TheCrusader Magazine (July 2011)

Vol. 38 No. 2 July 2011

Inside 5 teachers you’re bound to meet Thoughts on the RH Bill Tales from a hospital ward Are we truly independent?

Contents

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Vol. 38 No. 2 July 2011

1

Editorial

2

Opinion

CAMPUS FEATURES 5

Ateneans on Top

XU-AMS joins Guinness-breaking attempt

6

The Teacher Factor

8

What’s new, XU?

10

Hotspots

Browsing XU’s Wi-fi

11

From a Handful to a Multitude The rise of Sira’j

NATIONAL FEATURES 12

12

The RH Bill A clash of thoughts

14

6

A State of Mind 113 years in the making

16

Divine Intervention

LOCAL FEATURES 18

Saving the Pauper Princess

The Cover

Hugas Kamot

We are in a standstill, stuck in a chasm formed by differing extremities of opinions. We blindly nod to the causes advanced by contesting parties, taking away our sense of criticality. But this time should be different: we will not just listen and agree to them. We will climb out of the chasm of apathy, think critically and be heard. This time, we choose to choose.C

Service amidst threats

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GLOBAL FEATURES 21

Photo by Francis Ryan Avellana Design by Jose Alfonso P. Sendaydiego Words by Lyle Justin A. Egay

How Dark is Your Chocolate A food for your thought

22 23

Identity Crisis

Crusader

Internet Edition

The

Queer Chronicles

Publishers Subscribing Students of Xavier University | Editors Ryan Louie G. Madrid Editor-in-Chief , Bianca Nathalie Y. Llamis Associate Editor, Jose Alfonso P. Sendaydiego Design and Video Editor, Glenn Paolo A. Goopio Managing Editor, John Kenneth E. Ching News Editor, Ma. Therese D. Agcopra Campus Features Editor, Hannah Mae S. Salugsugan Local Features Editor, Ma. Rosetti G. Villamor National Features Editor, Nadine Hendrikka E. Legaspi Global Features Editor, Lyle Justin A. Egay Sports Editor, Kristoffer James L. Nambatac Layout Editor, Haiko B. Magtrayo Photography Editor, Alexes June E. Baslot Freehand Editor | Finance Officers Shola Mae Rose G. Zamayla Senior Finance Officer, Frances Joy G. Tan Junior Finance Officer (Trainee) | Managers Caroline Joy R. Go Human Resource Manager, Ruth Anne B. Suson Office Manager, Kristoffer James L. Nambatac Computer Systems Manager, Glenn Paolo A. Goopio Online Accounts Manager, Janrick Romales Jr. Computer Systems Manager (Trainee) | Staff Writers Ressan Nash N. Alonto (Trainee), Sahara Iman M. Alonto, Angela Bernice C. Cabildo (Trainee), Sam D. Garcia (On-leave), Caroline Joy R. Go, Dharyl Jean A. Indino (Trainee), Marc Stephen S. Manuel (Trainee), Kamya G. Mordeno, Ruth Anne B. Suson, Princess E. Tolentino (Trainee), Leasusana C. Ty (Trainee), Jacqueline P. Uy, Anna Althea W. Vergara (Trainee), Robert A. Villaluz, Jr. (Trainee), Joule Artemson Visabella | Staff Artists Francis Ryan Avellana (Trainee), Rochelle De Las Alas Barros (Trainee), Richard Mars Caberte (Trainee), Jenamae G. Espineli (Trainee), Carlo John M. Gaid, Christian Love S. Gamolo (Trainee), Feliciano T. Legara IV (Trainee), Rico M. Magallona (Trainee), Arsenio F. Meneses III (Trainee), Breisa V. Moralde, Carmi Yvette C. Salcedo, Venice Marie P. Villo (Trainee) | Moderator Ann Catherine Ticao-Acenas

The homo, the repression, and the closet

COMIC RELIEF 24

Cora Contrabida

25

Kuris-kuris

The official student publication of Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan Vol. 38 No. 2 July 2011

For contributions, please address your articles and/or comments to Crusader Publication office, StC 302 Xavier University 9000 Cagayan de Oro City

The

Circulation: 7, 500 copies For comments, suggestions and/or reactions, please email the editor at thecrusaderpub@yahoo.com

EDITORIAL

O

In defense of choice

n the first week of June this year, the Senate of the Republic of the Philippines met and argued the 15th version of the Reproductive Health Bill. And these legislators we elected into office adjourned their last session before a two-monthlong hiatus, with the usual outcome: nothing.

That same day, anti-RH Bill advocates staged a protest outside the Senate to abolish the same Bill, with the same outcome: nothing.

But on the same day, thousands of condoms and morning-after pills have been purchased by countless faces in drugstores and pharmacies all over the country.

Talk about irony.

The RH Bill has become a battle between the Church and State, both claiming to have the Filipino citizen’s best interests at heart. The State claims that it is the only way we can curb the population boom in the country, and address maternal and infant health and mortality in the process. The Church, on the other hand, says overpopulation is a lie, and that it is adamant that the Bill will instead encourage and increase various acts of immorality among Filipinos, particularly premarital sex and abortion.

Additionally, the more controversial aspects of the RH Bill, namely the government-approved distribution of free contraceptives and promulgation of other family planning methods, the legalization of abortion via the promotion of abortifacients, and sex education for grade school and high school students, among others have made people miss the main point of the bill: choice.

That in itself is a sorry state of affairs.

Informed choice, as a basic right, is something that has not been given to the more vulnerable citizens through the years.

Through the media, the average Filipino citizen is bombarded with a billion arguments about the Bill, both pro and anti, some true and some exaggerated. We are called to pick a side in this tug of war we are caught in, clouding the fact that we still have the power to choose when all’s said and done.

It’s not about the condoms, it’s not about abortion, and it’s not even about morality, unless the provisions are abused. It’s about knowing your options and knowing them well; and being able to decide for yourself which option you want, regardless of the bill’s enactment or abolition. Whatever the case may be, at the end of the day, it all boils down to your choice.

The time is past for blind followers and loyalists. The Senate and the anti-RH Bill faction may go home still empty-handed, but we don’t have to. In the end, we as citizens of this country should be able to choose for ourselves, to stand by our choices and not be sent out of Church for them.C The

Crusader

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Opinion

T

Versus Ryan Louie G. Madrid

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Pinoy fried

here is something sick and fishy about our ‘Pinoy pride.’ And it stinks in ways we can’t smell, err, imagine.

For people to feel a sense of pride and patriotism towards our country is comprehensible. But when this pride gets blown-up to such ridiculous proportions as being the only source of pride and rubbing it right into the international community’s face, these Filipinos are nothing more than fishes that, when fried, make so much unwanted noise while flies hover on top.

With the big-time success of Manny Pacquiao, Charice Pempengco and other Filipinos who made a name in the global arena, some of us would blindly jump into the foolhardy bandwagon of basking their glory as our own. Even worse, we overstress this by deluding ourselves that we are the best race to ever walk the earth. Log on to popular social networking sites whenever Charice sings on stage or Pacquaio wins a fight (or, more recently, the soccer win of the suddenly popular Philippine Azkals) and you’ll read comments saying, “Pinoys, the best!”, “Pinoy ‘yan kaya magaling!” or “Iba talaga ang galing ng Pinoy!”

But the truth of the matter is, we are the best only in boasting trivial feats of a few, cherrypicked Filipinos who succeeded because of hard work and not because of their nationality.

It should dawn on us that their success are individual accomplishments. It’s not as if we, as a country, fought in the boxing ring or sang “I Will Always Love You” in Oprah that we should act the way we’re acting. We go into raptures whenever these few Filipinos capture the international spotlight and exalt them incessantly as if not doing so makes us disloyal to the country.

What’s even more ridiculous is that we laud popular figures who have Filipino bloodline (even if it’s just a quarter) and claim them as our “kababayans,” deliberately disregarding the fact that they can’t even speak our native language.

Think: Bruno Mars, Vanessa Hudgens, Batista, among others.

Too much pride about our race has resulted to us being overly sensitive to statements and jokes made by non-Filipinos. When Alec Baldwin joked on national television that he wanted a Filipino mail order bride and actress Lee Da Hae poked fun on our English accent, we set into motion a whining and bashing frenzy.

Coercing them to make a public apology, we

did. But at the same time, we flaunted just how shallow our priorities are that we had to initiate hate campaigns against them and Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr. had to challenge Baldwin to a boxing face-off.

You see, our consistent tendency to bask in the glory of the success of others and protect it no matter what is highly indicative of our very low self-esteem as a country. After realizing this, because we haven’t accomplished that much as a nation, we would settle on the trifling achievements of individual Filipinos to feel a sense of self-worth -- and when we do, we do it excessively and unwarrantedly. It’s our own brand of defense mechanism.

Add to that our national obsession with being “happy” despite crises. Although it cultivates optimism, it can potentially lead us to a state of misery because our pursuit of happiness is superficial and short-term oriented.

Because we find happiness and contentment even in shallow matters, we tend to take the bigger problems less seriously.

Taking things lightly and blindly choosing not to take concrete actions to make our conditions better is almost tantamount to succumbing to the sorry state of our country.

Some of us are a happy, albeit shallow, bunch who find pride by fence-sitting at the accomplishments of individual Filipinos. But this is not authentic pride and nationalism, rather an exaggerated attempt at self-importance and a sorry defense mechanism for our mayhem of unfortunate events.

To achieve true and warranted Filipino pride, it should take more than a sports or a singing sensation. Doesn’t it hold more gravity when the Philippines is on the map courtesy of its thriving economy, competent educational system, corruption-free government, clean surroundings and higher living standards?

Without a doubt, a source of national pride that gravitates at our communal achievements is more worthy of exalting.

Choose to assess where and how we place our pride. Choose to be proud of long-term and nontrivial accomplishments. More than anything else, choose to make it happen.C For comments, suggestions and/or reactions, please email the columnist at ryanlouie.madrid@ gmail.com

Vol. 38 No. 2 July 2011

Laban or loser?

Nightlock Ma. Therese D. Agcopra

The

Crusader

Time flies fast.

Just when we thought the Arroyo administration would ultimately cause our very extinction, in came the man whose record of family legacy was as shiny as his bald patch. He spoke of change, development and progress that noon of June 30, 2010. We clung on to his words like they were the last of our lifelines. Here is Benigno Simeon Aquino, III—the man who would mean hope for the Philippines.

Or would he really?

It has been a year since PNoy was sworn into office by the many that raised their hands in the air to show the iconic Laban sign. It was a moment that beamed with so much promise for the future—a moment which was so powerful and uplifting on the onset, that we never expected it to lose its glory this easily.

