Vol. LXXXVII, No. 5 • December 15, 2016

Volume LXXXVII, No. 5 • December 15, 2015 THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSIT Y OF SANTO TOMAS Manila, Philippines
2 News
Editors: Dayanara T. Cudal and Danielle Ann F. Gabriel
DECEMBER 15, 2015
Pacucoa: UST is best Philippine university
THE UNIVERSITY has maintained its
position as the educational institution with the
most number of accredited programs in the
country.
UST received five awards during the
26th annual general assembly and awarding
ceremonies of the Philippine Association of
Colleges and Universities Commission on
Accreditation (Pacucoa) last Dec. 1 at the City of
Dreams in Parañaque.
UST was awarded for having the highest
number of Level III and Level IV accredited
programs in the Philippines, and for having the
highest number of accredited programs in both
the National Capital Region and in the country.
The University was also cited for having the
first food technology program to be granted Level
IV accredited status.
UST has 11 programs with Level IV status,
the highest rank that can be obtained by an
educational institution from Pacucoa, while six
programs have Level III accreditation.
Level IV programs will have full autonomy
from government regulators for the duration of
the Level IV accredited status, which is until
2019.
“As an awardee of Pacucoa, we have been
privileged to be (given this honor as the institution
with the most number of accredited programs) for
years. We are sustaining the good culture that we
have already developed over the years,” Clarita
Carillo, vice rector for academic affairs, said in an
interview with the Varsitarian.
Carillo, who received the awards with some
college deans, said the University adhered to the
nine areas set by Pacucoa as guide for assessment.
The nine areas are purpose and objectives,
faculty, instruction, library, laboratory, physical
plant and facilities, student personnel services,
social orientation and community involvement,
and administration and organization.
UST has a total 37 accredited programs,
followed by the University of Mindanao and
Lyceum of the Philippines University-Batangas
with 30 and 28 accredited programs, respectively.
Last Oct. 16, Rector Fr. Herminio Dagohoy,
O.P. said in his Rector’s Report that obtaining
accreditation served as a validation of the
University’s accomplishments in instruction,
research and community service as well as high
passing rates in licensure exams. DAYANARA T.
CUDAL and ALHEX ADREA M. PERALTA
EdTech to launch
‘cloud’ services
next semester
SOON, class records and teaching modules
will be available in the “cloud.”
The Educational Technology Center
(EdTech) is set to upgrade to cloud services
and virtual classroom technology as part of a
digital transition.
EdTech Center Director Anna Cherylle
Ramos said using the cloud would make it
easier to store digital academic resources.
Cloud storage is a mode of digital data
storage that keeps a user’s data available
and accessible with the help of computer
networking.
Ramos warned of the vulnerability of
digital resources stored in servers inside the
UST campus.
“Let’s say UST encounters flood
incidents, the University will not face
problems regarding the resources because
they are saved in the cloud,” Ramos said in
an interview with the Varsitarian.
Cloud storage is expected to be used in
UST by January 2016, with the main cloud
hosting site located in Singapore. Other
hosting sites in Germany, Switzerland and
Brazil will serve as back-up.
Ramos admitted that there were also
security problems with cloud technology,
but the benefits of the system outweighed
the risks.
“We know security is an issue but we
don’t want to be left behind by the current
delivery system,” Ramos said.
Virtual classroom possible
Ramos also bared plans to launch
Blackboard Collaborate, a module of
the online learning management system
Blackboard Learn, which would make virtual
classrooms possible.
Blackboard Learn, known in UST as
the E-Learning Access Program or eLeAP,
was developed by the Washington-based
educational technology company Blackboard
Inc.
With Blackboard Collaborate, professors
EdTech PAGE 5
UnionBank chair: ‘Bring humanity back into capitalism’
THE CHAIRMAN and chief
executive officer of one of
the country’s leading banks
encouraged Thomasians to “bring
humanity back into capitalism” as
he received an honorary doctorate
from UST for his contributions
to the field of commerce and
banking.
“I encourage all to teach
young people by example. That
if we hold justness at par with
profit, we gain back what is more
valuable, our humanity,” said
Justo Ortiz in his address during
the solemn investiture rites at the
Medicine Auditorium last Dec. 11.
Rector
Fr.
Herminio
Dagohoy, O.P. cited UnionBank
for its role in the digitization of the
groundbreaking Lumina Pandit
exhibit of the UST Miguel de
Benavides Library in 2011, which
involved a grant of P50 million.
“Mr. Ortiz puts high premium
on institutional heritage and
national memory. For him the
past is a vast story of cultural
truths and timeless memories,” Fr.
Dagohoy said.
Ortiz was one of the youngest
Filipino officers of Citibank. He
was tapped by the Aboitiz group to
head UnionBank at the age of 35.
As philanthropist, Ortiz
spearheaded the UnionBank
learning systems program which
has donated 2.5 million books to
Grade 2 pupils nationwide.
Ortiz is the second recipient
of an honoris causa doctorate
this year, following Mercury
Drug Corp. founder Mariano
Que last September.
The University confers
honorary degrees on those who
have attained exceptionally
meritorious
achievements
in the arts, sciences, the
humanities and public service,
in accordance with the rules
and
conditions
established
by the Commission in Higher
CLARENCE
I.
Education.
HORMACHUELOS
REVOLUTIONARY. UnionBank Chairman Justo Ortiz receives an honorary doctorate for revolutionalizing the
Philippine banking industry last Dec. 11 at the Medicine Auditorium.
AMPARO KLARIN J. MANGOROBAN
UST confers Golden Cross on US philanthropist
THE UNIVERSITY has conferred the
Golden Cross Award, one of the highest
distinctions given by UST, on the owner of
the largest hearing aid manufacturer in the
United States.
William Franklin Austin, founder of the
Starkey Hearing Foundation, was recognized
for improving the lives
of
individuals
with
hearing
disabilities.
R e c t o r
Fr. Herminio
Dagohoy, O.P.
said Austin’s
advocacy
brought people closer to each other.
“[UST confers this award on Mr. Austin]
for his invaluable contribution to
humanity, his advocacy of philanthropic
work and leadership in corporate social
responsibility,” Fr. Dagohoy said in the
awarding ceremonies on Nov. 27 at the
Buenaventura G. Paredes, O.P. Building.
Austin said service to others had
always been part of his life, and that he
looked forward to bringing more help to
people with hearing disabilities.
“[I] thought that before I die there
would not be children in the world who
have not had the chance to hear and learn
and be part of life,” Austin said in his
acceptance speech.
The Starkey Hearing Foundation,
established in 1984, is a non-profit
foundation that conducts missions
around the world. In the last 31 years, it
has given more than 1.8 million hearing
aids to several countries including the
Philippines.
Austin
In 2010, the foundation distributed
more than 4,000 hearing aids in the
country for the UST Quadricentennial
project “400 years, 4,000 ears.”
Austin pursued a degree in Medicine at
the University of Minnesota in the United
States, supporting himself by making ear
molds in a local hearing aid repair shop.
Later, he discontinued medical school and
worked full-time in sales.
He then purchased a small ear mold
company in 1970 and turned it into the
Starkey Hearing Technologies, now the
largest hearing aid manufacturer in the
United States and the third largest in the
world.
The UST Golden Cross is the
highest award given by the University
to individuals who excel in the arts,
humanities and sciences, or those who
have distinguished themselves by their
“total commitment to the service of
mankind.”
Previous recipients of the Golden
Cross include Mother Teresa, King Juan
Carlos of Spain, Philippine presidents
Corazon Aquino and Diosdado Macapagal,
Carlos Romulo, and Irina Bokova, director
general of the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization.
ALHEX ADREA M. PERALTA
Usapang Uste Parangal-pampanitikan ng Unibersidad UST tops
BAGO pa man maitatag ang
taunang parangal pampanitikan ng
Varsitarian na Gawad Ustetika,
mayroon
nang
patimpalakpampanitikan sa Unibersidad.
Taong 1769 nang dumating
sa bansa si Fr. Salvador Llosent
na naatasang panghawakan ang
posisyong professorial chair
of humanities ng Unibersidad.
Tungkulin niyang payabungin
ang mga klase ng humanidades sa
UST.
Sa ilalim ng kaniyang
panunungkulan, yumabong sa 220
ang mag-aaral sa humanities—
ang pinakamalaking klase sa
Unibersidad noon.
Anim na taon makaraan
nang kaniyang pagdating, itinatag
niya ang Certamen Literario
(patimpalak pampanitikan) noong
ika-7 ng Marso 1775 sa pista ni
Santo Tomas de Aquino.
Isinagawa ang patimpalak sa
publiko. Nagsilbing eksamen ang
nasabing patimpalak para sa mga
mag-aaral ng retorika, panitikan,
humanidades at balarila.
Mahigit 100 na mag-aaral
na may-alam sa panitikang
Espanyol at Latin ang lumahok
sa patimpalak. Pinangkat sa tatlo
hanggang sampu ang mga kalahok
na mayroong iba’t ibang gawain:
ang ilan isinalin ang Aeneid ni
Virgil; ang iba lumikha ng mga
berso mula sa mga akda ni Cicero;
at ang iba pa itinanghal ang Poetic
Art ni Horace sa entablado.
Naitago naman sa isang
koleksiyon ang mga hindi
nailimbag na akda at likhang
panitikan ng mga estudyante
ni Llosent noong taong 1770
hanggang 1772.
Sa kasalukuyan, ang Gawad
Ustetika ng Varsitarian ang
pinakamatagal nang campus
literary derby sa bansa na nasa
ika-31 nitong taon ngayon.
Tomasino siya
Alam n’yo bang isang
Tomasinong
imigrante
ang
nasa likod ng pinamalaking
kompanya ng canned tuna sa
bansa?
Si Ricardo Sy Po, mas kilala
bilang “Tuna King” o “Mr. Tuna,”
ang utak sa likod ng mga delata ng
Century Tuna, Argentina Corned
Beef at 555 sardines.
Purong Intsik si Po na
Usapang Uste PAHINA 6
licensure exam
for teachers
THE UNIVERSITY grabbed the
top spot in the recent licensure
examinations
for
teachers
(LET) both in the elementary
and secondary level, with one
Thomasian entering the top 10
in the elementary level.
UST was declared the
top-performing school in the
elementary LET after obtaining
a 96.21 percent passing rate. A
total of 127 passed the test out of
132 Thomasian examinees.
In the secondary level, UST
posted a 94.92 percent passing
rate, with 168 Thomasians
making the cut out of 177.
Marie Selene Dominique
Galvan Estaris led the new
batch of Thomasian elementary
teachers, securing the third spot
with a score of 86.20 percent.
She was tied with Airah
Murielle de Guzman Antonio
of Jose Rizal University and
Teachers PAGE 5
Editor: Mary Gillan Frances G. Ropero
DECEMBER 15, 2015
Special Reports 3
Miriam, Bongbong top UST survey
SEN. MIRIAM Defensor-Santiago is the
top choice of Thomasians in next year’s
presidential election, based on a survey
conducted by the Varsitarian.
Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos
Jr. topped the survey for vice presidential
candidates with 29 percent.
The survey was conducted from Oct.
26 to Dec. 10, with 1,366 respondents
randomly selected through the cluster
sampling method.
Respondents were asked who they
would vote for president and vice president
if elections were held on the day of the
survey.
Santiago, who claims she has recovered
from Stage 4 lung cancer, emerged on top
with 66 percent, while 17 percent of the
respondents were yet to make up their mind.
Liberal Party standard bearer Mar
Roxas placed third with 8 percent while
Sen. Grace Poe, who has been disqualified
by two Commission on Elections division,
was at fourth spot with 5 percent.
Vice President Jejomar Binay got 3
percent.
Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte
was not included in the survey because the
questionnaires had been prepared before he
announced his presidential run. Still, four
respondents picked him.
In the vice presidential race, Marcos,
eldest son of the late dictator, got 29
percent.
Twenty percent of the respondents
picked no vice presidential contender.
Roxas’ running mate, Camarines Sur
Rep. Leni Robredo, placed third with 17
percent followed by Sen. Francis Escudero
with 15 percent.
Duterte’s running mate, Sen. Alan
Peter Cayetano, got 13 percent, while Sen.
Antonio Trillanes IV had 4 percent. PAUL
XAVIER JAEHWA C. BERNARDO, MONICA
M. HERNANDEZ, and MARY GILLAN
FRANCES G. ROPERO
Broader ‘internationalization’ sought for students, faculty
DESPITE recognition as a premiere
Philippine university, UST still
needs to improve its curriculum
and offer niche programs to attain
international standards for quality
education.
Office
of
International
Relations and Programs Director
Lilian Sison said upgrades and
changes in the curriculum as well
as additional scholarship programs
were
needed
to
maximize
opportunities for students.
“There should be something
done in the curriculum for global
learning so other students get
exposed,” Sison said.
Early this year, UST received a
four-star rating in the Quacquarelli
Symonds (QS) “Stars University
Rating” system. The University
recorded a perfect
five-star rating in
four of the eight
criteria, namely: employability,
facilities, engagement, and access,
and four stars in the teaching
category. It received a three-star
rating in the internationalization
criteria and one star for specialist
criteria and research.
Sison
defined
internationalization as “mobility
of students and mobility of
professors.”
“Student representatives sent
abroad are just small in number
compared to the whole population
of students in UST,” Sison said.
According to UST data
sent to the QS, 73 percent
of 790 international
students were taking
undergraduate
degrees while
27
percent
were in the
graduate school.
According
to
Sison,
teaching strategies, content of
the
curriculum,
assessment,
extracurricular
activities
and
leadership should be considered
in developing UST’s global
competitiveness.
The latest annual report
released by Sison’s office showed
that the number of inbound
students went up to 241 from 88
during the academic years 20122013 and 2014-2015, equivalent
to a 174-percent increase in the
total number of
visiting
foreign
students. South Korea, Thailand
and Australia were the top
countries.
The office also recorded a
318-percent increase in the number
of outbound students, from 55 to
230 in the past three years. A total
of 190 students represented UST
in international conferences and
leadership camps last academic
year.
UST also signed 93 memoranda
of understanding last year to boost
its internationalization program.
Globalization with localization
Sison said UST was on equal
footing with the rest of the “big
four universities” when it comes to
internationalization.
