UP Newsletter June 2011 by University of the Philippines

U.P. Newsletter 1

Wired UP

UP Law Website Relaunched In celebration of its centennial, the UP College of Law has redesigned their website at http://law.upd.edu.ph. The newly launched site boasts easier navigation for users. It also features a special section dedicated to the College’s centennial celebration.

University of the Philippines Community Newspaper VOLUME X X XII NUMBER 6

DILIMAN, QUEZON CITY

JUNE 2011

Read UP Newsletter online at http://www.up.edu.ph/upnewsletter.php

UP tops PHL universities in QS rankings despite non-participation Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc

Despite its non-par ticipation, the University of the Philippines regained its standing as the number one university in the Philippines in the annual Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) ranking of Asian universities. UP placed 62nd in the 2011 Asian University Rankings’ Top 200. Only three other Philippine universities m a d e it to the top 200. Ateneo de Manila University ranked 65th; University of Santo Tomas, 104th; and De La Salle University, 107th. In the previous QS ranking of

Asian universities, Ateneo was ranked 58th, beating UP which was in 78th place. UST at that time placed 101st; and La Salle, 106th. QS started its world university rankings in 2004, then in partnership with the Times Higher Education Supplement (THES). At the end of October 2009, THES decided it would no longer use data provided by QS due to criticisms against the latter’s methodology. According to the QS website (http://www.topuniversities.com),

UP students, staff select new regents

Photos by Jun Madrid

Two n e w members of the UP Board of Regents (BOR), the rankings are based on “Academic the highest policyPe e r Re v i e w ( 4 0 % ) , E m p l oy e r / making body of Recr uiter Review (10%), Student- UP, were elected Faculty Ratio (20%), Citations per by students and Faculty (20%), and Inter national staff in separate Factors (Faculty and Students) 5% elections last April. UP Law student N e w l y e l e c te d U P each.” Maria Kristina C. Staff Regent Jossel In 2008, UP expressed reservations Ebesate Conti was elected about agreeing to a proposal by QS to student regent during the General Assembly spend around $48,930 or around P2 of Student Councils (GASC) held in UP million to promote UP at QS’s Top Mindanao from April 4 to 5. Conti will join Universities publication and fair. the BOR for AY 2011-2012, taking over for The current UP administration, Jaqueline Joy Eroles. (Continued on page 5 Meanwhile, student leaders Rainier Astin Sindayen and Fermina Agudo were selected as second and third nominees, respectively. They shall assume the position of student regent in the event that Conti, for whatever reason, vacates the position, as mandated by Article IX, Section 7 of the Codified Rules for Student Regent Selection. Jossel Ebesate, chief nurse at the Philippine General Hospital, was elected last April 13 by UP rank-and-file employees in the different constituent universities (CUs) as staff regent. He succeeds Clodualdo Cabrera, the first staff regent elected in 2009. About 56 percent or 4,862 out of 8,686 qualified administrative staff and research, extension and professional staff (REPS) exercised their right to vote. Both Conti and Ebesate began their respective terms last June 3 when they attended their first BOR meeting and took their oath of office.

Preventive suspension of UP Cebu College dean, 2 others

Clockwise from left top picture: UP President Alfredo E. Pascual; The UP Staff Chorale; Mrs. Adelaida Escober-Lopez, wife of former UP President SP Lopez; UP Vice-President for Academic Affairs Gisela Concepcion viewing photos of former UP President SP Lopez.

UP celebrates SP Lopez’s birth centennial

See story on page 10

UPD has new vice-chancellors Camille Dela Rosa

UPD Chancellor Caesar Saloma formally swore in ﬁve new vice-chancellors (VCs) last May 9 at Quezon Hall. The new VCs are Dr. Ronald Banzon of the College of Science as VC for Academic Affairs, Dr. Benito

Pacheco of the College of Engineering as VC for Research and Development, Prof. Virginia Yap of the UP Extension Prog ram in Pampang a as VC for Administration, Prof. Ma. Corazon Tan of the College of Social Work and

Mothers of missing UP students ﬁle charges vs. Palparan et. al.

CMC honors Lourdes EstellaSimbulan (1957-2011)

Community Development as VC for Student Affairs and Prof. Melania Abad of the College of Arts and Letters as VC for Community Affairs. Their appointments took effect last May 3.

Pascual calls for prudence in spending

UP Cebu College (UPCC) Dean Enrique Avila, Alsidry Sharif and Ernesto Pineda are preventively suspended from ofﬁce for 90 days. They will be further investigated under Administrative Disciplinary Tribunal (ADT) Case Number 2011-001 for gross negligence, grave misconduct and gross neglect of duty. UPCC Associate Dean Richelita Galapate has been designated as OIC. The ADT which is tasked to conduct an investigation of the case is composed of Atty. Rosario Rodrigo Larracas (chair), Prof. Alden Lauzon and Dr. J. Prospero De Vera III. Larracas (Ofﬁce of Student Affairs) is from UP Manila while Lauzon (College of Arts and Letters) and De Vera (National College of Public Administration and Governance) are from UP Diliman. For a background on the issue, please read the article in the UP Newsletter (April 2011, page 1) titled “Ouster of UP Cebu dean demanded” (http://www.up.edu.ph/upnewsletter.php?i=1 412&archive=yes&yr=2011&mn=4).

