Teacher A

𝗢𝗣𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗢𝗡 | 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙎𝙝𝙞𝙚𝙡𝙙: 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙒𝙖𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙍𝙤𝙤𝙢 𝙤𝙛 𝙈𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙤𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙮.

"Are you contented, or are you just wasting your potential?"

If contentment is just a polite synonym for wasting potential, then I choose to remain restless.

Growth all boils down to a person's desire to be more. Whether it’s an athlete disappointed with a silver medal or an academically inclined student crying over a missed goal grade, ambitious people are often shamed. They are labelled as "ingrates" or "too competitive" and told to "be happy with what you have."

What a shame. Because if a scientist were unsatisfied with the 90% success rate of an experimental vaccine, would we tell them, "Be happy with what you have"? Probably not—knowing that the 10% failure rate isn't just a number, as it represents the possible millions of people left unprotected.

The point is, society often views ambition as a defect until they realise that those who refuse to settle are the ones who keep the world turning. It isn't mere ingratitude; it is the very ambition that drives an individual to be better than they were yesterday.

These days, students are pressured to simply "be happy", refusing to try their best because "contentment" is a more comfortable label than "settling to be less". It is a tragic twist of mindset: they know they are capable, yet they portray the opposite.

Why? Because they confuse contentment with complacency.

It’s a line often heard in hallways and classrooms: "I could achieve it; I just don't want to. I’m content with what I have." But are these students really content, or are they just too complacent?

Think of it like driving a car. You can rest and appreciate the distance you’ve travelled, but you still fill your tank to drive further. So why would you stop refuelling and park in the middle of the road, calling that exact spot your "destination"?

Are you driving forward or are just parked?

Contentment is being at peace with your efforts while still aiming to improve your results. Complacency, on the other hand, is the refusal to grow, clinging to a false sense of achievement for something you haven't truly mastered, believing you could do it when you haven't really tried to find out whether you really can get it or not.

Because if "contentment" is merely a polite word for settling, then we aren't truly living—we are just existing in a waiting room for a life we were too afraid to claim.

Reject the mindset that favours mediocrity over growth. Just because someone aims for more doesn’t mean they lack gratitude; it means they refuse to be complacent.

For me, we are better off choosing the discomfort of the climb over the safety of the plateau. Because the truth is, those who are genuinely happy are those who find real contentment: not the kind that settles to be less, but the kind that is proud of its best effort yet refuses to settle for where they currently stand.

So, does "contentment" really define what you do, or is it just a shield used to sugar-coat your lack of effort to be better?

Opinion Columnist:✍🏻
Mara Jessica C. Quimson

Cartoonist:🖼️
Zoey Montañez

❤

𝗙𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘 | 𝙈𝙖'𝙖𝙢 𝙎𝙝𝙞𝙚𝙡𝙖 𝙈𝙖𝙚 𝙊𝙘𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜: 𝘼 𝙏𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙖 𝙆𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩

The great teacher and even greater person. Ma’am Ocsing is a wonderful educator who guides the students of Mariano Marcos Memorial High School not only through the subject of Araling Panlipunan, but also through life itself and the decisions her students will make in the future. She truly lives up to the name she has built, leading with both heart and wit.

As we get to know the teacher whom many students look up to, we dive into the inspirations and reasons behind the passion and effort she has consistently shown. Unbeknownst to many, Ma’am Ocsing was not persuaded or pushed into becoming a teacher; rather, it was a dream she had carried since childhood. Teaching has always lived in her heart. She loves what she does and embraces being a teacher through both the highs and the lows of the profession.

When asked how she feels now as a teacher, she shared during our interview:
“Sobrang masaya, walang regrets. Pagod pero masaya. And bakit siya nagiging masaya kahit may lungkot o pagod? Kasi nga, everyday sa classroom situation, pag nakikita ko yung mga bata, lagi kong sinasabi sa kanila na: huwag lalabas sa apat na sulok ng silid-aralan nang walang natututunan.”

This statement alone reflects her passion and dedication. It is truly inspiring to see a teacher who thinks and feels this way. She not only motivates herself to continue teaching but also inspires her students to learn—ensuring that learning always takes place hat within the four corners of the classroom.

With this passion and mindset, it is no surprise that Ma’am Ocsing has achieved remarkable accomplishments. One of her proudest official achievements is her promotion to Master Teacher—a path that is far from easy and requires consistent hard work, perseverance, and dedication. It is an achievement she truly deserves.

However, beyond titles and recognitions, her most treasured accomplishment is something far more meaningful: former students returning to thank her for the lessons she taught and for the role she played in shaping who they have become. Knowing that her teachings helped guide her students toward where they are now, to her, that it is the greatest reward of all.

When our team asked what life and teaching have in common, she answered quickly and confidently: continuous learning. This response surprised the entire team. For Ma’am Ocsing, growth never stops. Just like in teaching, life requires constant movement and learning. One can never learn too much—whether from professionals, experiences, or interactions with students themselves, not just from pen and paper.

She believes this mindset is how people adapt to change—not only in life, but also across generations.

