loyolaschoolsbulletin
VOLUME VI
|
SPECIAL ISSUE |
JANUARY 2011
we build community we nurture hope
Villarin elected
Next Ateneo
President
On April 1, 2011, the Ateneo de
Manila University will have a new
president. Fr. Jose Ramon T. Villarin, sj
has been elected by the Board of Trustees
to an initial three-year term as university
president.
Villarin graduated bs Physics, magna
cum laude and class valedictorian, Ateneo
de Manila University, 1980; ms Physics,
Marquette University in Wisconsin,
1987; stb Theology summa cum laude,
Loyola School of Theology, 1991.
He acquired his phd in Atmospheric
Physics from Georgia Institute of
Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, in 1997.
He received the National Outstanding
Young Scientist award in 2000, and
the Outstanding Book Award for
Vergara is
“Disturbing Climate” in 2002. He is
also an active member of several local
and international environment and
climate committees, such as the United
Nations’ Consultative Group of Experts
for Developing Countries, and the InterAgency Committee on Climate Change,
among others.
He has held various positions as
campus minister and faculty member
of the Physics Department at the
School of Science and Engineering,
Chief of Climate Studies in the Manila
Observatory, and member of the Board
of Trustees of Ateneo universities in
Manila, Davao, and Zamboanga. He
is currently the president of Xavier
University in Cagayan de Oro.
The Loyola Schools has a new Vice
President. Dr. John Paul C. Vergara
began his first term as Vice President
for the Loyola Schools on April 1, 2010.
His terms runs through March 2013.
Vergara succeeded Dr. Ma. Assunta C.
Cuyegkeng, who was vpls from June
2006 to March 2010.
Vergara has been a faculty member
of the Ateneo since 1986, following
his graduation that same year with a bs
Mathematics/Computer Science, also
from the Ateneo. He did his doctoral
studies at Virginia Tech, finishing
with a phd in Computer Science and
Applications in 1997. At Virginia
Tech, he was recognized for Scholarly
Performance in Graduate Study. He was
an Outstanding Young Scientist awardee
of the National Academy of Science and
Technology in 2001, and was given the
DuPont Miracles of Science Award by
DuPont Far East, Inc. that same year.
No stranger to leadership positions,
Vergara has been department chair of the
Department of Information Systems and
Computer Science of the Loyola Schools,
and chair of the it Faculty Cluster of
the Graduate School of Business. He
was appointed vpls during his term as
Vice President for Administration and
Planning, a position he held from early
2009 to the end of sy 2009-2010.
University President Bienvenido
F. Nebres, sj identified Vergara’s
strengths as that of being “a systems
person, a strategist, and a problem
solver with a vision for devolution and
interdisciplinarity.” Nebres further cites
Vergara’s extensive experience in working
with the University and the Loyola
Schools budget systems as well as with
academic research and mentoring, all
of which will enable him to address the
challenges currently facing the Loyola
Schools.
The Agencie
New VPLS
3 Peat!
Alyson Yap
The first semester’s uaap triumphs still give the campus a feelgood atmosphere, with the Blue Eagles and Blue Judokas taking
home three-peat wins in the uaap Season 73 basketball and
judo competitions. Turn to page 8 for the stories. One big fight!
Alyson Yap
Mikee Rodriguez
2
New Presidents in
loyolaschoolsbulletin
News
Photos courtesy of
the President’s Office
The Society of Jesus’ Philippine
Provincial Superior Fr. Jose Cecilio J.
Magadia, sj announced in recent weeks
the election of new presidents for Ateneo
de Naga University, Xavier University,
and Ateneo de Davao University.
Fr. Primitivo E. Viray, Jr., sj will
succeed Fr. Joel E. Tabora, sj as president
of the Ateneo de Naga University. Fr.
Viray is at present the rector of the
we build community we nurture hope
Naga, Cagayan de Oro, & Davao
Loyola House of Studies. Fr. Tabora,
who was Ateneo de Naga president for
11 years, will be moving to Davao to
assume the presidency of Ateneo de
Davao University.
Fr. Roberto C. Yap, sj will succeed Fr.
Jose Ramon T. Villarin, sj as president of
Xavier University in Cagayan de Oro. At
present, Fr. Yap is the Province Treasurer
for the Society of Jesus. Fr. Villarin, after
five years of leading Xavier University,
will be moving to Manila to assume
the presidency of Ateneo de Manila
University.
Fr. Joel E. Tabora, sj will succeed Fr.
Antonio S. Samson, sj as president of the
Ateneo de Davao University. Fr. Tabora
will move to Davao from Naga, where
he is the current president of Ateneo
de Naga University. Fr. Samson has
served as president of Ateneo de Davao
and Xavier University for the last 24
years—first at Ateneo de Davao, then
Xavier University, and back to Ateneo de
Davao, with his present stint in Davao
beginning in 2005.
The three new university presidents will
assume their positions at the end of the
current academic year.
Each year, three Loyola Schools faculty members
are honored by the Ateneo Schools Parents Council
(aspac) as the group’s Outstanding Teachers.
For schoolyear 2009-2010, the awardees were
Catherine P. Vistro-Yu (Mathematics Department,
Outstanding Senior Teacher), Jerry C. Respeto
(Kagawaran ng Filipino, Outstanding Junior
Teacher), and Joseph B. Server, Jr. (Leadership
and Strategy Department, Outstanding Part-time
Teacher). They were recognized at the aspac’s 19th
Gabi ng Parangal at Pasasalamat held on February
19, 2010.
