The GUIDON - August 2013 by 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 Volume LXXXIV, NO. 3 · AUGUST 2013

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SPORTS

BEYOND LOYOLA

FEATURES

Inquiry

GOLD STANDARD

SK ELECTIONS

EAST OF EDEN

CLOSET POLITICS

Sizing up the Ateneo Shuttlers’ championship.

Should it be abolished?

Metro Manila’s small town flavors.

Examining the LGBT community's contradictions

Post-SONA forum gauges Aquino’s midterm By Pauline V. Miranda “NA R A R AMDAM AN BA? Does Juan and Juana feel the improvements that the President tells us?” According to Political Science Department Assistant Professor Anne Candelaria, PhD, these are the questions that must always be asked after every State of the Nation Address (SONA). Candelaria was the forum coordinator of The Ateneo Assembly’s post-SONA forum held last August 5 at the Ricardo and Dr. Rosita Leong Hall auditorium. The forum, entitled “Face the Nation,” was held to assess the real situation of the country, given what President Benigno Aquino III said during his fourth and longest SONA last July 22. The panelists of the event were the following: National Youth Commission (NYC) Commissioner Earl Saavedra, Caucus of Development NGO Networks Program Specialist Jet Pacapac, Bayan Muna representative Teddy Casiño, Ang Kapatiran representative Rizalito David, Kabataan PartyList representative Atty. Teddy Ridon, Anakpawis Party-List representative Rafael Mariano and Sanggunian President Dan Remo. Among the topics of Aquino’s SONA were the following: The expansion of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, the inclusion of families with 18-year-old children into the condit iona l ca sh t ra nsfer

program, improvements in the Department of Education and expanded PhilHealth coverage. Though the speech ran for an hour and 44 minutes, Aquino failed to mention the Asean Economic Community (AEC), the K to 12 program, the Reproductive Health (RH) Law, the Political Dynasty Act and the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill, among others. These were some of the issues Ateneans hoped Aquino would address, according to a survey conducted by The Ateneo Assembly. Face the Nation

As a national situationer, Face the Nation evaluated segments of Aquino’s SONA with the question “Did he really deliver?” Panelists discussed issues regarding education, health, economy, national security and governance in the country. With regard to education, NYC Commissioner Saavedra said that “reforms are very essential.” According to him, one of the education reforms to be made by the government is making tuition fees more reasonable. “Tuition fees are not the only things students worry about. They also have to worry about food, books and other things,” he said. Meanwhile, Sanggunian President Remo expressed his disappointment over the exclusion of student rights and welfare in Aquino’s priority agenda.

CAMPUS POLITICS. Despite the failure of elections, Comelec Chief Commissioner Julianne Fajardo said that there are members of the Atenean electorate who still keep campus politics alive. Photo BY Ryan Y. Racca

Comelec: Failure of elections “beyond our control” By Mara D. Cepeda DESPITE ITS increased information dissemination efforts, the Ateneo Commission on Elections (Comelec) declared a failure of elections for the 2013 Freshmen and Special Elections held last August 5 to 8. Several candidates from the School of Humanities (SOH), the John Gokongwei School of Management (JGSOM) and

the School of Social Sciences (SOSS) failed to reach the required number of votes. Only the School of Science and Engineering (SOSE) met the quota for all available positions. The result is a total of 12 Sanggunian positions in the top 44 that will be left unoccupied for the rest of this school year. According to Comelec Chief Commissioner Julianne Fajardo, the failure of elections for SOH, JGSOM and SOSS

could not have been avoided even if Comelec “tried harder.” “We (Comelec) did a lot of things so that this won’t happen, but I guess this can’t be resolved through our own efforts alone,” Fajardo said. “The Ateneo community knew what was going on but they choose not to participate. That is beyond our control,” he added. This is the second straight failure of elections declared by the Comelec. SOH, SOSS

and SOSE candidates failed to meet the quota of votes in the general elections held last February. Increased awareness efforts

This year, Comelec increased its efforts to inform the student body about the elections. Aside from the usual tarpaulins posted around campus, Comelec utilized the Elections ›› 4

Post-SONA ›› 3

Aquino highlights nation building in Ignatian Festival By Christian D. Cejalvo

A CALL TO ATENEANS. President Benigno Aquino III told the audience to be men and women for others during his speech at this year’s Ignatian Festival. Photo BY Francine A. Bharwani

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“NGAYONG KAHARAP ko po kayong mga kapwa Atenista, hinihimok ko kayong makiisa sa positibong transpormayon ng bansa (As I face you, fellow Ateneans, I urge you to join in the positive transformation of the country).” These were the words of President Benigno Aquino III when he addressed Ateneo students, faculty, alumni and guests gathered at the Henry Lee Irwin Theater during the Ignatian Festival held last July 20. The President was the keynote speaker of the two-

year-old festival, which followed the theme “Ateneans in Nation Building.” University President Jose Ramon Villarin, SJ said that this year’s Ignatian Festival theme is one of the Ateneo’s three strategic thrusts, the other two being mission and identity, and environment and development. According to Villarin, next year’s Ignatian Festival will highlight environment and development “to complete the cycle.” The celebration last year had mission and identity as its theme. The 2012 Ignatian Festival was co-organized by the Ateneo Alumni Association and the

University Communication and Public Relations Office through the initiative of the Office of the President. A call to Ateneans

In his 10-minute speech, Aquino said that the path to nation building entails working towards a viable solution rather than simply pointing out the problems at hand. “Obligasyon mong makiambag sa solusyon. Tungkulin mong itama ang mali (It is your obligation to contribute to the solution. It is your responsibility to straighten out the wrong),” he said. Ignatian Festival ›› 2

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The GUIDON August 2013

News

Editor: Mara D. Cepeda Editorial Assistant: Christian D. Cejalvo Layout Artists: Cyrille P. Lagamson and Tommi G. Principe

Glimpses ASoG judges Health of Governance Awards The Ateneo School of Government, together with the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Department of Health, the Kaya Natin! Movement and global pharmaceutical company Merck Sharp & Dohme, honored five local government units (LGU) in the Champions for Health Government Awards held at the Bayleaf Hotel last June 20. The contest aimed to recognize five LGUs that have excellent health programs and outstanding governance. The winners were the following: Anilao in Iloilo, Carmona in Cavite, San Pablo in Zamboanga del Sur, Tayabas in Quezon and Valenzuela City. Each LGU received a P200,000 cash grant to fund its health programs. —Gilliann S. Ebreo ■

Three artists win in the 2013 Ateneo Art Awards Three artists emerged as winners of “Marking Time: Ateneo Art Awards 2013” organized by the Ateneo Art Gallery. The winners were the following: Charles Buenconsejo for Reality is a Hologram shown at Art Informal, Buen Calubayan for his Fressie Capulong paintings shown at Blanc Peninsula, and Raffy Napay for his Thread Experience exhibition at the West Gallery. Calubayan and Napay were also recipients of annual residencies selected by the Ateneo Art Gallery’s institutional partners. Calubayan received the Ateneo-La Trobe University Visual Arts Centre residency grant in Australia. Meanwhile, Napay was the recipient of the Ateneo-Artesan Gallery residency grant in Singapore, as well as the Ateneo-Liverpool Hope Creative Campus residency grant in United Kingdom. The works from this year’s Ateneo Art Awards will be featured in the Permanent Exhibition Wing of the Ateneo Art Gallery from August 27 to December 7 of 2013. —Mara D. Cepeda ■

Theology department offers new elective The Theology Department is offering a new elective next semester entitled “Th161.6 Facing the Challenge of Living a Moral Life Today - Social Doctrine of the Church: Origins and Applications.” The course focuses on the papal social encyclicals and is taught by Fr. Pierre de Charentenay, SJ. He is the former president of the Centre Sèvres in Paris and is a visiting professor for the Ateneo’s Political Science Department this year. The Philosophy Department is also offering the elective as “Ph144/212/373: Philosophy of Society.”— Gilliann S. Ebreo ■

Blue and Gold is Healthiest Plate winner in LS Nutrition Week Blue and Gold Catering Services emerged as the winner of the Healthiest Plate award during the Loyola Schools (LS) Nutrition Week culminating activity held last July 26 at the Manuel V. Pangilinan Center for Student Leadership roof deck. Meanwhile, the Ateneo Multi-Purpose Cooperatives received the People’s Choice award. This year’s LS Nutrition Week, held from July 22 to 26, aimed to promote awareness of healthy living. A competition was held among seven participating food stalls from the Gonzaga Hall cafeteria. Each stall was tasked with creating a menu in line with each day’s theme: Fruit Ninja Day, Fiber Day, Vitamin C Day, Something Fishy Day and Green Friday. The other participating stalls were Chokola Kola, Flavors of Asia, Obento, Mongolian Master and Sakamura. The competition was organized by the Sanggunian and the Council of Organizations of the Ateneo. —Samantha O. Subida

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GK-Ateneo aims for wider development programs in 10th year In celebration of its 10th year, Gawad Kalinga (GK) Ateneo will conduct a series of community development programs entitled “Ignatian Build 2013.” The project will follow the theme “Lawak at Lalim: Isang Dekada ng Pagkalinga.” Last July 28, Ignatian Build 2013 executed three simultaneous site developments in the following communities: GK Cabiao-Nueva Ecija, GK Molave-Payatas and GK Trese-Payatas. More extensive projects will be spearheaded by the group throughout the school year. —Athena A. Batanes ■

erratA

In the July 2013 issue of The GUIDON, An entry of the Atenean Voice was misattributed to The Ateneo Assembly President Harvey Chua. The statement was made by management engineering supersenior Lovette Regner, not Chua. In the same issue, the illustration for the Features article "Mad in Manila" was credited to Czarina B. Dycaico. The illustration was done by Jan-Daniel S. Belmonte. The GUIDON apologizes for these oversights.

PRESIDENTIAL HANDSHAKE. University President Jose Ramon Villarin, SJ welcomed President Benigno Aquino III as he arrived at the Henry Lee Irwin Theater last July 20. Photo BY Francine A. Bharwani

Ignatian Festival... “At ‘di po ba, kung ‘di ka kumilos, magiging bahagi ka na rin ng problema? (And is it not when you don’t act, you also become a part of the problem?)” Aquino added. During the celebration of the 522nd birth anniversary of St. Ignatius of Loyola, Aquino also called Ateneans to move out of their comfort zones and embody the Atenean virtue of being men and women for others. “Huwag ninyo sanang ikukulong sa mga gusali’t pasilyo ng paaralang ito ang diwa ng inyong pagka-Atenista (Do not keep the essence of your being an Atenean within this school’s buildings and halls),” said Aquino. “Maging man-for-others kayo, na hindi lamang nabubuhay para sa sarili, kundi lalo’t para sa kapwa (Be men-for-others, who do not live just for themselves, but also for their fellowmen),” he added. ‹‹ 1

Becoming “wide-eyed” Ateneans

In a separate interview with The GUIDON, Villarin reflected on the message of Aquino’s speech, saying it was “very Jesuit” in nature.

He also likened Aquino’s speech to Pope Francis’ message during the 2013 World Youth Day, in which the Pope called for the people to “go and make disciples of all nations.” Villarin said that becoming aware of the environment outside school will motivate Ateneans to strive harder within the university. “Get to know how complicated the world is—how it works, even corruption, the way it works, so that you’re wide-eyed when you leave us,” he said. “You will want to prepare well. You would want to study well, ‘cause you know what’s waiting for you out there,” Villarin added. Ateneans in nation building

According to Villarin, Aquino was the immediate choice for keynote speaker given the theme of this year’s Ignatian Festival. He shared that, despite intensive preparations at the time for his 2013 State of Nation Address, Aquino did not pass up on the opportunity to address the Ateneo community for the third time. On March 25, 2011, Aquino delivered a speech during the

Baccalaureate Mass for that year’s graduating batch. Mea nwhile, his speech during the Ateneo’s seventh Spring Festival held at the Shangri-La Plaza Mall last February 5, 2013 was delivered by Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda. “I’m grateful that PNoy has not lost his connections when it comes to the Ateneo—connection matters to him, still,” Villarin said. Apart from Aquino, other Ateneo alumni working in the fields of public service, business, arts, media, culture and music were invited to give plenary talks, which were spread throughout the whole day of the event. The different fora focused mainly on how each of the speakers applied the Ignatian values in their respective fields. The Ateneans in Politics portion featured the following: Senator Aquilino Pimentel III, Supreme Court Justices Arturo Brion and Roberto Abad, Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte, Metro Manila D e velopment Aut hor it y Chairman Francis Tolentino, Albay Governor Joey Salceda, Metropolitan Waterworks and

Sewerage System Administrator Gerry Esquivel and Department of Education Undersecretary Rizalino Rivera. Meanwhile, the speakers for the Ateneans in Social Development were as follows: Saligan Head Atty. Arnie de Vera, Anna Marie Karaos of Institute on Church and Social Issues, Mika Millar of Ninoy and Cory Aquino Foundation, Dodo Macasaet of Caucus of Development NGO Networks and Marywoods Academy and Bukidnon Administrator Ching Ignacio. As for the Business Panel, the speakers were Rapa Lopa of the Philippine Business for Social Progress, Ernest Escaler of Gourmet Farms, Kirk Damasco of Get Blued, Mark Ruiz of Hapinoy and Reese Fernandez of Rags2Riches. The Ateneans in Media, Culture and Arts featured the following: John Reyes of Heroes Square, Atty. Toto Villareal of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board, filmmakers Doy del Mundo and Katsky Flores, Solar News reporter Jing Castañeda and Philippine Daily Inquirer writer-columnist John Nery.

Pambansang Kongreso sa Wika tackles PH orthography and identity By Billy B. Poon THE FIRST Pambansang Kongreso sa Wika was held last August 19 to 21 at the Ricardo and Dr. Rosita Leong Hall auditorium to address problems with regard to Philippine language. The national congress was organized by the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) in collaboration with the Department of Education, the Department of Interior and Local Government, the Commission for Higher Education and the Ateneo. One of the topics discussed during the event was the KWF’s proposal to stop using the word “Pilipinas” to refer to the country.

Instead, the commission declared to return the usage of the name “Filipinas” through Resolution 13 to 19 series of 2013 released last April 12. According to the resolution, KWF believes that using “Filipinas” will promote the “official and modern identification of the country that recognizes its history and national development.” In an interview with The GUIDON last July 24, Filipino Department Chair Alvin Yapan, PhD shed light on the context of the debate. Yapan said, “Hindi naman ito (Pilipinas-Filipinas debate) bagong isyu dahil ang punto lang naman dito, kung papaano [mailalahad] Pambansang Kongeso ›› 8

CONTINUING DEBATE. Filipino Department Chair Alvin Yapan, PhD said the Pilipinas-Filipinas debate is not a new issue in the world of Philippine language. Photo BY Migi C. Soriano

The GUIDON August 2013

News JSEC panel formed in response to Ang's departure By Joline S. Acampado AN OFFICIAL panel of judges for the John Gokongwei School of Management (JGSOM) Student Enterprise Center (JSEC) Challenge has been created. This is in response to Acting Loyola Schools (LS) Vice President and former JGSOM Dean Rudy Ang’s departure from the LS. He is set to become the dean of the Ateneo Graduate School of Business next school year. Ang is one of the main founders of JSEC, an experiential learning laboratory established in 2006 that allows Atenean students to run their own businesses for a year. The JSEC Challenge is a competition in three legs held among all students interested in putting up a business in JSEC. The contest is co-organized by the Ateneo Management Association. The JSEC panel

According to Coordinator for Student Entrepreneurship Initiatives William Mallari, he and Acting JGSOM Dean Darwin Yu, PhD met to decide on the best course of action for future JSEC Challenges. In previous JSEC Challenges, only Acting LS VP Ang and Mallari judged the business proposals submitted by applicants. “[Mallari and] I used to read all of [the submissions], but this year, we’re expecting more than 300 such proposals,” Ang shared. “At some point, you say, ‘Kaya pa ba ng dalawang tao lahat ‘yan?’ (Can two people still manage all that?)” he said.

To help Mallari evaluate the incoming JSEC Challenge applications, the two decided to create a panel of judges. The new JSEC Challenge panel will be composed of six JGSOM faculty members split into three subgroups. Each subgroup of judges will be assigned a specific number of proposals to analyze. However, Mallari will still be reading all of the proposals. Once he and the panel are done reviewing all the business proposals, they will then rank all the applications. Acting JGSOM Dean Yu said, “I think part of the reason for the shift to a committee is that we would require more minds and mouths to come up with a collective decision as to what will be the better business proposals.” The new judging system will be implemented for the JSEC Challenge this year. The panel will choose 22 food stalls. Nineteen will operate in the JSEC compound, while the other three will be based outside the new Rizal Library, the Manuel V. Pangilinan Center for Student Leadership (MVP) basement and the Matteo Ricci Study Hall balcony. Ang will no longer be part of the judging process. JSEC-worthy

However, Ang said that he fears a JSEC Challenge panel of judges will decrease the chances of worthy applications to get a stall on campus. “My concern is that, with too many panelists all reading

only subsets of the whole set, will we really have the best proposals?” he said. Ho w e v e r, t w o JS E C Challenge applicants think having the panel will make the judging system more objective. “I think the [evaluation] process is better than before because the work of processing the large quantity of proposals would not be too overwhelming [for the judges],” said sophomore JSEC Challenge hopeful Sean Chung. He added that there would be less bias involved. “By increasing the [number] of judges, personal preferences [on the part of the judges] would not have [a] huge impact [on] the decisions made,” Chung said. Junior JSEC Challenge applicant Trixie Tan agreed. “With this ‘blind audition,’ all participants would be assured that the accepted proposals won’t be [chosen] because of who you know and who you are but because of the potential that the panel sees in the submitted proposals,” she said. For JGSOM Dean Yu, faculty members in the panel can also use the experience “to become better teachers.” “ Ho p e f u l l y, f o r t h e members of the committee, [ judging the competition] will enrich their understanding of assessment and the connection between what students write and what students [can] do,” he said. “Learn business by doing business”

According to Ang, he originally envisioned JSEC as an

FATHER OF JSEC. Acting Loyola Schools Vice President Rudy Ang was one of the co-founders of the John Gokongwei School of Management Student Enterprise Center. Photo BY Ryan y. racca

opportunity that could be tied up with lessons learned in the classroom. “We set up JSEC because our educational philosophy has always been, ‘The only way to learn how to do business is by actually doing business,’” he said. “Chemistry students learn chemistry by going to the chemistry lab, business students should learn how to do business by going to an enterprise lab,” Ang added. The first JSEC was originally composed of stalls with differ-

ent businesses, not only food, located in the area between the MVP and the old Rizal Library. Ang said that over time, those who set up non-food businesses in JSEC lost money while those who owned food business were profiting. “At some point, no one was applying [for] anything except food businesses. It evolved into that. It wasn’t a conscious decision on our part,” he said. He added that if a student today had a good proposal for

a non-food business, he would approve it. “There’s no decision not to allow non-food [proposals]. It’s just that everyone has been proposing food,” he said. According to Ang, he is content leaving JSEC in its current state. “I am very proud and happy with what we’ve done with JSEC but it’s also time to let go,” he said.

bill, the Aquino administration should put more attention on the agricultural sector. Dela Cruz also brought up the issue of job creation, which was not discussed thoroughly in the SONA. “Job creation is a long-term problem. It cannot be addressed by short-term policies. For me, job creation is a structural problem and given the limits of our structure, this is the best that we can do,” he said.

[the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority],” Villarin said. “He was mentioning all these names, but in the end, you can see what’s the drive. The drive is to get things going,” he added. Dela Cruz also said that while the Aquino administration seems to be moving in the right direction, “[Aquino’s reforms] could have been done much faster.” He expressed the worry of several government workers regarding how the current changes and reforms will be sustained after the Aquino administration has ended.

With reports from Mara D. Cepeda

SONA Forum... “It’s not just about whether you can go to school or you can eat. The quality of your education, your formation is missing,” he said in Filipino. Remo added, “Schools are becoming profit-minded now. It’s becoming a business. And what happens here is that students lose the sense of empowerment... Education is not just [about] teaching [and] giving you the knowledge, but also empowering you as a citizen.” Meanwhile, Bayan Muna representative Casiño talked about the discrepancy between the number of enrolled PhilHealth members and the number of members who actually avail of PhilHealth’s benefits. Aquino said that PhilHealth coverage has expanded from 62 percent in 2010 to 81 percent in 2013. “Up to now, we still don’t know how they (Aquino administration) got that 81 percent,” Casiño said. According to him, 81 percent is not the percentage of active PhilHealth memberships; rather, it is only the “database of names listed under their coverage.” Casiño added that his work with public hospitals led him to discover that only around 30 percent of patients have PhilHealth coverage. During the forum, Ang Kapatiran representative David commented on Aquino’s SONA in general. According to him, the “theme” of this year’s SONA was, “If you don’t have anything to say, lengthen it so that it will seem as if you’re saying something.” “The State of the Nation Address is more than just a rendering of a report of facts and ‹‹ 1

Setting things in motion

POST-SONA ASSESSMENT. The panelists of Face the Nation highlighted several issues they think PNoy should have discussed during his SONA. Photo BY Abram P. Barrameda

figures of what the administration did for a particular period,” David added. Political Science Department Lecturer Hansely Juliano shared the same sentiment in a separate interview with The GUIDON last August 6. According to him, Aquino’s SONA was filled with figures “interpreted very creatively in order to make the case that government is achieving something, even if the plain reality is that the roots of such problems have not been addressed.”

