A Letter to My Love by Scot Damier Sandoval

For thy night I saw a beautiful bloom
Though I also see your heavy pain and scars
For I know I have already seen doom
May we see the moon and its lovely stars
Shall we stay as lovers till it's the end
And prove our love can never be broken
The heat of our love even metals bend
Your beautiful bloom made me awaken
I hope I can be with you till it's dawn
But it's really hard to think it shall stop
Because I know you can't accept a pawn
I know that you are really on the top
I can't bear to see you leave, so please stay
Because the two of us can end this play.

Unexpected Love by Grazella Suarez

It's crazy, I did not expect to fall
To fall in for an unexpected man
To whose standards are just but way too tall
As tall as statues that will bend for none
Unexpected smile came to me one night
And that one smile was only meant for you
I hope that this one love is right to fight
Is right thing to fight that this love is true
Showed up in my life as the best surprise
When I think of you my heart always glow
It simply feels like you're my paradise
I love you, more that you can ever know
Unexpected. Love drags to one person
Could be a blessing or our lesson.

Fading Love by Claer Obando

We are in love to each imperfections
Live like no one can ever destroy us
We're walking like strangers for no reason
We're going to the place where our love last
You and I we're going to the place where love can last
You and I were so grateful way back then
We thought walls and barricades were useless
I thought the happy memories wouldn't end
But it ends, why? Because of so much stress
I am wond'ring, why you ask me for space
Yet I know I did all the best for you
For long I've counted these tears in my face
Because I know my heart says I love you
Everyone knows that this love never last
What you did was you put me in your past

A BUTTERFLY'S LETTER TO HIS FLOWER by Scot Damier Sandoval

I love my flower who glows at night
I am a butterfly who roams at dark
I've never seen a light which shines so bright
Even seen from a far my eyes will spark
May you be my first and my very last
O flower, petals which are beautiful
I don't think about your life in the past
Because for they heart which is merciful
Troubles are just life's tests
I hope you understand thy problems
I always try to protect you from pests
Just to see you smile my blood doubles
O beautiful flower, by my bride
So that you shall be the source of my pride

A STORY ABOUT TO BLOOM by Kurt Ponce

The first time my sight laid into your eyes
It's like a garden with the touch of blue
I want to share so me flower flavored pies
Which your taste buds would like a part of you
That moment isn't the very first time
When my self begins to puzzle so wide
Knew that this feeling isn't any crime
Why won't we just relax and take a ride
Then came out the new word defined of bloom
That surely can be only learned by few
Anything isn't just a simple boom
Thus it should go with such feeling that's true
I'm glad to have you in those scenes that spark
'Coz I know our story's about to start

Why love?

WHY LOVE

A Lyric Poem

by Nisha Sokhal

Love? 

What does this word mean? 

Is it something than can be touched or seen? 

Love as they said is when you give something without asking in return. 

Love can`t be explained without someone being hurt. 

Love for me actually is an experience. 

Why experience? 

Experience is a process of doing and seeing things workout.

Love is a length of time someone has to spent doing something. 

Love is repeatable for it has no expiration. 

Love is what god has taught us . 

With love, there can be no poverty. 

Why?

When love is present, people are willing to share what they have .

Love is something that is rendered to other people. 

With the presence of love, hate can no longer exist. 

Love is above all things. 

We can feel love even when we say " I love you" . 

Our parents can give us the ultimate love. 

Why? 

Because they are the ones who can love us perfectly. 

Spread the love.

Overcoming CHALLENGES IN LIFE

OVERCOMING CHALLENGES IN LIFE

An Essay

by Nisha Sokhal

In life, we are always challenged to make many choices. All choices are judged according to their effect on our lives. Everyone has problems or challenges to overcome every day. We have to overcome challenges or problems. No one in this world is without problems however we are always bound to overcome them one way or another.

Growing up is one of those challenges everyone, in time, gets to be face to face with. Imagine those inexplicable emotions which tend to trouble teenagers, not to mention those new experiences that may stress them out. Some deal with them differently and decide that they can’t beat the troubles they feel. It may come to a point that they think it has all been too much and that their life is no longer worth living. When you've reached to this point, always remember that challenges are everywhere and that life is always worth living.

Some days you just don’t feel like getting out of bed or even waking up. It could be that the stress in school is too much or your personal life just isn’t going the way you want. School is a huge stress to everyone, and I want to tell you out that it isn't that difficult if you just focus. Sure thing essays and tests always linger though there is an incredible amount of other distractions in school. But then again, if you’re willing to put in the time and effort, you can get an incredible amount of confidence. Such will relieve the stress in your life because of the gratification it brings. 

It’s like a giant domino effect, one good deed or action can lead to an endless amount of happiness and content. Sometimes you feel like you can’t do it all yourself and that’s where others come into play. When you feel alone there is always someone who loves you and wants to help you succeed. Dealing with personal problems brings too much stress. Life may become too burdensome when your parents care in a bit of a disagreement, when you’re being bullied, or you and your best friend are looking through different glasses. There will always be greener pastures and new friends or even sometimes new parents will walk through those fields. Everything gets better even when it seems like your world is crumbling.

When those guns, pills, or knives stare at you and challenge your fate, just close your eyes and condition yourself that challenges are everywhere but people love you. Mold your life into something special instead of moping around because things aren’t quite going the way you planned. Get back on your horse and make things happen.

