#Andre Panopio

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UPIS shifts to mandatory and increased frequency of face-to-face classes

MORE FACE-TO-FACE CLASSES. The 2nd floor lobby of the 7-12 building is filled with students, as the building re-opens and classes have been mandatory, with an increase in frequency of days.|| Photo courtesy of Andre Panopio.

The University of the Philippines Integrated School (UPIS) shifts to mandatory and increased frequency of face-to-face classes for the second semester of Academic Year 2022-2023, as health protocols have eased throughout the Philippines.

According to Prof. Dian Caluag, the Assistant Principal for Academic Programs, the increased frequency of onsite classes to two and three days a week is mainly because of the country's improving situation. The loosening of Covid-19 restrictions successfully permitted the students to access onsite and academic assistance from the teachers. “Nakita natin na nag-iimprove na yung [We saw the improvement of the] pandemic situation, meaning more people have been vaccinated [with boosters]. UP has also advised its units to increase the number of face-to-face classes.”

In addition, Prof. Caluag added that the teachers, students, and parents requested an increase in in-person contact and on-site classes. Remote learning led to academic loss which resulted in fewer classroom activities and lack of direct interactions between students, she said. Without these interactions, the students faced challenges in interpersonal relationships with parents, teachers, and peers.

She also explained that there is an idea that we will not get to the routines that we used to do before the pandemic, such as doing flag ceremonies every week, having club meetings, and celebrating UPIS week. To this, she responded, “It’s more of moving forward, we’re learning from what we experienced in the past three years, and the idea is that we’re not going back to how things were before. We’re banking on what we learned and moving forward.”

On the other hand, Aileen Dimaculangan, the school’s nurse, declared that the same process of filling out health declaration forms would continue on a weekly basis rather than daily. The school also had a revision of quarantine and isolation protocols with the help of the University Health Services (UHS). Reminding students to fill up the health declaration forms honestly, Nurse Aileen reiterates the appropriate observation of conforming to minimum health protocols, such as wearing a face mask, being knowledgeable about proper hygiene practices, and eating the right diet. Nurse Aileen also added, “I think kung ano na-start na rin natin (following minimum health protocols and keeping yourself clean) kailangan lang natin i-continue ito, pati na rin sa personal [hygiene] natin kasi magiging malaking tulong para safe ang lahat.” [I think that we should continue what we have started (following minimum health protocols and keeping yourself clean), as well as maintaining our personal [hygiene], as it is a big help in keeping everyone safe.]

Reactions of students

UPIS students also had reactions to the shift made by the school. Cilque Casis, a Grade 12 student, says she feels great about having more days of classes. “Face-to-face classes allow me to focus on the subject matter more, compared to online classes where I’m mostly just staring at the screen. I [also] like the fact that you can ask teachers directly in person, and if you have other questions after class, you can just visit them in the faculty room.” Zerah Ballarta, a grade 11 student, was also delighted about the shift, as she is able to step foot into UPIS again after months of isolation, and finally seeing friends she used to bond with.

The students also expressed the challenges that they encountered along with the benefits. According to Zerah, "Nahirapan ako bumalik sa dating gawi ko kasi hindi na ako sanay gumising nang maaga at mag-ayos for school." [“It was hard for me to go back to my old routine because I’m not used to waking up early and getting ready for school anymore.”] Meanwhile, Cilque was concerned about the amount of groupworks and coordination between classes. “My concern is just with the amount of groupworks that we have, sometimes it is hard to coordinate with other classes, especially with other interest courses,” she stated.

When asked about possible additions to the current health protocols, Cilque proposed that in the health declaration form, there should be an option where you could specify if your symptoms were allergy-related. “We have a lot of people who have allergies, but if they answered the form truthfully, they might not be allowed to school even though it’s already been dealt with or they were taking allergy medication.” As for Zerah, she suggested that more alcohol stations should be placed in school, along with a station that provides face masks in case the students forget to bring extras.

Other changes that can be seen in the rules and regulations included the canteen being fully operational once again and adopting the schedule used in online classes, which starts at 8:00 am and ends at 2:30 pm. Temperature checks can also be seen in the school’s entrances, as well as alcohol dispensers for each classroom and restroom.

