Thursday, August 19, 2021

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Local environment groups to revive call on aerial spray ban

Posted: 18 Aug 2021 08:34 AM PDT

FIVE years after it was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court (SC), local environmentalists will revive its call on the banning of aerial spray in all agricultural entities within Davao City.

Dagohoy Magaway, Mamamayang Ayaw sa Aerial Spraying (Maas) president, said in a press release on Wednesday, August 18, 2021, they relaunched their campaign this year because some aerial spray ban ordinances that were successfully enacted in neighboring provinces in Mindanao are at risk of being abolished.

The city government passed an ordinance in 2007 banning the use of aerial spray in all agricultural entities within the city and encouraging ground spraying instead. However, its legality was questioned by several banana companies in court and filed a lawsuit against the City of Davao seeking to strike down the ordinance as unconstitutional.

On August 16, 2016, the SC declared Davao City's ordinance on the banning of aerial spray as "unconstitutional." The high court also denied the motion for reconsideration filed by Maas and the Davao City Government.

Magaway called the SC ruling unjust and unfair as it favored "on behalf of the interests of private corporations, rather than the welfare of its citizens."

"It has taken five long years for us, local Davaoeños, to understand the reasons behind the 2016 Supreme Court's rules in favor of industry-defined technicalities rather than in the defense of innocent lives affected by the fumigation of chemical pesticides in and around the banana plantations," Magaway said.

"That reason is because the justices of the Supreme Court are themselves animals, mga hayop!!! [sic]," Magaway added.

The province of Bukidnon, in 2001, passed a local ordinance banning aerial spray in order to protect the livestock and poultry industries in Bukidnon.

Likewise, in 2004, the province of Cotabato passed an environmental code banning the agricultural method with the stated clause that sprayed farms lay adjacent to poultries, piggeries, cattle ranches, and other agri-based businesses.

Magaway said the SC ruling is now putting the ordinance of Bukidnon and North Cotabato at risk of abolition.

"By using the Supreme Court decision to overturn existing protections, banana corporations may replicate their methods of spraying in Davao City ordinance banning aerial spraying," he said.

"Their silence speaks volumes; it clarifies that commercial animals possess more rights and protections under the Philippine Constitution than us humans do," Magaway said.

In a previous SunStar Davao report, SC said the ordinance is believed to be violating the "equal protection clause in the Constitution since it prohibited aerial spraying regardless of the substance or the level of concentration of the chemicals to be applied and imposed the 30-meter buffer zone in all agricultural lands in Davao City regardless of the size of landholdings."

The ordinance was also deemed to have violated "the due process rights of banana growers."

However, Magaway questioned why not one among the members of the Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association nor of the Supreme Court, questioned the legality or constitutionality of the ordinances of these areas.

In a separate statement, Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (Idis) said the ill effects of pesticides and aerial spraying have been well documented and researched in numerous international and local studies.

In 2019, Idis conducted a study entitled "Mapping of Cavendish Banana Plantations & Affected Communities of Aerial Spraying in South Central Mindanao" to check the actual situation of banana plantations within the area, verify active aerial spraying practices, and analyze its effects on the community.

The study revealed that four barangays in Davao City have continued and resumed aerial spraying in their plantations -- Barangay Dacudao, Barangay Lacson, Barangay Subasta, and Barangay Lasang.

The group said they are alarmed as there are residential communities and schools adjacent to these plantations with weak agricultural buffer zones.

In relation to the conducted study, the Idis met with different representatives from Fertilizers Authority of the Philippines (FPA), Barangay Sirib, Barangay Lacson, and Office of Councilor Ralph Abella.

During the discussion, Idis said affected barangays shared that numerous trees were cut down to make way for plantations and they noticed a decrease in the production of cacao and other fruit-bearing trees as an adverse effect of aerial spraying.

"Though FPA released Memorandum Circular No. 28, series of 2018, or Good Agricultural practices for remotely piloted aircraft systems for use as spraying, this is not enough," Idis said.

On August 13, 2021, the group visited Dacudao and Lacson to check and ask the residents about their situation and problems regarding aerial spraying. The residents of both barangays revealed that there are no buffer zones between the plantations and their communities.

