Dwyght Qorban

TORCH sets new Board of Editors p.2 A risk worth taking p.3 REAPING AWARDS PNU bags Gawad Edukampyon first prize | Bhendrinn Jan Pascual After being selected as one of six finalists, Philippine Normal University won first prize in Gawad Edukampyon for flexible and responsive management of blended learning in a live awarding ceremony on Facebook, October 25. The awarding, which commenced at 6 pm, featured the following universities and colleges: Philippine Normal University, University of Santo Tomas, Ateneo de Manila University, Gordon Colleges, University of the Philippines Los Baños, and Cebu Technological University. After receiving entries from higher education institutions nationwide, the Gawad Edukampyon committee conducted a series of selection processes, screening, and shortlisting from July to September which led to the final list of awardees. Several universities’ innovations in educational management and flexible learning implementation are recognized, including PNU’s Higher Education Bayanihan and Kaway-Aralan sa Bagong Kadawyan in two different categories. Words of praise and commendation flooded the Dr. Ma. Angelica Taloma, the resource speaker, laid foundations on COVID-19 Vaccines and enlightened the students and their parents about its importance in today’s current situation. Medical and Dental Clinic, OSS, SG spearhead first-ever COVID-19 Vaccine Awareness Program | Maureen Joyce Lozada Through the initiative of the Medical and Dental Clinic, Office of Student Services, and Student Government, the University’s first-ever COVID-19 Vaccine Awareness Program for students and parents entitled “Fearing the Disease or the Vaccine?” was held successfully, October 13, On October 5, Philippine Normal University was awarded the first prize during CHED’s Gawad Edukampyon for its outstanding learning schemes and community efforts amid pandemic. comment section as the universities received their awards. In an interview, Commission on Higher Education chairperson Prospero De Vera said, “I encourage all higher education institutions to join the Gawad Edukampyon and showcase 10:00 AM, via Zoom and Facebook Live. In her talk, Dr. Ma. Angelica Taloma, the Chief of Collaborating Center for Disease Prevention and Control in Cagayan Valley Center for Health Development Department of Health, Region II, highlighted the importance of being acquainted with factual information from reliable sources and cleared up the myths and misconceptions about the vaccines that generate fear to the general public and make them hesitant to get vaccinated. She elaborated that all vaccines in any brand can fight severe virus symptoms and infections and prevent transmission. She further added that adverse reactions and side effects being experienced right just after vaccination are just the body’s response to the vaccine, hence normal. These are to enlighten the participants and address the myths and misconceptions about the vaccine like it is a hoax, government fraud, and threat more than the virus as it contains the your innovations. It is during these challenging times that we must empower and inspire each other, draw strength and learn from one another.” The committee inspires more schools to showcase their innovations for Gawad Edukampyon 2022. virus itself that consequently results in a fatality. Furthermore, she concurrently laid foundations on vaccine details and efficacy, vaccination procedure, and responsibilities of the expert groups and those in the medical field. Dr. Taloma then emphasized the importance of personal and joint responsibilities in fighting against COVID-19 as she shared the Swiss Cheese Respiratory Virus Pandemic Defense. On the other hand, Dr. Leticia N. Aquino, Executive Director & Provost, encouraged everyone to get vaccinated for safety and protection against the virus as she mentioned the plan to conduct limited face-to-face classes in the university considering the vaccination status of the students, faculty, and staff in correspondence with the different Local Government Units in Isabela and strict adherence to the health and safety protocols. PNU NL sets OBCCuP Reorientation, Reorganization Workshop 2021 | Mia Marry Francisco PNU NL carried out Outcome-Based Cocurricular Program (OBCCuP) Reorientation and Reorganization Workshop 2021, which was attended by the Student Government Officers and all accredited organizations, that allows clubs to strategically plan programs and activities for student’s learning despite the pandemic, October 20, 1:00 pm via zoom. The Student Government... continue p.2 Breaking the Stigma AGAINST GAMING Adventures fill soul There’s no denying that each vacation varies slightly from the last. It is horrendously difficult to travel to a new location, try new things, and have amazing adventures, only to return to the same routine as before as if nothing has happened. But there’s no doubting that some journeys are more memorable than... continue p.6 Gaming—a sector that has so often been painted with the wrong brush, stereotyped as being isolating and unsociable for the past years, has now started enjoying its popularity, but on a different light. It has now been... continue p.7 PNU NL sets OBCCuP Reorientation, Reorganization Workshop 2021 | Mia Marry Francisco PNU NL carried out Outcome-Based