https://issuu.com/the-work-jr./

Tarlac State University - The Work, Jr., Lucinda Campus Road, Tarlac (2025)

22/09/2025

𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐃𝐀𝐘 | 𝐊𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐚 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓

Pamilya: Isang Liwanag sa Hapunang Pinuna ng Digmaan

Mula sa isang mapayapang protesta na pininsala ng mga hindi angkop na nakisama, umuwi ang isang ama, inaligiran ng sari-saring sugat, patungo sa kaniyang kinikilalang pahinga upang muling makulayan ang maluha-luhang mukha. Sa pagtiwasay ng rumaragasang araw, at habang ang hapag-kainan ay pinupunan ng malinamnam na pagkain, ay siya ring sugatan ang kakain. Sapagkat kasabay ng paglubog ng araw ay ang gyerang kaniyang pinatunguhan sa maghapon. Bitbit ang mga pasa’t sugat, pumasok ang ama sa tahanang kinaroroonan ng kaniyang dalawang anghel sa buhay.

Sa hapag-kainan, matatanaw ang hindi kalakihang bata na abot-langit ang ngiti—makulimlim man ang kaniyang isipan, wari’y isang anghel na may dalang ilaw at kasaganaan sa kanilang tahanan. Toyo lamang ang laman ng kaniyang plato, ngunit ang kasiyahan niya ang nangingibabaw sa hapag-kainan. Sa kabila ng mapanuksong araw, hindi maikakait ang liwanag na kaniyang hatid sa mapanglaw na kapaligiran.

Mula sa dumadagundong na digmaan, bitbit ang mga marka ng katapangan, sila’y umuwi tungo sa hapunang muling magbubuklod sa bawat isa. Ang ina at amang humarap sa tunggalian ng sanlibutan ay nagbalik sa tahanan kung saan naroon ang kanilang munting anghel. Unti-unting dumaloy ang mga luha mula sa kanilang mga mata, hatid ng makulay na pinta ng kanilang anak sa kabila ng mga sugat na kanilang pasan.

Ang mapanlinlang na mundong puno ng saligutgot ay binubuo ng samu’t saring pamilya na nagsisilbing pahinga mula sa bawat gulong nakakasalamuha sa araw-araw. Nariyan ang pamilyang may napakataas na bakuran at abot-mata ang kaniya-kaniyang kurba ng bibig—isang pagpapahiwatig ng pamumuhay na wari’y nasa paraiso. Sa kanilang tahanan, ang paglipas ng oras ay hindi natutunaw ng ngiti at hindi dinidilig ng dugo’t pawis upang maisalba ang pagbangon at paglubog ng araw.

Sa makulay na pamumuhay ng iba’y kabaligtaran ang pamilyang nagdurusa sa bawat paghinga. Para bang tirik ng araw ang kirot na kanilang dinaranas upang maitawid lamang ang bawat araw. Upang mairaos ang maghapon, kinakailangan nilang madapa at masugatan kapalit ng labis na halaga. Bunga ng kahirapan, bawat linggo sa kanila’y nagiging isang pagkakataon upang masalubong ang panganib at disgrasya.

Sa kabila ng mga pamilyang naninirahan sa paraiso o sa impyerno, nariyan ang pamilyang agaw-mundo’t pansin, pinangungunahan ng lumbay at pighati. Sa kanila, ang isa’t isa’y itinuturing na katunggali sa bawat pagpatak ng oras hanggang sa maghapon. Ang kanilang hapag-kainan ay binabalutan ng p**t, at tila sa bawat pagkukuskos-balungos ay hindi maitatago ang nag-aalab na ngitngit. Sa bawat pagtakip-silim ng kanilang araw, unti-unti silang humahantong sa kapalarang magbukod-bukod.