CSSP, OCD conduct disaster preparedness training in UPD

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Mothers of missing UP students Former UP VP appointed file charges vs. Palparan et al. The mothers of missing UP students Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeño filed charges against the suspected perpetrators four days before Mother’s Day. Linda Cadapan and Concepcion Empeño went to the Department of Justice (DOJ) last May 4 to file criminal charges against Ret. Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan Jr., for mer commanding offi cer of the 7th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army, and other individuals for the disappearance of their daughters who were allegedly abducted by the military in the early hours of the morning on June 26, 2006 in Hagonoy, Bulacan. Based on the sworn affidavits of eyewitnesses, the criminal acts include rape, serious physical injuries, arbitrary detention, maltreatment of prisoners, grave threats, grave coercion and violation of Republic Act No. 7438 (An Act Defi ning Certain Rights of Person Arrested, Detained or Under Custodial Investigation as well as the Duties of the Arresting, Detaining and Investigating Officers, and Providing Penalties for Violations Thereof). The complaint also named Palparan’s subordinate officers, Lt. Col. Rogelio Boac of the 56th Infantry Battalion and Lt. Col. Felipe Atonado of the 25th Infantry Battalion, as respondents. In addition, M/Sgt. Donald Caigas and

PCIEERD chief

Photo by Misael Bacani

Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo

Concepcion Empeño and Linda Cadapan, with their respective legal counsels, rally outside the DOJ compound.

M/Sgt. Rizal Hilario were charged with particular acts of torture and rape. Cadapan and Empeño were accompanied by their counsel from the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers. The legal team is headed by Edre U. Olalia and includes, among others, two new lawyers from UP, Sandra Jill Santos and Ma. Cristina Yambot. Santos served with Sherlyn in the UP Diliman Student Council, while Yambot entered UP as an undergraduate student at the same

time as Karen. Prior to the filing of the complaint, a rally was held at the entrance to the DOJ office. Showing support for the filing of the case were human rights and cause-oriented groups Desaparecidos, Hustisya, Karapatan, UP Kilos Na!, Selda and Tanggol Bayi. In a press conference after the filing, DOJ Secretary Leila de Lima assured the complainants that the department will take the case “very seriously.”

A for mer UP vice-president h a s b een a p p o i n ted h ea d o f a new agency of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). Prof. Amelia Guevara, for mer vice-president for academic affairs, is currently on secondment as the first chief of the DOST’s Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD). Guevarra is a faculty member of the UP Diliman (UPD) Department of Chemistry. The PCIEERD is the newly consolidated council of the D O S T, a r e s u l t o f t h e m e r g e r of the Philippine Council for Industry and Energy Research and Development (PCIERD) and the Philippine Council for Advanced Science and Technology Research and Development (PCASTRD) in June 2010. Guevara has ser ved in various capacities in the DOST’s Scientific Career Council, Board of Trustees, Philippine Science High School, External Review Committee of then PCIERD and the Governing Council of the then PCASTRD.

UP professors, progressive groups demand freedom for detained UP alumnus KIM Quilinguing

Photo by Bong Arboleda

“He deserves to be released, for his being a member of the New People’s from a small bag a grenade and gave it that the Aquino administration correct to the soldier who asked for it” when the wrongs done by the previous continuing incarceration is a grievous Army (NPA). Reyes said that Acosta was subjected he was being charged at the police administration, including that of random loss to the growth of a truly democratic culture of the Filipino people.” to more than 44 hours of rigorous headquarters. He also said that aside and baseless arrests and detention. He National Artist for Literature and military interrogation before he was from being arrested without warrant and said that he cannot understand how UP Professor Emeritus Bienvenido brought to the Philippine National evidence, his right to due process was soldiers would arrest someone who has Lumbera gave this reaction on the Police Municipal Headquarters. Acosta also denied. There was no prosecutor to done nothing but serve the people in a arrest and imprisonment of UP alumnus was later charged with possession of conduct the inquest proceedings on his manner which respects human life and Ericson Acosta. explosives after a grenade was allegedly case and no stenographer was present. dignity. His case was later filed directly with the Acosta, a freelance journalist, was found in his possession. According to Lumbera, Acosta is a arrested by elements of the 34th Infantry In his sworn statement to the Office Regional Trial Court of Calbayog. As of former UP activist who served as an Battalion of the Philippine Army last of the Provincial Prosecutor of Calbayog this writing, Acosta remains detained at editor of the Philippine Collegian. He Febr uary while doing research on City, Samar, Acosta denied having a the Samar Sub-Provincial Jail in Calbayog was also active with cultural groups like human rights violations in Baranggay grenade at the time of his arrest, saying City awaiting trial. the UP Repertory Company, Dulaang Acosta’s father Esias demanded UP and Alay Sining. As a journalist, Bay-ang, San Jorge, Samar for the that “one of the soldiers… took out Alliance of Concerned he has worked as segment Samareños (ACOS) and writer for ABS-CBN’s the Kapunungan han Gudti Wanted and TV Patrol. nga Parag-uma ha Weste H e wa s a l s o a s s i s t a n t han Samar (KAPAWA). entertainment editor of In a press conference the Manila Times. at the Greenhouse Grill Aside from Lumbera, in Quezon City last April R e y e s a n d A c o s t a ’s 15, Bag ong Alyansang contemporaries in UP, M a k a b a y a n ( BAYA N ) and selected UP faculty Secretary-General Renato members have joined the call Reyes said that Acosta for Acosta’s release. Among was arrested after he and these were former ViceBaranggay Dacles Secretary President for Public Affairs Vicente Dacles chanced Cristina Pantoja-Hidalgo, upon soldiers who inquired former Vice-President for where they could get water Academic Affairs Gemino in the area. One of the Abad, UP College of Mass soldiers later searched C o m mu n i c a t i o n D e a n Acosta’s bag. After finding Roland Tolentino and UP his computer notebook, Institute of Creative Writing Parents of detained UP alumnus Ericson Acosta are joined by representatives from progressive organizations and Director Jose Dalisay, Jr. Acosta was accused of some members of the UP faculty.

