EDItorial
SEptember 2012 VOL. 2 ISSUE 1
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Making history There never are clichés. Dear readers, If there’s one important thing that we all should probably learn from our Asia-Pacific Studies or from any of the History and Citizenship courses we take up in the university, it is that the cliché “history repeats itself” is a big fallacy. History does not and can never repeat itself because its elements: people, place, and time, are constantly changing. People learn and grow old. Generations pass. Every single circumstance offers a different experience.
THE BOSUN Editor-in-Chief Managing Editors Associate Editors News Editor Features Editor Literary Editor News Writers
Feature Writers
Illustrator Layout Artists
Photographer
Mercella Karaan Elliane Somes Antonito Ramos Marietta Trimpe Roald Reck Lanto Nicollo Ordoñez Nikka Pesa Miguel Marasigan Gab Asuncion Francis Galeon Mel Garica Raquel Luna Jasmine Quintos Ron Dangcalan Ja Din Bettina Torres Rap Canovas Magraux Antonio Shay Juaneza Abigail Alba Carmel Valiente Ara Espina Summer Manzano Danielle Ranile Pearl Perez Leoren Violan Joel Francisco Rey delos Santos Dale Garcia
Marketing Committee Heads
Alisssa Martinez Denise Calaguas
Members
Arielle Chua Jamilla De Leon Cielo Calunsag Kevin Vives Miguel Magat Denesse Ramirez Jigo Vidanes Robert Javier Gabi Mendoza Cara Katigbak
Logistics and Communication Committee Head Members
Moderators
Sarah Reyes Keren del Rosario Joane Legaspi Kat Ner Jayson Gulpan Zenon Pestaño Hazel Tinio Trina Heredia Jason de Villa Philip Peckson
There never are clichés because we are given countless chances and opportunities to make every year, every single day, every fleeting moment as uniquely our own. To use the concept of déjà vu is just a mere excuse for the weak and coward to choose to stay in a recurring cycle of events in the past. They are the complacent ones who refuse to break the reins that are keeping them from owning their lives. They are the wallflowers satisfied by just watching the show played by others, not taking part in it themselves. They are the mediocre content with just going with the flow, not being able to set their own specific direction. Fear is undoubtedly the worst enemy that may hinder us from making our own history. There would always be that fear of always having to start from scratch – after all, it would be way easier to just carry on an already established tradition. There would always be that fear of having to change the status quo – because of that innately human desire to always be accepted by society, whatever it dictates. There would always be that fear of uncertainty of where we would be heading that makes us reluctant to take that leap. But instead of letting fear take on us, we should always have a sense of anticipation as we move on from one event in our history to the next. We should be driven by a spirit of optimism because every new beginning is an invitation to be greater, to do better, to strive harder. We have already been given an opportunity to rise above the tide of the times with the successful vigilance that we exhibited during and after the wrath of the 8/7 monsoon rains. The hundreds of volunteers and donors, which included not just our students, staff and alumni but even people from other institutions who were all driven by the spirit of Unitas, contributed to our efforts to provide relief to those who were affected. We were identified as “the small school with the big heart” as we gained popularity by topping the trending topics in a social site. The challenge that it posts on all of us now is to prove that the spirit that we all manifested then was not just a fleeting hype, but something that we inherently possess, a constant call, a consistent identity, an undying Unitas. As we draw closer to our university’s 50th year, we are all given the challenge to take part by embodying UA&P as the steadfast institution that it already is, despite being small, despite being young. With the rest of school year 2012-2013 waiting to unfold, we assure you that The Bosun would be here to guide you every step of the way. We, too, had fears and qualms over whether to continue on or to just stay in the past and let all the challenges and shortcomings drown us. But realizing that there would always be life-changing events to cover, heartwarming stories to tell, and important issues to debate about reminds us that we have a purpose to serve. We believe that this year would definitely be better than the past, as it leads to greater things in the future. We believe that this year would undoubtedly be different because you would make it whatever you want it to be. We are here to be with you. We are here to break clichés with you. We are here to write your history. Our history. And we are pretty sure this would be a good one. To all wonderful beginnings, Marcella Karaan Editor-in-Chief
THE BOSUN the official student publication of ua&p
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No Help Too Small:
Habagat relief operations define UNITAS by Marietta Trimpe and Mel Garcia A small community with a big heart. This was what the UNITAS Spirit showcased amidst the cataclysm brought about by the habagat as student volunteers from UA&P and other universities alike, together with employees and faculty members, extended their help to flood victims last August 7-11 through UA&P Hopes, a student-led volun- through teerism project founded three years ago during the Ondoy typhoon.
CAS building for the housing of goods, and the “MPC Kitchen” worked almost non-stop to get the goods and food ready fast. MWith over a thousand UA&P students and other students from different universities and high schools, employees, and alumni, the col- laborated efforts yielded more than 13,000 bundled relief packages which were distrib- bundled uted to the affected employees and alumni of the university.
