<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[The New Builder]]></title><description><![CDATA[Founded in 1929, The New Builder (TNB) is the Official Student Publication of Mapúa University.]]></description><link>https://www.mapuatnb.com/blog</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Sat, 02 May 2026 17:23:26 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://tnbmapua.wixsite.com/thenewbuilder/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[Rethinking Financial Literacy: Hanggang saan Aabot ang PHP20.00 mo?]]></title><description><![CDATA[Years ago, local television screens frequently asked viewers how far PHP20 could go. Back then, it was a lighthearted inquiry about a sweet ice cream treat on a sweltering afternoon. Today, the modern working-class Filipino asks a much heavier, more daunting version of that question—not about a single coin, but about their entire monthly paycheck.]]></description><link>https://tnbmapua.wixsite.com/thenewbuilder/post/rethinking-financial-literacy-hanggang-saan-aabot-ang-php20-00-mo</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69eec2b93fe49635e6905c1b</guid><category><![CDATA[Features]]></category><category><![CDATA[Feature Articles]]></category><pubDate>Mon, 27 Apr 2026 02:34:50 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/207d9d_78949b051f284eaab233d6a715a64d17~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>The New Builder</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Unbroken Thread of Philippine Literature]]></title><description><![CDATA[Nowadays, media consumption is embedded in our everyday lives. This manifests in the family noontime shows we watch during siesta, all the way to the newscasts we tune into in the evenings right before dinner. Various stories are embedded into these media, tying threads that connect us to one another in a true Filipino fashion. This connection has enabled us to build our distinct culture, share knowledge, and form a sense of community and nationality. ]]></description><link>https://tnbmapua.wixsite.com/thenewbuilder/post/the-unbroken-thread-of-philippine-literature</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69ec284404fc81dfe25ab09b</guid><category><![CDATA[Features]]></category><category><![CDATA[Feature Articles]]></category><pubDate>Sat, 25 Apr 2026 02:52:08 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/207d9d_396fb4015c81474984f026825027f53d~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>The New Builder</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[MU ranks in THE’s Asia University Rankings for fourth consecutive year]]></title><description><![CDATA[Mapúa University (MU)  is among the six ranked PH institutions included in the recently released Times Higher Education’s (THE) Asia University Rankings 2026. Ranking within the band of 601-800, MU ties with five other schools in the second rank.]]></description><link>https://tnbmapua.wixsite.com/thenewbuilder/post/mu-ranks-in-the-s-asia-university-rankings-for-fourth-consecutive-year</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69ea47aba4befc7c9f39df17</guid><category><![CDATA[News]]></category><category><![CDATA[News Bytes]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 23 Apr 2026 16:32:15 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/207d9d_42f49e7dd3034d85b35cfa94705cc046~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>The New Builder</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Algorithmic Ingenuity: AI and the Filipino Future]]></title><description><![CDATA[Have you ever noticed how the apps you use seem to know exactly what you want—sometimes even before you search for it? From the products that suddenly appear in your online shopping cart to the videos that keep you scrolling for hours; all of it is caused by artificial intelligence (AI). AI is quietly shaping the choices of millions of Filipinos. No longer confined to laboratories or science fiction, AI has become an invisible force embedded in daily life. ]]></description><link>https://tnbmapua.wixsite.com/thenewbuilder/post/algorithmic-ingenuity-ai-and-the-filipino-future</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69dc867743e56f31776f9b6c</guid><category><![CDATA[News]]></category><category><![CDATA[News Features]]></category><pubDate>Mon, 13 Apr 2026 06:14:08 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/207d9d_2f0d8f2835504c1fbc0ac2a869bef1d6~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_869,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>The New Builder</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Before the Embers: How to Prevent Fires at Home]]></title><description><![CDATA[Coinciding with the height of the Philippines’ fire prevention month is also the start of the vacation season. Heading out the door means leaving it in a fragile state. Sometimes, fires are viewed as a distant “what if,” but the reality is that they are more likely to happen. Its aftermath leaves a devastating wind of what once was. So before running out the door, do a quick pre-departure rundown. Tick off the list, as this serves as the first line of defense against the unexpected. ]]></description><link>https://tnbmapua.wixsite.com/thenewbuilder/post/before-the-embers-how-to-prevent-fires-at-home</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69cb72efdd3ddd8a572317f2</guid><category><![CDATA[Features]]></category><category><![CDATA[Feature Articles]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 31 Mar 2026 07:54:02 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/207d9d_90367570e35b47a6bf2617b8b18caf02~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_858,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>The New Builder</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[MU to increase fees by 3% in A.Y. 2026-2027 ]]></title><description><![CDATA[Last February 26, Mapua University (MU) administration held a consultation with student representatives to discuss the fee increase that will take effect in the academic year 2026-2027. Tuition, laboratory, and miscellaneous fees will be increased by 3% and will be implemented for the college department. ]]></description><link>https://tnbmapua.wixsite.com/thenewbuilder/post/mu-to-increase-fees-by-3-in-a-y-2026-2027</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69bfcbfb117f8c3fcd09ab10</guid><category><![CDATA[News]]></category><category><![CDATA[News Banners]]></category><pubDate>Sun, 22 Mar 2026 11:09:22 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/207d9d_4aa79029e89a457dbe32f1785ffbd70b~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>The New Builder</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Play Review: About Us But Not About Us  ]]></title><description><![CDATA[Secrets. Tension. Truths long buried. Two people meet at a restaurant over a single meal—where every word stirs a past they thought was behind them, where conversation becomes a confrontation, and where silence speaks just as loudly as words. ]]></description><link>https://tnbmapua.wixsite.com/thenewbuilder/post/play-review-about-us-but-not-about-us</link><guid isPermaLink="false">698e7c3b31ffa9c24362f698</guid><category><![CDATA[Features]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 13 Feb 2026 03:40:13 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/207d9d_fb30655d7bc0455084238cc3738e141d~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>The New Builder</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Palarong Pambansa 2025: MU strikes down NU to book ticket to reg’ls, 3–1]]></title><description><![CDATA[Coating the face of Manila in red and gold, the Mapúa University (MU) Junior Men’s Volleyball Team brought the championship title to the walls of Intramuros against the National University (NU) Juniors, 3–1, in the DepEd Palarong Pambansa Manila Meet 2025 Finals held at the Sta. Ana Elementary School on November 21.]]></description><link>https://tnbmapua.wixsite.com/thenewbuilder/post/palarong-pambansa-2025-mu-strikes-down-nu-to-book-ticket-to-reg-ls-3-1</link><guid isPermaLink="false">698d2fd4d558b030957d5e4c</guid><category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 12 Feb 2026 01:45:56 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/207d9d_7ba33a1c03544026b8126d7e6a558a00~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>The New Builder</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[MU MBA students launch AI-powered reviewer application LisensyaLab ]]></title><description><![CDATA[Marking a milestone for Mapúa University’s Master of Business Administration (MBA) program, LisensyaLab—an AI-powered licensure reviewer application—was launched at the Makati Campus Global Classroom last January 23. ]]></description><link>https://tnbmapua.wixsite.com/thenewbuilder/post/mu-mba-students-launch-ai-powered-reviewer-application-lisensyalab</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69883fda40d7c5baf3ad5df5</guid><category><![CDATA[News]]></category><category><![CDATA[News Bytes]]></category><pubDate>Sun, 08 Feb 2026 07:53:34 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/207d9d_a20acdc4ffa14551b2f46a27b90d75bf~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>The New Builder</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Spikers’ Turf 2025: MU Juniors bows out with a 1–6 record]]></title><description><![CDATA[In preparation for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Season 101 Volleyball Tournament, members from Mapúa University’s Junior Volleyball Team competed in the 2025 Spikers’ Turf Tournament held from October 27 to November 29, falling after suffering a hard-fought 1–6 final tally.]]></description><link>https://tnbmapua.wixsite.com/thenewbuilder/post/spikers-turf-2025-mu-juniors-bows-out-with-a-1-6-record</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69773272e611fcb48794e7df</guid><pubDate>Mon, 26 Jan 2026 09:29:14 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/207d9d_aa767c7e7d3d4989b20b23efe6238c84~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>The New Builder</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[As Soon the Lights Went Out]]></title><description><![CDATA[Late at night, when the world is finally quiet,

