Leong Hall: Engaging the World and Making a

Notable Achievements p.3
Outstanding Teachers p.2
Sports p.11
Gawad Kalinga Builder’s
Institute p.6
ASMPH p.5
we build community we nurture hope
October – November 2007
Volume III • Number 3
Leong Hall: Engaging
the World and
Making a Difference
By Eileen Lolarga
THE NEW HOME of the School of Social Sciences, the Ricardo and Dr. Rosita Leong Hall, had its blessing and inauguration on 17 October 2007. Built in a record time of just over 10
months, it stands as a firm testament of how a couple’s inspiration can bring forth amazing results for a University seeking
to engage the world in better and more transformative ways.
In acknowledging with profound gratitude the generous
donation of Ricardo and Rosita
Leong during the inauguration
program, University President
Father Bienvenido F. Nebres,
SJ, said that apart from making
the building a reality, “We have
shared many other dreams with
Ricardo and Rosita—to improve
education and health of our people, to inspire and invite others to
this enterprise of nation-building
and encounter between the cultures in our region, in short, to
make a difference in our country
and in our world.” Fr. Jose M. Cruz, SJ, Dean of
the School of Social Sciences,
likewise, was enthusiastic about
the many energetic and creative
possibilities for scholarly work
that the new environment of the
Leong Hall could bring forth.
Showing his delight at the results
of the building which he carefully
watched over as it rose from the
ground, Fr. Cruz described the
building as “stunningly beautiful” with the trees and the green-
Ateneo revives leadership
in atmospheric sciences
THES-QS Ranks Ateneo as One of
World’s Top 500 Universities
Climate change and the expected
destruction caused by extreme weather
conditions have become major concerns
of countries all over the world. In response to these concerns, the Ateneo de
Manila University is opening a new Master of Science in Atmospheric Sciences
program in June 2008. This program is
expected to contribute to the training of
meteorologists at the country’s weather
bureau, the Philippine Atmospheric,
Geophysical and Astronomical Services
Administration (PAGASA).
The initial batch of students will
be made up of two groups of graduate
students made up of staff members of
PAGASA and applicants to the weather
bureau. The studies of the initial batch
will be funded by the Department of Science and Technology’s Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI). The students
will start with courses preparatory to the
program proper this second semester.
The MS Atmospheric Sciences
program will have three specialization tracks: Meteorology, Air Quality
and Climate Change. The Meteorology
track has the most relevance to PAGASA. The tracks on Air Quality and Climate Change will address the concerns
related to environment and sustainable
development.
The MS Atmospheric Sciences program is being offered under the Department of Physics of the Loyola Schools,
in close collaboration with the Manila
Observatory (MO). The Ateneo and the
MO combined have the largest concentration of PhDs in this area and the best
equipped laboratories.
–www.ateneo.edu
ATENEO DE MANILA University was
ranked as the 451st best university in
the world by the 2007 THES-QS World
University Rankings. Ateneo is the only
Philippine university that increased its
ranking from last year.
The University of the Philippines—
Diliman came in at 398th, De La Salle
University was ranked 519th, and the
University of Santo Tomas was at the
535th place.
“We are happy to be in such a position, but perhaps, this is also the best
time to reiterate what we have been
saying about rankings, in general,” said
Vice President for the Loyola Schools
Dr. Ma. Assunta Cuyegkeng.
“We maintain that rankings like
these (their survey instrument, the
weights they use) don’t reflect our vision/mission. Thus, we will not allow
these to distract us from pursuing our
goals. We will continue to work harder
at being better known in the region
to highlight the leadership and excellence of our faculty and students and
the institution’s contribution to national development. We will continue
to do what Ateneo does best: the total
The inauguration of Leong Hall—the new home of the School of Social Sciences
ery around seeming to be fully
part of the faculty workrooms.
It is truly a “hushed and nurturing place” for students, scholars and teachers alike to wrestle
with gripping social issues of the
day, and also to exert greater efforts toward the understanding
of China—the two related yet
distinct purposes for the support
formation of students and the preparation of students for leadership. This
formation for leadership is what makes
Ateneo the highly regarded university
that it has been for almost 150 years.”
As University President Fr. Bienvenido F. Nebres, SJ, has said: “Rankings in the Times survey are important
because they measure how the world
perceives us. But just as a person has to
take what people think of them in the
context of their own values and priorities, we, too, have to reflect on these
perceptions and measures within our
own view of our vision and mission.
Thus, while we will work on strengthening our research and publications in
ISI journals… we need to do this in a
way that does not move us away from
our vision/mission and our traditional
strengths: leadership formation and
contribution to national development.
These have to continue to be our priorities as a Jesuit university committed
to the service of faith and the promotion of justice and as a university in a
Philippines, whose greatest challenge
is overcoming poverty and national
development.”
THES-QS Ranks of Philippine Universities
School
UP
ADMU
DLSU
UST
2007
398
451
519
535
2006
299
484
392
500
2005
372
520
526
531
of the Leongs for this University
endeavor. Mr. Ricardo Leong, who was inspired by reading Chris Lowney’s
tale of a 450-year old company
that changed the world, responded by sharing his own journey
with the Jesuits that eventually
moved him and his wife to give
substantive support to the “the
passion, dedication and eagerness to learn” which they saw in
the students and the faculty of the
University. He saw heroic leadership in those “driven by love of
teaching, learning, and giving.”
Ateneo is CHED Center
of Excellence in Business
Administration and
Entrepreneurship
The Ateneo de Manila University
was recently designated as a Center
of Excellence (COE) in both Business
Administration and Entrepreneurship
by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).
The designation of the university as
Center of Excellence came about after
a thorough review of the business and
management programs in the Ateneo’s
John Gokongwei School of Management by the Technical Panel for Business and Management Education. The
panel’s recommendation was approved
by the CHED during its special meeting
in October.
In a letter addressed to Ateneo President Bienvenido F. Nebres, SJ, CHED
Chairman Romulo L. Neri thanked
Nebres and the Ateneo for their participation in the COE Program and congratulated them on their achievement.
The Ateneo is now a designated
CHED Center of Excellence in 11
fields: Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, Literature, Philosophy, English,
Psychology, Information Technology,
Sociology, Business Administration,
and Entrepreneurship. In addition, its
Biology and Environmental Science
programs have been designated CHED
Centers of Development.
–www.ateneo.edu
October - November 2007
Making a Difference
through Mathematics
By Christine Mallion
On 18 October 2007, Dr. Catherine
Vistro-Yu was congratulated by President
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in Malacañang
for being named as one of the 2007 Ten
Outstanding Women in the Nation’s
Service (TOWNS) by TOWNS Foundation Inc. The formal ceremony was held
in Dusit Hotel on 26 October 2007 together with the other awardees from the
science, education, journalism and business sectors.
Having taught for 23 years, Dr. Vistro-Yu was recognized for her passion
for teaching mathematics. She helped
found the Philippine Council of Mathematics Teacher Educators (MathTEd),
an organization with a mission to elevate
the standards of mathematics teaching,
learning, and research in the Philippines. MathTEd, spearheaded by Dr. VistroYu with 19 others, worked with the Department of Technology Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI) to create and
implement the national curriculum and
framework for Basic Mathematics Education and Mathematics Teacher Education.
“The TOWNS award is a recognition
of all the efforts that I, my colleagues in
MathTEd, and all mathematics teachers and mathematics educators have
made to raise the quality of mathematics
learning and teaching and mathematics
education research here in our country,”
Dr. Vistro-Yu said.
Her colleague and friend, Dr. Flordeliza Francisco, says the TOWNS award is
“an affirmation of the good things [Dr.
Vistro-Yu] is doing, as well as an inspiration others like her to keep working for
education, to keep working for the future of our nation.”
Dr. Vistro-Yu, who is currently a
professor in the Mathematics Department at the Ateneo de Manila University,
has publishedover 20 journals, articles,
technical papers, reports, and books
combined. The latest publication she
has edited together with 7 other editors
is Internationalization and Globalization
of Mathematics and Science Education.
Closer to home, her service revolves
around her students. “She meets with
her undergraduate students individually
after every unit test to discuss with them
their difficulties and ways to improve
their performance in the next exam. This is truly an example of cura personalis,” shared Dr. Francisco.
Dr. Vistro-Yu, along with Eva Maria
Cutiongco de la Paz, Alyssa Peleo-Alampay, Ma. Corazon Ungria, Hilly Ann
Maria Roa Quiaoit, Glecy Cruz Atienza,
Dina Ocampo, Alexandra Prieto Romualdez, Maria Ressa, and Elizabeth Lee, are
the women who can say they have made
a difference in our country.
Outstanding Woman of the Nation: Dr. Catherine Vistro-Yu
Office of the Vice President for the Loyola Schools
Jet Damazo
EDITOR
Christine Mallion
Assistant Editor
Ronnie Elefaño
LAYOUT ARTIST
Nikka Arcilla, Gary Devilles, Eileen Lolarga, Eeya Litiatco-Martin, Rick Olivares,
Benjamin Jose A. Sipin III, Art Valencia
WRITERS
PHOTOS COURTESY OF:
Teya Sabado, Joanna Ruiz, Nono Felipe, Bong Tiaoqui
WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF:
Connie C. Camacho, School of Humanities; Marivi Cabason, School of Science and Engineering; Anna Galvez, John Gokongwei School of Management; Milet Tendero, School of Social
Sciences; Gia Dumo, web editor; Niña Celeste, ASPAC
Loyola Schools Bulletin © 2007 (ISSN: 1656-8354) is published bimonthly by the Office of
Research and Publications, 2F Gonzaga Hall, Loyola Schools, Ateneo de Manila University,
Katipunan Avenue, Loyola Heights, Quezon City
E-mail: Isbulletin@admu.edu.ph
Mailing address: POBox 154, Manila 0917, Philippines
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ASPAC Outstanding Teachers: Dr. Gregory Tangonan, Dr. Henry Totanes, and Dr. Reginaldo Marcelo
2007 ASPAC Awards:
A Recognition of Teachers’
Vocation
By Christine Mallion
If there is one word that captures
what Dr. Gregory L. Tangonan, Dr. Reginaldo M. Marcelo, and Dr. Stephen Henry
S. Totanes have in common as teachers, it
would be magis—that oft-spoken Latin
word among Ateneans for “more.”
