An official publication of the University of Asia and the Pacific
September 2008
image breakup
today’s wired culture.
fashion fear
plans
sophomore
sports
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plans love
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in gossip
home
peer home sophomore change
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live
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UA&P Mentoring
friends gossip career stress
An American
live love
in aspiration deadline
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money
@#$%
Why it works
home
life deadline
lesson
stress
changes
deadline degree
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hip lost junior !@#$&%
senior religion
hip aspiration
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sophomore in
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joy peers hip choices
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peer
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love live
academics math
graduation exam
achievement confused joy
home grades
tool to support student mentoring.
hip aspiration
focus choices
senior
extra-curricular
environment
hope
curfew
the holistic
achievement confused hope
project
focus
dreams
love math exams dream
dream
friends gossip honor stress homework money
senior religion
peers love project
sports
live
breakup curfew senior hip
This technique is clearly a natural lost junior !@#$%
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grades peer
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gimmick joy sophomore graduation
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stress
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has conceived
joy
life deadline
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out
teacher expectations
graduation teacher
sports
allowance adjust thesis question
offshoot among
new environment in
graduation expectations
love sophomore grades
live
lesson anger
joy excitement
answer
an online
fashion lesson peer
sports
university
curfew
history parents fear
competition anxiety image
Will this tool work
fear
formation of students? Absolutely
institution committed to the
love
academics project popular grades breakup curfew image hip extra-curricular activity freshman peer
not.
Exit
anger
Editorial Everyone needs a mentor, a guide in his or her life journey, someone who can provide Exit direction and practical knowledge so he or she can gain the understanding and skills needed to course one’s given path and unlock one’s true potential. Without a mentor, we may face the future with terror and unease. A mentor offers us challenges that uncover our talents, bring out skills, and boost our confidence; he also proposes a vision so that we gain assurance that we have the mettle to overcome challenges and succeed. Thus we reap from the mentor’s wisdom and wealth of experience. Many successful individuals as well as powerful decision makers and brilliant movers had mentors who had a profound impact on their personal and professional development. Their mentors have helped Many successful individuals as them deal with adversity, take well as powerful decision makers advantage of opportunity, and brilliant movers had mentors learn from mistakes, better who had a profound impact on understand their strengths and their personal and professional weaknesses and grow as leaders, development. managers and human beings. In a real sense, because of them, none of these individuals would have achieved success, or even happiness, entirely on their own. By providing guidance and wisdom, UA&P’s mentors play a crucial role in directing students, faculty and staff as they fulfill their tasks and duties. In establishing its mentoring program, the University equips the members of the community with the resources not only to be good in their work or profession but also to be good persons, good citizens, and good Christians. September 2008
future aspiration
fears
environment
lesson choices
teachers expectations
today’s wired culture.
image breakup
sophomore
image
home
homework question
image
in gossip
sports
✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽ ppppppppppppppppppppppp
joy excitement
lost junior !@#$%&
hope
fashion lesson fear hip aspiration
plans love
out
senior religion
home sports
Editor: Ms. Boots Ruelos
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Managing Editor: Ms. Bernadette Malayo Contributing Editors: Mr. Luis Arcangel Mr. Carlo Cabrera Ms. Leigh Tobias Mr. Daryl Zamora Contributing Writers: Mr. Luis Arcangel Mr. Ronilo Balbieran Mr. Carlo Cabrera Lorenz Joseph Carpio Lennor Dy Rowland Jan Earl Dy Viory Janeo Jasminda Magsino John Be Orenz Nito Joyce Marion Petiza Lexie Panaligan Michelle Relevante Rachel Rustia Leah Tacuel Mr. Arthur Joseph Vito Cruz Mr. Daryl Zamora Contributing Staff: Ms. Romelyn Rome Photography: Mr. Carlo Cabrera Graphic Design: Jerry Manalili/Chili Dogs
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Printing: Primex Printers
If it ain’t broke...
✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽ ppppppppppppppppppppppp ✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽ ppppppppppppppppppppppp
The Universitas looks different, doesn’t it? Why? After three and a half years, we think you are ready for a fresh look. And we want to make it hip, snazzy, and friendlier to its mostly young readers. And another thing, we believe that if we made it more handy, then it would be easy to put it in your backpacks so you can share it with people back home. By the way, we are open to suggestions on things you want to see in this publication. Please email them to dmalayo@uap.edu.ph. Thanks.
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An official publication of the University of Asia and the Pacific, is produced by the Corporate Communications Office
love
plans degree
graduation homework
peer home sophomore change
sports
money
deadlines
joy peers hip choices
deadline
home
friends gossip honor stress
lesson deadline
future
out
plans
fear
extra-curricular activities
career
lost junior !@#$&%
life deadline
lesson fail
fail
senior religion
junior
fashion fear
fad new environment
grades money
choices
religion hope
image
grades expectation joy
image
grades
An American
live love
gossip honor stress
live
plans
exam sophomore
dreams
peers love project
teacher lesson
crush future
senior religion
people immersed in
money
dream
money
UA&P Mentoring
friends gossip career stress
Why it works
home
life deadline
lesson
changes
deadline degree
peers choice sophomore confused
hip lost junior !@#$&%
@#$%
in aspiration deadline
stress
hip aspiration in
plans
fear new environment
graduation exam
peer
focus
thesis
achievement confused
exam
achievement change expectation plans
joy excitement anxiety hip
academics homework
sports
crush
sophomore in
love
live
!@#$&% dreams
popular breakup
extra-curricular
academics math
teacher lesson hip
fad new environment
curfew
in an
curfew
the holistic
hope
failure
focus
project
achievement confused hope
dreams
love
focus
hip aspiration
math
dream
choices
tool to support student mentoring.
achievement confused joy
grades
friends gossip honor stress homework money
senior
home grades
new environment
live
senior religion
exams
stress
sports
deadline
anger
sophomore diet
love
projects
grades peer
graduation expectations
curfew
love
lesson anger
dream
curfew
life deadline
stress
breakup curfew senior hip
This technique is clearly a natural
lost junior !@#$%
competition anxiety image
senior religion
math joy loneliness freshman peer
gimmick joy sophomore graduation
has conceived
joy
teacher expectations
graduation teacher
out
allowance adjust thesis question
dreams love deadline crush
offshoot among
new environment in
change family
formation of students? Absolutely
sports
an online
sophomore
sports
university
joy excitement
live
answer
institution committed to the
history parents fear
fashion lesson peer
Will this tool work
love
academics project popular grades breakup curfew image hip extra-curricular activity freshman peer
fear
not.
An official publication of the University of Asia and the Pacific
UNIVERSITAS September 2008
You may contact us at: Corporate Communications Office University of Asia and the Pacific Pearl Drive, Ortigas Center, Pasig City Telephone No.: 637 0912 local 301/342 Fax No.: 637 0912 local 342 Schools/Institutes: College of Arts and Sciences School of Economics School of Education and Human Development School of Management School of Communication Institute of Political Economy Institute of Information Technology Studies
News SEB 2008-09
Get fired up! Let’s embark on another journey this School Year 20082009! Although we may be laden with papers, homework, tests, and whatnot, let’s not forget that the best learning is enjoying the process: Let’s integrate fun and learning! Now the Student Executive Board urges you to “Get Fired Up!” simply because all of us have something to contribute to this journey, something which we can leave behind and be proud of, and something which comes from within us—our zeal for arts, socio-civics, and sports. Indeed, we will pass the year with the best we can give and take advantage of all opportunities to improve ourselves.
This year is packed with different projects that cater to our passions. To name a few, art and sports enthusiasts will have fun at the “Get Fired Up!” week, courtesy of Mike Reyes (Sports and Extra Curricular Officer); the much-awaited “privilege card of Mike Pamintuan (Finance Officer) would be launched by this semester; KC Marcelo (Secretary) is preparing herself and her team to publish three issues of SUP’SEB (Student Update Paraphernalia) magazine. With Dae Lee (External Vice-President) as the team’s Artistic Head, they will make SUP’SEB visible to the students. Dae Lee, in his office, will strengthen socio-
civic activities through his committees— Gawad Kalinga and Pathways. Meanwhile, Ralph Tomenes (Internal Vice-President) has also decided to begin a Leadership Seminar for our potential student leaders this year. Another goal of the SEB is continuity. The projects of the committees under the Internal VicePresident such as ISKO (composed of scholars), ACE (student tutorials), and the SLC (our aid in the libraries) will always be supported to help us develop intellectually. As for Student Voice, our former SEB president, Gibby Gorres, has gathered a team of very competent writers to share with us their insights and opinions of the happenings in school. This will hopefully be launched by the second semester— something we can all look forward to. Gibby, along with Kath Alday and Ryan
Cancio, are spearheading the Council of Organization to act as the students’ voice in addressing issues such as subsidies for organizations and varsities in school. Mike Reyes will also assist them. With all these, allow us to assist you toward gearing up for the challenges this year. But as what Ralph would say, we expect you to: (1) have a sense of belongingness to the school; (2) be active and involved; and (3) stand out and shine! Let’s ignite these passions until the finish line! Let’s Get Fired Up! Rachel Rustia, President CAS-Student Executive Board 2008-2009
alumni
5 new lawyers from UA&P Five have joined the growing list of lawyers who graduated from UA&P. Out of 5,626 law graduates who took the Bar exams last September, May Ann Rosales, Candy Avance, Ricardo Victor Ramos, Jorge Franco Sarmiento, and Jaime Eduardo Fanlo ranked among the 23 percent who passed the test.
May Ann Rosales, 27, earned her Master of Arts degree in Political Economy from the University in 2002. After getting her law degree at the University of the Philippines College of Law, she now works for SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan. Candy Avance, 27, finished her master’s degree in Political Economy in 2003. She also studied law in UP and graduated in the top 20 of her class, besides being part of the Order of the Purple Feather, an honor organization. She is currently an associate at the Villaraza Cruz Marcelo & Angangco Law Office. Ricardo Victor Ramos, 27,
earned his degree in Bachelor of Arts in Humanities with Professional Certificate in Political Economy in 2003. Now an associate at the ACCRA Law Offices, he finished law at the Ateneo de Manila University.
Jorge Franco Sarmiento, 27,
got his Bachelor of Arts in Humanities with Professional Certificate in Political Economy in 2003. He finished law also at the Ateneo and is working for Villanueva Gabionza & De Santos Law Offices.
Jaime Eduardo Fanlo, 29
SEB Officers (from L): Mike Reyes, Mike Pamintuan, Rachel Rustia, KC Marcelo, Ralph Tomenes, and Dae Lee
graduated in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in the humanities, also with a Professional Certificate in Political Economy. He is now part of Allfunds Bank in Madrid, Spain.
