The bosun september 2013 issue schools by The Bosun

SCHOOLS VOLUME IV NO. 2 JULY-SEPTEMBER, 2013

RIGHT: THE DRAGON’S LAIR. After its construction in 1989, the College of Arts and Sciences building has served as a training ground for future thinkers and professionals. LEFT: BIRDS OF THE FOUNTAIN. A steel sculpture that was built as a centerpiece of the ALB

UA&P: Trailblazing UA&P: Trailblazing from fromBegginings BeginningsInto Intothe theFuture Future

“The birds of the fountain”

BY MARIETTA TRIMPE AND FRANCIS GALEON PHOTOS TAKEN FROM CAS25TH ALBUM

Aspiration.

Without it, nothing can happen. A small venture gradually expanded and became the foundation that we now walk on today. And it all began with a lifelong dream. Then We may not have been born yet, but more than 40 years ago, the University of Asia & the Pacific that we have of today was formerly known as the Center for Research and Communication (CRC). Through the efforts of two brilliant Harvard graduates, Dr. Jesus P. Estanislao and Dr. Bernardo M. Villegas, it began in 1967 as a private think tank that conducted research and offered graduate courses in management and economics. According to Dr. Villegas, the primary purpose of this think tank was to serve for the common good of the people, to analyze economy and growth both in the public and private sector, to make the right decisions, and thereby to serve Filipino citizens through economic research. In 1989, the institution reached another milestone by establishing the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS). This marked the beginning of liberal education, with CRC offering specializations

that included humanities, political economy, and communication, among others. Obviously, every goal has an end in mind. Asked if CRC at the time was expected to eventually evolve into a university, Dr Villegas affirmed that from the very beginning, the Center was an educational undertaking along with the inspiration of Saint Josemaria Escriva. In this light, CRC had a grander vision and mission: the transformation of the institution into a full-fledged university offering highquality undergraduate and graduate education. In 1995, it was granted university status by the Commission on Higher Education. As what we see evident today, the University of Asia & the Pacific has been successful in highlighting the hallmarks as an educational institution – that of values formation, people development, and research and communication. Now As the University Credo states, it “fulfills its role best when it forms individuals who are professionally competent, creative and enterprising, zealous for the common good, and capable of making free and morally upright choices”. Today, we see our university committed in contributing to our integral human development. With

the three hallmarks, emphasis is given to UA&P’s motto of unity or unitas. We see this word on UA&P shirts, jackets, and other things, but this embodiment is not only portrayed ‘materially’, but also instilled in many other aspects: unity within the university community, unity between faith and reason, and unity between religion and life. Unity embodies the commitment of each one in UA&P toward the pursuit of wisdom, a synthesis of it, and hence, a unity of life. As we engage in various areas of knowledge, we are trained to have a critical eye, an analytical mind, and moral judgment, and to welcome and understand issues from different perspectives. Given that the subjects being taught use a multidisciplinary approach, we learn to make connections across disciplines. Furthermore, we see the bigger picture and we understand the complexity of each part – this becomes our advantage and edge. The liberal arts program, together with our sense of unity, helps us develop clear, concise, persuasive communication whether in speech or in writing. Aside from giving importance to the liberal arts (where we truly learn to learn), what sets UA&P apart from other universities is the mentoring

program. Dr. Villegas points out that each person is unique and needs personal attention; each student develops whole personal development. Through these one-on-one sessions between student and mentor, our acquired knowledge and skills, values, and other learnings are brought down to a more personal level. Also, we are nourished through individual development and strengthened through whole-person formation. Selfknowledge, cognitive skills, emotional quotient, social relationships, and character development — all these are areas we are improved as a leverage to become prospective professionals and of course, more human. Looking into the future What would UA&P be like in the near future? Dr. Villegas shared that he envisions UA&P to become a high quality university in the Asia Pacific Region with a law school, a school of engineering offering more specializations, a school of medicine, and a diversity of other fields of interest and programs. And after reading UA&P’s “Strategic Vision 2018”, we see lots of milestones for the university, and you, unknowingly, have become

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SCHOOLS INSTITUTE OF POLITICAL ECONOMY

BRIGHTER THAN HOLLYWOOD STARS

UA&P: Trailblazing...

part of it. Did you ever feel being part of something “bigger” as you spend time in school day in and day out? Little do we know that even though our student population is relatively small, we have become part of an alma mater, building and building it up. There will be a number of things in store for UA&P in the near future. Following the formulated 2018 strategic vision, the university hopes to pursue the following: 1. Developing new program offerings within the next eight years. This includes degree programs in media and entertainment, human biology, business intelligence, advanced executive education which aims to establish doctoral programs in Business Economics and in Educational Philosophy and Leadership. UA&P

wants to achieve all of these in order to give forth significant contributions towards the society through these professions. 2. Attracting more excellent students through scholarship grants. This strategy aims to contribute to the brand image of UA&P; that its students, coming from different socio-economic classes, are academically excellent, intelligent, and highly motivated. Hence, in return, this will attract more excellent students nationwide. 3. UA&P as part of the mainstream society. In order to foster the common good, UA&P aims to take an active role in the society through partnerships with various industries, local government units, NGO’s, and international agencies.

4. University Centers taking the lead role. These university centers, namely, Center for Student Affairs (CSA), Center for Social Responsibility (CSR), and Center for Research and Communication (CRC) shall continue its commitment to student development, people development, and societal development through research respectively. 5. Attaining autonomy status from CHED by the year 2016 or earlier. An autonomy status will enable UA&P to have a more flexible response to the fast-paced and ever-changing regional environment.

cease to emphasize the value of the liberal arts. These are making milestones into stepping stones for further achievements. Getting started. Gaining momentum. Perseverance. Success. A new perspective. Whatever the goals, this is a working formula. As we look upon new heights, we see new new peaks, new possibilities. It remains up to us to take full advantage of these new opportunities. In the years to come, we must not merely be able to say we took a step, but rather that we made a leap: trail-blazing that lifelong dream that eventually became reality.

All of these strategies were formulated in order to achieve the goals and to be loyal to UA&P’s mission and vision. On top of it all, the university shall not

“As the University Credo states, it “fulfills its role best when it forms individuals who are professionally competent, creative and enterprising, zealous for the common good, and capable of making free and morally upright choices.”

SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS

Happiness in Science and Economics Photo by the Corporate Communications Office of UA&P By Zenon Pestano and Rose Sia Students, faculty members from the University and other schools, and other distinguished guests congregated once again in the second Symposium of the 3-part conference entitled “The Dialogue between Faith and Reason” at the PLDT Hall of University of Asia and the Pacific last July 23, 2013. Organized by Fr. Bermejo of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) – Department of Theology of UA&P, the second symposium discussed matters about the relationship of faith and reason in the world of work. In a closing remark by Atty. Delia Tantuico, the Dean of CAS, the 3-part symposium is a “2-fold [conference] in line with the Year of Faith and in celebration of the 25th Anniversary of CAS Foundation.” The second symposium comprised of three talks with speakers coming from different fields of work. Among the distinctive speakers were Rev. Prof. Paul O’Callaghan of the Pontifical University of the Holy CrossSchool of Theology, Ms. Jovi Dacanay, faculty member of the School of Economics, UA&P, and Dr. Theta Ponce, faculty member of the School of Sciences and Engineering, UA&P. Faith respects freedom, goes beyond pure reasoning In his talk entitled “New Lights from Pope Francis’ Lumen Fidei”, Rev.

Prof. O’Callaghan emphasized the characteristics of Christian faith as respectful of human freedom and as material in the same way as it is intellectual. He mentioned that going through life’s challenges while relying solely on reason makes an empty life because “reason alone without faith is starved”. Reason must be subjected to faith so as to be guided by the light and make the right decisions. He also based his arguments from the recent encyclical of Pope Francis I, Lumen Fidei. According to O’Callaghan, “faith has to be and is meant to be accepted [by the individual person]” and is “what is produced in us when we open ourselves to God’s revelation.” Personal conversion is necessary to receive the gift of faith through listening to the Word of God and marveling at the material world God has created for us. In connection with this, he asserted that the revelation of God, Truth, also comes to us “through matter and with matter.” In relating reason with faith, he further stated that we need to “think through our faith, digest it and make it our own” Faith and Reason in the Realm of Happiness Economics Ms. Jovi Dacanay, for her part, discussed how the principles of rationality of choice and mutually-beneficial exchange in economics work hand-in-hand to explain human happiness. According

to her, although economics, particularly the science of happiness economics, are not conclusive in its findings as to what makes people happy, to a certain extent explains happiness because it treats man as an “agent [who] moves towards a certain goal or purpose” and that is happiness. Through a cross-country comparison of the life satisfaction rates, particularly those of Bulgaria and the Philippines, she was able to deduce that there is more to happiness than high income and life expectancy rates. Bulgarians may have a higher income, but Filipinos still consider themselves happier and more satisfied. As economics entails that man acts for an end, the social science also implies that the most important goods that make people happy are not necessarily the commodities that man consumes. The most important goods, as she mentioned, are the “relational goods” or “reciprocities” because man, as a human being, is called to live for others, to communicate and build connections with the people around him. Moreover, man is called to interact with God in the fullness of faith in order to fulfill his spiritual needs. Happiness may not need to be defined in its exact meaning, being able to relate to an “other”, to live up one’s faith and serve his community may simply be enough to reach a maximum level of satisfaction.

Happy Relationship of Science and Faith Lastly, Dr. Theta Ponce clarified issues regarding the unending apparent conflict between science and faith. Dr. Ponce gave a closer look on faith and science to build her argument that science and faith do not contradict each other. According to her, the Christian faith is a scientific faith, citing that the miracles done by Christ as stated from the Bible are proofs to the existence of God. Faith for its part deals with the spiritual aspect of reality. In relation to faith, she gave a mathematical equation “y = kx”, where y symbolizes the “degree of prayer” and x as the “degree of faith”. This means that given the varied circumstances in life, one’s prayer life depends on his faith, the more one practices his faith the more he lives a life dedicated in prayer. What she highlighted, nevertheless, is the importance of knowledge in understanding the healthy relationship between science and faith so that people would be “educated holistically enough” in order not to fall in the pits of atheism and disbelief. The symposium ended with a closing remark from Atty. Tantuico who expressed her gratitude to all who attended and her anticipation for the third and final symposium of the event. The last symposium will focus on the field of education and culture, which also gives light to the theme of faith and reason.

