The L Magazine

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Life is a matter of taking perspectives. It’s up to you which side you will look at: the good side or the other way around.

The Luzonian proudly brings you the rebirth of our magazine publication, Dael Mag. The prior issue was back in 2013. And now, we present this to our fellow bosses, the students... so that they can take their own perspective on the year that was.

Yin and Yang is the balance and interplay of forces. Let us be reminded that no matter how contrary forces are, we can always make it complementary. We can celebrate the beauty of duality and use it to make us better individuals propelling positive change for the University and our immediate communities.

This issue, we give you the chance to take your own perspective. We, Envergans, faced myriad happenings this year.

Win or lose, compliments or criticisms, praises or brickbats --- we overpowered the contrariness, and we arrived at another year, another milestone to remember.

Happy reading, Envergans!

GLIM Requirement for real? commentary

07

I know right outlook

09

Truth or consequence?? editorial

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Porum Publiko survey

Perspectives: A take on your mental health

22 features

27

devcom

18 features

Rundown of new Envergan professionals

Lagman puts EU in TOSP rolls again

14 48

advocacy

Parini na sa Quezon!

Yanong sarap!

Your hugot horoscope in 2018

infographics

18

30 news

TABANG MAYON:

The MSEUF humanitarian aid program

PSE Maroon & White’s guide to forever

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52 features

Ms. Enverga, a beauty embodying excellence

features

Reinventing the annual Foundation Week activities

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52 opinion

Fire safety tips for a sizzling summer

features

Too distant from victory

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sports editorial

55

Holy Week getaway: A quick guide

features

Metamorphosis: MSEUF reinventing the curricula

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features

No action is completely good Nor is any action completely evil.

Such is the way of life, often hinging on the scales of one’s perspective.

commentary

OPINION

Graduation – an end,

a commencement

A

s we move to this chapter of our lives, we are off to break into the professional world. From academic requirements and organizational responsibilities, our lives will soon turn into real life predicaments, way harder than solving a mathematical problem or balancing an aaccounting financial statement. From just reciting in class or persuading people to vote for you for student elections, we are about to interact with a a circle of corporate professionals. And that’s not easy.

Those that are working while studying got to taste the best of both worlds; at the same time (even the worst of both worlds). To many, it is a great deal of learning. But sadly speaking, others tend to become too forward, feeling that they have something that others don’t.

Some stand in their ivory towers full of pride that they tend to become the know-it-all.

College has fostered learning and experience upon us through the many opportunities given us: to become student leaders, budding journalists, rising academicians, quiz bee wizards, debate stalwarts, and whatever it is we wished to aspire for. We might graduate from college thinking we were accomplished because we notched so many achievements, only to find out in the end that we know very little of the real world and its practical applications.

You might be that kind of person who got lucky in politics or earned your fame through your life stature. But keep your feet on the ground and keep your manners intact. No matter how many accomplishments you were able to collect, you were once a nobody. And being successful does not give you the license to belittle others or be the queen bee to make others’ lives miserable.

As you leave the University’s loving hands, you are off to a bigger world, that world they call the “real world,” which is something you don’t run from, something you don’t own, something you can’t underestimate. At this point that you’re still in the University, try to embrace learning. Try to be humble and to accept constructive points to make you a much better person. Try to be compassionate about people and where they’re coming from. Try to be open-minded. And most importantly, try to be a respectful human being.

Shutting off people’s commentaries would not make you a better person. You can never silence truth.

It will always prevail at all times. Being someone with a public figure stature in the University is not a privilege, it is a responsibility. A responsibility that you should nurture because that is your purpose in life.

Education, empowerment and excellence - these are the three core values that were fostered in this institution.

Thinking about them, the three core values can be subsumed to only two: education and empowerment. Act educated and empower others. And excellence will just be there, an output of what you have become. You do not need to go around bragging about yourself or about your accomplishments online. The people around you, they are the ones who will tell everyone how great you are and how good you are as a person.

As we end this chapter in college and look forward to the commencement of another one, always keep in mind the tenets that we learned in the academic institution where we came from.

Values do matter; they matter way beyond one’s accomplishments. Don’t just be a great man, be a better person all the time. For the world becomes a better place for everybody who strives to transform his surroundings into a place where people will not only be themselves, but also enrich other people’s lives and thereby make a difference.

In this sense, graduations are beginnings, merely commencements of newer challenges that we need to embrace.

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6 OPINION

commentary

Through the looking-glass G

raduates are about to step into a magical world. Like Alice in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, they are about to experience fantasy far from the reality waiting beyond the diploma. But Alice did not slip this time. She stepped into the looking-glass world because the mirror is transparent enough. So how transparent can this year’s Graduation Ball be?

Large gatherings such as a graduation ball allocates budgets to various things. Food, lights and sounds, maintenance, design, and prizes are the most basic expenses graduates would have to deal with. What do we really need to know about them?

Food is inarguably the most important part of a graduation ball. Participants would have to stay for hours chatting and dancing after all. As a result, catering services are usually hired to provide the attendees with nourishment to keep them in high spirits the whole evening.

How much was spent for this year’s graduation ball food? Whose services were hired? Aside from the cost of food items, how much was the labor cost for personnel who did overtime work? What about snacks?

Each king and queen (it was a royal ball, organizers said) should get answers, else their hunger for truth leaves a bad taste in the mouth.

The next crucial element is maintenance. As in any occasion, cleanliness and orderliness must be preserved. Graduation ball trash would have to be disposed, chairs cleaned and put in place, in order to keep a lovely court for the kings and queens. How much did they allocate for this? Who will be paid? Other than the University’s General Services, are there other people involved in the maintenance work who need to be compensated as well? Not only should we have an organized venue; a clean slate would surely comfort royal minds.

Of course, maintenance is not without design. For a castle to be worthy of its masters, the place would have to look like a work of art. Party services are commonly rendered here. Who were the people paid for this? For how much? Were students asked to help to lower costs?

The allocation of budget is also an essential feature of memorable parties like this.

And speaking of memories, lights and sounds set the atmosphere of laughter, fondness and farewells.

Lights need to be installed to create the desired “royalty” effects. Music would have to resonate the rhythm of kings and queens as they dance across the dreamy lights. Whose services have been availed?

How much? Were there students paid to do the electronic works? The royals cannot be blind and deaf about these.

Finally, prizes can excite party goers in a royal court.

Kings and queens would like to have Lady Luck with them as they go to battle. Then again, it would depend upon the pot.

What were the prizes involved?

From what contests and raffles could they be won? How much was spent for them? Whose services have been procured to dispense the rewards? Whether rewards be wine, food or money, prizes aren’t as attractive if the giver withholds them.

In any activity, it is necessary to have enough resources to accomplish the objectives. That is especially crucial when we want to enter a world of magic, for a fivehundred peso entrance fee.

It’s all in the answers. Alice may have been in front of a world full of uncertainties, but the looking-glass was clear.

All that’s left is stepping on her own and enjoying the fruits of her own curiosity.

But curiosity needs to be satisfied. And here lies the rub. Uneasy is the head that wears the crown. Always. But he has to satisfy his subjects if he does not want his head served on a silver platter.

The truth must be told. At once. Time is of the essence because the subjects are leaving the kingdom for a bigger adventure out there. And their questions must be answered. Now.

In any activity, it is necessary to have enough resources to accomplish the objectives.

commentary

OPINION

Requirement for real?

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ow come there is one clearance going around to be signed purportedly by one person alone so that this year’s candidates for graduation can allegedly allowed to participate in the Commencement Exercises on June 15? We have it on good authority that said clearance was not authorized by any officer of the University. The issue is, how this person can be emboldened to require this clearance and run after the representatives of the various graduating classes to allegedly settle their financial obligations to the Graduating Class Organization.

The hullabaloo about the Graduating Class’s clearance being a requirement and a passport for graduation stirred an uproar from the graduating students. Part of the clearance package, according to our information and based on the alleged clearance form shown to us was the collection of fees for the recollection and the graduation ball despite the payee’s non-appearance in both activities. Thus, questions piled up.

If it were not a form approved for circulation, why can that person circulate and require it with impunity?

How did it become a Certificate of Clearance?

To clear up the conjectures and the questions, The Luzonian did interviews to answer these questions and ease the qualms of the graduating classes inasmuch as the graduating class officers failed to give direct answers and pointed them from one officer to another.

First, original documents issued by the University Administration are ISO quality forms. The University Clearance Form for graduating students has a number of signatories: the University Registrar, the Dean, the Treasurer, the Library Director, the Chief Accountant and the evaluator.

The alleged clearance being circulated by the so-called Graduating Class Organization has only one signatory and requires the payment of “all the dues and contributions of the 2018 graduating class.” Purportedly, it will be appended to the Application for Graduation to ensure that the candidates for graduation can join the June 15 scheduled Commencement Exercises.

This form has stirred unease among a number of graduating students who were made to believe that it is a requirement for graduation. Many did not realize that a mere class officer cannot impose anything on other students without appropriate permission from University authorities.

To put an end to speculations and questions, we interviewed the University Registrar, Mr. Mauro Eclavea. He said that the alleged clearance by the Senior Class Organization is not a prerequisite for the signing of the official University Clearance.

The only documents required by the Office of the University Registrar are the following: the Application for Graduation, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)-issued birth certificate, and the permanent high school record.

This is after the OUR has checked the individual student evaluation and has certified that the applicant has complied with all the required course credits, meaning that all applicant’s grades were submitted.

Thus, when an applicant for graduation has submitted all the required documents, they are eligible to graduate. Once the University Clearance Form is duly signed by the concerned institutional officials, there is no reason for the Office of the Registrar’s Office to withhold a student’s academic credentials, Mr. Eclavea added.

Robert F. Ingersoll once said, “Until every soul is freely permitted to investigate every book, and creed, and dogma for itself, the world cannot be free. Mankind will be enslaved until there is mental grandeur enough to allow each man to have his thought and say.”

Case closed.

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8 OPINION

Murderers e are slowly dying. We are the murderers. We are the ones who W started this all. The world is dying and no one is to blame but us.

While I was walking together with my family and I saw lights from afar, I said, “Tay, ang ganda nung mga ilaw o. Yun yung power plant ‘di ba?” and my father replied, “maganda lang tingnan pero lason sa kalikasan” and that struck me in seconds thinking he was right. We appreciate things not thinking what their effects are on other people, other creatures who also breathe the same air as I do.

“Hakuna Matata” means no worries based on Disney’s The Lion King but if we think this way on the side of conserving our natural resources, how can we save Earth?

The time I watched The Lion King and DC’s Wonder Woman opened my eyes to realize how poisoned our Earth is right now. All the wars happening in different countries wrought unhealthy effects not only on innocent people but also on different living things that need attention just as we people do.

Based on feature stories in the National Geographic, dozens of species are likely to go extinct each day but none of us know and care about it. I am not a nature slash scientific guru that know everything about conserving natural resources but one thing is for sure, in my own little way, I know where the trash should be placed and being involved in little environmental actions like this can create a movement.

A video from Facebook

featuring a girl that went viral for months now shows her 5-year trash fitting into a mason jar.

Projects concerned about water pollution eliminate trash from the ocean and a “carbon ink” converts carbon gunk from vehicles into a pigmented ink for drawing artworks. These simple projects and movements continually prove that we can make a move, make our little positive difference. Such actions attest that a person and their simple acts can make a stand for the environment and create global ripples for conservation.

Earth was given to us and we need to protect species that first blinked their eyes in this world.

Have you ever thought if you deserve the life you are living in this precious masterpiece? Earlier this year, the doomsday clock was moved closer to midnight, warning the world that it is as close to catastrophe in 2018 as it has ever been, according to the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.

These may be predictions that need further studies, but we cannot deny that this is the reality. As Diana Prince or Wonder Woman herself says, “it’s not about deserve, it’s about what you believe,” we can start believing that we ourselves can save our planet.

So get off your feet and reduce carbon footprints. Walk and run - don’t ride. Reduce trash.

See what happens.

This Earth was given to us as a gift; we need to protect the species that first blinked their eyes in this world.

Ada Loreen De Castro

JUGAR SEGURO

outlook

OPINION

I know right: Breaking the walls of smart-shaming O

nline media outlets recently got bombarded by countless trolls attacking intellectuals who protested against the administration. For example, GMA News Senate reporter Jam Sisante received a private Facebook message warning her to be vigilant, lest her body be found in a sack after she covered Senator Trillanes IV’s trip to Singapore as the latter tried to counter the President’s allegation of keeping offshore bank accounts. Willyn Trabajador, an anti-Duterte netizen, had a criminal complaint filed against him by a police after being falsely accused of posting a bomb threat. They and many other intellectuals are being assaulted ad hominem for their views, getting unfounded accusations and even death and rape threats, among others.

Apart from speculations regarding President Duterte’s supposed “keyboard army” in this era of fake news, what saddens me more is the crab mentality noticeable from this bandwagon of uncritical followers. I have seen this pattern before, albeit offline. Ever since , there has been a prevalence of direct and indirect verbal and physical attacks against intellectuals, mostly prevalent in schools. There are plenty of methods being utilized, but one of the most popular has to be smart-shaming.

“BIDA-BIDA MASYADO!” What is smart-shaming anyway? It is the act of mocking people who are smarter than others.

It can be attributed to the insidious Filipino culture of anti-intellectualism. This is practically utilized in a larger context by conservative people against liberal thinkers, and by politicians and businessmen against corruption protesters.

In classrooms, it is when smart students get shunned by their classmates for raising their hands, talking in front, and answering board tasks most of the time. It is as if these intellectuals are at fault for having the skills to do things better.

Not only does this lessen the appeal of studying hard, but it also promotes the practice of top students helping the lazy ones cheat or do their assignments in exchange for being treated well.

“AKO NA BOBO! IKAW NA MATALINO!” And from this gap comes smart-shaming.

Since the average level is set unproductively low, studious attitude becomes very apparent. Getting 100% scores is deemed being perfectionist, and as the term has undesirable connotations, resentment comes in. Since most in the class are not “perfectionists”, not only the teachers but also the academically-inclined students are expected to adapt to their norm, else the smart-shaming.

Unfortunately, such adaptation usually reduces the competitiveness of the students even more. The top students are forced to stay low, and/or tolerate and even participate in cheating. If they don’t, the possibility that they will be shunned or even bullied escalates.

“WEH? DI NGA?” “E DI , WOW!” The prevalence of smart-shaming is caused by and is an implication of many things.

Academically active students tend to get recognized and treated with more consideration by teachers. On the other hand, those who do poorly receive low grades and less consideration, especially if they show negative behavior.

With the combination of favoritism, another bad prevalent Filipino trait, a huge gap between these two types of students forms, leading to manifestations of envy and anger.

People might think that getting a passing grade is enough, so instead of striving to get full marks, they focus on not getting below the failing mark. In other words, they force themselves to be average to avoid being noticed or singled out.

But when the so-called “overachievers” join the fray, the gap becomes pronounced.

“WOAH!!! DEEP!” Of course, the “overachievers” may have the balls to ignore and fend off the mediocres, but as is mostly true in society (especially in a country like the Philippines), going against the majority requires huge amounts of resources and patience, not to mention sacrifice and aggravation to wage a fight against the deviant parties when the fight drags long enough.

Consequently, the overachievers choose the road of less resistance and elect to keep quiet on the sidelines while silently gnashing their teeth in seething anger.

But if this becomes the norm, then mediocrity and injustice rule.

...many intellectuals are being assaulted ad hominem for their views, getting unfounded accusations of misinformation, and even death and rape threats, among others.

Tolerating smart-shaming can lead to society’s demise. As Rizal’s overused yet undermined saying goes, “the youth is the future of society.” But having a low informal academic bar leads to professionals simply acting like robots who work the way the data and algorithm programmed in them dictates. As a result, they end up doing average in their jobs, with the same attitude of working simply for the sake of earning for survival and for being a normal adult.

Worse, these people get mentally conditioned to think and act in favor of the ideologies of those with influence, simply because they are complacent enough to not think for themselves and are hesitant to act differently from the norm, the way their smart-shamed classmates have been.

Putting it simply, smart-shaming runs deep. So, what can we do? Simple: stop smart-shaming and improve ourselves. We don’t have to drag everyone down with us if we’re already in the pits. Instead, we should learn to climb the walls and later on break through the ceiling. Smart-shaming may be prevalent now; nonetheless, with every one’s little effort of shunning the act of smart-shaming, we can become better individuals coexisting with the world’s positive infinities and opportunities.

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10 OPINION

editorial

Truth or consequence?

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ocial media is a communication platform where many depend on these days. We get to know things in just a click and learn the trends and news by just browsing the net. Traditional journalism in the broadsheets and tabloids that we used to read with a cup of coffee in the mornings is now passé especially among millennials. Why bother to go to a store, buy a newspaper and read through it when the hottest news and everything you need to know is just one google or swipe away? And this is why fake news has proliferated. But this has to stop.

But since social media and the net, at large, serves all the information readers need to know and hear about, most become lazy to filter what is genuine and what is deceiving. Fake news has become fodder, particularly in the online media. It takes critical thinking and sound judgment to differentiate between real and fake news.

Most gullible netizens fall into the peril of sharing what they think is real and therefore pass them on multiplying the fakery. Who’s to blame for this state of affairs: the naïvete of netizens or the trickery behind the blabs?

We are all in search for honesty and truth. We are sometimes bound by the deceit that tricks the eye and tweaks our notion of what we believe in. From here comes the essence of what “responsible journalism” is all about.

Journalism should strive to be factual and honest if it is to serve the public. If it wants to be live up to its canon of keeping people informed about the truth, journalists should painstakingly conduct critical inquiry and verification before they print or release any news report in a newspaper or in a broadcast. Spreading fake news is not journalism, it is gossiping and disinformation. And as thinking individuals, we should draw the line between truth and fakery. Public service should always be upheld.

It must not serve or benefit a political group or a coalition just to feed or deceive the minds of the innocent to sway public opinion, more so in an election.

As college students, we are in a micro societal context through our own University publication. But as a little version of what is happening in the bigger, outside world, the school publication’s duty is just the same. We work relentlessly to serve the student body so that they can get the news accurately and factually. The student body is our public and it is our obligation to serve them well as they contributed to the making of a decent and compelling publication through their subscription fee.

Quoting the Campus Journalism Act of 1991: “It is the declared policy of the State to uphold and protect the freedom of the press even at the campus level and to promote the development and growth of campus journalism as a means of strengthening ethical values, encouraging critical and creative thinking, and developing moral character and personal discipline of the Filipino youth.”

“In furtherance of this policy, the State shall undertake various programs and projects aimed at improving the journalistic skills of students concerned and promoting responsible and free journalism.” The sanctity of its policy is something that may not be known to most but its importance is something that each one of us in this University enjoys. Revisiting its tenets is critical.

Campus journalism is a breeding ground of what the corporate and professional world will be in the future.

As we become graduates of this University, may we become not just embodiments of excellence in our fields. More importantly, may we become responsible individuals even in the littlest sense just like the simple clicking of “share” or hitting a “react.” Being free entails not just privileges but also responsibilities to our copublics.

May we choose becoming stewards of truth rather than harbingers of fakery and halftruths so that democracy will prosper in our country.

OPINION 11

May we choose becoming stewards of truth rather than harbingers of fakery and half-truths so that democracy will prosper in our country.

12 OPINION

To be or not to be: eSports in spotlight

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ntramurals always brings out the excitement in sports. Basketball and volleyball fans fill the courts with cheers and screams, crowds gather around our Olympic-size swimming pool, and brains spark together as chess boards light with brilliant moves. However, the rise of eSports puts pressure on authorities to add them to the sporting events, and reasonably so. That is because these games also involve discipline, skill, competition and entertainment. What is the problem then?

First of all, many people still associate eSport players with lack of discipline in school and productivity at work. This is mainly due to the addictive nature of the games, and the way many players use them as distraction to various academic and work-related tasks. Many local and foreign feature stories cite lack of sleep caused by overnight games as one of the reasons students do poorly in school. Of course, this is not always the case, as there are many top students who play DOTA2 and League of Legends (LOL) in their pastime.

In fact, one of the benefits eSports boasts of is that it improves the mental flexibility and thinking speed of its players. If these players are able to prove that they are disciplined enough not to let gaming hinder their academic performance, the games themselves would gain the recognition they deserve but are now held off by the low productivity of their supporters.

We can do this by setting grade requirements for aspiring eSport players here in the University. Not only can it heighten the reputation of the sport, it can also motivate many students to improve in their studies. And if eSports were placed in a separate time from the Intramurals, the restriction would not affect traditional sports that accept students of all academic proficiency.

The second issue is that the main theme of many eSports involve killing others. This is the main issue why computer games are not accepted in the Olympics. International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach stated that while tradition is not a huge factor, Olympic sports must still promote good values. eSports span a wide array of genres, the most prominent ones being real-time strategy (RTS), first-player shooter (FPS), and multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA). Starcraft 2 and Warcraft 3 belong to the first category, the newly popular Fortnite and Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) comes from the second, and DOTA2 and LOL belong to the third one.

Not all computer games focus on eliminating

opponent forces, of course. Unfortunately, as most eSport games compete by “killing enemies”, the notion that those games also promote reallife violence is almost impossible to discard. But taekwondo, karate, boxing and mixed martial arts also promote the use of brute force in fighting opponents.

Here we can see the flexibility of “violence” in eSports. While school intramurals prohibit boxing and mixed martial arts due to the danger they pose to students, computer games are able to transcend this limitation as the damages being dealt by opposing players do not injure them in real life. Players may “die” in-game, but no matter how many bullets fly from their MK47s, they have no real power to annihilate people.

Of course, too much time in front of screen can lead to eye problems. Hours of typing can also result to serious wrist injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome common among computer programmers. However, discipline in playing is in the discretion of every player. Just like any other sport, too much practice can result into injuring one’s body.

Finally, adults are not familiar with the excitement of eSports yet. As such, giving it a place in a traditional sports platform like school intramurals would naturally be met by opposition. However, this reaction can be perceived advantageously.

Having eSport compete for audience share against traditional sports can only result in resentment for both sides. By giving eSports a spotlight of its own, attention would not be divided and people will have the time to appreciate the nature of the games. eSports is a new concept that deserves a warm welcome from sports enthusiasts in schools. It is skillful, competitive, and entertaining.

Hence, people should not be carried away by misconceptions about them. Computer games may not have a place in the Intramurals right now. However, we can always celebrate this advancement in sports by giving it a venue of its own.

eSports is a new concept that deserves a warm welcome from sports enthusiasts in schools.

Ivan Chris Mabilangan

QUEEN

OPINION 13

Silencing the guns “I

guess the only time most people think about injustice is when it happens to them.”- Charles Bukowski

Every day we encounter injustice. We all know what the word means but to draw the line, “injustice” by definition is “lack of fairness or justice” or “an unjust act or occurrence.” I believe it is the latter that we mostly run into. The chances are we will not know its true face until we experience it ourselves. And when it happens, we fight. But do we really? When something becomes unjust, do we resist?

We are students struggling and swimming like fishes against the tremendous wave of beating-thedeadline-school-take-aways and the unforgiving professors and organizational clamors. So, we learn to surf with the gigantic waves (which our current education system is) and continuously latch on until we take a tumble. We want to swim or ride with the waves. We do everything we can to win. Some will succeed, some will continue to persist, and some will fail and die (figuratively and literally). The interesting part is the backstory of how it happened.

There will be different reactions about the backstories. And the most we will remember are those that sting. People would say, “They deserve the success” and the likes with relative contexts. Did the question sting? Some would say no, some would say otherwise.

It definitely does sting (at least for me). We utter “deserving” when somebody accomplished something remarkable because he did his best by pouring his heart and soul into it. There is nothing wrong with it. But that is until we flip the other side of the coin; it is when I beg to differ. The disclaimer though is that this is not the case for everyone, just for those unfortunate ones.

We should ask ourselves, is the word “deserving” the word to use? Are these deserving people the only ones who poured their all? Did we not also give our best? Is it because what we did was not good enough, not that we were undeserving? Is it why we are failures? Why we are dead stars?

“May the odds be ever in your favor.” There is that famous line from Hunger Games. And indeed the odds went to the favor of the deserving people.

What are the odds? It is something expensive especially in a place where injustice prevails. People who became deserving, after everyone worked their asses off, are the epitome of the odds in their favor.

How? They were favored because of the biases, favoritism, and personal interests of those who are powerful running roughshod over those who are powerless and even crippling them.

Everyone’s hard work was disregarded because the favored ones have been chosen by the mighty ones, invalidating the works of others by labeling the favored ones “deserving.”

If it is really all about “deserving,” is it the same with those who are unfortunate? The undernourished children in Africa, the drowned children refugees of Syria, people with cancer, babies dying right after delivery, the victims of war - did they deserve what happened to them?

Probably, the answer is “no.” Because these people were trying and they did not “deserve” what they endured. Then it is not being deserving. It is being favored against all odds. This is downright offensive because this condition is simply unjust and unfair.