Magis because they gave more than
what was expected, and more than what was
required. Students, fellow teachers, and administrators recognized this and gave them
another thing they now have in common,
the 2007 Ateneo Schools Parents Council
(ASPAC) Outstanding Teacher Award.
Parents have always known the invaluable worth of education for future of
their children. If students have a teacher
who makes a difference in their lives, their
parents would be more than grateful. The
parents of the Ateneo community have
found, not just one, but three teachers—
Dr. Totanes, Dr Marcelo, and Dr. Tangonan—who have made a difference in their
children’s lives, and they have shown their
appreciation by recognizing them during
ceremonies held at the PLDT Convergence
Technology Center on 26 November 2007.
Chairperson for ASPAC Academics
Committee Mrs. Marilu Cabayan says the
ASPAC Outstanding Teacher Award “is a
way of showing our gratitude to them because we recognize their important role as
teachers… their distinctive place co-formators who form students to be competent
people for others. It is a recognition not
only of their service, but their vocation.”
Dr. Tangonan, a faculty of the Department of Electronics, Computer and Communications Engineering (ECCE) who
graduated with a doctoral degree in applied
physics at the California Institute of Technology, was honored with the 2007 ASPAC
Outstanding Part-Time Teacher Award.
He was nominated by ECCE Department
Chair Dr. Nathaniel Labatique who said Dr.
Tangonan’s impact as a teacher was “unparalleled!”
“In just a few years, he succeeded in imbuing the department with a strategic vision
for research and innovation by providing
more than four US patent applications with
colleagues and students on wireless devices,
smart energy, and biomedical engineering,”
said Dr. Labatique
“Every single class every semester,
in fact, every single meeting, is an opportunity to reach out to our students and to
do our part in the Ateneo ideal of forming
them into academically-prepared, spiritually-mature, and socially-responsible men
and women-for-others,” says the 2007 ASPAC Outstanding Junior Teacher Awardee
Dr. Marcelo. Currently an assistant professor for the Department of Mathematics, he
was actually nominated by the 2007 ASPAC Outstanding Senior Teacher Award,
Dr. Totanes, who said Dr. Marcelo “has
shown great consistency and perseverance
in teaching mathematics to a whole generation of students.” Fondly called “Doc T” by his students,
Dr. Totanes is not new to the ASPAC Outstanding Teacher Award, having been the
recipient of the 1993 ASPAC Outstanding
Junior Teacher Award. His passion for Philippine history and dedication to teaching
his students has moved Jason de las Alas
(IV AB History) to nominate him for the
2007 Outstanding Senior Teacher Award.
De las Alas shared how Dr. Totanes’ commitment to teaching has inspired him. “He
teaches Philippine history with touches of
witty humor and insights. He commutes
every weekend from his hometown in Sorsogon to his work in the Ateneo.”
If there is one thing that Dr. Totanes,
Dr. Marcelo and Dr. Tangonan have done
in common, it is that they have engraved
magis in their hearts.
Metrobank Outstanding Teachers Recognized
Metrobank Outstanding Teacher
awardees were recognized once again
during turnover and appreciation ceremonies held on 12 November 2007 at the
PLDT-CTC Building.
Among those recognized were two
Loyola Schools faculty members: History
Professor Ambeth R. Ocampo and School
of Humanities Acting Dean Dr. Benilda S.
Santos, Metrobank Outstanding Teacher
awardees for 2006 and 2007, respectively.
Aniceto M. Sobrepeña, President of
the Metrobank Foundation, Inc., was
present to hand over Metrobank’s contributions to Ateneo’s faculty development,
as part of Mr. Ocampo and Dr. Santos’
awards.
Also recognized were Mrs. Glendale
Belarmino-Lamiseria, the second awardee
from Leyte and first-ever awardee from
Dulag Naitonal High School in Dulag,
Leyte; and Dr. Ruben L. Abucayon, the
second awardee from Surigao del Norte
and first-ever awardee from Alegria National High School. Both are products
of the Master’s programs of the Ateneo
School of Science and Engineering.
Metrobank Foundation initiated the
10 Outstanding Teachers Program in 1985
to bestow honor and due recognition to
exemplary teachers who have shown profound commitment to honing the minds
of the youth, dedication to their craft and
effective educational leadership. The program also aimed to elevate the quality of
education in the Philippines by choosing
outstanding educators to serve as inspiration to thousands of teachers to continue
their selfless mission to change the future
of the country.
VOL. III NO. 3
Notable Achievements
Christine Bellen Bags CMMA Awards
By Gary Devilles
Christine Bellen of the Filipino Department
was awarded the Best Children’s TV Progam for “Ang
Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang” at the recently concluded
Catholic Mass Media Awards (CMMA) held at the Marie
Eugenie Theater of the Assumption College in San Lorenzo
Village, Makati City on 25 October 2007. Together with
the producer, Regine Alba of GMA-7,
Bellen accepted the rock trophies and
thanked the CMMA for acknowledging
her work.
Christine Bellen with Regine Alba
PHOTO COURTESY
OF FILIPINO DEPARTMENT
Bellen works as a story consultant for “Ang Mga
Kuwento ni Lola Basyang,” approving all the scripts for 26
episodes, making sure that any revision is faithful to the
intention and original version of the stories. Bellen has
studied extensively the the Lola Basyang stories for her
masteral thesis and, since then, has been commissioned
by Anvil Press to launch a series of these stories in
children’s book format, with accompanying illustrations
and translation. Last October, Anvil Publishing launched
the 3rd among the series of Lola Basyang stories at
Trinoma Mall. Bellen’s retelling of Lola Basyang has been
successful and continues to attract more readers both
young and adult.
The CMMA gives out trophies to honor the country’s
best values-oriented work in student communication,
radio, television, cinema, music, the internet, and
advertising. Together with Bellen, Fr. Johnny C. Go, SJ,
was also awarded for his children’s book, The Parable of
the Elder Brother.
Courtesy of the Ateneo Debate Society
SEA Write Honors
Michael Coroza
By Gary Devilles
Multi-awarded writer Michael Coroza.
The Southeast Asian Writers Awards,
or SEA Write, honors leading poets
and writers in the ASEAN region. This
year, SEA Write honored the Filipino
Department’s Michael Coroza, a multiawarded poet, in Bangkok, Thailand, on
12 October 2007.
Ateneo Team Emerged Champion
of National Finance Tilt
An Ateneo team emerged as the champion of
the 9th Inter-Collegiate Finance Competition—
the most prestigious annual competition in
finance and accounting, sponsored by Financial
Executives Institute of the Philippines (FINEX).
The Ateneo team was composed of
Andrea Isabel S. Co (IV BSME), Jaime Antonio
Rico M. Cuenco (IV BS Mgt), Clark Jefferson N.
Cue (IV BSME), Jeremy G. Go (IV BS Mgt-H),
and Alfonso Luis D. Maputol (IV BS AMF).
About 69 colleges and universities from
Ateneo Teams Shine in
Programming Competition
Four Ateneo teams ranked among the top 10
in the First Philippine National Inter-Collegiate
Programming Competition (ICPC 2007) hosted by
the Computing Society of the Philippines and held
in De La Salle Canlubang on 20 October 2007.
The team composed of James Choa (1CS),
Wilhansen Li (2CS), and John Patrick Manalo
(3CS) landed 2nd place after UP Diliman, while
the team composed of Ivan John Clement
(1ME), and Clarisse Ligunas (1CS), Jason
Christian Gaguan (1ChACS) placed 4th.
Coming in 7th place were Danna Aduna
(2CS), Thomas Dy (2CS), and Jejomar Dimayuga
Coroza has received major awards
from the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial
Awards for Literature, Talaang Ginto sa
Tula-Gantimpala Collantes, and Home Life
Magazine National Poetry Contest. His
two books of poems, Dili’t Dilim and Mga
Lagot na Liwanag, were both finalists in
the National Book Award for Poetry. As
an oral poet, Coroza has widely performed
the Balagtasan locally and in countries such
as Singapore and Hawaii. He also recently
represented the Philippines in the 10th Kuala
Lumpur International Poetry Reading.
As a staunch advocate for Filipinization,
Coroza also hosts Harana ng Puso, a weekly
radio show over 104.3 FM that features
traditional and classic Filipino songs and
poems. Two years ago, Komisyon sa Wikang
Filipino bestowed upon Coroza a national
award of recognition for his contribution
to the development and promotion of the
Filipino language and literature. SEA Write, which started in 1979, continues
to support writers in ASEAN countries. This
year’s awarding ceremony was held at the
Oriental Hotel in Bangkok, with H.H. Prince
Prem Purachatra gracing the event.
throughout the Philippines participated in
the competition’s elimination round on 21
September 2007, which was held simultaneously
in Pasig City, Cebu City, Bacolod City, and Davao
City. The top 20 teams advanced to the final
round, held last 15 October 2007 at the Bangko
Sentral ng Pilipinas Auditorium in Pasay City,
and were joined by Singapore Management
University. The questions were patterned after
the Level 1 exam for the Chartered Financial
Analyst (CFA) certification.
The team was coached by Dr. Darwin Yu, and
assisted by Dennis Sandoval, who are both are full time
faculty of the Finance and Accounting Department of
the John Gokongwei School of Management.
(4MIS), while in 10th place were Richard Locsin
(4CS), Liza Vila (4CS), and Byron Wang (4CS).
