Now 54 years since the declaration of Martial Law, the Philippines stands at a crossroads between remembrance and distortion. As historical revisionism and propaganda fortify the Marcos family’s power to the present day, Filipinos remain plagued by the continued hold of the dictatorship. The GUIDON stands thus firm in its pledge to critical, community-centered reportage—not losing sight of the regime’s atrocities, and staying cognizant of how its injustices permeate today. Read The GUIDON’s Martial Law Special and Issue No. 1 for AY 2026–2027 here: tgdn.co/IssueOne2627

OBF UPDATE: Paul Daniel Cabacungan (4 BS REnt) was deemed the champion of the Whiskey Live Manila 2026 Mentorship Program held last October 16 to 17 at Shangri-La The Fort in the City of Taguig. Cabacungan created Crescere, a reinvention of the classic Whiskey Basil Smash combining milk-washed pizza components like parmesan and pomodoro with whiskey. Under the mentorship of Arlie Golie of Guidicelli Ristorante, he went through theoretical and practical exams before besting 14 competitors in the preliminary round and ultimately claiming the top spot in the final round. The Whiskey Live Manila Mentorship Program is an annual event that connects student participants with mentors in the industry to create new and innovative spirit-based cocktails. Notably, this marks the Ateneo’s first time participating in the competition.

WATCH: Rena Nabias of Murcia, Negros Occidental, calls for land reform and an end to militarization and state violence as peasant groups seek public support for their struggle against land dispossession. Nabias, alongside members of Amihan Women and other peasant organizations, has been in Manila since October 12 to demand land reform and accountability, staging protests and a campout at the offices of the Department of Agrarian Reform and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. However, their demonstrations were met with violence from Quezon City Police. The farmers have since been visiting schools and universities to seek support and call for public solidarity with peasant communities fighting land dispossession and militarization. #BeyondLoyola

INTERNATIONAL UPDATE: Seven Filipino workers were wounded in attacks at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on October 10, with three in critical condition, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). The strikes targeted airports and oil facilities, killing 12 people and injuring 309 others, affecting Filipino workers caught in the strikes. This prompted the DFA and the Department of Migrant Workers to coordinate with Saudi authorities to ensure that the injured Filipinos receive medical care and assistance. The Philippine government extended its condolences to the families of those killed in the attacks. The DFA also called on all parties to cease hostilities and resolve the conflict peacefully while advising Filipinos in Saudi Arabia to follow local safety advisories and maintain communication with the Philippine Embassy and Consulate General. #BeyondLoyola

READ: In a statement released yesterday, October 19, the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs (MIPA) of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) condemned successive shootings involving members of the Teduray Indigenous Peoples in Maguindanao del Sur, calling for justice and stronger protection for Indigenous communities. According to the statement, the latest incident occurred on October 17, when Barangay Kagawad Joel M. Mactud of Barangay Mantao, Datu Hoffer, was shot dead in Barangay Matimauig, Datu Unsay. The following day, Sayrel Guiaman Tomas was declared dead while Jayjay Guiaman, both residents of Datu Hoffer, was severely wounded in another shooting at the same location. The incidents follow earlier killings of Indigenous leaders in the province, including Juanito Promboy in April 2024, Elvin Moires in September 2024, Nicasio Mindo in July 2025, and Nel Lupos in September 2025. The successive attacks add to concerns over the safety of non-Moro Indigenous Peoples in BARMM, where Climate Conflict Action has recorded 102 killings of non-Moro Indigenous Peoples since the region’s establishment in 2019. MIPA called on the Philippine National Police and other law enforcement agencies to conduct a thorough, impartial, and transparent investigation, ensure accountability, and apprehend those responsible. It also urged government agencies and security forces to strengthen protections for Indigenous communities across BARMM. #BeyondLoyola Photo courtesy of Ministry of Indigenous Peoples' Affairs - BARMM

LOOK: The two-week shadowing period for security guards under the Leopard Security and Investigation Agency (LSIA) began yesterday, October 19, in preparation for the official start of LSIA’s operations on November 1. Guards from the LSIA and Megaforce Integrated Security Agency will be deployed together on the Loyola Heights campus until October 31. The transition period, according to the Campus Safety and Mobility Office, will allow incoming LSIA personnel to familiarize themselves with the University’s facilities and systems, and their respective assignments. Photos by RJ Hernandez

