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Written by: Miguel Ballecer and Mary Andrew Dalogdog Photos by: Enzo Aganon, Niña Eblamo, and Christian Mungcal With the conclusion of another academic year, UST congratulated the Graduating Class of 2021, the second batch to exit the university online, through a virtual send-off celebration yesterday. The university carried out the traditional baccalaureate mass, send-off proper, and exit through the Arch of the Centuries via live stream at the UST official, and UST Tiger TV Facebook page, in UST's Minecraft server. Baccalaureate Mass The celebration started with the baccalaureate mass presided over by Very Rev. Fr. Richard G. Ang, O.P., university rector. In his homily, he emphasized that all the graduates are achievers, including those without honors, thus, deserve to be recognized. Furthermore, he also stated that no matter the amount of success one achieves, gratitude and contentment must never be forgotten. "For after contentment, comes happiness," Very Rev. Fr. Ang added. Send-Off Proper To commence the program, Francisco De Guzman Jr.’s arrangement of Andra Day’s “Rise Up” was performed by Ruth Ezra O. Brillo, Hannie Jade Del Mundo, Anya Laurino, Carlos Romero, Ryan Tamondong, Rosette Valencia, Larian Villamarin, UST Symphony Orchestra, Coro Tomasino, and the Liturgikon Vocal Ensemble. Clips of Thomasian students were flashed on the screen throughout the performance, showing their messages of congratulations. After the performance, Aven Raina H. Hernandez, Rector’s Academic Awardee from the College of Tourism and Hospitality Management, delivered her graduation message. Her speech focused on looking back on their college journey, and describing how this will continue to impact them as they step into the real world. "The struggles that we have endured in the university have shaped us to be better, to be wiser," she said. Dr. Cheryl R. Peralta, Ph.D., vice-rector of academics, and each faculty/college dean then congratulated the batch. Very Rev. Fr. Ang also delivered his message to the batch, wherein he encouraged them to "go fly and glide over the horizon." Proving the Thomasian excellence, the following alumni were interviewed as to how Thomasians always leave a mark in the workplace: Michael Angelo Malicsi, HR Business Partner of Goldilocks Bakeshop, Inc.; Kane Errol Choa, VP for Corporate Communications of ABS-CBN Corp.; Zimonette Soriao, Operations Manager of Shell Philippines; and Herbert Hernandez, Founding Partner of Gigil, the Ideas Company. Before the end of the program, Asst. Prof. Ma. Austrelegina E. Alfornon, and Ruth Ezra O. Brillo, accompanied by Ayman Linzag, performed the song "For Good" composed by Stephen Schwartz. Br. Angelo Lorenzo Salvacion, Rector’s Academic Awardee from the Faculty of Sacred Theology, gave his message of thanks to everyone who became part of his journey in the university. Virtual Exit through Arch of the Centuries With the theme "Eyes on the Prize: The Batch 2021 Virtual Sendoff Party," the Thomasian tradition of exiting through the Arch of the Centuries was executed through the university’s Minecraft server. Each college had at least one representative inside the improved server, formerly used for the welcome walk last academic year. The number of graduates per faculty/college was specified by the hosts, with 54 graduates coming from the Faculty of Engineering. In between the virtual exit of the graduates, performances were done. The event was hosted by Kobe Dayao and Danielle Chingcuanco of the UST Tiger TV. Charles Nobleza, a student from the College of Information and Computing Sciences, is the founder of the Minecraft server used for the virtual exit.

Written by: Mary Andrew Dalogdog Photos by: Jeremy Edera To show appreciation for its excellent students and student groups for Academic Year 2019-2020 and 2020-2021, the university conducted the first-ever Virtual Student Awards via Facebook live last July 16, 2021. The event began with an opening prayer led by Br. Siddharta B. Chiong, O.P., sole valedictorian of the UST Batch 2020 from the Faculty of Sacred Theology. This was followed by the opening remarks given by Very Rev. Fr. Richard G. Ang, O.P., university rector. He emphasized that the “journey means more than the actual recognition because it is the journey that has led you to this point in your life.” A keynote speech was then given by Dr. Joel Hernandez Buenaventura, chief of the International Relations and Diplomacy Division of the Department of Health. He highlighted five leadership tips with the acronym of COVID: “C” for being the change that one wants to see in the world, “O” for being able to overcome difficulties, “V” for being able to acquire values from meaningful relationships, “I” for choosing we instead of own self, and “D” for one to do not forget his or her ‘why’ to stay grounded. The following awards were given: Rector’s Academic Award (academic excellence), Pope Leo XIII Community Development Award (active involvement in community development), Quezon Leadership Award (exceptional leadership), Benavides Outstanding Achievement Award (outstanding achievement in academic or scientific field), Pope John Paul II Outstanding Achievement Award (outstanding achievement in sports and arts), St. Dominic de Guzman Award (outstanding teamwork), St. Albertus Magnus Award (outstanding research work), St. Thomas Aquinas Award (exceptionally outstanding performance), and Tradition of Excellence Award (exemplary performance of a student organization). These awards are further classified into three levels depending on certain criteria: College Citation Level, College Level, and University Level. Under the Faculty of Engineering, the following students were recognized for each category: Joshua S. Aldave, Rector’s Academic Award; Luis Dominic F. Concepcion, Juan Miguel V. Esporlas, Maria Katrina S. Miranda, and Kayleigh L. Nicolas, Quezon Leadership Award; UST Association of Civil Engineering Students (ACES), Pope Leo XIII Community Development Award; UST Engineering Student Council (ESC), UST Industrial Engineering Circle (IEC), UST Mechanical Engineering Club (MEC), and Operations Research Society of the Philippines (ORSP-UST Chapter), St. Dominic de Guzman Award; and Engr. Anthony James C. Bautista, St. Albertus Magnus Award. For a student to be considered a nominee, the recommendation and endorsement given by the respective chair of the screening committee, deans, directors, principals, or regents (if applicable) of each unit (Faculty/College/School/Institute/Office) is strictly required. For a nominee to then be determined as an awardee, the unit’s chair of the local student awards committee must verify the requirements and documents submitted by the nominees. The event concluded with a closing remarks given by Matthew Dave T. Evangelista, a student from the College of Commerce and Business Administration. This was followed by the singing of the UST Hymn. The Virtual Student Awards was hosted by Mr. Philippe Jose S. Hernandez, MEngg, acting director of UST Communications Bureau. Meanwhile, the Cyber Lounge, which was done as a get-to-know segment in between the awarding, was hosted by Erin Alvarez, former talents pool head of UST Tiger TV from Batch 2019.

