THE BLUE FLAME
SY 2023-2024
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SCHOOL YEAR
Our dearest readers of The Blue Flame,
Benedicite!
The Blue Flame has committed to upholding truth and serving the community through the pillars of responsible journalism. Despite the challenges posed by shifting ways, the publication remains steadfast in its mission to promote awareness, truth, and justice. Moreover, The Blue Flame perseveres as a platform for young writers, offering them a space to hone their craft and an environment to nourish their creative spirits and cultivate a sense of purposeful service. While St. Scholastica's College Manila (SSC) continually adjusts to pandemic-borne changes in education, we return to the school's long-standing practices. Once more, our spirits glow true blue as we represent our alma mater in countless congresses and honor our customs in various institutional events. And yet, this year is indeed brimming with change — new developments we live through each day.
The Blue Flame is no different in expanding its horizons. By fostering collaboration with fellow Scholasticans outside the publication, we competed in the local Division Schools Press Conference for the first time in a decade. We also pioneered the SSC radio broadcasting team, and our news section qualified for the National Schools Press Conference competition!
Due to the National Schools Press Conference’s (NSPC) guidelines, we have adjusted to producing a single issue, reflecting The Blue Flame's commitment to upholding truth and serving the community through responsible journalism. Despite the challenges posed by shifting ways, we remain steadfast in our mission to promote awareness, truth, and justice. This adjustment also allows us to continue offering young writers a space to hone their craft and an environment to nourish their creative spirits while SSC returns to its long-standing practices.
Our spirits glow true blue as we represent our alma mater in various events, embracing the changes and developments of this year.
The publication continues to illuminate the path forward with words that inspire, inform, and ignite positive change within its community. As such, allow us to eternalize these arising changes and amplify the student body's voice and achievements through our humble paper. Hence, with utmost joy and pride, we humbly unveil The Blue Flame's revamped issue for this academic year, 2023 - 2024, encapsulating the span from August 2023 to April 2024.
As you, readers, flip over our pages, whether in digital or physical form, you will dive into a prance of protest as SSC unifies in our annual One Billion Rising in our banner story. Features of the SCHOmmunity Day as SSC-M celebrates its 117th founding year and the return of the onsite org fair in the High School Unit are also accentuated. You will also catch the comeback of HS Scholastican journalists as we rejoin and participate in the Division Schools Press Conference (DSPC) 2024 after a decade.
In the Opinion Section, we advocate for transparency as an essential component of democracy, particularly in addressing the country's controversial handling of confidential funds.
Within the Features Section, we attribute a student-built car that has achieved a remarkable feat by setting a world record, while in the Science and Technology section, superheavy mirage-making is spotlighted. At long last, the opening for the 54th WNCAA is unveiled in the Sports Section.
With this, we extend a heartfelt invitation to embark on a rewarding journey as you unfold the curated pages crafted by the dedicated journalists of The Blue Flame.
With this issue release and our upcoming releases, may we be marked as a conduit for storytelling, a channel through which the diverse narratives of society are illuminated and honored. It recognizes the power of storytelling to bridge gaps, foster empathy, and effect positive change, fulfilling our vital role as a catalyst for social progress. Guided by a clear vision of promoting self-expression and fostering social acceptance, The Blue Flame is an outwork of integrity and innovation by women. It not only celebrates the achievements of its contributors but also lays the groundwork for future generations of writers to push the boundaries of conventional journalism and embrace continuous growth and evolution.
As this year’s editor-in-chief of The Blue Flame, I, Norelle Aguiran, am deeply moved to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who generously contributed their time, energy, and talent to ensure the resounding success of our inaugural newspaper issue this year. The journey of bringing this publication to life has been nothing short of a profound blessing, made all the more meaningful by the collaborative efforts of our outstanding editors, writers, and artists. Reflecting on my voyage within The Blue Flame, spanning a six-year tenure that began when I was in 7th grade, fills me with a profound sense of pride and gratitude. Witnessing our team's remarkable growth and evolution over the years fills me with an overwhelming sense of joy and appreciation, not just for the legacy of our publication but for our collective mission and unwavering passion for serving within and outside the Scholastican community through the pursuit of responsible journalism. This milestone is a testament to the dedication, resilience, and camaraderie that define our shared journey, and I am deeply grateful to be part of such an extraordinary endeavor.
