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21 Opinions: The Two Decades of Engineering the Human Soul Š The Engineering Spectrum, 2014 Copyright of the individual entries remains with their respective authors. All rights reserved. The Engineering Spectrum reserves the right to the contents of this release. All articles are perceived to be original works of the authors and remain as their property. Portions of this publication may be printed or used as a quotation as long as the author and/or publication is properly acknowledged as the source. This is not for sale. Correspondence may be addressed to: Engineering Spectrum Editorial Office Room 423 PUP Engineering and Architecture Building Anonas cor. Pureza St., NDC Compound, Sta. Mesa, Manila E-mail: engineeringspectrum@yahoo.com FB: facebook.com/PUPspectrum | Twitter: @PUPspectrum Engineering Spectrum is the Official Student Publication of PUP College of Engineering and a proud member of Alyansa ng Kabataang Mamamahayag - PUP
v
Prescript
Editorial (CEA Spectrum Vol. I No. 1, May 1993)
O
NCE again, we feel the spirit moving in the whole CEA community, in everyone, in every occasion. Bit by bit, our notions are being realized through cooperation and unity among ourselves. During the initial stages of the CEA student publication, we were full of enthusiasm. Amidst the various problems that suddenly arose, we tried our very best to be able to push through
with the project. The thought that many are awaiting our first release gives us the inspiration to continue with the task we volunteered to take. United in the desire to have a third state within our community (the
administrative being the first and the student council, the second), we had exercised our every right to come up with this official publication, CEA Spectrum, meaning the display of light into its components. We get every possible component or side of a single issue that can affect the community. There’s no place for idiosyncrasies and dogmatism. And after carefully weighing down each side and acting as the conscience of the community, CEA Spectrum would endorse an explanation or a solution subject to individual judgment of every reader. Aside from bringing news, that’s our responsibility. With the student council, the administration and the CEA Spectrum acting on different capacities toward a common goal, we are almost assured of a democratic, progressive and responsible community conducive to turning our ideals into reality.
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Notes from the Founding Editor in chief
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OW time flies. Not knowing what is in store for our Collegiate paper, how it will fit to the mission and vision of the College and of the University. Reminiscing how we started as a newbie really fascinates me. 21 hopeful individuals and 6 chosen to lead the Editorial board. Of course, it will not be possible without the help
of the CEA administration, the student body, and the student council. It was a giant leap for the College of Engineering and Architecture. Thus, we survived.
Struggling to cope with all our academic requirements, working our butts
double time and grappling to beat the deadline. This is how we started CEA Spectrum. It’s great that we have reached 21 years and still going strong. Today, as we present to you this special issue, we bring you a compilation of commentaries displayed by our talented and hard-working editors and writers. Kudos to these student leaders who keep on fighting for academic freedom without being prejudiced; changing the image of CE students of being positive activist without curtailing our freedom of expressions nor opinions; being the mirror of what’s really happening inside the campus. We should be happy that we are part of this great institution. Our assertiveness, creativity, flexibility, and inert talent and intelligence make
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viii us all unique. We find ways of expressing ourselves through our mighty pen shown in those editorials and editorial cartoons. Truly “buhay-estudyante” is exciting and a once in a lifetime. We should all be using our talents and skills in every way we can. We are once a part of it, and will always be part of it. Through the relentless efforts and hard work of our dean, chairpersons, faculty members, student leaders and the entire engineering studentry, our mission, vision and objectives will soon be attained. The thrust of the College to achieve greater heights will only be realized if we work hand in hand. Long live Spectrum!
Joselinda M. Golpeo (IE ‘95)
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Editor’s Note
I
N every waking day of our lives, we deal with different voices which does not just call us but influence us. There will be these voices which will encourage, inspire or motivate and there are some which will criticize. The latter usually discourages but sometimes it is a wake-up call that leads to change. Yes, these voices in some ways brought change, whether good or bad, depending on one’s decision and response
towards it.
Indeed, Engineering Spectrum has become one of the voices which
stirred the soul not just of the engineering students but those who have read some of its output. With this in mind, we thought that the celebration of our two decades of existence as a publication deserves a meaningful compilation of 21 different editorials, columns and editorial cartoons which reflect the real sentiments of engineering students. These journalistic outputs were selected based on two qualifications- its relevance to the present times and the quality of output, which we believe is something that is worth reading for every student. This is also one reason why most of the articles that you will be reading came from the late 90s up to present, the time when the publication is on its prime. Moreover, some of the forms used in some articles were edited to make it in line with the current standard of the publication. However, ideas and
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x content were retained to keep you reading opinions that will bring you back to the past. More than just the news and different stories being told in different ways, Spectrum has catered true voices of students through its commentaries, reflection, realization and wake-up call to name a few written on its opinion page. The opinion pages have catered young bright minds of their generation addressing relevant issues with the hope that their thoughts can change or add something to their fellow students or maybe the country, and in some ways their article could create an impact to their readers. Opinions from a simple student’s realization and reflection on poor habits, how to live life to the fullest and life after graduation up to tuition fee hikes, insufficient University funds and national issues— opinions of this sort cover this compilation. These opinions are voices which still haunt the present generation and yearn to be solved or realized. But in a generation where social media has bombarded our ears with different voices, how does these affect our lives? Are we feeling great? Because social media is a powerful tool to express. Or are we feeling disappointed? Because this is the generation where anyone can simply post their sentiments and comment on an opinion without first thinking. We are no longer in an era where a written opinion is just a one way communication, where the writer can just send a message to the reader. This is a generation where an opinion can trigger another opinion until everybody has something to say, it is either readers may agree or disagree to the writer with just a click away. Now, we are certain that the opinion page is still a very powerful tool to trigger change not just in our College but to the individuality of its readers. And as a college publication, we are adapting to the trend of giving students the privilege to speak what is on their mind using various platform like social media. In the end, our commitment to be the voice of engineering students still
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xi remains but we also want your voice to be heard. Who knows? Maybe your opinion can create a bigger impact to this generation of students. And we hope that you will get something after reading this compilation of opinions which ENGINEERS THE HUMAN SOUL.
Edcel B. Artificio Editor at large
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Contents Prescript
v
Editorial (Volume 1 No. 1) Notes from the Founding Editor in chief
vii
Editor’s Note
ix
Shattering the apathy
3
Ramir Correa Gravity
10
Diana Capsa-Salazar Why students procrastinate
16
Marvin John V. Perdido Sentimiento de bobo
24
Annabel Rebosora-Viar Fair and square, corners of a circle
32
Lloyd A. Luna Reputation
40
Edwin E. Abad, Jr.
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xiv On the dot
47
April Angela Gumban-Dela Cruz Bawal basahin
54
Kaycee B. Victorio Buhay-estudyante
62
Alexander S. Carrascal Touch and go
66
Jocelyn E. Delgado Everything that I need to know to succeed in college I learned from my mother
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Orland Delfino Tubola Holy crime
75
Edmar L. Mangahas Why mess with perfection?
79
Joseph C. Moico Editorials Understanding accreditation
7
Good luck
13
Victory for us, by us
20
Security has its price
28
Clearing up
37
Culture of cheating
44
Pagbabago
51
The Decline
58
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xv Editorial Cartoons Volume II, No. 2
6
Volume II, No. 3
9
Volume III, No. 1
12
Volume III, No. 3
15
Volume III, No. 4
19
Volume III, No. 5
23
Volume V, No. 7
27
Volume VII, No. 1
31
Volume X, No. 4
36
Volume XI, No. 1
39
Volume XI, No. 3
43
Volume XII, No. 1
46
Volume XII, No. 3
50
Volume XIII, No. 1
53
Volume XIII, No. 2
57
Volume XIII, No. 3
61
Volume XIII, No. 4
65
Volume XV, No. 3
69
Volume XVI, No. 2
74
Volume XVII, No. 1
78
Volume XX, No. 1
82
Postscript
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PUSH (Volume XX, No. 4) Tiway.doc
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21 Opinions Editorial Committee
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Editorial Board and Staff
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Once a Spekapip, Always a Spekapip...
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Shattering the apathy Ramir Correa (CEA Spectrum Vol. VI No. 4, January-February 1999)
T
HERE had been many times when I thought of quitting the CEA Spectrum. Apart from the intolerable rigor of presswork,
the one thing that always bothered me is the thought of not making any difference at all. Four years in this institution have been monumental struggle, personally to touch my fellow CEAns including my colleagues and make the feel that we’re all part of
one community—a microcosm of bigger society. In fact, these are the most asked questions inside the office of the
publication: Are the students paying attention? Are they reading us? Half of that question is answered by the endless flux of literary pieces
sent by poetic species of CEA ranging from the mushy to the radical. There are also a number of contributions in the FreePage section where short proses are sent. At least, it verifies that they read us, and they want to be a part of the issue we publish. During presswork, I would fall into arguments with colleagues who want to scrap the literary section when there are overly sentimental poems in it, those which cry or crave for love and about love. My stand would always be to maintain the section if there were enough poems for it. (Especially if there was something from Miss Hyde of IE, whoever she is). I’ve always wanted the students to feel that they are part of the publication. Actually, the students own the publication. They are its publishers.
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4 In that light, it gives the students all the more reason to be a part of the CEA Spectrum. Being part of it is more than sending poems and odes to love. Being part of it means sending a statement and making one’s self be heard. Being part of it means being in it. Physical presence is not a requisite, there have been countless Spectrum correspondents who just came and went inside the office without having their presence felt, though not at all. I don’t know. They must have had their respective reasons for leaving the work. And just to add, staff management is a thankless job, too. There had been many times when I thought of quitting the CEA Spectrum. But I did not. I did so because I thought I have not done much at all. Even until now. We may have been able to churn out issues after issues, but it never was a goal. We could expend the paltry budget the Spectrum collects every semester and publish our reports but still, things would be as it is now—the students, the CEAns would just as be indifferent. I must admit that my heart bleeds each time I see Spectrum newsprints scattered along corridors and stairs around the building. It would soothe me if I knew that someone had read it before it was thrown away, or either ginawang pamaypay o pamahid ng ano—upuan. But surely, someone with strong sense of responsibility is not litterbug. In some other way, students would show their apathy by scoffing at the articles and ignoring student issues, the ones often called the “activist issues”. It was hard enough that they do not give a damn over events like the call for the restoration of summer class programs in CEA, tuition fee increase, facility problems and other significant issues that directly concern the students. By mocking the paper and tearing it into parts to deprive other interested readers, it makes it even harder to understand. Apathy is written all over us. We would never bother to talk about issues that do not have our respective course interests in it. We do not want to send
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5 a message or make a statement if it wasn’t about the latest software and microprocessors in the market, the recent trends in architecture, the biggest names in civil engineering and other technological advancements in our respective fields. Of course, that’s healthy, we are the future architects and engineers. But most of the times though, we end up talking about nothing. Time will pass and either through sheer diligence or divine intervention, we will graduate and leave the confines of this building we have claimed our world. Soon after, we will be transported into the “real world”. It is where the words privatization and globalization matter. It is where survival is the name of the game. It is when we bleed for our own money. Perhaps, it is also when we might learn that we should have given those issues some attention after all. I have challenge to hurl and anyone can rise up and take it or pay attention. There is an article on page three of this issue which talks about campus press freedom (about what?). It was written by Ms. Ruth Cervantes, the fiery president of the College Editor’s Guild of the Philippines (CEGP). Read it and feel what your first impulse would be. Read it and tell us if that article is worth the space in the pages of this newspaper—your newspaper. Respond and we will start to build something that resembles a community. Respond and we will start the first few steps in shattering the apathy.