Written and Photo by Mary Angela Aquino Ba Da Ba Ba Ba ~ Seems familiar? This iconic sonic logo of McDonald’s was released last April 19 in a newer version made by the well known Korean boy band, Bangtan Sonyeondan, generally known as BTS. It is to announce their most recent collaboration with Mcdonald’s— the BTS Meal. Released in the Philippines last June 18, the BTS Meal consists of 10-piece Chicken McNuggets, medium fries, medium Coke, and its two new dipping sauces, Cajun and Sweet Chili. What makes it new and distinct from the regular McNuggets meal is its sauces, mainly handpicked by BTS, inspired from McDonald’s South Korean recipe. Cajun is a hot mustard sauce with a taste of sweetness and slight sourness, completed by a flavor of Cajun spices. On the other hand, Sweet Chili, from its name, has a sweet and chili pepper heat flavor, with a slight taste of vinegar. McDonald's Philippines sold almost 3.5 million pieces of chicken nuggets on the release date. In addition, the total sales also reached 1,000% higher compared to the daily average sales of nuggets. With thousands and hundreds of ARMY, BTS’ fandom, it is not impossible to hit that mark. This is definitely a good buy for their fans, compared to their other official merchandise that are more expensive. The nuggets, soda, sauces, and take-home paper bags are put in a special packaging imprinted with the McDonald's and BTS logo. It is like buying one of their merchandise with a cheaper price that will also satisfy their hunger— hitting two birds with one stone. As someone who is fond of the fast-food chain and who admires the boy band group, the BTS Meal experience is definitely fun. It is not just about hopping on the trend; it has somehow made the fans feel that they were dining with BTS by eating the same meal with them. Satisfied hunger, official merchandise-like packaging, taste of Mcdonald’s South Korean recipe, a support for the Bangtan boys— surely, it is worth the price for making my stomach and heart full. Amidst the hype for the BTS Meal, it is also receiving an ample amount of hate. Some keep on insisting that there is nothing new about it, just the regular McNuggets meal with new sauce. According to Variety, an international newsletter, BTS collaboration is the latest installment of McDonald’s Famous Orders program, which featured partnerships with J Balvin and Travis Scott, the first celebrity meal at McDonald’s since Michael Jordan’s 1992 McJordan burger. Just like the BTS meal, their collaborations are just similar to the original menu of McDonald’s but with a twist. Thus, McDonald’s does not really create a new, original, and unique recipe with their collaborators, instead they are more focused on upgrading their current menus. The collaboration was not intended only to promote McDonald’s. It is also significant for BTS, especially for their fans because it is considered as another big project for their idols. Some food deliverers are leaving homophobic statements against BTS. Others are also creating content and posting it on social media sites where they are ripping off the special packaging or even wasting the food itself. All of these are completely unnecessary for they are just wasting their time hating on people who would not bother to mind them. They are just giving the BTS meal more publicity; noting that bad publicity is still publicity. Regardless of you being a fan or not, the meal is worth the try. These sauces are a must-try, especially for spicy food lovers. On the packaging, the Cajun might seem spicy but wait until you try the Sweet Chili. At first, it’s just a mustard flavor but after a few more tastes, you will have a taste of its spiciness. Meanwhile, the Sweet Chili starts off as a sweet sauce but will dissolve spicy. With its cost, Php 260.00 (price varies), you get a meal that is enough to make you full and at the same time, get to experience a taste of McDonald’s South Korea with the sauces. Buying the meal separately, a 10-piece McNuggets with medium fries and medium drink, will cost you much more compared to the BTS meal. Moreover, the general public, especially non-fans, are given a chance to taste the new sauces by ordering the regular McNuggets and pick Cajun or Sweet Chili as their dipping sauce. Despite the positive or negative reception from the masses, the BTS meal will keep on rollin’ like butter, as the sales soar higher. As this day marks the official establishment of the fandom, ARMY’s birthday, BTS has also released their new single and comeback song, “Permission to Dance”, premiered earlier at 11:00 AM KST. On top of that, McDonald’s is celebrating on their behalf. Today is the last day for their BTS meal promo, free upgrade to large fries and Coke through the McDonald’s application. The taste of McDonald’s South Korea will be up for a limited time only so “get it, let it roll!” References: https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/06/23/21/mcdonalds-philippines-35-million-chicken-nuggets-bts-meal https://variety.com/2021/music/news/bts-fries-meal-mcdonalds-1234955071/

