friendship. It has taught its readers meaningful lessons in life through inspiring accounts of courage and perseverance. It has celebrated the glory of the rich of the rich socialand cultural heritage of the Filipino people as it discovers the hidden treasure of the Malay race. Most importantly, it has glorified God who has bestowed the talent, the courage, and the wisdom to the Filipino mind and who has empowered him to transcend barriers of mediocrity and to realize a common vision of a culture of excellence.

In celebration of its 10th year of promoting a culture of excellence through campus journalism in the city and the country, The Makati Science Vision takes a journey back to its humble beginnings and reminisces the path it took to reach its present form and the faces, events, and stories of significant student journalists who stood at its helm and led it to greater heights.

Beginnings
(1997-1999)

The Makati Science Vision was born when Mark Noel F Mabanglo edited, published, and circulated a 16-page mimeographed school paper named The Vision and the Makati Science High School Bulletin of Information on Dec. 10, 1997, which coincided with the blessing and inauguration of the school’s new four four-storey buildings.

The maiden issue of the school paper stressed the value of unity and cooperation. “All of us are angels with only one wing, and we could only fly by embracing each other,” Mabanglo wrote in his editorial column. Prominent campus journalists at that time were Jacques S Lynn, Gretel T Tesado, John Erick T Villa, Yolando J Jamendang, and Joseph Ray G Brillantes.

On Mar. 30, 1998, The Vision, in cooperation with the Makati Science English Department and the Journalism and Print Media classes, mounted a photo exhibit titled “Makati Science High School: On Focus.” It was graced by Hon Jejomar C Binay, City of Makati mayor; Dr Corazon D Santiago, Division of City Schools of Makati superintendent; and Mrs Juliana B De Guzman, Makati Science principal.

Through the initiatives of Villa and Lynn, The Vision editor in chief and the Makati Science Editors Guild president, respectively, the school paper was printed in a full eight-page spread biannual format.

“We shall harness a milieu where students will exude creativity, discipline, confidence, and critical thinking; where teachers will practice understanding, professionalism, and devotion to their craft; and where the administration will heed the preponderance,” the school paper said in its editorial. Campus journalists who graced its pages then were Ederlyn B Piol, Myrene L Buban, Melanie C Brucal, Jenifer G Pedrozo, Christian T Tesado, Donna M Babadilla, and Ma Cecilia A Aycocho.

From Feb. 26 to Mar. 5, 1999, The Vision and the Journalism and Print Media classes, in collaboration with the Botany and Advanced Physics classes, mounted another photo exhibit titled “Beautiful Flowers, Colorful Flowers.” Bro Andrew F Gonzales, Department of Education, Culture, and Sports (DECS) secretary, and Dr Elenita S Binay, City of Makati mayor, led the ribbon cutting ceremony. It was also graced by top educators in the country, including undersecretaries, assistant secretaries, and regional directors from Regions I to XII, including the National Capital Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, and the Cagayan Autonomous Region and Growth Area.

In March 1999, The Vision was renamed The Makati Science Vision after its editorial staff found out that the student publication of the F G Calderon Integrated School in Manila carries the same name.

Rebirth
(2000-2002)

At the turn of the millennium, The Makati Science Vision re-launched itself in with a new look during the time of Michael A Bulosan as editor in chief. Significantly, The Makati Science Vision broke new grounds in the regional scene as Anna-Marie S M Villa, The Makati Science Vision features editor, bagged first place in the 23rd DECS-National Capital Region Secondary Schools Press Conference Feature Writing Competition. Villa subsequently joined the National Schools Press Conference in Tacloban, Leyte, and eventually went on to become the first Teodoro Valencia Outstanding Campus Journalist produced by The Makati Science Vision.

Volume IV Number 1 June-October 2000 issue marked the evolution of The Makati Science Vision into a premiere secondary school paper in the City of Makati. Released in a 12-page spread with the front and back pages in full color and with the trademark nameplate designed by Johannes Daniel G Garcia, The Makati Science Vision features editor, The Makati Science Vision highlighted the most historic feat that the Makati Science High School has made in its history, ranking third in the 1999 National Secondary Assessment Test. Prominent campus journalists at that time were Justin Ray M Guce, Ivy Mae C Vitanzos, Jesse Christian P Ballao, and Katrina Carmela M Belen.

In October 2001, following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, The Makati Sciene Vision editorial board embarked on an in-depth analysis of international issues, signaling the beginning of The Makati Science Vision as an avenue of tackling pressing world issues involving the Philippines. In her article “America’s New War,” Rohayna G Brillantes, The Makati Science Vision managing editor, underscored, “The terrorists were able to destroy the steel and concrete of the [World Trade Center] towers and the Pentagon right before the world’s very eyes, but [they] would never destroy the steel and concrete of American resolve.” Of the war in Afghanistan, Ivy Mae C Vitanzos, The Makati Science Vision editor in chief, wrote, “The world is a classroom…there is a victim and a bully. There is a David and a Goliath…David is war-stricken Afghanistan, Goliath is wealthy America. The victim is Afghanistan; America, its bully.” Vitanzos was named a Teodoro Valencia Foundation Outstanding Campus Journalist during her term.

