The Varsitarian
Founded 1928
Volume LXXXII, No. 6 • October 1, 2010 THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas Manila, Philippines
Special Report
THOM ASI A NS will have to
wait a little longer for the longoverdue Students’ Code or Magna
Carta for Student Rights as it is
still pending before the Rector,
despite repeated reviews and
revisions from administrators
and the student council.
Cent ral St udent Cou ncil
(C S C ) P r e s i d e n t L e a n d r o
Sa ntos I I said t he proposed
code seems to be gathering dust
despite the council’s efforts to
hasten its adoption by holding a
consultation with local student
council officers as early as July.
“ W h i le w a it i n g fo r t h e
Rector’s approval, we are planning
to pass a report to the Rector
Students’ Code passage still uncertain
about the st udents’ reaction
to the code by conducting a
survey. Then, we will submit
[to the Rector] another revised
version incorporating comments
from the Student Welfare and
Development Board (SWDB),”
he said.
The initial version of the
Thomasian Students’ Code, or
the Magna Carta for Student
R ig ht s , wa s d r a f t e d u nd e r
t he t e r m of CSC pr e side nt
Xialeemar Valdeavilla six years
ago.
Student representation in
various UST offices, Valdeavilla
said, was one of the provisions
included in the first draft.
“T here were provisions
recog n i z i ng t he r ig ht of
students in participating in the
policy-making activities of the
administration. I am just not
sure if those were retained in
the latest version [of the code],”
she said.
Valdeavilla noted that the
code was later on caught up by
the leadership change in UST
three years ago, when Rector
Fr. Ernesto Arceo, O.P. resigned
and was replaced by De la Rosa.
“There were no conf licts
during my time because we
merely drafted the constitution.
I think what hampered the code
was the change of Rector, and
Office for Student Affairs (OSA)
heads,” she said.
OSA ch ief P rof. Evely n
Songco ag reed. “It’s t a k i ng
time because there was never a
constant leadership. Also, the
CSC only has 10 months to serve
and within those 10 months, that
(student’s code) is not their only
concern.”
T he ca mpaig n for t he
code reached its height during
academic year 2007-2008 under
t he t e r m of C SC p r e sid e nt
Reyner Villaseñor, who claims
he was able to cover all bases.
“We were able to secure
Special Reports Page 3
Comedienne Dang Cruz (left), singers Jamie Rivera and RJ Jimenez (above), and TV host Winnie Cordero (below) perform at the ‘UST Artist for UST’
last September 18 at the Medicine Auditorium.
Photos by PAUL ALLYSON R. QUIAMBAO
Thomasian entertainers return home
WELL-KNOWN artists and
celebr ities ret u r n to their
alma mater to pay tribute to
Thomasian art in UST Artists
for UST, held last September
18 at the St. Martin de Porres
Auditorium.
“The show melded the
visual and the performing arts
and was part of the celebration
of the Quadricentennial,” said
actress Candy Pangilinan,
director of the event.
At the entrance of St. Martin
de Porres Building, guests were
welcomed by the Science Glee
Club and the Faculty of Arts
and Letters Chorale, while The
Faculty of Engineering’s One
Voice, accompanied by the UST
Symphony Orchestra, entertained
the crowd inside the auditorium
before the start of the program.
On exhibit at the lobby of
the building were the artworks
of Thomasian painters such as
Mario Parial, Bienvenido Araw,
and Prudencio Villamor “Amor”
L a m a r r oz a , a m o ng ot h e r s .
Upcycled Art, consisting of
functional artworks from recycled
materials by third-year Industrial
Design students, was also on
exhibit.
Vice Rector Fr. Pablo T.
Tiong, O.P, opened the event
by delivering a speech about
St. Thomas Aquinas’ criteria
of beauty which are balance,
radiance and integrity. The
microphone stand where Tiong
delivered his message was
created by the skillful pose of
Teatro Tomasino members who
stayed still through the speech.
Beaut y queen Mir iam
Quiambao, a Physical Therapy
alumna of UST, and actor
Dominic Ochoa (Business
Administration) served as the
UST entertainers PAGE 6
When the ‘Great Flood’ came to UST
By ROSE-AN JESSICA M. DIOQUINO
SOME SAY that walking
through murky water on a
rainy day is a rite of passage
for any Thomasian. With
UST standing on España
Boulevard, the catch basin
of Sampaloc area, one’s most
probable choice is to endure
this “baptism” on f lood that
easily rises in and around the
University.
But the water brought
about by tropical storm
“Ondoy” on September 26 last
year was more than what most
people expected, leaving an
estimated 3, 000 people struck
by its depth and stuck with
limited food on campus.
Dubbed as the “Great
Flood,” the incident was also
the worst in UST in the last
40 years, according to school
officials. Ondoy dumped a
month’s worth of rainfall
in Luzon within six hours,
claiming more than 300 lives
and leaving parts of Metro
Manila and neighboring
provinces in ruins. The
storm also left at least half
a million worth of damages
and destroyed 18,000 UST
Health Service records,
including X-ray plates.
According to earlier
repor ts by the
Varsitarian,
Re c t o r Fr.
Rolando
For breaking news and digital copy, visit www.varsitarian.net
de la Rosa , O.P. su spe nded
classes at 9 a.m., wh ile the
Central Student Council—then
led by law student Jeanne Luz
‘Great Flood’ Page 10
Illustration by PATRICK C. DE LOS REYES
Vatican
official
coming
By CLIFF HARVEY C. VENZON
A VATICAN official is coming for the 10th
International Council of Universities of St.
Thomas Aquinas (Icusta) that will be held in
the University next year in time for the UST
Quadricentennial, the Office of the Rector
has confirmed.
Zenon Cardinal Grocholewski, prefect
of the Sacred Congregation for Catholic
Education, and effectively a member of
Pope Benedict XVI’s “Cabinet,” will be
the special guest for the Icusta meeting on
January 26 to 28, which coincides with UST’s
Quadricentennial celebration.
Icusta is an international association
of Catholic institutions of higher learning
that adhere to the ideals and teachings of St.
Thomas Aquinas.
Father Rector Rolando de la Rosa, O.P.,
who currently heads the organization, had said
that there are about 16 universities in the world
named after St. Thomas Aquinas.
In letter to the Varsitarian, Vice Rector
for Academic Affairs and Research Clarita
Car illo, chair of the Icusta organizing
committee, said President Benigno Aquino
III has also been invited to deliver the keynote
speech. But Aquino has not yet confirmed his
attendance.
“We hope that A rchbishop Edward
Joseph Adams, the Apostolic Nuncio to the
Philippines, and Most Rev. Gaudencio Cardinal
Rosales would accept our invitations to be the
main (Mass) celebrants for the 26th and 27th,
Vatican Page 3
Faculty union
row heats up;
former officers
sued for libel
By CLIFF HARVEY C. VENZON
UST FACULTY Union President Dr. Gil
Gamilla has filed a libel complaint against
nine former union officers who accused him
of impropriety over the alleged illegal release
of P9.5 million in union funds to a property
developer in 2006.
Gamilla filed the complaint before the
Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office last August
10, less than a month after the formation of the
Committee on Peers (COP), a body that will
probe the disbursement of millions in union
funds to a failed property project.
The nine faculty members, collectively
described as the “Fidelity Group,” are former
Vice President for Grievance Jose Ngo,
former Vice President for Legal Affairs Mark
Maramba, former Vice President External Irma
Potenciano, former Secretary General Ma.
Lourdes Medina, former Sergeant-at-Arms
Celso Nierra, and former directors Dante Jose
Mercado, Elizabeth Arenas, Juanita Subaldo,
and Emerito Gonzales.
In his complaint-affidavit, Gamilla said
the nine former union officers “persistently,
publicly, and maliciously imputed false acts and
omissions against [him] that are clearly aimed
to dishonor and discredit [his] reputation.”
His affidavit also said the Fidelity Group
used “various ways to circulate, spread and
publish false accusations against him through:
Union Page 10
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2 News
The
Varsitarian OCTOBER 1, 2010
Editor: Charizze L. Abulencia
Engineering board exam passing rate drops
THOMASIANS
recorded
a
lackluster
performance in the recent mechanical and
electrical engineering licensure exams, posting
71.43 percent and 48.44 percent passing rates,
respectively.
Last year, 51 of the 60 Thomasian examinees
or 85 percent passed the mechanical engineering
board exam, making the University the second
top-performing school in the 26 to 85 examinees
category. This year, only 50 of the 70 who took
the exam passed.
This year’s national passing rate was 66.78
percent, higher than last year’s 60.47 percent.
In the electrical engineering licensure test,
only 31 of the 64 examinees from UST passed,
lower than last year’s 58 percent, when 34 of 59
examinees passed.
The national passing rate, meanwhile,
dropped to 33.99 percent, lower than last year’s
42.14 percent.
No Thomasian entered the Top 10 for the
mechanical and electrical licensure exams.
In the Registered Master Electricians
exam, the University posted better results with
a 100-percent passing rate as all six who took
the exam passed. Last year, none of the two
examinees made the cut.
Faculty of Engineering Dean Josefin de
Alban Jr. said he was taking full responsibility
for the low results of the exam despite assuming
the post only in November last year.
“The past years, we experienced the
downtrend in the results of the board exams
for electrical engineering,” De Alban said. “We
don’t like to have any other reason. They are just
really low.”
He also noted that the passing rate of
electrical engineering started to drop since 2003.
Industrial engineering
Aside from the upcoming board exams for
civil, chemical and electronics engineering, De
Alban is also preparing for a certification exam
for industrial engineers (IE).
“The exam given by the Philippine Institute
of Industrial Engineers, although it is a privately
given exam, has the same prestige, even if it is
not given by PRC,” De Alban said.
Since there is no state-regulated exam for
IE, De Alban said an association of industrial
engineers is coming up with a certification exam,
a scheme also being done for computer science,
information technology, and information system
graduates. Justinne Chynna V. Garcia
NEWSBRIEFS
ABSC prexy places
second in speech bout
FACULTY of Arts and Letters Student Council
President Vincent Aljon Cifra placed second in
the Intercollegiate Extemporaneous Speaking
Contest last September 15 at the Senate in Pasay.
The contest was hosted by the Senate and the
Metro Manila Toastmasters to commemorate the
third International Day of Democracy.
Pauline Gairanod of Ateneo De Manila
University, and Carlito Reyes of De La Salle
University emerged champion and third place,
respectively.
Six students from Ateneo, De La Salle, San
Beda College, University of the East, University
of the Philippines and UST joined the contest.
Justinne Chynna V. Garcia
CFAD students learn
from world’s top PR firm
ADVERTISING students learned persuasion
principles from the world’s biggest public
relations firm and one of the country leading food
corporation last September 2.
Mcann Erickson Philippines Managing
Director Nandy Villar and Nestle Philippines
President John Miller participated in “N-gage,” a
special project for advertising practicum 4 of the
third-year Advertising students of the College of
Fine Arts and Design (CFAD).
According to Gil Velez, professor of
advertising practice and pioneer of the project,
“N-gage” will help students and top officials
learn from each other by sharing their experiences
as youth of today and advertising practitioners,
respectively.
“There are traditional friends, the ones
you go out with, and then there are other groups
of friends, whom maybe you have never even
met that live in different countries,” said Miller
as he described the youth’s new relationships
developing in networking sites.
“It is encouraging to hear that a lot of people
now are close to their parents. That they are
different from previous generations where parents
were seen as more authoritative,” Villar said.
Kalaine Nikka Kay C. Grafil
“Poor boy
from Lubao”
honored by
alma mater
UST Rector Fr. Rolando de la Rosa, O.P. and Chilean Ambassador Roberto Mayorga engage in conversation while
enjoying some wine from Chile at the Central Seminary Gym after the Mass and ceremonial tree-planting that marked
the celebration of Chile’s bicentenary. Photo by PAUL ALLYSON R. QUIAMBAO
Chile celebrates bicentenary in UST
By ROMMEL MARVIN C. RIO
SHARING the same values and
Spanish legacy, the University and
the Chilean Embassy celebrated
Chile’s bicentenary in UST last
September 19.
“We (Chile) share the same
values [with UST] like the concept
of family, nation, and the Church,”
Roberto Mayorga, ambassador
of the Republic of Chile to the
Philippines, earlier said in an
interview with the Varsitarian after
the Rector’s report last September 8.
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary
Esteban Cornejos, who also
attended the event, likewise said
UST and Chile share a “Hispanic
past and common vision of peace
and development.”
Rector Fr. Rolando de la
Rosa, O.P. said the University
and Chile have forged strong ties
through the International Council
of Universities of Saint Thomas
Aquinas (Icusta), where UST
and La Universidad Santo Tomas
(Chile) are both members.
Icusta is an international
association of Catholic schools
patterned after the ideals and
teachings of the St. Thomas
Aquinas.
Mayorga also said “USTChile” will join the University on
its quadricentennial celebration.
A commemorative plate at the
garden in front of the Santisimo
Rosario Parish was unveiled after
the mass officiated by Father De la
Rosa.
A
commitment
to
environmental preservation was
signed by De la Rosa, Mayorga,
and Richard Tantoco, president
of the Energy Development
Corp., following a ceremonial
tree planting participated by De la
Rosa, Mayorga, Tantoco, and two
other representatives from other
religions.
Thomasian Global Expo set
THOMASIAN-LED corporations
will showcase their excellence in
commerce and trade on October 8
at the SMX Convention Center in
Pasay City.
Jollibee Foods Corporation’s
Tony Caktiong, Mercury Drug’s
Viviene Que-Ascona, and Joel Cruz
of Aficionado perfume, among
other Thomasian businessmen,
will join the Thomasian Global
Expo.
UST Alumni Association
president Robert Sy, one of the
organizers of the event, said the
expo will also include job fairs,
design and construction shows,
shopping stalls, and wellness
festivals.
Sy said the project was
c onc eive d a s t o h ig h l ig ht
t he T homa sia n- ow ned a nd
Thomasian-led cor porations
in time for the University’s
Quadricentennial celebration
come January 2011.
