THE BLUE FLAME

The Blue Flame Issue 1-2 Vol. 43 I Aug. 2024 - Jan 2025

To our beloved Scholasticans, Benitos, and readers of The Blue Flame,

Benedicite!

As ironic as it sounds, I think one of the most difficult parts of being a journalist is translating one’s own thoughts and judgments to a piece of paper and trying to accurately capture the essence of what the story needs— to think that these arrangements of letters can mean anything, and yet, hold no physical substance. We do not realize how much our words triumph in inciting influence and power over the implications that it carries. It is a voice. A progressive calling. An incarnation of fervent spirits.

In times of uncertainty and strife, this is precisely what the Philippines can remain hopeful about. The notion that even amid the opaque walls of dishonesty and delinquency interwoven within the streets and palaces of the country, there is still some semblance of an authentic future. Countless student publications nationwide have displayed this willingness to fight for the prevalence of truth for the healing of our community. And, I am brimming with gratitude to have also witnessed this in St. Scholastica’s College Manila (SSCM)’s The Blue Flame (TBF).

TBF has always dedicated itself to being catalysts of unwavering integrity and serving the community through bearing in mind the essential pillars of responsible journalism, even in our daily lives. Thanks to the legacy granted before us, we have remained staunched to this mission, strengthened and inspired by our schools’ saints, St. Scholastica and St. Benedict. The quiet but contemplative phrase, “Ora et Labora” (Prayer and Work) instilled within us a passion that is not simply fueled by the uneasiness of public inaction but more importantly, the eagerness and determination to stand for transformative change.

It does not go without acknowledging the past twilights that have painted our skies in a palette of shades and feelings. From the graying cumulonimbus during the COVID-19 pandemic to the emerald conviction of the new normal, TBF had experienced similar moments of hardship in persisting through harsh waters. However, after years of spectating the patterns of this cerulean ocean, this varsity has grown to grasp the importance of resilience and adapting to these situations.

This academic year (A.Y.), TBF has decided to participate once again in the Division Schools Press Conference (DSPC) in the Individual Categories, Radio Broadcasting, Collaborative Desktop Publishing, and Newspaper Publication. Simultaneously, we have continued our daily coverages, even expanding to broadcasting major school events and also posting on another social media platform, Instagram. After hours of blood, sweat, and tears from training sessions, we always return to our purpose and driving force: We write for the truth and for the people. Nothing can change that indelible legacy. It is a mantra that we perpetually uphold in our craft.

  Thus, we are ever so honored to reveal that you, readers, may now flip through our issue for The Blue Flame, A.Y. 2024-2025, spanning from August 2024 until February 2025. It enshrines the amalgamation of the diligence that each writer, layout artist, cartoonist, broadcaster, and member poured their entire hearts into. Moreover, it is a collective effort that could not have been accomplished without our understanding subject teachers and advisers, the outsourced students who accepted this undertaking, the supportive administrators, the student body, and most importantly, our moderators who have been there every step of the way and have culminated within us a soaring hope that no sun can melt.

As you get your first glimpse of the cover page, you’ll welcome the change as we opened our A.Y. to both Scholasticans and Benitos, along with other humanizing articles in the News Section. It offers a fond recollection of Sr. Rosario’s induction as the new SSCM President, as well as the institution’s 118th year of founding. You may also skim through recent national and international news. Move on to the thought-provoking Editorial Page and Opinion Section, where our dedicated journalists pour their hearts, like in regaling about the intricacies of the West Philippine Sea (WPS) and about unfolding the suspicion on dismissed Bamban mayor, Alice Guo.

Collect insights in our Features Section as the writers delve into the Southern California Wildfires that occurred January of this year, as well as laying foundations to necessary qualities of a leader seen through figures, like Risa Hontiveros and Maria Ressa. Not only that, unearth the prevalence of illegal mining in the Sci-Tech Section, and brace yourself from the excitement found in the Sports Section. With this release of issues, we share our aspirations that these may be conduits of bridging gaps and instilling Benedictine values through the power of our voices. May these transcend beyond simple storytelling and be marked as a reliable vessel of proactive journalism and communication towards true social progress. As a heritage of primarily women, this is not only a celebration of our accomplishments but more importantly a blueprint for encouraging self-expression and social acceptance while entrusting this to our future torchbearers and the community ahead of us.

