Expo fetes Thomasian business brands

The Varsitarian
Founded 1928
Volume LXXXII, No. 7 • October 29, 2010 THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas Manila, Philippines
Expo fetes Thomasian business brands
Campus may be next
bar exam venue
95 DAYS TO GO. The 20-foot Quadricentennial
Swatch “beatman” returns to Plaza Mayor after
being renovated due to the typhoons. Unveiled last
December 18, it serves as the coundown clock for
UST’s Quadricentennial celebration in January next
year.
PAUL ALYSSON R. QUIAMBAO
THE UST campus may be the venue of next
year’s bar examinations, following the bomb
explosion last September 26 in front of the
De La Salle University that crippled two law
students and injured 45 people.
Chief Justice Renato Corona announced
last October 4 that the bar exams will no
longer be held at De La Salle on Taft Avenue
after the explosion at the “salubong,” a street
party which marked the end of the month-long
bar exams.
Faculty of Civil Law Dean Nilo Divina
said he would like UST to host the licensure
exam for lawyers.
“It is certainly a welcome development. It
is also very timely as it will coincide with our
Quadricentennial celebration,” Divina said.
Corona said UST, Adamson University
in Ermita, Manila, and the Philippine
International Convention Center (PICC) in
Roxas Boulevard were among the venues
being considered for next year’s bar exam.
But the a body headed by Associate
Justice Roberto Abad, former Civil Law dean,
will have the final decision.
Divina said it would not be a problem
hosting the bar examinations since there are
more than enough rooms to accommodate the
number of bar takers that usually reaches as
much as 6,000.
Thomasian law graduates said they were
Bar exam Page 5
Law defied, cigarette selling
near campus continues
Special Report
By MARNEE A. GAMBOA and
BRYLLE B. TABORA
FOLLOWING
City
Hall’s
confiscation of tobacco products
last July, a number of stores
near the campus are back on
business––selling
cigarettes
despite authorities’ efforts to ban
these products near schools.
It’s not that there’s no clear
prohibition: Republic Act No.
9211 or the Tobacco Regulation
Act of 2003 states: “The sale or
distribution of tobacco products
is prohibited within one hundred
(100) meters from any point of
the perimeter of a school, public
playground or other facility
frequented particularly by minors.”
Convenience store chain
7-Eleven---which has a branch
at Dapitan Street just a short
walkaway from UST High School--admitted it had started selling
cigarettes anew, claiming to have
obtained a permit from Manila
ISABELA A. MARTINEZ
Rector
postpones
giant living
rosary
­A NUMBER of alumni were recognized for
their excellence in the field of business and
leadership during the first-ever Thomasian
Global Trade Expo last October 15 to 17 at
the SMX Convention Center in Pasay.
Felino Palafox, principal architect of
Palafox Associates, Vivian Que Azcona,
president of Mercury Drug, Inc., and Joel
Cruz, maker of Aficionado Germany
Perfume, were among Thomasians who
received the Outstanding Thomasian Alumni
Business Leaders Award from the Office for
Alumni Relations.
Other awardees included Judy Kiu Bactat
(Mossimo Philippines), Carl Balita (Dr.
Carl Balita Review Center), Juanito de Asis
(IBC 13), Ray Gapuz (R.A. Gapuz Review
Center), and Richard Po (Century Pacific
Group).
UST Alumni Association President
Robert Sy said Thomasian business leaders
were acknowledged not only because of their
achievements, but also because of what they
have given back to their alma mater.
Michael Angelo Malicsi, head of the
Office for Alumni Relations, said the expo
was a milestone as it was the first University
activity of such magnitude.
“The expo showed that Thomasian
alumni could be a strong force, as manifested
by the participating exhibitors and the almost
30,000 visitors throughout the three-day
affair,” he said.
Student Affairs chief Evelyn Songco
said the expo had four objectives: showcasing
Thomasian excellence, promoting networking
among alumni, inspiring students with the
example of successful alumni, and preparing
for next year’s Quadricentennial celebrations.
The three-day exhibit focused on food
Expo Page 10
Editorial
Sacrilege!
Shameful apathy!
Last October 1, Intramuros tourist guide
Carlos Celdran staged a shocking, stupid, and
shameful stunt all in one when he disrupted
RECTOR Fr. Rolando de la
Holy Mass at the Manila Cathedral, where
Rosa O.P., has postponed the
Apostolic Nuncio Edward Joseph Adams
University’s attempt to mount
and Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales
the largest “living rosary,” citing
were present. Styling himself as the “new”
“unpredictable weather.”
Jose Rizal and dresssed in the national hero’s
In a memorandum dated
characteristic European attire, he broke up
October 5, De la Rosa rescheduled
the solemn Mass and carried around a placard
the quadricentennial activity,
with the inscription “Damaso,” a reference
Convenient stores within the vicinity
dubbed Q Rosary on December 8.
to the friar-character in Rizal’s novels, and
of the campus return to selling tobacco
“We have rescheduled the
products after they emptied their cigarettes
shouted at the bishops and clery on the altar,
shelves (inset) last July following a Manila
said activity on December 8,
“Stop involving yourselves in politics!” He
City ordinanace.
2010 which is a more propitious
FILE PHOTO
was referring to the Church’s opposition to
time inasmuch as it is the Feast of
the Reproductive Health bill, several versions
they have [obtained] permission
City Hall.
the Immaculate Conception,” De
of which have been refiled in the new
from
the
Manila
City
Hall
to
resell
“We were only ordered by
la Rosa said in the memo.
Congress, as well as criticism of President
the head office of 7-Eleven to cigarettes,” said Bell Abendaño,
“It seemed providential that
Aquino’s statements during his US trip that
resell them (cigarettes). They said
Special Report Page 11
the Catholic Bishops Conference
he’s in favor of “responsible parenthood,” or
of the Philippines declared
some form of birth control.
December 8 as a school day.
Even if he clearly does not agree with the
Although an academic one,
Church, Celdran could have just let his mind
the date remains a holy day of
known by a letter to the editor: after all, the
obligation, so the [University]
Church representatives only made known
ought to prepare this event for
their stand when they were interviewed
the students,” said Richard
by the media. But arrogantly enough and
innate
business-mindedness,
Pazcoguin, assistant director of By ROSE-AN JESSICA without regard for religious sensibilities,
Joaquin
is
still
aiming
for
more.
M. DIOQUINO
the Center for Campus Ministry.
Celdran did the brazen act of desecrating the
A mass was held at the Plaza A YOUNG Thomasian is helping
Church, her priests and liturgy. As a result, he
Sweet beginning
Mayor in honor of the Our Lady bring back sweet childhood
landed in jail for committing a crime against
Icebreaker Scrambles, which
of Manaoag last October 7, in memories by joining a fellow
religious worship, a violation of Article 133
began as a small food cart business
place of the Q Rosary.
of the Revised Penal Code.
alumnus in the business of reowned by Sevilla and his wife,
The second official replica introducing one of the classic
But what was more alarming was that
prides itself as the sellers of the
of the image of the Our Lady Filipino street treats in a neater
many Catholics did not condemn Celdran’s
“first and original commercialized
of Manaoag from Pangasinan, fashion.
“shameful deed,” as described by the Manila
and sanitized” ice scramble in the
which was supposed to be used
clergy.
Jigo Joaquin, who earned his
country.
during the Q Rosary, was placed degree in Political Science in 2009,
Even more terrible was that at the time
The enterprise began in
at the entrance of the Main joined Tourism graduate Marlon
of Celdran’s detention, about 6,500 people,
Malabon, where the Sevillas were
Building.
apparently Catholics, had immediately
Sevilla as Icebreaker Scrambles
based, selling “halo-halo” and
The University wants to was soaring in the summer of 2010.
supported a Facebook fan page calling for
cereal-topped ice treats back in
mount the largest living rosary to Now a business partner and branch
his release. Moreover, feminists rallied
2008. Through one of the financial
unite the Thomasian community owner, he is reaping the fruits of his
in front of the building of the Church’s
low points of the endeavor came
in prayer and thanksgiving, as entrepreneurial labors at 22 years
episcopal conference in Intramuros with
theidea of producing its current
JOAQUIN
well as to deepen the devotion old.
obscene placards directed at the bishops such
Icebreaker
But armed with youth and
Rector Page 10
Editorial Page 4
Page 3
Photo by JOSA CAMILLE A. BASSIG
Check out the Varsitarian on your mobile phone at www.varsitarian.mobi
For breaking news and digital copy, visit www.varsitarian.net
By ROMMEL MARVIN C. RIO
Thomasian turns childhood memories
into sweet business success
2 News
The
Varsitarian OCTOBER 29, 2010
Editor: Charizze L. Abulencia
Experts upbeat on Aquino government
HOW WAS the President’s “honeymoon” period?
Experts remained optimistic on the prospects
of the Aquino administration after its first 100
days, saying the President had the “right timing”
and enough goodwill to implement economic
and political reforms despite blunders such as the
Quirino Granstand hostage crisis.
In a forum at the Thomas Aquinas Research
Complex last October 12, Dean Peter Lee U of
the University of Asia and the Pacific School of
Economics said President Benigno Aquino III
came at a “very nice point” in economic history,
inheriting an economy that is on the way up.
“But this is a ‘double-edged sword’ for [Aquino]
because he must be able to maintain or improve it
at the end of his term,” U said.
Gross domestic product grew by 7.9 percent in
the first half, he said, noting that the resurgence of
Philippine economy was primarily external amid
strong demand for Philippine exports, remittances
from overseas workers, and a bullish stock market
driven by foreign investors, U added.
U said Aquino should work on the country’s
poor infrastructure, energy shortage, and the lack
of foreign investments. He also called for anti-trust
policies to ensure a level playing field for business.
In an interview with Varsitarian, Ricky
Carandang, Presidential Communications
Development and Strategic Planning secretary,
said the country needs to attract more foreign
investments.
“Ang hinihihingi ng mga negosyante para
mag-invest sila dito ay malinaw na patakaran,ang
regulasyon ay `di pabago-bago, at maganda `yung
infrastructure,” Carandang said.
The government wants to bring in investors
particularly for infrastructure and energy, he added.
“There are people who are proposing different
kinds of investment in the country. Malaking bagay
`yung kukuha tayo ng investor para magtayo ng
bagong planta. Kasi kailangan tayo magtayo ng
bagong planta. Kundi, mahihirapan tayo dit­­o sa
Metro Manila,” he added.
Dean Edna Co of the University of the Philippines’
National College of Public Administration and
Governance said the Aquino administration started
on the right foot by recruiting “reform-oriented”
officials.
However, Co said the administration was too
slow in making appointments.
“The administration had difficulty putting and
matching the right people within the [bureaucracy],”
Co said.
Philippine Star columnist Cito Beltran said
Aquino’s performance could not be gauged from
his first 100 days.
“The honeymoon period cannot be the basis of
successful presidency,” Beltran said.
Carandang noted that during the first 100
days, Aquino formed the Truth Commission to
probe corrupt government officials. The Aquino
administration also reviewed contracts entered into
by the previous Arroyo administration to ensure
fair competition in business, he added.
It’s PNP’s fault, Thomasians say
Meanwhile, in a survey by UST Social Research
President Page 10
Thomasian is new
Cebu Archbishop
THOMASIAN and human rights advocate Bishop
Jose Palma will be the next archbishop of Cebu after
the retirement of Cardinal Vidal, who will turn 80 years
old on February next year.
Palma’s appointment was made by the Vatican
last October 14 and was announced to the Catholic
Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines by Papal
Nuncio Edward Joseph Adams the next day.
Palma said that the appointment was so sudden
and unexpected but he was obliged to follow the
Holy See.
“Unworthy as I am, I accepted the appointment
out of obedience,” Palma said in a statement released
to CBCPnews.com, the news agency of CBCP.
Palma is serving his first term as vice president
of CBCP.
Palma finished his degree in philosophy at St.
Vincent Ferrer Seminary and theology at St. Joseph
Regional Seminary, both in Iloilo. He later earned his
Licentiate in Sacred Theology at UST and his doctorate
in theology at the St. Thomas Aquinas Pontifical
University in Rome.
He was ordained priest on August 21, 1976. In
1998, he was named auxiliary bishop of Cebu. He
became the Archbishop of Palo in March 2006.
Vidal, who has served as Archbishop of Cebu
for 28 years, submitted his resignation letter to Pope
Benedict XVI in 2006, the year he turned 75 years
old , the mandatory age of retirement for clergymen.
Vidal, who was a former CBCP president, has
received several rewards including the Outstanding
Filipino Award presented from the Cultural Center
of the Philippines (CCP) in 1998 and the Rizal Peace
Prize in 2002. Robin G. Padilla
Music Dean
appointed
new CCP
president
By Darenn G. Rodriguez
CONSERVATORY of Music
Dean Raul Sunico was appointed
the new president of the Cultural
Center of the Philippines (CCP)
last October 1, replacing Isabel
Caro Wilson who was elected
last September 21 to the CCP’s
board of trustees.
Presidential Communications Group Secretary Ricky Carandang
talks at the forum reviewing the first 100 days of the Aquino
Su n ico said he wou ld
administration
Photo by ISABELA A. MARTINEZ
like to pursue the artistic and
physical development of the
cult u ral center to make it a
self-sustaining, “eco-friendly”
community that will be a haven
for those who want to adopt the
Stephen Ray Taguba (94 percent) the second top-performing school arts as a way of life.
“It is a great honor and rare
ranked fourth, ninth, and tenth, among universities with 50 or more
respectively.
examinees and with at least 80 opportunity to serve the country
and its many deserving talents
This year’s national passing percent passing rate.
rate was 48.36 percent, or 3,973
T h e Un ive r sit y of t h e f r om a p o sit ion of hop ef u l
out of 8,216 passed the exam. The Philippines-Diliman with 85 c red ibil it y i n i n st il l i ng t he
national passing rate, however, exa m i nees be ca me t he top value of the arts as a critical
increased from the previous year’s performing school, garnering 98.82 component in our humanity,”
Sunico said on the CCP website.
41.68 percent.
percent.
Despite his new post,
Last year, UST was the top
“Before, we belonged to
performing school, with a passing a category fielding 100 or more Sunico will continue to head
rate of 88 percent, as 273 of the 311 examinees and the University of Music and teach at the UST
who took the exam passed, while six the Philippines belong to a category Graduate School.
Meanwhile, Antonio Africa
placed in the top 10.
producing less than 100,” Cruz
Last year, Professional said. “All the other universities w a s a p p o i n t e d a s M u s i c’s
Regulation Commision (PRC) in the top-performing schools assistant dean and concurrently
ranked the top performing schools have less than 100 examinees.” as college secretary.
Sunico, a world-renowned
in different categories based on the
Meanwhile, in the September
number of board takers, placing the 2010 interior design licensure pianist, was hailed as one of
University first among schools with exam, only the University of the the Outstanding Young Men
100 or more examinees.
Philippines-Diliman was the top- of the Philippines for Music
This year, PRC changed its performing school with at least in 1986, and was a recipient
of KATHA Cultural Heritage
criteria, making the University
Boards Page 10 Award in 1997. He was awarded
t he “Pat nubay ng Si n i ng at
Kalinangan” for Music in 1998.
Throughout his career, he
has always been active in the
who also serve as the CMMA category.
inter national concer t scene,
honorary chairman.
Fontanilla said that the performing in solo recitals in the
Cardinal Rosales stressed Universit y should be active United States, Canada, Mexico,
t h e sig n i f ic a n c e of s o c i a l i n s u b m it t i ng e nt r ie s l i ke I n d i a , A u s t r a l i a , A u s t r i a ,
communication in his welcome publications and radio and TV Fr a n c e , G e r m a ny, Ko s ovo,
remarks, saying, “we wanted to productions.