Ma’am Ocsing strongly believes that a teacher should not only teach lessons but also connect with students and understand who they are as individuals. Learning does not exist solely in books, papers, or computers, but also through words, conversations, and daily interactions. This, she believes, is how a truly great teacher is built.

Mariano Marcos Memorial High School is truly fortunate to have teachers like Ma’am Ocsing. A great teacher is not defined only by achievements, but by reputation, dedication, and the lasting impact they leave in their students. Ma’am Ocsing possesses both outstanding achievements and a deeply respected, admirable reputation among the students she continues to inspire.

𝘍𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘞𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳:✍️
Renz Joaquin S. Cervantes from Gr. 9

𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘵:🖼️
Zoey Aven P. Montañez from Gr. 9

𝘓𝘢𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘈𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘵:⚙️
Samantha Armada from Gr. 10

𝘚𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘔𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘳:
Carlyn Mae B. Rosaceña from Gr. 10

Our very own, sir Gorospe.. ✨

𝗙𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘 | 𝙈𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝘼 𝙈𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙤𝙣: 𝙎𝙞𝙧 𝙂𝙤𝙧𝙤𝙨𝙥𝙚'𝙨 𝙈𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙑𝙖𝙡𝙪𝙚𝙙 𝙍𝙤𝙡𝙚.

From 7 o’clock in the morning to 1 o’clock at noon, you’ll see Sir Gorospe explaining the concept of subject-verb agreement to 40 curious teenagers. Around 2 o’clock in the afternoon, you’ll see him setting up his camera to record a list of vocabulary words to inform thousands of people online. And by the end of the day, you’ll see him in the evening talking about life lessons with his most valued audience in his household.

Sir Gorospe is a known teacher at Mariano Marcos Memorial High School because of his effective teaching style and his massive platform online. Having educational content with over a million followers on Facebook, he is not only a teacher of more than a hundred teenagers in his classroom but also a mentor of millions from various age ranges nationwide.

Despite juggling the heavy-loaded responsibility of being a teacher and a public figure, he is still observed wearing a big smile facing his students and co-workers. One time during his interview with campus journalists, he was asked to introduce himself briefly, and he responded with, “Briefly? Not panty-ly? ” It was simple, yet a joke that made everyone chuckle. Always filling any room with positivity with his amusing jokes, being fun and witty is always reflected in his personality.

He loves to insert humor in everything he does, and he claims that it is his secret to making learning fun for his students and audience online. Because of this, being tired and stressed out is immensely concealed in him, because behind all his hard work and positive charisma for his teacher-public figure role is another major responsibility that drives him to do it all.

“Of course I get tired, but I’ll always choose teaching because I love it, and I have to do it to sustain a living with my children. They have always been my inspiration and motivation in doing all this, and I wouldn’t have done it if it weren’t for them,” said Sir Gorospe.

To him, the most important role he values is not the fact that he is a role model to a million people nor a teacher to a bunch of students; it is becoming the role model of the two most important people for him. Outside, he is an amazing worker, but at home, he is an even more amazing single parent with two pairs of eyes looking up to him.

He may have a wide platform now because of his job and side hustle, but the bright lights of his smartphone camera weren't always there. Just three years ago, the only thing Sir Gorospe was 'tracking' wasn't views—it was delivery routes and debt receipts.

He was a father, a financially struggling single parent trying his best to survive with his two children in a world where opportunities are limited and sustainability in living must be hard-earned. Back during the pandemic, he looked for another source of income other than his profession because the salary for teachers was insufficient to independently support his living with his family. He worked as a delivery rider for 3 consecutive years, but unfortunately, the added income of the side hustle was too little to be able to pay their debts.

He knew he must do more than what he was already doing for his family, and by God’s grace, he discovered posting Facebook reels. “I saw something on the internet that gave me the idea of content creation. At first, I was posting comedic videos on social media; however, the content did not quite resonate with the audience. So, I tried educational content, and fortunately, that was when I earned my first million views online,” he said, recalling how the blessing started.

Connecting his main profession as a teacher with trying to earn money in other jobs, he succeeded in using it to thrive in his career online. With the help of being a father, he was driven to stay motivated and passionate with teaching at school and online. In addition to that, his children were the people who helped him learn the digital landscape, like editing videos and managing his social media account.

Now, he was happily contented and thriving with his willingness to do his two jobs at the same time, and all the efforts boil down to his vital mission: fulfilling his duty in being a single father of two. Because for Sir Gorospe, although the people who believe in him matter a lot, his two children will always weigh more than the number of followers or students he has.

A social media influencer, a teacher, and—above all—a wonderful father. May more people achieve success in life like Sir Gorospe, who sees all his obligations as a part of who he is rather than as something that makes his life more difficult. Because a father like him will always know the difference between a burden and inspiration. And no matter how difficult the obstacles life throws at him, he will always see his family as the latter.

𝘍𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘞𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳:✍️
Mara Jessica C. Quimson from Gr. 10

Cartoonist:🖼️
Zoey Montañez from Gr. 9

𝘓𝘢𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘈𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘵:⚙️
Samantha Armada from Gr. 10

𝘚𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘔𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘳:
Carlyn Mae B. Rosaceña from Gr. 10

𝗖𝗢𝗟𝗨𝗠𝗡 | 𝙁𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙤 𝙑𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙃𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙉𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣.