JUNE 2011

Makialam

U.P. Newsletter 3

Mai Uichanco

“Ang bilang guan ng Batang as Provincial Jail ay isang maliit na bahagi lamang ng mas malaking bilangguan— ang lipunan. Ang masa sa loob at labas ng bilangguan ay iisa, pare-parehong pinagsasamantalahan, parehong inaapi, parehong nililinlang ng bulok na sistema ng hustisya sa bansa, at pare-parehong biktima. Napagtibay ko sa aking sarili na hindi mapipigilan ng pader, rehas, at mga posas ang pagpapatuloy ng sinimulang mapagpalayang paghihimagsik sa labas ng bilangguan... At ito ang magiging dakilang tungkulin na kailangang gampananan sa loob ng bilangguan—ang palayain ang masang bilanggo mula sa kanilang nakakulong na isipan, makitid na mundong ginagalawan at isabay sila sa daluyong ng pablaban para sa mga karapatan ng mamamayan at tunay na hustisya.” -Maricon Montajes, mula sa isang 18pahinang sulat mula sa bilangguan

Kalayaan at konsepto ng piitan Napakatalas ng mga salitang naglalagablab sa galit sa loob ng 18 pahinang sulat ni Maricon. Nagagalit ang mga pahina na paulit-ulit tinahi ang mga salitang pasismo, masa, militar, kahirapan, pambubusabos sa maraming pangungusap. Nakakatuwa ding sa kabila ng galit, tampok pa rin ang mga katagang walang kapagurang pakikibaka, paglilingkod sa masa, pagmumulat sa sambayanan—mga katagang mataas na diwa ng aktibismo sa kabila ng isang taon na ring pagkakapiit sa kulungan, mula sa ilegal na pagkakadakip ng mga elemento ng 743rd Combat Squadron ng Philippine Air Force noong Hunyo 3, 2010. Higit na nakakatuwa na habang sinusulat ko ito, sa kabila ng pagiging agitated ni Maricon, sumasagi sa aking alaala ang mga unang pagkakataon na

nagkita kami sa Kolehiyo ng Pangmadlang Komunikasyon sa UP Diliman. June 2008 noon at kasagsagan ng enrollment. Abala ako sa pagiging bahagi ng konseho ng mga mag-aaral nang makilala ko si Maricon—suot ang usong-uso na puting Artwork na T-shirt, naka-Chucks na may neon green na sintas, kulay kalawang ang kanyang buhok habang nakikinig sa kanyang iPod. Hindi ako lubusan pang naniwala na tibak (aktibista) siya, dahil na rin sa bihis niyang hindi nagpamalas ng “simpleng pamumuhay.” Lubusan pa kaming nagkakilala, habang ako ay nasa konseho, siya naman ay miyembro ng organisasyong UP Sining at Lipunan (UP SILIP). Organisasyon itong nakabase sa MassComm, pinapahusay ang sining ng pelikula at pagkuha ng litrato taliwas sa dogma ng “art for art’s sake,”

Democratic governance impedes academic reform Flor Lacanilao

Group decision has been a major problem in Philippine science and education. It is based on the common belief that two heads are better than one. But is this always true? I propose two ways to improve decision-making in academic groups. Solving problems together, as in democratic governance, has been a common practice in the Philippines. This is true in the University of the Philippines as far back as I can recall, 50 years ago, when I was an instructor in zoology. Today democratic governance is often included in visions of candidates for top positions in the UP system. The academic situation in UP and the country where democratic governance has been a normal practice, however, has been getting worse rather than better. Data on research performance of UP in the last 30 years have clearly shown this. After two decades of decline, improved research—the most important function

We read Dr. Flor Lacanilao’s article titled “Democratic governance impedes academic reform” published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer (03/14/2011) with much interest. First of all, we would like to commend Dr. Lacanilao for his view that the “most important problems in the world have been solved largely by physical scientists.” If there are any problems at all in the world which have not yet been solved by these physical scientists, such problems would certainly be nothing but the most trivial ones unworthy of even an iota of brain matter of their superior intellects. Despite our awe at the display of erudition on philosophy and human history which such a statement entails, we nevertheless take issue with the gist of of Dr. Lacanilao’s argument in the said article. We propose that his general argument can be taken as follows: a) Working successfully requires that members are competent on a subject; b) Joint decisions with different member competencies don’t work; c) The great majority [of academics] are poorly published in ISI journals, d) The great majority [of academics] do not have the technical knowledge

of modern universities—was seen only at the start of 2000. And this was largely brought about by cash rewards for publications that meet objective, internationally accepted criteria. As the national university, UP is now aiming to be the first research university in the country. How can UP prepare to be a research university? Officials at all levels and faculties, system-wide, have yet to improve their track record in research. With a group dominated by poorly published members, the usual democratic governance by group decision will not improve research performance. Chris Frith and coworkers have studied such group behavior; for example, a report, “Optimally Interacting Minds,” appears in Science. The study shows working together successfully requires that members are competent on a subject. Joint decisions with different member competencies

don’t work. In the UP situation, only a low percentage of officials and faculty members are properly published—in ISI-indexed journals. The great majority are poorly published, or do not have the technical knowledge possessed by the well-published minority. The group decision will be worse than that that would be made by the published members only. This partly explains what happened in the past. One way to improve group decision in research is for the well-published minority to explain the importance of research to teaching and to human development. Adequate explanation would convince most of the poorly published majority to trust the minority’s judgment. Since not all published researchers in natural and social sciences fully understand the importance of research to human development, some have to start spending part (e.g., to “tithe” 10

