The Oculus

The Oculus The Official English Student Publication of Ateneo de Zamboanga University Senior High School We are The Oculus. We are the eye of the Eagle. Join our movement.

An Eye for Reportage

The Oculus Publications is the official English-language student publication of the Ateneo de Zamboanga University - Senior High School. In its first year of existence, The Oculus was already declared the 2017 Campus Magazine of the Year by the School Press Advisers Movement, Inc. at the organization's 11th National Press Conference held on September 2017 at Boracay, Aklan. Coming into the new school year, The Oculus aims to finally get up to full speed and to become the regional journalistic powerhouse it aspires to be. We write with purpose.

09/09/2026

IN MOTION | Back in Flight: Eagles return as AdZU-SHS resumes on-campus activities

For weeks, the halls had been quiet. Then, in September 1st, the footsteps returned to the corridors, and the voices, again, carried from one room to another. After weeks away, the blue eagles reclaimed their sovereign skies above the campus, bringing back the ordinary sounds of a school day.

Regular lessons had yet to resume, with the week instead centered on class-to-moderator sessions, consultations, breaks, and even just quality time with peers. The studs met with their subject teachers without taking up new lessons, while an invitational play time gave them another option during their time on campus. The community also gathered for Mass and prayer, presided over by Rev. Fr. Alberto “Tex” Paurom, SJ.

By the end of the week, the campus was no longer silent—the kiosks had once again become louder, the backfield filled with students engaged in intramural practice, and classroom doors opened and closed as they had before. The eagles had returned to the nest, and with them came the bustle of campus life.

Caption by John Stephen Caban
Filmed by Rammstein Kyle Tan and Joseph Ameer Sahial
Edited by Rammstein Kyle Tan and Ahmad Jailani

FACTS WORTH SHARING | Reading between the linesBeing able to read does not always mean knowing how to read.At first glan...
08/09/2026

FACTS WORTH SHARING | Reading between the lines

Being able to read does not always mean knowing how to read.

At first glance, the statement seems contradictory—after all, literacy is commonly understood as the ability to read and write. That’s the thing; we tend to treat literacy as a simple threshold: you either can read and write, or you cannot. Yet truly, somewhere between the mere recognition of words and the act of awakening of their meaning, lies a vast world of words.

Technically, a person can actually be literate and still struggle with literacy itself. The ability to read words doesn't always come hand-in-hand with the ability to grasp their meaning or assess the information they carry. With that, literacy is what the mind can make of it—not merely what the eyes perceive.

Through the concept of ‘functional literacy’, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) actually officially recognizes this understanding. In this perspective, literacy is not a finish line reached when someone learns their letters—instead, it’s a skill that develops with the ability to understand and interpret the ever-changing world.

With that in mind, let us realize International Literacy Day as a chance to look a little closer at what it means to truly understand what we read. Established by UNESCO in 1966, this observance urges us to look beyond the stitched-together letters, to make sense and toward everything that follows—may it be the questions a text leaves behind, or perhaps the meaning we draw from it, but above all, the choices we make rooting from the fact that we understood it.

To read is to take in what is on the page. To be literate is to make sense of it. The difference may seem small, but it really changes what ‘reading’ can do—use it to inform a decision, clarify an idea, or help someone find their way through this ever-changing world we live in.

Caption by Stephen Caban
Layout by Aryzia Carreon

08/09/2026

EAGLE'S STORY | Eagles light candles for peace, hope following AdZU-JHS incident

In light of recent events, the Ateneo de Zamboanga University Senior High School (AdZU-SHS) community gathered for the Candle Lighting: Prayer for Healing and Peace.

With the guidance of the Ateneo Student Executive Council (ASEC), other organizations, offices, and school administrators, the event aimed to bring students closer to one another in prayer and solidarity as the institution tries to move forward.

The event was held in front of the Faustino W. Saavedra (FWS) building on September 4, with regular classes set to resume next week for the AdZU-SHS community.

