The Horizon Volume 15 Issue No. 1

what's
Inside?
SAMAR-LEYTE RVM
SCHOOLS UNVEILS M3
CURRICULUM
by Rosales, J. K.
FEATURE
The Horizon
The Official Secondary Publication of St.
Mary's College of Catbalogan, Inc.
01
Division of Catbalogan, Samar - Volume XV Issue No. 1
VENDOR FOR SOME,
A MOTHER TO ALL
MARIANS
FEATURE / 01
GRADE12 STUDENTS
CONCLUDED THEIR
IMMERSION
JOURNEY
NEWS / 02
HAVE YOU EVER FELT
LIKE YOU ARE
SITTING RIGHT NEXT
TO THE SUN?
SCITECH / 03
THE ELECTION THAT
TURNED INTO A JOKE
EDITORIAL / 04
ANTLIA TAKES THE
GOLDEN CUP
SPORTS / 05
In order to pursue Quality
Transformative Ignacian Marian Education
(Q-TIME), the RVM-Education Ministry
Council (EMC) Visayas, together with all
the RVM schools in Samar and Leyte,
launched the M3 (Maka-Diyos, Makabata,
Makabansa) Curriculum during a two-day
training and orientation held on June 24-
25, 2024, at the Marian Hotel Function
Hall of St. Mary's College of Borongan,
Inc.
The event focused on the
MATATAG Curriculum, which serves as a
primary foundation for the newly launched
M3 Curriculum. Dr. Lea C. Aberia,
Curriculum Implementation Development
(CID) Chief of DepEd Borongan City
Division, provided an overview of the
MATATAG Curriculum. She noted that the
first phase of the curriculum, which
includes Kindergarten and Grades 1, 4,
and 7, will be implemented all over the
country in the upcoming school year 2024-
2025.
The M3 Curriculum in the Samar-
Leyte Cluster—S. Mary Grace B. Sebigan,
RVM, Basic Education Council Director for
the Visayas Region, and S. Mary Irene
Cajandig, RVM, Principal of St. Mary’s
Academy (SMA) of Capiz, Roxas City, led
the initiative. S. Grace clarified that the M3
Curriculum builds on the MATATAG
Curriculum and adds “Maka-Diyos” to
reflect the Catholic nature of the RVM
schools. This curriculum will also be rolled
out in the upcoming school year.
Participating schools in the Samar-Leyte
Cluster included St. Mary’s Academy
(SMA) of Palo; St. Mary’s Academy (SMA)
of Guiuan; Our Lady of Fatima Academy
(OLFA) of Gen. MacArthur; Holy Cross
Academy (HCA) of Oras; St. Mary’s
College of Catbalogan, Inc. (SMCC); and
the host school of the event, St. Mary’s
College of Borongan, Inc. (SMCB).
VENDOR FOR SOME,
A MOTHER TO ALL
MARIANS
by Cruz, J. A.
On the street across from
Saint Mary's College of
Catbalogan, there's a person who
has witnessed generations of
Ignacian-Marian students over
decades: Ma. Jinky V. Acosta.
She is a street vendor, a wife,
and truly a mother figure to all
Marians.
Early in the morning, she's
up and ready to set up her ministore
just across from the blue
school. Her customers are none
other than us, Marians.
She started back in 2003 with her
best-selling iced tea and choco
palamig. Her warm smile,
comforting service, and short
stories have endeared every
Marian to her, but it's her
motherly care that is most
cherished.
She's famously known as
"Ate Jinks." Whenever you're tired
and in need of refreshment, she's
always there for you.
In an interview, she
mentioned that her most
memorable days are during
intramural seasons when her
sales soar. She also described
Marians as kind, honest, and
incredibly reliable. As she
journeyed alongside Ignacian-
Marian students, she became a
part of their stories, witnessing
their ups and downs, failures, and
successes.
If Daniel Padilla describes
loyalty like his dog's unwavering
presence in any circumstance,
then for Marians, Ate Jinks
epitomizes loyalty through her
unconditional love year-round.
A seemingly ordinary
vendor has become a legend
through 21 years of nurturing
good friendships. Lastly,
wherever destiny leads an
Ignacian-Marian student, they are
sure to carry an iconic memory of
that simple lady vendor just
across from their alma mater.

The Horizon
The Official Secondary Publication of St.
Mary's College of Catbalogan, Inc.
