VOLUME 1 JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2020

NO ROOM FOR DOUBT. Medical staff in protective clothes carrying a patient from an apartment suspected of having the deadly COVID-2019
coronavirus in Wuhan, in Hubei province on January 30, 2020

‘No room for doubt’

China virus death toll nears 1,400; nearly
64,000 infected
ADRIAN FREDRICK TIGNO
The death toll of transparency' are now recorded as diagnostic methods. deaths in Hubei that
from China's virus from Beijing over its having been made ill The National had been double-
epidemic neared handling of a crisis by the virus in China, Health Commission counted, but the
1,400 on Friday, as that has fuelled global with the last two days disclosed a statistical nationwide toll still
the United States panic. showing a steep rise error, however, saying rose to 1,380 on
complained of a 'lack Nearly 64,000 people after a change in it removed 108 Friday.

4/OPINION #BACKONTRACK

DepEd lifts
PANIC AND
PANDEMIC suspension of
national events,
field trips
NEA BUCALAN
The Department of Education
10/literary (DepEd) has lifted the
suspension of national events
ONCE A PIRATE
and other off-campus activities
DREAM
that it had previously issued as a
precautionary measure against
the coronavirus diseases 2019 trips, starting Feb. 24. strictly followed when
(COVID-19). However, she holding such activities.
Education Secretary Leonor reminded organizers The agency yesterday
INSIGHTS Vofficial Briones on Wednesday issued that all precautionary released the new
a memorandum allowing the measures issued by schedule of national
@INSIGHTS holding of national and regional the DepEd and the events that were
events as well as other off- Department of Health postponed this month
@INSIGHTS (DOH) should be due to the directive.
campus activities such as field
 The first Filipino crew
member of Japanese
cruise ship Diamond
Princess, who tested
positive for COVID-19,
has recovered from
the deadly virus.
The Department
of Foreign Affairs,
together with the
Philippine Embassy in
Tokyo, confirmed that
the Filipino patient
First Filipino positive for COVID-19 on has been successfully
treated and will
Japanese cruise ship ,recovers be discharged
LARA JANE ADAN Wednesday.

ALERT AND READY. People wearing masks wait to cross a street in Hong Kong on January 30, 2020, as a preventative measure
after a virus outbreak which began in the Chinese city of Wuhan.

Go calls for Congress

conscience vote on
ABS-CBN franchise
ZEITEL GIFT ARCILLA
Sen. Christopher for the renewal of its
“Bong” Go is urging franchise on Feb. 24.
his fellow lawmak- Senate President Pro
ers to vote on the Tempore Ralph Recto
franchise renewal of said he counts 17 to
broadcast giant ABS- 19 senators voting to
CBN according to their renew the franchise.
conscience. Go said he would par-
“Once (the franchise ticipate in the hearing,
renewal) reaches saying it may be in aid
our office here at the of legislation.
Senate, I will decide. Go said he would
I’ve already said it: make his decision
vote according to your when the franchise peoples answer Mayon volcano
conscience,” Go said documents reach the
yesterday, adding that
his conscience is in
Senate even as he
vowed to be impartial
What’s the most
painful thing
monitoring
accordance with the
best interests of the
and fair in casting his
vote on the applica-
you’ve been equipments stolen
told? KATRINA JILLIAN PADILA
Filipino people. tion.
The Office of the Solic- Despite Duterte’s Active volcanoes holds instruments
- When i was a kid,
itor General has asked rants against the are in monitor as for earthquake
my mom told me
the Supreme Court network, it does not the Taal Volcano monitoring, global
that she should’ve
(SC) to mean he does not erupted recently, positioning system
aborted me.
revoke the legislative want its franchise to but how come that (GPS) and tiltmeters
franchises of ABS- be renewed, accord- during a disaster like to monitor the
- I was woken up by
CBN Corp. and its ing to the former this, others still have volcano.
my aunt to tell that
subsidiary ABS-CBN special assistant to the urge of stealing “With the loss of the
my mom passed
Convergence Inc., cit- the President. important things? panels, there would
away.
ing what it described “(The President has) During their routine be a gap in reading
as “highly abusive been very vocal with inspection on the data or signals
- When i was told
practices” of the net- his grievances, but he February 6, two 150- provided by the
that i failed as father
work. has not ordered any- watt solar panels at instrument. We are
because my son
ABS-CBN has denied one, even me who’s the DOST-Phivolcs blind to get readings
turned out gay.
any wrongdoing. close to the President. Mayon Resthouse and signals in that
The Senate commit- He always says vote were discovered location, where the
- “You’re the reason i
tee on public services, according to your con- missing by Mayon panels were lost,”
drink and do drugs, I
chaired by Sen. Grace science and prioritize Volcano Observatory said Phivolcs resident
never wanted you.”
Poe, is set to hold its the interest of Filipi- personnel. volcanologist Paul
first hearing on ABS- nos,” Go said. According to Phivolcs, Alanis.
CBN’s application the rest house station
 DepEd postpones national,
regional events in February
amid nCoV threat
ANNE KRISSA BARBOSA

