Aquinian Herald (Volume III, Issue 1)

GOING GLOBAL. Aquinas University Rector and President, Rev. Fr. Ernesto Arceo, O.P., (middle) and Vice-President for Academic Affairs Dr. Susana Cabredo (left) with SEAAIR President Dr. Teay Shawyun (right) during the first international conference hosted by the University. PHOTO BY E. MANALLO

HERALD A Q U I N I A N

T H E O F F I C I A L S T U D E N T P U B L I C AT I O N O F A Q U I N A S U N I V E R S I T Y O F L E G A Z P I VOLUME III, ISSUE 1 | JUNE-OCTOBER | A.Y. 2014-2015

University boosts global profile

HOSTS INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON RESEARCH

BY DON K E V I N O . HAPAL

THE DOMINICAN University of Bicol hosted the 14th annual conference of the South East Asian Association for Institutional Research (SEAAIR) on October 7-10, gathering academics, researchers, students and higher education practitioners, from across Southeast Asia.

Marking the University’s first time hosting an international conference, AUL hopes to futher

not just its academic profile but also its global linkages, through the international gathering.

“This is a good opportunity for the University to be integrated in the Southeast Asian region, through the dynamic exchange of knowledge and ideas,” said Prof. Abelardo Belleza of the Office of Academic Affairs (OAA), and a member of the convention’s organizing committee.

About a hundred delegates from Asian countries, namely: Indonesia, Lebanon, Malaysia, S i n g a p o r e , Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines attended the conference.

The Yawa Bridge now under construction PHOTO BY R. ORENSE

With the theme “C r o s s - C u l t u r a l Education in AEC 2015: Realizing Possibilities, D e f i n i n g Foundations”

as the conference’s main focus, higher education institutions (HEIs) presented and discussed research driven by the need for an improved understanding, planning, and operation among HEIs in the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) set to be in place next year.

Bridging gaps SEAAIR is the international cooperation that bridges the gaps of higher-education academics in the southeast region of Asia, by holding annual conferences to talk about current challenges, trends and demands in higher learning, as well as promote cultural development among its members.

“We want the ASEAN community to not only focus on academics, but also on the cultural side,” said SEAAIR president, Teay Shawyun, in an interview.

Dr. Shawyun of the Assumption University in Thailand, emphasized AUL BOOSTS, PAGE 3

University drafts 5-year plan Academics remain top priority ALMOST THROUGH its existing five-year plan (as of 20102015), the University, under the leadership of Rector and President, Rev. Fr. Ernesto Arceo, O.P., seeks to put academics and research at the top of its priorities, as they start drafting the university’s strategic and operational plans for the next five years.

Office of Research, Planning, and Development (ORPD) Director, Simon L. Listana, Jr., shared with the Aquinian Herald, along with the preparations of the University in taking on the challenges of the years ahead - boosting the university’s academic profile and global competitiveness as the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) is established in 2015; the start of the transitioning period of the K-12 program; and the planned

integration with the University of Santo Tomas (UST).

Amid these rising and growing demands, the office remains confident that the university will be able and ready.

Academics as main priority The ORPD Director said that the next five-year plan would see an even more intensified focus on academics.

“We saw the furthered efforts of the university on academics as laid out by our then new Rector Fr. Arceo in 2011, but the plan is to further focus in the academic front among other things,” Listana said, revealing details from the preliminary planning sessions held on August 28-30 with about twenty other university administrators present.

DRAFTS, PAGE 2

Yawa Bridge AUL Dance Troupe wins big in int'l cultural festival Aquinian th ranks 4 in widening nat'l midwifery project starts EXPECTED TO curb heavy traffic along the university area, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has begun the constructions for the widening of the Yawa Bridge, the main link that connects the barangays Rawis and Bonot.

The Yawa Bridge has two existing lanes, and due to heavy concentration of public and private vehicles going in and out of the University and the regional government offices in Rawis, the bridge is to be expanded into four lanes.

The start of the project was originally set in August but was YAWA BRIDGE, PAGE 2 SEE RELATED AND MORE IN-DEPTH REPORT

'THE YAWA BRIDGE WIDENING PROJECT' ON PAGE 12

AQUINAS UNIVERSITY of Legazpi Dance Troupe took home its first ever international achievement after winning the silver medal for the 2014 International Youth Fellowship (IYF) Cultural Dance Festival held at Busan and Incheon, South Korea on July 4, 2014.

The group represented the Philippines and competed alongside other dance groups from different parts of the world.

Earlier, the group won the contest that selected the country’s representative in the international competition, spearheaded by the

Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). AUL’s Center for Culture and the Arts (CCA) received CCP’s invitation and sent a video of their entry.

AUL Dance Troupe also trained with the CCP in Manila, DANCE TROUPE, PAGE 4

SEAAIR to ASEAN HEIs: ‘reform and perform well’ HIGHER EDUCATION institutions (HEIs) will have to “reform and perform well” to take on the challenging economic landscape ahead.

Speaking before the delegates of the South East Asian Association for International Research (SEAAIR) Conference held on October 9, 2014 at the St.

John Macias Students’ Pavilion in AUL, was Dr. Teay Shawyun, who explained how the upcoming economic integration come 2015 will affect higher education in the region.

Shawyun, the president of SEAAIR, an international organization of higher e d u c a t i o n researchers and academics in Southeast Asia, laid emphasis on raising the bar in terms of producing PHOTO BY E. MANALLO

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competitive graduates, who will be exposed to an even more cutthroat economy in the coming years.

In a panel discussion on the “Landscape of Higher Education Institutions in Quality Education of ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) of 2015”, Shawyun laid out a situationer showing how the ASEAN countries are doing, in terms of meeting economic demands and global trends affecting education, thru current statistics on proportion of population below the poverty line, SEAAIR, PAGE 2

boards

BY PATRICK JOSEPH N. SECILLANO

OF THE 2, 365 who took the exam, 1,093 passes the Midwifery Licensure Examination (MLE) given by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) in April 2014.

AUL' s Maricar Lyn M. Baronda is among those who topped the exam.

Having obtained a rating of 89.40%, Baronda placed fourth.

Be optimistic. Just study hard, foucs in what you are doing," Baronda said when asked about her preparations before the exam.

She further attributed her success in the national boards to her faith in God. Along with Baronda, other Aquinians who passed the exam AQUINIAN RANKS, PAGE 3

inform. enrich.

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The Official Student Publication of the Aquinas University of Legazpi

AUL opens another UST-supervised program

Bicol’s new RNs meet in Aquinas

AUL hosts regional professional oath taking

BY KAREN DANIELE BESMONTE

A HUNDRED and eighty (180) new Bicolano nurses who recently passed the May 2014 Nursing Licensure Examination (NLE) gathered in Aquinas University to take their professional oath on July 21, 2014 at the Thomas Aquinas Chapel.

College of Nursing and Health Sciences renamed

BY J E S U S L . DAWA L , J R .

Professional Regulations Commission (PRC) and Philippine Nurses Assocation (PNA) led the ceremonies with Dr. Elenita L. Tan, Director of PRC-Region V, as the agency’s representative.

FOLLOWING THE opening of the region’s pioneer BS Pharmacy program in 2013, AUL launched a new health science program this academic year in partnership with the Royal and Pontifical University of Santo Tomas (UST), its sister school.

The Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology (BS MedTech) adds to the other two courses currently offered by the formerly College of Nursing and Health Sciences (CNHS). It is now known as th e College of Health Sciences (CHS), after the name change was approved in September 16, as prompted by the entry of MedTech and Pharma in the college.

Like BS Pharmacy, BS MedTech will be aligned with the educational standards and curriculum of the UST Faculty of Pharmacy.

"We, along with UST, are working very hard to make sure that we produce only highly competent Medical Technologists. We aren't really after quantity, but quality," said UST MedTech professor Ma. Victoria Tuazon, RMT. A total of 47 students enrolled in the said program. They are taught by CHS professors on weekdays and by professors from UST on Saturdays. ■

SEAAIR...

FROM PAGE 1

and the percentage increase or decrease of the gross national income.

He further stated that ASEAN countries have only achieved a portion of the UN’s Millennium Development Goals (MDG).

“HEIs will be pressured to reform themselves and perform well if they intend to remain in the competitive market of higher education provision,” Shawyun said urging HEIs to improve to meet the standards demanded by the economic integration. ■ With reports by D.K. Hapal

Yawa Bridge FROM PAGE 1

held up due to a delay in the removal of the power supply lines by the Albay Power and Energy Corporation (APEC), explained DPWH Assistant Regional Director, Armando Estrella.

The bridge will be expanded into a total length of 140 metres and width of 14.4 meters, with a 16.4-meter approach.

Engr. Orlando Rebato, city engineer of Legazpi, addressing the public's worry that it would cause more congestion, assures that the construction won't hamper the flow of traffic.

“The existing two lanes will not be affected. The construction will be one lane at each side, so we're not actually going to destroy the bridge," explains Rebato.

The project's budget, as included in the General Appropriations Act of 2014, is a total of P140 million. Estrella of the DPWH said that the initial P50 million has been released and the remaining P90 million will YAWA BRIDGE, PAGE 3

Sixty-one (61) new Aquinian nurses joined this year’s ceremonies, after posting an overall passing rate of 63.36% in the NLEs. WELCOME TO THE CLUB. New Bicolano nursing professionals, including Aquinians, are welcomed into the fold by the Philippine Nurses Association during the oath taking ceremonies held at the Thomas Aquinas Chapel in AUL. PHOTO BY EJDA - OAPA

Rosal pledges P1-B to curb flooding, traffic around university

BY LIERA O. SARZA

LEGAZPI CITY mayor, Noel E. Rosal, pooled in funding worth one billion pesos for city projects on flood control and bridge widening, to reduce traffic congestion. These, in turn, are expected to benefit Aquinas University.

Located in Brgy. Rawis and just along the Yawa Bridge, the university is one of the areas affected by heavy traffic and flooding during the rainy season.

The issue came up during AUL’S OPLAN Balik Eskwela, the university's school-year opening operational planning seminar, held at St. Antoninus Media Center Hall (MCH) on June 3, 2014.

Mayor Rosal presented

these projects on the said seminar, as they talk about matters involving student safety in AUL, with other government agencies such as LTO, PNP and PAGASA. The city-wide flood control program will involve the improvement of the drainage in front of AUL. One of the main causes of flooding in the university is a poor drainage system.

According to Rosal, the idea of the project was conceived earlier this year when he passed by Aquinas and saw it in its flooded state. He then immediately felt compelled to help the institution.

"The local government recognizes the university's efforts to produce

upstanding citizens," said Rosal during his talk in the said seminar.

Mayor Rosal shortly after, corresponded with the university's administration and thus, the project was born.

Moreover, Rosal also shared that another goal of the project is to make Legazpi the 'All-Weather Convention Center of Albay.'

Another problem the city is looking to remedy is the traffic congestion in the highway along the university, through the Yawa Bridge widening project.

The city government is optimistic that it woud curb the usual heavy traffic experienced in the area. ■

Regional confab in AUL addresses climate change DENR SECRETARY, Ramon Jesus P. Paje, graced AUL’s Regional Environmental Summit 2014 held on September 12 at the AUL Dome. The summit focused on the theme: “Kapalibutan ko, Padaba ko, Aatamanon ko: Bicol Goes Green for Climate Change Adaptation”.

Taking the university’s efforts in raising environmental awareness to a wider audience, AUL collaborated this year with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Philippine Information Agency (PIA) in opening the university’s annual environmental conference to the rest of Bicol.

“And the only way to address this challenge is to make right decisions,” Sec. Paje added as he shared the government agency’s plan of action and on their information campaign and promotion of the said environmental issue.

Other speakers of the summit were PIA Director-General, Jose Mari M. Ocquineña, who discussed the imperatives for behavior change in support of the climate change advocacy; and Director of the AUL Management and Information Technology Center (MITC) Engr. Virgilio S. Perdigon, Jr., who laid out a situationer showing where we are in terms of climate change adaptation.

Student-leaders from across the region attended the summit. Ryan Mark Hera, student government president of Naga College Foundation weighed in on the issue.

“This is an opportunity to tell the world that we, the youth, care,” he said.

Organized by the Office of Student Services (OSS), the summit also hopes to create an academic community in the region that would advocate for environmental conservation. ■ BY ANGELICA PAULA P. VARGAS

Ma. Carla Ll. Rubino, RN, president of the Philippine Nurses Association (PNA)Albay Chapter welcomed the new nurses and their parents in the ceremony. Hon. Gloria B. Arcos, a member of the Board of Nursing and the ceremony’s keynote speaker delivered the keynote address.

Arcos also led the new nurses as they profess to uphold the sacred responsibilities that came attached with their chosen profession. The Pledge of Commitment followed, led by Dr. Emerlinda E. Alcala, PNA-Region V president.

The oath taking is an important event for all new nurses. It signifies the acceptance of the passers to the Philippine Nurses Association as well as the start of their journey as professional nurses. ■

Drafts...

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According to Listana, there is a need to renew the strategic and operational plans of the university now more than ever, to keep up with the demands of the changing times, especially with the national educational restructuring brought by K-12.

Meanwhile, Prof. Abelardo Belleza of the Office of Academic Affairs said that AUL’s teaching force is going through trainings and faculty enhancement programs, especially those who will be teaching the general education subjects of Grades 11 and 12. Some are currently taking Certificate of Professional Teaching (CPT) to be able to take the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET).

UST integration Also along the way is the planned integration of AUL with Asia’s Royal and Pontifical University, University of Santo Tomas.

The Dominican Province of the Philippines, Inc. (DPPI), the primary authority on the Dominican schools, universities and colleges in the country, as per Ordination #123 of the Acts of the 10th Provincial Chapter, is working on the ‘integration’ of these schools. The integration hopes to consolidate the Dominican SUC’s into two divisions. One of which is the already integrated Colegio de San Juan Letran division, composed of its branches in Intramuros, Calamba, and Bataan. The other would be the UST division that seeks to align Angelicum College Quezon City, Angelicum School Iloilo and Aquinas University of Legazpi with the University of Santo Tomas. ■

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The Official Student Publication of the Aquinas University of Legazpi

Student orgs join nat’l lobby for FOI Bill

Wika ipinagdiwang sa 2nd CCA Speech Fest

BY PATRICK JOSEPH N. SECILLANO

BY ANGELICA PAULA P. VARGAS

SA PATULOY na paghubog at paglinang ng mga kakayanan sa larangan ng wika at masining na pagpapahayag, muling idinaos ng Center for Culture and Arts (CCA) ng Aquinas University of Legazpi ang taunang Speech Festival para sa mga mag-aaral mula elementarya, sekundarya at kolehiyo, noong ika19 ng Agosto sa St. John Macias Students’ Pavilion.

AQUINIAN ORGANIZATIONS once again rallied their support on the fight for the Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill’s passage, a year after joining the national youth network, FOI Youth Initiative (FYI).

Alinsunod na rin sa pagdiriwang ng buwan ng wikang pambansa, binigyang-pugay din ng selebrasyon ang wika at kulturang Filipino. Sa temang “Wika ng Pagkakaisa” nilahukan ng ilang mga Aquinian ang sari-saring patimpalak tulad ng talumpating di-inihanda, talumpating inihanda, deklamasyon at speech choir competition gamit ang wikang Filipino.

Ayon kay CCA Acting Director, Marie Veronique D. Berdin, ang pagdiriwang na ito ay bahagi ng hangarin ng ating Rektor na magkaroon ng magandang oportunidad sa loob ng unibersidad upang mahasa ang galing ng mga estudyante sa komunikasyon at public speaking. Layon din nitong maging mapagpahalaga at may kasanayan sa sariling kultura at wika ang mga Aquinian. ■

Aquinian ranks...

FROM PAGE 3

are Dawn Viviene M. Rabelas, Julilyn B. B. Senobio, Regine Salud P. Benipayo, and Catherine Joy D. Venus.

The university recorded 71.43% passing rate against the national's 46.21%. ■

Yawa Bridge FROM PAGE 2

be available by next year.

The project was pushed by city mayor, Noel E. Rosal, and is expected to be completed on March 2015. ■ With reports by Rona C. Miña

AUL boosts...

FROM PAGE 3

this during the conference, stating that the purpose of the annual gathering is not merely an academic exchange through presentation of various institutional research but also to give its delegates an opportunity to meet other cultures and appreciate the diversity in the region.

Pre-Conference Forum Part of the SEAAIR Conference 2014 was a pre-conference seminar intended mainly for local participants.

Held

a

day

before

the

WELCOME TO THE CLUB. New Bicolano nursing professionals, including Aquinians, are welcomed into the fold by the regional unit of the Philippine Nurses Association during the oath taking ceremonies held at the Thomas Aquinas Chapel in AUL. PHOTO BY EJDA - OAPA

Anduyog AUL extends helping hand to ‘Glenda’ victims

BY FAYE ANDREA TERWEL

AFTER THE recent devastation of typhoon Glenda in the province, the Aquinas University adopted a community in Sto. Domingo, Albay for a day of outreach and relief operations.

Part of the university’s celebration of St. Dominic de Guzman’s feast day, the relief effort was dubbed ‘Anduyog AUL – Sto. Domingo’, and was organized through the efforts of the Center for Community Involvement (CCI) and the AUL Anduyog Volunteers.

It collected relief donations, in cash and in kind, from the university’s departments and student organizations. These included sleeping mats, blankets, flashlights and school supplies. The goods were distributed to 60 families of the selected community, Brgy. San Antonio, Fidel Surtida, on August 8, 2014.

newsbit: AUL donates to ‘Simbahan para sa Mayon’

The team of student and employee volunteers divided into groups that will facilitate various activities and stations prepared for the community.

The Anduyog Volunteers manned the soup kitchen for the feeding program.