02
Division of Catbalogan, Samar - Volume XV Issue No. 1
NEWS
GRADE 12 STUDENTS CONCLUDED
THEIR IMMERSION JOURNEY
by Breanna Rayne Lim
DID YOU KNOW?
Did you know that work immersion is a
required part of the K-12 curriculum for Grade 12
students in the Philippines? Students must
complete 80 hours of work immersion to graduate
from Senior High School.
Work immersion allows students to gain
hands-on experience in various industries like
hospitality, healthcare, business, and engineering?
This helps them understand the demands and
challenges of the workforce before entering the job
market.
January 10, 2025 — The Grade
12 students officially concluded their exit
conference at the Mother Ignacia
Auditorium. This event served as a
platform for students to reflect on their
immersion journey, showcase their
achievements, and reminisce on their
experiences.
The conference started with an
opening prayer led by a Grade 12
student, Breanna Rayne Lim, followed
by an inspiring and heartfelt opening
remarks of the School President, S. Ma.
Adelaida C. Huiso, RVM. One
representative from each Grade 12
section expressed their gratitude and
appreciation through a thank you
message. It was conveyed by Jecille
Llever, Ivan Solayao, and Jude Ponce
Ferrer as a gift of gratitude and
appreciation for their office and
workplace.
Each student from different
offices were called to the stage to
receive a Certificate of Completion for
their outstanding performance during
the 80-hours work immersion.
As the awarding ceremony
begins, the auditorium is filled with
applause, and cheers from students.
During the event, students showcased
their talents as they presented different
kinds of performances.
The Grade 12 STEM A students
prepared a video presentation of their
immersion journey and a message of
gratitude to all the offices.
Adding energy and excitement to
the students, the band from Grade 12
STEM B also known as "Puhon"
captivated the students as they performed
their version of "Blue" by Yung Kai. And
Kim Pauline Amparado, and Gensca
Jaboyanon from Grade 12 IHA presented
their heart-throbbing rendition of the song
"Born for you" by David Pomeranz.
The event concluded with a
closing prayer led by Real Heart Taboy, a
Grade 12 student. The successful
completion of the exit conference marked
a significant milestone, officially preparing
the students to decide on their future
careers.
SMCC HOSTS OUTREACH PROGRAM
FOR SENIORS AND CHILDREN
by Recmar Avestruz
St. Mary's College of Catbalogan
held an outreach program recently,
December 16, 2024, within Catbalogan City.
The institution supervised this initiative with
commitment and a heart of service, igniting
hopes and bringing joy among people.
Extending hands of blessing and games of
laughter in the lives of many.
One target population of the program
is the elderly or senior citizens. In the light
of this mission, with the joined hands of the
faculty, the student body, and the school,
the Marian community was able to spark
fulgent smiles in the faces of our Lolas and
Lolos who were there in the barangay hall.
Aside from that, they were also
given a piece of entertainment as the
students sang a Christmas song and
conducted a bit of kumustahan session with
them. How the hall was transformed by their
guffaw of excitement was such a power.
This outreach program has been an
astounding mission that truly served the
best. Let this contemplative journey offer
ruminative impact towards everyone, and
come to realize the big influence that
kindness and charity have to make in the
lives of many, especially this Christmas
season.

DID YOU
KNOW?
Global average temperatures have
risen by approximately 1.2°C since
the late 19th century, primarily
due to human activities like
burning fossil fuels.
SCI-TECH
The Horizon
The Official Secondary Publication of St.
Mary's College of Catbalogan, Inc.
03
Division of Catbalogan, Samar - Volume XV Issue No. 1
HAVE YOU EVER FELT LIKE
YOU ARE SITTING RIGHT
NEXT TO THE SUN?
By Breanna Rayne Lim
The pressing issue that we are
experiencing today in the
Philippines is Climate change. It
not only affects us personally but it
deals with the country's
environment, economy, and
society. The Philippines, being an
archipelago located in a typhoonprone
region, faces heightened
risks from climate change related
hazards such as floods, droughts,
typhoons, and landslides.
The impact of climate change in
the Philippines is such a major
concern for us, especially that
most of the Filipinos are not ready
to deal with the changing of
weather. They are not prepared
when it comes to materials and
clothing.
Climate change can also be a risk
to our agriculture and
environment, such aa farmers not
being able to produce their
product,
or can't maintain the supply of
crops they produce and make
because of the weather
conditions.
