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“There have been persistent inequity in global governance,” Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said in his speech on Tuesday, October 5, at the 15th meeting of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). This comes after his claim to call for a “new world order” that is no longer for some, but for all—as developing countries have always been the foremost beneficiaries of the profound impact of globalization in exchange for submission to foreign interests protected and managed by native elites. The Philippines, being one of the recipients of detrimental effects of neoliberalism, must emancipate itself from faux developments being enforced by the system in attaining not just new, yet genuine world order. One of the three pillars of Philippine Foreign Policy as Republic Act No. 7157 stipulated, is the ‘promotion and attainment of economic security’ thus, negotiations with UNCTAD are inevitable as it mandates to promote and expand trade, investment, and development in developing countries. To seek such development yields consequences of liberalization, privatization, and deregulation, which consistently sided with the elites and oligarchs at the expense of the marginalized. Perpetuation of such tenets is no longer a surprise since complacency has been the brand of every administration in the government—solely putting their trust and fate on foreign countries and in self-regulating markets to attain economic prosperity. Try to picture it, one of the major players in the electric power industry in the Philippines is the Lopezes and their Manila Electric Company (MERALCO), holding 80% of the market. On the other hand, the Pangilinans (also one of the owners of MERALCO and TV5) dominate the telecommunication market with their Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT). Moreover, the largest oil refining and marketing company is Petron Corporation, owned by San Miguel Corporation (SMC) of Cojuancos (but currently dominated by Angs—one of the prominent businessmen who is affiliated with environment-deteriorating projects such as Pasig River Expressway (PAREX) and SMC Airport, which led to ‘Save Taliptalip Movement’. Public utilities being privatized and deregulated contributes to the inaccessibility of these services for the majority of the Filipinos; therefore, putting each one foot of every Filipino family in the grave as they carry the eternal burden of not affording their immediate necessities. Diving deeper, trade liberalization may be visualized by seeing rampant harvested crops or rice either being thrown away, leaving farmers to earn breakeven or worse, succumb themselves to bankruptcy while seeing imported products patronized by the majority. As breaches of barriers and borders become permissible, it gradually inflicts insecurity and demise of local industries causing starvation of hope and opportunity to meet ends daily. New world order is not something that one should solicit for, but it must be asserted for. It will not be solved by complete submission and reliance on countries that have left remnants of dysphoria in the system. As the Philippines trudges its path to development, it must break ‘fair conditions’ with other countries through implementing independent foreign policy and pursue pro-people development, which would not compromise human rights and lives to serve the interest of the few. It must be clear, hospitality should not go up to a certain extent of exploitation among the Filipino people. New world order will be permissible by the time the government accepts the decaying results of the tenets of neoliberalism which offer exclusive benefits only for the few. ----- Written by: Jennifer Balgos Layout and Design by: Dan Kurt Buenaventura

Truth is a prerequisite to freedom, and the faces of which the truth is carried are not reflected in the mirrors of policymakers and the elites. Poverty persists because of the indifference inherent in the policies enacted by the government, of the elites in their shackling of the proletariat. In marking the International Eradication of Poverty Day, the people must remain the center of all our policies to avoid deflection and refraction of the truth— to show the truth in a different face. COVID-19 has highlighted the inequalities in our society. The once “great equalizer” furthers the divide to the point that the poor can no longer afford to live, and the rich become richer. A K-shaped recovery is the disease of a symptom long-felt by the Filipinos. It is the stringent lockdowns and erratic announcements that deflect a true recovery. Even the everyday Juan who has stayed under the sun may not comprehend the complexities of bureaucracy that dictates his life. He can only do so much as following them in fear, not of contracting the virus, but of dying at gunpoint. For thousands of Filipinos who have to rush back home outside Metro Manila after a late announcement, they can only do so much as following. The shackling is true for all policies that promise to shine over the collective interest. The blinding lights of a utilitarian tomorrow center the policy to its ends, treating humans