Wired UP
november 2011
U.P. Newsletter 1
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University of the Philippines Community Newspaper V o l u m e X X xII
N u m b e r 11
Read UP Newsletter online at http://www.up.edu.ph/upnewsletter.php
Arbeen Acuña
Photo by Bong Arboleda
UP constituents challenge new chancellors Various sectors from Los Baños (UPLB), Manila (UPM) and Diliman (UPD) challenged the newly-selected chancellors of UP’s constituent universities last September 29 to institute changes in their respective units. UP Kilos Na, an alliance of students, faculty, staff and REPS of UP, reminded the new chancellors of the promises they made in their vision papers. The alliance also challenged the new administrators to issue a financial statement at the beginning of their term for the sake of financial transparency and to let the concerned sectors participate in choosing vice-chancellors, directors and other positions that affect their respective constituents. On the same day, the UP Board of Regents (BOR) approved the appointments of Dr. Manuel Agulto, Dr. Rex Victor Cruz and Dr. Rommel Espinosa as chancellors of UPM, UPLB and UP Visayas (UPV), respectively. Prior to the appointments, the All-UP Workers Union and the All-UP Academic Employees Union appealed to the BOR not to choose chancellors “whose track records are tainted with undemocratic practices.” The two unions also called on the BOR to
november 2 0 11
Diliman, Quezon City
2011 UP Scientists named, feted Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo
True models of credibility who have raised the bar for their peers. This was how UP President Alfredo Pascual described the UP Scientists for 2011. This year’s batch is composed of 30 members of the academic community who were deemed worthy of the rare distinction bestowed by UP under its Scientific Productivity System (SPS). The title and its annual monetary incentives of P120,000 for Scientist I, Photo by Jun Madrid
P144,000 for Scientist II and P180,000 for Scientist III are in effect for three years, after which the award may be renewed at the same or higher level, depending on the awardees’ performance. The SPS awards are given every year. Twenty-five were named Scientist I while three and two were named Scientist II and Scientist III, respectively. They were recognized last October 28 at Ang Bahay ng Alumni, UP Diliman. With regard to those named Scientist I, seven are from UP Diliman. They are Maria Corazon A. de Ungria of the DNA Analysis Laboratory; Prof. Rene P. Felix and Prof. Agnes T. Paras of the Institute of Mathematics; Prof. Alonzo A. Dr. Leonila F. Dans of UP Manila and Prof. Juan M. Pulhin of UP Los
Baños receive the rank of Scientist III during this year’s Scientific (Continued on page 4) Productivity System Awards.
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UPM went to Quezon Hall with streamers that read “No to Velasco’s Dynasty,” in reference to former UPLB Chancellor Luis Rey Velasco. Former Staff Regent Clodualdo Cabrera said that they hope the next chancellors would provide not “torturing and disabling” conditions for all sectors in UP as in UPLB, but a “nurturing and enabling” environment as in UP Diliman. During the program outside Quezon Hall, former regents, students and employees complained how harsh the then UPLB administration had been in dealing with criticism from its constituents. Former Faculty Regent Judy Taguiwalo shared how she and her fellow regents back then were confronted with notable cases of campus repression in UPLB, where student leaders were persecuted with trumpedup charges. She cited the case of former Student Regent Charisse Bernadine Bañez whose graduation has been withheld. Pura Beatriz Valle, chairperson of the UPLB University Student Council (UPLB USC), said that some of the controversial issues at UPLB include the suspension and red-baiting of student leaders, noncollection of student funds for the students’ official publication the UPLB Perspective, the large lecture class policy and the recent varsity team abolition. Valle said Cruz should live up to his mandate as the new UPLB Chancellor and serve his constituents. Cruz should investigate the controversy over the bollards (banga or jars which allegedly cost P3,000 each) scattered all over the campus and the (Continued on page 8)
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Kule turns 89, holds grand reunion
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Dating Pangulong SP Lopez, inalala ng mga kawani
Photo courtesy of DILC
Photo by Jun Madrid
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KIM Quilinguing
“A n d s o i n r e c o l l e c t i n g / yo u r epiphanies/you elude the void/which is my hunger/the famine of millions/the empty bowl of history.” These lines are in Ericson Acosta’s poem “And So Your Poetry Must,” published in the 1995 Literary Folio of the Philippine Collegian. When Acosta wrote the poem, he may not have foreseen that his words would later speak not only of the experience of others who have been taken away from their families and kept in detention, but also of his own. Acosta is among several members of the UP community who will be remembered as International Human Rights Day is celebrated on December 10. Since 1948, the United Nations has commemorated the date when the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was enacted. Accused by government troopers of illegal possession of firearms, Acosta is in the Calbayog City Provincial Jail. He was reportedly arrested in the presence of a barangay official last February 13 while conducting field research on communities in Western Samar. The arrest was made after soldiers found a netbook computer in his bag. The soldiers, however, also claimed that a grenade was found in his possession. Acosta reportedly saw the grenade only when he was turned over by the troopers to the police. Acosta’s case is not the first involving members of the UP community in 2010 and 2011. UP Diliman film student Maricon Montajes and her companions Ronilo Baes and Romiel Cañete, were arrested on June 3, 2010 while on an exposure and integration trip in Taysan, Batangas. Members of the Philippine Air Force’s 743rd Combat Squadron arrested Montajes and her companions on charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives, election gun ban violation and frustrated homicide. She remains incarcerated at the Batangas Provincial Jail in Batangas City. But while Acosta and Montajes can entertain visits from relatives, friends and supports, UP Baguio alumnus James Balao cannot. Balao was abducted as he was on his way home on September 17, 2008. According to news reports, he was reportedly dragged by five men into a Toyota Revo and at least one of the men pointed his assault rifle at the UP alumnus. Reports quoted the suspects as saying that Balao was a drug offender who was being taken to Camp
Some constituents from different UP units gather at Quezon Hall to register sentiments and challenge the new chancellors.
select chancellors who can unite their constituents in acknowledgement of President Alfredo Pascual’s vision of UP as a great university serving the people. While the BOR meeting was being held, workers and students of UPLB and
Human rights victims include UP constituents
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QC, Navotas to use UP’s computerized health info tracking system
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How UVLê makes life easier for the UP faculty