Parents and Instructors Association (PIA) led a program for the community’s kindergarten pupils, while the Legal Resource Center (LRC) and students from the College of Law set up a legal clinic for free legal consultations. The guidance counselors from the Office of Guidance and Testing (OGT) held counseling and stress debriefing to help with any emotional trauma brought by the recent calamity.

Children also enjoyed games prepared by the Peer Counselors Organization (PCO).

Meanwhile, the outreach program

AQ Politika and Aquinas University Debate Society (AQDS) sent some of its members to the Freedom of Information (FOI) Congress, held at the University of the Philippines-Diliman (UPD) Diliman, Quezon City on July 4-6, 2014.

The delegation was composed of Political Science majors. Senior Ralph Erik Bermas and juniors Patrick Joseph Estillomo and Jonalyn Bazar represented Aquinas University Debate Society, while junior Joseph Vincent Carrascal along with two sophomores Aubrey Opiana and Jane Kirsty Jazmin represented AQ Politika.

The group was accompanied by AQ Politika adviser Prof.

Kim Francia Bigay of the College of Arts, Sciences, & Education (CASE).

The three-day lecture seminar gathered students and youth groups from all over the country to call for the promotion of the FOI as a youth issue, and the immediate need for an enabling law for people to exercise their right to information held by the government and public institutions.

Notable speakers in the national assembly were Rep. Emma Aglipay of DIWA Partylist and Camarines Sur Representative, Leni Robredo.

With the theme “Asserting the Youth's Role in Shaping the Nation through the People's Freedom of Information,” the national gathering was hosted and organized by the UPD University Student Council (UPD-USC), the UPD College of Social Sciences and Philosophy Student Council (CSSPSC), and the UP Economics Towards Consciousness (UP ETC).

It was July of last year, when the said two AUL student organizations along with Aquinian Herald, signed FYI’s manifesto and joined the national youth group. ■

ANDUYOG AUL, PAGE 5

WITH ROUGHLY 12,000 families still in evacuation centers due to hazardous volcanic activity of Mayon Volcano, AUL teamed up with the Social Action Center of the Diocese of Legazpi, in conducting a donation drive called 'Simbahan para sa Mayon' on October 7-10, 2014.

The donations for the said campaign will be used to provide about families their basic needs like food, water, and clothes while they are staying in the evacuation centers.

At least 3,000 more families are to be evacuated should the alert level be raised from its current level four. international conference proper, academics, and researchers from the Philippines gathered at the Daragang Magayon Hall (DMH) on October 7.

The forum featured two of SEAAIR’s most accomplished academics, Nirwan Idrus and Teay Shawyun. Nirwan Idrus is a co-founder of SEAAIR and is currently a professor in the Multimedia University in Malaysia.

He has a doctorate in Engineering Science from Monash University in Australia, and is a Quality

DOMINICAN LOVE. The quick brown fox jumps over the headline, does a backflip all the way to the caption.

PHOTO BY LUENCE BARCENA

Assurance Specialist of Asian Development Bank. He is joined by SEAAIR president, Shawyun, who has a doctorate in Management Technology from the Asian Institute of Technology, and is the Director of Center for Excellence of Assumption University, where he is also an associate professor.

Their discourse revolved on the theme "Time-tested and Cross-cutting Practices Towards Higher Education Sustainability.”

Expounding on the challenges

on sustainability faced by the HEIs, Shawyun pointed out, “A leader walks with his/her people.” He said that an institution will not be as effective and efficient if the leader acts high and mighty and confines himself in the hierarchy of the organization.

Meanwhile, Nirwan reminded everyone to “always look for the simplest solutions” for problems and setbacks an institution should face towards keeping quality in higher education. According to him, the tools and methods that we

need to sustain change are the most simple and would most often only require common sense.

Conference Proper Pasig City Congressman and Chairman of the House Committee on Higher and Technical Education, Ramon T. Romulo, opened the international conference along with welcome remarks from AUL Rector and President, Rev. Fr. Ernesto Arceo, O.P. and Legazpi City mayor, Noel E. Rosal.

AUL BOOSTS, PAGE 5

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The Official Student Publication of the Aquinas University of Legazpi

Inter-college fashion show highlights Org Days CEAFA claims 2nd straight win

Fine Arts opens first off-campus exhibit

BY FAYE ANDREA TERWEL, ARIANE GISELLE SANTOS, & KAREN DANIELE BESMONTE

BY DENMARC JOSHUA BETONIO

FINE ARTS majors of the College of Engineering, Architecture, and Fine Arts (CEAFA) launched their first ever art exhibit outside the university entitled OBRA, at the Albay Capitol Atrium Art Gallery on August 12, 2014.

IN WHAT has become an annual tradition of the school’s Organization and Recruitment Days, the inter-collegiate fashion show competition, AQ Fashion Show, once again showcased Aquinian creativity, and capped the week-long festivities of the AUL Org Days.

Joey Belardo, (3 BFA Advertising Arts) and president of the AUL Student Artists (START), expressed the joy of their first major exhibit outside the university, where two of his watercolor paintings were featured.

Dubbed “Fashion Fusion: Clash of the Four Seasons”, the show once again saw the four colleges vie for the championship on September 15, 2014 at the AUL Dome, as part of the University Acquaintance Party.

The College of Engineering, Architecture and Fine Arts (CEAFA), with earthy tones and bronzehued fall season fashion display, triumphed and bested the other three colleges for the second time. CASE was proclaimed first runner-up, with CNHS and CBMA coming in second and third runners-up respectively.

The College of Arts, Sciences, and Education (CASE) who claimed second place, gave a bone-chilling showcase of winter fashion, and incorporated a creative audio-visual presentation (AVP) and a ballet dance number. They paraded classy black and white, winter-themed formal wear with the male models wrapped in elegant suits, while the female models evoked coolness and composure with their glamourous gowns.

Landing at the third spot was College of Nursing and Health Sciences (CNHS), who enthralled the crowd with the vibrant colors of spring, exalting the hues of spring through refined and elegant gowns. The college’s models showed off class and style in their Spring Formalinspired production.

Meanwhile, in their bold and scorching summer fashion statetement, the College of Business Management and Accountancy (CBMA) wowed Aquinians as they strut their stuff in their Victoria’s Secret-themed show. The men of summer showed off Adonis-like bodies clad in “hot-weather” outfits and the women wore dazzling summer outfits.

Last year’s champions did not disappoint as they kicked off their presentation with an earthy themed production evoking a “one with the earth” mood as their models walked onstage in their creative outfits skillfully adorned by leaves and the like.

For the second straight year, the night hailed CEAFA as the best college of the fashion show.

“It’s the creativity and unity that made us win,” said CEAFA Student Council President, Anna Margarita Bichara. Bichara shared that the materials they used were recycled from the remnants of typhoon ‘Glenda’, which creatively suited their college’s fall theme.

The AUL Fashion Show is organized annually by the Supreme Student Council (SSC).

"It was a good feeling, the first time for all of us to exhibit outside the university.

At the same time there's the pressure of putting yourself out there as an artist," he said.

IN EVERY FALL, WE RISE. Last year's champs, CEAFA, did not fail to steal the show as their fall-themed presentation showcased their craftiness and resourcefulness by using materials that were remnants of the typhoon Glenda.

PHOTO BY JULIENE OLAÑO

University tightens disaster management efforts

Is first to run Complex Emergency Management Drill in the region

BY GELLI MAE B. GAMUL

THE UNIVERSITY, priding itself as the first and only institution in the city of Legazpi with the ‘seal of excellence in disaster preparedness’ since 2012, held the first Complex Emergency Management Drill in the region.

The complex emergency scenario was that of an earthquake, resulting to a fire breaking out in the Thomas Aquinas (T) Bldg., and a chemical spill in the chemistry laboratories in the Martin de Porres (M) Bldg.

earthquakes. In AUL’s case, a chemical spill in the university’s chemistry laboratories.

Led by the Aquinas University of Legazpi Emergency Response Team (ALERT), and in partnership with the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), drills on simultaneous incidents of fire, earthquake, and chemical spill were conducted around the campus on August 12, 2014.

Students and employees were then evacuated from their classrooms into open ground.

The university has long regarded disaster preparedness as a priority and has been in the list of its main thrusts since 1998.

Red Cross Youth (RCY) Volunteers demonstrated how to apply first aid to the injured while the BFP showed how to deal with incidents that might be caused by disasters like

After the drills, the BFP officials and the ALERT, and RCY volunteers moved to debrief and discuss points for improvement.

“The ALERT team is not only duty-bound by law, but is also commited to the community’s safety and security during disaster,”

Maria Magdamit, a sculptor and painter, and a Fine Arts graduate of the university, served as the exhibit's overall chairman.

She expressed her pride on the success and huge turnout of the event.

Prof. Juliet Barizo, a member of the organizing committee of the exhibit, who's also teaching Fine Arts in AUL, said that the event served as motivation and inspiration for the students.

A milestone for the sole institution in the region that offers the degree program, the exhibit lasted until the end of the month, in coordination with the Albay Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office.

The Fine Arts degree program in AUL is offered in two majors: Advertising Arts and Visual Communication. ■

Dance troupe...

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in preparation for their first international contest. Their entry on the festival was a seven-minute dance presentation that showcased the rich Filipino culture and history, as conceptualized and choreographed through the collaborative efforts of their artistic director, Mr. Ronnie B. Mirabuena, CCA Acting Director, Marie Veronique Berdin, and some dance troupe alumni.

The festival was one of the main events in the two week-long activities of the 2014 IYF Summer Camp sponsored yearly by the IYF, a Christian-based multinational

DISASTER, PAGE 5

Parents attend OGT’s DOTA seminar

The Organizational Week 2014 aims to recruit members in the different universitybased organizations (UBOs), especially targeted for the freshmen and transferees. Different organizations stationed booths around the campus. This year’s Org Days was themed “AUL Presents Camp Half-Blood: Are You One of Us?”

TO HELP parents understand their children more promoting through encouraging awareness of this cyber generation, the Office of Guidance and Testing (OGT) conducted a seminar for parents on August 15, 2014 at the Media Center Hall.

Other activities included the second edition of the well-loved adventure game “Zombie Run”, talent show AQ Express, the Aquinian Enrichment Programs, and Battle of the Bands. ■

Titled "DOTA or Doing the Old Things with you, Anak: Parenting in the Age of Internet”, the seminar focused

on parenting and how to deal with their children who are considered as digital natives.

The guest speaker of this year's OGT parent seminar was Dr. Marylendra Penetrante, director and founder of the Children and Youth Wellness Technical and Advocacy Center (CYWTAC).

with tips on how to relate well with their children by using the tools of the internet. She also talked about preventing internet addiction.

Dr. Penetrante discussed “Parenting in the Age of Internet”, educating parents

SAULER

DANCE TROUPE, PAGE 4

TECHIE PARENTS. Parents learn how to connect more with their children by going tech savvy and understanding the psychology of the the digital generation.

A forum followed after the talks, allowing parents to raise concerns and queries regarding the topic. BY JOAN B.

PHOTO BY EJDA - OAPA

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The Official Student Publication of the Aquinas University of Legazpi

AQ DebSoc makes big splash in ‘Syete Minutos’

BY JANIN B. VOLANTE

AFTER BEING dethroned as Roco Cup champions, Aquinas University Debate Society (AQDS) quickly redeemed themselves by taking home four awards in 'Syete Minutos', a debate tournament organized by the Sorsogon Rotary Club held at The Lewis College on October 30-31, 2014.

OBRANG AQUINIAN. AUL's Fine Arts majors showcase their work at the Albay Capitol Atrium Art Gallery in the university's first ever major art exhibit outside the campus entitled "Obra".

PHOTO BY JULIENE OLAÑO

Both teams from AQDS broke into the finals. AUL Team A, composed of Don Kevin O. Hapal (4 ABComm) and Janin Volante (2 BS Psych) placed second, while AUL Team B, consisting of Angelica Paula Vargas (1 AB Philo) and Jonalyn Bazar (3 ABPS) finished third in the competition.

AUL cited in annual ‘Dugong Bicol’ awards Semestral blood drive held AQUINAS UNIVERSITY was cited by the Department of Health - Region V as an 'outstanding university', through its annual Dugong Bicol Awards.

Youth (RCY) volunteers.

It was opened to all willing donors. Students, employees, parents and non-Aquinians alike took part in the program and was able able to collect from a total of 68 blood donors.

AUL, with Head Nurse, Roslin B. Perez-Adra, RN, received the award in a ceremony held at The Concourse Convention Center, Legazpi City, on September 4, 2014.

The said commendation is owed to the success of the unIversity's semestral mass bloodletting program, held on August 14, 2014.

The blood donation drive was conducted through the efforts of the University Main Clinic, in cooperation with the City Health Office and with the assistance of the Red Cross

The primary beneficiary of the program is the AUL Community – students, employees and their relatives - in case of need.

Dugong Bicol awards was organized held by the regional unit of the Department of Health (DOH) to recognize exceptional people and institutions who are helping improve the health and DUGONG BICOL. An Aquinian donates blood welfare of the Bicolanos. during the university's semestral bloodletting activity.

PHOTO BY EJDA-OAPA

Dance troupe... AUL boosts...

FROM PAGE 4

NGO for the youth, established in 1995 to inspire and develop leaders of the next generation. It is active in almost 80 countries around the world, including the Philippines.

The group took home a cash prize worth $3,000. This marks the first time the group represented the Philippines and the university in an international competition, according to Berdin. ■ BY RONA C. MIÑA

Disaster...

FROM PAGE 4

said ALERT Chair and Student Services Director Jesus A. Barizo.

Prof. Barizo also noted that the students’ active participation was impressive compared to the previous years’ exercises. ■

FROM PAGE 3

Romulo shared the country’s efforts in preparing for the upcoming ASEAN integration, as well as the K-12 program absorbing its first batch of senior high school students in 2016. He also shared some of the bills which he has sponsored, authored and co-authored such as the ‘Iskolar ng Bayan Act’ and the ‘Open Distance Learning Act’.

Fr. Arceo explained the vital role of research in protecting the sanctity of human life, while Mayor Rosal revealed the city government’s practices and efforts gearing towards sustainable development, in preparation for the high influx of workers and students in the city, owing to the expected economic integration.

The parallel sessions for the presentation of the research papers followed after the opening ceremonies.

Other speakers the conference

This is AUL's first time to receive such award. ■

featured were Rev. Fr. Rex Andrew C. Alarcon, S.T.L., and AUL’s very own Rev. Ernesto Arceo, O.P. Fr. Alarcon stressed on the importance of the academics adapting to the digital age. He enumerated different skills that they should learn to cope with this rapidly-changing world.

Meanwhile, Fr. Arceo talked about ‘Education and Authentic Human Development for ASEAN Economic Community.’

His presentation revolved around the nature of the human person as the basis for human development and economic progress.

“Man’s fundamental dignity is in the level of being,” said Rev. Fr. Arceo who highlighted that only when the mind and the heart are educated with knowledge and goodness can holistic and optimum development be achieved.

AUL professors also presented papers in the conference. College of Business Management and Accountancy (CBMA) faculty

Teammates Bazar and Vargas

also gathered the highest individual speaker points throughout the tournament and both were awarded best speaker. Charina Robles won best adjudicator while Antoniette Charmaine Sambajon (3 BS PSY) was awarded third best adjudicator.

The team from Sorsogon State College won the tournament.

The debate tournament was in British Parliament format and the adjudication core was selected from Senior Adjudicators of the different competing debate societies.

Syete Minutos also consisted of an extemporaneous speaking contest and an oratorical contest. ■

‘Ayala young leader’ search starts in annual caravan THE AYALA Young Leaders Alliance - Bicol United (AYLA-BU), the Bicol chapter of Ayala Young Leaders Alliance Inc., the national network of the Ayala Young Leaders Congress’ alumni, held the Albay leg of its region-wide Bicolanos for Youth Leadership Development (BLYD) School Caravan, at the Aquinas University Media Center Hall on July 11, 2014.

Sixty student leaders attended the leadership program, with twenty representing each AYLC partner school in Albay namely: Bicol University, Divine Word College of Legazpi and Aquinas University of Legazpi.

The theme of the caravan was “Loving one’s calling. Loving one’s passion.” with Dr. Astrid S. Tuminez, Regional Director (Legal and Corporate Affairs, Southeast Asia) of Microsoft Corporation, as the keynote speaker.

The caravan, which is part of the annual national search for

member Dr. Ramon T. De Leon presented his paper titled “Integrated Student Support Services in a Seamless Academic Community in the Higher Education Institutions.” Dr. Patrick Gerard A. Paulino of the Center for Religious Education (CREED) delivered his paper called “An Active Learning Strategy Model in Religious Education Using Religious Drama.”

outstanding young leaders, seeks to reach a larger audience in the hope that more youth would respond to the call of leadership. It also aims to orient the students about the Ayala Young Leaders Congress (AYLC) and give tips on the application process, and to introduce BYLD as a youth development program preparing next generation leaders through leadership camps and advocating for worthwhile socio-civic projects.

Now on its 17th year, the Ayala Young Leaders Congress search for 81 outstanding young leaders in the country, out of roughly 700 applications each year, and bring them together in a four-day leadership congress graced by wellknown and highly-respected leaders in various fields.

Recent Aquinian honoree of the Ayala Young Leader Congress was Valerie Rose Chan, an AB Communication graduate, who served as Student Council president in A.Y. 2012-2013. ■ BY LEIRA SARZA

Legazpi.

This is the second time the Philippines hosted a SEAAIR conference, previously holding the 2010 conference in Tagaytay City.

The next conference will be held at Vietnam, to be hosted by Foreign Trade University. ■

AUL Anduyog...

FROM PAGE 3

AUL, a first-time host, generally received good feedback from the participants.