as mere means. As some might conclude, human dignity is an abstract concept— one that is philosophical and never objective. But if it is true that every human builds the society, and if it is true that all the progress in the past, present, and future has been, is being and will be built by humans, then shouldn’t we support the human regardless of when the progress has started, emerged or manifested? Treating human dignity as an objective value—to sustain the constant support in enriching the human condition through policies that do not aggregate the interest of individuals— is the start. One is truly free, if one practices freedom excellently. In questioning our freedom, one must note if the truth is upheld. One can never really be free without the truth being practiced with or without the human. Poverty is characterized by unsafe housing, lack of access to nutritious food, impeded access to health care, dangerous working conditions, unequal access to justice and lack of political power. All these imbalances tap on the supposed inherent dignity of the human person but due to the lack of recognition of this particular ‘abstract’ concept, the poor become faceless. The recognition does not flip all these inequalities to positives. The recognition, at least, pioneers proper representation to the marginalized— something that is lacking in the outlook of our government. We all have different faces; that’s for sure. And it all reflects different plights and diverse interests and reflections ought to just reflect the truth. Why, then, should we let distortions happen? ----- Layout and Design by: Dan Kurt Buenaventura and Gerald Reyes

𝑪𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒅-𝟏𝟗 𝑪𝒂𝒔𝒆𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑷𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒑𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒔 𝑫𝒆𝒄𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒔, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝑹𝒂𝒏𝒌𝒔 𝑳𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑮𝒍𝒐𝒃𝒂𝒍 𝑰𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒙 𝒐𝒇 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑪𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 A decline in the number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines was reported by the Department of Health (DOH) on October 12. The country reported 8,615 new cases, amounting to 2,683,372 total cases nationwide, with 236 recent deaths, 39,896 total deaths, and 24,922 further recoveries, making up for 2,561,248 total recoveries on the same day. NCR topped all the regions, with 1,898 new cases (22%), followed by CALABARZON, with 1,391 new cases (16%), Central Luzon with 875 new cases (10%), CAR with 646 new cases (7.5%), and Ilocos with 586 new cases (6.6%). Based on the records from late September to early October 2021, DOH has reported: 81,396 Covid-19 cases from September 23 to 29; 61,487 from September 30 to October 6; while 20,063 from October 7 to 13; having a 21.3 percent weekly positivity rate on September 16 and 14.1 percent on October 11. Previously, according to Statista, the country placed 18th worldwide with the most Covid-19 cases, while the United States ranked 1st with 45,204,373 total cases, followed by India with 33,971,607 total cases. Among the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member-states, the Philippines ranked 3rd in the countries in case per population with 23,929 cases per one million population, while Malaysia ranks 1st with 71,126 cases. With regards to the active cases, the country is also at the 3rd spot in ASEAN countries. Meanwhile, the Philippines ranks last place in the Global Index that measures the recovery of 121 countries from the COVID-19 pandemic, which assessed the infection management, vaccine rollout, and social mobility of economies. As of October 11, there were 50,066,590 total doses of vaccines administered. The total number of the population that got their first vaccination was recorded 26,706,101, and 23,360,489 on paper for those who got their second dose and single-shot vaccine. The average daily doses in the last seven days are 329,115 doses. DOH announced last October 11 the start of vaccination for the general adult population. At the same time, the pilot run of vaccination of minors aged 12 to 17 years old starts today, October 15. ----- Written by: Byron Lester Silvala Layout and Design by: Dan Kurt Buenaventura

The Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) prepares to reopen its doors to thousands of students for another academic year of Flexible learning. However, back in 2020, students struggled to adjust to the demands of online learning since schools transitioned to remote education. Days where numerous students and organizations have called for an "academic freeze" while the country battles the pandemic. A pleasant recollection of the academic freeze being pushed and rejected by the commission. It was not concealed from us that the previous school year has not been filled with rainbows and butterflies; strange as it may seem, education, school, no longer appears to be about learning but rather about being lost in thought of ‘what if's’. It had developed into the students' ideology to pass for the sake of gaining. Is it gaining what? Academic validation, perhaps as a coping mechanism, or to stop one's brain in fear of failing. And as was the case last year, the new school year is being backdropped by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, which is unlikely to abate anytime soon. Nonetheless, as PUP welcomes a new level of information to help us get through this bewildering period, the university also gives way to a new set of knowledge for the school year 2021-2022. As the new set of students enter and demonstrate their ability to conquer greater heights, the start of their college life entails embarking on a new venture. For instance, the first days have always been the most difficult. Just being put in a position where your sole objective is to enforce how much you are good at a particular hobby or passion but ending up lost in a field with better individuals than you. Take note of that silent heartbreak you will experience upon discovering that you are not as good as you believe—that moment where it all appeared to be shared. The first days were as frightening as entering a dark room without knowing a single person inside; it felt like a nightmare, like being a lost child in the woods, having no one to depend on. Unnerving and rather strange, but rooms for improvement are there; meeting new friends and building connections through organizations; trying new things is the scariest part of learning, but who cares? That comfort zone of yours will eventually destroy you anyway. It is essential to take note of those professors with whom you cannot even keep in touch on the first day of class. They were some of the most heinous individuals when it came to exams and quizzes, even that one instructor who will instill fear in you and will make you tremble. Indeed, the distress of the first days can be defined in myriad ways. Moreover, with a bit of planning and creativity, infusing the first days with warmth and inspiration is easier than you think. The first week of school should be used to habituate to your new surroundings. Knowing how to address a blockmate by name and using proper pronunciation is a simple way to demonstrate your curiosity about them. There is a greater chance that you will meet a blockmate through membership in organizations or student publications. Collaborate with them to seek out these opportunities and meet new people. In the end, you'll have a great buddy to start your university life with. "They are the ones who will help you reach your own silver lining," a statement inferred by Mika Doria. There is substantial doubt about how university life will be affected by the country's deteriorating situation. Whether this runs smoothly or remains the same as the previous years remains a question. The hope is that students will maintain their resilience and begin to develop a sense of community in their new digital context. Regardless, everyone was obligated to keep a clear head and have realistic expectations of this new normal. The origin of this problem lies in the radicalism that is inherent in evil. ----- Written by: Chloe Alpay Layout and Design by: Gerald Reyes

In the wake of the recent global pandemic, we have all been experiencing a new level of mental instability. Confronted with the small screen dubbed ‘hope’, it bred neuroticism as if we are endowed with a tangled thread of emotional repression. Suicide rates in the country are increasing, with an estimated 3.2 fatalities per 100,000 people. Whereas fatalities may be greater than estimated, with some suicide cases underreported or misclassified as 'undetermined deaths'. Despite the statistics, the toxicity of the Filipino society welcomes us to the unfortunate reality that the youth are looked down on and regarded as inferior to elders in Filipino households, and that speaking up for themselves is viewed as a form of rebellion. In contrast, mental illness is considered to be nothing but a frivolous rebuke. While other countries fight against the stigma, we were only given backhanded words. Through the years, nothing has changed, even in a time when it is most visible. This generation is harshly seen as capable of harboring ‘needless’ sensitivities. And in a desperate attempt to solve the young man’s future, to get away with the ‘illusion’, they keep a blind eye to the truth and jailed the acceptance of one’s suffering. They are covering it with one’s attitude of spending more time on the internet. But when considering the possible outcomes of this situation, technology is prudent; the fact that the same technology that solves the economic problems of this society is the same technology that locks and makes the person feel irrelevant at some point. In a nutshell, this is what World Mental Health Day is all about: self-awareness, change, and the reality of people. The inability to take on a new perspective and empathize with others restricts them from receiving further critical information. There are so many evils in the world to fear. While we often overlook the fact that the same evil exists within us – with the campaign slogan ‘Mental Healthcare for All’, let’s make it a reality; it leads us to be freed by the truth as we venture into the realm of the living. Remember that eerie static sound emanating from your left ear? May it come to an end with the inclination of truth, the recognition that everything is a work in progress. The more we fantasize about better things, the more we overlook the lessons that negativity has taught us. Eliminate the modern mind's pampering. Suicides happen, individuals die, and people suffer through immense pain, and this is not a myth. A decade of oppression and the annihilation of hundreds of mentally ill people had been justified. Reality is harsh, but this must hit. ----- Written by: Chloe Alpay Layout and Design by: Gerald Reyes

