The Bedan Herald Volume 17 Issue 5

SUSHMITA CRISTEL ABANTAO

Farewell letters.

The Bedan Community expresses their sympathy with letters and cards during Fr. Dunstan Candol, OSB’s funeral.

Bedan Community bids final respects for Fr. Dunstan

By Christine Easter Halaba WHEN THE BODY of our earthly dwelling place lies in death, we gain an everlasting dwelling place in heaven.” - Rev. Fr. Dunstan Ma. B. Candol, OSB

“

Posters and banners were brought up as the Bedan community paid their last respects to SBCA Chaplain Rev. Fr. Dunstan Ma. B. Candol, OSB who passed away last Oct. 16 at the age of 56.

Fr. Dunstan was then already feeling ill but he went on with the celebration of a 6:30 p.m. Holy Mass that day until Fr. Olegario Commeleran, OSB replaced him as celebrant after the second reading. In his blog, Gerry Siquijor, a mass attendee, narrated how he saw lay ministers rushed to get immediate medical help for Fr. Dunstan, who died at 8:20 p.m. due to cardiac arrest.

The wake for his remains at St. Benedict Chapel from Oct. 18 (Tuesday) to Oct. 20 (Thursday) included masses

After the mass, Fr. Dunstan’s remains were accompanied by the Benedictine monks from SBCA to Abbey of Our Lady of Montserrat, SBC Mendiola. Last Oct. 21, a mass was held at 1 p.m. in the SBC chapel before his burial at La Loma Catholic Cemetery in Caloocan City.

and rosary prayers which were attended

by Bedan students. Posters and banners of farewell hung at the chapel as students, faculty, administration, alumni and guests attended his wake.

The last mass was held at 9 a.m. of Oct. 20. Integrated Basic Fr. Dunstan’s generosity Education Department (IBED) Principal

With the news of Fr. Fr. Gerardo Ma.de Villa, OSB served Dunstan’s untimely death, as the mass celebrant with six of his CAS guidance counselor fellow Benedictine monks sat beside and Peer Facilitators him. In his homily, Fr. Gerard, as Circle moderator students call him, shared the Joel Ventura dream he had after he found out tasked Denise about his fellow monk’s death.

Faith Belizario and He told those who attended the Rackee Lu Jaquilmo, mass that Fr. Dunstan was now in a peaceful room that God Rev. Fr. Dunstan Ma. B. Candol, OSB Sept. 20, 1955 - Oct. 16 2011 prepared for him in heaven.

Fr. Dunstan / 2

Café Bene now open in St. Benedict forest park

By Adrian Val Lopez

BEDANS NEED NOT anymore go outside SBCA campus to enjoy good, freshly brewed coffee.

Located in the middle of St. Benedict Forest Park (in front of St. Benedict Chapel), Café Bene is the new place for students where they can relax, study, socialize and experience the feel of popular coffee shops with the inviting ambience brought forth by greeneries and fresh air.

Café Bene formally opened its doors and was blessed last Sept. 30. The blessing of the coffee shop and ribboncutting started 8 a.m. and was graced

by Benedictine monks including RectorPresident Dom Clement Ma. Roque, Anti-RH bill advocates speak out

7

NEWS

OSB; SBCA Finance director Fr. Alberic Lazerna, OSB; Learning Resource Center coordinator Fr. Paul de Vera, OSB; and Integrated Basic Education department principal Fr. Gerard Ma. De Villa, OSB.

The event was also attended by CAS dean Thelma Geraldine Baricaua, General Services administrator Arlyn Gaitmaitan, SBCA Alumni Affairs officer Mila Agragado, SBCA public relations officer Prof. Joyce Patricia MontelibanoAquino and other invited school officials from the grade school, high school and college departments.

“Café Bene is made for the students,” said Fr. Lazerna, co-head of the coffee shop project together with General Services head

Becky Phenomenon

PLAZA ‘SANG 11 BEDISTA

Gaitmaitan. “We want them to appreciate the school through this simple gesture.

They don’t have to go out anymore … this place is enough for them to enjoy, for their safety.”

Fr. Lazerna added that one of the reasons in putting up Café Bene in St. Benedict Forest Park is to show that SBCA is an environment-friendly campus, and that Café Bene is a “little haven” for the school to enjoy.

“We want to call community people to appreciate the converted place (St. Benedict Forest Park)—from trash, I would say, into something very useful,” the finance director said.

Café Bene/ 2

Review: This is a Crazy Planets

9 FEATURES

thebedanherald.com

Rector attends 19th ASEACCU confab in Japan

By Janessa Villamera RECTOR-PRESIDENT DOM Clement Ma. H. Roque, OSB. participated in the 19th Association of Southeast and East Asian Catholic Colleges and Universities (ASEACCU) conference 2011 held Aug. 25 to 27 at Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan.

The theme for this year’s conference was “Environmental Preservation and Sustainable Development Issues” which discussed the problems and solutions in the environment. Moreover, it tackled how colleges and universities can do something to promote care for the environment.

Aside from the conference itself, Roque said that there were also talks, group discussions and student participations since this was also the 13th Students Conference in ASEACCU.

According to the Rector, caring for God’s creation is “a command in the Bible” and so we need to put it into work especially that nowadays, environmental issues are evident (i.e. carbon dioxide emission, improper waste disposal and illegal logging).

The best practices in lieu of environmental preservation are already implemented in some schools. In San Beda College Alabang, the beautification of campus, waste treatment management and non-usage of styrofoam and plastics are observed.

To be more eco-friendly, Roque told The Bedan Herald that SBCA is planning to change the fluorescent lights to LED (light emitting diode) ASSEACU / 13

283

There is a total of 283 available parking slots in SBCA campus

NUMB3RS

CAS celebrates Guidance Week

By Hannah Joyce Santos IN CELEBRATION OF SBCA-CAS’ annual Guidance Week, seminars were conducted for college students that started Sept. 19 up to Sept 24.

Themed “Relight the Uniqueness of the Bedan Youth”, the Guidance Week focused on the personality and conscience development of the students, according to Prof. Joel Ventura, PEER Facilitator Circle moderator and one of the guidance counselors in CAS.

On the first day of the celebration (Sept. 19), college freshmen attended the “Spotlight on Majors” seminar that highlighted the possible future careers related to their respective courses. Each course took the seminar in different venues and time together with guest speakers assigned to their courses.

There were also various seminars prepared for the upper BULONG / 9

BULONG / from p7 through his Twitter account.

Anne Marie Urbiztondo, second year CMS student, voiced out her disappointment about the technical glitches that happened in the screening.

“The movie itself was great but the event was very disappointing because of technical problems and poor promotion.

Hope that next time Bedans will show appreciation to the programs prepared by the organizations,” said Urbiztondo.

Another BACMS student who chose not to be named shared she was inspired by the film’s message saying “Kung lagi kang matatakot hindi ka magiimprove, kung nasaan ka man hindi ka aangat .”

Fr. Dunstan / from p1

both third year Psychology students and members of Peers, to create a farewell poster for the beloved priest.

Ventura said that he will never forget Fr. Dunstan’s generosity. He shared that on some occasions, the priest would order a large amount of food, only to share it with different offices in the CAS.

Fr. Dunstan also served as spiritual director to students who attended the Peace Retreat Movement last semester. According to Robert Ryan Valle, a Communication and Media

CAF é bene/ from p1

Justin Ravago, manager of Café Bene, told The Bedan Herald that the coffee shop is like an alternative to the library where students can have group study and socialize. He added that Café Bene is also catering to people who attend Sunday mass at St. Benedict Chapel, which is just a few walks away from the coffee shop.

When asked about how Café Bene is different from popular coffee shops like Starbucks Coffee, Ravago said: “We’re going to serve better coffee at P20 to P30 less, [plus] we serve cakes, cookies, muffins. [Also] in the morning, we serve kakanin like bibingka and puto.”

Justin Ravago, 20, is a fourth year legal management student at the Ateneo de Manila University and is the son of Eva Ravago, owner of Whoopee!, a leading food caterer in SBCA. He is also a Bedan alumnus, having studied in SBCA from grade school to high school.

Product of ‘prayer and work’

Oil artist donates ‘Montserrat’ painting to SBCA

By Giovanni Miguel Alfonso A LOCAL ARTIST presented her donated painting to San Beda College Alabang in a private courtesy call last Oct. 7 in the Office of the Rector, St. Maur Hall.

Mona Buencamino, whose works are displayed in the exhibit “An Exhibit on Marian Paintings” in the San Beda Alabang Museum since Sept.

8, had been asked to paint the image of Our Lady of Montserrat, just days after the opening of the said exhibit.

The octogenarian self-taught painter was invited by museum curator and administrator Joseph Richard Renta III to personally present the masterpiece to SBCA Rector-President Dom Clement Ma. H Roque, OSB as a donation.

“She (Buencamino) is really talented. Can you imagine she finished the (painting) in just a day?” said Roque. The painting was made with oil on canvass and is framed just after five hours. The date of its completion was

Sept. 11, 2011. This is not the first time Buencamino donated a painting because almost 100 pieces of her works have already been sent to different countries worldwide.

The tentative plan on where

to display the painting is in the Grade School’s prayer room. But after the said exhibit ends on Oct. 31, there will be a final decision on where it will be placed, according to Roque.

MAVERHICK ACE NACIONAL

NEWS

The Bedan Herald

VOLUME 17 NO. 5 October 2011

Dom Clement Ma. Roque, OSB looks at the Our Lady of Montserrat painting donated by artist Mona Buencamino (right).

SBCA top officials attend 2011 CEAP nat’l convention

By Hannah Joyce Santos

RECTOR-PRESIDENT DOM Clement Ma. Roque, OSB, CAS Dean Thelma Geraldine Baricaua, and SBCA Integrated Basic Education Department Principal Fr. Gerard Ma. De Villa, OSB participated in the 2011 Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) convention held last Sept. 21 to 23 at Davao City.

With the theme "Building a Culture of Peace: Shaping the Vision, Living the Dream", the threeday convention’s objectives were to provide an avenue for CEAP memberschools to share their best practices in implementing programs and advocacies

Studies sophomore, he will remember Fr. Dunstan not only because of his spiritual talks during the retreat but also because he was usually the priest he would confessed to. Valle would remember him for his prayerfulness, sharing that Fr. Dunstan used to tell him, “Always pray. Always go to the Blessed Mother. Live forward.”

Another sophomore CMS student, Sison Rodriguez Jr. shared that Fr. Dunstan will be remembered for how well he imparted Benedictine discipline and order during their retreat despite

Café Bene’s menu generally includes brewed coffee, espresso beverages, coffee-based fraps, crèmebased fraps, and alternative drinks such as black tea, milk tea, hot chocolate and hot milk. Prices vary from P70 to P100, depending on beverage and size.

The aromatic brewed coffee of Café Bene called “Monk’s Blend” is a famous product of Benedictine monks based in the Monastery of the Transfiguration in Malaybalay, Bukidnon. These monks are the ones who grow coffee beans, harvest and supply them to Café Bene and to “limited number of establishments with big names,” according to Lazerna.

“Charity begins at home; [it is one way to show that] we support each other. This is a work of the monks and considerably the work of God,” Lazerna explained. “These monks are of course involved in prayer and work; we can imagine how they pray while doing their task and performing their labor.

Also, this provides for the less fortunate

on justice, peace and related concerns; and in defining effective ways which CEAP and its members can engage with government, business, media and other sectors in their common quest of building a culture of peace in the Philippine society. Moreover, the convention was dedicated to celebrating the 70 years of CEAP as the largest educational association in the country devoted to improve and promote the teaching function of the Catholic Church.

The CEAP convention had three concurrent sessions for its members.

The sessions were about curriculum and instruction; recent trends, issues and concerns affecting private education and school administration and

some differences in religion.

With his demise, the Bedan community was holding on to his memories. One of his homilies which will be greatly remembered was dated on Oct. 15. He said, “God does not expect us to do complicated tasks to gain a place in heaven. He only wants us to be good in what we do. If you are a spouse, be a good spouse. If you are a brother or a sister, then be a good brother or sister and so on. 20 years after doing things

operations; and advocacy and research.

They tackled about different topics like how to integrate peace education in the curriculum, to challenge bullying and discrimination, to enrich classroom instruction through E-Learning, and many more.

The annual conference also had other various activities such as Eucharistic celebrations, raffle draws, oath-taking of officers and members of the CEAP National Board, opening of exhibits and a keynote address about “The Role of Schools in Building a Culture of Peace” by Teresita Deles, presidential adviser on the Peace Process.

(With Reports From Ma. Danneca Pastrano) only for myself and my family, God called me to enter the seminary. When He did this, there was no turning back for me.

All that I do now is to be a good priest.”

Fr. Dunstan also led the Bedan delegates in their participation to the International Benedictine Youth Congress and World Youth Day last August in Spain. As of press time, there was still no news as to who will replace Fr. Dunstan as CAS head of Catholic and Benedictine Formation office.

ADRIAN VAL LOPEZ

2

SBCA top officials share good coffee time in the newly opened Café Bene.

Malaybalay, Bukidnon community,” he added.

At the open-area coffee shop, students can also enjoy eating pastries such as muffins sold at P80, cakes at P80 per slice, cookies at P30 a piece; and also sandwiches (e.g., ham and egg, tuna with cheese) at P75.

Cafe Bene opens 7:30 a.m. for the whole week and closes at 6:30 p.m.,

except for Sundays during which it closes at lunchtime.

Mrs. Ravago added that the management is also just waiting for the institutionalization of Wi-Fi connection in the whole campus of SBCA, a project

by SBCA Information Technology Center that began last July. This will give the customers of Café Bene access to the Internet while they are studying, socializing, or just relaxing.

NEWS

The Bedan Herald

VOLUME 17 NO. 5 October 2011

Likhang Sining holds first Artists’ Congress THE LIKHANG SINING Organization held its first Artists’ Congress on Oct. 1 at the Rosendo Herrera Hall with the goal to inspire and let the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) students be motivated and learn art from different experienced artists.

There were different speakers invited in the said event. Valerie Chua, a freelance artist well-known for her traditional works featuring fashionable women with an accent of nature, was the first to speak. During her talk, Chua shared her painting routine—she starts with conceptualizing ideas, filtering and revision of sketches, draw on canvas, mixing and modifying colors then start painting.

“We should do what we love, we should not stop practicing in doing our craft and there should be no restrictions,” Chua advised. “We should have passion with our craft.”