And sadly, these things happen everywhere per se, even in the context of the school. Some of our instructors and professors have probably taught us to voice out what is right, to stand up for the just.

But when we do, it is they who are going to choke us after we had opened our mouths to fight. It is no different from offering us delicious poisoned meals.

So we are silenced although we were taught to be fighters. Why? Those on top do not like anything that would rock them from their comfortable perch.

We could say it is human nature to be bad, but is it not also human nature to be good? We cannot escape and rationalize for the “choices we make.”

To preserve the throne though, they would instead choose those who also worked hard but would not opt to go left. They will be chosen, they will be favored. It is when they become deserving that we will now be looked upon as failures.

Moving on to the bigger picture, do we blame the government for all the injustices that had happened, happening, and that will happen? I guess not. These injustices started from the very institution where learning takes place, when our eyes were given the lens to see the world just to be wrested away from us so that the vicious cycle can continue. As Pierce Brown once said “Man cannot be freed by the same injustice that enslaved it.” And the tragedy is, man never learns.

We are students struggling and swimming like fishes against the current of beatingthe-deadlineschool-take-aways and the unforgiving professors and organizational duties.

Sophia Margarette Caagbay

APHORISTIC

14 OPINION

How royal was Grad Ball 2018

?

orum P

publiko

walwalan to the max eh. HAHAHAHA. Pero seryoso 5 kahit failed yung lighting, kahit nagpila sa pagkain, unli naman yung party, di namin ine-expect na talagang hanggang madaling araw. Yung ikaw na lang ang susuko, yung hindi sasabihing “uwian na po, tapos na ang party” hahaha ganern!!!

WGR

‘yung photo booth until 1 lang ata e ang dami pang di nakakapagphotobooth e ba’t pa nagkaroon ng ticket, yung presentation ng food ang mas daig pa ang fiestahan, ang zebra pattern na pang cover sa table hindi match sa theme na royal, ung food ang daming di nakakain, sobrang init kakaunti ang electric fan sabi papalamigin daw, ‘yung magpaagaw ng pera sa gitna (Damn imagine nagpaagaw ng pera royalty ang theme), ang ganda nung theme pero hindi nasunod :( KM

di masarap ‘yung food, late nagstart ‘yung program at may hindi ginawa na nakalagay sa program Babylonian

kasi super late na nagstart. nagmamadali pa naman kami lahat para lang hindi malate.

Tapos naubusan ng pagkain, kaya nangyari sa dalawang plato naghatihati kaming sampu, tapos nakapagsaya lang ‘yung mga nagparty party e pano naman ‘yung mga hindi nagpaparty at umiinom e dapat simula pa lang sa una masaya na. May kulang kaya ayern :D PS: may dumating na pagkain kaso nalipasan na kami ng gutom.

WGR

Jollibee na food na kami pa ang nag-order dahil sa sobrang late na ng dinner sa food na pansit at panis na shanghai at walang tubig. wala ding takip ‘yung pagkain, nasa likod lang ng tricycle at nauusukan. sa time, sobrang late nagstart ng program. Walang kwenta ‘yung program di naman pala susundin. sa photobooth, wala per department. Magulo ang pila. dun sa pagpapaagaw ng pera sa mga graduating students, may speech pang parang nagpapaawa.

Ice Cream

OPINION 15 I wanted it to be elegant! I wanted to feel royalty! But the overall look and feel of the grad ball 2018 is more like “a ghetto night” ... not a night to remember.

95to75

overall ratings ko ah kasi naenjoy ko naman kasi s’ya although may mga problema Oki lang

The program failed. The fact that the event focused more on giving away money that, by the way, came from the graduating students’ pockets made it look un-classy. Plus, paagaw ng pera? Paano ‘yung mga babae? Hindi napag-isipang mabuti. Then, by the end of the program, wala ng may pake sa pa-raffle. It took six tries para lang may manalo.

Marami hindi nakakain at kita sa mukha ng karamihan ang disappointment. 1 lang dapat pero yung post-program was fun so 2. Hahaha Anonymous

kasi ang ganda ng souvenir. hahahaha Pawer

Wu Bosong

I rate 4.5 okay po yung flow ng event, pinaganda na rin ang ambiance kahit mahirap pero at least gumanda naman. sa ventilation lang po talaga nagkatalo kasi apat na patong ang suot ko :D :D Ohweishi

okay naman yung pagkakaset up at yung flow ng program. Enjoy ko ‘yung mga live band dahil mga OPMsongs tinugtog nila. Happy naman kami ng partner ko, party don party dito kaso talo kami sa init ng venue. Sobrang pawisan namin after party, mga nasa tabi yung Iwata. Pero for me, almost perfect s’ya. Sobrang naenjoy ko ‘yung grad ball :D Cheers to all the people behind the event M.L.

Okay naman naging maayos ‘yung grad ball naging problema lang kulang sa fan nung araw na yun. Pero pagdating sa program okay nag-enjoy kaming lahat. Sabi nga namin magbabarkada okay magaling yung elected officers natin.

J.C.

m

As much I want to detail all their lapses from start to finish, it’s all done already and I guess they will just apologize or be in denial for all their shortcomings and blame others when in fact, they had the power and control. I just hope that people will be held accountable and that transparency will still prevail.

They failed to make the graduating class activities encouraging but instead just mere requirements that we need to “pay” or attend to. Let’s face it, not everyone is financially capable and God knows how much they struggle to pay all those fees and it’s tragic that their money is not being spent in the most practical and efficient way possible. It was done in vain, we were not able to feel the sense of inclusivity that it is for all of the graduating students but rather serving the interests of the few. The graduating students know, they witnessed everything. Still, I appreciate their efforts for making it possible but still, it’s far from the kind of service we Envergans deserve.

Honesta

16

Most people don’t fail --- they quit. They give up on their dreams and blame fate and bad luck.

Too late, they realize they gave up too soon.

How to Control Your Life, R. Siegel

OPINION 17

The fault P

in our stories

eople invest in order to gain, of course. In investments, there are two different types of investors - those who are risk takers and those who are risk-averse. Risk takers seize the moment and grab potential opportunities faster than risk-averse people. On the contrary, risk-averse people plan and opt to choose “safer” investments.

Life presents us a bounty of opportunities and a whole lot more of challenges --- avenues where we can invest with chances to gain. Some of us believe in destiny. Others are led towards the thinking that we create our own destinies. The game of pondering lives on. We have our own perspectives and standpoints as to what we think define our future.

I believe we all come to a point of confusion and disparity among the things that we want and those that society compels us to do. Questions such as “why do we need to take the course” nagged us during the first day of classes. Another pre-sem introduction musts were “What are your dreams?, “What do you expect?” and “What do you look forward to?”

When I attended Euthenics, my professor required us to view a film called the Law of Attraction. And from then on, the things that I wanted and dreamed about fell into place. Things seemed to fall in the proper perspective at the same time. The secret? It’s all in the mind.

The Law shared that “You become what you think about most” and that “Thoughts become things.” So, the easy way towards your dreams is through focusing your mind on what you want.

This entails careful choice of thoughts.

“You create your own universe as you go along.” It imparted three simplified steps to bring you closer to your goals: 1) Ask for what you want. 2) Answer. 3) Receive.

If you will think about the Law of Attraction, you can be skeptical about it.

Of course, most of us won’t bet on a 100% accuracy that the Law of Attraction really brings you to a 100% precise version of what you envisioned. Doubt will always be doubt.

Although actual examples keep testifying that it’s really effective, the results may vary.

I had been thinking about this mantra for some time. Yes, things happen as envisioned.

Accomplishments come in. Maybe someone else also does theirs, making life constantly present its deal of twists and turns that will catch you off guard, colliding with what you want.

I had my own share of ups and downs.

My low points even led me to pause studying for sometime and made me wonder and question my prior decisions. I think we all have our own stories to tell of how hard our

failures and mishaps tried to overturn our dreams and visions. Indeed, there are trying times that would make you question your decisions, or much worse, your competence.

Little by little, you tend to doubt yourself and what you can do. And in these instances, where’s the Law of Attraction anyway?

The Law of Attraction is in one’s mentality. We are in this mental battlefield of raging against pressures and stress, and rising every time we fall. As I am close to this heaven called “graduation,” years of learning tend to materialize and haunt your soon-to-be “welcome to adulting”.

The beauty of the trek towards your destiny is not the destination per se, it’s how you enjoyed the long and challenging journey to reach it. As students, we encounter trials on a daily basis. Little or intense, we try to get lessons from them. We try to squeeze the possibilities that we can wring out of those experiences.

You won’t even guess that something you hate or once brought you to your darkest days might be the very thing that will bring you closer to your much sought-after happiness.

Try to tap the opportunities present.

In your own pacing, it’s not really about being risk-averse or being a risk taker. It’s about having the accountability to face your challenges and being a better person out of it because you’ll never discover the beauty of winning or losing unless you give it a shot.

Always have a mind that’s willing to learn and a heart that’s ready to be compassionate to people around you.

The fault in our stars is our story to align. It’s not for others to rewrite ours. It’s not for them either to dictate how we align ours. We all have our own share of ups and downs; and yours won’t ever be comparable to mine, and vice versa.

We might not be omniscient enough to determine whether it’s destiny that’s been making us or it’s us making destiny. We might wonder if the Law of Attraction really works its magic or not. But as a fighter in this mental battlefield, we have the guts to give it a good fight.

Like a phoenix, rise from the ashes.

Invest, in order to gain :). For giving up on the challenge is like absconding.

And that is the fault in most of our stories.

As students, we encounter trials on a daily basis.

Little or intense, we try to get lessons from them. We try to squeeze the possibilities that we can wring out of those experiences.

Mara Angeli Cadiz

PHOENIX

18 ADVOCACY

Perspectives:

A take on your

MENTAL HEALTH

T

here’s a time where the demands of our own universe start to unfold: academics becoming more serious, organizations becoming a nuisance, people close to us getting toxic --- our world in chaos.

This is the time of the school year where our knees go weak. Not to mention, our own personal circles spinning out of control and we start to be confused. What are we trying to say?

Balancing is no easy task especially if there are too many in our plate.

One way or another, some things would be left out and sacrificed. We expect other human beings to understand us because unlike academics and organizations governed by people, they are non-living entities. Despite this we can’t ask them to “please bear with me, until this is over” because the demands and work we’re trying to finish are for them. It goes without saying that favors just got stale. So instead, we would ask this from those whom we hold dear because we know they would understand. Sure they will, but that’s until we’ve got no time to spare for them and academics just keep on spiraling and getting out of control. We will need that invisible warm hand to hold us together until they get cold and we’re on our own; getting through this holy mess thrown at us.

Along the way of fixing things up ourselves, we sometimes feel betrayed by the ones we expected and trusted to hold us together from breaking: ourselves. Although finding ourselves in the lowest point of our lives is something we’re already accustomed to because we grope for answers as we struggle every day, we come face-to-face with our demons and we realize: we’re pushed to the brink. Dancing in our shadows in the mess we’re trying to extricate ourselves from is an uphill battle. It’s a choice to let things turn around. The latter would be a luxury; and every luxurious thing comes with a high price: the valor to push ourselves from the moping mess that we are – which some of use can’t afford.

When sanity is in a limbo, this is where mental health awareness comes.

The actor

The spectator

Some of us are trying to hide and keep the uneasy feeling within. Some of us are trying to deceive others that we’re fine. Some are even afraid of showing the feeling of weakness.

This is the first step that we need to come to grips with. We need to have the guts to recognize that point where we meet the line between needing help and I-can-do-it.

If we need to recognize and embrace the fact that we’re in this state of anxiety and/or depression which most probably than not we won’t know even when we’re already at it. Still we can wriggle out of our predicament and find solace.

We might feel that we’re lacking the drive and the motivation to do our responsibilities or we do them without enthusiasm. Concentration and focus tend to take a back seat and struggle takes center stage. Pessimism or that feeling of negativity in all sorts of life is very much present.

Or sometimes, agitation and panic attacks happen most of the time. You would hear yourself reiterating the cannot-do or enumerating the hells of life. This is the breaking point where you’re starting to feel like you’re a catastrophe.

If you reach this point, feel free to recognize that you need to seek help. Ignoring the feeling would be of no benefit to your wellness. Face your demons, Go get professional help because the state of your mental health may be in a fragile or dangerous state.

If you know something is wrong and you didn’t do anything about it, you’re accountable for its demise.

As we go through this life, there are two types of people one meets: the actor and the spectator. It’s just a matter of perspective. As spectators to our families and friends, it’s important to be observant of our environment. It’s a must to care. Whenever we feel that something is wrong or has been puzzling to our loved ones, be that person who can lend an ear or a shoulder to cry on. Sometimes, these people just need someone to hear them out and be with them to ease life’s uncertainties.

When optimism runs out, it’s good to note that we can be calla-friend lifelines to our friends and families. But if we’re the ones who are trapped in uncertinty and darkness, we must push ourselves to find the light. Pressure and stress are all over our lives, all of us have gone through them. We just have to wring the good out of it and enjoy the ride.

It’s good to write down our worries and thoughts, take deep breaths, and most importantly practice some private time. Know when to stop or take breaks. Identify what your triggers are and what your thinking errors are. From here, you’re learning more about how your anxiety affects you. Time management would be of great help to manage the tasks bringing you much stress, pressure, and anxiety.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Don’t self-medicate. Rest and leave your worries and pains. Engage in some diversions and think of happy thoughts, things you can be grateful for.

The demands of the universe will not run out. It will always be the same. It’s part of the essence that in order to live, you must strive to earn a living. It may be hard at times, but those days worth stumbling are also the days that could bring you much learning and betterment.

Life is a matter of perspective. Whether you’re the actor or just the spectator, look at the brighter side of life and you’re off to becoming much better.

19

Photo from freepik.com

Mara Angeli Cadiz & Sophia Margarette Caagbay

TED WITH DEP A I C

2

Source: World Health Organization

N SSIO RE

SUICIDE ASSO

THE SUICIDE RATE IS

nd

leading cause of death

among people aged 15-29

2.5 1.7

for men for women

for every 100,000 population in PH Source: DOH’s National Center for Mental Health

depression prevalence rate wordwide 500

2.6% - 29.5%

2000

suicide cases recorded in 2012

20 FEATURES

Envergan lodi

Photo from fb.com/manalomaahtisa

Athisa Manalo, an MSEUF alumna and Quezon’s pride, was crowned Bb. Pilipinas Miss International 2018.

PURSUING A DREAM

FROM BOYISH

to Queen Ivan Chris Mabilangan

“

I

have been told that I couldn’t, so I did.”

This statement vividly portrays a smiling girl standing with a crown on her head.

Ma. Ahtisa Manalo has proven a lot. Being the youngest queen in this year’s Binibining Pilipinas batch of beauties and the newly-crowned Bb. Pilipinas International, she personifies the hardworking dreamer molded from a globally competitive university like ours.

It was a path different from her boyish childhood, a time in which she nurtured her dream of becoming a police officer. “I grew up with my guy cousins, and I have lots of guy playmates. My interests are usually boy stuff. I have toy guns, I have character cards, all the toys that guys usually have. And I think those interests of mine are also one of the factors why I wanted to be a police officer.”

However, her family opposed her decision so she pursued BS Accountancy instead. “I tried to remember where I excel at, and I can remember that in high school, I found bookkeeping, the basics of accountancy, easy. And, without hesitation, I applied for the accounting program.” Ahtisa graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy in 2017 at Manuel S. Enverga University Foundation-Candelaria Campus.

Still, she never forgot her dream of being a police officer. After graduating, she applied to the Philippine National Police Academy. “For a while, I thought the police dream of mine was already gone, but during my process of graduation application in college, that’s where my mind was. I remembered that I really wanted to be a police officer, so I went to the Philippine National Police Academy without anyone knowing it.

I did not tell anyone. I kept everything a secret, even from my mom.

Especially my mom, because she didn’t agree with my plan.”

In all of these, she emphasizes how important it is to persevere for one’s goals in spite of what others say. ”I think that is one of the most important lessons I’ve learned, that you have to work for your dreams.

No one will work for your dreams, so don’t let anyone tell you what you cannot be, what you cannot do, and who you will be.”

She was trained by Aces & Queens and won the title Binibining Pilipinas Miss International. Earlier, she was Bb. Niyogyugan 2016 and Bb. Aliwan 2017 2nd runner up. She was also Miss Young and later Miss Enverga-Candelaria and was also crowned Miss Regional PRISAA. As Quezon’s winning bet, she believes, “This is [the] start of another journey...a journey I am taking for the Philippines.”

Despite her victory, she remains humble and grateful for the people around her and for the success she received. “This dream wouldn’t have been a reality if it weren’t for my family, my friends, my supporters, my core group, and all the people who helped me during this journey.”

In both her planned police officership and beauty pageantry, Ahtisa commits to being true to herself and following her passions. “I don’t let people tell me what I can be, what I cannot do, and what I will be.”

To other dreamers, she has this advice, ”You are never too young to achieve your dreams!”

FEATURES 21

Og, the great Envergan lodi

and powerful

T

Mara Angeli Cadiz

he 2013 American adventure film, “Oz, the Great and Powerful’’ tells a prequel story of fantasy and adventure of how an ordinary person tricked his way into becoming The Wizard saving the beleaguered Emerald City.

In reality, the fantasy of becoming The Wizard, along with all his magical illusions, to save a kingdom from doom does not really exist. Still, dreaming can make a difference to make our lives more meaningful.

This is exactly what Ryan Espayos did. Dream big in spite of the odds. This Envergan lodi is definitely someone who stands out in a crowd not just because of his height. Og-og, as family and friends call him, won the Most Outstanding Male Student of the Year in the recently concluded Benjamin V. Tan Search of the Lambda Kappa Phi. This recognition cites his compelling story of focus, perseverance and success.

Og-og lived a good life but life took a 360-degree turn when his father met an accident a few years back. His family started to live in a more practical way to make ends meet and to finance the recuperation of his father. This left a deep impression in Og’s mind to prioritize the importance of family and to live one’s dreams for the people he cares about.

In college, he initially stayed away from the limelight.

But he was constantly reminded of his childhood dream of making his family proud. Thus, he loosened up and tried participating in various university activities to increase his value as a student. The journey was not easy.

Some of the academic contests he joined did not turn out the way he wanted. Not every search he joined worked in his favor. But his exposure will soon bear fruit.

In a span of one year, he got into the prestigious Aboitiz Future Leaders Business Summit and ASSET XV: Search for Top 50 Accounting Students. In his journey, Og looks back at the people to whom he owes his successes. All the academic and leadership achievements that he has collected to date are not only a perfect affirmation of his hard work but also of the foundation his family and this institution has inculcated in him.

Beneath his big physique is a genuinely kind heart which he is always willing to share. To many, he’s a friend who never fails to make conversations fun and enjoying. He’s that classmate who’ll transform a dull day into something engaging. He’s that gentle soul who’ll show you how much he cares and empathizes with you.

He’s the personification of what optimism is. And maybe, as a wizard, he weaves magic in everything he does. His indomitable spirit to seize opportunities and transform them into achievements is the key to his trickery.

Going to class each day with Ogog, having merienda breaks, needing a friend to count on, and in general, meeting someone like Ryan Chris is something precious, something magical, something great and powerful in this world of harsh realities.

We can embrace his ways to become wizards ourselves, saving our own kingdoms of dreams and weaving our own brand of magic.

Ryan Espayos is the Honor Society of the Lambda Kappa Phi’s 2018 Most Outstanding Male Student.

22 FEATURES

Parini na sa Quezon!

Yanong sarap!

Mc Kinly Revilla

.

will not be complete without a take home of the various delicacies available all Quezon over the province. Without the most sought-after delicacies, Quezon will not be Quezon

There are new emerging food favorites that tourists look for. One of these is the famous puto bao of Agdangan, Quezon. It has a glutinous taste, with a fragrant smell emanating from the violet sticky rice, matching the sweetness of the young coconut inside it as the delicacy sits on a small banana leaf. It is just like ordinary puto; however, it has a sweet surprise inside, sweetened coconut strips that give the puto bao just the right taste. People of Agdangan love to serve puto bao for snacks and desserts to their visitors. Those who have a sweet tooth revel in the taste of this Agdangan delicacy.

Among the alluring products of Mulanay, Quezon are the world-class melt-in-the-mouth uraro cookies. They resemble white rose flowers that are packaged in plastic and cartoon boxes or in a plastic canisters with tin detachable covers. The uraro is so delicately prepared that it is a delight to the palate. A rose-shaped uraro will make the one drool in its mouth-watering taste.

On the first bite, you will the savor the fascinating light sweetness that will elicit your smile. Best eaten while drinking a cup of coffee in the morning, many Quezonians love to buy this product as a pasalubong.

Sariaya’s leche puto is another dessert to die for. It looks like your usual puto but with a twist: golden, creamy leche flan sitting on top of the puto. When you sink your teeth into it for a bite, you will savor its delicately sweet and fine texture.

Next in line is the remarkable coco sugar of Alabat, Quezon. While it is just typical sugar, its uniqueness lies in its many health benefits. People who have health issues - diabetes, hypertension, etc. - can safely use coco sugar for sweetener without any side effects, the product claims. The liquid sap is extracted from the coconut palm and processed into healthy coco sugar. Indeed, it is a very famous product that people of Alabat are truly proud of.

San Narciso, Quezon’s appetizing nilupak won’t take your “no” for an answer. It has the delectable taste of unripe bananas (saba) that are pounded and mixed with layers of vanilla flavored custard and shredded cheese that melts in the mouth, a sweet milky coated taste that feels like there’s no place like home.

Quezon, Quezon’s delicious sinantolan is something that you should not also miss. It is a to-die-for concoction of scraped santol meat and binalawan or shrimp paste with red bell pepper and cooked in coconut milk (unang gata). It is usually packed in a glass jar or canned for overseas pasalubong. It is best eaten with plenty of rice and ginangang isda (fish boiled in vinegar).

Pinais is Sampaloc, Quezon’s contribution to the provincial delicacies. Made of the freshest river shrimps, grated young coconuts and wrapped in mint leaf (kamamba), the mixture of ingredients is enfolded in young banana leaves and boiled to cook in coconut water. The taste is so heavenly that people swear by its power to make you forget your own mother-in-law.

Lucban, Quezon, the home of most culinary delights in the province boasts of its version of the garlic-oregano flavored longganisa and pancit habhab. The longganisa is made of pork spiced by garlic and oregano that emits a heavenly smell while being fried. Pancit habhab, on the other hand, is made of locally produced bam-i sauteed in meat, shrimps, pechay and sayote and eaten hot on a bed of young banana leaf without using a fork or a spoon, habhab style. To get the best taste, sprinkle the pancit habhab with vinegar. Another local delicacy is hardenera made of pork and laced with sliced eggs, red bell pepper and spices cooked by steaming.

No town fiesta or celebration of the San Isidro Festival is complete in Lucban without the famous hardenera, truly a culinary delight.

The array of local delicacies one finds in Quezon make us truly proud of our heritage mirrored in every sweet, delectable dessert and recipe that are delectable and mouth-watering. Truly, Quezon food has a distinct taste that people will find hard to resist. In partaking of these delights we are sharing with you our heritage and culture - our way of life.

Photos retrieved from firingyourimagination.blogspot.com | masterofshadow123.tumblr.com | kawalingpinoy.com | davidwolfe.com | angsarap.net | nicerioadventures.blogspot.com | thefoodscout.net | josedimawala.wordpress.com

By the platter

Delizioso on the block

FEATURES 23

Sophia Margarette Caagbay

C

raving a taste more than the usual? If you’re looking for a new food adventure that will take your palate to an entirely new and awesome experience, it’s time to get European,specifically Italian! And take note, you don’t need to go elsewhere because Jah Manjah’s going to transport you to Italy.

The new Italian restaurant on the block, Jah Manjah, is just right outside the MSEUF Geneva Gate. From the outside, it looks like an ordinary eatery in the block of eateries dotting the area. But its corner location gives it an edge over its competitors.

Jah Manjah’s Italian cuisine is not just mema considering the friendly price of the menu and the mini bakery right beside the cashier that displays varied types of Italian bread for sale. The dishes are far more worth than the money you paid. At first bite, you will immediately savor the definitive Italian flavor of fresh or sun-dried tomatoes and fresh bell peppers, a wholesome deviation from the usual. To boot, the Italian chef Salvatorrre is also one of the owners of the establishment. The family of owners, by the way, includes Irish Anne Villanueva of the College of Business and Accountancy.

It is probably a mystery to many why the restaurant is called Jah Manjah. The restaurant’s name is a play on the Italian word “giamangia” meaning “I want to eat”, and shortened to “Jah,” meaning god, and “-mangia,” eating. In this context, Jah Manjah can be translated as “eating like a god” or “eating with the gods.”

The interior design has a café-ish motif of a jungle with a volcano on the wall. There are rounded tables laced with shells and a sprinkling of high tables and bar chairs.

