Atenews August 2008 Issue

g sets human rights summit in AdDU ATENEWS |

Feature

News

Dr. Amorado:

2008-2009 Freshman Elections

The man who fixed the society p 10

Feature

Autism: Through p2 the eyes University Merges of a writer Health Care Systems p2

p 4-5

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Special Report

The 2008 Nursing Special p 4-5

Atenews

“End the Silence of the gagged”

the official student publication of the ateneo de davao university

No permit, no exam - Admin

Vol. 54 No. 2 August 2008

By Hyangelo Henry Hao

In a meeting held by the College Academic Council last July 16, the proposal of university treasurer Rolex Ratilla to implement a strict no permit no exam policy was approved after a previous motion by SCB president James Earl Chew to defer the implementation of the policy was rejected.

SOBRA NAVarious groups of militant organizations protested whilst President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo delivered her State of the Nation Address last August 28

/ PAUL CROOKS

CHED Assesses BS Bio Program

by Maryam Embalsado

A CAUSE THAT HAD NO EFFECT Students rally outside CHED for a cause against tuition fee increase. / JM MERCADO

Representatives of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) visited the BS Biology department of the Ateneo de Davao University last Wednesday, July 16, to conduct an assessment of the existing BS Biology program.

They had with them survey instrument consisting of questionnaires on subjects such as the program’s

curriculum, faculty, physical plant, students, and administrators. With this input, they assessed the BS Biology program’s performance according to CMO standards. These CMO standards are standards set by CHED on the Biology discipline for all schools in the Philippines in agreement with the CMO No. 24, series 2005, or the “Policies and Standards for the Bachelor of Science in

ÜCHED, 11

Where is Father Bob?

by Carmel Jade Bual

I

f you have been a student of the university for at least two years, then you are probably familiar with one of our resident foreign priests,

for so many years, teaching Theology classes, writing various articles in our textbooks and even heading the Theology Department.

Fr. Robert Hogan, SJ, who is fondly called “Father Bob” by his colleagues and students. It is not hard to notice the noble Jesuit, especially when he is busy roaming the grounds of the university, because of his lanky stature, signature yellow shirt, and Santa Claus-like beard.

However, it seems that quite a number of students have started to wonder where our beloved Father Bob has gone, especially since he has not been seen for many months now. There were even speculations that he was probably banished because of corruption charges. People were saying that, being the handler of finances for the Daily Bread Community, he might have

Father Bob has also stayed with the university

ÜWhere is, 3

The proposal was spurred by the alarming rate of students not paying their dues on time. According to Ratilla, the amount of account receivables for the school year 2007-2008 reached 32 million pesos. He added that for this semester, “only 55% of SAS students paid their dues for the prelim examinations, 42.9% for SBG, and 43% for the CON.” A report by Dr. Jessie Manuta, SAS Dean and Ad Hoc Committee on Exam Permit chairperson, stated that “majority of the students, especially the upperclassmen, paid their fees toward the end of the semester, or before the semester’s registration.”

Manuta added that this trend has “put a strain on the cash flow and financial stability of the university.” He also said that “as a private higher education institution, the university does not receive any subsidy or grant from the government for its operations.” As such, the university ‑­depends solely on money collected from the students to pay for its bills.

The 2005 edition of the College Faculty Manual states that “those who are unable to show their exam permits may be allowed to take the examinations provided the result of which are withheld until such time that the permit is shown.”

After the new policy was approved, the official rule now is that “examination permits are required for students to take periodical examinations.”

ÜNo permit, 11

2 | ATENEWS

CHED:

Restructuring ADDU clinics:

University merges Health Care System by

Kheycee

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prehensive and coordinated health program to handle the three university units.

“We are already planning for this ever since. But due to unforeseen circumstances like the changing of the administration from Fr. Martinez to Fr. Samson, it had been delayed”, Pascua said.

Pascua added that the integration overlooked the uniqueness of each level of education.

Each of university units deals with students of varying age and level of maturity, which entails different ways of dealing with their health needs.

However, she added that it is more of an advantage. The college clinic is now operating independently, to some extent, from higher office/s in college department. In the past, every time they requested for additional medical facilities, e.g., stretchers, the higher offices often tend to reject their requests. Now, they can directly send their requests to the medical director, Dr. Manalaysay.

On the other hand, Ms. Pascua said that the system has been experiencing monetary problems. But she added that

Matarlo

teneo de Davao University recently integrated the clinics of its elementary, high school and college units.

Before, the university operated each of the said clinics independently from each other.

AdDU’s new unified health care system is called Integrated Health Services. It is under the responsibility of a medical director in the person of Dr. Michael Manalaysay, the school physician of the grade school department. He is in full charge of the entire health facility and its constituents.

Manalaysay reports to the President of the University and coordinates with the Personnel Director, and Deans of the three College Offices (SAS, SBG, and Nursing) in matters regarding health services offered by the university.

Ms. Emee Pascua, the College Department Clinic Coordinator, said the university aims to provide a much better medical and dental services to its students by utilizing a com-

“You can complain if…”

by Mick Basa

C

HED Region XI OIC Director Dr. Butch Aquino challenged student leaders to petition the House of Representatives and the senate against tuition fees and other increases (TOFI), as this issue has been recurring for many years.

“You are free to write a letter.” Aquino said she is sure that Dr. Manalaysay in a dialogue between CHED Region XI and would surely do his responsithe militant youth organization Anakbayan. bility and find a way to resolve On July 2, College Editors Guild of the this problem. She said that he Philippines (CEGP) Vice-President for Minis already coordinating with the Procurement Officers of danao Leigh Dalugdog sent a request letter the University for the budget for CHED Region XI to release the data on on the acquisition of drugs and tuition fee increase for this school year. Aquino other medical facilities upon refused to grant Dalugdog the requested data. the approval of the President.

Aquino also questioned the legitimacy of Despite the newfound au- the CEGP, which has existed for 77 years. tonomy, the clinic still has to “He [Aquino] did not show any respect to abide by the policies of the university. To elucidate, Ms. Pascua has given the rule on pink slips as an example. Even if the university physician has pro- by Mick Basa vided a student with a medical lue Knight Radio, the university’s officertificate excusing him from cial radio station, will temporarily lose wearing shoes, the student still its airwaves. has to get a pink slip from the Blue Knight Radio, for its six months on air, Office of Student Affairs. “The served as fieldwork for 3rd year and 4th year excuse letter from the docMass Communication majors. tor alone,” said Ms. Pascual, Godofredo Rojo, the Humanities Division “is already enough to excuse a Chairperson, declared its official closure last student from wearing shoes.”

July 15.

Ms. Pascual added that she is It has been reported that DXGN, commonly concerned that the opinion and known as 89.9 Generation’s Best, has been exintegrity of the doctors are not being respected but later stated periencing technical failures since April. The that she respects the rule be- university purchased the Blue Knight block cause it is a university policy. time, 11 to 1 PM, Monday to Saturday, from the said station.

“Blue Knight Radio temporarily goes off air until we forge partnership with another station that is willing to sell us airtime for block pro-

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ADDU radio shuts down

B

B&M Woes

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CEGP as an organization that advances campus press freedom for the student publications.”

Dalugdog said. “It only proves that CHED favors to the interest of capitalist institutions – neglecting the interests of our marginalized students.”

Last July 10, more than 20 militant youth decried its failure to look after the skyrocketing TOFI before the CHED Region XI office in Juna Subdivision, Matina by symbolically “padlocking” its gates.

“CHED has again proven itself as the state agency for the capitalist educators and not for the Filipino youth. It deserves to be closed as it has already lost its purpose,” Anakbayan Southern Mindanao Spokesperson Karlos Manlupig said.

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gramming” Rojo said.

The division now reviews the proposals of three radio stations, Mellow Touch, Edge, and Dream FM, as to which station best meets the standards of Blue Knight and the University.

Ateneo’s official radio station was born during the term of Atty. Pilariza Racho-Baldovino, in cooperation with University President Antonino Samson, S.J., and the Engineering and Architecture Division.

In the meantime, what Blue Knight Radio may do is to broadcast within the campus.

Atenews attempted to get the side of DXGN Station Manager Norman Almenaza last July 10. However the station’s secretary, Paulette Abelina, said that he was off duty and would hopefully visit the University to talk about the issue.

by Kathleen Dominique Aliño Janina Patrice Dominique Surposa

he much awaited school fiesta is fast approaching.

Various booths and fun-filled activities like the Cheerdance, Sayawtenista, and several sport games boost the anticipation of the students all over the campus. August 14 to 16 will definitely be a date to remember, for all divisions will be parading in flying colors of blue, red, white, pink, green and many more. From the streets of Claveria to Jacinto, Ateneans will proudly display their banners to give tribute to their beloved divisions. This year’s fiesta will, once again put a big mark on our calendars.

However, this animated fervor carries with it a few hullabaloos; this year particularly, the Business and Management division regarding it’s famed BAD attendance cards and division shirts.

Every year, attendance cards are distributed by the BM division monitor student attendance in campus activities.

These cards are stamped when the student attends the activity, and teachers whole-heartedly give incentives (a.k.a. PLUS

POINTS) to students with complete attendance. Recently, however, some students complained to the student council regarding the attendance card.They complained that (how) their attendance is supposedly required. Furthermore, they complained that attending the events printed in the cards interfere with more important matters in his or her schedule.

One student mentioned, “… yeah, you say it’s support, but don’t you know that there are more important things to do than attending these events?”

In an interview with the division chairperson, Mrs. Rhowena Cayoca-Panizales states, “The attendance cards are already a part of B&M’s history as it began way back in 2003, administered by the previous B&M representative.

Its purpose is to monitor and encourage students to attend the activities, because despite its huge population, the division is considered a Sleeping Giant”.

Moreover, she said: “Students are not required to join the events stated in the attendance cards. If you feel that you don’t

ÜB&M, 11

BLUE IS MY FAVORITE COLOR? BM students fall in line in front of SAMAHAN Office to pick up their favorite division shirt. / Marvin Reyes

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ATENEWS |

3

Aspiring freshies battle for victory W

by Janina Patrice Dominique Surposa

elcome to the Freshman Battle Royale.

STARTING YOUNG. Aspiring Freshan Reps as shown from the left: Ruzzie Faith Uy, Maureen Anne Villamor, Jose Rafael Najaros and Ana Vanessa Cruzabra / KRISINI NANINI

ÛWhere is Father Bob?