As this year’s editor-in-chief of The Blue Flame, I, Lucy Angeles, am infinitely thankful to everyone who offered their hearts and souls into the annual launching of our newspaper publication. Through your generous time, energy, skills, and dedication, we were able to collaboratively complete it without major hiccups. Honestly, I’m exceedingly proud and appreciative with how far we have come. I reminisce of my first time in TBF when we were less than 25 members as we scrambled to release our online papers, and those days when we were just starting out our social media page. It took a sensational and diligent team to fulfill that, and I’m sincerely contented that I was an onlooker to this growth. In that regard, I will forever be in debt to my ates from previous years who were my role models of journalistic expression and whose articles I would read over and over again.

Furthermore, I would like to extend my highest recognition to all the past and present moderators of TBF, who have brought their courage and tenacity to this voyage. You are the core of this fortification; the principle reason why we are capable of splashing color to words. You have fueled our engines filled with camaraderie and passion, and now, we navigate to distances for our mission to serve the nation within and outside the Scholastican grounds through responsible journalism.

Meanwhile, I, Erinne Aquino, the current Associate Editor-in-Chief, am grateful to be part of this publication. I have truly witnessed how each and every one of us has contributed to keeping TBF ongoing, whether through posting on social media or joining press conferences despite the challenges, particularly in balancing academics and extracurriculars due to the compressed school calendar. This demonstrates that the publication can still be relied upon, no matter how difficult the circumstances may be, as seen today with the Broadcasting Team actively collaborating with writers and photojournalists to cover events within the institution. Thus, I firmly believe that the publication will continue to embody the essence of writing, serving, and igniting, growing stronger with time.

Once again, we thank you, readers, for continually cherishing moments with this publication and contributing to the flame that ignites with a dancing fieriness. May TBF be kept aflame and alive as we promote awareness and justice, aligned with our vocation in our home, SSCM. As we tread forward in this expedition, may we wield journalism’s pen not only as a tool for writing but as a herald of Philippine hope, education, connection, and press freedom as we chase the sunset of truth from this day and beyond.

That in all things, God may be glorified!

Scions soaring true and blue,

Lucy Angeles

Editor-in-Chief, The Blue Flame A.Y. ‘24 - ‘25

And

Erinne Melisse Aquino

Associate Editor-in-Chief, The Blue Flame A.Y. ‘24 - ‘25

The Blue Flame Issue 1-2 Vol. 43 I Aug. 2024 - Jan 2025

Alab ng Bughaw  Isyu 1-2 I Vol. 2 I Agosto 2024 - Enero 2025

Mga minamahal na Kulasa, Benito, at mambabasa ng Alab Ng Bughaw,

Benedicite!

Sa kabila ng mga hamong kinakaharap sa kasalukuyang panahon, partikular sa pagsusulong ng wikang Filipino sa ating bansa, narito ang kasama ng pahayagang The Blue Flame (TBF) sa pagpapasiklab ng katotohanan — ang Alab Ng Bughaw (ANB), na muling nagbabalik gamit ang panibagong pangalan. Sa gayon, tiyak na mapapansin ang kakayahan ng publikasyon na ipagpatuloy at palakasin ang sinimulan ng dyaryong Pluma nang hindi alintana ang pagbabagong hatid ng kurikulum.  Simula ngayong taong panuruan, ang ANB ay ganap nang kinikilala bilang dyaryong nasa wikang Filipino ng Mataas na Paaralan ng Kolehiyo ng Santa Eskolastika - Maynila . 