The common bulletin board that’s always seen in a cafe hangs near the cashier that also serves as a freedom wall.

Setting your foot at Jah Manjah is definitely worth a shot. Try its culinary delights and you will get a taste of delightful Italian pizza and all sorts of bread without an expensive plane ride.

Photos from fb.com/jahmanjah.ph

24 FEATURES

Reel talk

can’t believe in something just because it’s there. Kasi kung gano’n ‘yon ibig “ Yousabihin, convenience lang yon.”

“Ayoko rin naman ng compromise. Eh kasi wala rin namang absolute eh. ‘Yung meron lang, ‘yong nararamdaman ko doon sa sandaling naniniwala ako. ‘Yon lang ang hawak ko, ‘yon lang.”

Meet Me in St. Gallen will surely teach us a thing or two.

At some points in our lives, we will meet a stranger – a stranger we’ll get along oh-so-well – enough for us to think that this could be the start of a perfect love story. But that’s how our minds work idealistically. In reality, in normal circumstances, we’ll meet a stranger whom we’ll meet when we ride a jeepney, cross the pedestrian lane, wait in a queue for coffee or fast food, or meet online, to name a few. Uttering words or sharing stories are rare cases but yes, it does happen.

And when it does, it would without-a-doubt throw you off balance. The lingering air of both uncertainty and certainty creates the magic. You will feel you met that other part of yourself somewhere on the other side of the universe in the shape of this person. You will find that though you live in two different worlds from one another, you will still find this point in the intersecting line where you met, a deep-seated connection you’ll hold dear in your heart until who knows when.

Comes next is that this will become the story of how two strangers met who don’t want to keep each other close for fear the magic will vanish but ironically want to stay in each other’s lives. We all know that no one wants to let go of “the magic,” that at all cost we will protect this beyond what we can do.

This is affixing your hope to destiny but definitely at a huge risk betting against odds to: let go (despite the possibility you’ll not see the person again), or let each other grow and in the distant future hope you’ll meet again. The meet-up? It is beyond what our imagination can conjure but surely it’s there: the magic you have kept somewhere in that special throne in your heart.

It will ignite what happened in the past when you come face-to-face again. Paradoxically, the two of you have become less of a stranger anymore– you have become again those old versions of yourselves in the only best time of your past: the day you met.

This is where things get romantic. You will catch up, hang out, do things you missed doing together in spite of the odds of your present time. For the moment you are in it together, you’re living in between the past and present, your time has become relative. And again, it has become the perfect moment of your life – with the person you have known yet don’t know at the same time.

But it can’t stay that way, can it? The world, as we all know it, moves in different ways. The moment you have forgotten your present reality is also the time you have to face the consequences of your actions that will drive you both out of each other’s lives again.

The connection is strong. You will defy the odds. You will find each other again in who-knows-what-kindof-future-the-both-of-you-led just to be with each other again. This is what love makes us do: to tick by, to go against the wind just to end with this-is-too-perfect-i-can’t-be-with-you thing.

Meet Me in St. Gallen is an ideally realistic crafted story for strangers-strangers story that will hit you right in the chest. This teaches us that no matter how determined we are to protect something so fragile; it can still break. It also depicts sacrifices, missed chances and hoped-for-the-bestending-ever battle; a storytelling of love of two strangers who are perfectly imperfect people whose lives crossed while trying to make their way through life.

The feel behind

Meet me in St. Gallen Sophia Margarette Caagbay

Your

FEATURES 25

hugot horoscope Aries (March 21-April 19) Willing to wait?

in 2018

Magke-crave ka ng pagkain at pupunta sa fastfood.

Tatanungin ka ng crew kung “willing to wait?” Pero s’yempre, buti pa ang order mo may oras…s’ya walang certainty. Hihintayin mo pa rin ba s’ya kahit walang kasiguraduhan?

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Enough is enough.

“It’s not you, it’s me...” “I need to find myself muna.”

“I don’t deserve you...” isa sa mga linyang ‘yan ang gagamitin mo o gagamitin sa ’yo. Ihandang mabuti ang naka-stapler mong puso. Unahan mo na para ‘wag masaktan.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) Work. Work. Work.

Marerealize mong wala palang shortcut sa happy ending. Your “forever” depends on how committed you are to make it work. Maroon at white lang ang may forever.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) Tagpuan?

“At tumigil ang mundo, nung ako’y tinuro mo.” “Wag kang umasa, hindi ikaw ang panalangin n’yan.” Tandaan, file lang ang na-aattach.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) To be or not to be Matatagpuan mo na ang iyong The One…The One that Got Away. Good luck and happy hunting!

Cancer (June 21-July 22) Mag-ingat sa 5.

Makakatanggap ka ng singko. Uulitin mo ang klase parang pag-ibig mong patuloy na humuhopia --bumabagsak at nahuhulog. May sasalo kaya? Mag-aral ka na lang kaysa humopia.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) Magtigil.

Iiwan ka ng taong nagpapahopia sa’yo.

Tandaan: di s’ya kawalan. In the first place, di naman s’ya naging sa ’yo.

Leo (July 23-August 22) Disclaimer

Isasama ka n’ya sa barkada outing, wala namang kayo at may “something” lang. Pero hindi ka sure, kaya magpagawa ka ng waiver. Ipanotaryo mo at ipakita sa kanya kung sakaling may ma-fall at masaktan para hindi ka liable.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) Love your eyes.

Lalabo ang mata mo dahil nagmamahal ka. Pero s’ya hindi. Ika nga: “Never assume unless otherwise stated.” Punta ka sa EO, love your eyes. Para malinaw mong makita yung sweet at friendly lang at ‘yung talagang may something na.

Libra (September 23-October 22) Tara sa Japan.

Maswerte ka ngayong taon. Mananalo ka ng travel ticket to Japan. Open up and try again. Hindi lahat katulad ng ex mong taga-Japan, who Tokyo for granted.

Aquarius (January 20 to February 18) Fil101 Magkakaroon ka ng bagong interes sa pag-aaral ng ating wika. Dahil gugustuhin mong alamin ang pagkakaiba ng salitang “nagpapahintay” sa “nagpapaasa.”

Pisces (February 19 to March 20) Bagong Bahay.

Magkakaroon ka ng bagong bahay ngayong taon. Dahil isa kang gongpa, makikita mo ‘yung crush mo sa piling ng iba kasi wala kang guts ipakita kung gaano s’ya kahalaga. Naunahan ka tuloy ng ninja.

26 NEWS

EU notches 6 new CMAs Mc Kinly Revilla

University stamped its global excellence when six accountancy graduates passed the Enverga international certification for Certified Management Accountants (CMA).

Eduardo Ballester Jr. ‘13, Oliver Wendell Paderez ‘12, Artessa Pasion ‘05, Carlos Jayron Remiendo ‘12, and Melljonh Pesigan ‘17, magna cum laude joined the roster of international CMAs. In addition, Alexis Mari Catausan ‘16 passed the international certification examination in March 2018.

The CMA certification is a two-part examination that consists of financial reporting, planning, performance, and control (Part 1) and financial decision making (Part 2.)

The Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) takes pride that CMA certification holders have the logical pathway for taking their careers to the next level with the mastery of core skills in management accounting opening opportunities and earnings premium above and beyond noncertified peers.

Pesigan, awarded one of the top achievers of IMA and named Top 3 Philippinewide as recognized by Insights Financial Review, reiterated his inspirational story upon taking the CMA examination.

“Sumagi lang sa isip ko ang CMA dahil kay Sir Carlito Rodriguez, nasundan pa nung iba pa na naging CMAs din (The CMA

came into my personal radar because of Sir Carlito Rodriguez who hurdled it and topped it worldwide on top of others who followed suit and also made it.) The key is to seize the opportunities that come. You don’t lose anything if you’re dedicated. And don’t forget that in every journey, seek God’s help and guidance.”

Pasion, another successful passer, noted that the road to earning a CMA certification is not easy. “Hard work does not gurantee success. But no success is possible without hard work.”

The College of Business and Accountancy (CBA) currently offers various activities and opportunities for students aspiring for CMA scholarships.

In line with this, former CMA scholarship grantee, Catausan shared that undergraduates should be future-oriented. “Getting good grades is not the be-and-all of your academic life. Get as much exposure as possible by joining organizations and accountancy events and fora. Your interpersonal and collaborative skills are honed to razor-edge. Those are what you will bring to the table when you go to the world of work.”

MSEUF welcomes 18 new psychometricians Sophia Margarette Caagbay

anuel S. Enverga University Foundation earned 56.97% national passing M percentage in the Licensure Examination for Psychometricians as of October 2017.

The Bachelor of Science in Psychology is the first baccalaureate program in the College of Arts and Sciences that requires a licensure examination. There were 36 who took the October 2017 licensure.

The following are the 18 new registered psychometricians: Ralp Joseph Ionebille V. Aben, Jhon Eric R. Agot, Diane B. Aguilar, Jobelle B. Arabaca, Frisian M. Cruz, Dionell O. Daluz, Tristan Josua Mari Francisco, Gheyco Marie B. Llagas, Zedric A. Lorzano, Ma. Jonie Bianca A. Masaganda, Aira Katrina L. Parreño, Doriza Joy B. Quevada, Anna Karenina M. Ruiz, Charmaine D. San Miguel, Sherelyn T. Sarmiento, Arvin Paolo O.

Simon, Zigmund G. Sobreviñas, and Haidee Grace L. Vila.

To secure more passers, Social Sciences Chair Professor Marco Antonio Rodas said the department is implementing a more stringent process to filter the increasing number of students majoring in psychology.

Instead of taking revalida in the course Abnormal Psychologyas a basis to qualify for internship, psychology majors will now take a revalida for each major course that corresponds to the table of specifications in the licensure examination such as Abnormal Psychology, Theories of Personality, Industrial Psychology and Psychological Assessment.

Rundown of new Envergan professionals

NEW ARCHITECTS

NEW CIVIL ENGINEERS Engr. Ralph Ayrand Nadera Engr. Justiniano Nierva III Engr. Casiopea Santiago Engr. Aries Trinidad Engr. Mark Anthony Zamora

OVERALL PASSING PERCENTAGE:

APRIL 2018

23.81%

NEW ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS

Engr. Jasmer Angelo Benitez* Engr. Edwin Garrido* Engr. Samuel Paete* Engr. Jaime Patricio* Engr. Jayber Semania*

Engr. Benedict Boitizon Engr. Vandolf Galeon Engr. John Linga Engr. Julius Tinamisan *ETEEAP

OVERALL PASSING PERCENTAGE:

2018

6

27.59%

OVER-ALL PASSING PERCENTAGE:

29.41%

12

NEW CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS

Zhara Mae Adarna, CPA Lloyd Vince Arceo, CPA Khristelle Joy Dela Cruz, CPA Charmaine De Guzman, CPA Christine Joy Diala, CPA Gilbert Logno Jr. , CPA Jean Losloso, CPA Joyce Magsino, CPA Jueann Magsino, CPA Marchel Perez, CPA Melljonh Pesigan, CPA Sweet Baby Jamie Tan, CPA

OVER-ALL PASSING PERCENTAGE:

NEW ELECTRONICS ENGINEERS

Engr. Chrisza Joy Carrido Engr. Don Gualbert Fullante Engr. Jenn Karmela Paderon

Ar. Oinemel Arroyo Ar. Rene Nobleza Ar. Ma. Diane Germaine Asesor Ar. Arjay Ramos Ar. Ruben Landicho

Engr. Fatima May Roldan Engr. Bryan John Sabiano Engr. Shara Mae Sto. Domingo

OVER-ALL PASSING PERCENTAGE:

75%

3

2017

Engr. Gean Abenilla Engr. Kathleen Kae Bandola Engr. Ian Lenard Firme Engr. Michelle Ilagan Engr. Noymhi Manrique

8

5 2018

MAY 2018

MAY 2018

10

INFOGRAPHICS 27

29.27%

NEW ENVERGAN LAWYERS

Atty. Lorielyn Aliwalas Atty. Michael Frederick Alzona Atty. Arvy Ramos

28 NEWS

Enverga's Valencia lands in top 30 PLDT art finalists John Rover Sinag

ine Arts student Marvin Valencia’s FMatatag oil painting entitled ‘Pagiging at Matiyaga’ was adjudged one of the top 30 finalists during the 32nd Visual Arts Competition (VAC 32) sponsored by the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), March 20.

With the theme “Pinoy Pride,” Valencia’s visual art features a child who faces problems such as depression and discrimination but never surrenders despite all the challenges to become successful in life.

Valencia received a cash prize of P10,000 from PLDT. “Naipinta ko itong painting na ito kasi, I’m proud na sa dinami-daming bata o tao na dumaraan sa matinding pagsubok sa buhay, unang-una ay ang depression at diskriminasyon sapagkat ulila siyang lubos, wala pang muwang sa mundo, nirereject, ng mga taong di marunong tumanaw sa kalagayan ng isang tao na walang ginagawang masama. Anuman ang pinagdadaanan niya tumayo siya sa sariling mga paa at ipinagmalaking Pinoy siya (I painted this work because my subject, is an orphan, an innocent, who is immediately rejected and cast aside by society in spite of his innate goodness. But he prevailed over life’s trials, tossed aside what he endured, and stood proudly on his feet, truly reflective of the hardiness

of a Pinoy even in the most adverse of circumstances),” Valencia explained his painting.

“Filipino ako at ang Filipino ay hindi sumusuko sa lahat ng hamon ng buhay (I am a Filipino and a Filipino never shirks away from life’s vicissitudes). That boy became my inspiration in depicting the theme “Pinoy Pride,” Valencia added.

Aside from Valencia’s entry who made it to the shortlist of top 30 finalists, the University entered five other art works for PLDT’s VAC 32, according to Dean Jennifer SA Sanchez.

This year’s awarding rites also honored National Artist for Sculpture Napoleon V. Abueva who passed away on Feb. 16 with a special tribute and exhibition of his most important works.

Marvin Valencia’s artwork ‘Pagiging Matatag at Matiyaga’ was on display at the Cultural Center of the Philippines on March 20.

Photo from visualarts.ph/entries

NEWS 29

EU-JPIA cops provincial, regional awards Mara Angeli Cadiz

Participants in the National Triwizard Tournament put their accounting prowess to test.

Photo from fb.com/ EUJPIA

he Junior Philippine Institute of Accountants-MSEUF Lucena Chapter (JPIA) received recognition T from the regional and the provincial chapters of the Junior Philippine Institute of Accountants’ Federation for 2018.

The Quezon Federation of JPIA (QFJPIA) also recognized the local chapter in its QFJPIA Gawad as Most Outstanding Local Chapter and Best Academic Activity for holding the 7th National Triwizard tournament and Dean Paz Bobadilla for accounting leadership.

The award-giving body also cited EUPJIA President Alyssa Mae Daclis as Outstanding Local Chapter President, Karla Ann Alfonso as Outstanding Local Chapter Executive Officer, Ryan Chris Espayos as Most Outstanding Local Chapter Executive Officer, Patricia Adora Alcala as Outstanding JPIA Student, and Trecia Mae Rafa as Most Outstanding JPIA Student.

Beyond organizational performance, the local chapter also bagged the Mr. and Ms. QFJPIA titles with Kaye Marie Cueto (BSA III)

winning Best in Casual Attire, Best in Corporate Attire, Miss Cyber Popularity and eventualy Miss QFJPIA 2018.

Gerald Verzo (BSA IV) also triumphed as this year’s Mister QFJPIA winning the special awards Best in Theme Attire and Best in Production Attire .

EUJPIA also bagged the Most Outstanding Local Chapter and Best Community Outreach besting other JPIA local chapters in Region IV-A in the recent NFJPIA Region 4 Gawad Tala Awards April 14.

Vice President for Academics Trecia Mae Rafa was also cited Outstanding Local Chapter Executive Officer and Mark Pulumbarit Outstanding Youth Leader in the same awarding ceremonies.

The Luzonian proves prowess in 2nd Quezon Journo Mara Angeli Cadiz

Luzonian representatives won in various categories in this year’s Sibulan: Quezon Journo TheKonfab at Southern Luzon State University (SLSU), April 27-28.

Graphics and Layout Editor John Rover Sinag landed three spots in different categories: newswriting (Filipino, 2nd place), layouting (1st place) and sportswriting (Filipino, 1st place).

Online Media Manager Ada Loreen de Castro also triumphed in first spot in the devcomm writing category (Filipino) and Business Manager John Andrew Jeremiah Pacalda second placer in the English category.

Bagging second places in other categories were Editor in Chief Mara Angeli Cadiz in feature

writing (Filipino), Kyle Joshua Cadavez in comic strip drawing, and Ryan Chris Espayos in sports writing (English).

Different university publications participated in the Sibulan contest. Resource speakers from various publications judged the contested categories. A Sibulan Night was also held to further build camaraderie among participating collegiate publications. SLSU Lucban’s The Kingfisher organized the event to promote and celebrate campus journalism.

30 NEWS

Lagman puts EU in TOSP rolls again

Mara Angeli Cadiz

rby Lagman, a cum laude graduate and currently a Senior High School teacher, of A the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) made it to the top 30 national finalists for this year’s Search for the 56th Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines (TOSP).

Out of 77 regional awardees and national nominees all over the country, 30 were selected to be the National Finalists for the 56th Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines 2017. The 30 national finalists gathered in Manila for the National Program Week on April 1823.

TOSP’s top 30 participated in the National Formation Program, a series of leadership training workshops, and the TOSP BayaNite or Alumni Night, a gathering of former TOSP awardees.

The awarding ceremonies was at the Kalayaan Hall of Malacañan Palace on April 23. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, Presidential Adviser Joey Concepcion, TOSP Founder Jose Concepcion Jr., along with the TOSP

executives, attended the event.

Accompanying Lagman was his mother, Mrs. Leticia Lagman and Dr. Claudia Odette Ayala, CAS dean, who received the token of appreciation for the Enverga University.

Lagman is the only representative of Quezon Province and one of the two representatives of Region IV-A CALABARZON in the search.

As he always says, Lagman proved that “the best way to achieve your goal is to turn your passion into a successful reality and create a positive change in your community.”

Lagman was and continues to be an active participant in the community outreach programs of his home college among the Badjao community.

Arby Lagman with Dean Claudia Odette Ayala and his mother receives the plaque of distinction from TOSP executives.

Photos from Arby Lagman

Salazar, Mendoza qualify for AmCham BLP Batch 2018 Mara Angeli Cadiz

nne Charlene C. Salazar and Maegan V. Mendoza, BS Accountancy III students, A qualified to be part of the 16th batch of The American Chamber of Commerce Business Leadership Program (AmCham BLP), April 17-25.

Only 31 students throughout the country made it to the highly selective program. As part of its activities, the American ambassador to the Philippines welcomed the participants in his residence.

AmCham BLP is designed to provide interaction between students and AmCham member companies providing student leaders a peek into the inner workings of some of the country’s top American and multinational companies,

The aim is to inspire the participants into becoming committed professionals in the future. The program hopes to be a sustainable initiative that will continue to help inspire future Filipino business leaders.

The group also did company tours among AmCham member companies with seminar talks as part of the itinerary along with a business plan showcase.

Mendoza’s group won first place in the Business Plan Presentation.

NEWS

31

Youth leaders convene for SULO 2018 Ivan Chris Mabilangan

Participants from different schools in Calabarzon join the socialization in SULO 2018.

Photo from fb.com/sulo2017

youth leaders gathered for SULO: Southern Tagalog Youth Camp 2018 held at the CALABARZON Union Theological Seminary, Dasmariñas, Cavite on March 17-18.

With its theme “Youth Leaders Forging Unities to Defend Civil Liberties and Freedom,” the two-day event featured various seminars and contests, honing the journalism and leadership skills, social awareness, and camaraderie of the participants. It aimed to develop the youths’ potential in culture and arts in fostering and propeling social development.

Congresswoman Sarah Elago spoke on the youth’s role in helping ease the various issues facing the different sectors of society.

Meanwhile, Professor Danilo Arao from the University of the Philippines-Diliman shared the importance of preserving press freedom and fighting fake news and other problems that hamper the media’s role in nationuilding.

The students participated in workshops consisting of Student Council Orientation and Management, Mass Campaign Planning and Administration, and Student Publication Management to develop their leadership capacities. In addition, literary and theatre arts skills were offered in other parallel lectures.

Participants also visited Lupang Ramos, a farmers’ settlement in Dasmarinas that was claimed by a former politician. There, the students witnessed first hand the social issues discussed as they were exposed to the

impoverished state of the farmers as they fight discrimination and oppression from both the local government and the land’s alleged wealthy owner.

After the lectures, students competed in essay writing and extemporaneous speech.

There was a campfire for the participants from the different universities and the members of the local community to allow for interaction in the spirit of youth empowerment.

Participants came from different communities across the region, along with students from De La Salle UniversityDasmarinas, City College of Tagaytay, Cavite State University, Olivarez College of Tagaytay, Manuel S. Enverga University FoundationLucena, Polytechnic University of the Philippines -Maragondon and University of the Philippines -Los Banos.

The event was organized by Free Education for Everyone Coalition, National Union of Students of the Philippines-Southern Tagalog, College Editors Guild of the Philippines-Southern Tagalog, Kabataan Partylist-Southern Tagalog, ANAKBAYAN-Southern Tagalog, Alliance of Concerned Teachers-Southern Tagalog and the College Editors Guild of the Philippines-Southern Tagalog.

32 NEWS

The Luzonian, 9th top performing school in regional campus journalism confab Fritzjay Labiano

A

s a promised outcome of resurrection and excellence after a publication break of two years, The Luzonian made its presence felt in the Regional Higher Education Press Conference (RHEPC) bringing home the 9th Top Performing School in Campus Journalism Award to Manuel S. Enverga University Foundation, Jan. 18, in Batis Aramin, Lucban, Quezon.

With only six campus journalists representing the publications, a broadsheet and a literary folio, The Luzonian amassed recognition in various categories to emerge as one of the top ten regional publications.

“Ninth place may not be so impressive.

But try to consider this: The L has only six campus journalists as entries in the individual categories and two group entries (broadsheet and literary folio) against other schools who have more than 10 individual entries and the complete five group entries,” Raymond Bermudez, technical adviser of The Luzonian/ Andamyo, posted in his Facebook account.

In the broadsheet category, The Luzonian placed 5th best broadsheet garnering six citations including first Best Editorial Page, first Best Features Page, second Best DevComm Page, fifth Best Literary Page, sixth Best News Page and seventh Best Page Design.

In addition, the panel of judges chose Andamyo seventh Best Literary Folio overall with four special awards: second Best Page Design, fourth Best Literary Content, seventh Best Visual Arts and ninth Best Cover Design.

Moreover, six The Luzonian editors also bagged awards in individual categories. “Six out

of six have won at least one of the contested categories. Four out of six will vie for the Luzonwide Higher Education Press Conference next month,” Bermudez expressed his pride anew on the publication staff's achievement.

John Rover Sinag, BSIT III, layout and graphics editor of the publication, emerged second individual highest pointer after winning first places both in layout and in newswriting (Filipino) and fifth place in sportswriting.

Ivan Chris Mabilangan, BSCpE III, managing editor, brought in two awards, first in opinion writing and fourth in editorial writing, both in English.

Meanwhile, Associate Editor Sophia Margarette Caagbay, LiaComm IV, Online Media Manager Ada Loreen De Castro, BSITIII, Cartoonist Kyle Joshua Cadavez, BSCEIV, and Jhon Angelo Virtucio, BSIT-III, placed fifth in poetry writing, ninth in copyreading and headline writing, seventh in comics strip drawing, all in Filipino, and third in newswriting (English), respectively.

On Feb. 28-March 2, The Luzonian together with four campus journalists traveled to Baguio City to compete in the Luzonwide Higher Education Press Conference.

S.M. Caagbay, J.A. Virtucio, I.C. Mabilangan and J.R. Sinag (l-r, front), A.L. De Castro, and K. J. Cadavez (l-r, back), The Luzonian’s representatives, won in their respective categories at the 17th RHEPC.

FEATURES 33

#Ashestoplum: A retrospect Sophia Margarette Caagbay

e all know that The Luzonian was dead for a year. If not, none of us felt its existence, so either way it’s dead.

WWe all have our fair share of sorrows – in the pit hollow of our Envergan stakeholders - the 24-page The Luzonian (broadsheet) and existence in this planet and Dael is not an exception to that. Either way, it was hibernation or sudden death; we all needed that once in a while to breathe anew.

Two years ago, in 2014-2015, Dael was unstable. Insubordination and chaos reigned in the editorial board and prevented Dael from getting published. There were too many conflicting interests that set back the publication.

Come 2015-2016, the junior staffers from the previous year had become the editorial board. It was an uphill battle. It was no different from repairing a broken house without any idea where to start. They did trial-and-error and Dael came out tentatively in that period.

