The Page Break Journal

9/24/2017

Woke Up Like This

The first (and only) issue of The Scholastican that I was able to release as its Editor-in-Chief was released during the height of the infamous burial of Former Pres. and dictator Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. I can clearly remember how stressed and excited I was to release the said issue. After all, it was my team's brainchild and yet, I could not help but feel so down. My knees felt week and I could taste bile in my tongue as I edit the articles that my writers sent to me. It was not their way of writing that I disgust. It was what they were writing about. They were writing about the horrors, pain and abuse inflicted by the 1972 Martial Law. And last Thursday, September 21, 2017, was its 45th anniversary and boy, was it totally breathtaking.

If you've been frequenting this blog (which I am totally grateful for), you would've noticed that this is not the first time that I talked about Martial Law or politics for that matter. I've spoken about my frustrations, anger and distrust. But I've decided that this post will be different. I will not narrate all the gruesome events that happened in the one year period since Pres. Duterte got into power. I will not speak about the extrajudicial killings, the surprising and sudden freedom of corrupt officials and even the lack of due process in the country.

Why?

Because it seems like I don't need to anymore. Filipinos are slowly but surely opening their eyes, minds and hearts on the horrid situation of the country. Filipinos, especially the millennials of today, are finally speaking up. And this was evidenced by the thousands of protesters who marched towards Luneta from different parts of the country to err their frustrations towards the government despite rumors that Pres. Duterte will somehow find a way to declare Martial Law which may cause major catastrophe to the protesters.

But it didn't happen.

The Republic of the Philippines is still a democracy. Why? Because those in power were able to see how the Filipino men and women are willing to sacrifice their life for freedom and history. They were able to see that despite their positions and connections, they are weaker when faced against the freedom-hungry and justice-seeking Filipino citizens. More than that, the government were able to see that the Filipinos are not blind and apathetic. Filipinos are awake.

And this is what the government fears. This is why the government will not find it easy to declare Martial Law again. Filipinos are awake. We no longer need to see a good leader die. We no longer need people in yellow to lead and fight for us. We are finally capable to fight for what we believe in. We have the courage and compassion to bring our country back to its former glory. Most of all, we have finally embraced our responsibility to protect our country and to ensure that history will never repeat itself.

Photo grabbed from: philstar.com

8/13/2017

Clad in Blue Skirts No More

August 7th, 2017: Women wearing white blouses tucked inside their navy blue skirts while sporting black high heels sprouted back on the streets of Taft Avenue. Yes, that day was the start of the school year for St. Scholastica's College and weird enough, I wasn't one of those women clad in blue skirts. I was wearing a pair of jeans and a simple shirt and instead of walking towards Leon Guinto, I stopped in front of Jollibee Vito Cruz to wait for a single van to carry me towards P. Campa street for another day of review classes. That's my new normal I guess but, as I watched the women clad in blue skirts, I couldn't help but feel nostalgic. Yes, I am still living around Taft area. I am still seated beside my college blockmates every single day and we still eat in the same restaurants but, we will never be required to wear the blue skirts and heels ever again. Why? Because, as weird as this may sound, we finally graduated.

It has been two months or so since my batchmates and I strutted our way up the stage of PICC to get our well-deserved diplomas thus, signifying the end of our college life. However, that day felt like one of the many graduation practices we had a week before. The only difference was that we were already wearing our togas and our faces are painted with makeup. And, in a snap of a finger, the ceremony was over. We graduated. But, it wasn't the same for me and my blockmates because after that graduation weekend was the beginning of our review classes for the CPA board exam.

Honestly, I really don't know why I am writing this. It has been two months since I graduated and two months since I began my review classes. I guess this post has been long overdue. Obsolete even. But, I guess I am writing this because I needed to stop. To rest. To think.