The “nameless” catastrophe that hit Luzon recently proved to be another evil bringing destruction to various areas. Once again, through UA&P Hopes, the students immedi- ately launched a massive disaster relief op- eration on a Tuesday afternoon as heavy rains already started to ravage Manila and nearby provinces.
The amazing power of freedom
The university was granted with overwhelm- ing responses. From a soft start of 58 volun- teers on that first day, the number of volun- teers increased to over 200 the second day. The following days had more than 600 vol- unteers and around 50 alumni volunteers on the last day. Stations such as the “Social Media Team”, the ground floor rooms of the
Undeniably, the expanse of this initiative ranged not only to the UA&P community but went beyond the borders of the univer- sity;; the information was out there, and what remained were people to act on it. Asked what above all things made all these things possible, Ms. Anna agreed that the feat of having an online campaign was one factor in having
mobilizing the whole relief operations. But one thing also was to keep the genuine UNITAS spirit alive. Rather than complain about the heat or the exhaustion, the stu- dents ‘complained’ about the dire need for more relief goods and volunteers. It was more than just being useful to everybody else. More than that, it was to ignite and en- else. kindle that fire in the Dragons and blaze the trail to others. Too small to help?
Volunteers were not only deployed to the Rather, no help was too small or too little. nearby communities in Pasig but also to other inundated areas such as Rizal and Marikina. To everyone’s surprise, even the Philippine Dragon Boat Team came to help in the rescue efforts. Throughout the five- day relief operations for the affected victims, Ms. Anna Michelle Allarde, Civic Desk UA&P’s UNITAS proved to be a remark- Head of the Center for Student Affairs, who able sight of people in action – all for a sole also was one of the primary point persons for purpose: to help out. the task, said that the relief operation during the habagat was the next big operation after Ms. Camille Diola of the Corporate Commu- nications Office believed that the relief op- that of Typhoons Ondoy and Sendong. eration was a great opportunity and venue for students to be part of something. It was Where UNITAS started the willingness to help that made everyone The relief operation started out with a Face- else follow, a ripple effect. The relief opera- The book event asking for donations and for vol- tion was made possible because people unteers. It began with a little group of volun- made themselves available for others, using teers that increased to about 40 to 50 with the their free time and freedom, and ultimately duty to receive donations and to have these their “want” to do something. “Nothing well-documented. Then, the volunteers de- would have been possible if no one would cided to use Twitter, a social microblogging have wanted to do it”, Ms. Diola said. site, in order to call on for more donations and even more valiant volunteers. No help too small
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MScM Students Conduct Research on Canteen Expansion by Bettina Torres
A team of 5th year MScM students con- ducted a feasibility study on the possible cafeteria expansion last semester. The paper studied the problem of inadequate cafeteria space alongside the growing UA&P com- munity. To gather support for the cause for expand- ing the cafeteria, the team created a Face- book group which reached more than 1,500 people from the UA&P community on Face- book. The strong positive response to the petition caught the attention of the management. “Although our study failed to show that the expansion is financially feasible, the man- agement decided to seriously consider our recommendation, a point also raised by uni- versity accreditors,” 5th year students Joseph Akol and Patrick Zeta (School of Management) explained. Plans are underway to construct a four to eight storey building which will house the new cafeteria in its ground floor. In an interview with Mr. Paul Lazarte, Fa- cilities Manager of the university, it was bared that the building will be operational by June 2014. It is envisioned to be 800 sqm big. “This will be raised through the gener- osity of sponsors,” Lazarte said.