This year, there have been a brave number of those who have stood up to respond to the call of being the representative to everyone’s beloved level, the first year. Moreover, I have been very fortunate to meet these valiant characters after the COMELEC formally announced the campaign guidelines to this year’s participants.

Hence, let me introduce this year’s official first year representative candidates, namely: Ana Vanessa E. Cruzabra, Jose Rafael D. Narajos IV, Ruzzie Faith F. Uy, and Maureene Ann L. Villamor.

Ana Cruzabra is an 18-year old management accounting student who wishes to run for the position of first year representative, basically for two reasons; first, she believes that she could lend a hand in making “freshmen life” better, and second, she wants to improve her leadership skills. In service, she hopes to pursue the best interests of her colleagues while putting in mind the vision and mission of St. Ignatius. Decisively, she says: “I am here not to be served, but to serve.

I am not perfect, but I can exude excellence”.

Next, is Jose Rafael D. Najaros IV. Jose is a 16-year old accountancy student who believes that he can encourage change in his fellow students. “I want to stand out, and show to my fellow first year students how to be extraordinary through simple things”, he says. Nonetheless, when asked on what he could do for the student body if ever he is elected, he answers: “If ever I will be elected for the position, I will only do one thing, I will make a mark in our batch for amelioration that will surely last a lifetime”.

Together with the aspiring representatives, is

ÜAspiring Freshies, 11

from page 1

mismanaged the budget and was punished for that. Others also spread a rumor that Father Bob might be suffering from an incurable disease.

Currently, he is staying in one of ten reserved rooms at the Loyola House of Studies in the Ateneo de Manila University, where there are three male nurses attending to him. A few Jesuits have visited him there, including Fr. Albert Alejo and Fr. Daniel McNamara, who have reported that Father Bob is still able to walk and enjoys watching television in his spare time.

In an interview conducted last July 16, Fr. Rodolfo Malasmas, SJ, one of the most respected Jesuits in the university, dismissed all of these rumors as “awful accusations”.

He went on saying, “Fr. Hogan has exerted a lot of effort for the poor and now he is accused [of corruption].

What will he do with money for himself? He founded the Daily Bread community with the intention of raising money to provide food for our less fortunate scholars who are given free tuition but do not have enough for transportation and lunch.”

After expressing his exasperation over the malicious rumors, Fr. Malasmas confirmed that Father Bob is actually in Manila for health reasons and currently seeking treatment for complications which appear to be the beginnings of Parkinson’s Disease.

After turning 70 years old, Father Bob confessed that he was starting to

The Jesuits said that prayers for Father Bob are most welcome in these tough times.

For those who want to send their greetings and encouragements for Father Bob, his e-mail address is alibob216@yahoo.com. Letters may also be addressed to:

“feel old”. In fact, many Jesuits noticed that he did not seem to be as active like before and that he was now walking, eating and speaking much slower. He even seemed to lose a lot of weight, which Fr. Malasmas said to be around

50 pounds. Seeing all of these alarming changes, the Jesuit superiors immediately decided for a thorough check up.

Father Bob was sent to Medical City in Metro Manila, where he periodically goes for laboratory tests and diagnoses.

Fr. Robert Hogan, S.J. Loyola House of Studies Ateneo de Manila Univ Katipunan Avenue, Loyola Heights Quezon City 1108

4 | ATENEWS

Feature To be or not to be a nurse:

That is not the only question

by Gabriel F. Farofaldane

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hese days of economic crises, many incoming college students choose practicality over any other choice, hence thousands upon thousands of high school grads resort to the current most popular choice to leave the country for ‘greener pastures’.

Compared to the other, past and present “get out of the country quick” choices such as midwifery, hotel and resource management, caregiving, physical therapists and an abundance of other fads, nursing has had the most potential for students to make a sustained and stable professional career. With the huge shortfalls of health care workers such as nurses in the developed countries and the Philippine government’s enthusiasm and encouragement for nursing grads to try to make it abroad, one would assume that there is a rather large market for the many nursing grads. But what does the big picture really look like? Do nursing graduates really have jobs out there once they graduate and obtain that coveted Registered Nurse license?

As we all know, nursing has becoming increasingly popular with college students and their families and the numbers really places the spotlight on the booming population of nursing grads and newly created Registered Nurse. In 2006 and 2007 a staggering 37,030 and 31,275 respectively passed the nursing licensure exam with around 65,000 newly-registered nurses in 2007. In Ateneo de Davao alone, the number of board takers increases by around 150 students every year since the first batch of nursing graduates in 2005 took the exam. From 2005, board takers have increased to 593 in 2007 from 283 in 2005, a margin of 310. Board passers, in the same respect increased to 76% in 2006 from 72% in 2005. However, by the time 2007 came rolling around, it plunged to a 69% passing rate.

You might ask, what all these useless numbers might mean. Well, it simply highlights the ever burgeoning population of fresh grads and RNs in the Philippines.

And why, pray tell would the nursing population grow upward? Demand, a simple economic case of a demand for nurses in the developed, affluent and aging nations of the west. Analysts predict that in the US alone, there would be a shortage of 275,000 nurses by 2010, escalating to 808,000 by 2020 and Canada was expected to lose around 30,000 RNs by 2006 due to retirement. Neither did Europe escape the nursing shortfall, with England needing about 108,000 nurses by 2020, Wales needing 6,000 by 2010 and Scotland needing 12,000 by 2007. Australia too has caught the shortage bug, needing 40,000 new nurses by 2010. Why all these supposedly wealthy nations with large populations would need that many nurses, you might ask. As I’ve said earlier, they are aging… In the US, an estimated 75 million baby-boomers will retire in the near future, with only 46 million Generation X’ers to take their place. People are living longer and longer, growing richer and richer and demanding more and better health care, that which their shrinking populations cannot manage. Hence, the importation of highly qualified nurses from the impoverished developing nations, like us in the Philippines who in turn have exported more than 90,000 nurses to these developed nations

in the last decade.

Well, if there is such a high demand for nurses from industrialized nations and such a high supply of nurses in the Philippines, wouldn’t it be obvious that all these nations would snatch up our deep pool of talent?

The truth is; it’s not nearly as a simple case of supply and demand. The developed nations have seen the error of their ways and started revamping their health care systems, and adjusted their strategy for handling their shortfalls. Contending with the extremely rigorous and nose-bleeding difficulty of the CGFNS would not be the only hurdle for applying to nursing posts in the States seeing as the US has a quota for how many nurses can enter the country for work. Even the United Kingdom has set strict limitations to the entrance of foreign nurses. These nations have started to attend to their shortages domestically and would thus be preferred to be hired in the domestic market compared to the foreign importations, therefore absolutely constricting the mass migrations of Filipino nurses to these preferable destinations. Back in 2001, an estimated 13,500 nurses, nearly a quarter of the nursing population here in the Philippines vamoosed to other countries for work. But in the years since nursing became popular and demand spiked in the western countries, it has started to become the opposite. A problem that arose from the flight of nurses was that hospitals in the Philippines themselves were now greatly understaffed and now held only the “low-quality” nurses. This would eventually leave thousands of hospitals short-handed and would ultimately close down in the years following the rise of the popularity of nursing. This snag to Philippine hospitals would eventually hurt the thousands of nurses graduating in the future. There were now fewer hospitals to hire them between the time for them to apply and leave for some foreign land.

There are now reports of nurses in the Philippines working for free in local hospitals for lack of openings. Job turnover was reported at between 6 months to a year for new graduates.

What has happened that such drastic changes could happen in the span of less than a decade?

We once again return to the numbers, the sheer size of them to be precise. When the demand increased and nursing became a sought-after fare, the nation saw a flood of nursing schools in the Philippines, aided and abetted by the national government. As we know, the Philippine government has relied heavily on the remittances of OFW’s to help keep the economy and government coffers afloat and has encouraged the opening of as many nursing schools and overseas deployment as possible. There is a catch however, with the flood of nursing schools opening and lack of regulation, quality of nursing graduates has dropped as phenomenally

as the rise in nursing graduates. Dozens of nursing schools consistently got extremely low passing rates although were not reprimanded or closed down showing the deregulation of nursing schools by the government or the governing body of nursing professionals/ schools. The question of quality and competency of Filipino nurses was voiced in the 2006 licensure exam scandal where copies of the exam were leaked to a number of the countless nursing reviewers around the country. Those who were purported to have “availed” of the exam questions and wished to apply to the US were forced to take the licensure exam once again before the CGFNS would allow them to take the CGFNS exams for entrance in the US. It would be an understatement to say that it was extremely embarrassing as the issue got all the way to the Senate before it was resolved. The scandal had a ruinous effect on the reputation of Filipino nurses who are relatively well-known for their high quality and competency in the nursing field. Only recently has regulation been introduced to Philippine nursing schools

“Filipino families have spent tens of billions of pesos to get their children to graduate nursing”

in nursing curriculums would contain the same level of competency.

So what is now happening to all those nursing graduates who either have their license or don’t?

Many of them end up applying for other health care jobs in the West such as caregiving and many more still don’t end up at all in any health care profession but seek some other career avenue. But what keeps nurses from being nurses here in the Philippines instead of nurses abroad or something else altogether? There are several factors such as “low pay, poor working conditions, poorly resourced systems, limited career opportunities, dangerous environments and economic stability.” Compared to “higher pay and opportunity for remittances to families, better working conditions, better resourced systems, career opportunities, political stability and a better quality of life” in the Western nations.

In this case, the Philippines has created a scenario in which they’ve “jumped the gun”, “counting their chickens before they’ve hatched” and many more idiomatic expressions that show that the Philippines has a case of too many, too soon. Filipino families have spent tens of billions of pesos to get their children to graduate nursing and to leave the Philippines and make a better life for themselves and their family in the Philippines and now many of those families may be kicking themselves in the butt at what’s starting to happen.

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ATENEWS |

The Art of Nursing

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Feature

by Syazah Samanodi

“Nursing is an art.”

This is a frequent statement by our clinical instructors. At first, I pondered how a respectable profession like nursing, becomes an art. Isn’t art only confined to the walls of museums and books? I thought of nursing as something more of a calling but not an art. If you help someone, you help him or her because he needs your assistance and not for aesthetic purposes. Well, I was wrong. It seemed then I have neither sense nor grasp of what art is and to a certain extent, what nursing really is. I was a freshman that time, a sapling so to speak, and I had no idea what was to come in the following years.

