Newspaper May-June 2016

TRUTH BEYOND KNOWING

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MAY TO JUNE 2016

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT MEDIA CORPS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ST. LA SALLE V O L . 6 1 N O . 1 | M AY T O J U N E 2 0 1 6

NEWS Gloria and Pajarillo talk about progress and plans for the University.

Read on page 3

EDITORIAL Media is biased— and so are we. Read as we break the illusion of objectivity.

Revisit the Oasis: Heart of the Desert and relive its triumphs.

Read on page 2

Read on page 4

FEATURES The artist behind an intruiging take on the mundanity of labor depicted through plump characters.

UNIVERSITY Check out our new segment of brain teasers!

Read on page 7

Read on page 6 DIVERSITY. Senior High School students, together with other college students, pass through Solomon hall last June 23.

Photo by Jhon Aldrin M. Casinas

USLS opens Liceo De La Salle with 1,650 enrollees With its first year of the K-12 implementation, a total of 1,650 students are officially enrolled for the University of St. La Salle’s Liceo De La Salle.

Out of the three tracks, namely Academic, Arts & Design and Technical, Vocational & Livelihood Track (TVL) Liceo De La Salle has currently 36 sections for the Senior High School program.

Under the Academic track, the Science, Technology, Engineering

and Mathematics (STEM) Stand, Accountancy, Business and Management (ABM), and Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS) are the most populated with 18, 13 and 3 sections respectively while the Arts and Design Track and TVL have both one sections each.

“Liceo is basically the same with the Senior High program offerings [that others] are going to have, but what differs is the quality of instruction that we will be giving to the students who will choose to enroll here in Liceo,” said Joselito

Diaz, Director of Admissions & Scholarship Office.

Diaz also mentioned that he believes that Liceo de La Salle’s population will increase in the coming years adding, “I think the school will eventually have building constructions to accommodate more students. I think the school administration has plans for that already.”

In terms of faculty readiness, Liceo De La Salle Principal Mario Loredo says that the University had a retooling program for the teachers who will be deployed to the Senior

High School held last April 18-19 and May 31.

Loredo also added that the extracurricular activities of Liceo de La Salle will be different from the College departments.

“Actually we are preparing around 10 clubs for [Liceo]. This would include travel club, dance club, glee club, sports club, debate club, student government and school publication,” Loredo said.

Liceo De La Salle utilizes the Solomon Hall which is within the college department of the University.

Photo by Nichol Francis M. Anduyan

Maralit discusses TES completion and delays

LEFT TO RUST. Air conditioning units start to rust as the centralized air conditioning project is not yet fully functional.

By Starlene Joy B. Portillo

Vice Chancellor for Administration (VCA) Br. Pedro “Dindo” Maralit FSC confirmed the full-functionality of the Thermal Energy Storage (TES) air conditioning system and addressed a reason behind its delay in an interview last April 19.

“If the system does not break down easily, then it could last for up to 30 years—that’s the guarantee,” Maralit said.

He also relayed that in order to declare the TES system good for operation, the administration

and the Engineering Services had to perform a final commissioning which lasted from January 26 February 4 of this year.

“I arrived here (in USLS) last April 2015 and in a way, I inherited this three years-delayed project. It took us about nine months to analyze why it wasn’t running properly and got it figured out. By early February, we had it 100% functioning,” Maralit explained, adding based from his personal analysis that legal issues concerning a previous alumnus engineer he refused to name contributed to the delay in

the TES completion.

“Just so you know, I am a very blunt person—he (the engineer) is trying to make more money out of the school’s expense,” Maralit stated.

Consuming 40% less electricity and providing cooler temperature than normal air conditioning units, the TES system makes use of fan cool units (FCUs) that are connected to piping lines, making passage for evaporated cold water coming from ice stored in three tank chillers overnight.

Furthermore, it has motion sensors that enable the unit to automatically turn on within 10 seconds of detecting body temperature and turns off when a room is vacated, thus being an efficient cost-saver.

Most of the equipment used for the TES system were bought from Carrier Hawaii, a distributor and seller of air conditioning products and systems that has its own team of engineers helping out in the project as consultants, in accordance with Engineering Services Head Director Ronaldo Uy. “The Vice President from Carrier Hawaii personally came for the final commissioning and

we checked through the systems, discussing probable issues,” Maralit said.

Maralit claimed that the TES system is safe, seeing as it is not a high-powered machine and instead, uses low-voltage electricity.

Moreover, he stated that the completion of the TES installments in the Solomon (S), Cody (C) and Wester (W) buildings is only the first phase of a bigger project, which includes the TES system adaptation of the Mutien Marie (MM) and Benilde (B) buildings as well as the air conditioning of the university Coliseum.

Maralit expressed that although five more ice tanks can be accommodated, the expansion phases of the project might need “to take the backseat” because the administration is currently prioritizing the need for space and classrooms with the arrival of 1,650 Liceo de La Salle Senior High School students and the return of the College of Medicine back on the main campus.

“In the meantime, the remaining buildings will have to make do with the simpler air conditioning system,” he concluded.

Lasallians enter Top 10 in NLE Photos courtesy of The La Salle Yearbook

By Maria Angelica M. Ape with reports from Christiana Claudia G. Gancayco

*BREY

By Charlene Marie D. Lim

Two Lasallians emerged victorious after each nabbed places in the Top 10 of the Nurse Licensure Examination (NLE) last June 5-6.

Alyssa Marie Lobaton, garnering a grade of 85.40%, ranked eighth place, while Bryan Amiel Brey, who got 85, placed 10th.

The University of St. La Salle (USLS) garnered a 100% passing rate for first time takers, while the re-takers’ passing rate was 80%.

This amassed 96.30% as the overall passing rate for USLS. Both Brey and Lobaton were among the 6,183 out of 14,184 who passed the NLE granted by the Board of Nursing.

Lobaton recalls that she had a flu while taking the board exam and was rushed to the hospital on the first day of examinations.

“It doesn’t matter if you had a lot of awards, [were] at the top of the class or just the average,” said Lobaton. “Anyone can achieve their dreams. Everything you need is already inside of you. Just believe in yourself. You just have to know what you want, set a goal and plant that goal in your head.”

Former governor of the Nursing Student Government, Bryan Brey said that he aimed to be a topnotcher ever since, setting

Official Student Media Corps of the University of St. La Salle - USLS Student Activity Center, La Salle Ave., Bacolod City, Negros Occidental 6100 - May to June 2016

*LOBATON

high standards for himself and never doubting what their batch could do.

“I did not see this coming.

During and after the exam, I prayed only for a passing grade.

The exam was difficult because you can’t find everything in books. It’s more situational and realistic rather than ideal and bookish. I was very anxious during the 11-day period while waiting for the results. My friends even told me than I looked like a zombie during those times.

I couldn’t sleep because I kept on finding out that I got some wrong answers. But God is really good for giving me this blessing,” Brey expressed.

Brey also said that God made him realize that there is no shortcut to success.

“Compete with yourself. Your goal is to be better than what you were yesterday. Have [a] good support system: family, friends, girlfriend or boyfriend. They make things easier. They inspire you, motivate you and push you to your limits. Lastly, pray.

Surrender everything to Him. If you’ll surrender everything to Him, He’ll help you get through it,” Brey concluded.

Results were announced by the Professional Regulation Commission last June 17.

THESPECTRUM / NEWS

Lasallians ace ChE, Law bar exams

32 ICA graduates receive chef’s hats

Photo by Nichol Francis M. Anduyan

By Starlene Joy B. Portillo

CLASS PHOTO. Graduates of the Institute of Culinary Arts pose for a photo together with the University administration and guests.

By Lex Diwa P. Aloro

32 fresh graduates of the Institute for Culinary Arts (ICA) received their chef’s hats during the commencement ceremony held at the Santuario De La Salle last June 22.

President and Chancellor, Br. Manuel R. Pajarillo FSC and ICA Director Chef Richard A. Ynayan, conducted the awarding rites, giving chef’s hats to the graduates.

Guest speaker Simon Bewlay MBE, Chairman of the Board of Governors of the British School Manila, left the graduates with an advice, saying, “You are young.

You have a trait that millionaires would give up all their money for.

It’s youth. Don’t waste it.”

MAY TO JUNE 2016

Four Lasallian Chemical Engineering (ChE) and 10 Law graduates managed to make the cut of board passers for the 2016 Chemical Engineering Licensure Examination and the 2015 Philippine Bar Examination, respectively.

Administered by the Board of Chemical Engineering

in Manila and Cebu, the Chemical Engineer Licensure Examination was conducted last May 18-20, wherein Johnemma Mae Chuayana, Churese Marie Lopez, Keeshia Rose Nacion and Benedict Salazar were included among the 320 passers out of 499 exam takers, as announced by the Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC) last May 24.

This resulted to a 57.14%

passing rate in USLS out of a 64% passing rate in all universities nationwide.

Meanwhile, Jan Michael Arbolado, Julie Ann Bedrio, Issa Gayas, Narciso Javelosa III, Kathleen Anne King, Maycee Palencia, Rytchum Pranga, Maria Ana Zenaida Quibir - Magbiray, Jose Pio Seva and Chery Shiel Valenzuela comprised 50% of the Lasallian first-time exam takers who

By Charlene Marie D. Lim and Starlene Joy B. Portillo

Jean Rose I. Garcia, who was awarded with the Chef’s Achievement Award with Highest Honors, gave a heartfelt speech about her journey in ICA. In a later interview she said, “It’s been a great honor because studying culinary isn’t as easy as ABC. It isn’t just about cooking.

It’s all about your heart, in loving what you do. Cooking is a passion, not a job.”

The graduates pledged loyalty to their institute, led by the USLS Alumni President, Atty. Pacifico Maghari, III. The ceremony concluded with the graduates singing their Alma Mater Hymn and with a banquet served by the next batch of ICA students.

The College of Engineering Technology (CET) was declared as overall champion during this year’s Summer Splash held last May 6 at Bantug Lake Ranch with the theme: “Oasis: Heart of the Desert”.

“Oasis means hope. This year, we will be facing a transition year and one of our aims is for the student body to feel that something good is happening to them despite the challenges this transition year will bring,” said University Student Government (USG) President Kathlyn Tiu. Awards both major and minor that contributed to the success of CET include garnering the top spots in Live Act and Drum Beating, as well as ranking first runner-up for the Male Category and second runner-up for the Female Category of the Summer Hotties competition.

