VOLUME XXXVIII - ISSUE 10 | MARCH - APRIL 2015 - 12 PAGES
Fr. Boyd Sulpico, O.P. walks down the catwalk wearing a suit designed by Pablo Cabahug during the “Post-Valentine Affair.” | PHOTO FROM PAMD (Full story on page 3)
7% tuition hike in ‘15-‘16 BY MYKEE MONTEROLA
THE SCHOOL administration together with representatives of different sectors of the Colegio discussed and deemed reasonable, the proposed 7% Tuition Fee (TF) increase for AY 2015-2016 on February 23 at the Rector’s Hall. Last year, the Colegio refused to go with the tuition hike trend, but for this upcoming academic year, the school will be one of the
many universities and colleges who will signify their intention to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to raise tuition. During the TF adjustment consultation, Ariel Delas Alas, the school’s comptroller, clarified that the reasons for increasing the TF are the school’s mission and vision and the regional inflation rate. The increase is for the welfare of the Colegio’s employ-
ees and is based from the rate of increase in prices of consumer goods and services as measured by the consumer price index, which is used by CHED as a guide for regulating tuition hikes. As mandated by CHED Memorandum Order Nos. 3 & 8 series of 2012, any adjustment in the employee’s salary will come from the tuition fee, “Letran [is] dependent on the TF. [The] sal-
Letran notches top Quill awards
aries of employees will be lowered if we do not raise the TF… Hinahabol lang natin yung inflation rate,” Delas Alas said. There were no violent reactions from the side of the students regarding this matter. However, Letran Student Council president Anfernee Ruanto requested for the school to disclose the allocation of the miscellaneous fees for the information of the stu-
dents. Fr. Juan V. Ponce, O.P. assured that, “Anything that is earned by the school, goes back to the students.” The expected effect of the TF increase to the students (based on 18 units enrolled) will be from Php1,338.99 to Php1,469.27 while the tentative effect to the employee’s salary will be from Php1,500 to Php3,620.51 per month depending on
TUITION HIKE, PAGE 10
BY EUMARIE PENAFUERTE
BIGOTE ICOMM students once again proved their excellence by taking home the top awards during the Philippine Quill Awards 2015. | PHOTO FROM INTERNET
LETRAN’s Institute of Communication (ICOMM) proved their excellence in communication skills by winning several of the top awards at one of the most prestigious award giving bodies in the country. International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) gave recognition to the outstanding communication works of students at the Philippine Quill Awards 2015 which took place on March 9 at Crowne Plaza Galleria, Manila.
The communication major students received awards of excellence for ‘Cyberrape’ and ‘Rainbow X’ by John Dinco, ‘Tahan Na’, a TV Docmunetary by Prism Productions, ‘Adspeak ‘14’, an event organized by the Advertising major students, and the ‘No to Black Sand Mining’, a campaign by Ralphe Alarcon; and the merit awards for ‘Padayon’ by Ishna Salgados and ‘Preno’ by Alyssa Malapote. With their limitless creativity and perseverance in reaching the Quill’s standards,
LETRAN, PAGE 10
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2 news
ICOMM presents Sulyap 2015 BY EUMARIE PENAFUERTE
THE JUNIOR communication majors of Letran unleashed their skills in direction and creativity as they launched their documentaries at the Sulyap 2015 on March 27 at St. Thomas Hall in the morning and TV Studio in the afternoon. They produced 11 outstanding documentaries: “Dating Tagpuan” by Walter De Jesus, “Hataw sa Katahimikan” by Jan Ashley Reyes, “Pakled Yamo” by Paula Tamayo, “Kinulata” directed by Gladys Nicole Aquino, “Sagisag” by Paula Mae Gonida, “Amang Rizal” by Christian Samonte, “Inaalala” by Nela Ochoa, “Mamuri” by Maren Loreño, “Sukat” by Jaere Liwanag, “Gubat sa Siyudad” by Christian Orcine, and “Ahon” by Mary Rose Dela. Asst. Prof. Louie Ignacio, dean of College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, made this year’s introductory speech on wel-
coming the parents of the students, thanking them for their endless support and also congratulating the students for their participation in making the Sulyap 2015 possible. The documentaries focused on the issues that the public are not aware of, some are about hardships of being a soldier, religion, and faith, overcoming disabilities, featuring places in the country, etc. These are the stories that need to be highlighted in order for the people to become knowledgeable about what is really happening and leaving the audiences a thought for making an action to resolve and acknowledge these issues. “We want our fellow Filipinos to appreciate what we still have and make them realize na maganda ‘yung Pilipinas, mayaman ‘yung bansa natin. Kailangan lang natin ‘to pangalagaan,” said
Walter De Jesus, director of Dating Tagpuan. Gladys Nicole Aquino, director of Kinulata stated, “Kasi ang alam naman nating lahat na mahirap talagang maging sundalo. Nasa hukay na talaga yung isang paa nila. Pero natanong ba natin sa sarili natin kung anong nangyayari sa kanila after ng war?” “This documentary is meant to inspire everyone to look at the brighter side of things despite of all the violence and crimes we are facing today,” said Paula Tamayo, director of Pakled Yamo. “Pinapakita kasi dito na kahit anong hirap ng pinagdadaanan mo sa buhay, hindi man marangya ang pamumuhay mo, hindi ka normal, hindi ito naging sagabal para makuha ‘yung mga gusto mong makuha at kukunin pa” Jan Ashley Reyes, director of Hataw sa Katahimikan said.
ND reps place 3rd at Interschool cooking competition
Engineering wins Letramind BY JOSHUA BANGUILAN AND MYKEE MONTEROLA
BY JOSHUA BANGUILAN
the competition “Dito nakilala rin namin ang representatives from different schools. Ang tawag samin dito ay elites, Jolly University elites. In our boot camp, nagkaroon kami ng leadership s e m i n a r together with ND representatives win 2nd runner-up in Jolly University. | PHOTO FROM the CEO of FlyAce CJ MANNING’S FACEBOOK ACCOUNT Corporation, entrepreneurial s e m i n a r , THE NUTRITION and Dietetics majors namely Ancel Jeff Beso, Queen Mary culinary workshop with the ever famous Chef Anne Boliche, and Cyril Jerome Manning Sau (Del Rosario) na may digital marketing earned second runner-up in Jolly seminar and Personality Development University Grand Culinary Challenge on seminar,” said Manning. Also according to Manning, in participating, March 7 at Robinsons’ Ermita. they made a business plan which should The group “Team ND Babies” was the sell, “We made our business plan, kasi yung only Nutrition and Dietetics majors among dapat na ipe-present naming product ay the participants in the said competition. Their winning dish was “Pollo con mabebenta siya. Saka may projected sales, Champiniones in Hainanese Rice” or their digital marketing, and packaging. So, lahat chicken mushroom dish having button, ng natutunan namin sa boot camp, in-apply straw, and shitake mushroom which are namin dun sa grand cook-off.” After the cook-off, the representatives of products from Jolly company. Technological University of the Philippines Also, Jolly University held boot camps and placed as the first runner- up and conducted trainings and workshops with University of Santo Tomas secured the spot mentors of the same field. This is the first time Jolly University added a boot camp in as grand champions.
Team Engineering bags the trophy in the 2015 edition of Letramind.