For me, the true sense of the word nursing is caring –hardcore caring. As I walked towards my first duty last June, I was confident that everything is going to be all right. I thought it’s going to be just like the usual – concepts, return demonstrations and some stuff about health. I had no idea of the hell that I was about to experience. Our first exposure was in the Obstetrical ward in DMC. So far, it had been the longest day of my life. I had never felt so tired and beaten before.

First, we got oriented with the area – the O.B. ward. Frankly, I could say that the over-all picture of the ward was poor. Upon entering, I felt a feeling of congestion since the ward has poor ventilation and maintenance. Patients were sharing the same beds limiting privacy.

Determined, I brushed all aside and strode past the beds to the nurses’ station to find myself in a very hectic, stressed and underappreciated staff. The group and I proceeded upstairs to the storage room to gather ourselves and our paraphernalia that was needed. When I left the group I went to the waiting area that separates the OB ward from the Gyne ward. A television was tuned in to ABS-CBN of some morning show that I can’t decipher. A table was set in the middle for the NSO representative that releases birth certificates as part of the protocol in the hospital. As I surveyed the scene, a very faint voice kept bugging my mind. I tried to suppress it because I knew it very well. But, it kept on persisting, until unintentionally I blurted it out, a Freudian slip, which says “Bakit ako nagnursing!”The group laughed as my C.I. seriously glared at me. It relieved me for a moment, but it didn’t relieve me enough to see what lay ahead.

That day my first task was to take the vital signs of the patient assigned to me. Traditionally, a student nurse needs to establish rapport before doing any kind of procedure on the patient. It was my first ward experience, so one can only imagine the tremors I was experiencing the whole period. My C.I. assigned me two patients.

My two well groomed patients looked like good people. They seem capable of participating in any activity that I might advise them to do. I thought of how fortunate I am to end up with these two. This boosted my optimism. When I approached them with all the cordiality I never displayed before in my entire life, the two of them smirked. Yes, the patients smirked. They treated me with such animosity that the whole time I was taking their vital signs, they were declaring statements to each other on how ‘maarte’ and ‘sosyal’ Ateneans were and that they don’t understand why an Atenean like me

would want to study Nursing when we have more than enough to even enroll at Ateneo. I was dumbstruck. I didn’t know what to say. I just sweated the whole time.

After the terrible encounter with my patients, the C.I. gathered us in the waiting area to give us our daily requirements. For that day we were to submit a plan of care (SOAPIE) of all the interventions we have done to our patients and the endorsement we have religiously jotted down in our notebooks. The CI also advised us regarding the procedure to our patients. The furnishing of the requirements took the whole morning that I forgot to take my patient’s regular vital sign check up every four hours. So, when I remembered my duty, I immediately dropped my notebook and went to my very friendly patients with my para kit in hand. It was noon time and they were having lunch. But, I was determined to stick to the status quo of q4h (every 4 hours) that I courageously approached them and asked if I can take their BP. They stared at me for the longest time and then looked at each other. The other one obliged since she was already finished, so I started with her first. As I was taking her BP, they were talking about how annoying student nurses are and that even at lunch time, we were still flocking around not giving the patients time to rest and relax. I pretended I did not hear what they were saying so I went back to the waiting area and finished my requirements.

I tried to collect myself thinking if all of this is worth it. If I were to go abroad, would I’d still be maltreated knowing that I came from a third world country? If the treatment would be much worse then I would rather have a whole day of insults with my two patients than with some other foreigner telling me that I’m worthless and uneducated. I would rather serve my own with open arms than seek greener pastures.

I was suddenly brought back to reality when my CI instructed me to take out the foley

catheter of one of my patients. In my mind, I was saying, “Please, wag na. Enough is enough.”

But, I had no choice. It was my job to do it. So, I went there along with my CI with a syringe at hand and gloves for the procedure. My CI said something to my patient that I didn’t hear.

She was probably informing my patient that we were going to take out her foley catheter.

Then my CI signaled for me to start so I took out the syringe and inserted it to the outlet of the catheter to drain excess urine that might have passed through there. The whole time; my CI was guiding me and teaching me how to do the procedure. I was shaking my bones off as I was inserting the syringe into the outlet. My CI was saying, “Wag ka magkurog, maturok ka dyan sa ginagawa mo.” She said that over and over again until all I can hear was just buzzing sounds.

When I finished draining, my CI instructed the patient to breathe through her mouth as I will be pulling the catheter out of her urethra.

In 3 counts, I pulled out the catheter from the patient. My CI then instructed me to dispose of the syringe and urobag with the catheter and monitor the patient if she should void. As I finished throwing the contraptions, I washed my hands. I swelled with pride as I actually did something right that day. I returned to my patient instructing her to let me know if she would void. She complied. I returned to the waiting area tired from the two minute procedure I did.

I was so drained that even finishing my SOAPIE seemed impossible. It was like a 50 meter sprint. But, I was smiling the whole time as I have actually performed something that day.

The day continued and it seemed that it would never end. My classmates’ faces that previously were full of excitement and curiosity are now exhausted. As I looked around, I thought how underestimated the nursing profession really is in our country. I thought of how people never really took time to acknowledge the efforts being given by nurses in the field of health care.

Nurses might not be at the same level with doctors in terms of skills and abilities but they are far more superior in rendering holistic care and establishing patient interaction. Nurses never go to work thinking of the benefits they might receive but rather what they can do for their patients. It’s no wonder there is a massive emigration of nurses in our country towards other countries in the hopes that they could reap more of what they put their hearts to. I pondered over this whole thought towards the end of my shift. As I went to the nurses’ station to get my bag, I saw how the staff continuously did their job as the flow of patients continues to come every hour. I thought how lucky these patients were to even have nurses to care for them.

Our CI assembled us in the waiting area for her closing remarks. She said something about how tough being a nurse really is and that we have to learn to be tough in order for us to even make it abroad. She dismissed us and we marched along the hallway out to the corridors of the hospital. As we went our separate ways, I took a taxi and slept the entire trip towards home.

The day revealed so much than what I can even digest. Nursing definitely is not for the faint of heart. It is an art and a science in that it calls for the exercise of talent and creativity. Every performance of skills and procedures entails doing it with excellence and aesthetic brilliance.

Rendering health service requires infallibility as the value of life hangs in the balance. What we do might not be as good as Da Vinci or Rafael but I am proud in saying that no art is greater than helping your fellow human beings.

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6 | ATENEWS

OPINION

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Turning a Blind Eye

he directive of Ozamiz Archbishop Jesus Dorado to his archdiocese in the form of a pastoral letter instructing his clergy to deny communion to the proponents of the RH Bill (otherwise known as “An Act Providing for a National Policy on Re p r o d u c t ive e a l t h , Editorial H Responsible Parenthood and Population Development”) make us wonder if his moral compass is malfunctioning.

With their condemnation of the contraceptives and the labeling of the proponents of the RH bill as “abortionists” and “godless”; we now ask: Is the church blind to the various problems circling like vultures over our ballooning population? Is the church playing dumb to the staggering statistics of abortions due to unplanned and unwanted pregnancies?

The RH Bill does not in any way condone abortions. In fact, according to Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, principal author of the RH, “We have repeatedly said in the bill that abortion is illegal, punishable, and not part of the menu for responsible parenthood and population management.” The RH bill classified abortion as “illegal” and will still be punishable under the revised penal code.

Furthermore, the bill only seeks to cater to reproductive health by giving people

access to adequate and effective family planning methods.

Comparing abortion to contraception demands great leaps of logic. Abortion is the termination of an innocent fetus in a mother’s womb. Contraception, on the other hand is the prevention of pregnancy.

The lack of logic by the church is a clear demonstration of mistaking apples for oranges.

If this is so, why is the church so insistent on prohibiting the passing of the RH Bill? Why are they denying the proponents of the RH bill communion when the real proponents of grave evils such as corruption, cheating, lying and stealing are on a Sunday church?

Another question: Since the church favors the calendar method (rhythm) as a means of family planning, what is its problem in approving other methods to prevent childbirth? According to Cristine Gudorf, author of the book “Body, Sex and Pleasure”; Pope Pius XII in 1954 laid the foundation for changes in the Catholic teaching when he permitted the Rhythm method. He pondered on what methods he could use to prevent childbearing and eventually he did bless contraception in principle by permitting the Rhythm method. He even said that there could be multiple reasons to avoid having any children at all in a marriage.

Is it because the other means of preventing childbirth is unnatural? If we are going to define what is natural

or not, then how can one explain the rhythm method where one deliberately measures the time when a woman is fertile to avoid pregnancy as natural?

The bishops should understand the reason why our country needs a population plan through a solid and effective legislation like the RH bill. The issue here is not stopping pregnancies; it is balancing resources with our growing population and improving the quality of life. If one of the Church’s doctrines is safeguarding the dignity of life then the church needs to answer this: where is the dignity of life in a growing population in which an ever increasing amount of people are going hungry and young children are out there sniffing rugby and asking alms? Where is the dignity in that?

In the meantime, the absence of an aggressive policy towards reproductive health contributes to the growing 1.4 million unplanned pregnancies in the country in which one-third lead to abortions.

With these problems tied to the growing population of the Philippines; we repeat our stand. The church is obviously blind to the problems surrounding the lack of aggressive Reproductive Health policies. We do hope that somehow, their perspectives would change. A

ATENEWS

‘End the silence of the gagged’

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Hyangelo Henry Hao • Santigo Paulo Pascual ASSOCIATE EDITOR Karlo James Bringas MANAGING EDITOR Jobelle Obguia NEWS EDITOR Mick Jethro Basa FEATURES EDITOR Ma. Elaine Dy SENIOR WRITERS Carmel Jade Bual • Kheycee Matarlo • Sonito Mole • Blossom Madulin • Hope Charmaine Mangabang STAFF WRITERS Kathleen Dominique Aliño • Bai Shaima Baraguir • Ma. Cristina Elizaga • Maryam Ross Embalsado • Gabriel Farofalda • Maria Katherina Galope • Merill Jem Llerena • Ma. Cristina Ramos • Syaza Farrah Samanodi • Janina Patrice Dominique Surposa • Cherry Vale PHOTOJOURNALIST Mar Vince Reyes • J.M Mercado • Krisini Nanini • Krizsle Muit ILLUSTRATORS Paul Anthony Crooks • Erwin Dirampatun • Noli Jane Pacunla • Audree Tacastacas • Ruki Trumata LAYOUT TEAM Karla Degrano • Darwin Caballero • Al Pascual MODERATORS Dr. Macario Tiu • Dr. Victoria Tatad-Pre MEMBER OF THE COLLEGE EDITORS GUILD OF THE PHILIPPINES The Atenews is the official student publication of the Ateneo de Davao University, Jacinto St., Davao City. We accept articles, letters, poems, pictures, comics and other contributions for publication.