bagkus, paglilinang ng midya para patuloy na magmulat sa mga estudyante at mga mamamayan hinggil sa mga katotohanang panlipunan. Takot si Maricon magutom, sa totoo lang, umiiyak siya kapag nagugutom. Maarte siya manamit (sa katunayan, madalas namin siyang pagsabihan kung masyadong “revealing” ang kanyang suot). Kaya noong nagpaalam siya noong May 2009, niyakap ko siya at ng iba pa, hindi lamang sa diwa ng pamamaalam kundi sa diwa ng paghanga na sa mabilis na panahon ay nabuo niya ang kahandaang iwan pansamantala ang matiwasay na buhay para makipamuhay sa mga pesante at linangin ang pelikula kahit ang potograpiya para idokumento ang iba’t ibang mukha ng pagsasamantala, lahat sa isang lugar at sa panahong walang katiyakan. Tunay ngang walang ipinanganak (Continued on page 10)

percent) of their professional time and effort to reading and thinking about the benefits of research and S&T. Such extra effort by our respected scientists, who have been too absorbed in research work, would not only facilitate group decision-making but also enable them to use their expertise when needed in debates on national issues. As it is, debates on science-related issues and education have been dominated by non-scientists and usually without any useful conclusions. A more effective alternative to democratic governance—to solve the crisis in science and education—is to wield executive-decision power, as done in political and military crises. This needs a strong, visionary leader who is an accomplished scientist. The new chancellor of UP Diliman, the flagship campus of the UP system, is the top Filipino physicist in the country. Most important problems in the world have been solved largely by physical scientists. If Diliman Chancellor Caesar Saloma is to succeed, where all his predecessors clearly failed, he should assert his competence by stating his views firmly (Continued on page 10)

In praise of the dictatorship of the highly published Ramon Guillermo

possessed by the well-published minority; e) Any group decision will be worse than that which would be made by the [well] published members only. [Therefore the poorly published individuals should be excluded from the decision-making process.] First of all, what “subject” is Lacanilao referring to in the first proposition above? Is he referring to his own field of “comparative endocrinology”? Is he referring to the niceties of Popperian philosophy of science, the details of art restoration, or the fine points of coral reef preservation? Or is he just saying that the members working together should be “competent” in at least “something” (as long as it is an “academic something”)? Let’s just assume that Lacanilao is saying, in his own very diplomatic way, that the members working together to arrive at decisions within the University should be “competent” in at

least one “academic something.” Then the next question in terms of his argument would be: Is the “objective” measure of “competence” which he proposes, namely, number of ISI publications, a valid and acceptable measure of “competence” for all possible “subjects” or domains of specialization in the University? It should first of all be clarified to the uninitiated that the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI), founded in 1960, regularly puts out a list of the “most cited” (and therefore most prestigious) scientific journals in the world. ISI’s founder Eugene Garfield, was also notorious for once having written that, “International science requires cultural as well as economic imperialism.” Since that time, the ISI listing has been used as a crucial measure to determine international university rankings and faculty ratings and promotions. There are valid reasons to doubt that the ISI listing could serve as an uncontroversial

and “objective” measure of competence across disciplines. Most of these are already quite well-known among students of journal citation-impact. Some of these are the following: a) The humanities and social sciences give greater value to publications in book form than the disciplines in the natural sciences which give a premium to journal publications; b) The humanities and social sciences domains, not just in the Philippines but internationally, are much more diverse in terms of languages of publication. The vast majority of ISI journals however are English language journals from the USA and UK with very few of these representing such important languages in the humanities and social sciences such as German, French, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese etc.; c) There is unfortunately, but understandably, an observed “Western bias” in the humanities and social sciences journals covered by the ISI which do (Continued on page 11)

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JUNE 2011

CMC honors Lourdes Estella-Simbulan (1957-2011) Jour nalism instr uctor Lourdes “Chit” Estella-Simbulan (August 19, 1957-May 13, 2011) was the subject of a tribute at the UPD College of Mass Communication (CMC) last May 18. Simbulan died in a motor car accident on Commonwealth Avenue last May 13. Her ashes were brought to the CMC auditorium where colleagues, friends, students, and family gathered to honor her. Known in the journalism profession as Chit Estella, she died at the age of 53 when the taxi she was in was rammed by a bus as she was on her way to have dinner with friends at the UP Ayala Techno-hub along Commonwealth Avenue. The accident happened at around 6 p.m. last May 13. In her opening remarks, Journalism Prof. Rachel Khan said that EstellaSimbulan was a good, reliable friend who also served as an inspiration for her accomplishments in journalism. Journalism Prof. Danilo Arao, who is also UP assistant vice-president for public affairs, read UP President Alfredo Pascual’s statement. Pascual said that Estella-Simbulan’s death is “a great loss to the academe and the field of journalism, where she upheld the highest ethical and professional standards of the profession through teaching, research, extension and

actual practice.” Pascual stressed the need to improve road conditions in the country to prevent other tragic accidents and mishaps, citing several studies done by the UP National Center for Transportation Studies (UP NCTS). Other speakers during the tribute included CMC Dean Roland Tolentino, Depar tment of Jour nalism Chair Marichu Lambino and former CMC Dean Georgie Encanto who is also a member of the journalism faculty. They all talked about Estella-Simbulan’s professionalism, high ethical standards and achievements in journalism. For her part, CMC Administrative Ofﬁcer Gina Villegas said that Estella-Simbulan was generous, sincere and humble. Estella-Simbulan’s former students also recounted how Estella-Simbulan touched their lives. Kristine Felisse Mangunay, an incoming faculty member of the Department of Journalism, talked about how Estella-Simbulan’s vision of producing journalists with high ethical standards who are accountable to the public affected the conduct of the work of journalists. M a e H e r n a n d e z , w h o s e r ve d a s student assistant of the Department of Journalism, mentioned EstellaSimbulan’s patience and willingness to teach. For his part, Eunille Ocampo of the UP Journalism Club (of which