“With the other [top three
universities], I do not think we
have any edge over them. We are
more comprehensive in terms of
programs,” Sison said.
In terms of local competency,
Sison said UST must offer niche
programs to showcase its strengths,
and to “really identify” what UST
is as an academic institution.
Sison
said
globalized
learning
was
about
“crosscultural
understanding,”
and UST’s approach was to
combine localization and global
competitiveness.
Sison also said the University
was expected to improve services to
international students through the
mobility of programs and research,
international collaboration, dual
degree programs and outcomesbased activities.
Cornelia Soto, chairwoman of
the Ateneo de Manila University
Department of Education, said
interns from their institution
receive good feedback from their
Broader PAGE 5
4 Opinion
DECEMBER 15, 2015
Editorial
Do they know it’s
Christmas?
FILIPINO Catholics may celebrate what they brag
to be the longest Christmas holidays in the world,
but they seem averse to the worldwide persecution
of Christians, especially those right in Asia Minor
where Christ was born.
In the Middle East, a Christian dies every five
minutes, according to a report by the Catholic News
Agency. Vatican analyst and journalist John Allen
wrote that 11 Christians are killed per hour, per
day, for the last 10 years. The situation has since
escalated due to the increasing Islamic extremism
in the area.
Early this year, the Islamic State of Iraq and
Syria (ISIS) released a video showing the beheading
of 21 Coptic Christians in Libya for the express
reason of practicing the Christian faith. The video
caused uproar around the world, prompting the
United Nations Security Council to particularly
address the issue.
Pope Francis later on described the massacre as
a “testimony that cries out” and that everyone is a
brother in the Christian faith—may it be Catholic,
Coptic, or Orthodox among others.
The European refugee crisis owes to Christians
and Arabs displaced by the Islamic State campaigns
in the Levant. Ancient Eastern Christian churches,
many of them with ties to the Catholic Church in
Rome, have felt the brunt of the Isis campaigns as
whole populations of them have been killed, evicted,
pillaged. Christian hierarchs and patriarchs have
expressed wish for the Christian communities to
remain, but they said they cannot stop them because
to do so would expose them to genocide. So they’re
trying to assist them to seek safer havens in Kurdish
Iraq or elsewhere. They want Europe and the US
to give the refugees visas but only Germany seems
welcoming.
Elsewhere in the world, Christians face
persecutions especially in Christians where they
are a minority or where the regimes are outrightly
atheistic and hostile to any religion.
Some, 200 million Christians in over 60
countries around the world face some degree of
restriction, discrimination or outright persecution,
according to the Guardian of England
In Asia, North Korea is considered as the
most dangerous place for Christians, according to
the 2015 Open Doors World Watch list. Christians
in North Korea are often sent to prison camps for
possessing Bibles and are prohibited from practicing
their faith. A Washington Post article last September
said an estimated 12,000 Christians are imprisoned
in North Korea.
Other countries, such as China, are also
strengthening their non-tolerance of the Christian
Editorial PAGE 14
FOUNDED JAN. 16, 1928
LORD BIEN G. LELAY
Editor in Chief
ANGELI MAE S. CANTILLANA
Managing Editor
ARIANNE F. MEREZ
Associate Editor
DAYANARA T. CUDAL News Editor
DANIELLE ANN F. GABRIEL Assistant News Editor
DELFIN RAY M. DIOQUINO Acting Sports Editor
MARY GILLAN FRANCES G. ROPERO Special Reports Editor
ERIKA MARIZ S. CUNANAN Features Editor
ALILIANA MARGARETTE T. UYAO Literary Editor
MARIA KOREENA M. ESLAVA Patnugot ng Filipino
MARIE DANIELLE L. MACALINO Witness Editor
DARYL ANGELO P. BAYBADO Circle Editor
RHENN ANTHONY S. TAGUIAM Online Editor
ROBERTO A. VERGARA, JR. Assistant Online Editor
AVA MARIANGELA C. VICTORIA Art Director
BASILIO H. SEPE Photography Editor
News Kathryn Jedi V. Baylon, Clarence I. Hormachuelos, Alhex Adrea M. Peralta,
Jerome P. Villanueva
Sports Carlo A. Casingcasing, John Chester P. Fajardo, Philip Martin L. Matel,
Randell Angelo B. Ritumalta
Special Reports Paul Xavier Jaehwa C. Bernardo, Monica M. Hernandez
Features Mary Grace C. Esmaya, Maria Corazon A. Inay, Vianca A. Ocampo
Literary Zenmond G. Duque II, Cedric Allen P. Sta. Cruz
Filipino Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas, Bernadette A. Paminutan
Witness Krystel Nicole A. Sevilla, Lea Mat P. Vicencio
Science and Technology Mia Rosienna P. Mallari, Kimberly Joy V. Naparan,
Julius Roman M. Tolop
Circle Amierielle Anne A. Bulan, Ma. Czarina A. Fernandez, Ethan James M. Siat
Art Kirsten M. Jamilla, Freya D.L.R. Torres, Iain Rafel N. Tyapon
Photography Alvin Joseph Kasiban, Amparo Klarin J. Mangoroban
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 and corresponding contact
details 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.
Shallow media and its repercussions
YOU REAP what you sow.
The biblical saying has a
bearing on how Filipinos have
invested their time and money
on television, the so-called
boob tube. After nearly two
generations for example of
brainless noontime shows, trite
melodramas, and innocuous
entertainment, the Philippines
has become a nation of shallow
entertainment
and
circus
freakdom.
The shallowness has
become so unremitting that
there have been attempts even
among the intelligentsia and
even the Catholic establishment
to defend the so-called
“Dubsmash” duo of one TV
network as harmless, pure
entertainment, even defending
that the segment promotes and
revives traditional Filipino
morals, as if this part makes
up for the fact that the show
revolves around silliness and
stupidity.
No matter how many times
we dissect this phenomenon,
we will always go back to
square one, banking on the
vulnerable feelings of ‘kilig’ of
teenagers, middle-aged women,
and even grandmothers., as well
as the overall mediocrity and
If the normal Filipino,
can invest his time in
shallow matters, why
can’t he also invest in
the matters that make
a difference in the
country?
even utter crassness of mass
taste that has been fostered by
television where competition
merely impels broadcasters to
seek the common denominator
of bottomless stupidity.
If you don’t find yourself
going gaga about the lip-syncwonder duo, you can always
switch channels and watch
that legendary comedian insult
yet another helpless soul on
national television.
Again, I understand that
some individuals only watch
these noontime shows to escape
their mundane daily routines,
or maybe coincidentally, it just
happened that the carinderia
where they have lunch are solid
supporters of either show.
Meanwhile, some spend
hundreds of pesos watching
and re-watching the worst films
modern Filipino cinema has to
offer: same actors, same scripts,
same recycled stories, and same
cliché endings.
If this isn’t bad enough,
these rotten tomatoes have a
Christmas reunion in the form
of the Metro Manila Film
Festival. Of course, again, one
may argue that the yuletide
season screams for happiness,
so why should we burden
ourselves by watching history
films among other hard-hitting
topics for movies?
And how on earth
was Donnalyn Bartolome
able to make a dent on the
Filipino music scene with the
song, “Kakaibabe?” But of
course, why would people
listen to unpopular, yet
brilliantly composed songs by
independent artists when they
could just mindlessly enjoy the
youth and wit that is Donnalyn
Bartolome?
Maybe some are already
raising their eyebrows, thinking
“kanya-kanyang trip lang
‘yan.”
But if people can spend
time to watch asinine television
shows, then they can probably
spare a few minutes to watch
a documentary on topics such
as politics, war, and climate
change, among others. If people
can line up for blockbuster
remakes and sequels at the
movie house, maybe they
can also find the time to visit
Filipino film classics such as
masterpieces created by Lino
Brocka and Brillante Mendoza.
If the normal Filipino,
can invest his time in shallow
matters, why can’t he also
invest in the matters that make
a difference in the country?
Why is it that when things get
remotely serious, Filipinos
tend to return to the comfort
that is Alden Richards and his
Tempus PAGE 14
In victory or defeat, Tigers united UST
THE UST Growling Tigers
might have fallen short of
the coveted championship
title in the UAAP men’s
basketball competition once
again, but what they did this
season was a feat that gave
us what winning the crown
could deliver—revive the
Thomasian spirit and unite
the Thomasian community.
The Tigers did not even
figure among the contenders
at the start of the season.
Even less were they expected
to reach the Final Four and
even the finals.
They were touted by
sports analysts to finish the
season at the bottom half of
the league after a disaster
of a campaign last year. But
they turned every naysayer
into a believer; they defied
all the odds and they made
us cheer “Go USTe” at our
proudest again.
More than the coveted
title and the bragging rights
that come with it, the Tigers
are already champions for
proving everybody wrong
since most of the people
had counted them out even
before the season began.
The Tigers, after being
beaten and wounded last
season, picked themselves
up and shocked everybody.
The Tigers made
us believe that after
falling down, we can
always pick ourselves
up and come back
with finesse.
Every Tiger embodied what
“comeback” meant and the
Tigers were the perfect
epitome of it.
Ed Daquiaog, who was
probably an unknown player
for some of the UAAP fans,
made a name for himself as
UST’s new gunner. He even
barged into the Mythical
Five.
Kevin
Ferrer,
who
watched his team got banged
and beaten from the sidelines
while nursing an injury last
season, came back with fire
to anchor the downtrodden
Tigers with an MVP-esque
campaign.
Marvin Lee, who starred
for the FEU Baby Tamaraws
and was relegated to Team B
in their senior squad, proved
that he is worth the roster
spot he was deprived of.
UST head coach Bong de
la Cruz, after being deemed
incompetent to replace the
decorated tactician Pido
Jarencio, endured all the
bashing and regrouped his
wards to face the mighty
Tamaraws in the last dance
of the competition.
I had witnessed how
the Tigers came up short of
the championship for three
times in the last four years
and I honestly did not want
to live in awe anymore,
every time I wonder what
could have happened should
things had gone a different
direction.
Looking back, after two
finals mishaps in season 75
and 76 as the Tigers faltered
against Ateneo de Manila
University and De la Salle
University, respectively, the
thought of losing another one
was already heartbreaking.
But this time, the whole UST
community held their heads
up high knowing that there
are no “what ifs” in games.
The FEU Tamaraws were
simply the best this season
as pundits had opined before
the opening.
In spite of losing, we
have achieved more than
what the University is aiming
for because with or without
the championship, we have
become stronger as a family.
We may wear different
uniforms and study different
programs but, in the end, we
are all Thomasians with the
blood of a Tiger running in
our veins.
The Tigers made us
believe that after falling
down, we can always pick
ourselves up and come back
with finesse. They gave us
a reason to be prouder of
wearing yellow and bearing
UST under our names.
Deep in our hearts,
we know that the team can
finally win it all someday. In
the words of Karim Abdul,
“It wasn’t meant for us,” but
maybe someday, it will be.
Thank
you,
Tigers
for giving us a legendary
season.
Opinion 5
DECEMBER 15, 2015
Bring back family dinner this Christmas
IN THE thick of the fast-moving
world, do Filipino families really
take the time to just sit down and
have a calm dinner on an ordinary
night? Is there real connection
between parents and children
today or is it all superficial?
For the past years, it would
seem like only during special
occasions like the eve of Noche
Buena and Media Noche are
most tables in every home filled
to the brim with endless supply of
food and conversation.
In the last decade, the
Philippines has become the
major supplier of labor migrants
to over 100 countries. More than
8 million (10%) out of the 85
million Filipinos were working or
living abroad and more than three
thousand Filipino workers leave
the country everyday as Overseas
Filipino Workers (OFW), hence
transnational family has become
a norm in the Philippines.
A more pressing concern
is with regards to the children
left behind. Though there is no
systematic data on the number
of these children, it is estimated
on several studies done by
nongovernmental organizations
and
local
government
Broader
FROM PAGE 3
partner universities abroad.
One
of
the
internationalization programs
of the Ateneo is the Junior
Team Abroad, where thirdyear students, mostly from
the business management
program, are encouraged to
train in partner-universities.
Ateneo also focuses on
research, which involves
a reward system from the
school administration. This
is because some teachers
believe that they come to
school to teach and not to do
Taxonomist
FROM PAGE 12
Bayreuth, Germany and
Université
de
FrancheComté in France.
Alejandro’s work is
focused on discovering and
naming species of plants,
especially those endemic in
the Philippines.
Other than the Gregorio
Y. Zara award, Alejandro’s
outstanding achievements in
research and development
has earned him the 2015
Outstanding Scientific Paper
Award from the National
Academy of Science and
Technology (NAST) for his
research on the Molecular
Phylogeny of the Philippine
genus Bikkia, including the
discovery of a new species
Bikkia montoyae, in honor
of Academician and Director
of the DOST-PCHRD Jaime
Montoya.
He also received the
2014 Department of Science
Teachers
FROM PAGE 2
Shienna Michelle Verceluz
Jorvina
of
Philippine
Normal University–Lopez,
Quezon.
Former
Varsitarian
features writer Mone Virma
Ginry Gumapac was among
those who passed the
secondary level licensure
exam.
College of Education
Dean Allan de Guzman
attributed the University’s
performance to the designed
curriculum for the students
to excel better.
“[The results were]
It is not merely the
food that matters
in the table but the
collective ‘breaking of
bread’ with our loved
ones over conversation
and laughter.
organizations in Manila, that there
are approximately nine million
Filipino children under the age of
18 or 27% of the total youth who
are left behind by one or both
parents to work tentatively or live
permanently abroad.
There is also the increasing
clamor for the Divorce Bill
being proposed by the Gabriela
Women’s Party in the House of
Representatives which is against
the core of the Family Code that
we have in the Philippines. The
family, being the foundation
of the nation, is a basic social
institution which public policy
cherishes and protects.
“Consequently,
family
relations are governed by law and
no custom, practice or agreement
destructive of the family shall
be recognized or given effect,”
stated in the Executive Order
no. 209 or Family Code of 1987,
article 149.
Related to this is also the
number of annulment cases in the
Philippines which has alarmingly
risen by 40 percent, from 4,520
in 2001 to 8,282 in 2010, with
at least 22 cases filed every day
based on the records from the
Office of the Solicitor General
(OSG). The data also showed that
82 percent of those who filed for
annulment had children, who are
ought to be affected.
