The GUIDON - September 2013 by The GUIDON

The GUIDON

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The GUIDON T h e o f f i c i a l s t u d e n t p u b l i c a t i o n o f t h e At e n e o d e M a n i l a U n i v e r s i t y

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Volume LXXXIV, NO. 4 · september 2013 SPORTS

BEYOND LOYOLA

FEATURES

Inquiry

BLUE AND LADY TANKERS

MNLF CRISIS

EXILE ON MAD STREET

A CONTRAST OF DETAIL

Gearing up for Season 76.

Conflict erupts in Zamboanga City.

Looking into the Philippine subconscious.

Investigating IPR violations on campus.

Ateneo marks 40 years of coeducation By Athena A. Batanes and Bianca N. Martinez THE ATENEO is celebrating 40 years of the university’s coeducation with a yearlong program of projects and activities aimed to inspire the Ateneo women. Alumnae from different batches participated in the kickoff program for the coeducation anniversary last September 7 in the New Rizal Library. The event, entitled “40 Years, Half the Sky: Celebrating Coeducation in the Ateneo,” acknowledged the “importance of women’s participation in the development of a free and peaceful society” within and outside the university. Vice President for the Ateneo Professional Schools Antonette Palma-Angeles (AB Philo ‘77) said in her opening remarks that 2013 marks a milestone of achievements for the Ateneo women. “[The] young women [enrolled in the Loyola Schools now make up] 51% of the student popula-

tion. We have come a long way,” she said. Palma-Angeles is one of the first female graduates of the Ateneo. The event also featured an exhibition of coeducation memorabilia in the library. It was opened by Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno (AB Eco ’80) after she delivered a short speech. Women first entered the university as cross-enrollees in 1966. In 1973, the university accepted the first full batch of undergraduate female students into what was then the College of Arts and Sciences. Transitioning to a coeducational system

In the 1960s, the issue of the Ateneo adapting a coeducational system sparked significant debate. Approval for the transition was declined twice prior to 1973. In an interview with The GUIDON, former University President Bienvenido Nebres, SJ

WOMAN FOR OTHERS. In her speech during the event, Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno said that the Atenean woman has a commitment to offer her life for others.

40 years ›› 2

Photo BY Abram p. Barrameda

Philippine Province Infirmary for Jesuits to rise in the Ateneo By Samantha O. Subida and Mariel L. Zamora

ATENEANS VS. PORK. Several members of the Ateneo community expressed their support of the abolition of the Priority Development Assistance Fund. Photo BY francine A. bharwani

Ateneo leaders weigh new pork reform By Billy B. Poon, Bianca N. Martinez and Tristan B. Gamalinda IN URGING for good governance, several Ateneo leaders expressed mixed sentiments regarding the new line-item budgeting system proposed by President Benigno Aquino III. During an unscheduled press conference last August 23, Aquino stated that a new lineitem budgeting system would replace the current Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) in the 2014 national budget. The PDAF is a single or lumpsum item in the annual General

Appropriation Act (GA A), through which each congressman and senator acquires 70 million pesos and 200 million pesos, respectively. The PDAF gives legislators the freedom to allocate their budget with relative ease to any project they wish to pursue. Meanwhile, the line-item budgeting system will require legislators to enter into the GAA a detailed list of all the projects that they want funded. Only then will the money be taken from their pork barrel allocation. With this national issue at hand, a number of people have already expressed their wish for the government to abolish the PDAF completely due to the

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political patronage it promotes. Meanwhile, others approve of the new systemic reform because it advocates transparency and accountability. University President Jose Ramon Villarin, SJ supports Aquino’s call for a line-item budgeting system. “It’s a first step in the right direction. The point is accountability and location,” he said. Like Villarin, Ateneo School of Government (ASoG) Dean Antonio La Viña agrees with Aquino’s decision. However, La Viña said “I’m open [to the idea of ], but I’m also not going to be giving him (Aquino) a standing ovation right now.”

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He believes that whether or not the line-item budgeting proposal is better than the PDAF and its predecessor, the Countrywide Development Fund (CDF), still “remains to be seen.” The CDF was in place from former President Corazon Aquino’s administration until that of Joseph Estrada in order to aid those who found themselves unemployed as a result of the decline in the global economy. Corruption-prone system

Regardless of the rationale of the line-item budgeting system for transparency accountability, La Viña pointed out that for Ateneans react ›› 4

A NEW Jesuit inf irma r y will be constructed to cater to members of the Ateneo’s Jesuit community. The proposed 38-room infirmary is intended to better address the needs of the aging Jesuits currently staying in the infirmaries in the Jesuit Residences and the Loyola House of Studies. Jesuit Provincial Head Fr. Tony Moreno, SJ clarified that the new infirmary will only be an improved version of the existing ones; it is not meant to be a hospital. The building will provide rehabilitation services and round-the-clock professional assistance. For more serious medical cases, however, Jesuit patients will still be sent to hospitals outside. The new infirmary will be called the Philippine Province Infirmary. It will be located near the Loyola House of Studies, facing the Eliazo Residence Hall. According to Moreno, the infirmary’s groundbreaking is set to take place this December and construction will begin in

January 2014. It is scheduled to be ready for occupancy by January 2015. University President Jose Ramon Villarin, SJ said that the Philippine Province Infirmary would be a good way to provide the Jesuits with efficient medical services. Exclusive to the Jesuits

Although the Philippine Province Infirmary will be located in the Loyola Heights campus, Moreno clarified that it will be for the exclusive use of the Jesuits. Moreno said that the access is being limited primarily because the Jesuits do not believe that the infirmary can serve the same functions as a conventional hospital. It is not spacious enough to admit the public and it will only be equipped to address the basic health needs of the Jesuits. Moreno made this clarification in response to individuals who assumed that the Ateneo would soon have a hospital when news about the upgrade of the infirmary first surfaced. In particular, there were premedical and medical students who hoped the new institution would be used to enrich their classes. Ang Ospital ›› 3

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The GUIDON September 2013

News

Editor: Mara D. Cepeda Editorial Assistant: Athena A. Batanes Layout Artist: Meg C. Quintos and Mich B. Salangsang

HELPING OUT. Several students from the Loyola Schools volunteered to help in the Dream Team’s relief operations for the victims of typhoon Maring. Photos BY Alexis A. Casas

Dream Team initiates Maring relief ops By Billy B. Poon and Tristan B. Gamalinda IN RESPONSE to the devastation caused by typhoon Maring, the Ateneo Disaster Response and Management (Dream) Team mobilized relief operations held last August 20 to 24. The Dream Team raised about 1.4 million pesos in cash donation and doled out over 6,000 relief packs to 60 different partner communities. Vice President (V P) for Social Development Jaime Holifeña said that much of the cash collection had been used to purchase goods that were then distributed to the typhoon victims. Meanwhile, Dream Team Operations Manager Norman Marquez said they helped over 4,000 families from as far north as Macabebe and

Masantol in Pampanga to as far south as Noveleta, Cavite and Biñan, Laguna. The Dream Team is an ad hoc committee of the university tapped in times of natural calamities. Its primary mandate is to respond to the calls for assistance from the partner communities of the Ateneo, the Society of Jesus and other Ateneo campuses. Hofileña clarified that the Dream Team is by nature a university body and does not only cover the Loyola Schools (LS). The different units of the Dream Team consist of representatives from the grade school to the professional schools. These include the central administration and alumni groups. Hofileña’s office handles the activation and execution of the Dream Team.

Overview of events

According to the National Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC), Maring affected 619,536 families and caused 138 million pesos worth of damage in the agricultural sector and 495 million pesos in infrastructure. Six regions in Luzon were declared under states of calamity at the onset of Maring: The National Capital Region, Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) and Regions I, III, IV-A and IV-B. The Loyola Heights Dream Team’s relief operations were held in the Ateneo Grade School Singson Hall, the College Covered Courts and the Ateneo High School Office of the Associate Principal for Formation. The Dream Team was aided by student volunteers, the Sanggunian and representatives from various student organizations.

Other areas for the Dream Team’s relief operations for typhoon Maring were held in the following sites: The Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health’s Ortigas campus and the Ateneo Professional Schools’ Makati campus. VP for Social Development Hofileña said that this setup maximized donations and volunteerism, as the Dream Team observed in the past that members of the various units of the Ateneo community prefer to work with their respective sectors. As an example, he said parents of the Ateneo Grade School students preferred working with their children’s school. Meanwhile, professional schools students found it more convenient to volunteer in their own campuses. However, Holifeña clarified that all of Dream Team’s relief operations were coordinated

and that donations were channeled to the Loyola Heights campus. Systems and protocols

Dream Team Student Arm Head Joseph Barcelon commented that the Dream Team’s relief operations in the LS Covered Courts ran more smoothly as compared to last year. He said that the team implemented its systems and policies efficiently and effectively this time around. When heavy monsoon rains hit in early August of the previous year, the team was met with an influx of volunteers and donations. This temporarily caused the disorganization of the relief operations. “We [have] learned our lessons [after] last year for habagat. We were able to control our flow of volunteers and goods,” Barcelon said.

On typhoon Labuyo

The Ateneo Task Force AntiApeco (ATFAA) spearheaded a three-day relief operation in cooperation with the Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan (SLB) and Habitat for Humanity to respond to the devastation typhoon Labuyo caused in Casiguran, Aurora last August 10 to 12. This was held in the Gonzaga Cafeteria from August 14 to 16. Casiguran was declared to be under a state of calamity last August 12 after Labuyo hit the province. The Ateneo Resident Students Association, Ateneo Student Catholic Action and the Christian Union for Socialist and Democratic Advancement also assisted in the said relief operations. “We (ATFAA) channel the proceeds to SLB and Habitat for Humanity as they are the ones TFAA-SLB ›› 8

40 years... said that the failed transition to a coeducational system was due to the lack of assenting votes from the University Senate. According to Nebres, who was then dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, the former University Senate was composed of “tenured professors” which included associate and full-time professors of the university. Nebres mentioned that the concerns of the senate members did not stem from sexism but from the matter of practicality. Specifically, they were taking into consideration student quotas and available facilities on campus. He further said that admitting female students would mean largely restructuring the university’s systems. In 1973, Nebres himself presented the senate with another proposal for a coeducational system. He emphasized that the transition would proceed in a stepby-step manner, with the quota for female freshmen first being limited to 100 students in the first year of coeducation. In the same year, the University Senate accepted Nebres’ proposal. ‹‹ 1

Ateneo woman

During the commemorative program, Atenean alumnae from different generations described what made Ateneo women distinct.

Binky Dalupan-Palm (AB Socio-Anthropology ‘75), one of the first female transfer students, said the Atenean woman puts great value in education. She elaborated that most of the first women who came into the Ateneo were primarily interested in the quality of education the university was offering. Bubbles Bandojo (AB Lit ‘85) further characterized the Ateneo woman as “a discerning woman.” “Para sa akin, ang Atenistang babae [ay] may dalawang marka: Una, marunong siyang mag-isip. ‘Yun ang pinagmamalaki ko sa natutunan ko sa Ateneo. [Pangalawa] may tapang siya [at] marunong kumilatis. (For me, the Atenean woman has two characteristics: First, she knows how to think. That’s what I am proud to have learned from the Ateneo. Second, she has courage and she knows how to discern),” Bandojo said. Meggie Valdes (AB Comm ’09) also shared that the Ateneo has taught her to “dream big.” She said, “One of the things that I really value about my Ateneo education is that it pushed me to dream big not just for myself but also for my country.” She also believes that Ateneo women seek challenges and look for ways to improve social situations. “Generally speaking, the Ateneo woman is someone who is innovative, someone who looks to the future. She doesn’t let anything stop her,” Valdes said.

According to Sereno, the Atenean woman has a commitment to offer her life for others. “Ang ating pagtugon ay… isang pangako na tuluyan nating itataya ang ating buhay para sa kapwa, sa ating mga mahal, sa ating bansa, sa mga nangagailangan ng ating tulong. (Our calling is a commitment to continuously offer our lives for others, our loved ones, our country and those who are in need of our help),” Sereno said. A changed perspective

Several Ateneo alumni share the belief that coeducation has brought a new perspective to the university and its students. According to Loyola Schools Acting Vice President Rudy Ang, the university’s exclusivity in the past meant that the Ateneo only had “half of the talent [that was] out there.” Ang said that the coeducational system has greatly increased the Ateneo’s contributions to society. He cited the accomplishments of Chief Justice Sereno, Filinvest CEO Josephine Gotianun Yap (BS Mgt ‘75) and ABS-CBN Head of Entertainment Production Cory Vidanes (AB Comm ‘83), among others. He also said that “there are a lot of excellent women who can drive [the male students] to be the best that they can be.” Ang added that the one of the great successes of coeducation is that the “women don’t feel any less of an Atenean than the men” as they no longer identify

ATENEAN ALUMNA. Supreme Court Chief Justice Sereno graduated from the Ateneo in 1980 with a degree in Economics. Photo BY Pia B. Guballa

themselves as “coeds,” but rather as just Ateneans. Former University President Nebres pointed out that the challenge for the Ateneo now is “to simply give the best education possible for everyone.” Women for others

One of the highlights of the yearlong celebration of coeducation is a fundraising project that will grant scholarships to aspiring female Ateneans. The scholarship drive is called “40 Coeds in our 4th Year” and

it aims to raise money to send at least 40 scholars to school. Filinvest CEO Yap, who is also co-chair of the scholarship organizing committee, said the scholarship program is “a way of giving back.” “I think Ateneo education is really beyond just the general foundation of tools that you learn. It’s really the inspiration of magis. You try to give more,” she said. “When we give scholarships to coeds we do not only affect and better their lives but maybe the generations after [as well],” she added.

Elly Reserva (IV BS/M AMF), an Office of Admission and Aid scholar, expressed that education is essential to women empowerment. “From what I experienced here in the Ateneo, women with strongest sense of hope are the scholars I’ve met,” Reserva said. “It’s also important to give opportunities to underprivileged women because, for me, these underprivileged women have hope in them of wanting to be more,” she said. ❖

The GUIDON September 2013

News

Atenean Voice

FOR THE JESUITS. According to Fr. Tony Moreno, SJ, the Philippine Province Infirmary will provide rehabilitation services and round-the-clock professional assistance to aging Jesuits.

“Do you agree with Aquino’s decision to scrap the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) and to replace it with a line-item budgeting system?”

Photos BY Frances L. Hu

Philippine Province Infirmary... Moreno said that neither pre-medical nor medical students of the Ateneo would be granted access to the infirmary. Moreno said that the infirmary is not qualified to cater to the needs of the pre-medical and medical students because the Philippine Province Infirmary will not have the necessary equipment. Pre-Medical Society of the Ateneo (PMSA) President Kurt Tolentino found this to be disappointing. “[I thought that] since we students are also here [on campus], hopefully, we can also benefit from this project (Philippine Province Infirmary). But I guess they were not yet able to plan that yet,” he added. ‹‹ 1

Tolentino further said that having a hospital in the Ateneo would have been helpful to his organization’s members, especially now that PMSA has initiated a program called “Dose,” which exposes its members to the hospital setting. Moreno recommended that the Ateneo pre-medical and medical students prepare for their future careers in other technologicallyadvanced hospitals where they will exposed to more medically demanding cases. A generous donation

Business tycoon Ramon Ang donated 60 million pesos to the Society of Jesus to begin the construction process. “Mr. Ramon Ang feels that he wanted to be of service to the

Jesuits who were instrumental in providing the education for his children,” said Moreno. Prior to this donation, Ang had already made several contributions to other Jesuit communities, including Xavier School in Laguna. Moreno added that there were prior negotiations made with Ang before the plan of constructing the new infirmary was settled. The projected budget of 120 million pesos for the new infirmary is allotted solely for the construction of the structure itself. Other materials, such as furnishings, are to be funded through other donations or through the Jesuits’ own resources. University President Villarin further said, “I’m also hopeful

that there will be many more donors who will come in to support the province and also the Ateneo.” Infirmary management

The two existing Jesuit infirmaries in the Ateneo currently have a contract with The Medical City: Staff members, such as doctors and nurses, are taken from this hospital to the infirmaries. However, Moreno said the Jesuits will begin the search for bidders for the Philippine Province Infirmary’s staff members once construction of the building begins. The contract for the management of the infirmary will be signed six months prior to its opening. ❖

Biology professor discovers two new beetle species

“It does not resolve the issue. Yes, you can scrap the existing system and replace it with a new one, but if you have the same set of crooks running the new system, what's the point? They will always find a way to corrupt this new policy. I want to see politicians and their equally corrupt cohorts in various industries lynched, assassinated, crucified, burned, stoned, exorcised, even excommunicated.” Joseph Salazar, Assistant Professor, Filipino Department

“I believe that imposing the new system will provide transparency [with regard] to how our government allocates and uses the taxes. This transparency returns the power to the people, which is the best way to begin rebuilding our government.” Eugenie Huibonhoa, II AB Psy

“I disagree with both. I believe that Noynoy should disallow legislators from access to public funds because their main duty is to make laws. Giving them a budget will divert their attention from serving the country considering the Philippines’ history of corruption.” Lauren Ong, II AB MEC

“I agree with President Aquino’s decision to scrap the PDAF as the fund is inconsistent with a legislator’s mandate to make laws. The proposed line budgeting system is a step forward but it will only work if there is greater transparency in the proceedings. In any case, the people must remain perpetually vigilant and discerning. ” Atty. Giancarlo Puyo, Lecturer, Law and Marketing Department

SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGH. The A.buhid (left) and the A. tamaraw (right) were discovered by the research team after collecting the larvae of known Ancyronyx species. Photo courtesy of Hendrik Freitag, PhD

By Joline S. Acampado and Pauline V. Miranda BIOLOGY ASSOCIATE professor Hendrik Freitag, PhD and his team of researchers from the Biology Department recently identified two new spider water beetle species of the genus Ancyronyx while conducting a related study in Oriental Mindoro last August. The first species, Ancyronyx buhid (A. buhid), was discovered in the ancestral lands of the Buhid tribe in Roxas. The second species, Ancyronyx tamaraw (A. tamaraw), was discovered in the waters of Tamaraw Falls. Freitag published an article about the discovery last August

6 entitled “Ancyronyx Erichson, 1847 (Coleoptera, Elmidae) from Mindoro, Philippines” in the open-access journal Zookeys. According to the article, the A. buhid adult is predominantly black with some yellow patches. It was also described to have brown claws and largely yellow antennae, except for their dark tips and basal segments. Meanwhile, the A. tamaraw adult was distinguished by its “yellow elytral patches,” predominantly yellowish legs, brown pronotum and brown head. The study was partly funded by the Ateneo de Manila University and the Philippine Com m ission on H ig her Education (CHED) as part of the

Philippine Higher Education Research Network (Phernet) program. Phernet is one of CHED's programs aimed at promoting research in higher education institutions. Discovery

Freitag described how he and his team discovered the two spider water beetle species. Freitag said they were initially in Oriental Mindoro to study the larvae of known Ancyronyx species. He added that it was important to be able to identify the larvae of the genus Ancyronyx, as they are more common than adults. Freitag’s team collected several of the said larvae and

among them were the A. buhid and A. tamaraw. According to Freitag, they could not match the larvae of the A. buhid with any known adult at first. “A little later we found the adult species [in the area] and we compared the DNA to show if it matched,” he said. Eventually, they found a match between the A. buhid larva and the A. buhid adult. Identifying the adult species for the A. tamaraw was more difficult, according to Freitag. To match the A. tamaraw larvae to its adult counterpart, Freitag had to refer to an old collection of unidentified Ancyronyx species found in the 1990s. Biology professor ›› 4

“PNoy's decision to replace the PDAF with the line budgeting system is just a strategic act to please the public while not really giving them what they want. This reformed budget system does not really address the corruption-ridden PDAF system [with regard to] its discretionary nature and in the involvement of the legislative. In a line budgeting system, the legislative still has access to funds and a say in choosing and implementing projects, which does not address the alluring conditions to corruption, particularly the power lawmakers have in the allocation of the reformed budget system. The legislative should remain involved just in legislating and should not interfere in the job [of the executive branch]. What we see here is not really the abolishment of the PDAF system, for the line budgeting system is just [the] PDAF packaged differently.” Jessica Lim, IV AB PoS

“I agree with PNoy's decision to scrap PDAF and replace it with line budgeting. With PDAF, the senators in charge will always just have the money with them and they are free to dispose of it as they wish, which could probably be a reason behind the money disappearing from the [national budget] and appearing in their pockets. With a line budgeting system, they are forced to only ask for and use money when a specific project comes up. This could hopefully lessen the chances of budgets being pocketed by officials, although we still can’t say for sure how well it will work. But I believe it’s worth a shot.” Gica Pollisco, I BS CTM

The GUIDON September 2013

News Biology professor... ‹‹ 3

GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY. Ateneo School of Government Dean Antonio La Viña said that the passage of the Freedom of Information bill can ensure a culture of good governance in the Philippines. Photo BY Abram p. Barrameda

Ateneans on pork... as long as money is involved, there will be corruption. He also said that the proposed budgeting system is still similar to the PDAF, as it concerns the same concepts of budget and allocation. Like La Viña, The Ateneo Assembly President Harvey Chua said that people can always find ways to subvert and turn the new system in their favor. Meanwhile, The Ateneo Assembly Executive Director for Research and Advocacy Exequiel Salcedo commented that corruption and the quality of public services do not go hand-in-hand. “Even if they did [go handin-hand], what good are quality government projects and infrastructure if they were erected at the cost of public trust and accountability?” ‹‹ 1

Opposition to pork abuse

Both The Ateneo Assembly and the Christian Union for Socialist and Democratic Advancement (Crusada) released stands expressing their opposition to the misuse of the PDAF last August 18 and 25, respectively. The Ateneo Assembly stated that the pork barrel has always impeded the reform efforts of the government and the implementation of relevant programs in the nation. The statement posed a challenge to the administration to take a step towards good governance. This included a call

for legislators to be transparent regarding how they spend their money. Meanwhile, Crusada stated that the pork barrel “denies the poor to become active participants in the life of society.” According to them, the misuse of the pork barrel degrades the dignity of the work done by every citizen, as all workers in the country are “barred from seeing the direct connection that their hard work has to [offer] to the progress of the country.” #MillionPeopleMarch

Three days after Aquino’s proposal to replace the PDAF, the administration, faculty and student groups from the Ateneo took part in the #MillionPeopleMarch held at the Luneta Park on August 26. The march was a social mediaorganized initiative to gather citizens across the country to protest against the misuse of the PDAF. ASoG Dean La Viña commented that there were protests because the people are “upset” because their taxes were being exploited by government officials for personal gain. However, The Ateneo Assembly President Chua fears that this might have only been a one-time effort. “[The] rally was a good start, but we need greater citizen engagement against corruption if we are going to make any difference,” he said.

