September Issue 4 - A.Y. 2014-2015

VOLUME XXXVIII - ISSUE 4 | SEPTEMBER 2014 - 12 PAGES

BUILDING UPDATE. Various issues such as the recurring inclement weather and the Manila truck ban have delayed the completion of the St. Vincent Ferrer building anew. | PHOTO BY PAULINE GONIDA

Return of washday?

THE LETRAN Student Council (LSC) recently passed a resolution to reinstate the Wednesday washday regulation.

According to the filed resolution, the prescribed official attire every washday would be the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) polo shirt, which is currently being distributed, paired with proper jeans and shoes as stated in the Letran student handbook.

Alain Delon Fusana, the LSC Senate Pro-Tempore, said the resolution had already been discussed with Rev. Fr. Juan Ponce, O.P., Vice President for Academics, but no concrete answer was promulgated by Fr. Ponce.

“There is no formal announcement yet whether it is approved or not. Ang gusto kasi ni Fr. Ponce e tapusin muna raw namin [LSC] yung shirt distribution.

PAULA PATRICIA TAMAYO So as of the moment, we [LSC] are working double time on the shirt distribution; then after that, we’ll continue the talks with Fr. Ponce,” he explained.

Fusana said that the resolution was made for the good of the Letranites and is considering the majority of students who have classes six days a week. The resolution also cited that the NCAA polo shirt can serve as a pro-

motional tool of Letran.

“The LSC Senate authored the resolution titled ‘Washday Every Wednesday’ as suggested by the students and the administration themselves. Kumbaga kami lang yung nag-take ng initiative para gawing official yung idea ng pagkakaroon ng washday,” Fusana said.

topics in social networking sites and in the campus, evoking several questions and opinions from the students.

A student who refused to be named asked whether wearing civilian shirt or any Letran shirt will be allowed during Wednesdays in the case the resolution is approved; Fusana’s response was: “It depends on what will be agreed

Students’ reaction The resolution is one of the most talked about

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Letran, partner communities Templar shines in major inter-school competition EUMARIE PENAFUERTE sign contract anew ALYSSA BIANCA DELFIN

THE COLEGIO, through the Center for Community Development (CCD), continues to reinforce its strong links with partner communities through the signing of another three-year contract on August 29.

Manila High School and Raja Soliman High School, who have been the Colegio’s partner communities since 2004 and 2009 respectively, extended their ties with Letran until 2017. Malinta National High School and Brgy 94 and 95 of Pasay City, who were present during the contract signing, are the two new communities who will receive assistance from Letran.

According to CCD Director Manuel Zamora, partner communities are chosen through their great need for financial and developmental

assistance. Zamora added that the intervention of the Colegio can be a vital quotient for these communities to achieve total sustainability and pave the way towards continual development.

“Basing on our expertise, we have something that we can share to them [the communities],” said Zamora, adding, “It just shows that we are sincere in contributing development to the [communities].”

Zamora also emphasized their efforts of extending Letran’s resources to the communities in the best way that they can. He said the CCD is also determined to focus their support to the communities by matching it to the expertise of each and every participating department of the Colegio.

LETRAN, PAGE 10

FORTE APPLAUSE. Templar wows the crowd during the PHILTOA choir competition. | PHOTO FROM INTERNET

LETRAN’S Templar Singing Ambassadors won first place at the Philippine Tour Operators Association (Philtoa) Inc. Choir Competition 2014 on September 7 at the SMX Convention Center.

Templar, together with Estribillos de los Escolares, showcased their talents when they performed the

original Filipino song, “Magsimula Ka” arranged by Arnel de Pano, as the competition’s contest piece; and “Gabaq-An” arranged by Ruben Federizon.

Templar competed with choirs of various colleges and universities such as Adamson University, Philippine Air Transport and Training Services College

of Aeronautics, Philippine State College of Aeronautics, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM), Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), and University of Manila. PLM finished in second place while PUP settled for third.

This experience was considered a milestone for the

TEMPLAR, PAGE 10

2 news

Volunteer group mounts FM students conquer Logic quiz bee MYKEE MONTEROLA blood-letting event FINANCIAL Management teams were eliminated which sounds-to-be-Greek quesALYSSA BIANCA DELFIN

TRUE-BLOODED. Students willingly donated bags of blood during the blood-letting event. | PHOTO BY RALPH BANIQUED

LETRAN Community Volunteers (LCV), through its partnership with the Center for Community Development (CCD) and the Department of Health (DOH), held the annual Dugong Arriba blood-letting event on August 29 at the Salon de Actos (Student Lounge). This event is one of the many activities under the Lingap Arriba: The Volunteerism Day. LCV made all the in-depth preparations for this year’s blood-letting event. As an initial step, they conducted a series of meetings with DOH representatives. An orientation was also provided by DOH for the Recognized Student Organization (RSO) officers. Online posters and collaterals were also made visible to the Letran community for proper dissemination of the details for the event.

“I think through our activity, we make the members of the Letran community, especially the students, to be aware that they can be [of] big help, or even can save lives through their little acts,” said LCV Adviser Kristina Vincoy when asked about the biggest contribution the blood-letting activity can offer the Colegio.

LCV President Mikaela Magsaysay said that there were two goals for this blood-letting activity: first, is to instill the spirit of volunteerism among the members of the Letran community and to constantly remind them that these little acts, when

combined, can be something greater. Second is to offer whole-heartedly the blood donation to the government, which will eventually be distributed to the people who might need them.

Vincoy reiterated that the expected number of blood donors were not met, getting only 42 donors, instead of their goal of 50 donors.

The windows are wide open for necessary improvements. Vincoy said that the freshmen students were very eager to donate blood, but were not allowed since they were not able to provide a letter of consent from their parents, “I think possible improvements could be a roomto-room dissemination of the waiver or consent form,” said Vincoy, adding, “And another [improvement], if possible, is partnership with the different organizations, wherein each organization will send representatives to participate in the activity.”

Generally, the LCV sees the event as a success. “I am overwhelmed to see the enthusiasm of the students in volunteering without expecting any reward or recognition,” said Vincoy.

Vincoy also expressed her appreciation to the event proponents. “To all the volunteers and blood donors, thank you very much and may our Lord bless you for your selfless heroic act,” she said.

LCV plans to organize another blood-letting event this November in partnership with the Philippine Red Cross.

(FM) students won first place in the third annual “Likas Arriba Analitika: A Logic Development Quiz Challenge” of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Social Sciences Area on September 5 held at the Student Center Auditorium.

Team DA3A, which was composed of FM students Gabrielle Gabriel and Yasmine Ibuyan, was able to triumph over 12 other teams with a total of 240 points.

MCSE3A grabbed second place while EN2A landed in third place.

Students who got the two highest scores in the midterm examinations were chosen as representatives for each section. They had only a week to train and learn new lessons in preparation for this competition.

In the ‘Easy round,’ two

left 11 teams to proceed to the average round. Eventually, only five teams were able to advance to the difficult round and answer nine challenging questions.

According to Social Sciences Area Chair Asst. Prof.

Jayson Peñaflor, the purpose for this quiz bee is to encourage students to study more and, at the same time, develop their skills in reasoning and critical thinking.

He said that another objective was “to wholly assess the critical analysis and thinking of [the] students not only in the course of PHILO101 but also in some other courses… in the Social Science area.”

The participants encountered unfamiliar topics but were still able to cope, “They [contestants] were able to answer even the most

tions, it means they were not taught yet, they were only asked to read a Logic book and review. So even without the benefit of the lecture yet in the classroom, the participants were able to get it,” Logic instructor Asst. Prof.

Clarita Rivera said.

The winners received certificates and medals while those students who attended and participated in the event received incentives in terms of grade. They were asked to come and support their representatives even if most of them had no classes that day.

“It’s reasonable enough because it [Analitika Quiz Challenge] becomes an alternative learning system so instead of having it [lecture] in a classroom, you have it on a venue, on a program,” Rivera said.

Annual food fest held MYKEE MONTEROLA

DELECTABLE DELIGHT. Hospitality Management and Nutrition & Dietetics students show off their remarkable catering skills during the food fest 2014. | PHOTO FROM PAMD

LETRANITES were in for a treat at the Hospitality Management Food Fest 2014 held on September 3 at the Salon de Actos. The event was organized by the Letran Culinary, Hospitality, Events, and Flairtending Society (Chefs) with the theme, “Eat. Explore. Experience.”