Ngunit ano man ang estado at estilo ng ating pamumuhay—tayo man ay naninirahan sa maginhawa o sa payak na tirahan, o dili kaya’y ginugugol ang bawat araw sa piling ng p**t at galit—ang ating pamilya pa rin ang siyang tanging pahinga at kakampi sa pag-ikot ng daigdig. Sila ang gumagampan ng makabuluhang layunin sa ating buhay, mula sa pagkasilang hanggang sa ating kamatayan. Ang pamilya ang ating kanang kamay—ang pinagmumulan ng sigla at lakas sa kabila ng mga digmaang kinakaharap natin araw-araw.

Samakatuwid, tanawin natin ang makabuluhang kaganapan na hatid ng ating pamilya. Tulad ng hapunan, anuman ang laman nito, ito pa rin ang ating pinupuntahan upang makapulot ng ginhawa sa ating buhay. Kaya’t sabayan natin ang ating pamilya sa hapag-kainan at damhin ang pagmamahalang nililikha ng pagkakaisa.

Isinulat ni: Hercules
Dibuho ni: Takipsilim

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‎𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐮𝐬:
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‎📩: 𝐥𝐬𝐭𝐰𝐣𝟒𝟎@𝐠𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐥.𝐜𝐨𝐦
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‎𝐓𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐚. 𝐓𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐠. 𝐓𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐠.

21/09/2025

𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘𝐀𝐋 | 𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐊𝐚 𝐏𝐚, 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐚 𝐊𝐚 𝐏𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐥𝐚𝐦

“Bata ka pa, wala ka pang alam.”

Ilang dekada nang ginagamit ang pangungusap na ito para patahimikin ang kabataan, para iparamdam na wala silang karapatang magsalita dahil hindi raw sila saksi. Ngunit ang totoo, ito ay hindi argumento kundi depensa ng mga naduduwag. Sapagkat sa tuwing binabanggit nila ito, mas lalo lamang nilang pinapatunayan na ang kasaysayan ay may itinatagong hiya na pilit nilang inaalis sa ating alaala. Limang dekada at tatlong taon na ang nakalipas mula sa deklarasyon ng Batas Militar (Martial Law), ngunit sariwa pa ang dugong dumadaloy sa administrasyong amoy-baboy.

Hindi kailangang ipanganak noong 1972 para maunawaan ang bigat ng pasismo. Hindi kailangang makaranas ng curfew, pang-aaresto, o takot na baka hindi ka na makauwi para masabing nauunawaan mo ang diktadura. Malinaw at kitang-kita ang mga bakas, ang mga dokumento, ang mga datos na pilit binabaluktot ng mga nakaupong walang pinagkaiba sa dugo ng diktador.

At kung walang alam ang kabataan, bakit takot na takot ang gobyerno sa mismong mga tanong nila? Kayo ang totoong duwag.

𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐚 𝐊𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐊𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐧
Oo, hindi nila naabutan. Pero hindi nangangahulugang wala nang kalilimutan. Ang mga sugat ng Martial Law ay nakabaon hindi lang sa mga aklat kundi sa lipunan mismo. Ang mga pamilya ng desaparecidos ay naghahanap pa rin hanggang ngayon. Ang mga bangkay na natagpuan na may tali sa kamay at benda sa bibig ay nagsasalita kahit patay. Ang mga alaala ng mga pamilyang pinatahimik ay sumisigaw para sa hustisya, sa karapatang ipinagkait.

Hindi simpleng “kwento” ang napakinggan. Ito ay mga babala. Sa bawat aral ng nakaraan, mas lalong naiintindihan kung gaano kabilis ang pagguho ng demokrasya kapag pinabayaan. Kaya’t huwag ninyo akusahang walang alam ang kabataan, dahil ang totoo, mas malinaw pa sa kanila ngayon kung gaano kalalim ang sugat na iniwan ng diktadurya. At kung pilit ninyong iwaksi ang mga aral na iyon, sila mismo ang magiging saksi na hindi kailanman mabubura ang alaala ng sambayanan. Hangga’t may tatandaan, may kalilimutan—Marcos diktador, Marcos pasista, naiukit na sa isipan.