The Department of Education has All off-campus activities such as

put on hold national and regional field trips are also suspended. MAKING SURE. Students wearing protective face
competitions for students in It also “highly discouraged” masks have their temperatures taken while entering
February amid the risk posed by gatherings of schools in division their college campus in Manila on January 31, 2020.
the novel coronavirus. and district activities.
Education Secretary Leonor DepEd however stressed that the peoples answer WinS Club
Briones issued a memorandum Palarong Pambansa, scheduled
released late Tuesday night in May, is not covered by the
What’s 1 thing acts to avoid
postponing events that the suspension. you wish you increasing
department had planned for the DOH reported on Tuesday that it is never heard? paper trash
month. currently monitoring 105 patients
“Upon advice of [Department of under investigation for suspected -When my doctor told KATRINA JILLIAN PADILA
Health], all national and regional case of nCoV. The Phllippines me that i have stage 2 To avoid anyone from
activities involving learners and/ recorded its first death due to the lung cancer. having dehydration or
or teachers requiring travel and novel coronavirus last weekend, drinking dirty water,
congregation of various schools, with another confirmed case under -Peoples opinion Makati Mayor Abigail
divisions, and/or regions are observation. about me and my “Abby” S. Binay gave
suspended,” it read. Global death toll due to the virus body because free tumblers to stu-
The student journalism outbreak has jumped to 490, as dents and teachers.
it changes my
Starting on January 17,
competition was supposed to be Hong Kong reported its first death perspective on seeing the Benigno “Ninoy”
held in Tuguegarao, Cagayan on Tuesday. myself and people. S. Aquino High School
February 17-21. launched their program
about the new tum-
BuCor exec who testified Duterte says gov’t blers that were given to
teachers and students
in GCTA probe shot dead procuring face masks with a theme of “Tum-
blers In! Disposable
SHANE ALEXY BONON
amid shortage due to Cups Out!”.
The suspended legal the Southernside coronavirus outbreak The program’s objective
MARK AZUELA is to lessen the school’s
chief of the Bureau of Montessori School problem with all the
Corrections (BuCor), on Katihan Street in President Rodrigo response to the novel
paper and plastic trash
who had testified at Barangay Poblacion, Duterte on Monday, coronavirus outbreak. scattered everywhere
the Senate hearing when two unidentified February 3, said the So far, the Depart- around the campus.
on the good conduct men appeared and government would ment of Health has It is also connected
procure face masks confirmed two cases to the Wash in School
time allowance shot him at close
for Filipinos as stock- of the novel coronavi- (WinS) program where-
(GCTA) anomaly, was range. The two men
piles of surgical face rus in the Philippines. in they monitor the
shot dead yesterday escaped.
masks were depleted On Monday, health cleanliness of the school
as he was about to Sen. Richard Gordon, and the people as well.
amid fears over the officials said they were
pick up his daughter meanwhile, said “We notice a lot of paper
spread of the 2019 also monitoring 80
from a school in Santos’ killing was a novel coronavirus. persons under investi- cups, plastic and food
Muntinlupa City. rubout as he called Duterte made the gation for the virus. wrappers scattered
Lawyer Fredric on President Duterte announcement after As of Monday, the anywhere. Sometimes
Santos was in his and the justice on the stairs, along the
holding a meeting with virus has killed 362
Toyota Hilux pick-up department to ensure hallway, or just throws it
Cabinet members people and infected away on the plant box.
(AAN 7158), waiting that the BuCor official regarding the Philip- over 17,000 people We want you to know
for his daughter gets justice pine government’s worldwide. that this isn’t just as
to come out of any kind of program.
We are aiming to open
DOJ chief backs BI lifestyle checks your mind more about
JERMAY TIU the situation our school
bribes from Chinese
Justice Secretary Bureau of has when it comes to all
nationals.
Menardo Immigration of this trash,” said Mrs.
“If these allegations Meilani A. Osurman,
Guevarra employees suspected
are true, I will let WinS Club adviser.
yesterday to be involved in the
you eat pastillas but WinS Club also made
expressed support so-called “pastillas”
with money inside. a project that starting
for the proposed racket wherein BI
Just last week the on February 2, teach-
lifestyle ers, students, guards
President made
check and utility personnel
someone eat and
on the must have a tumbler to
swallow P300,” Go
personnel buy any drinks at the
told reporters without
accept canteen.
elaborating.
EDITORIAL
Novel coronavirus
exposes
govt’s ineptitude
The debacle surrounding the
Philippine government’s response
to the novel coronavirus (nCoV)
emergency in the Philippines is
merely symptomatic of its utter
inability to handle a crisis of such
scale with even the bare minimum
competence.
In particular, the Philippine public
health system, long desperate
for funding and equipment, took
five days before confirming the
country’s first nCoV case.
Conditions such as these are what
inevitably lead to private health
providers jacking up the prices of
medicines and health
services, forcing is almost comical, perfect record of marginalized who are The nCoV crisis
citizens to choose considering how alleviating the effects set to suffer the most is not a sudden,
between hopelessly the state previously of mass outbreaks. from the government’s unprecedented event;
poor public services sanctioned the export Evidence from negligence and it is simply symbolic
and exorbitantly of an entire shipment previous similar incompetence. While of the massive,
priced private of face masks to outbreaks such as the elite hoard enough widening chasm
options. China, leaving its own SARS in 2003, bird face masks to last between the elite
Even beyond the citizens once again in flu in 2006, and them and their families that continue to rule,
health sector, years of the lurch. swine flu in 2009 all for months on end, the and the masses that
government neglect Even calls to wash point toward travel masses desperately continue to suffer at
and misplaced one’s hands regularly bans at best delaying search stores for their hands.
priorities have made are ignorant of the the spread of an available masks, to no We call for improved
the Philippines a state long periods that outbreak, without avail. public services,
woefully ill-equipped citizens have to significantly affecting While the elite get especially a health
to deal with a crisis endure with water the number of those around via the relative care system that will
of this kind; indeed, supply cutoffs, and in infected. safety of private not leave its citizens
almost every aspect some cases, even a In addition, such transportation, the scrambling for face
of society is set up total lack of access to measures are likely to masses must contend masks and alcohol
in such a way as to clean water. limit the movement with crowded buses, bottles.
lead to a massive, All told, the state of of medical personnel trains, and walkways, We strongly caution
catastrophic health government services and supplies across each medium ripe for against the use of
outbreak such as the has long been a state borders, and the quick transmission racist remarks and
nCoV crisis. recipe for disaster, have far-reaching of the virus. rhetoric to refer to
Health Secretary and it was only a adverse effects on While the elite will no those afflicted by the
Francisco Duque matter of time before states’ economies. doubt be afforded only virus, and reiterate
III’s call for citizens a crisis such as this Ultimately, states the highest of medical that outbreaks such
to avoid crowded would expose its must have strong standards in sprawling as these know no
areas is grossly out of fallibility. enough policies and private hospitals, the nationality or race.
touch with a society Not even the travel systems to never masses will be left at Finally, we call for
in which crowding is bans, which President even have to consider the mercy of the same the end of elite rule
inevitable due to poor Duterte belatedly such measures — hugely underfunded in all its forms, and
urban planning and chose to impose standards which the public health system for a more just and
even poorer public in the aftermath of Philippines falls well that took five days equitable society in
transportation. the confirmation of short of. to diagnose the first which crises such as
The Department of the first case in the In the end, it is nCoV case in the the nCoV outbreak
Health’s advice to Philippines, have a once again the Philippines. can be dealt with.
wear face masks