First to fourth year Nutrition and Dietetics (ND) students and junior and sophomore students from Hotel and Restaurant Management set up booths and participated in the event by offering different kinds of delicacies. Featured were the familiar Asian, Western, and European cuisines as well as the more exotic Carnival and Pixar cuisines, as well as a Banquet and Catering service. In the middle

of the venue, table settings for different occasions were also displayed.

Invited guest speakers were Chef Dioscoro Franco Jr., who did a food demonstration for the students and taught new recipes and techniques; Mark Yturiaga, an expert on fruit and vegetable carving; and Asst.

Prof. Ava Nicole Azotea, who talked about the merits of enrolling in the Food Technology course.

HRM2A section took first place honors for their table setting which was themed for a one-year-old’s birthday. It was decorated with pink tablecloths, a display of teddy bears, and jars of candy. HRM2B placed second for their party setting with the theme inspired by Disney’s “Frozen” movie. The

dry ice served as the center of attraction for this booth.

And the third place goes to the European Cuisine booth made by the sophomore ND students. Other awards given out were: Best Food for HRM2A’s Banquet and Catering (booth 2), Best Food Presentation for HRM3A’s Asian Cuisine, and Best Buffet Setup for booth 3 of HRM2B. Letran Chefs president Mia Angeli Manalo said that she didn’t have high expectations for the event but was pleasantly surprised at the output. “Sa part ng students na nag-participate dun, una nakakapagod, tapos magastos siya, matrabaho, pero yung output kasi hindi namin inasahan na magiging ganun ka-successful, kaya ayun, sulit at worth it ang pagod namin,” she said.

news

VOLUME XXXVIII - ISSUE 4 SEPTEMBER 2014 - 12 PAGES

FOCAP educates future journalists EUMARIE PENAFUERTE AND ALANIS CRUZ Pedrosa even mentioned that other news networks such as CNN and BBC practice traditional journalism while Al Jazeera focuses in “giving voice to the voiceless” and that their angle is on civic journalism.

MASSIVELY DRIVEN. Journalism juniors with Veronica Pedrosa Journalism majors after the Teodoro Benigno lecture. | PHOTO FROM INTERNET from different schools such as Ateneo de Ma“DO WHAT must be done, sharing can do better.”

Pedrosa then took the nila University, University and be ready to face the consequences afterwards.” stage and highlighted the of Santo Tomas, Lyceum of These were the simple dangers and risks that jour- the Philippines University, yet profound words from nalists should be ready for, Pamantasan ng Lungsod Veronica Pedrosa, a broad- especially for covering sto- ng Maynila, University of cast journalist from Al ries in different countries. the Philippines, and De La Jazeera Network during the She talked about her experi- Salle University, also at8th Teodoro Benigno Lec- ences over the years and also tended the event. Several the situation of her co-work- media network staff from ture on Journalism.

Third year Journalism stu- ers from Al Jazeera who are around the world attended the seminar as well. dents under the Institute of currently detained in Egypt.

Alain Delon Fusana, a Le“What do you pull out of Communication (iCOMM) participated in the said lec- the silence?” is the simplest tran Journalism student, said: ture organized by The Foreign yet the most striking state- “The lecture was informative, Correspondents Association ment that Pedrosa said, giv- marami talagang matututuof the Philippines (Focap) on ing further accuracy on her nan, eye-opener dahil unlike August 27 at the Power Plant slogan ‘Journalism is not a other talks, nakakakilabot kasi crime’ while expounding iba ‘yung experience na naibaMall in Makati City.

Ayala Foundation Presi- about the dos and don’ts of bahagi nila sa mga audience dent Luli Heras-De Leon being a legitimate journalist. dahil nga world context ‘yung She also advised the par- pinag-uusapan hindi lang namade this year’s introductory speech about the partner- ticipants on what to focus on kasentro sa bansa natin.”

Pedrosa also worked ship of the Ayala Foundation and what to consider in writwith Focap and explained ing a story and also on how for local network ABStheir virtues and contribu- journalists should deliver CBN and UK network BBC tions to livelihood needs. news and what the possible before she joined the Al In her talk, she emphasized consequences in reporting a Jazeera Network based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. that “you can do it easily, but story are.

Leadership problems plague Knights TV

WHILE the first semester of this academic year is already winding down, Knights Cable Television (Knights TV) has yet to boast of a single activity under its belt.

Knights TV Managing Director Rogielou Patapat said that the launch was scheduled on the last week of June but due to problems within the organization, the launch has been put on hold.

Patapat, who also serves

RETURN FROM PAGE 1

upon sa dialogue with the administration pero sa resolution na [pinasa] namin, hindi pwede maguniform ‘pag wash day.

We want uniformity. ‘Pag washday, washday.”

When asked why the previous Wednesday

as the Communication Senator in the Letran Student Council, explained that they had adjustments from the transition period. She also blamed the problems left by last year’s management. Another issue was the conflicting schedules of the officers and members and the lack of communication between officers.

Pauline Mae Gonida, the Publicity Department Head of Knights TV, con-

‘corporate attire’ regulation was not brought back instead, Fusana said: “Pinatanggal na kasi dati ng students through [a] signatory campaign yun. Yung washday ginawa para maging comfortable yung students sa suot nila.”

LSC President Anfernee Ruanto is fully sup-

ceded that their current management is slow, not organized, and inconsistent. “There is a lack of manpower pero marami naman ang sumali. Puro plano pero walang execution,” she said.

With everything they are going through, Patapat is still optimistic that they will recover.

“Enough na yung adjustment period,” she said with conviction. | PAULA PATRICIA TAMAYO portive of the Senate’s resolution. “Naniniwala akong ang resolusyong ito ay hindi gawang kamay ng iilan, kung hindi, itong resolusyong ito yung nagpapakita na ito yung sigaw ng nakakaraming Letranista. At nandyan lamang ang senate para bigyang daan ang mga boses na ito,” he said.

3

Letranites join Himig Handog 2014 BETTINA BONILLO

COLEGIO de San Juan de Letran is one of the 15 schools competing in the Himig Handog Pinoy Pop Love Songs 2014 music video competition.

Himig Handog is the country’s premier song writing and music video competition. Launched by ABS-CBN and Star Records to discover talented composers, the contest ran for three years since its debut in 2000 and was later revived in 2013. The music video tilt is open to all colleges and universities in the country.

Senior Broadcasting students under the Institute of Communication (iCOMM) are representing the Colegio with their music video for the song “Akin Ka Na Lang” composed by Letran alumnus Francis Louis Salazar and interpreted by Morissette Amon.

The entry, which was the Colegio’s first in the competition, served as the midterm exam for the batch’s Program Planning and Production Management course under the supervision of Inst. Mark Anthony Awiten, who was also responsible for Letran’s inclusion in the competition.

“Part ng hands-on training nila iyong sinali ko sila sa competition,” said Awiten, adding, “kung project lang sa school, siyempre, gagawin nila iyong best nila, pero ‘pag sumali sila sa nationwide competition, mas doing best of their best pa ang ginagawa nila because they’re not just representing themselves, but

they’re [also] representing the school.”

The music video was directed by Adrian Masacupan and edited by Kamille Murillo with some help from Letran alumnus and ABS-CBN’s Be Careful with My Heart Master Editor Dennis Salgado.

According to Masacupan, his team reached out to Salazar in conceptualizing the video for the song, which is about “friendzone.”

Further, Masacupan said that Letran has an edge over its competitors in terms of enthusiasm and commitment. They didn’t just want to represent Letran, but they wanted to represent it well, he exclaimed.

With a budget of P50,000, the music video underwent post-production in less than a month. It was shot in Las Piñas with Amon and Fourth Pagotan, ABS-CBN’s Pinoy Big Brother ex-housemate.

Letran is competing against Adamson University, Ateneo De Manila University, De La Salle University-College of Saint Benilde, Far Eastern University, Mapua Institute of Technology, Meridian International College, Miriam College, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, San Beda College-Alabang, San Sebastian College, St. Paul University, University of the East, University of the Philippines, and University of Santo Tomas.