The group added that some residents are suffering from skin itchiness. They also shared that the schedule of aerial spraying is not strictly observed; residents near the plantations have no idea when the plantations will spray the pesticides for bananas.

"We unite with the calls of the communities to stop aerial spraying in the city. Plantations should shift to non-aerial application methods with minimal chemical drift and impacts that would not affect the residents, farm workers, and children's health and livability. Also, the DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) should regularly monitor the buffer zones of these plantations and other mitigation measures set in their ECCs (Environmental Compliance Certificate)," Idis Program Coordinator Lemuel Lloyd Manalo said.

Idis also urged DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu to revive the Multipartite Monitoring Team (MTT) for Agricultural Plantations through an administrative order.

The group also called on the Davao City government to fully implement the Watershed Code that prohibits aerial spraying on environmentally critical areas, create a Local MTT for Plantations, and support the proposed city ordinance on banning aerial spray in all agricultural entities within Davao City.

SunStar Davao has yet to get the side of the city government on this matter.

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Sen. Go confirms helicopter nearly getting into accident

Posted: 18 Aug 2021 08:31 AM PDT

SENATOR Christopher "Bong" Go confirmed that he had a near-death experience after the helicopter he was aboard almost had an accident on Saturday, August 14.

Go revealed this in an interview on "Bisaya Time" aired on dzRH Manila on Sunday, August 15.

The former presidential aide said the chopper was on its way to Basilan from Zamboanga City to attend the launch of two Malasakit Centers.

Go said they noticed the chopper descending rapidly and bouncing twice in the air, with the motor making a strange sound.

The pilot told him a tailwind was pushing the chopper down. He was able to regain control and landed the chopper safely. Go was able to attend the opening of the Malasakit Center without further incident.

"Sa awa ng Diyos at sa awa ni Allah, sa Basilan ako pumunta kahapon, ay ligtas naman po. Galing ako ng Zamboanga papunta ako sa pagbubukas pang-135th Malasakit Center doon sa Basilan Medical Center," Go said. The senator admitted it was the first time to encounter such an incident.

(By the grace of God and Allah, I was going to Basilan yesterday [August 14] — I was safe. I came from Zamboanga to open the 135th Malasakit Center at Basilan Medical Center.)

The Malasakit Center is a One-Stop-Shop where indigent patients can efficiently access financial medical assistance from agencies such as PhilHealth, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte signed into law on December 3, 2019, the Malasakit Center Act, also known as Republic Act No. 11463. Under the law, the government is obliged to establish Malasakit Centers in all hospitals under the Department of Health and the Philippine General Hospital. The legislation also authorizes the Philippine National Police to set up such facilities.

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Children with Covid-19 remain low in Davao City

Posted: 18 Aug 2021 08:31 AM PDT

THE number of children infected by Covid-19 remains relatively low, the Davao City Covid-19 Task Force revealed.

Davao City Covid-19 Task Force Spokesperson Dr. Michelle Schlosser said in a radio interview on Wednesday, August 18, that based on their monitoring, age group below 18 years old remain to have fewer Covid-19 infections.

"As of the moment among the age group, atong working age group ang pinaka-affected. This is between 20 to 29 years old, 30 to 39 years old. Mao gihapon na ang pinaka daghan ug cases. Actually, next in line is the 40 to 49 years old," Schlosser said in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.

(As of the moment, the most affected age group is between 20 to 29 years old and 30 to 39 years old. Next in line is the 40 to 49 age group.)

This developed amid concerns of pediatric Covid-19 hospitalization after some hospitals in other countries recorded a troubling spike of younger patients, which coincides with the alarming number of Delta variant cases. Minors are currently not being prioritized in the vaccination rollout.

Schlosser attributed the strict implementation of curfew and other restrictions prohibiting minors from going out of their residences.

While there are children hospitalized in the pediatric bed, she said that they have not recorded a significant increase among this vulnerable age group.

"Ang atong pediatrics medyo mababa pa rin ang ilahang number of cases because we can attribute this because dili pa man jud allowed nga maggawas ang mga bata except for those working age. Mao ra gyud tong nagagawas kanunay because they are allowed to work," Schlosser said.

(Our pediatric departments remain to have a low number of young Covid-19 patients. We can attribute it to our policies, which prevent children from going out except for the working-age since they are the only ones allowed to work.)