The crux of the dilemma
is who sits down with these
research, Soto said.
“[Internationalization]
must be a two-pronged
approach because if we do
not attend to this, we will
be really left behind,” Soto
added.
The official newsletter
of the De La Salle University
External Relations Office
showed that its total number
of international and exchange
students in AY 2014-2015
were dominated by Asian
countries like South Korea
and China.
Of the 714 foreign
students in La Salle, 258
were from South Korea and
119 were from China. Most
of the international students
took business, education and
liberal arts courses.
and Technology Outstanding
Research and Development
Award for Basic Research
for his paper on the endemic
genus Villaria.
This year, he was
awarded
the
NAST
Outstanding Young Scientists
in the field of Biology for
his pioneering work in
Molecular
Phylogenetics
using Philippine species.
As the Director of the
Office of Graduate Research,
Alejandro feels the need
to be a role model to his
students and winning this
award along with his other
achievements encourage him
to inspire his students even
more.
“Awards should make
you strive more in the
field,”
Alejandro
said.
“For a research to be
competitive it should be
multi-disciplinary and to
be a successful researcher,
you need three key words:
perseverance, determination
and flexibility.”
in fact a product of a
relevant and evidencedbased curriculum delivery,
competent
and
highly
dedicated faculty, supportive
and
transformative
administrators and hard work
and passion for scholarship
of learning of our students,”
De Guzman said in an e-mail
to the Varsitarian.
In
ensuring
the
consistency
of
the
performance, De Guzman
said
strengthening
the
faculty,
expanding
the
network of partner schools
and promoting reflective
practice among teachers are
the keys to continuously ace
the board exams.
Improved quality
The ranking of Philippine
higher education zoomed
to 29th place last year from
69th in 2010, the latest World
Economic Forum (WEF)
Global
Competitiveness
Report showed.
The country’s higher
educational system got 4.5
points, higher than the 3.8
average of 144 countries
surveyed. Switzerland ranked
first with 6 points out of the
maximum 7.
The
ranking
of
Paskuhan
FROM PAGE 7
World Youth Day in January
1995.
The Paskuhan again served
as an avenue for charity work
when four typhoons struck in
2004. That year, UST opted to
donate funds that were supposed
to be spent on fireworks. It was
again the case when supertyphoon Yolanda devastated
central Philippines in 2013.
In 2006, when the UST
Growling Tigers won the UAAP
basketball crown, Paskuhan also
served as a thanksgiving.
In 2010, Paskuhan served
as the start of University’s
quadricentennial
countdown
while last year’s celebration
was celebrated in anticipation
of Pope Francis’ visit earlier this
year.
Since its official celebration
last 1993, Paskuhan has been
well-known for its concert
organized by the Central Student
Council (CSC) and Student
“We
believe
that
quality,
excellence
and
consistency are enduring
hallmarks
of
high
performing organizations.
Our commitment to these
hallmarks prompt us to
constantly
renew
our
instructional
platform,
strengthen
our
faculty,
monitor student learning
progress through effective
mentoring system, expand
our network of partner
schools
and
promote
reflective practice among
our teachers so that theory
and practice operate in full
unison,” he added.
The University’s passing
rate for the elementary LET
children in a table to talk to them
on a daily basis? Who will shape
their identity and sense of what a
true family is?
Meanwhile, in conservative
countries like the Philippines
where mental health is rarely
discussed the figures for suicidal
rate has slowly been growing in
the last 21 years with the majority
of cases involving young people
of 24 years old and below based
on records collected from the
National Statistics Office.
Out of all these disturbing
matters of declining family
life, the question of utmost
importance is where can we start
connecting to the Filipino youth
of this generation on a deeper
level.
The answer is simple if
we look back to what is slowly
lacking in our homes today and
that is the benefits of meaningful
table talks. Most research
suggests that both parents and
children place high value on
sharing meals together and find
the experience to be worthwhile
and gratifying after a day’s tiring
cycle of frenzied schedules and
Imago PAGE 14
Philippine business schools
meanwhile slid one place
to 40th in 2014, but local
schools kept an advantage
over those in other Asian
countries such as Japan and
China, which ranked 72nd
and 85th respectively.
The
availability
of
specialized research and
training
services
also
improved, with the ranking
going up to 49th last year
from 77th in 2010. Internet
accessibility among private
and
public
academic
institutions went up 10 places
to 66th in the same period.
J.P.P. CORPUZ and MONICA
M. HERNANDEZ
Organizations
Coordinating
Council (SOCC).
“We get to incorporate
the realities of our time with
Paskuhan in a way conducive
to the values of our University,”
CSC President Anna Mangalili
said in an interview.
“Just the thought of it sends
everyone smiling and makes
everyone look forward for
Christmas itself.”
“We [UST] celebrate
Paskuhan with a Christmas mass
and ‘Panunuluyan’ because
it shows how we celebrate in
a religious manner,” SOCC
President Ser Loisse Mortel
said.
Mortel hinted that this
year’s celebration is going to be
“very bright,” even brighter than
the previous celebrations.
Over the years, Paskuhan
has served as the epitome of
Christmas celebration among
schools and it is surely one of the
historical celebrations in UST
that Thomasians will always
be proud of. MARY GRACE C.
ESMAYA
was down slightly from
last year’s 98.57 percent,
while its performance in
the secondary level saw
an improvement from the
89.93-percent passing rate
recorded in 2014.
The national passing
rate in the elementary LET
dipped to 31.37 percent,
with 21,461 passing the test
out of 68,442 examinees.
The passing rate last year
was 35.74 percent.
For the secondary level,
the national passing rate
jumped to 41.75 percent from
34.41-percent last year, with
34,010 making the cut out of
81,463 examinees.
Working habit
of Generation Y
I FIND it worrisome that many of my
peers consider late nights until early
mornings as the time they become
most productive.
More and more friends in my
Facebook chatbox are marked “online”
when I stay up until 4 a.m. and the line
between “because it is finals week”
and “because I was lazy” is becoming
hazier by the minute.
I am not safe either, I fail to meet
deadlines.
To be sure, it would be easy to say
that we (Generation Y) can do tasks as
early as the time that they were given to us. But, just like every other
senior out there, we all just go to a point when we “snap” and decide
to give ourselves a break. We deserve one, at least for the three years
of stressful academic and extra-curricular activities (not to mention
little extras like weight and love problems) we had to endure.
Having been in a state of “being too prepared” for long, the
body will always look for opportunities for rest and leisure. This
is especially the case when the body has “experienced” such an
activity, and it will want to experience it as often as it could, given
the amount of time it spent without it.
“There’s a fundamental tension, in humans and other animals,
between seizing available rewards in the present, and being
patient for rewards in the future,” economist David Laibson said
in a Harvard paper last 2006. “It’s radically important. People very
robustly want instant gratification right now, and want to be patient
in the future.”
Having gained them with the hours given to prepare for
papers, I may have shifted from goodie-two-shoes into a couch
potato. I admit that I am a procrastinator, but I am not the only one
out there.
Apparently, a lot of us are in Facebook.
“Procrastinators, who are often unmotivated to get certain
tasks done until the last minute, are more likely to be addicted to
Facebook than those who are bored, and are also more likely to
Our generation can do tasks as
early as the time that they were
given, but we all just go to a point
when we ‘snap’ and decide to give
ourselves a break.
suffer from Facebook withdrawal,” Erica Sherman of the University
of Massachusetts Boston said in her paper last 2011.
Piers Steel of the University of Calgary also said in his research
paper published in 2007 that 80 to 95 percent of college students
in the United States engage in procrastination, approximately 75
percent consider themselves procrastinators, and almost 50 percent
procrastinate consistently and problematically.
Steel, who is dedicated to researching about the subject, even
made a “Procrastination Formula” that indicates one’s “willingness”
to do tasks—U = EV/ID.
In the formula, the desirability of the task (U) is a product
of one’s confidence of success (E) and the value gained by its
completion (V), divided by the product of the immediacy and
availability of the task (I) and one’s sensitivity to delay or distraction
(D). A high result indicates more willingness to do the said activity.
However, the “opposite” (should such a concept exist) is also
problematic. In a research by David Rosenbaum and his colleagues,
“Pre-Crastination” is becoming a prevalent phenomenon worldwide
and is not giving solutions either.
Rosenbaum and his colleagues were surprised to find out that
students are now starting to prefer to do everything in advance even
if it meant expending more energy, explaining that they “wanted to
get the task[s] done as quickly as possible.”
Given this definition, I began wondering if I was really
hardworking or was simply looking for an avenue to rest “earlier.”
Was I really being productive, or was I really just reverse-lazy?
The desire of Rosenbaum’s respondents to lighten their mental
load was stronger than their determination to reduce physical effort,
which Cory Potts, a co-researcher, said may be just as conflicting as
procrastinating due to its capability to reduce performance.
“Imagine if you devote a lot of energy towards completing a
task immediately, and then [a client] calls and interrupts you. Is your
attention going to go to the phone, or is it still going to be on the
task?” he said.
The growing need for Filipinos to use Facebook may also stem
from the gratification it provides. Researchers Richard Basilisco and
Aletheia PAGE 11
EdTech
FROM PAGE 2
and students can use gadgets
to hold lectures anywhere
on days when there are no
classes.
The virtual classroom
program was tested with
UST Engineering students
at
the
International
Conference on Engineering
Education–Philippines,
which tackled engineering
education innovation, last
Oct. 22.
The conference, hosted
by UST, held a “webinar”
with Prof. Milo Koretski
of Oregon State University
in the United States on the
effects of technology-based
instruction on students.
Last October, EdTech
was awarded a four-star
rating by the Philippine
E-learning
Society
for
its e-Learning programs,
number of trained faculty
members and length of
membership in the society.
EdTech has been a member
of the society, which aims
to promote the use of
technology in teaching in
the Philippines, since 2004.
Two years ago, the
society gave the University
a three-star rating. ROY
ABRAHMN D.R. NARRA
6 Filipino
Patnugot: Maria Koreena M. Eslava
IKA-15 NG DISYEMBRE, 2015
Ang Pasko ni Tatay Anding
Nina JOHN GABRIEL AGCAOILI at BERNADETTE A. PAMINTUAN
IGINAGALA ni Mariel ang kaniyang paningin sa
labas ng simbahan habang pinagmamasdan ang
makukulay na palamuti sa paligid nito gayundin
ang mga pailaw na nagpapaligsahan sa kislap.
Masarap sa balat ang dampi ng hangin at kakaiba
ang taglay nitong bango. Dagsa ang mga pamilya
galing sa kahit saang sulok ng barangay. Matagal
pa bago sumikat ang araw subalit animo alas dos na
ng hapon.
Sa gitna ng mga naghahagikhikang mga
kabataan, naroon si Mang Anding na halatang
aligaga sa pagdukot ng barya sa kaniyang bulsa.
Pilit niyang ibinabalanse ang kaniyang sarili sa
kaniyang luma at marupok na saklay. Isinabit
muna niya ang bunton ng sampagita malapit sa
mga tulusan ng kandila bago marahang binilang
ang tigpipisong sukli ng isang aleng may bitbit na
sanggol.
Nais tumulong ni Mariel subalit tumunog
na ang kampana, hudyat ng pagsisimula ng misa.
Nagpasukan ang lahat ng nais humabol at naiwang
nakatayo sa likuran ang mga nahuli.
“‘Nalalapit na ang araw,’ sabi ng Panginoon,
‘na pasisibulin ko mula sa lahi ni David ang isang
sangang matuwid, isang hari na buong karunungang
maghahari. Paiiralin niya sa buong lupain ang batas
at katarungan,’” wika ng tagapaghatid ng unang
pagbasa.
Bahagyang ginambala ng mayuming pagpatak
ng ulan ang katahimikan sa loob ng simbahan.
Nagpulasan ang mga tindero’t tindera sa labas at
nagtungo sa pinakamalapit na masisilungan nila. Sa
gilid ng patio nagtungo si Mang Anding akay-akay
ang batang may kapansanang si Martha. Tinignan
ni Mariel ang bulag na kapatid bago tumango kay
Mang Anding. Ngumiti naman ang matanda at
animo’y may ibinulong kay Martha. Marahang
kumaway ang bata habang nakatingin sa malayo
subalit alam ni Mariel na para sa kaniya ang
pagbating iyon.
“Panginoong Matuwid” ang madalas na
pamagat ng unang pagbasang iyon. Hindi iyon
kailanman makalilimutan ni Mariel sapagkat
isang taon na rin ang nakaraan nang basahin sa
parokya ang mga naturang bersikulo. Isang taon na
rin mula nang dumating sa buhay nila ni Martha
si Mang Anding. Panibagong Pasko na naman
makalipas ang aksidenteng bumago sa buhay nilang
magkapatid.
Isang humaharurot na trak ang sumalpok sa
traysikel na sinasakyan nilang mag-anak noon at
kumitil sa buhay ng kaniyang mga magulang. Dahil
din sa aksidenteng iyon kaya nabulag si Martha.
Marahil wala na rin pati si Mariel kung hindi dahil
kay Mang Anding na noo’y sorbetero na napadaan
lamang. Pilit niyang inangat ang motor na dumagan
sa magkapatid subalit pinaandar muli ng lasing
na drayber ang kaniyang trak na siyang bumali sa
kaliwang binti ni Mang Anding.
Isa. Dalawa. Tatlo.
Tatlong segundo ang binilang ni Mariel bago
siya tumayo habang inaawit ng koro ang “Bukas
Palad.” Ipinaikot niya ang basket sa bawat hanay ng
mga nagsisimba at pinakinggan ang kalansing ng
mga baryang kanilang ihinuhulog.
Hindi pa rin tumitila ang ulan subalit naaninag
niya ang nag-iisang pulang payong sa labas. Patuloy
pa rin itong nagbebenta ng sampaguita.
“Kapag naubos ko ito ngayong gabi,” naalala
niyang wika ni Mang
Anding noong umaga,
“bibilhan ko kayo ni
Martha ng tig-isang
bagong bestida at
kakain tayo ng pansit
at puto bumbong.”
Napabuntunghininga na lamang siya sa
kabaitan ng kaniyang
ama-amahan.