Dr. Pablo Manalastas, Dr. John Paul Vergara,
Ramon Francisco Mejia, Jal de Vera, and Eric
Vidal coached the teams, who bested 48 other
teams from other universities and colleges.
Psych Student One of Top 25
Marketing Management Trainees
Ma. Carissa A. Alejandro, a senior psychology
student, was chosen as one of the Top 25
Marketing Management Trainees of Markprof
Foundation, Inc. She is attending a free sevenweekend training program with industry movers
and shakers as professors.
The victorious Ateneo Debate Society pose with their trophies.
ADS Wins its 7th National Debate Title
Beating more than 130 teams from more than 30 colleges and universities from around
the country, the Ateneo Debate Society (ADS) won its seventh national title in the recently
concluded 9th National Debate Championships. The tournament was held in the Philippine
Military Academy from October 22 to 28.
The final round was a battle between Mikhail Errol Albano (I AB Hum) and Cecile
Ateneo de Manila University and University Danica Gotamco (I AB PoS), ranked 23rd.
of the Philippines Diliman. ADMU-C and At 29th was ADMU-I with Faith Raagas
ADMU-A were on the Affirmative side while (IV BS Mgt) and Hernando Betita III (IV BS
UPD-B and UPD-C were on the Negative ME). ADMU-E remained potent at 30th with
side of the motion “This House is Willing to Adrian Clarc Mundin (III BS ME) and Darren
Pay the Price for Relaxing Anti-Terror Laws Chester Cheng (II BS ME).
to Empower Social Activism Against the Other strengths of the contingent were its
Arroyo Government.” Emerging victorious judges led by the Chief Adjudicator, Sharmila
was ADMU-A, composed of Michael Biscocho Parmanand (AB PoS ‘07), who was the
(III BS ME) and freshman Angelica Simone tournament’s top adjudicator. Beating some
Mangahas (I BS Ch-MSE). Biscocho was also members of the tournament’s own Adjudication
proclaimed the best speaker in the final round Core, Lisandro Elias Claudio (AB Com ‘07)
and for the whole tournament, while Mangahas and Kip Oebanda (MA Eco) were the firstfollowed closely at second. In ADMU-C were and second-ranked non-Core adjudicators.
Pauline Gairanod (II AB PoS) and Stephanie Charisse Borromeo (IV BS ME) ranked fourth
Co (IV BS Psy), who was ranked sixth best and went on to judge the quarter-finals. Patricia
Hernandez (IV AB Meco) placed ninth, while
speaker in the tournament.
Two other ADS teams competed in the Bernadette Marie Angangco (III AB PoS) and
finals series. Semi-finalist team ADMU-B Gayle de Leon (II BS ES) also broke to judge
was composed of Jasmine Cruz (II BS Mgt) the Octo-finals. As Ateneo debaters filled all
and Eleanor Zosa. A student of cultural the rooms, the Ateneo adjudicators could not
anthropology, Zosa tied as sixth best speaker. go on to judge the final rounds.
In the Octo-finals, Vincenzo Tagle (II AB Once again, ADS demonstrated its
Eco) and Danielle de Castro (III AB PoS) dominance in the Philippine debate circuit.
With a stellar performance from the
debated for ADMU-D.
The rest of the debate teams successfully entire contingent, the ADS’s continues its
broke through the elimination rounds. commitment to being the best, most-awarded
Awarded Best Rookie Team, ADMU-F with debate institution in Asia.
Eliza Diaz (IV AB Eu) and Shiveena Parmanand To impart excellence to the next generation,
(I AB Psy) ranked 11th. Following closely the ADS hosted the 6th Philippine Schools
at 12th was ADMU-G, composed of Joseph Debate Championship, the country’s largest
James Alcantara (IV AB SoS) and Stephanie and most prestigious national high school
Poon (III BS Psy). ADMU-H, composed of debate tournament, on 7–11 November.
Freshman Bags First Place
in Regional Statistics Quiz
Daniel Andrew O. Tan (1 BSM AMF) bagged the
first place at the 16th Philippine Statistics Quiz—
Regional Finals held on 13 November 2007 at
the Makati City Hall, beating representatives
from 12 other competing schools from all over
Metro Manila. Mapua Institute of Technology
and UP–Diliman landed the second and third
place, respectively.
Tan represented the National Capital Region
in the national finals on December 4, 2007 at
the Bureau of Soils and Water Management,
Diliman, Quezon City. Ramil T. Bataller, of
the Mathematics Department, coached the
contestant. This activity was sponsored by
the National Statistics Office and Philippine
Statistical Association.
Ateneo Team Rules ECE Blitz
An Ateneo team beat 17 other schools to emerge
as champions of the ECE Blitz 2007 held at De La
Salle University–Taft on 17 November 2007.
The winning team, ADMU Team 2, composed
of Lester Lofranco (V BS ECE), Jimson Ngeo (V BS
ECE), and Jerome Limkin (IV BS ECE), also finished
the second round of eliminations on top.
ADMU Team 1, composed of Adrin del
Rosario (V BS ECE), Emarc Magtanong (V BS ECE),
and David Joseph Tan (IV BS CoE), finished fifth.
October - November 2007
Registration: from the hallway to the
information superhighway
BY Eeya Litiatco-Martin
“Click, click, done!” wrote one student at the REGCOM’s
feedback board as registration in all undergraduate year levels officially
catapulted from the hallway to the information superhighway. Thanks
to personalized Ateneo Integrated Student Information System (AISIS)
accounts activated through a quick process that required the student’s
awareness and initiative, advisement, enlistment, and assessment were
only a virtual hop, skip, and jump away. It was virtual reality with the
fingers—not the legs—doing the “walking.”
Afterwards, students only had to print
out the assessment form and pay the tuition fee. Manual registration, however,
still went on as a safety net for students
who were unable to enlist online, such
as those who failed to activate their accounts or who had back subjects. A timeframe of three days were given to freshman
and sophomore students to enlist online;
whereas junior and senior students, to accommodate the increased diversity of their
subjects, were given four days.
Each year level was further broken
down into random numbers, with each
batch of random adhering to a specified
five-and-a-half (5 ½) hour time slot. The
remaining days of each particular year
level’s registration period were dedicated
to those who missed their time slots. It is
a system easily accessible anywhere in the
world with even some Ateneans abroad
applauding the smooth flow of this year’s
online enlistment.
“It was really fast. There weren’t any
problems. No slowing down and no server
problems, whatsoever,” says Maria Pamela
Punzalan, V-AB Lit, on recounting her online enlistment experience.
For REGCOM (registration committee), the army of student volunteers
whose long-standing tradition of serving
the Ateneo community before, during,
and after the registration process, their
task has been made more manageable. Normal preparation procedures had still
taken place such as handling registration
forms, grades, allotting venues and the
like, but the number of students who still
had to go through manual registration
had been lessened. “Most students commented that the registration for this semester was fast and hassle-free,” says Camille Cua, a REGCOM member. “Batching actually worked for the students
because they were given a fair chance to
choose the subjects they like.”
Complaints were limited to classes
that had already been closed and students
who weren’t able to enroll in their enlisted classes because of certain restrictions. Some haven’t been able to activate their accounts, while a few voiced out that their
servers were slow which hampered the
speed of their online enlistment. Although the system is admittedly not
yet perfect, the earmark success of on-
line enlistment was a far cry from last
semester’s when seniors sang a different
tune. Then the last leg of the internet
enlistment’s dry run spanning four semesters, the system was bogged down by
the massive influx of senior students accessing their AISIS accounts at the same
time. Exceeding its maximum capacity,
the server slowed down to a painstaking
turtle’s pace. It was a lesson learned the
hard way, but a lesson learned well.
Says Mr. J.J. Agtarap, Registrar of the
Ateneo, “When you have a new system …
inevitably there will be problems. We’re
improving as each semester comes and
hopefully, things will get better.”
This further underscored the need for
segmentation so as not to overwhelm the
server and uphold its stability. The registrar’s office implemented the “batching
system” on the subsequent online enlistment of the sophomores, a development
that proved to be most effective in addressing latency issues and ensuring optimal performance. Prior to the senior and
sophomore’s online enlistment in the first
semester, relatively favorable results from
previous dry runs in the second semester
(for early registrants) and summer of the
last school year (for sophomores and early
registrants) were noted.
Cyberspace revolutionizes
registration
Mr. J.J. Agtarap set the wheels in motion when he assumed office in 2001. Immediately, he saw through the major stages in the revolution of registration in the
Ateneo—from a completely manual registration that took several lines and one
to two days to accomplish, to the “one
stop shop” where encoders enlisted each
student in all of their classes. In plotting
the course en route to the implementation of online registration, the registrar’s
office and the MIS office decided against
eliciting outside help in constructing the
systems’ platform through an external
solutions provider. Instead, the radical
decision to nurture it from conception to
infancy was embraced.
It was an uphill migration to cyberspace
and each stepping stone had its own fair
share of setbacks. The first major leap was
the implementation of the intranet and random-number based “one stop shop” using
the AISIS. Its revised version (AISIS2) was
released in 2005 that eventually evolved to
the online enlistment system. But the best
news is not only does AISIS2 enable students to enlist online, it likewise serves as
a portal to the Individual Program of Study
(IPS), which contains each student’s basic
information and allows students to view
their academic profile and progression in
the curriculum.
On to the next step:
expanding the system and literally
eliminating the paper trail
Mr. Agtarap ascribes this semester’s accomplishment to the teamwork of the entire
school; and acknowledges it as the brainchild and achievement of each and every
sector of the Ateneo community that contributed to its development. AISIS online,
he says, was the fruit of a (well-synchronized) collaboration between the registrar’s
office and the MIS department, with the
latter designing the groundwork of information system. The academic departments
provided and organized the heart and soul
of the enlistment process, the classes; while
the student body’s feedback and inputs
were the spicy ingredients that stirred to
perfection its formula for success.