𝐇𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢 𝐌𝐚𝐛𝐮𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐚
Ito ang datos, matitigas na bilang na hindi kayang baluktutin kahit ng dila ng kung sinumang gustong maghugas sa kamay ng kanilang pamilya. 70,000 ang ikinulong; 3,257 ang pinatay; 35,000 ang tinortyur; 737 ang hindi na natagpuan; 11,103 ang pormal na kinilalang biktima ng estado mismo. Hindi ito tsismis. Hindi ito opinyon. Ito ay kasaysayan. Ito ang tinawag nilang “Golden Era,” sapagkat sa sinumang tumaliwas sa pagnanakaw nila, alam na ang kapupulutan.

At kung sino man ang magsasabing “pekeng balita” o “propaganda lamang” ang mga ito ay walang ibang ginagawa kundi yurakan ang alaala ng mga pinaslang at inaapi. Sila ang tunay na sinungaling. Sila ang tunay na traydor sa bayan, sapagkat pinipili nilang burahin ang dugo sa kanilang kamay sa halip na tanggapin ang bigat ng kanilang pananagutan. Hindi ito mabubura. At habang nakatayo ang kabataang may alam, hindi kailanman mabubura.

𝐇𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢 𝐌𝐨 𝐍𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐍𝐚𝐚𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐧
Oo, hindi nila naabutan. Totoo iyon. Ngunit iyon mismo ang dahilan kung bakit mahalaga ang pag-aaral, ang pagtatanong, at ang pakikialam. Hindi sila saksi, pero sila ang tagapagdala. At dahil wala silang sariling alaala ng Martial Law, mas malinaw nilang nakikita ang panganib ng kasalukuyan. Ang kawalan ng karanasan ay hindi hadlang, kundi tungkuling mag-ingat na huwag maulit ang parehong kasamaan.

Ngunit paano nga ba hindi maulit kung mismong gobyerno ngayon ang nagtutulak ng paglimot? Habang pinapalitan sa mga aklat ang kwento ng diktadura, habang mismong anak ng diktador ang nakaupo sa Malacañang—paano masasabi na tapos na ang laban? Na para bang malinis ang kaniyang sariling kamay.

Hindi bulag ang katotohanan. Hindi bingi ang mamamayan. At hindi hahayaang gawing biro ang pahinang kumitil ng buhay, sumikil ng karapatan, at ninakaw ang kinabukasan.

𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐏𝐚, 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐨 𝐀𝐥𝐚𝐦 𝐍𝐚
Ang tinatawag ninyong “bata.” Ang ang wala raw alam. Pero ngayon, sila rin ang pinakamalakas na tinig laban sa muling pag-akyat ng diktadurya. Sila ang pumupuno sa lansangan, ang humahawak ng placard, ang naglalantad ng katotohanan sa social media kahit inaatake ng mga “may alam.” Kung bata pa sila, mas nakakatakot iyon—dahil ibig sabihin, hindi pa sila pagod. Hindi pa sila durog. Hindi pa sila tahimik.

Bata pa, pero alam na. Alam na kung paano gumagana ang pasismo—hindi lang sa nakaraan kundi sa kasalukuyan. Alam na ang amoy ng panlilinlang, ang lasa ng disimpormasyon, ang bigat ng kawalang-hustisya. At dahil alam na, hindi na hahayaang muling lumukob ang dilim. Ang kasaysayan ay hindi na mauulit. At kung pilit itong uulit, kabataan mismo ang babangon upang putulin ang tanikala ng kasinungalingan.

Tinatawag na mangmang sa kasaysayan dahil bata pa, pero may alam na—‘yan ang ikinaduduwagan nila.

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‎𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐮𝐬:
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‎📩: 𝐥𝐬𝐭𝐰𝐣𝟒𝟎@𝐠𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐥.𝐜𝐨𝐦
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‎𝐓𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐚. 𝐓𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐠. 𝐓𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐠.

