The Crusader AY Starter Magazine 2016

What’s inside: DOTA in the Intramurals Stricter Blue Form Policy Behind Nude Leaks

Crusader

The

Publishers Subscribing Students of Xavier University Editorial Board Kevin Paul P. Mabul Editor in Chief Lorenzo A. Botavara Associate Editor Keith Obed J. Ruiz Design Editor Jericho B. Montellano Managing Editor Samantha Isabelle H. Bagayas News Editor Harmony Kristel D. Balino Local Features Editor Raizah L. Bagul External Features Editor Nikki Gay Louise P. Amores Sports Editor Marc Anthony B. Reyes Graphic Design and Layout Editor Evan B. Aranas Photography Editor Lynette L. Tuvilla Freehand Editor Finance Officers Jigo L. Racaza Auditor Anna Jamela S. Balindong Senior Finance Manager Managers Merryane Rose S. Bacud Human Resource Manager Jinky M. Mejica Office Manager Mary Therese P. Mole Circulation Manager Jigo L. Racaza Video Productions Manager Jo Marie Claire B. Balase Online Accounts Manager Senior Computer Systems Manager Staff Writers Reysel S. Dante (Trainee) Francis Xavier E. Eng (Trainee) Maria Franchesca Louise P. Fajemolin (Trainee) Tatiana L. Maligro (Trainee) Vanessa B. Sabangan (Trainee) Winona Roselle Serra (Trainee) Staff Artists John Niccolo A. Aquino Jamerah Marie M. Balindong Rigel Kent T. Flores (Trainee) Dave Allyster R. Gultiano (Trainee) Lex Anacleto O. Iñosa (Trainee) Jayvee C. Lequigan (Trainee) Jinky M. Mejica Ryan James P. Pascual (Trainee) Khristine Marjorie L. Quiblat (Trainee) Miguel Luis P. Quimbo (Trainee) Mark D. Rodriguez (Trainee) Gene Gerard G. Verona (Trainee) Jules Des’ree M. Vicerra (Trainee) Louise Coleen Vitor (Trainee) Rizalyka Joanne M. Waminal Moderator Mrs. Ann Catherine Ticao-Acenas For contributions, please address your articles and/or comments to: TheCrusader Publication Office, Rm. 302, Student Center Bldg, Xavier University 9000, Cagayan de Oro City Circulation: 6,150 copies

Cover Story

table of contents 1 2 4 6 8 9 10 12 13 14 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

Editorial Column Zeroing in on XU’s Safety Measures The Senior High Identity Crisis Know the Real Score on the Athletics Fee Bare it All Cover Story: Bluer Days Behind the Change: KKP-SIO’S Redirection Behind the Syllabi: The Teacher’s Recruitment Process CSG and Student Involvments The Xavier Major What are the priorities of Rodrigo Duterte?

Backwrap Cora Contrabida: May sipon, ‘wag tularan Kurisword Comics Hohongihong

The Cover

T

he stricter implementation of the blueform policy has unsurprisingly aroused a resounding cry of protests from the student body. Getting under the students’ skin as it stresses the hard truth that they, along with their sleepless nights of hard work to earn that A, are at the very mercy of a 5x5 inch piece of blue paper.C Words by Raizah L. Bagul Photo by Jigo L. Racaza

thecrusaderpublication.com /thecrusaderpublication /thecrusaderpub /thecrusadertv

The official student publication of Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan Vol. 43 No. 1 August 2016

Email your comments & suggestions to thecrusaderpub@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

Post-mortem Justice League

W

Crusader

The

www.thecrusaderpublication.com

Illustration by Rigel T. Flores

e sometimes find ourselves asking how it would feel like to become just like the comic book superheroes we idolize. There is a part in most of us where we, living in a world where crime is rampant and the justice system is seemingly skewed, fantasize about stopping unlawful acts right in their tracks and taking home the glory for doing society a most honorable favor.

Presumably from the country’s “re-intensified” war against drugs and criminality, a significant number of individuals took their imaginations one step too far and brought the fight to the streets. Many were slain, and were then publicly labeled through cardboard signs according to the crime they allegedly committed.

Regardless of whether one’s drive to engage in this brutal war against crime is out of nationalism, or devotion to a future rid of illegal substances and acts, or of inspiration from some charismatic leader, denying someone’s right to due process by death is illegal. It is then by extension no less wrong than the act allegedly committed by the party deprived of life. Some will argue that those who were killed deserved it for the atrocities they allegedly have committed, but that is a different topic entirely. The keyword here is alleged.

Many superheroes from different comic book universes and timelines, regardless of whether it is one filled with meta-humans or just plain and boring un-mutated Homo sapiens, share a few common traits: that they’re great investigators besides fighters. That is not to say that the aforementioned superheroes have gotten their passes from the law. They haven’t, and they have always remained in the shadows, literally for some, over the questions of accountability of their actions. Liked “Captain America: Civil War”? Mind you, these superheroes were super either biologically, technologically, financially, or a combination of those. If these super figures are demanded to answer to the law, what more for us mere mortals trying to play the judge, jury, and executioner?

The legal requirement to a due process exists to protect everybody’s right to fair treatment in the judiciary system. It exists to give the accused, wrongly or rightfully, the chance to prove themselves innocent before a sentence be made. A dead man can do nothing to prove his innocence, and a post-mortem investigation note will not do much to atone for the dealt damage.

Various speculations regarding the recent killings are circulating throughout all platforms of media, be it that drug syndicates have been targeting the hits on competing operations, or that the police are covering for the big time drug lords while killing those lower in the hierarchy to make an impression. The conspiracies seem to revolve around two themes: killings taking root in old conflicts, and killings that were made to look like the expected deliverables of the war against drugs, in the flesh.

But that isn’t the point. The point is that seeing all this bloodshed as a progressive phenomenon is downright wrong and depressing.

We have come so far as a nation to have denounced the death penalty back in 2006, albeit for the second time, only to go back to the ways of the Victorian Era, or even farther back when public stoning – a predecessor of what we coin today as shoot-to-kill – smashed the skulls of alleged demon worshippers, immoral women, and other deviants of the law.

While it can be agreed upon that the way the judiciary system works in the Philippines can be problematic at times, that doesn’t mean we should abandon and lose hope in it entirely. It is then our duty as citizens to try and contribute to mending that which protects us and through peaceful means. This could mean, for example, reporting all injustices, from petty street crime all the way to inconsistencies in the system - AKA corrupt people in power - instead of squandering the very foundation of what makes us a civilized society.

Realistically speaking, we can’t all be Tony Starks, Clark Kents, or Oliver Queens, but we can help each other out instead in fixing the ailing justice system. Only then can we have our superhero: a superhero that is fully accountable and answers to its people and not of its own whim.C

1

OPINION

P

Hummingbird

By Nikki Gay Louise Amores nikkiamores@thecrusaderpublication.com

eople are so quick to judge others based on their own self-established “standards” on who should or should not be socially accepted. Those who are deemed “unacceptable” will be strangely disliked – unsupported claims, judgements having no grounds, shallow opinions, and nasty Facebook posts disrupt the sliver of normality those people could have.

Seemingly unrelated, street kids are often an easy target of people’s judgements. I was on my way home when disgusting insults, name-callings, and uncivilized shrieks reverberated in the still air of a certain Thursday evening. A young someone was screaming, “Wala mo’y batasan, mga kawatan, hugawan, adik, wala mo’y mga pulos, mga purya gaba,” to three street kids (probably around 6-9 years old) in the middle of a sidewalk for reasons I’m not quite sure of. In return, the kids only breathed out a simple sorry. Appalled, right then and there I knew who the real monster was.

Infuriated with how arrogant some people can be, I thought: does our social status define our place in society? Do the well-off people get to bully those who aren’t?

Although born with a silver platter, no one has the right to treat people like trash. These street children can be annoying to some, but they did not bring these circumstances upon themselves.

C

Speak

By Samantha Isabelle H. Bagayas

“Ate piso lang” They were born into a difficult life they didn’t even pick, with no other choice but to beg and do odd jobs for survival. Work harder, endure the pain, stomach the excruciating hunger – a street kid told me these one time during high school.

Fighting through the cold midnight air, they have to dumpster dive looking for something to eat and something to trade for a little space to sleep in for the day.

Heartbroken by this, I can’t fathom how some people can be so dense that they only see one side of these kids – the alleged stealing, sniffing rugby, dirty, and their sometimes disrespectful attitude.

Compared to those people who irresponsibly wasting their parents’ money, those street kids have to toil to earn money for food.