In her opening remarks, then-Vice President for
the Loyola Schools Dr. Ma. Assunta C. Cuyegkeng
characterized the Outstanding Teacher awards as a
reflection of parents’ commitment to giving their
children the best education. She remarked on how
meaningful the awards are to the faculty members
who receive them, since it is a so-called stamp of
approval from the parents themselves.
Joseph B. Server, Jr.:
Outstanding Part-time Teacher
Joseph B. Server, Jr. of the Leadership
and Strategy Department of the John
Gokongwei School of Management
has taught at the Ateneo for 29 years,
beginning in the early 1970s. In his
response, which was peppered with his
trademark deadpan remarks, Server
shared that he was touched at hearing his
70 years described as a life of service and
leadership. He thanked his parents and
teachers, and most of all, his students,
whom he said “make life exciting because
of what I learn from them.”
Kevin C. Tatco
aspac honors outstanding teachers
Vistro-Yu, Respeto, and Server
ASPAC Academics Committee Chair Ma. Christina B. Caoile; ASPAC Board Secretary Gina Gil; Ateneo President Bienvenido F.
Nebres, SJ; Outstanding Teachers Jerry C. Respeto, Catherine P. Vistro-Yu, Joseph B. Server, Jr.; Then VPLS Ma. Assunta C.
Cuyegkeng; ASPAC President Daisy E. Mendoza; ASPAC immediate past president Maiette Zee Se Ki
Jerry C. Respeto:
Outstanding Junior Teacher
Dr. Jerry C. Respeto of the Kagawaran
ng Filipino of the School of Humanities
gave an insightful response in Filipino,
thanking mentors and colleagues and
reflecting on the different qualities
of effective teaching, or mabisang
pagtuturo, which he learned from each
of them. Effective teaching, according to
Respeto, has as its objective the sharing
of knowledge which is gained from one’s
own efforts and research, and which is
within the context of the wider world.
It comes from a definite orientation
which is manifested in the practice of
teaching. It challenges students to pay
attention to basic principles because
these are what compel them to think
and ask questions. It is rich in examples
that are close to students’ experience and
give clarity to the meaning of the topic
at hand. It is an open exchange of ideas
and the correction of erroneous ideas
and flawed thinking. It is learning from
each other and taking part in the growth
of knowledge.
Catherine P. Vistro-Yu:
Outstanding Senior Teacher
Outstanding Senior Teacher Dr.
Catherine P. Vistro-Yu of the Mathematics
Department of the School of Science
and Engineering reflected on what
teaching is about. To her, “It is largely
about being present to your students in
their journey through college.” And it is
a presence that is not just psychological
or emotional in nature, but physical as
well. To Vistro-Yu, a teacher’s availability
to his or her students not only during
classes but outside of them too, be it for
extra sessions or for heart-to-heart talks,
is paramount.
VOLUME VI
|
SPECIAL ISSUE
|
3
JANUARY 2011
Class 2010
valedictorian
is one of
tosp
Jose Ma. Joaquin B. Buñag (bs
psy 2010, magna cum laude, class
valedictorian) has been named one of
the Ten Outstanding Students of the
Philippines (tosp) for 2010. Better
known as Kim, Buñag is now a novice
at the Society of Jesus’ Sacred Heart
Novitiate.
A student leader during his school
days, Buñag’s love for social development
work was reflected in his involvement in
the Sector-Based Cluster of the Council
of Activities (coa), and with KytheAteneo, the Ateneo Student Catholic
Action, and the Handog na Oras Para sa
Edukasyon arm of Pathways to Higher
Education. This commitment to social
justice no doubt also played a part in his
religious vocation which he was called to
before he graduated from college. During
the awarding ceremonies, Buñag’s Jesuit
brothers came in full force to celebrate
with him.
The other winners were: Mohammad
M. Ben-Usman (Mindanao State
University-Marawi), Philippe Jan L.
de la Cruz (University of St. La Salle),
Raymund Siegfrid O. Li (University
of the Philippines-Diliman), Nestor T.
Necesito (University of the PhilippinesVisayas), Rankine Ruel G. Novabos
(University of San Jose-Recoletos),
Nadia Bianca Nicolette L. Ong (De
La Salle University-Manila), Camille
B. Remoroza (San Pedro College),
Jihan Santanina J. Santiago (Visayas
State University), Marc Louie J. Yap
(University of San Carlos).
The ten winners were chosen from a
field of 187 regional nominees, narrowed
down to 94 national nominees, and
narrowed down to 31 finalists. A total
of 64 schools made it to the national
search. The Board of Judges for 2010 was
composed of Renato Garcia (comelec),
Federico Macaranas (Asian Institute
of Management), June Cheryl Cabal
(pldt), Luis Lorenzo (Filipino Integritas
Development Institute), Emily Abrera
(McCann World Group), and Rosalinde
Wee (Pearl S. Buck Foundation
Philippines).
Begun in 1961 by Jose S. Concepcion,
Jr. of the rfm Foundation, the tosp has
evolved into a so-called “laboratory
of leaders” which has produced
outstanding contributors in the fields
of governance, business, the academe,
The Ateneo
Buñag (4th from left) with Fr. Xavier Olin, SJ, Mr. Eduardo Calasanz, Dr. Edna Franco, his mother
Mrs. Cora Buñag, Fr. Catalino Arevalo, SJ, his father Mr. Mon Buñag, and Mr. Hector Tagaysay
Buñag (3rd from left, back row) with his SJ companions
church, and civil society. tosp alumni
make their contributions for the purpose
of spreading the tosp credo—learning,
leading, and serving for life.
