BACK BUCKET OF GOODNESS In a province dominated by the “Sutokil,” Bucket Shrimps stands out. I n Cebu, Sutokil is king—Sinugba (grilled), Tinola (soup), and Kinilaw (raw fish in vinegar). Sutokil has stood the test of time for a reason. But for Bucket Shrimps owner Chad Colmenares Regner, Cebu is craving for something new. Bucket Shrimps started in 2013, and now, seven years later, has four different locations in the province of Cebu: Capitol (original branch), Tisa, Mactan Wharf, and Seaview. There are a couple of other branches outside of metro, but Chad reveals they are franchises. “There’s one in Bohol and Batangas. Davao was supposed to open, but they got caught in the pandemic,” Chad shares. He says they’re just waiting for travel restrictions to ease up before flying to Davao to train the staff. Now that Cebu is already open for tourists, Chad has managed to pull off the impossible—open a restaurant in the middle of a pandemic. While most businesses had to close down their operations entirely, Bucket Shrimps opened its Mactan Wharf branch. From a small business in the garage of Chad’s grandmother to a nationwide chain of restaurants, it’s safe to say that Bucket Shrimps has made it. Chad confesses that he’s just as amazed, considering that Cebuanos are particular with their food. “What we’re offering is really simple,” he says. “Beach concept— no aircon, no utensils. You just use your hands.” The star of the menu is the Seafood Bucket, which is literally buckets of shrimp, crab, scallops, and more. But the secret (or not so secret) to their success, Chad reveals, is their sauce. “Nobody can follow my sauce. It’s not even a secret. My cajun is [imported] from the United States; I get a box every month. When it arrives, I tweak it and add a couple of things,” he says. Apart from the Cajun sauce, you can also try other sauces: garlic butter and bagoong curry. The restaurant also offers grilled liempo, chicken wings, sinigang, calamari, and pusit. Despite the odds, Bucket Shrimps has become one of the best restaurants in Cebu. In fact, it was named the 22nd best restaurant in the Philippines by the Big 7 Travel website, and it has been featured by numerous celebrities. “It’s been seven years since we’ve started. And it’s been a really good ride for me,” Chad ends.

BACK THE Philippine Diplomacy’s 123 M odern Philippine diplomacy was born in the crucible of revolution. On June 12, 1898, the First Philippine Republic was established in Kawit, Cavite, while Filipino revolutionaries pressed against the last Spanish holdout in the Far East, Intramuros, the Walled City. The Republic’s President, General Emilio Aguinaldo, would send a 39-year old lawyer, Felipe Agoncillo, on a daunting diplomatic mission to the United States and Europe to secure recognition for the fledgling Republic. THE FIRST FILIPINO DIPLOMAT Agoncillo was trained in the best of European legal traditions. It was no surprise that he could argue in the language of the international law of the time. But President William McKinley would only receive him in a private capacity at the White House. It confirmed Agoncillo’s early suspicions that the Americans, who had earlier declared support for the Filipino revolutionaries in their fight against Spain, were not to be trusted. By then, the Americans and the Spaniards had already reached a secret agreement to exclude Filipinos from negotiations for the colony’s future. Agoncillo would write a series of diplomatic notes addressed to the US Senate, the US State Department, and to the American and Spanish peace negotiators in Paris. These were all ignored by imperialist and racist imperatives unwilling to recognize the new Philippine Republic. THE Philippine Diplomacy’s 123 BY ATTY. ROMEL REGALADO BAGARES* 50 YEARS OF AMERICAN TUTELAGE On December 8, 1898, the American and Spanish governments signed the Treaty of Paris (TOP), in which the latter ceded the Philippines to the former for US$20 million. The next half century would see the Philippines under forced colonial tutelage. American rule gradually introduced Filipinos, in the words to McKinley’s Instructions, to “certain great principles of government” that were “essential to the rule of law and the maintenance of individual freedom.” The better part of such education would be spent by the Philippines as an unincorporated territory under an American flag severed from the American constitution. In 1934, the US Congress passed the Tydings-McDuffie Act, which declared that upon the planned grant of Philippine Independence in 1946, the Republic of the Philippines shall have jurisdiction, control, authority and sovereignty over “all territory….the boundaries of which are set forth in Article II of the Treaty of Paris of December 10, 1898, together with those islands embraced in the treaty between Spain and the [US], concluded at Washington on the 7th day of November, 1900.” Yet the following year, while drafting the 1935 Constitution under American tutelage, Filipino constitutionalists made sure to re-state into it the metes and bounds of the TOP regime as integral to national territory. Delegate Vicente