Chua also gave a reminder to do research to avoid making any fault that maybe offensive to religious, cultural, political beliefs, or other aspects. It takes her a month to a year to finish one painting. She wishes to follow the

BES and JFINEX introduces “Cashflow”

footsteps of fellow artists James Jean and Sun Eun Chil.

The next speaker was Joe Datuin. Famous for sculpting metals and painting, Datuin won grand prize in the 2008 International Olympic Community Sport and Art Contest in Switzerland.

His masterpieces include the “Dancing Rings” and other works which are displayed in the National Museum, GSIS Museong Sining, Rizal Park, and in different Philippine embassies.

Datuin’s talk focused on his 30 years of experience and passion in art.

He is an abstractionist and his works is usually inspired by the environment, Filipinos, family and his surroundings.

A small sculpture would take him two weeks to one month to finish.

Datuin shared that he always brings a camera so that when inspiration came, he will be able to capture himself and his works. “Habang bata pa kayo, sumali kayo [sa mga art contests], matalo man o manalo. Kung ano ang binigay sa iyong blessing, ibalik mo o ibigay mo sa iba,” he advised.

Other speakers include The Bedan Herald Associate Editor Adrian Val Lopez and Cesar Tiangco Literary awardees Jacob Clavano and Janine

Navarro. All are students in San Beda College Alabang.

Clavano shared in his talk entitled “Creative Writing 101” that his purpose of writing is to “express t h o u gh t s , feelings and ideas rather than simply conveying information.”

He told his fellow students to add character to their

Dinner”, written and directed by himself, starring Kenneth Albert Yrastorza and Denise Monique Tabberrah, both third year CMS students. The concept was derived from the category’s video theme, “Inspiring Life’s Simple Joys”, in which Tabberrah served as Yrastorza’s inspiration. In the video, after an argument, Yrastorza presented Tabberrah a portrait of her and attached to it was a ring.

“Sa bandang huli binati niya (Yrastorza) ng happy 4th anniversary (si Tabberrah). May singsing rin dun so parang proposal or engagement n i l a , ” explained Moralde.

W h e n asked how he learned about the competition, Moralde said a friend texted him about it.

After checking the site, he decided to call his friends to create an entry.

Moralde shared, “Kinuha ko rin lahat Bedan kasi pina-prioritize ko ngayon ‘yong mga talents ng San Beda.

Para makapag-ingay naman ‘yong mga tao sa South.”

Shortly after the last day of submission, the entries were judged by a panel including commercial director Paul Soriano. Moralde won 3rd place with a cash prize of P10,000. The second and first placers got P20,000 and P30,000 respectively.

Moralde is a freelance director, editor, cinematographer, musician, writer, and former photojournalist of The Bedan Herald. He shared that he was planning to make a five to 10 minutes ‘webpisodes’ to be posted on the internet every weekend.

Moralde started shooting videos when he was in third year-college. He created the short films “Makoping” and “Dinggerson”. Southward Creatives, Moralde’s production house, recently shot two music videos for flip-top artist Batas and another music video for rock band BackRight.

In partial fulfillment of the requirements in their course, the third year International Studies major in Tourisim students were tasked to organize a model practice to be able to apply their knowledge on international protocols.

During the simulation, the documents used for signing were originals as requested from the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Selected students even participated as ambassadors for the country-members of the Association of the South East Asian Nations namely Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines.

Aside from the learning experience of being in an actual diplomatic practice, the students were also reminded about some procedures and other notes—different seating and table arrangements, proper dress code and punctuality coming to

imperative engagements.

"Urbanity should be a way of life; it should be our second-nature," reiterated IS department chair Prof.

Rosario Mielmia Aquino.

With merely three weeks to prepare, junior IS block president Jiselle Redublo was pleased with how the event went. “This is actually the first time we held this kind of an activity so there was a lot of pressure on us,” she shared.

“Though there were delays, I think it was an accomplishment.”

Oblena shared the same thoughts saying, “I'll be happy if what we have started today will be repeated and continued in the years to come.

The reason of this activity is really to begin a tradition in the college wherein students of this course will be able to have a chance to put into practice what they have learned inside the classroom.”

By Jamaica Judielle Anne Eleazar

CEASAR JAN ENTILA

By Angeli Anne de los Reyes

Valerie Chua shows some of her works during the Artists’ Congress.

Artists’ Congress / 13

CMS alumnus wins 3rd place in Nescafe video contest

By Christine Easter Halaba

photo from facebook.com

COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA Studies (CMS) and The Bedan Herald alumnus Butch Angelo Moralde won 3rd place at the recent Nescafe “Simple Shots, Simple Joys” video contest.

The contest started last August and the final submission of videos was due August. The contest was divided into two categories: student and general categories.

Moralde participated in the general category with his entry, “Late

IS students practice int’l protocol in simulation

By Giovanni Miguel Alfonso IN A MODEL diplomatic practice, international protocols and procedures were observed by the junior students from the department of International Studies.

The said event, held on Sept. 22 at the Multi-purpose Room, was a simulation of the Signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Republic of the Philippines and the United States of America.

In his opening remarks (Ret.) Amb. Fortunato Oblena explained the significance of holding such an activity. “[This] is a good preparation for future IS practitioners. I am happy to be part of the college to share [my] teaching experience to foreign diplomats,” said Oblena, special lecturer for the Diplomatic Practices in International Protocol course.

3

Spearheaded by Bedan Entrepreneurship Society and Junior Financial Executives, a board game called “Cashflow” was introduced to the students belonging to the Entrepreneurship and Financial Management courses.

With the special participation of Create Abundance 20/20, a group of entrepreneurs that organizes financial workshops in order to spread financial education throughout the country, students were given the chance to experience playing the said game which according to one of the partners, “Cashflow is one of the most interactive learning method about business, investment and financing.” Paolo Pereyra, BES President, also expressed the knowledge he has gained after being exposed to this extraordinary activity and said, ''it is good to tie up with people in order to gain. You should know about the stocks before investing and that no matter how much you earn it all boils down to where and how you use it.''

Cashflow was invented by Robert Kiyosaki, author of the “Rich Dad Poor Dad” best-selling series with the purpose to teach individuals how to handle money in a fun way. It has two stages, “the rat race” and “the fast track” to be precise. In “the rat race,” a player’s income level must surpass the level of expenses for him or her to get out of it. As for “the fast track” stage, the player needs to buy his or her chosen dream to be proclaimed as the winner.

Each participant is given a score card that contains a financial statement.

Participants are required to fill out these score cards for them to keep track on their money.

This game is also offered by the said group in Glorietta with a fee of P500 per head with a goal to provide financial education in the Philippines.

CAS on search for Mr. and Ms. Ruby

By Janessa Villamera MR. AND MS. Ruby is an event in celebration of the 40th founding anniversary of San Beda College Alabang.

The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) is on search for its representatives which will take part on July 2012. The purpose of the said event is to raise funds for the institution’s various projects.

According to Prefect of Student Activities Prof. Ma. Adrianna Quioyo, the participants of this event will be chosen by the different departments in the college division, alongside with the other divisions in SBCA from the School of Law (SOL) and the Integrated Basic Education department (IBEd).

As a requirement, candidates should necessarily possess clear discipline records, outstanding academics and pleasing personalities.

In lieu to the fund raising activity, tickets are being sold by the candidates to support the purpose of such. As stated

by Quioyo, the participants of this event are also encouraged to come up with an advocacy for the institution to instill the subject of the said activity. The ticket sales would be the basis for the winning pair in which they will get the 10 percent of their total sales.

This event would be a first for SBCA as part of its Ruby anniversary. In July 11, 2012, a motorcade of candidates will take place.

4

OPINION

The Bedan Herald

VOLUME 17 NO. 5 OCTOBER 2011

Like a thief in the night “LIVE LIFE SO completely that when death comes to you like a thief in the night, there will be nothing left for him to steal.” – Kahlil Gibran

In all aspects of life, death is inevitable. This is quite an obvious fact, although a reality that cannot easily be accepted.

Sometimes it is, other times it isn’t. Take for example the death of deposed Libyan dictator, Muammar Gadhafi. He lived life violently being the longest-ruling Arab leader, which is why his death was also just as violent. Videos posted over the Internet showed the brutal end of the dictator who ruled Libya with an iron fist for more than 40 years.

Another is the death of Yue Yue, the two year-old Chinese girl who died a week after being critically injured in a narrow market street in China as she was run over by two vehicles. The accident was witnessed by 18 people, as it was caught in camera, but no one intervened and tried to help the poor little girl. Eventually she was picked up by a woman and was sent to the hospital. But after a week of survival, the toddler died of brain failure.

Yue Yue, which translates as “Little Joy” in Chinese, could have been spared from death and thus could have continued her young, joyful life if not for the two truck drivers’ hit-and-run tactics that manifested the slow demise of morality in China.

Hitting closer to home, the sudden death of our dearly beloved Benedictine monk, Fr. Dunstan Ma. B. Candol, OSB came as a shock to many in the Bedan community. In the middle of the 6:30 p.m. Mass celebration last Oct. 16, Fr. Dunstan fell ill and was immediately rushed to Alabang Medical Center. At 8:20 p.m., he was proclaimed dead due to cardiac arrest.

“When a door closes, a window opens,” goes the famous saying. Death is not really life’s paradox; they are actually reciprocal. Death declutters our mad world to usher in the arrival of new things, the advent of new

beginnings, the start of a new life. Gadhafi’s death has liberated Libyans from the shackles of tyranny and has heralded the rise of democracy in their country. Yue Yue’s death has opened the eyes of the global community, especially of China, on the rampant apathy existing in the society where the toddler lived. And this perhaps has served as a catalyst for evergrowing-and-bustling China to give importance on moral education and on the life of its people.

Fr. Dunstan’s passing is a reminder that our life here on earth is limited, and that it can be taken away from us at the most surprising or unexpected moment. Fr. Dunstan would always carry on his priestly duties despite his sickness and heavy workload. So it is with the lifestyle of the Benedictines, his passing to the afterlife shows the qualities every Bedan must emulate, most notably Ora et Labora—Prayer and Work. Fr. Dunstan remained committed to these principles until his last breath.

Death is the ultimate end of the living. Though life has been given to us as a gift, we still have the freedom to decide on how we are going to live it. Some people choose to live for others, voluntarily helping the less fortunate. Some of us also use life as an instrument to inspire human

The Bedan Herald

Noblesse Oblige Volume 17 No. 5

Maverhick Ace Nacional, Editor-in-Chief Adrian Val Lopez, Associate Editor Sabrina Jila Santos, Managing Editor Marco Angelo Cabrera, News Editor Anne Lora Santos, Features and Cultures Editor Giovanni Miguel Alfonso, Sports Editor Maria Danise Ranchelle Ravago, Office Manager Justine Marie Bandoja, Business Manager Christine Easter Halaba, Human Resource Manager Sison Rodriguez Jr., Asst. Human Resource Manager Ralph Emerson Escoto, Junior Layout Artist Alicia Karen Alcantara, James Hardy Dee Ae Araza, Junior Artists

Julisa Ayson, March Anetonette Ortuoste, Hannah Joyce Santos, Senior Writers Janessa Villamera, Junior Writer

Angeli Anne de los Reyes, Jamaica Judielle Anne Eleazar, Angela Victoria Escobal, Research Staff Tonimari Aguirre, Jose Antonio Remigio Da Silva, Circulation Staff Marionne Louise Cinco, Lawrenz Matthew Guevara, Photojournalists

Prof. Myrna Delos Santos Escoto, Technical Adviser Publications Office Room 83L St. Bede Hall, San Beda College Alabang Don Manolo Blvd., Alabang Hills Vill., Muntinlupa City 1770 Tel. #: (632) 809 - 1781 Ext. 211

Website: thebedanherald.com E-mail: thebedanherald@gmail.com Member: College Editors Guild of the Philippines /thebedanherald

@thebedanherald

to do good things. But some of us are already dead even before they stop breathing—having lost their purpose in life because they have chosen the path of apathy, tyranny, hatred, hubris, envy, and greed.

With All Saints Day and All Souls Day fresh in our memories,

let us all remember the dearly departed and reflect about our own mortality. Let us live our lives at our best and in the way that we can be proud of; that by the time death comes for us, we can die ready with contentment and completeness.

Pakialam mo?

M

AYROON PA BANG paraan para maging pribado sa publiko?

Nasanay na tayo na sa pagpasok natin ng eskwela ay magiging kabilang lamang tayo sa maraming estudyanteng naglalakad, kumakain at tumatambay kung saan-saan; kumbaga, “another ant in the colony.” Marami tayong nakakasalubong na tao ngunit alam naman nating hindi lahat sa kanila ay kilala tayo at may pakialam sa kung anuman ang gagawin natin. Subalit nagbabago ang lahat sa simulang may mapuna tayong kakaiba sa isang tao o sa isang bagay. Kahit sa simpleng pagbabago ng pintura sa isang dingding, hanggang sa pagbabago ng ugali ng iyong kaibigan. Sa mga napapansin nating ito, hindi maiiwasan na ating isipin kung bakit at paano naging ganoon ang isang bagay—dito pumapasok ang pagiging pakialamero ng isang tao. At dito natin nalalaman kung paano natin nagagawan ng paraang kumuha ng impormasyon, suriin ang sitwasyon at alamin ang sanhi ng isang pagbabago.

May mga taong ginagawang pampalipas-oras o—kung hindi man— passion ang pag-usapan ang buhay ng iba. Papansinin ang bawat kilos at huhusgahan ang bawat desisyon na kanilang ginawa—pinapakialaman kahit pribadong buhay nila.

Madalas na pinag-iinitan ang media at press tuwing sila ay nanghihimasok sa pribadong buhay ng isang tao. Sa aking mga napapanood, nangunguna ang paparazzi sa listahan ng madalas makaaway ng mga artista.

Bukod sa kaliwa’t kanang litratistang makikita, hindi rin marunong lumugar ang iba rito kung saan pati pribadong gawain ng mga artista tulad ng pagligo ay pilit na kinukuhanan ng litrato at ginagawan ng istorya.

“What happens in Bora, doesn’t always stay in Bora. It will only take seconds for the story to get to Manila.”

Napaka-makapangyarihan ng teknolohiya ngayon at sabay sa pagunlad nito, hindi mo na kailangang

pumasok sa industriya at maging artista dahil kahit saan ka magpunta, ikaw ay minamanmanan. Isang halimbawa na lamang ang mga surveillance camera na nakalagay kung saan-saan at kung minsan ay mayroon ding mga bentekwatro-oras na mga surveillance camera na naka-ugnay sa mga websites kung saan kahit sino ay pwedeng makakita.