Sa kabila noon,
nalulumbay
niyang inusisa
na kung
talagang
“matuwid” at makatarungan ang Panginoon kagaya
ng nasa bersikulo, bakit sila maagang naulila?
Bukod sa mga magulang, bakit ipinagkait kay
Martha ang kaniyang paningin? Higit sa lahat, bakit
tila hindi pinagpapala nang sapat si Mang Anding?
“Humayo kayong taglay ang kapayapaan
upang mahalin at paglingkuran ang Panginoon.”
Tumayo si Mariel mula sa kaniyang
kinauupuan. Lumuhod siya sa harap ng altar
kahanay ng iba pang naglilingkod sa parokya bago
iniyukod ang ulo at tuluyang lumabas ng simbahan.
“Kumusta naman ho ang benta natin ngayon?”
narinig ni Mariel na tanong ng isang diyakono kay
Mang Anding.
“Sapat na po para sa aming makakain
ngayong gabi, brother. Nakakalungkot lang na
hindi ko pa naipagbili ang lahat ng sampaguita ko.”
nadidismaya subalit nakatawang
sagot ni Tatay Anding. “Hindi
Balikbayan, balik-Pasko
Ni JASPER EMMANUEL Y. ARCALAS
HALOS taon-taon nagbubukas kami ng balikbayan box tuwing
sasapit ang kapaskuhan.
Naging tradisiyon na ito mula nang maging overseas Filipino
workers (OFW) sina Papa at Mama noong 2008.
Laman ng malalaking kahon ang sandamukal na tsokolateng
nabibili nila ng bagsak presyo kumpara sa Pilipinas, mga bagong
kamiseta na branded at ginto kung tingalain sa Pinas, at mga
rekadong panghanda sa noche buena—gatas na delata, spaghetti
noodles, ketchup at maraming pa iba.
Nakagawian
na
nila
ang
pagpapadala ng balikbayan box sa
aming bahay sa Pampanga gawa
na rin ng kanilang mahigpit na
trabaho sa ibayong-dagat. Pihikan
sa bakasiyon kaya hindi sila nakauuwi ng bansa upang ipagdiriwang
ang pasko at bagong taon kasama ang angkan. Ngunit paminsanminsan, sa abot ng makakaya—ng bulsa at ng trabaho—nagbabalikbansa sila.
Ngunit ngayong taon, mukhang alanganin ang dalawa:
balikbayan box at pagbabalik-bansa para sa mga OFW na katulad ng
aking mga magulang.
Sa kaliwa’t kanang problemang kinahaharap ng bansa, hindi
maiiwasang tumatanim ito sa isipan ng mga “bagong bayani.” Lalo
na nang pumutok ang isyu ng balikbayan box nitong Agosto kung
saan walang harbas na binubuksan ng mga taga-Custom ang mga
kahon para sa “random inspection.” Dagdag pa rito ang suhestiyon
ng ahensya ng Customs na itaas ang tax sa mga box ng 125 percent.
Matapos ang halos tatlong buwan, sumambulat naman sa
bayan ang isyu ng tanim-bala sa NAIA. Simple lang ang modus:
magtatanim ng bala at kapag hindi ka “naglagay” sa kinauukulan,
hindi ka makaaalis ng bansa.
At hanggang ngayon wala pa ring malinaw o matinong
resolusiyon ang dalawang problema.
Tinatayang halos 10.2 milyon ang bilang ng mga OFW sa
buong mundo. Isipin na lamang ang takot na maaaring matanim
sa isipan nila dahil sa mga problema ng bansa. Bakit pa
magpapadala ng mga balikbayan box para sa kapaskuhan kung
iba naman ang makikinabang? Bakit pa uuwi sa bansa kung
hindi naman makaaalis muli nang hindi nahihingan ng pamasko?
Para sa tulad kong anak ng mga OFW, higit sa isang
balik-bayan box ang simpleng kahon na naglalaman ng
mga padalang pasalubong. Simbolo iyon ng paghihirap at
pagmamahal ng isang OFW para sa kaniyang pamilya.
Lalo na para sa mga hindi makababalik ng bansa upang
ipagdiwang pasko kasama ng kanilang mahal sa buhay.
Ang mga pakete ng spaghetti at rekado
pang-noche buena ang nagiging daan upang
makasama ang mga kamag-anak na OFW
sa salu-salo. Ang mga bagong kamiseta
at tsokolate ang nagsusumigaw ng “Merry
Christmas and Happy New Year!”
Ngunit, mukhang “Merry ‘Customs’” at
“Happy New Year! ‘Ito ang bala, hindi pumuputok,’”
ang matatanggap ng mga OFW at ng mga mahal nila
sa buhay ngayong kapaskuhan.
ko tuloy maibibili ang mga bata ng paborito nilang
puto bumbong. Pero alam kong hindi naman
magtatampo itong si Martha.”
Tinapik ni Brother Isko ang kaniyang balikat.
“Mayroon pa ho ba kayong plano ng mga bata para
mamaya?”
“Wala na naman po. Bakit po?”
Pinagmamasdan ni Mariel ang pag-uusap ni
Brother Isko at Tatay Anding sa katapat na gilid
ng hapag sa loob ng simbahan. Noon lamang nila
naranasang makisalo sa mga pari pagkatapos ng
Simbang Gabi. Napansin niyang nagkulay-rosas
ang mga pisngi ni Tatay Anding pagkatapos may
sabihin si Brother Isko. Isang paper bag ang iniabot
sa kaniya. Mula roon, inangat niya ang dalawang
bulaklaking bestida. Ipinakapa ni Mariel ang
laylayan sa kapatid na sarap na sarap noon sa puto
bumbong na inihain ng parokya.
Ngumiti si Martha.
Ngumiti rin ang kanilang
butihing amain. Palagi
naman itong nakatawa’t
masaya subalit sa
pagkakataong iyon, tila
pinitas ng isang anghel
mula sa hardin ng langit ang
pambihirang ngiting
iyon ng matanda at
ibinigay sa kaniya
bilang regalo ng
makatarungang
Panginoon.
Usapang Uste
MULA SA PAHINA 2
nagmula sa Guanzhou China. Taong 1947 nang
lumipad at nanatili sa Filipinas ang kaniyang
pamilya upang makaahon sa kahirapan. Dahil
tanging wikang Intsik lamang ang alam ni Po noon,
puspusan ang kaniyang pag-aaral ng Ingles sa
pamamagitan ng mga aklat para makapagnegosyo.
Upang mairaos ang pag-aaral ng Industrial
Chemistry sa UST, pinagsabay-sabay niya
ang trabaho bilang tagasalin, manunulat at
mamamahayag para sa isang diyaryong pangIntsik. Ngunit dahil sa kakapusang-palad
kinailangan niyang itigil ang pag-aaral sa
Unibersidad.
Ipinagpatuloy niya ang kaniyang sigasig
sa pagnenegosyo hanggang sa naitaguyod niya
ang Century Canning noong 1978 gamit ang
hiniram na kapital na $100,000. Mula noon
magpahanggang ngayon, patuloy ang paglago ng
kompanya ni Po na may hawak ng 84 porsiyento
ng tuna sa kasalukuyang merkado.
Taong 2010 naman nang itinatag ni Po ang
Century Pacific Group-Ricardo Sy Po (CPGRSPo) Foundation na naglalayong maibsan ang
gutom sa bansa at makatulong sa mahihirap.
Halos tatlong milyong pagkain ang hinahain ng
foundation para sa mga kapos-palad kada taon.
Sa yamang nagkakahalagang $640 million,
siya ang ikadalawampu’t limang pinakamayaman
sa bansa ayon sa ulat ng Forbes Magazine sa
taong 2015. Pinarangalan siya ng UST bilang
Top Outstanding Thomasian Alumni noong 2007.
JASPER EMMANUEL Y. ARCALAS
Tomasalitaan
Salimsim (PNG)-malungkot na alaala
Hal.: Sa salimsim natin naaninag ang liwanag
sa dilim ng ating karansan.
Sanggunian
Villarroel, Fidel (2002). A History of the
University of Santo Tomas: Four Centuries of
Higher Education In the Philippines, 1611-2011
(Vol. II) Manila: UST Publishing House.
TOTAL Awards Souvenir Program 2007
Editor: Erika Mariz S. Cunanan
Features 7
DECEMBER 15, 2015
17th Inkblots: Story-telling in the digital age
WITH THE fast-paced tide of information
flowing from different media platforms, quality
in journalism should not be overlooked.
This was the central theme of the 17th
Inkblots held last Dec. 1 to 3, highlighting
a series of lectures from the country’s top
journalists.
Award-winning broadcast journalist
and ABS-CBN news anchor, Karen Davila
described journalism as a “calling,” which
should be practiced with responsibly
reporting stories to the public.
“In the past, you only get information
unilaterally, through only one direct source,
but social media has changed that; it is a
portal of limitless information,” Davila said
in her keynote address, speaking before the
263 campus journalists gathered at
the Thomas Aquinas Research
Center auditorium.
ANC reporter Christian
Esguerra reiterated the
journalists’ crucial role
in a democracy. He
urged student writers
to develop skills in
the print, broadcast
and online platforms,
including a better
understanding
of
topics or issues
so they would not
just parrot what
interviewees
tell
them.
“You need to
have a good story to
tell to the readers. It’s a
mix of providing what the
audience wants and what they
need,” said Esguerra, former
Varsitarian editor-in-chief who
founded the Inkblots in 1997.
Palanca awardee and UST
instructor Eros Atalia gave a lecture
Paskuhan mirrors
Thomasian charity,
solidarity, spirituality
YOU CAN probably associate the
word “paskuhan” only with one
university—UST.
But
UST’s
Paskuhan,
highlighted by a beautifully lit
Christmas tree, captivating lights
and enchanting music, does not only
symbolize the Thomasians’ way of
celebrating Christmas.
The colorful Paskuhan also
mirror parts of history of the
University and how Thomasians
value charity, solidarity and
spirituality.
Ever since it was organized,
Paskuhan is not only a year-ender
event for the Thomasians but also
as a showcase of empathy during
tragedy, celebrations, or simply as a
countdown for a highly anticipated
event for the following year.
The first UST-wide Christmas
celebration was organized by then
treasurer Fr. Tereso Campilo, O.P.
in 1991. Reflecting on the theme
“Paskong
Tomasino,
Paskong
Filipino ’91,” Campilo, initiated the
idea of having a “salu-salo” for the
Thomasian community and also to
gather donations for the victims of
Typhoon Uring, which left at least
5,000 people dead.
It also depicts the Filipino
tradition of “panunuluyan” which
featured a Eucharistic celebration,
procession around the University,
and an intercollegiate lantern-making
contest.
A gift-giving ceremony served as
the curtain-raiser of the event, where
Thomasians put their donations for
the victims of the Typhoon Uring
were placed at the foot of the 14-foot
Christmas tree.
It was in 1993 that “Paskuhan”
was coined as the official name of the
celebration.
The 1994 Paskuhan was a
welcome celebration for Pope John
Paul II’s visit to the Philippines for
Paskuhan PAGE 5
on Filipino journalism and also emphasized the
role of journalists in promoting integrity and
reliability in publishing trustworthy stories.
“As journalists, isn’t it our role to spread
truth, to educate, and to raise awareness?” said
Atalia.
He added that journalists can immensely
improve their writing by extensively reading
both local and foreign work.
Jarius Bondoc, a veteran columnist from the
Philippine Star, called on the fellows to develop
the initiative in mastering the language.
“We should not be [writing] if we cannot
support it with facts. If you want to be a good
journalist, you have to master the language,” he
said.
Although publications are expected to keep
up with the fast pace of information, the quality
of the stories and articles published online
should not be reduced in the process. Such was
explained by former BusinessWorld editor,
UST lecturer Felipe Salvosa II, in his talk on
campus paper management. He explained the
“digital first” policy which uses social media as a
platform for faster news dissemination to have a
wider audience reach.
“The ‘digital first’ strategy does not mean
you will have to abandon print, rather it should
vastly improve the print edition,” he said.
Finding the angle
Veteran journalist and long-time editor of
the entertainment section of the Manila Bulletin
and Tempo, Nestor Cuartero, gave a lecture on
feature writing and explained that journalists
should know how to choose the right stories and
the right people as their sources. Journalists, he
said, are a work in progress and their job is mainly
centered on reliability, integrity and research.
“Print media has the element of trust that
social media lacks. There should be a difference
between journalism and information,” he said.
Cartoonist and “Kikomachine” author
Manix Abrera challenged the students to value
everyday stories that are often overlooked by the
audiences to separate themselves from the others
and give a fresh look on the stories that others fail
to identify and recognize.
This was echoed by Philippine Daily
Inquirer assistant sports editor Francis Ochoa,
adding that writers should not disregard subtle
details which could help improve the quality of
a story.
“Always choose to write a compelling story.
Strive to look for the little details and never let
your writing get in the way of a good story,” he
said.
Cuartero’s lecture ended with a mock press
conference with actor Enchong Dee, while
Ochoa brought in three former Tiger star athletes,
Jeric Teng, Jeric Fortuna and Dylan Ababou for a
sports conference.
On-the-spot news, sports, and feature
writing competitions about the event and mock
press conferences were held after the lectures.
Credits and recognition
The 17th Inkblots ended with the
presentation of awards for the winners of the
on-the-spot writing contests and the first UST
National Campus Journalism Awards (UNCJA).
Founded by the two-time editor in chief of
the Varsitarian, Julio Macaranas, in honor of his
late mother and first writing mentor, Mercedes
Macaranas, UNCJA aimed to recognize
outstanding work of campus publications in
categories of feature, in-depth news, and editorial
writing.
The Bataan Peninsula State University’s
“The Defender” dominated the competition,
winning both feature and editorial categories with
the pieces “Ang Tagapangalaga ng Barangay Sta.
Elena, Isang Pag-analisa sa Kasalukuyang Estado
ng Mangrove Trees” and “Tactless Diction.”
The Faculty of Arts and Letters’ “The Flame,”
meanwhile, claimed the award for in-depth news
for the “UST Bargains Tuition and Other Fees
Increase; Artlets Expect Improved Facilities,
Instruction” write-up. VIANCA T. OCAMPO
Thomasian’s versatility brings
life to Filipino art
WHO SAYS professionalism and
love for toys cannot be a good
combination? Such is not the
case for this Thomasian artist.