Singson Encarnacion, the principal sponsor of the National Territory Provision (NTP), argued that it had become necessary to embody the International Treaty Limits (ITL) in the Constitution as well and transform it into a binding international instrument, because, according to him, the Americans cannot be trusted to honor their word; after all the world then only knew an international law founded on “la fuerza de los cañones.” Thus, a colonial document was transformed by the Philippine colony into an anti-imperialist tool. THE PHILIPPINES AT THE FOUNDING OF THE UN In late 1945, towards the closing stages of the World War II, a Filipino delegation led by Carlos P. Romulo, participated in the drafting of the United Nations (UN) Charter. Along with India, a colony of the British empire, the Philippines was allowed to take part in the founding of a new international organization that, it was hoped, would usher and shepherd nations under a new era of lasting peace. At the UN Charter discussions, Romulo and other Filipinos delegates fought for the recognition of the right to self-determination in the founding document. Just as well, because the very next year, on July 4, 1946, the Philippines would be granted independence by the US pursuant to the Tydings-McDuffie Act. In preparation for that, the US State Department organized the Philippine Foreign Affairs Training Program to formally train the first groups of Filipinos in post-independence diplomatic and consular work. The brainchild of Edward W. Mill, it selected the first 40 Filipinos to serve for the diplomatic corps of an independent Republic of the Philippines under a new Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). This founding corps of post-independence Filipino diplomats would serve the DFA well. In 1950, Filipino diplomat and lawyer Jose Ingles argued in advisory opinion proceedings before the international Court of Justice in favor of UN supervision of South Africa’s trusteeship over South West Africa. The diminutive Romulo would cut a giant figure in the next decade in world diplomacy. He stood tall in the campaign for the drafting of a Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in 1948. He served the UN General Assembly as president from 1949 to 1950 and as chair of the UN Security Council in 1957. THE UDHR, BANDUNG, AND THE INTERNATIONAL BILL OF RIGHTS Any discussion of Romulo’s legacy would not be complete without a careful look at his role in the pathbreaking April 18-24, 1955 Bandung Conference in Indonesia. Bandung is recognized as an anti-colonialist gathering of decolonized or decolonizing states that paved the way for the birth of the Non-Aligned Movement in 1961. Bandung enshrined the power of the hitherto impossible— the “Spirit of Bandung” that challenged for the very first time the well-entrenched imperialism in the international legal order. Romulo, with Lebanese diplomat Charles Malik, appeared on the scene not only as an anti-colonialist, anti-imperialist advocate, but also as one of the loudest voices at Bandung for the universality of human rights. The two of them successfully fought, over vociferous Chinese objections, for the inclusion of firm language in the Conference’s Final Communique that substantively acknowledged the UDHR as a founding document for a new international legal order. The historical records show that at Bandung, Romulo sought a “dual negation” of the dominance of the First and the Second Worlds, and the condemnation of all forms of colonialism and deprivation of civil and political rights, whether in the East or in the West. This, despite Romulo’s creds as a true-blue American ally in the context of a deepening Cold War. In his own account of Bandung, he documented having tangled with China’s Zhou En Lai, who argued that there is only one colonialism that must be spurned by everyone—that of the West. In the end, as the Final Communique would put it, Bandung radically redefined colonialism, affirming that “alien subjugation, domination and exploitation constitutes a denial of human rights.” Around the same time, the Philippines also began articulating a vision of national territorial sovereignty ironically founded on the legacy of the Treaty of Paris’ ITL. Following the 1935 Constitution, the DFA would seek the international community’s recognition of the country as the world’s lone mid-ocean archipelago with its own unique set of maritime security needs. Indeed, for the next seven decades, this was one of the few non-negotiables of Philippine foreign policy, through such issues as Parity Rights, the long presence of US Military Bases and Philippine dependence on American military might for its external defense, and the rise of the Communist movement in Asia, among many others. FILIPINO DIPLOMATS AT THE HELM OF SELF DETERMINATION Our fine diplomats would struggle hard well into the 1980s for full recognition of the country’s sui generis view of the emerging Law of the Sea, even against the position taken by the former American colonizers. By the 1960s, the Philippines was one of the newly independent states that headlined a successful campaign to