The music videos of each competing team have been aired on MYX. The finals night was held on September 28 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

CONTINUOUSLY RECOGNIZED. Broadcasting seniors, production staff and Morisette Amon during the music video shoot. | PHOTO FROM INTERNET

4 opinion Students’ Voice THREE years ago, the Colegio followed a “Corporate Attire” Wednesday. All students, no matter the course, are all required to come to their classes in their business looks. However, a signature campaign started by the student council of that year effectively removed that rule. Since then, students have to wear their respective uniforms every day of the week.

Now, the Letran Student Council (LSC) introduces a new system. According to the filed resolution, students are required to wear only the distributed Letran NCAA shirt and appropriate jeans and shoes every Wednesdays.

Additionally, people can’t come in their uniforms every wash day, as to establish uniformity among everyone.

This resolution offers great advantage to students who have limited number of uniforms but attends classes six days a week.

One should not also discount the fact that comfort is important for learning. It is essential that students would feel comfortable in what they wear during the long periods of classes. The shirt could also serve as promotional tool for the school.

Many students and student organizations have shown their support for this resolution. However, some think otherwise; they believe that bringing back the corporate attire would be a much better option. It would teach students how to properly present themselves; how to look professional. It will definitely help students eventually when they graduate as they start looking for jobs.

Be it the NCAA shirt or the corporate attire, someone will disagree but nonetheless, one thing’s obvious: the students want change.

Whatever happens to the resolution passed by the LSC, the final decision will still come from the school administration. But the good thing we have going here is that, now, the voices of the students are being heard. Actions are being done for a change. That’s the most admirable.

EDITORIAL BOARD 2014-2015

Adrian Masacupan News Editor

Kim Daniel Rubinos Editor-in-Chief Jerica Loise Orosco Managing Editor

Marjorie Malabad Sports Editor

Kevin Louise Valdez Features Editor Ralph Ronald Baniqued

Photo Editor, Deputy News & Features Editor

Alissandrine Margaret Blanquisco Design Editor

Joshua Banguilan, Bettina Bonillo, Alyssa Delfin, Ronald Espartinez, Risha Fernandez, Patricia Flores, Joharah Galvez, Marita Gerardino, Mykee Monterola, Kathrina Pineda Darrell San Andres, Iveth Solevilla, Angelica Sta. Ana, Bryle Suralta, Paula Tamayo, Marilie Tubalinal, Rachael Uycoque, Angelu Zafe Contributors Leslie Boado, Alessah Dela Cruz, Mascot Famanila, Honey Francisco, Ryan Rona, Rhon Velarde, Pauline Gonida Photographers Christelle Ann Cala Cartoonist

Carlo Miguel Alfonso Francia Adviser Published monthly, The LANCE has its editorial staff office at 3F Student Center Building, Colegio de San Juan de Letran, Intramuros, Manila.

FO 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

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Pride for Gilas GILAS Pilipinas’ gallant effort in the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup may be over sooner than what we hoped for, but the enormous pride given to us by this historic run will be one for the books.

My undying love and support for our national team was given a gigantic boost when Gilas won silver at the FIBA Asia Championship 2013. I was able to witness our national team slug it out right before my eyes.

The sweetest was the victory over Korea that booked us a ticket to the World Cup. It was overwhelming to see a lot of die-hard fans rejoicing.

Emotions flew; especially for the faithful who grew up watching Team Philippines’ numerous heartbreaks through the years.

The gold medal game of that tournament was versus powerhouse Iran led by Hamed Haddadi, the first Iranian to play in the NBA. That trouncing hurt, but Filipinos were nonetheless, ecstatic as the basketball-crazy nation is back in basketball’s biggest and grandest stage.

I got mixed emotions back then. I really don’t know what to expect from our team in the Basketball World Cup. How will Gilas fare against the world’s elite? Will they, at the very least, lose a close game?

But I loved Gilas even more despite all the uncertainties.

First game in World Cup, Gilas lost to Croatia in overtime.

We did not win but the happiness was indescribable! Losing to Croatia was more blissful than crush saying hi. I’m overjoyed just like everyone else.

Next game, Greeks versus Filipinos. We were dominated

by Greece. Our size disadvantage was evident but Gilas refused to give up against the taller and heftier Greeks. Never give up, never give in. We were able to trim the lead but Greece still escaped with a win.

Some are still happy with the loss but some started to doubt our team’s capabilities.

I must admit that I felt a little disappointment in my chest. I don’t know, maybe Gilas’ courageous stand against Croatia increased my expectations on our team.

Third game is against Argentina. When Gilas lost to the world-power Argentina, I really felt my heart broke into pieces.

The feeling when you’re holding on to what you want, and confident in what you have, then suddenly, something happens and it slips away from you. We had one chance but came out emptyhanded. Philippines is just two possessions away from pulling that one of. Sakit.

I wanted Gilas to win. I want the players to be rewarded with a satisfying victory. I love Gilas and I want the best for those I love.

But just like the games

against Croatia and Greece, there is still something to be cheerful about. Even if foreign analysts said that Gilas will be blown out, our team was able to scare Argentina.

They will remember Jimmyboy Alapag’s ferocious threepointers and of course, Gabe Norwood’s two explosions to the rim, erasing whoever in the way including NBA-veteran Luis Scola of the Indiana Pacers.

Then came the Puerto Rico game; Coach Chot Reyes deemed that game winnable. But it appeared to be the most heartbreaking.

We were supposed to win that one, but we didn’t. Expectations really hurt.

The mentality was anticipated to be unlike the last three games wherein, we were happy with the losses. In that game, our colors SHOULD prevail.

The mere fact that that we almost won games against Croatia and Argentina sink in.

The losses I was once cheerful about, became regrets.

But to add insult to a devouring injury, I saw a lot have already given up on Gilas. Shots already being fired at naturalized center Andray Blatche and the level of play of our locals.

Yes, we wanted to win because we know we can; that’s a good thing. But my point is, don’t give up on Gilas!

Coming into this tournament, our team is ranked by international press as one of the worst teams competing.

With their massive hearts, Gilas showed the world that they deserve to be in the World Cup putting up unparalleled efforts. I loved our team even more. Stupid are those who

PRIDE, PAGE 5

VOLUME XXXVIII - ISSUE 4 SEPTEMBER 2014 - 12 PAGES

Buzz Kill

WONDERING what the title means? I also once wondered. I heard of this term from my classmates (the awesome BROAD4) one day when I entered the classroom. These “Buzz Kills” are the ones we call “Kill Joy” or the individual who always try to stop the rest of the people from having fun. This “Buzz Kill” is just another term (By the way, I’m not going to talk about the term any longer).

I never cared about these new words in my vocabulary, until one day, I finally found the perfect definition of a certified buzz kill.

Last September 5 to 7, our class together with other sections had our retreat at the

very stunning paradise in Batangas. The whole experience was fun, but then, the two consecutive nights of our stay was kind of irritating, and yet funny scenarios.

We were in the said place with many other students including some athletes and juniors. It was an “almost perfect” bonding moment with them, except for one; the buzz kill. What would you do if there is one in the group who is a certified buzz kill? For an instance, almost everyone in the group are playing and unconsciously creating noise (which they try to modulate) and then while everybody is enjoying, the “star” will shout with the words: “Hoy, ang-iingay nyo!”

Doing this for once will sure-

Blank Canvas ORIGINALLY, I was going to write about something else for this column but I just can’t seem to take my mind off of this scene from one of my favorite films.

So I stopped writing, maybe it’s really my subconscious telling me not to go through with my original plan.

The scene is a conversation between the film’s main characters Glen and Russell and they were talking about how people instantly become this blank canvas whenever they go meet new people.

Glen insists that everyone projects onto that canvas who we really want to be.

As if, we’re molding and changing ourselves to be something that we’re not and be someone that we really want to be like. But the most interesting part in that conversation was when Glen added that during the projection, a gap opens up. This gap opens up between who we want

to be and who we really are. And in that gap, it shows us what’s stopping us from becoming who we want to be.

Quite a lot to take in, really, but it got me thinking deep. If that is true, does that mean I’m fake for not being true to myself ? Does it mean that I’m a coward for not being able to be that kind of person that I really want to be like?

Does it mean that I’m not confident for not showing the real me? Does it mean that I’m ashamed of myself for having that desire to be like someone else?A lot of questions pop up in my mind.

That gap must be all of my insecurities. As a graduating student, I can’t help but think of the near future. I’m going to come in for a lot of job interviews. I will definitely be meeting a lot of people once I get out of school.