She stressed that the working age remains to be high-risk because of their exposure outside.

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio revealed in a recent interview that the city had already recorded Covid-19 cases since last year.

Davao City is currently under general community quarantine (GCQ) with heightened restrictions until August 31.

Under the GCQ with heightened restrictions, no persons below 18 and above 65, pregnant women, and people with comorbidities cannot leave their residences except for obtaining essential goods and services, or for work in permitted industries.

According to the Department of Health (DOH)-Davao Region as of August 17, the city has now a total of 33,374 confirmed cases with 28,995 recoveries and 1,109 deaths. Of the active cases, DOH-Davao Region reported 3,270 cases.

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Davao Oriental jail escapees surrender to authorities

Posted: 18 Aug 2021 08:29 AM PDT

THE accused leader of a religious group Pinatikan that escaped from the Davao Oriental Provincial Jail on Saturday, August 14, surrendered to the military three days after.

In a press release, the religious leader Cornelio Galon III, along with 21 others, surrendered to the Philippine Army's 701st Brigade through the Calapagan Cafgu detachment around 2 p.m. on Tuesday, August 17.

According to the report, a Cafgu personnel assigned in the Calapagan detachment is said to be related to one of the surrenders.

The members of the religious group called the "Divine Spiritual Governance of God and Heaven, Inc." surrendered to authorities in Sitio Sawidan, Barangay Tagbinonga in Mati City.

The Davao Oriental Provincial Government, through its official Facebook page, said that five of the surrenderers are inmates while 17 were involved in the attack on the provincial jail.

Galon was arrested in violation of Republic Act 9516 or Illegal/Unlawful Possession of Firearms and Explosives.

The surrenderers were presented to Governor Nelson Dayanghirang.

Dayanghirang said despite the group's contribution to law and order in the province, as some of their members are also Cafgu members, he said they still need to undergo due process of the law.

"Kining tawhana dili man ni kontra sa gobyerno. Gani kadagahnanan sa [ilang] mga kaubanan nga Pinatikan kay mga Cafgu nga kauban nato nga nakigubat ngadto sa mga kontra sa gobyerno. So mao ako tumong nga human panagstorya naa na daan ako paninguha nga unsa paagi tabangan," the governor said.

(These people are not anti-government militias. In fact, most of their members are part of the government fighting against insurgents. This is our goal of having a dialogue with them on what help we can offer.)

"[Pero] sabton nato nga naa man tay balaod. Naa may ebidensya. Nadakpan man siya ug illegal na mga pusil ug expolsives. So atubangon nato na ug tan-awon nato ang pamaagi kung unsa ang possible nga solusyon. Pero dili solusyon ang mangita napod ta ug bagong problema..." he added.

(However, we have to understand that there is a law. There is evidence. He [Galon] was apprehended for illegal possession of weapons and explosives. He needs to face it and look for a solution. But it should not be a solution that causes another problem.)

The governor thanked the group for surrendering and open a dialogue with them.

Galon, along with six other inmates escaped when more than 20 members of Galon's attacked the provincial jail. One of the attackers was killed while another one was arrested Monday, August 16.

The religious leader, according to the report, said the group surrendered as they got tired and worried about their current situation.

"Ni desiyon sila pila ka adlaw kay lisod magtago-tago sa bukid nga wala tay saktong kaon, wala sakto nga financial support," Galon said.

(The group decided days ago because it is hard to be a fugitive in the hinterlands with no adequate food and no stable financial support.)

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Samante: Where to?

Posted: 18 Aug 2021 08:04 AM PDT

AFTER the rousing conquests of team Pilipinas in the Tokyo Olympics, many are beginning to ask where are we heading next?

Paris 2024 is only a couple of years away. Continuous training and competitions would be best to sustain our momentum. We are delighted with reports indicating that our Tokyo athletes are already preparing for it in various overseas training courses.

The SEA Games in Vietnam would have been an excellent follow-up to Tokyo. But because of the Covid-19 crisis, it was postponed.

Apart from these, there are calls to replicate the formula for our medal wins by employing the same tactics they had: foreign coaching, sports science, food, nutrition, etc.

After all these years, it is a mixed feeling of joy and sadness relative to this realization for Philippine sports. Joy because we have finally found the winning formula to succeed in high-level competitions. Sadness because it took us all these years to finally recognize it.