Meanwhile, the College of Business and Accountancy (CBA) placed first runner-up by winning over the Water Volleyball game,

USLS, ASOG hold local candidates’ forum

passed the bar exams administered by the Supreme Court of the Philippines last November 2015 at the University of Sto. Tomas, Manila.

The oathtaking ceremony for the Philippine Bar Examination passers was held last June 16 at the Philippine International Convention Center, Pasay City, whereas that of the ChE passers are yet to be announced by the PRC.

CET lords over Summer Splash 2016

Photo by Ma. Henna A. Pilla

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SUMMER FUN. CET Gov. Nila Mae Apares being carried by back-up dancers during a performance last Summer Splash.

Battle of the Bands and their Summer Hotties representatives coming in second runner-up in the Male Category and first runner-up in the Female Category.

With their triumph over the Boat Race, Deadheat and their Summer Hotties in the fourth runner-up in the Male Category and Champion in the Female Category, the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) ranked second runner-up.

The College of Education (CEd) was named third runner-up with their Special Award in CLAYGO (Clean As You Go) and their Summer Hotties getting awarded third runner-up in the Male Category and fourth runner-up in the Female Category.

Lastly, the College of Nursing (BSN) was declared fourth runner-up overall with their win on the Amazing Race challenge

and their Summer Hotties being the champion in the Male Category and third runner-up in the Female Category.

Tiu said that preparations such as weekly meetings, finding sponsors and concessionaires were made during the months of March and April, and that she was glad that they were blessed with more than they expected.

“Considering I’m part of the USG, my first experience with Summer Splash is very stressful because I have to work, unlike the students who get to enjoy [and] have fun with everything that we have organized,” Jiea Therese Sian, Undersecretary for Public Relations and CBA freshman stated.

“We thank you for enjoying the program and we hope that you yourselves could find your oasis despite us facing a year full of challenges. We would like to ensure you that USG could help by catering your needs, being your voice and by making you realize that we are all together in this. Together we are oasis,” Tiu expressed.

Photo by Nichol Francis M. Anduyan

NEWS FEATURE

(L-R) Jude Thaddeus Sayson, Archie Baribar, Carl Lopez.

By Eunice Dianne V. Tibay

Candidates running for Mayor and Congressman attended the 9th Local Candidates’ Forum held at the Santuario de La Salle last May 3, spearheaded by the Ateneo School of Government (ASOG) and in collaboration with the University of St. La Salle (USLS) and Balayan.

Over the course of the event, five key agenda, namely Pro-Poor Participatory Budgeting, Agriculture, Fisheries Development, & Agrarian Reform, Youth Empowerment, Political & Electoral Reforms, and sustaining and enhancing the Social Protection Program laid out by the organizer were discussed by the Mayoralty and Congressional candidates present in the forum.

However, according to ASOG Program Director, Joy Aceron, there were also five other key agendas, namely Anti-Corruption Effort, Health & Education, Urban Development, Peace Process, and Local Governance that were not included in the May 3 discussion.

When asked about the initiative behind the event, Aceron answered, “We think it’s important to involve the local candidates in the discussion [of] issues and agenda and we think local government is

very important in order to achieve inclusive development.”

“And our attention has been in the nationals so we want to shift the attention to local and facilitate [the] interaction between citizens and candidates on key issues and agenda,” she added.

Furthermore, she also stated that ASOG does not have a formal and official process wherein the local candidates can present their platform and the citizens can ask questions on the key issues and agenda.

In spite of the absence of Mayoralty candidate incumbent Congressman Evelio Bing Leonardia, and Congressional candidate Greg Gasataya, both of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC)-Grupo Progreso, the forum continued on with the presence of two of the three Mayoralty candidates namely Wilfredo David of the Independent Party and incumbent Mayor Monico Puentevella of Magbinuligay Kita Para Sa Kauswagan (MKK) Partido Bacolod.

In addition, four of the five Congressional candidates were also present, namely Atty.

Archie Baribar (Independent), Joel Enriquez (Independent), Mark Lopez (Liberal Party), and Thaddeus Sayson (MKK).

USLS-IS Educator Awarded as Most Inspiring Teacher

By Chad Martin Z. Natividad

Raffy Ballesteros, a Mathematics and Social Studies teacher in the University of St. La Salle Integrated School, is among those awarded as Most Inspiring Teacher of the Philippines.

Among the 28 teachers who were nominated for the award, 12 were named as Most Inspiring Teachers of the Philippines.

From the 12, only five received the award, and among them is Ballesteros, or better known as “Teacher Raffy”.

For 12 years, he has been an active member of the teaching ministry and has taught at both the elementary

*BALLESTEROS

and intermediate levels of the institution.

“I tried to look for the meaning of inspiration or inspiring in the dictionary just to even understand what the award is all about,” Teacher Raffy confided. “It simply says

there that when you inspire people, you have the capacity to move people. I think it’s more than just moving them, but it’s actually motivating them to actually follow the examples that you have set.”

“I cannot really state what made my life inspiring as a teacher. But I think it’s more of the things that I do for my students, the extra time I spend with them and the effort that I put into my job that has actually made this journey inspiring. One thing that I’d like to cite is the interview that I had with the judges. I’ve always pointed out how important education is, in order to get people out of the trap of poverty,” he added.

For him, a Lasallian teacher must be prayerful, committed, dedicated and compassionate.

“And I believe that teaching is not a profession, it’s more of a ministry and a vocation,” he explains. “You have to sacrifice. You really have to be selfless in order to attain the mission of St. John Baptist de La Salle and that is to teach minds, touch hearts, and transform lives.”

He also believes in the K-12 program and has taught teachers around the Philippines as far as K-12 is concerned.

“Yes, it would mean two more years of actually allowing these kids to go to school. But if those two years would make them work-ready, college-ready, and globally competitive, I think that two years is worth it, or will be worth it,” he said.

Summer Workshop 2016 Concludes

By Christiana Claudia G. Gancayco

The Artists’ HUB Summer Workshop 2016 held its culminating ceremony at the Mutien Marie Auditorium A last May 14 where its participants showcased their skills and learnings over the Summer.

For five years now, the Artists’ HUB has been a conducting a Summer Workshop for aspiring artists and those who seek to achieve artistic excellence.

“The Artists’ HUB,” explained Tanya Lopez, Workshop Director, “is committed to the development

of the artist and the holistic formation of the individual in line with the University of St La Salle’s commitment for person development as an integrated and holistic process of spiritual, social, intellectual and physical growth.”

The Workshop was open to everyone, Lasallian and nonLasallians alike, whose age range from 4- up to 60-years old.

The courses and tutorials offered vary from visual arts, music, dance, theater and literature/creative writing.

Some courses were categorized

to cater for specific age ranges.

For the Visual Arts category, basic painting and drawing and illustration were offered.

The outputs of the participants were showcased on the stairs leading up to the venue during the culminating program.

In the Music category, kids and teens flaunted their enhanced vocal skills they gained from the Voice workshop.

New courses such as Music Production and Song Writing were also launched in this year’s workshop.

Official Student Media Corps of the University of St. La Salle - USLS Student Activity Center, La Salle Ave., Bacolod City, Negros Occidental 6100 - Volume 61 Number 1

Participants of the Hiphop category also rendered their refined and mastered movements through a few dance numbers.

For theatrical skills, two new courses, Makeup for Stage & Film and Prosthetics, were launched, along with Movement and Voice for Stage.

Tutorials offered were Basic Piano, Jazz Piano Improvisations, Violin, Guitar and Drums.

In the Literature/Creative Writing category, Poetry for Self and Poetry as a Way of Seeing were also launched.

NEWS / THESPECTRUM NEWS FEATURE

Pajarillo, Gloria on Change

By Starlene Joy B. Portillo

Photos courtesy of The La Salle Yearbook

Br. Manuel Pajarillo FSC PhD and Mr. Hector Gloria Jr. live different lives.

Formerly taking up Bachelor of Science major in Biology at the University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD), Pajarillo transferred to De La Salle University (DLSU) during his second year, in pursuance of becoming a postulant for the Lasallian brothers in 1979. He started out as a teacher of Religion in the University of St. La Salle (USLS), ultimately becoming the Department Head and the Director of Campus Ministry (now known to us as the

Center for Lasallian Ministries) from 1986-1989. From 19992003, Pajarillo served DLSU as a professor and director, after which he was reassigned to De La Salle Lipa (DLSL). There, he sat as president for seven years.

Meanwhile, Gloria was a part-time instructor for Music Appreciation to sixth graders and a part-time college professor from 1996-1997. He then was relocated to DLSL as a Special Assistant of the President and was again transferred to De La Salle - College of St. Benilde (DLS-CSB) as the Center for External Linkages, Alumni and Development-Linkages Head and eventually handling the Office for Corporate Affairs and the Board

*PAJARILLO

*GLORIA

of Trustees.

Having just crossed their first-year lines in office as the University President & Chancellor and Vice Chancellor for Mission and Development (VCMD), respectively, Pajarillo and Gloria both had to deal with change. Pajarillo shared about his transition in work from something qualitative to something quantitative. “For the last four years before I came to USLS, my line of work was more focused on prayerful and reflective space. Now that I am back to school work, I am dealing with measurable and numerical things, leading by objectives.”

Gloria expressed that he had to deal with people’s perceptions.

“I have yet to prove myself, earn the respect of people and my credibility. And I don’t mind. In fact, I’d love to [prove myself].”

Gloria stated that he has been researching deeper into the VCMD’s programs and thinks that USLS can do more, especially for Bahay Pag-asa, a center for youth in conflict with the law and a project for the less-fortunate which is registered under the University. The structure, which he suspects is not visited by many, is falling apart. “I feel that we are not involved as much as we should be. I think we are weak on the mission and though it is no

one’s fault, I believe that it is something we could all work on.”

Meanwhile, Pajarillo revealed a promotion of the theme: “Tradition and Transition”.

The administration aims to continue producing students with proof of academic excellence by launching modular programs which include learning foreign languages that could be launched as early as the second semester.

“I absorb the enthusiasm of the young and what they are talking about. Through them I have learned about Yaya Dub and selfies. But I also learned what’s on their mind. I see their enthusiasm for excellence. And I’d like to push that forward.”

He ended by saying how he’d like the students to remember the presence of God in people and in the gifts we are endowed with.