21/09/2025

𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐑𝐘 | When Power Sleeps, the People Wake

On this day, September 21, 2025, the people march not just to raise their voices, but because they have no other choice. Carrying flags and banners, the streets today are not just filled with voices but with the very body of the nation. There are students holding onto dreams they’re no longer sure have a future in a country eaten alive by corruption. There are mothers and fathers, carrying the faces of their children crying for justice and tomorrow. There are workers, swallowed daily by low wages and high taxes. Farmers who sweat over the land yet remain hungry. Teachers, health workers, jeepney drivers, vendors, and the elderly abandoned by a system that was supposed to protect them. They march because every storm, every overflowing river, every community submerged in flood is an attestation that corruption kills as surely as bullets do. They march because when politicians and bureaucrats sit in their glass houses, holding pens dipped in the blood of their own promises, only the people can shatter those panes. 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙝 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙞𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙢𝙤𝙫𝙚, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙪𝙨𝙩.

They build barricades—police, coastguard, soldiers standing like unmovable walls between the people and what is right. On one side, those ordered, those armed to obstruct; on the other, those demanding simple justice, demanding their rights. Both sides are victims—victims of the same oppressive administration that crushes freedoms and lets the corrupt feast on our taxes while we starve.

Let’s be clear. We are tired. Tired of corruption rotting beneath our cities, under our roads and bridges, turning flood control into a flood of stolen money. Tired of politicians who treat public service as inheritance, as opportunity, not as obligation. Tired of spectators in power. Those who watch, who allow, who silence, who look away. Tired of broken promises, of congressional hearings that unmask names but leave no jail time. Tired of that polite phrase “investigation ongoing” while every day our trust leaks away. We are tired of taxes extracted from bones, sweat, and wages; money meant for the people, for health and education, going instead into your so-called “hard-earned” luxuries. All while those in need wait in lines, lose their homes to floods, die from illness, and suffer in poverty.

The president says, “If I wasn’t President, I might be out in the streets with them.” Fine words. Inspiring, even. But words without movement are just another layer of lies. Words without action are the same hollow echoes we’ve been fed for decades. He has promised transparency, investigations, fairness. But has anything changed? Have we stopped being cheated by contracts that never get completed, flood control schemes that flood more lives than waters, infrastructures that rot under delay and non-existent projects? We are not rallying because we like the chaos; we rally because corruption took from us. Because every peso stolen is a child who went hungry, a house that collapsed in flood, a family without aid.

Another typhoon will make landfall tomorrow, but here we are—already drenched, not in storm winds but in the floodwaters of corruption. 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳?

The people are not blind. They now know the floods that drown their homes are not only brought by rain but by government contracts bloated beyond their true cost with millions skimmed off to fill their pockets, by public funds stolen to feed dynasties, by “ghost projects” that vanish into thin air but reappear in the bank accounts of the powerful.

Billions stolen from flood control projects, from infrastructure that could have saved lives, where did it go? Into mansions, into car collections, into the pockets of political dynasties who have sat too long in their cushioned seats, all while the poor cling to rooftops for survival.

And yet, tomorrow when the rain pours and the rivers rise, it will not be the officials who suffer. It will be the families in low-lying barangays, the children huddled in evacuation centers, the farmers whose crops are washed away, the workers who cannot afford another day without pay. It is always the people who bleed while those in power feast.

That is why the rallies stand firm, even on the eve of a storm. Because the people are not only fighting the floods of rain but the floods of corruption that have drowned this nation for decades. Because they know that silence, like water, seeps and suffocates. Because they are tired of being treated as expendable while taxes fatten the very thieves who pretend to serve.

The truth we shout today: we will not be silenced. We rage because our rights were stripped, because our trust was traded for lies, because our taxes feed your palaces and generational wealth while our schools, hospitals, and roads decay. We are done waiting for reform that never 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘴. We want accountability. We demand action. We want real justice—not commissions that stall, not investigations that forget names, not promises that evaporate at dawn. What matters now is not what is said, but what is done, and the people know this. That is why they are in the streets. That is why they stand in the heat, facing shields and blockades. Because words without action are worthless, and they refuse to be silenced by worthlessness any longer.

To the government: Your barricades will not hold back the truth forever and the people have shown it today. We have strength, we have voice, we have resolve. Remember this day, in our march, our cries, our presence, we declare: 𝗘𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵.