BUB as an alternative

In contrast to the budgeting system reform put forward by Aquino, another proposal is the Senate Bill 1524, or the “Bottom Up Budgeting Act 2013,” filed by Senator Teofisto Guingona III and released last September 5. The bill seeks to abolish the PDAF and will institutionalize a bottom-up budgeting (BUB) system. The BUB aims to allocate the amount intended for the PDAF to the different national government agencies so as to ensure greater transparency, accountability and openness in the budget preparation process. According to him, the BUB system will break the system of having to appropriate funds to representatives only to have the funds misused. However, The Ateneo Assembly Executive Director for Research and Advocacy Salcedo explained, “BUB is not a perfect system. Corruption will definitely take its new form, one way or another.” “But if our goal is to begin eliminating corruption in the country, we begin with the most powerful body: The national legislature,” he added. On proposals and insights

With the new system to be implemented in the 2014 national budget, Ateneo leaders also suggested measures regarding how to improve accountability and transparency given the budgeting system.

University President Villarin proposed that the role of Filipinos is to now search for the discretionary funds that are meant inherently for the executive branch rather than the hands of the legislators. To put up a culture of good governance, La Viña believes that the approval of the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill is critical. The FOI bill recognizes the right of the people to information on matters of public concern and adopts a policy of full public disclosure involving public interest. “The Freedom of Information [bill]... will make it possible for us to actually... monitor our government [if] they are not doing foolish things,” he said. As of press time, the House of Representatives joined Aquino’s stand for transparency and accountability. On September 5, the House decided to scrap the 27-billion-peso provision of the PDAF from the proposed 2.268-trillionpeso 2014 national budget. Another rally, “EDSA 2013” or “EDSA Tayo,” was organized on September 11 to protest against the pork barrel fund, hoping to continue the momentum of the #MillionPeopleMarch. Likewise, the Ateneo de Manila University joined the University of the PhilippinesDiliman and Miriam College (MC) in a rally calling for the abolishment of the pork barrel. Called “Katipunan Kontra Korupsyon,” it was held outside MC Gate 1 last September 11. ❖

Potential bioindicators

Freitag said that he was interested in the genus Ancyronyx because of its high indicator value. “In our [research] area (Oriental Mindoro), it is known that the Ancyronyx often have good indicator value: It helps to predict the water quality [of aquatic ecosystems],” he said. According to Freitag, the A. buhid species fulfills the necessary criteria of a potential bioindicator—a species used to monitor the health of ecosystems. However, the A. tamaraw does not because it is “too rare.” Freitag said that a species is a potential biondicator if it has the following criteria: It is easily identifiable, restricted to a certain water quality and is “somehow common.” “The A. buhid, which is the first discovery, seems to be very common in clean upstream areas [in Mindoro]. It’s quite easy to find them,” Freitag said. On the other hand, he said that the A. tamaraw, although easily recognizable, can only be found in Tamaraw Falls and therefore cannot be considered a good bioindicator. Freitag said that the use of such organisms as bioindicators could help develop the measurement system of water quality. “It provides basic information like what would be helpful for local communities to know about water quality and conservation status,” he said.

Photo BY Francine A. Bharwani

Biolog y Depa r tment Instructor Ronald Cruz said that the discovery was very significant in that it showed the university's improvement in terms of biological research. “The university's generally known for the humanities, the social sciences, but here we are showing that we can lead the way in biological discovery,” he said. According to Cruz, the discovery of Freitag and his research team is “a very good indication that the Biology program [of the Ateneo] and its research are thriving.” “They are able to put Ateneo on the map in terms of biodiversity, which is a very significant issue nowadays,” he added. Meanwhile, Freitag said that the Philippines is the “biodiversity melting point” of the Ancyronyx genus. “This genus probably has evolved in areas of the Philippines, because worldwide, there are 20 species or so, and the majority of them is found only in the Philippines,” he said. The Documentations and Publications Depa r t ment Head of the Ateneo Biological Organization Uno de los Reyes compared the biodiversity of the Philippines to that of Brazil. “The Philippines, if you think about it, [has greater biodiversity] than Brazil. Brazil is so big and the Philippines is such a small country, and yet you can find all these species of birds, flowers, insects, all sorts of plants everywhere,” he said. “Our culture is rooted in biodiversity. We need to pay more attention to that.” ❖

8 Ateneans gain recognition in 63rd Palanca Awards By Ennah A. Tolentino and Vince M. Estrada EIGHT PEOPLE from the Ateneo community bagged awards at this year’s Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards (CPMA) for Literature held last September 1 at the Rigodon Ballroom of the Peninsula Manila Hotel. Two students, Marc Lopez and Vicah Villanueva, captured first and second place, respectively, in the Kabataan Essay category. The other student awardee, Guelan Luarca, won first place in the Dulang May Isang Yugto category. Mea nwh ile, English Department Lecturer Laurel Anne Fantauzzo garnered second place in the Essay category. Ateneo alumni were also awarded at the 63rd CPMA, among them Mia Buenaventura (AB Comm 94) for the Poetry for Children category, Mikael De Lara Co (BS ES 03) for the Poetry category and Jay Crisostomo IV (BFA TA and BFA CW 11) for the Full-Length Play category. Kristian Cordero (MA Fil Lit 12) won three awards, including first place for the Sanaysay category and third place for both the Tula and Maikling Kwento categories. The era of the hashtag

ABOLISH THE PDAF. Some of the signs protestors brought during the #MillionPeopleMarch held on August 26 in Luneta Park.

Biodiversity hotspot

Lopez’s award-winning piece is entitled “Hymns of the Mountains, Dreams of the

Stars.” The piece was an answer to the Kabataan Essay category question, “What is the role of literature in the development of a nation?” For his essay, Lopez used social media as his main angle “because it's something that’s very close to us.” “I just felt so much power from the way it (social media) works and from the meaning we attach to it. It touches on so many wonderful ideas, most especially those of coming out and connecting,” Lopez said. “As a jumping-off point, it has led me to quite a lot of striking realizations as to how literature can be so empowering,” he added. A first time entrant of the CPMA, Lopez admitted that he only discovered his desire to write when he enrolled in the Ateneo. According to Lopez, that desire motivated him to craft his entry. He said that even if he didn’t win, he would still consider joining the CPMA an achievement. Lopez dedicated his entry to those who served as his inspiration, namely his family, his friends, his teachers and Heights Ateneo. “They were really [the] ones who encouraged me to continue writing and to always do better. To me, that's priceless,” he said. Carlos Palanca ›› 8

The GUIDON September 2013

News Tatak Sanggu talk trains Sanggunian on FOI By JC S. Rosales RESOURCE SPEAKERS discussed the history and necessity of the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill in a talk held last September 12 at Bellarmine 313. Sanggunian officials attended the event. According to Sanggunian President Dan Remo, the talk was meant to give the members of the Sanggunian, particularly the block and course representatives, “as much information and as much of the necessary tools” as possible in fulfilling their duties as Sanggunian officers. The speakers were former Quezon Congressman Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada and Right to Know, Right Now Coalition Lead Convener Atty. Nepo Malaluan. Right to Know, Right Now Coalition is the group that filed a people’s version of the FOI bill in the 16th Congress via indirect initiative last July 1. The talk was part of the Tatak Sanggu Series. According to the Sanggunian’s Department of External Affairs Chairman Jeric Abesamis, the talks aim to raise social awareness among members of the Ateneo community as well as empower block and course representatives by training them in core competencies. For this phase of the series, the core competency to be de-

Glimpses Environmental Science department chair is one of 2013 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Teachers ■ Environmental Science Department Chair Emilyn Espiritu, PhD was chosen as one of the winners of this year’s Metrobank Foundation Search for Outstanding Teachers. The chosen winners have made significant contributions to the schools and communities they represent. Espiritu graduated from the University of the Philippines-Diliman with a degree in Marine Science and later received her master’s and doctoral degrees from the State University of Ghent in Belgium. — Vince M. Estrada Glenda Oris publishes new children’s book

REVIVAL. . Former Quezon Congressman Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada said that if not for the pork barrel scam, interest in the Freedom of Information bill may not have been revived. Photo BY lj v. Miranda

veloped among the officers was sociopolitical awareness. The next phase of the series is a planning session that will determine appropriate action points for the Sanggunian with regard to the FOI. This is scheduled for next semester. The FOI bi l l seek s to provide guidelines for citizen access to government records and files.

History of FOI

During the talk, Tañada gave a brief overview of the history and current status of the FOI bill. According to Tañada, “Muling nabuhay ang FOI. Kung hindi dahil sa pork barrel [scam], baka hindi na muling napag-usapan (Interest in the FOI has been revived. If it weren’t for the pork barrel scam, it may not have been talked about again).”

He explained that he “inherited” the FOI bill from the 11th Congress of 1998 to 2001, adding that “nothing happened” with regard to bill until 2007. The Congress’ Public Information Committee started working on the bill in October 2007. It was later passed by the House of Representatives in May 2008. Tatak-Sanggu political... ›› 8

Joint university rally urges gov’t accountability on pork By Vince M. Estrada “TAMA NA, sobra na, pork abolish na!” This is what people were chanting during the Katipunan Kontra Korupsyon (KKK) rally, an event held last September 11 that united the three Katipunanbased schools: The University of the Philippines Diliman (UP), Miriam College and the Ateneo de Manila University. The gathering of the tripartite was meant to call for accountability from the government given the recent scam concerning the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF). The scam involves the alleged 10 billion pesos illegally taken from the PDAF, a lump-sum fund granted to legislators that enables them to pursue developmental projects. The KKK was held as a complement to another rally held on the same day along the EDSA, the “EDSA Tayo” rally.

Joint statement

In a joint statement delivered by Miriam College Vice President Rose Bautista during the rally proper, the three universities proclaimed that they stand in unity with a “keen desire” to end the culture of graft, corruption and patronage in the Philippine political system. The statement expressed the “condemnation of the misuse of the public funds by unscrupulous government officials and their conniving associates.” The statement was signed by UP-D President Alfredo Pascual, Miriam College President Rosario Lapus and Ateneo de Manila University President Jose Ramon Villarin, SJ. The three university presidents urged national leaders from the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the government to re-examine their use of discretion with regard to their use of public funds. The statement also contained a call to probe into the “deeper

roots” of the pork barrel scam and to address the culture of corruption. Meanwhile, the student government presidents from UP-D, Miriam College and the Ateneo also delivered their own unity statement during the rally. They called for greater accountability and transparency in the government and advocated proper budget allocation for basic social services. “Tipunan sa Katipunan”

After gathering all the participants for a prayer at the Ricardo and Dr. Rosita Leong Hall lobby, the Ateneo contingent marched to Gate 1 of Miriam College. They were led by Sanggunian Assistant for Special Projects Rob Copuyoc and Sanggunian Vice President Ryan Yu. According to Copuyoc, around 170 Ateneo students in total joined the KKK. Performances by the International Studies Society of Miriam College and the UP

Repertory Company were also held at the rally. Juana Change, an icon from the #MillionPeopleMarch held last August 26, also made an appearance to address the crowd. Meeting expectations

Despite the delay in promoting the event to the Ateneo community, Sanggunian President Dan Remo was pelased with the school’s participation. “I’m very happy for the attendance [of the Ateneans who were able to go],” said Remo in an interview after the event. “Considering that the Sanggunian and the students only mobilized two to three days ago, we couldn’t have expected better attendance [from the Ateneo community],” Remo added. He also said that the event is only the beginning of the fight for “social changes” in the Philippines. “With more time and more organization, we can have bigger [and] better events,” Remo said.

■ Filipino Department Assistant Professor Glenda Oris wrote a new children’s book entitled “Ang Madyik ni Paolo,” published under Lampara Books. The story won second place under the Maikling Kuwentong Pambata category in the 2001 Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature. The story is published in both English and Filipino and features illustrations by Jomike Tejido. Oris is also the author of other children's books, among them “Kuwento ng Isang Mambabasa” and “Whuush.” —Tristan M. Gamalinda Allan Popa releases new poetry book ■ Filipino Department Instructor Allan Popa has published a new poetry book entitled Laan under the De La Salle University Publication House. Popa is also the author of other poetry books such as Kami sa Lahat ng Masama, Maaari and Hunos, among others. —Tristan B. Gamalinda Biology alumnus represents Philippines in Novaritis Biocamp ■ Charles Jourdan Reyes (BS Bio ‘13) was one of two young Filipino scientists chosen to participate in this year’s Novaritis International Biocamp held last August 25 to 29 in Basel, Switzerland. The magna cum laude graduate was chosen from among 51 graduate and postgraduate students nationwide who signed up for the program. Reyes and the other Filipino delegate, Malem Flores, participated in several biotechnology and medicine research workshops during the event. —Vince M. Estrada Rofel Brion releases new poetry book ■ Interdisciplinary Studies Department Chair Rofel Brion, PhD published a new poetry book entitled Kapag Natagpuan Kita under the Ateneo De Manila University Press. This book features a painting by Elaine Roberto (BS PSY ‘85) on its cover, as well as a foreword and translations of Brion’s poems by Noelle de Jesus (AB IS ‘89). The launch of the book was held on September 9 at the Faber Hall multi-purpose room. —Tristan B. Gamalinda

erratA

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In the August 2013 issue of The GUIDON, the article entitled “Comelec: Failure of elections ‘beyond our control’” and the infographic on the composition of the Sanggunian mistakenly said that there were 14 unoccupied positions in the Sanggunian Top 44. Only 12 positions are vacant.

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The article “Aquino highlights nation building in Ignatian Festival” mistakenly said that the Ateneo Alumni Association co-organized the event. The 2013 Ignatian Festival was co-organized by the University Development and Alumni Relations Office and the Jesuit Communications Foundation, Inc., through the Office of the President.

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In the Features section of the same issue, the article “Reflex Gotangco: Up in the air” incorrectly spelled “”S.A.S.S. Crew” as “Sass Crew.” The GUIDON apologizes for these oversights.

The sem break mixtapes

More songs. More madness. This month.

The GUIDON's Online Magazine

Opinion Prayers for Zamboanga Just a few weeks ago, it seemed like the impossible was about to be made a reality. After decades of numerous arguments and failed peace treaties, peace in Mindanao, for once, did not seem so far-fetched. The government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front were and are close to finalizing the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro, a document that will help end the deadlock in the peace process. However, there were warning signs that the talks were little more than attempts at papering over the cracks. The Framework did not include the participation of all the players, particularly the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). Perhaps the MNLF was not as receptive or the government was not as conciliatory, but the MNLF’s exclusion from the talks was an egregious mistake, the consequences of which have erupted in recent weeks. Last August 12, the MNLF declared their independence. And on September 9, the rebel group launched an offensive, entering Zamboanga City and capturing several barangays. As of press time, over 50 persons have been killed. Sadly, this is but the latest chapter in the fractious relationship between the government and the separatists in Mindanao. It seems as if conflict constantly impedes any possible progress towards peace in the region. For every breakthrough in negotiations, there comes a period of tension and violence from the two sides. It cannot be overstated how badly the MNLF’s actions obstruct the peace efforts, providing a distraction during a time of willing collaboration and compromise. Neither can it be overemphasized that violence is not the solution. This is something that the MNLF must be held accountable for. To some extent, however, both sides are at fault. From the point of view of the MNLF, the supposed annulment of the 1996 peace agreement as well as the government’s focus on collaborating with the MNLF’s historically violent offshoot appears as an insult to the MNLF’s efforts throughout the decades. These are reasons enough for the MNLF to be displeased. Despite the many promises of the separatists and despite the reassurances of the government, much of their words echo the same rhetoric of the past several decades. It makes one wonder whether the two sides will ever learn from their mistakes, or whether genuine progress can ever be possible for the region. For now, the MNFL’s actions serve as a roadblock, a temporary hindrance to progress in the region. However, we cannot help but feel that the infrastructure and willpower for peace are in place and that Mindanao is ready for an end to the conflicts. The people of Mindanao deserve an immediate end to the conflict. The GUIDON stands in solidarity with them in their quest for peace and we call for the immediate surrender of the MNLF rebels. This conflict is by no means worth the derailment of progress and the loss of life that come with it. Zamboanga City needs peace and it needs it now. VOLUME LXXXIV, NO. 4

September 2013

The GUIDON Founded 1929 by Rev. Frank O Hara, SJ

First Editor-in-Chief, Manuel C. Colayco, AB 30 Purpose To serve as a record of Ateneo history-in-the-making; to serve as an organ of journalistic expression; to serve God and country.

Victor Rafael M. Agbayani, AB Comm ‘14

Maria Janina B. de Leon, BS Mgt ‘14

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

MANAGING EDITOR

Arianna Y. Lim, AB Comm 14

Karlo Angelo C. Amparo, BFA ID 14

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

DESIGN EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Mara Alyssabel D. Cepeda, AB Comm ‘15

Abram Angelo Christian Anselmo P. Barrameda, AB PoS ‘14

NEWS EDITOR

PHOTO EDITOR

Margarita A. Contreras, AB Comm ‘14 and Roman Carlo C. Mirasol, BS Mgt ‘14

Jan-Daniel S. Belmonte, BFA ID ‘15

Sports EditorS

Graphic Design EDITOR

Jose Ranulfo R. Mendoza, BS LM ‘15

Patrice Anne Mendoza, AB Comm ‘14

Beyond Loyola Editor

Multimedia Editor

Vernise Allison L. Tantuco, BS CTM ‘15

Katherine Mary E. Pearson, AB SoS ‘15

Features Editor

Training & Development Manager

Nadine Bernadette Y. Ramos, AB PoS ‘14

Ernest Matthew V. Austria, AB Comm ‘14

inquiry editor

EXTERNALS Manager

Ramon Lorenzo L. Cruz, AB Comm ‘14

Meryl Deniece G. Uy, BS MAC ‘15

KATIPUNAN Magazine Editor

ONLINE MEDIA Manager

News Athena A. Batanes; Editorial Assistant, Joline S. Acampado, Athena A. Batanes, Vince M. Estrada, Tristan B. Gamalinda, Bianca N. Martinez, Pauline V. Miranda, Billy B. Poon, JC S. Rosales, Samantha O. Subida, Ennah A. Tolentino, Mariel L. Zamora Sports Angelo F. Herbosa; Editorial Assistant, Robi R. Andres, Lorenzo C. Aycardo, Raizza P. Bello, Faith R. Decangchon, Earl D.L. Forlales, Gian Y. Go, Beatrice T. Go, Chino C. Razon, Noelle M. Recio Beyond Loyola Fredrick P. Cruz; Editorial Assistant, Elise V. Apilado, Pamela P. Baluyot, Regine D. Cabato, Robbin M. Dagle, Justin L. Filart, Kyle N. Mitschiener, KD L. Montenegro, Aldrin D. Pabello, Chynna A. Santos, Frances P. Sayson, Jessica Y. Velarde Features Patches Q. Espino, Kristine Q. Estioko, Javison T. Guzman, Keisha D. Kibanoff, Kian L. Paras, Pia H. Posadas, Andie D. Reyes, Benny G. Tañedo, Jasmine P. Ting, Vicah P. Villanueva Inquiry Patches Q. Espino, Kristine Q. Estioko, Javison T. Guzman, Keisha D. Kibanoff, Kian L. Paras, Pia H. Posadas, Andie D. Reyes, Benny G. Tañedo, Jasmine P. Ting, Vicah P. Villanueva Katipunan Magazine Arianna del Rosario; Editorial Assistant, Paul G. Alcantara, Santiago J. Arnaiz, Kara B. Chung, Rissa A. Coronel, Nicolo A. Fortuna, Camilla G. Galang, Tricia T. Lao, Paulina F. Ocampo, Isa P. Rodrigo, Simone Sales Photos Francine A. Bharwani, Steffi C. Gorospe, Arthur Tan; Editorial Assistants, Alexis A. Casas, Pia B. Guballa, Frances L. Hu, Alexandra L. Huang, Christie K. Lim, Kat A. Mallillin, Lj V. Miranda, Ryan Y. Racca, Isabella L. Yatco Graphic Design Earl U. Urbiztondo; Editorial Assistant, Alvin C. Bravo, Ian B. De La Cruz, Janine G. Dela Cuesta, Czarina B. Dycaico, Cy P. Lagamson, Tommi G. Principe, Meg C. Quintos, Chelli V. Reyes, Mich B. Salangsang, Charisse B. Tacang, Denise D. Tan Multimedia Nicole C. Ceballos, Ingrid M. Espinosa, Miguel Feria, Denise G. Fernandez, MV Isip, Shaira A. Mazo, Thurees O. Obenza, Alain D. Pinsotes, Jessica L. Roasa, Nikki C. Vesagas Training & Development Elaine I. Pineda; Managerial Assistant, Camille I. Basa, Antonio A. Fernando, Andrea D.G. Guevarra, Kimberly S. Ortiz, Nicole B. San Luis, Karen G. Sison, Gisella F. Velasco Externals Patrick L. Balisong; Managerial Assistant, Mar A. Arboleda, Robie N. Batungbacal, Tintin R. Dela Cruz, Carmelita R. Jocson, Julie T. Lim, Jeric L. Santos, Pamela H. Villa-Real Online Media Patrick R. Bulaon; Managerial Assistant, Celinka L. Chun, Ynna G. Roldan, Lavi A. Subang, Josephine C. Unas Copy Editors Athena A. Batanes, Rissa A. Coronel and Andie D. Reyes

Ruel S. De Vera Moderator

After the silver screen Of late, local cinema has been enjoying an upsurge of favorable reception. It was an especially good year for Cinemalaya, its problem no longer relatively stagnant ticket sales but a deficit of seats and screening dates. On top of that, Erik Matti’s recently released On The Job had audiences waxing enthusiastic both here and abroad. But where do movies like these go once their cinema audiences have dried out? For many other foreign film industries, archiving is second nature. Here, however, it simply hasn’t been industry SOP and this is worrying for reasons far beyond the need to quell the wistfulness of film geeks. Pragmatically speaking, this negligence might have been forgivable if the hitch was merely one of cost. Archiving is a shockingly expensive practice. On top of the maintenance of buildings that require round the clock temperature regulation, funds also have to be poured into the restoration, preservation and cataloging of the films themselves. Considering all the other items that find their way into our national budget, calling the establishment of a national archive “ambitious” is a laughable understatement.