Student Affairs director
and for mer Alumni Affairs
ch ief Evely n Songc o s a id
the project aims to showcase
T h o m a s i a n e xc e l l e n c e i n
business, entrepreneurship and
Expo PAGE 3
Chinese diplomatic official:
China-RP friendship forever
THE FRIENDSHIP of the
country and China will remain
forever despite the hostage
crisis that killed eight Hong
Kong tourists last August 23,
a Chinese diplomatic officer
said.
Wu Jian Hua, secretary
of the cultural division of the
People’s Republic of China
Embassy, said the Quirino
Grandstand hostage crisis
was an isolated incident,
adding that the two countries’
friendship will remain.
“Our friendship with the
Filipinos is deeply ingrained
and the hostage incident is an
isolated case. The friendship
with the Filipinos will remain
forever,” Hua said during the
launching of a photo exhibit
showing the contributions
of the Chinese community
to the country at the Tan
Yan Kee Student Center last
September 9.
The
exhibit
“Shared
Heritage:
Centuries
of
Friendship
between
the
Filipino-Chinese
Nations”
showed photos of the Chinese
helping Filipinos in medical
missions, calamity outreach
programs, and diplomatic
partnerships.
“This photo exhibition
marks the 35 years of the
long history of the FilipinoChinese friendship,” Hua
said.
The exhibit was organized
by the Community Achievers
Chinese PAGE 9
“We hope that as the tree
grows, the economic development
[of Philippines and Chile] will also
grow, and ties between [the two
countries] will be stronger,” said
Aleem Said Basheer, chairman
of the Imam Council of the
Philippines, after the tree planting
ceremony.
Rabbi Eliahu Azaria recited
a Mishaberah, a Hebrew prayer
for the sick, which he offered to
miners trapped since August 5 at
the San Jose mine in Chile.
“Since this is an international
gathering, Ambassador [Mayorga]
decided to celebrate their
bicentenary with representatives
from some of the other major
religions,” De la Rosa said.
The Republic of Chile is
located in the South American
continent, near the countries
Peru, Argentina, and Bolivia. The
country gained independence from
Spain in 1818.
A CENTURY after he was born,
the “poor boy from Lubao”
was honored by his alma mater
through a memorial lecture
extolling his legacy.
Titled
“Celebrating
the Life, the Lifework and
the
Legacy
of
President
Diosdado P. Macapagal: A
Reflective Recollection and
Commemoration,” the lecture
last September 11 in the Thomas
Aquinas Research Center was
attended by Macapagal’s kin,
including former President
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
“[He gave us] a sense of
history, the changing of the
independence date, making us
nationalistic,” said Hilarion
Henares, Jr., head of Macapagal’s
National Economic Council.
Macapagal
moved
the
Independence Day celebration
to June 11 from July 4, as having
the same Independence date with
the United States of America
was deemed a problem because
very important persons abroad
would flock to US embassies.
Henares said Macapagal
pursued an independent foreign
policy by claiming Sabah in 1962
and organizing the Malaysia,
Philippines, and Indonesia or
Maphilindo, a confederation of
the Malayan race in 1963.
During
the
lecture,
Macapagal’s kin narrated his
dedication and love for God,
country, and family.
“He was very kind, never
got mad, but [would] always
talk to us to impart values,”
former President Arroyo told the
‘Poor Boy’ PAGE 10
Usapang Uste
Seksyong Filipino sa V
Ni PATRICIA ISABELA B.
EVANGELISTA
BILANG isa sa mga kauna-unang
pahayagang pangmag-aaral sa
bansa, ang Varsitarian ang siya
ring nanguna sa pagkakaroon
ng seksyong Filipino sa mga
unibersidad sa Maynila.
Nagsimula sa baybay na
“Pilipino” noon, ang seksyong
Pilipino ay unang nailathala
sa ikapitong isyu, tomo 41
ng Varsitarian noong ika-23 ng
Hulyo, 1969. Ito ay naglalaman
ng mga maikling kuwento,
sanaysay, tula, at malayang
pagkukuro.
Ayon sa patnugot ng
seksyong Pilipino noong 1969 na
si Roberto Cruz, pinatunayan ng
seksiyon na ang pangkampus
na panitikan sa
ating sariling
wika ay hindi
nanghihina,
bagkus ay lalo
pang lumalakas.
Naging
inspirasyon ng
seksyon ang makatang
si Clodualdo del Mundo
dahil sa kaniyang
pagsusumikap na
mapaunlad ang panitikang
Filipino. Naglathala r i n
siya ng aklat na pinamagatang
“Mula sa Parolang Ginto,” isang
katipunan ng kaniyang mga
komentaryo ukol sa lipunan,
bagay na nagustuhan naman ng
patnugot na si Cruz.
Ika-29 ng Enero taong 1970
nang maglathala ang Varsitarian ng
isang natatanging isyu para sa
pagdiriwang ng linggo ng
pamantasan, kung saan ang
buong pahayagan ay nakasulat
sa wikang Filipino. Ang isyung
ito ay bilang handog sa tema ng
pamantasan noon na “Malikhaing
pamiminuno,” na nararapat
mailathala sa wikang Filipino
dahil patungkol ito sa pagiging
makabayan, ayon kay Hernando
Gonzalez, dating manunulat ng
Varsitarian.
Makalipas ang limang
buwan ay muling
nagkaroon
ng mga
lathalaing
nasusulat
sa wikang Filipino ang
Varsitarian.
Ang iba pang
unibersidad tulad
ng Ateneo de
Manila University
ay may hiwalay
na pahayagan sa
Filipino na kung tawagin
ay Matanglawin, na sinimulan
noong 1975, habang ang De La
Salle University-Manila naman
ay mayroong Ang Pahayagang
Plaridel na itinatag noong 1984.
Sa kasalukuyan, ang
seksyong Filipino ay nananatiling
Usapang Uste
PAHINA 9
Usapang Uste PaHINA 11
Dibuho ni CARLA T. GAMALINDA
Editor: Alexis Ailex C. Villamor Jr.
OCTOBER 1, 2010
The
Varsitarian Special
Reports 3
Students’ Code: 6 years of struggle
KARLA MIDES C. TOLEDO
JILSON SECKLER C. TIU
“The
problems
lie in the usual
bureaucratic red tape
in the administration,
and the partisan
divisions of students.”
- Reyner
Villaseñor
com ments f rom the Cou ncil of Regents,
the Academic Senate, the vice rector for
academic affairs, Clarita Carillo, and the
off ice of the Rector. We also gathered
reviews f rom [local] st udent cou ncils,
as well as OSA.
I n a nutshell we were able to
accomplish almost ever y requirement,”
he said.
Songco, assistant to the Rector for
st ude nt af fai r s who re pla ced Cr ist i na
Cabral last year, agreed the process of
d r af t i ng t he c o de h a s b e e n “ t e d iou s”
because the code does not only concer n
t he st u de nt s but a l so t he fa c u lt y a nd
administration.
“This code will not just affect the
s t u d e n t s s o n a t u r a l l y, t h e r e w i l l b e
some com me nt s f rom t he fa cu lt y a nd
administrators,” Songco said.
“If the st udent’s code only affects
the students then its passage would have
been easy. But the code involves cer tain
exp e ct at ion s f rom ot he r se ct or s, t hu s
FROM PAGE 7
he was said to have advocated
Mar xist ideologies which
would have encouraged the
students to make a stand for
their own beliefs.
T h e p ol it ic a l s ke t ch
-Evelyn Songco
they must also have a right to give their
recommendations,” she added.
FROM PAGE 1
Kurosawa
“This code will
not just affect the
students. If the code
only affects the
students then its
passage would have
been easy.”
Student representation
Student participation in the
Un ive r sit y’s p ol ic y- m a k i n g a c t iv it ie s
gar nered the most nu mber of revisions
since the code was f irst drafted.
A r ticle 5, Section 2 of the or iginal
d raf t sated that the CSC president and
speaker of the central board will represent
s t u d e n t s i n t h e B o a r d o f Tr u s t e e s ,
UST’s highest policy making body. This
provision was removed.
I n A r ticle 5, Section 3 of the f i rst
version, a list of policy-making bodies
and the number of student representatives
were specified, while in Article 5, Section
2 of the latest version, the Central Student
Council will represent the st udent body
in all policy-making bodies identif ied by
the administration, faculty, non-teaching
personnel, and st udents.
O r ig i n a l ly, r e p r e s e nt a t ive s t o t h e
Academ ic Senate, wh ich for mulates
policies on inst r uction, and the SW DB
will come from the central board, while
revolved around the whirlwind
love story of Ruykichi Noge, an
activist, and Yukie Yagihara,
the daughter of a university
professor who got fired in the
heat of the political turmoil
during that time. “No Regrets
for Our Youth” observed a
singular theme––the fight for
freedom and the sacrifices this
entails.
With artful screenplays,
w it t y st or yl i ne s a nd t he
heavy use of symbolism in
filmmaking, Kurosawa has not
only made a name for himself,
but has changed the face of
World Cinema as well. Brylle
B. Tabora and Alyosha J.
Robillos
“Although we did
not experience much
of the assessments that
the current batch is
facing, we have foresaw
that its passage would
not be easy.”
-Xialeemar Valdeavilla
the latest version states that only the CSC
president is the sole representative to the
senate and SWDB.
The code however added the central
board in the process of reviewing the rates
of fees for the use of school facilities and
the appointment of local st udent council
off icials as st udent representatives to the
local SWDBs, in Ar ticle 6, Section 6.
Meanwhile, college deans were
designated to approve course syllabi in
Ar ticle 2, Section 6 of the latest version,
a depar t ure from the f irst version which
assigned the task to college depar tments.
P rofessor s mu st have a 50 -percent
weighted overall score in st udent
evaluations. Moreover, school facilities
will be evaluated by st udents u nder
Ar ticle 2, Section 10 of the latest version.
The r ight of st udents to peacef ully
assemble in a designated freedom park is
also provided under Ar ticle 3, Section 3
of the latest version.
‘Tug-of-war’
Fo r m e r s t u d e nt le a d e r s b el ie ve
deliberations over the code were disrupted
by the sudden resignation of Father Arceo
Expo
FROM PAGE 2
management.
“This expo would also
create network among our
alu m ni si nce they get to
showcase their projects, and
as well as inspire our students
to be like them,” Songco said.
Aside from Jolibee and
Mercury Drug, Songco said big
firms headed by Thomasians
like Century Pacific, Palafox
Vatican
FROM PAGE 1
respectively,” Carillo added.
The theme of the
conference is “The Role of
Un iversit ies i n Foster i ng
Christian Principles in Public
Life.”
Carillo said that
delegates will identify and
adopt com mon prog rams,
projects and activities for
Icusta universities; and forge
mutual support strategies for
joint courses of action.
“At le a s t 24 fo r e ig n
delegates have al ready
confirmed their participation,
representing 16 universities
abroad,” Carillo said.
Among them are Peadar
“We are planning for
a massive campaign
and
ratification
of
the students with the
assistance of the UST
Central Comelec.”
- Leandro Santos II
as rector, and the transition to De la Rosa
in 2007.
“There was no smooth transition from
Father Arceo to Father De la Rosa’s ter ms
because of the unexpected resignation of
the for mer,” Villaseñor said.
Angelo Cachero, for mer CSC
president, had to star t the process again
since the code’s passage was reset during
Villaseñor’s ter m.
“W hen the Rector was changed, the
people in the offices also changed, so they
had to give copies of the code to the newly
assig ned people and give them time to
read the document again,” Villaseñor said.
Villaseñor also said st udent leaders
we r e d i v i d e d . “ T h e r e we r e p r o bl e m s
with the administration and the st udents
themselves. It’s the usu al bu reaucrat ic
red tape with the for mer and the par tisan
divisions of the latter,” he said.
“If the code gets to be approved, it
will car r y the title ‘Thomasian St udents’
C o d e ,’ n o t t h e n a m e o f a n y p a r t y,”
V i l l a s e ñ o r s a i d . I.C.B. Antonio, M A .
Gamboa, M. N. Ladisla
Associates, Glor ia Jean’s
Coffee, among others, will
also join the expo.
Sy said they will also sell
commemorative medals to
alumni authenticated by the
Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
The medal costs P1,500 for
the silver brass while the goldplated medal costs P2,000.
Some of the proceeds will
go to the fund for erecting the
Alumni Center on 2012, Sy
said.
Food and beverages will
G. Rodriguez
Cremin, former president of
Icusta and president of the
Mary Immaculate College in
Ireland, and Joseph McFadden,
executive director of Icusta.
“Gerardo Rocha Jr., son
of the founder of Icusta, will
be here to give a message.
Joining him are five other
officials and representatives
of the Angelicum Investments
Co. and the Gerardo Rocha
Foundation, institutions which
have been supporting Icusta
activities,” Carillo said.
Delegates will be treated
to a cultural tour of Manila.
T h e y w i l l a l s o joi n t h e
Quadricentennial Mass and
grand dinner of UST alumni
on January 28.
According to its official
website stthom.edu, Icusta
was founded in 1993 Chile
by Dr. Gerardo Rocha Vera,
the president of the UST
Corporation in Chile. The
g roup decided to expa nd
and hold a biennial meeting,
beginning in 1995 with the
University of St. Thomas,
in Houston, Texas. Since
that time, the organization
has expanded to its
cur rent membership of 25
institutions. UST of Manila
hosted the conference in 1997.
After that, the meetings
were held in Freder icton,
Canada in 1999; Angelicum,
Rome, in 2001; Mar del Plata in
Argentina in 2003; Abat Oliba
University in Barcelona, Spain
in 2005; Australian Catholic
Universit y in Melbou r ne,
Aust ralia i n 20 07; a nd a
Mary Immaculate College in
Limerick, Ireland, in 2009. be the theme for the first day,
business and entrepreneurship
on the second day, while
wellness will be on for the last
day of the expo.
Songco said they are
hoping to meet the target of at
least 400 firms to participate
in the event.
T he exp o is op e n t o
everybody but Thomasians will
have the privilege of entering
SMX during the three-day
expo for free, Sy said. Darenn
4 Opinion The
Varsitarian OCTOBER 1, 2010
Editorial
Disaster nation
IS THE the government ready for another “Ondoy”?
