IATF green-lights limited face-to-face classes in colleges, universities under ALS

by Ellson Quismorio, Manila Bulletin

The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) has approved resolution no. 148-G, which adopts the Commission on Higher Education’s (CHED) proposed phased implementation of limited face-to-face classes for all programs under the Alert Levels System (ALS) for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) response.

This was announced in a statement by Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles on Wednesday, Nov. 17, saying that the approval was handed down by IATF the previous day.

“Based under the guidelines on the nationwide implementation of [ALS] for COVID-19 response, limited face-to-face classes are now allowed under alert levels 1, 2 and 3, subject to certain conditions, such as (1) 50 percent indoor venue capacity, (2) no opposition from the local government unit (LGU) concerned, and (3) participation of fully vaccinated teaching and non-teaching personnel and students only,” the statement read.

“Under the said proposal, the CHED is mandated to execute the phased implementation program to ensure the safe reopening of higher education campuses,” Nograles, who was recently named acting presidential spokesperson, also stated.

The phase 1 implementation period shall be from December 2021 onwards. During this phase, all higher education institutions (HEIs) in areas under alert level 2 may apply for limited face-to-face classes, Nograles said.

Meanwhile, the phase 2 implementation period shall be from January 2022 onwards. In this phase, all HEIs in areas under alert level 3 may apply for limited face-to-face classes.

The phased implementation of face-to-face classes in HEIs shall be done consistent with Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2021-001, or the guidelines on the gradual reopening of campuses of higher education institutions (HEIs) for limited face-to-face classes during the COVID-19 pandemic, issued by CHED and the Department of Health (DOH).

This circular serves as a guide for HEIs that intend to hold limited face-to-face classes and are willing to assume the responsibilities for the reopening of their campuses based on the following: (1) their capability to comply with health and safety protocols, (2) to retrofit their facilities, and (3) to get the support of their stakeholders.

“The IATF would like to reiterate that the phased implementation of limited face-to-face classes in HEIs should be done alongside the continued implementation of proactive measures and restrictions that have been put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and have contributed to the steady decline in COVID-19 cases in the country. These include the vaccination of all eligible individuals, the wearing of masks, social distancing, and hand-washing,” Nograles said.

“As we slowly and cautiously open our college classrooms, we urge all stakeholders involved to work together to ensure the safety of our students so that they may be able to return to their schools secure in the knowledge that every effort has been made to safeguard their health,” the Cabinet Secretary added.

On anger and preaching

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

          WE cannot deny that there are moments when we find ourselves

angry, or even when we need to be angry. We just have to learn how to

handle this emotion that in itself is neither good or bad. It depends

on how we do it.

          In this regard, it might be good to take a look again at

that occasion when Christ got angry with those who turned the temple

area into a marketplace. (cfr. Lk 19,45-48) We can also take this

occasion to realize how we, especially priests, ought to preach so

that like Christ in this gospel episode, we can attract people to our

words.

          As noted in that occasion, people were hanging to Christ’s

words such that those who wanted to put Christ to death could not

carry out their plan.

          Yes, anger is one of our God-given emotions, locked into our

nature as persons. It has its legitimate use. But precisely because of

our precarious human condition here on earth, we have to be wary of

it. In fact, anger is also considered one of the capital sins, along

with pride, envy, greed, lust, gluttony, sloth, that can beget many

other sins.

          If ever we have to be angry, let’s try our best to be angry

in the spirit of Christ who showed anger over the self-righteous

Pharisees and scribes, and over those who turned the temple area into

a market place. Christ’s anger is what is called righteous anger, one

that is done always in charity and in the truth, and not just due to

opinions and biases. It’s an anger that is meant to correct, purify,

heal.

          Besides, Christ’s anger is only momentary. It does not last

long. As a psalm would put it, “his anger lasts only a moment, but his

favor lasts a lifetime. Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing

comes in the morning.” (30,5) He is slow to anger, and quick to

forgive.

          We really have to learn how to hold our horses, especially

when we feel provoked or incited. We have to lengthen our patience,

our capacity to suffer. We have to broaden our mind so we can we can

quickly and easily capture the more important things in a given issue

rather than react immediately to things that are only incidental to

that issue.