UNIVERSITAS September 2008
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News faculty highlights
SCM faculty member redefines IMC in international journal Dr. Jerry G. Kliatchko, Vice-President for Academic Affairs and Corporate Communications, has published another paper in the International Journal of Advertising (Vol. 27, No. 1 2008), which is recognized by the Institute for Scientific Information. International Faculty Development Program Class of 2008
UA&P professors take part in International Faculty Development Program In keeping with the University’s objective of providing world-class education for its students, three faculty members went to Barcelona, Spain to take part in the IESE Business School’s International Faculty Development Program (IFDP). They are Dr. Jerry Kliatchko, Vice-President for Academic Affairs and Corporate Communications; Dr. Rolando Dy, Dean of the School of Management; and Dr. Emilio Antonio of the School of Economics. There were 33 participants from 22 nations, including South Africa, Nigeria, Japan, Sweden, Denmark, Canada, Germany, Poland, Kenya, Romania, the Netherlands, Italy, Russia, and the Philippines. Among this international lineup, Dr. Rolando Dy was elected President of IFDP Class of 2008. The graduate school of management of the University of Navarra, the IESE Business School has the world’s top-ranked MBA program, according to a survey published by the Economist Intelligence Unit. IESE offers executives and business leaders a unique type of education for each career stage, and has become an international benchmark for prestige and professional excellence. According to Jacek Lipiec, Assistant Professor at the Nowy School of Business in Poland and an alumnus of IFDP 2005, “Professors are extremely helpful and amiable in providing support, and it’s very enriching to meet participants from different countries.” Starting on June 1, 2008, the IFDP concentrates on teaching techniques in management education, research, and development of curricula. The overall aim of the month-long program is to improve the general quality of management education, and is specially designed for faculty members of Business Schools worldwide. The IFDP introduces the case study method, a module that is designed to improve the participants’ overall
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UNIVERSITAS September 2008
communication and methodological skills. Illustrating its intrinsic value as a dynamic pedagogical tool, the module concentrates on leading case discussions, in the same way as would be studied in a conventional business management program. It focuses on various methodological approaches, with emphasis on performance and the value of continuous learning.
...the seminar aims to expose its participants to new institutional structures and strategies that may lead to improvements in their home institutions.
t ar keions m d t e grat u ni ca e t n m i om ing c [Dr. Kliatchko] incorporated the idea of IMC as a “business process” and added “content” as one of the “pillars of IMC,” alongside stakeholders, channels, and results.
In essence, the seminar aims to expose its participants to new institutional structures and strategies that may lead to improvements in their home institutions. It is hoped that upon their return, the knowledge gained from the experience will contribute to a culture of dynamic professionalism and academic excellence that would allow UA&P to be on equal footing with its international counterparts.
In his article, “Revisiting the IMC Construct: A Revised Definition and Four Pillars,” Dr. Kliatchko reexamines the definition of integrated marketing communications (IMC), which he had posed in 2005 in the same journal. Now, he has proposed an updated definition. He incorporated the idea of IMC as a “business process” and added “content” as one of the “pillars of IMC,” alongside stakeholders, channels, and results. The revised definition was formulated after a review of numerous IMCrelated studies, consideration on the rapidly advancing digital technology, and a reflection on the 20-plus years development of IMC.
Mr. Luis Arcangel Corporate Communications Office
Mr. Daryl Zamora Corporate Communications Office
//////////////////// Valuable insights can also be gained from the specialty module on case writing, which is aimed at helping participants write high quality-teaching cases explored within the context of various fields. The program also aims to provide a viable framework for course design in any field or discipline, adopting a hands-on approach where theory and practice are intertwined. During the four-week residential course, participants have the opportunity to gain new competencies, improve their existing techniques, and share them with their international colleagues.
F
or her steadfast adherence to high moral principles and professional standards, Ms. Milwida Guevara, a 1972 graduate of the Economics Education Program of the School of Economics, was conferred last March the Gawad Haydee Yorac Award. The Award recognizes leaders whose personal qualities and lives are worth emulating.
alumni
School of Economics alumna is Gawad Haydee Yorac Awardee
Ms. Guevara was cited for her “uncompromising integrity and professional excellence as a government official in the field of public finance, for her impassioned advocacy and leadership in creative private sector initiatives to improve the quality of basic education at the grassroots by working with local government officials and the local communities themselves and for her extraordinary, consistent and inspiring example of selfless, honest and intelligent public service.” Google her name. Some of over 2,000 entries would reveal what makes her remarkable: former Finance Undersecretary; founder of Synergeia Foundation that helps public school children of around 250 municipalities raise their average test scores of 49% to 75% in reading proficiency and math; and honors all the way from grade school through three master’s degrees to a doctorate. Some things about her are not made explicit in cyberspace, one of which is that immediately before and after she took graduate studies in UA&P, she was an elementary teacher, a dignity she carries with much pride. She is many things to people in UA&P: aside from being an alumna, she was also a guest lecturer in the Industrial Economics and the Applied Business Economics Programs as well as speaker in the economic briefings, and a lifelong friend. During get-togethers with the Economics Education graduate students she narrated anecdotes of the joys and travails of her many callings. She confessed to those attending the Applied Business Economics Program that she could die anytime peacefully knowing that she helped the government earn around P75 Billion a year in additional revenues through collection of value-added tax (VAT). The revenues from this tax, which was expanded from 10% to 12% in February 2006, are given to local government units, keeping the peace, building roads and bridges, funding public school education and health care.
Ms. Guevara was cited for her “...extraordinary, consistent and inspiring example of selfless, honest and intelligent public service.” As an EEP student, she never failed to ask intelligent questions for the benefit of her illustrious doctoral classmates on how to forecast during classes given by Dr. Emilio Antonio Jr. As an author she penned articles explaining to everyone in simple terms how tax is like a linchpin in development. None of the entries in cyberspace would give a snap-shot of what was in her heart as UA&P
alumna more than this short tribute she gave for Dr. Bernardo Villegas when he was made a full professor in 2004. When I did tax policies at the Department of Finance, Dr. Villegas became my model…. Policy papers should be interesting and should be “alive”. It did not come easy. I read my papers over and over again to ensure that ideas flowed freely. I used songs, poems, titles of movies and advertisements to preface policy papers. Comic characters were an integral part of our PowerPoint presentations. Some of my colleagues were skeptical; others thought we were out of line especially when we were presenting before the “Tax Summit” at PICC in 1994. But I saw President Ramos smiling and nodding his head. The bottomline was that people understood the meaning of tax reforms.
And then I did the ultimate. I translated the watered-down version of the Lower House of the Comprehensive Reform Program (CTRP) into a fairy-tale. It was published in the front page of the newspaper the following morning. Thereafter, the CTRP became an issue for public debate and a constituency for its enactment was built. The rest is history. Ideas can move people and can change the country—but only when they are communicated clearly and with sincerity and passion. Certainly, Ms. Guevara has not only communicated her policies and advocacies well; she has also lived a life that shows her unwavering sense of service to the country. Mr. Jose Lemuel Caparas SEC Faculty
UNIVERSITAS September 2008
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Bravo!
New Doctors C
all him Doctor Alfonso Hiquiana. A faculty member of the School of Communication for eight years, Dr. Hiquiana, 45, recently earned his doctorate in English Studies: Language from the University of the Philippines Diliman. Dr. Hiquiana’s dissertation, titled “Masculinity in Ads: A Discourse Analysis of a Subcultural Group’s Interpretation,” studied how some young men interpret masculinity from ads in lifestyle magazines. He found out that “their concept of masculinity was very much Western-based —a materialistic masculinity—[characterized by] highperforming, athletic, high-flying [kind of men].” A striking discovery, however, was the kind of woman the subjects would choose for a wife: the typical conservative Filipina, as opposed to the “liberal” choice which they think would be picked by the male models in the magazines.
Having graduated from Edward R. Murrow High School in New York, Dr. Hiquiana took up zoology at UP-Diliman. From 1984 to 1993, he taught science at PAREF-Southridge and then went to Taiwan to teach English and study Mandarin. He started his stint at UA&P in 1996 under the College of Arts and Sciences. He was then taking up his master’s degree at UP and published works in the UA&P Review and the Diliman Review.
D
epartment of Mathematics professor Eva Rodriguez of the College of Arts and Sciences recently earned her Ph.D. in Mathematics after successfully delivering her dissertation at the University of the Philippines, Diliman. The new doctor has spent 14 years with UA&P where she also graduated with an M.A. in Liberal Education and served as Chair of the Department of Mathematics. Her dissertation, “A Mathematical Model for Cephalostatin 1-Induced Apoptosis in Leukemic Cells,” deals with the application of mathematical models to biological systems and could potentially contribute to furthering drug and cancer research. Dr. Rodriguez’s model was intended to be used in assisting experimentations dealing with cell death or apoptosis and falls into the realm of a relatively new field of study known as Systems Biology. “It’s an interdisciplinary field wherein the experimentalists—chemists and biologists—work with the mathematicians and computer scientists to better understand biological systems,” Dr. Rodriguez explained.
. Dr
ez u ig dr o aR Ev
“Oftentimes, biologists have all this data, but they don’t know how to interpret it. That’s While he is wont to read classics, play the saxophone, or run along Escriva and Pearl Drives where we, the ‘modelers,’ come in, to put more strucon Sundays, Dr. Hiquiana is now “The best reward I think ture and meaning to thinking of taking films seriously. the data,” she said. “I plan to explore the area of after having lived my life “A lot of experimentation rhetoric and narrative, bridging is to hear someone say literature and film,” he said. that s/he became a better still relies on trial and error. But, with a model, His other research interests person because of what somehow, there’s more include discourse and society, I said or did to her/him. direction because the semiotics and advertising, and This is why I have chosen experimentalists will have rhetoric and aesthetics. more information on the to be with people...” interactions that occur Though he has various interests, —Dr. Hiquiana within a biological system.” Dr. Hiquiana stressed, however, that he is passionate about “making a difference in Specifically, Dr. Rodriguez aimed to better unpeople’s lives, big or small. The best reward I think derstand the mechanisms involved in apoptosis after having lived my life is to hear someone say via graphical representation and mathematical that s/he became a better person because analysis. Abnormalities in apoptosis can lead of what I said or did to her/him. This is to cancer, neurodegenerative diseases like why I have chosen to be with people, especially young people—the inevita- Alzheimer’s, or autoimmune diseases such as lupus; thus, it has recently become a subject of ble catalysts of our future realities.” extensive research. “A cell has a built-in program for killing itself. I tried to study how that mechaMr. Daryl Zamora nism is triggered, the interactions and chemical Corporate Communications Office reactions that are involved, and translated these mathematically into a Petri net model, for further analysis,” she said. In the course of her research, Dr. Rodriguez also worked with drug research specialists who studied Cephalostatin 1. “Cephalostatin 1 is a marine compound that was discovered to induce apoptosis in leukemic cells using Dr .A a novel pathway, a mechanism different lfo from what have been published ns oH so far,” she said. “It may, therefore, iqu be a very important component of a ian drug against leukemia, and possibly, a other types of cancer.”
Central to her study is the use of computer software to graphically represent the developments that take place in Cephalostatin 1-induced apoptosis and to mathematically analyze the model. By bridging the gap between biologists and mathematicians through a visual conduit, Dr. Rodriguez hoped her model would allow experimentalists to gain a better grasp of the process on a molecular level. However, she said the greater goal would be to encourage more study of this new method. “Systems Biology is a new field that has been gaining increased attention in universities abroad. In this regard, we, in the Departments of Mathematics and Science and the Institute of Information Technology, are studying the possibility of crafting and offering a Computational Science program that will be unique to UA&P. Up to now, none of the other universities in the Philippines has offered a program on Systems Biology although UP Diliman has started giving mathematical biology courses.” Dr. Rodriguez said. “What is good is that there are more and more people now, trained both locally and abroad, who are trying to transmit this technology here in the Philippines. Hopefully, in the near future, students and faculty members of UA&P can take a more active part in this exciting field of study.” Mr. Carlo Cabrera Corporate Communications Office
Staff Master of Science in Management student recounts win in AmCham Business Orientation Program My one-week Business Orientation Program (BOP) experience last April with member companies of the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) will stand out in my memory for a very long time. Where else could one interact with and learn from CEOs of top American companies? Although I had to forgo one week of academics and internship for it, BOP was exceedingly worth it.
why Flosee is Lamoiyan’s best bet. I gave my hundred and ten percent: I danced the Flosee Dance and even acted out the idea for our commercial. Though I was quite confident with my group’s product, which landed us the third place in “Best Business Plan,” I had no way of expecting, with my rushed presentation, that I would be chosen as the “Best Presenter.” They said that the criteria for that category were clarity, comprehensiveness, consistency, and credibility.