The answer seems uncertain. While the
Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical
Services Administration said the bureau is already
capable of predicting the impact of tropical storms
similar to “Ondoy,” Metro Manila Development
Authority (MMDA) chairman Francis Tolentino
claimed that the metro’s clogged drainage systems
and waterways would cause massive flooding
should rainfall similar to ‘Ondoy’ hit the country.
The weather bureau also said that it has
acquired new weather equipment such as the
Doppler radar that can foresee the amount of
rainfall before the actual precipitation. On the
other hand, the MMDA said that the sorry state
of infrastructure and waterways would cause
massive flooding similar to the scenario during the
onslaught of “Ondoy.”
The government keeps on saying that the
people have to be alert for another similar disaster,
but what could we expect from the government in
return? Well, we can only surmise based on how
officials handle simple problems such as the date
of the holiday and a more serious predicament like
a hostage crisis.
Thomasian architect and urban planner
Felino Palafox Jr. gave the government 23
recommendations for urban planning, which
included clearing of rivers, esteros, waterways
and lakes. Sadly, none of recommendations
was followed. What the previous government
adopted was a Los Angeles model designed for the
convenience of vehicles through road widening for
cars, instead of elevated walkways for people.
Palafox also noted that government’s priority
should be the creation “disaster-proof cities” and
“disaster-proof living zones” through flood-control
infrastructure, tree planting, drainage, spillways,
dikes, water-retention basins and cisterns.
At face value, Palafox’s recommendations
may be simple but requires huge amount of
political will. The government should start
clearing the illegal settlements and shanties that
largely contribute to the pollution and clogging
of the sewerage and waterways. It should start
implementing the law at least to minimize the
effects of natural disasters.
Renaming the National Disaster Coordinating
Council (NDCC) to National Risk Reduction
and Management Coordinating Council will not
actually do the math. The government should start
rethinking and developing a new and concrete
urban development plan.
Last year, “Ondoy” dumped a month’s worth
of rainfall in just six hours, killing 464 people
and leaving 10,000 families homeless. The storm
Editorial PAGE 5
The
Varsitarian
Founded Jan. 16, 1928
CLIFF HARVEY C. VENZON
Editor in Chief
ADRIENNE JESSE A. MALEFICIO
Associate Editor
charizze l. abulencia News Editor
JILLY ANNE A. BULAUAN Assistant News Editor
JEREMY S. PEREY Sports Editor
ALEXIS AILEX C. VILLAMOR, JR. Special Reports Editor
ROSE-AN JESSICA M. DIOQUINO Features Editor
MIKA RAFAELA A. BARRIOS Literary Editor
DANALYN T. LUBANG Patnugot ng Filipino
ROBIN G. PADILLA Witness Editor
ANTONIO RAMON H. ROYANDOYAN Sci-Tech Editor
LESTER G. BABIERA Circle Editor
CARLA T. GAMALINDA Art Director
PAUL ALLYSON R. QUIAMBAO Photography Editor
News Justinne Chynna V. Garcia, Kalaine Nika Kay C. Grafil,
Charmaine M. Parado, Rommel Marvin C. Rio, Darenn G. Rodriguez
Sports Angelo Nonato P. Cabrera, Rey Ian M. Cruz
Anne Marie Carmela L. Dayauon, Frauleine Michelle S. Villanueva
Special Reports Ian Carlo B. Antonio, Marnee A. Gamboa
Monica N. Ladisla
Features Margaret Rose B. Maranan, Alma Maria L. Sarmiento
Literary Azer N. Parrocha
Filipino Patricia Isabela B. Evangelista
Witness Jennifer M. Orillaza, Brylle B. Tabora
Science and Technology Camille Anne M. Arcilla
Circle Maria Joanna Angela D. Cruz, Ana May R. De la Cruz, John
Ernest F. Jose, Alyosha J. Robillos
Art Fritzie Marie C. Amar, Rey Ian M. Cruz, Patrick C. de los Reyes,
Jasmine C. Santos, Jilson Seckler C. Tiu, Karla Mides C. Toledo
Photography Josa Camille A. Bassig, Isabela A. Martinez, Jilson Seckler
C. Tiu, Karla Mides C. Toledo
FELIPE F. SALVOSA II
Assistant Publications Adviser
JOSELITO B. ZULUETA
Publications Adviser
Letters/comments/suggestions/contributions are welcome in the
Varsitarian. Only letters with signatures will be entertained. Original
manuscript contributions must be typewritten, double-spaced,
on regular bond paper, and should include a signed certification bearing the author’s name, address, year, and college. The
identity of a writer may be withheld upon request. The editors will
not be responsible for the loss of materials. Contributions must
be sent to The Varsitarian office, Rm. 105, Tan Yan Kee Student
Center Bldg., University of Santo Tomas, España, Manila.
An attempt to ‘Stoic mode’
WHAT do college students have
in their minds these days?
An individual project that
needs to be finished tomorrow,
study for final examinations
next week to at least get a 3.0
mark in Algebra, the need-tolose-weight syndrome, show
to spend monthsary with your
boyfriend/girlfriend
without
sacrificing a group meeting, a
recent fight with parents, the
best place to hang out, and
budgeting a weekly allowance
are just some of the things that
run in the minds of college
students each day. Each has
their own pins to juggle—
academics, family, social life,
relationship, and work.
Some find the multitasking
nature of students nowadays
an essential tool. The advanced
technology made professors
demand more from students.
With portable gadgets like
laptops, DSLRs, and email
transmission-capable phones
came sooner deadlines.
I remember what I was
told about a lesson on the Stoic
view of the passions, which I
believe I have to live by, at least
to endure the following crucial
months before graduation, and
might also be useful when I get
to encounter different kinds of
Each person has his
own definition of
happiness and the
‘good,’ which may
not agree to another’s
definition. It’s just that
Stoics had their own
definition, too
people.
The Stoics believe that
holding emotions like fear or
envy (or impassioned sexual
attachments, or passionate love
of anything) would not undergo
false value judgments.
They suggest an apathetic
view of one’s emotions, in such
a manner that one must not let
his emotions manipulate him.
The person must be in command
of his reactions and responses to
things as they occur.
It teaches self-control
and an indifference to pain or
pleasure through detachment
from emotions, which allows
one to be clear-thinking,
levelheaded, and unbiased.
A person may initially feel
fear seeing a dog, thinking that a
dog bite is painful, disregarding
that for instance, the dog he saw
is blind, old, three-legged, and
poses no threat to him. Stoics
argue that one’s fear, pleasure,
and desire may overpower one’s
rational thinking.
Stoics consider passions or
desire as excessive and irrational,
because they carry one beyond
the dictates of reason, sensations
which must be disregarded.
For instance, if you feel
hungry, and you saw a piece of
bread in the table, you get it and
eat it, conscious that it is not the
right thing to do.
The lesson, which seemed
to be more of an advice to me,
reminded me of an activity that
facilitated by a guest speaker
has been running in my head
for the past few days. He told
us that in five seconds, by
merely a glimpse, we can easily
distinguish the kind of persons
we’ll meet, and how to deal with
them.
I was able to identify myself
among the “informal dominant”
cluster—the type who doesn’t
care about deadlines yet still
gets things done, impulsive,
assertive, and considers tasks
and relationships of equal
importance.
Definitely, it was me,
except that I have always had
the tendency to be highly
emotional and anxious even on
things that do not require such
behavior. This side of me made
me think that I also fall under the
“informal flows-with” quadrant,
the emotional people, those who
just go with the flow, because
they don’t want to ruin their
relationship with other people.
Given my frail control
of my emotions and desires,
I thought that an attempt to a
‘stoic mode’ would be a long
way not only for me, but to
those who share the same weak,
and at times, go-with-the-flow
personality like mine. This is
why I admire people who can
pose a strong aura amid facing
problems and difficulties.
Carte Blanche PAGE 5
Living up to the ‘Big 3’
MANAGING the Varsitarian
website
(www.varsitarian.
net) is more than just clicking
the publish button on readers’
comments and uploading the
breaking news. Often, I have to
stop and stare at all the words
flashed before me and really
think if it is right to publish
certain remarks.
The day I became the
assistant news editor cum
online editor, the task of
screening
comments
and
judging whether they are fit for
publication on the site or not
fell on my shoulders. At first
I thought it was easy enough.
Just read the comment, decide
if it is right or too debasing and
either click the publish or the
delete button.
As it turns out, however,
the responsibility is one heavy
boulder continuously weighing
down on my judgment.
In my first few weeks,
deprecating comments like
“Thomasians are dumb and
stupid,” or “UST will never
live up to the so-called Big
Three,” and other notes that
may cause some “full-blooded”
Thomasians to rise up in
defense of the University or
to be infuriated abound in the
comment moderation box.
Of course, the site is not
biased towards Thomasians;
Thomasians are far
from dumb and stupid
and it is blindingly
clear that they have
what it takes to live
up to other “bigger”
universities
its aim is to bring news to
more people and, in the
process, let the readers come
up with intelligent opinions and
judgments.
However, a limit to one’s
opinion must be observed,
especially if that outlook
demeans others. It is, after all,
said that your right ends where
another begins.
I have no wish to stop
the string of comments which
usually makes readers exchange
hostile banters online but, bias
aside, when one looks at results
and figures in a rational and
objective manner, Thomasians
are far from dumb and stupid
and it is blindingly clear that
they have what it takes to live up
to other “bigger” universities.
Just as Rector, Fr. Rolando
dela Rosa, O.P., said in his report
last September 8, “Thomasians
are among the finest breed of
Filipinos.” Surely, the Rector
would not say such a thing out
of nothing.
UST continues to be one of
the top-performing schools in
various licensure examinations,
including the physician and
medical technology exams,
released last August 18 and
September 8, respectively. In
the nursing exam, meanwhile,
14 Thomasian examinees made
it to the Top 10 this year while
26 graduates were in last year’s
list.
The Salinggawi Dance
Troupe has once again made
it to the top three in the
recently concluded cheerdance
competition. Athletes like the
Male Shuttlers (badminton)
and the Tiger Cubs (basketball)
have made it to the final round
in their respective sports, while
the UST Singers emerged Choir
of the World for the second time.
Also, there are Thomasians
who passed the entrance
exams in the University of the
Philippines, Ateneo de Manila
University, and De La Salle
University, but still chose to
study here in UST, feeling
(or maybe knowing) that the
courses here may be better than
what the others currently offer,
just like the health sciences and
architecture, to name a few.
Thomasians make the
University proud as they
succeed in their respective
endeavors and yes, we do
recognize that these three other
universities have made a name
for themselves.
In the weeks yet to come,
there may be more vicious
comments to approve and
more cyber quarrel between
the readers fighting over what
the best school is. But, if I may
borrow one of the reader’s
comments, “why are we pulling
each other down? Instead of
competing with each other, why
not compete with the world?
Philippine universities still have
a long way to go.”
Also, every university in
the country surely stands out
in a particular field and falls
Kishi Kaisei PAGE 5
OCTOBER 1, 2010
The search for next Palanca awardee
YEARS have passed since
the last Thomasian copped a
Palanca award. Does this echo
the Thomasian’s dwindling
fervor for writing?
It has been said that the
annual Don Carlos Palanca
Awards, the nation’s most
celebrated literary derby, is
the “barometer” of literary
excellence.
Biases
aside,
Filipino literature will not
flourish through the years as
much as it has without the help
of various Thomasian writers.
Frankly speaking, their joust
with the pen have influenced,
and even established, the
Filipino literary canon.
It is not surprising that
Thomasians have garnered
Palanca awards year after year,
some even carrying multiple
awards to their name like
Michael Coroza and Writer-inResidence Ophelia Dimalanta.
In fact, it is only UST which has
its own writer-in-residence at
present. With all these literary
prestige under its name, how
come Thomasian writers have
evaded the lure of the Palanca
for the past few years?
“Students who join the
Palanca awards are usually
neophytes who aim to be
recognized. Maybe Thomasians
are more concerned with
honing their craft and having
their material read,” said
Dimalanta. “All they really
need is encouragement and
consultation from me.”
Truly, the University
probably holds much more
brilliant writers who have not
joined literary contests, nor even
The Varsitarian or Thomasian
Writers Guild (TWG) for that
matter. Some of them may just
be basking in their tranquility
What the writer
needs is just ample
support from the
University, even
before his genius
is recognized by
these contests
for fear of ridicule, yet producing
the best works that no award can
ever define, not even a Palanca.
“Having a Palanca award
attached to your name is good,
but that shouldn’t be the beall and end-all of your identity
as a writer,” said Eros Atalia,
a professor in the Faculty of
Arts and Letters and a Palanca
awardee himself.
The Center for Creative
Writing and Studies, a research
body which aimed to uphold and
nurture the literary prowess of
Thomasians, may have helped
in fueling this lessening fervor
but it was sadly abolished due to
lack of funds.
With the likes of Cirilo
Bautista, Lourd de Veyra, Nerisa
Guevara and Carlo Luz assisting
aspiring fictionists, poets and
essayists, one’s literary training
was indeed in excellent hands
back then. However, these
names come with a hefty price in
the form of monthly stipends—
an expense the University had to
do away with.
Likewise,
with
its
abolishment comes the greater
pressure on Dimalanta, who
must wholly preside over the
nurturing of the Thomasian’s
creative mind. Staying true to
her duty, she founded the first
Thomasian Fiction Workshop
last summer where fellows
from different colleges of the
University gathered to receive
critiques from renowned writers
like herself.
A classmate of mine,
James Tana, who also happened
to be a fellow in the Thomasian
Fiction Workshop and Linangan
sa Imahen, Retorika at Anyo
(LIRA), expressed his longing
for the CCWS’ restoration. He
claimed that a center solely
dedicated to his craft could have
propagated the Thomasian’s
yearning to excel in writing,
possibly drawing more chances
of reaping accolades in some of
the country’s respected derbies,
not only the Palanca.
“It is quite saddening that
my UP friends have gained their
share of Palancas, when UST
is just as capable of doing so,”
Tana said.
He added that the rare
occasions of meeting up
with fellow writers in TWG
does not compensate the raw,
unadulterated
scrutiny
of
literary works through the eyes
of established wordsmiths.
Budget
and
time
constraints aside, the center
could’ve been a notably brilliant
idea with its hodgepodge of
creative thinkers in pursuit of
just one goal—to revolutionize
the Thomasian literary identity.