Cultural Laboratory in
and research resources.
The course began with one week of
lectures on topics ranging from research
methods in cultural anthropology and
history, issues in heritage preservation,
and the history of Intramuros. Lectures
were given by the proponents of the
course as well as other expert resource
persons such as Dr. Rico T. Jose, Dr.
Michael Canilao, and Dr. Anna Labrador.
The participants were composed of
undergraduate and graduate students
of Ateneo, as well as participants from
other institutions such as Colegio de San
Juan de Letran, Cavite Studies Center
and Holy Angels University. There were
also participants from other countries
such as China, Nigeria, and Japan.
The next two weeks entailed site
visits, tours, and hands-on research
conducted in Intramuros itself. Theses
were supplemented by on-site lectures—
Dr. Celestina Boncan’s “A Market in
Intramuros: Basco’s Impossible Dream”,
Dr. Macario Ofilada’s “The Beginning
of Liberal Education in the Philippines”
and Romeo Galang’s “The Culture
Bearers of Historic Manila”. In teams,
the participants documented cultural
heritage, interviewed informal settlers
and residents, and researched on sites
and structures.
As a culminating activity, the
loyolaschoolsbulettin
we build community we nurture hope
Volume VI Special Issue
January 2011
EDITOR
Joanna Ruiz
Zaxx Abraham
The Ateneo Cultural Laboratory
(acl) was envisioned as a hands-on way
to teach and demonstrate the connection
between research and application,
particularly in the field of Philippine
culture. For 2010, the actual laboratory
was to be a site which has been at the
forefront of Philippine history: the
walled city of Intramuros. This was
particularly timely since there are plans
to put up a Museo de Intramuros on the
site of the Jesuit church of San Ignacio.
Designed as a three-week intensive
program, the acl’s aim was to give the
participants knowledge and skills in
cultural documentation. The objective
of the program was to come up with
cultural maps of Intramuros per century
to reveal the role of Intramuros in nationbuilding. This, in turn, would form the
narrative for the Museo de Intramuros.
The acl was held from April 12 to
May 5, 2010 under the auspices of
the Ateneo de Manila’s Department of
Sociology and Anthropology represented
by Dr. Fernando N. Zialcita, the
Department of History represented by
Dr. Olivia Anne M. Habana , and the
Fine Arts Program, represented by Fr.
Rene Javellana, s.j. The Intramuros
Administration (ia) and the National
Commission for Culture and the Arts
(ncca) also helped by providing access
Intramuros
Being recognized as the tosp is only
the start of a lifelong journey for the
winners, and it is not a journey that only
members of their distinguished tosp
community take. As Buñag remarks,
“There is nothing extraordinary about
being a tosp finalist. What we are called
to do is in fact the most ordinary thing a
typical Filipino is called to do: loving the
country in the best way possible using
our unique gifts. tosp is a realization that
it is only the beginning of more projects,
more creative solutions, more concrete
actions, more authentic loving.”
Graffiti Wall
participants presented their findings
to the ncca and Intramuros
Administration. Ms. Bambi Harper,
head of the ia, commended the rigor
of the research and was impressed with
the output. She was hopeful that the
suggestions could be carried out and
applied to the Museo de Intramuros and
in general, raise awareness of heritage
documentation in Intramuros. All in
all, the experience was described by
students as fruitful and revealing as it
gave them a new-found respect for the
process of cultural documentation and
research. The course is also a concrete
manifestation of the possibilities and
synergistic results of multidisciplinary
and interdepartmental cooperation
in the Loyola Schools. Watch out for
Intramuros Cultural Laboratory Part ii
in the Summer of 2011!
ART AND LAYOUT
Ivan Jacob A. Pesigan
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Roy Tristan
B. Agustin, Franch Baja, Gary C. Devilles,
Rick Olivares, Joanna Ruiz, Arturo A.
Valencia
PHOTOGRAPHS Zaxx Abraham, Mitch
Cerda, Rani Jalandoni, manila-photos.
blogspot.com, Ivan Jacob A. Pesigan,
Mikee Rodriguez, Joanna Ruiz, Kevin C.
Tatco, The Agencie, www.imaginecup.
com, Alyson Yap
WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF Hilda Abola,
Benjo Afuang, Jon Aguilar, Mon Buñag,
Eduardo Jose Calasanz, Edna P. Franco,
Office of Administrative Services, Rona
Valenzuela, www.ateneo.edu, www.
goateneo.edu, www.fabilioh.com
Loyola Schools Bulletin © 2011 is
published by the Office of the Vice
President for the Loyola Schools, Room
105, Xavier Hall, Ateneo de Manila
University, Katipunan Avenue, Loyola
Heights, Quezon City
4
loyolaschoolsbulletin
Features
Heroes among us
we build community we nurture hope
by Roy Tristan B. Agustin
photos courtesy of the Office
of Administrative Services
LS maintenance personnel give their time to GK
This was supposed to be an interview.
It was not easy inviting them to
the interview.
In the conference
room of the Social Sciences building,
they are fidgeting in the seats, clearly
uncomfortable sitting in the seats they
have so often carried and re-arranged.