*** Ramir Correa (CE ’99) is the editor in chief of CEA Spectrum in 1998. A Jim Murray wannabe, Ramir began in the publication as a sports writer in 1995. Currently, he is working for Flairemedia Consulting, Inc., an IT and outsourcing solutions company in Manila. He still doing his passion in sports writing by posting some sports bits in social media.
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CEA Spectrum Volume II No. 2 October-November 1994
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Understanding accreditation Editorial (CEA Spectrum Vol. V No. 1, June-July 1997)
D
O not be too surprised at all, if your instructors have required you to bring colored pictures of yourself to be used in the seat plans. Don’t be too surprised if the rooms, laboratories and the comfort rooms are starting to get sparkingly clean. Do not even bother to ask your instructor why class is being divided into two rooms. It is more than just for breathing space. Don’t be too
surprised, CEA has a tradition to follow and is just being true to form. That’s the Pinoy tradition of sweeping the dust under the rug. Because in just a matter of time, some important personalities will visit our building and check us all out here. We shall witness the process of accreditation. Specifically, accreditation is a process by which CEA will be evaluated in its educational activities to seek an independent judgment by a qualified group of peers to confirm that it has “substantially achieved its objectives and met proper standards of quality education.” Generally, if an institution gets accredited, it will be assited to possess certain standards of quality or excellence through aids which may come in tangible forms such as modern equipment and financial assistance. We have yet to verify the development in the other colleges in PUP that underwent accreditation but current statistics says that more than 20 top schools out of 1,090 public and private institutions on the college level are now benefited financial assistance thru scholarship grants for students and
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8 teachers. Modern facilities like the management information system and connection to the internet are also provided including other means of support for the school’s program and center of specialization. If we get accredited, we can have all those. Nice promise. But this accreditation process raises more questions than the excitement it evidently generates in the faces of prominent college figures: Do we really need to be “accredited” in order for us to acquire those support and assistance? Isn’t it government’s task to provide our institution, being a state-owned one, with all reinforcement we need to achieve our basic goals? What if we failed in the evaluation? Could it be that PUP-CEA didn’t meet the standards because it didn’t have the support the government ought to give? CEA will even spend about P70, 000 for this process and the Dean may be right in thinking that it is waste of money “But it will benefit the students in a way that companies will easily hire our students as well as our graduates (because we are an accredited University.) ,” he says. Fine. But the field will still be the student’s proving grounds. And what they’ve learned here will all reflect what CEA really is. And the students know what CEA really is. We can’t forever be boxed in the belief that we can get away with the habit of showing our fair side even as the other side bear all deficiencies. Moreso if these deficiencies are due to the very same fault of those who want to rate us. Perhaps accreditation will somehow turn out to be something good. For whom only CHED knows.
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CEA Spectrum Volume II No. 3 December-January 1995 The Engineering Spectrum Anniversary Compilation
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Gravity Diana Capsa-Salazar (Engineering Spectrum Vol. VIII No. 1, July-August 2001)
H
AVE you ever wondered what it is about your life that seems so interesting? Has it ever occurred to you that maybe there’s something missing in the puzzle of your plans? That maybe you’ve got some major potentials which you’ll eventually need and use in the not-sodistant future? And was there even any point in your existence that you asked yourself this
question: “Do I have any mission on this planet?” If you haven’t, I guess it’s about time for you to think these thoughts over. What I mean is that look at how old you are and yet you haven’t even had the slightest idea of what lies beyond your simple, boring, lifeless existence. Okay, let me start with your course. I bet you didn’t even dream of taking that one up when you’re still a kid. Perhaps, being a doctor, or an astronaut, or pilot is the kind of dream you’ve had every night for the past let’s say 10 years? Or maybe a writer for that matter? A DJ? A ballerina? And so, you made it a point to have good grades, one healthy body,, perfect places that’s why you’re soaked up with the fact that your pathetic economic crisis has become a hindrance in pursuing your lifelong ambition. It’s a pity though. You can’t do anything about it (for the meantime) and you ought to have a degree after your 21st birthday. So, you took up the scholarship test. Passed it. Then, you were granted those kind of courses you haven’t heard of. And those became the deciding factors of your college life because
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11 your ‘ambition’ wasn’t included in those choices. It’s either you take the scholarship and choose from the ABCD’s or you consider that ‘ambition’ and don’t get to college at all. But fate is fate and so, you accepted the offer. But of course, you took the course with the nicest syllables put together and it sounded so great you wanted to scream. And you began to think that gravity has swallowed everything up. But past is past. You couldn’t do anything then. You’re a helpless human being. But look at you now. So educated, so refined. You have all the resource you need in order to follow what you’ve wanted ever since. This time, no one’s gonna dictate you on what to do. Try to think of how satisfying it would be if you’ve achieved your team that became an ambition that turned out to a frustration. Won’t it be great to at least experience living that dream, making it a reality? Go on try it, remember there’s nothing wrong in typing. Because the actual sense of living is having that purpose and making it all happen. But make sure to always remember gravity. Nothing that gets on top that does go down especially when it was all done with deception and menacity. This, time try to answer the questions at the beginning and see if you’ve already figured things out. The succeeding years in your life won’t be put to waste if you have. But if something gets out of hand, don’t worry, it’s all included, it is that missing puzzle which makes your mission and purpose much more exciting.
*** During her college days, Diana Capsa-Salazar (CpE ’05) is a DOST scholar and the associate editor of Engineering Spectrum. She has been in the business processing outsourcing industry after she finished her studies. Diana is now with the Arvato Corporation, working as the workforce manager in Manila.
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CEA Spectrum Volume III No. 1 July-August 1995
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Good luck Editorial (CEA Spectrum Vol. V No. 7, March 1998)
W
E salute the graduates of the College of
Engineering
and Architecture
as well as the rest of the PUP batch 1998. The University and your fellow PUPians are mighty proud of your achievement. Time flew too fast that you
hardly remember you once aimed to
graduate this year or so and here it is now… a reality. All the joys, the thrills and specially the spirit of graduation are sweeping all your worries on what tomorrow will bring you. You have just reached another milestone in the long and narrow road to ultimate success.
But isn’t earning degree already your success? However worn out this line may be, it is still worthwhile to think that graduation is not the end but just the beginning. This is the beginning of another journey to another dimension where, to borrow another cliché, men are separated from the boys and ladies from the Barbie girls. This is reality. Reality is standing before the desk for job applicants and hearing the clerk say that you can hope that the company will call you back as soon as they find a reason to do so. That is their most polite way to say “No Vacancy”. If by chance it happens to you a number of times during your job hunting, it could mean that the jobs you hunt are getting smaller by numbers. By then, the outreached arms of the unemployment monster will have just embraced you.
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14 Reality is working on a job you honestly think was not the one you worked hard for in five-year or so stay in college. Still, it is a job and you’ll take it. To learn about the complexities of a computer’s architecture or the expanse of communication knowledge for five years and get hired as an encoder or lineman for the best cable TV provider in town underscores the reality that is underemployment. Reality is the government’s utter disregard of the student’s plight. It is largely, the lone responsible body to which the blame on the graduates’ woes should fall squarely. Its neglect of the educational system, or put it bluntly, its stupid policies on education, which it has prioritized less, has led to this dilemma. We, the undergraduates are still in this deep hole the government has dug up for us. You, the graduates, have been lucky and tough to crawl out of it. The scenarios painted above are not meant to discourage you. It was meant to challenge you. Out there is another world of challenges. You have already proven that you can conquer one. Success is out there. Good luck.
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CEA Spectrum Volume III No. 3 September-October 1995
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Why students procastinate Marvin John V. Perdido (Engineering Spectrum Vol. IX No. 1, June-July 2002)
Y
OU attain whatever goals individually you want to attain if you sacrifice today” – Cheryl Miller You are totally lying if you say that a good student never procrastinates. There may be times when even an honor student was helplessly blinded by the power of procrastination. Unfortunately though, several
students are not just blinded by this destructive habit, but worse, they were seriously hooked up on it. No I’m not talking about ecstasy or the likes, but rather the culprit why most students fail, literally. Procrastination. It may sound like a negligible word in English but in Filipino, it can be easily explained as “pagpapabukas ng trabaho”. So, why do students procrastinate? It is just surprising to see High school kids in uniform strut their way down the escalator chit-chatting with friends in their ‘konyo’ accent knowing that it is better to go home after a long day at school. Well it won’t hurt if we go malling with friends once in a while, but to go malling like you own Glorietta or you go frequent than the saleslady is a different story. I once thought that chatting and playing Counter-Strike was cool but it is annoying when you run to the nearest computer shop to rush a school project last minute just to see that there’s no computer available for the simple reason that everybody was busy kicking ass on the monitor. Really now, why do we do things later when we have the whole day for us?
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17 Let me site some reasons Being liberal that we are, we tend to enjoy that small world we call ours. Life has a lot more to offer to us youth. We are introduced to a lot of things like bar hopping, rave parties, billiards, internet, etcetera, etcetera, and etcetera. We just can’t resist the temptation of doing useless things in exchange of lending our time to important stuff like studying. It’s cool but seriously addictive. The thing is, we end up piling our school tasks because we enjoy too much. It was then we’d realized the value of time. Another reason why students procrastinate is that professors give them the reason to do so. Some professors will come late and I mean “really late”, or worse, they will not show up for like two or three meetings. With that, the students will be tempted not to do homework or at least take a glimpse of their next lesson because half of their being was telling them, “Wala naman si Sir sigurado sa next meeting,” or “Late naman si Ma’am panigurado”. Okay, we have to admit that we somehow liked the idea, but someone has to make the first move to change, and in this case it is a nice idea that our mentors are showing good example. What’s worse is that students tend to sour grapes every time they flunk or they get low grades on a subject. Even though it is basically their fault, they blame their professors for their irresponsibility. Ask someone why he failed the subject you might hear him say, “Prop ko kasi laging late, eh. Wala akong natutunan”. Dear God. I pity those professors who are devoting their time in faithfully teaching their students. Pati sila nadadamay. In our school, you can never work for money because of low salary. I admire the professors who sincerely teach students because they want to help our dying educational system. Getting sick of the same routine is another reason. Some students just woke up one day realizing that they are not already happy with what they are doing. “Is it me? Or is it my course?”. They are totally clueless on what’s lacking in their life that’s why they became depressed. They want change, but they are afraid to leave a lot of things behind. Things that they once thought they are happy to pursue and finish proudly, but all of a sudden, they
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18 lost interest. As a result, they became too lazy to even wakeup to another sickening school day. Scary. This may be too personal, but an unhealthy home is another serious problem. The house may not be a perfect place to study, so the tendency is to escape the house and do things that can make them forget. For a while, that is. When they come home, it is same-old-same-old. Conflict arises. Forget everything, forget studies. “I’m sick of home, just let me be”. Then procrastination galore! Whatever the reason is, I absolutely believe that students must be totally aware of the unhealthy habit that is procrastination. We have to grow up. This is not pursuing college just for the heck of it. This is about knowing what you want in life and setting goals for a better you.