Let’s put behind the different grounds of societal inequity. Humble oneself instead of meddling with other people’s matters or prejudging street kids. No one should be above someone else. Social status, new designer jeans, bank accounts and a new pair of Janoski kicks will not give us the upper hand (or feet) over other people. Also, these will not define our characters and our roles in the society. Work hard and live life inclined to what is morally good; that’s all there is.C

Something to die for?

onsidering President Rodrigo Duterte’s adamant agenda to maintain the Philippines’ war on drugs, many have raised the proposition of returning the death penalty as a punishment sanctioned by the state.

While the idea that many citizens hold the belief that death penalty is something the country needs is troubling in itself, it’s important to consider how this punishment will do more harm than good in every sense of the word.

Despite the severity of the crime committed, nobody deserves to have his most fundamental human right to live be violated, much more by their own government. If that alone isn’t enough to persuade you, the implementation of the death penalty is one that will require a large budget from the government.

Because a human life is at stake, defendants who are charged with the death penalty will undergo a long and complex process that will

require more lawyers, experts, and witnesses, which all in all will have exorbitant costs. Resources and time spent on one case which could have been used to solve multiple cases, and in a large scale, could have been used on developmental and infrastructural projects and government services.

This could lead to an even weaker justice system and delayed justice for the victims’ families.

Truthfully, improvements should be made on the current justice system than to focus on a bandaid solution such as the death penalty. Rather than investing on an immediate yet complex solution to an already flawed system, it may be better to find other means that may minimize loopholes in the system and to implement rehabilitation or restorative justice programs for criminals in order to provide better lifestyles, as well as to make their integration back to society much easier.

Case in point: find better ways for life to thrive rather than to end it.C

sambagayas@thecrusaderpublication.com

2

Vol. 43 No. 1 August 2016

OPINION

R

Devil’s Advocate

By Raizah L. Bagul raizahbagul@thecrusaderpublication.com

By Harmony Kristel D. Balino harmonybalino@thecrusaderpublication.com

Crusader

The

are ready to zero in and beat down her spirit and resolve to turn it into docile submission – as if being submissive strengthens others.

This scene tells us that some Filipinos only uphold one image of what it is to be a woman – one who is docile, submissive, and unaware – the traditional Maria Clara trope. I would like to emphasize that there is nothing necessarily wrong with the aforementioned traits, just that that is not the only way women can or would like to be.

There is a lack of diversity, not in the community of women, but in the perception that other people hold towards them. Thus, once their perception and a woman’s character are unaligned, the said woman is then detested to a certain degree.

Society should allow women to be as diverse as they can possibly be. Women should be able to be as sexually liberal as they want without being judged. Women should be able to call themselves women despite being born with a different sex.

Women should be able to wear sleeves as long as they want it to be without having to justify themselves. Once we accept that to be a woman – human, in fact – is to be fluid and versatile, we’ll have conquered one rampant social issue among a slew of many, enough to set the ball rolling.C

Innuendoing Endo

resident Rodrigo Duterte seems to have his eye on another target now: businessmen practicing “endo”, the vernacular term for the end of contract agreement. “I’m telling this to you. I’m just issuing a warning. You choose: Stop contractualization or I [will] kill you.”

Companies that practice this set employee contracts to only five months to evade Article 281 of the Labor Code of The Philippines that commands the regularization of employees by the sixth month. Most of these companies opt to give only minimum wage with no health, insurance, or any other benefit as it is legal to do so. This leaves the workers overworked, and with very little support for their overall welfare.

Being labeled as “contractual workers” for five months is actually a lot like being on probation. As Article 281 defines, employees are on-probation in the first six months of being hired. During this period, employers observe and decide on whether they want to accept them in the company. On-probation employees also do not receive the whole sum of the salary and the benefits regular employees do.

Article 281 states that a probationary employee can be legally terminated in two ways: (1) for a just cause; or (2) when the employee does not qualify

as a regular employee in accordance with the standards set by the employer at the beginning of employment. From a legal standpoint, terminations under endo are legal because the written agreement between worker and establishment – the contract – is bound to conclude during this very probationary period. In essence, then, employees under endo have virtually zero chance of being regularized due to the very nature of their contracts.

The president is right to have personally grasped the matter in his own hands. The code’s loophole is a solid ground for the continuance of this cunning practice. Even though the country’s employment rate is 94.2 percent according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), there is no assurance of economic growth if endo is continually being practiced because endo itself is not accounted for — there is no data that accounts workers under endo because it is privately practiced.

My hopes are high for the enhancement of the Labor Law now that the administration is led by someone who shows primary concern for Filipino workers. After all, it is a human right to engage in productive work – work that goes beyond just being able to put food on the table by raising one’s quality of life.C www.thecrusaderpublication.com

3

Photo by Dave Allyster R. Gultiano

ecently, For Him Magazine (FHM) crowned Jessy Mendiola as 2016’s Sexiest Woman. But, faster than you can say sexism, netizens have labeled her as a braggart and a slut from her victory interview. After watching the clip and connecting the dots, I discovered the grounds behind their animosity: people believe Mendiola to be “hilas” because she was ecstatic to have won and a “hubadera” to have celebrated her body.

But all there is to it is Mendiola winning an award from a magazine but just as she joins in with the celebration, a victory party for her own body no less, she is suddenly lashed out at. So why are there such petty attacks against her?

More importantly, why should we even be paying attention in the first place?

The almost caricature-like reaction of Filipinos, both participated by men and women alike, is a clear-cut example of our society’s tendency to recoil away from the confidence and self-assuredness that some women display. Once women acknowledge their own strength and worth, the community attacks them – as if their own acknowledgement weakens others. Once she is labeled to be of liberal temperament, we

P

Au Maite

Confidence is…

By Nikki Gay P. Amores & Harmony Kristel D. Balino

F Design by Marc Anthony B. Reyes

amilies comfortably sit together in their living rooms when the usual 6:30 PM news airs on the TV set. Rooted in their seats, family members cringe at the sight of burning homes and shrieking victims covered in burns. Clearly, fire is one of the common grievous tragedies that occur globally, endangering the lives of many.

It was entirely different for the students, staff, and faculty of Ateneo de Zamboanga University (AdZU) when they witnessed first-hand how easily the 67-year-old Brebeuf Gym and nearby buildings were brought to ashes in a giant conflagration. With these in mind, TheCrusader Publication explores our University’s arsenal in its defense against threats of similar nature.

Going fire-proof A natural disaster is any natural occurrence that causes harm to the inhabitants of a specific area like fires, floods, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions, and are almost always unexpected. The welfare of the XU community is already a given top priority hence the implementation of multiple safety measures and fire prevention initiatives.

One initiative that the University is engaging in is with its investment of the Fire Detection and

4

Alarm System (FDAS), Fire Appliances (such as fire extinguishers and fire hose) and of other emergency equipment including back-up power, exit signages, and exit lights. Also, each building is equipped with an Integrated Alarm-Fire Sprinkler System to detect the presence of fire and douse it with the help of strategically-positioned sprinklers.

Each building is assigned a Building Emergency Action Coordinator (BEAC), a member of the safety personnel to direct the evacuation of a crowd habituating a specified building in time of a disaster. “Everyone [in our team] is trained for all-hazards. The BEAC is trained to take on the roles of the Fire Safety Director, the Safety Coordinator, and the Emergency Director at the same time,” states Safety, Security, and Information Office (SSIO) Safety Officer Apollo Bacas. Various emergency response teams who were tasked on fire suppression and evacuation report to the BEAC. The SSIO is also trying to reinforce student knowledge on safety by giving lectures to different classes about the subject. According to Bacas, giving constant lectures to students will ensure retention. “Ang ato diri kay ang higher level [of action regarding emergencies] Vol. 43 No. 1 August 2016

jud which is prevention,” he explains. He says that it is also important to note the location of fire extinguishers, escape routes, exit doors, emergency alarms, and safe assembly points outside of the building. In line with this, fire and earthquake drills are conducted every semester as practice and preparation to gauge the extent of what people have learned during lectures.

Aside from that, other preventive methods such as promoting fire safety consciousness, developing a Fire Safety Plan, having an Emergency Contingency-Plan, cooperating with XU-Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (XU-DRRM), and updating room-specific evacuation maps are also being observed.

Pre-firefight checklist A major ongoing safety facility upgrade is with the sprinkler system. Instead of water supplied from XU’s main pipeline, an independent source of water is bound to replace the current source and is as of press time being built under the XU soccer field. The tank will hold 3000 gallons of water and is intended only for the sprinkler system in which pressure and refilling activity is regulated to always keep it at the ready. However, an estimated time of completion has not yet been set as it is continuously undergoing standards compliance but is continually progressing.

All equipment is checked on a quarterly-basis for functionality and effectiveness. The emergency lights and exit lights are given importance too, as they are being monitored daily. Other than these, electrical wirings and water pipes within buildings are being observed on since these require frequent maintenance.