After his graduation in
2005, 33-year-old Jomike
Tejido shifted from the strict
conventions of architecture
to the more playful art of
illustration.
“I liked children’s book art
because there were not much
rules. Being an artist, you can
do it anytime as long as you’re
good at your particular niche,”
he said.
Tejido is the man behind
the “Jepoy Dyip” series, an
interactive children’s toy book
depicting the life of an animated
jeepney with his vehicle
friends. Inside the
Jepoy Dyip book
are cutouts from
which children can
construct dioramas
of Filipino sitios.
“Being an
author and
illustrator for
children’s
books, I
get
to create worlds and transport
these worlds into the minds and
hearts of Filipinos across the
globe,” he said.
Last Nov. 28, he launched
“Foldabots Toy Book 8,” the
latest compilation of old and new
Foldabots robots. It is a series
of cardboard robots that kids
could make and reassemble into
different vehicles or gadgets,
published monthly in K-Zone
Magazine.
In 2010, Tejido launched
“Robotars: Robotic Tarsiers,”
an environment friendly toy
whose head can be used as a pot
for small indoor plants while
its hands can hold pens and a
picture can be clipped to its
tail. He released 100 handpainted Robotars, 10 of which
were designed by different
visual artists close to him.
The Wood Menagerie,
also one of his crafts, is a
collection of hand-assembled
sculptures influenced by
cubism and DeStijl, an
artistic movement also
known as neoplasticism.
The sculptures are
animals presented in
various light colors
and basic geometric
forms. These are
assembled in his
home studio
here in Manila
where each
mimic block
is carefully painted in
order to be a reminiscent of
Tejido’s childhood.
The artistic, versatile
‘chameleon’
Being on the Dean’s
list for three years, Tejido
graduated with flying
colors and also received the
Thesis of the Year Award
in 2005. His first solo
exhibit, “The Tree that
Captured the Stars,”
which was staged after
passing the board exam in
2007, represented his fears,
hopes, and dreams as a fresh
graduate and a new jack ready to
participate in the art industry.
Likening himself to a
chameleon, he works with
different companies with various
visions resulting in exposure to
different materials, from acrylic
paint to digital art programs.
He never sticks to a specific art
style and he explores the other
mediums available, such as
wood, woven mats and digital
tablets.
Aside from the banig
paintings and the wood
menagerie, he also hopes to
eventually master sculpting using
metal and craft the kind of art
that people would be happy to
look at.
Tejido shows love for the
country by creating paintings
on native products, including
banig, which he considers as a
way of spreading environmental
awareness while also showcasing
Filipino art and culture. His
chosen theme is a tribute to the
country that raised and took care
of him. His sixth solo art exhibit
back in 2010, “Gentle Giants,”
centered on whale sharks and
underwater landscapes, with
paintings having titles such
as guidance, partnership, and
leadership, while his 2012
exhibit, “Ako’y Isang Mabuting
Pilipino,” depicted the everyday
life of Filipinos.
Versatility PAGE 14
8
Editor: Daryl Angelo P. Baybado
CIRC
CFAD students reimagine yuletide decor
UNCONVENTIONAL but tasteful Christmas decor by
Interior Design students enlivened the holiday spirit at the
UST Museum of Arts and Sciences last Dec. 3-18.
Third-year students from the College of Fine Arts and
Design recreated Christmas accessories in “Objects: Reimagined Christmas Accessories,” into a visual art application
of new techniques and innovation from simple materials.
“We came up with an all-white avant-garde theme, which
is very in right now and complements our concept of making
the exhibit (a showcase of simplicity,” said Justin Co, student
head of the exhibit in an interview with the Varsitarian. “The
materials we used are simple and light and we transformed it
into something minimalistic but still beautiful and elegant.”
Now on its eighth year, participating students created a
snow-colored walk-in art wonderland through their depictions
of Christmas scenes and ornaments.
Bordered by tall Christmas trees, the exhibit is neatly
festooned with compressed hanging balls, small wreaths and
snowflakes on the side along with scattered line sculpture
portrayals of reindeer. In the center is a figurine of the infant
Jesus from the Nativity. Circular ornaments, which were
mostly 3-D pieces in white, designed in varying intricate
cut-outs or made in knitted fabric and lace materials gave the
exhibit a simple yet sophisticated look.
Eventhough the artworks and installations were all white,
all came out beautifully in fading hues of magenta, blue, and
yellow, through the reflection of light projectors.
A venue for appreciation of Thomasian cultural heritage
since 1871, the UST Museum has been staging yearly
Christmas exhibits with Interior Design students to collaborate
with the University’s efforts of celebrating Christmas-themed
activities such as the Christmas Concert Gala and Paskuhan.
Interior Design students created a minimalistic and avant-garde walkthrough art exhibit which features Christmas decorations in different artistic forms.
Thomasian
Osias Barroso
choreographs
Ballet Manila’s
‘Pinocchio’
Barroso
THOMASIAN danseur and former
Salinggawi Dance Troupe member
Osias Barroso choreographed the
classic children’s tale “Pinocchio”
for Ballet Manila (BM) into a fitting
Christmas ballet story. It was staged
early this month at the Aliw Theater in
Pasay City.
The ballet show, the third
installation of BM’s “From Page to
Stage” repertoire for its 20th season,
enchanted young people and adults as
a two-act holiday production derived
from the 1940 animated film by Walt
Disney Productions. Originally, the
story was based on the 1883 children’s
novel by Italian writer Carlo Collodi,
The Adventures of Pinocchio.
“Pinocchio exhibits hope, love
and festivities; a perfect Christmas
Alvin Santos of Ballet Manila who played as Pinocchio
season production for the family,”
Barroso told the Varsitarian. “I
believe that the kid in all of us will
adore the colorful, magical, and
entertaining classical ballet story.”
Geppetto is a lonely wood
carver who creates a puppet he calls
Pinocchio. Perhaps wanting his own
son, he makes a wish to the stars
for the puppet to come to life. The
Blue Fairy grants his wish but warns
Pinocchio that in order for him to
become a real boy, he needs to prove
himself by being brave, truthful and
selfless.
Pinocchio goes through a
series of magical adventures and
misadventures with Jiminy Cricket,
the talking cricket and the story’s
narrator. They meet the dishonest Cat
AMPARO KLARIN J. MANGOROBAN
and Fox duo, the greedy Stromboli,
the wicked Circus Master and the
giant whale who swallows him.
In the end, Pinnochio proves his
worth and he becomes a full boy.
Alvin Santos, Barroso’s protégé,
played Pinocchio and enthralled the
audience with his entrechats and
pirouettes (rapid turns) in allegros
topped off by grand jetés (split jumps).
“He [Santos] is an inspiration
because of his dedication and tenure
in the art of Ballet,” Barroso said.
Aside from the spectacular
classical ballet dancing, Pinocchio
offered other spectacles such as a
scene titled “Pleasure Island” which
featured acrobats, jugglers, and a
unicycle rider in a circus-themed
setting. A.A.A. BULAN
CLE
9
DECEMBER 15, 2015
Russian, Korean artists grace annual Christmas concert
THE PARTICIPATION of a Russian violinist
and a Korean classical singer who happens to
be the spouse of UST’s pride, soprano Rachelle
Gerodias, provided an international flavor to the
annual UST Christmas Concert, whose gala last
December 3 again provided a highly classical—
and tasteful—kick-off to this month’s holiday
season.
With the UST Symphony Orchestra
under Prof. Hermenegildo Ranera, Yaroslava
Poletaeva, a Russian violinist who was trained at
the Conservatory of Music at Lynn University in
Florida, gave an astounding violin performance of
“Zigeunerwersein” by Pablo Sarasate and “Carol
of the Bells” by Mykola Leontovych.
“I’m very honored that I had the chance to
play for the University because of its high regard
(for) cultural preservation,” Poletaeva said.
Meanwhile, Korean lyric baritone ByeongIn Park sang Johann Bach’s “Christmas Oratorio.”
He later did a duet with his wife, Gerodias, and
sang the “Gesu Bambino-O Holy Night” medley.
Before the duet, Gerodias, the country’s
leading soprano and a faculty member at the UST
Conservatory of Music, had sang “Hallelujah”
from Wolfgang Mozart’s Exultate Jubilate.
Other Conservatory talents featured were
tenors Frederick Maturan and Radnel Ofalsa who,
together the Liturgikon Vocal Ensemble and Coro
Tomasino, performed Bach’s “Jesu Joy-Sing unto
God.” Soprano Katrine Sunga sang Aldon Nova’s
“A New Day Has Come.”
Scene-stealer was six-year-old marimbist
Rafael Ley who played a “Sound of Music”
medley together with his elder sister, Mikaela Ley.
As expected, two-time Choir of the World
UST Singers under Prof. Fidel Calalang Jr.,
captivated the audience with their renditions of
“Gloria Patri,” “The Ground” and “Happy Days.”
The concert closed with a Christmas ABBA
Medley and a community singing of “O Come All
Ye Faithful” and “Joy to the World.”
“This concert is for the conservation of the
cultural heritage of the University,” UST Christmas
Concert committee Chairman and Faculty of Civil
Law Regent Fr. Isidro Abaño, O.P. said. “The level
of musical ability is now on a higher ground which
is excellent and extraordinary.” DARYL ANGELO
P. BAYBADO with reports FROM A.A.A. BULAN
and M.C.A. FERNANDEZ
From left to right, top to bottom: Russian violinist Yaroslava Poletaeva, the UST Singers, six-year-old marimbist Rafael Ley and Conductor and Prof. Herminigildo
Ranera with the UST Symphony Orchestra.AMPARO KLARIN J. MANGOROBAN
Annual piano concert rocks;
UST Conservatory plays ‘Moves
Like Jagger’ by Maroon 5
STAPLE classical music and contemporary
popular tunes like American band Maroon
5’s “Moves Like Jagger” were performed
by the UST Conservatory of Music and
highlighted the 31st “Sampung Mga Daliri”
concert at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo
at the Cultural Center of the Philippines last
November 22.
The annual concert showcased its
trademark of 10 grand pianos on stage and
performances by ensembles like: the UST
Symphony Orchestra, Wind Orchestra,
Coro Tomasino, Liturgikon Vocal
Ensemble, Chrous Class, USTe Mundo,
Jazz, Guitar, Rondalla, Percussion and
Musical Theater Ensembles, and Extension
Program. Aside from classical and
contemporary hits, the concert performed
“It’s Always A Good Time,” by band Owl
City. It likewise featured the “Zumba
Medley.”
Students, faculty members and alumni
dressed as different anime characters
UST Singers sings OPM
in pre-Christmas concert
ALTHOUGH more known for its
classical repertoire that has made it the
toast of choral festivals in Old Europe,
the acclaimed UST Singers is also noted
for its Philippine repertoire, which it
showed to full effect in a pre-Christmas
Original Pilipino Music (OPM) concert,
“Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika,” organized
by the Bel-Air Makati village.
It was the fourth time for the UST
Singers to be invited to the Bel-Air
concert, proof that residents of the tony
Makati village are appreciative of UST
Singers’ brand of musical excellence.
“This concert gives light to the
musical side of the Filipino culture,”
Prof. Fidel Calalang Jr., UST Singers
founder and choral director, told the
Varsitarian. “Our blending classic
Filipino traditional songs with little pop
and modern OPMs are new offerings
by the Singers in their four-year
participation in this event.”
The 32-member ensemble sang
Nitoy Gonzales’ “Ay, ay, ay, O, Pagibig!,” Santiago Suarez’s “Sa Libis ng
Nayon,” Robert Labayen’s “Piliin mo ang
Pilipinas” and the Eraserheads’ classic
“Tuwing Umuulan at Kapiling Ka.”
Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra
also participated in the event under the
baton of guest conductor Ryan Cayabyab
who led them in the rendition of the
concert’s titular song by Cayabyab
himself titled “Kay Ganda ng Ating
Musika.”
As a tribute to the guest conductor,
Cayabyab’s “Minsan ang Minahal ay
Ako” was also performed by the UST
Singers.
The concert concluded with
Christmas songs “Heto na Naman” and
“Pasko na Naman.”
Bel-Air, an enclave of Makati City,
has been staging free pre-Christmas
concerts since 2006 with the goal of
giving a spotlight to music and arts in the
community.
performed for the “Tokyo Skies Anime
Medley,” which featured the famous “Voltes
5” theme song.
Among the classical standards performed
were “Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D Major”
by Jonathan Bach, “Variations on a Theme
of Paganini” by Witold Lutoslawski, and
“Hoedown” by Aaron Copland.
Also rendered was “Sister Act Medley,”
inspired by the 1992 movie starring Whoopi
Goldberg. Included in the medley was “Salve
Regina” and the pop song, “I Will Follow
Him.”
A compelling sight for the audience was
the performance of the “Danse Maccabre” by
Saint-Saens.
The concert ended with a nostalgic
performance of the Walt Disney Medley
Finale, featuring songs such as “A Whole
New World,” “Reflection” and “Part of Your
World.”
Annual PAGE 11
The UST Singers with conductor Fidel Calalang, Jr.
GEONABETH L. CADUNGOG
10 Witness
Editor: Marie Danielle L. Macalino
DECEMBER 15, 2015
Emmanuel
By CEDRIC ALLEN STA. CRUZ and LEA MAT P. VICENCIO
THE RUMBLE of plastic wheels rolling
across a hardwood floor was heard across
the hallway and into the kitchen, followed
by successive thuds—the sound of running
footsteps. A toy train halted in front of the
stove. Lured by the smell of steamed peanuts,
Manny reached out for the lid, before a hand
grabbed his forearm.
“Manny, what did I tell you about
touching the stove while I’m cooking?” said
his mother. Manny stepped back and tightly
held the string attached to his train.
Manny gazed at the plates set by his
mother. He saw slices of grilled pork seasoned
with red pungent powder, on a bed of cut
banana leaves. Next to it was a bowl of nuts
with the brown outer shells peeling off, placed
adjacent to a bowl of fish sauce. Wafting from
the plate alongside it was the aroma of burnt
rice. Manny quickly lost interest and turned
back to his mother.