As a citizen, our voices are always and consistently left unheard. The only time we matter is when the election period comes and they need our votes to win them an office in the government. But do we really use our right to vote to stand up for what is best for our country?

According to the Philippine Institution for Development Studies (PIDS) and a number of watchdogs, the nation loses approximately 700 billion - 1.4 trillion PHP, annually. These lost funds are supposed to be accounted for by decades of projects allocated to build schools, hospitals and flood control systems that our country evidently lacks. Based on this, I can say that corruption is rampant in our nation, it is an issue that has been going on for a long time now and it seems like we have absorbed it in our country’s system already.

I believe that this issue roots down to the citizens turning a blind eye to the red flags, many don’t do enough background checks, don’t ask the right questions, and worse, many are choosing not to speak up. Based on a personal anecdote, I witnessed how some voters didn’t even take the chance to vote because their voting precinct is too far away and it was just “one vote”, like that vote doesn’t have the power to change anything.

But our vote is one of the few tools we have to fight and defy the long suffering of our country in the hands of corrupt politicians who abuse their power for their own good. One vote is powerful enough to give someone authority over a community and the whole country. However, this powerful tool is targeted to be bought and sold— during the 2025 mayoral elections, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) had released show cause orders (SCOs), through its task-force Kontra-Bigay, to six mayoral candidates and eleven local aspirants for their violation on Comelec’s resolution 11104 due to alleged vote buying and misuse of government resources during their campaign.

A sad reality is that many of those who are in the line of poverty can easily be fooled by these kinds of political schemes. People are accustomed to being too compliant to these politicians, especially if they are on benefits and money talks. Our compliance is what makes them think that they can take advantage and make a fool of us, especially the poor. They are the reason why our country is continuously suffering from poverty, and despite that, citizens still continue to give them a chance and vote for them or their family members. Our blind eye gives no power to our votes.

Now that the news is filled with issues surrounding corrupted flood control projects, it is time that we wake up from this compliance and look critically at our leaders. Question them, criticize them, and call them out. It is our right, as the citizens, to fight against the public servants who are not serving the public well enough.

𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘮𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘵:✍️
Carlyn Mae B. Rosaceña from Gr. 10

𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘪𝘤 𝘈𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘵:🖼️
Dezirei Y. Dela Cruz from Gr. 10

𝘓𝘢𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘈𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘵:⚙️
Samantha Armada from Gr. 10

𝘚𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘔𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘳:
Elizabeth O. Serrano from Gr. 10

Congratulations, Alyssa! 👏🏻

Our student journalist for Mobile Journalism, Alyssa Nicole Candelario, confidently competed in the Division Schools Press Conference (DSPC) Exhibition, together with the school paper adviser, Ms. Maribel Anlagan, representing Mariano Marcos Memorial High School and showcasing her skills in mobile journalism. The program was held at Manila Science High School on December 17, 2025.

Alyssa Nicole Candelario, with her hard work, experience, and knowledge, secured a place in the Top Ten.

This achievement would not have been possible without the support of our dear school head Mrs. Ma. Josefina Bueno-Luna and the English department head, Mr. Aries E. Bilolo.

Congratulations! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

𝑊𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑟:
Xian Marcus Celades from grade 7

𝐿𝑎𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝐴𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑠𝑡:
Samantha Armada from grade 10

𝑆𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑀𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑎 𝑀𝑎𝑛𝑎𝑔𝑒𝑟:
Elizabeth Serrano from grade 10

Babawi next year.. 🤜🏻🤛🏻😊

The school’s student journalists, particularly the Radio Broadcasting team, proudly participated in the Division Schools Press Conference (DSPC) Phase 1 for Radio Broadcasting and Scriptwriting, together with the school paper adviser, Ms. Maribel Anlagan, who provided guidance and support. The event was held at Manila Science High School on December 17, 2025.

The students joined the DSPC Phase 1 to showcase their skills, passion, and dedication to campus journalism. Through continuous training, broadcasting drills, editing, and teamwork, the team aimed to bring honor and recognition to the school.

Even though they did not place in the Top Ten, they performed to the best of their abilities and gained valuable experience from the competition.

𝑊𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑟:
Xian Marcus Celades from grade 7

𝐿𝑎𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝐴𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑠𝑡:
Samantha Armada from grade 10

𝑆𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑀𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑎 𝑀𝑎𝑛𝑎𝑔𝑒𝑟:
Elizabeth Serrano from grade 10

Congratulations, ma'am Analyn Tan.. 💖

Congratulations on your promotion from Teacher II to Master Teacher 1! 🎉

A well-deserved achievement! Your dedication and excellence in teaching truly shine. Wishing you continued success and impact in your new role at your new school.

Your Mariano Marcos Memorial High School & English Department family are so proud of you! 🎉🎊

School Head: Ms. Ma. Josefina Bueno-Luna
PSDS: Dr. Florence I. Edim
Department Head: Mr. Aries E. Bilolo

Galing.. 😊

FAKE NEWS‼️‼️‼️