          With respect to preaching, we have to understand that it is

a task entrusted to his apostles and shared by all of us in different

ways. The clergy take a leading role in this affair. It’s a serious

business that involves our whole being, and not just our talents and

powers.

          Obviously, to carry out this mission, we need to know our

Lord and his teachings. We have to go to him and read the Gospel.

Reading and meditating on it should be a regular practice for us, a

habit meant to keep us in touch with him.

          Thus, every time we read the Gospel, we have to understand

by our faith that we are engaging with our Lord in an actual and

living way. We are listening to him, and somehow seeing him. We can

use our imagination to make ourselves as one more character in any

scene depicted by the Gospel.

          For this, we need to look for the appropriate time and

place. We have to be wary of our tendency to be dominated by a

lifestyle of activism and pragmatism that would blunt our need for

recollection and immersion in the life of Christ.

* Chaplain Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE), Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

Expect the world to end badly

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

          THIS is, of course, not meant to scare us nor to have a

pessimistic view of life. Rather it is to be realistic, given the way

we are and the way the world in general is, what with all our

limitations and defects, even if we cannot deny that we are also full

of good potentials.

          Christ already warned us about this. “If this day you only

knew what makes for peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. For the

days are coming upon you when your enemies will raise a palisade

against you, they will encircle you and hem you in on all sides. They

will smash you to the ground and your children within you…” (Lk

19,42-44)

          We have to learn to prepare for this eventuality. If Christ,

who is God made man and who is our Redeemer, could not help but had to

offer his life to save us, how can we think that our life and the

world in general would take a different path?

          Remember Christ telling his disciples, “A servant is not

greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute

you also.” (Jn 15,20) So we have to expect to have the same fate as

Christ. And that means that we have to prepare for the worst scenario.

The world will end badly. That’s already a given, a truth of our

faith.

          What we have to do is to always have a proper focus in life.

Especially these days when we are easily carried away by many

distracting elements, what with all we can devour in the social media,

videos, etc., we need to remind ourselves quite strongly that we have

to be well focused on what is truly essential in our life.

          We have to remind ourselves that our life here on earth is

actually a testing and training ground for what God, our Father and

Creator, wants us to be, that is, that we be his image and likeness,

adopted children of his, meant to share in his very own life in

eternity.

          Everything that we are, we have and we do in this life

should be made as an occasion, material or reason for us to attain

that God-given goal for us. Everything should be related and referred

to him. Simply being on our own and doing things on our own, without

any reference to God, is an anomaly. It would surely end in tragedy

even if we feel we are having a good time in our life.

          This fundamental truth about ourselves should be proclaimed

time and time again because we are notorious for taking it for

granted, if not for violating it. We have to remind everyone that we

have to take the necessary steps for us to be aware of this truth and

to live according to it.

          Obviously, what is truly helpful in this regard is that

everyone learns really how to pray, how to engage God in a continuing

conversation, or at least to have an abiding awareness of his presence

and interventions in our life.

          That is why prayer is indispensable in our life. It is what

would make us aware of who we really are, what the real purpose of our

life on earth is, how we ought to behave in the different situations

and circumstances of our life. It is what would help us to refer

everything to God, what would keep us in the proper focus.

* Chaplain Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE), Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

Five schools in DdO re-opens limited face-to-face classes

After almost two years, the Department of Education officially re-opens limited face-to-face classes in selected schools in the country.

 

Covid-19 pandemic brought major uncertainties in schools. The rapid transition of most instruction to online platforms affects the academic achievement of students in varying educational levels, and now that DepEd resumes the face-to-face classes, learning gaps can now be remediated in the four corners of every classroom.

 

Among one hundred (100) schools approved by the joint memorandum of the Department of Education and the Department of Health, eight (8) schools were approved by the authorities to resume limited face-to-face class in Region XI, and five (5) of which are from Davao de Oro, a manifestation that the province is prepared for the implementation of the face-to-face mode of learning, somehow easing the agony of students in the last two years.

 

Bariz Elementary School (Pagsabangan Extension), Parasan Integrated School, Lower Panansalan Elementary School (Jacinto Extension), Maugat Elementary School, and Digaynon Elementary School (Manurigao Extension) were the schools in the province approved for the re-opening of the limited face-to-face class, all of which were from far-flung areas where there is little risk for covid-19 infection.