THE ALS ICE BUCKET CHALLENGE: THE NEW TREND by Jegi Nero

Ever since the increased media attention in the US on June 30, 2014, the ALS ice bucket challenge has become the latest trend. The challenge involves dumping a bucket of ice water on someone’s head to promote awareness of the disease Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and encouraging donations for research. It became the talk of the town.

Everyone talked about it especially in social networks which has increased curiosity among netizens. Its immediate attention has made everyone wanting to try the challenge themselves. Even the most popular celebrities  participated and donated.

The mechanics of  the challenge states that nominated participants are to be filmed while a bucket of ice water is poured on their heads, then they nominate others to do the same. This made the act a trending topic not only in the US but also in other countries. In short, ALS Ice Bucket Challenge is spreading all over the world.

Many videos have been uploaded in Facebook, Youtube and the like in just a couple of months. The challenge also says that  nominated participants only has 24 hours to comply or forfeit by way of a charitable financial donations; but the participant who has done the challenge within 24 hours can still donate for the ALS. This is one reason why the association handling the Ice Bucket Challenge has never been this happy since they have received $100 million and counting.Most of the donations were received from celebrities.

And with that kind of amount, they could do researches and find a cure for the disease, sad to say. 

But here’s the catch, most people do the challenge without mentioning in the video that they should donate money to the association. They did it only for the sake of fun and trend. 

Those who did the challenge ignorantly, have taken away the purpose of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Cold water is poured onto someone's head because the numbness one feels when the water is poured is the same feeling the patients feel.

Sad to say people at times, forget purpose for fun and non-sense.

No one blames you if you're curious just make sure you carry out its purpose. Donate, do not only nominate.

- Photos from Google Images

TEENAGE SUICIDE by Allysha Danielle E. Tadios

                Parents have a major role in their children’s lives – it is to keep them away from harm and danger. But what happens when these parents start to neglect their children? Our present society puts pressure, though unconsciously, to the youth of today to be this or to do that. It is rather hard to keep up with the standards being put up by these adults. Believe it or not, majority of the youth ask themselves, “Am I enough?” or “Did I do something that can satisfy them?” It doesn’t come as a surprise if someday, these teenagers would doubt their parents if they even love and care for them.

                Bombarded with things to do, roles to fulfill and tasks to accomplish, the youth doesn’t know where or what to start. There are those who were born lucky or fed with a silver spoon that they can get whatever they want in just a snap of a finger. But sad to say, we live in a cruel world where most of us couldn’t be as rich as the person owning the biggest shopping mall in the Philippines or be a member of a royal bloodline. An example to this is the suicide of the late Kristel Tejada, a behavioral science freshman from UP-Manila. The reason of her suicide was because she failed to pay her tuition fee amounting 10,000 php. She wasn’t able to comply since her family is struggling as well. Tejada considered that it was her duty to help her family thus her dismissal from school was shattering. According to her suicide not, “I just could not take it anymore.” The hardships encountered by Kristel are common for millions of working class youth. Too much may result to helplessness – but then again, suicide was never a solution. Based on the saying, ‘Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.’ It is a waste for youth to give up so easily just to ‘solve’ a problem which, in any way, it isn’t. Parents have to be with their children especially during hard times since teens, precisely, can’t handle pressure well.

                Media, social media to be exact, is also one of the reasons of teenage suicide. They tend to focus more on ‘how suicide was done’ instead of focusing on prevention. This is relatable to that of the deceased American actor and comedian Robin Williams. Tributes were offered, of course. One of those came from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, but what was perhaps intended as a moving act became controversial after the Huffington Post reported that it seemed to be glamorizing the act of suicide could spur imitative behavior among vulnerable individuals. As of today, technology is fast rising making the dissemination of events happening around the world real quick.

                Parents tend to ignore their children’s needs as if it’s nothing. On a separate note, the government has been encouraging youth to consult to adults especially when they have problems. But according to a study, troubled teens find it hard to approach an adult as they were afraid to be judged or simply adults would turn a blind eye on them. The death of Kapamilya actress Julia Buencamino would serve as an example. She didn’t show signs of being suicidal nor problematic but then again, she could’ve shown it elsewhere. And where can she express those thoughts if not through art? Months before her death, she posted her ‘rather depressing’ artwork through a photo-sharing site Instagram. Even after her death, questions remain unanswered as to why she committed suicide. If those adults could’ve known better, would her suicide be prevented? It was nobody’s fault, honestly. She couldn’t be blamed either. Julia was gone already. People around her couldn’t be blamed either. They didn’t see it coming. If only they could understand her, if only they didn’t underestimate her just because she’s a teen, would that change everything? If truly she did live a happy life, why would she commit suicide? Is it because of the demands being brought by showbiz? Or is it because of social media? But what about peer pressure? No one knows exactly why.

                According to Randy Dellosa, teens commit suicide because they feel extremely lonely, desperate and helpless. That is why parents have to do their best to warn, protect and advise their children regarding this matter as most young people lack emotional resilience. They cannot face frustration, rejection or any kind of failure. Thus parents and/or adults should better understand that these young people are more vulnerable that what they thought. They should stop looking at these teens as if they’re actual adults when in reality, they’re young adults. There’s a difference between the two. Adults should also stop comparing their generation to our generation. Both generations have different types of hardships to go through. If they want to avoid the number of suicide cases to increase and to make a troubled teen feel comfortable when approaching them, adults should be gentle. They don’t have to force a kid to tell them his/her problem. In other words, they have to let us, teenagers, know that they’re there to be beside us. In that way, teens will be comfortable talking out their problems to an adult or their parents.