While an undervalued cultural arts fund is disturbing, it is still more acceptable than the other, much more alarming explanation for our neglected archive: We simply didn’t care enough about its implementation. In an article that appeared in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the president of the Society of Filipino Archivists for Film, Clodualdo del Mundo, recounted how, not long ago, film was used to make New Years tooters. Until the ‘70s, he said, it was common practice for TV networks to tape over finished broadcasts. There was also a producer who would supposedly sell his negatives because he was in the business of recovering silver. Today, we do have an operational— though obscure—public filing system. It’s called the National Film Archive of the Philippines (NFAP), though, at present, that title seems like it was given more out of wishful thinking rather than actual merit. The NFAP is on a mission to accomplish “the retrieval, restoration, and eventual digitization of the best works of Filipino filmmakers.” While it’s too soon to pass proper judgment on the two-year-old organization, what it’s

Arianna Y. Lim alim@theguidon.com

managed to accomplish so far has been quite commendable. It’s attempting an undertaking massive enough to cow and tire even the most dedicated of film enthusiasts—yet it’s stubbornly plowing forward, and it is right to do so. As with Noli Me Tángere during the Spanish occupation and OPM during Martial Law, our films fill in the blanks that our history books don’t cover. For brazen commentary on Filipinos’ faith, there is Ishmael Bernal’s Himala. For discussion on the media’s misguided romanticization of poverty, there is Marlon Rivera’s Ang Babae sa Septic Tank. Even mainstream cinema’s current obsession with mistress movies says something about our cultural identity. Serving a purpose far more consequential than simply catering to people’s nostalgia, the documentation of our films is integral to the cultivation of our cultural identity and the preservation of our heritage. Whether they be fictional or factual, mainstream or independent, films are historical elements in their own right, and that should be reason enough to come to their rescue.

Close Call

In justice In the August 2013 issue of The GUIDON, the Sports section published a piece entitled “The Unheralded.” It featured the team managers and the all-around serviceman of the Blue Eagles—a few of the people behind the success of our athletic teams. Their names or faces may never be recognized by league spectators, but their contributions to the teams are nonetheless felt. Their dedication is affirmed by the concepts of family and hard work. Not all the not-so-insignificant men and women who work are faced with such welcoming situations, however. Labor standards studies conducted by the Department of Labor and Employment during the first quarter of 2013 show that, in NCR alone, only 61.7% of establishments are without violations on minimum wage. The National Capital Region-Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board recently approved a P10 increase in salary for minimum wage workers that will take effect in January 2014. This hike will integrate the existing Cost of Living Allowance, which is currently being given in addition to

Öffentlichkeit

Janina B. de Leon jdeleon@theguidon.com

the basic wage as compensation for loss in purchasing power due to inflation. At first, this sounds like good news for minimum wage workers. But on the other side of the coin is the likelihood of businesses being unable to dispense this amount, as it raises employment issues such as recruitment and an increased cost of labor. In addition, disgruntled labor unions have dubbed this increase a joke. Citing the Priority Development Assistance Fund scandal, which has made the rich richer and the poor poorer, they claim they are not compensated by the proposed minimum wage since the cost of living is actually more than twice this amount. It is wrong to maintain the notion that these are menial people performing everyday tasks, wherein one person is “just one of many.” It brings to mind the instance when a particular celebrity infuriated the urban poor by saying they were “being babied” by society and not doing their part in contributing to it. Did it occur to anyone that these urban poor can actually be the blue collar workers among us? Who’s to say they haven’t lifted a finger to contribute to society?

A necessa r y considerat ion is finding a sustainable way of appropriately compensating the people who toil for the sake of the bigger picture. We are in need of a balance between preserving the dignity of life of the workforce and enabling organizations to compensate their employees accordingly while operating efficiently. The value of work can be viewed in terms of its intrinsic rewards, but I believe that more can still be done for the average Filipino worker in the long run. Social justice is achievable—I’m sure it isn’t utopia—but it will require that sacrifices be made on both sides of the story. I call on those with significant power—CEOs, government officials, leaders—to be conscientious in giving space for justice. Intrinsic rewards from the promotion of one’s mission and vision can be compelling for the unheralded, but realistically, extrinsic rewards—in this case, financial compensation—will make the most practical sense as we tread through the daily grind of employment.

The GUIDON September 2013

Blue jeans

Delayed gratification Panacea By Vicah P. Villanueva

The following is an abridged version of the author’s Carlos Palanca Memorial Award-winning essay. Vicah P. Villanueva is a member of The GUIDON’s Features staff. I have fractured eyes and a jigsaw soul. Years of perusing the stiff, sharp-edged pages of just-bought books have broken and crushed me physically. My eyes are not clear-sighted, despite the endless dishes of squash that my grandmother insisted would cure my deteriorating vision. My spine has curved in subtle ways over time, and perfect posture has always been more of a detested chore than a habit. “You read too much,” Papa would whisper, pulling away the novel from my hands and locking it inside the cabinet. “You need to study your lessons.” I’d grown up as a voracious bookworm, spelling giraffe and hippopotamus and balloon while my peers were learning cat and rat and mouse. In my later years I would find a little corner in a library or a bookshop, getting lost in imagined worlds. I would travel to India, go to school at Hogwarts and befriend a lion in the midst of Narnia’s stormy woods. Above all, I was entranced by the infinite possibilities of literature. Literature is a tricky thing. It begins with thought, is expressed through language, is made timeless by publication and ends up being interpreted according to the reader’s perspective. It’s multi-dimensional, encompassing different worldviews and schools of thought, confined only by the limitations of the reader’s understanding. That’s what makes literature so special—it may seem simple, but it also has the ability to morph into something more complex. Just the other day, I came across “Reading and Guilty Pleasure” by Gary Gutting. The first question in Gutting’s article is this: “Are some books objectively better than others, or are literary preferences ultimately just matters of subjective taste?” It’s a valid question. I cannot quote a particular set of statistics, but I don’t think it would be too presumptuous of me to say that the number of people who have read Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight are greater than, say, the ones who have read Haruki Murakami’s Hard-boiled Wonderland and the End of the World. It comes down to commercial viability rather than technical skills. Meyer is no Kafka, Twain or Tolkien, and yet she sells. We may argue, time and time again, over which authors are actually good at writing. What we fail to realize is that the interpretation of literature is dependent on the reader’s literacy and cultural background. As a result, the author’s message is not conveyed completely, the same way a constructed building does not quite resemble the original blueprint. Sometimes people would rather read crude jokes about someone’s ass than face a thoughtprovoking piece written to the point of perfection. Going back to Gutting’s question, I do think that literary preferences are ultimately just matters of subjective taste. People read what they want to read, and what they want to read often depends on the dictates of society. Why is this so important? Why am I fixating on people’s literary tastes and on the correlation of literature and the society? In the words of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, “The decline of literature indicates the decline of a nation.” I don’t mean to imply that our nation is in a state of decline. But if we tweak that quote to have a positive connotation, it will be like this: “The improvement of literature indicates the improvement of a nation.” Against the backdrop of the ever-evolving 21st century, literature plays an important role in the development of a nation. It begins with how we consume literature: By reading. “To learn to read is to light a fire.” The words of Victor Hugo cannot be truer. The act of reading is in itself crucial to the enrichment of a nation’s constituents, due to the fact that literacy is often defined as the ability to read and write. We read literature, and learning how to read alone provides a foundation for cultivating an intellectual economy in the country. After all, a country’s most important resource is its people, and in order to develop the Philippines’ inherent human resources, we begin by teaching Filipinos how to read and how to write. Aside from that, reading is vital in the formation of an individual. The scope of literature is broad in nature, and it encompasses so many ideologies. In effect, an individual who reads can relate with the rest of the world and opens his mind to concepts outside of his or her natural sphere of learning. The second key point is that literature is basically a historical record. Even the most outlandish fiction you come across is founded on the ills and projections of society. Literature disseminates information and educates the people. Information is transcribed and printed on hundreds of pages, and these pages are then made available throughout the globe. In the truest sense, literature is the world’s omniscient diary, one which we can peruse in order to study the literary movements over the years, the political treatises which have ripped apart the world, and the progression of society in general. Essentially, literature is the know-it-all kid who everyone hates but secretly copies off of. In short, literature stores knowledge and we use that knowledge to avoid making the same mistakes of humanity in the past. It is a cycle: We read, we understand, and we share what we understand. In the process, literature evolves and expands. Not only does it include the rules and restrictions of society before, it also grows to include society now. This is the most valuable aspect of literature: Its development of a nation by reminding the nation of its own self. In the end, what is a nation without an identity? What is a country without a shared trait? What is a human being without character? I have lived and breathed literature ever since my formative years. I have fractured eyes and maybe a bent spine—physical indications of my journey with literature, and they’ll never go away. But I also have a jigsaw soul, one that is pieced together by patches from each world I’ve visited, each concept I’ve learned, each character I’ve come to love. Literature has changed me the same way it continues to change this nation, this continent, and this world. I have fractured eyes and a jigsaw soul, and I know that I am not the only one. I am not the first, I am not the last, but I am one of the people who believe that literature can make a difference. Perhaps it is the panacea that our nation is looking for.

The Senate Local Government Committee is pushing for the postponement of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections to 2016, and I agree; the Filipino youth is not ready to elect its SK officials this coming October. The SK is the seven-member youth council based in each barangay. SK kagawads, aged 15 to 17 years old, are normally elected during the barangay elections. According to Republic Act Number 7160, also known as the Local Government Code of 1991, SK kagawads are meant to “initiate programs designed to enhance the social, political, economic, cultural, intellectual, moral, spiritual and physical development” of their constituents. However, Senate Local Government Committee Chairman Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos said in a Philippine Daily Inquirer article that the SK “has lost its effectiveness in advancing democratic ideals of service-oriented leadership.” This is reflected in my own barangay, where young voters like myself have been unaware of our SK’s projects for years. The only SK project I know about

is the inter-barangay basketball league which my cousin participates in every summer. Apart from that, my own SK kagawads have done nothing relevant enough for me to notice their presence. And I am not alone. Many young Filipinos nationwide no longer see the significance of the SK. Critics have advocated scrapping the SK completely. A story on Rappler released last September 3 said that “SK members only engage in local politics and do not serve the interests of the Filipino youth.” Moreover, those who want to abolish the SK said that the youth council has become a breeding ground for political dynasties and corrupt government officials. However, I do not believe the SK should be abolished. Like the National Youth Commission, I see the SK’s potential to provide the opportunity to the Filipino youth to participate in political affairs and practice active citizenship. There is a need, nevertheless, to reform the SK’s current structure. Postponing the SK elections to 2016

Mara D. Cepeda mcepeda@theguidon.com

will give Congress enough time to legislate changes that will hopefully improve the youth council. One advantage of the proposed election postponement is that it will allow all concerned sectors to properly review whether the age range for SK kagawads is still effective. I personally think that allowing 18 to 21-year-olds to run for the SK should be reconsidered, as students part of this age group are more mature and thus more prepared for the local leadership role. Postponement will also provide Congress enough time to make reforms that will ensure that SK kagawads are able fulfill their jobs without being used by their older counterparts elected in higher offices. While I am aware that postponing the SK polls will entail added expenses for the government, the possible SK reforms that will be made for next three years far outweigh the costs. It’s about time young Filipinos once again see the noble purpose of the SK, and if that means a delay in the SK elections, then so be it.

Chino L. Cruz ccruz@theguidon.com

It wasn’t until I began to own my ADHD that things finally turned around for me. By junior year, I started to call myself “E.T.” with pride. With the help of my family and some very good friends, I fixed my academics and caught up with the rest of the class. My boundless energy also helped me develop my love for film, theater and writing in the span of two years. By the time I graduated and entered college, I was a new person. I had finally found my voice. I was lucky, though. I was diagnosed back when ADHD had yet to become a buzzword. I was able to form my identity right before yuppies and bloggers began to self-diagnose themselves with ADHD just because they liked to multitask. I was also lucky enough to have had an unbelievably supportive circle of friends that pushed me away from the edge. Society is unkind to people with disabilities like ADHD. I know of people who have ADHD that is so intense and loud that even their relatives find speaking to them unpleasant. Schools expect us to

adapt to their systems and social circles refuse to accept us because conformity is law. Since ADHD is a high-functioning mental disability, people expect us to be able to survive life without a hitch. The problem is that we can’t. There are people who still believe that ADHD is a myth and that all we are is a group of lazy, hyperactive and drug-reliant egomaniacs. I have been told to my face that what I fundamentally am is a farce and that ADHD is just a crutch for people who refuse to adapt to society. All I have to say is that my dysfunction, or whatever it actually is, is who I am. Even if I am currently taking behavioral medication to help me get through the rest of college, and even if society continues to tell people like me to change, I will continue to own who I am, who we are. We will wait until the world decides to shift, until string quartets begin to swell and until the great denouement finally occurs. We will not change for anything.

In Transit

Online hipsters Right after we open our Internet browsers and click on the bookmarks to Facebook and Twitter, we are being led into another world. Here, there are no limitations; the possibilities are endless. Anyone can post anything and anyone can read anything. With that being said, social media has been a natural means of getting attention regarding certain issues and problems. Joining the neverending 9gag posts on my news feed are the shared and retweeted stories of various organizations, many of which support great causes. Theoretically, a single like, share or retweet can propel a movement forward as more and more people become aware of it. But the question is, do you think that being aware and accordingly raising awareness in this way are “helping” the cause enough? The sad reality is that most netizens believe that the answer to that question is a resounding “yes.” Of course, raising awareness is a step towards helping, but likes, shares and retweets do not really help the cause at all. The feeling of activism is, in reality, slacktivism: Actions done with very minimal effort and involvement in

Cornucopia

The Wild Rumpus

Being odd I was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) when I was 12. It was a strange moment when the doctor told me that there was a label for the way that I thought. It was in no way a definitive moment. I did not change. My world did not shift. String quartets did not swell in the background and there was no great denouement. I was still me. The only difference was that my dysfunction finally had a name. Things didn’t get any easier for me when the doctor handed my mom the official diagnosis. My parents decided to turn down a prescription for Ritalin in favor of less traditional behavioral therapy. I was taught to organize my life and to constantly take down notes. It was a massive struggle. Once I entered high school, schoolwork became much harder and my already dismal social standing disintegrated into nothing. My disorganization finally caught up with me and I flunked several classes. My inability to notice social cues, matched with my hyperactive tendencies, led my classmates to call me “alien.” I was a mess.

Meryl G. Uy muy@theguidon.com

order to supposedly—but unsuccessfully—effect change. To further explain this slacktivist mindset, let’s go back to what happened a month ago. The #MillionPeopleMarch, which was largely promoted on social media, took place in Luneta last August and aimed to get the Filipino people to protest against the pork barrel system. True enough, a number of people did come. Sadly, there were also slacktivists present, ready with their camera phones to take pictures of the event, as if they had to prove to people that they really did attend. Almost instantly, these photos were posted on Instagram, complete with the hashtag #MillionPeopleMarch. Sure enough, social media brought the Filipinos together in light of Napoles and the pork barrel scandal—but should it end there? For most people, their sense of activism ends after making hashtags trend. I am also a slacktivist. I do support various causes but I have never really done any tangible action that I am sure will make a difference. When I read about these online, instead of protesting against them, donating money or sacrificing my time and effort to help, I

just share links and videos on my social networking sites for people to see. I am also hoping that others will be the ones to actually do something about these issues while I make myself feel fulfilled by taking some of the credit they get for helping. In reality, we slacktivists never really help because we are intuitive. We are somewhat biased with regard to our reasons for supporting such causes. We pity, empathize with or claim to “understand” these causes. What’s wrong with being instinctive and acting on our feelings is that it is not enough to motivate one to actually run a marathon for cancer patients or donate an amount of money to various orphanages. Just like hipsters, we slacktivists try to become people we are not. We see a cause trending and we feel that sharing this online already counts for something. Truthfully, we are only exposing ourselves as fakes and phonies, labels that we would never want to be associated with. So what now? The answer to that lies only within ourselves. Do we still want to be frauds? If not, then we have to start walking instead of just doing the talking.

The GUIDON September 2013

News Community Calendar ■

Beach Clean-up 2013 A clean-up effort to help preserve the health of oceans has been organized by the Ateneo Biological Organization, the Ateneo Environmental Science Society and the Institute of Skin Divers Ateneo, with the participation of the International Coastal Clean-up -Philippines. September 21, Nasugbu, Batangas For more information, contact Spica Cagande at 09174616330

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Rediscovery Soloists Night The soloists of the Ateneo Musicians’ Pool will showcase their renditions of iconic songs from the 1970s. September 21, Alphonse Bistro For more information contact, Joy Pasco at 09333632572

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Inner blossoming: Growing and healing from the holes in our souls To help individuals who are looking to experience personal growth and healing, the Bulatao Center for Psychology Services offers this workshop to be administered by Lourdes Ramos, PhD of the Psychology department. Social Sciences Building Conference Rooms 1 & 2 September 21, 1:00 to 4:00 PM

Maring relief ops...

FIRST TIME WINNERS. Like the other student winners from the Ateneo, Marc Lopez was victorious the first time he submitted an entry for the prestigious Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature. Photo BY Alexis A. Casas

in charge of the assessment activities and deployment in Casiguran,” said ATFAA Head Ace Dela Cruz. According to an SLB infographic found in their Facebook page, 1,245 houses were totally destroyed while 4,026 were partially damaged in Casiguran. SLB Program Manager for Special Projects Bernie Aton said, “Seeing that they were devastated by the typhoon, we see the need to help them not just with their struggle with [the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport (Apeco)] but also with their suffering from the typhoon.” Apeco is a multibillion-peso project that aims to turn 12,923 hectares of Casiguran into a business and tourism hotspot. Meanwhile, VP for Social Development Hofileña explained why the Dream Team did not mobilize volunteers after typhoon Labuyo hit. “Under the Dream Team protocols, there ought to be at least three calls [from the Dream Team's core members] suggesting mobilization before the team can meet and assess whether to mobilize [or not],” Hofileña said. “No such threshold was reached [when Labuyo struck],” he clarified. According to Hofileña, most of

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the communities served by SLB were not adversely affected by the typhoon. He added that the team still coordinated with SLB to monitor the situation at Casiguran. “It is mostly infrastructure in the surrounding areas which was damaged. The team has made monetary contributions out of its operating funds to SLB for its typhoon Labuyo campaign,” Hofileña added. “Ignatian generosity”

Hofileña expressed gratitude to all the units, organizations and communities that were involved in the relief operations. “Only God knows how best to reward [them] for the Ignatian generosity [they] continue [to] display,” he said. Likewise, Sanggunian President Remo lauded the Sanggunian officers and the countless volunteers who braved the rains and took the time to help. However, he hopes that relief operations will not become the only way of embodying the Ateneo spirit. “I pose it as a challenge for all of us: How to we best embody being men and women for others, not just in times of disasters, but... outside disasters [as well],” he said. ❖

63rd Palanca Awards... Heights is the official literary and artistic publication of the Ateneo. ‹‹ 2

A dream come true

Villanueva’s “Panacea” piece for the Kabataan Essay category emphasized how literature is an important factor in creating a national identity. According to her, developing the nation starts with reading. “[Reading] heightens the sense of perception of the reader. It develops their (readers’) taste to the point that they will be able to establish an identity,” she said. The Director’s Lister explained that her essay’s title also means “cure-all,” which pertains how literature can help solve the ills of society by capitalizing on the intellectual economy. Moreover, the first-time Palanca awardee also wrote about how literature changed her and how it continues to change the world. “I have fractured eyes and a jigsaw soul, and I know that I am not the only one… I am one of the people who believe that literature can make a difference,” she wrote.

Luarca, the Dulang May Isang Yugto category awardee and another first time entrant into the CPMA, said he was already exposed to the Philippine arts scene as a child. “[So] when I got the news [that I won an award], namanhid buong katawan ko! (My entire body went numb!)” Luarca said. His one-act play “Mga Kuneho” had already been staged in the Cultural Center of the Philippines before he submitted it to the CPMA. “Audience response was overwhelmingly positive, so I thought, ‘Ayan na o, nakasulat na rin naman (It’s here and it’s been written already anyway), might as well submit it [to the CPMA]!” Luarca said. He cited various influences in his journey towards his first Palanca award, but he said he was mainly influenced by the place he grew up in, Santa Ana, Manila. “[It was there that] I got to absorb the Tagalog of Manila— iba talaga ang vibrations ng language sa Manila. I wanted to celebrate that,” Luarca said.