establish mechanisms to implement the promises of the UDHR. In fact, within three years of its drafting, the Philippine Supreme Court would rule in two landmark cases that its provisions were binding norms of customary international law. With colleagues from Jamaica, Liberia, Ghana, and Costa Rica, Filipino diplomats, especially Salvador S.P. Lopez, worked at the UN to establish mechanisms to implement an International Bill of Rights. They argued that protections already enjoyed by citizens of the West should likewise be granted to the citizens of the newly-decolonized states. These mechanisms—such as the UN Human Rights Committee under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights—transcended state sovereignty and provided the foundations for the universal promotion of human rights. A noted literary writer and Romulo protégé, Lopez was instrumental in the creation of the ICCPR’s individual complaints mechanism. Through this mechanism, citizens can take their governments to task for failing to carry out their obligations under the covenant. Such a distinguished history is difficult to square with the present dispensation’s claims that human rights is being weaponized against the country’s right to self-determination. For the diplomats of the Philippine diplomacy’s golden era, such self-determination cannot be divorced from respect for the universality of human rights. As our part of the world turned inward and, in Leon Ma. Guerrero’s fine phrase, sought an “Asia for Asians,” Lopez, an old-school liberal, would also pave the way for a more cosmopolitan approach to Philippine foreign policy. He would eventually succeed Romulo as Secretary of Foreign Affairs and later follow his mentor to the University of the Philippines (UP), where he served as a short-lived but well-loved presidency as the state university was plunged into the great societal upheavals of the 1970s. But Martial Law under the late strongman former President Ferdinand E. Marcos would sever his old ties with Romulo; his mentor, almost to the very end, served Marcos without hesitation, even despite undeniable violations of gross human rights committed under his administration. MANILA DECLARATION’S ENDURING LEGACY Perhaps, one of Romulo’s enduring legacies cemented late in his foreign affairs career was his role in the drafting of the Manila Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of International Disputes. The Declaration was pushed by member-states of the Non-Alignment Movement, namely Egypt, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria, Romania, Sierra Leone, Tunisia, and the Philippines. Its initial draft, at Romulo’s instance, was crafted by the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization which met in Manila. The final form was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly by consensus on November 15, 1982 through resolution A/RES/37/10 or the Manila Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of Disputes. “For the first time,” writes an international legal scholar of the Manila Declaration, “a normative text develops a comprehensive plan and a consolidation of the legal framework of peaceful settlement of international disputes.” The Philippines’ resolve to follow the Manila Declaration’s principles would be tested soon enough. Following the ouster of Marcos from power in 1986, as well as the termination of the US-Philippine Military Bases Agreement in 1991, the Philippines would be confronted with the rise of a neighbor—the People’s Republic of China—as a New Great Power. China began to flex its military muscle, powered by unprecedented economic progress. Pursuing its nine-dash line claim, it would encroach on much of the South China Sea, including maritime territories held or claimed by the Philippines. In 2012, a standoff between the Philippines and China over the Bajo De Masinloc (Scarborogh Shoal), a rocky outcrop about 124 nautical miles west of the coast of Zambales, led the Philippines to pursue an arbitral case under the compulsory dispute settlement mechanism of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). In July 2016, the UNCLOS Tribunal handed down an Award that essentially won for the Philippines all of the points it had raised against China, which had opted for a strategy of non-participation in the proceedings. It held that China’s nine dash-line claim to the living and non-living resources in the South China Sea actually consists of “a constellation of historic rights short of title” that is “incompatible with the Convention to the extent that it exceeds the limits of China’s maritime zones as provided for by the Convention.” Such a victory, however, entailed the abandonment by the Philippines of its long-held constitutional position that the expanse of its maritime territories are governed by the Treaty of Paris regime. Its reverberations continue to be felt today. Atty. Romel Regalado Bagares has Communication and Law degrees from the University of the Philippines and a master’s degree from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. He teaches International Law in two Manila law schools.