On the other hand, as the current Associate Editor-in-Chief, I, Johanna Macaranas, could not be prouder of how far we have come. From merely publishing semi-annual issues, The Blue Flame has become a multimedia news organization — releasing official statements, alerts, and coverages on social media; competing between schools for written, spoken, and editorial news; and even establishing a full-fledged radio broadcasting team in the near future. Writing my last message on behalf of this organization, I declare with confidence that The Blue Flame is in good hands and will only continue to flourish as the years go by.
May The Blue Flame live on, making marks as we promote awareness, truth, and justice, and leaving a legacy of Scholastican excellence through journalistic integrity and expression. As you flip through the pages of this issue, may you, the reader, feel enlightened, empowered, and seen through our words—igniting a blue flame in your hearts. Within you, let it be known that The Blue Flame is more than just a publication—we are a living testament to the enduring power of journalism to inspire, educate, and unite communities in pursuit of a better tomorrow.
That in all things, God may be glorified!
Soaring in blue and white,
Norelle Y. Aguiran
Editor-in-Chief, The Blue Flame S.Y. ‘23 - ‘24
and
Johanna Rafaella P. Macaranas
Associate Editor-in-Chief, The Blue Flame S.Y. ‘23 - ‘24
Mga mahal na mambabasa ng Pluma,
Pagbati!
Ang kasalukuyang panahon ay talagang puno ng pagbabago — partikular sa pagbalik ng mga gawain, organisasyon, at kaganapang nawala sa panahon ng pandemya. Isa na dito ang The Blue Flame na patuloy na aktibong nakikibahagi rin sa pagbabagong ito. Kung kaya’t ngayong taon, napagdesisyunan ng publikasyon na magsulat at mag-ulat gamit ang ating pambansang wika – wikang Filipino. Kaalinsabay nito ay ang hangaring makapagmulat sa mas malawak na masa sa loob at labas ng institusyon.
Matapos ang 42 taon, buong taos puso naming inilalahad ang Pluma: ang kauna-unahang dyaryong nasa wikang Filipino ng Mataas na Paaralan ng St. Scholastica’s College - Manila.
Sa pagbasa ng pahayagang ito, nawa’y inyong bigyang pansin ang balita ukol sa mga pagdiriwang sa loob ng SSC at mga nagbabagang isyu ukol sa Karagatang Kanlurang Pilipinas o West Philippine Sea, pamamahayag gamit ang artificial intelligence, at ang pagpatay sa radio brodkaster na si Juan Jumalon. Mamulat sa editoryal, kung saan ang publikasyon ay naninindigan sa malayang pamamahayag, lalo na sa panahon ng Batas Militar. Sa opinyon naman ay makikita ang pananaw ng aming mga kolumnista ukol sa EDSA bus line at protesta laban sa Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program, habang itinatampok sa lathalain ang mga bagong musikerong PPOP at ang mga gantimpala ng akerong si Lexi Pioquinto. Para naman sa agham at teknolohiya, maging alerto at alamin ang banta ng walking pneumonia, o kaya naman malibang sa balita ng pagbubukas ng WNCAA sa pahinang isports.
Halina’t basahin ang mga artikulong ito — ang mga pahayag na nagdadala ng mga salaysay at nagbabahagi ng mga paninindigan, ang likhang-kamay ng mga masisipag na mamamahayag na nagsikap para gawing realidad at bigyang buhay ang pahayagang ito.
Bilang kasalukuyang Katuwang na Punong Patnugot ng publikasyong ito, tunay kong ipinagmamalaki ang pagiging bahagi ng kauna-unahang editoryal board ng Pluma. Ang kakayahang maglathala ng apat na isyu sa loob ng isang taong panuruan ay nagpapakita ng kahusayan ng aming mga manunulat, artista, at moderator. Ang mga akda sa isyung ito ay hindi lamang mga pagsasalin ng mga artikulo mula sa wikang Ingles, kung hindi mga orihinal na mga gawang nabuhay gamit ang wikang atin. Sa pagsulat ng aking huling mensahe bilang patnugot ng publikasyon, tunay na naniniwala akong mas yayabong ang Pluma, marahil hanggang sa punto ng pagiging isang kilalang pahayagang hiwalay sa The Blue Flame sa hinaharap.
Sa pamamagitan ng aming mga pluma, nawa’y ang pahayagang ito ay umabot sa inyong mga puso at pasilabin ang bughaw na liyab sa inyong mga diwa.
Mabuhay ang malayang pamamahayag, mabuhay ang wikang Filipino!
Johanna Rafaella P. Macaranas
Katuwang na Punong Patnugot
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