Siddharta Perez, IV-AB Arts Management, provides her two cents’ worth missive on the newly unveiled system. “It
drastically improved from last semester.
It’s more efficient for people who managed to get to their online accounts. There
were minimal or no technical difficulties
encountered when they made use of the
random numbers and batching system.
However they should increase their information dissemination efforts to remind
students to activate their accounts because
there still were a handful of people who
failed to do so.”
Efforts are now focused on safeguarding
its stability and enhancing its performance.
In this light, Mr. J.J. Agtarap further envisions expanding the internet enlistment
system to the graduate schools and discarding grade sheets and registration forms
altogether.
Listening to Loyola Schools Faculty Members
By Erlinda Eileen G. Lolarga
The first semester saw Loyola
Schools faculty members and administrators engaged in discussions
about the vision and mission of the
Ateneo de Manila University as a
Catholic, Jesuit and Filipino university in the age of globalization.
In the light of the new five-year
Ateneo Loyola Schools Strategic
Plan, which has a new vision that
adopts an Asian perspective and pursues internationalization, it seemed
timely for faculty members and administrators to tackle these issues as
they affect University directions and
their work as formators. Dr. Benjamin T. Tolosa Jr., Chair of
the School Forum, presided over the
gatherings and explained that these
were opportunities for the faculty
members to continue conversations
about what it means to promote a
culture of formation in the Ateneo. Dr. Tolosa summed up the discussions during the forum on the
Ateneo as a Catholic and Jesuit university by saying that Ateneo has become increasingly less homogeneous
and with different dimensions of Catholicism.
While, perhaps, Ateneo’s identity
as a Jesuit university is already clearcut and well-established, with regard
to its Catholic identity, however,
much remains to be done. There are
still more areas for growth, such as
regarding the values conveyed to
students, social justice thrusts, how
the Ateneo is projected to the world
outside, and whether Ateneo reaches
out to the students’ parents and the
alumni. During the forum on Ateneo as a
Filipino university in an age of globalization, Dr. Filomeno Aguilar Jr.
of the History Department talked
about the issues of inequalities in
Philippine society and the dangers
of understanding Filipino in an elite
sense. He encouraged people to become inclusive and to develop in our
students “an appreciation of their
Filipino-ness in all its diversity.”
Dr. Fernando Zialcita of the Sociology-Anthropology Department,
on the other hand, shared his ideas
on the paradoxes of globalization,
on what a Filipino university is all
about, and on the Ateneo in the global forum and what it can contribute
in terms of research, entrepreneurship, and advocacy.
Finally, Dr. Antonio La Viña,
Dean of the Ateneo School of Government, elaborated on the School
of Government’s thrusts to address
the needs of local governments and
local communities.
VOL. III NO. 2
ASMPH
Photos by Teya Sabado
Training ground for
doctors of the future
Doctors of the future, physician-leaders who dare
to redefine health and how health is accessed and delivered
in the country, now have the Ateneo School of Medicine
and Public Health (ASMPH) as their training ground.
On 23 November 2007, the ASMPH
at the Don Eugenio Lopez Sr. Medical
Complex in Ortigas City, was inaugurated
and blessed. The event was graced by
directors and executives of the Ateneo and
its partners and donors, namely, the Lopez
family, Meralco, The Medical City, the
Ching family, and the Salim Group.
Ribbon Cutting
Dedication markers were unveiled at the
foyer of The Medical City and the entrance to
the ASMPH, as well as several rooms within
the new building: The Ching Tan Hall and
Chung Te Auditorium on the ground floor
and the First Pacific Center for Health and
Disease Control on the third floor. Ateneo
President Fr. Bienvenido Nebres presided
over the blessing rites, assisted by Frs.
Catalino Arevalo, Romeo Intengan, Filoteo
Mangulabnan, Manuel Perez, and Errol
Mananquil.
These markers now stand to immortalize
the successful collaboration of kindred
institutions and individuals to realize their
shared dream which is the ASMPH. The
edifice was built in a record nine months by
a team composed of architects Dan Lichauco
Unveiling the marker
Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health
and Peter Ong of Archion, construction
manager SP Castro, quantity surveyors Davis
Langdon and Joy Arreola, and contractor
Gerry Esquivel of ASEC.
During the program held at the Chung
Te Auditorium, Dr. Alfredo RA Bengzon,
Vice President for Professional Schools of
Ateneo and Dean of the ASMPH, posed
the question to the audience: What is
the meaning and significance of today’s
celebration for you and me and the
communities of our beloved country and
indeed the world beyond?
“Each one of us is being asked to
install a counter-culture that recognizes
and believes that we are co-responsible
for our own health and we can act on that
by coming together through institutions
such as TMC and ASMPH, and in our
communities,” Bengzon said.
He concluded by saying that that
the three words by which we should
understand, feel and act on health are
Excellence, Equity and Leadership.
Meanwhile, Fr. Nebres took the
audience back in time to almost 500
years ago, when “a band of nine young
men decided to follow a visionary leader
named Ignatius Loyola and undertook an
innovative and daring journey.”
They would eventually form a religious
order different from all that had gone
before, the Society of Jesus. They dared
all this, because they saw it as the way to
respond to the new and great challenges of
their time, he said.
“We dare all this too, not just to be
innovative and daring. We do this because
we see it as the way to respond to the new
and great challenges of our time,” Nebres
First batch of ASMPH students
makes medical history
by rick olivares
On 2 July 2007, the Ateneo School of Medicine and
Public Health (ASMPH) formally opened for classes
beginning with a Mass of the Holy Spirit at the Augusto
M. Barcelon Auditorium on the sixth floor of The Medical
City Podium, Ortigas Avenue, Pasig City.
The Mass was celebrated by Ateneo President
Bienvenido F. Nebres, SJ, and was attended by
Dr. Alfredo RA Bengzon, dean of the ASMPH; Dr.
Maria Eufemia C. Yap, associate dean; Dr. Ma. Luz
S. Casimiro-Querubin; director for Academic Affairs
and Faculty Development; members of the Ateneo
Board of Trustees; donors; the faculty of the ASMPH;
relatives and friends. Each student was given a special
ASMPH jacket to commemorate his or her belonging
to the pioneer batch of Ateneo medical students.
First batch of ASMPH students pose with faculty and administrators
A total of 75 students out of the 150 applicants
enrolled in the school. According to Dean Bengzon,
the total number of enrollees was higher than their
prognostications. Forty-five percent of the enrollees
graduated from the ADMU while 25 percent came
from UP, 10 percent from DLSU, 10 percent from UST,
and the remaining 10 percent from other schools
like the southern Ateneo schools, FEU, and St. Louis
University in Baguio.
Harvy Joy Liwanag, who graduated with a BS Biology
degree from Ateneo in 2006 and is with the ASMPH
pioneer batch, described the atmosphere of opening
day “as one of excitement and pride.”
“Some quarters are speculating that the school will
fail to produce the doctors our country needs,” said
Liwanag during a break
from one of his classes.
“We don’t understand
the
negativity
when
many of the products (of
other schools) have left
the country. But we’re
all determined to make a
difference.”
After opening day, and
while the actual ASMPH
building was in its final
stages of construction,
the non-laboratory classes
were held at Rockwell. A
month and a half later, the
students finally transferred
to the finished facilities for
stressed as he thanked all those who shared
and believed in the ASMPH journey.
Messages were likewise given by
Dr. Augusto P. Sarmiento, chairman
of the board of The Medical City; Mr.
Benny S. Santoso, executive director of
Salim Group; Mr. Benjamin G. Ching,
executive vice president of La Suerte
Cigar and Cigarette Factory; Mr. Felipe
B. Alfonso, vice chairman of Meralco;
Mr. Oscar M. Lopez, chairman of the
Lopez Group of Companies; and Mr.
Manuel V. Pangilinan, chairman of the
board of Ateneo.
The ASMPH Class of 2012, the first
batch of ASMPH students, showed a
heartwarming audio-visual presentation on
their experience as doctors in the barrios
and other depressed areas and what made
them answer the call to becoming doctors
of the future. Dr. Ma. Luz CasimiroQuerubin, ASMPH director for Academic
Affairs, was master of ceremonies. The
Ateneo College Glee Club delighted the
audience with their music.
ASMPH offers a dual degree MD/ Master
in Business Administration program. It
trains students who dream of becoming
doctors who are also leaders, who bring
healing and transformation through
health. ASMPH is a product of over ten
years of intense preparation by leaders in
the fields of medicine, management and
public health. The school draws from the
collective strengths and expertise of the
Loyola Schools of the Ateneo de Manila,
the Health Unit of the Ateneo Graduate
School of Business, and its partner training
hospital, The Medical City.
—www.ateneo.edu
their Anatomy classes at the New Medical City.
“It’s a nice school,” gushed Liwanag. “I can’t wait to
see the finished campus. It will be more conducive to
learning.”
During the opening, Dean Bengzon took the time to
explain the importance of putting up the ASMPH and the
types of doctors they hope to produce: “This school’s going
to turn out doctors who are going to be clinicians who are
going to look after the care and health of individuals. They
will be concerned with and especially skilled in looking after
the health of populations -- not just of individuals. And
more important than that, they are going to be shaped
as social catalysts. If health is a fundamental human right,
then everybody is entitled to it.”
Father Nebres annotated Dr. Bengzon’s vision for
the ideal Filipino doctor with one of the dean’s favorite
anecdotes, “Dr. Bengzon met this midwife in Abra. He
says when he first met her, the (people there) told him,
‘Doc, you know this midwife here, she’s just recovering
from gunshot wounds because she was caught in an
NPA-military crossfire.’ She was not fully recovered but
she wanted to go back to her mission station. And when
Dr. Bengzon asked her why she was going back when
she was not totally well, the midwife replied, ‘Because,
nobody will be there to take care of the people.’
