21/08/2026
๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ฅ๐
Read the accompanying poem here: https://sites.google.com/letranbataan.edu.ph/theshield/at-the-end-of-the-aisle?authuser=0
๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐๐ฆ
This one is a personal piece, I wrote it in my own time. I've been a writer long before I became a journalist, and I've been writing poems for just as long. But in poetry, I've always had a hard time putting my feelings into rhymes that felt right. I would feel the intensity of it but the words always fell short. Siguro, masasabi mo na turning point din sya in my skills as a writer. It's my first piece where the words just flowed out of me, and one of the few na masasabi kong ipinagmamalaki ko talaga. It was the first time where I was able to fully immerse myself into my emotions and past experiences and properly use them to fuel my writing, even though the events I were drawing them from happened years ago. Though I don't think it will be my very best piece, I do think that it is one of the better ones so far, and that's why I like it.
๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ก๐จ๐ญ๐จ
This is from when I was a second year. I wouldn't say na it's my best or my favorite, pero it's one na I will remember for a long time. It's not a personal one, kinuha ko sya for Shield, and it's posted on the page. However, I consider it as the turning point of my skills as a photographer/photoj, kasi it was the first time where I put all of myself into, where I truly tried to think of a deeper way to capture a moment, at hindi yung pitik pitik at solely relying on instincts lang ako. I remember being proud of it, and being confident for the first time about my work as a photoj. And nung napili sya nila kuya Mars as one of the photos to post about the day on the page, my confidence was rewarded, and I felt that my skills were recognized. I believe na this is when I had a "growth spurt" in terms of my photography, that's why I like it.
๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ
About me: as I said, I've been a writer for a long time, and I've always been interested in photography, but never had the chance to try it out, only being able to once I began my college studies in Letran. Truth be told, when I first became a campus journalist in junior high, I didn't have a real passion for it, I thought it was too serious for me, that I didn't have the right personality for it, it was too strict and hard. I was convinced to give it another try in the Shield, and that's when I fell in love with journalism. I learned in Letran that being a journalist didn't need to be hard, to drain everything out of you, or to always be strictly serious, I just needed to always put effort in what I did, to be truthful and sincere.
At The Shield, we value more than just taking good photos or writing compelling stories. We look for students with a keen eye for detail, a passion for storytelling, and the ability to capture moments and transform them into narratives that matter. Whether through a photograph or the written word, every story has the power to inform, inspire, and leave a lasting impactโand weโre looking for students ready to do just that.
Benefits of joining The Shield:
- A place to hone your writing and creative skills
- Gain hands-on experience in journalism, photojournalism, arts, and layout design
- Learn and grow through collaboration with students across all programs
- Cover campus activities and tell stories that matter to the Letran Bataan community
- The chance to represent Colegio de San Juan de Letran Bataan on Regional Higher Education Press Conference (RHEPC) or the first ever National Higher Education Press Conference (NHEPC) if qualified
- Opportunities for recognition and financial assistance for representing Bataan in journalism competitions
The Shield is stronger with you. Become a part of us.
๐ฅ Recruitment is now open to students across all programs!
๐ Apply here: https://forms.gle/8cmjUC52buPGrwCZ7
๐
Deadline: September 4, 2026
โ๏ธ and ๐ท: Alyssa Reigh Labrador