Japan, Sri Lanka, South Korea,
listen to what had happened and
“I know the students are Poland, Spain, Netherlands,
what is happening that’s why very talented and very creative, United Arab Emirates and the
social communication is very so I think it’s just a matter of Philippines. He has recorded
important to us.”
persistence so that [the CMMA] more than 40 CDs and cassettes,
T h o m a s i a n s t u d e n t will really get to appreciate the including 15 volumes of Filipino
p u bl i c a t io n s f a i l e d t o s e t creative work of Thomasians,” folk songs and kundimans that
recognition from the CMMA. she said.
he arranged for classical piano.
However, “Sulo,” the official
Mea nwh ile, T homasia n
Sunico started the
student publication of the Faculty broadcast jour nalist Ar nold t r a d it io n a l UST C h r i s t m a s
of Medicine and Surgery, got a Clavio of GMA7 emerged as concert, which draws prominent
nomination for best student
artists and VIPs every year.
Awards Page 5
organ in the college division
Accountancy soars in CPA boards
By Jilly Anne A. Bulauan
THE UNIVERSITY placed second
in the October 2010 certified
public accountant (CPA) licensure
examinations, while poorer
performance marked this year’s state
licensure test for interior designers.
UST produced the biggest
number of new CPAs this year as
273 or 92.23 percent of the 296 who
took the exam passed. A total of 255
of them were first-time takers.
“Our passing rate could have
been higher if not for the repeaters,”
College of Accountancy Dean
Minerva O. Cruz said. “If only we
fielded pure first-time takers, we
could have attained 96.26 percent”
T h o m a si a n s L e a n Jef f
Magsombol (94.86 percent), Patricia
Maita Dimayuga (94.14 percent) and
UST hosts Catholic Mass Media Awards
By Charmaine M.
Parado
UST HOSTED the 32nd Catholic
Mass Media Awards (CMMA),
a re cog n it ion g ive n by t he
Archdiocese of Manila to media
practitioners for “upholding
Christian values and ideals,”
last October 13 at the Medicine
Auditorium.
“T he CM M A is g iven
to recog nize that par ticular
instrument (media) where truth
was upheld without diminishing
charity,” said Manila Archbishop
Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales,
Usapang Uste
Mga Tomasinong martir at dekalibreng direktor
Ni PATRICIA ISABELA B. EVANGELISTA
NANG sumiklab ang digmaang sibil sa Espanya
noong 1936, walong paring Tomasino ang
nagpamalas ng matatag na pananampalataya
sa Diyos hanggang kamatayan.
Panahon ng digmaang sibil nang tugisin
ng mga miliciano o mga komunistang sundalo
laban sa estado ng Espanya ang mga pari at
mga relihiyoso. Nagsimula ito nang magwagi
ang Popular Front, isang komunistang grupo,
sa eleksyong ginanap noong 1936.
Ang unang paring martir ay si Blessed
Buenaventura Garcia de Paredes, O.P., na
mula sa Asturias, Espanya. Siya ay ipinadala
ng mga Domini kano sa Pilipinas upang
mag-aral ng lector in theology na siyang
kinakailangan upang makapagt uro sa
Unibersidad. Siya ay nanilbihan bilang Chair
of Political and Administrative Law at direktor
ng Libertas, isang Katolikong pahayagan na
pinapamatnugutan ng Unibersidad. Nang siya
ay bumalik sa Espanya, siya ay nagtago sa
mga miliciano na tumutugis sa kanilang mga
pari. Sa kaniyang pagkahuli, siya ay nabaril
at idineklarang patay noong ika-12 ng Agosto,
1936.
Ang ikalawang paring martir ay si Blessed Larawan mula sa aklat na THE UST MARTYRS
Jesus Villaverde Andres, O.P. ng Leon,
Espanya. Nagturo siya ng theology at Canon
Law sa UST at nanilbihan bilang secretarygeneral mula 1919 hanggang 1912; treasurer
mula 1929 hanggang 1934; dekano ng Faculty
of Sacred Theology mula 1932 hanggang
1934, at rektor mula 1921 hanggang 1924 ng
Colegio de San Juan de Letran na pinapatakbo
rin ng mga Dominikano. Bagaman walang
tunay na nakaaalam sa kaniyang pagkamatay,
sinasabing siya ay hinuli at pinatay ng mga
miliciano noong ika-15 ng Oktubre 1936 sa
Madrid.
Mula sa Palencia, Espanya ang ikatlong
paring martir na si Blessed Pedro Ibañez
Alonso, O.P. Tinapos niya ang kaniyang
kurso sa theology sa UST at nagtungo sa
bansang Tsina bilang misyonaryo. Pinatay
siya ng mga miliciano noong ika-27 ng
Agosto 1936 sa Espanya.
Kumuha ng kursong moral theology
sa UST ang ikaapat na paring martir na si
Blessed Manuel Moreno Martinez, O.P. mula
sa Logroño, Espanya. Siya ay pinatay ng
mga miliciano noong ika-5 ng Agosto 1935
matapos mahuli sa isang istasyon ng tren.
Usapang Uste Page 9
OCTOBER 29, 2010
Editor: Antonio Ramon H. Royandoyan
The
Varsitarian Sci-Tech
3
Platymantis biak:
Limestone wonder
By CAMILLE ANNE M. ARCILLA and ANTONIO RAMON H. ROYANDOYAN
THE HISTORIC Biak na Bato National
Park in Bulacan is now the site of a
significant discovery.
It is whe re a t ea m of
researchers—including College
of Science professor Mae Lowe
Diesmos and husband Arvin
of t h e Ph i l ip pi n e Na t io n a l
Mu seu m — d iscovered a new
frog species belonging to the
Plat y ma nt is genus. With the
group were Rafe Brown, Cameron
Siler, and Charles Lin kem of
the Kansan Universit y in the
United States. The new find was
ch r istened Plat y mantis biak,
in recognition of the natural
reserve.
‘Limestone’ frog
In 2009, Diesmos and
her team started a study on
amphibians and reptiles
at the park. After field
surveys of reptile and
amph ibians i n the
area, they concluded
t h at t he f i nd wa s
i nd e e d a new f r og
species.
Not alone i n its
genus, the Platymantis
biak, which is
barely the size of an
adult thumb, adds to
t he g row i ng nu mber of
Platymantis frogs, which now stand at 29.
Platymantis biak are usually spotted in
their microhabitats—limestone crevices or
gaps found in caves in Biak na Bato National
Park. Frogs th r ive in moist places like
these, where temperature
is naturally low.
T h e y
a r e
classif ied as karsthabitat specialists or
organisms that live
in soluble bedrocks
like limestones and
dolomites.
The study
had long
b e e n
Illustration by patrick c. de los reyes
planned after Diesmos’
hu sba nd , A r v i n , wa s
conv i nce d t h at a new
species was awaiting official
discovery going by the unique mating calls
or croaks at the national park in Bulacan.
T h e r e s e a r c h e r s e ve n c o m p a r e d
members of the Platymantis genus from this
new species to ascertain the new discovery.
What is OVI trapping?
PREVENTION is still better
than cure.
This mantra rings true for
dengue cases within the University
over the past few months.
Unknown to many, UST’S
Health Service has been setting
up mosquito traps on campus to
help prevent the spread of the
deadly fever.
The OVI trapping or larvae
trapping is done to prevent
mosquitoes from reaching
adulthood. They are then
exterminated as soon as they are
detected.
Health Service Director Dr.
Salve Olalia says that this process
has been ongoing for the past
three years. The process starts
with observation of the breeding
grounds of dengue mosquitoes.
Along with the help of the
Facilities and Management Office
(FMO) and City Service, larvae
traps are set in the suspected
breeding grounds. The larvae trap
consists of a can painted black to
attract the dengue mosquitoes,
and a wooden stick to determine
if the dengue mosquitoes bred in
the cans.
This clever apparatus then
waits for mosquitoes to breed in
the can. After four days, the larvae
may be detected inside the cans.
“This is done to carefully
select the areas where to fog,”
The Department of Health placed the OVI trapping experiment
in some selected spots in the campus JILSON SECKLER C. TIU
Olalia said. “This is part of the
search and destroy campaign to
prevent the dengue from spreading
in the University.”
After the intricate process
of waiting, the breeding areas are
then fogged. Fogging is done 10
days after the traps have been set.
This process of trapping
Aedes aegypti larvae was copied
from Indonesia.
Fogging is only done on
Sundays, every after 10 days that
the traps have been set.
Also, fogging cannot
be done regularly because
the mosquitoes may develop
antibodies and become immune
to it. “Fogging should not be done
indiscriminately, mosquito bodies
may become invulnerable to it,”
she said.
Throughout the three years of
trapping and fogging, the College
of Education’s building yielded
positive with dengue larvae.
According to Olalia, UST is
the only institution known to this.
“As far as I know, UST os the
only institution doing this [OVI
trapping],” Olalia said.
Despite the Health Service’s
best efforts to prevent dengue
within the University, there
have been 15 cases of dengue
fever among students since July
this year. August yielded the
highest number of cases this
year, producing nine cases and
September yielding eight cases.
“Although that is the status
quo, we are not sure whether the
dengue is from the University
of from their homes,” Olalia
reiterated. “Alarmingly, this year’s
cases were larger compared to
last year.”
However, the Health Service
was not able to provide exact
figures and percent because its
records were washed away during
typhoon Ondoy’s onslaught back
in 2009. Antonio Ramon H.
Royandoyan
The bases of comparison were morphology,
advertisement or mating call, and molecular
structure.
T he scie nt ist s w i l l f i r st st udy t he
morphology of the frog by measuring the
eyes, fingers and toe discs, and by looking for
other differences in physical characteristics.
Li ke t he u su al Plat y ma nt is, t he
Plat y m a nt is bia k a l so h a s mo de r at ely
expanded fingers and toe discs. But it differs
from other genuses because it confines itself
to terrestrial habitats. The Platymantis genus
is sensitive to changes in temperature.
“ Fr og s s t ay i n l i m e s t o n e b e c a u s e
amphibians adapt to cool temperat ure,”
Diesmos said.
Second is the “advertisement calling.”
The mating of these species can be done first
by “advertisement call” or mating call. When
the male frog “calls,” members of its species
can easily recognize it, but others would not.
Adve r t ise me nt ca l l s a r e me a s u r e d
through peaks of sound waves in the frog’s
croaks, which will determine if the species
is old or new.
D e s p i t e t h e d i v e r s i t y of t h e
Platymantis genus in the country,
the biaks are genetically and
reproductively isolated
to their own species.
“They consider it
as one already so they
cannot mate with the other
species,” Diesmos said.
L a s t l y, t h e y c o n s i d e r t h e
d e ox y r i b o n u cl e i c a c i d ( DN A) o r
molecular structure of the species.
Her petologists are researchers
who study amphibians and reptiles.
They prefer to get DNA samples
from the liver because it has more
DNA structures compared to any other part
of the body.
Ice Breaker
FROM PAGE 1
product.
“It honestly came as a
spark of the moment, which was
influenced by the declining sales
of the original halo-halo product
of Icebreaker,” Joaquin said.
The company now has
55 operational branches and
is pushing for 75 by the end of
the year. Joaquin has two, and
is still waiting for award notices
for four more branches. He has a
pending application for a space
at the UST Carpark.
Before joining his friend,
Joaquin had been thinking
of putting up a fried noodles
franchise business in Greenhills,
an idea which led him to take
a leave of absence from law
school.
His initial capital came
from his savings during his
senior year in UST and from
graduation gifts. He began with
his fondness for videogames and
sold them online, which tripled
his money. He then put up a gift
item store in Greenhills, which
lasted from November 2009 to
January 2010, where he grew his
college savings by almost seven
times.
Bonuses and lessons
For Joaquin, the decision
to handle his own business
came easy because he finds
himself efficient “without the
bureaucratic hassles.”
“Since high school, I did
not see myself working for
somebody else in an office.
I have my own way of doing
things and I’m not comfortable
in a hierarchy-based institution,”
he said.
The decision came with
perks that most people his age
are still aiming to get.
“Having my own business
means I won’t have to rely on
Diesmos and her colleagues checked the
base pare of the DNA and found significant
differences.
“You can say that the difference in the
DNA makeup is significant,” Diesmos said.
Though Diesmos acknowledged that the
discovery might not generate a major public
interest, she and her colleagues still pursued
the research.
“Admittedly, frogs are not charismatic
and cute. I’m talking from the common
people’s views,” she said. “But if you look at it
from our perspective, as scientists, frogs play
a very important role in the environmental
niche.”
If one is to go back to their biology
lessons, frogs are part of the food chain that
once it is removed, the chain will be destroyed.
For example, the snake that feeds on the frog
may die if the frog is removed from the food
chain. Likewise, the disruption of the food
chain will hamper the ecosystem.
T he Plat y mantis biak research was
published last May 2010 in Zootaxa, an
international journal for taxonomists which
reviews studies from reputable institutions
and universities.
my parents financially, plus I’ve
learned how to handle and save
my own money,” he said.
Being young is also
beneficial because he is more
technology-savvy, which helps
in promoting his business.
At his age, he knows
he can afford some setbacks,
which could make him a better
entrepreneur.
“There is room for error
and time to recover, unlike for
businessmen who started in their
30s or 40s,” he said. “Faced with
huge setbacks, most of them
never made it back on track.”
But while enjoying the good
side of this opportunity, Joaquin
shared that he is learning a lot of
things that cannot be found in
business management books.
“My Political Science
professors
stressed
the
importance of being responsible
and independent in all aspects
of one’s life. Having my own
business taught me that again,”
he said. “But the stakes are
higher this time, as my future is
in my hands now.”
He added that his
Thomasian roots helped him
every step of the way, particularly
in the tough moments of his
business life.
“This entire year was never
short of failures and frustrations
in my branch applications,”
he shared. “My Thomasian
upbringing and my faith in God
helped me get through those.”
He also looks forward to
opening a branch in UST in
order to give back to his alma
mater.
“I want to serve as an
inspiration to the young
students,” he said.
Bigger things ahead
Joaquin is happy for the
uphill climb of Icebreakers, but
he and Sevilla are still going to
promote innovations in the way
they serve ice scramble.
He added that they will
also be opening stalls in LRT
Photo courtesy of
MAE DIESMOS
and MRT stations in the coming
months.
“Why rest on your laurels
when your competitors are like
mushrooms that never cease to
sprout?” he said.
The young entrepreneur
is also open to hopping to
other opportunities, seeing that
business has its highs and lows.
“I can’t count on this as a
constant in my life,” he shared.
“It will be safer for me and my
future family to have a good
fallback.”
But the most important
thing, Joaquin has learned, is not
financial success, but keeping
one’s goodness intact.
“Always think that if you
become successful, it’s to help
others—your family and loved
ones, especially. When your
intentions are good and you’re
not selfish, God will really
help you achieve your dreams.
Everything will fall into place,”
he said.
Judokas
FROM PAGE 12
competition despite an early
lead, with Alexis Albor and
Benjamin Tan’s copping a gold
medal apiece in the -90 kg and
-100 kg divisions, respectively.
Lightweight Nash Tagle
harvested a gold after subduing
Ateneo’s Joriel Abaca that
earned him an ippon in 3:07
minutes.
Silver med alist Jon
Rodriguez of the Tiger Judokas
grabbed a yuko (1/4 point)
with 4:05 left in the clock,
bowing down to Ateneo’s
Chris Velasco who took home
an ippon.
UST’s Adrian Monera and
Brian Llamas pocketed a twin
bronze in the -73 kg and 60 kg
divisions, respectively.
In the juniors division,
UST (29 poi nts) f i n ished
second to reigning champion
Ateneo (85 points).
4 Opinion The
Varsitarian OCTOBER 29, 2010
Editorial
FROM PAGE 1
as, “Get your rosary out of my ovary.” Even
harlots would not use such language!
In what planet are Celdran and his
supporters living? Perhaps they should repeat
their stunt in a Muslim mosque or an Iglesia
ni Cristo service. Let’s see if they would not
get lynched.
Celdran’s arrogance was not only an
affront to religion; it was an insult to the
national hero. Even if Rizal was a Mason, a
liberal secularist, and an anti-cleric, he would
not have disrupted the Holy Mass and cursed
the clergy. In his distasteful, unseemly blog,
Celdran styles himself and those opposed to
the Church’s stand on population control as
“the new Jose Rizal.” What megalomania!