10 TYPES OF PEOPLE ON FACEBOOK by Alyssa Plaza

       Facebook started in 2004 and at that time, people used it occasionally. Eight years later, with almost a billion people on the website, I noticed that some people only used it for specific things and some of those things are practically annoying. I'm looking at you, you FarmVille fudgers.
       Anyway, I categorized these people to what I believed to be the 10 types of people on Facebook. And by the time you're done reading this I guarantee you that you'll find at least one of these types of people in your news feed.

1. The Creeper (A.K.A. The Lurker)
        We may also call these people stalkers! You know those people who never post anything, never like, never comment but they know everything you about you. You'll know who these people are because when you see them in real life and you bring up something you did recently, they'll say, "Oh yeah, I saw that you posted that on Facebook." It gets real awkward.

2.  Over-Poster (A.K.A. The Timeline Rapist)
        These are the people who would like you to know what they're doing every minute no matter ho trivial it is. 'Oh, just ate my morning oatmeal."POST. "Shower, work, gym." POST. "I just took a massive dump and I think I hurt myself." That's annoying. Nobody cares. STAHP.

3. The Status Hijacker
        Have you ever posted something on Facebook to find that the conversation's been completely taken over by somebody else? Either they take it over or they change the subject entirely. They're the same people that'll steal something funny that you posted on your timeline and put it on their own. And everybody knows they didn't come up with it because they're just not clever? I just want to see those and be like, "Hey you, that's what the share button's for!"

4. The Attention Seeker
        These are those people who post those cryptic one-line statuses. They'll post those one-liners like, "I CANT BELIEVE IT! or "EVERYTHING SUCKS RIGHT NOW D:<" And then they'll wait for people to fall for their trap and ask what happened. They never tell the rest of the story. They just let the comments and questions build up to feed their own Narcissism. I feel like those people should just be honest with us and be like, "I'm an attention whole? Like and comment on this post so I can feel better about myself!"

5. The Promoter
        We all have somebody like this in our friend list. He/she is that person who invites you to every single event under the Sun. It's usually somebody in the band who wants you to come to the 500 shows they're playing this week or maybe thy started a group and wants you to join the SAVE THE POLAR BEARS CLUB! And as if the first 20 invites weren't enough, they always send you one more just to be sure.

6. The Game Addict
        We all hate these people. These are the people who play games like FarmVille and flood your newsfeed with useless spam like, "I just planted a FUDGING TREE! Now I better mass send out requests so everyone can plant FUDGING TREES WITH ME!" I'm gonna want those people in with the same people who post their horoscopes all day like you care it's 'their year'.

7. The Preacher
        These are the people who post inspirational quotes or anything related to God, which is OK. Sometimes when we log into Facebook they can make us feel like we're in church.

8. The Drunk
        This one's a personal favorite of mine. These are those people who only post when they go out drinking with their friends and once they're hammered, they flood your newsfeed with drunken statuses and pictures. The most funny thing about these people is if you watch their status the next day, you'll see their statuses from last night before magically disappear one by one. Because you just know they're sitting there with a hangover going, "Delett...Dilittt..."

9. The Anti-Proof Reader
        This is that person who spells so badly on all their statuses that you wonder how they got through Grade School. Punctuation is either misused or non-existent with these people. What blows my mind about these guys is that they often use their cell phones to post on Facebook.... and you have spell-check on that thing so how do you still make mistakes?

10. The Whiner/Drama Queen
        Oh yes. We all know one of these. Every single post with these people is about how life sucks or how it sucks to be them. They find negativity in everything! These people need to understand that Facebook is not their personal therapist. I decided that from now on I'm going to track all the time that I spend reading these people's posts and build them for my time at the end of the week.

The Face of the Philippine Politics by Jeff Navarro

            In times of great evil, we are often reminded of Epicurus, who famously questioned the notion of an omnipotent God. Epicurus argued: “If God is unable to prevent evil, then he is not all-powerful; if God is not willing to prevent evil, then he is not all-good; and if God is both willing and able to prevent evil, then why does evil exist?” Indeed, the answer is that if God designed a perfect world for each one of us, then there would be no value to human freedom. Precisely, we have to learn from our mistakes, suffer from the consequences of ill-fated decisions, but most of all, the reflexive attitude toward human action means we must not commit the same mistake over and over again. This, however, is not true in the Philippine Politics. Our political leaders are still in their usual debates and politically motivated investigations.

            In the Philippines, politics is always about the glamour of public office. In 2010 we saw President Aquino as some silver bullet delivered from above, thanks to the death of a democratic icon, Corazon Aquino, yet what we have seen so far is that the job of cleaning the terrible mess of corruption is next to impossible. They say that JejomarBinay have been using us, the people, for his own needs and ignoring what we need the most. It shows that their masks they have worn to win are not the masks they are using to help.

            Many bright academians feel the politics is nothing but a chaotic phantasmagoria. For them, it is a hopeless case. Those who say that there is a light at the end of the tunnel are actually outside of it. They want nothing about political engagements. The poor, in this regard, have two problems: Many good men, such as the townspeople I have lived with, who refuse to get involved in designing a better country for our children, and plenty of evil politicians like Binay who continue to bully their way into the future of this nation by way of political machinations.

