The Collegiate Headlight

𝐔𝐒𝐆 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐢𝐧 𝟑 𝐔𝐒𝐞𝐏 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐬

The University Student Government Commission on Elections (Comelec) released the official results for the Campus Internal Nomination Elections, Aug. 16, declaring a Failure of Internal Elections in the Obrero, Mintal, and Tagum-Mabini (Mabini Unit) campuses.

Only Tagum-Mabini (Tagum Unit) successfully proceeded with and concluded the internal nominations.

As this election aims to value student democracy and governance within the University of Southeastern Philippines (USeP) campuses, Comelec then expressed its appreciation for the participation of student leaders from different campuses.

Comelec also said that further announcements regarding the measures of the universities involved will be posted soon.

Article by Laryss Leea Cobrado
Layout by Denise Astilla

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐋𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐆𝐚𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐲𝐚𝐬 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧

"Science is often viewed as something very technical and universal."

Long before the lights of the Hiyas sa Kadayawan stage found her, Christine Faith Gawilan had already been learning how to carry something greater than herself.

She carried it through the halls of the University of Southeastern Philippines (USeP) where she pursued a Bachelor of Secondary Education major in Science in the College of Education (CEd) and graduated with the Class of 2025.

Yet alongside scientific knowledge, Gawilan carried another kind of understanding—the stories, traditions, values, and wisdom of the Matigsalug.

Perhaps, in retrospect, the two were never meant to exist separately.

For Gawilan, being a woman of culture never meant choosing between Indigenous identity and scientific pursuit. Her years at USeP taught her that knowledge does not exist in only one form.

Science may explain the world through observation and evidence, but Indigenous communities have long understood their surroundings through generations of lived experience, communal memory, and knowledge passed down by elders.

“Science is often viewed as something very technical and universal,” she shared, “but being a woman of culture taught me that knowledge can also come from our communities, our elders, and our lived experiences.”

𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐚 𝐍𝐚𝐦𝐞

Being Matigsalug shaped more than the way Gawilan approached her studies. It shaped the way she understood her place within them.

There were moments when she felt different, particularly in spaces where Indigenous representation was limited. But rather than allowing that difference to become a boundary, she turned it into a source of strength.

" I carry my culture with me wherever I go, and it reminds me that I am not only studying for myself; I am also representing a community that has a rich history, knowledge, and identity," Gawilan said.

In the halls of USeP, she was not simply a Science major student who happened to be Indigenous. She was an Indigenous woman studying science, bringing a perspective shaped by a community whose knowledge she believed deserved a place in academic and professional spaces.

That perspective would eventually become the heart of the answer that crowned her Hiyas sa Kadayawan 2026.

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐓𝐰𝐨 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝𝐬 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭

On the pageant stage, Gawilan did not present modernization as something that should replace Indigenous practices. Instead, she imagined a space where both could exist together.

Drawing from her experience as a Science teacher, she advocated for integrating scientific knowledge with Indigenous knowledge to create better opportunities, healthcare, and a more inclusive future.

“I am standing here in front of you as I testify that culture and progress can work together... we should always [...] build an interface between scientific knowledge and cultural knowledge ” she said in her winning answer.

𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧

Gawilan knows that a crown also brings visibility, and visibility inevitably comes with scrutiny.

Her victory has been met with negative comments and posts online, and she admits that they affected her. There were moments when the words hurt, particularly when people questioned something she had worked hard to achieve.

But she chooses not to answer negativity with more negativity.

"At the end of the day, I do not want to be defined by the negative things people say about me. I want to be remembered for how I represented my culture, how I treated people, and what I was able to contribute during my reign," she shared.

The crown, for her, is not an endpoint. It is an opportunity.

“I want them to understand that representation matters. Sometimes, seeing someone who looks like you, comes from your community, and has walked a similar path can give you the courage to believe, “Maybe I can do it too.” If my journey can inspire even one young Indigenous girl to pursue her education and believe in her potential, then I believe my journey has already served a greater purpose’,” Gawilan said.

𝐀 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐌𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝

Beyond the festivities, Gawilan hopes people learn that the Matigsalug community is more than what can be seen during cultural celebrations.

It is a community with a deep history, rich traditions, valuable Indigenous knowledge, and a strong sense of belonging.

She hopes her reign can challenge the idea that Indigenous culture belongs only to the past. To her, culture is living. Indigenous communities, she believes, should also have a voice in conversations about education, science, development, leadership, healthcare, and the future.