The SEAAIR president applauded the students of Aquinas University who were involved as ushers and performers.

“Students are in the heart, the core of education,” said Dr. Taey in an interview, and claimed that the highlight of this year’s conference was the participation of the students in the event.

Both local and foreign delegates commended the hospitality of the school and the natural beauty of

reminded an Anduyog volunteer of St. Dominic’s guiding rule of staying grounded on the scriptural principle of charity.

“To help other people is such a fulfillment,” she said expressing her gladness to be able to serve others.

CCI is eyeing to keep doing this program for years to come.

“The activity was successful and this program will continue and target other barangays of Sto. Domingo in the coming years,” said CCI Assistant Director Karen B. Llladones. ■

6

The Official Student Publication of the Aquinas University of Legazpi

Editorial

Quality and quantity Education is the key to success, we’ve heard it said.

It is to battle against ignorance; to arm oneself with the knowledge and skills to be able to secure a better future.

While some of us are able step into higher education, some aren’t as fortunate. Lucky for us, we can rely on education to help us get there. But to rely on our education is also to rely on a system that most of us believe as our ticket to a good future. And yet, we know it’s simply not enough. What more if that system is out of shape?

Among the ills that have been plaguing the country's education system is the insufficient quality of instruction. And we believe it is no different here in the university.

As the semester starts, students are excited on the prospect of learning new things as they progress through their course. Eager to get on with their classes, one of the common questions you’ll hear is on who their professors will be. While majority of the students can immediately answer that question, some could be wandering aimlessly around the campus wondering when their professor is going to show up, if at all.

The last couple of years had many students complaining about not having professors in some of their subjects whenever the semester begins. It’s quite alarming, considering that Aquinians are paying a lot for their tuition fees, only to end up having to wait for weeks, and at times, even months before someone is finally hired to teach these classes.

In some cases, students have instructors who are often away from their classes because as part-timers, they have other priorities and commitments outside the university, which then oftenly result to the students not getting what they deserve in their subject.

What became the common solution to situations like this is to have make-up classes to cover for the lost hours. Students have to attend their classes outside regular class hours, which is usually on weekends.

They have to exert extra effort, not to mention time and money to get their tuition’s worth. It doesn’t solve the actual problem. It’s like covering up a wound with a cloth, without actually treating it. It just might get worse.

Year in and year out, we saw good professors leave the university because they found more competitive EDITORIAL, PAGE 7

HERALD AQ U I N I A N

ABout COMMunication

When I chose to not pursue my degree in Information Technology and leave my previous college to follow my heart and fulfill my dreams, destiny brought me to Aquinas University of Legazpi.

Three years ago, I decided to take the course AB Communication because of my desire to become a journalist someday. I was excited and enthusiastic when I finally got the second chance to study in college and take a course that I really wanted. I was so eager during my first few weeks, to a point that I was often at school as early as 6:30 am. Even when I learned that there were only less than 50 students taking the course, it didn’t stop me from aiming and expecting high from the course I chose.

During my first three semesters, my major subjects really met my expectations, as my batch mates and I were really pushed to our limits with the outputs our professors asked us to produce. I can still remember the talk show we produced and that time we presented an advertising campaign for a certain product to actual advertisers and clients. Even when we were asked

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF AQUINAS UNIVERSITY OF LEGAZPI

JANIN B. VOLANTE News Editor JESUS L. DAWAL JR. Features Editor ARCHIE B. NER Sports Editor KARLA MARI I. BERTES DevComm Editor KAREN DANIELE BESMONTE Literary Editor DON KEVIN JOSE O. HAPAL Social Media Editor KARL B. BRIGUERA Graphics Editor MELISSA R. MESIAS Circulations & Logistics Manager JOAN B. SAULER Circulations Manager Staff Writiers Angelica Paula P. Vargas, Liera O. Sarza, Patrick Joseph N. Secillano, Claire B. Gallanosa, Faye Andrea Terwel, John Paul Garrido, Kristine Marie Arienda, Antoniette Chaimaine L. Sambajon, Gelli Mae B. Gamul Denmarc Joshua Betonio, Ariane Giselle Santos Photography Juliene M. Olaño, Allaine Reyes, Charlene Dealagdon Art Jason Patrick Alcazar, Wendell Cilot, John Xyrus B. Araneta Editorial Cartoon Karl B. Briguera Layout/Design Aldrin C. Brosas, Jillian J. Estrellado JOHN RICHARD B. MORENO Publications Adviser The office of the university student publication, Aquinian Herald is located at the AQ Dome. Any comments, letters, and contributions can be directly addressed to our office, or sent through e-mail at aquinianherald@gmail.com Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/aquinianherald Visit us: www.aquinianherald.wix.com/home

Ralph B. Orense

ralph.orense.24@gmail.com

to report about something, you can feel the healthy competition between us.

Also, the quizzes and exams were tough in some subjects, but it was really worth it. Personally, I felt the challenge and I really thought that it was the beginning of a challenging four-year ride.

But things started to change after that.

A complete turnaround happened, and things were never the same after those three semesters. There were instances when it was almost midterms but there was still no professor in some major subjects, or they were often absent due to commitment to other institutions.

Some equipment and facilities being used for our major subjects are either broken or damaged. This resulted in us being stuck in reading handouts most of the time in order for us to keep up with the syllabus of the said subjects.

These are probably some of the

Well, it’s not that the school isn’t doing anything for the course and its students.

In fact, they are doing what they can to provide the necessities of the program.

The now fully-operational Mac Lab in the Media and Information Technology Center is for the major subjects of third and fourth year students. They are also hiring the best professors to teach the subjects being offered in the course.

Also, I can remember the school plans to provide us with high-quality facilities and equipment in years to come to help save the decreasing number of enrollees in the degree program.

So maybe it all comes down to the students.

LINE OF SIGHT PAGE 17

Killing conversations

MEMBER OF THE COLLEGE EDITORS GUILD OF THE PHILIPPINES (CEGP) and the BICOL ASSOCIATION OF STUDENT CAMPUS WRITERS (BASCAW) RALPH B. ORENSE Editor in Chief ALDRIN C. BROSAS Associate Editor JILLIAN J. ESTRELLADO Associate Editor RALPH ERIK B. BERMAS Managing Editor RONA MARICAR C. MIÑA Managing Editor

Line of Sight

reasons why some AB Communication students are often absent for no reason.

In fact, there were days when a professor comes to class and he would only see a few students or not see anyone at all because those students choose to spend their time at the mall or somewhere else. It is also obvious that some of the students taking the course are starting to lose interest because of the current situation.

I remember being amused by a particular exchange I had with a good friend who’s now based abroad. It’s not anymore hard or too expensive to catch up with someone anywhere in the world these days. But I digress.

Back to that said conversation, I enthusiastically began, much like any conversational starter, asking how life was. He answers with a non-committal ‘same old, same old’. We haven’t talked much, so in an effort to catch up I wanted to hear something new in his life. So I said, “Okay, but it’s been a while, what’s new?”

“Nothing,” he says.

My friend has never been a man of few words. There can’t be really nothing.

So I tried to gather from the tone of his voice if by nothing, he actually meant something other than the most obvious sense of the word. Or was I supposed to dig deeper into the one-word answer, perhaps he's purposely teasing and waiting for me to press for details?

Before I could form the words to respond, he began to elaborate (much

Furious Curiosity Aldrin C. Brosas

aldrin.brosas@outlook.com

to my relief!) in a tirade that went like this: “Nothing that I haven’t already said on Facebook or on a 140-character tweet. Places I’ve been to are ‘geotagged' in Foursquare. Feeling overwhelmed, feeling excited, feeling depressed and any other mood swing I might be having can be found on my status updates.

Those selfies told you that in a span of months, I’ve changed the color of my hair twice. I bet your mouth watered on the pictures of delicious-looking food I’ve sampled as posted on my Instagram.

So I’m returning you the question my friend, what else could possibly be new?”

I struggled to form a witty comeback to his obvious sarcasm and mocking dig about social media. Then on the other line, he burst out laughing, probably proud that he managed to render me speechless in clearly another one of his amusing diatribes.

You see, the things we have in common are our dry sense of humor and natural curiosity about things and people. It all made for very interesting verbal sparrings about every other thing we could make fun of. They’re just that, a verbal exercise. He didn’t actually think that, did he?

And so I laughed with him. But mostly, I laughed in the incredulity of it. On the off-chance he actually meant them, it made me think. Are we really so absorbed in our virtual interactions online that we’re starting to lose interest in actual face to face conversations? If so, then that’s just also a little sad.

We talked about life. About recent escapades. About living in a foreign land. But we also couldn’t help but talk about how he observed that for the most part, people there are kind of limited to conversations involving tapping the screen of their smartphones.

It’s a modern world. Let’s face it, our generation couldn’t probably live without them. But what happens when we lose interest in communicating the FURIOUS CURIOSITY PAGE 17

7

The Official Student Publication of the Aquinas University of Legazpi

Why student officers need to talk about goals Here’s how a lot of student officers plan for their activities.

The president asks for suggestions on activities, the officers would often suggest based on entertainment and trend. Then they conceptualize and one lucky officer writes the proposal. Then and only upon writing the proposal would the lucky officer start scrunching his or her eyebrows, trying to come up with the activity’s objectives, for formality's sake. A deadly cycle, if I may say, - a vicious trend that have been plaguing Aquinian student governance for years.

Aquinas University have its good share of student activities - a lot of unique concepts, really - such as the Organization Days, Paskuhan, and the annual Fashion Show. Even so, a lot of student leaders seem to neglect the idea that there is a reason why the university requires them to include their projects’ objectives when they’re making their proposal. If you scan through a lot of the student councils’ proposals, it would show you how

the ‘objectives’ part always seem to be generic and ‘copy-pasted’ from other proposals.

What is the problem when student officers don’t talk about goals? Please allow me to tell you.

First, let it be said, that "goalless" activities are completely meaningless. Activities that aren’t goal-oriented will mostly do nothing but waste time, effort, and resources. These are the type of activities that are organized for the sake of organizing one. It’s not a good motivator.

A lot of Aquinian student leaders put prime on more fun and entertaining activities. While there’s nothing wrong about wanting to make our activities actually sound interesting and enjoyable, especially considering that we are catering to the young, it is wrong to consider it as the only thing that matters.

This especially applies to student councils who are not merely event organizers but are student governments whose prime

Secondly, we’re stuck in traditions. We need change.

Change can do us good. A lot of Don Kevin Jose O. Hapal officers simply organize activities donjoseortega@gmail.com just because their organization had been doing it for years, not duty is to serve the students’ best anymore reviewing if the activity interests. There are actual student still caters to the needs of the issues and concerns that need to present time. Hence, no matter how be dealt with. Solving these issues prestigious the event used to be, should be the events’ main course, some had already lost their appeal. and entertainment the side dish These ‘traditions’ keep us stuck in that makes it more interesting. a dreary routine of sameness, year The right way to evaluate your in, year out, that there’s no choice activity’s success is not to count but to mindlessly conform, or worse the number of attendees. It’s by ignore them. assessing if it met your goals, We have to remember that something that’s usually seen in people’s needs change. Leaders the long run and not outright. then, have to be flexible and aware Case in point, the Organization that some issues that have been Days. Its main goal is to encourage dominant the past year may not students to join orgs, especially the anymore be existing on the next. Or freshmen. The event may be fun something needs more attention and entertaining, but it’s probably this year. Students and student time we ask ourselves if it really has leaders collectively face different been serving its purpose. Did the problems every year, like student organization days, which was held apathy, or tuition fee increase, weeks before the end of the first and even changes in the academic semester, encourage you to join a environment, for instance, the university-based organization?

Tongue Twisted

My Privilege We are sorry.

Wait, did I surprise you?

Everyone must’ve thought Aquinian Herald as a volcano of criticism, and the last thing to come to one’s mind when reading an opinion article is an apology. Yet, I personally believe, that just like the most of us, we too have our own share of shortcomings.

And to deny them would mean not just immaturity, but dishonesty.

Forgive us for not being able to bring you this issue at the soonest possible time. The challenge for us is to keep the publication running, and to make it better than what it was yesterday. The challenge for you, our dear Aquinians, is to read dynamic, honest, and worthwhile articles every single time you are handed a tabloid. We vow to write with sterling quality, because I believe this school deserves nothing less than the best we have to offer. Why? Because we believe the admin, the faculty, and staff are giving their best for this school too. And for that, we cannot compromise the quality of our articles for the sake of schedule.

Time will come when we would be able to publish excellent articles, and fast.

Forgive us too, for being harsh at times. Our existence makes you feel uncomfortable; yes we know that full well. But this is our job. We exist to be honest and accurate. We have to be objective and that means we cannot show any favoritism.

At times, we have to report it even if the names of our friends will be published. Trust me, it’s hard. But we have to do it. We have to ask

How Sweet the Sound

Jesus L. Dawal, Jr.

freetoworship.dawz@gmail.com

you questions because we feel that Aquinians deserve the truth, and nothing less than that.

I personally believe that if we would just look at things in a new light, we’ll see that this school isn’t so bad after all.

The apostle Paul believed that if Christ is the head, then we are the body. Some parts are easily appreciated; some aren’t. It is my privilege then to mention some things we don’t appreciate so easily, yet should be grateful for.

We are all aware of the great “Aquinian Apathy.” In many schools whenever there are events, students would flood the venue and participate wholeheartedly.

In this university, it’s not the case.

Students would rather go to the mall or at "42." What the school does to remedy this apathy is to create lots of programs which hope to entertain the students, and to cater for our holistic growth.

Take the Guidance program, for example. We take it for granted, yes. But once I tried attending some events, and because I tried to listen, I learned something very important to the point that I chose to write this article instead of another. I know the admin knows that many of the attendees are only after those guidance points, but still they are willing to host events for the sake of those who attend for profound

reasons.

Keep it up!

Another thing worth mentioning is the immediate response of the school to calamities. Typhoon Glenda’s aftermath was devastating, yet the school made sure we had . If we would take a look at the premises today, we wouldn’t remember that we were hit by Glenda just this year.

Wait, when was it again?

So thank you, school, for giving us this Glenda amnesia.

Lastly, I would personally like to commend OSS for your goodnatured guards. Not everyone knows whatever each student’s going through: some of them must be exhausted from working on their thesis revision; others must have complex family situations, yet whenever we would enter the gates, the guards would smile at us and greet us with a sweet good morning.

You mustn’t have noticed, but our expressions change instantly the moment we turn our backs from you.

In spite of what we’re going through, we can smile nonetheless. Thanks for the smiles! Keep ‘em coming!

Our former EIC, Aaron Dimaano once wrote an article in these very pages entitled “Aquinas is the Best University in Bicol.”

We all know it’s not. For now.

But if we would just work more than complain; if we would just listen more than talk, and be grateful instead of being proud, then I believe what he said might not be too far from reality.

Maybe, just maybe. ■

Editorial...

FROM PAGE 6

paychecks somewhere else. This leads us back to the issue: their salary. Isn’t the reason for recently raising our tuition fee to provide competitive pay for our teachers?

The quality of instruction suffers lest we fix this. The students can’t learn enough lest we put more effort into improving not just the quantity but also the quality of our

instructors.

We believe that the students who chose Aquinas University do want to nurture their minds and enrich their spirits. We believe that the students do want to learn. And we believe that the students deserve the best treatment from what is considered as one of the best universities in the region.

Education is still the key to success. A good number of us still rely and invest a lot of time and money for a college diploma. In a future set to have a highly competitive and globalized economy, now is a good time as any to stop disregarding the need for change.

We want change.

ASEAN integration or the K-12. It is your job to identify and assess these needs in order for you to deal with them.

The obvious solution to this problem is actually really simple.

Sit down and get your ducks in a row. Goals and issues need to be discussed first, before anything else. Let us not confuse objectives with results – the latter is found after the conduct of activity, the first one is planned and set before. For presidents, instead of just asking for ideas on activities, why not ask them first what they think the student body needs now? It’s actually as easy as organizing one small meeting. If you’re willing to take the extra-mile, conduct a research on the students’ needs. I’m sure a small amount of extra effort wouldn’t hurt.

I’ll end this with one reminder that I got from a fellow student leader. Leaders don’t measure their success with the number of activities they’ve organized but rather, on the number of issues they’ve solved. ■

Love and truth?

Aquinas University, according to its vision-mission, prides itself in upholding two values: love and truth. So far, in my two semesters here, I’ve always thought that this institution did a great job adhering to them. I felt that out of the three universities I’ve attended, AUL’s atmosphere and community was the friendliest. I felt accepted at best and at worst, peacefully left to my own devices.

It sounds blissful, doesn’t it? But alas, dear readers, I have found that covering my eyes were murky rose-colored lenses obscuring the truth. And by lenses, I do not mean my prescription glasses.

A professor approached me with a letter he sent to the Bishop and to our Rector and President sharing a tale he recently experienced in our institution.

I was slightly appalled upon hearing it, but admittedly tried to rationalize it in my head thinking we are a Catholic school after all.

At the moment, he requested his identity be hidden under a false name - Risvan. Mr. Risvan recalled that, one morning last September, he was approached by one of his colleagues and was told that it is prohibited for him to wear a kufi (a Muslim cap) inside the school premises.

Concerned about what this might mean for him, he approached his superior and raised the matter of him being a Muslim convert and asked whether there was a policy prohibiting non-Catholics to teach in the school.

Mr. Risvan emphasized that he does not wear the kufi regularly nor does he wear it in the classroom. His superior told him that it is “not allowed” for a non-Catholic to teach in the university. However, his superior could not furnish him with a copy of the policy because, as he was told, it’s still under revision.

Confused, Mr. Risvan pointed out that there are Muslim students enrolled in the university. His superior said it is a different case.