Caption by Jaela Benisse Bazan
Broadcasted by Stephen Caban
Filmed and Edited by Rammstein Kyle Tan

IN PHOTOS | AdZU-SHS gathers in prayer for strength, peace, healingAfter two weeks apart, the Ateneo de Zamboanga Univer...
06/09/2026

IN PHOTOS | AdZU-SHS gathers in prayer for strength, peace, healing

After two weeks apart, the Ateneo de Zamboanga University Senior High School (AdZU-SHS) community gathered for the Candle Lighting: Prayer for Healing and Peace as students, faculty, staff, and administrators lit candles and joined in a prayer for healing and peace following recent events.

Led by the Ateneo Student Executive Council (ASEC) together with Campus Ministry Office (CMO), Office of the Prefect of Discipline (OPD), and school administrators, the solemn gathering offered a moment for the community to pause, reflect, and pray as one community.

Guided by the Ignatian ideal of Cura Personalis, the AdZU-SHS community continues to foster compassionate care for one another.

As candles were lit and prayers were lifted, their warmth became a symbol of renewed hope and comfort — a reminder that the AdZU community can heal, move forward, and face the school year ahead with courage and compassion.

Caption by Pia Chandra Angelada
Photos by Jazeera Shanti Sarappudin, Monammad Nur N. Jr. Bahad, Isla Elysse Mionette Brusset, Nathalie Kayne Pacheco, Edrianna Sumergido
Layout by Clarence Rasul II

SOARING HEADLINES | LIGHTING PATHS FORWARD ASEC President on working for peace, healing at AdZU-SHS candle lightingWritt...
06/09/2026

SOARING HEADLINES | LIGHTING PATHS FORWARD ASEC President on working for peace, healing at AdZU-SHS candle lighting
Written by Jaela Benisse Bazan

Following a tragedy that struck two weeks ago, the Ateneo de Zamboanga University Senior High School (AdZU-SHS) held the Candle Lighting: Prayer for Healing and Peace with the guidance of the Ateneo Student Executive Council (ASEC), alongside other offices and organizations.

The solemn gathering aimed to unite students, faculty, staff, and administrators in a collective prayer for healing and peace outside the Faustino W. Saavedra (FWS) Building on September 4.

Matt Adriane E. Angeles, ASEC president, said that the organization wanted the gathering to be an avenue for students to offer their prayers for the community.

“We can't do everything to alleviate the pain or grief that [it has] caused all of us, but this is our simple initiative to help our student body,” he explained.

Representing AdZU-SHS, Angeles shared a message of Cura Personalis to the entire AdZU community, inviting everyone to work together to create a community where everyone is heard and seen.

“Not everyone will be able to move forward with this alone, so as your student council, we are here to be with you and support you all throughout the way,” the president added.

The tragedy that occurred on August 18 at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University Junior High School (AdZU-JHS) resulted in a temporary suspension of classes prior to the candle-lighting gathering.

AdZU-SHS reopened the campus on September 1 with the Community Mass for Healing, but no new lessons were discussed as the week was designated for grade consultations among students.

As AdZU continues to move forward, regular classes for Grades 11 and 12 are set to resume on September 7.

Photo by Mohammad Nur N. Jr. Bahad
Layout by Sedric De La Cruz

ICYMI | Fr. Ernald calls for solidarity during AdZU-SHS community mass for healingFollowing the tragedy that struck 2 we...
05/09/2026

ICYMI | Fr. Ernald calls for solidarity during AdZU-SHS community mass for healing

Following the tragedy that struck 2 weeks ago, the Ateneo de Zamboanga University Senior High School (AdZU-SHS) came together for a Community Mass for healing.

Presided by Rev. Fr. Alberto “Tex” Paurom, SJ, the gathering emphasized the importance of finding peace in oneself with the help of others without forgetting the tragedy that affected the community.

In his homily, he explained that everyone is experiencing this as one community, so healing together is the first step in moving forward.

“Fear doesn’t have the final word, violence doesn’t have the final word — but God’s word has the final word,” Fr. Tex said.

Furthermore, Fr. Guillrey Anthony “Ernald” Andal, SJ, University President of AdZU, also addressed the community after the Mass, asking everyone to continue to look out for one another and work together as the institution continues to move forward.

"Safety is something all of us help create... We will not pretend that nothing bad happened two weeks ago, but we will not allow fear to decide everything that comes next," Fr. Ernald highlighted.