The PNoy administration was highly intent on eliminating corruption in the government. He was quick to point his finger at his predecessor Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who made midnight appointments and manipulated government funds like a boss.

The entire time PNoy consistently laid blame on the previous administration as we remain haunted by its horrors. But why can’t we just move on from the past and concentrate on the present? Remember, the Maguindanao Massacre case still sits on stacks with others that have yet been resolved, land reform programs haven’t been given light, and longterm measures to help the economy has not been realized.

We did see obvious changes, although not the ones people catapulted him to presidency for. Among others, the Peso bills received a serious facelift. It looks smashing, true, but it’s sad to think that of all the things he could’ve done on his first year, it had to be this. Then there’s that dispute with People’s Republic of China which was fueled by the lack of initiative during the Quirino Grandstand hostage crisis. And on a more trivial scale, he ditched his ostentatious

BMW for a more ostentatious Porsche which, thankfully, he claims he bought with his personal money. And for what reason did he invest in such luxury while the country continued to swim in tougher times? He needed the car to make better decisions.

Okay. I’m totally supporting the idea if the car could morph into a 30-foot alien robot.

So the guy’s record seems patchy, but it’s too early to deem his administration an utter failure. The thing with this administration is that it raised everyone’s expectation too high.

People expect him to have the same influence as his parents. This is where the people are at fault. When Arroyo left, the country and everything about it, was left bruised, tainted and almost empty. Fixing it up is not an overnight process and most especially not a one-man job. To expect complete recovery in a snap is just plain ridiculous. Truth be told, there have been improvements, although little, but still, improvements. And we were too blinded by our idea of instant and absolute relief to even acknowledge and appreciate the little things. First, and most importantly, PNoy remained a corrupt-free official and a transparent one even. With this, there was a 5 percent decrease in the number of people that were hungry. And as of January this year, employment rate was recorded at 92.8% compared to last year’s 92%.

Just like how PNoy should stop pointing his finger at the silent-as-ever Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, we should also, for the time-being, stop complaining about, well, everything. Let’s wait for five more years until the final verdict. Until then, there’s still hope for PNoy; there’s still hope for the Philippines. We may be working at small careful steps right now, but remember it was a turtle who beat the rabbit.C For comments, suggestions and/or reactions, please email the columnist at mariathereseagcopra@ gmail.com

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Raising the Underling

Freudian slip Hannah Mae S. Salugsugan

4

“Uring Manggagawa, Hukbong Mapagpalaya!”

It was Monday, July 4 when angry and desperate members of a labor group shouting in condemnation of the injustices of a big multinational corporation caught the attention of the Xavier University community.

The picket was held in front of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) regional office, situated at the 2nd Floor Consuelo Building, Corrales Avenue, near the university area. It was then learned that the said rally was in fact held simultaneously in all parts of the country; denouncing the Dole Philippines Inc.--Standard Philippines Fruit Corporation’s (Stanfilco) mass dismissal of its workers in Guinuyuran Farm, Bukidnon, and the labor department’s failure to conduct inspection and verification of the legality of the lockout.

Dole Philippines-Stanfilco, a multinational corporation (MNC) engaged in banana growing, production and processing, informed the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB) on June 17 that the Guinuyuran Farm will be closed for business reasons, citing that the diseases moko and sigatoka have plagued the plantation. However, on that very same day, the 400 regular workers in the farm were immediately forced to stop working without prior notice or memorandum given to the workers informing them of the mass dismissal.

In a press release issued by the Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL), a notice of lockout or mass dismissal should only take effect 30 days after the notice is given to workers, by operation of law. Also, the inspection and verification of the legality of a lockout is incumbent of the labor department’s mandate.

Moreover, regular employees are legally adequately protected employees, meaning, they enjoy security of tenure guaranteed by the Philippine Constitution; and through jurisprudence, employers are required to afford due process to employees under this arrangement before they could legally dismiss them from employment.

Presently, labor groups are still holding

simultaneous mass actions to demand the intervention of the DOLE national office and the labor secretary’s issuance of a back-towork order to the workers. *** Needless to say, this company, as well as other multinational corporations (or their system, for that matter) are proud offenders of the plight of poor laborers in the country. This, being a wretched product of globalization (as what most literatures assert, to say the least), is made even worse by government agencies who are, by all accounts, the armaments of the interests of laborers, but happen to be in conceivable complicity with these MNC’s (hint hint).

To any further extent, this is not a novel situation in the Philippine labor setting. In fact, being worst in terms of work opportunities, wages and basic rights is a timeworn complaint of many workers in the Philippines. For many, it has even become a trailing melee for survival in the concrete jungle. To make it worse and sadder, some workers are even disposed to pass by their rights as they do not see how the knowledge could benefit them or improve their working situation.

Let us just hope that the Guinuyuran farm laborers will be able to return to work very soon. Let us rise in optimism that DoleStanfilco will realize that the lock-out is selfcontradictory to the company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) which includes free educational programs, since the mass dismissal will cut short the education of the laborers’ children. Let us also hope that the labor department will live up to its function of being the lawful defenders of laborers. Finally, let us be hopeful that Xavier University students will advance from college as learned individuals who can strongly fight for their labor rights and also respect the rights of others.C For comments, suggestions and/or violent reactions, please email the columnist at briny_nacre@ yahoo.com

Vol. 38 No. 2 July 2011

aspi drikka E. Leg

By Nadine Hen

P

icture an outrageously steep mountain with little to no trees and a narrow path that went on for days. Now picture yourself climbing it.

“Ni-abot jud sa point na imong singot ug imong luha kay magtagbo na sa ka kapoy. Sometimes makaquestion ka ngano nag-climb ka.” Clavel Martin Dullesco, president of the Xavier UniversityAteneo Mountaineering Society (XU-AMS), tells The Crusader.

The Climb The XU-AMS group was composed of eight members and two alumni. On June 10, with 50 other people from parts of Northern Mindanao, they set foot for Mt. Kalatungan, a mountain rated 9/9 in terms of difficulty in Pangantucan, Bukidnon. Famed for its “killer” trail, Mt. Kalatungan held true to its difficulty rating as the trail was proving to be treacherous.

Climbers, despite their training months before the trip, were beginning to get cramps, sore bodies, and slowly getting dehydrated. With a two- feet wide trail made complicated by a rugged terrain, climbers had to be extra cautious. One member even got lost along the way and another The

Crusader

Indeed they climbed. They got to the top, and as soon as their digital watches struck nine, they sang with all the strength and soul their tired bodies could muster. The feeling? “Unexplainable.”

“Makatindog siya’g balahibo bai, pag-sing sa National Anthem. Kanang achievement kaayo ba, thinking that we sang the National Anthem and celebrated Independence Day in a unique way.

Tanan na kakapoy kay nag-pay off jud.”

All over the Philippines, they made it— all 5,800 of them. All they’re waiting for is the official certification from Guinness and it’ll be set in stone.

The training, the pain, the cramps, the cold— every hardship they went through in the climb seemed so little compared to the relief and happiness they felt after reaching the top. *** “We only live once, so why not make the best— or the worst— of what life has to offer?

Some adventures are not worth the risk; but to know the value of life, you have to take risks.”

Want something new? Do something new.

Who knows, it might be worth a Guinness.C Special thanks to Clavel Martin Dullesco, from whom all the quotes written in this article were taken.

Sources: News Article on the Philippine Guinness Attempt: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net Blogsite featuring information and discussions on The Freedom Climb. http://www.pinasbackpackers.com

The Top The game plan was to have all the climbers reach the peak of their respective mountains on the morning of June 12th, and when they reach the summits, they were to sing the Philippine National Anthem— in unison— at exactly nine o’clock.

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Design by Jose Alfonso P. Sendaydiego

The Challenge Whilst we were commemorating our 113th Day of Independence by looking up at a raised flag or watching the ceremonies on television, thousands of Filipinos did something more herculean and sweat-drenching. Clavel, along with thousands of other Filipinos from across the archipelago, scaled various mountaintops and raised Philippine flags themselves in the 2011 Freedom Climb, organized by the Alliance of Filipino Mountaineers (AFM/ FIMO).

The Freedom Climb was established as an annual activity in 2009 to commemorate the Philippine Independence Day. This year, aside from showing nationalism, the three-day climb was geared at achieving one novel thing— to break a Guinness World Record for the most people to summit different peaks within a 24-hour period.

succumbed to crying as the temperature fell to as low as 11 degrees in the morning.

Clavel also related that a competition among the climbers seemed to have been brewing. “It’s like we were racing with other mountaineers, kay ga-ilogan namo ang campsite,” he said. Clavel added that many participants that were only enticed by the Guinness attempt and not by the climb itself were being rowdy and inconsiderate to their fellow climbers.

Physical and emotional difficulties aside, Clavel and the rest were in awe in the arresting grandeur of nature. “Makita namo ang beauty sa environment.

Maka-ingon jud ka na ‘Wow. Kani, sayang kayo ni siya kung mapabayaan lang.’” He said that FIMO had plans to rehabilitate the areas they explored as part of the objectives of the Freedom Climb.

Higher and higher up the steep and winding trail they went. The more tired they got, the more they came to question why they decided to climb in the first place. Why on Earth do they climb, anyway?

“We climb because it’s [mountain] there. Ako diay’ng adtoan, kaysa pasagdaan nako siya. By trying, mabal-an nimo na okay diay siya. You’ll keep climbing and mahimo na siya ug sport. Mahimo na dayun ug passion. Something na ma-proud ka,” answers Clavel. “The experience involves what [we] love, so [we] dare to do it… We climb with purpose. We climb responsibly.”

By Maria Therese D. Agcopra and Jacqueline P. Uy

I

t is a universally accepted truth that college professors are as unpredictable as the weather. Depending on the teacher you encounter, they can inspire or depress, teach or terrorize, pass or fail you. Here, we list down the five teachers you are most likely to meet in your four (or more) years in the University, with matching explanations as to why they belong to the Dark Side.

Prof. Xiah Si Kat In one corridor, you’d see five different groups of students pass by and greet her “Hi, Sir!” with happy waves and brash smiles that can pass for a cheerdance audition. It’s the teacher you’ve been aching to have—the well-liked “It” teacher. He willingly gives out his social network account to maintain rapport with students, but as one AB Philo junior puts it, “Pero fail japon kay

6

pag-add nako sa iya, ‘This user has too many friend requests’ na daw.”