Editor-in-Chief Adrian Fredrick Tigno Jermay Kyle Tiu Feature Editor

Associate Editor Katrina Jillian Padilla Nea Bucalan Science Editor

Managing Editor Jermay Kyle Tiu Zeitel Gift Arcilla Editorial Editor

News Editor Shane Alexy Bonon Lara Jane Adan Sports Editor
 There is no
Capitalism is
human dignity in
the Philippines
killing the earth How Xi Jinping’s
ADRIAN TIGNO
The role of any
MARK AZUELA
The need to act on ‘controlocracy’ lost control
government is to climate change has
protect, preserve, and never been more In his 2016 had already
uplift the dignity of urgent. The world is book “The left the city,
the human person. using up more than Perfect triggering
Dignity of the human 100 billion tons of Dictatorship: the epidemic
person as enshrined natural resources China in the that is now
in the most superior per year for the 21st Century,” spreading
law in the land is first time ever. One Norwegian across China
inherent to every million species of political and the rest
individual. plants and animals scientist of the world.
The first coronavirus
Yet, day in and day are now threatened Stein Ringen For the first time
case appeared in
out, we hear about with extinction. 2019 describes since coming to
Wuhan, the capital of
harrowing stories was also one of the contemporary China power, Xi’s high-
Hubei province, on
that make us realize hottest years on as a “controlocracy,” tech censorship
Dec. 1, 2019, and, as
that there is no record and ended arguing that machine is meeting
early as the middle
human dignity in the the hottest decade in its system of with intense
of the month, the
Philippines. history. government has been resistance from
Chinese authorities
The bane not only of Technically, it’s transformed into a millions of Chinese
had evidence that
every worker in Metro everyone’s fault. But new regime radically internet users. The
the virus could
Manila but also of should we go deeper harder and more controlocracy is being
be transmitted
everyone is the daily and lay the blame on ideological than what put to the test. Most
between humans.
commute. The hellish the economic system came before. China’s likely, though, the
Nonetheless,
congestions in every we’ve adopted? “controlocracy” outbreak itself will be
the government
thoroughfare, which Should we destroy now bears primary used to justify even
did not officially
get worse on paydays capitalism before it responsibility for the more surveillance
acknowledge the
and during bad supposedly destroys coronavirus epidemic and control of the
epidemic on national
weather, have shown us? And is this even that is sweeping population.
television until Jan.
no notable sign of possible? across that country
20. During those
abatement despite and the world.Over Xi is an unabashed
seven weeks, Wuhan
numerous efforts of the past eight years, dictator. But his
police punished
this administration. the central leadership dictatorship is far
eight health workers
of the Communist from “perfect.” His
for attempting to
Party of China has obsessive need to
peoples answer taken steps to bolster
sound the alarm on
control information
social media. They
President Xi Jinping’s has deprived Chinese
What are you ashamed of? personal authority,
were accused of
citizens of their
“spreading rumors”
as well as expand the right to know what
- I’m ashamed - I’m ashamed of and disrupting “social
CPC’s own powers, is happening in their
of endlessly not accomplishing order.”Meanwhile,
at the expense communities, and
procastinating and anything meaningful the Hubei regional
of ministries and potentially within
letting my grades go in my 25 years of government
local and provincial their own bodies.
downhill. living. continued to conceal
governments.
the real number of
Under the As of Feb. 9, the
-I’m ashamed of -I’m ashamed that coronavirus cases
controlocracy, outbreak has killed
isolating myself from i used to take my until after local
websites have been more than 900
the people i care anger out on my officials had met
shut down; lawyers, people and infected
most about. family when i was with the central
activists, and writers another 40,000 in
angry with other government in
have been arrested; over 25 countries.
-I’m ashamed of people and life in mid-January. In the