We are here. We will be heard. And if silence is what they offer, then our voices will shatter it.

| Written by: songerie
| Photos from: Marianne Bermudez | Inquirer, Rolex dela Peña | EPA, Mia Magdalena Fokno | Rappler

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‎𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐮𝐬:
‎📩: 𝐥𝐬𝐭𝐰𝐣𝟒𝟎@𝐠𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐥.𝐜𝐨𝐦
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‎𝐓𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐚. 𝐓𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐠. 𝐓𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐠.

21/09/2025

‎𝐁𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐀 | Kilos-protesta laban sa flood control corruption, isinasagawa ngayong araw
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‎Libu-libong mamamayan ang kasalukuyang nasa ‎lansangan ngayon, Setyembre 21, para sa dalawang kilos-protesta laban sa umano’y katiwalian sa mga flood control projects na nagkakahalaga ng trilyong piso.
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‎Sa Luneta, isinasagawa ang “Baha sa Luneta: Aksyon na Laban sa Korapsyon” mula alas-9 ng umaga na pinangungunahan ng mga estudyante at aktibista.
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‎Samantala, nagsimula na rin ang “Trillion Peso March” dakong alas-2 ng hapon sa EDSA People Power Monument, na pinamumunuan ng mga lider-simbahan at iba pang civil society groups.
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‎Tampok sa protesta ang panawagan ng pananagutan sa halos P1.9 trilyong pondo para sa flood control projects sa nakalipas na 15 taon, kung saan higit kalahati umano ang nalustay sa ghost projects at substandard na trabaho.
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‎Giit ng mga organizer, ito ay laban hindi lang sa korapsyon kundi sa kultura ng pang-aabuso sa kaban ng ‎bayan.
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Larawan mula kay: Ted Aljibe / AFP

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‎𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐮𝐬:
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‎📩: 𝐥𝐬𝐭𝐰𝐣𝟒𝟎@𝐠𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐥.𝐜𝐨𝐦
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‎𝐓𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐚. 𝐓𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐠. 𝐓𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐠.

17/09/2025

𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐀𝐋 | 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐚’𝐬 𝐒𝐡𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐑𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝐅𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐬

Even those who serve as vanguards of student transportation barely scrape by with their vehicles grinding to a halt, running on fumes while balancing rigid working hours and serving as the university shuttle service for all scholars and learners. As classes sprung into action within the institution of Tarlac State University (TSU) campuses last August, the Lucinda Campus was thrown into chaos and mayhem, with students and scholars complaining about the disorganized flow of shuttles and drivers struggling to facilitate boarding and sending out school buses. Long lines of stranded students within the campus were buzzing with comments and reports exacerbating the frustrations of those trying to get to class on time. Tensions have escalated between students and shuttle drivers, with reports of heated exchanges and frustration on both sides—students called for greater comfort and convenience, while shuttle drivers asked for respect and courtesy amid the ongoing commotion.

For the past month since the start of classes, many TSUians have raised concerns over the stagnant state of the university’s shuttle service, which continues to fall short of providing an organized and reliable mode of transportation for students. In fact, during the first day of classes for college students, the area was flooded not only with students but also by heavy rainfall. Given the weak state of the Lucinda drainage system, streets and waiting areas of mobility services were submerged in water, aggravated by traffic that worsened dramatically. Common issues students faced was being left stranded in the shuttle area, forced to endure long waits in the rain and flood just to catch another ride to the Main Campus in San Vicente, largely due to the imposed 20-passengers limit per bus despite the overcrowding of waiting commuters.

Learning from the grape vine, the Lucinda campus exit route line has always been extensive, even reaching beyond the exit walking lane. Though this has become all too common, many are still left dumbfounded, stuck with little more than empty promises as they face the same overwhelming commute every day. With the university’s growing population since the introduction of new colleges, buildings, and implementation of communities, the school transportation system remains the most common mode of mobility to reach intercampus classes and get a safe ride home. These blind spots within the mechanism of the shuttle service highlights a flaw in the system that the university has failed to patch for years.