SCHOOL OF EDUCATION Reconfiguration of Development Education to Human Capital Development

By: Pat Tica As a result of this shift, a In UA&P, senior Developlot of adjustments also occurred in ment Education (DE) students ask: SED, one of which is the reconfigIs it true that you are the last uration of the Development Educabatch of Development Education tion program. The original idea of the DE course is for its graduates students? to be able to teach any group of A question like this may persons, from children to adolessound simple to answer yet even DE cents to adults. They can opt to students like me are sometimes un- teach in high school or work in a sure of how to respond. Thinking corporate setting. In other words, about it, this uncertainty stems from two possible tracks are open to DE the fact that there is little background students after graduation: either eduknowledge that we have about the cational institutions or business corhistory of our own course. Hence, porations and other types of organiwe find it challenging, first, to under- zation. However, in taking two tracks stand the changes that took place and in one program, DE students ended that are happening right now in our up having insufficient academic units school and, second, to provide an- for either track. Thus SED came up swers to those questions. Nonethe- with a plan to address this problem. less, it is never too late to know the In 2009, SED faculty members conreasons for the major shifts that have ferred with the incoming third-year taken place in the School of Edu- DE students at that time and offered cation (SED) in the past few years, them two choices. One was to conamong which is the reconfiguration tinue with the existing curriculum of the DE course. (two tracks in one program). The other was to choose between two tracks (each with a corresponding The first major transition curriculum): academic or corporate. happened around 2007-2008 when The students chose to just follow the the School of Education was re- existing curriculum because they prenamed the School of Education and Hu- ferred the flexibility that the curricuman Development. There were two im- lum offered. portant reasons for this change. First, SED did not want to simply become another traditional teacher training Looking at it, it does seem institution. The school believes advantageous to pursue studies in that education goes beyond the both tracks since the graduates are classroom setting—that it takes likely to have more work opportuniplace not only inside the school ties to choose from after completing but also at home, in business or- the course. However, the preference ganizations, and in communities. for “flexibility” also means losing Another fundamental reason was to some degree of “focus” or concengive primary focus to whole-person tration on a particular specialization. development. A broader concept— In assessing the DE graduates that human development—was seen had gone through the two-track proas encompassing this goal. For gram, SED realized that they were at that reason, the school wanted its a disadvantage. Although they had faculty members to develop their ex- the benefit of a strong liberal arts pertise in three areas: (1) Education, curriculum during their first three (2) Psychology, and (3) Human Cap- years in the university, they did not ital Development. It has to be clari- have enough academic units to be at fied, however, that while SED is the par either with Education graduates only school in the Philippines named or with Management or Psycholoas such, the name itself is not some- gy graduates of other schools. So, thing entirely new. There are several whether they chose to teach in high “Schools of Education and Human school or to work in a corporate setDevelopment” in the United States, ting, they were, to a certain extent, for example. With this change in handicapped in both cases by their name, SED is now better positioned relative lack of academic units in eito make the University’s principle ther specialization. In other words, that learning is a lifelong process the choice was really between a cur(from early childhood to adult edu- riculum that offered “flexibility” and cation) a reality. one that gave the benefit of “focus.”

Photo from the school of education The SED faculty chose “focus” over “flexibility”; thus, triggering a reexamination of the DE curriculum and eventually its reconfiguration into an HCD program. At the same time, in view of the growing market for people trained to be specialists in learning in various types of organizations (e.g., business corporations, foundations, community-based entities), the school found even more reason for designing and introducing the BS Human Capital Development program, the first of its kind in the country. It aims to produce graduates who can design, conduct, manage, and assess learning-in-the-workplace programs that will help individuals and groups in various types of organizations enhance their performance, productivity, and employability. The HCD curriculum is highly interdisciplinary since it draws and fuses elements from Education, Psychology, Business Management, Economics, Sociology, and the liberal arts. Initially, the school was planning to offer a master’s degree in HCD but because of the “verticalization” policy of the Commission of Higher Education, SED had to first offer a bachelor’s program in the specialization. Thus, the BS HCD program was launched in June 2011.

With the reconfiguration of the corporate track of DE into HCD, what happened to the academic track? One alternative was to offer a BS in Education program for prospective high school teachers (to complement the BS in Child Development and Education program, which was also introduced in June 2011). However, the SED faculty felt that there were already very many BS in Education programs being offered by other schools and that some innovation in the field may be called for. Thus, a study is currently being made in connection with the proposal to offer, in the future, graduate studies in Adolescent Education as a third major under SED’s two-year master’s degree program. The aim is to produce graduates who can teach either in high school or in college. The target market includes college or university graduates who hold a bachelor’s degree in any subject matter (Literature, English, Humanities, Mathematics, Science, Economics, etc.), who are attracted to teaching, and who would like to earn Education units and learn the art and science of teaching adolescents. The proposed major in Adolescent Education can also provide four-year DE

SCHOOL OF EDUCATION graduates the opportunity to earn a master’s degree. To conclude, SED did not “kill” DE. Its corporate track has “morphed” into HCD and the academic track will most likely be revived as a master’s degree in Adolescent Education. The major changes that have taken place in SED, starting from the change in the school’s name up to the offering of new courses, are due to SED’s total commitment to whole-person development and to the promotion of lifelong learning. The school’s new tagline—Developing whole persons and leaders of learning—is meant to capture the idea of covering the human lifespan by offering programs in early childhood, adolescent, and adult education, as well as SED’s firm belief that learning takes place not only inside the four walls of the classroom but also in various other settings, such as at home, in business organizations and professional associations, and in communities. **The writer would like to thank Dr. Tiongco for the interview.

“To conclude, SED did not “kill” DE. Its corporate track has “morphed” into HCD and the academic track will most likely be revived as a master’s degree in Adolescent Education.”

SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT

Challenging EMA By: Jemimah Villegas & Ria De Vesa Enterprise Management Association was established in 2012. The organization was originally named MAU (Management Association of UA&P). However, the founders rebranded it to EMA for the purpose of uniting the three courses of the School of Management: BSBA, MSCM, and EM. They had to rebrand it because MAU only represented MScM while EM had their own government and BSBA did not exist yet. They needed to create an organization that would include all the three courses. According to the former president of EMA, Abner Bayangan, the organization exists to complement the School of Management in equipping visionaries of tomorrow. Since SMN is the biggest school in the university, there has to be something that would unite the three courses, an organization of the students, by the students and for the students. “When we were rebranding EMA, there were many people saying negative things about SMN. We thought they don’t know what they are saying because we have excellent students in SMN. We are so big, it’s a law of big numbers, they see a person who may not be doing well, they forget to see the beauty and excellence of other students. “ The mission of EMA is to unite the three schools but unity is not a goal in itself. The officers want to unite the students for a purpose and that is to hone them as students with competence and character. Moreover, since EMA is a student-led organization, it focuses on its people. In line with this, there are programs that are supposed to enhance or reinforce the values that an SMN student must take. These values which include professionalism and integrity are being prioritized by the organization. EMA must be very creative in uniting the population of SMN because these 800 students have different personalities and different backgrounds. In last year’s management of EMA, there was an event called SMN night. It was an opportunity for SMN students to mingle with each other. Bringing SMN students together is hard to accomplish. EMA’s purpose is to create activities that would make the students bond. Moreover, a road map was created by the past management to guide the current officers to where the organization is going and to run EMA as professional as possible. The former president believes that EMA’s current officers have ideas that are fitting to the current student body. While there are some negative things associated

“Most, if not all, are aware that EMA is just on its introductory stage. And although the rebranding of the organization went well, EMA is facing a lot of challenges.” with EMA and with SMN students in general, such as being apathetic, these are just from an outsider’s view. As Mr. Bayangan pointed out, before one should criticize, he/she must look into the in’s and out’s the school. Moreover, as he emphasized, perception is always something subjective. EMA does not care about what other people say about the organization; rather, they care about the values that it truly embodies. What is more important for the organization is to do things the right and most efficient way. He added that SMN is the best course because of its people. Other people may not know about it, but SMN people do and they can prove it. After the successful rebranding of the new academic organization, a new executive board was formed. This year, the president of EMA came from BSBA and was also the former president of Catalyst, Patrick Lim. The organization has 30 core officers and eight of them are in the executive team including Lim. The other seven members are the vice presidents (VP) representing the three courses namely Aleena Suarez for BSBA, Brian Macabidang for MScM and Harvey Gaisano for EM, Maryrose Alcantara as the executive secretary, Angeli Pasquin as the chief finance officer, Ramon Hara as the chief marketing officer, and Albee Barretto as chief information and communications officer.

The Challenges They face Most, if not all, are aware that EMA is just on its introductory stage. And although the rebranding of the organization went well, EMA is facing a lot of challenges. One of which is still the stu-

dents’ lack of awareness about EMA. It is depressing for the officers to know that not all of the SMN students know what EMA is. A BSBA freshman was randomly asked regarding what he thought about EMA. At first, he was unsure of what he was going to answer until he admitted that he did not know the organization. This shows that there are still students who don’t know about them. The consequence of low student awareness on the organization leads to another problem. EMA is trying to handle three courses that are around 800 students in total. EMA itself is composed of only a few members .Those people would have to look over the whole SMN population. Since some people are apathetic towards the organization, EMA is doubling their efforts just so they can actualize a project. It still needs a push not just from the officers but also from the students. As Mr. Lim put it, “To be honest, I’m looking for negative feedback. First, you have to consider who your market is. The School of Management has an estimate of 800 students. How do you please the majority of it?” One of the recently held events of EMA was the first SMN general assembly, also known as Amplify. The general assembly’s goal was to let the students be aware of the SMN organization and encourage them to be participative in the upcoming programs this school year. Based on the feedback gathered from some of the officers, the event was a success. According to Mr. Lim, there was not a time where an EMA gathering was held in LSG. In terms of population, SMN could easily fill up the said venue but that has never happened. It was actually a risk for them to hold an event in a bigger venue but they have

prepared themselves for the worst if it would not be filled up. Fortunately, the event turned out to how they want it to be. There were a lot of people who attended and filled the ground floor of LSG. From this general assembly, however, there was lack of evaluation on what the students who attended really felt about the whole assembly. There might be a mismatch between the perceived outcome between the students and the officers. Regarding their programs, some students say that the essence is lost since it is overshadowed by the fun side. While having a great number of participants in an event is important, it is not the mere measure of an event’s success. It is more important to know what the participants feel and to evaluate what went wrong so that they would know what to improve. But again, what EMA needs are people who are willing to give their time and effort to ensure the continuity of what they are trying to establish. Mr. Lim explained, “What we are trying to do here is attract the people, not to tell people this is EMA, yung malalim.. Kelangan malaman to. Sige punta kayo fun ang EMA. Eto talaga ang EMA, gusto niyo ba talaga sumali, kaya niyo ba?” Kasi if we look at the people kahit negative man pakinggan, not all are parcitipative. Given the situation, three times failure of election, even this year, meron pero it had to be extended.” In addition, to create effective programs, the initiative must start with the core members. First of all they must know what EMA stands for- its vision, mission and core values. Conversely, the officers find it difficult to define these things. As Mr. Lim has said, “kasi kahit kami officers, hirap

SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT kami sabihin kung ano ba talaga yung vision and mission.” If not all of the officers know what EMA’s purpose is, then how would they encourage people to join the organization? Yet, even if the officers didn’t know by heart what their mission and vision are, they still pushed through with their projects. They did so since what they want to achieve first is to ensure the visibility of the organization. Moreover, the officers, as Mr. Lim pointed out are not well- gelled yet. There is still a gap on how each of the members relates to one another. Even a perfect attendance in their meetings is hardly achieved. So as the president, he thinks that it would not be easy to accomplish given that the top officers are from 4th year, busy with their academics. But this should not be an excuse; since, after all, accepting to be an officer means accepting all the responsibilities that come with it.

