I STARTED my day with a wash of news headlines. Splashes of newsbytes triggered my senses to actively study for the nation and the future ahead. It was really stressful to read rising number of deaths due to COVID-19 but it was also satisfying to muse on comedic scenes like the tales of presidential “Pinocchio” spokesperson Harry Roque and friends in the cabinet.

A weeklong of our academic break in UPLB paved way for me to read newspapers. Inquirer Plus ignited the embers of reading in me.

As a math and science education major, I like juggling things. I make goals, healthy habits, and targets. Sometimes, they are meant to be broken due to some changes in this peculiar online class setup but yes. I’m the typical person who is confused of what to do really.

Despite that, my college program will make me an avatar, as others explained. This is because we have subjects ranging from Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics. We take them all, making us versatile educators in the future. Simply put, my program is an enhanced version of education curriculum as far as the teaching of mathematics and science is concerned.

A timely topic, COVID-19 pandemic, requires an understanding of math and science to fully grasp what is it, how is it evolves, why it does reproduce and when it will end. Biology will give a brief background of what is a virus and how it is different from bacteria. Chemistry will explain why we cannot take different types of vaccine at the same time. Mathematics will give us models on when will it be feasible to go and not to go out from home as it can show trends about COVID-19 cases at a particular place and time. Lastly, physics can explain the mechanics of transmission of the virus as it varies with distance and place.

I want my academic break to be fruitful. Instead of wasting time and stressing myself browsing baloney memes and social media posts of Mocha Uson (just an example…), I spent my time in writing “reflective poems” in my online blog. I also started the habit of reading motivational books apart from heavy readings my college program demands.

I cannot stop. I have maintaining grades. I’m a DOST Scholar. I’m no typical “rich kid”, but certainly I’m street smart and critical of what is happening around me.

I don’t want to be enclosed in a box. I want to see things beyond. That is why apart from reading math and science textbooks, I also make myself busy exploring social issues particularly about corruption in justice system our country is currently facing.

Recently, I become fan of watching real series of oral arguments in the Supreme Court about the disputed RA 11479 famously known as the Anti-Terror Law of 2020 whose primary intent is to prevent, prohibit, and penalize terrorism in the Philippines.

I’ll be honest. The technicality of the jargons used in the court made me to prepare a dictionary while digesting every word from the lawyers and magistrates. I’m interested on how the Solicitor General Calida (with a so-called winning streak in the Supreme Court) will face top lawyers contesting anti-terror law. It was also intriguing that most of the magistrates are Duterte appointees which add spices to the battle. Unfortunately, the chief solicitor general did not take part in answering the questions of the magistrates instead he put the spotlight on his ASGs (Assistant Solicitor Generals).

It was a great experience so far. I learned new words. I learned on the complexity of the Filipino justice system. It was like watching an intense scene where wizards zapping mischiefs and false prophets together with the iconoclasts.

I’m no expert in the topic. I will not dig deeper into the details. Thankfully, there are some news media sites that expound arguments chunk by chunks in real time. Now it makes sense to me. There are some provisions in anti-terror law like Section 29 (detention without judicial warrant of arrest) that are vague in nature. Vagueness is the root of malice. Malice is the root of corruption.

I got to reflect that it’s not bad to participate and to observe social issues. It’s not bad to be critical. Everyone has the right to free speech. This administration has caused confusions particularly in the role of the youth to speak out against the grains. Filipino youths should not be enclosed inside the four corners of a box, they must be versatile and alert.

Dissent is a duty, and everyone is liable of the things of today that can affect tomorrow. Sharpening the minds of the youth to be critical and active thinker is what our country needs today for a hope of better tomorrow, amid this period of darkness.