Left unsaid

Juliano further mentioned several issues Aquino failed to discuss during his SONA. “It is quite remarkable how President Aquino’s administration has managed to cram, in many instances, ‘good news’ and testaments of a satisfied national constituency that stumps its critics—despite glaring indications of the fact that there are still so many issues and socio-political tensions that it has not addressed,” Juliano said.

He added that although several of Aquino’s allies in Congress strongly push for charter change, Aquino has made no mention of it in his SONA. Juliano also noted that the FOI bill, said to be “the cornerstone of [Aquino’s] transparent governance,” received no attention in this year’s SONA. Meanwhile, Development Studies Program Director Leland Dela Cruz, PhD, in a separate interview with The GUIDON last August 5, suggested that, aside from the AEC and the FOI

Although Aquino failed to mention several key issues, Dela Cruz said that he found this SONA better than Aquino’s previous ones. “For me, the first half of the speech was really [about] how the development strategy of the government tries to be more inclusive... Tries to, in a sense, democratize the benefits of economic growth,” he said. “The second half was to give the political stimulus needed to set some things in motion,” Dela Cruz added. S i m i l a r l y, Un i v e r s i t y President Jose Ramon Villarin, SJ said he still feels “good that things are moving” with regard to the reforms being made by the Aquino administration. “I think he (Aquino) has adjusted now well into the job, [and] things are moving. I don’t think he needed to trumpet all the things that are happening, but I’m happy,” Villarin said. However, he added that Aquino’s SONA aired the difficulties experienced by the government. “You could see the impatience there with [the Bureau of ] Customs and other agencies. He (Aquino) singled out

The next step

In the last leg of the forum, the panelists discussed their thoughts on good governance. Pacapac called on those present at the forum to consider working for the government, even for non-government organizations. Sa aved ra echoed t h is, adding that in order for there to be good governance, there needs to be an empowerment of the youth sector, a movement towards participatory government and partnerships between the government and its citizens. Casiño added Filipinos should take part in initiating change. “Until there is no change, these presidential pronouncements will be meaningless. In light of these, let’s take a stand. Let’s not be whiners,” he said. “Bayan muna bago ang sarili.” With reports from Joline S. Acampado

The GUIDON August 2013

News 2013 Freshmen... public announcement system of the Loyola Schools (LS) to remind students to vote. Comelec also tapped the Introduction to Ateneo Culture and Traditions coordinators to help broaden its reach within the student body. A daily countdown for the elections was posted via Comelec’s official Facebook page. The Miting de Avance for the Sanggunian School Board and Central Board were streamed online as well. Comelec’s information dissemination efforts were also aided by several LS units. In p a r t i c u l a r, the Sanggunian and The Ateneo Assembly released infographics pertaining to campus politics and the elections. During election week, representatives from theater organization Entablado also encouraged students to vote by conducting walking promotions in the Gonzaga Hall cafeteria and along the Science Education Complex walkway. “Moreover, our poll officers and dedicated core team had been very aggressive in convincing passers-by to vote,” Fajardo said. According to him, Comelec members approached students, asked for their year levels and courses and informed them of whether or not they were entitled to vote. “In other words, we made sure that Comelec reached the voting population directly,” Fajardo said. Sanggunian President Dan Remo said he was “very pleased and satisfied” with the performance of Comelec this year. “They performed their duties well and should therefore be congratulated,” Remo said. ‹‹ 1

“Extremely bad”

However, two Ateneans said they barely felt any of Comelec’s promotions. Senior English literature major Angelli Ancheta thinks Comelec was “noisier last year.” She acknowledged, however, that Comelec made use of social media and even streamed the Miting de Avance online. “But I’m not sure how many students would actually go out of their way to check [these] out,” Ancheta added. Meanwhile, for information design senior Normandy Europa, Jr, information dissemination efforts pertaining to the elections were “extremely bad.” “I think I did [see Comelec’s promotions], but [they were] poorly executed and disseminated [that I did not] stop and actually take a look,” Europa said. He added that he “never” saw an effort from the candidates to encourage their constituents to vote apart from the campaign materials posted around school. Comelec Chief Commissioner Fajardo argued, “We all witnessed how there are some people who really chose not to vote despite already being informed how not voting does not automatically mean they abstain from voting [for] the candidates.” F u r t her more , Faja rdo commended the efforts of newly-elected SOSE SecretaryTreasurer Toby Tobias for his “active promotion” of the freshmen and special elections. “[He] painstakingly invited students to vote. He devoted, I think, most of his break times to promote the elections,” Fajardo said. Tobias said his prime reason for personally promoting the

DISCONNECT. Despite Comelec's best efforts, a number of candidates still failed to reach quota in the Freshmen and Special Elections. Photo BY Ryan y. Racca

elections this year was the fact that he had already experienced not reaching the quota of votes during elections twice. According to him, he noticed that some students just needed a more active form of encouragement to vote. “I guess it would've been good for them (the Atenean electorate) to see the candidates pushing, even after the campaign period, to have them at least vote. It would show how much they (candidates) really want to win their desired positions,” Tobias added. Apathetic student body?

Fajardo said it was really disappointing that some of the

student chose not to participate in the elections at all. “But I do not want to generalize that the whole Ateneo community is apathetic to campus politics,” he said. “Most of the positions were successful to meet quota and I guess those people who made this possible want campus politics to be alive,” Fajardo added. Europa said he doesn’t believe such apathy exists, either. “It’s just that no one is visible enough to catch our attention. It’s hassle to vote for abstain if you can just not vote at all,” he said. For Tobias, though, students’ apathy toward campus politics is “something that really exists.”

Ancheta agreed. She said that the members of the Sanggunian must reach out to their constituents more actively if they want the Ateneo community to feel the importance of their vote. “Why would we participate [in the elections] if we can’t even see the need to be represented because we can’t feel any results?” she asked. Tobias agreed that the Sanggunian this year must show that it has a significant impact on the lives of Atenean students. “Right there is the challenge I want to face,” he said. Suggestions for the next general elections

Fajardo recommended that the next Comelec commissioners maintain the systems that have worked well during the freshmen and special elections. He also advised them to improve on, or totally abandon, the promotions “that did not work for the better.” “I would also like to encourage them to think of creative ways to reach out to the voting population,” Fajardo said, adding that the range and scale of the 2014 Sanggunian General Elections will be bigger. With reports from Billy B. Poon and Pauline V. Miranda

Comelec Chief Commissioner

in our next issue

Community Calendar ■

Apair Asian Leadership Forum A project by the Ateneo Project for Asian and International Relations (Apair), where awardees from the Ramon Magsaysay Awards Foundation will dialogue with student-leaders Ricardo and Dr. Rosita Leong Hall auditorium August 31, 2013 at 4:30-7:30PM

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Ateneo Blue Repertory’s Genesis: The Musical Based on Stephen Schwart’s Children of Eden, a musical that revolves around the stories found in Genesis Rizal Mini Theatre September 11 to 14 and 18 to 21 at 3:00 and 8:00PM For ticket inquiries, contact: Joyce Ang at 09175688919

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Ateneo-SC Johnson Environmental Leadership Forum A climate change forum featuring University President Jose Ramon Villarin, SJ, Ateneo School of Government Dean Antonio La Viña and Manila Observatory Executive Director Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga Ricardo and Dr. Rosita Leong Hall roof deck September 12, 2013 at 12:00 to 5:00 PM

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Tanghalang Ateneo’s Ang Bakkhai Written by Guelan Luarca and directed by JK Anicoche Blackbox Theatre September 12-14 and 18-21 at 7:00 PM For ticket inquiries, contact JB Domingo at 09273080964

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Ateneo Psyche’s Last Lecture Series Featuring Fr. Roque Ferriols, S.J. and Queena Lee-Chua, PhD Ricardo and Dr. Rosita Leong Hall auditorium September 20 at 4:30 to 7:30PM For more information, contact Jiane Castro at 09267390050

Ateneo Dream Team spearheads relief for typhoon Maring

Nanay Mo: You wanna talk about mothers?

EXTENDING HELP. Volunteers from the Ateneo community were asked to help in the sorting and packing of donations in the College Covered Courts. Photos BY Alexis A. Casas

The GUIDON August 2013

News

EMPTY CHAIRS A failure of elections plagued both the 2013 Sanggunian General Elections and the 2013 Freshmen and Special Elections. The Sanggunian Top 44 will have to manage its constituency with 14 positions left vacant for the rest of the school year.

Sanggunian Top 4

12/ 44 Vacant Positions

DAN REMO President

Infographic by Karlo C. Amparo

SOH

JGSOM

SOSE

Ryan Yu Vice President

AJ Elicaño Secretary-General

Tin Andujare Finance Officer

SOSS

3 seats

CRUSADA

14 seats

ASL

Vacant Seats

Senior Central Board Rep. Senior Executive Officer

10 seats

Vacant Seats

Chairperson Senior Central Board Rep. Senior Executive Officer Junior Central Board Rep. Junior Executive Officer

Ignite

Life sciences majors win Catalyst competition By Joline S. Acampado A GROUP of five life sciences seniors was hailed as one of five winners of Catalyst, a technology-based competition organized by Globe Tattoo, Globe Sharpers Manila and Globe Bridging Communities. Royce Cabello, Ba r r y Kayanan, Miguel Martinez, Aaron Villaflores and Brian Zafra were awarded for their software idea “Clinical I.” According to Martinez, Clinical I aims to efficiently diagnose patients with neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), which are infections that are endemic in developing countries such as the Philippines. Catalyst was a nationwide technology competition that allowed young Filipinos to present and implement their

project ideas. Contestants had to be between 18 to 30 years old and their project ideas had to address social issues. Catalyst began last May and the winners were announced last June 28. Each winning team was given P200,000 to begin developing their projects. Software creation

Clinical I began as the group’s summer Biology class project. They were required to create a software idea in relation to NTDs, a topic that had previously been discussed in class. Martinez said that their professor, Harvey Liwanag, PhD, originally came up with the basis for the program. “He (Liwanag) said that the most experienced doctors have this skill developed over

years of experience, wherein ba sed on obser v i ng t he patient, the doctor would immediately know the disease. He called it ‘clinical eye,’” said Martinez. The group liked this idea and decided to integrate it into their class project. “Basically, there’s a list of symptoms with a checkbox [in Clinical I] that a patient can mark. It would [not only scan for] NTDs, but [also] diseases that are similar to NTDs,” said Kayanan. Afterwards, the software will present a probability chart to the patient that indicates his or her chances of having a particular disease. According to Zafra, the inclusion of diseases similar to NTDs addresses the problem of misdiagnoses. “For example, a person really has Tuberculosis but because

the symptoms of Tuberculosis and Paragonimiasis are similar, a doctor might treat the patient for Paragonimiasis. That shouldn’t be, because the patient will not get better,” Zafra said in a mix of English and Filipino. Paragonimiasis is a foodborne Trematode infection that primarily affects the lungs. Future plans

According to Villaf lores, Globe gave their team three months to develop and implement Clinical I. “They (Globe) are also giving us a mentoring system to develop the prototype,” he said. The Atenean software developers are now collaborating with different organizations to create Clinical I, including the Computer Society of the Ateneo, the Ateneo Innovation Center and the Department of Health.

Martinez said that he and his teammates want Clinical I to be accessible to the public in the future. In particular, they want their software to be used by health workers situated in municipalities where NTDs are rampant, including Sorsogon, Davao and Samar. “When a patient goes to a barangay health worker, this software will help them diagnose what NTD this patient has,” Martinez said. However, the team stressed that Clinical I is not meant to replace doctors. “We like to say that it’s a supplement doctor,” Martinez said. The competition

The criteria for Catalyst awardees included innovation, implementation feasibility and impact. According to Zafra, it was Liwanag who encouraged the

group to submit Clinical I as an entry for Catalyst. Cabello, Kayanan, Martinez, Villaflores and Zafra then had to accomplish the following to enter the competition: Submit a written document of their software proposal, create a oneminute video for Clinical I and pitch their software idea to the panel of judges. Cabel lo sa id t hat t hey were very surprised to find out that they were one of the winners. “There was pressure from so many people for us to do well on the software,” he said. At the time, the five were also juggling the competition with their thesis. Martinez added, “It (Catalyst) is an extra-curricular [activity], but still, it’s a very fulfilling and happy feeling [to have won].”

Opinion The problem with pork Janet Lim Napoles has gone from rubbing elbows with the country’s powerful politicians to acquiring notoriety overnight. Last July, Napoles was accused of taking P10 billion from the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrels of various congressmen and senators for her family’s personal use. Her business empire, JLN Corporation, has been linked to several fake nongovernment organizations (NGO). These NGOs were allegedly used to transfer the stolen pork barrel funds to various lawmakers and JLN’s incorporators by way of ghost projects. As scandalous as Napoles’ situation is, though, the PDAF has always been used and abused. Created in the 1930s according to the General Appropriations Act, the PDAF is an annual allocation for legislators to subsidize local development programs. In theory, the PDAF is a good idea. The country’s legislators distribute the pork barrels to fund projects such as the construction of roads and the development of public schools. Because the central government can’t oversee each and every district, a fund for isolated, local development is practical. However, history has proven the system to be greatly flawed. While measures are in place to keep PDAF spending in check, these are circumvented often and easily. In most pork barrel scams like Napoles’, the materials and labor needed for the project never appear or are only partially delivered. The money for the rest of the project is then distributed among the legislators, local officials, contractors and other individuals involved. The only tenable solution, it seems, is the abolition of the PDAF. Funds can thus be centralized at the level of national departments. Corruption is undoubtedly still present at this level, but accountability will be more easily established. The greatest obstacle to such a system, however, is that the Senate and the House of Representatives pass the annual budget and would not, by any means, approve a budget that deprived them of their pork. Whether or not legislators use their PDAF scrupulously, removing their funds will weaken these legislators’ padrino relationships with their constituents. If congressmen can’t provide immediately tangible projects for their districts, what do they run on come the next election? The answer is their track records, precisely, as legislators. The abolition of the PDAF will require a significant culture change—one that moves from systems of patronage to responsible use of government funds. Furthermore, without the PDAF, congressmen and senators can focus on the task of actual legislation. On their part, citizens can begin to elect legislators, rather than godfathers, into office. Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago has proposed the gradual abolition of pork, which could be more amenable to legislators and would be instrumental to bringing about that culture change. The question remains, however, whether other senators and congressmen will agree to kick-start the gradual death of a system that’s made them so much richer at the expense of the constituents they serve. VOLUME LXXXIV, NO. 1

JUNE 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 Christian D. Cejalvo; 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 Chino C. Razon; Editorial Assistant, Robi R. Andres, Raizza P. Bello, Faith R. Decangchon, Earl D.L. Forlales, Gian Y. Go, Beatrice T. Go, Angelo F. Herbosa, Noelle M. Recio Beyond Loyola Regine D. Cabato; Editorial Assistant, Elise V. Apilado, Pamela P. Baluyot, Fredrick P. Cruz, 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 Benny G. Tañedo; Editorial Assistant, Patches Q. Espino, Kristine Q. Estioko, Javison T. Guzman, Keisha D. Kibanoff, Kian L. Paras, Pia H. Posadas, Andie D. Reyes, Jasmine P. Ting, Vicah P. Villanueva Inquiry Alex A. Bichara; Editorial Assistant, JM P. Batuhan, Uriel N. Galace, David D. Garcia, Mint A. Marquez, Eugene G. Ong, Elijah V. Pascual, Roxie Y. Ramirez Katipunan Magazine Kara B. Chung; Editorial Assistant, Paul G. Alcantara, Santiago J. Arnaiz, Rissa A. Coronel, Arianna del Rosario, Nicolo A. Fortuna, Camilla G. Galang, Tricia T. Lao, Paulina F. Ocampo, Isa P. Rodrigo, Simone Sales Photos Francine A. Bharwani, Alexis A. Casas, Steffi C. Gorospe, Pia B. Guballa, Frances L. Hu, Alexandra L. Huang, Christie K. Lim, Kat A. Mallillin, Lj V. Miranda, Ryan Y. Racca, Arthur Tan, Isabella L. Yatco Graphic Design Czarina B. Dycaico; Editorial Assistant, Alvin C. Bravo, Ian B. De La Cruz, Janine G. Dela Cuesta, Cy P. Lagamson, Tommi G. Principe, Meg C. Quintos, Chelli V. Reyes, Mich B. Salangsang, Jason L. Sy, Charisse B. Tacang, Denise D. Tan, Earl U. Urbiztondo 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 Camille I. Basa; Managerial Assistant, Antonio A. Fernando, Andrea D.G. Guevarra, Kimberly S. Ortiz, Elaine I. Pineda, Nicole B. San Luis, Karen G. Sison, Gisella F. Velasco Externals Julie T. Lim; Managerial Assistant, Mar A. Arboleda, Patrick L. Balisong, Robie N. Batungbacal, Tintin R. Dela Cruz, Carmelita R. Jocson, Jeric L. Santos, Pamela H. Villa-Real Online Media Josephine C. Unas; Managerial Assistant, Patrick R. Bulaon, Celinka L. Chun, Ynna G. Roldan, Lavi A. Subang Copy Editors Robbin M. Dagle and Chino C. Razon

Ruel S. De Vera Moderator

Paikot-ikot, paulit-ulit I’ve heard people say they’ve grown tired of following the news because, once you’ve read enough of it, all that follows is the same. You’ve got your new rubouts, your recently exposed duplicitous government officials, your Catholic bishops with something new to condemn, your showbiz scandals hot off the press—and once you’ve read one, you’ve read them all. The details are different but the story’s the same. What makes the news cycle all the more tiresome is that, with such a poor justice system in the country, genuine resolution to these stories is rare. Another factor commonly cited is our short-term, selective social memory. Filipinos tire of the story and it drops off the radar to be forgotten entirely. I’d like to examine the origins of that social memory, and to understand how a culture remembers, a good place to start would be its stories. Memory, after all, is inextricable from narrative. In a class on intangible heritage with Dr. Alvin Yapan, we discussed that, from a Western literary perspective, our oral literature seems absolutely lu-

dicrous—shrieking fruits, flying betel nuts and all. Apart from such hyperbolic story elements, the texts themselves are highly reliant on repetition and ritual, so each performance is different and works as its own version of the story. Thus, the narratives are constantly evolving. To “make sense” of the work, we need to understand that the indigenous Filipino rationality is directed by what anthropologist Renato Rosaldo calls the “cultural force of emotions”—a rationality founded on affect rather than logic. Thus, each performance of oral literature is an attempt to create a sensation rather than convey a clear, linear narrative. From this perspective, the hyperbole, variations and endless repetition cease to be absurd. Given this rich oral tradition (and possibly a residual disdain for written documents), how do Filipinos remember? Does our memory consist of recurring sensations? Do we unconsciously play back the same historical events with the same archetypal characters, with different names, places and circumstances?

Anne for National Artist Granted to those who have made a significant contribution to the country’s arts scene, the title of National Artist of the Philippines is the highest recognition a local artist can be given. It’s a title that every Filipino artist wants to have. The award is granted through a Presidential Proclamation: The president is given a shortlist of nominees from the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA), and will then proclaim the chosen awardees. Controversy hit the awards when, in August 2009, then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo awarded the title to four individuals by the “President’s prerogative”—meaning the decision was made without the shortlist of nominees. They were Cecilla GuidoteAlvarez (Theater), Magno Jose “Carlo” Caparas (Visual Arts and Film), Francisco Mañosa (Architecture) and Jose “Pitoy” Moreno (Fashion Design). Moreover, Ramon Santos (Music), who was part of the submitted shortlist, was not included in the list of the President. Then, on July 16 of this year, the proclamation by former President

Arroyo was voided by the Supreme Court of the Philippines. The title of Carlo Caparas in particular had been the subject of much criticism from the beginning because, prior to the “President’s prerogative,” he had been dropped twice from the selection panel’s shortlist. Still, the comic strip creator, director and producer cried foul, accusing the NCCA of elitism and discrimination. What sparked even more controversy regarding Caparas was the interview he gave on ANC’s Headstart where he talked about the decision of the Supreme Court. This interview led to a heated conversation between Virgilio Almario (National Arist for literature and NCCA Commissioner) and Caparas, which soon escalated to personal attacks. During the heated arg ument, Caparas said, “Sino ang nakakakilala sa iyo, Almario? (Who knows of you, Almario?)” and, “Maglakad tayo sa daan, sinong kilala ng tao? (Let’s walk in the streets, which one of us do people know?)” From there, he went on to accuse Almario of being jealous of his fame.