Mr. Risvan in the letter asks, “How

can it be a different case when the same creed is involved?”

He was told that as a teacher, he has influence over his students and might sway them to Islam. Though quite insulted,

Run No More

Janin B. Volante

confundedninja@gmail.com

Mr. Risvan defended himself by saying that he does not teach religion nor encourage them to believe in what he believes in. He also said that he deals with his colleagues and students in a very harmonious way.

The situation confided to me got me thinking. As citizens of this country we are vested with religious freedom. We are free to choose our religion and we are free to practice the profession we choose without being discriminated against based on whatever faith we have. However, private institutions such as our university do have a right to hire people according to the principles they adhere to.

I figured, perhaps this was the case despite the wounding way it happened. However, I asked around in a couple of offices in the university and apparently, there is no policy currently being implemented that prohibits those with other religions to teach in the university. Yes, perhaps there is one under revision, but right now, telling a professor who has not gone against any university rule and has done his job effectively that he is not allowed to teach because his faith differs from ours does not seem right.

Especially considering the policy isn’t even passed as of now.

Regarding his superior’s concern about Mr. Risvan’s influence, I hardly think that is a problem. As he pointed out, he does not teach a religion class. I would be concerned if he were a professor from ORA teaching religious education. But the fact RUN NO MORE PAGE 17

8

The Official Student Publication of the Aquinas University of Legazpi

THE

“

THE COLD NEVER BOTHERED ME ANYWAY..”

BY JOHN PAUL GARRIDO / KRISTINE MARIE ARIENDA

How dousing oneself with a bucket of ice water helped the ALS Association raise a hundred million dollars Early August of this year, when videos of people, famous people mostly, soaking themselves in ice-cold water, started to surface around the internet. They were calling it the Ice Bucket Challenge.

It wasn’t a stunt to get attention, nor a fun way to cool off in the scorching summer heat.

It wasn’t something people partake in to be in with the cool, new, hip thing. It wasn’t just another fad that seemed to plague the social media sphere these days. Well, at least not entirely.

It’s a game of tag. A chain request. People film themselves being doused with a bucket of cold water, post it on Facebook or Twitter, then challenge three other people to do the same, and then pass it on to another three challengers, so on and so forth.

But most of all, it’s a challenge for a cause, a viral movement to help raise awareness and financial funding for the rare, progressive disease known as ALS or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Anyone who takes on the challenge can proceed to donate $10 or more, to the ALS Association, a nonprofit organization caring for ALS patients and researching for a cure.

Anyone tagged who failed to partake in the challenge within 24 hours, is encouraged to donate a hundred dollars instead. A whopping 15 million U.S. dollars was raised in just weeks, courtesy of donors like Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and Tim Cook.

A few months have passed and the challenge was able to raise $115 million and still counting, for the ALS Association.

Although the concept of this campaign wasn’t entirely new, this sets a place in the history books as the first to be able to rally help across the globe, using the power of social media.

“I guess the most remarkable thing about this ice bucket challenge is the level of visibility it has brought to this disease," said Carrie Munk, a spokesperson for the ALS Association in a report in the Time Magazine website. "The dollars are incredible, but people are talking about ALS now, they're talking about research, they're talking about patients and their families. It's really so incredibly valuable,” she added.

“The challenge has now reached almost every country in the world,” reported social networking giant, Facebook.

And the Philippines wasn’t one to back down or ignore an opportunity to help. In fact, according to Facebook data, the country ranks eighth among the countries in the world with the most participation in the online charity campaign.

Countless Pinoys, famous, powerful and ordinary folks alike, jumped in on the craze and donated to the cause. Individuals like multimedia personality Kris Aquino, Broadway star Lea Salonga, and business tycoons Andrew Tan of Megaworld and McDonalds Philippines’ young CEO, Kenneth Yang.

EARLY BEGINNINGS Like most of the viral sensations in the internet, it started small. Time Magazine reported that the origin of this challenge can be traced back in late 2013, where it was just between friends interacting online.

Chris Kennedy, a golfer in Sarasota, Florida, was challenged by a friend to participate

in a challenge with the same mechanics as today’s version. The difference, was that it was not tied to ALS specifically, and that one has the liberty to donate to a charity of his choice.

Kennedy started passing the challenge along after choosing ALS charity as his cause, because of a relative suffering from the disease. Kennedy posted the video sometime in July of this year and then it went viral as people started following suit. The chain reaction is what we now know as the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.

But beyond the buckets, or braving a bath of icy water, we shall move the spotlight to the disease behind it all, and delve into how the sizeable donations would help the ALS community.

WHAT IS ALS? The ALS Association defines ALS as a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. It is also called the ‘Lou Gehrig’s Disease’ named after the famous baseball player who died 1941 after being diagnosed with it. It causes muscle weakness, affecting overall physical function.

The word amyotrophic is derived from the Greek language that means "no muscle nourishment." When a muscle has no nourishment, it "atrophies" or wastes away.

"Lateral" refers to the areas in a person's spinal cord where portions of the nerve cells that signal and control the muscles are located. As this area degenerates, it leads to “sclerosis” - the scarring or hardening.

A motor neuron disease, it causes nerve cells to gradually break down and die. It is sometimes called the motor neuron disease.

When the motor neurons die, the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. With voluntary muscle action progressively affected, patients in the later stages of the disease may become totally paralyzed.

Early signs and symptoms of ALS include: (1) difficulty doing normal daily activities such as walking, (2) weakness in the arms, hands, leg and feet, (3) slurring of speech and trouble swallowing, (4) muscle cramps and twitching in the arms, shoulders and tongue, and (5) difficulty holding one’s head up or keeping a good posture.

When muscles don’t get the impulses required for movement, the muscles begin to degenerate.

Limbs begin to look thinner as muscle tissues progressively decline.

It can affect your ability to control the muscles that are needed to move, speak, eat and breathe. ALS eventually leads to death.

At this time, the cause of ALS is not known.

Scientists are considering factors

such as genetics, autoimmune response, and environmental factors as likely causes.

World Health Organization (WHO) approximates 10% of ALS cases as hereditary. Genetic screening can determine potential carriers of the gene in families with a history of ALS. In the U.S, around 5,600 people are diagnosed with ALS each year. Only two out of 100,000 people affect this disease, predominantly men after the age of 40.

The life expectancy of an ALS patient averages about two to five years from the time of diagnosis. But this disease is variable, and in such cases many people live a good five years or more. More than half of all patients live more than three years after diagnosis.

certainly appreciate the compassion that has caused people all over the country, certainly including many Catholics, to be interacting and engaging in a fun way to support ALS research," Diocese spokesman Dan Andriacco said. "But it's a well-established moral principle that not only the ends be good, but the means must be good, too."

In the Philippines, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop, Socrates Villegas, urged those participating in the ALS ice bucket challenge ''to make a clear and unequivocal declaration that their donation is made on condition that none of it is to be applied to research that involves the use of embryonic stem cells, in vivo or in vitro."

Villegas said the church will support research on ALS and other incapacitating diseases as long as they are kept within the ''limits of the ethical demands of human dignity."

The ALS Association countered that though they have one embryonic stem cell research, most of their studies are about adult stem cells and the donors can stipulate what research they would fund.

PHOTO COURTESY OF Associated Press Filipino business ALS can strike anyone. It occurs personality, and first ever The Apprentice Asia throughout the world with no racial, ethnic winner, Jonathan Yabut wrote in Rappler or socioeconomic restrictions. why he’s still giving the ALS Ice Bucket There is still no known cure for the Challenge the cold shoulder, despite being tagged to do it for 12 times. disease; only a treatment for its symptoms.

“The easiest critique to throw against A number of clinical trials are underway this campaign is “slacktivism.” Why throw a globally, in search for a cure. Some of them bucket of ice water on your head and tweet are now looking into stem cell implantation about it when you can directly donate to the as a possible cure. Stem cells are these cause?

I won’t even talk about the gallons of specialized kinds of cells that gives rise to any type of cell such as muscle cells, blood cells, water wasted in this campaign while children and neurons. Like other ongoing research in other parts of the world are dying to drink for diseases like Parkinson’s, heart disease, clean and safe water. But one can say that the and diabetes, the idea is that stem cells can benefits of awareness and funding outweigh potentially restore damaged or defective whatever critique you’d like to say.” said cells caused by these diseases. In ALS’s case, Yabut. the motor neurons.

On the other hand, he expressed a point But this was met with strong opposition of concern amid this ongoing online craze. by some sectors, especially the religious.

“It rather seems that ALS is now becoming the convenient excuse to show off yourself in CRITICS AND COLD SHOULDERS a funny video. Which is the same kick that The viral campaign wasn’t without you get for any selfie. And sadly, this is what I think the Ice Bucket Challenge has become. its share of criticisms.

The Roman Catholic Diocese in People post not for ALS, but for themselves.

Ohio, USA discouraged 113 schools What do you call a selfish selfie? A selfiesh.” to participate in the Ice Bucket Challenge because the proceeds of the One can’t deny that in these changing times, charity campaign where most people live their life in a pace fast could aid in enough that it’s hard to keep up and get their e m b r y o n i c attention, this viral marketing campaign stem cell slash charity fund drive did wonders in r e s e a r c h , landing the spotlight on a worthwhile cause. which in their The controversies and criticisms aside, belief, is “in no one should overlook the fact that the Ice direct conflict Bucket Challenge paved a way for much with Catholic awareness about the debilitating disease and teaching”. lending a hand and helping out in a small "We or big way, the best way you can, if the cold never bothered you, anyway. ■ ART BY WENDELL CILOT

9

The Official Student Publication of the Aquinas University of Legazpi

When

C llide Atheism in AQUINAS DOUBT&FAITH 0

B Y J E S U S L . DAWA L , J R .

“SO TELL ME. IS THERE ANY CHANCE THAT YOU'LL EVER BE CONVERTED BACK?”

T

he question lay on the table of Sandi’s Canteen, like a lit grenade. Every second passing just means prolonging the inevitable. He must have thought to himself, There’s no turning back now What I’m about to say next is going to be published in the Aquinian Herald.

Nevertheless his response was immediate, almost like an impulse. “No, I’m not going back to Christianity,” he said.

Aquinas University of Legazpi is a Catholic institution run by the Dominican priests.

We hold supreme Catholic values at the pinnacle of our thoughts and hearts, “strengthening one’s moral integrity through fervent prayer… towards a more Christian community,” says our visionmission statement.

In a predominantly Catholic or Christian nation, perhaps atheism is not a popular subject. But also as a country that has absolute freedom of belief, irreligion, atheism, and agnosticism is undeniably existent.

And the university’s religious standing aside, there are those who will always hold a belief different or contrary to the school’s.

While it doesn’t foster irreligion, AUL had been respectful of everyone’s collective freedoms by not prescribing Catholicism as one’s religion so he can attend or work in this institution. So indeed, nonreligious folks exists inside the university.

In 2012, a demographic study conducted

by Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life found out that about 32 percent of the total global population identify themselves as Christians. All other world religions comprise the rest. All but 16 percent, who say they are not affiliated to any religion. This percentage comprises the atheists.

INTERVIEW WITH THE ATHEIST The Encyclopaedia of Philosophy defines atheism as, in general, the critique and denial of metaphysical beliefs in God or spiritual beings.

In our school, there exist people who hold that particular view. We were able to talk to an Aquinian inclined to talk about atheism. Though he is open about it, he wishes to remain anonymous here.

He shares that he personally doesn’t believe that a supreme being exists out there, nor are any other spiritual beings, for that matter.

“My transition from belief to nonbelief started in high school. It was gradual until college,” he explains. It all began when he thought about the question of, what if there was no one out there all along. Then he started to read books and conversing with people who hold different kinds of views.

He then came to conclude that for him, there really is no god.

“It actually liberated me,” he said, referring to how embracing atheism has

influenced him. He claims seeing life in a new light, and now believes that things have made more sense than the time he clung to the belief that God exists.

But on the issue of whether faith in God can be beneficial or not, he believes that in some ways, it can be, too.

He said he didn’t have a bitter past which triggered him to hate God at first, unlike some who spout all their hatred towards the faith by mocking Christians.

But he made sure to mention two things he doesn’t agree with concerning the Catholic worldview: creationism and theocracy.

Creationism says that all things were created by the divinity, from the expanse of the universe to the nucleus in our cells. It directly opposes Charles Darwin’s antithesis of evolution.

“What I don’t like about it is that we

growth and moral formation. Chatting up with one professor from CREED on the subject, he acknowledged his encounters with students who have atheistic views.

“It’s very challenging for me,” he said.

“First and foremost I am a Religious Education instructor, and it is my mission to teach about God, His ways, purposes, and character. I have met some who would blatantly express their indifference to God’s presence in front of the class. In those cases, I would do away with what’s printed on the syllabus and relate to them instead, in their own pace, and in their need.”

He explained that aside from those who would call themselves as atheists, there are also Filipinos whom can be called as “practical atheists”.

“These are people who are apathetic to God, and are ungrateful or refuse to

“I DO NOT FEEL PERSECUTED. I'M TREATED NICELY HERE. MANY PEOPLE IN HERE ARE OPEN-MINDED AND I DON’T FEEL ALIENATED EVEN THOUGH MY BELIEFS ARE IN CONTRAST WITH SOME OF THE VIEWS THIS SCHOOL UPHOLD.” humans think we’re the higher species, and thus gives some of us reason to be arrogant,” he explains. He believes in the rationality of science brought by the scientific method.

Theocracy, on the other hand, means that the deity is the civil ruler and official policy is governed by officials regarded as divinely guarded, or is pursuant to the doctrine of a particular religion. “What I don’t accept is that it imposes things to us, no questions asked. It’s like, ‘Do this, don’t do that, and so on. It’s like blindly following someone, and ignoring your faculties of reason.’”

Though he does not agree with many of the vital dogmas esteemed by the Catholic Church, he said he likes how this school is being run. “I do not feel persecuted. I’m treated nicely here. Many people in here are open-minded and I don’t feel alienated even though my beliefs are in contrast with some of the views this school upholds.”

But there were times when he felt a theocratic rule inside his Religious Education (RE) classes. In his experience, whenever there were delicate issues, the professor would just explain things away and their contrasting opinions wouldn’t matter. His suggestion would be for the RE professors to make discussions more dynamic and philosophical.

INTERVIEW WITH THE RELIGION PROFESSOR The university’s Center for Religious Education (CREED) of the Office of Relilgious Affairs (ORA) is the primary institution in the university that nurtures the students’ spiritual

acknowledge His hand on their fortune. They would associate their success to their own personal efforts alone.”

He also stressed on the decline of spiritual development among Filipinos, especially the young.

“I think one of the key problems of Filipinos regarding spiritual growth is when we rely too much on ministers and priests to feed us with the Catholic teachings, when we can search for God ourselves and grow,” he also explained.

Religion, for him is a good thing. At first, we are told to do things because we don’t know much. But as we grow in the faith, he stressed that we need to understand what matters above all is our personal relationship to God. “Religious Education is not enough,” he admits. “The topics about God are too broad and complex that it cannot be fully grasped in just the four walls of the classroom in the course of a semester.”

For this matter he suggested a way to address this concern. Spiritual growth can be cultivated among students without the pressure and formality of the classroom setting.

“We have this thing called the ‘Basic Ecclesial Community’. It’s a small group of people who would meet regularly to discuss about God. We would choose a particular Biblical passage and then we would share our experiences and insights in light about it. It’s a good environment to help us see things from diverse perspectives. Also it provides us some sort

of support system. We can encourage each other in our struggles and find comfort and hope in God’s word.”

Unknown to many, there are students inside the school who already formed a Basic Ecclesial Community.

A group of students from the College of Business, Management and Accountancy (CBMA) and the College of Engineering, Architecture and Fine Arts (CEAFA) would troop in the cafeteria to talk about God and listen to each other’s problems. They would encourage one another to keep going despite the array of challenges they face daily.

This small community is being led

by Aileen Martinez, a third year BS Accountancy student. During the first semester of this year, they agreed to meet during Tuesdays and Thursdays, during the time everyone or most of them are free.

THE COMMON GROUND Despite the opposing beliefs presented, it laid out a common ground - freedom. The atheist appreciates this school’s respect of his freedom to believe in whatever he chooses, that it didn’t force him to denounce his convictions so he can attend here.

Meanwhile, during the inquiry with the RE professor, a book called Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis, an atheist who got converted to Christianity, was mentioned.

“We were created to be free, so we should enjoy our freedom,” concludes the professor.

On one hand, Pope Francis’ words in his homily at the papal residence in Domus Santae Martae touched on the growing intolerance and radical views by diverse faiths. He beliees that despite differences between believers and nonbelievers, ‘doing good’ should be a common denominator. ■ God created things which had free will.

That means creatures which can go either wrong or right. Some people think they can imagine a creature which was free but had no possibility of going wrong; I cannot. If a thing is free to be good it is also free to be bad. And free will is what has made evil possible. Why, then, did God give them free will? Because free will though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having. A world of automata—of creatures that worked like machines—would hardly be worth creating. The happiness which God designs for His higher creatures is the happiness of being freely, voluntarily united to Him and to each other in an ecstasy of love and delight compared with which the most rapturous love between a man and a woman on this earth is mere milk and water. And for that they must be free.

- an excerpt from Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

10

The Official Student Publication of the Aquinas University of Legazpi

In the age where everything is accessed on a screen with a few clicks and taps, some reading habits eventually morphed from turning actual pages of books, into having an account and knowing your way around Wattpad the popular online writing and ebook community.

The popularity of this platform is specifically more evident in the Philippines.

In the latest data provided by social media monitor SocialBakers, the Filipinos are the second biggest users of Wattpad.