Br. Manuel Pajarillo FSC PhD and Mr. Hector Gloria Jr. live different lives. But if there is one thing that links the two of them, it would be their evident resolve in trying to make the University be more than just an avenue for knowledge, but also a place to nurture the heart.

Lasallian student leaders take on LLTS 2016

By Chad Martin Z. Natividad

The Lasallian Leadership Training Seminar (LLTS) 2016 was held last May 21 to 23 at Granada EcoPark with the theme “De La Salle CEO: Leadership Principles of St. John Baptist De La Salle”, wherein student leaders from the University of St. Lasalle united for a three-days’ worth of rediscovery on the essence of a Lasallian student leader.

Prior to the event, the

student leaders were divided into several permanent groups.

A mixture of student leaders from across the various student councils, organizations and clubs of the University, with their own uniquely devised team names and yells, which would be hand in hand in tackling the different activities the seminar had to offer.

Throughout the seminar, notable guest speakers shared their knowledge and experiences on the different qualities of an effective leader. Among them

were Andre F. Tagamolila on Communication and Consultation, Sergio Villanueva on Governance, Angelo Cachero on Innovation, Br. Butch Sanchez Alcudia FSC on Inspiration and Compassion, and Mae Ann Montano on Leadership commitment. For each leadership quality taught, there were corresponding activities given to each group in order to practice and integrate those qualities, and after every activity, each group had the opportunity to “process” what

they have learned.

In between programs, the seminar was filled with self-assessment exercises and team building courses aimed at not only developing their leadership quality but also to make them grow as individuals. At the last day, student leaders wrote their own personal commitment for the upcoming school year and dropped it in a time capsule to be read by and to hopefully inspire the next set of LLTS participants.

ON-TOP inducts new officers for A.Y 2016-2017

By Eunice Diane V. Tibay

Academic Year (A.Y.) 2016-2017 came with a new set of officers for the Organization of Non-Teaching Office Personnel (ON-TOP) inducted at the Santuario de La Salle last May 30.

The newly-elected president of ON-TOP, Edward Dorsey Caratao, is also the Administrative Assistant for Student Activities.

“I think in general we just need to align our activities with the institutional vision and mission, and more or less continue the good works that was already set by the previous set of officers,” Caratao said. “At the same time, it’s more on the procedures [left to] make it

more effective and efficient.”

He also stated that one of the issues the organization has at this point is participation of the members and that it could be addressed in ways such as connecting with people, disseminating information, and making the organization’s activities relevant to its members.

“Like any other organization, involvement [and] awareness are keys to making the organization work for the entire group,” he added.

When asked about how it felt to be elected as the president of ON-TOP, Caratao answered, “It [felt surprising]. Generally, as I mentioned, it’s a challenge because

nobody really expected to be in the leadership capacity because we had our secret nomination and then [on] the second time, we elected.

There were several people who were also nominated in the position. In general, I feel it’s a new experience and a new challenge. So hopefully, with the guidance of the Lord, [I can do this].”

“I just hope and pray that everyone will find their purpose and at the same time, find relevance in the existence of the organization,” said Caratao. “And I hope that everyone can contribute in one way or another the big things or the little things to really help build the organization as it is today.”

The set of officers of ON-TOP

for A.Y 2016-2017 are as follows: President – Edward Dorsey Caratao, Vice President – Rolena Letran, Secretary – Aira Caceres, Assistant Secretary – Sheila Hinolan, Treasurer – Emie Cadampog, Assistant Treasurer – Aime Incienzo, Auditor – Vienna Gonzaga, Business Manager – Christine Miranda, Public Information Officer – Jennifer Pabalinas, Comelec – Harley Hojilla, Insititute of Electronic Engineers of the Philippines (ICEP) Coordinator – Maricel Sonoria.

For Sectoral Representatives: Administration – Jennifer Yulo, Integrated School – Cherry Ann Solas, and College – Rose Triño.

New Outlets for Tuition and Fees

By Daphne Tanya L. Molenaar

The Business Office has been accepting payments through different outlets aside from the Accounting Office, Registrar, Cody Hall and the Bookstore of the University this academic year.

It is now possible to pay

for school bills in different SM chains, M Lhuillier Bills Payment, Bank of the Philippine Islands through BPI Merchant and BPI Online and the Development Bank of the Philippines through UBP Online.

SM Bills Payment, The SM Store, SM Supermarket, and SM

Business Services are all outlets for paying tuition and other school fees.

Also, SM Savemore has branches that accept payments not only here in Bacolod City but also in nearby cities such as Talisay, Silay and Cadiz.

The different branch outlets are the following: Savemore

Market Fortune Towne, Savemore Market Talisay, Savemore Market Libertad, Hypermarket Cadiz, Savemore Market Silay, and Savemore Market East.

Tuition and Fees can also be paid using Debit and Credit Cards in any of the outlets mentioned.

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When literature and art collide

By Eunice Diane V. Tibay

Santermo is the idea of continuous and spontaneous burning of literary drive; a metaphor for the act of writing.

Palanca Awards Hall of Famer Dr. Elsa Coscolluella founded Santermo Writer’s Guild to gather writers from all over Bacolod and produce original works that could be used in other forms of art. Composed of mostly Lasallian Alumni, the group is based in the University of St. La Salle (USLS). The group went from plentiful to just a handful of members left, what with some retiring from the group or moving out of the city.

With only professionals as the current members, the University also required Santermo to recruit college students in order for the group to continue.

To address this, Santermo will have its first ever workshop to include interested Lasallian college students with an eye for literature in their group.

Santermo Director Jonathan Davila revealed in an interview plans such as having a literature folio showcasing the original works of the members of the group and having another workshop in the following year

if all goes well in the near future.

“In Santermo, we’re talking about literature really as a serious business so ours is more of a better taste in literature,” Davila said.

“We are not only for writing.

You write and we explore possibilities of performance because we believe that what you have written should also be seen as a performance. We’re open to any collaboration with any other artist,” he added.

Santermo’s objectives would be to promote Philippine Literature, to encourage the cross-discipline of art and the collaboration with other artists, and for senior writers to mentor younger writers.

Santermo will be having its workshop this coming July 2016 at the Theater Studio of the Arists’ HUB at the University.

The speakers will include Wanggo Gallaga and Rene Hinojales while the panelists would be Ismael Java, Jade Snow, and Jonathan Davila.

The group has also produced several original works that have been passed on to a theater group and then performed by them. Escritorio 1, 2, & 3 are examples of what the group has produced.

Balayan joins Brigada Eskwela ‘16

Photo by Nichol Francis M. Anduyan

MAY TO JUNE 2016

VOLUNTEERISM. Information Technology students paint the fences that surround the rooms of Doña Corazon Locsin Montilebano Elementary School last May 30.

By Maria Angelica M. Ape and Daphne Tanya M. Molenaar with reports from Christiana Claudia G. Gancayco

In lieu of the annual Brigada Eskwela, Balayan and Information Technology (IT) students participated in the cleaning of the school buildings and surroundings at Doña Corazon L. Montelibano Elementary School (DCLMES) last May 30 and June 3.

“The Brigada Eskwela is to help in the preparation of the public schools through cleaning the school and its facilities for the next academic year,” Ian Tabujara of Balayan said.

Tabujara explained that the Balayan involvement is for the students’ integration for a familiar involvement and confident relationship among the students, teachers and also the environment.

Among the volunteers were IT students, nursing students, and council members on the two-day clean-up and will also be visited by some classes during the first and second semester.

“We have to heighten our involvement in our very own barangay, Barangay Villamonte, as we need to have an impact on our community,” Tabujara emphasized.

Official Student Media Corps of the University of St. La Salle - USLS Student Activity Center, La Salle Ave., Bacolod City, Negros Occidental 6100 - May to June 2016

Meanwhile, Lea Malate, head of Brigada Eskwela Initiative at DCLMES, said that there were more people who helped for this year’s Brigada Eskwela compared to last year.

“Local government units, barangay officials, stakeholders which include the parentteacher association, parents, and establishments surrounding the school have been involved with the Brigada Eskwela through cleaning, gardening and donating materials,” she said.

Malate also added that the sanitation of the school was given extra attention so that students would not get sick easily or catch diseases.

“The drainage systems were cleaned up and so were the places where mosquitoes are most likely to dwell in to prevent possible mosquito infestations and we also started to put screens on all the windows of the classrooms,” Malate said.

Malate said that the target date for finishing the gardening, painting, and cleaning of the classrooms and the area around the school was set last June 11, two days before classes reopen, making the Brigada Eskwela 2016 successful.

4

THESPECTRUM / OPINION

MAY TO JUNE 2016

The Spectrum is Biased Media EDITORIAL

The recently-concluded elections had been a tense time for the media as it brought about serious divisiveness in the public discourse. People, whose own views they felt were not represented well, accused the mediaof being biased. They demanded full objectivity, a world imagined where journalists are mere purveyors of facts, mechanically churning out data unprocessed by human senses.

But objectivity is a myth that persists, clouding the expectations of readers. This thinking breeds an illusory function of media and journalism: to project one’s own views with. With this expectation, the public seeks what they want to see.

Objectivity is a wild claim and an even wilder dream to aspire to. Even the code of ethics for journalists has no single mention of the word “objective”. Instead, “truthfulness” and “accuracy” are the words that come close to it. And objectivity does not necessarily coincide with both. Instead, to believe in absolute objectivity promotes a worldview that is passive and uncritical, denying the fact that the way we frame our stories and reports are largely dictated by our own values.

The absence of objectivity entails the presence of bias. And bias, we argue, is not only inevitable but also necessary. And bias, a healthy amount of it, and with positive motivations, is not a sign of ineffectivity for practicing journalists. Instead, their courage is measured by the quality of their biases and the way they manage it.

The public’s apprehension toward media bias, however, is valid. Media bias can be counter-intuitive. It is for a fact that major news outlets, may it be in broadsheet, online or television, more than they are truth-tellers, are profit-making bodies. They are largely motivated by what sells and what goes viral. Their bias slants toward the marketable. This can cause them to sensationalize and omit news bites to garner clicks. This is where the problem of mishandled bias comes in.

As for The Spectrum, we are not shy of baring ourselves to reveal our biases or our loyalties to our chosen principles: decency, democracy, the rule of law, human dignity, and providing a voice for the voiceless and the students.