UA&P Students Join the Anti-RH Rally by Albertine June Din The battle is not yet over and the UA&P choice. Dragons are ready to fight...for life. Along with ten thousand other people, After a year since the UA&P Student Execu- UA&P students braved the rain to join the After tive Board’s “Stand Up for Life” campaign prayer of the Holy Rosary at 2 o’clock in against the RH Bill, UA&P students respond- the afternoon. ed to the call of Manila Archbishop Luis An- The rally ended with the celebration of the tonio Tagle for the Catholic faithful to gather The and pray last August 4 at the EDSA Shrine Holy Mass at around 7 o’clock in the eve- for the non-passage of the RH Bill, which ning, led by the Diocese of Antipolo was scheduled to be put on a vote for termina- Bishop Gabriel Reyes, with the Homily tion of the Congressional debates on August given by Bishop Teodoro Bacani. 7. People wore red shirts, as per requested by the organizers of the Prayer Rally to sig- Responding to the Bishop’s call nify the martyrdom of the unborn chil- The Prayer Rally was generally led by the dren. CBCP Episcopal Commission on Family and Surprising move Life. A student-initiated campaign to respond to this call was launched as an event in the social networking site, Facebook. Created by Despite the success of the rally, however, the UA&P SEB Internal Vice President An- the Congress surprised the whole nation thony Lumicao, Secretary Ina Capulong and with the change of the schedule of the vote Senior student Martin Verdejo, the event a day earlier from the original schedule set Senior titled “People equals Power: Pray for PH. on August 7 (Tuesday). Slay the RH” invited people, both UA&P and The decision to move the vote was an- non-UA&P students alike (and Catholics and The non-Catholics alike as well), to the Prayer nounced right after the lunch meeting with President Benigno Aquino III at the Rally. Malacañang Palace. In response, members The page was flooded with updates, opinions, of the UA&P community, through their and arguments on why the bill should not be own initiative as well, gathered at the Stella Orientis Oratory to pray the Holy passed. Rosary. People also took the initiative to change their profile pictures to the red poster which said The result of the vote was to end the de- “PEOPLE equals POWER”, to help dissemi- bates on the House Bill 4244 titled Re- sponsible Parenthood Bill, the formal nate information. name of the amended Reproductive Health Bill. Along with ten thousand other people During the rally, UA&P students, alumni, During faculty and staff dispersed in a crowd esti- mated by the media to be comprised of ten thousand people. According to Verdejo, there was no memo mandating the students or staff to attend the prayer rally, indicating the high respect of the institution for freedom of
When asked about the future plans or cam- paigns against the bill, Verdejo mentioned that though the debates in the Congress have already been put to an end, UA&P students should let their presence be felt during the discussion of the amendments at the lower house.
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Dr. Mariano on #5tothe50th: It’s more than just hype by Raquel Monique Luna In an effort to blaze brighter trails leading to the University of Asia and the Pacific’s (UA&P) 50th Founding Anniversary on August 2017, Dr. Jose Maria Mariano, uni- versity president, initiated the #5tothe50th Twitter campaign last June 2012. The #5tothe50th hashtag was first introduced by Dr. Mariano during his welcome address to the freshmen as a motivation for the “golden anniversary batch” to contribute to the building of the university. During the University Opening Rites, During #5tothe50th became more than just a hashtag;; Dr. Mariano also introduced it with a ques- tion and a challenge: “What is my contribu- tion, individual or collective, in multiples of five, to the 50th?” “It would be hype if the ‘5’ there simply means five years. If that’s all that it says, it’s just hype. But if the ‘5’ there means ‘my con- tribution, individual or collective, in mul- tiples of 5’, then we’re no longer talking about hype. Especially because when you say multiples of five, you can number them.”, Dr. Mariano said. #5tothe50th and ‘Vision 2018’ Dr. Mariano opens up that the #5tothe50th campaign’s main goal is to define the con- crete contributions that will help the univer- sity complete ‘Vision 2018’. ‘Vision 2018’, an 8-year plan started in 2010, aims to achieve three themes: first, to become a uni- versity of choice for students and teachers;; second, to create strong external partner- ships;; and third, to integrate internationaliza- tion.
us to finish, to complete, and to attain our vision for 2018. But you see, from 2010, all the way up to now, the articulation of the vision was abstract (choice, partnerships, internation- alization). Now, we want to have concrete con- tributions, multiples of five.”, Dr. Mariano adds.
capital… Which means that the capital, year after year after year, will keep on pro- ducing the interest and so you can sustain the activity.”, Dr. Mariano explained.
He also mentions the recent success of the relief operations organized by UA&P Hopes, a student-led volunteerism project #5tothe50th in action founded three years ago during the Ondoy typhoon, for the flood victims of the heavy Concrete examples on how #5tothe50th is rains brought about by the habagat last Concrete being put into action were stated by Dr. Maria- August. no. Examples of these goals for 2017 are the publishing of 50 peer-reviewed articles in “During “During the flood, people were thinking peer-reviewed journals;; the receiving of at 5,000 packages, 500 goods, or 5 this or 10 least 500 entries for the Tambuli Awards, 50 of this. That’s all very good. But those are which are foreign;; 5 international testing sites;; fleeting contributions. What is not fleeting 5 professorial chairs;; 54 (625) number of in- is the whole legacy of service. That you coming freshmen plus 100 scholars;; and 55 (students) organized yourselves… So at (725) number of students in the university by least there’s one big legacy from the stu- that time. dents to be sustained. Four more.” Dr. Mariano said that he has no problem with fleeting or firework-style projects, as it brings out the creativity among students. But he also encourages the people to give contributions that can be sustained even after 50 years. He opens up on the recent signing of an en- He dowed professorial chair that will fund re- search and related activities on social entrepre- neurship as an example. An endowment is an amount of money that is stored in a bank and the interest it produces will be used to fund the academic activity.
