ECHOES February 2011 by Echoes

CONTENTS February 2011

PREVIOUS ISSUE/CORRECTIONS

ONE BIG JOKE An awesomely unhealthy recipe—by Dean Dulay and Aaron Aw

Editors

EDITORIAL

kenneth reyes

COMMITTEE NEWS

PROBE One hour in the infamous Hotel Sogo—by Irene Arzadon and Ben Bismark

VICE STATS Topics spoken in hushed tones—by Jessica Manipon

avril bries

SELECTIONS 2011 Meet Stef, Ria, Ryna, and Justine, the sophies’ future batch reps—by Jessica Biscocho

NEWS 12

EVENTOLOGY 101 by Cyril Tablante GMTBS by Beatriz Bayudan ALUMNI NIGHT by Mark Matibag

MANHUNT by Matt Dailisan SCAVHUNT/VICE NIGHT by Shelly Umali FRISBEE GAMES by Leus Punsalan

UPFRONT by Beatriz Bayudan LITNIGHT by Beatriz Bayudan APP PROJECT by Horace Cimafranca

FEATURES 16

FEATURED MEMBER Gossip G, the writer everyone loves to hate—by Risa Crisostomo

FEATURED ALUMNUS The talented Mr. Bart Guingona—by Kenneth Reyes

STRAIGHT TALK The inescapable comparison: Ecosoc vs. JMA? —by an anonymous contributor

CULTURE 34

FILM Why more people should know about Debra Granik’s Winter’s Bone —by Raphael Dantes

Editor-in-Chief Associate Editor benedict bismark

Managing Editor beatriz bayudan

News Editor raphael dantes

Features Editor kevin estopace

Layout & Art Editor

FASHION Dress like the stars this Valentine’s season—by Lia Lontoc

irene arzadon

MUSIC OPM can do indie too —by Irene Arzadon

joseph “matt” dailisan

LITERATURE Middlesex reviewed —by Avril Bries

Photos Editor Webmaster

GOSSIP by Gossip G

REPORT CARD by Chiara Cokieng

Contributors Irene Arzadon / Aaron Aw / Beatriz Bayudan / Jessica Biscocho / Benedict Bismark / Avril Bries / Horace Cimafranca / Chiara Cokieng / Samantha “Risa” Crisostomo / Joseph “Matt” Dailisan / Raphael Dantes / Dean Dulay / Felichie “Faye” Ferrer / Gossip G / Patricia “Georgina” Gonzales / Ma. Cecilia “Lia” Lontoc / Arsenio Lukban / Jessica Manipon / Mark Matibag / Leandro “Leus” Punsalan / Ayla Reyes / Kenneth Reyes / Madelene “Mads” Salazar / Patrick Santos / Cyril Tablante / Paolo Tamase / Dana Tan / Celina “Shelly” Umali ABOVE Bart Guingona, photographed in the Cultural Center of the Philippines on February 6 by Kenneth Reyes cover photograph by arsenio lukban

previous issue

January 2011

corrections Our mistakes in the January issue Samantha “Risa” Crisostomo was inadvertently left out of the contributors list. She took the photos of Czarina Carbonel. Ironically, the word ‘misspelled’ in the Corrections section was misspelled. In the news article “CDC holds game show-themed Christmas party,” the organizers of the event were CDC and Spev, not just CDC. In the article “A Queen in Her Own Right,” Czar’s blog is incorrect. It should be czarcarbonel.wordpress.com. In the article “Heard on High,” the revenue figure listed on the infographic should be P105,600.

Echoes is the official publication of the UP Economics Society (UP Ecosoc), a non-stock, non-profit, student organization based in the University of the Philippines Diliman School of Economics. Since the 2nd semester of the academic year 2010-2011, Echoes is released four times in a sem and eight times in a year, on the months of January, February, March, July, August, September, October, and December. It draws its funding from a subsidy from UP Ecosoc, sponsorships, subscription revenue, and other small funraisers. For this semester, 60 subscription copies, 3 tambayan copies, 1 archive copy, and a complimentary copy for each of our sponsors, featured members, and featured alumni are produced. This publication is printed by Yza Copy Systems and Trading, located at Stall 22 at the UP Shopping Center, UP Diliman, Quezon City. contact us

upecosoc@gmail.com upecosoc.echoes@gmail.com visit for more information

All errors are corrected when posting on TheEchoes.net. If you spot any error in this issue, call us on it by sending an email to upecosoc.echoes@gmail.com.

upecosoc.org theechoes.net facebook.com/up.economics.society No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission.

4 TheEchoes.net

EDITORIAL 9 genmeet, ecosoc contemplated its organizational structure, particularly the merging of certain committees due to possible overlaps in roles. In fact, one of these was Echoes, among others. In contrast to general membership opinion, we in the Echoes Committee feel that there is no need to follow through with this merging. A disproportionate amount of blame is put on the organizational structure when it should instead be placed on the failure of the committee chairperson to maximize his or her committee’s jurisdiction. Upon examination, we find enough reasons to allow each one to exist without sacrificing efficiency. We will outline this by considering the committees most often accused of irrelevance and we will push them to their greatest possible incarnation. Then we will show how if each of these committees were to strive to achieve that, then issues of inefficiency will be solved Firstly, the Sports Committee. While the constitution states that its purpose is to promote sports consciousness and to supervise sports activities, many feel that it is a job that can easily be affixed to Spev or Memcom. However, if one fully maximized these duties, we can have a team solely dedicated to training Ecosoc and making it a worthy challenge in inter-org tournaments. Furthermore, it can educate the Society to practical fitness knowledge, as well as providing other small-scale services like the water dispenser, sports equipment, jerseys, and the like. Without a separate committee doing these tasks, it is likely impossible to satisfactorily serve the sporting needs of 180 members. Next, the Liaison Committee. Allegations of inadequacy has hounded this committee for many semesters, probably due to the difficult nature of their work. After all, running after alumni and the HR departments of companies is no joke for a bunch of college students. But if enough effort is put into getting past the initial arduousness of the task and sustainable mechanisms are placed, then Liaison can significantly increase its productivity. For example, a fully updated alumni database and a regular email newsletter will keep our relations with the Ecosocers of yesteryears much more fruitful. Likewise, once working relations are established with company employers, then there can be a constant flow of employduring the february

art by georgina gonzales

ment opportunities for our graduating members. One can even assist the other: there are cases where the alumnus and the employer are one and the same; thus, maintaining good relations fulfill both of Liaison’s major tasks. What the committee needs though is utter dedication—something that can never exist if they were just a sub-committee. Next, the Secretariat Committee. People, including Seccom members, find their work to be highly rudimentary. Indeed, after producing the Sigsheet, designing the theme board, cleaning the tambayan, and organizing CDC Art Workshop, one can’t help but yearn for something more. But as Ecosoc’s artistic nucleus, they can do so much more. They can take charge of all creative needs of the Society. For example, Finance outsources its publicity work to Echoes because its own committee lacks the capable people, which is understandable—you join Finance because you’re good with money, not Photoshop. But we have been so used to committees having their own mini-Ecosoc within them (complete with a marketing man, a publicity man, a sales man, and a logistics man) that we forget we all operate under one org. Seccom as a committee can reinvent itself in service to the greater Society. Finally, the Echoes Committee. Most people view our publication as a creative outlet, co-optable to Seccom, or an intellectual and informational outlet, co-optable to Acad or Externals. But many forget its role as an autonomous committee—an independent observer of Ecosoc. This is a unique function that most orgs do not have, but it is a beneficial one: the Society is by and large a democracy, and the Execom are not infallible. The members therefore play a large role in moving the org in the direction they seem fit through their thoughts and opinions, which are housed and promoted by Echoes. It is then easy to understand why we cannot be under another committee: our objectivity will be compromised. Before we cry for less committees in the next genmeet, let us first ask ourselves: is it the framework that's faulty, or how the framework is carried out? Our org is a sprawling network of activity, capable of immense output every semester. This is because Ecosoc allows members to specialize, letting them hone their inbred talents and skills. It just wouldn't be the same with the dissolution of any of our ten committees.  5

COMMITTEE NEWS

PAOLO TAMASE

PRESIDENT it’s election season once again, and somewhere in isabela there are trees being cut down for posters and pubmats (halfkidding). This aside, the season reminds me of my own election campaigns in Ecosoc, particularly the one that helped me get elected President. I knew that the only way I could win an election in an organization of bright, rational students was to encourage it to move forward. It’s been five months since, but as the Ecosocers who’ve visited my room would know, I still have my GPOA pubmat posted in my room to remind me everyday of the promises I’ve made to, and the trust given to me by my orgmates. With around a month left before the end of the semester, I’m encouraged that a lot of the change we promised actually translated into real action already: ScholCom has been revived and meets regularly, and we’re in the process of finalizing an Economics scholarship in partnership with our college (we’ll release the full details in the semestral report we’ll release in March); more inter-committee events have been organized, and events like UPfront have strengthened and increased Ecosoc’s brand equity; Charter Change is ongoing, and while some have been too serious even for me, we’ve made more productive use of our General Meetings. But there are some changes that, while necessary, have been less appreciated as they were unexplained: the focus on my function as a general supervisor of Ecosoc and its activities (see Constitution) has been met with some opposition, but I intend on continuing with it because I promised personal responsibility for our organization, as any other President should have. Moreover, my decision to act more as a vicechairperson of Ad Hoc-Task Force was something Sel and I agreed to so I could focus more on managing the Executive Committee and the organization. These reflect the reality that the true challenge these past months has been to change mindsets: that our members’ and beneficiaries’ welfare are above any single person’s, that our committees exist only for a larger organization, and while tradition has been a pillar of Ecosoc, innovation will help us move forward towards a greater Society. We’re rocking the boat to get it moving, so stay on board!  6

SELENA ORTIGA

VICE PRESIDENT hello ecosoc! Other than February being the shortest month of the year, the one thing that I look forward to this month is all the love that you can give and receive to and from your most loved ones! Oo na, wala na akong significant other sa picture ko but loooook! This is my way of showing my love for Pao and HIS SIGNIFICANT OTHER. HAHA I’m just kidding. I’m gonna get killed after this issue. LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE For those of you who SPREAD THE LOVE for the past two weeks, SUPER THANK YOU! Thank you to those who supported Cupid For a Day and The UP MADZ Valentines Show! Continue to purchase PWEDE ballers and support Roleta ng Kapalaran! SPREAD THE LOVE! Show your love for ECOSOC and the ESSF! :) One more thing where you can show your love for ECOSOC and the ESSF is by simply going to the most awaited FUNDRAISER PARTY! Watch out because I’m sure this will be really fun! LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE I never ever ever end commnews without thanking the people I love so much and helped me get through such a stressful month! Thank you ECOSOC for supporting our two POWER EVENTS! Super duper good job Memcom-Spev-Sports for a really fun GMTBS, and Acad-Externals-Echoes for a wild and successful UPFront! We really hope that Ecosoc will continue to support our future POWER (notice my emphasis on POWER) events next sem! Thanks to TEAM PARTY AND SPROJ who take on my panic moments and continue to serve our org and most importantly our scholars! Thank you to Frawesome for making the stress worth it! Life without you guys would be life without 11 awesome people! Thank you KENNETH for talking me into agreeing to team up with Sports and Finance because I would never have agreed! HAHA Congrats Sportance EcSel! :D To my significant other(s)—you know who you are. Hahahaha feeling! I’m kidding. To those who simply were there to help get me through an eventful January, I love you! Happy LOVE month, Ecosoc! 7 weeks to summer! WOOHOO!  photographs by irene arzadon and kenneth reyes