*** Marvin John V. Perdido (ECE ’05) is the editor in chief from 2003 to 2004. He is now working with Globe Telecommunications as a senior engineer. Sometimes, he writes what he calls “Quicknotes”, a compilation of his random thoughts and stand on certain issues.
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CEA Spectrum Volume III No. 4 November-December 1995
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Victory for us, by us Editorial (CEA Spectrum Vol. VI No. 5, April-May 1999)
Y
ES, it is a victory for the students, by the students. The relentless struggle of student leaders, chief of them the men behind Samasa’s Sentral ng Konseho ng Mag-aaral, resulted in the restoration of summer classes in the College of Engineering and Architecture—a monumental feat deserving of our salutation and felicitous
congratulations.
If it has proven one thing, it is that the students will never get what they
want unless they take a militant position to asset their legitimate rights. The students’ fierce determination, embodied by Zandro Zantua’s SKM
and the rest of the leaders from CEA’s College of Consultative Board (CCB), created an almost insurmountable pressure that compelled President Carague’s administration to finally reinstate summer classes programs in the university. The restoration of summer classes stands to benefit the students who can now enroll their back subjects right inside their own university instead of colleges and other learning institutions which have conspired in commodifying education by raising their tuition fees to stratospheric heights. In these institutions, for instance the Central Colleges of the Philippines (CCP)— its proximity to PUP attracted most of cross-enrolling students whose arms they twisted to pay P 1,500.00 for a three-unit subject in 1996—the students suffered the utter neglect of the former administration in providing them
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21 education right inside the campus they called home. It is a high time that the administration realize the importance of a complete summer class program and not just shield themselves with the “nobudget line” which they have used as an armor to parry the student’ attacks. The students have found the chink in that armor and Zantua, together with Rex Villaflor and that gentleman from LFS, Dario, were steadfast in pointing out for the officials that PUP’s budget has been in a steady upward movement so that it negates the reasoning that we lack for financial resources. Indeed, where do they go? The sadder part of the administration’s lame excuse in saying that there is no budget for a complete summer class program—one that offers subjects not only to graduating students—is that they seem to have this proclivity to put the interest of students on the chopping board—on the line—whenever they suffer ffrom the so-called financial constraint they’ve been saying for eternity that we suspect it has become a chronic illness. The saddest part of this issue is when we realize that while PUP officials claim that there is not budget for the student’s education, we read the papers and watch the TV and end up feeling slimy and stinking with the drool and excremental scent of the most recent foul ups “discovered” in some national government institutions. See, the government loses money through some prodigious money-making ability of those involved in that stinking textbook scam. To think, that’s just the DECS office. Another, our ancient tradition of holding close to family ties has affected the payroll system of the Senate’s legislative staff where senators, led by basketball player Robert Jaworski, have employed their closest relative (e.g. sons, daughters) to receive at least P18,000.00 monthly for essentially doing nothing. Pay those sum of money to our teachers and we get summer classes yearly. It all boils down to priority and it seems that education for the Filipino student is not one of the Estrada administration’s priorities. Education has plunged to the depths of hopelessness that the government perhaps, for its own
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22 convenience has left it for dead. Oh, but we have jumped too far. We would not like to pass on the chance to acknowledge the sincerity of the president, Dr. Ofelia Carague who did not renege in her promise to deliver the summer classes. Ma’am, we know that you are not manloloko, and the result of the dialogs has proven that. We believe in your sincerity and integrity. By the same breathe, we would want to remind our fellow student leaders to give you the chance to prove yourself first before they call you names. But please, quit telling the students that “aktibismo” will take them nowhere. Please refrain from telling them that they have no right to question your actions because they are only students—that they do not have to express their anger at the administration through demonstrations. We have the right to express ourselves; we have the right to move in order to stifle any policy that will tend to repress our rights. We have the right for information—we have the right to ask. The students have to know, the student have to be informed. We are students, and we are our best weapon.
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CEA Spectrum Volume III No. 5 January-March 1996
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Sentimiento de bobo Annabel Rebosora-Viar (Engineering Spectrum Vol. IX No. 1, June-July 2002)
I
’VE been in this institution for more than four years now and I’m down with 1.5 sems before I finally immerse myself into the real world scenario – that is looking for a stable job armed with unabated determinations yet mediocre potentials. Issues about discrimination and the like have been brought up to us several times before. We even get to hear contemporaries telling stories about how they were treated unfairly, much worse fell into the trap of prejudice and biases.
Spending summer with a practicum is not something new for IE majors.
For the fourth time around, we hurdled into places like Makati, Ortigas, and Libis sent well-accomplished resumes and patiently waited for every phone call that would assure a slot as a trainee. Personally, I was resolved not to settle into a clerical-bound type of work. Fortunately, all the efforts paid off as I got one that offered a challenging training experience. I didn’t know whether to be flattered or intimidated upon hearing that I was the only PUPian on that side of the planet (By the way, an agreement between UP and the company gathered ample of its students there). It was there and then that I was able to look closely into this matter. Even before I started the training, I already had this jittery feeling about how my life would be like. I feared being rejected, overlooked and downplayed. I hated being confined in an event that I know would put into a Utopia. It humiliated me to be left behind while others soar up so high. Initially, insecurity had almost eaten me up. I couldn’t even brag how
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25 great and magnificently my academic background is. For I know, deep inside, I was terribly empty. There’s something about me that long for a better system. I crave for a realm that bestow upon what I deserve and eventually bring out the best of my potentials. It saddened me that while my co-trainees enjoyed the comfort of the company dormitory, I was made to bear the difficulty of going to Bulacan and back home in Pasig on a daily basis. Well, whatever the ground of the company for implementing such policy, that I guess, I wouldn’t want to discern further. Policies are policies. And anyway, I don’t take pleasure in staying on dormitories naman, so I’d rather not be bitter about it. While I was there, I essentially tried to utilize all the remaining guts, squeezed out my brain cells so that I could prove my worth. I inched my way up to that level of competency that I was expected of and hoped that I’d be able to impress my superiors which I believe I actually did. Although at first, I felt that my competence was being undermined, I was able to conquer the tasks upon me with flying colors. I sighed in relief left with head held up high. And the rest is history. Time and again, students belonging in a not-so-reputable university are often faced with a cold shoulder. With a reputation nailed to activism and in a negatively-implied P12 per unit tuition fee, (since in this day and age, quality education is being equated to money) newly grads from the poor man’s university are bound to experience partiality in any form. Companies that claim they hire applicants on the bases of competencies would be telling a big fat lie. Unless you came from the Giant 3 (UP, Ateneo, La Salle?), graduated Suma Cum Laude, and topped a certain licensure exam, job hunting would tend to be as sour as you could ever imagine. And its only months from now before I immerse myself into this real world scenario, armed with unabated determinations yet inadequate potentials. Huh! Well, afterall, who ever said that life is going to be fair? *** I’ve just turned 21 days before this paper’s release and could only
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26 hope for better opportunities ahead of me. Amidst alarming concerns about discrimination and the aggravating poverty and economic suffering which are very evident around us, I know that there are still enough reasons to celebrate. So much for these sentiments. I guess, I have more and better things to indulge on rather than this futile sentimiento de bobo.
*** Annabel Rebosora-Viar (IE ’03) is the managing editor of Engineering Spectrum from 2002 to 2003. She took her master’s degree in Business Administration at Havering College of Further and Higher Education in England. Happily married and has two sons, Annabel is now based in the United Kingdom, where she works as a marketing and program manager at Nutrifit Care UK, Ltd.
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CEA Spectrum Volume V No. 7 March 1998
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Security has its price Editorial (CEA Spectrum Vol. VII No. 1, August-September 1999)
I
F the recent theft at the Computer Engineering department and other similar incidents in PUP are not indications that security and safety inside our University are at risk, then we don’t know what it is. At least P50, 000 worth of computer parts and peripherals— the laman-loob of the computer—were taken by still unidentified thieves—or thief—in by far the biggest stealing act reported in this building. It pales in comparison with the cost of the VHS unit
stolen inside the CEA AVR sometime in 1995. Moreover, P50, 000, even if a lousy estimate is a lot of taxpayers’ money—unless somebody else’s name is printed on the PUP property sticker. So precise was the robbery that only the most expensive and portable parts of the computer were taken—a feat which can be done by an experienced computer technician in a matter of 15 minutes. But when time is of the essence, 10 minutes max and the motherboard, hard disks, video adapter, cables and whatever it is inside that can be easily stashed away will surely be gone. That precision has fanned the fire of insinuation that the robbery was an inside job. Judging from the result of the CEA Spectrum’s random survey, almost 90% of the respondents believed that it was so, although the question was not clear whether it was the “inside job” of the student assistants (SAs), the security and utility personnel or even the faculty members. Accusing fingers have pointed to the direction of the SAs who considering
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29 their technical knowledge, has what it takes to pull off the act. Still, due process must be observed and anybody should be presumed innocent here, until proven otherwise. This matter is best left at the hands of the PUP investigators, who despite accusations of incompetence and biased investigation from the CoE camp must still be given the benefit of the doubt. But look, Chief investigator Miguel Obuyes, has already concluded in his findings—which he divulged to the CEA Spectrum without informing first Engr. Oquindo—that the culprit/s must have come from the ranks of CoE SAs or faculty staff. Obuyes, as of presstime, has repeatedly refused to furnish the Spectrum with a hard copy of the investigation’s findings. During the span of weeks that Obuyes kept the findings to his office, Perfecto Parangas, the guard on-duty on the day of the crime—and the one who should be held answerable, if not directly responsible for it—was interestingly re-assigned to PUP’s Lepanto Branch. We marvel at the sudden reassignment of Mr. Parangas to somewhere else when he of all people, must participate actively in the investigation. As a matter of fact, Guard Parangas was the strictest security personnel at the gate who would always reprimand students who do not wear their ID or wear it properly. He would also actively apprehend CEAns wearing baseball caps and earrings. To the things that are basically not the true calling of his job, Mr. Parangas has energetically responded. In the middle of investigation—with a conclusive and final finding not yet in sight—Mr. Parangas has gone somewhere else to provide his service of securing safety and order. Is there something that Mr. Obuyes can say over this? What about the University’s Chief Security officer? May we also ask if the administration can still claim—in light of the spate of thievery inside the university—that it has succeeded in its austerity measures? This policy has led to the reduction of security personnels not just here in CEA but the whole PUP as well. ROTC cadets have been employed to
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30 fill up the slack for less cost. The result has obviously blown before its face. May we also ask: Are we still safe inside this University? The thieves have taken properties in ways that the security personnels weren’t able to prevent and arrest. Who’s to say if the same petty criminals, when pushed to the edge of desperation. Are we not to take a life instead?
