LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines – A 31-year-old designer in Albay is slowly making a name for herself by specializing in formal wear made from "pinukpok" or abaca fiber.

Jean Alta is the woman behind Kutur ni Jean. Her pinukpok creations have been shipped across the country and have reached as far as the United States.

Pinukpok fiber is made by manually pounding abaca strands, which are then handwoven into fabric. 

She started her venture 3 years ago when Fr Rex Arjona asked her to make the barong Tagalog of his brother who was getting married in Cebu, as well as for their father. He said their family wanted to showcase pinukpok and to introduce Cebuanos to Bicol’s culture through it.

“That was the time I started designing and sewing pinukpok fabric,” she said.

Alta recalled that when Arjona posted photos of her clothes on Facebook, they went viral. After that, several city and provincial councilors in Albay became her clients as well.

Last year, she dressed up international beauty queens like Miss Earth 2018 candidates from Myanmar and Ireland. At this year’s Miss Earth competition, 32 of the 93 candidates would be arriving in Legazpi City on October 5 for a swimwear pre-pageant event. Alta was tapped to dress the candidates from Belarus, England, and Zimbabwe in her pinukpok creations.

Pinukpok, which is made from abaca, is produced manually. It is being marketed exclusively for formal high-end wear fashion events.

Humble beginnings

Alta learned her sewing skills at the age of 9 from her mother, an impoverished seamstress.

Before venturing into Kutur ni Jean, Alta worked as the secretary of a school principal. She obtained her information technology degree from Divine Word College of Legazpi.

She later quit her job to set up her shop in September 2016. She started with one sewing machine given by her husband Dennis, a broadcaster at Radio Veritas Legazpi. Her first creation was a Halloween attire she called “Kamatayan (Death),” which was showcased during a All Souls Day event in Albay.

Alta was hardly noticed in the local fashion scene, but this changed after she used pinukpok in her creations.

To enhance her knowledge and skills, she studied Fashion Design at the Fashion Institute of the Philippines in Makati City for less than a year.

Partnerships

Asked what drew her to the fabric, Alta cited practical as well as environmental reasons for her decision.  

“We want to establish a name and a finished product using our own indigenous materials from abaca. Through this, we can be able to help the women’s organization weaving pinukpok as their livelihood. We can also preserve our local source and the environment from the effect of global warming,” she said.

The pinukpok materials are supplied by the Banguerohan Bicol Small Business Institute Foundation Incorporated (BSBI), providing livelihood to displaced families of natural disasters.

BSBI received assistance from the Legazpi City government and training from the Department of Science and Technology in processing pinukpok. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines –  National Teacher’s Day is a time of celebration for the modern day heroes recognized for their significant role in educating the next generation. 

Though a day or month may not be enough to reckon their undying workforce, Rappler asked teachers what they love most about their profession. 

October 5 marked the celebration of World and National Teacher’s Day. In the Philippines, Teacher’s Month was celebrated from September 5 to October 5. (READ: DepEd grants P1,000 cash benefit on World Teachers' Day) 

More than just a career 

For 26-year-old Rex Lipang of the Lun Padidu National High School, teaching is more than just a job; it has become his life. He is aware of how he, as a teacher, can motivate students to dream big. 

“I love teaching since it can be a medium for me to encourage students to be community-engaged individuals who can provide initiatives and services, who can give people reasons to smile and the hope of living a good future,” Lipang said. 

Working for 7 years now, 29-year-old STI College Ortigas-Cainta teacher Marc Kenneth Marquez said teaching is not just confined to classroom lessons.

"I teach not primarily because of my academic track record and professional background but because of my pure heart found among the young souls and minds hungry for knowledge and mastery of essential life skills. I teach not for the promising career but for the promising future of all the people I can inspire beyond measure,” Marquez said.

Leaving a mark 

For communications trainer Mark Kenneth Edades, 27, what he loves most about being a teacher is leaving a mark on his students.

"I also believe that even after I am gone, my influence will be immortalized by those students who believed in me and shared what I have taught them to others,” he said. 

This was echoed by 36-year-old Urdaneta City University instructor Alyssa Ashley R. Diego-Malag. She said that teaching also provides her an opportunity to exert positive influence on her students.

"What I love most about being an educator is having the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of my students. As their second parent, I am able to give them roots to stay grounded and wings to make them soar greater heights,” she expressed.  

Labor of love

Sharing a valuable lesson he learned from his former teachers, 22-year-old Rendell Sanchez said that teaching is a labor of love. (READ: [OPINION] A teacher's life, from the point of view of her red ballpen) 

“It is love that I received when my former teachers tapped into my potential. They listened and paid attention. They believed in my dreams no matter how grand or far-fetched,” Sanchez said. 

Now a teacher at the Philippine Science High School Calabarzon  campus, he said that it is this love that constantly inspires him to pay the service forward. 

“Teachers especially in public schools are overworked, underpaid, and underappreciated. I experienced firsthand how teaching is a laborious calling but also how the fulfillment in doing it is incomparable,” he said.

Carla Nicoyco, a Grade 10 teacher at Miriam College High School, is hopeful that her students would understand that everything she does in the classroom is meant to help hone them into becoming better persons. 

“I want them to know that I care about them. Everything that I do, my hands, my heart, my head, is for them. At the end of the year and even beyond their schooling, I still care about the kind of persons they’ll become, and at the end of it all, I want them to be good people,” Nicoyco said. 

Sowing seeds of learning

It might be easy to quit when things get tough but for 24-year-old Mindanao State University professor Ricky Bustos, sowing seeds of learning among his students plays a big factor. 

"I love the return of investment. I mean we all know that it's not lucrative, it's not that fabulous a profession in terms of finances but the return of investment is really fulfilling. A simple message from my student can really motivate me. Their love keeps me going as a teacher,” Bustos said.

Eden Grace Yungco, a 36-year-old Grade 9 Special Program in Journalism Adviser, said that nothing can be more fulfilling than witnessing successful students who paid tribute to their teachers.

"The best thing as teacher will be seeing your former students successful in their chosen careers and being a good citizen of our country. Seeing them as competent, refined individuals, and successful in their chosen field of endeavors is heart-warming feeling,” Yungco said.

For math teacher Teresa Atinelle Ramos,  “being a teacher is the best way to make an impact on someone's life.” 

Loved by students 

Students also shared some valuable lessons they learned from their teachers. 

 Michael Philip Untalan, 22,  said that because of his teachers, he learned that “the path towards our dreams is not just for the keen and intelligent, but more importantly, it is for the resilient." 

He said that he is grateful for their trust, hard work, concern, and dedication. 

"Salamat po sa pagpapamalas sa amin na ang pagiging tunay na guro ay hindi lamang nakikita sa kagalingang magturo ngunit mas nakikita ito sa kakayahan pumukaw ng angking galing ng mga mag-aaral,” he added. 

(Thank you for showing us that being a true educator is not just seen in how well you teach but it is manifested in one's ability to awaken the potential of students.) 

Andrea Louise Mendoza,19, said, "Ang mahalaga ay kung paano mo ibabahagi ang mga aral na ito sa mga tao sa iyong paligid nang may respeto."

(What’s important is how you share to others with respect whatever was taught to you.) – Rappler.com 

MANILA, Philippines – Last weekend, I went to Calbayog City, Samar with a colleague to turn over teacher’s kits to 250 public school teachers assigned in remote schools from either the islands or the uplands.

We were ready to serve as a bridge between our generous donors and our chosen recipients, and ready to have a personal encounter with our teachers who are largely overworked, underpaid, and unappreciated. We were ready to celebrate World Teachers' Day with them.

What we were not ready for were the stories that they generously shared with us – stories that tugged at our heartstrings and made us realize anew why our teachers should, indeed, be put on a pedestal as our country’s modern-day heroes. (READ: ‘More than just a job’: Teachers, students voice out important role of educators) 

David Refuncion teaches in Mabini I Elementary School, a school situated in one of Calbayog’s farthest mountains. Refuncion, along with 7 other teachers from their clustered school, travel for 11 hours just to get to his students – 2 to 3 hours aboard a multicab, then a habal-habal and, finally, a boat, before he would have to walk across rivers, rice fields, and hills for another 6 to 8 hours.