Cocurricular Program (OBCCuP) Reorientation and Reorganization Workshop 2021, which was attended by the Student Government Officers and all accredited organizations, that allows clubs to strategically plan programs and activities for student’s learning despite the pandemic, October 20, 1:00 pm via zoom. The Student Government stated that the OBCCuP supports the University’s commitment to providing quality and excellent education. They have discussed that with OBCCuP, co-curricular activities will be critically analyzed and deliberately improve the links between academic and co-curricular activities as students may remain to use online platforms that guarantee their safety and wellbeing. The workshop tackled that activities shall be designed in such a way that no face-to-face communications are made and only the most necessary activities are executed. Furthermore, the implementation of club activities, schedules, locations, people engagement, budgets, and so on was also addressed. The program’s objectives are: (a) To allow clubs/ organizations to design co-curricular events with performance metrics based on program results aimed toward PNU graduate and institutional goals during this crisis; (b) To bring together the activities of each club/organization in terms of extension services, community work, academic-related activities, and so on; (c) To persuade learners of the numerous TORCH sets new Board of Editors | Dwyght Qorban Infante For the academic year-, Torch installed its new set of Board of Editors. Outgoing members of The Torch North Luzonian’s Board of Editors (BOE) pass the baton to their juniors as they install a new set of BOE, September 30. Via Zoom meeting, the publication staff, outgoing members of the BOE, along the publication adviser, Prof. Josie Jordan Rosete, welcomed a new set of BOE. Due to uncontrolled events, the installation of the new BOE was done through careful consideration and examination of the members’ accomplishments and contributions to the school paper. Meanwhile, Arian A. Roduta, the outgoing Editor-in-chief (EIC) passed on her responsibilities to Yerica Hannah D. Ramos, from Bachelor in Mathematics Education (BME), the new EIC of the publication. Accompanying Ramos are Erenio Baltazar, Associate editor; Celine Remocal, Managing editor; Frank Mark Cristobal, News editor; Jimuel Sagario, Features editor; Lovely Medina, Literary editor; Christian Joseph Bielza, Sports editor; CJ Ramos, DevCom editor; Redmond Naldoza, Cartoonist; Mike Mariano, Layout artist; Diolo Dela Cruz, Circulation manager. PNU NL celebrates World’s Teachers Day | Levi Martle Dae Gamboa The PNUNL Faculty shows honor in the “Araw Natin ‘to, Tara Na!” Program to the institution’s SENIOR FACULTY through zoom, October 15. Headed by Dr. Madonna Castro Gonzales, OIC, Office of the Dean for Academics and IPEd, together with the Junior Faculty, a World Teachers Day and an extended celebration of the Faculty publish haikus on the PNU NL FB page to celebrate World’s Teachers Day. 50th or Golden Anniversary was made For the moment, EDP and honoree for PNU NL teachers in their 50s and Dr. Leticia N. Aquino commented: “older”. “Kakaiba talaga ang selebrasyon Due to the pandemic, the ngayon. Mas feel at kakaiba. Kahit celebration was made by giving messages; delivering tokens in homes of pandemic naitatawid pa rin ang honorees, and publishing haikus on the selebrasyon. Salamat sa komite headed FB page of PNU NL commemorating by Dean Doinx!” their seniors. advantages of participating in extracurricular activities, and; (d) To uncover and express one’s gifts and abilities to better oneself and others using any internet venues accessible. Together with the SG, accredited organizations and clubs, PNU NL conducts an OBCCuP program. PNUNL Student Government conducts EducTools Webinar | Geraldine Agustin With regards to the shift in learning modalities, Student Government organized the first technological webinar entitled “Exploring Educational Tools for Learning and Editing Using Smartphones” to increase students’ expertise when using smartphone resources, on October 6, via Zoom and YouTube Livestream. In the proceedings, the students were given tutorials on how to employ applications such as video editing tools and various digital platforms used in synchronous and asynchronous courses, which were divided into two parts and discussed by two university students invited by the organization. Celjun Fulleros, a Senior Physical Education major student, led the first part, in which he shared his expertise of video editing apps like KineMaster, PowerDirector, and CapCut by discussing their various key functions, followed by a live demonstration. Meanwhile, Roel Thristan Orpia, a Senior English Education major student, took over the second part of the webinar by exploring the features of Google Meet, Zoom, Google Classroom, and Edmodo. Elyza Roxas, SOCULCOM Chairperson of PNUNL-SG, highlighted that the purpose of the webinar is not only to address problems of students in navigating educational applications for course requirements, but it is also cultivated to offer an alternative way for students who do not have high-spec laptops, iPads, or PCs but only have their smartphones to keep them thriving in this learning setup. The student-initiated program lasted for three and a half hours; the first part started at 9:00 am and was completed at 11:00 am, and the second part started at 1:30 pm and was completed at 3:00 pm. More than 250 students from the first year to fourth year level attended the aforementioned webinar. PNUNL SG successfully held a webinar to provide assistance and support to PNUans with the use of educational tools as the Academic Year- begins. 