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31
CEA Spectrum Volume VII No. 1 August-September 1999
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32
Fair and square, corners of a circle Lloyd A. Luna (Engineering Spectrum Vol. X No. 2, August-September 2002)
L
IFE is not perfect and definitely not fair. It is rough and not smooth. It needs perfection that, many would think, may never be realized in a lifetime. That is why he questions if there is still a place and possibility for him to master and to draw the most perfect circle of life. *** One time, he heard from a friend. “In every
man’s failure, there’s a woman behind.” While this is true to some extent, still and all, he would rather go to the other side of the coin where he would see its purpose as a woman behind success. Holding eight leadership positions, six of them as president and head in
the college, University and University Belt; one is chairmanship of National assembly is not an easy job. It takes countless ‘pakikisama’, and ‘pawis’ to have them all managed and supervised and with them are immeasurable duties and responsibilities. And, most importantly, an inspiration. Woman— she is behind the success and not failure. Failure—a product of fear. When fear is mastered, here comes courage. What does he get? Man should have the courage to let himself be inspired by a woman giving an optimistic outlook to succeed and master fear and not to fail because of fear and even if it hurts most of the time. Kung bakit kadalasan dahil sa ayaw nating masaktan, may iba tayong nasasaktan is the manifestation of ‘unfairness’.
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33 Be that as it may, still every man’s resort is to have a woman with him. *** If he could only leave his heart on his bed before going to school so that he would not bother to think and feel how hard it is waiting for another day until he has an assurance that he is having her, then he would rather do. Life may be too short. Hence, he would considerably take his heart every now and then and not to leave it anywhere. What if somebody he does not want pick it up? It is just not fair. He is definitely not a politically oriented writer then. Now, since they seem to have urged him, he already is. Watch out. He might deliver ‘chicharon’ and ‘balot’ with his attorney with him filing a P1.5M libel suit and mandate you to eat them without ‘kape’. *** After five sleepless nights and four vigorous days of presswork, he missed his bed so much. However, still he could not sleep because something bothers him. He is praying hard for intentionally denigrating a person. And here, he is a mute speaking in his language that is opted to be understood, if not heard, by the deaf. For four years of stay in the College, three of which were spent to service-oriented commitment, his life has never been that perfect. His leadership, as everybody else’s, is tested by different kinds of people in different time and place. Yet, his vision and aspiration for a better world remains firm and his response to the call of service prevails over misjudgment. Leadership, for him, is bringing out the best out of nothingness. It is not how much one could share with others but how much essence, passion and sincerity goes with it. It is an altruistic throughway to reach out and to encourage people and its realization mainly lies on the humane tendency to serve and not to be served. It is a natural mechanism that fuels an extension of one’s self to advance other people.
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34 This idea is his standpoint on 5th National Ayala Young Leaders’ Congress where he happened to be one of the ten PUP nominees and this is actually the very same idea how he portrays the essence of leading his fellow students - the portrayal that would never be heard by the ‘deaf’ and would never be misapprehended by the fraud student leaders who are just out-there shouting and claiming that they really are ‘lider-estudyante’. He would not spend much of his precious time on defending himself much regarding The CATALYST’s disagreeable, irrelevant and insubstantial ‘Chicharon’ issue where he was the focal personality. He would not even dare to level down. For him, they are not worth of his valuable time, effort and attention. Besides, large number of friends, colleagues and students who know him say, ‘Wag mo na lang patulan. Hindi mo kakayaning bumaba sa level nila. Masyado silang mababa.’ However, for the sake of public correct, evident and appropriate information, he as to raise some points. Taking a grip on prayers, forgiveness, understanding, serenity and professionalism, he becomes mute who only speaks in the language of silence through unprejudiced journalism and that civilized manner of response are his only resort for them. Logically, this turns out to be a voice unheard of but felt only by the humane heart. Therefore, just let his accomplishments speak for who he really is. Let the intellectuals – the real stakeholders and ‘Iskolar ng Bayan’ – speak for who really is credible. Let his achievement, capability, and talent prove that they are perfectly wrong and evidently subjective and insubstantial. Because if he would be one of them, he would not want to wish for ‘chicharon’ for his P2.41M could go a longer way apart from it. I almost forgot that my character is mute. And they are deaf, if not just pretending to be one. It is hard to establish a name and make it Herculean as it is now. And he is just sorry for the people na nagpipilit sirain ang kanyang
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35 pangalan. Pasensya na po. Tingin ko hindi n’yo siya kaya! *** Black and White: A circle never and would nevermore have four corners. So, I will just sit here, take a deep breath, keep silent and whisper, he needs just to be fair and square.
*** Lloyd A. Luna (ECE ’04) started his career as a campus journalist in 2000 and become the editor in chief twice in 2002 and 2003. Later on, he turned out to be a motivational speaker, author of various self-help books, radio and television talk show host, newspaper and magazine columnist, composer, speechwriter, publisher, serial entrepreneur, life mentor, comedian, and the chief executive officer of his own company, LLOYDLUNA Communications.
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Engineering Spectrum Volume X No. 4 February-March 2004
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Clearing up Editorial (Engineering Spectrum Vol. IX No. 2, August-September 2002)
A
S the Official Student Publication of the PUPCollege of Engineering, we strongly grip on its mission and commitment to reflect in its publication the true sentiments and ideals of
students—unbiased
and
unprejudiced.
Taking this ground, the whole staff should, therefore, undergo tough conceptualization before it releases publication-manifestation of
democratic consideration of ideas. Wherefore, the paper is a product of nine board members, eight staff writers and few number of probationary writers, all of which contributing a piece of their cerebral, just to release a something-tobe-proud-of volume of circulation at least twice a semester. On September 16 this year, The CATALYST released their third issue for first semester. One of the articles was “Chicharon,” an opinionated article written by Edwin Joseph C. Fajardo. It talked about our editor in chief’s (EIC’s) alleged ‘misconduct.’ We are disheartened by some parts of it. In spite of the fact that the comment was raised only against the EIC of this publication clear from the start, the whole Editorial Board is dismayed to read such comment “Matapos na maging komandista sa loob ng isang taong termino sa kanyang pahayagan, nahalal siyang muli upang patuloy na monopolyohin ang galaw ng buong dyaryo ng Engineering at ipagkait sa kanyang mga kasama ang karapatang malaman ang panloob at panlabas na kalakaran ng Spectrum. Sinasarili
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38 nito ang paggalaw samantalang kinakaladkad ang pangalan ng kawawang pahayagan, kasama ng mga biktimang kasapi nito, na itinuturing niyang pagaari.” It is degrading on our part to read such judgment as if the whole Editorial Board and its staff are tedious and pointless enough to choose a leader in Mr. Luna’s person without wise, civilized and justifiable basis. The selection was done on closed balloting, enabling each and every member to vote their pick without others influencing them. If this is the case, the verdict of the majority is the voice proclaiming the legitimate head of the paper. Being the best publication so far in the University as per manifested by its nomination of the 2002 Catholic Mass Media Awards for Best Student Tabloid, the Editorial Board is not brainless to let all things happen without its knowledge and conviction. We are of much honesty to claim our mistakes of not knowing some moves of a certain member sometimes. However, we see the object and not the subject on every decision that our members make. And yes, it includes some points on Mr. Fajardo’s ‘over-exaggerated’ article. In resolving a certain problem encountered, we try, as much as possible, to iron it internally. We want to handle the situation hands-on and hand-in-hand, without other outside forces trying to mingle and influence. We stand, in only one strong position, that it was a complete misjudgement to pronounce and write such commentary involving the entire institution in distorted allegation of the EIC’s ‘misbehavior.’ We are not against the writer, or The CATALYST itself, but the Editorial Board is definitely debilitated by the insubstantial and very much subjective criticism. We do not understand why there is a need for then to condemn an institution of the press just like them. However, it is necessary move to have this position piece presented in public because the honourable members of this publication would not want to be prejudiced as if they are “stupid robots being manipulated by only one person.” It is just uncivilized, ill-mannered and totally inappropriate.
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39
Engineering Spectrum Volume XI No. 1 June-August 2004
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40
Reputation Edwin E. Abad, Jr. (Engineering Spectrum Vol. XI No. 1, June-August 2004)
D
ON’T you think it’s quite odd to know that the increase was only discussed about last May 17, and approved the day after? Thinking how fast they decided to realize it makes me doubt about their consideration to us. “Our University is a den of activism, a pure example of how a poor man’s university really should be.” But I mean it in the nicest manner
a critic could say. In truth, the sentence above is the best praise that I could give to the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. It is not vicious, or at least it is the way I mean it. (Please note how I use the adjective “pure”) We, the College of Engineering community may not care that much
about our university’s image. Yeah, like most of us, who spend much more time on how we could pass our cruel professor’s exam through some devious practices. My fellow students, I know that each department in the college brings forth many burdens, but believe me, with these unbecoming deeds, how little they may, builds the foundation of our sintang paaralan’s image, not to mention our college as being “the cream of the crop”, as my Humanities teacher before tried to stress. It’s still clear to me how a good friend of mine got my attention during the afternoon of July 22. He asked me, almost in whispers, “Gusto mo bang maglingkod sa bayan?” I paused for a while and then, with my reaction, he gave me a pleasant chance to think things over. And I believe, whatever
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41 would be my decision, there would be sacrifices. If I could’ve said yes, I’ll be part of those who did place themselves in danger for the liberal life, we’re living now, with their ancestors back to the ones whom fought for our rights that took cover in PUP under the care of our past university president, Dr. Nemeseo Prudente during the dark ages of Martial Law. (When the Marcos government knew about this, Dr. Prudente was sent to jail and Dr. Isabelo Crisostomo took the seat as head of PUP on 1972.) The bad part of the said decision, though is that all of my academics would, most certainly nosedive altogether. On the other hand, if I said no to my friend, it would be the other way around. I could, at least, pass my difficult subjects in the future and perhaps experience more ease regarding school. I’m also free from hardships of our brothers to establish unselfish acts for the goods of others. However, I feel sympathy for them. Although the issues in the next paragraph could be untimely, they’re all very vivid expressions of abuse amongst the “bad-tagged” counterparts of the university. Just because a thought-of oppressor is pressured by somebody doesn’t mean he can be sent to a detention cell, for the reason of the former is powerful and the latter has enough proof. And campus journalists don’t have to be pushed around on a lark because “honorable” people with guns unthinkably wanted to. These are the consciences that told me to have agreed with my friend, who was insistent for me to stay, during that afternoon. Unfortunately for my friend, I still left him with uncertain decisions as I handed back the membership form he courteously gave me during our conversation. I left for home, because I still have to do my English assignments. We, the PUP as a whole, which includes our college, has been renowned with our reputation ever since God knows when. We still have problems. Our tuition fee increase is now ubiquitous to us. Though we still have the cheapest tuition fee, we must also think of our co-students who, amidst our very affordable education [for now], find it still hard to study because of their family’s financial instability. The decision to increase was based on
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42 the Board of Regents’ resolution no. 300. But don’t you think it’s quite odd to know that the increase was only discussed last May 17, and approved the day after? Thinking how fast they decided to realize it makes me doubt about their consideration to us. They say that it’s for the students’ advantage because the tuition fee hike could help the plan of total computerization in the near future. (To the respected delegates of the BOR, please remember that we’ll observe and trust such statement.) The hike on the graduating students fee, provides for the faster processing of their respective documents that would allow them to claim their diploma. Truly with this, though through added cost, it’ll offer convenience to the graduating batch of the College of Engineering. Our activists, because of their ways of expressing, may seem irritating to the eyes of others. Once, they’ve left a stain that would be forever with us. But still, it’s undeniable to see that their ideals are acts of courage. It’s still a little calm now. But soon enough, if there’s something to protect or a reason to fight for would arise, they’ll be there. As for our image, I’m still proud at least, at least for now... I acknowledge my senior staffers for keeping the blood of Spectrum pumping to its heart towards the veins of the College. Your efforts in the past will forever live on... My heartfelt gratefulness goes to our present Editorial Board for giving me this rare chance, though in truth, I’m not really fit to do so. And most exclusively, I give thee thanks to the almighty creator, for the gift of pen. On behalf of all the campus journalists, I sincerely exclaim, “Long live, Press Freedom!” *** Edwin E. Abad Jr. (EE ’08), former news editor of the publication, describes himself as the one who often sleeps inside the classroom. Currently, he learns how to drive in his hometown in Catanduanes, while dreaming to migrate abroad with his girlfriend, who is about to graduate college this school year.