With that said, we do not exist to give people what they want to hear but what we think they need to know. And we do that through the guidance of our principles.

THESPECTRUM

F O U N D E D 1 9 5 6 www.facebook.com/thespectrumusls | thespectrum.usls@gmail.com VOLUME 61 NUMBER 1 | May to June 2016 Member Alliance of Lasallian Campus Journalists and Advisers and College Editors Guild of the Philippines

RJ Nichole L. Ledesma Editor-in-Chief Daphne Tanya L. Molenaar Associate Editor Robert H. Jerge III Managing Editor Andrea Nicole C. Farol External Affairs Director Newspaper Editor Christiana Claudia G. Gancayco Magazine Editor Lex Diwa P. Aloro Asst. Magazine Editor Katherine E. Co Online Editor David Willem L. Molenaar Asst. Online Editor Joshua Martin P. Guanco Literary Editor Chad Martin Z. Natividad Photos and Videos Editor Jhon Aldrin M. Casinas Asst. Photos and Videos Editor Margaret E. Yusay Layout and Graphics Editor Jowan Dave G. Guides Newspaper Writers Maria Angelica M. Ape Starlene Joy B. Portillo Magazine Writers Lyle John L. Balana Hezron G. Pios Online Writers Charlene Marie D. Lim Maria Angeline M. Mayor Ida Sarena M. Gabaya Filipino Writer Ma. Lore P. Prado Sports Writers Gian Von J. Caberte Stephine Paul M. Dungca

Illustrators Katrina Y. Nemenzo Karen D. Panganiban Seth V. Pullona Photojournalists Ma. Henna A. Pilla Nicci Bernelle P. Aguilar Nichol Francis T. Anduyan Videographer Neil Angelo F. Pelongco Layout and Graphics Artists Glen Jed J. Descutido Shara Mae L. Pelayo Editorial Assistant Keanu Joseph P. Rafil

Publication Moderator Jean Lee C. Patindol The Spectrum is the Official Student Media Corps of the University of St. La Salle. Its editorial office is located at the USLS Student Activity Center, La Salle Ave., Bacolod City, Negros Occidental 6100; it can be reached through the telephone number, (034) 432-1187 local 172 and e-mail address, thespectrum.usls@gmail.com.

All rights reserved. No part of The Spectrum may be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the Media Corps. All contributions become The Spectrum property and the Editor-in-Chief reserves the right to edit all articles for publication.

Cartoon by Karen D. Panganiban

A Gun is a Gun is a Gun Guns, with all its “practical” purposes and intentions for preserving safety, are a source of a sickness in my stomach whenever it is brought up as a lunch-hour topic or as decontextualized imagery in media. It persists even back when I was the only son and only boy of the family where I was expected to be drawn to its plastic, and therefore harmless, alternative for kids. All of my playmates had it with small, yellow pellets in them that hurled itself out by their will, a flick of a finger, to a chosen target: the wall, a live chicken, an unsuspecting peer.

I was afraid of it not for its quality of brash and blunt masculinity, me being an effeminate boy drawn to, in its heteronormative sense of the word, “effeminate” things. Not even for the reason that I was a boy who would, not too soon enough, discover his own homosexuality. I hated it for how it represented all that I am against— but I’m getting ahead of myself here. Let me first dismantle the word ‘gun’.

Gunn and Hildre, both Scandinavian in origin, are words pertaining to war. In its etymology, its essence of violence and conflict is already visibly embedded. And if we further beat the word to its pulp, an inescapable fact surfaces: it was made to kill and harm. It was built to pierce through skin. The toy gun, much to my relief, however, cannot. But this doesn’t lessen my fear or distaste for it.

The gun, with its long and imposing shaft, to my young mind, has become not just a tool for violence but a symbol for hatred. When a young boy directs a gun at you, he already knows that you are

Metaphor-Play RJ Nichole L. Ledesma rjnicholeledesma@gmail.com

And the gun, not anymore just taking its literal form, but its symbolic and farreaching form. at his mercy. He is learning to direct power against someone. That boy is learning that it is so easy to hurt. That it so easy to harm who you hate.

Playing with toy guns, as a young child, was beyond what I could muster because more than just being mere recreation, it is fiddling a tool of hate in my fingertips.

When our President-elect tells the media he will undoubtedly shoot, point-blank, a criminal himself using a gun, it is not him, nor his gun, nor his bluntness I fear. It is the problematic brand of machismo he is spreading and tolerating through his words and actions that I am most afraid of. And the gun, not anymore just taking its literal form, but its symbolic and far-reaching form. Now, let

me dismantle the word ‘gun’ as metaphor.

When we look at a gun, we also consider it as a phallic symbol. The gun has long been associated with powerful masculinity as enforced by history and media representation. Powerful male figures, historical or fictive, always held with them their guns to exhibit not only confidence and intimidation, but also a veil of invincibility.

The gun, as an extension of their identities, helps them play god.

Like the young boy playing the pellet gun, men who learn these realize that it is so easy to harm and hurt whom you hate. That it is so easy, with the powers vested upon them by their gun, both in its literal and symbolic sense, in combination with the privileges of their heterosexuality, to hold people at their mercy.

So when the President-elect, projecting this brand of machismo to his supporters, blames his biological set-up as an excuse to catcall a woman, it is still giving into the belief that the phallus is superior. That being a man entitles one to affirm a woman’s worth. The President-elect may not have a literal gun on his pocket, but its symbolic form, the towering intimations of the phallus, is at work.

The problem of the gun is not anymore just a political one. It is deeply personal. This is not adding to the cacophonous debate of whether guns kill people or people kill people. Instead, I argue that a gun is not just a gun. It has become to represent all that is terrifying and dangerous in this world we live in now.

‘Anti-LGBT’ Not Synonymous to ‘Anti-Human’ Anticipating a festive night, partygoers flocked Pulse, a gay nightclub at the heart of Orlando, Florida, without the slightest foreboding that the next few hours would leave in its wake the deadliest attack in the modern history of the United States since the 9/11 bombing.

Gunshots and bloodshed dawned before sunrise on Sunday morning, June 12 this year. The tragic incident amassed 49 corpses and at least 53 people injured during the attack.

Presumptions arose that the attack was yet another act of terrorism by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) community, since the 29-year-old mass murderer Omar Mateen declared himself as an ISIS sympathizer. In fact, investigations showed that during the assault, Mateen called 911 and pledged allegiance to ISIS. However, Cable News Network’s (CNN) international desk news editor Salma Abdelaziz, who had been closely monitoring ISIS messaging, observed that Mateen’s language was inconsistent with previous ISIS messages. Meanwhile, another speculation said that the attack was fueled by hate and pure homophobia.

A few months back, Omar purportedly saw two males kissing in public near women and children to which he seemed repulsed and enraged. Mateen’s father, Seddique Mir, said that the incident may have triggered his son into hysteria.

But wait, that is not what I am writing about.

Apparently, just when it seemed that nothing could be worse than what transpired, I was proven wrong.

It turns out that the horror did not end when the police gunned down the shooter.

Not too long after the attack, unbelievable (for me, at least) reactions surfaced on the Internet. Some netizens appeared to be gleeful about the attack, applauding the massacre. There were those who were angry— angry because “only 49” got killed. There

Claudiaphrodite Christiana Claudia G. Gancayco christianacg@yahoo.com.ph

Tell me, if you touch a finger on those surfaces and examine it closely, would you be able to tell if the blood came from girl or a lesbian? was even a priest in Sacramento who praised the shooting during his sermon, saying, “The tragedy is [that] more of them didn’t die. […] I’m kind of upset he didn’t finish the job!” And despite the backlash he received for his remarks, he stood his ground, unwavering. “All I’m saying is that when people die who deserve to die, it’s not a tragedy,” he said in defense.

Comments such as “I’m so happy someone started shooting perverts instead of innocent people,” “that’s what you call effective shooting,” “the only good thing about the Orlando shooting is that it was [in] a gay club,” “less gays in the world,” “nothing wrong with shooting a few gays” and so forth left me appalled. I ran my eyes over the words again to see if I read them correctly. Sadly, I did.

I wondered what made them say that. I wondered what caused them to be so bigoted.

How did the walls of divide between us become so sturdy and indestructible? What has been the root of such monstrosity in humanity?

A pair of tennis shoes someone wore during

the fateful night is soaked with blood. The walls and dance floor of Pulse are splattered with traces of carnage. In the bathroom, mirrors are painted red.

Tell me, if you touch a finger on those surfaces and examine it closely, would you be able to tell if the blood came from girl or a lesbian? If you lean a few inches more, would you decipher if which drop of blood was that of a gay’s, a guy’s or a gal’s?

Being a respecter of democracy I acknowledge the people’s right to free speech. I respect their right not to support the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community. But, even more, I am also a respecter of human life. With that said, I have don’t have even an ounce of tolerance for such bigotry and harassment!

I am not writing this to advocate for LGBTs. Nor would I disclose whether or not I am pro- or antiLGBT, because, once again, that shouldn’t be the focal point in this issue. Rather, we should simply ask if we are respecters of life, of one and each other.

In an ideal world I should not be bothered by those questions, because they would not— and should not— have mattered. All that should be considered is whether or not they were people. When you take away human life, you take away human life.

There is no justification for that.

And, by the way, for our kind information, the victims during the attack weren’t all LGBTs. There was a mother who was there to simply have a good time with his son— just a mother-and-son bonding time that somehow ended up with her shielding her son’s body from the bullets with her own. She survived cancer twice— only to meet her end like this.

What specie is worse than the kind that glorifies the death of an individual merely because of a dislike in gender preference?

To the shooter and those who applauded the attack, please bear in mind that the truth is not confined within the aspect of gender alone.

Official Student Media Corps of the University of St. La Salle - USLS Student Activity Center, La Salle Ave., Bacolod City, Negros Occidental 6100 - Volume 61 Number 1

OPINION / THESPECTRUM

MAY TO JUNE 2016

5

To be or not to be: Juan in a World Full of Pedros

Marcos on a Weighing Scale

us, it’s not a surprise for us to dream of saving the day.

And apparently, Juan de la Cruz has the chance to be one now, thanks to its incoming president.

President-elect Rodrigo Duterte’s promise to purge the country of criminals, especially those dealing drugs, after six months of the beginning of his administration has been one of the main factors that made the public crazy for him. Known for the infamous Davao Death Squad (which his camp denies but he has repeatedly hinted himself), Duterte plans to bring the terror to criminals nationwide.