Written by Lance Kasel Lasam Visuals by Jayvee Fulgencio The mind of an engineer is unique. It is capable of analyzing its surroundings and using whatever angle it can see to find a problem to solve or an advancement to achieve. It holds the ability for them to utilize what is available to them and tinker and experiment with those things. It also carries skills of leadership, collaboration, fortitude, and courage — all emanating whenever they formulate, materialize, test, and promote what they make. These characteristics are present in every engineer, but the habits and specific principles differ. Some hold differing philosophies, some are more eccentric in their actions than others. However, taking a dive into how one person thinks can give us a window into how engineers carry with their work. Take Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, founder of The Boring Company, among others. His persona is almost that of the modern-day successful engineer — intellectual, strong-willed, spontaneous, perceptive, eccentric. His inventions reflect his expertise, from the electric car to the Falcon rocket, from online city guides with Zip2 to e-payments with X.com. Thus, we ought to know more about how he thinks and manages. HIS MINDSET Seeing his achievements, it may come as no shock to know that his upbringing revolves around engineering and science. He is, in his words, “raised by books”, poring over sci-fi and fantasy novels, nonfiction books, and even the entire Encyclopedia Britannica. At an early age, he also developed an interest in computer programming and inventing. He once made a Space Invaders-type game called “Blastar” and sold it to a technology magazine for $500. He also went off making explosives and rockets, all while being under the watch of his housekeeper. All this leads to him honing his skills and garnering immense knowledge, developing a spontaneous and fast way of thinking and an “always be learning” attitude. His engineering philosophy, particularly, is quite different from what is cultivated in school. He has utilized what is called “first principles thinking”, which requires deconstructing a process or thing into its fundamentals, and reconstructing them in order to make a more efficient solution to a problem. To him, you need to question the limitations of your craft, as they are most certainly wrong, and we know this because the other case will be that these constraints are correct, which cannot be possible. His way of asking questions is also notable since the formulation of such questions is more integral to an engineer’s success, contrary to answering a question that is already there. He especially asks this question when it comes to optimizing a part that may or may not be applied to a project - “Do we really need this component in the first place?” Answering this question can save precious time and enable a team to finish a project quickly. HIS OPERATIONS Musk is a hard-working engineer, possibly the hardest working amongst tech entrepreneurs. He works for 80 to even 100 hours a week. Even with concerns about sleep deprivation, this is a strong indication that he is incredibly immersed in his craft. He is also not a hands-off CEO, in fact, he is the lead engineer of SpaceX. He upholds a transactional and transformational way of leadership. He is one to inspire his employees and make them take to heart his teachings and principles. He clearly communicates his goals throughout his organization and makes known his expectations and learning and working environments. But, he also says that he wants his team members to think that they are lead engineers, as well. He has faith in his team as much as he has faith in himself. He encourages a positive, collaborative, and comprehensive environment in his companies, where clarity of doubt is maintained and employees strive to work to complete whatever projects are ongoing. However, he is also known to be temperamental and fires people who do not meet his expectations. But for the most part, his way of leadership and operation give a positive effect on the performance of his employees and the organization, and are a huge factor in his companies gaining such a reputation and technological edge. HIS EMANATION His effort can clearly be seen in his inventions and projects, whether self-made or with his teams at his organizations. His works are a manifestation of his thinking. His reach and influence go worldwide and thus, people admire him and yearn to work with him or be like him. His employees give a wide range of opinions and impressions of him. He can be intimidating, scrutinous, controlling, and unrealistic when setting goals, but he can also be energetic, smart, motivating, inspiring, and also aims for the best of the best. Regardless, his teams are full of talented people, to the point where he commented that his companies “corner the market” of brilliant individuals. That is one result of his charisma and talent, his leadership and excellence. Elon Musk is a one-of-a-kind individual, a person who always seeks to break any ceiling in order to achieve his goals and provide innovative solutions to any problem he can find. His aura exudes throughout his body and towards his works and his subordinates. A strong thinking man who aims and is willing to do anything and work around something in order to attain the solution he seeks, that is who he is. He is a window to the mind of an engineer. Of course, he is not the only window out there, and he is certainly not the first revolutionary of his field, but learning who he is and how he works provides us the opportunity to learn more about who we really are and who we ought to be as future engineers. REFERENCES: Ali, I. (2020, September 2). What exactly is the personality of Elon Musk? - Irfan Ali. Medium. https://irfanjanjua.medium.com/what-exactly-is-the-personality-of-elon-musk-1a2e73fa703d#:%7E:text=In%20fact%2C%20Elon%20Musk%20is,intelligence%2C%20computers%2C%20and%20programs. Blastar for HTML5: a web version of Elon Musk’s 1984 video game. (1984). Blastar. https://blastar-1984.appspot.com/ Chris Morris, special to CNBC.com. (2020, September 1). Elon Musk’s 10 greatest inventions changing the world. CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2015/11/13/elon-musks-10-greatest-inventions-changing-the-world.html Clear, J. (2020, February 3). First Principles: Elon Musk on the Power of Thinking for Yourself. James Clear. https://jamesclear.com/first-principles#:%7E:text=Musk%20used%20first%20principles%20thinking,and%20building%20up%20from%20there Hamed, M. (2021, April 7). LEADERSHIP STYLES Elon Musk Tesla founder and CEO of