Black Comedy

Apa M. Agbayani aagbayani@theguidon.com

History seems to unfold in this ritual of repetition. Why don’t we seem to progress? Why do we seem to choose the same kinds of leaders? Other social factors withstanding, perhaps it’s not that we’re forgetful but that we really are looking for the same narratives with the same key players. It might be this cultural force of emotions, in part, that drives necropolitics, political dynasties, systems of patronage and even our thirst for People Power revolutions. Because our focus is on that cyclical repetition rather than resolution, we don’t find our satisfaction in some cathartic denouement, but in the fresh retelling of the story we already know so well. While this fails to account for other elements, the Filipino psyche could be a place to start to solve the problem of memory, or to ask whether it’s a problem at all. Do we iron out a linear narrative to propel ourselves forward? Or do we continue this remembrance in recurrences in the hope that the story gets better somehow the next time around?

Physis Happened

Karlo C. Amparo kamparo@theguidon.com

I respect Caparas as an artist, and rightly so. He has done great things that have been and will continue to be enjoyed by many Filipinos, but what he said is certainly something I cannot respect. It’s frustrating that Caparas chose to concentrate only on his popularity. It’s disappointing how he was boasting about it during a discussion with the likes of Almario. He did not only insult a National Artist, he disrespected the credibility of the title and Filipino art. Crying underdog certainly didn’t help him; instead, it showed his arrogance. Unlike most underdog stories, he doesn’t deserve the sympathy of the public. He failed to understand how the award and its nomination are based on broad criteria and that art is not only about people recognizing you on the streets because you are popular. I suppose if we follow what Caparas thinks, we should already lobby for Anne Curtis’ nomination as a National Artist for film and music. She’s even more popular than Caparas. The thing is, that’s not how the National Artist award works—and it should stay that way.

The GUIDON August 2013

Blue jeans

En Pointe

Pinas Pataas

The so-called maindie movement By Joycee Mejia In recent years, a new buzzword has sprung up in the Filipino film industry: “Maindie.” It is the term being used for the current influx of films that exude both mainstream and indie qualities. What makes it interesting is that it features a wide variety of combinations from each category, keeping it free of a strict definition. It could be an independent production that casts actors known for roles in mainstream films, a major production company taking on storylines that are edgier than the usual romance formula, or it could be a small budget project earning lots of publicity accompanied by a nationwide release. Taking each category separately, though, there has already been plenty of critique regarding both mainstream and independent cinema. There have been debates on which camp produces better films, which breeds better directors and actors, whether a film should be categorized as this or that, or even whether or not such categories should be used at all. Personally, though, I think that the distinction of each lies in budget and creative freedom. Mainstream production has the budget for more promotions, commercials and theater screenings, as well as stories that appease the masses to ensure financial returns. On the other hand, independent production tends to execute the best that they can with their limited expenses, production teams are given more creative room and they sometimes try to tackle unique plotlines with fresh themes. Nonetheless, each has its fair share of well-made films. And when they are put together, how exciting it must be to have the resources while being able to keep the daring creative themes that make maindie what it is today. How I see it, the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival and Skylight Films, a sister company of Star Cinema, have been the foremost breeding grounds of maindie films. Established in 2011, Skylight Films has deemed itself a maindie production company and released three films last year and two this year. One of the two recent ones, Tuhog, just had a cinema release last month and was promoted through film symposiums in universities, of which the Ateneo was part. The film revolves around three protagonists, Fiesta Dacanay (Eugene Domingo), Tonio Sucat (Leo Martinez) and Caloy Sicat (Enchong Dee), who find their fates intertwined when a bus accident skewers them on a single steel bar. Cinemalaya 2013 has had its share of actors from box office hits as well. Among them are Ekstra, featuring leading lady Vilma Santos in a dramacomedy shedding light on the experience of soap opera extras, and Instant Mommy, which features Eugene Domingo and focuses on the life of a pregnant wardrobe assistant for TV commercials. Gretchen Barretto, although more associated with television dramas, was also cast in a leading role in The Diplomat Hotel. In addition, films are being made through the partnership of commercial production companies and independent production houses. One such upcoming film is On the Job, featuring Piolo Pascual, Gerald Anderson and Joel Torre, co-produced by Star Cinema and Reality Entertainment, an independent production house. Moreover, Tiktik: The Aswang Chronicles, another indie film produced by Reality Entertainment, was reported to have a budget of 80 million pesos, a large budget considering the average gross revenue of 67 million pesos per local film last year. To have more of these maindie films may actually be beneficial. Filipinos do watch and enjoy Filipino films but I think it’s about time that we create more opportunities to share films with diverse themes to the public, despite the riskiness of more box office flops. Perhaps this is the chance for the mainstream audience to get accustomed to a variety of genres different from the entertaining norm and for film critiques to cringe less at wide-release films. With greater variety, Filipino viewers have more film choices to enjoy—or, at the very least, talk about—and there will be more possibilities to showcase Filipino filmmaking prowess. Perhaps better recognition and attention will also be given to the Filipino film industry as a result of the maindie movement. Some film critics say that we should avoid labeling films according to mainstream, indie or maindie because there are really only good films and bad films. Maybe one day the Filipino audience won’t care about mainstream and indie branding, but focus instead on content and execution, something that matters even more. Films continually created by Filipino hands, good or bad, and appreciated by Filipino eyes: This sounds like good news to me. It motivates a thriving set of filmmakers to continue their craft, one that has been around locally since the early 1900. The next time you see a Filipino film in a theater near you, give it a chance. You never know, you might come across an unexpected gem. Support Philippine cinema!

Joycee Mejia is a communications technology management senior and is the current Loyola Film Circle president. She has eye bags the size of half moons. Two of her current favorite films are Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Sana Dati.

For the Philippine dance community, the month of August marks the start of one of the biggest—if not the biggest— event of the year. It is the time when the best of the best local dance crews from different divisions—varsity, adult and mega crew—pack their bags and travel to the dance world’s biggest stage in Las Vegas, Nevada to compete in the World Hip Hop Dance Competition. Simply called the “Worlds” by most dancers, the competition brings together the most talented crews from across the globe to put together an unbelievable show. One might call it the Olympics of the dance world, with over 30 countries participating. This year, the Philippine delegation was composed of nine dance crews. It is no secret that our country is home to some of the best dance artists in the world. For instance, hailing from our shores is two-time World Hip Hop Champion, the Philippine All-Stars. Last year, University of the Philippines’ (UP) The Crew also bagged gold after a seamless routine in the finals round. In the prelims round of the mega crew division this year, it was so inspiring to see that the top three

Margarita A. Contreras mcontreras@theguidon.com

scorers of the competition belonged to team Philippines. La Salle Dance Company, UP Streetdance Club and Philippine All-Stars placed first, second and third, respectively. Social media sites were blasting with excitement, as the hashtag #PinasPataas went viral. Posts of encouragement, inspiration and gratitude flooded timelines—everyone was enthused by this great feat that our local dance artists had achieved. Months before Worlds, participating dance crews staged their own concerts in order to raise funds and support for their journey to Las Vegas. Although official records indicate that they represent the Philippines, no form of government support was given to the competing crews. The money spent for traveling and competing all came out of their own pockets and from several corporate sponsors. It’s also important to note that only three of the nine competing teams actually dance for a living. It has always been a frustration of mine how so much homegrown talent for dance has been wasted because of the lack of avenues to dance professionally in this country. I remember losing

Finding a balance Before I began studying in the Ateneo, my drives along C-5 were always greeted by a most curious of sights—that of a beautiful, modern school on a hill, surrounded by shacks and poorly-made huts. At night, this building was a beacon of light, shining brighter than any of the houses and huts adjacent to it. There is but quiet symbolism in looking at this place. That building, the International School Manila (ISM), is where I am from. It’s the place I call my alma mater. It is also a place that can epitomize the many problems we are facing in the Philippines today. This is not a slight to the place I grew up in; frankly, I am more than grateful to the school that served as my learning place for my last three years of high school. I will always cherish the friends and teachers that I had the pleasure of meeting there. My memories of the school will always remain in my heart, especially as my experiences there remain some of the highlights of my life today. However, my experiences there were jarring for a student like myself, used to living in different countries

that had a smaller divide between the rich and poor. In ISM, I witnessed how different life is for those at the very top of the social structure. For every positive memory I garnered were a myriad of negative images, punctuated by the hedonistic squandering of money by the scions of the political elite in the Philippines. Sometimes, life in ISM could belong in a political cartoon. Jeane Napoles herself studied there. In fact, it was a school of Jeane Napoleses, armed and blessed with the right names and the right bank accounts. At lunchtime, one would see a table of over-sized personalities sitting together, a motley crew of students carrying last names that are famous—or infamous, for that matter. It is clear that most of these students are set, needing nothing else but the family name to live a fulfilling and prosperous life. With the way the Philippines is going and with what I’ve experienced, it often makes me disheartened wondering if we will ever find the right path. I’ve come to realize that my school can be construed as an excellent

Taking a new route With the Philippines proving to have the best performing economy in Asia, it is also improving in terms of consumer confidence and spending. A boost in purchasing power is encouraging consumers to buy more things—cars included. In a report by The Philippine Star, the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. said that vehicle sales reached 102,913 units in the first seven months of this year. Only 87,374 units were sold in the same period last year, which marks an increase of almost 18 percent. The increase in sales is attributed to the recent investment grade rating upgrades given by different global credit rating firms, which caused local banks to offer car loans at lower interest and easier payment terms. All of this is good news, but what is the government doing to compensate for the environmental impact that comes with our rising demand for private and public transportation? We’re not quite sure, but while the government is busy trying to fix the traffic system in Metro Manila, investors in the private sector are spearheading new methods to provide

environment-friendly modes of transportation at the same, or even lower, costs. In a report by Interaksyon, former congressman Sigfrido Tinga of Knowledge Driven Transformation said that they are set to roll out 20 electric jeepneys by the first week of December. These vehicles can carry as many as 16 passengers while running at 60 kilometers per hour. Colloquially called “e-jeeps,” these battery electric vehicles (BEV) are the environment’s new pals. The main advantage is that BEVs use electricity, which cuts down on carbon emissions. They are also known for being less noisy during use. Most people think that this is the same as using petrol (since coal is burned in order to generate electricity), but in reality BEVs are more efficient and use significantly less energy as compared to vehicles that use fossil fuels. This technology is not new at all. Last year, EJeepney Transport Corporation was ahead in launching the first commercial electric jeepney service in the Philippines. The Ateneo also took part in adopting this technology by recently having e-jeeps ply around

some of my best dance coaches in the past because they chose to pursue their professional dance careers abroad. This is probably why most see dance only as a hobby that one will eventually grow out of, rather than something that one can use to secure a stable future. I cannot help but feel envious of countries like the United States, where performing art schools grant young artists scholarships in order to help them continue their art forms while receiving quality education. I have nothing but respect to the members of the local dance community. Although the opportunities to go professional in the country are scarce, they continue to push themselves to grow as performers and artists all for the love of the art. Pinas Pataas strongly suggests that it is currently the golden age of dance in the country. With the unbelievable amount of talent that is present in the country, it is perhaps time to give more importance and value not only to the dance community, but to the under-celebrated world-class Filipino talent as a whole.

Bunburying

Jose R. Mendoza jmendoza@theguidon.com

example of the great economic divide between the rich and the poor in the Philippines. While many struggle to buy food for the day, there are parents paying roughly half a million pesos for a year’s tuition. This issue becomes especially important as the Philippine economy continues to grow. One often wonders if the perceived growth in the economy is actual, inclusive economic development. For all I know, this growth probably only benefits the rich, creating an even further gap with the poor. For all I know, the standard of living for the impoverished is only marginally improving, leaving little to no chance for them to escape poverty. The thing is, there have to be ways to make sure that the vast divide between the rich and the poor is lessened. There has to be tangible evidence that the money garnered through the blood, sweat and tears of millions of Filipinos goes back to where it truly belongs: To the ones doing the work themselves. Only through this will the gap between the rich and the poor decrease.

Caffeine Patch

Jan-Daniel S. Belmonte jbelmonte@theguidon.com

the campus’ one-way route to provide free shuttle services to anyone who needs a ride. All the systems are up, but are Filipinos really ready for such a transformation? Meralco Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan thinks so and I stand with him in his thinking. Now that our economy is booming, transportation and logistics are two things that we cannot leave behind. When it comes to exchanging goods and services, transportation should always be a priority. By adapting to the rise of e-vehicles, we are hitting two birds—the economy and our environment—with one stone. For our country to be truly ready for this change, we should be proactive by cooperating with the government in trying out these e-vehicles and promoting their use, or maybe even trading in our old cars. We ought to help put into effect the shift to a new route that will benefit the environment and ultimately ourselves.

The GUIDON August 2013

News Buwan ng Wika... ang ortograpiyang Pilipino (This is not a new issue because the point only is how the Pilipino orthography is conveyed).” In a separate interview last July 30, Matanglawin Content and Research Editor Den Noble told The GUIDON that she did not consider the issue important when “compared to other problems the country currently faces as a nation and race.” The Pambansang Kongreso sa Wika was one of the events held on campus in celebration of Buwan ng Wika. Featured on the first day of the congress was an opening speech by President Benigno Aquino III. KWF President Virgilio Almario also delivered an introduction to the guests of honor. A series of plenary and parallel sessions focused on language issues took place during the last two days of the event. ‹‹ 2

On Philippine orthography

KWF President Virgilio Almario wrote an article in 1992 entitled “Patayin ang Pilipinas.” The article argued that the existence of the three names used to refer to the country is a symptom of national confusion. The names are “Filipinas,” “Philippines” and “Pilipinas.” Almario said that “Filipinas” was coined after King Philip II of Spain during the Spanish colonization in the 16th century. The name “Philippines,” on the other hand, came with the American colonization in 1898. Meanwhile, according to Almario’s article, the “Pilipinas” name was based on the original letters of the old Philippine alphabet. “Kung ganoon, hindi nakapagtataka na gustong ipabago ‘yung pangalang ‘Pilipinas’ (In that case, it’s not surprising for people to want to change the

Atenean Voice “In his last SONA, President Benigno Aquino III said that it is reasonable to increase MRT and LRT fares so that the government subsidy can be used for other social services. Do you agree? Why or why not?”

CENTURIES OF FAMILIARITY. Yapan said that Filipinos have already been accustomed to calling the country using the name “Pilipinas.” Photo BY Migi C. Soriano

name ‘Pilipinas’),” said Filipino Department Chair Yapan. However, he explained that there are critics who oppose KWF’s mandate to change the name because of the “centuries of familiarity” that Filipinos already have with the name “Pilipinas.” Noble added, “Iyon ang nakatatak sa isipan ng mga Filipino. (This has been imprinted in the minds of Filipinos.)” However, Noble clarified that, in the context of language and spelling, the name “Filipinas” should be used. Buwan ng Wika Committee Head Mitch Cerda said that the on-going debate on the PilipinasFilipinas issue “shows the problems of developing the national identity [of the Philippines] in terms of naming.”

“The fact that there are debates for a simple name shows the fractured-ness of politics and culture,” he said. Buwan ng Wika

In the month of August, the Filipino Department celebrated Andres Bonifacio’s 150th birth anniversary for the Buwan ng Wika. Fine Arts Program Director Jerr y Respeto, PhD gave a talk about stage plays about the 1896 Revolution during t he A merica n Period la st Aug ust 6. Meanwhile, Department of History Chair Francis Gealogo, PhD gave a talk entitled “Gregoria de Jesus: Biographies, Memoirs, History and War” in a talk last August 13. The elimination was held on campus last August 8.

Kwiz Bibo is a literature and popular culture contest for Ateneans. The Buwan ng Wika culminating activity, entitled “KA: Jamming Session,” is set to take place on August 29. This session will award the finalists for the Timpalak Awit, Timpalak Poster and Timpalak Music Video contests. The final round of Kwiz Bibo will also be held on the same day. According to Noble, the Buwan ng Wika celebration this year became “more interesting” because of the simultaneous heated discussions concerning language and identification. “Because of [the debate], the idea of being the children of the country invigorated Ateneans,” she said.

Academics tackle ethnomusicology in FilipinoChinese cultures By Billy B. Poon DISTINGUISHED MUSICOLOGISTS sought to strengthen the relevance and impact of ethnomusicology in a conference held at the Ricardo and Dr. Rosita Leong Hall auditorium last July 22. The conference, entitled “Ethnomusicology in the AsiaPacific: Philippines and China,” was organized by the Ricardo Leong Center for Chinese Studies. According to Ricardo Leong Center for Chinese Studies Director Sidney Bata, the said conference aimed to strengthen the Loyola Schools arts programs and to showcase Filipino and Chinese music. “Since Filipinos are very much into music, ethnomusicology can be used in their studies of anthropology or ethnography of music,” Bata said. The musicologists who presented during the conference were Ricardo Trimillos, PhD, Frederick Lau, DMA, Mercedes Dujunco, PhD, Ramon Santos, PhD and Hiroko Nagai-Yabut, PhD. Purpose of ethnomusicology

Lau elaborated on the definition of ethnomusicology during his segment on the concept of music performance. “Ethnomusicology is the semirelationship between music and

society. In other words, what you hear [and] what you play is always related to someone within a context,” he said. “Ethnomusicologists are interested in looking into those relationships. Why do [musicians] perform that way? How come their music sound so terrible? How come their music sound so beautiful?” Lau added. According to him, ethnomusicologists attempt to answer such questions. The conference also featured a segment entitled “Instik, Indio, Chinoy and Pinoy: Performing Ethnic and Cultural Identities.” In this portion, the roles of the said ethnic and cultural identities in the current postnational global interactions were discussed. According to Trimillos, the concept of national identity is one of the factors that make studying ethnomusicology relevant. “It (ethnomusicology) is important today because we are now in a global society… To be specific, who is Chinese East? Who is Filipino?” he said. In a separate interview with The GUIDON, Santos said that ethnomusicology makes people conscious of their differences in culture because music reflects the cultural diversity of societies. “We (Filipinos) have many different cultures. The musics represent the different cul-

tures. Without ethnomusicology, these differences will not be appreciated at all,” he said. “You cannot isolate cultures anymore. There’s globalization going on. What’s important is the identity of your music,” Santos added.

According to him, ethnomusicologists’ role is not to force the people into changing or keeping their culture, but to inform them of “what is going on.” Lau added, “We don’t judge. We’re not social activists. We analyze. We review.” Student insights

Response to cultural integration

During the conference’s open forum, political science sophomore Jopi Esquivas asked the panel of speakers about the integration of different Philippine ethnic cultures as reflected in music. “How do people respond to this integration? How do we create a balance between preservation and progression?” she asked. As a response, Trimillos clarified the meaning between preservation and conservation in music. According to him, preservation is a “colonial idea” in which no cultural evolution occurs. On the other hand, conservation refers to retaining cultural identity while allowing it to develop with other cultures involved. He said, “For us in ethnomusicology, what we try to do is to say, ‘Here is the way to culture. Do you want to change it? Do you want to retain some… things? Which things [do] you want to improve?’”

Supersenior interdisciplinary studies major Natasha Faustino said that ethnomusicology has greatly affected the Philippines. According to her, ethnomusicology has allowed Filipinos to connect with different cultures on a deeper level. “It is important because it helps us understand the culture of other countries in terms of how their music came to be,” Faustino said. She cited similarities between the mouth instruments from Philippine northern tribes and those of tribes in China as an example. Like Faustino, Esquivas shared that ethnomusicolog y is important because the fusion of two distinct cultures is a manifestation of progress in terms of musical expression. “It shows that diversity can be harmonious and create something beautiful,” she said. With reports from Pauline V. Miranda

“Yes, because the subsidy is not getting to those who are in greater need. One of the key challenges faced by poor urban communities in using basic services is the cost of these services rather than the availability. Many of the poor, however, do not use the MRT [and] LRT, but [ride the] jeepneys, buses, and other means whose rates are higher than the MRT [and LRT] fares. The subsidy for MRT [and] LRT is also fortifying the so-called urban bias in the allocation of government resources at the expense of rural areas.” Czarina Saloma-Akpedonu, PhD, Associate Professor, Sociology and Anthropology Department “As a commuter who rides the LRT every day, of course I disagree. Although I can commute using the jeep and save P4, I still use the LRT because it's way faster than staying in a cramped up jeep while stuck in heavy traffic. To be honest, it's a hassle to take the LRT every day… Despite [this], I still commute that way because it saves me from earning a cut in my first class of the day. If the president will raise the MRT and LRT fares, what would the MRT and LRT passengers benefit from that if the money will be used for other social services? Will we have a better security system? Will the train become faster? Will the facilities become cleaner? No, we won't benefit anything from this! Riding the LRT is hard enough for most people. The least that this government could do is to not increase the MRT and LRT fares.” Angelou Leonardo, I BFA CW “I do believe that it is the right thing to do, because first of all, [it’s] not common knowledge that the average rate for a ride in the MRT costs P60, [although] we only pay around P15 because the government shoulders the other 75%. The same goes for [the] LRT. A ride should cost an average of P40, but consumers only pay a fraction of that – around P15 [on] average. [It] might not seem like much, but [when you] factor in the [amount] of people who commute [daily], you will see how much money the government is dishing out every day. Subsidizing would mean that consumers would have to pay more. But what's a few pesos to spare, compared [to] the millions more [that] this will help if the government will be able to subsidize this into helping our farmers, fishermen, servicemen and much more? Agriculture will not be the only one benefiting; all the other industries that will in turn be aided by these subsidies will also get [the] much needed help themselves.” Saje Molato, I BS CTM “I don’t agree with this. Most of the people who ride the MRT and LRT are workers who earn just enough for their family’s survival. If we increase the fares, it would be difficult for them to adjust their budget for their necessities. They can barely make ends meet as it is. The trains are one of the cheapest ways to get from one place to another, if they increase the fares, what will happen to those who budget their money down to the coin just to sustain their families?” Kara Gadong, II LfSci “I agree. If the government subsidy for the operating costs of MRT and LRT were used for other services, then more Filipinos would benefit, even those who do not take the MRT or LRT. Hopefully, this increase [would also mean] uplifting the quality of our railway system since commuters will be paying more, and they deserve to see and feel where their money goes to. If this happens, then the traffic system would become better also, making more motorists [happy].” Justin Hernandez, II BS LM

The GUIDON August 2013

Sports

TEST OF POWER. Team Jaakphukao is on a mission to prove that there is more to Muay Thai than just violence and competition. PhotoS BY Alexandra L. Huang

TEAM FEATURE

PEACE WITHIN POWER

The Ateneo Muay Thai Team By Chino C. Razon UPON ENTERING the ring, the fighter isolates herself from the crowd. With eyes focused and relaxed, she slowly begins to pace around the ropes. As the hypnotic Thai beat starts to play, she calmly drops to her knees and solemnly offers the Wai Khru. A traditional Thai ritual, the Wai Khru ceremony not only warms up the fighter but, more importantly, pays homage to the competitor’s teacher. As Muay Thai fighter Jamie Lim shares, “Since boxing and MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) seem to share so many similar characteristics with Muay, keeping the ceremonies and traditions during the fights is a way of making it its own art.” To the untrained eye, Muay Thai may appear to be a barbaric sport in which two individuals exhaust all their energy in physically beating one another. Despite its surging popularity due to exposure in different forms of media, it still carries the usual reputation of a dangerous sport: Injury-prone and packed with pure violence.