TEAM ENGINEERING won the 2015 Letramind: Unleash your Inner Genius, an annual quiz bee competition by the Letran Academic Achiever’s Guild (LAAG) together with the Letran Student Council (LSC), from March 18 to 20 at three Student Center (SC) Building rooms. Team Accountancy finished as first runner-up, while Team Legal Management ended up as second runner-up. According to Wisdom Gen Dumpayan, president of LAAG, the LSC served as the adviser of LAAG, “But aside from just being the [provider of] fund, the LSC, which is composed of students from all programs, can easily deliver the advertising the activity requires, and most of all, they are experts when it comes to major [activities], being the mother organization.” Regarding the organization
of the facility by the organizers, the venue was not fit for schoolwide events, having three rooms from the SC’s third floor merged, such as Letramind which is a schoolwide event. “Siyempre unang una at pinakapinansin yung inappropriateness nung venue kasi masikip and mainit knowing na madaming pwedeng manuod since schoolwide event,” said Dumapayan. Even though, Dumpayan assumed that this year’s Letramind was easily organized compared to previous year’s competitions. “This year’s Letramind has been a lot easier for the organizers since mas maraming members ng LSC ang nag-hands-on sa activity unlike before na bilang lang sa daliri. This year’s
ENGINEERING, PAGE 10
news
VOLUME XXXVIII - ISSUE 10 MARCH - APRIL 2015 - 12 PAGES
Alumni countdown to 2020 BY MYKEE MONTEROLA
AS PART OF the run-up for the 400th anniversary celebration of Letran, the Colegiate Alumni organized the Letran College Quadricentennial: Alumni Countdown to 2020 (A Post Valentine Affair) on February 27 at the Salon de Actos. The post valentine affair is a fund-raising event, which featured the works of Letran Alumnus, Pablo Cabahug, a Communication Arts graduate from batch 2001. Most of his designs were influenced by his mentor, Randy Ortiz. Cabahug already established a name in the fashion industry and has dressed up a number of famous local celebrities. One of the highlights of the event was the participation in the catwalk of the Vice President for Financial Affairs & the Alumni Chaplain, Rev. Fr. Boyd Sulpico, O.P. and the current moderator of the Office of Cultural Affairs, Ms. Edna Marco. An invigorating cheer and applause from the audience were given to the models, the designer; Pablo Cabahug, sponsors, Ms. Edna and Fr. Boyd for making the event a success. The Letran Templar Singing Ambassadors along
with the Estribillo de los Escolares serenaded the guests with love songs and kundiman. Professionals from the fashion and entertainment industries, media & other sectors, school administrators, teachers, and staff attended the event; among them were Ms. Sherein Gaviola who is currently the Front Office Manager of Nobu Hotel in the City of Dreams in Aseana City in Pasay, sponsors for the fashion show; Mr. and Ms. Louie Villar of Crossover 105.1 FM; Capt. Benhur Gomez of Omni Aviation Corporation; San Fernando Mayor Hon. Mary Jane Ortega; Consul Robert Lim Joseph, Philippine Airlines President and Chief Operating Officer; Jaime Bautista, Elizabeth Salonga Fernando, and many more. Launching of Letran 400 Men & Women According to Fr. Boyd, the said fashion show was merely a sample activity compared with what the Colegiate Alumni has in store. Further, Fr. Boyd said that the real purpose of the event was to serve as an inauguration for the “Letran 400 Men & Women” which
aims to create opportunities for our alumni to have a significant contribution to the school by giving seminars, fora or round table discussions to our students and faculty. “Marami tayong alumni who are doing good in their fields and industries in abroad… we will invite even US-based alumni para meaningful yung pag uwi nila,” Fr. Boyd added. The alumni will share their learning experiences during their stay here in Letran and how they made it well in their chosen fields. Fr. Boyd also said that this time, it’s not just about donations; it is about being home with your fellow Letranites. During the post-valentine affair, the presence of several distinguished alumni, who are nominated by the Office of the Alumni Chaplain, was acknowledged. They are invited to partake in the upcoming alumni activities and projects such as the Letran Seminar Series open for all students this summer, Arriba Business Club for the CBAA, and the most awaited grand gathering of alumni, the Letran 400 Gala in 2020.
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ICOMM bags 4 trophies in Alberione Awards BY ALANIS CRUZ
ICOMM showed their capabilities by taking home awards from the ‘Alberione Awards’. | PHOTO FROM INTERNET
THE INSTITUTE of Communication (ICOMM) brought home a total of four trophies from the Alberione Media Awards on March 21 at the Alberione Hall in San Antonio, Makati. Three of ICOMM’s produced documentaries conquered and received the trophies under ‘Best Short Film’: ‘Tahan Na’ as Best Short Film; ‘Lunas’ as the Grand Prix’ Juror’s Choice, People’s Choice, and the first runner up; and ‘Thy Will Be Done’ as the second runner up. One of the music videos also received a trophy, ‘Stand Ground’, as the first runner up. Other documentaries were given special recognition such as ‘Padayon’ and ‘Preno’. “The documentaries were a final requirement for our courses TV Production and Writing for TV,”
Clarence Sampang, ‘Thy Will Be Done’ director, stated. “So hindi kami necessarily nag-prepare specifically for Alberione Awards, pero ICOMM always encourages its students na magpasa ng outputs on awards giving bodies, so that’s what we did.” Sampang also expounded his happiness and precise gratitude on behalf of the whole production team and the whole ICOMM community. “It’s one of ICOMM’s goals to maintain its image as “the most awarded communication school” under Letran’s name and I’m proud to say that we are a part of it.” The Alberione Media Awards is an apolostic activity of St. Paul Bible Ministry that gives recognition to works of media related to faith and values.
Marketing senior wins 2nd in Agora Youth awards BY RALPH RONALD BANIQUED
Joerome Santos with fellow Registered Marketing Professional (RMP), Ronald Catapang. | PHOTO FROM PAMD
JOEROME SANTOS, senior marketing student bagged the Salutatorian Award in the Search for the 2015 Marketing Student of the Year of the Philippine M a r k e t i n g Association (PMA) – Agora Youth Awards 2015 concluded at Diosdado Macapagal Hall of the Land Bank Philippine Plaza on March 7. This year, the 13 finalists of the Marketing Student of the Year division were tasked to
create a marketing plan for the company, Sun Cellular. On March 5, Santos and the other finalists defended their marketing plans to different top management officials such as representatives from Summit Media, Sun Cellular, and the president of PMA, Yayu Javier. With the help of his adviser, Asst. Prof. Mercy Batutay and mentor, Dr. Leonardo Garcia, Santos’ “MaxSIMum” marketing plan won second place above other finalists from different schools. “Naluha-luha ako. Napaluhod pa ako ‘nun,“ said Santos, recalling when his codename wasn’t called until the
last two finalists and later ended up second place. After the awarding ceremony, Santos went straight to CBAA (College of Business Administration and Accountancy) Night wherein he was greeted with cheers and applause from the students and administrators while holding the recently won trophy. “[Taon-taon], sumasali tayo since nagkaroon ng Agora. Finalists lang lagi ang nakukuha. Tapos, in-awardan ako nila Fr. [Orlando] Aceron (Rector and President) dun. Tuwang tuwa sila,“ said Santos. Santos said that his participation in different competitions such as being a part of last year’s Agora
Youth Awards Marketing School of the Year, market research division, and competitions held by Philippine Association of National Advertisers and Chartered Institute of Management Accountants gave him experiences and helped him win the award. “Sobrang saya. Dahil naisip ko sa sarili ko, di lang ‘to award bilang Marketing Student of the Year ako, ‘kundi proud Letranista at produkto ako ng Letran,” said Santos. On the other hand, the Colegio’s Registrar, Prof. Ma. Victoria Rosas, PhD, DBE won the Marketing Educator of the Year in 2015 Agora Awards, an award giving body also held by PMA.