In medias res, paalam Libay Linsangan Cantor

In teaching film, we share the idea of beginning the story in the middle of things, which is what “in in medias res res” means. This is when, upon the film’s opening, we see the story unfold immediately as it begins with some form of conflict, immediately engaging the audience and hooking us all within the cinematic world. Sadly, one Friday the Thirteenth, we saw another kind of in medias res come to an end. As things for Lourdes “Chit” Estella-Simbulan (August 19, 1957-May 13, 2011) was about to turn in terms of her teaching career, we suddenly find her life reel being cut short, abruptly. She was still in the middle of a lot of things that could have benefited our alma mater, the College of Mass Communication (CMC), as a professor about to get her tenure. But the curtains were suddenly drawn up for her, and we were all taken by surprise. * Ms. Chit and I didn’t initially meet as CMC colleagues, though. It was during the middle of other things when we first met—a vacancy at the defunct Pinoy Times political tabloid opened up, and a friend recommended me for the position. Like a true cinematic outlining, I was in the middle of a career shift during that time: I concluded my work in a film production company and was freelancing as a lifestyle/ entertainment feature writer. It so happened that they needed an entertainment editor, and the Pinoy Times editor-in-chief (EIC) was willing to accept someone like me who never had direct experience working in a newsroom but who had ample experience writing and roaming around local showbiz. Yes, it was Ms. Chit who ran the paper as EIC, and who gave me the trust and confidence to try out this field. As I found out then, the people at the political tabloid were also in the middle of many things in their professional lives. They were the ones who left the Manila Times when the paper ran into trouble with former President Joseph Estrada. Ironically, our own “small-but-terrible” political tabloid would also run into some sort of “trouble” with Estrada when our editors decided to raise their stake in the political climate of the early 2000s—Ms. Chit and the rest of the editorial board went ahead with exposing more corruption in that administration. It was very interesting to see them plan stories, do a bit of undercover work to get information, and laugh at or shrug off threats. It felt like being in the middle of a movie, a la All the President’s Men (1976), or something cinematically dramatic like that. My assignment was simple then, as Ms. Chit, during one editorial meeting, turned to me and said “Maghanap ka ng mga artista na anti-Erap.” The request was somewhat a Herculean task since Erap was from showbiz and we know that most showbiz people aren’t known primarily for their political courage. But one has to deliver, and they even made one story of mine as front-page material—“Nora Aunor, anti-Erap na rin.” Those were interesting times. It was an exciting time to be a journalist and I thank Ms. Chit for giving me that chance of witnessing such momentous events unfold—and for giving me the chance to participate in them as well. * Regardless of where life takes us, sometimes it’s comforting to realize that you are not the only one who finds yourself in the middle of roads, pondering on (Continued on page 5)

Photos by Bong Arboleda

Bernice P. Varona

UP CMC faculty, students and staff toast to Chit Simbulan at the end of the tribute. Below: With heads bowed in silence, some UP CMC faculty and Chit’s family members offer a prayer while inside the deceased instructor’s room in the college.

Estella-Simbulan ser ved as faculty adviser) said that she set an example for the students and “walked the talk.” Franz dela Fuente of Tinig ng Plaridel (official student publication of UP CMC) recalled how Estella-Simbulan effectively guided him as he wrote his undergraduate thesis. Speaking for the family, Gil Estella, Chit’s younger brother, said that his sister was well-loved. He added that it was Estella-Simbulan who influenced him to become a writer. Prof. Roland Simbulan, former UP Faculty Regent

and Estella-Simbulan’s husband, expressed his gratitude to everyone who paid their last respects. He said that Estella-Simbulan was not just a strong wife but also a “committed partner” in fighting for change in Philippine society. A toast to Estella-Simbulan’s life concluded the tribute. UP CMC faculty, students, staff and alumni then planted trees on CMC grounds in the professor’s honor. The pealing of the UP Carillon bells to the tune of “Bayan Ko” also happened at around noon.

UPLB forest technician killed, suspect remains at large KIM Quilinguing

UP Los Baños (UPLB) Forest Technician Elpidio Malinao was shot dead in the afternoon of May 9 at the ADKOLORZ Sign Shop in Barangay Maitim, Bay, Laguna. A suspect has been identiﬁed by witnesses but is still at large. UP President Alfredo Pascual went to the wake last May 11 to condole with Malinao’s wife and his ﬁve children. He said that the “dastardly act by forces who seem to be mindless of the need to preserve the biodiversity in our environment, has not deterred our people from doing their jobs.” Malinao, he said, “as an inspiration to others in the performance of their task” of protecting the Mt. Makiling Forest Reserve. Malinao was a forestry technician at the Makiling Center for Mountain Ecosystem (MCME) for the past 25 years. MCME is a component unit of the UPLB College of Forestry and Natural Resources. According to sign shop owner Rey Cantosano, he was in the middle of a transaction with Malinao when a man wearing a black jacket, helmet and medical mask, walked up to the victim