Their travel becomes longer, riskier, and more challenging when they do it under the pouring rain because the water in the river rises and its current becomes strong. The mountains and rice fields they navigate become murky and slippery. Armed conflict between members of the New People's Army and private armed groups also poses a serious challenge to them and the entire community.

Adrian Benecario, from Calilihan Elementary School, has to regularly contend with landslides during his 5 to 6 hours of travel on foot to the hinterland.

Both young teachers are witness to how their students are living in abject poverty. 

They have students who walk miles barefoot and are used to attending classes on empty stomachs. There are those who can’t afford to buy something as basic as paper and pencil, and just have to rely on the generosity of their classmates. There are those who use plastic grocery bags for their school bags. There are those who have to skip classes because their parents need an extra hand in the farm. 

When someone in the village gets sick, the parents automatically turn to the teachers for medicines because the nearest health center is miles away.  (READ: [OPINION] A teacher's voice)

There’s also no electricity in their place so the teachers have to use a flashlight or kerosene lamp when they are working on their Daily Lesson Log (DLL).  (READ: FAST FACTS: What you need to know about the PH education system)

They also shared what, for me, was the worst and most heart-rending story. They said that some of their female students, the youngest of whom are in Grade 3, have to quit school altogether because their parents are forced to marry them off.  

They do it for two reasons: to rid themselves of the burden of feeding another mouth, and for the “payment” that they will receive from the man who will be their daughter’s husband. 

For P30,000 (which is usually given to them in installments) and a small pig or goat, these little girls are given away to any man who has the capacity to pay.

As a mother myself, that is the story that really broke my heart.

Meanwhile, Mary Jane Ebardone and Mariah Kim Oite are co-teachers in Cag-anahaw Elementary School.

They have to be extremely careful when going to school as paths can be steep and slippery, and one misstep can cause them to stumble down cliffs. Previously, they would reach their school by bamboo rafting for four hours, climbing four mountains, and crossing a treacherous river that snakes around those mountains. But since the river has gotten shallow due to landslides, they now have to walk all the way to the barrio where they teach. 

Communication remains a challenge due to the weak and unpredictable cell signal in the village. (READ: Leyte teachers appeal for better internet connectivity)

On December 28, 2018, the barrio was wiped out by Typhoon Usman.

Their school that sits atop a plateau was one of the few structures that survived the catastrophe. The floodwater, though, still reached the roof of the covered court.

It was only through the bayanihan of the neighboring communities that Barangay Cag-anahaw was able to slowly rise again.

Although it was hard for the two young teachers to accept that their students could not go to school because they had to be with their families in picking up the pieces of their shattered lives, they fully understood the situation. 

After all, given the choice between education and survival, any one of us will certainly choose the latter.

Another two teachers that we talked to were Ricky Balat and Rhio Amor who both teach in Guin-ansan Almagro Island. 

Between the months of August and February, when the most intense monsoon winds blow, the islands get more isolated from the rest of the city because no boat dares to head to the open sea. During this season, there is scarcely any food. People have to make do with wild grass and any available root crops.

Although there are schools in the central part of Guin-ansan Almagro, those in far-flung areas have to make do with holding classes inside churches or improvised classrooms. The students’ houses are a long walk from these improvised “schools” and the unpaved roads that they tread are typically rough and muddy. Sometimes, there are even snakes slithering about.

Balat, in particular, teaches classes in San Vicente Ferrer Parish.

The monthly salary of our entry-level teachers is only P20,000. Some of them do not receive hardship allowances despite the risks that they face on a daily basis just to do their job. 

They are even required to make a cash contribution for unit meets, competitions, and other events. They also buy their supplies from their own pockets.

After all the deductions for taxes, government-related contributions  and all sorts of personal loans, the teachers are left with a meager take-home pay. Yet, they still try to help their students in any way they can.

Asked what they would request for should there be generous souls ready to grant their wish, none of them expressed a desire for themselves. They listed down school supplies, slippers, playground, classrooms, and books. All for the students. 

They just do what they do because they love teaching, their students, and the community.

For these teachers, it is enough that their students greet them with happy faces whenever they arrive at the village. The fruits and vegetables generously given to them in exchange for the medicines and other supplies that they provide for the families are loaded with sincere gratitude.

They also realize that, in their own ways, they are making a difference in the lives of children and their families. This is what keeps them going, day after day.

If that is not heroism, I don’t know what is. – Rappler.com 

For all those who are willing to help with Team Pilipinas’ outreach initiatives, you may email  teamph.volunteers@gmail.com or call (0915) 3801977. 

Lorelei Baldonado Aquino, 46, is a University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman alumna. She works as a freelance writer and an active volunteer for Team Pilipinas, a group established for those who want to do their own small share to be part of the solution to our country's myriad of problems. She is also the blogger behind Mom on a Mission.

RIZAL, Philippines – Many Filipinos endure long lines, heavy traffic, crowded trains, and high fares just to get to their workplace.

But teacher Cherry Perez's commute is different. She just needs to go with the flow.

Every day, Cherry would ride a boat to Wawa Dam going to Inigan Elementary School in Rodriguez, Rizal, where she teaches a multigrade class.

"May plans si God ba't ako dinala dito. 'Yun na lang ang lagi kong iniisip kasi ang sabi ko, go with the flow," she says.

(God has plans for me that's why He brought me here. That's what I always keep in mind: go with the flow.)

But just like her daily journey to Wawa Dam, Teacher Cherry also went through a rough ride to get to where she is now. After getting married at an early age, she decided to finish her studies, while balancing her work and family life.

"Walang imposible, kung gusto mo. Kung nando'n 'yung pagpupursigi, walang imposible, at kung gusto mo, may paraan," she explains.

(Nothing's impossible if you set your mind to it. If there's perseverance, nothing's impossible, and if there's a will, there's a way.)

Despite the daily sacrifices, for Teacher Cherry, the daily boat ride shall continue – all in the name of education.

"Pagka ang trabaho nasa puso mo, walang mahirap." (When you love your work, nothing feels difficult.) – Rappler.com

This is co-produced by Rappler production interns Anne Valmeo, Sophia Sibal, and Francis Acosta. 

MANILA, Philippines – Start your engines, turn up the music, bring it to the runway, and pose.

Since gaining popularity, drag has become a platform for creativity, self-expression, and entertainment. The up-and-coming queens of Philippine drag are making their mark through makeup, fashion, live performances, and social media.

In the Philippines, drag queens have become synonymous to the gay nightclub culture. They can be seen performing in gay clubs such as Club Level in Quezon City, Nectar in Bonifacio Global City, and O-Bar in Pasig City. (READ: 'I know a place': 10 safe spaces for LGBTQ+ people in Metro Manila, from clubs to cafés)

Getting influences from Hollywood celebrities, comics characters, and pop icons, a drag queen usually portrays a character through makeup, fashion, and live performances.

But beyond the layers of colorful cosmetics, stacks of coiffed wigs, and hordes of extravagant clothes and accessories, these drag queens are pushing sociocultural boundaries in predominantly Catholic and conservative Philippines. (EXPLAINER: What you need to know about SOGIE)

The life of a drag queen is not all rainbows and glitter, as they confront discrimination and struggle for equal rights. (EXPLAINER: What you need to know about SOGIE Part 2)

In this Rappler feature, they tell us the story behind their names, how they got into drag, and what they think the future holds for drag in the country. – Rappler.com

Video by Jeff Digma | Editing by Emerald Hidalgo

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Eight of the 10 topnotchers of the Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering Exam were from the University of Cebu (UC), according to the results  released Monday evening, October 7, by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC). 

Shayne Rañol Ondray showed the way for UC with the second highest score of 88.40%. 

Topping the exam was Carlo Perez Marasigan of Mandaluyong's Namei Polytechnic Institute with 89.40%. 