ATENEWS |

I

was christened as a terrorist.

I am blamed as such by an acquaintance of mine as the spirited Epifania Carmelita or EC in one of my afternoon classes.

EC was my high school batchmate that I hadn’t seen for some time; and as ours was a small batch EC and I were sort of friends, as we did the others, so a little chit-chat was in order. She asked me if I still am in Atenews. I said yes. Then she said, “Nang narinig ko na Atenews ka… ohmigod si Bringgy [a high school nickname I hated] terorista na!” Such a pronouncement would have irritated me coming from anybody else, but in her case it made me laugh. I proceeded to defend myself and Atenews to EC. We then went our separate ways: she to her volleyball practice in the covered court, and I into the Atenews office – the lair of the socalled terrorists.

This encounter recalls a similar sentiment aired in February of this year. One forum poster raised the question in a SAMAHAN forum thread if the Atenews is no more than a front for militant students in the Ateneo. He described in exasperated words how Atenews dedicates itself more to covering rallies and walk-outs than the things “the average Atenean is interested in”. Members of the Atenews staff made prompt replies. Some of these replies sounded mildly amused, some felt like a bee-sting and a slap in the face all at once.

Non-staff posts were calmer, though the opinions conveyed in these were also divided.

Truth be told, Atenews as I came

L

7

OPINION

In the lair of the terrorists PIGS WILL FLY Karlo James Bringas

to know it had always tended to all things political. One only needs to come inside the Atenews office to see this tendency at work: there are these yellowed front pages dating back to December 1988 mounted in illustration boards above the fat green chairs, with headlines proclaiming “Ka Emil: An Atenean’s Armed Struggle”, “A Conditional Press Freedom”, etc. Last year, Mariannet Amper articles, a comparison of the Marcos regime and the present Arroyo administration,chronicles of various protests and demonstrations, a reaction to last year’s State of the Nation Address (SONA), and other articles in the same vein ruled the roost in all six Atenews releases.

A former Atenews features editor, Beng Hernandez, was even gunned down in April 2002 in the course of her work as a human-rights worker, student journalist, and activist.

If I may be so bold to declare, the Atenews of years past did a good job of informing students about issues that encompass and extend beyond the complacent little world of schools, malls and nightclubs. And I think this is a very important undertaking as Ateneans are really almost-grown

men and women who will enter the world of briefcases and 8-to-5 jobs someday to run this country.

But the implications of EC’s and poster guy’s statements make me wonder.

Is the Atenews really too preoccupied with rallies to pay attention to the students’ doings?

I concede that the Atenews hasn’t paid attention to student activities as it should have this past year; I feel guilty thinking that student activities, like a consumer awareness drive which should have been of use to students but we somehow weren’t able to cover, were left out to collect dust, as so few students knew about it.

Does the Atenews favor only the left side of the political game over the ruling parties, both in school and outside? In school matters, we do try to get both sides; the problem is we suspect that the ruling parties snub us, basing on our experience with them. As for the national matters, well, interviewing the government people themselves would be interesting, but their side of the game is already covered by the professional media. The rallies, strikes and demonstrations, meanwhile, literally happen in

Finding Inspiration

ooking for inspiration to give birth to this article proved to be quite taxing as of this printing.

Before coming up with this column, I thought about writing the human tendency for people to backbite and gossip, but while in the process ended up backbiting and Santigo Paulo Pascual gossiping my subjects. Instead of continuing that distasteful article, I is it more acceptable for men to for exposing the truth. Watching tried to build another column from sleep around in comparison with the media personnel do their jobs women? makes me wonder if they might scratch.

The thoughts of SONA, the sick be shot suddenly, in their homes So I tried looking for and the dying and gender inequality or on the streets by assassins. The inspiration. victims of extra-judicial killings At first I tried rummaging for in newspapers are not happy.

So I tried the television. have reached approximately 290 inspiration in the newspapers.

The television has more flavor since 2004, and a lot of them are Unfortunately, only a martyr fit to be canonized is capable to salvage and grit built into the shows, but journalists. You got to hand it to what little happy inspiration the they are depressing. Telenovelas whoever masterminded these newspapers can offer. Most of the with titles of something like killings; silencing the bearers of topics that I found are not exactly “Babangon Ako at Dudurugin Kita!” truth is much more effective than happy thoughts. Seeing the midget doesn’t require great leaps of logic any methods of news blackout.

The ideas of evil telenovelas of a president spew more lies in to infer that from the title alone, her latest SONA like the stench of it is dark and hateful. Other titles replacing substantial shows and a cesspool is downright irritating. proved to be misleading, such as the deaths of mediamen are grim If there are reforms, it consists of “Iisa Pa Lamang” which I thought to thoughts.

Where television and print something that is absolutely out be inspiring since the title implies situations. media failed, I tried looking for of touch like cutting the cost of happily-ever-after text-messages in half (as if we need But, after watching an episode, I inspiration at school.

Now, I really thought that the more distractions) or something saw a carnival of sick and twisted questionable, like the retention combination of love triangles, school has all the inspiration that of VAT. Seriously, is the whole revenge (vengeful persons in TV could possibly send me smiling like government dependent on VAT? seems to be the trend these days) a sociopath, but this too, lacks happy Whatever happened to other means and human despair. The situations thoughts. My teachers should’ve of agony, unrequited love and inspired me to write, maybe of income?

A newspaper advertisement death-as-oxygen could teach the related to the fighting human spirit informing the readers that there demons of the abyss to efficiently and sacrifice, but I guess I was too busy fulfilling their requirements is a bill waiting for approval in the torment humans.

This got me wondering: why to notice something. If there is one congress. The bill, if approved by the legislators, will require tobacco do we have so much of these thing that I find really strange in companies to accompany cigarette shows during primetime? Both the the school curriculum, is that it is packages with macabre pictures prominent networks of GMA7 and laden with subjects. I should count of smokers in ill health. Thinking ABS-CBN have these soap-operas myself lucky to be studying, but the about death and smoking is not that cater to the telenovela junkies. amount of subjects per semester (an happy. (It’s downright creepy and Are there any other shows that are average of 27 units) really pushes disturbing since the pictures are more substantial and educational the student to the limit. I guess one consequence of the unit overload real patients in their full deathly for the viewers?

Switching to news offered is the student’s lack of time for coglory.)

Newfound research on a the same level of evil stuff as curricular activities.

My grades are not exactly what newspaper article enumerating the epitomized in reports of death, effects of Viagra on women’s sex scandals, mayhem and government you can label as inspiring (that’s lives proved interesting, but that corruption. I know that it is the job because I am in the Engineering Architecture Division); thought is only happy in a not-so- of the media to report incidents and wholesome manner. The article that currently plagues our country, especially with Electromagnetics. also spawned the idea of gender and truth be told, I would rather (Calculating for the electric field is inequality in my head (I apologize. be informed than ignorant. already electrocuting my remaining I am a pessimist after all). Why There is a grave price however sanity.) But then again, I am lucky.

Living Contradiction

our backyard (in the middle of Roxas Street, to be exact) in full view of Ateneans walking in and out of the school. The average Atenean is affected to some level by the occurrence of these, as in the case of transport strikes. These address national issues that affect Ateneans directly as residents of the Philippines. So, then, aren’t rallies, strikes and demonstrations worth mentioning in an Atenews release?

My high school journalism teacher told our class that journalists work to help form the public opinion. And that is what the Atenews tries to do: by presenting national issues alongside our school dilemmas. Every Atenews release aims to inform the Ateneans about events as seen through other students’ eyes, so that they may get a more intimate understanding of the goings-on around them and be enabled to act wisely in response.

Student matters and national issues must be equally emphasized. And writing about both and being critical of administrations in and out of school do not make Atenews staff, one and all, “terrorists” to be wary of.

Students and teachers alike buzzed over Soniel’s article in the days when the July release of the Atenews first came out. Various acquaintances even interviewed me on what being in Atenews is like, because of that article. People seem interested in Atenews’s doings now.

I just hope that they would read the hard issues as keenly as they read the light stuff, for their own sake.

A

My parents can afford to pay for my tuition, and, at least I have a subject to worry about. Education is still not the priority of the Arroyo administration as it still suffers from a multitude of problems; textbooks laden with errors (fish do not breathe thru their “lungs”, it breathes thru its “gills” ), a student teacher ratio of 45:1 (and still rising) and budget deficiencies.

And then, the inspiration came.

After my Electromagnetics professor discussed Potential (a topic created by sadistic minds to torture aspiring engineers), he announced (I guess the source of the jubilant news came from the admin.) that there will be no classes for the whole Friday due to the Feast of St. Ignatius. This got me, and everybody else literally screaming and jumping for joy.

(I am not ready for my Physics exam the following day, and I’m guessing that everyone else is not prepared.)

Where is the inspiration in that, you might ask? (No, I haven’t lost my sanity.)

I realized that it is in the little, and sometimes trivial things that inspiration thrives.

The idea of cheaper text messages, though distracting, strengthens communication between individuals. The idea of tobacco packaging with creepy pictures says that at least the government is trying to improve health standards. The idea of sexuality and gender inequality found in the newspaper article, at the very least, shows the progress of sexual education in comparison to a century ago. The idea of media personnel hanging on and persevering to the hazards of telling the truth is inspiring in heroic proportions. The idea that I am given opportunities to learn breakthroughs presented in my subject shows the height of human progress.

The idea that somehow and somewhere in this chaotic planet, inspiration comes unexpectedly in the guise of sudden holidays. A

In Defense of Miss Tormentor

(A response to “My Teacher, My Tormentor“)

I

by Ms. Butterfly

ts wednesday and I hope its going to be a great day at AdDU. I was a little bit bothered last night when I read the article entitled “My teacher, My Tormentor”. I can still vividly recall the article’s first line in BLUEBLOOD bold and blatant letters We would like to know “I am not happy with what Ateneans think. my teachers”. Honestly, Submit your Blueblood esays at our office near it moved me to ponder. the covered court or Am I exactly like Ms. email us at atenews@ Pride or Professor Beans gmail.com or Ms. Incredible or Mr. Minus? I hope not.