“Dr. Bengzon found out six months later that she
had died. And he was very very sad when he found out
the manner of her death. She was bringing medicines.
In Abra, there is a river that winds and she had to
cross the river several times. All the while carrying this
backpack of medicines. And she was just carried away
by the river.
“That’s heroic public health. And I think this is a
symbol of what you want to attend to. That’s what
convinced us to put up this school. We know it will
not be easy. It will not be easy to bring these cultures
together. But we have to try. Because it’s only when we
can bring the cultures of the clinicians together with the
culture of these midwives down at the grassroots that
we’ll really solve the health problems of the country. So
it’s a very ambitious goal but if we succeed even half
way, it will be a great contribution to the country.”
October - November 2007
Gawad Kalinga Builders’ Institute
Bridging Schools
and Communities
By Eeya Litiatco-Martin
It is a coming together of compassionate hearts, spurred on by the spirit of volunteerism;
a synergy of minds stirred into transforming vision into reality. It is the fulfillment of a promise
that was borne out of the act of witnessing and bringing forth genuine results.
Gawad Kalinga is more than just about
building houses and sustainable communities; it is a well-oiled mechanism of change
involving various sectors of society dedicated
to eliminating poverty. And behind the assembly of helping hands is the need for a
systematic approach to widen the channel
of change and guide its flow towards tapping
into the best resources available.
Thus, the Gawad Kalinga Builders’
Institute (GKBI) was established as GK’s
active partnership with a national army
of organizations, each spearheaded by an
educational institution—truly making it a
concrete embodiment of the uniquely Filipino custom of bayanihan, an age-old valued practice that the GK has successfully
and faithfully lived out.
Response of the
Academic Community
GKBI is the response of the academic community to the challenge to reach out to the
poorest of the poor, alongside the swift nationwide expansion of Gawad Kalinga. And GKBI
of the Ateneo School of Governance (ASoG)
is the first to respond to this call. Says Mark
Lawrence Cruz, head of operations, the GKBI
harmoniously serves a three-pronged purpose
in its support of GK’s growth: as a think tank, as
a movement, and as a learning institution. As a think tank, it is equipped with “engineers” that strategize and scrutinize operations,
as well improve the layout of the GK’s programs
and documentation. Each GKBI has its own
specialization—food production, child and
youth development, etc. The Builders’ Institute
of ASoG, with its rich field of expertise (it has
a wide pool of committed professionals ready
to respond to the “commissioning” call), forges
partnerships with local government units to aid
in the implementation of GK’s programs and its
system of volunteerism in their respective communities. GKBI is likewise a movement among
schools—a response to the clamor for concrete
results that belie the perceived, often lip-service
of some socio-civic bodies to mere ideals. It
compels the educated to take action, armed as
they are with the proper tools to deliver. After
all, as Mr. Cruz aptly points out, education is
more than just fostering the brightest minds
to discuss theory and put it onto paper. GKBI
aims to sow awareness and inspire a patriotic
desire among students to tangible conclusion
by encouraging—in fact, impelling—them to
participate in the GK builders’ institute projects
– educating the educated, if you may, on what
they can truly do for their fellow countrymen. It makes a simple but powerful statement: This
is what’s happening and this is what’s needed
to be done.
This movement leads to learning and relearning. According to Baby Tongco Cabiao,
former mayor of Nueva Ecija and now GKBI’s
executive director, it creates a venue for a fruitful exchange between the institute and public
servants of particular regions. It is where the
sharing of ideas takes place, where collaborative efforts begin to improve and implement
programs geared towards addressing poverty
and nation building. But before embarking on
New Loyola Schools Administrators:
Ateneo de Manila University
Loyola Schools
JOSE EDUARDO E. CALASANZ
ASSOCIATE DEAN
FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
When Jose Eduardo E. Calasanz was offered the position of Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (ADAA), he
accepted it blindly, despite the absence of details, knowing
that he would not benefit from the usual turnover phase
from an incumbent. At the time, his predecessor, Fr. Jose
Cecilio Magadia, SJ, was already in New York on a new assignment from the Jesuit Philippine Provincial.
He accepted the offer with just two things in mind: that
it would be interesting, and that this new opportunity for
service will make him happy.
While the job is new, the environment is very familiar
Shaping Things to
to Calasanz, or Eddieboy, to friends. Ateneo will never be a
strange land to him, having served the University in varied
capacities since 1974. Looking back, he says he was able
to easily adjust to the new job, thanks to constant e-mail
communication with Fr. Magadia and to the support of his
competent and experienced staff.
During the first semester, he focused on students with
academic problems. Together with the Standards Committee, the Guidance Office, and other pertinent units of the
Loyola Schools, his office established a system to monitor
students on probation.
In the second semester, he looks forward to working on
curriculum and benchmarking concerns. In coordination
with the Curriculum Committee, he wants to review and
streamline certain procedures, such as those related to the
review of the bulletin of information and course descriptions, rationalizing of catalogue numbers, and guidelines
for program reviews. With regard to benchmarking and
quality assessment—an entirely new field for the ADAA office—they will work with the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU).
On top of his ADAA responsibilities, the associate dean
still finds time to teach Metaphysics and Medieval Philosophy at to graduate students, and Philosophy of Religion to
undergraduate students.
of the Department of Theology), began a family. She then
ventured into freelance consultancy, specializing in human
resource training. With their sons Marco and Paolo now aged 7 and 4,
respectively, she believes it’s time to re-join the workforce
Being the Director of the Office of Student
Activities (OSA), is a homecoming of sorts for Pia Sandra
Nazareno-Acevedo. For four years, she was a part time faculty member of the University’s Department of Theology—a
job she had to give up when she and husband, Jim (also
DIRECTOR,
OFFICE OF STUDENT ACTIVITIES
Ateneo de Manila University
Loyola Schools
PIA NAZARENO-ACEVEDO
VOL. III NO. 3
any program, the institute ensures that there
would be enough caretakers to administer its
execution. As a learning institution, the seminars and workshops conducted by the institute
not only enlighten its participants on the plight
of the poorest sector of their jurisdiction, but
also heavily invest in researching, promoting,
and training volunteers. Working with LGUs
Although still at its infancy, GKBI, as a network of organizations, already has a number of
well-received projects. One of these is Ateneo’s
partnership with UP’s GKBI for Social Justice
– the Township Development Summit. An annual gathering, this year saw 120 mayors congregating and listening to what the institute has
to say. With more and more local government
units (LGUs) eagerly engaging in the program,
the task of the GBKI to orchestrate a schematic
and methodical approach to GK’s projects became even more essential. Perhaps the most
important question that the summit addresses
is: how do you gather your people to work together in building sustainable communities? The team also worked with the LGU’s existing
programs, evangelizing them into employing
GK’s tried and tested model in carrying out
programs for the poor.
Says Mr. Cruz, “You just don’t build good
programs, you build relationship with your
people,” (an interaction) which involves “transforming our largest liability into our biggest asset.” Mr. Cabio agrees: “As a mayor, you really
have to invest in your people—channel the best
schools to adopt communities, for these communities to become social laboratories.”
Through these partnerships with LGUs,
the Ateneo’s GKBI is aiding in the expansion of
GK’s reach. Mr. Cruz believes that the formation of the GKBI as a national movement of academic institutions was “an idea whose time has
come.” University President Fr. Bienvenido F.
Nebres, SJ, was one of the first to take notice of
GK’s potential for tremendous growth, encouraging GK to start building the infrastructure for
its nationwide expansion. The team that now composes the Ateneo’s
GKBI has been creating the template of the
national institute since early this year, with its
first branch simultaneously formed in Ateneo.
Even before the Ateneo branch was formally
launched on September 17 of this year, the
team had already been actively involved in its
first major activities all over the country, including training of its trainers and a national
core workshop where the campaign to promote
GKBI began.
Bridging Schools and Communities
To date, GKBI has 10 branches in 10 academic institutions nationwide, and has sparked
interest that is spreading like wildfire. GKBI
serves as a bridge between schools and the
communities, and functions as an avenue for
people to make use of their learning and participate in nation-building. It also works, in
a sense, as a training ground for
the participating schools in their
pursuit to empower the uneducated, thus extending the
walls of the classroom to the
community. GK’s target to eradicate poverty in the country is neither a lofty ambition nor a pipe dream.
The evident, dramatic
change in the people and
the communities that GK has worked in has inspired
many to invest their time,
intellect, and energy to work
hand in hand with GK towards
reaching this goal. Mr. Cruz lays
a stake on this claim, brazenly declaring, “If you channel the best of your
energies to the poorest of the poor, you get
something beyond your wildest dreams.”
What is in store for GKBI? Integrated
within GK’s four-point objective dubbed the
GK 300, it is divided into the GKBI National
Network, GK Builders Corps Global Campaign, GKBI Capital Fund, and GK Builders
Corps Fund.
The National Network envisions establishing GKBI in 300 schools by 2008, while
elevating volunteerism from its current status
as a sideline venture, to an intrinsic part of curriculums and activities.
The Capital Fund, on the other hand, aims
to raise P300 million for 300 institutions, in
line with GKBI’s expansion efforts. It provides
corporate endowments, university budgets,
alumni support, and foreign funding.
GKBI’s partnership with GK likewise
endeavors to bear fruit in GK’s mission as inscribed in its Builders Corps Global Campaign
and Builders Corps Fund. The former aims to
draw up a 300-strong legion of full time professional volunteers to engage in the GK’s proj-
ects from schools in the nation and beyond. In fact, among the first batch of builders’ core
are foreigners who have pledged to spend six
months to a year actively pursuing GK’s projects. The latter aims to raise P75 million for the
300 builders working full time with GK for 1–2
years, which covers self-funding, corporate/
university hiring, and foreign funding. GK, which is one of the first to lay and
nurture the culture of volunteerism in the
country, is now a celebrated nationwide phenomenon. The world has stood up and taken
notice of this extraordinary movement of
hearts and minds that are committed to uplifting lives of our fellow countrymen and making poverty a thing of the past. GKBI presents
yet another opportunity for Ateneans to truly
pursue the cause of being men and women for
others—not as a mere institutional branding
but as a principle felt and spoken, and driven
by sheer love of God and country.