            Theorists in this country talk about all inclusive growth, yet one government think tank is recommending relaxing minimum wage regulations in order to solve the high rate of unemployment. That suggestion is not even a Band-aid solution, it does not fix anything nor does it heal, it simply hides the real problem by artificially improving employment numbers. People do not need just jobs. People need jobs that are sustainable, that will give them the capacity to send their children to school and afford healthcare.

            In 2010, we put a lot of faith in Politicians. We were wrong. It was a mistake. A mistake that cannot be undone. However, while the courage to be is still preferred over falling into the abyss of despair, I suppose we have to change the way we see things. We have to encourage civil society to heighten discussions of public ussues rather than recommend political heroes. The face of Philippine Politics has not changed. Not because we still have the same maniacal leaders in office, but because many Filipinos have remained in the dungeons of human poverty.

Suicide by Kyle Supan

                 Over 800,000 people die due to suicide every year and there are many more who attempt suicide. Hence, many millions of people are affected or experience suicide bereavement every year. Suicide occurs throughout the lifespan and was the second leading cause of death among 15-29 year olds globally in 2012. Suicide is a global phenomenon in all regions of the world; in fact, 75% of global suicide occurred in low- and middle-income countries in 2012. Suicide accounted for 1.4% of all deaths worldwide, making it the 15th leading cause of death in 2012. Effective and evidence-based interventions can be implemented at population, sub-population and individual levels to prevent suicide and suicide attempts.

                Teens commit suicide because they feel extremely lonely, desperate and helpless. Perhaps they had a problem for which they felt there was no solution and that there was no one to help them. Suicidal teens usually suffer from major depression which makes them have a dark and gloomy mindset. Depressed teens usually give warning signs about their suicidal thoughts. World Health Organization states that in the last forty-five years the suicide rates have risen by 60% worldwide and is one of the leading causes of death in teenagers and basically people between the ages of fifteen to forty-five. They also mention that suicide is just the result of one problem but a combination of complex socioeconomic, personal and interpersonal situations. They have reported that nearly 30% of all suicides occur in India and China.

                 In times parents are creating comprehensive comparisons from another person, especially negative ones, that’d feel like they’ve lost the purpose of living and loses self-actualization and therefore depresses them socially. The kinds of problems that teenagers face may be different from those of adults, but the problems are very real to the teens who are facing them. Teenagers face the pressures of trying fit in socially, to perform academically, and to act responsibly. Teens are given more freedom which means more responsibility that they are sometimes not ready to handle. If a teen is facing a problem and has nobody to talk to, they may feel neglected, unwanted, and alone. If a teen continues to encounter their problems alone, they may become overwhelmed and think that suicide is the only way out.A 1987 study by Wodarski and Harris linked the increase in suicides in America to the proliferation of single-parent households. And a 1988 study of 752 families found that youths who attempted suicide differed little in terms of age, income, race and religion, but were "more likely to live in non-intact family settings." Recently a Flinders University professor of social sciences reported that research shows a very close link between suicidal behavior and parent-child relationships. Psychologists from the University of Leiden conducted a study of nearly 14,000 Dutch adolescents between the ages of 12 to 19. They found that slightly more than 10 per cent of the adolescents living in non-intact families reported having attempted suicide, compared to 5.3 per cent of peers living in intact families.

                Broken families are increasing in counts. Teens who are in the hands of single parents or separated couples have high tendency of being emotionally unhealthy thus make them feel like they are not as gifted as others are in their lives. And consider their lives a waste. Children from broken homes are more likely to be plagued by suicidal thoughts in later life than those with a more stable past, research shows. The study of thousands of adults also found that boys are more profoundly affected by seeing their parents’ marriage crumble than girls. The Canadian researchers questioned 6,647 men and women, including almost 700 who had been under the age of 18 when their parents divorced. This revealed the men from broken homes to be three times as likely to have thought seriously about suicide as those whose parents had stayed together. The link was strongest in men who had witnessed the effects of unemployment, violence and drug addiction as they grew up. But even those without such a troubled past were twice as likely to have suicidal thoughts at some point in their lives, if their parents had divorced. Lead researcher Esme Fuller-Thomson, of the University of Toronto, said: ‘The association between parental divorce and suicidal thoughts in men was unexpectedly strong, even when we adjusted for other childhood and adult stressors, socioeconomic status, depression and anxiety.

If you see mild warning signs, asking your teen if he or she is depressed or thinking about suicide can be helpful. Such questions filled with love and concern will provide assurance that you care and will give them the chance to talk about their problems. Get them to commit to you that if they ever do have those thoughts, they'll let you or someone else know.  If your teen doesn't feel comfortable talking with you, suggest a more neutral person, such as another relative, a counselor, a pastor, a coach, or your child's doctor. It's important to keep the lines of communication open and express your concern, support, and love. If your teen confides in you their loss of hope or control of their life, show that you take those concerns seriously. It's important not to minimize, mock or discount what your teen is going through, as this can increase his or her sense of hopelessness.

Stop Suicide

            Suicide is an act of taking one’s life. It is also a selfish act where you don’t mind other people’s feelings. Depressed people mostly want to die directly just because of their problems. It is just a permanent solution to a temporary problem.

