The sunny and scorching sides of March 2023
By Sophia Katherine Sarmiento
Summer just doesn’t come by and go away as it is.
As March dynamically progressed along with the heat of the summer — from students’ preliminary examinations to dire circumstances happening both locally and globally, it left an imprint under the sun despite several occasions happening all at once; for the good, and also for the unmistakable bad.
If things are getting too warm, cool down and take a step back — March will get you going from one to ten on a temperature scale.
1. Transport groups hold long-week strike for two days; classes proceed online
The controversial issue of the jeepney phaseout and Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) has resurfaced in light of the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB)’s recent issuance of an extended consolidation deadline for traditional jeepneys and PUVs last March 1.
Transport groups PISTON, Laban TVS, and Manibela organized a strike against the LTFRB’s modernization program due to insufficient funding capabilities from the huge transition that would cause more than 50,000 traditional jeepneys to be phased out. The week-long strike was initially planned from March 6 to 12, affecting a great margin of Metro Manila and causing several announcements from Local Government Units (LGUs) to allow educational institutions and universities to shift to online classes instead and provide contingency plans for passengers and commuters who are affected by the said strike. However, the strike’s duration lasted only for two days as Malacanang reported last March 7.
The aforementioned transport organizations concluded an agreement with government officials for a review of the PUVMP, to mitigate the big risk of drivers and operators losing employment over such modernization program. Netizens were also quick to react to the jeepney phaseout scheme, including current Vice President and DepEd Secretary Sara Duterte’s official statement regarding the protest.
2. UST-CSC holds University-wide elections and Tagisan debates
Onto the response of Thomasian volunteerism and leadership, the official list of the UST Central Student Council candidates was released last March 7 by the UST Commission on Elections (UST-COMELEC), and held a week-long election period that started from March 27.
The six CSC candidates were given a platform to express their views on certain socio-political issues faced recently through “Tagisan 2023”, an onsite Miting de Avance and debate organized by the COMELEC and TOMCAT last March 25. Matters raised included the talks surrounding the rice tariffication law, student activism, SOGIE bill, and disputed affair on the sim card registration act which students have strongly reacted to based on the hopefuls’ views on the subject. Despite this, the candidates provided enough insight onto their platforms to benefit the entirety of the student body for the incoming school year.
The election period will end on the first of April, succeeded by the announcement of the newly-elected officers for the CSC on a later date.
3. Remembering Mark Chua and his plight from a corrupted ROTC program
On March 18, 2001, Mark Chua, a Reserve Officer’s Training Corps (ROTC) cadet officer and an engineering student, passed away at the hands of his own fellow officers from the exposure of corrupt practices within the previously mandatory training program.
A lighting protest was held by youth groups and activists last March 18 at the University’s main gate in commemoration of his 22nd death anniversary. His role in the abolition of mandatory ROTC in 2002 ultimately sparked a nationwide change that allowed students the liberty to choose between different courses within the National Service Training Program Act of 2001.
Additionally, the issue was imbued further as the affiliated bill was pushed by certain senate officials last February in light of the controversy circulating around the mandatory ROTC introduced by DepEd Secretary Sara Duterte right after her pronouncement. Chua’s plight in exposing the greedy practices within the training program during his time is detrimental to upholding integrity for a similar post, and disallowing past events to take place yet again.
4. A wild fiasco as TikTok CEO faces congress hearing for security concerns
The feeds on the popular social media app are the same old trending stuff, but it’s the CEO who’s going viral this time on his own app.
Last March 25, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew faced a congressional hearing in front of the House Committee for Energy and Commerce. The said committee was purportedly bipartisan and pushed for allegations on the United States’ security concerns — as well as the app’s connections with China due to its parent app named ByteDance which lawmakers allegedly related to the latter country’s communist party.
Along with this, the age limit and restrictions were also put into discussion due to the app’s infamous popularity in capturing the attention of its users, specifically children, and spending long hours on their phones with specialized content. Legislators took their time to press questions and claims against the company — due to privacy theft and leaking of user information.
The internet went wild in watching the hearing as it gave a sense that Congress was unaware of ‘how the Internet works’ and how the boundary between one’s origins and racial discrimination is greatly obscured according to a legislator’s comment. There was also the issue of how the entire hearing process was said to be ultimately one-sided and purely mocking.
5. AI-generated images of the ‘Pope in a coat’ surfaces and trends on social media
With the emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) being integrated into different spheres of our lives and the Internet today, it’s a growing concern, especially in the case of ‘deepfakes’ and AI-generated images.
Originally posted on Reddit, users were deceived into thinking that the Pope wore a puffed up jacket on a regular day outside in Rome, through a series of AI-generated images using an app called Midjourney of the ‘Pope in a coat,’ as it was popularly branded. Users, however, were not quick to notice that it was AI-generated; not until it went trending on social media and media outlets on March 28. They were able to immediately notice the stark contrast between rendered images and real ones such as with the figure’s distorted fingers and other distinct physical features.
Yet the fake images were seemingly real for even just a few minutes of scrolling past them. Despite the fascination of advanced systems in AI for improved workflow, the thought of the emerging future for this new technology seems progressive enough — but also enough for people to also abuse and mass produce fakes. Aside from the AI-generated photo of the pope, a recent and similar example of this deep fake would be former US president Donald Trump possibly being charged with police custody.