Hindi mo na rin kailangang maging artista para lamang magkaroon ng sarili mong stalker.

Laging pangunahing dahilan ng pagkakaroon ng stalker ay ang mga social networking sites tulad ng Facebook, Twitter at iba pa. Sa simpleng pagtatanggap na lamang ng isang tao at para maging dagdag sa iyong listahan ng mga kaibigan ay maisasahalintulad na rin sa pagpapapasok ng isang tao sa iyong pribadong buhay.

Madalas nagrereklamo ang tao na sila ay sinusundan ng sinu-sino kung saan-saan ngunit hindi ba’t sa Facebook at Twitter, madalas nagpapalit ng status ang mga gumagamit nito at kung minsan ay nilalagay pa nila kung nasaan sila?

Ngayon magtataka ang iba kung bakit sila inii-stalk? Hindi ba’t paglalagay na rin iyon ng sarili sa kapahamakan?

Ang pagbibigay ng impormasyon ay dapat agad malaman ng tao kung nararapat isapubliko o hindi.

May mga bagay na hindi dapat ikinakalat sa publiko. Hindi lang pananakot at kapamahamakan ang naidudulot ng paghihimasok sa pamumuhay ng isang tao, umaabot din ito sa puntong nagkakasiraan na ang bawat isa. Ang pamumuhay ng tao ay nakasalalay sa kanyang kaugalian, gawain at salita; at inaasahan na dapat laging handa ang isang tao sapagkat kapag siya ay nasa publiko, hindi ka magkakaroon ng pribadong pamumuhay.

Pakialamero ako, pakialamero ka, pakialamero tayo. Ikaw, may sarili kang buhay ‘di ba? Subukan mo muna kayang ayusin ‘yong buhay mo, bago mo pakialaman ang buhay ng iba? Ay teka, sabagay. Ano nga naman bang pakialam ko sa’yo?

OPINION

The Bedan Herald

VOLUME 17 NO. 5 OCTOBER 2011

5

iLive. iDie.

I

DON’T HAVE an iPod, an iMac, an iPhone, or an iPad. But when I heard of their iCreator’s passing, I joined the rest of the world in mourning and in going iSad.

Steve Jobs was truly a genius, a visionary, an inventor that revolutionized and reshaped modern world. Methinks, he is the King of “Outside-the-Box” Thinking; he made personal computers friendlier to people through designing powerful, interactive graphic interface in his cube-shaped Mac, and he compressed thousands of songs into an iconic gadget that fits comfortably in the pocket. He had this habit of showing us what we never knew we wanted—and he proved overwhelmingly good at it.

Steve Jobs is also the King of Awesomeness. Even though he was not a computer scientist, a hardware engineer, an industrial designer, or even a college graduate, he still had managed to make things possible through his quest for perfection, fantastic imagination and pleasing charisma. He stood for his vision, despite facing a lot of drawbacks in his life, including being junked once by the very company he established—Apple.

Steve Jobs never stopped; after he served in Apple he founded NeXT Software Inc., a computer platform development company, and Pixar Animation Studios, which pioneered and brought us the pleasure of watching three-dimensional animated movies such as Toy Story, Wall-E, and Up. Until 1997, Steve Jobs came back to Apple and thus the dawn of iPod, iPhone and iPad.

Steve Jobs lived by his own principle, by his own hunger to discover new ways of doing things, and by his own foolishness to stay unconventional and ‘think different’ in this world going mad.

He strived for the best to live his dream,

followed his heart and intuition in his endeavors, and thus was able to reinvent the world to the likes of Thomas Edison and Albert Einstein.

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life,” Steve Jobs once said in his commencement speech in Stanford University. “Don’t be trapped by dogma—which is living with the results of other people’s thinking.

Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

How I wish I had a black turtleneck. ***

At the time I was doing this column, Libyan rebels were already rejoicing at the demise of Moammar Gadhafi and his four-decade cruel dictatorship in oil-rich Libya.

Congratulations poured in from across the world, and the silver linings of democracy and liberation grew even brighter for the then-embattled North African country. Gadhafi, 69, was killed by insurgents in his hometown of Sirte, his last stranglehold.

His death was celebrated in Tripoli by the revolutionary fighters waving their weapons and dancing jubilantly, as if marking a decisive end to the eight-month civil war in Libya.

Gadhafi deserved that. His vindictive death has given justice not only to his brutality, oppression, and sponsorship of terrorism abroad, but also to the 42 years he had taken away from Libya and to the people who died during his atrocious rule.

This somehow reminded me of

the Marcos dictatorship that hounded our country for two decades and was toppled in 1986 by People Power Revolution.

Life really has its own ways of punishing people who had been wayward in their lives, and the fall of tyrants some kind of proves that oppression and despotism have no place in this world constantly being enlightened and peaceful.

After all, it’s just some sort of karma. ***

Life is too short for us to live, so we must make it fruitful and meaningful.

No one knows when it will be taken away from us; it happens in the most unexpected time when everything seems to be fine. So we must learn how to cherish life and all the things that makes it beautiful while they are still there. iLive, iDie. That’s just how the cycle goes, and it’s universal. But the difference lies on how we used our borrowed time worthwhile not only for ourselves, but also for others and for God. ***

I want to express my deepest sympathy to the entire Bedan community and to the family of Fr. Dunstan Ma. B. Candol, OSB, who passed away last Oct. 16 at the age of 56 due to cardiac arrest.

Still I can’t get over your passing, Fr. Dunstan, but I thank you for being such a kind school chaplain who would give us wise, valuable homilies and would remind us college students of the proper behavior and focus we must have during Holy Mass. Your memories and teachings will always be remembered especially the one you would always say during Holy Eucharist, that “miracles do happen after communion.”

We love you, Fr. Dunstan, and may you not forget to say hi to Super Bro for us.

W

setup, the cozy atmosphere, the reasonable prices, and the extremely gracious waitress/ bartender. The delectable and authentic Callos ala Madrileña and Jamón Serrano were so delicious that few things in life are better. Not to mention capping off the meal with complimentary mojitos, courtesy of the affable waitress/bartender.

I also didn’t waste my time in mundane malls in Europe that I haven’t already seen here in the Philippines. Instead, I visited the grand churches and cathedrals often neglected by my disenchanted generation. I’m not an overtly-religious person, but I do appreciate the architectural wonder of these places of worship. The most amazing one I’ve been to so far is the Basílica de la Sagrada Família in Barcelona— reputedly the symbol of Catalonian ingenuity and pride. One cannot help but be captivated by its unique and otherworldly design greeting any traveler getting off at Barcelona’s Espanya metro rail station. And though it is still far from completion, it is undeniably an amazing and ambitious project, hundreds of years in the making. It was well-worth the risk of dashing from the airport in Barcelona a few hours before our flight just to see this magnificent structure up close and personal.

It’s not easy what I’ve been doing in my trips abroad. By going on my own, breaking off from the group, I risked many things. I risked my safety as I tread across unchartered areas (though I always had a buddy to accompany me). I risked my health as I ate unfamiliar yet delicious food (but I never got sick on the entire trip). I also risked alienation from my companions (it’s alright; I paid for the excursion, not the company). By going off the beaten path, I have discovered cultures so far from my own, unlike what I read in books or see on television; yet something I unexpectedly embrace without hesitation. And by avoiding the typical tourist traps, I can proudly say that I’m an International Studies student living the dream.

For me, the best part of the trip is not the time you spend bonding with your companions (that can be done in retreats or team buildings); the best part of the trip is finding your inner peace amidst an unfamiliar and unchartered territory. It is the sense of belonging in a place you’ve

never been to before and the feeling of being at the right place at the right time. I found my inner peace as I stood triumphant at the peak of Sant Jeroni at Catalonia; as I prayed vespers with the Benedictine monks at the Basilica Santa María de Montserrat; as I paid my respects to the incorruptible remains of St. Bernadette at Lourdes; as I sat on top of a grassy hill, catching a glimpse of the Pope at Madrid; and as I nestled on an entire unoccupied row aboard Singapore Airlines on the way home.

And though the countless problems of the trip initially make me feel everything I’ve experienced seem more beautiful in retrospect, looking at it now in hindsight makes me realize it was all worth it. I encourage all travelers to be adventurous and to get lost—literally. Get lost on purpose and you’ll discover that it is more rewarding to travel this way than you otherwise would.

As long as you have your passport, money, travel documents, essential paraphernalia, common sense, and perhaps a companion along for the ride, you can never go wrong.

Bear in mind that even if traveling nowadays is easier and more convenient than ever before, still not everyone is privileged to travel. I often put myself in the shoes of our less-fortunate countrymen who journey abroad not for leisure but out of necessity. I do not know when my next trip to Europe will be, or if I’ll ever be able to again, but I surely made the most of my trip. It is the same principle of savoring and finishing your dish out of respect for those who do not have anything to eat.

There is a part in Robert Frost’s poem The Road Not Taken which sums up the way I lived my life up to this point and my experience in Europe in particular, “Two roads diverged in a wood and I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”

This piece is dedicated to the memory of Fr. Dunstan Ma. B. Candol, OSB (56) who passed away on October 16, 2011 due to cardiac arrest. Fr. Dunstan was celebrating the evening mass at St. Benedict Chapel when he passed out and was rushed to Alabang Medical Center where he succumbed to death. Fr. Dunstan was the head of the Bedan delegation to the IBYC and WYD.

Euro Trip

HAT’S IN A name? This is a rhetorical question that is frequently asked but not often pondered upon. I know I didn’t.

It wasn’t until I grew older that I started to become curious about names—my name in particular. I asked my father why he gave me such a name to begin with. He said he named me after the famous Italian traveler, Marco Polo. And while I was tepid about my father’s response, little did I know that my name would serve as a harbinger for what would be my pursuit of happiness and knowledge.

Last August, I took part in the International Benedictine Youth Conference (IBYC) and World Youth Day (WYD) in Barcelona and Madrid, Spain. I was one of the delegates representing SBCA-CAS. Aside from the IBYC and WYD, we also made a pilgrimage to Lourdes, France where the Virgin Mary made an apparition to St. Bernadette Soubirous. Needless to say, our trip to Europe was far from perfect. I could spend my entire column ranting about the numerous problems we encountered, but I’ll refrain from doing so. I know my parents paid hard-earned money for me to have a once-in-a-lifetime-experience, so I took every dilemma we came across in stride and made the best of every situation.

Luckily, I’m a man of simple needs. I needn’t fly first class or stay in five-star hotels to have a great time. I also needn’t shop in runof-the-mill malls and eat quality-controlled, utilitarian food. An ideal trip for me would be visiting the local market of a particular locale because I believe the marketplace to be the heart and soul of any great culture.

Simple but delicious food is also part of my itinerary. Going out of my comfort zone to eat in some out-of-the-way but delicious hole-inthe-wall is one of the sheer joys I experience in traveling; not consigning myself to eat in a god-forsaken fast-food joint like McDonald’s or Burger King (as if we don’t get enough of it here in the Philippines).

Great food at reasonable prices is usually not found in malls and hotels.

More often than not, they can be found just around the corner, away from the tourist traps and day-tripper hangouts. An excellent example of this is the appetizing tapas bar I discovered just a few blocks from La Latina metro rail station in Madrid. Everything about the place was amazing: the simple

‘Juan Time’ Big Time

L

IFE IS TOO short, so use it wisely.

Tardiness will not make you successful in your career nor a star in an event. So might as well dump this Filipino Time habit and replace it with what you call PUNCTUALITY.

I had always been in afternoon classes in elementary, but when I transferred in a Parañaque-based school in 6th grade, I became used to their morning classes. It was not a big deal for me back then since I had my two brothers disturb my peaceful sleep every morning. But then high school came and so did my dilemma.

My brothers graduated when I was in freshmen year, which meant I started depending on my cell phone’s alarm clock in sophomore year. Classes started from 7 a.m., but because our house was just a cartwheel away from school, I would always extended the snooze and wake up at 6 a.m. I would take a bath for 5-10 minutes, would go to school with wet hair, and when I arrived at school, I would go straight to our discipline’s office and recite the “Ang Panunumpa sa Watawat ng Pilipinas,” sing the national anthem and our school’s hymn. And in the days when our discipline officer was in the mood, he would make us late students jog and do jumping jacks. Those were the kinds of parusa for late students, and I was not spared from these almost everyday routine.

Now in my three years in college, I have probably consumed a lot of trees for writing my father a note every night just to remind him to wake me up in the morning. That is how pathetic I am when it comes to time management; BODY CLOCK does not work for me. Not to mention my tardiness when it comes to meetings, gatherings, and just plain hanging-out with friends.

Most of the time, my tardiness is not a big deal, because here in the Philippines, these meetings and gatherings also start late. And this Filipino Time habit almost always makes me just in time. The Philippines has been a wonderland for people who have their own concept of time, for people like me, a Filipino.

Last Sept. 30, the Department of Science and Technology in partnership with the representatives of Discovery Channel, MMDA, SM Supermalls among others, unveiled a giant clock at SM Mall of Asia just to achieve one goal, make the Filipino Time on-time, now called “Juan Time.”

The first step of this advocacy is to synchronize Filipino’s timepieces with Philippine Standard Time (PST) and introduce the “real” time. Because for students, the right time is their bells at school which also applies to employees who only follows their company’s time.

If only radios and television were used to influence and follow the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration that does not only broadcast weather conditions, but is also the timekeeper of the PST, we would not have this Filipino Time mindset.

The moment I read this article about Juan Time, it hit me big time. But it is not all about being guilty; it also became an eye opener for me. It is about time for me to be responsible and be a good time manager because I will need that in the near future when I’m already working. In fact, I already need it because having a position in an organization and being a good student is hard. Actually, being a student per se is already hard; how much more for the others who have even greater responsibilities.

I know that it will not be easy for an archipelago of 7,107 islands to be synchronized at least in time and get rid of this obstructive practice. “Old habits die hard;” and for people to move on and accept change, I think it is just a matter of time.