Thirteen people are sitting down, twelve
men and one lady. They are all wearing
the blue shirts and jeans of the Loyola
Schools maintenance staff. They are all
tanned from years working under the
sun, their arms muscled and their hands
rough. These same hands are now lost,
some clenched, others rubbing together
self-consciously. They aren’t used to be
the centers of attention. For nearly all
of them, the idea of being interviewed is
unheard of. They are being interviewed
because they are volunteers for Gawad
Kalinga, and have been for quite some
time now.
These thirteen people are being
interviewed because they are heroes.
It would be so easy to extol their
heroics, to talk about them as if they
were extraordinary individuals, gifted
with divine grace. But that would
cheapen them and their efforts. They are
ordinary folks, but they are folks who
have learned the peculiar joy that comes
with volunteering. And in their stories,
one finds a common thread, that of joy.
They stare at the recorder set in the
middle of the room like it was about to
explode. Finally, however, the stories
begin, awkwardly at first. The questions
were never answered by one person,
eventually, it would become too difficult
to keep track of who would be answered
what.
It was less of an interview and more
just talking, trading stories. People
would reply individually to some
questions, in chorus to others. In the
end, the interview failed, not because
no one answered, but because there were
just too many stories, too many inputs
being given. An interview would be
cumbersome and confusing, and it may
just sully the story that these people told.
Instead of giving a transcript, we will tell
their story.
The Gawad Kalinga projects that
they are being interviewed for are just
part of the story. For some of them,
volunteerism is nothing new—they have
been volunteering in various capacities
for some time.
Richardo Gabito,
for example, was already helping out
when Ateneo began its formal disaster
assistance efforts with the sheltering
of Mt. Pinatubo refugees in 1992. He
smiles shyly as he recounts an instance
when he had to sing to the refugees, just
to try to keep their hopes up in light of
everything they had lost.
For others, their experience in
volunteering, and in Gawad Kalinga,
began with Cabiao, Nueva Ecija. It
was a call made by their supervisor, Jun
Granada, to assist in the construction
of a library. It was, for many, a new
thing, many not having heard of Gawad
Kalinga before. They were greeted by the
members enthusiastically. Alex Ferrer
relates his experience of being given the
only bedroom in a household of women,
given a bed filled with teddy bears even
as they slept on the floor. The story is
told with smiles, but this and the group’s
other experiences were evidently more
than that, as one sees the emotions
clouding their eyes. For many of them,
being given a bed as the owners slept on
the floor was humbling.
The experience in Cabiao, however,
was more than just humbling—it was
traumatic. The volunteers set to work,
only to be set on by torrential rain. The
rain was enough to cause their cement to
run, making placing blocks one on top of
each other impossible. Cenon Tapel had
his foot impaled by a metal spike in the
construction. Even then they struggled,
at times simply standing still as they
were battered by the wind and rain. The
residents called for them to stop, but they
stubbornly refused, concerned that the
cement they had already prepared would
go to waste. It was only when they were
reassured that the cement would not be
wasted that they relented, surrendering
to the weather. They would realize later
on that, in the confusion of the storm,
they had built a house with no doors
and windows, which they needed to
rectify once more. The Cabiao project
was completed in the time allotted,
the volunteers refusing sleep just to get
things done.
It was to be a start for them, the project
proving to be a baptism of fire. From
there, they would go on to other areas in
Nueva Ecija, Palawan, and Payatas. They
would build houses and schools, often in
a span of a few days. They would go back
not just because they were doing good,
but because the good they did made
them feel good. The songs of thanks
that the children of the communities
would bring even the toughest men
to tears. Some of them needed to slow
down in the telling, their eyes misting
over, obviously remembering songs and
voices of thanks they will never forget.
Others remember being locked in an
embrace by grateful elders, overwhelmed
with gratitude. Their efforts would
bring them into contact not only with
volunteers from around the country, but
around the world.
They would have other experiences as
well. When Typhoon Ondoy hit, they
replied to the call once more, this time
to clean and lend assistance. Here, the
people they helped were not as grateful
and were, at times, openly hostile to
them. More often than not, it was simply
a matter of proximity; there was no one
else to get angry at. Their faces harden
a bit, talking about Ondoy. The storm
brought out the worst in people, and
they tended to be at the receiving end
of it. Some of them were also victims of
the storm, and was placed in the unique
situation of being both helper and
beneficiary.
VOLUME VI
|
SPECIAL ISSUE
|
5
JANUARY 2011
Pagdiriwang ng buwan ng
Gary C. Devilles
Mga letrato ni Mitch Cerda
at Joanna Ruiz
Taun-taon
ipinagdiriwang
ng
Pamantasang Ateneo de Manila ang
Buwan ng Wika at sa taong ito minarapat
nilang bansagan ang pagdiriwang na
kabanata bilang paggunita sa kasaysayan
at bisa ng kulturang popular mula sa mga
pahina ng Liwayway magasin hanggang
sa mga naging popular na nobela at mga
kuwentista natin ngayon.
Sinimulan ang pagdiriwang noong
ika-3 ng Agosto sa isang exhibit para
sa Liwayway Magasin na dinaluhan ng
mga piling manunulat ng Liwayway,
ni Dr. Efren Abueg, ng Pangalawang
Pangulo ng mga Paaralang Loyola na si
Dr. John Paul C. Vergara at ng mga guro
at mag-aaral ng Kagawaran ng Filipino.
Ginugunita sa payak na pagtatanghal
na ito ang naging ambag ng Liwayway
magasin sa kamalayang Filipino at sa
posibilidad ng isang pag-aakda ng bansa.
