UP Newsletter October 2012

Pangalangan is Inquirer publisher

U.P.Newsletter

Written by Rosario A. Garcellano, Philippine Daily Inquirer

diliman, quezon city

UP, Comelec ink agreement to ensure ‘intelligent’ polls KIM Quilinguing

UP is mobilizing its resources for the upcoming national and local elections.

For the first time, UP signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) last October 23 at the Board Room, Quezon Hall, UP Diliman (UPD).

The MOA is UP’s commitment to a clean and intelligent exercise of the people’s right to suffrage in May 2013.

Under the agreement, UP units, colleges

and student groups to be involved in a various election-related activities like voter registration and education; holding of candidate fora; and even research on election-related issues such as polling and media analysis. Mobilizing its faculty, students and staff in 15 campuses nationwide, UP can help the COMELEC prepare and educate the citizenry about the significance of exercising their right to vote.

COMELEC Commissioner Rene Sarmiento and UP President Alfredo Pascual shake hands after exchanging copies of the MOA linking the two institutions in promoting clean and intelligent elections in May 2013.

Continued on page 16

UP Doctor World TOYP

Youngest Chief Justice to serve the longest

By

Continued on page 14

Continued on page 3 Sereno

Group calls for strategic policymaking on West Philippine Sea

Tetch Torres, INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—President Benigno Aquino III on Wednesday appointed government’s chief peace negotiator Marvic Leonen as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.

With his appointment, Leonen has become the youngest member of the high tribunal this century.

Leonen will be turning 50 on December Leonen 29.

Before Leonen, the youngest to be appointed Associate Justice of the Supreme Court was Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno. She was 50 when she joined the high court in 2010. Sereno was born in

Lawyer-academician Maria Lourdes P. A. Sereno was appointed on August 16, 2010 as the 169th Justice and on August 24, 2012 as the 24th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Born on July 2, 1960, she is the youngest to be so appointed to the SC in this century. She may also be one of the longest-serving ever, as she is to mandatorily retire in 2030 after serving a 20-year term.

Despite her family’s humble means, Chief Justice Sereno’s parents were able to nurture in her a passion for learning and personal excellence during her formative years. Her father, a native of Siasi, Sulu, and her mother, a public school teacher, saved what little money they had to buy secondhand books that she would eagerly read. Her appetite for literature and reflection served her well during her primary schooling and enabled her to graduate with honors at the Kamuning Elementary School and Quezon City High School. She was then awarded generous scholarships by the government

Continued on page 15

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UPV signs MOU for academic consortium on Iloilo watershed mgt

Aliw honors artists with lifetime achievement awards

Wired UP

Wider library access UP Manila faculty, students and staff can now access the UPM library resources and journals from outside the UPM network through VPN. Assistance is provided by the library on how to configure their computers (Windows, MacOs and Ubuntu) for this. For mobile devices, only Ipads and Iphones are currently supported. >page 5

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File Photo

In this c i t y, l a s t Tuesday, at the awarding ceremonies of the 2012 Salvaña Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World (TOYP) accorded by the Junior Chamber International (JCI), I became privy to the lives of 10 young men and women whose common advocacy is to effect change in the lives of others.

Photo from DOST’s Balik-Scientist Program

TAIPEI — The world does not run short of heroes.

The COMELEC, as part of the agreement, will also mobilize its offices to assist UP units in activities in pursuit of voter registration, education and information.

This will allow both COMELEC and UP units to work hand-in-hand at the provincial, city and district levels.

UP’s involvement with the COMELEC is anchored on its public service role in the UP Charter (Republic Act 9500) which mandates the university to harness its expertise to provide various forms of community, public and volunteer service, as well as scholarly and technical assistance to the government, private sector and civil society.

According to UP President Alfredo Pascual, the MOA institutionalizes what UP has been doing all these years through its faculty who serve as political analysts and the initiatives of individual colleges and student groups. UP’s contribution to the maturation of democracy in the country, added Pascual is the coordinated use of its experts, students, institutions, and social media to inform, generate debate, and empower the voters.

As the leading higher education institution, Pascual said that UP will employ the expertise of its academe and research units for the engagement with the country’s

Aquino appoints Leonen to SC

From the Supreme Court website

Excerpts from the column ‘New Beginnings’

by Bum D. Tenorio Jr., Philippine Star

INSIDE:

University of the Philippines Community Newspaper

Photo by Arlyn VCD P. Romualdo

In August, Inquirer columnist Raul C. Pangalangan wrote about a 35-second video taken by a motorist and posted on Facebook, of an episode under the EdsaTimog flyover i n w h i ch a young woman took off her coat, wrapped it around a street urchin, and then hurried on as Typhoon “Gener” raged.

Pangalangan The earlymorning episode gave Pangalangan pause.

The former dean of the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Law found the young woman’s act quite special in that it “seemed like one of those quiet acts of kindness—unrehearsed, unplanned, spontaneous and real, a moment solely between [her] and the child she was helping —to which we, the officious public, are at best a cheering squad and at worst kibitzers.”

Writing thus, Pangalangan, who assumes the post of Inquirer publisher Tuesday, appeared to show a side to him quite different from the man of law who would perhaps raise a quizzical eyebrow at, instead of (like the motorist who shot the video and many others who had viewed it) be touched by, “the magic of meeting kindness in the most unexpected places.”

Experts discuss pros and cons of cybercrime law

Shaping minds that shape the nation

Vol.xiii | no.10 | oct 2012

2 U.P. Newsletter

October 2012

UPD’s security officer supports CCTV installation Aksyon? Surveillance and Security in the University” also had UPD Vice-Chancellor for Community Affairs Melania AbadFlores and UPD Philosophy professor Agerico de Villa as resource persons. All of them agreed that campus security is far from perfect and discussed measures to address problems.

Flores highlighted the role of security forces in maintaining an “enabling and nurturing environment” for UP’s academic goals. This role is complicated by a lack of security personnel which has to protect 30,000 UPD people, 187 buildings and 1,143 houses, as well as manage vehicular traffic, of which 33 percent are outsiders passing through.

Dagdag said that although there are only about 30,000 UPD people, the campus contains 120,000 people at any given time, with household residents, many of whom are informal settlers, outnumbering UPD faculty, students and administrative staff.

According to Dagdag, crime-prone areas are Area 1, Shopping Center, Molave Residence Hall, Area 2, Agoncillo Street, and Commonwealth Avenue in the northern sector; and at Philcoa, Palma Hall, Hardin ng Rosas, Sunken Garden, College of Education and CP Garcia Street,

Photo by Bong Arboleda

UP Diliman’s (UPD) chief security officer supports the planned installation of closed-circuit TV (CCTV) cameras in critical campus areas.

In his talk last September 26 at Third World Studies Center’s (TWSC) second forum in the “Ang Tama ba sa UP, Tama rin sa Bayan?” series at Pulungang Claro M. Recto of Rizal Hall, UPD, Prof. Edgardo Dagdag said that the decision was a result of consultation and has met conditions that cameras will be installed only in very critical areas and not in areas like restrooms.

He said that the Office of the UPD Chancellor will be the repository of CCTV information.

Dagdag heads the campus security forces which constitute a 343-strong subunit tasked with maintaining peace and order on campus. The sub-unit is composed of 42 police officers of the UPD Police (UPDP), 51 Special Services Brigade (SSB) operatives and 250 security guards.

He also stressed the importance of protecting and upholding human rights and UP traditions in maintaining peace and order on campus. He said that the principle includes maximum tolerance when confronted with mass actions.

The forum titled “Gwardya, Kamera,

Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc

Prof. Dagdag, UPD’s chief security officer, favors a campus police force loyal to the university and its ideals.

in the southern sector. Crimes are usually committed between 10 pm and 4 am. The most common crime is theft, followed by building robbery, holdup robbery, physical injuries, damage to property, studentfraternity-related crime and snatching robbery.

For his part, De Villa stressed the “environmental wealth” of the campus must

also be taken into consideration. In social science, he said, the definition of security involves protection of all resources. The community must be conscious especially of the uniqueness and richness of their natural environment, where streams originate, where trees still stand, and where birds—125 species of them—continue to habitate.

Academic Affairs offices organize system-wide faculty conference BOR strengthens academic affairs programs Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc

At its meeting last September 20, the Board of Regents (BOR) approved several measures to strengthen the university’s academic affairs programs.

These are the Visiting Professor Program (VPP), UP Balik-PhD Recruitment Program (BPRP), International Publication Award (IPA), Adjunct Professorship and Research Dissemination Grant (RDG). These are all administered by the Office of the VicePresident for Academic Affairs (OVPAA).

Visiting Professors

Balik-Phd Recruitment

According to the OVPAA, there are foreign PhD graduates who are willing to become UP faculty members and they should be included in the university’s recruitment campaign. “UP recognizes the importance of hybrid vigor, inclusiveness and internationalization and should benefit from the expertise of foreign-trained PhDs, both Filipinos and foreign nationals, as part of a long-term faculty and research and creative work development plan.”

Aside from the old start-up research grant and opportunities for sustaining research through competitive grants, incentives will now include the creation of clusters of expertise in related fields with the new PhD recruit to convince other foreign-trained PhDs to serve the university.

Four PhD recruits as a cluster will be awarded a step-up research grant of around P10 million a year for four years.

The new terms mandate an application process of around six months, with the APC of each college holding a meeting or referendum at least twice a semester to act on the applications. The UP president, in consultation with the chancellor, can act on appeals should the process take more than six months in the usual process or should the offer be deemed inappropriate.

Offers can be benchmarked with those by Chulalongkorn University. Minimum rank to be offered is associate professor. Such faculty items must be included in strategic Continued on page 4

Vice-President for Academic Affairs Gisela Concepcion explained this in her message “Re-examining and Redefining the UP Faculty in a Great University” during the opening program. For over-all direction, she referred the participants to UP’s Strategic Plan for the year 2011-2017.

Faculty Regent Ida Dalmacio explained the rationale for the conference. Assistant Vice-President for Academic Affairs and Executive Director of the University Center for Integrative Development Studies (UCIDS) Marilou Nicolas facilitated context mapping and did the synthesis of the workshops. Assistant Continued on page 16

BPI to help in sustainable energy projects Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc

UP and the Bank of Philippine Islands (BPI) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) last October 2 at the board room of Quezon Hall, UP Diliman, to pursue “green UP,” the flagship environmental project of President Alfredo Pascual’s administration.

Under the MOU, both parties will “explore cooperative ways… to benefit from each other’s resources, expertise and experience, particularly with UP seeking to find ways to promote renewable energy to achieve productivity and efficiency

in utilities.” The MOU allows BPI to eventually include UP in its sustainable energy initiatives as a possible showcase.

BPI will have the tasks of providing “orientation lectures, preliminar y walkthrough energy audits, preparation of technical and financing recommendations, and the presentation of energy audit results to UP covering initially three pre-selected buildings… in UPD, UP Manila, and UP Los Baños.”

The possibility of BPI financing Energy Service Companies (ESCOs) with an Continued on page 11 Photo by Bong Arboleda

The revisions of terms for the VPP include increasing the number of MS mentors instead of just PhD mentors.

Instead of just foreign-based Filipino and foreign professors or research mentors, visiting professors will now include individuals in foreign and local institutions outside UP who are recognized experts in their fields of specialization.

According to OVPAA, individuals with various expertise and perspectives (whether from the academe, industry or government) will contribute significantly to the pool of prospective visiting professors. Those already engaged in research and creative work with UP should be provided more support.

Support for the visiting professor will not be limited to one to two months a year in exceptional cases when three weeks to a maximum of one year can be considered.

Extended periods are needed because some experts are continuously involved in various areas of academics in UP. Three weeks was considered because most assistant and associate professors are allowed a maximum of only three weeks leave by their universities.

The OVPAA urges all units, especially those which lack expertise on the PhD level, to invite and host visiting professors. All non-degree granting units are encouraged to partner with graduate degree-granting units in hosting visiting professors.

Faster processing of Visiting Professor

applications is also mandated in the new terms. The applications should not go beyond two months. “The Academic Personnel Committee (APC) of each college should hold a meeting or referendum at least twice a semester to act on the applications. If the VPP application is not acted on in two months at the CU level, the VPP applicant and/or host faculty/ researcher/artist/unit can appeal directly to the UP president through OVPAA,” the new terms say.

Organized by the Office of the VicePresident for Academic Affairs (OVPAA) with the Offices of the Vice-Chancellors for Academic Affairs of UP Open University, UP Diliman and UP Mindanao, the UP System-wide Faculty Conference (Series 1) was held at the UP Open University, Los Baños, Laguna last September 28 and 29.

Approximately 80 faculty members from different UP constituent units (CUs) participated in the conference, which aimed “to reflect on and redefine the ideal UP Faculty in progressively changing times, and recommend proposals that may enable the realization of these ideals.”

BPI’s Montinola and President Pascual present potted saplings to symbolize a commitment by the two parties to uphold environmental conservation.

U.P. Newsletter 3

October 2012

UPLB campaigns for honest 2013 elections

Newest batch of Mindanao leaders graduate from NCPAG Andre Encarnacion

training programs at the UP-NCPAG; and finally an assignment to special committees and subcommittees of the HOR and offices of selected members of Congress to enhance their skills in making reports, policy studies and draft legislation.

Mampondo credited the program for broadening her horizons and teaching them the values of cooperation and unity. ”The internship program helped me see that

there can be more than what I used to know.

Being one of the indigenous peoples of Mindanao, it is such a great pleasure to be included in this type of program. Though hard to accept, most of the populations of indigenous peoples are illiterate…With this program we were given a chance to prove that though we lag behind compared to other people in Mindanao, we have the capability to go where the waters flow.”

The young Mindanao leaders sing the National Anthem during the recognition of their course completion at the NCPAG.

Photo by Jun Madrid

Youngest Chief Justice to serve the longest Continued from page 1

and several private institutions that allowed her to earn an Economics degree at the Ateneo de Manila University, and a Bachelor of Laws degree at the University of the Philippines.