andres "cocoy" licaros iii secretary

hello there, friends. welcome to yet another edition of

how I will miraculously draw out my committee’s activities to 400 words or less! It’s not that I find it hard to do but considering how tedious it is for my members to skim through my other ramblings just to find themselves being mentioned in Echoes. Haha, don’t deny it, being mentioned in Echoes makes you feel special. So here’s your little piece of special: Mia (who passed the UP LAE, CONGRATS!), Bianca (who will be celebrating her birthday on the day of hearts itself, HAPPY BIRTHDAY), Geoff (who is still tremendously gay but also tremendously helpful, funny how that works), Thea (who always reminds me of the important stuff), Cams (whose ideas are invaluable), Janine (who got injured before scav hunt, aw! :( ), Mareca (who is frequently MIA), Dom (who has ruined my acads with Fables), RJ (who I hope is now less privy to explosions of rage), Jeanne (who is currently busy with other stuff but I don’t blame her), Totoy (who is hiding from the drinks he owes me for also passing the UP LAE, CONGRATS!), Jes (who I can talk to about all the crazy shit I find in Youtube), Karlo (whose expertise in cloud watching and Spartan haiku will be invaluable to our next Spartan Club), Bing (who frequently shares my misery in our GS 197 class), Gab (who is always there for commeets! Haha), Yasmin (who still hardly ever speaks), Tong (who is in the running for most bridge games played... ever), Shelly (who has a very water absorbent pony tail), and Van (who finally made it past last place in scav hunt). I hope you guys appreciate this as much as I appreciate your help in Seccom. Like I said, I’m just the guy calling the shots, it’s you guys who really make things happen. So for this season of love and appreciation, mine goes out to my committee and to the whole of this organization which continuously gives me something to go to school for. 51 words left, - Attend Spartan Club, it will rock your senses to the core. Cloud watching and Poetry writing courtesy of Karlo Patron (Feb 24, 2011) - Committee pictorials due on Feb 21, 2011 for the gallery. Wew bragging rights! - Good luck to Seccom Interns: Dave, Jiggy and Archibelle!  TheEchoes.net

gilbert bueno

treasurer it’s love month again, and february is a big month for us in Finance! Why? It’s because BAND IN DEMAND 3 naaaa! Which band will rock their way to the top? Let’s find out together on FEBRUARY 24 at Technowave Bar, Il Terrazzo Mall, Tomas Morato! BID3 will also cap-off our Tambay week so I highly encourage all of you to go. I know you’re required to sell ONE ticket each, but if you love Ecosoc, you’ll attend this event. :) And regarding the tickets, please pay before the event, we don’t want ARs. We badly need cash kasi we have Cash Outflows of like WOAH! Again, I am inviting you to go to BAND IN DEMAND 3. Free flowing drinks and cool musical performances. And APPS, I will give you BONUS points if you attend BID3! ;) Finance and BID3 team! 2 weeks to go! Good luck to us! Sana maging successful ung event natin. Naeexcite ako and kinakabahan at the same time. Woohoo! I know and I believe we can pull through an event as big as this if only we’ll work together. So, GO lang nang GO! Haha! 

COMMITTEE NEWS

regina reinoso

public relations officer “roses are red, violets are blue... i love ecosoc! how about you?” :> Hello Ecosocers! It’s February, the love month! <3 I hope you all spread the love to your friends, family, significant others, etc. Okay, what is kinikilig ako while writing this.*TAGAYTAY! Anyway, I’d just like to thank all of you for supporting UPfront last Wednesday! The attendance was overwhelming! Over 500 Diliman students participated! What a great power event, don’t you agree? Special thanks to the UPfront team (Acad, Echoes, and Externals)! This wouldn’t have been successful without all of your hard work and effort. Cheers! Here’s to hoping that this event will be part of the Ecosoc tradition. And please don’t forget to vote on February 17! But wait, there’s more! Watch out for the upcoming events/services of the External Affairs Committee! Academic Symposium on March 4! (Internet Exploiter: Exploring the Impacts of Social Media on Society) We’ll have super amazing speakers for this! (This is in cooperation with the Academic Affairs Committee.) Join Worldwide Warfare, a pre-event quiz bee on absolutely anything about the internet, on February 15! Check out the pubmat for more details! And, as a follow-up to the objective of UPfront to promote awareness, we will be launching the Externals Board very soon! Stay up-to-date on the current situation of the country as well as the world. Woot! Lastly, congratulations to Kenneth, Avril, and Maan (guest debater) for their excellent performance in the PhilCES Debate Eliminations. UP Ecosoc broke first with 3 wins and 0 losses! Semi-finals and finals this coming Sunday, Feb 19 in UST! Let’s all support the team! Spread the love! Kiss! :* p.s. Hi Triszh! If ever you see this, I love you! 

*Ask me for the meaning of this word if you want. HAHAHA 8

reuel realin

academic affairs chairperson hello ecosoc! half of the semester has already gone by with some of us wishing it would go slower while most want summer to come and get things over with. In these 2 months, Acad still has something left for everyone to look forward to: Ever wondered how closely related Economics is to Facebook? On March 4, watch out for the Academic Symposium entitled Internet Exploiter: Exploring the Impact of Social Media in Society. We’ll be having speakers from the field of Psychology, Politics, and from our very own faculty. Further details to follow! Also, time has come to once again determine who among the committees are the most Jologs of all… tambay week Jologs Quiz Bee organized by the Academic Affairs Applicants! Start brushing up on your Jolina Magdangals and Marvin Agustins! Also, I would like to thank everyone who supported and attended UPfront: The 2011 Organizations’ USC Elections Forum last Feb. 9! I hope that everyone can make an informed decision on Feb. 17. To the forum team and volunteers, thank you thank you so much and we will still have our final GA! *nudges Reg and Kenneth* HAHA! To those who facilitated in the Econ 106, Econ 101 reviews, and also Econ 141 review materials; Chiara, Nikko, Cheyence, and George: Thank you for giving your time and resources in doing these tutorials! Those who need help in their acads may approach me or any acad member to place a request. To end this commnews, I remember one of my professors telling us that for some, seeing the finish line causes them to relax and run slower. Nandyan na nga naman ang finish line, what’s the point of running faster? But then there are others who, instead of slowing down, put in all that they have and sprints for the finish line. In the same way we are all challenged as the end of the semester approaches, should I slow down or should I give all the effort that I can give? We only get to live once, in this case, we only get to live this semester once in our lives. So before it ends, let’s do whatever we have to do (getting that 1.0 we promised at the start of the semester) and do whatever we haven’t done (studying for that exam, completing those CDCs, taking a risk at love). After all, from where we stand, for most of us, we can now see the finish line.  photographs by irene arzadon, kenneth reyes, and mads salazar

felichie "faye" ferrer

community development chairperson one way to express love is through appreciation :)

and sooo... Jeremae and Mhela, you guys are awesome, thanks for always being game and hndi kayo nagsasawa sakin :)) Anj, you have blessed us with your awesome skills! Also remember that my asars are my lambing to you :> Angeli, you have been very patient esp with tutorials, might be hassle at times but you make it seem worth it. Chiara, thanks for showing us how to be game and competitive! We did it sa Scavhunt! :) Diane, I hope you’re enjoying. Thanks for sharing your time and I hope na we’ll be able to work more together. David, I know you are sometimes busy but pag andyan ka, you never fail to help us :) Hannah, you have been a greeaaaaaaat friend and member! Thanks for always being at my side :) Jade, I appreciate everything that you do and I’m sure everything will pay off. Jana, boarding pass system won’t be succesful if it wasn’t for your enthusiasm :D Jay, appear disappear! :)) Thank you for still being there and always ready to help :D Ate Jessie, I am soooo happy we got know each other better! Natutuwa ako :) Ate Jo, thanks for staying with us and for genuinely loving the kids :) Kyla, your creativity adds so much life to our activities! Thanks for sharing it! Lia, thanks for being so hands-on with our activities. I am grateful for that :) Matel, despite your other commitments thank you for not forgetting CDC :) Pers, I appreciate how much you invest in all our activities and I can see how much you care for the community :) Ray, we just had you this sem but you’ve helped us a lot. Kaya napapameeting ka ng bongga eh :)) XP, you are always soooooo game and because of that you make so many people happy :) and to my apps, Bea and Mariel, you’ve been doing a good job! Keep it up! :) To Frawesome, we still have a long way to go but I believe in our group! We can do this :) I love you guys! To my family and friends, thank you for all the support and for believing in me. :) And to Him, thank you for loving me. We love because You first loved us (1 John 4:19) :) 

TheEchoes.net

kenneth reyes

echoes editor-in-chief this month, echoes takes a turn for the sappy as the execom share their commnews photo with their significant other. But it’s Valentines season, who can blame us? The seven days were totally crazy for me and my committee. Last Wednesday, there was UPfront, the first ever organizations’ USC elections forum. Congratulations to Reg and Reuel and the whole Team UPfront for pulling it off! Last Friday, the Echoes team held 11:11: Time for a Wish, the 2011 Literary Night with Alumni. It was touching experience seeing every single one of my editors mobilizing around SE 111, trying to ensure that our only event this semester was a success. And a success it was. Who says ‘the more, the merrier’? Seven editors, two applicants, and one intern is all we need. Avril, good work in chasing those poetry readers around. And despite what you think, you were great in the PhilCES debates. Congrats to us! Ralph, sorry for making you our errand boy. But thanks to you, we had the most cultured Ecosoc snack station ever (croquettes and iced tea in a punch bowl!). Bea, thank you for manning the reg booth and being our wish bowl girl. Sorry you had to stay outside; I really really appreciated how you didn’t wander around like what most people do. Irene, your performance was my favorite! You’re a very talented girl, and I wish you the best of luck in the SElections. Ben, your lanterns idea worked out! Sort of. But hey, it’s not every Litnight when you get the shit scared out of you! Kevin, I think we’re the first Echoes peeps to lay an issue out in Yza. Talk about cramming! Good job with the lights effect! Matt, thank you for the amps, for recording, for performing, and for just always being there. Cyril, you were really helpful during setup and in the food both. Hope you’re enjoying Echoes! Dave, told ya you can host! You even outshined Myk! Oh yeah. CJ, even though I only met you that night, I can tell you’re a hard-working app worthy of being an Ecosocer. Thank you for your help! Sorry we ran out of Litfolios! Echoes, good help is hard to come by these days. That’s why I’m really lucky to have come by you. Phew, glad that’s over. Now please no one bother me. I’m going to have a nice dinner with Hazel and then sleep. For a month.  9

COMMITTEE NEWS

madelene "mads" salazar

liaison chairperson hello e-co-soc! yes, i am trying my best to fix the way I say it haha. It’s the month of love and I feel nothing but that for Ecosoc right now! Almost a month ago, the Alumni Night: Come Back to Ecosoc was held at SE 111 and it was just a super great feeling seeing Ecosocers of all ages enjoying a simple night. Thank you so much to everyone that attended, extended their support through words or Facebook and for inviting alumni to come. I wish we saw more of you there but it’s alright! We will have another alumni event soon! I hope our career tweets, so far have also helped you! We try our best to look outside of what is normally available to Econ students so that the options we present to you are actually possible ones. We will try our best to bring back the Alumni of the Week. Even with only a few weeks left, it would definitely still be nice to hear from them! Since Scav Hunt is over, one team na ulit tayong lahat. And because of that, please watch out for CDC with Alumni! We’re trying to make it the biggest yet!! Please please please come and support us :) Thank yous: Ayla, Mark, Pai, Chrissie, Dean, Henry, Jorell, Nadine, Elwin, Maiko, Lesley, Aves, Patrick, Justin, Kat – hi! Thank you so much to those of you who have been working so hard to give the org the best Liai services and events possible. To those who aren’t as active, it’s not too late! I know you have great potential! I hope to see you soon :) Frawesome, I think (..know, actually) that I love you all! So happy we have each other! I would also like to thank everyone that greeted me on my birthday!! I felt so special because of all your wall posts, personal greetings and texts! I love you Ecosoc!! Please let me know if you have any suggestions for me or Liai! I am totally open to anything :) 

vicente "enzo" clemente

membership chairperson hello everyone! with just a few hours after valentines, I hope all of you had a very warm and fantastic experience with your loved ones. But you shouldn’t limit expressing your love to others on Valentine’s Day, every day is Valentines if you want it to be :) Watch out for Memcom treats this week! With just a month remaining before school ends for AY 2010-2011, I encourage everyone to show their love for Ecosoc for the rest of the school year. We have one month guys! One month to show how much we love our organization before we all part ways. Let’s all support all the remaining events for this semester. I know there are a lot, but it would really be great if everyone will be able to show their support. I really believe we can do this! To Memcom, we have one month left, 3 events to go, and lots of memories together to be cherished forever. Let’s bring our A game! I know we can do better, and I believe that we can do anything as a committee. To the GMTBS team (Janna, Laurence, Carlo and Chesca), thank you for helping organize the first power event of Ecosoc! We did it guys! :) To the Memcard team (Ria and Angel), we have one month left to market! :) We can do it! There are still lots of companies that await our proposal letters. To the Mini-TBS team (JR, Pat, Cathy), we nailed Part 1. We still have Part 2 and 3 coming. Let’s make out of this 2 remaining Mini-TBS sessions :) To Ryan, thanks for the continuous text brig for MEMGUARD! To Angel, Camille, Cocoy, Misha, Ogie, Pat, Rehi and Trixie, you guys have done a lot for Memcom throughout this semester, with just over a month left before this Academic Year ends, let’s give one last push and show our love for Ecosoc! To Frawesome, I know we can do this! Let’s continue to support each other no matter what. We have been together for months, and have become to be very close friends. I really can’t express how lucky I am to have friends and colleagues like you guys! Let’s continue to be inspired and give our 100% in everything. :) p.s. Watch out for the Ecosoc Senior Sendoff on March 22, 2011. Let’s all together BE YOUNG FOREVER. 