Pieces of Advice There are a few things that that the organization has to do. The first is to instill its mission and vision in their hearts and minds. This will give them direction. If they need to change the mission and vision statement, this is the time to do it. The organization is still young; it’s natural for them to make mistakes. They can still adjust to find their place in the hearts of the stu-

dents of the School of Management. Second, they should try knowing their market. They can start by making feedback systems so that they would know their status in relation to their people. They can also use what they researched about the needs of their market to find a common ground for these students. Moreover, knowing the students’ needs and wants could be the foundation in creating effective programs. It is also a way to encourage them to be participative and to start showing that the perception of SMN students being unconcerned with the school affairs is history. If the leader shows that they value their market, it might start to show some concern from them too. Lastly, the programs that are lined up throughout the year could be their opportunity in creating a good impression for the freshmen and changing its bad image in the minds of the upper batches. Now is the time to create students who would care for the school to which they belong to.

BE UNITED BE PART OF SOMETHING BIG

“There are a few things that that the organization has to do. The first is to instill its mission and vision in their hearts and minds. This will give them direction.”

Photo by Media Management Committee

SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION

Tambuli Awards 2013

Photo by the Corporate Communications Office of UA&P By: Tim Kelvin B. Conti

A tambuli is a native Filipino wind instrument made of carabao horns. It is deeply embedded in the Filipino culture as it served as an instrument of transmitting messages to other people from a distance. While this is what it was before, nowadays, people are talking about another kind of tambuli. Last May 30, the UA&P Tambuli Awards was held in the Li Seng Giap Auditorium. The UA&P Tambuli Awards “is the only global award that celebrates Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) effectiveness and the promotion of societal values in one award,” as stated in the Tambuli Awards website. For the past seven years, aspiring entrants have been awarded with bronze, silver and gold Tambulis for their hard work, creativity, and moral uprightness. For this year, the Tambuli Awards jury was headed by Rupen Desai, the Regional President for Lowe + Partners, Asia Pacific. The jury was also composed of executives from esteemed advertising agencies as well as client companies.

BBDO Guerrero Chairman and Chief Creative Officer David Guerrero (1st from left), Philippine Department of Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez (3rd from left), BBDO Guerrero Chief Executive Officer Tony Harris (4th from left) together with top executives receive their trophy from the award presenters, Regional President of Lowe + Partners Asia Pacific and Overall Jury President of the UA&P Tambuli Awards 2013 Rupen Desai, President of Philippine Survey and Research Center Carmencita Esteban, UA&P President Dr. Jose Maria Mariano, Tambuli Awards Advisory Board Chairman Javier Calero, and Nestlé Philippines Chairman and CEO John Miller.

For The Win Depending on the effectiveness of the entry in a given category, gold, silver and bronze awards were given as decided upon by the judges. Moreover, a set of special awards were also presented. One of them was the Carmencita Esteban Platinum Award that went to the Philippine Department of Tourism and BBDO Guerrero for the campaign “It’s More Fun in the Philippines.” The Department of Tourism also won the Effectiveness Advertiser of the Year while the Effectiveness Creative Agency of the Year went to McCann Worldgroup Philippines. The much-awaited Tambuli CMO of the Year went to Mr. Albert Cuadrante, the Vice-President for Marketing of Jollibee Foods Corporation from October 2009 to March 2013 and who is now the General Manager of Greenwich. Doing Well by Doing Good What makes the Tambuli Awards so unique is that it neither simply focuses on the number of accounts closed by a particular ad agency nor the money brought in by a particular campaign. The Tambuli Awards stands for something more. It also takes into account the promotion of core values without sacrificing the overall effectiveness of a campaign. In line with the principles advocated by the Tambuli Awards, a conference was held a day before the awarding cere-

The Gold winners for each category were the following. Advocacy: Women of Substance (client: Monde Nissin Corporation; agency: Publicis JimenezBasic), Boysen KNOxOUT Project EDSA (client: Pacific Paint (Boysen) Phils., Inc. agency:), Ariel Shirt Flag (client: Procter & Gamble Distributing Philippines, Inc.; agency: Ace Saatchi & Saatchi), Dirty T-Shirt Tales (client: Unilever Singapore; agency: Lowe Asia Pacific) Creative Effectiveness: It’s More Fun in the Philippines (client: Philippine Department of Tourism; agency: BBDO Guerrero), Real Men are Made of Tough + Love (client: Unilever Philippines; agency: Ogilvy & Mather Philippines) Established Brand: Curious Cameras (client: OMO; agency: Lowe Vietnam) Family-oriented Brand: GMA Christmas Short Film: Hating Kapatid (client: Columbia International Food Products, Inc.; agency: GMA Marketing and Productions), Oreo Dear Dad (client: Kraft Cadbury India; agency: Interface Communications India), The Little Red Schoolhouse (client: The Coca-Cola Export Philippines; agency: Momentum Philippines), A Mother’s

“Aruga” (Care) (client: United Laboratories; agency: Starcom Mediavest Group Philippines), Blend 45 Kapeng Pinoy “Gising Pinoy” (client: Universal Robina Corporation; agency: Blackpencil Manila) Innovative and Integrated Media: It’s More Fun in the Philippines (client: Philippine Department of Tourism; agency: BBDO Guerrero), Anna Banana (client: PLDT; agency: Ace Saatchi & Saatchi) Insights and Strategic Thinking: Coming Home (client: Del Monte Philippines Inc.; agency: TBWA/Santiago Mangada Puno) Integrated Digital or Mobile led Program: The Mission (client: Monde Nissin Corporation; agency: Publicis JimenezBasic), Project Pagsulong – Building the nation is our Business (client: PLDT; agency: Draft; DDB Philippines) Integrated PR led Program: Pacquiao Positive (client: Pepsico Philippines; agency: DDB Philippines)

9 SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION 99 SCHOOL SCHOOLOFOF“More COMMUNICATION COMMUNICATION than half a millennium has

mony. The whole conference revolved around the theme of “Integration and Meaningful Connections.” Speakers ny.mony. The whole The whole conference conference revolved revolved such as Stuart Clark (Managing Direcundaround the theme ofPacific “Integration of Havas “Integration and and tor theme ofthe Asia Media Interaningful Meaningful Connections.” Connections.” Speakers Speakers national) and John Miller (Chairman h as such Stuart Stuart ClarkofClark (Managing (Managing Direc-DirecandasCEO Nestle Philippines, Inc.) of tor Asia ofPacific Asia Pacific HavasHavas Media InterInter-the provided insightful ideasMedia regarding onal) national) and John and Miller John Miller (Chairman (Chairman said topic. CEO and of CEO Nestle of Nestle Philippines, Philippines, Inc.) Inc.) vided provided insightful insightful ideas regarding the thehas More thanideas halfregarding a millennium d topic. said topic. passed yet the tambuli remains to be a

“More “More than than halfatambuli amillennium millennium has hasto passed yethalf the remains passed passed yetthethefor tambuli tambuli remains remainstoto be a yet symbol communicators all bebe a asymbol symbol forforcommunicators communicators all around the Asia-Pacific region toallimaround around thethe Asia-Pacific Asia-Pacific region toto imimpart meaning in their region messages.” part partmeaning meaninginintheir theirmessages.” messages.”

symbol for communicators all around re More than than half ahalfmillennium a millennium has meanhas the Asia-Pacific region to impart sedpassed yet yet tambuli the tambuli remains remains toThese be ato awards be a ingthe in their messages. mbol symbol for communicators for communicators all around all around encourage clients and agencies alike Asia-Pacific thetoAsia-Pacific region region to impart to impart meanmean-but not be driven solely by profit ining their in messages. their messages. These These awards awards also the propagation of the values. Enourage encourage clientsclients and agencies and ofagencies alike alike couraging this kind thinking would nottobeprove not driven bethat driven solely solely by by profit but notbut values andprofit success only o the also propagation the propagation of the of values. the values. Encoexist but could also flourish. Enraging couraging this kind thisof kind thinking of thinking wouldwould ve prove that values that values and success and success not only not only xistcoexist but could but could also flourish. also flourish.