BACK A Silent Worker A Silent Worker Even though the Cojuangcos are a household name, Tarlac Representative Carlos “Charlie” Cojuangco lets his work and people shine brighter than himself. With the COVID-19 pandemic and the back-to-back calamities battering key communities across the country, Tarlac First District Rep. Carlos “Charlie” Cojuangco is stepping up and doing all that he can to bring services and much-needed relief to his constituents. Tarlac is now home to the 36th Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Consular Office, located at Paniqui, Tarlac. In his speech, Cojuangco said that he was grateful for the support of the DFA in bringing its services closer to the residents, especially the OFWs, of Tarlac and nearby provinces. Through the initiative of Rep. Cojuangco, water pumps for irrigation were distributed to the farmer organizations of the district. Present during the awarding ceremony at Brgy. Malacampa, Camiling, Tarlac was Regional Manager Engr. Josephine B. Salazar. Those entering through the main entrance of the Paniqui General Hospital will now pass through the Disinfection Triage to ensure everyone’s safety during this pandemic. Paniqui Mayor Max Roxas has expressed his gratitude to Rep. Cojuangco for his continuous support. Some residents of Brgy. Malacampa, Camiling, Tarlac underwent training under the Electrical Installation and Maintenance NC II program provided by TESDA. Currently, TESDA still accepts applicants for programs under Special Training for Employment (STEP) and Training for Work Scolarship Program (TWSP). Interested applicants may visit the office of Rep. Cojuangco for more details. Residents needing medical treatment and medicine for chronic kidney disease were given free rides to Jose B. Lingad Regional Hospital in San Fernando, Pampanga. Rep. Cojuangco assures residents of Tarlac that they will be given safe access to treatments and medicines, despite transportation limitations brought about by the COVID-19. Rep. Cojuangco understands that when it comes to health and medical emergencies, time is of the essence. His office donated an ambulance to the Enrique Henry M. Cojuangco Memorial District Hospital in Moncada, Tarlac. For Rep. Cojuangco, the health and safety of every Filipino family is topmost priority. He distributed face masks, alcohol, and PPEs to different municipalities in District 1 of Tarlac. The Philippines, as a tropical country, is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna. Rep. Cojuangco laments the deforestation, urban development, and destruction of our natural treasures. With this in mind, he initiated the “Garden of Native Trees” project in the Municipality of Camiling, where a collection of Narra, Banaba, Kamagong, Kalumpang, and Malabulak trees can be found.

Gaining Ground BAYAMBANG, PANGASINAN MAYOR CEZARA T. QUIAMBAO ON REVOLUTIONIZING AGRICULTURE AS A GATEWAY TO PROGRESS We reached Bayambang, Pangasinan at daybreak and saw a figure towering over what otherwise were the unadorned horizons of the town, sparking curiosity and awe. Its height was difficult to miss. As we moved closer, we learned that the figure was the statue of St. Vincent Ferrer, the patron saint of builders, which, at 50.23 meters, is as tall as a 15-story building, taller than the Statue of Liberty in New York or the Crist the Redeemer Statue in Brazil. It only seemed fitting that the statue was completed this year in time for the 405th founding anniversary of Bayambang and the quadricentennial (400th anniversary) of the town's St. Vincent Parish by Javier Flores Photos by Manuel Generoso There was however another reason for the town to celebrate. The statue had vied for the Guinness Record for the World’s Tallest Supported Bamboo Sculpture, an all-new category. On April 5, 2019, Guinness Official Adjudicator Swapnil Dangarikar declared that the statue had complied with all the requirements to be declared the holder of the Guinness Record, ensuring that it is not only a relevant religious attraction but also a significant tourism destination. The declaration was just in time for the 600th death anniversary of St. Vincent de Ferrer who died on the same day in the year 1419. Not too long ago, nothing stood on the site of the St. Vincent Ferrer statue. It took the term of incumbent Mayor Cezar T. Quiambao to conceptualize and execute the feat in a short span of time without spending any funds of the local government. Local Boy Who Did Good Mayor Quiambao is a true son of Bayambang, having been born there in 1948 to small-scale business folk Simplicio Quiambao of Pampanga and Veronica Terrado of Bayambang. Upon finishing high school at Bayambang National High School (BNHS), he went to Manila to take up Business Administration at the University of the East (UE), supporting himself by working as a messenger and a jeepney driver. He tried his fortune in Indonesia as an overseas Filipino worker and worked hard until he slowly ascended the corporate ladder to become the executive vice president of PT Green Timber Jaya, a leading timber company. Every year, he would come home to reunions with his classmates, who never failed to remind him of the sad state of Bayambang, how the town he left was still virtually the same, as if time had passed it by. SUBSCRIBE TO READ FULL ARTICLE.. BACK BUY MAGAZINE NOW FINAL SALE GET 30% OFF EVERYTHING. CONTACT US We are always looking for new and exciting opportunities. Let's connect. info@league.ph 0915 239 8547