the weight of missed chances settles on my chest—

a slow-burn ache, like a bulb dying after years of strain,

fading into a darkness I never thought I’d face.]]></description><link>https://tnbmapua.wixsite.com/thenewbuilder/post/as-soon-the-lights-went-out</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6936fc7011242cd607ac65bf</guid><category><![CDATA[Literary]]></category><category><![CDATA[Minds After Midnight]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 09 Dec 2025 08:00:25 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/207d9d_4c401af5da2345e4a4056901b6ea4e31~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>The New Builder</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[My Selfish Fairy Tale]]></title><description><![CDATA[It’s been four years since we first spoke. Three since we last met. It's been two weeks since we last spoke. One night, since I couldn’t keep you off my mind. I think about the first time we spoke over text. My heart was pounding out of my chest, just trying to say hello. It was almost as if my body knew what you would mean to me.]]></description><link>https://tnbmapua.wixsite.com/thenewbuilder/post/my-selfish-fairy-tale</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6936c63c2f770d34a0b9753b</guid><category><![CDATA[Literary]]></category><category><![CDATA[Minds After Midnight]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 09 Dec 2025 08:00:24 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/207d9d_ed875878ea4e444980f304c859154167~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>The New Builder</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Suffocated]]></title><description><![CDATA[“Okay Class, turn your papers in.”