3 A risk worth taking With the rate of vaccination increasing and the cases of infection on the downtrend, a consideration for the resumption of limited face-to-face classes among programs that were not previously allowed by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) now stands. Last month, CHED Commissioner Prospero de Vera stated the potential reopening of in-person classes in all degree programs on the condition that colleges and universities belong to areas with low-risk for Covid-19. In fact, even the Department of Education (DepEd) recently started their pilot testing of limited face-to-face classes for kindergarten and grade schoolers. In light of this, should Inang Pamantasan follow suit and open its doors to PNUans by the start of 2022? Despite the education institution’s efforts to provide a quality education through online and distance learning for the last several months, it is beyond question that the face-to-face modality is more effective, produces better performance outcomes, and is the optimum choice for teaching and learning. Equally important, nonetheless, is the question of welfare and safety; of the students, the teaching staff, and non-teaching personnel. Even so, it is about time that Inang Pamantasan welcomes back her children by January to the campus grounds. A survey conducted by the civil society group Movement for Safe, Equitable, Quality and Relevant Education (SEQuRe) in July found that public school students and teachers believe that the shift to distance learning only led to more burden than good. It led to a surge of mental health problems, heavier workloads, internet connectivity issues, additional utility costs, among others. Adding to these burdens is the fact that more and more students are being left behind due to the increasing inequity faced by the marginalized and vulnerable members of society. Prolonging the implementation of distance learning could prove to have more negative effects than good as UNESCO warns: ‘The longer marginalized children are out of school, the less likely they are to return.’ All of the above scenarios boil down to the fact that not everyone can keep up with the demands of online and distance learning; this is true for some of the children of Inang Pamantasan. So if the goal is to regain a semblance of normalcy, then sending learners back to [the physical] school will be the first step. Another factor to consider, however, if the resumption of face-to-face classes will be pursued at the start of the new year, is the availability of transportation and its accompanying cost. Inang Pamantasan, particularly North Luzon, is known to be a melting pot because her children come not only from one town but from multiple cities and municipalities. Fortunately, inter-town travel via buses is already available albeit limited. The need to utilize public transportation is not an issue per se as it has already become a way of life for PNUans prior to the pandemic. The real problem lies in the doubled cost of transportation to compensate for the lack of regular passengers. Even with the presence of student discounts, this can pose as a nuisance to students who barely have enough to get by theVALIANTsentinels through the day. Of course, the risk of transmission and infection while traveling back and forth should not be taken lightly. Furthermore, most PNUans stay in boarding houses, apartments, and the school’s dormitories. Before pursuing the resumption of in-person classes, the administration must ensure that these lodging facilities will be safe and of course affordable since there’s a tendency for these accommodations to become pricier than they should since most of them were left vacant for more than a year. Unless this is given priority, face-to-face classes would be impractical and impossible by January. Obviously, the administration must also make sure that it has more than enough resources to sustain its adherence to minimum public health standards. If anything, a clear and concrete framework on how the institution plans to go about the resumption of limited face-to-face classes must be laid down and be known to every member of the community should they decide to proceed with it by January. This framework must encapsulate the academic guidelines and safety protocols that must be observed by everyone, inside and outside the campus. With the fast-tracking of student and staff inoculation, face-to-face classes will surely be just around the corner. Indeed, the resumption of in-person classes may seem like a gamble but its benefits far outweigh the risks. After all, we’ll never know how it will turn out unless we try; and one thing is for certain, it is a risk worth taking. Editorial Board Editor-in-chief - Dwyght Qorban B. Infante Associate Editor - Maureen Joyce N. Lozada News Editor - Geraldine C. Agustin Features Editor - Levi Martle Dae P. Gamboa Sports Editor - Bhendrinn Jan L. Pascual