Kung titingnan at babasahin ang mga unang pahina ng pahayagan, matutuklasan ang mga balitang naglalahad ng mga pangyayari sa loob ng institusyon, kabilang na rin ang mga nai-uwing tagumpay ng mga kinatawan at tagapayo ng TBF at Student Council (SC). Mababasa rin ang mga ukol sa tugon ng COMELEC at LTFRB, mga isyu mula sa mga bansang Israel at Tsina, matinding trapiko sa Leon Guinto, at ang alokasyon ng badyet sa iba't ibang sektor.  Maging mapanuri at kritikal ngayong nalalapit na ang Midterm Elections sa tulong ng pananaw ng publikasyon na nakalantad sa editoryal na bahagi ng dyaryo. Sa karagdagan, narito rin ang aming mga kolumnista upang manghikayat na maging bukas sa panig ng kabataang mag-aaral tungkol sa lumalaganap na kaso ng maagang pagbubuntis, sistema ng transportasyon sa Pilipinas, pag-alala sa panahon ng Batas Militar, pagtaas ng presyo ng bilihin, at marami pang ibang napapanahong mga paksa, habang nakapaloob naman sa pahinang lathalain ang pagbangon ng P-POP at kuwento ng mga mag-aaral sa Taft Avenue at mga Pilipino sa gitna ng pag-usbong ng mga suliranin katulad ng mga sakuna at kolonyal na mentalidad. Samantala, ang pahinang agham at teknolohiya ay nananawagan para sa pagkakaisa upang bigyang-solusyon ang banta ng Dengue, AI Art, oil spill sa Manila Bay, at ilegal na pagmimina. Maaari niyong tapusin ang pagbabasa nang mayroong kasabay na libang at pagkatuto mula sa mga aral o inspirasyong dala ng pahinang isports.

Magagawang manguna at makiisa sa pagsisiwalat ng nakabubuti tungo sa masa sa pamamagitan ng pagbabasa at pag-unawa sa mga ibinahagi ng kabataang mamamahayag, na nagkakasundo sa pangunahing layunin: ang maitaguyod ang pag-asang pilit na ipinagdadamot sa bayan. Lubos nilang pinatunayan na ang kakayahang magsulat ay hindi lamang isang kasanayan kung hindi isang sandata upang maipagtanggol ang nararapat at wasakin ang balakid sa pagbabahagi ng kamalayan.  Ngayong ako ay naglilingkod bilang Katuwang na Punong Patnugot ng publikasyong ito, labis na nag-aalab ang aking puso at damdamin kasabay ng sama-samang lakas na ipinahihiwatig ng editoryal board, mga artist, at mga kontribyutor sa pagpapatuloy upang pagtibayin ang sari-sariling kakayahan sa tulong ng wikang Filipino bilang isang instrumento sa pagmulat at pagpapahayag. Ipinakita nila na kailanman ay hindi magwawagi ang mga pagsubok na humahadlang, lalo na ngayong nailaban ang ANB sa nagdaang Division Schools Press Conference (DSPC) at nagkamit ng maraming gantimpala.

Higit pa rito, nais kong samantalahin ang pagkakataong ito upang pasalamatan at bigyang-pugay ang aming mga tagapayo, na siyang nagsilbing tulay upang aking kilalanin at tahakin ang mundo ng dyornalismo. Tunay na tumatak sa aking isipan kung paano nila pinatatag ang kumpiyansa ng mga mag-aaral tulad ko, na kamakailan lamang ay isang estudyanteng kasapi sa ibang organisasyon at walang sapat na kaalaman sa nasabing larangan. Kaya naman, masasabi kong ang kanilang buong pusong pagtitiwala ang nagsilbing pundasyon ng aming lakas upang ipaglaban ang malayang pamamahayag, maging sa labas ng institusyon.

Sa kapangyarihang dala ng pagtutulungan sa pagpapalaganap ng katotohanan, naniniwala akong magpapatuloy ang paglalathala ng ANB sa hinaharap, ngayon pa lamang na tinitingnan ang pagsusulat sa wikang Filipino bilang may kahalagahan sa pamamahayag kaalinsabay ng pagiging susi upang maipamalas ang pagiging isang tunay na Pilipino.

Nawa'y ang bawat salita, larawan, at guhit na bumubuo sa nagliliyab na bughaw ay magpasiklab sa inyong kakayahang tumaliwas sa kadilimang dulot ng pandaraya at kasinungalingan.

 Kaisa ang mga mamamahayag at prinsipyo, lumaban dala ang dugong Pilipino!

Erinne Melisse Aquino

Katuwang na Punong Patnugot, Alab Ng Bughaw T.P. ‘24 - ‘25

Alab ng Bughaw  Isyu 1-2 I Vol. 2 I Agosto 2024 - Enero 2025