The Community Mass for healing was held at the Multi-Purpose Covered Court 1 (MPCC-1) on September 1.

Caption by Zarah Aliya Fidel
Photos by Reina Uro
Layout by Sedric De La Cruz

Turning the page to Literacy Month! Words carry weight. They teach, connect, and quietly reshape the course of a life — ...
01/09/2026

Turning the page to Literacy Month!
Words carry weight. They teach, connect, and quietly reshape the course of a life — one word, then another, until a sentence becomes a dream someone can hold onto. In fact, the very act of reading this caption is literacy in practice: proof of how ordinary, and how essential, this skill truly is.

This September, we mark Literacy Month! Whether it’s your favorite novel, a poem, a recipe you’re trying to follow, or even just this post — each began with someone, somewhere, learning to read and write.

This year is remarkable, as the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) marks the 60th anniversary of International Literacy Day with the theme: "Literacy for people, the planet and prosperity." The message is clear: literacy is not just about books and writing—it’s also about building better lives, stronger communities, and a healthier planet, one page at a time.

To the teachers and mentors who never gave up on us, to the libraries which served as doorways between worlds, and to every single person that is still growing their literacy today — whether that means reading a page, understanding symbols, or simply making sense of the world a little more each day — you are all part of something bigger than you may realize.

Let's keep the pages turning and the stories going. Happy Literacy Month.




Caption by Sean Chaudry Catis
Layout by Kasey Galiza

FACTS WORTH SHARING | Honoring yesterday, celebrating todayThe breathtaking islands and clear waters of the Pacific that...
31/08/2026

FACTS WORTH SHARING | Honoring yesterday, celebrating today

The breathtaking islands and clear waters of the Pacific that surrounds the Philippines holds the country's struggle for freedom. This struggle led to the founding of the Kataastaasang Kagalanggalang na Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan on July 1892, which would later play a crucial role in the Philippine Revolution of 1896.

In continuation, by August 1896, inspired by Andres Bonifacio and his troops, many joined the Philippine Revolution, otherwise known as the Cry of Pugad Lawin. They fought, endured, and sacrificed for a nation that did not yet exist as an independent republic. Some became names etched in books and some anonymous, yet each contribution to the struggle shaped the nation that we have today.

Then, in 1931, the Philippine Legislature passed and enacted National Heroes Day (Act No. 3827). This holiday would survive the Japanese Occupation and set an important reminder in the Filipino calendar today—that the Philippines’ freedom is not merely inherited, it is a legacy built through the courage, sacrifice, and determination of our ancestors to preserve our identity.

Caption by Alyssa Faith Jallores
Layout by Aryzia Carreon

FACTS WORTH SHARING | In remembrance, through practiceMaulid un-Nabi is observed by many Muslim communities as a time to...
26/08/2026

FACTS WORTH SHARING | In remembrance, through practice

Maulid un-Nabi is observed by many Muslim communities as a time to commemorate the birth of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and reflect on the values he taught throughout his life. Rather than being an observance that began at the time of his birth, the tradition of marking the occasion developed centuries later as communities sought ways to remember and honor his life and teachings.

Rather than focusing solely on the celebration itself, many Muslim communities use the occasion to reflect on stories of his compassion, patience, generosity, and concern for others.

In the Philippines, particularly among Muslim communities in Mindanao, Maulid may be observed through gatherings that include Qur'an recitations, religious lectures, and prayers. These traditions create a space where families and communities come together not only to remember, but also to pass on the teachings and values from one generation to the next.

These practices show how Maulid moves beyond remembrance. A Qur'an recitation brings the community together in worship, a lecture revisits lessons from the Prophet's life, and sharing food reflects the value of generosity often associated with his example.Through these traditions, remembrance becomes something practiced within the community rather than simply discussed.

Ultimately, Maulid un-Nabi connects the remembrance of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, with the continued practice of the values associated with his life. It is a time not only to remember his birth, but to reflect on how his teachings can continue to guide faith, character, and community life today.

Caption by Aziz Aldam
Layout by Sedric De La Cruz and Ali Aljohani

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