When it comes to layout, all classrooms in every building have two exit doors, both opening outwards. Every building also contains at least two passageways – stairways or a stairway and a ramp – for cases of heavy crowd volumes. The five-story library possesses a fire exit independent from the entry ways. Exit signs are also posted visibly in each.

Despite all these, the University Gymnasium’s exit points remain a threat to occupant safety.

Instead of doors that swing open from inside towards the outside of the gymnasium, the double doors open inwards. It is then nearly impossible to open the door during immediate evacuations if a considerable volume of panicking and stampeding people attempt to exit the area.

Watch dogs Republic Act No. 10121, known as the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Act of 2010 is an act

Crusader

The

mandated to strengthen disaster management in the Philippines.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) was then conceived through the framework created by this law.

The NDRRMC standardizes policies in terms of prevention and mitigation, preparedness, response and rehabilitation, and recovery. It is also the spearheading agency which prepares for and responds to natural disasters. The office is spread throughout the country with regional offices going as far as specified Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices (BDRRMO).

The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRMMO) guides quarterly fire and earthquake drills conducted in schools as mandated by the Department of Education (DepEd). “DepEd dictates na dapat quarterly merong National Simultaneous Earthquake Drill or NSED […] not only that the students will be taught as to what is duck, cover, and hold is but for us, the CDRRMO, to really teach students the duck cover and hold kay dili tungod mao ang gi-ingon sa teacher during inspections namo but kay tungod mao ang sakto and mao jod ang para sa safety nila,” explains CDRMMO Weather Monitoring Specialist Virgil Lago.

On the other hand, any kind of infrastructures like school buildings are vulnerable to disasters if proper precautions are not exercised. The state has mandated various codes such as the building code and fire code to keep a close eye on the safety of its occupants.

The Republic Act no. 9514 otherwise known as the Fire Code of the Philippines of 2008 requires buildings to possess standardized requirements on prevention and safety measures and equipment to ensure public safety. Various building elements such as stairs, ramps, fire exits, doors and escalators should observe standard instructions. Proper equipment for suppressing fire, namely automatic sprinklers, fire and smoke alarm systems, and fire extinguishers among others should be present in each floor or area of the buildings.

Meanwhile, the National Building Code of the Philippines provides a framework of minimum

standards and requirements for a building’s design, its quality of materials, construction, and maintenance.

It is to safeguard life, properties, and public welfare against disasters like fires and earthquakes. *** The subject of safety is frequently overlooked with the perception of the commonality of the topic. Many of us have been oriented, a couple of times, of the principles and dynamics of a disaster. Hit with numerous calamities from the past such as Typhoon Washi (Sendong),Cagayan de Oro city should take these as a lesson and constant reminder of their power over our lives.

But let us be reminded that there is always a way to elude this; and that is prevention.C

www.thecrusaderpublication.com

5

S

enior High School (SHS) students anticipated with nervousness and excitement as the day of setting foot inside the XU campus as Ateneans inched closer with each passing day.

Expectations finally became a reality as warm welcomes from the community greeted the pioneering batch during the three-day Orientation Seminar (OrSem). Opportunities for the students to discover and go beyond their abilities through Senior High School were generously advertised. But as the official announcements arrived and the implemented limitations acknowledged – the limitless possibilities seemed to dwindle and the restrictions felt tighter than initially perceived.

By Maria Franchesca Louise P. Fajemolin & Tatiana L. Maligro

6

Limits Several sentiments have arisen from SHS students who wish to join organizations since they can join a maximum of only two orgs: one co-curricular and one, either co-curricular, or extra-curricular. Office of Student Affairs (OSA) Director Ivanell Subrabas says that this regulation is in line with the Ignatian value ‘Non Multa Sed Multum’ which translates to “not many but much.” “Students need to focus on their endeavors in order to have depth in their experience and learning,” says Subrabas.

He adds that the University does not encourage students to “spread their selves [sic] thinly to the point

Vol. 43 No. 1 August 2016

Crusader

The

Roving Possibilities Aside from unclear membership policies on organizations, there are also other policies that need to be resolved in Senior High School.

One of these is the rule regarding students’ attendance during the flag ceremony at 7:10 AM every Monday. Paasa states that this is an official school endeavor. However, in the SHS Student Handbook, a student is only considered late after the third bell rings at 7:25AM, which is already after the flag ceremony. Therefore, the office cannot sanction students who are late for the flag ceremony since there is no corresponding rule in the SHS Student Handbook.

For now, the Prefect and the newly established Peace Officers Management Council (POMC) can take note of the names of students late for the flag ceremony. “As for the sanction, we are still convening the Student Discipline Committee to come up with a recommendation that [is] to be approved by probably no less than the University President.” The administrators will continue to include or remove any imposed regulations if necessary because they are also adjusting to the new curriculum.

XU has laid out several plans for Senior High School in order to provide better quality education. Campus elections will be set on August or September of this year to establish the first SHS Student Government. This will then be followed by trainings and capacity building activities for the elected SHS student leaders in order to ensure effectiveness within the proposed government.

Separate student organizations for SHS are also under proposal by the OSA for next school year in succession to the composed SHS student government. A separate campus for SHS will be constructed starting 2018, but whether it will be located at Manresa or Pueblo de Oro is still under review by the University. *** Today, the biggest struggle of Senior High School students is establishing an identity of their own. They are a ship out in sea and it feels as if there is either no map to refer to, or too many different maps that one is unsure of which to follow. But this is only the beginning. For as long as it is here, Senior High will be a constant work in progress. Its administrators will continuously be adjusting its sails according to the needs of the students. They may not have a map to follow, but they certainly know where the docks are.C

www.thecrusaderpublication.com

7

Photo by John Niccolo A.Aquino

Campus Rendezvous Article 3 Section K of the SHS Code of Discipline states that students are not allowed to remain inside the campus premises after 7PM on weekdays. In order for SHS students to be allowed to attend organizational meetings past these curfew hours, the organization must secure parents’ permits and permission from the SHS Prefect of Students. “Because [SHS students] are minors […] and they are under the direct responsibility and

supervision of us,” SHS Prefect of Discipline Keith Paasa explains. The organization or activity moderator is legally liable to whatever happens to the student if college organizations do not comply with these requirements.

Additionally, SHS students are not allowed to stay in campus beyond 12NN on Saturdays. Due to the curfew set on weekdays, unfinished group projects for the week will have to be completed during the weekend.

“I find it frustrating gyud kay we don’t deal with one subject, we deal with 10 subjects,” Gultia voices. She finds it difficult to allocate the limited Saturday morning for group works and further describes the campus as the “universal meeting place for students.”

Students find it more convenient to meet up and do schoolwork in campus to avoid parents’ doubts of the student’s intention. “If the concern here is the safety of the children, kanang mag laag sa afternoon, I think, going back, Senior High na man ta so it’s the child’s responsibility na,” Gultia attests. She believes that SHS students are mature enough to take responsibility of their actions outside the campus.

Meanwhile, Article 3 Section L of the SHS Student Handbook states that continuous violation of the curfew time may result to removal of the SHS student from his or her organization.

Design by Jericho B. Montellano

of not having accomplished anything significant anymore.” Rather, the University aims for students to focus on a specific field that they can pursue after Senior High School so that there is a great understanding in their selected strand.

“I felt restricted in the sense na there’s so much that XU has to offer,” Angelika Mari Gultia, an Accountancy, Business and Management (ABM) Student, expresses. “But as I encountered the school year, the prelims and all that, I found more sense as to why two lang kailangan,” she points out, “Kay it’s the transition year, they don’t know kung unsa ang makaya sa Senior High, they don’t know what to expect, so they’re trying to put a limitation sa number of orgs, so that ang students can also focus on their studies.”

Another concern is the obligation to join one organization related to the student’s chosen strand. “The University believes that learning is much more meaningful when it’s not confined in the four walls of the classroom,” Subrabas says, as he explains that co-curricular organizations exist to complement student learnings from their respective academic strands.

The University, in order to let the students participate in their respective orgs, gives SHS students only until 7PM to remain inside the campus. Despite the time allotted, Senior High regulations have now become a complication for the tertiary organizations open to SHS students due to the conflict in both of their schedules.

By Reysel S. Dante & Vanessa B. Sabangan

A

Design by Jericho B. Montellano

n often overlooked component of the tuition we pay is the Athletics’ Fee, with each student charged Php 315. This is a relatively hefty amount, given that a large number of students do not know the complete allocation of these funds. It wouldn’t hurt to know if, perhaps, we aren’t making the most out of what we are paying for.

It goes a long way The University gives a certain importance in athletic development aside from training academically sound students. Investing in sports provides students another avenue for selfexpression. It is also to pull them away from their grueling academic responsibilities; to give them a break and something else to focus on. The University Athletics Office (UAO) is not exempted from the cost-cutting initiatives implemented last year. Their budget has of course decreased, limiting them from realizing some of their programs.