“It’s better that we look for projects that can be sustained over time and help build the univer- sity. That’s why just one donation for a re- search project that will last for two months, or maybe even one semester, would be okay. But better an endowment. Because the endowment “#5tothe50th, the goal of it is to identify con- means that you don’t touch the money, your crete contributions that will eventually allow
News
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Change For UNITAS by Raphael Canovas After seven months of waiting for the new set of officers, UA&P will be having its new set of officers under the university-wide stu- dent government. This is under the frame- work of the newly-ratified constitution.
tion of all the students in the University Student Government (USG). With an un- evenly distributed number of students per course, the framers needed to consider each student’s right to representation in the student government. Only a mixed form of government could accommodate this need.
As part of the university’s efforts in having university-wide student government, the Center of Student Affairs (CSA) led by Mr. Rene Ledesma, spearheaded the constitu- tional change by choosing students who can represent their own schools, organizations or political parties in the Constitutional Con- vention (Con Con). The 12 framers of the constitution, mostly composed of fourth year students, were chosen by merit based on their competency as leaders of their re- spective schools, organizations or political parties. The Con Con started last July 16, 2012 which continued for two weeks until the final constitution had been agreed and signed upon by all of the representatives. According to Lyndon Bulahan, Student Orga- nizations representative, COMELEC Chairman School of Education Ann Clarice Fajardo Rune Ylade was the one who facilitated the College of Arts and Katrina Monica Sciences constitutional convention. He led and steered Cajucom the discussions to its right path. True enough, Institute of Political Esther Suson Economy the new constitution was ratified last August School of Maria Katrina 16, 2012. It garnered about 956 favorable votes Communications Baretto out of the 1,791 registered students which is out School of Gilleane Julia equivalent to 52.4% percent of the student Economics Altuna population. The success of the newly drafted School of Patrick Lim Management constitution will be the beginning of a series of School of Sciences Rowella Aguillon changes for the new student government. and Engineering Student Organizations Political Party Scholars International Students Provincial Students
Lyndon Bulahan Xavier Peredo Albertine June Din Choi Eun Hye Ivy Zuñiga
After the students from each school have voted for their chosen candidates in the student government, the elected represen- tatives will vote for a President who will then appoint for the remaining positions. Many students would argue that a College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) candidate for the executive board will surely win as the backed by a significant number of CAS students. But with a mixed form of gov- ernment, the population of students per school will not be a hindrance to represen- tation.
The changes a new constitution can bring should never be underestimated be- cause serving as a framework for the university-wide student government, the students will better understand the mean- ing of the UA&P motto, Unitas. It can become a driving force in fostering soli darity among various student organiza- tions and schools within an institution that values the student’s integral formation. United under one student body, the fram- ers hope that the newly-ratified constitu- tion will work effectively for this year’s One of the major and significant changes made batch of candidates for the Student Gov in the newly-ratified constitution is switching ernment. from a democratic form of government to a mixed democratic and parliamentary one. Ac- cording to Ivy Zuñiga, Provincial Students rep- resentative, this will ensure proper representa-
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Posible:
A Look into P-Noy’s 3rd SONA by Ron Jay Dangcalan Was the 3rd State of the Nation’s Address (SONA) of President Benigno S. Aquino III at the Batasang Pambansa last July 23, 2012 dif- ferent from his two previous ones? Ms. Danica Ang of the Institute of Political Economy said it was not. “He kept on blaming the Arroyo administration. It’s about who’s better – Arroyo or P-Noy.” Now that the president is Arroyo going on almost three years into his office, Ms. Ang suggested that the President move on and face the current problems of our country instead of dwelling in the past.The president’s first two SONAs were filled with criticisms against the former administration.
The president was also proud of the success of the impeachment case against former Chief Justice Renato Corona. Mr. Aquino thanked the people who helped win the case and vowed to continue the court battles against former president Gloria Arroyo, who for a time being was freed under bail. Chief Justice Renato Corona. Mr. Aquino Chief thanked the people who helped win the case and vowed to continue the court battles against former president Gloria Arroyo, who for a time being was freed under bail.
credit rating and the expansion of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4 P’s) from 760,357 beneficiaries in 2010 to 3 million as of February this year. The president also reported the creation of 3 million jobs during his 2 years that the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry hit $11 billion this year and was industry expected to grow more than double to $25 billion by 2016. Unemployment rate is also down from 8% in 2010 to 6.9% this year while tourist arrivals are ex- pected to soar to more than 4 million.