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43
Engineering Spectrum Volume XI No. 3 December 2004
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Culture of cheating Editorial (Engineering Spectrum Vol. XIII No. 2, October 2006)
B
EHOLD and beware! Because
nursing
licensure
examination
controversy is not a typical lesson we learn inside the classrooms. Yet, what causes so many clamors about it is
the act of cheating and the like (whether made by students, board examiners or reviewers), that is, are the things scholars learn thru self-study and
personal curiosity. For the sake to pass a subject, doing the easiest way would be the best option for a lazy student. This particular working has been a custom especially when examination
week arrives. And if not abated, time may come when an engineering graduate sit in front of the camera and tell again in the national television that leakage does exist in Philippines’ professional examination. In one of the departmental exams, a 30-item key to one of the test surfaced and created an instant rabble. The leakage turns out to be five items more compare to the test itself and merely an unreliable source of right answer wherein only few of the answer provided by the leakage was correct. It was never determined where the answers came from or who really benefited the leak. The examination runs smoothly as no problems was raised by the examinees regarding the result, or even the existence of leakage answers. Every chapter, departmental, summary, mid-term and final test this
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45 semester (or of all semesters) have unreported cases of dishonesty. Small pieces of paper or index cards hidden in pockets, handkerchiefs, socks and calculators were evidently primitive techniques of cheating during the exams. Gadgets such programmable calculators and cell phones, and different style and mnemonics to acquire possible correct answers by any means, will also be a great help. It is not only the College test that cheating is rampant, every examination does. As long as students turn bright yellow and think a will or another to pass the exam without hassle, there’s a way. As this culture persists, especially to PUPians and particularly engineering undergrads, it will mark the waterloo of the Philippine higher education. A higher education system that (teaches and) allows students to maintain the bad way of cheating. For the graduates, this practice will undermine the integrity of the Philippine professional licensure examination, both local and global. A professional examination tainted by doubts, that allow ‘incompetent’ yet titled ‘expert individuals’. It seems that corruption is not only a word that best describes the government that we have so far, but also for the future stakeholders of this nation. As future leaders of this country, every PUPian should maintain the highest standard against any form of cheating, as manifested in our University Student Handbook. And if and only if every element in PUP failed to awaken the moral of the students, it would be near that the Philippines will have dishonest ‘hopes of the Motherland’. Future nurses have already done it. Hope there will be no room for soonto-be-engineers.
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Engineering Spectrum Volume XII No. 1 August 2005
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Consultant’s Desk
On the dot April Angela Gumban-Dela Cruz (Engineering Spectrum Vol. XII No. 2, September-October 2004)
V
OTES have been cast. The students have spoken. New set of leaders are in post. After a “voiceless” year, will this be a new year of hope? The University Student Council election has always been one of the most controversial events in the PUP calendar. Student leaders, or may I tag them student politicians, play in this
game as ones in the real politician arena. Dirty tactics, intelligent tricks, and the like. Truly, student politics has taken the University by storm. For those who participated, they exercised their right to be heard.
They are the authority. The ones who put those leaders in their respective positions. Those who abstained, unfortunate are they, for they not only deprived themselves of their right, but they also let that precious chance pass, to make a difference. In my point of view, once you were given a chance and did not grab it, you automatically do not have the right to complain about the results. Ponder on this: “It is enough for a good man to do nothing for the evil to triumph.” Bato-bato sa langit, ang tamaan, huwag magalit. You know yourself better. You know who you are! *** As a leader, I always look at both sides of the coin. I lay my decisions based on what I believe is right. More importantly, the welfare of my fellow students is the greatest factor. More than my commitment to the University
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48 is my commitment to the entire PUP studentry. I know what I fight for. But I forgot, I’m just one. As I look back, I realized I have done nothing. I may have inspired a few, helped some. But still, I consider it negligible. There is still a bigger world outside the College of Engineering. I may be a prime mover, an initiator. I know my capabilities, my capacity, and the things that I can endure. Consciously or unconsciously, I forgot that there are people behind. And that in any move I will make, it would greatly affect them. One wrong move and what I have started will be ruined. One wrong move, it will all fall into pieces. I can endure many things, but I cannot sacrifice my constituents. *** To lead a body of diversity is not an easy task. In a snap, you should all be close with each other. A good working relationship is a prerequisite for a good result. You should find unity out of that diversity. A common goal to achieve. Being in the Comelec, I only have one regret. As I realize, I ask myself, why only now? I should have been here one or two years ago. The system of elections is not that good enough. Now that I can see what really is the problem and what the solution can be, it’s too late. There would be no another year for me to resolve things out. There would be no take twos. The fact that this is the first and the last added to the pressure that this should have the best of all my efforts. My regret rooted from my biggest disappointment. My disappointment in realizing what kind of students my “Sintang Paaralan” is keeping. From the start of the election season, our student leaders have shown what type of people they are and to what kind of principle they believe in. There are those who seem to have no trust left for anyone. They submit to the rules, yes, but from time to time, they question the legality of such rules. They tend to seek for faults in almost everything. They are the ones who move silently and then surprise you with a big bang. On the other side, there are some who play vigilantes. Moving without confirming the real score. The ones who are
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49 loud of airing their thoughts. I tell you, being in the commission is a survival challenge. Every day is an adventure to face. Every persona you encounter would bring a new experience. It is really a challenge of how far you can endure physical, mental, and emotional pressures. If you think it’s only in the “real” political world that threats come in the way, you’re definitely wrong. Student politics has gone a long way. In a span of three weeks, the office of the commission has encountered two unconfirmed incidents of arson attempts. But if they think that would scare us away, think twice. Or better, ten times! I came to realize that the electoral system in this University has still to travel a long way before it can fully transform into a better one. Dr. Rizal is right when he said, “Show me the type of school, and I’ll show you the type of country you have. Show me the type of students, and I’ll show you the type of people your country have.” It is very disappointing to know that the kind of electorate we have in this University reflects the kind of citizen we have now in our country. If at this early, they can pose and initiate those kind of desperate moves, I wonder what more they can do outside. That is if, they intend to finish their course in this University in its prescribed tenure. The fight has just started. As long as I am here in this University, and as long as I can influence those upright people, the battle would not end that easy. It’s hard, but it’s harder to pretend being blind if you know you can do something. For you who read this, know yourself. Who are you from those I mentioned? I challenge you. Make your move now. Or suffer the consequences forever. *** April Angela Gumban-Dela Cruz (ECE ‘05) is one of the first two students from the College of Engineering to partake the Ayala Young Leaders Congress in 2004. April served as the associate editor of the publication from 2002-2004, president of the Engineering Honors’ Society, 2003-2004, and chairperson of the PUP Comelec, 2004-2005.
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Engineering Spectrum Volume XII No. 3 January 2006
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51
Pagbabago Editorial (Engineering Spectrum Vol. XV No. 3, February 2009)
S
A isang lipunang mahalaga ang maging ‘politically correct’ madalas nagbabago ang kahulugan ng mga salita. Halimbawa ay salitang honorable o kagalanggalang sa Filipino na kalimita’y idinidikit kahit sa mga pulitikong may dose-dose nang kaso ng katiwalian. At sa ganito ring uri ng kultura kadalasa’y nagmumukha ng tama o katanggap-tanggap ang mga
bagay-bagay na kahit paano mo man baliktarin ay mali. Kagaya ng animo’y pagkakasingkahulugan ng mga salitang pulitiko
at kurakot na tinatanggap na ng maraming Pilipino kasabay ang pagdidiin na dalawa lang daw ang uri ng pulitiko sa ngayon: isang di ginagawa ang kaniyang tungkulin at nangungurakot at isang ginagawa ang kanyang tungkulin at nangungurakot. Lubhang nakababahala ang ganitong pagtanggap at pananaw kaya naman sa paaralan pa lamang ay dapat na itong itinatama sa isipan ng kabataan. Nguni’t sa kolehiyo ay may mga ilang salita ring unti-unting nababago ng kahulugan. Isa na rito ang salitang propesiyonalismo na nagiging dahilan ng iba upang magkibit-balikat, magpatay-malisya at magbulagbulagan sa mga maling gawaing malayang ginagawa ng isang miyembro ng institusyon. Ang propesyonalismo o ang pagiging propesyunal ay nangangahulugan ng pagganap sa tungkulin ng buong husay, pag-iwas na mabahiran ito ng
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52 personal na problema at pagsunod ng buong katapatan sa mga alituntunin at batas na sumasailalim ang naturang propesyon. Tungkulin din ng isang propesyunal na ipagbigay alam sa kinauukulan ang mga maling gawi ng kaniyang mga katrabaho at tungkuln naman ng kinauukulan na ituwid ang mga pagkakamaling ito. Ang pinakadakilang propesyon ay ang pagtuturo. Kaya naman sa kulturang Pilipino ay binibigyan ng lubos na paggalang ang mga guro. Kaya nararapat lamang na pag-ingatan ang ganitong imahe, dahil ito ay karangalang di kayang tumbasan ng pera o anumang materyal na bagay. Huwag sanang dumating ang araw na ang kahulugan ng salitang guro ay wala na ring pinagkaiba sa mga pulitiko. Unti-unti na ring nababago ang pagkakapahulugan sa mga salitang lider estudyante ng ilang mag-aaral na humahawak ng posisyon sa ilang organisasyon sa kolehiyo. Animo’y pipi silang walang imik, binging walang naririnig, at bulag na walang nakikita pagdating sa problema ng estudyante na ang ilan ay may kinalaman sa propesor. Nakakalimutan na nila ang kanilang tungkulin at pangakong paglilingkuran ang mga estudyante o kaya ang mga prinsipiyong dapat meron sila bilang lider. Mas pinipili nilang manahimik para mapangalagaan ang kanilang grado at ang posisyong balang-araw ay mailalagay nila sa kanilang resume. Nakakalungkot at nakakahiyang maituring na pinakakurap na bansa sa timog-silangang Asya, kaya naman ganun nalang kasidhi ang panawagan ng Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines sa sambayanang Pilipino na labanan ang lumalalang kanser ng lipunan. Isang panawagang kayang positibong tugunan ng kolehiyo ng Inhinyera kasama ang mga propesor nitong may kapuri-puri pa ring pagkatao at prinsipyo, at mga lider estudyanteng naglilingkod ng buong puso ng walang kapalit hindi lamang sa mga mag aaral gayun na din sa Kolehiyo.
