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Summer is at its pinnacle Beds of flowers they dazzle Amongst these abloom meadows, The sun beams to one, and it glows Enthralled by you, I forged. As bare as unclothed Nothing I was withal; So eager to bestow all The one was queer, it said Nothing like a rose, it said Hush my dear sun; You shine above all else

You're both our parents and grandparents To us, the two of you are indeed god-sent With love so pure and the difficulties you endured; You're inspiring and wonderful, well, I am sure. When the darkness invades the sky, And the imaginary monsters showed as we cry, Your hugs and kisses kept us warm Like you were protecting us from any harm. You both said, "People come and go." But I'd love to see you stay and watch me grow; Because in this lifetime of failure and misery, Your kindness and caring deeds gave us glee—it made us free. The laughter and funny stories we shared, As well as the words of wisdom I heard; Will be treasured even when a major dilemma arrives Oh, we're grateful to have you in our lives. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Written by: Daisy Mae Conception Layout and Design by: Dennis Amoroso

With a few more months of endurance and fight-back, President Duterte’s presidency will already come to an end. All throughout his term, the Filipino people have been haunted by draconian orders — a seemingly six-year Halloween celebration of death and misery. However, have you realized how we celebrate the month of November? In the beginning, we mourn, we lament, we remember those who have passed away. At month’s end, we commemorate, we recall, and we immortalize the great revolutionary who has zealously fought for the Filipino masses. As you try to think about it deeper, the way we celebrate ‘All Souls’ Day’ and ‘Bonifacio Day’ does not only happen in November. It is a never-ending cycle of resiliency — the alpha and omega of November serve as a six-year mantra to combat the never-ending Halloween-- Duterte’s draconian order. Looking back, the real Duterte legacies are enumerated as follows: anti-people and anti-human rights defenders legacies. Thus, as these perpetuate, genuine pro-people actions will be the only antidote to cease a monstrous president and his draconian orders. 𝑨𝒏𝒕𝒊-𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 Extrajudicial killings became rampant as Duterte implemented his war on drugs through Oplan Tokhang. It was considered to be the best days of Duterte upon getting affirmation of killing small-time drug addicts while letting drug lords such as Peter Lim escape the country. Way back 2016 to 2018, it seemed that the cycle was unending until Kian delos Santos’ killers were found guilty and sentenced to 40-year imprisonment. In June 2021, the International Criminal Court (ICC) formally sought an investigation into the Philippine government's deadly ‘war on drugs’ — a cup of hope among victims of extrajudicial killings. 𝑨𝒏𝒕𝒊-𝒉𝒖𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔 𝒅𝒆𝒇𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔 The Anti-Terror Bill has been fast-tracked and rail-roaded before it became a law amidst the pandemic. Executive Order No. 70 was signed in 2018, which created the National Task Force to End Local Communism and Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC). These controversial legacies of the Duterte regime are considered detrimental and have jeopardized the rights of those who criticize the mediocre governance of the current administration. The first casualties of Anti-Terror Law were two Aeta Farmers. They were accused of being members of the New People’s Army (NPA) by the military. Their claim was debunked by Olongapo Court because of insufficient evidence. On the other hand, NTF-ELCAC, a controversial agency known for its endless red-tagging among progressive individuals and groups, has experienced budget cuts for the last term of Duterte, from the P28 billion budget, the senate panel only allotted P4 billion due to its failure to submit a report on how its task force spent last year’s budget of P19 billion. The draconian orders built upon Duterte’s reign are gradually deteriorating. This six-year Halloween celebration already seems to fail, yet there is already another monstrous creature who awaits to replace his throne. Someone who was long groomed by Duterte–Marcos Jr and his daughter, Sara Duterte — and they are desperately crawling into position to live the legacy of their tyrant fathers and wicked families. The politics of the Philippines seems like a never-ending Halloween, a bunch of overlaying evil who will reign for six years to haunt Filipinos until the end. However, this curse can still be reversed — it was proven by history that darkness always comes to an end as the light takes a peek and shines over the truth. Only one thing is certain among this horror that has been haunting us since time immemorial will be out-thrown by people’s power and mass movement — the be-all and end-all to cease the power of these monstrous leaders and orders. 𝗘𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿’𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲: This was written a few hours before Sara Duterte announced her Vice Presidential bid. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Written by: Jantzen Mengala and Deniel Flora Layout and Design by: Kris Langcaon References Fugitive businessman Peter Lim has left Philippines – DILG | Philstar.com Two Aeta farmers, 'first casualties' of anti-terrorism law, seek to join legal fight in SC | Philstar.com ‘Anti-communist task force has no credibility to destroy’ – rights lawyer - Bulatlat Media groups sue NTF-ELCAC officials over red-tagging - Bulatlat Local court junks first terrorism case, orders release of 2 Aetas (cnnphilippines.com) Philippines: Landmark ICC investigation into Duterte’s murderous “war on drugs” - Amnesty International Senate panel gives NTF-Elcac just P4B after a P24B budget cut | Inquirer News