After graduating valedictorian from the UP College of Law in 1984, Chief Justice Sereno joined the largest law firm in the country. While she enjoyed her very challenging work in the law firm, her family started to grow. Choosing to spend more time with her two young children and her husband, she opted to leave the law firm in 1986.

She joined the UP College of Law where she was able to mold young men and women in the principles of Civil and Commercial law. From being one of the youngest faculty members, she would eventually go on to lead and administer two institutions based in the UP Law Center – the Institute of International Legal Studies and the Information and Publication Division. She was a professor at the UP College of Law for nearly 20 years.

At one point, she also became Deputy Commissioner of the Commission on Human Rights and was partly responsible for writing the organizational plans for the Commission. She has also taught at the Philippine Judicial Academy and several international academies.

In 1992, Chief Justice Sereno was awarded a De Witte Fellowship and a Ford-Rockefeller Scholarship to pursue her Masters of Laws at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where she developed her proficiency in law and economics and international trade law. When she and her family returned to the Philippines, she played a key role in developing those fields of law.

Alexandria Camille M. Castillo, UPLB in the News

Photo by Jun Madrid

The University of the Philippines is now my alma mater!

These words of Joguylen M. Mampondo reflected the triumphant mood during the graduation ceremony of the 13th and 14th batches of the Congressional Internship Program for Young Mindanao Leaders (CIPYML) at the National College of Public Administration and Governance (NCPAG) Assembly Hall last September 24.

Mampondo joined 51 other graduates from conflict-affected areas in Mindanao (CAAM) who were given a chance to gain first-hand experience in public policy formation.

The CIPYML is sponsored by the House of Representatives (HOR) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Its goal is to create a pool of young men and women from the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and other CAAMs who have a deep understanding of policy formulation and democratic processes in order to strengthen democratic institutions in their respective regions.

Among the major activities undertaken by the interns are a two-week introductory course on governance at Mindanao State University followed by specially designed

Sharpening skills for covering elections.The 16th Lopez Jaena Community Journalism Workshop of the UP Diliman College of Mass Communication (CMC), held from October 22 to 26, prepared the participants’ skills under the theme “Media and Elections: Safety and Governance.”

Photo shows the recognition ceremony at the Executive House at UP Diliman where the participants delivered a presentation.

Eight months before the 2013 elections, UP Los Baños (UPLB) has started a campaign for good governance and truthful elections through a forum, “The Next Step Before 2013: Reforms in Election Laws” last September 5 at the NCAS Auditorium, UPLB. Organized by the Office of the Chancellor and the College of Public Affairs and Development in partnership with the Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE), the forum aimed to spark interest and a proactive stance

by UPLB’s constituents in the upcoming congressional and senatorial elections.

Atty. Luie Tito Guia, LENTE executive director and the main speaker of the forum, discussed LENTE’s vision for a legal framework in the Philippines that would push for an “inclusive, accountable and transparent” election system, which in turn would inspire public trust in democratic elections.

“It is important for us to realize a credible election,” Guia said. According to him, reforms should be done to several laws, such as the overseas absentee voting law, voter registration law, automated election law, and other laws related to election accountability.

For instance, as Guia discussed, the indigenous peoples in the country do not have enough access and knowledge for them to fully exercise their rights to vote, unlike the overseas Filipino workers who can vote through the Internet.

Another issue lies in the use of the PCOS machine where Guia noted, “what we gain in efficiency, we lose somehow in transparency.” He said that there should be a balance between efficiency and not losing the transparency of elections.

Atty. Rona Ann Caritos, LENTE project officer, also introduced LENTE as an organization to the audience. She presented their vision, mission, objectives, activities and institutional partners. She also invited UPLB students to join their vast pool of volunteers.

LENTE is the first and only nonpartisan, nationwide network of lawyers, law students, paralegals and other trained volunteers engaged to do election work, Continued on page 10

At the age of 38, she was appointed as legal counsellor at the World Trade Organizations’ Appellate Body Secretariat in Geneva. Her international experience and her pioneering achievements in the legal profession were recognized when she was selected as one of The Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service (TOWNS) for law.

At the age of 39, she was chosen as the only female member of the 1999 Preparatory Commission on Constitutional Reform where she was elected Chairperson of the Commission’s Steering Committee.

Here, she helped the various sectoral committees identify key constitutional issues, and integrated their findings into a common framework for analysis of the various constitutional provisions.

In the same year, together with Justice Jose Campos, Commissioner Haydee

Yorac, and other professors from the UP College of Law, she co-founded Accesslaw, a corporation that provided the first annotated electronic research system in Philippine law.

Access to justice is one of the centerpiece advocacies of Chief Justice Sereno. One of her earlier works in law school included a review of the interface between domestic laws and indigenous customary laws. The United Nations Development Program would commission her to write a paper on judicial reform, which would eventually become the basis for the first external reform program that was welcomed by the Supreme Court. Among the activities the project birthed was the first-ever dialogue between the Members of the Supreme Court and representatives of the basic sectors. She also assisted in the High Tribunal’s pilot projects on mediation and

judicial case management systems, and wrote a widely-quoted survey-based paper on justice and the cost of doing business, together with professors from the UP School of Economics.

Prior to her joining the Court, she was engaged in major international litigation as co-counsel for the Republic, after which she joined the Asian Institute of Management as Executive Director of its think-tank - the AIM Policy Center - where she pursued her interest in policy reform and its impact on governance and the economy.

Believing in what she could deliver for justice and judicial reform, President Benigno C. Aquino III made her his first appointee to the Supreme Court.

She is married to Mario Jose E. Sereno.

They are blessed with two children, Maria Sophia and Jose Lorenzo. (http:// sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jsereno.php)

4 U.P. Newsletter

October 2012

5th State of the Indigenous Peoples Address held in UP October 12, 2012 proved to be significant for the indigenous peoples (IPs) of the Philippines.

The year 2012 marks the 15th year of the signing of Republic Act (RA) No. 8371 (Indigenous Peoples Rights Act of 1997).

October is designated National Indigenous Peoples Month. Finally, October 12 marks the 10th anniversary of the Dapitan Initiative—a gathering of anti-mining advocates seeking the scrapping of RA 7942 (Mining Act of 1995) and the formulation of an alternative “People’s Mining Act”—as well as the fifth anniversary of the State of the Indigenous Peoples Address (SIPA).

On this occasion, representatives and community leaders from various indigenous peoples’ tribes from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, as well as IP rights advocates, gathered together at the Bulwagang Recto, UP Diliman Faculty Center, to formally open the 5th SIPA and 10th anniversary celebration of the Dapitan Initiative-Enact Alternative Minerals Management Bill.

The activity ran from October 12 to 14 and featured intensive discussions among the delegates of the IP communities; dialogues with representatives of the National Commission on Indigenous People, Commission on Human Rights and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources; and story-telling and reflections on the experiences of the various IP communities and the progress they had made and challenges they continue to face with regard to the continued

Photo by Jun Madrid

Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta

IP delegates anticipate the start of the conference.

intrusions of mining companies into their ancestral domains, the implementation of the IPRA and other issues.

In addition, an exhibit was held at the Palma Hall Lobby from October 10 to 12.

As in the previous years, this year’s SIPA and Dapitan Initiative commemoration

were organized by the Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center, Inc.-Kasama sa Kalikasan/Friends of the Earth-Philippines (LRC-KsK/FoE-Phils.), a non-government organization focusing on policy, legal research and advocacy that aims to work for the empowerment of marginalized indigenous peoples and sustainable use of

WINFISH, UPV-GDP & BFAR hold 6th national conference in Tacloban City Anna Razel L. Ramirez

The National Network on Women in Fisheries in the Philippines, Inc. (WINFISH) and the UP Visayas Gender and Development Program Office (UPVGDP), in cooperation with the Bureau of

Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (BFAR) held the 6th National Research Conference on Gender and Fisheries with the theme “Women Fishers in a Changing Global Seascape and Landscape” last September 19

BOR strengthens academic affairs programs Continued from page 2

plans of all academic units and should be requested in advance.

International Publications Award

Previous revisions to the IPA for journal articles included awarding not only UPemployed authors but UP-affiliated authors as well such as students and researchers hired for the research projects. Each UPaffiliated author will now receive a prorated share of the IPA divided by the total number of authors.

Effective for papers published beginning October 1, 2012, the IPA will now be “refined and tiered to provide greater recognition to the authors who publish in more prestigious and academically renowned journals based on Impact Factor (IF).” IF is a measure reflecting the average number of citations, devised by Eugene Garfield, founder of ISI which is now part of Thomson Reuters. IFs are calculated yearly.

For articles published in ISI-listed journals with no IF, the award remains at P55,000. For articles published in journals indexed via Science Citation Index (SCI), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI) or Arts and Humanities Citation Index (AHCI) with an IF below 2.0000, the maximum award is P65,000. Those with an IF of 2.0000 and above, the maximum

award is raised to P80,000.

The award for the UP-affiliated authors, in addition to their pro-rated share of the IPA, is P3,000 for articles in ISI-listed journals, P4,000 for articles in SCI-, SSCIand AHCI-indexed journals with an IF below 2.000, or P5,500 if the IF is 2.000 or above.

Adjunct Professors

Adjunct professors may now be provided support under the VPP for periods spent in UP. They would therefore be subject to the same terms of engagement as visiting professors. Previously, adjunct professors were not given remuneration.

Research Dissemination Grant

Non-faculty researchers or REPS will now qualify for RDG. The paper for oral or poster presentation should be in the field where they have established a record of expertise (for example, publications in ISI-listed journals).

According to OVPAA, UP has researchers who produce high-quality output deserving to be presented in prestigious international conferences. They should have the opportunity to listen to the lectures of international leaders in their areas of specialization and interact with their counterparts.

to 21 at Hotel Alejandro, Tacloban City.

Lawyer Asis Perez, BFAR director and keynote speaker for the event, said BFAR has developed “gender and development (GAD) checklists for fisheries on coastal resource management; and conducts research, training, and livelihood and field visits of project sites of women’s groups/ fisherfolk organizations.”

Through these activities, BFAR aims “to conduct participatory resource assessment, consultations with clients and gathering of relevant information/data as inputs to the checklists and ultimately, publication of the checklists and the GAD handbook,” he added.

Perez also mentioned the agency’s plan to conduct a socio-economic survey and social research to look into the conditions and contributions of women in the smallscale and artisanal fisheries and fishing communities. BFAR also plans to revise the fisherfolk registration form to include socioeconomic indicators including women’s and men’s roles and interest in the value chain of the sector; and to organize fisherfolk women organizations; and to pilot womenmanaged fishing areas.

Philip Jude Acidre, deputy director of An Waray Party List, also addressed the conference participants and stressed that, “While it may be true that majority of actual fishers are men, many of those working in the processing and marketing of fish products are actually women… as fish dryers, fish product processors, the fish vendors and fish peddlers. But much of the work that women contribute towards the fishery sector is often ignored and not recognized.”

Continued on page 11

natural resources. The LRC-KsK/FoEPhils, which is also celebrating its 25 th anniversary this year, was co-founded by several UP faculty and alumni, including former UP College of Law dean and current chief of the government peace panel Atty. Marvic MVF Leonen.

According to LRC-KsK/FoE-Phils Executive Director Atty. Grace Villanueva and SIPA Coordinator Carl Cesar Rebuta, the LRC-KsK/FoE-Phils. organized the first meeting of around 23 anti-mining advocates from the nearby cities and provinces in Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte, hence the name “The Dapitan Initiative.”

“Sine-celebrate natin ang initiative na iyon ngayon. Nagre-reflect tayo, nagkakaroon ng pagkakataon upang ipakita kung saan inabot ang initiative na ito na pag-kwestyunin ang isang batas na di makatarungan, ang Philippine Mining Act,” Villanueva said.

The SIPA, on the other hand, was first held in 2008 when around 80 members of various indigenous tribes in Mindanao gathered in Davao City for a threeday event that featured discussions and dialogues focusing on the issues, problems and challenges confronting the IPs of the Philippines. “[As in the past four years,] the SIPA is a venue or space kung saan tayo mag-uusap-usap [at kung saan] ilalatag natin kung ano ang agenda for the IPs, particularly sa gobyerno natin,” said Rebuta, addressing the IP participants.

During the ceremony, delegates from IP tribes from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao spoke about the challenges their tribes and communities are facing, such as the issue of leadership in the National Commission of Indigenous People (NCIP); the continued intrusions, harassment, oppression and manipulations of mining companies to secure the IP’s ancestral domains for their own; the degradation of the rivers and forests in the IPs’ ancestral domains due to the activities of mining companies; the anomalous operations of NCIP agents at the local levels and slow responses of other government agencies; and the threat to the lives of IP community leaders and environmental advocates.

In addition, Rep. Teddy Casino, one of the original delegates in the first Dapitan Initiative, delivered a video-recorded inspirational message.

October 2012

U.P. Newsletter 5

Experts discuss pros and cons of cybercrime law Andre Encarnacion Photo by Bong Arboleda

or the Data Privacy Act of 2012, a law he said is even more problematic for social media users. The Data Privacy Act, he said, is a combination of two global approaches to control privacy: the EU Data Protection Directive which states that information cannot be sold or disclosed without the unambiguous consent of the individual, and the APEC Privacy Principle which he calls a more marketdriven approach. “We take the elements of the EU Data Protection Directive and took elements from APEC so we have a watered down statute that to me is neither here nor there, but potentially Atty. Disini stresses the general agreement that allowing the secretary of justice to block access to any content dangerous also…Under the upon a prima facie finding of a violation of the law is unconstitutional for violating due process.

Data (Privacy) Act, when you violate someone’s data privacy rights, Adonis case in Davao that libel in the said that the Philippines is sure to be it’s a crime. And under the Cybercrime Philippines runs counter to freedom of embarrassed in the review because instead Prevention Act, you’re penalized again, one expression. The country received a copy of decriminalizing libel, Congress widened degree higher, because you’re more likely of the UN’s opinion last January. The its scope. “Instead of decriminalizing, we than not to use ICT to breach somebody reasons given were that the punishment was have expanded the coverage. Not only else’s privacy rights. You do it every day on disproportionate to the means it seeks to that, we have tripled the penalty. The achieve, that there was an alternative in civil penalty now is prison correccional from prison Facebook.”

