Aquino, Tadios crowned Mr. and Ms. Healthy

Photo by Jeanille Cogtas

Psalm Aquino (Grade 8-Unity) and AllyshaTadios (Grade 10-Perseverance) were crowned as Mr. and Ms. Healthy last July 28, 2016, Thursday at 3:00 pm.

Aquino won as Mr. Healthy, while Kayne Barabat (Grade 10-Perseverance) was proclaimed the 1^st Runner Up and Kyle Ramirez (Grade 8-Integrity), who also received the special award: Mr. Photogenic, followed as the pageant’s 2^nd Runner Up. Aquino represented the fruit mango in all portions of the pageant.

”It’s quite shocking,” Aquino said. “I’m really thankful for my parents, for all their support, and all my classmates, as well.”

Tadios achieved the Ms. Healthy title among the top three girls which included Salve Dorato (Grade 10- Fortitude), who won 1^st Runner Up, and JenneveMoncano(Grade 9- Prudence), who also won 2^nd Runner Up and Ms. Photogenic.

“I’m still shell-shocked. I never expected this,” Tadios said. “I’d like to thank my classmates and my teachers. Without them, I’d never have this wonderful experience.”

Tadios was also given the Best in Costume title for the female category. Her said costume was a ruffled purple gown which accentuated her assigned fruit: grapes.

The beauty contest was hosted by junior high school teachers, Sir Jason Rabi and Ms. FloramaeArain. The judges were Sir Rommel Alavarez (junior high school PE teacher), Sir Jonathan Uy (junior high guidance counselor), Ms. Mary Ann Osabel (school librarian), and Ms. Malousurname (senior high guidance counselor).

The Mr. and Ms. Healthy event was organized in celebration of the Nutrition Month 2016, and is the first of such pageant in ACT so far.

-Maria Eloisa H. Garcia

Aldridge garners again another “Buwan ng Wika” award

Photo by Jason Isaac Rabi III

                 Valerie Aldridge, a student from Grade 10 Fortitude, garnered yet again another Buwan ng Wika award during the culmination program of Buwan ng Wika last .August 26, 2016.

                 Her fuschia terno won Pinakamagandang Kasuotang Pilipino. "I was shocked. I didn't think anyone would notice my gown," Aldridge said.

                 Aldridge has been a Buwan ng Wika awardee for three years in a row. In 2014, she achieved Pinakaagaw-Pansin, while in 2015, she won Pinakamaayos Manamit.

                The faculty even looked forward to seeing what she is to wear that day. “Val is like a hall of famer when it comes to the wearing of Filipiniana costumes.”, Floramae Arain, Student Affairs Office Director (SAO) said in an interview.

Arain said that Aldridge never fails to prepare and  look her best during the said event..

- Maria Eloisa Garcia

Tariman dominates Mr. Math 2016

Photo by Jeanille Cogtas

 Amongst seven other candidates, Ravi Tariman of Grade 10 Fortitude took the title of Mr. Math 2016 Wednesday afternoon during the culmination of the SciMath month at the sixth level of the old ACT building.

  “I was proud of myself. My hard work paid off,” he said. He also mentioned that he didn’t expect the amount of support that he’d gotten from the audience

Posing as English computer scientist and mathematician Alan Turing, Tariman charmed the audience as he strutted down the stage in his black tuxedo and later, arm-in-arm with his classmate and Ms. Science participant Kaye Obando.

“He was handsome, charming and cool. What he wore suited him very well,” Urika Taneo, a tenth grader, said.

After being awarded as Best in Production Number, he received another sash and a square pillow from winning the main award of the pageant: Mr. Math 2016.

“I saw his confidence. He kept smiling on the stage,” Sir Jonathan Uy, senior high and junior high school departments’ guidance counselor and one of the judges, said.

“I was very impressed with the way he carried himself in the pageant. He deserved to win,” Ms. Marinavi Busa commented. She was another judge, as well as the preschool and grade school departments’ guidance counselor.

Photo by Jeanille Cogtas

Alyasa Usop of Grade 7 Courage, dressed as English mathematician G. D. Hardy, followed suit as first runner up, winning People’s Choice Award as well.

Representing Grade 9 Prudence, Emilio Buntia came in second to Usop. He impersonated French philosopher and mathematician Rene Descartes and was also recognized as Mr. Photogenic from the official photoshoot the contestants took part before the major competition.

Mr. Math 2016 and Ms. Science 2016 were meshed into a single event hosted by JHS teachers Ms. Floramae Arain and Sir Jason Rabi III. It was the second of its kind in the ACT timeline –the first competition organized last year September.

The pageant was judged by Ms. Mary Ann Osabel (school librarian), Ms. Marinavi Busa, Sir Jonathan Uy and guest judge Sir Ditto Abrear.

-Maria Eloisa Garcia

Aquino raves 8th place in national aquathlon

Asianista breakthrough swimmer Psalm Deniel Aquino showcased yet again his excellence in the aquatic sport when he claimed the 8^th rank in the Philippine Aquathlon Championships 2016 last September 11.

Photo by Jamil Buergo (sports photographer)

Bearing race number 152, Aquino surpassed 15 out of 23 contestants in the boy’s 13 to 15 sprint distance category in the inaugural competition hosted in Camayan Beach Resort in Subic Bay, Zambales.

“There was nothing else in my mind but winning,” Aquino said.

The eighth grader dashed his way through the run-swim-run aquathlon format of 1k run-600m swim-1k run, passing by 36 out of 44 participants of the same category and coming up close with the seventh placer, Russell Villaraza of Marist School Marikina who finished the aquathlon in exactly 20 minutes.

Crossing the finish line with a record time of 20 minutes and seven seconds, he ranked 12 in the overall results of the junior sprint distance category.

“Art.” Aquino answered when he was asked to describe swimming in one word.

Photo from Google

The young athlete was still fresh from his victory in the 21^st Milo Little Olympics Visayas Regional, which was held in the same week, bagging medals from the 200m backstroke and 200m breast stroke categories in the secondary division.

Aquino said that his inspiration and motivation was his elder sister, Hyaline Aquino, who was also a prominent local swimmer and ACT alumna.

The first Philippine Aquathlon Championships was organized by the Triathlon Association of the Philippines (TRAP) and was supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Camayan Beach Resort, Subica Bay Metropolitan Authority Tourism Department (SBMA-Tourism), Standard Insurance, Gatorade and more sponsors.

Top placers of the youth and junior categories, born in 2001-2002, will be considered for the 2018 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

-Maria Eloisa H. Garcia

Cartoons about Duterte's war on drugs

by Joefrey Mori

by Sigfried E. Sabang 

Beyond The Oblivion

Beyond The Oblivion

by Jywell Buscato

As the shattered mirror Strikes the broken heart It bleeds by its horror It can't end without a start

The eyes sees nothing But a void within The touch held something Yet none sense between

The mirror tried mending its shards Even with a touch, it's weak and fragile As no flutes with no bards And no roads with no mile

No figures were in my observation Cause their hearts are soulless That is beyond the oblivion Of me being useless

Just Smile

Just Smile

by Jwell Buscato

The nights are cold

And the wind kept whistling

But truth be told

Their lives are worth saving

Their minds were poisoned

By their memories of the dark past

It's full of misery and depression

And their greatest moments will be their last

No,no,no, you're not ready

Your lives are terrible

But you have to keep it steady

Or it will be pricked by the needle

It's been a while

For you to do this

Just give a smile

To everyone you missed