But
the
sudden
disappearance of this center
should not be the focal point
of the lackluster turnout of
Thomasian entries and awardees
in the past few years’ Palanca
awards.
Atalia
conveyed
the
Palanca’s
dependence
on
literary trends as well, citing
alumnus Angelo Suarez—who,
at the ripe age of 19, garnered
his first award—as an example.
“Noong kapanahunan ni
Angelo, magkakatunog ang
mga tula, saka siya dumating,”
Atalia said. “Maaaring hindi
lang nakakatugon sa standard
ng Palanca ngayon ang mga
sumaling Tomasino, kung
meron man.”
This award-giving body
sounds overrated, to say the
least, with all the fuss boring
into the consciousness of a
humble writer whose only
purpose is to be read. It can
even be dangerous to writers
whose pure intentions are
marred by those who only aim
to brandish the award to exalt
himself from the pool of the
unrecognized. What the writer
needs is just ample support from
the university, even before his
genius is recognized by these
contests. As I’ve said before, an
award is just a cherry on top of a
job well done.
“The seed has already been
planted, it is still up to the writer
whether he chooses to improve
this gift of his,” said Dimalanta.
True excellence can be
conceived from the mind,
whether a literary work has
a Palanca badge imprint on
it or not. Take heed, fellow
Thomasian, and just write.
For Thomasian art’s sake
THE
OFFICE
for
Quadricentennial Activities
and Highlights, along with
other student organizations,
paid tribute to Thomasian
artists last September 18
at the St. Martin de Porres
Auditorium in an event called
“UST Artists for UST.”
Touted as one of the
events to drumbeat the
Quadricentennial celebration,
it was expected that the show
would be grand and elaborate.
But the show could have done
with less kinks.
There
were
several
miscues and glitches. For
instance, the band Paraluman
announced that they would
perform three songs, but when
they were to perform their
third song, Jamie Rivera went
on stage to sing.
Technical problems such
as faulty microphones and
sound system consistently
bugged the performance.
Thankfully, singer RJ Jimenez
knew how to please the crowd
when his song number got
suspended because the wire
Carte
Blanche
FROM PAGE 4
But sometimes, people tend
to cope in a cruel environment
by giving in to these emotions
and desires. Each person has
his own definition of happiness
and the ‘good,’ which may not
agree to another’s definition. It’s
just that Stoics had their own
definition, too.
Quoting Marcus Aurelius
in his book, Meditations, he
advised people to “say to
yourself in the early morning:
I shall meet today ungrateful,
Tribute to Thomasian
performing artists
was a good idea, but
technical kinks marred
the staging
for his guitar did not work.
During a song number,
Thomasian visual artists were
flashed in an audio-visual
presentation (AVP). But the
AVP was poorly researched
and it left out key UST visual
artists such as National Artists
J. Elizalde Navarro, Arturo
Luz and Ang Kiukok.
Meanwhile, actor Dominic
Ochoa and beauty queen Miriam
Quiambao were obviously poorly
prepared. Quiambao showed up
wearing her laurel wreath as a
head band and confessed she
didn’t know what it was for.
violent, treacherous, envious,
uncharitable men. All of these
things have come upon them
through ignorance of real good
and ill. I can neither be harmed
by any of them, for no man will
involve me in wrong, nor can I
be angry with my kinsman or
hate him; for we have come into
the world to work together.”
And, as Stoic philosopher
Epictetus said, “no man is free
who is not master of himself.”
Confronted with everyday
challenges in our studies, social
life, family, friends and work, the
Stoic way of life may be worth a
try, as long as that attitude still
conforms to the unspoken rules
of every society.
Meanwhile, Ochoa had a hard
time telling the audience his
memories when he was still
studying in the University.
Despite the roster of
popular celebrities attending
the event, the event was
not
well-promoted
and
publicized
among
the
Thomasian community, as
proven by many empty seats
in the auditorium.
Some students said they
attended the event because
they were told to do so, and
to fulfill a class requirement.
And considering the
Kishi
Kaisei
FROM PAGE 4
short in another; each school
should focus on maintaining
its strengths and remedying
its flaws, not in provoking
and mocking each other, so
that wherever one chooses
to pursue higher education,
whether in Ateneo, La Salle,
UP, or UST, he would not
worry over being antagonized
by others and would be able
to focus on developing his
abilities and talents to the
fullest.
show-biz flair of the event,
other arts were relegated,
very evident in the token AVP
on the visual arts. Outside of
show-biz, do Thomasians
care for the arts such as
poetry, classical music and
theater?
While students yelled
and
cheered
celebrities
reading poetry or rendering
classical music, they paid
no attention really to the
performances.
The tribute fell short
of really paying tribute to
Thomasian artists due to the
technical kinks, performer’s
slips and uneven quality
of
performances.
Some
segments were awful that
they overshadowed the other
excellent performances.
The effort of gathering
Thomasian artists from the
University’s birth to the
present is a commendable
idea. But more should have
been put into the planning
and preparation to prevent the
tribute from being slapdash.
Editorial
FROM PAGE 4
also ruined P10.5 billion
worth of agriculture and
infrastructure. The UST
campus was not even spared
the storm’s fury as nearly
3,000 Thomasians were
trapped in the campus, and
half-a-million worth of
infrastructure was damaged.
The government must
come up with an urban
developed plan that would
make our cities liveable
and safe, ensuring that the
nation will make it not only
through another “Ondoy”,
but also past other disasters.
The
Varsitarian Opinion
5
Good news about Dengue
With 50-100 million Dengue
cases occurring worldwide,
and the
Department of
Health (DOH) showing 77,012
confirmed cases from January
to September 2010 (last year
we had 36, 997 during the
same period), including 15
Thomasians who consulted the
Health Service, and knowing
that there is no immunity and
no treatment, what is the good
news about dengue?
First, dengue can be
prevented by following the 4S
anti-dengue campaign of the DOH. With individual and
community efforts, contraction of the disease can be
avoided:
One is searching and destroying the breeding
places, which is the most effective strategy. We must
make sure that classrooms, offices, homes and gardens
are free of potential water containers such as uncovered
water pails, old tires, leaves on the grounds and roofs,
and garbage. Even the outdoor dengue mosquito, Aedes
albopictus, can breed in discarded softdrink caps.
The indoor specie, Aedes Aegypti, can breed not only
in f lower vases but also in the collecting bins of the
refrigerators and air conditioners.
Two is seeking early consultation, which is
highly recommended since fever is the most common
complaint and must not be ignored. Prevention is still
better than cure, and increasing f luid intake during
fever is life-saving. But in case of emergency, consult a
physician at the Health Service immediately.
Three is self-protecting by wearing protective
clothing such as pants and long-sleeved tops, and using
non-toxic, citronella-based mosquito repellants. Since
its first case in 1953, there is no excuse for anyone
in a dengue-prone country like ours not to follow
preventive measures. Wearing protective clothing,
especially pants, needs emphasis since the mosquitoes
are low-f lying -insects and bite the lower extremities.
The sight of people wearing shorts during the wet
season scares physicians like me.
The best news yet is that we do not
need experts to stamp out this deadly
disease because each one of us is
empowered to do this
Last is saying no to indiscriminate fogging,
which pertains to the prohibition of the one-shot
fogging operations being done in some barangays and
villages. Here in UST, we perform larvi or ovitrapping
operations and we must be the first academic
institution to do so. When there is a positive yield
during the operations, a four-day fogging operation is
performed that aims to eliminate all the emerging adult
forms of the dengue mosquitoes. Larvi/ovitrapping is
an ongoing and university-wide anti-dengue measure
being done by the Health Service in cooperation with
the Facilities Maintenance Office and the janitorial
service providers since 2008.
Another good news is that dengue can now be
diagnosed on the first day of fever with the use of
the dengue kit test. This Dengue NS1 test has the
antigen containing a non-structural glycoprotein that
detects dengue virus that would yield a positive result
confirming the diagnosis of dengue. This is available
in the UST Hospital and other tertiary hospitals as
well.
With this confirmatory test, the treatment of
dengue, mainly rest and oral hydration, is initiated
early and prevents the progression to the more serious
stages.
The best news yet is that we do not need experts
to stamp out this deadly disease because each one of
us is empowered to do this. Thus, we enjoin everyone
to contribute to our anti-dengue strategy.
There is no reason to stop the fight against
dengue. We must be part of this campaign to prevent
the spread of the disease so that we can save a lot of
people.
*The guest columnist is the Health Service director of
the University.
Corrections
In the article “Life after Camp Sampaguita,” which appeared in
the September 17 (Vol. LXXXII, No. 5) issue of the Varsitarian,
Fr. Frederik Fermin, O.P. hails from the Netherlands and is not
a Spaniard, as mentioned in the article. Also, the first Filipino
Rector of the University is Nueva Caceres Archbishop Leonardo
Legaspi, O.P.
In the same issue, this paper wants to clarify that the name
of Thomasian architect and urban planner is Felino Palafox Jr.,
not Feliciano.
The Varsitarian regrets these mistakes. Our apologies. -Ed
6
Editor: Lester G. Babiera
The
Retrospective pays tribute
to the cinema of Akira Kurosawa
FROM PAGE 1
By JOHN ERNEST F. JOSE
Quiambao
Desiderio
hosts of the event. On the other hand, Communication Arts graduates Eagle Riggs,
Jeffrey “Mr. Fu” Espiritu and Winnie Cordero introduced performers after giving trivia
about the University and its alumni.
Jao Mapa (Advertising Arts), together with Public Affairs Director Giovanna
Fontanilla and Assistant to the Rector for Student Affairs Evelyn Songco, enlightened
students about the purpose of the event which was to make students aware of the
achievements UST graduates, especially in the field of the arts.
Comedienne Dang Cruz (Hotel and Restaurant Management) and TV host Archie
Alemania (Communication Arts) came together in a song-and-dance number with modelactor Will Devaughn and members of Coro Tomasino and Salinggawi Dance Troupe.
TV host Jojo Alejar (Communication Arts) grooved like the late pop icon Michael
Jackson while giving away UST shirts to the crowd. He also delivered his version of
Frankie Valli’s “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.”
Meanwhile, singer RJ Jimenez (Electronic and Communications Engineering)
serenaded the audience with his rendition of Cold Play’s “Yellow,” which Jimenez
associated with the University’s color. He also performed his hit song with singer Yeng
Constantino, “If We Fall in Love.”
Bands who were formed in the UST campus also participated in the event such as Join
the Club, Paraluman and Calla Lilly, which are now renowned in the pop music industry.
Ciara Sotto (Conservatory of Music) drove the audience on the edge of their seats
with her interpretative pole dance segment to the tune of foreign band Evanescence
“Bring Me to Life.”
Thomasians in the field of the literature were also honored by the celebrities through
a poetry reading. Matinee idol Piolo Pascual (Sociology) read Amado V. Hernandez’
“Isang Dipang Langit” via an audio visual presentation (AVP).
Meanwhile, Beverly Salviejo (Mathematics) and Jamie Rivera (Arts and Letters)
brought to life “Mayamang babae, Pobreng babae” by Rogelio Sicat.
Finalists of the Q Songwriting contest held last year were also given tribute. “Cheers
to 400 Years,” which won first runner-up and written by Faculty of Arts and Letters
alumnus Alma Escasa and her husband Ben Escasa was performed by Jenine Desiderio
(High School and Psychology). An AVP was also flashed while Desiderio was singing
that showed different Thomasian heroes such as Jose Rizal and Claro M. Recto.
Singing Bee’s Apple Chiu (Interior Design) sang “Beyond This Arch,” the fourth
runner-up piece by Conservatory of Music faculty secretary Antonio Africa. During the
song number, Thomasians in multimedia arts were highlighted.
The night ended with the triumphant singing of the Quadricentennial song,
“Ako’y Isang Tomasino,” written by alumnus Gerry de Leon, which was performed
by all the celebrities and the University’s choral groups. The night ended with a
pyrotechnic display and a shower of confetti. Maria Joanna Angela D. Cruz
Mr. Fu.
UST SYMPHONY Orchestra presented eminent
classics in its first concert for the academic year, titled
UST Symphony Orchestra in Concert last September
12 at the Main Theater of the Cultural Center of
the Philippines. Featured pianist was UST alumnus
Heliodoro “Dingdong” Fiel II.
Conducted by Jeffrey Solares, assistant conductor
of the UST Symphony Orchestra, the event featured
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “Symphony No. 35” also
known as “Haffner Symphony.” It was divided in four
movements namely “Allegro con spirito,” “Andante,”
“Menuetto” and “Finale-Presto.” The delicacy of the
wind instruments complemented the simplicity of the
musical form, and the smooth chromatic harmony of
the piece evinced inner serenity for the audience.
Meanwhile, Fiel made Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s
“Concerto No. 1 in Bb minor, Op. 23” a stimulating
presentation made by his passionate performance.
According to Fiel, the concert had the advantage
of the UST Symphony Orchestra’s energetic
performance.
“Their dynamism made the concert fiery, which
made the audience more enthusiastic,” he said.
The second part was played with the whole
three movements of “Allegro non troppo e molto
maestoso,” “Andantino semplice” and “Allegro con
fuoco.”
Fiel’s performance breathed off an aura of
astounding excellence which gave the audience a
distinctive moment.
The event ended with “Pictures at an Exhibition”
by Petrovich Mussorgsky, noted for the invigorating
rhythm and melody. The UST Symphony Orchestra
gave a timeless performance of soulful expertise.
Cruz
Sotto
THE JAPAN Foundation Manila (JFM) celebrated
renowned filmmaker Akira Kurosawa’s 100th birth
anniversary through the Kurosawa Film Festival
last September 14 to 19 at the Cultural Center of
the Philippines (CCP) and September 22 to 30 at the
University of the Philippines Film Institute (UPFI).
“A lot of people really came to watch the films
and showed great interest in Kurosawa’s works,”
said Roland Samson, JFM’s project coordinator for
the festival. He also said that more than 6,000 people
headed to both venues, most of them were students.
The JFM, in partnership with the CCP and the
UPFI, offered free public screenings of the Japanese
icon’s 21 full-length films.
Akira Kurosawa was an internationallyacclaimed film director, screenwriter, editor, and
producer who started out in the film industry in
1936.