As for education, the president reported that the The Aquino administration will allocate As As for others like Sen. Chiz Escudero and Tito Department of Education (DepEd) was target- 28 billion pesos for the Armed Forces of Sotto, this year’s SONA was P-Noy’s best so ing that by the end of this year,the backlogs in the Philippines (AFP) modernization pro- far. armchairs, classrooms and textbooks would be gram apart from the planned 75 billion solved. The budget for education will also be pesos to be spent in the military in the ‘Posible’ increased to 292.7 billion pesos in 2013 – that’s next five years. The president said that more than 68% increase from 177 billion pesos the government will also address the gun shortage in the Philippine National Police What probably stood out in P-Noy’s SONA in What in 2010. Also, there is good news for students shortage was the word posible. The president said that of State Universities and Colleges (SUC’s) be- (PNP). despite the skepticism of many people on the cause the government has promised to increase idea of changing the corrupt political culture the budget for public tertiary education by The president is confident that the Philip- pine will attain self-sufficiency in rice of the country, his administration has proven 43.61 %. production by next year citing that the that it is indeed possible. In terms of healthcare, the president reported country’s rice imports have declined to If other countries can attain economic prosper- an increase in the number of PhilHealth benefi- 500,000 metric tons last year from 2 mil- If ity, the Philippines can too. The president said ciaries from 62% of the total population during lion metric tons in 2010. Moreover, the that when Filipinos work together to achieve a the Arroyo administration to 85% under his. president hopes that all lands under the common goal, nothing is impossible. The president shortly mentioned responsible Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Pro- parenthood which drew both praises and criti- gram (CARP) will be distributed by the end of his term. Progress Report cisms. In his third SONA, the president unveiled his Mr. Aquino highlighted his administration’s administration’s accomplishments and plan- rigorous spending on infrastructure with the suntil 2016. Looking at each plan, the first ac- opening of new airports in Bicol and Bohol, the complishment that P-Noy presented to the planned SLEX-NLEX connector, and the 2, Filipino people was the success of his fight 275 kilometers of new roads that were built so against corruption. The president said that he far. suspended a number of officials in the Philip pine National Police (PNP) and Department of On On business, the president said that the econo- Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) my was also doing well with the Philippine for alleged corruption. Stock Exchange (PSE) soaring at an all time high of more than 5,000 points, a positive
On foreign policy, the president says that the country stands firm in solving the South China Sea dispute diplomatically. He called on China to solve the issue through the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Opinion
SEptember 2012 VOL. 2 ISSUE 1
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No Relief without UNITAS by Nicollo Ordoñez
Crises, calamities, and conflicts reveal the Filipino’s awesome capability of becoming a man for others. Recently, we’ve encountered another conflict greater than all of us: the conflict with nature. The nameless habagat or monsoon that struck us hard back in early August was a destructive yet familiar force. We’re the perfect example of a nation out of battle but no less embattled. As a student of Political Economy, I have always argued that when managing crises and calamities both large and small, nations, organizations, and individuals involved bear the responsibility of working towards developing a genuine relationship built on trust, charity, responsibility, and justice. Effectively managing crises successfully can only be done by treating the parties involved as partner rather than enemy. Fortunately, for us Filipinos, there is a particular Filipino spirit that has always been there with us and has always been our saving grace. I’m talking about the spirit of Bayanihan and for us UA&P students, Unitas.
Bayanihan to Filipinos; Unitas to UA&P community When we’re faced with calamities and natural disasters, the Bayanihan spirit emerges. At the heart of bayanihan is the the virtue of charity and compassion, virtues enabling individuals to give themselves in the service of other men. In fact, the term bayanihan originated from early Filipinos who gathered the whole bayan (townspeople) to help relocate their kabalanghays’ nipa huts to other settlements. But the bayanihan today is not the same as the bayanihan of yesterday. We don’t carry nipa huts anymore. We carry the spirit bayanihan possesses.
and efficient network of communication has made saving lives easier. The power of Facebook and Twitter doesn’t come from the social media platform itself but in the individual’s proper use of social media today. Twitter and Facebook has allowed each one to become a pro-active citizen in the service of others. From netizens, we have become public servants. Public officials seized such opportunity to use their respective government profiles on the internet as contact for disaster response. President Aquino through his Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office (PCDSPO) Twitter account knew which areas needed rescue; Senator Dick Gordon had his Red Cross account on Facebook and Twitter ready for coordinating the deployment of volunteers; Atty. Francis Tolentino had his MMDA Twitter and Facebook accounts linked to local government units on standby for mobilizing volunteers.
Simple, Systematic, and Getting Better I was fascinated by one tweet of MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino regarding the steps by which MMDA was to conduct the rescue operation. When an individual reports the names of families that need rescue, MMDA will first confirm with the LGU of the critical area before coordinating with the Philippine National Red Cross which is in charge of deploying volunteers for the relief operations. Simple, yet effective!
Path to Progress The path to progress in uplifting the quality of life and re-integrating the families back to their normal livelihood after catastrophes is through empowering the bayanihan spirit of individuals through wellcoordinated government support. The welfare of society is best taken care of when both the individual and the state work towards collective action while not impeding upon the individual’s ability to act upon what’s best for him and his family. A perceptive look into what happened last August during the habagat proves that in any conflict, dispute, and crisis, man-made or not, the strengthened coordination of efforts among groups and the individual’s genuine desire to serve others excellently win the end game. In reality, before unitas or bayanihan can be formed in a large scale, the individual must first have the ‘unitas’ formed in him – a life dedicated to genuine service to other men, pagiging maka-tao, and a love for the truth (the truth in being a family of human beings endowed with Filipino identity). No relief operations can be done without the virtue of charity in one. It may seem ironic but the moment one values the life of another person more, one’s life becomes more valuable.