Ignorance: An Addiction Ignorance: Ignorance: AnAn Addiction Addiction

selves “why?” It all comes down to of careful and coordinated mass ma- one thing really, one thing that we can’t der can only be achieved though intennipulation? The reality is that our mod- imagine a world without. It drives peo- sive social organization i.e. the focusselvesselves “why?” “why?” It all Itcomes all comes down down to to ing/narrowing ofthough choice. Howintenis this der cander only canbe only achieved be achieved though intensociety function without the ple insane, its power over us knows of careful of ern careful and coordinated andcannot coordinated mass mass mamay: Franco by: Franco Romualdez Romualdez one thing one really, thing really, one thing one that thing wethat can’t we can’tno Originally I was going to enti- constant and invisible manipulation done? Well, people share same sive social sive social organization organization i.e. who thei.e. focusthe the focusof bounds, and no matter where you nipulation? nipulation? The reality The reality is that isour that modour modare, imagine imagine a world a world without. without. It drives It drives peo- peotle this article Ignorance is bliss, but it the masses. Both the information ideas and interests are bound forthis coming/narrowing ing/narrowing of choice. of choice. How is How thisis we its presence is like a looming shadow. ern society ern society cannotcannot function function without without the the ple insane, ple insane, its power its power over us over knows us knows no no seemed a little cliché. Ignorance: monpeople action, aren’t they? You may think Originally Originally I wastoo Igoing was going to entito entidone? done? Well, Well, people who share who the share same the same receive andinvisible the waymanipulation we areofeducated constant constant and invisible and manipulation of bounds, It’s friends; is the bounds, and money, noand matter nomy matter where where youmoney are, you are, An now that’s a title. your choices your own, but tle thistlearticle thisAddiction, article Ignorance Ignorance is bliss, is but bliss, it but ideas and ideas interests and interests areare bound are bound for comfor they com-are to information the opin- real opium of the masses, the most theit masses. thecontribute masses. Both the Both theformation information weof its we presence its presence is likeisa like looming a looming shadow. shadow.adin action, fact thearen’t result ofmay aYou mixture of imseemed seemed a littlea too littlecliché. too cliché. Ignorance: Ignorance: receive mon action, mon aren’t they? You they? think may think ions the that are our own. dictive and most dangerous substance andway theintrinsically we wayareweeducated arenot educated Before I begin I’d like toreceive make and It’s money, It’s money, my friends; my friends; moneymoney is the is the pressions that have been An Addiction, An Addiction, now that’s now athat’s title.a title. contribute your choices your choices are your areown, your but own, they butconsciously are they are Why the “terrorist” inspire on planet Earth. Who ever thought contribute to does thetoformation theword formation of opinof opinit known that the views and statements that real opium real opium of the of masses, the masses, the most the admost adand subconsciously your factinthe factresult the result of a mixture of a imprinted mixture of im-ofonimimages of intrinsically a bearded Arab holding an giving colored paper imaginary in ions ions are that intrinsically are not our notown. our own. presented in this are solely thatthat value Before Before I begin I begin I’darticle likeI’dtolike make to make dictivedictive and most and dangerous most dangerous substance substance mind outside We have pressions that by have that been have influences. consciously been consciously Ak-47? Why do I “terrorist” believe that a dem- could be used to justify so muchpressions Why Why the does word the “terrorist” word inspire inspire ofthat mythe personal opinion. truths (asdoes evil? it known it known that views the views and statements andThe statements on planet on planet Earth.Earth. Who ever Whothought ever thought that that to be imprinted treatedimprinted thisonway. Weyour asked and subconsciously andasked subconsciously your on ocratic is the only real images of a bearded ofrepublic a bearded Arab holding Arab holding an way an to giving I believe them toarebe)solely that I’m toimages Thinkcolored about whatimaginary better wayvalue to conpresented presented in thisinarticle this article are solely that about that giving colored paperit, paper imaginary value itbywhen we allied ourselves mind mind byfor outside outside influences. influences. We have Wewith havepogovern aI population? isa the for- trol the population than imprinting Ak-47? Why do Why believe do I believe that Why a that demdemreveal may offend and/or of myof personal my personal opinion. opinion. The truths Theshock truths (as certain (as Ak-47? could could be used betoused justify to justify so much so much evil? evil? asked for it when asked asked to litical be treated to parties. be treated thisWe way. this We way. asked We askedwe mularepublic foris success conveniently laid upon them a constant and insatiable republic the is only theso real only way realtowayThink to readers. Ifbe) theto “Invisible Government” I believe I believe them to them that be)I’m thatabout I’m about to ocratic to ocratic Think about about it, what it,better what better way toway con-to congiven “sure” path “success” for it when forwere it we when allied we aourselves allied ourselves withto powith poina front ofWhy me? is These arethethefortype thirst for wealth? We are consumed govern aout population? population? Why the isforsounds something that you don’tgovern revealreveal may offend maylike offend and/or and/or shock shock certain certain trol the trol population the population than imprinting than imprintingby (Elementary + High + College litical litical parties. parties. We asked We asked for it school when for it we when we ofsuccess questions wesoshould belaid asking our- a thirst for money so powerful that mula for mula for success so conveniently conveniently laid want to know about then I suggest you it readers. readers. If the If “Invisible the “Invisible Government” Government” upon upon them them a constant a constant and insatiable and insatiable = Job = Happiness). 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We imprinted presently cannotcannot and our brieflyBefore discuss the things thatinated giveinated gions gions to communal believe to believe in. happiness, Wein.were We asked were asked to selfishto Before I can Ibegin canfour begin to explain to explain from The fromVoice, The Voice, and/orand/or if yourif your forces that without control us, as to make fathom athe world a world without money, money, why? why? us Ignorant, that’s what we all fathom ness in apersonal narrow landslide. to aGovernment, population: vote for vote either forwon either personal satisfaction satisfaction or or the Invisible thepower Invisible Government, I musttransportation, I first must first crush likes crushyou likesback youor back not.or not. conform to imprinted their of us, a perfect sociBecause Because it has been it has been idea imprinted on on by us, by are. You, me, him, her, no one is no information, education, communal communal happiness, happiness, and our andselfishour selfishbrieflybriefly discuss discuss the four the things four things that and give thatcommugive We are all addicted to ignothe forces theety. forces that control that control us, as to us,make as to us make us betterIgnorant, thanthat’s anyone else what because that’s what we allwewe allare any transportation, one of the four is not Ignorant, ness won nessinwon a narrow in a narrow landslide. landslide. powerpower tonication. a population: to a If population: transportation, rance because it makes us happy. Sure conform conform to their to idea their of idea a perfect of a perfect socisociall guilty of being selfish. What is the are. You, are. me, You,him, me, her, him,noher, onenoisone no is no present in education, a society, the commupopulation The real controllers are not information, information, education, and commuand we are all aware the tragedies that ety. are We allare addicted all of addicted to ignoto ignorealanyone priceanyone of ourbecause comfort? all are seem ety.the people we vote into office, there is We than than else else because weWe arewe becomes tooofone worried itsbetter ownbetter nication. nication. If anyIfone any theoffour theabout isfour not is not happen our fellow on aSure daily rance rance because because it to makes it makes us happy. usman happy. Sure to be okay with the death of millions all guilty of being of being selfish.selfish. 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Here’s Here’s where where it gets it crazy, gets crazy, understanding understanding why, how, why,and how, byand who byiswho is are simply theideas, results In a “free” market society, or- Main Reference: Propaganda (1928), ly exist? ly political exist? What What ifagenda yourif beliefs, your beliefs, ideas, First off we need to askbecause ourbecause we arewe asked are asked to be. to be. the first thestep firsttowards step towards any real anychange. real change. music music preference, preference, taste intaste movies, in movies, and and by Edward by Edward Bernays. Bernays. political political agendaagenda are simply are simply the results the results In a “free” In a “free” marketmarket society, society, or- Main or- Main Reference: Reference: Propaganda Propaganda (1928),(1928), First off Firstweoffneed we to need asktoourask our-

by: Franco Romualdez

SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION Media Framing:

A comparative content analysis on American Online News Media Coverage on the Resignation of Pope Benedict XVI A SPECIAL EDITION BY ANTHONY LUMICAO

Last February, the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, now Bishop Emeritus of Rome, was a historical moment that shocked the world and has been a subject of contentious debate with varying viewpoints in the sphere of international news and public opinion. The unconventionality of the resignation of the Pontiff, which last occurred 600 years ago, may have led to this news impact. In fact, Vatican has criticized news media for many false reports as attempts to manipulate the election of the pontiff’s successor, now Pope Francis from Argentina. As the most visible religious figure in the world, according to Pew Research, Benedict has attracted a significant share of news coverage over the years where ‘clerical sex abuse’ seems to be the main dominant frame. For these reasons, there is a need to investigate why this is so and how American online news media have used framing in shaping world opinion on the resignation news through comparative content analysis. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION A study by Cisser (2005) states how the power of media NYTIMES shapes much of what people perceive from the events around the POSITIVE NEGATIVE NEUTRAL TONE world. Framed to meet the goals of (13.33%) (53.34%) (33.34%) the providing source, news stories Table 1. NY Times Results on Length and Tone. consist of schema of interpretation, collection of anecdotes, and stereo- Dominant Frames: types in which individuals rely on Dominant Frame List Number of to understand events. Furthermore, Articles framing is that process of selectiveUnconventionality/Rarity/Shock 8 ly influencing individuals’ percepWeakness of the Pope 4 tion of the meanings attributed to Scandal-filled Intrigues 8 words or phrases.

The sector sample for ‘Online News’ category shall include the top three online news sites, CNN International, MSNBC, and NY Times. From each of the news sites, the researcher searched the 15 top relevant articles on the “Resignation of Benedict XVI” from the “announcement of resignation” to “official date of resignation”. From this, the researcher carried out a content analysis, a systematic assignment of communication to categorize according to rules and to analyze patterns using framing of audiences’ schemata (Riffe, Lacy, & Fico, 2005). The framework for content analysis will be patterned after a similar study on “Media Framing: A Comparative Content Analysis on Mainstream and Alternative News Coverage of Occupy Wall Street” by Cissel (2012). The units of content will be based on the following: length — small (0-400 words); medium (401-800 words); long (801- 1,200 words) — tone (positive, negative or neutral) based on word usage, and dominant frames, the prevailing themes implicitly or explicitly presented. Qualitative information will also form a vital part in discussing results as sufficient grounds for data and interpreted claims.

CNN.COM INTERNATIONAL TONE

POSNEGNEUITIVE ATIVE TRAL (6.67%) (66.67%) (26.67%)

Table 3. CNN Results on Length and Tone. Dominant Frames: Dominant Frame List Number of Articles Unconventionality/ Rarity/Shock

Honor to the Pope

Weakness of the Pope 8

Substance of the Message

Scandal-filled Intrigues 10

Straightforward Coverage

Politics of the Papacy

Substance of the Message

Straightforward Coverage

Table 2. NY Times Results on Dominant Frames The resignation was negatively portrayed in many NY Times articles. It was presented to be a resignation marred by scandals, intrigues of the problem-filled Church, which were “passively addressed by Benedict.” Frames include Benedict as a “weak manager who failed to deliver the steps to reform the “clerical sex abuse crisis”; “the clerical gay lobby” in Vatican; and, resignation of cardinals. All of which comprise the reasons why Benedict resigned – that the Catholic Church, has always been “all bad news, all the time”. Some articles challenge his infallibility since he will no longer be Pontiff.

“isItmore is observed that CNN critical about the Catholic Church.”

The politics of the papacy is highlighted in which the papal contenders, their political qualifications as “papabile” are overemphasized. The need for the “new evangelization” is portrayed by the media as a consequence of the decadence of the Catholic faith in Europe. A striking article also cites a “politics of the Conclave” corruptly presented the incompetency of Cardinals in handling Church “abuses”. Many articles were also categorized as long articles. According to Cisser (2012), “research has shown that there is significant relationship between length of the news article and its perceived importance. By analyzing article length, the researcher was able to understand and draw conclusions how important the media source felt the covered topic was or should be regarded by its reader.” (p. 71) This can be one of the implicit ways by which NY Times laid the negatively-angled agenda on the resignation.