This is not the first time the UC dominated the topnotchers in the naval board exam. In 2017, the university swept all 10 top slots. 

UC’s chancellor Candice Gotianuy congratulated the topnotchers in a Facebook post Monday night.

“Shout out to the dean and faculty for motivating these students to the top!” she said. “It's getting to be a habit!”

UC, which was founded by Gotianuy’s father Augusto Go, is known for rewarding its high performing students with cash prizes and vehicles. (READ: ‘It’s becoming a habit’: University of Cebu gives cars to board top placers)

The previous naval board topnotchers received prizes between P50,000 and P100,000.  

Rappler asked Gotianuy if the top performers this time will also get prizes but she has not replied yet as of posting time. 

The results were released only 2 days after the exam was administered.

The university has 4 campuses across Metro Cebu and over 60,000 students enrolled.

See the full list of board passers here.– Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines– “Uy, ‘yan ‘yung binabasa mo pa noong Grade 7 pa tayo ah. Noon ay Book 2 ka pa lang, ngayon ay may Book 4 na.” 

(That's what you were reading since we were in Grade 7. Before you only had Book 2, now you have Book 4.)

“Uy, Janus Silang! May Book 4 ka na pala (You have Book 4 already).”

I looked up from reading my copy of the fourth book in the Janus Silang series: Janus Silang at ang Hiwagang may Dalawang Mukha. I was at school taking advantage of those times in between classes, reading up even fragments of the book because I was too excited to wait until I got home to read.

It was two of my classmates. One of them thought I was reading the same book over and over again but then realized it was a different book in a series. 

The exchange made me realize how much time has passed since I first read the first book. I remember about 4 years ago (I think I was Grade 6 at the time), I came home one day to find two new books from my father. It was parts one and two of the Janus Silang books. 

I loved them. I realized the series has become a part of my life now. Like Janus’ habit of holding on to his USB necklace, I also hold on to my USB bracelet whenever I feel nervous, or when I feel like I need a boost of strength. It may not actually give me strength, but it gives me a placebo feeling that I can overcome a problem, that like Janus, I could get through it even if it hurts. 

At first I couldn't quite keep up with what was written on the pages. It was my first time reading everything after all. The scenes, characters, places, worlds, and concepts were all new to me. Now the world of Janus Silang has grown on me. I now know the concepts, the goals, and the way things basically work. The series, especially Book 3, opened me up to a world that was previously hidden from me. It made me feel like Miro or Mira when they saw both worlds at once. (READ: How Filipino silent graphic novels motivate kids to read)

However, the fourth book reveals details of the magic system that makes the foreshadowing clearer, yet makes things even more complex. That, and the numerous plot twists, make me more excited to read the fifth and the last book in the series. 

The series itself reminded me of some of the lyrics of my favorite song that Filipino vocaloid producer Dasu made, "Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis." (A mouthful, I know.) The lyrics go like this:

Sa kanta sinimulan
Ang hele ng lumbay
Sumabay si Paraluman

Sa ginto idinaan
Akala mo ba na
Lahat ay makakalimutan?

Iiyak ka pa
Pinoproblema niya ang wakas
Walang inumpisahan

Sino ka nga pala?
Uulit ka rin ba
Tulad nila?

While I won't provide an explanation for this as they it just spoil the reading experience, I can say that people may see this the same way  I did. The story and ending just reminded me of these lyrics, and the song is made for a totally different fictional story that Dasu made up. (It's called Stellar Paradigm if you're curious.)

Though I was saddened by one of the many plot twists, the fact that there's still a Book 5 gave me hope for the story: that I, along with other readers, may get an explanation on what happened. Right now I’m waiting for Si Janus Silang at ang Lihim ng Santinakpan, the series' fifth book which will reveal the deeper secrets of the story I knew and loved since sixth grade.

"Uy, anong libro 'yan? Puwedeng pabasa (What book is that? Can I read it)?"

I looked up from reading. I was still at school, during one of those breaks in between classes, reading the last chapters of the 4th book in the Janus Silang series. One of my classmates saw me reading. 

"Janus Silang," I said.

They asked what the book was about and I told them the basic details. They were interested. My friend from another section and I later had a similar exchange. 

Although I don't remember all the details from those conversations, I can clearly remember that I went home after class knowing that I now had someone else who will possibly like a series I knew and cherished for years. – Rappler.com

Divine de los Reyes is a fourteen-year-old Grade 9 student of Lucban Academy in Quezon province. Aside from reading and writing, she also likes listening to lo-fi music, making planners, and digital art.

Even when I was young, my father has already been in the frontlines of jeepney strikes in our community. He has been a jeepney driver for 20 years. In all these years, we all know that strikes had always been a last resort. 

Our jeepney drivers do not earn much. With worsening traffic and the consistent rising prices of goods, a day of striking has big repercussions. It could mean losing the house, or children taking delayed examinations, as our drivers confront overdue payments. Worse, it could even mean starving for an entire day. 

Thus, our drivers prefer not to protest. Strikes are a manifestation of desperation, only done under extreme circumstances. The needs of our families have always outweighed everything else. Only when there is a threat to remove the capacity to provide these needs do our drivers fight back. 

A nationwide jeepney strike symbolizes a national cry to be heard, desperation that resonates with every hungry family, with every set of parents fighting for a better future for their children. It symbolizes a national plea for help and a warning that when pushed to the ends, our drivers will not hesitate to resist. (READ: IN PHOTOS: Piston says nationwide transport strike a success)

Since our drivers responded with strikes, they have been a target of complaints. The issue has polarized the public. Many stand with our drivers in their urgent request towards more reasonable solutions. Others resort to blaming our drivers for the inconvenience. 

It is not our drivers' fault that our country lacks an efficient public transportation system. It is not our drivers' fault that poor urban planning resulted in seemingly unsolvable traffic problems. It is not our drivers' fault that our country has poor environmental compliance and an expensive health care system. 

None of the root causes of public complaints is our drivers' fault. They are just victims like the rest of us, trying to survive in an economy run by the wealthy and the powerful. We are all failed by the system. We can blame our drivers all we want, but these complaints are misguided. This oppression is not the fault of the masses. 

Our drivers see the urgency of being environmentally-compliant. They are willing to comply if only the cost were affordable. This is what they are asking. They are not petitioning that the commuters suffer from environmental hazards. In truth, our drivers have it worse. They are exposed at least 20 hours a day, often resulting in respiratory complications. They want to transition as much as the commuting public does, but they cannot afford it. 

The government threatens to suspend licenses and franchises if our drivers fail to comply immediately. This is where the resistance comes from. The government wants to expedite the implementation of a poorly-consulted policy without consideration of the most affected sector. The government is not acting in the public interest. Which begs the question – whose interest are they acting for? (READ: Enchong Dee hits MMDA spokesperson Celine Pialogo over transport strike statement)

Recent media headlines have turned the public against each other. The commuters are not inconvenienced because our drivers decided to speak up. If only the government listens to its people, then a strike would not be necessary. 

The root of the protest is simple: our drivers need a more reasonable plan for transition, a plan that will not remove their livelihood, a plan that can still feed their families. Can we blame these fathers if they wanted to make sure that their children will not go hungry? 

I ask for your help. The recent strike was a desperate cry for help. 

Respond. 

Our drivers need you in this fight. Stand with us. It is time our masses win. – Rappler.com

Reycel Hyacenth N. Bendana is a recent graduate and SY 2018-2019 Student Council President of the Ateneo de Manila University. She currently works with an organization that assists refugees, asylum seekers, migrant children, human trafficking victims, and people with disabilities mostly due to landmines, cluster munitions, and other weapons of war.

If you don’t have a mood disorder (clinical depression, bipolar disorder, etc) and would like to understand what it feels like, here’s how it feels to me. I hope you find this illustration useful.

Imagine that for every emotion, there’s a tap that pours hormones into your brain every time you feel that emotion. Something happens to you, the relevant tap opens, you feel that particular emotion for a while. Then the thing stops happening, the tap closes, the emotion drains away, and you go back to normal.