"Our culture is not a limitation. It is our strength, our identity, and our contribution to the greater Filipino story. And as Hiyas sa Kadayawan, I hope to use this platform not only to wear the crown, but to give greater voice and visibility to the people and culture that I am so proud to call my own," Gawilan declared.

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭

From the classrooms of USeP to the Hiyas sa Kadayawan stage, Gawilan's journey seems to have been stitched together by seemingly separate threads.

Science taught her to question and understand, education taught her to share knowledge, her Matigsalug roots taught her what knowledge means beyond textbooks and laboratories and her community taught her humility, perseverance, gratitude, and responsibility.

And the crown has given her a platform to bring them all together.

What once appeared to be separate paths now converge in the woman standing as Hiyas sa Kadayawan 2026. And as Christine Faith Gawilan steps into her reign, she does not leave her roots behind to move toward the future. She brings them with her.

Photos from Mindanao Times, Davao Updates, Hiyas sa Kadayawan
Article by Ana Mercy Joy Olmedo
Layout by Sam JV JAF Yñigo Panisa

𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐓𝐨𝐨𝐧𝐬
𝘒𝘢𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘢 𝘋𝘢𝘷𝘢𝘰 𝘌𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯

Literal Dabawenyos every Kadayawan szn:

1. The 'fomo' type of friend.
2. Wala, tulog, gikapoy.
3. Kain team Ryzza.

Toons by Marla Denice Padin
Caption by Laryss Cobrado

𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐒𝐔𝐁𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 | For this week's Tipik, we invite bona fide undergraduate and graduate students of the University of Southeastern Philippines–Obrero Campus to submit their poems, short stories, and essays.

Entries may be written in English, Filipino, or Cebuano and should respond to this week's one-word prompt: 𝐉𝐄𝐄𝐏𝐍𝐄𝐘.

Every jeepney carries a story. Between its familiar routes and crowded seats are countless lives—students on their way to class, workers heading home, strangers sharing a few stops, and people carrying pieces of their day with them.

This week, tell us what you have seen, felt, remembered, or found along the ride.

https://tinyurl.com/colhead-tipik
https://tinyurl.com/colhead-tipik
https://tinyurl.com/colhead-tipik

The deadline for submissions is August 24, 12:00 a.m. Selected works, along with their illustrations, will be published on The Collegiate Headlight's page.

𝘼𝙁𝙏𝙀𝙍 𝙃𝙊𝙐𝙍𝙎, 𝙏𝘼𝙆𝙊𝙔𝘼𝙆𝙄. Wally, 34, runs her food cart, “Sachio,” along San Pedro Street during the Konsierto Kadayawan celebrations. She previously operated her cart outside USeP, where she served students and members of the community. At around 12:30 a.m. today, she was still busy preparing takoyaki and other food items for festivalgoers. She worked with a smile, playfully greeting and thanking her customers as she cooked. Her demeanor and dedication to her work reflected the resilience of small vendors who continue to serve people late into the night, becoming part of the lively atmosphere of Kadayawan and beyond.

Photo by Denver Clarence Ballena

𝐅𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐏𝐈𝐄𝐂𝐄 | 𝐈 𝐊𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐈 𝐎𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝

“Order ta ninyo og Milktea sa Onzé.”

That was how our Grade 12 lunch breaks always started. We’d crowd around one table, phones out, laughing over nothing.

“Okay, sige,” I would say, unfolding my last 100-peso bill. I’d count it twice before handing it over to Andreane, already doing the math in my head. Three more days until Friday.

Now, the University of Southeastern Philippines (USeP) may have taken me almost 60 km away from home, but the toxic attitude of trying so hard to feel like I belong still followed me. I still catch myself saying “okay, sige” even when my wallet is empty, still forcing laughs at the table just to not be the quiet one. The place changed, the distance changed, but that need to fit in—that’s the part I carried with me.

So every meal since then feels like a risk I shouldn’t take. If I say yes today, I know I’ll be counting coins tomorrow.

Just a week ago before classes started, a friend messaged me: “Kaon ta McDo?” My phone lit up on my dorm bed, and my chest tightened. I only had 300 pesos to my name: allowance, pamasahe, and food for the whole week folded inside that cheap wallet.

But I typed “omki, hehe” anyway. We sat under the yellow lights, the smell of fries and cold aircon filling the air while I picked at a one-piece meal and a cup of coke.

I smiled, nodded, laughed at the right times. Hoping that every “yes” would buy me a seat at the table, even though I knew the only chicken I could really afford that week was the 35-peso fried chicken from the carinderia in front of Gate 1, eaten alone, with rice packed in a plastic bag.