While COVID-19 continues to present significant challenges worldwide, addressing the climate issue cannot be neglected. The rapid climate change caused by human activities, primarily the burning of fossil fuels, which increases the greenhouse gases in the earth's atmosphere that warms our planet, is alarming. Man-made global warming is already impacting our country and may get even worse in the future if people do not move. The future depends on the activities of the present. THE EARTH IS WARMING In the latest assessment of the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) published last September 14, the global temperature for August 2021 was the sixth-warmest August since record-keeping began 142 years ago. Global surface temperature in August 2021 was 0.90 degrees Celsius above the 20th century average of 15.6°C degrees Celsius. It was the second warmest after August 2016, if the only global land surface temperature was considered. Due to climate change, the brightness of the Earth also has been reduced over time. According to the American Geophysical Union (AGU). In a study, the scientists warned that warmed ocean waters are causing fewer bright clouds to reflect sunlight to space, making the Earth even dimmer. Based on the data from Climate Watch, the world's top three greenhouse gas (GHG) emitters are China, the European Union, and the United States, contributing 41.6 percent of total global emissions. Two-thirds of global GHG emissions come from the top 10 emitters. The energy sector, including electricity, transport, manufacturing, fossil fuels, and others, is the most significant contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Since 2013, energy emission growth has slowed, while emissions from land-use change and forestry remain high. Emissions from various sectors continue to increase, such as agriculture (increased by 12%), industrial emissions (increased by 180%), and waste (increased by 16%). To avoid the worst impacts of climate change, all sectors must reverse the increasing trend and rapidly reduce emissions to net-zero by 2050. GLOBAL WARMING TO PH In the past ten years, the Philippines lost P506.1 billion due to climate-related hazards, and it accounts for 98.2 percent of the country's estimated losses, which is P515.51 billion, from 2010 to 2020. According to the Department of Finance (DOF), this amount is equivalent to the annual average of P48.9 billion, which is 0.33 percent of the yearly average of the Philippines' Gross Domestic Product (GDP), according to DOF. Despite only a 0.3 percent contribution to the planet's total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Based on the 2020 World Risk Index, the Philippines ranked 9th out of 181 nations in the world as the most affected country from extreme weather events, and according to the Global Climate Risk index 2021, the Philippines ranked 4th among ten countries most severely hit by extreme weather events from 2000 to 2019. Being an archipelago, the country is also highly vulnerable to rising sea levels due to global warming. Based on satellite observations, the level of the Philippines’ surrounding seas has increased at a rate of 5.7-7.0 mm/year from 1993 to 2015, which is twice the highest global average rate of 2.8-3.6 mm/year observed between 1993 and 2010. Sea level rise, which has been identified by the CCC’s reconstituted National Panel of Technical Experts (NPTE) as among the top 10 climate-induced risks in the country, is putting 64 coastal provinces, 822 coastal municipalities, and 25 major coastal cities at extreme risk, according to the DOF. The country lost about 68 percent and 82 percent corals and seagrass cover, respectively, from 2009-2016, which had been exacerbated by climate change impacts, such as coral bleaching and ocean acidification. This has contributed to the dwindling fish catch as commercial fish move from warm to cooler and deep waters. PH TO CLIMATE CHANGE Since the Philippines is located in the typhoon belt and the pacific ring of fire, the country is being climate-vulnerable which is frequently visited by typhoons with an average of 20 tropical cyclones annually, causing losses and damages equivalent to 0.5 percent of annual GDP as a result of rising unpredictable climate, DOF said. To mitigate this devastating impact of global warming, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, who is the Chairman-Designate of the Climate Change Commission (CCC), serves as the head of the Philippine delegation to the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) held in Glasgow, Scotland. At the opening of the virtual 2021 Annual Meeting of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) last October 26, he called out Western countries who contribute the most greenhouse gases to make urgent and concrete actions such as investments and subsidies needed by the climate-vulnerable countries to reduce carbon emissions. In his speech at COP26 last Tuesday, Dominguez discussed the effects of climate change on millions of Filipinos and the government's efforts, such as banning single-use plastics and the transition from coal to clean energy, to mitigate the consequences of climate change. Dominguez also highlighted the recently released Sustainable Finance Roadmap, which will serve as a model to encourage other countries to adopt appropriate policies to promote the transition to a clean, sustainable, and climate-resilient economy. COP26 is a 12-day conference that brings 10,000 negotiators, government leaders, businesses, and individuals that aim to address climate change issues by working together to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius and raise funds to achieve these goals. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Written by: Pamela Peñalver Layout and Design by: Dan Kurt Buenaventura References What is a COP? - UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) at the SEC – Glasgow 2021 (ukcop26.org) Climate-related hazards led to US$10-B losses for low-carbon emission PHL over 10-year period - Department of Finance (dof.gov.ph) Assessing the Global Climate in August 2021 | News | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) (noaa.gov) EarthSky | Earth is dimming due to climate change World’s Top Emitters Interactive Chart I World Resources Institute (wri.org) https://phys.org/news/2021-09-earth-dimming-due-climate.html THE PHILIPPINES NATIONAL STATEMENT FOR THE COP 26 - Department of Finance (dof.gov.ph) PHL to big emitters: Fund clean energy | Bernadette D. Nicolas (businessmirror.com.ph) PHL showcasing Sustainable Finance Roadmap in COP26 - Department of Finance (dof.gov.ph)

They won’t tell you what a woman is. They only tell you what you should be, how you should be, where you should be. They only tell you fairytales where princesses are; Lost in the wild, poisoned, or caged in a tower restrained by dragons. They won’t tell you what a woman is. Perhaps they’re afraid of being blinded by all your colors; Something deep, bold, fiery, yet delicate. Perhaps they’re afraid that once you find out— That women can be the raging currents of the ocean, While being the calm waves of the sea; How your sweat brings pride, your tears grow hope, your blood gives life; That you can be hovering the clouds, fighting in a ring, or sitting at the head table. That there could be a world where princesses need not a prince, Where Cinderella wears sneakers so they won’t slip off her feet; Where Aurora slaps the man who kissed her while she’s unconscious, Where princesses tear down towers, ride dragons, and become the wild themselves. A world where being a woman is a choice, not a birthright; Where a woman isn’t just she and her, Where a woman loves a woman, Where a woman doesn’t have to bleed or carry a child. They won’t tell you what a woman is, so tell them. You are a woman. Flesh and bones, thoughts and emotions. You are not made of their words; not their beliefs, nor their stories. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Written by: Gabrielle Tan Artist: Gerald Reye

Mukhang inihanda na sina Juan at Nena sa napipintong paghimlay ng kanilang mga badyet dahil wala pa man ang Halloween ay katakot-takot na pagtaas sa presyo ng mga bilihin ang bumungad sa kanila. Bago matapos ang buwan ng Oktubre, naitala ang halos dalawampung pisong dagdag presyo sa kada kilo ng baboy, at halos limampung piso naman sa kada kilo ng isda. Matatandaan din na nagkaroon ng usapin ukol sa dagdag pasahe sa mga dyip. Nariyan din ang paulit-ulit na pagtaas ng presyo ng langis at ang nakaaamba ring pagtaas pa sa presyo ng Liquified Petroleum Gas o LPG. At ang nakababahala pa ay nasa gitna pa rin tayo ng pandemya, bagama’t may pagluwag na sa mga patakaran ay hindi pa rin maikakaila na ang virus ay handang sumalakay sa kahit na anong oras. Mga Juan at Nena, kaya niyo pa ba? Batay sa mga ulat, iba’t ibang dahilan ang nagtulak sa pagtaas ng mga bilihing ito. Nandyan ang pagpinsala ni Bagyong Maring sa mga pananim sa Gitna at Norteng Luzon, ang limitadong pangingisda ng mga mangingisda dulot ng panahon ng pagtatapos ng panahon para magisda sa ilang pangisdaan na pinalala pa ng Hanging Amihan na kung saan ay mahirap makahuli ng isda dahil sa lakas ng alon at lamig na dala nito. Tinatayang umabot na sa P20.80 kada litro ng gasolina, P18.45 kada litro naman sa diesel, at P16.04 kada litro sa kerosene ang itinaas mula Enero hanggang mga unang araw ng Nobyembre sa taong 2021. Ang Liquified Petroleum Gas o LPG ay tumaas din nang mahigit P80 kada tangke nitong Oktubre at may pagtaas din na P3.10 (Petron) kada kilo ngayong buwan. Ang pagtaas na ito ay dahil sa pag-akyat ng presyo ng inangkat na langis at cooking gas sa world market na bunsod ng mababang supply ngunit pagbugso ng demand dahil sa paparating na winter season sa Kanluran, at ang muling pagbubukas ng global economies. Ang suplay ay unti-unti na ring itinataas ng OPEC at inaasahang babalik na ito sa pre-pandemic na produksyon at pagbaba ng presyo sa second-half ng 2022. Ito ay magandang pahiwatig na muli nang nabubuhay ang mga ekonomiya sa mundo ngunit ang bigat nito ay pasan ng ating mga kababayan. Ayon sa Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG), may malaking epekto ang mataas na presyo ng gasolina sa mga produktong agrikultura katulad ng bigas at gulay. Diesel ang gamit ng ating mga magsasaka sa irigasyon, maging sa pagdadala ng mga produkto dito sa Metro Manila. De-motor na bangka naman ang gamit ng ating mga mangingisda kaya nangangailangan din ng krudo. Bukod dito, ang mga driver at delivery services ay umaaray rin sa bigat ng presyo ng gasolina. Imbis na lumaki ang kita sa mas mahabang oras ng pasada ay lalo pang lumiit dahil kinakain ng gasolina ang kita nila. Ganoon din ang hinaing ng mga nasa logistics katulad ng Grab. Upang maibsan ang dagok na ito, umapela ng fare