            Suicide is the 10^th leading cause of death. Thousands of people commit suicide just because of cyber bullying, the daily problems that all of us are facing, lack of attention and etc. One example is Whitney Houston committed suicide because of drugs. She was found dead in her hot tub in the hotel she was staying. Some suicidal are not the cause of problems but often cause of drugs.

            It is the 3^rd leading cause of death for ages 15-24. They commit suicide just because of stress, work or school problems, and their love life. Isn’t that childish? Just taking their life because of problems with many solutions? Most of them are teenagers where they think that no one can help them at their problems and think suicide is the only solution.

            Suicide rates have increased for people who were middle-aged and older adults. Most news that I have researched about the sudden deaths of people was because of cyber bullying, love problems and other problems that all of us are facing every day. One example is Amanda Todd who committed suicide when she was 15 years old. She committed suicide because of cyber bullying. Because of the embarrassment they give to her, she decided to take her own life. She committed suicide because she thought it was the only solution.

            Sometimes the reasons of people who committed suicide were because of people who hurt them physically and mentally. Sad but true. But suicide was not the right solution for their problems. You can express your feeling to them. You can talk to them calmly. If you still respect yourself then don’t commit suicide. Therefore, suicide isn’t the right solution to all of your problems. Suicide should be stopped.

Suicide Prevention: Speak Now by Jenika Nero

                Suicide is the third leading cause of death for teens, and the biggest killer of young women in the world. Though clearly many teenagers struggle daily with thoughts of killing themselves, families and friends are still left confused and frustrated when one commits suicide. Usually, teens who take their own lives refuse to open up about what they’re going through every day, leaving behind numerous questions when they die. If only they’ve discussed their problems with the people they trust, suicide could have been prevented.

                A girl who attempted to kill herself recovered through talking to a friend and a psychologist. “When I focused on my health, not my illness, and the things that made me happy, the things that were troubling me became less important.” Hayley Purdon, a 27 year old from Australia, admitted to having bulimia and anxiety in high school. Even after graduating and becoming a university student, her eating disorder got worse. Her anxiety made it harder for her to leave the house; she would often drive to campus and refuse to get out of her car. At age 20, she attempted suicide and was brought to the hospital. It took her three years to start recovering through the support of a friend who’d gone through a similar experience, and speaking to a psychologist who helped her better understand her anxiety. Now, Hayley helps other teenage girls in schools who also struggle with depression and suicide. She believes that it is vital for people—not just girls, but boys as well—to talk to one another about their experiences and problems.

                Schools have started to create suicide prevention programs which reach out to students who are bullied and have depression. Universities like MIT, Boston University, Massachusetts College of Art and Design, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute have already signed on to the Jed and Clinton Health Matters Campus Program, which is a suicide prevention program created by the Jed Foundation and the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation. Their idea is to combine mental health and substance abuse services with efforts to make sure that the emotional health of the students is one of the main focuses in the campus. But then again, their hardwork will be put to waste if students refuse to reach out. The rates of suicide on campus suggest that open communication among students should be the next priority of the school. Students should learn to get over their fear towards their bullies and not to think about feeling awkward when talking to school officials in order to overcome their suicidal thoughts and the things that trigger them.

                People who have mental health issues such as depression often don’t see a psychologist in fear of being seen as the weird one or the freak. In addition, bullies take this as an opportunity to make fun of others even more. Ryan Halligan, a thirteen year old from New York, killed himself on the 7^th of October 2003 because of bullying. It all started when he was in 5^th grade. A certain kid and his friends picked on Ryan’s academic weaknesses and poor physical coordination. During his 7^th grade, his dad has had enough of the bullies and had told Ryan that he was going to talk to the school principal to stop those boys. But, Ryan told him not to do so, saying how that will only make the bullying worse. Even when Ryan was taught how to kick box and to use it on the boys if they ever made a move on him, and even when he became friends with them, the bullying continued. His parents had assumed that everything was settled between him and the bullies; they thought that he was finally living a completely normal life as a teenage boy, but they did not know that Ryan was also cyberbullied. He was called gay by the same group of bullies as was shamed by his girlfriend, who said that he was a loser and that she did not want anything to do with him. They started dating online through IM exchanges over the summer and finally met when Ryan entered the 8^th grade, when he was humiliated in front of her friends. Ryan had depression throughout his short-lived teenage years, and unfortunately committed suicide in the end.

Nobody should be blind to the signs of suicide. Family, friends, and even strangers who experience struggles just need at least somebody who they know will listen to them, will help them, will support them, and will not judge them from what they’re going through. Also, those who plan to take away their life must know that people will be there to reach out to. Through talking to each other, we can lessen and prevent more cases of suicide.

DELINQUENTS TO SPEND JAIL TIME by Valerie Aldridge

            Some people say jail is not the right place for children who disobey the law to stay because it’s a dull and negative environment. Some people even say a child could just be an accomplice of a bigger person. So how come unlawful children should remain in prison despite the Special Child Protection Act?

             Republic Act. No. 9344, an act establishing a comprehensive juvenile justice and welfare system, creating the juvenile justice and welfare council under the Department of Justice, appropriating funds therefore and for other purposes. It states that children are not to be abused and or neglected inspite of the Special Child Protection Act. But it also states that justice is to be served. A person who commits crimes are criminals, young or old. If a child can kill, then so can an adult. If a child who disobeys the law is left without justice then chances are that child could do it again. Jails provide discipline that is mostly needed by children. If a child is disciplined then that child can identify what is right from wrong. So a child can be imprisoned but with proper surveillance.