4 opinion Are you graduating? IT IS THAT time of the year again when a bunch of students are slated to march their way out of the campus. It is not because they failed, but for the reason that they finished a chapter in their lives; perhaps the most vital. And they will be given proper send-off at PICC. But before the wonderful celebrations commence, let us ask you a question: are you really graduating? Do you think you are properly equipped to endure the challenges the next chapter has in store? Are you ready for life after college, the ‘real thing’ as they say? How many tests did you pass without cheating? How many subjects did you ace without stressing yourself? How many major exams did you take without studying? How many subjects did you pass taking only minimal notes or perhaps having none at all? How many homework/assignments did your classmates accomplish for you? We cannot deny the importance of being well-versed in the universal language. Are you fluent in English? To sum it all, how much did you really learn? If you come to think of it, at the end of the day, a diploma is just a piece of paper which you can land a job with; but the ‘knowledge’ is something that you need to be successful. It is what you need to succeed, survive, and reach that dream. One cannot achieve greatness with incompetence. Now, try asking yourself, am I really graduating? The LANCE salutes Batch 2015.
EDITORIAL BOARD 2014-2015
Ralph Ronald Baniqued News Editor
Kim Daniel Rubinos Editor-in-Chief Jerica Loise Orosco Managing Editor
Kevin Louise Valdez Angelica Pauline Sta. Ana Sports Editor Features Editor
Jan Joseph Mascot Famanila
Photo Section Officer-in-Charge
Alissandrine Margaret Blanquisco Design Editor Joshua Banguilan, Bettina Bonillo, Alanis Cruz, Alyssa Delfin, Ronald Espartinez, Risha Fernandez, Mykee Monterola, Eumarie Penafuerte, Kathrina Pineda, Iveth Solevilla, Bryle Suralta, Rachael Uycoque, Angelu Zafe
Contributors
Leslie Boado, Honey Francisco, Ryan Rona, Pauline Gonida Photographers Christelle Ann Cala Cartoonist
Norberto D. Bana III Adviser Published monthly, The LANCE has its editorial staff office at 3F Student Center Building, Colegio de San Juan de Letran, Intramuros, Manila. F O R C O M M E N T S, Q U E STI ONS, a n d LE TTE RS TO TH E E DIT OR Get in touch with us at fb.com/thelanceletran
@TheLANCELetran
letran.thelance@gmail.com
Last glance ONE GLOOMY afternoon at The LANCE office, I was glancing at its usual scene. Our design editor, Meg, doing layout on one computer and news editor, Ralph, editing articles at the other. I then realized that this scene, which I have been accustomed to for months now, will meet its end soon; and that it will not be long before our tenure draws to a close. It was generally a bittersweet realization; I really want to finish everything right away and move on but on the other hand, I wouldn’t want to leave and finish the task I duly embraced (yet). As we hit the home stretch, it made me somewhat unproductive which transcends into the paper being idle as well. We struggled to give birth to our final two issues and our final assignment, the literary portfolio. I still remember the time when I first entered this office. I was a fresh transferee back then and my life was in a bit of disarray. I was accepted as the first-ever trainee and was promoted as a contributor months later. The next year, I passed the placement exams and went on to be a staff for a year. Then the day I was given a massive responsibility came, I never visualized myself carrying this enormous load; and I’m pretty sure no one also did.
I had envisioned something great for The LANCE then, but as my term aged day-by-day, petty issues came in. I know that was the way it was supposed to be so I had to deal with the different ‘issues’ calmly and collectively, the rest of the way. The real ‘issues’ of this paper (that should have given more attention) like its declining popularity, the way articles are written, the views of LANCE, etc., were buried even deeper as I had to solve problems of my staff, particularly inside the editorial board. I still adhered to my principle that the team goal is more important than individual differences. But these petty issues still stole the spotlight. It was an uphill struggle. I did not have anymore the chance to bring LANCE where it is supposed to be brought but with the help of Ralph, Meg, and a few devoted staff, we managed to finish ten issues and one literary portfolio. I have to thank everyone that gave a hand. To Ate Diane and Ate Reeza, my former editors turned friends, thank you to the both of you for inspiring me. To Ate Tessa, my former news editor, thank you for everything you have taught me: the technicalities and stuff. I may have forgotten some, but I have learned from you the most. To Sir Anton and Kuya Jacinto, I
look up to the both of you. To my brother, Ralph, thank you for never leaving LANCE; the perfect definition of a dedicated soul that can be an asset to anyone’s team. One who is willing to do more than what the job dictates. One who is always up to the challenge. You are one of the most talented in the batch and I’m sure no one would ever beat your awesome play of words. We will miss your presence at the office. Thank you, brother. To our bunso, Meg, you know you are a big part of this success. We wouldn’t be able to do it without you as every issue passed through your fingertips. Too big of a responsibility for such a young girl but you nailed it. I remembered the time when you are still the shy type who only listened to instructions, but now I’m glad that you have grown and can now make decisions of your own for this paper. I hope you would be back for another run. You will be one of the seniors then; I know you’ll do best. To Jeka, frankly, your run as the managing editor is not perfect. Not even close to the ‘ideal performance’. But nonetheless, you have done your ‘job’. Thank you for your effort. You can now say to me, “it was nice working with you”, if it really was. To Aphec, thank you for accepting my call for you to finish what Marj has started as the sports editor. I know you could do it. I have always believed in your capabilities and admired your work. This is a legitimate sports writer, everyone. The ‘ride’ wasn’t smooth but considering the harsh circumstances, you did
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VOLUME XXXVIII - ISSUE 10 MARCH - APRIL 2015 - 12 PAGES
opinion
All For Just One
Sober thoughts GOODBYES are always weird, I must say. I assume that the column on my left would be a bit melodramatic and impactful (Kim being Kim), and so will be the two above me. It is a ton of struggle though because I wouldn’t want to sound dramatic myself. But I guess it is what goodbyes demand. Before entering college, I was always anxious of how every thing would turn out. Will I make friends? Could I handle the pressure? Will I graduate on time? So then, I found out there’s more to gain than what I expected. And it turns out that several good things you may have aspired to have aren’t the only things you will acquire. You’ll gain more.
I gained great, plentiful of friends. I overcame pressure and used it to actually be an advantage. And I will graduate on time (hurray!), may not be with flying colors, but with enough inspiration to achieve such in the future. I will always be thankful to those who became a part of my journey; you made this experience one hell of a fun ride. To those who are yet to face another year or so in their college, there are just few things that I could impart to you. First, grades don’t define how remarkable of a student you are. You could be a kind classmate, you could be the humane student who tidies his table after eating in the canteen, or you could be the polite
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Self-titled
guy who smiles at the janitor who’s under the stress of cleaning all day. Whoever you are, you could be respected. And respect could be the most remarkable thing you could ever get. Second, cherish every bits of stress, drama, and struggles you faced and you will face in school because these are the things that you will remember in the end and realize how these events taught you lessons that you could use in the future. Lastly, get out of your comfort zone. Don’t be that guy who goes home right away after school for his entire college life. Join groups. Try different things. Live your college life at its fullest. Gain more. Letran will become a big part of you, as it already is. I know it. Because I dream that one day, I will get my master’s degree, return to the Colegio, and impart all of my knowledge and heart. Quite honestly, I had the hardest time writing this because I want it to
ODDLY enough, one of the biggest problems I had when taking up the position of being the feature editor for The LANCE was naming this very column. I wanted it to fit with the more manic and fun part of my personality, but I wanted it to command a very real sense of authority from readers. I wanted to project an image of a person that knows what he is talking about even when he really doesn’t know anything (#realtalk, I still don’t know anything) but anything I came up with ended up too serious or too stupid. Plus, I had to anticipate what kind of editorials will I end up writing. I wanted to be a hard-hitting opinion leader. I wanted to inspire conversation. Idealistic, yes, but I think that is a dream most Journalist, specially Journlist-in-training, share. But throughout the year, I was prepared to utterly lambast the school administration and/or the student government when they did something I couldn’t have fully anticipated for. They did their jobs admirably. I know. It’s weird. But throughout this school year, while there were a few bumps on the road here and there, the school year was pretty quiet when it comes to controversies and mishaps. So now I got stuck rambling on about things that either don’t really matter and/or things that matter to me on a personal level. But anyway, an Overlooking View. One of my
be relevant as much as possible, but I guess it is unavoidable to be a little personal, being my very last Intoxicated column for my entire college life (how sad is that). So please excuse me. Kim, you did great being the EIC. You rock, my friend. Applause.