A mood disorder is like having faulty washers on one or more of those taps. If you are genetically predisposed, imagine those washers were faulty at manufacture. If not, perhaps they simply become faulty over time for no great reason. Either way, a faulty washer is not necessarily a problem if you don’t have to open and close that particular tap too often.

If you live a stress-free life, maybe you don’t need your angry tap a lot. But if you have a lot of stresses in your younger life, you will be opening and closing those taps much more, and slowly the washer will erode. In my case, I suspect I am genetically predisposed, and a number of faulty washers (sad, anxious, angry, and self-confident) were brought to a breaking point through a number of difficult periods in my life, particularly in my PhD fieldwork in West Africa (a lesson to all young researchers out there).

For me, whenever one of these taps is opened, it doesn’t close properly again. The hormones keep flooding into my brain long after the thing that made me sad or angry has gone. I can literally feel the hormones flooding in, and I know that on these occasions I will have to just excuse myself from the people around me and take myself away for a few hours until the excess hormones have drained away. Once they’re done, I’m back in action, sometimes as if nothing ever happened – it just takes me a lot longer than most people.

I think this is why it’s hard for people to understand depression and other conditions. The episodes are triggered by the same causes that trigger emotional responses in people without any disorders, but the hormonal reaction lasts for so much longer, it seems like the person is overreacting, when really they’re just struggling to close their taps.

Remember, mood disorders are just diseases affecting the hormonal and neural systems, just like the flu and other viruses are just diseases affecting the respiratory and immune systems. A person having a mood episode is not being weird or silly. They are not having personality problems. They are just functioning at a reduced capacity like anyone with a cold, or a migraine, or cramps, etc.

As long as you are mindful about not opening the wrong taps, I believe you should keep treating anyone with a mood disorder as if everything else about them is perfectly fine, just as you usually do with anyone with a more physical illness. – Rappler.com

Kerwin Datu, PhD, RAIA is an architect, geographer, and chair of the Sydney-based magazine Architecture Bulletin.

MANILA, Philippines – The Samahan ng mga Pilipina para sa Reporma at Kaunlaran (SPARK) Philippines launched a platform for pledging money to initiatives geared towards women and girls' empowerment.

The website, called Invest in Her, was introduced to partners and the media in a partnership luncheon on Thursday, October 10, in Quezon City.

Existing projects that donors can pledge to include teenage pregnancy and mental health seminars, a mobile clinic, capacity-building workshops, sports clubs, and a livelihood project. SPARK hopes to add more to the list.

Invest in Her aims to highlight the significance of social, economic, and political investment in empowering adolescent girls through barriers of poverty, violence, and discrimination.

Quezon City Councilor Mayen Juico mentioned several initiatives in the city that are included in the pledge site, such as the Batang Ina Seminar for seeking out the needs of teenage mothers in Barangay Del Monte. After one successful session, they hope to conduct more with help from the pledges.

Another initiative in Quezon City is a fencing program that helps give way to scholarship opportunities. At present, Juico said, some girls have to share their gear, sometimes one match after the other.

Athlete Meggie Ochoa spoke about Fight to Protect, a movement she founded which aims to raise awareness of child sexual violence through jiu-jitsu.

Ochoa said that as a sport, jiu-jitsu requires more technique over strength and power, enabling girls to believe in their potential no matter how mentally or physically small they feel.

"We use the word 'invest' because all resources put towards the empowerment of girls return to society when they grow into strong and determined women," said SPARK Executive Director Maica Teves.

The launch of Invest in Her precedes the celebration of the International Day of the Girl on Friday, October 11, in Quezon City. The event will tackle needs and issues faced by girls around the world that hinder the realization of their full potential. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – To experience work stress, one must endure the stressful commute first. The latter is more stressful, If you ask me.

This is the daily grind in Metro Manila.

I avoid riding the MRT or LRT, since I do not want to subject myself to the dehumanizing competition of getting on its worn-out coaches. I also get too paranoid, as a pickpocket might take advantage of the cramped conditions. (READ: FAST FACTS: State of Metro Manila’s public transport system)

Like middle class millennials, I resort to pricey ride-hailing apps. I already spend more on Grab and Angkas than on food. Unfortunately, many Filipinos do not have the privilege that I have.

As a business reporter that tries to make sense of how traffic drags down the country's potential for growth, I get frustrated when the elite and politicians downplay the dismal, almost apocalyptic state of transportation in the capital. (READ: Do it every day! Netizens react to Panelo’s planned commute)

If things don’t improve soon, we may all soon be forced to walk to get to work.

To know what that would feel like, I decided to do just that for a week. 

Did I succeed? Find out from the video. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Cebuanos only have a few days left to stop the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) from cutting down old roadside trees in two southern Cebu cities. 

Separate petitions are being circulated online to save at least 32 trees in Carcar City and another 151 in Naga City. 

The trees in Carcar City are scheduled for removal on October 15.  

The petitioner to save the trees in Carcar City was posted by Milky Joy Pactores on petitiontime.com on October 9. It has gathered 6,239 signatures of the target 10,000 signatures as of posting time.

Another signature campaign was started on change.org on Thursday, October 10, by “Tingog Kinaiyahan” (voice of nature), this time, against the planned cutting of 151 trees in Naga City.

“The trees South of Cebu are part of our culture and heritage as a Cebuano aside from the environmental protection they give the inhabitants of the island,” the petition read. “Naga and Carcar will not be the same without those trees nor will the future of our children.”  

The City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) granted the permit to cut trees to give way for the Metro Cebu Expressway project, a project under the Duterte administration's flagship Build, Build, Build infrastructure program.

When completed, the 73-kilometer highway would connect the southern city to Danao City in the north.

On October 3, environmental lawyer Benjamin Cabrido Jr filed a petition asking the Court of Appeals (CA) in Cebu City  for a temporary restraining order to stop more trees from being cut. (READ: Environmental lawyer asks court for Writ of Kalikasan to stop tree cutting in Cebu) 

Cabrido argued in his petition that the agencies did not follow proper protocol in issuing permits to cut down the centuries-old trees.

"Roadside trees are a special class of trees protected by a separate statute, Republic Act No. 3571. Due to the ongoing road widening projects in Cebu island and the entire archipelago, tree-cutting permits are issued by public respondent DENR through its Community Environment Resources Office,” Cabrido’s petition read.

The environmental lawyer explained the CENRO should not be the sole agency granting permits to cut trees.

“Before each roadside tree is removed, the law requires steps to be followed like [a] formal recommendation coming from LGU parks and wildlife committee and approval by a National Director of Parks and Wildlife, not the CENRO (City Environment and Natural Resources Office),” he said.

However, according to an  Inquirer.net report, a memo issued by Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu in 2018 delegated the issuance of tree cutting permits to CENRO. This was done to ease the process of tree cutting permits and to accelerate Build, Build, Build projects.

This is not the first time petitions have been launched to protect trees in these cities.

A signature campaign started by heritage advocate Balbino Guerrero in 2013 tried to stop the DPWH from cutting down trees hundreds of trees in Naga and Carcar, but failed, even if 7,000 people signed up for that campaign. (READ: Cebuanos oppose DPWH plan to cut century-old trees)

Several old trees have already been cut in Cebu City’s Barangay Capitol Site and in Carcar City in September. Meanwhile, the CA had yet to act on Cabrido’s petition to save the remaining trees. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – It has been 5 years since trans woman Jennifer Laude was murdered by US Marine Joseph Scott Pemberton but justice for her remains elusive. 

The struggle for acceptance of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) community is far from over. They continue to suffer from discrimination, harrasement and hate on the basis of their sexual orientation, gender identity and expression (SOGIE). (READ: 'Tolerated, but not accepted': Filipino LGBTQ+ speak up vs discrimination)

Last June, UP trans woman professor Hermie Monterde came forward on social media with accounts of alleged workplace discrimination. Two months later, trans woman Gretchen Custodio Diez was prevented from using a woman's restroom in a Cubao mall in Quezon City and was even arrested. 