However, the term “safe ride home” becomes idealistic considering the state of transportation now with TSUians urging for better upgrades and more shuttles to fill in shortcomings. Students wait ages just to reach the shuttle payment station, only to wait even longer before a new shuttle arrives during peak hours. Afterward, they endure a cramped, 20-minute ride, squeezed tightly between other students in a suffocating environment. This is the harsh reality many face every day, bearing the weight of the struggle in an endless loop.

Nonetheless, if students also face these challenges, so too do those at the helm, steering through their own set of struggles behind the wheel. Shuttle drivers are still hard workers grinding from a schedule as early as five to six a.m. in the morning until the end of night classes around eight to nine p.m. There is a growing demand for more understanding and courtesy towards the drivers, who are often dismissed or criticized, particularly when it comes to the perceived disarray of their shuttle dispatch system. Amid floods, long lines, and frayed nerves of frustration, drivers cannot ride behind the wheel without patience and respect as they keep Lucinda Campus’ commute alive. Their roles go beyond just drivers, they are frontliners who shoulder the weight of the university’s commuting system.

In the said system, they manage the flow of the shuttles written on a blackboard to record the queue of the buses, helping operators track which vehicle is scheduled to leave next. However, there are instances when certain shuttles depart and return outside their designated order. According to an interview with the shuttle operators, this practice is permitted especially during times of extreme student congestion to help reduce overcrowding at the waiting area. Despite this, many students misinterpret the flexibility as favoritism or poor coordination, often overlooking the intention behind these adjustments and the operational pressure drivers face, already receiving complaints of convenience.

While many still make comments on how they should adjust for greater improvements or add more shuttles to the campus extending the waiting area, shuttle operators are not the ones in power, but the university. In fact, the delay is even caused by students avoiding certain shuttles. In fact, a group of students were even reported to feel completely embarrassed in front of many other college commuters when they were instructed by shuttle dispatchers to board a crowded shuttle but refused, causing tension and a domino effect to the order of shuttles. This kind of resistance can cause unnecessary delays, making the already strained system even more chaotic. Shuttle dispatchers, who are already under pressure to manage the flow of students, must handle these refusals, which further strains the operation.

There may be some practices now for shuttle management just like the Laboratory School (LS) Express Lance for Freshmen to ease congestion and prevent misunderstandings and navigate the process quicker but that is not enough to address the growing community of TSU. Through proper distribution of school schedules, fixing the order of dispatch and return, and many more solutions to ease the comments being thrown at those behind the wheel. A surplus of complaints and the evident strain on both students and drivers with no lasting solutions put in place only perpetuates the daily hardships faced by commuters. The system is not broken because of people alone, it is broken due to the lack of coordination, communication, and outdated processes.

Leaving this problem to worsen through time would leave a bitter taste of irony on the tip of one’s tongue—voicing out on how neglected this troubling cycle truly is. The university must come up with daring pivots just like a better drainage system for less floods in the waiting area, more shuttles, and operators to smoothen the flow—perhaps even allocating a bigger budget for transportation. Besides that, students should also play their roles to comply and follow shuttle orders and refrain from causing scenes of disrupting the flow of passengers per ride. By fueling a culture of respect and patience, the community can turn bottlenecks into boulevards, to seal a well-organized operation.

It is time for administrators, TSUians, and drivers to get in the same lane, steering the wheel with support moving together for an improved and reestablished system where they no longer run on fumes but coast with ease.

‎| Article by: Yzzabelle Arandia
| Cartoon by: Cathrene Catubay
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‎_______________________________
‎𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐮𝐬:
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‎📩: 𝐥𝐬𝐭𝐰𝐣𝟒𝟎@𝐠𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐥.𝐜𝐨𝐦
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‎𝐓𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐚. 𝐓𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐠. 𝐓𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐠.

16/09/2025

𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐋𝐀𝐈𝐍 | Bughaw ng Liwanag sa Anino ng Bituin

Oh kay tulin ng araw.

Setyembre pa lamang, tila humahaba na ang gabi. Sa radyo, may himig ng mga kantang gasgas na sa ating pandinig, at sa bawat kanto, may mga parol na kumikislap na parang bituin sa langit.