Even the diehard Rizalista would not make
such a claim. Apparently Celdran and his ilk
have been making the fantastic claim inside
the Mandaluyong sanatorium.
The apathy of many Catholics to denounce
Celdran’s outright assault of the Church
is a reality check on the Church both as a
hierarchy and as people of God: Catholics are
woefully ignorant of the Church’s teachings.
The Catholic Church and her leaders have
failed to educate Catholics on the teachings
of the Church.
This problem may also stem from the
failure of schools, particularly Catholic
schools, to impress upon the students the
position of the Church on issues such as the
RH bill, which goes against the Church’s
teachings on the basic right to life.
Closer to home, has UST, which prides
itself as the Catholic University of the
Philippines and a Pontifical University no less,
done its job in teaching the Church’s pro-life
stand as it confronts issues such as population
control?
In the University, a minimum 15 units
of theology subjects are mandated. Despite
this, a study of former Arts and Letters
Dean Armando de Jesus last year revealed
that many Thomasians are “religious but not
moral”––a finding which implies the tendency
of Thomasian students to support the RH bill.
To be sure, this disturbing situation in the
academe should force the Institute of Religion,
the office in charge of the theology subjects,
to start rethinking its curriculum and method
of instruction, particularly SCL3 (The Social
Teachings of the Church) and SCL9 (Marriage
and Family).
All of the subjects are treated in an
abstract manner, without reference to pressing
issues of the day. For example, the chapter
on natural family planning in the Marriage
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.
Welcome to Las Vegas?
NEXT time Filipinos wake
up, they would probably be
in ‘Las Vegas.’ It is certainly
not over the wide array of
casino resorts and similar
entertainment, but because
of quick weddings and just as
quick divorces.
For
almost
three
decades, a number of
Filipino legislators have been
introducing a bill to legalize
divorce in the country. All of
them have failed.
The divorce campaign
has been revived in the new
Congress by Gabriela, a
women’s party-list group.
According to Luzviminda
Ilagan and Emerenciana de
Jesus, proponents of the bill,
Philippine society is ready to
take divorce as a ‘remedial’
option
for
irreparable
marriage. They based this
claim on certain “indications”
in the explanatory note of the
bill: the infidelity of husbands,
violence against women, and
the inadequacy of existing law
on marital separation.
The Philippines is one of
the two last countries in the
globe (the other being Malta)
which has no divorce law.
Chile was the latest country to
legalize divorce in 2004 amid
strong opposition from the
Catholic Church.
But how could the divorce
bill be passed into a law in the
midst of an influential Catholic
Church, a male-dominated
Congress, and more than 85
One must be
able to foresee the
consequences and
conflict that are to
be brought about
by these decisions.
percent of Filipinos professing
the Catholic devotion.
Moreover, there are many
pressing arguments against
divorce.
While divorce may be
that path to freedom, peace
of mind, and starting anew
for some, it also threatens
the stability of a family.
Divorce would also redefine
the concept of marriage that
Filipinos have perceived, as
divorce would make it easy for
either party to opt out when
conflict occurs.
It would be as simple
as “we just can’t get along
anymore,” or “we cannot
resolve this problem. I don’t
want to argue any longer, so
goodbye.”
What’s worse is that a
family split by divorce would
cause depression to children,
or
even
psychological
trauma. According to a study
conducted by the North
Carolina State University,
depression is one of the many
short-term effects of divorce,
which can lead to a long-term
emotional deficiency.
Other
studies
have
shown that children from
divorced families have an
increased risk for a variety of
problems such as fear of being
abandoned, losing attachment,
and difficulty in coping with
parental tensions.
Furthermore, insincere
relationships turned into
marriage would become
profuse as a result of
immaturity
of
teenage
decisions. And in the advent
of social networking sites and
text messaging, young couples
are always reminded that
divorce can always be an easy
escape button. As Sophocles
said, “Quick decisions are
unsafe decisions.”
The
proponents
of
the bill argue that when a
breakdown of marriage and
a total non-performance of
marital obligations caused
by irreconcilable differences
take place, the bond must be
ended so as not to prolong the
discord between couples.
Also, there must be
this sense of dignity and
affirmation
in
decisionmaking. One must be able
to foresee the consequences
and conflict that are to be
brought about by these
decisions. Surely, times would
sometimes be rough. What
one has to do is to figure the
bad root and pull it off.
People alawys have the
choice of whether to heal or
not some brokenness. When
on refuses to transform
conflict into concord, it only
proves one’s frivolity. As
Niccolo Machiavelli puts it:
“one never finds anything
perfectly pure and unmixed,
or exempt from danger.”
For one, I do not want
to be welcomed to this ‘Las
Vegas.’
***
The 26th Gawad Ustetika
is now accepting entries. For
contest rules, you may visit
Varsitarian: 26th Ustetika on
Facebook. Deadline of entries
is on November 11, Thursday.
***
The
Varsitarian
is
looking for new Filipino
and SciTech writers and a
photographer. For inquiries
contact Alexis Ailex Villamor
Jr. at 0915.235.2965. Deadline
of submission of requirements
is on November 13, Saturday.
Rethinking nuclear energy
THE COUNTRY’S energy
crisis is like a time bomb
waiting to explode any time.
According to University
of the Philippines professor
Rowaldo del Mundo, the
cost of electricity provided
in the country is the third
most expensive in Asia, with
Iloilo’s electricity as the most
expensive in the world.
Apparently, the Aquino
government
has
seen
solutions to this problem.
The mothballed Bataan
Nuclear
Power
Plant
(BNPP) is under wraps
for
reinstallation
under
P-Noy’s orders. Also, several
international nuclear power
producers have expressed
interest on investing and
constructing nuclear power
plants in the country.
The
Korea
Electric
Power Corporation and a
French power firm saw the
country as a prospective spot
for nuclear plants, but does
this mean that energy in the
country would come cheaper
With timely amendments
to the electric power
industry reform act
(Epira), the common
Filipino may be able
to sleep well at night
without worrying about
high electric bills
soon?
ASEAN
countries
including the Philippines
expressed interest in building
nuclear plants to aid the
energy crisis that is crippling
their countries anew. While
the Philippines had a shortterm solution to this crisis
back in 1997, the country
is still mired in energy
problems.
The
Aquino
administration’s move to
invest in nuclear power
is a breath of fresh air,
considering the fact that
the previous administration
attempted to do this, but
ultimately ended in failure.
The alarming fact that the
country is the third most
expensive power provider
in Asia should be a wakeup call for legislators to
look into alternative and
renewable sources of energy
in the country.
Considering too that
fossil fuel is on the brink
of
extinction,
countries
producing “petro dollars”
will face these energy
problems and will result to
the entropy of the country’s
dependence for oil imports.
Our
lawmakers
should
consider reviewing laws and
bills regarding alternative
energy, not only nuclear
power.
Although
renewable
energy will become expensive
once it is introduced in
the market, again, with
the government’s help and
support from international
companies, alternative and
renewable energy will be
cheaper for Juan de la Cruz.
P-Noy’s plan to revive
BNPP is a promise of renewal,
not only for the energy sector,
but also to the scientific
community and the common
Filipino. Why? Because this
move once materialized, will
trigger and motivate Filipino
scientists to conduct research
on alternative energy with
focus on nuclear power. The
energy sector may be able to
forego problems in electricity
Stockholm Page 5
OCTOBER 29, 2010
Taming technology
I CAN’T help but feel that
I’m making a deal with the
devil every time I start my
computer:
“I have six hours to
start and finish this paper,
Computer. Please help me.”
“Oh, you know too
well that I have everything
you need, dear: a speedy
internet connection and all
the programs that you might
need. Go ahead, go ahead…”
I would then lock my
eyes to the screen, barely
blinking. I would start to click
time away, and end my own
trance with a solid slap when
I realize that I have managed
to open 12 Facebook tabs,
watch two Glee episodes, and
waste three precious hours.
During those times, I could
swear the purr of the exhaust
fan sounded like mocking
laughter.
Technology granted me
the ability to make almost
anything possible. I was a
wizard with the cursor as my
wand. By hitting that ‘Search’
button, I became as smart as
I wanted to be. And I’m quite
sure these things are here to
make my student life easier.
But why does it seem like it
has swallowed me whole?
Yes, technology made
things easy, too easy in fact,
that it became too hard to
resist. I would instantly drop
my pen and paper at the
sight of a blinking cursor,
believing that I could do
things better electronically,
even if I know that I could end
up burning hours on those
social networking sites. Ask
any random group of people
my age, and I bet they would
bounce enthusiastically in
agreement.
At this point, it would
be so easy to blame these
gizmos for that late paper,
for global warming, and
for every cancer known to
man. But in an unseemly
situation,
the
smarter
being should always stand
responsible. And so far, I
would like to believe that
humans are still a couple
steps more intelligent than
these magical demons.
We can’t deny that
technology is no longer an
alternative nowadays; it has
become an indispensable
part of education. But
more than the trouble-
FROM PAGE 4
and Family textbook does
not really explain why there
should be family planning
at all, it does not explain the
geopolitcal context that has
forced couples more and more
to limit their family size. The
discussion does not reveal the
population-control
mindset
that occasions the discourse
on family planning, whether
natural or contraceptive.
Moreover, the chapter
does not explain really why
natural family planning is
best. It does not even make
reference to the natural law
that underpins the Church’s
moral teachings.
Theology
professors
appear
to
be
ignorant
with the issues around the
RH bill and population
control, considering that
these issues are pressing
to young Thomasians who
have impressionable minds.
Corollarily, UST doctors
and bioethicists have largely
evaded the issues. Most UST
doctors, who receive perks
from drug companies some of
which produce contraceptives,
don’t even go out of the way
and explain to the public
the side effects and risks of
chemical contraceptives.
The
Church,
her
leaders and teachers should
tell Catholics that alleged
overpopulation is not the cause
of the poverty in the country but
corruption, mismanagement
and poor public policy. As
columnist Atty. Jose Sison,
a loyal Thomasian, said,
“overpopulation” is the wrong
term to use for the congestion
of Metro Manila and urban
centers, which is a migration
and development phenomenon.
In any case, he said it is wrong
to blame the poor people for
their poverty: the corruption
and mismanagement of public
officials are the culprits.
World-class economists
such as Simon Kuznets and
Jacqueline Katzun have denied
any
negative
correlation
between
population
and
economic growth. Meanwhile,
Nobel-winning
economists
Amartya Sen and Gary Becker
have
recommended
that
funds for birth control would
be better used in directly
addressing poverty.
Moreover, the RH bill
is draconian and violative of
human rights. The version by
Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman
bill forces employers into
providing contraceptives to
workers under their collective
bargaining agreements. How
can UST, a Catholic institution,
offer contraceptives to its
employees?
Catholics
should
understand
that
natural
family
planning
teaches
husbands to respect their
wives’ body cycles. It teaches
trust, discipline and fortifies
the family as an institution
contrary to the RH bill, which
advocates shortcuts, fosters
irresponsibility, and weakens
the family. Therefore, natural
family planning humanizes
us while artificial methods,
which RH bill espouses,
make us look like sex-starved
rabbits.
House Bill 5043 carries
a provision in which a spouse
can get a vasectomy or ligation
without the consent of the other
spouse, which is tantamount to
legalized treachery.
In addition, the bill also
wants to muzzle the opposition
by providing a provision that
punishes those who allegedly
spread
“disinformation.”
In addition, foreigners who
speak against the bill may be
deported. (What if the Pope
visits the country and calls
population-control measures
anti-life? Can Lagman kick
the Supreme Pontiff out of the
country?)
Catholics are duty-bound
to study the many anti-life and
anti-human-right provisions of
the RH bill and uphold with
conviction the stand of the
Church against it and other
social-engineering measures
of the state. Thomasians and
other Catholics should rouse
themselves from their apathy.
Let the biblical injunction be
their guide: “If you are neither
hot nor cold, I will vomit you
out of my mouth.”
Stockholm
Bar exam
FROM PAGE 4
FROM PAGE 1
production because of this.
Despite environmental
hazards surrounding the
revival of the BNPP, with
proper funding and guidance,
the country will eventually
harness the benefits of
nuclear energy in the long
run. Scientists should look
into the fact that the nuclear
plant is in need of renovation,
so as to minimize health and
environmental perils.
Having setbacks in the
legislation process regarding
nuclear energy development,
we should remain optimistic
that this will become
successful. The Department
of
Energy’s
Philippine
Energy Plan has plans for the
use of nuclear energy as the
country’s power source.
With timely amendments
in the electric power industry
reform act (Epira), the
common Filipino may be
able to sleep well at night
without worrying about high
electric bills. This would
usher in a new era of change
in the energy sector and
development for the country.
Fewer options for energy are
left in front of us, why not
utilize it? Carpe Diem!
“fortunate” to have avoided the
blast.
Moises Acayan, who
was taking his exam when
the explosion occurred, said
the UST bar examinees were
supposed to go out to the gate
where the explosion happened
but they instead waited for each
other to finish the legal ethics
subject.
“We waited for one
another so we were fortunate
that no one was injured, if not,
the candidates could have been
one of the many casualties,” he
said.
Meanwhile, Civil Law
condemned
the
bombing
and launched a fund-raising
campaign for the victims of the
blast.
“The Faculty of Civil
Law strongly condemns such
senseless act of violence. Hence
we will hold a fund-raising
drive for the benefit of all the
victims of the September 26
bombing,” Divina said in a
statement.
Civil
Law
professor
Edwin Rey Sandoval said the
bombing was “really bad.”
“I believe may kinalaman
siya sa frat war. Hindi tama
‘yun, dinamay pa ‘yung iba.
It’s a much-awaited affair
tapos sisirain nila,” Sandoval
said.
Freshmen law student
Kristine Jane Liu said all that
happened was just a case of
“law students’ arrogance.”
“Law students have the
tendency to be arrogant and
mayabang, they think they can
get away with what they want
that is why such violence could
happen among law students,”
Liu said.
Police said a member of a
fraternity may have thrown a
grenade at a rival group during
the closing of the 2010 bar
exam.
Raissa Laurel, a law
student from San Beda College
lost both her legs while another
law student who refused to
be identified by the media
needed to have one of her legs
amputated. Justinne Chynna
Editorial
Varsitarian Opinion
5
Filipino muna
free researches, the on-hand
communication, and the
spelling check, this saturation
of technology has brought
me to remember the worth
of one’s strength of will; that
we must regain our trust on
our own ability as humans.
This is a lesson that I’ve come
upon after all those crammed
assignments and sleepless,
stress-filled nights. Without
realizing this, all those
clever little gadgets would be
nothing but distractions to my
life as a student.
We shouldn’t let ourselves
be constrained and consumed
by our confidence (or maybe
addiction) to anything that
runs on electricity. Because
technology’s ambition is
nothing near mind control or
world domination--it’s all for
the society’s development.
We are intelligent. And for
that reason, we must strive
to recover the balance of
human talent and technology.
This way, we genuinely
open ourselves to creativity,
ingenuity, and to the better
life that we have imagined.
We shouldn’t
let ourselves be
constrained and
consumed by our
confidence (or
maybe addiction) to
anything that runs
on electricity
The
V. Garcia and Darenn G.
Rodriguez
Corrections
Below are the corrections in the opinion piece titled “Good News About
Dengue” published in the Vol. LXXXII No. 6 issue of the Varsitarian.
Our apologies for the mistakes in the editing. -Ed
Corrections under paragraph 3 line 2:
We must make sure that classroom, offices, homes and gardens are free of potential
breeding places such as…
Correction under pargaraph 6 line 2:
Here in UST we perform larvi or ovitrapping operations, first academic institution
to do so...
Thank you for giving us the chance to inform and increase awareness re this deadly
but preventable disease.