To unite the University of the Philippines (UP) community in the call for justice for Laude and all SOGIE-based violence, LGBTQ+ support group UP Babaylan held a candle lighting protest on Friday, October 11, at the Palma Hall in UP Diliman. 

Punong Babaylan Stuart Barretto urged the UP community to unite against violence and hate crimes involving the LGBTQ+ members. 

“Ilan pa ba ang kailangan mamatay? Ilan pa ba ang kailangan maging biktima ng kultura ng karahasan against LGBTQ+? Ngayon na anibersaryo ng kamatayan ni Jennifer Laude alalahanin natin lahat ng biktima ng SOGIE-based violence. Hindi lang si Jennifer Laude ang biktima, kundi tayo ring LGBTQI community," Barretto said.

(How many more people should die? How many more people should be victims of a culture of hatred and bigotry against LGBTQI? Now that it is the anniversary of Jennifer Laude’s death, let us all remember all the victims of SOGIE-based violence. Jennifer Laude is not the only victim, but all of us in the LGBTQI community)

The organization also called on the Senate to pass the SOGIE Equality Bill in order to help end the culture of hate and intolerance that leads to violence and discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community. (READ: TIMELINE: SOGIE equality in the Philippines)

Below are some scenes from the candle lighting protest: 

– With reports from Christian Carlo Acilo/Rappler.com

SORSOGON, Philippines – When Jessica Ascano started working as a school principal at the Calongay Elementary School in 2015, she was faced with a student population hounded by a poor literacy rate and undernutrition.  

“When I arrived here, I found out that there was a higher illiteracy rate, many pupils don’t know how to read. The level of comprehension and the national achievement test results are poor which is so depressing as an educator,” she said. 

Based on the 2014-2015 Philippine Informal Reading Inventory in Ascano’s school, of the 358 pupils assessed from third to sixth grade, 52 were identified as non-readers, and 166 under frustration level.

Ascano vowed to find a change in these numbers. In 2015, she instituted Project ARAL (Adopt Reading Acquire Learning) in Calongay Elementary School with 5 reading terminals or kiosks designed to encourage students to read.

Terminal 1, designed as an airplane, served as the reading center for alphabet knowledge; while Terminal 2, designed like a ship, was  for phonological awareness.

These two terminals were for grades 3 to 6 students.

The 3 other terminals – inspired by a jeepney, a school bus, and a spaceship – were for Story Read Aloud (SRAL) sessions focused on the development of vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension of students under frustration level, Ascano told Rappler. 

Following her intervention, pupils started to read books aloud, guided by the teachers. Ascano  also tapped parent-volunteers to attend to children whose reading levels were considered instructional and independent.

For now, Ascano hopes to get more books and materials to further hone  their students’ reading skills.

"We are seeking new books for our pupils to have additional reading materials to improve further their reading skills and so as to encourage them to read. But our concern is that we lack books and other reading materials," she said.  

Adult literacy, counseling

From 2016 to 2017, Ascano  introduced the Adult Basic Literacy Mga Magurang, Magbarasa Kita (Parents, Let’s Read)  or ABL-MMK, in partnership with the Pilar municipal government and the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s 4Ps municipal links through group leaders of the conditional cash transfer program.

The short-term course held during summertime helped parents gain confidence by teaching them basic reading and writing skills. This also allowed them to help their children with poor reading and writing skills.

The success of Ascano’s program drew the attention of global nongovernmental organization EDUCO. Calongay Elementary School received P30,000 to finance and continue the project.

Aside from Project ARAL, Ascano also initiated Project LINGAP (Lifting Up Indigent Groups to Address Poverty) to help indigent families in Barangay Calongay, especially families of students who skip school because of financial constraints.

The project does not provide monetary support to the families but during weekend home visitations with the class advisers, parents are given counseling. 

Nutrition campaign

Another remarkable project of Ascano is “Isang Dakot Para sa Bata (A handful for the child)” initiative. She tapped the General Parents-Teachers Association (GPTA) and 4Ps and non-4Ps beneficiaries in the community to be part of the program to address the malnutrition problem among pupils here.

In its pilot implementation, she tapped Calongay village farmers group Maralitang Magsasaka Association to donate bananas to the students. 

“Some of the banana yields were sold in the canteen and to teachers. The amount generated was used to buy other nutritious fruits,” Ascano said.

Ascano gave her own money and tapped teachers to donate rice to students through the Isang Dakot Para sa Bata project to establish Project FEED (Food Energy Empathy for Pupil’s Development). This aimed to fill n the nutritional needs of wasted and severely wasted pupils form kinder to grade 6 in 2015 to 2016.

The project was augmented by school funds. 

“We cooked kakanin delicacies locally called here as ‘linanggang’ and sold these products in the canteen. We called this project as PINAY (Pagkaing Inihanda ni Nanay) being managed by canteen manager Cristina Casimiro who makes delicious and healthy food for pupils,” Ascano said.

“We made sure that healthy foods shall be sold in support to the  ‘no junk food policy” in schools of the DepEd. The sale’s percentage of linanggang is the school’s additional fund for Project FEED. This scheme resulted to big drop in the number of wasted and severe wasted pupils,” she said. 

Ascano was also behind the  Lata Sako Baldend Tanuman (LSBT), a home-based feeding project that encouraged parents and students to plant vegetables for their personal consumption.

Bananas were planted in the school grounds for their food supply. The school, in fact, has a mini-forest planted with mahogany, pili, acacia, and some endemic trees like calumpit, calomagon, lauaan, and santol.

The Calongay village council adopted Ascano’s project through the village-wide “Gulayan sa Bakuran” or backyard vegetable garden contest to address malnutrition and support poor families in the community.    

Ascano’s projects did not only improve students’ nutrition, but also provided employment for at least 10 mothers.

One of them was Josie Lañoza, 38, a mother of 3 – all enrolled at Calongay Elementary School.  She gets P50 per day as a cook in the school kitchen.  

Because of Ascano’s exemplary projects, Calongay Elementary School won as the school in Sorsogon with the best practice in engaging private and public partnerships during  the 2018 Division Brigada Eskuwela Appreciation Ceremony.

Ascano was a semi-finalist for the Civil Service Commission’s Dangal ng Bayan award for 2019. The recognition is given to an individual for exemplary ethical behavior. – Rappler.com

ILOILO CITY, Philippines – Thousands of members and allies of the Ilonggo queer community took to the streets to voice out their call for genuine equality during the 2019 Iloilo Pride March on Saturday, October 12. 

With chants like "LGBT rights are human rights" and the more playful "Maki-beki, 'wag ma-shokot (Fight, don't be scared)!", participating Ilonggos celebrated love and called for the passage of the SOGIE (sexual orientation and gender identity and expression) equality bill during the Pride March in the City of Love. (EXPLAINER: What you need to know about SOGIE)

According to organizers' estimates, some 5,000 participants from the LGBTQ+ community and their allies marched along Senator Benigno Aquino Jr Avenue in Mandurriao district – a major Iloilo City thoroughfare – waving rainbow flags and raising political placards while in full Pride regalia.

The turnout smashed the previous record attendance of 3,000 registered participants in the 2018 Iloilo Pride March.

Both city and provincial LGBTQ+ organizations and advocates' groups, as well as local business process outsourcing groups, a handful of school-based organizations, and even some members of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines and the Iglesia Filipina Independiente joined this year's Iloilo Pride March.

With the theme "Unleashing Love: Hilway Mag Gugma" (Unleashing Love: Free to Love), the event was spearheaded by the Iloilo Pride Team, with the support of the Iloilo City government and hosted by SM City Iloilo Southpoint.

Senator Risa Hontiveros, the champion of the SOGIE equality bill in the Senate, was the guest of honor for the Iloilo Pride March, which is now on its 4th year. (READ: A look at SOGIE anti-discrimination laws around the world)

"A rainbow wave is coming...and it is unstoppable!" said Hontiveros in her solidarity speech during the event.