I’m going to start questioning myself if I’m deserving enough. (That is if

opinion ly make the rest of the group aware that they should minimize their noise. But doing the same thing, or worse, shouting derogatory words directly to all who are having fun is surely improper.

Yes, it was wrong to make noises, but it is a bigger mistake to shout at people you don’t even know. Calling their group directly and judging them just because you don’t have anybody to talk to, or you don’t feel joining them isn’t an enough reason to do such thing. Besides, it was never hard to ignore people you really do not like.

Not everybody will adjust for you especially that you are the only one who don’t enjoy the happenings during those nights. You should have just shown your being “sport” since you are really sporty (if you know what I mean). Anyways, no matter who you are in this institution, you now have the reputation as the “Certified Buzz Kill,” kiddo!

I do graduate. Keeping my fingers crossed.)

I have this big dream of becoming a film director.

Making independent films is what I would love to do in the future. This is what I’m projecting onto my blank canvas. But I admit, now, it is just a projection.

Being a student, how do I get to that point? What are the steps that I need to take to be that? This is my gap. I need to find a way to somewhat at least close the gap. If not fully closed, at least good enough for me to take the leap.

I know we all have our own insecurities. Some may be about their looks.

Some may be insecure with their height. Others would be with their intellect. Then there are the ones insecure with their relationships.

All of these hinder us from achieving our goals, dreams and everything that we wanted in life.

Little do we know, the obstacle has always been us.

The biggest contributor to all of our disappointments and failures is ourselves.

And while I am feeling kind of furious for not knowing exactly what to do to combat this, I am motivated to try. If it’s for everything that I wanted in my life, it’s worth a shot.

It has to be.

5

Side Stream

WARNING: Cigarette smoking is dangerous to your health.

I wholeheartedly suggest this sub-line under that renounced label in every cigarette pack: “As with others who’s near you, idiot,” in all caps and gigantic font size.

Now, let me share this issue that happened during our retreat just a few weeks ago.

Cigarette smoking is always prohibited in Caleruega, where we had our retreat. Besides the fact that such an act is contrary to the point of the place which is to hold religious activities, it will also defeat the purpose of having the tranquil place as an escape from the polluted air of the metro.

But suddenly, some fellow retreatants disregarded the said rule and sneakily smoked cigarettes once in a while. Moreover, the smell of the cigarettes was evident and the facilitators then discovered that the prohibited act was being done. They decided then that all retreatants, including those who are innocent, will be punished unless the ones who actually committed it reveal themselves.

To cut the story short, few students disclosed themselves and will soon get whatever their punishment is. End of story.

No, not really.

The message of the said event is not what it really seemed, which is: do-nots m o ke - d u r i n g - r e t r e a t s but rather, do-not-smokeat-the-wrong-place-andtime. It may appear the same, but not entirely.

It is disheartening when

PRIDE FROM PAGE 4

gave up supporting them.

The last game was a twopoint overtime win over Senegal. The long-awaited victory, 40 years in the making. The triumph was even sweeter because of the pain of the four losses.

It is always a unique kind of pride seeing our team play. Seeing the ‘PILIPINAS’ jersey fighting in international stage is a great feeling, but witnessing our colors prevail makes it even more pleasing.

Before, I never saw how

some have to suffer because of carelessness of others.

Almost 30 percent of the Filipino adult population is composed of tobacco smokers; therefore, second-hand smoke is really inevitable.

And to actually realize that it is as harmful, if not more, as mainstream smoking—it is quite disturbing.

Some smokers never give regard to those who are around them whenever they smoke. As soon as they get hold of their cigarettes, they will puff it right away even in public.

Yes, this is a free country; you could practice anything you want as long as it is not against the law. But one should set boundaries when enjoying his or her rights because it may come to the point wherein rights of other people are being violated.

I personally have no hard feelings toward smokers, as some of my friends and family are, as long as they do it at the right place and moment. And I have big appreciation to those who take time and effort to position themselves to spots where non-smokers cannot inhale the toxic smoke.

Just a suggestion to other smokers: do the same thing.

It’s a win-win process. You get to enjoy your habits, without worrying of harming anyone else. Because if you keep on ignoring these kinds of reminders, things will continue to be a really big domino effect—as you go up in flames, you bring down others.

great Philippine basketball is at international stage, I never saw Carlos Loyzaga and his colleagues play but Gilas gave the us a chance to witness the Philippine team play at the highest possible level and at the world stage. Thank you for giving a story to tell my grandchildren.

Our team’s oversized effort was on full display in Spain.

I believe that it is just about right timing; there is a perfect time for everything. I will always be ready to support Gilas with all my heart. My heart’s broken but it’s still working. I love my country and I’m very proud of our Gilas.

You could either be a fighter, one who pushes lanes and fights with short range. They are effective on 1v1 battles, but very hard to use during team fights as they are usually in the middle point of the battle.

NEW LEAGUE, NEW WORLD

Ex.

by Ralph Ronald Baniqued

RISING above all other games, League of Legends, or simply LOL, is becoming more and more prominent among gamers not just here in the Philippines but across the world. It is a free-to-play multiplayer online battle arena where you strategically destroy the enemies’ base with your teammates. This excellent, addictive online breakthrough is now being considered a competitive digital sport, played by both amateurs and professionals.

Or be a tank; the hard, high-health player who is supposed to enter team fights first. They may have limited damage over enemies, but they sure are the hardest and longer to kill.

Ex.

burst damage and damage-over-time to magic shields and onhit effects. Each has a different approach when played, also, a badass backstory to match it up.

Amumu, the Sad Mummy Leona, the Radiant Dawn

Or either be an assassin, or a short-range player that focuses on being cunning. They could be a bit easier to kill than a fighter or tank, but they have incredible speed and handy abilities to back it up.

Ex.

Master Yi, the Wuju Bladesman Akali, the Fist of Shadow

Also, being marksman is a good choice, as it is the player who pokes with longer range. But the danger is when these characters wander alone as they are the most fragile in the game.

THE CHAMPIONS With over 100 champions to choose from, you get to choose which role you will be playing during the entire strategic battle.

Every champion has varying abilities, from

Jax, the Grandmaster at Arms Fiora, the Grand Duelist

Ex.

Draven, the Glorious Executioner Ashe, the Frost Archer

Or be a mage, one who has big damage output using ability power. Nearly as flimsy as marksmen, but they possess daunting and expedient abilities to match before being reached.

Ex.

Zyra, the Rise of the Thorns Annie, the Dark Child

League of Legends introduces a new champion:

AZIR

THE EMPEROR OF SANDS

He is a mid-lane mage champion who summons Shuriman soldiers to fight for him. All of his abilities are mostly focused on controlling his soldiers during the battle. His passive ability is the most exceptional and powerful as he inertly conjures a sun disk on the base of a destroyed turret that acts like a turret itself for a short span of time. While on the other hand, he could also summon a handful of shield-wielding Shuriman soldiers to aid him defensively. Azir is newly launched here in the Philippines, and is absolutely a must-try champion!

Or last but definitely not the least, be a support, or one who aids other players using its given abilities. They differ from one who weakens the enemy to one who boosts a teammate.

Ex.

Zilean, the Chronokeeper Soraka, the Starchild

THE MAPS LOL has different kinds of battle arenas or modes for you to conquer, all with varying terrain and objectives. For the classic mode, the most played battleground is the Summoner’s Rift. Two teams of five champions will battle it out to destroy the enemies’ Nexus (base) while protecting their own. It has three lanes and a vast jungle that holds powerful buffs and neutral objectives. On the other hand, the Twisted Treeline features two lanes and a small jungle but only limited to three champions per team, perfect for small team fights and ganking. While Howling Abyss landscapes single lane but with two teams of five; it is most suitable for large-scale team fights. Lastly, the only map featured in dominion mode is the Crystal Scar. Five capture points are spread across the map and two teams of five battle it out to hold many points as possible.

League of Legends goes scorching-hot Riot games recently launched a new game mode called

Ascension

This new mode took the Crystal Scar’sturf look into a hefty desert terrain. This feature is based on the recent storyline released which is the rise of the fallen empire, Shurima.