Dr. Ma. Salve Olalia, UST Health Service Director
MAHIGIT 50 taon na ang
nakararaan nang ipatupad ni
dating pangulong Carlos P. Garcia
ang patakarang “Filipino Muna”
upang itaguyod at protektahan ang
mga produktong Filipino laban
sa mga gawang banyaga. Kung
iisipi’y maganda ang layunin nito
ngunit nang lumaon ay ito mismo
ang naging sanhi ng pagbagsak
ng ekonomiya dahil nawalan ng
foreign investors na magpauunlad
sana sa mga industriyang Filipino.
Sa kasalukuyan, malinaw
na naisasantabi ang mga produktong Filipino; higit na
tinatangkilik ang mga gawang banyaga, habang ang mga
industriyang sariling atin ay patuloy na humihina at nalulugi.
Bagaman isa ring dahilan ang kalidad kung bakit higit na
tinatangkilik ang gawang banyaga, nakalulungkot isipin
na gayon lamang kadali naiisasangtabi ang konsiderasyong
gawang Filipino ang mga produktong ito, na bilang Filipino
ay dapat natin itong tangkilikin. Ngunit hindi lamang sa
larangan ng negosyo masasalamin ang kawalan natin ng
pagmamahal sa sariling atin. Sa katunayan, maging sa
wikang ating sinasalita ay malaki rin ang ating pagkukulang.
Sa tuwing mababanggit ang asignaturang Filipino,
madalas ay kaakibat nito ang mga salitang “kabagut-bagot”
at “madali” o “sisiw lang”. Kung minsan pa nga’y may
magtatanong pa kung bakit pa ito kailangang pag-aralan,
at ano ang maitutulong nito sa atin, gayong Filipino na nga
ang wikang ating sinasalita. Masakit itong pakinggan, lalo
pa nga’t simula pagkabata’y masasabi kong panatiko ako ng
ating wikang pambansa.
Sadya nga bang mapanupil tayo sa sariling atin? Sadya
nga bang marami na sa atin ang nagsawa na sa pagiging
Filipino? Kung tunay ngang madali at hindi na dapat
pang pag-aralan o bigyang-halaga ang ating wika, bakit
ang simpleng gamit lang ng “nang” at “ng” ay banyaga sa
nakararami? Bakit hirap tayong tukuyin ang pagkakaiba ng
salitang “pahirin” at “pahiran”? At bakit estranghero ang
nakararami sa wikang nagbubuklod sa atin?
Hangga’t may mga Filipinong
nagmamahal sa Pilipinas at
hangga’t may mga Filipinong
walang sawang maging Filipino,
may pag-asa pa ang bayang ito
Nang sumali ako sa Varsitarian at maging bahagi
ng seksyong Filipino ay may dalawang bagay na madalas
sabihin ng aking mga kaibigan sa akin. Ang una ay ang
paghanga nila sapagkat mahirap daw ang magsulat sa
wikang Filipino. Ang ikalawa ay ang (may halong biro
yatang) pagsasabi na ang dali-dali lang naman daw ng
ginagawa ko.
Sa unang pahayag ay sinasabi kong hindi naman
mahirap ang magsulat sa sariling wika, bagkus ay higit
itong madali kaysa sa wikang Ingles sapagkat taal na sa
bawat isa sa ating Filipino ang pagsasalita ng wikang
Filipino. Kalokohan ang pagsasabing malalim ang salitang
“umuukilkil” habang alam na alam natin ang kahulugan
ng salitang lucid. Ang katotohana’y ang mga “malalim” na
salitang Filipino ay hindi sana banyaga sa atin kung may
panahon lamang tayong tuklasin ang mga salitang bahagi
ng ating pagka-Filipino gaya ng pagbabasa ng panitikang
Filipino.
Ang ikalawang pahayag ay sinasagot ko lamang ng
ngiti, ngunit sa loob ko’y nasasaktan ako. Hanggang kailan
natin dudustahin ang sariling atin? Hanggang kailan natin
ibababa ang ating sariling pagkakakilanlan? Kung tayo
mismong mga Filipino ang nagpapababa sa sariling atin,
wala tayong karapatang magalit sa sino mang umaalipusta
sa atin. Hindi ko pinapanigan ang mga banyagang
nagbibigay ng negatibong komento tungkol sa ating lahi,
ngunit hindi ba’t marapat lamang na isipin nating, paano
tayo rerespetuhin ng iba kung tayo mismo ay walang
respeto sa ating mga sarili?
Patuloy akong umaasa na hindi pa huli ang lahat upang
tayo’y magbago. Hangga’t may mga Filipinong nagmamahal
sa Pilipinas at hangga’t may mga Filipinong walang sawang
maging Filipino, may pag-asa pa ang bayang ito.
Awards
FROM PAGE 2
the “most awarded” media
practioner af ter receiving
three CMMA awards, namely
Best Talk Show for Kandidato,
Best News Program-TV for
Saksi and Best Public Service
Program-TV for Unang Hirit.
“I was really surprised
when I was called because I
was invited just as a presentor
of the awards,” Clavio told the
Varsitarian.
“Maybe the hardwork of
the people behind the camera
made us win the award. They
worked hard to produce a
quality program which GMA
is known for,” he said. “At
least we were able to meet their
expectation for us to be a mass
media with responsibility and
fear of the Lord.”
Clavio said he hoped there
would be more Thomasians
in broadcasting outlet like
jour nalism alumna Sandra
Aguinaldo and communication
arts alumnus Cesar Apolinario,
who also work for GM A
Network.
“Dagdagan pa natin para
maging proud ang University
natin,” Clavio said.
CMMA was established
by the late Archbishop Jaime
Cardinal Sin in 1978 to stress
t h e i m p o r t a n c e of m a s s
media and to instill a sense of
responsibility among media
practitioners.
6 Witness The
Varsitarian OCTOBER 29, 2010
Our
OurLady
LadyofofLaLaNaval
Naval
Renewed faith brought by the Queen
By BRYLLE B. TABORA
YEAR after year, waves of Marian devotees visit
the Santo Domingo Church in Quezon City in
early October, to get a glimpse of Our Lady of
the Holy Rosary, La Naval de Manila.
Last October 10, thousands of Marian
followers gathered to renew their lives and faith,
as the Catholic Church once again observed
in silence and joy the most celebrated Marian
image in the country.
Nuestra Señora de la Naval’s exquisite frock
and oriental features have become a definitive
characteristic of all the Marian images styled
“Queen of the Rosary”.
The Feast of Our Lady of La Naval has
long been attracting devout Catholics all over
the country. Through her ardent devotees, her
feast has become the most attended Marian
celebration in the country.
During the annual procession, Marian
devotees would solemnly walk alongside the
image while carrying candles and reciting the
rosary.
This age-old tradition of Filipinos dates
back four centuries ago. The festivity reflects the
devotion of the Catholics to the Virgin Mary and
her strong bond with the Filipino culture.
This year’s theme was La Naval: Tagumpay
sa Pagbabagong-buhay.
Sto. Domingo Convent prior Fr. Giuseppe
Pietro Arsciwals, O.P. said in his homily last
September 30 that the outcome of the recent
election was prompted by the people’s clamor
for change.
“The true change can come from the person
who accepts the will of God for him or her. This
is the triumph of the Blessed Virgin,” Arsciwals
said in a report from CBCPNews.com.
Novena masses were held in honor of the
feast of La Naval at the Sto. Domingo Church
along Quezon Avenue (National Shrine of Our
Lady of the Holy Rosary) from October 1 to
October 10.
The celebration, organized by the
Dominican Province of the Philippines, began
last September 30 with the Solemn Rite of
Enthronement of the image of La Naval at the
main altar of her shrine at the Sto. Domingo
Church in Quezon City.
During the novena masses, priests hailed
Mary whose “beauty is incomparable” and
praised her miraculous contributions.
In his homily last October 7, Bishop Teodoro
Bacani said that the beauty of the Virgin Mary is
incomparable, a gift from God unblemished of
any sins.
“Ang ganda ni Maria ay walang kupas,
biyaya ng Diyos,” said Bacani. “Dapat ay
maitulad tayo sa kaniyang gandang walang
bahid ng masama.”
On the same day, the image was brought
down from the altar to let the devotees touch and
kiss any part of the clothing of the image and ask
for her blessings. The practice is called the Beso
Manto.
“Hinihikayat tayo ni Maria na magbagongbuhay. Ang pagbabagong ito ay hindi radical,
kundi magrecover mula sa ating mga sarili,”
said UST Rector Fr. Rolando dela Rosa O.P. in
his homily last October 8.
On the feast day last October 10, a grand La
Naval procession was held to pay tribute to the
Marian image’s contributions to the country and
her divine interventions. The image was followed
by a pantheon of exquisitely garbed Dominican
saints, including the icons of St. Thomas Aquinas
and St. Martin de Porres. Afterwards, the image
was brought back to the pedestal.
The entire celebration was carried out in
Filipino instead of the usual English.
Unblemished history
Robed with a gold cape embellished with
silver threads, the fifty-six-inch tall image
has withstood the test of time, enduring many
trials and tribulations in its almost 400 years of
existence.
The sculpture of Our Lady of the Rosary
was commissioned in 1954 at the request of then
acting Governor General of the Philippines Don
Luis Dasmariñas to honor his deceased father
and his own regime.
Under the direction of Captain Hernando de
los Rios Coronel, a Chinese artist sculpted the
statue with its head and hands made of ivory. The
Chinese later became a Catholic convert.
The image was housed at the side altars of
Sto. Domingo Church in Intramuros for more
than a century.
In March 1646, 15 Dutch ships breached the
Philippine territory and attacked the country. This
is famously known as the Battle of La Naval, a
string of five naval combats between the Spanish
and Filipino defenders and the Dutch invaders.
The Filipinos, being devout Catholics,
prayed to the Lady of the Rosary, the famous
devotion promoted by the Dominicans, for help.
Two galleons, “The Rosary” and “The
Incarnation,” which served as merchant ships,
fought the enemies. With the help of the image,
they won the battle against the Dutch.
During the Second World War, Sto.
Domingo Church in Intramuros was razed. But
miraculously, the Lady of the Rosary was spared
from devastation.
Following the catastrophe, UST provided
the image shelter from 1942 to 1954.
La Naval was the first Marian image to be
canonically crowned in Asia on October 5, 1907.
In 1981, Pope John Paul II dedicated the
Philippines to Mary, Queen of the Rosary under
the title of La Naval.
Enduring the catastrophe at her previous
shrine in Intramuros was just half the battle,
as she experienced another tragedy at the
University. The UST Chapel (now Santisimo
Rosario Parish), where the image was sheltered,
was bombed by enemies. Luckily, the bomb fell
just a few inches from the image and left La
Naval unscathed.
In 1956, its last year at the University, the
image was transferred to her new and permanent
shrine at the Sto. Domingo Church in Quezon
City.
In the same year— a Marian Year—the new
shrine was declared the “National Shrine of Our
Lady of the Rosary” by the Philippine Hierarchy.
Thomasians and other Marian devotees during the grand La Naval procession last October
10. The resplendent icon of Our Lady of the the Rosary, La Naval de Manila (extreme
top). Photos by JILSON SECKLER C. TIU
Museum of Our Lady of Manaoag refurbished
By Jennifer M. Orillaza
THE 10-YEAR old museum of Our Lady of
the Rosary in Manaoag was designed in an oldfashioned way—long glass cabinets containing
embroided veils and capes, perfume bottles
displayed in glass cabinets, religious images,
vessels, and liturgical vestments placed in shelves
of a similar passé style.
Like any other edifice marred by old age,
structures housing the Blessed Virgin Mary also
needed a ‘facelift’.
With today’s advanced technological
innovations, a curator cannot stay behind with
the sentimental interior design of his museum.
Maintaining a haven of artworks and artifacts
requires constant perusal of artistic trends and
designs to attract enthusiasts.
This was the realization of Fr. Stephen
Redillas, O.P., prior of the convent of Our Lady
of the Rosary in Manaoag. The renovation
of the Lady’s museum was done as tribute to
the celebration of the Lady’s coronation last
September 24 to October 3.
“I think it is about time that we offer Our
Lady a better museum,” Redillas said in an article
posted at manaoagshrine.org, the official website
of the Shrine of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary in
The crown and royal attire of Our Lady of Manaoag featured in the renovated museum.
www.Manaoagshrine.org
Manaoag.
Allan Aguñas, image custodian of the Our
Lady of Manaoag, formerly known as Nuestra
Señora del Santissimo Rosario de Manaoag,
recalled that the museum was first built on May
2000. From the old-fashioned look it had, the
museum was transformed into a storyteller of
artistic haven.
Museum attractions
The first part of the newly renovated
museum shows a timeline of the role played
by the Dominicans in the propagation of the
Manaoag devotion.
Since 1605, the image of the Virgin Mary in
Manaoag has been under the care of Dominican
friars, until it found its home in the church built
in 1720. In September 1925, the Papal decree
allowing the Lady’s coronation was brought
to Manaoag. In April 21 of the next year, the
image was canonically crowned as Our Lady of
Manaoag.
Displayed is an old wooden statue of St.
Dominic that leads to a panel narrating the spread
of Dominican influence in Asia. Old liturgical
materials bearing the Dominican seal can also be
found in the first part of the museum.
It is followed by a panel titled “The Church
on a Hill,” showing a miniature of the previous
and present locations of the museum. The exhibit
is followed by the three-foot grand statue of Our
Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag.
The renovated museum also shows various
forms of devotions expressed to Our Lady of
Manaoag. Devotees’ letters, worship items like
novenas and rosaries, as well as panels containing
the history of the people’s devotion to her were
also there.
“The renovation of the museum strengthens
the faith of devotees because hearsays regarding
the miracles of Our Lady of Manaoag are now
supported by proofs. Now, they can discern the
fact from fiction,” Aguñas said.
‘She calls’
According to tales passed on through
generations, a native man who was walking home
heard a call from a mysterious lady. He looked
around to see where the voice came from. To
his surprise, he found the apparition of a radiant
Lady holding a rosary and a child.
The act of calling, referred to as “taoag”
(tawag) in Tagalog, has been translated over the
years into ‘manaoag’ (manawag) which means
she calls.”
The feast of the Our Lady of Manaoag,
Patroness of the sick, helpless, and needy, has
been one of the most celebrated Marian feasts in
the country.
The replica of Our Lady visited the
University from October 7 to 8 at the Main
building, in line with the celebration of the Feast
of Our Lady of the Rosary.
In his homily, Rev. Fr. Gerard Francisco
Timoner III, O.P., rector of the UST Central
Seminary, noted that the rosary is a part of every
Catholic’s life.
“The rosary is the simplest kind of prayer.
It is also the most portable kind of prayer. Even
if you don’t have your rosary with you, you can
still pray it because you have your 10 fingers,”
he said.
Timoner noted that the Dominicans played
a great role in the use of rosary to express one’s
faith.
“We Dominicans are clothed with the habit
and the rosary. Part of what we wear is the
rosary,” he said.
He said that praying is not a monologue, but
is actually a dialogue which involves two people.
According to him, the prayer Hail Mary is a great
manifestation of this conversation.
“When we pray the rosary, we are sure
and we are certain that what is happening is a
conversation. It’s really God who’s talking to us
when we pray its first part,” Timoner added. “If
we want to be filled with grace, we just need to be
sure that the Lord is with us.”
OCTOBER 29, 2010
Editor: Rose-An Jessica M. Dioquino
WHAT does it take to be immortalized on top
of the Main Building?
We often find ourselves looking up to this
historic establishment as we pass by, where
15 statues, grouped in threes, are located
just below the high cross. Crafted by Italian
expatriate sculptor Francesco Monti and
installed in the early 1950s, the statues
withstood the years and the calamities that
passed. But the question that still remains to
most Thomasians is: “Who are they?”
The three virtues
At the center of the building is a clock
and three statues that flock it. Marked “Tria
Haec” or ‘these three’, which pertains to
the three virtues of St. Paul (faith, hope,
and love), the statues collectively stand as a
reminder of what the University stands for.
“The Tria Haec symbolizes our Christian
values,” said Augusto de Viana, chairperson
of the Department of History.
The University’s tradition of following
St. Paul’s theology may be traced to St.