UPIS hopes that these new protocols will help students learn better at school while ensuring everyone’s safety. “The characteristic of the transition is that it’s gradual, and that transition will lead us to the new normal,” Prof. Caluag stated. //by Monique Gervacio and Andre Panopio

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Taas-pasahe sa Pampublikong Transportasyon, Umarangkada na noong Oktubre 3

PAGTAAS NG PAMASAHE. Epektibo na noong Oktubre 3, 2022 ang pagtaas ng minimum na pamasahe sa mga pampublikong transportasyon tulad ng dyip, bus at taxi. Larawan mula sa GMA News

Inaprubahan ng Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) ang pagtaas ng pamasahe sa Public Utility Vehicles (PUVs) noong Setyembre 20, 2022.

Ayon sa isang panayam kay LTFRB Chairperson Cheloy Gerafil, magiging permanente na ang pagtaas ng singil at hindi maaapektuhan ng pagtaas-baba ng presyo ng produktong petrolyo, na naglalaro ngayon sa ₱67 hanggang ₱86 kada litro. Dahil dito, magiging ₱12 na ang minimum na pamasahe sa mga tradisyunal na dyip, habang ₱14 naman para sa mga modern jeepney. ₱2 naman ang dagdag sa mga provincial at city buses, kaya’t magiging ₱11 hanggang ₱15 na ang minimum fare para rito. Tataas sa ₱35 hanggang ₱45 ang flagdown rate para sa mga taxi at Transport Network Vehicle (TNVS). Pinaalalahanan ni Gerafil ang mga operator at driver na bawal maningil ng taas-pasahe kung walang nakapaskil na bagong fare matrix sa loob ng sasakyan.

Apektado ng panukala ang mga dyip na balik-biyahe na sa loob ng UP Campus, kasabay ng pagbabalik ng face-to-face classes sa unibersidad noong Setyembre 5. Kabilang sa mga nagbalik na dyip ay ang mga biyaheng UP Ikot, UP Toki, Katipunan, Pantranco, Philcoa, at SM North Edsa. Inaasahan na makatutulong ang taas-pasahe upang mabawi ng mga drayber ang nawalang kita bunga ng dalawang taong pandemya.

Sa kabilang banda, malaking pasakit sa mga commuter ang nakaambang na taas-pasahe. Isa na dito si Kyle Garcia, isang UPIS Grade 12 student na tatlong beses sa isang linggo sumasakay ng dyip. Ayon kay Garcia, bagaman mas mabilis ang kanyang biyahe kung sasakay, mapipilitan siyang maglakad dahil sa taas ng presyo ng pamasahe.

“Naiintindihan ko kung tumaas ang presyo ng pamasahe para mas mataas ang kita ng mga jeepney drivers. Pero depende kung magkano na ang bagong presyo ng pamasahe, maaaring mas madalas na lang akong naglalakad. Ito ay dahil malapit ang mga pupuntahan ko, mas matagal ngunit mas mura na lumakad na lang.” Nang tanungin tungkol sa mga paraan kung paano mapapabuti ang serbisyong transportasyon sa UP at sa Metro Manila, sabi ni Kyle, “Sana ay [mas] patas [ang] pamasahe upang maging accessible ang pampublikong transportasyon para sa lahat.”

Nagpasalamat naman ang mga transport group sa LTFRB dahil sa naging tugon nito. Humingi naman sila ng pasensya sa mga commuter na maaapektuhan nito. “Malaki pong tulong ito na madagdagan ang aming kinikita,” sabi ni Liberty Deluna, miyembro ng Alliance of Concerned Transport Organizations (ACTO), “Doon po sa aming commuters, humihingi kami ng pasensiya sa kanila dahil kami ay humingi na naman ulit ng panibagong fare increase at naaprubahan po ito.” Epektibo na ang fare hike mula noong Oktubre 3, 2022. //ni Andre Panopio

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SIM Registration Act, nilagdaan; umani ng iba’t ibang reaksyon

PAGPIRMA SA BATAS. Noong Oktubre 10, 2022 ay pinirmahan ni Pangulong Bongbong Marcos ang Republic Act 11934 o ang SIM Registration Act. Larawan mula sa Inquirer.net via Youtube.