Prof. Harry Roque Jr., also of the College libel, and that criminal libel in the country mayor—from two years to six years and one of Law, talked about the constitutionality of was defective because it does not recognize day, it is now six years and one day to twelve years. Because we have tripled the penalty, the Cybercrime Law. His approach centered truth as a complete defense.

“Coincidentally, next month the we have also done away with the possibility on the UN Human Rights Commission’s view that found Philippine libel laws to Philippines is the subject of regular periodic of parole for individuals who are convicted be inconsistent with Article 19 of the review by the ICCPR Committee,” he said. of libel. Why? Because as you know the International Covenant on Civil and “And I’m sure one of the things that can indeterminate sentence law only grants be brought up against the Philippines is the right to parole if the maximum penalty Political Rights (ICCPR).

According to Roque, the UN came up what has it done to comply with the view imposed is six years and one day. There with the opinion based on the Alexander that it must decriminalize libel?” Roque is now a sure prison term for individuals convicted by final judgment for libel under the Cybercrime Prevention Act.” Te r r y R i d o n o f t h e K a b a t a a n Partylist cited several political and social developments resulting from the Cybercrime Fred Dabu Prevention Act. He said that several online communities – even those that did not have digital age.” research already being done by many Responding to some 15 petitions, the outright political orientations – were active UPD Assistant Professor of Journalism educational institutions.

Supreme Court (SC) issued a 120-day in denouncing RA 10175.

Danilo Arao relayed the UP College of The other petitioners who spoke at the temporary restraining order (TRO) around Ridon said that the a declaration of Mass Communication’s (CMC) support press conference were National Union of noontime last October 9 suspending the unconstitutionality from the Supreme for the immediate repeal of RA 10175. He Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) Viceimplementation of Republic Act (RA) Court and a repeal of the law from the said that the law is “potentially damaging to Chairperson Nonoy Espina, Bayan Muna No. 10175 (Cybercrime Prevention Act of House of Representatives were the two communication and journalism education Party-list Rep. Teddy Casiño, lawyers Romel 2012) signed by President Benigno Aquino legal measures that were being pushed to in the country.” Arao stressed that it would Bagares and Julius Matibag, and Bagong III last September 12. void the Cybercrime Prevention Act. He discourage the conduct and uploading of Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) SecretaryUnited under the hashtag added that there was significant pressure critical commentaries and investigative General Renato Reyes Jr. #NotoCybercrimeLaw, some of the Continued on page 6 petitioners held a press conference at the Continued on page 7 College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) lobby in UP Manila (UPM) earlier that day and picketed in front of the SC along Padre Faura Street to call for the repeal of the cybercrime law.

Composed of journalists, lawyers, netizens (bloggers, graphic artists, internet freedom advocates and internet users), legislators, educators, students, and people’s organizations, they described the issuance of a TRO or a Status Quo Ante Order as a “people’s victory” and vowed to remain vigilant until RA 10175 is repealed.

During the press conference, the panel of petitioners briefly discussed how RA 10175 violates the Filipino peoples’ constitutional rights, why it is tantamount to “e-martial law” and why it should be junked.

Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR) Deputy Executive Director Luis Teodoro said, “The Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 is the worst assault on free expression since Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law 40 years ago.” He said that this “instrument of repression” is not just a form of cyber A lightning protest was mounted by UP Diliman students at the Quezon Hall and Oblation Plaza last October 9 against the Cybercrime Prevention Act. martial law but “martial law reborn in the

“Under Section 6 of the Cybercrime Prevention Act, all existing crimes if committed by through or with the use of ICT [information and communication technology] are now cybercrimes – so all crimes are now potentially cybercrimes.”

UP College of Law Prof. JJ Disini stressed this point at “A Forum on the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 (Republic Act No. 10175),” last October 4 at the Bocobo Lecture Room of the UP Law Center. The implementation of the act was stopped last October 9 for 120 days by the Supreme Court through a temporary restraining order (TRO).

Disini also mentioned Section 19 of RA 10175 as another problematic provision because it allows the Secretary of Justice to block access to any content upon a prima facie finding of a violation of the law. “I think among all the provisions that are being challenged, there is universal agreement that this one is unconstitutional for being violative of due process.”

For Disini, this section effectively makes the Department of Justice a censor. “On the basis of the claim affidavit, because it says prima facie, not even probable cause, the Secretary of Justice can issue an order directing the service providers to take down that content. The mobile providers... they are forced to take it down – why?

Because they are all enfranchised; they hold legislative franchises and licenses from the NTC (National Telecommunications Commission) so they can’t afford to refuse an order from (the DOJ) to block content.”

Besides RA 10175, Disini also warned against its companion law, R.A. No. 10173

SC suspends cybercrime law, netizens on “red alert”

Photo by Misael Bacani

6 U.P. Newsletter

October 2012

Group calls for strategic policymaking on West Philippine Sea Andre Encarnacion

Sea (WPS).”

UP Asian Center Professor Aileen Baviera stressed this point during the forum “West Philippine Sea: Beyond Disputes,

Diplomacy and Damage Control – The Need For Strategic Management” held at the GT-Toyota Asian Cultural Center Auditorium last October 5.

Photo by Misael Bacani

“There is (an) urgent need for a strategic framework for the management of our territorial, maritime jurisdiction and resource disputes in the West Philippine

Prof. Aileen Baviera of the Asian Center presents a white paper on the West Philippine Sea.

UPM-affiliated orgs declare support for sin tax Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc

At least three organizations with A leadership base in UP Manila (UPM), the health sciences center of the country, have issued public positions supporting two particular legislative measures to levy heavier taxes on “sin” products and finance universal health care.

The Information, Publications, and Public Affairs Office (IPPAO) of UPM recently released statements from the Philippine Society of General Internal Medicine (PSGIM), the Association of Philippine Medical Colleges Foundation Inc. (APMCFI), and the UPM Student

Council (UPM-SC).

Led by Philippine General Hospital (PGH) cardiologist and UPM College of Medicine (UPCM) professor Antonio Dans, PSGIM expressed in a statement its “unequivocal support” for Senate Bill (SB) 3249 - an Act Restructuring the Excise Taxes on Alcohol and Tobacco Products.

“We believe that this bill, which increases the excise tax on tobacco, will reduce illness and death from tobacco-related diseases, increase government revenues, and strengthen our capacity to provide health care for the people.”

Experts discuss pros and cons of cybercrime law Continued from page 5 on the Supreme Court to rebound from the Corona case, and that it was a “challenge” to Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno to see if she could unite the court.

The panel of reactors was composed of agent Palmer Mallari of the Anti-fraud and Computer Crimes Division of the Philippine National Police, Raymond Nuñez of the UP College of Engineering and the UP Computer Center, and IT reporter Melvin Calimag. Though he was supportive of the review of RA 10175’s provisions, Mallari stated the importance of a law protecting citizens from cybercrimes from a law enforcement perspective.

The “Love Bug Case” in 2000 revealed to Mallari and his colleagues that despite the existence of a computer crimes division in the NBI since 1996, the Philippines was unprepared to deal with computer crimes.

In fact, Mallari added that despite the evidence gathered against the perpetrator, the case against him was dismissed due to the absence of a law to identify and penalize such a crime.

Though the subsequent passage of RA 8792 defined at least three crimes to be punishable under Philippine law, Mallari said that it also had three primary limitations

which have hampered investigations: the small penalty for perpetrators of cybercrimes, the lack of cooperation from Internet service providers in investigations and the lack of coverage for countless other crimes which use ICT such as illegal gambling and pornography.

Aside from explaining UP’s acceptable use policy for IT resources, Nuñez explained the complexities of living in a largely computer-driven world. He added that the lack of budget, human resources and training of local law enforcement when combined with the increasingly borderless nature of cybercrimes increased the difficulty of controlling them. Due to this and other factors, Nuñez said that he was in favor of a cybercrime protection law. He however quoted an article on Forbes magazine stating that the current Cybercrime Prevention Act “made SOPA look reasonable.”

Calimag, a reporter who first broke the story of the cybercrime law’s passage last September 14, said that the IT press was very surprised at the speed with which the public picked up and got involved on the issue. “I think this law is good, except for some provisions…On my part we need

APMCFI, led by former UPCM dean Alberto Roxas, released a September 27 resolution supporting the position paper of the Department of Health (DOH) favoring SB 3249 in the Senate and House Bill 5727 at the House of Representatives. Their primary authors are Miriam Defensor-Santiago and Joseph Emilio Abaya.

The 34th UPM-SC led by Jason Alacapa also issued a statement espousing the passage of HB 5727 and its closest counterpart in the Senate.

APMCFI echoes the findings of the DOH that SB 3249 “best supports the twin goals of (1) deterring our countrymen especially the youth and the poor from smoking and drinking alcohol, thus protecting them from the lifetime consequences of smoking and alcohol abuse; and (2) financing a universal health care program to improve accessibility to quality health care.”

The said Senate and House bills both uphold “a unitary tax for all cigarette and liquor products, automatic indexation and the removal of the price classification freeze on cigarettes since the current classification is based on a net retail price survey done in 1996.”

According to the DOH, SB 3249 adopts the nominal GDP for index thereby ensuring that tobacco and alcohol products will not become more affordable as income increases over time. There is review every five years to modify tax rates to achieve health and revenue objectives as well as to comply with World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control commitments.

Fifteen percent of the tax is earmarked for programs to help tobacco farmers shift to alternative crops and livelihood and prevent other job losses if not assist displaced workers. Incremental revenues are also earmarked for Universal Health Care programs as the National Health Insurance Program, upgrading of health care facilities, and public health programs including research and development.

She was joined by other members of an informal experts group (IEG). They were former Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ambassador Lauro Baja, UP College of Law Prof. Jay Batongbacal, retired ViceAdmiral Eduardo Ma. Santos. Another member, retired Commodore Carlos Agustin, joined them in the open forum.

The IEG presented a white paper which was the product of workshops and discussions. The IEG consists of 10 members, each an expert in his or her domain of interest, coming together to discuss long-term and strategic solutions to the West Philippine Sea issue. The white paper was publicly disseminated and submitted to President Benigno Aquino III and other government officials.

The other members of the IEG are former Energy Undersecretary Guillermo Balce, former Defense Undersecretary Rodel Cruz, Commodore Roland Recomono, former Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Director Malcolm Sarmiento Jr., and former Sen. Leticia Ramos-Shahani.

Baviera said that the three imperatives included in the white paper were the sustainable development of our marine economy and resources, promoting maritime security and defense and the assertion of sovereignty over our territory.

She stressed the need for united action among the concerned agencies of government to address the multidimensional issues in the region.

Among the group’s recommendations is the need to inculcate an archipelagic consciousness and identity of the Philippines and the Filipinos as a maritime nation. This would include disseminated studies on Philippine maritime interests, building grassroots constituencies for the marine and coastal environment and safety and freedom of navigation.

It would also involve introducing relevant courses and content at all levels of education and government training, as well as investment on developing nextgeneration expertise on issues related to the WPS. For his part, Batongbacal said that bilateral consent and solid preparations are required prior to elevating the territorial disputes for international legal arbitration.

He also said that arbitration is not a quick-fix solution. Litigation, he said, may take years, including the time that the international court may require to appreciate the merits of facts and evidence submitted to them by the parties.

Santos, on the other hand, cited the increasing foreign intrusions in the WPS as one of the biggest maritime defense and law enforcement issues. Taiwanese fisher folk, he noted, are regularly caught fishing illegally in Philippine waters, while intrusions of Chinese fisher folk have been on the rise. “The Chinese now have virtual control of Bajo de Masinloc since their government ships have not left the area and are prohibiting Filipino fishing boats from entering the lagoon.”

Baja stressed the need for a well-defined strategy to engage and manage relations with China, United States and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as far as the WPS is concerned. He said that the Philippines needs more area and issue specialists in the foreign service. He also stressed the need for a more permanent, independent and highly specialized institution to handle WPS issues.

Agustin said that a more self-reliant national defense is necessary. “A sustained robust economy is critical to support defense build-up as well as enhance overall national power.”

October 2012

U.P. Newsletter 7

Prof makes case for sub-$100 laptop for education Alexandria Camille M. Castillo, UPLB in the News

through the use of technology and these sub-$100 computers, particularly the OLPC-XO Laptop. The device is a cheap subnotebook computer that the OLPC wants distributed to children in developing countries so they will have more access to information.

However, things were shaky for the OLPC during its first year of operation.

“The project was self-destructing in 2005 and it unfortunately failed in its objective to produce and distribute 100 million laptops,” Mananghaya said.

A business administration and economics expert and a Linux enthusiast, Mananghaya dug on the OLPC’s supply and demand problems and shared it as a lesson in developing ICTs for education.

According to Mananghaya, there were two major problems on the supply side.

“Developing sub-$100 computers from scratch is full of risks and stretches the lead time,” he said, while also noting that “existing solutions developed by the programming community and hardware industry were untapped.”

Demand-wise, Mananghaya said, “it was hard to sell the “education through laptop” concept because legislators in developing countries remained unconvinced of the strategy since it would still cost a lot of money.” “They would not want to compromise their already tight government budgets,” he added.

Although the OLPC project had a rocky infancy, Mananghaya was happy to report that the OLPC movement had its first taste of success in 2011 when the first Android 4.0-powered tablet, called the Novo7 and priced at $89, came out into the market.

SC suspends cybercrime law, netizens on “red alert” Continued from page 5 Kabataan, ACT Teachers, Bayan Muna and Gabriela Women’s Party, as well as some senators, have already moved in Congress for the repeal of RA 10175 while crafting measures that protect and promote netizens’ rights and freedoms.

sub-$100 laptop hardware.

As of date, the OLPC has already given over two million laptops to children and teachers across 42 countries.

On how to make a marketable sub-$100 laptop, Mananghaya intimated that it will be good to “start with what the industry and community already have,” which are the processors and the operating systems.