Dominic de Guzman, the founder of the
Order of Preachers (O.P.).
It was said that St. Dominic had a
vision of St. Paul, who handed him a book
of his letters, while St. Peter gave him a
preacher’s staff. The Tria Haec serves as
a reminder to Thomasians about St. Paul’s
teaching of “primacy of charity.”
“They (Thomasians) should try to put
the message of the Tria Haec into practice,”
Fr. Efren Rivera, O.P., associate professor of
Scriptures in the Faculty of Sacred Theology,
told the Varsitarian in an interview in 2009.
The holy thinkers
To the left of the Tria Haec are statues
of three holy men whose ideals helped shape
Catholic thinking as it is known today.
Little is known about the personal life of
Fr. Vincent de Beauvais, O.P., but the French
man made his mark in history as the author of
Speculum Majus (Great Mirror), considered
to be the greatest encyclopedia of medieval
thought. He was successful in the first three
installations of his book, which dealt on
science, philosophy, art, and history.
He joined the Dominican house in
Paris shortly after its founding in 1218, and
probably moved to the new Dominican house
in his native Beauvais, where he spent the rest
of his religious life.
Beside him is St. Augustine, considered
to be one of the most important figures in
the development of Western Christianity.
The theologian who influenced St. Thomas
Aquinas was admittedly a deviant of Catholic
principles, but eventually sought conversion
and became a changed man. His concepts,
including “original sin” and “City of God,”
are deemed important, and his influence went
beyond Catholicism. He served as the bishop
of Hippo Regius in Roman Africa.
Another saint who pushed St. Thomas
to his endeavors was St. Raymond de
Peñafort, O.P., the patron saint of lawyers.
Men of great heights
The identity of these
statues remains a mystery
for some Thomasians, but
students acknowledge
that they must be placed
on a high pedestal for a
reason.
Graphics by
patrick c. de
los reyes
A canon lawyer and head of the Dominican
order, he was said to be the one who asked
St. Thomas to write Summa contra Gentiles,
which cites arguments in favor of God and
the Christian faith.
­
The great minds
Placed on the right side of Tria Haec
are the statues of three of the best brains
in history, whose passion for learning and
teaching influenced many.
His name has become a fixture in
secondary and tertiary knowledge, but
Aristotle is still considered mainly as one of
the pillars of Western philosophy.
St. Thomas referred to him as “The
Philosopher,” who contributed much to ethics,
art, mathematics, and the physical sciences,
and is also considered the father of the field
of logic.
Another apostle of teaching is St.
Albert the Great or Albertus Magnus, who
was St. Thomas’ teacher. He was deemed
one of the most universal thinkers during the
Middle Ages with his field of study going
Viaje del Galeon:
Cultural and spiritual trip to Cebu
By LESTER G. BABIERA
THE NATIONAL Commission for
Culture and the Arts (NCCA) took
300 participants from all over the
Philippines for the Viaje del Galeon,
a four-day educational trip from
Manila to Cebu last October 8 to 11.
The event sought to raise public
awareness on the galleon trade, the
famous commerce through the giant
galleon ships between Manila and
Acapulco between 1565 and 1815
which opened Manila to world trade.
The Viaje del Galeon was also held
to develop and strengthen youth
leadership, and educate the delegates
on the rich cultural heritage of the
Philippines from Spain. Most of
the participants in the event were
composed of young student leaders.
“We have to educate young
people about our history. They need
to know what the Philippines was in
the past,” said Fr. Harold Rentoria,
OSA, NCCA Commissioner on
Cultual Heritage.
UST Graduate School professor
Edgardomar Castro said that the
experience taught him not only to
memorize history but appreciate it.
He
linked
the
cultural
enrichment program to the coming
UST Quadricentennial.
“The 400 years has been
very significant for the Thomasian
community because of the numerous
The
alumni and their contributions to
society,” he told the Varsitarian.
“After 2011, it will be more
meaningful if we really look back
to our history and use it for the
betterment of the future.”
from natural science to theology. Because of
this, an auditorium in UST was named after
him.
Plato of ancient Greece is one of the
most read and studied philosophers of all
time. A student of Socrates and the teacher
of Aristotle, he is famous for his theory
of Forms and for his work, the Republic,
a Socratic dialogue which prescribes the
characteristics of a just city-state and the
nature of justice.
Beautifiers of tragedy
Facing P.Noval Street are three fixtures
of men who made their mark in world
literature as great writers of tragedy.
Pedro Calderon de la Barca, one of
Spain’s most important dramatists, had
dominated his country’s Golden Age of
Theater. He is best known for his play, Life is
a Dream, which explores the conflict between
free will and predestination.
At the center is Sophocles, one of the
ancient Greek tragedians whose work has
survived. An influential writer, he is known
Varsitarian Features
7
for his tragedies on Oedipus and Antigone.
Regarded as the greatest writer in the
English language, William Shakespeare
wrote 38 plays, 154 sonnets, and two long
narrative poems, among others. Some of his
most famous works are Romeo and Juliet
and Hamlet. His plays have been translated
into every major living language and are
performed more often than those of any other
playwright.
For comedy’s sake
On the opposite side is another set of
great writers, whose attack on life had witty
impact that would always leave their audience
fascinated.
One of them is Lope de Vega, who is
one of the prominent fixtures in Spanish
literature. A playwright and poet, he is
considered to be in the ranks of Miguel de
Cervantes, the famous writer who brought
Don Quixote de la Mancha into the world.
Cervantes called him “The Phoenix of
Wits”.
In ancient Athens, another playwright
named Aristophanes made his mark in a
genre of comic drama called Old Comedy.
His ability to ridicule made him an important
and feared man. Also known as the Father of
Comedy and the Prince of Ancient Comedy,
he has been said to recreate the life of ancient
Athens more convincingly than any other
author.
Another master of comedy, this time
in Western literature, is Jean-Baptiste
Poquelin, who was known by his stage name,
Moliere. The French playwright and actor
was famous for his farces, a type of comedic
entertainment that makes use of a speedy plot
and exaggerated situations.
Unknowing thoughts
The identity of these statues remains
a mystery to some Thomasians, but students
acknowledge that they must be placed on a
high pedestal for a reason.
“I really don’t know anything about
the statues,” Roznelette de los Reyes of the
Faculty of Arts and Letters admitted. “But
I think they were put up there not just for
decoration.”
The Journalism major added that the
European-inspired design somehow carries
the University’s character.
Meanwhile, Accountancy freshman
Tabitha Scudder, who was able to identify
Plato, said that the statues must be
representations of the higher learning ideals
that the University is aiming for.
“I think the statues altogether symbolize
royalty and profoundness,” she said. “We are
reminded by them to strive harder as students
of the royal University.’
For de Viana, the fixtures are very
significant for Thomasians.
“Francesco Monti’s creation is
historically important,” he said. “The statues
are something that Thomasians can look up to
for inspiration.” M. R. B. Maranan
de Legazpi was opened.
A lecture about the galleon trade
was delivered by Celestina Boncan, a
professor of history in the University of
the Philippines-Manila.
The ship arrived in Cebu at around six
in the evening. The Antipolo image was
welcomed by devotees and a marching
band. A motorcade of the image followed
Galeon Page 10
Good voyage
The image of Our Lady of Peace
and Good Voyage, the patroness of
the galleon trade, was brought aboard.
According to Msgr. Rigoberto
de Guzman, rector of the Shrine of
Antipolo, it was the first time that
the image had sailed again since the
galleon trade ended.
He said that based on history,
whenever the image accompanied the
galleon, there would be no famine,
storms and fights among the crew.
Trip to Cebu
The event started with a heritage
tour in Intramuros. The youth
delegates visited different landmarks
such as the Fort Santiago, San Agustin
Museum and Bahay Tsinoy museum.
It was then followed by a Marian
procession of Our Lady of Peace
and Good Voyage from San Agustin
Church to Eva Macapagal Pier. She
was enthroned inside the Super Ferry
20, the ship that held the participants
to Cebu and back to Manila.
After the enthronement, a Mass
was conducted and a roving exhibit
that featured the life of Miguel Lopez
(Clockwise from top) The image of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage in the grounds of Metropolitan Cebu Cathedral, the participants
of the trip inside Basilica de Sto. Niño, devotees praying during the procession and the Heritage of Cebu monument.
Photos by Paul Allyson R. Quiambao
8 Features The
Varsitarian october 29, 2010
Editor: Rose-An Jessica M. Dioquino
ales of cancer
A FAMOUS German philosopher once
said that to survive is to find meaning
in suffering. In tough battles, such
as that with cancer, it is inevitable to
get down on one’s knees and give in
to emotions. But three Thomasians
have given the “Big C” a whole new
definition, surpassing the idea of pain
and replacing it with something more
meaningful.
Bond of ‘komikeros’
One of them is Gerry Alanguilan,
an Architecture alumnus, whose
encounter with the disease came when
it hit his close friend, Arlan Esmeña.
Sharing the same profession,
Gerry and Arlan met through a local
organization of architects to which
they were affiliated. Their similarities,
differences, and good vibes surfaced
and mixed perfectly, forming a solid
friendship.
Their strong bond carried them
through the good times and the bad. In
2008, Arlan’s career was booming, but
he still took time to visit Gerry, where
he shied away from the stresses of his
work and nurtured the fun guy inside
him. He participated in video-blogs on
YouTube called “Kwentong Tambay”
and in some of Gerry’s short films.
That same year, he asked Gerry
if there was a comic project left to
draw. The Thomasian artist was then
beginning to illustrate a comic story he
made in 2000 titled Where Bold Stars
Go to Die, which had gone through the
hands of different artists.
Gerry knew he found the story’s
match in Arlan after seeing a sample
work drawn on a small piece of paper.
“I knew he was good, but not that
good. It turns out he was better than
I expected,” he wrote in a blog entry
titled “Remembering Arlan.” “He
harbored dreams of drawing comics,
you see, and he wished he could for a
long time.”
But Gerry still had reservations,
given that the story would require a lot
of drawings of naked women. Arlan
was “very religious” and had relatives
and close friends who were members
of the clergy, but he was eager to do
the work.
Along this endeavor came the
bad news—Arlan was diagnosed
with cancer. But the Big C wasn’t
able to put a complete halt on his
endeavors. He became inactive in his
professional work, but the overflowing
zeal he showed for the comic project
remained.
He finished illustrating in July
2009, exactly a year after he began.
But by this point, Arlan had gone
bald along with the side effects of
chemotherapy.
“And yet I swear, that smile
never left his face every time
we saw him,” Gerry recalled.
“His development as an
artist was nothing short of
astonishing.”
The Thomasian
artist was driven to have
the comic book ready
for Komikon, one of
Fritzie Marie C. Amar
the biggest comic events in the country,
to be held on October of the same year.
Through the help of friends, the book
made it on time.
“I believed that it was an
experience that he will have
over and over, but deep in
the back of my mind,
I thought it might be
possible that this may be the last
event he could attend. It drove me to
make sure that Bold Stars came out at
the convention, just in case,” he shared.
As the year neared its end, Arlan
showed physical recovery and they
planned to take on other comic book
projects. But along with the beginning
of 2010 came a sad development. The
tumors made their way to other vital
organs, eventually invading Arlan’s
brain by February.
Gerry was able to visit twice—
when Arlan lost control of his body,
but not of his spirit—before the
36-year-old succumbed to cancer on
February 18.
“When he passed away, I realized
that I lost not just a friend, but my best
friend,” Gerry wrote.
But the Thomasian illustrator
still carries with him fun and fulfilling
memories that he shared with Arlan,
his ever-smiling friend and budding
“komikero.”
Racing awareness
National Service Training
Program instructors Eric Aboboto and
Lent Joseph Evangelista showed their
support for cancer victims and their
families in a manner that helps them
stay fit—they ran on a race track in
Fort Bonifacio.
The instructors joined over
6,000 in New Balance Power Run, a
marathon event for cancer awareness
and empowerment, on November
2009.
“It allows people to be aware of
Gerry (left) with his
friend, Arlan, during the
Komikon 2009, where their
collaborative work “Where
Bold Stars Go To Die”
was launched.
the situation. Like for cancer, where
the main objective is to raise hope for
cancer patients and their families,” Eric
said.
Both he and fellow runner and
colleague Lent Joseph agreed that the
fulfillment they felt in running and
supporting a cause is priceless. It gives
them what they call a “runner’s high,”
where they just want to finish the race
no matter what.
They added that they do this to
impart to their students that service is a
never-ending endeavor.
“Service that you give should
not stop in the finish line. It should go
beyond that,” they said.
The survivor
The battle was closest to Yolanda
Reyes, former dean of the College of
Architecture, who came face-to-face
with the Big C. But this woman did not
back down, and has been free from the
disease for 18 years.
The lady architect was diagnosed
with breast cancer in 1992, when she
was at her prime—young and armed
with a blossoming career.
“I thought I had the world with
me, and then suddenly, I got the news,”
she recalled.
But through early diagnosis,
necessary actions were immediately
carried out. Yolanda, who still went
through the physical consequences
Photos
courtesy
of GERRY ALANGUILAN
(gerry.alanguilan.com)
of cancer treatment, maintained her
optimism through the ordeal, and kept
herself busy with work. She even had
to attend to commitments overseas,
which extended her initial six months
of chemotherapy to eight.
The lady architect admitted that
the experience taught her to hold on to
her faith.
“I talked to God; there’s really
nothing like talking to him sincerely.
My children were very young at that
time. But I said to Him, ‘Please, I want
to see their children’s children’,” she
shared.
Yolanda added that if it were not
for cancer, she would never have fully
appreciated the overwhelming love and
support of her family and friends.
But the greatest lesson that
the Big C has given her is to enjoy
life while she could while being a
“blessing” to others.
“If your smile can give a lighter
load to others, then, for all reasons,
smile,” she said. “While you have
control over your life, do the things
you love, so that later on, you will
have no regrets.” Alma Maria L.
Sarmiento
‘While you have control over your life, do the things
you love, so that later on, you will have no regrets.’
- Yolanda Reyes, former dean of the College of
Architecture
Benavides Cancer Institute
Giving comfort to cancer patients
ACCEPTANCE is the hardest step for all
cancer patients, but the battle against the
third leading disease in the Philippines had a
lighter view with the presence of Benavides
Cancer Institute (BCI) of the UST Hospital.
Armed with a wide variety of facilities
for stages of treatment of all types of
cancer, the Institute provides modern cancer
accommodation, and also prides itself top
surgeons, medical oncologists, and other
sub-specialists of the disease.
Dr. Teresa Sy Ortin, chairman of the
Institute, shared that while the intentions for
its establishment were good, the staff did not
immediately buy the concept of the center.
“At first, it was hard to gain the support
of the medical staff since the idea was new,”
she said, adding that economic concerns also
came into picture since cancer treatments are
expensive.
The establishment houses modern
equipments like screening mammography,
stereotactic and ultrasound guided wire
localization and breast ultrasound,
which may be used for assessing breast
abnormalities.
It also offers Brachytherapy, an
advanced cancer treatment which deals with
a focused dose of radiation inside or near the
tumor itself.
“BCI is one of the first in the country
to integrate all cancer care services in one
around the Big C but to face it.
Comfort in treatment. With the utmost care for patients on top of its list of priorities, the Benavides Cancer
Center has invested in getting advanced equipment, as well as a well-trained staff, to be able to serve the
patients better.
Isabela A. Martinez
building,” Sy Ortin said.
A multidisciplinary tumor clinic has
also been established enabling two or more
specialists to see and assess a patient’s
situation at once.
Apart from high-end facilities, BCI
has enforced staff knowledgeable in caring
for cancer patients and offers lay forums to
offer the patients counseling through cancer
support groups, forums with cancer
survivors, and meditations like yoga.
A meaningful struggle
The Institute has not only catered to
various types of cancer but to different life
stories of the patients as well.
Cervical cancer stage two seems to be a
questionable cross for a mother of four with a
husband undergoing dialysis, but for 44-yearold Ruby Venasquez, there is no other way
“It is not easy to accept my condition,
but I know that God has His purpose,”
Venasquez said. “My siblings kept on telling
me that I must fight. Life can be unfair, but it
does not stop there.”