Seven million Filipinos visit the site every month, tailing behind American users, with 23% of its Android traffic coming from the Philippines. The most popular Wattpad user is a Filipino, with more than 225,000 followers worldwide.

March of this year when Wattpad signed a contract with Summit Media, to print Pinoy Wattpad stories here in the Philippines.

As of late, six other Pinoy publishers are printing stories from the site, like PSICOM and Precious Pages Corporation. Book adaptations of Wattpad stories, like “Diary ng Panget” and “She’s Dating the Gangster” took over mainstream bookstores in the country.

And just shortly after being hit by a super typhoon, die-hard fans of She’s Dating the Gangster in Legazpi did not dare miss the premiere of its awaited movie adaptation.

Despite the lack of air-conditioning due to busted electric lines and the long queues in the cinema, Legazpeño youngsters and young-at-hearts, waited patiently to see teen celebrities Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla give life to one of the most read stories in Wattpad.

As Wattpad draws more and more attention, it seems to be making reading a more popular activity again, especially among the young.

Emergence of Wattpad It was November of the year 2006 when Wattpad was launched by Allen Lau and Ivan Yuen in Toronto, Canada as a web-based

BY MELISSA R. MESIAS

Keeping the young'uns reading writing community, where a member can post stories, fan fiction, and poems, and interact with other users. Access to the stories is pretty much free to anyone with internet access and a computer o r mobile device.

Presents, featuring Wattpad stories in the drama anthology format. ABS-CBN’s Wansapanataym, recently aired “My App Boyfie”, another story from the online writing community.

Over the years, it has also become a place f o r undiscovered writers to share their stories, reaching out to the “digital audience”, making way for them to be published later on.

Teenagers go gaga

Take Filipino Wattpad user Bianca B. Bernandino, the author of She's Dating the Gangster.

She wrote the said story around 2006, and seven years later, is now a published author and a hit movie under her belt.

Summit Media – the company that produces Philippine editions of international chain of magazines like Candy, Cosmpolitan and FHM – reached out to her to discuss the possibility of publishing her work, in the Philippines. A movie deal with Star Cinema shortly after, and Bernandino became one of Wattpad’s success stories.

This year marks the invasion of Wattpad stories in the Philippine film and TV. This popularity propelled stories such as “Diary ng Panget” and “Talk Back and You’re Dead” into the big screen. TV5 partners with Wattpad and Life is Beatiful Publishing Company and launched TV show, Wattpad

Pinoy audience of Wattpad, according to founder and CEO Allan Lau, gravitate toward fan fiction, or celebrity fictions on local popular celebrity love tandems like that of Daniel Padilla and Kathryn Bernardo.

Hence, it is popular predominantly to females falling under the 13-17 age demographic.

You must then detect a dominant theme most Filipinos seem to love in Wattpad - teenage romantic entanglements.

To understand the fervent adoration to such, we talked with Aquinians who read, write or participate in the Wattpad community.

According to Jecxis Sioson, a fourth year BS Psychology student, she first found herself in the the world of Wattpad in 2011.

Jecxis was just a freshman when she started reading Wattpad stories, out of boredom.

"At that time I was just staying at the boarding house all day and had nothing much to do, so I find myself immersed in this stories online…” she said.

Another avid user, Althea Shane Uy, an AB Communication sophomore, visited the website out of curiosity after hearing her friends gush about it. Like Jecxis, she started reading them in her first year. She

shared that she also attempted to write in Wattpad but still not able to finish them.

For Althea, reading a Wattpad story is more interesting than watching movies.

It fires your imagination, and you have the power to imagine the celebrities who will portray the characters’ roles. She also admitted that she learns things from reading different stories and can sometimes relate with the characters’ ordeals.

The success of Wattpad might be attributed to its instant availability. It’s free, accessible and fairly easy to use using a mobile phone. With a Wi-fi or data connection, you can access thousands of stories anytime, anywhere.

Love of reading In Ray Bradbury's book entitled Fahrenheit 451, in an unknown time in the future, owning a book is a crime. The punishment for it is that the firemen will burn the books together with the house they are in. Reading is considered a crime because the government does not want the people to have the freedom to think; information is carefully selected and fed by the government.

Wattpad stories may be clichéd or predictable as they seem but judging them as shallow or without substance is like a jab to the writer, aspiring or not, for he or she only wanted to share his or her craft to people like many of us who love to read. They help bridge the gap between reading and the internet. It gives the teenagers another thing do aside from spending so much time in social media sites.

In the changing times, authors of these Wattpad stories might be the ones that still keep the love of reading alive and burning. ■

^

NOT

<

How to do your thesis

BY DON KEVIN JOSE O. HAPAL

You’ve probably seen them. Students with dead-looking eyes and swollen eyebags, clad in their not-so-neat uniforms, running hazardously around the campus, drained and almost emotionless – much like the zombies you see in the movies. Alas! It’s that time of the year again, when undergrads will have to go through one of the most difficult part of college life - their undergraduate thesis.

But you know what they say. It’s all a matter of perspective. It can be a big obstacle in getting that diploma, but if you play your cards right, then it will definitely bring you so much closer to it. So whether you’re doing yours now, or will be soon, watch out for the following examples of what not to do when you’re doing your thesis.

1. Do Not attend your thesis 101

A bunch of you who already took their Thesis 101 are probably grinning in guilt right now. Let’s admit it, it can be really boring at times and a lot of students take it for granted, thinking that what will only matter in the end is your final output anyway so you might as well skip it. But truth be told, you will most probably regret missing your thesis 101 classes when you’re already sent out to gather your data and write your manuscript.

Let me emphasize this again just in case: ATTEND YOUR THESIS 101 CLASSES. Apart from it being a pre-requisite course, the lessons that you will be learning in this class are vital for you to be able to finish your final output. From the most basic knowledge like your manuscript format to know-hows and how-to’s , thesis 101 will be your boat in the sea of ignorance and will probably save you from a lot of trouble in the future.

2. Copy and paste Yes, whoever invented the copy and paste function deserves a Nobel Prize for making your lives so much easier as students in the past years. But when you’re doing your thesis, you would do a lot better by keeping your fingers away from the ‘ctrl+c’ and ‘ctrl+v’ keyboard shortcuts.

As college students, you are expected to at least already reach an understanding that plagiarism is wrong and very much illegal. We are not saying that you cannot get ideas and data from other published works anymore, but you have to always remember to give proper citations and credits to their respective authors. As much as possible, do paraphrase to the best of your abilities.

3. Rely on Wikipedia

Wikipedia is not the most reliable source out there. It’s an open encyclopedia that can be edited by anyone, anytime. In fact, you can go there now, register, edit an entry and write one about you being a demigod. There are lots of better sources out there, and ‘googling’ them is already too easy. You should look for websites with ‘.org’ or ‘.edu’ in its address. But if you want to use data from Wikipedia, I suggest you look below the page where the citations are and use those links instead. That way, you will be directly taken to the source of the information and will be able to verify the validity of the facts that you will be getting.

5. Assume that you work better when you cram

We hear a lot about students who claim that they intentionally cram their works because they actually do better when they’re rushing. Do yourself a favor and steer away from this delusion.

You can argue that you’ve pulled off cramming once or a couple of times but imagine how much better you could have done if you did not rush into it just so you could meet the deadline. Cramming is a no-no. When you cram, you sacrifice the quality of your work and are putting yourself at a great risk of failing. Yes, you may have managed to get away with it in your other projects, I strongly advise you to not risk it with your thesis. Research was never meant to be rushed. If it was, you wouldn’t even This has been often the case when things go sideways. Point the finger on the be reading an article like this. It takes time to finish a decent thesis – use your time panel. Yes, some panelists may seem annoyingly unsatisfiable unlike the other wisely. group’s. And yes, some advisers may not seem to be as supportive as the other Indeed, failing your thesis is a scary thought. advisers. But no matter what you say, it’s all in your hands.

But all it takes is a little effort aimed at the right In the first place, you’re the one who will nominate your adviser and the direction.

Always remember, the very purpose members of your panel, so do not suddenly go blaming your bad fate on them as if of why we’re all doing this is to make human life you unluckily pulled out a bad card from a random draw. Remember that they’re not better.

Research was designed to identify and solve your enemies. They are there to help you make your work better. On the other hand, problems.

Aim to do it right, and who knows, you don’t expect and depend too much on your adviser. While there are advisers who take might even be contributing to saving lives. Not every the extra mile by helping their advisees more than they should, it is still your thesis college student gets to do that.

■ and not theirs. At the end of the day, the outcome of your thesis very much depends

4. Blame it on your panelists or adviser

on you and nobody else.

11

The Official Student Publication of the Aquinas University of Legazpi

SCI-TECH "Let an ultraintelligent machine be defined as a machine that can far surpass all the intellectual activities of any man however clever. Since

Intelligence mankind Explosion enters a new era

BY JILLIAN J. ESTRELLADO

the design of machines is one of these intellectual activities, an ultraintelligent machine could design even better machines; there would then unquestionably be an 'intelligence explosion,' and the intelligence of man would be left far behind. Thus the first invention that man need ever make."

GOOGLE GLASS. The age of augmented or wearable technology is finally here as Google's Google Glass orApple's iWatch make it to the consumer market. .

- Irving john Good, Mathematician

An unofficial survey suggests that the average Aquinian student spends 6.5 days on the internet per week at an average of 5 hours per session. Most spend 80% of this on social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

But then, this isn’t surprising nor necessarily a bad thing. The internet is a great source of information and is readily accessible. Most of us have internet connection at home, not to mention the free Wi-Fi access whenever you are within the campus. Connecting to the internet is just a matter of tapping a few buttons. So what’s stopping us from going online 24 hours a day, seven days a week?

in their own hands. And in retrospect, there’s no stopping them from getting smarter than we are, and developing at an incredibly fast rate while they’re at it. With their ability to process huge amount of data almost immediately, not even stopping to post a status on Facebook (#ImFasterThanYouAre), we are terribly outmatched.

At that point, it is impossible to predict what artificial intelligence (AI) can do or what our role as their creators will be. It may not mean the annihilation of the human race, a notion that’s

aims to "educate, inspire and empower leaders to apply exponential technologies to address humanity’s grand challenges."

Kurzweil’s forage into singularity began in about 1980 when he was trying to create a model for technological progress. Being an inventor he tracked technology by how much computing power, in MIPS (millions of instructions per second) you can buy for USD 1,000.

His model turned out very similar to that of Moore’s law, which states that the amount of transistor you can put into a microchip doubles every two years. He

The internet’s popularity in the Philippines is relatively recent. When our parents were students themselves, they had to pore through an inches-thick dictionary just to find the meaning of a word, or wait for days to receive a reply from a friend through snail mail for weeks or months if the friend happens to live abroad.

But our parents didn’t have the technology we have now. According to Raymond Kurzweil, an acclaimed BIONIC ARM. The modular prosthetic limb, in development at Johns Hopkins University's Applied inventor and engineer, our average Physics Laboratory, is one of the most advanced bionic arms. cellphone is about a millionth the size of, a millionth the prize of and a thousand inevitable to think of when it comes to called his model the law of accelerating times more powerful than the computers AI. But maybe we would combine with returns: technological progress happens invented 40 years ago. Ten years ago we them as half man-half machine, using exponentially, in multiples of two. As didn’t have handheld gadgets that allows computers to extend our abilities beyond opposed to a linear growth with regular us to access an almost unlimited amount ordinary humans. Or maybe upload our increments on a straight line. of information on the go and check where consciousness virtually to more sturdy (Exponential vs linear curve graphic we are going even as we are going there; vessels similar to a computer hard disk or a here) now we have smartphones. Just two robot and become essentially immortals. years ago we didn’t have a billion people In any case, these ideas have one thing This exponential curve starts out using the internet to communicate in common—the transformation of slowly and then veers off to infinity instantly over vast distances using a the human race to a form that can’t be almost immediately. And when extended single network, now we have Facebook. recognized from the humans of today. to the past, during the era of vacuum Today computers and similar This transformation is called Singularity. tubes, and relays it describes the growth pretty accurately, even through war and technologies play a big role in our daily peace, economic crisis or no. He then life. From education to entertainment Singularity tracked other areas of technological to communication we rely heavily on cellphones and computers. And It’s difficult to talk about the concept advancement: the falling cost of everybody knows that computers are of Singularity without thinking of it as transistor manufacture, the increasing getting faster. Computers are getting science fiction. The concept implies super clock speed of the microprocessor, faster, faster (the rate that they're going intelligent immortal robots shooting high- biotechnology, internet hosts, and even faster is increasing). powered laser guns at human rebels. But nanotechnology. In all these areas he found exponential growth.

If computers are getting really really it’s a valid hypothesis of the future of the It became a bit surprising, even fast, is it unthinkable that they could get human race which had gone through careful evaluation. alarming when these curves were as intelligent as humans - an artificial intelligence? They would become This Singularity movement means extended to the future. The human something more than simply a matter of serious business. Its proponents include brain is simply not hardwired to think in input and output of data but something NASA, Nokia, Cisco and popular tech exponential terms. We evolved to think (or someone?) you can have a decent giant Google whose CEO, Larry Page, about everything in a nice regular linear conversation with, something that can is a speaker and co-founder of, and the forms. We can predict where a vehicle drive a car for you or make an artwork. aforementioned Raymond Kurzweil. A is a few seconds after you’ve seen it They’d be capable of making their own teaching organization called Singularity and move out of its way before getting decisions and take their development University was established in 2008 which hit. This is because we can imagine a

regular increase in distance as the vehicle moves along. Exponential curves don’t work that way. It’s like seeing the vehicle move in slow motion at first and suddenly accelerate like a mad race car.

Kurzweil’s exponential curve tells him that by mid-2020’s we have successfully mapped out the whole of the human brain and around that time computers will have the intelligence equal to humans.

(Today the most powerful computer have approximately the intelligence of a mouse.) And according to him by 2045, Singularity will happen, and given the vast increases in computing power and the vast reductions in the cost of same, the quantity of artificial intelligence created will be about a billion times the sum of all the human intelligence that exists today.

Today we have people with Parkinson’s disease with neural implants, printers than can print anything that you can design in AutoCAD, including custommade prosthetics that cost millions just a few years ago. Wearable technologies like wristwatches and eyeglasses that lets you access the internet, talk via Skype or record a video using voice over commands. Is it unimaginable to take these technology and put it into your brain?

To some, Singularity is nothing short of pseudoscience. Who wouldn’t when it talks of immortality, changing matter at will and cyborgs in the foreseeable future? Some argue that it’s impossible to duplicate a human’s consciousness. Sure you can create a silicon equivalent of the human brain neuron by neuron and upload a human equivalent of consciousness into it but is it still human? Am I still me and not just some fancy super intelligent machine capable of simulating human responses but no consciousness, no soul?

By beating death will our lives still have meaning?

These questions can’t be answered today, maybe never, who knows? What’s certain is that change is inevitable. Our history isn’t just a matter of one event after another. We are capable of taking charge of our future and decide our fate, for the better.Technology can either prevent us or help us get there. ■ REFERENCES: - Grossman, Lev (2011) 2045: The Year Man Becomes Immortal, Time Magazine - Hawking, Stephen (1998), Science in the Next Millennium: Remarks by Stephen Hawking - Kurzweil, Ray (2005), The Singularity is Near

PHOTO BY GOOGLE, INC

ultraintelligent machine is the last

12

The Official Student Publication of the Aquinas University of Legazpi

THE

YAWA BRIDGE

“I have no choice but to walk 10-20 meters on the way to school whenever there’s traffic. If you don’t get off, you’ll be stuck and will be late. I hope that the bridge widening project will really be the solution to this problem. It’s really a burden to the students who have morning classes,” said Yoshua Daryll Urbina, second year, BS Accountancy.

This is the usual sentiment of students of Aquinas University about the traffic congestion experienced in the highway along the university.

Students, especially commuters, who have early classes tend to just alight from public conveyances in the middle of the traffic and walk a few more meters to AUL so they can come to class on time.

During rush hours, a heavy concentration of public and private vehicles is experienced in the area. The university, which has a heavy influx of cars going in and out of its premises, is located opposite the national government’s regional offices compound, which also has its fair share of vehicular activity. Add to it the fact that the road is a main route linking the north and south of Legazpi City, through the Yawa Bridge that is just a few meters from AUL. It is only a two-lane bridge and it is not enough to allow a smooth traffic flow.

The Yawa Bridge widening project is seen as a solution to this problem.

The project is part of the Legazpi City’s flood control project, along with the rehabilitation of the other old bridges in the district like the Camalig Bridge, Sagumayon Bridge and San Roque Bridge, and have started preliminary construction in September.

“This project is actually for the bridge’s rehabilitation after the damages caused by past typhoons, especially typhoon Reming in 2006, but then at the same time, we also want to improve its loading capacity,” said Legazpi City engineer, Orlando Rebato.

Yawa Bridge, a main bridge in the city is a primary passage for commuters and trade vehicles alike. The bridge is also the city proper’s primary link to the first district of Albay. There is an alternative road located in Bonot-Bogtong-Pawa-San Joaquin-Dita but the route is farther and prolongs travel time.

“Despite our early departure time, we tend to arrive in school late because of the traffic here in Aquinas and also near St. Agnes. The bridge in Rawis (Yawa Bridge) is just too narrow for the cars. We can’t deny the fact that the cars from AUL plus the cars going to regional offices complicate the flow of traffic. We really need to widen the roads and the bridge. I think it will really lessen the

traffic in the future,” said Sharmaine Daet, a Bicol University’s student who uses the said route almost daily.

More traffic?

WIDENING PROJECT

BY RONA MARICAR C. MIÑA, ANTONIETTE CHARMAINE L. SAMBAJON & GELLI MAE B. GAMUL

to destroy the bridge," the City Engineer clarified.