Involving everyone in solving our nation’s greatest conflicts should be the aim of the nation. Unless each and every individual gives himself in the service of others, there can really be no genuine progress. The process is a “It may seem ironic but the moment one indeed complex When my friends and I values the life of another person more, one but it went out to get relief has now packages to donate to our one’s life becomes more valuable.” b e e n m a d e local parish, we saw a very organized and systematic way of packing and easier by the internet and new technology.
distributing the goods. Only this year did I witness Red Cross volunteers with large trucks who picked up the donations from our local parish on scheduled times. Systematic!
Our combined efforts to serve our fellow Filipinos through the university-wide relief operations last August 7-11 exemplifies our school motto, ‘Unitas’. Unitas has been the same bayanihan spirit which characterizes the much-lauded Filipino character. Bayanihan is to Filipino society as Unitas is to the UA&P community.
After seeing our society and government’s response to habagat, my observation is this: we are getting better at crisis and disaster management as an entire nation. The reason? There are two. First, because each individual is getting better at solving problems along with others; and second, because each individual is inspired to become more charitable this time around. We’re simply getting better!
The Amazing Power of Social Media
We’ve learned our lesson and we’ve applied what we learned well. This year, Red Cross facilitated the rescue operations and distribution of relief goods provided by different parishes, barangays, and corporations. Meanwhile, LGUs were tasked to take
The use of social media to facilitate the spirit of bayanihan into a more coordinated, effective,
care of the evacuees by providing them with basic necessities. This is Unitas in a larger scale. Bayanihan at its best!
I’m extremely proud of the spirit of unitas and bayanihan coming alive last August and I’m expecting to see it again. But for all of us in the university, unitas does not have to take action only during disasters and calamities. It can be done daily by way of service to the people around us. Service to others done with great love are acts that increase man’s virtue. When a person is charitable, that person empowers others to become charitable too thereby strengthening the unitas culture we possess in order to achieve great things. There lies our secret for progress – when we know that great accomplishments are combinations of small acts done with great love. There is no life-saving without self-giving. No formed nation without a common vision. And certainly no rescue and relief operations without unity.
THE BOSUN the official student publication of ua&p
SEptember 2012 VOL. 2 ISSUE 1
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FEATURES
UA&P Voice Out by Abigail Alba
G
oing online either via Twitter, Facebook or maybe even good old Yahoo! Messenger has already been an indispensible part of our daily lives. It is just one of the activities we are most fond of doing, even simultaneously with other tasks that we do everyday. In fact, we are already living in a modern world which is immensely located and transferred online. The Internet has become a copy, though a lot of times distorted, of reality. It gives us access to everything. It gives us power to know about the events happening around us. In cyberspace, we can create, communicate, and connect. It is a place where an individual, who holds a very tiny part in a world of a billion other people, can reach out and ‘poke’ a whole lot of them.
We are all important in making our No matter how seemingly school a better place because it is for all insignificant your place in the world may of us that it stands. With this simple be, each of us holds a rather important part technological tool, it is easier to fulfill in UA&P, a smaller but nonetheless this particular role that we all have to significant population. In school, we are play. closely bound together in a way that someone can just shout out something in This openly voicing out of ideas the CAS Garden started in a Facebook group called early morning and “No matter how UA&P Canteen Expansion, which was probably everyone seemingly made by four fourth year MScM students would have heard for a feasibility study. Practically, about it by lunch insignificant your everyone in school was added and t i m e . H o w e v e r, place in the thoughts were expressed about the issue. what happens after? The study may have already ended, but After class and world may be, the group continued to be a venue where work hours, each of us holds members of the UA&P community would everyone goes their separate ways. It a rather post events and comments that they would like to tell everyone. Mr. Rene will be very hard to Ledesma, head of the Center for Student reach all of them important part in even if you holler at UA&P” Affairs, suggested changing the name of the group to something that will cater the top of your student concerns. Facebook did not allow lungs in the CAS Garden because the changing of the group’s name so everyone has gone home and no one can another group was created with the name hear you. This is the sad truth. But before UA&P Voice Out. The initial members you slump those shoulders and eat added their friends, batch mates and a bucket of ice cream in despair, it classmates. Soon, most of the UA&P should delight you to know that the population became part of the group. Any perfect solution has come our way. member who wishes to announce Have no fear, UA&P Voice Out is something freely did so. Imagine a village here! Because many people are at the bottom of a mountain. The students always online, there would are in that village. What better way to probably be no better place to reach out to all of them than by standing spread the news and hottest on that mountain to make an updates than on Facebook, announcement? That stage-like mountain one of the most popular and is what UA&P Voice Out is. most visited social networking sites where “We are all important in you can freely share, like, comment on, or making our school a better place even report posts and because it is for all us that it photos that catch your attention. No more emptystands. With this simple room discussions, no more unheard complaints, no technological tool, it is easier to more neglected events and best of all, no more lonely fulfill this particular role that we you. all have to play.”