Tourism A PEEK INTO SAN JUAN’S RICH HISTORY In San Juan City, visitors can explore a rich history that honors revolutionary heroes and showcases colonial infrastructure that promotes recreation and cultural engagement. THE PROVINCE OF DINAGAT ISLANDS Known as a mystical island, Dinagat captivates every visitor with its rich history, cultural treasures, and unique culinary experiences, offering more than just stunning beaches. PANGASINAN PROVINCE Pangasinan is the third largest province in the Philippines. One common bit of knowledge about it is that it got its name from salt (asin in Filipino). But if you look at the provincial logo, it tells a different story. MUNTINLUPA CITY To many, the first thing that comes to mind about Muntinlupa is Bilibid or the National Penitentiary. VIGAN CITY, ILOCOS SUR BY ATTY. JAVIER FLORES WITH MIO DELA CRUZ Vigan’s vision is to create a productive, investment-friendly, and safe heritage province that promotes industrial peace, green economy, employment generation, and poverty reduction Rising from the Ruins BY MAIELLE MONTAYRE BLOSSOMING AMIDST THE RUBBLE How Baguio City’s story of recovery is symbolized by the colorful Panagbenga Festival CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS KAPAMPANGAN WAY BY LESLIE ANNE MAHUSAY WITH MICHELLE DELA CRUZ Many have tried—but failed!—to take the “Christmas Capital of the Philippines” title away from Pampanga. Its uniquely Pinoy grandeur and joyous spirit continue to inspire those who have witnessed and experienced it DIPOLOG: A COASTAL GEM By Novie Rose Nunez If you find yourself in the Zamboanga Peninsula, make sure not to pass up the chance to visit Dipolog City’s historical sites and eco-tourism spots. BEST OF BOTH WORLDS BY JOHN LEE CANDELARIA A delicate balance between modernity and culture gives Lapu-Lapu a unique advantage as the country’s “Historic Resort City”

BACK COMMUNITY pantries Pro or against? Concerned citizens weigh in and speak their minds. “Pro, because it helps many Filipinos. It makes people smile and brings hope to others [who] find everyday-living so depressing.” Shanna Marbella “I’M PRO, FOR IT. PERO MAS MAGANDA KUNG IBAHAY-BAHAY NALANG NILA. IWAS COVID KASI WALANG PILA.” Domskie Avila Mangente “Pro. Walang masama sa pagtulong sa kapwa. Inggit lang ang mga pumupuna kasi nasasapawan sila.” Felipe Junior Callueng “Pro, of course. It came at a time when people were desperately seeking help from a system that displaced them from their livelihood and which is now useless in answering their needs.” Andrei Nicolai “Pro. Walang masama sa pagtulong sa kapwa. Inggit lang ang mga pumupuna kasi nasasapawan sila.” Felipe Junior Callueng “Pro. However, we still have to hold the government officials accountable for their duties and responsibilities as servants for the people. ‘Yung mga inutang, naipamahagi at nagagamit sana efficiently. Naibibigay sana consistently ang basic needs ng taumbayan. Hindi ‘yung kuntento nalang tayo sa donasyon ng iba.” Lechong Patatas “It brings out the kindness inside us and the willingness to help in any small way we can. But we also need to follow protocols as per government guidelines.” Fleur de Lhiz “Against, kasi maraming tao ang nauubliga pumila at maglakad kahit sa katirikan ng araw at nagiging cause ng mass gathering.” Emily Gadores Ortua “CHARITABLE WORKS NEED NO PARTISAN GROUP. BECAUSE MANY PEOPLE AROUND US [HELP] SILENTLY WITHOUT CAMERAS IN FRONT OF THEM. THAT’S GOD’S WORK!” Cecilia Cacapit “BAKIT KAILANGAN PA MAGTANONG NANG GANYAN? DAPAT PAGBIBIGAYAN LANG AT DAMAYAN. WALANG DAPAT PAGTALUNAN SA KUNG ANO ANG MAGANDANG IDINUDULOT NG PANTRY. HINDI DAPAT HALUAN YAN NG PULITIKA.” Nestor Angeles Hermogenes “Mabuti naman ito. Basta sundin lang po ang mga government health safety protocols.” Hermito Viernes

Our Team. GENER DUNGO Chairman / COO Atty. JAVIER FLORES President / CEO Marketing KEN IMABAYASHI Assistant Manager DANA CADA Marketing Executive TRISHA JADE CABRAL Marketing Executive HAN ZALDY QUIMSON Marketing Executive Editorial GODFREY DANCEL Editor-in-Chief RAGIE MAE ARELLANO Managing Editor NEPHELINE DACUNO Associate Editor TREISHA ROVERO Copy Editor PATRICIA NICOLE SALIMBANGON Editorial Assistant Digital RALLION ABELEDO Digital Marketing Supervisor Zoe Resullar Graphic Designer Graphics PETER TAN Graphic Designer Isabelle Rivera Graphic Artist Associate Production ROMEO PERALTA JR Director of Photography AL NIKKO HAGUIMIT Web Developer Support Group MELANIE PERANG Finance Manager GRACE ANNE LACSON Human Resources Manager Atty. LOREN MARTINEZ Legal Department Manager RACHELL RAFAEL Logistics Manager