However, Muay Thai goes far beyond this negative perception. As the Ateneo Muay Thai team hopes to make people see, the sport is an art form and a true test of one’s character. Ascend: A big leap

With a sport that’s not part of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines and a team that’s not accredited by the Ateneo College Athletics Office, Ateneo Muay Thai fighters’ opportunities to engage in tournaments are in short supply. This lack of established tournaments for collegiate Muay Thai athletes is the reason Ascend, the first Philippine Thai Boxing Association (PTBA) interschool amateur Muay Thai competition, is such a significant development for the sport. Held last July 14 at the L oyola Schools Covered Courts, the event was hosted by the Ateneo team and the PTBA. Aside from accommodating students, a rare occurrence for open tournaments, Ascend also went against the usual practice of basing competitions only on weight class and not competitors’ ages.

Team Captain Elton Evidente shares that Ateneo Muay Thai’s goal in Ascend was to form a student-based tournament in which all the opponents are not only of the same weight class but also of the same age group. Evidente also zeroes in on how including students, apart from professionals, in the competition is a big step forward for the sport. “The art form itself will fail to progress unless you accommodate the youth,” he says in a mix of English and Filipino. The Ateneo Muay Thai Coach Kru Andre Puertollano also shares that exposing them to more student-based tournaments can improve the performance of these younger fighters. “I really feel that we can improve [their performance] some more. I know there are kids from ages around 10, 11 or 12 years old that can put on a show. They just need to focus on the way they approach the game,” he says. By the end of Ascend, four participants of the Ateneo team— referred to as Jaakphukao—won in their bouts. Bagging these home victories were Ateneo High School’s Raniel Santos, management of applied chem-

With the success of the competition, Puertollano concludes that things are looking up for Ateneo Muay Thai. “We really want to push for this to become a varsity. Maybe this will be the first step to make the community realize that we can compete, that [MuayThai] is a viable sport.”

from involving discipline and mastery of technique, it is an art form that revolves around the value of respect. “If violence is all a person sees in Muay Thai, then they obviously don't know the sport as much as they think they do,” Lim says. “It teaches you

to respect not just your teammates but your opponents as well.” Furthermore, the training these athletes go through takes commitment and passion. Though the number of students who train with the team has been growing, not all of them stay. Most leave because they are unable to handle the highintensity practices, which include 10-kilometer runs and uphill sprints just for warm-ups. With only one representative entering the ring at a time, Muay Thai in itself isn’t a team sport. But the members of Jaakphukao still work as a team outside the competition: Evidente proudly points out that those who choose to stay in the team share a bond that goes beyond the four corners of the ring. With their ripped bodies, Muay Thai athletes come off as intimidating individuals. In reality, however, this is not the case. Despite possessing the ability to deliver devastating blows, these athletes carry the perfect balance of hostility and serenity, proving that they are not only disciplined fighters but also individuals who are at peace.

guys used to be my teammates, so there’s this sense of camaraderie,” he says.

to new heights and witnessed the teams evolve into annual title contenders. This season will be more challenging for Asuncion as she will be calling the shots on her own after the departure of Assistant Coach Alma Ledesma. When asked how she thinks the team will fare this season, Coach Asuncion says, “I’m very excited coming into the season. I really look forward to it. Like I always tell them, let’s address it one at a time. Whoever our opponent is, let’s do our job first against that team. That’s all that

matters, one at a time. And it will eventually lead us to where we’re supposed to be.” Despite the loss of key personnel, this year’s rosters are determined to remain in the upper echelon of University Athletic Association of the Philippines badminton teams. With dedicated veterans, a hands-on coach and a positive disposition, the team Blue and Lady Shuttlers will begin their quest to reclaim and defend the title on August 31, 2013 at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex Badminton Hall.

istry sophomore Tris Santos, psychology junior Jamie Lim and interdisciplinary studies junior Michael Mariano.

Beyond violence

Martial arts will always have a sense of violence, but it should not be limited to just that. Aside

If violence is all a person sees in Muay Thai, then they obviously don’t know the sport as much as they think they do. — JamIe Lim, Muay Thai fighter, Team Jaakphukao

Gold standard... For the men’s badminton team, five out of the eight players in the roster are rookies. Xavier School’s Theodore Co, Kyle Gosiako and Sean Tian and Ateneo High School’s Clarence Filart and Bryan Garrido all share the weight of the Blue Shuttlers’ task to regain the title. Co points out that this year’s rookie class is more experienced than one would think. “We’ve been exposed to many tournaments, had many opportunities to play with one another. These ‹‹ 10

TEAM TO BEAT. The Ateneo Lady Shuttlers enter the women's badminton tournament as title favorites. Photo BY Alexandra L. HUANG

At the helm

The Blue and Lady Shuttlers have also been consistently vocal about one influential person who affects their individual and collective performances: Coach Kennie Asuncion. A Philippine Team member and an achiever in the sport locally and internationally, Asuncion has been with the team for almost a decade now. She has taken the university’s program

The GUIDON August 2013

Sports

UNMATCHED DEDICATION. After 12 years, William Abarientos continues to serve an important role in taking care of the Ateneo Blue Eagles. Photo BY Alexandra L. Huang

SPORTS FEATURE

The Unheralded By Robi R. Andres IT IS understandable to assume that the success of a team is determined solely by the efforts of its players and coaches, the men and women whose names are listed on the stat sheets and make the headlines. They are, after all, the ones who we see battling it out on the courts and fields to represent our university. However, lost in the shuffle of names on the official rosters are the unsung men and women whose sacrifices are just as great as those who wear the jerseys. From student managers, trainers and even utility men, each Ateneo team has a collection of dedicated individuals who work behind the scenes to make sure that everyone is ready for each season. Different roles

One such individual is senior interdisciplinary studies major Jose Cruz, the current head student manager of the Blue Batters. A varsity baseball player himself in his high school years, Cruz decided in his first year in the Ateneo that full-on college baseball was not a path he wanted to pursue anymore. “I felt like I was over that stage,” he shares. “I did [play varsity baseball] all my life and suddenly I didn't want that commitment in college anymore.” Ironically, he now finds himself in a situation that demands nothing short of one

hundred percent commitment, albeit not in a role he’s accustomed to. Cruz knew that he could not bring himself to abruptly leave the game he loved, so when an old teammate invited him to try managing the team in his sophomore year, he took the opportunity immediately. Another athlete-turnedmanager was Ellie Huang (BS CTM ‘13). Though she was part of the Lady Shuttlers’ roster in her first year of college, she eventually decided that managing the team was a better role for her. “I felt that I could be of more help if I was a manager instead,” she says in a mix of English and Filipino. Both Cruz and Huang were recognized for their dedication when they were given the Manager of the Year award by the University Athletics Office. Cruz was awarded in 2012 and Huang in 2013. Despite the honor, Huang stays modest about her achievements. When asked about the award, she immediately cites the team’s recent championship as the reason for her recognition, letting her own hard work and dedication take a back seat. Many associate the jobs of student managers with menial tasks such as water and Gatorade duties, but they would be mistaken if they think that these are their only responsibilities. For one, they are expected to attend team trainings but are required only so far as their sched-

Masaya ako dito. Kahit sabihin mo na pagod ka na, nandiyan naman lambing ng mga [players]. Kasi parang mga anak ko na rin mga ‘yan.

ules allow. They are sometimes tasked with finding sponsors for the equipment the team uses, or taking videos of the games to help coaches review and adjust their game plans. More taxing sometimes is the paperwork the managers fill out for the College Athletics Office regarding transportation, class excuse letters and official lineups, all of which are essential for the team to continue to compete. Their sacrifices are often overshadowed, however, by the public’s perception of the “perks” they receive. For many other students, signing up for these managerial positions is usually thought of as a means to

— WILLIAM aBARIENTOS, Utility man, Ateneo Blue Eagles

avoid the required National Service Training Program (NSTP) or Physical Education classes. The managers, on the other hand, simply shrug the criticism off. “[The students] think that managing is just an excuse for NSTP. It’s more than that. It’s really about committing and dedicating your time and yourself to the team and the sport. It’s very fulfilling,” Cruz says. The nitty-gritty

While the student managers’ hard work and dedication cannot be denied, few will ever compare to the 12 years of effort

of William Abarientos, known by many as simply “Mang Will.” Though he originally applied to be the team referee in 2001, Abarientos’ role has expanded to an all-around serviceman for the Blue Eagles. “Siyempre tulungan, nagiging all-around: Water boy, nagmo-mop, minsan towel boy. Sa madaling salita, utility. (Of course, you help out. You become an all-around sort of person: Water boy, the one who mops, sometimes the towel boy. In other words, utility),” he says. On most days, Abarientos’ routine starts when he arrives at the Moro Lorenzo court at three in the afternoon. From there, it’s a nonstop flurry of mixing Gatorade and organizing all the equipment until the Blue Eagles’ training ends at 8:30 in the evening. His night, however, does not end when the facilities’ lights go out. “After ng [Eagles'] practice, nagtatrabaho pa. Naglalaba pa ako ng mga practice jersey (After the Eagles practice, I'm still working. I wash the practice jerseys),” he shares. Game days, on the other hand, are an entirely different routine. Starting the weekend at 8:30 in t he morning, Abarientos and the rest of his colleagues busy themselves by preparing all the necessary things the team will need for their afternoon game. Of course, even when the final

buzzer has sounded, the work is far from over. Preparing recovery meals, distributing the players’ towels and jackets and collecting their jerseys are all part of the post-game checklist. Family

These men and women are subject to much fatigue, hard work and sacrifice, but what often makes them stay is the special bond they have developed with the players they manage. “We have a brotherhood, we're so close. We always make it a point to do something,” Cruz shares about the team. Even the usually stern Abarientos softens when he admits, “Masaya ako dito. Kahit sabihin mo na pagod ka na, nandiyan naman lambing ng mga [players]. Kasi parang mga anak ko narin mga ‘yan (I'm happy here. Even if you say that you're tired, the players’ affection is there. They're like my own kids),” he says. For these individuals, it is not the recognition of making the roster or the perks of getting the job that pushes them on. Rather, it is the love for the game and the love for their team that keep them dedicated and motivated each and every day. They may never be featured in the latest sports headlines, but they are just as responsible for their teams success as the coaches and players who don the Blue and White.

The GUIDON August 2013

Sports

gallery of eagles

T H E O LY M P I A N

Jessie Lacuna By Beatrice T. Go and Gian Y. Go JESSIE KHING Lacuna may seem like a typical freshman athlete. He can often be seen walking around campus in a shirt-and-board shorts combo. He seems confident, yet reserved and humble. However, masked by his laidback personality is the ferocious swimmer he really is once he’s in a pool. On his inner right bicep is a tattoo of five interlocking rings, a mark that only a chosen few have a right to bear. Clearly, he is much more than your average Atenean athlete. Lacuna is an Olympian. Although he must sit out the games of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) this season to comply with residency rules, the Blue Tankers’ latest prized gem is set to fulfill his new role as a student athlete of the Ateneo. Born swimmer

Lacuna was born a swimmer. Hailing from Pulilan, Bulacan, his home was situated inside a resort. Even at three months old, he would be unafraid to get into the water. “My parents made me crawl from the house to the swimming pool with floaters,” he recalls. With two older brothers already engaged in the sport, it was easy for him to follow in their footsteps. When he was eight, Lacuna had his first taste of national competitions at the second Batang Pinoy National championship. There he bagged gold in the 100-meter butterfly and silver in the 200-meter freestyle events. He quickly rose in the national sports scene as a young and promising swim star after garnering numerous awards and medals in prestigious competitions. Some of these include the Philippine Olympic Festivals, Palarong Pambansa and the National Games. In 2009, he represented the Philippines in the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games held in

Laos, where he won silver as part of the 4x200-meter freestyle relay team. In the following SEA games, held in Indonesia in 2011, he won silver in the 200meter freestyle event and bronze in both the 4x100-meter and 4x200-meter freestyle relays. In the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore, Lacuna was named the “fastest Filipino swimmer” after completing the 200-meter freestyle event in just one minute and 50.90 seconds. He broke the record of national athlete Miguel Molina, who held a time of 1:51.75 at the 2007 SEA Games. Competition and accolades aside, Lacuna shares that it is the experience and friendships he makes in these international competitions that he values the most. “You gain more knowledge from the people you meet in the swimming community,” he says. “[There is] the fellowship you form with the people you meet even though you all come from different countries,” he adds in a mix of English and Filipino. The 2012 London Olympics

Naturally, none of those international competitions quite compare to his experience at the 2012 London Olympic Games. He recalls the moment he found out he was going to participate. “I was shocked—[it was] unbelievable. [My dream] was coming true,” he says. At 18, Lacuna was the Philippines’ youngest delegate. He was set to compete in the 200-meter freestyle event, freestyle being his strongest stroke. He describes the unforgettable moment when he stood on the diving block with about 25,000 people watching him on the world’s biggest show. “[It was] unbelievable and [I was] so honored to represent the Philippines,” he says. Although he was unable to advance to the final round, Lacuna still believes that his Olympic journey is the most significant learning experience that he has to date. “You can’t get [the win] at once. It has to be one step at a time,” he says.

OLYMPIAN AND BLUE TANKER. Dubbed as the “fastest Filipino swimmer,” Lacuna is the latest prized recruit of the Ateneo Blue Tankers. PhotoS BY Francine A. Bharwani

The team is very lucky to have him as a swimmer because, generally, Jessie is very strong, as shown by his participation in different competitions, including the Olympics. — Islau Dapat, Team Captain, Ateneo Blue Tankers

The Blue Tanker

Coach Archie Lim, the head coach and program director of the Ateneo swimming team, first tried to recruit Lacuna two years ago, when he had just graduated from high school. However, Lacuna initially declined Lim’s proposal. “[At the time] I was not sure where I wanted to go,” he recalls. But once he had finished with the Olympics, Lacuna decided

that he needed to go back to studying. He wanted to be different from his two older brothers, who are currently studying at the University of Santo Tomas, so he was deciding between the Ateneo and the University of the Philippines, with the Ateneo ultimately winning out. Lacuna was welcomed into the Ateneo team with open arms. “The team is very lucky to have him as a swimmer because,

generally, Jessie is very strong, as shown by his participation in different competitions, including the Olympics,” says Blue Tankers Team Captain Islau Dapat. “It really gives the team a stronger morale and definitely a stronger lineup. It also inspires the team to become better and have the same discipline that he has.” “[Lacuna is] a winner. In Barcelona, he said that he was not [as] ready as he wants to be, yet he performed really well,” says Coach Lim, referring to Lacuna’s performance in his most recent competition, the Fédération Internationale de Natation World Championships in Spain. “He is a winner and he is very competitive. He does not want to lose.” Lim, however, does not let Lacuna forget his responsibilities as a student athlete. “When he got in [Ateneo], my only condition for him was to study well because I know that in swimming, I won’t have a problem with him,” he says. However, this does not seem to be an issue for Lacuna. When swimming isn’t occupying his time, he advances his school readings in order to catch up with what he missed while he was away for international competitions. “Sometimes I don’t

get to go out with my friends because I only have two worlds— swimming and school,” he says in a mix of English and Filipino. Inspiring others

Swimming has molded Lacuna into a mature and wise character with a drive to continuously inspire others. A gogetter, he constantly makes new goals for himself that can only be achieved if he sticks to what he has to do. “Even though I want to quit already, that disappears when I start swimming. You have to finish [what you started] in order to reach your goal,” he shares. He adds that the most important lesson he has learned from his athletic career is patience. “There were so many times that it was so hard that I wanted to quit, stop and give up,” he says. “Then I say to myself, ‘Wait, I haven’t reached my goal yet, just wait. Even though all your times are bad this year, even though you’ve already peaked before, just wait.’” A year will pass quickly and soon enough, Lacuna will be able to join his teammates in the water for the UAAP. Until then, the Ateneo’s new resident Olympian will strive to find his balance between school and the sport he loves.

Editors: Margarita A. Contreras and Roman C. Mirasol · Editorial Assistant: Raizza P. Bello · Layout Artist: Tommi G.Principe · http://sports.theguidon.com

Sports

Jerie Pingoy Get to know the Blue Eagles’ latest prized recruit.

ARMED AND READY. The Blue and Lady Shuttlers’ combination of veteran champions and promising recruits has Ateneo positioned for another deep run. Photo BY Alexandra L. Huang

G O L D S TA N D A R D :

Shuttlers ready for Season 76 title campaign By Lorenzo C. Aycardo and Raizza P. Bello AFTER FINISHING strong last year with silver and gold, respectively, the Ateneo Blue and Lady Shuttlers are locked and loaded to bring both crowns back to the Loyola Heights in Season 76. Despite the loss of 2011 men’s badminton Most Valuable Player (MVP) Toby Gadi and 2012 women’s badminton MVP Gelita Castilo, both teams have their sights set on making another title run.

Magno singles out two things that will help the team end the season as champions once more: Confidence and trust. “The confidence that the women’s team has, not everyone can have it, but I believe that my girls have it,” she says. “The belief of Coach Ken [Asuncion] in us, and that we believe in our coach and in each other, that’s a big factor in winning the championship.” There is no one school that has consistently dominated the women’s division standings in

nate in Season 75, ending the season one step down from the top of the podium. Though the team triumphed over National University (NU) in Season 74, the following year brought on a reversal of fortunes with NU notching a come-from-behind victory in the finals. According to veteran player Justin Natividad, the team peaked too early in the semifinals against De La Salle University. With too much enjoyment and excitement over their wins, the

Defending the throne

Two years ago, the Lady Shuttlers faced off with University of the East in the championship match, a heated game that turned out to be a heartbreaking loss. After such a devastating experience, the team entered the hard court with more motivation and determination the following year. As they had hoped, the women’s badminton team turned in a memorable Season 75, sweeping the tournament, then clinching the championship against Far Eastern University in the finals. Successfully defending the crown, however, will not be an easy task for the team this year with the departure of Castilo. Without last season’s MVP, Coach Kennie Asuncion can no longer field the top-ranked Philippine Badminton Ranking System (PBaRS) doubles tandem of Castilo and Dia Magno. Even with that disadvantage, the Lady Shuttlers have more than enough players returning from last season’s championship lineup. Team captains Magno and Paula Filart will lead this year’s squad along with 2012 Rookie of the Year Jana De Vera.

Of course we were down a little bit when Toby left… She [Coach Asuncion] said that the Lord would not give this situation to us if we couldn’t handle it. — Justin natividad, Team Captain, Ateneo Blue Shuttlers

the past few years. Every team can be considered a threat to the Lady Shuttlers’ back-to-back aspirations. Nevertheless, the Lady Shuttlers—armed with a combination of veterans with championship experience and rookies full of potential—are more than capable of thwarting their dangerous opponents. Out for redemption

The Blue Shuttlers, on the other hand, weren’t as fortu-

Blue Shuttlers were unable to sustain their play and energy as the competition progressed. This is one of the points that the team is trying to improve on in preparation for the coming season. The squad must also find a way to cope with the departure of their former team captain and star player, Toby Gadi. The 2012 Moro Lorenzo Sportsman of the Year will no longer be part of the team’s roster after deciding to shift his focus to the international scene.