Developers, according to Mananghaya, should save resources by “not producing Continued on page 11

UPV establishes Iloilo City Capital Market Investment Resource Center Anna Razel L. Ramirez

A portion of the Capital Market Investment Resource Center

UP Visayas (UPV), through its College of Management (CM), launched the Capital Market Investment Resource Center last September 14 at the CM Building, UPV Iloilo City.

The center will serve as a clinic and investment laboratory for the students and investing public who want to learn and be trained on how to make profitable investments in the capital market. It will primarily cater to the learning needs of the CM students and will be an adjunct

facility that will deepen the knowledge and understanding of students in business and finance. The investing public will likewise be given the opportunity to learn and understand the fundamentals and technical analysis of capital market investments thereby giving them the platform of making wise investment decisions.

It will be managed by a trained investment advisor who is also a member of the faculty of the College of Management. A student organization, Continued on page 10 Photo courtesy of UP-ITDC

Outside, UPM students tied on CAS fences several yellow ribbons with messages such as “Warning: Rights violated” or “Warning: Writers oppressed” written on them. The petitioners, carrying a streamer “#NoToCybercrimeLaw” to the Supreme Court, were joined by organizations and individuals and criticized RA 10175 until the issuance of the TRO was announced.

Protesters held placards saying “Don’t shoot down our freedom,” “Uphold freedom of speech,” Junk the cybercrime law,” and “No to state repression.” Netizens posed for “cybercriminal mugshots” while graphic artists painted the street and silkscreened t-shirts for free with Pixel Offensive’s “#NoToCybercrimeLaw” design.

Members of the alternative media said that the cybercrime law could be used to silence critical press and media groups, restrict public access to information and shut down websites that contain dissenting views. Women’s groups said that the cybercrime law would not protect women and children from e-violence and would even criminalize women-victims themselves. They added that it was a poisonous law that would only curtail civil liberties. Some protesters even called for the impeachment of Aquino for enacting and defending RA 10175.

The Philippine Internet Freedom Alliance (PIFA), a broad group of Filipino bloggers, lawyers, civil rights advocates, and journalists, said that they adopted red as the new color of netizens’ vigilance and of protest until RA 10175 is repealed.

Representatives from party-list groups

“This sub-$100 device can play sound and videos, input screen control such as typing, and can read and save data from a storage media,” Mananghaya described.

Starting with the OLPC’s AMD Geode CPU prototype in 2005, the movement has now finally created devices that are “durable, functional, energy-efficient, responsive and fun.” Mananghaya believes that the introduction of the tablet is a vital turning point in the development of the

Photo courtesy of UPV-IPO

In today’s information-powered digital age, more and more organizations have realized the significance of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in helping students learn more through educational multimedia.

UP Los Baños (UPLB) professor Dr. Rufino Mananghaya, a pioneer of e-learning in the Philippines, shared his reflections on the potentials of ICT in education during the First Philippine Conference on ICT for Development (ICT4phD) held last September 21 and 22 at the Philippine Social Science Council Center in Diliman, Quezon City.

Mananghaya’s talk on “Celebrating the Arrival of the Sub-$100 Computer and Assessing its Potential Impact to Lifestyle, Business and Governance,” focused on his insights on the sub-$100 laptop industry and the US-initiated One Laptop per Child (OLPC) project.

The concept of “one laptop per child” was an offshoot of the 2005 World Summit on the Information Society in which social activists argued that the “Internet is a global public good.” Access to the internet is in the public’s interest and would encourage equality across societies.

The OLPC project started in 2005 with Nicholas Negroponte at the helm and with the backing of the OLPC Association and OLPC Foundation. Several organizations and corporations funded the project, including Advanced Micro Devices, Brightstar, Chi Lin, eBay, Google, Marvell, News Corporation, Nortel, Quanta, Red Hat and SES Astra.

It is the OLPC’s mission to support the developing countries’ education system

Continuing eUP implementation. As part of the eUP HRIS (Human Resources Information System) implementation, eUP held a workshopseminar from November 26 to 29 featuring a demonstration of the prototype of the eUP HRIS provided in the HRIS Foundation Modules Business Requirements Mapping (BRM). The conference also gathered HR & Payroll Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) from UP’s various constituent units to validate and sign off the BRM and CRP1 milestones of the eUP HRIS Project. CRP1 involves the presentation of the HR & Payroll Requirements for the Foundation Modules gathered and validated from the past HRIS workshops, hands-on training, BRM reviews, and other pertinent meetings on HRIS & Payroll.

8 U.P. Newsletter

October 2012

Letter to the Editor On COMELEC’s screening of partylists May I share my official statement (and contribution) to one of the pressing concerns today—that of COMELEC’s cleaning of the list of qualified partylists for the coming 2013 elections. We just signed our agreement with COMELEC and I believe that UP should join in the discourse regarding the partylist system, the groups involved, and the politics of representing the marginalized.

I hope that you will find this useful for our upcoming monthly UP Newsletter.

Balitang Unyon Mga bagong URC-CMO hinirang na

Ang eleksyon ng mga kinatawan ng unyon (Union Representative CommitteeURC) sa hanay ng mga empleyado ng Campus Maintenance Office ay idinaos sa Diliman Community Affairs Complex noong Nobyembre 12. Sa kasalukuyan, 84 empleyado ng CMO ang aktibong miyembro ng unyon.

Ang naganap na eleksyon ay para sa

Samahang Manininda launches enterprise development project Stephanie S. Cabigao

A UPSIO file photo of Student Regent Arguelles

Reclaiming Genuine Representation Since the fall of the Marcos dictatorship, we have always been proud of our dramatic transition to democracy. Decades after, we’ve witnessed how this democracy has turned into a joke, with the halls of Congress restricted to the rich and landed elites co-opted by foreign and business interests. Genuine people concerns such as agrarian reform, job creation, social services, and economic development have been sidelined in the name of the interests of the few.

As a concession, and in recognition of the failure of the Congress to be representative of the people’s interests, the party-list system was introduced to secure a few seats for the representatives of the marginalized and underrepresented—almost 99% of the population.

But this too has easily been bastardized and co-opted by the ruling elite. With partylist representatives coming from the same dynasties that have dominated Philippine politics for the past decades to government-funded and backed partylists, they have robbed what is left to the voiceless, silenced, and oppressed in the present social system.

The recent case of Akbayan Citizen Action Party fits into this picture. With Aquino government appointees as representatives, policies kowtowing to foreign and feudal interests, and its members dominating government agencies, how can one not tell that this is another case of political opportunism and patronage? Even the partylist system has not been safe from our traditional politicians who have always dominated Philippine politics.

Let it not be said that UP, especially the students and its Office of the Student Regent, have been silent and blind in these times of heightened hypocrisy and treachery to the Filipino people.

In the Service of the Students and the People, Cleve Kevin Robert V. Arguelles Student Regent, University of the Philippines System Mobile#: +639277334302 Telephone#: 9818500 loc 4511 Email: clevearguelles@post.upm.edu.ph Office: Office of the Student Regent, Vinzons Hall Basement, UP Diliman, Quezon City

Signature Campaign

Samantala, iniikot naman sa bawat yunit ng kampus gaya nang naganap na eleksyon ng kinatawan ng unyon sa CMO ang petisyon para sa agarang promosyon sa serbisyo ng mga guro, REPS at kawani ng UP. Layunin nito ang mabigyang impormasyon ang mga empleyado ng UP ukol sa nasabing isyu at makakalap na rin ng lagda na magpapakita ng suporta sa panawagang ito.

We Urge the UP Administration to Call for Immediate Merit Promotion of the UP Faculty, REPS and Administrative Staff Now WHEREAS, the Department of Budget and Management is poised to implement the National Payroll System in which budget releases would match the actual salaries of government employees; WHEREAS, the faculty members and other employees of the University of the Philippines are occupying slack items which are now still within the authority of the UP administration (According to the available data, in UP Los Baños alone these slacks are worth above 300M); WHEREAS, there has been no call for promotions since 2010; WHEREAS, the University has already set criteria for merit promotions that were implemented during the last round of promotions; Continued on page 9

help UP create a community that is both nurturing and enabling through a waste audit and management program. Flores also praised the project for strengthening and “unionizing” the organization. Such initiatives, she said, are significant in fostering responsibility and unity among UP and non-UP sectors and bringing a dignifying effect into these units.

Photo courtesy of Narry F. Hernandez

In the following days, the challenge for us is to reclaim genuine representation. Elections can be our first step, but we must not stop there. It is not elections that create political monsters but our present social system that continues to breed political opportunism a la Akbayan and political dynasties a la Angara, Enrile, and Aquino.

Reclaiming genuine representation means working inside and outside, serving as the people’s voice in the halls of Congress and in the streets, educating people in the cities and in the mountains, and being agents of change in our schools, workplaces, homes and anywhere possible.

I joined a petition by Archbishop Oscar Cruz, BAYAN Secretary General Nato Reyes and other sectoral leaders to disqualify Akbayan Citizen Action Party from running in the 2013 elections.

Thank you.

Various government agencies showed their suppor t for the Community Enterprise Development Project initiated by the Samahang Manininda sa UP Campus (SMUPC) Diliman launched last October 16.

At the launch held at the University Hotel, officials and members of the SMUPC were present along with representatives of agencies involved: UP Diliman, UP Diliman Task Force on Solid Waste Management, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the Quezon City Local Government Unit (QC LGU), Department of Environment and Natural Resources- Environment Management Bureau (DENR-EMB), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

The project aims to develop an enterprise for the vendors in the Diliman campus that integrates into their livelihood the recycling of the large volume of waste or post-consumer products such as used plastic bottles. A materials recovery facility (MRF) will be granted to the project through the support of the UP Diliman Task Force on Solid Waste Management.

In an inter view, current SMUPC president Edna Sinoy said that the project will add value to their livelihood and create a network of beneficiaries as well as contribute to efforts in saving the environment. DENR-EMB OIC Director Juan Miguel Cuna said the project is in line with DENR’s community efforts which include inter-agency and mutli-sectoral campaigns addressing waste segregation.

DTI Area-3 Provincial Director Ma. Gracia Soler offered skills training by DTI for SMUPC members on materials recovery.

Vice-Chancellor for Community Affairs Melania Flores expressed UPD’s gratitude to SMUPC for the project that would

paghirang ng mga bagong kinatawan ng unyon mula sa Administrative Personnel Division (APD), Ground Service and Arboretum Division (GSAD) at Building Maintenance Division (BMD) ng CMO. Ayon sa opisyal na bilang ng mg a itatalagang kinatawan sa bawat dibisyon ay magkakaroon lamang ng isang kinatawan mula sa APD at dalawa naman para sa BMD at GSAD. Si John Paulo Gonzales ang nahalal na kinatawan ng APD, habang si Rufo Bengco at Marciano Bondoc naman ang mga nahalal na kinatawan ng GSAD. Ang mga nahalal para sa BMD ay si Virgilio Guevarra na nagtamo ng anim na boto kasama sina Eduardo Barawed, Alfredo Olorvida at Dennis Pucyutan na pawang nagtamo ng patas na limang boto. Ang mga bagong nahalal na mga kinatawan ng unyon ay magsisilbi sa loob ng tatlong taon base sa nakatakdang batas ng konstitusyon.

Community enterprise development project contract signing: (from left) PESO representatives Edelyn de Castro and Carlo Magno, DENR-EMB OIC Director Atty, Juan Miguel T. Cuna, TESDA-QC OIC District Director Pena G. Medina, DTI-NCR OIC Area 3 Provincial Director Ma. Gracia R. Soler, DOLE-NCR Assistant Regional Director Nelson Jornilla, QC-LGU representative Marlyn S. Siapno

U.P. Newsletter 9

October 2012

AUPWA, nakiisa sa pagdiriwang ng Teacher’s Day Arbeen Acuña Photo by Stephanie Cabigao

na ang naturang araw ng mga guro na ipinagdiriwang dahil sa kasunduan sa pagitan ng International Labour Organization (ILO) at United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) na may tatlong punto: 1) pagkilala “ng buong daigdig sa napakahalagang papel na ginagampanan ng ating mga guro sa lipunan”; 2) pagtitiyak “ng pamahalaan na magkakaroon ng disenteng sahod at marangal na pamumuhay ang mga guro sa kanilang propesyon”; at 3) pagtitiyak “ng pamahalaan na ang ating mga guro ay makakapag-aral ng kurikulum para sa kanilang pag-unlad bilang propesyunal.”

“Dapat itaas mula salary grade 11 patungong 15 (ang sahod ng mga guro) dahil umaabot na ang cost of living sa P30,000,” sabi ni Valbuena. Dagdag pa niya, wala pa ring aksyon dito ang Malakanyang at ang Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

Nakiisa si Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy sa mga mamamayan mula sa iba’t ibang sektor.

Casiño sa programa ng mga guro. “Kinikilala ang kahalagahan ng teachers sa paghuhubog ng mahuhusay na mamayan ng ating bayan.

Kung talagang sinunod ang ginintuang pagpapahalaga at aral na tinuro ng ating Fred Dabu mga guro, mas maganda siguro ang ating bansa.” makatwiran” in a society plagued with peasant.” They said CARP “failed to Para naman kay Felix Pariñas, tagapangulo injustice. dismantle private land monopoly.” They ng AUPWU, “Ang simpleng pagbibigay ng Anakpawis Party-list leaders explained are pushing for the passage of the Genuine alpabeto (sa mga estudyante) ay umpisa that the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Agrarian Reform Bill (GARB) “that lamang, subalit ang tunay na pag-aaral ay Program (CARP) is “a total failure” seeks free land distribution to millions of pagbubukas sa kanilang isip at puso upang for being “archaic, regressive and anti- Filipino farmers.” ganap na palayain ang lipunan.”

Dagdag pa niya, “Hindi lang dapat akademikong kagalingan ang dapat nating Continued from page 8 ipunla sa ating mga kabataan…Dapat isama sa ating pagtuturo ang alpabeto ng WHEREAS, a primary duty of UP of the administration which we are bound to kasaysayan.” administrators is to improve and look after the lose with the implementation of the National Para naman kay UP Diliman Bise Transelor welfare and interest of UP employees; Payroll System.