 

Just in time for the pilot implementation of the limited face-to-face class, the “Bayanihan Para sa Karunungan” program or BPSK of Davao de Oro, officially turned over the “iDdO Read” modules, a reading remedial instruction for elementary learners that aims to amplify reading exercises and fulfill the educational gaps in primary levels. The creation of the workbooks was made easy through the strong collaboration of PLGU-DdO’s BPSK Program with the Department of Education Davao de Oro.

 

Further, BPSK also introduced volunteer teachers for the five schools that will aid on-site DepEd teachers on the delivery of instruction and implementation of the “iDdO Read” workbooks. DepEd Davao de Oro also distributed tablets for every student, while the Kusina ng Kalinga (KnK) of DdO also gave milk feeding supplies.

 

The limited face-to-face class is complementary to the modular modality which is used since the outbreak of the virus. The five schools will still undergo alternate learning schedules for students and will follow the recommended health protocols set by the Department of Health. (JA, Information Division, Davao de Oro, photo by J. Cadiz)

BOOMERANG KIDS

 

So I see myself trying too – it’s difficult to write about any topic in our daily life without mentioning COVID-19. I observe it within my own family in the Philippines.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many young people to move back in with their parents. Their lives have been turned upside down, and they’ve had to come to grips with feelings of failure and guilt. Being forced to move back home can lead to depression for some young people. 
Boomerang children, or boomerang kids, are terms used to describe the phenomenon of an adult child returning home to live with their parents for economic reasons after a period of independent living.

In my own family, the elderly tried to help as much as they  could. The strong family ties are really amazing for me as a German expatriate living in the Philippines for good since 23 years now.

Some of my inlaws are staying abroad and trying to survive as much as they can.

Young people were hit particularly hard by the pandemic — especially those who had to move back in with their parents. For them the pandemic has meant a hit to their studies, more stress and a total loss of autonomy. 
Homeschooling has students at their limits. 

The situation varies across Europe i.e., when it comes to young adults choosing to live with their parents. That was the state of affairs before the pandemic as well: whereas early independence is the norm for Scandinavians. EU statistics show that a different culture exists in southern and southeastern Europe. Every region has its own financial and cultural conditions.

Still teaching many times I feel like a man giving a lecture in an empty room, filmed for broadcast online, standing next to a TV screen while interacting and communicating with my students is very difficult. Bad or no internet connections makes it more difficult. 

Various factors can have an impact on when and how young adults choose to set out on their own, from the job market, the familiar comforts of home and even tradition. But regardless of the circumstances, it’s clear that one group has suffered disproportionately during the pandemic.

Marginalized people, for instance those belonging to the LGBTIQ+ community, find it more difficult than others to cope with the situation at home. Similarly, lower income families living in small quarters have had to come to grips with the increased potential for conflict.

India i.e. fears ‘lost generation’ of students. Jennifer Caputo, a sociologist at the University of Chicago who has surveyed “boomerang kids” in the United States, found that those who were forced to return due to COVID, in particular, more frequently showed symptoms of depression.

Economic and social independence, as well as the simple fact of living in one’s own space, she voiced out, are seen as important steps for a successful transition to adulthood. If those goals aren’t achieved, she said, those affected may suffer from feelings of failure.

For some of my nieces and nephews, being back home wasn’t easy. It certainly was a stressful situation. The biggest challenge “was the simple fact that they’re my parents. In their eyes, you’ll always be their child, no matter how old you are.”
How to deal with this new situation: Accept that we’re all adults.

Do Tagalog-speaking Filipinos use the expression "Hala"?

By 

Dayang C Marikit

Philippine History Professor

 Yes, “Hala” is an expression that is mostly used during chaotic situations, it’s similar to (“Oh my God”) in English… (It could also mean, “you’re in trouble”, depending on the context of the statement).

• (“Hala!, gumigiba ang gusali”) = (“Oh my God!, the building is collapsing”).

---

This expression could have originated from the Islamic expression (“Ya Allah”) which translates to (“Oh God”)… This is because pre-colonial Filipinos have been influenced by Islam prior to colonization.

• The modern Filipino word for thank you (“Salamat”) was originally a greeting of Islamic origin, but the meaning of this word had obviously changed over time, and this may have also been the case with the expression (“Hala”).