photographs by kenneth reyes

jason tayawa

michael "myk" narciso

the special events committee has delivered you events

i guess my prediction was right. i ended my previous

special events chairperson that made you laugh, cry and cringe; and in behalf of the committee, I would like to thank everyone for supporting our events. Everyone who helped out in the one of the most successful model competition in the society, the Ecosoc’s Next Top Model: Manhunt, is a blessing we are very much thankful for – Arsenio and Horace for the beautiful shots and video. Your talents are unparalleled and we would like to see more of it. The Grand Mems’ TBS, in partner with the Membership committee and Sports committee, was a spectacle that showcased the smiles, laughter and hearts of the members. The occasion brought tears that showed appreciation to the individuals that are dear to us here in Ecosoc. The Scavengers’ Hunt promoted the wild side of the competitors, Sportance EcSel, CodEx, Liai-Seccom, and Acad-Memcom, illustrating how tough an Ecosocer can be before they fall. It is true that unity and hard work prove to be rewarded that are exemplified by the grand winners, Sportance EcSel. You guys deserve applause! Random thought, I think airbeds used in events will catch on as furniture favourites being the most utilized (also, this is the only place where you see yourself in bed with someone). BTW, I would like to acknowledge XP for winning the gross eating contest being the only one to consume each gross cup. You won 1 Adhoc ticket! Claps for you! Next week is TAMBAY WEEK, are you ready? Wait for the awesomeness that will be brought forth. The EVENT LINE-UP: TAMBAY WEEK LAUNCH, BINGO, ADHOC LAUNCH, FITNESS DAY, JOLOGS QUIZ BEE, WORLD WIDE WARFARE QUIZ BEE, SPORTS-SECCOM CDC, MOVIES, GAMES and a whole lot more! To my swabe interns Raya, Jen and Cyril, I wish we’d be able to work with you even after ScavHunt because you did a great job! To my team Chrissa, Sol, Jiggy, Myra, Kat, Noreen, Raf, Romano, Steves, Jacques, Rick, Miguel, Aaron, Ryna, Jaya, Tagpinez, Risa, Andre, Pedro, Angelica, Jovy and Lia, as always, you’ve delivered well. I couldn’t thank you enough for everything. *hugs and tears*. To the reader, these are the people behind the events who shed sweat and tears for you, the sweaty committee that we are. We are SPEV and we are here to serve you!  TheEchoes.net

sports chairperson

commnews saying that we will win SCAVHUNT 2011. And true enough, we did. I would like to thank Finance, Echoes, and Sel for teaming up with Sports and sharing with us the goal of winning SCAVHUNT 2011. To our members who gave it their all to capture that elusive trophy, thank you. We just proved how strong we really are and how well we work together. We played the game with utmost enthusiasm, enjoying every second of the experience. We were ONE in our goal. I say we are all GREAT. People say that the committee has this curse but I say there’s really none. The Sports Committee now is hungrier than ever before to make its own mark and become more relevant to the Society. It saddens me when people say that Sports has become irrelevant and that the Society doesn’t really need the committee. But after all the work we have done, I say we are RELEVANT. It is when I watch every Frisbee and Slo-pitch game that I see ONE ECOSOC. It is when I hear people cheer for the org that I feel there’s ONE ECOSOC. For all the support the members have given to our committee and to all the cheers and applause they have given to our athletes, I say we remain RELEVANT. This is the most serious commnews I would probably write. Give us this chance to rediscover the potential of the committee and WE WILL DELIVER. To Sports, let’s give it our all and work even more to perform our committee’s functions better than before. We shall bond soon. :) To Frawesome, we’re Freakin’ Awesome! :) To everyone, watch out for our next events and projects. For sure you’ll all like it! :) 

NEWS

GMTBS POWER EVENT MAKES BIG SPLASH BY BEATRIZ BAYUDAN

17, 2011, the externals committee held The APPrentice, this semester’s Eventology 101, which took its theme from the Donald Trumpled reality show. It was held at Room 125 of the School of Economics from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Externals Committee Chairperson Regina Reinoso started off the program with a message, succeeded by first speaker Kim Orticio, who discussed the marketing essentials needed in an event and imparted some tips. Ecosoc alumna Leslie Octaviano followed, talking about publicity and promotions. Senior Francesca de la Cruz, meanwhile, lectured about logistics. Gracing the seminar as a guest lecturer was Robbie Carmona, the president of Saga Events, who talked about events management. He presented the process of organizing an event, citing his experiences as examples. This concluded the Eventology 101. Spaghetti and iced tea were served to the almost fifty attendees for lunch. The program was hosted by Wil-J Sarmiento and Kiele Brawner. Eventology 101 is a semestral event organized by the Externals Committee that aims to educate the applicants and members about events management. 

22, 2011, ecosoc members and apps got wet and wild at the Grand Members’ Team Building Session (GMTBS) held at the North Susana Subdivision Clubhouse in Commonwealth, Quezon City. Activities included a cheer competition, Coin Dive, and a relay that involved holding a teammate’s hand and crawling under each other, with the last person jumping in the pool. The inflatable bed also figured into many of the activities, namely one that required members to ride on it, with the challenge to get as many people on it without sinking. There was also a race that had members using the inflatable bed to get across the pool. Participants also did a circular game, where they arranged themselves into two concentric circles, with the people on the outer circle blindfolded and rotating around the inner circle. They also had tasks or situations that they would reenact. The last activity was the web activity, a modified version of Pass the Message. Each participant relayed a message to another, and passed the string around, with the goal of everyone being connected by the string. The GMTBS is a semestral event, held to foster unity among the Society’s members. This is the first “power event” of the current semester, organized by the Membership Committee, Special Events Committee, and Sports Committee, which are respectively headed by Enzo Clemente, Jason Tayawa, and Myk Narciso. 

1/17/11 EVENTOLOGY 101

1/22/11 GMTBS

last january

EVENTOLOGY 101 GOES THE APPRENTICE ROUTE BY CYRIL TABLANTE

last monday, january

liai brings alumni back to ecosoc BY MARK MATIBAG

the liaison committee held come back

to Ecosoc, an alumni “open tambayan” dinner at SE 111, last January 22, 2010, Saturday, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The event, hosted by Cocoy Vargas and Faye Ferrer, began with a prayer led by a Liai applicant, Karla Ruiz. This was followed by fun game, including an Ecosoc trivia contest and Pinoy Henyo, which allowed Ecosoc applicants, members, and alumni to bond with each other. Also part of the program were video presentations about Ecosoc, its websites, and CDC, as well as a song performance by Regina Reinoso, the External Affairs chairperson. Foods and drinks sponsored by Reyes Barbecue were served to the participants after the official program had ended. The Alumni Night aims to bring alumni and members back together in order to let them reminisce and reconnect, in the hopes of building a more united Ecosoc body. 

12/22/11 ALUMNI NIGHT photographs by (l-r) arsenio lukban, risa crisostomo, ayla reyes

scavhunt returns, culminates with vice night BY SHELLY UMALI

Last January 5, 2011 at the Society general meeting, the Special Events Committee announced the details of this semester’s Ecosoc’s Next Top Model (ENTM). The theme for this semester is entitled Manhunt. It features one male member from each committee—in contrast to last semester’s female contestants. The event had three photoshoots, each having a one-week voting period. Voting operated on a P10/vote system. The photoshoots were held on January 10, 17, and 24. Seccom, Acad, and Externals were eliminated in the first week, while Echoes, Memcom, and CDC were eliminated in the second week. Of the three finalists, the Liaison Committee’s Dean Dulay won by having the most number of votes, narrowly beating Finance and Sports. Their prizes include the privilege of leaving first for Scavhunt, the ability to skip a challenge, and a cover feature of their contestant in Echoes. The Ecosoc’s Next Top Model is an inter-committee competition started by the Special Events Committee last semester. It serves as the fundraiser for the Treasure Hunt/Scavenger Hunt and Vice Night events that follow. 

Last February 5, 2011, the Special Events Committee organized the Scavenger Hunt for Ecosocers. The teams shuttled back and forth from different places in Metro Manila. Stations were situated in Makati, Cainta, Corinthian Gardens, SM Mall of Asia, and the School of Economics, the home base. Unusual items were required from the players, such as ten jars of Pasig River water, three live earth worms, and a full body suit. Challenges included transferring water from one basin to another using one’s hair, eating three kilograms of rice mixed with different liquids and condiments, dancing in front of a crowd, roasting half a kilo of chicken, and scooping fish using wire and tissue. Grabbing the win was Sportance Ecsel, the Sports-Finance-Echoes-Sel team-up. In addition, they were also the first to arrive at Cid Campos’ residence, this semester’s venue for Vice Night. The Liaison-Seccom team tied for second place with CDC-Externals, while the Membership and Academic Affairs Committee took third place. President Paolo Tamase joined Spev in overseeing the event and was therefore not included in the race. The winners were announced after dinner, with Jason Tayawa, Spev’s chairperson, presiding over the announcement. The Scavhunt is held every year and serves as a competitive bonding activity for the members of Ecosoc. 

12/28/11 MANHUNT

2/5/11 SCAVHUNT/VICE NIGHT

dean dulay crowned manhunt winner BY MATT DAILISAN

photographs by (l-r) risa crisostomo, irene arzadon, faye ferrer

frisbee team places third in duo tournament BY LEUS PUNSALAN

Ultimate Frisbee may well be Ecosoc’s new favorite sport as the Society participated in a Frisbee tournament sponsored by UP DUO. The tournament, which happened throughout January until the first week of February, involved five teams. These are Ecosoc, IE Club, Cursor, JMA, and an Underground team. Rules used in the entire tournament were from the Current World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF). Some of these rules involved sixty-minute games or until one team reaches eleven, as well as an open lineup. The Society’s participation was headed by Sports Committee Chairperson Myk Narciso and team captain Dom Garcia. Members and applicants composed the team; many of these are Frisbee enthusiasts. After two rounds of round-robin preliminaries, the Frisbee team placed fourth, playing against the IE Club to reach the Finals. In the end, the team ends up as second-runner up, beating JMA. UP DUO is an organization that seeks to promote Ultimate Frisbee to students in the University. 