“Of course, we were down a little bit when Toby left, but we knew that we could still win. Now, Coach [Asuncion] is more focused when it comes to keeping the team up all the time. She said that the Lord would not give this situation to us if we couldn’t handle it,” shares Justin Natividad in a mix of English and Filipino. Despite the unfortunate turn of events, Patrick Natividad’s decision to return to the team this season allows the Blue Shuttlers to remain title contenders. He and his younger brother Justin are expected to take on leadership duties for a very young lineup that features only one other veteran, Arlo Madrid. As the competition nears, the Blue Shuttlers are anticipating that NU, whose members play for the national team, will again be their fiercest competitors across the net. But the team is not letting that fact intimidate and distract them from their goal of taking back the top spot. New breed

Given the circumstances the Blue and Lady Shuttlers are facing this season, one of the factors they deem crucial to clinching their ultimate goal is the entry of fresh talents—the rookies. There are three young ladies gearing up to boost the Lady Shuttlers lineup. Two are Bianca Carlos and Trixie Malibiran who rank number one and two in the PBaRS 19-under Girls’ Singles, respectively. The pair also ranks number one in the country in the Doubles division. Nicole Nieto, Malibiran’s doubles partner back in high school, rounds out the new crop. Blue and ›› 9

Sports Box Game Schedules MEN's BasketbalL

FEU

August 28, 2pm

Araneta Coliseum

DLSU

September 1, 4pm

Araneta Coliseum

September 8, 2pm

SM MOA Arena

September 11, 4pm

SM MOA Arena

WoMEN's BasketbalL

DLSU

August 31, 10am

Araneta Coliseum

September 1, 8am

Araneta Coliseum

FEU

September 7, 10am

SM MOA Arena

September 14, 10am

SM MOA Arena

Beach volleYball

BEACH VOLLEYBALL OPENING August 31, 2013 UE Caloocan Men's and women's badminton

MEN'S AND WOMEN'S BADMINTON OPENING August 31, 2013 UE Caloocan

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

Editor: Jose R. Mendoza · Editorial Assistant: Regine D. Cabato · Layout Artists: Mich B. Salangsang and Jason L. Sy · http://bl.theguidon.com

Beyond Loyola

LANGUAGE IN THE PHILIPPINES A look into the state of language in the Philippines.

SK's relevance put to question ahead of polls By Elise V. Apilado and Robbin M. Dagle CA LLS TO abolish t he Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) or youth council have once again been put forth by various sectors that believe that SK is no longer serving its purpose. Elections for SK and barangay officials are slated for October 28. Some have pointed out that giving access to government funds and entrusting important responsibilities to young people have proven to be counterproductive, as they expose individuals to shady political practices at an early age. Established by virtue of the Local Government Code of 1991, or Republic Act (RA) 7160, the SK was designed to replace the Martial Law-era Kabataang Barangay. It was originally intended to empower the youth through direct participation in government. Citizens aged 15 to 17 years old could run and be elected as the kagawad, or councilors, who comprise the barangay’s SK. SK kagawads are expected to implement resolutions and projects that are relevant to the development of their respective barangay’s youth. The barangay council allots the SK a part of its funds to support such efforts. “School of corruption”

In an interview with The Philippine Star, Caloocan City

Representative Edgar Erice, author of House Bill 1122 that seeks to abolish the SK, believes that SK officers have been “exposed to corrupt practices of their unscrupulous elders in government service” and that the SK has been transformed “into a school of corruption.” Erice plans to establish the Barangay Youth Council (BYC) as an alternative to the SK. The youngest elected barangay councilor will head the BYC, which will be composed of different committees such as sports, environment, education and culture and the arts. Members of the BYC will not be paid, unlike the SK wherein the SK chairman receives the same benefits and compensation as other barangay councilors. Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Sixto Brillantes, Jr. has also expressed his support for the SK’s abolition. According to a report by The Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI), Brillantes observed an uncharacteristic surge of registrants during the last few days of the registration period for the barangay and SK polls. “The high number of people were abnormal,” he said. “Did you see the large number of people? The unruly behavior? There was even a stampede. Has that happened before? No.” “We are teaching them to resort to hakot even at their young age,” Brillantes told PDI, referring to the practice of herding supporters to register.

MOTION FOR ABOLITION. Rampant corruption in the Sangguniang Kabataan has led to debate on whether the group should be abolished. Photo BY Ryan Y. Racca

Comelec Commissioner Lucenito Tagle, also in favor of SK’s abolition, has called the SK a “breeding ground for political dynasties” and “corrupt politicians.” For Tagle, veteran politicians have used the SK to extend their influence over barangays. “We don’t see anything of importance that has been produced by the SK. We have many cases here where parents are the ones intervening in vote-buying and

irregularities (in SK elections),” he told PDI. Reforming the “voice of the youth”

Yet some believe that the SK still deserves its spot as “the voice of the youth.” What is needed, however, are reforms to ensure more efficient operation. Senator Teofisto “TG” Guingona III told PDI that the issue lies in whether or not 15 to 17-year-olds should be given

Pope Francis leads his 1st WYD amidst changes in church By Regine D. Cabato, Kyle N. Mitschiener and Chynna A. Santos

By Jose R. Mendoza and Frances P. Sayson

Catholic Church has organized since 1986. Early in the week, the Pope urged young Catholics to shake up the Church by going out and spreading the faith. “I want a mess… I want trouble in the dioceses!” he said to Argentine pilgrims in WYD. He wanted the so-called “mess” to come as a result of WYD, saying that the youth needed to take a more active part in the religious community. “I want to get rid of clericalism, the mundane, this closing ourselves off within ourselves, in our parishes, schools or structures,” he said in his native Spanish. According to Raymund Pecho, one of the attendees, the response to the Pope’s speeches, particularly at the final mass on Copacabana beach, was “overwhelming.” He said, “The beach [was] literally shaking with screams and applause every time the Pope [said] something.” Though he was not in attendance, pre-divinity track philosophy sophomore Earl Omega believes that Pope Francis is “challenging [us] to really take our faith seriously… We should respond by getting a clearer

“Bam” Aquino IV has in mind is to again include people aged 18 to 21 in the SK. He believes that they are more “mature” and capable of handling the responsibilities of an SK officer. Aquino tells Rappler that what the SK needs is an “overhaul,” not abolition. Meanwhile, Quezon City R epre s ent at ive W i n s t on Castelo has proposed elimiSK's relevance ›› 4

RH debate continues despite passage

Mess in the dioceses

MILLIONS OF Catholics from all over the world flocked to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to participate in World Youth Day (WYD) 2013, which started on July 23 and ended on July 28. The weeklong event not only marked Pope Francis' First World Youth Day but also his first international trip since being elected. Pope Francis was elected by the papal conclave last March 13. He is the first Pope from the Society of Jesus and the first who hails from the Southern Hemisphere. In a speech given at Guanabara Palace on the first night of the WYD festivities, the Pope emphasized the importance of today’s youth, saying, “The youth are the window through which the future enters the world, thus presenting us with great challenges. Our generation will show that it can realize the promise found in each young person when we open up the space.” Counting around three million in attendance, this year’s WYD was the 24th that the

the responsibility to handle public funds. “An SK member who is only 15 does not yet have the capacity to enter into contracts and would have to encounter issues on fiscal management as part of the job description. Since he is young, he is vulnerable to influence by adults,” he said. One change former National Youth Commission chair and now Senator Paolo Benigno

BRAVE NEW PAPACY. Since he was elected, Pope Francis has tried to bring the Church closer to its people. Photo FROM CatholicHerlad.co.uk

sense of our identity as Catholics and as Christians. Once we have [that], we can share it with the world.” Both Pecho and Omega believe that the relationship between Pope Francis—and by extension, the whole Catholic Church—and the youth of today will change as a result of the events at WYD. Omega adds that he believes WYD might give the Pope a better grasp of what the youth are facing today. “[This new understanding] might perhaps affect the direction he takes the Church in.” No major reforms

Much of the Pope’s direction is influenced by the rela-

tively recent scandals that have plagued the Catholic Church. Discussions of corruption and sex abuse scandals have been extensive and, most recently, the Church has been facing issues regarding the Vatican Bank. On July 1, two managers resigned following the arrest of Monsignor Nunzio Scarano, who was accused of plotting to smuggle 20 million euros into Italy, according to Reuters. The bank has been blacklisted by the European Union for failing to comply with transparency standards. “This means you are not sure if the money which is there Pope Francis ›› 4

MORE THAN six months since its passage, the Reproductive Health (RH) Law has again been placed under fierce debate following the restraining order imposed by the Supreme Court (SC) on its implementation. A 120-day restraining order on the law was issued last March 19 after petitioners questioned its constitutionality before the High Tribunal. This was extended indefinitely last July 16, further blocking the implementation of the law. However, many question why the debates exist at all, especially given that the SC, as the interpreter of legal issues, is arguably not the appropriate body for discussions involving faith or medicine. During day one of the debates, Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno said herself that, “The SC might not be the best forum [for the RH Law].” As of now, there have been four sessions held before the SC. Back and forth: The highlights

The four sessions of debate have allowed the two sides to display their main arguments. They have also shown where the sympathies of certain justices lie.

Anti-RH petitioners have presented three arguments. Firstly, claiming that contraceptives are abortifacient, anti-RH lawyer Maria Concepcion Noche argued that the law violated the constitutional right to life. It was later contended that the law is “arbitrary,” focusing on an exclusive sector and disregarding other issues and beliefs. Lastly, the law’s implementation in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao was opposed. The anti-RH petitioners faced strong opposition during the third session, however, with arguments from the pro-RH respondents. Pro-RH respondent Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza asserted that the debate should be centered on whether the Congress passed the law “in good faith,” regardless of the individual beliefs of the justices on the matter. He also argued that there were insufficient grounds for the case, as there has been neither prosecution nor questioning of any Food and Drug Administration-approved contraceptives. Associate Justice Antonio Carpio also said that the case questioned the law on a hypothetical level. He noted that, for RH Bill ›› 4

Beyond Loyola struggling for words

Adjusting to basic education's new language policy By Elise V. Apilado, Fredrick P. Cruz and KD L. Montenegro

n the Pearl of the Orient, the Western tongue reigns supreme. During Rizal’s time, it was Spanish. Right now, it is English. Politicians and businesspeople speak it, official documents use it, major newspapers write in it and teachers instruct with it. It was this dominance of foreign language in the country’s political, social and economic affairs that compelled former president Manuel L. Quezon to campaign for a national language. On December 30, 1937, he chose Tagalog as the foundation of what would be known as the national “Pilipino” (which would later become “Filipino”) through Executive Order No. 134. Th re e de c ade s later, Ferdinand Marcos won the presidency. In his first inaugural speech he said, “For today, the Filipino, it seems, has lost his soul, his dignity and his courage.” He promised that “this nation can be great again,” but it would entailed the revival of the Filipino spirit. Policy-wise, that meant promoting Filipino as co-equal of English in basic education. This gave birth to the so-called “bilingual education policy” of the 1970s, in which English was used for teaching the sciences while Filipino was the language of instruction in liberal arts classes. Woes of the bilingual policy

Mrs. Virgina Semacio, a public school teacher in Agusan del Norte, used to follow this

bilingual policy for teaching Grades 1 and 2. However, she found that using strictly Filipino and English was inherently ineffectual. Speaking in a mix of Bisaya and Filipino, she said, “Bisaya was often mixed into teaching because students did not understand.” Semacio mentioned a student she taught long before. “At first, he did not speak or participate in class,” Semacio recalled. Eventually, he stopped coming to class entirely. Semacio’s situation demonstrates the inadequacy of the bilingual policy—a policy that outlasted the Marcos regime and remained the status quo for nearly 40 years. Though the “national language” of Filipino was a language of instruction, comprehension remained a concern. A 2008 literacy survey reported that five million Filipinos can neither read nor write and nine million cannot compute. Of those who can read, nearly 20 million cannot understand what they read. The use of mother tongue

“For most of our students and learners, Filipino—which is largely based on Tagalog—and English are foreign languages to them,” explains Elvin Uy, the K-12 coordinator of the Department of Education (DepEd). Uy explains that many children, especially from ages five to nine, do not use English, Tagalog or Filipino as their first languages. “That’s the reason why [DepEd] felt using English and Filipino solely as the medium of instruction at early grade levels

was insufficient. It alienated a substantial number of learners who do not use either language as their first at home,” Uy adds. DepEd’s solution was to implement the so-called mother tong ue-based multiling ual education (MTB-MLE) system. From kindergarten to grade three, students will be taught using the language of their region. Then, Filipino and English will be introduced in the following grade levels. The premise of the policy is simple: Learning is faster for children when the languages used in the classroom and at home are the same. “You want people to learn through the language that they understand,” Uy says. Nothing new

However, this push for the use of mother tongue is nothing new. “English... is not an effective medium of instruction,” says a 1951 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) report on Philippine education. “Available evidence… indicates that the use of the vernacular as a medium of instruction in the lower grades will contribute a long way to the community.” The Unesco recommendation would be perennially repeated for the following 60 years. It was cited in the report of the 1991 Congressional Commission on Education, as well as the 1998 Philippine Education Sector

Study by the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. It was used again in the report of the 2000 Presidential Commission on Educational Reform and again in the National Learning Strategy of the 2008 Department of Education Basic Education Sector Reform Agenda. Yet, it was only in May of 2013 that mother tongue-based education became official, legal and binding, after President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III signed K-12 into law. Why did this take so long to happen? Ask the policymakers. Resistance

On August 24, 2011, the RH bill deliberations in the House of Representatives were temporarily halted because of an angry exchange between Leyte Representative Sergio Apostol and Akbayan Representative Arlene “Kaka” Bag-ao. “Ako po ay naniniwala na tayo po ay dapat linangin sa ating sariling wika (I believe we should be formed through our own language)," Bag-ao said, insisting on speaking in Filipino. Apostol was fuming, arguing that, “If she wants to speak in Tagalog, then there should be an interpreter.” The case of Apostol reflects the general attitude of policymakers towards language, an obstacle that MTB-MLE must overcome in order to gain universal approval. “If you look at the Gloria Macapaga l-A rroyo yea rs,

there was a strong emphasis on the English proficiency and competency. In fact, the recommendation to shift to mother tongue was given as early as 2005 but there was a very big effort to fight it,” Uy says. Former President Arroyo signed Executive Order No. 210, s. 2003, which made English the medium of instruction in public schools. In 2009, this policy nearly became a law when 213 congressmen supported House Bill No. 5169, “An Act to Strengthen and Enhance the Use of English as Medium of Instruction in Philippine Schools,” authored by Arroyo ally and Cebu Representative Eduardo Gullas. Language: An issue of identity

Jethro Tenorio of Ateneo’s Filipino Department believes that resistance to policies such as the development of national language and mother tongue-based education can be attributed to false dichotomies. “Kasi nakikita natin na sa simplistikong paraan, kapag proFilipino ka, against English ka (It is because we view it in a simplistic way, that when you are pro-Filipino, you are against English),” Tenorio says in Filipino. “Pwede naman kasing pro-English at proFilipino (It is possible to be both pro-English and pro-Filipino),” he adds. And, by extension, Tenorio argues that one can support MTB-MLE while being both proEnglish and pro-Filipino. He agrees that English is there out of economic necessity, but insists that the use of language must also reflect issues of identity. Tenorio explains that self-actualization goes beyond gaining material wealth. There is always a need to have a better understanding of one’s self in the context of his society, he says, and this is true even if we now live in a “borderless world.”

“Kung makikisangkot tayo sa kalakaran ng globalisadong mundo, dapat malinaw kung ano ang ‘sarili’ na isinasangkot natin (If we will engage in the workings of a globalized world, it is important that the ‘self’ we put forward is clear),” Tenorio adds. Hence, the Filipino language is used to sustain the concept of a nation. This along with the use of mother tongue will reinforce a national identity that respects and encourages diversity. The future of education

Meanwhile, Semacio has been teaching in Bisaya for two years now. She has observed that students are more actively reciting and that comprehension test scores are improving. And the dropout student she mentioned? “He is now back and is very interactive,” Mrs. Semacio reveals. Tenorio, on the other hand, is happily waiting for the students he will handle 15 years from now—the first students under the MTB-MLE system. “Gusto kong mangyari, kapag nagkolehiyo na itong mga magma-mother tongue, ‘yung hindi na sila mahihiya na magsabi na, ‘Ito po, natuto po akong magisip sa Bisaya,’ (What I want is that when students who were schooled in their mother tongue enter college, they will not be ashamed to say, ‘I learned to think in Bisaya’),” Tenorio says. He wants the students to see the use of English and Filipino as a challenge to find similarities on the worldview that each language represents. After all, Tenorio concludes, “Ang isang wika ay hindi umiiral bilang kontra sa ibang wika (A language does not exist to counter other languages).” All languages exist to share something—a common understanding, a similar vision, a shared experience.

Almost Inaudible research by Regine D. Cabato and Justin L. Filart sources Rappler, The Guardian, ethnicgroupsphilippines.com The Philippines, home to over 95 million people and 175 different languages, has always been a battleground for language supremacy. This stems from Manuel Quezon’s 1937 movement to implement Filipino as the national language. Although seemingly practical, this measure also catalyzed the gradual decay of the more remote dialects. According to Artemio Barbosa, chief anthropologist at the Philippine National Museum, up to 50 of the country’s minor languages may be lost in the next 20 years. In an effort to counteract this trend, the Department of Education has stipulated through the K-12 curriculum that students be taught in their mother tongues. But has the decaying effect reached a point of no return? The GUIDON takes a deeper look into a number of decaying dialects and their specifics. *Note: The numbers published here are taken as of the last Unesco count (circa 2000), but published again in 2011 by The Guardian.

S out h e r n A tta Alternately called the Faire Atta, Southern Atta is spoken by the tribe of the same name. These Cagayan natives had a population of around 600, according to Unesco’s last count. The speakers of the native language only amounted to half this number. Location: Faire, Rizal Speakers left: 300 Status: Severely endangered

N o r t h e r n A L ta The Northern Alta dialect, also known as the Edimala, is spoken by the tribe of the Northern Alta. This group of Altas is not to be confused with their sister tribe of the Nueva Ecija region. According to a research funded by the University of Hawaii, despite the groups’ geographical proximity, their tongues are two different languages altogether. Location: Sierra Madre, Aurora Speakers left: 200 Status: Severely endangered

The GUIDON August 2013

S till I spokening D owlar ?

English in an evolving Philippines By Pamela P. Baluyot and Robbin M. Dagle

hundred and twelve years after the first American Thomasites introduced education in English to the Philippines, it now prides itself as the third-largest Englishspeaking country in the world— or would “sells” be a more appropriate description? The country has successfully banked on its large Englishspeaking population to spur industries such as overseas employment, business process outsourcing firms (more commonly known as call centers) and English-teaching schools, particularly catering to foreigners such as Korean and Chinese students who look for cheap English education. Nanette Fernandez, Executive Director of the Ateneo Center for English Language Teaching, views this situation in a positive light, calling it “a contribution to the world.” She looks at the Englishteaching industry as a service that the Philippines can offer, adding that this means that our English passes as a “world standard.” At a decline?

In fact, it seems that some institutions in the country have

well exceeded this standard. In 2012, the Ateneo placed 24th out of some 600 universities in the world on the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) list of the top English language and literatureteaching universities. The University of the Philippines (UP) ranked 32nd while De La Salle University (DLSU) placed 44th. When it comes to English, however, even the slightest sign of ineptitude is a cause for alarm for many. In this year’s QS ranking, the Ateneo and UP moved down to the 51-100 range while DLSU dropped to the 101-150 bracket, causing much worry among members of the involved communities. Also, who could forget the endless national discussions brought about by our beauty queens’ slip-ups—from Melanie Marquez's famous “long legged” quip in 1979 to Venus Raj's “major major” answer in 2010? In more formal instances, the government has sought to remedy this shortfall in English proficiency. For instance, Former President Gloria MacapagalArroyo aggressively pushed for English as the sole medium of instruction in schools when she promulgated Executive Order No. 210 in 2003.