---

I’ve also discovered that there is also a Spanish term (“Ojala”) which is derived from the Arabic term, (“Ma sha Allah”), this is because most of what is now Spain was once under Islamic rule… this could also be another possible word of origin for the Filipino term (Hala).

• It must be noted that in Spanish (“J”) is pronounced as (“H”) so (Ojala = Ohala).

---

I would like to remind people that these are only my speculation about the origin of the Filipino expression (“Hala”).

Duterte: Face shields are out, but face masks are forever

by Argyll Cyrus Geducos, Manila Bulletin

President Duterte said he has approved the recommendation to lift the mandatory wearing of face shields in almost all areas in the country but said face masks will forever remain while the coronavirus (COVID-19) is still around.

Duterte made the statement after Malacañang issued an order that limits the use of face shields to areas under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), Alert Level 5, granular lockdown, and medical and quarantine facilities.

In his pre-recorded address on Monday evening, November 15, Duterte said that the public can now do away with face shields but not with face masks.

“Ang desisyon ko is, okay tanggalin na ninyo yung shield. Pwede na ninyong (My decision is okay, you can now remove your shields), you dispense the shield but not the mask,” he said.

“Yung mask will forever remain and it will be part of our day-to-day safety measures kasi matagal pa itong virus na nasa hangin lang (because the virus which is airborne will be here for a long time),” he added.

According to the President, while the COVID-19 positivity rate in the country continues to come down, it was up to the people to make sure it will stay that way.

"It’s up to us to take care na ‘di tataas uli (that our cases will not increase again),” Duterte said.

“You have to obey what the government will tell you to do because it’s for the good of the country and for you. Sumunod lang kayo (Just obey),” he added.

Based on a Palace order signed by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, the following guidelines on the use of face shields are to take effect immediately:

For areas under Alert Level 5 and granular lockdowns, the use of face shields in community settings shall be mandatory

For areas under Alert Level 4, local government units (LGUs) and private establishments are given the discretion to mandate the use of face shields

For areas under Alert Levels 3, 2, and 1, the use of face shields shall be voluntary

Meanwhile, as the government is yet to fully implement the Alert Levels System nationwide, LGUs that are not yet under the new pandemic response system shall have the discretion to mandate the use of face shields except in areas under ECQ and those under granular lockdown where it shall remain mandatory.

Regardless of community quarantine classifications, the use of face shields will remain mandatory in medical and quarantine facility settings. Medical workers are also still required to use face shields in healthcare settings.

In June, President Duterte said he preferred that people only be required to wear face shields in hospitals but eventually decided to keep it due to the Delta variant.

In September, Duterte finally lifted the mandatory requirement on the use of face shields outdoors, except in closed spaces, crowded places, and close-contact settings.

God cannot be outdone in generosity

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

          THAT’S right! The more generous we are with God and with

others, the more generous God will be with us. This is just a simple

law of ‘we reap what we sow.’ We usually sow just a seed, but with the

generosity with which we take care of that seed, we are bound to get a

lot of fruit.

          This truth of our faith is highlighted in that gospel

parable about a nobleman who went off to a distant country to obtain

the kingship, leaving his ten servants with ten gold coins with the

instruction to engage in trade until he returns. (cfr. Lk 19,11-28)

          He was happy with those who carried out the instruction and

gave them charge of big cities. “Well done, good servant! You have

been faithful in this very small matter; take charge of ten cities,”

he said. He punished the servant who did nothing with the gold coin.

          Later on, he told the servants that the gold coin of the

servant who did nothing with it be given to the one who gained ten

more with his trading. When the other servants commented that this

productive servant already had ten gold coins, the nobleman who

personifies God said: “To everyone who has, more will be given, but

from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

          All this only show that we are meant to be fruitful and

productive with what God has given us and that we would be receiving

more graces and blessings the more fruitful and productive we are with

all the gifts God has given us.

          Everyday, we should be keenly aware that we need to be

fruitful and productive. That’s simply because even from the beginning

of our creation in Adam and Eve, this has always been God’s will for

us.

          “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and

subdue it,” (Gen 1,28) God told our first parents, clearly outlining

his mandate to them. It’s a mandate that continues to be repeated up

to now.

