ECHOES December 2010

echoes December 2010

Paolo & Godofredo Two Ecosoc leaders separated by fifty-two years of change

CONTENTS December 2010

5

EDITORIAL

6

COMMITTEE NEWS

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ONE BIG JOKE When Ecosoc’s wildmen face the harsh natural terrain, will they survive?—by Dean Dulay and Aaron Aw

21

FINANCE ALL-ACCESS For the first time, the Ecosoc movie screening failed to rake in a profit. What happened, and what we learned—by Bea Bayudan

NEWS 12

INDUCTION BALL by Bea Bayudan TURNOVER DINNER by Kenneth Reyes

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PLANSEM by Chila Innocencio

13

IBANG KLASE by Hannah Manalili

28

R&R WEEK by Bea Bayudan MOVIE SCREENINGS by Kenneth Reyes

14

FIRST GENMEET by Irene Arzadon

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FASHION Stylish Ecosocers caught on camera—by Cocoy Vargas

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MUSIC The unstoppable Kanye West —by Avery Anatalio

FEATURES 16 18

FEATURED MEMBER The immovable Paolo Tamase’s rise to power—by Raphael Dantes FEATURED ALUMNUS Inside the colorful life of Godofredo Bamba, Ecosoc’s first president—by Kenneth Reyes

FICTION “Have Some Fun”—

by Dom Garcia

CULTURE

CDC ORIENTATION by Matt Dailisan APPS OR by Ben Bismark

MUSIKAPELLA 2010 How do you ressucitate a halted series? Ask Laurence and his team—by Avril Bries

FILM Silver bells on the silver screen —by Mia Astudillo

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LITERATURE Love in the Time of Cholera reviewed—by Risa Crisostomo GOSSIP by Mary-Kate and Ashley

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Editors kenneth reyes

Editor-in-Chief avril bries

Associate Editor benedict bismark

Managing Editor beatriz bayudan

News Editor raphael dantes

Features Editor kevin estopace

Layout & Art Editor irene arzadon

Photos Editor matthew dailisan

Webmaster

REPORT CARD Politics 101 —by Chiara Cokieng

Contributors Avery Anatalio / Irene Arzadon / Carmela “Mia” Astudillo / Aaron Aw / Camille “Cams” Bayhon / Beatriz Bayudan / Benedict Bismark / Avril Bries / Chiara Cokieng / Risa Crisostomo / Matthew Dailisan / Raphael Dantes / David de Padua / Dean Dulay / Kevin Estopace / Feliche “Faye” Ferrer / Dominic Garcia / Georgina Gonzales / Ancilla “Chila” Innocencio / Hannah Manalili / Arsenio Lukban / Ashley Olsen / Mary-Kate Olsen / Kenneth Reyes / Jose “Cocoy” Vargas ABOVE Godofredo Bamba with his handwritten name, photographed at his home on November 20, 2010 photograph by irene arzadon

3

UP Economics Society Executive Committee October 2010- October 2011

Paolo Tamase President

Selena Ortiga Vice President

Andres Licaros III Secretary

Gilbert Bueno Treasurer

Regina Reinoso Public Relations Officer

Reuel Realin Academic Affairs Chair

Felichie Ferrer Community Development Chair

Kenneth Reyes Echoes Editor-in-Chief

Madelene Salazar Liaison Chair

Vicente Clemente Membership Chair

Jason Tayawa Special Events Chair

Michael Narciso Sports Chair

EDITORIAL

I

t’s fitting that the execom is emphasizing branding in

its semestral theme and annual goals. As surrounding organizations grow stronger, the question of what it means to be an Ecosocer becomes more pressing. Problem recognition, however, is just half the battle, and falling short of an ambitious target is not an atypical occurrence in this Society (take for instance last semester’s ‘restoration’). To ‘brand’ Ecosoc means to find an identifying characteristic and conduct every undertaking in accordance to that characteristic.

The Apple brand is that of minimalism and innovation. What is Ecosoc’s?

Following through on this question is important. The new members of the Execom begin their terms with the aim of finding and building Ecosoc’s own brand. However, simply having the objective is insufficient.

The question is whether they can translate it into a concrete outcome.

One of the traits of successful brands is consistency—a necessity overlooked by past Execoms. This is most glaring in the application process, whose very existence implies providing a standard of quality for accepting new members. Yet with every semester, this standard fluctuates depending on the inclinations of the incumbent Execom. You cannot have ‘overdriven’ apps in one sem and, realizing they were overworked, decide to slow things down the next. This essentially means that different batches of applicants pass into the same Society for different reasons. Are we that insecure of our app process that we must change it sem after sem to accommodate its criticisms? No—it’s the equivalent of BMW adopting differing quality benchmarks for the automobiles it produces. Simply put, it’s not good practice.

There are two main facets of the application process that are consistently altered. The first is the list of required events the applicants must attend. While the Blueprint batch had seven, the Golden batch had a whopping eighteen. This is a significant game-changer, for altering the list also alters the difficulty of the process. It also doesn’t help that several mandatory events have expenses—entrance tickets, transportation, and so on. This creates an economic bias, strengthening the fallacious yet partially true notion that ‘to serve is to spend.’ All this profoundly affects the applicant’s impression of the Society. Working to keep that first impression consistent throughout the sems would surely aid in building this art by georgina gonzales, concept inspired by nick anderson

brand of ours.

The second facet is the grade breakdown. While certain components such as the Sigsheet and Tambay Hours have been fairly consistent over the past two years, others have been going haywire. The Midsem Interview has gone from 15% to 12%, going lower and lower until it reached 8% this sem. Likewise, the Final Interview went from 20% to 15%, then back up to 18%, and then finally at 20%. Meanwhile, the Guardian-Ward grade (in contrast to its increasing prominence in the app process) has been diminishing in significance: from being a 5% bonus granted to Golden applicants, it now stays at a humble 2%. On the other hand, Committee Performance rested at 10% for two years until the previous Execom brought it to 16%.

It is now at 14%.

Not only do these numerical fluctuations make it impossible to compare applicant statistics over the sems, it also changes who passes, especially those teetering between failure and probation. Isn’t it worryingly arbitrary how some apps are let in simply because the current semester’s grade breakdown worked in their favor?

The quality of our members should not be subject to inconsistent standards.

To build a brand, Ecosoc needs stability. As such, the Execom must acquire the discipline to stop fiddling with the application process. When an outsider asks what it takes to be an Ecosocer, we shouldn’t answer, “Sometimes it’s demanding, sometimes it’s a breeze. It depends on which Execom you’re talking about.” We need a single standard. When we let new members in, we should do so knowing that the Ecosoc brand of service and excellence, which we define, are within them. We mustn’t be put in a position to wonder whether this app passed because he was a rich kid in a sem with many required events, giving him an advantage over his batchmates; or whether that app failed because he was unluckily put in a committee he disliked in a sem where the Committee Performance grade component was large. Every March and October, we should be inducting fresh faces for the same, consistent reasons.

Unifying the efforts of an entire Society under one umbrella brand requires a cohesive membership. To achieve that, we start from the beginning. The course of action is simple: Standardize the app process, then stop touching it.  5

COMMITTEE NEWS

PAOLO TAMASE PRESIDENT

merry christmas, ecosoc!

I’m writing this commnews from the 11th floor of the Medical City, which has a view of Diliman. More than splitting headaches and five-day fevers, what’s terrible about getting sick is you miss a lot. Not only have I missed the caroling practices, 1st Genmeet and CDC and Apps orientations, but I’m also missing everyone in the tambayan. Baka makalat na naman pagbalik ko.

But what’s great about getting sick is you also feel the (fraternal) love of so many friends. I thank everyone who texted me their “get-well-soon” throughout my sick week (my platelets don’t read though, so I am not yet well), but I send a special THANK YOU to those who really took the time to visit me personally. You are all true friends, indeed.

During the first genmeet, our annual goals and semestral theme were explained, but I would like to highlight the selfdiscovery goal because it’s the least concrete of the four. In recent years, there has been a laudable effort to better align our activities with the principles of our organization. At the same time, however, many of us are beginning to question our role in the university, as well as our effectiveness as an “Economics” Society. Rather than wonder aimlessly over these abstracts, I think it’s better if we start a deeper discussion on these important aspects of Ecosoc. It’s rather timely that we do this as we initiate massive constitutional reform, which should prepare Ecosoc for the new challenges it will face in the decades ahead.

As we begin this semester, I hope that everyone makes it a point to be present in the genmeets, as these will be used for direct consultation and debates on our basic law. Reading and writing laws are not exciting (for most people, at least), but good laws are essential to the operation of any great organization, like Ecosoc.

Before I run out of space, I’d like to greet the Ad Hoc-Task Force and Scholarship committees. I’d also like to thank Frawesome (especially Sel, the best vice-president ever) for keeping everything in order while I’m away. I am so lucky to lead leaders you can really count on.

Enjoy the ham, and stay away from mosquitoes. They suck.  6

SELENA ORTIGA

VICE PRESIDENT hello ecosoc!

Welcome back to a brand new semester! We, as your new Execom, are more than exited for the coming months because there is so much in store for the semester!

With the new semester comes our awesome new theme!

IMPRINT. I know what you’re thinking. The word PRINT has been in our theme for too long, but this time, we mean PRINT in a different way. We want to discover our Ecosoc identity, and work together as one Ecosoc. Work together to strengthen even more our socio-civic cause and our societal advancement. We believe that we can’t force you to go sociocivic. Instead, we’ll bring socio-civic to you! NICE RIGHT? In the span of one year, we will move towards achieving our goals, starting it off with our imprints. :) Working for Ecosoc for another year is something that really excites me. I know this wasn’t what I originally signed up for but I am more than excited to take on this adventurous challenge! What’s the first part of this adventure?

CAROLING 2010! Thank you to all those who have joined the choir! This will be super fun. It’s Christmas, friends! Time to show the world some love and enjoy the great Christmas season. :) Hello Frawesome! :) Thank you for the first months of working together! :) Hi Imprint Apps! Woohoo! Are you excited for what Ecosoc has prepared for you? :) Before I do end this, I just want to greet those who will be helping with raising funds for the ultimate beneficiaries of our organization, the scholars and Nanay Maring! HELLO TEAM PARTY! Rehi, Dhiren, Misha, XP, Larz, A, Mark, Laurence, Janna, Bing, Risa, Jeanne, Jeremae, Elwin, Ars, Jessica, Cocoy, Von, Angel, Chila, JR, Ria, Sam, Nina, Car, LiaP, Romano, Shelly, Simone, and Cid! HELLO TEAM SPECIAL PROJECTS! Irene, Ica, Bianca, Patty, Dean, Cams, AC, Hendrick, Angeli, Hannah, Jess, Stef, Leus, Pai, Ayla, Chesca, RJ, Ella, Annika, Cathy, Ryan, Norika, Camille, Ralph and Geoff!

Happy Christmas, everyone! 

photographs by irene arzadon

andres "cocoy" licaros iii secretary

helloooo ecosoc!

Welcome back to a new semester! Are you all ready to rock the pants off of this semester?! I know I am! Sobrang excited ako for this sem not only because I’m trying to do something I’ve never done before (being a part of and leading Seccom) but also because of the great people I have the privilege of working with for these next 2 sems. Shout out to all my frawesome peeps! Haha! Papa Jesus loves all of you! XD I must admit being at the helm of a committee really puts things into perspective for me. It’s only when I’m staring a 12 midnight deadline for commnews that I really start to appreciate how good I had it as a member. Haha! Joke lang. I really can’t put into words how honoured I am to be given the chance to lead people as amazing as those I have in Seccom.