I am grateful to be a part of this program, which has given me a clearer view of what industry I should be part of and what I can contribute in return. //////////////////
According to the AmCham Executive Director Robert Sears, BOP aims to enable well-qualified students to understand key global business and economic issues. This goal was met by organizing a program of site tours for us, plus in-depth discussions and meetings with several management professionals from the AmCham member companies. Among the companies we visited were CitiBank, Chevron, Philamlife, Wachovia, Bellevue Hotel, Goodyear Philippines, Ogilvy and Mather Phils., Mead Johnson, SunPower, Ford Philippines, Philip Morris, Convergys, and the US Embassy-Commercial Services. Through these visits, we were exposed to the actual operations of multinational companies, which opened our eyes to the enormous contributions of American multinational businesses to the country’s development. BOP also aims to promote constructive exchange of ideas and to harness our abilities in analyzing and solving problems in the context of real-life business environment. One major activity we did to reach this goal is the crafting of a business plan using the case study of Lamoiyan Corporation. We were divided into teams, composed of a mix of students from the different participating schools. Aside from UA&P, the students were from, among others, the University of the Philippines, De La Salle University, University of the East, Far Eastern University, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, and Silliman University. April 19, 2008 must be one of the most nervewrecking days I have every experienced. All the teams presented their business plans to a distinguished panel of judges. According to their criteria, the best Business Plan is innovative, consistent with Lamoiyan Corporation’s vision and mission, marketable and realistic, wellwritten, and well-presented. Our team, which came up with Flosee, a floss for children, was first to present (we were supposed to be third presenters but we agreed to swap places with another team).
The team of Bea Camille Dedicatoria, another UA&P student, won second best business plan, with their Hapee Fusion, a toothbrush and toothpaste combined.
I am grateful to be a part of this program, which has given me a clearer view of what industry I should be part of and what I can contribute in return. It has also given me the opportunity to see how theory and practice can come together in interesting and productive ways. Mary Love Siy SMN 4th year
Mang Eran—vital cog in the AFM wheel Known for his meticulous work and perfectionism, master carpenter Eranio Ornedo is, very much like the things he creates, an important fixture in the University that has stood the test of time. His 15 years in UA&P, given due recognition during last year’s Service Awards, are frequently lauded by his co-workers for the quality of craftsmanship he has put out during that time.
“I don’t need people to watch over me just to encourage me to work”
Since joining the University in 1992, Mang Eran’s wide array of skills that reach far beyond carpentry have made him an invaluable part of Assets and Facilities Management. His years of experience in construction work prior to UA&P have afforded him the knowledge and skills that have led others to dub him as the “all-around guy.” “I can’t just focus on one type of work,” he says. “Everyday, there’s something to do. I never run out.”
Bea Camille Dedicatoria and Mary Love Siy of MScM
With Mr. Chris Nelson, Managing Director of Philip Morris
Indeed, Mang Eran’s thumbprint is ubiquitous all around the school, from the library to the offices, even to the guardhouse; from carpentry to plumbing to welding, anything and everything that requires fixing has almost assuredly passed his approval. Being with the University for as long as he has, Mang Eran not only witnessed UA&P’s transformation from the smaller Center for Research and Communication but also played a vital role in it. “I don’t need people to watch over me just to encourage me to work,” he says. “I just do my work even when no one tells me to. I know what needs to be done and I don’t wait around before doing it.”
After three teammates gave the industry overview, I had to present the product itself—the core of the presentation. But since I had only five minutes left, I felt I had to talk fast (so that the other team members could give the financial part) yet still communicate clearly
Mr. Carlo Cabrera Corporate Communications Office With Mr. Dave Morin, President and Managing Director of Good Year Philippines
UNIVERSITAS September 2008
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Campus Life
I &
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Mr. Luis Arcangel Corporate Communications Office
UNIVERSITAS September 2008
In his opening talk, Dr. Terosa postulated that although the distribution of income was better in 2006, there is still room for considerable improvement. This highlights the importance of increasing the income of the poor; due to the prevailing disparity in income, soaring food prices will burden the poor more than the rest. During the main presentation, Dr. Dy corrected the common perception about the rice shortage. He argued that “shortage” is more or less a matter of perception. He pointed out that there is really no shortage; supplies
tightened because major rice exporting countries such as Thailand and India set stringent restrictions on their exportable surplus. He also said that the so-called rice crisis is not due to a ballooning population but due to the Filipinos’ declining buying power and the underinvestment in agriculture and infrastructure.
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n addressing one of the most pressing issues the country is facing today, last May 20th the School of Economics, in cooperation with the School of Management, organized “Year of the Rat 2008: Do we have enough cheese and rice? (A Conference on the Food and Rice Situation in the Philippines).” The keynote speaker of the conference was Dr. Rolando T. Dy, Executive Director of the Center for Food and Agri Business who also serves as the Dean for the university’s School of Management. Moderated by economist Dr. Ramon Quesada, the conference also featured inputs from Dr. Cid Terosa as well as graduate student Robe Ann Paccial who voiced the sentiments of the youth sector.
“shortage” is more or less a matter of perception. ////////////////
The Integrated Marketing Communications Effectiveness Awards Conference Series: CEOS OF TOP COMPANIES SHARE INSIGHTS ON BRANDING
Established by the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P), the Integrated Marketing Communications Effectiveness Awards (IMCEA) has seen recognition and success through two installments over the last few years and has now set in motion the UA&P CEO Colloquia: The IMCEA Conference Series. The series pushes the momentum of its predecessor by promoting the same ideals while providing the University as a venue for the exchange of ideas among senior executives on business issues, and to share the best practices in corporate social responsibility and the promotion of societal values through marketing communications.
BPI President & CEO speaks on brand equity Globe Telecom President & CEO takes on new media After the CEO Colloquia’s inaugural session last December, top executives from the advertising industry and client companies once again returned to UA&P for the second part of the series. This time around, Globe Telecom President and CEO Mr. Gerardo Ablaza Jr. led a lively and constructive discussion on the “Challenges Facing Advertising Agencies Today: A Client’s Perspective.” Mr. Ablaza tackled in rich detail the ever-changing market and the transitions ad agencies need to make, especially with regard to new media. He focused on his first-hand experience with Globe Telecom and the steps the company took to ensure competitiveness in the face of technological advancement. “Perhaps the biggest challenge of all is the changing nature of the consumers and their ever-evolving preferences,” he said. “With the emergence of new media, the Internet and cellular phones, the once-passive audience is now, in itself, an advertising medium. Consumers can create and receive brand messages and help in their proliferation. The monologue has become a dialogue.” The UA&P CEO Colloquia: The IMCEA Conference Series is organized in partnership with BusinessWorld. Mr. Carlo Cabrera Corporate Communications Office
“With the emergence of new media, the Internet and cellular phones, the once passive audience is now, in itself, an advertising medium.
Ms. Teresita Tan, Senior VP, BPI; Dr. Placido Mapa, Chairman, Metrobank Foundation; Mr. Aurelio Montinola III, President & CEO, BPI; Ms. Josephine Ocampo, Senior VP, BPI; Mr. Vicente Dinglasan, Managing Director, IDS Logistics; Mr. Javier Calero, Chairman, Full Circle Communications
Bank of the Philippine Islands President and CEO Aurelio Montinola III was the latest addition in the growing line of business luminaries to grace the UA&P CEO Colloquia: Integrated Marketing Communication Effectiveness Awards (IMCEA) Conference Series. Held last May 20 at the University, the conference topic was “Building a Strong Brand Equity: The BPI Legacy,” which focused on how the company leverages off its strong brand imagery and parlays that into a long-standing competitive advantage.
new technology to deliver better value, and is abreast with the latest socio-cultural trends.
Mr. Montinola explained that building a properly managed brand equity should be a priority for companies if they are to be competitive in the market, as this leads to customer loyalty and heightened profitability.
Lastly, the brand portfolio and hierarchy make sense. Its different brands are all distinct and independent for maximum market coverage. For instance, the GAP brand has efficiently given its Banana Republic and Old Navy lines such distinct identities that most people do not even know that they are under one corporate umbrella.
The Harvard-trained CEO pointed out five characteristics common to the world’s biggest brands. First, the biggest brands excel at delivering the benefits that the customer truly desires. He cites Starbucks as a good example. It does not merely sell coffee; it stages a coffee bar culture “experience” that keeps customers coming back for more. Second, the brand stays relevant. The company keeps up with changes in its customers’ tastes and applies these to its offerings, invests in
Third, the brand is consistent. The brand’s image is not lost or muddled amidst the cacophony of marketing efforts being propagated by the company. Fourth, the brand is properly positioned. In occupying the proper niche in the consumers’ minds, it has established an identifying differentiator that serves as an advantage over its competitors.
Mr. Montinola went on to highlight BPI’s legacy in establishing a strong, sustainable brand equity that has served as the key factor in their long-standing market dominance in the country. In utilizing the aforementioned principles, their pioneering spirit has changed the banking landscape not only in the Philippines, but in Southeast Asia as well. Mr. Luis Arcangel Corporate Communications Office
Dr. Francine Calero-Racho (Dean, School of Communication) Ms. Emily Abrera (Chairman, McCann Worldgroup Asia Pacific)
Mr. Gerardo Ablaza Jr. (President and CEO, Globe)
Mr. Ramon Jimenez (Co-Chairman, JimenezBasic)
:: philosopher
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Fr. Joseph de Torre :: priest
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Faculty Highlights
“A
social and political philosopher; author of books on social ethics, Catholic social teaching, modern philosophy and spirituality, family and bioethics;...member of the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs (the world’s leading voice promoting ethical leadership on issues of war, peace and global social justice)...and the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty (ecumenical think-tank dedicated to the study of free-market economics informed by religious faith and moral absolutes).” These are a few of the accomplishments cited in the encyclopedic entry under Fr. Joseph de Torre. There are others, most especially, awards, recognitions, and citations for his 22 books and hundreds of journal articles and research papers. These are the products of years of preaching as well as teaching in CRC/UA&P, where he started to teach in 1970.
and Political Philosophy, which came out in 2005. Fr. Latorre believes that the University has attained recognition in the field of social ethics because of Fr. De Torre’s written works. “Fr. De Torre has given the University a high stature because of his many publications. I think that this is one of his great contributions to the school.” His books have been widely read and cited by those in his field. In 1985, he received an award from the Catholic Mass Media for his book Christ and the Moral Life (the citation reads: “From its success in adequately capsulizing for the hard-pressed reader a subject of great magnitude and for its attempt to reeducate the Christian conscience in this age when new labels are readily given to old errors”). In February 1989 he received an award from the Asian Book Fair, Inc. as an “Outstanding Catholic Author.”
In 1973, Fr. De Torre joined the Strategic Business Economics Program. In June 1989 when the CRC College of Arts and Sciences was inaugurated, he was appointed first Chaplain of the College and Chair of the Philosophy Department. When CRC became the University of Asia and the Pacific, he became University Professor Emeritus of Social and Political Philosophy and Senior Fellow. Fr. Caesar Santos, Vice Director of the University Chaplaincy, says that UA&P has benefited tremendously from Fr. De Torre’s “profound knowledge of St. Thomas Aquinas’ theology and philosophy, the history of philosophy, and Church history, as well as his tireless efforts to communicate his knowledge of theology and philosophy through his years as a professor and as a writer of books on these subjects.” Up to now, although Fr. De Torre no longer holds classes, Fr. Latorre believes that “he is always present, somehow laying the foundations to the extent that he could, with regards to the books available, bibliography, and courses.”
