Staying Healthy in Rainy Season

          Since the rainy season has already been announced by PAG-ASA in the Philippines, I would like to share this article published by the Manila Times on June 26, 2013 for us to shoo away diseases during rainy season. Credits to the writer and the designer of the illustration. :)

Prepare for the downside of the colder weather such as water-borne diseases, respiratory infections and other illnesses.

5 tips to stay healthy this rainy season

          We can't just sing rain, rain go away to shun the heavy downpours these days. We have to prepare and protect our health and those of our loved ones, what with work and school in full gear.

          To make the most out of the weather and prevent sickness, MediCard Philippines share with The Manila Times easy tips to stay dry and strong this rainy season.


Always bring your umbrella

          Getting wet from a sudden downpour can cause sudden change with body temperature that may lead to fever and colds. To avoid getting sick, don’t forget to bring your umbrella with you wherever you go. It’s not only the best rain gear, but also a sickness shield against cough, colds or fever when you’re caught up on a rainy day.

Eat healthy

          Eating healthy food is the cheapest way to protect you from sickness. You can cook a hot soup to invigorate your body or eat Vitamin C-rich foods to boost your immune system to help repulse flu and infection. Watch out for diarrhea, one of the common rainy-day diseases often caused by eating spoiled or contaminated foods, so always remember to wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly to be safe. A delicious and healthy food is what makes rainy days a little warmer.

Wash your hands

          To keep you from getting colds, cough and influenza, regular hand washing is the best way to prevent the spread of viruses and bacteria and keep away diseases. Wash your hands properly by lathering soap between your fingers, under your nails and the top of your hands. Rinse and dry your hands thoroughly to get rid of the germs.

Drink clean water

          Water-borne diseases are very common during the rainy season. Be cautious of contaminated water sources that could bring water borne diseases such as amoebiasis and cholera. If you’re unsure of the water supply, boil it or buy purified drinking water to be safe.

Keep your surroundings clean

          Dengue, a fatal disease caused by mosquitoes, is the most rampant disease during the rainy season. Don’t leave any water stagnant and throw away the things that may promote mosquito breeding. Keep your waterways clean. Besides dengue, leptospirosis is rampant because of floods that may contain animal urine causes bacterial infection. Avoid wading in floodwaters to protect yourself from this disease.

Education for Sale

          While the NORSU stakeholders, particularly the students and parents, are enjoying the decreased miscellaneous fee brought by the resolution approved by the university’s Board of Regents (BOR), it is saddening to know that the students of other higher education institutions are carrying in their shoulders the burden of having an increased tuition and other school fees approved by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) on May 19. There were at least 313 private higher education institutions (PHEIs) permitted to have these fee increase––a figure bigger than the 287 schools permitted in 2014.

          In the data released by CHED, these schools were approved to have a 6.48 percent tuition increase for academic year 2015-2016. It can be noted that the supplementary guidelines of CHED publicized in April 2015 only paved a way for the school administrators to take advantage by setting overpriced tuition fees and unreasonable presence of other school fees (OSF) that only resulted to an unaffordable education for a common Juan.

          In fact, it is not quite reasonable for CHED to base these increase in regional inflation rate simply because of the inadequate regular workers’ minimum wage which can’t fully suffice the needs of common Filipino families which include education.

          More so, the collection of the “confusing” and overpriced OSF in both state universities and colleges (SUCs) and PHEIs like Laboratory Fee, Development Fee, Energy Fee, Multimedia Fee, Aircon Fee, Sports Development Fee, Athletic Fee, PE Fee and other not-so-familiar fees are being shouldered and paid by the students which should’ve been included in the students’ tuition fee and should’ve not been collected anymore.

          If we are to conclude, the government’s implementation of deregulation and commercialization in education only deprives the common Juans to experience the thrill of college education. This only paves a way for opportunist/capitalist/profiteer to earn millions out of the commercialized education.

          Is this a part of the tuwid na daan promised to us by the government a few years ago? If yes, then there’s no reason for us to let another tuwid na daan successor to lead and rule our nation! What we need is someone who is not a puppet of capitalists and influential countries like US, someone who can build a new type of government that’s not Manila-centered, someone who is not as dark as his “bad” sides and someone who values education for all types of people. All we need is someone who gives importance to the presence of common and marginalized Filipinos. 

Unknowingly Deprived

          If I may ask, are you aware that we, Norsunians, have been somehow deprived of sufficient education in this institution we considered as our pride, our hope and our future?

          Most likely, your answer would be NO. Perhaps, you have been satisfied with the quality of education that NORSU is offering. I, for one, do also agree with you in some ways. No doubt that NORSU’s program offerings are of good quality because we have a lot of highly qualified instructors serving for Norsunians. Our university has some of the most outstanding professionals in various fields. However, that doesn’t end there. Their academic profiles are not the only bases to rate our educational quality.