As I was approaching the Jacinto gate, this head turner caught my eye. I’d call her Ms. Byotepol (read this as Byo-te-pol!). Clad in fashionable outfit and accessories featured in my favorite Preview magazine, Ms. Byotepol glided like a beauty queen as guys sitting in front of the Finance Office watched in amazement. She later joined her friends whom I call Party Girl and Mr. Japorms. I remember Ms. Byotepol was my student last semester. Once, I caught her brushing her salon-maintained hair while her classmates were busy answering the exercises I gave them. I asked her to recite and to my dismay, she could only say “Ah, ah, I don’t know ma’am”. I maintained my composure and told her do the exercises. It seems that this girl is more interested in trying out the latest make up and lip gloss from The Body Shop than reading academic materials she’s supposed to study. How ironic!

It’s almost 11:00 am so I hurriedly walked towards my classroom when someone accidentally bumped me. I looked up and there was Mr. Tupperware. I guess he’s also in a hurry.

He ran past me without even looking back and apologizing. Did he not recognize me? I must admit, I was partly glad at the thought that he must have mistaken me for a student but… where are his good manners? He was under me a year ago and I’ve known him to be a nice boy.

He was my beadle and in fact, would often come to me for consultation or special exam at the Faculty Lounge Aquarium. While going to my class, the words of my friend Jeng dawned upon me; “Ay naku, some of our students have amnesia.

They’re so nice to you when you’re their teacher.

After the sem, dili na sila kaila sa imuha”. Ana?!

Ok, fine.

I began my lecture on the day’s topicprobabilities. A little later, I asked my students to answer Problem X-1 to apply what we’ve just discussed. The class’s concentration was distracted by the loud and annoying sound of shrill laughter. I immediately went out to check only to find two students- Mr. Big Mouth and Ms. Small Ears- loitering around the corridors.

They were so busy giggling and laughing that they hardly noticed me coming. I told them to stop or else, I’d confiscate their ID’s and hand them to Sir Rikki. They must be afraid of rendering community service so they hurriedly left the area. I’ve had several encounters with Mr. Big Mouth and his clones in the past. They are your typical bunch of noisy teeners that make a career out of disturbing others and not listening during class hours. They even pass secret messages around (Who knows, they might be talking about my dress or my shoes or my hair that badly needs styling!) while poor Miss Tormentor struggles to make the subject more interesting and appealing. And when they fail, they blame it on the teacher!

My next class started around 2:30. Ms. Know-It-All belongs in this class. I know she is intelligent, but she often complains about a lot of things- exams are too difficult, so many assignments, teachers have unreasonable policies, the grading system is loathsome, some teachers are too strict, other are too lenient, blah, blah, blah…Her list can even fill up the front and back pages of a manila paper (take note, manila paper, not just a yellow paper!). Well, it is good to be critical but to overdo things is really dismal. This girl fails to realize that Ateneo is not a business

ÜMiss Tormentor, 8

8 | ATENEWS

OPINION

T

Am I my brother’s keeper?

he country has been but a battlefield to date. We are behind enemy lines against rice and oil crisis, insurgency cases and tuition fee increases. That “No to oil price hike, No to continuous rice price increases, militarization and to tuition fee increase” has become the battle cry of many. Before the present rice crisis broke out, multitudes of Lumads out of their abodes.Where is the of ordinary Filipinos had already been justice in seeing that rice and other foods hardened, with wages lying way below the are available in the market and yet people costs of living. With tuition, transport fare, go hungry because they could not afford it? costs of health services, power rates, and Soaring prices of basic commodities only the prices of food at all-time highs, what push people into desperation and anger. disaster could more be done to aggravate Hunger amidst a situation of adequate millions of Filipinos already reeling from supply is marked as the country’s most the present economic crises? Moreover cruel paradox of the day. with other impending increases on the line, What hope is left in tempering transport we will soon be, sad to say, in much worse fare and oil prices? Is it not imperative to straits. cut Philippine dependency on oil to lessen People’s demand for across-the-board impacts of oil price hikes on citizen’s wage increases has gone all the more lives? What justification is there in the urgent. Long cues of people waiting to government’s refusal to implement any get a kilo of N.F.A. rice has become but substantial policy that would mitigate the a common sight to meet a day’s need, effects of the crisis such as price controls or in many sad cases, a meals need. Oil and the removal of the 12 percent Expanded price hikes at a despicable pace causing Value Added Tax on basic commodities? public transport strikes across regions Does it not show disregard for the people’s and an additional load to ordinary Filipino welfare? What better explanation is there citizens. Students are protesting against the in the government’s thrust of beguiling adamant increases in tuition fees. Victims foreign companies and investors to setof insurgency campaigns are appealing that up subsidiaries in the country and to the military be taken off their lands. invest in real estate development? It only In the midst of this chronic crisis that causes immense conversion of land from encumbers the Philippine economy in agricultural to commercial uses. And not general and the agricultural sector in far behind among the already grim and particular, lets us ask ourselves,” Am I my dismal situation the country and its people brothers keeper?’ are facing comes a memorandum increasing What justice is there in pounding university fees. bombs and ammunitions at a time when Literally, the Filipino people are in the rural poor is hungry? One 105mm a tight spot, and poverty has been but Howitzer cannon can buy almost 200 kilos a continuous struggle ever since time of rice and would only cause displacement immemorial. These incessant increases

ÛMiss Tormentor.. from page 7

EYE VIEWS

Ma .Elaine Dy only bring an additional mile of suffering to an already ailing country and people. There can be no reprieve that we Filipinos can seek at the moment. This chain of events, if continued, might probably only unleash a firestorm of another uprising.

We are in the middle of a ravaging war, but all wars have an end. Let not our hopes of getting through this battle plummet. We can pull ourselves from this scuffle, as long as we people seek for change and a clear goal for collective action.

A saying from the Bible’s story of Abel and Cain, after the latter had slain his brother, God asked him where his brother was. Cain answered, “I know not; am I my brother’s keeper?” Cain denied the fact that he had any responsibility in caring for his brother. Applied to a greater scenario, our country and its people, where are we in the greater scheme of things? Are we a purveyor of suffering or are we contributing in alleviating our fellow men’s suffering? How far are we willing to extend help and accept responsibility of our fellows, our brothers in the extended sense of the term?

Maybe it’s high time that we realize that everything depends now on us – the people. We look after ourselves and by looking after our own individual needs lets not fail to hear the woes and needs of the poor and the marginalize after all we are each our own brothers keeper.

establishment. Hence, she is not, “in essence” a customer and therefore, she’s not always right!

Sitting beside her is Mr. Short-Cut. He’s an average student.

Although not as bright as Ms. Know-It-All, he certainly can achieve more if he pushes himself a little bit harder. However, true to his name, he always wants the easy way out. One time, I caught him looking at his seatmate’s paper during a quiz. I immediately called his attention and reprimanded him. His other modus operandi includes scavenging for leakages and other dirty tactics that I, even as a student, never imagined.

Que horror! Thank goodness, Fr. Samson’s very stringent policy on cheating has taken its toll on students like him.They are rare nowadays. (That, as far as I know) Don’t get me wrong. I am not anti-student. I was a student once and just like everyone else, share the same CRAZY experiences as typical Ateneans. I’ve had very good students in the past and I know, many good students still thrive in this University. I love my students and it is my greatest joy to see them succeed in whatever path they choose to take. I have built friendships with many of them. Until today, I still communicate with former students who have long left the portals of this institution and are now doing great as professionals and even as entrepreneurs. I feel happy and to some extent, nostalgic every time my Friendster and My Space accounts get flagged with messages from them just to say “Hi” and “Kamusta”.

I hope that students understand that teachers like me are only human.We are far from perfection.We make mistakes and we get hurt. I must admit, at times, I may act like Ms. Incredible or Professor Beans or Mr. Minus or Miss Pride and even the infamous Ms. Minchin to some extent, but to stereotype and to label me and to say that all my sculptures are good only for the trash bin is totally UNFAIR. In this university, learning is a two way process, a give and take. Both teachers and students play vital roles.

If someone points his/her index finger to me, that person is in fact, pointing three other fingers to himself/herself A

Miss Butterfly has been teaching and studying in the Ateneo for ten years. She always wanted to write but ended up as part of the faculty in an odd twist of fate.

A

Davao City, Gibaha!

K

adtong mga niaging bulan, sugod sa ika-5 sa Hunyo, ang Davao nga ginganlag “typhoon-free city”, nalubog sa tubig-baha.

Wala gayud nagdahum ang kadaghanan nga muabot sa tuhod ang tubig gikan sa gamaygamay nga pagbundak sa ulan. Sumala pa sa uban, kini gayud ang unang higayon nga nagbaha ug maayo sa Davao.

Dako gayud ang kadaot nga nahimo sa baha.

Daghang mga dyip ang ningtirik sa tunga sa kalsada tungod sa tubig. Ang ubang tawo ug bisan mga bata, nahimo na hinuong negosyo ang pagtulak sa mga dyip. Pipila pud ka mga tawo ang na-stranded sa mga kilid-kilid kay walay masakyan o, tingali, mahadlok mabasa ang ilang mga sapatos. Ang kadaghanan sa estudyante sa Ateneo nga nagpa-enrol atong higayuna, wala pud makahawa ug naabtan intawon ug gabii sa eskwelahan. Maingon tuod nga, niatong mga panahona, mas mu-pabor pa ang uban sa mga bangka kaysa sa mga sakyanan.

Ug mahitungod sa mga sakyanan, grabe pud kaayo nga trapik ang nahitabo tungod sa baha - labi na sa downtown area, apil na sa may Boulevard ug Quirino. Hangtud McArthur Highway, Ecoland, ug Matina Aplaya lubog sa tubig. Samot na sa may Ma-a dapit. Sa unahang dapit, ang lugar duol sa Agdao kay dili mabangbang ang baha. Ang kadaghanan kay wala na gani nirespeto sa mga traffic light o nituman sa rutang dapat sundon. Ang kadaghanan sa mga dyip ug pribadong sakyanan, minglahos nalang

A DUET

by Carmel Jade Bual and Kheycee Mae Matarlo sa Marfori aron makalusot sa Diversion Road.