However, this effort turned out to be futile: In the English proficiency test for teachers conducted by the Department of Education for school year 2006-2007, only 60 percent of elementary teachers and 20 percent of secondary teachers passed. “World Englishes”

Some experts, however, dispute this perceived deterioration of our hold on English, saying that this is only part of the evolution of cultures. “At least one phenomenon we have to recognize is the increasing tolerance and the increasing openness that culture is really in the plural—that we have cultures instead of just one monolithic culture,” says English Department officer-in-charge and Assistant Professor DM Reyes. “English has evolved as a language. Now we have what we call 'world Englishes,’” Fernandez says. She clarifies that Philippine English is not Taglish, as many might presume. Rather, this “variety” of the language is more of a transliteration of Filipino words into English, demonstrating the fact that a number of us think in English. Vessel for service

The scuffle over the nation’s perceived decline in English is but a small part in what has become the Philippine “language

wars.” The endless debate regarding whether English, Filipino or the mother tongue should be given primacy has dragged on since the post-war era. Reyes even recounts that some institutions have “forced in curious ways” the use of English. Among these is the “no Filipino, no Tagalog” policy in school, where one gets fined or disciplined when caught speaking in Filipino. Another is the non-admission of a applicant to a university when he or she chooses to answer the Filipino version of the entrance exam rather than the English one. “There are all these restrictions, but language is a matter of personal experience. So are we not curtailing, are we not repressing the power of personal expression that way?” he asks. Reyes also argues that similar efforts in language policy-making and legislation have become “problematic.” “You find out that the everyday life that language has to play out is so much more complex. People decide not only using their minds but using their hearts as well to express themselves in a particular language,” he says. Whether what is used is the local dialect or the constitutionally-mandated languages of English and Filipino, Reyes thinks that language should not be a source of division; rather, it should be a vessel of service to the people who use it. “The bigger question really has to do with the fact that knowledge and the skills that are generated [through the use of language] are meant to serve,” he stresses.

scale According to Unesco, endangered languages can be classified under:

A history in language research by Jose R. Mendoza and Jessica Y. Velarde sources gov.ph, ncca.gov.ph, thecorpusjuris.com The push for a mother tongue-based multilingual education represents yet another significant change in the history of language in the Philippines. With that, here are five past events that have significantly affected communication in the Philippines.

18 97

While there have been several laws that proclaim Tagalog as the national language, the very first of its kind was through the Biakna-Bato Constitution of 1897. Created during the Philippine Revolution, the constitution established and declared the very first Philippine republic. However, this government was shortlived, collapsing once a peace treaty with the Spaniards led to voluntary exile for the revolutionaries.

19 37

Severely endangered Speaker populace consists of the elder generations Critically endangered Speaker populace is only a few of the elderly Extinct There are no longer any speakers

A labat I sland A gta

Commonly called the Mariveleño, this dialect is spoken by the Negritos of Bataan, part of a larger populace, the Sambals of Luzon. Their ancestry, however, traces to other parts of Luzon, including Zambales and Pangasinan.

Alabat Island Agta belongs to the already very endangered Negrito ethnolinguistic group of dialects. The Agta tribe is concentrated mainly in the east of Quezon province. Apart from fishing and farming, their local livelihood relies on copra, charcoal and gold panning.

Location: Mariveles, Bataan Speakers left: 500 Status: Definitely endangered

Location: Alabat Island, Quezon province Speakers left: 30 Status: Critically endangered

B ataan A y ta

Dialectal dictate Executive Order 134 was a mandate from President Manuel Quezon proclaiming that the national language of the Philippines would be based on Tagalog. From there, the Filipino language was cultivated into what it is today. Three years after the proclamation, Filipino was being taught as a subject in elementary and secondary schools throughout the country.

197 3

Pilipino to Filipino The Filipino language, as we call it today, used to be called “Pilipino.” However, the 1973 Constitutional Convention created a Committee on National Language that decided to change “Pilipino” to “Filipino” to emphasize that the latter would be a common language based on existing native languages.

19 8 7

Language as we know it The new constitution after the Marcos regime reaffirmed Filipino and English as the official languages of the Philippines. It abandoned Spanish as one of the official languages, leading to the eventual decline in number of Spanish-speakers in the Philippines.

Vulnerable Language is usually restricted to home use, but is still used by the youth Definitely endangered Youth no longer learn the language

A short-lived proposal

2 013

Learning through one’s native language Through the signing of the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, or the K-12 Act, it is now compulsory for kindergarten and the first three years of elementary school to be taught in one’s native or regional language. There will then be a transition program from grades four to six in which English and Filipino are the languages of instruction.

B atak Batak is spoken by the smallest and most endangered of the three major ethnic groups in Palawan, the Batak (meaning “mountain people”). Classified as an Aeta group because of their physical traits, their numbers are rapidly decreasing because of illegal logging operations in their areas. Location: Palawan Speakers left: 200 Status: Definitely endangered

The GUIDON August 2013

Beyond Loyola SK's relevance... nating the budget of the SK, envisioning it as a purely volunteer-driven council. ‹‹ 1

“Big loss”

Tuburan SK Federation President and legal management junior Bret Monsanto thinks that since “the SKs are the only [form of] youth [representation] we have in the government, it would be a big loss to rip that from the system.” Yet Monsanto concedes that the SK is in need of much improvement. A major problem he sees is the lack of “development planning” and training for the officers on basic bureaucratic processes. “In my two year[s] as president, I have noticed that the SK officials under me find it hard to liquidate projects on their own because of the lack of proper training and guidance,” he said. He also observed that SK officers find it difficult to balance their responsibilities in the youth council with their roles as students.

“SK can do only so little, not only because of the small amount of budget allocated to them, but also because most of them are studying in school. Being a student is considered a full-time occupation and even our international laws would tell us that education is paramount,” Monsanto stressed. Since only the SK chairman is given salary as an ex-officio member of the barangay council, he proposes giving the SK kagawads some sort of “allowance” to motivate them into being more active in the youth council. To remain noble

Ironically, it seems that those who are expected to be exemplary guides and models for the young officers are in fact, the biggest stumbling blocks to fully realizing the SK’s ideals. According to Monsanto, some projects cannot be implemented simply because the SK kagawad

proposing them has differing political views from the barangay captain. However, silver linings still persist. Barangay Wack-Wack SK Kagawad Kat Gabriel says that, in her chapter, activities are overseen by the elders of their barangay and their budget is not directly managed by SK officials themselves. "In our area, the SK is very much controlled by elders who restrict and guide them to fully utilize our capacity to engage the youth in worthwhile activities. The SK Budget is managed by the elders in our barangay. No allocation to individual members is given," Gabriel explained. “My opinion is that SK remains to be a significant tool to train younger individuals to become good, conscientious leaders of our society. Guidance from the more knowledgeable elders of the barangay is important, for as long as the elders remain noble in their intentions and will guide the SK officials to the right path,” she said.

Breeding grounds. Does the Sangguniang Kabataan fulfill its intended purpose of training the youth? Photo BY Ryan Y. Racca

RH Bill... arguments to be sufficient, they must step up to where the law is proven to be unconstitutional under many facets. It was also emphasized that there was a “compelling state interest” in the RH Law, with the nation’s commitment to the Millennium Development Goal of reducing maternal and infant mortality. However, anti-RH proponent Associate Justice Roberto Abad heatedly argued in Jardeleza’s interpellation that the law echoed Hitler’s policy on sterilizing the Jews to significantly decrease their population. “[You are saying,] ‘The poor is an inconvenience to us. We want to eliminate their size,’” he said. On the fourth day of the debates, the pro-RH petitioners, through RH Law proponent Atty. Edcel Lagman, focused on their interpretation of the Constitution’s “right to life” provision. It was argued that the said provision was made solely to prevent abortion. Lagman also pointed out that the banning of contraceptives is “oppression” and that it is widely accepted as the best approach against unwanted pregnancy. He adamantly argued against allegations that the law promotes only artificial family planning methods, saying that it “promotes all.”

‹‹ 1

OVERWHELMING SUPPORT. World Youth Day 2013 in Rio de Janeiro was attended by over three million Catholics. Photo FROM Huffingtonpost.co.uk

Pope Francis... is legal money or illegal money,” explains Fr. Pierre de Charentenay, a visiting professor at the Ateneo’s Political Science Department. In an effort to rectify this, the Pope has made small-scale changes in policy. Last June, he formed a commission of five members—four prelates and a female professor—to oversee reform in the Bank. Although optimistic about the measure, De Charentenay believes there are still no major reforms under Pope Francis so far. “So far, there’s no change. It’s the same guys around.” ‹‹ 1

Change in the Church

While Pope Francis still has much to do to rectify the scandals, he has been praised

for the Church’s gradual shift towards a relatively more modern, open-minded perspective regarding certain issues. “Pope Francis has been especially close to the young people in some unique ways since he was elected pope,” says Ben Mortel, another WYD attendee. Mortel attributes this to the Pope’s humility and simplicity, saying, “He uses different means, such as traditional speeches and the digital platform, to make his message known.” The usage of his predecessor’s Twitter account, @Pontifex, has also been described as a departure from the “archaic” Church. “It is amazing how a very conservative institution, the Catholic Church, is using social media to connect to the young people today,” Pecho added.

In addition to this, Pope Francis recently expressed openness to homosexuality, particularly gay priests—an issue his predecessor was staunchly against. “If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge them?” Pope Francis said in a press conference on the plane from Rio last July 29. However, he remains conservative on some issues. According to De Charentenay, the Pope still shares some doctrinal points of view on priestly celibacy, antiabortion and the ordination of women. “He’s a traditional theologian,” De Charentenay explains. “John Paul II, in a definitive formulation, said that door [to female priests] is closed,” Francis said in the same press

conference. However, he believed that the Church should have a deeper theolog y of women and a bigger role for them as well. “The Madonna is more important than the apostles and the Church herself is feminine, the spouse of Christ and a mother.” What has primarily changed, De Charentenay says, is the Pope’s style. “He’s not starting w it h condemni n g p e ople ,” he explains. “[He’s] very open to everybody in their difference and with who they are.” He cites in particular how Francis shuns the perks of the papacy, such as the Popemobile and red shoes, in favor of simplicity. “He insists on symbols of proximity to people… That’s changed everything.”

The right forum?

Throughout the debates, concerns have been aired as to whether or not the SC is the appropriate venue for the discussion of the contentions. This was especially apparent on the first day of the debates, after Noche argued that contraceptives are abortifacient. Chief Justice Sereno stressed that the

SC must exercise “judicial restraint,” as the justices are not qualified to take up questions regarding medicinal science. Carpio also reminded Noche that the extent of abortifacients is not a question for the SC. “If you are asking us to decide on the abortive capabilities of intrauterine device, then you are admitting that you came to this Court prematurely,” Carpio said. “Why are you here?” he added. However, there are many who believe that the SC is in fact to the appropriate medium. Lexy Senson, president of the Movement for Ignatian Initiative and Transformative Empowerment, is one such person. “Initially, I wasn't sure [if the SC is the right agency] because I didn't know what the Supreme Court had to do with the debate. After quick research on its functions though, ideally, potentially, it could be. After all, it is the Supreme Court which decides whether or not something is unconstitutional, which is the biggest issue of the RH debate anyway.” Assistant vice president of the office of membership in the Ateneo Debate Society Denise Recomono agrees with this sentiment. “The Supreme Court is the ultimate arbiter and guardian of the Constitution... As such, I actually think that it is necessary that the debate occurs in the Supreme Court so that each argument and response given by both sides may be placed under the scrutiny of the dictates of the Philippine Constitution,” she said. As of press time, the debates have been adjourned. They will resume on August 20 for the fifth and last session.

FURTHER OBSTACLES. The Reproductive Health Law hits another roadblock with the Supreme Court debates over its constitutionality. Photo BY Christella D. Soriano

Editor: Vernise L. Tantuco · Editorial Assistant: Benny G. Tañedo · Layout Artists: Jan-Daniel S. Belmonte and Ian B. De La Cruz · http://features.theguidon.com

Features

TESTING THE WATERS A look into the Ateneo’s quirkier electives

East of Eden

ALL YOU CAN EAT. Metro Manila’s Chinatown, Little Tokyo and Koreatown add color to the city’s multicultural buffet. PhotoS BY CHRISTIE k. Lim, KAT A. Mallillin and arthur tan

From frog legs to spicy noodles, Manila’s foreign communities serve up treats that have become uniquely Filipino. By Pia H. Posadas, Jasmine P. Ting and Vicah P. Villanueva

rom a foreigner’s perspective, it is often difficult to determine who is and isn’t a Filipino. After all, what is he supposed to make of a brownskinned woman with Chinese features talking about the latest Korean drama in perfect English? From the way we speak to the way we dress, we owe much of our everyday lives to the many cultures that have washed up on our shores. These influences have become a huge part of the Filipino identity, and we need not look any further than our own food scene for a taste of this fusion. Places like Chinatown and Little Tokyo have long been established in Manila, while Koreatown is fast on its way to becoming a permanent fixture in our cities. International food is not merely a trend but a mainstay, with each town’s development representing the country’s journey towards becoming an even more diverse cultural melting pot. The little town in every city

That it is nearly impossible to travel the world without stumbling upon a Chinatown proves how far Chinese culture has spread. “The Chinese have been outside of China, trading in various countries for centuries now,” explains Dr. Sidney Bata, director of the Ricardo Leong Center for Chinese Studies. “When a place is already ‘saturated,’ they move to untapped territories.” Binondo, established in the Philippines by the Spanish in 1594, is the world’s first Chinatown. Home to a unique fusion of Chinese and Filipino culture, it proves that every Chinatown is unique to its own city.

The mix of the two cultures is evident when one strolls along San Nicolas Street, a few crowded streets away from the landmark Binondo Church. There, devotees offer hiu (traditional Chinese incense) at the Santo Cristo de Longos shrine, a display of worship that is a testament to the intermingling of Christianity and Chinese traditions. A few blocks away is Ongpin Street, where one can find Eng Bee Tin, a Chinese Deli that knows a thing or two about blending cultures. Though the colorful variety of goods they sell is quite overwhelming, it doesn’t stop tourists and locals alike from flocking to the store for their favorite hopia. Eng Bee Tin marries sweet Filipino flavoring with this traditional Chinese pastry by offering it in a variety f lavors such as langka, buko, pandan and their signature ube. Along Chinatown’s streets, vendors serve up an assortment food ranging from the traditional fish and squid balls to more unconventional delicacies. Fried frog legs, for instance, are quite popular along Estero despite the area’s less than appetizing stench. Ramen revisited

Where the Chinese assimilated themselves into countless cultures through trade, the Japanese took a less conventional path to world domination: Hello Kitty. Likewise, popular anime like Dragon Ball Z and Sailor Moon and the growing trend of cosplay have ensured that Filipinos are no strangers to Japanese culture. Fast food chains like Tokyo Tokyo and Yoshinoya have also made Japanese food well loved among many Filipinos. However, the small collection of restaurants in Little Tokyo

knocks us off our pedestals when it comes to authentic cuisine. The restaurants are huddled together in the midst of a bustling Makati. Banners and flags with words written in hiragana (Japanese characters) hang above the wooden doors and shoji (traditional Japanese design) windows, as colorful paper lanterns dangle from the roofs.

meant to be a community. “Japanese culture was separated from Philippine culture so they didn’t mix,” she explains. The restaurants were initially established to cater to Japanese businessmen frequenting Makati in the 1980s. Since then, the town has expanded to include other stores that contribute to the area’s small town feel. The grocery Choto Shop is chock full of color-

Places like Chinatown and Little Tokyo have long been established in Manila, while Koreatown is fast on its way to becoming a permanent fixture in our cities.

Unlike modern Japanese restaurants like Teriyaki Boy and Omakase, the interior of restaurants like Kagura along Chino Roces Avenue showcase traditional Japanese design: One can sit opposite the wooden kitchen counter and watch the chefs prepare their famed okonomiyaki, a savory pancake topped with Japanese mayonnaise and okonomi sauce. Meanwhile, diners take charge at Urameshiya, a yakiniku restaurant where customers grill raw ingredients on their tabletops. Director of the Japanese Studies Program Hiroko Nagai, PhD, is quick to note that unlike Chinatown, Little Tokyo is not

ful and quirky Japanese snacks: Hello Kitty and Rilakumma biscuits, Pokémon milk, One Piece candy and Pocky are just some of the kawaii products for sale. Hallyu rising

“Nobody” was the battle cry when Korea invaded Filipino popular culture in 2009. The high-pitched voices of the Wonder Girls have since caused equal amounts of delight and despair, alongside popular K-Pop groups like 2NE1, Super Junior and SHINee. Hallyu (Korean wave) has hit the Philippines not only through K-Pop groups, but also through

the many Koreans making their way to our tropical shores. "[The] warm climate appeals to Koreans and if [they] have children, they are willing to spend much money for their English education,” explains Kyungmin Bae, a visiting lecturer at the Department of Modern Languages. Thus, Koreans have slowly begun to build their own communities in cities all over the Philippines, particularly around the Metro. Unlike Chinatown and Little Tokyo, Koreatown is not a fullfledged town as of yet. It refers to the area loosely surrounded by Makati Avenue, Bel-Air Village, Jupiter Street and J.P. Rizal Street in Makati where Korean restaurants, bars, groceries and convenience stores are interspersed. This part of Makati is usually described as sketchy, because it is very close to the infamous P. Burgos Street, the city’s red light district. As Korean haunts are scattered around the area, so are various nightclubs. Though it might not appear to be the perfect setting for the bubbly and colorful Korea we’ve come to know, it is surely the place to find the best of what Korean food has to offer. At Ma San Garden, found at the far end of Polaris Street right beside Bel-Air Village, customers are welcomed by a Korean lady dressed in a hanbok (traditional dress) and provided with the customary flat metal chopsticks. The restaurant is also known for their sogogi gukbap, with its tender beef strips in red, hot and spicy broth, served in a steaming hot soup. Convenience stores are also signature when it comes to Korean food culture. Their ice cream is among the most popular items in these stores, coming in unusual shapes and flavors: Red bean and vanilla

ice cream sandwiched between fish-shaped wafers and even uniquely flavored blue ice cream packaged in a bottle. The sweets aside, Korean minimarts usually lean towards the spicy to address the preferences of their Korean customers. With Korean celebrities endorsing all things hot, such as instant chili noodles, chili paste and kimchi, it is no secret that these people like their food well seasoned. But many Filipinos tend to prefer the sweet treats, probably because of the humid weather. Bae explains that many Korean restaurants have even toned down their hot flavors to cater to local palates. Culture clash

It’s a wonder that cultures as varied as these have managed to find a common home in the Philippines. City dwellers have the luxury of exploring and getting a taste of their dream destinations without having to leave the country or spend too much money. The existence of these places lead many to confuse multiculturalism with assimilation—that these foreign cultures have come to redefine the Filipino culture and identity. However, Ivan Man Dy, founder and lead guide of the city tour group, Old Manila Walks, disagrees. “At best they make Manila’s dining scene more cosmopolitan, but to generalize as it enriching the whole Filipino culture is way overboard,” he says. In spite of these disagreements, one thing is certain. At the end of the day, Chinatown, Little Tokyo and Koreatown are still ideal destinations for anyone seeking authentic flavors. Whether it’s history or cuisine, these little towns that bring flavor and zest are here to stay, spicing up the Metro’s landscape now and for the years to come.

Features

R E F L E X G OTA N G C O

Up in the air By Patches Q. Espino and Keisha D. Kibanoff

t’s not every day that you accidentally win an international competition. But last July 2013, Jesse “Reflex” Gotangco (BFA AM ‘10) did just that. R16 Korea is an international dance competition for b-boys, a term used for hip-hop dancers who incorporate elements of street and breakdance into their routines. The competition is of gargantuan proportions, with as many as 1,720 crews from 86 different countries participating. On a whim, Reflex joined the competition and nabbed the regional championship for the solo category last June 22. It was the first time the Philippines ever had a solo representative and the first time the country actually won a competition of this kind. “I couldn’t believe what was happening. [It made me think], do I deserve this? Am I this good? Nakatsamba ba ako (Was I just lucky)?” Reflex says with a West Coast twang, a product of his frequent visits to California to visit family. “It was so surreal.” But more lies behind his victory than it just being a pleasant surprise. After the bell rings and his students are dismissed from his classes on the Foundation and Fundamentals of Breakin’ (PE141), Reflex talks to The GUIDON about his experiences, dance culture in the Philippines and trying to get an underappreciated art form off the ground. Getting into the rhythm

For Reflex, dance started out as a childhood hobby. “As a kid, walang hiya (I didn’t have any shame)—just did my own thing,” he shares. At six years old, the young Reflex would stand in front of the TV screen and unabashedly copy Michael Jackson’s music videos.

But it wasn’t until high school that he started enrolling in formal dance classes. From there, Ref lex joined competitions and began building his network. In college, he was an active member of the Company of Ateneo Dancers (CA DS) a nd received the Loyola Schools Award for the Arts in Dance in 2010. During and after college, Reflex competed locally and internationally as a member of different groups. For R16, he initially joined the crew category with Soulstice, a group that includes Ateneo students

for four days,” says Reflex. That left him with barely three days to warm up and prepare for the finals in Korea. Though he wasn’t crowned world champion, Reflex shares that being on that stage was one of the most memorable moments in his career. “Just being there, competing against those guys, it’s one for the books definitely,” he says. “He’s always been one to go after what he wants and doesn’t really let anything stop him,” says information design junior Rocky Alli, a member of CADS and Soulstice.

