batch mates through games, virtual catch-up sessions, and photo ops. 

The highlight of the event was the viewing of entries for the E-Paskuhan contests namely: Digiposter Contest, Makeup Contest, and the Christmas Jingle Contest. The competitions showcased the students’ creativity, talents in arts, singing and/or dancing, and their ability to embody the jolly yuletide feel of the holidays. 

The announcement of winners for the said competitions was held during the flag ceremony last January 10. For the Digiposter Contest, 11th grader Aidan Torres bagged first place, 12th grader Shelby Lim landed second, and 10th grader Frances Sonon placed third. Lim also placed first in the Makeup contest by default for submitting the only entry in the competition. 

For the Christmas Jingle Contest, groups were formed according to their respective SportsFest houses and were divided into two brackets: Bracket A consisting of students from Grades 7, 9, and 11, and Bracket B consisting of students from Grades 8, 10, and 12. For bracket A, House Lachesis finished champion, House Klotho finished second, and House Atropos landed third. For Bracket B, House Lachesis bagged third place, while House Atropos and House Klotho finished in a tie for the champion. 

Torres, Digiposter Contest champion, expressed their joy to see their efforts showcased to the student body. Lim, the SA Treasurer, also shared that the SA is happy that they were given the chance to conduct something like this despite the damage of Typhoon Odette and the stressful pile of requirements. 

“Seeing everyone enjoy the program we worked hard on to prepare was gratifying, so I very much appreciate those who joined and participated,” she said. 

by Kendra Osias || Photo Credits: The Guardian

Super Typhoon Odette, internationally named Rai, made its landfall last December 16, 2021. The typhoon ravaged several parts of Siargao, Dinagat, Surigao del Norte, Bohol, parts of Cebu, Palawan, and Southern Leyte. 

In response, the Philippine Science High School – Eastern Visayas Campus (PSHS – EVC), in coordination with the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Palo, served as a temporary evacuation center to a total of 117 families, 42 of which from Brgy. Candahug, Palo, and the rest being in-house residents— families of PSHS-EVC’s faculty and staff.

According to Mr. Oscar Peralta, who served as the Incident Commander of the school, preparation for the evacuation followed a pre-mandated plan issued by the government. It included a program of activities and a briefing for the different committees formed, headed by the Campus Director, Ms. Yvonne Esperas. 

Peralta further elaborated that they had collaborated with Candahug’s Barangay Chairman, Barangay Secretary, and Barangay Kagawads in order to bring the residents to the school and maintain peace and order among the evacuees.

“It was very systematic, especially with the support of the utility and security personnel,” said Peralta. “We encountered no problems”, he added.

Because the school sustained no damages, relief goods were not provided by the Palo LGU.

The PSHS-EVC facility first housed evacuees during the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda and  will still continue to be a place of safety for evacuees in the future.

by: Gabriel Vinci Tamayo || Photo credit: Student Aliance PSHS-EVC

The PSHS-EVC Minecraft “Build A Lab” Challenge, organized by the PSHS-EVC Chemistry Unit in cooperation with the Student Alliance, was held as a way of showcasing the creativity of students. Contestants were assigned to design a laboratory, and videos of which— serving as virtual lab tours— were posted on the EVC Direct Facebook page. 

The event officially commenced on October 1, 2021. Participants were given two weeks to work on their projects. Five entries were submitted in total for this event: three entries from Category A and two entries from Category B, all of which were ranked based on the judges from the Chemistry Unit’s opinions and the online votes. The winners of the competition were announced last November 17.

Of all the entries, Giovanni Ignacio and the group of Louise Lelina, Gabrielle Cordeta, and Jezrel Saño, finished as champions for Category A and Category B, respectively. In second place were Chad Merontos for Category A and the group of Justin Tabao, Vehuel Bateo, and Ruan Baillo for Category B. Third place was awarded to Mikael Yuan Bacani. 

The winners were awarded prizes such as writing tablets, headphones, and a ring light to help ease their online learning experiences. 