          Come to think of some instances where we have been deprived of ‘sufficient time’ in teaching. In this university, we are implementing a twice or thrice a week meeting for regular subject courses. Probably, that’s somehow enough for us to learn sufficiently if and only if our instructor will always be present in almost all sessions. But straight classes like these could be a burden for us, right? Admit it. Not unless you are really that ‘responsible’ student.

          Once we’ve heard that our instructors will be absent for quite a long time for they’ll be attending a week-long seminar in a faraway place, it’s like the whole class will celebrate for it! But, the question, is that really a good news? Will we learn something from it?

          This is just similar to what Norsunians usually experience during the preparation for our annual Founders Week Celebration. For about a month before the actual week of the event, classes were shortened in order to give time for some students to have their daily rehearsals for different cultural competitions they were into. This could be another good news for some, a rest month perhaps! But then, this is really a great evidence of deprivation in our part. Our parents, relatives and some scholarship donors are paying good amount just for us to experience the education in a university yet we experience less time to have it. Remember, we’re not here to enjoy free times but to have memorable learning experiences. We are here to study and not to self-study and self-learn just because our teachers rarely attend our classes.

          Please don’t get me wrong. Mind you, I’m not a KJ! I’m not acting as hypocrite here because even I also enjoy these rest days. It’s just that I have noticed that most Norsunians were unknowingly deprived of the things that they are supposed to enjoy–the proper education. If we’re looking for leisure times, 3-5 hours subject load per day is not that too big to consume one whole day. It’s just a matter of time management.

          This is a very serious challenge for the new designated leaders NORSU especially those in connection with the academic affairs. I suggest, as an ordinary student, please implement activities and reforms that will pave a way towards students’ betterment and not only for what the students want you to do.

The Search for Imperfection

          One’s success can never be a good news to everyone.

          It’s been a trademark for us, Filipinos, that when someone reaches the heights of success, there will always be other people who will find ways to pull that someone down. Perhaps, to keep that someone grounded but actually, the intention is beyond this. Something that is caused by insecurity and jealousy. The so-called crab mentality is the right term to describe such.

          Now that the election for presidency is fast approaching, about a few quarters to go, politicians and politics-oriented people are exposing one another’s hidden secrets. Secrets that have been kept for years. Secrets that once revealed, can destroy a politician’s reputation in the eyes of the country’s voters. They’re like pulling one another’s tail not to make anyone succeed in getting the public trust.

In the previous months and years, some names were already mentioned and revealed to the public for being involved in the multibillion pork barrel scam. Almost all were in denial regarding the issues. We get it. Of course, who would ever want his/her reputation to receive stains from others? It’s like Domino Effect that when someone’s bad side was revealed, that someone will seek ways to expose others’ and those others will find another to do the same.

          To cite an example, just recently, we’ve heard of allegations against Vice President Jejomar Binay for the overpricing multimillion-peso New Makati City Parking building contract, alleged use of public funds for campaign and election purposes and many others. Perhaps, this is just a revenge of other politicians whose names were pointed out in the previous multibillion fund scam issue. Or perhaps, this is just a move of his future co-candidates for the highest position in the land since Binay is indeed one of the strongest presidentiables to beat. Well, we cannot blame them if that’s how they play the game!

          In some ways, we, common Filipinos, can benefit on what they are doing in the higher ranks of the society because, in that manner, we can be able to know who really the right ones are. The ones who really deserve our trusts.

          Probably, looking for our future leaders’ flaws is a thing that can help us decide on who to vote for the upcoming national election. Unfortunately, we cannot find the right person for the position because an ideal leader is nowhere. Why not understand their sides, weigh their good and bad sides, and search for the good deeds they did which can really help elevate the country’s current status.

          Remember, good guys are bad guys that haven’t been caught, if I am to revise the song “Good Girls” of 5 Seconds of Summer. There’s no absolutely good person. We all commit mistakes, we all commit sins. Looking for one another’s dirt will only ruin our country. Why not do the search for imperfections for ourselves first? Surely, we can find a lot of things we need to change. Crab mentality is for those damn insecure people only.

D for Presidency?

          Some known and not-so-known political personalities are perhaps starting to show off by now to the public. For about more than a year from now, millions of Filipinos will then again cast their supposed-to-be-powerful votes than can somehow create a societal transformation by choosing the most suitable leader who can put mesmerizing words into fruitful actions.

          Last February 11, Dumaguete City particularly Negros Oriental State University welcomed Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte for an uncertain visit. It was attended by some NORSU higher ranks, faculty and staff, students, and some local media practitioners. The sixty-nine-year-old honorable spoke before the audience about the current national issues. He included in his speech the very antique beginning of colonization up until the current scenarios of Mindanao and the country.

          He even talked on the history of Bangsamoro in Mindanao and the highly centralized monetary system of Philippine government which has been described as Manila-centric. Incumbent solons were also criticized by Mayor Duterte saying that some are visibly “corrupt” while others are not capable of handling the positions they are holding.