Upang maging malinaw sa mag-aaral
ang ambag ng Liwayway sa panitikan
at sa mismong pag-akda ng bansa,
nagbigay ng panayam si Dr. Patricia May
Jurilla mula sa Pamantasan ng PilipinasDiliman hinggil sa kasaysayan ng aklat
sa Pilipinas noong ika-10 ng Agosto. Si
Dr. Soledad S. Reyes, Emeritus Professor
wika at kultura
ng Pamantasang Ateneo, ang nagbigay
ng panayam sa mag-aaral hinggil sa
kontribusyon ng Liwayway sa panitikang
Tagalog. Sinusugan ang mga serye
ng panayam na ito ng isang malayang
talakayan ng mga manunulat noong ika17 ng Agosto. Dinaluhan ito ng mga
batikang nobelista gaya nina Jun Cruz
Reyes, Alvin B. Yapan, at Genevieve A.
Asenjo.
Sa pagdiriwang ito, itinaon ng Ateneo
Institute of Literary Arts and Practices
(ailap) at ang National Commission for
Culture and the Arts ang paglulunsad ng
14 na aklat ng ubod New Authors Series
ii. Si Dr. Soledad S. Reyes ang naging
pangkalahatang patnugot ng serye ng
mga aklat ng ubod.
Hindi
magiging
ganap
ang
pagdiriwang ng buwan ng wika sa
Ateneo kung wala ang inaabangang
Sagala ng mga Sikat kung saan 20 klase
sa Filipino 11 at 14 ang nagpapaligsahan
at nagpaparada ng kanilang napiling mga
tauhan o eksena sa panitikan at kulturang
popular. Sa taong ito napagpasyahan
na itanghal ang iba’t ibang kalaban o
kontrabida. Nagwagi ang klaseng Fil 14
R ni Dr. Michael Coroza sa kanilang
pagtatanghal kay Ruth, ang kontrabida sa
pelikulang Patayin sa Sindak si Barbara.
Ang mga nagwagi sa mga timpalak gaya
ni Jek Buenafe sa kanyang awit na Pila,
ni Mark Kevin de Guia sa kanyang
natatanging slogan na “Kinabukasan
harapin, pagbabasa ugaliin,” ni Arron
Paul Sese sa kanyang blog na “Ang Diwa
ng Pagbasa,” at Ramon Enrico Custodio
Damasing sa tulang “Hininga,” ay
pinarangalan noong ika-25 ng Agosto sa
isang taunang ka: Poetry Jamming.
1
2
3
1. Unang gantimpala sa Sagala ng mga Sikat; 2. Pagbibigay ng plake para
sa Liwayway Magasin na tampok sa isinagawang eksibit noong unang linggo
ng Agosto: Dr. Maria Luz Vilches, Dean, SOH; Dr. John Paul Vergara, VPLS;
Dr. Jerry Respeto, Chair, Kagawaran ng Filipino; Vangie Perez, Managing
Editor, Liwayway Magasin; Dr. Efren Abueg, novelist, Liwayway Magasin;
3. Talakayan ng mga manunulat: Edgar Samar, moderator ng panaya; Alvin
B. Yapan, guro sa Kagawaran ng Filipino; Dr. Genevieve L. Asenjo, guro
sa De La Salle University-Manila; Dr. Jun Cruz Reyes, guro sa UP-Diliman.
4. Panayam ni kay Dr. Patricia May Jurilla tungkol sa kasaysayan ng
paglilimbag ng nobela sa Pilipinas sa ika-20 daantaon; 5. Panayam ni Dr.
Soledad Reyes tungkol sa kontribusyon ng Liwayway sa panitikang Tagalog
4
5
Mga letrato mula sa Sagala ng Mga Sikat
Heroes among us
University Traditions
continued from page 4
Volunteering is not something that
comes easy for them. They have little to
spare, whether in resources or in time.
The weekends that they spend at the
projects are weekends spent away from
their families. They are often asked by
others, whether co-workers or family
members, why they do it, why sacrifice
the time, why sacrifice their bodies and
their energy for something that gives
them nothing in return? Their voices
soften when they talk about this, some
in disappointment at their peers, others
in sadness, wishing that their critics
could experience what they experience.
Their rewards cannot be brought home,
and can be shared only with those who
are willing to understand the unique joy
to be had from playing with grateful
children in their new homes, or listening
to a heartfelt song of thanks. Even in
the interview, their words fail. It is only
kaligayahan, joy, that is said over and
over by all of them. It is a different joy,
kakaibang kaligayahan, that embraces
them when they volunteer, and it is
something that cannot be explained
adequately.
Most of these volunteers do not have
homes themselves. And yet they build
homes for others, in faraway places.
Some return home from these projects
not to a welcoming family, but one that
questions their own loyalties, to families
that do not understand the peculiar joy
of a truly selfless act. They are still at
it, they are still planning the next trip,
saving up what they can in terms of
energy and time. Most plan to bring
their families with them soon. It is the
only way to share the joy, the only way
to make them understand why they do it
and why they keep coming back. They
have gained friends who have visited
them, and they are friends, with a shared
experience that few can ever imagine.
In the end, as they loosened up and
laughed openly at their own stories,
they showed themselves to be just like
everyone else. It was supposed to be an
interview.
Instead, it was amazing.