By EILEEN LOLARGA
Come
full time, and the position of OSA Director has the right
combination of things she considers her elements: students
and human resource training.
Her experience in human resources training served
her well as she began to tackle the task of managing student formation and activities at the Loyola Schools. Viewing this new job as one big and continuing consultancy
case, Nazareno-Acevedo says that, like in the corporate
world, her number one concern is to give her clients the
best service she can. With OSA, her clients are the student
leaders and the administrators of the various units working closely with the office. And to these new clients, she
will definitely give her best.
Believing in the importance of dialogues, she initiated
a needs analysis survey, interviewing students and other
stakeholders directly involved with OSA. She also directed
a review of existing OSA policies and procedures that could
be hampering student creativity. From the information she
gathered, she realized the differing needs of each organization. Thus, OSA was directed towards customizing services
and always delivering efficient service. She is happy with the general assemblies organized by
her office where various needs of the student groups are
taken up, such as fundraising methods, accounting systems and financial report preparation, and the needs for
policies and group discipline. She also shared that OSA has
been designated to spearhead the launching of the Leadership Institute.
This second semester, she looks forward to mentoring faculty and administrators who serve as moderators
of students organizations; doing more collaborative work
Ateneo de Manila University
Loyola Schools
DR. KARINA GALANG-FERNANDEZ
COORDINATOR,
TEACHER FORMATION INSTITUTE
with other offices of Loyola Schools, including tapping the
School of Government as a partner for projects; and institutionalizing a performance management system for all
students organizations.
Dr. Karina “Cara” Galang-Fernandez joined
the Loyola School Faculty Formation Team last April
2007, upon the invitation of Dr. Ma. Assunta C. Cuyegkeng, when the former coordinator of the Teacher Formation Institute (TFI), Dr. Elizabeth Macapagal, was
made chair of the Psychology Department. Having been a TFI facilitator, she knew that the
work was very much related to her interests: helping
people develop and realized their full potential, both in
personal and professional realms. Soon after her accepting the assignment, she felt that
she was literally thrown into the ocean to swim, because
immediate preparations for the TFI for full time faculty
members that summer had to be done. In big bold letter, she said she encountered, “NO PROBLEM”. Key to this, she says, is how everybody has been
very supportive. In fact, the whole Faculty Formation
Team is so “disgustingly” passionate about their work,
that their attitude just carries her along like a rushing
tide. The positive response from their “clients”—the
faculty members themselves—boosts her morale too.
Cara holds an M.A. in Human Development from
Boston College, and completed her doctoral studies in
Clinical Psychology at the Ateneo de Manila University. Even with her teaching and research work, she still
finds time to practice clinical psychology for children,
adolescents, and young adults. When she leaves school
to come home, a different part of her is enriched as she
assumes her role as mother to Nina (7 years old) and
Inggo (4 years old), and wife to soy milk entrepreneur
Baba Fernandez.
October - November 2007
December 15 to 23, Church of the Gesù
Saturday, 15 December
6:30 PM Ateneo Chamber Singers Mini
Christmas Concert
8:00 PMRecitation of the Holy Rosary to be led
by Pres. Corazon C. Aquino
8:30 PM Mass
Presider: Fr. Catalino G. Arevalo, S.J.
Choir: Ateneo Chamber Singers
Sponsor: Ateneo Alumni Scholars
Association
Sunday,
8:30 PM
16 December
Mass
Presider: Fr. Louie S. David, S.J.
Choir: Dulaang Sibol
Sponsor: High School 1982
Monday,
8:30 PM
17 December
Mass
Presider: Fr. Manoling Francisco, S.J.
Choir: Ateneo High School Glee Club
Sponsor: ISO CRC Project
Tuesday,
8:30 PM
18 December
Mass
Presider: Fr. Adolfo Dacanay, S.J.
Choir: Ateneo College Ministry
Group
Sponsor: Ateneo Schools Parents’
Council
Wednesday, 19 December
8:30 PM Mass
Presider: Fr. Raymund Benedict
Hizon, S.J.
Choir: Alumni Glee Club
Sponsor: Alumni Glee Club
Thursday, 20 December
8:30 PM Mass
Presider: Fr. Mario Francisco, S.J.
Choir: Kinema
Sponsor: Ateneans in Globe
Telecom
Pretty SOM ladies
Scorecard unveiling
Friday, 21 December
Hangad Mini Christmas Concert
8:30 PM Mass
Presider: Fr. Daniel Patrick Huang, S.J.
Choir: Hangad Sponsor: College 2001
Saturday, 22 December
Ateneo College Glee Club Mini Christmas Concert
8:30 PM Mass
Presider: Fr. Johnny Go, S.J.
Choir: Ateneo College Glee Club
Sponsor: High School 1983
Sunday, 23 December
Bukas Palad Mini Christmas Concert 8:30 PM Mass
Presider: Fr. Bienvenido F. Nebres, S.J.
Choir: Bukas Palad
Sponsor: Gawad Kalinga Ateneo
SOM night at Corinthian
Mr. and Ms. SOM contestant
SOMWeek:
The Tradition
Continues
By Art Valencia
SOMasarap food fest
It was a race to a nail-biting finish.
September 10–17 was SOMWeek and
that’s when the John Gokongwei School of
Management (JGSOM) students and teachers
let their hair down for a week of right-brained
fun and games. Seven business-oriented
student groups organized and competed in
eight themed challenges in a bid to be this
year’s champion. Co-chaired by JGSOM faculty
Ricky Pilar and Archie Guerra, and supported
by the business organizations cluster and the
Sanggunian ng mga Mag-Aaral, the 8-day, 17event celebration was billed “MicroSOM—
Great Things Come in SOM Packages,”
after this year’s major sponsor, Microsoft
Philippines. With the opening parade and the
unveiling of the scorecard, the race was on.
The Ateneo Management Association
(AMA) cooked up SOMasarap, a creative food
competition at the JSEC Mall. Management
Economics (MECO) majors upped the
stakes with a contest where teams bid for
objects to complete their sets. Association of
Communications Technology Management
(ACTM) majors launched SOMercialization:
T-shirt redesign challenge
a tri-media ad-making challenge: “Revive
a dead product.” LEX reprised their everpopular annual quiz Clash of the IntelLEX. The Management Engineering Association’s
(MEA) Project Runway required contestants
to redesign the basic T-shirt and display their
creations on the modeling ramp. The Ateneo
Junior Marketing Association (AJMA) put
up a marketing contest to package products
of Microsoft. The Management of Applied
Chemistry Association (MACA) organized
the much-awaited Amazing Race, patterned
after the popular reality television show,
where pairs were to accomplish a series
of business-related tasks while racing
through landmarks in the UP campus. And
throughout the week, the orgs campaigned
Mr. and Ms. SOM
Art Attack
for their respective candidates for the
traditional Mr. & Ms. SOM Contest.
Complementing the contests were film
showings, business talks, an Arts Attack
challenge, and a life-size Monopoly game for
enthusiasts.
At week’s end, only the Mr. & Ms. SOM
Contest remained undecided. Always the event’s
highlight, the SOM Night finals at Corinthian
Gardens proved how tight the competition
was. In the end, ACTM earned just enough
points from the final contest to nail down the
championship with the slimmest of leads—and
with it, a year’s worth of bragging rights.
But all were in awe of the new Mr. &
Ms. SOM, for with that distinction came
the most-coveted prize of all: one month’s
exclusive parking privileges at the Dean’s
reserved parking slot.
ENABLADO to Stage Tanikalang Ginto
HPAIR National Conference 2008
After Buwan at Baril, ENTABLADO (ENterteynment para sa Tao BAyan
LAnsangsan at DiyOs) will go back to the classics by staging Juan Abad’s Tanikalang
Guinto. Written in 1902, Tanikalang Guinto is one of the most famous dramas
by national artist Juan Abad and considered as one of the many seditious plays
written during the American colonization.
Considered as part of the canon of Philippine literature, Tanikalang Guinto
showcases themes of nationalism, and love for independence and culture. The
production is a celebration of the Filipino identity as it epitomizes the Filipino
drama simboliko, artistically intertwined with modern elements.
Tanikalang Guinto brings together talented individuals committed to the
development of arts and culture. The list is spearheaded by the production
director, Mr. Jethro Tenorio, apprentice director, Mr. Ariel Diccion and production
designer, Mr. Richard de Guzman, who are all long term theater advocates and
members of Kagawaran ng Filipino in the university.
Entablado invites you to pay tribute to Filipino excellence in expressing the
love for nation and freedom through arts and literature. The production will be
in February 2008. It will be held at the Rizal Mini Theater. For inquiries feel free
to contact 09279706492 or email us at ateneoentablado@yahoo.com.
The HPAIR National Conference 2008 is a two-day forum where we have
the best speakers, the most innovative and developmental workshops, a cultural
presentation and—something that only our organization offers—undergraduate
paper presentations. It is an avenue that brings together the brightest undergraduate
students to meet people of high caliber and success in their own careers, both
in business and in politics. With the theme “Towards Global Youth Leadership”,
participants not only get the chance to hear the experiences of these experts first
hand, they also get to establish networks with their fellow youth leaders. The paper
presentations also ushers undergraduate students into the professional arena by
letting them experience what real academes do with the products of their studies
and research. Ateneo HPAIR Union brings all these to the participants by introducing
them to the global arena and the ways and means of youth proactive leadership.
Registration is from October 16-December 31. The conference will be on January
26-27 at the Ateneo de Manila University.
For more information on topics and conference details you may go to
HPAIR’s website at http://hpair.ph or go to MVP 203 for registration forms.