If things aren't painful enough, college didn’t just take me 60 km away from home. It threw me into Engineering. The pressure is relentless—7 AM classes, midnight study sessions, and pressures that show up when you least expect them.

And the hardest part isn’t the formulas. It’s having to call my mother and ask for money. She’s the only one supporting me, and it pains me whenever I hear a pause on the line, and the way she calculates out loud if she can send 500 pesos this week or if she has to wait until who knows when.

Every time I ask, it feels like I’m pulling from her too. So I sit in class with my G-Tec in one hand and guilt in the other, telling myself that if I can just survive this sem, maybe her sacrifice will finally mean something.

It's only been three days since classes started, but I couldn't sit with that guilt in the room any longer.

And so after our three-hour calculus class today, I went outside with nothing really to do. I decided to walk around Obrero. The sidewalks were noisy, tricycles honking, students dragging their bags after class, the smell of barbecue mixing with rain on hot concrete. I wasn’t looking for anything.

Then I saw it. A milktea shop on Iñigo Street, the same warm yellow lights I remembered. It reminded me of Onzé. It reminded me of who I used to be. A great pretender who would laugh the loudest at the table, just so no one would notice I was counting my change under it.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out my wallet. 500 pesos inside. Folded, not crumpled. Enough for allowance, for food, for the week. The urge to push the door open and order was still there—that old reflex to say “sige” just to belong. But I stood there for a while, watching people go in and out with their cups. And I didn’t.

I didn’t go in.

Because I realized I shouldn’t keep putting myself into whatever “dapat ma-belong ko” was supposed to make of me.

My classmates can buy milktea all they want. They can spend their whole allowance inside Abreeza and GMall, post the cups, laugh over 180-peso drinks like it’s nothing. That was never me. And it doesn’t have to be.

For the longest time I thought saying “sige” was the price of having a seat. That if I didn’t spend, I’d be left out. But standing there on Iñigo Street with 500 pesos in my wallet, I finally understood: belonging isn’t bought with one cup. And I’m tired of paying for it with guilt.

I walked away from the shop on Iñigo Street. The lights stayed on behind me, and somewhere a blender was running. I thought about my mom, about Engineering, about all the times I said “sige” when I meant “I can’t.”

I knew the price before I ordered. Not just 180 pesos for the cup, but the guilt that would come after it.

Then it hit me. Milktea.

It used to mean pretending. It used to mean debt and “dapat ma-belong ko.” Now it just means I get to choose. I can walk past it. I can buy it when I actually have 500 pesos to spare and not feel guilty after. I can remember Onzé and Andreane counting the bills and still not go back to that version of me.

So I kept walking. 60 km away from home, but closer to myself than I’ve ever been.

Essay by LovingGabriel
Layout by Jill Leo Camarador
Illustration by King Willan Tabugoc & Marla Denice Padin

𝐂𝐓 𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝟏𝟎𝟐 𝐁𝐒 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐲

The University of Southeastern Philippines (USeP) College of Technology held its first Pinning Ceremony on Aug. 10, 2026, at the University Social Hall, with 102 fourth-year students receiving their pins.

All recipients are Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology (BS IndTech) students from four majors: Automotive Technology, Electrical Technology, Electronics Technology, and Mechanical Technology.

The ceremony marked the College of Technology’s first Pinning Ceremony, making it the last among USeP’s seven colleges to establish the tradition.

Carried with the theme “Panata: A Legacy of Service, A Future of Excellence,” which represents the students’ commitment to service, integrity, and responsibility as future professionals.

In an interview with College of Technology Governor Ruel Mejias Dejano, he said the ceremony marked a historic college, which was the only one among USeP’s seven colleges that had yet to establish a pinning ceremony.

Dejano, who spearheaded the event, also shared that the milestone was personally significant as it reminded him of his own journey in the BS IndTech program.

“This Pinning Ceremony means a lot to me, not only because I was the one who spearheaded this event, but also because it reminded me that I am one step closer to the future I aspire to achieve”, Dejano added.

Dejano also credited the College of Technology faculty for their support, guidance, and cooperation in making the first Pinning Ceremony possible.

The ceremony formally marked the students’ transition toward their upcoming internship and served as the College of Technology’s first step in establishing the Pinning Ceremony as a tradition for its students.

Article by Emmanuel Centillas
Photos by Gerose Cubio & John Michael Solatar

𝐃𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐨 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐃𝐂 𝐁𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠

Davao City commuters will soon be able to track DC buses in real time as the City Government is set to launch its online tracking portal on Aug. 17 at 6 a.m.