A faint beating heart from an almost dead patient per se from the previous year has become truly dead in 2016-2017. It goes without saying that Honoré de Balzac’s “laws are spider webs through which the big flies pass and the little ones get caught” just happened. Dael died and was buried along with its horror stories.

In school year 2017-2018, the new staff breathed life to Dael. Miracles did happen.

Dael finally resumed against all odds - the paper chase, organizational duties, domestic responsibilities, etc. But the resurrection was truly a struggle. The most-awaited releases for more than a year have finally been delivered to

Andamyo XIII (literary folio).

The byproducts of a month-long effort received their just rewards at the annual Regional Higher Educational Press Conference in January when the publications bagged the 9th Top Performing School in Campus Journalism with a lean delegation of six participants who all won in their respective competitions. The sweet saga did not end here.

John Rover Sinag, Sophia Margarette Caagbay, Ivan Chris Mabilangan and Angelo Virtucio earned tickets to the coveted Luzonwide Higher Educational Press Conference in Baguio City in February. Sinag, the sixth individual highest pointer in the Luzon grid, won third place in Newswriting and seventh place in Layouting alongside Caagbay who placed third in Poetry Writing in Filipino.

This proves that more than individual skills and talents, it’s the collaborative work from a solid team that makes everything possible.

The Luzonian broadsheet and Andamyo’s presence in the student publication scene continued bringing honors home after garnering third Best Broadsheet (bagging first in Best Editorial Page, first in Best Feature Page, second in Best DevComm Page, fifth Best Literary Page, sixth Best News Page and seventh Best Page Design, seventh Best Page Design and tenth Best Literary Content).

Looking back at how The Luzonian rose from the ashes will be the legacy of this year’s editorial board. That you’re reading this magazine (the last was in 2013) is a testament that although The Luzonian will be fighting an uphill battle, its staff will continually give its bosses, the students, the publication they truly deserve.

The Luzonian won several awards in the broadsheet category, Andamyo in the literary folio and the staff in the individual contests of the 17th LHEPC in Hotel Supreme, Baguio City.

34 NEWS

Moira, Bryan sing in ‘Obra for a Cause’

Kyle Joshua Cadavez Moira and Bryan serenade the Quezon crowd at the ‘Obra for a Cause’ concert.

Photos from fb.com/NFJPIAR4

apturing the hearts of the Quezon music scene, the National Federation of Junior C Philippine Accountants Region 4A (NFJPIA-4A) staged Moira Dela Torre and Bryan Termulo in “OBRA: Concert for a Cause” held at the Quezon Convention Center, Lucena City, April 9.

Wide smiles, loud shouts and phones capturing the stage were just some of the few things that reminded how popular Moira and her songs are now. She started with her first song “Torete,” then greeted the audience together with her band and her boyfriend, Jason.

“You can’t be brave unless you let go,” she said to the crowd before singing her song “Malaya.” She also sang “Tagpuan,” “Perfect” with Jason, and ended the show with “Titibo-tibo.” Some fans were lucky enough to be noticed by Moira when she let them hug her on stage and give their artworks.

Alongside Moira, Bryan Termulo serenaded the audience with songs like “Marvin Gaye,” “One Call Away” and “Say You Won’t Let Go.” He even brought a fan to the stage as they sang “Dadalhin,” which made the other girls envy their sweet moments together.

Front-act performers were introduced first as they rendered their

best set of songs. SLSU’s Beethoven’s Blood Band, JPIA Psalms from DLS Lipa, and Enverga University’s very own Tone of Rapture heated up the concert scene.

Local alternative rock bands from Lucena City, Wordsworth, Cynthia, and Flipside, also performed for the crowd.

The show was not just for entertainment. Proceeds of the show will support the organization’s community extension programs such as the BaKaWan (Bantay Kalikasan, Wagayway Kabuhayan) Project, the Pagbilao Mangrove wildlife project, one of Obra federation’s long-term community involvements.

The National Federation of Junior Philippine Accountants Region 4A (NFJPIA-4A) along with the Quezon Federation of Junior Philippine Accountants (QFJPIA), the MSEUF-Lucena University Collegiate Student Council and CEFI-Supreme College Student Council organized the fund raising concert.

NEWS 35

CCMS holds annual TechFest Ada Loreen De Castro

C

yber Envergans of the College of Computing and Multimedia Studies (CCMS) convened for the department’s two-day annual “TechFest 2018” on Feb. 5 -6.

The first day featured a talk on the information technology industry with invited speaker, Ms. Jessa Cahilig, an OLX Group Philippines’ software engineer for mobile applications and a cum laude graduate of the department, at the AEC Little Theatre.

Cahilig shared how an information technology student must think, feel and act outside the university where real-world realities are the norm.

Programming seminars followed Cahilig’s talk: ABC of Arduino Programming Seminar, Basic of Mobile Programming with Android Seminar and A Bite of Python: An Introduction on Python Programming Seminar.

CCMS faculty members facilitated the seminars: Engr. Roselyn Maaño for Arduino, Prof. Leah Salas for Android and Dean Rodrigo Belleza for Python.

On the second day, Cyber Envergans showed off their talents and skills in different information technology-related fields.

Activities were the IT Quiz Bee, Digital Poster

PsychSoc revamps 27th Psych Fair Sophia Margarette Caagbay

he anticipated Psychological Fair of the CAS Psychological Society T (PsychSoc) every first semester switched to the second semester for its 27th edition, on March 19-21, at the St. Bonaventure Student Sophia Margarette Caagbay

Center.

Ms. Cielo Marte-Presas pioneered the Psychological Fair. Back in the University after her corporate stint, she assisted the CAS-PS in redesigning the Psychological Fair to feature Kokology, an attempt to interpret the behavior of different people in imaginary, sometimes abstract situations,.

In addition, students trained in the administration of the Narcissistic Personality Inventory, Holland Code Test, Dr. Phil’s Personality Test, Open Extended Jungian Type Scales 1.2, Open Hemispheric Brain Dominance Scale 1.0, and The Big Five Personality Test.

The Fair also gave color, signature and dream analyses and counseling to visitors.

Resource speakers invited to give psychological talks were Ms. Luz Palmero-Desquitado,

UP-Project Manager, who talked about Customer Service and Communicating in Business; Ms. Iris Asensi, financial advisor of PruLife, who tackled the Woman’s Perspective and How to Raise a Better Parent; Ms. Roserene Boragay, guidance counselor of Maryhill College, who talked about Survival, and Chef Thadie Magadia, the chef and owner of Purple Thyme Bistro, who talked about “Never Settle for Less”.

The three-day Psych Fair Arts Exhibit exhibited the art works of psychology students and alumni.

An open mic for Spoken Word Poetry was an added attraction in the celebration of the Psych Fair.

The annual Psych Fair prepares psychology majors to be world-ready in their specialization.

Making, Mobile Photography, Virus Hunting and DOTA2 Tournament where students competed.

Along with the academic activities, CCMS students also participated in the Community Extension Service (CES) bee farm project. Prof.

Donabell Hernandez, CCMS-CES coordinator, supervised the clean up activity.

“Our programs involve critical thinking skills and abstractions,” said Dean Belleza, “but we in the College of Computer Studies, now renamed College of Computing and Multimedia Studies, always incorporate the ‘fun while learning’ strategy through our varied student activities.”

“In this effort, the CCMS-Department Student Council (DSC) and the Philippine Society of Information Technology Students (PSITE) are our active partners and collaborators,” Dean Belleza added, “where our students prepare themselves to be real-world ready when they graduate from their respective programs.”

CAS celebrates English Festival Iris Gem Magdaong

ith the theme “Continuing the MSEUF Legacy: W Competing Globally with English Proficiency,” the College of Arts and Sciences-Department of Languages and Humanities held an English Festival on March 8.

Students of MSEUF from all year levels participated and competed in different fun-filled individual and group contests.

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics senior high school representatives swept the top spots in the vocabulary category. The duo of Reginald Caminero and Rayvin John Lavita aced Scribbage while Raymond Ong and Aljay Monterey reigned in Scrabble.

STEM 12B3 students outdid their opponents in individual categories: Beatriz Andrea Garcia won the essay writing contest, Joshua Rago aced the photo competition, and Nikita Mendoza triumphed in declaim -a-song category.

Daniela Par and Lorenzo Orig ruled the Spelling Bee. Meanwhile, Leo Angelo Saldaña’s piece won first place in the poetry writing contest even as Gene Anne Marie Llego emerged champion in the oratorical competition.

Representatives from STEM, bagged the Best in Research award in the Research Exhibit: Poster Abstract Competition.

Humanities and Social Sciences bets, both from Grade 11B1, nailed the group competitions in living gallery and choral reading.

The judges said they “were left in complete awe with the students’ performance. It is always a joy and an inspiring experience to judge the English Fest.”

36 FEATURES

Tackling the work of excellence:

UCSC conducts annual student dialogue Ivan Chris Mabilangan

“

When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better, too.” - Paulo Coelho On facilities

First, the panel talked about concerns regarding facilities.

Various equipment and materials have been requested. However, some of the things requested are already in use. They are simply not conspicuous enough, but nevertheless have already become essential parts of the University’s facilities.

An example is the modernized enrolment system. While the system is still in an earlier stage compared to other universities, the management has scaled up improvements. Necessary technologies were brought in. By next semester, expect full online enrollment, the Information Communication Technology Department director and the University Registrar said.

Another example of an already granted request is the establishment of tambayan (hang out areas) for student organizations in the University. The tambayan have all been relocated near the St. Bonaventure Student Center. Tables, chairs and bulletin boards are provided for various organizations. Yhe area has been repaired and repainted.

On the other hand, there are requests that cannot be provided because they are not part of the current tuition, and would most likely increase the fees to be paid by students.

Important materials such as books, online resources and

On rules and regulations

OSA ensures that all the rights of students as stated in the 2015 Constitution as well as in the Student Handbook are respected at all times. Rules are communicated to students to ensure their safe and pleasant stay in the University. To assuage student’s concerns regarding some rules that students want relaxed, Office of Student Affairs Director Rosario Rago and other administrators discussed why some of them are not feasible in the current situation.

First, there were requests to open the Geneva Gate (3) for the whole day to provide easier access for students who want to go to the eateries and computer shops outside the school gate. However, the location was detected to be a “gateway” for drug dealing by unscrupulous elements, Student safety being a primordial concern of the University, the decision was to close it and open it at certain times of the day only to allow entry and egress of students who reside in the University Villlage.

Second, in response to health and hygiene issues, students cannot enter the campus in PE uniform. After sweating out in PE, students need to change to avoid getting sick. They are given sufficient time to change into the usual school uniform before they enter the main campus from the gymnasium.

laboratory equipment, however, are prioritized. Budget is allocated in a rational manner to ensure that the most critical needs are met.

As for the availability of the Educational Media Resource Center on Saturdays, graduate students’ needs are prioritized.

Undergraduate student organizations need to comply with reservation rules.

This is not the only concern which requires the cooperation of the students. Chairs are fixed or replaced every semester. But for these pieces of furniture to last, students should use them properly and with care.

In the pursuit of becoming a globally competitive university, MSEUF continuously strives to improve the experiences of its students. To raise awareness and quell the concerns of Envergans, the University Collegiate Student Council and various offices and departments teamed up during the Student Dialogue on March 27.

With the agenda “Discussing and Settling the Issues and Concerns of the Students,” the forum focused on three main topics: facilities, services, and rules and regulations. Specific problems were introduced by the facilitators. The deans and department heads offered solutions and interventions and the students spoke their minds.

Third, one-day wash day is deemed sufficient for students.

The school uniform is a leveling factor that promotes inclusivity in campus and prevents segmentation of the school population: those who can afford to wear designer clothes and those who can’t.

On the other hand, OJT uniforms and corporate attires are allowed in campus provided permit is secured from the OSA. Fourth, as for the charging of electronic devices in the library, students inevitably have to pay for them. Since any free charging would have to apply to everyone, allowing it would result in tuition increase due to the rising cost of electric power.

Fifth, the protection of the lives of students is a primary responsibility of the University. Thus, the Commission on Higher Education and the University have regulations for different types of organizations. Fraternities that use violence in their initiations are outlawed in campus. Organizations need to be accredited to recruit new members.

Sixth, as regards complaints against some employees and security guards, respect begets respect, It is a mutual concern, In the end, all rules are implemented to maintain harmony and ensure an environment conducive to learning.

FEATURES On services

School authorities talked about concerns on the services offered inside the University. These include finances, transportation, information dissemination, staff work and quality of materials provided.

The breakdown of miscellaneous fees is already provided in registration forms. Various misconceptions have been clarified as well. For example, the University does not charge a scholarship fee. What the student pays is a certification of grades from the Registrar’s Office to cover administrative costs, comparatively cheaper than what other schools and universities charge.

Aside from the relatively low charges, the processing of documents such as evaluation forms, copy of grades, diploma, and transcript of records are comparatively faster and more efficient than in other academic systems.

As for the on-the-job-training (OJT) fees of each department, several deans clarified their allocation. CAFA has no OJT. However, its two-year apprenticeship outside of the school domain requires payment of fees. CNAHS’s OJT, referred to as Related Learning Experience (RLE) requires students to pay hospitals and medical establishments per hour rates. CCLE, CCMS, CBA, CAS and CEng allocate fees for student monitoring and supervision. OJT fees also go to payment of tokens and honoraria of partner company intern/OJT supervisors as well as travel expenses of the practicum supervisors while monitoring interns.

The transparency of budget spent for student activities in the University such as in the Inter-Departmental Games and Foundation Week, as well as projects concerning students have been tackled as well. Students are given the full assurance that no money is

37

released to any party unless previous activity expenditures are fully liquidated. Other than finances, issues regarding technological services were also discussed.

Wi-Fi speed has improved from 14 to 100 mbpsm More hotspots have been added to improve accessibility. As for slow connection in CTHRM and CME, fiber optic cables have already been installed to resolve the issue.

On the other hand, 4 new SIM cards have been added to the RFID service to hasten the sending of text messages to all MSEUF students. Whether it be leadership summits and conferences, or announcements regarding class suspensions and other significant school activities, the students will receive significant and up-to-date information.

As for bus services for conferences, competitions and trips, students and faculty are prioritized. However, one should reserve as early as possible. Scheduling is on a first-come-first-served basis.

College students also have priority in the use of departmental facilities and in scheduling academic-related services. They need to coordinate with their respective deans for schedules.

Improvement on the quality of published modules and books depend on the selling price. Instructional materials that use newprint are decidedly lower in cost than those that use bookpaper. Students can negotiate with the service providers for the material quality.

As for the provision of bulletin boards for posting of school rules and regulations, they have already been constructed through the OSA. Student handbooks are also regularly updated depending on what school year students enroll. All students need to do is to claim their copies at the OSA.

Follow up inquiries

General Services will check on the lack of electrical connections in the Student Lounge outlets. This is in addition to the fixing of lamps in the parking area.

Extension of bus services is also looked into since it takes an hour to return from the city proper to the University Site on account of traffic. Students who resort to riding jeepneys instead complain of tripcutting.

This will be brought to the attention of the drivers’ association and if no action is done, an official complaint will be lodged in the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board.

As for school supplies being provided inside the campus, there was a suggestion to establish a student cooperative to sell such items.

There were some clarifications regarding ROTC as well. It is not required for Criminology students due to the NSTP Law. However, if the student deems it necessary, they can take ROTC to be aware of commands used in police formation.

MSEUF aims to become a globally competitive university. This requires the best facilities, effective services and strong regulatory system. Fortunately, Student Dialogues like this provide a platform for students and authorities to exchange views on continual improvement.

Enverga is not run by management alone. We also help run it by suggesting continual improvement.

Photos by EMRC

38 NEWS

MSEUFCS sings a cappella on its 44th year Mc Kinly Revilla

The Concert Singers sing “Manila Manila” at the Casa Segunda opening.

Photos by John Andrew Jeremiah Pacalda

The MSEUF Concert Singers celebrate their 44th anniversary with a concert entitled “Harmony.”

The two-day concert staged at the newly-opened Casa Segunda on March 2223 serenaded academic officers, faculty and students alike.

The MSEUFCS sang “Manila Manila,” “Eres Tu,” “Kruhay” and “Why We Sing” a cappella. OPM songs highlighted the first part of the concert while music around the world showed the versatility of the chorale in the second half.

Choirmaster Hubert Loresto and adviser Director Mabel Granada said their performers continually touch the hearts of the audience as the chorale sang of their journey as Concert Singers.

Kramer Lacson, MSEUFCS president ,stated, “We did a half-year-long preparation for this concert under the supervision of our choirmaster, accompanist, and adviser to make sure that we will continue the singing legacy of the group.”

“The MSEUFCS’ repertoire reflects our desire to bring goodwill and peace to our audience through music,” AVP for External Relations Celso Jaballa added.

The MSEUF Concert Singers hope to do a tour to highlight a cappella singing and to bring joy and musical appreciation for Filipino classical and popular music closer to the masses.

NEWS 39

Ricky Lee graces 2nd Quezon Literary Festival Ysabel Patricia M. Zabella

ulti-awarded scriptwriter Ricky Lee was the principal speaker in the M 2nd Quezon Literary Festival at the Manuel S. Enverga University Foundation with “Alab Panitikan: Ikalawang Silip sa Panitikang Kalilayan”

Ricky Lee narrates how he switched from journalism to fiction in the Quezon Literary Festival forum at AEC Little Theater.

as theme on April 25.

The theme derives from the national theme of the Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino (KWF) and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), Alab Panitikan, celebrated March 15.

Lee is the scriptwriter of classical Filipino films Himala, Moral, Anak, The Flor Contemplacion Story, and Rizal, among others. He is one of the country’s master storytellers. The occasion was also a re-launching of his third novel, Bahay ni Marta.

Featured writer in the Quezon Literary Festival was Dr. Hilarion Silvaña, former faculty member of the College of Arts and Sciences and Graduate School and a prolific writer and composer.

The Quezon Literary Festival was conceptualized to inspire and motivate young Quezonian writers to pursue their craft. It is also celebrated in honor of Fr. Horacio de la Costa, the first Filipino Provincial Superior of the Society of Jesus in the Philippines and a Quezonian writer, born in Mauban, Quezon.

Photo from fb.com/ EnvergaU

OSA spearheads Career Orientation Baccalaureate Series John Rover Sinag

he Office of Student Affairs headed by Director Rosario Rago organized a Career T Orientation Baccalaureate Series with the theme “Immersing Graduates to the Changing Global Workplace” on April 8 at the University gymnasium.

OSA invited resource speakers from different government agencies including the Philippine Regulatory Commission (PRC), PhilHealth, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Philippine National Police-Quezon Province.

Mr. Celso Jaballa, Acting Vice President for External Relations, gave the opening message to the graduating classes. He said that being in a career that prepared one’s skills and competencies will make a graduate real-world ready.

In addition, Ms. Nerrisa Abella of the Philhealth Regional Office discussed the programs for their beneficiaries this year.

Meanwhile, Ms. Joan Barlan of the Professional Regulatory Commission discussed the updates, process and the requirements for the upcoming board examinations.

Ms. Joan Barlan (right) of the Professional Regulatory Commission discussed the updates, process and requirements for the upcoming board examinations.

Furthermore, Police Chief Inspector Sheree Ann Ubaña came for the event as representative of PSSupt. Rhoderick Armamento. She talked about the requirements, process and procedure for entering the Philippine National Police service.

There were also lectures on preparing powerful curriculum vitae and hurdling the job interview.

There were 600 candidates for graduation who registered for the event.

Ms. Nerrisa Abella (top) of the Philhealth Regional Office discussed the programs for their beneficiaries this year.

Photos by EMRC

40 LITERARY

Tara, canton!

Mara Angeli Cadiz

and spicy...

Orihinal...kalamansi...chilimansi...sweet extra hot chili.

Mga iba’t ibang mukha at lasa ng pansit kanton --- ang tsibog na ilalaban ko ng suntukan o sabunutan sa sarap. Kalimitan itong tinatawag na starter pack naming mga hindi dalubhasa sa kusina.

Subalit, ano nga ba talaga ang batayan ng “sarap”... ng sarap na kaya mong ilaban ng suntukan o sabunutan?

Nababatay ba ang sarap sa kung gaano kahirap lutuin ang isang putahe o kung gaano kamahal ang mga sangkap na bumubuo dito? Para sa akin, ang tunay na sarap ng isang tsibog ay nasa kung paano nito ipararamdam sa ‘yo ang iba’t ibang danas. Ang tunay na sarap ay mababatid kung paano pinapawi ng isang pagkain ang lungkot sa iyong mga mata, pinapayapa ang silakbo ng iyong damdamin at pinagagaan ang bigat na dalahin ng iyong isipan.

Nagpapaalala sa akin ang bawat barayti ng kanton ng iba’t ibang mukha ng aking buhay na patuloy kong nilalasap: Sa bawat ordinaryong araw, may mga bagay tayong dapat namnamin upang masabing kay sarap ng buhay. Sa bawat kilig na nakukuha sa asim ng buhay, may kahalo man itong anghang ‘pag minsan, tunay na masusumpungan mo ang ligaya sa patuloy na pangarap. Sa bawat hirap at pagod, karamay ko ang tamis-anghang na lasang patuloy na palantadaang sa bawat pagsubok, masasamyo mo rin ang tamis ng bawat tagumpay. At sa bawat maanghang na salita’t gawi na iyong tinanggap upang ituloy ang laban, mauubos rin ang nakahaing anghang mula sa nag-aapoy na hamon ng buhay.

Ang pansit kanton ay isang pakete ng magagandang alaala ng bawat tawanan at iyakang pinagsaluhan ng barkada. Ito ang ulam ng pamilya na may kumakalam na sikmura sa mga panahon ng kagipitan. Ito ang patuloy na armas at sandigan sa mga panahong umuuwing lupagi at pagal ang mandirigma.

Simple man itong gawin at mumurahin... di man daw ituring na putahe nilang mga “tunay na magagaling” --- ito pa rin ang tsibog na ilalaban ko ng sakitan. Ito ang tsibog na patuloy na nagpapaalalang magbago man ng porma (kwadrado man o bilugan) o maging ng lasa (maalat, maasim, matamis o maanghang) --- ang tunay na sarap ay wala sa sangkap, ngunit nasa kung paano mo nilasap ang bawat hibla ng lasang inihahain sa iyo ng buhay.

Kaya tara, paulit-ulit nating lasapin ang bawat butil ng MSG...ang bawat lasa ng ating buhay. Tara, kanton!

“Q: Anong tsibog sa inyo ang kaya mong ipaglaban ng suntukan o sabunutan sa sarap?”

Second place, Sibulan 2018: Quezon-wide Press Conference

(

) Sophia Margarette Caagbay

Pantugon sa gutom ang mapusyaw na dilaw, sa pagitan ng mga daliri ikinakahon ako sa ilalim ng malamlam na poste ng ilaw -katiting na liwanag ng ating kamusmusan.

Pinagsasaluhan ang tamis sa unang tikim sa kabila ng hamog -- dito mo ako dinala: sa repleksyon ng papalubog na araw tinatanaw ang dagitab sa mga kabahayang kanlong ng Magsaysay kung saan tayo madalas umistambay.

Patlang para sa kasaysayan ng ating kinahinatnan: na ako’y mananatiling busog sa ’ting maning matamis ngunit marupok.

“Q: Sumulat ng isang tula ukol sa peanut brittle Third place, Luzonwide Higher Education Press Conference

Alikabok ng kalumaan Mc Kinly Revilla

Sa ‘yong apatang kantuhan madalas nahahawakan Sa dami ng ‘yong pindutan laging nagugulumihanan Mabuhay ka lang sa isang pwersahan Bigat sa ‘yong timbang, ngalay ang ramdam Sa agiw mong namamagpag Alikabok kailangang ipagpag Malabo na ang ‘yong mukha at bakas ang pagkaluma Sa simula’t dulo ng iyong katawan may nakabaon palang kaibuturan Apatang kantuhan...larawan ng kasakiman Mayroong ikinukubli sa iyong nakaraan Misteryong laman madalas ikaw lang ang nakakaalam Lungkot sa ‘yong mukha...naglalarawan sa ‘yong pagkasira Nakagapos sa iyong katawan ang tali ng nakaraan Sa ilaw mong puti, mayroon palang kalumaan Akala ko ika’y tapat Ngunit sa ’yo, ako’y hindi nararapat

LITERARY

Paalam

Mc Kinly Revilla

Mahal kong kahapon Ako’y naririto ngayon Mayroon akong huling paalam Sa huli nating kitaan Saksi ang mga bituin sa ‘ting mithiin Kahit papaano ako’y naging masaya rin Subalit ako’y magpapaalam sa ’yo, Dahil napagtantong ito ang marapat gawin Ako’y magpapaalam sa ating nakaraan Magpapaalam sa aking mga kamalian Magpapaalam sa mga alaala Para bukas alam kong makakaya ko na Bukas ay isang araw ng payapa Ngayon ay nasa gitna ng unos at kadiliman Pero sana bukas, bahaghari’y masilayan na Nang tayo’y humantong na sa nararapat na landas Tayo’y malaya na sa isa’t isa Pagmamahalang dapat tuldukan ay winakasan na Nawa’y sa muli nating pagkikita ay masaya ka na Dalangin ay pagbangon sa nakaraan at maging payapa

Master creation Kyle Joshua Cadavez

Let there be a world inside a world of passion built by walls, curtains covering windows.