Circulation Manager - Mia Marry J. Francisco MUST FACTS Facts over perception in 2022 Presidential polls | Bhendrinn Jan Pascual Presidential aspirant and currently Vice President Leni Robredo admits that she does not have the social media machinery to campaign for her candidacy. This is a fact we could all agree upon. Though she has scattered groups of professionals leading charities and services for her cause, so does the leading presidential aspirant Bongbong Marcos. The latter’s dominance in the electoral race is evident as countless online surveys display him at top spot. In the Filipino brand of democracy, perception weighs out facts as the uninformed public makes decisions based on social media traffic. In our Constitution, any natural-born Filipino over the age of 40 can have a go at the presidency with the ability to read and write, and a minimum residency of 10 years. With this being the minimum requirement, I am surprised to see that most Filipinos would favor a rather mysterious, secretive ex-senator over a female lawyer with an excellent track record in public service. Back in 2016, I encountered the statements of the late Miriam Defensor-Santiago who was then a presidential candidate herself. What she proceeded to say changed my view on electoral candidates forever. In one of her FOR AT EASE 4 speeches, she asserted that the criteria for choosing a president are academic excellence, professional excellence, and moral excellence. If we were to adhere to Defensor-Santiago’s criteria, then surely a candidate with faulty academic records, tax evasion cases, and multiple non-appearances in interviews would be ruled out. It is safe to say that the person to lead this country must be a servant of the truth. In spite of all the online ridicule and black propaganda directed towards her, widowed lawyer and VP Robredo has consistently performed her job with such competence and honesty that for the third consecutive year, her office earned the highest rating from the Commission on Audit. I perceive Leni Robredo to be the most qualified presidential candidate, and there are facts to back my claim. Surely, it would take a lot of fact checks and historical reviews to convince the Filipino population that the presidential election is serious business and not a race of popularity where anyone with a familiar last name would win. 12 WEEK SCHEME: A BETTER WAY | Levi Martle Dae Gamboa In the present context where face-to-face (F2F) interactions are no longer advised and extreme social distancing is strictly enforced, the “new normal” in education also means a grand migration from the traditional classrooms to more flexible learning modalities. Just as other academic institutions in the country adjusted to the new normal, the Philippine Normal University also took its steps in adapting the “new normal” as the National Center for Teacher Education. The school planned a Flexible Learning with new pedagogical innovations to respond to the challenges of the pandemic. As a result, the school’s domain in charge of the shift of flexible learning comes up with a 6-week and 12-week scheme. Since learning is remotely done, an acceptable toolkit (course files, self-learning materials/modules, & technology-based materials) for each course was prepared for us to use designed in accordance with the classification of flexible learning modalities (hybrid: online synchronous and online asynchronous, and hybrid: online synchronous or asynchronous and offline). This existing curriculum was designed to address the expectations of the ever-changing world. During the academic year-, our school adopted a 6-week scheme where the usual number of subjects that are being assigned for the whole term in each year level is divided into two (2). It consists of 2 shifts (first shift and second shift, 6-weeks each) covering all that is clustered in the tool kit that should be done before the next term take place. For instance, if I enrolled in six subjects for the whole term, then it will be divided into two. There was also a minimum of thirty (30) minutes per week for synchronous activities such as online forums or discussions and student presentations, and use of different platforms like google classroom, zoom, google meet and etc. This scheme aims to give us, students to have better concentration and more focus to learn and do the assigned tasks in every lesson since we are only given a lesser number of subjects in a given period of time (four-day class with two hours per subject). However, this implementation put most of the students into a lot of stress and anxiety due to the overwhelming tasks and a limited time of student-teacher interaction for better understanding and to finish all the subject courses. In the longer time, each student’s goal had slowly become just for the sake of passing all the requirements, which the supposed objective should be learning something. I for one have had a hard time managing my time in answering the tasks and coping up with the lesson. That academic year is like a lightning bolt just happened without us even realizing that the academic year has come to an end already. More so, we cannot blame it all into the institution for this event because the institution was being run by a group of professional teachers- a human being just like us, who is