University Treasurer Lennie Ong cites that the budget allocated for Athletics is exactly Php 4,668,226. This year the athletics fee has increased by five percent (from Php 300 to Php 315) to compensate for the reduced population of students. Despite this increase, the Athletics Department is barely able to break even.

UAO Director Vincent Padilla mentions two programs that are funded by the athletics fee: the Student Sports Program and the Athletes Program.

Everybody’s game Approximately Php 1M goes to the Student Sports Program under which the College Intramurals and the Barkadahan Games fall. The Barkadahan Games is allotted a relatively small 8

portion, while around Php 800,000 – Php 900,000 is set for the College Intramurals.

The College Intramurals’ budget covers the expenses of 16 sports events though most of it goes to the subsidies given to the different colleges. A subsidy of around Php 300,000 is distributed among the different college councils.

“Actually, this is only just a subsidy. It will not really cover all the expenses of the college [councils]. It’s not even enough [and] I don’t think it’s even enough for the uniforms,” states Padilla.

The subsidy will be spent according to each college’s own discretion but most colleges use this for their athletes’ uniforms or jerseys.

The rest of the budget will then go to the expenses of the different competitions held every Intramurals. The events that cost way more than the others are the cheerdance, football, and basketball competitions with an estimated cost of Php 30,000 – Php 50,000 each.

Meanwhile, the Student Sports Program exists to offer students equal opportunities to be involved in sports, and to be recognized their chosen sport.

Investing in students The University is quite known for being active in various inter-school tournaments. XU varsity players undergo intensive training to equip them with the necessary abilities and mindset for the sake of the school they represent. In turn, the Athletes Program was established for these representatives.

A big chunk out of the Php 4.6M total budget is allocated for the said program. This budget covers accommodations, meals, transportation, and allowances of the athletes during outsideschool competitions. Their allowance, however, is determined and managed by the finance office

depending on the duration of the competition.

With this program, the athletes are given financial support through scholarships and other benefits. Three types of scholarships are granted to varsity athletes. Varsity players from outside the city that were hand-picked and invited by the school enjoy the Full Privilege scholarship wherein their tuition and miscellaneous fees are free. These athletes are also provided with a place to live in the city while athletes who are from the city enjoy Full Tuition Privilege and Half-Tuition Privilege scholarships. Athletes under the Full Tuition privilege have free tuition but they have to pay their miscellaneous fees while the HalfTuition Privilege scholars only pay half of their total tuition and miscellaneous fees.

The Office of the Treasurer reviews and approves the scholarship grants of the athletes wherein they assess the UAO’s current budget and the performances of each athlete during competitions. Players who have performed, improved and have earned recognition will receive higher incentives. Finally, the Playing Privilege athletes are also varsity athletes who do not receive any scholarship from the University. *** Students may or may not have taken heed of the athletics fee that they are paying for every semester but their Php 315 is not for nothing.

The UAO is continuously working on program improvement and facility rehabilitation to cater the holistic formation of the students despite the budget cuts. Supporting our athletes by attending games achieves two things: you’re getting your money’s worth of entertainment and boosting our players’ morale, as XU boasts some of the best athletes in the region.C

Vol. 43 No. 1 August 2016

By Merryane Rose S. Bacud & Samantha Isabelle H. Bagayas

A

Crusader

The

The aftermath Reyes admits that there were people whose perception of her changed after the video was leaked. Along her journey of embarrassment and

fear, the situation made her even stronger when Reyes published a public statement on Facebook explaining about cyber bullying and her side of the story. “Lisod kaayo na murag gina-pugngan gyud nimo imong self unya sila kay naa silay gaka ingon saimo, naa pud ko’y right na mag express sa akong gaka-feel kay tao ra baya ko. And at the same time gusto pud ko na maka dungog sila sa akong side bitaw,” she shares. Her friends and family positively received her post, even sending her words of encouragement and hope.

Reyes expresses her opinion to the people who spread the video and to the victims who too were in the same situation as her. “Sa mga tao na nakakita, ako ragyud maingon kay ma-understand nako kung mabag-o ilang panan-aw sa ako […] para pud sa katong mga nakaexperience gyud gyapon, kung pwede lang gyud isa-isahon nako sila og comfort, buhaton nako. Basta ang ako ragyud maingon sa ilaha kay stay strong no matter what,” says Reyes. *** Although many would place the blame on the subjects of nude videos and photos, it’s important to note that consent is given to both parties when these were originally sent. Nothing is inherently wrong in finding unorthodox means to please your partner when both parties willingly participated in whatever act this may be. A breach in a person’s privacy is made once these photos and videos are made public without the consent of the creator. It’s also necessary to acknowledge the real victims in this situation rather than to focus on what one thinks is morally right in a relationship when the matter doesn’t involve you in any way.C Editor’s note: This article was published with the consent of Kate Reyes. www.thecrusaderpublication.com

9

Photo by Jinky B. Mejica

The Reveal “Honestly, unbelievable gyud siya at first kay murag wala gyud ko nag expect na mao na ang ma happen kay ang intention gyud nako ato is siyempre sa isa ra gyud ka tao,” Kate Reyes, a victim of a leaked video, shares. “Na hugmo gyud ang akong world kay akong pagkababae gitumban-tumban gyud og ayo.”

This is the predicament of third year Psychology student Kate Reyes. Dejected and seen in a way she didn’t choose to be seen by many, she struggles to find her footing after a video that she sent to her boyfriend of two years in high school was leaked to the public.

Clueless to the whole ordeal, Reyes only discovered about the leaked video through a text message from a friend. Slowly, as the video garnered an ever-increasing following, questions regarding how this matter even came to be started to surface.

“Kato gyud na video kay sa pinaka-first ra gyud nako to nga boyfriend. Wala gyud koy plano na [ikalat]. Ngano lugar mag share-share ko sa tanan ana? Kinsa ba ganahan ana?” she laments.

After being separated with the said boyfriend for nearly two years now, she demanded answers as to how the video that was only in his possession could have been shared to the public without her consent. At the root of the leak was her ex-boyfriend’s brother, who stumbled upon the video when he hacked into the device that held the original video. Perhaps as some sort of terrible practical joke, he sent it to his group of friends, which kicked off the whole series of events that put Reyes in a bad light. “Nag tuo sila na murag lingaw-lingaw lang bitaw pero wala lang ka kabalo kung unsa ang effect ana,” she expresses.

Feeling lost and hopeless, Reyes opted to keep mum about the predicament and shouldered the burden alone without the help of her family. With the pace that the video was spreading, it was nearly impossible to contain the situation alone. “Wala naman gyud ko’y mabuhat. Wala naman gyud sa akoa ang control sa gakahitabo. So murag ako kay let it be. Ako nalang kayahon ang unsay panan-aw sa tao sa ako.”

Despite this, the video reached her family, which spurred plans to file a case against the exboyfriend’s brother for releasing the video without her permission. “Ako gyud kay akong mindset murag, ‘ayaw na uy. Muabot ra lagi na ang karma sa ilaha. Ang Ginoo na bahala.’”

Design by Jayvee C. Lequigan

ll eyes were fixed on her as she walked along the corridor full of strangers talking in hushed, swift tones. She was fullyclothed but she felt like she was wearing an invisible robe, walking undressed amidst a sea of people. She knew, in the back of her mind, that things will never be the same again.

Some people are comfortable when appearing less than fully clothed in front of others. On the other hand, there are people reserved in that regard.

People take nude videos and photos of themselves to satisfy their own or someone else’s desire with the conscious understanding that their privacy is safe. But a lot of things can go wrong, like the unintentional (or perhaps intentional) leakage of these videos and photos.

COVER STORY

BLUER DAYS

By: Kevin Paul P. Mabul, Lorenzo B. Botavara, & Raizah L. Bagul

I

t is common knowledge by now that the administration has decided to reinvigorate a tenet of the blue form policy, one that requires students to pay their tuition in increments before every major exam. This entails making four payments per semester, once before the prelims, midterms, semifinals, and final examinations.

There doesn’t seem to be much to it on paper to merit the fuss it is currently causing, but we have become so accustomed to paying twice every semester that an abrupt implementation disrupts routines and pre-planned budgets.

“Irritating” is the general consensus, and for good reason. On the other side of Window 10, the University has good reasons, itself.

10

Rhyme or reason Xavier University is currently in its first year of the K-12 transition period. Being that the first batch of Senior High School (SHS) students are welcomed but that the influx of freshmen enrollees is postponed for the time being. The said circumstance, according to University Treasurer Lennie K. Ong, is part of the call for change with regards to the stricter implementation of the blue form policy. The apparent lack of freshmen enrollees has the administration alerted of a decline of revenue for the year, making the timely collections of tuition fees from the students even more crucial.