and a general chill For all its advanced
being insecure and general. event, overbearing
has descended upon digital technologies
not putting myself censorship and
online expression and extraordinary
out there. -I’m ashamed of bureaucratic
and media reporting. economic and
making people obfuscation had
Equally important, military power, China
-I’m ashamed of believe i’m someone squandered any
the system Xi has is being governed as
myself for letting the who i’m not. opportunity to get the
installed since 2012 if it were a premodern
opinions of others virus under control
is also driving the autocracy. The
alter how i percieve -I am ashamed before it had spread
direction of new Chinese people
myself, specifically that i escape from across Wuhan, a city
technologies in China. deserve better.
for how long i’ve been situations when of 14 million people.
Cloud computing, big Unfortunately, they
avoding being my things get rough. By Jan. 23, when
data, and artificial and the rest of the
authentic self for fear the government
intelligence (AI) are world will continue
being criticised. -I’m ashamed for not finally announced a
all being deployed to pay a high price
being enough for my quarantine on Wuhan
to strengthen the for Xi’s high-tech
-I’m ashamed of my family and friends. residents, around
central government’s despotism.
way of thinking. five million people
control over society.
IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE JERMAY KYLE TIU
The gray ash is knee- and photographer from “We had happy another eruption. They
lifeless gray.
deep. It covers homes, The New York Times memories here,” he said. could send walls of
At least 30,000 people
trees and the bloated accompanied them. “The island sustained suddenly displaced lake
in a nine-mile radius
cadavers of cows and Among the first our livelihoods, but also water surging toward
of surrounding towns
horses, their limbs challenges they faced took everything back. the shore, crushing and
have fled, and the
protruding at unnatural as they sloshed ashore Everything’s gone in the inundating everything in
United Nations says as
angles in the shadow of from a motorized canoe blink of an eye.” the way.
many as a half-million
a brooding volcano that was the two feet of ash. Coconut trees are now There was little warning
residents remain at
could re-explode at any It was difficult to see blackened stumps, and before Taal erupted
risk. For now, Taal is
moment. precisely where the the menacing mountain again on Sunday,
not habitable, and
“My home is now gone,” water ended and the was still belching and residents of the
volcanologists say a
said Melvin Mendoza, land began. Hundreds of plumes of smoke and island and nearby
new and perhaps more
39, a boatman who dead, ash-coated tilapia ash with ultrafine towns in Batangas
powerful eruption
returned on Tuesday bobbed in the gentle particles that are Province scrambled for
is possible. Despite
to Taal, the volcanic current, injecting the dangerous to breathe. safety, forced to leave
government warnings,
island in the middle of a smell of rotting fish into A thick column of ash everything behind.
Mr. Mendoza and a
freshwater lake just 40 the sulfur-scented air. was rising from the Taal Mr. Mendoza said he felt
few other residents
miles south of Manila, In some places, rain had crater, visible for miles lucky. His wife, Jasmine,
of the island ventured
which erupted on already hardened the around and posing a 34, and two young
back from emergency
Sunday like an atomic ash, like crusty snow, threat to aircraft. children, ages 14 and 10,
shelters on Tuesday to
bomb mushroom cloud. making it relatively easy The danger is not escaped unscathed.
see firsthand
The toxic ash and
“AS LONG AS
what to walk over. Elsewhere, limited to ash, smoke
smoke, reeking of the ash was still soft and and lava flows. The
remained
sulfur and other treacherous. volcano institute also
of
noxious gases, have
transformed the
their homes,
and perhaps
Mr. Mendoza
choked back
warned of a
possible WE’RE ALIVE,
verdant tears as he tsunami
island, a
popular
salvage a few
belongings. A salvaged a plank
of wood from
from the
earthquakes that
THERE’S HOPE”
tourist what had been his might accompany
spot, house.
into a vast
reporter
carpet of
 p u s h e r
ADRIAN FREDRICK TIGNO