[Some say] you can’t make a living out of dancing—that’s not true. — REFLEX GOTANGCO, R16 SEA Solo Champion

and graduates. But when a series of unfortunate events convinced the group against joining the competition’s qualifier, it didn’t stop Reflex from competing on his own. After flying to Singapore to support fellow Filipino representatives Sass Crew in the Southeast Asian regional round, Reflex ended up joining the Solo category, and the rest is history. But Reflex got himself sick during the week of the world finals. Upon his return to the Philippines, fatigue and the dismal weather took their toll on his body. “I wasn’t able to train

His crewmates describe Ref lex as “serious but very light” during practice and training sessions. He maintains a relaxed, positive environment but is still very productive. As a full-time dancer, a regular instructor and an event host, Reflex never stops. The state of the nation

Hip-hop is the form of dance that has made the biggest impact on Reflex’s life. Though the movement began in the streets of New York City, where the downtown youth needed an escape from the hard life, he

ON THE STREETS. R16 Korea SEA Solo Champion Reflex Gotangco is out to change the Philippine dance scene one stage at a time. Photos BY Kat A. MALLILLIN and Arthur Tan

sees how it can resonate with the Filipino community as well. “People had nothing and made something out of it. [They] tried to have fun and do something positive,” Reflex explains. To him, this is a concept Filipinos have no trouble identifying with. In fact, the international b-boy scene has also recognized our country’s potential. “Foreign crews come to the Philippines because they’re curious about the ‘raw, aggressive’ style displayed in competitions,” says Alli. Unfortunately, international recognition doesn’t always translate to local support. Reflex shares his dream of getting a level of backing from the Philippine government similar to what the Korean government gives dance competitions like R16. The Korean Tourism Organization allots 500,000 US dollars for the organization of the event each year. In 2009, according to Reflex, the total budget allotted for the event reached three million dollars. “That’s why everything was free,” he said enthusiastically, giving off the same playful and relaxed disposition he has while teaching. “[My] flight, stay, buffet—you name it.” On the other hand, not all dancers in the community agree that the Philippines is ready for that kind of support. Some feel that Filipinos need to mature and change their attitudes towards fellow locals who make it to international levels. Ref lex acknowledges the room for improvement, saying, “[Back then], we didn’t have as much exposure to what real b-

boying really was worldwide.” The dancing community might not be in agreement about what sort of support b-boying deserves, they’re unified in their understanding that the Philippine breakdance scene could still do with some strengthening. Pushing further

The main principles of bboying are being original and innovative, things Reflex always challenges himself to achieve in his own dancing. “A breakdancer is someone who does tricks and crowdpleasing moves. A b-boy is someone who can do that but is on beat and is original,” he says. “What he does always flows, and [makes a] statement.” In fact, he earned the nickname Reflex because his moves were always perfectly attuned to the music, as if dancing were a prime instinct. Though dedicated dancers have been trying to establish b-boying as a style of its own, most people who aren’t well versed in dancing culture tend to lump all hip-hop culture together. As a result, b-boying has had trouble gaining steady ground as an art form. Class differences play into its struggle to gain legitimacy. To be accepted as art, a phenomenon traditionally requires backing from the elite, something that b-boying lacks. “Street dance and b-boying are products of street culture, low-income neighborhoods and, in America, minority groups,” explains Ricardo Abad, PhD, a professor at the Sociology and

Anthropolog y Department. “That’s low-class kuno, so [hiphop] can't be art because it's not sophisticated or studied [which is an] elite judgment.” It’s exactly this rigidity that b-boying seeks to challenge with its f low and originality. Reflex says, “[Some say] you can’t make a living out of dancing—that’s not true.” According to him, there’s a way to turn passion into something sustainable. “[You have to] manage and market yourself, network, communicate, and [be] good at what you do… It’s also coming up with the business side of dancing, [selling] apparel, putting up classes or doing commercials and endorsements.” Moving forward

In recent years, things have started to take off for b-boying internationally, as evidenced by the success of Filipino dancers. It has had its struggles, but there is promise. Counting on the passion of those who engage in it and the apparent presence of raw talent, it seems the only way it will go is up. “My mother and sister told me, ‘After college, you have to look for a life, not a job.’ That’s why I [chose to] dance,” Reflex says. His crewmates consider him an inspiration for pursuing what one is most passionate about. Getting b-boying as far as he has, even in the face of difficulty, makes things seem possible for Filipinos. Even at the mouth of a challenge, stopping is never an alternative for him—every step is a reflex.

The GUIDON August 2013

Liar, liar It’s funny what a lie or two can do for your self-image. Written by Javison T. Guzman Illustrations bY Chelli V. Reyes

Frank Abagnale ■ Frank Abagnale was the perfect guy on paper: Smart, charismatic and good-looking. Naturally, they had Leonardo DiCaprio play him in Catch Me If You Can. He could do no wrong—aside from swindling the US financial system, that is. In between defrauding banks, Abagnale masqueraded as a pilot, doctor and Harvardeducated lawyer.

All that glitters By Kristine Q. Estioko and Andie D. Reyes

hat started out as a simple picture on your phone has turned into 10. The first one was probably cringe-worthy. The second, with a tight-lipped smile, was slightly better. Then suddenly you’re stuck with a hundred shots of your face, each one slightly varied as a result of your search for your best angle. Of course, the next step is choosing one worthy of the Internet, posting it on your favorite social media site and captioning it with a hashtag: “#Selfie.” As communication technology continues to flourish, our obsession with image is at an all-time high. It’s easy to cite vanity and narcissism as the primary motives for this trend, but image obsession is revelatory of a deeper, more significant mindset that has developed in our society. On the rise

If a picture paints a thousand words, then the 45 million pictures uploaded on Instagram— per day!—must all be clamoring for attention. The sheer number of social media sites like Facebook and Vine that have been cropping up these days has only expedited the sharing of images and video. Sharing photos is indubitably in vogue, and perhaps the most pervasive photo of all is the selfie. There are several variations of this: The GPOY (gratuitous picture of yourself ), the I’m-tired-I-lookhorrible-check-it-out shot and the classic, pursed-lipped “duckface” are just a sampling of a whole range. One thing never changes, however: The camera’s lens always faces the photographer. “Visual images are carriers of content,” says Jenna Atun, an instructor at the Communication Department. “[The pictures we post can carry] a message of social status... or sometimes of confidence. Some people say it’s self-expression.” This obsession with image and the message they send is everywhere—even filmmakers and songwriters are commenting on it through their work. The latest string of heist films such as Louis Leterrier’s Now You See Me and Sofia Coppola’s The Bling Ring, for example, are all about the glitz and glamour of being a celebrity.

One of the biggest films that came out before the latest string of heist-movies was none other than Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby. Adapted from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s book written in 1925, it chronicles the decadence of the roaring ‘20s, a time of wealth and excess before the sudden, cutting reality of the Great Depression. There are no elaborate heists, no breaking into locked vaults or fake hold-ups here. What we have is the same glittering opulence and debauchery also present in the other movies mentioned. Fitzgerald’s book may have been written almost a century ago, but it still resonates with the modern world. Another example of our image obsession is a song that rose to popularity in 2012: Psy’s “Gangnam Style.” To the surprise of most, the viral song isn’t just about sexy ladies or a guy hopping up and down, wriggling his fists. An article by Max Fisher for The Atlantic critiques Seoul, South Korea for its culture of desiring lifestyles of celebrity, wealth and image. The music video—with images like Psy being fanned by a promiscuous woman in a playground—reveals the artificiality of such a life and, ultimately, condemns it. #nofilter

The easy answers as to why image obsession is so prevalent are the dizzying advancements in technology and the recent explosion of the number of social media sites. “It's so easy [to share an image],” says Atun. “With a click of a button, you can actually propagate and spread these images.” Communications technology management junior Catherine Villarosa couldn’t agree more. “Technology’s embedded in our lifestyle, so this is the communication culture we have,” she explains. But more than easy sharing, the Internet gives us something we, as a society, have come to value: Control. We can, for instance, choose which photos to share and which ones to keep to ourselves. We save the shot with the perfect, winning smile and we might post an awkward face just for laughs, but all those pictures that caught us mid-blink are sent to the trash. “Image obsession is more rampant now because we have the tools,” says Atun. Platforms such as the popular photo-sharing app, Instagram, aid us in our

MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE. Selfies and OOTD’s can mean more than just a little narcissism. PhotoS BY Isabella L. Yatco

image-centered endeavors, but these tools go beyond more than just the sites themselves. Also at our disposal are a multitude of filters, frames and other photographic effects that give us the ability to manipulate original photos. As pictures can be deceiving, so can videos. In a video entitled “How to Vlog: From the Vlogbrothers,” YouTube user Hank Green talks about his filming process. He explains that there are a lot of stumbled words, mistakes and dead air that he edits out, culminating in a fun video in which he appears witty and eloquent. However, Atun clarifies that she doesn’t subscribe to the idea that technology is the outright cause of our sudden interest in the perception of others. “Image obsession and selfies have always been there,” she observes. The self-portrait is the much older relative of what many now refer to as “vain pics.” This actually dates back to the time of the Ancient Egyptians, when members of the elite, especially ruling pharaohs, commissioned sculptors to create statues in their likeness. Then the invention of the mirror in the 15th century saw artists taking reflection as an opportunity to study their own image, which they then brought to life through paint and canvas. Today, those concepts still abound—it’s just that images of the self have become more accessible with the smartphone and its dual camera.

In fact, Lourdes Galvez-Tan, a part-time faculty member of the Department of Psychology, says that it may not be indicative of anything wrong at all. It’s a normal, human need to make a connection with someone, and selfies on social media sites are the medium we’ve found to make that connection. Galvez-Tan explains that sharing photos online can also give one a sense of validation. “When people comment and they like your photos, you feel good about it and it can increase your self-esteem.” Our self-image is shaped by what we choose to share, and “likes” and comments feed our insatiable need to be accepted as how we choose to portray ourselves. As Instagram’s “popular” page shows, being socially accepted means letting people know that we eat fancy food, drive expensive cars and have a great clothes—but we may not necessarily have all of these off-camera. Andrea Guevarra, an economics-honors sophomore, discusses how this trend manifests a deeper affliction. “People nowadays struggle to look for worth and value and this may be one way to boost one's selfesteem,” she says. “While others would say that it shows how selfobsessed we are, I would say it shows how obsessed we are with the opinions of others.” There are many different facets to the current self-image craze and its origins, but its effect on society and the ways we’ve used it to our advantage have an even greater number of interpretations.

Don’t blame Narcissus

Selfie-esteem

We have a means of control over how the public perceives us, which may explain our current fascination with image, but is image obsession just about control and narcissism? “Na rcissism has ma ny aspects,” says Mary Lantin, a graduate assistant at the Department of Psychology. She cites lack of empathy, arrogance and a sense of entitlement, among the other characteristics of narcissism. “Wanting to post pictures of yourself on Facebook... is not [indicative of having a] narcissistic personality disorder per se,” she says in a mix of English and Filipino.

Technology and its social platforms have allowed us to project an image to the world, one that plays a pivotal role in the scrutiny of our personal identity. But ultimately, it is important to recognize that the image we project does not necessarily determine who we are. The hundreds of pictures in your phone are as much a part of you as the one deemed worthy of the Internet. “[Find] balance,” says Galvez Tan. “It's great to connect with people, but that shouldn't define your life.” Editor’s note: Andrea Guevarra is a member of The GUIDON’s Training & Development staff.

James Frey ■ No one lies to Oprah and gets away with it—James Frey had to learn this the hard way. After his bestselling “autobiography” A Million Little Pieces was picked for Oprah’s Book Club, Frey was living the high life until a whistleblower revealed his work as largely fabricated. He was later confronted by Oprah on public television and was subject to several lawsuits.

Anna Anderson ■ Had she been alive today, Anna Anderson would’ve made it big in show business. With a knack for imitation, an unhealthy level of ballsiness and questionable sanity, Anderson claimed that she was the lost Grand Duchess Anastasia of Russia for nearly 50 years. She was eventually proven a fraud by a posthumous DNA test.

Christian Gerhartsreiter ■ Born with a surname that’s nearly impossible to spell, it’s no surprise that Gerhartsreiter pretended to be someone else for roughly 15 years. Under the alias Clark Rockefeller, Gerhartsreiter managed to infiltrate high society and wed a Harvard graduate.

Frédéric Bourdin ■ He would’ve made the perfect Bond villain. Nicknamed “The Chameleon,” Frédéric Bourdin is said to have assumed more than 500 false identities over the span of three decades. Fortunately, Bourdin allegedly hasn’t impersonated anyone since 2007, the same year he married his wife.

The GUIDON August 2013

Features

Testing the waters By Andie D. Reyes and Benny G. Tañedo

ties (SOH) the go signal to create a class on identity this semester. Thus, The Meaning of Identity (SOH101) was born. Apart from its striking title, SOH101 surpasses much of what is expected of a regular Loyola Schools subject. For one thing, it is handled by four professors: Dr. Ray Aguas of the Theology Department, Vincenz Serrano of the English Department, Glenda Oris of the Filipino Department and Dr. Augusto Rodriguez, chair of the Philosophy Department. The class follows a cycle where one professor handles the class per week, leading up to a synthesis week in which all professors come to class at the same time. As Aguas explains, English and Filipino literature, philosophy and theology all say something about the human condition, but from different viewpoints. “I think the fact that it’s a multidisciplinary approach can end up synergizing very well,” he says. Marco Javier, a management engineering sophomore, believes that the class is going very well

ygotes and Star Trek. Theological resonance and Tyrion Lannister. Nick Joaquin and Filipino food menus. At first glance, such topics seem to have absolutely nothing to do with each other. However, they have come together and found common ground in the Loyola Schools’ selection of unconventional courses. In these classes, disparate passions come together. Biology finds footing in the study of science fiction while theological themes are examined in the popular series A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin. Merging personal interests with academic study can be tricky business, but as these courses set out to prove, the lessons learned are priceless. Both student and professors get to ease away from traditional instruction and explore the academe’s limits. Geek haven

As unusual as these classes may sound, interdisciplinary subjects are not new in the Ateneo. One subject that has enjoyed popularity for a couple of years now is Biology of Science Fiction (BI14/Lit191.24). Pioneered in 2010 by Biology Department instructor Ronald Cruz and English Department lecturer Maria Mina, the elective aims to examine the science that the sci-fi genre is founded on, such as cloning and alien species. “It was born out of my interest in both biology and the speculative fiction genre,” explains Cruz, who describes himself as both a biology professor and student of popular culture. “Initially, my intention was actually to produce a Biology of Speculative Fiction course where I will be discussing the biology of dragons, aliens,” he adds. Cruz also clarifies that, although science—a field that is built on objectivity and fact—is not always reconcilable with fiction, his class is not about pitting the two fields of study against each other. “I am not trying to discredit what you read in sci-fi—if you do that you’re removing the thrill behind it and the beauty of the genre. What I’m trying to aim for is to illuminate certain aspects of [it].” AJ Elicaño, an interdisciplinary studies and creative writing supersenior, took the pilot class in his sophomore year. He describes the experience as jarring: “On one hand, you’re thinking ‘What does this do for the story?’ but also scientifically, ‘How is this working?’ and trying to synthesize them.” “It was tough,” Elicaño adds, “but it was worth it.” Cruz observes that many students who enroll are big sci-fi fans. “Some even more than me,” he says. This has led to a richer experience for both Cruz and his students. He admits that at the beginning, the content was much more limited; it was his students who introduced him to sci-fi favorites like Doctor Who, which Cruz has been using as an example in class ever since—and he doesn’t intend to stop there. “Next semester, I’m planning to include some stuff from

I think the fact that it’s a multidisciplinary approach can end up synergizing very well.

— DR. Ray aguas Professor, Theology Department

for its first trial run. “Even if some of the readings are a bit too advanced for me, the insights and questions posed have challenged me to rethink my own notions of identity… [these are] the kinds of lectures that Ateneo is famous for.” However, the pilot class has not yet been finalized as a permanent core subject, as was originally planned. “On an experimental basis, one class, no problem. If you’re implementing it across the board… I don’t know if it’s the best usage of our resources,” says Aguas. “I’ll need to see statistics before I can make a judgment on whether we should roll it out for everyone.” An epic class

George R.R. Martin’s fan base is extensive. His fantasy novelt urned-T V-series, Game of Thrones, appeals to both the young and old across countless cultures. Such a following is a result of what his convoluted narrative offers again and again: Unpredictability. “Anything can happen. I have no idea how it will end,” comments Aguas. In a similar way, perhaps no one could have foreseen Aguas’ plan for next semester: An elective on the theology and history of Game of Thrones, with Jo-ed Tirol of the History Department as co-teacher. The two professors are currently designing the class to be as interesting and enjoyable as possible—without, of course, missing out on the essentials of their respective fields. On Aguas’ end, the elective will delve into the theology within the Game of Thrones universe, particularly the priestess character, Melisandre, and the deity she worships. Tirol, on the other hand, will tackle the parallels between Game of Thrones and human history such as the Roman Empire, ancient Britain, Scandinavia and the Middle East. Aguas also mentions how the class, if successful, can be used as a template for other HBO series-based electives. He also thinks that the class can kickstart the Theology Department’s electives program, perhaps even leading to a minor for interested students. “A student’s free elective is a very scarce resource,” he explains. Though he originally envisioned it as a theology class, the class will also be credited as a history elective. Tirol, also an avid fan of the series, looks forward to handling it. “It’s fun. It’s not even stressful,” he enthuses. Despite the complex task of integrating theology into history within a fantasy realm, both professors are settled on one thing: In accordance with their passion for Game of Thrones, this venture will be worth the ride. Imagination, integration

Pacific Rim,” he enthuses. “I just look forward to [the subject continuing to grow], because we have more and more science fiction sources to get from.” Unraveling the self

Human identity has been a mystery for as long as written history can recall. From Plato to Martin Heidegger, the mind-bending questions still remain: Does the self exist? Is there even an I? As a response to this, the Commission on Higher Education gave the School of Humani-

STRANGE TERRITORY. Tyrion Lannister, Doctor Who and a multidisciplinary approach on identity find common ground in the Ateneo’s wide range of electives. illustrations BY CHarisse B. TACANG

Experimental subjects are risky—they challenge students to step past the boundaries already defined by existing courses while they force the teacher, as Serrano puts it, to “find the resonances between what he does in his field and the other fields that are attached to it.” But the growing list of experimental subjects proves that at the end of the day, they’re a risk that’s worth the while; science can exist in a world of fiction and a god can exist in a bloodthirsty game of thrones.

Editor: Nadine Y. Ramos · Editorial Assistant: Alex A. Bichara · Layout Artists: Alvin C. Bravo and Janine G. Dela Cuesta · http://inquiry.theguidon.com

Inquiry

ILLEGAL

3 P P P P P P P P P 3

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BY INVITATION ONLY

The GUIDON investigates the pervasive trend of multi-level marketing on campus. 1

Closet politics

GLASS CLOSETS. What happens when the most prominent LGBT community on campus says it isn’t political?