He also dabbled in the art scene as a painter
but decided to master the art of cinema instead.
Kurosawa is best known for the use of recurring
themes like life struggles, larger-than-life heroes,
master-protégé relationships and love for freedom
and independence.
His critically acclaimed film, “Rashomon”
(1951) depicts the heinous murder of a samurai shown
from different perspectives of four witnesses.
Shot in black and white film, this movie
effectively illustrates the evils of human nature and
a person’s audacity when threatened by fear or peril.
Probably one of the movies that made Kurosawa
the benchmark for cinematic prolificacy, “Seven
Samurai” depicts a common situation during the
feudal times of Japan. It tells the story of how a
village protected their crops from bandits through the
help of an elder samurai, Kambei (Takashi Shimura),
and his band of six swordsmen.
“Waga Seishun ni Kuiniashi” or “No Regrets
for Our Youth” is set just before World War II, during
the height of fascism in Japan. The storyline was
inspired by the Takigawa Incident of 1833, when law
professor Takigawa Yukitori was suspended from
teaching at the Kyoto Imperial University because
Kurosawa PAGE 3
Thomasians sculptors featured in annual review
By Alyosha J. Robillos
Agbayani
Symphony Orchestra performs classics in concert
By Ana May R. Dela Cruz
7
Varsitarian OCTOBER 1, 2010
UST entertainers . . .
New Rockwell building named
after modernist father Edades
Held simultaneously with the exhibit was the
opening of a showroom for a three-bedroom model
FOUR acclaimed Thomasian artists delighted not unit of the Edades Tower, named after National
only art aficionados but also real estate investors Artist for Visual Arts Victorio Edades, the founder
in the exhibit titled Masters at Edades, which was of the school of fine arts of UST and generally
held at the Edades Model Unit in Power Plant Mall acknowledged as the father of Philippine modern
last September 9 to 16.
art.
The exhibit displayed the works of painter
The artworks were hanged in different rooms,
Lydia Velasco, glass sculptor Ramon Orlina and which served as interior decorations.
National Artists for Visual Arts Ang Kiukok and
The developer, Rockwell Land, has also built
Arturo Luz. Works of Hernando Ocampo, Federico other residential towers named after National
Aguilar, Juvenal Sanso and Fernando Amorsolo
Artists, such as the Amorsolo Tower
were also showcased.
and The Manansala, named after
Fernando Amorsolo and Vicente
Manansala, respectively.
Velasco’s “Lilies in the Garden”
is a depiction of two women donning
floral dresses while one of them hoists
stems of lilies, which enhances the
subject’s portrayal of femininity.
Orlina’s glass artworks titled
“Waves of Fortune” and “Tides of
Fortune” use emerald and cerulean
blue-colored
glass,
respectively.
Both sculptures are characterized by
flowing, curvilinear lines, imitating
the movement of the sea.
“Imaginary Landscape” by Luz is
an abstract imagery of an archipelago
on a tangerine-colored sea using
simple geometric forms and lines. The
sun is illustrated as a simple orange
square set against a black sky and the
islands are drawn only using triangles
and curves.
On the other hand, his “Duo,”
which means “two,” is an illustration
of two nude women having
disproportionate and exaggerated
bodies, which is also set on a plain
background.
Finally, Kiukok’s “Mother and
Child” illustrates the unyielding love
of a parent to her child as it depicts
a mother tightly embracing and
kissing her child. The cubist form and
exaggeration of the forms successfully
captivate the emotion of the subjects.
In the end, the exhibit was not
about the advertisement of the Edades
Tower units as most of the visitors
JILSON SECKLER C. TIU
Ramon Orlina’s “Tides of Fortune.”
were more interested to view the
artworks.
circle
Paraluman's vocalist Madeline Ramboyong
THOMASIAN artists Ramon Orlina, Joe Datuin,
Al Perez and Maria Magdamit participated in
the 6th Sculpture Review, Gallery Nine’s annual
sculptural feast, along with other 32 artists from all
over the country, last September 10 to September
26 at the Megamall Art Center in Mandaluyong
City.
This year, established sculptors played it up
through drastic changes in their media and style
without losing their distinct flair while up and
coming artists were given the chance to concretize
their mark in the art scene.
Orlina, a renowned sculptor and product of
the old UST College of Architecture and Fine
Arts, took a break from his trademark glass
to surprise art aficionados with his bronze
creation “Ecstasy II”—a piece laden with
honey patina that fluidly captures a woman’s
voluptuous figure in all her sun-kissed glory.
Meanwhile, the stainless steel
rings display of multi-awarded
a nd i nt e r nat ional ly-k now n
sculptor Datuin came in a trio—
“Dance of the Ring 19,” “Fusion
#17” and “Fusion #15.”
T h e p a i n t e r- s c u l p t o r
won first place at the Beijing
Olympics Sports and Art Contest
in 2008 with his “Dance of
Rings.” The winning artwork
spawned his succeeding stainless
steel sculpture collection in
2009 which remained within
the same theme—continuity,
i nte rcon nected ness a nd
oneness.
Perez, also a Fine Arts
graduate of UST, did not
disappoint audiences with
his relief sculptures. The
painter-sculptor combined
realism and three-dimensional
art, instilling in his sculptures
the same reverence that is seen
in his church paintings.
His pieces, “San Agustin
Church” and “San Sebastian
Church,” feature metal churches jutting out
of the frame, elaborating on the contrast of
the sacred image of the structure and its
background of bricks and concrete.
On the other hand, in one of
the secluded corners of the venue,
Magdamit’s sur real ter racotta
pieces were bunched together,
as if guarding the boundary of
another realm.
Sculpture by Joe Datuin.
ISABELA A. MARTINEZ
At first glance, Magdamit’s
“Abutin ang Tuktok” would simply
seem li ke a pale t ree t r u n k
intricately detailed with painted
and var nished ter racot ta
embellishments. A closer look
would allow audiences to
notice children attached
to the trunk as if racing
against each other to reach
the top.
With the diverse styles
and genres shown and the
various emotions evoked by
the pieces at the 6th Sculpture
Re vie w, t he yea rly event is
bound to rake in more enthusiasts
of the ageless art of molding different
media into breathtaking figures in the
following years.
Artistang Artlets gives twist to major play
(From left to right) Fontanilla, Mapa, and Songco
UST Symphony Orchestra performs in the Cultural Center of the Philippines in their first concert.
ISABELA A. MARTINEZ
Teatro Tomasino members and Fr. Tiong
Photos by JILSON SECKLER C. TIU and PAUL ALLYSON R. QUIAMBAO
ON ITS 30th year, Artistang Artlets (AA), the official
theater guild of the Faculty of Arts and Letters,
employed a new production tack to draw in the audience.
Anatomiya ng Pag-ibig, staged last September
15 to 17 at the Albertus Magnus Auditorium,
is about the lives of several people whose
love stor ies t a ke a t ragic t u r n as they t r y
to f ill in the void in their respective lives.
A new twist — the theater-in-the-round, where
the audience is situated close to the performers
to provoke a feeling of involvement, marked
AA’s adaptation of award-winning playwright
Allan Lopez’s drama on love and its wages.
Directed by Keavy Vicente and
choreographed by Jhuneil Antipala, the play
narrates 12 love stories told in episodic sequence.
The play is a combination of various genres
such as melodrama, thriller and comedy. Bliss
and sorrow are portrayed in the play that roll
into a unifying theme of love and the its wages.
A character in one of the stories resorts to
suicide due to a failed relationship, showing the
drastic means people do out of love. Another
details the physical abuse between two lovers
which highlights domestic violence in the country.
Bizaare comedy involves a child requesting
for tinola out of his dead grandmother’s body.
Interpretative movements and sexual innuendos
evoke violence and sex in cer t ain episodes.
Set against the backdrop of the human anatomy,
the arteries-inspired leotards of actors and props
that looked like internal organs served as metaphors
and a literal figure of how the body works. For
example, the ovary was used as the main prop,
which suggested that the female organ is more
seen as a sexual rather than a reproductive organ.
Anatomiya ng Pag-ibig won third place for the
category Dulang Ganap ang Haba at the 54th Don
Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature in
2004, and was originally staged at the first Virgin
Labfest at the Cultural Center of the Philippines in 2005.
L o p e z , me a nwh i le , h a s wo n nu me r ou s
awards for his dramatic plays, such as Doble
Kara a nd Ka saysayan, wh ich have been
p e r fo r m e d i n v a r io u s s c h o ol s a n d Vi r g i n
Labfests across the country. Brylle B. Tabora
8 Literary The
Varsitarian OCTOBER 1, 2010
Editor: Mika Rafaela A. Barrios
The 6th Varsitarian Fiction Workshop
S
TORIES nowadays seem to
possess the same ordinary
elements that would make
readers roll their eyes and say: “I’ve
read that before.”
The panelists of the sixth
Varsitarian Fiction Workshop held
last September 12 and 19 called the
attention of budding fictionists to
write something the generation has
not yet read, challenging them to do
away with what readers are already
accustomed to.
“Go against the grain of
common thought,” said Rosario
Lucero, acclaimed writer and a
professor at the University of the
Philippines (UP). “It’s like putting
your feelings into imagination.”
Accompanying Lucero were
Gary Devilles, professor at the
Ateneo de Manila University and
UP professor Francesca Kwe,
former president of the Thomasian
Writers Guild, who panelled six of
this year’s participants.
Meanwhile,
Philippine
literature icons Efren Abueg and
Jun Cruz Reyes, and UST teacher
Eros Atalia were the panelists for
the Katha category.
The
Fiction
panelists
emphasized that it is not enough
that the
story makes a point. Readers would
want to see the characters fail or
succeed, they said. It is only when
a story offers a promise of change
does it become interesting.
Reyes, a professor at UP, cited
Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere and
El Filibusterismo as examples of
stories with funny and lovable
characters with rich and poignant
backgrounds.
“Tawa ka nang tawa, pero sa
huli, masasampal ka,” he said.
He added that a good writer
would be associated with the story
characters he or she has created.
“Make a character you and your
readers won’t forget,” he added.
The Katha panelists reminded
the participants that writers are
expected to have a better expression
of humanism because they have
a keener concern for the interest,
needs, and well-being of people.
Also, Reyes urged young
writers to challenge themselves.
“Do not rest on your glory,” he
said.
Lucero, meanwhile, said that
a writer must not forget about the
readers he or she is writing for.
She said writers should
capitalize on making their
stories relatable.
‘Humanap ng paksa na
malapit sa karanasan mo.’
- Eros Atalia
Photos by PAUL ALLYSON R.QUIAMBAO
Six time's the charm. Fellows, along with the Varsitarian Fiction Workshop chair Paul Quiambao and co-chairs, pose with panel members Eros
Atalia, Efren Abueg and Jun Cruz Reyes.
“Don’t [just] describe the
place, empathise with people.”
Lucero added. “One of the reasons
why people read literature is to
know its human significance. This
is what readers struggle for.”
“Always keep in mind: what
if?” Kwe said, adding that almost
all stories are commonplace. It is the
writer’s job to write it differently.
“It is the character’s psyche
that works against each other,” she
added.
Lucero pointed out that it is
very essential to keep the story as
gripping and lovable as possible
by means of choosing
‘“Make a character you
and your readers won’t
forget’
- Jun Cruz Reyes
the right words.
“If the characters are repressing
their emotions, you just want to hug
them,” she said.
The participants were also
reminded about how important it is
to write from experience.
“Humanap ng paksa na malapit
sa karanasan mo,” said Atalia, who
teaches at the Faculty of Arts and
Letters.
At the same time, it also pays to
write while experiencing a life not
of your own.
“Damhin niyo ang buhay na
hindi niyo buhay,” Reyes said.
Regardless of merciless scrutiny
by the panelists of their manuscripts
had to go through, the participants
all agreed that it was constructive
criticism at its best.
“I was muddled with what to
do with (my story). Now, I know
what to do,” said Zendy Victoria
Sue Valencia, a third-year Literature
student and a fellow of the workshop.
“They were brutally honest, but it
was fun!”
The
other
fellows
who
participated were Miguel Luis
Galang (College of Science), Jerowin
Santillan (Faculty of Engineering),
Precious Anne Carait, Edmark Tan,
Pocholo Anton Torres, and Justine
Marie Mendoza (Faculty of Arts
and Letters), Jaiza Marian Anuat
(College of Tourism and Hospitality
Management), Jesmon Laya
Nañadiego
(College
of
Science), Samantha Melyssa
Perez
(AMV-College
of
Accountancy),
and
Varsitarian writers Patricia
Isabela Evangelista and Jonas
Eleazar Trinidad (Faculty of Arts
and Letters).
The workshop aims to hone the
participants’ stories in time for the
26th Gawad Ustetika, also organized
by the Varsitarian.
Reyes, meanwhile, said that
writers should do their best if they
want to be widely-read.
“Hindi responsibilidad ng
mambabasa na basahin ka,” he said.
Panelists ended the workshop
by telling the young fictionists
to read more. It is only through
reading that a writer would
know what has not yet been
written, the panelists said.
‘Go against the grain of
thought. It’s like putting your
feelings into imagination.’
- Rosario Lucero
AZEr N. Parrocha
The 31st Manila International Book Fair
Rekindling the Filipino’s love affair with books
By J. E. B. Trinidad
THE
ANNUAL
Manila
International Book Fair (MIBF)
reminded one and all that books
are still alive in the digital
world.
The 31st MIBF, held on
September 15 to 19 at the
SMX Convention Center of the
SM Mall of Asia, featured a
wide variety of books by local
and international publishing
companies—catering
to
bibliophiles of all ages with
some books sold cheaper than
the usual bookstore fare.
Primetrade Asia, Inc., the
organizer of the event, reported
that an estimated 90,000 visitors
went to the MIBF this year—
almost double compared with
the 50,000 visitors last year.
“More and more people
nowadays are buying scholarly
titles. It seems that the
September month has been
ingrained in the customers’
minds as the official bookbuying month,” said John Jack
Wigley, deputy director of the
JILSON SECKLER C. TIU
Book frenzy. Throngs of book lovers gather at the National Book Store booth where some books, usually sold for 300 pesos and above, retailed for less
than 50 pesos.