YOU HEAR A President Rodrigo last glance at a man drug operations, the what the police call a
MURDER SCENE Duterte began when killed in the middle of Philippine National case when a suspect
before you see it: he took office on a busy road. Police have counted resists arrest and
The desperate cries June 30: since then, Not far from where more than 3,500 ends up dead. It
of a new widow. The about 2,000 people Tigas was killed, I unsolved homicides means “he fought it
piercing sirens of had been slain at the found Michael Araja, since July 1, turning out.” That is what they
approaching police hands of the police shown in the first much of the country said about Florjohn
cars. The thud, thud, alone. photo below, dead into a macabre house Cruz, 34.
thud of the rain Over my 35 days in front of a “sari of mourning. His niece said they
drumming on the in the country, I sari,” what locals call Some bodies were found a cardboard
pavement of a Manila photographed 57 the kiosks that sell found on the streets sign saying “Pusher at
alleyway — and on murder victims basics in the slums. with their heads Adik Wag Tularan”
the back of Romeo at 41 sites, each Neighbors told me wrapped in packing THE SAME NIGHT
Torres Fontanilla. represented by a that Mr. Araja, 29, tape. Others were left FLORJOHN CRUZ
Tigas, as Mr. yellow dot on this had gone out to with crude cardboard WAS KILLED, we
Fontanilla was known, map. buy cigarettes and signs labeling found ourselves a few
was lying facedown I witnessed bloody a drink for his wife, victims as dealers or streets away an hour
in the street when I scenes just about only to be shot dead addicts. That is what and a half later, at
pulled up after 1 a.m. everywhere by two men on a happened with the another home where
He was 37. Gunned imaginable — on the motorcycle, a tactic two men in the video a man had been
down, witnesses sidewalk, on train common enough to below, which was murdered. It was
said, by two unknown tracks, in front of a have earned its own captured by a security raining that night, too.
men on a motorbike. girls’ school, outside nickname: riding in camera outside Santa
The downpour had
washed his blood into
7-Eleven stores
and a McDonald’s
tandem.
In another
Catalina College,
a private religious “THEY’RE
the gutter.
The rain-soaked
restaurant, across
bedroom mattresses
neighborhood,
Riverside, a bloodied
school for girls.
“NANLABAN”
SLAUGHTERING
alley in the Pasay
district of Manila
and living-room
sofas. I watched as a
Barbie doll lay next to
the body of a 17-year-
is
US LIKE
was my 17th crime
scene, on my 11th
woman in red peeked
at one of those grisly
old girl who had been
killed alongside her
ANIMALS”
day in the Philippines sites through fingers 21-year-old boyfriend. said a bystander
capital. I had come to held over her eyes, Beyond who was afraid
document the bloody at once trying to those to give his
and chaotic campaign protect herself and killed in name.
against drugs that permit herself one official
 an