By Mint A. Marquez and Roxie Y. Ramirez

authorities’ attitude towards homosexuality. There is also the problem of legislation. Although places like Quezon City, Angeles, Cebu, Bacolod and Davao have antidiscrimination ordinances in place, the Philippines currently has no nationwide law protecting LGBTs from prejudicial treatment. In 2006 alone, four anti-discrimination bills were filed in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, but as of July 2013, no bill has been passed protecting LGBTs. Dinagat Islands Representative Arlene Bag-ao, however, filed House Bill 110 or the AntiDiscrimination Act last July

he Philippines has a contradictory relationship with the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. LGBT people are clearly visible in the Philippine mainstream media. Boy Abunda, the nation’s most prominent talk show host, is openly gay. Vice Ganda, another openly gay talk show host and comedian, starred in two of the highest-grossing Filipino films of all time. And just last June, singer Charice Pempengco, whom Oprah Winfrey called “the most talented girl in the world,” came out as lesbian on national television. On another note, the Philippine LGBT Hate Crime Watch also reports a total of 164 people killed from 1996 to June 2012. And yet the country currently has no nationwide law protecting LGBTs from discrimination. The issues that LGBTs face aren’t limited to just national ones. In the Ateneo, the Dollhouse– the university’s most prominent LGBT group–was recently criticized for failing to properly representing the school’s LGBT population. Despite this, the country is considered to be one of the most “gayfriendly” nations in the world. In a June 2013 survey conducted by the US-based Pew Research Center, 73% of adult Filipinos agreed with the statement “Homosexuality should be accepted by society.” The other 26% disagreed with the statement and the remaining 1% refused to answer. Deceptive acceptance

Regardless of what survey results indicate, some Filipinos believe that the country still has a

long way to go before it can truly say that it is gay-friendly. “There is a deceptive kind of acceptance when it comes to LGBTs,” Ron De Vera of the International Day Against Homophobia Manila Network said in an interview with Rappler. He says, “Philippine society has typified LGBTs as creative, talented, loud entertainers who are expected to stay in their neat little boxes.” “The minute we ask for the same rights that heterosexuals have, we become a threat,” he adds. Similar stereotypes also exist in Philippine media, where gays and lesbians are characterized as effeminate cross-dressers and butch tomboys. These characters are also usually seen as the comic relief or sidekick in television shows and movies. However, such stereotypes aren’t necessarily harming the LGBT community, says Miguel Lizada, an instructor at the English Department. “[We need to understand that] gender doesn’t necessarily translate to sexuality. One’s own brand of femininity or masculinity has nothing to do with their sexual orientation.” In a 2011 article for The GUIDON entitled “Bakla,” writers Andrew C. Syling and Jee Y. Geronimo interviewed Dr. Francisco Navarro of the Chinese Studies Program. Navarro observes that Philippine society is not “open to talking about these kinds of issues.” He adds that society treats LGBTs as just “being there.” The nation and homosexuality

Syling and Geronimo also interviewed Mira Alexis Ofreneo of the Psychology Department. She notes that there are two views of homosexuality present in the Philippines: That it is a

sin or that it is a sickness. According to Ofreneo, these two notions come from the country’s colonial experiences from Spain and the United States. The notion of homosexuality as a disease comes from the psychological models brought by the Americans. It was considered to be a mental disorder until the American Psychological Association removed it from the list in 1973. The same article states that the institutionalization of the Roman Catholic Church gave rise to the culture of machismo, leading to the strong homophobic sentiments within the country. The Church itself does not condemn

Photo BY Ryan Y. Racca

Ethnic and Anti-Religious Act of 2011, which includes provisions on discrimination based on sexual orientation, is currently awaiting passage in the Senate. The Senate bill has received opposition from the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), which wants the provisions protecting LGBTs from discrimination to be removed. According to a statement by CBCP lawyer Ronald Reyes, they believe that said provisions will open doors for the legalization of same-sex marriage. Closer to home

The most prominent presence of the LGBT community

We are the LGBT representative of the Ateneo and has always been for the past 14 years. — Gelo echon, Dollhouse Queen Mother

homosexuality, though it does not tolerate homosexual acts. Just recently, however, Pope Francis released a statement saying, “If someone is gay and seeks the Lord with good will, who am I to judge?” Unlike his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, who signed a document in 2005 stating that homosexuals could not be priests, Pope Francis shows a more conciliatory side. His statement could lead to a shift in Church

1. This bill aims to eliminate all forms of discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation and gender identity. A similar bill, the Anti-Discrimination Act of 2010 or House Bill 1483, was filed by Bayan Muna Party-List Rep. Teodoro Casiño. This particular bill been pending before the House committee on women and gender equality since November of 2011. Meanwhile, the Anti-Racial,

in the Ateneo is the Dollhouse, a group that is often misconstrued to be an organization that fights for equal rights and just treatment. On July 20, 2013, Christian D. Cejalvo reported about the Dollhouse elections in an online article for The GUIDON entitled “New Queen Mother: Bring back the ‘golden age’ of Dollhouse.” In the article, management of applied chemistry senior and newly elected

Dollhouse Queen Mother Gelo Echon says, “We are the LGBT representative of the Ateneo and has always been for the past 14 years.” Echon’s statement was met with widespread criticism within the Ateneo community, and the Dollhouse has since taken back this claim. “You put in your article that ever since 1997, Dollhouse has been pushing for gay rights. We don’t do that because [first and foremost] we’re a barkada. Dollhouse will always be a barkada. It’s a bench—it’s not an organization. Why would we fight for what is not being taken from us?” Echon clarifies in a mix of English and Filipino. According to him, the Dollhouse is “more of a support group, not a political group.” “There are a lot of factions, subgroups [in the LGBT community], and [people commenting on The GUIDON’s article] are saying that we do not really represent them,” Echon says. He concedes that it is indeed hard to represent all the groups in the Atenean LGBT community but that Dollhouse does have members who are not stereotypical cross-dressers. Echon also says that being called the representative of the university’s LGBT community was not something that the Dollhouse set out for. It was what they were branded as, since they are “the most prominent gay group in the Ateneo.” Despite Echon’s adamancy about not being political, Kevin Mizon, a development studies senior, insists that the very presence of the Dollhouse is already a political matter. Mizon was also the project head of Contradictions: Co-existing Sexualities, The question ›› 4

The GUIDON August 2013

Inquiry Problems with Both

R.S.V.P.

These schemes result in unsustainable business models due to the number of recruits. The ideal returns projected by these schemes usually aren’t materialized. This is because of the possibility that members will be unable to find their own recruits.

Written by David D. Garcia INFOGRAPHIC by Chelli V. Reyes

NETWORK MARKETING

Individuals may end up losing the money they paid when they cannot find any recruits.

Agents personally persuade the consumer to buy their products by means of capitalizing on their established relationship.

Similarities

Agents must be able to recruit their own members in order to gain a commission from the products sold by these initiates.

Need of constant flow of new recruits to make profit

The matrix created by agents and their recruits allows agents to earn a large commission if they have recruited enough people.

ILL

Involves direct forms of selling to consumers

Differences

Pyramid Schemes P P P P P P P P P 3

Pyramid schemes involve a hierarchy in which individuals recruit others to make payments. These payments lead recruits to believe that they will get a return of investment. The new initiates then recruit others in order to gain their own payments and add to the pyramid.

4 2

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NETWORK MARKETING: Products are involved

PYRAMID SCHEMES: No product involved

By invitation only

NETWORK MARKETING: Minimal profit is possible without recruitment of members

PYRAMID SCHEMES: Completely dependent on the hierarchy to make profit NETWORK MARKETING: Legal

PYRAMID SCHEMES: Illegal, associated with extortion

An investigation of multi-level marketing business By JM P. Batuhan

y phone rings, and I see my friend’s name flash on the screen. I take the call, briefly wondering what this could be about. When that friend opens with the lines, “Pare, do you want to make some money?” I naturally have some questions. Upon further inquiry, I hear “network marketing,” and then I begin to have my doubts. Network marketing is a business model that is an alternative to the more conventional methods of product distribution. It relies on several levels of distributors to effect maximum market penetration by making use of their personal networks to sell the product. It is also known as multi-level marketing (MLM), and it is nothing new. Many household names, such as Avon, Tupperware and Sara Lee built their foundations on this model and continue to operate this way today. Though it seems harmless enough, MLM is a contentious issue because of its marked similarity to the notorious pyramid scheme. Hoodwinked

We’ve all heard the cautionary tales about pyramid schemes, perhaps on the news or from relatives. They first entered public consciousness in the 1920s, when a fellow by the name of Charles Ponzi (from whom we have the infamous Ponzi scheme) duped a boatload

of people into joining a venture that was doomed to collapse. His promise of incredible returns for no work was met by equally incredible demand, but it was a promise he could not keep. Pyramid schemes are closely related, except, instead of a single entity in charge of the operation, you have the different members perpetrating the scam. Anyone who wants to join the operation is forced to pay an initial entry fee, which is usually a large one. The members who recruited the newbies take a cut of the entry fee, as do the people further up the pyramid, often called the “upline.” In order for the new recruits to earn, they must bring in other members to be below them, or to be part of their “downline,” so that they can then receive a portion of their entry fee. This classic setup wherein only the top of the pyramid and a handful of the early birds make any real money off of the poor souls who arrive late to the party is the defining feature of such a racket. Pyramid schemes focus on aggressive recruitment and make little or no effort to sell an actual product, which therefore makes them illegal, and the craftier ones are quasi-legal at best. Any scheme in which you make majority or all of your money off of recruitment is inherently unsustainable. This is because when the number of people joining inevitably slows, the scheme goes kaput, and most of the later investors lose their capital entirely.

Nowadays, such schemes are considered dull and predictable. They belong to the realm of get-rich-quick schemes that anyone with an ounce of business acumen should be able to spot a mile off. Yet there has been no shortage of con artists, and more than enough unwitting victims for them to scam.

entiated them from a pyramid scheme. I found their defense to be nearly impregnable. Seeking wisdom

An offer you can’t refuse?

But does network marketing immediately equate to a pyramid scheme? Should the very mention of the words send you running for the hills? The short and simple answer is, no. As in the majority of matters in life, the issue of legitimacy is not nearly as black and white as we would like it to be. When I received a call from a friend, management senior Vince Barraquias, who gave me a rather vague invitation to a business opportunity with quite lucrative potential, I wasn’t exactly chomping at the bit to accept. And when network marketing came up, warning bells were going off aplenty. However, it is easy to see how someone with less knowledge of the devious workings of the

myriad pyramid scheme offshoots might have immediately asked where to sign. But I have to admit that I was curious. I was invited by several friends to listen to a presentation on the same company, and I didn’t take them for fools. So either that assumption was wrong or this was an aboveboard enterprise. Not to mention that this invitation was fast making the rounds in the Ateneo and a lot of eyebrows were being raised.

To the test

I decided to take Vince up on the offer to find out what exactly was going on. The presentation was held at the rather innocuous location of a function room on the 4th floor of Berkeley Residences, a stone’s throw away from the Ateneo campus. It was not exactly the shady rendezvous you might imagine for a scam. There, all my questions were answered. The aforementioned company is Nu Skin Enterprises and they

check out on just about every level. Based on a brochure given out at their informative and considerably convincing presentation, I gathered the following: It is an American company based in Utah that is publicly listed on the New York Stock Exchange, it is among the Forbes top 10 most trustworthy companies and it was on the Forbes top 10 stocks to watch out for in 2009. The company’s total revenue was in excess of two billion dollars for 2012

and I was told that they gave away about 43 percent of that on commissions. As for their products, they more than stood up to the test. They had undergone research and testing by big shot PhDs, partnered with such institutions as Harvard Medical School, Stanford and Purdue, and they had been featured on the Discovery Channel. Just to be safe, I also verified all these claims on the Web right after. So then where was the catch?

Try as I might, I couldn’t see one. And believe me, it wasn’t for lack of trying. Take a gander around the Internet and you’ll see a lot of criticism of the MLM business model, with some writers going so far as to say that all MLM operations are just pyramid schemes in disguise. But this seemed to me to be a gross oversimplification of the matter. And so I asked questions—a lot of them. I ran through the entire gamut of criticism I had encountered in my research in an effort to do my

due diligence. Jake Ledesma, a management engineering senior, and Justin Tee, an executive of the company and a graduate of De La Salle University, were most accommodating in a lengthy question-and-answer session. Among other things, I asked them about market saturation, which is the concern that a large number of distributors will end up competing against one another. I also clarified the rather complicated compensation scheme and even asked point blank what differ-

I left the presentation with my head reeling and finding it hard to fault their logic, was even tempted to take the offer. But I still didn’t feel completely at ease, so I decided to consult a learned source, Acting Dean of the John Gokongwei School of Management Darwin Yu, PhD. His advice is pragmatic and can be summed up in, “You have to go into these schemes with your eyes wide open.” He stresses the importance of determining the financial strength of the system, which is based primarily on whether the company provides quality products. “We have to be careful that it’s not a pyramid scheme or a Ponzi scheme. So you need to have real products being sold.” How you make money within the system is a determining test of legitimacy. “The payout should not be dependent on getting new members but on actual products being sold,” he says. It is the product that makes or breaks the company. So when recruitment is

prioritized over the actual selling of the product, that should be a major red flag. He adds, “If the company has been around for some time—in other words it’s not a fly-bynight company, it’s reputable, it’s registered and so forth—then the multi-level system is a legitimate business model. So to me it’s buyer beware. If you don’t do your homework, you get burnt, like in any business.” He adds, “If the multi-level marketing scheme has a good product that can be sold on its own merits and the returns to the different levels of sellers are reasonable, then I think it’s okay.” In fact, he praised the business model, saying that those can do more than just sell and can convince others to sell for them can end up running their own operation, which is a great entrepreneurial opportunity. However, I still had certain misgivings about the entire enterprise and a friend of mine, management engineering senior Robert Abaño, felt similarly. “The whole MLM business is a very lucrative opportunity but my only concern is I cannot be certain whether my family or relatives are buying the products because they actually like it or they’re just buying it because of my relationship with them,” he says. Dean Yu agreed, saying, “It can be exploitative of personal relationships.” Keep your friends close

The hold that personal relationships have over us is a

truly interesting thing. The collectivist culture of Asia and the especially tight familial and social bonds of the Philippines conspire to create a strong sense of indebtedness that exerts a powerful pull on our decisions— a pull that is, in many cases, undeniable. The particular nature of the Filipino’s relationships is of enormous import to an area of business that makes or breaks its value on the strength of your network. To choose to exploit the bonds of family and friendship that we Filipinos cherish so dearly in the pursuit of monetary gain is no easy decision. But if you believe the business can be done without taking advantage of this condition, then by all means feel free. “The problem is not with the system itself. It depends on your sales approach; these could be great products that your f riends a nd fa mily members are not aware of. But if that’s the only way you define your relationship with your friend, you turn your friend into a customer and that’s it. Then, that’s your call and you face the risk of losing a friend. You gain a customer but you lose a friend,” Yu warns. In summary, he says, “[Multilevel marketing] is legal and it works. And it’s not just in the Philippines. There are many large, listed companies that use this form of direct selling. But don’t go into it naively. Don’t go into it blindly.”

The GUIDON August 2013

Inquiry

Filipino on the sidelines

CULTURAL ROOTS. Why don’t more Filipinos read Filipino literature?

By Alex A. Bichara and Eugene G. Ong

effects here in the Philippines. However, the challenge of inspiring students to appreciate local literature still remains. After all, technology makes it only a little easier to understand the intricacies of a Tagalog poem or a Palawan epic. Noble encourages students to give Filipino a chance, however. “Gustuhin niyong kilalanin ‘yung wika niyo, kultura niyo, ‘yung bansa na kinalakihan niyo

“T

he Ateneo Way” is for students “who wish to be in touch with what it means to be Filipino and seek to deepen themselves with the richness of the Filipino culture.” These are the words of former Director of Admission and Aid Nemesio S. Que, SJ on the Ateneo website. Although the Ateneo “seeks to identify and enrich Philippine culture” per its vision-mission statement, the presence of the Filipino culture on campus is questionable. The Filipino Department requires all students to take only three Filipino courses as part of the core curriculum on the appreciation of Philippine literature, while the English Department requires four English courses. The Filipino Department offers only three Filipino programs, while the English Department offers five English ones. Matanglawin, which publishes everything from discussions of current socio-political events to student-written Filipino literature, is the only all-Filipino publication in the Ateneo. Considering the evergrowing count of official and unofficial English publications in school, it seems that Filipino has been handed the short end of the stick. “Wika Natin ang Daang Matuwid (Our Language is the Right Way)” is the theme of this year’s Buwan ng Wika, the Philippines’ annual month-long celebration of the Filipino language. Every August, elementary schools and high schools throw fiestas and native costume contests—all to remind students of their cultural roots. The Filipino Department plans on holding a series of talks and contests this year to celebrate the Filipino language and culture as a community. Atenean perception

“’Yung literatura ng mga Pilipino, hindi siya kompleto kasi nababasa lang natin ang

mga literaturang sulat sa Pilipino (Filipino literature isn’t complete because we can only read literature written in Filipino),” says political science sophomore and Matanglawin member Ray John Santiago. Information design junior and Matanglawin Content and Research Editor Den Noble agrees with Santiago. “Paano ‘yung ibang dialect (What about the other dialects)?” she asks. Noble explains that the Philippines has over 120 languages, of which there are different dialects, yet students are required to learn the Filipino language alone. “Ang lawaklawak ng buong Filipinas, ang yaman-yaman natin, pero ang literatura namin ay nakakulong lang sa depinisyong iyon (The Philippines is vast and rich, but our literature is confined to just one definition),” she says. Diane Agujo, a sophomore management major, says that Filipino literature was never the focus of her science high school’s curriculum. She has always had a “limited understanding” of the subject. English, science and math were always at the top of her list, considering teachers would encourage students to have “that global mindset.” She added, “It seems that younger generations today don’t appreciate Filipino literature anymore because they don’t appreciate the Filipino culture, either.” “Filipino literature really is often neglected by the current generation,” observes management sophomore Gary Galang. He says he is not content with the way Ateneans perceive Filipino literature, considering students sometimes “lack nationalism and avoid Filipino whenever they can.” Matan g law in memb er s Santiago and Noble both agree that Filipino students should be proud of their mother tongue. Santiago wishes that others would appreciate the Filipino lang uage, as it is always changing. “Malalim din ang lenggwaheng ito, na kaya niyang tumapat sa Ingles (This is a profound language, too. It

can even be ranked alongside English),” he says. When asked if the Filipino Department of the Ateneo could do anything to change the student perception of Filipino literature, Noble said that the Ateneo should encourage nationalism by integrating Filipino with other subjects as well. Filipino literature today

Filipino literature, as with Filipino culture in general, has undeniably undergone marked changes over the years. Take Filipino poetry, for instance. Gone are the days when the awit and korido were the trend. Like their Western colleagues, Filipino writers of the last half century or so embraced less formal forms—free verse and spoken word poetry, to name a few. Not only are today’s writers freer to write how they want to, they are also freer to write what they want. Traditionally, themes like homosexuality and lust were off-limits when portrayed contrary to Catholic views. Now, an increasing number of audacious works speak of them in another light. Even newer movements like postmodernism—which emphasizes self-consciousness and fragmentation of thought—have found their way into Filipino novels. Khavn de la Cruz’s Himagsikan ng mga Puno, for example, combines both poetry and verse into a single narrative. Like José Rizal’s novels, modern Filipino literature not only describes but often also critiques contemporary life. It reminds us of the societal defects—poverty and moral corruption, to name a few—that hound us to this day. Noble ag rees. “Napakamagandang instrument nitong wika sana para magbigay boses sana sa mga nagmamalasakit (Filipino is a fitting instrument to give sympathizers a voice).” Despite this progress in terms of form and content, Filipino literature still faces fundamental issues. According to Santiago, a sense of incompleteness pervades Filipino literature, something he relates to the fact that the Filipino

language itself still lacks finality. Case in point: The ongoing Pilipinas-Filipinas debate. For Noble, modern Filipino literature also fails to capture the diversity of our culture. “Our knowledge of Filipino literature is either it’s in Tagalog, or it’s written by some Filipino born in the Philippines,” he comments in a mix of English and Filipino, referring to how the Filipino identity is limited to just one race, language and place. “It’s not enough.” Both Santiago and Noble also lament that the most popular Filipino literary works today are all not written in pure Filipino. Santiago notes that Filipino literature written in English fare better than those written in Filipino, citing the popularity of romantic pocketbooks and love stories, most of which are written in the vernacular. “It’s required to be in Taglish,” he says. Noble mentions Bakit Ka Hindi Crush ng Crush Mo?, Ramon Bautista’s hit humor book on love and relationships, as an example of how today’s Filipino books are often made to cater to popular tastes rather than preserve and showcase the Filipino language. The future

Undoubtedly, many of the trends seen today in Filipino literary thought will continue in the near future. Our culture tends to absorb aspects of other cultures—American comic book heroes and Korean pop music, for instance. As long as that assimilation continues, so will Filipino literature continue to evolve and ref lect that same trend. The information revolution will likewise be an influential force in shaping the future of Filipino literature—the rising popularity of e-books is testament to that. Amazon now allows authors to self-publish not only e-book versions of their books, but print and audio versions as well. Such advances are only beginning to create a shift in the literature of the west, but they stand a good chance of producing similar

Photo BY Ryan Y. Racca Illustration BY Charisse b. Tacang

(You must want to learn your language, your culture, your country where you grew up).” He continues, “Huwag kayong makontento sa ganoon (sa pagiging conyo) kasi mas mayaman ang wika natin. Napakayaman ang wika natin para lang limitahin natin sa pagkaconyo (Don’t be content with that [speaking in conyo], because our language is far richer than that. It’s too rich for us to just limit it to conyo speak).”

Closet politics a forum that took place during last February’s LGBT Day during the School of Social Sciences Week. Although the Dollhouse is not involved in the Sanggunian, Mizon argues that they are still political because of what they do. He says that using “gay lingo” and having their very theatrical, campy elections are spectacles that disrupt the everyday. “That itself is political because it has effects [on] people,” he says. “[They are] really influential. Their performance itself is already political. Their existence is already political, precisely because they are gays and they are marginalized.” Mizon also says that the group has made a difference in how the Atenean community views LGBTs, saying that the “Dollhouse definitely contributed a lot, although not in an institutional setting.” Despite not being involved with the Sanggunian, the Dollhouse has helped spread awareness and give representation to certain factions of the Atenean LGBT community. Mizon also mentions how difficult it will be to represent all subgroups of the Atenean LGBT community politically and institutionally. “There are a lot of different gays—it’s very diverse. If we want to really push for a strong front for the LGBT sector, we need to have a plurality of groups.” According to

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him, this will make it possible to represent and address the issues of the different factions of the LGBT community, which have varying interests and concerns. Discussion before action

In today’s Philippine setting, members of the LGBT community are generally given more opportunities to be open about who they are, even though religion and prejudice are also present in society. Pride marches and forums are being held, antidiscrimination bills are being proposed and people are beginning to be more open-minded. However, there is still a lot to be done to raise awareness and attain equality and proper political and institutional representation for the LGBT community. In the Philippines, both inside and outside the Ateneo, there is a lack of discourse about sexuality that slows down the LGBT movement. For Mizon, a formal institutional representation of the LGBT community in the university is not impossible. He says that this can be addressed through the creation of spaces where different gay people with different experiences can come together and discuss the issues of and in the LGBT community. These discussions may be able to determine what concrete action must be taken. Mizon says, “Dialogue and discourse. Then the revolution happens.”