UST Publishing House, one of the
book fair exhibitors.
Meanwhile,
the
UST
Publishing House took pride in its
latest book, Everyday Warriors:
The Faces & Stories of Breast
Cancer, for winning in the Best
Inspirational Book of the Gintong
Aklat Awards sponsored by the
Book Development Association of
the Philippines (BDAP).
Written by married couple
LESTER G. BABIERA
‘Write what has not been written’
Jay Lara & Cathy Paras-Lara,
the book depicts the struggles
of 21 female survivors of breast
cancer.
Wigley also said the
Publishing House normally
launches
books
during
September and February.
“Usually,
we
schedule
the launching of Thomasian
books
during
the
MIBF.
However, we made way for the
Quadricentennial year, which
explains why there was no
launch,” Wigley said.
Another publication by UST
publishing house, Sibago by
Abdon M. Balde Jr., is a finalist
in the Fiction Category of the
29th National Book Awards
sponsored by the National Book
Development Board.
The best-selling books in
the UST booth were Salva Vida,
a bible study guide by Victoria
Esma and Richard Pazcoguin,
and Kasaysayan: The Story of
the Filipino People, a book about
the country and the Filipinos’
history, edited by Jose Y. Dalisay
Jr.
Patnugot: Danalyn T. Lubang
N
OONG
una
“jejemon,”
ngayon “bekimon.”
Tunay
ngang
daynamiko ang wikang Filipino
dahil sa pagsibol ng isa na namang
panibagong terminong ginagamit na
ng marami—ang “bekimon.”
Unang sumikat sa Internet,
itinuturing ang mga “bekimon”
na bagong mukha ng salitang
bakla sa Pilipinas. Mula ito sa
salitang kolokyal na “beki” na
nangangahulugang bakla, habang
ang salitang “mon” ay nanggaling sa
mga nausong “jejemon”, o mga taong
mahilig gumamit ng mga special
characters sa pagtetext.
Ang terminong “bekimon”
ay nilikha ni Bern Josep Persia,
isang aminadong “bekimon” sa
sikat na sikat na video sa website
na YouTube. Kita sa kaniyang mga
video ang paggamit niya ng salitang
“bekimon” sa iba’t ibang lugar at
pagkakataon. Ito ay ang ebolusyon
ng dating “swardspeak” at gay lingo,
na matagal nang namamalasak sa
lipunang Filipino.
KARLA MIDES C. TOLEDO
Bagong sosyolek ng lipunan
Sa nagdaang Sawikaan 2010
noong Agosto, ipinakilala ni
Jesus Hernandez, tagapangulo ng
Departamento ng Linggwistiks sa
Unibersidad ng Pilipinas (UP), ang
“bekimon” bilang bagong sosyolek o
jargon ng lipunan.
Ayon kay Hernandez sa
kaniyang papel na pinamagatang
“Pasok sa Banga: ang mga sosyolek
bilang batis ng mga salita sa Filipino,”
na kaniyang binasa noong ika-29
at 30 ng Agosto sa Sawikaan na
ginanap sa Unibersidad ng Pilipinas,
ang wika ay masasabing sumasabay
sa pagbabago ng panahon at lipunan,
isang mahalagang katangian sa
paghubog ng wika.
Ang wika, giit niya, ay may
baryasyon na tinatawag na sosyolek.
Ito ay dulot ng mga pagpapangkat
ng mga grupo ng mananalita
at pakikipag-uganayan ng mga
mananalita sa ibang sektor ng
lipunan. Isa sa mga pinakamatingkad
na sosyolek sa lipunan ay ang
“swardspeak” o mas kilala bilang
gay lingo.
Kumpara sa ibang sosyolek,
ang “bekimon” ay mayroong
kakaibang pagkakabuo ng salita na
makikita sa pamamagitan ng mga
paraang paglalapi tulad ng anek
sa “anekwabum”; pagpapalit ng
tunog gaya ng “bo-o” bilang tao;
paggamit ng mga akronim gaya
ng OPM o “Oh Promise Me,” na
nangangahulugang
sinungaling;
pag-uulit ng isang bahagi ng salita
ika-isa ng OKTUBRE 2010
Bekimon:
Ebolusyon ng salitang bakla
Dibuho ni Fritzie marie c. Amar
o ng buong salita gaya ng “chikachika,”
na
nangangahulugang
pag-uusap; pagkakaltas, gaya ng
“anda” na galing sa “ang datung,”
na nangangahulugang pera; katunog
ng isang salita kasama na ang
paggamit ng mga pangalan ng mga
sikat na mga lugar at mga tao gaya
ng “Carmi Martin,” na may ibig
sabihin na karma; at panghihiram
gaya ng Ingles na salita na “fly” na
nangangahulugang pag-alis.
Ayon
sa
kaniya,
isang
mahalagang katangian ng salitang
bakla ay ang “pagkukubli,” kung
saan ang orihinal na anyo ng salita
ay iniiba ang pamamaraan ng pagbuo
upang hindi maintindihan.
Sa tingin ni Hernandez,
ito ay dahil sa konteksto ng
pakipagtutunggali ng mga bakla sa
kulturang patriyarkal ng lipunan,
kung saan nagkakaroon ng stigma
na ang pagiging bakla ay isang
kasalanan o kamalasan. Ang
katangiang ito ang siyang dahilan ng
mabilis na pagbabago ng mga salita
at ito ay nagsisilbing instrumento ng
mga bakla upang makipagtunggalian
sa lipunang mapanghusga.
Dagdag pa niya, sa larangan
ng showbiz, kung saan makikita na
talamak ang paggamit ng salitang
bakla, ang media ay nagsisilbing
instrumento
ng
pagpakakalat
at pagpasisikat ng mga salita sa
lipunan.
Bagaman hindi lahat ng salitang
bakla ay pumapasok sa kamalayan
ng maraming Filipino, masasabing
ang isang salita ay nagiging ganap
na bahagi lamang ng pambansang
wika pagkatapos nitong dumaan sa
pagiging slang ng mga Filipino.
Bekimon sa akademya
Ayon kay Alvin Ringgo Reyes,
guro sa Filipino sa College of Tourism
and Hospitality Management, ang
“bekimon” ay hindi isang bagong
penomena sa wikang Filipino dahil
matagal na itong ginagamit sa bansa
gamit ang ibang katawagan.
“Kung uugatin natin [kung]
kailan nagsimula itong mga salita
na ito na naiiba ang istruktura,
‘Ang mga bakla ay gumagamit ng ganitong
klase ng wika (bekimon) upang makabuo sila
ng espasyo sa isang lipunang masyado silang
nasusupi l. Maaari ng lumipas ‘yong tawag
na bekimon ngunit ang lalim
ng paggamit nito ng mga
mamamayan, sa palagay ko,
ay mahihirapang kumupas.’
-Alvin Ringgo Reyes,
guro sa Filipino
Usapang Uste
The Varsitarian Filipino
MULA SA PAHINA 2
at “Tatak Pinoy,” na sumasalamin
sa tradisyunal at kontemporaryong
kulturang Filipino.
buhay at masigla sa ika-82 na taon ng
Varsitarian, na lumalabas sa iba’t
ibang anyo tulad ng “Usapang Uste,” na
tungkol sa mga natatanging kuwento at
pangyayari sa Unibersidad; “Guryon,”
na bukas sa lahat ng Tomasinong nais
magbahagi ng kanilang natatanging
karanasan at mga napagtanto ukol
sa isang pangyayari o usapin;
“Batingawan,” isang natatangingulat tungkol sa mga napapanahong
pangyayari o isyu sa loob at labas
ng Unibersidad; “Suring Basa,” na
sumusuri sa mga bagong lathalang
aklat na nasusulat sa wikang Filipino;
“Tampok,” na nagtatampok sa mga
natatanging Tomasinong personalidad;
Tomasino Siya
Alam n’yo bang isang Tomasino ang
utak sa likod ng sikat na pantanghaling
programa na “Eat Bulaga”?
Tinaguriang “Ama ng Eat Bulaga,”
si Antonio Tuviera ay nag-aral sa UST
ng Architecture ngunit hindi niya ito
tinapos dahil napagtanto niya na ang
kaniyang hilig ay nasa paggawa ng mga
palabas sa telebisyon.
Pagkalipas ng limang taon ay
nagbalik si Tuviera sa Unibersidad
upang mag-aral ng kursong Mass
Communication habang nagtatrabaho sa
Channel 13. Ngunit dahil sa aktibismo
ng mga mag-aaral nang taong iyon ay
hindi rin niya natapos ang kurso.
Taong 1976 nang magtrabaho si
Tuviera sa Production Specialist, ang
grupong nagpapalabas ng mga laro
ng Philippine Basketball Association
(PBA).
Makalipas ang tatlong taon, mula
sa mungkahi ng dating kongresistang
si Romeo Jalosjos, binuo ni Tuviera
kasama ng iba pa ang “Eat Bulaga”.
Sa ikalawang taon ng “Eat Bulaga”
ay nalugi ito dahil sa kalaban nitong
palabas sa RPN-9 na “Student Canteen”.
Maituturing na isang himala ang
nangyari sa palabas nang naging patok
ang kanilang patimpalak sa sayawan na
tinawag na Macho Man.
Mula sa isang problema ng
Production Specialist sa PBA, nagbunga
ito ng pamumuno ni Tuviera sa TAPE
Inc.
Mula pa noong 1980’s, ang TAPE
partikular na ang napakamalikhain
nilang
morphology
o
ang
pagkakabuo ng salita, ito ay dati pa,
panahon pa lamang ni Marcos ay
may gumagamit na ng gay lingo,”
aniya.
Kaniya ring inihambing ang
media noon sa kung anong klaseng
media mayroon tayo ngayon.
Ayon sa kaniya, ang programa sa
radyo na “Tambalang Balasubas
at Balahura” ay isang testimonya
ng malayang paggamit ng wika sa
media ngayon.
“Marahil ang pagkakaiba
sa mga gumagamit nito ay
ang
linggwistikong
pananaw.
Halimbawa, kung ang isang
propesor ay lulubusin ang kaniyang
academic freedom at gagamit
siya ng ganitong klase ng wika
(bekimon) sa pagtuturo at kaniyang
mapatutunayan na ito ay mas
mabisa kumpara sa karaniwang
istruktura, maituturing siyang
isang ‘bekimon’ kahit siya ay hindi
kabilang sa third sex,” aniya.
Iginiit naman ni Reyes na
siya ay hindi tutol sa paggamit ng
“bekimon” dahil para sa kaniya,
ito lamang ay isang malikhaing
paggamit ng wika.
“Ang wika ay mayroong kanikaniyang teritoryo. Kung ikaw ay
nasa akademiya tulad ng UST, na
isa sa mga tagapanday ng tamang
istruktura ng wika mula simula’t
sapul, kung ihahambing sa La Salle,
Ateneo, at UP, tayo ay maituturing
na purista,” ani Reyes.
Ngunit para sa kaniya,
ang paggamit ng “bekimon” sa
akademiya ay maituturing na
trespassing dahil sa pamantayan ng
akademikong wika.
“Kung ang akademiya ang
siyang paggagamitan mo ng
‘bekimon’,
maituturing
itong
trespassing dahil ang wika na dapat
Inc. ay nagpapalabas ng mga drama sa
hapon tulad ng “Valiente” at “Kirara”.
Sa kasalukuyan, si Tuviera ang
pangulo at chief executive officer ng
TAPE Inc., habang ang “Eat Bulaga” ay
31 na taon nang namamayagpag sa ere.
Tomasalitaan:
Imis (png) - ngiti
Halimbawa: Ang pagod at puyat
na iginugol ni Carmela sa pag-aaral
ay nagdulot sa kaniya ng imis dahil sa
mataas na gradong kaniyang nakuha.
Mga Sanggunian:
The Varsitarian: Breaktime. Tomo
3 Blg. 1, Abril 2005
The Varsitarian: Tomo XLI, Blg.
7, Hulyo 23, 1969
The Varsitarian: Tomo XLII Blg.
54, Hunyo 18, 1971
9
mamayani rito ay akademikong wika.
Ngunit kung ito ay pangkaraniwang
kuwentuhan at gusto ninyo maging
masaya ang normal na paksa,
ang paggamit ng ‘bekimon’ ay
makatutulong,” ani Reyes.
Dagdag pa niya, ang “bekimon”
ay sagot sa pangangailangan ng tao
na mapaganda pa ang usapan, kung
kaya’t hindi ito agad mawawala sa
dilang Filipino.
“Maaaring lumipas ‘yong tawag
na ‘bekimon’ ngunit ang lalim ng
paggamit nito ng mga mamamayan,
sa palagay ko, ay mahihirapang
kumupas,” ani Reyes.
Aniya, ang kapalasakan ng
wikang bakla ay dahil sa mga
mensaheng gusto nilang ikubli at
dahil sa paghahangad ng mga bakla
na magkaroon ng espasyo sa lipunan.
“Ang mga bakla ay gumagamit
ng ganitong klase ng wika (bekimon)
upang makabuo ng sila ng espasyo
sa isang lipunang masyado silang
nasusupil,” ani Reyes.
Mga Tomasinong ‘bekimon’
Ikinuwento ni Marc Alcala, 20,
ng Conservatory of Music, na siya
minsan ay tinatawag na “Beki” dahil
sa kaniyang paggamit ng “bekimon”.
“Noong unang nauso ang
‘jejemon’
lumabas
rin
ang
‘bekimon’. Kung tutuusin, mas
nauna ang gay lingo kaysa sa sa
kanila (jejemon) ngunit noong
sumikat ang mga jejemon, gumawa
ang gay community ng ‘bekimon’
upang hindi malimutan ng tao ang
gay lingo,” ani Alcala.
Maituturing ni Alcala na “hawahawa” ang pagkatuto ng “bekimon”
dahil siya mismo ay ganito natuto.
Laking gulat niya nang makarinig
siya ng mga tunay na lalaking
gumagamit ng salitang bakla.
“Kahit mga straight guys
din ay minsan gumagamit na nito
(bekimon), kaya nagugulat ako.
Minsan sa text sinasabi nila “haller”
o kaya “echos mo,” kaya natatawa
ako,” ani Alcala.