It can also put our health at risk,
climate change contributes for the
spread of vector-borne diseases,
and even Filipinos catch flu and
other infections because they
experience sunny and rainy
seasons frequently. It puts our
front-liners, and public health
officials at risk.
These presents our country into
facing a lot of challenges that
requires concerted efforts at local,
national, and global levels.
Philippines is one of the world's
biodiversity hotspots or a good
place for vacation but, climate
change threatens its unique
ecosystem, including coral reefs,
tropical forests, mangroves, and
other tropical islands.
Of course, with challenges there
is always a solution. Such as,
renewable energy, transitioning to
having solar power as our main
source of electricity plays a
crucial role in reducing
greenhouse gas emissions and
enhancing energy security in our
country. And having nature-based
solutions like implementing
reforestation to sustain land use
practices, and having plant more
trees to prevent climate change
disasters in the Philippines.
In conclusion, climate change is
really a huge issue that poses
serious problems to our country
impacting our environment,
economy, and society. The
country is vulnerable to extreme
weather conditions, sea-level rise,
and disasters that require the
urgent need for a response and
solution. Let us be aware and to
take action what our country
needs in this pressing issue.
GUIUAN, E. SAMAR HITS
HIGHEST HEAT INDEX FOR
THE SECOND TIME
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and
Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), on
Tuesday, May 28, said Guiuan, Eastern Samar,
experienced a scorching 55 degrees Celsius (°C)
heat index.
READ MORE ON: Manilla Bulletin

The Horizon
The Official Secondary Publication of St.
Mary's College of Catbalogan, Inc.
Division of Catbalogan, Samar - Volume XV Issue No. 1
EDITORIAL
04
THE ELECTION
That Turned into a Joke
By Jae Yoon Tan
Cartoon by Jhonas Kit Rosales
"Even a villain can be categorized as a
hero if the villain fools everybody."
A variety of candidates are running for Senate seats in the Philippines' upcoming 2025 midterm elections.
They include vendors, people with criminal records, and celebrities, all of them contribute their distinct
backgrounds and viewpoints to the political environment. Different people from all over the country tried to enter
the world of politics, although most of those people are different celebrities, online personalities that tried to run
for government positions under the influence of simply making money and content.
There are many influencers and public figures
that ran for official government ranks, such as
Diwata or Deo Balbuena running under Vendors
Party List. This action is intolerable, public figures
that does not even know what they are doing are
trying to take over the different positions in the
government in the form of mere content. They just
want to rake in views and money, they are doing
that in order to spread their name and influence
over the Philippines. There are lots of criticism
towards their matter and they are correct for doing
so, people who just does not know one thing about
politics and political matters should just stand down
instead of trying to run for a position, people like
those are bound to ruin the government.
The lack of qualifications that such people
possess are their competence or knowledge
required to govern the country. Actors and
actresses such as Angelu de Leon and Alfred
V
Vargas, hom are only well-versed in acting, should
not be running due to their lack of knowledge
towards politics. Their limited understanding of
policies and governance will be the factor that will
not let them become a good leader, if they were to
be elected, they will be unprepared for most of the
things due to the complex nature of public services.
There is also the risk of policy mismanagement,
they may oversimplify issues since celebrities often
campaign with broad slogans that appeal to the
emotions of many but lack realistic plans.
Inadequate knowledge of complex issues is another
example of the incompetence of the non-trained.
One of the main reasons content creators
and celebrities are running for government is
because they prioritize popularity over merit this is
the concern of most people because the election
became a popularity contest rather than being meritbased
elections which determines the democratic
values of a leader. Once the popular people take
over the elections, the competent candidates will get
marginalized due to their lack of popularity and
influence towards the media, they will struggle to
compete with celebrities’ charisma and they do not
get recognized, which in return will eliminate all
competent leaders whom can lead people better
than individuals who only care about their popularity.
fame being the main factor of the election will have a
big and negative impact on the government because
once again, they are not competent enough and lack
the skillsets to do so.
Lastly, Celebrities and content creators are in a
massive risk of turning into political puppets, the
masses fear this is the most possible outcome if said
celebrities or content creators receive a position within
the government.