and shot him in the head. The man fled using a blue Honda Wave motorcycle with a faded plate number. According to police reports, Malinao, along with Ben Rada and Atanacio Navarete also of MCME, was supposed to attend a hearing at the Bay Municipal Trial Court. They were scheduled to testify in Criminal Case No. 5173 against Armando Javier and Napoleon Oliveros. Javier and Oliveros were accused of violating Section 69 (unlawful occupation or destruction of forest lands) of Presidential Decree No. 705 (Forestry Reform Code of the Philippines). The hearing, however, was rescheduled due to the absence of the presiding judge. In a related development, the victim’s brother, Zacarias Malinao Jr., filed a murder case in the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office against Roberto Canovas. The latter is currently a suspect as he had been identified by a witness as the man who allegedly shot Malinao. As of press time, Canovas remains at large.

JUNE 2011

Film Institute thesis wins bronze in Bangkok film fest Ricochet, an undergraduate thesis of UP Film Institute student Chad Angelic Cabigon, won the Bronze Award at the 2nd Bangkok International Student Film Festival in Bangkok, Thailand. The festival was held from May 11 to 20. Ricochet, a 17-minute short film, Ricochet tells the story of a man reflecting on the unexpected consequences of a murder he commits. It stars Joem Bascon, Jamieson Tracy Lee and Juan Miguel Severo. Cabigon is both writer and director of the film, with Joenathann Alandy as producer. Prior to the Bangkok festival, Cabigon’s film was screened at the 2nd West Virginia Mountaineer Short Film Festival. It also won awards for directing and editing (for Cabigon and Jerome Morales) at the 8th Indie Un-Film, Ateneo Video Open 12 and the 7th PWU Art Film Festival. Ricochet is a production of UP Cinema in association with Crimson Light Productions.

UP tops PHL universities in QS rankings despite nonparticipation (Continued from page 1)

meanwhile, is challenged by the result and will work harder to improve the ranking, while at the same time checking on the data used in the survey. In a related development, Kabataan Pa r t y l i s t Re p. R ay m o n d ‘ M o n g ’ Palatino last May 24 said that the QS results underscore government’s neglect of tertiary education. “It is worth noting that majority of the top Asian schools, including the leading Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, are State universities substantially funded and supported by their respective governments. This appreciation for tertiary education starkly contrasts with the education policies of the Aquino administration. In our country, State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) are neglected to utter destitution.” According to Palatino, the Aquino administration’s higher education thr ust consists of “increasingly pressur[ing SUCs] to function as private schools.” SUCs therefore are made to anticipate less subsidy and are pressured to find other means of raising funds, including the option to raise tuition. Pa l a t i n o r e j e c t e d t h e A q u i n o government’s justification of focusing on basic education in leaving SUCs to their own devices. He described this view as “very limited.”

U.P. Newsletter 5

Asteroid named after incoming UPD freshman Bernice P. Varona

Only a few can claim that an asteroid has been named after him or her. Miguel Arnold Reyes, an incoming freshman in UP Diliman, is one of the selected few. Reyes earned this distinction after winning the 2nd Grand Award in the 2011 International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) held in Los Angeles, California last May 8 to 13, 2011. Reyes, a Department of Science and Technology (DOST) merit scholar, received $1,500 from the Lincoln Laboratory of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for his research. His study titled “Synthesis and Characterization of Composite Plastics from Thermoplastic Starch

and Nano-sized Calcium Phosphate for Film Packaging” aims to produce biodegradable plastic for ﬁlm packaging. This kind of plastic is formed from a composite of thermoplastics such as cornstarch and nano-sized phosphate particles. Reyes joins a few other Filipinos who have had asteroids named after them, namely Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) administrator Roman Kintanar, Edwin Aguirre, Imelda Joson, Philippine Science High School (PSHS) Western Visayas campus director Josette Biyo, Allan Noriel Estrella, Jeric Valles Macalintal, Prem Vilas Fortran Rara and Fr. Victor Badillo.

Another Filipino won the 4th Grand Award and $500 for her research. Angeli Joyce Dy from Capiz National High School won with her study on milkﬁsh (Chanos Chanos chanos Forsskal Forsskal) serum as an alternative media supplement to the expensive fetal bovine serum (FBS). The latter is used to culture lung and colon cancer cells, and the milkﬁsh serum can be a potential replacement for this. The ISEF is an annual science competition organized by the Society for Science and the Public. This competition provides a venue for high school students worldwide to showcase their research. Reyes just graduated from PSHS and will pursue a computer engineering course at UPD.

Pascual urges UPOU grads to excel Anna Cañas and Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo

“Excel in your respective professions and make a difference in your own spheres of excellence.” This was UP President Alfredo Pascual’s message to the UP Open University (UPOU) Class of 2011 at the commencement exercises last May 7 in UP Los Baños, Laguna. UPOU had 213 g raduates this year. UP graduates, he said, have the special privilege of developing a critical understanding of issues of national

concern and of “taking an active part in national efforts to address these challenges.” Pascual said that their education at UPOU should helped them develop “self-initiative, discipline, and ﬂexibility traits” because of its unique and non-traditional learning system. This system, Pascual stressed, also allowed them to be exposed to and be more adept at employing online technologies. He advised them to use these tools of networking and collaboration to contribute to the

solution of problems in their local communities and encouraged them to accomplish even greater things in the service of the people. In her valedictory address, France Guillan P. Bandigan who earned a Diploma in Environment and Natural Resources Management described studying at UPOU as effective, albeit unconventional. She appreciated that professors and students had “limitless space to share opinions, discuss ideas, ask questions and provide answers.”