Nahugaw pud ug maayo ang dakbayan tungod sa baha. Ang mga kanal, ming-ugdaw ug misagol sa tubig-baha. Ang mga basurahan sa daplin, nangatumba. Maayo unta’g walay sulod apan puno jud intawon ug nagkalain-laing hugaw. Kini usab misagol sa tubig-baha. Bisag asa mulingi, naay galutaw-lutaw nga basura. Ug naa puy ubang mga tawo nga wala jud nagpapugong - gibaktas jud ang kadalanan ug gibalewala ang hastang hugawang tubig aron makauli lang dayon sa ilahang nagkinaiyang panimalay.

Nahimong dagat ang siyudad.

Apan, ngano gayud gibaha ang Davao?

Matud pa sa atong mayor nga si Rodrigo Duterte sa programang Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa, tungod kini sa dili maayong sewage system sa dakbayan. Tungod kay sauna pa gihimo ang atong sistema, dili na ni maingong angayan sa dakbayan run, ilabi na sa kondisyon sa panahon.

Gagmay ra kaayo ang mga tubo nga gadawat sa tubig-baha. Mao na nga bisag kinse minutos nga ulan ra ang mulabay, gabaha na dayon ug ginagmay sa mga dalan. Nisamut pa hinoon tungod sa mga pribadong tag-iya nga dili musugot nga himuan ug drainage system ang ilang yuta. Kung atong tan-awun ang kinaiyahan sa dakbayan, pipila ra man ang atong makita nga tarong nga kanal nga makasuyop jud sa tubigulan? Usa pa ka dako nga rason niini kay ang dili ika-deny nga climate change tungod sa global warming nga mao ang nagdala sa daghang tubig.

Itandi pa nato dinhi ang pagkawala sa mga puno tungod sa iresponsableng deforestation sa mga kalasangan.

Apan, ang pangutana kay unsaun kaha pagsulbad ni Mayor Duterte ug ubang opisyales sa Davao City ang problema sa baha? Matud pa sa mga lokal nga balita sa SunStar Davao, 13 sa 18 ka drainage projects ang nahuman na. Lakip dinhi ang sa Sasa, Mamay, Lanang, J.P. Laurel, N. Torres, Barrio Obrero, Lizada, Roxas hantud Magsaysay, Sta. Ana Avenue, Quirino, Central Bank area, Marfori, Ma-a, Matina, McArthur Highway, GSIS, NHA, Sto Niño, Kawayan ug Dumoy. Aron mahuman ang ubang proyekto, kinahanglan ang budget nga muabot sa bilyon ka pesos. Usa sa gusto mahitabo ni Mayor ang paghimo ug dibisyon sa City Engineer’s Office kung asa 300 hantud 500 ka trabahante ang patrabahuon sa usa ka 24-hour quick response team kung magbaha. Usa pud ka plano ang pagpalit ug mga trak nga maoy magdala sa basura nga mutapok kada muulan ug kusog. Apil na pud dinhi ang pag-rehabilitate sa karaang drainage system ug pagkumbinse sa mga pribadong tag-iya nga sugtan na ang mga drainage project sa ilang dapit.

Sumala pud ni Atty. Karlo Nograles, anak ni Congressman Prospero “Boy” Nograles, plano sa iyang amahan nga maghatag ug 40-milyon pesos para sa flood control ug road concreting projects nga pagahimuon sa Talomo ug Ma-a.

Ingon pa niya, ang 20-milyon nga budget mipadulong sa Talomo River Control Project diha

sa may NHA Village sa Bangkal nga permanente bahaon kon mubagsak ang ulan. Ang nahibilin nga 20-milyon kay magaadto sa pagpadayon sa Ma-a road widening project nga himuon nang four-lane highway. Makatabang pud kini sa pag-divert ¬sa trapiko kada magbaha sa may Matina.

Sa programa nga Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa niatong nilabay nga bulan, miingon ang atong bise-mayor nga si Inday Sara Duterte nga ang maayo nga panghitabo kada magbaha sa Davao kay dili nagadugay ang tubig, nga mu-subside ra gihapon pag-agi sa pipila ka oras.

Ang sitwasyon diri, dili ingon-ana kagrabe kung atong ikumpara sa Manila. Apan, musugot lang ba ta nga padayon mahitabo kining sitwasyon nato sa baha? Unsaun nalang kung muabot ang panahon nga bagyuhun ang Davao? Magpaanod ra ba ta?

Mao nang dapat nato huna-hunaun atong parte sa pagprotekta sa atong pinanggang dakbayan. Kay dili man unta ni mahitabo kung kita nasayod sa hustong paglabay sa basura ug pagbantay sa atong kinaiyahan.

Ang basura baya nga wala gitarong ug labay - mangitag paagi nga mubalik sa naglabay. A

ATENEWS |

Autism

Feature

by Maryam Embalsado

noun (o-ti-zəm): a variable developmental disorder that appears by age three and is characterized by impairment of the ability to form normal social relationships, by impairment of the ability to communicate with others, and by stereotyped behavior patterns

A

nton is a 6-year old boy, and like most boys his age, he loves to play around with robots and toy cars. He likes to sit around all day playing with his toys like most children do. However, while most other kids would be playing alongside other children in a playpen or in kindergarten, Anton plays by himself in his room, deprived of the laughter and youthful cheers of his peers. Sitting alone with his toys, he seems to be detached from the world that we live in. He can be seen as someone daydreaming, living out a world of his own. Unfortunately for Anton and some children, they suffer from the condition called Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or what is commonly known as autism, which is more common in boys than in girls.

Approximately 15 out of every 10,000 children born are diagnosed with autism.

ASD is a neurological and developmental disorder that usually appears during the first three years. A diagnosis is made when, by age three, a child displays six or more of the twelve symptoms of impairment across all three major areas: communication, social interaction, and interests and behavior. Like Anton, children with autistic disorder often appear aloof and display lack of interest in dealing with others, even with their own family members. Their speech development is delayed and so they have problems in communicating and interacting.

Some children have unusual patterns of speech. It includes repeating phrases (known as echolalia), using phrases in unusual ways (when a child responds with the same phrase but means a totally different thing, such as “want water” when the child actually wants a toy), saying the same phrases over and over again (known as perseveration), and reversing pronouns (“you want milk”, when the child wants milk).

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urden! Cried my soul upon entering the campus on a Wednesday morning, wearing my baby blue blouse—the very blouse that witnessed the security guard’s horrendous nagging about the invincible dress code.

He claimed that my blouse is violating the dress code because of its low neckline which was admittedly true. Trapped in a sticky situation, my mental gears immediately set to work—turning faster and faster, keeping pace with the even faster litany of the guard.When my ears (and my dignity) could no longer take his monotonous ramblings, I decided it was time to act—time to fulfil my ever desperate plan to get inside the campus since I was running late. I left the security guard still b a b -

bl i n g to himself (proud of his heroic deed for the day), dashed to the other gate, put on my ID (which I was going to remove anyway once I was inside) and strutted like nothing could go wrong in the world. I let the guard idly poke about my things, not really trying to see if I carried some deadly weap-

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The problems with social interactions stem from an impaired ability to perceive events and interpret communication from others. Because of this impairment, children with autism have unusual responses, including a tendency to interact less with others. They don’t express their emotions that well, making them appear uninterested in sharing themselves. Because of their difficulties with social interaction and communication, children with autism may be easily misunderstood. The simple requests of parents may not be followed, leaving both the parent and the child frustrated and confused.

The child may be perceived as stubborn. This leads to the notion that they need care and understanding rather than the rigid manipulation of parents.

In addition, children with autism often have unusual interests or behaviors. Unlike other children who play with a creative mindset and imagination, children with autism appear to play with less imagination and tend to be more repetitive in its routine.They are more interested in a particular part of an object rather in the object as a whole. Like Anton, his interest in toy cars may not be that typical. He spends most of his time spinning the wheels of the toy car over and over with much of his delight. Most of the children has unusual knack with toys, usually preferring objects that are hard and technical rather than the cute and cuddly teddy bears for example. More unusual behaviors include sitting with the legs in a “W” position instead of with crossed legs, walking on toes, repeated spinning, hand flapping, or other movements that are repeated without a clear purpose.

Cognitive abilities vary widely. Children with autism may have some degree of mental retardation, while other children do not. Some are gifted in certain areas, such as music, math,

or art where they interpret things in a different light. This category however, is quite small, with an estimation of less than 1 percent.

Often, children with autism have sensory integration difficulties, causing them to be either highly sensitive or under responsive. They may eat a very restricted range of foods, and may tolerate hugging but become irritable when touched lightly. This sensory sensitivity, sometimes called “tactile defensiveness,” can make these children appear even more disinterested in others, as physical contact may irritate them rather than console them.

These special children need understanding and love more than anything else. Working with them is challenging. This can be sometimes frustrating yet rewarding. It requires patience, hard work, dedication, time and of course the love to care for them and give them the independence that they need. Despite their handicap, they are still human beings who have the right to live their life to the fullest potential.

They need our help for them to eventually be acceptable in our society as productive and selfdependent.

To be able to understand, we should be equipped with information about their condition.

The key to enter the perceived and imagined world of autism is of course to understand their condition and the causes of their behavior. This leads me to question “How can a child like this enjoy the happiness and innocence that a child should experience?” For that purpose we have institutions and foundations solely devoted to individuals with autism. In Davao City, some of these foundations are the Rainbow Intervention Center for Autism Foundation Inc (RICAFI), the Brokenshire Child and Adolescent Neuro-

Developmental C e n t e r (CANDEV), and the Davao Autism Intervention Center Foundation, Inc. (DAC). All three institutions are non-stock, non-profit organizations.

The RICAFI, the first autism center in Davao City, offers autism programs for children/ adolescents with autism since 1996 to make them productive and self-reliant individuals.

The Brokenshire CANDEV Center is a multidisciplinary diagnostic and intervention center catering to the whole spectrum of developmental and neurologic disabilities of children/ adolescents. The DAC provides services for children with autism spectrum disorder. It was organized by a group of parents in 1997, who realized the importance of teaching and giving early intervention to a child/ person with ASD to at least function normally in this world.

Foundations like these make possible for Anton and other children with autism to somehow at least live life as it should be lived.

In our own little ways as students, we can help by donating funds, educational materials, and even used school supplies. We can also enliven the spirit of volunteerism in us by taking some time off to visit the foundations. We get a lot of insights through experiences. Remember, learning doesn’t stop inside the four walls of A our classroom.

Follow Me... NOT!

by Mherill Llerena

on—an armalite perhaps. Then, wala! As if by magic, I was inside the campus in one piece with my dignity and my baby blue blouse. I violated the dress code—no, make that the campus rule everyone tries to heed except for rule-breakers like me. I was never punished, never convicted for the crime I committed. From that moment, I realized a sad truth: Ateneo de Davao University is a pit of ineffective rules.