She believes that being sick meant
seeing things in a different perspective.
“Cancer is all about accepting what
should be acknowledged,” Venasquez said.
Romeo Edloy, 56, admitted that his
ailment taught him to let his emotions flow,
but also made him realize that it was not an
emotion worth wallowing into.
“Yes, I cried when I knew that I have
this stage four cancer of the gums. But I
made up my mind that pessimism will not
do anything,” Edloy shared despite his
discomfort in speaking.
“Pessimism is the only disease which is
incurable, I only have cancer,” he added.
Despite his healthy lifestyle, the
unusual cancer hit him due to hazardous
chemicals he encountered working as a
seaman. His whole family remained in
Chile despite his rare situation, and he only
has his niece to assist him
“I have learned to stand on my own feet,
cancer survivors do exist, and I will be one
of them,” Edloy said. Ana May R. Dela
Cruz
ika-29 ng OKTUBRE 2010
Patnugot: Danalyn T. Lubang
The Varsitarian Filipino
Dibuho ni PATRICK C. DE LOS REYES
Ni PATRICIA ISABELA B. EVANGELISTA
R
AMDAM ni Maro ang pamumuo ng luha
sa gilid ng kaniyang mga mata habang
unti-unting lumalayo sa pampang ang
barkong kanilang sinasakyan. Nagpasya siyang
sumama kay Kalay upang lisanin ang Indanan,
Sulu—ang lugar na kaniyang kinalakhan at ang
sangktuwaryo ng kaniyang mga pangarap.
“O Maro, ano pang ginagawa mo riyan?
Huwag ka ng pasilip-silip diyan sa bintana
at baka may makakita pa sa iyo. Mahirap na,
pumuslit lang tayo,” ani Kalay.
Hindi matanggal sa isip ni Maro ang
kapatid niyang si Raya. Labindalawang taong
gulang pa lamang si Raya at nasa unang taon
sa mataas na paaralan sa kabilang bayan sa
Pasil. Ang tanging hiling niya lang ay hindi
pabayaan ni Tiya Loy si Raya dahil may
pagkasutil pa naman ang batang iyon. Hindi
pa sila masyadong nakalalayo ay tila gusto na
niyang bumalik. Parang ayaw na yatang niyang
tumulak pa-Maynila
“Alam mo Maro, ang sabi sa akin ni
Tiyang Rosie, sigurado na ang trabaho natin sa
Maynila,” walang tigil na kumbinsi ni Kalay
kay Maro.
Mula nang tumungo ang nanay nina
Maro sa Maynila at hindi na bumalik, sila
ay inampon na ni Tiya Loy, ang kapatid ng
kanilang nanay na isang matandang dalaga.
Kinailangang tumigil ni Maro sa first year high
school upang hindi makabigat sa Tiya na sapat
lang ang kinikita para sa kanilang pagkain at
pampaaral kay Raya. Nang namatay ang tatay
nila noong sila ay limang taong gulang pa
lamang, halos si Maro na ang naging ama kay
Raya. Sa edad niyang 13 ngayon, pinili nitong
Usapang Uste
MULA SA PAHINA 2
Ang ikalimang
paring martir ay si Blessed
M a x i m i n o Fe r n a n d e z
Marinas, O.P. ng Asturias,
Espa nya. Nag t apos siya
ng k u rsong t heolog y sa
Unibersidad at inordena
bilang par i sa simbahan
ng Santo Domingo sa
Intramuros. Binaril siya ng
mga miliciano noong ika-15
ng Agosto 1936 sa Oscaña,
Espanya kung saan nagtamo
siya ng 11 na tama ng baril sa
katawan.
Nagtapos din ng
theology sa UST ang ikaanim
na paring martir na si Blessed
Jose Maria Lopez Carrillo,
O.P. ng Jaen, Espanya. Nang
siya ay huhulihin na sa isang
kumbento sa Ocaña, Espanya
umalis sa Indanan para makapagtrabaho
at makapag-ipon ng pera para sa pagaaral niya pati na rin ng kay Raya.
Sa pitong araw nila ni Kalay
sa barko, nilunod siya nito ng mga
magagandang bagay tungkol sa
Maynila. Nariyan ang maraming
oportunidad
na
naghihintay
sa kanila at kung anu-ano pa.
Kulang na lang ay sabihin nito
na ang Maynila ay langit.
Pinangakuan si Kalay ni
Tiyang Rosie, isang Badjao
na naninirahan na ngayon sa
Maynila, nang minsang dumalaw
ito sa Indanan. Bibigyan daw siya
nito ng trabaho pagdating sa
Maynila. Si Kalay, tulad ni
Maro, ay 13 taong gulang na
rin at huminto rin sa pagaaral mula noong grade
five pa lamang siya.
Tumayo
ang
mga balahibo ni
Maro sa ideya ng
pagtatrabaho.
Sa
Indanan, ang tanging
alam niya lamang ay
ang mangisda at sumisid sa dagat
para sa kakaunting barya.
“Ngunit desidido akong umasenso.
Desidido akong magtrabaho para sa magandang
kinabukasan namin ni Raya,” bulong ni Maro
sa sarili.
***
Pagdaong ng barko sa pantalan sa
Maynila, mistulang ibang mundong
kanilang nilapagan.
Sa obserbasyon ni Maro, iba ang simoy
ng hangin dito sa Maynila—mas maalinsangan
at tila may halong polusyon. Ibang-iba sa
hanging malamig ng Indanan. At para sa
kaniya, marami ang tao rito sa Maynila at sarisari ang mga ginagawa na tila walang pakialam
sa ibang nagdaraan.
Sa gitna ng kanilang pagmamasid sa tila
ibang mundo, sumigaw si Kalay sa ‘di kalayuan
ng “Tiyang Rosie” sa isang matabang babae na
papalapit sa kanila. Agad ipinakilala ni Kalay
si Maro bilang kaniyang kaibigan ngunit
hindi ito kumibo at tanging pagtingin mula
ulo hanggang paa ang inabot ni Maro mula sa
kaniya.
Dinala sila ni Tiyang Rosie sa kaniyang
bahay sa Sampaloc, isang bunggalo na gawa
sa mga lumang kahoy. Sa loob ay mayroong
dalawang bata, halos kasing edad ng dalawa.
“Dito kayo sa sahig matutulog at bukas na
bukas din ay magtatrabaho na kayo. Hala sige,
magpahinga na kayo dahil mahaba pa ang araw
niyo bukas,” utos ni Tiyang Rosie sa dalawang
bata habang siya’y nanonood ng TV.
Sa himbing ng kanilang tulog dala na
rin marahil ng pagod sa biyahe, biglang
naramdaman ni Maro ang palo sa kaniyang
mga binti na may kasunod na “Gising, boy,” na
tiyak kong boses ni Tiyang Rosie.
Dali-dali itong tumayo upang maghilamos
at magpalit ng damit na ibinigay ni Tiya.
“Teka, ano itong mga damit na ito? Bakit
butas-butas at tila isang taon nang hindi
nalalabhan?” tanong ni Maro sa sarili.
Gayon pa man, isinuot pa rin ito ng
dalawang bata. Pagkatapos nito ay inabutan
sila ni Tiya ng mga sobre at tambol na gawa sa
noong 1936, nakatakas siya
kasama si P. Pedro Ibañez
ngunit sa kasamaang-palad,
sila ay nahuli at pinatay noong
ika-27 ng Agosto, 1936.
Dumating sa Pilipinas
noong ika-23 ng Marso 1901
ang ikapitong paring martir
n a si Ble s s e d I n o c e n c io
Garcia Diez, O.P. ng Palencia,
Espanya. Noong ika-13 ng
Agosto 1936 sa Madrid, siya ay
tinraydor ng isang kasamahan
sa bahay at dinala sa mga
miliciano kung saan pinatay
siya sa isang pangawan.
Ang ikawalong paring
martir ay si Blessed Antonio
Varona Ortega, O.P ng Burgos,
Espanya. Nadestino siya sa
Colegio San Juan de Letran at
nagturo ng biology. Noong ika24 ng Hulyo, 1936, sa Algodor,
Espanya, siya ay hinuli ng
mga miliciano kasama ang iba
pang mga relihiyoso. Bagaman
pinatakas noong una, sila ay
pinatay din nang nakatingala
sa langit.
A n g
w a l o n g
Dominikanong pari ay hindi
lamang nagsilbing mga martir
noong panahon ng digmaang
sibil sa Espanya, kundi naging
inspirasyon din ng maraming
Tomasino.
Tomasino Siya
Alam n’yo ba na isang
Tomasi no a ng nasa li kod
ng mga matatag umpay na
teleserye ng ABS-CBN at mga
blockbuster na pelikula?
Marahil ay marami nang
nakakikilala sa pangalang
Wenn De Ramas bilang isang
sikat na direktor, ngunit ang
hindi alam ng marami ay ang
kaniyang mga pinagdaanan
bago marating ang kaniyang
tag u mpay sa mu ndo ng
pelikula at telebisyon.
Bagaman nagtapos ng
kursong Hotel and Restaurant
mga lumang plastik na nilagyan ng goma.
“Kayo na ang bahala sa dalawang ito.
Turuan n’yo sila at siguraduhing may kita
ang mga iyan pagbalik,” ani Tiyang Rosie sa
dalawang bata na makakasama namin.
“Doon tayo sa España, maraming tao
roon,” sabi ng matangkad na bata paglabas nila
ng bahay.
Ano nga ba ang gagawin nila? Maski
si Kalay ay hindi alam ang pinasok nilang
dalawa. Sa kanilang paglalakad, tumambad sa
kanila ang isang kalsadang puno ng mga jeep
at mga sasakyan na may mga kabataang nakauniporme.
“Ako nga pala si Axel at ito si Bing. Mga
Mangyan kami ngunit Badjao rito sa Maynila
tuwing nanlilimos,” banggit ng matangkad na
bata.
Manlilimos? Kaya pala nakabihis sila
nang ganito. Sa Indanan, silang mga Badjao,
kahit mahirap ang mga tao ay hindi nanlilimos.
Hindi nila ginagawa ito dahil sagana naman
ang dagat sa mga isda na maaari nilang kainin.
“Kalay, hindi ako marunong manlimos,
ikaw ba?” bulong ni Maro sa kaniyang kaibigan.
Bago pa man siya makasagot, inunahan na
siya ni Axel.
“Hoy payat! Anong binubulong mo riyan?
Makinig ka sa akin. Ganito lang ang gagawin
n’yo ng kasama mo. Kapag nakatigil ang mga
sasakyan, lalo na ang mga jeep, sumakay kayo
at ibigay sa mga nakasakay ang mga sobreng
dala n’yo. Sumayaw- sayaw lang kayo ng mga
9
kakaunting kita upang makatulong sa mga
pangangailangan ng itinuturing na pamilya.
Hindi na baleng siya ang magutom, huwag lang
sila. Madalas nagsusulatan ang magkapatid na
sina Raya at Maro. Masaya niyang ibinabahagi
ang mga karanasan niya rito sa Maynila—
hindi bilang isang pulubi, kundi bilang isang
manggagawa sa pabrika ng papel. Ayaw niyang
malaman pa nila ang hirap na dinaranas nito
sa araw na araw na pakikipagsapalaran sa
kalsada. Makapagpadala lang sa kanila ay
kuntento na ang batang si Maro. Ayaw na
niyang mag-aalala pa sila para sa kaniya.
***
Isang araw ay hindi na sumagot si Raya
sa ipinadadalang mga sulat ng kapatid. Naisip
niyang baka hindi umaabot sa Indanan ang
kaniyang mga pinadadala at sulat. Mula noon,
wala na itong natanggap na sulat mula sa
kaniya.
Sa anim na buwan na paghihintay, hindi
ito kailanman nawalan ng pag-asa na baka
sakaling may dumating na sagot sa perang
pinaghihirapan niyang ipadala.
Isang araw ay nilapitan siya ni Tiyang
Rosie at kinuwentong nakausap niya raw ang
isang bagong Badjao na kaniyang na-recruit at
doon ko narinig ang masaklap na balita.
Si Raya, ang kaniyang kapatid, kakampi,
at kasama sa lahat, ay tuluyan nang nagrebelde
at sumama sa nobyong labing-anim na taong
gulang pa lamang.
“Kung naroroon lamang ako ay baka hindi
ako makapagpigil at masaktan ko siya. Bakit
niya ito nagawa? Habang nagpapakahirap ako
rito sa Maynila, ayun siya—pariwara,” sigaw
ni Maro sa kaibigang si Kalay.
Matapos ang araw na iyon, natuto si Maro
magbisyo dahil sa galit sa mundo. Ang malamig
na usok sa kaniyang baga ay nagsisilbing takas
sa masaklap na realidad na kaniyang dinaranas.
Kasama si Kalay, nahihiya akong pumasok sa jeep at iniabot
ang sobreng aming bitbit. Sa saliw ng tunog ng tambol, hinubad
ko ang hiya at pinilit umindak sa bawat kumpas ng musika.
sayaw n’yo sa Indanan habang tinutugtog ng
isa ang tambol,” ani Axel.
“’Di ba’t galing kayo sa Indanan sa Sulu?
Siguro naman mga Badjao talaga kayo kaya
hindi na kayo mahihirapan tulad namin noong
simula. Pag-uwi, ibibigay natin ang kita natin
kay Tiyang Rosie at siya na ang bahalang
magbigay ng parte natin,” paliwanag ni Bing.
Sa pagtigil ng mga sasakyan, itinulak
ni Axel si Maro sa unang jeep na huminto sa
kanilang harapan. Kasama si Kalay, nahihiya
silang pumasok sa jeep at iniabot ang sobreng
kanilang bitbit.
“Sa saliw ng tunog ng tambol, hinubad ko
ang hiya at pinilit umindak sa bawat tunog ng
tambol,” takbo ng isip ni Maro.
Nakaipon si Maro ng ilang barya mula
sa hapong iyon at magmula noon ay hindi na
bumaba sa singkuwenta ang kaniyang kita.
Sa paglipas ng mga araw, natuto siyang
humabol ng mga jeep, sumakay sa likod ng
pedicab, tumugtog ng tambol nang walang
tiyempong sinusundan, at mamalimos kahit
dagat na ang baha sa España. Para sa kaniya,
madali lang namang sabihing: “Kami po ay
mga Badjao mula Sulu. Pahingi naman po ng
kahit konting barya pangkain lang.”
Ang pagkain nila sa araw-araw sa bahay ni
Tiyang Rosie ay limitado sa dalawang pirasong
tuyo at kanin, at kadalasan ay iniaawas pa sa
kanilang mga kita. Minsan ay tinitiis na lamang
ni Maro ang gutom para makapagpadala kay
Raya at kay Tiya Loy.
Masaya
niyang
ipinadadala
ang
Management sa Unibersidad
noong 1987, bata pa lamang
si De Ramas ay sumasali na
siya sa mga pagtatanghal.
Siya ay naging bahagi rin
ng mga dulaan noong siya
ay nasa mataas na paaralan.
A ng kan iyang pagigi ng
direktor ay nagsimula nang
siya ay mapabilang sa Teatro
Tomasino, ang opisyal na
samahang pandulaan ng UST,
noong siya ay nasa unang
taon sa kolehiyo. Dito nahasa
ang kaniyang kaalaman sa
production tulad ng lighting,
directing, at acting.
Sa kaniyang pagtatapos
ng pag-aaral ay nagtrabaho
siya sa isang restawran sa
loob ng dalawang taon bilang
serbidor. Bagaman umangat
ang kaniyang posisyon nang
siya ay naging supervisor,
nagbitiw siya sa tungkulin
dahil sa paniniwalang wala
na ng a sen so sa k a n iya ng
Ang
paminsan-minsang
bisyo
ay
naging madalas. Sa higpit ni Tiyang Rosie sa
kanila, tumatakas sila sa gabi upang sa labas
magkasiyahan. Ang kakaunti nilang kita,
kapag pinagsama-sama, ay sapat na upang
mairaos ang kanilang bisyo.