hike o pagtaas ng presyo ng pamasahe ang mga grupo ng mga driver sa LTFRB. Mula sa siyam na pisong pasahe ay ninais na maging labing-dalawang piso na. Tinutulan naman ng ahensya sa kahit na magkanong pagtataas dahil hindi pa raw kakayanin ng mga namamasahe ang dagdag gastos na ito dahil sa pandemya. Kaakibat nito ay ang pagbibigay na lamang ng fuel subsidy (na aabot sa isang bilyon at inaasahang maipamamahagi sa natitirang buwan ng taon sa ilalim ng Pantawid Pasada Program ng LTFRB) at ang pagtaas ng kapasidad ng mga pasahero sa pampublikong sasakyan (na ngayon ay nasa 70% capacity na). Dumaing din ng cash subsidy ang mga magsasaka at mangingisda natin na luging-lugi na. Ayon sa isang fishing operator, kung magtutuloy-tuloy ang pagtaas ng gasolina, maaari raw na marami na ang tuluyang tumigil sa pangingisda. May pagtawag din na itigil ang pagpapatupad ng excise tax sa diesel, kerosene, at LPG na ipinataw noong TRAIN Law. Ito raw ay pangmatagalang solusyon dahil malaki ang mababawas sa presyo kung isususpende ito, ngunit sa ulat ni JC Punongbayan, isang Ekonomista, bilyon-bilyong piso raw ang maaaring mawala sa gobyerno kung ititigil ang excise tax lalo na’t pandemya at kapos ang pondo nito—kung tatanggalin ito, pwede rin daw na magpataw ng panibagong mga buwis na hahalili para mapunan ang nalagas na kita. Ang iba pang mungkahi upang mahila pababa ang presyo ay dalhin na lang sa Metro Manila ang mga sobrang supply ng baboy sa Visayas at Mindanao at pagpataw ng suggested retail price o SRP sa agriculture input o feeds sa mga baboy, manok, at isda. Naitala sa pinakabagong datos ng Philippine Statistics Authority ang 8.9% unemployment rate noong Setyembre 2021 na katumbas ng mahigit sa apat na milyong (4.25 milyon) Pilipino na walang trabaho. Sa gitna ng pandemya at pagtaas ng bilihin, paano nga ba nakasasabay ang mga Pilipino sa agos? Wala naman silang magagawa kundi ang humanap ng kanya-kanyang diskarte upang hindi mapag-iwanan. Sa isang panayam sa balita, isang mamimili na may-ari ng karinderya ang nagsabing kaunting sahog na gulay na lamang ang inilalagay niya sa mga putaheng ulam. May mga paghihigpit na lang na gagawin sa budget, sabi ng iba. Ang ilan naman sa mga mangingisda natin sa Ilagan, Isabela ay pinili na lang na magsagwan upang makaiwas sa mahal na krudo kung gagamitin ang motor ng kanilang bangka, lalo na’t hindi pa raw sila nakababawi sa hagupit ng pandemya. Kahit papaano ay masasabing nakakaya naman nating sumabay, ngunit hanggang kailan? Hanggang saan? Bagama’t bumaba nang bahagya ang inflation rate o sukat ng pagtaas ng bilihin (4.6%) noong Oktubre 2021 (4.8% noong Setyembre), 5% ang naramdamang inflation o pagtaas ng bilihin ng mga mahihirap dahil malaking parte ng budget ang inilalaan nila sa mga pagkain na maging yun ay matataas ang presyo. Malaking porsyento, malaking pasakit. Inaasahan na patuloy pang tataas ang presyo ng mga bilihin dahil sa mas mataas na demand sa nalalapit na Kapaskuhan. Panibagong dagok at pasanin nanaman. Mga Juan at Nena, sawa na ba kayo? Sawa nang umiwas sa mga hukay na lalamon sa atin nang buo? At kung tuluyan nang mahulog, sa ilalim kaya ng lupa ay makakaya pa ring tumayo? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Written by: Jessel Tuazon Layout and Design by: Mica Dobles Sources: ABS-CBN News. (2021a, October 20). Taas-presyo sa LPG sa Nobyembre nagbabadya | TV Patrol [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0mqXrF3c_E&list=PLSuDTy1zIkqKysQYxRwLb7v0TW9cNM6Ry&index=3 ABS-CBN News. (2021b, October 26). “Durog na durog na kami”: Gasolina sumirit na sa P70/litro | TV Patrol [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CX6XtZX5PSk&list=PLSuDTy1zIkqKysQYxRwLb7v0TW9cNM6Ry&index=1&t=161s ABS-CBN News. (2021c, October 28). Taas-presyo sa baboy, isda inaasahan dahil sa mga oil price hike | TV Patrol [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDriTElHF3M&list=PLSuDTy1zIkqJwAD1Nk-IlZMoFIbG494u7&index=4 Baclig, C. E. (2021, October 19). 8-week oil price hikes hammer Filipinos still being battered by COVID. INQUIRER.Net. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1504000/8-week-oil-price-hikes-hammer-filipinos-still-being-battered-by-covid GMA News. (2021a, October 20). Ilang nagtitinda sa palengke, nalulugi na raw dahil sa taas ng presyo ng petrolyo | 24 Oras [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=907olVqhitE&list=PLSuDTy1zIkqJwAD1Nk-IlZMoFIbG494u7&index=2 GMA News. (2021b, October 27). Presyo ng isda, nagtaas na rin dahil sa sunod-sunod na oil price hike | 24 Oras [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YhdU1_hh1g&list=PLSuDTy1zIkqJwAD1Nk-IlZMoFIbG494u7&index=1 News5 Everywhere. (2021, October 21). NEWS ExplainED: Sunod-sunod na pagtaas ng presyo ng petrolyo [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5ZJ4n0bA8A&list=PLSuDTy1zIkqKysQYxRwLb7v0TW9cNM6Ry&index=5 Philippine Statistics Authority. (2021, November). Unemployment Rate in September 2021 is Estimated at 8.9 Percent (No. 2021–446). https://psa.gov.ph/content/unemployment-rate-september-2021-estimated-89-percent Punongbayan, J. (2021, October 22). [ANALYSIS] Bakit napakamahal ng mga bilihin? Ano’ng solusyon? Rappler. https://www.rappler.com/voices/thought-leaders/analysis-why-are-prices-high-possible-solutions Rivera, D. (2021, November 2). Gas, LPG prices up anew; diesel, kerosene down. The Philippine Star. https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/11/02/2138344/gas-lpg-prices-anew-diesel-kerosene-down Salaverria, L., Ramos, M., & Corrales, N. (2021, October 27). Drivers drop fare hike bid, push for 100% capacity. Philippine Daily Inquirer. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1507008/drivers-drop-fare-hike-bid-push-for-100-capacity Velasco, M. (2021, October 23). New hefty oil price hikes seen next week. Manila Bulletin. https://mb.com.ph/2021/10/23/new-hefty-oil-price-hikes-seen-next-week/