The main objective of the two five-player teams is to score points by capturing the relic of Shurima and killing enemy players. But the exciting twist of this map is the powerful buff on the center point: a single player could be ascended by taking down a potent ancient ascendant Xerath to gain an awe-inspiring power with, of course, the help of his teammates. But as a consequence, that ascended player will have halved health and mana regeneration and is visible to enemies for the whole duration of ascension. But who cares? This buff could help you take down an entire team single-handedly!

The first team who garners 200 points will claim the victory.

LETRANITES’

BEST CHAMPION PICK Dominic Padasas Third year Financial Management Malphite, the Shard of the Monolith “Una kasi ang astig ng itsura niya tapos sobrang ‘kunat’ niya talaga dahil sa armor niya. At ‘saka, aasahan mo role niya as a tank.”

Tank, top-lane/bot-lane

Bunny Joanne Pinig Third year Psychology

Katarina, the Sinister Blade “Sobrang sakit kasi niya.Tapos yung mga abilities niya maganda pang-combo.”

Assassin, mid-lane

Chryster Ramos Third year Journalism Lucian, the Purifier “Isa siya sa mga kinaka-takutang ADR (range) sa LOL. Graceful siya gumalaw at sa storya niya, makikita dun na isa siyang ‘tunay’ na lalaki. The essence of a real man is visible in him, kumbaga.”

Marksman, bot-lane/mid-lane

Angelee Candidato Third year Human Resource Development Management Sona, the Maven of the Strings “Di lang kasi maganda siya, kasi parang siya na yung best support. Nandun na yung heal, yung poke at movement speed, at stun. At ‘saka mahilig sya sa music like me.”

Support, bot-lane

My pick:

Cassiopeia, the Serpent’s Embrace Her third skill is spam-able, with damage-over-time poison to partner it. On the other hand, her ultimate skill causes a lot of damage and could stun many enemies. With right timing and combo, enemy player lies dead before he knows it! This one is a real pain in the enemies’ bums.

ALL PHOTOS FROM INTERNET

8 FEATURES

REMEMBERING: ANGELU REA ZAFE EVERYONE has a different taste in music but if there is one Filipino rock band that almost every Filipino has listened to and can sing along to without fail, it is definitely the Eraserheads.

Eraserheads or E-heads is a Filipino rock band formed in the 90s when then-college students and bandmates Buddy Zabala and Raimund Marasigan met up with Ely Buendia who posted an audition notice on their university board for a new band he wanted to form. And since only Buddy and Raimund showed up for that audition, Ely had no other choice. Eventually, Marcus Adoro joined in as the lead guitarist. After years of playing in school gigs and Manila’s rock club circuit, they achieved their

mainstream success after signing a three-year record deal under BMG Records Pilipinas (now part of Sony BMG Music Entertainment); and the rest was history.

Fast f o r ward to the present day.

Twelve long years after the breakup and with the band only reuniting once in a while for tribute concerts, it is understand-

able for fans to already have given up on their wishes o f E-heads getting back together again. But just when you thought

homage to the 80s as they release their follow-up record to Overexposed with a sweet repertoire of chartclimbing tracks to get your groove on (and keep their paycheck coming).

Packed with funky guitars and catchy hooks to fun tracks like ‘Feelings’ and ‘Sugar,’ the pop ‘rock’ quintet showcases their recycled hits (sound and songwriting included) circa 2010 and their escalating use of electropop elements through a major shift of

sound, as demonstrated in ‘New Love,’ ‘Unkiss Me,’ and ‘It Was Always You.’ And as if that wasn’t enough, ‘In Your Pocket’ celebrates grilling a cheating partner through upbeat Latino influences.

Spanning a running time of 40 minutes and 10 seconds, ‘My Heart is Open’ finally closes the album with an interesting love duet featuring Gwen Stefani.

V is worth a listen if you wanted some Top 40-themed background music.

Rating: CHE. | MEH | YEAH!

it’s all really over, and that the curtains really have come to a close and there is no way of it opening again, Eraserheads,

to everyone’s surprise, d e cided to rip out the closed curtains and came b a c k w i t h n e w s o n g s without any warning, leaving us all surprised, full

of hope and sticker happy.

From the classic that is ‘Pare Ko,’ to the lovely ballads of ‘Ligaya’ and ‘With a Smile,’ and to what many considers their opus, the heartbreaker that is ‘Ang Huling El Bimbo,’ Eraserheads show a complete versatility unmatched by bands even of today.

Now after Eraserheads launched new songs in Esquire magazine’s August issue, the E-heads faithful have many questions in their minds: Will they make more songs?

Are they back together now? Or is this just a one-time thing?

We don’t know what to believe yet, but Eraserheads’ surprising return definitely makes us believe in something.

Che, Meh, or Yeah!

V MAROON 5 It seems like everyone’s been on a throwback thirst lately, and this time Adam Levine and Co. pays

KOMIKS

and versatile artistry, the tracklist can be compared to a pack of Pic-A chips—it’s such a mesh of mess, but in a pretty good way. ‘Carolina’ is so succulent in nostalgia it oozes with the roadtripto-the-countryside aura; ‘Miracle’ and ‘Madhouse’ sounds strangely close to major pop music giants such as Prince and Madonna; Kimbra still manages to flex with her usual style in ‘As You Are’ but also takes time to explore the majestic bass and drum combo all throughout, from opening track ‘Teen Heat’ up to the eclectic ‘Love in High Places.’

It’ll take a while to digest, but this indie pop record is quite a rollercoaster ride.

Rating: CHE | MEH | YEAH!

THE GOLDEN ECHO KIMBRA

Instead of rehashing old favorites, the New Zealandbased songstress makes a bold move with her own take of 80s to 90s inspired music in The Golden Echo, her sophomore studio album after Vows.

Despite the music maven’s uniquely flexible vocals

MY EVERYTHING ARIANA GRANDE If we could all just forget the fact that Grande can’t

rock the ‘mature’ image with black leotards and thighhigh boots, our memories of Sam and Cat can just all go down the drain without a bad thought once you give this pleasantly fluid pop record a chance to serenade your ears.

With collab choices and vocal prowess stepping up a notch, the Floridan brunette proves that she is ready to take the charts by storm, gliding through genres in perfect balance; summer hits/feminist anthems such as ‘Problem,’ ‘Break Free,’ and ‘Bang Bang’ will make you bop your heads and flail your arms with carefree ease. Grande holds with better grip at R&B, as displayed in ‘Break Your Heart Right Back’ featuring Childish Gambino, added by a sample from Diana Ross’ ‘I’m Coming Out.’ Nevertheless, Ariana never forgets her soulful roots, expressed in ballads like ‘My Everything,’ ‘Just A Little Bit of Your Heart,’ and ‘Best Mistake.’

My Everything is something you won’t regret listening to.

Rating: CHE | MEH | YEAH!

-RISHA FERNANDEZ

VOLUME XXXVIII - ISSUE 4 SEPTEMBER 2014 - 12 PAGES

A SKAT ER ' S PARADIS E IN TH E MET RO IVETH SOLEVILLA

WHILE the Philippines is known by many things, ‘skater-heaven’ is not one of them.

There seems to be no place where skaters can enjoy their sport without getting run over by a car or chased by a batutawielding security guard.

‘Skate-spots’ are a rarity, which is probably why skaters from all over the Metro are treating the newly opened Mountain Dew Skate Park at Circuit City in Makati, a practical godsend.

With a whopping 1,000 square meters of skate area, designed with three different levels of play, the Mountain Dew Skate Park is dubbed as the first urban skate park in the country. A park complete with obstacles to shred through and ramps for some sick air.

The skate park is truly a gift

from heaven for skaters in the metro.

Situated between the Pasig River, Globe Circuit Event Grounds, and the GatoradeChelsea Blue Pitch, the park features three levels from beginner, intermediate to professional. Entrance fees are also pretty easy on the wallet with prices ranging from P50 to P100 per three hours of use. Another plus is that the park offers tutorials for beginners for aspiring skaters on Saturdays.

So if you ever wanted to learn how to skate or that you feel the itch to shred concrete, then the Mountain Dew Skate Park is waiting for you, for more information, you could visit Circuit City’s official website: www.makeitmakati. com and inquire about this concrete paradise.

FEATURES Letran’s Online Services CURRENTLY, I’m enrolled in Introduction to Linux, Anthropology of Current World Issues, Writing101, Visualizing Japan, and Introduction to Global Sociology; enjoying lectures from prestigious academies like Harvard, Berkeley, MIT, and Tokyo U. And doing it all in the comfort of my own bed. Which begs me to ask: “Can this be done in Letran?”