The web-based system will allow passengers to monitor the locations of active DC buses, routes, and estimated arrival times through mobile devices or computers.

Through the portal, commuters can view interactive maps featuring real-time GPS markers for buses operating along designated corridors, along with route information to help them plan their trips.

The system is expected to help reduce passenger waiting times at bus stops while giving commuters a clearer view of bus movements across the city.

The tracking portal, accessible through davaobus.davaocity.gov.ph/dibs/, has been available for preview, but its live tracking functions are set to become operational once the official launch begins tomorrow.

DC Bus, which began operations in December 2025, is a locally funded interim solution to provide additional transportation options during peak hours.

The City Government is also procuring 20 additional electric-powered buses to add to the existing 10 units, with delivery expected by December 2026.

This comes as the city awaits the broader Davao Public Transport Modernization Project (DPTMP), which seeks to modernize public transportation in the city through an integrated bus network.

The ₱73.4-billion DPTMP, heavily backed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and implemented by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) with the City Government of Davao as a local counterpart, will feature an integrated network of at least 1,100 diesel and electric buses serving 29 routes across the city.

The project also includes the development of bus depots, terminals, standardized bus stops, and traffic signaling systems to support the city's public transportation network.

Meanwhile, its Social Development Program provides assistance, retraining, and alternative livelihood opportunities for jeepney drivers and operators affected by the transition to the new system.

DC Bus services operate daily from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Article by Shantal Bernardio
Layout by John Michael Solatar

𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭!

From a familiar cup to stories worth telling, this week’s Tipik prompt, 𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐊𝐓𝐄𝐀, invited USeP students to explore the word beyond its most familiar meaning.

After a blind review by five editors, we are proud to announce this week’s selected works:

𝗙𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘𝗗 𝗣𝗜𝗘𝗖𝗘
"𝙄 𝙆𝙣𝙚𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝘽𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙄 𝙊𝙧𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙙"
Personal Essay
by Niel Ivan C. Tisado
College of Engineering

𝗛𝗢𝗡𝗢𝗥𝗔𝗕𝗟𝗘 𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦
“𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐝 𝐬𝐚 𝐃𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐇𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐚”
Poem
by Levia G. Bongcac
College of Arts and Sciences

“𝙈𝙞𝙡𝙠𝙩𝙚𝙖”
Poem
Marc Nelson M. Saraza
College of Arts and Sciences

The Featured Piece will be published tomorrow, Aug. 16, on The Collegiate Headlight page.

Congratulations to our selected writers, and to all who took the time to submit their work. Tipik continues to provide a space for student voices to be read, remembered, and given form.

𝐋𝐓𝐘 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐜𝐨-𝐚𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐧: '𝐇𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐮𝐬'

In what is another twist to the controversy surrounding the page, Letters to Yano (LTY) denies a student's claim of being a co-administrator of the popular freedom wall.

LTY made the announcement through its new page this Friday evening, Aug. 14, in response to a news feature published by The Collegiate Headlight on the same evening.

"We are not entirely sure what this student hopes to gain from claiming an affiliation with LTY, aside from unnecessarily placing himself under scrutiny," the announcement read.

LTY also claimed that they "certainly" know the identity of the student.

The page also took a step further to disprove the student's claims by highlighting some inconsistencies regarding their alleged historical affiliations, especially about his claims that LTY offshot from a defunct page named "USeP Confessions."

"To clarify, Letters to Yano was never a rebrand of any pre-existing page. The administrators of LTY have no knowledge of, nor any association with, the aforementioned page," the post added.

"What we do know are the pages of "Kolehiyong Putakero", which existed years before LTY was established, and the presumably defunct “USeP Freedom Wall”. To reiterate, we have no association with any of these pages."

However, while LTY described the claim as an "absurdity," the renowned freedom wall affirmed the issue of suppressed free speech among students, which it said led them to express themselves under the protection of anonymity.

"If anything, this situation only reinforces why spaces like LTY continue to exist. Letters to Yano exists because students have things to say, and not everyone has the privilege, courage, or security to say them with their names attached."

Currently, LTY continues its operations through a new page under the same name, now with over 1,000 followers, after announcing on Aug. 1 that they no longer have any access to the original LTY page, which now posts content that "stray away from [their] whole trademark."

At its peak, the original LTY page had over 20,000 followers and published around 17,000 entries since May 2024, per the earliest trackable hashtag.

Article by John Rey Pagal
Layout by Jill Leo Camarador