𝗣𝗨𝗣'𝗦 𝗪𝗘𝗕𝗠𝗔𝗜𝗟 𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗩𝗜𝗖𝗘 In a Privacy Statement of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), the university stated that it provides access to its online services, including its official website (www.pup.edu.ph), apps (web, mobile, and desktop), social media channels, associated media, digital materials, online/electronic documentation, and University information (collectively referred to as "services") and that the services, its updates, enhancements, new features, and the addition of any new online service are subject to this privacy statement." PUP allows you to access its online services and social media platforms which often require personal data. Last year, when online classes became a solution for almost all the countries in continuing their pursuit for education, the PUP webmail has been widely known, serving as a necessity for its students and employees to become a tool in this online set-up which uses Microsoft Office 365 as its platform service. But what happens to your data upon logging in? How far can you go with your PUP webmail? 𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗔 𝗖𝗢𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 When creating an account, the first thing that the service provider asks is their client's personal information, including their name, age, birthday, contact number, and most of the time, their home address. The university stores such data to use for its services. On the other hand, when logging in to other third parties or any other sites and apps that have been linked to services may not be covered by the University's statement, for they might have another privacy statement. But PUP does receive data from third parties, and be assured that the data collected is protected. Your user account is used to sign in to services, and every transaction is recorded and maintained. When logging in to the third parties using your user account, the site will ask for your consent to access your data, which transmits your record to the University's system. Your data is being used for the operation as a higher education institution (HEI) and distribution of the services of the University, deliverance of communication including informative communication and promotion of the University whether through Services or in third-party services supported by advertising (PUP, 2018). 𝗣𝗨𝗣 𝗪𝗘𝗕𝗠𝗔𝗜𝗟'𝗦 𝗨𝗦𝗔𝗚𝗘 Below are your third-party service providers in which you can use your user account, but is not limited to the following: Facebook Google Analytics, Google Play Instagram Office 365 and Outlook OneDrive Twitter UserReport.com YouTube Notion GitHub Canva Perhaps, you can always use your user account or your PUP webmail, whenever an email is needed regardless of its site. But always be mindful of your actions. Any negligence in sharing your data with untrusted sites can lead to cybercrime. Always remember these: Think before you click and click responsibly. Source: https://www.pup.edu.ph/privacy/ ----- Written by: Maria Danica Esparrago

The cracks of the Build Build Build project are seen from afar. These structures were built and being built for the sole purpose of showing posterity that at least there is something ‘good’ that was done in the Duterte regime. Never mind the killings, never mind the oppression of the poor. Sounds familiar? An obvious facade of fake prosperity— too evident that the poor behind the walls and skyways continue to live a life of no alternatives— shackles the grassroots of society. One such project is about to emerge; Pasig River Expressway (PaREx) is about to “sign the death sentence” for the river, the people, and the restoration efforts. They say the cost of building PAREX is worth taking, for it will be our national pride; that our building of road above the waterway is the next logical move to decongest Manila. But where the supply shifts, the demand follows. The market clears itself, and sooner the pride that we so long for becomes a farce— a bygone with cracking cements above the PaREx haunting the budgets for cleaning that mess. The cost in today’s money is not a problem, but the damages to tomorrow are irreparable by any amount of money. The project counters the restoration projects done to the river. Even with the assumption that the river is dead, building an expressway on Pasig River means we are willing to pollute anew. We cannot pay for these consequences with money