My VC’s Bing and Yasmin! Sobrang sipag niyo na you blew the theme board out of the water even without me there to help. Sobrang wild niyo mag prodwork haha! Wala talaga akong masabi sa creativity and dedication niyo. Excellence worthy of SPARTANS! To my Spartans: Bianca, Mia, Geoff, Thea, Cams, Janine, Mareca, Dom, RJ, Jeanne, Totoy, Jes, Karlo, Gab, Shelly, Tong and Van, my honorary spartans na tumutulong sa prodwork kahit na hindi sila seccom (you know who you are) SORBANG THANK YOU! We will have a Spartan victory war cry sa first commeet (na tapos na by the time you read this) and will dine in KFC’s abundant in double downs (joke lang). But just as important, SEL! Sobrang thank you rin for being really supportive and helpful! (sobrang useful nung guide haha) I promise to try my hardest to fill the unrealistically huge shoes you left for me sa seccom haha! 

TheEchoes.net

gilbert bueno

treasurer woohoo! first commnews ever! super fun! haha! first of all, thanks to everyone who believed in me and supported me nung elections. Haha! Wala lang. Super thanks. Then next, I’d like to thank my freakin’ awesome co-execommers for being, i don’t know, basta thank you lang. Haha! We make such a great team. Ang fun nyo kasama lalo na nung plansem. Haha!

Now, thank you naman to the Finance angels, Bettina, Ica and Simone. I’m so lucky to have you as my VCs. Also, thank you to my honorary member, Kevin Estopace for helping out not only sa pub stuff but in planning din for the events. Finance ka na talaga! :) And to the rest of the finance committee (Kenna, Kim, Hazel, AC, Georgina, JYA, Ate Lia, Ate Yka, Trishka, Ate Joy, Carl, Niki, Nina, Hendrick, Reine, Ate Lianne, Paul, Car, Ate Tin and Chase), super duper salamat for being in Finance. I’m proud of you all. :) I know we all didn’t expect ung nangyari sa HP7 screenings but let’s move on and forget about that. Mababawi din natin yun with the xdeals we have, super dami nun so please help out sa selling. And we’ll be starting the planning for our next event!

Yahoo! Game? You should be! Hahaha! Let’s do this, Finance!

Welcome din to the apps—Kyle, Nathan and Janine!

Woooh! Last na! Please help us in liquidating our exdeals para mabawi ung loss. Hehe.

For sale!

• Neo Lootbags (with laptop cleaner, light, mouse, CD case, etc) for just P700.

• Netopia GCs (1 hour) for only P30 • Netopia Membership Cards for P100 only • Nissin Cup Noodles at P10 • Sun Sim Cards at P15 each • Pepsi in can at P20 • Pictures ko at P2000 each Let’s all help in fundraising kahit through this simple things lang, Finance or not, kasi lahat naman tayo ung makikinabang dito. Let’s be more of an Ecosocer, not just a committee member, because there’s only ONE ECOSOC! :) 

7

COMMITTEE NEWS

regina reinoso

public relations officer yo yo yo hello ecosoc! okay that sounded weird. anyway, hi guys! Welcome back to your home in Econ! I hope you’re all as pumped up as I am for the coming semester because Externals is back with a new flair!

We recently had our first tie-up of the semester last November 17-18 with the UP IE Club in their even called Ibang Klase. It was also our first CDC elective. Shoutout to all the members who participated! Your painting skills totally blew me away! Haha! To those who weren’t able to attend, *insert sad face here*, don’t fret because there’ll be a lot more tie-ups this semester, I promise!

Okay, so what else will Externals bring to the table this semester? A lot, duh! There’ll be an academic symposium symposium about some of the most pressing issues today, the applicants’ Eventology 101 with an interesting twist, and one of the most anticipated events this sem, the USC Elections Forum.

To the Externals family, WELCOME! Ella, thank you for all your help and support. I wouldn’t be here without your guidance. Darrel, thank you for staying in Externals! It’s an honor to have the JPES president in the committee! Annika, I hope you stay active this semester! We need you! Zim, please re-aff now! The Ecosoc family misses you! Hannah, aka Han, hello! I’m so glad you stayed with the Externals family! We must bond soon! Miko, I love how energetic and bibbo you are! Leus, you are one of the most dependable members ever!

Wil-j, please show yourself more often! Externals needs your insights and awesome photoshop skills! Karla Kay, I’m so glad you’re becoming active in the committee and in the org!

I think we should hold our meetings in Mindanao… Avenue. :)) Quek, welcome once again to the family! Just like Karla, I’m ecstatic to see you becoming bibbo! Cheska, thank you for your support and love for the committee! Love you! To the newbies Kiele, Gab, Alex, and Ars, you all bring so much fire and I think the committee will rock this semester with you guys around. And finally, to my lovely VCs Dhiren and Chila, I chose you guys for a reason. I believe that you both can do the job excellently and I’m very impressed with your commitment. Externals and Ecosocers, fasten your seatbelts, because it’s going to be a crazy ride! Cheers!  8

reuel realin

academic affairs chairperson hello ecosoc! kumusta naman ang first month niyo into the semester? I hope all of you are doing well in all your classes.

In any case, the Academic Affairs Committee is here to help you guys out if ever you encounter that academic roadblock!

Check out the acad website (http://acadaffairs.blogspot.com) and the acad corkboard for announcements which might concern your academic well-being. In the meantime, here’s what Acad has been up to the past few days (and the stuff that we’ll be having this coming semester): 1. Book Availability – We now have a continuously expanding library of Econ/BA/Math/Stat books and readings that are timely and useful. Meron ding Rizal stuff that can be useful for those taking P.I. 100. Acad has also made up a system for this one so that books can be lent and used effectively (see website/board).

2. Expanded Sample Exam Database – Access the database via the acad website using the username and password provided by your respective commheads.

Please take care of the username and password as this service is exclusively for Ecosocers only.

3. Recognition Day on December 15 - Let us come together to recognize the academic accomplishments of our fellow Ecosocers!

And finally one of ECOSOC’s power events this semester: 4. USC Elections Forum (Echoes-Externals-Acad) – We plan on hosting a forum for this year’s USC elections.

More details to come regarding this Ecosoc Power Event.

ACAAAAD!! Marian and Von, you guys were so highpowered sa simula pa lang, I’m so proud that I have vicechairs that I could depend on. Ate Kimmie, Kuya Nikko, Jess Bodo, Cheenie, Horace, TJ, Nads, Norika, Cid, Sam, Jessica, Neil, Geli, Stef, Cheyence, and Anjo: I look forward to having SUUUUUUUPER great semester with you guys! I hope that you get to know the committee and more than that, know more about ECOSOC through Acad. To the applicants, good luck and I hope you enjoy the application process! I look forward to seeing you grow in Acad and in Ecosoc!

C’est tout! and have a good (academic) semester everyone!  photographs by irene arzadon

felichie "faye" ferrer

community development chairperson yaaaay! it’s another sem once again and this would be a wonderful one as we work to fix and finally establish our organization’s brand. It would be a team effort so each one of us is crucial in this process. One of the theme’s goals is to find alternate ways to creatively and meaningfully express our socio-civic nature and with this, CDC is doing its best to bring socio-civic to you. We have started talking to Pook Ricarte and we are creating projects that will be of help to them. We’re in the process of fixing our Monday tutorials but for the meantime we will have weekday tutorials catering to the older children of Pook Ricarte. A couple of CDC electives have passed and be sure to watch out for more upcoming electives! :D Also, we have been travelling around the world every Saturday (whew!) and each stop surely is a trip to be remembered. So don’t forget to bring your passes for this would be one craaaazy ride!

I would like to thank everyone especially those who attended the orientation. I hope you were all able to learn a lot. This is the time that we do not only level up our activities but also our attitude towards CDC. Physical presence is not the only thing we need but also our hearts and minds.

Always have in mind the reason why you’re helping; let us not underestimate its power for we do not know what change it could bring to them :) To my dear CDC, thank you for being so hardworking and cooperative! Sorry if we always have meetings but I’m sure EVERYTHING will be worth it, right right? :D I really appreciate your TIME, EFFORT and kaBIBOhan! CDC needs that, we still are happy to serve! Thank you so much for your undying support for CDC and I really am grateful to have each one of you. Thank you Jeremae, Mhela, Hannah, Jay, Matel, Jana, Anj, Kyla, XP, Chiara, Ray, Diane, Lia, David, Angeli, Jade, Ate Jessie and Ate Jo :) And *dundundun* welcome to our apps! Johannah, Bea and Mariel! Hope you’ll enjoy your stay with us, don’t defer okayy? :) So are you all excited?

Welcome aboard, Ecosoc :) 

TheEchoes.net

kenneth reyes

echoes editor-in-chief i’m fully aware that i begin my term as an unpopular eic.

Granted, I may be changing far too much with Echoes for anyone’s comfort. Be that as it may, these changes reflect what I believe are the natural next steps to our publication. Some may disagree, but pleasing everyone is never a visionary’s priority. And the Echoes team this sem want to be visionaries.

You might say that the running theme of my EIC stint so far has been to elicit strong emotional reactions. If that is the case, it certainly extends to this issue’s contents. The articles in this release are probably not the kind you are used to. Most of them turn inward, assessing Ecosoc with the honesty and bluntness of investigative journalism. You may agree with them or disagree with them; whatever you decide, I simply hope to achieve what I seem to be good at—eliciting a strong reaction. Because the average Ecosocer needs to begin thinking again. It’s not enough to leave the Executive Committee to approximate the wishes of a 200-person org and then realize, after their term, that members weren’t satisfied with the direction they went for. We aim to jumpstart the discussion by providing the facts and our staff’s opinions about those facts, hoping that we learn from each other’s triumphs and mistakes in order to work toward a more indestructible Ecosoc.

Furthermore, in an effort to bring Echoes closer to you, I present to you our new website, TheEchoes.net. In here, you will find all the articles published in the printed copy. We post one artice a day to give each piece due exposure, beginning with the Editorial, followed by the Committee News, and so on. Additionally, you will find other interesting bits to look at, such as colored versions of photographs, and an Echoes cover gallery that stretches back to 2006 (TheEchoes.net/gallery).

Now before you enjoy the rest of this issue, allow me to give some mention and thanks. First, the seven-person team that made all this possible: Avril Bries, Ben Bismark, Bea Bayudan, Ralph Dantes, Kevin Estopace, Irene Arzadon, and Matt Dailisan. Second, our pool of talented contributors—it’s touching how you chose to take part in Echoes even if you don’t get anything in return. Lastly, our apps Dave Cruz and Cyril Tablante, who are destined for cosmic greatness.

Ecosoc, remember them. Memorize their names. They will make your Society proud.  9

COMMITTEE NEWS

madelene "mads" salazar

liaison chairperson hi ecosoc! writing this for the first time is both really scary and exciting at the same time haha. I want to use this page though to thank everyone that trusted me with this position and to those who have shown support in any way that they have. I’m grateful for the trust that you have given me and I will really try my best not to let you down! If not all of you know yet, I have really awesome members this semester!

There are my hardworking and super innovative vice chairs Ayla and Mark. And, of course, the rest of Liai who I know will do what their best to make this semester a fruitful one: Avery, Carrie, Chrissie, Dean, Elwin, Henry, John, Jorell, Justin, Kat, Lesley, Maiko, Nadine, Pai and Patrick. Our apps, Karla and CJ, are gonna be awesome for sure! I really can’t wait to work with you all! Be active, ah!

LIAAAIIII! We have a lot in store for Ecosoc this semester! There are going to be career updates and tutorials, CDC with alumni, a night getting to know the alumni, partnerships with other orgs and much more! I know you’re probably getting really excited for what’s to come and you should be! Haha. Ecosoc is our family and as Liai, we should be able to give you that guiding light or helping hand in the venues that we know we can do so.

I can’t forget to say hello to Frawesome too! I’m so glad I’m starting to get closer to all of you, awesome people. I’m learning so much from you guys and we’ve really become better friends from all this. I can’t wait for all the frawesomeness we’ll experience within the year!!