Oktubre 10, 2022 - Tuluyan nang pinirmahan ni Pangulong Ferdinand ‘Bongbong Marcos Jr. ang Republic Act 11934 o ang Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Registration Act sa gitna ng pagtaas ng presyo ng mga bilihin at human rights violations sa bansa.

Sa ilalim ng batas na ito, kinakailangan nang iparehistro ng publiko ang mga bagong SIM card sa mga rehistradong Public Telecommunication Entities (PTE). Ang mga PTE ay mga pampubliko o pribadong establisyemento na binigyang pahintulot na mamahagi o magbenta ng mga serbisyong pang-telekomunikasyon. Bibigyan naman ng 180 araw ang mga existing user na iparehistro ang kanilang numero. Ang mga mabibigong sumunod ay maaaring mabigyan ng 120 araw na ekstensyon ng Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) upang makapagrehistro. Kung hindi magagawa sa kabila ng ekstensyon ay tuluyan nang ide-deactivate ang kanilang mga numero.

Umani ng samu't saring reaksyon ang pagsasabatas nito, partikular na sa panahon na ilalaan para sa proseso ng pagpaparehistro. Subalit, ayon kay Senador Win Gatchalian, sapat na ang anim na buwang palugit para rito. “My version was as early as 2013. So it's been 10 years since we've been talking about this. So in terms of infrastructure, in terms of process, I don't think it will be a problem with the telcos,” dagdag pa niya.

Pinuri naman ni Senador Grace Poe ang pagpasa ng batas. “We worked hard to pass the legislation anew as a crucial first step to fend off text scammers, while guaranteeing utmost respect to fundamental human rights.”

Iba-ibang pagtanggap

Positibo rin ang pagtanggap ng mga telecommunication company o telco sa paglagda ng batas. Sa inilabas na opisyal na pahayag ng Globe, bukas sila sa mungkahi na gamitin ang National ID System para sa masinsinang beripaksyon sa pagpapatupad ng batas. “Our position has been clear from the beginning, a National ID system must be in place to ensure the safe and successful implementation of this new law,” sabi ni Globe General Counsel Froilan Castelo.

Sa isa namang panayam ay ipinahayag ng kanilang Chief Privacy Officer na si Irish Almeida na ipapatupad nila ang pinakamataas na standard para sa data account privacy, na gagawin ng lahat ng telcos.

Suportado rin ng DITO Telecommunications ang paggamit ng National ID at pasaporte sa beripikasyon ng pagkakakilanlan ng subscriber. Ayon sa kanilang Telecommunications Officer na si Rodolfo Santiago, “Doing so will unburden the telcos of the need to establish another database to store biometrics data, which would be time consuming and resource heavy.”

Bukas ang Smart Telecommunications na lumahok sa paggawa ng Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) ng batas, na ilalabas 60 araw pagkatapos itong lagdaan. Samantala, nilinaw naman ng kanilang Vice President at Head of Regulatory Affairs na si Roy Ibay na kailangan pa rin na bigyan ng oras ang paghahanda at pag-test para masigurado ang ligtas na implementasyon ng batas sa pagkolekta ng mga personal na impormasyon.

Samantala, binatikos naman ng Secretary General ng Bagong Alyansang Makabayan na si Renato Reyes Jr. ang batas. Ayon kay Reyes, malaking banta ang bagong batas sa privacy rights ng publiko. “The Philippine government is a notorious human rights violator for years now, and any measure that would compromise privacy rights should be seen as a danger.”

Matatandaan na noong Abril 2022 ay hindi pinirmahan ni dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte ang batas. Kinakailangan pa raw pag-aralan ang pagsaklaw ng batas sa pagrerehistro rin ng social media accounts.

Reaksyon ng mga batang Isko

Nagbahagi rin ng reaksyon ang mga mag-aaral ng UPIS sa nasabing batas. Ayon kay Samer Lagunilla, mag-aaral mula Grado 12, maaaring makatulong at maging banta ito.