The past two or three months have gone by so quickly that I hadn't processed the fact that yes, I graduated. It may not be so different as compared to the others' journey as I am still technically a student. I am still surrounded by my college professors and college friends but there will never come a day that I will enter St. Scholastica's College as a student who is required to wear the signature blue skirt and high heels. I guess this is my opportunity to say adieu to the humble institution. Thank you for making me the woman that I am today. Thank you for letting me discover that I, too, can be a leader. Thank you for empowering me to speak up and fight. But, most of all, thank you for teaching me the value of Ora et Labora and that we must glorify God in all of the things we do.

That said, I will no longer bid you good luck in your endeavors because more or less, your life after college has already begun months ago. However, let me tell you to just trust the process. Have fun. Go with the flow and don't be frustrated. Our adult lives has just begun and sooner or later, we will be able to grab the goal we are aiming for and even the next.

5/15/2017

Sulat Pasasalamat

I thought I would cry during my last Blue & White Affair as I finally let go of my title as Editor-in-Chief of The Scholastican. I was really waiting for that single moment that will move me to tears. But it never came. No tears were shed instead, a huge grin appeared on my face. I was smiling from ear to ear. I was smiling not only because I was able to survive the year or the accomplishments I had. I was smiling because I felt so proud as I look at the faces surrounding me: my TS babies. They were the people that I had been with since the day that I was already the eldest of TS and no longer the youngest. They were the people that I've first met through their resumes and later on, became my friends and colleagues. They were the people that became my family.

Looking back, I was really scared and unsure when all of my mentors graduated and left TS. I felt lost because I was no longer sure of what I am or will be doing. I was left alone to stand on my own. But I was wrong. I was never alone as new faces came in, new relationships blossomed, new laughs were heard, and new stories were told. The TS family did not changed. It grew and no amount of superfluous words will ever be enough to express my gratitude for my awesome and ever reliable editors and staff.

I apologize for not knowing all of you personally. I hold accountable for that. Nevertheless, remember that I am really proud of each and every one of you because I've seen all of your work. I've felt your energy, commitment and passion in every article, photograph and graphic you've submitted. Don't ever lose that because those are the things that will keep you you despite the hardest of days. Those will be your anchors in life.

I will forever be indebted to TS. TS made me the person that I am today. TS strengthened my passion as a writer and as a leader. TS inspired me not only to write but also to fight for what is right and just. TS made me a journalist even if I am no graduate of Mass Communication. All in all, my college life will not be the same without TS. Somehow, my name got synonymous with TS and I am proud of that. I am thankful for that.

Unfortunately, my time has come to surrender the keys of M301. In a few weeks time, I'll finally be graduating. I'll finally graduate from TS for good. However, all of the memories and lessons I've got from TS will always be with me. As weird as this may sound but, I'll be keeping your faces (even the memory of the TS office) with me wherever I go. Maraming salamat TS!

This is Pia Angela M. Elemos

The Scholastican Editor-in-Chief for SY 2016-17

Signing-off

(Last two photos are by Fatima Villar)

11/20/2016

Bata, Gaano Ka Kabata?

Once upon a time, the Spaniards came to the Philippines to invade us. They succeeded and made the Philippines their colony for 300 long years. And, why were they able to colonize us for that long? The answer is quite simple. They ensured that the Filipinos remain ignorant so they can easily manipulate us. They made sure that we remain indios so that we cannot revolt, so that we cannot be free.

Fast forward to the present..

Once upon a time, St. Scholastica's College - Manila held a noise barrage condemning the burial of Former Pres. Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (LNMB). Students from grade school to college participated, together with the professors, administrators and sisters. I was inside the school that time. I witnessed and heard the cries of the crowd saying that Marcos is no hero. Trust me, he is not. However, this post is not about the reasons why Marcos is not a hero. I will give the responsibility to you to research why. This blog post, then, is about the sudden backlash St. Scho received after the noise barrage. Such backlash stems from a post made by MOCHA USON BLOG stating that the children were required to attend the noise barrage. It even contained a so-called parents' permit and her conversation thread with a so-called parent of a Scholastican student. If you want to see it, just go online. Just prepare to get red hot mad. Anyway, as the story unfolds, a lot of Scholasticans and Mocha Uson supporters went against each other's throats. It event went far as to saying that St. Scho is abusing and harassing the students as they were TOO young to understand. They even said that St. Scho is brainwashing the students!