Thank you to Richardo Gabito, Eric
Zamora, Jessie Cordova, Jo Bayrante,
Ruben Yanson, Jr., Alex Ferrer, Cenon
Tapel, Jr., Philip Balerite, Rico Narciso,
Manny Avila, Roger Alabat, Winnie
Legada, and Jun Granada of the OAS for
sharing their incredible stories. May your
tribe increase!
photos by Ivan Jacob A. Pesigan
Fr. Karel San Juan, SJ
Mass of the Holy Spirit
Fr. Xavier Olin, SJ
Feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola
Fr. Nemesio Que, SJ
Feast of the Immaculate Conception
6
loyolaschoolsbulletin
Judokas bag
3-peat
Ateneo team wins Jade Award
continued from page 8
Blue Harvest
in
Young Entrepreneur tilt
The Delta Eco Team composed of
Wylie Emille Datu (bs Management
2010) and Ma. Isobel Lacsamana (bs
Management Engineering 2010) bagged
the Jade Award at the hsbc Young
Entrepreneur Awards 2010 held in Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia on June 28, 2010.
The Jade Award is equivalent to third
place with a cash award of hk$10,000.
Bagging the Platinum Award
(first place) were students from the
City University of Hong Kong while
students from the Institute of Business
Administration in Dhaka University,
Bangladesh bagged the Diamond Award
(second place). Team hk brought home
a trophy and hk$100,000 while Team
Bangladesh brought home hk$20,000. The three winning teams bested
more than 1,000 teams from six Asian
countries in the regional leg of the
business plan competition. Each team
was composed of two to three university
students. Other countries that competed were
Brunei, Malaysia, and Thailand. Now
in its 10th year, the hsbc Young
Entrepreneur Awards is a regional
business plan competition for postsecondary students from Hong Kong
and countries in Asia to demonstrate
their creativity and business grasp.
www.ateneo.edu
now this is for your own personal glory.
You should go for it,” he told them.
Ateneo emerged as the best team
with the best judokas. In the -81kg
division, rookie Anjo Gumila threw his
opponent from dlsu in under three
minutes. Knowing that he had won
another gold for his team, Gumila ran
around the mat with arms stretched
out like an Eagle spreading his wings.
Gumila was crowned Rookie of the
Year. Veteran Daniel Velasco took down
his ust opponent in the -66kg finals to
win the gold. Velasco scored big points
and was named Most Valuable Player.
Meanwhile, Jamie Reyes, Char Custodio
and Jackie Francisco each took home a
bronze medal for the women’s team. The
three-peat champions have a total of
four golds, three silvers, and one bronze.
Asked about his strategy coming into
the season coach Sulit said, “I taught
them how to fight well beyond Judo.”
Ateneo team captures
Microsoft Imagine Cup
photo from www.
imaginecup.com
top prize in game design
By Implication team members Rodrick Tan, Levi Tan Ong, Wilhansen Li, and Philip Cheang celebrate their win
The
team
“By
Implication”
composed of Wilhansen Li (bscs’10,
bsma), Rodrick Tan (bsme’10), Philip
Cheang (bfa-id’10) and Levi Tan-Ong
(Chemical Engineering, University of
the Philippines) took first place in the
Microsoft Imagine Cup World Finals
for Game Design. The Imagine Cup is
a yearly competition held by Microsoft,
with five main segments: Software
Design, Embedded Development,
Game Design, Digital Media, and it
Challenge. This year, the world finals
were held in Warsaw, Poland.
By Implication took the usd 25,000
top prize with their game Wildfire,
a 3d simulation in which situations
such as rampant poverty, gender
inequality, inadequate education and
environmental degradation can be
overcome by the heroic actions such as
volunteerism, social interaction, and
nonviolent activism. Team members
said they were inspired by the strong
spirit of volunteerism shown by Filipinos
in the face of damage wrought by the
storms Ondoy and Pepeng which hit the
Philippines in 2009.
The Ateneo has had a stellar history
at the Imagine Cup, beginning a
winning streak in the early 2000s,
when the competition was still named
the “Microsoft .net Competition.”Dr.
Luis Samenta coached a team with
Sacha Chua, Gerome Punzalan and
Paul Echevarria. The competition was
renamed the Imagine Cup in 2003.
Since then, we have made it to the
World Finals four times (in 2004, 2008
and 2009, all in the Software Design
category, and in 2010 in the Game
Design category, which we eventually
won). By Implication was mentored by
Kenneth Yu.
we build community we nurture hope
3
VOLUME VI
|
SPECIAL ISSUE
|
7
JANUARY 2011
for
3
continued from page 8
“Ryan has been shooting seven percent
from three-point land,” said victorious
Ateneo head coach Norman Black with
a raised eyebrow. “I didn’t stop him, but
I didn’t encourage it either. He had a lot
of confidence that he can take that shot.”
The shot—and what a big time shot
it was—went in. It was three for three.
And for the first modern three-peat for
Ateneo.
Before Game One, when informed
about most predictions going feu’s way,
Black simply said, “I guess they don’t
think much of us, do they? I guess we’ll
have to show them.” And show them
they did with a 72-49 blowout.
After the loss, many still in media
took feu to task for a poor game. They
insisted that feu was the better team. “I
guess we’ll have to do it all over again,”
replied an amused team manager Paolo
Trillo while at the 25th Anniversary
celebration of the Alaska Aces at the
Dusit Thani Hotel the Tuesday before
Game Two. “Let them keep talking. It
just drives us all the more.”