6

OPINION

The Bedan Herald

VOLUME 17 NO. 5 October 2011

Think before you speak On Redundancies

T

he word ‘redundant’ has oftentimes been used to describe a word that is repetitious, thereby deemed to be unnecessary or no longer needed for a phrase or a sentence to be understood. Even respectable grammar websites such as About.esl.com list hundreds of redundant phrases which at first sight seem to be semantically correct. One quirks to learn that she has been using these redundant phrases unaware that indeed, on closer scrutiny, these phrases shared with students possessed words that need not be mentioned. Thus, the infamous notion for the word redundant . Yet, let us explore the other side of redundancy—a repetition of a process, a concept or knowledge, or through inquiry even—which in these brazen times of violence, we Filipinos need much to develop and acquire, first and foremost, inside our classrooms.

A college student from ADMU who writes in one of the leading newspapers described how reading assignments these days have changed. Textbooks and reference books are no longer enough to fill in his academic crevices. Nowadays, cognition of the various disciplines he has to study is expanded and repeatedly explored in readings assigned to him which he gathers from academic journals both in hard copies or in the subscribed net journal publications found in his library. Readings he now enjoys as he claimed (he did get the hang of it after seriously focusing on what was required of him; he even has the tendency to forego his tweetsand his much held-on-to computer games) even in the comfort of his room which he now believes is an extension of his library. Lo and behold, he can download PDF (portable document format) files of readings from scholars who are beneficent enough to share their splendid works, whether they be journal articles, theses, or dissertations.

This college student has become what Horning (1991) calls “a redundant reader.” This ADMU student who has learned to augment and expand his reading strategies into redundancies of descriptive knowledge could also “provide evidences of understanding, make a proposition salient, and make inferences explicit” (Walker, 1996).

In my literature class, my students are required to close read literary texts and to analyze and discuss or write about what they discovered thereafter. In doing so, close reading the texts also transforms my students into redundant readers and ... redundant inquisitors. One of them questioned why we have to do all those “things” especially for poetry, I explained to them that it is only through re-reading that we can explore the creations of these writers, and that after the exploration, we convey to them the tribute that indeed theirs are indeed literary and therefore deserves to be immortalized.

It is not only in enhancing reading materials and discussions inside a literature class that redundancy prevails. Everytime students are asked to summarize, paraphrase, computer, tabulate, and answer questions orally or in writing – the practice of redundancy exists: on the shared information between them and their professors.

But everytime they ask that information or questions be repeated, then we missed on our ability to convey and expand redundant information with new information . This integration known as proactive redundancy is a type of redundancy we should practice in order to avoid conflict gained through our readers or listener’s lack of understanding.

And yet, there are times when we tend to become impatient with these repetitive questions, hush-hushing students with our looks or with our silences. If we ponder about it, could there be a possibility that these classroom scenes extend to those places where major conflicts are still, up to the present, being resolved through guns and ammunitions?

In the recent tragic event in the south, it seems that proactive redundancy has been neglected. In a situation where life and death is at stake, Grice’s (1975) second maxim of quantity: “Do not make your contribution more informative than is required,” the promulgator that redundancy should be avoided in language, is surely based on flawed assumption.

Once again, mortality succumbs for us Filipinos—this time, not because of nature’s wrath, but because of redundancy flaws. A fatal flaw we can correct as early as now... inside the classrooms, with our students.

I

BELIEVE THAT words are the most powerful thing in the universe.

A cheerful word can lift up a weary heart but a wrathful one ignites a fight. Do the words you speak give life or death to one’s soul?

According to Collins English Dictionary, a “word” is defined as an instance of vocal intercourse; chat, talk, discussion.

It is something said—an utterance, remark, or comment. It is also define as news and information and even defined as Scripture.

I wrote this column to give a deeper meaning on how different kind of words affects us human beings; I’ll give myself as an example. One afternoon, during my Rizal class, I was disturbed to receive a text message coming from an unknown number, as I read the message this words were written, “I am a fan of your articles.” These words were a bit scary, I supposed. But whatever intention this person may have, it motivated me to feel good about what I write and continue to give stories that people will read. It’s like a pat on the back or simply says “good job!”

What inspired me to write this opinion is when I read a story of how a simple three-word phrase changed a deaf boy’s life. Even before, school was a struggle to Stephen since there was no interpreter in their school. He was deaf so he had to sit in the front row so he could read her teacher’s lips. Classroom discussions were impossible to follow because he couldn’t hear what was being said around the room.

In a vain effort to keep up with the flow of conversation swirling around him, he would always ask (what was being said to) whoever happened to sit next to him. Eventually, he got tired of watching everyone shrug their shoulders indifferently and roll their eyes.

So what he did was to begin to pretend that he knew what was going on. Fitting in was so important to him that every time the kids laughed, he would also laugh even he was clueless most of the time.

One evening, he was working on a math word problem. He couldn’t solve it so he asked his father to help him out. Half hour

had passed but there was still no progress at all. For the last time his dad asked him, “Stephen, read through the word problem again,” After Stephen read it aloud, his dad asked him, “Now, do you add or subtract?”

Hesitantly, Stephen replied, “Add?” “NO, STEPHEN YOU HAVE TO SUBTRACT, SUBTRACT, SUBTRACT!” Stephen’s dad burst out of anger and lose patience. Stephen shivered in fear.

Going to school wasn’t much better either. Kids taunted him and called him names that he even asked himself, “What have I done wrong?”

Because of his academic struggles, he was held back in fourth grade. Teachers didn’t know what to do with him. But then fate intervened. He was allowed to pass, by a fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Jordan.

One sunny afternoon, Mrs. Jordan asked the class a question. He read her lips from the front row seat and immediately raised his hand. He couldn’t believe it— despite his fears, he felt uncharacteristically confident because, for once, he was sure he had the right answer. He thought that this was an opportunity to impress his powerful teacher and maybe even impress his classmates a little. He didn’t want to blow it. So he took a deep breath and nervously answered her question. The teacher’s explosive response startled everyone in the classroom. Mrs. Jordan enthusiastically slammed her right foot on the floor and whirled her finger a full circle until it pointed directly at Stephen. With sparkling eyes and a wide smile she cried, “THAT’S RIGHT STEPHEN!”

For the first time in his young life, he felt like an instant star. Stephen’s confidence soared. Simple words delivered with incredible enthusiasm had totally transformed one’s life.

But there will always be the other side of the story right? Sometimes in our lives we encounter people who just love to put us down, who will say all kinds of things just to make themselves look good in the eyes of people. But does this make them a better person if they step on someone else’s life? I

strongly believe it does not. It will not even elevate them, it just lowers their level and fighting back just says you’re on the same level. In reality when you try to be the best of what you do there will always be what we call “haters” and “insecures”—a lot of them. They will hurt you verbally and emotionally. Yes, truly words stabs like a sword, just like what my Pastor always says, “Sticks and stones can break your bones but words crashes your soul.”

Let’s admit it: People get affected by words whether the words are true or not. But here is a piece of advice the next time you hear someone say rumors or throw judgmental words about you: don’t let your self-esteem go down because whatever words they say do not even speak of a single thing about you; It just says more of how they were raised or how insecure they are of themselves.

In my 20 years of existence, I know that words from my friends, family, special someone and even enemies mold me to become who I am today. People who do not know me can describe me based on their judgment, my friends on how I get along with them, my family on how good I am as a daughter and a sister but only the word of God defines who I am.

Words of encouragement are the reason why there are successful men; a word of wisdom brings a confused man his direction. In short, words hone a person’s character. It is a means of motivation or destruction. Spoken words program the heart either to success or defeat. We can even associate words with containers—they carry life or death and produces after their kind.

But looking back when you let foul words overcome you, you are defeating yourself’s worth. Stand up; show them what you’ve got. You don’t have to say evil things in order to get even. As we all know life’s a cycle, we will not know when karma comes.

“Like a fountain of water, the words of a good person give life. But the words of the wicked contain nothing but violence.”— Proverbs 10:11

Is San Beda College Alabang K-12 ready?

By Roman Carlos Barredo

C

an San Beda College Alabang make the bold claim of being K-12 ready?

K-12 for Filipinos: Making mandatory what used to be voluntary

K-12, or Kinder to Grade 12, is an internationally recognized standard in basic education. Before the academic year 2011-2012, the Philippines belonged to the last three UNESCO member-countries that haven’t formally adopted this standard.

Although most people are not aware of it, the K-12 standard is not new to the Philippines.

The “Kinder” part of K-12 is already being provided by most private elementary schools, with some even including one or two more years of “Pre-Kinder” education, which is seen to be a plus factor in other countries particularly when one is applying to study in a university of great reputation. With the formal adoption of K-12 effective academic year 2011-2012, the provision of at least one year of Kinder education, ideally to children aged 5 years, has just become mandatory.

As for the Grades 1-6 of elementary school, it will remain mostly the same, with minor curriculum adjustments just to unclog it.

First to fourth year high school as we currently know it will just be renamed “Junior High School” or “Grades 7-10”.

Students will be given an aptitude test to determine their future specialization as early as Grade 9, something that some private high schools are already doing. Whereas, what used to be the optional TESDA-administered courses will mostly become the now mandatory two-year Senior High School.

Some general education subjects from CHED-administered courses will also be transferred to the curriculum of Senior High School to further enhance it, and to unclog the curriculum of higher education courses.

These changes, however, will all be gradual and only expected to take full effect once we

reach the academic year 2016-2017.

Beneficial or additional burden?

Opponents to the idea cite different reasons backed by various studies. They say that there is no correlation to the length of time spent in school vis-a-vis the academic standing of a student. They also point out that making mandatory what used to be optional will just magnify an already blown up problem, particularly referring to the poor state of the public school system. In terms of private school education, they see this as an additional financial burden to parents in a country where the middle class is becoming a rare breed.

Proponents counteract by saying that formally adopting the K-12 standard puts the Philippines at par with the rest of the community of nations. This will become an advantage for future Filipinos who might want to go abroad in the pursuit of higher education or job opportunities. They also say that with K-12, an unclogged curriculum across the board will help give Filipino students more time to focus on learning. The curricular re-alignment will also make K-12 graduates ready for employment, with higher education becoming merely a tool for career advancement and not initial employment.

SBCA’s K-12 readiness

San Beda College Alabang will have to make some major adjustments to fit the K-12 system. SBCA is already offering Pre-School which more than meets the requirement. The Career Tracking Scheme (which this writer greatly benefited from) in what will be renamed the Junior High School Department also perfectly meets the requirement.

However, what San Beda College Alabang failed to lay foundations for is the now mandatory two-year Senior High School.

SBCA never offered TESDA-administered courses, which will make the bulk of Senior High School. Even if the full implementation of Senior High is only expected once we reach academic year 2016-2017, SBCA must exercise every effort to make this transition as less painful as possible.

SBCA already has the infrastructure to offer the following key TESDA-administered courses: PC Operations, Computer Hardware Servicing, and Programming. These can be derived from the IT department of CAS, where this writer got his bachelor’s degree from. So what’s stopping San Beda College Alabang from doing so?

The curriculum realignment process will be much easier for SBCA once this cornerstone is laid. The only major adjustment foreseeable would be the realignment of managers, faculty, staff and students; particularly in the spinoff of TESDA-related departments to the future Senior High School Department. It would entail consolidation of offices, renaming terms used in the system (i.e., student records, course descriptions, handbook, alumni records, etc.), and realignment of student organizations. Another issue that might be considered for deliberation is the adoption of the A to E academic grading system versus the current 1 to 5.

The only permanent thing in this world is change. San Beda College Alabang has already been well advanced in its foresight in terms of the Pre-School and Career Tracking Scheme. I believe it is not too late for SBCA to catch up on other things that will help produce globally competitive graduates.

This is a re-write of a news article published by The Perpetualite. Roman Carlos Barredo is an alumnus of SBCA (BSIT ’05) and was the Editor in Chief of The Bedan Herald Volume 10. At present, he is a Junior Writer at The Perpetualite.

The Bedan Herald

VOLUME 17 NO. 5 October 2011

SBCA Rotaract attends Regional Rotaract Conference

By March Anetonette Ortuoste LAST SEPTEMBER 28 to October 2, the SBCA Rotaract Club sent four delegates to participate in the 8th Asia Pacific Regional Rotaract Conference (APRRC) in Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center, Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Zambales.

Hosted by District 3790 with the theme “Rotaract: Touching Communities, Serving Humanity” the conference was attended by SBCA Rotaract together with the different Rotaract Clubs all over the Asia Pacific region coming from Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, Bangladesh, Japan and other Asian countries.

The four-day conference was filled with different activities, seminars, getting-to-know of the different

rotaractors, a tour around the wonderful spots of Subic and also updates about the upcoming rotaract activities outside the country. Various activities were held such as an amazing race, a pageant for Mr. and Ms. APRRC, and different workshops namely “Enhancing Rotary-RotaractInteract Relationship,” “Effective Fundraising projects,” “Strategic Membership Recruitment and Retention,” “Digital Film Making,” “Expressing yourself through Visual Arts” and “Self-Defense through Aikido.”

Some of the topics discussed by different speakers are “Youth Empowerment through Arts and Culture;” “Youth, Media and Leadership,” “Disaster Preparedness and Management,” and more.

The delegates sent by SBCA Rotaract Club are Chezka Medina, Erica Vania Topacio, Armand Menchavez and Andrei Abalos all are fourth year Entrepreneurship students.

“We had the opportunity to meet new friends and build connections with others. We were inspired and motivated to make our club more active, to have effective projects and club as well as to enjoy being a rotaractor,” Medina said, SBCA Rotaract president. “It was really fun, na-enjoy namin ‘yong conference kasi we had the time to bond with the rotaractors from our own district, then we also got ideas from them through their projects kung paano mas magiging worthwhile and effective ‘yong club namin in helping the community,” she added.

By March Anetonette Ortuoste ENTITLED “UNMASKING THE RH bill Agenda”, a seminar was held by the Peers Facilitators Circle and the Bedan Educator’s Society last Sept. 23 at the Multi-purpose Room with two staunch Anti-RH Bill advocates as guest speakers.

The seminar primarily focused on how the Reproductive Health (RH) Bill Agenda has been ruining the beliefs of the people and therefore hiding the deeper consequences and reality of it. Dr. Ligaya Acosta, Executive Director of the Human Life International Asia-Oceania, discussed on RH bill with the theme of “The Filipino Family under Siege: Reproductive Health or Reproductive Death?”

Acosta stated that the RH Bill “transcends religion.” According to her research in the HARAPAN Survey by ABS-CBN, the network showed that the majority votes were Pro-RH Bill; but the network did not show that the real outcome of the survey was 14,535 voters out of the 20,981 who actually disagreed with the passing of the Reproductive

Health bill.

Acosta added that many government agencies and departments who agreed on the RH bill is not just promoting the use of different contraceptives but also promotes abortion. She also pointed out that the passing of the RH bill comes with the legalization of abortion in the country.