This time, he encourages the common Filipino to be vigilantes, placing a bounty on the heads of alleged drug dealers. Last May 31, he promised up to three million pesos for every “drug lord,” two million for distributors, one million for “syndicate members,” and 50,000 for “ordinary” drug peddlers.

Since his election, summary executions (an execution in which a person is accused of a crime and immediately killed without benefit of a full and fair trial) have occurred all over the country. On May 19, vigilantes executed an alleged drug pusher in Bulacan province.

On May 25, five motorcycle-riding gunmen shot dead three alleged petty thieves in Davao City. The police aren’t behind with their kills either. On May 26, Bulacan cops killed four alleged drug dealers in a gun battle in the town of Norzagaray.

Perhaps yes, summary execution is effective in lowering the criminal rates as shown in

Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. told reporters on the 10th of June that the remains of his infamous father will most likely be buried in the Libingan ng mga Bayani (LNMB) in September, the same month the late president declared Martial Law 44 years ago.

The same month the dictator, who became one the moment he removed all power from the previous executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government, was ousted out of service by the Filipino people only to possibly watch him be buried as a hero 44 years later.

The Martial Law he promulgated suppressed the freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of assembly. People were imprisoned without Redumbdant any chance to defend themselves and many others simply Daphne Tanya L. Molenaar disappeared. Not to daphne_tanya@live.com mention the lavish corruption and crony capitalism, which benefitted a few Give Marcos the plot while the rest were and build him a grand struggling, and turned mausoleum. Would you the Philippines from the second richest expect those who are nation in Asia to the opposing it to finally acknowledged “sick find “peace”? man of Asia.”

But there won’t be any peso or dollar signs here, of how much he stole and what he did with what, or how many of this did they have then and how much they still have now. No. Let this be about legality. What are the rules, anyway?

How about we cross out his notorious corruption (even if the court has already ruled out that their wealth is ill-gotten) and then let’s just say he’s a president who served the country for 21 years, ruled as dictator under Martial Law from 1972 until 1981, and then got forcibly removed from office by a people power revolution because of the atrocities the country and most of its people were facing at that time.

That’s the simplest way to put it. So is he qualified for a hero’s burial?

Actually, yes, he is.

Colonel Benjamin Hao, Army spokesman of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), said that remains of the following deceased persons are “qualified, and therefore authorized, to be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani: a.) Medal of Valor Awardees; b.) Presidents or Commander-in-Chief, AFP; c.) Secretaries of National Defense; d.)

AFP Chiefs of Staff; e.) Generals/Flag Officers of the AFP…” Marcos is qualified because he was President and Commanderin-Chief of the Armed Forces. He doesn’t even have to be a soldier, as mentioned by President-Elect Rodrigo Duterte, to be allowed a burial in the LNMB. But as there are qualifications, there are also disqualifications.

The same AFP regulation also “prescribes who are not qualified to be interred in LNMB” and these are “personnel who were dishonorably separated/ reverted/ discharged from the service and personnel who were convicted by final judgment of an offense involving moral turpitude.”

And he was, in fact, dishonorably discharged and even exiled, when the Filipino people marched in the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue Revolution in for the atrocities the country was facing at that time under his term, the longest in Philippine history.

He is qualified and then disqualified.

But then again, the President of the Philippines has the biggest say.

“The issue on the burial of President Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani has long created divisions among our people,” Duterte said last May when he said he will allow the burial.

He told reporters that it was time for the country to “move on” from the Marcos Burial after the PiliPinas Debates 2016 at the University of the Philippines Cebu.

Okay, basically, take one side and ignore the other, is that it? To take away the divisions by choosing one and asking the others to move on? As if listening to the wishes of some Filipinos will bring healing to all Filipinos, right?

Give Marcos the plot and build him a grand mausoleum. Would you expect those who are opposing it to finally find “peace”? Maybe, if they spit and step on his grave, set in on fire, set the entire LNMB on fire, anything that would bring peace to the Filipinos who fought against this man when he was alive and even until now, 27 years after his death.

He is dead but more alive than ever too.

We are also still democratic --- that’s what was fought for in the first place. The entire people power revolution was literally for that, a government by the people with the rule of the majority. Shouldn’t we remember that? Shouldn’t we remember that we can still put pressure on the weighing scale for the final resting place of the late president?

We do, and we can help those who forgot by finding and giving all sides, especially all sides, then let the people decide. Again.

Jargonaut Andrea Nicole C. Farol andreanicolefarol@gmail.com

Does the life of a criminal mean less than that of a potential victim? Does vigilance equal heroism?

It is a fairly warm summer night. The sky is just beginning to lose its sunset hues. In an abandoned warehouse hidden by tall talahibs and long stretches of sugarcane fields, a man is on his knees awaiting his fate. It has only been weeks when he has bailed out of jail from a drug case.

He was finally free – until now. He cries. This man is Pedro.

Poised with a gun on his head is Juan, urged by his companions. He is your day-to-day normal guy. But one day, Juan and some friends decide to be of use to their nation. He pulls the trigger.

Pedro is a “criminal”. He is a statistic. He is needed to be taken down.

Juan is a hero.

Generation after generation, kids (and kids at heart) continue to fancy the thought of obtaining superpowers. After all, with the amount of superhero shows and paraphernalia surrounding

Davao City (where the highest rate of murders in the form of summary executions is listed) which has a crime index of 28.24 and a safety level of 71.79. But on the other hand, summary execution violates the human right to due process. There is a possibility that innocent civilians are framed.

But what is really alarming is the violence that this vigilance inspires. Recently, a United Nation rights expert called Duterte’s recent remarks as “irresponsible in the extreme, and unbecoming of any leader”.

Added to this is Duterte’s statement on his lack of concern for journalists. We are already the second most dangerous country for journalists and we are not even in civil war. His justification that it is “okay” to kill corrupt journalists further endangers media practitioners as this can translate as an excuse and “permission” for criminals to kill journalists.

With the looming new administration, we are faced with the questions: Do we choose peace over justice? Do we (as Cersei Lannister did) choose violence? Does the life of a criminal mean less than that of a potential victim? Does vigilance equal heroism?

I do hope the answer is “no”.

Good intentions turn bad with the way of its approach. Our country already has enough unrest. We don’t need our new leader instigating violence in the public. I guess the decades of corruption has filled us with hopelessness, but it doesn’t mean we let ourselves turn to ruthlessness to incite fear and discipline in the country.

We don’t need a hundred Pedros killed for the glory and peace of a Juan.

Trump or Not To Trump?

Walls? Deportation? Immigration restrictions? Is this guy serious?

Donald Trump is a multinational businessman, television personality, and current Grand Old Party (GOP), or the Republican Party, front-runner. Since his initial announcement to run for office back in June of last year, he has added more controversial and extreme strategies to the US Presidential Race.

Calling for huge reforms in foreign policies to include the construction of a “great wall” along the American-Mexican border (and make Mexico pay for it), a “total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States”, and implementing stricter immigration policies.

These sound like great ideas; prevent illegal immigration through border screenings, and guaranteed border security (it’s a hundred-foot hypothetical wall for crying out loud). It prevents American jobs from being ‘stolen’ by illegals, provides Americans with local employment options and lessens taxes by deporting those on anchor-baby benefits. Trump’s proposal to prevent Muslims from entering the US was initiated by the Syrian refugee migration in Europe and the fear that some refugees may be ISIS members, or are associated with ISIS. This would help strengthen national security and lessen the risk of ISIS attacks within the United States.

Many of us have or know someone whose family members work abroad in countries in the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and most commonly, the United States. If you are Muslim, Trump’s

Anony-mouse Robert H. Jerge III rhjjerge@yahoo.com

People would immigrate to America to be free, to live how they feel they should, without discrimination. policies would most definitely prevent you from entering the country no matter the reason.

One of Trump’s many controversial policies involves the H-1B visa. This is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations. A President Trump would also make it difficult for Filipinos to get jobs in America by forcing companies to hiring domestically. This puts any job-seeking immigrant on the bench no matter how qualified they may be.

There are scores of people who view his policies as racist; So why are people backing him? An interview made by The Telegraph during the Trump Rally in Virginia suggests that his support is driven by his ability to speak his mind without fear, thus giving supporters

the impression that he has strength and that he “will make the changes that we need”. Trump also has a grasp on the majority of Americans, his main demographic consisting of middle class, middle aged Caucasian males who have yet to attain a formal education beyond high school. His slogan “Make America Great Again” implies that the country isn’t the splendorous land that it used to be, and that his reforms would make America great again.

America was once, and still is, the melting pot of cultures. When people think of an “American” they subconsciously picture a tall Caucasian person, but an American in true context is pretty much anyone living on American soil. People would immigrate to America to be free, to live how they feel they should, without discrimination. Trump and the people he has rallied to his side do not embody this America.

They support a man who claims that they “have no choice” but prevent Muslims from entering the United States. In a later statement, Trump says that he will “defend you from profiling”, but his reform on immigration says otherwise. Sure, Trump supporters say it’s entirely hate that fuels him and it may be in the country’s best interest, but do they really want to back a man who bans a group of people from an entire country just because of the religion they practice? The pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock in 1620 to live where they could practice their own religion without the government persecuting them. That is what built America, people coming from all over the globe to live how they feel they should live.

Villians are Villians Brock Turner of Stanford University sexually assaulted a 23-year-old woman. The assailant was sentenced to six months in prison by Santa Clara Superior Court judge, Aaron Persky, saying that he believes Turner’s side of the story. Persky also added that a longer prison sentence would have “a severe impact” on Turner.

Turner’s parents also sent letters to Judge Persky, pleading him to have more consideration on the part of their child. His mother, Carleen Turner, wrote about how good Brock was as a child and how his future is now deteriorating because of this case. She asked for sympathy not just from the judge but also from everyone.

Rape is one of those crimes that are heinous enough to earn the assailant a one-way trip to the last mile. But as the years flew by, punishment for this crime has become more passive. Which begs the question: Why are some rapists getting let off the hook with nothing more than a brief jail time and some public service?

We’ve watched movies and read books

where antagonists are later revealed to be good. Loki ends up helping his brother, Thor; Snape protects Harry; and Hannibal Lector helps Agent Starling catch the serial killer. These things make us stop and analyze if these bad guys are actually bad.