Their lack of political experience will make them
vulnerable to manipulation by more seasoned political
figures, it is just like when a professional plays against a
newbie. Next is the dependency on political backers,
since they do not know a thing about politics they will
hire a powerful backer in order to secure a position, in
return they are in huge risk of being pressured into
following the orders and demands of their benefactors,
turning them into a puppet. Lastly is that they have the
risk of being seen as tools by other politicians, once
they see that the celebrity is weak in politics they will
grab the opportunity to use them to make themselves
more powerful.
Some people will see them differently, they will
argue that the celebrities or content creators will have
the charisma to lead the masses, their communications
skills makes them more approachable and relatable
due to their charisma. People will also say that some of
the voters desires change within the political world, due
to their frustration with many corrupt politicians they will
instead vote for celebrities hoping that they will disrupt
the political status quo. Lastly, many voters believe that
celebrities can bring a fresh perspective towards
governing people, a new worldview instead of the fiery
political battles that most politicians show.
In conclusion, celebrities and content creators
should not be running for government positions mainly
due to their lack of experience and knowledge, even if
people claim that they can bring a new worldview
towards the political world they do not understand how
dangerous it is in the first place. It is a place where
everyone fights each other for power that each politician
seeks. Celebrities and content creators just do not
belong there, they should prioritize in honing their own
skillset more than trying something as complex as
politics.
THE HORIZON
EDITORIAL BOARD
Editor-in-Chief
Jhonas Kit Rosales
Associate Editor
Breanna Rayne Lim
Managing Editor
Real Heart Taboy
News Editor
Rhianna Keith Quebec
Senior Photojournalists
Tanvir Kaur
Shane Angel Tarrayo
Social Media Manager
Jude Ponce Ferrer
Feature Editor
Leigh Jillian Louise Segovia
Copy Editor
Recmar Avestruz
Sports Editor
May Ann Rueda
Opinion Editor
Jelo Mae Gomez
Staff Writers
Jae Yoon Tan
Mark Justine Matic
Cruz, J. A.
School Paper Adviser
Mrs. Reina Apple M. Macabenta
Consultant
S. Ma. Adelaida C. Huiso, RVM

The Horizon
The Official Secondary Publication of St.
Mary's College of Catbalogan, Inc.
Division of Catbalogan, Samar - Volume XV Issue No. 1
SPORTS
DID YOU
KNOW?
05
Beach volleyball is played with two
players on sand, while indoor volleyball
has six players on a hard court. Beach
volleyball has no substitutions, shorter
games, and is played on sand, whereas
indoor volleyball allows substitutions
and is played on a hard court.
ANTLIA TAKES THE GOLDEN CUP
By Jhonas Kit Rosales
The Women’s Volleyball Competition in the Senior High
School Department reached its thrilling conclusion on October
27, 2023, at the SMCC Sports Complex, with Team Antlia
claiming victory over Team Serpens. The match was a true
display of skill, teamwork, and perseverance.
The game kicked off with De Guia of Antlia serving the ball
with precision, starting a fast-paced rally. Both teams fought
fiercely, with Serpens’ Dalwatan returning the ball with quick and
powerful bumps. The crowd was energized, cheering for their
teams as the players pushed through the heat and exhaustion.
Despite a few service errors, both teams kept up the intensity,
making it clear that they were determined to win.
The first set was closely contested, with Antlia leading 21-
19. In the second set, Serpens made a strong comeback, but
Antlia maintained control with their strategic plays. The final
spike from Pacampara of Antlia sealed the victory, giving them
the win with a final score of 42-34.
THE HORIZON
EDITORIAL BOARD
While Team Serpens fought hard, Antlia’s teamwork and
resilience ultimately led them to victory. The match ended with
both teams exchanging respectful handshakes, celebrating not
just the win, but the spirit of sportsmanship and determination
displayed throughout the game.
V
BSA CLINCHES VICTORY OVER BACOMED, 24-12
By Mark Justine Matic
The first game between BSA and BACOMED was
truly an exciting match. Both teams gave their all, but only
one could come out victorious. The first set showcased a
strong competition, with BACOMED struggling with service
errors, giving BSA the opportunity to take the lead.
The second set was a thrilling comeback for
BACOMED, as they managed to lead for a while. However,
BSA proved to be a tough team to beat, with their player
Sydney leading the charge through deadly serves, bringing
BSA back in control. In the final stretch, BSA maintained
their dominance and finished strong, securing the win with
a score of 24-12.