as the global crises do not accept payments. The day of reckoning will begin, and cracks in these projects will soon lead to more structural damages... Atop the ones that we have now, inequality is glaring. Monopolizing the access to the river, let alone profiting off of toll fees to the river we once shared, is regrettable. Better alternatives exist and have existed in the past. Absent this project, a better tomorrow is still possible. With this project, though, one can only imagine hearing the birds again from the river— one can only dream again of a peaceful morning or chill afternoon near their residence. After this project, as we’ve seen from past ones, the human condition changes and not for good. But opposing the project is not selfish. True, it will bring more jobs. True, more roads are built. Those jobs will perish. The roads will be congested again. After the construction comes a short period of pride, until cracks avoid being the symptoms to become the disease. The project is still in its conception. There is too much work before realizing these harms. Now that we have seen the cracks, it is illogical to just plaster it with another cement for the cracks run deep. Building a new one with the same material is idiocy. Without looking deep, the cracks are seen. ----- Written by: Jantzen Eros Layout and Design by: Avriel Fernandez

The sadness of the last school year was a sadness found in isolation. The university with the richest number of poor students, the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), had to prioritize continuing its academic operations online. Incoming freshmen students would hear each other’s congratulations through the grapevines of the internet. Come to the start of the first semester, students did not have to go through the pain of writing in longhand for long hours, but their patience got sore from the university’s unresponsiveness. For 117 years, PUP has been known to be an avenue for students to pursue primary to tertiary education without having to break families’ banks. Starting as a business school, PUP has been a center for trade studies and practical education. But as years went by, the university also introduced liberal arts majors. In fact, this school year, a new degree program--Bachelor of Arts in Philippine Studies--was introduced under the College of Social Sciences and Development. PUP announced the celebration of its founding anniversary a week before the start of the new academic year. I remember during enrollment, many did not get their courses because of technical mishaps. Despite the cries cutting into the core of the gates of the university, PUP shook the controversy off. I wonder if the incoming freshmen were able to go through the enrollment process properly. Last month, the university announced that it will be holding the annually-done intercollegiate academic contest. During face-to-face classes, students would gather by college and look for the best pick for each category of the academic contest. From essay writing, quizzes on history, culture, spelling, math, etc., to debate and dagliang talumpati, students are able to join whatever fits their buck. This time, however, the academic contest was apparently done online. Recently, correspondence students had to join online students because modules were not reaching them despite multiple calls made to the university. Students who did not choose online classes had to bring their chairs to tables that hopefully were vacant. The academic contest was a symbol of inclusiveness to the many talents PUPians possess. It was not the first time I saw how behind the forced activity, PUP was still preferring to close its arms around its students in an insincere embrace. This aggression of the university to work with the “new normal” looked like the clearing of a throat, flashing how the university can keep up with modern times. The ever-underprivileged PUPians were welcomed to the celebration out of sheer tolerance of a university that keeps on closing its ears to the cries of student scholars whose forefathers were activists and harsh advocates of a proper and just system. ----- Written By: Deniel Floria Layout and Design by: Dan Kurt Buenaventura and Gerald Reyes

"Being one of the heads of this publication, The Oikonomos Nexus, I can attest that last term was not an easy ride. Spending a year with people who I barely knew was indeed a blessing in disguise." These are the words of Avriel Fernandez, who was recently named as the Oikonomos Nexus's new Editor-in-Chief. It's the onset of change for the publication, and contrary to a general belief about the nature of change, we are well aware of how people loathe change. In fact, the answer almost always comes with confirmation when questioned about people's hatred for change. But what people don't know, though, is that we adapt to new shapes quickly. People show a mix of personality and context-dependent adaptation and warmth in the changing environment. Through change, a new set of inspiration and dedication arose through us. With that, The Oikonomos Nexus enforced Resolution NO. 0002 series of 2021. This is a resolution that sets forth the nominative proceedings for