OBF UPDATE: Ateneo de Manila University was named the top-ranking school among those with more than 50 examinees and with a passing percentage of 80% in the October 2026 Chemist Licensure Exam. Notably, the University recorded a 100% passing rate among all 55 Atenean examinees. Joaquin Iñigo Castillejos (BS CH ‘26) emerged as the top examinee, with a score of 94.70%. This marks the highest achieved score in the last 10 years of the Chemist Licensure Exam. John Joseph Liwag (BS CH ‘26), Jose Cedrick Que Pua (BS CH-MSE ‘26), and Bennedict Joaquin Chua (BS CH ‘26) were also among the Top 10 scorers of the examination. View the full results here: prcboard.com/chle-results-oc…

OBF UPDATE: Ateneo de Manila University achieved a 100% passing rate in the recently conducted October 2026 Chemical Technician Licensure Exam, with a total of 26 Atenean passers. View the full results here: prcboard.com/ctle-results-oc…

LOCAL UPDATE: As of writing, 12 youth peasant advocates have been injured after police attempted to dismantle a farmers’ protest camp outside the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Quezon City today, October 19. This comes despite reported approval from the DAR and Quezon City Government. Farmers from the Bicol, Central Luzon, Southern Tagalog, and Cagayan Valley regions gathered in Metro Manila to demand solutions to long-standing land disputes, oppose land grabbing and agricultural land conversion, and challenge projects threatening their livelihoods and the environment. They also called for an end to the militarization of farming communities and to human rights violations against farmers and activists, including those linked to the Negros 19 massacre. The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) condemned the Quezon City Police District and Philippine National Police (PNP) for blocking the peaceful protest camp despite scheduled dialogues between farmers and the DAR and Philippine Coconut Authority. Peasant groups also reported that police destroyed bamboo materials intended for the camp. “Farmers came to Manila to demand solutions to long-standing land problems, not to be blocked by the police,” KMP said in a social media post, calling on the government to address farmers’ demands and respect their right to peaceful protest. They also criticized what it described as a double standard in the PNP’s handling of protest camps, citing religious groups’ campouts in Luneta and along EDSA that were allowed to proceed while farmers were prevented from establishing their own protest. The latest dispersal follows the police’s dismantling of an earlier farmers’ protest camp outside the Department of Environment and Natural Resources last October 16. Peasant groups and their supporters have since continuously condemned the repeated dispersals and called for an end to police harassment, as they continue to press the government to address landlessness, protect their livelihoods, and uphold their human rights. #BeyondLoyola

Outgoing security guards stationed at the Manuel V. Pangilinan (MVP) Center for Student Leadership were honored in a thanksgiving event organized by the Office of Student Activities (OSA) on October 16, from 3 to 5 PM, ahead of the University’s transition to a new security service provider. During the program, student leaders and security personnel exchanged messages of gratitude and farewell. The ceremony also featured tokens, personalized postcards, and a tribute video to recognize the guards’ years of service, some of whom have been stationed at the building since 2010. Following the thanksgiving event, the Council of Organizations of the Ateneo - Manila (COA-M) organized a surprise send-off, gathering students and organization representatives across the floors of the MVP building to line the hallways and cheer as the security guards exited the venue. The send-off comes after a bidding process named Leopard Security and Investigation Agency as the University’s new security service provider beginning November 1, replacing Megaforce Integrated Security Agency. Shot by Joshua Cadiz and Dominique Diaz Edited by Joshua Cadiz

UNIVERSITY UPDATE: The Board of Trustees (BoT) opened nominations for the next University President starting October 16 until October 30. The search committee, which was convened by the BoT, urged the Ateneo community to nominate a president “deeply attuned to the [challenges and graces] of our institution,” as per the BoT memorandum. “The President must have a deep, lived fidelity to Ignatian spirituality and Catholic Social Teaching, as well as a full commitment to a liberal arts foundation as a [counterweight] to a technological world,” the memorandum read. According to the BoT, the University President must confront challenges such as artificial intelligence, increasing polarization, and the “weakness or silence of truth-bearers.” The search committee will review nominations by November 4 and interview shortlisted candidates from November 4 to 22. Meanwhile, nominators must submit the candidate’s curriculum vitae (CV) and a detailed endorsement rationale, as well as obtain the candidate’s consent. Read the full memo here: ateneo.edu/memorandum/2026/1…