A few years ago, a friend of mine introduced a nifty website to me called edx.org.

This site was the brainchild between the partnership with Harvard and Massachusetts’ Institute of Technology to upload Ivy-level courses materials online, for free.

This partnership would soon expand to other Ivy League schools and many others, producing a catalogue of great information.

It’s an impressive endeavor

Celebrating Women of Faith

and one that is very admirable.

Very few are given the chance of such high level education but given the almost universal reach of the Internet. Now everyone is connected. Now everyone can be taught.

Compare that to the online functionality of Letran’s website and well… we still have a lot of fixing up to do. We do have a functioning website, a Facebook page, and a Twitter account.

That’s something right? But it could something more; much, much, more.

It could be a repository of needed course-materials.

It could have a quick video introduction to all available courses. It could function as an online enrollment system. It could be you, something useful.

To be fair though, Letran has a history of being incredibly progressive in terms of technology. Not-

9

withstanding our infamous terrible Wi-Fi, we have a newly refurbished computer laboratory, a Mac laboratory, a functioning TV studio complete with recording booths, and let’s not forget that Letran is one of the few Microsoft certified schools in the country.

But we really do have a terrible website. It functions solely for promotional purposes, and you’ll be hard pressed to find any reason to go online. I’m no IT expert, I’m sure the level of difficulty in creating and maintaining a website is very high, but does that excuse why our website lacks the functionalities other schools have had since the mid 2000’s? Enrollments, adjustments, printing permits, etc., all of these are very basic functionalities that would save students the hassle of Letran’s notoriously long waiting lines.

The online world offers a brand new frontier for innovation and if Letran is honest in its wishes to stay ahead of the curb, it would do well to embrace new and exciting technologies than be left behind trying to catch-up.

KOMIKS

The LANCE’s 38th Anniversary

BY RACHAEL LY UYCOQUE

MARITA GERARDINO

SEPTEMBER marks an important day in the lives of two women of great faith.

The fifth of September marks the feast day of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, or simply Mother Teresa and shortly thereafter, on the eighth of September, is

the birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

To say that these women are of great faith is an understatement. Mary, born without original sin, was the only one deemed worthy of conceiving the son of God, Jesus Christ. The Blessed

Virgin occupies a unique place in the history of salvation, as she has the highest mission ever bestowed to any of God’s creation. Christ needed a mother, and Mary’s conception and birth are events that without which, Christ’s own birth would have been impossible.

Mother Teresa, born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu on August 26, 1910, in Skopje, Macedonia attended a youth group called Sodality, run by a Jesuit priest at her parish. Her involvement opened her to the call of service as a missionary nun. She started a diocesan congregation that would become the Missionaries of Charity, whose mission are to care for the hungry, the naked, the homeless, the crippled, the blind, the lepers, all those people who feel unwanted, unloved, and un-

cared. A mission she took on with great resolve and fervor.

Both women, born almost two millennia apart, live on in the lives of anyone who ever needed consolation, guidance, and love. They continue to be an inspiration for young

and old, rich and poor from all walks of life, to live as they have lived: in absolute faith.

Take a moment to ponder and offer a simple prayer to these two wonderful women, who has forever changed, our spiritual lives.

10 news

GMA News TV’s Learniversity visits Letran MYKEE MONTEROLA

event were Human Resource Head of Café Mary Grace Adrian Dimacali and GMA story writer Suzette Doctolero who talked about writing for Television. Also present to give their talks were entrepreneurs and GMA host Bettina Carlos and Kimstore #TRENDING. Learniversity hosts and speakers takes a “groupie” with online gadget Letran students during the program.. | PHOTO BY LESLIE BOADO shop owner Kim Lato, who spoke about IT WAS a day of career ditorium in order to learn talks, learning exhibits, and listen to speeches given taking failure as a great and freebies for Letranites by the best and brightest challenge and as part of the last September 11 as GMA in the fields of Information learning process.

GMA News Anchor and News TV held its first Lear- Technology (IT), Broadcastniversity in Letran. ing, Business, and Human Reporter Mark Salazar was the speaker for CommuniStudents patiently lined Resource Management. up at the Student Center AuGuest speakers for this cation Arts and Broadcast-

KNIGHTS FROM PAGE 12

Letran Knights (79) vs.

EAC Generals (70) Racal’s hot shooting off the bench propelled the Knights against the Emilio Aguinaldo Generals, 79-70.

The 6’2” forward from Muntinlupa led the team, as he was relentless in drilling six of his eight triples in the first half of the game.

Racal fired back-to-back triples, 77-71, to wrap up the ballgame, sealing the deal for the Knights.

Racal soared a career high 27 points, capping off the Knights’ steady rise with its fifth victory out of 12 games.

Nambatac backed up Racal by posting 15 points and 8 boards while Cruz Chipped in 14 points.

With Letran’s placing at the bottom of the rankings, the victories against JRU and EAC proved to be crucial as they try to turn the season around.

Letran Knights (75) vs SSC-R Stags (73) Letran posted its second consecutive victory at the expense of the SSC-R Stags, 75-73, pinning the Rectobased squads into the bottom last September 8.

Racal led the way after exploding with 20 points, three boards, two assists,

two steals, and one block, while Cruz contributed 17 points, six assists, and four rebounds in keeping their Final Four hopes alive.

Stag Bradwyn Guinto tried his best to stop the dominating power of the Knights after posting 16 points and 15 boards as he heated up at the last four minutes of the game replacing CJ Perez after having a back injury midway through the last canto.

San Sebastian reserve Bobby Balucanag proved to be the hero after converting a layup at the 4.7-second mark of the game but after a review from the officials, the layup was not counted as there was no time left in the ball game and the buzzer already sounded.

Letran moved to a 6-7 win-loss record while sending San Sebastian to its tenth straight defeat.

Letran Knights (44) vs.

SBC Red Lions (73) The Letran Knights suffer-ed their eighth loss in the hands of their vengeful archrival San Beda Red Lions, 44-73, on September 13.

In the dying minutes of the second quarter, Kevin Racal buried a corner three that was waived after the referees slapped him with a questionable offensive foul after he hit the foot of San Beda’s JP Mendoza in his attempt.

Head Coach Caloy Garcia and

Racal were given technical fouls which led to converted charities by the Lions.

The crucial foul proved to be pivotal as Letran was down by a huge deficit of 19, with the score of 18-37.

As the third quarter was about to end, Nambatac sprained his ankle causing him to sit the rest of the game. By the end of three periods, San Beda’s lead blossomed to 21.

Letran entered the final minutes of the game without one of their bigs, Ford Ruaya, who was slapped with his fifth foul just as the final quarter started. Both inside and outside shot attempts were not working in Letran’s favor. The ballers from Intramuros gave up a lot of turnovers which San Beda converted into points. During the 6:11 mark of the final quarter, San Beda hammered the final nail on Letran’s coffin, with another 9-0 run.

Letran Knights’ Ford Ruaya admitted that there is a change when it comes to San Beda’s strategy compared during the first round.

“Difference is nag-big lineup sila kahapon[game against San Beda]; pero sa tingin ko, advantage sa amin (Letran) yun kasi bumagal sila.” He added, “Malas lang talaga hindi pumapasok outside shooting namin.”

To keep their final four hopes alive, the Knights

ing students while Manager and Senior Vice President of GMA New Media Dingdong Caharian was the speaker for IT and Digital Arts students.

The last speaker for that day was Life Coach and GMA News TV personality Ali Gui who gave Letran students valuable tips during her talk and a short seminar titled Job Interview 101.

Rev. Fr. Juan Ponce, O.P., Vice President for Academic Affairs, opened the ceremonies by encouraging the students to take this chance and learn something valuable from the event.

“This is an opportunity for you to find the best career,” he said.

After each talk, speakers along with the hosts took a “groupie” with the audience.

Letranites also showcased their talents by means of actively participating in games

and through the presentation of the Letran Filipiniana Dance Group and Letran Street Beat.

Meanwhile at the Salon de Actos, everyone witnessed the events happening at the jam-packed SC Auditorium via the giant screen which was set up along with the fun booths like “Anchor for a Day” which gave students a chance to experience what it feels like to be a reporter and they were able to bring home a copyof their hosting video.