          That should be fair enough. If one is given a lot of gifts,

blessings, privileges, opportunities, etc, then a lot should also be

expected of him. Christ himself said so. “Much will be required of the

persons entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the

person entrusted with more.” (Lk 12,48)

          He reiterates the same idea a number of times in the parable

of the talents, the parable of the seed, the tenants in the vineyard,

and the different images he taught about the Kingdom of God. Even on

the basis of common sense alone, that idea should be a given.

          We have always been taught to trade with our talents, to

make the most of what is given and entrusted to us, to be generous in

the way we spend our life. Our life here on earth, after all, is a

test of love, the real love, which is love for God and others, and

never just self-love.

          We have been repeatedly assured that if we are generous with

God and with others, we will also be the object of a greater

generosity from God and from others as well.

          Christ said so. “Everyone who has left houses or brothers or

sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will

receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal

life.” (Mt 19,29) Yes, God cannot be outdone in generosity.

* Chaplain Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE),Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

5Star Story from Philippine Star

 

4

Interaksyon Singles Day Coverage by Catalina Ricci S. Madarang Almost everyone now knows the much-awaited 11/11, the largest online shopping event in Asia and the counterpart of the massive annual Black Friday sale in the U.S. Leading e-commerce platform Shopee released early data showing 11 million items sold in the first five minutes of November 11. Zoom out: While online shopping is getting a larger share of shopping malls' original foot traffic, it relies on footprints more heavily than malls. These online footprints are large data sets on customers' browsing behavior and preferences shared across platforms.   Facebook, for one, is able to push the targeted ads for users to buy on Lazada, for example, even when our accounts are not linked.

Let’s always be compassionate and merciful

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

          THAT beautiful gospel story of Zacchaeus, the rich but short

chief tax collector who was privileged to have Christ stay in his

house, (cfr Lk 19,1-10) teaches us precious lessons about why and how

we should be friendly, compassionate and merciful with everyone,

irrespective of whether they are rich or poor, saintly or sinful.

          Our Christian faith tells us that God’s love for us is

eternal. It’s a love that goes all the way to showing mercy for us in

the form of his Son becoming man and taking up all the sins of men by

dying on the cross. No greater love can there be other than this love

of God for us.

          St. Paul drives home this point when he said in his Letter

to the Romans: “He that spared not even his own Son, but delivered him

up for us all, how has he not also, with him, given us all things?”

(8,32)

          That’s why, in spite of our proclivity to sin and make a

mess of our own lives, we can always have reason to be hopeful,

because God never gives up on us. The problem is that we can give up

on him and go our own desperate ways which we try to sweeten with all

sorts of defense mechanisms.

          While we should try to be most aware of our sinfulness, we

should also try to strengthen our conviction about God’s mercy. That

we are sinful is not hard to see. We see our weaknesses and

vulnerabilities quite openly. Temptations are also abundant.

          We should try our best to fight and cope with them as best

that we can, using all the means that Christ himself and the Church

now are giving us. We have a very precious treasure in fragile vessels

of clay. (cfr. 2 Cor 4,7) We may have a lot of talents and other

brilliant endowments, but let’s never forget that we have feet of

clay.

          This realization should make us most careful and ever

vigilant, and should elicit in us great desires to follow Christ as

closely as possible and to learn the art and skills of spiritual

combat to tackle the unavoidable weaknesses, temptations and falls we

will have in life.

          On top of all this, and since our best efforts may still be

found wanting, let’s never forget the abundant and ever-ready mercy of

God whenever we find ourselves in the worst scenarios in life.

          We have to continually check on our attitude towards others

because today’s dominant culture is filled precisely by the viruses of

self-righteousness, that feeling that we are superior to others, and

that would prevent us from being compassionate and merciful with

everyone. We have to do constant battle against that culture.

          That’s why we need to douse immediately any flame of pride

and egoism that can come to us anytime. We have to learn to understand

others, to accept them as they are, warts and all, while praying and

doing whatever we can to help them. It’s not for us to judge their

motives which will always be a mystery to us.

          We should not fall into the trap of putting justice and

mercy in conflict. Both have to go together. Their distinction does

not mean they are opposed to each other. Any appearance of conflict is

only apparent.

          But obviously the way to blend them together is to follow

the example of Christ, and not just to rely on our own lights, no

matter how brilliant these lights may appear.

* Chaplain Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE),Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com