In t e r s t e l l a r
journey NEA BUCALAN

After clocking 328 consecutive female astronaut, held by fellow American

days in space, NASA astronaut
Christina Koch landed safely
back on Earth the week before
last. Her trip was the longest-ever single
spaceflight mission for a woman, and she
did it for science: special moment she would
never forget.
She would miss the friendship of her crewmates, she
said, and of course the spectacular views.
On Thursday the US astronaut was at last granted that
wish, when the Russian Soyuz spacecraft, carrying Koch,
Russian cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov and Italy’s Luca
Parmitano, landed in Kazakhstan, almost a year after
Koch last set foot on earth.
Her enormous grin as she was helped from the pod
showed just how sweet the central Asian breeze could
feel after 11 months in an airtight capsule. “I am so
overwhelmed and happy right now,” the 41-year-old told
reporters, shortly after being slid out of the scorched
craft and helped to a chair.
Having blasted off on 12 March last year, Koch’s stint on
the ISS surpassed the previous continuous record for a
Peggy Whitson, and brought her within 12 days
of the US record set in 2015/16 by the male Nasa
astronaut Scott Kelly.
Her voyage saw her make 5,248 orbits of the Earth,
witnessing 16 sunrises and sunsets every day, and travel
223m km.
Koch has said that both she and fellow astronaut Jessica
Meir, with whom she overlapped on the ISS, were con-
scious of their status as role models to young women in
particular.
Women and men are known to adapt to space differently
in some ways, though the reasons are not fully under-
stood
Though there was much about her stay that was unfor-
gettable, Koch said last week, her spacewalk with Meir
was a special moment she would never forget.
“We caught each other’s eye and we knew that we were
really honoured with this opportunity to inspire so many,
and just hearing our voices talk to Mission Control,
knowing two female voices had never been on the loops,
solving those problems together outside – it was a really
special feeling.”, She said.

Antarctica logs highest temperature on

record of 18.3C
ANNE KRISSA BARBOSA
A record high temperature of 17.5C, by the UN World know, means we are
temperature of 18.3C in March 2015. Meteorological in big trouble when
(64.9F) has been The temperature Organisation (WMO). it comes to sea level
logged on the was recorded in Temperatures on the rise.”
continent the Antarctic Antarctic continent While 18.3C is a record
of Antarctica. Peninsula, on have risen by almost for the Antarctic
The reading, taken the continent’s 3C over the past 50 continent, the record
on Thursday north-west years, the organisation in the wider Antarctic
by Argentine tip - one of said, and about 87% region - which includes
research base the fastest- of the glaciers along the continent, islands
Esperanza, is warming its west coast have and ocean that are in
0.8C hotter regions on “retreated” in that the Antarctic climatic
than the earth. time.. zone - is 19.8C, logged
previous It is being “The melting from in January 1982.
peak verified these glaciers, you
New solar telescope
captures the first into the abyss
ever detailed picture
The mission to drill through the Earth’s crust
of the sun ZEITEL GIFT ARCILLA
KATRINA JILLIAN PADILLA Last month, floating saurs? What happens ly it has caused way
in the ocean south of to life when the planet more questions than
As a kid, drawing a circle with New Zealand, a team dramatically warms or answers.”
lines around it represents a sun of scientists were cools? Can millions of harder crust.
with its rays. But now, with the investigating the end years of Earth history Drilling takes place all
help of technology, the first ever of the dinosaurs and tell us where we’re hours, with 9.5 meter
detailed picture of the sun was trying to predict the heading? long core samples
discovered. future. The abyss may hold hauled to the surface
A new solar telescope in Hawaii They were unspool- the answers. for immediate anal-
took its first photo of the sun ing Earth’s history, “We have only been ysis. Cores are then
on January 31 that showed the raising up sections of chipping away at the split lengthways and
details on the sun’s surface as sediment and ancient very, very top surface,” stored in a refrigera-
small as about 18 miles. rock from beneath he said. “Over 50 tor for use in further
The grainy pattern in the the South Pacific. years, we’ve gradually research.
telescope’s “first light” image With these samples, got a little bit more Koppers says the ship
is the mark of plasma cells on scientists are probing insight, and actual- can penetrate through
the Sun’s surface. . Hot plasma some of our most around seven kilome-
from within the Sun rises to longstanding, and ters of sediment in a
the surface, cools and sinks most urgent, two-month peri-
back down in a process called questions: od, although
convection, like bubbling water in What hap- “you’re lucky
a boiling pot. pened (to) get a
The new solar telescope was in the kilometer”
known as the Daniel K. Inouye wake through
Solar Telescope located at the of the the hard-
Haleakala volcano on the island dino- er crust.
of Maui.
Moreover, the telescope’s ability
to capture more minute details
on the Sun’s surface than
ever before will help scientists
test theories about the Sun’s
workings that eluded previous
observations.

HUMAN CYBORG
SHANE ALEXY BONON

Paralyzed no more. that serve as mechanical muscle.