I am a God of heavenly creation.

Let there be life with my eyes acting like lenses.

An image of a woman with ivory white flesh, hair smooth as silk; mountains for a crest, lips no one could resist.

She would be my wife but she will only be a spirit in my head.

Let there be darkness; strip the first layer of her soul.

Let life pierce through herself with your right hand in reality.

Let the dream live.

Let there be light.

Mixtape T13-18891

SIDE A

Sa bawat tipa mo ng gitara, nababatid ko kung gaano mo siya minahal. Labing-isang taon at pitong buwan - tila panghabang-buhay. Naroon na kayo sa puntong bumubuo ng pangarap na magkasama.

Siya ang batas ng iyong puso. Mula noong isapuso mo ang bawat batas at kaso hanggang sa maging abogado, s’ya ang nasa iyong puso.

Pero babalik at babalik tayo sa kasalukuyan.

Lahat ay unti-unting naglaho. Nananariwa ang sakit mula sa puntong dahan-dahang pumapatak ang luha dahil sa kanyang paglisan nang walang lingunan. Nanunuot na tila alkohol na ibinubuhos sa sariwang sugat...ang sugat na iniwan n’ya sa iyong puso’t isipan.

Paulit-ulit mong hinahawakan ang gitara.

Hinihimig at inaawit mo ang mga titik ng paghanga’t pag-ibig na sa hangin mo na lang maibubulalas.

Naroon ka sa isang sulok ng silid, dinarasal na sana siya na lang ang gitarang ngayo’y tangan at niyayakap mo ng mahigpit.

SIDE B

Isa lamang akong tagapakinig. At nang awit mo’y aking narinig, realidad ay aking narating.

Napagtanto ko ang pagmamahal na ipinagkait ko sa aking sarili. Tatlong taon at anim na buwan --- akala ko’y panghabang-buhay. Nagising ako sa katotohanang tayo’y dapat magmahal, higit sa ating mga sarili.

Naririto ako ngayon, paulit-ulit na nadadala sa iyong himig. Napapasigla ang bawat umaga, dala’y ngiti sa bawat gabi ng pamamahinga. Bawat titik ay mga salita ng damdamin at pag-asa.

Salamat dahil sa bawat koro at tipa ng gitara, nasumpungan ko ang ligaya. Natagpuan ang susi sa pag-asa’t paglaya. Maaaring di mo alam kung gaano ko itong pinahalagahan. Subalit, mananatili akong tagapakinig. Patuloy na mananalig na sa susunod mong paghimig, matatagpuan mo na ang paglaya at muling pag-ibig.

41

42 LITERARY

Needless anesthesia Ivan Chris Mabilangan

I don’t know how tears would have crawled on my cheeks As I sat by the windows of a silent bus As silent as my heart of steel Grating with the winds of time, When familiar songs of sadness Whispered in my ears, Instead of to the selves I’ve locked behind My bars of logic.

And I heard voices cry, Calling for those memories Of staring past raindrops Into nothingness, and Of losing bus tickets In rides going nowhere, Questioning if the destinations I’ve chosen Are worth the coins in my pocket But when knowing the roads seemed so easy it hurts Like a knife buried in a bloodless wound, and When I desire to be poisoned by the beauty Of a solitude I’ve immunized myself against, Remembering seems like A needless anesthesia To calm myself, when My skin already feels Nothing at all.

Imaginary oasis Ivan Chris Mabilangan

I want to just rip the fabric of space in my feet And jump into where I could silently sleep Free from the rules of reality Humans shaped in desire and conceit A bed beside an alarm clock stills With every second ticking at each hour Keeping up with the pace of this mind Crawling the roads of survival I don’t want a city to rule I just want a space for myself A refuge against disastrous uncertainty Free of fear and lack of control But I am only a moving flesh Kept in place by gravity Of an earth so much larger than I Rotating around a hell-fire sun Still, rather than living in this wilderness I should slip past this hole in front of my face Just for an hour or a two, to somewhere I am myself, alone and free.

Baka bukas may sagot na SNJ

Posible kayang umibig...

Sa mga panitik na ‘di sa’yo laan?

Posible kayang mahulog...

Sa mga himig na likha ng nakalipas?

Paano kaya magtatagpo...

Ang mga pusong nilunod na ng serbesa?

Paano kaya masusumpungan...

Ang mga sagot sa mga bakit?

Bakit...bakit s’ya lumisan...

Sa mga panahong ‘di mo inaasahan?

Bakit...bakit s’ya lumisan...

Sa mga panahong s’ya’y aking inaasahan?

Saan nga kaya...

Malalaman ang dahilan ni Tadhana?

Saan nga kaya...

Ang daan patungo sa kinabukasan?

Kailan kaya mabibigyang ligaya...

Ang mga gabi ng kalungkutan?

Kailan kaya ang kasagutan...

Sa mga tanong ni kasalukuyan?

In-betweens Sophia Margarette Caagbay

I see you -- there: in the dense paragraph, inside the parentheses, in every comma, spaces -- I see you.

In the spread of dark twinkling sky, moonlight shines there you are: in that part the light I can’t reach; so distant that I could only see the fog of breath you create.

I can hear you despite the dark in the shadows when you try to let out the words kept in grunts and sighs.

Or in every pause, break, stop... in silence -- I hear you

LITERARY 43

On the water Sophia Margarette Caagbay

It’s me, I couldn’t be more certain – in the reflection of the magic pond I smile. Smile like it was not me (?), when a swan passes by in all its grace I knew, t’was real

Lyrical barista Ivan Chris Mabilangan

I am actually under the delusion That you are Anonymous That hood in the corner seat For whatever coffee in my shop Taking breaks from work A bus to Memory Lane If so then perhaps You’ve tasted how bitter That latte I made Or how creepily sweet That honeyed cappuccino Or how salty that espresso When I mistook your salt Sprinkled like sugar As I stirred these old cups Maybe you’ve been putting those coins On the table by the window Like a passerby tipping A tone-deaf performer In the streets of dreams The man who can’t be moved You already know I am waiting At the crossroads of time So if you ever visit again For another brewed cup Please be patient I still lack the beans And the patience Of the barista You’d trust Your coffee-addicted life with.

When you fall deeply for someone you never saw coming Giana Mae Licoto

He was not my type. I always knew we were better off as friends for the reason that, we were too much of the same species—too much of the same puzzle piece, most likely not meant to fit together as one.

But he was rubbing the last vestiges of sleep in his eyes that day. Sheets pulling at his waist as he sat up, when it hit me. I was falling. Helplessly. Madly.

I don’t know how or why. It wasn’t the ideal place to fall for someone, but I did.

As boring as the sight may have been for such a feeling, it did begin in a place like that. Not under the gaze of a thousand stars or in the middle of an art gallery. But in the most ordinary of places on a morning bed. With tendrils of his hair falling on the side of his face, nose scrunched up and eyes wrinkled in annoyance at the sun rays beaming on his face, while I, surprisingly, thought he was such a sight to behold. As beautiful as the weather in early morning. The best way to start my day.

I thought my heart was thumping out of my chest like a scene in every romance novel I’ve ever read. It was too cliché– or maybe it was just too good to be true. I had not instantly found myself staring until he looked my way, eyes squinting. Instinctively, I just had to throw a pillow in his direction than admit I gawked at how pretty he looked, before hurrying out of the room.

It came more of a surprise. A surging feeling in my spine I did not anticipate at all.

It was as if time had slowed down for that moment to arrive.

Or like being hit by a truck, being slammed against a wall or something more violent to wake me up from the fact that I’ve been sleeping on a potential date all along. I remember the feeling exactly as it was.

The days dragged on and being with him became more difficult. I could no longer just casually grab his hands without my palms sweating. Sitting next to him was eating me up because I worried a lot about being too close and appearing clingy or being too far and appearing suspicious. Just simply talking to him even makes me want to be swallowed whole by the earth because suddenly his voice is as sweet as honey.

It’s embarrassing and I feel as though if I just move a little closer he’d hear just how much my heart wants to escape my chest and latch onto him.

Every time he smiled, I wanted so badly to kiss that grin off him— wondering what it would be like to taste the smile on his lips.

The feeling was becoming more violent in my chest and I was becoming weaker with the emotions coming all at once. I could not urge myself to confess how I truly feel because I fear crumbling to pieces after hearing a response I would not be able to accept. So I try to collect myself all day, trying my best not to let my feelings show too much, to feign bravery in handling my emotions, and hide behind the special friend you see me as.

I might have fallen in such an unlikely circumstance but it was all true. It was unexpected but I was glad it arrived.

Even until now, I don’t mind waking up over and over again to watch you rub the sleep out of your eyes and get annoyed at how much sunlight is hitting your face, just to repeat the feeling of finally realizing I’m falling for you.

Helplessly.

Madly.

Published in thoughtcatalog.com

44 DEVCOM

Where is the

?

TRAIN

headed

Mara Angeli Cadiz

e all envision a nation with equitable benefits for its citizens. We all aspire for utopia, an W ideal and perfect state. But as the government continually reinvents itself to “respond to the people’s needs”, I think we are held hanging as to where we are really headed.

Implemented in January, Republic Act No. 10963 or the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law (TRAIN) altered the tax structure. According to the Department of Finance, TRAIN is envisioned to finance the Build, Build, Build project of the Duterte administration to set up infrastructure that would enhance human capital and facilitate the ease of doing business in the country.

Education-wise, it seeks to alleviate the problem of teacher-to-student ratio and fund more public school facilities. An increased number of healthcare facilities is likewise expected by constructing more rural health units, provincial hospitals, and barangay health stations. Proceeds from TRAIN will also fund development of major highways, expressways, and bridge upgrades. Through these developments, the President takes pride in saying that: “The law also addresses long and overdue corrections in our tax laws and introduces a more progressive tax system [where] the rich and the poor will contribute to give better services to our people.”

To achieve these aspirations, TRAIN will be levying more taxes in passive income (lottery winnings, interest income from foreign currency deposits, etc.), sweetened beverages, fuels, cosmetic surgeries, documentary stamp taxes, coal, automobiles,

Inforgraphics from iorbitnews.com

and increased amount of penalties, i.e. doubling the legal interest rate per annum.

Meanwhile, on the taxpayers’ side, the prices of prime commodities spiked because of the rising cost of diesel and gasoline that created a domino effect on the prices of other commodities. While many are now exempted from individual income (compensation and business taxes) because of the new tax brackets, minimum wage earners still have the same take home pay. With that same take home pay, they will now buy basic commodities at higher prices.

TRAIN promises inclusive growth for every Filipino citizen. This promise can materialize if we enjoy public goods and services such as improvements on education and health services, development of our public transportation systems, and overall government efficiency. But we will shoulder the burden of giving our share to feed the economy’s lifeblood.

Despite the queries if TRAIN is really equitable, the tax reform has already left the station and is starting to roll. Where to - to a destination, technocrats like to call “development”? Well, hopefully. But as we are off speeding on the rails, it’s time we started looking at the consequences of a speeding TRAIN.

DEVCOM 45

Beekeeping 101:

Bee buzz and destructive honey hunting

Ada Loreen De Castro

any people are not aware of the importance of bees and beekeeping. Most fall into the M perils of destructive honey hunting because of this naivete. Many people hunt wild bee colonies in the forests for their honey in destructive ways, often by burning or smoking

of colonies to drive the bees away as honey is gathered. This destructive practice has to stop because it imperils the country’s food supply. Bees are among the most active natural pollinators and the loss of local bees would endanger the delicate balance.

Locals that collect honey from the wilds, and sell it in the local markets usually obtain their supply from destructive hunting of giant honey bees (called pukyutan in the native language) or the wild Asian honey bees (also called laywan/ligwan). Furthermore, due to inadequate processing practices, the honey gathered is usually contaminated by the debris from burning wood and leaves that result in the brownish color and smoky taste of the harvested honey. Honey harvested from this process is usually sold in recycled bottles into which the honey is decanted.

Another downside of this kind of harvesting is that the honey hunters need to dispose the honey in the market or consume it immediately to avoid sour taste due to quick fermentation since the collected honey does not have the standard moisture content.

Another harmful effect of poor harvesting process is the overexploitation of bee resources. With the unabated burning and smoking of bee hives, time will come that local bees would become extinct. Even now, there is a noticeable decrease in the quantity of colonies in many areas of Philippine forests.

The eminent Albert Einstein once said that if the bees disappeared, “man would have only four years of life left.” Thus the very existence of human beings and the planet itself might be hastened if bees were lost considering the dependence of many crops, vegetation and trees on bee pollination to survive continuously.

Apart from this life-anddeath reason, the byproducts that come from honey and from bees themselves present a potential increase in farmers’ incomes. If farmers can be taught sustainable beekeeping, they can help promote environmental sustainability as well as derive added income from their labor.

Sustainable beekeeping can be integrated in the local farming system. The need to look at local honey production as a potential sustainable livelihood has been identified by the Food and Agricultural Organization in many developing countries and are frequently supported by international organizations, governments and and even non-government organizations (NGOs).

There are many different entry points for projects to t o strengthen livelihood through beekeeping, including putting u p up centers that will serve as facility for processing raw honey, providing equipment store for those who want to start beekeeping, assisting, educating and training honey hunters to harvest and market honey and using bees to improve pollination and increase crop harvests.

The beekeeping enterprise can improve the economic conditions of the farmers with additional income from the selling of bee by-products such as honey.

Furthermore, since bees are natural pollinators of plants such as the crops maintained by the farmers, keeping bees can also increase the yield of production of their farms with better quality of products. Thus, this can translate to more income for the farmers as well.

The introduction of bees to the surrounding environs of the farms can also improve the conditions of the environment.

This can lead to the conservation of the natural habitat, saving more species of organisms and improving the balance of the ecosystem. Lesson learned: bees are our lifeline and they should be conserved.

46 DEVCOM

Pagbilao's Mangrove Experimental Forest:

BAKAWAN to the rescue Patricia Adora Alcala

uezon province is a home to breath taking wonders of nature—from abundant Q coconut trees, beaches, mountain hiking spots and many more. No wonder we are one of the tourists’ favorites.

“Behind our humble abode is a hub for the power generation industry as it hosts 3 coal-fired power plants which is quite alarming because this is beyond the ideal number of the power plants a province should have,” said Brgy.

Palsabangon residents.

The proliferation of coal power plants in Quezon may have dire effects because in spite of strict standards to reduce toxicity in the plants, the immediate environment may still suffer from the brunt of their operation. Though there are already existing intervention projects by the government and environmental organizations, they are not enough.

Their operation causes chemical emissions that may disrupt the ecosystem and affect the health of the residents living nearby. The Pagbilao Mangrove Forest located in Brgy. Palsabangon, Pagbilao, Quezon is one of the affected areas. The caretakers of the vicinity say that animals and trees have been decreasing in number and some of them have disappeared altogether.

Beside the fact that mangrove forests are underappreciated by many, citizens from our province are not aware

of how important mangroves are. This gives rise to the need for more sustainable and inclusive programs that will address the problem.

This sparked a project called BAKAWAN which stands for “BAntay KAlikasan, WAgayway kabuhayaN.” It aims to fuse stewardship with ecotourism in Brgy. Palsabangon, Pagbilao, Quezon where one of the most diverse mangrove forests is located.

BAKAWAN is a long-term project.

In its first phase, locals will be educated and taught “tour-guiding”. Optimistically, this will serve as a source of livelihood, promote mangrove planting and seedling nurseries, and raise awareness on the importance of mangroves.

The project is reaching out to the affected community. The first step is to assess the barangay that was done in April this year during the site visit. Second, the residents will be educated through a set of lectures on tour guiding and then they will be given assistance with the things they need to start with their activity of cleaning and preserving their mangrove forest (seedlings, tools, etc.).

This hould take six months to a year with the implementation of the specific methods. Those methods should become a regular part of their daily lives to ensure efficiency and the desired results. The first phase of the project was launched in May, a seminar that will educate the local residents.

In partnership with the Tourism Department of Pagbilao and Quezon province, advertising and promotions aim to increase awareness and persuade people to help by either donating in the crowdfunding platforms or joining the volunteer team.

As the project gets implemented, significant improvements on the practices of the residents in Brgy. Palsabangon are expected to materialize. Consequently, a cleaner and more abundant mangrove forest is envisioned to bring extra income and improved livelihood to the community.

Tie-up with the local government

BAKAWAN project volunteers promote the Pagbilao Mangrove Forest in Brgy.

Palsabangon as eco-tourism destination.

and NGOs will be strengthened for the contruction of the boardwalk in the 150-hectare forest and for the rehabilitation of the watch tower so that it will be conducive for tourists.

Also, a museum that will showcase the importance of mangroves will be organized in one of the buildings in the experimental forest in the future.

Sponsoring organizations such as the National Federation of Junior Philippine Institute of Accountants Region IV, MSEUF Honor Society of the Lambda Sigma, and environmental student organizations collaborated on the plans and efforts.

Hand-in-hand, we can appreciate and preserve nature at the same time proving that being responsible and sensible about the environment while being economically sustainable is not just a dream, but a sustainable project.

DEVCOM 47

Convenience at the patient’s fingertips:

MyMDLab most liked app in Phil Startup Challenge 4 Ada Loreen de Castro & Mara Angeli Cadiz

he MSEUF team Elaborators raised the flag of excellence loudly and proudly with their entry MyMDLab, a mobile and digital T laboratory application, that copped fourth place and adjudged most well liked in the final pitching of the Philippine Startup Challenge (PSC) 4 in Green Sun Hotel, Chino Roces Ave., Makati City on April 6. The PSC 4 shortlisted 10 projects, 3 each from Luzon and Visayas and four from Mindanao, that show “big ideas from small ideas.”

It is the first time in four years of the PSC that MSEUF fielded a representative in the national round. From 202 entries around the country, down to 25 finalists for the semi-finals, and finally the top 10 of PSC 4, MyMDLab has proven the possibility of making laboratory services available in the confines of the patient’s home. Negotations are underway for the app’s commercialization.

The Elaborators are Anne Charlene Salazar (CBA), Maria Victoria Depusoy and Ivy Coleen Lacerna (CCMS). Mr. Raymond Bermudez is the team’s mentor. MyMDLab is the only representative of Region IV-A Calabarzon to advance to the final round.

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the Philippine Software Industry Association (PSIA), and industry partners Ideaspace Philippines, Huawei Technologies Philippines, Microsoft, and the Philippine Society of IT Educators (PSITE), organized the Philippine Startup Challenge for college students to think of ideas and to develop the inner worth of technology.

The backstory of MyMDLab

MyMDLab’s key features

MyMDLab’s success has not been the smoothest ride. The group has been rejected numerous times by medical laboratories and patients who questioned the capability of the technology. MSEUF originally had five different teams with five different startup ideas. Back then, this startup was supposed to be an idea to provide a centralized avenue for certifications and was modified to an application that would serve as a personal aid for professionals dubbed as ‘MyProCompass’.

MyMDLab started from an idea when Salazar’s mom was diagnosed with breast cancer and she needed to undergo the usual lab tests, travel from Quezon to Manila not even knowing that they need a long time to wait for their turn in the queue.

Also, her grandmother was diagnosed with colon cancer and didn’t bother to take lab tests because she was already a senior citizen who cannot handle strenuous travel to avail of lab services. These personal experiences became the rationale that inspired MyMDLab. Getting a lab test and waiting for its result both take time. The app will ease the waiting and traveling time of patients that often aggravate their medical condition during laboratory tests. No wonder, the app was a hit and most liked in the PSC.

MyMDLab has high hopes of making a patient’s life a little easier. It recommends the nearest laboratory as an avenue to book lab tests either for oneself or for a relative.

It also provides a channel for routine analysis to keep track of one’s health status maintaining the patients’ laboratory test history, making it accessible when needed and transmitting the results to the patient; thus, eliminating the need to go back and forth to the medical facility and giving a medium for hospitals and laboratories to cater to a wide range of outpatients.

The team struck a partnership with MMG Plaza and Lucena Diagnostic Center together with the support of the Office of Senior Citizen Affairs to test the application.

MyMDLab proved its point: that healthcare services can be delivered at one’s doorstep and that patients can avail of laboratory services without leaving the safety and security of their homes.

48 DEVCOM

TABANG

MAYON:

The MSEUF humanitarian aid program Ada Loreen De Castro

E

mbodying community service as one of the three-fold functions of the institution, selected students, faculty and employees from Manuel S. Enverga University Foundation (MSEUF) launched a community outreach program called “Tabang Mayon: The MSEUF Humanitarian Aid Program” to Brgy. Tumpa, Camalig, Albay, on April 10.

Brgy. Tumpa, located in the seven-kilometer danger zone of the Mayon volcanic eruption, has never been the same since the calamity occurred. The farmers’ usual smiles were replaced with contorted pain seeing their ready-to-be-harvested crops covered with ashes from Mayon Volcano’s volcanic debris.

The barangay residents experienced zero visibility, fearing not only for their safety but also for the farm animals and crops they left behind. Who will feed and take care of them? Who will tend to their crops? The continuous rumbling of the angry volcano filled them with fear. What will the next day bring? Where will they get the next meal? Where will they do their basic necessities such as bathing and other normal processes of day-to-day life when the evacuation centers are too overcrowded.

Young children are starting to develop chronic diseases such as coughs and colds, skin irritations and infections. There are limited available medical supplies, and even a bar of soap is hard to come by. These are just some of the horror stories of Brgy. Tumpa residents.

The evacuation centers being overcrowded, sanitation and wash rooms are limited. Ventilation is poor owing to a limited 28-classroom school with each room housing 50 families. Evacuees resort to creative solutions to fit in a room with cramped space.

Nightly, the heads of the families attempt to return to their homes to look after their farm animals in spite of the voluminous ashes spewed by Mayon assailing their lungs.

Despite the harsh conditions, children’s eagerness to learn never waned. Municipal volunteer and representative Joyce Camba shared that in spite of the students’ hard life in the evacuation centers, they find ways to attend regular classes. Teachers voluntarily visit their students and conduct their classes in the school grounds covered with tents for them to conduct temporary learning school (TLS). TLS was something that they built for the children to have temporary classrooms and conduct classes because the usual classrooms are occupied by the evacuees. The TLS were built with the help of the Department of Education to respond to the needs of the displaced students and teachers. Every time Mayon Volcano erupts, the pursuit of education continues. The calamity has never deterred the education of the children’s refugees.

The MSEUF community was guided by Sr. Elena, a Dominican sister formerly assigned in the campus ministry of the University and is now assigned in the the Albay Social Action Center. The University was requested to handle and conduct a social action activity that may help the Albay community especially Brgy. Tumpa because the barangay has the biggest population in Camalig.

Tabang Mayon was launched by the Community Relations Department headed by Director Milagrosa Lawas alongside with the University’s singing ambassadors, the MSEUF Concert Singers, the MSEUF Banyuhay Dance Troupe and representatives from different academic and administrative departments providing support for the emotional, moral and physiological needs of Tumpa residents.

Relief goods were collected from donations from the different academic and administrative departments. In addition, school supplies were distributed to student evacuees which the University’s accredited student organizations donated.

Gathered relief goods and school supplies from the community extension advocacies of various student organizations accredited by the University were distributed to more than 50 affected families.

Brgy. Tumpa’s Captain Pablo Solano expressed his gratitude saying: “Kami ay nagpapasalamat sa dala ninyong relief goods, sa mga nagbigay ng tulong. Kayo lang ang may mga ganito, may program, may mga sumasayaw, kumakanta. Napasaya n’yo kami sa handog n’yong program. Dahil dito natulungan n’yo sila sa kanilang pag-recover at nabawasan ‘yung stress na kinakaharap nila ngayon. Nalimutan namin ang aming mga pangamba at takot, kahit sumandali,” (We thank you for your help. You are the only ones who came with a program component that includes dances and songs. You have helped us recover from the difficulties and stress that we are facing.)

Indeed, in times of calamities it is not only material things such as food, water and other basic necessities that are important. It is also significant to include a psycho-social wellness component to assist the refugees heal from their traumas and inner fears.

And that has made all the difference. Tabang Mayon, the MSEUF humanitarian aid program, has certainly done its share.

DEVCOM 49

The MSEUF outreach program traveled to Brgy. Tumpa in Camalig, Albay to help evacuees of Mayon Volcano’s eruption.

Photos by Sophia Margarette Caagbay

50

Excellence is an art won by training and habituation.

We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do.

Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.