Prolific writer Years of teaching the subject helped him produce his first book in 1975—Social Morals: The Church Speaks on Society. After that, he continued to write books, coming out with one almost every year. To date, he has written 22 books, the most recent of which is Being is Person: Personalism and Human Transcendence in Socio-Economic
Today he is a member of international groups such as the Fellowship of Catholic Scholars (USA), the American Catholic Philosophical Association (USA), the Society of Catholic Social Scientists (USA), the American Maritain Association (USA), the Royal Institute of Philosophy (UK), the International Society for the Study of European Ideas (Haifa, Israel), and the Catholic Educators Resource Center (Canada).
Inspiration
Teaching in CRC/UA&P Two years after coming to the Philippines (he arrived on June 21, 1968), Fr. De Torre joined the faculty of the Center for Research and Communication (CRC) as Professor of Social Economics and Social Ethics in the Industrial Economics Program and Economics Education Program. “Fr. De Torre has been a constant in CRC/UA&P since the school’s early years,” according to Fr. Roberto Latorre, a faculty member in the Department of Theology. “And he was involved at the outset of the orientation of the curriculum of School of Economics to Church doctrine, particular the social dimension. Through the years, he developed this expertise.”
Ideas, which aims at promoting the study of Europe’s cultural past and present, particularly the creative aspects of the European mind in fields such as science, religion, philosophy, sociology, politics, history, and economics. His papers and other articles eventually came out in journals in Asia, the US, and Europe. At the same time, he contributed essays to books and encyclopedias on Catholic Social Thought.
St. Josemaria Escriva, Founder of Opus Dei, with Fr. de Torre
“All my pastoral and teaching work has been inspired by the profound impact in my life of St. Josemaría Escrivá and Bishop Alvaro del Portillo...As Jesús Urteaga says in his book Man The Saint: ‘Whatever good you may find in me, I owe it all to St. Josemaría. The rest is mine.’” Fr. De Torre’s teaching and written works have led to his many highly regarded services to the Church in the Philippines. He was consultor to the late Cardinal Julio Rosales in the Pontifical Commission for the Revision of the Code of Canon Law, to the Papal Nuncio to the Philippines, Archbishop Bruno Torpigliani, and to Cardinal Jaime Sin, who appointed him delegate to the 1979 Synod of Manila, as expert in social ethics.
International congresses/societies In the early 1990s Fr. De Torre started to participate in international congresses of social scientists, during which he read his papers. These congresses are the annual conferences of the American Maritain Association, a not-for-profitorganization which is dedicated to understanding and building upon the philosophy of Jacques Maritain and the members of the realist tradition to which he belongs, and the Society of Catholic Social Scientists. The latter is a US-based organization of Catholic scholars, professors, and writers in the social sciences and related disciplines that seeks to promote scholarly endeavors toward helping rebuild the culture according to Catholic Church teachings, securing protection for the Christian family and all innocent human life, and furthering respect for the legitimate rights and duties of the human person. He has also presented papers in the International Congress of Social Scientists and the International Society for the Study of European
Where does Fr. De Torre get inspiration for his work? He says “All my pastoral and teaching work has been inspired by the profound impact in my life of St. Josemaría Escrivá and Bishop Alvaro del Portillo, the Founder and the First Prelate of Opus Dei. As Jesús Urteaga says in his book Man The Saint: ‘Whatever good you may find in me, I owe it all to St. Josemaría. The rest is mine.’” Fr. De Torre first became acquainted with St. Josemaría in the first half of 1950 through the book Camino written by the latter. “I was then in my junior year of College at the Instituto Nacional de Enseñanza Media Milá in Fontanals of Barcelona, a type of public state school covering all secondary studies leading to the bachelor’s degree ratified by a university.” Fr. De Torre eventually met him in person on November 11, 1952 when he was already a member of Opus Dei. From then on he would have many more memorable meetings and opportunities to work with him in Rome before and after his ordination in Madrid on August 7, 1955 as well as before and after his assignments in Ireland and the Philippines. Fr. De Torre continues to be inspired by St. Josemaría as he reaches out to individuals, not in the classroom but through spiritual counseling, giving out highly sought-out advice on spiritual life. In many ways, he, in turn, inspires those around him, especially the priests who have known him since he arrived in the country. Fr. Carlos Estrada, the University chaplain, says “Fr. De Torre is not only an accomplished philosopher, but also a dedicated priest. He combined study and writing with intense pastoral work.” Fr. Santos cites “his exemplary way of living the priesthood, the long hours he spends in the confessional and in imparting spiritual direction, his perseverance in living the spirit of Opus Dei all these years, his zeal in making people know about the life of St. Josemaría, whom he knew personally.” To Fr. Latorre, “he is a very good example of one who gives of himself, first, in terms of the content of his work, and second, his presence of the spirit of Opus Dei, which is work. St. Josemaría used to say that we have to work ‘squeezed out like a lemon.’ His presence here is a bit like that. You see him squeeze himself like a lemon up to the very last energy he has, devoting it to productive activity.”
UNIVERSITAS September 2008
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Tradition
Graduation 2008
An Ode to Liberal Luck and circumstance conspired to send me to the UA&P’s thirteenth graduation rites at the Philippine International Convention Center last June 7 in Pasay City. As the University sent off 300-plus graduates to the professional world, I could not help fancying myself in the graduates’ shoes, musing at the same time on the countless school-related challenges I have so far faced. These are the people who have gone through the rigors of college life, I told myself, looking at the black-clad graduates. They have been nurtured well because of the strong liberal education they received in the University. Our school’s strong liberal education is striking. Convinced of the dignity of each human being, UA&P has been upholding this brand of education, where each student is given the opportunity to develop himself or herself holistically. We are not machines made only to do certain tasks, but creatures with intelligence and will. For 13 years, the University has made sure that its students are provided with the knowledge, skills, and wisdom that would propel them to the heights of success and “perfection.” I thought it was time for somebody to highlight such a fact. Thus, I sat up expectantly when Leon Peckson (Master of Arts in Humanities with specialization in Literature)—the batch valedictorian—gave his address. To his fellow graduates, he said: “As graduates of this university we hold the distinction of having been liberally educated….Ours is an education that has sought to address the needs of man as man and not merely of man insofar as he must eat and must have shelter over his head. The goal of our liberal education is to give us a vision of man and his place in this universe. This vision is no mean guide toward…a truly human, and thus fulfilling, existence.” Leon urged his fellow graduates to make use of what they have learned in their three years of liberal education in the University. He expressed hope that in whatever trials and travails that would come their way, they would never forget the important characters in their literature classes: “It is my hope that when the great decisions of our life are upon us, the images and episodes of the classics invade our deliberations, acting as counselors and advisors... Would that we hear and see pious Aeneas, set before his band of dispirited Trojans, feigning courage and insisting on perseverance, reassuring them that the trials of this moment would soon become the delightful memories of challenges met and overcome. Would that we see Achilles, the Homeric hero, wounded by the death of his dear Patroclus, choosing compassion over just revenge and returning Hector to his mourning father. Would that these and not the images of our noontime variety shows be the guides that aid us to set the course of our lives. For what we find in these classics—in our liberal education—are the lives of men intensely human both in exaltation and damnation—the ethos and pathos of their lives serve as a compass for our own.” The same advice for the graduates to treasure their invaluable liberal education came from Mr. Doreswamy Nandkishore, President and Chief Executive Officer of Nestlé Philippines, Inc., the affair’s guest of honor. He condensed his message into
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UNIVERSITAS September 2008
“Ours is an education that has sought to address the needs of man as man and not merely of man insofar as he must eat and must have shelter over his head. The goal of our liberal education is to give us a vision of man and his place in this universe.” Leon Peckson, Cum Laude
Education three words: “Do not change.” He encouraged the graduates to always prize the values, lessons, and formation that they had received during their stay in the University. He added that it is the best way for the graduates to make a difference in the world. By the end of the graduation ceremonies, I could not help but be convinced that it is liberal education that helps us make the right decisions in our lives. It is in language, mathematics, rhetoric, etc. where we find the answers to the questions posed in our time. Only by doing so would we be successful, not only in our chosen specialization, but also in our personal lives. Lorenz Joseph Carpio SCM 3rd year
“Do not change.” Doreswamy Nandkishore, Nestlé President & CEO
Honor Graduates COMBINED UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE PROGRAMS CUM LAUDE Aldous Benjamin Clemente Camiso MASTER OF SCIENCE IN INDUSTRIAL ECONOMICS
Joan Lisette Carpena Catindig MASTER OF SCIENCE IN INDUSTRIAL ECONOMICS
Lester Martin Maske Flores MASTER OF ARTS IN POLITICAL ECONOMY WITH SPECIALIZATION IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND DEVELOPMENT
Mary Hazeline Leonardo Germar MASTER OF SCIENCE IN INDUSTRIAL ECONOMICS
Leon J. Arthur Perfecto Peckson MASTER OF ARTS IN HUMANITIES WITH SPECIALIZATION IN LITERATURE
UNIVERSITAS September 2008
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Student Life
UA&P Mentoring cover story
Why it works
An American university has conceived an online tool to support student mentoring. This technique is clearly a natural offshoot among people immersed in today’s wired culture. Will this tool work in an institution committed to the holistic formation of students? Absolutely not. The mentoring done in UA&P is one-on-one and face-to-face. Students’ needs are attended to with utmost care. Here are what some mentees say about how mentoring worked in their university life:
Changes During my freshman year at the University, the mentoring that I had was more of a lecture or speech by my mentor. Or so it seemed to me. Because at that time, I was still adjusting to college life, obliging my mentor to teach me the rules of the game, as well as extra tips to survive the rigorous university life. Being basically reserved, I limited myself to “yes”, “no”, “po”, and “hindi po” replies during our chats. To cut the story short, I did not take full advantage of the mentoring program. The next year, I was given a new mentor. This time, I had a Socratic mentor, who would throw me questions almost as if interrogating me. At first I found it irritating, but then I understood he wanted me to examine myself. I began to be more comfortable in sharing my thoughts with my new mentor. Besides, I would also
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UNIVERSITAS September 2008
Now on my fourth year in the University, I am excited to meet my would-be mentor. If in
At first glance, the mentoring program since you would have to meet your m home or going on gimmicks. But in m the program anyway. But there were meet my mentor, and I played compu
And then came a time when I was so I was so into myself that I forgot abo I became paranoid and thought the I was judgmental and proud. I thoug stopped listening to my peers and e
use our chat for consultation regarding my academic papers. On my junior year—when I already had to take up major units—I was assigned a mentor from my field of specialization. This time, it was I who asked questions, usually course-related, so that I would know more about my program. Our topics ranged from study habits to career talk to love life to time management. My mentor would emphasize that for me to succeed, diligence is the key. For him, intelligence is only second. Slowly, I developed a friendship with my mentor. In our chat, 30 minutes was sometimes not enough. We would normally extend when both our schedules allowed us to. Gone were my one-word answers.