Kristen Sorensen was 55 when she became
paralyzed from the neck down last year.
“It came out of nowhere,” says
Sorensen. “I’d been fine and
exercising every day, but it just
started with tingling in my
fingertips then progressed.”
Diagnosed in October
2018 with Guillain Barre
syndrome, a rare disorder
that affects the body’s nervous
system, she never expected to walk again.
But earlier that year, the Brooks Cybernic
Treatment Center in Jacksonville, Florida,
became the first US center to use a unique
rehabilitative technology developed in
Japan -- the Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL).
HAL -- essentially a wearable cyborg
-- helps those with spinal cord injuries
and muscular dystrophy regain their
movements and strengthen their nerves
and muscles. Known as exoskeletons,
they’re a type of lightweight suit, with
joints powered by small electric motors,
Here’s what’s truly mind-blowing: Patients use
their brain waves to control them.
When Sorensen heard about the brain wave-
controlled exoskeleton, which was developed by
Japanese roboticist Yoshiyuki Sankai, she knew
she had to give it a try. She was determined to
walk at her daughter’s wedding a few months later
in December.
In the future, as human bodies wear down with
age, an exoskeleton -- powered by active minds --
could help people stay on their feet.
With such huge potential applications available,
the global medical exoskeleton market will
be worth an estimated $2.8 billion by 2023,
according to research company Markets and
Markets.
“After the first couple times, your brain connects
to HAL, and I could see I was moving my legs
myself,” she says. “It was just incredible -- my
heart was just bursting.”
Currently, Sankai’s exoskeletons are helping
patients restore their muscle movements in
Japan, the Philippines and in Germany and
Poland.
 The sweeter
Sad Short
Stories

apple
- For sale: baby
shoes, never worn.
- The heart monitor
chimed its final tune. LARA JANE ADAN
Come the end there
was no applause. A lovely little girl
- I used to want to was holding two
lose my virginity. I apples
just didn’t think it’d in her hands.
be taken by forced. Her mom came in and softly
asked her little daughter with
- They told me they a smile, “My sweetie, could you
could save my wife give your mom one of your two
or my son. They were apples?”
wrong. The girl looked up at her mom for
- Born a twin. some seconds, then she suddenly
Graduated only child. took a quick bite on one apple,
and then quickly on the other.
- Some people die at The mom felt the smile on her
25 and aren’t buried face freeze. She tried hard not to
until 75 reveal her disappointment.
- My owner won’t Then the little girl handed one
wake up. My food of her bitten apples to her mom,
bowl has been empty and said, “Mommy, here you are. This
for so long. is the sweeter one.”

- Imagine living.

Once a pirate dream

A tattered gown placed on my body and a
JERMAY KYLE TIU

I open my eyes seeing myself in an old ship. I stood there. Thinking.

Until I realized that the ship is
withered bouquet of primrose on my hand. my roller coaster journey of life. It
As I ventured on the ship, it seems all the has made its way to the sea to
people occupying the inside…are frozen. escape the reality but it made
The weird thing is, these are the people I have me feel suffocated by
dreamed every night. the hellacious illusion
Snap. I have gone back from reality, finding trying to enter me.
myself back to the same place I have So, I go back to
ventured. I realized that I was captured, by these petrified
pirates, a precious moment per se, I am fond memories,
of seeing this in movies but for myself it’s a appalled to
ghastly dream. go back and
I was kidnapped. face the
Forced to be inside the barricade of veracity.
loneliness and failure, I hopped down
the aisle of a vintage scenery from the
crow’s nest.
A pirate came to me. His sickening jovial
smile widens as I drew near towards him.
Pirates are in joy seeing this aesthetic
moment unraveling while I screamed like the
damned souls left in the very gates of hell and
fought back.
I burst out of anger. I’m dying inside because
I know that I can never escape this horrible
nightmare.
 Swimmer Ernie meet to earn him
Gawilan became qualification points.
the first Filipino to Gawilan, however,
qualify for the 2020 will still need to
Tokyo Paralympic compete in one
Games due to his more Paralympic
stellar performance in Qualifier to reclassify
the 2018 Asian Para his disability—limb
Games in Indonesia. deficiency—before

PH swimmer Ernie Gawilan

Gawilan won the finalizing his entry to
gold medal in the the Tokyo Games.
400-meter freestyle
qualifies for Tokyo (S7 class), 100m
backstroke (S7 class),
The Tokyo Paralympic
Games will be held
Paralympics and 200m individual
medley (SM7 class)
from August 25 to
September 6.
LARA JANE ADAN in the continental

Olympic conference Bolts hoping Almazan

recovers quickly from
moved to Switzerland knee injuryA
due to China virus ANNE KRISSA BARBOSA