The road to a three-peat is long and
perilous but it was Ateneo that first
accomplished it back when the country
was young. They weren’t even known
as the Blue Eagles then but “the Blue
and Whites.” Since then, other teams
accomplished their own trifectas and
raised the standard of excellence.
The ust Growling Tigers accomplished
the hat trick on four separate occasions.
The ue Red Warriors won a record seven
consecutive titles under former Blue
Eagle Baby Dalupan. The San Sebastian
Stags and the De La Salle Green Archers
later pulled the trick as well. In the
meantime, the ncaa and the uaap has
been littered with many a carcass of Blue
Eagle teams that attempted the feat.
In 1953 and 1954, the Blue Eagles
of head coach Bing Ouano stopped San
Beda’s three-peat attempt and posted
two straight title wins over their own.
But the Red Lions stopped Ateneo dead
in their tracks in the 1955 title game.
In 1957 and 1958, Ateneo returned to
the ncaa Finals and scored another twin
killing. But the graduation of many of
its stars—Ed Ocampo, Jimmy Pestaño,
and Bobby Littaua among others—left
a very young team to man the fort the
following year and they didn’t even
figure for the championship (although
the core of that 1959 team returned to
the Finals in 1961 to win another title).
In 1975 and 1976, one of the
strongest Ateneo teams ever fielded
romped through the league with its bevy
of national players led by Steve Watson,
Fritz Gaston, and Joy Carpio. They
returned to the Finals the following year
against San Beda but when Pons Valdez’
last shot was waived off (he made what
appeared to be the game winning basket
but it was called off when he was assessed
an offensive foul), the title transferred
addresses to Mendiola.
In 1989, Ateneo was the hands down
favorite to cop its third straight title
following its first uaap crowns in 1987
and 1988, but health concerns prevented
center Danny Francisco from suiting up
while other key players like Alex Araneta
and Jay Gayoso were unable to suit up.
With their finals lives on the line against
the feu Tamaraws, the Blue Eagles came
up short as gunner Joseph Canlas found
the range from three-point distance a
little too late.
Twenty-one years later, Ateneo was
in a rare position to complete the threepeat.
The Tamaraws came to play in Game
Two as they tightened up their defense
and led early in the game behind Paul
Sanga’s three triples that gave them a 2213 first quarter lead.
Following a jumper by Rookie of the
Year Terrence Romeo that gave feu at 2413 lead, the largest double digit lead of
the match, it was time Ateneo to make a
stand or the series would go to a deciding
third game. Ateneo responded and held
the Tams scoreless for five minutes and
13 seconds while unloading 14 points
of their own. Coincidentally in Game
1, Ateneo also dropped a crippling 14-0
salvo on feu that helped them erect a
huge lead in the first quarter alone.
Buenafe was magnificent in the second
quarter as he hit a fallaway jumper over
feu’s Pipo Noundou and ditched former
Smart Gilas teammate JR Cawaling with
a nasty fake for a score off the window.
He was in his element—playing big in
big games.
Although the Tamaraws led 31-30
at the half, one could sense that it was
just a matter of time as the Blue Eagles
seized control of the game. Had Ateneo
shot better from the free throw line (they
were 10-16 in the first half ), the game
would have had a different complexion.
As it was, the game was close.
The Tamaraws returned to the court
after the break without head coach
Glenn Capacio who was suffering from
a bout of hypertension following an
argument with the referees over a call.
If the Tamaraws were bothered by their
coach’s absence they did not show it as
they started the third quarter as they did
in the first—by scoring first and inside
with Reil Cervantes, Paul Sanga, and RR
Garcia taking it strong.
Ateneo went to its pair of wondrous
forwards in Buenafe and Salva whose
collective six points weathered the early
outburst of the Tams. In the midst of
the spurt, Buenafe once more made
mincemeat of another former Smart
Gilas teammate in Aldrech Ramos when
he faked him for a deuce off the glass.
At the 4:23 mark of the third quarter,
Buenafe, sensing he would not get the
offensive board with Reil Cervantes
having better position, instead tapped
a rebound to Emman Monfort who
was lurking along the baseline. The
diminutive point guard gathered the ball
and in one motion lofted a floater above
the flailing Cervantes. The ball settled
into the net for a 43-42 lead the Blue
Eagles would not relinquish.
Although Ateneo was in the lead, their
free throw shooting woes left a glimmer
of hope for the flustered Tamaraws
who were not only in foul trouble but
couldn’t find points from their newlyminted mvp in Garcia (who Monfort
gallantly held to a measly six points) and
Romeo (two points).
With 1:44 left in the game and
Ateneo on top 61-56, an eerie scenario
that recalled ghosts of championships
past was brewing. Salva fouled Ramos
and that put the big man who made the
Mythical Squad for the second straight
year on the stripe. Facing the north
basket of the Araneta Coliseum, Ramos
found himself staring at an entire sea of
blue from the ringside section all the way
to the bleachers.
In 1987, ue’s Vernie Villarias found
himself in the same situation. He had
buried many crucial free throws in the
clutch in his career with the Warriors
but he had never had to contend
with hundreds of fans waving towels,
umbrellas, placards, and their hands
at him. He missed his free throws and
Ateneo went on to win.
Cut to today, Ramos split his freebies.
Twenty-six seconds later, another
Salva foul sent Cervantes to the fifteenfoot line. With the blue wave distracting
him, the Tamaraws veteran center also
split his free throws.