“Oo at hindi. Oo dahil maaari nang parusahan ang mga taong may mga SIM card na hindi registered at mataas ang halaga nito. Hindi dahil hindi natin alam kung gaano ka-accurate ang kanilang pag-filter sa mga messages at kung ano ang mga kino-consider nilang spam text at spam call,” aniya.

Mayroon din siyang pag-aalangan sa kanyang personal privacy dahil alam na ng gobyerno kung kanino ang mga SIM card at kung ano ang mga pinag-uusapan ng mga tao gamit ito.

Ngunit, sa kabila nito, mapipilitan pa rin si Samer na magparehistro kahit na wala siyang balak na gawin ito. “Wala akong balak, pero wala rin akong choice. Kailangan kong sumunod sa batas dahil ayaw ko naman magbayad o maparusahan dahil dito. Ngunit mananatili pa rin ang aking worry [para] sa aking privacy.” //nina Dante Aquino at Andre Panopio

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UPIS Math Department holds first virtual Math Week

Mathematics Unites, the theme of the first virtual Math Week celebration, was hosted by the UPIS Math Department from March 14 to 18, 2022.

The celebration promoted appreciation for Mathematics as a unifying language and as a tool in understanding the world and fighting global challenges. In line with this, four programs were announced on the UPIS Math Week Facebook page. 

For Pi Day, more than a hundred participants joined the Pi Day Quizziz, a competition held via Zoom at exactly 3:14 PM on March 14. From K-2, they awarded Luccio Pang of K-Sampaguita, Altair Santiago of K-Kamia, and Amelia Obias of 2-Atis. For grades 3-6, Precious dela Paz of 3-Sapa, Zeke Sagayaga of 5-Banahaw, and Reen Lopez of 5-Sierra Madre won the competition. Lastly, the winners from grades 7-12 were Timothy Capulong of 11-Campos, Kirstin Mejia of 7-Jupiter, and Renz Dolorias of 8-Firefly.

Another activity is the Math Scavenger Hunt, a team activity that required students to search for eight items from the list posted on the event's Facebook page. According to Mr. Harold Badilla, Grade 11 Math teacher who facilitated the event, 32 groups of three members joined the game. The members of the K-2 team winner in this activity were Ilenea Amihan Baltazar, Freedom Dioquino, and Chloe Bianca Usi of 2-Mangga while Joaquin Bayuga, Allyssa Sarenas, and James Deximo of 4-Patani won the 3-6 contest. Last but not least, the members of the winning team from 7-12 were Erielle Arceo and Bianca Baguio of 11-Lopez, along with Gabe Matias from 11-Marasigan.

Guess the Number was a challenge for students to count all the candies inside a jar. “This activity warmly received 244 guesses from students,” Mr. Badilla said. Altair Santiago from K-Kamia, Paulo Dulfo from 4-Singkamas, and Justine Catiis from 11-Campos were the winners of this activity. 

Finally, Math Museum featured interesting facts about math posted on the UPIS Math Week page every day for four days. The topics included historical mathematicians, math articles, and throwbacks of older UPIS students sharing their math hugot lines. 

On March 18, Prof. Angel Rocena, Mathematics department head, hosted the closing ceremony with Mr. Badilla. The latter expressed his appreciation for the UPIS community’s engagement during the festivities. “We are extremely grateful for the active participation of students as evidenced by the high turnout of entries, for the class advisers and subject teachers for promoting the Math Week events, for the UPIS administration for the leadership and guidance, and for the PTA for sponsoring the prizes shared to the winners,” he shared. 

Prof. Rocena disclosed that organizing the event was challenging because teachers had to do all the planning, preparing, and executing of the programs alongside their teaching responsibilities. Despite the problems they faced, she added, “Challenging, yes, but we were joyful as we did all those because we know that it would be a fun learning experience for the students, something outside the usual Zoom discussions.”

When asked about next year’s Math Week, Prof. Rocena answered,  “Whatever mode of instruction we'd have next year, expect a Math Week around 3/14/23 with new activities that will make you appreciate and love Math more.” //by Ricci Dantes, Andre Panopio, and Jemuell San Jose