Malauan said that the framework of the FOI is based on the social contract in which citizens entrust the government with vast authorities and resources with the expectation that the government will act in their favor. He explained that there is always a “danger of abuse” in this contract, but the citizens are given “protection” through Section 7 of the Bill of Rights. This section states that the government shall recognize the right of the citizens to access official records and other relevant documents pertaining to official transactions and decisions, as well as government research data as basis for policy development. According to Malaluan, abuses may arise if the government tries “to operationalize”

the citizens’ right to access government records and documents because of concerns over confidentiality, scope of which documents can be requested and procedure and sanctions for refusing to disclose information. These concerns are what the FOI bill aims to solve. Malaluan cited the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scandal as an example of why the country needs the FOI bill passed. Though the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) regularly publishes information about the government’s finances, these are not enough for the citizen’s to investigate how Janet Lim-Napoles, who is allegedly behind the PDAF scandal, was able to obtain the PDAF of several government officials.

Jigsaw souls

When asked what was next for him after his Palanca victory, he simply said: “[Writing] is just one aspect out of many in my life; I’m also a son, a brother and a friend, and these are more important to me.” “[However], I hope I get to continue my writing, continue to enjoy it, learn more about it, hone it, earn from it, even,” Luarca added. Being the foreigner

Initially published in The Manila Review, Fantauzzo’s “Under My Invisible Umbrella” recounted the writer’s experience of color prejudice in the United States. In her essay, Fantauzzo shared her experience of a man holding an umbrella over her head during a heavy downpour. According to her, the man had completely ignored the rest of her Filipino-American companions. “I had friends who were darker-skinned who were also getting wet in the rain, but because the man interpreted that I was white-skinned and therefore probably wealthier,

probably more deserving of his services, I was the only one who was dry,” said Fantauzzo. “The man was not holding the umbrella above me. He was holding the umbrella above my whiteness,” she emphasized. Fantauzzo, who recently became a dual citizen of the Philippines and the United States, also recalled the additional charges she sometimes found on her bills, charges she later called her “Dayuhan Tax” or “Foreigner Tariff.” According to her, her motivation to write her essay came from the anger she felt in response to how immitigable her situation seemed. “I think my role as a writer is to ask uncomfortable questions. I don’t know that I’m like a policy-maker or a solutionprescriber, but I at least want to point things out and make people ask uncomfortable questions,” said Fantauzzo. Editor’s note: Vicah Villanueva is a member of The GUIDON’s Features staff.

Tatak Sanggu talk... However, Tañada said that the bill then faced delays because the 2008 Senate committee head for Public Information was Senator Bong Revilla, who repeatedly postponed committee hearings regarding the bill. Tañada speculated that the importance of the FOI bill might have been “beyond the grasp” of Revilla. However, a reshuffling of the Senate committee heads last December 2008 resulted in Senator Alan Peter Cayetano replacing Revilla. Cayetano pushed for the passage of the bill until it was approved in the Bicameral Conference. At this stage, the Senate was ratified the bill but the Congress did not. In order for the FOI bill to become a law, it must be first ‹‹ 5

submitted to the Senate or to the Congress. After three readings and a majority vote in the house that it was filed in, the bill is transmitted to the other house to undergo another three readings and a majority vote. Discrepancies between the two houses’ versions of the bill are settled in a bicameral conference. The approved bill is then passed to the President for final approval. Why pass the FOI bill?

Malaluan, on the other hand, talked about the content of the FOI and how it relates to the rights of citizens as stated in the 1987 Constitution. He divided his talk into four parts: The framework of the FOI bill, its content, what is at stake and its current status.

The aggregate data provided to the public by DBM does not contain necessary documents for the citizens to help prevent the abuse of government resources. Politicizing Ateneo

The Tatak Sanggu talk was in line with a particular goal of Sanggunian President Remo’s term: To politicize the Ateneo community. “We have [a] responsibility to really bring nationwide issues into the campus,” Remo said. However, the Ateneo Assembly Executive Director for Research and Advocacy Exequiel Salcedo observed certain faults in the Sanggunian’s previous efforts in bringing national issues into the campus. “While there were efforts and initiatives that attempted to rally Atenean support for FOI,

there were not enough followthroughs which ought to sustain the hype, which is perhaps the more challenging task,” said Salcedo. However, he supports the Sanggunian’s current efforts to engage the students in discussions regarding the FOI bill. Salcedo suggested that the Sanggunian open its planning sessions to other groups and individuals outside of the student government. As for capturing the interest of the students, Salcedo said that education about the FOI bill issue has the potential to engage the students. “It (education) allows them (students) to realize that they are indeed stakeholders in this issue, therefore it is only right for them to be involved,” he added. ❖

The GUIDON September 2013

Sports gallery of eagles

T o p - o f - t h e - line

The Ateneo women's badminton rookies Head Coach Kennie Asuncion’s 2013 recruitment class includes two of the most highly-touted Shuttlers in the country: Bianca Carlos and Trixie Malibiran.

Photos By Isabella L. Yatco

Bianca Carlos By Raizza P. Bello MOST ATHLETES proclaim their love of the game above everything else. For Bianca Carlos, the game of badminton goes beyond just passion. To her, it is her ultimate life-changer. When it comes to Carlos’ motivations for playing badminton, the interdisciplinary studies freshman singles out her family. “I was motivated before because there was a cash prize whenever you won. When dad lost his job, we needed the money. It really helped us out. Now I even have a scholarship in Ateneo,” shares the prized recruit in a mix of English and Filipino. Carlos’ love for the sport began at the age of seven when her aunt and cousins invited her to play. Immediately after her first game, she asked her mom to enroll her in badminton classes. This is how she met her first trainer, former national team player Wilson Frias. At the age of nine, Carlos transferred to the Asuncion Badminton Center (ABC), where her badminton career truly blossomed. She was mentored by owner Nelson Asuncion and

his daughter Kennie Asuncion, the current head coach of the Ateneo Lady Shuttlers. With her rigorous training and dedication at ABC, Carlos was soon participating in several tournaments, one of which was the Yonex-Sunrise Philippines National Open Badminton Championships 2009. In this event, Carlos pulled off an unbelievable stint, sweeping the 16-Under Singles, Doubles and Open categories, making her the youngest recorded female athlete to achieve the feat. However, the following year, Carlos competed in a Philippine Badminton Ranking System tournament and was defeated by former University Athletic Association of the Philippines Rookie of the Year (ROY), Most Valuable Player (MVP) and Lady Shuttler Gelita Castilo. The loss almost made Carlos quit playing. Fortunately, Carlos’ mother tirelessly encouraged her not to give up. Aside from that devastating loss, there were other personal hurdles in Carlos’ badminton career. She had a difficult time balancing her academics and training in high school. This eventually led to her parents letting her take the Paulinian

Trixie Malibiran Alternative Learning program, St. Paul Pasig’s home schooling option. Despite these obstacles, Carlos continued to thrive in the sport. When she turned 16 last year, she duplicated her 2009 YonexSunrise act, this time doing it in the 19-Under Singles, Doubles and Open categories. What made this accomplishment sweeter the second time around, however, was her victory over perennial opponent Castilo. Carlos hasn’t just been making her mark in the local scene. As a member of the national team, she’s also participated in international tournaments like the Axiata Cup 2013 in Indonesia and the Sudirman Cup 2013 in Malaysia. As she enters the college scene, Carlos is determined to continue her success at the next level. Coach Kennie Asuncion’s newest player is looking forward to helping the Lady Shuttlers successfully defend the crown, as well as take home the ROY and MVP awards. With the way Carlos has excelled at every level of the sport, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see her turn in a well-decorated debut season at the end of Season 76.

By Faith R. Decangchon CHOOSING WHICH team to play for in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) may be one of the most challenging tasks for a top varsity player. But with the recruitment of Lady Shuttlers Head Coach Kennie Asuncion and the quality of education being offered by the Ateneo, deciding to play for the Blue and White was not at all a tough choice for Trixie Malibiran. Thoug h she or ig i na l ly favored gymnastics and soccer over other sports, Malibiran’s father had pushed her to try her hand at badminton. After training at different badminton centers, Malibiran’s initial enjoyment of the sport turned into a strong competitive drive. Malibiran began her active involvement in badminton tournaments at the age of 10. After two years, she transferred to Asuncion Badminton Center, which is owned by her current coach’s father, Nelson Asuncion. There she rubbed shoulders with a number of

UA AP badminton athletes who inspired her to join their ranks. Aside from her loyalty to Asuncion, a nother factor that encouraged Malibiran to don the Ateneo’s colors is her program of study. The interdisciplinary studies freshman shares, “I love teaching children, especially those who need special attention, so I was glad that my program allowed me to take up both psychology and education as special tracks.” With regard to her playing st yle, what disting uishes Malibiran from other players is her determination and fighting spirit. “Coach Kennie tells me that whenever she sees me compete, she sees a fighter that makes her confident that, win or lose, her player gave the competition her all and fought to the very end,” says the 2012 Women’s National Collegiate Athletic Association Most Valuable Player. While she has mastered the different skill sets needed to prevail in various tournaments, Malibiran admits that she has yet to master her patience inside the court. “All

other skills—the smash, drive and drop—can be mastered through continuous practice and guidance from your coach, but patience is a skill you need to learn yourself through selfdiscipline.” Ma libira n is cur rent ly ranked number two in the Under-19 Singles division of the MVP Sports FoundationPhilippine Badminton Ranking System. She is also ranked number one in the Doubles division alongside partner and fellow Lady Shuttler rookie Bianca Carlos. Expectations are high for Malibiran and her fellow rookie teammates; the past two UAAP women’s badminton Rookie of the Year (ROY) winners, Gelita Castilo and Jana De Vera, also come from the Lady Shuttlers’ roster. Despite the pressure to continue the ROY trend for the Ateneo, Malibiran chooses to focus on her team’s aspirations to defend the crown rather than her individual goals. With a special skill set and the proper team mindset, Malibiran is ready to contribute to the Lady Shuttlers’ Season 76 championship chase.

In the next issue

BO PERASOL:

Year One Being the Blue Eagles’ head coach is one of the toughest jobs in Philippine college basketball. Find out whether or not Bo Perasol lived up to the title in the October issue of The GUIDON.

Photo By Ryan Y. Racca

The GUIDON September 2013

Sports

sports feature

Developing Ateneans through the Intramurals By Chino C. Razon WITH 7.8 seconds left on the clock, Gec Chia stops, pops and pulls up for the ice-cold, gamewinning jump shot that propels the Ateneo Blue Eagles to the finals round against the De La Salle Green Archers. The year is 2002, and the Ateneo will go on to win that series and bag their first championship title in 14 years. Chia’s unforgettable clutch performance in that semifinal matchup against the University of the East Red Warriors in Season 65 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) sealed his legacy as one of the Ateneo’s most iconic basketball players. What few know, however, is that Chia was not one of the highly sought after players for recruitment during his time. In fact, he had started as just a playground legend in the intramurals, which we know today as the Intramurals Athletic Council or the IAC. The IAC is a student-run organization that seeks to promote the importance of sports among students outside of the official teams, and its season has become one of the most anticipated events of each school year.

for basketball, volleyball, futsal, ultimate frisbee and flag football. It gives students the opportunity to participate in organized sports, be it for simple recreation or for a chance to relive the thrill of competing in their high school intramurals. However, for these st udents, focusing on their academics is usually their main concern; spending time off the books to play in a tournament entails certain sacrifices. One is required to pay the fees, spend time for practice and adjust his or her schedule on the game days all for the purpose of participating in a tournament for leisure.

the importance of building a sense of camaraderie, saying, “These are lessons that are easier to learn through experience rather than taking down notes in class.” Even from a student-athlete’s point of view, the intramurals play a vital role in one’s development. Alyssa Valdez, a veteran player of the Ateneo Lady Spikers, shares that it is a perfect avenue for students to enjoy themselves and not just to focus on their academics. “People get to know each other from different batches and it forms a sense of unity within the community,” she says in a mix of Filipino and English.

Not only are people encouraged to form teams with old friends but there are also a lot of teams made up of complete strangers,

ensuring referee payments are on time can be challenging and so is working in an environment with people of different personalities,” he says. Dagatan echoes this sentiment when he points out the number of negative comments the league has to deal with. For instance, they regularly get complaints about the inconsistencies of the calls their officials and referees make, and Dagatan and the rest of his officers must make sure that they manage these problems well. “We hold meetings regularly to discuss these issues and formulate solutions,” he says. “We keep track of these problems as we try to implement the solutions, gathering data along the way so that the next set of officers can pick up from where we left off.” But Da g at a n rem a i n s modest, saying, “In the end, we know we're far from being the best league, but the important thing is that we continuously

improve. We welcome criticism because we need it; we need the feedback so we can move forward.” Service to the community

According to Puen, the IAC serves the student body in two ways. The first is developing student leaders through sports. In particular, he emphasizes that sports is a good way for students to learn how to accept failure graciously. “Dealing with peers who are customers of IAC as well as employees who are older than them can be challenging experiences that they can learn from,” he says. “They learn how to manage projects, allocate resources to deliver value, and also market the sports to the community. It’s as close to sports management as they can get.” Secondly, the IAC provides an avenue for the Loyola Schools community to come

together and play under the slogan “Tara Laro.” “It basically reflects the pureness of simply just wanting to play and inviting others to join. So for us, I think it was a good starting point since IAC is all about inviting other people to join the intramurals, have fun, meet people and stay fit,” Puen says. With the IAC continuing to grow as an organization, Dagatan says that they’re ready for improvement. “I speak for everyone in the org when I say that we work really hard to improve ourselves, our events and IAC itself. This is our passion and we want to share it with the rest of the LS community. We want them to enjoy our passion.” The IAC hopes to continue developing students by instilling a greater sense of camaraderie; whether the players are meant to be the next Gec Chia or not, the IAC focuses on implanting the value of sportsmanship in every member.

— ARVIE DAGATAN, President, IAC

Benefits

College students are expected to be masters of time management. This is even truer of student-athletes, who are expected to balance the responsibilities they shoulder both inside and outside of the classroom. However, not every Atenean sports enthusiast has the skill or the time to carry out the balancing acts required of varsity players. Thus, the IAC opens the door to students who would also like to play competitively. As the Loyola Schools’ (LS) official intramurals council, the IAC holds tournaments

President of the student-officers of the IAC Arvie Dagatan argues that such sacrifices are worthwhile. According to him, the intramurals encourage the growth of the players through the building of their relationships. “Not only are people encouraged to form teams with old friends but there are also a lot of teams made up of complete strangers,” he says. Dagatan further emphasizes

Training grounds

With the intramurals council being led by students, it also serves as a training ground for the members of the organization. According to David Puen, the moderator of the IAC and a lecturer at the Physical Education and Leadership and Strategy departments, the students who run IAC experience a certain professional environment. “Dealing with demanding players and

TARA, LARO! The Intramurals Athletics Council seeks to provide an avenue for students to simply enjoy playing their favorite sport. Photos BY Francine A. Bharwani

The GUIDON September 2013

Sports SPORTS EXCLUSIVE

F A T H E R F ig u r e

A tribute to Coach Floyd Lobaton A familiar presence will no longer be patrolling the sidelines for the Ateneo Blue and Lady Paddlers in Season 76 By Lorenzo C. Aycardo IN A hospital ward, there is a man who has just regained consciousness from cardiac arrest. There are nurses around him checking his vital signs and overall condition, making sure that he is alright. Out of the blue, the man suddenly cracks a joke. “Bakit ako na-cardiac arrest? E wala naman akong ki-nardiac. (Why was I in a cardiac arrest? I didn’t jack anyone’s car.)” This is how Hali Crisosto-

mo, the captain of the Blue Paddlers, fondly remembers his long time mentor, Coach Floyd Lobaton. The head coach of the Ateneo men’s and women’s table tennis teams and the head of the university’s Table Tennis Program, Coach Floyd was a man wellknown and loved for his intense passion for the game of PingPong. He demanded excellence and greatness from each of his players because he too strove for excellence. Being a former head coach of

Coach Floyd simply knew when it was time to be serious and when it was time to crack jokes and fill the room with laughter.

WORDS OF WISDOM. Coach Floyd Lobaton’s impact on his players did not only involve the game of table tennis, but also life itself. Photo Courtesy of Sean Co

the women’s table tennis national team, Coach Floyd was very strict with his team. He recognized the talent in each and every one of his players, which is why he would always push them beyond what they perceived their limits to be. There were times when he would flare up when a player failed to execute what he was trying to teach, but he was always quick to ease the tension with a joke. Coach Floyd simply knew when it was time to be serious and when it was time to crack jokes and fill the room with laughter. There were times when he would even challenge his players to compete in games in which they would be playing for Jollibee. He was known for not taking days off, and team training would often push through despite harsh weather conditions, so long as the safety of his players would not be compromised. His rigorous training

regimen is one of the things his players will never forget about him. The fiery mentor would hold morning practices from 5 AM to 7 AM, followed by another session in the evening from 5 PM to 7 PM. As firm Coach Floyd was as a coach, he and his players considered themselves family. Rather than a group of individuals bound by their talents in PingPong, he was more like a proud father and they his sons and daughters. Crisostomo shares an instance after the team’s competition when Coach Floyd burst into tears because of how proud he was of the team’s success, regardless of their standing in the tournament. But amidst all the good times they were having, the unexpected occurred. In what was an ordinary Season 76 training session, Coach Floyd suddenly collapsed; he had had a stroke. Further tests revealed that the Blue Paddlers’ mentor had a

tumor that had developed into lung cancer. He recuperated in his hometown of Bacolod, but subsequent cardiac arrests resulted in his passing on August 6, 2013. In his final days, Coach Floyd thought a great deal about wanting to return and cheer his players on. According to Crisostomo, their mentor spoke of in particular about wanting to be with the table tennis team as they competed in this season of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines. He told his players to stay focused on the game and not be af fected by his illness. Even during his most vulnerable moments, Coach Floyd still found a way to think of his players’ needs f irst before his own. He laid the g roundwork for his team’s future, finding a competent replacement for himself in Coach Rodel Valle.

His eagerness to return didn’t come as much of a surprise to the team; Allyssa Ba la nzat, t he Lady Paddlers’ team captain, remembers their beloved mentor as someone who was passionate and devoted to the team and to the sport, no matter what. She recalls that he never gave up on the team and never looked for someplace else to take his talents when things weren’t going as planned. Instead, he stayed and remained faithful to his players. His dedication and sacrifice not only for the game but also for his squad will always remain in the hearts and minds of the Blue and Lady Paddlers. With the dawn of a new era for the university’s table tennis program, the Blue and Lady Paddlers will not only be fighting to represent the Blue and White, but also for their mentor, friend and father figure, Coach Floyd Lobaton.

Two Blue Eagles represent PH in Adidas Nations Global 2013 By Robi R. Andres TWO BLUE Eagles were among the Filipinos selected to represent Asia in the Adidas Nations Global 2013: Sophomore electronics and communications engineering major Tomas Ramos and freshman interdisciplinary studies major Jerie Pingoy. Both play for the Team B of the Blue Eagles. According to Slam Online, the event, which was held in Los Angeles, California from August 1 to 5, is an annual basketball camp started by Adidas in 2007. The camp invites basketball players 18 years old and under to represent Africa, Asia Pacific, Canada, China, Europe, Latin America and the United States. Notable graduates from the Adidas Nation program are current National Basketball Association (NBA) players Derrick Rose, Kevin Love and Paul George. This year marked the first time that an entirely Filipino roster was sent to the camp to represent Asia.

Apart from giving players the opportunity to compete against the best players in their age group, the camp also gives participants courses on nutrition, education, media training and community outreach. Participants are also given tips on how to develop their basketball careers by current and former NBA players. The highlight of the basketball camp was a tournament that pitted the regional teams against each other. As expected, most of the teams were much taller than the Filipino delegates, but the team was prepared for this. “Our team mainly focused on our strength, which was speed. We wanted to play a very fast paced game. We pushed the ball all the time to get easy baskets when we can,” Ramos explains. The fast-paced offense clearly suited the 5’8” Pingoy, as he lit up the court to a tune of 13 points and a tournament-leading 5 assists per game, according to RealGM.com. Pingoy was chosen as the delegation’s team captain. Aside from him and Ramos,

the roster consisted of team cocaptain Jay Javelosa (Reedley International School), Arvin Tolentino (San Beda College), George Isaac Go (Xavier School), Mark Olayon (University of the East), Aldrich Liwag (Arellano University), Mario Bonleon (University of the Santo Tomas), Augus Denila (Far Eastern University), Joshua Dalafu (Faith Academy), Rashleigh Rivero (La Salle Green Hills) and Kimlee Bayquin (Adamson University). Serving as the coach was Eric Gonzalez, the current head coach of Arellano University’s Team B basketball team as well as the assistant coach of Far Eastern University. The experience is not the first time the two Blue Eagles have had a taste of international competition. In fact, their past involvement in other national youth teams was a key factor in Coach Gonzalez’s decision to recruit them for the Adidas camp. “Most of us were from former youth teams [U-16 and U-18] while others were former teammates,” Ramos shares.

TAKING FLIGHT. Blue Eagles Tomas Ramos and Jerie Pingoy represented the Philippines in this year's Adidas Nations Global. Photo By Alexis A. Casas

Editors: Margarita A. Contreras and Roman C. Mirasol · Editorial Assistant: Angelo F. Herbosa · Layout Artists: Jan-Daniel S. Belmonte and Cy P. Lagamson · http://sports.theguidon.com

Sports

FAther figure A farewell for Coach Floyd Lobaton.