Light in the darkn
But I got out of all that, thanks to the gave me. He also helped me realize But to do that, you have to lean on G
Making the most o my university educ the past three years I had a mentor who frequently gave me advice, a mentor who would want to know me more, and a mentor who would become a friend, this year I am looking forward to having a mentor who would be my inspiration in my chosen field. Now, I see the big change in myself, thanks to the mentoring program. From oneliners to longer and interesting answers to more interesting conversations, my personal growth was very evident. John Be Orenz Nito IPE 4th year
When I entered college, I told myse the most out of my UA&P educatio meant getting nothing but good gr I thought that with that goal in min go wrong. However, it dawned on m know what steps to take to reach t
During the first weeks in school, I fe guidance. But help came anyway in mentoring program and, as the obl I was, I went into it and since then h blessed by the good that it has don that we are not good judges of ours we tend to give in to our selfish inte because of our muddled intellect an
As I look back to my past two year University, I am happy to find that
Exit Fruitful conversations To have a mentor is to have a teacher who is at the same time a friend. For the past two years, I have shared my struggles with my mentors, and it made me realize that indeed, two heads are better than one. Although initially I felt intimidated, I’ve become more comfortable since they have treated me as if I were no stranger. The mentoring program, in fact, breaks the barrier between the students and the University faculty. Although some students find it hard to open up, mentors already know the concerns and issues students encounter in and outside school. They may not know all the right solutions, but they give us insightful options and steer us in choosing the best one.
ness
m might seem like a burden, mentor instead of going straight my freshman year, I went on with times when I did not want to uter games or basketball instead.
o down, I hit rock bottom. out the feelings of others. world revolved around me. ght I knew everything and elders.
e pieces of advice my mentor that life is about acting now. God because alone, you can do
of cation
elf I would get on. By this, I rades. Back then, nd, I could never me that I did not that goal.
Unfortunately, some students feel that a mentor is unnecessary, since we already have guidance counselors and teachers. What they do not know is that mentors give us exclusive time. Mentors also go beyond university matters and get deeper into each student’s needs. For a lot of students, the mentor’s concern and friendship have made the students’ stay at UA&P memorable and enriching. For instance, my mentors have become “old friends” whom I turn to whenever I need someone to talk to—and they have always listened eagerly. It didn’t matter if they held positions that are highly esteemed in the University; they treated me as if they were just students like me. Indeed, my mentors have taught me what holistic educa-
nothing. I learned about humility in depth in St. Josemaría Escrivá’s The Way, which my mentor recommended to me. I think that book really helped me a lot. I was amazed at how true and good St. Josemaría’s ideas were. Now I am so grateful for all my mentors. They have been there when I needed someone to talk to or to share jokes with. That’s why I think mentors can be considered unsung heroes. People go through mentoring, and yet only a few of them really value it. Mentoring is a light! People need some light with all the evil around. We need guidance to survive. And I attest to this, since I was in the bottom of the pit of dilemmas but my mentors were able to help me rise above it. And look at me now. I guess I am fine, and I think I am better because of all the time I spent with my mentors. Rowland Jan Earl Dy SCM 4th year
several tiny steps towards achieving my goal, many thanks to the mentoring program. I have learned that to make the most of my UA&P education, I have to know myself well and the reason I think in a particular way.
elt no need for any n the form of the liging student that have happily been ne for me. I learned selves; frequently, erests and whims nd weakened will.
While I got countless study tips and time management techniques from my mentors at the start, as the chats went on and trust was slowly built, the mentoring sessions went to a deeper level. I came to understand that I am not merely a student but more importantly, a human being, and therefore, academic work—though a top priority—should not be the center of my life. I now know that friendships should also be given great importance. Most of all, I learned it is crucial for me to cultivate and deepen my spiritual life. Academics, family, friends, selfknowledge, and God—these fundamental aspects of my life—are interrelated.
rs in the I have advanced
Jas Magsino IPE 3rd year
tion really is (which, of course, is not purely academics), helped me ease my worries, and most importantly, guided me to be closer to God and achieve a unity of life. I must say I have become more orderly and focused with their guidance and direction. I may have been hesitant to try out the mentoring program at first, but after two years of experience and fruitful conversations, I can say I could have had a harder time without those mentors. I may have made mistakes during my stay at UA&P, but definitely, taking advantage of the mentoring program was not one of them. Leah Tacuel SCM 3rd year
Forming our character It is great to have someone who is highly credible listen to us, give us advice, and help us get through difficulties in life. This is why I always make it a point to make time to see my mentor at least once a month. I find that talking with my mentor helps me become stronger and more responsible and have a more mature outlook. So, I wonder why some students look at mentoring as a burden. They do not even give it a chance. Personally, I gained a lot from mentoring. I learned how to go about my problem of adjusting upon entering the University. My mentor taught me how to make myself comfortable studying here and gave me advice on how to cope with certain academic difficulties. Our University’s mentoring system is a big help for us students wanting to be the best—students with character. Thanks to the mentoring system! Without it, school life would be such a great problem! Viory Janeo SEC 3rd year
UNIVERSITAS September 2008
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Student Life
Freshstart‘08 Welcoming new members of the UA&P family
June—a school year’s beginning—is always an exciting time, and one can only imagine the jittery anticipation of some 300 freshmen, a burst of energy in the UA&P campus. Coming from different parts of the Philippines and the world, that bunch of young people are now the latest batch of UA&P students. Certainly, a party of sorts had to be in order. Freshstart is the University’s adrenaline-pumped threeday freshman orientation program. It serves not only as the freshmen’s introductory seminar but also as their first experience of the warmth of the UA&P family. With the theme, “Unitas: Proud to be UA&P,” Freshstart ’08 was organized by the Office of Student Affairs, Guidance Office, and the Student Executive Board. Among the program’s activities were campus tours, seminarworkshops, and cultural programs, giving the new students glimpses of the UA&P life. Jolo Valdez of PAREF Southridge observed, “Everyone in UA&P has been welcoming and friendly, so it has been easy for us freshmen to blend in, even though we come from different walks of life and have different backgrounds.”
“the things we learned in Freshstart—like the UA&P Support System (Guidance Office, Mentoring System, Spiritual Direction)—is reassuring. We know where we are going and we are on the right track.” ////////////////// He added that “the things we learned in Freshstart—like the UA&P Support System (Guidance Office, Mentoring System, Spiritual Direction)—is reassuring. We know where we are going and that we are on the right track.” Known for its liberal education, UA&P is focused on the entirety of the individual. Kristin Martin, a graduate of Rizal High School (one of the country’s largest public schools), is convinced of this. “Freshstart has taught me that UA&P is really good,” she said, “or even better than other universities, because it gives high importance to its students and not merely to the courses they offer. UA&P does not create human machines. Rather, they help human beings think for themselves and according to the teachings of the Church.” At the Freshstart’s culminating program, Ms. Maria Susana E. Manzon, Vice President for Student and Alumni Affairs, advised the freshmen “to be thirsty for wisdom.” She said students must consider wisdom their treasure. “[Acquiring it] is the primary reason why you are here in UA&P,” she said. All in all, Freshstart ’08 boosted the freshmen’s thrill in starting college life. The University, at the same time, acquires new vitality with this fresh batch of future leaders forged by sound values and excellence that is truly UA&P. Lorenz Joseph Carpio SCM 3rd year
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UNIVERSITAS September 2008
Headstart ignites EM freshies’ college life Under clouds and summer sun every year, the Entrepreneurial Management (EM) Program sets up a three-day camp for freshmen outside Metro Manila. Then, they would plunge into an intense four-week refresher on basic subjects to put them ahead when the term starts. Among the program’s goals is to equip students with teamwork and leadership skills, as well as knowledge to cope with the rigors and high standards of UA&P life. It is also a venue for the new students to build new friendships even before June comes. This year, the EM Summer Headstart Program for girls started with the summer camp held on April 28-30 at the One Algon Place in Cabuyao, Laguna. I was there, and the camp was a blast. We had activities like the “Trust Fall,” which effectively builds trust in your teammates. Here, you are blindfolded and told to fall from a high place, convinced that your groupmates would catch you— because they would! Then we had a “Memory Maze,” where everyone had to cross the makeshift labyrinth after taking one look at the “master path.” If you committed a mistake, you had to do it again. (Good thing, many of my teammates had an excellent memory.) Finally, we competed in advertising unusual products, like the top of a
can. Our mentors, who formed part of the Pioneer EM Girls, judged our presentations. Indeed, our activities there forged strong bonds as well as a sense of belongingness to the University! Fr. Edgar Soria also celebrated Holy Mass for us during the camp. His homily was very moving as it revolved around an important question: “Jesus gave up His life for me. Do I have a right to reject Him?” Meanwhile, we had formal summer classes at the University from May 5 to 30. The classes helped a lot to polish our skills in academic work. The Math class taught us college-level understanding on the “set of real numbers” and ratio and proportion; our English class, on producing effective paragraphs; our Filipino class, on grammatical points; our I.T. class, on the Open Office Freeware; and our Personality Development Skills classes, on time management, reading, taking notes effectively, and taking examinations. With all this new knowledge, I know we are ready to face the upcoming first semester. Certainly, I am happy that through the Headstart program, I gained friends who share my principles. As someone once told me, “We can learn things from all types of people.” Now, I am beginning to see the importance of this lesson. From Headstart, I also learned that underestimating ourselves leads to failure in achieving our aspirations. This should not be the case for us freshmen. Let us find ourselves and grow. We can do this! Marie Ysabel Lennor Dy EM 1st year
I.M.Committed to Love: The School of Communication reaches out An outreach project of the Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) students, I.M.Committed brought food, electric fans, school supplies, toys, and a fun-filled day to children of the Nayon ng Kabataan in Pasay City last March. The project was in line with the ‘people development program’ of the University, and in particular, the School of Communication. We tried to bring joy to the children by giving them not only material goods, but also ourselves by spending time talking and playing with them. In the end, however, we too ended up enriched with priceless lessons in life and an increased capacity to love. The children, about 50 of them, came across with whole-hearted participation in the activities. For the coloring competition, we had a hard time choosing the finalists, since a lot of the artworks were excellent. It was opportune that Dr. Veronica Isla and Dr. Francine Calero-Racho were there to judge the artworks. The “statue dance” was never-ending as they seriously wanted to outdo each other. In between activities, some of the children also tried to grab the microphone from us to sing and perform in front of the crowd. Truly it was a day of fun, bonding, and learning. I.M.Committed was an opportunity to bridge our gap with needy children. The children at Nayon ng Kabataan yearn for respect, justice, and love—all of which we often take for granted. It was worth all the challenges that faced us organizers. The lessons we learned
in organizing this event and communicating with all kinds of people were worth the ordeals in time management; this outreach activity coincided with tons of reading for our class on Communication & Society: Theory & Application and preparations for Advertising Management presentations—not to mention finals week. It also enlightened me on the value of time, people, and communication. My fellow organizers felt the same way, too. Here are some of their comments: “It was a fun and fulfilling way to spend my Saturday afternoon, bringing smiles and joy to kids. After all the work and studies, the outreach was a perfect ending to my first year as an IMC major.”— Illin Rodriguez “It was a humbling experience, and it made me realize that holding an outreach activity once a year is never enough.”—Kath Alday “I remember watching the kids from Nayon ng Kabataan continue to smile despite the circumstances that they were faced with. They reminded me to look at things in a positive light and to see the…happiness that I can get even in the simplest things like a box of crayons, a dance, and a laugh. The kids from the outreach were truly a blessing to me, and they ignited my passion to serve the youth.”—Reena Mesias With all these things we gained, I think every UA&P student should engage in activities such as I.M.Committed, breaking out of their comfort zone, to learn about other vital things they cannot learn inside the air-conditioned classrooms. It is every person’s duty to know and serve the community he is part of. Lexie Panaligan SCM 4th year
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Student Life But come to think of it, these challenges test our talent, ability, and knowledge. It gave me a chance to look further, to look for areas where I could be of help. What was your single biggest takeaway from the program?