also new to this and does not make a perfect program without having any setbacks. After all, we’re humans, right? Incapable of doing everything perfectly. On the other hand, the persons in charge of the monitoring and evaluation of the shift to flexible learning seem to have done their job. After conducting surveys to students of the university, they once again planned to change for the betterment of student learning. This time, the 12-week scheme has been introduced to us. The only difference now is that the minimum time of synchronous activity for each subject is one hour and thirty minutes up to two hours and we have the whole 12-week time to finish a term. As much as the 6-week scheme requires a shorter period of time, I think the 12-week scheme yields a better outcome because of the following reasons: First, for the short time of my experience, this turns out to be more lightweight and controllable. Not only did the required tasks become lesser, but they have also become more manageable as it seemed that our teachers have been only giving us the necessary tasks that are needed in our course and not everything that is written in the module. Secondly, students and teachers get more time on task. All the subjects for a term will be covered in 12 weeks which gives us more time that we need to focus on troubled areas and more difficult material and of course to be able to learn and comprehend without rushing. We need enough time to learn to build the skills and develop knowledge and well-roundedness required to work and thrive in the twenty-first century. Those who fall behind get the time to catch up. Instead of experiencing the online class as a place for failure and boredom, we have success and those who are already keeping up have a chance to explore more. It seems logical to assume that more time spent in school even only online will equal improved test scores and greater learning. Even if it means another new beginning and adjustment, I think this option is still the best option. Another reason is to interact more and develop stronger relationships as one of the crucial foundations of student achievement. Finally, teachers also have time to work with each other planning how they teach their students, time that almost never exists in the current situation. I know it is also important for our teachers in getting more professional development, training to be more effective, as well as much more grade-level and subject-level planning time. These crucial hours would allow our teachers to assess their students’ progress and their own techniques, and to zero in on students who need extra help. To conclude, the full migration to flexible or remote learning is not without impediments. While it’s true that the 6-week scheme doesn’t turn out as planned so the 12-week scheme turns out to be the better choice we have. I am just glad that our institution is working hard together to become more equipped in handling the new normal. If PNU wants to achieve better performance in the long run, then the admin must stick to the 12-week scheme until things go back to ‘normal’. Though there is more work to do for them. Thus, as the nation heals as one, so do our teacher training institutions learn as one. unvaccinated population. Moreover, given that each Allowing Minors to Enter Public Establishments for COVID vaccine has its efficacy Alert Level 2 Areas: An Impolitic Decision and does not give a total of a | Mia Marry Francisco hundred percent, we couldn’t conclude that we are already the citizen for the safeguard of The Philippines today is under in the safe zone no matter how the populace and the country as statewide Alert Level 2- a decision many vaccinated individuals a whole. seemingly perceived by many as are in one place. Hence, a This provision permits a hopeful one, but for me, it is preventative guideline must be merely an indecisive settlement for vaccinated and unvaccinated a country with prospective COVID individuals to interact in a public furtherly implemented for public location, except in establishments safety. Metropolitan Manila cases. Development Authority (MMDA) that solely accept vaccinated Along with this is the easing chairman Benhur Abalos stated people. While public spaces of restrictions on minors which that behind this mitigation, local encourage public gatherings, may permit them to set foot in government units (LGUs) may exposing minors who are not amusement places and public still provide additional protocols permitted to receive a COVID establishments. This lightly signals such as requiring parents and vaccination shot in crowded that the country is gradually guardians to accompany minors and dangerous situations is recovering from the COVID 19 pandemic. Nevertheless, since cases merely a risky decision. This was in malls and other public buildings. Correspondingly, Dr. also confirmed by Dr. Michelle are unpredictable day by day and Schlosser left in an interview a Schlosser, spokeswoman for given that we are not yet COVIDgentle reminder to the parents the Davao City Covid-19 Task free, we should not be complacent to take extra precaution, for Force, who stated that minors, and this status should not be unvaccinated minors are still particularly those under the age exploited. Hence, a precautionary vulnerable to infection because