BACK TO BARRACKS: THE RAWNESS OF RETURN

by Erica Mae G. Cala

        What do face-to-face classes feel like?

          This is the question that formed in my mind one morning when I opened my eyes, yawned, and thrown my blanket on the side. The fresh caress of wind coming from the opened window in my room, coated my being. Bare faced and with my hair messed up, I lazily got up, stirred my coffee, and sat on my study area.

          I was about to answer my modules when suddenly, "Erica, you'll be late for school! Get up now!" I discerned as my mother shouted from the kitchen. "Oh! That's why I was smelling the aroma of hotdogs and eggs this morning," I thought.

          I glitched for a while like a damaged CD as to why my mother called me that early, but I snappily shook my head as if taming myself. Similar to a flashback in a movie, the announcement of our campus administrator replayed in my mind. How could I ever forget about the day I'd been imagining to happen again? For the last two years, I was nagging about not having face-to-face classes and distressing on having self-study sessions. Today, it's finally happening. I immediately shook my head to finish the flashback. Now, I’m back to barracks! For real!

         As I wander around the campus, nostalgia hit my individuality. The flat green field, the humongous buildings, and uniformed students made me feel the spirit of school again. "I missed this," I silently whispered to myself. I suddenly felt the urge to ask my fellow students about their point of view on returning to school. I want to savor some rawness today. I eventually approached a girl, 5’3 in height, wearing a black bag and carrying a tumbler in her one hand.

        After I've thrown my questions upon her, she responded, "I feel happy and excited, to be exact." I smiled at her giddy answer. That was pretty obvious! I silently exclaimed. Nevertheless, I thanked her and proceeded to the girl she's laughing with. The girl with a curly hair and a brown complexion retaliated, in which her answer shocked me. She said: "No, I wasn't actually happy. Just thinking about the hassle I have to face again every single day, it’s kind of exhausting from here. You know, in modular learning, I've got all my time under control." For the second time, I just smiled and expressed my gratitude before leaving.

        As I gone further in the corridor, my gaze met with a pale man whose eyebrows are bushy. I was about to open my mouth to ask him, but he was quick to turn away. Maybe, he knows I was going to interview him! Grateful, I wasn't able to utter anything, if not, it would’ve been embarrassing.

        As I went closer to our department, my smile slowly faded. Looking around, I recognized no one. I felt like I was in an unfamiliar zone. With a sweat of a bullet, fast heartbeat, and lightheadedness, as if I was having a social anxiety, I faced every student in the corridor with my body in a slouching manner. I only got my breath back, when I stepped into our classroom. At least there, I knew three of my classmates. The rest were strangers to me. It was like my first time. New circumstances were about to unfold, which I have to deal with. Schooling is no easy task, but it’s always an amazing experience – a journey that embarks one’s growth and individual evolution.

        "Good morning, class! Please settle yourselves."

        Hearing this for the first time after two years, I immediately sat on the available seat in front. As the class started, I seemed going back to square one. I took out my notebook to copy something from the board, yet it seemed like my pen run out of ink and I can't write a single letter! As if unknown to me, I just continued listening there, grasping the discussion, and navigating a familiar feeling from way before.

        A little later, I found myself raising my arm to answer my teacher's question. I smiled when I was complimented, "Very good!" After that, my teacher conducted an evaluation through a 30-item quiz. Just when I thought I forgot how to do school anymore, I aced it with no doubts! I quietly celebrated myself. I, again, felt the eagerness to be something, to do something, and dare to be something more.

        As I got back to my seat, I realized, definitely, this is what face-to-face classes feel like!

BEYOND TEACHING PROFESSION

by Charlene J. Dela Cruz 

Teachers of CAPSU Burias join the celebration of the World Teachers' Day through a program facilitated by the Human Resource Management Office and various student organizations of the said campus.

         What’s about teacher appreciation day that makes you so happy?

          Every October, we honor the commitment of our teachers in providing us with the greatest education possible. The world appreciates them as noble professionals who radiate light and positivity, as well as dedicate their time, effort, and resources in educating the minds and hearts of the students, in igniting their passions, and in shaping their characters to be the best versions of themselves.

        Somehow, we believe that teachers make our lives difficult. We experienced anxiety, fear, mental blockage, low self-esteem, and the desire to go home and sleep as soon as they entered the room, while carrying their belongings, including laptops, student records, books, exam sheets, or anything else.

        When they give a lot of homework and tasks, vaguely show indications of annoyance during classes, have high standards and expectations for their students, we tend to mentally curse them.

        We make an undeniably wrong judgement when we limit our perspective about how we feel towards them. We failed to see that, in addition to the items they constantly carry, there are other responsibilities they need to work on, usually until midnight and early morning after being present at school for roughly nine hours, to provide us with knowledge we genuinely need as we learn the ins and outs of life and the world.

        We get the impression that someday, we will be and we will work as professionals like them as we observe their stance, attitudes, outlooks, speech, and their writing.

         The assignments, examinations, unexpected quizzes, and outputs probably overwhelmed us every time, but it teach us different skills and traits we'll need in the reality of living – which is way tougher and complicated than those math problems, essays, and scientific theories we encounter and hear everyday within the four corners of our classrooms. 

        Additionally, we can deduced from their facial expressions that not everything we see is real. Therefore, we need to be more competent in order to understand the events in the stories of our life we are penning.

       The most significant difference is that, in contrast to them, we view them as educators who impart knowledge to students, when in fact, they raised us. We are their offspring and that they only want what is the best for us.

 BSABE STUDENT ORG GIVES TRIBUTE TO NEW LICENSED AB ENGINEERS

by Catherine V. Adaniel

Faculty and students of the BSABE, as well as the new licensed AB engineers come together to celebrate their achievement.