            No criminal should get away with their crimes even if that person is just a child who is an accomplice of a bigger person. Most cases show that the mastermind bribes children into doing their dirty work. When the child accepts the bribery, that means that child agreed to all the tasks given by the head. So that child agrees to committing crime. It is also possible for the mastermind to bribe the child with drugs to do certain tasks. A Florida mom and dad were arrested for allegedly bribing their kids to do their chores and do well in school. According to Gawker, Joey and Chad Mudd were arrested on Monday after they allegedly told police that they bribe their two daughters with drugs to get them to do their chores and do well in school. Justice is to be served to both mastermind and children.

            Children may not be so innocent after all. There are cases all over the world that include children involved in gruesome murders and theft. One of the cases happened on June 1, 2004, an 11-year-old schoolgirl, best known as "Girl A", murdered her 12-year-old classmate, Satomi Mitarai, in an empty classroom during lunch at an elementary school in Japan. In the attack, Girl A slit Mitarai's throat and arms with a utility knife. She then left Mitarai's body at the murder scene and returned to class with her clothes covered in blood. Girl A wasn’t sent to prison because Japan doesn’t take minors to jail. Everybody may have violent impulses but obviously this girl can’t control it. Since she’s free, this uncontrollable impulse of hers may return which may lead her to do another violent action. If this law continues, children will depend on the law to liberate them even if their crime is mature enough to let the doer sent to prison. Children may abuse this law and go on doing violent and abusive actions.    

            Therefore, a child who commits crime should stay in jail but with proper surveillance. A child who accepts tasks from a mastermind is willing to do the dirty job. Children can be capable of making decisions and doing things on their own will. If a child criminal were to escape, chances are that child is influenced by wrong doings which makes him or her even more dangerous. Parents of these children might be the reason why they turned out to be that way, their parents should do their part and raise their children right to avoid any illegal incidents.

High School Roller Coaster-------Jenika Gi-An C. Nero

High School. Two words, big impact. Many say that these four years are probably the best years they’ve ever had. Some say that high school was a point in their life that they never want to revisit ever again.

                 What’s your high school story?

                 Prom. The struggle of putting the alphabet in Math. Your very first relationship, maybe? Endless fun memories happen during high school. My high school trip has not ended yet, but I could definitely say that it has been very interesting for me so far.

         The pain of being class president has dawned on me throughout this trip. Having to be in charge of keeping my classmates in order is not my cup of tea. Oh, why do I have to go through this? Sigh. At least I have some clowns that I call my friends that keep me from blowing up. Their corny jokes, endless stream of puns, and sarcastic conversations never fail to amuse me.

              Bullies. Cue horror music. Everyone is not safe when it comes to them—including me. They always seem to remind me of the Mean Girls. Well, minus the wearing of pink on Wednesdays and the Burn Book. Because of my bullies, I now know why sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can’t hurt me—they don’t just hurt, they kill.

          High school is like a roller coaster ride. There are ups, there are downs, and there are some twists and turns. Fear might’ve settled in your stomach before you hop on, but you’ll never regret riding it. So sit back, relax, and fasten your seatbelts, because this ride will be the best one you’ve ever had. No kidding.

Aquino Binigyan ng Iskolarship ------Allysha Danielle Tadios

Si Psalm Deniel Aquino, na isang manlalangoy sa ACT, ay hinandugan ng full scholarship ng paaralan para sa pag-aaral niya sa hayskul.

                 Isa talaga itong karangalan sapagkat siya ay ang kauna-unahang mag-aaral na nakatanggap ng ganitong alok.

                 Ayon sa isang panayam kay Bb. Floramae Arain, nabanggit niya na isa sa mga rason kung bakit naisipang gawaran si Aquino ng scholarship ay dahil sa kanyang mga nakamit sa larangan ng paglangoy.

               Hindi lang siya kilala sa buong ACT o sa probinsiya ng Cebu kundi tanyag din siya sa buong Pilipinas maging sa mundo.                             
               Kabilang siya sa listahan ng mga magagaling na manglalangoy sa buong mundo.

              Ngayon, si Aquino ay nasa Aklan para sa isang kompetisyon at umaasang maiuwi ang tropeyo dito sa Cebu.

Arieta, Rivilla take home Kallistione crown-------- Maria Eloisa Garcia

Adrian Arieta and Paula Rivilla won Mr. and Ms. Kallistione last September 8, 2014.

                 Alexander the Great claimed the Best Costume and Best in Costume for the male category. “Adrian was definitely fit for the role. His costume was also well-made,” Lallene Cinco, his classmate commented.

                 Rivilla, on the other hand, entered the spotlight with poise and fearlessness. “A fierce persona, an eventual queen,” Rene Sebes, a Grade 9 student, said referring to Rivilla.

Queen Boadicea’s production number sent the audience tailed to every piece of action, justifying her role as a warrior queen. The latter received the Best in Production Number and the Best Performer for the female category.

Posing as two of the most popular history figures, Arieta as Alexander the Great, and Rivilla as Queen Boadicea, carried out their respective roles for the said competition.

Both were from the juniors, who made a splash as they were proclaimed victors of the night.

“They retained their composures and their strong, dominating auras throughout the whole program.”, Sir Rommel Alvarez, faculty, commented.

  “Wonderful performance, greatly modified by her tiger-like screams,” Christian Alferez, a sophomore, said.