Blue and Lady Tankers gear up for Season 76 By Beatrice T. Go SEPTEMBER MARKS the countdown to the start of the Blue and Lady Tankers’ University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) season. After months of arduous preparation, their skills will be tested in four days of rigorous competition. Last year, the Blue Tankers made history after securing their first ever championship title in almost 35 years. Their victorious finish was more than enough to redeem themselves for their lackluster showing in the previous year. For the Lady Tankers, last year marked their fourth consecutive second-place finish to University of the Philippines (UP). In Season 76, both teams are faced with great tasks. For the Blue Tankers, the goal is to successfully defend their championship crown. For the Lady Tankers, it is to finally reclaim the top spot, a feat that they have been unable to achieve since Season 71. Building a team

After losing powerhouse swimmers Sean Tan and Adel Barlisan to graduation, the Blue Tankers are banking on their prized recruits to continue the fight for first place. One such recruit is management economics freshman and backstroke specialist Jan Jeric Santos. Since the age of 11, Santos has been participating in national competitions such as Palarong Pambansa and G League National Swimming Championships. Today, he is widely recognized as one of the best swimmers in the country, consecutively garnering gold medals in backstroke events. Another is environmental science freshman Thea Caluma, who is expected to rake in significant points for the Lady Tankers. Since 2010, Caluma has been the consistent recipient of the I Am Xtreme award in the G League National Swimming Champion-

ships for her performance in the long course series. She has also trained under the Ateneo Swimming Program Director and Head Coach Archie Lim for three years. With these preparations, Caluma may very well be in the running for this season’s Rookie of the Year award. In addition, both Santos and Caluma are members of the Junior National Swimming Team and have been competing in the SEA Age Group Swimming Championships since 2010. However, this year’s true top recruits are National Team members Jessie Lacuna and Hannah Dato. Dato is notorious for dominating freestyle events in the Philippine National Games, particularly the 100 and 400m events. Lacuna was the Philippines’ youngest delegate in the 2012 London Olympics. Unfortunately for their teams, both of these prized recruits have to sit this season out in compliance with UAAP residency rules. Nonetheless, the presence of these top-caliber athletes has further inspired their teammates to train harder to win the championship. Preparations

As with most UAAP teams, the Blue and Lady Tankers started their preparations over the summer. Long hours of strenuous training sessions involved workouts composed of a mix of swimming, land training and weights training in the Moro Lorenzo Sports Center. “Hopefully it will translate to better swims,” says Coach Lim. Apart from the athletes’ physical preparations, several teambuilding activities were also arranged in order to strengthen the bond of the team members. “These will, and have, motivated them to train more and perform better in the UAAP,” explains Lim. The teams have also engaged in preseason tournaments in order to gauge their current perfor-

mance. Last July 28, the Blue and Lady Tankers hosted a dual meet against San Beda College at the Loyola Schools Swimming Pool. About a month later, the team also attended a tri-meet against the teams of De La Salle University (DLSU) and UP. The Blue Tankers defeated San Beda but placed second in the tri-meet. The Lady Tankers, on the other hand, placed first in both meets. These meets served as confidence boosters for both teams, given that DLSU and UP are their strongest opponents in the UAAP. Defending the crown

“We have a championship to defend,” shares Blue Tankers Team Captain Islau Dapat. “Now more than ever, the pressure is much bigger.” Dapat says that having the right mindset will be necessary in defending their championship. “Mental preparation is the key to retaining the championships because it is different this year. The pressure is incomparable to last year because we need to prove that last year’s win is no flash in the pan,” he shares. Armed with last season’s top scorers Axel Ngui and Gio Palencia, the Blue Tankers step into the season with high hopes. Ngui’s outstanding showing last season earned him the Rookie of the Year Award, while Palencia’s strong performance in freestyle events got him ranked as one of the consistent podium finishers. Leading the team are veterans Dapat, an individual medley specialist, and Benjo Ramos, an experienced sprinter. Seeking redemption

The Lady Tankers are looking at a slightly different situation. Though they are known for their quality swimmers, they are greatly outnumbered by their opposing teams. Unlike the teams of other universities, the Lady Tankers have never been able to reach the maximum

of 20 players on the roster, and this is their biggest disadvantage; the fewer the members on the team, the slimmer the chance of raking in points and advancing to the finals. Despite this snag, Team Captain Jackie Cruz reminds the team to keep training harder to further improve the quality of their performance. “If you look at our lineup, it is really strong,” Cruz says. “[We have] quality over quantity.” It should also be noted that the Lady Tankers have been consistent in garnering individual awards. In 2010, Jasmine Ong was awarded Rookie of the Year and former Lady Tanker Jiji Cordero was named Most Valuable Player (MVP). In the following year, Kimberly Uy was named Rookie of the Year and then-sophomore Celina Gonzalez was awarded MVP. This year may be the last season that the team’s powerhouse trio of Gonzalez, Ong and Uy will be competing together. Both Gonzalez and Ong are in their senior year, though they have yet to decide whether they will be taking a fifth year. That said, the team is positive that the three will go all-out. Ong and Uy are best known for dominating the freestyle events, while Gonzalez is expected to set the standard for the butterfly events yet again. The challenges that face the Blue and Lady Tankers this UAAP season continue to drive them to be passionate and committed to their sport. For these men and women who are “born to swim and built to last,” the road to bringing honor to the Ateneo will be demanding, but it is a road that they are more than willing to take. From September 19- 22, the Blue and Lady tankers will battle at the Trace Colleges, Los Baños, Laguna. Editors’ note: Jan Jeric Santos is a member of The GUIDON’s Externals staff. Beatrice T. Go is a member of the Ateneo women's swimming team.

BORN TO SWIM, BUILT TO LAST. The Blue and Lady Tankers aim to finish strong in UAAP Season 76. Photo BY Christie K. Lim

Sports Box Game Schedules Table Tennis

September 21-22, 8:00AM-6:00PM Blue Eagle Gym, Ateneo de Manila University

SWIMMING

September 19-22 Trace Aquatic Sports Complex, Los Baños, Laguna

Taekwondo

September 18 & 25 Filoil Flying V Arena, San Juan

Judo

September 28 & 29 Blue Eagle Gym, Ateneo de Manila University

Visit the redesigned sports site of The GUIDON: http://sports.theguidon.com/

Editor: Jose R. Mendoza · Editorial Assistant: Fredrick P. Cruz · Layout Artist: Janine G. Dela Cuesta and Tommi G. Principe · http://bl.theguidon.com

Beyond Loyola

DISSECTING PORK A look into the history of the controversial fund and where we go after Janet Napoles.

MNLF declares independence for Bangsamoro By Regine D. Cabato and KD L. Montenegro

BATTLEGROUNDS. The conflict in Zamboanga has led to over 50 deaths and the evacuation of over 60,000 people. Photo from the daily beast

“[PRESIDENT AQUINO] will be remembered not by the peace pact that he forged but by the peace pact that he broke,” the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) posted in a Facebook status dated August 16. On the same day, GMA News Network confirmed that the movement had declared independence on August 12, with their claim covering the Bangsamoro regions of Zamboanga, Sulu, Tawi-tawi and Sabah. Chairman of the MNLF Islamic Command Council Habib Hashim called the Bangsamoro Framework Agreement (FAB) an “abrogation” of the 1996 Peace Agreement between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GPH) and the MNLF. The FAB called for structural reform through the creation of a new autonomous Bangsamoro region to replace the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), which Aquino has dubbed a “failed experiment.” Malacañang did not recognize the declaration, calling MNLF Chairman Nur Misuari’s move “misg uided.” Presidential spokespersons Abigail Valte

and Edwin Lacierda said that the 1996 Peace Agreement was in fact still being enforced and appealed to Misuari “not to look at his own personal interest, [but that of ] the peoples of Mindanao.” The peace process between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the government will proceed as scheduled unless the MNLF shows force, according to Fr. Albert Alejo, a member of the GPH Peace Panel under the Reciprocal Working Committee on Socio-Economic Reforms. However, Zamboanga City fell under siege last September 9 as MNLF forces captured four barangays, displacing some 13,000 people. The attack took place on the same day that the government was set to continue FAB talks with the MILF. Broken promises

The MILF broke away from the MNLF in 1981 after expressing dissatisfaction with the 1976 Tripoli Agreement, which established the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). While the MILF restricts the

definition and scope of the Bangsamoro region to cover only Moro peoples, the MNLF believes the Bangsamoro to be territorial, inclusive of Christians and Lumads (indigenous peoples) who live in the region. “In settling, seeking a peace agreement with the MILF, they’re practically talking about the same piece of land that has already been the subject of the peace agreement between the government and the MNLF,” explained Alejo. “They have a point!” In an interview with The Philippine Star, Misuari stressed that the 1996 Peace Agreement is transgressed by the MILFGPH negotiations. “The Philippine Government is proposing the closure of our peace process… [which] means [they] will do away with the series of peace treaty agreements and on peace accord that we signed over a number of decades in our collective efforts with the participation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation 57 memberstates,” he added. This perspective is contrary to Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda’s statement,

as reported in The Philippine Star. “The Bangsamoro Framework Agreement will benefit all Bangsamoro… We ask MNLF to seriously look… into this agreement, not as MNLF, but as Bangsamoro, and it includes everyone: MILF, MNLF and the Lumads,” he said. Ikram Tawasil, Chief of Staff of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos, echoed this sentiment. He admitted that while fully reviewing and implementing the 1996 Peace Agreement may be necessary, all of its previous terms and conditions have also been incorporated into the new Bangsamoro Framework Agreement. Discrepancy and dissatisfaction

As groups in question differ in their definition of the Bangsamoro, they also differ in their vision of it. “The MNLF might think that the MILF agreement is a sellout,” explained Alejo, citing territorial differences. “It is less than what the Bangsamoro wants… Now, the MNLF says, ‘Look at what you got!

It’s smaller than what we negotiated as MNLF. If you had gotten much bigger territory and a better government deal, then maybe we’d submit to you. But it looks like we’re not getting any increase beyond what we have already previously negotiated.’” Apart from a clash of ideals, Tawasil connected the criminality in the area and dissatisfaction of Mindanaoan sectors to the fact that Mindanao is underdeveloped. “We [cannot] develop [a locality] because it is not in peace,” he said, adding that GPH agencies are hindered from carrying out tasks in Mindanao due to the lack of ensured security. “But I do not think that is a justifiable reason,” he commented. Rather, he believes a community must first experience development before peace is achieved. Mindanao alone contributes largely to the economy of the country, but Tawasil says, “If Mindanao is still in the midst of conf lict and war, one of two things may happen: The whole nation could move economically forward, leaving

Mindanao, or it could not move at all.” Tawasil called for the resolution of the situation. He said, “You cannot expect the whole nation moving forward leaving Mindanao in a state of war or in a state of conf lict.” He added, “If you will leave it as it is, then it will be a breeding ground for [rebel] recruitment and people would only want to wage war against the government.” Ayeem Igasan, a psychology freshman who hails from Zamboanga City, also noted the dependence of Mindanaoans on the GPH. “Basically, when we’re given this independence, we are delaying more of what was supposed to be progress,” she said. “I think they still need all the help from the government and that they need all the support they can get.” She also believes that the issue is not one of religion, but one of politics. “As a Muslim, I’ve grasped the reality of living in an environment full of Christians, and I’m completely fine with it,” she said.

Violence escalates in Egypt, across Arab nations By Regine D. Cabato, Kyle N. Mitschiener, and Frances P. Sayson A STATE of emergency was declared in Egypt last August 14 as the clash between the military and the Muslim Brotherhood continued to escalate. Two days after the declaration, more than 200 people were reported dead in a “day of rage” called for by the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt’s largest and oldest Islamist organization. The crackdown followed the government’s deposition of President Mohamed Morsi, a member of the Brotherhood, last July.

The interim government, led by Prime Minister Hazem elBeblawi, is moving for the legal dissolution of the Brotherhood. The Brotherhood’s top leader, Supreme Guide Mohamed Badie, was arrested last August 20 and majority of the group’s leaders are now incarcerated. Divided stand

After ousting dictator Hosni Mubarak in 2011, Egypt fell under military rule for more than a year. In June 2012, Morsi won the country’s first democratic elections, only to be unseated following state rule and economic instability.

According to Political Science Department lecturer Richard Heydarian, to say that Egypt is divided is an understatement. “What happened was that basically Egypt became a war between the military… and the organized Muslim Brotherhood guys, and now you have the genocide between those two sides.” “The fundamental problem in Egypt,” said Heydarian, “[is] the inability of different factions to find a common ground to resolve their problems… It’s a maximalist, all-confrontational situation.” Tarek Chelaifa, an International Business Bachelor and foreign exchange student from Tunisia,

echoed this sentiment. “I think there’s a deep sense of lack of compromise, a lack of understanding as well,” he said, adding that people tend to bipolarize conflicts. Across the Arab world

This latest development in Egypt is but one of the Arab regions’ continuing uprisings, collectively known as the Arab Spring. The wave began in December 2010 with the self-immolation of Tunisian street vendor Mohamed Bouzazi over apparent injustices dealt by the government. This sparked unrest Violence escalates ›› 2

POLITICAL TURMOIL. Despite the uprisings in the Arab Spring, a sense of stability has yet to come to many nations in the Middle East. Photo From cinemaelectronica.wordpress.com

Beyond Loyola

Dissecting pork By Fredrick P. Cruz, Robbin M. Dagle and Frances P. Sayson

hen Benig no S. Aquino III won the presidency, he promised the era of “daang matuwid.” He also more than doubled the pork barrel of the congressmen. Pork barrel, or the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) is a lump-sum discretionary fund allotted to legislators for projects within their constituencies. Online news network Rappler shows that the allocations for the congressional PDAF during the last three years of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s administration were as follows: 7.89 billion pesos in 2008, 9.67 billion in 2009 and 10.86 billion in 2010. Aquino’s f irst year in Malacañang saw an increase in the PDAF to 24.62 billion pesos for the 2011 budget. It then became 24.89 billion in 2012 and 24.79 billion in 2013. “Bukas na bukas din po, ihahain natin ang panukalang 2.268 trillion pesos na national budget sa Kongreso (Tomorrow, we are submitting to Congress our proposed 2.268-trillion-

peso National Budget),” President Aquino said in his fourth State of the Nation Address. The “people’s budget” for 2014 proposed 25.24 billion pesos for congressional pork. After requests were processed by the respective committees and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the funds received were allegedly pocketed by Napoles and the involved lawmakers “Kumpiyansa po ako sa suporta at pakikibalikat ninyo upang mapatibay ang pondong ito na talaga naman pong masusing pinag-isipan (I am confident of your support and advocacy for the allocation of funds which was arrived at after careful consideration).” Then Janet Napoles grabbed the public’s attention. “Mother of all scams”

Only July 12, The Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI) released a report on a National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) probe of a scam involving legislators’ PDAF. Benhur Luy, second cousin and former personal assistant of Napoles, accused her not only of illegally detaining him, but of concocting a multibillion-peso

scam for almost a decade. The affidavits of Luy and five other whistleblowers became the backbone of a probe regarding what an investigator of the NBI dubbed the “mother of all scams.” Napoles was accused of setting up fake non-government organizations (NGOs) as beneficiaries of some legislators’. An estimated 10 billion pesos worth of PDAF was reportedly lost to the scam. This scandal prompted citizens to petition that the President abolish the PDAF. Aquino defended the PDAF at first, saying that it was necessity for addressing the immediate needs of far-flung communities. He also cited his past experience as a representative of Tarlac when he used his PDAF allocation to repair the MacArthur Bridge. But as anger escalated and threatened to reach a climax at the nationwide #MillionPeopleMarch rally held on August 26, Aquino surprised the nation with a new rhetoric: “It’s time to abolish PDAF,” he declared in a hastily called press conference on August 23. Leaner, nameless pork

In his speech, Aquino outlined the new “nameless” system

meant to replace PDAF. While legislators receive lump sum funds under the current PDAF, the new system will require them to first propose their intended projects in budget hearings. Restrictions will also be placed on possible projects. Legislators will only be able to choose from a menu of projects that does away with so-called “soft” projects. These projects, which are comprised of temporary infrastructure work, training programs, and scholarships, among others, were deemed inconclusive and corruptionprone. Many of them have turned into “ghost” projects, which are approved but never implemented. In response to the Napoles scam, release of funds to NGOs and government owned and controlled corporations will also be prohibited. In the case of partylist representatives, projects will be implemented only within the sponsored district or sector. Once the projects have been approved, the necessary funds will be allotted to the budget of the involved implementing agency, which is tasked with carrying out the projects. An example would be the Department of Public Works and

Highways for road construction projects. The public will also be able to monitor the bidding, procurement and implementation of these projects by visiting the websites of the DBM and the implementing agencies concerned. Overhaul, take 2

But will Aquino’s planned reforms work? The president’s proposed overhaul is already the second major facelift the pork barrel has seen in the post-EDSA years. In 1996, another PDI exposé revealed the depth of corruption in the pork barrel system, then known as the Countrywide Development Fund (CDF). Established by former President Corazon Aquino, the CDF granted congressmen and senators the freedom to ultimately decide on the projects they would spend their allocation on. At one time, a congressman availed of 12 million pesos in CDF while a senator received 18 million pesos. With the cooperation of whistleblower and former Marikina representative Romeo Candazo, PDI exposed the “kickback” system during the later years of the Ramos administration.

In a series of articles in 1996, the newspaper uncovered how legislators, conspiring with the project implementers, were able to pocket 19 to 52 percent of a project’s total worth. Outrage over the scandals prompted then presidential candidate Joseph “Erap” Estrada to promise the abolition of CDF. He later won the 1998 elections over Ramos’ favored successor, House Speaker Jose De Venecia. “I believe that Congress shares my conviction that we have to abolish the pork barrel,” Estrada stressed in his first State of the Nation Address. Yet, in the end, he opted to compromise: In 2000, the PDAF was established in place of the CDF. Under the PDAF, legislators could only propose projects found in a menu specified by the executive branch. Two layers of pork

In an e-mail interview with The GUIDON, Ateneo de Davao University President Fr. Joel E. Tabora, SJ said that reforming the pork barrel system has two levels. “We have to understand what we are trying to reform. There are two levels: First is planning, oversight, reportorial

The anatomy of a scam RESEARCH by Elise V. Apilado, Jose R. Mendoza, and Ica Y. Velarde INFOGRAPHIC by Charisse B. Tacang SOURCES rappler.com and gmanetwork.com As the Philippines continues to reel from the recent pork barrel scam, it has become apparent that there needs to be a clearer definition of what pork barrel really is. Pork barrel refers to congressional allocations such as the Priority Development Assistance Fund, Department of Public Works and Highways lump sum allocations and financial subsidies to local government units. They are part of the budgetary allocation given to the House of Representative and the Senate. Senators get around P200 million each while the Representatives get around P70 million.

There have been a little over 90,000 project entries for the legislators’ pork barrel. Roughly P83.27 billion was reportedly spent for these projects. The following is a summary of how a pork barrel allocation comes to fruition:

➊

Finding the worthy

Lawmakers’ offices regularly receive various requests for assistance from local government units and other organizations. The lawmakers identify the potential projects that merit funding.

➋

Sent to the committee

The request is then sent to the Senate finance committee or the House appropriations committee. It must include a project list. The chairman of the appropriate committee then endorses the request to the House Speaker or the Senate President, who then sends it to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

Violence escalates... throughout the Arab world, resulting in the collapse of several regimes, including those in Egypt, Tunisia and Yemen. The A rab Spr i ng wa s orig ina lly ha iled a s t he answer to the decades’ long dictatorships in the Middle East. However, while it proved successful in ousting dictators, violence has remained. Even Tunisia, often heralded as the Arab Spring’s success story, suffers from social unrest: With the assassination of leftist politician Mohamed Brahimi, opposition has been calling for the Islamist Ennahdha ‹‹ 2

government to resign. Despite a promising start after the relatively quick overthrow of its dictatorship, Egypt has since experienced the deposition of two presidents in just as many years. According to Heydarian, the current situation in Egypt is not self-contained; rather, it will have great implications on the future of the Arab Spring. “Egypt is the heartbeat of the Arab world,” he explained. “It is the largest Arab country, therefore anything that happens in Egypt will have reverberations across the Arab region… [The current violence in Egypt] will definitely extinguish

the excitement that was generated by the 2011 uprisings.” “What Egypt does, what Tunisia does, is deeply surveyed,” Chelaifa said. “[In Tunisia,] we of course look at what Egypt does. We tend to benchmark, sometimes unbenchmark, what they do.” He also noted that actions in Syria affect his country as well. The latter is currently embroiled in a civil war between the government headed by President Bashar al-Assad, and the opposition, the Free Syrian Army. According to Heydarian, the conflicts ought to be internal. “Unfortunately, what’s happen-

ing is that Egyptian people and political parties are not given the right and space to solve their problems on their own because there’s too much interference from outside,” he said, citing the United States and Saudi Arabia as some external parties. He added, “It’s not only about them solving their own problems, but also them having that breathing space for reflection and coming together and having that kind of discussion.” Worse before better

“I’m sometimes very afraid, honestly,” Chelaifa admitted. “I sit up at four o’clock in the

morning, I call my friends, I panic… But at the same time it’s exciting, because before, everything was the same.” He asserted that the situation in these countries, although unpredictable, is normal and necessary. “I think people tend to believe that revolutions go, ‘Somebody’s ousted, everybody’s happy, and things are going to get better.’ It never happens that way. It actually gets worse. But I think it’s a necessary means to evolve to a more stable change.” “We have never had a revolution that was essentially peaceful,” said Heydarian. “So if you look at history and the bigger

picture, what’s happening across the Arab world is completely natural… There is no guarantee towards success in revolutions. There will always be reversals, but at the same time it doesn’t say that just because there are some reversals, it will mean that they would also be permanent.” “Democracy takes time to learn,” Chelaifa added. “People at the beginning thought that democracy meant complete and utter freedom to do whatever you want. It is about freedom— freedom of speech, freedom of rights—but sometimes it’s about acknowledging other people’s rights.”