SpaceX. LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/leadership-styles-elon-musk-tesla-founder-ceo-spacex-mohammed-hamed#:%7E:text=Therefore%2C%20Elon%20musk%20follows%20the,for%20some%20incentives%20and%20rewards. insights success. (2020, October 7). Successful Personality Traits to Learn from Elon Musk. https://www.insightssuccess.com/successful-personality-traits-learn-elon-musk/ Matousek, M. (2019, October 1). Former Tesla employees reveal what it’s like to work with Elon Musk. Business Insider Nederland. https://www.businessinsider.nl/ex-tesla-employees-reveal-what-its-like-work-elon-musk-2019-9?international=true&r=US#some-employees-were-afraid-of-him-1 Mejia, Z. (2017, November 16). Billionaire Elon Musk says he was “raised by books” and credits his success to these 8. CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2017/11/16/tesla-ceo-elon-musk-says-he-was-raised-by-books.html Mejia, Z. (2018, December 20). Elon Musk lived on $1 a day when he moved to Canada as a teen and other surprising facts about his youth. CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2018/12/20/teslas--elon-musk-9-surprising-facts-about-his-youth.html Million Girls Moonshot (n.d.). Developing an Engineering Mindset. https://stemnext.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Engineering-Mindset-Brief-Web.pdf O’Kane, S. (2015, June 9). Play the PC game Elon Musk wrote as a pre-teen. The Verge. https://www.theverge.com/2015/6/9/8752333/elon-musk-blastar-pc-game Project Academy (2018, February 19). What is Engineering Mind-set thinking?. https://cdn.website-editor.net/06ca7b6b3119475dafa9b75f534f6827/files/uploaded/Engineering-Mind-set-summary-13.pdf Snyder, B. (2017, June 29). Elon Musk’s top 5 personality traits, according to an IBM supercomputer. CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2017/06/29/ibm-watson-elon-musks-personality-traits-are-summed-up-by-this-image.html Umoh, R. (2018, December 3). Elon Musk pulls 80- to 90-hour work weeks — here’s how that impacts the body and the mind. CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2018/12/03/elon-musk-works-80-hour-weeks--heres-how-that-impacts--your-health.html Y, C. (2019, October 1). Elon Musk discusses engineering philosophy with YouTube journalist. Adafruit Industries - Makers, Hackers, Artists, Designers and Engineers! https://blog.adafruit.com/2019/10/01/elon-musk-discusses-engineering-philosophy-with-youtube-journalist/

Written by MAA Art by Shinkiro Whether the phrase “Everything is political” is a fact or opinion, it is never necessary for politicians to take advantage of it. For more than a year under a pandemic, the Philippines have already hit a million of positive COVID cases and are continuously rising with more than 5,000 additional cases per day. Due to the government’s inefficiency of distributing aid, it sparked the bayanihan spirit of Filipinos to take action instead and help their fellows in their own simple ways. Thus, the emergence of community pantries. Community Pantries aim to provide aid for Filipinos who are having difficulties in making their ends meet with the tagline “Magbigay ayon sa kakayahan, kumuha batay sa pangangailangan.” It all started last April 14, 2021 with “Maginhawa Community Pantry” initiated by the 26-year-old Ana Patricia Non in one of the streets in Quezon City. Now with 28 active pantries all over the country, numerous trapos ride this act of bayanihan with their dirty political agendas. The establishment of community pantries is out of human compassion to ease the burden of fellow Filipinos, not for political agendas yet politicians still find their way to get involved despite it being brought up by the private sector. Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary, Jonathan Malaya, said in an interview with INQUIRER.net, “We have always been consistent in our call that community pantries must be independent of politics, whether it is right-wing politics, central politics, or left-wing politics because we have noticed that the community pantries were also used as propaganda by some people to push for a certain political agenda.” He also stated that there are politicians who visit pantries trying to give some legal advice and allegedly protect the rights of the organizers yet Malaya said that these are “very subtle” tactics and a “clear propaganda”; as the said politicians always run for public office every election. As Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte also said on The Mangahas Interviews, “We [politicians] are not supposed to hostage their project. I do not like that to happen. I don't think politicians should put their name in a project that they did not start. We are here to support this very laudable project, at this point.” She also added that when politicians intervene, the beauty and pure intention of the community pantries will lose its meaning. This act of bayanihan is one of the many things that the Filipino citizens have resorted to as people in power continuously serve their citizens insufficient and inefficient responses to this pandemic. Sociologist and professor at the University of the Philippines, Athena Charanne Presto, stated “Community pantries can be seen as acts of resistance against three things: first, against a government that fails to adequately address citizens’ needs; second, against a biased and discriminatory view of the poor as selfish and greedy; and third, against aid initiatives from institutions that are difficult to trust.” Filipinos then tried to take action for their part: a volunteerism that provided tangible aid for Filipinos and at the same time, goes beyond the unseen. Community pantries act as a symbol of hope. It seemingly says that despite the struggles we are facing, we are not alone. People willingly offer a helping hand that provides light and spreads positivity, therefore, politicizing community pantries, which are originally a platform of “bayanihan” and hope, is a depiction of total