Some of the government groups found to be connected with the legalization of the RH bill and supporting it are World Health Organization, United Nations Population Fund, United Nations Refugee Agency, Red Cross and Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights. Acosta indicated One help or aid offered by an agency saying, “Ang Ligtas na Paraan ng Pagpapalaglag.”

“RH is not a medical term, but a marketing term created in the 1980s by abortion rights activists,” Acosta exclaimed. “There is no such thing as safe abortion. Abortion is never safe, it is the worst murder,” she added.

Acosta’s talk discussed further

the consequences of RH bill and also the danger attached to it including the legalization of abortion in the Philippines, the bad side effects of using the different contraceptives, and the possible rise of Pre-Marital Sex and homosexuality. She provided more researches saying why the RH bill, the most diabolical bill as she put it, should not be passed being the House Bill 4244, or “An Act of Providing for a Comprehensive Policy on Responsible Parenthood, Reproductive Health, and Population and Development and for other purposes.”

Acosta ended her talk with the quote, “True love never puts another at risk, emotionally, physically and mentally.”

Atty. Jo Aurea Imbong, Vice Chair of the Professional and Cultural Development for Women Foundation, graced the second talk discussing about the RH bill’s issue with the population

held in St. Benedict Chapel. After the mass, the LM students had Hon. Isaias Ubana II, former municipal mayor of Lopez, Quezon, as the guest speaker of the first seminar entitled “Political Governance and Leadership” in Rosendo Herrera Hall last Sept. 5. He shared that a public administrator should be a good and effective leader that never gives any promises, a financial manager and a politician who has mastered the art of governance, speaking and organizing.

He emphasized the “biblical” qualities such as honesty, integrity, kindness, compassion and courage—a leader must have in order to serve the community with great quality. “We are born to love and serve,” said Ubana.

Society. She taught how to enhance the student’s memory by stating theories, for instance, the Network Theory where ideas are stored in separate categories so a person can memorize a particular topic more easily. She also said mnemonics or abbreviating words, paying attention during class and organizing information can be helpful tips for all in the near future.

Anti-RH bill advocates speak out

RH Bill / 12

JBLC pioneers first LM week

By Jamaica Judielle Anne Eleazar

Jamaica Judielle Anne Eleazar

SIX YEARS SINCE the establishment of BS Legal Management, its co-curricular organization, The Junior Bedan Law Circle (JBLC), created the first ever Legal Management week by offering various events such as a series of seminars, a debate contest and a general assembly together with the officers from the Alliance of Legal Management Associations in the Philippines (ALMAP) last Sept. 5 to 10.

The JBLC officers began the affair by attending a Thanksgiving Mass

Atty. John Jacome shares some tips to Legal Management students on how to pass the bar exam.

‘Sharpening your Memory’ “Sharpening your Memory” seminar was headed by Dr. Magaret Sanapo, Psychology department chair, and in partnership with the Bedan Psychological

Magna Carta

With the collaboration of the Student Executive Council, the seminar entitled “Magna Carta for Student Rights” was presented during the third day of the week-long event where Aaron Tolentino took the place as the guest speaker. He defined the word “Magna Carta” as a document or piece of legislation that serves as a guarantee of human rights and gives emphasis on the limitations of power held by any official. He further explained that in order for Magna Carta to be approved in any school, there should be a sense of urgency, enough knowledge about the school’s culture and about Magna Carta itself, involvement of key people, and full commitment once it is started.

How to pass the bar exam “This is a marathon,” as repeated countless times by Atty. John Jacome, Vice Dean of Student Affairs and moderator

NEWS

7

CMS sponsors Bulong screening

By Sison Rodriguez Jr.

“BULONG”, A SHORT film by Joaquin Pedro Valdes, filmmaker and director, was shown to Bedans last Sept. 26 at Rosendo Herrera Hall sponsored by Beda.Comm, co-curricular organization of the Communication and Media Studies department.

Filmed in 2008, Bulong depicts a man named Julio (Sid Lucero) living in a world where everyone is controlled. He encounters a whisper whose instruction will go beyond what the world limited him to be. The film also features dilemmas between right and wrong.

“As a filmmaker I felt that I wanted my stories to be as universal as possible, themes that involve the human being not necessarily the Filipino but the human being,” said Valdes. He explained that his films aim to expose gray areas in reality such as usual moral dilemmas where choices and convictions would bring a person to choose between right and wrong.

In a forum after the screening, Valdes revealed that the main inspiration of the film is Plato’s Cave Allegory which represents an extended metaphor that is to contrast the way in which we perceive and believe what is in reality.

“Only people who know allegory would actually be able to identify,” he added.

Asked about if the ending was his way of positioning the viewers to do the right decision, Valdes answered it was “exactly his point.”

“Sometimes our convictions in real life waiver,” Valdes said. “Don’t do what Julio did, to stick through it.”

Valdes also shared that he is currently working on a Shakespeare’s adaptation onto cinema but preferred not to tell which one of those works. The film will probably be set on a “speculative time” and be spoken on Shakespeare’s way but in Filipino [Tagalog] language.

“San Beda [College Alabang] students were intelligent and a treat to discuss with,” expressed by Valdes Bulong / 2

of JBLC, when he spoke to Legal Management students for the seminar “How to Pass the Bar Exam” in Rosendo Herrera Hall on Sept. 8. He mentioned that a person must familiarize himself or herself with the intricacies of the bar examinations in order to be prepared.

Proper budget of time and maintaining good physical health will go a long way.

“It’s how you study, not how much,” said Jacome. He further explained that a person should never skip anything and always provide a legal basis. The ability to memorize of codal provisions and the Constitution is also essential, also the penmanship and grammar is absolutely vital when the exams are being checked.

Two debate contests were organized by the JBLC, with the participation of the Bedan Debate Society, last Sept. 9 in Bellarmine Hall which included Legal Management students from the freshmen batch. The first dispute was about whether or not Charter Change should be approved, while the motion for the second debate was “This house believes that the Philippines should implement trial by jury to improve our justice system.”

ALMAP General Assembly

A general assembly cooperation with the Alliance

in of

LM Week / 13

The Bedan Herald

8

VOLUME 17 NO. 5 OCTOBER 2011

Soaring Technology

By Ian Kelly Jamotillo

Technology is drastically increasing as modernization rises up to a new level. And for us to be energized, here are some cutting-edge gadgets that will surely spice up your life.

photos from google.com

USB 3.0

USB 3.0 is the newest and upgraded version of one of the most used technology in our daily lives. One of its newest features is “super-fast” in which file transferring is very quick that it will be complete before you realize it has started. It also features real charging

stations. Whereas USB 2.0 can produce 100 milliamperes (mA) of trickle charge for each port, USB 3.0 ups that quantity to 150mA per device. USB 2.0 tops out at 500mA for a hub; the maximum for USB 3.0 is 9 0 0 m A .

USB 3.0 will also have its revised version in the mid of 2012 which is solar powered cell that uses sunlight to recharge energy.

Windows 8

After Windows 7 became very successful and famous worldwide, something will change in the family of operating systems produced by Microsoft. Here comes Windows 8, a new stylish and innovative enhanced version of Windows 7. Even they share some features and platforms, Windows 8 undergo a big evolution and is much better than Windows 7. Its newest feature is Windows Store which allows users to publish their “traditional desktop” application and links to online stores.

Also, Microsoft also plans to make Windows Store an application for online buying for clothes, gadgets and etc. Its newest feature is metro-style user interface, optimized for touchscreens as well as mice and keyboards. A new start screen, similar to the one in Windows Phone 7, includes live application tiles.

Windows 8 also features a new log-in/ lock screen that shows the date and time and notifications, along with a customizable background.

Lastly, its third major feature is it introduces a new graphical browser named “Windows Navigator” which is faster and sleeker than Internet Explorer

and Mozilla Firefox. Windows 8 also features a configurable taskbar in the traditional Windows desktop that spans multiple monitors and is applicable for USB 3.0 and has the newest Windows Live ID Integration. Windows 8 is set to be released in late 2012.

Touch-Eye Computer/Eye-Controlled Computer

This computer has sensitive touch screen and a major feature of this is that, its command can be controlled by the Human Eye. Yes! You can use

your pair of eye to do commands in this computer. It has keyboard represented on the screen and “reality time’” is also present.

However, this eye-controlled computer is specially designed for people with disabilities such as cerebral palsy, ALS, multiple sclerosis, Brain and spinal injuries. This technology was made by Tobii, a Swedish company.

“Augmented Reality” in Mobile Devices is a catchall term for overlaying what we see with computer-generated contextual data or visual substitutions.

The point of the technology is to enhance our ability to interact with things around us by providing information immediately relevant to those things. At work, you might walk around the office and see the name and department of each person you pass painted on them—along with a graphical indicator showing what tasks you owe them or they owe you. Though

many case scenarios involve “heads-up” displays embedded in windshields or inside eyeglasses, the augmented reality we have today exists primarily on the “heads-down” screens of smartphones.

HTML5

The new flavor of the HTML— the standard program for writing Web pages--is called HTML5 (Hypertext Markup Language version 5). HTML5 aims to put that practice to bed for good on Windows 8. Specifically, HTML5 may do away with the need for audio, video, and interactive plug-ins. It will allow designers to create websites that work essentially the same on every browser— whether on a desktop, a laptop, or a mobile device—and it will give users a better, faster, richer Web experience.

Instead of leaving each browser maker to rely on a combination of its inhouse technology and third-party plugins for multimedia, HTML5 requires that the browser have built-in methods for audio, video, and 2D graphics display.

HTML5 features a wide array of features like Adobe Flash Player which is more faster and some do not need buffering to edit videos. More of internet browsers will appear like Internet Explorer 8, Opera Beta and the newest Windows Navigator which is only available on Windows 8. HTML5 is also quick to create and its downloading buffs are very fast.

Steve Job’s iLegacy

by Julisa Ayson

1975: Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, assembles the Apple I computers.

2007: Steve Jobs introduces the Apple TV and the iPhone.

2010: Steve Jobs unveils the iPad, the much anticipated Apple Tablet.

1995: Steve Jobs becomes the CEO and President of Pixar Animation Studios that produce the animated film Toy Story.

2008: Steve Jobs presents the world’s thinnest notebook, the MacBook Air.

And on June 24, 2010 Apple releases the iPhone 4 successor of iPhone 3GS

trivia:

by Marco Angelo Cabrera

Evolution of Music Players

In 1888, German inventor Emile Berliner patented the gramophone. It was similar to Edison’s machine, but while the phonograph used a cylinder to record sounds, the gramophone used flat discs

In 1877, American inventor Thomas Alva Edison created the phonograph using a sheet of tin foil mounted on a hand-cranked cylinder

Silvery, shiny, and invented by Sony and Philips in 1982, CDs eliminated the hiss of tapes and the snap-crackle of record players, leaving listeners with a pure musical experience.

Originally developed in 1962, the cassette tape is still the most widespread method of sound recording.

They’re reliable, cheap and capable of Hi-Fi stereo sound.

MP4 stands for Motion Picture Experts Groups Audio Level 3 and 4. MP3 technology has revolutionized the music industry by allowing people to download, transfer, rip and share music over the Internet.

photos from google.com

photos from google.com

FEATURES

The Bedan Herald

VOLUME 17 NO. 5 OCTOBER 2011

9

This Is a Crazy Planets

By Maria Danise Ranchelle Ravago “THIS IS A Crazy Planets” is a compilation of some of the most striking entries of Lourd de Veyra in his blog of the same title in SPOT.ph.

In a very witty manner, the book makes you realize what you fail to see in a world filled with shallowness, ill-mannered people, absurd politics, showbiz, and distorted perspective. This satire of truth and irony will definitely make you say “Oo nga noh!” and you just have to back up every word. The shrewdness written in a condescending approach will make you think twice and lead a new perspective.

Except for the fact that it is only 116-page thick, the drollness makes you finish the book in a span of five

hours or less. Reading it is tantamount to watching his segment, “Word of the Lourd”, because you get the same dose of entertainment and undaunted insights.

It’s funny hearing his voice inside your head and the sarcastic tone reads the book to you, especially those articles written in Filipino. If you’ve read a Bob Ong work before, you can spot some resemblances in their writing style except that Lourd has more straight forwardness and power in his tone.

Why buy this book if you can see it for free in SPOT.ph? Let’s just say that it’s the same banana with less radiation, no advertisements. And if they ever had to take down the site for whatever reason at least you have a copy of the

World’s unsung heroes

"I THINK A hero is an ordinary individual who finds strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles," said Christopher Reeve from the movie Superman.

The toughest problem of teachers is not identifying the successful people, but making successful people from ordinary ones. They create all the other professions; teachers’ draw the success of other professions—that if not for them, nobody else will be here.

A teacher, according to Wikipedia, is a person who provides education for pupils (children) and students (adults).

Teaching is not an easy job. It is actually a complex, multifaceted profession which most of the time require teachers to work on multiple tasks and goals simultaneously.

Just like a potter who defines the shape of a pot, they single-handedly shape the generation in which the development of the society is dependent on. If one wants to study the nature of the citizens of the country, one must meet and study the country's teachers.

"The society is a replica of

By Justine Marie Bandoja teachers living in it," said Geeta Dhavale, a professional voice actor on radio.

That is why teachers deserve much recognition and appreciation for all their efforts.

Teachers’ Month Campaign

It was during the 20th century that the concept of celebrating Teachers’ Day started independently in many countries. The Teachers’ Month Campaign (TMC) in the Philippines was initiated by the Metrobank Foundation Inc. (MBFI), together with Philippine Business for Education (PBEd), Campaigns Social Response (CSR) and De La Salle Philippines (DSLP) three years ago in the month of July. This campaign was supported and specially participated by the Department of Education (DepEd) and some key business institutions.

National Teachers' Month is now officially celebrated in honor of the nobility of the teaching profession with the theme “My Teacher, My Hero” from Sept. 5 to Oct. 5 the virtue of Proclamation No. 242 from the Malacañang Palace. This is in response to United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) call to honor teachers, just like how Mother's Day and Father's Day are honored and celebrated.

real thing.

Lourd Ernest H. de Veyra is a “slash person”. A TV personality slash poet slash three-time award winning writer slash blogger slash front man of Radioactive Sago Project. He is one “who could write insightful, humorous, irreverent commentary on Pinoy pop culture”. Lourd graduated with a degree in Journalism from University of Santo Tomas and is also a four-time Palanca award-winning writer. “Subterranean Thought Parade,” “Shadowboxing in Headphones,” and “Insectissimo” are poetry books also by Lourd.