Table 4. CNN Results on Dominant Frames

CNN depicted the resignation as a shocking news story that “rocked the whole world”. It always emphasized the resignation as unconventional, similar to NY Times. The weakness of the pope is also highlighted, citing the frailty of age, mind, and body as the usual reasons behind the resignation that is presented. It is observed that CNN is more critical about the Catholic Church. It had several long articles discussing the negative nuances of the scandals that clouded Pope Benedict’s last days. The frequency of negative tone was too evident and the length of these negative articles also showed how the salience of the Church’s scandals was clearly their agenda. In fact, there was more elaboration on the scandals – clergy sex abuse, the Mohammad issue, the excommunication of a Holocaust denier, and the Vatileaks scandal indicat-

SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION ing the blackmail of gay clergy to the Pontiff. It is depicted that these have taken “a great toll on the Pope”. There were more articles that linked his resignation to these brewing scandals. The negative agenda is very clear in CNN as they mention how the “scandal is threatening to eclipse the poignancy and pageantry of Benedict XVI’s historic final days as pope.” Furthermore, weakness of Benedict’s term was heavily portrayed to be an effect of his controversies. Many interviewees were Church critics or ‘victims of abuse’ and none from those framed as ‘abusive clerics’. NBC NEWS

TONE

POSITIVE

NEGATIVE (20%)

NEUTRAL

Table 5. NBC News Results on Length and Tone. Dominant Frames Dominant Frame List

Number of Articles

Unconventionality/Rarity/Shock

Weakness of the Pope

Historic

Scandal-filled Intrigues

Honor to the Pope

Substance of the Message

Straightforward Coverage

of Benedict and uses suggestive words that undermine the papacy and hierarchy. Most news articles in these media sites do not explain dominant frames (story of focus) thoroughly such as the specificity of “clergy sex abuse, gay lobby, or corruption” and how it is directly related to the resignation of Pope Benedict. It seems that the media tries to frame a schema of the resignation as a consequence of Church abuse. It is difficult to grasp vague dominant frame, which varies from one media source to another. According to Scheufele (1999), this is due to the lack of clear conceptual definitions, limiting comparability of instruments and results. It is also interesting to take note that media sites’ framing of issues may be influenced by social-structural or organizational variables such as pressures, ideological orientations, and journalists’ influences that could explain the negative tones on the resignation. More importantly, we see how journalists, like audiences, can be susceptible to the frames they use to describe events and issues received from media hierarchy, which brings us to the consideration that there is a real need of catechesis among media professionals in order to spread impartial truth in news content.

“The resignation was negatively portrayed in many NY Times articles. It was presented to be a resignation marred by scandals, intrigues of the problem-filled Church, which were “passively addressed by Benedict.” In understanding the role of framing in Benedict XVI’s resignation, it is important to have a critical mind in understanding the reasons behind such portrayals of news and to unravel the truths behind the fallacious representations and interpretations that may twist readers’ minds on the Church or any other relevant news subject. Furthermore, in this Year of Faith, those in the field of communication and journalism can advocate Pope Francis’ call to promote “truthfulness, beauty, and kindness” that ought to prevail in news and public opinion. On our part, it is also worthy to continue shaping good public opinion by setting Christian charity as a tone in giving catechesis in words and deeds so that doctrinal understanding may flourish among those around us.

Table 6. NBC News Results on Dominant Frames NBC News is more neutral in terms of discussing the resignation. Many of their articles present a straightforward coverage as manifested through their narration of information quoted from Benedict XVI or the Vatican Spokesperson, Father Lombardi. There are few articles that portrayed the angle of scandal, which bogged down Benedict’s papacy. The substance of Benedict’s final audiences was highly evident through direct quotations. Furthermore, many of the interviewees were Catholics analysts who gave positive comments towards the substantial messages of the former Pontiff. “Unconventionality” is also used as a dominant frame having statements like “1st resignation in 600 years” as the common theme. In general, all of the media sources emphasize unconventionality as a dominant frame in most articles. CNN puts more weight on negative tone through length and word usage. It elaborates scandal very frequently, which “marred” the last historic days

Photo taken from : http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/damianthompson/pope-to-resign-this-is-unbelievable-news-but-evidence-of-benedict-xvis-deep-humility/

CAS HUMANITIES

A Critique of

Tambuli Awards 2013 Tambuli TambuliAwards Awards2013 2013

“Virginia Navarro’s mon arou sculpture seems to be Mea such o communicating more tor natio and than what a superfi- prov said cial glance of a viewer Mor could gather from it. It pass sym A is safe to say that the in- the ing stitution had a purpose enco to n in mind for giving this also cour prov sculpture such a central coex place in the university’s most important buildby ing.”

Virginia Navarro’s “The Birds” by: Simon Arciaga

At the very center of the university’s oldest building is a sculpture made by Virginia Navarro. Known as “The Birds”, the sculpture is quite familiar to everyone in the university. This sculpture may even be one of the first things that anyone who has set foot upon the school grounds has seen and remembered due to the prominent place that the university has given to it. Yet it is quite interesting to know how many people have actually looked upon it, for it is one thing to see something and quite another to look at it. Perhaps, it is only when one makes the effort to look at this sculpture that he will begin to realize its real value.

Made out of steel, the sculpture is essentially a presentation of several figures of birds, all of which are interconnected. The interconnection among the birds was achieved by extending a portion of a wing of one bird and then attaching it to a body of another bird. Aside from this, harmony was likewise achieved through the repetition of the strands of wings and the even distribution of the birds throughout the entire structure. The effect is such that when one looks at it, the sculpture appears to be just one whole figure even though it is quite obvious that it is composed of many parts. The presence of interconnectedness, repetition of the strands of wings and the even distribution of the birds brings out the wholeness of the sculpture.

When one pays close attention to the sculpture, it is quite noticeable that the arrangement of the birds is such that it gives the entire structure a rather vertical orientation. Within this vertical orientation, one can also see how the birds seem to be organized from bottom to top as if it were some sort of a spiral staircase. Moreover, the rhythm provided by the repetition of the strands of wings of the birds and the fact that they are expanded as if they were really flying contribute in suggesting this upward movement in guiding the analysis of the viewers. All these factors guide the viewing of the people such that they would eventually look up and easily see the sky through the opening of the building. Upon looking up and beholding the sky above, the viewer is led to think that he is not simply looking at something that is stationary. What comes to mind is an image of birds soaring high and traversing the endless sky.

Interestingly, it is also quite observable that the sculpture does not have a distinguishable “front side”.

t s A

Photo by the Corporate Communications Office of UA&P This effect was achieved by arranging the birds in such a way that each one of them is facing different directions. The viewers are then given the freedom to see the sculpture not just from one angle but also from different points of view. The ample space just before the pond provides the viewers with the opportunity to go around and examine the intricacies of the sculpture from different perspectives. In this way, more room for interaction between the sculpture and the viewer is made possible. Anyone who looks at it would eventually engage actively with the sculpture as he discovers new things and insights about it in every twist and turn that he makes.

Aside from this dynamic interaction that is required by the sculpture, lighting likewise contributes to giving more depth in the reading of the sculpture. For this particular sculpture, the opening of the building above allows the sunlight to give natural lighting to the artwork. In daytime alone, lighting provides varying appearance to the artwork. During the early part of the day when the sun is usually up and shining brightly, the intense ray of light that hits the sculpture creates a very powerful interplay of light and shadow that adds more drama to it. On the other hand, on late afternoons when it is typically cloudy, the sculpture acquires a special nuance since the more subdued lighting in this case has a charm of its own which is different from when it is sunny. Moreover, viewing it at nighttime opens up new horizons for the viewer since the interplay of light and shadow is more pronounced because of

the overwhelming darkness that the artificial lights around the sculpture seek to overcome.

Virginia Navarro’s sculpture seems to be communicating more than what a superficial glance of a viewer could gather from it. It is safe to say that the institution had a purpose in mind for giving this sculpture such a central place in the university’s most important building. For all we know, the sculpture is already making a very important statement about the university. To understand what this sculpture really stands for would require more attention and effort on our part.

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Photo by Dr. Jojo Nicdao

Is The World of Knowledge a Cosmos or a Chaos? By: Kim Cajucom Traversing the world of knowledge is stepping into the field of concern of the university. The university’s aim, according to Cardinal John Henry Newman (1872), and contrary to popular belief, is not to generate new knowledge, but to teach universal knowledge. This universal knowledge presupposes that there exists a unity of understanding of the universe’s knowledge. Indeed, the word “university” comes from the Latin universus which means “whole or entire.” If a university be true to its name, therefore, it must accede to teach the “universe” as a whole, not in fragments or unrelated parts. The universe has a natural order, a hierarchy and subordination of elements that create a unity in harmony. What the university teaches or its curriculum, therefore, should also have a hierarchy and subordination of disciplines. According to Newman, it must be a curriculum that teaches us “how each academic discipline contributes the knowledge of some particular aspect or part of the universe, so that in the search for understanding we need to study not only a number of

different disciplines – physics, physiology, history, literature, mathematics, psychology – but also how each of these bears on the others, what the relationships between them are. . .” (in McIntyre, 1982) For what educates is not a master’s knowledge of one discipline but “the knowledge of several disciplines, such that one comes to understand both indispensability of each for an overall understanding of the order of things and the limitations of each.” (McIntyre, 2009). However, what gives these disciplines a sense of unity and harmony? How can one know exactly the limits and capabilities of each? A key unifying discipline is needed to be part of the curriculum for the world of knowledge to remain a cosmos. For the cosmos not to disintegrate into a chaos, theology is needed. Firstly, this is because theology, or the study of revealed supernatural religious truths, is the only discipline that answers the fundamental questions of man’s purpose. Theology gives the point of reference with which to judge correctly or incorrectly any philosoph-

ical assumption. Any ideas that are incompatible with revealed truths are not a furthering of knowledge, but rather a disintegration of it. This disintegration has been pointed out by Allan Bloom in his article “Liberal Education and the Decomposition of the University” wherein the curriculum does not point to any end of man that is to be realized: “In short there is no vision, nor is there a set of competing visions, of what an educated human being is. The question has disappeared, for to pose it would be a threat to the peace. There is no organization of the sciences, no tree of knowledge. Out of chaos emerges dispiritedness, because it is impossible to make a reasonable choice.” (1987). Without theology, there is no vision of what the ideal man should be nor what intellectual virtues are needed in order to form the man towards this end. In short, there is no right philosophy. Philosophical assumptions are the most important in the teaching of any type of discipline for it is philosophy which “knows to what end each thing must be done” and it is the “most authoritative of the sciences.” (Aristotle,

Metaphysics II) When it comes to the realm of philosophy, you can either be on the side of the truth, or not. The only reason why we can deduce the correct philosophy is the presence of theology that rejects erroneous philosophy. More specifically, these are those philosophies that take one part of man, such as his materiality, and assume that this is his whole. Modern day ideologies are full of these reductionist principles. Marxism theorizes that man is merely his body, and therefore happiness is when all material goods are distributed equally or in short, when communism reigns. Freudian philosophy reduce man to his sexual urge, Nietzche reduces man to desire for power, in a similar way does Foucault reduce man’s nature to conceive of knowledge only in terms of power. From relativism, man easily falls into nihilism, the end of all search for meaning is to accept that there is none. Without correct philosophy guided by revealed truths, the university easily falls into the problem of espousing plurality and skepticism in its philosophy. This is a problem pointed out by Derrick (1977), when

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he stated that most universities in the United States have fallen into fundamental skepticism that does not accept the existence of an objective reality. The most common shock that a student who enters the university experiences is that “The best wisdom that the university can teach him is that there is no wisdom.” (Derrick, 1977) Skepticism in itself, he argues, is a self-contradiction that masquerades under the banner of “academic freedom.” One cannot claim that “there is no truth” because that, in itself, is a claim of truth. Real “academic freedom” or the liberation of the intellect is when the mind accepts the common sense notion that it can know reality and can make the first step towards any kind of knowledge. Fundamental skepticism, on the other hand, leaves the mind in a trap – stuck in the realm of doubt that can never lead to genuine knowledge.

gives him his superiority over animals and over all material things, not in order to tyrannize over them, for he has to go along the laws (physical, chemical, biological) of material universe, but in order to use and perfect them in accordance with their nature, thus sharing in the divine government of the world.” (De Torre, 1989)

Skepticism can only be remedied by adherence to the truth, which leads us to see all the disciplines in their proper light. But why is it that theology is so important in the field of philosophy? The answer lies in the relationship of man’s intellect to reality:

“The genuinely human awakening of man to reality occurs when his intellect is met by reality as such, i.e. when the question ‘why?’ breaks out into consciousness, when his power to know what things are in themselves, whence they come, whither they go, and how come they are there, is brought to act. This is what marks the activation of humanity in man and

From the quote above, we can deduce that the second reason for the need for theology is that there is an order that already exists in the universe, and man’s intellect naturally tends towards understanding this order that was placed there by God. As Aristotle also says in the Metaphysics (II), man desires not only to know the universe, but wants to achieve the highest possible form of knowledge – to know the ultimate cause of things. In short, to know things as God knows them.