But, what I want to ask is what is too young? What is the right age for parents and teachers to teach students about the social condition of the country and the world? Is it correct to keep the children in the dark? This is what irritates me. The comments stating that these children should be kept innocent and young. For what? So that they can be shocked when they see the world is also filled with monsters and brainless dummies? In my opinion, I believe children should be taught early on about the realities of the world. They must learn how to be socially aware so that they cannot be easily swayed to believing things. They should know what is true and false; and right and wrong. If you are to say that St. Scho is abusing kids because they are letting them attend rallies and noise barrages, I pity you. I pity you because you do not understand how important the roles of these children. They are our future and if we do not give them the right tools and knowledge, how can they become our future? And take my word that students of St. Scho from grade school to college knows what they are fighting for. This is so because St. Scho ensured that we are knowledgeable and aware of the world outside the four walls of our 110 year old school.

Keep in mind that children are not just children.

Little girls are not just girls.

Little boys are not just little boys.

They are also Filipinos.

That being said, I would like to thank St. Scho for making us socially responsible. I would like to thank you for being true to your vision and mission to not only produce academically excellent students, but also socially aware Scholasticans. I salute you and congratulate you for your 110 years of service to the country and the world. And as students, we promise to live up to the school's vision and mission.

Scholasticans cannot be silenced.

Never have and never will.

That in all things, God may be glorified!

9/24/2016

The Filipino Prince

Disclaimer: All words, sentences and paragraphs are all of my own. If you cannot understand or accept opinions that is against your own, I suggest that you stop reading. I will not judge you for doing so. But please don't judge me for what I've written.

In our Rizal class, my group was given the task to discuss Niccolo Machiavelli's The Prince. I will not delve in to our report but here is a gist of what it was about. Machiavelli is considered as one of the most important people in the Renaissance period. He worked for the Florentine government for fourteen years, until the Medici family regained power and ousted him from his post. Thus, in order for Machiavelli to have his post once again, he decided to write The Prince.

The Prince is Machiavelli's most prominent work. Its main function is to serve as an advice-book for leaders. But, as harmless as it may sound, The Prince is definitely not your ordinary leadership-slash-inspirational book. This is so because it is based from Machiavelli's principle, "The end justifies the means." It means that as long as you are moving for the greater good, the goodness or badness of your actions to achieve such goal is irrelevant. Honestly, if this report was given to us a year ago, it wouldn't matter so much to me. This blog post would never be written in the first place. Yet, why am I writing this? Why are you reading this? You want an answer? Open your television and watch the news.

Pres. Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs is not new for us. It has been the words that he constantly uttered since he announced his presidential campaign. And, surprise, surprise. This is still the words that we hear each and everyday. Each and everyday, news shows presents to us the current number of people killed in Duterte's war on drugs. Each and everyday, we see and hear all of these information and what scares me is that we are going immune to it. I am going immune and even indifferent to it. And that made me think.

It made me think if the Philippines has finally found its prince. The prince who will do anything and everything for the so-called greater goods. It made me look back to all the people killed for the current war on drugs. Don't get me wrong, though. I am not saying that the war on drugs is bad in its entirety. Drugs is one of the many problems of the country and from these stems more and more crimes. What I am against is the means by which we are fighting it. Kill people and that's it? Kill people and the crime rates will go down? Kill people and we are safe? That's plain BS.

Where is the due process? Where are the laws and regulation? Where are the people that are expected to protect the Filipino people? They are all influenced by the prince. In my own opinion, all actions made and made for the prince are justified. Why? Because it is for the greater good. Or is it?

All I am asking you is to discern. Has the Philippines been so desperate for peace and order that we are willing to be blind?

Think.

Photo grabbed from http://www.ew.com/sites/default/files/i/2016/01/04/little-prince.jpg

Woke Up Like This

Clad in Blue Skirts No More

Sulat Pasasalamat

Bata, Gaano Ka Kabata?

The Filipino Prince

Flickr Images