Para sa mga Gawaing Pampamayanan WHEREAS, the implementation of the We urge the UP Administration to call for a Melania Flores, ang “binabang git sa National Payroll System would obviate the use merit promotion for the UP Faculty, REPS and kasaysayan na pagbangon ng kilusang of the slacks and inevitably revert the slacks to administrative Staff now! guro” ay “makikita sa pagdami ng chapter Update sa Rice Subsidy the national government; ng ACT at lumalawak nitong hanay” at sa Ang sumusunod na teksto ay tungkol BE IT RESOLVED, that we urge the Continued on page 14 UP administration to immediately call for merit sa kahilingan na gawing cash na lamang promotions and the correction of deviated items ang 3rd at 4th na subsidiya sa bigas para in order to recognize the work of its faculty, sa taong 2012 lamang mula kay Ginoong REPS and administrative staff by making use Felix Pariñas, pangulo ng All UP Workers of the slacks that are within the determination Union National para kay Maragtas S.V. Amante, Ph.D., bise-presidente para sa administrasyon ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas: 19 Nobyembre 2012 Minamahal naming VP Amante; Pagbati!

Una, ipinababatid namin sa inyong kaalaman na hindi naging matagumpay ang nakaraang bidding para sa 3rd at 4th rice subsidy, kalakip ang liham ng mga dahilan.

Magalang po naming ipinababatid ang aming kahilingan na gawing cash na lamang ang rice subsidy para sa ikatlo at ikaapat (3rd and 4th rice subsidy) para sa taong 2012 lamang. Ito ay sa dahilan na gipit na sa panahon upang isagawa pa ang pangalawang pagtatangka na ma ipa-BID pa ang nasabing benepisyo. Batay na rin sa naging daloy ng pagpapaliwanag ng BAC at ni G. Loren Escultura, Deputy Director ng Budget System, ay lubhang maigsi na ang panahong kung itutuloy pa rin ang nasabing gawain.

Hinihiling din namin na maibigay na ito sa ika-26 ng Nobyembre 2012 na siya ring petsa ng takdang pag-release ng rice subsidy.

Naway maisakatuparan ito sa lalong madaling panahon. Maraming salamat.

Para sa unyon ng bayan,

Muling dinala ng All-UP Workers’ Alliance (AUPWA)—na binubuo ng AllUP Workers Union (AUPWU) at All-UP Academic Employees Union (AUPAEU)— ang mga panawagan sa lansangan bilang pakikiisa sa Pandaigdigang Araw ng mga Guro noong Oktubre 5.

K asama ang AUPWA sa mar tsa patungong Mendiola ng Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), ACT Teachers Partylist at mga guro sa elementarya, hayskul at kolehiyo mula sa iba’t ibang pamantasan.

Nagmula ang mga delegasyon sa lungsod ng Quezon, Maynila, Makati, Pasig, Taguig, Caloocan at Valenzuela.

Naipaabot na ni ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. Antonio Tinio ang panukalang batas na gawing non-working holiday ang Oktubre 5, ayon sa tagapangulo ng ACT na si Benjie Valbuena.

Ayon kay Valbuena, inaprubahan Pinahayag ni Abad ang pakikiisa ng mga guro ng UP sa mga guro ng ibang pamantasan at

UP sectors support farmers’ call for genuine land reform

Balitang Unyon

Photo by Noel Marquina, All UP Workers Union-Diliman president

In suppor t of the decades-long campaign for genuine agrarian reform in the country, members of the UP community attended the “cultural night” held by far mers groups in front of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Quezon City last October 18.

A multisectoral contingent led by the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) marched to Malacañang the following day to press the Aquino administration to respond to their plight.

S t u d e n t s, wo r ke r s a n d f a c u l t y members from UP Diliman, UP Manila and UPLB participated in the cultural activity that highlighted the worsening poverty, landlessness, human rights abuses, and exploitation confronted by rural communities across the archipelago.

Leaders of various organizations explained the farmers’ struggles and delivered messag es of solidarity in between renditions of progressive songs, poetry, and dance performances.

KMP deputy secretary-general Willy Marbella warned against the Aquino government’s spending coco levy funds worth more than P11 billion. He was worried the funds will only be plundered instead of allocated for the intended farmer-beneficiaries. He reiterated the demand for the immediate distribution of the funds to small coconut farmers.

U P M a nila s t u de nt s u nde r t he Development Studies program sang Buklod’s “Buhay at Bukid” which ends with the message of hope: “Lalaya rin ang lupa at mga magsasaka / Tutulungan sila ng mga manggagawa / Babawiin ang lupang ninakaw ng iilan / At ang bunga ng lupa’y bayan ang aani.”

Orly Marcellana, spokesman of the Save Bondoc Peninsula Movement, slammed the continuing militarization and red-baiting in Quezon and many other provinces that result in grave violations of human rights. He condemned the statesponsored attacks on indigenous peoples and farmers’ organizations.

Ibon Foundation showed a video about farmers’ struggles in relation to the global situation. Youth groups from Southern Tagalog and Payatas also rendered militant performances. Rap duo BLKD upped the tempo with the call “Makatwiran ang maghimagsik / ang maghimagsik ay

Ricardo Felonia, All UP Workers Union PRO-Diliman, casts his vote.

Felix Pariñas Pangulo

10 U.P. Newsletter

October 2012

UPOU joins PLDT and partners in the Celebration of Teachers’ Month distance education—the Diploma in Science Teaching—and later on paved the way for the establishment of the UP Open University.

UPOU is offering the teaching professionals UP-quality education, Alfonso Lyncen M. Fernandez emphasized. Academic rigor is promoted by “Our teachers (resource persons) from developing critical thinking. Learners are UP Visayas (UPV) were very earnest in looked at as co-creators of scholarly texts their intent to teach us what they know so and they are honed as producers of new that we will have the skills that we need knowledge, she said. to develop our product,” said Glenda Isberto spoke about changing technology Villareal, one of the 30 women who and its effects on teaching and learning. underwent training on postharvest fish Amazed at what the children of today are processing. capable of doing, he reminded the teachers Villareal was refer ring to the to adjust to the reality that they are not “Community-based Postharvest Fisheries the fountains of all wisdom anymore. He Technology Transfer Program” conducted explained that anyone could learn online

by UPV through the College of Fisheries just by going to educational sites. He said on Ocean Sciences (CFOS) and funded by that teachers have “a lot to do in guiding the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of these students in how to use this kind of Aquatic Research (DA-BAR) that started technology.” According to him, the most in July this year. important role of teacher is to guide them The project was comprehensive in with honorable values of learning. Teachers scope. The researchers first conducted a have to provide them intellectual honesty survey of the marine products that are and diligence, the core values of learning or readily available and abundant in Carles, global values. “Teachers do still have many a municipality in Iloilo Province with 33 things to teach the youth,” he added. barangays, 18 of which are island-barangays, Garde spoke about the IntelTeach and widely-known for its very rich fishing Program of her company. grounds. The survey also included which UPOU Faculty of Information and business the women preferred to engage Communication Studies Dean Melinda in. The skills training for fish processing Bandalaria served as master of ceremonies.

(Eleanor Payawal-Manipol)

Fish processing skills training for women of Carles held and value addition followed. This included deboning, smoking, fish ham curing (hamonado), drying (dried fish or lamayo), bottling of sardines and milkfish, and making crispy dilis (anchovies).

After acquiring the skills, the participants underwent training on enterprise development such as packaging and bookkeeping with resource persons from the UPV College of Management.

Last October 10, the women participants launched their products during the Carles Expo 2012, which was a part of the part of the town’s Pangisda Festival celebration.

On hand to attend the launching of their products was Prof. Emilia SantosYap, the project proponent and UPV Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs.

Not able to attend were her co-proponents Prof. Merlina Andalecio of the Institute of Fisheries Policy and Development Studies (IFPDS) and Ernestina Peralta of the Institute of Fish Processing Technology (IFPT), both of CFOS. Also present were representatives from the DA-BAR. (With sources from CFOS) Photo courtesy of UPV-IPO

UPV establishes Iloilo City Capital Market Investment Resource Center Continued from page 7

the Capital Market Investors’ Guild, was established to assist the investment advisor in providing information and training services to students, faculty and the investing public.

Leonardo Quinitio, head of the Capital Market Development Division of the Philippine Stock Exchange, Inc., was the guest of honor of the launch. He was joined by UPV Chancellor Rommel Espinosa, Vice-Chancellor for Planning and Development Evelyn Belleza, CM Dean Mary Ann Gumban, and the representative of the Office of the Iloilo City Mayor, Francis Cruz, Iloilo City Local Economic Investment Promotions Officer.

Quinitio gave a talk on the fundamentals of stock investing to an audience of about 300 professionals, businessmen and students. Representatives from the local stockbrokers in Iloilo City, Aurora Hugo of Regina Capital and Hernan Segovia of Summit Securities were also present during his talk. (With sources from the College of Management)

Processed fish product from the training workshop

UPLB campaigns for honest 2013 elections

Continued from page 3 Photo by Alex Castillo(http://ovcre.uplb.edu.ph/index.php?option=com_ k2&view=item&id=198:uplb-campaigns-for-honest-2013-elections)

The UP Open University joined PLDT and its partners in celebrating Teachers’ Month last October 3 at SM North Edsa, Quezon City through “InfoTeach” lectures aimed at giving teachers new ideas and opportunities to upgrade their capabilities.

The PLDT partners were represented

by UPOU Chancellor Grace Javier Alfonso, Sylvia Garde of Intel Philippines, and Ramon Isberto of PLDT and Smart Communication’s Public Affairs. Evelyn del Rosario, head of Community Relations and Public Affairs of PLDT, explained the program theme “Pro-environment Learning for Dedicated Teachers.”

In her talk, Alfonso enumerated a number of UPOU services and plans in support of teachers. Alfonso reported that it is partnering with organizations like PLDT, the Commission on Higher Education, the Department of Science and Technology, Quezon Power, Department of Education, LGUs, congressmen and senators for the establishment of scholarship programs.

Teachers are usually prioritized in these scholarship programs.

She also announced the establishment of more eLearningVilles—UPOU’s new initiatives in promoting education in the rural communities of the Philippines. eLearningVilles will not only provide access to internet facility but also a venue to avail oneself of training and skills development programs. The first eLearningVille was established in Mauban, Quezon also in cooperation with PLDT and other government and non-government agencies.

It supports teachers enrolled in UPOU programs by providing them free and discounted access to the internet.

Alfonso added that UPOU would soon launch Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) to further promote learner inclusion into the teaching-learning environment. This entails making available selected UPOU courses to everyone who may wish to avail of it. No entry qualifications are required except the desire to learn; no cost to the learner except the cost of time, which will be devoted to learning. As the name implies, the course is open and is for free.

“We hope that this initiative will further promote the culture of learning not only among the teachers like you but among other sectors as well. Since this is open, we also take this as a possible opportunity to claim our – I mean us Filipinos – space in the cyberworld,” she said.

The chancellor announced that UPOU would be part of the new face of PLDT’s InfoTeach Outreach program, together with its other partner, Intel. Those who will perform well in the InfoTeach Outreach program, according to her, can have the opportunity for advanced studies and be a grantee of the PLDT Scholarship Program at UPOU. Teachers played an important role in the establishment of UPOU. Alfonso recounted UP’s high school teachers training program in the provinces of Laguna, Quezon and Batangas which aimed at upgrading their biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics qualifications through distance education.

This initiative validated the efficacy of the mode of instructional delivery employed for this sector: printed modules supplemented with cassette tape recordings of lessons and a once-a-month face to face sessions in UP Los Baños. The program’s success led to instituting a degree program through

Caritos, Guia and Laylo during the open forum

according to her.

“Dapat magkaroon ng consequence ‘yung mga flying voters para matuto yung iba at ‘wag gumaya,” Caritos stressed when she presented LENTE’s objective of pursuing criminal and administrative cases against violators of election laws.

Dr. Oscar Zamora, Vice-Chancellor for Instruction, gave the welcoming remarks where he challenged the audience to “make some effort in guarding the votes.”

“Democracy is not for spectators,” he

emphasized. “There should be a concerted effort by Filipinos to elect the right leader,” he added.

“I hope we all takae part in this crusade, [by] being iskolar ng bayan para sa bayan,” Zamora furthered.

Prof. Aaron Laylo from the Department of Social Sciences (DSS) acted as the reactor of the forum. He encouraged UPLB students to take the opportunity to exercise “giving back” to the country by volunteering as election watchdogs/

monitors.

Dr. Agnes Rola, CPAf dean, closed the forum with an inspiring message, saying “let me revise LENTE’s tagline, ‘nation building star ts here,’ with ‘nation building starts with us’.” Rola also pointed that UP students should embody the “change” that they want to see in society.

Mike Lopez and Charmaine Galano, psychology instructors from the DSS, emceed the event.

October 2012

U.P. Newsletter 11

NHCP holds regional historical assembly in UPV

BPI to help in sustainable energy projects Continued from page 2

Anna Razel L. Ramirez

The issues and concerns that she mentioned include the neglect of history in some parts of the country; the nonmarketability of history; threats to historical sites; and the limitation of the heritage law. She further cited the problem on encroachment of historical sites due to a lack of general awareness about these sites and the absence of a heritage component in the town or city planning. She expressed her hope that the conference would be able to address some of these concerns. Diokno also announced several NHCP plans and undertakings such as the restoration of museums and heritage sites.

Historians, researchers, scholars, teachers, heritage conservationists from around the Visayas region participated in the said assembly. They were divided into two groups – the historical societies and the heritage conservation groups, to identify needs, issues and policy concerns in the Visayas, and later come up with an action plan.

UPV is home to research centers and extension units which complement NHCP goals. These include the Center for West Visayan Studies, the Leyte-Samar Heritage Center, the Language Program, and Sentro ng Wikang Filipino.

Photo courtesy of UPV-IPO

Recognizing UP’s role in leading local development, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) held its First Regional Assembly for the Visayas last October 6 at UP Visayas (UPV), Iloilo City, with the aim of organizing a regional historical committee to form part of a national network.