measure must be implemented and of 11, are in danger of getting they don’t have an extra layer of observed by both the authority and the virus considering them an INDECISIVE SETTLEMENT protection. Given these points, allowing minors to enter public establishments for alert level 2 areas need a modification of the regulations mostly for the vulnerable group. In brief, to make the decision more rational for the mitigation of the threat of the COVID 19 pandemic, the following are recommended: (a) the city governments should impose stricter guidelines for the unvaccinated minor’s population as they are still vulnerable and potential spreaders of the virus; (b) Health officials should set limits to this populace when getting near the 3C’s (Closed, Crowded, and Close Contact) areas, and (c) The parents or guardians should also take their part when bringing their children to crowded places, make sure that they are wearing masks and following social distancing. Allowing vacations and trips will cause crowds, creating a higher risk of viral transmission. And, vacations are supposed to ease the mind and brighten the mood. Taking that into account, how | Geraldine Agustin can it be possible if travelers are on trips with lots of disturbing thoughts and How I miss taking selfies could have herd immunity, which hassles concerning the area where they from here to there, destination to will apparently make people move are trying to have fun? They will feel destination! It has been more than two within fewer borders, considering safer and with that, stress-free, knowing years, and I can’t wait to go out for the recent predicament. In addition, a trip again. And now, it’s far clearer vaccines that have been granted with that the people they can encounter or to happen. Yet, given the situation Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) interact with are already vaccinated. It would be more fulfilling for people amid the COVID-19 pandemic, by the Philippine Food and Drug to spend their time in an environment evidently, restrictions are still along Administration are considered safe with a lower risk of contracting a deadly the road. Thus, safety must be on and effective. disease. track. That being said, I believe that it Currently, it seems like the Given the previously mentioned is much more favorable that vacations country’s condition is gradually scenarios, by all means, it is still and trips will only be allowed for falling back into place; cases of crucial to observe strict and thorough vaccinated individuals. infection have been declining as the implementation of health policies Vaccination is of great aid. It number of vaccinated individuals to uphold everyone’s safety. It is may not guarantee the efficacy continues to arise. Thereby, of a hundred percent, but it does restrictions have relaxed and various fundamental that the authority carefully checks whether everyone is following the ensure a lower risk of getting and vacation areas have opened up from policies in a certain place and whether transmitting the life-threatening different places nationwide. And the travelers are in a good condition and coronavirus. This implies that the along with that, a lot of people have are really vaccinated. Travelers must more people are vaccinated, the safer also been pushing through their undergo tests to ensure that they are fit to the environment is. Accordingly, we vacation goals. PRIOR THE PRORITY Vaccination: A must before vacation 5 travel in spite of circumstances. Also, to safeguard travelers’ safety on their way, transportation to be used by them and vacation areas where they will stay should be handled by vaccinated individuals as well. Furthermore, wearing face masks still needs to be enforced. Many are still not disciplined enough to obey orders, and it makes problems worse, so, being observant and fair is immensely important. Public health is a crucial aspect everyone should look for. Maintaining it wellmanaged takes accountability and collective effort between the government and the people. Thus, in order to make our vacation plans in reality and vacations according to plan, certain criteria for everyone’s sake must be met. And, one effective and necessary way for it is through vaccination. There’s no denying that each vacation varies slightly from the last. It is horrendously difficult to travel to a new location, try new things, and have amazing adventures, only to return to the same routine as before as if nothing has happened. But there’s no doubting that some journeys are more memorable than others, that some events cause you to pause and reflect on your life for a few moments. All of these events are etched in my mind, some more vividly than others... But it’s impossible to forget how I felt at the time, the rhythm of my heart, and the mix of emotions coursing through my veins. My canyoneering journey in Badian (a third-class municipality in the province of Cebu) is one of my favorite Philippine memories, and I definitely recommend it if you enjoy being active and pushing yourself to new limits (in the form of cliff jumps where you leap of the ground or other surface using the muscles in your legs and feet). Definitely something to add on your bucket list when visiting locally here in the Philippines! Canyoneering appears to be one