It’s already 9 in the evening, and this is the last meeting for the class. One final reach of the semester, and it is done; we become free to do whatever we want. The pressure of deadlines is gone, and one can spend time with their friends and family once again. Right?]]></description><link>https://tnbmapua.wixsite.com/thenewbuilder/post/suffocated</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6936ec35d2a4d6854f1b16ca</guid><category><![CDATA[Literary]]></category><category><![CDATA[Minds After Midnight]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 09 Dec 2025 08:00:22 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/207d9d_1405fbac16264362a0c82f8ea3167512~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>The New Builder</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[A Manual for Self-Consumption]]></title><description><![CDATA[Begin by identifying what you can afford to lose. Start with the soft things — sleep, serenity, the small slices of sweetness that once made your days feel breathable. These are the easiest offerings, pliant as fruit left too long in the sun. They slip from your grasp without protest, and you convince yourself their absence is proof of progress. Loss becomes your liturgy; sacrifice your silent rite.]]></description><link>https://tnbmapua.wixsite.com/thenewbuilder/post/a-manual-for-self-consumption</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6936f65f0321a3f7e07f6f33</guid><category><![CDATA[Literary]]></category><category><![CDATA[Minds After Midnight]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 09 Dec 2025 08:00:22 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/207d9d_e8d3f56bfbbf45e5a756971cbcd43b1b~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>The New Builder</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[One Building, Many Ghosts]]></title><description><![CDATA[I have a confession—Mapúa Makati wasn’t my first choice.



Some days, regret hits me like static across a screen. The last class ends, the hallways grow quiet, and I feel the weight of my own decision pressing down on my chest. I wasn’t forced here. I chose Mapúa myself. I turned away from Saint Benilde. And yet… I can’t help asking: Why did I settle?]]></description><link>https://tnbmapua.wixsite.com/thenewbuilder/post/one-building-many-ghosts</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6936e4fcd4d07cc70cc61180</guid><category><![CDATA[Literary]]></category><category><![CDATA[Minds After Midnight]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 09 Dec 2025 08:00:22 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/207d9d_5a9e719e7bb54c15aa38a0cd2d8144c0~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>The New Builder</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Hour that Lingers ]]></title><description><![CDATA[There’s a particular hour where the atmosphere is uneasy, and a cold chill breeze sweeps throughout the campus; usually, that’s when the ghosts come out. It shadows everyone. It walks with me in and out of classes on the same path I’ve taken a hundred times. I have been accustomed to this kind of ghost. I sense it in the eyes of strangers and friends. ]]></description><link>https://tnbmapua.wixsite.com/thenewbuilder/post/the-hour-that-lingers</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6936ea270321a3f7e07f4e3a</guid><category><![CDATA[Literary]]></category><category><![CDATA[Minds After Midnight]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 09 Dec 2025 08:00:22 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/207d9d_1405fbac16264362a0c82f8ea3167512~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>The New Builder</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Doubts Fade, Red and Gold Stays]]></title><description><![CDATA[Within the halls of red and gold, 

the sun sets with bursting colors. 

You can’t help but look around you 

and see all the hues start to blur.



Where the Cardinal flies freely, 

an archer’s arrow blazes past.

The eagle’s cries are loud and clear; 

tigers roar and sunflowers bloom]]></description><link>https://tnbmapua.wixsite.com/thenewbuilder/post/doubts-fade-red-and-gold-stays</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6936f0041d422bb0eb18acae</guid><category><![CDATA[Literary]]></category><category><![CDATA[Minds After Midnight]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 09 Dec 2025 08:00:21 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/207d9d_9649aa1f365c40d18b27080589502c00~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>The New Builder</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[00:00]]></title><description><![CDATA[Madalang lang kitang maisip bandang ala-una

Kumakain kasi ako no'n, lunch kasama tropa

Pag alas dos naman, balik gawain na

Susulat ng report, o babalik sa Mapúa.]]></description><link>https://tnbmapua.wixsite.com/thenewbuilder/post/00-00</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6936dd9a2f770d34a0b9b32b</guid><category><![CDATA[Literary]]></category><category><![CDATA[Minds After Midnight]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 09 Dec 2025 08:00:21 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/207d9d_1a855518b8fc4f538b00b5540f824876~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>The New Builder</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Swimming With My Ghost]]></title><description><![CDATA[They say Mapúa shapes strong people, but no one warns you that strength starts with breaking. Walking in a campus full of students who seem so sure, I’m left facing the question that cuts the deepest, “Am I really surviving… or am I just barely holding myself together?”]]></description><link>https://tnbmapua.wixsite.com/thenewbuilder/post/swimming-with-my-ghost</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6936f38a1d422bb0eb18b5fb</guid><category><![CDATA[Literary]]></category><category><![CDATA[Minds After Midnight]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 09 Dec 2025 08:00:21 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/207d9d_7da8ebb21ef345cc9dcc967f0020439d~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>The New Builder</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Why Are You Still Here?]]></title><description><![CDATA[I was, frankly, having a terrible day.



I pulled an all-nighter to finish an assignment, fell asleep around 4 in the morning, and ended up missing my third class while I caught up on some sleep in the library. Now it's the end of the day, and it's raining. I just so happen to be one of the unlucky few who did not have an umbrella with me. It's all coming up sunshine and butterflies for me today.

]]></description><link>https://tnbmapua.wixsite.com/thenewbuilder/post/why-are-you-still-here</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6936e13c4376ae33aeecac52</guid><category><![CDATA[Literary]]></category><category><![CDATA[Minds After Midnight]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 09 Dec 2025 08:00:20 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/207d9d_32ddf6611e2744c1bd670b5ae9b94d2a~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>The New Builder</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>