The book is funny, sarcastic and real. After reading it, all I can say is “This is a crazy planets.”

The Malacañang Palace Proclamation No. 242 signed last August 24 aims to: 1.

Use the occasion to celebrate the unique role and service that teachers play in guiding families, strengthening communities, and building the nation 2.

Revitalize the image of teaching as a vocation by increasing p u b l i c awareness on the value of teachers in Philippine society and national development 3. Assist current and retired Filipino teachers by coordinating a chain of establishments to provide valueadded service or discounts to teachers.

(SOURCE:TV5’s InterAksyon online news portal: http://www. interaksyon.com)

“This (National Teachers' Month) is to contribute to the growth and development of the teaching profession in the country as well as to publicly express appreciation to teachers, both active and retired," said President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.

A teacher is not only a teacher, but also an artist who sketches and draws the quality of our tomorrow—the new generation.

They are the world’s unsung heroes that if not for their perseverance, none of us would be to where we are right

Get Your Heart On!

By Tonimari Aguirre

Did you know?

According to UNESCO, the World Teachers’ Day was first celebrated across the globe on October 5, 1994 due to the inauguration of Teachers’ Day. The idea of celebrating Teacher’s Day independently took ground in the 20th century, wherein the teachers’ day was in accordance to the teacher’s birthday or the day of his/her biggest achievement.

These two factors explain why almost all countries celebrate this day on different dates, unlike many other International Days.

WILL YOU GET your heart on? The five-member Canadian punk band had arrived with their new hit single “Jet Lag”.

Simple Plan is back after taking a short rest with their fourth studio album “Get Your Heart On!” It’s been a decade since their first album “No Pads, No Helmets …

Just Balls” was released, which sold four million copies worldwide. There are some collaborations in this album; well known artists like Joel Madden of Good Charlotte, Mark Hoppus of Blink-182 and one of the band vocalists that rocked Manila recently, Alex Gaskarth of All Time Low.

The album has a track called “A Pocket Full of Sunshine” which is a duet with female singer Natasha Bedingfield.

Other songs like “Freaking Me Out” and “Summer Paradise” are some of the

tracks you need to listen to before you hit the bed. The songs of Simple Plan evolved and became more mature unlike the past albums. I’m sure this album will make you stand up and dance, and maybe the songs can put your heart on.

now. It is only the “teaching” profession that teaches all the other professions.

According to the news reports in TV5’s InterAksyon, the National Teachers' Month is hoped to raise the same level as the world pays tribute to our mothers and fathers, because teachers deserve the same recognition and appreciation.

Guidance Week / from p2

year levels, each with a different theme, highlights and speakers, after the freshmen’s guidance week activity. For the sophomores, Edgardo Sorreta discussed to them the topic: “Establishing and Nurturing Valuable Life Relationship”; Godorico Miranda tackled a seminar on “Life Management” to the juniors; and “Recognizing Achievement and Independence: Defining Bedan Values in the Workplace” tackled by Ricardo Garcia to the seniors.

A seminar entitled “Facts About Reproductive Health (RH) Bill” was also conducted last Sept. 23 which highlighted the negative side of RH Bill. The speakers for the talk were Dr. Ligaya Acosta, executive director of the Human Life International AsiaOceania, and Atty. Jo Aurea Imbong, vice chair of the Professional and Cultural Development for Women Foundation.

The said seminar was also sponsored

by Peer Facilitator Circle headed by its president, Sarah Gevaña.

The Bedan Herald

10

Lola Mona: 81 years old and still painting

Pla

‘SANG B

By Christine Easter Halaba

illustration by: Tonimari Aguirre

illustration by: Alicia Karen Alcantara

KOMIKS

MAVERHICK ACE NACIONAL

to “paint me” proved everyone that it was never too late to start a career.

After her dream of the Our Lady of Guadalupe, Lola Mona didn’t know what to make of it. She didn’t know a thing about painting so when she tried painting oil on a canvass and failed, she immediately thought of giving up.

But the Our Lady of Guadalupe was persistent. She erased all of Lola Mona’s doubts by guiding her all throughout. She taught her to use a smaller canvas. She taught her what color to use when painting Mary’s skin.

She even taught her how to use the foil

which her son sent her easily.

“Pag ako may problema na kung papaano ko ipi-paint ito, mapapanaginipan ko on how to do it.”

“Kuha lang ako ng kuha ng paint, pindot, tapos paint na ko,” Lola Mona said, claiming that every time she paints, it was as if someone just takes over her. She would paint so fast, using a styrofoam instead of a palette, that before her paintings were even put up for an exhibit at SBAM, she already made 158 paintings—all of which were given away and scattered all over the world.

She didn’t like selling her paintings; she gave them to whoever asked for it. Priests, nuns, and doctors from different places visited her, asking for her precious paintings which now hung on hospital walls and churches.

Lola Mona Gives Back

At her old age, Lola Mona felt that she had to give back for being so fortunate. In Manila, she would be crushed to see burials held on the streets. While riding her car, her driver knew to stop by street children for she gave them treats.

Once, on her birthday, she told

her friends to give her money instead of gifts. She received a total sum of P37,000 which she, in turn, gave to young cancer patients at the Philippine General Hospital.

Her 27 paintings that day were all priced P10,000 each. The money she would earn would all go to special charities she chose.

Lola Mona can’t heal the sick nor can she raise the dead back to life.

She was just kind-hearted and caring towards our brothers who were in need. And that may be the reason why she was chosen to propagate faith on the Blessed Virgin Mary through her

photo from facebook.com

illustration by: James Hardy Dee Ae Araza

September 8 marked the birthday of a special persona in the Catholic Church. The one who gave birth to every Christian’s savior Jesus Christ –the Blessed Virgin Mary. She loved him, took care of him, and stood by him as everyone from ancient Jerusalem mocked him while he carried the cross to Mt. Calvary.

For this, every Catholic from all over the world appreciated her as they celebrated her birthday. The San Beda Alabang Museum (SBAM) wasn’t any different for they prepared Ave Maria: an Exhibit on Marian Paintings by Mona Buencamino in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary’s birthday.

Mona Buencamino, or Lola Mona as friends called her, was actually an alumna of University of Santo Tomas where she graduated with a degree in Commerce major in Management.

Her story was actually one that took an unexpected turn, for she was not a painter during her younger years; playing violin was her passion when it came to arts.

However, after 50 years, a recurring dream of the Our Lady of Guadalupe telling her

CHOBENITO

painting—because with old age, she was still faithful in following Jesus’ teaching to help the poor.

Maybe, in a world with a growing technology and people who were heavily influenced by the media that was all a person has to do: to propagate faith. To spread the word about the Blessed Virgin Mary, mother of all.

Through Lola Mona’s Marian paintings, Bedans and outsiders alike were able to appreciate and look back to the time when Mother Mary looked after Jesus through His worst times. In a way, we were transported back to a time so essential but already forgotten.

Seeing Lola Mona’s paintings at the museum, one can’t help but think, Mother Mary lived a hard life just as Jesus’ apostles did. That was her painting’s message: do not forget that in the middle of His hardships, there was a woman behind him, and all her love and support gave Him strength. It was her nobleness that made every Catholic look back and appreciate her on her birthday.

The Blessed Virgin Mary proved that a mother’s love was truly one of the world’s greatest treasures.

aza

VOLUME 17 NO. 5 October 2011

11

BEDISTA

BECKY PHENOMENON

By Adrian Val Lopez

HOTDOG SANDWICH SA halagang P35,000—bibilhin mo?

Malamang para sa ating mga Bedista, syempre naman. Kanino pa nga ba tayo makabibili ng ganitong klase ng hotdog sandwich kundi lamang sa napakamasiyahin, napakasikat, walang katulad at mahal na mahal nating si…

Becky!

Tama, si Becky—ang kaibigan nating nakapwesto sa isang food stall sa tabi ng gym na laging nakapamaywang, suot-suot ang kanyang hairnet at T-shirt na kulay lavender. Kung may isang tao man na masasabi nating magaling sa larong “Diner Dash” sa tunay na buhay, si Becky na siguro ‘yon. Sa kanyang sipag, pagkabihasa sa “multi-tasking” at likas na pagkamasiyahin, si Becky ay talagang patok na patok at maraming naakit na suking mga estudyante mula sa grade school, high school at college, pati na rin mga magulang at mga bisita ng paaralan.

Pero sino nga ba si Becky sa kabila ng kanyang kasikatan bilang bendedor ng hotdog sandwich, hotdog rice, burger patty rice, siomai rice, at cold iced tea?

Si Becky, o si Aldren Santos, ay tubong Guimba, Nueva Ecija. Siya ay ipinanganak noong August 22, 1986 (o ha, ipinanganak noong People Power Revolution!) at kasalukuyang 25 taong gulang na. Mahilig siya sa kulay pula at itim; kumain ng halo-halo at kumanta.

Paborito niya ang kantang “Angels Brought Me Here” ni Australian Idol Guy Sebastian, at idolo naman niya si YouTube sensation Charice Pempengco dahil ayon sa kanya, di lang ito magaling kumanta kundi “kamukha” pa niya!

Tatlong taon nang nagtatrabaho at nagbibigay-saya si Becky bilang isang bendedor ng Whoopee! (isang food caterer sa SBCA). Ngunit bago nito, marami munang pinasukan na trabaho ang ating bida.

Mahilig maghalaman si Becky,

kung kaya’t high school pa lamang ay nagbebenta na siya ng mga halaman tulad ng bonsai, cactus, at iba pa. Nakatulong ang negosyong ito sa kanyang pagaaral hanggang siya ay makagradweyt.

Nang makatapos si Becky, nagtrabaho siya sa isang grocery store sa Taguig na pagmamay-ari ng kaniyang tiyahin. All around ang katungkulan niya roon— naging stock controller, receiver, kahera, at iba pa.

Kalauna’y nag-aral si Becky sa kolehiyo ng kursong B.S. Computer Science sa STI College-Tarlac. Subalit dahil sa hirap ng buhay, isang taon lang ang kanyang natapos. Kung kaya’t bumalik na lamang siya sa grocery store ng kaniyang tiyahin.

Nagtrabaho rin si Becky bilang kahera sa isang M-Gas outlet sa Tarlac, pero sa nang naglaon ay nalugi ito.

Nagpahinga muna si Becky ng ilang buwan sa pagtatrabaho hanggang dumating ang isang oportunidad na tila nagsilbing bahaghari o nagbigay kulay sa kanyang mapusyaw na nakaraan.

Sa isang hindi inaasahang pagkakataon, inalok si Becky ng kanyang matalik na kaibigan na si Sandy ng isang trabaho noong sila’y nagdiriwang ng kaarawan ng isa nilang kaibigan.

Kinakailangan daw ng Whoopee! ng isang counter assistant sa kantina ng SBCA High School department. Walang pasubali itong tinanggap ni Becky … at pagkalipas ng tatlong taon, heto na siya sa kanyang trono sa SBCA gym—patok na patok at mahal na mahal ng mga Bedista.

Syempre mahal na mahal din ni Becky ang mga Bedista, dahil ayon sa kanya, “pleasant” ang mga mag-aaral dito sa SBCA. “Masaya silang kausap, at makita ka kahit saan binabati ka. Tapos wala ‘yong estado ng pamumuhay mo rito, pantay-pantay lang ‘yong pagtingin nila sa’yo,” ika ni Aldren o ni Becky.

Isa sa mga bagay na pinakagusto ni Becky sa kanyang kasalukuyang trabaho ay ang pagkakaroon ng maraming kakilala at kaibigan. Sa isang lugar tulad ng gym, hindi talaga maiiwasan ang dagsaan ng mga tao lalo na kung may mga school events. Minsan pa nga, ayon kay Becky, artista pa ang nakahahalubilo niya sabay sabing, “di na kailangang pumunta ng SM para makakita ng artista.”

“Si Becky simula pa noong nasa Beda High pa ako, talagang napaka-friendly na talaga niyan,” ani Samantha Ebuna, mag-aaral ng Legal Management sa ikalawang taon. “Pinakalovable na nagbebenta ng hotdog [si Becky]. Kahit siya lang nagse-serve, nagmumultitasking siya at saka kay niya magluto agad at mag-entertain ng mga estudyante.”

Ayon naman kay Manuel Madrelejos, mag-aaral ng Marketing Management sa ikaapat na taon: “Si Becky kasi masyadong hardworking.

Kahit mag-isa lang siya, kaya niyang bentahan lahat ng mga estudyante.

Mabait ‘yan si Becky, saka lagi may free hugs.”

Hindi biro ang pagmumultitask ni Becky lalo na kapag oras ng tanghalian—pinagsasabay niya ang pagluluto, paghahanda ng kanin, pagsasalin ng cold iced tea sa baso, panunukli at pakikipag-usap sa tao.

Subalit sa kabila nito, napapanatili pa rin niya ang masayang aura sa kanyang munting food stall. Sumikat na rin ang kanyang mga nakaaaliw na lenggwahe tulad ng “thousands” (kapag tinanong mo si Becky kung magkano ang isang hotdog sandwhich, ang kanyang sagot ay “P35,000 na lang para sa’yo!”

Nakagugulat pakinggan pero gets mo naman ang joke, di ba?); “Changes!” (sambit niya ito sabay bigay ng P15,000 kapag binigyan mo siya ng P50 sa pagbili ng hotdog sandwich); at “Shalala!” (bekinese para sa “hala!”).

Lingid sa ating kaalaman, hindi multitasking ang pinakamahirap na parte sa trabaho ng ating bida. Oo, mahirap at nakakapagod ang multitasking, ayon kay Becky; pero aniya “sanayan” lang iyon. Ang pinakamahirap daw talaga ay ang pagkokontrol ng emosyon. “Hindi naman araw-araw maganda mood mo, syempre may problema rin tayo sa labas. Minsan kahit gusto mong magalit, di mo magawang magalit,” ika ni Becky.

Gayunman, pilit pa rin niyang itinatago ang mga kalungkutan sa likod ng ngiti at halakhak.

JOSE RIZAL, REMARKABLY, one of the last labeled Renaissance man in the Philippines. He was not only an enthusiastic poet, writer and linguist. But also manifests great architectural skill despite the lack of technology.

The altar at the Holy Rosary Cathedral in Dipolog City is only but an example.