2/7/11 FRISBEE GAMES 13

NEWS

upfront bridges gap between up and candidates litnight '11 sparks BY BEATRIZ BAYUDAN fire in mems demonstrating ecosoc’s thrust for

awareness in University concerns, the Society spearheaded UPfront: The 2011 Organizations’ University Student Council (USC) Elections Forum, held last February 9 at the SE Auditorium. Ecosoc also partnered with twentyfive different organizationss in assembling UPfront. The event, which drew in more than 500 people, served as a venue for the UP community to get to know the candidates and different parties currently campaigning for slots in the USC. Alyansa, Kaisa, and Stand UP were represented in the forum by their candidates for chairperson, vice-chairperson, and a councilor. Chorva David, Marvee dela Resma, and Alex Castro spoke for Kaisa; Gem Garcia, Aman Melad, and Dan Ramos spoke for Stand-UP; and Tin Borja, Trizza Tolentino, and Cathy Alcantara sppearing in behalf of Ralph Geronimo spoke for Alyansa. Geronimo is the Alyansa candidate for vice-chairperson, but he was unable to attend due to an exam. All candidates delivered a speech, tackling a wide range of issues involving not only university issues but national ones as well. An open forum followed, with the first three questions coming from the organizers, and the rest from the audience. The event ended at around 7 pm, with the singing of “UP Naming Mahal” concluding the ceremony. With reporting from Chila Inocencio 

2/9/11 UPFRONT 14

BY BEATRIZ BAYUDAN

app project gives parents to abandoned children BY HORACE CIMAFRANCA

11, 2011, the echoes committee held one of Ecosoc’s mostawaited events—the Literary Night—at SE 111 from 6-9 p.m. Themed 11:11: Time for a Wish, the event played on the tradition of making a wish at that exact moment, and the activities for the night demonstrated this. SE 111 was transformed into a cozy room, with the attendees sitting on sleeping bags and mattresses. Members performed songs and submissions for the Literary Folio were read aloud in between said performances. Performers included Myk Narciso, Matt Dailisan, Simone Carpio, Ica Ducanes, Chrissie Cruz, Jason Tayawa, Enzo Clemente, Irene Arzadon, Dom Garcia, Steven Hotchkiss, Aaron Aw, Miguel Andres, Nathan Legacion, Ogie Enriquez, Cocoy Licaros, Andre Sarmiento, and Kenna Barit. Readers, on the other hand, are as follows: Leus Punsalan, Ralph Dantes, Cid Campos, Reuel Realin, Avril Bries, and Faye Ferrer. Croquetts and ice tea was served. Concluding the event was the lighting and flying of Chinese lanterns at the School of Economics driveway and the release of the Litfolio. The event was hosted by Myk Narciso and Dave Cruz. Litnight is traditionally held to cap off Tambay Week in the second semester, but held at an earlier date this time to make way for Band in Demand.  last february

2/11/11 LITNIGHT

an army of ecosocers trooped to the

Gabay ng Landas (GALA) compound, a shelter for impoverished children, in Marikina last Saturday, February 12, to take part in Date to Donate, this semester’s Applicants’ Project. The afternoon event, which lasted until 5 p.m., was spearheaded by applicant Karl Elamparo, in collaboration with the Community Development Committee. As the title implies, the event was intended to be a date, wherein Ecosoc couples would get to share the Valentines weekend with an assigned group of GALA children to whom the pair would act as parents for the day. The event was well-attended, with members and applicants overwhelming the modest venue. The children, after meeting their Ecosoc parents, went off to try different activities in booths set up by the applicants. The kids and their Ecosoc parents also printed their hands on souvenir T-shirts. In return, the elder children performed a number, followed by a Bring Me game. As Date to Donate came to an end, Manny Zuniga, the head custodian at Gabay ng Landas, explained the shelter’s programs and how his own experiences as an impoverished child brought him to GALA. In response, Ecosoc President Paolo Tamase expressed Ecosoc’s desire to further sustain the newly-found relationship with Gabay ng Landas in the spirit of the organization’s thrust of community service. 

2/12/11 APP PROJECT photographs by (l-r) arsenio lukban, irene arzadon, dana tan

Features

Out of all the writers of Echoes, there is one that arguably causes the most stir. That is why this monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Featured Member is Gossip G. On the other hand, theater veteran Bart Guingona is our Featured Alumnus, while Dean and A concoct an epic chicken recipe. Echoes then goes undercover to spend one hour in a room at the ubiquitous Hotel Sogo. Will we make it out alive? In line with that, we present the results of a poll that surveyed the attitudes and experiences of Ecosocers to love, sex, and drugs. We then feature the four Blueprint girls running for sophie batch rep before closing with a candid comparison of Ecosoc and JMA. ABOVE Kenneth takes a picture of Reg and Triszh for the Significant Others photoshoot. Photograph by Faye Ferrer

FEATURED MEMBER

better watch your back! The most influential writer of Echoes is the recklessly amoral Gossip G. What does that say about us? BY RISA CRISOSTOMO

n an organization as intimate as the up econom-

ics Society, wherein all its members were enrolled as economics students at least once in their undergraduate lives, it’s inevitable that people will rub elbows and shoulders (and then some) over the course of their time here in Ecosoc. People clash and come together; relationships develop and die messy, awkward deaths. It’s up to the individual on how to deal with the consequences of their affairs. Some people are smart enough to keep their private, personal business under wraps, but even the most clandestine affairs are brought out into the open eventually. The smallest trickle of information can leak into a deluge of misinformation and misrepresentation that drowns out the truth. Gossip falls in stray pieces, bits of it getting caught between the cushions of the tambayan’s couches, swept underneath the tables, and stray whispers that always seem to find their way to eavesdropping ears. The swarm of gossip hangs over the Society’s consciousness like a thundercloud threatening to let loose a hurricane of hearsay and a typhoon of talk. Right at the eye of storm is Ecosoc’s most scandalous member, Gossip G. The moment a fresh issue of Echoes finds its way to the hands of any Ecosocer—it’s inevitable, really—Gossip G’s column is the first thing they’ll flip to. In some cases, it’s the only thing people read. There’s always that sense of excitement and intrigue when you know who the people behind the codenames are. And even when you don’t know who are being talked about, there’s this urge to ask around and dig for even the information. As the most anticipated and talked about feature in Echoes, Gossip G’s column understandably receives the most feedback as well. From angry outbursts on Facebook to people complaining that the column has crossed a line, it’s reached a point where Gossip G is as controversial as the very gossip she writes about. 16

After the January issue, Gossip G’s notoriety reached an all-time high when the two pieces of gossip that comprised her column roused some very passionate reactions from the readers. One piece of gossip struck a highly sensitive personal note, while the other, many felt, was a tad too racy for a publication as wholesome as Echoes. Some people were all for the hard-hitting gossip, but others cried foul. It was clear that everybody had something to say about Gossip G and her column, but then I wondered: what did Gossip G have to say about the situation? As a self-proclaimed gossip myself, I knew that my curiosity could lead to some potentially earthshaking discoveries. I wanted to uncover the identity of the seemingly ubiquitous, omniscient Gossip G and know what she has to say about what people have been saying about her. The opportunity was too good to pass up when the Echoes Editor-in-Chief, Kenneth Reyes himself asked me if I was interested in writing a piece for the publication. I thought, why not let Gossip G be featured member of the month? Everyone knows about her, but no one actually knows who she is. Her column inspires a whole slew of conversations around the tambayan. Her influence, subtle as it is, is felt all throughout the organization. Some people love her, some people hate her, but we all know that we can’t get enough of her. As a former victim myself of the notorious her gossip column, I undertook this journalistic endeavour fully aware of the masochistic irony of my situation. I put my own personal hang-ups aside and set about uncovering the truth behind Ecosoc’s most mysterious member. To kick-start my investigation, I approached Kenneth for more information on his most controversial contributor. It seemed logical to assume that if anyone knew the true identity of Gossip G, it would be the editor-in-chief. When I asked Kenneth however, he remained tight-lipped about who she photograph by arsenio lukban

CLASSIFIED The identity of the gossip column writer is a closelyguarded Echoes secret TheEchoes.netâ&#x20AC;

might be—but he didn’t leave me with nothing. He explained to me that Gossip G’s identity is a secret passed down from EIC to EIC, but, for the sake of my article, he gave me the Skype username he uses to contact her. I added bitch_ please to my contacts and gave her a call, hoping she’d pick up. To my surprise, she answered the call almost immediately. Her voice was disguised and distorted, but it was clear enough that I could understand her. She told me that her sources had informed her that I’d been snooping around, trying to figure out who she was. She refused to reveal her true identity, but she agreed to let me interview her. So began the most revealing Skype conversation I’ve ever had. Gossip G described herself as your average, everyday Ecosocer. She claimed that she keeps a low profile and that she likes it that way. “It’s easier to notice what’s going on with other people when they don’t notice you noticing,” Gossip G explained nonchalantly. “You see everything and hear everything if people don’t think you’re paying attention.” Her public persona is miles apart from her gossipy alter ego, and her favourite piece of gossip that she’s written about would was the rather racy news of two people getting it on in the Econ back parking lot, because, according to her, it was “so hot.” Gossip G believes that gossip is an essential part of any collective, that it helps hold society together, because it constantly defines and refines the nature of the relationships people in the organization have with each other. It keeps things alive and dynamic. Along with this, of course, Gossip G believes in gossip as a vital part of social interaction. People love talking about people and Gossip G believes that she’s just helping grease the wheels of conversation. “I’m doing the org a service,” she said. “I give them what they want to hear, even if they’d never admit to it.” She says that she’s been doing the gossip column for a while now and now that she’s started it, it’s become so difficult to stop. Along with the addictiveness of intrigue, the Gossip G persona has also been a mask she’s loved prancing behind in by the time the next Echoes is18

PARTY PEOPLE The ad hoc parties are usually the source of numerous gossip sue comes out. She was casual and coolly arrogant, confident in the importance of her role in the organization and the popularity of her gossip column. However, when I asked her about how she feels when people get offended or hurt by the news she prints, her tone took on a steely edge and the color of the conversation changed. “I couldn’t care less about the babies who can’t handle the truth,” she said coldly. “Just because someone starts crying after I write about how they look like they were dressed by a hobo doesn’t mean I’m the villain. Just because some girl lashes out on Facebook after I write about her breakup, doesn’t make it any less true. If telling the truth and saying what other people think but are too afraid to say makes me the bad guy, then why the fuck are they still reading my

‘When the gossip is tame, people complain that it’s boring. When the gossip is exciting, people complain that I’ve crossed a line. What the hell?’ —gossip g

column? “People think they’re so good and noble, but, really, my column is the most popular thing on Echoes because people like trash. People like knowing other people’s dirty secrets. I’m just airing out their dirty laundry. My victims or subjects or whatever you call them should feel flattered that I think they’re interesting enough for me to write about.” When I brought up the mixed feedback from her readership, it set her off once again. “When the gossip is tame, people complain that it’s boring. When the gossip is exciting, people complain that I’ve crossed a line. What the hell, people? Which is it?” Her frustration was evident, but I knew that I should press on further. “I know that you can’t please everyone, but people are so fucking bipolar that it pisses me off! They think they’re so high and mighty, but really, they’re just as bad as me. In fact, they’re worse, since they probably say the same things I do but they do it behind other people’s backs. Face it, everyone talks behind everyone’s back.” This was clearly a sensitive issue for Gossip G, a point of bitterness she’d been hanging onto and hiding all this time. Despite her freedom to write about anyone in the organization in her column, she has no avenue to express her own feelings about what people have been saying about her and her column. I realized that this article could serve as the vehicle for Gossip Girl getting her

photographs by patrick santos, risa crisostomo, kenneth reyes, faye ferrer, and ayla reyes

message to the organization and all her readership. And the message was plain and simple: Gossip Girl is angry. “To all the haters out there, if you think you can do a better job than me, then start your own gossip column. Make it better than mine, whatever that means. But if you won’t, then sit down and shut the fuck up. What is Echoes without me? You’d all be so bored if I was gone. Bitches, please.” With that, Gossip G closed that topic. Despite her fierce exterior and rather defensive manner of answering my questions, Gossip G, being the controversial, attention hog that she is, couldn’t resist going on sensational tangents that would titillate her readers as much as her gossip. One anecdote in particular had to do with a dream she once had in which she and her friends where having at a dinner in SE 111. At one point, she asked Carl Asiddao to have sex with her and dream-Carl agreed. They ran to the bathroom and before Gossip G could take his pants off, she woke up. Needless to say, I changed the topic pretty

quickly after that. When I asked her if there was a limit to what or who she would write about, she answered that she wouldn’t write about her friends. She doesn’t disclose information entrusted to her in confidence, because, despite what many people think, Gossip G does have principles. She claimed that all her gossip came from reliable informants, observations, and a lot of eavesdropping. So, friends of Gossip G, count yourselves as the lucky few who will find their names printed in the gossip column. From this revelation, logic has it that the people Gossip G does write about aren’t her friends. Perhaps that narrows down the list of possible subjects, but Gossip G remains tight-lipped about it, evading the topic with a barrage of even more explicit dreams and anecdotes. “Gossip G will never die,” she said ambiguously. “I know how much you’ll all miss me if I’m gone, so maybe I’ll be around forever. Or maybe I’ll retire early and keep the mystery alive. Who knows? All you can do is watch and wait

and see.” So, that’s Gossip Girl. A mystery who uncovers mysteries. A gossip monger who won’t spill the biggest secret she knows—her true identity. Whoever Gossip G is, it’s hard to deny how important she is to the Society. She may not hold a formal position or spearhead any of the organization’s activities and projects, but it’s almost impossible to think of Echoes, one of the organization’s most prominent and prestigious legacies, without her. Our favorite drama queen, our most hated frenemy—regardless of who shel is to you, one thing is for certain: She’s here to stay. “But even without me, the gossiping doesn’t stop,” Gossip G remarked, a rare tone of humility coloring her voice as the interview drew to a close. “Everyone’s favorite thing to talk about is other people and I’m not going to pretend that I’m bigger than that. Whether all the gossip that goes around is true or not, I can’t say for certain. “But as for who I am? Well, that’s a secret I’ll never tell.” 