biggest shame is that I have been in Letran for 5 years now (and counting). Friends have even jokingly called me Super Senior, and while I may take it in strides, I still do feel the prick and sting of harsh words. But when I took upon the mantle of being the Feature Editor, I came upon a rather amusing and frightening thought. That I, as a senior even among seniors, do not really belong anymore. Most of my batch has already graduated and moved on with their lives but I’m still here. While they’re carving up a life for their own, I’m still in this cycle of college dilemmas. Sad, but not entirely. See, I now have a unique opportunity to give more to the community. Now the question becomes what do I give back? And it was simple: I can give them a perspective. I don’t belong to this batch, or even this generation. My time has gone and passed but I’m still here. I wanted to show through my writing a perspective of an outsider peering in from the fringes. I wanted to impart upon the unique mindset of a Super Senior. Because there is something unique about seeing something from an overlooking view and I wanted everyone to see that. I do not know if I succeded, most likely I have failed, but this year has been a journey unlike any other. To those graduating, I salute thee. To those that are aspiring to, good luck. And to anyone reading this, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
The LANCE, Templar, and Escolares mates, you are a big part of my life. Friends and classmates, see you whenever, wherever. (And here the cliché goes) I am Ralph Ronald Baniqued, Journalism, sober, now signing off.
E r e m m u S t es
#B
t hold sweet! Bu o s d te s ra b l never ta r a memo e m o m d m e e u s fr r s o ve r a n d aking you up spending your y m ll , a t n r a fi p is y end ful School the eas you’ll just of living life to the ‘ school is r, f a o e g t u o in g tin stead urself ple – n’t get yo sleeping in out , gun’s out , peo r e m m u If you do s ’s e t his entir urs to explore. Sun wh o s p e n o y is world ‘cause the
Good ol’ Manila
Admit it, when was the last time you had a good look at bustling city of Manila? The winding treasure filled streets to its scenic
beauty, the Metro has more than enough wonders that can sate the explorer in you for years to come! Take a gander at the wonderfully delicious delicacies found in Binondo. Quick history lesson: did you know that the Chinatown in Binondo is one of the, if not the, oldest Chinatowns in the world? It’s true! Established in 1594, Chinese
immigrants were given free reign to govern t h e m selves and establish their own community here in Binondo. A community that still strives to this very day! So craving for some genuine authentic Chinese food? Binondo is your place. Oh, what’s that? You want something a little more at home? Well, the Ilus-
trado Restaurant located in the very heart of Intramuros might be more up your alley. Featuring a very Filipino inspired menu and décor, Ilustrado will satisfy the connoisseur in you. The food at Café Juanita, located in Kapitolyo, Pasig City, is no slouch either. When it comes to Filipino home cooking, Juanita, is as close as you can get. From reinvented classics, like the pork adobo, to a more modernized angel-hair pasta with aligue. Cafe Juanita is packed to the brim with character that just soothes the soul (and tummy!). And this is just the tip of the ice berg; Manila has a lot to offer to the young and adventurous!
Chill off at Baguio
W h a t was once a private v a c a tion spot for Uncle Sam is now home for 30,000 and still growing. Baguio is a premier destination for the travel happy aficionados who are looking for place to just chill. Offering a plethora of opportunities
to those looking to just chill and relax. Feeling a bit thrifty? Head down Session Road and shop in the original ukay-ukay. The cautious buyer may be wary of the legitimacy of the products on sale but to those willing to take a gamble, they might just bagged themselves a chance to buy something for nearly a quarter
of the selling price. The downtown market is no slouch either in the selling department. Selling all sorts of carved bulul and the notoriously infamous Barrel Man. Want a bit of culture in your travels? Find a way to visit the Bencab Gallery and Museum. Owned by national artist, Ben Cabrera, ethnographic masterpieces are showcased that truly shows the vivacity of the unique culture of the indig-
enous tribes of the country. Of course how can we forget the famous Burnham Park, Camp John Hay, and Mines View Park? You can’t say you’ve been to Baguio without dropping by these great parks and just hang out.
r e v E
getdo ‘cause id k e r e g. th es other thin le yo u r h o r s o h w a nce is hmuck le experie e some sc mily, k li n o ti a ac and fa summer v ur friends ! o y b a r g mmer fun u s e llest . So m o s time for ‘cause it’s
Sun, Sand, and Surf in Boracay beach
There is no beach in the country more iconic than the four kilometers of white, powdery fine sand of Boracay, with resorts, shops, and restaurants’ dotting the picturesque White Beach, Boracay offers a home, away from home for weary travelers. Three s e c t i o n s
make up for most of White Beach. The northernmost section, the slightly higher end and expensive section, Station 1, covers the biggest section of the beachfront. You can find a gathering of resorts and hotels galore in this section, most of which are sure to put a dent on your wallet. Station 2, on the other hand, isn’t all that expensive; but has a plethora of places to eat, shop, and party. If you’re planning on enjoying Station 2 to the fullest, you better be ready to spend, spend, spend! Station 3, the southernmost section, is however different from the posh and fancy Station 1 and 2. Because the waters here are mostly calm, this part of White Beach is almost exclusively for people
who j u s t want to soak some rays and swim leisurely. Bulabog Beach, one of the lesser known beaches of Boracay, has larger waves and strong winds than its more renowned counterpart. This makes it the perfect spot for some extreme sports like windsurfing and kiteboarding. Be it the party filled White Beach or the sporty and action-packed Bulabog Beach, there is something for everybody. Plus because of the influx of tourists from
all over the world, Boracay has adopted a catering that can serve all sorts of dishes. Want some Japanese, they got you covered. Craving for some Italian pizza, they have it. Feeling a bit puckish for Mediterranean, sure thing! Boracay can serve just about anything for just about anyone. So bring some extra cash, you’re gonna need it.
Go loco for Cagayan de Oro
You want your summer to be fast and furious, but don’t know where to go? Well, my good friend there is always a home for the reckless and the brave in Cagayan de Oro, where whitewater rafting and river trekking is the name
of the game. The Cagayan de Oro River’s challenging rapids makes it the best in the country and boy, does it bring the thrills in spades. Still not enough for you? Then you might take to the skies and see the world from the 120-meter long Sky Bridge s u s pended 120 feet from the ground and finish it off by taking the 120-me-
ter breathtaking zip line down. And if that’s still not enough, Jatico Adventures features a grueling five-course zip line and ATV rides that faces you off the hills and muddy puddles of the country side. In C a g aya n de Oro, e v e n Mother Nature is extreme. The Mapawa Nature Park has its own share of wa-
terfalls (which you can jump off of), trekking (through dense forestry), and rappelling (down steep vertical cliffs!).