Tulad ni Alcala, isa pang
Tomasino na aminadong nagsasalita
at gumagamit ng “bekimon” ay si
Shereen de la Cruz, 19, ng Faculty of
Arts and Letters. Dahil sa kaniyang
paggamit ng wika ng mga bakla,
batid niya na siya ay isa sa mga
tinaguriang babaeng bakla.
“Hindi naman ako nasasaktan
kapag tinatawag nila akong babaeng
bakla. Marahil nasabi lang nila iyon
dahil sa aking pananalita, ngunit
para sa akin, ekspresyon ko lamang
iyon,” ani De la Cruz.
Ayon kay De la Cruz, ang
kaniyang pagkatuto ng “bekimon” ay
dahil sa impluwensiya ng kaniyang
mga kaibigang bakla.
“Dahil sa marami akong
kaibigan
na
bakla,
tuwing
nagkakausap kami, marami akong
natututunan na bagong mga salitang
bakla,” aniya.
Dagdag pa niya, nakagagaan
ng kaniyang loob tuwing nakikita
niyang masaya ang kaniyang mga
kinakausap. Ginagamit din ni De la
Cruz ang “bekimon” maski sa hindi
bakla.
“Naiintindihan naman ito ng
lahat dahil ang mga salitang ito
(bekimon) ay hango rin sa salitang
katunog nito, tulad ng ‘crayola’
na
nangangahulugang
umiyak
(cry),” aniya. Patricia Isabela B.
Evangelista
Chinese
FROM PAGE 2
(Comach),
a
campus-based
Filipino-Chinese
community
organization.
Former Comach president
Jaime Siybauco said the exhibit
was a way to make the students
aware of the Filipino-Chinese
friendship.
“ T h e C h i n e s e c o m mu n it y
is of t e n ove rlooked whe n it
comes to our contribution to the
Ph i l ip pi ne s , we wa nt t o show
it he r e i n t he phot o ex h i bit ,”
S i y b a u c o s a i d . D a r e nn G .
Rodriguez
10 Limelight The
Tomas U. Santos
Towazinos
Varsitarian OCTOBER 1, 2010
Art Director: Carla T. Gamalinda
by Rey Ian M. Cruz
by Jasmine C. Santos
Bits of USTe
by Fritzie Marie C. Amar
España Blues
by Patrick C. De los Reyes
Union
FROM PAGE 1
emails; distribution of flyers,
reports; circulation of articles;
posting at bulletin boards and
room-to-room power point
presentations.”
‘”There is no doubt on
the ill will of the respondents
(Fidelity Group)—to discredit
and dishonor my reputation, to
tarnish my name and to advance
their own political agenda for
the USTFU elections held last
February 2010,” Gamilla, who
won the union elections, also
said in his affidavit, a copy
of which was obtained by the
Varsitarian.
Gamilla’s complaint was
‘Great Flood’
FROM PAGE 1
Castillo — an nou nced an
hour later that deans had the
prerogative to suspend classes
in their respective colleges.
By that time, f lood had ruled
over the streets in and around
UST.
Overnight stay
In the Faculty of Arts and
Letters, classes still continued
despite the suspension.
Asian St udies seniors JoMari Rifareal, Ivanah Karla
Vicencio, and Mar y Anne
Maligalig were taking a test
when the f lood began to seep
into the first f loor of the St.
Raymund’s building, where
they were holding their class.
“[While answering], we
were surprised to see water
leaking in the classroom,”
Rifareal recalled.
They threaded through
the rising water to eat at the
car park at around 11 a.m.
and were called to join the
others who were also stranded
up at the AMV-College of
Accountancy multi-purpose
hall. A seminar was supposed
supported by testimonies from
faculty members Raymundo
Melegrito, Rebecca Castro, and
Stephen Querico Buñi.
In a text message, principal
r e s p onde nt Ngo s a id t he
“Fidelity Group” has decided
to exercise self-restraint while
waiting for the findings of the
COP.
“The truth is a defense
against libel and this is the
obje ct ive i n for m i ng t he
(COP) which Gamilla himself
approved, [and] whose inquiry
Gamilla is now undermining
by filing this libel case,” Ngo
said.
COP head Rafael Bautista
declined to comment “to avoid
legal complications.”
L a s t J a n u a r y, t h e
Fidelit y G roup demanded
accountability from Gamilla
and vice president Gil Garcia
for P9.5 million in u nion
f u nds loa ned to proper t y
developer Saturn Resources,
Inc. allegedly without the
knowledge of the union board.
To clean his name, Gamilla
filed a complaint before the
Quezon Cit y Prosecutor’s
Office last February 17 against
Mario Villamor of Sat ur n
Resources.
In a letter to the
Varsitarian last September 24,
Villamor said: “we are doing
everything humanly possible
to settle our accounts with
USTFU. The matter is before
the Quezon City Prosecutor’s
Office.”
‘Poor boy’
to be held that day, but it was
post poned because of the
storm.
Despite having to spend
the night lying on manila paper
and without toiletries, the
three considered themselves
for t u n at e. T he pla ce h a d
ele ct r icit y, cou r t e sy of a
generator, and good facilities
like a television, where they
got updates, water dispensers,
and a rechargeable phone they
used to call home. People
st uck i n t hat hal l pa sse d
time by watching movies and
keeping in touch with friends
and family.
Around 300 Thomasians
s t u c k i n S t . R a y m u n d’s
building were not as
fortunate. The ground f loor
was f looded, there was no
power supply, and there was
not enough food. It was the
same for those in St. Martin
de Porres building.
In an earlier report by
the Varsitarian, Facilities
Management Office Director
Fr. R o b e r t o P i n t o , O. P.
disclosed that they shut the
generators down because the
ground levels were heavily
f looded.
But Ar tlets refused to
transfer to the UST Tan Yan
Kee Student Center nearby,
where there was h ig her
elevation and electricity.
“They (the students) said
they would much rather go
home than move to [Tan Yan
Kee] if they were going to
wal k t h roug h t he f lood ,”
former Artlet Student Council
Auditor Wayne Uyseco told
the Varsitarian a day after
the storm came.
Rifareal com mended
st udent cou ncil of f icials’
a c t ion s on t he sit u at ion ,
consider ing that it was
u nexp e ct e d . He wa s also
thankful that he got medical
assistance from Red Cross
volunteers, who applied first
aid on his wounded foot.
Me a nwh i le, Vic e ncio
said that they felt “luck y
because we never ran out
of food,” which came from
d i f fe re nt donor s l i ke t he
seminary and a doctor from
the UST Hospital.
“We felt sor r y for our
f r iends and block mates
stuck in [St. Raymund’s] and
wished they had gone with
us,” Maligalig added.
Mass destruction
Varsitarian after the lecture.
“He really was the one
who molded us to live simply,”
said
Cielo
MacapagalSalgado, Macapagal’s eldest
daughter.
“What is remarkable and
admirable about President
Diosdado
Macapagal
is
that he rose above his
impoverished childhood to
become one of the presidents
of the republic,” said
Graduate School Dean Lilian
Sison during the opening
remarks.
Rector Fr. Rolando de
la Rosa, O.P. said he was
the only alumnus that was
awarded all the awards that
UST could grant.
Macapagal was elected
as non-Dominican member
of the UST board of trustees.
He was also given
the Golden Cross Award,
the highest citation that
the University gives to an
individual.
Others
who
received the award were
King Juan Carlos of Spain,
President Corazon Aquino,
and Mother Theresa of
Calcutta.
Fondly called “Dadong,”
Macapagal was born on
September 28, 1910 in
Lubao, Pampanga. He died
on April 21, 1997 due to
heart failure, pneumonia,
and renal complications at
the Makati Medical Center.
He had two children, Cielo
Macapagal-Salgado
and
Arturo Macapagal, with his
first wife, Purita de la Rosa,
who died during World War
II in 1943. Macapagal met
his second wife, Evangelina
Macaraeg, in UST. They
had two children, Gloria and
Diosdado Jr.
Macapagal obtained his
Bachelor of Laws (1936),
Master of Laws (1941),
Doctor of Civil Laws (1947),
and Doctor of Economics
(1957) in UST.
Macapagal aced the bar
exam in 1936 with a score of
89.95 percent. Kalaine Nikka
The damages, however,
went beyond the vicinity of
UST. W hen O ndoy swe pt
t he met ro a nd pe r iphe r al
provinces, it left, according
t o t h e Na t io n a l D i s a s t e r
Coordi nati ng Cou ncil, an
estimated P10.5 billion in
r ui ns, d ivided bet ween
infrastructure and
ag r icult u re. The calamit y
also took over 400 lives.
At least 200 Thomasians,
residing in disaster areas,
we re g r avely af fe ct e d by
the situation. Among them
were t hen Accou nt a ncy
junior Camille Ledesma and
Comput e r Scie nce se n ior
Jerome Pascual.
Pascual and his family
had to spend the night at their
house’s rooftop because of the
high waters at the Provident
Village in Mar ikina Cit y,
where 58 people were killed.
“[When the f lood
subsided], we temporarily
settled at our grandparents’
house in Tondo. We came
back the next day to clean our
house filled with mud. We
have not yet finished cleaning
as of this time,” he told the
Varsitarian.
Me a nwh i le, L e d e s m a
and her family, residing at the
Vista Verde Village in Cainta,
R izal, were lef t homeless
after Ondoy left them with
only two cars and a few pieces
of furniture to “start our lives
again.”
Lessons from the flood
For Jasper Timola of the
College of Education, who
opted to brave the waters in
an attempt to go home, the
O ndoy expe r ie nce t aug ht
him to think over a situation
thoroughly.
“We should be patient in
waiting so that we will be sure
of our safety,” he said.
He added that the
University—with the
recent elevation of España
B ou le va r d — s e e m s r e a d y
to face a calamity like what
Ondoy brought.
“I believe t hat UST
o f f i c i a l s , f a c u l t y, a n d
employees have seen the effect
of Ondoy in the University, so
they could already prepare
for better support to students
[in case this happens again],”
he said.
After the Great Flood,
F r. M a n u e l R o u x , O. P. ,
chairman of the UST crisis
management com mit tee,
called for the revision of the
crisis management manual.
Renovations and repairs also
had to be done around the
University.
The Rector also told the
Varsitarian last July that they
are keeping a stock of food
and have bought rubber boats.
A military truck has also been
bought to help deliver food
and other relief items in case
of another calamity.
But for Rifareal,
Vice ncio, a nd Ma l iga l ig,
off icials need to put more
effor t in making sure that
they are geared up for such
situation.
“I hope they do something
about [St. Raymund’s] and
Dapitan. They must fix the
roads,” Vicencio said.
Maligalig noted the good
intentions of having the UST
Sim, but said that there are
more important needs that
mu st b e prov ide d shou ld
the Ondoy situation happen
again.
“Communication is only
one part. They must work on
getting food and toiletries for
those who will get stranded in
the University,” she said.
FROM PAGE 2
Kay C. Grafil
october 1, 2010
Editor: Jeremy S. Perey
The Varsitarian Sports
Tigresses settle
at third place
Everything was worth the wait as Male
Shuttler Ariel Magnaye shouts for joy after
their hard-earned victory in the Finals match
against perennial challenger Ateneo de Manila
University, UST’s first ever championship title in
Season 73.
ISABELA A. Martinez
IT ALL boiled down to experience as
the UST Tigresses tumbled against
defendi ng champions Ad amson
University Lady Falcons, 79-92, in
the Final Four of the UAAP women’s
basketball hostilities at the San Juan
Arena last September 18.
The Lady Falcons propelled a
staggering 10-point lead in the opening
quarter alone, 27-17, and sustained the
momentum down the stretch to clinch
a Finals seat, sending the undersized
Tigresses to a respectable third place.
All the five starters of twiceto-beat Adamson scored in double
digits, headed by Anna Buendia,
who blazed the net with a team-high
22 points. Season 73 Most Valuable
Player Analyn Almasan proved herself
worthy of the title as she registered a
rare triple-double performance of 18
points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists.
Joining the Lady Falcons’ shooting
spree is Katherine Sandel, who chipped
Tigersharks
FROM PAGE 12
behind with 186 points while
Season 72 title holder De La
Salle University was booted
out of the top three after losing
its three-time UAAP Most
Valuable Player Enchong Dee
to graduation.
Team captain Miguel
Carandang ruled UST’s 3-45 gold-silver-bronze medal
rush, capped by his impressive
double-gold act in the 50-meter
breaststroke (31.18) and
200-meter breaststroke (2:26.82).
As if going home with
two gold medal honors was
not enough, Carandang’s pool
supremacy continued without
a hurdle after reaping twin
silvers in 200-meter individual
medley (2:16.39) and 100-meter
breaststroke (1:08.42). He also
clinched a bronze in 100-meter
backstroke (1:04.31).
“As the captain, I was
aiming to win the championship.
I was a little disappointed though
because we were beaten by UP
by a very slim margin, but I was
satisfied as well, knowing that
the whole team did its best,” said
Carandang, a BS Biology senior
from the College of Science.
Michael Godoy joined
Carandang in the limelight,
acing the 100-meter butterfly
after clocking the fastest at 59.13
seconds.
Samuel Alcos likewise
fortified the Tigersharks’ medal
hauling with a silver in the
50-meter breaststroke (31.34)
and two bronzes in 100-meter
breaststroke (1:09.11) and
200-meter breaststroke (2:35.94).
The España-based quartet
of Fritz Agapay, John Resty
Sand court
FROM PAGE 12
Juniors MVP completes RP
selection in FIBA U-18
AFTER leading UST to a runner-up finish in the UAAP juniors’
basketball tournament, reigning MVP Kevin Ferrer has been
tapped to join the Philippine campaign in the 21st Federation
Internationale de Basket-ball (FIBA) Asia U-18 championship
tournament in Sana’a, Yemen.
Ferrer and his team left the country on September 20, two
days before the Philippine squad’s opening game against Saudi
Arabia. He was invited to the team shortly after winning the
Rookie of the Year honors last season.
Also in the selection are Ateneo standouts Kiefer Ravena
and Von Pessumal, ex-Cub Kyle Neypes, and Jeron Teng,
younger brother of UST’s Jeric Teng.
UST’s coaching staff was proud that a home-grown talent
was invited to the national team.