the organization's next three (3) senior executive positions: Editor-in-chief; Deputy Executive Editor; and Managing Editor. On 24 August 2021, the nomination proper was made while all candidates for the positions referred to above were nominated for the purpose specified in Article X, Section A.3 of the constitution of the Oikonomos Nexus: "The Publication Executive Editor, Deputy Executive Editor, and Managing Editor shall be nominated with the following criteria: Must be a student enrolled in the present semester and shall be enrolling in the following semester: Must be a student enrolled in the Department of Economics, must be a student with a third-year continuing status, must be a student with proven competency, skills, and eligibility in the field of Economics. Being a girl, everyone dreamt of occupying a significant position to influence and create change in the community. It was the segregation of women that they encountered in their childhood that gave them the strength to add voice to whatever they did. That is why we have a new set of leaders in an era where we take advantage of our new beginnings. Let us look back and see the winning moments of the individuals behind the future of the Oikonomos Nexus. "I am grateful that the Oikonomos Nexus placed its trust in me and appreciated my efforts. I am also pleased to inform you that I have accepted your nomination as the Deputy Executive Officer of The Oikonomos Nexus. I am delighted with the opportunity and am eager to make a positive contribution to the organization. " Mitzi Muros, Deputy Executive Officer, and former Human Resources and Development Junior Officer. In the year-end celebrations last year, she led the grandiose annual party of the publication that inspired every member with joy and tenacity. She was one of the most sought-after members of the publication, a ray of sunshine during one of the publication's most difficult periods. That is why all of her experience and knowledge and perseverance set the route for her to achieve this better eight. The learning and experiences that she had bore fruit in her own success. "With my brief time as the Human Resources and Development Junior Officer at The Oikonomos Nexus, I have developed a strong bond with the organization and its members. I've learned a variety of skills and gained experiences that have impacted who I am now, and I would like to repay the favor as a sign of my gratitude. Driven by my passion to serve, I will work towards the best of my ability to strengthen and grow the organization through my leadership. " She added. A beauty-brain blend, Micah P. Sta. Teresa was a Bachelor of Economics 2-2 incumbent legal affairs officer who notably led last term deliberations and constitutional amendments that made the organization a remarkable difference and precision. It was particularly clear that her talents, as the newly appointed Managing Editor, were exceptionally undeniable. As being a former delegate of the College of Social Sciences and Development for Ms. PUP, it was clear that the position she had was the position intended for her to begin with. And with a new set of hope, a new set of wisdom, all being led by the power vested in women. Avriel Fernandez is here to lead us all into betterment. She served as the Deputy Executive Editor and Managing Editor of the Oikonomos Nexus, a former editor of The Catalyst. She is the new Editor-in-Chief. She has a great deal of influence, and she is well on her way to becoming a successful executive. Whatever she did, she made a difference, which is why she was appointed to the position she currently holds. The strength within her is unlimited. She has already played several roles, and can still do more. What’s essential is to believe in the power given to the three of them, the women of the house, because if we promote women, everyone will succeed. The publication's former Editor-in-Chief, Carlos Neri, who has been in the position for two years, bringing change and advancement to the good of the magazine, will now be known as the Nexus Emeritus. And while the view from the bottom of the ladder may be something worth striving for, the view from the top of the heap requires a significant investment of time and energy. Working with the publication has been a roller coaster trip; we've all had our tough and sunny days, and being able to look up and know what it was like to be at the top is like learning how to build a house. Leaders assist themselves and others in doing the right things. They establish a course of action, develop an awe-inspiring vision, and invent something entirely new. A betterment aimed at the benefit of all. "To the whole Executive and Editorial Team 2020-2021, we made it. We still need one last push, but I already want to congratulate all of you because despite these trying times, we continued to lead and write. May we use our learnings from this organization for our betterment. Thank you for your invaluable efforts, and just like what I said in my last opening remarks as Deputy Executive Editor, "mamumuno't magsusulat, lagi 't lagi para sa bayan." Avriel Fernandez, the Oikonomos Nexus's new Editor-in-Chief. --- Written by Chloe Alpay