UP College of Medicine awarded Level IV accreditation The UP College of Medicine was recently awarded a Level IV accreditation by the Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines (FAAP). Level IV is the highest accreditation level. The awarding to the College of Medicine was recommended by the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities

(PAASCU). It is the ﬁrst college of medicine in the Philippines to receive this accreditation level. According to the PAASCU Primer, Level IV accreditation is awarded to “accredited programs which are highly respected as very high quality academic programs in the Philippines and with

In medias res, paalam intersections, thinking of what course to follow next. Like all good things in media, things come to an end. In the case of Pinoy Times, it was in December 2001. But an ending doesn’t necessarily mean a strict conclusion. And thus, it was in 2005 when Ms. Chit and I exchanged hellos again, this time as colleagues, at CMC. We were both newly hired as fulltime faculty—I joined the UP Film Institute and she joined the Department of Journalism. We were both pleasantly surprised to see each other there. Before entering CMC, I lost touch with all Pinoy Times people already, and so I guessed that being in the academe was another instance where Ms. Chit and I would be in the middle of several things in our respective lives. Once in a while, we would run into each other in the CMC hallways or on the street sidewalks. During such encounters, she never failed to say a genuine “Hi!” and to sincerely ask how things are going with me. Sometimes, we ﬁnd ourselves chatting hurriedly about updates and thoughts on school matters

prestige and authority comparable to similar programs in excellent foreign universities.” Established in 1977, FAAP is authorized by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to certify the accreditation status awarded by different accrediting agencies such as PAASCU to higher education institutions.

(Continued from page 4)

during such encounters, as we made our way to our classes. T here was this one par ticular encounter that stuck to me as we exchanged thoughts and opinions about teaching. When I alighted from a UPKatipunan jeep, I saw Ms. Chit on the sidewalk walking toward the college entrance. We ended up talking about teaching and how to balance things. Being media practitioners who have seen the ins and outs of how media work outside the academe, she pondered on a thought that also echoed my sentiments during that time. “Minsan iniisip ko, paano ko ba ituturo sa mga bata ang buhay sa media without being cynical?” That hit the nail on the head for me. During that time—maybe one or two years into my teaching life—I was also burdened with how best to inform students of the “real reel ills” of life in Philippine cinema without dousing their hopes of being part of it. I’m sure journalists also have their fair share of such ills. But hearing from her former students, I suppose the best lesson they learned from her is to just keep it real. After all, that

was what I learned from working with her at Pinoy Times Times, and that was how her students were practicing their skills when they graduated. In an industry that is also haunted by corruption and unethical practices, being real means not giving in to dubious workings and not succumbing to illicit pressures. Get the story out there, as the people need to know it, but do it properly without overstepping boundaries. It’s a lesson well learned. * When I learned of her untimely departure from this planet, I felt aggravated that someone was snatched so early from us, just as she was in the middle of more exciting things to come. She could offer more, and contribute more. But I guess the universe works in a strange way sometimes, and we just have to accept some things as they come. Sans resistance. Still, this doesn’t mean forgetting. I know her family, friends, colleagues and students won’t forget Ms. Chit and her contributions to their professional and personal lives. I know I won’t. Paalam, Ms. Chit. At salamat.

6 U.P. Newsletter

JUNE 2011

12 tips from an UPCAT examiner What you need to know ab Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo

school to fill out. Following the directions in the application forms, the UP aspirant must then pay the application fee. After paying, he or she should submit the following: proof of payment; application forms; four identical 2”x2” photos; a certified and signed legible photocopy of the permanent secondary school record from schools other than the present (if the applicant transferred from another high school) or the same document from the present school if the applicant needed more than four years to fi nish secondary education; and a self-addressed stamped envelope if the test permit is to be mailed to the applicant through his or her school. The deadline for filing application forms at the Office of Admissions is on