Innumerable ‘Don’ts’ flood the campus.

Among them, ‘Do not cheat’ bags the 1st prize in the Most Popular Don’t of the University.

However, this rule basks in the limelight not because it is a rule everyone fears and obeys. It enjoys its notoriety because it is the number one rule violated by Ateneans.

How many

i s

c a n stand up, look me in the eye and say ‘I am not a cheater!’? Who can proclaim that s/he hasn’t tried cheating all his/her life?

Breaking the rules regarding cheating disappointing but this example is solid proof of my bitter realization.

‘Don’ts’ which are primarily neglected do not only stop in the violation of the “No Cheating” policy. Coming up from the red corner, battling its way to be the first in Most Violated College Rules is the uniform policy. Falling under this is the not wearing of university pins by men. Try to snatch some time from your “busy” schedule and spend time in the gazebo.

How many men do you see are wearing their pins? Ten? Five? Or maybe less? What if a new decree (which is effective immediately) will be imposed stating ‘All male students who are not wearing their pins upon issue of this decree will be beheaded.’? OMG! Then, this would mean bye-bye to more than one-half of the male population in Ateneo! The reality in this hyperbole is that lesser and lesser male students comply with the uniform policy. Unconsciously, it has become a trend especially for higher years to not wear their pins on purpose. I will congratulate the guy who started this trend when I get the chance to meet him This trend has become exceedingly popular which also increases the number of students violating the rule of prescribed uniform. The point is, had the rule been effective then the trend would have never started in the first place.

One last example to solidify my realization would be the violation of the dress code. Slippers, above-the-knee pants, blouses with plunging necklines—they are your friends in your one shot to fame. Armed with a bit of acting skill and a whole barrel of guts, you can get inside the campus with your forbidden outfit. Believe me.

I tried and I failed. I tried again and I succeeded.

I speak from experience—an experience which I’m sure not only I went through—an experience I was never proud of. On the contrary, how conscience-stricken I may be, more and more dress code violators accomplish the task of getting inside the campus with ease. Probably, the dress code policy is already screaming in anguish of being ignored—screaming “Students, why hath thou forsaken me?”

Rules—they are made for everyone to follow, not the other way around. I noticed the unique gift of Ateneans to distort something which is prohibited into something they claim to be not really illegal since everyone is doing it. If the rule says don’t, we do exactly the opposite. Apparently, our giftedness has become the very root why some rules in the campus are dubbed as ineffective. See the irony? It could take us less than a minute to list down all the college rules we deem useless—our hand going faster than the hand of time. But, when asked who is responsible for these rules to be ineffective, we suddenly lose our voices and stare at each other like porcelain dolls—cannot spit out the words and cannot move one finger to point the culprit—ourselves. By the way we act; it’s as if the rule itself is asking to be broken. It’s as if the rule cries out loud, “Follow me not!”

Next time we break a rule or think of breaking one, consider for a while and ask, “Should I follow the trend (rule-breaking) or follow the rule?”

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10 | ATENEWS

feature

T

he best way to plan is not to plan at all.

This is true of the unplanned success of 39-year-old Dr. Ronnie V. Amorado (who is he in this university? Ano tinuturo nya, etc.?), author of “Fixing Society: The Inside World of Fixers in the Philippines”, that received the 2008 Outstanding Book Award by the Natural Science and Technology Awards (NSAT) in Social Science.

“Serendipity lahat, eh. Lalo na yung award,” Dr. Amorado said.

His journey towards the prestigious award started in one of his seminars in Manila, where he was invited to be the resource speaker. Unbeknownst to him, his book was nominated by his audience to the annual NSAT awards. As the saying goes, when it rains, it pours. Such is indeed his case.

In an interview with Atenews, he said that the book was not really meant for the competition. It was done only in a fulfillment of his dissertation.

In fact, the first publication in 2007 has only produced 2,000 copies. Much to his astonishment, the books were sold out in three months. The book was published a second time with 4,000 copies this year.

The book, as cited by its critics, is outstanding of its kind. The author himself finds it rewarding for three reasons: First, it is the only book to address the culture of corruption vis-à-vis presenting discernable patterns about fixers, including the recommen-

New Potterrelated book by Potter author

ÜUpclose, 11

by Karlo James Bringas

Mass-produced copies of “The Tales of Beedle the Bard”, the collection of fairy tales for wizarding children referred to in J. K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows”, will be released on December 4 in the US and in the UK. “The Tales of Beedle the Bard” was originally released as seven special handwritten books, made and given by Rowling to six people who had been influential in the making of the Potter series. The seventh, referred to as the moonstone book after the semi-precious stones studded on its cover, was bought for £1.95 million ($3.98 million) by the US-based electronic commerce company Amazon on December 17 last year. Amazon then promised to put the book “on travel” to various libraries for children to read.

On July 31, Bloomsbury (the UK publisher of the Potter series), Scholastic (the US publisher of the Potter series) and Amazon announced that they will publish copies of the book for the public. Bloomsbury will publish the UK edition; Scholastic will make the US

Sleep and Relaxation

by Maria Katherina Galope

S

leep can become very foreign once we begin to live the college experience.

Whether your sleepless nights are caused by cramming or partying, they both lead down the same worn down path, a road which leads to stress and fatigue where in one ends up with eye bags larger than the Grand Canyon. Does this situation ring a bell? This might be because you are suffering from sleep deprivation, or simply put, lack of the necessary amount of sleep.

But just how do we know if we are sleep deprived? Well, just about everybody who uses an alarm clock is. This is because our brains would have awakened on impulse, or by themselves, if they had accrued the correct amount of sleep they need.

As teenagers, being informed about the effects of sleep deprivation is a must, since it is very common among college students. More so even, among the freshies as they adjust to the stress and

ÜSleep, 11

dations on how to fix the problem. “Everybody knows a fixer. Pero walang sumusulat because it’s difficult to track a fixer. Nobody will admit he’s a fixer,” says Dr. Amorado, a.k.a. Mr Fixer, the way everybody would want to call him.

Second, the book also features a dictionary of “fixer vocabulary”, as well as terms and gestures only fixers can understand. This means that fixers have shared common knowledge of communication.

The book’s creativity and innovation is another edge. Accordingly, he employed the “undercover ethnography” as his method of study---which is, as cited by Randy David, one of the book’s critics, Dr. Amorado established an intimate contact among fixers. So he was like secret-agent James Bond, immersing in non-participant observation and seeing things as they happen without disrupting the participants.

It took him 3 to 4 years to finish the book, because the sensitive study on fixing that is the book’s topic requires difficult methodology.

As the book specializes in governance and anti-corruption, Dr. Amorado wrote through and because of his passion for anti-corruption initiatives. He was also inspired by the fact that nobody has ever attempted to make a qualitative analysis about fixers.

“There’s a technology in combating corruption. It’s scientific. There’s a way of doing it --- in terms of analysis, in terms of methods,” he said with remarkable conviction. In line with this, Dr. Amorado dreams of putting up a strategic center

edition; and Amazon will make a limitedrelease collector’s edition. Profits from the books will go to the Children’s High Level Group.

The books will contain the five stories written in the hand-written editions, an introduction by Rowling, a commentary on each story by Professor Albus Dumbledore, and reproductions of the illustrations made

by Rowling herself on the moonstone book.

The limited edition books by Amazon will have a number of extra features, such as a handwritten introduction by Rowling and a cover studded with replica gemstones. The stories are: “The Wizard and the Hopping Pot”, “The Fountain of Fair Fortune”, “The Warlock’s Hairy Heart”, “Babbity Rabbity and her Cackling Stump”, and “The Tale of the Three Brothers”. This last story will be remembered by avid Potter readers as the focus of the Deathly Hallows quest hinted by the seventh Potter book’s title.

There is no word yet online as to the book’s availability in the Philippines.

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The Kissing Disease

by Sonito Mole

F

irst Scene: You get out of your classroom excited to see your significant other. You see her waiting for you by the door. You smile and walk towards her. You share how boring the subject was as you walk through the corridor. She sees an empty table as you pass by the student lounge and decides to loiter a bit. You continue on talking. You laugh at her jokes and listen to her rant about her day. Unable to stop yourself, you move a little closer to her, poising for the kill. She smiles.

She understands. You go for it. You kiss her.

Next scene: You wake up and feel a swelling in your throat. You don’t feel good. You walk towards your mirror. You see yourself not in good condition. You feel your muscles ache, all cranked up and fatigued from something you can’t remember on doing. You wash up. You feel you’re getting something, the flu or something close to it. You think it might be just the

ÜThe Kissing, 11

ATENEWS |

ÛNo permit..

ÛThe kissing..from

ÛCHED..

However, the committee has yet to come up with the implementing rules and protocols for students who were not able to present an exam permit.

typical fever.Yet, there’s something very wrong about how you feel. You have no appetite. Your morning is all messed up. As you go to school, you remember you have a clinic. You decide to visit. Inside the clinic, the doctor examines you. When you comment that you feel your throat is sore, she takes a swab of cotton and checks your mouth with it. She analyzes it using hi-tech stuff you don’t even recognize. Then, she makes a series of blood tests. You wait for the verdict. She faces you and announces that you have Infectious Mononucleosis. Infectious Mononucleosis? What the heck is that?

Perhaps, you are wondering how the two scenes are connected. Perhaps, you are even wondering what this “Infectious Mononucleosis” is. Yes, what the heck is it.

Okay. Infectious Mononucleosis, “mono” for short, is an infection caused by the EpsteinBarr virus. One way to catch mono is by kissing someone who has been infected by such a virus, thus, the nickname, “kissing disease.” Other ways of getting the virus would be direct contact with saliva of someone who has been infected by it, such as the sharing of spoons and straws.

Mononucleosis is characterized by constant fatigue, sore throat, high fever, loss of appetite, swollen glands in your neck, headaches, and constantly being tired. These signs may be mistaken for that of the flu or sore throat. Thus, people often treat mono the way they treat flu or sore throat. This would not help, though, because there is no known cure for mononucleosis.

Doctors would advise bed rests, and to take in plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration. It might do well for you to skip sports and other activities to avoid sharing the virus and the symptoms you have would have tired you anyway.