I’ll see you all around the tambayan! If any of you need anything, don’t hesitate to approach me! A smiling face that would be glad to help will be there to greet you ;) 

10

vicente "enzo" clemente

membership chairperson hey ecosoc! it’s a brand new sem. it’s the start of a new beginning! :) How are all of you doing? Have you been enjoying semester so far? I hope you are. It’s just the start, and there will be more to come. And of course, there’s no better way to start your semester than going to the booth outside the tambayan to reaff. :) Diba? That’s the best thing to do right now habang may time pa. The satisfaction you’ll get when you reaff is still at its maximum level. But other than reaffing, there are also two events that will make your semester complete kahit start palang, Applicants’ Orientation on November 27 and Applicants’ Acquaintance Party on December 3. You guys should be there, please?! :) We should all show our support and love for our applicants. It’s our first impression to our applicants, and we would really want to leave a mark in their hearts. They should feel proud to be an applicant of Ecosoc.

To my dear Memcom, Much love! Haha. Okay, that sounded awkward. We’re half-way done with RnR, but there are still more to do! :) Pero I know all of us would enjoy every bit of this semester. Do you know why? It is because we have each other. :) It will be Apps’ Or na, we should all give our best ah! :) I’m counting on each and every one of you in all the events this semester. Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Memcom bonding this Christmas? Punta Fuego Part 2? Game? Dapat complete ah! Pero I have to ask Janna pa. Help me convince her para fun. This time, I promise magppost na ako ng pictures agad.

Haha. Although I haven’t posted the Punta Fuego part 1 pa.

To end my write-up, I want to give you a quote, “What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from.” 

photographs by irene arzadon

jason tayawa

special events chairperson hi! i’m jason tayawa. you may know me as jason, jase, Sun-sun, Unson, Sir, Paps, Papito, Baby Dudong, the Rolling Thunder, Sawi, Vice Man or Geyson. You can call me any of these or you can make your own. ANYWAY, I would like to thank the new (?) SPEV for accepting me as their new chair na mauupuan. (hehe, nagjoke ako) The “new” SPEV will no longer be known as FAT committee (btw, we don’t use fat, ngayon lang to) but as a FIT committee. As you can see, the new faces in SPEV are very THIN and SEXY (hellooo JOVY, MELA and MIGUEL), so we are promoting sports and fitness na papangunahan ni Lia Lontoc. :) There is nothing wrong with being fat but it advocates complacency which might reflect on the person’s performance (not always true). Also, thank you to my Vice Chairperons: the aspiring Vice Ganda, Andre Sarmiento and K-Pop rising star, Myra Olaso. They are very supportive and headstrong on for the committee’s endeavours for the semester. Fortunately, most of the previous members and applicants for the committee are retained making the committee strong and hard (that’s what she said!). SPEV MEANS FAMILY and FAMILY MEANS NO ONE GETS LEFT BEHIND. And the family that we are will deliver what you will expect from us and our events, which is basically nothing (hehe, nagjoke na naman ako). ANYWAY, the upcoming Yuletide season is right next to the Tambayan doorstep so we are having a BONGGA! CDC X’MAS party!

Those who are feeling generous to donate or sponsor the event are very much welcome and you can help by giving out appliances for the raffle and goody bags for the families of Pook Ricarte. We are very much blest the whole year round so why not give back? We know you want to. :) HAPPY HOLIDAYS! 

TheEchoes.net

michael "myk" narciso

sports chairperson hello ecosoc! this is my first commnews and i don’t know what to put! As much as I want to make it special, I just can’t. I don’t know. Anyway, welcome back to the tambayan! Are you all having fun? <Interlude> Before anything else, I would like to say “Hi!” to my athletic and healthy vice chairs Chello and Hari! So far, so good!

You are making me proud! Make me prouder! There’s more to come so game! To Patty and Josh, I hope you two find love in Sports! :) Dave, Regi and Reyneil, good luck in your thesis! :) Issay, Mik, and Kevin G., thank you for staying in Sports. You’ll be of great help in our upcoming events. Your loyalty for sure will be rewarded. :) Kacel, GW bonding soon? :) Tikay, welcome to Sports! I know you’ll do well here. Trust me. :) Junjie and Tobie, heads of Sports – CDC? Game? :) To the new members from the Blueprint batch, Topy, Louie, Juliette and Lars, welcome to Ecosoc! I am expecting that the four of you will be active not only in Sports but also in Ecosoc! Be responsible and good members! :) To my Sports apps Karl and Kevin, hello! How are you? Don’t defer, okay? :) This time, the most outstanding app should come from our committee! To everyone else, hello again! Are you all having fun? <Interlude> This semester, the Sports committee will bring you new services and better events! :) Guess who’s back? Thirsty? No problem! It’s back! :) Wear Ecosoc in different tournaments and competitions! Hail the Ecosoc Jersey! But of course, we need first to train and have tune up games with other orgs!

Everyone will never get bored with the new Sports Board!

Welcome 2011 with a bang - the all-new Members Bersus Apps! Lastly, Sports, together with Memcom and SPEV, will rock Ecosoc with the Grand Members’ TBS! The grandest TBS yet! :) So there, are you all having fun? <Interlude> As I end my not-so-special commnews, I am encouraging everyone to be active this semester! Let’s all together make this semester the best one as we all build one brand, one Ecosoc!

P.S. It Takes 3500 Calories To Make A Pound Of Fat! So, as long as you’re active <in Ecosoc>, and burning of calories <through Sports>, calories shouldn’t have too much of a chance to turn into fat. Let’s all be active! :)  11

NEWS

ECOSOC GOES VINTAGE WITH CASABLANCA

ecosocers visit sunset shores for plansem

BY BEA BAYUDAN

BY CHILA INNOCENCIO

capping off the first semester, the

Blueprint Induction Ball, entitled Casablanca: Ecosoc Goes Vintage, was held last October 15, 2010 at the Filinvest 1 Clubhouse in Quezon City.

Members of the Blueprint applicant batch who successfully hurdled the application process were formally welcomed into the organization.

Awarded Most Outstanding Applicant was freshman and app batch secretary Romano Alonzo. Also recognized as Outstanding Applicants were: JR Yambao, Jessica Biscocho, Risa Crisostomo, Beatriz Bayudan, Yasmin Sehob, Camille Juco, and Ayla Reyes.

Likewise, former Special Events Committee vice-chairperson (and currently chairperson) Jason Tayawa was named Most Outstanding Member. Nominees for the prestigious award included Jeremae Soliman, Ancilla Inocencio, Von Benavidez, and Thea Bautista.

The newly-elected members of the Executive Committee were also formally sworn in to office by the outgoing Executive Committee members. Also incorporated into the night’s program was a tribute to first semester’s graduating seniors Leila Rahmena and Pamela Kaye Tuazon.

The Induction Ball is a bi-annual event that serves to officially welcome new members and the newly-elected Executive Committee. Casablanca was hosted by Steven Hotchkiss and Dom Garcia and organized by the Membership Committee, spearheaded by chairperson Enzo Clemente. 

10/15/10 INDUCTION BALL 12

16, the newly elected Executive Committee (Execom) of Ecosoc held the Execom turnover dinner at the Tamase residence from 7pm to 10pm.

Caterers were hired to provide food for the dinner. A candlelit setting was prepared in the driveway, where all twenty-two officers both past and present had their meal of chicken, pasta, and mashed potatoes. Fruit salad was served for desert. This was followed by the giving of gifts, which was cut short by a sudden rainfall. It was thus continued indoors.

As the evening was drawing to a close, several outgoing officers gave heartfelt advice to the new batch of Execom, wishing them luck in the year ahead.

The outgoing Execom left not long after while the incoming Execom stayed behind to prepare for their overnight preplansem.

The turnover dinner is an annual tradition organized by the incoming batch of Ecosoc officers where the outgoing Execom are treated to a lavish meal, over which matters regarding the future of the Society can be discussed. Each pair of incoming and outgoing officers also offer gifts to each other as a sign of goodwill and camaraderie. 

53rd year started with a planning seminar, or plansem, last October 27-29, 2010 at the Sunset Shores resort in Morong, Bataan. Thirty-six Ecosocers attended to evaluate the activities of the last semester and to discuss next semester’s projects. These include 6 members of the outgoing executive committee.

The meeting began with a SWOT (Strengths-Weaknesses- OpportunitiesThreats) analysis that started at 9pm and ended at 3 am. They assessed the performance of last semester’s 12 committees, committee chairpersons, application process, the old executive committee (Execom) as a group, and Ecosoc, in general. On the second day, the incoming Execom presented new projects and plans, after which an open forum helped clarified proposed objectives and activities. Among the issues raised were the required costs of an Ecosocer, the removal of free Echoes copies, and the seemingly fading sense of family the Society once had.

The Ecosocers enjoyed the centralized air-conditioning, rooms with baths, cable television, refrigerator, and access to the pools, Jacuzzi, and beach at Sunset Shores. Group photos on the morning of the last day concluded the plansem.

The plansem is regularly held before the start of every semester. It is organized by the incumbent Execom, who also cook and clean for the members who attend. 

10/16/10 EXECOM TURNOVER DINNER

10/27-29/10 PLANSEM

NEW EXECOM HOLD TURNOVER DINNER

BY KENNETH REYES

last saturday, october

ecosoc’s

photographs by (l-r) arsenio lukban, paolo tamase, faye ferrer

hp7 screenings incur loss

BY KENNETH REYES

two screenings of the first part of

came alive last November 17-19 as various Econ organizations commenced Recruitment and Reaffirmation (R&R) Week.

Econ orgs set up respective booths to invite people to join their organizations, and for existing members to be able to reaffirm their association with their organization.

Participating orgs included the college-based UP Economics Society (UP Ecosoc), the UP Organization of Business Economics Majors (UP OBEM), and university-wide org UP Economics Towards Consciousness (UP ETC).

The School of Economics Student Council (SESC) also set up a booth, selling shirts.

Pakains were also sponsored by the said organizations as an incentive to the members and potential applicants.

RnR Week is a semestral event, showcasing the various Econ orgs to be able to recruit new members. This event is sponsored by the School of Economics Student Council. 

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows were held by the Finance committee last November 18 and 19 at Trinoma Cinema 2, both at 5:30pm.

The first screening, which was on a Thursday, was the first day of showing for the film in the country. The Finance team employed a seat reservation system via the All-Access Facebook page to fill up the seats. Freebies from Chef Tony’s, Jack N Jill, and Pepsi, among others, were given to ticket holders as they entered the cinema. Approximately 85% of the theater capacity was sold, garnering a profit of P15,000.

The second screening however, was not so lucky. As opposed to the previous night, a free seating system was implemented. Freebies from KFC and Chef Tony’s were also given away. Only about half the seats were sold by the end of the night, incurring a loss of P37,000. This brought the net loss to P22,000.

A statement from Finance chairperson Gilbert Bueno given during the first genmeet assured the Society that his committee “tried their best,” and that the failure may have been caused by “external factors.”

The Executive Committee shall convene to adjust its budget for the coming semester. The liquidation of x-deals obtained from sponsors are expected to reduce the loss incurred.

The Finance movie screening is a staple fundraiser usually held at the beginning of the sem. Blockbuster films are screened to ensure maximum profits.

These have included the Twilight series and the Harry Potter series. 

11/17-19/10 R&R WEEK

11/18+19/10 HARRY POTTER SCREENINGS

CDC goes ibang klase

BY HANNAH MANALILI

november 13-14, 2010, more than 20 Ecosocers participated in the CDC elective entitled Ibang Klase, which was held in Culiat High School, Tandang Sora, Quezon City.

The members rendered manual service in arranging, cleaning, and painting the assigned building floor, which consisted of two classrooms. The first day was mainly spent on painting. The two classrooms were emptied in preparation for the renovation. Amchairs were brought down from the third floor and the members had them smoothened and painted. Moreover, the staircase and hallway were also painted.