        On Oct. 14, the Philippine Society of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineers Pre-Professional Group (PSABE PPG), a student organization in the Bachelor of Science in Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering (BSABE) of CAPSU Burias, initiated a program dubbed as “PAGKILALA KAY BAYAW: Honoring our 2022 Licensed AB Engineers” to bring pride and honor to the new licensed agricultural and biosystems engineers who graduated from their department.

        Daneca Florentino and Christian De Pablo, both PSABE PPG officers, hosted the event and the program kicked off with Engr. Monalyn L. Oloroso, Program Chair of the BSABE and the PSABE PPG adviser, giving an opening remarks, and after a while, Engr. Caren L. Borres, Engr. Reyna Mae F. Borres, Engr. Rutchel F. Narosa, Engr. Niño Angelo A. Gaspe, Engr. Karen N. Casiano, Engr. Vincent D. Laguing, and Engr. Florence Angela R. Yamson, who passed the September 2022 AB Engineers Licensure Examination (ABELE), received their certificates of recognition.

        “Honoring us as licensed AB Engineers is very special and memorable for me. I am looking forward that CAPSU Burias will produce more Licensed AB Engineers in the future and may the "Engr." written before our names serves as their inspiration to strive more. Engineering may be difficult, but if they are courageous enough to do all the necessary actions to pass and trust His process, their struggles, pain, and efforts will be paid off,” Engr. Caren L. Borres, one of the ABELE passers, pointed up.

 STUDENT-LEADER AND SAS CHAIR ATTEND 2022 PYLC

by Emily G. Zonio

Dr. Archile C. Abogadie (left) and Kient Jerwin V. Tungala (right) wear Filipiñana and Barong Tagalog during the Cultural Night of the 2022 Philippine Young Leader's Convergence held in General Santos City from Oct. 12-15.

        Kient Jerwin V. Tungala, former president of the Future Leaders of the Philippines Burias Chapter, with Dr. Archile C. Abogadie, Student Affairs and Services (SAS) Chairperson, of Capiz State University (CAPSU) Burias Campus joined 2022 Philippine Young Leader’s Convergence (PYLC) on Oct. 12-15 at General Santos City.

        As a response to the post-pandemic setting challenge and to serve as an avenue for young leaders to realize the various aspects of social issues and create sustainable solutions, the Global Institute for Youth Development, Inc. hosted 2022 PYLC, which was attended by leaders from different parts of the country.

         The program primer of the 2022 PYLC states that: “The program is intended for young leaders to take up space and create a diverse network where they can share and align ideas and solutions together. Further, it also aims to craft the 2022 Philippine Youth Agenda for Sustainable Development, to be proposed as a policy recommendation to various UN offices and national government agencies, in its effort of helping advance the 2030 Agenda in the Philippines, and of promoting the involvement of the youth in helping realize the Sustainable Development Goals.”

         The two Capsunian representatives got involved in the discussion and provision of solutions to address the different challenges of the post-pandemic setting as the student-leader and a faculty member from CAPSU Burias partook in the aforementioned event.

        “CAPSU does not only produce globally competitive students, but also leaders who could create a huge impact to the community,” Tungala commented.

CAPSU BURIAS EXTENDS IMMEDIATE RELIEF ASSISTANCE

by Catherine V. Adaniel and Kierlo O. Tencio 

        On Oct. 26, Tropical Storm (TS) Paeng brought heavy and continuous rains to the residents of the town of Mambusao and most places in Capiz, resulting to the sudden rise of water of the Mambusao River to critical level, eventually flooding the rice fields and roads of some barangays, and displacing some residents.

            Headed by the Campus Administrator, Dr. Rodyard B. Madiclum; Quality Assurance Chair, Dr. Ma. Venus B. Lozada; Extension Chair, Prof. Mark L. Sibug; and SSC Adviser, Prof. Ne-an E. Loro, together with the Supreme Student Council (SSC), Future Leaders of the Philippines (FLP), and Rumbuhan Teen Center, CAPSU Burias conducted a feeding program on Oct. 28 at two evacuation centers in Mambusao.

              In spite of rains and floods, the group headed to Ilawod Elementary School and St. Catherine Academy to distribute foods to affected families and individuals from different barangays of Mambusao.

Dr. Madiclum leads the feeding program for the victims of TS Paeng on Oct 26 in Mambusao, Capiz.

MADICLUM TAKES OVER AS  NEW CAMPUS AD 

by Kierlo O. Tencio

        As its former leader, Dr. Stephanie Pimentel, takes new designation as Fisheries & Food Research Development Center Director, Capiz State University (CAPSU) Burias Campus tackles a new direction under the baton of Dr. Rodyard B. Madiclum, effective Sept 16, 2022 as reflected in the designation paper signed by CAPSU President Editha Alfon.

        In a speech on World Teachers' Day, when he was formally introduced to an audience of student-leaders and teachers, Dr. Madiclum emphasized that CAPSU Burias is a family.

       "We are not only your teachers in school. We are also your mentors in life choices and career, guiding decision-making and most of all, your second home - your family," Dr. Madiclum stated.

       The new leader commits to make CAPSU Burias work hand-in-hand to build it as a learning community where knowledge can be transferred outside the educational institution, and he envisions the Campus to be not just the center of ecotourism, but also a front-runner of educational tourism or Edu tourism.

         In an interview by CAPSUNIAN ECHO, Dr. Madiclum shared that it has always been his dream to make tangible differences in the lives of other people - young people, specifically, and that a learning environment like CAPSU Burias to become a center of character development and center of community endeavors.