Our life is like a game.

If you want to win, then go and fight to survive and get that victory you want. But
if you want to finish it already, then stop at your pace and give up. Some of us nowadays, experience
stress and anxiety attacks, days like negativities always pop-up into our minds, even if we are only sitting
at the chair or sleeping at the couch, we still feel like we are already exhausted. What worst is that, we
came to the point where we just wanted to end the pain, the discomfort or inshort to end our lives.

As pandemic strikes our country, we have been isolated for days and even months in our own house.
News about the situation here in our country, the increasing number of positive cases and numbers of
deaths every day is continuously broadcasted in the news report. Terror and uneasiness invaded our
positive minds and started to worry if what will happen next. Can we still witness the sun rising during
dawn and capture it as it sets? Can we still reach our dreams? Finish our studies and fulfill one of our
goals which is to reciprocate all the hardships and sacrifices our parents invested while we were still
studying. Those are the questions, we couldn’t answer yet.

We lost many lives because of depression. Many people had suffered dealing with their own problems,
insecurities, flaws, imperfections, negative feedbacks from other people whom they trusted more,
betrayals, body-shamming, victim-blamming and many more. Their thoughts were consumed by those,
leading them to end their lives or to suicide. Like a flower forcely pulled from its root, slowly they
withered and rested forever.

Asking for help doesn’t mean you are weak, crying all your pain doesn’t mean you are weak and too
sensitive, having breakdowns doesn’t mean you are weak. Afterall, you are human, we are all human,
and whatever we feel is valid. Break the stigma of having a wrong mindset when it comes to mental
health. If you see someone ranting about how hard her day went off, don’t judge her that she’s
overthinking too much. You may not know that someone is suffering from depression because of word.
Remember to be kind, ALWAYS. So if you feel like you wanted to end everything, please remember why
you started the battle you keep on fighting for up until now. Remember that you are the writer of your
own story, if you want to end it, then put a period on it. but if you want to take a pause for awhile and
continue it later, then put a semicolon.
ON (THE) PRESS NOT OFF(THE)PRESS

Everyone of us know that press plays a great role to our society and to our lives. It is also something that
connected to our everyday living, since the day we are born, until the day we will be gone here on earth.
One of the most important benefits of having a freedom of press is that, it allows us to be informed and
aware about what is happening in our country. Information about the important events, such as the
state of our government and actions of some politicians, celebrity news, weather updates, trending
issues, our economy growth or in general—the improvement and downfall of our country. But what if
there is no longer freedom in press? And worse is that, it happens during a pandemic?

We are already aware about the renunciation of ABS-CBN franchise to continue its operation. This is not
just a local disclosure because even other countries talked about it. Issuance from the National
Telecommunications Commissions to cease-and-desist the said network because of failure to renew its
franchise and some alleged violations. Though it was not still further investigated, they opt to shutdown
the largest broadcasting network here in the Philippines. Probably afraid of those journalists that fight
and seek to spread truths amidst this realm of lies. Those journalists who issues the things they have
noticed, giving an opportunity to reveal the names of incompetent leaders, who did nothing but to slip
money on their pockets and chill on their golden chairs.

Many of us were and still affected of the said issue. It is like the freedom we have were take by those
people who have great powers to manipulate and controlled everyone of us. Like it is our obligation to
kneel down to their wicked thrones and serve them like a king and queen. It is acceptable if all those
alleged violations are proven, or even if they are guilty about it, why can’t they give them a chance to
redeem their mistakes? Is it because law is law? Then how about those people who have a great
privileged in terms of justice? Those people who violate law yet you can still see them having some fun
out there?

During this pandemic, the most important thing we need is the press. Especially those in Metro Manila
and other provinces who can only access to Kapamilya channel, they are in need of news. News about
the number of deaths because of the COVID-19 and even the active cases here, if there is progress on
the Manila Bay project of the government for the improvement of our mental health, the issue of
PhilHealth’s budget and other issues they need to perceive.

We are a democratic country, therefore we have our freedom. Our freedom to express and have the
press as our alliances and wake up call to others. If they think the press is our main enemy, well they are
blinded by tons of lies and their minds are already consumed by iniquitous whispers of crocodiles and let
themselves to be their dogs. Now is the best time to let the press be known not to be unknown. On the
button to make the press continue its operation not only because we are in a pandemic but because it is
what we truly need. Petition to operate not to eradicate. Press to see every mess not to fall into distress.