THE USUAL SUSPECTS

Here are the top 5 Ecosocers who have been accused of being Gossip G ANDRE SARMIENTO

PAOLO TAMASE

BEN BISMARK

CHESCA DELA CRUZ

KENNETH REYES

Loud and incredibly vocal about what he thinks, Andre is anyone’s number one suspect when it comes to speculating Gossip G’s identity. He is a recognized gossip and possesses a bitchy streak that several people can attest to. All this points to him being Gossip G, but wouldn’t it be too obvious? Everyone knows Andre can’t keep a secret. If he were Gossip G, wouldn’t everyone know it by now?

Ecosoc’s president is known for many things—one of which would be his love for gossip. Pao loves telling everyone he knows everything going on with everyone and he’s not afraid to keep close tabs on his members. And given that he used to be the EIC, wouldn’t he be the perfect suspect? Maybe not. Pao is a deeply principled person, and as president of the Society, Pao can’t risk any internal drama.

A recognized “gossip mogul,” Ben is yet another Ecosocer known for his passion for rumors. The writer of the eponymous Channel Ben for his other organization, it’s clear that Ben has some experience in writing a gossip column and working for a publication. But why wouldn’t it be him? Well, for one thing, Ben is just too nice. It wouldn’t be like him to go stabbing other people in the back.

As a seniors in the organization, it’s pretty fair to say that Chesca knows anyone who’s anyone in Ecosoc. She can always be spotted in the tambayan, so she likely always knows what’s going on. And as one of Paolo’s friends, it’s easy to assume that the two gossip with each other. Still, Chesca is one of the nicest people in the org. And what does she care about the stupid things lowerclassmen get up to?

The incumbent EIC doesn’t fit into anyone’s idea of a gossip columnist, but maybe that’s the point. Kenneth is in a position of power, but he doesn’t draw attention to himself and observes people from the sides—just like Gossip G said she did. And even if he’s not the gossiping type, he can always ask his editors, especially Ben, for the latest in Ecosoc drama. But then again, can he really be that evil?

TheEchoes.net

FEATURED ALUMNUS

the atheist Actor, writer, director, producer—here’s a look at the brilliantly scattered mind of Bart Guingona BY KENNETH REYES

art guingona is a hard man to keep up with. a

theater actor, a television actor, a director, a producer, a political activist, and an entrepreneur, Bart consistently describes himself as having the scattered mind of an artist. And indeed, an artist he is. My first encounter with Bart was a chaotic one. He told me to meet him at a Starbucks in Harbor Square at 3 pm on a Sunday; he was doing a show in the Cultural Center of the Philippines three hours later. Ten minutes before three, my cab was just outside Harbor Square, stuck in traffic. It was then when Bart suddenly called my cellphone, telling me to hold on to my cab as he needed to run home and “get his pants.” Bewildered, I gave him my location and before I knew it, a bald, goateed man wearing a white polo and carrying a messenger bag jumped into the back seat with me. His booming voice immediately struck me; this man definitely had presence. He explained that he forgot the slacks part of his costume at home. He was slated to portray Jose Rizal as part of Pasinaya, the CCP’s open house festival. We then drove to his apartment at North Syquia, which he described as a loft for all kinds of artists. During the ride, he strongly suggested (I use the word ‘strongly’ due to his thunderous voice, which sounded like God commanding His will) that we start already. So in the tumultuous back seat of the cab, I brought out my laptop and began the interview. A detailed outline of Bart’s life is difficult since he is a man who doesn’t spend much time thinking about the past. When I asked him when he was born, he chuckled and said, “That’s a prehistoric question. Let’s just say, in the mid-60’s.” As I prodded about his childhood, he paused for a long moment 20

and remarked, “Holy shit. I never reflected on my childhood.” He later added, “I suppose it was a happy one.” Even his full name is a puzzle: “Trust me, you don’t want to know. Just call me Bart.” From the information I gleaned, Bart Guingona was born around 1965 to Ben and Viring Guingona and was among six siblings composed of four boys and two girls. He received elementary and high school education at San Agustin, where he “hardly ever studied.” Nevertheless, he remained in the top five of his batch. He was also part of the student council and served as class president twice, along with being editor-inchief of the school organ. “I was kind of a student leader even then,” he says. “I was mature for my age.” At 13, he starred in Wilfrido Ma. Geurrero’s Forever. “Oh God, what a sappy play,” he snickers. This was Bart’s first lead role; the love of theater has stuck with him since then. Besides acting, Bart also delved into several artistic outlets, including writing. In college, a stream-of-consciousness piece he penned about a man on his death bed was published in the socio-political magazine The Review. He was immensely proud of it back then, but reading it now, Bart just cringes. “It was so pretentious,” he laughs. “The writing was so florid.” Bart continued writing throughout his life, even once having a theater column in the Inquirer. In 1979, he entered the the University of the Philippines School of Economics, a curious choice given his deep passion for the arts. As Bart explains, “My plan was to be a lawyer and eventually be a politician, and then be president of the Philippines.” He smiles. “But the thought of another four years really bugged me, so I decided to work instead.” photographs by kenneth reyes

Despite abandoning his grand ambitions, he did become president of an equally prestigious body—the UP Economics Society. Unsurprisingly, his convivial personality allowed him to win the elections despite not ever having been part of the Execom. Prior to presidency, he was a member of the CDC. Besides Ecosoc, he was also a part of the theater org and was a self-described student radical. Upon his graduation in 1983, Bart faced a country in turmoil. Ninoy Aquino was just assassinated, the economy was unstable, and the EDSA Revolution was about to happen. Still bearing an interest in public administration, Bart worked for two years in the Ministry of Human Settlements. At this point, our cab had just made the round trip back to the CCP. We got off and he led me around the complex, looking for Abe Uy, his stage manager. After a maze of hallways and stairs, we found an empty dressing room and resumed the interview there. “Do you have experience in journalism prior to this?” he asked me. I had to say no. “Okay, here’s what you want to do,” he went on. “A straightforward biography might not be interesting to your readers. But if you give them an angle, maybe that would be better.” It was at that point when the interview ceased aiming for a straightforward biography and instead turned into the search for the Angle. “You should bring your subject down to something relevant to your readers, because reading about someone’s life is boring.” As Bart explained how to find this Angle, he mentions his involvement in NGOs like Pagbabago Pilipinas, which pushes for media reforms. “They will subject our films to stupid censorship laws,” he declaims. “Pubic hair is not supposed to be shown. Why? Because public hair is not normal? They gave Schindler’s List an X-rating because there were women walking naked to a gas chamber. How stupid is the leadership in this country that it treats us that way?” I proposed that the Angle should be how an Econ graduate can lead a life so drastically different from that of the TheEchoes.net

usual Econ graduates. “No,” Bart replies. “My life isn’t drastically different. Economics is like a blank slate. Unless you become a career economist—which very few people do— you can use economics as a foundation for whatever you decide to do.” I point out that it’s still unusual for someone to make his living off theater, and again he corrects me. “There is no financial security in theater. I head a communications company that organizes advocacy events, and I make my living off that.” The company, Silang Communications, recently finished a conference called Re-imagine, which gathered thinkers into forming a vision for the Philippines twenty-five years from now. Seeing as how I still didn’t understand the dynamism of the science of economics and the art of theater, he explained, “I love the dialogue between the left brain and the right brain, between economics and theater. I love how economics was teaching me how to think, and theater was teaching me to throw away what I learned and follow my heart.” He then fell in love with the idea of self-expression as a life calling. At 21, he joined Repertory Philippines, a grueling experience that shaped his character over the next nine years. Explaining his

life choices, he says, “What separates us from the animal kingdom is that we can express ourselves. “There are two ways human beings express the truth about their lives. If a girl jumps out of a ten-story building and dies, a medical doctor would look and count how many ribs are broken. A poet will look at the same fact and say, ‘She died of a broken heart.’ “Man makes his contribution either scientifically or artistically,” he concludes, before adding, “Or for those who know no other way, they use faith, which for me is inferior, because it’s really copping out.” I then asked him if he was a Catholic. “I was, and for a while I was agnostic, but I think I’m an atheist at this point in my life.” Indeed, after leaving Repertory, he formed his own company, Actors’ Actors Inc., and staged the Necessary Theater (TNT), a string of unconventional plays that included a single-actor monologue entitled The Atheist. I ask him if he ever plans to start a family. Bart holds that he doesn’t think about these things. “If it happens, it happens. I don’t plan them.” And thus, I ended my interview with the man who thinks neither of his past nor his future. Bart’s mind is a scattered mess, but a brilliant one at that. 

A MOMENT’S REFLECTION Bart looks into a mirror in a CCP dressing room 21

FEATURES

one big joke: chicken supreme Featuring Janna Ong and Mark Matibag BY DEAN DULAY AND AARON AW

dean and a have been on a roll with

hit after hit for One Big Joke. Now they’re back, hungrier than ever! So they decided to fix you all a snack. Now we know that all the craze these days is eating healthy and taking care of your body, and all that communist sh*t, but we’re giving PETA and vegans all over the world the middle finger by cooking an all-man, all-calorie meal. (We are not liable for any heart attacks this recipe may induce.) To share in this feast, we invited two real men, Janna Ong and Mark Matibag, over to our house in Filinvest 1. Enough talk! Let’s get it on! Boy do we have a treat for y’all! Just when you thought chicken was for people on some failed diet, we’ve got a chicken recipe that won’t only kill your diet, it’ll chop your diet up and feed it to pigs—who never go on a diet. Ingredients • A whole f*cking chicken • Mac n’ cheese up in this b*tch • Bacon, bacon... more f*cking bacon • Salt and pepper to taste—I mean, until you can’t take it anymore b*tch • V*getables? No f*cking way! 22

• Mashed potatoes—we’re giving this bird a nest • Steakhouse Baconators... garnish that big bird Directions 1. Grab the chicken, open it up, show it who’s boss, then debone. 2. Line this boneless chicken’s insides. With what? You guessed it: bacon—lots of bacon. Bacon up this mother hen! 3. Stuff it. Get all that mac n’ cheese in—make it yellow, make it scream cheese. 4. Sew it shut. 5. Bake it. But not before we line it up... with bacon. Bacon body shield for this little birdie! 6. Pop that baby chick out of the oven. Give it a bacon grease gravy bath. 7. Let it sit on its nest—mashed potato nest! 8. Beconator garnish. Then another gravy bath! 9. Serve while scorching hot on a bowl. Aftermath after all that hard, hunger-induc-

ing work, it’s now time to reward us real men with a bite (or two) of this juicy bird. Our guest Janna liked it, but Mark died. Just kidding. He fell into a calorieinduced coma, and we had to revive him... with bacon.  What makes Dean and A feel so good? “They do?” [goes offline]

—janna ong —von benavidez

“Because last night was Valentine’s night.” —anonymous “Because they know Hari :>” —hari orosco “Because they just had...” —jr yambao “Coz they do... Trust me, I know.” —andre-esque sarmiento “…...” —sel ortiga

Video

See how it’s done exclusively at TheEchoes.net!

photographs by risa crisostomo and paolo tamase, photo-illustration by kenneth reyes

red light district What happens behind the bright red walls of Hotel Sogo? Our hidden camera crew finds out BY BENEDICT BISMARK & IRENE ARZADON

overt infiltration missions come in all forms.