disrespect for Filipino people, especially those who are barely surviving. In times of distress where people are struggling to get by, there are selfless people with pure souls; trying to share a piece of them despite their own lack. This should serve as an example for the people in power— that service of the people must always come first. The COVID pandemic, recession, high unemployment rate, and poverty are all political issues. But whether the phrase “Everything is political" is a fact or an opinion, it doesn’t give politicians access to use bayanihan for their own advantage; especially in this time of crisis where Filipinos' lives must be prioritized rather than reputation and fame. References: https://cnnphilippines.com/life/culture/2021/4/19/community-pantry-filipinos-pandemic.html https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1426765/malaya-on-epal-signages-ban-some-community-pantries-being-used-to-push-political-agenda https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1420463/community-pantry-not-charity-but-mutual-aid https://www.msn.com/en-ph/news/national/political-messages-in-community-pantries-part-of-protected-speech-dilg-exec/ar-BB1gpbyB?li=AAb280R&%253Bocid=spartandhp https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/metro/784792/belmonte-says-politicians-shouldn-t-hostage-community-pantry-initiatives/story/

Written by Aliah Nicole Brillante May 15, 2021 - Culminating the first-ever central and local student council virtual elections, the new set of Engineering Student Council (ESC) officers were proclaimed this evening. Leading the council is the new president, Kyla Christine Sarcos, this academic year’s ESC Interim Assistant Secretary, who garnered a total of 2,009 votes. Joining her for the Academic Year 2021-2022 are the following officers, with the total number of votes for each indicated: Leanna Bautista (Internal Vice-President), 1,982 votes; Carlos Joaquin Dimaguila (External Vice-President), 1,793 votes; Justine Lian Fabia (Treasurer), 1,914 votes; Mark Rainier Asilo (Assistant Treasurer), 1,836 votes, and; Jerard Lloyd Taloy (Public Relations Officer), 1,930 votes. Majority of the elected officers ran independently, whereas Dimaguila and Asilo represented the Lakas-TUGON Partylist. Due to the absence of candidates for the secretarial and auditorial posts, these were left vacant. The proclamation was led by Mary Grace Albano, Engineering Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Chairperson, and broadcasted live via the Thomasian Media Circle and Talents Facebook page. The elections was held last May 11-12, and May 14-15, 2021, concluding today with the canvassing of votes at six in the evening.

Written By Aundrea Joy Levanza Just four months after Taylor Swift’s release of evermore in December 2020, she thoroughly surprised fans and non-fans alike with her newly released and re-recorded studio album, Fearless (Taylor’s Version). In a previous announcement back in 2019, she shared that she would re-record her first six studio albums as a means of retaining ownership of her previous masters. This was mainly due to a dispute against Big Machine Records in their acquisition of the albums. Hence, the addition of “Taylor’s Version” to all the tracks in the re-record means that Swift purposely wanted this new record to replace the old version. Fearless (Taylor’s Version) comprises all the original nineteen tracks from the platinum edition of the 2008 record, with the 2010 single ‘Today Was a Fairytale’ and six additional ‘From the Vault’ tracks. ‘Love Story (Taylor’s Version)’ was the first track released in February 2021, and it immediately garnered attention from audiophiles and musicians alike. The song immediately topped the Billboard music charts. According to Swift, re-recording ‘Love Story’ was the most fun she’s had in the re-recording process since she felt like a different singer and she saw so many ways to possibly improve the song. “Fearless was an album of magic and curiosity, the bliss and devastation of youth,” according to Swift’s letter on Twitter about the release of the album. Personally for the fans, Fearless has held a special place in their hearts since it reminded them of the angst of youth, innocence, and of first loves and heartbreaks. It’s an album that evoked so much emotions coming from a young girl just discovering her way into life; it’s also some form of reminder that love isn’t always magical and butterflies-in-your-stomach sweet as the movies depicted it to be. And because of these things, Fearless (Taylor’s Version) can definitely be perceived as the exceptional and phenomenal record. From the music quality, instrumentals, voice improvements, and additional tracks, this deserves to take the original record’s place. What makes the newly released Fearless (Taylor’s version) stand out from the 2008 record is that now it’s just much more complete. “I’ve decided I want you to have the whole story, see the entire vivid picture, and let you into the entire dreamscape that is my Fearless album,” Taylor says in the same letter on Twitter. It’s a purely blissful experience, especially for the fans, to perceive the art form in its entirely complete and honest state with the artist’s best intentions in mind. That’s what Fearless (Taylor’s version) is about. The simple addition of the Vault songs just made this version of Fearless the more superior one. The unreleased songs comprise a myriad of emotions to be experienced in love. It could have reminded its listeners of the lasting impacts of an old lover in ‘You All Over Me’, the frustration and bitterness for a playboy-type of man in ‘Mr. Perfectly Fine’, the remorse felt in falling out of love in ‘We Were Happy’, the sad but unavoidable aftermath of a breakup in ‘That’s When’, the pain of encountering an ex-lover in ‘Don’t You’, and a tragic farewell to an end of an important relationship in ‘Bye Bye Baby’. As Swift reveals, these six additional tracks were never released before and were written when she was between the age of 16 to 18. It was a fascinating feat to determine the subtle differences between the 2008 record and the 2021 re-recording. Noting that Swift released the original album only when she was 18 years old, and now that she's 31, listeners expect her to sound older. But it’s not simply about this evident voice change—when you listen to the tracks much more closely—there’s just more substance to it than before. Her voice progressed to a more complete and richer tone than the original. Just listen to ‘Jump Then Fall’ and compare it to ‘Jump Then Fall (Taylor’s version)’. You’ll definitely hear the refined change of her voice—a sophisticated one with more emphasis and better enunciation on the lyrics. What makes this re-recording amazing as well is that it’s actually a very identical record—which is difficult to pull off according to some music experts. It truly shows how Swift and her team of sound engineers, mixers, and producers really did put a lot of keen attention to detail on this re-recording. Listeners right back from 2008 literally grew up along with Swift’s music. And perhaps that was one of the main reasons why the album blew up pretty quickly in the music scene—the album was sentimental and nostalgic for both its creator and its listeners. Thirteen years have passed and it feels like it was just yesterday that fans were young girls trying to relate to the lyrics of ‘You Belong With Me,’ romanticizing the age of fifteen because of the ‘Fifteen’ track, or feeling like we’ve just been through the saddest betrayal in ‘Forever and Always’. It’s from Fearless (Taylor’s version) that we realize that music has been one of the ways for people to cope through the tough times. It’s the temporary feeling of getting lost to the playlist of our childhood that helped her listeners find comfort. The nostalgia really played a huge part in the success of this wonderful re-recording. Taylor Swift reminds her loyal listeners that she’s still the same girl from Fearless, but she will always be capable of doing something more to surprise them. Be Fearless and listen to the album down below!

Written by Allen Atienza Image Courtesy of EEnovatics Project "Buildings and Establishments Automated Temperature Reading Integrated Contact Tracing Equipment" (B.E.A.T.R.I.C.E.) is a project designed by UST Electrical Engineering graduates Engr. Soichi Takahama and Engr. Andrea Pauline de Guzman. For the most part, Project B.E.A.T.R.I.C.E. aims to make contact tracing more efficient and detailed. Contact Tracing is a method to track your temperature, personal information, and also disinfect your hands when you enter an establishment, as all of which are required due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The only methods so far are analog (written forms) and QR code scans. However, due to the sheer repetitiveness of the methods some details in the forms get left out and long queues start to build up due to the process. Project B.E.A.T.R.I.C.E. solves this problem through reliability and efficiency. “[I] started thinking of a way to fix this problem of people having to either write manually or scan a QR everytime on their smartphones, having the door attendant of establishment to be exposed to people, and how to make digital contact tracing available to everyone may it be young or old, with internet or not, with smartphones or not,” Engr. Takahama said in an interview with Tomasino Web on April 9. Engr. Takahama and Engr. de Guzman started the project under their startup company EEnovatics, which is supported by the Department of Science and Technology TOMASInno Center (DOST-TOMASInno Center UST). All the user has to do is just tap the given I.D., scan his/her temperature, disinfect, and the process is finished. The I.D. is a QR code that only needs a one-time registration that can be at any other Project B.E.A.T.R.I.C.E. equipment. As of now, EEnovatics is looking for investors to help their startup business grow. Once they attain more sponsors, Project B.E.A.T.R.I.C.E. can potentially make entrances efficient, convenient, and most importantly, safer.

Written by: Mary Andrew Dalogdog Philipina A. Marcelo, PhD, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, is now a two-time awardee of Philippine-American Educational Foundation (PAEF) as she was announced as one of the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Awardees by Secretariat Executive Director Julio S. Amador III. She was first awarded the Fulbright-Philippine Agriculture Scholarship Grant by PAEF last 2002-2007, which led her to earning the Doctorate degree for Philosophy in Food Science and Technology from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. According to UST’s Communications Bureau, one of Dean Marcelo’s aims is to focus and set the best standards on innovation and sustainability management for UST Sta. Rosa, Laguna campus, where UST Dr. Tony Tan Caktiong Innovation Center is located at. The Humphrey Fellowship Program was established as an annual Fulbright Exchange in March 1978 to honor the public service career of the late Hubert H. Humphrey (1911-1978). He served in the United States as a Senator representing Minnesota for two terms (1949-1964; 1971-1978) and 38th Vice President of the country for one term (1965-1969). The program will be effective in August 2021 wherein recipients from 140 qualified countries will be allowed to collaborate and engage with global leaders, fellow academics, policy-makers on issues about law and human rights, public health, climate change, and public policy. Lasting from ten months to a year, this also allows them to participate in seminars and workshops such as the Humphrey Seminar, Academic Enrichment, Professional Development, and the Washington Global Leadership Forum.