Discussions are always presented in a relaxed manner, habitually injected with humor and irrelevant banter that eventuate into an hourlong discussion about past love lives. The discussions are such a breeze you’re absolutely sure you’re going to pass the subject—until you see the exam. “Lingaw kaayo ang discussion. Abi nako lingaw pud ang exam. Kompyansa ra pud ko,” says Paulo, a Business Administration student. You’d have every reason to be angry at the teacher, but the way he encourages you to do better on the next exam makes you want to absolve him of blame instead: The exams are departmental; he had nothing to do with your torture.

Vol. 38 No. 2 July 2011

Mr. Geeko Roman The minute he enters the class, you feel alarmed. There’s an emergency—a fashion emergency. He’s wearing a really tacky, colorfully-striped tie that clashes with his somber-black polo. Or maybe he was just “born this way”. “Maka-intimidate iyang looks,” Accountancy junior Geraldine comments, and adds, “Mukatawa ba ko or dili?”

Prepare to have your nose (and ears) bleed when he starts talking because his terms are epitasis-inducing and his ideas are a little too out of this world. He’s so smart and inquisitive that every oral recitation is like a battle to the death. “Giansweran na nako iyang question, pero gibombahan ko niya ug 100 ka follow-up questions” says a BS Bio senior.

But his jokes are something to keep your interests up, not really because the demandcurve-supply-curve is side-splitting hilarious, but because he makes snorting sounds after the “joke”.

Even with this weird behavior, you refuse to skip class because he’s that particular with the attendance. He doesn’t even appoint a beadle because he wants to check it for himself. Note the trust issues.

Prof. Pedo Dido He walks in the room, gazes at the marvel of beautiful kolehiyalas around him, and shows his signature pedophile grin— just enough to send shivers down the spine of girls and stifle laughs from the boys. He isn’t necessarily the save-the-earth preacher, but he likes to go green. With his jokes, that is. Something would be amiss if he does not insert R18-wisecracks into his discussions, which would leave the room roaring in boisterous laughter. He gives importance to student-teacher interaction by making it a point to have his students star in his jokes or “class-related examples” to make them understand the picture.

Rest assured it’s all for the sake of fun learning. A brief warning from an AB Philo student: “Dili pwede ang oversensitive kay sila ray luoy.”

The

Crusader

*** Admit it, these five kinds of teachers are those you’d strive to avoid at all costs and by all means possible. You line up early every enrolment just to not be with them. But sometimes—make that most of the time— they can still creep on us unnoticed, masked by the awfully short pseudonym: TBA.C

Illustration and design by Rico M. Magallona

Sir Zzzzz…

Can we skip this part? Talking about this type of teacher is already boring in itself.

Every day is just a flashback of the past meeting –he neatly places his things on the desk, coughs out a bit, greets the class and asks them to take a seat, after which the students prepare to take an hour’s-worth of nap. Then he makes a roll call in a monotonous voice quite similar in effect to Jigglypuff ’s. If boredom kills, you could have been dead one too many times.

The class is one you barely even remember, but it’s one that lasts for what seems like years.

Maybe it’s just our watches being 10-minutes advanced, or “Dugay [lang] jud siya mu-dismiss.

Tilokon jud ang oras, usahay sobra pa.” says a BS DevCom student. As the semester nears its end, his class population declines.

His students have decided to avail of their seven allowable absences.

Prof. Kina Catacutan If you’re running ten minutes late, don’t bother barging into this teacher’s class. You might be in for one of the most embarrassing moments of your college life. The, “trapik man, Ma’am” excuse won’t make the cut, and you will be fined an oral recitation on a topic you didn’t even know existed. But if everyone in class is punctual, expect wild cheering, excessive happy vibes and a resonating “2 minutes nalang, free cut na!” from the whole class.

But if she does come in late, everybody is expected to be at their best behavior, avoiding unnecessary chitchat with seatmates. It’s her way or the highway. It must be a tagline or something, but whoever you ask about this teacher, there’s always the uniform response: “Ah kana? Mamagsakay mana!”

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By Dhar yl Je

an A. Indin

o and Bianca

Nathalie Y.

Llamis

On fresh faces While it is true that we bid adieu to a good number of seniors last year, the school remains a crowded institution with 3,251 freshmen added to its population.

Lady freshies lead the pack with a total of 1,775 enrollees whereas the turnout for males sits at 1,476. Currently XU is accommodating more than 10,900 students in different undergraduate and graduate programs.

Counted among the freshmen is Fr. Roberto “Bobby” C. Yap, SJ, the new University President. Succeeding Fr. Jose Ramon T. Villarin after the latter was appointed to head Ateneo de Manila University, this chinky-eyed man holds bachelor degrees in Economics and Sacred Theology, masters in Theology, Economics, and Public Policy, and a doctorate in Economics.

Among the new kids in the block are the CCS Wizards, belonging to the newlyopened College of Computer Studies (CCS) which recently claimed its autonomy from the College of Engineering. Its students, a mix of BS Computer Studies undergraduates and BS Information Systems freshmen, are collectively known as the Wizards.

Donna Belle Borja, the first president of the newly-formed Computer Studies Student Council, had this to say about their sudden shift from Warriors to Wizards. “Makamingaw kaayo kay naanad na man gud mi sa among previous college labi na pag mag-cheer na.”

On brick and mortar It’s not only the Wizards who will be feeling a shift from the familiar. Co-curricular and extra-curricular organizations will soon move from their respective offices, if any, to a bigger space in the newly opened Magis Student Complex (MSC). These organizations will be sharing the entire second floor with the three departments of the Office of Student Affairs. The canteen will also be relocated to the first level of the MSC, along with a new XU book store.

In another part of the campus, construction is also ongoing for a different building: the Xavier University-Pryce Student Entrepreneurship Center. The three-storey building will serve as an open market for feasibility study businesses and at the same time an alternative entrance to the campus.

In the upper floors are the office and training room of the Student Entrepreneurship Program.

The building, set to be XU’s student mall is the universities counterpart to the 10-million donation made by Pryce Incorporated.

The latter donated the money to foot the maintenance expense of the building, as well as the scholarships of students who show aptitude in business.

While there are only two new buildings being constructed, XU has acquired another building outside its walls. The Maria Reyna Hospital is now a sister institution of the University, and has been renamed the Maria Reyna-Xavier University Hospital. It will be integrated as the new training ground for students from the Jose P. Rizal School of Medicine and the College of Nursing.

On changes The Wednesday scheme was finally put into effect on June this year. Classes are now held on a biweekly basis, leaving Wednesday free for either longer classes or organizational activities. The class times have also been lengthened to an hour and fifteen minutes each on all class days.

Since the start, however, there has been confusion regarding the nature and flow of

the system. Many have wondered why they still have classes on what was thought to be class-free Wednesdays.

Central Student Government president Mario L. Tero II clarifies that the newlyrealized system does not automatically translate to not having classes on Wednesdays.

It merely states that the day will be used as a special day for make-up classes, laboratory classes and student activities.

“It was implemented to cater to the academic concerns of the students and to improve their scholastic performance,” says Tero. The jury’s still out as to whether this will be continued in the coming semesters, given its rocky start.

A flipside to the aforementioned is the new tuition fee increase of 5%, which came at the heels of the fluctuating prices in gas and commodities. Objectively speaking, however, we could not also fault the University for needing the cash to pay for all the new facilities and developments we are set to enjoy this year. *** Just as the city busies itself with various constructions, XU is on the roll in keeping up with the ever- growing demands of its community members. We could only aspire these changes are geared at positive and longterm effects the way they should be.C Sources: Fr. Roberto Yap will be XU’s next president. (www.damarre.wordpress.com) The New Xavier University – Maria Reyna Hospital. (www.cdokay.com) Xavier University opens College of Computer Studies. (www.sunstar.com.ph) Special thanks to Mr. Don Manuelo O. Patrimonio and Mr. Ermin Stan B. Pimentel.

Design By Kristoffer James L. Nambatac

A

s Xavier University ushers in the new school year, students are welcomed by displays of developments in its façade and academia. The campus is literally buzzing with the sounds of construction.

Upperclassmen will have also noticed the new faces hanging out at the stone benches these days. The Crusader zooms in on the many changes and face lifts our campus is currently having.

By Robert A. Villaluz Jr.

Design by Haiko B. Magtrayo and Jose Alfonso P. Sendaydieigo

I

t is often a point of pride, albeit a minor one, that Xavier University is one of the first Wi-Fi-ready schools in the city. It boasts of Wi-Fi hotspots all around the campus for the students’ and staff ’s convenience. But although the Wi-Fi service is ideally beneficial, it still remains a topic of great perplex for the students. Is the entire campus really Wi-Fi-ready? How strong is the connection? How come there are passwords required by some hotspots when it’s supposed to be free for everyone?

the stronger your connection will be.

Other factors which affect the strength of connection are network congestion and technical problems, among others.

Public Wi-Fi access points are the connections that anyone from the campus can connect to. The three CISO-managed public hotspots in XU are located in the library, CIT building and GIS office in the Agriculture building.

There are also a number of access points which are detectable but are not

How connected are we?

An undergraduate student pays P514 (P778 for the College of Computer Studies students) for the ICT development fee. This fee covers the internet access in laboratories, purchase of software programs, virus and spyware protections, online subscriptions on the university computers, and the school’s Wi-Fi connectivity.

Currently, there is a total of three access points in the campus. Managed

by Computing and Information Services Office (CISO), these Wi-Fi access points are detectable within 20 meters of distance indoor and the range increases outdoors.

The nearer you are to the access point,

CISO-deployed. Hence, the authority to require a password belongs to the respective owners.

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Increasing connectivity Spearheaded by Director Harriet B. Fernandez, CISO has purchased eight new wireless access points for the University.

Six of which will be distributed to each floor of the library, one for the School of Medicine and the remaining will be sent to the High School campus. CISO is positive that all access points will be implemented this semester.

But that’s not where the developmental plan stops. Ms. Fernandez explains, “We [CISO] are planning to buy another 12

[wireless access points] to blanket the open spaces of this campus. Actually, this is already planned for this school year.

We already have the approval from our University Treasurer to buy these access points. So, 12 plus eight—it is really a campus-wide implementation of the WiFi access points.” As soon as these plans will be realized, more than 80% of the XU campus will be Wi-Fi enabled.

Connecting everyone The use of Wi-Fi may only be utilized by those who have capable devices, but those who do not can still reap the benefits of paying the ICT development fee by visiting internet laboratories in the Student Center (StC) and Social Sciences building. As of press time, however, only the StC laboratory is open for use.

All these are part of the efforts of CISO to encourage the university to start learning and using the power of computing and information technology. While pursuing these efforts, the CISO asks students to be patient and await the fruition of their extensive plans.