ALL PHOTOS FROM THE INTERNET
8 FEATURES reviews this year’s BY TRISHA ANDRADA, KATHRINA PINEDA, AND ANGELU ZAFE ONE OF THE MOST anticipated events before the school year ends is CinemaKnights, the week-long screening of short films made and produced by graduating Communication majors. CinemaKnights is also the home of different awards and recognitions of the Institue of Communication. In fact, in the recently-concluded Philippine Quill Awards, Rainbow X, an entry to the 2013 edition CinemaKnights, was given the Top Award, the highest possible recognition students can receive from the prestigious award-giving body. This year, seven short films graced the screen, and here’s our take on each one of them:
SABADO
Sabado revolves around two people who found friendship during an unlikely time. With its two young characters, this entry may look like just a cute innocent love story at first but is actually one Directed by Clarence Sampang
The Cramming revolves around two Communication students and their struggle to finish a script in less than 20 hours. If Director Clarence Sampang and his team’s goal with The Cramming are to purely entertain and make the audience laugh and forget about their worries for fifteen minutes, then they are probably the most successful team on this year’s CinemaKnights. Watching The Cramming is such an enjoyable
of the darkest films in this year’s CinemaKnights. What’s so promising about Salgados’ Sabado is that she and the people behind it were able to make a film about the issue of suicide with such beautiful execution, but without ever romanticizing it. Aside from the unique plot, the film’s consistently flawless cinematography helped a lot in capturing the attention of the audience throughout the film. Its open ending gave us freedom to choose what kind of decision the
Directed by Ishna Salgados
main characters made in the end, and frankly, the ending you decide on says a lot about yourself. This film is not for those who are too lazy to make their minds work, neither it is for those who want every fragment of the film spoon-fed to them. Sabado is a film that requires you to think, it is for those who ponder and think of each and every bit of a film, because you’re not going to appreciate this, or any film for that matter, if you’re too lazy to do that. ★★★☆
THE CRAMMING
experience, since the film is light, witty, and charming. The concept of the film was well-thought. Since the audience will be students, they probably thought of making a film with procrastination as the theme, which almost everyone is definitely guilty of. No wonder this short film is also a crowd favorite, it’s almost like watching our own college experiences in the screen. ★★☆☆
LAST TWO MINUTES Last Two Minutes is about a father who makes a living through the gambling game called “ending”. After an incident with his son, he faced a dilemma that challenged him to lose something which is more valuable than any amount of money. Aside from the good plot and convincing actors, Ababao and her team’s idea of adding the
Selda is about two inmates from neighboring prison cells sharing their
background stories to each other. Just like Balota Nga, Delfin’s Selda also focused on a reality of our country which was the injustice between the poor and the rich. However, it lacked another side of the story and some of the bits of the film were questionable. The actors Mercedes Cabral and Mike Liwag gave excellent performances and the film’s soundtrack was our favorite among the seven. ★★☆☆
Balota Nga is about a man who agreed to be a vote buyer in their town in order to pay his son’s hospital bills. Santiago’s film accurately depicts how great a father’s love to his child is. It reached to the point where the father engaged in an illegal matter to save the life of his son. We commend the team of Balota Nga for courageously making a film about a political matter and one of the heaviest problems of our country, and being able to execute it. One of the things that film should
do is open our eyes in the realities of life, and Balota Nga is an example of a film that did exactly that. ★★☆☆
BALOTA NGA
Directed by John Alfred Foi Salazar Directed by Michelle Joy Ababao
concept of the gambling game, ending, is really new and smart. It is also nice that it revolves around family and the lengths people are ready to take to stand for them. However, there were a little bit too many unnecessary scenes and it was also hard to hear the audio of some scenes. ★★☆☆
SELDA
Directed by Alyssa Bianca Delfin
Directed by Christian Mey Santiago
MESSAGE SENT
Set during the ‘90s, Message Sent is about two people who knew each other through text messaging. At first, Salazar’s Message Sent looked like the typical and quirky Star Cinema romance film, but its ending revealed that it’s way more
than just that. The film’s setting and the characters’ use of the ‘jejemon’ way of typing contributed a lot to the film’s over-all humor and charm which is why it’s totally understandable why Message Sent is a crowd favorite. Aside from the convincing acting and hilarious script, it is one of the most relatable films in this year’s roster and with that kind of ending, I’m pretty sure it was able to achieve its goal: to somehow make us believe in destiny, and love again. ★★☆☆
VOLUME XXXVIII - ISSUE 10 MARCH - APRIL 2015 - 12 PAGES
LOST PLATE Lost Plate focuses on a man undergoing an existential crisis, the film revolves around the different conflicts between him and the decisions he made in the past. Reyes’s Lost Plate is one, if not the most underrated film of CinemaKnights 2015 that we firmly believe deserves more appreciation and more positive reception. Aside from its remarkable film poster and even more remarkable cinematography and editing, the team behind Lost Plate is the solitary this year that decided to shy away from the norm and do an entirely different kind –a monologue film. They were courageous enough to try to give us, the viewers, a new experience and they were able to graciously pull it off. Lost Plate has a good point and a solid theme, and it has the ability to make the audience think again and reflect on
Directed by Jehu Rey Reyes
FEATURES
9
Off the shelf: four fantasy must-reads BY RACHEL UYCOQUE
their own lives. Moreover, the symbolism between the man’s car and his life was one of the things we like best. Just like his car, he considers himself lost, and stuck in a dark place where it barely moves and he’s drowning in his own thoughts. Lost Plate is one of those films where its strength is also its weakness. While some perceive it as boring and uninteresting, some remark it as deep and thought-provoking, which we guess all comes down to the audience and how well they can relate to the lost man and his lost plate. ★★★☆
BLOODY GOOD TIME WITH BLOODBORNE
MOST YOUNG readers only read a handful of the whole fantasy reading experience. Think Harry Potter, Game of Thrones or even Twilight – it’s a total shame to revel only in the big titles out there. There’s so much more than the titles we see in the bestsellers and big screen. Arranged from oldest to newest, I spruced up a handful of books from my stash to make up this list of interesting reads:
Doomsday booK
Let’s start off with a novel that won BOTH the Hugo and Nebula awards. Written by Connie Willis in 1992, Doomsday book follows Kirvin – the young historian turned time-traveler and her direct experience in living in the 14th century. With a powerful play of emotions
SECRET CIRCLE
Originally written in 1992 by L.J. Smith as a trilogy, it was continued in 2012 and added three more books for a total of six. The Secret Circle stood as a series separate from its more popular sister (Vampire BY KEVIN LOUISE VALDEZ Diaries) and focused on teen FROM THE MOMENT I borne is a game where you witches fitting into a new stepped out of the will die. A lot. And it’s fun. character creCalling Bloodation screen borne challenga n d ing would be an came unfacet o claw with a ravderenous werestatement. In wolf, I knew it, the game, you I’m gonna love this game. are dropped in the middle of From Software, the com- the ghostly and ghastly city pany behind Bloodborne, has of Yarnham, where even the been a long player in gaming weakest enemy possesses a history but only after they re- major threat. ‘See that flightleased the deviously difficult less bird?’ The game asked, game, Demon’s Soul, did they ‘that gonna kill you’. The gothic get the acclaim they so right- Victorian city architecture fully deserved. Now what did the permeates the design of they do to gain such acclaim? the world adds to the otherWell, in a world where every- worldly vibe the game has. thing is being made to cater Gameplay wise, Bloodborne to a wider more casual audi- favors an odd mixture of both (STAND-ALONE) ence, From Software made a tactical and hack-and-slash So you call yourself the world’s bold and quite frankly genius approach. Offense is key to plan: make something so victory in surviving the world greatest gift and someone asks you to steal a book at the House brutally hardcore that even of Yarnham. In your charac- at the End of the World. What do the most ardent gamer will ter’s left hand, you’ll wield a you do? If you’re Althalus, you find nail-bitingly frustrating. firearm. It could be a pistols, decide to go ahead and read it for And it made them millions. a shotgun (or a blunderbuss two and a half thousand years. Now we have Bloodborne, if you’re feeling rather techni- Written in 2000 by David and From Software’s latest of- cal), or a flamethrower. Yes, a Leigh Eddings, the story revolves around the war between good fering. Following the steps flamethrower. While on your and evil. The Goddess Dweia of its older brothers, Bloodtakes the thief Althalus in to do
and characters, a thoroughly researched reality (worth five whole years) and an unquestionably beautifully written story, I recommend this to those who love a good old-fashioned depressing book with profound explorations of human nature.