SHANE ALEXY BONON With June Mar Fa- man in the middle
jardo of San Miguel come the Philippine
A sports conference Three months before two months ago. Beer out because of Cup.
of Olympic the Tokyo Olympics Among events a shinbone inju- Black believes the
stakeholders is scheduled to canceled, ry and Barangay onus now is how he
Ginebra’s 7-foot manages practices as
canceled in open, the event gives postponed or
center Greg Slaugh- the preseason plods
Beijing due to a late opportunity moved include
ter opting to go on along.
the coronavirus for all the Summer qualifiers for the leave, Meralco would There are other slot
outbreak has Games sports Tokyo Olympics have been in the men in the league
been moved to governing bodies to and test events for mix as a pretourna- who are out of com-
Switzerland. exchange ideas and the 2022 Beijing ment favorite when mission. Guys like
Organizers of concerns with the Winter Games. the league’s 45th Phoenix’s Jake
the SportAccord Japanese organizing Tokyo organizers, season gets off the Pascual and
meetings said on committee. the IOC and World ground on March Dave Marcelo
Thursday it would China has been Health Organization 8, only for the Bolts are the latest big
take place from forced to give up have said there is to still not have the men to fall due to
April 19-24 in hosting numerous no need currently man that turned injuries. INQ
their fortunes
the International sports competitions for a contingency
Until
Olympic due to the COVID-19 plan for the July 24-
that
Committee’s home outbreak that Aug. 9 Olympics. injury
city of Lausanne. emerged in Wuhan not
only
de-
nied
the
Bolts
of a
fair

chance
against
the Gin
Kings,
but also
of a solid
GAMING
One gaming talent
agency in the country
hopes to bring
esports to the next
level—that is, to
higher education in
the Philippines.
Tier One
Entertainment, which
counts cosplayer
Alodia Gosiengfiao
as chief creative
officer, has drafted an
esports curriculum
with Lyceum of the
Philippines University, Esports could become college degree
it announced via
Instagram yesterday, through Alodia Gosiengfiao’s
Feb. 19.
Gutierrez said
gaming agency
students will choose ADRIAN FREDRICK TIGNO
between game
design or esports A DREAM COME TRUE. The Sibol Philippine team survived a tenacious Thailand side to win the DoTA 2 gold medal
in the 30th Southeast Asian Games
management as
potential course course is not going to If approved, the the Commission on will have a new
tracks, refusing to be easy, it’s not going program may be Higher Education on generation of
disclose further to be just about fun able to provide March 4. graduates ready to
details on the and games,” Gutierrez job opportunities, “The goal has always work in the esports
potential class said on his official specifically to those been to create more industry,” he said.
subjects. Facebook page. who want to work in opportunities for If the program “goes
“This is a golden Gutierrez also the esports industry, gamers in Asia. If well” according to
opportunity to show appealed for public Gutierrez said in a this curriculum gets Gutierrez, he said it
our society that support as they separate post. approved, we won’t would be possible to
gaming is not a waste sought to have the Gutierrez said they just be providing post- have “a full course”
of time. I’m giving you curriculum approved will be submitting the career opportunities available by this year.
a heads up that this by the government. curriculum design to for gaming but we

Ravena brothers Kiefer, John Beilein

resigns as
Thirdy face ‘test’ as they coach, says
reunite at Gilas emotional
ANGELO MARK AZUELA goodbye to Cavs
It took nearly half it’s going to be a test, KATRINA PADILLA
a decade before hopefully we can find a
brothers Kiefer and way and I could adjust John Beilein stood
Thirdy Ravena became to his type of play,” in front of the Cava-
teammates once said Kiefer in Filipino liers and emotionally
again. after Gilas Pilipinas’ explained why he’s
But while they share Thursday at Meralco
a close bond that Gym leaving. This was couldn’t go on. Calipari, Rick Piti-
is made closer by “I’m really happy goodbye. “It took a real man to no, Tim Floyd, Mike
basketball, Kiefer especially for my But even on his way do that today,” Cavs Montgomery and P.J.
admits that playing parents who have out, the admired forward Kevin Love Carlesimo are among
together again with his waited a long time coach gave his play- said. “Everybody you a group who found
younger brother will for this to happen ers one last lesson. talk to will say they coaching at the high-
still need some getting and finally it did and He showed them respected the hell out est level problematic.
used to. it’s with the national
honesty, dignity and of him.” “In some ways, in a
“It’s been a while, to team,” said Thirdy.
vulnerability. He ad- Beilein is not the first lot of ways,” Love said.
be honest, and we “It’s going to be
mitted the losing had high-profile college “We could have been
haven’t really played great representing
together except for the country with my
beaten him. coach to flop in the a lot better.”
pick-up games and brother.” Beilein said he NBA. Kentucky’s John