Critical thinkers are needles in a haystack in a flawed education system. The field is full of hays that usually float wherever the wind brings them. Only a few needles are heavy enough to stay and withstand the blows of the wind. It is not startling knowing that the education system is the tedders of this defined hay. Rang a bell? Welcome to the banking concept of education. This notion produces students who recognize repetitive memorization of topics as educational success. Pen pushers are only entitled to a depository position, and educators narrate contents from a detached reality. The education system is suffering from narration sickness. Students are reduced into a passive state, and teachers are rewarded for imparting hollow knowledge. Individuals cannot be truly human, and the transforming power of knowledge is never achieved. The true meaning of learning is destroyed with the system as dialogues are restricted. Potentials are submerged, and creativity: hindered. A repetitive cycle is built where students can do so much as develop to assist society's norms and become depositors of hollow teachings to the next generation. Reality remains concealed, and society continues to submit. This illusion continues to shape learners into a one-size-fits-all mold where potentials aside from the system's standards are considered delinquent. This pedagogy of the oppressed eliminates the critical ability of learning, potentially reducing individuals as machine-like reproduction of empty deposits. The more students work at storing the deposits given to them, the less critical consciousness they develop. But what exactly happens behind the curtains? Oppressors continue to use their “humanitarianism” to preserve the profitable system. The image of cultivating consciousness of the oppressed, not the situation which oppresses them, leads the society to adapt to the condition and make it easier for the oppressors to remain dominant. But it is still not too late to halt the piling up hays and reproduce thousands of needles. Liberty is possible when the oppressed leads for the truth. When the struggle for independence is led by the oppressed, humanity is regained. Through humanization, one can experience true freedom.

As the Philippines strive to win the battle against the COVID-19 virus, many Filipinos also struggle to endure the lack of access to life’s most necessity – water. Considering that one of the most effective ways of stopping the spread of the virus is through proper hygiene and sanitation, the state of our country’s water supply is alarming. Unsafe Water: A Threat to Life of many Filipinos In 2015, Katrina Arianne Ebora, part of UNICEF’s Water, Sanitation and Hygiene program in the Philippines, said that more than 30 million Filipinos have been facing the problem of accessing sanitation facilities. In addition, 8% of the country’s population doesn’t have access to these sanitation facilities and resorted to unhygienic spaces. One can significantly feel these situations in urban slums where lack of sanitation facilities is the problem. Social distancing and clean surroundings are also challenging to achieve, which can worsen the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. Unsustainable Water Source As the population of Metro Manila grows, the demand for water supply also increases. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), with the help of the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB), they have estimated that the total groundwater demand or withdrawal throughout the country grew from 4.3 billion cubic meters (bcm) in 1988 to 5.8 bcm in 1994. The initial estimation reveals an average annual increase of 5.3%, and the trend would most likely continue in the next few years because of the country’s increasing population. As the country experiences El Niño, the decrease in water supply has been felt by a lot of places. One of these places is Metro Manila, which has an estimated population of 12 million Filipinos. As reported in May 2021, Maynilad, one of the city's top water providers, has started the laying of a primary pipeline which is expected to be finished in the latter part of 2023. This project aims to create additional supply to meet the growing water demand and lower the dependency on Angat Dam, which is currently the primary source of water in the Metropolis and its nearby provinces. Universal Response The United Nations Philippines made targets to combat the water crisis. Being the 6th goal of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which is to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all, one of those targets is to give access to safe and affordable drinking water for all and achieve it by 2030. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, UNICEF and UN-Habitat have been working and appealing for support and fundings with their partner organizations to help reach those communities who have difficulty accessing water. In line with all the responses and solutions, having equitable access to safe and sustainable water will probably lead to long-term economic, social, and environmental benefits that will surely make a difference to the lives of billions of Filipinos, especially in this time of pandemic. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Written by: Shaira Mapoy Layout and Design by: Ian Ramos REFERENCES: https://www.vice.com/en/article/d3jana/a-lack-of-clean-water-and-sanitation-in-the-philippines-kills-55-people-every-day - Unsafe Water https://www.bworldonline.com/maynilad-says-p10-b-water-treatment-plant-done-by-2023/ - News | Response of Maynilad https://psa.gov.ph/content/water-resources - News | Water Demand Estimation https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/water-and-sanitation/ - UN targets and response