Man’s intellect is naturally ordered towards reality and from this oneness with reality, he is one also with the maker of it, who is God. God is the point of reference from which all things have their order, for metaphysically speaking, he is the fullness

of being. To know what is true is to see reality as God sees it – and therefore the study of revelation, or theology, is a key discipline if one desires to understand the cosmos of knowledge that there is.

“The intellect naturally loves being, and when moved by a good will, it liberates the self by the contemplation of being (this is what ecstasy means), which necessarily ends in the contemplation and love of God as the absolute source of all being: this is religion, with its logical consequence of obedience to the moral law through one’s conscience.” (de Torre, 1989) atulate o congr nd Kim t e k li a uld Dyogi, and sun wo The Bo pulong, David llege of Arts the o g a C C in e n h a t In from eld s for win Cajucoms - Humanitie ompetition h C e c e n Scie sity Debat 013. Univer tember 11, 2 last Sep

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Photo taken Photo from taken : http://manilametro.blogspot.com/2011/04/metro-manilas-new-city-on-rise.html from : http://manilametro.blogspot.com/2011/04/metro-manilas-new-city-on-rise.html

Cultural Cultural Diplomacy Diplomacy and and Choral Choral Music: Music: A Sharing A Sharing of of Cultures Cultures at at thethe st Andrea O.O. Veneracion Veneracion International International Choral Choral Festival Festival 1st 1Andrea playedplayed by allby involved. all involved. Everyone Everyone was was countries countries was onstage, was onstage, particularly particularly Student Student Choir Choir of Universitas of Universitas Indonesia Indonesia smiling, smiling, laughing, laughing, dancing dancing – all factors – all factors WorldWorld Vision,Vision, The Bangkok The Bangkok VoicesVoices and and and another and another guest guest choir choir from Indonefrom Indonewhichwhich could,could, eventually, eventually, lend tolend a perto a perthe Paragita the Paragita choir, choir, who were who in were their in their sia; Esther sia; Esther SusonSuson and Jason and Jason Mendoza Mendoza ception ception still rare stillbut rare most but important most important to to national national costumes, costumes, and sang and in sang their in their were assigned were assigned to the to World the World VisionVision Ko- KoBy: Esther By: Esther Elizabeth Elizabeth B. Suson B. Suson hold: They’re not that notdifferent that different from us. from us. own languages own languages (this naturally (this naturally goes for goes hold: for They’re rea Children’s rea Children’s Choir;Choir; Cristina Cristina Villaraza Villaraza the Filipino the Filipino choirs choirs as well). as well). Dialogue, Dialogue, was liaison was liaison for the for One the Chamber One Chamber Choir Choir The Cultural The Cultural CenterCenter of theof the however, however, definitely definitely did occur did occur between between from Singapore; Laura Laura DyogiDyogi handled handled Philippines Philippines (CCP)(CCP) was magical was magical for from for Singapore; the international the international choirschoirs and their and liaitheir liaithe Earth Choir Choir from Taiwan, from Taiwan, and Anand Anfour days: four days: wherever wherever one went one –went to the – to the the Earth sons, sons, and friends and friends were made were made whether whether gela Arnante gela Arnante the Bangkok the Bangkok Voices Voices from from Main Main Theater Theater or backstage, or backstage, to the to Litthe Litor notorthenotliaisons the liaisons could could sing. The sing.inThe inThailand. Thailand. tle Theater tle Theater or backstage, or backstage, to the to Batute, the Batute, teractions teractions brought brought by the by relationship the relationship the dressing the dressing rooms,rooms, the washrooms, the washrooms, Such Such a gathering a gathering was apt wasforapt of fortheofchoirs the choirs and the and liaisons the liaisons for sevfor sevthe halls the–halls the voices – the voices of nineteen of nineteen choirschoirs experiencing experiencing cultural cultural diplomacy, diplomacy, as eral as days eral broke days broke down down barriers barriers enough enough could could be heard be heard vocalizing, vocalizing, practicing practicing cultural cultural diplomacy, diplomacy, to putto it put at itsit simat its simto allow to allow for conversations for conversations between between the the their pieces their pieces or simply or simply singing singing for fun. for fun. plest, plest, is finding is finding and forging and forging commoncommontwo. two. No corner, No corner, nook or nook cranny or cranny of theof CCP the CCP alitiesalities between between oneself oneself and another and another or or was left was untouched left untouched by theby voices. the voices. Even Even The true Themeeting true meeting of the of nationthe nationothers,others, as representatives as representatives of their of retheir rewhen when they could they could not benot seen, be there seen, was there was alities,alities, however, however, could could arguably arguably be saidbe said spective spective nations. nations. This, in This, theory, in theory, makesmakes not a not timea that timethere that there were were no voices no voices to occurred have occurred duringduring the after-party the after-party it easier it easier to interact to interact and dialogue, and dialogue, as toashave echoing echoing in the in halls, the halls, or wafting or wafting aroundaround on August on August 10, which 10, which came came after the after the persons persons from different from different nations, nations, which,which, the corners, the corners, reaching reaching everywhere everywhere when one when thinks one thinks about about it, is inevitable it, is inevitable – Madz – Madz concert concert and the andannouncement the announcement soundsound was allowed. was allowed. of the of winners. the winners. All choirs All choirs were invited were invited the moment the moment I, for example, I, for example, meet somemeet someto the to Palacio the Palacio de Maynila de Maynila for food forand, food and, one from one Korea from Korea and introduce and introduce myselfmyself Nineteen Nineteen choirschoirs of sixof nationsix nationdefinitely, definitely, musicmusic and dancing. and dancing. Now that Now that as Esther, as Esther, a Filipino, a Filipino, I enable I enable the Kothe Koalitiesalities (including (including Filipino) Filipino) and judges and judges common common ground ground was difficult was difficult to resist, to resist, rean to rean put to a put face, a a face, voice, a voice, and even and even from five fromcontinents five continents were gathered were gathered in in temperament temperament and manners and manners on theon Philthe Philsix nationalities six nationalities took the tookfloor the regardfloor regardthe CCP the for CCP thefor celebration the celebration of theof first the first less of less who of they who were they were dancing dancing with, with, ippines. ippines. What What I do and I do how and I how act from I act from Andrea Andrea O. Veneracion O. Veneracion International International most mixing until ituntil wasithardly was hardly possi-possithen on then would on would be inevitably be inevitably linkedlinked to most to mixing ChoralChoral Festival, Festival, a competition a competition in three in three ble toble telltonationality tell nationality from nationality from nationality my country, my country, as theas place the place wherewhere I grewI grew categories. categories. This festival This festival was inwas celebrain celebra(especially (especially when when it came it came to Filipinos, to Filipinos, up anduplive. andThis live.isThis particularly is particularly importimportth tion oftion the of 50the 50th anniversary anniversary of the of Philthe Philant to ant know, to know, as theas upcoming the upcoming ASEAN ASEAN Thais,Thais, and Indonesians). and Indonesians). The Thais The Thais led led ippineippine Madrigal Madrigal Singers, Singers, also known also known as as the party the until, party until, when when we left, wethey left,had they had community community in 2015, in 2015, the issues the issues with with the Madz, the Madz, and the and lifethe oflife their offounder, their founder, over the over stage the –stage the Indonesians – the Indonesians China,China, with Malaysia, with Malaysia, and soand forth so are forth taken are taken Andrea Andrea O. Veneracion, O. Veneracion, who had whopassed had passed were not werefarnot behind, far behind, and even and the even Kothe Komaking making it quite it quite clear that clearthese that these links, links, away away on July on 9July of this 9 ofyear. this It year. is the It is the reans took reansover tookaover corner a corner to dance, to dance, their their person-to-person person-to-person connections, connections, have have first international first international choralchoral competition competition to to never never been more been more important important than now. than now. guardians guardians kindlykindly fallingfalling back to back watch to watch ever be ever held beinheld the in Philippines. the Philippines. And this Andtime this around, time around, the ground the ground that that over them. over them. To ourTogreat our great amusement, amusement, we shouldn’t we shouldn’t have been have surbeen sursix nationalities six nationalities were going were going to meet to on meetalthough on although The MA The class MA class of Political of Political prised,prised, Psy was Psy the wascommon the common groundground was choral was choral music.music. Economy Economy students students had been had been takingtaking that spanned that spanned the most the most nationalities, nationalities, Cultural Cultural Diplomacy Diplomacy in thein first the sefirst seAt first, At all first,theallmeetings the meetings be- with be- practically with practically everyone everyone joiningjoining in to in to mesters mesters of SYof2013-2014. SY 2013-2014. SeeingSeeing an an tweentween the sixthenationalities six nationalities seemed seemed to dance to dance ‘Oppa‘Oppa Gangnam Gangnam Style’Style’ and his and his opportunity opportunity to observe to observe their their lessons lessons be justbebetween just between the seven the seven liaisonliaison offi- offilatest latest hit, ‘Gentleman’ hit, ‘Gentleman’ – especially – especially the the practically, practically, the class the class of seven, of seven, along along cers, sharing cers, sharing notes notes over lunch over lunch and dinand dinKoreans. Koreans. Was there Was there conversation conversation and and with the withMadz, the Madz, volunteered volunteered to be to li- be liner or,ner occasionally, or, occasionally, joiningjoining each other each other dialogue dialogue at all?atYes, all?when Yes, when one left onetheleft the aison aison officers officers for the forforeign the foreign choirs;choirs; when when their own theirchoir own had choirnohad competino competiparty party centercenter so that so they that could they could hear hear with the with guidance the guidance of their ofprofessor, their professor, Dr Dr tion. The tion.preparation The preparation of theofchoirs the choirs of- themselves of- themselves speak.speak. What What was more was immore imAbigail Abigail de Leon, de Leon, Executive Executive Director Director ten caused ten caused them to them resttoorrest practice or practice rath- rathportantportant at thatatmoment, that moment, however, however, was was of theofInstitute the Institute of Political of Political Economy. Economy. er than er interact than interact with other with other choirs, choirs, and and the definite the definite good good nature,nature, friendliness, friendliness, Two students, Two students, Sittie Sittie Arimao Arimao and Riand Rithe only the time only they time ‘represented’ they ‘represented’ their their and one andmight one might even say evengoodwill say goodwill dis- disnah Siy, nahwere Siy, assigned were assigned to the to Paragita the Paragita

“Such “Such a gathera gathering ing waswas apt apt for for expeexperiencing riencing cultural cultural di- diplomacy, plomacy, as as cultural cultural diplomacy, diplomacy, to put to put it atit at its simplest, its simplest, is finding is finding andand forging forging commoncommonalities alities between between oneself oneself andand another another or others, or others, as as representatives representatives of of their their respective respective na- nations.” tions.”