Aristotle

51

Past months’ retrospect June

Change in curricula

May

Festivities

J

anuary is a month of beginnings.

Oftentimes, we kick off the year by writing our New Year resolutions, attending masses, and spending time with our families. All for hopes of new beginnings and chances to start afresh.

April

Holy Week

March

Intramural Games 2018

February

Foundation Week

January

Start of Second Semester

That New Year resolution

Does it really have to be a requisite that we think of our resolutions and all their matching shenanigans by the New Year?

Every day is a new beginning. We can always start a new beginning by starting our day right. Make living positively a daily habit. Once it becomes a habit, it is forever embedded in our DNA. They say that once upon a time, when we were about to be manufactured by our parents, there was an egg cell waiting in our mama’s womb and millions of sperm cells from our father’s.

Those sperms raced and millions perished. In that race, only one (or if you have a twin, only two) survived. You are that lucky one. You are a survivor. That is our nature --to fight the odds and to survive.

I cannot attest to the veracity of that story. But it is a good reminder that every day, whenever we are ready to drop from weariness, we can try to remember that we are all survivors. We can survive the test of time and we can always be a better person than yesterday.

New Year resolutions are great in the sense that we are look forward to our development as individuals. We look forward to our better versions. But we need not wait for another New Year to take action.

As the saying goes, “Old habits die hard, but they can be changed.” We are thinking, reasonable human beings and everything is possible if we put our minds to it.

We can always draw up good habits to practice and loop them in our minds.

Resolutions need not wait another New Year.

Procrastination will never get us anywhere.

Today can be a great way to start one.

52 FEATURES

Maroon & White’s

GUIDE to find your ‘forever’

Ada Loreen De Castro

t’s been everyone’s dream to find their “forever”. We all feel loss and love at some points in this chase for ‘forever’. But it’s good to hear Ismack stories that “forever” really does exist. The L probed some of our real life campus couples to attest that your “the one” might just be right where you are.

‘The one’ might be your research buddy

‘The one’ might just be around the corner

Fieldwork and research aren’t that boring, knowing that someone who will be with you forever is there all this time.

Sir PJ and Ma’am Susan De Castro started as research assistants (RA) of the Resource and Ecological Assessment of Tayabas Bay. But before that, they were both student assistants in the University Library and simple greetings “hi” and “hello” became daily staple. Nothing very special.

As time went by, in their RA days, Ma’am Susan had this question in her mind. Why did Sir PJ and a companion need to accompany her to the jeepney terminal every time she headed for home? But the suspicion that there was more to it was camouflaged by Sir PJ’s great sense of humor. He turned everything into a joke that Ma’am Susan was hard put to believe that he really felt “something” for her. It took a year for Sir PJ, to convince Ma’am Susan that behind the laughter and the jokes was a heart beating for her. The relationship flourished for three years that made the couple decide that they had something precious and finally decided to settle down and start their own family.

Joining the MSEUF family helped nourish their relationship as they traveled and worked together. Problems arose but they solved them together with a spike of humor. They are currently happily living their life, guided by love and understanding and a sense of the absurd. They’ve never let work swamp their family time because both believe that quality time among children is important and should not be neglected.

It’s very common in classic romance flicks that someone falls for his/her best friend and Sir Larry and Mam Letty Casino’s story is another example of that. So if you’re thinking that your best friend will not be your “forever,” think again.

Another student assistant love story developed as Sir Larry and Ma’am Letty became each other’s apple of one’s eyes. They were both student assistants in the University’s Auditing Department.

They were best of friends and Ma’am Letty being three years older than Sir Larry never thought their relationship would develop into romantic love.

No one imagined that their relationship would blossom into a most romantic one until a Valentine’s Day loomed and Sir Larry asked Ma’am Letty’s help in buying flowers. At that time, Ma’am Letty thought she was helping Sir Larry buy flowers for a girl he was courting then, and she got the surprise of her life when Sir Larry offered the bouquet of flowers to her.

The time they were in a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship was shorter than the time they were the best of friends. Their long friendship helped maintain the fires of love burning as they took a significant step in their relationship. After all, they knew the flaws and intricacies of each other’s personality. Problems were solved easier, knowing each other’s intimate detail.

As time passed by, Enverga University helped their relationship grow stronger than ever as their children finished their studies, too, in the University and are now stepping into world-class jobs in the financial capitals of the world. Nothing could ever change the gratitude they feel for Enverga University for making love happen and for the benefits their own children enjoyed when they obtained free education here.

‘The one’ might be that kiddo you ignored in elementary school

FEATURES

53

‘The one’ might be that person who’s unofficially officially yours “First love never dies, but true love keeps it alive.” You all know this and Ma’am Rose and Sir Jun Rago’s love story proves this. They have known each other since they were in the sixth grade. But fun fact, Sir Jun was not Ma’am Rose’s first love nor her ideal guy. But if the heart talks to you, you cannot deny the feeling and the winds of fate and destiny will prevail.

In high school, they did not as much as acknowledge each other.

Sir Jun needed to pursue his bachelor’s degree in the Philippine Military Academy after high school graduation so they had to part ways. But love finds its path. Sir Jun returned to the University from PMA to finish his civil engineering degree. Ma’am Rose, a fresh college graduate, was then employed as the University President’s secretary.

That was when love blossomed between the former PMA cadet and the President’s secretary. They had problems as any two people beginning to find love and shared companionship. But they resolved all of them in time - together. Their courtship might not be the usual saccharine story that most have experienced but Ma’am Rose says that Sir Jun has his own unique way of showing his love and affection.

Sir Jun is protective as he is gallant. Being the eldest in his family, he is responsible and focused. These qualities were what Ma’am Rose saw and made her decide to take the plunge with him. “I was not mistaken. He is a good family provider with his children’s future always in his mind. My two daughters adore him and they had a solid college education because of my husband’s industry and perseverance.”

‘The one’ might be that person you friendzoned

Time will never be a barrier if she is truly the “one” and will be your only one.

Both student assistants in the College of Computing and Multimedia Studies (College of Computer Studies, back then) Sir Hupert and Ma’am Jori Pasno were never an item. They just exchanged the perfunctory “hi” and “hello” and that was it.

There were no sparks, nada, zilch, at least for Ma’am Jori even if Sir Hupert wanted to hold her hands. He attempted once, literally held her hand, but was seriously rebuffed. Apparently, the time was not right. it was not meant to be.

Would Sir Hupert accept the setback? Abangan ang susunod na kabanata (Wait for the next episode). And the next episodes were periods of waiting for the right time, for the appropriate occasion, for the opportuned moment.

The episode took ten long years. But persistence knows no bounds, Sir Hupert proposed to hold Ma’am Jori’s hand again and because the time was ripe, Ma’am Jori gave her “yes” to Sir Hupert’s plea on her birthday.

The courtship lasted two months after which the couple took their relationship to a higher level. They are now blessed with two little bambinos, both of whom have become their strength and reason to never let go of each other’s hands. Indeed, “love is patient, love is sweet” at Enverga University.

“Tayo pero hindi tayo.” Is this familiar? For Ma’am May and Sir Zoren Alcantara, it’s somewhat where their story started.

As student assistants (SA) in the University Library, they had been the butt of love jokes in the SA’s corner. They were a little attracted to each other, but that was it, everything was tentative. In fact, some conditions disagreed with the faint attraction.

For one, Sir Zoren was in his freshman year and he had a girlfriend studying in another town so the budding attraction was nipped in the bud. As long-distance relationships have difficulty enduring, Sir Zoren suddenly texted Ma’am May telling her that he and his girlfriend have called it quits.

Ma’am May wondered, “Why does he need to tell me this?”

After some time, they had this mutual understanding that they liked each other. But that was that. There was nothing firm about it or concrete about the so-called relationship.

Everything seemed open, fluid and tentative. Again, Sir Zoren returned to Ma’am May nursing a wounded heart. But Ma’am May was not ready to sacrifice her own feelings again.

Like Diana Prince of Wonder Woman, Ma’am May made Sir Zoren realize that if he didn’t become more persistent with his courtship, he would lose a precious woman.

Sir Zoren showed Ma’am May that she meant the world for him and in the cold breeze of Christmas and in the spirit of gift giving, Ma’am May gave her ‘yes’ as a Christmas gift to Sir Zoren. Their boyfriend-girlfriend relationship lasted six loving years and they’re thankful that Enverga University has nurtured their love all these years.

There might be many sorts of locations where to find your “the one”. You might look around and find yours or might wait for years before “forever” materializes. But in this search for love, always have an open heart ready to embrace the happy thoughts as well as the perils to find the love you truly deserve.

54 NEWS

IGSR bet reigns as new

Miss MSEUF Sophia Margarette Caagbay

T

he coveted Miss Manuel S. Enverga University Foundation 2018 crown went to Immanuel Espiritu of the Institute of Graduate Studies and Research (IGSR), Feb. 15, in a talent-laden and what the judges commented “was an impressive production,” ending a nearly onedecade hiatus for her department.

MSEUF It was Espiritu’s take on the question, “In one sentence, how will you share the MSEUF’s legacy of excellence to the 71st Founding community?” that secured her the title as new Miss MSEUF. Anniversary “I will embody excellence by doing my best, giving my Celebration heart, and giving everything that I have in everything that I do in the name of the university”, she answered with conviction, that clinched the crown for her in a unanimous decision of the panel of judges.

The College of Arts and Sciences’ Laiza Orfanel placed first runnerup and also bagged the Best in Intro Costume and Best in Modern Baro’t Saya while the College of Business and Accountancy’s Nicole Mendoza and the College of Engineering’s Camille Buluran finished second and third runners-up, respectively.

Among the 12 candidates, the College of Criminology and Law Enforcement’s representative Azel Doñasales was first to win the minor awards, Most Photogenic and Best in Talent, making her an early favorite for the title.

B/Gen. Ernesto Ravina Jr., deputy commander of the Armed Forces of

Miss IGSR Immanuel Espiritu wins the Miss Enverga 2018 crown.

the Philippines’ Southern Luzon Command, chaired the panel of judges.

The other judges were Lorna Legaspi, Ms. Asia Pacific International ‘89, business couple Zarina and Reiichi Naruko, businessperson Roger Maningas, publicity director of Canada’s Queen of the World beauty contest in Dusseldorf, Germany and host of the annual Miss Philippines Canada beauty pageant Bal Yujuico, Jr. and clinical nurse specialist-researcher at the University of California-San Diego Naomi Saboura.

Director of the show was mass communication professor Celso Jaballa. Mass communication majors served as scriptwriters, lights and set designers and production staff.

Miss IGSR shows off in glammed swimwear and introduction costume.

Photos by John Andrew Jeremiah Pacalda

Ms. Enverga,

FEATURES 55

A BEAUTY EMBODYING

EXCELLENCE Ivan Chris Mabilangan

“I

will embody excellence by doing my best, giving my heart, and giving everything that I have in everything that I do in the name of the university.”

That was the answer that secured for Immanuel Espiritu this year’s Miss Enverga crown after being asked about what she will do to share the University’s legacy of excellence.

The IGSR bet in the Miss Enverga 2018 beauty pageant is a firm believer of the youth, and this drove her to join the pageant. “Having the opportunity to compete is privilege enough, but it would be an honor to be an influencer of young people who will be the next generation’s leaders.”

Because of this, she promotes mental health awareness, an advocacy, she says, that can unlock the hidden potentials of young people. “Studying mental health is as important as being physically fit, for one can be physically present, but mentally absent. Many are losing the unseen battles raging in students’ minds.”

Amid her success in the pageant, she is very grateful for those who supported her along the way. In Facebook, she posted, “Thank you for everyone who supported and stood by my side. You know how painful and suddenly joyful the journey has been, both the passing of my father and the winning of the crown have touched both extremes of my emotions. I am out of words to express my gratitude for all you’ve said and done. It’s kind of confusing to grieve and rejoice, and hard to process it.

But praise be to God for giving me people who will pray and remain steadfast in their support. You all know who you are, I love you guys, you rock.”

Even before her victory, she praised the significance of her stay in the University. “My stay in the University is the embodiment of what quality education is grounded in research that is utilized for community extension. It is both a challenge and a fulfillment of man’s endless search for knowledge.

It quenches the thirst of curiosity, and feeds it with facts and concepts that ultimately lead to values.”

Immanuel is down-to-earth, her classmates in graduate school say, describing her as someone “with a good heart” and “one who has no airs.” She truly appreciates beauty, as she loves music, and is able to play drums, guitar and bass.

Most importantly, she adores the uniqueness of every person. For her, “True beauty surpasses all physicality and standard; it is displayed by the purity of the soul and the heart.”

She stands firm in her belief that each of us is beautiful and wonderfully created by God. “We have the power to be the catalyst of the change we desire.”

Because of this potential, she encourages everyone to live a life full of hope. “I want to spread the message that ‘you are not alone.’ “ “We’ll fight alongside you, you are loved, you are affirmed, you are accepted, and your life is worth living. You were not born just to wither and die; you have a purpose. Take my hand and live,” Miss MSEUF Queen Immanuel invited her listeners.

Photo by John Andrew Jeremiah Pacalda

Miss IGSR, Immanuel Espiritu, answers responds to a Q&A during the Miss MSEUF Coronation Night.

56 NEWS

CEng, CBA frustrate CEd bid

for 3-peat win in online academic contest

T

he College of Engineering (CEng) triumphed over the College of Education (CEd) aiming to set a three-peat as the team bagged the championship in this year’s Efren A. Micor Online Academic Contest after garnering 41 points in the contested categories.

John Rover Sinag

A close second is the MSEUF College of Business and Accountancy (CBA) at 40 71st Founding points, frustrating the Anniversary College of Education’s Celebration (CEd) bid for a threepeat when it earned only 35 points, 6 points shy of CEng’s overall 41 points.

Although the CEng team showed lackluster performance in some categories, the academic team managed to grab the lead in seven categories: current events, Filipino, Philippine history, science, mathematics, spelling and general information.

During the first three rounds of the online quiz bee, CEd, CBA, and the College of Computing and Multimedia Studies (CCMS) were leading but the scoreboard turned around when CEng started gaining ground in the science category catapulting the team to the top spot.

The contest thrilled the audience The College of Engineering garners the championship in the Efren A. Micor Online Academic Contest; the CBA Academic Team waits for the academic contest to start (bottom).

as there was no way of knowing who will emerge champion when a three-cornered fight loomed among CEng, CBA and CEd in a roller coaster display of intellectual prowess in the scoreboards over different categories.

CEng and CCMS clashed in the mathematics category making CCMS a dark horse for the championship but CEd regained its lead in spelling.

However, CBA proved its vocabulary prowess advancing over CCMS’s scores but not enough to beat CEng’s composite score.

The last category did not affect the standing of the different academic teams making CEng academic team composed of Charlene Orian, Kyle Cadavez, Mark Joseph Montera Melvin Alas-as, and Micah Ella Tagle prevail as the new champions.

CBA’s Angelo Manzano, Marthin Reforma, Ryan Chris Espayos, Mhyna Alfon, and Humphrey Albrando made it to second spot.

Trailing in third place was defending champion CEd comprised of Christian Jay Sanchez, Laiza Anca, Louise Acerado, Mary Joyce Villaverde and Patricia Imperio.

Photos by EMRC

NEWS 57

Lions dominate

speaking competitions John Rover Sinag

.

The Lions’ show a dramatic performance in Madulang Sabayang Pagbigkas.

CAS Debate Team’s Daniel David Tan presents his arguments.

CAS captures debate championship

T

Mara Angeli Cadiz

he College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) stopped the three-year winning streak of the College of Engineering (CEng) in the annual debate competition on Feb. 13 after it won over last year’s second placer, College of Business and Accountancy (CBA), in the championship round.

The College of Education (CEd) and MSEUF the CAS debaters argued on the motion 71st for the extension or eradication of martial Founding law in Mindanao with CAS leading and Anniversary Celebration advancing to the next round. The next motion was for the restoration of the death penalty in the country where the CEng and the CBA teams clashed head on, with CBA proceeding to the final round.

The implementation of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law was the topic for the final round. In the toss coin, CBA landed the affirmative side defending the TRAIN Law while CAS argued the negative side.

CAS’ Daniel David Tan and CBA’s Mara Angeli Cadiz presented and countered each other’s arguments on the taxation and economic issues of TRAIN even as CAS’ Sophia Margarette Caagbay and CBA’s Januelyn Micko Macaranas focused on which parties benefited and were adversely affected by TRAIN. Finishing the oral wrangle was CAS’ Abhraim Ranuda and CBA’s Christian John de Leon who summarized their respective sides’ main points.

In the end, CAS prevailed over CBA for this year’s debate. De Leon of CBA emerged best speaker while Ranuda of CAS was best debater.

CEng ranked third and CED finished in the fourth spot. Professor Ricardo Mendoza served as arbiter for the match.

Debater Christian John de Leon sums up CBA’s points.

Mary Shayne Malundas of CBA performs her piece in Handang Talumpati to claim top spot..

T

CBA’s Lindsay dela Rosa essays her piece to win the Asuncion L. Flores Oratorical Contest.

he Lions from the College of Business & Accountancy (CBA) dominated the speaking competitions during the 71st Foundation Anniversary of the University, Feb. 14, at the AEC Little Theater.

With Kung Tuyo na ang Luha mo Aking Bayan by Amado V. MSEUF Hernandez as the contest piece, the CBA Lions roared the strongest as they 71st snatched the championship for this year’s Madulang Sabayang Pagbigkas.

Founding The ensemble comprised Angelyn Almendras, Russeine Padillo, Maegan Anniversary Celebration Mendoza, Gaile Dominique Palayan, Rachel Jane San Agustin, Christine Rivera, Marianne Lavarez, Hendrix Obciana, Sean Deezley Ramirez, Clark Jimuel Vital, Ingemar Sol Jr. and Mc Kinly Revilla.

The College of Education (CEd) won the second spot and the College of Arts & Sciences (CAS) landed third place.

In addition, the Lions’ Mary Shayne Malundas emerged this year’s champion for the Handang Talumpati competition, followed by Dustin Cage Macaraan from CAS and John Rover Sinag from the College of Computing and Multimedia Studies (CCMS) who landed second and third places, respectively.

Meanwhile, CAS’ Lindsay dela Rosa won the Asuncion L. Flores Oratorical Contest championship, wrestling away from Patricia Adora Alcala of CBA the chance for a threepeat in this year’s speaking competitions. Camille Ramos of the College of Engineering trailed third in the competition.

Photos by EMRC

58 NEWS

CAFA’s bet Rzeus Duminique Adigue sings Narito Ako by Regine Velasquez.

Once again, the College of Arts and Sciences sizzled in the showdown category.

Envergans show cultural prowess Ivan Chris Mabilangan

CEd captivates in a breathtaking performance of Sayang by Claire Dela Fuente.

CITHM performers dazzle in the Philippine folk dance category.

E

nvergans continually proved their cultural prowess as each department competed in various categories of the cultural competitions in the Foundation Week Celebration on Feb. 13.

CAS wins back-to-back in the a capella suite with a rendition of Di na Natuto by Gary Valenciano.

Photos by EMRC

The College of International Tourism and Hospitality MSEUF Management (CITHM) dazzled and won the championship in 71st Founding the Philippine folk dance category, followed by the College of Engineering (CEng) and the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) in Anniversary Celebration second and third places, respectively.

For the interpretative dance, CEd took center stage through a riveting performance of Claire Dela Fuente’s Sayang. Meanwhile, Mark Carpio’s Hiling gave CEng the second place.

Wonderful voices likewise enchanted the event in the a capella and vocal solo categories.

The College of Architecture and Fine Arts (CAFA)’s bet Rzeus Duminique Adigue’s rendition of Regine Velasquez’ Narito Ako highlighted the vocal solo category, winning the first place. Another Velasquez rendition, Araw Gabi by Kayzelle Noscal of CEng finished second while Nesiel Rose Cabildo’s Anak landed the third spot for CEd. CAS dominated the a capella suite with their rendition of Di Na Natutoby Gary Valenciano. Next in the list was CEng’s Mahirap Magmahal ng Syota ng Iba, originally sung by the Apo Hiking Society. CEd came in third after performing another Apo Hiking Society classic, Doo Bidoo.

CAS also claimed gold in the dance showdown category with their spy agent-themed performance. CEng came in second, touching the audience with their mother’s-love-themed dance. Finally, CBA bagged third with a dance performance using a mash-up of various modern songs.

FEATURES 59

Musical dreams become reality for Envergan bands

O

n Feb. 13, the quest for a musical journey began for some Envergans while celebrating the 71st founding anniversary of the University. People gathered inside the University gymnasium to witness the spectacular performance of talented Envergan musical bands.

The venue filled with MSEUF colorful lights and lively music 71st Founding became the springboard of the local talents. The performance Anniversary Celebration line up started with the Rubber Band that showcased its extreme talent by performing Adele’s Rolling in the Deep with a twist. They did KZ Tandingan’s rendition which she performed in Singer 2018.

Sabihin Mo Na by Top Suzara gave chills

to the spectators. College of Engineering’s pride, Not Another Boy Band, immediately played a spectacular cover of Death of a Bachelor and Bohemian Rhapsody version of the American rock band, Panic at the Disco.

Contemporary feel characterized the traditional battle of the bands. The night was just heating up when the third band, College of Arts and Science’s Casaway, hit the stage with a heartfelt performance of Hindi na Tayo Tulad ng Dati originally by Mayonnaise and Burnout

by Sugarfree leaving the audience with a nostalgic feeling.

Band G-SAUCE performed their intermission number in between.

Following that amazing performance, the four remaining bands staged their skills starting from the College of Maritime Education’s

Edcel Justine Cabaylo

version of Ogie Alcasid’s Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang? and Nexxus’ I’ll Never Go. The audience swooned as the band perfectly captured the echo of every heartbeat in sync with all the right feelings.

Right after the amazing duet from the CME was the Fifth Derivative from the College of Engineering which caught everyone’s attention due to their magnificent harmony and impeccable skills in various instruments highlighting the renditions of Bakit which was originally sang by Mayonnaise and Elesi by Rivermaya.

The next band to step on stage was EphiG led by two fantastic vocalists who performed Anak by Freddie Aguilar and Queen of the Night by Whitney Houston. Last but not the least was the Musiko Y Lyrico from the College of Education.

After a magnificent exhibition of vocal and instrumental skills, the EphiG ended taking home the title of this year’s Battle of the Bands championship followed by Fifth Derivative in second place and the Casaway in third place.

The night ended late but the heart of each listener kept begging for more. Each band demontrated its own strengths that helped showcase great musicality. To continue performing is the hope of every budding Envergan band for their welcoming Envergan audience.

To put all the bands together again in one venue remains a high note in the recently concluded band competition at the University gymnasium.

The departments’ representatives showcase their talents in music, with vocalists belting high notes.

Photos by EMRC

60 FEATURES

center stage

‘Bait’ on stage Sophia Margarette Caagbay

T

he issue of religion is never new; the bloody wars that ensued in the name of religion are testimonies to the heated debates about practices and dogmas.

The College of Business and Accountancy (CBA) breathed life and justice to Guelan Varela-Luarca’s winning piece Bait as it touched the hearts of many to win the Ronyando S. Baldeo Drama Festival, Feb. 14.

The Lions also brought home the following special awards: Monique Eballa, best director; Jan Carlo Regio, best actor; and Lorie Losloso, best actress.

Bait is a poignant story of Christian-Muslim conflict that won the 66th Palanca Awards in the Dulang May Isang Yugto category.

MSEUF

71st

Founding Anniversary Celebration

The storytelling “HINDI KO HO ALAM! Maniwala ho kayo sa ‘kin, bawat isa sa mga batang ‘yan e kasinghalaga ng sarili naming mga anak.

Bawat isa. Hindi ho kayo guro kaya hindi ni’yo ho alam ‘yan. BAWAT ISA SA KANILA, handa naming ipagtanggol hanggang kamatayan. Maniwala kayo sa ‘kin, tao sa tao, sinasabi ko ho sa ‘yo. Ano pang mas sasamang parusa sa lahat kaysa nangyari nga ang nangyaring ‘yon? SIRA NA ang buhay naming lahat, Sir. Ni isa sa ‘min ay walang may alam kung pa’no lalampasan ang karanasang ‘to nang buo at buhay – kung gusto ni’yo kaming lahat mag-resign, maniwala kayo, hindi ho mahirap sa ‘min ang gawin ‘yon.