There is no monopoly of knowledge. Each of us has our strengths and weaknesses. We become better by learning from one another.

In the heyday of Philippine sports, our Asian neighbors looked up to us for training. Several years hence, we seem stuck to our systems while most of them adapted to the changes across the globe.

We are only fourth in the All-time medal tally behind Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia in Southeast Asia alone. In the Asian Games All-time medal tally, we are twelfth. It is an indicator of how far the gap is between us and everybody else in Asia.

We can close the gap between Asia and us by building on the gains of Tokyo. As stated, we have found the winning formula; we have the support our athletes need both from the government and private entities. Our athletes are highly motivated to pursue greater glory in the following competitions. There is no other way to go but forward.

Let us go back to the question, where are we heading now?

Notes from the sidelines:

It is the third year of Game On! My gratitude to the avid followers of this column, both in print and online. Your kind words sent through FB are fuel enough to keep on writing and sharing. Who would have thought that a gig like this would last three years? Thank you, Sunstar Davao, and to boss Marianne for the break.

For comments, you may reach me thru my FB: https://www.facebook.com/mposamante

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Condo units delivered up by 31% in H1 2021

Posted: 18 Aug 2021 08:04 AM PDT

THE number of condominium units delivered in Davao City for the first half of 2021 increased by 31 percent to 1,894 units from only 1,444 in the same period of last year.

During the online Davao Property Briefing with Colliers Philippines and Damosa Land on August 12, 2021, it was reported that Davao remains to be the third-largest condominium hotspot in the country with 18,540 condo unit stocks as of the first quarter of 2021.

Moreover, another 4,000 units are expected to be available by 2021 to 2023 per annum.

The number of condo unit stocks in Davao City follows after that of Metro Manila and Metro Cebu with 137,600 and 50,100 stock units respectively.

"How has the residential market been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic? There's much less supply. Around 500 units [were] taken up for the first half of 2021. Only around 1,000 units were launched during that period. Starting 2020, Covid-19 has really disrupted the demand and supply of condominium units in Davao City," said Joey Roi Bondoc, Associate Director for Research of Colliers Philippines who added that they estimate it would take half a year for the remaining condominium inventory in Davao City to be sold out.

Despite this, Bondoc said the recovery of the vertical real estate sector will "hinge on the success of the vaccine rollout."

"Right now, what we're seeing is there has been a stable demand and supply of residential projects which indicates post-pandemic growth prospects," he said.

Currently, there are more than 4,200 condo units to be delivered before 2021 ends. This is a 21.61 percent increase from the 3,475 units delivered in 2020.

In Bondoc's presentation, developers that would be launching their condo units within 2021 include Verdon Parc Maurin (582 units), Verdon Park Trevans (577 units), Camella CoHo - The Acropolis (476 units), Two Lakeshore Drive T2 and T3 (both with 319 units each), and Amani Grand Citygate Davao C (315 units).

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AIA Philam Life is now AIA Philippines

Posted: 18 Aug 2021 07:59 AM PDT

AIA Philam Life changes its brand name to AIA Philippines, beginning a new chapter in its 74-year history to better serve Filipino customers who seek greater resilience in challenging times.

The new name marks a significant milestone in the evolution of AIA Philam Life into a company with local understanding and global capabilities at the forefront of innovation. "Our gratitude to our employees, stakeholders, and customers who were behind our 74 years of strength. As we become AIA Philippines, we are excited to face a new beginning in our history, one that makes us even more confident and ready for the future," shares AIA Philippines Chief Executive Officer Kelvin Ang.

AIA Regional Chief Executive Jacky Chan expressed AIA Group's confidence in AIA Philippines' transition: "Our Purpose of helping people to live Healthier, Longer, Better Lives has never been more relevant than it is today. Against the backdrop of these challenging circumstances, we are making this transition because we know that we must take the step to fully embrace a future full of possibilities - and to help close the insurance gap for families across the Philippines."

Following the rebrand, AIA Philippines will continue its transformation in the coming months as aligned with the strategy laid out by the AIA Group. "While we are the same company, we need to evolve to keep up with the changing needs of our customers," explains Ang. "The pandemic became the catalyst that accelerated our transformation. These changes—in our organization and people development, our approach to social responsibility and financial discipline, the way our customers experience our products and services, among many others—will all come together to help us realize our Purpose. We will keep you posted on these as they happen."