The 2019 Iloilo Pride March concluded with a pageant and party at SM, where the Iloilo Pride Team also crowned this year's Mr and Ms Iloilo Pride.

Founded in 2014, the Iloilo Pride Team is a network of Ilonggo LGBTQ+ members and advocates that aims to draw attention to queer issues through social conversations. The founders of the team are Gabriel Felix Umadhay, Russel Patina, Justin Francis Bionat, and Reymark Sustento. – Rappler.com

Rhick Lars Vladimer Albay is a Rappler Mover based in Iloilo. He reports mostly on the local cultural community and art scene.

Carl Don Berwin is a Rappler Mover and a SharePH ambassador in Iloilo City. He is also an economics student at the University of the Philippines Visayas.

“Parang lahat ng inyong budget puro research? Baliw na baliw kayo sa research. Aanhin 'nyo ba 'yung research (It seems that all your budget is put into research? You're crazy about research. What will research do for you)?"

These words were from Senator Cynthia Villar – Senate committee chair on agriculture and food, agrarian reform, and environment and natural resources, as well as your top senator in the May 2019 elections – during the budget hearing of the Department of Agriculture. (READ: The rise of Cynthia Villar: How politics, money, networks made her No. 1)

Let me just air my disappointment as a researcher and as a son of a farmer. Hearing this statement is so painful. This remark from a public servant who proclaimed herself as intelligent will affect not just those within the Department of Agriculture, but all researchers out there who, at this moment, are pouring their heart and soul into their studies. 

“Ako, matalino akong tao pero hindi ko maintindihan 'yung research 'nyo, lalo na 'yung farmer. Gusto ba ng farmer 'yung research? Hindi ba gusto nila tulungan 'nyo sila? Bakit ba lahat ng budget 'nyo research (I myself am an intelligent person, but I don't understand your research, what more a farmer. Do farmers want this research? Don't they want you to help them? Why does your budget go to research)?"

Research delivers outputs. Research delivers products. Research, the paper and the process, is not directly being handed from the laboratory or the office out to the fields. It is interpreted, then products may materialize from that research.

“Kung ako farmer, mas gusto ko nang bigyan ako ng seeds, bigyan ako ng machineries kaysa 'yung mga kung anu-ano (If I were a farmer, I would rather be given seeds and machinery than what-have-you)."

If Senator Villar cannot see the importance of well-funded research, then I guess she should first know the basics of science, technology, development, and advancement. It is not only about providing seeds and machinery to farmers; it is about developing better technology, giving them better seeds and modern machinery. That is the aim of research. And developing something better for the country and the people is not easy, nor cheap. I hope the senator knows that, being intelligent (or so she says). 

The farming industry has already benefited from research in the past years: new breeds of palay and other crops, new equipment, new methods. In general, research is about creating something new, something better. This involves time and effort and investment and dedication. Those are at the core of research, and mind you, Ma’am, they do not come cheap. (READ: [ANALYSIS] Plummeting rice prices: How will our rice farmers cope?)

The farmers are angry not because of research. They are actually voicing out their frustrations about you, Madam Senator, and your selfish ways. From authoring the Rice Tarrification Law, whose effects now impair the lives of fellow Filipinos reliant on farming, to cutting the budget of an institution that focuses on upgrading the products and tools for the agriculture industry, you are just showing your true colors. You really do not care about the welfare of farmers and all those who rely on agriculture. Your conflict of interest radiates so much that you have forgotten your role as a public servant. You are serving yourself and you will always serve yourself. (READ: Cynthia Villar slammed over business interests anew)

How I wish that in the future, the Senate may have a more strict way of selecting chairpersons for committees. Put someone in the agricultural committee who does not forget that their service is for the country and the people, someone who is truly an advocate and champion of agriculture, and most importantly, someone who is not in the business of real estate. – Rappler.com

Raymark Paul Trojillo Rigor, 22, is from Tarlac and finished his Bachelor's Degree in Biology at the Central Luzon State University in Nueva Ecija.

Paul is a youth leader, advocating for the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals, environmental and wildlife conservation, youth empowerment, and community building.

MANILA, Philippines– Zena Bernardo’s father, Mang Romy, was the ideal family man. He was a loving son to his parents, a supportive kuya to his 5 younger siblings, a dedicated husband, and a nurturing tatay to his children.

Mang Romy and his family were not financially well-off, but he and his wife made sure that their children would have a good childhood.

In 1985, when his business went bankrupt, his wife was forced to leave her family behind to work for a government hospital in the Middle East.

Mang Romy’s apparent feeling of inadequacy as the family’s provider, coupled with the sudden death of his friend Lean Alejandro in 1987 and his sneaking suspicion that Zena, his then-19-year-old bunso, was pregnant, had taken their toll on him.

On December 22, 1988, just 3 days before Christmas, Mang Romy committed suicide.

His family had always known that Mang Romy was suffering from depression. However, as he was his siblings’ constant “one-man support system,” they didn’t think that he would, one day, succumb to the same silent killer that was taking his brothers and sisters one by one. (READ: Is the Philippines ready to address mental health?)

Before his death, 3 of his other siblings who also had depression had likewise died of suicide. Less than two months after his death, another one followed suit. The lone surviving sibling has been on medication for more than 3 decades now. (READ: A cry for help: Mental illness, suicide cases rising among youth)

The second generation of Bernardos

When Zena and her two siblings were younger, their parents would try to shield them from the realities of depression. But whenever they would hear that a relative had committed suicide due to depression, or when their own father would break or throw things one minute then hole up in his room for days the next, it became increasingly difficult to ignore.

Pretending that everything was normal became impossible.

When her mother left them to work abroad and her siblings became preoccupied with either studies or friends, Zena became her father’s constant companion and confidant. She heard about his frustrations, and bore witness to his episodes of depression. She became the family’s shock absorber. (READ: [OPINION] I’m an aspiring mental health professional, but sometimes I need help too)

She had many insecurities growing up. She later became a victim of bullying, sexual harassment, and physical abuse. She got pregnant at 19, and was blamed by everybody as the reason behind her father’s suicide. She was forced to drop out of college due to her delicate condition. Her marital life soon became problematic and toxic. An abusive relationship and 4 children later, she decided to separate with her husband.

Through it all, she was silently suffering from and battling depression and bipolar disorder. To make matters worse, she felt that she had nowhere to turn to for help when she left her husband. Working overseas, Zena’s mother was not made aware of her condition, while her two siblings were also fighting the same illness that plagued the Bernardos. (READ: How does the PH fare in mental health care?)

She tried everything to single-handedly support her children. However, she realized that she could not get a decent-paying job without a college diploma. Once her two oldest kids were in high school, Zena saw an opportunity to go back to college and finish her education.

After she graduated as the class valedictorian, she worked for various companies and foundations, and actively supported countless advocacies. She can only work for short-term projects and on short-term jobs, though, as she tends to get overwhelmed when she has to stay long in a single place or be deeply immersed in the same kind of work. But once she starts, she is unstoppable.

However, like many others who have depression, she faces each day as if she is walking in a land mine. She has to tread carefully by guarding her thoughts every single minute of every day. (READ: [OPINION] A psychiatrist’s view: Common misconceptions about mental health)

The third generation of Bernardos

Mox is one of Zena’s 4 children and is her only son. Like his parents and most of his relatives from both sides of their family, Mox has a mental health condition, too. He was likewise diagnosed with clinical depression.

Mox is now living on his own. He cannot live under one roof with his mother or his sisters as they all trigger each other’s depressive episodes. (PODCAST: Batling depression and anxiety)

To those who are suffering from depression right now, Mox has these pieces of valuable advice: “Seek professional help. Listen to and love yourself more. Those who know and have survived through those moments have a special responsibility to help others who suffer the same condition. We’ve been through the void, we know how to help people endure nothingness.”