Other booths include “Fish-A-Prize,” “Pica-Pica,” “Triviamentaries,” “Post it,” and a Photo Booth. Rachelle Quirabu, a fourth year Journalism student said: “Parang fun way of learning. Nakakaenjoy lalo yung mga booths.

Daming freebies.”

The event was hosted by Tonipet Gaba, Valerie Tan, and Mikael Daez.

Letran Knights (70) vs AU Chiefs (79) The Knights’ journey to enter the Final Four finally reached the end after being trounced by the AU Chiefs, 70-79, last September 24.

The Knights of Muralla finally bowed down to the Chiefs with Kevin Racal already out of the season with an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury he suffered during training.

The second half marked the downfall of the Knights with John Pinto, Keith Agovida, and American Dioncee Holts powering alternating points in securing Arellano’s final four ticket.

Agovida bombarded with a team-high 19 points and grabbed ten boards while Holts contributed 12 points.

Furthermore, Coach Caloy Garcia collected another ejection for the second time this season after continuous complaints during the last minute of the game.

AU Chiefs also swept the Knights for the first time since joining the tournament in 2009.

Though out of final four contention, the valiant Knights will still battle for pride as they try to finish their last three games with wins.

group and also for the whole Letran community. Vice President for Logistics of Templar Angelo Rabe said that Templar aim’s of joining the event was “to showcase and enrich the talent that we (Templar) have. Siyempre, gusto rin namin na maipakita sa iba at makilala na may Letran sa mundo ng musika.”

Templar took home the top prize of P30,000. Philtoa and The Philippine Travel Mart organized the annual event. | With reports from Ralph Baniqued

needed to win all four of their remaining games.

TEMPLAR FROM PAGE 1

LETRAN FROM PAGE 1

“It is also an opportunity where organizations, clas-ses, sections, offices, [and] departments can come up with a program or project which [can] showcase their skills,” said Zamora, highlighting other benefits that these partnerships are set to bring to the Colegio.

“As we always say, these communities are aspiring to develop; since we are dynamic builders and leaders of communities, we will help them achieve what they aspire for,” Zamora added.

Zamora also has high hopes that these new partnerships will encourage Letranites to contribute something not only to one community, but to the rest of them.

VOLUME XXXVIII - ISSUE 4 SEPTEMBER 2014 - 12 PAGES

AquaKnights post 5th-place finish AFTER finishing fourth last season, the AquaKnights failed to improve on their performance as they sank into fifth spot this year while the Lady AquaKnights finished last in the swimming tournament of the 90th season of the National Collegiate Athletic Association August 20 to 22 at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex swimming pool.

The three-day event saw the AquaKnights hoping to dismiss their title drought and to end the reign of San Beda College.

In the men’s 400-meter free category, Julian Villacorta, Lance Macawili, and Nathaniel Ramos failed to enter the finals as they placed 13th, 16th, and 20th respectively out of 23 hopefuls during the preliminaries.

Rianne Piomeda of the Lady AquaKnights ended 16th out of 17 swimmers in the women’s 400-meter freestyle category. Meanwhile, San Beda dominated both divisions of the category.

Alnexon Demson, however, successfully entered the

GREEN FROM PAGE 12

sion. The Women’s division was won by Tyreen Abdon, soaring high in snagging the Championship in Badminton for the Brown Jaguars (Political Science and Legal Management) followed by the Green Basilisks and Red Horse at second and third place, respectively.

Blue Orioles, on the other hand, dove to the championship as the overall champion for the Swimming competition. Rudy Gatdula and Diane Tablan, both from the Black Hawks, plunged as the Best Player for Men’s and Women’s Division.

The Black Hawks (Operations Management) were denied of a three-peat title in basketball after finishing in third this season.The Yellow Dragons emerged as champions followed by the Orange Tigers in second place.

The Mythical Five for the Basketball tournament are: Jeffrey Bathan from the Black Hawks, Danilo Feliciano and Luis Briones from the Orange Tigers, Dan Amado from Purple Phoenix, and Natale Arabit from Yellow Dragons. The Most Valuable Player (MVP) award was

finals and managed a sixthplace showing in the 50-meter breast category giving Letran three points.

In the 100-meter backstroke category, Jhon Chri Dela Pena and Mohammad Damman entered the finals eventually placing sixth and seventh to add 5.5 points to the team’s tally.

Furthermore, in the 100-meter butterfly category, Ben Maestro and Kenneth Zenarosa failed to enter the finals.

Letran gained a total of 180 points, posting 59 points on the first day, 55 and 66 in the second and third day, respectively. Letran’s total is a far cry compared to defending champion San Beda’s total of 1,350.5 points followed by last year’s runner-up, College of Saint Benilde (CSB) with 684.5 points.

The Lady AquaKnights garnered only 58 points pinning them into eighth spot while San Beda plunged in 1,161 and CSB with a total of 816.5 points.

Both Jose Rizal University and University of Perpetual Help System Dalta did not participate in the women’s division.

- RONALD ESPARTINEZ given to Feliciano.

The Blue Orioles ended the four-peat dynasty of the Red Horse in the Men’s Volleyball division settling for fourth this year. The Yellow Dragons and Purple Phoenix secured second and third place, respectively. In the Women’s tournament, the Black Hawks triumphed over the Purple Phoenix in the championship match with the Yellow Dragons settling for third.

Empire’s downfall The Yellow Dragons destroyed the four-year reign of the Green Basilisks after snatching the Cheerdance title with a powerful and smooth routine at the closing ceremony of the Letramurals on September 17 at the Blessed Antonio Varona Gymnasium.

The Yellow Dragons started their performance with the traditional cheers of Letran followed by perfect stunts that made the crowd go wild. A synchronized dance routine bombarded the gymnasium with a marvelous back to back tumbling exhibition. Among all teams, the Yellow Dragons exhibited the highest degree of difficulty in their stunts.

The Orange Tigers notched third place after making the crowd sizzle with their

sports Lost Thoughts HAVE you ever felt weak, like you are not good enough? Like you were given a task where you feel completely useless and constantly looking for reasons why you were there in the first place? Well, look around, you might not be alone on that same page.

I started in this position with a little glimpse of what is ahead of me. I managed to be honest and tell the truth that I still have a lot to learn and improve myself. Not to mention being a leader surrounded with other leaders who pretty much knew their craft gives you an idea of what “inferiority” feels like.

I screwed up. Big time.

There were times that I really

just want to quit. But then I realized what happens then?

Will it ever make a change?

Well I might be worried less but it only makes me the woman who left when the tough gets going.

I still remember this quote that I read from the Former Sports Editor of this publication and she said: “At the end of the day, what’s important is to return to your inner self, analyze what’s right and make sure you do not commit the same mistakes again.“ Those few words moved me. It made me realize why I’m here in the first place. It’s not about carrying the “glory of the byline,” or perks of being a part of a publication; I am

11

here to tell the voice of truth, in the name of the students and my Alma Mater.

Because there were people who believed that I can and saw me from a different perspective. I may not have seen it from the beginning but what if they did see my unleashed potential and the rest is left to be figured out?

We never know. But one thing is for sure, you are there for a reason. There are times that you will feel lost. However, “what goes around, comes back around.” Find yourself again and seek ways to be better. Grab each opportunity that nurtures your inner self.

And never blame yourself for your mistakes, and use it to be better instead.

You are probably thinking: “Who cares about these things?” What about you? Do you still care? Perhaps more problems will be solved if we start affirming ourselves on what we have, what we can do and what are we lacking that we should fulfill with the help of others.

Chivalry in the professional league

OUTSIDE the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) hard court, the Letran Knights were of no exception to the new batch of aspiring rookie applicants who are pinning their hopes to be drafted as it is the time of the year again for the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) to welcome recruits to the league in the Annual PBA Rookie Draft.

Leading the parade of Knights in this year’s draft is Kevin Louie Alas. The former Letran superstar was picked second overall by the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, following Global Port Batang Pier’s top overall pick of the year, Stanley Pringle, a FilipinoAmerican and former Penn State player.

Alas admitted that he did not expect to be picked that early in the first round of the 2014 PBA Draft. Hence, he was nothing but grateful to be part of the Rain or Shine family. Alas swore to give any kind of help that he can offer to the team.