The GUIDON September 2013

a misappropriation of money:

and audit requirements. [Past neglect of these matters is the reason why] such a shocking Napoles scam has been possible. On the second level, the use of funds that legitimize and perpetuate the usurpation by the legislative of executive prerogatives (‘legislators should legislate, not implement projects!’), and through the budgetary process, the manipulation by the executive of legislative prerogatives (‘the executive should execute policy, not force their formulation’).” Tabora says that Aquino’s stricter policies aimed at g reater transparency over pork barrel funds is a step in reforming the first level. But the problem’s second level should be properly addressed as well. “The proposal of President Aquino of a reformed PDAF does not solve the problem of the illegitimate entry of leg islators into executive functions and the dangerous manipulative powers of the executive over legislators in the budgeted PDAF (or [its new] equivalent) and the executive discretion to release or withhold allocations,” he says.

Early years of pork

The battle against the excesses of “pork” is a battle against a longstanding tradition in government—a practice that started roughly ninety years ago. The concept of pork barrel was first established in the country in 1922. The Public Works Act was passed, allowing separate funds for building infrastructure. Some projects needed approval from a congressional committee, giving legislators some discretionary power for the first time. Abuses became evident after only a few years of the pork barrel’s implementation, prompting Senator Juan Sumulong—President Aquino’s maternal greatgrandfather—to speak out against it. According to VERA Files, a compendium of in-depth reports on current Philippine issues by veteran journalists, Sumulong took the Senate floor in 1925 to denounce the incumbent administration because it had “misused public funds in the form of pork barrel appropriations.” Culture of patronage

However, Sumulong was ignored and the pork barrel persisted. Legislators gained more discretion in the 1950s when a

new public works act shifted the power of selecting projects from the executive to the legislative with the justification that the Congress “represented the people.” The discretionary power given to legislators encouraged a culture of patronage—congressmen could give something tangible to their constituents, guaranteeing their “electability” and cementing their hold on power. The concentration of political power in turn secured economic power for those in office while the ordinary people were left to struggle for subsistence. This ensured that there would always be people knocking at the doors of politicians, asking for help. This system was abolished by President Ferdinand Marcos when he entered office. However Ateneo School of Government Dean Antonio La Viña stressed in an interview with ABS-CBN that “that doesn't mean there was no corruption.” “The money just went to the cronies of Marcos. Malaking corruption din ‘yun (This was a big act of corruption too),” La Viña said. With Corazon Aquino’s rise to the presidency, the pork barrel

returned with the label “CDF,” and the rest is history. Gunning for transparency

In the end, greater transparency may be the key to end this culture of corruption. “To prevent [scams] such a[s] the PDAF-Napoles scam in the future, the people should have the right always to the information necessary to audit its own money entrusted to government officials,” said Tabora. “A strong Freedom of Information bill would [be] the legal expression of this right,” he emphasized. “To prevent a future pork barrel scam—as well as other misuses of the government’s purse or power, including military power—pass a strong Freedom of Information bill.” The Freedom Information bill, grounded on granting more access to public documents, still languishes in Congress despite earlier promises of its passage. Meanwhile, Janet Napoles has surrendered and is in detention. It remains to be seen if her scandal and the slew of issues it has brought to light will be the final blow to the pork barrel culture of controversy that has persisted for generations.

A series of scams Written by Pamela P. Baluyot and Jose R. Mendoza SOURCES newsinfo.inquirer.net and abs-cbnnews.com Though Filipinos were shocked by the recent pork barrel scam, there has to be an understanding that this is nothing new. Here are some of the recent financial scandals that have rocked the Philippines.

1973

Coco Levy Fund Scam 100-150 billion pesos This controversy involved former President Ferdinand Marcos and Eduardo "Danding" Cojuanco, Jr., chairman of San Miguel Corporation (SMC) and uncle of President Benigno Aquino III. The two were implicated because of the alleged allocation of tax collections by the Marcos government to buy the SMC-owned United Coconut Planters Bank and profit from it.

1999

Textbook Scam 24 million pesos A textbook publishing firm named Esteem Enterprises claimed to own a subsidy worth P24M for a “textbook project” during the term of former President and current Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada. Former Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno ordered investigations and found that Cecilia de Castro, a presidential assistant and Estrada's distant cousin, urged the approval of funding for the alleged project.

2004

Fertillizer FundScam 728 million pesos Former Department of Agriculture Undersecretary Jocelyn "Joc-joc" Bolante was accused of diverting funds (supposedly allocated for fertilizer to be distributed among local officials) to the 2004 electoral campaign of former President and now Pampanga Second District Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

2007

➌

Money

After the submission of nominees, the DBM usually takes charge and vets the incoming proposals. The DBM then approves or rejects the ideas and releases money for those approved. That money then gets sent to the implementing agency.

➍

Money transfer

Once it reaches the implementing agency, the money is generally transferred to the government-owned and controlled corporation (GOCC).

➎

Making a judgment

The GOCC is a critical component, as it is the set-up that allows workers to vet the credentials of the non-government organizations that are asking for money. Once this final check-up is finished, the transfer of funds is complete.

NBN-ZTE Deal 329 million dollars In 2007, then-President Arroyo permitted thenTransportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza to sign a contract with Chinese telecommunications firm ZTE Corporation in the hopes of having a government-run National Broadband Network (NBN). Issues arose with alleged bribery between then-Commission on Elections Chair Benjamin Abalos and thenDirector-General of the National Economic and Development Authority, Romulo Neri. Neri claimed that Abalos tried to buy him off with 200 million pesos to assure NEDA's full-on endorsement of the NBN-ZTE project.

CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE. Violence has erupted between the military and the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt in the wake of Mohamed Morsi’s deposition. Photo From Mostafa El Shemy/AP

The GUIDON September 2013

Beyond Loyola

BUS Ban. Three months into his term as mayor, former president Erap Estrada has been clear on making change in Manila. Photo From The philippine Star

Erap promises changes in Manila By Justin N. Filart, Jose R. Mendoza and Chynna A. Santos LAST JUNE 20, 2013, former President Joseph “Erap” Estrada was officially named the mayor of Manila after a very heated, high-profile race against thenincumbent Alfredo Lim. Despite being in office for merely three months, Erap has already grabbed headlines and raised eyebrows with his actions and plans for the city. From traffic to entertainment, it is clear the new mayor is on a mission to clean up Manila. Lim’s leftovers

In an article entitled “Erap’s challenge” published in Manila Standard Today, former government official Francisco Tatad said that the former president’s biggest obstacle would be what his predecessor left behind. “As mayor, the first thing Erap saw was that Lim had run the city coffers to the ground and that he was taking over a bankrupt national capital,” he wrote. “What Manila needed was not

just a mayor, but a savior.” Benjamin Barretto, a parttime faculty member of the Political Science Department, agrees that Erap’s biggest challenge has to do with Lim’s previous administration, but not necessarily any problems the former mayor left behind. “My sense is [he’s] looking at the plans of former Mayor Lim and then trying to find a way to be different from [him],” he says. Citing Erap’s plan to change the streetlights along Roxas Boulevard, he adds, “He feels like the streetlights of Lim are not good. [Estrada seems to be saying,] ‘They’re carnival type so I’ll change [them] for my own.’” “He keeps on comparing himself to the former. The battle of Manila in May 2013 was really very competitive and personal,” says Barretto. Erap’s changes

Arguably Erap’s biggest change so far is the bus ban, which prevents buses with no terminals within the city from entering it. This new resolution, which was passed on July 16 and first

implemented on July 23, has been contested on several occasions by different bus owners and firms. At one point, bus drivers attempted to force themselves into the city but were stopped by Erap himself. Despite these complaints, however, the ban has been receiving positive feedback from citizens. Mayumi Catabijan, a communication junior who used to live in Manila, says that the buses have always been the biggest cause of traffic. “They would occupy two lanes, they would stop in the middle and they would clog the whole of España. After you pass by them, though, the roads are clear,” she says in a mix of English and Filipino. “Recently, I went back to my old house and passed the same way,” she recounts. “It was so much better; traffic was so much smoother.” In a statement given when the resolution was first implemented, Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno said the ban was only the beginning of a grand plan to ease traffic flow and congestion in the city.

Another plan that has been causing quite a stir is the proposed reclamation of Manila Bay, on which the Manila Solar City will stand. The Solar City, envisioned as a world-class commercial and residential entertainment hub, will reportedly produce 100,00 jobs during construction and 500,000 more when it is finally operational. However, many say that it will cause more harm than good. “We already have too [many] abandoned whatnots in Manila,” Catabijan says. “Instead of adding more land, just improve what we already have. Adding to it will just add more problems or add more of what you need to control.” Legal management junior Mat Mirhan also questions the move. “I do not see why Erap would focus on that. There are clearly other problems, such as Manila’s rampant poverty, that Erap should first focus on,” he says. Last January, the Save Our Sunset Manila Bay Coalition said that the reclamation would only worsen Manila’s flood situation.

On top of that, it skirts around existing laws and is an example of a further lack of public consultation on municipal matters. During a press conference held by the coalition, Lory Tan, the chief executive officer of World Wildlife Fund Philippines, also countered the plan’s premise of increased employment opportunities. “How many existing jobs and livelihoods will the reclamation destroy? The money will go to a few; it won’t trickle down to the people.” Looking to the future

Even with Erap's fast-paced start to his mayorship, there is still much to be done. “What I’ve always told friends about Manila is that Manila is not dying. It’s just ignored— largely ignored,” says Catabijan. For Barretto, the true problem Erap should be targeting is the rampant poverty within the city. “I’m more concerned [with] how he should deal with the poor in Manila... The question is, how [do you] lessen poverty in Manila given your situation that you’re almost a bankrupt city?”

Before his term even began, the deposed president consulted his former cabinet members about his plans to handle the city financially. Erap also enlisted the help of popular, high profile personalities who are experts in their respective f ields. Among them are controversial tour guide Carlos Celdran as his tourism consultant and former basketball player Philip Cezar as the head of the Manila Sports Council. These appointments will hopef ully aug ur a more promising future for Manila. However, Barretto reminds the populace to remain wary and watchful. After all, there is a difference between talking and actually doing. “Yeah, he’s doing the right thing to clean up Manila. But unless he takes care of these two things—budget and poverty—it will all be rhetoric at the end of the day,” says Barretto. “It’s only been 3 months, so he has three years to get moving,” he concludes.

WORKING IN TANDEM. Erap Estrada and Isko Moreno won in the May 2013 midterm elections. Photo From Yahoo! Philippines

Editor: Vernise L. Tantuco · Layout Artists: Czarina B. Dycaico and Earl U. Urbiztondo · http://features.theguidon.com

Features

COLLAPSING WALLS Interactive art is bridging the gap between artist and audience.

Exile on mad street Movies like Mga Anino ng Kahapon are changing the face of mental illness on the Philippine silver screen. By Keisha D. Kibanoff and Kian L. Paras Irene screams while curled into a fetal position under her bed. The loud footsteps sound too close—she feels as if her ears will burst. Before long, the military operatives will take their family away. Nobody can pacify her, not even her husband, who has tried explaining to her that it’s all in her head. Irene has schizophrenia. This is a scene from Mga Anino ng Kahapon, a film written and directed by Dr. Alvin Yapan, chair of the Filipino Department. But Irene isn’t just a fictional character. One in every 100 Filipinos has schizophrenia. However, most individuals go undiagnosed, made to face the realities of mental disorders without the necessary psychiatric measures or the acceptance of others. In general, Philippine media rarely focuses on characters with mental disorders. When it does, there’s stigma surrounding the issue, putting awareness even further beyond reach. But some Filipinos, such as the producers of Mga Anino ng Kahapon, want to reverse this situation. Faces of instability

The media tends to reflect and encourage the ignominy and misconceptions that plague mental disorders; its characterization of the mentally ill reveals a generally negative regard for them. Those with disorders are often depicted as tragic figures who are unable to function properly in society. A famous example is Sisa, the unfortunate but selfless mother from Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tángere who cared for her family until she had nothing more to give. After losing her two sons, she began her descent from reality, becoming the laughingstock of the barrio.

On the other hand, there are instances in foreign media where mental illness is glamorized. A popular example is Fight Club, the Chuck Palahniuk novel later adapted into the film of the same name. Here, the book’s narrator has dissociative identity disorder, or as it’s more commonly known, multiple personality disorder. His alter ego, Tyler Durden, is portrayed as a confident, street smart individual who is the instigator behind the infamous fight club.

Irene’s mind repeatedly places her greatest fears right before her. Matters intensify as she and her family struggle to deal with her disorder. In one scene, Irene falls before the operatives she sees near the bushes, yelling at her son to run to safety. The young boy is in tears, frozen by the sight of his mother breaking down. These facets of dealing with mental disorders are often overlooked by society, and stigma

The first reaction is very superstitious. Baka nasapian lang, ipapa-albularyo. — Alvin B. Yapan, Director, Mga Anino ng Kahapon

When this is the sort of portrait the media paints of the mentally ill, it may also make the prospect of being one of them attractive. As Anna*, an Atenean student diagnosed with bipolar disorder, discovered, there are people who romanticize mental conditions like hers. “A friend told me once he wanted to have bipolar disorder,” she shares. Mga Anino ng Kahapon is a Philippine counterexample to these norms. In the film, Irene is a mother and nurse who develops schizophrenia after her husband leaves the country for work. She imagines that military operatives are stalking her family and she engages in conversations with imaginary people. To everyone’s distress,

keeps many from openly discussing the topic. “Mental illness isn’t talked about so much,” says Gay Domingo, the film’s associate producer. “We feel anxious about matters that we don't know much about.” Putting the damage on

Mga Anino ng Kahapon was made with the intention of correcting misnomers of mental disorders. In a country where having schizophrenia often means being labeled baliw (crazy) or sinapian (one possessed by demons), there are many structures that work against achieving genuine understanding. The negative connotations are reflected even in today’s

TRICK OF THE MIND. In the Philippines, mental illness is seen as a luxury condition, only for the privileged. images from Mga anino ng kahapon

rhetoric. If a friend does something incorrectly, they may be called “retarded.” If a friend experiences mood swings, somebody could call them “bipolar.” But these definitions are greatly reductive. Anna says, “Mania to me [is] not sleeping for thirty six hours because of so much energy, or spending a hundred grand [in] one go. Depression usually comes with suicidal thoughts and locking myself in my room.” A skewed image of mental disorders is compounded by the Filipino bias towards the spiritual. In Mga Anino ng Kahapon, Irene’s family was alarmed by her hallucinations, erratic behavior and delusions, so they did what many a Filipino family would do: Send her to a witch doctor. “The first reaction is very superstitious,” says Yapan. “Baka nasapian lang, ipapa-albularyo (They may have simply been possessed, so they get sent to a witch doctor).” An elusive cure

Adding insult to injury, there is also genuine doubt from some national institutions as to the legitimacy of mental disorders. Before filming Mga Anino ng Kahapon, members of the cast and crew visited the National Center for Medical Health in Mandaluyong, where they were exposed to the grim realities of the public health sector. “Parang talaga silang mga baboy. Yung hubad, hino-hose na lang para mapaliguan. Parang preso (They were treated like pigs. They were naked and simply hosed down when they need to be

bathed. It was like a prison),” says Yapan. Though the administration wants to improve their facilities, there simply aren’t enough funds to do so. Ateneo Special Education Society President Joni Aquino also notes how the need for mental healthcare has generally been downplayed. “Autism, for example, isn’t covered by PhilHealth because it’s classified as [a] vanity illness, an illness ‘that only [rich] people have,’” she says, adding that, “In special education, the budget also isn’t huge.” Dr. Weevens Ty, a part-time lecturer of the Psychology Department, thinks that insurance coverage is a first step towards the progress of the affected families. “I think it is an effective means by which treatment and care can be extended to the masses,” he says. But since schizophrenia is a lifelong disorder, PhilHealth may be reluctant to cover the expensive regular medication needed to manage it. But as Yapan discovered when working with clinical psychologists while researching for his film, the situation may not be as hopeless as it seems. “Mental illness is just like any other lifelong illness, like diabetes [or] high blood pressure,” says Yapan. With the proper treatment and maintenance, individuals with mental disorders are presented with the opportunity to function in society with markedly less difficulty.

receive wide release anytime soon are slim. Domingo acknowledges, “I think it would take a lot to convince a moviegoer to dress up, go out of his home, travel to the mall and shell out about P200 to watch a film about a nurse with schizophrenia and her family.” Given the name-calling, deficiency of medical coverage and overall lack of understanding, this country is a long way from becoming a community that does not demean persons with mental disorders. “Worldwide, [mental health is] gaining a critical mass.” says Yapan. “In the country, we have to work on it.” It is important to gain information to clear out the misconceptions. “It will take the concerted, well-meaning effort from various sectors of society to lessen the stigma,” says Ty. It’s efforts like Mga Anino ng Kahapon that can get us going in the right direction. Individuals with schizophrenia feel trapped by their own minds. Similarly, it can be just as easy to be held in place by misconceptions. That said, a change of perspective is in order, even if being optimistic about the mental healthcare situation in the Philippines seems naïve. Call us crazy, but for the sake of those who struggle within their own minds each day, it seems as if a supportive environment can make all the difference.

Mind over matter

*Editor’s note: Name has been changed to protect the interviewee.

Though Mga Anino ng Kahapon has much to reveal, the chances that the film will

Features

BLURRING LINES. The newest brand of fusion food is taking over the Metro. Photo FROM The huffington post

Photo BY Pia B. Guballa

A dash of hybridity By Javison T. Guzman and Patches Q. Espino Smooth custard cream filling enveloped in a flaky exterior, garnished with icing and granulated sugar—the cronut blends a number of complementing textures. Some are kept simple, oozing with cream and butter and drizzled with vanilla icing. Others are sprinkled with nuts, adorned with fruits, embedded in chocolate or smothered with jam and compotes. This croissant-doughnut hybrid, more popularly known as the cronut, was created by New York chef Dominique Ansel and was originally intended for sale only in his bakery. “We change our menu very often,” Ansel shared in an interview with US-based food website, Eater. “[The cronut] was just an addition to the menu. I didn't know it would take such a big part of the food world.” But invade the food world it did. With its heart-stopping, deep-fried goodness, the cronut proved to be an immediate hit amongst New Yorkers. Eventually, people from across the globe started flying in to try Ansel’s pastries. Nowadays, though it continues to attract people in droves, the cronut rests uneasily on its flaky throne: Many establishments have sought to duplicate its success by coming up with new and unorthodox food pairings. The Philippines is not left out among the countries whose local businesses started fashioning their own versions of hybrid foods. The cronut is only one of the novel combinations of much loved foods that have managed to take Filipino palates by storm. East meets West

“I don’t like the word ‘hybrid.’ It’s very American, neither here

nor there. Hybrid from whose perspective?” asks Fernando Zialcita, a professor of the Sociology and Anthropology Department. He much prefers the term “fusion food,” referring to the way foreign and local cuisines have merged together to become what our palates know and love today. The notion of combining food from different cultures is nothing new in the Philippine food scene. Jollibee’s Aloha Burger, for example, was a hit that not only combined an American staple with a local tropical fruit, but also the salty-sweet taste that Filipinos can’t get enough of. While unorthodox food combinations have been a part of the local food scene for quite some time, the cronut has stepped up the game. Up until a few months ago, no one in the Philippines would’ve considered merging a classic American doughnut with a sophisticated French croissant. Today, Ansel’s hyped up creation has Filipinos clamoring for more. Wildflour Café + Bakery is largely responsible for initiating the local production of the cronut, which it offers in three flavors: Vanilla, chocolate and strawberry. Although its asking price is rather steep at 120 pesos a pastry, the demand for Wildflour’s version of the cronut is so ridiculously high that it never fails to sell its daily production of 300 pieces. A few months after the cronut was introduced locally, another hybrid food from New York found its way onto Philippines shores: The ramen burger, a meat patty served with Japanese condiments in between two fried noodle “buns.” This unconventional dish, which was brought to the country by Wrong Ramen and Umami Hambaagu House, was originally put together by

Japanese-American chef Keizo Shimamoto. The burger debuted at Smorgasbord, an open-air food market in Brooklyn, New York, where 150 burgers sold out in 20 minutes. Though the blend of two cultures is obvious, Shimamoto tells The Japan Times that he doesn’t see his creation as fusion food. “I consider (my) ramen burger to be Japanese-American. Just like me. It’s not fusion food. It’s a food born in America that happens to combine two different cultures and makes them exist as one.”

imports, Filipino palates have actually been welcoming a contrast of flavors for a long time. Zialcita explains that many dishes introduced to the Philippine market are even modified in order to satiate the Filipino palate’s desire for sweet and sour foods. It’s no surprise, then, that hybrid foods are piquing the interest of many adventurous Filipinos around the Metro. “People are lining up for foods like the cronut because it’s interesting. They want to try something new,” explains Windy Tuason-

Japanese food never even had beef to begin with, as it was considered taboo in the country. It was only when they opened their country to world trade that beef was worked into Japanese menus. A slice of the pie

It’s tough being the new kid on the block, and many of the original merchants of hybrid foods can attest to this. Despite their success, these trailblazers face not only the challenge of competition but also the problem of keeping up with demand.

I can see that Filipinos are very willing to try [the ramen burger] out, to try Japanese in a different world.