6. Bureau of Immigration draws flak from netizens after ‘yearbook’ fiasco
Who knew a yearbook was a requirement for travelling abroad?
Filipino traveller and blogger Cham Tanteras went viral after posting a TikTok video about a missed flight experience to Israel last December 2022 caused by a Bureau of Immigration (BI) officer asking her for her yearbook and diploma for proof of records to allow her departure. This issue immediately went viral all over social media — in which netizens have also made a great time producing satirical skits revolving around the issue, including previous COMELEC Commissioner Rowena Guanzon.
BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval made a statement to reportedly clear the air on the supposed requirements needed to be presented before the immigration officer — which does not definitely include a yearbook nor a diploma on hand.
However, the Filipina traveller’s disillusioned experience was merely a facade–something that users were quick to notice regarding the strict practices and interview questions that immigration officers within the country attempt to ask potential travellers. BI stated then that the strict implementation procedures were of protocol, due to the increasing amount of human trafficking and criminal cases despite a show of good records.
Tanteras was also reportedly refused to be given financial compensation for the missed flight while the officer she was faced with was immediately relieved from his post.
7. ICC rejects appeal to stop probe on Duterte’s War on Drugs Campaign
There’s no befitting justice on the amount of blood that was shed from innocents and lives that were regrettably taken in numbers with no regard for human rights.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) on March 28 refused the recurring Philippine government’s appeal to suspend the probe on former President Rodrigo Duterte’s War on Drugs campaign — which resulted in several unreported extrajudicial killings during his years in office.
According to the ICC’s Appeals Chamber, the said resolution for the probe suspension was due to the lack of ‘persuasive reasons’ and failure to provide a legal basis over the issue, despite current President Bongbong Marcos Jr. and Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla’s remarks on the ruling and regarding it as a “threat to Philippine sovereignty”.
The rejection of the appeal has brought up the discussion of the said campaign’s victims in which lawyer Neri Colmenares and Senator Risa Hontiveros emphasized–as the delay in the ICC’s investigation towards the drug war will only result in further negative implications for its several victims and future proceedings. Recently, Marcos Jr. announced the country’s disengagement with the ICC last March 29, preceding the rejected appeal.
8. A hot place on Earth — the Philippines during summertime
The overbearing heat of the sun from the start of March has been the main issue for a while — with electric fans not even able to compensate anymore for the amount of heat that’s pouring through everyone’s windows. And even though it’s hot, everyone on the Internet was quick to react to the current condition of the environment today.
Aside from memes of the Philippines being closest to the sun, to Filipinos still raving over coffee during the hot summer days, the highest heat indices recorded this March ranged from 42 to 43 degrees Celsius– while the highest recorded this year was 47 degrees Celsius last March 24 in Agusan Del Norte. Increasing levels in temperature such as these prompted institutions such as the Mindanao State University (MSU) branch in General Santos to suspend their recurring face-to-face classes and revert back to an online setup instead for the meantime starting March 27.
Alongside this, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian likewise issued a statement on the motion of moving back the students’ summer breaks from April to May — which was driven by the recent concern of student hospitalizations because of earthquake and fire drills within their educational institutions.
9. Tagalog as a language course now available for study in Harvard
From several various languages and dialects the country sustains, Tagalog is a major key player and has been one of the most prominent languages in the country until today. With this, Harvard announced last March 28 that its Tagalog course to be taught starting the next academic year 2023–2024, according to its official school newspaper.
Harvard University also opened positions for hiring teaching instructors willing to teach Tagalog, including other languages as well such as Thai and Bahasa Indonesia. This continues to pave way for overcoming a diaspora of language barriers and promoting an enriched culture through several other languages aside from Tagalog.
10. A show in the skies as planet Venus aligns perfectly with the moon
Undoubtedly magnificent, the planet Venus and the moon aligned almost perfectly to produce the prettiest picture in the night skies of March 24. People were quick to react on social media and take pictures of the said occurrence, as it was deemed a sight to see for bystanders.
This certain event was known to be the lunar occultation of Venus, where the moon courses through Venus which is only visible at a certain time in the Philippines. Occultation occurs when a celestial body such as a planet hides behind another–which in this case is the moon. The next occultation of Venus similarly visible within the country will be in September 2036.
11. March is International Women’s Month — and there’s proof
And before March ends, this year’s women’s history month is indeed a moment to remember by for the coming ages ahead–and no brakes are stopping it.
The dialogues commemorating International Women’s Month have very different connotations and conversations, but it has always been for the goal of uplifting and empowering women despite differing backgrounds and ethnicities — including career roles and job opportunities, as well as gender equality and inclusivity.
An article and cover story published recently on March 30 by Vogue PH featured the country’s notable and last mambabatok Apo Whang-Od on the covers– a living legend and an icon for women of grit and uniqueness in the face of adversity. Her story and roots in the village of Buscalan marks a golden epiphany not just in the art of tattooing but implies also a strong inclination towards a woman’s strength that need not be just physical, but also multi-faceted.
And following the alignment of celestial bodies to create a picture-perfect moment in the dark sky, there is at least peace in knowing that there is hope among dimmed lights and hidden potentials from a month like March that is filled with both socio-political and pop-culture madness.
But there is no denying that the heat will soon die down, as it will surely spark a flame until the end no matter how tiny it can become.