(SERIES)
circle. It has stereotypical characters, with a love at first sight romance plot but as a book targeted for a young audience, it doesn’t fail in being an engaging and refreshing read. Do you swear to be loyal to the circle? Pick up the The Initiation. Now.
TALES OF DUNK AND EGG Before anything else, yes, this was written by George R. R. Martin and yes, this is related to Game of Thrones. Before immediately wondering if your favorite characters from GoT find its way here, I’m telling you right from the start that this 1998 trilogy focuses on the tales of the hedge knight, Dunk and his squire, Egg, set eighty nine
REDEMPTION OF ALTHALUS
BLOODY, PAGE 10
(STAND-ALONE)
her biddings and together, they gather the group destined to save the world. Despite having strong characters, the lack of a deeper plot and bigger conflicts made it a better read for 10 year olds and above—a good start for fantasy reading. If cinematic battles aren’t your cup of tea in solving problems, this is the conflict book for you.
(SERIES)
years before the events of the series. The story focuses on Dunk’s zero-to-hero journey to knighthood from tourney to tourney in the old rules and traditions of Westeros. Both old and new readers will find comfort in the numerous characters, witty and hilarious dialogue, and the world Martin never fails to pen so vividly.
10 features Reviving the
Metropolitan
BY RISHA FERNANDEZ
IN CASE you missed it, the City of Manila had recently released their plan of restoring the Manila Metropolitan Theater last March 7. From the cleanup expenses worth P100 million and the actual restoration going up to P500 million, the art-deco building aims to be rehabilitated for the future use of student artists; specifically, the performing arts groups of
Universidad de Manila. The deteriorating theater was constructed during the American period and brought to life by respected architect Juan Arellano – the guy behind the Manila Central Post Office building, the Legislative Building, and the Jones Bridge. Popularly known as “The Met”, it was partially destroyed after the Second World War, temporarily becoming a nesting ground for
FROM PAGE 4
FROM PAGE 9
LAST
remarkably well. I can smell a great future ahead. I wonder how smooth that ‘ride’ can be with a complete staff and a full term. To Kevin, you have proven that being ‘weird’ is undeniably fine. You gave me a lot: from articles to headaches. Thank you for sticking from start to finish. Good luck on your career. Thank you also to Mascot and to this year’s former editors, Adrian and Marjorie. To my staff, the contributors and photographers, thank you for your efforts this year. To those who will be given another shot at LANCE, please do better. Learn from the mistakes I/we had this year and keep in mind that pure dedication and absolute commitment to the task, the paper itself, and the people is what LANCE needs. To Sir Carlo, former adviser, it’s amazing that I learned so much in so little time. It is unfortunate that this batch only had a very short time under you. But nonetheless, we are grateful. To Sir Bana, current adviser, sorry for all the headaches you had to endure. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the opportunity to work with you. To my block, FM3B, you are
BLOODY
right, you’ll carry what’s called a trick weapon. These trick weapons transform from one form to another. Like, one is a saw that grows in size, a hammer with a sword attached to it, a cane which doubles as a whip, and many others. Each has its own pros and cons and figuring what-is-what adds to the fun to playing Bloodborne. In your journey, you’ll encounter some of the oddest, scariest, monster designs
too many to mention. Salamat sa suporta, brothers. I got a little too emotional (sorry, readers). Going back, I think the rationale why I wouldn’t want this to end (yet) is that I know that we could have done better. It was a quick twelve months; perhaps, the most rough and rigorous twelvemonth-stretch of my life. And the paper was never perfect as much as it tried to be. As I take this one final glance, I will bring with me all the friendships I made, the tough experiences I had to endure, and most especially, the knowledge it taught me. I can never be ‘perfect’ after my term, but I can always be enough. I had a wonderful time. I’m Kim Daniel Rubinos, your Editor-in-Chief, signing off.
boxing gyms, gay bars, and low-quality motels before Arellano’s nephew Otillio restored the cultural center in 1978. Thanks, Imelda! Like rollercoaster tracks going up and down, the cultural center’s regained prestige were short-lived; in 1996, an unsettled dispute on ownership between the city administration and the Government Service Insurance System ended its operations. Fortunately,
courtesy of the twisted minds of From Software’s imagination. Some bosses are your standard fare but some – like say a thirty-foot spider monster is the stuff of nightmares. Bloodborne is the antitheses of modern game design. Tough but fair and never shy to punish players for complacency, it’s for people who want a challenge rather than just entertainment. Bloodborne is like the best game yet to come out this year, and while it’s true that it’s not for everyone, it most certainly deliver a bloody good time.
LETRAN FROM PAGE 1
Letran notched the highest possible award students can receive with the entry, “Rainbow X”, a short film which focuses on the rising cases of crimes against the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) community. According to Dinco, of Communication Arts Batch 2014, receiving the award improves the quality of communication works, “the whole scenario was very challenging. It helped me become a better leader.” They also did big preparations in making the said film from the budget of the production, schedules of shootings and to the actors who will rightfully fit the characters.
former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo together with former Manila mayor Alfredo Lim revived the old gem back in 2010. It was last used in a Wolfgang concert before closing its doors to the public in 2012. Living in a world where industrialization pushes art hanging by a thread can be agonizingly depressing, even if you’re not a lover of aesthetics. Here, we’re surrounded by bland buildings
ENGINEERING FROM PAGE 2
competition was also tougher. Mas maraming teams ang sumali and mas prepared sila compared last year,” said Dumapayan. The Team Engineering that won the competition was composed of Anthony Ian Rentoy, Raven Patio, James
Another pride of Letran in the Student Quill was the entry, ‘Tahan Na’ by Prism Productions in winning the first ever Holcim Special Award for Sustainability, the award that is given to a communication piece that best embodies a communication initiative in promoting and supporting sustainability of work’s significance. In the Communication Campaign Category, the ‘Adspeak: Students on Values Advertising’ stood out with their way of giving importance to the values and capacities of students from Letran and other schools, “Adspeak, is a convention, a venue not just of talents but of knowledge and hard core lessons from the top guns of the advertising industry. It does not only provide recognition, but also ignition, ignition of advertising communities’ inner fury,” one of the organizers, Marjorie Sumaway said.
and cheap tarpaulins while business analysts woo us with being one of the fastest growing economies of Asia. But like a country developing just how it’s supposed to be, that doesn’t mean we can’t change it. S o u r c e : h t t p : / / w w w. m b . c o m . p h / m a n i l a - h o p es - to - re vive-the-met-with-p100m/ http://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/Manila_Metropolitan_Theater Chan, Eljhon Capili, and Christin Joy Bantog. During the intervals of the competition rounds, minigames were held and the winners were: Donabelle Oliva for Brain Teasers, Andrian Caisip for Sudoku, Arnel Legaspi for Mental Math, and Kenneth Mangilin for Word Factory.