Isang bagay lang ho sana’ng paniwalaan ni’yong sasabihin ko, at alam ko ito dahil binuhos ko ang buhay ko sa mga bata: Sir, hindi ho sila mga robot, mga mangmang. Magiging napakalaking kawalang-hustisiya kung isipin ninyong walang- malay si Ahmad. Tama kayo no’ng sinabi ni’yong ginawa ‘yon ni Ahmad dahil

‘yun ang pinaniniwalaan niyang tama. Sa masama man o sa mabuti, these children are aware and responsible. I, I have never condescended to these children. I have never seen them as mindless. Buong dalawampu’t limang taon ko sa pagtuturo, Sir, ‘yan ang natutuhan ko: may sariling konsensiya ang mga bata, na kailangan nating pangalagaan. Inosente sila, oo, pero alam nila ang ginagawa nila. Hindi ko sinasabing masama si Ahmad – isa siyang napakabuting bata – pero napakalakas ng magiging guilt ng bata dahil ALAM NIYA ANG NAGAWA NIYA. Lahat tayo, kailangang managot sa mga ginagawa natin. Kung kami lang ang may kasalanan, tinatanggalan ni’yo ng kamalayan si Ahmad. Ngayon pa namang ang pinakaimportante sa lahat ay mapaalala natin sa kaniya na MAY MALAY SIYA at kaya niyang mabuhay nang matatag at MAG-ISA! Hindi dapat tayo tumuon sa paninisi – rather, ituon natin ang energies at compassion natin sa pagsiguro

na hindi lamunin ng pagsisisi si Ahmad, na – na – na maalala niyang mas mahalaga siya kaysa sa pagkakamaling ginawa niya –“ the Teacher, riveting the audience to tears especially those in the teaching profession.

The play was set between the teacher and the Muslim boy’s father whose son had his Quran disrespected by a classmate so he pushes him off the building as a way to protect his religion. This brought in a heated discussion about Islam, Christianity, cultural differences, misunderstanding, grievance, respect, forgiveness and empathy involving the audience in a swirl of mixed emotions.

Rapid-fire spouting of arguments intensified the feelings where the characters eventually come to terms about humanity only to be ruined by a gunshot from the wrath of an avenging father after his son who had been in critical condition after a fall passed away, leaving the audience stunned and tearful.

Such is the power of drama as a literary genre`.

FEATURES 61 The technical aspect The air of bad luck seemed to hound the CBA team in the beginning of the play as there was a delay for several minutes due to technical issues. “This had a big impact for me in the directorial, that was 40%. Part of it was sounds, lights, blocking… So I made sure there would be no problem,” play director Monique Eballa shared.

A news report as the introductory sound effects followed by a Muslim musical arrangement definitely set the mood for the darkness about to befall the audience. While the successful tension and atmosphere were

created there were still multiple loopholes spotted.

There were times that the male lead would turn his back from the audience. The inaudible voice, stuttering and forgotten lines also cost the play. The audience, especially in the rearmost part of the theater, could not understand the play.

The crucial point though was the failure in the characterization of the actress. There was a credibility issue on the actor who played the teacher who was supposed to be 50 years old and yet acted as if she were

in her twenties. Nonetheless, even with this weakness, there was no question about her acting intensity. Soon, the male lead’s lack of emotions answered the intensity of the teacher’s eyes.

The blocking, in comparison to the College of Arts and Sciences’ polished movements and directorial seemed to be more rigid putting the actors in a certain place although it was a little better than the College of Education’s blocking where the actors were dispensed everywhere in the stage that was quite distracting.

The CBA backstory The hectic schedules and erratic meetings for the CBA Drama Team pushed them to the brink of giving up. Preparation being the biggest winning factor in a dramafest was critical and since there was just a month’s time to get the play onstage, getting the characters at the same time in one rehearsal venue became an issue.

The female lead had given up on her male counterpart, a newbie in theater performance arts, who constantly lost his voice.

“There is no point continuing when an actor cannot deliver his lines well,” play director Monique Eballa confessed.

But the challenge to bring honor and pride to the home college prevailed. All frictions and disagreements were shoved under the table and the play started taking shape.

The play itself is about a sensitive issue and the storytelling is powerful. The drama team relied on the faith that the audience would identify with the storyline and the conflicts that unraveled in the play.

True enough, whatever weaknesses there were in the acting were overshadowed by the play’s powerful message.

The teacher helps the Muslim father before he was shot dead.

Men and women behind Bait: CBA’s production team.

Photos by John Andrew Jeremiah Pacalda

62

OPINION

Reinventing Foundation Week activities

John Rover Sinag

T

he celebration of the 71st Founding Anniversary of our dear institution was one of the most awaited events in the University. Different events were held and they helped the students in varied ways to hone their talents and skills in the cultural and academic genres - speaking, writing, performing, debating and excelling in mathematics, science, general information and history - and even beauty pageants.

For sure, the participants are always focused on victory, not so much for the prizes but for the prestige and bragging rights. Every academic department exerts its efforts to win every competition during the Foundation Week.

But in this annual event, do majority of the students enjoy and feel the excitement that the celebration brings? If we are going to talk about the majority, it seems to be a NO. Whenever I attend a specific event during the Foundation Week, only about one-third of the entire student population watch and enjoy the activities. There must be two reasons for this phenomenon. First, students are in their respective classes because classes have not been suspended. Second, the rest may not be interested in the events and chose to be with their friends to have a good time outside the University and to engage in other activities that satisfy their wants.

If the reason is that students are in their respective classes, then this tradition should be revisited in the University calendar. We suggest that classes be suspended during the duration of the Foundation Week to give students a chance to participate in and attend and enjoy the activities that are scheduled in the three-day calendar.

The three-day festivities without classes would not bring so much harm in the academic performance of the students. Likewise, this annual celebration should be enjoyed by every student because every Envergan deserves to experience the excitement of the Foundation Week celebration and it can be achieved by being free from the serious academic

requirements to MSEUF participate and to have a 71st good time in the events Founding Anniversary scheduled in the threeCelebration day festivities. Some students, however, say that if classes were suspended, the same thing would happen because students will not go to school.

That may be the case for some but we think this will not be true for all students who will still come in hordes to root for their teams in the various competitions.

On the other hand, if the students are not interested in the events, the Foundation Week Commitee can think of other events that will appeal more to the majority. But there is no pleasing everybody so if some still do not show up, at least, they can also enjoy the Foundation celebration in their own way.

Every Envergan should enjoy the Foundation Week celebration so why not also conduct other activities which are not of the competition mode?

The suggestions are a concert, a rave party, carnival rides or amusement arcades or anything that is different and new in Enverga University’s Foundation celebration, something that would not entail competing, just simple enjoyment and sheer fun.

The Foundation Week Committee should not just rely on the tried and the tested activities.

Let us think of something new, of something different and novel that will surprise and make everyone enjoy the Foundation Week, something that will bring excitement to the majority of Envergans.

We need new paradigms to give luster to our traditions such as the Foundation Week celebration.

We need new paradigms to give luster to our traditions such as the Foundation Week celebration.

John Rover Sinag

EXCO GIGATORIS

FEATURES

63

Miss SHS:

‘Not in His plans’ Ada Loreen De Castro

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hoes were worn, the stage was set, dresses were all ready, with everyone poised to walk confidently.The spotlightwas on herand she’ll surelyshine tonight. Or so,AngeliemayAlpay, representative of the Senior High School Department for the Miss MSEUF 2018, thought, all prepped up forthe highly-awaited Miss MSEUF beauty pageant when the unexpected happened.

“It was already 3 p.m. the day of the pageant. Pageant night was at 6 p.m. But being the perfectionist that I was, I had to do another turn on the stage in my Filipiniana gown,” recalls Angeliemay.

“The rehearsals were all done the previous day for all the contestants to give us time to rest. But I thought I would rest after the pageant when I have made my presence felt onstage.“ “I was tired but my mind refused to accept it. I was all psyched up for the pageant.

And then it happened. I was walking on my high-heeled shoes when my knees buckled and I fell.”

“Regrets, regrets, regrets. There were many regrets that raced through my mind.

What if I did not practice that turn? What if I just let go and had waited for the pageant to start before going onstage again. What if...? The what-ifs were many, and kept on replaying in my mind.”

But Angeliemay Alpay now shrugs off the incident as something that happened because it was not really her time to shine in spite of her investment in effort and resolve.

“That moment was for someone else, it was not for me. God has other plans for me, I am certain of that,” she says philosophically.

“I felt His healing hands when I went through surgery,” she reveals. “I came out safely after my sedation,” she added.

The doctor advised her not to do

extraneous activities and not to tire herself unnecessarily so that she will not suffer from dislocation again. She cannot wear highheeled shoes anymore. What she needs to do is to walk bit by bit and to exercise her knees.

She will also need to undergo therapy for about six months.

The experience taught her many things.

First, that she was not alone in this journey to recovery. She learned that many of her classmates, even non-classmates and nonacquaintances, prayed hard for her to hurdle her ordeal with full acceptance. Even the college students prayed for her, she was told.

Second, she found out that so many were rooting for her in the competition and that she was considered a shoo-in for the title that she now shrugs off as just part of the pre-pageant hype. “At least they think of me as Miss MSEUF material,” she laughs nonchalantly.

Third, the Basic Education Department fully supported her in her bid for the Miss MSEUF crown and in solidarity with her many did not watch the pageant anymore and instead offered prayers and masses for her healing.

“That was an expression of their outpouring of love and support, even more than what I would have received had I been in the pageant proper itself as a competitor,” she observes.

That Angeliemay bravely embraced and accepted her plight is truly admirable for a girl

of her age, truly the mark of excellence.

She expressed her thanks to the many people who supported her throughout her trial. “I am very thankful to them. They privately messaged me with inspirational thoughts, because after the accident I felt really down, but they were always there to cheer me up.”

“I was showered with so much outpouring of affection that God must have allowed this to happen for me to appreciate how people value me. Thank you Sir Joey Giron for helping me in the big pageants. Please don’t be sad.

The accident was nobody’s fault. I like to think that when a door closes, a window opens.”

“Special mention, too, to Ma’am Junabelle Reyes and Sir Rogel Limpiada, who became my mentors in the question-andanswer portion. I started as Miss ABM, then Miss Young Enverga-SHS, thanks to Ma’am Angelita Tan, Sir Mandy Baldovino and Dean Paz Bobadilla. Sir Ian Guiruela also trained me for my pageant walk. My Mommy and Papa never engaged in the blame game,” she said with gratitude.

Lessons that Angeliemay learned: be thankful no matter what happens, be humble, and share Gods’ blessings. Sound advice from a lovely girl who “dreams big, flies high, and never stops believing and trusting in God’s plans because His plans are better than ours.”

This is truly the mark of a girl who went through so much but kept her faith.

64 NEWS

Music and bubbles fill EU Night

Kyle Joshua Cadavez

Envergans enjoy a night of bubbles and music in the foam party.

Photos by JAJ Pacalda

he University Collegiate Student Council (UCSC) staged this year’s Enverga University T Night at the MSEUF Covered Court, March 23, to strengthen the socialization and camaraderie among Envergans after the stressful mid-terms week.

This year’s EU Night featured music and bubbles as the foam party and Envergan bands dazzled the students to destress them from the two-day mid-term examinations.

CASaway of the College of Arts and Sciences, Fifth Derivative of the College of Engineering, and this year’s Battle of the Bands champion, EpiG of the College of Architecture and Fine Arts (CAFA), rocked the foam party as they played their best hits.

Former Battle of the Bands champions Nickelwood (2016) and Tone of the Rapture (2015) also rocked the Envergan stage. DJ Japor spiced up audience participation with an upbeat mix of music. Aside from music and foam, games were also played in between the bands’ sets.

EU Night is an annual students’ activity exclusively for college students featuring the music of Envergan bands that starts at 7:30 pm and ends at 11:30pm.

FEATURES

Fire safety tips for a sizzling summer Christine Frias

arch is when the summer heat starts to sizzle. The M surroundings get hotter, and so does room temperature.

One electric fan is not enough to keep the cool ambiance of a room. And to stay in a room without ruining their mood, what most people do is to plug in more elecric fans. This often causes the onset of fire.

Tip no. 8: Never leave your kitchen when cooking.

If you have to leave the kitchen, make sure to turn the stove off and take the pots off the heat.

Here are some advice to keep you from the perils of fire.

Tip no. 9:

Tip no. 1:

Avoid octopus connections. Octopus connection is the overloading of electrical outlet, and one of the leading causes of fire in households.

Be fire-safety conscious. March is called Fire Prevention Month because everyone is encouraged to be fire-safety conscious to prevent fires from destroying lives and property.

Tip no. 10: Tip no. 2:

Keep inflammable liquids and combustible items away from the stove. Inflammable liquids such as oil, fuel, kerosene and other combustible materials must be kept away from the stove for they can cause fire when heated.

Keep matches out of children’s reach.

Children play with anything they see. To prevent children from starting a fire unwittingly, keep matches and lighters in safe locations.

Tip no. 11:

Tip no. 3:

Use smoke detectors and alarms, and make sure they are working. Installation of smoke detector and alarm is a big help to locate fire and to determine if it is still controllable.

Keep lit candles away from combustible materials. Newspapers, curtains and alike can be burned easily, so they must be placed away from lit candles to avoid conflagration.

Tip no. 12:

Tip no. 4:

Do not use substandard electrical wiring and equipment. Most of the news about fire point to faulty electrical wiring as the main cause, so everyone is reminded to use only the best type.

Defective appliances must not be used and should be fixed immediately. Use of defective appliances may lead to the overheating of wires that may cause fire.

Tip no. 13: Plug your power tools directly to the wall socket. Use extension cords only as a necessary alternative.

Tip no. 5:

Avoid using electric fans for 24 hours and place ithem away from curtains. A usual cause of fire is electric fans overheating and snagging curtains. Unplug electric fans when not in use away from curtains to prevent fire.

Tip no. 14:

Keep your place clean at all times.

Combustible items must always be disposed properly to avoid starting a fire.

Tip no. 6:

Do not smoke in bed. There are many inflammable materials inside the bedroom pillow cases, bed sheets and blankets. Cigaret butts could burn them easily and cause fire.

Tip no. 15:

Keep a fire extinguisher. Preferably, keep an ABC type of fire extinguisher in the kitchen and working areas. At least two members of the family should know how to use it.

Tip no. 7:

Unplug and shut off electrical equipment and LPG tanks. Always make sure to disconnect and shut off electrical equipment and LPG tanks when not in use and when leaving the house.

During the month of March, do not only be summer-ready, be safe and fire free.

Inforgraphics from lamudi.com.ph

65

66 SPORTS

sports feature

Sweating out to keep fit Ivan Chris Mabilangan

If there were a drug that could do for human health “ everything that exercise can, it would likely be the most valuable pharmaceutical ever developed.” - Dr. Mark Tarnopolsky Summer gives us a lot of time. Even as the beaches beckon us, the break from work induces us to sleep and just lie listlessly in the oasis we call bed. But complacency softens survival skills. Soon, students would have to brace the scorching classrooms yet again, and they will find themselves unable to swim in the quicksands of difficult exams and the paper chase.

Hence, we exercise to keep fit and mentally sharp.

When we jog, our mind clears, rids itself of stress and gets stronger. We give it more power to push us a lot further. Like the kilograms, the pressure our mind can take increases. This stretches our mental capacity and leads us to be more productive, creative and inquisitive.

First of all, physical exercise increases our willpower. Studies have shown that those who do regular aerobic exercise easily withstand tempting sedentary activities. Actions such as watching TV, sitting on the couch and playing with smartphone apps that distract us from doing more productive tasks are shoved aside when we run, jog or do gym work. With exercise, we discipline ourselves. And along with the triggering of various brain chemicals which boost inhibitory control, the routines manifest in different aspects of our habits. It soon urges us to undertake more strenous activities. Thus, doing time-consuming, mental, yet productive tasks such as reading and writing gives us more fun and more meaning.

Secondly, exercise also improves our emotional states. Whenever we experience a heartbreaking goodbye, or get shoved by gossiping fake friends, we let sadness and anger rule over us as we remain lying in the dustbin of our emotions. This is very impractical, especially when facing huge piles of paperwork and other challenges. The mind languishes somewhere but with stronger emotional resilience, we become impervious to bad experiences. Exercise gives us the ability to gain more self-control to tackle everything that can go wrong.

Ultimately, physical exercise sharpens the way we think. We may not be aware of it, but different chemicals in our heads direct whether we see something as boring or exciting. An hour of sweating seems to be a drag for ordinary people. However, a physically buff person sees the gym as a peaceful place, one which allows him to stretch his muscles while listening to some meditation music. The way we perceive things affects our lives. After all, we base our decisions on how we view things, and these decisions can change the lives of many people. Exercise plays with these brain chemicals. As a result, our brain becomes healthier and sharper.

We can never underestimate the benefits of exercise. Not only does it boost the muscles in our abs, it also strengthens our minds cognitively and emotionally. And now that summer is at its peak, time is of the essence. We should leave the oasis that is bed and start jogging.

In the end, we should not be contented to stare at the world as it goes by. Let us sweat our way to be healthy and mobile.

And when the heat gets to our limbs, we can always head for the shower and wash the grime of our bodies.

And we’re on top of of the world.

NEWS 67

EU swimming pool eases summer heat Rikki Mae Villa

The swimming team practices in the University’s new swimming pool.

Photo by John Rover Sinag

in, breathe out. Feel the water and just keep swimming.”

“Breathe This is the instructions issued by Prof. maintenance costs of the facility.

Darios Virrey, University swimming coach, whenever new swimmers try out for the team, most especially now that the University has constructed a ten-lane Olympic-size swimming pool.

The Manuel S. Enverga University Foundation recognizes the skills development and the personal well-being that swimming delivers as a sport.

Thus, the University officially opened its 50 x 25 foot swimming pool, Feb. 26, to provide a facility for the aquatic activities of all Envergans.

The University swimming pool is located near the College of Maritime Education (CME) Bldg. in the Botanical Gardens.

The Olympic-size pool is 5-foot deep in both ends and 6-foot deep in the middle suitable for competitions. It has 10 lanes with a springboard in each lane and metal bleachers on the pool side.

Senior high school students will take swimming classes in Physical Education during the second semester even as the first batch of students already experienced using the new facility Jan. 22.

The PE Department charges a P50.00entrance fee per swimming session to cover the

According to Prof. Virrey, the maintenance of the swimming pool, shower rooms and pump room alone requires an electrician, three life guards-cum-maintenance personnel and a security guard.

In addition, the pool requires organic materials (pool salt) and other chemicals to keep it hygienic and safe for users.

“The monthly maintenance costs alone run to P125,000,” according to Ms. Amelia de los Reyes, corporate planning and development officer.

“Swimming teams in Quezon Province that have produced budding international champions have already expressed their interest to train in the new pool,“ Prof. Virrey reported.

“We are just negotiating the terms of the partnership,” said Prof. Virrey, “inasmuch as the maintenance cost of the pool is a little prohibitive.”

The new pool will also be open for use

by MSEUF families and their employees at a discounted price. The general public can also avail of the facilities of the new pool on specific schedules, Ms. de los Reyes said.

The pool’s business development office is in the Administration Building in the main campus.

and br

68 SPORTS

editorial

Too distant

from victory T

his year’s Intramurals had been postponed due to a number of reasons: lack of budget (which in the past was drawn from the funds of the University Collegiate Student Council and a busy academic calendar the series of accreditation visits, the ISO audits, the research and OBE training, among others. When the Intramural Games were eventually held, many sporting events were missing, most of them team ball games. We could have done better. Unfortunately, we sacrificed a lot.

First of all, many sports categories have been removed from this year’s Intramurals.

Events such as track and field, beach volleyball, lawn tennis, badminton, table tennis, dance sports and chess were absent from the competitions. This stemmed from the lack of budget which, of course, is due to the low number of college students. We encountered this scenario last year as well. As a result, although the audience poured in on more prominent sports such as basketball and volleyball, there were less physical activities that were staged.

Secondly, the Intramural winners had nothing to look forward to after their victory.

PRISAA, or the Private Schools Athletic Association meet, annually launches a three-part sports competition beginning the second semester. It starts with the Interschool Provincial Meet, which is usually held in December, followed by the Regional Meet around January or February, and finally concludes with the National PRISAA in April.

Unfortunately, with this year’s Intramurals having been held in the same month as the National Meet, the players from the winning teams were no longer able to compete in the Provincial PRISAA. This reduced the thrill of joining the Intramurals, which in turn discouraged participation in various Intramural events.

Of course, we cannot deny the adrenaline which fueled the recently held Intramurals. Fans from each department shouted eagerly as they witnessed the intensity of spikes and slam dunks. Then again, the excitement was largely caused only by the colleges trying to defend their colors, and not so much by the athletes trying to push their individual potentials.

Another problem which stemmed from the postponement was that the school lacked a highly selective pool of competent athletes that could be pitted

against other PRISAA member schools.

While MSEUF joined the PRISAA Provincial Meet and did win in almost all categories, the victory was not something to crow about. Despite us being the champions in this year’s Inter-school Meet, there was only a small difference between the total points we amassed and those of the second place winner. There was only a small difference between the top two winners in the final tally.

This shows a considerable drop in our performance. Of course, it can be told that the lack of fresh talents (there are no first and second year college students due to the K-12 program) is partly to blame.

But we can do better than this. There should be a fair consideration for the benefits that sports brings to our students. Hence, sufficient time should be allocated for the tryouts, training and actual competition, regardless of whether the academic calendar is full.

All work and no play makes Juan and Juana dull. The adage is true. We need to be reinvigorated from the heavy academic load and sports helps bring this about. We call on our University authorities to strike a balance between academic and sporting activities.

The delay in holding the Intramurals cost us. Only 19 athletes reached the National PRISAA, and all we garnered were a measly three bronze medals, a departure from our past records where we carted off nearly 50 medals in a number of events.

This is not to say that our Wildcats lost in the skirmish.

They just did not have enough time to train and to hone their skills to championship level.

We all have to realize that it is not only in academic activities that an academic institution like ours promotes itself. Sports rivalries are ignited because they promote school pride and attract enrolment.

When college freshmen return, we hope that sports willl receive the boost that it deserves in the University.

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We call on our University authorities to strike a balance between academic and sporting activities.

70 SPORTS

Tigers pounce on Jaguars, Lions in volleyball back-to-back win

Ivan Chris Mabilangan

ith twice-to-beat advantage, the College of Engineering (CEng) Tigers unsheathed their claws to edge out the College of W Education (CEd) Jaguars and the College of Business and Accountancy (CBA) Lions in the final showdown for this year’s volleyball championship in the Intramural Games.

In the women’s category, Jaguar and Tiger fans alike roared at the very close margin, 26-24, in the first set in favor of the CEng Tigers. The CEd Jaguars however staged a comeback and seized the lead in the second set. Service errors and outside shots dominated the Tigers’ gameplay in the third set, extending the lead that finished at 16-25 in favor of the CEd Jaguars.

The final set began with close scores, until the CEng Tigers slowly increased the gap. With illegal hits and slow reactions evident as both teams showed weariness, the volleyball catfight ended at 15-11 in favor of the CEng Tigers.

The CEng Tigers’ volleyball women team Captain Alison Oliva attributed the victory to confidence and teamwork.

Speaking in Filipino, she said, “Ang advantage lang namin siguro ay ‘yung kumpyansa sa sarili, teamwork, at may tiwala naman ako sa bawat isa, na hindi lang ako ‘yung mag-bibuild sa kanila, pati na rin ‘yung sarili nila kaya nilang i-build.”

Meanwhile, the volleyball men event of the CBA Lions versus the CEng Tigers saw a hotly contested exchange of court dominance.

Blocking took a major spotlight, as both teams managed to parry spikes hurled against each other. Faulty service and poor reception errors however, did the CEng Tigers in as the CBA Lions took the first

set, 22-25.

In the next set, however, the CEng Tigers recovered, 5-1, during the first timeout. The gap widened quickly, allowing the CEng Tigers to dominate the second set, 25-13.

The CEng Tigers also led the beginning of the third set. However, the CBA Lions closed the gap at 6-6. The heated match continued with the CEng Tigers regaining momentum, ending the set at 15-13 in their favor to claim the championship.

Jerome Laqui, team captain of the CEng Tigers, cited the experience of the senior players and the potential of the rookies in the team as the winning edge of their play. “Almost three years na, pero ngayong taong ito buo pa rin kami. Konti lang ‘yung nawala sa amin. Napalitan ang mga nawala ng mga bagong dugo na marurunong din kaya buo ang teamwork namin.”

Professor Danilo Aureada, coach of both men and women CEng Tigers’ teams, also praised the hard work and cooperation of the players, saying that the will to win was the most importance ingredient of their victory.

Prof. Aureada, delighted at the back-to-back win, said in a post-game interview, “In ten years ngayon lang kami nagback-to-back champions sa volleyball men and women. Siguro ‘yun ang gift bago ako magretire.”

A CEng Tiger aquaman does a swift dive in MSEUF’s Olympic-size swimming pool.

Photos by John Rover Sinag

SPORTS

Photos by John Andrew Jeremiah Pacalda

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The CEng Tigers go on a rampage in the volleyball game to frustrate the CBA Lions’ bid for the championship.

CEng Tigers haul 10 swim golds outpace CME Sharks Jhon Angelo Virtucio

Tiger paddler Renz Mendoza claimed four golds in breaststroke to top the 13-swim gold harvest of the College of CEng Engineering in the 2018 Intramural Games, April 17-19, at the MSEUF swimming pool in the Botanical Garden.