“We may not have won the [UAAP juniors’] championship,
but this goes to prove that UST produces some of the best
players [in the UAAP],” coach Allen Ascue said. “We wish
him the best of luck in playing for our country and we are also
thankful for where he is.”
Ferrer was named MVP with 87.2857 statistical points
followed by Ateneo’s Ravena who had 80.2857. Angelo
Nonato P. Cabrera
Salinggawi dines with the Rector
RECTOR Fr. Rolando de la Rosa, O.P. honored the Salinggawi
Dance Troupe and the Yellow Jackets with a testimonial dinner
at the Central Seminary Gym last September 27 for their thirdplace finish in this year’s UAAP cheerdance competition.
“We are so proud (of you). All the priests enjoy watching
you. Every time you perform, you give us a very beautiful
memory to look back on,” Rector said in his speech.
As a reward, the dance troupe was placed under the
Rector’s office so it could be “really taken care of,” especially
on the occasion of the school’s quadricentennial, according to
De la Rosa.
The Rector said he was considering more practice hours for
Salinggawi members to better prepare them for competitions.
At present, Salinggawi president Mara Gesmundo said
the dance troupe was classified as a school organization, not
a varsity team, even if it was under the Institute of Physical
Education and Athletics.
As such, the dance troupe receive no allowances or food
or dormitory benefits, according to Gesmundo.
“We will look into that,” De la Rosa replied when asked
whether the Salinggawi would receive funds from his office.
“But definitely, the actual dancers, we will try to see if we can
provide (for) them.” FRAULEINE MICHELLE S. VILLANUEVA
11
Ilano caught FEU’s defense
off-guard with his own placement
shots and kills, allowing UST to
inch closer, 13-15. But Pecaña’s
service errors killed UST’s
momentum. Avila’s kill that went
through Ilano’s defense sealed the
game for FEU.
Earlier, UST deprived
second-seeded Adamson
University of a championship
berth after clobbering the tandem
of Gilbert Longavela and Hendrix
Competente, 14-21, 21-18, 15-6.
In the first match of the semi
finals, UST slammed the door on
the University of the Philippinesin
a three-setter, 21-11, 17-21, 15-11.
Fourth place anew
In the distaff side, the Lady
Spikers settled for another fourthplace finish following a third-set
collapse against the dauntless De
La Salle University, 19-21, 20-8,
9-15.
The pesky pair of threetime beach volleyball standout
Judy Caballejo and Lady Spiker
Jane Gonzales bounced back from
a close opening-set encounter by
demolishing La Salle’s Charleen
Cruz and Amanda Villanueva in
the second frame.
UST’s gutsy comeback was
staged by Gonzales who unleashed
a series of long shots for a 7-4
advantage. The España-based duo
rushed to a 16-7 lead toward the
end of the set to eventually tie the
score at 1-all.
UST’s offensive disarray
came after Caballejo and Gozales
stumbled with their attack errors
in the decision set, giving the
opponents an easy advantage, 4-7.
A placement shot from Caballejo
broke the ice for UST, 6-9, but
Villanueva fired her feisty spikes
that eventually gave them the
victory, 9-15.
Last September 11, the Lady
Spikers turned the tables against De
La Salle that earned them the third
spot at the end of the elimination
round, 27-25, 21-17. Anne Marie
Carmela L. Dayauon
Rellama, Vince Rebong, and
Karlo Salonga handed UST
a silver medal in the 200-meter
medley with a second-best time
of 1:56.99. Agapay and Gerrol
Castillo snared one bronze apiece
in the 200 meter backstroke
(2:20.93) and 200-meter
butterfly, (2:20.57) respectively.
In the distaff side, the
rookie-laden Female Tigersharks
saw a déjà vu of their Season
72 campaign after staying at
fourth place in two consecutive
years, bagging one silver and
one bronze medal output.
“Although we did not make
in 11 points, backed by Gretchie Roque
and Khaterine Mangahas, who scored
10 points apiece.
T he Tig resses-t r io of A n n
Leonardo, K ristine Siapoc, and
Juvelyn Andaya gave Adamson’s lead
a mild stir that made it a five-point
game, 40-45, in the early goings of the
third period, but Adamson still owned
the last laugh as Buendia, who barely
missed a two-point field goal with
an impressive 6-of-7 shooting, broke
away with a 12-point fourth quarter
rampage that made it for Adamson.
Leonardo topscored for UST
with 28 points while Siapoc added 12
markers.
Leonardo failed to get enough lift
from ace gunner Mary Joy Galicia,
who was limited to only six points,
while veteran Paola Bombeo was held
scoreless in the whole second half to
finish with a meager four-point output.
R.I.M. CRUZ
it to the top three, it’s already
an achievement for us because
most of us who qualified (in
the Finals) are rookies and they
responded well by beating their
own personal best time,” said
team captain Marvie Borja, who
will play for her last season next
year. “This is a stepping stone
for us so again, we’re back from
scratch and next season we will
prepare for the championship.”
Leyan Ramo did not let
UST go home empty handed
after pursing a silver in the
100-meter butterfly via a1:07.38
clocking.
The Thomasian foursome
of Danielle Sanchez, Irish Cruz,
Gramielle Ambalong, Jazerine
Jamias garnered UST a bronze in
the 400-meter medley (5:19.55).
“The problem is that a lot
of good players entered the other
schools so they got very strong
recruits,” Alcantara said. “They
just need to work harder and to
jell more next season.”
Meanwhile, the junior
Tigersharks continue to prove
that they are pool superstars inthe-making as the girls remained
on top while the boys settled at
second place.
Sports
 Tiger Cub Kevin Ferrer flies to
Yemen for the RP Youth U-18 team’s
international tilt PAGE 11
OCTOBER 1, 2010
 Tigresses defanged by Adamson,
settle for third PAGE 11
The Varsitarian
Hits and misses in UAAP Season 73 wars
Male Shuttlers keep
crown, whip Engles
in badminton finals
Sand court
champions
lose beach
volley crown
By FRAULEINE MICHELLE S. VILLANUEVA
Paddlers sweep
first round
THE UST Tiger Paddlers swept the f irst
elimination round at the expense of the De La Salle
University Green Paddlers, while their female
counterparts registered a more modest 4-2 record
in the ongoing UAAP table tennis tournament.
Rook ies Adolfo Bazar and Ray mond
Manlapaz led the way with a dominant 3-0
victory over La Salle’s Denzel Wong and Earvin
De Pedro in the double’s match at the Ateneo gym
last September 25.
The Lady Paddlers ended the first round with
a heartbreaker against the Far Eastern University
Lady Tamaraws. Rookies VM Lupeba and Rachel
Mendoza succumbed to the tandem of El-jane
Berces and Krech Lamayan, 9-11, 11-8, 8-11, 4-11,
in the double’s match.
The Green Paddlers gave Bazar and Manlapaz
fits in the third set to go up early at 0-4. But UST’s
speedy duo fired back with their block-and-attack
combos to take the lead with Bazar scoring on a
hard spin to punctuate the match at 11-7.
Prior the double’s match, Tiger Paddlers’
Zoren Mend iola su r vived Jerald
Cristobal, 11-9, in the fourth set of
their game. Mendiola’s tough low
spin services managed to strike the
gritty Cristobal out of the deuce and
take the second set, 12-10. After faltering to Cristobal’s nerveracking short ball counters in the third,
the Tiger Paddler came back with
relentless drives to take the final set, 11-9.
Team captain Micahel Paña edged
dominated La Salle’s Ted Yu, 11-9, 11-6, 11-6.
The women’s team could not handle
the Lady Tamaraws’ fiery attacks with FEU’s
Lamayan pummeling UST with five consecutive
points, 1-6, in the fourth and final frame.
Lupeba’s steady forehand drive did little to
hinder the Lady Tamaraws as Lamayan finally
delivered the win with a killer spin to cap the match
for FEU, 4-11. Angelo Nonato P. Cabrera
Tiger Spiker Ilano tips the ball over the outstretched arms of Adamson’s Hendrix Competente in a
dominant UST win.
JILSON SECKLER C. TIU
EXHAUSTION took its toll
on Tiger Spikers Henry Pecaña
and Harby Ilano, denying UST
of a third consecutive title in
the UAAP beach volleyball
competition.
Playing their game of the
day, the duo succumbed to a
well-rested tandem from the Far
Eastern University (FEU), 1221, 16-21, in their championship
encounter at the University of the
East-Caloocan last September 18.
“Our minds were set to win
the game, but our bodies were just
too tired,” Ilano explained.
The UST pair appeared
out-of-sync in the entire match
dropping their first two sets,
against FEU’s Nestor Molate and
Arvin Avila.
Unforced errors from the
defending champions gave FEU
a six-point edge, 7-13, early in
the opening set. Pecaña gave
the Morayta-based tandem a
slight scare with his back-to-back
long shots, but UST eventually
surrendered the set after a solid
hit from Avila.
A series of drops and a clever
placement shot from Molate,
Season 73 MVP, opened the
second set with a three-point lead,
4-7, in favor of FEU.
Sand court PAGE 11
Tigersharks improve to second place, females stay at fourth
By JEREMY S. PEREY
LOS BAÑOS, Laguna –
The vastly-improved UST
Tigersharks weathered the same
old storm to score a decent
runner-up finish, while their
female counterparts remained
at fourth place for the second
straight year in the Season
73 swimming
championship
meet at the
T r a c e
College
MVP Kevin
Ferrer elevates
for a basket
over Ateneo’s Von
Pessumal Photo by
KARLA MIDES C.
TOLEDO
Aquatic Center last September
23 to 26.
“We could have done better
if the water in the pool was in
good condition, which was still
our perennial problem,” coach
Cyrus Alcantara said. “The tiles
were renovated, but not the
water. One and a half month after
the renovation, the swimmers
complained again of toothache
(when they submerge into the
water during training sessions).”
UST, which only finished third
last season with a total of 189 points,
copped a 194 point-aggregate this
year, just seven points shy of
reigning champion University of
the Philippines (UP) that collected
201 points. Third-placer Ateneo
de Manila University was close
Tigersharks PAGE 11
JOSA CAMILLE A. BASSIG
THE UST Male Shuttlers retained their crown for
the second straight season, outsmashing strong
contender Ateneo de Manila University, 3-2, last
September 26 at the Rizal Memorial Badminton
Hall.
The team’s bid to keep the title began in defeat
as team captain Salvador Kapunan bowed down
to Ateneo’s Antonio Gadi, 9-21, 14-21, in the first
singles match.
But national player RJ Ormilla put UST in the
win column as he handed Patrick Natividad a 21-18,
21-15 loss to even the score at 1-1.
The Shuttlers came within a win away from
another title after Ariel Magnaye and Benjude Cajefe
subdued Ateneo’s Paolo Sunga and Justin Natividad,
21-18, 21-16.
But the Kapunan-Ormilla tandem surrendered
to Patrick and Gadi in a back-and-forth affair, 10-21,
20-22, forcing a make-or-break set in the third and
last singles match.
UST’s Magnaye drubbed Sunga in a nail-biting
final match amid the pressure and faults, 17-21, 2116, 21-17, to ultimately secure the gold for the squad.
Magnaye, a rookie, came home with another
prize as he was awarded this year’s MVP. Benjude
was named the Most Improved Player
“I’m very happy because I did not expect this to
happen in my first year of playing,” Magnaye said.
Back to the Final Four
The Female Shuttlers weren’t as lucky as their
male counterparts, yet they were able to make it back
to the Final Four and finish fourth after losing to
the University of the East in their battle for third, 2-3.
Malou Gaspar crushed UE’s Kimberly
Gatpolintan in the second singles match, 24-22,
21-12 and the tandem of Cha Decatoria and Chona
Medina crushed Gatpolintan’s team-up with Rochelle
Andres, 21-11, 21-10 to force a deciding third singles.
But UE’s Fatima Cruz outlasted Rookie
Shuttler Pia Fabros in the final round, 10-21, 13-21,
that confined them to fourth place finish. A Female Tigershark qualifies in the Finals of the 200-meter breaststroke
during the Day 4 of the UAAP pool wars in Los Baños.
Tiger Cubs yield to Ateneo, miss crown
By Angelo Nonato P.
Cabrera
THE UST Tiger Cubs were
outclassed by defending champions
Ateneo de Manila University
Blue Eaglets who captured
the UAAP juniors’ basketball title
via a dominant 76-59 victory in
Game 3 of the finals at the Big
Dome last September 19.
The inexperienced Cubs
found themselves staring at
a 15-point deficit, 35-50,
in the last 3:35
minutes of the third
quarter as Ateneo’s
Von Pessumal sank a
series of jumpers to complement
Paolo Romero’s dominance in the
low-post.
An 11-5 run ignited by Tiger
Cub Ivan Lazaro allowed UST to
come to within five points, 51-56
in the final period. But the Blue
Eaglets showed championship
poise and responded with steady
baskets down the stretch.
“The team is not that strong
compared to last year’s. But they
really showed heart. A lot of people
were not expecting us to reach this
far,” coach Allan Ascue said.
UST team captain Kevin
Ferrer, this year’s MVP, was
limited to only 13 points and
10 rebounds, a far cry from his
35-point explosion in Game 1.
Jaypee Sarcia was only 3 of 15
from beyond the arc.
In contrast, two-time Finals
MVP Kiefer Ravena and Chuckie
Dumrique showcased their
experience as they relentlessly
attacked the post to jack up
Ateneo’s lead in crunch time.
Lambert Tenorio struck the final
dagger on the Cubs with a trey in
the last three seconds of the match. Sarcia led the young UST
squad with 17 markers. Ravena
topscored for the Eaglets with 24
points followed by Pessumal with
15 points. UST (59)- Sarcia- 17, Ferrer- 13,
Corre- 9 Mison- 7, Lazaro-6,
Cabauatan- 5, Gooh-2, Salas- 0,
Ilarde- 0, Florentin- 0.
ADMU (76)- Ravena- 24,
Pessumal- 15, Romero14, Dumrique- 14, Tenorio- 5,
Javelosa- 3, Sacluti- 1, Vitangcol0, Suarez- 0, Puno- 0, Mercado- 0,
Lim- 0, Gamboa- 0, Gadia- 0,
Austria- 0.