Despite the pioneering Senior High batch substituting for the college freshmen as far as

revenue goes, the funding from the former will not be enough. The argument behind this would be that more than 500 enrolled SHS students are either on scholarships or are using payment vouchers. Furthermore, basic education operates at a different cycle; collection of tuition fees is every two months unlike the 30-day cycle the tertiary education practices. “Moving into the transition years, the school cannot afford to write-off. That’s why it’s more critical that collection is prompt,” explains Ong. Write-off is the act of ceasing the efforts to collect accounts receivable thus turning the asset into an expense.

During the first forum concerning the stricter implementation of the blue form policy, Academic Vice President Fr. Rene Tacastacas Vol. 43 No. 1 August 2016

COVER STORY

Crusader

The

Resistance In response to the University’s proposed stricter implementation of the blue form policy, the Central Student Government (CSG) organized a forum on July 2 which aimed to provide a venue for discourse between students and the University Academic Vice President. Because the catalyst that called for the stricter implementation was financial in nature, a second forum headed by University Treasurer Lennie Ong was thereafter set on July 23 which focused on the University’s financial situation.

However, July 11 to July 15 already saw instances of some departments requiring stamped blue forms during the preliminary exams. According to the CSG, this led to a number of students who

www.thecrusaderpublication.com

11

*Name withheld per request for anonymity

answers that the significant amount of accounts receivables is one of the motives as to the stricter implementation of the blue-form policy. Bloated accounts receivable at the end of every school year is a typical phenomenon. Students have opted to pay during the next reenrollment rather than during the finals. “What does this mean? Meaning that the collection is poor during the term and is only being repaid because the student needs something from the school,” reasons Ong. The risk is substantial due to the possibility that the student might not reenroll for the succeeding term. Furthermore, the University must have the debtor pay while they are still enrolled since they cannot collect from them once they have graduated or dropped out of school.

The trend has been ongoing for the past

were not able to take their examinations on time.

Some, over the reason that their “payments out of goodwill” were not considered enough to warrant a stamp on their blue forms.

While the policy that has been set in place according to the handbook requires each student to pay during each quarter of the semester, no set amount has been specified, and this is also the case with the proposed stricter implementation.

“The University is in very financially challenging times. Maybe we could help, pero dili ta ma agrabyado, ” says CSG President Edison Lacea.

As of press time, the CSG is calling to defer the blue form’s stricter implementation to 20172018. The organization is currently spearheading a signature campaign and is inviting interested parties to join the cause by visiting the CSG office and registering their names and signatures.

Lacea says that one major basis for the CSG’s call for the deferment of the implementation lies within the administration’s lack of adequate information dissemination when it comes to not just the policy itself, but the alternative courses of action students who are unable to pay can take as well. These include the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid’s (OSFA) short-term loans of around P4000 pesos, and, when in a position that one really cannot pay given a reasonable cause, a student can appeal to the University treasurer and have his or her blue form stamped.

Furthermore, while Lacea agrees that strictly implementing the policy can only do well in the long run, and given ample time to inform the XU populace, he doesn’t believe that it is the university’s silver bullet to its financial problems.

He explains that by looking at the figures, 40 percent of the students who weren’t able to pay in full were able to pay at least during the midterm exams and asks how requiring payments to be made during prelims would change anything.

Lacea also explains that requiring payments more times in a semester can be a hassle towards the students given the long and time-inefficient lines they have to go through. “Maybe, in the end, it’s not about how many times you pay. Maybe it’s a deeper, more systemic problem which dividing it into four won’t change anything,” he expresses. *** It is already apparent that the students aren’t enthusiastic about the abrupt imposition. While it can be argued that this rule has always existed, it was not always followed. To a point, in fact, that we have become accustomed to half-compliance. Only when the University is limping financially does the admin invoke this previously ignored technicality.

Nevertheless, both sides of the story seem equally reasonable and perhaps a striking a compromise would be the wisest, most damage-proof decision.C

Photo by Jigo L. Racaza

ten years with the uncollected account receivable increasing with each passing school year despite the university’s best efforts to at least minimize the amount of uncollected accounts receivable. “By trend we’re not succeeding in the [collection] effort to keep the AR (account receivable) levels just a little below or improved than the prior years,” says Ong. On a different note, the collection of tuition fees should also coincide with the University’s schedule of payment to professors and purchase orders. “You (The University) must be able to collect more or less according to the schedule of when you (we) are supposed to pay,” explains Ong. Being on the frontlines of implementation, it is the instructors who receive the bulk of the complaints and pleads for consideration from the students. In fact, a significant number of these teachers have already implemented the policy during the prelim exams, to slowly condition the students to this potentially new norm more than anything. A teacher* from the College of Arts and Sciences says that it’s normal for students (or humans in general) to react to policy changes or the introduction of new laws – whatever challenges the status quo, really. “It’s the rule from the admin and we’re just following the rules,” he reasons.

However, he does give consideration to those unable to present stamped forms for the time being, as students were given very little time to financially prepare.

Although the stricter implementation of the blue form policy is at the best interest of both the University and its students, there have been protests from the latter to postpone or cancel the implementation altogether.

Design by Jayvee C. Lequigan

By Mary Therese P. Mole & Winona Roselle Serra

T

he Kristohanong Katilingban sa Pagpakabana – Social Involvement Office (KKP-SIO) was revived upon the encouragement of the Philippine Province through Jesuit Social Apostolate after the office was closed down during Martial Law on October 1986.

Its main function in the University to produce a well-rounded, competent person who is open to growth and committed to serve marginalized sectors in the community is in line with the goal of Jesuit Education. Initially, programs were focused on issue advocacy and student volunteer formation. It then expanded to programs that offer social formation to students through curriculum integration.

The functions KKP-SIO has been part of the Research and Social Outreach (RSO) cluster, now known as the Social Development (SD) office, for the past 10 years. According to former KKP-SIO Director and current appointed SD Advocacy Coordinator Nestor M. Banuag, Jr., the SD Cluster’s mandate is to “engage communities, social organizations and public institutions to enable University students, faculty, and staff and to utilize acquired knowledge in addressing development issues towards forming men and women of character in the service of Mindanao and ASEAN communities.”

The organization interacts with society through the Collaborative Service Learning Program (CSLP), formerly known as the Curricular-Based Community Involvement Program (CBCIP). The term “Collaborative” of the CSLP refers to the convergence of various academic disciplines in

12

providing concrete interventions to communities.

The program highlights the need for participation from different colleges and programs that the University offers its students.

The SD Office through its Advocacy Program will be engaged in major advocacy themes regarding housing, indigenous people, Muslim Communities, Disaster and Risk Reduction Management (DRRM), and mining. They also conduct a series of conversations on engaging issues which are relevant or of interest to the student body. Through these, student leaders and student volunteers are given rich experiences while bridging the University to the outside community.

Not abolished Although there is a widespread misconception that KKP-SIO has been dissolved or replaced with another program, according to Banuag there are no plans to disband KKP-SIO in the University.

“I can say that this transition is still part of KKP’s journey since its existence,” he adds. Since the recent changes of KKP-SIO, it has not been widely disseminated that the KKP-SIO was just undergoing certain revisions of its programs and systems under the Social Development cluster. It is perhaps an adjustment period for KKP after being placed in a revised cluster.

KKP-SIO Faculty Program Officer Victoria Melissa Pulido said that the formation program remains per se regarding its functions and mandates. “KKP Student Volunteers are still intact and united in our stand to be recognized as a group of socially active and involved students who paved way for the institutionalization of the University’s social involvement,” Pulido affirms. *** Although KKP is undergoing reconstructions regarding its program in a newly formed Social Development Cluster, rest assured that KKP will remain as the social formation arm of Xavier University and will continue to perform their duties and tasks as a formation program for students.C Vol. 43 No. 1 August 2016

T

Employment agenda The recruitment of teaching personnel follows certain refinements and specific qualifications for the Academic Unit Head to follow. Before hiring, departments must first determine and verify if they are in need of a new faculty member so that the university can estimate the number of applicants to be hired.

During the hiring process itself, applicants comply with a series of procedures and requirements. Interviews and screenings of applicants are conducted, along with past job references and background checks. After organizing a tentative shortlist of applicants, an initial teaching demonstration will be observed to test their teaching skills in a practical setting.

A final interview will then be conducted for the selection of the top candidate to be followed up with an orientation program.

Weighing the applicant As a Jesuit University, XU promotes Ignatian core values based on the University vision and mission, as articulated in the University Comprehensive Instructional Supervision Program (CISP). Undergraduate course educators aside from vocational course holders must hold a master’s degree or the appropriate professional license required for a bachelor’s degree holder, in order to teach in professional courses.