You may also reach us through email at ateneohpairunion0708@yahoo.com
or through text at 09176007105.
Photo by Joanna Ruiz
VOL. III NO. 3
Faculty Day Remembers Fr. Arrupe
By Gary Devilles and Christine Mallion
The Loyola Schools commemorated the centennial birth celebration of Fr. Pedro Arrupe, SJ, on
November 14, 2007 by celebrating all masses at the
College Chapel in his honor. Fr. Arrupe was born 14 November 1907 in Bilbao, Spain and was ordained under the Jesuit Order
on July 30, 1936. He spent 27 years as a missionary
in Japan, and was novice master at suburban Hiroshima when the atomic bomb fell in Hiroshima in
August 1945. He utilized his medical skills in the
service of the wounded and the dying, transforming the novitiate into a make-shift hospital for over
200 people who were grievously injured and dying.
He became the 28th Superior General of the Society of Jesus on May 22, 1965.
On November 16, 2007 faculty members of
Loyola Schools gathered together at the newly inaugurated Rosita Leong Hall to celebrate Faculty
Day by reflecting on the schools’ mission and vision inspired by Fr. Pedro Arrupe and his thoughts
on faith that does justice, and simple living. Dr. Benjie Tolosa, chair of the Faculty Forum
and Political Science Department gave the welcome
Fr. Pedro Arrupe, SJ
remarks and talked about reflecting on our core
values and how such values manifest concretely in
our lifestyles. Tolosa invited Dr. Fabian Dayrit, Mr. Leland Joseph dela Cruz, and Dr. Agustin Martin Rodriguez
as panelists to share their insights on the subject
matter. Dayrit shared his insights on his work as
a scientist whose ethical principle is always one in
harmony with the environment and community. He talked about his findings about the medicinal
value of a certain herb for instance and shared to
his friends how it can be prepared in order to lessen their dependence on expensive imported medicines. Dela Cruz narrated his personal experiences
and how such philosophy of simple living manifests in the choices he and his wife make. Rodriguez gave a philosophical reflection on justice and
the challenge for both faculty and the students in
these trying times. An open forum followed after the sharing
of the panelists and then the faculty members
were divided into smaller groups for follow-up
discussion.
Tanghalang Ateneo Staged The Death of Memory
Tanghalang Ateneo went contemporary Filipino in The Death of Memory,
the second production of the company’s
29th season.
Written by Glenn Mas, The Death of
Memory is a Palanca prize-winning play
and an awarded thesis production at the
Catholic University of America. Tanghalang Ateneo’s staging would be the play’s
Philippine premiere production.
In the play, four people are trapped in a
nowhere land where time has stopped, and
with no memory of how they got there, and
no ideas on how to get out. Each one carries a painful and violent memory—sexual
abuse, abandonment, murder—that assaults them at unpredictable moments and
ties them to this purgatorial prison. A Keeper holds them in this limbo. At
one point, the newly arrived man, Juan,
The cast of The Death of Memory
incites his fellow prisoners to defy the
Keeper and escape from memory. Will they
be able to free themselves? How? This intense and imaginative play examines the
strength of the human will to live and
Psych Week Celebrates
Fr. Bulatao’s 85th Year
By ERLINDA EILEEN G. LOLARGA
choose, to fight against paralyzing pasts,
and to move on.
Ralph Quiblat and Brian Sy alternated as
the newcomer, Juan, while Rachel Quong and
Margarita Paje played the Keeper, the ethereal guardian of the nowhere land. The rest
of the faculty cast were Randy Solis, Dianne
Laserna, Miguel Lizada, and Angela Serrano.
In turn, the rest of the student cast was composed of BJ Crisostomo, Regina Francisco,
Nicolo Magno, and Gianna Villavicencio.
Director Ricardo Abad and Production Designer Salvador Bernal departed
from their Asian motifs to create an abstract world that is replete with surreal
and violent images. With them were choreographer Matthew Santamaria, lighting
designer Jonjon Villareal, and Sounds and
Graphic Designer Reamur David. Katski
Flores, a finalist in Cinemalaya 2007, incorporated film images of the character’s
memories. “The Death of Memory” ran from November 29 to December 15 at the Rizal
Mini-Theater of the Ateneo de Manila
University.
Upcoming Events
7-11 January 2008
TUGON WEEK
Tugon will be giving out free food, having masses, and will be celebrating
the Free Hugs Campaign the whole week. A concert will be held on January
11 to serve as the culminating activity.
14-18 January 2008
Ateneo Management Association (AMA) EXPO
Fr. Jaime C. Bulatao, SJ, celebrating his 85th year
The Department of Psychology
celebrated the 85th birthday on 22 September 2007 of its founder and resident Jesuit
guru, Fr. Jaime C. Bulatao, SJ, fondly called
“Fr. Bu,” with a host of events.
The highlight of the week-long celebration, entitled “Psychokinesis: Moving as One,”
that began on September 17 was the Fourth
Bu Eagle Lecture Series. Unlike previous years
where research interests of faculty members
were featured, Fr. Bulatao’s own research interests through his research papers presented
by his mentees were featured this year.
Dubbed a National Social Scientist by the
Philippine Social Science Council, Fr. Bulatao
is also considered as one of the founding fathers of Psychology in the Philippines.
The Psychology Week activities were
organized by the Ateneo Psyche, the home
organization of Psychology majors, in cooperation with the Psychology Department.
Aura Reading sessions, experiments, tests
and surveys were also held to help bring
Psychology into the consciousness of Ateneo
students, faculty members, and other members of the University community.
16 January 2008
6th Jaime V. Ongpin Annual Memorial Lecture on Public Service in Business
and Government
Veritas, 4/F Ateneo de Manila University Professional Schools Building
21-25 January 2008
Ateneo Management Association (AMA) ID picture booth: Job Fair Edition
26 January 2008
White Hot: Ateneo Management Association (AMA) Party 2008
February 2008
Child Sexual Abuse Awareness Week by Tugon
Photo Courtesty of the Ateneo Art Gallery
Photo Courtesty of the Ateneo Art Gallery
10
October - November 2007
(A Collector’s View)
This ground-breaking exhibit—a one
man show from the private collection of Dr.
Leovino Ma. Garcia, former Dean of the Ateneo
de Manila University’s School of Humanities—
explores the fascinating and largely unexamined
relationship between the visual artist and art
enthusiast in the Philippine setting.
Revolving around the works of Lao Lianben,
one of the country’s leading exponents of abstract
art, “Passion & Compassion,” which Dr. Garcia
curates, focuses attention on the artist’s stylistic
development, and traces the fruitful encounter
and interaction between painting and philosophy,
vision and discourse, imagination and thought.
It is a profound and deeply personal take
on artistic devotion and the creative fusion of
distinctive worlds that results from a meeting of
minds.
This show is part of Zero In : Hybridity. Now
on its sixth year, the Zero In museum consortium
of the Ateneo Art Gallery, Ayala Museum, Bahay
Tsinoy, Lopez Memorial Museum, and Museo
Pambata takes on the notion of the crossbreed in
this joint institutional exploration of likeness and
variance. The exhibition runs until 15 February
2008.
New Realities at the
Ateneo Art Gallery
By Gary Devilles
Awit by Arturo Luz
The Ateneo Art Gallery, in cooperation
with the Fine Arts Department, mounts
“New Realities,” an exhibition of post-war
paintings from the bequest of Fernando
Zobel. The exhibit features works of
modernist artists like Ang Kuikok, Jose Joya,
Cesar Legaspi, and Arturo Luz, who were
among the first to depict urban landscapes,
commonplace objects, and scenes of everyday
life, articulating what modernism is in the
process.
The show is a celebration of that period
in our history when we experienced the
burgeoning of aesthetics on one hand,
and the follies of world wars on the other.
Modernism, after all, is a heightened
experience of contradiction, and modernists
are known to tread the tortuous path
between heaven and hell or the sacred and
mundane, with the will to live at the face of
dissoluteness.
A group of artists known as Neo-Realists
rose to fame, challenging the classical
tradition identified with the works of
Still Life with Bottle by Ang Kiukok
Fernando Amorsolo. Stylized and simplified
representation is typically Neo-Realist.
Eventually, some of them, like Jose Joya and
Romeo Tabuena, explored abstraction.
According to critic Rodolfo Paras-Perez,
Tabuena depicts sights of remembered
and dreamed things, where carabaos, for
instance, appear weightless, lost in the
mist of indeterminate atmosphere or driven
by nameless men with undefined visages.
Tabuena reconstitutes reality into a plastic
structure with an idiom that is undoubtedly
Cubistic. Hence, in his “Laundry” with
the geometric faces, chiseled bodies, and
fragmented images, our history explodes its
linearity to multifaceted views, becoming the
poetic revolution that it is meant to be.
Artistic and poetic revolution would be
taken by Jose Joya as a signal to reach out
to provincial universities and schools, and
introduce to depressed urban areas like
Sapang Palay and Tondo art appreciation to
the grassroots level, identifying in the fold
sensitive and talented youngsters who, but
for Joya, may never have been discovered.
Joya would not only influence young painters
but radicalize his art by introducing gestural
painting in a number of large canvases in the
1960s but later would shift to compositions
of rounded overlapping shapes in harmonious
hues. Critic Guillermo notes how abstract
landscapes allusive of forms of the natural
environment would be a recurring theme in
Joya, using textures such as sand-and-ricepaper collages with Asian influences, such as
mandala concepts and Chinese calligraphy.
Jose Joya once said that in creating
an art work, the artist is concretizing his
need for communication, for “artist has an
irresistible urge to reach that level of spiritual
satisfaction and to project what he is and
what he thinks through his work.”
New Realities speak to us in its most
eloquent and profound form from October
2007 to February 2008. The show is a project
of 2008 graduates of the Arts Management
Program, with Edissa Dollosa and Carla del
Puerto as curators.