The Values-Based Educational Leadership Program
At the vanguard of change The clamor for major reforms in the educational system is growing in many countries, including the Philippines. Given the long-standing perception that the country’s educational system is deficient, there needs to be a complete transformation of schools, especially public ones.
taken the essential first step in carrying out a paradigm shift within the educational system.
Effective educational reform starts with effective educational leadership, especially where it counts most: at the level of individual schools. They need both principal-leaders and teacherleaders—professional educators and administrators—who can (1) translate “vision-mission statements” into concrete, workable, and cost-effective plans and measures to enhance faculty performance and student learning; and (2) execute these plans and measures, harnessing their schools’ resources and networks.
Did you find the program relevant to your work?
In that sense, the key to reforming the country’s educational system and transforming its schools lies in nurturing and developing principal-leaders and teacher-leaders. To help in this task, the UA&P’s School of Education and Human Development (SED) offers a three-week summer program titled Values–Based Educational Leadership Program (ELP). The program is built on SED’s strength and record in values education, and taps the University’s links with leading professionals in various sectors. It is meant primarily for school principals and educators being prepared for leadership, managerial, and key administrative positions in their schools, especially those in basic education. From May 5 to 23 this year, SED offered its second run of ELP (the program was first offered in summer of 2007). There were 34 participants, eight of whom were principals; the others were assistant principals, department heads, and master teachers. The program focused on (1) the principal as a person and a professional, (2) understanding authority and leadership in an educational institution, and (3) key issues related to school-based management. This article features two school principals who took part in this year’s ELP. According to them, the theories and concepts taken up in the program provided them with valuable insights on how to effect positive change in their respective schools. By attending the program, they have
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Juanita Alajar
Principal, Justice Cecilia Muñoz Palma High School Payatas, Quezon City
Yes, I did. It affirmed that some of the things I do are right, and at the same time it helped me reevaluate what I do in school. It inspired me to continue looking for the right things to do and examining where I have failed. Our school is located in a very depressed area, and attempting to improve the students’ performance was an immense challenge that wearied me after two years. I had improved the facilities and instituted training programs for the teachers; yet the students’ performance remained quite low. So I kept asking myself, “Where did I fail?” The program couldn’t have come at a better time. I have about 5,200 students and only 120 teachers. That is definitely not easy to manage, considering the numerous problems that have plagued the school.
“(MAVE) gave me a chance to look further, to look for areas where I could be of help.”
Has the program helped you understand better the multiple roles of a school principal? It has, because there is a thorough examination of one’s self both as a person and as a school manager. Personally, it gave me an affirmation about the kind of person I should strive to become. Having studied and taught in a school for girls, my transfer to the public school sector was a complete culture shock, and I seriously doubted if I could even make it out of my first month.
I could use everything I learned in the program. But the one thing I will prioritize upon coming back is to take the time to listen to everyone’s inputs. In the past we have had relative success in uniting the faculty, and the insights I got from the lecture on cultural differences really benefited me a lot. We have students coming from provinces all over the country, and you could see the diversity in culture through them. I tell our teachers to treat their students as their own children, just as the program had outlined. We talked about the totality of the whole person, and I am hopeful that our teachers would pick up on this attribute to further our educational program. We also had a workshop on how my ideal school would be, where we did a thorough self-examination. It sought to identify the type of person I was, and how that equates into leadership. I fully intend to administer a similar workshop in our school, so that our teachers would have a feel of the accountability and responsibility for each of the students under their care.
“...this program Julienne Austin gave me several Principal, St. Louis very productive High School-Philex insights that I Tuba, Benguet could not wait Why did you to apply...” take up the ELP Program?
Philex was one of the sponsors, and I was one of the lucky ones to be picked to come over to Manila. I was so excited at the prospect, and I didn’t even give it a second thought. It was a wonderful experience to meet other educators like myself, especially those coming from NCR. I was particularly excited to see for myself what the UA&P had to offer, as I had heard that it was the undergraduate equivalent of AIM (Asian Institute of Management). Going through the primer of the program, I told myself that given the needs of my school, the knowledge that I would gain from the program would prove invaluable. Did you find the ELP Program enjoyable? I thought it was immensely enjoyable. We had modules on finding ourselves, and I felt that this program gave me several very productive insights that I could not wait to apply and integrate into my school’s overall administration. We learned to accept who we are as individual people. I saw that I had to leverage off my strengths and build from my weaknesses. It has greatly motivated me, and with that in mind I am hoping I am empowered to motivate my students as well. We need to take it upon ourselves and shoulder the burden of improving the quality of education in the country. I am with these students 10 months a year; hence we have to be responsible and proactive in guiding them towards the right path.
J
une 6 did not come as an ordinary day for Paolo Duran and Kevin Chan. That morning, Duran attended his Baccalaureate Mass at the Stella Orientis Oratory, while Chan mingled with newfound friends during the Freshstart activities at the nearby APEC Communications Building.
Brimming with excitement, the freshman stood in contrast to the experienced and calm graduate. Their distinct personalities aside, however, the two young men had one thing in common: the UA&P’s Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (BSIT) program. Ironically, that’s where another of their differences starts.
Twenty-year-old Duran belongs to the last batch of the Institute of Information Technology Studies’ BSIT students who went through the so-called “humanities-stream program” or Liberal Arts Curriculum. Under that program, Duran took his major courses in his third and fourth years, as do all other students of the University. His first two years in college were spent purely on ‘general education’ or liberal arts subjects. The IT batches after Duran’s were a different story. Kevin Chan, 19, who grew up in the US and came to the Philippines to study IT, is in the “science-stream” program or Science Curriculum. Unlike Duran, Chan would be introduced to the nittygritty of IT while still on his general education years. In fact, he is now taking Fundamentals of IT as well as two math subjects.
Same but different According to Mr. Rey Vincenzo Cruz, IT program director, the revised BSIT program—created in 2005—strengthened the technical component of the program by adding more math and science courses and consequently reducing the number of liberal arts courses. “In the old CAS program they only had six units of Math,” said Mr. Cruz. “[In the new curriculum], we have Algebra and Trigonometry in the first semester, and then we have two Calculus subjects and other math subjects, like Math Logic, which is required in the BSIT.” Despite the changes, however, required IT courses are still the same. Mr. Cruz stressed that graduates of the humanities-stream program need not worry whether or not they learned less than their sciencestream coun“(The IT program) allows terparts. Actually, students our students…to mature of the new much more gradually. program still While the subjects are the same the same, the maturation have major courses, process is longer...that’s though disbetter for our students, tributed well because it’s not crammed.” throughout their four-year college stint. Definitely, although the technical training is more rigorous, the program retains the liberal arts flavor that is distinctly UA&P.
Why change? But why change? Mr. Cruz believes “it allows our students…to mature much more gradually. While the subjects are the same, the maturation process is longer. And we feel that’s better for our students, because it’s not crammed.” Mr. Cruz also said the revised program would help students judge if IT is really for them, since they are exposed to the program early on. For 19-year-old Joey Chan (IT 4th year), IT is it. He said the revised
program suits him very well, because even in high school, he had already acquired passion for math and digital technology. Of the new curriculum, Chan observed that “the load is more dispersed” and found it “balanced.”
Hello, BSIT Joey Chan has also noticed the exceptional faculty of the Institute. Now on its thirteenth year, the Institute of Information Technology Studies (IIT) draws pedagogical authority and prestige from its four full-time and numerous part-time faculty members, almost all of whom are simultaneously employed in major companies in the IT industry. This “firsthand experience” among teachers is a big plus for students, according to Chan. Meanwhile, UA&P alumnus and IIT instructor Mr. Cyrus Paolo ‘Chipi’ Buenafe (now finishing his doctorate in the Ateneo) looked back at his IT education with deep fondness. “It provided a solid foundation to help me acquire a deeper knowledge in the standard fields of computer science and technology,” he said. Considering his background in the humanities, he added that he had also acquired a “broader appreciation of areas not typically associated with the computing field such as business, communication, management, and law”—many thanks to the University’s distinctive IT program. According to Mr. Cruz, the University’s IT curriculum has “a very strong business and management component…because IT is an applied field.” He said, “IT supports businesses. You can hardly speak of big companies without a very strong IT group.”
Good news and bad IIT, however, struggles with “lack of exposure.” Mr. Cruz said, “very few companies know of our students.” There are also “very few students”—a fact which Mr. Cruz deems to be both a boon and bane. According to him, it is also good because, “since there are few students, [the teachers] are able to concentrate on [the students’] development much better.” Recently, however, things are looking up. Mr. Cruz said many BSIT graduates were immediately hired by the leading IT companies, among them HewlettPackard, Accenture, and Trend Micro. According to Mr. Cruz, “What we tell our students in their OJT (on-the-job training) is ‘Establish yourself in that organization. Show them what you can do, in a way [you] are the ambassadors of our program.’”
Vertical horizon Indeed, freshman Kevin Chan’s chance of getting the best IT education waxes more certain. He has an infinite horizon that extends vertically—to the heights of success, that is. He confided he has “pretty high” expectations of his stay in the University. “I first heard of UA&P from my family, and nothing bad has been said of [it].” He said he had also done some research on other universities, but UA&P stood out as the one with the “good location, reputation, and high standards.” Hoping to graduate armed with an IT degree, he aspires to “help people in the future,” an incarnation of the University’s ideals.
Information Technology Studies @UA&P
Mr. Daryl Zamora Corporate Communications Office
UNIVERSITAS September 2008
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Student Life
CALIFORNIA, USA
UA&P students participate in Stanford University summit Two UA&P students were among 50 student delegates from various Asia-Pacific universities who convened at the 9th Asia Pacific Student Entrepreneurship Society (ASES) Summit held at Stanford University (California, USA) last April 6-12. The UA&P students are Geoffrey Chua, a junior from the Entrepreneurial Management Program, and myself. Founded at Stanford University in 1998, the ASES is a global organization of entrepreneurial students and professionals. It has established chapters at universities in countries such as the United States, Canada, China (Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong, and Zhejiang), Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, and the Philippines. ASES aims to create more business collaborations and entrepreneurial pursuits among its members. Since its inception in 2004, the Manila Chapter has organized several entrepreneurship-related activities. Twice a year, ASES members from all chapters gather at Stanford University and at an Asian-Pacific country “to bring together entrepreneurial students from all across the world in a week-long discussion about the future of entrepreneurial opportunities in the emerging economies in Asia” (http://ases.stanford.edu). The entrepreneurial summit had a global scope, with participants from top universities and keynote speakers who are eminent business personalities, such as Mr. Scott Cook of Intuit Inc., Mr. Dan Walker, formerly of Apple Inc., and Mr. Joel Peterson of JetBlue Airways. This year’s theme being “The Entrepreneur’s Journey,” the speakers shared their experiences in business and provided ways of solving consumer problems and utilizing technology in taking entrepreneurship to the next level. We learned that there is no precise formula to be an entrepreneur and entrepreneurship could be a trial and error process, so one has to be a risk-taker.