James Bond always brings along a younger, very attractive female who usually turns out to be a double agent. Charlie’s angels put together a team of women from very different walks of life. Regardless though of who that spy is, at one point in their lives, they will conduct difficult missions. There will be a mission that will challenge not only their skills, but also their morals and their integrity. It will also test their ability to prevent themselves from blowing their cover by bursting into laughter in the middle of a mission. We undertook such kind of espionage. What was this mission? Find out if the Sogo Hotel really carries its advertisement of being “so clean, so good,” and at the same time satisfy the curiosity that exists in the subconscious minds of probably everyone.

First Attempt February 3, 2011 5:00 p.m.—A Frisbee game ends when Ben and Irene decides to complete their mission for the third issue of Echoes (because they’re devoted editors like that). However, due to predictably unexpected tendencies, Irene decides to invite photograph by benedict bismark

Bettina Ramas and Cocoy Vargas to come with them, hoping it will be less awkward as if she only came with Ben. And to avoid the hassle of commuting, Bettina also thinks of asking Dean Dulay if he can drive the four of them to Sogo Cubao. 5:45 p.m.—So it’s Ben, Irene, Bettina, Cocoy, and Dean going from Econ to Cubao. Everything is going well—traffic is good in EDSA and time isn’t really chasing them. However, the first complication arises when an MMDA enforcer calls their attention while Dean is slowing down near the entrance of Sogo on the bus lane at EDSA, just because there is a metallic fence that blocks the entrance of the Sogo Hotel parking from EDSA. Manong MMDA enforcer asks them to stop near the sidewalk, which signals that he is about to give them (or just Dean) a ticket. It’s a good thing that Dean knew what to do during that situation. Being Dean, he starts to explain (in English) to Manong MMDA that the reason why we slowed down is because there’s a fence that blocks the entrance of Sogo. Manong MMDA tries to communicate with Dean in English as well, but he eventually gives up and asks Dean if he understands Tagalog. Anyway, the end of it is that Manong MMDA let them go without issuing a ticket or anything (good job, Dean!). 6:10 p.m.—As they are navigating their way around Cubao 23

the bellboy if the hotel has bigger rooms that can accommodate the five of them, because it is just impossible to have a “study group” (their excuse for staying in the hotel) in separate rooms. Unfortunately, there are no such rooms. Irene tries to bargain if they can still get one room, but the bellboy insists that it isn’t possible. Frustrated, Irene asks for a reimbursement and they all leave the establishment. And since it’s getting late, they decide to go back to Econ and abort the mission.

Second Attempt February 5, 2011

LIGHTS OUT Ben’s silhouette in the dimly lit room (which is difficult since the roads are narrow and there are a lot of stores and people on the sidewalks), they finally arrive in the Sogo Hotel. 6:20 p.m.—The first thing they notice is a Mang Inasal restaurant at the ground floor, and in the parking, the cars are all parked near the exit. As they enter the hotel, Irene feels like her mind is blinking for a second because it wasn’t the “exclusive” type of motel she was expecting. She notices that every receptionist, security guard, and bellboy there is busy assisting the people on queue (who are seated on small cubicles with music portals). Stating in the least judgmental way, one couple who were seated seemed like they were teenagers. The girl is trying to hide her face using her hair, and the guy has this snicker as he anxiously waits in line. (One episode of Imbestigador exposed that the receptionists of motels were trained to not look straight into the eyes of the clients for a long time, and 24

really, the staff in Sogo Hotel would be talking to you while not looking at you as much as they could.) 6:25 p.m.—The receptionist guides Irene, Ben, Cocoy, Bettina, and Dean in a machine where they can get a number after choosing the suite that they want. A two-hour stay in an “Econo room” costs P178. As they are about to order one, they realize that it will take a while before a room will be given to them since there are a lot of people on queue (!!!). They decide to take the more expensive suite instead so that they can finish their mission as early as possible. 6:35 p.m.—When they are about to enter the door (which is, by the way, a “fire exit” type of door with an automatic security lock) that leads to the hallway heading to the suites, the bellboy stops them and says that each room in the hotel can accommodate only two people, and that Irene, Ben, Bettina, Cocoy, and Dean have to get three rooms if they want to get inside. Appalled, Irene asks

4:00 p.m.—Echoes finishes the Scav Hunt and proceeds to Ralph Dantes’ house to plan how to proceed with the infiltration. They enter a heavily tinted van manned by one of the most skilled transportation agents, Ralph Dantes. Echoes intentionally leaves Kevin Estopace behind along with Dave and Cyril to create a façade that the committee was still in Scav Hunt and was making preparations for Vice Night. 4:30 p.m.—Echoes arrives at the Dantes residence and everyone freshens up. Some even change clothes just to make sure that they will not be identified as a member of Echoes. Most notably, Hazel Sumampong takes about fifteen minutes in the bathroom to make sure the integrity of Echoes’ first lady isn’t compromised. 5:00 p.m.—Roles are assigned. Ben and Maria* will enter the Sogo Hotel room and note anything out of the ordinary. They are given code names to protect themselves: after much discussion, Ben is renamed John and Maria becomes Anna. Kenneth and Hazel become the decoy couple. They’ve been practicing this role for over a month. They will redirect attention from John and Anna so that they will pass off as normal Sogo-goers. Ralph, given his deep understanding of culture and art, becomes the driver. 5:45 p.m.—The team arrives in Sogo Hotel. Ralph parks the car in the basement. The team deploys into the lobby where they are greeted by a trio of not so attractive women, assumed to be prostitutes given their skimpy outfits. John and Anna proceed to the receptionist, photographs by benedict bismark and maria

take a number, and wait to be served. Hazel and Kenneth, the decoys, circle the area and pretend to be contemplating on getting a room. Ralph stays alone. Everyone pretends not to know each other. 6:15 p.m.—John and Anna are finally called to enter their room. They open the fire escape-type door that leads to an elevator. With them is a couple in their late twenties. In the elevator, John and Anna exchange glances with the couple until they exit on the third floor. Immediately, John and Anna stare at each other and burst into laughter at the awkwardness of the moment. They then analyze the other couple and conclude they weren’t aesthetically gifted. Meanwhile, Hazel, Kenneth, and Ralph walk to Gateway to buy Starbucks treats. 6:20 p.m.—They enter the room and turn on the lights to discover that the main lights are bright red, which don’t do much for illuminating the place. It does add a sex-me-up vibe to the room though. After some more poking around, they discover the lights to the vanity. Being florescent, they reveal not one, not two, but over eight stains on the bed sheet. 6:25 p.m.—While in the middle of documentation, the phone rings. Thinking that hotel management is suspicious, John and Anna spend three full minutes panicking and another two deciding who to pick it up. John, being the biological male, picks it up. He is offered additional services such as therapeutic massages and “dinner,” among other things. Being the principled man that he is, John refuses and hangs up. 6:30 p.m.—The bathroom is inspected. Oddly enough, it is the cleanest part of the room. The toilet even had a white strip of paper strapped around it which read ‘sanitized.’ However, the toilet was unflushed and the shower was still wet, indicating that someone else was in the room just a few moments before John and Anna arrived. 6:40 p.m.—John and Anna muster the courage to observe what was under the bed foam. They lift it only to discover nothing but several strands of hair and the TV remote control. However, lifting the foam released the odor of reproduction long accumulated under the sheets. TheEchoes.net

6:45 p.m.—Anna accidentally drops something and both John and herself stoop down to pick it up. This reveals a huge amount of hair strands scattered all over the floor. Concerned, Anna checks if any of them match her hair but none of them did. Interestingly, the strands suggested that a curly-haired customer used the room recently. Ralph, Kenneth, and Hazel return to their parked car at the basement of Sogo. During the walk, Ralph grumbles at the uncultured poor people. 6:50 p.m.—John turns on the television and randomly surfs the channels. The most notable channels were 98, a religious channel that featured mass with the Pope, 108, which featured hot Asian porn, and 112, which featured hot European porn. Sadly though, the channels were highly sexist, catering only to heterosexual viewership. This bothered John, but for the sake of class, he kept it to himself. 6:55 p.m.—John and Anna fake a sex scene. They wet the towels and random-

ly throw them on the bed. They ruffle the sheets and scatter them. They turn on the shower for a few seconds to leave the bathroom wet. Anna, being the sentimental girl that she is, takes out her camera and takes a shot. She says she wants to remember the moment. 7:05 p.m.—The team leaves the room. Coincidentally, a group from the room two doors away also leaves. It consists of a man and two women, all in their late twenties. John, Anna, and the three strangers enter the elevator and all of them exchange awkward glances. 7:10 p.m.—Anna and John reach the lobby and check out. They spend a few minutes checking their belongings. Right before leaving, John looks at the monitor for available rooms and notices that just five minutes after checking out, their room becomes available. They descend to the basement parking where their getaway vehicle awaits them, along with Starbucks coffee.  *Not her real name

SO CLEAN, SO GOOD? A photograph of the bathroom 25

FEATURES

The secret lives of ecosocers A study on our attitudes towards love, sex, and drugs BY JESSICA MANIPON

bout a week ago, a survey

was released exclusively to Ecosoc members about relationships, sex, and drugs. If some of the readers have missed answering that survey, then too bad because they missed their chance to be part of this exposĂŠ. The answers are in and the stats are out; Ecosocers have indeed been exposed. Hoping not to sound too technical, I present some of the results of the survey.

Number of respondents out of 182 members; 28 are male and 38 are female

80%

Percentage who are heterosexuals; 84% among males and 75% among females

21%

Percentage that approve the use of recreational drugs; 25% among males, 18% among females

12%

Percentage that have used recreational drugs; 7% among males, 16% among females

26â&#x20AC;

45%

Percentage of respondents who have friends that use recreational drugs

56%

Percentage who have had a clearly-defined romantic relationship; same proportion for males and females

23%

Percentage of respondents who have such friends that have also tried recreational drugs

37%

Percentage who have never been in a relationship but have lost their virginity; all are male

Percentage who have engaged in sexual activity; 54% among males, 26% among females.

52%

15%

Percentage who approve of pre-marital sex; 75% among males, 34% among females

Percentage who consider themselves sexually active; 18% among males, 13% among females

32%

Percentage who approve of homosexual sex; 39% among males, 29% among females

26%

Percentage who do not consider themselves virgins; 39% among males, 16% among females

48%

Percentage of sexual activity that involved the same sex; 53% among males and 40% among females

16.2

Average age when virginity is lost; 15.7 for males and 17.2 for females.