Special technical-vocational course educators should be a graduate of any of the corresponding programs with an experience of at least one year.

For Physical Education, an applicant must hold a degree of Bachelor of Science in Physical Education, or Bachelor of Science in Education, with a major or minor in Physical Education or any bachelor’s degree with a certificate in Physical Education.

For Post-Undergraduate programs, an applicant must hold the appropriate professional degree or license in order to teach in his field of specialization.

For graduate level programs, an applicant must hold the appropriate master’s degree, to Crusader

The

teach in his field of expertise for the master’s program, or a holder of the appropriate earned doctorate degree, to teach academic research-oriented subjects for the doctorate program.

Shaping the newbie There are several institutional supports to the faculty that our University offers. The InService Training (InSeT) empowers the faculty to deliver the highest quality of teaching and service in the University by underscoring the need to incorporate XU’s core values in classes.

Meanwhile, the Faculty Mentoring Program enhances professional and personal growth of faculty members by providing a channel partnership between old and new faculty members to foster excellence, commitment and conscience to the institution. It also aims to establish a collegial relationship, support group, personal training, and advising to faculty members.

On the other hand, the I-Lead Program is exclusively designed for administrators to be better equipped in the management of their respective courses, schools, and colleges.

Last but not least, the Ignitian Spirituality in Education Workshops (ISEW) aims to promote camaraderie among participants to improve working relationships, as well as to present their goals for XU in the succeeding years. Faculty Formation workshops also reorient junior faculty members of XU’s vision, mission and formation framework, in relation to their roles as educators.

Aside from the University’s efforts to uphold high quality education through all those programs, it also hosts a variety of benefits to the faculty. Selected teachers are given study grants to pursue a master’s or doctoral degree program in their respective fields of specialization. **** As one of only eight Philippine universities enlisted in the 2016 Asian University rankings released by Londonbased education and career consultancy Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), it’s important to understand how XU will maintain its quality of education, especially with the demands of the basic education cluster, in relation to the implementation of the K-12 program.C

Design by Keith Obed J. Ruiz

eachers are an essential component of any academic institution. For these institutions, finding teachers who know their subject matter well and understand the social and emotional needs of their students are important. Some would say investing in professional development should be a top priority.

Hiring a teacher, after all, is of non-negotiable importance to the school.

With better employed instructors comes the assurance the students are actually learning and retaining . But how does XU measure a teacher’s profile? What are the hiring nuts and bolts that are unique to an Atenean educator?

By Merryane Rose S. Bacud & Francis Xavier E. Eng

www.thecrusaderpublication.com

13

ona Roselle Ser

W in . Sabangan & B sa es n a V y B

T

he Central Student Government (CSG) is known as the highest seat of student governance in the University. They represent the student body and act as a connection between the students and the administration.

They strive for changes that favor the students, but as worn out as these words may be, the best way to achieve change is by being involved in the process.

The Creation of CSG’s Strategic Plan The voice and concern of the student body is the stimuli that send CSG into action. Planned objectives are designed according to the students’ needs. This will entail that at the base of CSG’s actions, is a gathering of student’s concerns.

In April, CSG’s Department of Research and Statistics (DRS) surveyed 181 students to determine what students wanted from their student government, how they could assess their performance and how it could improve.

14

Volunteers from CSG’s nine departments — the Department of Academic Affairs (DACA), Department of Budget and Finance (DBF), Department of Communications Management (DCM), Department of Events Management (DEM), Department of Internal Affairs (DIA), Department of Research and Statistics (DRS), Department of Social Involvement (DSI), Department of Student Leadership and Development (DSLD), and Department of Student Services and Campus Development (DSSCD) — and a number of regular students also contributed inputs to the plan.

After a strategic plan was drafted in consideration of the survey’s result, it was then brought to a budget proceeding on May 25. No department was allocated a certain amount of money. Instead, each department had to present their proposed projects and estimated budgets. “[The departments] had to fight for each peso in their budget,” says CSG President Edison

ra

Lacea. During their proceeding, the CSG went through a process of choosing which projects to prioritize and implement, and which would be given no funds at all. The final strategic plan is now currently in effect.

Reckoning the done and doing Two months into the academic year, the CSG already accomplished a number of projects according to their schedule. Projects that were carried out were presented in their 100 Days Report during the oath-taking ceremony for student leaders on July 16 at the Magis Roofdeck, and again during the University General Assembly on July 20 at the University Gym. One recent event that was spearheaded by the CSG is the Organizational Tour on July 2026. The Organizational Tour is a week-long presentation of extra-curricular organizations that the university has to offer.

CSG-DSI also organized a forum on the

Vol. 43 No. 1 August 2016

Student concerns and apathy Acting as the voice of the student body, CSG presents the students’ concerns to the administration. When the students’ rants concerning the dysfunctionality of the Student Lifecycle Management and Information System (SLMIS) began proliferating on social media, CSG documented student sentiments through the Twitter hashtag #SLMISHugot2016.The day after enrolment, they went to the Computing and Information Services Office (CISO) and presented these problems.

The CSG then relayed CISO’s statement through their Facebook page (Xavier University – Central Student Government). “According to CISO, SLMIS has not been encountering capacity problems (SLMIS capacity can handle ~6000 simultaneous transactions), but has been encountering configuration issues on the application itself. This may be due to the recent update to the SLMIS application.”

During the enrollment, the CSG’s Department of Student Services and Campus Development (DSSCD) set up a satellite office in front of the Magis Canteen to provide enrollment assistance. The following week, the CSG also set up a booth to cater to concerns and promote DSSCD’s services. In line with this, “Know Your Rights” tarps were decorated around the campus to spread awareness.

With the abrupt implementation of a stricter Blue Form Policy wherein students are required to pay for their account balances for each examination period, the CSG launched a signature campaign to defer the stricter implementation to the next academic year. They have over 400 signatures as of July 31. “One of the best ways students could help CSG is really to participate in things like this,” he suggests. With the participation of students, concerns could easily be raised to the Administration.

“I don’t think apathy is the whole picture. I think there is a lack in avenues for students to engage,” Lacea opines. He believes that there are no ‘apathetic’ students and that everyone cares about something and it is the CSG’s role to provide opportunities for students to exhibit their advocacies. “As long as we give them avenues to participate in real issues, I think, that’s the best way to entice them,” he adds.

With the issues that the CSG is currently acting upon, Lacea says he is confident in his appointed Cabinet, which is composed of the President, Vice President, Executive Secretary, Cabinet Secretary, and all of CSG’s Department Heads. They are in charge of coordinating and harmonizing the Organization’s efforts. “I know that they are people with integrity and with proven leadership capability.” He believes that they are tackling the student body’s problems head on, together.

With their goals already set, the student government is keeping reports and documentations of their activities within the office accessible to the student body. The presentation of their budget in a public hearing at the Magis canteen, with visual exhibits of the budget allocations, the 100 Days Report, and the posting of CSG documents are early signs of where this administration is heading towards. “[The transparency measures] may not bear fruit immediately but I think these are baby steps we need to make so that students would really start exhibiting a care [sic][…] about what’s really going on in the campus,” Lacea remarks. *** The Central Student Government’s accomplishments, ongoing projects, and plans for the future have been laid bare for everyone to see.

These are not mere invitations which can either be rejected or accepted, it is rather the students’ end of the bargain to question and become involved in all of CSG’s actions.C

www.thecrusaderpublication.com

15

Photos by John Niccolo A. Aquino

Crusader

The

The CSG is also involved with the formation initiatives of the Office of Mission and Ministry.

Design by Marc Anthony B. Reyes

Sangguniang Kabataan Reform – the newly signed law for the barangay youth arm that has an anti-political dynasty provision. The DSI initiative aimed to bring students into political involvement and awareness within the local community.

With last year’s University election having more uncontested positions than the previous years, the current administration foresaw the danger of having no future leaders to take on the reins of governance especially during the K-12 transition period. In response to this, they revamped the Ateneo Good Governance Development Academy (AGGDA) to Ateneo Good Governance and Leadership Academy (AGGLA) with much more refined modules to sustain the student government with future leaders.

Expansion of student services is also to be expected from the CSG. On the academic side, they have already organized a book bazaar within the first two weeks of classes, allowing an avenue for students to buy or rent books at lower costs. Tutorials for midterm and final exams are currently being planned while maintaining previous services like locker rentals. LCD projector rentals are also being considered along with more high-end calculators.

“It isn’t really the [rental services] which is the main meat of being in the CSG. It’s really our representation in the University councils,” clarifies Lacea. The Central Student Government has been representing the student body in the University Academic Council in which they are currently pushing for the postponement of the strict implementation of the Blue Form Policy.