Affected residents

As the project kickstarts, with the The said project is expected to cause a huge preparatory procedures being taken care impact to the university. Both the benefits of first, it is then expected to affect nearby after and the inconvenience during the residences. The city government promised to constructions. take care of it the households that would be “AUL community will be affected by affected. the project. Of course, when we ask what Meanwhile, power and water supply lines will be the effect, it will not give us positive in the area were moved to make way for the response because even prior to the project construction. The construction experienced a lot of people passing through the bridge a setback when Albay Power and Energy are already complaining about the traffic. Corp. (APEC) failed to remove the power But since it’s not really easy to solve the lines in time. problem by means of short-term solutions, Though Mr. Rebato admits that traffic this government project is reasonable. congestion is inevitable because commuters Maybe at first, there’s the downside of the will have to make way for the heavy constructions causing even more traffic. equipment needed for the expansion. They We will suffer for a little while but this is the have already allocated a new traffic scheme only way we can enjoy, maybe and hopefully to provide support to the traffic enforcer just a better traffic condition,” said Professor in case traffic congestion is uncontrollable.

Silvino Balasta Jr., a faculty member of the “I have an advice to Engr. Meñez. It is College of Arts, Sciences, and Education to have a rerouting to Rawis-San Joaquin(CASE).

Pawa-Bogtong road to lessen the cars using The City PHOTO BY RALPH ORENSE Engineering Office however, said that won’t be the case.

“The project will not cause any additional traffic in the area,” assured Engr.

Rebato.

The plan is to expand the bridge from its current twolane capacity into four.

The bridge, which measures 136.6 meters would be lengthened by an additional four - ORLANDO REBATO, meters and widened CITY ENGINEER into 14.4 meters, will remain at its current elevation. No aggressive reconstruction will the original road,” he added. happen, unlike the Sagumayon Bridge near “The result will be two lanes from Rawis St. Agnes Academy. to Bonot and two lanes from Bonot to Rawis.

“The existing two lanes will not be I am not literally in charge in the operation affected. The construction will be one lane so I don’t know the expected time for the at each side, so we're not actually going project to be finished. This will really help

“

to the traffic congestion we encounter near the Rawis area everyday because we will be having four lanes all in all,” confirmed the City Engineer.

Traffic congestion and cities go hand in hand. Everyone complains about the bad traffic but like the weather, no one can do much about it.

Traffic engineers, transportation planners, and public officials responsible for metropolitan transportation systems are frequently criticized for failing to make a dent in congestion. But is traffic congestion a sign of failure? There really isn’t a one big solution to this kind of problem given the complexity of its causes. However, one option has to be to improve the reliability of public transport to encourage people to take the bus or the train rather than getting their own car.

Long queues at restaurants or theater box offices are seen as signs of success.

Should transportation systems be viewed any differently? We should recognize that traffic congestion is by now, an inevitable byproduct of developing cities. Conventional wisdom holds that traffic congestion exacts a terrible social and economic toll on society;

THE EXISTING TWO LANES WILL NOT BE AFFECTED. THE CONSTRUCTION WILL BE ONE LANE AT EACH SIDE, SO WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY GOING TO DESTROY THE BRIDGE.

expanding transportation capacity only makes things worse and redesigning cities and expanding alternative transportation modes offer the best long-term means for reducing traffic congestion. ■

13

The Official Student Publication of the Aquinas University of Legazpi

how

‘disasterready’

?

is Aquinas

BY R ALPH B. ORENSE

“It was a strong storm,” said Political Science student Patrick Joseph Estillomo. “Living in front of the ocean, I was able to see the transition between a calm blue sky and hazing weather in mere hours.”

Four months ago, the city of Albay endured the wrath of typhoon “Glenda” - one of the strongest storms to hit the Bicol Region since “Reming” in 2006. The aftermath was Albay in a state of disarray, with knocked down trees and power lines, and damaged infrastructures. Livelihood was greatly affected because of the massive blackout experienced which lasted six weeks in some parts of Albay. But the one thing Albay has prided itself with for years now, is its tight disaster response efforts. Glenda, which striked seven regions including Metro Manila, caused no reported casualty in Albay.

Aquinas University, of course was not spared from the storm’s destruction. The university, after receiving the provincial government directive, immediately cancelled classes. Long before the typhoon hit the city, students were already safe at home.

AUL suffered considerable amount of damages in infrastructure that classes had to resume days later to make way for the rehabilitations. In turn, some activities had to be postponed.

“It [the typhoon] caused a big shift in the planned activities, especially the organization days and intramurals. Everyone had to deal with the aftermath,” said Jecxiz Sioson, a Psych major.

But despite the amount of damage that Glenda caused Aquinas University, it is worth mentioning that the school’s regard on the student safety is commendable.

Some of the students praised the university’s efforts in making sure of the students’ safety, before and after the typhoon.

“AUL was very much prepared for Glenda,” said Estillomo. “That is where the university stands out. Following government directives, dismissing the students early us them more time to prepare for the upcoming typhoon and reduce the risks of the students being in trouble.”

SSC Vice President Allan Navales added, “Their early preparations prevented any injury or casualty in the university.”

The university, located in a very disasterprone area, is committed to ensuring preparedness in the event of natural disasters like earthquakes, floods, storm surges, and volcanic eruption.

Much of the credit can be given to Aquinas University of Legazpi Emergency Response Team or ALERT. Recently formed in ____, ALERT is an organization composed of employees from different departments of AUL who volunteered to ensure safety before, during, and after disaster.

“ALERT is a group of Aquinians, faculty and employees dedicated in promoting risk reduction and disaster management, and for saving the lives and properties of the Aquinians. ALERT has more or less, 60-70 members,” shared Barizo.

Each member has a specific designation and task in the organization. Most importantly, they continuously train their

”

DESPITE OUR LIMITATIONS AND SITUATIONS THAT ARE BEYOND OUR CONTROL, REST ASSURED THAT AQUINAS UNIVERSITY, THROUGH ITS ALERT MEMBERS WILL BE THERE TO RESPOND TO WHATEVER CALAMITIES OR DISASTERS THAT WE WILL ENCOUNTER. WE WILL BE READY...

PHOTO BY ENRICO MANALLO

“What is very important is the lives of the students,” said Office of Student Affairs (OSS) Director Jesus A. Barizo. “The university made sure that the students were informed about the typhoon. They were dismissed early, so that they can prepare as well.”

Approximately 30 hours before the typhoon made its landfall in Albay, AUL suspended the classes in all levels so everyone can prepare themselves for the storm that was to reach maximum sustained winds of 150 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of 185 kph.

- JESUS A. BARIZO, ALERT CHAIRMAN

members. “We train them to we make sure they are ready and really capable should a disaster hit the university. Also, members are designated to certain places around the campus. Some are assigned to the elementary department, some in the high school, in the college, and in the specific buildings of the university to take charge during disasters and calamities.”

Afte the typhoon, ALERT, together with the other members of the AUL faculty and employees made sure that the university will be able to resume classes at the soonest possible time.

STAYING ALERT. Intensifying its efforts on disaster preparedness and management, AUL held the region's first Complex Emergency Management drill, supervised by the Bureau of Fire Protection.

“The most significant factor as to why the university was able to immediately PHOTO BY ENRICO MANALLO resume classes despite the damages was the cooperation of the employees. They were working together to quickly help AUL that we could use during emergency recover from the disaster,” said Barizo, who situations. Although the university has its own vehicles, it is important that we also serves as the head of ALERT. have our own ambulance because many emergency response teams have that.

However, a month later after AUL was back Barizo said that the university already to normal operations and activities, another has some of the necessary things needed natural calamity was threatening to wreak for disaster management and risk havoc and destruction in Albay. reduction, it is still necessary to complete Last September, the Bicol region was the equipment in order to be really capable informed of the possible eruption of the of responding to the needs of the Aquinian Mayon Volcano as strong volcanic activity community during disasters or calamities. was detected after laying dormant for at He added that he already requested the city least two years. Weeks followed and the local government of Legazpi for assistance in government started to evacuate about 12,000 providing the university with the necessary families from the different towns in Albay disaster management equipment. residing in the six-kilometer permanent But despite the limitations, Barizo and danger zone. About 3,000 famileis are ready ALERT don’t see that as an excuse or a to be evacuated should the alert level of Mayon is raised to level 4 from its current 3. hindrance, as he believes that the university can still take good care of its students.

Despite all the efforts made by AUL to “Aquinas University has forged linkages ensure that students are prepared, some with many government agencies like for are still worried somehow. They feel that example, City Disaster and Risk Reduction improvements are still needed as regards the Management Council of Legazpi city and university’s disaster preparedness, especially the Bureau of Fire Protection. They are with the imminent eruption of Mayon part the university’s disaster management volcano. alliances. Also, non-government agencies “Perhaps their biggest upcoming problem are assisting the university with regards to is how to evacuate students to a safer place our needs. And we’re very thankful for that.” should Mayon erupt violently in the near “Despite our limitations and situations future. It doesn't take much to observe that that are beyond our control, rest assured Aquinas University is only a few leagues away that Aquinas University, through its ALERT from Mayon's base. How to evacuate all of members will be there to respond to its students to a higher ground (i.e. the third whatever calamities or disasters that we will floor library) to ensure their safety without encounter. We will be ready,” emphasized resulting to panic or to other problems, Barizo. perhaps they should look into that,” said Students should be thankful for Aquinas Estillomo.

University’s efforts to make sure that their Navales pointed out that some members welfare are highly considered especially of ALERT should take their jobs seriously, for during disasters. Of course there are some the lives of the students will depend on them things that still need to be improved and should Mayon erupt anytime soon. “If you there are things that the administration have noticed during the earthquake, fire, and can’t really control, but we should feel chemical spill drill, some of the members relieved that they are doing their best to of ALERT seem to not know what they will make sure that our lives are the priority in do. I am not saying that all of them are like times of typhoons, earthquakes, or even that, but there are some, and they need to volcanic eruption. be prepared to avoid any problems that may Since the university is doing its very best arise during a disaster or calamity.” to take care of the students, it is important Barizo somehow agreed with the that they should do their part too. Instead Aquinian community, as he cited that more of just ignoring the safety drills being resources are needed for ALERT and AUL conducted, they participate to be educated, to be more effective. “The only concern that volunteer to be an additional help, or just we have at this time is that we don’t have the show support. necessary equipment used in responding for AUL is not taking the safety of its students emergencies. For example, should Mayon for granted.

It is only fitting that they should erupt today, we don’t have the necessary do the same.

■ goggles and masks to protect us from ash falls.

We don’t have the vehicles like ambulance

14

The Official Student Publication of the Aquinas University of Legazpi

OrangeDawn

Symphony Soldier

By Dupois

By Ma. Rose Margareth G.Geronga

In the darkness, a guy hides in the light of insanity, holding his tears, locking it in his system.

He remembers his dreams, a kaleidoscope of symphonies penetrating through his mind, longing for that special touch of sanity.

The memories of you cheer my heart so well Along with the pain I feel with the story I need to tell It was fall, the saddest season of the year But for me four years ago That fall was too dear

He hears the soft laughter of music that tickles his senses to smirk.

He roams throughout the dark to find its source, listening to every single rhythm of the melody.

When I first had a glance of you You had those beautiful eyes that seemed confused And looking to those windows, I was very amused

He feels the blinding ray of the sun as he goes out of the darkness.

It was the deepest of love I alone have known And for him I was ready for that burning love to be shown But his first cries worried me And then the doctor came and told me that I should really be For my dear child can't stay and soon needs to flee

Its heat slowly warm his cold self, reinventing his head with memories from his past.

But those aren't chuckles of music. It’s his own heart, beating.

I closed my ears to what he said And turned to prayers instead It seemed like I was slapped in the face And I needed to go to a safer place.

Symphony Soldier

Artwork By Xyrus Araneta

How can God be unfair?

To give me a little child charming and bubbly as he If my little one can't stay and care for me To see him dying in the hospital nursery Gave me a thousand misery His tears, his eyes that looked into mine I know he was dying in vain and I couldn’t do anything to ease the pain To see my little one suffering It tore my soul And left my heart into bleeding I watched every moment sharply And it took care of him more than any medicine.

If only I knew that the end was near I should never have slept that afternoon of October And just stayed with you my dear

The Virtruviam Aquinian Artwork By Wendell Cilot

It was a thousand aching I felt That I think I should never forgot For the God above who love me not And in my mind I have fantasy That he would stay for me But that fantasy change like shifting sand For I know soon he needs to be in another land The saddest part came When I was awaken and the doctor was calling may name I’m sorry but he passed away I tried to do everything but his heart stopped beating And I was left there with my soul trembling

Infinities

By Dupois

It all begins with a soft touch of clarity, tickling your ears with crystal clear melodies surrounding one's psyche.

It was now time to let him go I was there beheld without a tear For my eyes seemed tire to even cry

The music continues to take flight within the speakers. Its instantaneous beats continue to soothe you, guide you, as the sun goes up and down.

I just look up in the sky And hope that God didn't grant this sad fate For all I could feel aside from sorrow is hate

A couple of cars ignite the night. Their overwhelming presences of lights levitate you into a world of welfare.

Before finally letting him go I dared, I gave him a name A name I've shared to the little boy I madly cared I named him Dawn For he was my relief beyond grief For he was like dawn Which never came into day He was like a gong with perfect tone But left alone with no one to perform A gong whose perfect notes were lost in my heart For my child and I are now apart.

You may feel your doubts erupting. “Why do I need to pretend?” but you remain unaffected.

You remain still as you bear the pain.

“Can I lift the weight?”

You feel infinite as you create a genuine wall between the foes, your fears. “This is not me.”

Every breath, sweat and tear transform into treasures.

The collision of flaws yields a very strong framework.

The face you always see in the mirror is the person you once dreamed to be.

This is who you are and no one can surpass that… well, except you.

Maiden In Agony Artwork By Karl Briguera

Medusa's

Sisters

Artwork By Karl Briguera

15

The Official Student Publication of the Aquinas University of Legazpi

Artwork By Wendell Cilot

Artwork By K. Briguera

Behind the Clamour:

A Tale of an Unsung Martyr

By Karen Daniele Besmonte

Is Out of Bounds

By Apple

“Makibaka, Ipaglaban!”

I’ve been tirelessly shouting all day in the midst of the heavy-pouring rain. I don’t care if I get sick or if most of my countrymen think that I am insane. After all, I am truly insane- insane to give justice to the death of unsung heroes, insane to oppugn the powerful soulless leaders of tyrannies.

“Why do you meddle in affairs which are not yours? Why not focus on your future my dear? You’ll be killed! I can’t take it, Idina. Please stop this”, my mother pleaded before I left our abode.

Both morphemes agree with the verbiage of the play.

I myself could say, Through the pluralizing you is none of the way.

Then that to pluralize is plural

But how can I stop if I know I can do something to make a change? Why allow darkness and evil overcome justice and truth? I cannot stop. I just can’t.

Can’t absolutely be the usual?

Fliers were already fading in my hands and the hues of the advocacy printed therein are already marked in my palms. I turned around and scanned one by one the faces of all other “young martyrs” who were with me. All were filled with determination, with courage and with honor. It is an honor to be with these people- fighting together for a cause and attempting to fathom the reason behind the indecipherable inequality and continuous lies that deceive the eyes of many, bar us.

A phoneme which object is indirect to an ear yet insensitive to

The free morpheme is I an eye.

Guilt cannot be to this scheme, Of which you are not of a free but a bound morpheme As to behold the science of morals in it;

Wang! Wang.

Here they are again, masculine puppets who mute the voice of truth for the sake of wealth, promotion and connections. It had occurred to me a thousand times to shake them so violently just to awaken their dumb senses and to unleash any patriotism left in their hearts. Yet, I know violence (as I am here enduring the wearisome, hunger and cold to fight violence) is not the way. No way, I’ll never use an iron fist.

“You must leave, you don’t have a permit to do this!” yelled a bald-headed guy with a bulging stomach.

“But sir, this means a lot to us and to us all. Please just allow us to stay until late afternoon. We promise we will do no harm”, I tried to reason. SPANK! And this stimulated what I feared most- what I was trying to avoid in the first place.

Each component of transitivity on our verses must be fit.

Cause even the prefix seemed to disagree, as well as the participant and the process’s covenant to the NTH degree.

For in the eyes of all, it’s not too late the worth of the play; Lyrics structured by the utterer and doer could no longer stay, For improbability exists all the way.

My colleagues were too enraged and they attacked the police men, throwing bottles and rocks at them.

Meanwhile, I am still dumbfounded either by the slap of the bald-headed guy or by hunger, I cannot decipher anymore. The next scenes clouded my sight and the next thing I know was I am in a stretcher.

For indefinite pronouns are under the sway.

When I woke up, I cannot capture the faces of my friends- of the young martyrs. Where are they? What have they done to them? No. No. Please, I began hyperventilating. I ran as hastily as I could out of the claustrophobic hospital.

With the Omniscient style and honor.

Outside, the bright stars, as bright as my hope, greeted me and I started to worry not just for my friends but for my mother as well. What is she thinking now? I am pretty sure she is dead worried about me.

I walked a few kilometers away from the hospital, only to find myself in a desolate street. And after a minute of silence, I heard footsteps behind me, menacing and maleficent.

I did not turn around to witness the face of another wealth-blinded man, I prefer dying in the same manner as Rizal died, I do not want to see the grief or confusion in his face as he finishes what he came for- ME. I want to make this easy for him and cause relief to someone in the last minutes or maybe seconds of my precious life.Another unsung martyr I will be, maybe I can find myself in the headlines for the next weeks or month until another hot issue provokes the interest of the people. Nonetheless, I died with honor and integrity. I love you mother, I love you Philippines.

Bang!