TUITION HIKE FROM PAGE 1 their ranks.
Seventy Percent [70%] of the said increase shall be used for the increase in salaries, wages, promotions and merits, and other related benefits of all Colegio’s personnel as provided by law, agreements or voluntary practices, including accrual to the 13th month pay, social security, PhilHealth, and retirement contributions. Twenty Percent [20%] will go to the improvement of facilities and other cost operations. The remaining Ten Percent [10%] will be reserved for the Colegio’s return or expansions.
sports 11
VOLUME XXXVIII - ISSUE 10 MARCH - APRIL 2015 - 12 PAGES
A true Knight: Jerrick Balanza BY CHRISTIAN ANGELO JACINTO, former Sports Editor
for Letran high school and while there has been talks of big schools recruiting Balanza, the cat-quick two-guard says that he’s staying put to where he is right now. “Mag-stay na po ako sa Letran,” Balanza said as he wowed the crowd in the annual high school spectacle, finishing with 11 points and four boards in the game. “Napamahal na po talaga ako sa Letran since nung nag-start po ako doon, gumaan na po ang pakiramdam ko dun at kung ‘di dahil dun, ‘di naman ako makakapunta dito,” he added. Balanza’s decision to stay will be a welcome development for the Knights who have seen juniors stars such as Glenn Khobuntin, Jarelan Tampus, Roi Sumang, Ivan Villanueva, and Terrence Romeo transfer to UAAP schools for greener pastures in the past few years. He’ll be joining the likes of former high school stars such as Kevin Alas, Mark Cruz, and Rey Nambatac who stayed with the old college in Muralla despite the urge of transferring to other schools upon finishing high school. And for his decision to stay, Balanza will now have a chance to fulfill his dream of Jerick Balanza explores his options during a playing again with his longtime idols in game. | PHOTO FROM INTERNET Cruz and Nambatac for Season 91 of the IN ONE HOT and humid Sunday in- oldest collegiate tournament in the country. “Ang gusto kong sundan yung senior namin side the Meralco gym, Letran’s Jerrick Balanza watched as reporters na sila Rey Nambatac at Mark Cruz at masarap gathered around his more celebrated po sa pakiramdam na magiging kakampi ko teammates in the NBTC All-Star game. sila,” he said, adding, “Juniors pa lang po ako naNot that he wasn’t good enough to gath- papanood ko na sila maglaro at itong susunod er the attention of pundits and report- na season magiging magkakampi na po kami.” For new coach Aldin Ayo, who took over ers alike, it’s just that, it’s the way it has been for his career as a Squire in the NCAA. the reigns from Caloy Garcia in the offseaA move to bigger universities in a more mar- son, Balanza’s decision to stay gives him keted league such as the UAAP would have been more flexibility in his rotation next year. “Our team is going tobea mix of veteransand ideal for Galanza, but he was willing to trade all that glamour for one thing – loyalty to his colors. rookies at malaki ang magiging role ni JerThe 6’1” swingman averaged 14.5 points, rick sa team namin ngayong NCAA,” Ayo said. For now, Balanza isn’t promising any7.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in his final year
MP HOTELLETRAN FROM PAGE 12
yung talents. So, sana we can see some improvements.” Enzo Flojo, who writes for pba.inquirer.net and Rappler Sports, also thinks the partnership is both a winwin for the two parties. According to the acclaimed basketball blogger, it is good exposure for Letran’s players as they get to play against experienced and high-level competition in the league, “This should toughen them up and serve as a means to improve in preparation for the next NCAA season.” On the other side of the coin, the HoopNut himself sees an advantage for the Manny Pacquiao brand too saying, “It’s a good chance for the MP Hotel brand to gain more exposure and transaction,” adding, “If the team wins some games and
does well, then the brand may also be associated with success, which is surely a good thing.” Former The LANCE’s Sports Editor and now Manila Bulletin sports reporter, Christian Jacinto, thinks that this is quite inclining towards the Knights’ possible future success, “I think in the long run, it’s going to work wonders for Letran. Having covered D-League for years, I’ve seen how a D-League exposure helped a school in its respective mother league.” “You talk about San Beda (NLEX, Hapee), you talk about CEU (CafeFrance) and to an extent, UST in the past (Max Bond, Blackwater), all of which have tasted success in its mother league ‘cause their core players have had exposure against bigger, quicker, and more physical players,” he added. “Case in point, Rey Nambatac. There’s a difference with playing against the likes
of McJour Luib all the time in scrimmages than, say, going up against a bigger and more seasoned Maverick Ahanmisi or a quicker and more explosive Jeff Viernes,” he said, adding, “Same goes for the Letran bigmen, when can they say that they competed against a Moala Tautuaa? That’s a future PBA franchise player!” For Jacinto though, the biggest downside of the said partnership is fatigue. “It’s tough going to two practices (one with Letran, one with MP) while also studying at the same time. Also with the physicality of the league, the chances of getting injuries are also higher,” the Letran alumnus said. “But all in all, the good outweighs the bad in this situation and it will only prove beneficial for Letran in the long run. For now, they should just endure the 30-40 point losses and try to learn from it.” With all the works that seem to be going in favor of
Ride of a lifetime IT HAS BEEN an incredible whirlwind of emotions – a rollercoaster ride per se. Before riding what seems to be a death-defying ride of a lifetime, I definitely had doubts and second-guessed myself a couple of times before saying “yes” to the challenge and conquering the odds. Of course, who would want an unfinished journey? I want to fully commit myself to what I am getting into and make sure I will reach the end. I admit, all throughout the course, there are times wherein I just want to give up, times wherein I question my decision of getting into it in the first place, times wherein I feel like I am letting everyone down. But then, I thought of the people who believed that I can and gave their full trust
to me since the very start. I thought of those who convinced me in the very first place that this is going to be one amazing experience. And I thank them, because it really was. I was taken into the new dimension of myself that I have not seen before. The risky, determined side of me. The side of me that is willing to get out of the comfort zone and willed to finish successfully no matter what circumstance. For the first time in my life, I can say that I conquered. I proved everyone who doubted me wrong. And yes, there may be a lot of ups and downs, and makes and breaks within the span of the moment, but I can proudly say that the whole ride was all worth it because surprisingly, I enjoyed it.
thing grand for Letran patrons. All he’s promising is that he’ll continuously try to hone his craft further as he moves to an unchartered territory for his career — going up against players bigger and faster than him in his position. “Pagbubutihan ko nalang po. Work hard pa rin. Gusto ko may patunayan sa sarili ko, ayoko na magstay na ganito lang, gusto ko pa iangat ang laro ko.” Christian Angelo Jacinto is currently a sports reporter for Manila Bulletin. the Intramuros-based squad, there is a single question that may come into our minds. Is Manny Pacquiao the longawaited messiah of Letran, who shall save it from its nine year-championship drought?