By Lorenzo A. Botavara & Francis Xavier E. Eng

Design by Ryan James P. Pascual

Photo by Jinky Mejica

B

eing one of the most awaited University events, the Intramurals is that time of the year where college spirits and competitiveness are at an annual high. This year, however, features the addition of an increasingly popular albeit formerly struggling sport in terms of legitimacy.

Although it may not require the conventional athletic and physical prowess as do most sporting events, DOTA 2 (Defense of the Ancients) demands a combination of quick reaction time, strategy formulation, and team synergy, and due to its popularity among the populace, it will make its debut as an official event in the Intramurals this September.

(UAO) Member and Head Organizer Alexandra Louise G. Goyeneche. She adds, “It is also a fundraising for the varsity athletes.” A registration fee of Php750.00 will be collected per competing team, since an entire portion of a local internet café will host the event. The total amount raised will then be used to cover the expenses of the varsity athletes during outside-school tournaments and invitational games. Official announcements regarding this event will be made through social media and will be posted on bulletin boards once preparations have been fully organized.

As of press time, various aspects of the tournament such as flow and bracketing are still being formulated.

Tournament setup The event’s name is heavily inspired from the series of DOTA 2 tournaments sponsored by Valve, the video game company that developed and distributed the game. These events, dubbed “Majors”, were formerly held in Frankfurt, Shanghai, and Manila. XU Major, on the other hand, was approved by University Athletics Office (UAO) Director Vincent Padilla to be played in the Intramurals on September 14 and 15.

Like any other event in the Intramurals, it is an inter-college competition with each college having two representative teams composed of six members, except for the Colleges of Medicine, Law, and Nursing which have 7 members.

Matches are played between five players per team, with the sixth (and seventh) man serving as coach or substitute.

“This is created for students not really inclined to sports who want to be involved in the Intramurals,” states University Athletics Office

A gradual rise With the continual rise in the popularity of the sport, it was only a matter of time before the University also rode the wave – one that does not intend to crash anytime soon. This, however, was not the case a few years back. Legitimacy had been one of the most pressing issues in the early years of professional gaming which dates back to the 1990’s. This was the first era of Counter Strike, of the Quake series, and the beginnings of Warcraft – the predecessor of DOTA 2. It is no coincidence that internet connectivity had first been made available to the public during this decade.

For nearly two decades thereafter, professional gaming remained in a niche, deemed too complex for casual spectators to enjoy. This was the case especially for Multiplayer Online Battle Arenas (MOBA) such as DOTA and League of Legends (LoL), whose complicated mechanics and strategies made for an overwhelmingly

16

complicated visual experience is a challenge to most people. But the loyal community of those who did invest their time in understanding the game grew over the years, tournaments grew in scale, and so did the prize pools, fan-base, playerbase, and legitimacy.

Notable foundation In 2013, LoL star Danny “Shiphtur” Le of Canada was granted a U.S. visa as a pro athlete. It was also in the same year that video game company Valve released DOTA 2, and the eSports scene skyrocketed. The largest annual eSports event, DOTA 2’s The International which is held every August, boasts an immense $19M prize pool this year. It is the largest in eSports history and is annually broken by the succeeding International – a testament to an enormous and ever growing global community of gamers and supporters.

The fact that DOTA 2 is remarkably popular in the Philippines is no secret. Enter any gaming café within the city and witness the youth’s devotion to the game. Although majority of Filipino gamers are of the casual kind, the Philippines has its own share of globally competent players. In fact, with a total of 10 representatives across two teams, we are the second most represented country in this year’s The International, behind China. *** Gaming is just about as popular in the University as it is in the Philippines. It houses (and has housed) some of the best players in the city and an even larger number of potential-laden unknowns waiting to be discovered, unknowns lacking an avenue for recognition. This could just be the break they were waiting for.C

Vol. 43 No. 1 August 2016

Making allies The administration intends to maintain and develop their relationships with nations who share common problems and interests with the Philippines. “We shall strengthen our coordination with Indonesia and Malaysia to suppress the kidnapping in the waters of our neighboring countries,” Duterte aforementioned.

The country will continue its cooperation on human assistance, disaster response, and maritime security and counter terrorism.

Peaceful resolution with China In regards to the dispute between the West Philippine Sea (otherwise known as the South China Sea), Duterte states that the country respects the outcome of the case before the Permanent Court of Arbitration as an effort of

Free Wi-Fi Duterte has promised the order of the creation of a national broadband plan, allowing free access in selected public places like parks, schools, hospitals, plazas, seaports, airports, libraries, and malls. “I have also ordered the newly created Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) to develop a national broadband plan and to accelerate the deployment of fiber optics cables and wireless technologies to improve Internet speed.” He added.

Reduce tax rates “My administration will pursue tax reforms towards a simpler and more equitable tax system that can foster investments.” He said, adding that he will lower personal and corporate income tax rates.

Macroeconomic policy Duterte ensured prudent fiscal and monetary policies that can help render poverty reduction.

The current macroeconomics will be maintained per se. He also hopes that by the end of his term in 2022, he will pass on a stronger economy with low and stable inflation and solid growth.

Working on infrastructures The Duterte administration will be accelerating infrastructure spending by implementing the Mindanao Logistics Infrastructure Network and other road network master plans. They also will be implementing structural mitigation measures to address the constant flooding in Manila and its neighboring areas. They will also pursue interisland linkage projects.

Design by Ryan James P. Pascual

No stop to war on drugs Duterte continuously reiterates his commitment in the campaign against illegal drugs.

He called on the Philippine National Police (PNP), city mayors, governors and other government and political authorities to double and, if needed, to triple their efforts on the fight against druglords, pushers, and users. “We will not stop until the last druglord, the last financier, and the last pusher have surrendered or put behind bars or below the ground, if they so wish,” the president assured.

cooperation to the goal of a peaceful resolution to the ongoing dispute of the territory.

The Philippines will continue to work with international partners in order to attain peace and advancement in the country. Duterte appointed former president Fidel V. Ramos to be the envoy for talks with China.

Aid for the Lumads “The government has issued you the Ancestral Certificates Domain Title covering vast tracts of land especially in the island of Mindanao.

You have the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples to protect you and to assist you.” This is one of the issues Duterte mentioned in his first SONA regarding benefits that will be given to the Lumads. “Make use of your ancestral domain. Do not let it remain idle,” he urged.

Crushing the Abu Sayyaf President Duterte vowed to increase the strength of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) by 10,000 soldiers next year and will be given the best equipment to eliminate the Abu Sayyaf to increase their campaign against terrorism. He also stated that there will be no peace agreement for the Abu Sayyaf. “I want to prepare the country for this [terrorism],” he justified.

Emergency hotlines The citizen complaints and emergency hotlines have just been launched earlier on August as one of Duterte’s measures to fight crime and increase

awareness in times of emergencies. The 8888 will be for complaints and the 911 hotline will replace the

117 emergency hotline. These hotlines will be made

accessible nationwide.C

Sources: http://www.philstar.com/news-feature/2016/07/26/1606743/things-duterte-said-his-first-sona-z http://cnnphilippines.com/news/2016/07/25/sona-2016-duterte-priorities.html www.rappler.com/nation/duterte-sona-2016-live-coverage news.abs-cbn.com/news/v2/07/25/16/list-top-8-duterte-sona-2016-promises www. philippinecanadianinquirer. Net

W

e cannot move forward if we allow the past to keep pulling us back,” President Rodrigo Roa Duterte states during his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 25, 2016 at the Batasang Pambansa Complex in Quezon City. President Duterte talked about the different problems and issues concerning the country but mainly focused on discussing the different plans and programs that his administration intends to implement during his term.

By Mar y Therese P. Mole & Reysel S. Dante

BACKWRAP

Design by Evan B. Aranas

Photos by Evan B. Aranas, Obed Ruiz,Colleen Vitor, Gene Verona, Mark Rodriguez, John Niccolo Aquino, and Dave Gultiano

JUNE 2-4 XU launched its threeday orientation seminar themed, “Aim High, Senior High: OrSem 2016” for its pioneer batch of senior high school students. It featured various activities to ease their

By Samantha Isabelle H. Bagayas

JULY 9 To present the allocation of funds throughout CSG’s departments and events for academic year 2016-2017, it organized a budget hearing at the Magis Atrium.

transition to the University.

JULY 14 JUNE 17

Formerly named Crusader Cheerforce, the XU Crusader Cheer All-Stars (XUCCAS) won the championship title of the 2016 T’nalak festival Cheerdance competition at Koronadal City, South Cotabato.

Two XU nursing graduates topped the June Nursing Licensure Examination (NLE) in the results published by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).

Rachelle Eve Alolor Bensig: 2nd place, percentile rank 86.60. Ma. Minvilu Verano Marbella: 5th place, percentile rank 86. XU passers = 39 (100%)

JUNE 14 XU placed within the 251300 bracket of the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Asian University rankings, as one of the top-performing universities in Asia. It made its debut in the 350-long list and is one of 8 Philippine universities that were included in the rankings.