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53
Engineering Spectrum Volume XIII No. 1 August 2006
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Bawal basahin Kaycee B. Victorio (Engineering Spectrum Vol. XIII No. 1, August 2006)
C
URIOSITY is not a sin, sabi nga ni Professor Dumbledore sa ika-apat na aklat ng Harry Potter. Ipinaliwanag dito ni Dumbledore na kailangan lamang maging responsable sa kahihinatnan ng pagiging mausisa. Sa puntong ito ng kuwento, ‘di sinasadya ni Harry na mapanood ang memorya ng headmaster ng Hogwarts sa pamamagitan ng pensive. (Kung ano man ang pensive, basahin niyo
na lang ang Goblet of Fire.) Pero hindi na bago ang pagiging mausisa ng mga kabataan sa lahat ng
panahon. Sabi nga ng mga sikolohista, bahagi na ang ganitong ugali sa pagbuo ng pagkakakilanlan ng mga kabataan. Kung hindi tayo in-expose sa mga bagay na maaaring makapag-stimulate ng ating malilikot na isipan, siguradong ipapahamak tayo ng pagiging mausisa. Dahil sa curiosity ng kabataan kaya may 4.9 milyon sa 16.5 milyong kabataang nasa edad 15-24 noong 2002 ang nakipagtalik na nang hindi kinakasal ayon sa UP Population Institute. Pagiging mausisa rin ang maaaring dahilan sa paglabag sa mga pinakasimpleng batas trapiko katulad ng pagtawid sa mga “tawirang nakamamatay” at nagbubunsod sa mga mag-aaral na mag-vandal, sumali sa iba’t-ibang organisasyon, lagyan ng chicklet ang upuan ng propesor, magcutting classes, kumopya, mangodigo, sumama sa walk out, at magbasa ng Spectrum at Ispuptrum.
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55 Itinuturo ring dahilan ng pagiging mausisa ang mga kaso ng juvenile delinquency, paggamit ng ipinagbabawal na gamot, paglalayas ng bahay, pagsuway sa magulang, pagtatrabaho sa mga fastfood chain, pag-inom ng alak, paninigarilyo, pagkakaroon ng kasintahan ng higit sa dalawa, panonood ng sex scandal, makipag-eye ball, at manatili sa labas ng bahay sa oras ng curfew. Sa pagsusuma, higit na nakararami ang mga bagay na ginagawa ng mga kabataan ang may relasyon sa mapusok na damdamin. Sa usaping sex, adventurous at mapusok ang mga kabataan kung ano ang posibleng ‘ligaya’ na bunga ng “luto ng Maykapal”. Sa pagsuway sa bawal, tanging parusa ang katapat o habambuhay na pagsisisihan ang isang bagay na ginawa ng mali. Ang pangongopya ay mauuwi sa incomplete na marka o suspension sa klase samantalang sa pagkakasakit mauuwi ang pag-inom ng serbesa. Ngunit bakit pipigilin kung lalong mangigigil? Bakit itatanggi ang mga bagay na dapat, at kahit papaano ay dapat maranasan? Sinong magtuturo sa atin ng bagay na dapat at hindi? Alam kaya ng mga magulang ang lahat ng bagay sa mundo? Maituturo kaya ng Bibliya ang gumawa ng anak at maaaring resulta nito? Paano mapapaintindi sa atin ang kahalagahan ng pakikipagkaibigan? Experience is still the best teacher. Kung hahayaan ang mga kabataang gumalaw sa mundo kung saan gagabayan tayo ng talino, lakas ng loob, paalala ng magulang, pananampalataya, at kuryosidad, sa malamang ay tuwid ang lalakbaying landas. Bakit pipigilang ituro ang sex education sa mga paaralan kung hindi naman ito maituro ng mabuti sa mga tahanan. At ang tanong ay maituturo ba ito ng mga magulang sa loob ng bahay? Sa kabilang banda, ang paggawa ng mga bagay na alam natin ang kahihinatnan ay kasawian ay isang katangahan. Kung puwede naman tayong sumunod sa alituntunin, bakit hindi? Sabi nga sa isang patalastas, kung sa ibang bansa nga sumusunod tayo sa batas, dito sa mismong bansa natin hirap tayong maki-ayon.
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56 Hindi masama ang pagiging curious. Kailangan lamang tayong maging responsable sa mga bagay-bagay na ating inuusisa, alerto at may pananagutan sa anumang kahihinatnan nito. Siya nga pala, ang iyong curiosity din ang isa sa nagdikta na basahin ang aking kolumn kahit may pamagat itong ‘Bawal Basahin.’
*** Kaycee B. Victorio (EE ‘08) spends his free time as part-time instructor at the PUP Department of Electrical Engineering. He is a former editor in chief (2005-2007) and present moderator of the publication.
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57
Engineering Spectrum Volume XIII No. 2 October 2006
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The decline Editorial (Engineering Spectrum Vol. XVII No. 1, September 2010)
O
N the entire span of the College’s existence, it has been successful on providing the students with quality education. With this, the University has successfully created a name in the field of engineering education. And believe it or not, this will never be possible without the help of the student body. For more than 30 years, the student body also
has existed to assist the academe towards its progress. They have provided a watchful eye on every detail and event on the College, making the students see what they should see and making them know what they should know. But the previous year has been thrown with a lot of concerns—like for
example, the failure of some student organizations to comply with all the requirements necessary for accreditation. And also, most student organizations have experienced a decline on the number of students interested on being affiliated with them. Saying so, this only shows one thing, that some of the college student organizations are diffusing, disintegrating- on the edge of deteriorating. Deterioration technically pertains to degeneration, oxidation and corrosion of materials. It is a process by which a substance loses its tougher qualities. If organizations are on the process of deterioration, so does some of the College’s student leaders. They are also having certain difficulties on a lot of aspects of being an organization and experiencing relapses on either
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59 the formulations of their beliefs or their own stand as students. They have abandoned their pledge as student leaders for something that was lesser for the studentry, but will absolutely gain more for them. They have preferred to do nothing opposed to those atypical faculties for they are anxious on getting demerits on their academics. They are supposed to be a representation of the students, yet they serve as stand stool of their respective departments on implementing rules without consulting the studentry—they let themselves be manipulated for the sake of securing what they call “good image” to the professors that can give them incentive on their grades. Thus, some of them are irresponsible and just assumed positions in the organizations only to gain discounts on review centers, or even more, acquire more credentials on their soon be made résumés. It is undeniable to many that anomalies and corruption exist in some departments like paying unnecessary fees or forcing the students to prominent issue, yet limited groups took action to stop some of these deeds. Those organizations from involved departments have done less than what they were ought to do. They were leaders yet they weren’t acting as such. Some were there but their existence seems inadequate to sustain the student’s call for transformation for they are blind even when the inconsistency is happening right in front of them. Another thing is that, the existence of some student societies isn’t felt by the majority of the new batch of students. For it is because their offices are frequently locked or if even not, filled with people chatting, doing their assignments or playing the guitar. These offices only serve as tambayan to members and their acquaintances. New members aren’t interested of joining or have lost the interest of joining because the things that are occurring inside the office are not necessarily related to the mission and vision of the organization. The prime duty of having student organization in the academe is not only to yield service for the ease and comfort of the studentry, but also to provide a representation of the students to the higher parts of the university hierarchy such as among the faculty or the University administration. But what kind of
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60 service could they offer if some of them does not possess the passion towards working on such things. It has been years since they have existed. The student leaders of today may have been doing their jobs on their own ways but their terrain may not understand it—students will only understand it when they are receiving enough. Last year may be filled with irregularities but that was then. We are starting a new year ahead and it gives us enough chances for revival and renewal of service.
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61
Engineering Spectrum Volume XIII No. 3 January 2007
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Cutterpillar
Buhay-estudyante Alexander S. Carrascal (Engineering Spectrum Vol. XIII No. 1, August 2004)
S
A mahigit isang dekadang pagtuturo, marami na akong nakilala at nakasalamuhang mag-aaral. Bawat isa sa kanila ay may sariling salaysay ng paghihirap at kaginhawaan, ng suliranin at kalutasan, ng kahinaan at kalakasan, ng pagdududa at pagtitiwala, ng katamaran at kasipagan, pagpigil at pagpapatuloy, pagsuko at pagtatagumpay. May mga naging estudyante akong huwaran sa
talino, sipag at tiyaga sa pag-aaral. Sila yaong nagtapos ng may karangalan sa kanilang kursong napili. Madalas sumasali sa mga paligsahan at nangunguna sa mga samahan ng mag-aaral. Subalit hindi lahat ng pumasok sa ating kolehiyo ay pinalad na
magkaroon ng magandang marka. Marami sa mga estudyante na nakaranas nito ay pinanghinaan ng loob. Dito ay nawawalan sila ng gana na tuparin ang kanilang mga pangarap at tuluyan ng mawalan ng interes na mapahusay pa ang sarili. Kuntento na kahit pasang-awa basta huwag lang lumagpak at natutuksong mandaya kapag walang maisagot sa pagsusulit. Ganito ang malungkot na kuwento ng ilang mag-aaral na aking nakasalamuha sa kolehiyo. Marami rin naman ang hindi nagpatalo sa mga kabiguang ito. Tinanggap nila ang mga suliranin bilang hamon upang higi na pag-ibayuhin ang kakayahan.
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63 Ang hindi pagtatamo ng karangalan para sa kolehiyo ay hindi itinuturing na sukatan ng tagumpay. Hindi dapat hayaang maghari sa isipan na ang mahina at kulang sa kakayahan ay malabong magtagumpay. Dapat mawatasan ng bawat estudyante na ang pagtatamo ng karangalan ay hindi ang pangunahing mithiin ng edukasyon kundi ang pagkamit ng wastong kaalaman, sapat na kasanayan sa napiling kurso at pagtataglay ng wastong asal na tamang pananaw upang higit na maging handa sa pagharap sa bawat hamon ng buhay. Maihahalintulad ang isang kurso sa pagtakbo sa isang karera. Kailangan ay matiyagang magsanay araw-araw, linangin ng husto ang kakayahan, magipon ng resistensiya upang matagalan ang pagod sa pagtakbo. Kung ang haba ng isang karera ay dalawang milya, dapat pagsumikapan makatakbo ng tatlo. Kung sa pagtakbo madapa ng apat na beses, dapat limang ulit kang bumangon. Ang tagumpay ay hindi lumalayo sa taong nagtitiyaga, gayun din hindi ito lumalapit sa taong walang ginagawa. Ang malulungkot at mapapait na alaala ay dapat iwaglit sa isipan. Sa estudyante, mabuting kalimutan mo ang mababang marka na nakuha mo sa ilang aralin sa mga nakaraang semestre. Ipakita ang kahusayan at kakayahan sa pagsusumikap at pag-iibayo ng pag-aaral. Balikan ang mga alaala ng tumanggap ka ng matas na marka, karangalan o pagkawagi sa mga paligsahan. Mula dito, humugot ng sariwang pag-asa, inspirasyon at humabi ng panibaging hibla ng lakas at sigla. Punong-puno ang kasaysayan ng mga kuwento ng pagtatagumpay ng mga taong hindi kagandahan ang talaang pang-akademiko. Nandiyan si Albert Einstein na hindi nakapasa sa pagsusulit sa kolehiyo ngunit naging pinakadakilang siyentipiko sa nakaraang siglo. Si Thomas Edison na hindi nakatapos ng pag-aaral ngunit tinanghal na pinakamagaling na imbentor ng milenyo.