For mer UP Vice-President for Academic Affairs Maria Serena Diokno, NHCP chair and keynote speaker for the event, emphasized the need to formally establish a network as well as identify needs, concerns and issues on history in the various provinces. Diokno also said that she expects that a national action plan will be drawn from the consolidated outputs of the assemblies in the Visayas, Mindanao and Luzon.

UPV soc sci profs serve as resource persons in regional MPA seminar Lyncen M. Fernandez

Continued from page 7

Profs. Subade and Fernandez during the Bangkok seminar

framework behind the management of MPAs in the Philippines. He also gave case studies from Iloilo Province, highlighting “best fit practices.” During the open forum he bemoaned the fact that local community knowledge, participation and interests are not fully incorporated in research, policy, decision-making and frameworks for conservation, enforcement, ecotourism,

etc.

After the seminar, along with some other resource persons, Subade and Fernandez were interviewed on coastal resources management and climate change by a local cable news channel. The clips will be aired at http://www.greennewstv. com/. (With sources from Rodelio Subade and Pepito Fernandez)

Continued from page 4

the Changing Environment”; and BFAR Region VI Director Drusila Esther Bayate, “Women Administrators in Fisheries: Making a Difference”.

Seven papers were presented by other speakers from UPV, UP Diliman, Iloilo State College of Fisheries and Partido State University. They dealt with, among others, gender roles in mangrove reforestation

program; prostitution in Navotas; women fish dealers; women micro-entrepreneurs; mainstreaming gender in Philippine institutions and implications for women in fisheries.

The national research conference is a biennial event organized by WINFISH, headed by Dr. Diana Aure, UPV’s GDP director.

what users can already buy or create on their own,” citing that there are already a lot of cheap hardware and free software in the market.

“A successful sub-$100 laptop will have support for 3-D games,” Mananghaya stressed. “It is important to recognize the reality that children use computers 80 percent for fun and 20 percent for learning,” he added.

On how to spot a high-quality sub-$100 laptop, Managhaya recommended looking for devices with the Cortex A8 chip. “If you see in the box that [Cortex A8] or allwinnerA10 is used, you are safe,” he said. He also added that “there should be a full-sized USB jack to plug in an external mouse or keyboard.”

“Go to cyberzones, they have less than 7K tablets there,” Mananghaya joked when asked whether these sub-$100 laptops already exist in the Philippines. eKindling Inc., a Philippine-based and SEC-registered organization, is closely collaborating with the OLPC to bring the XO laptops into the country. In 2010, they have deployed 100 XO laptops to classrooms to Lubang Island, a remote municipality in Occidental Mindoro.

Photo ftom http://techfreep.com/olpc-libya-connect-12million-school-children-to-the-net.htm

A prototype of the sub-$100 laptop for school children

WINFISH, UPV-GDP & BFAR hold 6th national conference in Tacloban City The plenary speakers for the conference were Dr. Maripaz Perez, regional director for Asia and Philippine country manager of World Fish Center with the lecture “Challenges and Opportunities for Implementing and Effective Gender Strategy”; Dr. Margarita de la Cruz, dean of the UPV Tacloban College, “The Women Fishers of Eastern Samar: Coping with

Prof makes case for sub-$100 laptop for education

Prof. Maria Serena Diokno keynotes the regional historical assembly.

Photo courtesy of UPV-IPO

Dr. Rodelio F. Subade and Prof. Pepito Fernandez Jr., faculty members of the Division of Social Sciences of the UP Visayas College of Arts Sciences (UPVCAS), served as resource persons in the regional seminar “Improving Marine Protected Area (MPA) Management Effectiveness in the Greater Indian Ocean Region” held at The Four Wings Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand last September 27 and 28.

The event was organized by the Mang roves for the Future (MFF), International Union for Conservation of Nature –Thailand (IUCN-Thailand) and the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation of Thailand.

The seminar was attended by other resource persons from the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Sweden, Korea, and countries where MFF has project sites, such as Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Sychelles, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Also in attendance to learn “best practices” in improving MPAs were some 50 managers and administrators from various MPA parks and natural resource management offices in Thailand.

Subade, a professor in economics, delivered the paper “Putting economic values of marine biodiversity into practice: The case of Tubbataha Reefs UNESCO World Heritage Site, Philippines,” where he stressed that integrating economic valuation in MPA management will help ensure MPA effectiveness.

Fernandez, a professor in political science, delivered the talk “Governance and management of marine protected areas in the Philippines.” He presented an overview of the theory and policy

Energy Efficiency Performance Contract with UP is also covered by the MOU. For its part, UP shall provide BPI access to its campuses and properties to determine, “through cooperation in research and feasibility studies, the commercial viability of sustainable energy projects.”

The partnership will run for two years beginning September 2012, with a possibility for renewal. The parties are free to enter into a similar MOU or instrument involving sustainable energy projects, subject to some rules on confidentiality.

The MOU was signed by Pascual and Aurelio Montinola III, president and CEO of BPI, with Alfonso Salcedo Jr, executive vice-president, Mario Palou, senior vice-president, and Dennis David, vicepresident, from BPI; and Vice-President for Administration Maragtas Amante, Vice-President for Development Elvira Zamora, and UPD Chancellor Caesar Saloma, from UP, as witnesses.

BPI entered into the agreement under its “Sustainable Energy Finance Program” where the bank will finance initiatives in energy efficiency in government buildings.

12 U.P. Newsletter

October 2012

UP Visayas signs MOU for academic consortium Lyncen M. Fernandez

UP Vanguard ground breaks ‘Terra Kuta’ bldg

Rene Reinoso is Inquirer COO: Headed for exciting new journey

Continued on page 13

Photos courtesy of UPV-IPO

us throughout this exciting journey,” he said.

As senior vice president for sales and marketing, Reinoso was instrumental in initiating business opportunities that have helped sustain business growth over the past 26 years, built on operational efficiency and management prudence.

His colleagues recognize him as a general management specialist, a team player and a charismatic leader who motivates people to achieve their desired business goals.

As COO, Reinoso will help streamline the operations of the Inquirer and manage its day-to-day operations in order to achieve strategic goals and financial objectives.

He will oversee the operations of the different business units—advertising sales, classifieds, circulation, marketing, corporate affairs, finance, collection, IT, human resources and administration. He will also directly collaborate with the publisher, the editor in chief and the heads of the other companies in the Inquirer Group.

Reinoso started out in the Inquirer as a circulation assistant in 1986. He rose steadily through the ranks, becoming provincial circulation manager, advertising manager, vice president for marketing, vice president for circulation, senior vice president for sales and marketing, director for Inquirer Publications Inc. and most recently, president of DAGXpress Courier Services, an affiliated logistics company of the Inquirer Group.

During his stint as vice president for marketing, the Inquirer was awarded the Agora Marketing Company of the Year for its innovative newspaper marketing, sales and distribution thrusts.

His brainchild, the Newsboy Koolboy Sales Promo, received an honorable

The plans for the interior and exterior of the Terra Kuta

Photo from http://developingiloilotogether.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/aganan-river.jpg

The consortium hopes to provide Its primary role is to provide science-based, the Canadian International Development Agency. The project staff of CUI, Elsa an opportunity and space to strengthen socially relevant support system and advice Subong of the Philippine Information organizations/alliances in watershed to the managers and policy makers in Agency-Region VI, and Clyne Deocampo management and sustainable development. achieving their mandate. of the Department of Interior and Local Government-Region VI were also in attendance.

Alipao thanked the representatives of the academic institutions and said he looks forward to working with the academe for the improvement and development of the communities in the Tigum-Aganan watershed area.

The issues that were raised during the open forum were the insurgency problems in the upland municipalities and the primary role of the consortium in the management of the watershed. Some suggestions and comments from those who were invited to the event were also given: 1.) for the consortium to orient students in process documentation so that they can be tapped to assist in the documentation of activities, 2.) for the consortium to ensure that LGUs are provided copies of research studies and reports conducted by students in the area, 3.) for the academe to come up with The Aganan river constitutes a major part of the Iloilo watershed a program or a project that can help in the consolidation of data/information on the watershed, 4.) for the consortium to ensure that there is no duplication of efforts/ activities/programs/projects among its members by meeting regularly and planning their watershed-related activities, 5.) for Lyncen M. Fernandez consortium members to work on different A building inspired by Earthships Meanwhile, UP Vanguard Inc. will start areas with the goal to build up efforts and Biotechture, a company that advocates the phase-by-phase construction as soon not compete with each other, and 6.) for “radically sustainable buildings made as funding is available.

LGUs to extend assistance (particularly with recycled materials, the epitome of “Terra Kuta” is envisioned to run funds) to the academe. sustainable design and construction based largely on solar and other available on the work of principal architect, Michael renewable energy for day and night lighting Reynolds” (http://earthship.com/) is the concept with minimal augmentation from the behind the future UP Visayas (UPV) ROTC regular national power grid. Safety-wise, Building.

UPV and the UP Vanguard Inc. will Named “Terra Kuta,” the building coordinate closely on the design and actual had its groundbreaking last September implementation of the proposed building From the Philippine Daily Inquirer 15 at UPV Miagao. The construction is to ensure that it will be structurally sound.

T he Inquirer has announced the spearheaded by the UP Vanguard, Inc. Architect Delton L. Diesto (UAP) and his team were commissioned to do the design appointment of Rene R. Reinoso as the (UPVI), Panay-Negros Chapter.

“Terra Kuta” is a play of words and development. company’s new chief operating officer “terracotta” and “kuta.”

According to UPV UPV Chancellor Rommel Espinosa, (COO).

Vanguard Rhoselyn Dolloso (BA Political Vice-Chancellor for Planning and Reinoso’s promotion from senior vice president for sales and marketing was Science- Management, 2005), “Terra Kuta” Development Evelyn Belleza and ViceChancellor for Administration Nestor announced by Inquirer president Sandy will mean Earth Camp.

“Terra Kuta” will use natural materials Yunque led the UPV officials who attended Prieto-Romualdez at a company general such as clay and earth, common construction the program at the grandstand which was assembly on Nov. 20.

Reinoso, a 26-year company veteran, materials such as cement, sand, and followed by the ground-breaking ceremony thanked Romualdez and Inquirer chair Marixi gravel, and recycled materials such as some 15 meters from the actual site. BGen Prieto for the trust and opportunity that they plastic bottles, glass bottles, used tires and Marcelo Javier Jr., AFP (RES) was the tarpaulin streamers. One of the project’s guest of honor and speaker of the UPV have given him.

Reinoso.

“It is a privilege to serve the Inquirer in primary sponsors, Smart Communications ROTC Parade and Review that followed a bigger way and I am excited to face the challenges of the media industry given its Inc., gave its commitment to provide used the ground-breaking ceremony. (With sources transformative nature. I believe that the values of commitment and integrity will guide tarpaulin materials for the earth bags. from the UP Vanguards)

UP Visayas (UPV) signed a memorandum of understanding creating an academic consortium of four universities and one college for an integrated watershed management and sustainable development of the Iloilo watershed and rivers. The signing was held last September 12 at the Iloilo Business Hotel, Iloilo City.

“Maintaining the health and reliability of watershed ecosystems is a big challenge. Using management approaches that act positively on levels of poverty and also take account of the risks and uncertainties of climate change is an even greater challenge,” says Prof. Pepito Fernandez, Jr., faculty member of the Division of Social Sciences, UPV College of Arts and Sciences, during the signing of the MOU. Fernandez, together with his colleague Dr. Rodelio F. Subade and Benjamin Luz of the Canadian Urban Institute (CUI), was the proponent of the undertaking.

The event was attended by the heads/ designated representatives of the five members of the academic consortium led

by UPV Chancellor Rommel Espinosa, St. Paul’s University President Carolina Agravante, University of Iloilo’s Ma. Teresa Magalong, Central Philippine University’s Dr. Florence Bogacia, and West Visayas College of Science and Technology’s Corazon Corbal.

Also present were Alimodian Mayor and Tigum-Aganan Watershed Management Board Chairman Juanito Alipao, Leon Mayor Rolito Cajilig, Maasin Mayor Mariano Malones, Cabatuan Mayor Roberto Maroma, and Maria Javenia McKenzie of

October 2012

Jo Ann A. Oruga

The 2nd UPLB Faculty Conference was held last September 26 to 28 in Lipa City, Batangas, with the theme, “Towards a World-Class University.” It brought together UPLB’s faculty in the effort to develop strategic and action plans to concretize the vision to be one of the best universities, if not the best university, in the region.

With the foothills of Mount Malarayat as backdrop, the conference commenced with contingents from various colleges introducing themselves and their colleges. Vice-Chancellor for Administration Crisanto Dorado formally welcomed the participants.

Chancellor Rex Victor Cruz, in his keynote address, reported what UPLB has been doing since he took office. He reported that UPLB has been closely working with the UP System for the implementation of eUP, a three-year program that aims to develop and implement an ICT system and infrastructure across all UP campuses. This project will help promote administrative efficiency and help create an enabling environment conducive to achieving academic excellence.

Cruz also related that groundwork for the construction of the integrated laboratory is underway. “This centralized research laboratory concentrates the resources used in analytical procedures in one integrated laboratory, the better for us to be responsive to our students, researchers and our external clients,” he explained.

The chancellor also reported that UPLB is aggressively implementing traffic rules and regulations and antilittering and solid waste management policies. Likewise, it is also pushing for an energy-efficient campus.

The conference centered on the following nine thematic areas: 1) mentoring, University’s response to the K to 12 program; 2) mainstreaming emerging trends in teaching and learning; 3) recruitment, retention, and acceleration of the best and the brightest; 4) empowering faculty for effective student support services; 5) building a culture of research and publication; 6) emerging interdisciplinary programs; 7) resource generation; 8) UPLB as a public service university; and 9) internationalization.

After deliberating on these thematic areas, the faculty members came up with action plans for each theme.

They also proposed specific activities to address each action plan, with corresponding target dates, budgetary requirements, and expected outputs.

Among some of the targets that were identified were the construction of the integrated laboratory; strengthening of Internet connectivity and the UPLB website; provision of funds for retooling and mentoring of teachers; more research grants and scholarships; strengthening of resource generation initiatives; and revision of curricula.