The second day was devoted to cleaning up and putting things back into order. Some Ecosocers were assigned to remove paint stains on the staircase. Meanwhile, the other volunteers worked along the hallways and inside the classrooms in removing paint stains for final general cleaning. As soon as the clean-up was finished, the chairs were then brought back to the third floor of the building to fill up the newly painted classrooms.

The event was organized by the UP Industrial Engineering Club in partnership with the UP Economics Society and other organizations from UP and the Ateneo de Manila University, for the benefit of the students of Culiat High School with the aim of making their classrooms a more conducive place for learning.  last

11/13+14/10 IBANG KLASE

R&R week attracts students to join orgs

BY BEA BAYUDAN

the school of economics walkway

photographs by (l-r) paolo tamase, arsenio lukban, irene arzadon

13

NEWS

cdc orientation filled with excitement

BY MATT DAILISAN

imprint apps undergo ecosoc 101 at apps or

BY BEN BISMARK

last friday, november

ety attended the first general meeting of the organization on November 24 at SE 125, which was organized by the Executive Committee.

The genmeet started with a modification of the game Jeopardy. For this, the committees were grouped into five teams and answered the questions about Ecosocers, Ecosoc’s history, and different corporations. Echoes-Finance won the game and their prize was to be the first ones to recieve the free food, care of the Execom.

After the game, the members of the Execom took turns in briefing the members of the goals and the theme description of the organization this semester.

Announcements from different commheads also followed.

Like the previous semesters, the genmeet this sem will be conducted during Wednesday lunchtime. 

26, the community Development Committee (CDC) held their CDC Orientation for this semester in SE 127 from around 4pm to 6pm.

The program was hosted by Chairperson Faye Ferrer, along with some of the members of the committee. The first speaker, Reggie Torgulas, is from Ateneo Musmos, an organization with almost the same mission with our CDC. She talked about their organization and what they do, as well as how they deal with the urban-poor kids. The next speaker, Ms. Joan Santos, talked about being a teacher and the more technical aspects of handling kids of different ages. This was followed by the open discussion with the speakers.

Next was the introduction of the members of the CDC and their theme, “Level Up.” They presented the new rules and regulations they are implementing this term, including the new “Boarding Passes” used to track attendance, as well as the exciting overview of the Saturday CDC sessions, which would feature a different country as its theme every week.

The program was ended by a dance performed by the CDC members. The boarding passes were later distributed outside the room.

The CDC Orientation aims at refocusing Ecosoc’s priorities to its socio-civic nature. It was a staple event in the early parts of the decade but has not in recent years been carried out. 

11/24/10 FIRST GENMEET

11/26/10 CDC ORIENTATION

first genmeet kicks off ecosoc sem

BY IRENE ARZADON

members of the up economics soci-

14

twenty applicants guided by fifty

or so members experienced Ecosoc for the first time last November 27 through an assortment of games, presentations and challenges.

Of the roughly thirty signed up Imprint applicants, twenty were able to attend the applicant’s orientation. They started the day with a shroud of nervousness over them, though this was quickly dispelled once the program started.

No one could resist being amused by the choreographed performance of Finance or the 300 parody of Seccom among other presentations. The applicants were then able to bond through an icebreaker game prepared by Memcom.

Grouped into teams of four, the applicants were given a chance to discover each committee through an amazing race-type game. They had to collect goods from each booth, manned by three or so committees, given a tight budget, which will fit only by completing discount challenges. These challenges ranged from reading flag signals to surviving a dodge ball game.

The day ended with the applicants voting their app officers and the best booth. Memcom together with Finance won best booth. Ryan Hidalgo was elected the applicant head. update: Last Wednesday, December 1, Ryan Hidalgo stepped down as app head for personal reasons. He was replaced by Karl Elamparo. 

11/27/10 APPLICANTS’ ORIENTATION

photographs by (l-r) cams bayhon, risa crisostomo, arsenio lukban

Features

We kick-start the first ever Echoes Featured Member and Alumnus by choosing a pair of notable Ecosocers, namely, our current president Paolo Tamase and our first president Godofredo Bamba. What is it that drives these men? We then treat you to a comical interlude by Ecosocâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s self-proclaimed wildmen before moving on to a critical analysis of the infamous Harry Potter movie screenings. This is followed by a piece on the extraoridinarily successful Musikapella and the team behind it.

Finally, Dom Garcia entertains us with an eerie short story about a girl who just wants to play.

ABOVE A choir sings onstage as a crowd of thousands watch them. Photograph by Kevin Estopace.

FEATURED MEMBER

The Maximalist He was an unpopular applicant, a workaholic, and a control freak. So how did Paolo Tamase capture the highest position in Ecosoc?

BY RALPH DANTES

T

he final dying sounds of victory left the win-

ner silent. The fervor that at once thrilled and razed has came to pass and that familiar feeling of reality ensued again. It was, however, vaguely different this time, for his bearing of sincere solemnity that is most emphatically emphasized by his spectacled expression is now marked by a tinge of fulfillment as he looks into the near future with enormous visions of reform and a trace of hope.

It’s the dawning of a new phase in Paolo Tamase’s life: the culmination of his efforts to a momentous rise to power as he now became the president of Ecosoc—an achievement that he had once only envisioned was now a reality.

Paolo Emmanuel Tamase is one of the five children of two successful lawyers, Emmanuel and Maria Lourdes. He and his family love food: “My best family moments were spent over food,” he confesses. He also admitted that he himself also “loves food and food preparation” and that he “enjoys feeding people.” Though they were treated mostly equally, as the eldest child, more was expected from him and hence, he took on more responsibilities than any of his other siblings.

His father was also rather stern; he recalled that he refused to buy them a PlayStation since he believed it would distract them from their studies. He did enjoy playing Starcraft on his computer though, “like any kid,” according to him. He also enjoyed reading novels, playing some racquet sports, and fiddling with Lego pieces—something which he and his siblings became good at because they had no alternatives. Despite this fairly strict parenting, Paolo didn’t really feel any aversion towards his parents, perhaps because he similarly lived out the virtue of tenacity and sternness.

He imbibed an indomitable spirit in his younger and more 16

susceptible years when occurrences surrounding his family had taught him an invaluable lesson about mortality. His mother was diagnosed with stage IV cancer back when he was only seven years old. “Since we grew up while Mom was periodically abroad for cancer treatments, I was rather close at the time to the brother and sister immediately after me,” he recalls. Due to his mother’s grave illness, he confided that his parents had, whether inadvertently or not, brought him up knowing that his mom could pass away anytime. Shortly before this harrowing incident, he was also bullied by blustery children when he was six years old. Through an admirable display of resiliency, Paolo persevered and withstood all of these tribulations. “I had to learn how stand up for myself and to other people,” he said. In retrospect, he saw a silver lining during those grueling instances: “That’s when I think certain leadership traits arise, like assertiveness or drive, and [for me] they arose because of that.”

His perseverance was rewarded: with little hope left for the Tamase family, Mrs. Maria Lourdes suddenly began recovering. It was as if one day she had cancer and the next, she didn’t. It was, Paolo admits, nothing short of a miracle.

The latter part of Paolo’s childhood turned out to be a wonderful time, for it was during this period when he met many of his closest friends. The initially daunting change in transferring to Ateneo for high school turned out to be a windfall. He recounted, “I still consider high school to be the best part of my childhood. My class was very close, and I was lucky to belong to such a diverse group of nerds and bums.

We were fond of hitting malls to watch movies. We also went to Tagaytay occasionally, where we spent a lot of our best high school experiences.” photographs by irene arzadon

The aftermath of his untimely ordeals rendered Paolo to be an emotionally and intellectually edified individual, and it was after these incidents when his sternness and determination rose to a crescendo—his inexorable passion for excellence and leadership materializing completely. During high school, he was consistently an honor student. His peers loved his dependability and skillfulness so in addition to his academic achievements, he also became part of the student council (which also had current Spev member Cid Campos). However, his intense dedication didn’t always yield the best results. He admitted that his rigid manner caused him to be at odds with a lot of people. It also reached a point where it instigated a few shifty deeds that he is not proud of. In the course of one of their high school elections, he and his political party carried out deals that “bordered on unethical” to boost their election prospects.

Needless to say, it did reach a point where he had become a little too transfixed on achieving excellence, causing him to dissuade the people around him with his exaggerated firmness and determinedness that sometimes seemed like arrogance and dangerously fringed on intolerance.

Fresh into college, Paolo very much maintained his unquenchable drive to lead and excel, and he continued to shine academically. He even desires to graduate magna cum laude, an aspiration he will undoubtedly strive for.

Eager for the thrills of extra-curricular work, he applied to the UP Economics Society in the second sem of his first year. As an applicant, he was as unwavering as he was during high school, which led to his early success in the org when he was elected as the head of the applicants. However, this demeanor soon caught the ire of the members and his co-apps. “I have always demanded excellence for myself and I’ve become someone who demanded excellence from others.” Whereas he excelled in the objective aspect of the application process, unfortunately, Paolo again started alienating the people around him. In light of this, he became conscious of the need to reform his behavior. “If you’re going to do well in this organization or in life in general, you’re going to TheEchoes.net

ASCENSION From editor-in-chief to commander-in-chief have to learn to adjust to other people also,” he acknowledged. The organization allowed him to realize his flaws in his interactions with people. “I learned that the hard way,” he says, “when the people really [began to hate] me.” When asked if he agreed with their perception, he quipped, “Well, if I were to look at myself objectively, I’d hate myself too.”

Being the discerning man that he is, he slowly endeavored to change and be more accepting and sensitive of other people’s personalities.

Progressively, these reforms led to steadily aggrandizing success. He became close to his blockmates and started to bond with the people of the organization. Right after his semester as an applicant, he became the Features Editor of Echoes and an applicant guardian.

He surpassed these feats when, just as a sophomore, he won the elections to be the Echoes Editor-in-Chief.

Not only was Paolo one of the most active and opinionated member of the Execom, he had also managed to grow close to them. At the time, his bid for presidency was already anticipated by the members and true to form, he did vie for presidency when the time came.

His platform concentrated on reforms through restructuring and constitutional amendments to revitalize the organization. He listened closely to the concerns of the members and after strenuous campaign efforts (which even

included a Wordpress blog), he eventually won the tight election race—the zenith of his extra-curricular career. In response to my question about his motivation in serving the org, he affirmed his life motto with a terse but emphatic explanation. “Non nobis solum nati sumus—Cicero. We are not born for ourselves alone. I believe in an org for its members and for others.” Previously, he only envisioned being where he stands at the present: elected through the mandate of the majority. The time when he had been loathed by many had now become almost as dim as memories.

The precocious man that he is, Paolo intends to “live a fulfilling life” above all else. He admires all his friends from whom he gained valuable insights. As a leader, he is proud to be a listener and to be his people’s server. When I probed a bit regarding his romantic experiences and plans, he simply answered, “Honestly I’m not thinking about that yet. As a very determined person, I’ve continued to push that aside.” But when I asked about his vision for Ecosoc, he passionately responded, “I want... an Ecosoc that makes a difference.”

What lies ahead remains to be seen, but this maximalist will continue to exhaust every possible means in honor of excellence, leadership, and service—all for the sake of serving the people that believed and continue to believe in him.  17

FEATURED ALUMNUS

Godofredo Bamba There’s more to him than his stint as Ecosoc’s first president.

From his humble upbringing to his early retirement, here is Mr. Bamba’s story

BY KENNETH REYES

O

1946, a group of eleven-yearolds clung onto the platform of a departing train.

One by one, they began to jump off as the locomotive began to move. The challenge was to stay on as long as their courage would allow.

Unfortunately, one of the boys landed in a less-than-gracious manner and found himself rolling—right into the thudding wheels of the steam train. By sheer luck, his momentum gave way before he was caught under them. He stood up, shaken; he lost his dignity, but at least he didn’t lose his legs.

This was the young Godofredo Bamba, living in rural Caloocan during the Japanese occupation. “I spent the next few weeks laying low,” he recounts. “If the other kids found out, I’d never hear the end of it.”