The design and structure Rizal designed, greatly portrays the Filipino ethnicity.

It was upon the request of his former professor, Fr. Jose Villa Clara, a Dapitan missionary while Rizal was still serving the contract of his Dapitan exile. It was erected by some Spanish friars sometime in 1895.

By Pauline Anne de los Reyes

Malaki ang pasasalamat ni Becky sa pagiging isa sa mga bendedor ng Whoopee! dahil aniya, marami siyang natutunan dito. “Natuto akong mamuhay mag-isa. Natuto akong maghawak ng pera,” nakangiting sinabi ni Becky.

“Tapos marami rin akong natatanggap na mga payo tungkol sa love life [mula sa aking customers] na nagkukuwento rin ng buhay nila.” At ano ang kanyang natutunan? “Kung alam mong walang patutunguhan, itigil mo na lang. Mas masakit kapag umasa ka pa.” Tama!

Nang matanong patungkol sa kanyang “dream job” sa kabila ng kanyang kasikatan bilang isang bendedor ng hotdog sandwich, ito ang naging sagot ni Becky: “Siguro hindi na lang job. Siguro dream talaga. Gusto ko rin magkaroon ng sariling food stall.”

At hindi kinakailangan hotdog pa rin ang kanyang ibebenta, ayon kay Becky.

Basta kahit ano raw na patok na pagkain ngayon, handa niyang ibenta sa kanyang sariling food stall.

Nakaaantig isipin na talagang napalapit na si Becky sa kanyang trabaho. Dahil dito, napapangaralan siya bilang isa sa mga pinagkakatiwalaang empleyado ng Whoopee! nang idinaos ang kanilang Christmas party noong isang taon.

Naging parte na ng ating buhay Bedista si Becky. Kahit simpleng hotdog sandwich o hotdog rice, iba ang pakiramdam kapag binili ito sa ating kaibigan, kakuwentuhan at kakulitan na si Becky. Dahil tila may mahikang dala ito na hindi lang nagpapabusog ng ating mga tiyan, kundi pati na rin nagbibigay ngiti at saya sa ating mga labi—na may halong ketsup, mayonnaise o mustard. Kaya’t kung ikaw ay bibili ng hotdog sandwich sa halagang P35,000, hindi ka manghihinayang. Dahil hindi matutumbasan ng halagang ito ang halong kasiyahan at kakulitan ng nagiisang Aldren Santos/Becky na hindi natin mararanasan sa iba.

Chess Tournament / from p14

San Pablo Colleges (SPC) and Philippine Christian University Dasmariñas (PCU-DASMA) both gathered 8 ½ points, however SPC was put in to the eighth spot for winning 2 games while PCU-DASMA who won one game became the ninth placer . On the other hand, Don Bosco Laguna grabbed the 10th place.

The 13th NCAA-South Chess Tournament used the Swiss System for this season. With reports from Jose Antonio Remigio Da Silva

12

NEWS

RH BILL / from p7 growth of the Philippines. She said that RH Bill is not the answer to the problem of overpopulation but proper family planning and spacing.

“People are not the problem, they are the solution to poverty,” Imbong said. She pointed out that they are the ones who would work and strive for the betterment of the country.

After the population issues regarding the RH Bill, Imbong then shared how this House Bill requires mandatory Sex Education in free ages and that it would make extramarital sex truly legal in any age. Imbong also supported Acosta’s talks about abortion, citing another term for abortion as “removal of retained products” and hedging how the abortionists make it sound like fetuses are not humans.

The speakers also clarified that even though the RH Bill would be passed, people are not really required to ask for contraceptives. The freedom of choice encompassed in the bill is “to do good or to do bad, because people are physically free but still morally bound.”

Representatives from Southville International Schools and Colleges and De La Salle University-Dasmariñas also attended the seminar.

The Bedan Herald

VOLUME 17 NO. 5 October 2011

Broken tradition, main topic in Student Forum

By Sabrina Jila Santos and March Anetonette Ortuoste

students to when the pep rally could be done. Cabrera said that the school officials could push through with it by December, before the opening of the Muntinlupa Inter Collegiate Athletic Association and coinciding with the opening of the CAS Intramurals.

Lawrenz Matthew Guevara (IIIBSLM), president of Junior Bedan Law Circle, suggested in the open forum to have a standard operating procedure regarding the accidents inside the school due to the car accident faced by one Legal Management student which was not resolved properly.

Arlyn Gatmaitan, director of SBCA general services, answered the questions regarding the availability of transportations and added that reservations will be approved as long as the vehicles are available. She also said that the priority in the school’s facilities at the moment were the improvement of the football field and the installation of CCTV cameras in the entire campus.

On the other hand, before the open forum, the Student Executive Council (SEC) already answered some

of the top 15 concerns of students according to the questions submitted by Council of Student Leaders.

The top 15 concerns of the students were the following: 1.Dress code and uniform restrictions 2.Tight security – resulting to absences/ tardiness of students 3.Accessibility of center and right wing stairs to students 4.Number of available photocopy machines in the College 5.Filing a complaint against unfair professors or the school 6.No printing services at the Library 7.Expensive printing services at SEC 8.Availability of weights room to students 9.Monday as washday 10.Students to pass through Inner Circle 11.Shuttle from Alabang Hills to SBCA or tricycle inside the school 12.Exact dates for Pep Rally 13.Suspension of classes due to typhoons/storms 14.Proceeds of fundraising activities,

because] maraming nagsu-support sa DLSU kasi madami sila tapos University of Asia and the Pacific also supported them,” said Cynthia Manalo, BDT moderator and Physical Education coordinator.

Their routine was focused on choreography, having fewer stunts and making their dance a statement or mark that SBCA was there. It took them two weeks to prepare. “Actually halos two weeks siyang binuo talaga, unfortunately nung huli medyo bumaba na ‘yong energy, pero masaya naman kasi na-recognize ng ibang schools ‘yong San Beda College Alabang,” Austria explained.

Another one of their goals is to partner up with San Beda College-Bedan Dance Theatre.

Even though BDT was not able to qualify for the final round, Manalo was still elated with the dance troupe because they did well in their first time in Skechers Streedance Battle. “I am very happy, fulfilled and proud that we made it that far. Not only because we were part

of the eliminations, but also because of [their] performance,” she explained.

The participants were San Beda College Alabang, San Beda College, Adamson University, Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University, De La

Salle-Lipa, STI-Las Piñas, UA& P, Lyceum of the Philippines University-Batangas, University of Perpetual Help System DALTA, Centro Escolar University, AMA Computer College-East Rizal, Colegio De San Juan deLetran-Calamba.

Community Involvement Center; and Atty. Tony Paul Austria.

The first motion was “This house believes that Rallies are detrimental for the people.” It was debated by SBCA’s Leofando, Rustan Jay Bugay (I-BSLM), and Aubrey Bondoc (I-BSBAMM) against PNPA’s Cadet Eroc (4th Class), Cadet Villanueva (3rd Class), and Cadet Tubongbuanua (2nd Class).

The second motion, “This house believes that the death penalty is inhumane, should not be brought up and should be permanently abolished,” was debated by Marquez, Gabrielle Enriquez (I-BSA), and Catriona Janelle Gayatin (I-BSLM) versus Cadet Talplacido (4th Class), Cadet Ramos (2nd Class), and Cadet Cortes (3rd Class).

On the third to the fifth motion, the judges were replaced by Ariola, Namoc, and Prof. Mary Mabel Mendoza, former professor of SBCA and now a professor in PNPA.

The participants in the third motion “This house believes that the

Philippines Judicial System be revised and charged to the Jury System,” were Paolo Barcelon (II-BACMS), Katherine Angela Dy (I-BSLM), and Anjelline Ballado (I-BSLM) against Cadet Tuan (4th Class), Cadet Bernne (3rd Class), and Cadet Panuelos (2nd Class).

On the fourth motion with “This house believes that the Philippine Government should focus more on Educational Growth than Economic Growth,” Marco Angelo Cabrera (IIIBAIST), Mara Marianne Marcial (I-BLSM), Jemmarie Pascua (I-BSLM) debated against Cadet Yuson (4th Class), Cadet Jade (3rd Class), Cadet Bauya (2nd Class).

The last motion was participated

by Rowell Ace Obdencia (I-BSLM), Jerekko Cardona (I-BSLM), and Vladimir Liwanan (I-BSLM) versus Cadet Norian (1st Class), Cadet Enoc (4th Class), and Cadet Yuson (4th Class) with “This house believes that Government should pass and impose new stricter and deeper law pertaining to Juvenile offenders.”

THIS YEAR’S CAS Student Leader’s Forum held Sept. 26 at the Rosendo Herrera Hall focused on the changes in tradition while emphasizing the students’ stand on real Bedan identity and culture.

The first topic discussed was the change in the CAS acculturation week or known as Integration week.

The students backed up Justin Jamias (IV-BSBM-MM), a senior Marketing level representative, who raised the question on the continuous change in the tradition of CAS. Dean Thelma Geraldine Baricaua said that the activities may be changed but the essence of Integration week, which is the acculturation of the students, was still there.

The unheard-of pep rally was also brought up by Marco Angelo Cabrera (III-BAIST), secretary-general of the Red Lion Pep Band. Vice Dean of Student Affairs Atty. John Jacome encouraged suggestions from the

Student Forum / 13

Bedanz joins Skechers Streedance Battle 7

By Julisa Ayson

BEDANZ DANCE TROUPE (BDT) danced their way to the elimination round college category in the Skechers Streetdance Battle 7 at SM Megamall last Sept. 25.

Pamela Enriquez, the eventorganizer of Skechers invited her friend Robert Angelo Sonza, BDT member, to join the Skechers Streetdance Battle 7.

BDT were hesitant at first since some of their members graduated already.

“Medyo hesitant kami nung una,” said Kyle Vincent Austria, BDT president. “Pero nag-decide kaming tumuloy kasi gusto naming magkaroon ng isang big step para makilala ‘yong SBCA sa dance community.”

The event was not only focused on the streetdance battle, but it also had a freestyle and fashion show division.

All schools and universities danced their way and got much support from the crowd. BDT ranked second while De La Salle University finished first. “Kaya siguro [we ranked second

Bedanz President Kyle Austria leads the troupe as they show off their dance routine.

2 Bedans best speakers in PNPA debate contest

The finalists that will compete in the final battle on Nov. 12 are: • Olivarez College • University of the Philippines-Los Banos • University of the Philippines-Manila • Adamson University • Colegio de San Juan de LetranCalamba • De la Salle University • University of Asia and the Pacific • National University • Universidad de Manila • University of Sto. Tomas • University of the PhilippinesDiliman • AMA Computer University-Quezon City • Far Eastern University • Martinez Memorial College • University of the East-Manila

By Julisa Ayson

DOMINIC PAOLO MARQUEZ, a sophomore Legal Management and Bienjamin Leofando, a junior Entrepreneurship were awarded as two of the Best Speakers in the Philippine National Police Academy’s (PNPA) first Invitational Debate last Oct. 1 at the Campos Grandstand, Silang, Cavite.

“It is very humbling for me because there were a lot of great speakers there and I really felt like I didn’t do well or I could have done better,” Marquez explained.

PNPA invited the SBCA Bedan Debate Society for a debate competition that was aired in the morning at National Broadcasting Network (NBN) Channel 4.

The main topic for the debate competition is “Human Rights: Impact to the Philippine Government and its People.”

The judges for the first two motions were Prof. Jhino Illano, moderator of Debate Society; Prof. Jean Ariola, prefect of student formation; Prof. Wilbert Namoc, head of the CAS

Manner, logical reasoning, matter, method, response, and dynamics were the main criteria of the debate competition.

The winner in the first up to fifth motions was PNPA scoring 79 points, three points ahead of SBCA’s 76 points. “We lost by only three points and majority of our team were freshmen so I was very proud that we put up a great fight against the PNPA. Most of us were first timers and we did well. It is not how you win or lose, it is how you play the game, and how we debated,” explained Marquez.

Illano explained that it was a “learning experience for the team.” He also added that it was for them to show that the Debate Society can compete outside their comfort zone. “I think the best thing that we gained from the experience, not mentioning that we won two best debaters, was really the experience and the feel of how it is to debate outside your comfort zone.”

The Bedan Herald

VOLUME 17 NO. 5 October 2011

TIP wins anew in Eureka quiz bee

By Jamaica Judielle Anne Eleazar

namely Lyceum of Alabang, second place; Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Muntinlupa, third place; and Technological University of the Philippines.

Elizabeth Seton School (Austin Fernandez, Audrey Antonio, Edward Nagviat) redeemed itself from a third place win last year and became the champion for the secondary level of the quiz bee. San Beda College Alabang

Jamaica Judielle Anne Eleazar

THE TECHNOLOGICAL INSTITUTE of the Philippines bagged the gold medal for the second time in the 6th St. Bede Math and Science Quiz Bee Olympiad collegiate level at the Multi-purpose Room last Sept. 30.

The winning TIP team, composed of Rodrigo Rellama, Cedrick Judilla, and John Normor went against three other schools from Metro Manila

TUP student representatives brainstorm for the correct answer in the quiz bee sponsored by Eureka.

CAS holds Teacher’s Tribute ‘11

By Julisa Ayson THE STUDENT EXECUTIVE Council (SEC) celebrated that Teacher’s Tribute at the Multi-Purpose Room in line with the World Teachers’ Day last Sept. 30.

According to Alexa Ronquillo, SEC fourth year level representative, the student council planned the tribute to be in line with the World Teachers Day that was celebrated from September 5 to October 5.

Each representative from different co-curricular and extracurricular organizations was given a chance to give a thanksgiving message to their moderators to show for their performance and guidance. Each block president from all courses was also given a chance to give a token of appreciation to the professors after saying their message.

Prof.

Maureen Gines, a new professor from the Languages

Artist Congress /from p3

stories and they should create stories with different perspectives. “Writing is very hard, but an immensely satisfying thing to do,” he shared.

On the other hand, Navarro is a fiction writer and a doodle artist whose inspiration come from comic books she read, her best friend in high school, family and Peter Pan. She talked about her point of view in writing, how she does her craft and how to improve one’s self. For Navarro, art is “inspiration, aspiration and experience.” “Be happy about what you do and always impart a piece of yourself in whatever you do,” she said.

Lopez prepared a presentation on writing and photography called “A Crazy Little Thing called Art.” “Art is an extension of oneself. Put premium into it; give your passion and time,” Lopez said.