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Politics Politicsand andReligion Religionin inLiberal Liberal Democracy: Democracy: Whytoday’s today’s notion notion of of ‘Separation ‘Separation of Why ofChurch Church and State’ is wrong By: Nicollo Ordonez Contrary to popular belief, the no-

tion of separation of church and state is an old one. The separation of church and state as a notion guiding social and political life originally came from the “Gelasian Doctrine” or the “Doctrine of Two Swords”as forwarded by Pope Gelasius in the fifth century. It was the Pope who was first to describe both forces in social life as necessarily independent from each other and autonomous in its area of concern (not to mention the famous biblical quote found in Matthew 22:20-22, “Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, render unto God what is God’s.”). Today, common history tells us that the church and state have always been at odds with each other. During Pope Gelasius’ time, however, the common definition of ‘separation’ was that the church and state were mere authorities that both emanated from God each with a concern of its own. It was only until the Age of Enlightenment (c. 17th – 19th centuries) that gave birth to the‘rationalist’ and ‘liberalist’ philosophies forwarded by Western thinkersdid tensions between the church and state reach its peak thereby causing the great divisionwe knowtoday. Given this, I would like to demonstrate the following thesis statement to be true: Today’s misguided notion of the original definition of the ‘Separation of Church and State’ as based on the Gelasian doctrine can be traced back to the Age of Enlightenment, which may be corrected by studying the different philosophical ideologies that ensuedfrom the tenuous churchstate dynamics throughout Western History. Pre-Enlightenment era The state has always been the starting point in discussing today’s liberal democracy. All literature studied in this coursedefining liberal democracy and its normative basis begin by explaining Greek political thought through the works of Plato and Aristotle. Allow me to do just that. The state is an entity that was first conceptualized by Socrates (469399 BC) and is further expounded on by his student, Plato, whose student, Aristotle would later discuss at length. Plato (427-347 BC) in “The Republic” was first to explain the idea of a ‘planned state’ and apply rationale to the idea of political institutions. This idea of a planned state was the early precedence of the political system we know today as liberal democracy—a

political system marked not only by free and fair elections but also by the rule of law, separation of powers, and the protection of basic liberties of speech, assembly, religion, and property. Roman political thought would later contribute its equal share in liberal democracy through its prescription of a legitimate political system guided by a constitution. Like the Greeks, the Romans did not explicitly define the role of the church and state in their works. The common thread that tied Plato’s, Aristotle’s, Polybius’, and Cicero’s political thought was the necessity of morally objective decision-making in politics, a fundamental precursor in understanding the issue of separation of church and state today. The Age of Enlightenment The Age of Enlightenment (17th-19th century) caused the greatest divide between the church and stateas an era where the spiritual dimension of man was deemed incompatible to political life. Man’s confidence in his ability to reason and apply logic to everything mundane rose to heights not seen since the Ancient Greeks. The Age of Enlightenment tells the narrative of the growing philosophical ideologies of ‘rationalism’ and ‘liberalism’. The rationalist and liberalist philosophies in the Enlightenment Age influenced the way Western thinkers theorized about politics. The age that came before it, the Renaissance,was an age where scientific progress and reasoning largely captivated man’s primal interest. For political thinkers like John Locke (1632-1704), Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778), and Charles-Louis Secondat de Montesquieu (1689-1755), the idea that man was free and entitledto his rights in a state came from the philosophicalideology known as“rationalism” brought about by the excessivecelebration of scientific progress and method during the Renaissance. Man’s reasonbecame the standard for all knowledge and rights in a state altogether. For rationalism, man possessed rights because he was special. He was special because hepossessed reason.Eventually, the rationalistphilosophy would also lead toanotherphilosophical ideology espousing self-centeredness and egoism as the basis for allhuman actions. Rationalism would, in turn, give birth to“liberalism” with 18th century political thinker John Locke as its main proponent. For Locke, whatever man chooses is good for him simply because man is essentially a good-natured being free fromerror in his choices. Consequently,Locke’s, Rousseau’s, and Montesquieu’s contributions in the notions of reason (rationalism) and in-

dividual liberty (liberalism) led to the intense optimism and confidence in the progress of society through an individual-centered political system regardless of one’s faith or religion. Blame Secularism During the Enlightenment age, the nation-state became neutral to the church thus encouraging a citizen’s life to be more focused on economic, political, and scientific interests whilecasting a shadow of doubt in welcoming the idea of spirituality and morality in political life.Althougha good product of theAge of Enlightenmentwas recognizing the dignity of the individual person across all nationsas universal principles, its twin sisters of ‘liberalist’ and ‘rationalist’political thought marked the subtle yet burgeoning arrival of “secularism” as the new principle in defining the new dynamics of the church and state. Secularism can be defined as the rejection of the sacred and reduction of all reality to this world. Secularists during the Enlightenment era argued that the church’s doctrine should not influence the state’s public policies in any issue. The advent of secularism clearly marked the first time which the church and state were being separated from each other. A Truly Liberal Democracy In arguing for the proper concept of the church and state in a liberal democracy, this can be said: the whole liberal democratic concept rests on the assumption that man includes a spiritual and moral dimension. A truly liberal democracy cannot operate without spirituality and morality. For a liberal democracy to genuinely affirm its assumptions that all men are created equal, a truly liberal democracy must stand on the assumption that man is properly a moral and spiritual being with a natural form of dignityfrom which his or herinherent and inalienable‘rights’ come from. The church as one of the strongest forces in civil society can, in principle, act as a non-governmental organization (NGO) that checks and balances the powers of the statesimply because the liberal democracy framework allows it. In other words, the very existence and recognition of the church in the state’s political affairs and public policies reaffirms the principles of a truly liberal democracy. A liberal democracy must ensure that the church is a necessary component of civil society which public policy must always consider without bias. The church normatively has a role in defending and promoting the rights properly belonging to man, an idea which the state is definitively not aller-

gic to. Akin to this idea is thata truly liberal democracy with a constitution, in principle, is a system thatfosters good, healthy relationshipsby drafting public policies to promote respecting personal beliefs among and between persons through law. Therefore, a liberal democracy must always operate without the state treating the church as if it were a separate entity of social and political life. The church is very much part of the state and mostpeople in a state are very much part of the church. Today’s liberal democracies operate under a framework laid down by the highest law of the land—the constitution. Given that the highest law of the land publicly acknowledges God or at the least, a divine and supreme being, the presence of a constitution implies that the state fundamentally implores the aid of Divine Wisdom in the implementation of all its laws and guidance for all state affairs. Hence, in a truly liberal democracy, the church cannot be truly separated from the state. Symbiosis, not Separation Viewing the church as an extremely separate and different component of the state’s affairs defeats the purpose of a truly liberal democracy. Vilifying the church for speaking out on social issues concerning the material, spiritual, and moral condition of man transgresses the substantially pluralist element embedded in a genuine liberal democracy. Morality, virtue, and spirituality as timeless and universal truths that the church (all churches and not only Christian churches) posits should not and cannot be separated from state affairs. Doing the opposite has proven to be disastrous. In conclusion, the study of liberal democracy requires a constant revisiting and reiterating of universal truths embedded in democratic thinking. It is necessary to survey the birthplace of historical milieus from which political ideologies were born in order to understand and assess whether the current notion of liberal democratic elements such as the separation of church and state is correct or misguided. The great danger in forgetting to go back to these normative definitions and elements of democratic thinking is that men remain to live in falsehood to which nothing could be worse. It is with great joy to realize that in doing a philosophical-historical survey of the tenuous relationship between the church and state, the author has discoveredthat a) the original definition of today’s separation of church and stateoriginally stems from a Catholic Church Popeandb) that a symbiosis, not a separation better reaffirms the principles of a liberal democracy.

SCHOOL INSTITUTEOFOFEDUCATION POLITICAL ECONOMY 17 A review of the constitutional provision of the separation of church and state should be done. An open, honest, and symbiotic relationship built on the mutual trust, respect, and cooperation on both entities should be demanded if the genuine principles of a liberal democracy are to be affirmed.

Through a symbiosis rather than a separation, the church and the state as social institutions can work better in the service of humanity. As seen in history, although these two institutions have different materials with which they are working with; in essence, they hardly work for a different goal anyway.

“Viewing the church as an extremely separate and different component of the state’s affairs defeats the purpose of a truly liberal democracy”

Makialam by:Ron Dangcalan

POLIS Conducted First Open Mic Event regarding the Pork Barrel Issue It all started with an idea. During one of the Theories of Political Economy (PET) classes of senior Poleco students, Sir John Lawrence Avila asked why UA&P students did not seem to care about the recent pork barrel issue despite the mounting public anger and student protests in other universities. "Is it because UA&P students are apathetic? I don't know", said Mr. Avila. The professor who also happened to be one of the founders of the Institute of Political Economy encouraged the class to take a stand and speak out. After all, they were Political Econ- Photo from the Official Page of POLIS http://www.facebook.com/uappolis omy students who are meant to spread awareness on the pressing issues of the day to the rest of the university composition on the issue. Raf did not think with the hosts thanking the organizers munity. that the pork barrel system should be and the participants. The whole event Encouraged by the words of abolished since it was the corrupt offi- was a success and POLIS was hoping Mr. Avila, some students met after cials who are the problem. For him, a to conduct more Open Mic event in the class to discuss ways in which the issue long term solution is to transform the future. This is congruent with the aim can be made known to the UA&P com- political culture in this country so that of the organization to foster political munity. The plan was to hold an open corruption will be minimized. Howev- awareness and participation among mic so that everyone can speak out, be er, Nicollo Ordoñez (4th year Political students in the university. heard and make others know that the Economy), disagreed. Nico believed pork barrel issue matters to them. The that pork barrel should be abolished discussion continued online on Sunday and give lawmakers a competitive night and it was agreed upon that the salary instead in order to prevent corevent would be held on Thursday. Un- ruption. A sophomore student, Ezekiel fortunately, Maring swept across Metro Mauhay, however, disagreed by saying Manila and other parts of the country that public officials are meant to serve causing floods that disrupted classes and should not expect high monetary for a whole week. But the organizers reward while in office. But he and were determined to push through with Nico, along with Nel Tamayo, Ina Cathe event and moved it to Thursday the pulong, Leoren Violan and Ron Dangcalan, all agreed that it was now time to following week. abolish the pork barrel system. Ina speThursday came; the chairs and cifically pointed out that the corruption tables in Prom A were arranged accord- scandal already broke public trust and ingly. The projector was playing videos therefore puts the system into question of the news that came out in the past while junior student Matthew Lopez few days about the pork barrel issue. In said that the corruption of public funds prom A, many students were busy eat- was totally unacceptable. Ron, on the ing their lunch and lingering around. other hand, explained that PDAF was Then 12:45 ticked, and Ja Din and one of the main reasons as to why poliMikee Delfin opened the event with ticians were spending too much money a lively introduction. The hosts ex- during campaigns. Abolishing PDAF plained that the pork barrel issue mat- would disincentivize big spending tered for UA&P students because it was during elections and, hopefully, reduce their money along with that of millions corruption in the Congress. However, of Filipinos that were being corrupted. Nel and the majority of the speakers It did not take long until Raf Manalili, agreed that the transformation of the (4th year Industrial Economics pro- Philippine political culture was the key gram) took the stage and explained his combat corruption in the country. The Open Mic event ended