Born to Godofredo Bamba, Sr. and Benita Cortez on November 6, 1935, Godofredo Cortez Bamba, Jr. was the eldest of three children; he has an adopted brother Thames, and a sister, Theresa, who currently resides in Dubai.

Before moving to Caloocan, the family lived in a twobedroom nippa hut in Pampanga. Their parents split when they were young, with their mother being left to raise them alone. Growing up, Godofredo was as naughty as they get, often refusing to help with the housework. One of his fondest memories, he says, is when his frustrated aunt exclaimed, “You better kill that boy!” For Ecosoc’s sake, it’s a good thing no one did.

In Caloocan Elementary, Godofredo was placed in section 1, the advanced class of the school. When asked which subjects he excelled in, he replied, “Everything.” He chuckled 18

ne afternoon in

and felt compelled to add, “All modesty aside.”

His goal then was to enter a Manila high school. To do that, he needed to be in a Manila elementary, so he transfered to Rizal Elementary in his last few years. To his vexation, he was put in section 6 on a technicality. Nevertheless, he consistently topped exams, even getting higher grades than students of section 1.

Not long after, he was accepted into Torres High School, where his academic achievements persisted. In addition to being the Features Editor of the Torres Torch, he graduated 4th from a batch of 2,500 students. He was 20 years old.

While his sights were set on the University of the Philippines Diliman, the campus was just too far from his home, so he settled for the Philippine College of Commerce (PCC; presently known as the Polytechnic University of the Philippines).

Their degree program however only lasted two years. By the time Godofredo finished, he looked back to UP to complete a four-year undergraduate course. To his surprise, it was rather simple to shift into the college, with the University even crediting all his subjects. Thus, he entered the College of Business Administration in 1957 as a junior.

This was a year before the UP Economics Society was founded. In the meantime, he was accepted into the highly exclusive Pan Xenia fraternity, a prestigious brotherhood based in CBA that include the likes of Senator Gil Puyat and Senator Manny Villar.

Times then were different. There wasn’t a building for Business Administration, so Godofredo and his batchmates were, according to him, “squatters” in the 3rd floor of the Libphotographs by irene arzadon

eral Arts building, which we now know today as Palma Hall. Economics, on the other hand, was in a shabbier state; it wasn’t even a degree program, just a group of classes.

“We never expected for there to be a School of Economics,” Godofredo says.

“It was just a class you take. It’s like having a whole college dedicated to statistics.”

I informed him that there was indeed a College of Statistics already, to which he laughed and shook his head. This was just among the many changes he has come to live through.

In September of 1958, he and a group of students who took Economics as a minor field decided to form the Economics Society. They envisioned it to be a smallscale affair, restricted to classrooms and the occasional external event. It seemed so insignificant then, in fact, that Godofredo cannot remember how exactly it got started. He does remember its first elections though, which was held in one of the Liberal Arts classrooms. After three rounds of ties and eliminations, the seat for presidency boiled down to him and another candidate.

We all know who bagged that election.

It seems that the Society then only organized one event: a symposium featuring Senator Sergio Osmeña, Jr. held on January 22, 1959. That same year, Godofredo graduated, but no awards greeted him this time. “I realized that I was too bookish in high school,” he ad-

mits, “so I thought I’d change the pace in college. You know, go out with friends more, do other things.” This included, it seems, founding our 52-year-old organization.

His first job application was in Procter & Gamble, where around thirty of the top students from UP, Ateneo, and La Salle were invited to a rigorous application process. Godofredo managed to make it to the final interview, which was conducted by a man named Alex Lacson. “He was brilliant,” Bamba recounts. “Unfortunately, he grilled me.

He asked me to apply economics to market stituations on-the-spot. Being a fresh graduate, I naturally couldn’t give satisfying answers.”

P&G was only looking to fill one position, and that went to someone from Godofredo’s past: the salutatorian of his batch at Torres High School.

Cutting his losses, Bamba went on to work at Del Rosario Brothers, Inc., an up-and-rising appliance manufacturer and distributor who pioneered the installment basis of payment. This stint lasted for four years before he moved to F.E. Zuellig, now known as Zuellig Pharma, a major healthcare distribution specialist in Asia. It was here that he met his future wife Catherine, who entered the company as a fresh graduate from the University of Santo Thomas while Godofredo was a sales manager. The two fell in love.

In 1969, they moved to Citibank, where their romance continued to flour-

STAR-CROSSED LOVERS Godofredo Bamba with his wife Catherine TheEchoes.net

ish, culminating in their marriage on 1972. Unfortunately, Citibank has a strict policy on married colleagues: only one may work in the company at a given time.

“And so,” Bamba relates, “I stepped down.”

While his wife continued to work, Godofedo became a successful independent real estate broker, earning income for several years until he retired.

Today, he and his family reside in Marikina. At the age of 75, he continues to stay active by playing tennis four to five times a week. And it shows—his features and demeanor are youthful, impish even. Perhaps that naughty boy who jumped off trains sixty years ago never left.

He has four children: Hazel Hopes, Sheryll Ann, Michael Kenneth, and Patrick Vincent (he likes to refer to them with two names). He also has two young grandchildren named Nicole and Ariel, with whom he often plays with.

In his free time, he goes back to his old passion: reading. “Whenever they see me, my friends always joke, ‘Oh Gody, how’s Plato’s Dialogues?’” He laughs. “That’s the one thing they never forget about me.”

He is also a lover of Shakespeare, claiming to have several monologues memorized. “At my age, my memory sometimes fails me. That’s why I like to keep my mind sharp by memorizing Shakespeare’s speeches.” He paused, then added, “That’s what I do all the time when I’m in the toilet. And that takes me a long time, mind you.”

I asked him if he writes. Not much, he replied. His writing is usually confined to the notices published by his town’s homeowner’s guild, which he is the president of. But there was a time that he wrote poetry—beautiful, lyrical ones.

A poem that was published in the Businessman, a publication in PCC which he was Editor-in-Chief of, revealed a young mind wise beyond its years.

Now to agedness we shall take. The future may roam around and Take your hand, yet keep the other hand on the dear walls. Let not The stars abandon thy steer, lest you forget that The battleground is destiny.  19

FEATURES

one big joke: dean & A vs. the wild Featuring Paul Ugalde

BY DEAN DULAY AND AARON AW when we were asked by the echoes

Editor-in-Chief to write an article for the said publication, we approached this invitation with eagerness. Enlivened by this opportunity, we asked, “What do you want us to write about?” The EIC succinctly replied, “Anything.” This vote of confidence really set our minds in motion, but we also realized that creative freedom is a great responsibility, so we decided to settle on a topic of profound significance. “Sex and violence,” we said. The EIC then asked us to be a little bit more profound. “So just sex?”

Again, he shut our asses down. Eventually, we did stumble upon the right topic, and it turned out great. Now, witness our hard-earned output for yourselves and feel the difference—it’s one big joke.

Two men, one hour, and the Godforsaken wilderness. This is entirely real. We had long decided to show off our survival skills by going into the wild of the University with no more than a pair of scissors and killer biceps—with the goal of enduring the harsh environment for no less than one hour. In this terrain, we were expected to start a fire, scour for food, collect water, build a shelter, and put up with each other.

Accompanied by a professional camera crew comprised of Paul Ugalde and no one else, we recorded how the events of that night transpired.

Paul was not allowed to help us.

Starting the Fire we knew that the first thing we

needed to do in this wasteland was to start a fire. Sans the availability of a lighter or matches, we were forced to use our survival instincts to create a flame for our food, as well as for heat.

But rubbing two sticks together was actually more complicated than we thought it would be, so we abandoned that procedure and instead found heat from rubbing two testicles together. Us20

ing that heat, we consumed our food like real men: rare with extra rice. Or in this case, extra of whatever we could find in that God-forsaken land.

As the night goes by, body heat would probably be the best way to survive.

I hope our cameraman, Paul Ugalde, brought a jacket. He was not invited to the body heat party.

Looking for Water to survive in the wilderness, we

needed to hydrate. Luckily, we came upon a flowing stream of water. But as you know, in the wild, even the most harmless stream can be fatal. Our cameraman, Paul Ugalde, rushed to the stream to quench his famished throat.

Sadly, he died. The footage is extremely sensitive and will never reach another man’s eyes.* Undeterred, we continue our search for water. Soon, we came across a native of the jungle; he smiled and offered us a wet leaf. Then we punched him, took the leaf, and ran. Now we know how they hydrate in this God-forsaken land: by squeezing the juice out of long, wet bushes (no sexual innuendo intended).

Whatever. What matters is that we survived.

Scouring for Food

to go on a diet anyway.

Building a Shelter to survive in the wild, we needed a

place to stay for the night. Luckily, we came upon an old tree. We used the sticks and the tree for the night. Unluckily, it was extremely cold, so we survived that frosty night by forming a magical cocoon of heat (read: spooning). The next day, our branches were hard, so we had to shake them from our bodies before we continued. 

Praises for One Big Joke “If One Big Joke was published 40 years ago, I wouldn’t have declared Martial Law.” —ferdinand marcos “Dean and A can kill two birds with one stone.” —confucius “Reading One Big Joke made my penis bigger!” —“magic” johnson “Sina Dean at A and mga totoong utak ng Katipunan.” —apolinario mabini “One Big Joke was supposed to be our country’s guiding light, but it was too perfect, so we just used the Constitution instead.” ­—constitution people

out in the up wild, there was a

scarcity of food but we knew very well how to adapt. Eating feces was out of the question. So we went to the next best thing: trash. We went around looking for some trash that could’ve been left behind by people who had a similar idea to shoot a cool video. Too bad we were the only people wild enough to create such a production. No trash, maybe something fresh. We looked around for some dead creatures and found that there was only a dead Paul. Eating Paul... was out of the question. And so we resolved that we don’t need food as we probably need

“One Big Joke is the 4th law of gravity.”

—isaac newton “I like One Big Joke.” —ralph dantes “One Big Joke supplies my demand.”

—adam smith “One Big Joke supplies my demand.”

—a prostitute

*Video

See the footage of their ordeal exclusively at TheEchoes.net! photograph by irene arzadon

What Went Wrong?

The movie screening of the Finance committee—a principal fundraiser—finds its profits on the negative side for the first time. Will Ecosoc survive the sem?

BY BEA BAYUDAN

TheEchoes.net

21

ABOVE An Ecosoc ticket to the screening, proudly bearing its numerous sponsors

H

1 is one of this decade’s most anticipated movies, what with the sheer size of the Harry Potter media franchise. With a combined income of $5.7 billion so far, it is the highest grossing film series of all time, and with its impending end, its popularity did nothing but increase.

As you would expect, there would be a huge demand for screenings of this film. Like its previous installments, crowds would be filling the metro’s theaters, eager to watch Harry and his friends defeat the evil Voldemort. Unfortunately, the screening sponsored by the UP Economics Society was not a box office turnout. arry potter and the deathly hallows part

Trailer seeing a great opportunity for a fundraiser, the

Finance committee decided to hold a screening of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1. Movie screenings have been successfully done before, as Gilbert shares. “Committee heads before me started this, so I continued it.” Though sponsoring screenings are ripe in the Society’s history (as evidenced by the Pearl Harbor poster stored at the tambayan), it comes and goes. It wasn’t until Finance chair Lia Veneracion and her committee screened The Dark Knight in 2008 when the practice of buying out a cinema in Trinoma became standard practice. Every time there are “hit” movies about to be shown, Gilbert says, a screening would be organized.

With Deathly Hallows however, several SOP’s were changed. For instance, members were no longer required to purchase one ticket each. “Some of the members before complained about internal financing,” Gilbert explains, “so I decided that for Harry Potter, I would not.” This was most apparent in plansem, when Ecosocers bitterly complained that it seemed there wasn’t any benefit to being an Ecosocer at all, given how we shoulder so much of the Society’s fundraisers.