Amidst the novel changes, AIA Philippines continues to reinforce its purpose. "At the heart of AIA Philippines, we continue to cater to the protection and long-term savings needs of our customers through relevant and innovative offerings. And with this, we remain true to our commitment of empowering Filipinos to live Healthier, Longer, Better Lives," Ang says. (PR)

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Editorial: Mandatory Covid-19 testing ordinance

Posted: 18 Aug 2021 07:58 AM PDT

ON TUESDAY, August 17, 2021, the Davao City Council passed on third and final reading "An Ordinance Providing For Mandatory Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) Testing of All F1, F2, and F3 Contacts of an RT-PCR Confirmed Positive Case of Covid-19 in Davao City."

After its passage at the city council, it is now waiting for the signature of Davao City Mayor Sara Z. Duterte-Carpio.

The newly-passed law covers F0 (confirmed positive), F1 (first-generation contact or those who have close contact with a confirmed positive individual), F2 (second-generation contact or those who have close contact with F1), and F3 (third-generation contact or those who have close contact with F2) within the city.

However, Section 6 of the ordinance states that F2 and F3 contacts are not required to undergo mandatory quarantine provided they will not exhibit influenza-like illness (ILI), but they must self-monitor, continue to observe minimum health protocols, and report for any signs and symptoms.

Index cases and close contacts will also be required to disclose their close contacts including their contact numbers and home or work address.

The ordinance penalizes those who will refuse to be tested, isolated, and quarantined and those who will refuse to give out accurate information needed for effective contact tracing.

Depending on what category you are in as close contact, penalties range from P500 to as high as P5,000. Violators may also face imprisonment. If the violator is a minor or below 18 years old, his/her parents or legal guardian will be fined or prosecuted.

Testing is among the primary strategies the local government unit (LGU) could implement in a bid to detect, trace, and treat or isolate Covid-19. Since the start of the pandemic, this strategy has allowed the LGU to control and prevent the spread of the Covid-19 cases. As a result, preventing other people from being infected.

While the intentions of the ordinance are good, there could be issues that could arise once it takes effect.

One of the issues that could come up is manpower. With the high number of daily new and active cases, do the LGU and DOH have enough contact tracers to spend the time to properly investigate and contact trace each case? There have been posts on social media of netizens who are close contacts of Covid-19 patients, that after the initial call from the contact tracer, they were not called back again. Some even did not receive a call 10 days after the initial call of the contact tracer.

Another issue is the testing capacity of the city. The testing capacity is affected by the availability of swab sites, people who will swab the close contacts, and the supply of materials for swabbing. Are there enough of these to cater to more people being tested for Sars-CoV-2?

How about at the swab sites, are there improvements in the system to ensure that there is no mass gathering of people?

There is also the issue with honesty. It is very easy for some to state that they have forgotten about certain details. Will our contact tracers have the time to verify each information provided by those who have been contact traced?

While it may not be an issue but making people understand the importance of testing will be a challenge. There are those who flat out deny the pandemic while there are those who simply fear getting tested. Hence, there is a need to refresh people about testing and its benefits to the fight against the pandemic.

As to who will cover the testing, at present, all the Covid-19 testings arranged by contact tracers are currently covered by the City Government of Davao.

Hopefully, the City Health Office and the Covid-19 Task Force have already prepared strategies to ensure that Covid-19 testing goes smoothly once the law takes effect.

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Diamonds Don’t Shine; They Reflect — My MOHSG Journey

Posted: 18 Aug 2021 07:56 AM PDT

I WAS nine years old when I first heard of JCI Davao's Search for the Most Outstanding High School Graduate of Davao City (MOHSG). My older sister was covering the event for our school publication, Hillstar, since our candidate for that year won the grand prize. That was pretty much all I knew about MOHSG until, after seven years, I was one of the Grade 10 students invited to attend the event culmination at Abreeza Mall as a potential representative of our batch.