Sa hapag, nagsisimula na ring pag-usapan ang magiging handa. Hamon at lechon para sa may kaya, pansit na pampahaba raw ng buhay, at keso de bola na laging inuuna ng mga bata kahit matigas pa. Sa kusina, naroon ang mga nanay at tita, pawis na pawis pero masigla, naghahalo ng sarsa at naglalagay ng pampalasa, na tila bawat pag-ikot ng sandok, may kasamang dasal para sa masagana at masayang hapagkainan. Sa sala, maririnig ang halakhakan ng mga pinsan at kapatid, nagtutuksuhan kung kanino mapupunta ang pinakamalaking kahon ng regalo. May mga batang nagkukuyom ng palad, sabik nang magbukas, mga tatay na masayang nag-iinuman at nagsisiyawan, habang ang matatanda nama’y abala sa pagkukwento ng mga nakaraang Pasko.

Hindi mawawala ang ingay ng pinggan, ang amoy ng adobo na sumasanib sa simoy ng hangin, at ang samut-saring kwento na paulit-ulit pero laging na sa puso't isip natin. Ang hapag ay hindi lamang puno ng pagkain, kundi puno ng mga alaala—tila ba bawat putahe ay may kasamang kwento ng sakripisyo, pag-aalaga, at pagmamahal na matagal nang hinabi sa bawat henerasyona't kabanata.

“Pasko na naman!” sigaw ng mga batang nagtatakbuhan sa kalsada. Bitbit nila ang tansang ginawang tambol at lata na nagsisilbing sisidlan ng baryang biyaya. Ang ilan sa kanila’y paos na ang boses, ngunit hindi pa rin tumitigil sa pagkanta, sapagkat ang bawat tono ay may dalang ligaya. “Bilisan niyo, baka maunahan tayo!” aniya, habang mahigpit ang hawak sa lata nilang may lamang dalawa o tatlong piso pa lamang. Ang mga halakhak nila’y umaalingawngaw sa buong kalye, tila musika ng kabataan na sumasabay sa lamig ng gabi.

Sa isang bahay, may batang kumaripas ng takbo, sabay sigaw, “Inay, Pasko na naman po!” Napatigil siya sa pintuan, hinihingal, at tinuro ang mga nagkikislapan at makukulay na parol. Napangiti ang kanyang ina at dahan-dahang sumagot, “Anak, hindi pa ngayon mismo ang araw ng Pasko, marami pang gabi bago dumating ang Noche Buena.” Kumunot ang noo ng bata, sabay tugon, “Pero Inay, ramdam ko na. Ang hangin malamig na, at lahat masaya na.” Ngumiti ang kanyang ina, hinaplos ang balikat niya,“Tama ka, anak, kapag puso mo’y masaya, nariyan na ang Pasko, dala ang ligaya.”

Pagsapit ng alas-siyete, ang mga tinig nila’y nagiging awit ng gabi. “Sa may bahay, ang aming bati…” at kahit limang piso lamang ang ihulog sa lata, may mga mata pa ring nagniningning, kahit may mga bibig na tatawag ng biro, “Kuripot naman!”

Sa mga baryo, maririnig ang kampana ng simbahan, tumatawag sa Misa de Gallo o Nakasanayang Simbang Gabi, isang serye ng siyam na misa na karaniwang ginaganap tuwing gabi bago ang Pasko, na gigisingan ng lahat. Ang unang tunog ng kampana ay tila pintig ng puso ng komunidad–sabay-sabay na gigising, sabay-sabay na maglalakad sa dilim, dala ang kandila o flashlight na kumikislap sa kalsada. Ang simoy ng hangin ay malamig, kadalasang may hamog na dumadampi sa balat, ngunit pinapainit ng bawat yakap at bati ng “Maligayang Pasko.” Sa gilid ng simbahan, naroon ang mga nagtitinda ng p**o bumbong na may kasamang niyog at asukal, at bibingka na nakabalot sa dahon ng saging, umaalingasaw ang halimuyak habang niluluto sa baga ng uling.