As Mr. Francis Lee Mondia of CISO said in full confidence, “We have a lot of ongoing projects for the benefit of the students.

Next year sure would be insightful. We have plenty of plans. And it will be done.”

Soon enough, anyone in the campus could access the internet anywhere they situate. The Wi-Fi campaign is one of the ways to blanket the campus with Internet access, making XU a better place of learning.C

Vol. 38 No. 2 July 2011

By Ressan Nash N. Alonto and Sahara Iman M. Alonto

J

ust because Xavier University is a Catholic University doesn’t mean it closes its doors for people of other faiths. If you’re a Muslim student looking to suffice your spiritual needs and meet students of the same faith, SIRA’J is the organization for you.

SIRA’J-Muslim Religious Organization is the official Islamic organization of the university under the auspices of the XU-United Religious Organizations (XU-URO). Founded in June 2001, it is dedicated to the unity of the Muslim students in the university, and to promote universal peace and understanding.

The

Crusader

SIRA’J: 10 years in the making Central to the activities of SIRA’J is the inculcation of the value of mandatory prayers.

Initially, performing prayers were excruciating for SIRA’J members owing to the cramped condition of their previous prayer room located at Lucas Hall. At times, men even had to endure the blaze of the sun as they prayed in the soccer field. Now situated at STC 304, their office is symbolic of the SIRA’J leaders’ pursuit to provide Muslim students a comfortable venue for their prayers.

In SIRA’J’s ten years of existence, it has rekindled the spirituality of their members through proper adherence to the laws of Islam, says a current SIRA’J officer. They fought for the rights of their women to wear appropriate uniforms, provided Islamic lectures and activities, requested the finance office to alleviate the queuing process for the Muslims during Ramadan, and prompted the integration of the Muslim Religious Studies in the university’s curriculum. Over the past 10 years, SIRA’J has also helped in forming promising student leaders such as former CSG president Hapsah Baunto and Dangal ng Bayan awardee Ridwan Landasan.

*** The quote “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” reminds us of how cooperation unites us to achieve goals. For SIRA’J, it shows how far they have gone to become dedicated volunteers for the good of the community: for Mindanao, the country, and eventually, the world.

“The believers are but a single brotherhood.

Make peace and reconciliation between your two (contending) brothers and fear God so that you may receive mercy.”– Al-Hujurat: 10C www.thecrusaderpub.com

11

Illustration and Design By Richard Mars Caberte

Embracing the past Mona Pangan, campus minister and current moderator of SIRA’J, says that the organization traces its roots back in 2000, when she gathered nine Muslim students to lobby the importance of organizing the Muslims in Xavier University. In June 2001, SIRA’J received the green light to proceed with its operations as a religious organization under XUURO. As in any other organization, SIRA’J had its share of growth difficulties. Pangan shares that during its inception, there were suspicion and trust issues. “[But] later, they’re able to embrace it and [they’re] happy with it, especially [since] we provide them [with] the Muslim vision and spiritual formation.” While being a Muslim organization, SIRA’J also manages to incorporate the values of St. Francis and St. Ignatius into their various programs.

“Their values are universal,” explains Pangan.

Another challenge punctuated the growth of SIRA’J in 2001 when the United States came under attack during 9/11, putting the international community’s perception of Islam in jeopardy. A rise of anti-Islamic sentiment emerged, but here in XU, “it was just too little; kasi the trust is still there,” says Pangan.

Building the present for a promising future Today, SIRA’J remains a potent Muslim student organization with an apostolate of outreach to the madrasahs (Islamic schools) and the poor through the Muslim Religious Studies program.

From the pioneering nine to around 200 members, SIRA’J has become not only a unifying factor among Muslim students, but also an inspiration to other Muslim communities in other schools. Acmad Pundaodaya, a SIRA’J member for five years, prides that the organization has helped Muslim students in other universities in their intention to build a similar organization.

Within the organization, building rapport amongst its members is on top of their agenda, says Muhammad Nur Muti, president of SIRA’J. “Naay symposiums, gatherings sa mga Muslim students sa Xavier and … sa Cagayan. Then, naa pay sportsfest, nay basketball league, and ‘Amazing Race’. Tanan boys and girls naa[y] [activities],”shares Muti, adding that he hopes for a stronger and more cohesive Muslim community in the campus.

Pangan shares the same vision, saying, “I am really looking at SIRA’J as leaders for peace, [and] that they’re able to [share] what they have learned in the University to their local communities.”

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S. M Stephen

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pon being made public, the Reproductive Health Bill had created a tumultuous amount of controversy and has been a seasoned ground for argument between its critics and supporters. Here, we take a feel of the vehement and untamed face-off between those who are for and against the RH Bill.C

“There are many components of the RH Bill, including the urgency to address the country’s high maternal death rate and the need to lay down a national policy on family planning,” – Pia Cayetano, senator

Design by Francis Ryan Avellana

“…This agenda toes a misguided proposition that a way to end poverty is to control family size.

We fear that this myopic and guilt-flogging view will give undue pressure on women to control their reproductive functions and may lead to further violation and sacrifice of women’s health, rights and welfare. “ –GABRIELA, women’s rights partylist “The RH bill is very helpful through educating the youth about the hazards of sex, and how they should approach this dangerous topic. Ignorance is bliss, but it is evil if you do not have knowledge about something that you could learn. But, when you have this knowledge, it is up to the person on how to use this piece of information. With knowledge comes great responsibility” -Milagros Catherine A. Rivera, chairperson of XU Philosophy Department “On the moral issue, I think the Catholic Church is against that because it defeats the purpose of marriage…to procreate, to reproduce.” -Dino Montilla, Area Coordinator, PolSci Department, XU

“Hin ang k -Rep

“I do not know whether my perception is correct, but they might be falling in a cul de sac (bottom of the bag). It is better to kill or to prevent the birth of people than to bring them into being. That’s what this bill says to me. I will vote against the RH Bill as it is. There is no question about it.”

- Juan Ponce Enrile, senate president “I am pro for a simple reason. It’s a rational solution to a very current problem. I think the problem on population deserves to be looked at on the physical instead of the metaphysical and theological. As such, we have to be positivistic in everything we think. [We should] embrace what development has afforded us at present because these steps will take us further than our traditions. “ -Don A. Velez, XU Sociology teacher “…It is also they [parents] who have the primary inalienable right and responsibility to nurture them, care for them, and educate them that they might grow as mature persons according to the will of the Creator…We condemn compulsory sex education that would effectively let parents abdicate their primary role of educating their own children, especially in an area of life – sexuality – which is a sacred gift of God.” -Nereo P. Odchimar, D.D, President, CBCP “I am dismayed by preachers telling parishioners that support for the RH Bill ipso facto (by the fact itself) is a serious sin or merits excommunication! I find this to be irresponsible.”

-Fr. Joaquin G. Bernas S. J., Dean Emeritus of Ateneo Law School

ndi [RH bill] ang solusyon para sa kahirapan. Ang solusyon sa kahirapan ay sugpuin korupsyon, dahil ‘yan ang talagang pumipinsala at nagpapahirap sa mga tao,” p. Manny Pacquiao “The people are for it. Whatever measure you take, whether it’s Social Weather Station (SWS) or Manny Pacquiao -- people are for it because they live with poverty and misery everyday so they want also some help from their church and from their government,” -Edgardo Angara, senator “We should respect and defend life because it is very important, it is God-given.

Unfortunately, there are people who want to kill the unborn child inside the womb of their mothers,”- Bishop Emilio Marquez of Lucena City “The bill is not antilife. It is pro-quality life. It will ensure that children will be blessings for their parents since their births are planned and wanted. This will not only strengthen the family as a unit but also optimize care for children who will have more opportunities to be educated, healthy and productive.” -Rep. Edcel C. Lagman, main proponent of the Bill

“____________________________________” -You

Sources: Sen. Pia Cayetano to push for RH bill in 2011, GMA News, Philippines: To propel RH Bill, Gabriela seeks removal of population control provisions, Asian Correspondent ,Choosing Life, Rejecting the RH Bill, CBCP News, The Controversy Behind The Reproductive Health Bill, edcellagman.com.ph, Bishops step up anti-RH fight, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Bakit Ako Naninindigan Para sa RH Bill, abs-cbnnews.com, Pacquiao voices stand vs RH bill, abs-cbnnews.com, Sen. Angara throws support to RH bill, Philippine Daily Inquirer, My stand on the RH Bill, Philippine Daily Inquirer, RH Bill war heats up, Philippines Graphic

Illustration and Design by Feliciano T. Legara IV

G

rand parades. Catchy artistic performances. Class and work suspensions.

We Filipinos know how to commemorate.

We came a long way earning our independence and we don’t plan on forsaking it just yet.

At 113 years, we have since owned land, expressed countless opinion and elected numerous leaders. The fact that we have declared it, that we are democratic, and that we are a separate country are proofs that the Philippines is truly an independent state – NOT! Reality bites: Some of the most critical decisions we make are still being deferred to foreign influence; the authenticity of our independence itself is prevailing. When all these are said and done, are we really what we say we are?

A bad timing On June 12, 1898 Emilio Aguinaldo decided to declare an independent Tagalog Republic. The rest of the Filipinos, ever hooked to Manila Imperialism, were quick on the bandwagon. It wasn’t too long before everyone has finally misconstrued Aguinaldo’s whole proclamation and the Philippines was eventually, fighting for independence. Fighting. Because with Filipinos declaring a country independent and the country actually BEING independent are two different things entirely.

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A disillusioning anticlimax, the US proceeded to take control of the Philippines from Spain six months into Aguinaldo’s insurrection – much to the embarrassment of his de facto government. It was only until 50 years later, on July 4, 1946, that the country had become truly independent via the Treaty of Manila. The Republic of the Philippines that ensued shared the same Independence Day with its former colonizer until President Diosdado Macapagal moved it back to June 12 on 1962, around 18 years later. “[The first declaration of independence was] all form, no substance,” cites a History expert. True enough, the Philippines did not even fit the bill of a sovereign state because Aguinaldo and his insurgent government was far from administering it. Other experts also suggest that reverting the date of independence back to June 12 was merely intended to uplift the spirit of nationalism, an effort to step out of the US’ shadow.

“Nobody can exactly tell if… [the 1898 proclamation] was the correct decision,” explains an expert in Political Science. “It was just that time… when people were very excited about it... [But] we ended up realizing that it was not timely because we have not understood it very well.”

Indeed, much has been misunderstood of our independence, more so of the people who were allegedly central to its ideation.