Trabaho sa umaga, liwaliw sa gabi.
Minsan pa ay mayroong mga oras na ang apat
na magkakaibigan na sina Maro, Kalay, Axel,
at Bing ay tumutungo sa Manila Bay. Doon
ay nagbababad, nag-iinuman, naglalaro na
lamang sila kasama ang kanilang mga tunaw
na pangarap na iiinom na lamang kasama ang
gin.
Sa perya din ay madalas tumambay ang
apat upang magpalipas ng oras sa mga larong
walang katuturan. Isang gabi ay nagkayayaan
sila na magpustahan sa perya na nagkakahalaga
ng isandaang piso. Nang lumabas ang kulay
pula sa roleta—nanalo si Maro. Mayroon na
naman siyang libreng pera na magagamit para
sa kanilang pang happy-happy sa susunod
na linggo dahil nalalapit na ang kaniyang
kaarawan.
“Maro, hindi mo ba iyan itatabi para
makauwi sa Indanan? Kapag natalo ka riyan ay
masasayang ang pamasahe mo pauwi,” tanong
ni Kalay.
Indanan? Biglang bumalik sa mga alaala
ni Maro ang lahat ng tungkol sa Indanan at sa
kanilang mga Badjao—si Raya, si Tiya Loy, at
ang dagat.
Tumalikod ito sa kaniya at muling itinaya
ang pera sa roleta.
trabaho.
Ta o n g 19 9 0 n a n g
n a k a p a s ok siya s a A BS CBN bila ng product ion
assistant para sa mga palabas
na Bistek at Abangan ang
Susunod na Kabanata. Naging
executive producer din siya
sa mga variety show, kung
saan naggamit niya ang mga
kaalaman mula sa UST tulad
ng management at accounting.
Taong 1998 nang iderehe
niya ang kaniyang kaunaunahang pelikula na Dahil
Ma hal na Ma hal K it a na
pinagbidahan nina Claudine
Baretto, Rico Yan, at Diether
Ocampo.
Mula noon ay su nudsunod na ang kaniyang mga
proyekto sa ABS-CBN tulad ng
Mula sa Puso (1997); Saan Ka
Man Naroroon (1999); Sa Dulo
ng Walang Hanggan (2001),
Bit u i n (20 02); But t e rcup
(2 0 0 3) ; M a r i n a (2 0 0 4 ) ;
Kampanerang Kuba (2005);
Habang May Buhay (2010)
at mga pelikula ng gaya ng
Ang Tanging Ina (2003); D’
Lucky Ones (2006), Kapag
Tumobok ang Puso (2006) at
Ang Cute ng Ina Mo (2007)
at Ang Tanging Pamilya
(2007).
Tomasalitaan:
Sagunson (pnr) – sunodsunod
Halimbawa: Sagunson
tinawag ng propesor ang mga
mag-aaral upang magpasa ng
kanilang takda.
Sanggunian:
Tejero, P.G. “The UST
Martyrs of the Religious
Pesecution in Spain (19331937).” Philippiniana Sacra.
Jan-Apr 2010: 3-35.
T h e Va r s i t a r i a n :
Breaktime. Tomo 5, Hunyo
2007
10 Limelight The
Tomas U. Santos
Towazinos
Varsitarian OCTOBER 29, 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
Expo
FROM PAGE 1
and beverage on the first day,
business on the second day,
and information technology
and food, fashion, and health
on the third day.
Majority of the proceeds
of the event will be allocated
to the construction of the
Thomasian Alumni Center, a
five-storey building that will
rise on the site of the UST
Gymnasium. The rest of the
proceeds will go to the Office
for Alumni Affairs and
local alumni organizations
of different colleges and
faculties, Sy said.
A total of 241 companies,
including those not owned by
Thomasians, participated in
the event.
From science to
entrepreneurship
The exhibition at the
SMX Convention Center
also gathered Thomasian
entrepreneurs who have
shifted gears from one field
of interest to another.
One of them was Dr.
Erika Garayblas, an alumna
Rector
FROM PAGE 1
to the Blessed Virgin Mary
through the praying of the
rosary.
“The rosary is the simplest
kind of prayer and it is the most
portable kind of prayer. Even if
you have forgotten your rosary,
you can still pray the rosary.
Why? Because you have your
ten fingers,” said Vice Rector
for Religious Affairs Fr.
Gerard Francisco Timoner III,
O.P.
No less than 20,000
Thomasian
administrators,
faculty members, non-teaching
employees, and students will
of the Faculty of Medicine
and Surgery, who joined the
event with her franchise of
Scramble Ramble, a stall
selling the famous Filipino
cooler from which the name
of the business was derived.
Angeli Uy SobremonteTuazon,
founding
chairwoman of the UST
Thomasian Alumni Leaders
Association, Inc. and one of
the organizers of the expo,
showcased Asia Adproducts
Ltd. Co, which carries
brands like Theraplay and
Aquaframe.
Tuazon, an alumna of the
Faculty of Pharmacy, began
selling corporate giveaways
in 1999, until she expanded
her corporation to launch
other products.
‘Serial entrepreneur’
Nursing graduate Carl
Balita was also there to show
how he benefitted from his
Thomasian education.
Balita now has nine
companies under his name,
and is also a co-host of
“Radyo Negosyo,” a one-hour
weekly program at DZMM
Radyo Patrol 630, which
promotes microfinance and
participate in the Q Rosary.
First and second year
students enrolled in Theology
classes are required to join
the activity while students
in higher year levels may
participate by signing up with
their local student councils.
“More or less [the
formation used in the dry
run] will also be used in the
postponed event. But if we’re
really vying for the Guiness
[World] Record, the formation
has to be very beautiful,”
Pazcoguin said.
Pazcoguin said some
problems
regarding
the
formation were “proportion
constraints” and the need to set
new business ideas.
After his stint in UST,
he moved to Pamantasan ng
Lungsod ng Maynila, where
he taught for six years.
Armed
with
his
knowledge of nursing, he
started a new career as a
reviewer for nursing students,
which led to the establishment
of the Dr. Carl E. Balita
Review Center.
He also went on to
explore other businesses,
such as a medical spa and a
café, together with his wife,
Lyn, who also got her degree
from the University.
Balita said UST “laid my
foundation as a nurse,” and
taught him the importance
of values and faith. He also
urged UST students to go
“outside of the box” and
experience University life in
its fullest.
“The diversity of things in
UST will teach you beautiful
lessons. Capture the lessons
of life, not only from the
classroom or the educators
,but also through the total
experience of the University,”
he said. Ana May R. De l a
Cruz, Rommel Marvin C. Rio,
and Brylle B. Tabora
an aerial view.
“Tinitingnan
natin
siyempre yung best possibility
na kitang-kita talaga na
nakabuo tayo ng human
rosary, hindi lang basta
nagkumpul-kumpol yung mga
tao,” Pazcoguin said.
He added that the Q
Rosary Committee, headed by
Timoner, would still have to
meet regarding the event after
the “Q Retreat” for faculty
members.
There was a dry run
last September 30 wherein
classes from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.
were suspended. However,
the rehearsal was affected by
drizzle.
Galeon
FROM PAGE 7
from the pier to Basilica de
Sto. Niño in Cebu City where a
welcome Massn was held.
Monsignor De Guzman
said that the image’s arrival
to the basilica was significant
as it indicated the reunion of
Mother and Son: the patron
saint of Cebu is the Santo Nino.
After the Mass, the image
was transferred to the nearby
Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral
where she stayed overnight.
President
FROM PAGE 2
Director Alvin Ang, 49 percent
of 9000 Thomasian respondents
randomly selected blamed the
Philippine National Police for
the August 23 botched hostage
crisis that killed eight tourists
from Hong Kong.
“[It is inevitable] mentioning
the hostage taking last August
23 and we will face many
challenges ahead. [Aquino]
reinstit uted the crisis
management committee and
enhanced the capability of the
police,” Carandang said.
“We are not in the position
to grade the President. We will
Boards
FROM PAGE 2
80 percent passing rate. Seven
Thomasians made it at the Top
10.
Thomasians Angelina Rosa
Olondriz (90.70 percent) took
the second spot, followed by
Kathrina Dianne Santiago (90.20
percent) in the third place. Karen
Ann Concepcion and Lianne
Steffi Lim (88.10 percent) shared
the sixth spot, while Krizzia
Mae Raymundo (86.70 percent)
To enrich the delegates’
knowledge about the heritage
and culture of Cebu, the
delegates visited heritage sites
the next morning. They visited
Bantayan ng Hari and Casa
Gorordo.
The event ended with the
participants and the image
going back on board for
Manila.
Viaje del Galeon was part
of Dia del Galeon Festival
2010, an international event
that commemorates the galleon
trade as vehicle of cultural
transmission among continents
and peoples.
continue to fulfill the campaign
promise to reduce corruption
and poverty,” Carandang added.
Regarding the Reproductive
H e a l t h Bi l l , C a r a n d a n g
t old t he Va r sit a r ia n t he
Aquino government would
let individuals decide for
themselves.
“We will give the public
information on all types of
family plan ning: nat u ral,
ar tif icial. Lahat ibibigay
natin sa kanila para sila ang
mamimili at kung may mga
mahihirap diyan na ‘di makabili
ng pills or condoms tungkulin ng
government na ibigay sa kanila
ang mga `yun,” Carandang said. Kalaine Nikka Kay C. Grafil
took the eighth place. Angelo
Emmanuel Cruz (85.70 percent
placed ninth and Frances Elaine
Cham (85.60percent) was tenth.
Last year, UST ranked first
in the interior design exams with
a 60-percent passing rate as 55 of
the 92 exam takers passed. This
year, the University’s passing
rate was 57.95 percent with 55
out of 88 takers passing the test.
This year’s national passing
rate slightly increased to 50.58
percent compared with last year’s
50.21 percent. with reports from
Charmaine M. Parado
Paddlers
FROM PAGE 12
10, 11-9, 6-11, 11-9.
Broqueza’s long shot
misfire in the final set quickly
handed the win for UST in
their first singles match.
Meanwhile Martin Diaz
repulsed Jhinno Selma for a
trouble-free 3-0 victory, 11-8,
14-12, 11-7.
The Vicente-Bazar
tandem also proved deadly
as t hey took dow n Remy
Dacut and Jayvee Cruz for a
straight set beating, 11-5, 11-7,
11-6, as Vicente unleashed his
deceptive smashes that struck
FEU out of the championship
tiff.
Prior to the two match
u p s , t h e Tig e r Pa d d l e r s
fe a s t e d o n t h e Na t io n a l
University, Ateneo and De
La Salle Un iver sit y w it h
a lopsided 3-0 win in the
second round. But they faced
tough opposition from the
University of the Philippines,
3-1.
In the distaff side, the
Lady Paddlers dropped to
third place with a 7-3 win
loss card, lurking behind the
four-time champion FEU that
ruled the tournament with an
unblemished record while De
La Salle wound up second.
V M Lupeba brought
home the Rookie of the Year
honors after her team blanked
National University, 3-0, in
the final game of the UAAP
meet.
The Lady Paddlers
struggled to cop a victory
i n t h e s e c o n d r o u n d of
eliminations, bowing down to
FEU, 1-3. UST bounced back
after essaying a hair-raising
3-2 win against De La Salle
and shut down both Ateneo
and UP via 3-0 match sweep.
Angelo Nonato P. Cabrera
and Rey Ian M. Cruz
october 29, 2010
Editor: Jeremy S. Perey
The Varsitarian Sports
11
It runs in the blood
for the Magnaye clan
Rookie MVP Ariel Magnaye lived up to his family’s badminton legacy as he shows a
sign of relief after prevailing over the Ateneo de Manila University in the finals match.
ISABELA A. Martinez
Lucky 13
FROM PAGE 12
sporting events,” said Sambuang.
“The points are evenly distributed
among the teams, so we can’t
really give our final say as of the
moment.”
Contrasting Fates
As the Tiger Paddlers
claimed the championship glory,
their female counterparts fell
to third place from last year’s
bridesmaid finish after losing to
perennial rival FEU.
In badminton, the Lady
Shuttlers settled for fourth, which
was a bit of an improvement after
they were ousted from the Final
Four for the first time last season.
In taekwondo, the Tiger
Jins lost the title, partly due to
the absence of Season 72 Athlete
Special Report
FROM PAGE 1
manager of 7-Eleven Dapitan
branch, in an interview last
September 9.
But she said the store
does not sell tobacco products
to minors, adding that
cigarettes are sold only from
six in the evening until six in
the morning to prevent minors
from buying.*
Regina
Bartolome,
Manila health department
medical officer and antismoking task force member,
confirmed
that
7-Eleven
management had secured a
permission to operate, but not
a permission to sell tobacco
products.
“They do have a permit to
operate, but they didn’t specify
what they will be selling.
The mere fact that they are
within 100 meters from school
premises is already a violation
[of the tobacco regulation
law’s provision],” Bartolome
said.
Another
convenience
store in Dapitan, Ministop,
declined to go on record
of the Year and MVP Marlon
Avenido.
In beach volleyball and
swimming, the men’s team
chalked up a second-place finish
while their female counterparts
came in fourth.
The Tiger Spikers were
denied a three-peat as the tandem
of Harby Ilano and Henry
Pecaña lost to FEU’s Nestor
Molate and Arvin Avila in their
championship match. The Lady
Spikers suffered another title
hibernation as they once again
settled for fourth place.
A similar scenario was seen
on the pool wars as the Female
Tigersharks placed fourth for
the second straight season. Their
male counterparts moved up a
notch from third to a runner-up
finish this season.
Team captain Mig uel
Carandang accounted for five
out of 12 events won by UST,
for this story. A check of
convenience stores outside
UST showed that cigarettes
were still being sold freely
despite the ban.
Last year, city and
barangay officials tightened
up on the sale of tobacco
products after the Civil
Service Commission issued
a
memorandum
circular
requiring local government
officials to implement the
2003 tobacco regulation law.
Faulty implementation
Bartolome pointed out
that the law would not be
implemented
effectively
without the cooperation of
business establishments and
regular monitoring by the
government.
While
it
is
the
responsibility of the owner
of a building or the head of
an establishment to monitor
the sale and restrict the
marketing of tobacco products
near schools, it is the duty
of sanitation officials of the
Manila City Health office to
initiate inspections, Bartolome
said.
Bartolome,
however,
BADMINTON was never his first
love—until he realized he was born
for it.
UST Male Shuttler Peter Gabriel
“Ariel” Magnaye came from a family
of badminton aficionados, so it was
no surprise that he would pursue the
path. As the family mantra goes, being
a Magnaye pretty much decided what
you would do.
During his childhood, the young
Ariel was more into basketball,
confessing that he tried badminton
only because “they wanted me to
play.”
“Before, I really did not like
to play the sport,” he said, “I liked
basketball when I was a kid but now,
I’m really addicted to badminton.”
His father, Ronald, played for
the national team in the early 1990s.
He made it to the international stage,
playing in the 1991 and 1993 South
East Asian Games and in the 1991
Arafura Games, where he won a
bronze medal in the men’s doubles
division.
But it was his older brother
Kiko, also a UST Male Shuttler, who
influenced him to try the sport. They
now form the school’s formidable
duo in double’s play.
The younger Magnaye
acknowledged a sibling rivalry of
sorts, but said it was more about
academics than their skills on the
court.
“I was being compared to my
contributing two gold medals,
two silvers and one bronze.
The male swimmers tallied 194
points, only seven points shy of
UP’s 201.
In the hoop wars, the
Tigresses improved to third
from last season’s dismal fourth
in losing to reigning “threepeat” champions Adamson
University Lady Falcons. The
Growling Tigers fared miserably
by winning only four out of their
14 games. They ended the season
at seventh place.