But over the years, we seem to have left out the analyzing part and just assume that these bad guys have tragic backstories and motives that can justify them.

People tend to romanticize everything in our world today. Murder can be passed off as a crime of passion. Suicide can be beautiful.

Rape can be poetic. And somewhere along those idealisms, we also go out of logic’s way to justify the reasons and people behind those crimes. Unconsciously, we drift away from our human instinct and compassion as we root for the antagonists. But check for the facts. Some antagonists are nothing but antagonists, and rapists are the worst of them. There is no such thing as a justified rapist. There are little to no redeeming qualities about them. And even if there are, those qualities will not justify what they have

Never Yawn Lex Diwa P. Aloro dngaloro4@gmail.com

You can be a millionaire, a celebrity or an Olympicbound swimmer but you are still a rapist. done. You can be a millionaire, a celebrity or an Olympic-bound swimmer but you are still a rapist.

You cannot soil the reputation of another by stealing their worth and purity without tarnishing your own reputation. The raped lose a piece of themselves as they get assaulted.

Don’t you think it’s just fair the rapist loses something, too?

Official Student Media Corps of the University of St. La Salle - USLS Student Activity Center, La Salle Ave., Bacolod City, Negros Occidental 6100 - May to June 2016

THESPECTRUM / FEATURE BOOK REVIEW

Tell the Wolves I’m Home

By Christiana Claudia G. Gancayco

In her debut novel, American writer Carol Rifka Brunt takes on sensitive and controversial topics such as Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) concerns and actualities, and still managed to carefully revolve around the story in a wholesome and artistic manner.

And although it is her very first novel, the book (which initially started out as an award-winning short story) has received praises from acclaimed critics and the likes of The Wall Street Journal, Publisher’s Weekly, Goodreads Choice Awards, The A.V. Club, O: The Oprah Magazine and the ALA Alex Award (2013).

Tell the Wolves I’m Home is a coming-of-age novel about an aloof and introverted young girl, June Elbus, who is intimately and avidly close to her maternal uncle Finn Weiss, a renowned painter and a gay.

June’s emotional quest begins when the news was broken to her that the days of her favorite uncle Finn were already numbered. Worse, the cause was something her mom wasn’t willing to speak about and even more, her estranged sister Greta (whom she was once very close with) kept her in the dark and enjoys watching her grope around.

Though the story contains only a handful of characters, Brunt skillfully weaves the story by filling each character with interesting temperaments so as to let quality rule over quantity.

During Finn’s last days, he requested to paint his nieces for the first and final time. One of

the many gripping parts of the story is when June and Greta used the painting to tell the other what they couldn’t say in person, through the details they add on to the painting. It becomes even more sentimental when their mom, Finn’s sister, who has long severed her ties with anything artistic, finally picked up the brush and added intricacy to Finn’s final masterpiece.

June embarks on a whole new journey she never thought she had the capacity to dare when she learns more about the strange man lingering around during her uncle’s funeral and why he was doing so. Her journey takes on an unexpected twist when she begins to connect the dots and gather the courage to follow her instincts.

Will the secrets she is about to unlock pacify her questions?

Or will it bring her tons more?

It takes a great deal of talent to be able to take on a tough subject and present it gently and beautifully— and that is what Brunt did in Tell the Wolves I’m Home.

MOVIE REVIEW

The Conjuring 2

By Maria Angelica M. Ape

Scary nuns, creepy nursery rhymes, objects moving on their own, things appearing in the mirror and spirits leaving marks on people– all packaged into a 2-hour film. Not to mention, a pair of dentures.

The Conjuring 2 was said to be one of James Wan’s “ultimate” films taking on a true story of the real life Enfield England’s popular poltergeist case.

The film opens with the scene from the legendary Amityville case in the United States where the infamous ghostbusters Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine (Vera Farmiga) Warren also investigated.

Lorraine, able to communicate with supernatural beings, was trying to confirm whether or not the case was purely demonic or not. Lorraine also sees a demonic nun who has recurring appearances throughout the film.

After the Amityville prologue, the film then jumps to Enfield, England where the Hodgson family are introduced. One of the children, Janet, played by Madison Wolfe, starts to suffer from sleepwalking and after a while starts talking to someone who is later found out to be an old man called Bill Wilkins (Bob Adrian).

The Hodgson family now believes that their house was possessed, then they starting seeking for help. The media frenzy reached the U.S., making the Warrens fly out to England to confirm whether the case was a hoax or not.

Although Wan and his team creatively avoided the typical jump scares, they still managed to make the audience shake every now and then. Cinematographer Don Burgess executes the scenes of what-could-have-been clichés in other horror films. The characters, thankfully, aren’t stupid enough like the clichés as they ran to seek help when they witnessed supernatural happenings in their home.

The film also made wellloved (and family friendly) Christmas songs and church hymns unsettling, incorporating it into the movie. Even Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling In Love” was played in the film.

Rarely do sequels outdo first films, but horror fanatics would not be disappointed in “The Conjuring 2.”

MAY TO JUNE 2016

Sabak sa Pagtungo sa Kinagisnan Ni Ma.Lore P. Prado at Hezron G. Pios

Nakasanayang lengguwahe, ano nga ba ang pinagmulan? “Wow! It’s so pretty, saan mo nabili ‘yan?”

Nakaranas ka na ba na gamitin ang Ingles at Tagalog nang magkasabay?

Lingid sa ating kaalaman, minsa’y hindi na maiiging namamalayan ng ating mga dila ang pagkakahalohalo ng mga banyagang salita kumpara sa pambayan.

Kung ating susuriin ang mga salitang ibinibigkas, ating matutuklasan ang unti-unting pagiiba ng kulay ng bawat salita. Katulad ng mundong umiikot parang oras na hindi na maaari pang ibalik kailanman. Ang pagdiskubre sa tunay na dahilan ng ating wika ay mahihipo sa pagpatak ng tamang panahon.

Ang wika ay guhit ng ating mga pinagdaanan, sakripisyo at pasakit upang maipahayag ang hinanaing at opinyon ng isa’t isa. Nagsisilbi itong bituin sa ulap at araw-araw na nagsisimbolo ng ating pagiging malaya. Tulad ng kalapati na malawak ang nararating at sa oras ng pag-uwi siya’y ligtas na dadating dahil sa kanyang isip, alam niya ang daang pabalik.

Tayong mga Pilipino ay may sariling pagkakaiba dito sa mundo.

Ang ating yapak ay nakapasyang magtungo sa kinabukasan. Sa bawat pagbigkas, ating nalalasap ang sarisaring kasaysayang nananalaytay sa ating mga ugat. Patuloy pa rin itong

ginagamit sapagkat ang lahat ng mga iyon ay ang ating makabagong wika.

Ang kasaysayan ay naipapahayag sa maraming istilo. Sa ating mga mananakop na may itinurong kaalaman, natikman natin ang maging anino sa ibang bansa kung pag-uusapan lamang ang kaunlaran.

Sa pagtagal ng panahon, tayo’y may natutunan; ebolusyong umaapoy na nagsimulang umusok ng katotohanan tungkol sa pundasyon ng ating lihim na pagkatao.

Conyo—isang salitang nakatatak na sa halos lahat ng mga mamamayang Pilipino. Likas na sa atin ang paggamit ng Tagalog na may kasamang Ingles sa siglong ito.

Ang simpleng usapan ay nagagawang takpan ng Ingles, nagsasama-sama ang mga salita ating nalalama’t natututunan upang makabuo ng mga pangungusap na nais ipahayag.

Tinataya noong 1940s at 1950s, binansagan ang Ingles bilang pangalawang lenggwahe sa ating bansa. Ito ay minana natin sa mga Amerikano sa panahon ng kanilang pananakop na naiugnay na sa edukasyon natin sa kasalukuyan.

Ngayon, nabibigyan na tayo ng kalinawan sa ating salitang kinagisnan.

Ngunit, sapat na nga ba ito upang maunawaan ng lubusan?

Humigit kumulang na 300 taon na mula ng pagkasakop ng Pilipino sa kamay ng mga Espanyol. Nagmula sa kanila mismo ang salitang “Coño” na nangangahulugang maselang parte

ng babae. Marahil nakakamangha na isiping ito pala ang tunay na pinagmulan ng salitang ito ngunit walang tiyak na katunayan kung bakit ito ang ginamit na salitang ugat.

Sa isinulat ni Vega Boras na may titulong “Ang Patakarang Pangwika sa Pilipinas at mga Pagaaral” kaugnay nito, naisasaad dito ang pag-angat ng ating wika mula sa orihinal papunta sa oras na ito.

Kasabay ng bagong henerasyon, nagsimulang gumawa ang mga Pilipino ng sariling dayalekto, paulit-ulit na may halong pandayuhan. Karamihan sa mga Conyo ay nilalarawang maarte, pinagkakamalang mayaman at sosyal, dahil na rin sa kanilang tono. Sa layo na ng kanilang edad sa ating nakaraan, hindi na nila ikinagisnan ang pangunahing wika ng ating bansa. Lumalago ang wikang ito sa pamamagitan ng mga pangkat ng tao na may alam tungkol sa paggamit nito.

Sa paglaglag ng mga dahon mula sa puno, unti-unti tayong naaapektuhan sa paglipas ng taon.

Natatabunan ng mga makikinang na salita ang ating buong pagkatao.

Sa panahong ito, nasasanay tayo sa paggamit ng Taglish o Conyo.

Nalilimutan na natin ang ating wikang kinalakihan, ang lubosang minahal nating wika na ipinaglaban at isinagip mula sa mga dayuhan.

Ang malalaking kaibahan sa lipunan ay lalong naipapakita dahil sa

mga salitang ating ibinibigkas.

Sa isinulat ni Jasone Cenoz noong 1998 na “Beyond Bilingualism”, naisasaad dito ang espesyal na pagkakaiba sa kalidad ng wika na sa atin upang magbago at mamulat sa panibagong pananaw sa ating sariling wika.

Bukod tangi tayo sa iba’t-ibang larangan. Hindi man mapaliwanag kung bakit natin natuklasan ang ganitong pamamaraan, patunay pa rin ito na ang Filipino ay nagbabago’t patuloy na magbabago.

Sa pagdaan ng mga taon, bagong pamumukadkad ng mga salitang lumilipad mula sa ating mga bibig ang huhubog sa atin bilang modernong bunga ng henerasyon.