This former Gilas cadet perfectly fits Rain or Shine Head Coach Yeng Guiao’s system, whose reputation proceeds from teaching his players to hot dance moves. The Black Hawks pinned fourth place followed by the harmonious chirps of the Blue Orioles.

The judges for this year’s

ANGELICA STA. ANA

be ruthless inside the court.

The team is also in need of someone that can suffice the scoring end, knowing that this team is already built up for the toughness of its defense.

With the services of Kevin Alas, the offensive end can now be guaranteed. He has been the scoring machine of his Alma Mater during his collegiate days under his father and former Letran Head Coach Louie Alas, so his shooting hands are of no question.

Aside from which, the Elasto Painters was said to look for an “insurance cover” for one of their scoring prime, Paul Lee, who was accordingly wanting to be traded to another team after the end of his contract to the Elasto Painters, and they surely found it in Kevin Alas.

The 22-year old young gun is set to be with another former Knight, Raymond Almazan, who was drafted third overall by Rain or Shine in last year’s rookie draft.

Meanwhile, the older Alas, Kristoffer Louie Alas, another former Letran Knight, was picked 16th overall by the Alaska Aces in the second round. The 6’3” forward said that he was totally surprised to be picked by

Cheerdance Competition were Susan Mercado, a professor from the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM), Gibson Alegre from the Uni-

Alaska. He also said that he was just so thankful to be playing for the team and to play under Head Coach Alex Compton.

The latest of the Knights to be drafted was Reneford Ruaya. This 6’3” slasher was the 35th overall pick by the Blackwater Sports, a new team in the PBA, in the third round.

He is currently in his second playing year in Letran. He admitted that he was not actually expecting to be drafted this year but still, he was very happy for the opportunity.

“Masaya ako, pero alam ko sa sarili ko na hindi ko pa time para maglaro doon,” Ruaya humbly confessed. He added, “marami pa akong dapat pagtrabahuhan para makalaro doon.”

Ford Ruaya is set to play in the PBA Developmental League (PBA D-League) for Blackwater Sports first before stepping into the professional league since he was not yet being offered to sign a contract to play for the PBA. He will have to earn his spot the hard way and prove that his passion is unwavering to go head to head with the other teams.

Meanwhile, former Letran Knights Julien Foronda, Jojo Belorio, and Jam Cortes remained undrafted. versity of the East, Rolando Sayno Jr. from the De La Salle– College of Saint Benilde, Patrick Hernandez, and Inst. Archie Dema-Ala also from PLM.

SPORTS

VOLUME XXXVIII - ISSUE 4 | SEPTEMBER 2014 - 12 PAGES

Knights drop out of Final Four contention RONALD JOHN ESPARTINEZ, DARREL SAN ANDRES, AND ANGELICA STA.ANA

AFTER marching to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) finals for two consecutive years, the valiant Knights were thrown out of the Final Four contention this season.

Although they started off the second round by posting three wins in the first five games of the round, the Muralla-based troopers’ Final Four dreams were shattered in their loss against the Arellano (AU) Chiefs.

The Knights blasted off with a vengeful performance against the Jose Rizal University (JRU) Heavy Bombers, but the celebration was cut short after the surging University of Perpetual Sytem- Dalta (UPHSD) Altas defeated them to solidify the latter’s solo third spot in the standings.

Letran was relentless in slamming the Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC) Generals and San Sebastian College (SSC-R) Stags, posting consecutive victories; the San Beda College (SBC) Red Lions, however, were more ruthless

as they avenged their first round loss to Letran.

In the height of suspensions due to the brawl during the game between the EAC Generals and the Mapua Cardinals, Letran’s match against Mapua on Sept. 29 was forfeited. Mapua has only four players to show thus improving the Knights to a 7-9 win-loss record.

Letran Knights (84) vs. JRU Heavy Bombers (77) Coming off a bitter first round loss at the expense of the JRU Heavy Bombers, the Knights bounced back 84-77, as the 5’6’’ point guard Mark Cruz led the Muralla-based cagers’ revenge.

With 7:43 left in

Game, set, match, Saarenas BRYLE SURALTA

BRYAN Saarenas, team captain of the Letran Tennis Team, shows true heart and the passion in playing the sport.

There are things that you learn to love at a very young age. As for Bryan’s passion for tennis, this has always been the case, having been taught the sport at the age of five. Bryan’s loving relationship with tennis was longterm; he practically married the game, a relationship that would see him achieve success in the college ranks.

The Cagayan de Oro native was crowned Most Valuable Player (MVP) while leading Letran to the National Collegiate Athletic Association championship last season.

Bryan has always been carrying the ‘Arriba Spirit’ even before the Colegio discovered it. Playing in the prestigious Palarong Pambansa, scouts saw Saarenas going up against the best of the best and proving that he belonged in the upper echelons of the sport. At that time, Letran, who was look-

ing to improve the school’s tennis team, found someone who had the potential for stardom and success, who could take pride in being a Knight, and someone who could lead the school’s tennis team to glory and continue the team’s success.

From that point on, everything Bryan has done has exceeded expectations, being the MVP in the college ranks; Bryan has done everything with humility, diligence, determination, and the mindset to treat every game as if it was his last. His passion for the game still lives on even to this day.

Saaarenas and the rest of the squad are once again motivated to make Letran proud with another solid title defense this year. When asked about winning another championship this year; Saarenas simply said, “Oo, kasi kumpleto ulit kami ngayon.”

The team’s drive for victory and focus is unwavering.

With Bryan leading the pack, it is safe to say that the odds will be in Letran’s favor.

PHOTO BY RYAN MIGUEL RONA

the game clock, the Bombers stole the lead but Rey Nambatac sacked a shot that quickly answered JRU’s points.

It was then again a classic see-saw match at the remaining 29 seconds, with the boys blue down two points, and the ball in their possession for an inbound, Kevin Racal dished to Jamil Gabawan who is wide open and clinched the points to tie the ball game and send it to overtime.

In overtime, Cruz exploded 10 of his 26 points to guarantee the Knights a payback against the

Bombers, 84-77.

Letran Knights (64) vs UPHSD Altas(67) The cagers of Intramuros were outlasted by the soaring UPHSD Altas, 67-64, on August 27.

The Altas seized a mindblowing combination of 44 points from Juneric Baloria, Earl Thompson, and Harold Arboleda. Neither team was able to pull away from one another but it was Perpetual who led after the buzzer went out in the tight first half of the game.

Going to the fourth quarter with Letran down by eight, 51-59, the Knights did not hesitate in limiting the Altas to eight points while erupting 13 points but the Altas still prevailed and brought home a 67-64 decision to bolster its own bid to the final four.

With the loss, The Knights slid down the board with a dismal 4-7 record.

KNIGHTS, PAGE 10

Green Basilisks win championship RONALD JOHN ESPARTINEZ AND MARILIE TUBALINAL

THE GREEN Basilisks (Accountancy, Financial Management, and Accounting Technology) proved to be the mightiest of all after bagging the overall championship at the 2014 Letramurals with the theme “High Five! Letramurals 2014: Keeping the Spirit Alive.” The Green Basilisks posted 289 points followed by the Institute of Communication’s Red Horse with 268 points and Yellow Dragons (Marketing, Entrepreneurship, and Economics) with 256 points.

En route to the overall

title, the Green Basilisks swept the Fun Games and Dance Sport as Emmanuel Ibana and Jean Mara Vestil were awarded as the Best Pair. Purple Phoenix (Hotel & Restaurant Management, Tourism Management, Nutrition & Dietetics, and Food Technology) pinned second place while the Blue Orioles (Psychology, College of Education, and Human Resource & Development Management) secured the third spot. In the Fun Games, the Orange Tigers (College of Engineering and Information Technology) placed

second while the Red Horse grabbed the third spot.

The overall championship in the Table Tennis tournament was also snatched by the Green Basilisks followed

by Red Horse and Orange Tigers as runner-ups. Ervin Concepcion from the Yellow Dragons won the Best Player award for Table Tennis Men’s Division while Gladys Nicole Aquino from the Red Horse won in the Women’s Division.

In Badminton, Wilfredo Nunez of the Green Basilisks was hailed as the Best Smasher for the Men’s Divi-

DOUBLE KILL. Green Basilisks claims overall championship for the second straight year. | PHOTO BY MASCOT FAMANILA

GREEN, PAGE 11