Upon receiving the invitation, I was excited to support one of our own while legally skipping classes, both of which gave me a surge of competitive energy to cheer — more like, scream and frantically jump — every time our candidate graced the platform. While watching the program, I was starstruck. The MOHSG nominees "shone" like diamonds on stage and exuded the utmost confidence with their natural public speaking skills and well-rehearsed presentations. However, after our school's candidate was declared as the grand winner, my roar of celebration was replaced by a pang of fear, as I could possibly be thrown onto that very same stage, pressured by the infamous Davao Christian High School (DCHS) MOHSG streak.

This very idea made me hesitant to accept the challenge, but I eventually did, fueled by the mentality that diamonds are formed under pressure; if I wanted to "shine" like the nominees I had watched on stage, then this was my chance.

Seems like a positive way to start the journey, right? However, while scrolling through my Facebook timeline, searching for some semblance of inspiration for this article, my principle was corrected by science. Diamonds do not shine, per se, because they do not emit their own light like the sun; instead, they reflect light from other sources.

On my first meeting with my coaches, Sir Desi Magnaye and Sir Samuel Chueh, they explained to me how MOHSG was not a contest where I was pressured to bring home the bacon but a journey that helps one grow as a person. While my head nodded in agreement, my mind called it bluff. How could you possibly do all that in the span of a month? I understood how my predecessors could have had this experience, especially with the project implementation component, but my journey was cut short due to the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

Thus, with my competitive spirit, I stuffed my portfolio with even the smallest class awards in fear of not reaching the quota. I practiced tirelessly for the panel interview portion, making sure to eradicate every stray "gud jud" and "man" in my English sentences. I attended the mandatory 9-hour workshops every Saturday, keeping my attention span fixated on nothing but the activities. Figuratively speaking, I was tired, but at least I was running, not even knowing if I had reached my destination to deserve to stop. I was a diamond that did everything in her power to try and shine on her own.

This mentality was challenged when the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Video component was suddenly added. At first, we tried to search for some groundbreaking solution that had not been covered before, but we found ourselves running blank when we tried running the grand ideas on script. Hence, out of all the ideas we conceptualized, we ended up covering the simplest solution, but it was something we were confident that anyone, anywhere could do — to not waste food.

It was then when I realized that being in MOHSG was more than just flaunting medals and being eloquent in front of a camera. It was a platform for us to voice out our discoveries and advocacies in hopes of influencing others to act, especially on things that they have the power to change. As diamonds reflect light from other sources, so was being a MOHSG candidate a way for us to speak for the oppressed, to use the education we've gained, and to believe in our capabilities as others believe in us. We cannot tap into our purposes when we are consumed by our own selfish desires to win. On the other hand, we become outstanding people when we are driven by a purpose beyond our own selves.

The best part about this concept is that it chooses no specific person to do the deed. I've been saying this like a broken record, but it rings true no matter how many times it is repeated: Being an outstanding graduate chooses no specific talent, background, or social status; we are all capable of being outstanding people when we take the time to know ourselves, hone our talents, and use them to create solutions for the community we serve.

After this mentality shift, the rest of the components became easier to handle. The panel interview felt more like a casual conversation, where I somehow gathered the courage to ask my panelists to do the popular KDrama flower pose for a photo. The self-introduction brought me back to my comical college applications, where I desperately searched for signs on what career to choose but ended up with a heartwarming story that keeps me going to this day. Finally, the impromptu speech was a summary of everything I've learned, one big message for the current generation and the ones forward. (Thank you, Facebook, for immortalizing copies of the videos for me to show to my future grandchildren.)

I'm still amazed at the honor I've been given as the MOHSG54 grand winner, and I definitely owe it to those who have supported me throughout this journey. To my coaches, my family, my friends, my school, my church, my fellow candidates, and to JCI Davao, I want to express my deepest gratitude for your support that speaks volumes. MOHSG has changed my life, and I pray that it will continue to bless lives in the next batches. Above all, thank you to the Lord for Your unending grace and mercy. Truly, the glory is all Yours. Lastly, of course, I have to thank the readers of this article. I hope that my story has inspired you to use your own gifts for the greater good.

It's now been about two months after the MOHSG culmination, and people may still be wondering what the "secret" is. Well, it may sound anticlimactic, but really, the secret is that there is no secret. Just stay true to yourself, and remember: Diamonds don't shine; they reflect.

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