of South Cebu’s most popular activities those days. While the naturally gorgeous Kawasan Falls has always attracted visitors, the entire area has grown in popularity since canyoneering trips were first launched. Canyoning is an extreme activity that involves trekking, scrambling, climbing, jumping, rappelling, and swimming upstream or downstream through a river. It’s one of Cebu’s most enjoyable and unusual outdoor activities. I would have assumed that all the photographs circulating on social media sites were over-filtered if I hadn’t visited Kawasan Falls years ago. The hidden ravines and gorgeous blue river streams flowing to the waterfalls have a computergenerated look to them. Take a look at how clean and clear the water is! It appears to be far too good to be true. It isn’t, thankfully. This water falls is a natural Oasis surrounded by some of the most beautiful scenery you’ve ever seen with a bamboo raft that brings you around the turquoise natural pool and under the waterfall. If you are from Cebu City proper, you can take the bus from South Bus Terminal towards Bato. When you hop on the bus always ask the driver to let you know when to hop off in order for you not to miss the station to Kawasan falls. It normally takes 3 hours travel from Cebu, and if you are coming from Oslob, it takes 1-5 hours. We took a habal-habal (2 passengers plus driver per motorcycle taxi) from Matutinao to the starting point in Alegria, travelling via picturesque mountain routes and some difficult highways. From there, we followed the Kanlaob River downstream, until arriving in Badian and the beautiful Kawasan Falls. It was an action-packed afternoon that included 10 km of jumping from 15 to 50 feet in the air, sliding through pools, treading, swimming, climbing and rocks, wandering along the crawling over stones and riverbed’s trails, and admiring nature at its best. Each section of Kawasan Falls Canyoneering tour went for 10 minutes. It was very challenging; any fear of heights will be gone in a matter of minutes after jumping to the canyons down to the river. It is a fun filled water adventure. The guides had no issues waiting for us when we are trembling in fear to climb to the canyons and jump again and again to get part it and to also get a better photo. This is the benefit of booking a tour rather than just going with a big random group. Do the adventure during weekends to avoid crowds during summer. The guides were also entertaining which makes our experience more fun. Half ways of the canyoneering are mostly trekking and climbing rather than cliff jumping and swimming. I have some tips for you if you are going to canyoneering from the day. First, start from the top down to Kawasan Falls, then never try and do canyoneering alone, its very dangerous, minors are not allowed to without the signed consent of the guardian or the parents and, lastly book the tour so that you will be guided safely. It is definitely not for the faint-hearted, but this will truly complete one’s definition of a fun weekend getaway. Some moments we experience in our life end up completely blowing us away like we had never expected. Unforgettable moments happen all the time! We can’t foresee or program them... But the more we travel and try new things, the more likely we are to live something like that! However, a memorable journey is not in the destination itself, but in the small moments and memorable experiences you allow yourself to have. A great journey begins the moment you get the longing to go, and stays with you long after you come home. Traveling provides us with a plethora of wonderful memories that we can reminisce about at any time. Leaving our comfort zones allows our minds to open up to new ideas and possibilities. While it gives us a glimpse into how people live in other parts of the world, it also makes us appreciate what we have at home. When life at home becomes too stressful, traveling might help busy individuals regain equilibrium. The key to a wonderful vacation is traveling with your ideal spouse, group friends or family. One day when you go for a trip, there will always going to be a moment that would mark your life just like mine. 7 Breaking the Stigma AGAINST GAMING | Dwyght Qorban Infante Gaming—a sector that has so often been painted with the wrong brush, stereotyped as being isolating and unsociable for the past years, has now started enjoying its popularity, but on a different light. It has now been perceived as a channel for escapism and a coping mechanism, at least for me. As recorded by Statista (a leading provider of market and consumer data), during the initial outbreak of the global Covid-19 pandemic, the gaming industry quickly emerged as one of the most popular activities during lockdown and quarantine, with a global increase of 39% and a global market value of 155.89 billion USD. In particular, a game that has been released just last year amidst the pandemic, has generated tons of media buzz over the last 365 days since its release. The game in question is called Valorant, a free-to-play first-person shooter (FPS) game developed by Riot Games and officially released to the public in the second day of June, 2020. After just a year, it now has over 14 million active monthly players, according to Riot Games itself. With many of us stuck at