UNIV 2008: The youth in a multimedia society
Mr. Walker stressed the value of a company’s human asset. Commenting on the Philippine situation, he said that the country is gradually losing its human capital because of the high demand for competent workers in other countries, which may prove detrimental to the country’s economic development. The discussions also included industry insights, economic considerations, venture capitalism, and the Silicon Valley. High points of the event included the tour around Google, the world’s top search engine company, and Ideo, a leading product design company. The students got a peek at the companies’ stimulating work culture, the amazing infrastructure, and unconventional workplaces. The summit was also a huge networking activity. More than exchanging call cards, the students with a diverse background in finance, engineering, marketing, and management, exchanged ideas and insights during the E-pitch competition. In this culminating activity, six teams gave threeminute pitches of an innovative application for the iPhone before a panel of venture capitalists and top figures of Silicon Valley. Geoffrey Chua’s group won second place with the Imenu application. The ASES Stanford Summit 2008 was definitely an unparalleled experience. Next stop: the ASES Beijing Summit in October. Joyce Marion Petiza SCM 5th year
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In March this year, I took time off from my course requirements to attend the 41st UNIV in Rome, Italy. Like all the students who have participated in UNIV since it started in 1968, I fell in love with
the cultural and historical treasures of the Eternal City. UNIV, however, is more than appreciating the cross-cultural encounters, the monuments, and architectural wonders; in organizing the congress, the Istituto per la Cooperazione Universitaria or Institute for University Cooperation (ICU) provided students with the opportunities to discuss in conferences and roundtable discussions matters important to university life, emphasizing the spirit of service. (March 15 to March 26) UNIV also involves producing research that goes deep into social issues confronting today’s young people, in accordance with a theme. This year, the theme is “Being, Appearing and Communicating: Entertainment and Happiness in a Multimedia Society.” It was amazing how different students from various countries came up with papers about the significant consequences of multimedia tools. The paper presenters emphasized various aspects of a multimedia society such as blogs, architecture, boredom and enter-
IMC student represents University in ESOMAR World Research Conference Neil Vinson Lavalle, a 5th year Integrated Marketing Communications student, was invited to be one of seven facilitators in the 9th Asia Pacific ESOMAR World Research Conference held last April 8-9. He was the only Philippine representative to the event at the RitzCarlton Millenia Singapore with fellow students from China, Taiwan, Indonesia, Vietnam, and India.
R O M E , I TA LY
SINGAPORE
tainment, and entertainment and public transportation. I was among those chosen to present their paper during the UNIVersity Congress held at the Auditorium della Conciliazone near St. Peter’s Basilica. My paper is about the blog—one of the phenomenal developments in information and computer technology. A potent source of news, commentary, entertainment and advertising, the blog is subject to widespread misconception and cynicism. In my paper, I refuted these misconceptions and apprehensions by emphasizing the blog’s importance as a means to promote humanness in the virtual world. I believe that it is a venue for sharing thoughts and ideas that underline man’s natural desire to communicate with others. Human freedom should be involved in choosing from the various possibilities for social relations that the blog has generated. The students’ papers highlighted the power of multimedia
technology to foster self-absorption in the youth. However, multimedia tools also have the potential to make a person other-centered, that is, to be aware of and involved in international social issues. An example was the use of multimedia technology in shifting the focus of American youth to social issues in
...even if we come from different countries and are of different nationalities, there is one thing that holds us together—our faith and our determination to be of service to others. ////////////////// Third World countries especially the genocide in Darfur. The papers provide evidence that the youth are not blind to the drawbacks of the various forms of media present today and that the various forms of media can help promote awareness and responsiveness to international social issues.
At the end of the international congress, the theme for 2009 was announced. This signaled another year and another opportunity for university students to share their thoughts and ideas on the given theme. For 2009, the theme is “Universitas: Knowledge Without Limits.” In Rome, I was amazed to see young people from different countries come together. It was very moving to see that even if we come from different countries and are of different nationalities, there is one thing that holds us together—our faith and our determination to be of service to others. Having represented the Philippines in the UNIV international congress makes me proud and happy to be a Filipino. In a way, I felt that I have spoken for the Filipino youth as well as the youth around the world whose lives have been influenced by multimedia technology. Michelle Relevante IPE 5th year
With 5,000 members in more than 100 countries, ESOMAR is “the world organization for enabling better research into markets, consumers, and societies.” It aims “to promote the value of market opinion research in illuminating real issues and bringing about effective decision-making” (http://esomar.org). The event was sponsored by Survey Sampling International, TNS Global, Market Xcel, and the World Advertising Research Center (WARC), in cooperation with the Market Research Society of Singapore.
This year’s theme was “Asia Fast Forward,” citing the role of research in speeding up the process of making the Asia-Pacific region the world’s biggest and influential market, with China and India’s economy already growing fast. The participating countries included Australia, China, France, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Korea, Russia, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, UK, USA, and Vietnam. Neil was privileged to learn from distinguished individuals from these countries, gaining for him an advantage in a market research career. The student facilitators had the opportunity to discover the trends and best practices in market research during the conference. The conference featured discussions on three main topics:“Kaleidoscope of Asian Consumers,” “Tomorrow’s Consumers,” and “Brand Experiences.” They also learned that the growth of technology poses a great impact on the market research industry. Technology has created a new form of self-expression for the young consumers, enabling market researchers to tap them online and gain accurate data due to these consumers’ openness. The Philippines, however, is not yet ready for the Online Market Research Platform, a booming trend in the industry. Most international market research firms have yet to see the Philippines as a feasible market for this. The 9th Asia Pacific World Research Conference was only one of the industry-specific events organized by ESOMAR that aims to provide a “hub for inspiration, celebration, exchanging bright ideas and sharing best practice.” ESOMAR continues to invite more students who are interested in building careers in market research to be exposed as much as possible to the industry. Joyce Marion Petiza SCM 5th year
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Arts
Live Art
Mr. Daryl Zamora Corporate Communications Office
////////// Entrepreneurial Management Students’ Art Exhibits 2008 Sophomores of the Entrepreneurial Management (EM) Program ended their summer with paint and ink stains and a rediscovered love for art. Last May, three sections of the EMP Class of 2011 lauded graffiti painters, doodlers, and other artists in Ortigas Center and Global City in this year’s exhibit series with the theme, Live Art. The artists doodled and daubed their imagination on canvas on the spot. The shows sought to encourage appreciation for peculiar art genres and were part of artist-instructor Ms. Laya Boquiren’s Arts I class.
Artes Graficos Weewilldoodle Group and Team Manila combined aesthetic powers in the “Artes Graficos” exhibit organized by the first EM men’s section last May 21. The Malayan Plaza in Ortigas Center grooved to the neo-ethnic beat of percussions group Damsu-am, while doodling artists led by Nelz Yumul turned a huge ordinary foam into a postmodern Raphael. The drummers used a peculiar hybrid of indigenous and conventional drums, kulintangs, and strange bamboo instruments. While artists did their magic, the all-women percussions group Encantada—led by Pinikpikan lead singer Carol Bello—also charmed the audience with African and
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alumni Asian rhythms. Team Manila also introduced the audience to lomography, an increasingly popular trend in photography that uses special cameras to produce extremely vivid shots.
Street Dreams On the other hand, the other EM men’s section invited urban artists to the “Street Dreams” exhibit last May 22. Kstreet Pinas, Jay Gonzales, and Christian San Juan—all of them renowned in ‘urban art’ circles —found new fans as they spray-painted graffiti at the Mag:net Café in Global City. Deviating from tradition, no ribbon cutting took place. Instead, the artists started doodling on the “freedom wall” to signal the exhibit’s opening. The artists painted colorful graffiti, varying from texts to images, amid loud cheers and music. The works were later sold to the guests through silent auction. Another highlight of the event was the “Doodle My Shoe” portion. The gimmick excited the audiences, but only one risked paying for the expensive ‘service’ and had her shoes doodled on by one of the artists.
“...somehow, we managed to gather all our resources and put up one hell of a show. And that’s besides getting a grade of 1.0.” ///////////////////// Magic 89.9 deejays Josh Strike and Tin hosted the affair, while local rock bands LDP, Blanc One, and Funky WorX Pinas gave the night an upbeat mood. “At first, we thought we would not pull it off with all the requirements, deadlines, and money that was needed,” said Charles Lim (EMP 2nd year). “But somehow, we managed to gather all our resources and put up one hell of a show.” And, that’s besides getting a grade of 1.0,” he added.
UA&P alumnus leads top int’l ad agency in Vietnam The brains behind McDonald’s, Philip Morris, and Procter & Gamble ads have recently hired a UA&P alumnus to lead its creative team in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Mr. Evans Sator, who graduated from the University’s then- Institute of Communication in 2000, is now part of Leo Burnett Vietnam, a leading international ad agency. Mr. Sator’s track record in advertising glows with awards, including top honors from Cannes Lions, London International Awards, Asia Pacific Adfest and the New York Festivals. He also created winning ads for brands such as Adidas, Absolut Vodka, KFC, Nivea, Nissan and Shangri-La Hotels. Of his UA&P years, he says, “If not for the unique and proper education, good exposure, and multiple opportunities that the school had offered me, I wouldn’t have been this prepared to do these things now.” Mr. Sator was art director of TBWA/ Santiago Mangada Puno in Manila prior to his new appointment. He has also headed the art department of Ace Saatchi & Saatchi some years back. Mr. Daryl Zamora Corporate Communications Office
Vaudeville Night Two nights later, the EM ladies held their “Vaudeville Night,” also at Mag:net. This time, however, painters and other artists displayed their old artworks. The pieces ranged from Nelz Yumul’s beautiful works, Marisa Romero’s oil paintings, Jhun Tolentino’s installation made of recycled materials, to Stanley Chi’s caricatures of the guests (which he drew impromptu). But “Vaudeville Night” came out as more than just an art exhibit. According to Alexandra Mendoza (EMP 2nd year), the exhibit was also a mini-concert-slashfashion-show. Jazz and blues music by Flicker Fusion, Hidden Nikki, and Acel Bisa (former vocalist of Moonstar88) kept the night air with a groovy, fun feel. Celebrities also graced the show: Juddha Paolo, Raul Roco Jr., and Cookie Tuason joined the poetry reading, while Alvin Patrimonio came as special guest. “We wanted something chic, something vintage,” recalled Mendoza. “Mag:net Café really transformed into a night of vintage glamour.”
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Arts
“P
ygmalion is the most unprofessional Kultura play I have seen,” commented one audience member. That audience member had every reason to say so especially for an ordinary viewer who is unfamiliar with experimentations and explorations in the theater. Such an observation should not be dismissed by the producers and thespians involved in the production because it is not an invalid remark.
“As the audience enter the theater, the set is not yet in place, and the actors are still rehearsing! The stage hands are dressing up the actors on the stage, the props are incomplete, some are substituted by card boards with labels of what missing furniture should be there.” We agree. Traditionally, the rehearsal, dressing-up and set construction should be hidden from the audience when they enter the theater. They go there to watch a finished play.
Pygmalion
////////////// an experimental experience on creation, communication and communion But this exactly was the point of Kultura’s production of Pygmalion—to stage a play in progress, as it was being constructed, and simultaneously invite the audience to experience with the cast and crew the satisfaction of completing it. Kultura closed its 2007-2008 season this March with its production of G.B. Shaw’s Pygmalion directed by UA&P alumnus and faculty member X Vallez. Based on classical Greek myth, Pygmalion tells the story of phonetics expert Professor Henry Higgins, who makes a bet that he can pass off the Cockney flower girl Eliza Doolittle as a fine lady by training her to speak in a high-society accent and teaching her the rules of etiquette. The new Eliza, whose former ambition was to work behind the counter in a flower shop, now has to deal with the complications of her new and uncertain social status, as well as her relationship with her “creator.” This well-loved comedy of manners was popularized by the hit musical My Fair Lady starring Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison. The Kultura production of Pygmalion is a unique experimental experience for the cast, crew, producers as it was for its director and creative team. True to the Kultura way of breaking through and pushing the boundaries of theater arts as it is in the university, this staging of Shaw’s comedy explores metaphysical concepts as well as real human relationships in a
Art Attack ////////// Arts Department gives classes to faculty, staff, HS teachers Lessons in art, music, and cinema given by the Department of Arts highlighted the summer of some UA&P employees and public high school teachers. The courses were part of the Department’s extension activities this year. Nine people from the Office of Student Affairs, Alumni Affairs Office, and the School of Economics took up oil painting. Fourteen, on the other hand, preferred to take up music lessons (seven in both piano and guitar).