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64 Ang talaan ng mga taong nagtagumpay ay napakahaba at ito ay magpapatuloy. Hindi ba magandang ideya na mapabilang ka sa talaang ito? Iyan ay kung ikaw ay titindig mula sa iyong panlulupaypay at magsisimula muling tumakbo sa karera ng iyong buhay na sa kasalukuyan ay ang iyong buhay bilang estudyante.
*** Alexander S. Carrascal is the former laboratory head of the PUP Department of Electronics Engineering and become the moderator of the publication from 2008 to 2011. Engr. Carrascal is considered as one of the outstanding mathematicians in the world.
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65
Engineering Spectrum Volume XIII No. 4 April 2007
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New Breed
Touch and go Jocelyn E. Delgado (Engineering Spectrum Vol. XV No. 1, September 2008)
I
T’S quite pathetic to think that there are still students who seem to be ignorant in the college. They are the students who pass in and out of the campus each day, climb stairs a hundred times and run in and out of the classroom yet seem to know nothing about what’s going on around them. They are wanderers. They see yet they are blind. It’s quite funny that there are still students who are maybe on their third year but cannot unflinchingly say that definitely
know the where’s of the college premises—not to mention the library, the ES room, which is car park A and which is car park B and even the clinic. Yes some of the engineering students seem to be unaware of the
status of the college. Some may not even know that this year, our college will be celebrating its 30th Anniversary, if so, they don’t mind. They are insensitive… impassive… blunt… Impressive. The College of Engineering population is around 5000, but what’s not so impressive is that students who seem to care, rise and take the lead are not more than a hundred. Stately, engineering students are the former leaders, valedictorians, salutatorians, honorable mentions, awardees and academicians of their respective high schools. But anyway, where are they? They get into usual. They cloak themselves. They choose to live in a so-called ‘ordinary life’, free from pressures, free from responsibilities and yet they are imprisoned.
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67 We have a lot of unseen potentials in the college. Yes, we can count the seeds in an apple but we can never count how many apples can there be in a seed for we cannot limit one’s ability to grow. We can never measure the full extent of one’s potential. We are born not to put parameters in our lives. Certainly, every student needs a ’paradigm shift’—changing every small and ordinary perspective into a more colossal and more enormous one—the paradigm of ‘We’ rather that ‘I’ and the perspective of ‘Ours’ rather than ‘Mine’. Although our population is huge as compared to other colleges, we are still lacking of student leaders—leaders that will take the lead in the college for the enrichment of its vision and goal; leaders that will take effort to build walls for a stronger and better college; leaders that shall motivate students and bring the best upon them; leaders that shall make leaders; leaders that shall take risk and sacrifice for others. To rise and to take lead needs initiative. As the saying goes, ‘Brave are those who volunteers’. You just need to decide for it all starts within you. For the only way to regenerate our college is to do the duty which lies nearest to us not to search after grand. Think about it. You may be on your third, fourth or fifth year in our college. Soon you shall be leaving. What have you shared? What have you done? Who have you touched? Does five years of stay makes sense? It may be late but it’s never too late. Rise and move. Decide and work. You can still bring impact to our college. You just need courage to do this. If you are on your first or second year, good for you…you still have years to make, years to prove yourself, years to influence, years to flourish and years to serve… Besides, the college has seven academic organizations to choose from. These orgs are composed of students who rose and took risk. They are
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68 willing to serve, inspire and give selfless love to others. You have grown up and matured if you think less upon yourself and more and more unto people around you.So when you are about to leave or you still have years to stay, touch hearts, touch lives. Let’s touch at least some people before we go.
*** Jocelyn E. Delgado (IE ’10) is taking her master’s degree in Industrial Engineering (IE). She is currently an instructor of IE in Technological Institute of the Philippines - Manila. Before she began her teaching career, she has been the process engineer for Pacific Paint Inc. and Lamoiyan Corporation. Jocelyn once served as the president of College of Engineering Honors’ Society in 2009.
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69
Engineering Spectrum Volume XV No. 3 February 2009
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Everything that I need to know to succeed in college I learned from my mother Orland Delfino Tubola (Engineering Spectrum Vol. XVI No. 2, October 2009)
I
AM a fan of self-help books. In my five years stay in this University, I have been part of various organizations and institutions that made me the person that I am now- a passionate student leader, writer and advocate. But to be such was not easy and reading those kinds of books, somehow, puts me on track and keeps me moving. And in case you ask me what is the best self-help book that I’ve read. Then that is the book that has no title, never published
and was not even written. Not until now. Everything that I Need to Know to Succeed in College I Learned from
my Mother is my proposed title. Self-help books are known to give practical advises that you can easily
apply to improve your life. And I can say that in giving practical advices no one beats my mother. “Kung ayaw niyong maghugas ng pinggan o maglinis ng bahay, doon kayo sa kalsada tumira. Dun wala kayong lilinisin o huhugasan.” My mother always says this to us when I was in elementary, every time she arrives home from work and sees the dishes still unwashed and the house untidy. By that my mother made me realize the importance of hardwork. I realized that if I will work hard, then opportunity will smile on me. But if I won’t, I will definitely go nowhere or maybe somewhere- dun sa kalsada, as how my mother would put it. Every time we would say or do bad things my mother would say “Mana
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71 talaga kayo sa ama niyo!”, and if we say or do good things, like me winning in a contest, my mother would proudly say, “Mana sa akin ‘yan!” By that my mother taught me optimism and to do or choose only the things that are good for me. I can say that I have survived my colourful college life through positive thinking. And I am the person that I am now because of the wise choices I committed as an active engineering student. Even though my teacher in biology told us that, based on the study of genetics, we inherit our intelligence from our father’s genes, I still believe in my mother and by that she can always say—“Mana sa akin yan!” When I told my mother that I may not graduate with honor when I was in high school and I might not graduate on time this college, she uttered the same response, “Susugurin ko ‘yang school niyo,” because for her, as she would always say, “Matalino ang anak ko ‘no!” By that my mother gave me confidence on my own intelligence and made me believe on my own capabilities. It made me unafraid to take some risk and acquire huge responsibilities, like being the editor in chief of this publication and the president of Kataga PUP Honors’ Society, always ready to make sacrifices. “Hay. Ang hirap naman mag-aral,” I remember telling this to my mother due to the exhaustion that I got from the challenges of college life. And she offered a simple reply, “Kaya nga ‘di ako nag-aral eh.” My mother did not even finished elementary, “Sino ba naman sisispagin mag-aral kung ang lagging baon mo ay matigas na tinapay galing sa fredyider,” she would tell us. Just like a normal Filipino story, because of poverty, my mother needs to be a house helper at an early age to earn a living. And by this profession she had raised her six children, me included. My mother is not telling me to stop studying for she’s the one who complains about my grade even though I would say that I got one of the highest grades in our class. I know for a fact that it is her way of telling me to study harder. She is the one who had an aspiration for one of her children
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72 to become a pilot for a very particular reason- she loves to see someone in that uniform. By that, I realized that what my mother wants is for me to simplify life. To let the challenges go one by one and not to face it all at once. By then I live my life one day at a time. If there are a lot of challenges I would not waste my time thinking of how would I survive it but I just do whatever I can do and I will just realized that it’s all finish and done. “Ang sinabi ko lang talaga nun sa sarili ko ay hindi ko ipapamigay ang mga anak ko,” I remember my mother telling this with tears almost falling from her eyes. She uttered those words after telling us how hard their life was back then. How her parents had to give her to a rich family in their province to work as a house helper at an early age. It is a long story to tell but it is something that I would surely never forget. By that, my mother almost gave me the key to a successful life and it’s as if she lectured to me the greatest lesson on leadership, that is- to have a vision. In my very first step in PUP, I told myself that, “let it be known that I entered PUP,” and “I will not graduate PUP without PUP knowing that I entered PUP,” without me realizing what I truly mean by that. At the freshman orientation of Kataga when I was in first year, I told myself after its president finished his speech, that I will be that person soon. During my first interview in this publication, I was asked what position am I aiming for and I confidently answered, “To be its future editor in chief.” I don’t even know if I was serious of telling those things to myself, I am just happy and surprised that it materialized. Truly, mother knows best. That is why if you would ask me, who do I think is the best author of self-help books? Some call her Ate Ginia, Manang Gin, Yaya and me, I call her Mother. At this moment there is only one thing that bothers me. Am I that successful to entitle that book or this column that way? If success means
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73 graduating with honors, then I am not. I do believe with the affirmation of my classmates that I am intelligent enough to graduate with honor. But to put it simple, I am just a victim of circumstances; Circumstances that has put me in a state of depression for quite a while. But I reminded myself that I have no reason to be depressed because I have a mother who, when asked by my classmate to describe me, texted this as a reply “Mabait, matalino at gwapo kaya love ko!” What do I need more? With or without honor, I can proudly and confidently say that I am one of the, if not, the most successful person in our batch. And I am excited to face a new chapter of my life because I am sure equipped with the greatest lesson my mother had taught me, that it would be a really promising one.
*** Orland Delfino Tubola (ECE ’09) become the editor in chief of the publication from 2008-2009. He is currently an instructor in PUP Department of Computer Engineering and the director of PUP Center for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology.
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Engineering Spectrum Volume XVI No. 2 October 2009
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75
Homecoming
Holy crime Edmar L. Mangahas (Engineering Spectrum Vol. XVI No. 2, October 2009)
P
RECISELY five years ago, I was “kidnapped” by faith and was forcibly pushed to ride inside an airplane. But this plane is different from the usual; it has four wings, the North, South, East, and West Wing. Honestly, I really have no idea where this strange aircraft would bring me. For five years, I’d stayed inside feeling the sense of abduction, and my life never came back
to its original shape. Initially, the people and the atmosphere alienated the unsophisticated me. But then all taught me great lessons, which I’m aware belongs to life’s curriculum. All I have in mind is to learn, and eventually, to earn money. For back
then, having youthful understanding that money is an essential tool to lure the “unclaimed victory” reserved for me is what I accept as true. Though partially true, this fact is not absolute. My brain cells were bombarded and burnt by the knowledge I need to digest. Somebody taught me how to find x, that subsequently followed by all the letters in the alphabet. Somebody taught me how to make a Venn diagram, how to get the angle of inclination, the parabolic equation, area of ellipse, trajectory, chemical bonds, Laplace, torque, moment, proposition, myelin sheath, mesh analysis, matrix, Kirchoff’s super nodal, Fibonacci, Bernoulli’s,Thevenin’s, permutation. Transient, break-even, measure of central tendency,
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76 microcontrollers, binary, automation and – exhaustion. “What am I doing in this jungle?” I asked myself. Then time whispered to me, “You already travelled so far, just be at your best!” I’m fascinated, now I understand what they say ‘only time will tell’. Back in high school, I aspire to become the next Rico Hizon. He is a Filipino who penetrated the international mainstream of media like CNBC Asia and BBC World. How I wish I could be the next Filipino pride news caster in CNN though. But then again, I was kidnapped. And I am certain; it is a holy crime and I know who the Mastermind is. I dug deep and threw that dream in it. If you watched the film Slumdog Millionaire, you’re probably familiar with Jamal who won millions of Rupees in a game show as he perfectly answered all the questions and left the host unconvinced, but then he said, “You don’t have to be a genius.” The course of his life is what earned him the knowledge that bags him millions and glorious life ahead. Regardless of our difference, I also believe that we have the same track, wherein every step of the way there we could bump to, stumble upon, and are not accidental. I embrace what God wants me to see embracing, an exchange gift, for he gave me the gift of life and the chance to see the world. I obey him, though not ideally, the sinful me is imperfect. I’m actually dreaming of a rated-X motion picture and I’m going to be the lead actor, it will render the lesson of how education is cheaper than ignorance. Terrible, just kidding! At any rate, I want to share what I’ve learned throughout m expedition. Make distance from people who always put you down. Don’t live in their expectations. It is you who can tell who you really are, what you can do and what’s not. Just believe in yourself, it’s ourselves we need to conquer and the rest will follow. Of course our Father is always behind. “Fasten your seatbelt,” said the voice. As the airplane where I’m aboard will alight me no, of what place, I’m not sure, bur definitely it is as far as
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77 I can think. The memory is resurrecting saying it is still alive and ready to grab me. But I should go ahead of it. I must just carry it behind, so whenever I need to review the past, it will remind me of how far I have been through, and how much I should I still move forward. I now have a 20/20 vision of my future, and it’s a great unanticipated journey. PUP, thank you for the ride.