Rizal, for one, remains a mega-magnet

for controversy: “Rizal never advocated independence; he was trying to visualize what the Philippines would be if Spain [had made] us into a province, which would mean equal voice [in] Parliament, which... meant equal rights for Indios as citizens of Spain,” confirms the History expert. It simply cannot be said, therefore, that Rizal actually died for independence, only that he, along with others such as Apolinario Mabini, thought it was just not ripe enough. “If we had waited until that [right] time,” adds the expert, “we could have had a more stable [independence]... I see former colonies who are not ‘hinog sa pilit’; when they finally got their own independence, the... development [was smoother] than not.”

The art of sway Thanks to the late Ferdinand Marcos, the Constitution of the Philippines isn’t as American/Cuban as it used to be during the 1946 proclamation. Marcos succeeded in designing the 1973 Constitution for the Filipino people.

In spite of this, Marcos still admits: “It is very difficult to fight America.” This ominous prophecy proved true as the US, an established superpower even then, still tightened her grip on the Filipino people and their resources. Not only did the West influence our language, art and media – resulting in “[cultural] degradation” – but it Vol. 38 No. 2 July 2011

permeated the government scene invariably.

“All our presidents were really boys and girls of the United States… it’s the reality. We cannot fight America,” confirms the Political Science expert. “There is no president in the Philippines that does not get support from the United States... even Cory Aquino.”

The History expert offers the recent US’ ban on rival Chinese products as an example of how foreign control can compromise political sovereignty: “When the US tried to... ban Chinese toys, Chinese products and everything... the Filipino government did not… ban [them], but it also did not take a stand [with the US]. [We were caught in the] silent middle, because [the Philippines] was afraid to offend its... Chinese-Filipino citizens, and at the same time [it was] careful not to offend Uncle Sam.” Deferment to foreign players, the expert believes, is a trait unbecoming of an independent state.

Domestic independence The US did not lose its control when it formally relinquished sovereignty on the Philippine islands over to its people during the Treaty of Manila. The Philippines had subjected itself to American approval for so long that it couldn’t break the habit.

Desperate of sovereignty, it gave in to US’ insistence of passing the Bell Trade Act two days before the proclamation, a blunder which would not only extend its colonizer’s influence for the next 9 years, but mock the very idea of independence itself. The act The

Crusader

had provided the US one last opportunity to exploit and tinker on the resources, trade and exchange rates of what was supposedly already an independent country.

Since 1955, the Bell Trade Act is a thing of the past; the Philippine economy is much more liberalized externally but domestic economies have now become highly importdependent. It’s not so much a question of who’s utilizing our resources anymore as it is now a matter of citing which economic policies are actually hindering local growth. Traumatized from ages of foreign exploitation has made the Filipino lawmaker believe that protectionist economic policies would actually foster progress. Alas, the irony: the Philippine economy imports more than it exports – so that it can export.

The continuing high cost of domestic industry has resulted in it being less and less competitive.

The cycle is perpetual: home and domestic industries are weak due to the high cost of production brought about by overt protectionist policies, resulting in the production of mediocre local goods, resulting in minimal consumption, resulting in less domestic input base. In other words: “Any efforts to strengthen the internal chain of production would require the government to address economic policy reforms that deal with the key problems regarding the promotion of improved competition,” writes Gerardo P. Sicat, professor emeritus of the UP School of Economics.

A local expert in economics, furthermore,

suggests a much more practical approach: “If we are actually inclined to the fact [that] we would rather prefer our own product[s] [or improve them in that case], then even if there would be international or foreign investors... it wouldn’t matter because [we will] still... buy our own product[s]. So, it’s a mindset. Culture, tradition – these are very strong factors that actually [either] impede economic growth or prosper an economy.” *** The Philippine Independence is an ongoing progress – all fronts of it. We may be democratic, but we choose to use our freedom in ways that have since undermined our sovereignty. For the selfdeprecating Filipino, it is nothing more but a state of mind too difficult to embark, too complicated and frightening to actualize.

Nevertheless our local experts remain hopeful. Collectively, they all agree: We may achieve independence within this lifetime when – and only when – we become domestically competitive and choose, once and for all, to rehabilitate our distasteful fetish for foreign domination.C Names of some experts and respondents were undisclosed upon request of anonymity.

Sources: “Economy” by Travel Document Systems. (http://www.traveldocs.com/).

“Economic theory in retrospect” by Mark Blaug. (Cambridge University Press).

“CROSS ROADS” (Toward Philippine Economic and Social Progress) by Gerardo P. Sicat. (http://www.philstar.com/).

Angeles City celebrates 113th Philippine Independence Day. (http://traveltoangelescity. com/).

www.thecrusaderpub.com

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entino

By Princess E. Tol

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Design by Jose Alfonso P. Sendaydiego

s the Church stepping out of line in its intervention on political affairs?

The Roman Catholic Church’s strong involvement in political decisions makes it evident that we are very dependent on its influence. Though we are not going as far back as the Spanish era when the Church practically dominated almost all spheres of life, doing whatever the Church dictates in an attempt to keep our conservative culture connotes that the Church and State are not separated as they should be.

Power vs. personal opinion A priest in Baguio City summoned the supporters of the controversial RH Bill to leave the mass and referred to RH bill activist Risa Hontiveros’ stand as “pangit,” generating negative reactions from people involved.

“Don’t use the pulpit, which belongs to all the lay people, as attack vantage point,” Hontiveros told ABS-CBN. In Ateneo de Manila University, faculty members who published their support of the RH bill were told to resign by Fr. James Reuter, S.J. They “have no right to teach in Ateneo de Manila University,” said the Jesuit priest. It was understood that the ideas the bill promotes were against the views of ADMU. But wouldn’t that make freedom of speech not an absolute right?

Here in XU, however, Fr. Roberto “Bobby” Yap states, “[XU] as a Catholic university, in our classrooms…we will always promote and teach…Catholic faith and morals…but we are a university and we want to develop critical thinking…and therefore, we support efforts of people in different sides of the issue…to discuss in a meaningful…way.”

That, we shall.

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Safeguarding morality There is a moral aspect in politics that the Church claims responsibility in monitoring, according to Msgr. Eutiquiano Leitimas PC, SSJV, the parish priest of San Antonio.

The Church, he claims, has a big role in the running of the state, not economically, but to see that “everything is in order” morally and spiritually. On the issue of the RH Bill, he points out that the economic problem it is intended to solve boils down to corruption, not population growth.

The Church, both the individual believers and the institutional entity, cannot just keep silent. Why? “Because we are citizens,” he stressed. Regarding the oftentouted separation between Church and State, he adds, “There is no such real separation [...] because everything involves morality and spirituality. [...] It is our calling, not an initiative.” He stressed that the Church must not compromise the importance of life and the teachings of the Church.

Msgr. Leitimas admits that Church interventions can lead to misunderstanding and division. He maintains, however, that the Church did prove to have given good outcomes in political events, most notably the church’s active participation in the EDSA I revolution led by Cardinal Jaime Sin. The Church’s freedom of speech Atty. Dick Carlo Cabanglas from the Hall Of Justice confirms that the Church has an absolute power when it comes to theological issues pertaining to beliefs. “They have a widespread influence[…]so most ultimately, they work behind the scenes to influence the policy making.”

In the Philippine constitution, does the Church have a vote? No. The state has a broader perspective when it comes to political and especially economic issues.

In the ANC special, Strictly Politics: Church And State, Xiao Chua, VP, Philippine Historical Association, contests that “the Catholic Church is just being the Catholic Church.” He expects the Church leaders to

speak their mind but in the same time, they ought to also expect the government to enact policies to protect the welfare of the people.

Referring to the RH bill and the divorce bill, Atty. Cabanglas explains, “Admittedly, there are moral issues involved but most of them are not caused by the implementation of these laws but by the possibility of their abuse. […] That’s where the moral issue comes in.” *** The Church may not be stepping out of line as it appears to be just doing everything under its power to influence public opinion.

But some people behind the Church go as far as casting out those with divergent views and commanding what stance the Catholics must take. This seems to be infringing human’s fundamental free will. In an article

by Carlos Palad, a young Christian apologist, taking a stand on the issue will no longer rely on the dictation of the Church but on human reason.

The Church has good intentions, but when can we say enough is enough? Yes, we are a nation with strong conservative values, but the truth is, we have to be open to social change. How else would we achieve progress in our culture and economy? Cultivating opinions is healthy, but going as extreme as controlling public perception on political affairs is overkill.C Sources: “ANC Strictly Politics: Church and State” (www.youtube.com) “Art. IX, C, Section 2(5)”; “Art. VI, sec. 5(2)”The 1987 Constitution of The Republic of The Philippines “McDonald’s Commercial Banned” (www.hop.ph) “MOS: Church and State” (www.kabataannews.com) “Philippines: Pray, Put Politics Aside” by Fabio Scarpello (www. atimes.com) “Priest tells RH bill supporters to leave Mass” by Jeff Canoy (www.abs-cbnnews.com) “Pro-RH bill Ateneo teachers are free to go—Fr. Reuter” (www.newsinfo.inquirer.net) “Secularism: A Hidden Danger” by Carlos Palad, Defensores Fidei Foundation (www.defensoresfidei.com)

Vol. 38 No. 2 July 2011

Gunning roses Ma. Rosetti G. Villamor

was in risk to close down for good after being threatened if they don’t deliver Php5million on a certain date. They didn’t, and I guess they were scared because they stopped admitting patients temporarily for a time.

I say that they have every right to be scared. Nobody had any idea who these people (who apparently can’t find other more people-friendly ways to get money) are. The families of the people who work in the hospital were all in danger. Even the patients themselves were in danger. Worst case scenario would probably come with a gift-wrapped bomb destroying the hospital and eating a chunk of the buildings around it--including the Engineering building.

But imagine what WILL happen if the

to face. Remember, they don’t have guns.

They use syringes and pills for weapons.

Then there’s the case of XU’s Medicine and Nursing students assigned in the hospital.

German Doctors might as well be the most convenient place to practice their soon-tobe profession. If the hospital closes down, the students would have to be relocated somewhere else and we are all aware of the student surplus in hospitals around the city.

Every single day, the people inside German Doctors are fighting a battle. For the patients, it’s a fight for their lives. For the students, volunteers, employees, it’s a fight to keep the patients alive. The moment these volunteers flee to safety, all hope is lost for the patients.

of the poor over their own.