According to Cruz, his team will use these action plans to push for developments that would mark UPLB as a world class university.

Aswang: Modern and ‘transmedial’ Alexandria Camille M. Castillo, UPLB in the News

Dr. Felicidad “Bliss” Cua Lim, associate professor of Film and Media Studies at the University of California-Irvine, shed last August 22 at UP Los Baños’s (UPLB) NCAS Auditorium a different kind of light on the topic of aswang. During probably the most peculiar of all the GE Conversations series conducted by the Department of Humanities’ Literary Division this year, Lim incited the audience to look at aswang “within [the] queer social fabric.”

According to Lim, the aswang is often conceptualized as a national symbol for monstrous asociality in the functionalist paradigms that dominate Philippine folklore. In her lecture “Aswang Transmedia,” Lim took exception to Raul Pertierra’s argument that the aswang has an “asocial” or antisocial nature.

She argued that the “transmedial aswang” can be a relative, a friend, or even a lover.

Lim cited and presented a number of fragments found in different media that support her statements. Among them is Ricky Lee’s novel, Si Amapola sa 65 na Kabanata, where Lee portrayed aswang and bakla as “marginal characters who move through time and space.”

This seemingly simple yet very technical topic gave the audience a new perspective on the aswang. Dennis Gupa, assistant professor at the Department of Humanities said he agrees with Lim’s points and noted that “we are an aswang nation.”

Lim is an expert on Philippine cinema; temporality; archival loss; postcolonial and feminist film theory; transnational Asian horror and the fantastic; and taste cultures. She wrote the book Translating Time: Cinema, the Fantastic, and Temporal Critique, published by Duke University Press in 2009.

Photo by Alex Castillo (http://ovcre.uplb.edu.ph/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=193:aswang-modern-and-%E2%80%9 8transmedial%E2%80%99)

UPLB holds 2nd faculty conference

U.P. Newsletter 13

Lim agrees with a point raised by a member of the audience.

UP, COMELEC ink agreement to ensure ‘intelligent’ polls Continued from page 1

voting population, better preparing voters to choose candidates their wisely. “An informed electorate is a requisite for a democracy.”

Pascual also called for UP-COMELEC partnership beyond the 2013 elections.

“UP is ready to assist COMELEC to conduct election-related research, provide policy guidance in the crafting of new laws, provide technical assistance in the new priorities of the COMELEC leadership such as the monitoring of campaign finance, improving the party list system, and promotion of political party reform.”

COMELEC Commissioner Rene Sarmiento said that it was the first agreement between the commission and a university. He explained that the COMELEC can better fulfill its mandate under the Philippine Constitution when it has the full support of its stakeholders in empowering the people of this country. He added that UP alumni in the COMELEC, including himself, look forward to a “fruitful and dynamic relationship with our alma mater [in serving] the people.”

Pascual was the signatory for the university while Sarmiento signed on behalf of the commission. Witnesses included COMELEC Commissioner Lucenito Tagle, UP VP for Development Elvira Zamora, UP VP for Public Affairs J. Prospero de Vera III, UP VP for Legal Affairs Hector Danny Uy, UPD Chancellor Caesar Saloma, UP Manila Chancellor Manuel Agulto, UPD University Student Council (USC) Chair Heart Diño, and UPD USC Councilor Jules Guiang.

The signatories and witnesses then led the signing of a commitment to voter registration and education at the Quezon Hall lobby after the signing of the MOA. (With report from Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo)

UP Diliman Student Councilor Jules Guiang speaks during the press conference for the UP-COMELEC cooperation, as UP Manila Chancellor Manuel Agulto and UPD Chancellor Caesar Saloma sign the commitment board upholding honest and intelligent elections in 2013.

Rene Reinoso is Inquirer COO: Headed for exciting new journey Continued from page 12

mention in the prestigious Newspaper Association of America’s Acme awards (advertising, circulation and marketing promotions division) for Single Copy retailers program.

In 2007, as chair of the CBA management negotiating panel, Reinoso successfully led the team in negotiating and completing the CBA in record five meetings through diplomacy and sound economic principles. This was recognized as the shortest CBA ever in the history of the Inquirer, earning the commendation of business and industry leaders.

In 2011, he spearheaded the launch of the Inquirer online trading site, Pinoy Best Deals, catering to buying, selling and trading of goods and services back-linked to all social networking sites.

Reinoso took his early education at San Beda College, where he received the gold medal for excellence when he graduated from high school in 1978.

He was this year recognized as the Most Distinguished Bedan Awardee by the San Beda College Alumni Association.

He obtained his business economics degree from the University of the Philippines School of Economics, earning a dean’s medal for academic excellence. He took master’s studies in economics at De La Salle University. He earned his master’s degree in business administration, graduating with distinction, from Murdoch University in Perth, Western Australia. (Connie R. Kalagayan, http://business.inquirer.net/94865/ rene-reinoso-is-inquirer-coo-headedfor-exciting-new-journey)

14 U.P. Newsletter

October 2012

How to grow a flower garden:

A review of ‘Ang Ikaklit sa Aming Hardin’ by Bernadette Villanueva Neri, illustrated by CJ de Silva Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta

to grow and evolve.

The stor y has a gentle honesty and gracefulness to it, reflected in the illustrations that remind me a little of Fernando Amorsolo’s paintings—delicate shadings of light and dark; expressive eyes in softly rounded faces; and soothing pastels and blended colors for the scenes portraying Ikaklit’s love for her mothers and their garden. The analogy of love and the family as a flower garden is maintained throughout the book. The story begins with Ikaklit immersed in her own little family, like a seed still wrapped in the safety of its coat, and we the readers get to see her planted in a new environment and bloom into a strong child able to stand up for herself and reach out to others. The symbolism of flowers as strengthening, nurturing love is clear.

At one point, Ikaklit’s friends and their families are portrayed with different types of flowers in the background. All the family scenes are bordered with flowers, until the Continued on page 15

Book cover

Aliw honors artists with lifetime achievement awards MANILA, Philippines - The Aliw Awards Foundation, Inc. (AAFI) is slated to bestow honors to two music icons, a cultural advocate and a choral group as the 25th Annual Awards unfolds on Nov. 26, 6 p.m. at the Fiesta Pavilion of Manila Hotel. Alice Reyes, AAFI founding president, reveals that song-artists Jose Mari Chan and Imelda Papin, cultural advocate Danny Dolor and the 50-yearold UP Concert Chorus will be recognized for their achievements that brought honor to the entertainment industry and to the country. They will all be the recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Jose Mari is a noted singer-composer who burst into the live entertainment scene way back in 1966 as host of the television program 9 Teeners. From then on, he catapulted to prominence via songs Constant Change and Refrain followed by a long list of hit songs. Concerts and live performances, in and out of the country, ensued.

Imelda is a music icon and Reyna ng Masa of the local entertainment world.

She came to the big city in 1972 coming from the coastline of a Bicol town on her own only to be recognized by the public through her phenomenal songs like Babaing Makasalanan, Lalaking Salawahan, Bakit, Huwag, Mahal, Saan Ka Nanggaling Kagabi and Isang Linggong Pag-ibig in the

’90s. She’s the undisputed Jukebox Queen and gained the tag Asia’s Sentimental Songstress in Bangkok, Thailand where she first became popular as performer in various hotels and nightclubs. Imelda was first awarded The Most Promising International Performer by Aliw Awards in 1977 and another followed a year after.

She garnered awards and recognitions, left and right, both here and abroad.Her performances went on to the top of the list including that at the Caesars Palace in Atlantic City in New Jersey, alongside other international celebrities. Papin performs in Las Vegas.

The UP Concert Chorus (UPCC) came into existence in 1962 at the advent of the late Carlos P. Romulo as University of the Philippines president. The group has metamorphosed from being a simple university chorale into a big choral group.

The choral group has received awards and recognitions.Danny Dolor founded Tribung Pinoy Filipino Foundation and its musical arm called, Tribung Pinoy, a group of classically-trained singers to promote the love and interest in national, traditional Filipino music, especially among the youth.

He also pioneered the first traditional allFilipino repertoire concert at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) in 1979, the first such concert to be held there. (Reprinted from the Philippine Star)

Aquino appoints Leonen to SC

Continued from page 1

1960.

Leonen will fill the position vacated

by Sereno after she was appointed Chief Justice last August.

He was credited for crafting the framework peace agreement between the Aquino government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. He has been the head of the peace panel since 2010.

Prior to his stint as head of the Philippine peace panel, Leonen served as dean of the University of the Philippines College of Law. Leonen graduated magna cum laude from the UP School of Economics in 1983 and obtained his law degree in the same state university in 1987. He became a member of the Bar when he signed the Roll of Attorneys on May 28, 1988.

Leonen also co-founded the Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center Inc.Kasama sa Kalikasan, a legal and policy research and advocacy institution focusing on giving legal services to the poor and indigenous communities. (Re-printed from the Philippine Daily Inquirer) Photo courtesy of the UP Concert Chorus website

Few things bespeak of life, growth and diversity than a flower garden. Even I, avowed urban-jungle native and dweller in a concrete box stacked upon other concrete boxes, have felt the sense of rejuvenation a flower garden offers, and have sought from time to time that reminder that life goes on.

Having grown up in a home with a flower garden courtesy of my parents’ non-genetically transmittable green thumb, I became concerned that my own daughter was growing up unaware of the human need to connect with Nature. However, my repeated attempts to grow a garden have only resulted in the corpses of houseplants littering the area around our trash bin, and the absolution of my guilt coming in the form of our weekly garbage truck.

So I confess, it was the descriptions of a flower garden and Baguio City’s Botanical Garden, not to mention the beautiful earth-toned, colored-pencil illustrations of flowers and gardens, that first drew me to the children’s book Ang Ikaklit sa Aming Hardin (Ikaklit in Our Garden). Plus, I have a fondness for the titular ikaklit, which is an anticipated sight in the UP Diliman campus come summertime. As far as I was concerned, any book that teaches the appreciation of Nature to today’s technology-dependent children is a mustread for the family.

More so considering the meaning behind this particular garden and ikaklit, and what the story teaches children about life, love and diversity in human society.

Ang Ikaklit sa Aming Hardin (Ikaklit in Our Garden), printed in the Philippines by Raintree Trading and Publishing Co., is a product of mostly UP talents. The book is written by UP Diliman faculty member and MA Filipino (Malikhaing Pagsulat) graduate Bernadette Villanueva Neri; illustrated by former Promil Kid and now advertising agency Art Director CJ de Silva; translated into English by writer, editor, activist and UP Journalism graduate Jennifer del Rosario-Malonzo; and its layout was done

by UP Fine Arts graduate Jennifer PadillaQuintos.

The book opens with a simple sentence: “Dalawa ang aking nanay.” The story is told from the point of view of a little girl who lives in a house with a beautiful flower garden grown by her mothers. The story is set in Baguio City, where the little girl, Ikaklit, learns to appreciate the diverse histories and art forms of the indigenous people, as well as the dizzying variety of the gardens and plant life. (Honestly, the members of the UP Baguio community are truly to be envied, although not for the tortuous number of stairs on campus.)

One day, her mothers give her a flower seed of her own to plant in their garden, and teach her how to take care of the seed and make it grow.

Ikaklit’s idyllic life changes when she starts going to school and soon discovers the social penalties meted out to those who are “different.” Upon returning home, she asks her mothers a significant question.

In turn, her mothers and their flower garden teach Ikaklit a gentle lesson in the many shapes and forms that life and love take, including the shape and form of the family. Ikaklit goes on to face her trials at school, and soon finds friends among her other classmates whose families, like hers, have taken shapes and forms that are different from society’s established ideas.

And thus does her garden, including her newly bloomed ikaklit seedling, continue

The UPCC with conductor Prof. Jai Sabas-Aracama acknowledging audience applause during a concert in Andorra, a part of their 2012 European tour.

AUPWA, nakiisa sa pagdiriwang ng Teacher’s Day Continued from page 9

pagkakaroon ng mga unyon at mga samahan na mahigpit na nakikipagkapit-bisig sa iba’t ibang sektor. “Hindi mapaghihiwalay ang isyu ng public school teachers at mga kawani ng pamahalaan; hindi tayo natatali sa dagdag na suweldo…at patuloy tayong lumalakas dahil malinaw sa atin ang tangantangang prinsipyo: ang guro ay hindi lamang suwelduhan ng bayan, (kundi katuwang ng) mamamayan sa tamang pagsusuri ng lipunan.”

October 2012

U.P. Newsletter 15

Proyektong pabahay sa CP Garcia at Village C, nilinaw Stephanie S. Cabigao

Nagpiket ang mga residente ng Pook C.P. Garcia at Village C sa Bulwagang Quezon sa UP Diliman noong Oktubre 2 para himukin ang mga kinauukulang harapin sila hinggil sa planong proyektong pabahay ng UP System.

Dinaluhan ang naturang piket ng iba’t ibang organisasyon ng dalawang pook tulad ng CP Garcia Neighborhood Association Inc., Samahan ng Magkakapitbahay Village C Chapter, Akap-Bata Partylist, at ng Women’s Federation of Barangay UP Campus

Clean-up drive marks UPD’s celebration of Disaster Reduction Day

likod ng pabahay ng mga guro at kawani ng unibersidad sa istrukturang walk-up ng Doña Aurora. Ikinababahala ng 300 hanggang 400 pamilyang naninirahan sa lugar ang planong pagtatayo ng pabahay para sa mga kawani at guro ng unibersidad.

Umigting ang kanilang pangamba sa kawalan ng plano ng unibersidad sa kanilang seguridad sa relokasyon at paninirahan.

Hinarap sila nina Bise-Tsanselor Para sa mga Gawaing Pampamayanan Melania Flores at Kapitan ng Barangay Isabelita Gravides. Ayon kay Flores, may mga nakatalagang pagbabago o kaya’y paggalaw sa mga istruktura sa loob ng kampus sapagkat may isinasagawang update ang Land Use Plan ng UP. Kasama rin dito ang paggalaw at pagbabago sa aspeto ng tinatatawag na academic core. Kabilang sa academic core ang pabahay para sa mga estudyante, guro at kawani ng unibersidad.