The challenge now rests on
the shoulders of the rest of the
Tiger squads. Expected to push
UST’s title-retention bid in the
second semester are the varsity
teams in athletics, baseball,
chess, fencing, football, lawn
tennis, softball, and volleyball.
brother when it came
t o s c h o ol i n g , n o t
because of badminton
because even then, I
could already defeat
him,” Ariel recalled.
At 18 , h e h a s
already accomplished
a lot. He made it to
the national team at
16 and he has gone
to many tournaments
here and abroad. He
played one last July in
Malaysia in the South
East Asian Schools
Cha mpionsh ip a nd
clinched a bridesmaid
finish in the doubles
match after teaming
up with national
mainstay Joper
Escueta.
Never theless,
he said that win ning games in
the UAAP was still his biggest
achievement so far.
“They were the greatest thing
that ever happened to me,” he said.
All his sacrifices paid off in
the recently concluded Season 73,
where Ariel was hailed as the Most
Valuable Player (MVP), a rare feat
for a rookie.
He did not bag the Rookie
of t he Ye a r plu m de spit e f u l l
domination in the statistics because
he lost by one in the coaches’ votes.
University of the East coach Rocky
Magnaye, his uncle, opted to vote
for another player because he was
Jins
FROM PAGE 12
last year,” said Simpao.
Manalo snatched a gold for
the welterweight category while
Zafra ruled in the bantamweight
division. Golding and Pilongo
pocketed a pair of silver
medals in the welterweight and
flyweight divisions, respectively,
where Rosales copped a bronze
in the featherweight category.
“They (team) know for a
fact that the particular match is
the most important because the
result will determine will get
the championship. From there,
we give out all our hundred
percent,” said Simpao.
F r a ul e in e M ich e ll e S .
V ill a nu e va a n d An g e lo
NONATO Cabrera
Odd man out
The injury-plagued Tiger
Jins failed to carve a grand slam
dynasty after bowing down to La
admitted that there are not
enough inspectors.
“We have sent notices
before, but we were not
able to follow them up.
We only have a limited
number of inspectors and
they only work 20 days in a
month, so it is hard for them to
do the inspection regularly,”
Bartolome said.
Some Thomasians are
dismayed over the smoking
ban violations, demanding a
strict implementation of the
law.
Ma.
Alexis
Besilia,
a nutrition and dietetics
sophomore, said the sale of
cigarettes should be banned
across the country, if not
controlled.
College
of
Science
sophomore Julia Ocampo,
echoed
Besilia,
saying
convenience stores should
stop the sale of cigarettes and
think of the health risks these
products pose on students,
instead of financial gains.
“They should totally stop
the sale of tobacco products
to help minimize the number
of smoking students. They
should be more considerate on
the health of the students,” she
said.
Respiratory
medicine
specialist Dr. Ronila Santos,
UST
Hospital
Smoking
Cessation Unit head, pointed
out that the ban was specifically
directed towards schools,
as cigarette manufacturing
companies often target the
youth, especially women.
“The youth have become
the favorable market because
they have the most years
left. That’s why the [law]
is directed at schools. We
don’t want the children to
start smoking,” she said.
Santos said UST has done
its part in strictly prohibiting
the selling of cigarettes and
smoking inside the campus.
It’s now the government’s turn
to curtail smoking outside.
“As far as the [law] is
concerned, they should have
established the inspection
team before they approved the
[law],” she said.
Given the difficulty
of
implementing
the
law, UST Health Service
Director Dr. Maria Salve
Olalia
said
students
should just quit smoking.
JOSA CAMILLE A. BASSIG
By FRAULEINE MICHELLE S.
VILLANEUVA
Magnaye
disappointed with one match played
by Ariel.
“I n ou r el i m i nat ion s ga me
versus the National University, he
did not like the way I played. That
day, I had a fever. I was sick,” Ariel
said, “I regretted it a little, but I am
happy. For me, being an MVP is a
very big achievement.”
After college, this freshman
f r o m t h e Fa c u lt y of A r t s a n d
Letters said that he would pursue
a career in the line with his degree
in Communication Ar ts. But he
would still like to continue playing
badminton. Ariel fancies the idea of
forming and coaching his own team.
Salle, which ended the season
with a sweep.
Finweight Karl Espiritu and
flyweight Nicole Mapilisan were
unable to compete in the finals
due to injuries. Espiritu suffered
a fractured arm while Mapilisan
had a fractured anterior cruciate
ligament during their previous
match against FEU.
“There were no alternate
players for the first two weight
divisions because our alternates
were suited for other divisions,”
head coach Dindo Simpao said.
Bantamweight Paul
Romero opened the finals with
a sudden-death match, but was
toppled by De La Salle’s Wilson
Dumo with a head kick, 3-0.
John Paul Garcia was
just as hard-lucked in the
featherweight match against
John Amiel Valencia, landing
only a side kick and turning
45, but was still outclassed by
Valencia the whole match, 2-8.
The do-or-die match of
Tiger Jin Dane Pio de Roda
in the lightweight division
caused an outrage after a wild
call by the referee awarding
his opponent, Xavier Philippe
Stepanek the one-point buffer,
which accounted for De La
Salle’s win via a controversial
head kick, 7-6.
Coach Dindo Simpao
contended the referee’s call,
saying that the kick went over
Pio de Roda’s head but was
overruled. As a result, the team
did not show up for the awarding
ceremony.
Meanwhile, the UST’s
Junior Jins managed to hold on
to their back-to-back crown after
sweeping the tournament with a
flawless 5-0 win-loss card.
Jeicco Lozano was named
MVP, while Joaquin Mendoza
finished as the best rookie.
“If our Thomasians will
patronize those [who are]
selling cigarettes and continue
to smoke, they are at risk
of
developing
smokingrelated diseases of the lungs,
heart and other systems,”
Olalia warned. “As already
established, smoking affects
almost all the systems of the
body.”
Third-hand smoke also
has cancer-causing chemical
compounds such as tobaccospecific nitroamines, and are
more dangerous when inhaled
by people, she added.
to remind store owners of the
offense. A final inspection
will be conducted seven days
after the previous inspection,
with another warning issued if
the store did not comply.
If the establishment
fails to comply seven days
after the final inspection,
the Business Permit and
Development Office will
close
the
establishment.
Those who sell or distribute
tobacco products 100 meters
from the perimeter of a school
or any public place frequently
visited by minors face a fine
of not less than P5,000 and
imprisonment of not more
than 30 days.
“Anyone can file a report
to us, but we have due process
before we can close any
establishment that violates the
provision,” Bartolome said.
Violators of RA 9211 may
also be reported to the NOSI
or No to Sigarilyo Campaign
hotline 661-3747, or by logging
on to www.nosi.com.ph.
Penalty to violators
City Hall nonetheless has
a reporting mechanism in
which the public can notify
health officers of violations of
the tobacco regulation law, by
contacting the Manila health
office hotline at 302-6679.
Two days upon receiving a
report, the sanitation division
of the Manila City Hall is
supposed to issue a warning
to the store found selling
cigarettes within a 100-meter
radius from schools. After
seven days, a follow-up
inspection will be conducted
*Last
October
28,
7-Eleven Dapitan crew said
the store has stopped selling
cigarettes altogether.
Sports
 Season 73 Most Valuable Player
Ariel Magnaye talks about his
journey as a rising badminton
superstar PAGE 11
OCTOBER 29, 2010
The Varsitarian
España squad shoots for ‘Lucky 13’
Tracksters rule
‘Run for the
Pasig River’
WILL 13 prove to be a lucky number for the
España army?
UST is ahead of the pack after the first semester
of UAAP hostilities. But with only 13 points separating
the Tigers and the De La Salle Green Archers in the
overall standings, complacency could cost UST a 13th
consecutive general championship.
The Tigers have collected a total of 154 points
by virtue of their 4-4-2 gold-silver-bronze haul, which
was better than the medal collection last season. The
Archers are in second with 141 points, followed by
the Far Eastern University and the University of the
Philippines, which are tied for third with 111 markers
apiece.
“They gave their best in every sport they played
but if the gold wasn’t really for you, then it was not for
you. said UST athletics moderator Rodrigo Sambuang.
“Like in the men’s beach volleyball, they pushed really
hard to make it to the championship match, but in the
end, it was just not for them.”
Further complicating UST’s bid to keep its overall
crown was its failure to defend its title in both the men’s
beach volleyball and men’s taekwondo competitions.
On the bright side, the Male Shuttlers successfully
defended their crown for a well-deserved back-to-back
championship. As an icing in the cake, rookie Ariel
Magnaye and sophomore Benjude Cajefe took home
the Most Valuable and Most Improved Player awards,
respectively.
The Lady Jins regained the title and ended La
Salle’s six-year dominance of the women’s taekwondo
competition. Lady Jin Camille Manalo bagged the
MVP trophy. Similarly, the Lady Judokas shut the
doors on UP’s dream of a back-to-back championship.
MVP Cristian Vicente led the Tiger Paddlers in
reclaiming the title.
“Based on the tally, we’re leading, but it is hard
to predict the final outcome because the other teams
have improved their performances in the different
Lucky 13 PAGE 11
Graphics by KARLA MIDES C. TOLEDO
THE UST Tracksters took a break
from collegiate competition and
joined more than 100,000 runners
in the “Run for the Pasig River”
event last October 10.
This “fun run” started at
different parts of Metro Manila
but had a common finish line at the
Mall of Asia in Pasay City.
Still, they stood out and
bagged top honors in three
categories in the run, which was
intended to raise awareness and
gather support for the rehabilitation
of the dying river.
Female Trackster Kiezel
Pedriña took home the gold in the
women’s 3-kilometer run followed
by Cristine Delfin, who finished
second.
UST’s Jordan Billones also
zoomed to second place followed
by fellow trackster Dave Gumacal
who clinched the third place in the
men’s 3-kilometer category.
Ex-Female Trackster Mhe
Ann Barcena snatched the gold
in the women’s 5-kilometer run
followed by Season 72 Most
Valuable Player Serenata Saluan,
who finished second. Angelo
NONATO P. Cabrera
Lady Judokas steal
crown from UP
Lady Jins dominate taekwondo tilt; Tiger Jins dethroned
By ANNE MARIE CARMELA L. DAYAUON
UST HAS scored a bittersweet
finish in the UAAP taekwondo
tournament—while the Lady Jins
reclaimed the crown, the Tiger Jins
fell short on what could have been
a third consecutive title.
The Lady Jins snatched the
crown from defending champion
Far Eastern University (FEU), while
their male counterparts succumbed
to the De La Salle University at The
Arena in San Juan last October 2.
The Lady Jins were declared
A GRITTY UST Lady Judokas wiped out the
“five-peat” aspirations of defending champion
University of the Philippines (UP) while their
male counterparts secured the second spot
anew in the closing stages of the Season 73 Judo
hostilities at The Arena in San Juan last October
10.
The Lady Judokas garnered a total of 42
points, seven points ahead of the defending
champion’s 35 markers. De La Salle University
essayed a third place finish with its 29 points.
Lady Judokas Annie Ramirez pinned down
UP’s Ada Estanislao after earning an ippon (full
point) with only 2:21 remaining minutes to bag
the gold in the -57 kg-category.
MVP Setsuko Ando nursed a fracture in her
final match-up with Mary Guiling of University of
the East. Nonetheless, Ando bested Guiling with
an ippon, to reap a gold in the -48 kg category.
RP team mainstay Shelaine Bello and Jewel
de Castro pitched in a pair of gold
medals in the -48 kg and -63
kg divisions, respectively.
Pr incess Lucer man
snared a bronze in the
+78 kg.
“Even before
the UAAP season, I
knew that they would
make it as champions
because of their
motivation and dedication
to win,” coach Jojo Arce
said.
The exhausted Tiger
Judokas remai ned at the
second spot after collecting
39 points. Ateneo de Manila
Universit y r uled the
competition with 57 points.
“We could have bagged
the crown if only they had
fewer mistakes and did not
get tired,” coach Steve Esteban
said in Filipino. “We also lacked
a player in the heav y weight
category.”
The Tiger Judokas failed to
finish strong in the final leg of the
Judokas PAGE 3
By ANNE MARIE CARMELA L.
DAYAUON and ROBIN G.
PADILLA
champs via a “win-over-the-otherteam” rule that settled a three-way
tie that also included FEU and
La Salle, all with identical 4-1
records. La Salle placed third with
23 individual awards.
Prior to the verdict, UST and
FEU engaged in a sudden-death
championship match with FEU’s
Winlove dela Cerna prevailing
over Lady Jin Monica Reyeg, 0-1.
UST veteran Caryn Pilongo
levelled the game at 1-all against
Beatrice Anne Ventura, 10-5,
highlighted by a gutsy head kick.
The Lady Jins immediately
took the lead courtesy of RP
team member Jade Zafra, who
pulverized Crizabelle Gayle
Vargas, 7-1.
Tying the match at 2-2 was
FEU’s Karla Jane Alava, who
unleashed a series of 45-degree
kicks against rookie Claudette
Rosales, 2-18.
Team captain Emron Mae
Golding came from behind in the
next match to demolish FEU’s
Ashiel Ann Vedana with her
turning sidekicks, 18-5. UST’s Camille Manalo
stamped her class in the
welterweight division by trouncing
Sarah Gill, 7-1, while middleweight
Izel Masungsong ended the nailbiter round, launching her feisty
45-degree kicks to the body of
Marifi Gadit, 6-5.
“The level of our players with
FEU is pretty much the same but
technique-wise and composure, I
think we got it,” said coach Jasmin
Simpao.
Now on her last playing year,
Manalo bagged the MVP plum
while Rosales was named Rookie
of the Year.
“Camille (Manalo) deserves
to have that MVP award because
she won all her matches and it’s her
Jins PAGE 11
Paddlers complete tournament sweep; return to ‘Glory Road’
ATONING for a bitter loss in the
finals last season, the UST Tiger
Paddlers relived championship
glory via a dominant 12-0 sweep
to finish the UAAP men’s table
tennis tournament unscathed
and bring the title back to
España Boulevard.
“We [Tiger Paddlers] are
really determined to bring back
the crown which was lost
last year. We also would
like to thank the Thomasian
community has given us,”
head coach Henberd Ortalla
said.
T h e b l a c ka n d - gold
a r m y ’ s
latest
casualty was the University of
the East (UE) Red Paddlers,
who tasted a 3-0 manhandling
last October 3, at the Ateneo de
Manila University Blue Eagle
Gym.
Te a m c a p t a i n M ic h a el
Pana triggered unpredictable
c ou nt e r at t a ck s t o le a d t he
conquest for UST, as he ravaged
on UE’s Franz Mendoza, 11-3,
12-10, 7-11, 11-3, despite his
opponent’s comebacking third
set stunner.
Now on his third playing
year for the Tiger Paddlers,
Zoren Mendiola immediately
followed suit after orchestrating
a straight set sweep against Red
Paddler Raymund Malay, 11-6,
11-6, 11-7, in the second singles
match to give UST an easy 2-0
edge.
Season 73 MVP Christian
Vicente and Rookie of the Year
Adolfo Bazar, Jr. did not let
triumph slip into their
Team captain Setsuko Ando manhandles her opponent in the -48 kg category to
secure a Finals spot in Season 73.
JILSON SECKLER C. TIU
Rookie of the Year Adolfo Bazar Jr. (left) and tournament MVP Cristian Vicente
(right_t) smashed their way back to the Promised Land after ruling the doubles’
match against the duo of Red Paddlers Romiel Igno and Manuel Montes, Jr.,
15-13, 11-7, 7-11, 11-3.
KARLA MIDES C. TOLEDO
hands after shutting down the
duo of Romiel Igno and Manuel
Montes, Jr., 15-13, 11-7, 7-11, 113, in the doubles’ match.
But prior to the UE rout,
UST scored a hard-earned
victory against defending
c h a m p i o n Fa r E a s t e r n
University, 3-0.
“ We d id not t a ke F EU
easily because the players were
really strong in the first round,”
Ortalla said. “[But in the second
round] we adjusted our game
play to theirs.”
UST’s Mendiola survived
FEU’s Monarch Broqueza, in a
five-set decision match 7-11, 12Paddlers PAGE 10