“I don’t want this!” yelled the boy. Cecilia
answered with a gentle strike to the mouth.
Manny stormed into the living room, dragging
his toy train with him. Rodolfo followed the
boy into the next room.
He found Manny huddled on the couch,
clutching a throw pillow. Manny made a
smirk and threw his train on the wall. Rodolfo
restrained himself and adjusted the crooked
framed painting of a man and a woman
huddled over a baby, with the silhouette of a
manger, three men in the background, and a
white star. He sat down on the couch beside
his son.
“Have I ever told you the story of your
first Christmas with us?” said Rodolfo.
Manny’s crumpled expression began to
dissolve. He sat down calmly. He was told of
the family’s migration from Bicol to Manila.
They hopped from apartment to apartment.
Rodolfo settled for a job as a taxi driver.
Cecilia later discovered she was three months
pregnant.
Their first Christmas dinner was a meager
one, a bowl of macaroni and a large bottle
of soda being the only things decorating the
supposedly festive dinner table. A cold breeze
swept into the room, as the lights flickered on
and off, eventually going out and leaving the
kitchen in total darkness. All that illuminated
the table was a half-melted candle. The baby
was wrapped in a blanket and cradled
in Rodolfo’s arms. Suddenly, Cecilia
heard a knock on the door and rose
from her seat.
The family wasn’t expecting
company, so she wearily approached
the door and slowly turned the
knob. She was greeted by a stout,
bearded man, holding something
wrapped in cellophane and
smelling of chilli. Two men
stood behind him with
goofy
smiles
plastered
on
their
faces and
plastic
b a g s
dangling
from their
fingers.
“We thought
we’d pay our little
sister a visit,” said the
burly Ramon. The man
behind him, Jose,
barely a year
older
than
his
rotund
brother,
followed it
up with a
hug of his own, as did the scrawny Kiko.
Cecilia led them inside and into the
kitchen, where Rodolfo was busy lulling
the baby to sleep. She took hold of Manny
and introduced him to his three uncles. Each
unwrapped what they had brought.
Ramon removed the cellophane and
revealed his father’s favorite Christmas
dish—roast pork slices with chilli powder
and ground pepper. Cecilia recalled that
old
Bicolano
folktale their
Thomasians showcase unexplored side
of Quezon City in an interfaith book
SIX
THOMASIANS
have
collaborated to showcase Quezon
City’s spiritual and cultural heritage
in a coffee table book titled “Facets
of Faith.”
The 93-page book, written by
Faculty of Arts and Letters (Artlets)
alumnus Billy Malacura, features
churches, relics, and religious
artworks found in Quezon City.
Other
Thomasians
who
contributed to the book were
Artlets Assoc. Prof. Felicidad
Galang-Pereña, book editor and
former Varsitarian literary editor;
Regalado Trota Jose, UST archivist,
who wrote the book’s foreword;
and Eric Zerrudo, director of the
Center for Conservation of Cultural
Property and Environment in the
Tropics of the UST Graduate School,
who served as editorial consultant.
Sherwin Vardeleon and Carla
and Jonathan Gamalinda, former
Varsitarian photography editor and
art directors, respectively, headed
the photography and layout of the
book.
In his foreword titled “Prayer
at Once Old and Young,” Jose said
Quezon City’s cultural properties
were inextricably linked to history.
“The
cultural
properties
are enlisted according to their
significance in terms of historicity,
exceptional artistic value, as well
as the tangible and intangible
manifestations of the local churches
in Quezon City,” Jose said.
The book highlights Santo
Domingo Church and non-Catholic
places of worship such as Iglesia
ni Cristo’s Central Temple, an
Aglipayan church, and the Quezon
Memorial Circle, as an outdoor
place of prayer for Muslims. It also
features relics of San Antonio de
Padua and Santa Lucia.
The book was initially a
documentation project for churches
visited by Holy Week pilgrims doing
the traditional “Visita Iglesia.” It
later became a mapping exercise of
significant church properties in the
city.
Vardeleon said many people do
not know about Quezon City’s rich
heritage, because it is seen as an
urban city.
“Quezon City is not just a big
metropolis where you see malls,
businesses, and other establishments.
Quezon City is a hotbed of culture,
full of significant relics and amazing
places of worship,” Vardeleon said
in an email.
Interreligious dialogue
The book promotes interfaith
dialogue or the harmonious
interaction between people of
different religious backgrounds.
“We decided to include almost
every religious organization in the
book to show the diversity Quezon
City has,” Vardeleon said.
Quezon City houses two
Catholic dioceses—the Diocese of
Cubao and Diocese of Novaliches,
currently headed by Bishop Honesto
Ontioco and Bishop Antonio Tobias,
respectively.
The book is also a response to
the National Cultural Heritage Act
of 2009, which mandates national
agencies and cultural offices to
safeguard the country’s cultural
patrimony by keeping a registry
of cultural properties. KRYSTEL
NICOLE A. SEVILLA
father used to tell, of the wild boar that was
slain by the village folk and was struck by
lightning. The chieftain was the one who had
the first taste of its crispy flesh. It had been a
tradition ever since to give the pork dish to
a datu or the head of the family as a sign of
respect and gratitude.
Next was Jose, who unwrapped a bowl
of pili nuts, their outer shells still soft and
tender from being boiled. They gave off a
bitter aroma. But it was overpowered by
the smell of fish sauce.
“The old folks back home used
Emmanuel PAGE 14
Francis calls for mercy before
judgment, opens Jubilee Year
VATICAN CITY—Pope Francis
opened the Holy Door here at
St. Peter’s Basilica on Dec. 8,
inaugurating an “Extraordinary
Jubilee Year” focusing on mercy, a
key theme of his papacy.
The Holy Father was cheered
as he greeted his predecessor,
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who
was among the first to cross the
threshold of the “Portal of Mercy”
that symbolizes Christ, the door to
forgiveness and salvation.
In his homily, Francis reminded
Catholics that “mercy must come
before judgment,” and that the
Holy Door was an opportunity
for Christians to rediscover God’s
infinite forgiveness.
He recalled the Second Vatican
Council that modernized the Church,
saying it had also opened a “door”
to a “true encounter between the
Church and the men and women of
our time.”
Marking the Solemnity of the
Immaculate Conception, the Pope
said the Virgin Mary’s conception
without original sin expressed the
“grandeur of God’s love.”
The 2015 Jubilee Year is
“extraordinary” as popes usually
proclaim jubilee years every 25
years. The last jubilee was 15 years
ago during celebrations marking two
millennia of Christianity.
In a papal bull issued last
year, Pope Francis encouraged
Catholics to receive the Sacrament
of Reconciliation, and ordered
churches all over the world to
receive confessions round the clock
throughout the Jubilee. Special
attention is to be given to those
who wish to repent from the sin of
abortion.
The Jubilee plenary indulgence
may be obtained by making a
pilgrimage to the Holy Door
at designated churches, going
to confession, receiving Holy
Communion, and praying for the
Pope and his intentions.
In his general audience at St.
Peter’s Square last Dec. 9, the Pope
said “mercy” alone could “triumph
over human sin and bring true
freedom.”
“God’s mercy, made present
in our midst by the incarnation
of his Son, is the very heart of the
Gospel. This Year of Grace reminds
us that mercy is what ‘pleases God
most,’ and that it has to find clear
expression in our lives and in the
Church’s structures,” the Pope said.
“In today’s world, mercy
and forgiveness often appear
overwhelmed
by
self-interest,
hedonism and venality, while in
the Christian life they can be stifled
by hypocrisy and worldliness.
Forgetfulness of God’s mercy blinds
us even to seeing sin for what it is,”
he said.
Local celebrations
Manila
Archbishop
Luis
Antonio Cardinal Tagle opened the
Holy Door at the Manila Cathedral
in Intramuros on Dec. 9, the day
after the opening of the Holy Door
at St. Peter’s Basilica.
Cardinal Tagle reminded the
faithful to believe in God’s mercy,
recalling the story of how the
Israelites built their nation under a
covenant with God.
“God and the Israelites are not
equal but why did they still have
an agreement? This is because of
mercy,” he said in his homily during
the Holy Mass at the cathedral in
Intramuros. “When we enter that
door, we make a commitment [to
God].”
Fr. Estaban Lo, episcopal vicar
for foreign communities of the
Manila Archdiocese, led the opening
of Holy Doors at the Sanctuario del
Santo Cristo, the parish in San Juan
under the Spanish Dominicans. He
Mercy PAGE 14
Editor: Aliliana Margarette T. Uyao
Literary 11
DECEMBER 15, 2015
Trinkets
OUR EMERALD tower of prickly pines,
crystal spheres dangling
from its sturdy wooden arm
our neighbors fuddled with drink
singing carols
with jumbled lyrics
pouring drinks in your name, saying,
“O, kay Kuya Leo naman.”
Philippine PEN 2015:
The writer
in the political
arena
CELEBRATED journalist, poet, and screenplay writer Jose
“Pete” Lacaba expressed pessimism about the future of Philippine
democracy, saying that next year’s elections would not exactly
improve the prospects of Philippine democracy. Lacaba urged
the people to look back carefully at the lessons of the country’s
traumatic past in order to ameliorate the present.
“[Ang bayan natin] ay nasadlak sa dusa at naging pugad ng
luha at dalita,” he echoed.
Lacaba made the remarks during the 58th national
conference of the Philippine Center of the International PEN
(Poets & Playwrights, Essayists, Novelists), the oldest and
most highly respected writers group in the country founded by
Thomasian National Artist for Literature F. Sionil Jose, editor in
chief of the Varsitarian during his UST college days in the late
1940’s.
Lacaba, who was imprisoned during martial law, said that
while some nationalists would criticize the Philippines’ colonial
past for its history of underdevelopment, much of the poverty
and underdevelopment experienced in Philippine contemporary
history were the work of Filipinos themselves.
During the conference’s first literary session, “The Writer
in Philippine Politics,” Elmer Ordoñez, former chair of National
Literary Arts Committee (NCLA) of the National Commission
for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), told the story of a fresh
graduate recruited to write for a pro-Quirino publication in 1953,
Juan Escribo, who soon lost himself to the world of political
propaganda when he became a speechwriter and propagandist
of politicians.
Ordoñez later said the story was completely fictional. He
said he made up the story to illustrate how a writer should never
compromise his principles despite political temptations.
“The writer should focus on issues and platforms [that
would] educate voters on the problems of our society, such
as poverty, the environment, social justice and human rights,
national security, and the political and economic [oligarchies] in
the country,” said Ordoñez.
Mindanao-based writer and professor Christine GodinezOrtega, current chair of the NCLA, focused on the writer’s duty
to tell the truth since most writers use literature as a platform
for expressing their views while also “romanticizing” the issues.
Reading literary works with a political bent, she observed
Aletheia
that these were almost always written in an angry tone.
“All (politicians) are condemned as bane of the Earth.
[They] have no redeeming quality,” she said.
Meanwhile, poet and translator Marne Kilates emphasized
the writer’s important role in nation-building.
“Ano man ang panahon, may isang manunulat na nasa
likod ng kapangyarihan,” said Kilates, adding that the writer has
the ability to give alternative versions of reality or to personify
logical propositions as his written word becomes history which,
in turn, becomes civilization. “Ang guni-guni ay nagiging
realidad.”
Globalization
Poet Gil Won-Lee of the Korean PEN said that the
Philippines has a major role to play in international congress
because of its thriving economy and proficiency of its people in
the English language.
“Another problem is the fact that writers tend to be proud
of their work, making it difficult for them to attend congress.
I would like to see the Philippine PEN become more active in
international congress and organize with other countries to
globalize Filipino literature,” Won-Lee said.
Meanwhile, Filipino romance novelist Mina Esguerra said
the success of her novels in the international market was because
of the use of different media such as podcasts and interviews,
which can pull in more readers.
“That is what going global has been about, positive
contribution and participation, engaging readers and authors
outside my community and finding more readers here by using
the methods out there.” Esguerra said.
Bicolano poet Luis Cabalquinto, formerly based in the
United States, said Filipino writers abroad are reaping the gains
of globalization.
“There is a prolific gathering of Filipino in the U.S.,
especially in California, Los Angeles and New York both born in
the Philippines and born in America,” he said. “At this point in
time, this globalized writing among Filipinos will only increase
in time.”
The 2014 PEN congress is supported by the NCCA, UST
Varsitarian, and others. ZENMOND G. DUQUE II and CEDRIC
You used to wipe the dust off the figurine angels
revealing faded smiles
paint chipping off from handheld harps and trumpets
left, right, left, right went the washcloth
and the golden star for the finish
that you wouldn’t let anyone touch nor clean
(Remember when I used metal polish
and you didn’t speak to me for a week?)
You used to bring yards and yards of garlands
lines of silver and blue and purple whirling
enveloping the tree in a wiry embrace
around and around the tree it went.
“Like everything around us,” you said.
“Like the Sun.
It rises and sets, and rises again.”
Sweet promises of the indefinite tomorrow
And when you were done
you beamed
the delicate angels with harps and trumpets
holding a little cheer
even if only for a short, bitter while
At least it brought you
away from the viciousness
of the concrete jungle
betrayed by emotions
the anxiety of everyday objects
empty bottles of Prozac hidden in your drawer
“Even if you’re damned,” you used to say,
“you press on.”
The angels, the garlands, your beloved Star
they are still with us
we dust them off
we spin it around
as it dangles and then settles
like a memory that settles slowly
in the center of a caloused heart
Z.G. DUQUE II
ALLEN P. STA. CRUZ
Annual
FROM PAGE 5
FROM PAGE 9
Kyung Jin Cha from Korea said in their
paper that Filipinos are motivated to use
Facebook because of four main reasons.
First, Filipinos understand that
Facebook will be able to help them
communicate better with friends and
connect them to strangers, as well as to
promote themselves and their businesses.
Second, Filipinos see Facebook as a
source of information for their daily needs.
Another motivation is to meet and connect
with other people in the virtual world, and
the last is that Filipinos see Facebook as a
source of enjoyment.
These may explain the amount of
time people dedicate to use Facebook
for their personal affairs than to do their
duties.
And despite the large number
of “successfully-prayed-for papers”
and “miraculously high marks” to be
discussed over pulutan and a few bottles
of beer, the rate of people procrastinating
and pre-crastinating is at an alarming rate.