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As what Patrick Zeta, one of the students who created the group, said, “Basically, that's just it: to bridge the gap between the population and the school.”
Help can be asked for and answered with just a little typing and the click of a button in such a short period of time. There are many events in school and not everyone may know about it. Posting a simple announcement in UA&P Voice Out calls
likes, comments, and even direct action. If these messages had not been spread through these means, these messages may not have gotten the attention it can actually get.
Information dissemination is very important in a university. We are UA&P Voice fortunate because with the presence “You know it is effective because you see the O u t i s a of advanced technology today, it has modern and response of people through their likes, comments, effective way become a piece of cake to transmit a message from one to all. UA&P of reaching and even direct action.” Voice Out has helped students send out to the out to all those who are part of it. You are across what they need to say. The school’s population. Aside from using given the chance to see different posts like monsoon that recently caused heavy costly posters, brochures, and the like to invitations to talks, events, programs, and floods was one of the many situations voice out your thoughts, add the group to the like. You know it is effective because which showed how important a group like your list and use it to let your message be you see the response of people through this can be. heard.
Flooded with Faith and Hope by Gabriel Asuncion and Francis Galeon
About a month ago, Habagat, drowned Metro Manila, as well as its neighboring areas in an unlikely deluge. Nobody expected that water levels would rise that fast, until some of our fellow citizens found themselves seeking for help, due to the continuous heavy downpour that allowed the Marikina river to overflow. True enough, that was a day of crisis for us Filipinos, which also reminds us of a similar incident three years ago: typhoon Ondoy. Mang Eugene, the friendly lab assistant who is usually silent going about with his work clearly has a story to tell when asked about his typhoon experience. In fact, among those who needed the most help was he himself. His two-storey home submerged in rushing, brown floodwater and all of his possessions washed away in the deluge, it was a memory to remember; but not for the reasons that one would think of. “Taon-taon kami binabaha dito,” he said in a rather calm tone. Mang Eugene lives near the Marikina River with his family and high floodwaters were not new to them.
According to him, this was not the first What did make Ondoy memorable for time for him and his family to experience him was the memory of almost losing his such an unlikely incident. During the youngest child to the flood. “Hindi ko typhoon Ondoy, he and his family were talaga iniisip yung mga gamit.” Mang troubled by the seemingly and endless Eugene was not very attached to his downpour which was exacerbating the material possessions. “Buhay ng tao di water level in their home. “The water was nabibili,” he quipped. That was why when very shallow inside the house but the rain the Habagat drowned his place in similar wasn't stopping and we had no place to fashion one could clearly see a calm and go..” Supposedly, Daryll and his family reassured man. The most important thing were planning to evacuate from their that he learned from years of living in a house so they did not bother stocking up flood-prone area was that one should on groceries. always be ready and more than that, “Kung tumawag ka They did not to pray. “Kung tumawag ka sa itaas, expect that nariyan naman Siya.” Two weeks sa itaas, nariyan typhoon would ago, Mang Eugene lost pretty much last longer than all his belongings, as would happen naman Siya.” their supplies. yearly in a flood in his area. Three Soon, the Patcos found themselves with years ago was not much of a no food; just an abundance of floodwater difference. In fact, if you talk to him, you in their home. would be hearing the same things: be ready and pray hard. Indeed , Daryll and his family were in dire need of immediate help. Luckily, his Mishaps brought about by torrential friend Louie De Leon contacted him floods during typhoons were also not new during their first night at the height of for Daryll Patco, a UA&P junior student. They live in an elevated bungalow in Sta. Habagat. Lucia, Pasig City.
THE BOSUN the official student publication of ua&p
SEptember 2012 VOL. 2 ISSUE 1 Asked if they wanted to be evacuated, Daryll told his friend that they wanted to, fearing that their previous experience with typhoon Ondoy might occur again. Help was sent immediately to Daryll and his family: “The next day, people started calling and texting me, asking about my situation.” Daryll was blessed to have many friends, particularly his colleagues from UA&P, who were concerned about his situation. So concerned were they that he even trended on the social networking site Twitter, with the hashtag “#Patco”. At around 8:30 pm, a team riding on a boat knocked at their gate, shouting for Daryll’s name.
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“Since he (Louie) was looking for me, I guess it was a team that was contacted by UA&P.” True enough, it was a rescue team coming from Pasig City contacted by UA&P students. Daryll and his family were very much thankful to those who lent their helping hands. Throughout the ordeal, the Patcos were able to cope up with the catastrophic event with a positive spirit. “Three days after being rescued, the flood subsided and we were able to move back home. From then on, everything just went back to normal.” From his experience, Daryll tells us that if there’s one thing which he learned, then that is to be always prepared for the worst, but never (EVER) panic.