22

However, the implications of this are large—more than 170 sure-sold tickets is vastly different from none. While the cost of being an Ecosocer had been reduced, these same costs might just come back and haunt us in the long run.

An alternate proposal of having discounted tickets for members is being voiced by some. Perhaps this would be more effective at reconciling Finance’s and the members’ interests.

Behind the Scenes the process began with the reservation of the venue.

They opted for the 5:30 pm timeslot at Trinoma Cinema 2 for both November 18 and 19. When asked if he thought a later timeslot would have reeled in more people, Gilbert agreed.

“That’s what we wanted. Unfortunately, other orgs already booked those timeslots.”

Once it was secured, marketing letters were drafted and sent to probable sponsors. Publicity materials, with special help from Echoes editor Kevin Estopace, were also created and released to the general public.

The result? Big companies responded and sponsored the event—KFC, Sun Cellular, Chef Tony’s Popcorn, URC, Pepsi, Neo laptops, Netopia, and Timezone all extended their help.

Gilbert is all praises for his marketing and publicity teams: “We managed to get a lot of sponsors and the publicity was great, especially online. It was effective.”

Normally, only one screening would be held for a movie.

Anticipating great demand for Deathly Hallows, however, Gilbert ambitiously went for two. And while the one on Friday was, as per tradition, free-seating, the one on Thursday employed a reservation system: seats were pre-sold at the All-Access Facebook page and were coursed through Gilbert through text messaging for confirmation.

The stage, then, was all set. photographs by irene arzadon

Now Showing expectations will not always meet

reality, though. The first night was a disappointment, failing to sell out the theater, something which previous screenings always achieved. A modest profit of P14,749 was raked in. Many, however, were unprepared for the second night’s devastating turnout, where less than half of the capacity was sold. Ecosoc sustained a staggering loss of P37,200, negating the first night’s profits and bringing net loss to P22,451.

According to Bettina Ramas and Ica Ducanes, Vice Chairpersons for Marketing and Sales respectively, the number of people present was significantly smaller than the people they expected to show up, which, given the film’s blockbuster status, surprised everyone.

Chairperson Gilbert Bueno was also stumped by where the crowds were.

Apparently, this was not a problem experienced solely by Ecosoc; an organization from the Ateneo de Manila University also held a screening with us that night and experienced the same thing.

That afternoon too, many orgs were seen in the AS Walk doing last-minute selling of discounted tickets, showing that they too had difficulty.

The competition may have also aggravated the situation: there were simply a lot of other sponsored screenings that took place, leading to an oversaturation of the market. Most especially since Ecosoc even had to compete with Trinoma, who also pre-sold tickets for the movie. Bettina shares that the mall had an advantage over them: “We bought the seats for P170 each, but during the day itself, tickets went for P160.

We hadn’t prepared for that.” Indeed, in spite of the bountiful freebies, P250, the going price for an Ecosoc ticket, was still far removed from P160 to the average moviegoer.

Gilbert also cites the lack of hype surrounding the movie itself. According to him, although Deathly Hallows was anticipated by many, it looked like there wasn’t as much publicity done for it compared to the previous movies.

But Finance is not without fault. Certain individuals felt that the publicity for the first day of screening was given more focus, with some even suggesting that people were not aware that there inf0graphic by kenneth reyes

was a second day. Perhaps Finance expected that they would be able to sell the theater out through last-minute selling, targeting people who didn’t want to wait in line for the regular showings. After all, this always happened with screenings before. Unfortunately, 440 seats, without a quota from Ecosocers, was still far too much to sell out in one day.

The fact that the first day had reserved seating may have also played a part. Potential audience members might have decided not to buy tickets because the seats they wanted were already reserved, unlike with free-seating, where it was first-come, first-served for all no matter how late they purchase their ticket, provided they line up early.

Moreover, even if the All-Access page stipulated that reservations not paid within three days would be purged, Gilbert kept them in the hopes that they would still end up paying. It wasn’t until the final minutes when he gave the goahead to sell them to others.

The wisdom of screening the same movie twice was also at question; as much as Ecosocers may want to support Finance, they simply would not pay to see the same movie twice. Former Finance chair CJ Villanueva also had two screenings in one sem, but they were two different movies spread months apart. As it turned out, both screenings were successful.

Credits the first general meeting for this semester, Gilbert relayed the news to the Society, receiving much support from Ecososers despite the tough announcement. With his voice shaking, he said that it’s not Finance’s fault and that, like a parent protecting a child, any during

SEATS SOLD IN PERCENTAGE

Cinema capacity is 440

THURSDAY

blame should be placed on him.

With this loss in funds, what would this mean for Ecosoc?

President Paolo Tamase says that the Executive Committee’s plan is evaluation. “[We will] assess our projected costs... which expenses are necessary, which events may be discarded. The current number of events has not been sustainable for the past two years, with Ecosoc having more cash outflows than inflows from its regular fundraisers.”

Gilbert, however, has realigned his perspective into a more optimistic one.

“This is only one of the fundraisers for this sem,” he says. “We have a lot more in store, like the band competition we have planned, and we still have the exdeals we will liquidate. We will recover what we have lost. We do still have money in the bank, [but] I just want to raise more so we don’t have to touch that.”

Asked what he thought about the whole experience, he says, “I shouldn’t have expected too much,” he says. “I learned that I should prepare for every possible scenario, especially worst-case, and have contingency plans.”

“If I could change anything, I would have gone for one cinema only,” he says.

“Maybe free-seating, since people would buy more tickets if they saw they had equal chances of getting good seats with other people, instead of reserved seating where people won’t buy anymore if they see that the good ones are taken. But that’s done already, so I won’t dwell on it. The only thing is to really do better next time.”

Wise parting words, indeed. Harry Potter’s magic might have eluded them this time, but this is only part 1. It’s not a failure, only a setback. After all, when you’re down, there is no way but up. 

NET LOSS

Does not account for sponsorship revenue 150 100

369 tickets 83.9% FRIDAY

Revenue P130,500

50

Loss P22,451

50 100

154 tickets 35%

150

Expenses P152,951 23

24â&#x20AC;

photographs by irene arzadon

LEADERS (L-R): Chairperson Laurence Go, Co-chairperson Thea Bautista, Logistics Director Kim Orticio, Marketing Director Hazel Sumampong, Publicity Director Kenneth Reyes, External Relations Director Simone Carpio, Sales Director Geoff Bautista

may the task force be with you How Laurence and his committee rebooted an Ecosoc franchise BY AVRIL BRIES

TheEchoes.netâ&#x20AC;

25

THE CREW Task Force staff and interns pose for a picture. YOUNG TALENTS (Opposite page) The Trinity University of Asia High School Chorale performs onstage

C

‘10 actually had both extremely low and extremely high expectations set for them by the rest of Ecosoc—low because last year, the event failed to push through, and high for exactly the same reason. And because, of course, they were led by one of Ecosoc’s legends; no one seemed to even consider the possibility of failure when the endeavor is captained by the likes of Laurence Go. But faced with these two conflicting perspectives, the team could easily have chosen to buy into either one. Nevertheless, on the night of May 2, 2010, half a year before the launch of one of the most ambitious and goal-oriented fundraisers in Ecosoc history, an email was sent to every single member of Task Force. It came from chairperson Laurence Go and co-chair Thea Bautista, and its content: their own unique expectations for their team.

They made it perfectly clear—their aim was not to be the best.

They expected far more than that.

According to the two (fondly known as the mom and dad of the team), “We are better than wanting to be the best.” Their message ultimately became a spiel that Task Force repeated in their marketing letters, their blog, speeches at genmeets, and even in the souvenir programs handed out on the night of Musikapella itself, creating a mantra that made it clear that Task Force would not and could not be compared to anything else. The committee would be in a whole new ballpark, with standards which they themselves would set “without reference to what we have done, what others have done, and what others are doing.” It was this benchmark—“to revive, redefine and revolutionize the Task Force we have known”—that the committee kept in mind for this year’s Musikapella That was a pretty ambitious start.

On the other hand a few others had their own criteria.

Take, for example, the aim penned in plain print at Task Force’s Team Building Session to “make Laurence Go say, 26

omposed of thirty-six people, task force

‘Wow, ang galing’,” or one member’s wish to “get Laurence to accept an output on its first draft.”

This was a difficult feat for the infamously insistent thenVice President. The Task Force logo alone—a project he commissioned over the summer—took the publicity team fifty days and over 70 revisions before finally gaining the chairperson’s approval. So what did it mean to go beyond the paradigm of being the best? TF10, though hardly the first Task Force, introduced innovations to the making of the chorale competition. As evidenced by the eye-popping numbers of ‘likes,’ the Hannah Hotel Facebook competition drew in thousands of people’s attention to Musikapella 2010. It was also the first time the campus tours were conducted; these aimed at bringing the competition directly to the schools, motivating their student body to attend the event. Furthermore, the publicity team, in an ambitious move, conceptualized a serial advertisment scheme, releasing an ‘episode’ on a weekly basis. Not all of these endeavors were successful: the campus tour had more than its fair share of mix-ups, especially with respect to scheduling, and the serial was never completed.

But with respect to originality at least, these efforts did well.

For things that have been constant throughout Task Force history on the other hand, the team still gave a largely sound performance; one example would be the solid P50,000 raised by the Sales department, which ultimately contributed to the accomplishment of the event.

With all the activities this team dipped its toes in, one wonders: how did it all start?

Forming a group is not a concept alien to Ecosocers, especially in a college when that is exactly what professors tell us to do for projects. However, this term is not apt to describe Task Force; it was not a group but rather, as the insiders called it, a ‘family,’ something which Thea maintains is the best thing about the committee in the first place. And the photographs by (l-r) kevin estopace, arsenio lukban

Musikapella 2010 was a resounding triumph. A post on Laurence’s Facebook wall praises the event as “the new benchmark for student orgs in the Philippines.” The general opinion of our membership base is also one of deep acclaim. As current President Paolo Tamase says, Musikapella reminded us that “Ecosoc is still a pretty great org.”

Quantitatively, Musikapella is an undisputed success, raking in a six-digit profit for the ESSF—a deposit far larger than anything that has come before it.

Task Force ‘10 was like Obama. Imperfect as they were, they were hailed as an overwhelming change—indeed, change we can believe in after a bleak time for the ESSF. Not only did they fix the problems they were left with, they also left a mark which others could and should aspire to follow. Unlike Obama however, whose popularity dropped dramatically during his term in office, let’s hope TF consistently lives up to its promise in the years to come. 

CHARTING THE ESSF’S INCREASE

December 2009 to October 2010, during Laurence Go’s term. Figures are approximated.

STARTING BALANCE CAROLING SISFIRE 7

P10,000 P45,000 P65,000

TRANCED

P135,000

P350,000

MUSIKAPELLA 300,000

200,000

infographic by kenneth reyes

received by Musikapella ushers from the long queues of people waiting for the Convenarium doors to open to start, which, according to some of the staff, could be attributed to a miscommunication about the event’s start time. Miscommunication too was apparently one of the biggest difficulties of the night, as it also led to mix-ups with the event’s background videos and program.

But after the frenzy of last-minute adjustments passed and the crowd was happily seated, the Task Force team dimmed the lights and let the magic of music unfold. For as the three-hour competition unraveled without a hitch, Laurence, watching from the second floor, began to breathe a little easier.

About 1,700 people had showed up, excluding the choir members. This appeared to be the homeostatic number: it was full enough to look successful without suffering from the discomfort of overcrowdedness.

Indeed, when all is said and done,

100,000

family was not simply formed—it was born. So when was the birth of TF10?

Perhaps it was the moment Laurence stepped up to take the position of ‘father’ and chose his DADs (Directors and Assistant Directors). But, as Logistics Director Karen Orticio puts it, “At first we were really uncomfortable with each other. I could still remember our first meeting [on April 24 at North Park, Greenhills]. We were so quiet and all that, very careful on what to say or do.”