Makatarungan lamang na uminda, pumuna, at manghingi ng kasagutan mula sa gobyerno ang mamamayang Pilipino, dahil mula sa buwis ng bayan ang ginamit, ginagamit, at gagamiting pera ng administrasyon. Bunga ng dugo at pawis mula sa masigasig na pagtatrabaho at ng lahat ng kahirapan na ininda ng bawat isang Pilipino. Pera ito ng taong bayan na dapat suklian ng gobyerno. Kumalat sa social media ang mga litrato ng mga drayber ng dyip na namamalimos dahil hindi sila makapamasada. Ilan sa kanila ay napilitang tumira sa kani-kanilang mga dyip dahil sila ay hindi makabayad dulot ng kawalan ng kita. Nawalan na nga sila ng matitirhan, wala pa silang makain. Kung isa sila sa mga nagbibigay buwis sa pamahalaan, bakit walang bumabalik sa kanila? Hindi ito nag-iisang kaso, marami sa ating mga kababayan ang hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin nakatatanggap ng ayuda. Gamit ang Bayanihan to Heal As One Act, ang mga sambahayan na may mababang kita ay makatatanggap ng ₱5,000 hanggang ₱8,000 sa buwan ng Abril at Mayo 2020. Ngunit ang inaasahang ayuda para sa dalawang buwan na iyon ay natagalan bago dumating. Dulot ng mga problema sa pamamahagi ng pera, hindi lahat ng sambahayan ay nakatanggap ng ayuda — ang iba ay sa unang tranche lamang nakatanggap. Mas malala ay mayroong hindi talaga nakatanggap. Isa sa mga rason ay ang pagpapasa ng responsibilidad ng gobyerno sa mga lokal na pamahalaan. May mga naging kaso na ng anomalya sa pamimigay ng ayuda, isa na lamang dito ang 134 na mga opisyal ng barangay na kinasuhan dahil sa mga problema sa pamimigay ng ayuda para sa mga mamamayan. Imbes na para sa lahat ang ayuda, ang mga nabibigyan lamang ay ang mga malalakas o may kamag-anak na nagtatrabaho sa lokal na pamahalaan. Kung ikaw ay may kilala, sigurado na ikaw ay mabibigyan ng ayuda. Ngunit, kapag wala, mapipilitan kang maghanap ng paraan upang ikaw ay makasama sa listahan. Pati ang pagsama ng iyong pangalan sa listahan ay isa ring prosesong nagpapahirap sa mga mamamayan. Matagalang paghihintay ang iyong titiisin, ngunit ang pagtitiis na ito ay hindi pa rin nagbibigay ng kasiguraduhan kung makasasama nga ba ang pangalan mo sa listahan. Ang matagal nang bulok na sistema ng pulitika mula sa pambansa hanggang lokal na pamahalaan ay isa sa mga rason ng paghihirap ng mga Pilipino. Nakaugat ito sa paggamit ng mga burukrata ng gobyerno bilang isang negosyo na mapagkakitaan. Isang patunay ang mga karanasan na ito kung bakit patuloy na dumarami ang mga Pilipinong lumalabas ng kanilang mga bahay — kinakailangan nilang magtrabaho upang mapakain ang kanilang mga pamilya. Dahil imbes na sila ay maghintay para sa isang bagay na hindi naman sigurado, sila ay gumagawa na lamang ng paraan upang tiyak na sila ay makakakain araw-araw. Wala tayo sa posisyon upang husgahan ang ating mga kababayang naghihirap, dahil iba’t iba ang ating dinaranas sa gitna ng pandemyang nakabatay sa iba’t ibang kadahilanan. Kung mamimigay ng ₱10K ayuda ang gobyerno, maaaring mababawasan ang mga taong lalabas ng kanilang mga bahay. Kung magpapatuloy ang buwan-buwang ayuda ng gobyerno, maraming mga Pilipinong nawalan ng trabaho ang maiibsan kahit papaano ang kahirapan na dinulot ng pandemya. Ang pagpapabagal ng daloy ng mga tao sa labas, na dulot ng tuloy-tuloy na tulong mula sa gobyerno, ay magreresulta naman sa pagpapabagal ng pagkalat ng COVID-19. Alam kong inyong matatanong, saan kukunin ang pondo para sa ₱10K ayuda? Dapat naman talagang tanungin iyan dahil hindi naman walang hangganan ang pondo ng mamamayang Pilipino. Ang maling paggamit ng buwis ng taumbayan ay isa sa mga rason kung bakit maraming mga Pilipino pa rin ang nahihirapan sa kalagitnaan ng pandemya. Ang budget na nakalaan dapat sa COVID-19 response ng gobyerno ay napunta lamang sa iba’t ibang programang opensiba. Mahigit 75% ang itinaas ng budget ng National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC). Samantala, ang Philippine General Hospital (PGH) ay hinarap ang Php 1.3 Bilyong budget cut sa kaparehas na panahon. Sa pagkukumpara ng problema, higit na mahalaga ang pagtugis sa virus na patuloy na kumikitil sa buhay ng marami. Kung susundin ang naratibo ng estado, hindi mahalaga ang pagtugis sa mga komunista na, sa kanilang salita, ay may bilang na hindi lalampas sa limang libong kataong kasapi. Ngunit, apektado kahit sa academic freedom. Kamakailan ay nagbaba ang CHED ng memorandum sa pagtanggal ng subersibong teksto sa mga state universities. Mariin itong tinanggihan ng iba’t ibang lider ng mga institusyong ito sa kadahilanang ang kalayaan sa pag-iisip ay hindi terrorismo. Bukod dito, ang sunod-sunod na redtagging sa mga lider-estudyante mula sa iba’t ibang parte ng bansa ay kasama sa mga aksyong tinatahak ng NTF-ELCAC. Kung tutuusin, mas maraming maling nagagawa ang pagbibigay ng prayoridad sa ibang mga programa ng gobyerno. Samantala ang COVID-19 response budget ay patuloy na bumababa. Ngunit, ang ayuda ay hindi maituturing na solusyon sa kahirapan na dulot ng pandemya. Ito ay isa lamang suplementaryong kasagutan sa pandemya — solusyong medikal, hindi militar. Kung saan mas pagtutuunan ng pansin at popondohan ang sektor para sa pangkalusugan, imbes na ilaan ito sa mga makinarya ng gobyerno. Kung magpapatuloy ang kawalang-imik ng gobyerno sa patuloy na paghihirap ng mga mamamayan nito, magtatagal ang paghihirap ng masang Pilipino. Hindi naman ang mga nakaupo sa gobyerno ang naghihirap, ang naghihirap ay yung mga nasa laylayan ng lipunan. Kawalan ng konsensya at puso kung masasabi kung hahayaan na lang ng kasalukuyang administrasyon na maghirap ang mga mamamayan nito — mamamayan nito na may pinakamalaking pangangailangan. Hindi naman sobra ang hinihingi nila, ang hinihingi nila ay sapat lamang upang sila ay mabuhay araw-araw sa kalagitnaan ng mapanghamon at mapaminsalang sitwasyon na dulot ng COVID-19. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Written by: Jacob Ranay Layout and Design by: Kris Langcaon SOURCES: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1280543/134-barangay-officials-facing-charged-for-sap-anomalies?fbclid=IwAR0Bn6WSW0FPc1HpKVKGPM7JZ1tUf_H7vWnvAUwE9X9Kubz7Bgc1ej-GFc0 https://business.inquirer.net/333176/p120-22-b-covid-19-funds-still-unspent-as-of-end-september https://www.dswd.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Annex-A.-Media-Based-SAP-FAQs-Part-3-ver-june-1-8pm-final.pdf https://fo6.dswd.gov.ph/social-amelioration-program/social-amelioration-program-faqs/

Pay attention twice because a single experience may deceive everyone briefly, but not indefinitely. Because here, the audience welcomes the boundary between sanity and madness. Shutter Island, directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Laeta Kalogridis, is a 2010 American film based on Dennis Lehane's 2003 novel of the same title. Starring Leonardo Di Caprio, Mark Ruffalo, Michelle Williams, and Ben Kingsley, the movie presents a thriller with abundant clues and deceptions, designed to hook many people these days—where it occupies their minds with deciphering clues and solving crimes. It was a psychological neo-noir drama about the journey of two marshals, widower U.S. Marshal Edward "Teddy" Daniels and his new partner Chuck Aule, into the Ashecliffe Hospital for the criminally insane on Shutter Island in Boston Harbor. They investigate the disappearance of a patient, Rachel Solando, who is infamous for murdering her three children. At the beginning of the film, the story implied that viewers should pay close attention to every detail in the store—akin to Teddy's water anxiety. However, as the two marshals searched for answers inside the hospital, they encountered the unexpected. Tedy's past and present are unveiled, as is the intriguing reappearance of his deceased wife in his mind, the same as the child he kept hallucinating and Andrew Laeddis, his wife's killer. Within Ashecliffe, everything had become abnormal; it had devolved into a chaotic world for Edward Daniels—Rachel Solando, his deceased wife, those nightmares every night, the storm, and the 67th patient. However, the drift is now cut off because spoiling is not the intention. This story is a must-read for anyone who values the fusion of law, order, and clinical care, for the storyline was brilliant, brimming with hair-raising scenes of peril beneath the Ashecliffe. Martin Scorsese. If you know the man behind "The Wolf of Wall Street," then your thoughts are right. It's him. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest directors of all time for his dark, brooding, and meticulous approach to filmmaking. However, did you know that in 1978, he came perilously close to death? Resulting from substance abuse. A chance to understand why Shutter Island was a hidden gem for him; this film may aid in identifying symptoms and seeking professional treatment. With a plot centered on post-traumatic stress disorder and mental health treatment, it is a frequently overlooked gem in the director's filmography; it guides the viewer through its narrative and allows for an engrossing dive into the psychological mystery. I found the 138 minutes fascinating; curious, if I may add, what was happening to the protagonist with the sudden flashbacks and hallucinations. It appeared as though everyone felt Tedy's anguish; indeed, the brain controls everything, including our fear, empathy, sleep, hunger, illusions, and anger, and seeing the film made it appear as though we are all mentally ill. However, the cinematography was flawless; the staircase added suspense as it symbolizes danger, dark mood, mistaken identities, and the hue of yellow, which indicated hope. Everything came together as if it planned to fool everyone. In sum, it was an excellent film; it blew our minds away as if we were on a different level of comprehension of Freud's psychoanalytic theory. It will be a fantastic drive for everyone, a combination of excitement, mystery, and reality. Indeed, the film is Scorsese's second-highest-grossing. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Written by: Chloe Alpay Layout and Design by: Simon Estanislao