Thank God for volunteers to their name. Thank God, a people willing to fight for and hospital from threats. Accordin released press statements, XU de Oro City’s local authorities side by side to provide heighte around both the hospital and ca So heave your friend up, jus Doctors did and prepare to ge battlefield. Both of you WILL of there alive despite all odds soldier friends are bound to cove the school and the city is cover Doctors. As wise little Stitch w “Nobody gets left behind.”C

COMMENTARY

Campus Nuisance

T

By Jacqueline P. Uy

oo much of something is never good at each other, making tiny little steps (which performance of XU students in the process? for anyone. And at that, noise is no is all they can make, really, considering the I find myself dying to hear my teacher instead exception. If you’ve got classes at the number of people they have to make way of the construction commotion outside but I Aggies or SC building, chances are you are a through) just to get to their next class on time. fail to do so each time, so I end up not listening victim of the unpleasant bangs done by the And then you end up arriving to class late, at all. And instead of trying hard to get to my construction work right outside of it. Worse, and the discussion just doesn’t make sense next class earlier, I end up just standing and waiting for ten minutes before I make my way your teacher’s voice is just slightly louder than anymore. a whisper and compared to the noise outside, Don’t get me wrong – I know the through so I won’t get caught up in the traffic. you hear… nada, really. There goes your failed numerous amount of construction work Hence, I get late. new year’s resolution (which is to do well in being done around campus is for the future I frankly don’t know what right measures school this year), yet again. benefit of everyone and the human traffic to take to make the situations better but After class, you rush your way to the is probably just a by-product of the rainy I think the big heads out there ought to Editor’s Note Commerce building using the bridges to weather, therefore inducing more students to think it through. Before thinking of the There has some confusion thethecirculation of the make your life sobeen much easier.

Not. Theregarding ten use bridges instead of June just passing the wide future benefits the nuisance right now may The tabloid allotted issue ofper Crusader, owingway to the that some weren’t minutes student to make for fact grounds filledstudents with water puddles everywhere. bring to us, why not think of today as well? able tofrom receive copy.to another is never Or then again, maybe the XU corridors are too Make a compromise. Don’t sacrifice today getting his their one class We wish to clarify thefoot monthly tabloid, released first Monday enough at this point. Toothat much traffic is narrow forevery the growing number of Ateneans. for tomorrow, because the former is just as The Crusader 2,000 to copies are the academic important as the latter.C of the month, are special issues happening.

XU students bump theirofshoulders Butand do only we have sacrifice circulated.

A new feat this year, the tabloids are part of our effort to provide you Editor’s Note with timely and relevant information. These are supplementary materials to the magazines that we are mandated to publish. Add to that, a limited edition literary be published in August.

It’sand our art 76thfolio yearwill of existence and we, here in TheCrusader Publication, are more excited to serve than ever before.

From the usualof and mandatory two issues semester, Three-fourths a century’s worthpublication of campus of journalism has per ingrained in us the value of truth and the gravity of vigilance and activism. And The these we promise uphold for 75 years and more.

Crusader, this to semester, hasanother expanded to publish not only the two required But as we forward to realize this tradition, weand alsoone seekfolio). to redefine campus journalism. We hope to grow from a student paper presenting magazines, butmove also four special issues(three tabloids factsPlease and exposing issuesfor forthe a critically-aware student body to becoming a multi-platform student press -- active in the resolution of the issues we shed refer below release schedule of The Crusader issues for the lightsemester. on and inductive of morally-sound actions from the students. first The Among the many projects we streamlined henceforth, we are happy to hand you the pilot issue of Crusader Publication’s monthly tabloid in our to keep youcopies) abreast with the latest in and outside the university. These regularly-released tabloids are another source for your Juneeffort tabloid (2, 000 July news 5, 2011 information needs, complimentary to our magazines and website. A total of six tabloids and four magazines is planned to be released throughout the AY starter magazine (7, 500 copies) July 25, 2011 year. Add to that the release of the Veritas literary and art folio slated this coming August.

July tabloid (2, 000 copies) August 1, 2011 Apart from these publications, we have come forward to include efforts in events-organizing and social outreach programs in further pursuit of and vision. art folio (2, 500 copies) August 18, 2011 our Literary mission and August (2, 000 copies) September 2011 Central tabloid to our intentions this year is the Paglaum: Kaalam5,alang sa Kabatan-onan, the social outreach arm of TheCrusader Publication. After the revival Sports Magazine (7, Adopt-a-library 500 copies) project September 30, 2011last year, we’re all geared up, among others, for the second wave of this endeavor. of the Sharing the Light: with STREAMS As for the events, watch out for the 1st Literary and Art Festival, a celebration of Atenean artistry, this August where we’ll be launching CruTV, a Shouldvideo you, documentary, for some reason, fail to receive of film-showing any of the issues, bimonthly and Popcorn Nights,a acopy regular activity. Next semester will equally be filled with activities as we stage the 1st Northern Students Congressand andmade the 2012 Meet in the Press. don’t fret; the Mindanao pdf file ofCommunication all the issues will be uploaded available The We are excited.

And are plenty of reasons why.

Crusader website at there www.thecrusaderpub@yahoo.com To aa new new age To age of of campus campusjournalism, journalism,

Ryan Louie G. Madrid Editor-in-Chief

Hilarity... (from page 3)

Before the start of each sh was passed around for donat treatment of a Xavier Stage m was diagnosed with cancer, to audience willingly gave what The plays were laden with delig Bisaya twists and lines that gav local feel. Everyone in the audie up in laughter at every punch lin The comical sound-effects co the cast’s hilariously exaggera and superb acting in both pl The two comedies, aside immensely entertaining, sho trademark Filipino trait of ties and friendships that wer in a way that was uniquely Xav

Three Jesuit (from page 3)

of Catholic Schools from 1 director of the Jesuit Basic Commission in the Philippines 2008.

In honor of their gold Jesuits, a thanksgiving mass

by SJ provincial Fr. Jose Ceci followed by a reception at courts attended by relatives of the celebrators.

Two jubilarians, Fr. Simeon Rey Thomas B. Steinberg, were als to be recognized in the o were unable to attend becaus reasons. Both are now based i

“Asa nalang ang mga pareha namo nga pobre ug wala’y ikabayad sa hospital, luoy kaayo.”

That was the harrowing confession of Condradisa Gutang, mother of little Princess Pauline, a patient of German Doctors Hospital (GDH), who shares the sentiments of other indigents from all over the region who solely rely on the free medical services of the GDH.

Sources: “Communists not behind extort try on Committee of German Doctors” by Cong Corrales (www.mindanews.com) “German docs may pull out amid extort try” by BenCyrus G. Ellorin (www.mindanews.com) “Threat prompts closure of German hospital in Oro” by Annabelle L. Ricalde(www.sunstar.com.ph)

The princess in need Princess is a six-year-old child and has been in Cagayan de Oro since January 2011 under the caring arms of GDH. Young as she is, she has had two major operations: the first one, for her appendicitis and a cyst in her uterus and the second, to treat a kind of tumor at the base of the tailbone known as sacrococcygeal teratoma, mostly found in newborns and young children.

Mother and daughter came all the way from Iligan City just to avail of the free medical services GDH provides. In fact, it was their doctor in one of Iligan’s public hospitals that referred them to GDH. Condradisa admitted it was hard for both of them to leave their family behind. Princess has four other siblings, all of whom are being taken care of by different relatives. The frail, little girl barely got to spend time with her newborn baby sister before she had to be whisked away due to her health condition.

“Bag-o pa ko nanganak adtong November [2010],” says the mother. “Tapos mag-two months pa akong anak [the youngest]…sa January [2011], akong gibiyaan. Gisakripisyo lang jud nako siya’g biya para lang jud sa iyang magulang.”

Ever since, Princess’ daily routine was filled with follow-up check ups, laboratories and waiting in line for the free food the hospital offers to their patients. If she’s not dreaming in one of the surgical wards, she’s sharing a room with other patients at a building owned

by GDH known as the Mother House.

Instead of little girls her age, she has nurses and doctors as friends who supply her with coloring books, crayons and even sandals.

By Hannah Mae S. Salugsugan and Ma. Rosetti G. Villamor as far as Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental to join the rally.

In response to the issue, City Mayor Vicente Y. Emano ordered Cagayan de Oro City Police Office Director Gerardo Rosales to provide full security at German Doctors Hospital.

Misplaced extortion It was on June 25, 2011 when the GDH temporarily stopped its operation due to the extortion attempt done purportedly by members of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), who later denied the criminal act. The unidentified group demanded P5 million payment of revolutionary tax from the hospital while accusing the GDH of “masquerading in helping and aiding the masses to accumulate more funds from abroad,” and for “giving false hopes to the masses.”

The extortion was attempted through a hand-carried letter sent to the hospital on June 8, which caused apprehensions to both hospital volunteers and patients the following days.

The knights in white German doctors, who call themselves volunteers, have been serving the medical needs of mostly poor patients in Cagayan de Oro and three other charity health institutions in Valencia City and Buda in Quezon, Bukidnon for the past 25 years.

The foreign doctors have been giving free medicines, surgical operations, consultation and other medical services to patients who cannot afford to get professional help from private hospitals. Aside from that, they also hold seminars on health and nutrition in remote rural communities.

Dietmar Schug, hospital country director, said they are servicing at least 650 out-patients everyday in their three hospitals.

“We do not treat patients based on their creed, race or political beliefs. The only qualification that we require to receive treatment is that you are poor and could not afford medical attention,” he said in an interview with MindaNews.

Refuting the claim of the extortionist group, Schug also said that they do not accumulate the funds and grants they receive from abroad since they spend it for their operations in the Philippines. He also cited that the GDH, being a small non-government organization, only relies on the willingness of German doctors to do voluntary work.

With this, hundreds of patients suffering from various ailments gathered in Kagawasan Kiosk in Divisoria on June 24 to foster support for the German doctors and to condemn the extortion attempt. Patients stricken with tuberculosis, hypertension and heart disease, among others, travelled from The

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“We have been doing charity work here for 25 years and we certainly do not deserve this treatment,” he told reporters.

With the culprit still unknown, GDH is still in danger. Despite the risks still hanging in the air, Schug believes that GDH should not compromise their mission of providing medical help to the poor people who need them. Thankfully, the city and Xavier University offer to beef up the security in the hospital so GDH will continue to serve their cause.

To the delight of the poor indigents, on June 27, the German Doctors Hospital in Cagayan de Oro was reopened after security was hastened. *** “Naguol jud kaayo ko na ma-close,” confesses Condradisa. Princess still had an operation scheduled a few days after the temporary closure. If GDH will close down for good, Princess will most likely continue to suffer the pain in her back.