“..Sir John Lawrence Avila asked why UA&P students did “Mr.seem John Lawrence Avila asked why not to care about the reUA&P students did not seem to care cent barrel aboutpork the recent porkissue barreldespite issue despite the mounting public anger anger and stuthe mounting public and dent protests in other universities. “Is student protests in other uni-it because UA&P students are apathetic? I versities. “Is it because UA&P don’t know.” students are apathetic? I don’t

know”, said Mr. Avila.”

SCHOOLS INSTITUTE OF POLITICAL ECONOMY

BRIGHTER THAN HOLLYWOOD STARS by: Angela Arnante and Esther Suson

What do you think is common among the Dalai Lama, Akira Kurosawa, Mother Teresa, Jesse Robredo, Corazon Aquino, and Muhammad Yunus? Aside from being Asians, they are men and women of great spirit. They are recipients of the Ramon Magsaysay Awards, Asia’s Nobel Prize. Nobel Prize of Asia? Yes. The Ramon Magsaysay Award is a program managed by the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF) with the mission of “honouring greatness of spirit in selfless service to the people of Asia.” The Award is established in 1957, the same year that the late President Ramon Magsaysay died in a plane crash. His works, leadership, and examples continued to serve as inspiration to those people who have deep concern for the well-being of their fellowmen. The Award honors individuals and organizations whose works have significantly contributed to the transformation and uplifting of the lives of the people of Asia. The Awards is held every August 31st of August. The 2013 Ramon Magsaysay Awards Presentation Ceremonies is held in the Cultural Center of the Philippines. A Ray of Hope The recent Napoles-Lim scandal, the deaths in Syria, the violence in Egypt, the radiation in Fukushima…these and many more headlines splashed across the front pages of practically every newspaper every day. In the August 30, 2013 edition of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the gigantic headlines all talked about the Napoles-Lim scandal, and in a small portion at the bottom of the front page was a section on one of the Ramon Magsaysay Awardees, who had spoken in the Awards’ Lecture Series the day before. Little wonder so many people sit down and complain that there is no hope for their lives, their nations, for humanity in general, when they are bombarded with the negativity and inhumanity prevalent all over the world. What the Ramon Magsaysay Awards does, is that it brings to light actions that would perhaps not make any front pages of any newspaper, because the utter selflessness of the individuals and organizations involved “don’t sell” as well as scandals, murders, and accidents. However, it is knowing about the existence of such people as the Awardees, knowing that actions that transcend the more basic instincts of self-preservation

and self-gratification are possible, that gives cause for hope; hope for one’s life, for one’s nation, for humanity in general. This is crucial. Hope is the starting point of change. What makes them so great? Self-sacrifice. Heroism. Public service. BIG WORDS! If you happen to see the 2013 Ramon Magsaysay Awardees on an ordinary day you would not think that they are people of greatness. Ernesto Domingo, a Filipino doctor, advocated universal access to healthcare through making medical science beneficial to people, especially those who have less or nothing. His studies established a connection between chronic hepatitis-B and liver cancer. He and his colleagues have determined how to prevent liver cancer by conducting neonatal hepatitis vaccination, thus reducing the possibility of acquiring hepatitis-B. His work saved millions of lives in the Philippines. For him, medical science is a social science. “When you deal with families and communities, it cannot be anything else.” Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi (Corruption Eradication Commission), an independent government body, fights corruption in Indonesia. For KPK, corruption is an extraordinary problem that needs to be confronted using extraordinary means. Here are some of their achievements. From 2003 to 2012, out of the 332 high-profile cases involving top government officials handled by KPK, 169 cases have been processed in court and achieved a 100% conviction rate. Not bad, right? KPK has also returned a total of Rp. 805.6 billion or more than US$80 million recovered assets to the national treasury. They also pushed for reforms in governance and active citizenship. Of course, they have

faced threats, harassment, intimidation, interagency quarrels and reduced budgets, but were still able to contribute in eradicating corruption. A 64 year old widowed Burmese, Lahpai Seng Raw, was also given an award because of her efforts in achieving inclusive development and reconciliation between the government and the Kachin rebels. In the middle of ethnic divides and continued armed conflict, her NGO called Metta Development Foundation was able to establish 600 farm field schools and to help more than 50,000 farmers in improving farm and forest management. Health-related, water management, and early childhood education projects were also provided by Metta. Empowering the peoples of disadvantaged communities and advocating for peaceful dialogue have been her contribution to Myanmar. The first and only female governor and the first to hold this position in the country of Afghanistan was also a recipient of the award. Afghanistan was in bad condition after the fall of the Taliban regime. There was still the continued warlordism and intrusion by foreign powers but it did not stop Habiba Sarabi, a doctor in medicine, to help in rebuilding her country. She advocated education and women empowerment giving opportunities to women who wanted to pursue careers that only men were allowed to do before. She also worked with several sectors in road construction, infrastructure projects, agricultural development, and the improvement of health facilities and health workers. She also established Afghanistan’s first National Park. In Nepal, fifteen women came together to form a group called Shakti Samuha to empower trafficking survivors, enabling them to live a dignified life. These women were part of the near-

ly 300 trafficked Nepali girls rescued from a police raid in the brothels of Mumbai, India. They were held for a long time and experienced harsh conditions before they can be repatriated. The worst part was that they were disowned by their own families. The women of Shakti Samuha provided trafficking survivors healthcare, housing, counselling, legal aid, and educational support. They have also provided skills training and start-up loans for livelihood and income. In a nutshell, they helped human trafficking survivors rebuild their lives. As one of the members of the group said, “We will turn our tears into power.” What can I do? You do not need to fight the evils of the society right away to be great. You just need to do little things with a big heart. You just need to find for opportunities where you can help in uplifting the well-being of your fellowmen. Living is not just about getting and receiving things but also about giving back something, no matter how small it is, to the society you live in. The very inspiring and empowering stories of the awardees give prove that there is still goodness in the world and that we should perpetuate it. As what the late President Magsaysay said, “In this troubled world, human goodness still outweighs evil.” The works of these ordinary people make them shine brighter than Hollywood stars. Their light is not only reflected in themselves but also in the people they have helped. One more thing, you SHOULD attend the Ramon Magsaysay Awarding Presentation Ceremonies annually. Trust me, you will be teary-eyed throughout the event and you will be proud of yourself to be one of this group of people in this part of the world.

SCHOOL OF SCIENCES & ENGINEERING19 The Bigger and Better SciComm By: Mikee Tanqueco Once again, the School of Sciences and Engineering (SSE) of the University of Asia and the Pacific held the Science Communication Effectiveness Competition (SciComm) early this school year. SciComm is not the usual science competition. It is neither a quiz bee nor a science fair. In SciComm, the contestants who can communicate the scientific content of a journal article most effectively in ten minutes win. In fact, it is the first and only competition in the Philippines that aims to foster among students the skills needed in effectively communicating science ideas.

The success of the first two SciComms garnered a variety of positive reactions and feedbacks from the contestants, judges and coaches. This in turn further inspired the SciComm Board and organizers to make the third SciComm much better and bigger. This year’s SciComm includes a Coaches’ Conference, an elimination round, the much awaited finale, and the proposed Juniors Conference.

Last13th of July, the SSE conducted the first ever SciComm Coaches’ Conference. It is a whole-day

event where renowned speakers, like Dr. Quenna Lee-Chua, Dr. Jay Lazaro and Mr. Jason de Villa, trained the teacher-coaches in the art of science communication so they can more effectively coach their contestants for the SciComm Competition. 42 coaches from more than 20 schools around the metro attended the conference.

The event started at around 8:30 in the morning with a message from Dr. Queena Lee-Chua which drew a lot of realizations and thoughts that would indeed help the teachers in coaching their students. On the other hand, Dr. Jay Lazaro gave a talk on “The Science of Reading Scientific Articles”. He discussed the proper ways of dissecting and understanding a scientific publication. Lastly, a workshop on “Elevator Pitch and Zen Design” was given by Mr. Jason de Villa. The event ended at exactly 3:00 in the afternoon with the awarding of certificates.

About a month after the Coaches’ Conference - that is on the 10th of August 2013 - the UA&P community witnessed once again the battling among the best science communicators in Metro Manila. 50 teams from 26 different high schools competed for

a limited spot for the finale. After almost a day of meaningful and creative presentations from the contestants, only 13 out of 50 teams made it to the Finals.

The 13 teams who qualified to the Finale were the following: Jubilee Christian Academy’s JCA Team B, Makati Science High School’s MSHS Team A, PAREF-Southridge School’s SR Team 1, PAREF – Woodrose School’s Team WR-B, Pasig Catholic College’s Team Sciclops, St. Scholastica’s Team SSC- Manila A, Xavier School’s Team Lux, Philippine Science High School’s teams The Superbricks and The Wonder Chups, Reedley International School’s teams Bioshock and Teslatom and St. Paul College Pasig’s teams Barium Cobalt Nitrogen and Gryffinwrars.

Right after the announcement of winners, participants who qualified for the Finale had their workshop with some of UA&P’s Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) graduates. The workshop focused on the criticisms, comments and suggestions of the trainers on the contestants’ performances.

“SciComm is not the usual science competition. It is neither a quiz bee nor a science fair. In SciComm, the contestants who can communicate the scientific content of a journal article most effectively in ten minutes win. In fact, it is the first and only competition in the Philippines that aims to foster among students the skills needed in effectively communicating science ideas. “

THE BOSUN KNOWING THE COMMUNITY

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