80%

Percentage who believe in contraceptives without restriction

The question now arises: why exactly was this article initiated anyway? Why go through the hassle of collecting data, summarizing them and making statistics and such? For one, there is curiosity. This is not to embarrass Ecosocers, of course. All respondents were assured of confidentiality. However, wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t photograph by patrick santos

SHOTS Alcohol—the leading cause of one-night hook-ups

you want to know about the profiles of Ecosocers and what they believe in? More importantly, this article plans to break stereotypes Ecosocers have of each other. Just like everything else, we have an image set in our minds of someone who is sexually active or who approves the use of drugs. In this article, you will be surprised to know about the profiles of people who break these stereotypes. Furthermore, this article wants to stimulate conversation between Ecosocers, allowing them to realize that they are not alone in their beliefs about sex and drugs. Whenever the topics of sex and drugs are discussed, it’s always in hushed tones, told in the confidence of a friend. Why? Because despite studying in one of the most progressive schools in the Philippines, sex and drugs are still taboo enough that anyone who dabbles in them will immediately be judged— and harshly at that. When I was excruciatingly summarizing the data of the survey, I found some results were already expected. One does not need to regress the data to show that there is a great correlation between Ecosocers who have tried or done recTheEchoes.net

reational drugs and having friends who use drugs. Also, it is not surprising that a high percentage (80%) approve the use of contraceptives for birth control. However, there were also quite a number of surprises. For example, no female respondent confessed to being a homosexual; all were either straight or bisexual. Most of the information shared above present the rest of the surprising results. Aside from those, I found that a few seem to have misconceptions on the difference between “sexual activity” and “sexually active,” which made analyzing the data quite confusing. Regardless, it

The data is so rich that I actually felt eager to input them into Stata and start regressing!

tells us about how individuals perceive their sexual experiences. When analyzing the data given, I could not help but separate the males from the females as this has important implications on how we perceive gender and sexuality. There are virgins who believe in pre-marital sex. There are heterosexuals who approve of homosexual sex. There are those who believe in marital sex only but have engaged in manual and oral sex already. The data is so rich with implications and correlations that I actually felt eager to input the data into Stata and start regressing! I do not feel the need to put an analysis to every result of the survey. I will let the data speak for itself and leave the rest of the analysis to you. If you wish to see the complete results and summary of the survey, you can approach me and I’ll be glad to provide them. I tried to make the article less technical and more factual. This is not really science but more of an exposé to start breaking the stereotypes and to make Ecosocers think twice about how they judge, look and think about other Ecosocers. Maybe it’s about time we broke the silence.  27

FEATURES

sophies' choice With Macro, Micro, and Accounting, it’s undeniable that real Econ life starts at second year. Here’s a look at the four ladies vying to lead their batch through it BY JESSICA BISCOCHO

fter spending a whole year

walking around like eager first-timers in an amusement park, we have now come to see things in a slightly different light. We no longer look at the UP Diliman campus as an endless maze of immensity but as our home, familiar with almost every street having learned from the many ikot and toki rides. We have familiarized ourselves with the system: how to preenlist, which GEs to take for that sure uno, and of course, which terror professors to avoid. Now that freshman year is over, we’re past the adjustment stage in this new chapter of our academic lives. However, we won’t forget the hard work and efforts of two people who have stepped up to the take the challenge of leading this 28

fresh batch of School of Economics aspirants—Stefanie Su and JP delas Nieves, first year batch 2010-2011 elected representatives. But their term is nearing its end and elections for new representatives are fast approaching, which signals the need for us to brace ourselves to face yet another level of challenges—what lies ahead in our sophomore year as college students. Second year as economics students entail not only harder academic requirements but actual major subjects: Econ 101, Econ 102, Econ 198, Stat 101, and Accounting 1. The mere thought of juggling all of them already sets our stress meters high. So imminent questions are now raised, despite the coming year’s pressure, who will follow the steps of Stef and JP and take over to lead us

through? Four freshmen, all of whom come from our very own Ecosoc, bravely stepped up to the challenge: the teamup of Stef Su and Ria Zapanta and the team-up of Ryna Claro and Just Bernabe. Unfortunately, there are only two seats to fill. Who will be elected to those two positions as second year batch representatives of school year 2011-2012 will be up to us, the incoming sophomore batch. As it was made clear, the job that they are signing up for is no joke. It will definitely require more than a dash of persistence, patience, skill, and grace. Having the chance to speak to each one of our candidates, I was able to learn a thing or two about these hopefuls that may just help us decide before we cast those votes.

photographs by arsenio lukban and irene arzadon

GIRL POWER (CLOCKWISE) Stef Su, Ria Zapanta, Ryna Claro, and Justine Bernabe. These young ladies will battle it out on February 17 for the title of sophomore batch representative. Catch them in the SE convocation on February 16

TheEchoes.netâ&#x20AC;

FEATURES Team SUperZAPped Stefanie Kaye T. Su June 4, 1992 Immaculate Conception Academy

name birthday high school

Arianna Ma. Francesca S. Zapanta September 24, 1993 Saint Pedro Poveda College

THEIR TEAM’S STORY

plans in a nutshell

the fact that we’re really good

• Outsmart (excellence in academics) • Outfuse (batch unity) • Outspeak (freedom of expression) Our plans are really about making our batch mates feel cared for, through services like tutorials, lists of recommended profs, text brigs and giving proper recognition to our batch mates for their achievements.

batchmates more. “I didn’t get to do some things that I had wanted to do this year, like getting to know every one of them and getting most, if not all of them involved and active in their college lives. I’m not sure about how I did this year, but I see next year as a chance to do more things for my batchmates... I feel like trying out for this job again will help me grow.”

STEF’S STORY

if she wins and not ria

friends makes us a good team so communication-wise, we’re effective. Our bond has grown for the past months, and we’re proud of what it has come to be today. We’re so comfortable with each other that we can express ourselves fully, however sabaw it may be, because we both know that the other would respect it and still accept us for who the other is. We think that this is important in a partnership because we have to be open to listening to each other’s ideas.

stef decided to run

for the second time around because she knows that she could still do much more for the batch. She wants to take this chance to reach out to her

“I will still do my best to fulfill the plans that we have drafted. I’ll ask help and suggestions from the other elected person, and maybe somehow merge our plans with their plans to make a better list of plans, but I’ll also ask help and suggestions from Ria.” RIA’S STORY ecosoc inspired ria to take the leap

and run for this position. She says that “my little positions as an applicant for Ecosoc gave me what could be a lifetime’s worth of valuable lessons and experiences. It was so fulfilling to see what all you worked hard for turn into reality right before your eyes. And I thought about the even more amazing things that can happen if it’s something more large-scale, like being the batch representative. I still think I’m so crazy for having the guts to run sometimes. But surely, I am ready for the challenges that this position entails.” if she wins and not stef

“Our decision as batch representatives should be something that we both agree on. I understand that she may have a different take on our plans, just as I may have a different take on theirs. But since we all ran for this position with the same goal/passion of service, whoever my partner may be if elected, I think that the plans that’ll be carried out regardless of the original plans that will be cancelled will be what’s best for the batch. And that’s what matters most.” 30

photographs by arsenio lukban and irene arzadon

Team SophoMOREs Justine L. Bernabe October 18, 1993 Divine Light Academy THEIR TEAM’S STORY we complement each other. we are

both driven and we know how to work together. I know that I am a very headon person and I try very hard to do what must be done. I know that my partner also is the same. All that my partner and I have to offer are our dedication and perseverance in our work, and that is what makes us effective. plans in a nutshell

• Improved Batch Participation through the Sophie Card—this aims to improve the attendance and participation of our batch in SE-wide events and hopefully tap the talents of the sophomores. • Centralized Communication System through the Sophie Mail—more than just the usual Facebook and Yahoo Messenger reminders, the sophomores will have their very own website. • Tutorials through Sophie Help—tutorials and sample exams to those who will be needing help in different econrelated subjects.

name birthday high school

Maria Ryna Angelica T. Claro December 30, 1992 Assumption College Antipolo

through.” RYNA’S STORY

equally, and after much deliberation, decided that batch rep was the way to go.”

ryna, like her partner, has always

had in her the desire to lead, to run for a position, “then as time progressed, I really felt the calling for me to run for SESC. I initially wanted to run for either SAC or batch rep, but I felt that I was still unprepared for SAC, so I decided to start small and go for batch rep. Don’t get me wrong, running for batch rep was not second to me wanting to run for SAC, I wanted them

if she wins and not justine

“In the event that I do get elected and not Just, I would still try to do as much as possible things that I promised. I believe that the other elected officer and I should meet halfway and implement our plans together. Having two people from different group does not mean that plans have to be scrapped out, but it is a chance to merge two good things, and make it better.”

JUSTINE’S STORY had the desire to take up a leadership position, but she never really had the chance to build herself an established reputation within her school community because she constantly transferred schools. “So, even if I ran, I will never have the chance against my opponents because people have known them longer compared to me. So, I think, this is really the chance to fulfill my calling.” just says that she has always

if she wins and not ryna

“If that would be the case, my elected partner and I will talk about everything. We’re going to see which of our plans are similar and those will be the priority. Now to those plans that are different, we’re going to evaluate it and figure out if we’ll manage to carry them TheEchoes.net

OPINION

the unending case of ecosoc and jma

An honest look at two oftcompared orgs from a mysterious email BY AN ANONYMOUS CONTRIBUTOR

first, let’s mention some facts.

Ecosoc: is only open for application to BS Econ and BS BE; has twelve executive members and ten base committees; holds its regular elections in the end of the first semester; has 150+ members on the average. JMA: is open for application to everyone around the campus; has six executive members and five base committees; holds its regular elections in the end of the second semester; has 200+ members on the average. But these are the obvious dissimilarities. And so, I will now delve deeper into vague subject of culture. Differences in personalities abound in JMA, given how diverse a popular university-wide organization can be. These differences form their culture, which sets them apart from any other organization. In JMA, there exists a great cobweb of complex unwritten rules, etiquette, and manners—norms that might have been inherent in the org. From their conversations alone, you will immediately feel the difference in Ecosoc’s upbringing from theirs, such that you might say, “I don’t think I can fit in. This is not something I can keep up every time I come here. This is not the way we talk, take things, and spend our days in Ecosoc.” Well, maybe Ecosocers too go out to party and drink, but our conversations really run a different dialogue. JMA is—as everyone says—a party organization. And they admit that: their largest event is still (arguably) their Ad Hoc, and if they aren’t preparing for that, their membership as a whole are out partying most of the time. They take a few things too lightly and nil things too seriously. They find humor in the occasions and small things that don’t even

occur to us to discuss. Their conversations run in subtle tones of flirtation and arrogance. They’re loud, expressive, and sometimes bluntly cutthroat, reacting to whatever they deem foreign. They are unafraid to share their opinions about whatever with one another because they have developed a common taste for things and people—taste that is in and accepted. JMA is like one big barkada. This pool of traits is what makes them either envied or hated by others. This is what makes them a daring organization. However, most outsiders don’t know that JMA is also an organization that provides education to 25+ grade school students and supports endeavors that are similar to Ecosoc’s cause. It’s just that this usually isn’t in the lyrics of their everyday drama, as opposed to Ecosoc’s constant refrains of “socio-civic! socio-civic!” Nevertheless, JMA still achieves it effectively. Maybe it’s because they’re richer? Have more people, more connections? Well, it’s a yes to all but that’s not it. Rather, it is their attitude towards work, which is highly output-oriented: you will be in a small team but you’ll have a name for your position (because they emphasize résumé building), and everyone really does everything to make sure his or her output is realized. Quitting is an option, but is socially frowned upon. Outsourcing is also accepted. They are a marketing organization, so they don’t have a problem with tapping resourcess. In fact, they don’t see much value in manual effort at all. In recognizing your efforts, expect a barkada type of recognition. There is little fondness for real awards; what’s good about doing things well is that JMA will remember you, not what you

did. Take it as a challenge to get into JMA. They are an acquired taste for most, but they will be of benefit to you someday. As for Ecosoc, we definitely different values. Output is appreciated but effort is also very well-recognized, and our take on recognition is serious. For one, our outstanding applicants are remembered until they leave the organization. We maintain professionalism amongst ourselves. This has two effects on us: one, there is a big room for mediocrity and little room for commitment. By separating work and socialization, our leaders fall into the trap of isolating organizational pressure from individual competition. However, the second effect is that there is a big room for excellence. Knowing that effort and output is valued, there is an incentive to dedicate ourselves to our project and the organization. Great praises are given to anyone who achieves, and you need not be too worried if your output is unrealized. Ecosoc is socio-civic—with emphasis. Meaning what? We do our best to accord our endeavors and values to that characteristic, but we sometimes don’t achieve it in our projects and people. Maybe JMA doesn’t do it as grandly, but surely, they make a difference still. On that basis then, we are socio-civic by instilling in our members the values we uphold. Meaning what? Unless explicitly written, we won’t stop trying to be socio-civic as we see it, such that we may have become too rigid that we sacrifice the glaring excellence in membership we upheld before.  These are excerpts from a three-page document anonymously emailed to the editor-in-chief. photo-illustration by kenneth reyes

CULTURE

Ralph kicks off the Culture section with a review of the acclaimed Winter’s Bone, a dark tale about one daughter’s quest to find her neglectful father. Lia then shows us how the stars are dressing up this Valentine’s season in her fashion column, while Irene tackles OPM experimental music, proving that our musicians aren’t all about creating jingles and novelty songs. With Jefferey Eugenides’ Middlesex the topic for this month’s literature column, Avril explores this atypical novel’s taboo subject matter that came from the author of The Virgin Suicides. Gossip G. then treats us to a round of gossip—or does she? Chiara closes with Report Card. ABOVE Debra Granik, writer and director of the film Winter’s Bone. Photograph from laemmlezellerfilms.com