“Dako kaayo ko’g pasalamat nila… na natabangan ko nila. Maskin gamay wa jud ko’y nabayad sa ilaha. Dako kaayo sila’g katabang sa akong kinabuhi…labi na jud sa akong anak na natagaan pa nila ug taas na kinabuhi para mauban pa nako.”C www.thecrusaderpub.com

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Design by Jose Alfonso P. Sendaydiego

When Princess needed medicine not supplied by the hospital, she was given free samples.

Things were all right for a time, until the news that the hospital might close down for good spread across the city.

“Wala nami kabalo unsa among buhaton kung magsira sila. Sa ila ra gyud mi gahangad,” said Condradisa.

I

By Joule Artemson D.Visabella and Caroline Joy R. Go

Design by Haiko Magtrayo. Illustration by Breisa V. Moralde

n grade school, we were taught that our blue planet is covered with 75% percent water, but what our science teachers may have forgotten to highlight is that only 3% of the 75 is potable. Despite this forbidding reality, it seems that most people cannot grasp the idea that 3% is only 3%. Nothing more.

Drip drop, drip drop So, in what way are you using that diminutive 3%? Let’s check.

An average person uses about 123 gallons (466 liters) of water daily just by going through his routine: by taking a shower, 15-30 gallons (57114 liters); brushing his teeth without turning off the faucet, 1-2 gallons (3.75-7.51 liters); washing dishes by hand, 20 gallons (75 liters); and flushing the toilet, 5-7 gallons (19-26 liters).

Now, have we ever given a thought on how much is left --- considering that there are nine billion other people in the world who need it for washing, bathing, drinking, agriculture, food production and not to mention, all the other “wasteful” activities that humans love to enjoy?

With the way things are going, scientists and economists see a muddy future for this critical human necessity: water becoming the new oil. Just as nations fight over limited and valued resources, it will only be a matter of time when they face-off to claim exclusive ownership of water sources.

And then the grim effects will ensue: none or limited access to safe drinking water and bottled water sold for hefty prices.

Supply and rate seesaw Zooming in our city, we consume 40,000 cubic tons of water daily; and according to the Cagayan de Oro Water District (COWD), 56% is wasted due to leakages, theft and unknown causes which is perceptibly neglect.

“Lisod jud kayo sa amo,” complains Nathalie*,

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a resident of NHA, Kauswagan, “walay tubig gakaabot especially sugod sa alas nueve paingon eleven.”

To address the concerns of Nathalie and other residents in the city, especially those who live in elevated areas, COWD has several programs and projects as resolutions; the most daring of which is a 30% rate increase supposed to be implemented last July 1 this year, following the Local Water Utilities Administration’s (LWUA) approval.

Ladele Sagrado, COWD acting public relations division manager states, “The price adjustment will be used [mainly] for service expansion and also the rehabilitation and maintenance of our 38-year-old pipelines.”

Series of protests However, COWD had to temporarily hold the implementation of the water rate increase due to ongoing series of discussions with the city government, following several protests on the said rate adjustment from groups representing the civil society.

With this, the city council’s committee on public utility initiated a public hearing to allow groups to air out their objections to the pending upsurge. During the hearing, the Bishop-Businessmen’s Conference (BBC), an organization of church and business leaders, lamented COWD for alleged mismanagement as seen from millions of unbilled water, including leakages and disallowances.

“Why burden the consumers for COWD’s improvement when they get enough collection?

We deserve good water service,” Mitos Ortega of BBC said.

However, Engr. Rachel Beja, COWD’s general manager explained that unless the allegations against them will be proven, the illegality of the expenses will remain questionable.

Expressing gratitude to the COWD

management for suspending the implementation of the increase, Councilor Ian Mark Nacaya remains hopeful that there is still room for negotiation between the COWD, the city government and the local consumers. *** Whether or not the rate increase has justification and legal basis, the fact remains that huge amount of water is being wasted, and that everybody is contributing to the loss at some point.

Sagrado even estimates that the people contribute 56% of the wastage of the city’s water supply. This statistic is alarming, and should be given the consideration demanded by the gravity of the situation. We are all guilty of water wastage at some point in our lives. Are we going to wait until the last drop trickles before we become genuinely concerned and start to act?

“We believe that with the support of the public, especially the students…by way of being partners of the Water District in trying to patrol [and be] part of our campaign, we hope to make the youth our water heroes in water conservation to ensure that we have sustainable water supply.

The public [should] realize how valuable the resource is and if we do not pull our efforts together, then we will eventually suffer the loss, us,” he adds.

Imagine a world without electricity. Now imagine a world without water. Let us not stay complacent and wash our hands clean of the communal responsibility of conserving water.C To report leakages, call COWD hotline 729-742 or 856-4546 or text 0917-7170- 016 Sources: Cagayan de Oro Water District(COWD) Ladele Sagrado, COWD acting public relations division manager http://ga.water.usgs.gov http://www.enotes.com COWD’s rate increase ‘has no justification’ by Annabelle L. Ricalde SunStar Cagayan de Oro July 18, 2011 issue *names have been changed for anonymity

Vol. 38 No. 2 July 2011

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ompa-Loompas.

Never heard of them? They’re the small shadows you see in the windows of Willie Wonka’s chocolate factory. They’re funny little people who do all the work in the factory in exchange for cocoa beans, their one favorite food.

When naughty people get what they deserve, the Oompa-Loompas sing wonderful songs of morality for anyone who‘d listen.

This cheerful fantasy of how chocolate is made seems to be just that—a fantasy. But it does happen, although the reality’s darker than that Toblerone melting in your mouth; more bitter, and not at all sweet.

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They’ve started to sing All those exposés can be said to be the catalysts for a significant international response.

In reality, it seems, you have to sing first so the naughty gets punished.

Global chocolate and cocoa industry representatives publicly committed themselves and their members last September 2001 to a series of steps to eliminate the worst forms of child labor in cocoa production. The HarkinEngel Protocol then became the basis for the International Cocoa Initiative, an organization for overseeing and sustaining efforts to better the West African situation by ending child trafficking by 2005.

Strictly speaking, chocolate manufacturers aren’t directly blameworthy for the practice of abusive child labor; the defect lies in the supply chains. But it’s high time those companies assume corporate social responsibility by being aware of the problem and by actively taking pains to eliminate it. Within their responsibility is ensuring the ethicality of their sources, increasing

transparency, giving considerate financial support to the cause, and certifying the absolute goodness of their chocolate.

The likes of Mars, Cadbury, and Nestlé have begun to participate by promising to make their wares a hundred percent “Fair Trade Certified,” or made without slavery.

But alas…

2005 came and went, and the children toil as always. The chocolate industry extended their deadline to 2008, also to no avail. Thus, the rest of the world arose. Various movements have pushed the certification of some big labels.

Having a break, having a Kit Kat, is now a guiltless pleasure—just make sure you buy the four-fingered ones from a UK sweet shop. *** Take it from Mean Girls. There are two kinds of evil people: the ones who do evil stuff and the ones who see evil stuff being done and do nothing about it.

So seek out the certified Fair Trade chocolates.

Join Hershey’s S’mores Action. Become aware.

Google “blood chocolate” as soon as you get home. Blog about it. Tweet it. Talk about it on Facebook. Heck, talk about it face-to-face! Trust in the butterfly effect. You have the choice to choose. The box of chocolates is right in front of you.C Sources: “The Cocoa Industry and Child Labor” (http://post.harvard.edu/ and http://law.columbia.edu/) “Cocoa Processing” (http://www.cocoainitiative.org/) “Cocoa Producing Countries” (http://www.cocoaintiative.org/) “Cocoa: a labor-intensive crop” (http://www.cocoainitiative.org/) “Child Labour in Cocoa Growing” (http://www.cocoainitiative.org/) “A Taste of Slavery” (http://vision.ucsd.edu/) “The Harkin-Engel Protocol” (http://responsiblecocoa.com/) “Prevention, Prosecution, and Protection—Human Trafficking” (http:// www.un.org/wcm/content/site/chronicle/) “Chocolate Campaign—Our Aims” (http://www.stopthetraffik.org/) “What We’ve Achieved So Far” (http://www.stopthetraffik.org/) “S’mores Action: Sign for Hershey Photo” (http://www.laborrights.org/)

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Design by Arsenio F. Meneses III

Cocoa farming: Hindi biro West Africa is home to two of the world’s largest cocoa producers, Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana. In their tropical forests grows the cocoa tree that bears a fruit called a cocoa pod, in which lies the Chemical X of chocolate: the cocoa bean.

The beans are processed mostly in family farms that employ traditional methods (backbreaking manual labor, in other words).

Many families depend on this livelihood, which engages all available, capable hands—even the small ones.

Children help carry loads and take part in crop maintenance, which is easier said than done: Each cocoa pod weighs 1-2.25 lbs, and crop maintenance entails cutting trees and spraying fertilizers and pesticides. While these activities aren’t normally suitable for kids aged 6 to 14 years, West African culture promotes this early exposure to labor as a way of training children in managing jobs and as a way of minimizing operating costs.

These social customs are often branded as exploitative and abusive due to misunderstanding how the sector works at a local level. However, some practices stand out as truly abusive and illegal, and the world has taken notice.

When the shadows came to light In 1998, an Ivorian newspaper reported the rampant exploitation of Malian boys on Cote d’Ivoire cocoa farms, which drove the children to 12-hour days on a minimum wage of US$135 (Php 5800) per year. BBC followed suit with a September 2000 television documentary on hundreds of thousands of kids from Burkina Faso, Mali, and Togo who were allegedly bought from their parents and sold as slaves to Cote d’Ivoire cocoa farmers. The American newspaper Knight Ridder further fanned the flames with its June 2001 article that provided an extensive, poignant look into the lives of twelve- to sixteenyear-old cocoa farm workers—stories of beatings and broken promises.

ildo

e C. Cab

Ber nic y Angela

By Lyle Justin A. Egay and Leasusana C. Ty

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Design by Rochelle De Las Alas Barros

lame wars. Cheesy comment-chats.

Debates. Discussion. Laughs. A lot can happen on the Internet. And admit it, the first site you log on to whenever you get the chance to sit down in front of a PC is a social networking site. You upload photos, comment, tweet, chat, or basically just interact with everyone you have access to.

Can our social lives on the Internet replace our social lives in real, well, life?

We all are naturally social, more so on the Internet, a place that’s full to the brim with people we don’t know. What if we come across them?

Anon aggression Welcome to the Internet, where one can be another person.

Ever heard of dummy accounts? They’re fake accounts made to hide the user’s personal information while having access to the features of social networking sites, therefore creating an opening for the user to do whatever he wants. And since it’s just a bogus account, no one gets caught.

But if someone really wants to act without a name (or a face), that person can.