The Makati Science Vision marked another fruitful year in 2002 with Maria Josefa R Veloria as editor in chief, as it won third place in the Liyab: The Torch Second National Capital Region Journalism Training Seminar Best Publication and Best Campus Paper Category. Veloria, Lester A Balante, Ceres Janrell A Misa, Chari-Nelle M Flores, and Supreme Student Government president Gian Carla T Lumabao graced The Makati Science Vision as its noteworthy student journalists of the time. It was also then that the Friends of The Makati Science Vision, the financial arm of The Makati Science Vision, was established with Lumabao as its solicitor general.

John Francis R Amian, on the other hand, bagged first place in the radio scriptwriting and broadcasting contest while Misa copped eighth place in the copy reading and headline writing category during the 2003 National Schools Press Conference in Mandaue City.

Breaking Barriers
(2003-2005)

In 2003, The Makati Science Vision produced the most awarded issue in its history, its 16 pages printed in full color for the first time since the birth of the paper. Highlighting the victory of Jon Sithli P Mendoza, The Makati Science Vision science and health editor, in the Digital LG Quiz Year 4 Grand Finals, the Volume VII Number 1 June-October issue won the Best Layout and Page Design, Best Features and Literary Page, and ultimately, Best School Paper of the Year in the 2004 NSPC in Sta Cruz, Laguna. Mr Alixander Haban Escote, the Makati Science Vision adviser was named Best School Paper Adviser of the Year by the Department of Education and the National Secondary School Paper Advisers Association. Prominent campus journalists of the issue were Daryl Patrick G Ruiz, its editor in chief, Sabello B Bibit V, Francis Vincent R Co, Anna Isabel R Aclan, Don Michael A De Leon, and Maria Cristina S Reyes.

Spearheaded by Francis Vincent R Co, The Makati Science Vision news editor and Makati Science Information Technology Core Group president, the Makati Science High School launched its official website, www.makatiscience.edu.ph, in consonance with the Makati Science 10th anniversary. The Makati Science Vision subsequently launched The Makati Science Vision Manual of Style and Usage, the first book ever produced by the Makati Science High School.

In October 2004, The Makati Science Vision Volume VII Number 1 June-December issue ventured beyond its triumph in the public secondary schools arena and was named one of the finalists in the Catholic Mass Media Awards Best Student Organ High School Category. In March 2005, The Makati Science Vision launched the Spark of Hope: The Makati Science Vision Anthology of Student Essays, a collection of personal essays written by and for Makati Science students. Maria Rose Ann A Cellona, Francis Vincent R Co, Jodessa B Piloton, and Joan Kristi D Zaldivar were among the prominent campus journalists of the time.

In taking bold steps toward improving its craft, The Makati Science Vision deviated from the campus journalistic standards and released its Volume IX Number 1 June-December 2005 issue in a three-section, full gloss print format. Focusing on Philippine history and appreciation of historical landmarks, the publication embarked on a tour of the Corregidor Island, the Heritage City of Vigan, and of the four baroque churches in the Philippines inscribed in the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Office World Heritage List.

Prominent campus journalists of the time were Don Michael A De Leon, editor in chief; Jo Margarette W Remollo, associate editor, and Joseph Martin V Gaviola, sports editor. De Leon and Gaviola secured first and second places in the 29th DepEd-NCR Secondary Schools Press Conference for the copy reading and headline writing and sports writing categories, respectively. They advanced to the 2006 NSPC in Kalibo, Aklan, where De Leon won fourth place in copy reading and headline writing and second place in the radio broadcasting and scriptwriting, bagging second best anchor and second best news reporter. In March 2006, De Leon was named the third Teodoro Valencia Foundation Outstanding Campus Journalist produced by The Makati Science Vision.

The Makati Science Vision again transcended barriers and was again named as one of the five finalists in the Catholic Mass Media Awards Best Student Organ High School Category in November 2006.

Under the leadership of Mark Joseph T Solis as editor in chief, The Makati Science Vision reverted to its classic format. It was also in this year that Mr Alixander Haban Escote, The Makati Science Vision school paper adviser was recognized as the Outstanding School Paper Adviser in the NCR by the DepEd-NCR and the NCR SSPAA and one of 17 Outstanding School Paper Advisers in the Philippines by the DepEd and the SSPAA.

In October 2007, The Makati Science Vision was named as one of the five finalists in the CMMA Best Student Organ High School Category.