There is a need to discover the
kind of foundation as to why people
have tendencies to both do tasks in the
last minute, or do tasks too early than
necessary.
The crowd then gave a
thunderous standing ovation to a
magnificent rendition of “Be Our
Guest” by the whole ensemble.
UST Music
Dean
Raul
Sunico and Regent Fr. Jose Ma.
Tinoko later awarded Assoc. Prof.
Apolonia Guilang with a Lifetime
Achievement award because of her
many years in service concluded
by her retirement because of health
problems.
Sunico wrote in a message for
the event: “An annual concert of the
UST Conservatory of Music, it is a
great opportunity for the school to
highlight its many talents, many of
whom will be the leading musicians
of tomorrow.”
Fr. Tinoko expressed thanks at
the longevity of the concert series.
“That it [Sampung Mga Daliri]
has lasted this long is because of its
ability to entertain, to inspire, and to
delight. For more than three decades,
it has gained faithful clientele which
never ceases to be enthralled by
its music, its performers, and its
versatility.”
Spellbound
He caught himself tiptoeing the line
between reality and fiction,
lost in daydreams of sumptuous dishes
and new clothes.
The December breeze blew
and tuggedat both the roof and his thoughts as
he was greeted bythe cold—
nothing spelled seasons better than
gifts cradled in boxes,
draped with patches of red and green,
aroma of cured meats wafting through the air,
a sea of lights flooding the town by
nightfall.
He snapped out of wishful thinking
and embraced raw truth, reality bared
as it truly were—
cheap bulbs,
Mother’s bland spaghetti,
and Father’s hand-medowns,
everyone cramped in a little
hut
far-flung from the heart of the
celebration —
images he was willing forgo
even for a little while
for the love of Yuletide magic.
12 Sci-Tech
DECEMBER 15, 2015
Gov’t certification for traditional healers
By MIA ROSIENNA P. MALLARI
and KIMBERLY JOY V. NAPARAN
IN A HOUSE sitting in a maze of shanties
not too far from the heart of Imus is
Francisca Solmerano, the city’s “hilot” for
more than five decades.
Soon she will be among local healers to
be accredited by the Department of Science
and Technology (DOST).
The Philippine Council for Health
Research and Development (PCHRD) of
DOST has partnered with the Philippine
Institute for Traditional and Alternative
Health Care (Pitahc) to launch a P100million program that will seek to certify
traditional healers in 2016.
Launched
last
August,
the program will consist of
a five-year survey and a
comprehensive research on
traditional medicine, with
details still not specified by the
organization.
“Integrating
albularyos
in
the
mainstream will help the government to
assure the Filipinos to receive quality
health care that is backed with scientific
studies and evidence,” said PCHRD
Executive Director Jaime Montoya at the
Global Forum 2015 in an article published
by the Business Mirror.
Ladylore May Baunle from PCHRD
also told the Varsitarian that although
the project is a partnership, “Pitahc will
be the one who will license the traditional
healers, not DOST-PHCRD, which will
only oversee the process.”
Pitahc envisions this program to
provide an accessible health care to people
with economic difficulties by accrediting
traditional healers, who give a helping
hand to the professional doctors and health
practitioners in promoting quality health
services in the country.
Solmerano was surprised to
hear the proposal for
accreditation but was glad
that the DOST is planning
to distribute licenses to local
healers.
“Ay
salamat
naman, kasi ngayon
wala
na
akong
masyadong
inaasahan,”
she said.
The 80-year-old Solmerano was taught
by her mother-in-law how to use oil and
other parts of medicinal plants to treat
ailment, for the benefit of her children.
She uses everyday plants for treatment
such as tuba leaves to remedy muscle
pain, lagundi leaves for cough, guava
leaves for stomach cramps and
sambong for other illnesses.
“Kasi ‘yun naman, turo rin. Kapag may
sakit, isang tapal lang ganoon. Ilalaga
mo lang ‘yang mga ‘yan,” she said.
Traditional medicine
In the Philippines, traditional healers
(albularyo or maestro, and manghihilot),
who are experts in making herbal medicine,
are known to be significant resources of
health care amid modern medicine.
There are also some Filipinos who
still seek assistance from healers whose
methods in treating ailments are referred to
as alternative or folk medicine.
According to the World Health
Organization (WHO), traditional medicine
is the “sum total of the knowledge, skills,
and practices based on the theories,
beliefs, and experiences indigenous to
different cultures” in maintaining health
and preventing diseases. However, the
authenticity of traditional medicine as a
tool in medical science has also been the
subject of debate in the academe.
Data from the WHO, showed that 80
percent of people around the world rely
on herbal medicine for treatment.
It added that “the use of herbal
medicines is well-established
and widely acknowledged
to be safe and effective, and
may be accepted by national
authorities.”
Grecebio
Jonathan
Alejandro,
director for graduate research of the
UST Graduate Studies, said in a
previous article that the Philippines has
a very rich folkloric culture, especially
when it comes to herbal medicine.
“Filipinos do not only rely on
prescriptive drugs, but also depend on
herbal plants as well,” he said.
Teodora and Ashlyn Balangcod from
the University of the Philippines-Baguio
also said the practice of traditional medicine
is prevalent among societies of developing
countries such as the Philippines due to the
belief that certain diseases are caused by
spirits.
Why Filipinos are getting obese Thomasian taxonomist bags
THIRTY percent of Filipinos are
overweight and 48 percent prefer
to eat the food of their choice
rather than to be fit, according
to the October 2015 Asia Health
Index of life insurance company
Sun Life Financial Asia.
The 2013 National Nutrition
Survey reported that one out
of three Filipino adults and
adolescents were overweight,
while eight out of 100 were obese.
Lifestyle obviously is a major
factor.
Civil Law freshman Mia
Bataller admitted to stress-eating.
“Unfortunately, I’m not one
of those people that lose weight
when they’re stressed. I gain
weight [instead],” she said.
An entry in the Harvard
Mental Health Letter in 2012
linked stress-eating with cortisol,
a hormone that can increase
motivation. When stress levels are
high, cortisol can make a person
eat more and have higher chances
of obesity.
A nutritionist-dietitian at the
UST Hospital, Maureen Sarmago,
noted that the primary cause of
obesity is energy imbalance in the
body, where energy taken from
food does not match energy spent
doing work.
“Decreased physical activity
also contributes to weight gain
such as using of escalators instead
of stairs and automation of most
equipment. Parents nowadays
have probably forgotten to
immerse their children in outdoor
games,” she said in an email.
With the standards of the
World
Health
Organization,
computing the body mass index
(BMI) of an individual can
determine obesity. People with a
BMI equal or greater than 25 are
overweight while those who have
a BMI equal or greater than 30 are
obese.
Different genes have been
associated with obesity. Fat Mass
and Obesity-Associated Protein
(FTO) and the Melanocortin
4 Receptor (MC4R) are genes
commonly in conjunction with
BMI and are determinants for
obesity, with the former playing
hypothalamic expression which
manages food intake without
stimulating a feeling of being full,
while the latter is responsible for
body’s basal metabolic rate.
Coupled with unbalanced
diet, the FTO gene holds a risk of
causing Type 2 Diabetes, which
can cause heart disease, kidney
failure and nerve damage.
According
to
a
study
conducted by the Catholic
University of Korea in 2006, the
number of Asian youth who have
been diagnosed Type 2 diabetes
increased compared to the
previous years.
A study from Harvard showed
that this occurrence is also
prevalent in Metro Manila, and
that about 333 million Asians will
probably have the said disease by
2025.
Holiday binge
With the holidays approaching
and a night filled with hamonado,
queso de bola and lechon just
around the corner,
where do
we draw the line between extra
and healthy?
Nutrition
and
dietetics
professor
Diane
Mendoza’s
advice is to observe “portion”
control during holidays to avoid
overeating.
“The key is moderation,”
she said. “You don’t have to
deprive yourself, but rather eat
smaller portions and avoid second
servings.”
Like other health conditions,
being able to avoid or treat obesity
can help lessen the likelihood of
more serious conditions such as
hypertension and diabetes.
Doctors usually recommend
a proper diet and adapting a
healthy lifestyle. Vegetables such
as cabbage, celery and cucumber
are known to reduce weight as
antioxidants, and with their water
content which can keep one
hydrated and full at the same time.
However, morbid obesity
cannot be treated by simple
diet and physical activities.
On certain instances, bariatric
surgeries such as gastric bypass,
sleeve gastrectomy, adjustable
gastric band, and biliopancreatic
diversion with duodenal switch
are considered.
Kurt Ong, a senior Pharmacy
student, anticipated that the
month-long
Christmas
break
would be a challenge to him, as he
was dared to maintain his health
and body.
“I am also planning to play
sports with my cousins during the
vacation as a form of bonding,” he
said. ROY ABRAHMN D.R. NARRA
and JULIUS ROMAN M. TOLOP
science research award
A UST professor’s work in the
field of taxonomy and systematics
has earned him a prestigious
scientific award.
Grecebio Alejandro, director
of the Office of Graduate
Research, was awarded the
Gregorio Y. Zara Achievement
Award for Basic Research for his
contributions particularly in Plant
Molecular Phylogenetics
Established in 1968, the
Gregorio Y. Zara award is the
brainchild of the family of
National Scientist Gregorio Zara
and the Philippine Association for
the Advancement of Science and
Technology (PhilAAST).
The annual award seeks to
recognize the achievements of
the country’s most outstanding
scientists in two fields: one in the
field of Basic Science Research,
and another for Applied Science
Research.
Alejandro, also a resident
researcher at the Research Center
of the Natural and Applied
Sciences and a professor in the
College of Science, is the 38th
recipient of the award. He received
it from Pacita Zara, Gregorio’s
daughter, during the International
Conference on Science and
Technology
Education
and
64th annual Convention of the
PhilAAST last September 10.
“I am very happy. I really had
no idea that I was chosen for the
award,” said Alejandro.
España’s botanical garden
Alejandro’s work pioneered
Plant Molecular Phylogenetics
in the Philippines. It is a field
that analyzes differences in DNA
sequences to gain information on
an organism’s evolution through
time.
The researcher is also
recognized for the discovery of
novel genera and several new
endemic species of plants in the
country. He is also currently the
project leader of the Thomasian
Angiosperm
Phylogeny
Barcoding Group that will aid in
the molecular identification of
Philippine medicinal plants by a
DNA Barcoding Database.
Alejandro has also discovered
more than 20 species of endemic
plants. Some of the plants that
he discovered are the Mussaenda
ustii, a plant he named after the
University, and the Hedyotis
papafranciscoi, a plant named
after Pope Francis after the recent
Papal Visit in the country last Jan
15-19.
“I am very grateful to them
[PhilAAST] for this wonderful
award. I’m really happy they
recognized me because my field
[Systematics and Taxonomy] is
already a dying field,” he said,
adding that he promised Pacita
that if he discovers a new plant, he
will name it after Gregorio Zara.
Alejandro’s development of
the DNA Barcoding Database, a
four-year project, in partnership
with the Department of SciencePhilippine Council for Health
Research
and
Development
(DOST-PCHRD),
made
the
University the “Center for DNA
Barcoding and Conservation.”
The project will be turned over to
the DOST-PCHRD this December.
Alejandro is planning to
work next on the development of
a “seed bank” in the University.
This project is under the umbrella
of a bigger program which is
already partially accepted.
Life for science
Alejandro earned his BS
Biology degree in Far Eastern
University in 1993. He later got
his master’s degree in Biological
Science in 1999 at the University
of Santo Tomas. He received
his Doctorate Degree in Natural
Science at the University of
Taxonomist PAGE 5
Alejandro
Art Director: Ava Mariangela C. Victoria
DECEMBER 15, 2015
Limelight 13
14 Limelight
Art Director: Ava Mariangela C. Victoria
DECEMBER 15, 2015
BY C.M.F. BASINANG, S.M.T. TAGAO AND K.M.O. VELASCO
faith. In 2014 alone, Christian human
rights organization China Aid has
documented 572 cases of religious
persecution,
wherein
17,884
Christian believers were affected,
1,592 of which were leaders of the
Catholic Church.
Crosses
were
removed
and
church
buildings
were
demolished as a response to the
Chinese government’s efforts of a
“crackdown on cult activities” since
the official religion of the Chinese
Communist Party is atheism.
Chinese authorities continued
to harass and restrict Catholics
who practice their faith outside of
state-approved parameters. Among
the victims of harassment are two
Catholic priests who were detained
for conducting “adult catechism
classes,” the Catholic News Agency
has reported.
Meanwhile,
in
Somalia,
Christian
celebrations
and
conversion to the Christian faith are
illegal after the Ministry of Justice
and Religious Affairs prohibited
Christian activities in 2013.
Government efforts to protect
religious freedom are also not
enough to curb the worsening
persecution of Christians.
In Egypt, for instance, Christians
continue to suffer mob violence from
their Muslim neighbors who are not
even part of any extremist group.
This continues despite the Egyptian
government’s appeal for “goodwill”
in the community.
While many Christian Filipinos
are busy wrapping presents,
preparing for parties and singing
carols, their fellow Christians in other
countries with very unwelcoming
regimes to Christianity are searching
for freedom and safety with the
profession of the Christian faith.
In his homily in Bangui, Central
African Republic last November
29, Pope Francis stressed the need
for a “spirit of communion” amid
injustice, persecutions, terrorism
attacks and clashes of beliefs all
around the world.
For most people, Christmas is
supposedly the “most wonderful
time of the year” but for many
brothers and sisters, this season
becomes a reminder of the faith that
they cannot freely exercise.
“In every place, even and
especially in those places where
violence, hatred, injustice and
persecution hold sway, Christians
are called to give witness to this God
who is love,” the Holy Father said.
Lives are in danger for the free
exercise of religion, a fundamental
right violated by radicals who
believe that violence is the will of
their god and the road to salvation.
More often than not, most
Christians do not realize the far cry
for justice and peace of persecuted
Christians around the world, like in
the Philippines where there are laws
that guarantee religious freedom.
The persecution suffered by
Christians in hostile countries may
also seem abstract and not alarming
to those who are shielded away from
it.