The global hit "Squid Game" directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk, shows violence and exhibits economic, cultural, and behavioral issues that play a vital role in each game of do-or-die, wherein players persist in playing despite the occurrence of the majority's fatality. It depicts one's way of living, may it be the approach in interaction, psychological effects of the state of wealth, building relationships, shattering one, or thriving to achieve victory for greater means. The first scene that shows one of the cultural kid games of South Korea, Squid Game, is captivating because of the intensified tone, monochromatic effect, and visualization of the game. It is fascinating how the show anchored the game played by the kids without leaving cultural background behind that leaves a mark on the viewers, which are significant evidence of influence made by the show which dominated world charts. However, the audience might not picture these games the way they were before; they became more lethal and intensified the players' grit to tolerate violence in exchange for the money prize amounting proportional to the counts of fatal consequences, which illustrates narcissism. These could lead to traumatic memory or psychological impact on children who play the game and watch the series. Nonetheless, the condemnation regarding the violence is not much focused on because the show highlighted the inhumane behavior caused by desperation to celebrate triumph and wealthy living, yet they are not the ones who stand at last. In addition, I now primarily invest in how the show represents more of South Korea's culture, such as the discrimination among women, inequality, capitalism, insufficient labor income among migrants, and igniting desire to achieve victory. It is also inevitable to applaud the little details of the series that tackle the macro issues of society such as cultural diversity, inequality, and microeconomics. Players were chosen according to their lack of wealth and willingness to assent in strange agreements because of the desperation to fill their needs, resulting in an urge to participate in a series of matches with unknowable consequences. The suggestion of these circumstances is a representation of civil life in a society of capitalistic culture. The series impactful illustrations resonate with the viewers’ perspective regarding socio-economic and cultural factors affecting one's capabilities. Economics is not just present within the series, but it also exists in the physical world. The series became Netflix's number one hit, dominated world charts, and became a worldwide trend. Due to its global success, Squid Game has also touched on other industries' success like fashion, advertising, and soft power. The players' uniform: green jumpsuit and a pair of white shoes that resembles Vans' reported that the sale rose to 7,800% since the series debuted. With this economic data, the demand is higher, so the production should likewise increase, resulting in more labor and growth of economic activity. Viewers became invested in seeing more of the characters in real life. Jung Ho-Yeon, who played the role of Sae-Byeok, is very eyed by advertising agencies and companies because of her undeniable great enactment and appeal in the series. Many companies and small businesses are expected to have Squid Game fans to be their target market by providing merchandise, Squid Game-inspired products, or simply having the characters as ambassadors. In addition, South Korea's economic growth is improving despite the pandemic because of the production of quality entertainment appreciated by consumers worldwide ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Written by: Romuel Sulit Layout and Design by: Simon Estanislao

The twelfth of November marks the year as they release Taylor Swift's album's re-recording: Red (Taylor's Version). If you missed it, the said artist re-recorded her albums to take a stand for artists to have a right to their music, uplifted from her long fight with her previous record label. Swifties, the fans of Taylor, anticipated hearing the RED album. Not only for the songs included, but Taylor also included songs from the vault that weren't released before. The tear-jerking album even had the music for a boy who passed away from cancer called "Ronan." And also, we can't forget about the masterpiece. All Too Well: The short film, lyrics—"You kept me like a secret, but I kept you like an oath."—which made tears crumble down from their faces, funny how they joked about this song, saying this feels all-too-familiar with the broken smiles and star-crossed love; the past seems reconciled after hearing it, which is true. Our hearts shattered. Not only is Taylor renowned for her voice, but her play of words is what could captivate one to hit the play button to her songs on repeat. Like instead of telling how your partner is always cheating, she expresses it by these lyrics "And you call me up again just to break me like a promise. So casually cruel in the name of being honest." And, it's inductively mesmerizing how she can execute a story of a sweet relationship that turns into something bitter: "And the story's got dust on every page." We can never hide the fact that not everyone is a fan of hers, but we couldn't deny how relatable and catchy these lyrics are. There are many times that one can't express thoughts and feelings. But somehow, this singer could pull your heartstrings and emotions and write it into a song. Maybe you're also one of those souls looking for that atmosphere. If so, perhaps it's time to give the Red (Taylor's version) a quick play. --------- Written by: Nethaniah Lim Layout and Design by: Dan Kurt Buenaventura Red (Taylors Version) on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/6x9s2ObPdpATZgrwxsk9c0?si=6423a23992d14ad3 Taylor Swift - All Too Well: The Short Film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tollGa3S0o8 Source Bruner R., (2021) Here’s Why Taylor Swift Is Re-Releasing Her Old Albums. https://time.com/5949979/why-taylor-swift-is-rerecording-old-albums/ Hart R., (2021) Taylor Swift’s ‘Red (Taylor’s Version)’ Tops iTunes Chart Hours After Release.https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/11/12/taylor-swifts-red-taylors-version-tops-itunes-chart-hours-after-release/?sh=73cecba25ff6