Hindi nakapagtataka kung bakit mahaba ang ating pagdiriwang. Sa Pilipinas, Pasko ang pinakamahabang selebrasyon sa mundo, nagsisimula sa Setyembre at umaabot hanggang Disyembre. Sa halos siyamnapung porsyento ng populasyon na Kristiyano, karamihan ay Katoliko, nakaugat ang tradisyon sa pananampalataya at pagdiriwang ng pamilya.

Bukod sa pamilya, mahalaga rin ang komunidad sa selebrasyon ng Pasko sa Pilipinas. Maraming bayan at barangay ang nag-oorganisa ng parada ng parol, paligsahan sa dekorasyon, at pamimigay ng pamasko sa mga bata at pamilyang nangangailangan. Pinapakita nito kung paano pinagsasama ng mga Pilipino ang pananampalataya, pagkakaisa, at kasiyahan sa isang selebrasyon na hindi lang para sa iisang tahanan kundi para sa buong komunidad.

Ngayong pasko, magniningning ang Pilipino.

“At saka po Inay, kahit konti lang ang naipasok sa lata, masaya pa rin po ako dahil ito ay hulog na biyaya.” bulong ng batang nangaroling, sabay tawa. At sa ngiti niyang iyon, tila ba naroon ang pinakatunay na diwa ng Pasko, ang kasiyahang hindi kayang sukatin ng halaga.

Thank you, thank you! Ang babait ninyo, thank you!

Isinulat ni: Kirsten Lagrimas
Dibuho ni: Vielle Myeisha Garcia
Inilapat nina: Diana Valencia at Sean Santiago

15/09/2025

𝐑𝐄𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐓 | 𝗝𝗢𝗜𝗡𝗧 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗟𝗔𝗖 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗘 𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗜𝗧𝗬 𝗣𝗨𝗕𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗗-𝗧𝗔𝗚𝗚𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗢𝗙 𝗖𝗔𝗜𝗥𝗢

In a society that should claim to uphold critical thinking and democratic discourse, the red-tagging of Justin Ace “Cairo” Sandoval—a student journalist from CLSU Collegian—marks a dangerous descent to repression. The advances made by non-uniformed men poses an alarming risk to the safety of Cairo and his family. More so, it undermines press freedom, and signals a broader assault in youth activism.

From this, The Work, as well as college publications from Tarlac State University, joins the nationwide chorus of voices demanding protection and justice for the plight of Cairo brought by unnecessary and abrupt intrusion by ten members from the National Task Force to End Local Communist and Armed Conflict (NTF - ELCAC), an allegedly problematic organization since its inception, labeling Cairo as a part of the New People’s Army (NPA) which is known and feared by pro-administration individuals for being anti-government.

Red-tagging, the act of labeling individuals or groups as communists or terrorists without due process, has long been used to silence dissent. In Cairo’s case, the label is not only false—it is a deliberate attempt to delegitimize his work as a writer and advocate for societal rights. His crime? Asking questions. Writing truths. Mobilizing peers. In a healthy democracy, these are signs of civic engagement. However, since what our country possesses is a climate of fear, these are treated as threats.

What makes this incident more alarming is the context in which it unfolds. Across the country, student journalists and campus activists are increasingly targeted for their political beliefs and editorial choices. The classroom, once a space for debate and discovery, is becoming a battleground for ideological control.

This issue extends to every student who dares to speak out. It is also about every publication that refuses to be silenced. It is about the role of academic institutions in defending—not endangering—their constituents.

To label journalism as terrorism is to distort the truth. To equate critique with criminality is to betray the very purpose of writing for the masses. Cairo is not a terrorist. No one becomes a terrorist just because the truth in what one writes appears personally offensive for some.

If this is the cost of speaking out, then let it be known: the youth will not be silenced. The pen will not be broken. The clamor in knocking for what’s due will not halt until justice will flood the streets.

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Tarlac State University - The Work, Jr.

22/09/2025

21/09/2025

21/09/2025

21/09/2025

17/09/2025

16/09/2025

15/09/2025

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