Ang ating wika ay importante.

Ito ang nagsisilbing koneksyon natin sa ibang tao; ito ang makulay na kahulugan na may katumbas na kaligayahan sa pagsulat ng saloobin.

Sa pagdaloy ng oras, ang ating mahiwagang aklat na tumutukoy sa ating likas na pangkasalukuyang lengguwahe ay nahaluan na ng mga panibagong bukabolaryo. Hindi man ito ang sinaunang gawain natin, ang mahalaga pa rin ay mayroon tayong natitirang alaala hinggil sa orihinal nating wika na nadiskubre ng ating mga ninuno. Ito ang nagsubok sa ating pagkakaisa at pagkakaintindihan upang mapatibay at magkaroon ng malawakang ugnayan sa bansang Pilipinas; mapa-Tagalog, Ingles, o kahit Conyo pa man ito.

NEWS FEATURE

A Focal Point on Plumpness

By Hezron Pios and Ida

people because they’re being productive,” he says.

Legaspi’s interest for productive people are incorporated in his artworks. Some of the paintings were scenes and portraits of the local community alongside figures inspired by real life Negrenses.

However, his art style mainly focuses on people coming from Bacolod. He admittedly narrates that he wanted to do something different,

thus gathering of dissimilar plus-size individuals.

On being an artist, his formal training began when he was twelve but was only accounted to a shortlived streak of oil painting classes.

Legaspi was heavily-inspired by memories of his personal experiences.

He recounts that in an early age, he would wake up and catch his mother at the kitchen decorating icing for her cakes. “That’s the realest thing that

I could say, images that actually happen at home,” he says.

Furthermore, he had no struggles in coming up with new possible creations, seeing that his training in advertising prepared him for the task of brainstorming for at least a hundred ideas per day.

He quickly shares that whether an idea is morbid, religious, antireligious or even political, he would not hesitate to paint them, acknowledging his freedom as an artist.

“There must be a communication between the artist, the artwork and the person appreciating it,” he says. He affirms that art must communicate and engage. It has to talk to you in ways that logic cannot comprehend. With that said, he will set off to expand his horizons and boundaries including Negrenses as his artistic choice of models and personal way of giving homage.

Garcia’s corner before the start of the sixth round to officially stop the contest and hand the win to Nietes as Garcia was unable to continue.

“Of course I am very happy because I was able to fulfill my promise to my countrymen,” said a jubilant Nietes. “In the first round, coach [Edmund Villamor] and I were looking whether I can handle

Garcia’s power” he added, per Rappler.com’s Ryan Songalia.

The win granted Nietes a 38-win, 1-loss, 4-draw record with 22 knockouts and a 12-year title reign; the longest in Philippine Boxing history.

“As Lasallians, we feel proud because at least in a way, however small, we were a part of Nietes

defending a world title,” said USLS Coliseum Event Supervisor Bobby Casim. “We in the Coliseum, are proud to have carried our [Lasallian] flag,” he ended.

The door to the flyweight division remains open to Nietes who has hinted a move up to 112 pounds as he has big-name fights in his mind.

the game.

James showed no plans of cooling down in Game 6 as he again scored 41 points to carry the Cavs from the edge of elimination to the verge of history. The team’s defense and hustle for the ball were enough to stop the Warriors and foul out Curry for the first time since 2013.

The series is now tied at 3-3—it comes down to Game 7, held in Oakland. The Warriors had home court advantage. Both teams showcased stellar man-toman defense. James orchestrated the plays as he always did and

Green led his team in points.

04:39 on the clock and game was tied at 89. Everyone was on their feet. Irving nailed a clutch three and the crowd recoiled into sighs of despair followed by silence. The score was 92-89, Tristan Thompson scored a free throw for the Cavs—93-89.

And suddenly, they were 6.5 seconds away from getting that trophy; one possession away from breaking what seems to be a curse in Cleveland. It’s the Warriors’ ball and the MVP has it in his hands. He attempted a threepointer but the Cavs defended it

successfully—the game’s over.

The buzzer was loud but the crowd, silent. His teammates jumping in joy, but the king dropped to his knees and wept.

The season was over but their reign as champions have just begun. He led the series in points, assists, rebounds, steals and blocks. But more importantly, he led his team to their first NBA championship. And he’s got all of Ohio behind him.

“This is why I came back!

Cleveland, this is for you!” James shouted to his home team, his home town.

Gabaya

The characters perform an assortment of activities. The characters, scattered among eight canvasses, were depictions of a cake designer dressed in polka dots, a butcher in a sleeveless shirt, an American griller, a proud-looking woodcutter, a sweaty mechanic, a buxom pastry baker, a man painting a red-haired Japanese female on a canvas. The characters only had one similarity: they are all physically plump.

Supporting the local art scene, Negros-based artist Raymond J. Legaspi showcased eight works for the opening exhibit titled “I’m Busy” at Museo Negrense de La Salle last June 17.

He is a graduate of Fine Arts Major in Advertising and took up Graphic Design in the United States.

“I like the concept of busy NIETES... from page 8

Round five was no different: Nietes eagerly exploited his advantages and responded to the southpaw Garcia’s jabs with stiff straights to the head, leaving him beaten and battered by the end of the round.

The referee was called to KING... from page 8

The injured King picked himself up, then rose and swallowed the opposing team whole for the next two games.

James and Irving each scored 41 points in Game 5. The Cavs’ defense and awareness of where the ball is brought the Warriors to frustration as they took advantage of Green’s and Andrew Bogut’s absence. The former was suspended for a flagrant foul in the previous game, and the latter got a left knee injury during the third quarter and was ruled out of

Photo by Jhon Aldrin M. Casinas

6

*LEGASPI

Official Student Media Corps of the University of St. La Salle - USLS Student Activity Center, La Salle Ave., Bacolod City, Negros Occidental 6100 - Volume 61 Number 1

UNIVERSITY / THESPECTRUM

MAY TO JUNE 2016

7

CROSSWORD PUZZLE #1 How well do you know La Salle?

Down 1. Founding Brother 3. Student media corps 5. Avenue 6. Notable Alumni; theatre

Across 2. Rah! 4. Number of La Salle Schools 7. After eating

8. Current Brother President 9. “Spirit“

SUDOKU #1

Prepared by Maria Angelica M. Ape Infographic by Katherine E. Co

‘Di na Pwede Bro!‘ by Keanu Joseph P. Rafil

COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

By Maria Angelica M. Ape

By Ma. Angeline M. Mayor

The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) finished 2nd place during this year’s Summer Splash titled Oasis: The Heart of the Desert.

CAS was hailed champion for the Beat the Time Boat Challenge, Dead Heat: Desert Dance-off, Governors’ Squad Showdown while placing 1st during the Drum Beating competition.

Fourth year Communication student and Mass Communication Society Ira Solidum was crowned as this year’s Summer Hottie, while Psychology major Vince Divinagracia placed 4th.

CAS Council 4th Year Level Batch Representative Martie Angelu Quebrar said that the respective college clubs are busy preparing for the annual club fair.

“One event for the CAS Council will be the Production number on July 1,” Quebrar said.

Meanwhile, CAS Governor Jan Conrad Cabales said that the CAS PalaCASan, the college’s annual sportsfest, would start during the first week of August and is one of the college’s main events for the first semester.

The College of Engineering and Technology emerged overall champion in this year’s Summer Splash with the theme OASIS: Heart of the Dessert held at Bantug Lake Ranch last May 6.

The Orange Tigers was first place in the Drumbeating and Live Art portions, first runners-up in the Governor’s Challenge Part I (Amazing Race) and Part II (Showdown), the Summer Hotties: Male Category, Water Volleyball, and Boat Race.

Meanwhile, the college was second runners-up in the Summer Hotties: Female Category and Amazing Race, third runner-up in Dessert Dance Off, and fourth runner-up in Battle of the Bands.

Last April, the CET council was active in bringing social and political awareness through their activity called Every Juan’s President wherein they distributed around Bacolod pamphlets containing the platforms of the five presidentiables and conducted an election survey wherein Mar Roxas topped with 38.85 percent ahead of Duterte.

“Part one of Every Juan’s President was spent giving out flyers containing the platforms of the five presidentiables, surveying people’s votes and their reasons [for voting a certain candidate]. In part two, again, we roamed around Bacolod, asking people certain questions like what problems do we need to address in the Philippines and, as citizens, what can they do to contribute for the betterment of the country and their message to the future president,” CET College Governor Nila Mae Apares said.

To help in maintaining a clean, healthy and conducive learning environment for students, the CET council also held an outreach program and took part in the annual Brigada Eskwela in Abkasa Elementary School which started last year.

According to the CET Governor, the said activity will make the students of Brigada Eskwela even more motivated in going to school and attentive in class, thus, would help improve the performance of the school’s students.

The CET council also held its second outreach program called E-teach last May 28 wherein they taught math and science related to engineering subjects to the students of Abkasa Elementary School in preparation for the opening of classes, as stated by CET Vice Governor Marty Yanson.

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ACCOUNTANCY

By Stephine Paul M. Dungca

The College of Business and Accountancy (CBA) started this school year with a bang after placing an overall second place during the Summersplash 2016 last May 6 held at Bantug Lake Ranch.

CBA bagged first place in the Battle of the Bands and Water Volleyball, second and third place for the Summer Hotties female and male categories, respectively, and third place for Dead Heat (Dance off), Governor’s Challenge, Boat Race and Drumbeating.

Furthermore, CBA volunteered in the Brigada Eskwela of eight elementary schools in Bacolod City last May 30 to June 4.

College governor Joshua Feliciano said, “Our summer activities are just samples of what our college can do this year.We will not only make champions, but we will produce champions for a cause who will live out their pusong lasalyano”.

Moreover, CBA, with the aim of strengthening their bond, conducted the Council and Clubs’ Teambuilding last June 4-6 at the Don Bosco Retreat House.

Last June 11, CBA had their Skwelanihan in collaboration with Icy Nonallada at Brgy. Malingin, Bago City and last June 13, they aided the students during the opening of classes through the CBA Help Desk “We know that it will be a long journey ahead, but we believe in the capabilities of our college. CBA Elevate!”

Feliciano said.