As the popular Southborder song puts it, “there’s a rainbow always after the rain”. The tragic stories of Mang Eugene and Daryll Patco show that it does not just pay to be prepared. More than that, it was their strong inner spirit that kept their hopes up and ultimately sustained their belief that despite times like Ondoy and the typhoons of old, life would go on and reward them in a better way.
“Buhay ng tao di nabibili.”
Volunteerism. Charity. #Unitas. by Roald Lanto
Noodles, biscuits, bottled water and a cooperation, unity, and camaraderie, which Last August 9, 2012, twenty-three bag of clothes were the first goods lasted for days. volunteers from the school were gathered donated by university students for the Various teams were organized for the in ACB 1.5 for briefing about the UA&P Relief Operations. But more than deployment of relief goods to the the situation in Marikina. Our team was goods that could be readily bought in evacuated families in specific areas. composed of UA&P students, some of supermarkets in bulk and could be packed Among the deployment teams was our whom volunteered first to be deployed in in plastic bags, these IVC, Marikina on young people offered “... these young people offered important things that Wednesday evening, important things that of the school, money simply can’t buy: the volunteers’ time, abilities alumni money simply can’t buy: volunteers from the volunteers’ time, Adamson University, and willingness to act.” abilities and willingness to and a reporter at team. We were assigned to deliver relief act. In spite of being busy with school Inquirer.net. After the a short meeting, we packages to Nangka Elementary School in work and the fear of getting in danger, the were instructed to assemble in Study Hall Marikina. The willingness to risk our request for aid was enough to make many B where the packaged goods were safety to deliver the relief packages students momentarily forget these worries prepared for deployment. personally to the people who need them and offer whatever help they could. The makes the deployment operation different entire relief operations was full of and exciting at the same time.
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While waiting for the truck to bring us passed by the City Health Center of to our destination, some of us helped in Tumana, we saw strong men carrying transferring the goods to a container van. gallons of water for their families. This Since most of us already helped in exemplified the “bayanihan” spirit of the sorting, packing, and packaging goods residents, which inspired us and early in the morning, we decided to take reminded us of our goal. some rest while waiting for the truck. Upon arriving at the area, we were Although we were feeling tired from the challenged to think of a way to distribute activities we did the whole day, seeing the 400 packs that we were able to bring to our schoolmates selflessly giving their the 1,400 families time to pack more goods made us more motivated to “We could only imagine staying there. But like a prayer do our part. The Unitas how hard it must be for immediately spirit made us stronger and more confident to help the them to get back to their answered, a group of volunteers from affected families and normal lives after this event another school also individuals in Marikina. When the truck arrived, took away so much from arrived to give the other evacuees food we rode the truck bed and them.” and some of the a short prayer - not so goods they needed. surprisingly, it provided us Since we wanted to prevent disorder peace of mind and assurance to overcome among evacuees and volunteers, we some of our fears and anxieties. decided to barricade the container van with On our way to Nangka Elementary our bodies. Hand in hand, we made a School, we crossed the Tumana Bridge semi-circle with some of the volunteers and we saw how high the water in inside to unload the packages from the Tumana River was even though the rain van. To avoid confusion and chaos, we has already stopped from pouring. asked the barangay officials of Nangka to Nevertheless, we were excited and driven help us in our operation. In turn, they to give the things they gravely needed. called the team leaders of the evacuees to We also witnessed residents who were gather. Each team leader was responsible busy picking up garbage scattered on the for a number of families, ranging from roads, looking for things they can still nine to twenty. Then, each team leader use, and buying food from nearby stores. called the heads of each family. With the We could only imagine how hard it must help of the officers, we learned the number be for them to get back to their normal of families each leader had. According to lives after this event took away so much Willy Rosales, the barangay’s secretary, from them. And yet, as we some of the teams add more names on their lists of families
to have more goods than others. To avoid such guiles, we decided to see the original lists of families and only gave the exact number of goods to each team. If a team has twelve families, we only gave twelve goods. At first we had a hard time unloading the goods, but thanks to the barangay officers, we were able to give the goods to the affected families. Everyone from the evacuees, to the heads of each family, to the team leaders, to the barangay officials, to all the volunteers who were present then, were very cooperative which made our operations quite smooth and easier to handle. We felt fulfilled because of the smiles we saw in their faces after the operation. After all, “the merit is not in whether it is big or small, but in the intention with which you give it.” With the cooperation of the deployment teams, officers, team leaders, and volunteers, the UNITAS spirit branched out to many places. Because of the tremendous joy we gained after giving some goods to the affected families during the height of the Habagat, we wanted to help more people, and we believe that every single day, we face countless chances to do so.
“This exemplified the “bayanihan” spirit of the residents, which inspired us and reminded us of our goal.”
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