— WINDY TUASON-TIONGZON, Assistant manager, Umami Hambaagu House

“There is no better way to reach local customers but through social media [outlets] like Instagram and Facebook,” shares Tuason-Tiongzon. “I know for a fact that Umami and Wrong Ramen were able to have many customers due to social media.” Aside from social media sites, these foods have made appearances on other popular websites as well. The original ramen burger was featured on Buzzfeed and Good Morning America. The cronut has even managed to find its way into the more dubious corners of Craigslist. “Seeking cronut slut” read the ad that offered original Dominique Ansel Bakery cronuts in exchange for sex. Sexual favors aside, it’s this kind of media exposure and promotion that Zialcita says is lacking when it comes to local and indigenous food. As popular as fusion food was in the Philippines before the cronut and ramen burger came about, there’s little fanfare for the cultural mix in our local cuisine. Next big thing

Homegrown

The notion of combining different foods is also a hallmark of Filipino cuisine. Everyday Filipino kitchens have birthed many outrageous food combinations: Just think of sour green mangoes paired with salty bagoong, sweet bananas and strips of jackfruit in crispy spring roll wrapper, or even salty bread toasted in condensed milk—the list goes on and on. While many people view hybrid food such as the cronut and ramen burger as cultural

Tiongson, an assistant manager at Japanese burger steak restaurant Umami Hambaagu House. “I’ve been in the industry for a long time, and I can see that Filipinos are very willing to try [the ramen burger] out, to try Japanese in a different world. Before, locals would only see Japanese food as sushi and tempura, but now they’re very open to ramen and burger steak,” she adds. Boldness aside, Zialcita emphasizes that it’s natural for cultural patterns to get mixed in with local traditions. In fact,

This scarcity has simply helped further hype up hybrid foods. According TuasonTiongzon, the relative scarcity of the ramen burger “intrigues the people to buy something like [the ramen burger],” because they are under the impression that sold out stock necessarily means good food. Social media has also played a significant role in hyping them up. Like with so many other contemporary trends, they also have sites like Twitter and Instagram to thank for their immense popularity.

Hybrid foods are appealing because they provide a wonderful escape from the mundane. Although there is no replacing a classic cheeseburger or a sizzling hot plate of sisig, the ramen burger and the cronut provide a welcome change of pace. But in spite of people’s current fascination with the cronut, the hype around it seems to be dying. “Ever since competitors came out [with their own versions of the cronut], it’s become a normal thing,” shares former JSEC stall owner, Erika Cantor. Just as the crumbs begin to settle, the scramble for the next big food trend begins anew. But in the mean time, having another cronut or two wouldn’t hurt.

The GUIDON September 2013

W A N D ER

Magnifying Metro Manila By Pia H. Posadas, Benny G. Tañedo, and Jasmine P. Ting Sightseeing in Metro Manila can be a bewildering experience for locals and foreigners alike. Features in international travel magazines are woefully few and far between and even the usually reliable Google Maps can falter. For the explorer wanting to conquer this urban jungle, a city guide is his weapon of choice. Wander, a recently launched local microguide, is the first of its kind in the country. The backto-back spread is a convenient and unorthodox trip advisor that focuses on one local city per issue. Its first release, which zeroed in on Manila, highlighted the city’s offbeat sights with itineraries suggested by the Manila locals themselves. Unlike most travel books that are overloaded with text or burdensome to carry, Wander more closely resembles a brochure and is filled with quirky illustrations and unexpected trivia. The creative individuals behind Wander include editors and curators Kissa CastañedaMcDermott and Dang Sering, who work alongside map and editorial illustrator Dan Mat ut i na , photog rapher Charles Buenconsejo and project coordinator Grace Buenconsejo. By channeling their love for travel and design as well as their nostalgia for print into their microguide, they’ve turned Wander into one of the most novel and eye-opening ways to explore Metro Manila. Collaboration central

A wandering mind can arrive at the most creative ideas. Castañeda-McDermott, a curator and editor at Elle Decoration and Preview, conceptualized Wander several years ago during her postgraduate stint in Japan. It was there that she came across Tokyo by Tokyo, a guidebook for the city written by its own locals. Inspired, she asked herself, “Why not make one for the cities of Metro Manila?” She

initially arrived at the idea of Curious Cities, intending it to be a general guidebook as well. But upon returning home, she saw that her plan wasn’t meant to be a solo effort; her friends Buenconsejo, Sering and Matutina also wanted a fresh take on travelling with ideas similar to her own. However, finding a willing publisher for this venture was tough. Wander meant to distribute its copies for free, the way brochures and maps are circulated in airports. But as this isn’t exactly a formula for moneymaking, the team had to shelf the project temporarily. Things picked up again once they partnered with the creative duo behind Inksurge, Jois Tai and Rex Advincula. It was through the Inksurge team that Wander finally found a publisher that supported their vision: 5 Ports Publishing.

cover it,’” mentions CastañedaMcDermott. “We were excited about the project, so that was infectious.” To cover sales, Wander has partnered with Heima and Fully Booked. Oh, the places you’ll go

While the usual guidebook is by nature a tourist item, the content in Wander is a natural magnet even for those who have lived here all their lives. By featuring Manila’s hidden gems, like the Dapitan Arcade and Tower Recto, Wander has disproven the notion that there is nothing new to discover about the city. The first issue shared itinerary suggestions from five locals who built careers in the arts, fashion, food and architecture industries. They provide unique takes on the city by suggesting not only the tourist hotspots but also places that fellow locals

That’s the objective [of Wander], the vision: To have a brochure about every place. — JOHN LAGDAMEO, Business consultant, 5 Ports Publishing

They settled on following a microguide format, a more convenient and focused alternative to the guidebook plan of Curious Cities. The transition also led to changing the project’s name to Wander. Explaining the new title, Castañeda-McDermott says, “This one’s more of playfulness. I guess it also involves the charm of discovery.” The Wander team is always open to collaboration in terms of both distribution and content. “I have a lot of photographer friends who said, ‘Hey, if you’re doing this area, I can

themselves might not know of. The Wander team not only hopes to let travelers view the Philippines in a different light, but also to help locals see that there is much more to explore right at home. CastañedaMcDermott confesses that even she was not well acquainted with some of the featured places. In the first issue, Liza Ilarde, editor of Manila Bulletin’s Style Weekend, herself a Malate resident, wrote about the Baywalk on Roxas Boulevard. “To be surrounded by people from all walks of life who come just to

GET LOST. Wander will take you around the nooks and crannies of our beloved Philippine cities. Photos BY Arthur tan

see the sunset will make you glad you came to see it. People actually clap when you get a good sunset. How can that not put you in a good mood?” she wrote. Through these residents’ voices, tourists are also shown a side of the city not everyone sees. Commenting on what other local travelogues lack, John Lagdameo, a business consultant for 5 Ports Publishing and a parttime lecturer of the Department of Marketing and Law, says, “There are a lot of eating places [in the city], there are a lot of stores that you can visit, but what about the architecture? What about history?” Written content aside, the team’s travel philosophy is executed perfectly in Wander’s contemporary design. The microguide format encourages travelers to savor the flavor of the city one landmark at a time. Colorful infographics accompany historical fun facts of popular destinations like the National Museum, as well as old haunts like the Manila Hotel. Risk takers

Nowadays, much attention has been directed towards the socalled “end of the print era” and the rise of online publications. For Elgene Feliciano, a faculty

member of the Communication Department, the debate is not as clear cut. “There are still individuals and even entire professions that prefer the tactile feel of paper. I would argue that when it comes to the travel industry, print media remains indispensable.” The Wander team shares Feliciano’s sentiment, as it won’t be joining the online bandwagon and abandoning print any time soon. “I guess our generation, we’re like the cusp of print and digital, so we’re nostalgic about it,” muses CastañedaMcDermott. In her eyes, Wander has already succeeded in creating its own niche in the print world by focusing on travel and design. One of the main concepts that shaped Wander’s final form was the idea of it becoming a collectible, a memento of one’s trip. “[People] still like to hold, touch, keep in their pocket, refer to [something tangible] compared to something which is readily available on the smartphone,” notes Lagdameo. Miguel Nacianceno (AB Comm ’01), co-founder of 5 Ports Publishing, also shares that he sees his company’s partnership with Wander as a natural fit, given that both parties are strong supporters of the print medium.

However, this doesn’t mean that Wander will be avoiding the online platform entirely. The key to success, CastañedaMcDermott believes, is a balance of both. Their website will soon contain downloadable content for those unable to grab a physical copy. Wanderlust

It’s easy to get lost when exploring Metro Manila: The points of interest are numerous and navigating around them is never a simple task. To wander about its streets and cities offers adventure in itself, though only few have the time and resources to go around and about without a guide. After taking on Manila, the Wander team plans on writing about Makati in their next quarterly issue. “That’s the objective [of Wander], the vision: To have a brochure about every place,” Lagdameo says. The dream is also to be able to give out free copies in airports, seaports and, as Lagdameo says, every port of call. Wander is ready to set sail outward into the hands of foreign travelers and, just as surely, inward, into the locals’ own appreciation of Metro Manila.

The GUIDON September 2013

Features

Collapsing walls By Andie D. Reyes and Vicah P. Villanueva On a dark street, behind a white wall covered in ivy, a crowd has gathered. “Follow the masked figure,” says a faceless girl in a doctor’s coat, addressing the assembled group. They enter a maze constructed from fluttering cloth and catch glimpses of different scenes: A couple jogging in place, counting the seconds; a naked man shivering in a corner; a veiled woman who throws her shroud over an audience member’s head and recounts a secret in his ear. Love: This is Not Yet a Musical (LOVEnot), the latest offering by theater company Sipat Lawin, is one of the many interactive performances that have slowly been gaining popularity in the Philippine art scene. From choose-your-own-adventure productions to interactive installations, art is undergoing an evolution that is giving greater importance to art’s relationship with the audience. The evolution

Like a living, breathing being, art is continually changing. From the subject matter tackled to the media used, artists have been constantly reinventing styles and reinterpreting familiar topics. Take for example The Great Storybook Project by German graffiti artist duo Herakut. A clever twist on children’s stories, the project is a series of largescale murals throughout the world, each depicting a scene in the lives of imaginary characters Jay and Lily. The way we consume music is being redefined as well. Björk’s release of an app in connection with her 2011 album Biophilia was a creative way of catering to tech-savvy fans. The app promised an otherworldly musical experience by matching each of Björk’s songs with games, art or music creation tools, such as a three-dimensional galaxy that people can explore while listening to the song “Cosmogony.” This evolution isn’t confined to the Western part of the globe, either—it’s been gaining steady interest in the Philippine art scene as well. Manuel Angulo, an Ateneo Heights Artists’ Workshop 2013 (AHAW’13) fellow, says that artists of the earlier decades tended to favor traditional artwork, like sculptures and paintings. “[But] now,” he says, “we see braver pieces, more creative pieces.” Lasmyr Edullantes, another AHAW’13 fellow, is one such artist who has tried to explore the idea of interactivity through an installation involving puzzle pieces. “My works… serve as a mirror to the viewer,” she ex-

plains. “It's in this way I stay interactive with the audience. Not physically interactive, [but] mentally.” More and more public art installations have also been exploring new means of interacting with viewers. In Reg Yuson’s Presence, passersby in Bonifacio High Street can stroll through large, red chimes bolted to the ground and nudge them to make their own music. Further down the street, Yuson’s Grapevine allows them to whisper secrets to each other through a twisted set of pipes, a wry commentary on tsismis. “The visual arts aren’t limited to just a visual experience [now],” says Angulo. He cites Mideo Cruz’s Banquet, a table of bones and pieces of meat with knives arranged around them. “This [artwork] was interactive in the sense that it was not only a visual thing—as a live installation, you could smell the meat.” Choose your own adventure

Unlike visual art, theatrical performances rely more heavily on their audience. It isn’t surprising, then, that theatrical groups take great joy in experimenting with their art in this way. One such group is Silly People’s Improvisation Theater (SPIT), a premier improv comedy group that relies on audience suggestions to kickstart the night’s unscripted entertainment. According to Kenneth Keng, a member of SPIT, dealing with the unexpected is a constant challenge. “Without scripts, [the actors] need to rely on their instincts and trust in their fellow

GUESS WHO. Visit http://guesswho.theguidon.com and tell us who these iconic Ateneo personalities are! illustration BY Chelli v. Reyes

pa r t icipat ion into t heir performances. Their production last year, Battalia Royale 3.0: Underground, let the audience choose characters and scenes they wanted to follow around a vast battleground. Members of the audience became totally

We often say to our audience, ‘Without you, we have no show’… Our best shows are with an audience that is open-minded and ready to have fun. — KENNETH KENG, Member, SPIT

performer,” he says. “It’s also why there can be no ‘star’ in improv shows; everyone is only as good as their scene partners set them up to be.” Meanwhile, the theater group Sipat Lawin is an old hand at incorporating audience

Something for the senses Written by Kristine Q. Estioko Art no longer has to be fixtures on walls protected by formidable “Do Not Touch” signs.

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immersed in the violent acts, screaming for the bloodbath to continue and voting for which character should be killed. Ryan North’s Kickstarter book project To Be or Not to Be: That is the Adventure, is another work that deals with

Touch: Firewall (2013, United States)

the concept of “choose your own ending,” but on an even grander scale.A modern take on William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, North’s workpermits the reader to take on the role of Hamlet, Ophelia and Hamlet’s father and create his or her own adventure. Each page presents the reader with a situation with several options, each one leading to different scenes and, eventually, to one of over a hundred ways to die. That there were more than 15,000 backers pledging over $500,000 to support the project is telling of the popularity of choose-yourown-ending ventures. Meeting halfway

What really spells the difference when it comes to interactive art is the audience. “We often say to our audience, ‘Without you, we have no show,’” says Keng, referring to their improv performances. “We put a lot of thought into how best to get the audience to overcome their inhibitions to participate, and our best shows are with an audience that is open-minded and ready to have fun.” Sipat Lawin’s LOVEnot—part performance art, part installation and part social experiment—stresses the importance of a receptive crowd. The audience members forge their own path through the show from the very beginning, choosing between different journeys called init (heat), lamig (chill),

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tanaw (look) or alaala (memory). They are expected to move in close so that performers can whisper in their ears, to grasp strangers and tell them what they like best about them, to sit at a makeshift table and drink Coke as an actor tells them she really doesn’t love them and never will. The audience members, then, are no longer passive onlookers; they are part of the performance. Edullantes thinks that technology has done a great deal to contribute to artist and audience meeting halfway. “There are many more opportunities to create something interactive,” she says, citing the online game Loved by Alexander Ocias as an example. The game relies on the player not only in the traditional way, but through his responses to the narrator’s instructions and cold insults. “[Loved] plays with the mind of the viewer and forces them to reflect on themselves, as well as how they perceive others,” explains Edullantes. This responsiveness is important in both the performing and visual arts, because it gives artists the freedom to experiment with different forms and concepts.Angulo thinks it works both ways. “Pieces that… bring out interesting reactions from its audience can create a new, enriching experience for the viewers,” he explains. The emphasis on the individual has paved the way for

Sight: Ghosts, Underpants, Stars

(2013, Japan)

Created as part of a dance performance, this installation by Aaron Sherwood and Mike Allisonconsists of a stretched spandex sheetthat emits light and music in reaction to human touch.

Torafu Architects transformed a gallery space into a haunted play house. It featured a backstage area that allowed children to crawl into picture frames and spook museum goers.

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Taste: Drink Away the Art (2007, Germany)

Artist Hannes Broecker invited museum goers to drink away a colourful variety of cocktails inside flat glass containers installed on the walls.

Hearing: 30 Sounds in a Filing Cabinet

(2013, Philippines)

Artist Tengal Drilon repurposed a cabinet, fitting each compartment with a sensor that emitted a recorded sound when opened. The

the success of interactive art. More importance is placed on the pursuit of individual interests and there is a refusal from artists to limit themselves and conform to convention. But more than that, it creates a need for the audience to become a part of the art in question, to find themselves in it and make sense of it for themselves. Catharsis

Many are pulled out of their shells during LoveNOT. One scene requires that audience members pair up and share with each other unforgettable memories. Later on by the poolside, everyone shouts out their hopes and dreams before jumping into the water. The experience of being integral to the outcome of the show is almost therapeutic. Towards the end of the night, anthems of love are played and everyone dances and sings along. The actors and actresses are hard to pick out from the crowd—audience and cast have become one. In many ways, the collaborative nature of LoveNOT is reflective of the audience’s desire to actively participate and be creative. Everyone, audience and cast alike, commits to the show, and when it finally draws to a close, they breathe a sigh of relief at pulling off a successful performance. The curtain falls.

recordings consisted of ethnic Filipino music and compositions by National Artist for Music Jose Maceda.

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Smell: The Art of the Scent (2012-2013, United States)

This olfactory exhibition features a gallery space with “dimples” engineered to release bursts of fragrances. Curator Chandler Burr featured 12 scents, including perfumist Ernest Beaux’s Chanel No. 5.

Editor: Nadine Y. Ramos · Editorial Assistant: Uriel N. Galace · Layout Artist: Alvin C. Bravo and Ian B. Dela Cruz · http://inquiry.theguidon.com

Inquiry

Blue collars, red tape An update on the issue of contractualization of workers of the Ateneo.

A contrast of detail By Uriel N. Galace

DRAWING THE LINE. The issue of intellectual property rights, especially in relation to the visual arts, is often difficult to delineate. Photo BY Kat A. Mallillin

he practice has become ubiquitous. Images, signs and logos associated with familiar brands are plastered all over the placards of sari-sari stores or on the imitation products of tiangge outlets. Multinational corporations have the themes of their advertisements copied by enterprising small businesses looking to take advantage of brand recognition. Intellectual property rights for the graphic arts have always stood on shaky ground here in the Philippines. Though there exists a set of laws protecting creative visual works, the specific manner of its implementation has been subject to constant dispute. There is no formal instruction in most schools that elaborates on how exactly intellectual property theft for visual art is delineated. As such, it is not uncommon to see people copying other artists’ work with impunity. The implication of such a state of affairs is something sophomore political science major Jules Del Rosario quickly learned from firsthand experience. One day, as he was casually scrolling through his Facebook newsfeed, he noticed something that immediately caught his attention. Harvey Chua, president of The Ateneo Assembly, had posted an image in the Facebook group of Jules’ department. The image was the cover photo of the Facebook page of Kaya Natin!, a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) that purports to be a “movement for good governance and ethical leadership.” When Del Rosario first laid eyes on the image, he was aghast. The cover photo in question bore more than a striking resemblance to a promotional image he had created for The Assembly during RecWeek. “It was so blatant, it was kind of insulting,” he later says. As of press time, Kaya Natin!’s Facebook page continues to use this image as its cover photo. Implicit in the irony of an NGO for good governance stealing somebody else’s work is a wideranging discourse on the nature and purpose of intellectual property rights (IPR) for the visual and graphic arts. At the moment, there exists

a specific set of guidelines for what constitutes plagiarizing for written, academic texts and what doesn’t. The distinction for visual images, however, isn’t quite as clear-cut. Intellectual property debate

On June 6, 1997, Congress passed Republic Act No. 8293, or the “Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines (IPC).” This act divides copyrighted works into 17 classes and includes among them such categories as art products, ornamental designs, photographs and cinematographic works, audio-visual works and pictures used in advertising, including logos. According to Part I, Section 2 of the IPC or the “Declaration of State Policy,” the State maintains that the law is necessary for creativity to flourish in our country. Allegedly, it gives people the peace of mind, that their

of Vicente Sotto III in 2012 for stealing several passages in a speech opposing the Reproductive Health bill. Unfortunately, establishing intellectual property rights for graphic and visual arts can be highly subjective. There are difficulties inherent in establishing ownership over an idea, particularly as it pertains to aesthetic works. This makes it very difficult for a policy to delineate what exactly constitutes copyright infringement and what doesn’t. “Does a piece have to be a 100% duplicate of another work? How many elements and principles of design have been copied? How similar are the typefaces and photos used? Does one get a certain feeling of intuition when he senses a plagiarized work? The list goes on,” wrote Tata Yap, a part-time lecturer for the Fine Arts Program, in a July 2013 opinion piece for The GUIDON.

during RecWeek. This note has since been taken down. More recently, the Company of Ateneo Dancers released a promotional image in June of 2012 that bore an uncanny similarity to a promotional image used by the Melbourne Dance Company. At around the same time, AJMA released a set of t-shirts bearing an “A,” which strongly resembles the Penrose triangle logo of The Verge, an American technology news website. Dan Casiño of the Office of Student Activities (OSA), says that they review the promotional items being disseminated during RecWeek before students are given the green light to use them. “Currently, all promos are filtered and should be filtered, by OSA,” Casiño states. However, “in terms of the IPR, we haven’t talked about the implementing rules and regulations (IRR),” he admits.

Intellectual property rights for the graphic arts have always stood on shaky ground.

creations will not be stolen arbitrarily. Moreover, the IPC’s proponents feel that it is important to protect peoples’ privilege to use their products in any manner of their choosing, including their own personal and financial gain. The Ateneo recognizes this. School of Humanities (SOH) Chairperson RJ Dimla cites multiple recent events as evidence that the university takes copyright violations very seriously. He refers to how several members of the Ateneo community expressed disapproval with business tycoon Manuel V. Pangillinan for his admitted plagiarism in his 2010 graduation commencement speech. In addition, he mentions the student body’s outspoken denunciation

A history of IPR issues

There have been cases of IPR violations in the Ateneo practically since the school’s inception. But its intrusion into the realm of the visual arts is a fairly recent phenomenon. “The cases rose significantly. In my freshman year, there were only one to two cases. This year, during summer semester alone, I received six,” Dimla said in a July 2013 news article for The GUIDON entitled “Sanggu, COA form committee to address IPR violations.” For instance, in 2011, the Ateneo Junior Marketing Association (AJMA) posted an apology on its Facebook page in response to copyright infringement allegations for promotional images that it used

The Sanggunian, in response to the rise in the number of intellectual property rights violations for the visual arts in the Ateneo, created a committee in July to address this void in the IRR. “The motion raised at that time was a proposal by students, specifically from the Fine Arts Program, to create a policy about a new form of plagiarism,” says Dimla. The Sanggunian’s stand was voted unanimously by all the members of the Central Board present at the meeting. According to Juno Reyes, the SOH junior Central Board representative and the author of the stand, this means that the student government is obliged to make the issue a top priority.