He also suggested that the best way to help those suffering from depression is to avoid forcing them to open up about their struggles when they don’t feel ready. (READ: What it’s like going for a consultation at the National Center for Mental Health)

“To families and friends, we don’t need uplifting words. [What we need] is help in getting through each day, one task at a time. It doesn’t help when people try to comfort us and force us to speak about our pain,” he said.

Zena adds that the Bernardo family has made it a point to know as much as they could about their mental condition, though they rarely talk openly among themselves about it. She shares that whenever they feel the urge to open up, they do so with trusted friends or romantic partners – those they refer to as their individual support systems. They also seek professional help. It is in cases of a relapse of a loved one that their awareness of and familiarity with the condition comes in handy. (WATCH: What can you do to prevent suicide?)

Love, understanding and kindness — these are the things that every person battling mental illness needs from everybody. Not judgment, pity and, definitely, not cruelty. – Rappler.com

Kaya Natin! Movement for Good Governance and Ethical Leadership, in partnership with the Sanggunian ng mga Paaralang Loyola ng Ateneo de Manila and in cooperation with Team Pilipinas, invites everyone to “AdvoKASI: Breaking the Myths about Mental Health” on October 19, 2019, 1–5pm at the Ateneo de Manila University. The forum, which is open to the public with free admission, aims to break the stigma surrounding mental health. For all those who are willing to help with Team Pilipinas’ other projects and outreach initiatives, you may email teamph.volunteers@gmail.com or call (0915) 3801977.

Lorelei Baldonado Aquino, 46, is a University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman alumna. She works as a freelance writer and an active volunteer for Team Pilipinas, a group established for those who want to do their own small share to be part of the solution to our country's myriad of problems. She is also the blogger behind Mom on a Mission.

MANILA, Philippines – The hashtag #ProclaimTheRealVP trended on Twitter on Tuesday, October 15, as netizens took to social media to rally behind their 2016 vice presidential bet.

This happened shortly after the Supreme Court (SC), acting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), did not rule on the protest filed by former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr against Vice President Leni Robredo after several weeks of postponement. (READ: Supreme Court to release initial recount results in VP protest)

Instead, the PET ordered the release of the recount results in the 3 pilot provinces and ask for both parties for their comment. The Court also asked them to submit memoranda in 20 days on Marcos' motion to nullify the results in 3 other provinces, in Muslim Mindanao.  (READ: CHEAT SHEET: The Marcos vs Robredo electoral protest)

While some of them picketed the SC, supporters of Robredo and Marcos also showed their support online as they tried to answer the one question hounding the electoral protest: which of the two is the “real” vice president?

#ProclaimTheRealVP? It’s already done – in 2016

As #ProclaimTheRealVP trended on Twitter, some netizens questioned the need for yet another “proclamation” when the rightful vice president, they believe, was already proclaimed 3 years ago.

No need to #ProclaimTheRealVP because it was done back in 2016.

— JP Patrol (@dumidyeypee) October 15, 2019

Many netizens shared this sentiment and slammed Marcos supporters for “twisting” the circumstances to favor their narrative.

Proclaimed in 2016 - Curated tweets by rapplerdotcom

Twitter user @jillyness put it this way: “So bale, may proclamation ulit for VP Leni?” (So, is there going to be another proclamation for VP Leni?)

So bale, may proclamation ulit for VP Leni?#ProclaimTheRealVP

— Jill Ilacad (@jillyness) October 15, 2019

Twitter user @lem0nade_02 asserted that he cast his vote for Robredo, and any allegations of cheating invalidate legitimate votes like his.

“Ano’ng feeling ni Bongbong Marcos? Daya ang boto ko?” asked @lem0nade_02 rhetorically. (What did Bongbong Marcos think? That my vote counted as cheating?)

Proclain VP Leni. Binoto ko sya. Anong feeling ni Bongbong Marcos? Daya ang boto ko? #ProclaimTheRealVP

— lemon02 (@lem0nade02) October 15, 2019

I can still remember that day, when I casted my vote for VP Robredo, yes I am one of them... And I still support her. #ProclaimTheRealVP

— Franzisko17 (@francislourona) October 15, 2019

Leni Robredo is the polar opposite of BB Marcos.

I voted for her, b/c

1. She'd make a great Mother of the Nation—gentle & kind, but tough & fearless, when she needs to be.

2. She's not a liar, not corrupt, & not an bratty sore loser.

3. She's NOT TraPo!#ProclaimTheRealVP

— Francis Baraan IV (@MrFrankBaraan) October 15, 2019

For the record...#ProclaimTheRealVPpic.twitter.com/O4cLdCB5t5

— Monica Bautista (@monicabautista) October 15, 2019

Robredo urged Marcos to just “accept defeat.”

“Tapos na 'yong eleksiyon…. Prinoclaim tayo ng Kongreso, panalo tayo. Nagkaroon ng recount, panalo ulit tayo. So ilang panalo pa ang kailangan para maniwala siya na hindi siya 'yong nanalo?” the Vice President said in a press conference on Tuesday, October 15.

(The elections are over.... Congress proclaimed us, we won. There was a recount, we won again. So how many times do I have to win for him to accept defeat?)

The ‘legitimate’ vice president

Marcos’ supporters expressed their optimism that their bet would finally be proclaimed as the “real” vice president of the Philippines.

“He's the legitimate vice president of the land!” claimed Twitter user @RoldAnn26.

He's the Legitimate Vice President of the land!#ProclaimTheRealVPpic.twitter.com/lmTVd936rb

— Harrold (@RoldAnn26) October 8, 2019

So, I really hope, Bongbong Marcos will be proclaimed as the Real Vice President of the Republic of Philippines. #ProclaimTheRealVP

— Elvie Getaruelas (@CommanderViel) October 8, 2019

BBM The real vice President of the Philippines. #ProclaimTheRealVP#BBMTheRealVP

— Andrea Caldaera (@AndreaCaldaera) October 15, 2019

I will always support the true Filipino lover @bongbongmarcos#ProclaimTheRealVP

— Flavio (@falovs13) October 8, 2019

Some netizens remained firm that the 2016 vice presidential election results were anomalous. Twitter user @JoyyyV questioned why Marcos, who was at one point leading the polls by over a million, still lost to Robredo.

I don't doubt anyone who says they voted for Leni. But I doubt the results of the election. Nakalimutan yata nila na leading si BBM ng millions until the next day na si Leni bigla. Nawalan pa ng votes yung ibang VP candidates. #ProclaimTheRealVP

— Jøy de Jesus (@JoyyyV) October 15, 2019

One Twitter user even bid goodbye to Robredo, whom they dubbed “fake VP.”

Goodbye fake vp leni robredo#ProclaimTheRealVP#BBMTheRealVP

— a_lee (@dc_nhoel) October 15, 2019

Marcos expressed his “frustration” over the PET resolution, but looked at the ruling as “a chance to continue” in his quest. (READ: Who won this round? Marcos calls latest PET action ‘good result’)

“What has happened in the last 3 years, what happened today, is the case goes on and we will go from strength to strength…. Asahan ninyo na ito ngang ipinaglaban ninyo at ipinaglalaban natin ay ipagpapatuloy natin, at binibigyan tayo ng PET ng pagkakataon na ipagpatuloy ang laban natin,” he told his supporters.

(You can trust that I shall continue fighting our battle because the PET gave us another chance to continue this.)

Here’s how others weighed in on the poll protest:

#ProclaimTheRealVP - Curated tweets by rapplerdotcom

So who has the rightful claim to the vice presidential seat? The deliberations on the case will resume on November 4, but until then, Filipinos will have to leave it up to the courts to decide the final answer. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – How can we as a community provide more learning opportunities to the marginalized such as the urban poor, working students, out-of-school youth, and indigenous peoples? 

A 2018 report of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that the state of the country's education sector remained problematic. The Multidimensional Poverty Index in the report showed that Filipino families are most deprived in the area of education. (READ: 5 out of 10 Filipino families deprived of basic education – PSA) 

The study said that 6 out of 10 families in 2016, and 5 out of 10 families in 2017 were deprived of basic education. (FAST FACTS: What you need to know about the PH education system)

Based on the 2017 Annual Poverty Indicators Survey (APIS), about 9% of the estimated 39.2 million Filipinos aged 6 to 24 years old were out-of-school children and youth.  