NCAA
FROM PAGE 12
division. In the juniors’ division, the Letran Squires took home the gold with a total of 55 points. For taekwondo, in the seniors’ divison, San Beda bagged home first place honors for both men’s and women’s. SSC-R came up as the champions for the juniors’. The event hosts, JRU, took home the trophy for track and field winning their fifth straight title in the senior’s division, while San Beda won the championship for the juniors’ division. Over at football, held at the
Rizal Memorial Stadium. The San Beda Red Lions outlasted the St. Benilde Blazers, 3-1, to win their fourth straight title in the competition. And for the final event of the tournament, the highly anticipated 2015 Cheerleading Competition saw AU win their first title, dazzling the crowd and getting a total of 405.5 points besting second place UPHSD by just a point with 404.5, and 359.5 for CSB. CSB took home the overall championship trophy this season after garnering a total of 660 points in the tourney, outdueling San Beda and Arellano who finished second and third, respectively. CSB only took home two championships while San Beda took home the most championships in the tournament. The San Beda Red Cubs, meanwhile, won their fifth straight general championship with 400 points edging out La Salle-Greenhills with only 322.5 points.
SPORTS
VOLUME XXXVIII - ISSUE 9 | MARCH - APRIL 2015 - 12 PAGES
NCAA season 90 recap
Despite a solid performance, the LACT finished 6th place during the CDC last March 10. | PHOTO BY RYAN MIGUEL RONA
Cheerleading team posts dismal performance BY RONALD JOHN ESPARTINEZ
THE LAKAS Arriba Cheerleading Team (LACT) finished 6th place in the 90th season of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Cheerleading Competition last March 10. After performing last season in a low note and ended at eighth place, LACT failed to enter the top three again after the other competing teams wowed the arena with superb performances. The Intramuros-based squad started their routine with a traditional cheer using the Animo Yell followed by other traditional cheers
yung mga routine na ilalabas namin,” he stated, adding, “edge ng ibang team mas clean yung routine nila, mas sure yung ibang stunts nila.” Time, as Santos emphasized was the main dilemma of the squad in finishing their routine, “Naging kulang yung time to rehearse; may limang graduating students kami so may mga night classes yung mga seniors sobrang kulang kami kasi nga conlict.” This year’s top three are Arellano with 405.5 points, Perpetual Altas with 404.5 points, and College of Saint Benilde with 359.5.
of Letran. They exhibited an almost-smooth routine that made the audience go wild. However, they failed to execute a clean stunt as the flyers found difficulty to build their confidence in air. Seth Christopher Santos, this year’s team captain, said that the squad tried their best to make a good performance dedicated for the Letran community and also for them to reenter the top three. “Ngayong year, mas standard kami gumalaw, mas technical, mas nag-focus kami sa proper technique, sinubukan namin siguraduhin
MP Hotel-Letran: Pop or Flop? BY ANGELICA STA. ANA
be
beneficial for them. To further justify the claim, the “Sportsmaryosep” writer even reminisced an incident saying, “I remember more than a decade ago, Toyota Otis came in to partner with Letran in the PBL. That partnership helped the Knights win in those era.” Dino Maragay, also a sports writer for Philippine Star, said that Manny is indeed one of the most financially-capable sponsors, eviLetran’s Mark Cruz during a game with PBA D-League’s MP denced by KIA Carnival in the PBA. Hotel-Letran | PHOTO FROM SPIN.PH “So, malaking bagay yun for the school. It is more benIS THE Manny Pacquiao-Letran partnereficial than a disadvantage. Hopefully, magship in the current Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) D-League, that translate sa NCAA ang kanyang support,” he said. Maragay further explained, “Alam naman namay perpetuate in the next season of tin na pagdating sa college sports, financial is a the National Collegiate Athletic Associamajor determining factor sa success ng team.” tion (NCAA), going to be a promising one? “If you take a look at the UAAP, Ateneo and The men from Muralla will surely benLa Salle laging nagdo-dominate ‘yan kasi pera. efit in all possible ways as agreed to by Dati naman wala yung NU and then pumatok the experts themselves. According to seamga sales ng SM, look at the result. They ruled soned sports writer Joey Villar of the Philipthe cheerdance; they ruled the basketball,” he pine Star, “It’s a good partnership because it gives the Knights some needed exposures as said, adding, “Hopefully, they will be able to atthey prepare for the coming NCAA season.” tract more talents. Yun naman nagde-determine Villar insisted that as long as the Knights sa kahit anong college team, kung sino yung mas don’t neglect their studies, it should financially well-off na teams, dun mapupunta
MP HOTEL-LETRAN, PAGE 11
THE NATIONAL Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Season 90 has been successfully concluded. Now, let us take a look back at the events that made the tourney one of the most entertaining ever. Hosted by Jose Rizal University (JRU), the event was officially opened on June 28 at the Mall of Asia Arena. All ten teams represented their school colors with pride, the Arellano University (AU) Chiefs, JRU Heavy Bombers, University of Perpetual Help System Dalta (UPHSD) Altas, College of St. Benilde (CSB) Blazers, Colegio de San Juan de Letran (CSJL) Knights, Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU) Pirates, San Sebastian College – Recoletos (SSC-R) Stags, Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC) Generals, Mapua Institute of Technology (MIT) Cardinals, and San Beda College (SBC) Red Lions. This season also marked the last season for the LPU as their second probationary year and the fifth for EAC. As probationary teams, their performance was the basis to be admitted as regular members of the league. The tourney had its fair share of drama and excitement as the games and the events unfolded. The list of sports included: Basketball, Volleyball, Chess, Taekwondo, Tennis, Table Tennis, Swimming, Track and Field, Football, Badminton, and Cheerleading Competition. For basketball, the NCAA saw San Beda win their fifth straight title at the expense of Arellano University in the seniors’ division. Meanwhile, the Knights only finished the season with a mediocre 9-9 record in the elimination rounds. As for the juniors’ division, the Mapua Red Robins captured the crown after beating the San Beda Red Cubs in three epic contests.
Volleyball featured two major competitions. The first event was at the MOA Arena and the second was the beach volleyball tourney in Subic. EAC bagged home championship honors for the seniors’ men’s division and Arellano for the women’s. For the juniors’ division, the UPHSD brought home the crown. As for beach volleyball, the men’s division saw the CSB Blazers capture their second straight crown and the San Sebastian Stags for the women’s. For tennis, the event held two separate events; lawn tennis witnessed Letran win in the seniors’ and San Beda in the juniors’. While San Beda took home the championships for soft tennis both for the men’s and women’s division. As for badminton, Letran finished first and bagged home the gold. While CSB and Lyceum finished second and third, respectively in the seniors’ men’s division. For the women’s division, the CSB Lady Blazers won the gold. Mapua and Letran ended in second and third place, respectively. For the juniors’, the La Salle Greenies finished first place, San Beda in second, and Letran in third. Meanwhile, for table tennis, the senior’s division saw CSB win the tourney for the men’s and San Beda both for the women’s, and the juniors’ division. The swimming events were held on August 20-22 at the Rizal Memorial Complex. The men’s tournament saw San Beda Red taking the gold with a total of 1,350.5 points, St. Benilde took the silver with 684.5, and EAC getting the nod with 314.5 for bronze. For the women’s tourney, San Beda also bagged gold with a total of 1,161 points, while CSB took silver with 816.5, and EAC who totalled 552 points came up with bronze. While in the juniors’ tournament, the La Salle Greenies took home gold with a total of 1,038.5 points, San Beda came up with silver with 887, and Lyceum with 254.5 for bronze. In chess, Lyceum totalled 50.5 points to get the championship honors in the seniors’
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