Fortunately, in 3 to 4 weeks time the illness will go away by itself. But, once you have been infected by the virus, it will stay with you for life. Hopefully, you wouldn’t worry about getting the same symptoms all over again once you’ve shown it before.

To prevent this from ever happening to you or to avoid it from spreading if you already have it, you should observe proper hygiene. Don’t share your utensils with others even though sharing it would be romantic or, in a sick way, generous. And if you kiss, make sure to ask your partner if he or she has the Epstein-Barr virus. If you don’t care though, go on right ahead and do your thing.

Biology”.

Prior to their visit, the CHED issued Regional Memorandum No. 30, s. 2008, dated June 5. This was addressed to the presidents and heads of schools of public and private Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) offering a BS Biology program in Region XI. It states that “in accordance with the pertinent provisions of Republic Act (RA) No. 7722, otherwise known as the ‘Higher Education Act of 1994’, this Office through the technical Panel for Biology will conduct an assessment of existing BS Biology Programs in line with the evaluation of CMO No. 24, s. 2005.

“The assessment has the following objectives: a) create an accurate picture of the biology discipline in the Philippines in agreement with the CMO No. 24, s. 2005; b) collect and analyze data regarding administration, faculty, students, facilities and other information regarding the operation of the BS Biology programs in the country; c) verify collected data through subsequent interviews with school administrators and faculty members involved in the operation of the BS Biology program and d) recommend possible policy changes to CMO 24, s. 2005 based on the acquired results of this assessment.”

The survey team consisted of: Prof. Rosie S. Madulid from the University of Santo Tomas and president of the Biology Teachers Association (BIOTA); Ms. Abigail T. Limjuco from the CHED Central Office, and Dr. Zenaida M. Tortugo from the CHED Region XI office. They arrived at around 9:30 AM and proceeded to the PAASCU Center on the 2nd floor of the Finster Building. There, three exhibits were prepared.

from page 1

According to committee member James Chew, it is highly unlikely that the drafting of the implementing rules and protocols be finished in time for the midterm examinations.

The meeting were also presided by Theresa S. Eliab, Fretzie Alfaro, Emily E. Rodiguez, Darlene Dawn Timaan, Patria V. Manalaysay, P. Edna T. Carvajal, Marlina C. Lacuesta, Ricardo P. Enriquez, Leah H. Vidal Magdalena T. Solis, Rustico V. Bernacer, Atty. Rene Alexis P. Villarente, Alfred Compra, Elvi C. Tamayo, Jeremy S. Eliab, Atty. Arlene L. Cosape, Rosena D. Sanchez, Alfredo L. Alpas and Arnold C. Abejaron.

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ÛAspiring freshies.. from page 3

16-year old accountancy major, Ruzzie Faith F. Uy. Ruzzie’s decision to run as the next freshmen representative was evoked by her conviction that she could be a good leader, and her belief of the signs evoked by God. Moreover, she also expects to perform what the student government has planned, and focus on the issues of the first year if ever she is elected.

Finally, from the Social Science and Education division is Maureene Ann L.Villamor.

This 16-year old Psychology major assesses the need for a better situation as a newbie in the university and aspires to be the voice of her fellow freshmen as well. In doing this, she plans to create a harmonious and friendly relationship among her fellow freshmen to develop unity.

Conclusively, her message to the rest of the student body is none other than: “Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam.”

So there you have it guys:The 2008 first year representative candidates, armed with both passion and determination. Each contender is ready to provide exceptional leadership and competent service. Thus, it’s now up to you freshies to take your pick. Exercise your right to vote, and be a part of the change this upcoming August 4-8 at the Thibault hall and mark your ballots. Meanwhile, the rest of us will be waiting patiently for your votes to be cast and see who will stand triumphant as the voice of you freshmen.

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ÛSleep..

from page 10

social activities of college life. Most college students get less than 6 hours of REM-sleep on a normal weekday, especially those who have to wake up early to attend their 7:40 classes.

REM-sleep is where your eyeballs flicker from side-to-side under your eyelids, as though you are watching an invisible tennis match. REMsleep is where you do most of your dreaming.

Ateneans stay up mostly past midnight to complete their reports, cram for an exam or for recreational purposes. Our teachers and parents might argue that we have no right to blame our projects and upcoming quizzes for our current state of sleeplessness. But it is a proven fact that during summer when most of us our out club-hopping or worse, being addicted to the internet, we actually get more sleep each night than we do on a regular school night.

Being robbed of this most basic need can negatively affect brain function. It has been proven that lack of sleep can cause mental block during exams, headaches and general confusion When you’re sleep deprived your processing speed slows down, your memory dulls, your coordination becomes poorer, and your reaction time slows. So you see? Next time when you’re studying for an exam, you might actually benefit from sleeping a bit longer than

from page 10

A

from memorizing. Another reason why getting those extra Z’s is so important is because sleep deprivation can lead to temporary drop in IQ levels. Indeed, being tired while taking an IQ test can drop 7 points off your score - and can even drop performance in regular exams.

Lack of sleep does not only concern the brainy bunch of this university. Being deprived of REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep alleviates clinical sleep depression. This is yet another reason for those who are on the verge of an emotional breakdown to act well, even more Emo. Weight watchers better watch their sleeping patterns too, because according to William E. Morgan, D.C., sleep deprivation increases levels of a hunger hormone and decreases levels of a hormone that makes you feel full. The effects may lead to overeating and weight gain. In short, too little sleep can make you fat. This could explain why so many sleepy college students, along with new parents and shift workers tend to pack on the pounds.

I think these are reasons enough for you to forego partying once in a while and simply loosen up and unwind. This is the golden opportunity to act lazy, don’t let it pass. Lets choose the road less traveled. Grab a pillow and get some sleep.

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from page 1

Exhibit A showcased the accomplishments of the faculty; Exhibit B had copies of the curriculum, manuals, syllabi and flow charts; and Exhibit C displayed the numerous accomplishments of the students such as inclusion of several students in the BPI-DOST awards and various theses by graduating students.

By 11 AM, the condition of the different laboratories and equipments were inspected.

In line with the inspection of the program was also the newly revised curriculum that was implemented in 2007. The revised curriculum added new major subjects (Phycology, Marine Biology, Biotechnology, Immunology, Microbial Ecology and Science, and Technology and Society)to the course as well as other minor revisions in the timeline of the subjects offered.

Prof. Madulid, who is also the curator of the herbarium in UST, also visited the Biological Collection of Mrs. Fe Bagajo. She gave recommendations for the expansion and further improvement of the database of the herbarium.

The CHED officials all had positive response on the BS- Biology program of the Ateneo de Davao University. “They said that we have more than complied with their requirements and that we have a better line-up of teachers compared to other schools. The students, faculty and facilities were also impressive enough for us to apply for the program to be a C.O.D (Center for Development) as it was three years ago.” according to Mrs. delas Llagas. They also encouraged and suggested a younger line-up of teachers as young and fresh blood emanates a refreshing air to any institution.

A

ÛB&M..

from page 2

like to attend any of these events, then you are not compelled. Teachers cannot compel you to attend these events, but if you do, teachers may give incentives to monitor your presence”. In another statement, she reminds us that we are students and that these are student activities.

The Ateneo believes in molding students not only academically but socially as well. In the end, it all boils down to our choices we make.

It is up to us students if we wish to join the merriment or sulk around the corner. In the end, no one can force us to do anything.

Another complaint received by the student council is one regarding the B&M Division shirt. Every year, each division’s student council is tasked to design a t-shirt to represent them.

This year, different complaints were raised such as: “Ang pangit ng design ng t-shirt”, “Dili worth ang price sa t-shirt” and “Mas gwapo pa ang design sa uban division”.

To answer the complaints, Richard Empasis, the B&M division representative states: “You are not required to buy the shirt. If you don’t like it, then don’t buy”. In another statement given by the Business and Management Student Executive Council (BMSEC) Internal Vice President, Tristan Licudan, he discusses: “The price of the shirt is reasonable, as it is rubberized, glossy and of good quality”. In the end, everyone is entitled to give his or her own

opinion or reaction. The division shirt is not compulsory, thus you may not purchase it if you do not have means to do so. One may wear a shirt similar to the division color.The purpose of having the division shirt is for commonality and monitoring.

Another purpose for the division shirt is for efficient distribution of the Cheerdance and Sayawtenista tickets. Each division is designated a limited number of tickets, the BMSEC will prioritize those having the BM shirt (along with his or her ID) as confirmation that he or she is indeed under the division.

The Feast of Assumption is celebrated to enable each and every one of us to be shaped thru activities as a whole: academically, spiritually and socially. The attendance cards, the division shirts and the infinite number of props prepared by each division are prepared simply to reinforce the fiesta spirit. Enjoying the adrenaline rush while playing your favorite game, working out your mind in trying to figure out nerve-wrecking questions, dancing to the limit through the applause of the crowd or simply cheering out loud for your division , fortifies the school spirit like no other event.

What’s more is one may gain a few additional points while having fun at the same time. How easy is that?

A ÛUp close.. from page 10

for anti-corruption research.

For six years now, he is one of the bright minds behind the Ehem! Anti Corruption project pioneered by the Society of Jesus. He is currently the national coordinator of the program.

Research is a tool not just for academic exercises, he says, but also for advancing one’s course.

Mr. Fixer shares this secret formula towards a successful research: Research based activism + theoretical and analytical support + scholarly crusade = a rewarding research.

From the perspective of a Ronnie Amorado,

excellence is neither topping the exams nor competing with one another. Rather, it is exceeding one’s own level of knowledge and rising above the current level.

Filled with much encouragement, he says that students should earn a degree for a cause and use it to solve a problem.

To end this article about Mr. Fixer it would be appropriate to sight some lines from the back cover of his book that says, “[But] as the title suggests in a double meaning (Fixing Society), ours is a country of fixers and there’s a need to fix the problem of fixing.”

12 | ATENEWS

Comics

Banaag Diwa 2008 Erratum:

On our introduction (pambungad) it is stated there that the Ifugaos are from Benguet. Ifugaos are from Cordillera. Our apologies for anyone that we have offended for this misinformation.

SICO

by win

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Under the Pedro Arrupe Service Learning Program (PASLP) the Pagtataya: expertise-based immersion program will be conducted in collaboration with Theology 110.

Under the Student Servant Leadership Program (SSLP) there will be a recruitment of new volunteers. Selected volunteers will also be sent to attend the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities in East Asia and Oceania (AJCU-EAO) Service Learning Program in Xavier University, Cagayan de Oro City.

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