Innovation PBBM UNVEILS MAYNILAD’S POBLACION WATER TREATMENT PLANT FOR WATER SECURITY Learn about a revolutionary water treatment plan that will revolutionize sustainable water distribution in the country. A BRIGHT, ELECTRIC FUTURE Renewable and solar energy are increasingly becoming more accessible to the public, as shown in the Future Energy Show & Solar Show. SUNG THOUGHT LEADER: ENG. ROBERT RITO JR. Architect Felino Palafox Jr. BY MAIELLE MONTAYRE BY ENGR. ROBERTO RITO JR. How do you solve a problem like Metro Manila traffic? “In areas prone to flooding, let houses be built to float or built on stilts, elevate the electrical system, and interconnect the buildings with elevated walkways and elevated monorails.” Coming Clean BY MAIELLE MONTAYRE The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) is set to fully implement the master plan on the improvement of sewerage in Metro Manila, and appeals to everyone to also do their share in the quest tosave the Manila Bay

BACK Yes to free Higher Education CHED Chairman Popoy de Vera talks about the breakthroughs of the commission to achieve free education for the Filipino youth. BY MARIEL ABANES PHOTOGRAPHY BY RENJIE TOLENTINO A lot of Filipino students, especially those who are part of the poorest of families, rely on scholarships and financial assistance to be able to attend their graduation rites and accept their diploma. Education comes with a price. And with the growing demands of our society, daily survival alone is a big challenge. What more if you have one or a handful of children to send to school? That’s why for years, free education has been an ongoing call to the government. Previously, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) had rolled out several projects to address the situation. However, it only implemented the free education decree to state universities around the Philippines. While the number of beneficiaries from the said educational relief is steady, students enrolled in local universities and colleges (LUCs) remain dependent solely on their local government unit (LGU) or, worse, their own devices. Then came the Republic Act 10931, also known as the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act in 2017. Providing free tuition and miscellaneous fees to students of state universities and colleges (SUCs), LUCs, and private institutions, more youth are granted access to quality education without the financial strain. YES TO CHANGE The implementation of the law is a big win especially for LUCs. Without the national government assistance in the past, it’s impossible for students not to shell out fees to be paid. This results in students dropping out due to lack of monetary capabilities. When CHED Chairperson Prospero “Popoy” de Vera entered the scene, he was determined to include everyone—even LUCs—to the list of grantees of the commission. Seeing that their students need help the most, it’s only a logical decision to pursue the cause. “I stood up in public and said ‘yes’ to free higher education. That’s a political promise of the President during the campaign. So I am obligated to fight it out,” he recalls. And the rest, as Chairman Popoy says, is history. After the law was passed, de Vera readily worked on things that needed fixing. Having served as vice president of the University of the Philippines (UP) and having sat on the boards of SUCs before, de Vera’s transition to the work as commissioner wasn’t much of a challenge. He already had a vision. Now, all he needs is to take action. In his first year in the position, the chairman created institutional reforms and resolved recurring policy concerns, which covered the exclusion of LUCs in CHED programs. He then gathered and arranged a meeting with the presidents of these campuses. “For the first time, the local universities and colleges became a part of the higher education family,” Chairman de Vera shares. “We established good relations with them, where before, the relations were really adversarial.” Another thing he promised was building a level-playing field among all institutions, whether state, local, or private. “We now require a certificate of program compliance for all degree programs. They must meet minimum requirements for the faculty who teach the course, the curriculum that is used, the facilities, and more,” he further explains. So no matter where a student chooses to pursue his studies, there’s an assurance of quality. INCREASING GRANTEES “In terms of free higher education, the good news is that the budget has been increasing every year,” the commissioner happily reports. “We are able to get the commitment of the legislature and, of course, the President to not only maintain levels