In the 100m breaststroke Mendoza waived what could have been another gold for lack of opponents.

Another CEng Tiger bet, Renmar Heinrich Sy, also swam unopposed in his heat in the 100m breaststroke.

The CEng Tigers outpaced the College of Maritime Education (CME) Sharks to clinch their first four golds in the 4x50m relay medley, by a minute and 13-second mark.

The CME Sharks challenged the CEng Tigers for a rematch in the 4x50m free style relay, but folded up when the CEng Tigers once again established a meter lead in the first minute of the event, and set a 2:40 mark, a 47-second deficit for the CME Sharks, to grab the team’s 13th gold.

The CEng Tigers collected four silvers in the men’s 50m backstroke, 100m free style, and 50m breaststroke and a bronze in the men’s 50m breaststroke, wrapping up the swimfest with 10 golds,

three silvers, and one bronze.

Meanwhile, the College of International Tourism and Hospitality Management (CITHM) Bobcats managed to snatch four golds, one of them from the women’s division, to set a second place finish with four golds, four silvers, and four bronzes.

The CITHM Bobcats led in the women’s 50m freestyle and 4x50m freestyle relay as well as in the men’s 100m freestyle.

They also bagged silvers in the women’s 100m breaststroke, 50m backstroke, 100m freestyle, and 100m backstroke.

Trailing the CITHM Bobcats are the CME Sharks that snared three golds in women’s 100m breaststroke, 100m freestyle, and 50m breaststroke together with nine silvers in men’s 4x50m medley relay and 4x50m freestyle relay. The CME Sharks also snagged a silver in the women’s 50m freestyle and three bronzes in the men’s 4x50m free style relay.

72 SPORTS

The CEd Jaguars execute their final move to triumph in the cheerdance competition.

Photos by John Andrew Jeremiah Pacalda

CEd Jaguars claim cheerdance gold Kyle Joshua Cadavez

in their maroon-and-black costumes combined with clean and jawdropping stunts, the College of Education (CEd) Flying Jaguars clinched the championship in the 2018 Intramurals cheerdance competition at the University gymnasium, April 17.

Last year’s third placer, the CEd Jaguars shocked the audience with a well-orchestrated Britney Spearsperformance and wowed the crowd with precise tosses, tumblings, and splits. The team also showed some graceful sexy moves making the audience cheer in awe as their routines ended in a dramatic flourish.

The College of Engineering (CEng) Tigers tangoed their way to the center of the University gymnasium in black and orange outfits startling the audience with a barrage of colors. The CEng Tigers filled their performance with amazing choreography, powerful movements, gaspcausing tosses and back dives.

Despite some failed stunts, the team still managed to amaze the crowd with their two-storey pyramid ending,

making them retain their bridesmaid’s spot to the CEd Jaguars.

Meanwhile, after years of hiatus from the competition, the College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences’ (CNAHS) Leopards showcased their routines in their medical robes and props. The audience was enthralled as the CNAHS Leopards revealed their shimmering yellow and green costume while executing their graceful dance moves and stunts, to earn the bronze medal.

Due to time constraint and internal issues, only three teams vied for prizes in this year’s cheerdance contest after the early withdrawal of entries from the usual competing departments. “Time is needed to present safe but jaw dropping routines, and we didn’t have that,” said a Business and Accountancy cheerdancer.

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Tigers stamp class in 2018 Intramurals Jhon Angelo Virtucio

roar erupted in the MSEUF Gymnasium as the College of Engineering Tigers clinched 27 golds to top the 2018 Athunderous MSEUF Intramurals and dislodge defending champion College of Criminology and Law Enforcement Raptors on April 17-19.

Prowling the courts and the pool, the Tigers managed to hunt down their adversaries to growl victorious in volleyball men and post a back-to-back win in the women’s division to amass 17 golds in the ball games.

With adrenaline shooting high, the CEng Tigers snatched 10 golds in the swimming competition, drowning the CEd Jaguars and shaming the CME Sharks in the water competitions.

The CEng Tigers however settled for second place in basketball men after losing against the tight defense of the defending champions, the CCLE Raptors.

At the end of the Intramural Games, the CEng Tigers added 14 silvers and a bronze to their arsenal to wrap up the series.

The CEd Jaguars emerged second overall, trucking one gold in swimming and six in the cheerdance competition after trouncing the the CEng Tigers in this category.

The CEd Jaguars’ seven golds, was 20-gold medals shy of the CEng Tigers’ win, but an additional seven silvers in other events was good enough to dethrone the CCLE Raptors’ five golds and five silvers. The defending champions trailed third overall.

The CITHM Bobcats fell in fourth spot after grabbing four golds, four silvers and 21 bronzes. The Bobcats made their might felt in swimming events where they got all their golds.

While the CME Sharks did not lead this year, they gathered three golds, nine silvers and four bronzes overall.

The CEng Tigers settled for silver in men’s basketball but wrested the overall championship from the CCLE Raptors.

Photos by John Andrew Jeremiah Pacalda

74 FEATURES

Holy Week getaway: H

oly Week is a special tradition for most of us. It is for most people a time to get off from the rat race and the usual hustle-bustle of daily living. Thus, most people take time to do self-reflection to get in touch with their inner selves.

Quick tips

Ivan Chris Mabilangan & Sophia Margarette Caagbay

Holy Week is a special period for most Filipinos every year.

It is a time for going home to embrace religious traditions and to do self-renewal. Part of this self-cleansing is to do the rounds of churches in a tradition called Visita Iglesia, the practice of going into a pilgrimage or visiting at least seven churches to pray the rosary and recite one’s devotions. It is also about imbibing the spirit of sacrifice in solidarity with the Lord’s sufferings.

We came up with some pilgrimage suggestions that readers can look into.

The pilgrimage checklist:

Immersing oneself 1

Before going to any religious public activity, personally reflect on your experiences with the Bible at hand.

2

Next, instill personal discipline so that you do not stray into the temptations of worldly desires. You should bear in mind that every sacrifice, like fasting and abstinence, is worth it at the end.

3

Now that you’ve turned yourself away from luxury to lead a simple life, at least for the Holy Week, you can now embark on your Visita Iglesia journey with family, friends and/or travel group.

4

While attending mass, open your heart to the homilies and the spiritual messages of your priest or pastor to guide you in your self-reflection.

5

Mend relationships and build new ones in celebration of the Easter Sunday. Feel the presence of the Lord in your midst.

Recommended Holy Week Getaways

1 Basilica of St. Michael Archangel (Tayabas) One of the national cultural treasures of the National Museum, the Minor Basilica of St. Michael the Archangel is considered one of the most beautiful churches in Quezon. It was originally made of anahaw, bamboo, and nipa by the Franciscan friars. Rebuilt and expanded over the years, it is now famous for its baroque architecture and key-shaped structure. This earned the church the nickname “Key of Tayabas”. It also features a very long aisle, century-old church bells and a church clock which is possibly the oldest in Asia. With its captivating beauty, visiting the Minor Basilica of St. Michael Archangel can be your key as you open your own path of Holy Week reflection.

(photo courtesy of LakbayLoyd 2016)

2 Kamay ni Hesus Healing Shrine (Lucban) Kamay ni Hesus Healing Shrine in Lucban, Quezon has to be in every Quezon Visita Iglesia destination list. The church rests at the foot of a hill with the fourteen Stations of the Cross and a 50-foot statue of the Risen Christ. It is also notable for its healing masses officiated by Fr. Joey Faller, the healing priest. But beyond the physical healing, people also come here to be spiritually-cleansed as they contemplate about the biblical teachings portrayed in the Garden of Eden, Luklukan ni Maria, Gallery of Saints, Noah’s Ark and other life-size replicas of scenarios and characters from the Bible. The experience is definitely a walk-through the spirit of Holy Week. (photo courtesy of kamaynihesus.ph)

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St. 3 St. Isidore Labrador Parish (Lucena City)

Near the heart of Lucena is a church dedicated to the patron saint of farmers: St. Isidore Labrador Parish, established in 1958 in Ibabang Dupay, that celebrates the Pahiyas Festival every May 15. Originally a church for Red-V farmers, it has now become a Sunday destination of churchgoers going to a nearby mall after services as people refresh themselves from the busy frenzied weekday. Its simplicity proves that even young parishes can evoke a serene and peaceful place for contemplation in the middle of the city.

(photo courtesy of nspiringjourneythesis.blogspot.com)

4 Saint Francis of Assisi Parish Church (Sariaya) This parish, also known as the Sariaya Church, is a centuries-old building relocated and reconstructed several times. It features a four-storey belfry of old bells and an old baptistery. A 1922 convent and three old altars containing several old images of saints also rests at the ground floor. Despite the church’s long history with invaders and natural disasters, its 18th century image of Sto. Cristo de Burgos, now enshrined behind the retablo, remains in pristine condition. This is considered to be a miracle, and is now attracting pilgrims from various places. King Felipe V supposedly gave this replica to the Lumang Bayan (now Sariaya) townsfolk as a gift.

(photo courtesy of Lakwatserang Ligaw)

5 San Pedro Bautista Church (Candelaria) San Pedro Bautista Church is not as old as the other churches in this list. Standing in its own spacious haven near antique Vigan-like houses, it gives a nostalgic feel unexpected from a bustling town. It has an azotea at the façade used during town events. Also known as the Our Lady of the Candles Church, it celebrates the Candle Festival devoted to the Nuestra Señora de Candelaria every February 2. Just as this can give peace of mind to locals amidst busy days, this is a solemn resting place in the middle of your Visita Iglesia journey.

(photo courtesy of wikimedia.org)

6 St. John the Baptist Church (Tiaong) Yet another centuries-old church, the St. John the Baptist Church mirrors the town’s long history of struggle, tranquility and progress. Founded by the Franciscans in 17th century, it was dedicated to San Juan Bautista after being retaken from the Augustinians in 1794. It witnessed epidemics, Moro conflicts and a revolution. It also experienced the rise and fall of heroes and villains of the town, such as the feud between the dons of Spanish-era Tiaong, and the infamous Fray Jesus Roman who persecuted rich and poor Indios alike. Now, it stands in pink splendor, a stark difference from its old image once reflecting the town’s gradual rise from hardships. The parish is located in the heart of the poblacion, marveling devotees with the town’s rapid modernization.

(photo courtesy of wikimedia.org)

7 The National Shrine of Our Lady of Sorrows (Dolores) Formerly known as the Shrine of Our Lady of Sorrows, this church of zealous devotees preserves a culture of notable religious activities. Its annual Viernes de Dolores every March or April features a holy Mass followed by the Turumba, a dance procession dedicated to the town’s patron saint, the Birhen Dolorosa. One can also participate in the Pangkuan held every Friday each week. The shrine also features the miraculous image of Our Lady of Sorrows, drawing in Catholics who pray for answers to their supplications and intentions. The church is located in the center of Dolores, Quezon. After a long day, one can rest peacefully in the nearby river-resorts to mark the end of the Visita Iglesia journey and the beginning of a cleansed, spiritually-renewed self. (photo courtesy of mapio.net)

Holy Week is a time to revisit our notions of sacrifice, spirituality, and contemplation. And traveling with loved ones to serene places is one of the ways to attain it. Let this be a period for making peace with our God and restoring ourselves in His grace. Let us take this holy time to reflect and to make amends for our trangressions to have a more meaningful life .

76 FEATURES

May Festivities: Preserving Filipino culture and tradition in diverse colors

Giana Mae Licoto

ay is not only a month for taking a break and relaxing. It is also the month of merrymaking, the season M of fiestas in the rich farming tradition of the Philippines. May is when we celebrate good harvest with flamboyant parades and processions, colorful banderitas or buntings, and mouthwatering sumptuous dishes and delicacies. It is the month when Filipinos celebrate the feast days of most patron saints.

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Here are some of the May festivities that are eagerly awaited in towns and cities of the country.

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The festival features street events attesting to the joyful merrymaking of Lucenahins. Local bands take to the stage while course, food, and booze in tents dot the streets. The Quezon Designers’ Association of the Philippines (QDAP) stages a couture fashion show and a colorful parade featuring huge and colorfully designed floats provides a crowd-drawing end to the festival.

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Tying the threads of our Hispanic history and influence, these festivities serve as reminders of the fusion of cultures in the Filipino way of life. They are rooted from our historical past becoming more pronounced through the years of colonization that shaped who we are today.

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Pasayahan Festival

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In celebration of the rich Tayabas history, the city celebrates Mayohan sa Tayabas. It is a 10-day festivity commencing on May 6 and concluding on May 15.

Each barangay presents its own baliskog or welcome arch to showcase the identity of each barangay community. Famed Tayabas delicacies such as suman (rice cakes) are given away to the town visitors.

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As Quezon Province’s very own signature festival, the Pahiyas is a much-anticipated event held every second month of May. Dubbed as the Most Colorful Festival in the Philippines, it celebrates good harvest in the towns of Tayabas, Sariaya, Gumaca and Tiaong. In Lucban, tourists are welcomed with houses extravagantly decorated with colorful kiping, an accent decoration of the festival that takes the shapes of leaves made from steamed rice paste and hung in bamboo chandeliers.

Visitors of the festival get to experience the taste of delicacies and food products displayed in culinary stalls. They can also join the procession to honor St. Isidore.

The festivity is the annual harvest festival of the town of Sariaya, Quezon, in homage to Saint Isidore the Laborer, the patron saint of agriculture and good harvest.

Bagakay, or young bamboo branches, are adorned with giveaways for the town visitors to pluck. Houses are festooned with native and agricultural products such as woven hats and fans and fruit and vegetable harvests. The adornments and goodies are given away to festival participants as the procession of St. Isidore’s image winds around the town.

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Pahiyas Festival

Agawan Festival

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The Queen of Philippine Festivals, the Flores de Mayo, is literally translated as “Flowers of May”. Celebrated during the entire month of May, this festival is a Christian tradition in honor of the mother of Jesus, the Blessed Virgin Mary. Believers claim that she brings about the helpful rain after a dry season so it is done in thanks for allowing the flowers to finally bloom after deprivation from water.

Children and young women dressed up in white bearing assorted colorful flowers in baskets offer them to the Virgin Mary every afternoon. As part of the ritual, the children also rain flower petals on the image of the Virgin Mary while the church choir sings the novena prayers.

Often mistaken as the Flores De Mayo, the Santacruzan, on the other hand, is the ritual pageant held on the last day of the Flores de Mayo that reenacts Queen Helena’s search for the cross upon which Jesus Christ was crucified.

The town’s loveliest ladies donning couture gowns participate in a parade that features a carriage of the Virgin Mary and other characters in the saga of the search for the crucifixion cross.

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Flores De Mayo

These festivities are not only reminders of the hardships that our ancestors have gone through in the past but are also a celebration of our rich cultural identity that we must continue to preserve to this day to remind us of our Filipino-ness.

Ganda ng Mudra ko:

FEATURES

An ode to Mothers Mara Angeli Cadiz

hat would the world be like without mothers? Bleak, I would W say. day to demonstrate our gratitude to our mothers for taking care of our daily Aneeds, for nurturing us through the years and for showering us with comfort, affection and reassurance when we need them most is not enough. It is just a drop in the

bucket for the tremendous time and effort they invest in providing the family’s needs first before their own. This is what the Honor Society of the Lambda Sigma dramatized when the honor sorority staged “Ganda ng Mudra Ko” at the SM City Events Center on May 12.

The program dedicated to mothers gave free facials and make up, gift packs and a special program of songs, dances and vignettes about mothers on Mothers’ Day. Some 150 mothers gathered in the SM Events Center and participated in the makeover and gift giving.

Executive Ellah Pineda, president of the HSLS Alumni, said “that mothers are God’s gentle creations who have doses of patience, knowledge and understanding that know no bounds. All mothers think of nothing but the best for their children. They have a great capacity for loving and for forgiveness that we sometimes take for granted and don’t appreciate. This is a small gesture to celebrate our mothers,” she said. , The grand doyen of the honor sorority Ms. Zenaida de Asis, stated in her opening remarks that “motherhood is the apex of a woman’s accomplishments. It is not easy to be accomplished in one’s professional life and be a good mother all at once. It takes a delicate balance to mix professional and domestic duties and on top of this, to have some private time for oneself.”

“I know this, being a mother myself. There are ups and downs in motherhood, but in spite of this, it is still the crowning achievement of a woman, to nurture the next generation of mothers and fathers,” she added.

The mothers present validated that the thankless job of cooking, doing the laundry, housekeeping, taking care of sick children, marketing and even contributing to earning a living is like walking a tightrope, but the joy of seeing one’s children grow up to become wonderful human beings themselves to later on raise their own families cannot be compensated.

The narratives were telling and revealing. The mothers present kept their homes safe and secure on top of contributing to earning to household income that can take a toll on lesser human beings, but not mothers. They have never been known to complain. They are true heroes in the real sense of the word.

Thus, a program like this, is but a small gesture of appreciation. We need more opportunities t o express our admiration for our mothers. Not just on Mothers’ Day. Every day ought to be Mothers’ Day.

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78 FEATURES

Metamorphosis:

MSEUF reinventing the curricula Ivan Chris Mabilangan

ext school year, new program curricula will be implemented in MSEUF. Like colorful butterflies, these systems will come out from their cocoons N to see the break of daylight. And different colleges have their own butterflies. Soon, they will fly atop roses and sunflowers, which bloomed their way from the soils of senior high school. How will each of them complete their metamorphosis? Will the fairies sip enough sweet nectar from their buds?

Each college revised their curricula based on the guidelines given in various CHED Memorandum Orders or Policies, Standards and Guidelines (PSGs). This resulted in the alteration of many programs. Fortunately, our Autonomous Status hastened this development. New facilities and equipment were added, and faculties were also trained to utilize these tools effectively. These changes, which underwent a number of reviews to ensure quality, will welcome new college students stepping inside the University.

Let us look at the changes done by each department.

College of Computing and Multimedia Studies Other than the current BS Computer Science, BS Information Technology and BS Information System, the college is now offering BS Entertainment and Multimedia Computing (BSEMC).

Programs now have specializations. BSCS has majors in Data Science and Software Engineering. BSIT, on the other hand, has Cisco Networking, and Mobile and Web Development.

BSIS offers Business Analytics, as well as Service Management for BPO. Finally, BSEMC specializes in Game Development and Digital Animation.

Like other departments, CCMS implememnts 36 units (including 9 elective units) for GE courses in addition to new professional electives and specialized subjects for each major. CCMS has an ongoing faculty training on Data Science, Animation and other core courses to prepare

for the courses in the new curricula. This is in addition to the series of training the CCMS faculty will still undergo later. In terms of facilities, CCMS recently acquired 41 new computer units that will be available before the start of the first semester of SY 2018-19.

There is also the undergoing construction of the new CAFA building. Once completed, and CAFA moves to the new building, CCMS will occupy the vacated second floor rooms. They will be allocated for lecture courses.

Amidst all these changes, CCMS has huge expectations that future graduates will be real-world ready in the fast-changing milleu of information technology.

In the words of CCMS Dean Rodrigo Belleza Jr., “We are expecting very competent graduates after completing a new batch in this curriculum.” The updated courses, the required capstone projects and the on-the-job training will ensure that graduates can effectively face the challenges of the workplace.

College of Fine Arts and Architecture With a new building of its own, the College of Fine Arts and Architecture is poised to take its program offerings to a higher level.

Bachelor of Fine Arts will now have Visual Communication, major in Advertising as specialization, based on CMO 43, series 2017.

In the new Architecture curriculum, the program will still be offered for five years with a total of 312 from 280 units. Students will have three specializations within the program consisting of Community Planning and Development (Specialization 1); Urban Design Studio (Specialization 2), and Construction Management (Specialization 3).

The new curriculum also considers contextualization of the area where the program is offered. In MSEUF’s case, since the Architecture program is offered in Quezon Province that has one of the longest coastlines in the country, Coastline Architecture will be part of the curriculum.

The new curriculum emphasizes visual communications (graphics and visual techniques), design and space planning (including computer-aided design), building technology, building utilities, site development planning and landscaping, acoustics and

lighting system, and business management applied to architecture.

In line with the revitalized courses in the program, CAFA will utilize advanced software programs such as BIM in AutoCAD consisting of applications that can build many structures and use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to allow users to see specific sections, like the pipes in a building.

Now, it is not simply bisectoral, structural or electrical; effects of how these parts function can be simulated as well.

Students will also use Lumion, an application suitable for walkthroughs. However, as it is only limited to viewing external parts, students will use BIM to see through the veins and arteries of the building. All of these are for students to be in step with state-of-the art architectural practices.

The new CAFA building will include new laboratories and facilities that will incorporate concepts on gender and development, sustainability, green design and environment to inspire students until they finish their thesis research application for graduation.

FEATURES 79 College of Maritime Education There are minimal changes in the curriculum of the maritime education programs due to the constant review they have undergone. Aside from a few new courses and equipment, similar routines will be implemented this school year.

The new CME curriculum has a minimum of 50 units of General Education courses, in addition to the institutional requirements the University may add, if deemed necessary.

Usually, they are enrichment courses in English for occupational purposes and academic writing, which are very important since research is one of the University’s threefold functions.

Consequently, CME did not have to prepare as

much as other colleges did for the new curricula.

Instead, the College conducted an Instructors’ Course Training, a ten-day training to hone professional marines as teachers in the University. Also, CME recently purchased its Global Maritime Distress Signal System (GMDSS) for communications done on a boat. With state-of-the-art engine and deck simulators in MV Romana, students get real-world training that simulates professional work in real ships.

Non-STEM senior high school graduates who want to take up maritime education programs must enrol in a bridging program consisting of courses in physics, chemistry, disaster preparedness and management and biology.

Students take BS Marine Transportation and BS Marine Engineering in three years and go through shipboard training for one year as a requirement for graduation.

College of International Tourism and Hospitality Management The College of Tourism and Hotel and Restaurant Management will now be the College of International Hospitality and Tourism Management (CIHTM). The change in name comes with the revitalized programs of the College.

They are BS in Tourism Management and BS in Hospitality Management. The latter replaces BSHRM with two specializations: Culinary Arts and Cruise Management. They were not offered in CTHRM before.

Other than these, CIHTM will also implement the 36-unit mandatory General Education courses. New courses, particularly business-related, will be offered, too. This is due to the acceptance

of non-ABM students in the college.

The College has upgraded its existing hot and cold kitchens. The kitchen for Culinary Arts is deemed ready for the new courses.

For the Cruise Management program, CIHTM will coordinate with CME for shipping partnerships and other industry-based linkages.

CIHTM hopes to provide future graduates with competencies needed for the hospitality and tourism industries.

College of Engineering All the new courses in the engineering curricula are specialized inasmuch as the first year courses have already been taken in the senior high school program. However, students who did not finish in the STEM track in the senior high school will have to go through a Bridging Program. This means enroling in three units of Pre- and Basic Calculus for first semester, as well as another three units for Physics 1 and 2, lecture and laboratory, for the second semester.

To comply with the requirements of the new professional courses, the College bought a P 2.4M MATLAB Spreadsheet software. This all-around tool will be used for advance mathematics, differential equations, numerical solutions, discrete mathematics and the rest of the Electronics and Computer Engineering courses. The College has also upgraded its AutoCAD software to CAD version 2016.

College of Business and Accountancy

There will be new courses to suit the ever-changing needs of business professionals. But all other courses stay. Bachelor of Science in Business Administration Major in Human Resource Development Management will be renamed BSBA Major in Human Resource Management. An additional major, Internal Audit, will be offered in the College.

While Dean Paz Bobadilla is retiring this semester, she reported that the CBA faculty development program is in full swing to respond to the professional qualification needs of the programs offered.

Ten faculty members are currently enrolled in allied doctoral

MSEUF is the only school in Region IV-A Calabarzon that submitted its Monitoring Workbook online, an indicator that the College complied with CMO No. 37, Series of 2012 and ISA Memorandum Circular for outcomes-based education. Dean Guillermo Rago Jr. has been very strict in promoting outcomesbased education and submitting necessary requirements. As such, the college can easily provide a comprehensive curricula and compress each engineering program in four years.

The CMOs for the programs reduced the number of specializations to integrate courses in General Education, including six units of Filipino, for a balanced curriculum With diligent integration of major courses, the usual five-year engineering programs will now be offered in four years, including the summer terms. Correlation courses have also been enhanced to compensate for the shortened programs. Non-board programs like Computer and Industrial Engineering will also have enhanced integration courses to boost students’ skills and competencies.

and master’s programs and are expected to graduate by next school year as recipients of the CHED transition scholarship program in the K to 12 transition in various accredited and autonomous universities.

The College will also motivate, encourage and train students to apply for international and local certifications - Registered Marketing Professional (RMP), Registered Business Professional (RBP), and Certified Tax Technician (CTT) - to give them professional leverage and advantage in their professions.

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