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UNIVERSITAS September 2008
way that challenges and disrupts audience comfort and expectation. This version by X Vallez focuses on the necessary relationship of creator and creature, which is translated into the relationship between artist and artwork. This is why the play exposes to the audience what happens behind the scenes. The dissection of the creative process is “staged” also for the audiences to appreciate the simplicity and complexity of the process of creation. Once in a while, the actors who play Henry Higgins drop their characters and assume the place of the director, giving instructions to stage hands, costumes and make-up mistresses and even correcting the pronunciation of the actors. As the scenes progress and the sets are slowly being completed, the director assumes the character of Henry Higgins and communes with his artwork (which is the play) by being one of the characters inside it. This greatly manifests our take on the material. For a crash course on schools of theater, there are basically two: Stanislavsky and Brecht. We are familiar with Stanislavsky’s approach which essentially requires “sincerity to reality.” A play must portray the reality, especially that of emotional memory so as to bring the audience to the memories that will enable them to relate to the situation the characters are into. This is where you find production that looks as close to reality as possible (set, costume, acting, lighting, etc.) From the point of view of the actors, it is called “internalization.”
This unique experimental experience entailed that the crew to also act as they are seen on stage, and the actors have to act and not act at the same time because they must be seen as the characters of the play and as actors learning how to portray the characters of the play. The experience was both helpful and satisfying because it was a challenge rightfully conquered. The whole production team was convinced from the very start that to stage Pygmalion would be a daunting task that we will embrace with 100% commitment of time, effort and art. First, it required a big cast of actors and production crew. Second, to portray the characters meant intense and careful choice of the performers and their respective trainings; at the same time, there were few volunteers for these major characters. No one was perfectly qualified for the roles. But we were all willing to take the challenge and hopefully, memorizing and practicing lines, emotions, reactions, etc. from November to February would be enough to put on a great show and an ambitious experiment. With good reviews and criticisms over some details, especially of the accent, we were all quite overjoyed with what we have pulled off. For one, we did not intend to imitate the My Fair Lady style. Neither did we intend to have a play similar to any previous production. Some critics were looking for it.
“Pygmalion is the most unprofessional Kultura play I have seen.” On the other extreme is the Brechtian approach, which focuses on the message of the play as intended by the author. This means that the most important thing is for the audience to realize that it is only a “play,” and not reality. The audience is invited to think beyond what they see and not to be swayed by the emotion being put forward by the main characters. Here is where you find unrealistic costumes, minimalist set (with simple stools with labels marked as “tables”, walls of the stage marked with “windows”). From the perspective of the performers, it means “externalization” or the mastery of body language to precisely convey the message of the play. We believe that a good theater production should be a combination of the “internalization” of Stanislavsky and “externalization” of Brecht. Every actor must be able to feel their character and at the same time be able to act the feelings out. The former is for their own understanding and the latter is for the audience’s. This is why in Kultura’s Pygmalion, we tried combining the two methods from the beginning of the play to the end. Many were actually shocked in the process, especially those who were not familiar with the theories.
But that was not the point. Kultura will never attempt to re-stage any previous production from anywhere. We did not attempt to have a “British” or “American” play. What we intended during this production is to highlight the creative process and how a good creation can be universally accepted and appreciated. We had good reviews and of course received criticisms, but none was unexpected. We took calculated risks. But overall, the play was loved and the whole production cast and crew had the time of their life. At the end of the day, the Pygmalion experimental experience only fortified what we believe in: that art is our attempt in imitating God in His creative power, in His overflowing desire to communicate His love to us, and doing everything so that Love can be felt through communion by his creation. Mr. Ronilo Balbieran SEC Faculty
On April 23-25, the Department also held a seminar-workshop titled “How to Teach Film Understanding” which was attended by 20 teachers from public high schools in Metro Manila. The workshop sought to equip the participants with skills in teaching their students how to use movies properly and effectively in the context of their subject. The teachers came from varied fields, namely, Music, Arts, and Physical Education (MAPE), Filipino, English and Araling Panlipunan, all of which use movies either as an object of study or a learning tool. The seminar was also graced by Ms. Boots Anson Roa, who talked about Mowelfund and the Museum of Philippine Cinema.
Aurora Ignacio, Nora Nano, Lydia Yuson, Arthur Vito Cruz, (Arts Department Chair), Dr. Veronica Ramirez and Leni de Leon
Art Accounts
Artists Leni De Leon, Aurora Ignacio, Nora Nano, Lydia Yuson and Estrella Yuson mounted 48 landscape paintings at their Art Accounts Painting Exhibition at the Hanns Seidel Hall. The exhibition was opened on May 20 and went on until May 24. The exhibition is the culminating activity of the painting sessions given by Dr. Veronica Ramirez under the Arts Department Extension Program.
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Sports
Art in Sports ///////////// How the Arts Department head became a SEA Games judge
M
y name is Art and I teach art. Specifically, I teach students how to see the beauty in artworks and to explain how that particular form of beauty shines forth from the piece. I also judge diving, that is, the sport where an athlete jumps off a board, does flips, and plunges vertically into the water.
The author and the men’s 10 meter platform synchronized gold medalists: Rexel Fabriga & Jaime Asok
Some members of the Philippine delegation to the 2008 Diving Grand Prix China Open. (L-R) the author, Niño Carog, Rexel Fabriga, Jaime Asok and Sheila Mae Perez
author and Chinese diving superstar 26 The UNIVERSITAS September 2008 and Olympic Champion, Guo Jingjing
How does an art teacher function in a sport that requires people to jump from a three-storey tower into a 20-foot deep pool at more or less 40 kph? The principles of beauty taught in art classes most certainly apply in the sport. I am not here referring to the beauty in the physical appearance of athletes, although many of them are as pleasant to behold as Myron’s Discobolos. I am referring here to beauty as one of the qualities of the skill that is executed. In my recent trip to China to attend a Diving Judges School, beauty was heavily underscored as an integral component of a dive. Each dive is assessed according to its overall appearance, that is, the whole movement should be pleasant to watch; in a word, beautiful. A beautiful dive reveals the strength and skill of the diver. The judge evaluates how beautiful or well-executed a dive is, using a scoring scale of 0-10. The score is based, on one hand, on the judge’s subjective response
to a dive and, on the other, on the dive’s satisfaction of the conditions set by the rules. Diving rules aim to provide objective bases for the judge’s mark.
The basics of diving Dives are performed on three kinds of apparatuses: the 10meter high-board or platform, the 3-meter springboard, and the 1-meter springboard. The platform is characterized by a solid and stable surface. Its height allows a diver to perform
Each dive, like an artwork, is unique. ////////////////// multiple somersaults (spinning on a horizontal axis) and twists (turning on a vertical axis) and still enter the water vertically. Springboards, although much lower than a platform, allow a diver to jump higher and spin faster due to the flexible board that catapults the athlete into a dive. Dives are performed individually and as a team of two. Individual dives are scored according to the technical merit of the dive, i.e. the aesthetically pleasant and proper execution of a dive in accordance with the rules. Team dives are scored according to technical
merit and synchronization, hence the name synchronized diving.
The history of art in diving My first exposure to the sport was in 1984 when I saw on TV Greg Louganis make history at the LA Olympics. My first live spectatorial encounter with diving was during the 1991 Manila SEA games. I enrolled in a summer program soon after and dove for fitness and leisure, and then for competition for about three years. I stopped when I realized that joining the Olympics is nothing but a dream and that finishing my bachelor’s thesis was more salient. In 2004, a friend invited me to be a member of the Technical Diving Committee of the Philippine Amateur Swimming Association. I accepted the offer and began judging and refereeing local meets. Eventually I was sent, with two others, to Macau to attend a judges’ clinic, where I discovered errors in my judging. My first big competition was in 2005 during the Philippine SEA Games. I was put in charge of all the judges and served as assistant to the master referee, Mr. Robin Hood (yes, he is a real person and no, he is not involved in archery), who was also the facilitator in the Macau clinic I attended. In 2007, I served as manager to the national team when they competed in the FINA Diving
:: Tuck Position Curl like a ball
:: Pike Position
The legs are straight with the body bent at the waist
:: Straight Position No bend at the waist or knees
:: Free Position
Combine the three positions
Grand Prix, in Zhuhai, China—the first time I saw Olympians dive live. Later in the year, I judged my first international meet during the SEA Games in Korat, Thailand.
What it feels like to judge Sitting on the judge’s chair is nerve-wracking, especially knowing that the fulfillment of the athletes’ hopes lies partly in my hands. The scariest moment is scoring the first dive; it is also the most honest. You do not know how the other six judges will score the dive and you fear that your score is off the mean, thus revealing your incompetence. But that score may be the only score that is purely a reasonable opinion. Although all scores should be reasonable, there have been cases of trend judging when the judges second-guessed the other judges’ scoring. The seasoned judges say this happens to beginners but with constant training and practice, judging becomes more uninfluenced by factors other than the dive’s execution. The training of judges, in fact, is one of the main concerns of FINA, the international governing body for aquatic sports. It is also the reason why I was sent to Shenzhen, China last February 26-March. I attended the FINA Diving Judges School in order to update myself on the rules and be trained by two of the best judges in the world, HansPeter Burke and Robin Hood.
Recognizing the 10 dive The school basically attempts to answer one question, “What is a 10 dive?” The answer seems simple, “A 10 dive is a beautiful dive!” But it begs the question, “What is a beautiful dive?” Like in art, the question is difficult to answer. Although objective qualities of beauty are present, there is no template to use, no checklist to tick off, no formula that determines whether these qualities are indeed present in the dive. Certain rules provide some hint of objectivity and uniformity that makes the task of judging slightly easier. But the rules are broad enough to accommodate variations in a diver’s technique and individual style. Each dive, like an artwork, is unique. In the end, like an art critic, only the trained eye of the experienced judge sees the 10. Now my training has begun. I am now certified by FINA because I know the rules; the exam results say so. Now, I have to gain experience, which is the more difficult and expensive part! Watching Olympians dive live is always a good learning experience. Perhaps participating, though not as a judge and government funded, in the Beijing Olympics can be a part of this experience... I hope! Mr. Arthur Joseph Vito Cruz CAS Faculty
JUDGING CRITERIA Approach: Smooth but forceful, showing good form
Takeoff: Must show control and balance when leaving the diving boards
American Greg Louganis— the Michael Jordan of diving— is also the unofficial guru of the Chinese diving juggernaut. The Chinese studied his techniques by dissecting videos of his olympic-winning feats.
Elevation: More height = more time = more moves Execution: The most important criteria. A judge watches for S-T-Y-L-E
A dive is s between cored (complete zero ly and 10 po failed) (very gooints d)
Entry: Should be near vertical and the splash, as little as possible S O U R C E : U S A D I V I N G .C O M / D I V I N G . A B O U T.C O M
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Hatch Week ‘08!