of funding, but increase the allotment as well.” In the beginning of 2017, when the house and the senate realigned the budget to CHED, the number of grantees for just free tuition totaled 800,000, spread across 112 state universities. When the Republic Act 10931 was finally passed, the numbers increased to 1,100,000. “From an initial free tuition, we now put free miscellaneous fees, too. Effectively, that doubled the amount of funds that was needed,” Chairman de Vera explains. In that year alone, the budget allocated for the higher education sector skyrocketed to P16 billion. Apart from this, the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) is also being carried out. This extension project of the Free Tuition Law is an additional subsidy given in priority to poor students and students residing in cities and municipalities where there is no public university. It grants receivers P40,000 to P60,000. With an initial 200,000 beneficiaries in its first year, it’s now close to 500,000 students. Presently, recipients of free tuition have reached around 1,635,000. Add to that the number of grantees from TES, as well as the long-running CHED program Tulong Dunong. The current beneficiaries now estimates at around two million students. “Palaki siya ng palaki, ganun ‘yung progression niya. And I am happy na when we go to congress, we are able to get what we want because maganda naman ang implementation ng program. The sheer number has never been tried in any developing country in the world. Walang sumubok niyan, tayo lang,” he proudly states. WELCOMING LUCS The LUCs gained a big win in the passing of the free tuition law. Now that they’re part of the national government assistance, their students can now rest easy with the support being offered. But, of course, nothing comes without a price. As a condition and a way to ensure quality education, CHED mandated that these institutions pass certain institutional standards. In the initial phases of implementation, CHED required schools to either have one or the other of two things: to have institutional recognition or to subject the campus’ degree programs to the certificate of program compliance. While most institutions are able to comply with one; in two years, they have to acquire both qualifications. In due time, CHED, together with the Association of Local Colleges and Universities (ALCU), worked with the schools to achieve the promise. And now, out of 130 LUCs nationwide, 104 are already institutionally recognized. Apart from monetary assistance, CHED also allocated a budget to help schools become smart campuses. With the trend swaying towards greater digital agility, it’s important for academes to “I said ‘yes’ to free higher education. That’s a political promise of the President, so I am obligated to fight it out. ” keep up with the times. Thus, the existence of the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act. With a total budget of P3 billion to equip universities and colleges with technological advances, CHED is allocating gadgets and equipment such as laptops for faculty members. Connectivity is also on the priority list, as well as fiber optics, putting a system to interconnect the offices, adopting a learning management system, or developing source materials. However, the Act has only been applied to SUCs at the moment. But as ALCU president Dr. Ellen Presnedi says, they’re working hard with their members to qualify for the next Bayanihan program of CHED. With all these plans in place and leaders working hand-in-hand for education, the future is looking bright for the next generation of Filipinos.

Innovation NCAA SEASON 99 - SAN BEDA RED LIONS: NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONS THE SAN BEDA RED LIONS ROARED TO VICTORY IN THE NCAA SEASON 99 MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP, DRIBBLING OBSTACLES AND DUNKING THEIR WAY PAST MAPUA'S CARDINALS. MAN WITH MANNY TALENTS Pacquiao holds the Guinness World Record for “Most Boxing World Titles in Different Weight Divisions.” He is the only octuple world champion who has won the following titles: International Boxing Federation (IBF) Super Bantamweight; International Boxing Organization (IBO) Light Welterweight; The Ring Featherweight and Light Welterweight; and World Boxing Council (WBC) Flyweight, Lightweight, Super Featherweight, and Super Welterweight. FIBA BASKETBALL WORLD CUP 2023 Gilas goes back to the proverbial drawing board as tournament winners bask in triumph. Alyssa Valdez Youth volleyball Camp: Helping Young Aspiring Athletes Star volleyball player Alyssa Valdez launches a training camp to inspire young SPIKERS. AMAZING FILIPINAS: THE NEW TOAST OF THE PHILIPPINE SPORTS WORLD Amazing.” This word aptly describes the 20-month period from January 2022 to August 2023, as the Philippine Women’s National Football Team (PWNFT) completed its transformation from a struggling team to new sports heroines.