Nariyan din ang lugar para sa Siyensya at Teknolohiya, at nakalaang lupa para sa protected areas o forest areas.

Dagdag pa ni Flores, ang pabahay ay bahagi ng system-wide master plan at master development plan sa lahat ng mga kampus Mga mamamayan ng Pook C.P. Garcia at Village C ng Barangay UP Campus nagkaisang ng unibersidad na siya namang inisyatiba magtipon sa harap ng gusaling pang-administrasyon ng UP upang humiling ng isang diyalogo ng UP System. sa usaping pabahay Balak magtayo ng medium-rise na gusaling maglalaman ng humigit-kumulang sa 232 yunit na maaaring tirahan ng mga empleyado, ayon sa impormasyong kanyang natanggap.

Ang pagtatayo nito ay nakatakda sa taong 2013 at itatalaga sa kasalukuyang lugar ng CP Garcia at Village C.

How to grow a flower garden

Photo by Jun Desierto, UPD-OCR

UP Diliman (UPD) has embarked on a clean-up drive as a result of the damage brought about by heavy rains last August.

The Office of Community Relations of the Office of the Vice-Chancellor for Community Affairs, together with officials of Barangay UP Campus and coordinators of its 17 “pook” sites, completed plans last September for a clean-up drive.

The pilot clean-up activity was launched at Pook Daang Tubo last October 7. The second part was held at Pook Arboretum last October 13 during the United Nation’s International Day for Disaster Reduction as well as the ASEAN Day for Disaster Management.

Residents of Pook Arboretum started the clean-up as early as 8 am in all of its five blocks. Block coordinators of the pook mobilized the residents who organized themselves into five cleanup teams and one team in charge of food preparation. Additional cleaning materials such as brooms, shovels, rakes and sacks were provided by UPD Campus Maintenance Office, Office of Community Relations as well as Barangay UP Campus. Designated grass cutters from the barangay also came to facilitate pruning.

U P D s t u d e n t s o f C o m mu n i t y Development 11 under Prof. Thelma Magcuro from the College of Social Work and Community Development also attended the clean-up drive. Most of them joined Block 3’s clean-up team as the area was reported to contain the most waste materials.

Kuha ni Bong Arboleda

Stephanie S. Cabigao

– Village C at CP Garcia Chapter.

Naroon din ang University Student Council (USC) sa pangunguna ni Mark Joseph Tagala, ang punong kinatawan ng Community Development sa USC at tagapamahala ng Community Rights and Welfare.

Ang magkaratig pook ng C.P. Garcia at Village C ay kabilang sa 17 pook na bumubuo sa Barangay UP Campus. Nakatayo ang komunidad na ito sa loob mismo ng kampus at kasalukuyang matatagpuan sa

Continued from page 14

Community Development students under Prof. Thelma Magcuro of CSWCD are all ears during the clean-up orientation and briefing by Community Development Officer Allen Metrio of the UP Diliman Office of Community Relations

UP Doctor World TOYP Continued from page 1

According to JCI president Bertoit Daems, the 2012 TOYP awardees were selected from 115 nominees from 37 countries. This is the 30th year the TOYP awards were given to distinguished individuals.

Among those recognized were two Filipinos — Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV and Dr. Edsel Maurice Salvaña. Bam was named TOYP for his business, economic and entrepreneurial accomplishment while Edsel was honored for his humanitarian and voluntary leadership.

Of the 10 TOYP awardees this year, two came from the Philippines and two from United Kingdom. The other six came from the Maldives, Spain, Ireland, Botswana, Madagascar and Zimbabwe.

Dr. Edsel Maurice Salvaña, a physician of tropical medicine and infectious diseases, was recognized with a TOYP trophy for his “extraordinary work” in awareness and treatment of HIV/AIDS in the Philippines.

Four years ago, he gave up a lucrative medical practice in the United States and joined the government’s Balik Scientist program. He now teaches at the University of the Philippines-Philippine General

Hospital. His take home pay is incomparable to the $400,000-annual salary that he kissed goodbye in the US but Edsel is very happy and fulfilled with his decision to be back home.

“That’s only money. I want to save lives in my own country,” says Edsel, a magna cum laude graduate from UP Manila. Edsel returned to the Philippines in 2008 after six years of training in the US, first as an internist, then as an infectious diseases specialist.

Daems says, “Dr. Salvaña turned his knowledge and career in healthcare to help those suffering from HIV/AIDS. After discovering an increase of HIV/AIDS cases in his home country, he started a vigorous awareness and research campaign in 2008, long before the Philippine government officially recognized the epidemic.”

Upon Edsel’s return to his beloved homeland, he found out that the Philippines is one of the seven countries in the world with rising incidents of HIV cases. He instantaneously became a staunch advocate of combatting the disease by launching a massive information drive and giving hope to patients faced with the dreaded disease.

For this year alone, Edsel says, there are 315 cases of HIV/AIDS in the Philippines.

He says this is included in the total 11,000 reported cases of HIV/AIDS around the country.

“On a happier note,” he told the international crowd at the TOYP ceremonies after presenting HIV/AIDS statistics in his own country, “I’d like to think that our message and our work have made a difference. There are now more young Filipinos on proper treatment and care.

The government has acknowledged and has started addressing the HIV problem. We have trained many young doctors to take care of HIV patients, and we continue to work to decrease the stigma and increase testing.”

Edsel treats HIV/AIDS patients at the Philippine General Hospital. To create more impact, he founded the first Philippine HIV/AIDS fellowship program to increase care for the disease and mentor interested medical students.

Like Bam, Edsel is also a recipient of The Outstanding Young Men award in 2010.

final scene where Ikaklit allows her friends into her garden, thus extending her circle of love. And in Ikaklit’s finest moment, when she faces down her tormentors with one of the finest arguments for acceptance, equality and gender/LGBT rights, she is seen holding a posy of flowers in her hand.

Another point I find interesting: On her first day at school, the first thing Ikaklit notices are the pictures painted on the walls, including a mural of a traditional family consisting of a father, a mother and a child.

This static and wholly artificial image of the family contrasts with the story’s portrayal of a loving family as a living, growing garden. I find comfort in the idea that the image of the so-called traditional family will someday fade away, while the real family will continue to grow and thrive, in one form or another.

But I took the most comfort in my eightyear-old daughter’s response to the story.

After she put down the book and declared that she liked it very much, she looked at me with a confused frown and asked: “But why would Ikaklit’s classmates tease her for having two moms anyway?”

I explained that some people equate “different” with “wrong,” and I did so with a sense of hope. If the seeds of change have truly found fertile soil in our children, then it is up to us to nurture it and make it grow.

Just as Ikaklit’s mothers have done.

Then I made my daughter come with me to the nearest plant shop to buy several new and distinctly unfortunate houseplants, including a packet of sunflower seeds. Hope must be nurtured, after all.

16 U.P. Newsletter

October 2012

UP Playwright’s Theater restages hit children’s play ‘Umaaraw…’

Be enthralled by the colorful creatures of Philippine folk literature and mythology as the UP Playwrights’ Theater puts the spotlight once again on “Umaaraw Umuulan Kinakasal ang Tikbalang,” Dulaang UP’s hit production last season. The play is adapted from Gilda Cordero-Fernando’s children’s short story “The Magic Circle,” written

by Rody Vera and directed by José Estrella.

Relive Jepoy and Galis’s journey to a

magical wonderland teeming with strange creatures and even stranger events. Be acquainted with the enormous Doña Geronima with her clean and shiny plates and her Spanish-speaking dwarf maitre d’ Pacqui. Chat with talking pythons and monkeys, tiyanak debutantes, ballroom dancing aswangs, and with the woeful kapre named Kap. To cap the adventure off, witness the exchange of vows between two enormous tikbalangs as it rains and shines at the same time.

More than being a crash course on Philippine folklore and myth, “Umaaraw, Umuulan Kinakasal ang Tikbalang” is a timely reminder of the urgency of caring for the environment and that all creatures big or small, whether from this world or another, are deserving of our respect and compassion.

Award-winning artists collaborate to give the audience yet another visual feast.

Sculptor Leeroy New’s sculptural costume pieces and Don Salubayba’s unique shadow

puppetry will surely awe the audience anew. All these are complemented by Lex Marcos’s set and lights, Tj Ramos’s sound design, and choreography by Stephen Viñas.

The play runs from November 21 to December 9, 2012 at the Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero Theater, UP Diliman. For ticket inquiries, please contact Sam Clarin or Camille Guevara at the DUP Office at 926-1349, 981-8500 local 2449 or 4337840. (Press release)

Lady Maroon Tankers put UP in 3rd place in UAAP Andre Encarnacion

The UP women’s swimming team once again made a splash as they won the UAAP title for a fourth straight year, staving off the challenge of Ateneo de Manila University at the Trace Aquatics Center, Los Baños, Laguna. The Lady Maroon Tankers amassed a commanding 568 points, leading ADMU’s 326 points and De La Salle University’s 196 points.

Whitney Dy, Tiara Tudio, Dennice Cordero and Tin Hipol showcased UP’s dominance by winning the 400-meter medley relay, finishing with a 4:39.97. And leading the new crop of UP swimmers was UP freshman Delia Cordero who bagged both the Rookie of the Year (ROY) and the Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards.

The Lady Maroon Tankers’ four straight triumphs match the second-longest championship run in the league, which was accomplished by the University of Santo Tomas from 1975 to 1979, and from 2004 to 2008. UST also holds the record for the longest reign at eight straight years: from 1956 to 1964.

More importantly, the win catapulted UP into third place in the overall UAAP standings after the first semester with 110 points, just a point above ADMU, and behind De La Salle (152 points) and UST (144).

UP’s overall standings were also boosted by strong performances from the men’s and women’s judo teams, and the women’s table tennis team who all had second place finishes. The UP men’s taekwondo and men’s swimming teams also finished third in their respective events. (with data from uaapsports.studio23.tv)

UP Faculty, Alumni, and Friends Choral Ensemble to hold pre-Christmas concert A pre-Christmas concert, an evening of favorite love songs, original Filipino music, and Christmas carols will be held at the Malcolm Theater, College of Law, UP Diliman on November 18, 2012, a Sunday, at 4:30 pm. The affair will feature the UP Faculty, Alumni, and Friends Choral Ensemble to be conducted by Prof.

Leujim C. Martinez. The pianist will be Prof. April Sta. Maria-Villasquez.

Part of the proceeds will be donated to the UP Bliss Building 21 fire victims who urgently need to restore electricity and roof their building.

For tickets and further information, any of the following UPFACE officers may be contacted: President, Atty. Oscar Ventanilla Jr. (09175226038); Vice-President Belen TG Medina (09177336164); Secretary Lily de Leon (09062663560); Treasurer Delia Soro (09477454079); A u d i t o r Te m y Pa s c u a l (09209068542); and PRO Butch Perez (09192473148).

Members of the UP Faculty, Alumni, and Friends Choral Ensemble or UPFACE

Academic Affairs offices organize system-wide faculty conference Vice-President for Academic Affairs and Director of Office of Institutional Linkages (OIL) Antoinette Hernandez emceed the proceedings.

The faculty conference specifically aimed at reflecting on the new norms and standards, value systems or philosophies expected of a UP faculty member, and proposing new measures to support, nurture and sustain academic excellence

The fabulous and non-mythical characters of “Umaaraw Umuulan Kinakasal ang Tikbalang”

Pangalangan is Inquirer publisher Continued from page 1

It will certainly complement the critical eye that he will bring to bear on his new job, and that, through his weekly column “Passion for Reason,” helped the reading public keep tabs on, make sense of, and possibly formulate a judgment toward certain controversial issues, such as the reproductive health bill, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s petition to travel, or the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona.

Pangalangan takes the post long held by newspaperman Isagani Yambot, who passed away after a heart bypass operation in February.

Inquirer president and CEO Sandy Prieto-Romualdez announced in a memo issued Monday to her officers and staff that the appointment of Pangalangan was made after a “careful and thorough search.”

She said that ensuring the credibility of the Inquirer vis-à-vis the rule of law, the journalist’s code of ethics, and company policies would be part of Pangalangan’s objectives.

Continued from page 2

and the culture of teaching, mentoring, scholarship, research, creative work and public service among UP faculty.

Representatives from each CU were assigned to groups that worked on three parallel sessions. The first session focused on defining the attributes, qualifications, standards, norms, code of conduct and value systems of the UP faculty member.

The second session covered proposals for

faculty recruitment, development, retention, mobility, extension and retirement. The third session tackled proposals on faculty evaluation, promotion and tenure. The groups were given the opportunity to share in the plenary sessions what has been discussed and proposed in the parallel sessions.

Concepcion closed the entire activity with a synthesis of the workshops and the

summary of agreements. She also delivered the institutional response of the UP System Administration, answering some questions raised during the plenary sessions. She said that all that had been discussed, shared and proposed will be carefully considered and documents and drafts will be circulated across the CUs before the next faculty workshop/conference in February 2013.

(Anna Cañas)

U.P. NEWSLETTER PROF. JOSE WENDELL P. CAPILI Issue Editor JO. FLORENDO B. LONTOC Managing Editor ARBEEN ACUÑA, STEPHANIE CABIGAO, FRED DABU, ANDRE ENCARNACION, CELESTE ANN CASTILLO LLANETA, JO. FLORENDO B. LONTOC, KIM QUILINGUING, ARLYN VCD P. ROMUALDO Writers BONG ARBOLEDA, MISAEL BACANI, JONATHAN MADRID Photographers OBET EUGENIO Editorial Assistant TOM MAGLAYA Circulation The U.P. NEWSLETTER is a monthly publication of the UP System Information Office, Office of the Vice-President for Public Affairs. We welcome contributions from the faculty, non-academic staff, REPS and students. Please send your contributions to: THE EDITOR U.P. Newsletter Mezzanine Floor, Quezon Hall, UP Diliman, Quezon City 926-1572, 436-7537 e-mail: upnewsletter@up.edu.ph upsio@up.edu.ph