11
VOL. III NO. 3
Bong Tiaoqui
The future
looks bright
in blue and
white
By Benjamin Jose A. Sipin III, www.ateneo.edu
as a dominant force in the UAAP is a true testament
to the effectiveness of the sports program and
the people behind it. Mentored by coach John
Flores, the Lady Eagles, who won their first ever
championship in 2005, saved a shut out of UAAP
championship in basketball for this year.
The Ateneo community has a lot to be thankful
for this year in terms of its basketball program.
And as mentioned by Fr. Bienvenido F. Nebres,
SJ, in the Thanksgiving Mass, more important
than winning a championship is the experience
of playing, winning and even losing, which will
shape us and our character.
As another UAAP season in basketball ends, we
should be all thankful to the student-athletes and
teams who continue to uphold the true Ateneo
spirit. The future looks bright in blue and white.
One Big Fight!
Bong Tiaoqui
Nono Felipe
The Lady Eagles won their second UAAP crown against the UP Lady
Maroons
Nono Felipe
Passerelle team settled for second. Both games
again enjoyed TV coverage.
The day was not over yet for Ateneo basketball
as the seniors’ team played the De La Salle Green
Archers in their step-ladder meeting to earn the
right to face UE in the UAAP Finals.
Text messages were being passed and received
with the message, “Wala na bang ibang mapanood sa
TV kung hindi Ateneo?” But these could have been
meant as a compliment to the Ateneo Basketball
Program spearheaded by University Athletics
Director Ricky Palou, University Athletics Sports
Marketing Director Jun Jun Capistrano and
Basketball Program Head Ricky Dandan.
While winning the UAAP crown in the men’s,
women’s and juniors’ divisions all in one season still
remains a dream, it is surely something that would
soon become a reality with the continued support
given by the administration, the community and
the supportive patrons of the basketball program.
Even with the loss of the juniors’ team and the
failure of the men’s team to make it to the finals
of UAAP Season 70, the future looks bright for the
Ateneo basketball as seen in the competitiveness of
Ateneo teams in the different levels of the sport.
Since former Blue Eagle head coach Joe Lipa was
tasked to resurrect the Ateneo basketball tradition
by organizing the Ateneo Basketball Program, the
program has seen a renaissance which reached
its fruition when the men’s team won the UAAP
Championship in 2002 under coach Joel Banal.
The juniors’ team managed to get back-to-back
championships in 2003 and 2004 and won it again
last year. The juniors’ team may have failed to get a
second back-to-back championship but they have
clearly established Ateneo as a powerhouse in high
school basketball under coach Jamike Jarin.
The emergence of the women’s basketball team
Bong Tiaoqui
Over the past few months, Ateneo
basketball teams engaged different opponents in
different levels of the sport, painting an “Ateneo
versus the rest of the world” or “Blue versus the
other colors of the rainbow” scenario.
The 29th of September 2007 saw the Ateneo
Lady Eagles win their second UAAP crown against
the UP Lady Maroons while the Blue Eaglets tried
gallantly (but ultimately failed) to send their series
against the Archers of La Salle Zobel to a deciding
Game 3 …all of which were seen live on national
TV.
The following day, Sept. 30, again saw two
Ateneo teams vying for a championship: the Ateneo
Blue Eaglets going against La Salle Greenhills in the
MILO-BEST Small Basketeers of the Philippines
championship and the Ateneo Passerelle team
gunning for the crown in the Passerelle division
of the same tournament. The Grade School Blue
Eaglets managed to win the NCR crown while the
The women’s basketball team has emerged as a dominant force in
the UAAP
Despite a valiant effort, the men’s basketball team failed to make it to
the UAAP finals
12
October - November 2007
Ateneo Tracksters Reap Medals in PATAFA Finals
Over the course of two days,
in the sweltering heat, the Ateneo
Track and Field Team garnered a
total of 14 medals at the Philippine
Amateur Track and Field Association
(PATAFA) finals at Rizal Memorial
Stadium. The team brought home
four bronze medals, five silver
medals, and five gold medals.
Starting in August, both the men’s
and women’s track and field teams
began competing in the ColgatePATAFA weekly relays. The weekly
meets served as the qualification
rounds for the athletes to participate
in the finals, and most members of
the team proved themselves worthy
of competing once again in PATAFA.
After nearly three months of
sprinting, jumping, and throwing in
these weekly meets, and an additional
two-day competition at the Bacolod
Unigames, the tracksters once again
stepped onto the starting blocks, the
runway, and the throwing areas to
prove to the competition that they
are a force to be reckoned with.
Day 1
On the first day of PATAFA finals,
Maita Mendoza (II-CTM) bagged a
gold in the 100-meter dash with a
personal best time of 12.24 seconds.
Bryan Sutingco (III-Bio) ran a 10.7 in
the men’s 100-meter dash, winning
himself a silver medal. Men’s team
captain, Alvin Reyes (IV-MEco),
threw the discus 34.4 meters, which
also qualified him for the silver
medal, while Geoff Reyes won the
bronze medal. In the early morning,
Zek Valera (II-HS) pole-vaulted over
a height of 3.4 meters to win bronze.
Frankie Patajo (IV-MEco), captain of
the women’s team, threw the hammer
27.6 meters, earning her a third
place finish. In the late morning, the
men’s 4x200-meter team, composed
of Sutingco, Carlo Dizon, Ian
Marchadesch (V-BFA ID), and JP
Azcueta (I-ECE), ran the relay in one
minute and 31 seconds, resulting in a
well-earned silver medal finish. Mike
Mendoza won the gold medal with a
personal best record of 14.51 seconds
in the 110-meter high hurdles.
Photos courtesy of the Ateneo Track Team
By Nikka Arcilla, www.ateneo.edu
Mike Mendoza and Joboy Quintos outrunning their competitors in the 110-meter high hurdles
Bettina Maclang going for the
bronze in the pole vault
Maita Mendoza winning the first
place in the 100 meter dash
Day 2
On day two of PATAFA Finals, Nic
Hey (II-EU) dominated the throws
with 11.88m in shot put and 36.93m
in the hammer throw. He won the
gold and silver medals, respectively.
In pole vault, Jam Valenton (I-Psy)
and Bettina Maclang (I-CTM), both
rookies, won the gold and silver
medals, clearing heights of 2.25m
and 2.05m, respectively. Both the
men and women’s team entered the
4x100m relay race, and both teams
managed to win medals. The men’s
team, composed of Banez, Sutingco,
Marchadesch, and Mendoza, ran
the oval in 42.6 seconds, winning
themselves gold medals. With a time
of 52.4 seconds, the women’s relay
team of Anj Aquino (I-Eco), Santos,
Nikka Arcilla (II-Mgt) and Mendoza
finished with bronze medals.
A Strong Uni-Games Showing
by the Blue & White
by Rick Olivares
Seven Ateneo teams trooped
to Bacolod for the 12th University
Games, held at the University of
St. La Salle on 22–28 October
2007, and went up against over
40 universities and colleges from
all over the country. Over all, of the
seven varsity teams that competed,
five placed well in the standings.
In basketball, the Blue
Eagles ran roughshod over
the competition in their first
six games before falling to Far
Eastern University, 59-67, in the
championship. It was actually their
worst game of the tournament
as they came out flat while the
Tamaraws, flexing their muscles for
next year’s UAAP campaign, were
firing on all cylinders. Prior to the
championship, the Blue Eagles beat
their foes with an average of 44
points per game.
In football, the Blue Booters
lost in the semi-finals to De La
Salle University, 0-4, while the Lady
Booters finished in third place. It
was the highest ever placement for
Ateneo Women’s football in team
competition.
The men’s volleyball team
failed to advance beyond the
eliminations, while the men’s and
women’s lawn tennis teams and
the men’s and women’s athletics
teams finished at third place as
well.
University Athletics Director
Richard Palou said that he was
very happy with the results, but
he still felt that the Blue Eagles
should have played better, and
maybe could have even won their
championship match. “But that
isn’t so bad when you consider
that the team was without several
players who were either abroad or
had graduated already,” said Palou.
Nic Hey going for the bronze in the
Zec Valera clears the 3.4m for the
hammer throw after winning the gold bronze medal
medal in the shot put
Though not all members of the
men and women’s teams made it
to a podium finish, every single
person shone. Personal records
were consistently broken, and the
teams realized the benefits and sweet
harvest of training hard, stepping up,
and giving it 110% all the way.
The men’s team, fresh from a
third place finish at the recently
held Unigames, continued their
successful streak, with a litany of
medals and personal records to
prove it. Every athlete was focused
and determined to win a medal. The
competitive mindset, the muscle,
and the heart that characterize the
men’s team contributed significantly
to their successes at PATAFA Finals.
Indeed, the performance of these
men was a manifestation of the
team’s desire to dominate.
This year, the women’s team
is by far more competitive than
it has ever been. New talent, new
events, and a growing hunger to
win a podium finish in the UAAP
are what drive the women’s team
to train tirelessly and compete
valiantly against in competitions.
Coming out of a successful two
days at PATAFA Finals, the women’s
team has donned an insatiable
attitude to do better every single
time, to beat personal records, and
to finish strong. The thirst for a
Team captain Alvin Reyes heaving the shot
team podium finish is escalating
stronger than ever among the Lady
Tracksters, and with the passion,
brawn, and togetherness of this
year’s team, a podium finish is a
likely possibility.
This week, both teams will once
again be competing—this time, at
the Philippine Olympic Festival National Open meet on November
15–17. This is the last big meet
before the Track and Field 70th
UAAP Season in February, so expect
all members of the Track Team
to go all out. Both teams hunger
for a podium finish, and with the
dedication these athletes possess,
they will stop at nothing to reach
their goal.
Mike Mendoza, anchorman of the 4x100-meter
relay team, relishing the team’s victory