Design ethics policy

Dimla and Reyes have sought to incorporate students from various sectors into the committee that will craft the policy on IPR for the visual arts. These sectors include the Council of Organizations of the Ateneo, the Fine Arts Program and the Sanggunian’s Department of Public Relations. This committee, which is spearheaded by Reyes, meets once every two weeks to construct the policy. Ideally, he says, the representatives are then to consult with the constituents of their respective sectors in the weeks in between. According to Reyes, he gives the committee drafts on policies and then asks the representatives of the various sectors to meet with their constituents to evaluate them. Then, if issues arise, he asks what specific changes they can suggest to further improve the policy. Moreover, a number of faculty members have pledged their support for this project. Among them are SOH Dean Dr. Ma. Luz Vilches and Dr. Jerry Respeto, the director for the Fine Arts Program. Reyes says that the committee intends to confer with these “admin consultants” after a proper policy has been drafted. “They’ll be the ones to decide their issues with it, then they’ll return it to us and we’ll finalize it together.” Technical guidelines

There exists a litany of issues that makes it difficult to figure out where exactly to draw the line between what constitutes plagiarizing visual works and what doesn’t. However, Glenn Lopez, a technical assistant for the Fine Arts Program, lists some ways that this can be done. “On a very technical level, there are guidelines of how they actually produce those [visual works],” he says. He uses the example of how the angles of certain brand logos are measured to try and establish a specific domain that aspiring artists may not breach. In addition, artists may not merely copy the design—font style, shades of a color, etc.—of

a logo, even if they were to use it in a different setting, he says. For example, if one were to take the “Shoe Mart” of SM, then replace the wording while retaining the same overall look—making it “Singakamas Market”—then, according to Lopez, that could still be construed as plagiarism. Another tricky issue is delineating the difference between pegging and outright copying. For Lopez, “A peg is a possible reference for your work. [So you might say], ‘I like this font, I like these colors,’ but it’s really just an inspiration.” Dimla, on the other hand, defines a peg as an application of an idea in a “totally different context” as well as incorporating one’s idea into someone else’s idea “to create something totally new.” In Reyes’ view, one uses a peg when there are “general thematic similarities.” He explains this by using the example of taking a certain distinguishable style from a cartoon show and incorporating it into one’s own work without using the show’s characters. However, many of these definitions tend to be very ambiguous, abstract and subjective, testifying to the sheer difficulty that crafting such a policy would entail. Emotional attachment

The visual artifacts of artists are their lifeblood, their unique creations. It is a product of their creative minds and in many ways, constitutes the very essence of their craft. “Intellectual property is our product, it is our capital. As artists—as an aspiring artist myself—we have an emotional attachment to our work,” Dimla declares. “Whenever we publish them, whenever we give them away, it’s like sharing a part of our being.” Perhaps the significance of enacting such a policy then, in spite of its difficulty, stems from purely moral reasons. These ideas belong to people and stealing them in any shape or form, can be highly unethical. Del Rosario echoes this sentiment. “I would have been flattered,” he says, “if they had asked my permission.”

Inquiry

Atenean Voice CURA PERSONALIS. The Advanced Placement Program (APP) gives students a better opportunity for formation. Photo BY Alexis A. Casas

The merits of merit By David D. Garcia and Uriel N. Galace

t has been called the student’s secret weapon. Call it “BS-ing”, pambobola, whatever—many graduates of the Ateneo will readily admit to having done it at one time or another. But for sophomore creative writing major Emil Hofileña, this practice is no longer something he feels compelled to carry out. “After a year with Sir DM Reyes, I never want to go back to pulling [stuff] out of thin air,” says Hofileña, an alumnus of the Ateneo’s Merit English program, referring to his professor. Though the Merit English and other subsections of the Loyola School’s Advanced Placement Program (APP) have had their fair share of criticism, many alumni like Hofileña believe the APP to be the most formative experience of their freshman year. Echoing these sentiments, sophomore psychology major Giliana Roxas says, “Studying Filipino with Sir [Aristotle] Atienza lets me see the world in a whole new way. It just isn’t the same anymore.” Roxas is currently undergoing the final portion of her stint in Honors Filipino, another subsection of the APP program. In addition, Roxas also finished the Merit English program last school year under Maximo Pulan Jr. Designed to push the boundaries of students’ learning, the APP is a program that caters to students who have shown mastery in certain subjects. Aside from the English and Filipino programs, the APP also has courses in Foreign Language and Culture (FLC) including Spanish, French, Italian and German, to name a few. However, questions surrounding the APP persist among several Ateneans today. As a program that selects its partici-

pants on the basis of proficiency and skill, does the APP in effect, segregate students? It should come as a surprise to no one, then, that there is a certain aura of mystery surrounding the program. This has led to a fair amount of controversy, with many students questioning the criteria behind the selection process itself. Hence, it is fair to ask, “How does one qualify for the APP in the first place?”

to move even further ahead, so that the curriculum doesn’t hold them back.” “Primarily, the basis for who gets into Merit, Regular, and Basic [English] would be the score that people obtain from the [college] entrance exam,” says English Department Chair DM Reyes, PhD. The raw scores from the language component of the Ateneo College Entrance Test (ACET) are clustered together

As a program that selects its participants on the basis of proficiency and skill, does the APP effectively segregate students?

Qualifying for the APP

It is inevitable that individual students will have varying degrees of preparedness for college-level classes. “We designed a core curriculum for the average student. But there are students that will always be above average, just as there will always be students below average,” says Acting Loyola Schools Vice President Rudy Ang. It is precisely to accommodate the needs of above average students that the APP was instituted. “We want them to have the opportunity to take other things and advance their knowledge and learning,” Ang says. “Students who are already ahead of the others are pushed

and ranked, with the top 10% of scorers gaining admission into the Merit program, Reyes elaborates. For Honors Filipino, on the other hand, the process is slightly different. Since there is no Filipino language component in the ACET, the Filipino Department administers a diagnostic test at the start of every school year. Every student who reaches a certain cut-off score is then invited into the program, says Aristotle Atienza, the current instructor of Filipino 14 Section H.C., which stands for “Honors Class.” The sophomores in Section H.C. are the pioneer batch of the Filipino Honors Program. The section was initially composed of 21 students, but is now

down to 15 due to scheduling conflicts. This year’s new set of Filipino Honors students is slightly larger, though, with 23 students. According to the list of class schedules in the Ateneo Integrated Student Information System, this year’s H.C. has 35 free slots available, though not all slots were filled. This is because of both scheduling conflicts and because not enough students reached the cut-off score to qualify. As for the APP for FLC, admission is conferred upon students who already have a background in their chosen FLC. For instance, if a student comes from a high school where Mandarin is a part of the curriculum, he or she is automatically elevated to a higher track of the program should he or she choose Mandarin during enlistment. Alumni perception

Beyond the statistics provided by their professors, Hofileña and Roxas have their own views on the differences between Regular and Merit classes. Hofileña, who was able to sit in a Regular English class, recounts his experience under Carlo Rivera. “I found the lecture itself to be limited, in the sense that Sir Carlo was leading them in a certain direction,” Hofileña says, referencing the standardized curriculum accorded to Regular classes. “With Sir DM, he takes us in his own direction, instead of one that is standardized or objective.” The lesson proper wasn’t the only difference Hofileña noticed while sitting in—the students were different as well. “The first two rows, those were the ones who were really listening and participating in the lecture. In the last two rows, though, the students didn’t really care. They probably had no idea what was going on during the lecture. I The merits ›› 4

How do you think students get into the advance placement (AP) programs in the Ateneo?

“We were all under the impression that it’s determined by the essay portion of the ACET, but we were never sure. I don’t think it’s 100% accurate either way, particularly because I know this one guy in my class who got double F’s in English 12 and Literature 13, and was transferred after the first sem. I think that shows that some people just aren’t ready or suited for it quite yet and maybe a bit more [weeding] out is necessary.” Marianne Vitug, III AB POS “I think [getting into a Merit English class is] based on your ACET English grade. I'm not sure if they take the application essay into consideration too. But I think a concern about that—at least in the context of English 101, which is a writing course—is that your ACET English score only measures your comprehension, how well you read. It doesn’t measure how well you write, which is something that you’re expected to do well in a merit class.” Nica Dobles, II BS ME “I don't know as much since it's a selection undisclosed to the students, but given that there are 6 merit English sections—if I recall correctly—it's a lot more subjective compared to the CEP (Credit by Examination Program) format.” David Cuajunco, I BSM AMF “Personally, I don't think one test is enough to determine who will or will not get in the AP Filipino class. I mean, I know people who are a lot better in both spoken and written Filipino than I am, but who weren’t able to get into the AP Filipino class because their diagnostic test scores didn't reach the cut-off score.” Gilana Roxas, II BS PSY “The diagnostic exams at the start of the semester [for AP Filipino] and the ACET English test and essay [for merit English] are great ways to select AP students. The problem, however, with the Filipino AP is the conflict in schedule. Since these students are first sorted into their courses’ block schedules, conflicts may arise when they pass the Filipino diagnostic test one month into the semester and are made to transfer to the Filipino Honors class. Not everyone who [does well on] the diagnostic test gets to be transferred [to an AP Filipino class] because of conflicts in schedule.” Nica Dobles, II BS ME

The GUIDON September 2013

Blue collars, red tape By Elijah V. Pascual

wo significant events recently took the spotlight in local news: Typhoon Maring and the #MillionPeopleMarch. Maring brought heavy rainfall and, subsequently, floods that damaged several homes, most of them owned by informal settlers. As for the #MillionPeopleMarch, many attendees not only supported the abolition of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) but also suggested a more grassroots-oriented system to take its place. No doubt, it is in times of crisis when the country’s attention turns to the marginalized, since they are the most affected. At the same time, it’s these kinds of crises that force Filipinos to reassess how they look at poverty. In light of those severely affected by Maring and the pleas to abolish the pork barrel system, how can today’s Filipino properly express outrage? What is it about the system that keeps laborers and workers in their conditions? How are they excluded from the privileges that the middle class receive? Events such as Maring and the #MillionPeopleMarch force people to admit that poverty is about more than just minimum wage and living in a tin roof house. Even when the poor are able to survive on meager salaries, their ability to hold on to their jobs is sometimes beyond their control. For some of the workers of the Ateneo, this is precisely the case. The main issue most commonly connected to the Ateneo’s workers is contractualization. This system involves a worker being employed for a certain amount of time—usually no more than six months—before he or she is let go by virtue of contract. However, the plight of the Ateneo’s employees is more nuanced. For all of the Ateneo’s powers as an institution, its workers still face challenges that threaten their livelihood. Safeguarding

Contractualization became a controversial topic two years ago when the Ateneo chose Megaforce as the new security agency that would replace Leopard. The problem of contractualization was eventually brought to light and the employment process had to be reassessed.

The situation of the Ateneo’s workers is complicated because it is unclear exactly what body holds jurisdiction over them. According to Megaforce Dispatch Commander Darwin Inguerra, Megaforce is not technically employed under the Ateneo, but merely stationed in the campus. When it comes to administrative matters, Inguerra is the one who oversees his employees. The Ateneo administration does not interfere. “They just give me instruction about the process of the security,” says Inguerra. Though the departure of Leopard entailed the displacement of many security guards, they were given the option of being assimilated into Megaforce. On the process of absorption, Inguerra asserts that the agency will always accommodate its employees. “If [the guards] love to stay here in Ateneo, and they want to be accompanied by the incoming agency? They are very free to do that.” In fact, Inguerra states that many of Leopard’s old guards have been absorbed into Megaforce and are being properly accommodated. He also says that the benefits Megaforce offers are that of the standard labor. However, he clarifies that whether a displaced employee is absorbed or not is still at the discretion of the agency. According to the Director of the Human Resources Management Office (HRMO) Edna Franco, the university does its best to find work for affected employees. “In the event that no suitable position is found that matches the employee’s qualifications and capability, they are separated from employment under the provisions of the Labor Code of the Philippines.” On contractualization, Edna Franco says that certain jobs such as security work are contracted out to other organizations because the university cannot accomplish such work alone, as they lack the expertise or tools. She continues, “There are also project consultants (contractual employees) who have a definite time frame to finish a project (with a start date-end date and deliverables).” Fixed physical assets

According to Franco, the workers of the Ateneo “are viewed as an important resource, which warrants stewardship, wise management and

CHANGING SHIFTS. The issue of contractualization gained traction when Megaforce was chosen to replace Leopard, the Ateneo campus’ former security agency. Photo BY lj v. Miranda

fair treatment.” Despite the efforts of the HRMO, however, the university’s workers still have to struggle through the reality of red tape. The Ateneo Employee and Workers Union (AEWU) has cemented its position as a protective body for the Ateneo’s workers. It has even extended its reach to workers outside of the university. For example, the AEWU worked closely with the Christian Union for Social and Democratic Advancement (Crusada) in the fight for the labor rights of the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association by joining their march on Labor Day. “The services provided by the union to the workers is to protect their rights,” says AEWU President Tobias Tano in a mix

of English and Filipino. According to him, there are three distinct benefits that an employee is entitled to as a member of the union. One is the guarantee of due process when involved in a disciplinary case. Another is monetary contributions when severely ill through events such as fundraisers. The third is the guarantee that his or her family will receive benefits amounting to as much as 20,000 pesos if the employee passes away. Tano also states that the AEWU is on good terms with the Ateneo administration and has not encountered any problems with them. Despite this, the AEWU still faces other challenges within the university. One such problem is dealing with the faulty system of the

•

Blue collars ›› 4

•

Fringe Written by Elijah V. Pascual Whether blue or white collar, every employee knows that his or her standard wages might not always be enough. The ideal agency or company acknowledges this and makes it a point to meet the needs of their workers that a salary just can’t cover. Listed below are the employee benefits provided by the Ateneo. •

• • • • •

Paid leaves (type of leaves depend on the category of employees) A health care plan with coverage up to a maximum of 100,000 pesos per illness per year Tuition support for employees seeking to improve their credentials through further Ateneo education (MA/PhD) A staff development fund to be spent on training and seminars that will enable employees to improve their work-related knowledge and skills Family/Dependent(s) support, provided through a monthly cash allowance A retirement plan to provide employees with income upon their retirement at age of 60 Group life insurance coverage that provides protection for the family left behind in the event of an employee’s passing on Several loan facilities made available by the university to assist employees with unexpected financial needs

Although these are not really considered benefits, the university also grants certain rewards to employees, such as: • •

ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES. The security guards are given relative autonomy when it comes to their labor. Photo BY lj v. Miranda

Service awards beginning from 5 years of service Annual salary adjustment through: • General increase, given across the board • Merit increase, which is based on performance

The GUIDON September 2013

Inquiry

BLUE BUREACRACY. One challenge faced by workers of the Ateneo is that of red tape. illustration BY chelli v. reyes

Blue collars... Ateneo’s Facilities Management Office (FMO). According to Tano, the FMO is guilty of violating the labor code of the Philippines. The code states that it is prohibited to “contract out services or functions being performed by union members when such will interfere with, restrain or coerce employees in the exercise of their rights to self-organization.” The FMO, which manages the “physical fixed assets” of the university, has turned the system in its favor. Ideally, security guards file a report, a job order is filed, a request is made at the FMO and it is up to the FMO to carry out the request. However, AEWU Public Relations Officer Rodolfo Almazan says the FMO has not been adhering to this system. According to him, it is entirely the FMO that files job orders and approves these requests. This system allows people to fulfill tasks that their positions do not call for, which makes the system and ‹‹ 3

the workers obligated to follow it, easier to exploit. The process by which workers can be compensated for damages sustained from natural calamities such as floods is also problematic. Workers often have to go through a lot of red tape to recover or replace what they lost. When asked if workers receive monetary compensation, Tano elaborates, “Walang libre. Bibigyan kami na ng loan, ang dami pa nilang hinahanap ng resibo para mabigyan ka ng loan, eh alam naman nila na inabot ka ng kalamidad. ‘Yan ‘yung naranasan namin dito. Loan na yun a. Babayaran mo, pero mahirap ka pa mag-avail (Nothing is for free. We’re given a loan, and they still look for receipts for us to be given a loan, but they know that you’ve been affected by a calamity. That’s what we’ve experienced here. You still have to pay back, but it’s hard to avail of one).” According to Almazan, the process by which a worker can

be cleared for a loan involves showing a photograph of the house and providing an estimate of the damages sustained. Tano laments the inefficient bureaucracy that surrounds the compensation process. “Since loan ‘yan, at alam niyo naman na talagang affected itong mga employado [dahil sa kalamidad], dapat easy availment na lang ‘yan. Wala na masyadong maraming requirements (Because that’s a loan and you know that your employees are easily affected by the calamity it should be easy to avail one. Not too many requirements).” He elaborates on the problems of the process by noting the wages of the workers, and how they are given a maximum of one year to pay back a loan. “Whether or not a worker can pay back a loan depends on his or her capacity to pay. Now, if he can’t pay back his loan on time, and it’s obvious that he can’t do so in one year, then let’s move the deadline,” says Tano in a mix of English and Filipino.

Filipino to her experiences in high school where only a handful of her peers would participate in class discussions. From the stories she’s heard, her high school experiences parallel that of a Regular Filipino class. “Aside from the speed we take analyzing texts, I think our [APP] curriculum is close to the one which the regular sections take. I think [it is] the liberties Sir Atienza takes with the [Honors Class] where everyone participates [that] sets us apart.” As noted by both Hofileña and

Roxas, the difference between the advanced and regular programs is not merely limited to changes in the curriculum. Rather, the difference lies more in the innovative ways professors teach advanced classes, as well as the heightened participation of their students.

Franco, however, asserts that the HRMO “endeavors to maintain cordial relations and open communication with the Union” through the Labor-Management Committee (LMC). The LMC is used as a venue for the HRMO and the Union to discuss important projects that affect the welfare of the workers, such as renewing the health program, or reviewing disciplinary policies. Callousness

Crusada Premier Rico La Viña makes sure to check on Tano and the rest of the AEWU regularly. “We meet maybe once every two months and get updates on how they’re doing. They tell us if we need anything from us,” he says. Like Tano, La Viña believes that the administration has been posing no threats to Ateneo’s workers. “The fact that they don’t really need anything from us right now is [a] point that maybe the admin is doing an okay job with the labor union in Ateneo.”

La Viña believes, however, that the problem lies not necessarily in the administration but in the mindset held by students regarding the marginalized. According to him, a lot of students are aware of contractualization partly because of the Junior Engagement Program, though he is quick to note that awareness is simply not enough. “It’s become something that’s very normal to them. It’s not something that shocks them anymore. It’s something that’s been normalized. It’s part of the culture. And I think that’s problematic—problematic because there’s something wrong when you have to find a new job every four, five months,” says La Viña. Some of the challenges that the workers of the Ateneo face are systemic in nature, while others are cultural. Because of the nuances that distinguish their conditions, it is no longer enough to just be informed of

what they go through. Such criticality involves a reassessment of one’s privilege, followed by concrete action. Tano recognizes this need for reformation. He says, “Hindi ho masama na magimprove, mag-reorganize [ng sistema] for the benefits of the university and the benefits of the workers. Hindi nagkaroon ka ng improvements, na ang employado mo ang tatamaan (It isn’t wrong to improve or reorganize the system for the benefits of the university and the benefits of the workers. But aiming for improvements shouldn’t come at the expense of your employees).” The Ateneo’s holistic education is proof that this can and should be the way we approach how we look at what the workers of the university go through. La Viña states, “It’s not just being aware of the issue but being disturbed by it and seeing that this is wrong. And I think maybe that’s something that’s lacking now in Ateneo.”

policies you’re seeing now have developed over time, and of course we’re happy to hear suggestions in terms of how to improve the program even more,” Ang says. Ult imately, Reyes says that the APP is built on the foundation of one of the Ateneo’s mantras, cura personalis. “Personal care isn’t just limited to settling with what you have when you can be so much more,” he says. “It is the school’s responsibility to test your limits and find the

program that fits you best. That’s where cura personalis and your own personal formation come in.” Rather than serve as a venue for stratification, the Humanities program of the Ateneo has been proven to provide a program tailored to each student’s talents and passions through the APP. With minor improvements slated for the near future, the School of Humanities is eager to continue their individualized and formative campaign for quality education.

Compensation

The merits... think if you put the students in the last two rows in a DM class, they’d still stay the same either way.” “What I find really different from the stories I hear about regular Filipino classes and our class is that everyone’s voice is heard in our class. I really like it that everyone is able to share their own view. It’s a lot more like a casual conversation than a boring lecture,” says Roxas. Roxas compares her conversational experiences in Honors ‹‹ 2

Towards the future

The Filipino Department is looking to address the scheduling conflicts that have prevented a number of students from taking Filipino Honors.

According to Atienza, one such proposal that’s currently being discussed is the creation of three different honors sections, each with different time slots. This should minimize the chances of scheduling conflicts and increase the number of students who with access to the APP. For the most part, however, the Loyola Schools administration is content with the way the APP is structured, and there are no plans to make major changes in the immediate future. “The