home, picking up a new hobby is one of the best ways to combat the anxiety and distress this pandemic may bring to our mental health. Hence, I discovered this game eight months ago while in the middle of the quarantine and distance learning. Although I don’t usually play games in any platform but Valorant had other plans. After barely learning the game mechanics, I instantly fell in love with it and it has now become a part of my daily routine. Basically, the game mode of Valorant is simple. Two teams of five players square off, with one team on offense and the other on defense. The teams switch places after 12 rounds, and the first team to win 13 rounds wins the match. The attacking team attempts to plant a bomb, called the Spike, at one of the bomb sites on the game’s seven maps. The defending team has to stop them, either by killing everyone on the opposing side, or defusing the bomb once it has been planted. Each player only has one life per round, so either side can win simply by killing everyone else on the other team. This mechanic may sound familiar to someone who has played Counter-Strike but the former deviates from the Counter-Strike formula with its characters, called Agents. Each player picks one of 17 agents at the beginning of a match, and each agent has their own special abilities, adding an extra level of strategy. Ergo, it is essential to choose wisely when you start, because you can’t switch Agents until the entire match is over. You can’t switch to someone else in order to react to the other team’s choices, but then again neither can they. The agents are divided into four main roles namely Duelist, Initiator, Controller and Sentinel, each with their own unique expertise and abilities. Duelists are self-sufficient fraggers who their team expects, through abilities and skills, to get high frags and seek out engagements first. Meanwhile, Initiators challenge angles by setting up their team to enter contested ground and push defenders away. Controllers are experts in slicing up dangerous territory to set their team up for success. Lastly, Sentinels are defensive experts who can lock down areas and watch flanks, both on attacker and defender rounds. Choosing a role may sound complicated but it’s always best to try out all the roles and the different agents. Afterward, you can decide what role and which agent you are going to use when you get the hang of it and you feel most comfortable using them. I suggest that you practice at least one agent from each role since choosing the same agent in the roster for the team is not possible so in case your favorite agent gets picked by one of your teammates, you can always have another option. What’s remarkable about Valorant’s abilities is how well they work together. When I first started playing, and everyone in the game was new, we threw our abilities wherever we thought they might work, and it was a learning experience to see how they created a kind of synergy almost on accident. We learned quickly how to use them together, and what kind of an advantage doing so gave us across all those rounds. While gunplay is paramount in Valorant, knowing how to utilize agents’ abilities could spell doom or victory for the team, so it is vital to set aside some time to learn and practice those abilities. As Valorant is an FPS game, a good aim, decent map knowledge and an impeccable game sense will take you a long way, especially if you wish to pursue the competitive scene of Valorant, where you are assigned a rank and you can earn the title of a Radiant (highest rank) or Unranked (lowest rank), depending on your wins or losses. In this mode, you earn Rank Ratings (RR) depending on your performance in your matches; you get additional RRs if you win and you lose some if you lose the game. Hence, ranking up in Valorant is an arduous endeavor. If you think you’re up for the challenge, then go for it but if you’re like me who just wants to chill with friends and pass some time, just play Unrated, where you neither earn nor lose RRs. In my eight months of playing Valorant, I’ve met many types of people, mostly high schoolers and university students. Of which, some are rudely toxic and often engages in trash talks while some are kind enough to help you learn and enjoy the game. Nonetheless, the game developers intended for Valorant to be a haven for a unique, wholesome and enjoyable gaming experience which is why they made it accessible to everyone, freeof-charge. While traditional stigmas would suggest gaming represents a hurdle to education, I think, as a student, that the reality in our generation is different. In fact, some popular gaming titles even facilitate learning. For example, Assassin’s Creed Origins includes a Discovery Mode for gamers to explore Egypt under the reign of Cleopatra. Another example is Hangaroo which is a word or phrase-guessing game aimed to improve one’s vocabulary. And the list goes on. I can only imagine how much potential and impact this sector has in store for the future, especially once our education system is fully under the dominion of Education 4.0. With proper time management and a reasonable view of priorities, gaming can become both a coping mechanism as well as a reward system, especially in this time where much of the world is forced to stay inside due to the pandemic.