CULTURE

FILM Winter’s Bone reviewed BY RAPHAEL DANTES upon watching debra granik’s win-

ter’s Bone, it is understandable as to why it’s apt to approach the film with some trepidation. This multi-Academy Award nominated film, which was earlier a Sundance Film Festival standout, is exceptional for its sharp ability to thrust viewers into a detailed and desperate human existence without being ostensible or manipulative. Critical darlings of various festivals in the past years have included manipulative visions such as Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire and Frozen River. The glorious Winter’s Bone, however, highlights Granik’s rather distinct sensitivity and smarts as a filmmaker—an aesthetic and moral sensibility that never relies on exploiting the lives of her characters or patronizing her audiences by appealing to our prejudices or soliciting our guilt. The film’s concise and well-paced plot proceeds with the same resolve that inhabits Ozark woods native Ree Dolly (an excellent Jennifer Lawrence). The large Dolly clan which she’s part of lives off the map in a Missouri Ozarks backcountry, way back, where there are no telephones, cell phones, TVs, or computers in sight. In spite of this, poverty is not essentially the concern: the Dollys don’t aspire for the consumer culture, they live in meager modesty because they’re used to it. It is simply a fact of life. The scenery is harsh indeed, but it does not exist to merely shed light on a sociological condition. Something more primal, almost Greek in its archaic power, is at stake in Winter’s Bone, and its visual and emotional starkness do no not seem like emblems of realism. Ree’s tale parallels The Odyssey. She learns that her missing, recently convicted father put their home as bail before disappearing, and unless she can find him for his next court date, she and her siblings, as well as their silent, cata34

THE HEROINE Jennifer Lawrence as the unwavering Ree Dolly tonic mother, will be homeless. As she makes her way through the backwoods, asking but never begging for help or information from her interrelated indigent neighbors involved with the production of crystal meth (“Aren’t we supposed to be kin?” she asked a few of her relatives), you get an ominous sense of a community threatening to anyone who doesn’t abide by their implicit rules. Danger thickly drapes the air, and it feels as gritty and winter-beaten as the film’s dreary landscape of cold hollows and ragged woods. Violence is abundant in Winter’s Bone, yet it’s almost never seen. Granik’s sophisticated filmmaking technique is deftly exhibited, for example, in a shot that’s strangely redolent of a scene from Texas Chainsaw Massacre—Ree is dragged into a barn to receive a brutal beating the audience doesn’t see. Sympathy for our young protagonist in peril—at 17, hardly more than a child herself and yet compelled to persevere through tribulations that would horrify adults—is the sentiment one would feel when watching Winter’s Bone. Although unquestionably bleak,

what’s notable about the story is that for all the hardship that besets the protagonist, it still shows glimpses of how people enjoy their lives through their daily activities (drinking, singing, cardplaying)—the bleakness is slivered with a welcome seam of hope. There could be an alternative life for Ree. She considered joining the army, a profession that befits her as she’s gifted with intelligence and a moral courage that commands respect. However, it’s apparent that she’s deeply attuned to her family and their time-honored way of life. Winter’s Bone casually and modestly examines the lives of its characters. With how Ree carries her siblings on her back, in the way her uncle threatens his wife (“I already said shut up once with my mouth”), and in the manner that Ree shows her siblings how to use a rifle, you get a genuine feel for how people interact with one another, whether by care or abuse. These are not characters seeking validation for their efforts to transcend poverty or how to live with others, but actual people simply living and wishing to be left unperturbed, with their dignity safely intact.  film poster from mydvdinsider.com

Fashion Lalalalove BY LIA LONTOC it’s that time of year again when there’s a little

more of everything nice: a little more skip to your step, a little more sing to your song, a little more twinkle in your eye. Hold your horses kiddies, it’s Valentines season! But then again ‘nice’ is a relative term. High on love? Then tell the whole world about it! Reflect the romance in your life by giving your style a sweet twist. Take cue from country darling Taylor Swift.

Scorned? Sexy is the sweetest revenge. Take it from recently single Vanessa Hudgens. Don’t let him see you shed a tear.

Single? Fabulous? Lovin’ it? Be playful with your choices like flirty and quirky Blake Lively. And when you’re taking after Ms. Lively, you know it’s a all about the legs.

According to Pat Benatar, love is a battlefield. So whether you’re love drunk or just plain hung-over, better pick a side cause the sidelines are no fun. And don’t worry, I got your back. I’m completely armed with fashion advice. À bientôt!  TheEchoes.net

CULTURE

MUSIC Experimental OPM and the artists behind it BY IRENE ARZADON

postmodernism has influenced mu-

sic in a way that artists are becoming very much experimental when it comes to mixing sounds and lyrics. Take for example Owl City and Train, who are known to create music with the most random lyrics, or the a capella renditions of existing songs. Of course, these developments have also roped in several of our original Philippine music (more commonly known as OPM) artists as well. The world actually now knows the Filipinos as musically artistic thanks to Charice, Gabe Bondoc, AJ Rafael, Chris Cendana, and a lot more; but bands like Bamboo, Spongecola, Imago, and Up Dharma Down have manipulated music for a new identity of experimental (and hypnotic) OPM to be born. A whimsical and experimental record of recent memory is Nyko Maca’s collaborative album with Playground, which has indeed given a new spin on original Philippine music. The band plays with words as they create music that they refer to as a mix of SamBossaBatucada a brasileira, Drum n’ Bass, Bateria Afro-cubana, Trip-hop, Funk, Progressive House, Hard Bop, Afrobeat, and Dub genres. These give them their own identity, which is explorative and simply original. One won’t hear a steady and identical set of tracks in their album, Niyog, but rather, an eclectic collection of songs about love, friendship, and even love of country (which connotes a form of protest). Another artist to watch out for is Johnoy Danao; his songs from Dapithapon were recently featured in Jerrold Tarog’s Senior Year (an excellent film that premiered last March 9). What’s very Pinoy about his music though is that all of them depict genuine feelings as a Filipino. In fact, when I ordered his album, he personally delivered it to me in Econ! 36

COSMIC Filipino indie rock band Up Dharma Down Speaking of Pinoy, an artist who can actually play with the modern Filipino language ingeniously is Rico Blanco, as reflected in his song, “Antukin”: “Tadhana’y medyo overrated kung minsan. Kung ayaw may dahilan, kung gusto palaging merong paraan.” He made a Taglish song without making it sound awkward; on the contrary, it sounded conversational. This goes the same with Sugarfree. And it’s sad that they had been disbanded, after all their chill, heartfelt

When I ordered Johnoy Danao’s album, he personally delivered it to me in Econ!

music. Their songs tell stories of people; “Dear Kuya” is about a Filipino with a struggling OFW brother, while “Burnout” portrays a timeline of a love story similar to that of Popo and Basha in One More Chance. Rock bands have seen an uptrend in conquering a part of mainstream OPM, and one good thing about that is the rise of Up Dharma Down. Their music is one of the perfect examples of experimental OPM—all the electronic sounds in their album actually sound so suitable amidst organic instruments. Most of their songs have deep feelings of affection that carry a lot of vicarious value (referring to “Taya” and “Sana”). They really are quite an experience. There are still quite a number of artists and bands who are itching to try various things for the love of experimental OPM. Their uniqueness and creativity define a rich Pinoy culture.  Discover more artists and their music by liking Remember NU Rock on Facebook photograph from reverbnation.com

Literature “i was born twice.” this line, which opens Jeffrey Eugenides’s book Middlesex, strikes me as poetic and yet insufficient to describe the novel. Middlesex is told by Cal Stephanides—an intersexual who was born as the beautiful Calliope Helen Stephanides but turned out to be male; he discovered that he had a recessive 5-alpha reductase deficiency—(by the way, this is a good book to read if you want to do well on your Bio 1 exam; I remembered a lot of terms about genetics and sex thanks to it)—which gave him female characteristics as a child. The novel follows his journey in discovering his true gender—not merely in the chromosomal or hormonal sense but in terms of choice as well—and what ultimately formed who he was. The plot traces back to his grandparents’ history in Bithynios, where they were two siblings who fell in love andhad an incestuous marriage; to his parents, who were second cousins; to Cal’s desire for a female friend referred to only as the ‘Obscure Object’; and so forth. Middlesex is a restless novel that jumps from one scene and style to another, ranging from the fanciful (“[taking our clothes off in front of each other] was like unwinding bandages”) to incongruously comedic (“[her hair] possessing a natural power, like a beaver’s tail) to the painfully ironic (“Hermaphrodite: … see synonyms at monster”). The narration shifts from first person to third, and its genre can be classified as coming-of-age, family saga, tragicomedy, or socio-historical fiction, to name just a few. As Eugenides’s second book after his acclaimed Virgin Suicides, Middlesex is an excellent read. However, there are still points of criticism. Because of the breadth of the book, there is a sense that depth is sacrificed. Eugenides covers so many different aspects that one occasionally feels a sense of incompleteness. For example, more about Cal’s experience after his return to his family as a male would be appreciated. The variety of writing styles, while adding richness to the text, sometimes borders on unevenness. Eugenides also occasionally comes off as verbose, which makes the plot drag. Furthermore, the interpretation of intersexuality and gender identity occasionally conforms to stereotypes. One can argue that Eugenides was agreeing with the belief that men should be attracted to women and women attracted to men, thus Cal’s choice to become male because of his interest in females. This perpetuates the idea that being gay is unnatural; to quote a line from the book, “Breasts have the same effect on me as on anyone with my testosterone level”—a fallacy any testosterone-rich gay reader will scoff at. All-in-all however, Middlesex is a poignant, honest book that tells its story with unabashed dignity. The novel is easy for anyone to relate to; it is not merely about intersexuality, but about society and identity. This is a book that you can pick up again and again and still see something new every time you read it. —avril bries novel cover from biblio.com

Gossip

How does it feel? —gossip g. 37

CULTURE

grade

INC

Report card January 2010 BY CHIARA COKIENG

december—2.75

we continue the saga of our nation’s ups and downs

in this month’s Report Card. What were the events that made us proud to be Filipino, and what events made us bow our heads in disgrace? Read on to find out.

november—2.5

Pride

shame

UPDATE ON THE RH BILL JANUARY 31 The RH Bill is approved by the House committee on population and family relations. It has come so far in such a short period as compared to its previous version. The future of the RH Bill is looking positive under the House leadership of Speaker Feliciano Belmonte. It is now getting the attention it needs for decisive and speedy legislation. The only problem left are the flexing muscles of the Catholic bishops and their conservative beliefs; but with Catholic bishops in other countries eventually accepting the merits of the RH Bill, indeed it looks it has a better future now than it ever had before.

NOYNOY’S NEW TOY JANUARY 13 You must agree with me when I say that nobody doubts that Noynoy did not buy his new toy, a second-hand Porsche, using public funds. While there is nothing legally wrong with his buying a Php4.5 billion Porsche with his own money, basic rules of delicadeza however, say otherwise. Especially for a president who is trying so hard to make himself come off as your ordinary hotdog-eating citizen on a New York City sidewalk. THE DOMINGUEZ BROTHERS JANUARY 18 The case of brothers Raymond and Roger Dominguez and their syndicate is yet another proof of the failure of the criminal justice system. They have only become popular, or should I say infamous, now after their alleged murder of car dealer Emerson Lozano; but before that, they have already been arrested and arraigned for more than 20 cases of alleged car theft, being able to post bail each time and apparently continuing with their crime spree. PNP Director General Raul Bacalzo said, “Even if we manage to arrest all perpetrators, if the prosecutors and judges don’t do their jobs properly, then criminality will continue.” EDSA-BUENDIA BOMBING JANUARY 25 Four humans killed and fourteen injured through such inhumane and unnecessary means of injury. This cannot possibly be a cause of pride for the nation.

Conclusion Nothing fucking notable really happened in the first month of 2011. But I guess nothing happening is somewhat better than bad things happening. 38

photograph by irene arzadon