Among initiatives that the government pursued to address this problem is the implementation of the Alternative Learning System (ALS) as a practical option to those who cannot access formal education in schools. (READ: Catching up on ALS: Challenges of a 'parallel system') 

Meanwhile, the Lumad, especially as they live in far-flung areas and have specific cultural demands, typically thrive in schools adjusted to their tradition compared to formal education schools. This resulted to the rise of Lumad schools dedicated solely for this purpose, applying a curriculum that allows Lumad children to also learn more about their rights, traditions, culture, and heritage. (READ: Who are the Lumad?) 

However, the Department of Education recently closed 55 Lumad schools. (READ: DepEd formally shuts down 55 Lumad schools in Davao)

While the government and the education sector have their own roles to play, what can communities do to help address the problem? How can we go beyond giving donations of school supplies? 

These are just a few of the questions that the huddle, an action-oriented gathering among students, groups, and advocates, intends to answer.  

MovePH, Rappler’s civic engagement arm, in partnership with the University of the Philippines Diliman College of Education Student Council will be hosting “Huddle: Beyond the Classroom" on Saturday, October 26, from 1 pm to 5 pm at Lecture Hall 1, School of Statistics, at UP Diliman. 

As it goes beyond conversations and raising awareness on issues related to education, it hopes to put focus on identifying possible solutions that participants can pursue to help to the community.

Students, teachers, and interested individuals are encouraged to join this huddle. Click the button below to register or fill up this form. 

An email will be sent to confirm reservation to the Huddle.

Aside from the Huddle, MovePH is also doing a series of roadshows around the Philippines to bridge the online gap by bringing the conversation to communities. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – In the wake of another allegation of sexual predation involving faculty that surfaced on Facebook, the Ateneo Loyola Schools Faculty Association (ALSFA) urged the administration to uphold a "zero-tolerance" policy against sexual harassment on Wednesday night, October 16.

Posted on ALSFA president Carmel Abao's Facebook, the faculty association called for an independent review on existing processes in handling sexual harassment cases, saying the current system was not serving its purpose. They said the independent review must also involve revisiting all cases with the aim of learning from and improving on protocols and processes, rather than overturning the outcomes of previous cases.

Outrage over sexual harassment on campus sparked anew after a Facebook post detailing a student's experience of allegedly being touched inappropriately by a respected instructor from the university's English department surfaced online. The student also claimed that the said English professor had harassed 4 other victims, 2 of whom were professors.

This is not the first time that Ateneo has encountered a case of sexual harassment involving faculty. In 2018, the AdMU student council filed a case with the university against a longtime male professor after a post in Facebook group “ADMU Freedom Wall” drew attention to the professor’s alleged sexual harassment.

"The recurrence of protests and the very high level of frustration reflect a systemic problem that must be immediately addressed," they said in a statement

ALSFA acknowledged the university's efforts to end sexual harassment on campus, especially as the faculty association pushed for the creation of a gender hub and worked with the admin in crafting the university's gender policy. However, a rally held outside ADMU's humanities building on Tuesday, October 15, showed that the university's efforts are not enough and highlighted the "inadequacy of ADMU's response to issues of sexual harassment."

"The recent expression of outrage, however, points to the reality that the efforts have not been enough. This is the main issue: the inadequacy of ADMU’s responses to issues of sexual harassment,” they added.

The Ateneo administration acknowledged "the burden is on the university to gain the trust and confidence of the community" but it cannot divulge the details about its proceedings involving sexual harassment cases "because of confidentiality restrictions in the Data Privacy Act and the Safe Spaces Act."

This caused frustration among members of the Ateneo community due to a system they claimed favored perpetuators. ALSFA stressed that while the university avoids discussing cases due to legal constraints, it doesn't take into consideration the right of the community to know the progress of these cases.

"While the university should comply with pertinent laws, it should also resist approaching compliance as the end-all and be-all. Sexual harassment amongst faculty is not only about criminal liability; it is also about fitness to teach and the judicious use of power. The task of the university is to foster a culture that rejects sexual harassment and gender-based violence," ALSFA said.

Ateneo has been criticized for the supposed “lack” of updates on reports about several professors who allegedly committed sexual harassment. (READ: Ateneo on Safe Spaces Act: Be specific about school responsibilities)

The association remained firm against publicly naming perpetrators and victims. They stressed that sexual harassment can happen to anyone and associating harassment with particular departments or schools will not be beneficial. 

Students against sexual harassment

Online, the Ateneo community echoed their disappointment on the progress of sexual harassment cases within the university. Over 1,100 alumni signed a statement calling for an end to sexual harassment on campus. Senator Risa Hontiveros, a graduate of the university, was among those who signed the statement.

It called allegations made online "a reasonable avenue for persons in distress in light of the power imbalance between students and teachers—or even junior faculty and tenured faculty—and the current opaqueness and inaccessibility of the grievance procedure."

The statement also gave the university administration suggestions on how to be more transparent about their investigations into sexual harassment. It said that "the composition of the assigned Committees on Decorum and Investigation (CODI) tasked with investigating these cases must be made public," as the present "opaqueness"of the composition contributes to lack of accountability among decision-makers.

The signatories also called for more specific penalties for specific actions. 

Sanggunian ng mga Paaralang Loyola ng Ateneo de Manila, the university’s student council, similarly pointed out that the current system failed to create a safe environment for its students due to numerous sexual harassment cases against the university’s faculty members.

“We trust, time and time again, in a system that is supposed to protect the student body from these abuses, but we see our hopes being shattered by menial punishments and the administration’s short term memory loss,” they said.

Samahan ng Progresibong Kabataan Katipunan (SPARK - Katipunan) shared the same sentiments on the university's current environment. The group emphasized that failing to adequately punish sexual perpetrators creates a dangerous environment for its students and employees. 

“Justice delayed is justice denied. There can be no ‘safe spaces’ in an environment that denies justice, in an environment where the abused who voice out are not listened to,” they emphasized.

Despite the administration's claims that students and employees are safe from sexual harassment, SPARK-Katipunan asserted that predators remain "dispersed across various departments and continue to victimize students to this day."

They added that students have tried to work within the system in place but were met by "continuing leniency and lack of transparency."

Ateneo Association of Communication Majors (Ateneo ACOMM) emphasized that accountability is needed in tackling sexual harassment cases. They highlighted that sexual harassment should not happen to anyone in the university.

“Ateneo should be a safe space for students and faculty alike, yet predators are walking on campus grounds, not being held liable for their actions,” they wrote.

Council of Organizations in the Ateneo (COA) encouraged student organizations to adopt necessary measures to protect their members from sexual assault. They stressed that creating a safe space can start within their respective organizations.

"We stand in solidarity with all victims coming forward with their stories, and encourage all organizations to create safe spaces within them to encourage and empower their members to report any cases of sexual abuse and misconduct," they said in a statement.

Current and former graduate students of ADMU’s Department of Philosophy, as well, expressed their support for sexual harassment victims. They called on other members of the ADMU community to be in solidarity with these victims, and add their voice to the call of accountability and justice.

“If Ateneo is truly committed to the pursuit of social justice, it needs to confront the hard truth: the campus is unsafe, the processes have failed us, and the university is complicit,” they said.

Several members of the Ateneo community also expressed their frustrations by changing their Facebook profile pictures and cover photos to a picture saying “Ateneo protects sexual predators” to underscore how the current system within the university favors perpetrators.

The Ateneo administration assured on Wednesday, October 16, that the university has measures to protect students and employees from sexual harassment, and to ensure due process for all parties involved.

Fr. Jose Ramon Villarin, SJ shared in a statement that the university is crafting an anti-sexual harassment manual that expands the definition of sexual harassment in the workplace and education setting.  – with a report from Janella Paris/Rappler.com