Written by: Mary Angela Aquino “You’re just a woman,” society said. “A woman who can lead an army.” Al-Kahina, an African Jewish soothsayer military warrior, proved. “A woman who can be a part of the law.” Patsy Takemoto Mink, the first Japanese-American woman to practice law and the first woman of color elected to Congress in Hawaii, proved. “A woman who can be an engineer.” Berta Lamme, America’s first mechanical engineer, proved. Are you familiar with these three women? It’s sad that they, including every woman today, had to prove that they can do and achieve things just because of society's norm that a woman is intended to stay inside the house, finish household chores, must bear a child, and take good care of her husband and children. But a norm is not always a fact, it’s a subjective belief. Al-Kahina, Mink, and Lamme are historical figures who have proven that women can do what men can. Nevertheless, how come they are not well-known? Aside from them are thousands of women continuously soaring high in their respective fields yet remaining to be under the shadows. They are left invisible amidst their contributions in innovation, the medical field, engineering, management, or even politics. Thus, the SPARK movement wanted to honor them by giving them the recognition they deserve through an application. ‘Women on the Map’ is an app that features underrated women who have imparted a piece of themselves to let our world become how it is now. Through the initiative of the SPARK Movement and the help of Field Trip, a mapping app by Google, it began in 2013. According to the website of the SPARK Movement, ‘Women on the Map’ is one of their innovative and educational projects. Through Field Trip, they linked those achievements with IRL places using Google Map technology. It works like this: when you download Field Trip and turn on SPARK’s Women on the Map, your phone will buzz when you approach a place where a woman made history. Yennie Solheim Fuller, one of Google’s employees who worked with SPARK, said in an interview with CNN, "It's one thing to read about a landmark while sitting on your couch… Visiting it in person creates a sensory experience that's harder to forget, and telling a story about the place has the potential to create an even stronger connection.” It started when the movement observed, based on statistics from ‘Equal Visibility Everywhere’, that a lot of women are not honored the way they deserve. Oftentimes, we learn about significant people in history through books, monuments, street names, movies, holidays, and museums. But the history of great women is rare, thus the creation of the app. It was developed to tell the world that these under-recognized and invisible women existed; that they are part of history and have massive contributions to why the world is innovative and progressive as it is. The SPARK Movement states that this project brings women–and especially women of color–to the forefront of history, where their achievements can be recognized more widely. The physical features of the app are simple; it does not include any extravagant setups nor settings. Information is accessed conveniently with just one tap. The app will automatically notify the user whenever he or she is in a place where a significant woman lived or succeeded. The objectives are also upstanding; it doesn’t harm nor discriminate against anyone. It is mainly just to appreciate women and provide awareness and knowledge about them. It is helpful for students, especially girls, who need a perfect example of a woman’s depiction: women who lived in different centuries, from different places, with different cultures and were able to succeed amidst challenges because of their gender. ‘Women on the Map’ is a good form of advocacy for feminism, gender equality, and primarily, women empowerment. It also allows other women to look up to their fellow’s achievements, life stories, and courage and to follow their path. These historical women serve as both inspiration and aspiration to those who feel devalued for being “just a woman”; it reminds them that they can do much more from what is expected of them. For improvements, the application should include more women who deserve recognition for their works. In 2015, 119 women in 28 countries were included. Through the coming years, may the app include more and reveal every great woman who has been in the shadows for years. It should also be available to all countries; to reveal the greatness of each woman not only in a limited area but around the world. Currently, it is not available in the Philippines. Overall, “Women on the Map” establishes a sense of empowerment and celebration for women. They now have a platform that could help them tell the world their own stories: their struggles, their achievements, and the process they went through. Through the help of the app, every individual from different places may acknowledge and honor significant women in history. This does not establish a sense of insecurity between women nor even from any gender. Instead, it establishes a realistic characterization that may guide every individual to achieve just like how they did, or even greater. Everyone’s power is limitless regardless of gender, color, and age. The truth is, it just lies within ourselves. Thus, women are not intended to be boxed in domestic works which have been proven by every woman on the app and are continuously proved by every woman of today. They deserve to be honored and celebrated; they are part of history and they have offered a piece of their life for us to attain what we have now. As fellow women, we owe them recognition because without their stories and continuous fight for gender equality, we would still live in the box that society has created for us. Their courage brought us here. Let’s not waste it and continuously strive until that generation exists: where women are free to choose for themselves without societal pressures. If they can, society can’t tell you otherwise. Your fellows did; surely, you can too. I’ll see you on the map soon! Sources: http://www.sparkmovement.org/women-on-the-map/ https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/feat-womens-history-field-trip/index.html