Tectonic Romance

By Karen Daniele Besmonte Unexpectedly, Fate bestowed me you, Out of the blue, I fell for you, Eccentric bliss of romance rushes, Thereafter, my cheek blushes.

Unpredictably, You rocked my world, Making every single dream, Exist in my own realm, Indebted to your benevolence, Unconsciously, I lost my independence.

Such immediate change blasted louder than an eruption, Trembled violently like a collision, Devastated in a tsunami motion, Agonized like a tragic inundation.

Romance, yes it was Or was it just an infatuation to pass?

Much was changed because of my tectonic romance, Either change for the better or the worse, there is not much nuance.

Decidedly, I must bid you farewell, My dear, Yes! Moments with you pleased my heart well, Nonetheless, follies of love shall not overcome me, Rather a tectonic logical action must conquer this lunacy.

Holocaust Tears

Artwork By Wendell Cilot

But NO ONE is to pay, Evoke that there is no syntactical erro Both the bound and the free morpheme poetically understand the play; Inspirationally agree with the play.

Let its semantic end the jargon of the say.

dearth of time

By rona maricar miÑa

Under the beryl cheek of moon A couple is singing in tune Grass and flowers became their couch Sitting with them a lot of boon Fingers laced, shoulders barely touching As they sing the lines of evening Exchanging sweet looks and crook smiles With the spell of the nature's humming Unlike from what they were years ago Strangers foes like a typical show Then the dim light suddenly effaced Turning their bond in a crimson glow Loving each other in their ups and downs 'Till the bad news came in their hometown The twilght of his life is very near Tears and agony made them drown As the time came the song shall end Downcast gaze from the girlfriend "I love you eternally my dear!"

His hand fell, sob and misery did blend Years past until the fall of rime The thoughts of what ifs now rhyme If Cupid arowed them the day met They will not suffer this dearth of time

Artwork By Jillian Estrellado

16

The Official Student Publication of the Aquinas University of Legazpi

BOOKS / MOVIES / FOOD / TECH / ARTS BOOKS

The Maze Runner

BY JAMES DASHNER

James Dashner's YA dystopian novel takes this year's spotlight after the box office and critical success of its movie adaptation...

REVIEW BY JOHN PAUL GARRIDO

A dark room arises, surrounded by cold gloom and stale, dusty air. Metal ground against metal. A lurching tremor shook the floor carrying a young lad who awakens with no idea where he is. With no idea who he is.

All that he can understand in the remote darkness is a name – My name is Thomas.

The Maze Runner begins with profound confusion in the reader as well as the protagonist, a sixteen year old boy, named Thomas. The obscurity and the rustling of ‘The Box’ combines on to increase the sense of mystery as to where will the book actually begin. When the box stops, Thomas is pulled out of the dark room and into a strange new world where he is greeted with smirks and dirty looks by teenage boys of different ages and sizes. Here he meets Alby, the eldest and the leader of the group; Newt, the next in command; and Chuck, young and chubby boy who was the newest Glader until Thomas arrived. Thomas is the latest addition to the Glade described as a large open green square, surrounded by a gigantic maze. Dashner has created something strange and clever in the striking scenery of the Glade which is ‘The Maze’ to which the community of Gladers revolved in for two years. Every day, a small number of the boys, the Runners, leave the

Glade and head out the maze to find a way and Thomas wants to become one of them.

As the new boy,

i n t o o u t

‘’

You keep guessing what could happen next, and what each individual piece could mean until the whole picture comes into clarity.

★★★★☆

Thomas grows increasingly frustrated when no one answers his questions about the Glade, the surrounding maze, and the mechanical creatures called Grievers that roam the maze

during nighttime. But soon, Thomas learns that the rest of the boys are just like him.

None of them can remember anything prior to the box, nor do they recall why they are in the Glade or who put them there. All they know is that they need to survive, keep their heads down, and hope that the runners will one day find the exit to the complicated, ever-changing maze.

Until the day after Thomas’s arrival, that is. Everything changes. There should not be another delivery from ‘The Box’ for another month – but the following morning, someone else arrives in the Glade. A beautiful teenage girl, named Teresa, bears a disturbing message. Everything is about to change.

Somehow, both the new girl and Thomas are connected to the mystery of the Glade and its Maze, and they must do everything they can to find a way out, and to lead the other Gladers to safety.

If you look into it, The Maze Runner is

a reflection of the Maze that surrounds the Glade itself. Pieces of the puzzle slowly are shuffled and revealed throughout the book, keeping readers on the edge of their seats.

You keep guessing what would happen next, and what each individual piece could mean until the whole picture comes into clarity.

Even my soul was filled with pain, anxiety and empathy for the characters. The development and the constant turn of events throughout the book meets the book's ending like perfect puzzle pieces.

The Maze Runner is simply everything that I love in a novel. Futuristic sci-fi/postapocalyptic/dystopian setting – check.

Trapped characters in an impossible setting, fighting for their lives – check. Mass amounts of tension, suspense and violence – check. No cliché Twilight-like love story – check.

My point is, I loved the setting and the idea of this novel. The story is very actionpacked and reading the book feels very much like watching a movie because of the spoton descriptions. It is reminiscent of the The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins because of its similar themes and target audience.

But it never failed to shine in this particular subgenre and is completely worth the time. It draws you in unknowingly until the very end.

MOVIES

THE SPECTACULAR

NOW A Review by Karl B. Briguera

What does it mean to live in the now?

To be free of all hesitations and the burdens of making hard choices? How do our decisions define the persons we become?

These are just some of the underlying questions barely scratching the surface of what the film, The Spectacular Now, deals with.

A coming-of-age drama wrapped with sheets of innocence, this film offers something new, something fresh yet familiar, and something forgotten.

When I saw this movie, I was caught completely off guard because I assumed that it was just another one of those stereotypical coming-of-age stories, with the cheesy dialogue, and the overly rehearsed emotions. I was definitely wrong. The script was painfully honest, the cinematography modest, and the acting was genuine and close to heart.

Written by Scott Neustadter and Michael Weber (500 Days Of Summer) based on the book by Tim Tharp, and directed by James Ponsoldt (Smashed), I can say that this movie was a much-needed leap forward for the teen film genre.

‘’

This film offers something new, something fresh yet familiar, and something forgotten.

The film revolves around Sutter Keely (Miles Teller), a charismatic, witty, and allaround party boy, and his journey to find himself in his “spectacular now.” Sutter, a popular high school senior thought he had everything he needed in life: a car, a good job, and Cassidy (Brie Larson), his high school sweetheart.

He was a man of the moment, who strongly believes in the mantra that binds him to the perfect moment - the “now”. He believes that his high school days would be the best days of his life, as well as the fact that during these days, everything is simple. In a world where everyone wants to either move forward or dwell in the past, Sutter would rather stay in the present, living it to its full extent, celebrating every second of it. But then, this admirable sunny disposition slowly crumbles after his unexpected breakup with Cassidy, the girl of his dreams.

The moments after that breakup showed how even the seemingly happiest people can be so fragile and broken. Sutter turns to

★★★★☆

alcohol excessively, to cope with the numerous dysfunctional aspects of his life suggested in the film. During his downward spiral, he meets Aimee Finicky (Shailene Woodley) under the most awkward of moments: passed out on a random yard at six in the morning.

Aimee, a wallflower, is naïve and bursting with innocence. That moment of coincidence would change both their lives forever.

An unlikely romance blossomed between Aimee and Sutter; something the audience could easily take in and somehow relate to.

Both have diverse personalities and complex backstories. They couldn’t be more different people. But their chemistry pulls you closer to their characters, lets you understand how they feel. The familiar laughs, the typical arguments, and some of the social issues people tend to deal with at that age. Each moment of this 95minute film hits you with how much it means to be young and high-strung.

This movie brings about the subtle sense of belonging in the real world, rather than the romanticized portrayal of what life feels like

or should look like. There is a profound depth that deals with aspects of life that some may consider irrelevant, even boring. It whispers the fact that life, however you may take it, is what you want it to be. The dialogue uniquely tries to treat each line with the level maturity we’d expect from real people dealing with real problems. This helps you look at yourself, your family, your life, in a different perspective. The movie deals with something that very few films successfully tackle these days, the brutal honesty of life, and the never ending journey to find ourselves.

THE VERDICT. Sparing you from the tons of clichés you’d come to expect in a teen drama, this film is definitely a coming-of-age story worth experiencing.

17

The Official Student Publication of the Aquinas University of Legazpi

Words and Art by Karl Briguera

Line of Sight

Words by R. Orense Art by K. Briguera

FROM PAGE 6

For the last five years, AB Communication has produced graduates that are known to be consistent dean’s listers and/or active student leaders.

AB Comm students are always in the spotlight. Their presence is always felt, be it in academics or extra curricular activities. And I am afraid that this year’s batch could be the last to produce such group of students.

That is unless we want to do something about it.

It is true that we are in a really tough situation because the resources we currently have are limited, but that doesn’t mean we can’t use them to improve right? We can always find a way to make ourselves better, and that is where we need to put our focus on. If you feel that you’re not getting enough knowledge from your professors and/or subjects, then go to the library and read more about your lessons.

You can also research on the internet, or make good use of the handouts that are provided for you.

Learning doesn’t need to come from the four corners of the classroom alone.

We are living in a world where information is at the tip of our fingers. We should not be dependent on our professors because they’re just there to guide us.

We should not rely on our handouts and reading materials because they are just there to help us gain knowledge. In the end, learning eventually boils down to our efforts, how we use them, how we showcase them.

Furious Curiosity FROM PAGE 6

normal way, and instead relied exclusively on these tools. We seem to be living in a world where updating our social media accounts are essential activities of the day.

We fearlessly express our thoughts and views, share and air so much detail about our lives than we care to do in an actual human to human conversations, we might as well live on the internet. Would there still be anything left to say?

I’m all for embracing these modern innovations in communication. I’m an avid user of it. With all these technologies at our disposal we can communicate in a faster, more efficient way. It bridged the gap of the physical barriers that seemed impossible in the old days. And let’s admit it sure is more fun and exciting. But sooner or later doesn’t it get old? We get so used to communicating that way that we just don’t talk about things the same way anymore. Instead, we lash out and rant and rave on our Facebook walls. We express our disdains, our bad days, and our raw, unfiltered take on things get aired like dirty laundry in that white space on the screen.

But after that, then what? Somebody hits the like button, and or comment. And

For me, AB Communication is a course that requires you to be passionate more than knowledgeable. What you will learn from the course, your money, your attendance, classroom performance, and accomplishments will all be a complete waste if you don’t really want to be here.

If you want to be an AB Comm student, and possibly a future media practitioner, you have to have the passion and the determination. You may have or may have not learned a lot from the school, but in the end, it all goes down to how you would help yourself improve, how you hone the skills that you already have to be better, and how you would use the things you have learned to be where you want to be.

So I’m calling for the rest of the AB Communication students. Let us help each other, our department, and our university in bringing back our glory days of our course. AB Comm used to be a flagship program of the College of Arts, Sciences, and Education, and there’s no reason we can’t go back to that point again!

Help yourselves become better students, improve your skills, stay positive, and be productive inside or outside the school. It is never too late to start, and it is never the end unless we quit.

There is a world out there waiting for us to improve. But for now, let us start with ourselves.

I don’t want this degree program to be dissolved. I want it to evolve! ■

that’s that. Should that be the end of that?

As my friend had put it, it’s become a bit of a conversation killer. There are definitely less surprises, or good conversation material. We don’t have to actually come up to someone personally and find out things about them. Somehow, the actual conversation is only the follow-up to the one already had online.

Maybe these sentiments, as Shakespeare put it, are ‘much ado about nothing.’ So people get carried away and tend to ‘overshare’ in social media.

So some are more expressive in virtual interactions than actual ones. So people just have to share everything that is mundane, or important, or are just way too much information for some. As long as no one’s getting harmed, I guess there’s nothing outright wrong with it. It’s all a matter of maintaining a balance as to how much we rely on them.

On the one hand, it doesn't hurt to remember that there is quite nothing like expressing our thoughts and sentiments through real live connections with people.

‘Cause even when all was said and done, I hardly think there’s any danger that we completely lose that natural instinct to have meaningful connections, talk amongst ourselves and exchange everyday stories, just because. ■

Run No More FROM PAGE 7

is, he isn’t.

Our university has the prerogative to manage its staff. Every applicant goes through HR’s due process which is Recruitment, Assessment/ Selection and Hiring of Faculty Members.

Mr. Risvan passed all the tests, he had the requirements needed such as a professional license and he passed all the interviews. Not once, however, was he asked about his religion in any of these interviews.

If there was already a policy prohibiting people of other religions to teach here, then shouldn’t they have asked Mr. Risvan about his religion? Shouldn’t they have looked into his religious leanings? If they did and foresaw that there might be a conflict because of that, then they wouldn’t have hired him in the first place. If so, then they would not have a problem right now and a member of our community supposedly built on love and truth would not feel shunned because of his religion.

Besides, I think we students are mature enough not to be so impressionable. We study material not exclusively written by Catholics.

We are more likely to be influenced by those written works than by a professor who hardly talks about his own religion in his lectures. It would also be nice for students to be exposed to people with beliefs different from ours. It would teach us to be more open-minded and respectful to any type of person not just our ilk.

We have fellow students with different religions other than Catholicism. As their friends, we are exposed to them for a far larger amount of time than a single professor who even frequently leads a Catholic prayer in the classroom. They are more likely to change our faith if indeed that is what they even came here for.

In his letter, Mr. Risvan says he knows that respect and love are two of the Christian ideals that our school upholds among its students, faculty, staff, and administrators.

He says that he yearns not only to read them on the university tarpaulins but to experience them. ■

18

The Official Student Publication of the Aquinas University of Legazpi PHOTO BY RALPH ORENSE

FEATURE

‘‘

Why is it that most of the board games and cards can be played by more than two players simultaneously while the chess cannot?”

This question ignited the creative mind of Engr. Virgilio Perdigon, Jr., the Director of Media and Information Technology Center (MITC) and AUL's former Secretary-General, to innovate a new spawn of the popular board game chess, into a four-way version now known as the AUL Chess.

AUL Chess or sometimes, Aquinian Chess was named after the roots of its origin, Aquinas University of Legazpi.

The launching of this uniquely played chess game was on October 9, 2002. After proposing his idea to the former Wellness for Sports and Fitness Center (WSFC) President Aldin Soneja, Mr. Perdigon introduced it to the Aquinian community. AUL Chess was first played in the 2012 intramurals and became a regular sport of the annual event the next year.

THE PROPONENT Engineer Perdigon already had the passion for playing chess ever since high school. He was proclaimed champion during intramurals at AUL Science

AUL CHESS

THE AQUINIAN INNOVATION OF THE POPULAR BOARD GAME

BY RONA MARICAR C. MIÑA Oriented High School. In his early years as professor, he became the coach of the Engineering chess team and the AUL-PRISAA players.

“I really have the plan to register it for a patent. I’m just hesitant because it can be stolen during the process so I decided to institute it first for the game to be known, after exposing it for 5 years. I will have the proof that it’s from Aquinas and I innovated it,” Perdigon added.

CHECKERBOARD AND PIECES In AUL Chess, the checkerboard is composed of 128 squares instead of 96. This is for the additional two sets of 16 pieces on the sides. The four sides are known as Barangays, and each Barangay has its name: Sirangan (East), Sulnupan (West), Kanaway (North), and Timog (South). Each side has a set of pieces which is placed in two rows. The inside row of each set is termed ‘Q’ row while the row near the battlefield is called the ‘A’ row.

Each square in the barangay is labelled ‘a’ to ‘h’ from left to right of the woodpusher. The combat zone of the game was categorized ‘a1’ to ‘h8’ and is in the 64-square center.

To distinguish the movement of the pieces, the initial square and then the ending square is noted.

Algebraic System is used in the notation. The movement of the pieces is similar to the mundane chess. But unlike the popular board game which has Pawn, Knight, Bishop, Rook, Queen and King, the names of the pieces in the arising rank are Kampon, Vinta, Babaylan, Sundang, Dawani and Datu.

During the game, all pieces cannot return to their respective barangay except the Datu which can be pulled back to avoid the internment. All of the wood pieces can intern or be interned by the time they vacate their barangay.

In the game of four woodpushers, they must agree what kind of play they want. They can play by Iskalamusa (Free-forall) or Sanggaan (Team Battle).

The word “sanggaan” in Bicol refers to the act of protection. This

GAME AND PLAYERS

term is used because Timog and Sulnupan joined forces to produce Habagat while on the other side Sirangan and Kanaway form Amihan. They must cooperate with their “Kasangga” or comrade and protect each other to win their battle against their opponents.

In case the Datu of one player is captured, his/her Kasangga will have all the remaining pieces of his

In the beginning of the game, there will be a toss of dice. To know the order of the play, the counting starts from Kanaway to Timog, Sulnupan and Sirangan.

The counting will stop based on the resulting number of the dice. The player on whom the counting stops will be the first person to move. The succeeding order of play will also be based on the counting.

tribe. On the other hand, they can also play adversary to each other or in AUL Chess, Iskalamusa. In this type of match, when a woodpusher captures the Datu of one of his rival, he will automatically claim the residual pieces of the said barangay. The battle will end when one player remains.

“AUL Chess can also be played by two to four players. So, there will be no problem if you lack one or two players,” said Engr. Perdigon.

Engr. Perdigon, the man behind the innovation ARKIBONGBAYAN.ORG

Rules used in the game of two are the same with the four-player game while there is an extra rule in the three-player game. In the latter, the middle woodpusher is permitted to capture from within the barangay but cannot be interned by his challenger’s pieces outside. This extra power is given to counterbalance the difficulty of having two opponents on either side.