COLLEGE OF NURSING

By Charlene Marie D. Lim

This June, the College of Nursing (BSN) held a Brigada Eskwela at Domingo Lacson National High School (DLNHS) and Corazon Locsin Montelibano Elementary School (CLMES).

“Brigada Eskwela is our own little way of helping out in providing the students an environment conducive to learning. Through tasks such as painting chairs and sweeping the surroundings, we believe that we have helped the school in preparing the physical set up for the next school year,” NSG governor Danica Llamas said.

Additionally, the Nursing Student Council held a sponsorship mass last June 18 at the University chapel.

The following day, in celebration of Father’s Day, BSN took part in a blood-

pressure taking activity titled “Salute to Dad” held at Robinson’s Place Bacolod.

Last May 18, the college had a community outreach at Gawad Kalinga (GK) Dulao, Bago City.

“The purpose of our outreach at GK Dulao was to enlighten the people in the community and expand their knowledge regarding their health and safety. As nurses, our main priority is the health of the people. By conducting health teachings we were able to promote wellness as well as providing them with the knowledge of prevention,” Llamas concluded.

BSN bagged fourth place in this year’s Summer Splash themed “Oasis: Heart of the desert.”

Cedric Aragon, BSN’s Summer Hottie representative triumphed in the Summer Hotties pageant winning first place, while female representative, Isabel Bril prevailed as third placer.

The college also won in this year’s Amazing race during the Summer Splash.

“We’re trying our best with what resources we have to provide the best for our college in the upcoming activities,” John Aldwin Jamero, second year batch representative said.

BSN is now preparing a production number for the upcoming Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU) accreditation slated this July 1.

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

By Lex Diwa P. Aloro

College of Education (CEd) conducted various outreach programs including the Brigada Eskwela campaigns in different schools throughout Bacolod City.

On June 1 of this year, they held the program in Abkasa National High School, in St. Joseph School – La Salle on the following day and after that, in Luisa Medel National High School and Bata National High School.

CEd also partnered up with the Eagle Scouts of Bacolod to conduct a donation drive of school supplies to Isla Elementary School, with the program to a remote school in Cauayan.

During the Summer Splash, CEd finished third runner-up overall and snatched the championship trophy for the Governor’s Challenge with their newly elected college governor, Lyn Nicole Chua, a fourth year Physical Science major.

CEd also got first runner-up for three different events: Battle of the Bands, Dance Off, and The Amazing Race and placed second runner-up for Water Volleyball and Live Art and also managed to become a Clean As You Go (CLAYGO) awardee.

“I think it was okay because it was only the baptism of the fire,” says Chua. “I’m happy with the performance of CEd! Although we didn’t rank high on some contests, we did well on the others.”

Following the success of their programs in the past months, CEd plans to have more outreach drives, spearheaded by the college council. One notable program that is being organized for the upcoming month is the launching of the Eskwela sa Kalsada program.

Official Student Media Corps of the University of St. La Salle - USLS Student Activity Center, La Salle Ave., Bacolod City, Negros Occidental 6100 - May to June 2016

WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/THESPECTRUMUSLS

TRUTH BEYOND KNOWING

THESPECTRUM.USLS@GMAIL.COM

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MAY TO JUNE 2016

DURING TRY-OUTS. An aspirant warms-up by stretching in preparation for the Taekwando Varsity Team try-outs last June 24, at the Covered Court.

Photo by Nichol Francis T. Anduyan

Negros-born Nietes retains WBO title

By Gian Von J. Caberte

Negros Occidental native Donnie “Ahas” Nietes defended the World Boxing Organization (WBO) light flyweight title after a dominating show against Mexican boxer Raul “Rayito” Garcia whose corner was forced to concede after the fifth round at the University of St. La Salle Coliseum in their May 28 bout.

Nietes hoped to maintain an unbeaten streak that dates back to 2004 when he lost to Indonesian boxer Angky Angkota via split-decision, while Garcia aimed to avenge his twin brother, Ramon Garcia, whose loss to Nietes gave the Filipino fighter the WBO belt in 2010.

The hard-hitting southpaw from La Paz, Mexico was a genuine threat with his offensive arsenal, but his stance left him vulnerable to Nietes’ favored punch; a lethal right straight, which has sent its fair share of victims down to the canvas.

“It’s nice to be fighting back in Bacolod. I’m looking for a more convincing win this time around,” Nietes said during the fight buildup, per Business World Online’s Michael Angelo S. Murillo.

A cautious opening round gave the fighters enough time to analyze each other’s strategy and approach, and gave them the chance to test the waters especially because a fight between a left-handed fighter,

a southpaw, and a right-handed fighter, an orthodox, always promises fireworks as both are open to one another’s power punches.

The coin was flipped by the second round, however, as Nietes, whose orthodox stance also left holes in his defense, bobbed and weaved his way around Rayito’s punches, leaving the Mexican struggling as he fired away to no avail.

The third round saw Garcia choose a more defensive approach to the champion responded with a potent assault.

“I was looking for the right timing so within three or four rounds I got to him. I said to myself ‘I can knock him out,’” said Nietes, per Rappler.com’s Ryan Songalia.

He came close to that as he connected with a raging left hook to Garcia’s head 1 minute and 6 seconds into the round and sent the Mexican fighter stumbling. Nietes then quickly followed-up with a right uppercut to the mid-section and sent the Mexican down for the count; Garcia was up moments later, however.

Another Nietes onslaught which ended with another right uppercut to the body sent the challenger to the canvas 30 seconds later as Nietes dominated round three.

Nietes shifted his focus to dismantling Garcia from the body in the fourth round, throwing thunderous blows to the challenger’s mid-section.

NIETES/page 6

Facing bigger and taller opponents may mean immediate intimidation but this badminton rookie says, “Why be intimidated?

After all, we eat the same rice.”

BS Hospitality Management (HM) student Cristian Mark Diosano lives the bible story of David as he battles his Goliaths in the badminton court. Christian’s 5’3” stature may not be similar to those players towering six-feet tall but his humble composure won’t give you a hint on how he could smash the shuttlecock straight to the opponent’s court.

“My sport doesn’t necessarily need height and built to compete,” he says. “It requires agility, good reflexes, wits, teamwork (in doubles) and a strong smash.”

Like most athletes, Diosano started his sport career young.

However, he did not instantly choose the path he is walking on today. Cristian first played volleyball when he was in elementary in the Education and Training Center School-1

TIMEOUT Name: Cristian Mark Diosano Age: 18 years old Sports: Badminton Course: BSHM-1B

but then shifted to badminton as he moved to high school in Negros Occidental High School. Diosano then became the school’s pride as he represented Bacolod in the Provincial Meet during his third and fourth year.

During the second semester enrollment of 2015, Diosano transferred to the University of St. La Salle and joined the varsity team where he got the opportunity to

continue his badminton journey.

Through determination and hard work, he got the chance to compete in the Negros Occidental Private Schools Sports Cultural Education Association (NOPSSCEA).

“Being a first year varsity player, it feels like a huge responsibility and honor to represent the school in Badminton tournaments. But, of course, it means that I have to work twice as hard as before just to balance my academics,” said Diosano.

Amidst the limitations and inexperience of being a freshman, Diosano immediately soared as a Lasallian pride, finishing first runner-up during the NOPSSCEA. He then brought home bronze medals during the UNIGAMES and Sun Cellular Ming Ramon Badminton Tournament Visayas Leg. “Intimidation is possible during tournaments but I do my best not to think of it.” He adds, “We train with the same facilities, we practice with similar rackets and shuttlecocks and we work with standardized footwork.”

Diosano has also been a participant to a number of badminton tournaments, namely Dinagyang

Illustration by Jowan Dave G. Guides

By Jowan Dave G. Guides

A David and Goliath Story

By Stephine Paul M. Dungca

The King Put Wine and Gold on the Championship Board

Tournament, Guardian’s Tournament in Iloilo City and Monico Cup Masskara Tournament- adding to his bucket of experience as an athlete.

“Aside from being not that tall, being an HM student also tests me physically. It’s not easy to go to training with a drained energy from a four-hour kitchen laboratory class,” Diosano says.

He believes that his height is no excuse for him to bring nothing home for the university that has taught him so much already.

As a message to aspiring athletes like him, Diosano imparts that “physical limitations are not reasons for us not to excel. We may win and we may lose, but the most important part is that we learned to be better than ourselves yesterday. Thinking that my opponents and I eat the same rice boosts my confidence.

It makes me realize that intimidation should not be an obstacle in tightening my grip in waving the green flag of our school with honor and pride.”

“In Northeast Ohio, nothing is given. Everything is earned. You work for what you have”, LeBron James once said in an interview by Sports Illustrated on his return to Cleveland two years ago.

LeBron proved to the world why he is called “King James” by leading the Cleveland Cavaliers (Cavs) to a 93-89 win against the Golden State Warriors, who had the best record in National Basketball Association (NBA) regular season history (73 wins and 9 losses) in Game 7 of the NBA Finals last June 20. It was James’ sixth consecutive year in the Finals and where he was crowned his third Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP. James finished with 27 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds. He also gave the Cavs their first NBA Championship as a franchise.

And with the help of Kyrie Irving who scored 26 in the game and the remarkable energy of the role players, Cleveland overcame a 3-1 series deficit—the first in Finals history.

However, it wasn’t the usual story in the first two games despite the lopsided wins by the Golden

Official Student Media Corps of the University of St. La Salle - USLS Student Activity Center, La Salle Ave., Bacolod City, Negros Occidental 6100 - Volume 61 Number 1

State. The Splash Brothers had lackluster nights with Stephen Curry averaging 14.5 points, and Klay Thompson, 13 points for the two games. Shaun Livingston and Draymond Green however didn’t shy away from stepping in. Livingston scored 20 in Game 1 and Green put up versatile numbers, averaging 22 points, nine rebounds, six assists.

It was Cleveland’s turn for a blowout as they scored 120-90 on Game 3 led by James’ 32 points and 11 rebounds and Irving’s 30 points. The regular season’s Most Valuable Player Curry continued to struggle as he scored only 19 points.

The back-to-back MVP bounced back on Game 4. Curry found his long-range touch and man-handled the opposing team scoring 38 points including seven three pointers. The Warriors continued to set records as they scored 17 three-pointers, most in a finals game. James’ 25 points and 13 rebounds were nullified by his seven turnovers and the team’s zero field goal for half of the fourth quarter.

Suddenly, they were in death row.

KING/page 6