“It was a fun experience. Tiring, sure, but, despite that, it was still quite memorable,” the Category B champion, Jezrel Saño,  stated.

by: Patricia Galapon || Photo Credits: PSHS-EVC Facebook Page

Philippine Science High School – Eastern Visayas Campus (PSHS-EVC) takes pride as three of its students bag the title, ‘Astro Quiz Bowl Champions,’ in the inter-school Astro Quiz Bowl held last October 30.  

The Quiz Bowl, with the theme “The Space Between Us: Entanglement Across the Distance,” was organized by the University of San Carlos Physics and Astronomy Society In celebration of Astronomy Week 2021. It was held via Discord and Zoom, with teams of three from 16 different schools participating. The event was streamed virtually on the USC Physics and Astronomy Society official Facebook page. 

Jim Cadion and Raven Blanca, Grade 12 students, and Jolinel Reoma, a Grade 11 student, were the school representatives for the event with Ms. Nikki Rabe, a Physics teacher, as the team’s coach. 

The grand tally revealed that the PSHS-EVC participants acquired the top spot despite being in a tie in the last round of the competition. “After the quiz bowl, our heads seemed to run out of brain cells because of the magnetar-like questions that obliterated most of them,” Cadion said. 

He also mentioned that although their group was intimidated by other participating schools, he found comfort in their team spirit and the effective reviews conducted by their coach. 

Ms. Rabe emphasized that trust and confidence within the team brought them to victory and added that their preparation included multiple review sessions, integrated with discussions that established the group’s teamwork.  

“I was really amazed on how broad their understanding and knowledge on Astrophysics and Astronomy is, even though most of it were not part of their curriculum,” she shared.

by Aya Ecaldre ||

Philippine Science High School-Eastern Visayas Campus (PSHS-EVC) raises the Philippine flag in the global spotlight once more after bagging awards in the International Chemistry Quiz (ICQ) 2021 held last July 28.  

The event was organized by the Royal Australian Chemistry Institute to promote and encourage awareness of the nature and relevance of chemistry among students. As the competition is not syllabus-based, the contest proper was centered on testing the students’ critical thinking and scientific reasoning. According to ICQ’s website, the involvement of the application of knowledge in the contest serves as a training ground for participants on their future endeavors in the field of chemistry. 

This year, the quiz was conducted online through a Moodle-based system and was open to Grade 7-12 students from 20 countries. Several PSHS-EVC scholars gained recognition after topping the ranking. Among the participants, 12th grader Jim Cadion received the Certificate of Excellence and was awarded the ICQ Lapel Pin after gaining a perfect score on the quiz. Certificates of High Distinction were awarded to Jolinel Reoma and Benedict Chua for the junior and senior divisions, respectively. Certificates of Distinction were awarded to 11th graders, Curt Cervantes and Calina Pamplona. Denice Carles and Jade Mendiola received Certificates of Credit, while Certificates of Participation were awarded to Vean Cordero, Alchris Ceballos, and Cherlaine Chu.  

Cervantes and Reoma stated that they were not able to prepare for the said competition. Reoma further explains that he only used the knowledge he had acquired from past lessons. Cervantes added that he wished that he could have prepared more, but relayed that this type of environment made it more stimulating.  

Carles expressed the joy she experienced with the other participants. “When we finished the test, we laughed it off as the test was hard, but we didn’t expect that we would be receiving awards for our hard work,” she said. 

“ICQ was a unique assessment for me since it included topics that were not taught in school. Recalling the lessons learned and reviewed was quite fun, and this may reflect how effectively we were reviewed by our coach and taught in PSHS-EVC as well,” Cadion expressed. 

The ICQ Lapel Pin Awardee further stated that his results surprised him because he felt that obtaining a perfect score in the quiz and attaining the ICQ Lapel Pin was nearly impossible, adding that he felt ecstatic because of how the time and effort he had allotted for the ICQ paid off.

by Samantha Macabit || Photo by: Mrs. Ma. Lorna Garnace

To commemorate the eighth anniversary of Typhoon Yolanda, a mass and candle lighting ceremony was conducted at the Philippine Science High School – Eastern Visayas Campus (PSHS-EVC), which was broadcast live on Facebook last November 5. 