“We are Anonymous. We are Legion. We do not forgive, we do not forget.” If you’re a Tumblr user, you’re probably familiar with this quote. Just the year before, a group of anonymous people on the Internet raided the blogging site, in what went down in interweb history as Operation Overlord. And indeed, Tumblr crashed for a few days.

The Anonymous Legion has also victimized not-so-ordinary people. Just this year, they hacked into the servers of Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, gaining access to 10,000 official emails.

Even pre-teen kids aren’t safe from Anonymous. Enter Jessica Leonhardt, a once-typical 11-year-old. Using the name

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Jessi Slaughter, she allegedly posted images of herself that weren’t exactly safe for public viewing and got accused of being in a relationship with the vocalist of a band.

Being the sweet, lovely girl she is, she replied to her “haters”, posting YouTube videos of herself ranting at them and saying they all were just jealous because she was prettier than any of them. The video made it to an imageboard and somehow the people browsing the site collectively decided to ruin her life by playing pranks on her family.

Motivation – now coming with pseudonyms You may consider the Internet as a haven when you’re down, but only when you’re at the right places.

Anonymous people on the Internet can make you smile in more ways than one.

Aside from giving you some cheap laughs from nine-year-olds getting owned by some random person on Yahoo! Answers, on other occasions they’ll make you feel warm and fuzzy.

Some chat sites let you talk to people you don’t know, all over the world. Most the time, you may come across people saying “ASL” (Age, Sex, Location) a lot, but at other times you’ll find that there actually are people who are sensible and sensitive enough to listen to you. It might be a 3-out-of-10 chance, but hey, you can always disconnect.

One can even share personal experiences and inspire other people. On a site that’s called Gives Me Hope, users are allowed to anonymously post true-to-life stories. Here you’ll see inspirational and touching stories of people rising after hitting rock bottom, or simply other ones helping out those in need.

Heart-rending stories like these wouldn’t get published that easily if anonymity weren’t allowed. After all, there is such a thing as privacy.

Now if only it were like this always.

Dissociation online Most often, these Internet “trolls” feel a sense of power and gratification after successfully harassing someone online, knowing that they can’t be punished.

According to study, being anonymous is like drinking – it makes you lose your inhibitions.

“People believe the myth that they can say things that ordinarily they wouldn’t be able to say just because they are online,” psychologist Dr. Darryl Cross of Crossways Consulting said.

He also went on to explain that they had two personas in what most call “split personalities”, one being based on instinct, and the other being the more guarded and conservative side. Online, people are more likely to succumb to the first, seeing as they have the liberty to say whatever they want without going face-to-face with the ones at the receiving end. *** Interaction on the Internet may be fun and refreshing, but it doesn’t replace the real thing. Compare chatting with a random guy to getting a hug. Sure, your blogs may be your online journal, but make sure that whatever you do on the Internet stays on it. And listen to your mom: Don’t talk to strangers.C Sources: “Anonymous alcoholics? Study finds that web trolls get a feeling of abandon similar to drunks and dictators” by Candiflip Communications. (CandiFlip.com) “Anonymous steals 10,000 Iranian government emails, plans DDoS attack” by Joel Falconer. (TheNextWeb.com) Gives Me Hope. (GivesMeHope.com) “How the Internet Beat Up an 11-Year-Old Girl” by Adrian Chen. (Gawker.com) Jessi Slaughter.(KnowYourMeme.com)

Vol. 38 No. 2 July 2011

By Lyle Justin A. Egay

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affair with a male student. He tried to “cure” his homosexual urges, but failed.

Applewhite enforced strict disciplinary rules on the cult members, limiting even the amount of water they used in baths.

Most remarkable of all was his prohibition of sexual contact between members, even going as far as castrating every single male member, including himself. It was later concluded by investigators that Applewhite was a schizophrenic who had projected his guilt for his sexual desires on the cult.

Mental disorder then, a norm now Study may show that homosexuality is a matter of genetics, but social culture says otherwise.

In the earliest editions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, homosexuality was listed as a mental disease.

It would take three revisions and lots of debate to have it declassified, but until now the stigma about homosexuals being mentally impaired remains for some.

“In the seminary, I learned that homosexuality is from the mind,” Eric*, a former seminarian and now a married man said. “Naturally, men are made to mate with females. But desiring other men is abnormal.

Yes, it can be due to hormones, genetics and most of all influence, but it is all just a matter of controlling your mind, your thoughts.”

Social acceptance While homosexuals have been embraced by the up-to-date majority, here still are communities where these people aren’t as bearable.

Ironically, those who spread the

doctrines of love and tolerance are the ones who end up acting like homophobes. Devout Catholic fundamentalists often write gays and lesbians off as possessed by the devil.

A Filipino Catholic priest even stated that he opposed the Reproductive Health Bill on the basis that it would open the floodgates to homosexual liberation in the future, among other reasons.

Closer to home, there also have been cases where gays got kicked out of their home and disowned by their families because of their sexual orientation. Apparently, their fathers could not accept their sons’ preferences. *** Gays and lesbians may not adhere to the natural order with which our bodies were made, but they still are every bit as human as the rest of us. And besides, even if they don’t usually follow our rules, aren’t we hoping for change in the first place?

Will they ever find heaven here on earth?C

Author’s note: This is dedicated to my brother, who has more balls than yours. *Name changed to protect privacy

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Design By Kristoffer James L. Nambatac

here she goes, there she goes again…

Or at least, that’s what he’d like you to think when you see him pass by.

He is a guy, naturally, but he feels and thinks otherwise. Most of the time, he stays away from his fellows in gender because he fears ridicule and rejection.

Because of a society that shuns him and his identity, he tries his best to keep it to himself. Because of his faith, his elders and other social “rules,” he does not break out of his shell. He does not express himself like he would like to. He knows he is capable of doing more if he had the liberty to, but he chooses to keep his mouth shut, his eyes diverted, his limbs bound and shackled.

He thinks he is improper, immoral, and without right to leisure. He represses himself. He hides in his cocoon, waiting for the opportune moment to spread his wings and make his way up to his paradise.

Straight to heaven On March 26, 1997, members of a Doomsday cult called Heaven’s Gate supposedly shed their physical bodies, their “vehicles” to prepare for their ascension to another level, on a spaceship they believed was close behind the Hale-Bopp Comet, which shone brightest on that specific date.

The group shocked the world when all 39 of them committed suicide in the hopes of making it to the “Level Above Human.”

The cult was led by one Marshall Applewhite, better known in the cult as “Do.” Before his stint with Heaven’s Gate, he lost his job as a music teacher because it was found out that he was having a sordid

Cora Contrabida: Under Construction Blues

Illustration and design by Alexes June Baslot

W

hen people look up at the Eiffel Tower, the common reactions you’re probably going to hear run along the lines of “Wow. That’s one fancylooking tower.” or “Dude. That would look great in my living room”. We take a few pictures, tweet all our friends about it, and then go back to marvelling that the same human intelligence that came up with pet rocks and a peanut butter sandwich, could manage to build epic awesome skyscrapers like the Eiffel. Call it art. Call it architecture.

The point is…it works.

What your average guy doesn’t do, is think back to the good old days, when the Eiffel was actually one of the most despised structures in all of Paris. Good old Gustave was criticized faster than you could say “haters gon’ hate”. Whether it was the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Statue of Liberty, or maybe the shiny new Magis Student Complex smiling down at us from what used to be an empty space of old tiles and dust, the fact is that nobody really remembers the highly uncomfortable (and that’s putting it lightly) birth of a new building. Cue in the bloody screaming from every birth scene you’ve ever watched in a movie, and you’re good to go.

You could say that XU got itself new braces this year. You’d think the orthodontics are necessary, as the school seems to have grown new teeth faster than mushrooms pop up after a bad lightning storm. The fancy Magis Complex is very nearly open for dance-athons, student hang outs, and random laptop charging. Think of it as the old STC lobby with a major upgrade. The peace park is barely even there, what with the XU-Pryce Center for Entrepreneurship coming up. I’m just glad they decided to keep the fish there, because—well, I think fish are friends—and yes, Finding Nemo was a great movie

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You also might have noticed the city’s a little hung up on flyovers at the moment.

They’re building three of them at the same time in key locations all over Cagayan de Oro. It’s rush hour every hour for students living in or around Puerto, and the UCCP and Balulang crossings.

This is the part where we say “Oh, yeah, I remember that”, and take a moment to think back to good old summer. Ah, summer.

Last summer was the peak of “under construction” blues, though even today, we still go through the same. Simply making it to the canteen was an obstacle course, and to get to the StC classrooms, you had to go through the seven gates of hell, dust clouds, constant re-routing, an inconsistently functioning elevator, and crowd congestion that would put China’s overpopulation problem to shame. That takes balls. Congratulations.

You could get a certificate for that, at least.

Maybe a waffle, if you like them.

Of course, you don’t forget sitting in class, watching the teachers move their mouths through incomprehensible lectures, because all you could hear was, not their voices, but the constant grating, hacking, and buzzing of nearby construction equipment.

It was kind of cool, because they looked like fidgety robots with Darth Vader’s vocal cords. (I half-expected my History teacher to suddenly say “Luke, I am your father” halfway through class time.) It was mildly surprising the guards didn’t start handing out ear muffs at the gate the next day, or paper bags to breathe into amidst the dust clouds, or when the flyover guys didn’t give out chill pills for the distended neck veins observed in the passing motorists.

But what’s the point of complaining?

Sure, our eardrums are soup at the moment, but that’s okay. The best thing for it now is to smile through our oxygen masks. Give your teachers a pat on the back (plus maybe a light saber). Or buy a shirt that says “I heart flyovers”. When you’re looking up at the Magis Complex, or when the building smack right up the peace park is done, or maybe once the flyovers are finished and you can get to school without giving yourself a hernia on the way, you’ll think to yourself, “Yeah, the new hearing aid was totally worth it.” Call it art. Call it architecture. It works.

Don’t you just love new buildings? C

Vol. 38 No. 2 July 2011

Design By Breisa V. Moralde

THESE STATEMENTS WERE CONTRIBUTED AND OVERHEARD FROM THE PEOPLE AROUND THE CAMPUS. SOME WERE REPHRASED FOR PURPOSES OF CLARITY AND BREVITY.

MEKANIKS: IPASA LANG ANG POTOKAPI SA HOHONGIHONG UBAN INYONG ANSWER SA CRUSADER OPIS STC 302 BAG-O MUABOT ANG PETSA AGOSTO 29, 2011 ARON MAKADAWAT KAG MGA MAANINDOT NA PREMYO.! PASA NA! :)