She says that the somewhat dysfunctional yet fiercely close family was only really born over time and, apparently, laser tag. From there, the rest became Ecosoc history.

Although it was emphasized that TF was not simply about Musikapella (much to the anguish of the publicity team who scrapped all their musicthemed logo proposals), it can be argued that TF’s existence is almost completely centered on its major event. Thus, the success or failure of Musikapella, like it or not, would inevitably define it.

So how did it measure up?

At its peak, TF10 was able to get twenty schools to participate. In the end however, nine backed out before the event. Admittedly, such an issue can be considered as outside the realm of the members’ control, but it certainly had an impact on something which TF10 did have power over: the venue.

On July 20, three months before the event, when the Crossroad77 Convenarium was first suggested as a venue.

It eventually became TF10’s choice—an ambitious move, considering its seating capacity of 2,600. But each school was required to sell fifty tickets, and with twenty participants, it initially didn’t seem that hard to fill the venue. However, as the number of schools began falling, TF10 began to get nervous. The problem reached the point where the option of simply giving away free tickets was considered; protecting Musikapella’s image by making sure the competition didn’t look deserted was prioritized over profits.

Other issues quickly surfaced on the night itself. (In an event of Musikapella’s magnitude, they were almost inevitable.) It fell prey to what is one of the primary problems of Ecosoc events: a lack of punctuality. Much hostility were

27

FICTION

Have some Fun

BY DOM GARCIA

“come play with me.”

The voice was a faint whisper that Lisa just barely heard. She turned around, but there was no one there. The hairs at the back of her neck rose up in salutation to the fright she was experiencing.

I’m just tired, she thought, reasoning that the stress was catching up on her.

Lisa tried to answer the remaining problems of her Math homework.

“Come play with me.”

Lisa couldn’t help but jump in her seat. Her calculator fell on the floor. Her heart was racing, threatening to jump out of her body at any second.

Why is this happening to me? she thought. A tear started to well up.

Imaginations of all sorts of ghosts and monstrosities kept entering her head like a hungry mob trying to enter a food store. It was scaring her to death, so she rose up from her seat and started to run towards the door.

A girl—barely ten years old—was standing in front of her. She was dressed in white and looking right into Lisa’s eyes. Lisa could see the faint color of the hallway through the girl.

“Come play with me,” the girl pleaded. Even as Lisa was standing nearly five feet away from the door, she heard the voice as if the girl was just inches away, whispering in her ear.

Lisa couldn’t move. She wanted to run past this girl and scream at the top of her lungs. But no voice was coming out of her mouth and her legs weren’t working.

Lisa closed her eyes. In her mind, she begged for the girl to simply go away.

She was repeating to herself over and over again that this girl isn’t real.

When Lisa opened her eyes, the girl was gone. There was no one in the doorway. No whispers. Lisa let out a sigh of relief. But as she began walking towards the door, she felt a coldness in her left hand. She turned to see the girl grasping her hand with her own. A cold sweat began to trickle down Lisa’s forehead, tracing the outline on the side of her 28

face.

“Please come and play with me,” the girl asked again, only this time, Lisa felt her hand being dragged towards the door. Lisa shrieked. Her feet were following this child despite all the protests in her mind.

Lisa was terrified. She was led outside to the street, moving towards the woods that loomed ahead. The full moon was shining in the cloudless sky; it was the only spectator witnessing Lisa’s predicament. The footsteps she made were greeted by that ominous silence that seemed to press over Lisa’s skin, threatening to suffocate her at any moment.

They were deep in the woods now.

The trees were casting a lot of monstrous shadows that seemed to grab Lisa during this excursion. The little girl was focused on the destination ahead.

Her body passed through the branches as if she was just mist in the form of a person. Unfortunately for Lisa, she hit these outstretched branches along the way. One branch ripped a hole in her sleeve. Another scraped her cheek. She was in the deeper part of the woods now.

She knew that it would take a great deal of time before she found her way out.

That is, if the girl would let her.

They finally broke through the woods and found a small clearing. The grass was short and it seemed to be tended by some invisible gardener. The moon could be seen very clearly. It shone at the clearing like a spotlight on cue for a great performance. On the left side of the clearing was a see-saw. Next to it was a blue swing set. The chains in it were covered with rust, yet it still seemed to hold together. On the right was a jungle gym, the poles and bolts still fastened despite its age. At the center of the scene, standing like its crown jewel, was a red merry-go-round. Although it looked old, there was an air of wonder surrounding it. Some of the parts were still covered with that chrome red paint.

It hinted that it was a wonderful piece every child would love to play with.

“Come on, let’s play!” the girl giggled as she dragged her first to the see-saw.

She let go of Lisa’s hand and went to position herself at one end.

Lisa knew that this was the precise moment she was waiting for. This was her chance to escape and run away from

this girl and this place. But there was something holding her back. The place seemed to enthrall her. It felt like it was what every child would have wanted.

Lisa sat at the other end of the girl and began to go up and down the seesaw. Up and down. Up and down. The little girl was laughing and giggling.

Lisa felt a smile creep on her face as she saw this girl having fun. The moonlight passed through the girl giving her an ethereal, wispy look.

“The swings! The swings!” the girl cried as she stepped down the see-saw and ran towards the swing set.

Lisa was beside the little girl as they played in the swings. Lisa found herself laughing as they tried to go up higher.

When they went to the jungle gym, Lisa showed the little girl how to climb on it and hang upside down. The little girl did it marvelously and had a smirk on her face, saying, ‘easy.’

Finally, they came across the old merry-go-round. They walked towards it almost reverently. The little girl slowly stepped inside the platform as Lisa pushed it. It creaked loudly as if complaining before it gave way to the force Lisa exerted.

As she hung on one of the hand rails, the little girl shouted, “Faster, faster!”

Lisa pushed with more force. Giving it one final shove, she let go and jumped in the platform as well. Both were laughing ecstatically. The fact that it was midnight and the girl not entirely human didn’t seem to bother Lisa anymore. She didn’t want it to stop. She didn’t want it to end. She just wanted to spin round and round without a care in the world.

I just want to be here, Lisa thought as they spun aimlessly under the night sky.

They spun for what it seemed like an eternity. The wind was blowing against her face as the merry-go-round sped up even more. The clearing, the trees, the moon—they all seemed to blend in one blurred image as they spun.

She can only hear herself laughing when the merry-go-round turned around for one last time. Lisa began to realize that the little girl wasn’t there anymore. She felt the moonlight pierce through her body as she began to step down. The hemline of her white dress swayed beneath her. She understood.

“Come play with me.” 

CULTURE

Cocoy Vargas opens the Culture section by walking us through some tips on backto-school fashion. This is followed by Averyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s review of select new tracks from the dark, twisted Kanye West. Meanwhile, in the spirit of the season, Mia shows us a list of excellent holiday films for you to enjoy. On a more somber note, Risa evaluates Gabriel Garcia Marquezâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brilliant novel of love and heartbreak. Finally, as the elusive Mary-Kate and Ashley bestow us with a fresh round of Ecosoc gossip, Chiara summarizes the current affairs of the Philippines to determine whether our country has brought us pride (or shame) over the past month.

ABOVE Chesca dela Cruz sits in the SE Atrium. Photograph by David de Padua

how to start the semester

BY COCOY VARGAS

the beginning of a new semester means a lot of things to a lot

There is no better way to make a good first impression than to look good from the outside. Making a statement to new people upon their initial glances on you is important; therefore, the significance of dressing up well, especially on the first few days of the new semester cannot be, forgone. We caught up with some of Econ’s most stylish and fashionable as they demonstrated to us how to make good first impressions of yourselves.

of people. For most of us, it’s a chance to redeem ourselves from the academic woes of yestersem; and for some it’s a brand new opportunity to be able to serve our orgs with our newly-acquired positions. However, every single one of us probably share at least this same sentiment upon entering our new classes: making a good 1. Make sure you look made up we saw chesca fixing herself up befirst impression. going out of Econ for her classes, We all have our ways of making ourselves known to our new fore making sure that her leggings go all the classmates, whether we do so voluntarily or involuntarily. There way to at least below the ankle and that are some who are effortless in being friendly to their seatmates it does not scrunch up in the middle of and groupmates, and there are also those who remain cold and her calves. Her royal blue asymmetric would go to waste had she not done aloof. Whichever category we may be part of, it’s still helpful to top so—everyone would have their eyes on keep some things in mind to help us register well in the eyes of our leggings that would pass as extra tight capris. new classmates and professors.

30

photographs by david de padua

Not a single strand of your hair must be out of place, so always carry around a brush and a compact mirror. Putting on a minimal amount of make-up will take you a long way, as well.

2. Bring a nice new bag to school isn’t it so nice to carry around

your brand new pens, notebooks, and books by Tietenberg and Perkins inside a fierce new bag? Now you will have a reason to walk around the campus while going to classes instead of hitching a ride with your friends. Surely, Lia knows what we’re talking about, and it even looks like she would be willing to walk all the way from Econ to NISMED just so she could flaunt her studded gray leather handbag.

3. Wear trendy garments we caught jessica wearing a pair of

black high waist pants with button details one day. It’s not really something TheEchoes.net

you would wear every single day to school, but just give it a chance every now and then. Pull out that leather vest you’ve been saving for special occasions from your closet and wear it over a plain white tee and jeans, because it would not hurt at all to dress extra special at least once a semester. And truly, there is no better time to do so than the start of the semester. Remember, first impressions are important!

4. Something new with your hair try things that you haven’t done be-

fore with your crowning glory. Get that asymmetrical bob that you’ve always wondered if you can pull off; or, instead of draping your favourite scarf around your neck, braid it with your hair, like what Camille did with hers. The possibilities are endless when it comes to how you want your hair to look like. It just takes some ingenuity, a bit of effort, and a whole lot of guts. Take some time

to look at your face in front of the mirror to work your angles and figure out what hairstyles will work best with the shape of your face. Research too about new ‘dos that will flatter your features.

5. Let your personality shine show your new classmates and pro-

fessors even the slightest sign of your humanity. Do not just be a wallflower in your class, even if you do not know anyone yet. And more importantly, always keep a smile on your face. You risk being called mataray or ice queen if you just keep to yourself and don’t turn that frown of yours upside-down. In the end, all the nice clothes you are dressed up in may not be even appreciated if you aren’t nice enough. So if you keep a happy disposition, laugh along with the jokes of your classmates, and stay fierce at the same time, you wouldn’t have any problems being friends with every single one of them.  31

CULTURE

MUSIC

BY AVERY ANATALIO

35-minute film accompanying “runaway” was an auspicious precursor of the things to come in Kanye West’s musical career. Between his G.O.O.D Friday tracks (an assortment of songs he released every Friday) and My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, his latest album, West overhauls his style and shtick once again, charting new creative heights and crafting a twisted musical spectacle.

Collaboration fixture Nicki Minaj starts the entire Twisted album with verses of what to expect in the opening track, Dark Fantasy. The line, “Can we get much higher?” immediately follows it, encapsulating Mr. West’s lofty and idealistic ambition to constantly seek the higher high.

Would you believe that the first single, Power, was constructed with samples of “21st Century Schizoid Man,” “Afromerica,” and “It’s Your Thing”? Imagine all those songs’ goodness mixed, matched, and powered by Kanye West and you have this victorious first single. “I guess every superhero needs his theme music,” he raps. If you happen to be looking for a superhero theme song, this is it.

Mr. West shows us in Runaway that while he may be arrogant, he is certainly not ignorant. As he chronicles all the wrongdoings he committed and toasts, albeit facetiously, to the scumbags of the world, he warns his lover, “Baby, I got a plan: run away fast as you can.” He is aware of the damage he has inflicted but remains conflicted by his own fallibility, altogether making the song awkwardly funny, poignant, and relatable.