Written by: Eunice Abayon Visuals by: Jayvee Fulgencio In a world where women are looked upon as weaker sex, it is undeniably hard to become one. By the minute, various crimes against women are alarmingly increasing. And what’s even worse is the prevalent slut-shaming, victim-blaming, and misogyny that we witness both offline and online. Almost every day, we often see stories of women who face sexual violence, threats, and abuse. These happen too often that abuse has been normalized while many are surprised by the resistance. With this, learning to protect themselves has become so important more than ever. Although it is NEVER the victim’s fault, it is still a good idea to be prepared for potential attacks with the following tools we have included as must-haves in your self-defense kit! 1. Pepper spray Although non-lethal, pepper spray is one of the most common tools used by women as it’s very handy and easy to use. Aimed at the eyes and nose of the attacker, this will cause inflammation that will lead to temporary blindness, coughing, and difficulty in breathing. 2. Personal safety alarm In times of danger, a personal safety alarm can help you alert people that are far away especially at night. By just pulling the pin, it will activate an extremely loud alarm of 130 decibels that can help you seek attention. 3. Key knife This allows you to disguise a two-inch blade in a key you can bring anytime, anywhere. With this, you can have a helpful and handy blade that can help you protect yourself from an attacker who isn’t expecting your weapon. 4. Flashlight/Taser Powered by a built-in rechargeable battery, a taser that comes with a flashlight packs almost three million volts of charge. This will surely be able to surprise an attacker by disrupting normal electrical activity in his muscles, making it very essential in times of possible attacks. 5. Escape tool (Car window breaker/seatbelt cutter) With the number of accidents that happen inside cars nowadays, an escape tool might save you one day. The escape tool allows you to break a side window and cut your seatbelt, allowing you to get out of your car quickly. 6. Multipurpose card A small but terrible tool it is! With its complexity, a multipurpose card allows you to handle the smallest job that may be essential in times of danger – loosening or tightening a screw, measuring something, opening a bottle, cutting something open, scoring marks on a surface, and a lot more. 7. Time capsule This tool allows you to stuff in any “emergency money” or “emergency pill” you wish to have. With this, you can make sure you’re always ready wherever you go, girl! 8. Safety whistle If you can be heard, then you can be rescued. This safety whistle will help you create a loud noise that can catch attention in times of need. Well, here’s the cute part – all of these handy tools come together in a wristlet with a furry pompom on it! And here’s the bonus part! You can get this self-defense kit for a very affordable price with our exclusive promo codes available from March 26, 2021 to April 3, 2021: Shopee: Laureola PH, Online Shop | Shopee Philippines Instagram: Laureola (@laureola.ph) • Instagram photos and videos

Written by: Carlo Castillo and Niña Isabelle Eblamo Visuals by: John Patrick Villa As Malala Yousafzai said, “One child, one teacher, one book, and one pen can change the world.” This Women’s Month, we adults hold the key in educating young girls, that they are capable of choosing what they want in life and that their actions can make an impact in this world. Here are some children’s books made for young girls out there in efforts to break-down typical gender stereotypes and promote diverse gender roles: Little Feminist Board Book Set Written by: Emily Kleinman Illustration by: Lydia Ortiz Available at Lazada: https://s.lazada.com.ph/s.c8aYd This colorful book set is available on four different topics: pioneers, leaders, artists, and activists. Each of the books shows real women that made a huge impact on the world perfect for children ages two to three years old. The books portray role models for young girls to look up to and they can also establish what they want to become or to achieve in their lives as they grow up. Girls Are Not Chicks Coloring Book Written by: Jacinta Bunnell & Julie Novak Available at Amazon: https://amzn.to/2OZrBEY This coloring book for preschoolers and up portrays the female gender stereotypes that women encounter in their daily lives. It contains pictures and figures that one can bring to life by coloring, along with words voicing out that women can be what they want to be. The pictures in this book show that girls can be creators, thinkers, and strong person herself. Amazing Grace Written by: Mary Hoffman Illustrated by: Caroline Binch Available at Amazon: https://amzn.to/3sl8qUO Who says that Peter Pan can only be portrayed by boys? Amazing Grace proves that girls are not confined to women's roles, they can choose whatever they want to become. This watercolor-illustrated children's book for ages four and up breaks racial inequality and gender roles by telling the story of Grace, a young black girl, who wanted to play the role of Peter Pan in a school play. However, her friends pointed out that she looks nothing like Peter for she is a woman of color and a girl. This did not hinder her from auditioning for the part and eventually playing the role with flair, all thanks to her grandmother’s advice and support. Allie’s Basketball Dream Written by: Barbara E. Barber Illustrated by: Darryl Ligasan Available at Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vOhROF Allie’s Basketball Dream tells the story of Allie, a young girl who loves playing basketball. Her father is very supportive of her even though her friends told her that basketball is a “boy’s game”. Their words didn't stop her from playing but instead, she focused on her father’s encouragement and didn't give up on pursuing her dream of becoming a basketball player. Allie’s Basketball Dream addresses self-determination for young aspiring athletes, especially girls, that despite ups and downs, they can continue their dreams through perseverance and a good support system. I Look Like A Girl Written and Illustrated by: Shiela Hamanaka Available at Amazon: https://amzn.to/3siQQR0 “Throw out those glass slippers. Send fairies to sleep. No prince is waiting for me. For, if you look twice, past the sugar and spice, the eyes of a tiger you’ll see.” Most girls’ ideal role is to be a princess. However, this book deviates from the typical “sugar, spice, and everything nice” narrative. The featured girls of different ethnicities embrace the wild animal inside them by picturing themselves as strong animals. This well-illustrated and limited edition book echoes women’s empowerment by encouraging young girls to be true to what they are inside. Sources: https://www.parentmap.com/article/10-childrens-books-that-break-gender-stereotypes https://www.savethechildren.org/us/charity-stories/childrens-book-gender-equality