Juniors also won second runner-up for male and female, with Chauntel Gimenez as Queen Elizabeth and Lance Catadman as Charlemagne.

The seniors proved that they never leave without putting up a fight. Noreen Sumalinog as Nzinga Mbande and Ryan Musa as Julius Caesar were proclaimed the third runner-ups of the competition.

The Kallistione: The Gods Who Shaped History was the first competition in ACT which featured the most important figures of the earliest civilizations of the world, portrayed by selected high school representatives.

Not only that, the competition was educational. “The activity was really great. It was something to enjoy and something to learn as well. We as audience learned names and lives of prominent personas in history.” Ms. Monette Binagatan, School nurse, commented.

Binagatan also said that whatever the contestants did on stage for sure would never be forgotten.

Genayas wins photo with Mario Maurer ------- Johanna Zapanta

Duane Genayas, Grade-10 student, was photographed with Thai celebrities, Mario Maurer and Baifern Pimchanock during the Penshoppe fancon last August 31, 2014 at the Ayala Terraces, Cebu.

                 Genayas joined the games during the said event. In return, he got to meet Maurer and Pimchanok up close. “Mario and Baifern were so sport.”, Genayas commented.

                 During the event he was  full of confidence that the crowd became wild when he posed as a catwalk model wannabee. “It was quite embarrassing (if it had to be me doing what he did) but I’m really proud of him.” Kimberly  Abellanosa said.

“That  was the best day ever!” Genayas said seemingly reminiscing. He said that opportunities like that can only happen once, so why not grab it.”

       Genayas, together with his friends Abellanosa and Noreen Sumalinog won free VIP tickets to watch Penshoppes’s fancon featuring Maurer and Pimchanok.

           “If it wasn’t  for Kim. I wouldn’t have known about the contest in twitter. I thank her for that,” Genayas said.

              The event ended at around 6 pm.

Esmas bags 3 awards in Mr. Teen Talisay ---- - Lance Roi Catadman

 

Reynaldo Esmas, Gr. 9-Prudence,  won 3^rd runner-up in the recently concluded Mr. & Ms. Talisay 2014 last October 14 at Talisay City Carnival, Mohon, Talisay City, Cebu.

                 Esmas also won best in production wear and  best in casual attire.                

                 In the casual interview, Esmas was asked what he likes in a girl. He answered, “I’m not really much into the good looks.” He said he is the “attitude” kind of guy. “What is beauty when the attitude is bad?” he added.

                After being chosen as one of the Top 5, he had to face the Question & Answer portion.

                 His question was, “What problem is the local tourism of Talisay facing right now and what can you do to help and promote it?”

                He answered, “The problem the local tourism of Talisay is facing is its cleanliness because as you can see Talisay areas are frequently flooded; and I can help solve the problem by suggesting to the local officials to practice the proper disposal of garbage.”

               Esmas and Wynd Caindec a fellow Junior represented the school in the said competition.

          Esmas and Caindec performed a contemporary dance together with Sir Rommel Alvarez, PE Instructor.

               Alvarez taught them routines they haven’t really done before but they were able to pull off. “We intend to make our presentation distinctive. Buwis buhay kung baga.” he said.

Ms. Dorina Magale, Grade School Teacher, who was one of the spectators said it was nerve wracking.

            “I had intense emotions during the presentation especially when they did the lifting and all. It made leap from where I stood.” Magale said.

 

PULISYA: Mapagkakatiwalaan pa ba?------- Noreen Sumalinog

           May  mga taong inilalaan ang kanilang buhay para isalba ang buhay ng mga taong

Cop in EDSA 'hulidap' surrenders |
Metro, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-- photo from Google

nangangailangan. Sila’y nandiyan upang matigil ang nangyayaring krimen sa ating bansa araw-araw. Sila’y walang iba kundi  ang mga Pulis.

             Pero ngayon ang katanungan ay dapat nga bang pagkatiwalaan ang mga pulis kung sila nga mismo ay gumagawa rin ng krimen?

             Ngayon, marami nang lumalabas na balita ukol sa mga pulis. Mga balitang nasasangkot sila sa nakawan, patayan at iba pa. Ang sabi ng Police Regional Office (PRO-3) na umabot sa 204 na kasong pampangasiwaan ang sinampa sa mga pulis di kagaya noong isang taon na umabot lang ito ng 32. Ano kaya ang rason kung bakit nagkakaganito ang ating pulisya?

             Ayon sa Coalition of Filipino Consumers o CFC,,isang grupo ng consumers na may 600,000 na miyembro, ang Philippine National Police (PNP) ay isang “rogue organization” kung saan ipinahayag nilang marami ngang ginagawang krimen ang pulisya. Tulad ng kidnapping,pangingikil at iba pa.

            Isa sa mga nasangkot ay ang kanilang   hepe na si   Alan Purisima.    Kinasuhan   ng  CFC si Purisima ng graft, plunder at indirect bribery noong September 22, 2014. Ayon sa CFC ang rason kung bakit nila   kinasuhan    si Purisima ng graft ay sa kadahilanang  hindi niya ideneklara ang mga assets niya, sa plunder at indirect bribery naman ay kung bakit siya nakapagpapatayo uli  ng mansiyon na nagkakahalaga ng  P25 milyon. Ang nasabing mansiyon ay binansagang  “White House”. Ang tanong pa nga ng nakakamarami  ngayon ay kung paano nakukuha ni Purisima ang kanyang “Ill-gotten wealth”.