The best track among the G.O.O.D. Friday songs is arguably the glossy Christian Dior Denim Flow. While John Legend confesses, “I got the world in my hands—the master plan—but I don’t know why I keep calling you,” Kanye West declares, “I’m in my Christian Dior with a Veronica Webb.”

Bolstered by West’s swagger and his sparkling portrayal of the lush and beautiful world he claims to live in, this song reminds us of the vicarious faculty of music.

All of the Lights, upon hearing its assault of majestic horns and drums, is set to be massive. Notwithstanding the dazzling luminosity of the personages Mr. West has assembled, the track smartly never alights on the histrionics it asserts.

An enticing case of bait-and-switch, the splendor suggested by the sound is rapidly dissolved by the tale of the frustrated derelict articulated in the lyrics. Ultimately, the song leaves us with this adage: “If you want it, you can get it for the rest of your life.”

Leave it to Kanye West to return with a brilliant new creation after being demonized by the media. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, in all of its egotistic glory, is, like its creator, impossible to ignore. While he may never be as likeable or accessible as the cloying girl he once publicly heckled, with this magnificent opus, he succeeds—and that’s poetic justice for him.  the

32

FILM

BY MIA ASTUDILLO

’tis the season to be heavy—and if you’re like me, a habit like sitting in front of the TV after a satisfying meal with one’s nearest and dearest helps keep on all that hamon from dinner. There are probably enough Christmas-themed movies to keep us occupied every year until all that food becomes a health hazard, but here are a couple of films that manage to transgress the cold yuletide film rote.

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) Directed Henry Selick (not Tim Burton) If you haven’t seen this movie yet, do your incomplete childhood a favor and watch it. Or just watch it, period. The Nightmare Before Christmas may be an animated musical film, but that hardly means it only appeals to children. Kidsat-heart would watch with awe as the freakish denizens of Halloween Town and the greeting-card-ready residents of Christmas Town come alive in all their stop-motion glory.

Those of us who actually brave the malls and spend our own money during the holidays might appreciate the irony more and snicker at what Santa Claus is made to go through in the movie.

It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) Directed by Frank Capra Starring James Stewart, Donna Reed For a classic Christmas movie, It’s A Wonderful Life is pretty sad. Anyone emo enough to have imagined what the world would be like without him should watch and learn. That’s what an ordinary man named George Bailey ends up doing after a series of unfortunate events leads him to contemplate suicide. When deus ex machina makes George see what might have happened had he not existed, it’s enough for him to realize what we’d always known, if the title is anything to go by. The premise might seem cheesy on paper, but by the end, even the most dedma of us might find it hard to not feel like giving out hugs.

Joyeux Noël (2005) Directed by Christian Carion Starring Guillaume Canet, Diane Kruger, Daniel Brühl It’s safe to assume that opposing troops in a war aren’t exactly friends. But on December 1914, that’s exactly what the men on a certain battlefield in France became. French, Scottish, and German soldiers put aside their guns in favor of alcohol, football, and (rather obviously lip-synched) operatic singing. Unless you’re dead inside, Joyeux Noël should give you a little warm fuzzy feeling when both sides start lowering their weapons. But my personal favorite thing about the film is that it’s based on a true story, which might give anyone else who watches this a little bit more faith in humanity.  icon art by kevin estopace

Literature

BY RISA CRISOSTOMO

“love is the only thing that interests me,” as proclaimed by the fatally quixotic Florentino Ariza, is a sentiment that continues to be echoed by the romantically disenfranchised youth of today. Though perhaps lacking the immediate accessibility (not to mention the masturbatory selfinvolvement) of Holden Caufield and the sweeping mystery (read: vomit-inducing cheesiness) of Edward Cullen, Florentino Ariza endures as one of the most complex and memorable leading men of literature. Most works that concern heartache and heartbreak arguably pales in comparison to the series of trials and tribulations Florentino Ariza suffers in Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s Love in the Time of Cholera, as he pines for the beautiful and unattainable Fermina Daza.

In its simplest form, Cholera is the tale of one man’s unrequited love. Florentino, as a young man, falls in love with Fermina, who, despite being in the twilight of her childhood when he first meets her, manages to captivate Florentino’s imagination and capture his heart. They begin a clandestine affair that modern audiences would characterize as moving at a glacial pace, only as fast as their handwritten letters would take them. Nevertheless, the two of them fall deeper into their love for each other, Florentino allowing love to take him like a disease, virulent and invasive, inundating his very being with its symptoms and side effects, and Fermina, drinking from the same metaphysical cup of love that inebriates Florentino, catches it too. However, their affair comes to a screeching halt the day Fermina realizes she’s outgrown her love for Florentino. She eventually marries a young, upstanding doctor and Florentino falls into despair, but he pledges his undying love for her, vowing to wait until his love comes to fruition. He whiles away the intervening time by racking up 622 affairs, in an effort to forget Fermina, until the day her husband dies. On the day of his funeral, he goes to her and declares his love for her as he did fifty-one years, nine months, and four days ago.

Florentina Ariza is aptly described by another character in the book, as “ugly and sad, but all love,” and this is mirrored throughout the novel. Marquez’s prose is flawless and nothing short of beautiful, despite its descriptions of wretched landscapes and decrepit—both morally and physiologically— people. The reader sympathizes for Florentino Ariza, roots for him even, despite his philandering and ethically questionable actions over the years; the reader feels the pain of his absolute longing. Sadness permeates the pages of this book, manifested in all the ways love could go wrong: how it could be a disease, an addiction, a form of penance and how it eventually became all these things for Florentino. That said, this novel is a testament to love—a love letter to love if you will. It celebrates it despite the suffering the characters undergo. Just as Florentino Ariza’s love endures wars and epidemics, Love in the Time of Cholera endures not just as a love story, but as a story about love, at its very worst and its very best.  TheEchoes.net

Gossip

BY MARY-KATE AND ASHLEY why hello there! my, that was fast, wasn’t it? seems like

just yesterday when Paolo wanted to take his boss-ness to the next level! But take it easy Pao, look what happened to you! *laughs* Sooooo, before we feed you guys with all the stories we’ve found out during our long un-togetherness, we would first like to thank our new boss, Kenneth, for continuously trusting us when it comes to G-O-S-S-I-P. Hugs and kisses to you! (Although you’ve been getting those on a regular basis already, haven’t you?)

We’ve noticed that there are abnormally less people in the tambayan lately. Because of this, we get to more carefully observe those people who actually tambay! And we couldn’t help but notice…

SPOTTED! Pretty little Ms. Former Talent Search Judge seriously needing a wardrobe makeover! We all know her— smooth skin, perfect eyes… but her style? A little too not-herage. One time, I (Ashley) saw her walking from the lobby to the tambayan and I thought to myself, “Who dressed you, the Great Depression?” Her clothes never do her justice! And if they aren’t all hand-me-downs, she is seriously wasting her money! Hey, pretty little Ms. Former Talent Show Judge, don’t take it personally. It’s not our fault your clothes are so adorable (Mean Girls, 2004), and we’re just trying to help!

SPOTTED! Mr. Brand of Refrigerator totally in-crush/in-like/ in-love with Ms. Coach Biest’s #1 Enemy! I (Mary-Kate) have been a firsthand witness/eavesdropper about his professed love for her! But there is actually no question about it, Ms. Coach Biest’s #1 Enemy is certifiably a pretty girl for I heard even gay people have crushes on her! However, Mr. Brand of Refrigerator is apparently too much of an introvert to tell her about his love, even using “studies” as an excuse! A little information: these two are from Ecosoc and another prominent “organization” in SE. We were even told that during their meetings, the guy keeps on staring at the girl! All we can say is… DON’T BE SUCH A SISSY, HONEY! Go get her, before those gays do.

SPOTTED! Ms. Can’t-be-Tamed finally ending whatever she and Mr. McDonald had! We heard he tried to tame her last semester and she apparently responded quite well in the beginning. But as time passed, she grew colder and colder and left the guy desperate for an answer. Mr. McDonald even spent a lot of time asking for advice from people about it!

About a week ago, they were seen having a private talk in a secluded area. This was when and where the girl apparently ended the whole thing and declared the “Friends Only” policy. As hard as it was for the guy, he obliged. Why can’t all guys be like him?!

Well, that’s all the words we have for this issue! we hope we’ve sparked your interests with these stories! Watch out for more—after all, we have one whole semester in front of us! And always remember: You write our stories.  33

CULTURE

Report card November 2010

BY CHIARA COKIENG

grade

2.5

the philippines, like any country, has its good

moments and its bad moments. In Report Card, we make this distinction for the events of the past month and, through the UP grading system, determine whether you should be proud or ashamed of our country.

Pride PANTAWID PAMILYANG PILIPINO PROGRAM NOVEMBER 11 I agree with its critics that the CCT program cannot eliminate poverty, however if done properly it can be a very good tool to reach one of the country’s Millennium Development Goals of reducing its poverty rate by half by 2015. While it is a doleout program that “spoon-feeds” the poor, it at least tries to alleviate their circumstance and give them more means to help themselves. And while it is also a stop-gap measure, one can only do so much while waiting for structural reforms to kick in as those things do not work overnight.

EDUCATION BUDGET NOVEMBER 25 Juxtaposed against the DND’s budget increase of P8.5 billion from P96.2 billion to P104.7 billion, the AFP’s additional P10 billion, and the PNP’s P6.6 billion; alongside pork barrel and dole-out funds increases of P13.9 billion and P29.2 billion, respectively, I’d say the 2011 budget for education is a shame. But confined strictly within the education sector, I see the budget cut in SUCs merely as a reallocation of budget from higher education to primary and secondary education.

What can I say; I am a firm believer of the theory that spending for the betterment of primary education for many is a better promoter of democracy and effectiveness in a country than for the college education of a few. Besides, it makes sense to force the SUCs, especially UP, to improve collection and transparency on its accounts. This is a huge bane for UP though; perhaps they should’ve just reduced useless SUCs?

Conclusion With little more than Manny Pacquiao’s win over Margarito to write under “pride” with certainty, it is only fitting, if not benevolent, to give the country a pass but with a dismaying grade of 2.5.

34

shame PILIPINAS KAY GANDA NOVEMBER 14 Is this really happening?

LEONARD CO, THE SLAIN BOTANIST NOVEMBER 15 It may come as a surprise to some for Leonard Co’s death to be considered as one of the major news for the month but of PNoy’s never-ending rhetoric, I hold him accountable to only two things: that he not engage in corruption, and that he do what is best for this country, to the best of his capacity, however little it may be. I don’t see how accidentally killing who they say was a true “people’s scientist,” one who was always looking out for neglected indigenous communities, is doing what is best for our country. I hold PNoy, as commander-in-chief of the AFP, responsible. AGHAM’s Dr. Tapang laments: “The loss of a scientist like Leonard Co who has stayed in the country despite other opportunities abroad is saddening, but the circumstances of his death makes it doubly worse.” The troops were aware of Leonard Co and his team’s presence in the forests during that day; in fact, many say that this indiscriminate firing without verification of targets is not an isolated case—Bayan Muna mentions that there are now 23 victims of extrajudicial killings since PNoy assumed the presidency. I am very, very disappointed.

THE SC 10 VS THE UP LAW 37 NOVEMBER 18 For the highest court of the land to commit plagiarism is bad, to blame inconsequential things such as Microsoft Word for their mistake worse; to make others apologize for said mistake is the worst of all. Not only is this an issue on plagiarism and integrity, it is also an issue on injustice—injustice for the “comfort women” who suffered grave abuse during the World War II. Akbayan Rep. Kaka Bag-ao says that “by denying their petition using a plagiarized ruling, the Supreme Court effectively lied to these victims of abuse. [It therefore reneged its obligation to deliver social justice to our comfort women.” Is it just me or is the idea that the highest court of the land mandated to uphold the law not only violating the rules of law and logic, but also that of common sense, seem really, really pathetic? photograph by irene arzadon