          Well, I don’t have to put so much emphasis on these because the very reason of his visit is to inform everyone how Federalism would change the country’s ever biggest dilemma—corruption. Not to mention that he is implementing a federal type of governance in Davao City which made the latter one of the most peaceful and safest places on earth which can be reflected on its fast economic development.

          In my further readings and research about Mayor Duterte, I discovered that Dumaguete was not the only target of his visit and to note, it was a 30-day sortie, as what Christine Herrera of Manila Standard Today reported in her article. He has gone to Butuan City, Zamboanga City and Pagadian City before he reached the very ground of our city. Another set of visits is scheduled in Cebu, Puerto Princesa City, and Dipolog City—all perhaps are Visayan-speaking heartland.

          The article continues that the mayor will also be going to Luzon particularly Baguio City, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, and Pangasinan within the next 30 days. I wonder why he visits those places just to spread the words of Federalism, not unless he is into other ‘vague agenda.’

          I’ve also read in other online articles that he is not aiming for presidential seat nor be a contender of those renowned presidentiables which he also mentioned and strongly stressed during his NORSU visit. This mayor even said if he is into presidential run, he will wait for the ‘divine signal’ before he would make the much-awaited announcement.

          Probably, as of the moment, he is still in doubt. But for me, one thing is for sure, he is into a ‘certain’ national seat. Maybe, being a president is not yet for him because of the fact that he only holds a mayoral position and directly leaping for the highest seat of the land. Maybe, he’s in denial that what he’s doing is already part of campaign activity because it’s a NO-NO to Commission on Election (COMELEC). What’s the purpose of spending much money for the visits, for the ballers, stickers and tarpaulins?

          To the honorable mayor, if I may ask, how can you implement a national reform through Federalism if you will not be the president of this nation? If signal is what you’re looking for, try to examine the overall aspect of the Philippines today and you’ll realize that it’s the rightest time for change!

Enrolment Ease

          

          I’ve been in this institution for almost four years now. I’ve witnessed how NORSU faced its ups and downs and how an ordinary student like me handled patience-consuming enrolment system being imposed in this university for the past few years.

          Before, in order for a student to be officially enrolled, it takes him about two to three days to complete all necessary enrolment procedures. First, he needs to look for the last person falling in line just to pile himself to get his enrolment load form from college dean’s office. After which, he needs to go man hunting just to have his load form (which also serves as a clearance) signed by the college governor, college dean, his instructors, university librarian and other not-so-known personalities of the college and he directly proceeds to the advising of his subject load which also takes some time. The most crucial stage of enrolment then was the payment of school fees. It is where the student would need to prepare the biggest portion of his patience for a turtle-like speed of processing given the fact that only three cashiers were functioning.

          However, for a certain scholar, one still needs to process his scholarship papers at the Student Affairs Office that usually takes almost half-a-day to be released. He then proceeds to the cashier or Accounting Office to pay for the remaining balance if he enjoys a partial scholarship. Finally, he heads to the fourth floor of the College of Arts and Sciences building named ‘Skylib’ to, once again, fall in a very long line to encode his subject load and have his enrolment load slip printed as a true evidence of his very long patience.

          This year, through the leadership of the university’s OIC President Peter T. Dayot and the collaborative efforts of the different offices, students enrolled this semester enjoyed an ease on enrolment compared to the system of the previous years. I, for one, can attest to this improvement. I finished my enrolment processing in just a few hours: a few minutes in getting my enrolment load form from the dean’s office and having some autographs from our adviser and the dean, another few minutes for processing my scholarship at SAO and NORSU Gym where cashiering was located (since I’m a scholar) and lastly, about ten minutes in encoding and printing my load slip. 

          So why am I telling you this? It’s not because I want to brag that I’m the fastest to finish enrolling, nor to be close with the administration and make some “pasipsip.” It’s just that I want everyone to know that it is not impossible for NORSU to achieve a progressive development. It’s not impossible for NORSU to address its serious and complicated issues. Inconvenient enrolment processing of before had been one of these. If we are to look very closely, the administration’s solutions now to the enrolment processing of before are just adding 30 more cashiers and almost 100 subject encoders. This solution is not that complicated and as a matter of fact, it is just a very simple. NORSU main campuses have more than 13,000 enrollees each semester and therefore it shall have more operators for its enrolment to accommodate this big number.

          Sometimes, a complicated problem doesn’t have to be answered by a complicated solution. It just takes a simple solution to do the thing. We are just overthinking about something answerable by using our sentido común.

Sleep (Haiku)

By Ariel B. Dizon

My eyes closed for rest

As stars shine bright up above

On one Monday night.

Seconds turned to hours

Tiresome turned to fine feeling

How nice it would be!

Walking through the air

Going to unknown abodes

Clueless what awaits.

If time would permit

I'd like to extend some hours

To explore the world.

Give myself a break

From day's restless goings-on

To have some good dreams.

Dreaming about things

That real life would never give

To hopeless like me.

At some point, I think

This would not be forever

Morning is the end.

But who knows of life?

That dreams might be possible

I have to wait more.