            Nakapanlulumong isipin na mismong Hepe pa ang nasangkot sa ganitong kaso. Kung tutuusin, siya ay isang lider at may mga umaasa sa kanyang mga tao.

          May isang balita ring ukol sa pitong pulis na mula sa Manila Police District (MPD) ang nasangkot sa robbery extortion. Isang Pakistanong casino financer ang nagreklamo sa MPD na inaresto siya sa kasong anti-car theft na hindi naman totoo.  Ang mas masaklap pa ay  ninakawan ng malaking halaga ng pitong pulis ang nasabing biktima. Ayon kay Joseph Estrada, ang Mayor ng Manila, malaking kahihiyan ang ginawa ng mga pulis na iyon.

          Kung titingnan nating mabuti parang napakahirap ng buhay nila at kailangan pang gumawa ng krimen. Kahit may sahod sila hindi ito sapat para matustusan ang pangangailangan ng  kanilang pamilya. Ayon kay Pulis na Pogi, isang blogger, ang mga pulis raw ngayon ay parang isang squatter area. May mga pulis na walang mabuting tinitirhan, ang iba ay kumukuha ng loan at iba pa. Sinabi rin ni Satur C. Ocampo, isang editoryal writer ng Philstar, na humuhuli daw ang PNP at Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) ng mga “mistaken identity” na sinasabi nilang lider ng New People’s Army (NPA) para lang makuha ang pabuyang nagkakahalaga ng milyones.

          Ano kaya ang rason?  Di kaya’y pera? Dahil hindi malaki ang sahod nila, ginagamit na lang nila ang kanilang kapangyarihan upang makuha ang gusto nila kahit hindi naman tama.

          Wag rin natin kalimutan na marami naman silang mabuting ginawa kagaya ng mga pulis saWestern Visayas. Ayon kay Police Chief Superintendent Josephus Angan ng Western Visayas ang bilang ng krimen nila doon ay bumaba. Noong January hanggang September 2013 umabot sa 126,297 ang krimen sa Western Visayas pero ngayong January hanggang September 2014 bumaba ito ng 97,043. Sinabi niya na marami silang ginagawa na mga seminar ukol sa crime solution, clearance efficiency at mga iba pang crime prevention.

            Maraming paraan ang pwede natin gamitin para malaman kung sino sa mga pulis ang gumagawa ng katiwalian. Isa na dito ang pagsasagawa ng lifestyle check. Dapat na-ting malaman kung anong klaseng pamumuhay ang kinagigisnan nila noon at ngayon para malaman natin ang totoong pagkatao nila. O, di kaya’y pwede namang gamitin ng mga tao ang teknolohiya ngayon upang maipalam sa mga mambabatas o sa mga pulisya ang mga katiwaliang ginagawa nga mga pulis.

               Ang pagiging isang pulis ay dapat panindigan. Dumidenpende ang mga tao sa kanila kaya dapat nilang ipakita na sila ay mapagkakatiwalaan. Dapat din nilang malaman na kung wala sila walang kapayapang mangyayari dito sa Pilipinas kung tutuusin sa kanila magsisimula ang paging mapayapa dahil nabubuhay sila sa batas.

Fight over Wealth in the Spratlys------ Maria Lallene Cinco

                  People would be much irritated when total strangers step on their rights. How much more to someone they actually know? When this happens you may just let it pass, but what if it happens again? Are you just going to pretend nothing’s wrong or are you going to make a move?

                  Territorial disputes in the South China Sea involve both island and maritime claims. Brunei, China, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Vietnam are claiming each other’s territory basing on their  Exclusive Economic Zones. That’s their right but these islands including the waters surrounding them are rich when it comes to resources.

You can be dubbed rich if you have a lot of money especially on natural resources as reserves. Mercantilism, I guess?

        We might think crude oil is just an ordinary product but it isn’t. It was even once one of the reasons why there was a fish kill in the west. It was a big loss for the oil company. Crude oil can be transformed to various forms of petrochemicals. Gasoline is one and persons owning oil companies are rich here in the Philippines, take note.

       South China Sea has a lot of crude oil reserves. The Ministry of Geological Resources and Mining of the People’s Republic of China estimates that the South China Sea may contain 17.7 billion tons of crude oil compared to Kuwait with 13 billion tons. In the years that followed after the said announcement intensified the claims regarding the islands.

         Fishes are for food not for riches but why is that there are people who are after them and harvest species of them in great numbers?; in other words, EXPLOITING. This should be stopped because fishes may not reproduce enough to replace much of what have been harvested. Corals are one of the most beautiful things and they’ve been slowly destroyed.

        South China Sea is abundant in terms of marine life. In 1988, it was believed to have 8% of the world’s fishing catches and this is a figure that grows continuously.

The coral reefs in these waters are home to numerous species of fishes. They provide  good environment for breeding and production of more animals.

       South China Sea is the busiest shipping route, In the 80’s, at least 270 merchant ships used the route every day. These days, more than half of the tonnages of oil are transported by sea pass through these waters.

       Maritime traffic was often evident in the South China Sea; three times more than Suez Canal, five times than the Panama Canal.

        To conclude, all the states fighting over these territories in the South China Sea are just after the money in which the islands and waters are great sources of.

Cartoon by Prince Irrel Santillan