As a predominantly Catholic
country, the Philippines cannot
ignore the plight of its fellow
Christians abroad. And even if the
Philippines weren’t predominantly
Christian, its government has the
duty to uphold freedom of religion
and make all countries that have
signed the relevant international
conventions on that matter to uphold
it and provide protection to Christian
minorities or any minority for that
matter, irrespective of any religion.
One man’s call to uphold
religious freedom may seem too
small for religious extremists and
hostile countries but as one Church,
the call will serve as an assertion
that Christians around the world are
ready to stand for their faith.
It is difficult to empathize when
half of the world does not experience
the pain and sufferings of persecuted
Christians, especially if what they
are experiencing is the opposite—a
festive mood of the Christmas
season.
Let us not be swayed by bright
lights, comic relief, and the false joy
that come along with the luxuries
of the season. Beyond the glitter
and the glamour is the underlying
message of Christmas, the hope and
love that is Christ.
The least we could do is give a
moment of prayer for our persecuted
brothers and sisters, in the hope that
someday, they may also celebrate
with us in joy during this special
season, in which we remember the
birth of our Savior—whom we also
trust to save those who are in need
the most.
Mercy
Tempus
Versatility
Emmanuel
“Emmanuel. It means,” said
Rodolfo, before he was cut off midsentence.
“God with us,” said Cecilia.
A bell rang in the kitchen and
Manny set his toy train down on the
couch as Rodolfo followed suit. In
the kitchen, Cecilia was busy setting
up the evening’s menu—the pork
slices, the pili nuts and the tutong.
Rodolfo opened the window and
pulled apart the blinds to let some
air into the room. As they were
settling in, the lights suddenly began
to flicker. The room fell dark.
After a brief moment, Cecilia
opened the drawer and took out a
new candle, setting it in the middle
of the table. It was a timid light, yet
bright enough to remind them of
how the family’s first Christmas was
wrapped in warmth.
Manny let the light mesmerize
him and take him back to their first
Christmas as a family. It was a vague
memory, but it lingers in the corners
of his mind just as the shadows cast
by the meek candle lingers in their
little room.
A gust of wind suddenly rushed
into the room via the open window,
and Manny began to look outside,
seeing the curtains part to reveal a
lone star twinkling beside a waxing
moon. The family began to settle
once more.
At the end of the kitchen, an old
picture of the Holy Family, during
the first Christmas in Bethlehem,
hung on the wall.
Editorial
FROM PAGE 4
FROM PAGE 10
FROM PAGE 4
was joined by Fr. Jesus Prol, O.P.,
parish priest of Santo Cristo.
Fr. Lo urged the faithful to perform
corporal and spiritual works of mercy
in observance of the Extraordinary
Jubilee of Mercy. “Be merciful like
the Father. Jesus is the mercy that is
invincible and palpable,” Fr. Lo said.
Celebrations were also held at
the the Shrine of the Divine Mercy
in Mandaluyong and Our Lady of
Sorrows Parish in Pasay on Dec. 13.
The 2015 Jubilee Year will be run
from Dec. 8 this year to Nov. 20 next
year. With GABRIEL M. AGCAOILI in
dimples?
It is true, that Philippine media
are here to entertain us, but their
purpose doesn’t stop there. With their
influence, they can empower and
create revolutions, expose the truth
and be a guide for smart elections,
destroy barriers between government
and citizens, and educate people in
the most significant way. But alas,
media in the Philippines are also
an agent of crass commercialism,
shallow entertainment, and mediocre
taste. The Philippine media are a force
for a vehicle for stupidity and sheer
mindlessness.
CORAZON A. INAY and VIANCA
T. OCAMPO
Imago
identity is born—the place where the
story of our lives is retold, re-molded,
and relived,” Sweet wrote.
Jesus Christ Himself connected
most to His disciples during the meals
of exchanging food and good faith in the
table; that is why the Last Supper leaves
a poignant message to all Christians for
it was the very last time Christ shared
a meal with the 12 disciples. It is not
merely the food that matters in the table
but the collective “breaking of bread”
with our loved ones over conversation
and laughter.
The family table has the potential
to become a positively transformative
place for those who gather around it.
Building blocks of the community as
well as the formation of one’s identity
can be taught and formed in the table.
One out of many benefits of eating meals
together is the effect on strengthening
family bonds and sense of one’s identity.
It would be beneficial for all
Filipino families to realize that it should
not take a special occasion to gather the
whole brood up in a meal, but rather to
make it a daily occurrence. Although
there is no absolute guarantee that eating
together will resolve all family problems,
it may provide the opportunity to make a
fresh start and a strong foundation. In the
end, the table can serve as the stronghold
on which a family can stand on in a
world where authentic relationships are
gradually being lost due to the modern
ideas of “fast-food and [a] together-butseparate society.”
Manila
FROM PAGE 5
hefty workloads.
Leonard Sweet, in his book “From
Tablet to Table,” tackled the importance
of bringing back the table to our homes,
communities and churches.
Since these days, we do not take
much time to just sit down and swap
stories with our family members like we
used to during dinner or family meals,
Sweet emphasized that we should find
time and make an effort to personally
converse with the people who are dear to
us, and to take pleasure in the communal
benefits of fellowship and conversation.
“The table is the place where
FROM PAGE 7
“Companies hired me to do
their work despite my novice
level and young age. There were
times that I failed, but I just took
everything that was offered to me
and never said no,” he said.
From his witty whimsical
toys to creative banig portraits,
there is no denying that Tejido
immortalizes Philippine culture at
its core, preserving and upholding
the traditions our culture is
known for with each and every
continuing brush stroke. MARIA
FROM PAGE 10
to have this superstition about
offering these to the spirits to keep
them from stealing their children’s
souls,” Jose told Rodolfo, who
raised an incredulous eyebrow.
Kiko began unwrapping what he
had brought. A burnt scent emanated
from the plastic bag. It revealed a
bowl of tutong or burnt rice. Cecilia
recalled how she and her brothers
fought over the last portions of rice
in their mother’s pot.
A cold breeze suddenly swept
into the room via the open window.
Rodolfo quickly felt his way around
and reached for the drawer, where
he grabbed a box of matches. With a
flicker, he cupped his hand over the
flame and lit the candle wick. On the
far end of the room was a painting
of the nativity scene, with Mary,
Joseph and the three kings huddled
over a baby in a manger.
As the flame grew, a peculiar
silhouette materialized on the wall
behind the family—a mother, a
father and three men huddled over
a baby. The smog outside began
to clear, the car horns toned down
into silence and a curtain of evening
clouds parted to reveal a moon
adjacent to a lone star twinkling
alongside its celestial better. A gust
of wind surged into the room.
“What is his name?” asked
Ramon.
Acting Editor: Delfin Ray M. Dioquino
DECEMBER 15, 2015
Sports 15
UST leads general
UAAP race—but barely
By RANDELL ANGELO B. RITUMALTA
HALFWAY through the season, UST is clinging
on a two-point lead over De La Salle University
for the UAAP general championship.
UST has a total of 155 points in large part
because of championships men’s taekwondo,
women’s judo and poomsae.
But UST sports officials are not celebrating
early, knowing a lot can still happen in the second
semester.
UST took home silver medals in men’s
basketball, men’s judo, men’s table tennis, men’s
beach volleyball and women’s taekwondo, and
grabbed bronze in women’s table tennis.
The Tiger Jins and the Female Judokas muscled
their way into two consecutive championships while
the UST poomsae squad redeemed themselves from
last year’s third-place finishing on top podium this
season.
The Male Judokas failed to defend their crown
after winning only one gold this year, while the
Lady Jins fell short as the University of the East
took home the title fter a perfect campaign.
For the third straight season, the Tiger Spikers
settled for silver while the Growling Tigers lost in
the finals against the FEU Tamaraws.
The Tiger and Lady Paddlers had a better
season this year as they improved from their third
and fourth place Season 77 finishes to third and
second place, respectively, this year.
La Salle is trailing UST with 153 points in the
race for the overall title. It ruled the table tennis
and women’s beach volleyball tournaments but
failed to enter the men’s basketball semifinals for
the first time since 2011.
Ateneo de Manila University is at third place
with 140 markers. It bagged championships in
swimming, men’s judo and beach volleyball.
Season host and women’s badminton
champions University of the Philippines came in
at fourth place with 115 points, followed by men’s
basketball titlist Far Eastern University with 90
markers.
Women’s basketball and men’s badminton
champions
National
University,
women’s
taekwondo titlists University of the East and
Adamson University tallied 82, 79 and 37 points,
respectively.
The University’s football teams are expected
to have a better season after registering their worst
finishes in UAAP history.
UST has the record for the most number of
general championships after topping 40 out of 67
seasons since the award was first given in Season
10.
Leaving the Tigers’ lair
Patrimonio sees
with ‘almost championships’ ‘bright future’ for
Tigers despite loss
By PHILIP MARTIN L. MATEL
UNFORTUNATELY, the third time
still was not the charm.
The Tigers, for the third time
in the last four years, ended another
season with a heartbreak, losing to
the FEU Tamaraws in three games for
the UAAP basketball championship.
In the winner-take-all game,
UST stormed back from an 11-point
deficit in the third quarter as Ed
Daquioag took over and gave the
Tigers a six-point lead, 59-53, with
over three minutes left in the game.
But FEU’s Roger Pogoy had
other plans. He scored seven straight
points to secure the Tamaraws’
20th basketball title and their
first since 2005.
“As a head coach,
losing the Finals, sobrang
sakit. Sobrang painful
ng loss. Third
time eh.
‘Yung mga kasama kong beterano
na pangatlong finals, nandito sa puso
namin. Sobrang sakit,” head coach
Bong dela Cruz told the Varsitarian
after Game 3.
Kevin Ferrer, who waxed hot
with 29 points in UST’s Game
2 victory, said he did not regret
anything in his five-year stint with the
Tigers. He was held to six markers in
his final game as a Growling Tiger.
In his five years with UST, he
said was most proud this season when
he led the team to an 11-3 record and
a Finals appearance.
“Wala naman kumikilala sa
amin na aabot kami dito. I’m so
proud na napatunayan ng team na
kayang pumunta sa championship.”
Karim Abdul, the Cameroonian
big man who manned the paint for
the last five years, said he’s leaving
with a heavy heart for failing to win
a title.
With the whole starting lineup
gone for next season, second-year
tactician Dela Cruz will have to
rebuild the Tigers under newcomer
Mario Bonleon and Rookie of the
Year runner-up Marvin Lee.
King Tiger Kevin Ferrer
By LEIF ARILD F. SYKIOCO
DESPITE the heartbreaking loss
against Far Eastern University,
UST consultant Alvin Patrimonio
still sees a bright future ahead for
the Growling Tigers.
The four-time PBA Most
Valuable Player was among the
23,124 fans who witnessed the
Tamaraws survive the Tigers in
Game 3 of the Finals and claim
their 20th basketball crown.
“(This) is UAAP’s version of
Manila Clasico.” Patrimonio told
the Varsitarian. “Ang daming
napasayang tao at marami talaga
ang nag enjoy. Pero isa lang talaga
ang mananalo, and FEU deserved
that win.”
Patrimonio lauded the Tigers
for defying early predictions that
gave them no chance of even
reaching the semifinal round.
“Maganda naman ang (ending)
ng team. ‘Yung mga puso ng mga
bata, hindi talaga nagpatalo,” he
said. “(Before the) start of the
season hindi maganda yung seed
ng team pero nagtrabaho naman
lahat and umabot pa sa finals and
for that I’m very proud of them.
Patrimonio, who was named
in the PBA Hall of Famer in 2011,
said he was willing to stay on as
the team’s consultant if given
another opportunity.
“Nage-enjoy pa ako watching
them play and nakikita ko yung
mga potential nila. Sa akin naman
lahat pwedeng maging leader eh,
pero si Marvin Lee ready na to
step up for the team,” he said.
Homegrown talent shines
for UST Lady Judokas
By CARLO A. CASINGCASING
and JOHN CHESTER P. FAJARDO
THREE years ago, Khrizzie
Pabulayan was uncertain if her
family could send her to college.
And judo was farthest from her
mind.
Fast forward to 2015. She
joined the UAAP tournament for
the first time and wrestled her way
to the Most Valuable Player award
as she led the UST Lady Judokas
to back-to-back championships.
Before her triumphs, the
Bacolod native had slim chances
of completing a degree until she
was introduced to the UST judo
program as part of the athletes’
scholarship in 2013.
“Naawa [sa akin si ate Jilloue
Mosqueda (former national team
member)] kasi hindi kaya ng
pamilya ko na makapagaral ako
for college, so in-introduce niya
‘ko sa UST,” Pabulayan told the
Varsitarian.
Lady Judokas head coach
Gerard Arce admitted that
Pabulayan was “recruited with
zero knowledge in judo.” But
he saw her courage and
height advantage.
The
5-foot-3
Pabulayan honed her
skills with the Lady
Judokas’
Team
B for two years
before entering
the league.
In 2013,
Pabulayan
trained
for
a
month
with former
Judoka and Season 77 MVP Annie
Ramirez and mentor John Baylon
to master the basics of judo before
joining the roster.
“Noong una ang hirap magadjust kasi ‘yung iba alam na nila
‘yung ginagawa nila. Masakit sa
katawan, parang binubugbog ka
lang. Na-down ako tapos inisip
ko, ‘Bakit ganoon, bakit parang
‘di ako gumagaling?’” Pabulayan
said.
Her skepticism vanished after
she stormed the UAAP Season 78
with an unblemished 3-0 win-loss
record en route to a gold medal
in the -48 kg weight class and the
MVP plum.
“Noong tumagal sinabi ko na
kailangan ko talagang mag-focus,
kailangan kong ipakita sa kumuha
sa akin na karapat dapat ako sa mga
binigay na benefits sa akin. Pinush
ko sarili ko na maibalik sa kanila
‘yung binigay nilang opportunity,”
said Pabulayan, now a third year
Physical Education student.
In her semifinal match last
season, Pabulayan was trailing
behind by 11 points with only
over a minute remaining. But the
courage that Arce saw in her
showed up in the dying
moments as she scored
an impressive takedown
for an Ippon (whole
point) victory.
Still, Pabulayan is
keeping her feet on the
ground. It is all about
UST’s judo program,
which took a chance
on her and it paid
off.
Pabulayan