He also explained how art targets the soul and how it can be equated to anything. He gave tips such as not settling for mediocrity, and said that art evolves as one ages.

Department, was very surprised and honored that she received two awards since it is her first time to teach in SBCA. “I think, as a teacher I met their standards; like what they really want from their teacher. Students are demanding like in the first time they will meet you, and they can already tell whether they like you or not, but I guess it’s more of I teach from the heart,” Gines explained.

Not all of the professors were able to attend the celebration, and according to Ronquillo, “the reason would probably be because they were busy or they have somewhere else to go to. Actually I was able to ask some professors if they will be present at the event and those who said no added it was because they already have a previous engagement that they cannot postpone.”

“Okay naman siya maganda

LM WEEK / from p7

Legal Management Association of the Philippines (ALMAP) Vice President Carmina Valdes and Associate Vice President RJ Rorico from the University of Santo Tomas was held on the last day, Sept. 10 at the Rosendo Herrera Hall to enclose the gap between ALMAP and JBLC. Valdes and Rorico spoke about the cultural exposure trip program and its goal to create more programs for them to have the opportunity to reach out to more students of Legal Management.

“I hope the students enjoyed the different seminars and lectures and learned and became an opportunity for

Student Forum/ from p12

Rock and Roar and Paskong Bedista 15.Changes in Freshmen Integration Program and Final Task

Vice Dean of Student Affairs Atty. John Jacome said that the proceeds of Paskong Bedista 2010 were used in purchasing the amenities in the student lounge. While according to SEC, with the use of the proceeds of CAS college party, Rock and Roar, CAS had already sponsored three children in Mindanao and two in Visayas through World Vision Philippines.

(Casey Turingan, Joanne Cu, Hyun Lee) was not far behind and became the winner of the silver medal while Ann Arbor Montessori (Adrian De Leon, Carlos Cases, Yoo Ji Soo) finished third place. Chiang Kai Shek College, Philippine Christian University-Union High School of Manila, St. Scholastica’s College Manila, Westfield Science Oriented School and Bernando College also competed in the event.

Eureka, the official Math and Science Club of SBCA-CAS, also offered an “Animal Awareness Seminar” for the students of College of Arts and Sciences.

Anna Cabrera, program director of the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), spoke about the non-profit organization that aims to prevent animal cruelty in the Philippines.

“From all the efforts and hard work of all Eureka officers, the Eureka week was a success. Contestants from Metro Manila both in high school and college divisions participated in the 6th St. Bede Math and Science Quiz Olympiad and the PAWS seminar also shed some information that Bedans could use for the care of their pets,” said Engr. Dexter Umil, moderator of Eureka.

The following were the winners of each category:

Teacher of The Year (male)

Prof. Perfecto Tagura Teacher of The Year (female)

Prof. Maureen Gines Miss Fashionista

Prof. Rosario Mielmia Aquino Never Late

Prof. Maureen Gines Presentation Master

Prof. Rommel Miles E. Corro Quiz Master

Prof. Ma. Teresa Matriano Tropang Teacher

Prof. Jhino B. Ilano

‘yong flow, pero sana pumunta lahat ng professors, kasi ang daming wala, tapos ang dami ring hindi um-attend, even the students. Kudos parin sa SEC for organizing the event for our teachers,” said Gonn Soriano, internal vice president of Junior Bedan Marketing Association.

[them] to realize what [their] career is and at the same to meet new friends,” said Jacome. “In general, I think the Legal Management week was fun and educational and successful.”

While according to Lawrenz Matthew Guevara, JBLC president, “By the grace of God and with the support of our moderator, Atty. John Jacome, our department head, Prof. Rowena Carpio, the officers of the JBLC and the various organizations that helped us organize this event, the first ever Legal Management week was very successful.

The outcome was more than what we had hoped for.”

Rector-President Dom Clement Ma. Roque, OSB mentioned in his inspirational message that this student forum is the opportunity for students and staff to discuss the issues that affect the students. “Peace is important,” Roque added.

Baricaua gave the closing remarks and is gratified for the good outcome of the student forum. “It’s good that no one came up with such violent feeling,” Baricaua said.

NEWS

13

Java String Quartet serenades Bedans

By Ma. Danneca Pastrano A GROUP OF Indonesian musicians were invited to perform before the Bedan community in a concert entitled “Java String Quartet” held Sept. 28 at the Rosendo Herrera Hall.

CAS dean Thelma Geraldine Baricaua opened the event with her welcoming remark, describing it as a time for the students to “relax, listen to music and have an afternoon of meditation. ”She also extended her thanks to Lina Rancho, head of the Filfest Cultural Foundation, and CMS department chair Prof. Shirley Padua for making the event possible.

Myta Lualhati, a music teacher in the Integrated Basic Education Department of SBCA, started the program as she sung “Ugoy ng Duyan” and “Ave Maria”. After her performance, Rancho introduced the four musicians.

Schedules and places of their performances were also announced.

Danny Ceri (violin), Ahmad Ramadhan (second violin), Dwi Ari Ramlan (viola) and Dan Ade Sinata (cello) were the group of musicians who performed. Their group was formed in 2008, starting in solo concerts and chamber performances. Most of them started playing their instruments at young age. “We like the sound and this kind of music is what we are interested in. Also, the fact that there are few people who are interested in learning these instruments which makes us want to be part in inspiring them to appreciate this type of music,” said Ceri when asked about their reason for playing classical music.

They started their performance with a piece from Beethoven, Opus 18 #4, Tsintsandze Miniature and ended with a Javanese Folk Song written by one of their professors, Cublak Cublak Suweng. Their performance amazed the crowd as many of them were first timers in watching classical shows.

“We perform because we want to inspire people and make them interested (in this type of music). Also we want to promote this type of music for we believe that if you enjoy it, it would be something. For us, classical music is a good type of music so it is better if the children in our generation will start to appreciate them,” said Ramadhan, knowing that most of the people in the crowd were teens.

The said event which was successfully held a day late from its original schedule because of typhoon Pedring was spearheaded by the CMS department together with Asian Car Makers Corp., BMW Phil. and The Filfest Cultural Foundation.

ASEACCU / from p1

lights especially in St. Bede Hall to improve the production of energy and to be more economical.

Moreover, an institutional greening program is being proposed as to document all the environmental policies of the school which could bring consciousness among the students.

“The students shall be aware of the problems in the environment to be able to know how to solve it. Avoid anything that could harm the environment by not using plastics and nonbiodegradable materials which could lead to pollution,” said Roque.

The Bedan Herald The Bedan Herald

14

Volume 17 No. 5 October 2011

RLP bags bronze in SouthMetro Cheerdance Finals

By March Anetonette Ortuoste

SBCA RED LION Pep (RLP) bagged 3rd runner up in the South Metro Cheerdance Competition Finals held Oct 1 at the SM Southmall activity center. Hosted by SM Supermalls, the competition gathered different colleges from the Metro South area to contend in a dance showdown for the crown of the best pep squad in the South.

The RLP made it to the Finals through the wildcard round, gaining 5,425 likes in the Official Voting Page of the competition and through supporting the SM’s Eco Bag Project. Technical University of the Philippines-Taguig GreyHawks Pep Squad bagged second runner up, Rizal Technical University (RTU) Blue Thunder Squad placed first while the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Pasay Eagles Pep Squad hooked the over-all champion title for the South Metro Cheerdance Competition.

SBCA RLP landed second place on the elimination round held Sept. 25

UPHSL dominates 13th NCAA South Chess Tournament

By Hannah Joyce Santos University of Perpetual Help System-Laguna (UPHSL) Chess Team was declared champions after acing the 13th NCAA-South Chess Tournament college division held last Sept. 17 and 24 at SBCA Multipurpose Hall.

With zero draws and loses, UPHSL received 22 points that lifted them in to first place followed by De La Salle Lipa with 19 points on the second place.

First Asia Institute of Technology and Humanities gathered 12 ½ points ranked in third place after leading by a half-point over University of Batangas that got 12 points.

Colegio de San Juan de Letran Calamba (11 points), San Beda College Alabang (10 points), and Lyceum of the Philippines (9 points) achieved the fifth, sixth and seventh place.

Chess Tournament / p11

K

at the SM Southmall activity center with their very m u c h improved ro u t i n e s a n d stunts, giving a fa r - o f f

impression to their fighting squad. They performed the traditional “Stand on the Grandstand” yell in the introduction followed by their spirit-lifting techno cheer dance blasting with stunts, lifts, jumps, and synchronized routine. SBCA RLP performed the same routine in the Finals only bringing it more to the higher level of energy and spirit.

RLP was just two points shy

against the higher-ranking squad of the Lyceum of Alabang. The sharks waved in their exciting lifts and Philippine Women’s University Patriots Pep squad introducing themselves with a yell.

RTU placed Champions with their Blue Thunder Pep squad mixing the regular cheer dance into the groove of local festivity style and officially bringing them to join the finals.

NCAA-S semis: Grey wolves upset undefeated Bhramans

By Ma. Danneca Pastrano SINCE THE START of the 13th season of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)-South Season 13, the University of Batangas (UB) Bhramans Men’s basketball team managed to keep their record unbeaten until they met the Don Bosco Technical University (DBTC) Grey Wolves in the knockout round.

The fourth-seeded DBTC performed probably the greatest upset of the entire season as they pulled the rug from under the top-seeded Bhramans, 74-73, in a semi-finals game held Oct. 22 at the Sports complex of host-school San Beda College Alabang (SBCA).

Before entering the semis round, the Bhramans (9-0) topped the standings for the elimination round among nine other competing schools.

Defending champions University of Perpetual Help System-Laguna Saints (8-1) settled in second place while SBCA Red Lions (8-2) and Don Bosco Technical College Grey Wolves (6-3) earned the third and fourth spots, respectively.

for more updates, visit www.facebook.com/ncsouth13

Gutierrez to represent PH shooting team in SEA Games

By Jose Antonio Remigio Da Silva INNA THERESE GUTIERREZ, a Legal Management sophomore, will be flying to Indonesia along with the rest of the Philippine team to represent the country in the 26th South East Asian Games this November.

Gutierrez won her ticket to Jakarta after securing victory in the Southeast Asian Shooting Competition (SEASA) last Sept. 3 to 14 in Laos at the National Sports Complex in Vientiane, Laos. The event drew competitors from 11 countries including Hong Kong, Indonesia, Laos, Macao, Malaysia, the Philippines, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Along with Jayson Valdez, they were able to bag silver and bronze.

Valdez, 15, outshined the senior shooters from Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand to claim silver for the men’s air rifle even while Gutierrez bagged the bronze medal in the ladies prone rifle event. Gutierrez is also a firsttimer in international shooting. She has produced impressive numbers to finish

third behind a Thai and a Vietnamese.

Gutierrez has been inspired by her elder sister who has attained a lot of achievements and has been shooting for 7 years. Since she started shooting in high school, she has slowly climbed her way up to the cream of the crop, enhancing her self-confidence and learning how to control her temper, which is essential in

shooting because you need to be calm in order to shoot an accurate shot.

“I was hoping that the other students will be encouraged to join since we’re trying to forming a Bedan team for the intercollegiate level” said Gutierrez, who is optimistic that the sport would become an interest among her fellow Bedans.

Uncertainty

EEP IN MIND that reality and fiction are two very different words but in the most unexpected circumstances, they may become identical without you noticing it. Reality is something that actually exists and is permanent while fiction is imaginary, or worse, a deception. This is a very precious opportunity for me to express and I really felt like I have to write one thing about myself—something which have a very strong relevance to me. Writing is my form of medium and it is only through the use of a pen that I have become more comfortable in letting my thoughts and even feelings go out from my mute brain.

Everything in this world is uncertain and cliché it may sound, it is true. That moment when you feel like you are the luckiest person in the world but in the end you gloomily realize you’re not, because what appears to be a permanent thing of your possession all this time is just fleeting. And you start to feel sorry for letting yourself become a misled believer of this uncertainty and now you can’t decide on what to do about it. To add fuel to the flame, you don’t know where to start. Because people, things, luck and stuff—no matter how valuable they maybe it will always come to a point when these will go and vanish.

Almost everybody can relate to this topic. It is natural that when you become so hooked with something the idea of letting it go is unimaginable.

You have been so caught up with your emotions that you have forgotten to pause for a moment and think about what may happen next. As a result, you just let yourself experience the kind of feeling like when you thought everything was going smoothly surprisingly comes to an end and you can’t help but question yourself “what did just happen?”

Despite all uncertainty, you should learn how to prioritize what’s left with you. Now that you have learned this valuable lesson, you can go on starting to express gratitude for everything you have at the moment because no one can be sure when they will be taken away again from you, may it be accidentally or on purpose. But at least you had what you wanted, what you have always wished and worked hard for, even for just a short period of time.

Come to think of it, you have no one to blame but yourself for being fooled and as how as it is hard to admit the fact, there is at least a dot of hope in your mind still longing for everything to return to how they were before, quite like wishing for a desperate chance to turn back time. After all these being said I think what I am just trying to say is, to borrow the expression, “cherish everything while they still last” because nothing really lasts forever.

SBCA spikers exit WNCAA with double silver medals

By Jose Antonio Remigio Da Silva THE WOMEN’S NATIONAL Collegiate Athletic Association (WNCAA) have concluded its 42nd season with San Beda College Alabang (SBCA) Red Lions bringing home two silver medals after the league’s volleyball championship games held last Oct. 2 & 8 at the St. Scholastica’s College, Manila.

Both the Red Lionesses juniors and seniors varsity volleyball teams won as first runner-ups in their respective divisions.

SBCA and Miriam College (MC)

Katipuneras vied for the most coveted championship in the juniors division in a showdown most people predicted to be an easy picking for the Alabang-based Red Lionesses. SBCA had the chance to sweep the season with a clean slate until losing games 2 and 3 to the MC Katipuneras.

In the seniors division, the SBCA Lady Spikers faced host-school Rizal Technological University (RTU) Blue Thunders during the Finals in a best-ofthree series. The Blue Thunders stole first game with scores 11-25, 19-25, 25-

17, 14-25. In game two, the Red Lionesses had a shaky start in the opening set but tried to make a comeback during the second set. However, they lost again against the same squad, 11-25, 25-20, 17-25, 14-25, letting the Blue Thunders walk away with the gold prize.

Aside from the silver medals, the Red Lionesses were given special awards including Most Valuable Player.

SBCA’s Alyssa Bagamaspad received the award for best blocker while Jaymie Yap was hailed best setter.

for more updates, visit www.wncaa.org.ph