For chess enthusiasts out there, this is a new way for you to play and enjoy your favorite game. AUL Chess is sure to add excitement, intensity, and thrill to what was once a two-man game. ■

UST wins second straight Ibalong Beach Volleyball title Pacquaio pummels Algieri,

BY ANGELICA PAULA VARGAS

Despite being two of the youngest members of their squad in the UAAP, UST Tigresses Cherry Ann Rondina and Rica Jane Rivera proved to be too much even for the crowd-favorite Lady Tamaraws that featured Bernadeth Pons and Marie Charlemagne Simborio.

“We are proud of our two freshmen,” said UST Beach Volleyball Coach, Emilio Lontoc. “They only had three months to train though,” he added.

The two squads gave the Bicolano spectators a great match. The Tigresses and Lady Tamaraws exchanged points in the first two sets where they each had a win.

But during the third set, the sunny atmosphere was replaced by light rain falls, and this seemed to favor UST

as they dominated FEU in the third set.

eyes Mayweather bout in 2015

Meanwhile, UST’s sister school, Aquinas University of Legazpi also participated in the event for the second straight year.

Representing the AUL Tigresses were Maria Cristina Raña and Louise Ashlee Razon. The veteran however, lost to UST, Arellano University, and FEU in the eliminations, ending their campaign winless for the second time.

PHOTO COURTESY OF AFP

THE UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas Tigresses remained unscratched on their way to the title in this year’s Ibalong National Beach Volleyball Collegiate Invitational held on August 15-17, 2014 at Embarcadero de Legazpi. UST outlasted Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws in the championship match, winning two sets to one 21-17, 18-21, 15-8.

But for AUL’s Razon it was still a great experience.

“The whole experience is overwhelming because we had a chance to play with UAAP players, and it’s exposure at the same time,” she said.

The other participating schools were San Sebastian College, University of Perpetual Help, Lyceum of the Philippines and Divine Word College of Legazpi. The tournament was one of the highlights of this year’s Ibalong Festival, organized by the local government unit to promote Sports Tourism in Albay. ■

FIGHT TO THE FINISH. UST Tigresses squeaked past FEU Lady Tamaraws during the championship of the national Ibalong Beach Volleyball invitationals.

PHOTO BY JULIENE OLAÑO

EIGHT DIVISION world champion Manny Pacquiao convincingly dominated American Chris Algeiri to retain his World Boxing Organization welterweight title on November 23, 2014 at the Cotal Arena in Macau.

and ninth rounds, then the last coming from the 10th.

To say that this was an easy win for the Filipino ring icon is an understatement. Pacquiao’s lightning quick speed and superb combinations proved to be too much the once undefeated Algeiri.

Pacman dropped his opponent to the canvas six times during their 12-round match, securing a unanimous decision victory as the judges scored the contest 119-103, 119-103, 120-102.

Since 2009, the two future hall of famers have been linked to one another, but no fight came to fruition mainly because of the demands from Floyd Mayweather’s camp.

Algieri’s confidence was easily eradicated by Pacquiao when he knocked him down first in the second round. Pacquiao had a feast during the match, landing punches at will. He knocked out Algeiri five more times, twice during the sixth

Pacquiao not only proved his critics wrong, but he also made it clear that there’s no one else left to fight but the undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr.

But negotiations from Pacquiao and Mayweather’s camp resumed prior to the former’s fight with Algieri, and reports say that the meetings have produced positive results and that the mega-bout could happen around the first half of 2015.

Should the fight happen between Pacquiao and Mayweather, boxing fans could witness the first ever and probably the only billion dollar fight in boxing history. ■ BY R. ORENSE

19

The Official Student Publication of the Aquinas University of Legazpi

PH exits Asian games with worst finish since 1990

BY RALPH ORENSE

THE RECENTLY concluded Asian Games 2014 in Incheon, South Korea saw the Philippine delegation bow out with its worst performance since the 1990 edition of the quadrennial event in Beijing.

This year’s Asian Games, which was held on September 19-October 4, 2014 ended with one gold, three silver, and 11 bronze medals for the Philippines.

Daniel Caluag won the lone gold medal by the country in the cycling event. Daniel Parantac, Jean Claude Saclag (Wushu), and Charly Suarez (Boxing) were the silver medalists. Francisco Solis (Wushu), Paul Martin Dela Cruz (Archery), Levita Ronna Ilao, Samuel Thomas Harper Morrison, Mary Anjelay Pelaez, Benjamin Keith Sembrano, Kirstie Elaine Alora (Taekwondo), Mark Anthony Barriga, Mario Fernandez, Wilfredo Lopez (Boxing), and Mae Soriano (Karate) comprised the bronze winners.

This is the first time since 2002 that the Philippines failed to win gold in boxing during the Asian Games. The Filipino community felt it should’ve been a Pinoy versus Pinoy finals.

Instead, they saw Suarez lose to Otgondalai Dorjnyambu in a split decision in the lightweight division semifinals, while in the light-flyweight division, Barriga was defeated by the eventual champion Shin Jonghun in what appeared to be a hometown decision.

Boxing Association of the Philippines president Ricky Vargas believes that both fights should have favored the Filipino boxers.

Meanwhile, Smart-Gilas Pilipinas, fresh from their inspiring and surprising performance in the FIBA World Championships also gave the country its worst finish in basketball as they settled for seventh place. Heartbreaking losses to Qatar, Iran, and South Korea slammed the door for Gilas’ medal aspirations.

Medalists receive cash incentives from Philippine Sports Commission totaling to 3.6 million pesos. In 2010, winners were given a total of 7.7 million.

During the 1990 Asian Games, the Philippines won one gold, one silver, and three bronze medals. ■

Gilas’ Alapag, Azkals’ Caligdong ends int’l careers PHOTO COURTESY OF SOLAR SORTSDESK

BY RALPH B. ORENSE

TWO OF the most respected athletes in Philippine sports has decided to pass the torch to the younger generation. Basketball EX-CAPTAINS. Alapag (left), and Caligdong (right). both star Jimmy Alapag and former captains of national basketball team Smart Gilas Football stud Emilio Pilipinas and football team Philippine Azkals respectively.

“Chieffy” Caligdong football team posted his announcement won’t be donning national colors anymore as both will be on Facebook last November 12, 2014. The 32-year-old pride of Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo retiring from international competition. suffered a broken right foot last year and has Alapag, the former team captain of never seen ample action since then.

Philippine national basketball team SmartThe 5’5” Caligdong was also the team Gilas Pilipinas announced last month that he will retire from the national squad. The 5’9 captain of Azkals prior to his retirement. guard was part of Gilas’ memorable run in this He will end a decade-long career with the national team that made him among the most year’s FIBA World Championships in Spain. popular figures in the revival of football in the The 37-year old cager was supposed to Philippines. retire from the international ranks after FIBA, The two sports icons will still be competing but decided to play with Gilas for the last time in local tournaments though. Alapag still suits in the Asian Games, where the team placed up for the Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters in seventh. the Philippine Basketball Association while Meanwhile Caligdong, former left winger Caligdong is a mainstay for the Green Archers of Philippine Azkals, the country’s national United in the United Football League. ■

Employees partake in exhibition games

BY ARIANE GISELLE SANTOS

AQUINIAN EMPLOYEES had the chance to catch some break from everyday work and showcase their skills in sports when they participated in this year’s Employees’ Sportsfest held on September 16, 2014 at Aquinas University of Legazpi.

Two teams comprised the event, the teaching (Yellow Team) and non-teaching (Black Team) employees. Both squads squared off in in two sports. Men clashed in basketball and women battled in volleyball.

Students and spectators saw the Aquinian employees from a different angle. For one

day, the workforce of AUL were seen holding basketballs and volleyballs outside the playing grounds of AUL instead of pens and papers inside the school offices.

opinion

The Winning Formula Everybody wants to win; out there with the everyone desires success. determination to But not everyone is given do their best and the opportunity to win, to be be the best. successful. That opportunity CBMA is known for their is only given to those who strength, not only in number strive to be the finest, to be and resources. The college’s the best. population is an advantage And for the fifth because that gave CBMA a straight year, the College of stronger student force and Business Management and a wider pool of talents to Accountancy proved to be choose from. But that’s not what this college is all about. the best.

The strength of this college In the recently concluded comes from their players’ Intramurals, CBMA passion, desire, and will to players and teams showed win. dominance once again.

Some of the key The college’s outstanding ingredients in CBMA’s performances in all the defense of events during the annual successful sports festivities in the its title every year are university have led to their preparation, leadership and successful defense of the motivation. After the right people have been chosen to overall championship. represent the college in the This impressive winning intramurals, intense training streak started in 2010, will follow. That ensures and since then, no college precise performance from has ever came close to the chosen individuals. The dethroning the mighty veteran players of CBMA cavalry of CBMA, known as are also supportive in the Frontrunners. leading the young bloods I am sure most of you are of their delegation for the wondering, how did CBMA intrams, and the college become the best? It’s not just administration never fails the players’ talent and skills to motivate its players to that brought them to the top. achieve their goal.

Each and everyone of the athletes have worked hard in becoming the best in their respective sports. They don’t just show up in the playing field and compete for the sake of competing. They go

The Sixth Man Archie B. Ner archiener@gmail.com

Every member of the department, from the faculty, to the students, coaches, players, and even alumni have been supporting each other for years and this have shaped the CBMA into becoming one of the most united colleges in the university.

Combine all of these qualities CBMA and it is equal to what I consider the winning formula.

I am sure the other colleges also have their own formulae of winning. We can never dispel their evident efforts in making themselves great rivals of the reigning champions. Yet, the outcome of the intramurals for the last five years showed that CBMA has the best formula for success.

The intramurals is already over. The fifth straight title has been awarded to CBMA.

Now, everything is back to square one. The question “Who will be the champion” is again up in the air and the Cooperation from the dust will only be settled when members has been an the colleges meet again in integral part of CBMA’s next year’s intramurals. success as well. Combined But for now, efforts, no matter how big or Congratulations, CBMA! ■ small, surely contribute to the department’s wellness.

Frontrunners...

PHOTO BY JULIENE OLAÑO

FROM PAGE 20

they violated a certain rule which caused a huge deduction in their score.

They lost the competition a year ago.

The College of Arts, Sciences, and Education nabbed the second place with 264 points. Their blue and white costume gave a tidy impression to the CBMA Pep Squad audience complimenting their synchronized moves. The College of Engineering, Architecture, and Fine Arts (CEAFA) Knights stuck to their college name, as a red and black-costumed cavalry represented them in the dance showdown.

They settled for third place with 248 points.

Meanwhile, back-to-back cheerdance champions College of Nursing and Health Sciences (CNHS) suffered an immense reverse as they fell to last place with 231

points. In their remarkable violet and green costumes, they still nevertheless performed well during the competition.

The Frontrunners gained 75 points for their victory in the cheerdance competition.

But it is probably one of the most important victories they got during the intramurals as they only led the CEAFA Knights by 16.5 points after the week-long sports festivity 1,147-1,130.5. ■ BY ARCHIE B. NER

In the volleyball game, the Yellow Team led by one of CASE’s most popular professors Romina Villamor defeated a Black Team that featured ORPD’s Joy Abecia in two sets (2522, 25-15). In basketball, Black Team, led by HRMO’s Rafael Chong dominated Yellow Team which was carried by CEAFA’s Ronnie Macasinag 64-50.

HRMO was the organizer of the event. ■

TAKING A BREAK. The employees take part in the Employees' Sportfest during the Intramurals.

PHOTO BY JULIENE OLAÑO

SMASHING THE ODDS. Jerome Taller, considered as the face of Table Tennis in the university, was focused in getting the victory during his match at the Metro Naga Peñafrancia Fiesta National Invitational Table Tennis Tournament held in Naga City.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WSFC

SPORTS A Q U I N I A N

STUDENT PUBLICATION OF AQUINAS UNIVERSITY OF LEGAZPI

VOLUME III, ISSUE 1 | A.Y. 2014-2015

CBMA takes fifth straight intrams title

BY ARCHIE B. NER

ONCE AGAIN, the College of Business Management and Accountancy proved to everyone that they are the best college in the university in terms of collegiate sports, when they claimed their fifth straight overall championship in the intramurals held on September 15-19, 2014.

Champions of the intramurals in the last four years, CBMA was determined to hold on to the title despite the persistence and desire of their competitors to dethrone them.

The whole Frontrunners community cheered “Five peat!” as the championship results were finally announced during the fashion show. CBMA had an overall score of 1,147 points on their way to the fifth championship.

veterans carried the load for their team.

CBMA’s archrivals, the College of Engineering, Architecture, and Fine Arts (CEAFA) Knights have yet to find a solution in defeating their main antagonist. They finished second place anew with 1130.5 points, 16.5 points behind CBMA. Even their win in the fashion show wasn’t enough to give them enough points as they struggled to defeat the players from CBMA in team games during the intramurals.

However, CEAFA council president Anna Bichara said that there’s nothing to be ashamed of. “We fought with our heart.

We fought with creativity. We fought with humility,” she added.

The College of Arts, Sciences, and Education (CASE) Guardians finished third with 589 points, while the valiant effort of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences (CNHS) Vipers didn’t bring them any luck as they finished last for the second straight year with 356.5 points.

CASE and CNHS council presidents Jerome Del Castillo and Marvin Bermillo gave credit to their colleges’ unity and cooperation during the week-long event. ■

PHOTO BY JULIENE OLAÑO

The CBMA Frontrunners started the intramurals with a big splash, winning the cheerdance competition during the opening day. They were also successful in defending their titles in team sports like basketball and volleyball.

Mark Dane Ruaburo, student sports coordinator of CBMA praised the historic achievement of his department, but also pointed out the obstacles that his college had to face prior to the intramurals. According to Ruaburo, class suspensions due to typhoon Glenda prevented them from early practice and preparations. Most of their best players also graduated the previous years and at first, they seemed to have taken a step back. But Ruaburo emphasized that their recruits and

Maligat, Taller reign in nat’l table tennis invitationals

BY RALPH ORENSE

WHEN IT comes to Table Tennis, Aquinas University is considered as one of the best schools in producing top caliber smashers in the region.

That proved to be true once more as two Aquinians dominated the Metro Naga Peñafrancia Fiesta National Invitational Table Tennis Tournament held on September 12-14, 2014 at SM City Naga.

Kenneth Maligat, former varsity player of Aquinas University’s Table Tennisc Club and a current member of Albay Table Tennis Club (ALTTEC) won the men’s singles championship for the U-22 category, while the face of AUL’s Table Tennis team, Jerome Taller settled for second runner-up.

“I’m proud of what they’ve accomplished.

This is an inaugural event and I’m proud that Aquinas won the championship,” said their trainer Mr. Sam Aguilar.

LOCK DOWN DEFENSE. Players from the CBMA Frontrunners made their arch-rivals CEAFA Knights earn their points the hard way during their match-up in the intramurals.

Meanwhile, their counterparts in the women’s division, Maria Fe Malaya and Krissia Villarin were left empty-handed as they were ousted early in the elimination rounds.

Tigers back in the hunt for Governor's Cup

The event was part of the celebration of Peñafrancia Festival in Naga City. Several schools from the region and Manila competed in the said tournament.

BY DENMARC JOSHUA BETONIO

AFTER FAILING to secure a third straight title, Aquinas University Tigers will be out for redemption in this year’s Governor’s Cup which will begin on September 28, 2014 at Albay Astrodome.

Aquinas will also participate in the cheerdance competition where the College of Business Management and Accountancy (CBMA), champions of the AUL Intramurals cheerdance clash will The AUL Tigers and Tigresses represent the school. will surely come out hungrier “We have a competitive team as they compete in this year. I know there both basketball and are strong volleyball for the men’s and women’s d i v i s i o n .

teams in the tournament, but I’m confident that we can compete against them,” said Maruelo Ferreras, forward–center for AUL’s basketball men’s varsity team. “I believe we’re still in the top four.”

Due to several reasons, Aquinas University struggled to maintain consistency, losing games due to fatigue, injuries, and personal reasons. This led to their early exit in the tournament’s playoffs.

currently undergoing serious trainings to condition their minds and bodies for the upcoming tournament. He also added that he has high expectations for the squads that will represent the school this year.

Over the last couple of years, Governor’s Cup saw Aquinian athletes shine in their respective sports.

This tournament would also help in the players’ preparations for the PRISAA But this just fueled Regionals next year. the drive of the Aquinian Some of the colleges who will athletes to reclaim compete in the tournament are what they believe Bicol University, Amando Cope is rightfully theirs; College, Bicol College, Mariner’s the Governor’s Cup Polytechnic Colleges Foundation, basketball and volleyball and last year’s overall champions championships.

Divine Word College of Legazpi.

According to newly appointed Wellness for Sports and Fitness Center (WSFC) director, Edward Jaucian, the players are

The Governor’s Cup has become a training ground for some of the most sought after athletes not only in AUL, but also in the province of Albay. ■

Taller and the rest of the AUL smashers will see action in Tabaco next, when they compete for the Region-wide Bicol Rumble Table Tennis tournament for the regional rankings Aquinas University currently holds the number one spot. ■

Frontrunners win cheerdance title BLAZED BY their astonishing steps, amazing stunts, and colorful props, the College of Business Management and Accountancy (CBMA) cheerdancers opened this year’s intramurals by winning the cheerdance competition held on September 15, 2014 at the AUL Dome.

CBMA Pep Squad, with its black and yellow motif, won the hearts of the spectators and the judges as they garnered 287 points on their way to victory. They made it clear right from the start that they had no plans of letting the title slip away again.

The CBMA cheerdancers still believe they could’ve won the title last year hadn’t FRONTRUNNERS PAGE 19

RIVALRY NO MORE. CBMA Spikers made quick work of their opponent, CNHS Vipers during this year's Intrramurals PHOTO BY JULIENE OLAÑO