Only the faculty and staff members were physically present to witness the said event whilst scholars were able to watch it virtually on the EVC Direct, the school’s official Facebook page. Health protocols such as wearing face masks and social distancing were strictly observed.

The Ecumenical Committee, led by Mrs. Maria Lorna L. Garnace, organized the event in coordination with the Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Parish for the Holy Eucharist. 

In an interview, Garnace stated that the commemoration aimed to relive the resilience shown after the onslaught of Typhoon Yolanda, express gratitude to God for the many blessings and people who helped us recover, and remember the Pisay members who perished during the typhoon.   

She also mentioned that the only difficulty they encountered in preparing for the event was ensuring the students’ participation in the virtual commemoration. 

“Be grateful for the second life and acknowledge that there are opportunities in every disaster,” she expressed in a message to the families of the victims whose lives were taken away due to the calamity. 

Vinci Tamayo & Daneil Cerdeña ||

To recognize the talents and efforts of scholars last Academic Year 2020-2021, Pasidungog, the Philippine Science High School– Eastern Visayas Campus (PSHS-EVC) Virtual Recognition Program, was streamed live on EVC Direct, the PSHS-EVC’s official Facebook group, last September 24. 

Before the recognition program, the oath-taking of the new set of Student Alliance (SA) officers, headed by Yvonne Esperas, PSHS-EVC Officer in Charge (OIC) – Campus Director, was conducted.

Elected SA President, Nicole Erroba stated, “We will try to make sure that no student will be left behind,” as she gave her inaugural speech.

The recognition program was then formally opened by Ana Riza Gozon, OIC-Curriculum Instruction Division (CID) Chief with her opening remarks. This was then followed by a speech by guest speaker, Dr. Angela Horca-Delfin, a PSHS-EVC Alumna and Registered Nurse. 

Horca-Delfin talked about her experience as an average student in PSHS, specifically her struggles with the subjects that were heavy on Math and Science and highlighted the fact that although she was average, she still achieved something in the end and found happiness in it.

“Impossible? No. Achievable? Yes,” she quoted.

The awarding of Director’s Listers and Special Awardees from all grade levels began shortly after, with song and dance intermission numbers in-between. 

To conclude the event, Esperas congratulated the scholars and emphasized that alongside achieving academic excellence is responsibility.

“We all need each other to grow, so I enjoin you to be one with us in working hand-in-hand for the greater good of everyone,” she said, encouraging students to share both their talents and knowledge to others.

Patricia Galapon ||

Garnering 85 to 94 percent of the voters’ favor, the Philippine Science High School – the Eastern Visayas Campus (PSHS-EVC) Commission on Elections (COMELEC) declared a new set of Student Alliance (SA) officers on their official Facebook and Twitter accounts yesterday, September 17. 

Voting results revealed that all six candidates from the Dis is Student-Centered Operatives (D.I.S.C.O) Party secured seats in the SA for this academic year. 

The elected Student Alliance officers and their corresponding votes during the SAGE 2021 are as follows:

Each of the new officers expressed their gratitude to be given the opportunity to lead.  

“It’s quite nice to know that this many people trust us in representing the student body,” Jean Lourd Misa, the elected SA Vice-President, said. 

Appointed Public Information Officer (PIO), Mervic Salipuran stated that though this school year is different from the preceding years, the SA will continue to support and to represent the student body, and that she’s looking forward to their continued support.

Bryan Dela Cruz, incoming Auditor, admits that he feels nervous about his new role in the SA; nevertheless, he is optimistic that he, together with the other officers, will do their best to deliver their platforms to the students.

“The hardest part about this online setup is communication,” elected President Nicole Erroba stressed.

She added that they would need the help of all class presidents to ensure that information is disseminated effectively through Messenger group chats and texts for the students in the modular setting.

Outgoing Student Alliance Vice-President, Kendra Osias, voiced that they are leaving the SA in good hands, and she is counting on them to put the good of the student body at the forefront during their term. 

As of now, details on the oath-taking, which will mark the new officers’ transition into their respective roles, are yet to be announced.