JULY 16 Supreme Constitutional Court members, appointed and elected CSG and college council officers, and presidents of organizations under the Association of Extracurricular Organizations (AECO) took their oaths during Panunumpa 2016 at the Magis Roofdeck.

JULY 1

JULY 20

To formally mark the beginning the term of their duties, newly elected Cagayan de Oro public officials participated in the oath-taking ceremony at the

CSG and AECO kicked off the organizational trip with the university-wide general assembly themed, “Festival of Heroes” at the XU Gymnasium.

Kiosko Kagawasan.

JULY 2 CSG conducted a forum on the proposed blue form policy at Science Center (SC) 208, with Academic Vice President Fr. Rene Tacastacas, SJ, as the key speaker.

18

JULY 23 CSG conducted “Saan Papunta ang Tuition ko?” at SC3. Led by University Treasurer Lennie K. Ong, the forum tackled the changes XU has been experiencing since the implementation of the K-12 program.

Vol. 43 No. 1 August 2016

LAMPOON

I

afraid of the snot that got on the bill after a sneeze.

Upon arrival, I noticed some PDEA personnel swarming around on my way to class. Apparently, the agency was conducting random drug tests on students. Before I knew it, I was inadvertently grabbed by one of these people – I was already five minutes late to my last chance. “Drug test muna tayo Miss ha, sandali lang ‘to, kaya ‘wag matakot kung wala kang tinatago” he says. I didn’t want to be any later so I grabbed the cup he was holding and quickly relieved myself of that morning’s coffee.

Turns out it didn’t matter, which I found out the moment I left the bathroom. An agent abruptly handcuffed me, piss and all, saying, “Sama ka sa’min, Miss. Wala nang tanong.” I was so surprised I couldn’t even protest why he was in the girls’ bathroom.

By this time my eyes watered with every sneeze. I was taken to the OSA. The student assistant who I was familiar with just stared at me when I passed. They finally uncuffed me and started asking crazy questions like how many times had I done “drugs”. I thought about how many Neozep I had taken and guiltily admitted that it had been a dozen times since last night.

They gave me disgusted looks. I tried to explain that I know it’s only supposed to be one every four hours but I had a test that afternoon and needed my nose to stop running! They wouldn’t listen.

The air-conditioning only made matters worse.

They said I tested positive for illegal drugs in my system. God knows how they got such results, when I was still holding my sample. They even brought in a few of my RS classmates to

testify! “She always seems to zone-out in class,” one said. “Sige mana siya’g katulog, Chief. Adik siguro,” said an unfamiliar face. I was pretty sure he was the guy who dropped the class after the first session but now he somehow shows up, making weird accusations against me? It was there that everything made actual sense; the drivers’ stares, my “dirty money”. It all enraged me, mostly because it took me too long to put it together (it was the cold, I swear!); but I composed myself.

This was to be handled by civilized means.

“Sir,” I started with indignation, “if I may, KINSA MA’Y DILI KATULGON UG 7:30 SA BUNTAG NGA KLASE???” So much for being civilized. I calmed down a bit after expressing my loathing for early classes, and carried on. “I demand to see the warrant of arrest, I invoke my right to due process, I demand a fair trial, I demand trial by combat!” Holding up the cup of piss for everyone to see, I finished it with “…I can prove my innocence!” I said this with so much emotion and hand gestures that a few drops of urine get sprinkled on the floor and even on the people gathered around me. This was enough to convince them, somehow, and they let me go after striking a compromise: I was to star in the AntiDrug Campaign poster, complete with an idiotic sign. I didn’t have much of a choice; the OSA said it was either this or I get the AF in RS since the whole fiasco had made me miss my last chance.

All I can say is I vowed never to get a cold again.C

Illustration by Rizalyka M. Waminal

knew exactly that the virus had befallen me after sneezing twice, thrice, four times(!) in succession after walking under the rain yesterday. I hoped my immune system would hold up one last time, which is exactly how many absences I have left for my 7:30AM class. So with watery eyes I left the comfort of home. A quick check in the mirror confirmed that my eyes had indeed turned red, just like the F mark my RS teacher had threatened to give me for being absent so many times.

Strange things happened on my early commute to school. The group of motorela drivers who would usually call me out when I pass by gave me very unnerving stares, I doubted it was because I had brushed them off as usual.

It was so creepy I almost wished I was catcalled instead, which is well – just as creepy, but at least I’d mastered my reaction to that. What’s worse, none of these drivers were letting me ride. It was only when I offered to pay 20 that one of them gave in. Even then, Manong hesitated for a moment before telling me to get on. I reached out to give him my Quezon, but he refused. “Dili man ko gadawat ug hugaw nga kwarta, dzai.” I was puzzled, but then I figured he was just

: a d i b a r t n CoryasCipoon, ‘wag tularan Ma

Crusader

The

www.thecrusaderpublication.com

19

KURISWORD Pazel

To join: photocopy this Kurisword with your answers and submit your entry to TheCrusader Publication office at StC 302 with your name and contact number.

Lucky participants will receive limited edition collectables.

KURISCOPE Kumusta na mga higala? Ako nanghinaot nga kamo wala nangaluya. Bisa’g sa ka-busy sa eskwela ayaw sad kalimot sa pagkatawa. Bahala’g mangabuang, basta kay wala lang namiyembro sa tokhang. Agoy kahalang!

Aquarius (Habang may buhay walang pag-asa) Ayawg kabalaka kung sige ka’g kabagsak sa inyong klase.

Total ang Sibyer abri man pirme. Daghan pa nga sem ang muagi.

Lucky Day: Sunod bulan pa doy Lucky Color: Black! Ganern!

Aries (Cute ni sya basta kalibangon.)

Kung maadik man lang galing ka anang PokemongGo, ayaw nalang gyud og sugdi amigo. Basin kadugayan magbaylo mo’g nawng ni Pikatsu.

Lucky Day: DominGO Lucky Color: Red Tide Cancer (Gaantos ni sa kagwapo/a.)

Naa kay makaila diha sa Magis dapit sa Dangken Donat.

Gwapo/a raba unta pero sige la’g pangalungat.

Lucky Day: Agoy na-expire na man Lucky Color: Boy Zugblack Capricorn (Maas nga adik sa sweetcorn.)

Ayaw lang og kakurat karong adlawa manenang. Kay maapil jud ka sa lista sa Tokhang. So, shut up ka nalang.

Lucky Day: Marcheese Sitsiiiiiis Lucky Color: Mocha Uson Gemini (Imong friend nga shy pero naay gamay.)

Undangi na nang pagtan-aw tan-aw sa picture sa imong kras sa pesbok. Wala jud kay madaw-daw ana, madaot lang imong mata sige’g tutok.

Lucky Day: Daymure Lucky Color: Parehas kolor sa imong eyebags Leo (Chickboy nga murag palaboy.)

Makabantay jud ka nga kung manguyab pa, Gentleman.

Pero kung nka score na, Running Man. Mao nang giingon nga “Huwag tularan.”

Lucky Day: Sabodots Lucky Color: Blue-ger Dzai Libra (Tsada’g tingog pero makabungog.)

Naa kay makita sa library nga “Keep Silent”, pero magsaba-saba gihapon ka kay mao mana imong talent.

Lucky Day: Saba-doy!

Lucky Color: Whiter than whit Pisces (Cute ni sya gamay) Daghan surprises imong adlaw karon. For example, imong selpon snatson.

Lucky Color: Bluer than Blue Lucky Day: Lowknees Taurus (Grabi ka-anest, pero salbahis.)

Makakuha ka’g selpon number sa imong idol. Hokage moves dayon ka unya pinawitik dayon og miskol.

Lucky Day: Daysandant off-the-sand Lucky Color: Sky Green Virgo (Bright ni sya, bright og mata.)

Mabuang ka’g solve2x sa world problem sa Math. Pero ayawg kakurat, ibudlat ang mga mata dayon ayawg kalimot og siplat2x para pud ikaw makajackpot.

Lucky Day: Sabadue Lucky Color: Brawon Mayulet Sagittarius (Happy-go-lucky, dili gasulod og klase) Kung gusto kang malipay pirme, hala, pagpalit og Happy. Maayo to kay abelabol pirme, makapalit pa dayon ka’g ice kendi.

Lucky Day: Ayaw na’g dahom inday Lucky Color: Whitetulog Scorpio (Sige’g pang-dedma, murag kagwapa.)

Kung naay magteks sa imo, pansina sad inday. Ikaw ra gani iyang kalipay dili pajud ka gareply. Kaluy-i sad gamay.

Lucky Day: Kung mu-reply na sya Lucky Color: Yellowish yellow