Once more Ateneo was unable to
score on their possession and a Frank
Golla foul on a Sanga three-point
attempt sent him to the stripe for three
free throws. He made only his last one.
The Sixth Man had done their part. Now
it was up to the blue and whites to seal
the deal.
Twenty-one seconds later, Buenafe
channeled JC Intal in 2006 when
he found himself one-on-one with
Tamaraws guard Jeff Chan outside the
arc. Intal juked Chan with a crossover
and laid the ball in over a phalanx of
defenders for the heart stopping win
that eliminated feu from Final Four
contention.
This time around, it was Buenafe
against Cruz with the game on the line.
Buenafe, the 7% three-point shooter,
then showed Sanga, the 30.2% threepoint shooter, how it is done.
Bedlam. It was all net and Ateneo was
two-and-done.
The three-peat, the long-awaitedwho-would-have-thought-it-wouldhappen-in-our-lifetime-three-peat, had
been secured.
Animo Ateneo!
Ateneo 65 – Buenafe 23, Monfort
10, Salva 9, Long 7, Chua 7, Salamat 3,
Golla 3, Escueta 2, Austria 1, Erram 0,
Gonzaga 0, deChavez 0
FEU 62 – Cervantes 15, Sanga 13,
Ramos 9, Cawaling 8, Noundou 6,
Garcia 6, Romeo 2, Exciminiano 2,
Bringas 1, Cruz 0, Guerrero
Notes:
• Ateneo is the first team to accomplish
a three-peat in both the ncaa and
the uaap.
• All three titles during the three-peat
were accomplished on a Thursday.
• This was Ateneo’s sixth win in nine
finals appearances in the uaap.
• This was the first year since 1997
where no Blue Eagles won a Mythical
Five selection.
• This was Ateneo’s first title win
outside ue and dlsu in the uaap
Finals.
Sports
33
for
loyolaschoolsbulletin
we build community we nurture hope
A history lesson
(Ateneo 65 vs. FEU 62)
Rick Olivares,
www.ateneo.edu
Photographs
by Alyson Yap,
www.fabilioh.com
There were 32 seconds left in the game with Ateneo on top
by a slim 61-59 lead over feu in Game Two of the uaap Finals
when Ryan Buenafe got hold of the basketball after a hand off
from Nico Salva. In the past two years, the third year forward
has been suppressing different emotions inside of him. After
a promising freshman year, he was relegated to the bench.
And although he was every bit as integral to the success of
the Ateneo Blue Eagles, he chafed at his role. “I’m greedy,” he
said to a few close friends. “But it’s never about the statistics.
It was about playing time and being on the court with the ball
in my hands in the clutch.” He wanted the responsibility of
taking the big shot. If the ball fell in then it was all good. If
he missed then he wouldn’t mind taking the flak. It
comes with the territory.
He immediately noticed that it was feu
Tamaraws rookie Carl Cruz in front of him. Cruz
checked in for JR Cawaling who Buenafe burned
badly on many a post up earlier in the game. Except
the move backfired because Buenafe was out in the
perimeter. The Blue Eagle quickly waved off his
teammates away for an isolation play. Thinking he
was going to drive to the basket, Tamaraws center Al
Ramos positioned himself behind Cruz to protect
against the drive.
Only Buenafe wasn’t taking it to the rack.
With the shot clock winding down to five
seconds, Buenafe instead threw up a trey. “I was
really going to take that three-point shot. When
it left my hands, it felt good. I knew I was going
to make it,” said the third year forward who was
named Finals mvp.
Judokas bag
3-peat
By Franch Baja,
www.goateneo.com
Photographs by Mikee Rodriguez,
www.goateneo.com
Three is the lucky number for Ateneo
champions in uaap Season 73, as the
men’s judo team won their third straight
championship on October 10, 2010 at
The Arena in San Juan.
The competition was out to get the
Blue Judokas, forcing them to lag behind
in day one of the tournament. “Things
don’t usually go the way you want them
to. It was looking really dismal for us for
quite a while,” said coach Ali Sulit.
Ateneo, however, didn’t go down
without a fight. Matthew Jao and JR
Reyes slugged it out in the +100kg finals.
Jao’s win gave Ateneo its first gold; Reyes
finished with the silver. Andro Umali
won the -100kg battle for third and
added a bronze to Ateneo’s medal tally.
In day two of the competition,
Ateneo decided to turn things around in
the eliminations as strong performances
from dlsu and ust threatened to
dethrone the defending champions.
Coach Sulit reminded his team what
was at stake, and what they needed to do
to bag the three-peat, “I told them, ‘we
can still do it but you’ve gotta fight like
you’ve never fought before. It was really
tough but these guys pulled through. Iba
talaga pag Atenista–malaki heart,” added
Sulit.
Ateneans dominated the finals
and won medals left and right to give
them a clear shot at the championship.
Captain Jhonel Faelnar grappled Kevin
Movido for the gold in the -60kg finals.
Faelnar described his team as a “band of
brothers.” He said he never really liked
going up against teammates but “at that
point, it was a sweet moment knowing
that win or lose, the points would go to
Ateneo.” Having two Ateneans assured
of a gold and a silver made coach Sulit
proud. “You did your part for the team,
continued on page 6
continued on page 7
Three is the lucky
number for
Ateneo champions
in uaap Season 73,
as the men’s judo team
won their
third straight
championship
on October 10, 2010
at The Arena
in San Juan.