*** Edmar L. Mangahas (CpE ‘09) is a former lay-out and circle editor in 2007 and 2008 respectively. He’s now the software quality assurance analyst at Towers Global Business Services, Inc. in Taguig.
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Engineering Spectrum Volume XVII No. 1 September 2010
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Why mess with perfection? Joseph C. Moico (Engineering Spectrum Vol. XVII No. 1, September 2010)
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HENEVER I’m alone, I frequently catch myself wondering what could have happened to my life if I decided not to transfer here in PUP-Manila from my previous school, PUP-Sta. Maria Extension. I could imagine how comfortable my life could have been if I stayed there and become an
ordinary someone in the place where I learned how simplicity could always equate contentment.
PUP Sta. Maria Extension, home to almost three thousand students, and
home to people I have once called friends. That place has made me realize that life doesn’t have to be complicated and things are obtained in a way that we didn’t expect to be easier. A sanctuary that showed me a vision of having a bright future. But still I decide to transfer school not because of anyone’s desire but myself. The conviction of moving is bothering me like hell because it is one of the matters that should be reflected with deep consideration of all details. Yet I was firm. And I was firm only because of one thing, the instinct that I should go and explore the horizons outside my comfort zones. *** Decision making is one thing that intricate us. We often fear it when the risks of our actions are to excessive that we can’t afford to lose something
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80 more than what we already have. And this fear makes us cowards because we are being protective of our possessions, and we are becoming contented of what life offers—without making efforts on knowing what’s going to happen next or what are the spicier varieties that it proposes. And so I say never be afraid for those who are young for your life is still exciting. A lot is still to happen and you have to be prepared on accepting what life bids for you. Grab every opportunity that you crave for and never make regrets when things go wrong. Take risks for it can teach you a lot of things. When you have already let go of a lot of chances, you must never worry for there is never a scarcity of chances. If you have missed the others, there are still a lot to come and all you need to have is a little waiting; for the right time to do action and the best opportunity to become someone that you wanted to be. So why mess with perfection when your life is almost perfect? It is because the best lessons are learned from people we barely know, the greatest experiences are gained through unpredictable encounters and the most memorable romances are happening when we least expect it. We take risks not to enjoy but to live through something- to search for something we could believe in, to absorb a principle in which we could stand for even if it’s worth something valuable on our part. Take a side and fight for what you really feel. Never let the young blood in you flow passively on your veins. Act or observe. Listen or take part. Speak out or understand. Learn from all sorts of resources and improve yourself for your betterment. *** I have sacrificed something worth my life. And it is the reality that I could have a simple comfortable life. But still I decided to set myself free from the bondages that restrict me from doing what I truly desire. I might have lost a lot but still, I am happy. I never make regrets and I know that something is more to come.
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81 I have pursued my dreams and this really made me satisfied.
*** Joseph C. Moico (CE ‘11) currently works as a technical support representative, a home-based Korean tutor, and a US-based web content provider. He loves reading and learning. In his free time, he enjoys going out with his friends. Joseph is a fan of photography and visual arts. He is a former editor in chief of Engineering Spectrum in 2011.
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Engineering Spectrum Volume XX No. 1 September 2012
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Postscript
PUSH Editorial (Engineering Spectrum Vol. XX No. 4, August 2013)
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NGINEERING the human soul is not easy. And we take this motto seriously. In the age of Facebook and Twitter wherein prints turned out to be archaic and student publications of all sorts in the University are facing tough challenges, the official student publication of the PUP College of Engineering manages to stay visible, relevant and objective. If visibility means publishing at least an issue
every semester, Engineering Spectrum, with very few publications in the University manages to do so, with extreme difficulty. With strict fiscal and procurement guidelines plus near extinction of the journalist population in Engineering, it is nearly impossible to publish a work of art on time and current. Still, we publish, keeping in mind that we have publishers to serve – the engineering students. Take the case of the implementation of Engineering Comprehensive Examination (ECE) for incoming second year students and Engineering Qualifying Examination (EQE) for some incoming third year. ECE is quite new for the College while EQE has been around since. In EQE, students in their second year are evaluated through their grades for the last four semesters. Those with general weighted average (GWA) lower than 2.5, together with those who have incomplete, 5.0, dropped and withdrawn grades and shiftees are required to take EQE. Failing EQE prompted students to shift course outside of the College, failing to take EQE is another story.
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84 Last year, both tests were administered to the whole batch of engineering freshmen and sophomores. And nothing, the studentry can recall, has happened. This was reflected in the opinion article ECE, EQE: What Happened After All?, calling the measure a ‘haste’, ‘effort’, ‘burdening’, ‘pasiklab’ and ‘panakot’. This has put the College administration into hot waters. After the commentary, it is all but welcoming (and rewarding) the recent initiatives of the College leaders, in setting the tone of excellence in Engineering. Now, the results from the latest ECE will be shared with the servicing Departments of Mathematics and Statistics, Natural Sciences and English and Foreign Languages and expected to guide lecturers in enhancing instructions to engineering students. EQE examinees, on the other hand, face tough challenges ahead for stricter implementation of rules has been enforced. No EQE means no enrolment, unless the exam is taken. Student who unfortunately failed the exam got probationary status, if not transferring to another college or university. Even fourth year students were screened again thoroughly. Of course, the credit doesn’t go to the publication alone. Much has been done by the administration and faculty for the benefit of the students. For this College to be great, more than a watchdog, we need more hands to work for the Utopia we desire to achieve. For the past 20 years, the Engineering Spectrum has kept on dissecting issues affecting our publishers. For the next 20 years or so, expect us to keep on printing until something happens.
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Tiway.doc
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E wish to express our deepest gratitude to the people who, in different ways, have helped us make this endeavor come into reality. To the University officials and
offices for taking time facilitating our administrative and financial needs. Special thanks to Engr. Remedios
Ado, former Student Services Dir. Armando Torres, Asst. Dir. Jimmy Dollaga, Student Affairs Chief Mary Jane Mendoza, Engr. Juan Publico and the Procurement office staff, Atty. Arceli Linatoc and the Legal office staff, Accounting office Chief Helen Alcantara and staff, and retired Vice President for Student Services Dr. Juan Birion. To the sponsors of 21 Opinions: Electrical Engineering Network, Willard’s Enterprise and Super Water Mart. To the former editors, staff writers, lay-out artists, cartoonists, photographers and moderators, this issue would have not been possible if not for the ideas and works you have imparted during your terms. To our parents, for all your unconditional support both financially and emotionally. Foremost, to the Divine Providence for the wisdom and perseverance you bestowed upon us during this venture. Maraming, maraming, salamat po!
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21 Opinions
The Two Decades of Engineering (and Architecting) the Human Soul The Engineering Spectrum Anniversary Compilation
Editorial Committee Executive Editors Justinberg F. Bantigue Kaycee B. Victorio (EE ’08) Orland D. Tubola (ECE ‘09) Editor at large Edcel B. Artificio Screening Angelie Grace G. Atol Domyson D. Abuan Katrina Hazel R. Malagday (CpE ‘14) Marvelous Jeffrey A. Artuz Michelle Ann V. Ramat Nedgeor Lei M. Avance (CE ‘14) Research Arra Clarize M. Jose Cedrich Joshua Yllana Q. Delos Santos Genesis Yeshua C. Lim Harvin C. Reyes Jennelyn T. Mausisa John Teddy M. Garcia Ria Camille R. Rivera Vincent Bryan M. Velez Finance Michelle Ann V. Ramat
Art Direction Allan Saleh F. De Vera
Logistics Joe D. Olivare John Carlos M. Critica Marlon M. Bacsa
Lay-out John Teddy M. Garcia Justinberg F. Bantigue
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Editorial Board A.Y. 2013-2014
Editor in chief Associate Editors Managing Editor News Editor Science and Technology Editor Features Editor Circle Editor Art Director Editorial Consultants Moderator
Justinberg F. Bantigue Katrina Hazel R. Malagday Domyson D. Abuan Michelle Ann V. Ramat Edcel B. Artificio Angelie Grace G. Atol Nedgeor Lei M. Avance Marvelous Jeffrey A. Artuz Allan Saleh F. De Vera Engr. Orland D. Tubola Engr. Regina G. Valenzuela Engr. Kaycee B. Victorio
Staff Arra Clarize Jose, Cedrich Joshua Yllana Delos Santos, Dave Allen Motea, Genesis Yeshua Lim, Glendale Joel Jabonillo, Harvin Reyes, Jennelyn Mausisa, Jerjohn Roi Tesorio, Jo Irene Mary Colobong, Joe Olivare, John Carlos Critica, John Teddy Garcia, Joyce Ann Vicente, Marlon Bacsa, Marra Diadem Andaya, Patricia Marie Cabral, Patrick Abiel Roque, Ria Camille Rivera, Vincent Bryan Velez
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PECTRUM—an array of light, seven different colors. 21 years ago, two men conceptualized and pursued the idea of having a college publication which will reflect the sentiments of the students, promote social awareness, and mold public opinion through responsible journalism. Thus, the CEA Spectrum was born— an institution practicing unbiased and unprejudiced journalism. During its prime, the publication has undergone several trials, development and achievements: from its sudden death in 1999 up to its rebirth into Engineering Spectrum in 2000 and being the finalist in the prestigious Catholic Mass Media Awards as Best Student Organ in 2002, 2007 and 2008. This issue reminisces more than two decades of reflecting the sentiments of the studentry, dissecting issues affecting its publishers, and rejoicing the triumph of every PUPian. More than a testament of the publication’s history, this is a pledge of inspiration: to keep looking forward in the next 21 years or so, to continue what it always do—and that is engineering the human soul.