Photo by Misael Bacani

Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo Having served in the administration of the UPCAT for half a decade, I have some What is the first challenge for high tips for examinees that should make their UPCAT experience a little less stressful (and school students who dream of going to hopefully more memorable). UP? What do they need to “conquer” 1. Write the information needed on your test permit. The permit is computerone weekend during rainy August? The generated and therefore does not have your signature. Sometimes, it does not even answer should be obvious: The UP include your date of birth. As soon as you get your test permit, go over it and see College Admission Test (UPCAT). if there is any missing information. This will save you time from having to fill it As with any challenge, preparations out once you are in the testing hall. must be made by the “conqueror.” In 2. Check if part of the dry seal on your test permit is stamped on your photo—because the case of UPCAT, it means fi lling it should be. This is something that we check before letting you inside the testing out the application forms from the UP room. Reporting it to the Office of Admissions before the actual testing date will Offi ce of Admissions fi rst. UPCAT save you the fear of thinking the worst when we see the irregularity. Believe me, Form 1 is for the student or his or her you are nervous enough as it is without having the proctor or examiner point out guardian and UPCAT Form 2 is for his that there’s something not quite right with your test permit. or her high school. In the first form, it 3. Know your testing hall in advance. A visit to the test center a week before the test is important to note that it asks for two will enable you to get there easier on the day itself. We have seen so many examinees UP campus choices and two intended waste their time looking for their testing halls that they end up late for the test. courses for each. The processing of 4. Be early. It may seem like a very hard thing to do, especially on a weekend. But this application will be based on the being early beats panic and anxiety just before an exam. If it is any consolation, applicant’s order of preference. The all UP employees who serve in the administration of the UPCAT have to be at second form is exclusively for the the test center before you. 5. Bring good quality pencils—not too light but not too dark. No part of the test will ever require you to use any other kind of writing instrument. Pencils will do. 6. Do not bring scratch paper for your computations. We will provide this for you. The scratch paper we issue is the only paper you must use. 7. Do not forget to submit documents required of you. The Office of Admissions marks these as deficiencies on your test permit. Keep these documents ready and when we ask, do submit them. 8. Turn off your cell phone or put it on silent mode with the vibration function turned off. This should be self-explanatory. In the same way that you want to watch a movie at the cinema without distractions, so should your focus be undisturbed during an exam. If you forget or refuse to do this and you get a message or a call, you not only disturb your fellow examinees. You also get dagger looks from them. 9. Bring a snack. You are allowed to eat at any time during the exam because there are no breaks. But please bring something that does not bother your fellow examinees—something that is not noisy to unwrap or eat and something that is not too odorous—or else, you get dagger looks again. 10. Try to be calm and focus on the task at hand. We have seen nerves get the better of examinees. Sweaty palms that soil answer sheets, frequent trips to the bathroom, fainting, vomiting, etc. Try not to let anxiety rule you on exam day. 11. Do not ask the proctor or examiner about certain items on the test booklet. We are not allowed to read the contents of the test booklet. You can only ask clarificatory questions about the instructions. You can inform us of irregularities in the numbering of items or pages, if some are missing or duplicated. But we will not entertain questions about the test items themselves. 12. Finally, do not even attempt to cheat. In fact, do not even think about trying to cheat, unless you want to say goodbye to the UPCAT and your chance to study in UP. Please keep these tips in mind, and good luck.

Applying for STFAP Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta

UP students interested in applying for UP’s Socialized Tuition and Financial Assistance Program (STFAP) should keep the date June 30 in mind. This is the deadline for the submission of STFAP applications for the 4th batch, for the first semester of Academic Year (AY) 2011-2012. Students may apply either online, or in person by getting a printed application form (UP STFAP Form AB-1) from the office of student affairs or scholarships of their UP campus. Applying online through STFAP Online (http://stfap.up.edu.ph/stfaponline/) is strongly encouraged. The student uses his or her Student Number and PIN given in the Notice of Admission to access STFAP Online. The student or parent/legal guardian then provides the information required in the online application. The student or parent/legal guardian prints the filled-out application. Both parent/guardian and the student signs it. The student or parent/ legal guardian has the form notarized and personally submits the printed, signed and notarized form with supporting documents to the office of student affairs or scholarships of the campus. Alternatively, the student or parent/legal guardian can mail the form, with supporting documents, to the office of scholarships of the campus where the student has been admitted. (If the student decides to apply personally, printed application forms are available at the office of student affairs or scholarships of the campus for P5.00 each.) The campus office of student affairs or

scholarships receives the submitted form, checks it for completeness, and returns incomplete or improperly filled-out forms to the student/parent/legal guardian with instructions. The application forms are then sent in batches to the UP System STFAP Processing Group which forwards them to the UP Computer Center for encoding and verification. The data set is fed to the program that will perform the bracketing of STFAP applicants based on the data they submitted. Bracket results are made available on the STFAP website and on the websites of the offices of student affairs or scholarships for each campus. The bracket results can be printed and used by the applicants in the assessment of fees. Incoming freshmen can also use their assigned STFAP bracket for the assessment and payment of fees during the advance registration for freshmen. Students who file late applications will be temporarily assigned to Bracket B, pending the assignment and release of their proper brackets. The deadline for late submissions for the first semester is on June 30. STFAP bracket assignments resulting from applications received after June 30 will be effective in the 2nd semester. According to STFAP Online, brackets are assigned based on the information provided by the applicants on declared family income and other family characteristics and socio-economic indicators. The Alphabetic Bracketing Scheme of the Restructured STFAP uses a predictive income function based on the Family Income and Expenditures

Sur vey and Labor Force Survey which are collected and released Buhay UP by the National Statistics Hindi na kakaibang makita si Dennis Magtajas tuwin Office. The final bracket kilala siya ng mga estudyante, guro at mga empleya assignment considers the bracket requested by the applicant, the reported family income, the and laboratory fees predicted income using the income function, • Bracket D (Annual family income of other indicators, and other adjustments. P80,001-P135,000): 70% discount on Students who do not apply for STFAP base tuition fee, full miscellaneous and benefits will be assigned to Bracket A or B, laboratory fees depending on the gross family income that • Bracket E (Annual family income they declared when they confirmed their of up to P80,000): free tuition, intention to enroll in UP. Appeals for remiscellaneous, and laboratory fees bracketing will be accepted by the office of plus standard stipend scholarships for each campus. The campus The standard stipend is currently P12,000 committee will decide on the merits of per semester. each appeal based on policies set by the The UP STFAP, also known as the Iskolar UP System committee on scholarships and ng Bayan Program, was first implemented financial assistance. The brackets are primarily based on the during the first semester of AY 1989-1990 annual family income and have corresponding as a major reform designed to democratize undergraduate student admission, particularly fees or benefits: for low-income or disadvantaged but • Bracket A (Annual family income deserving UP students. Over the years, the of more than P1,000,000): full-cost increases in tuition and miscellaneous fees tuition fee, full miscellaneous and due to inflation required adjustments in the laboratory fees benefits of the STFAP. The Restructured • Bracket B (Annual family income of STFAP with its new Alphabetic Bracketing P500,001-P1,000,000): base tuition Scheme was approved by the UP Board of fee, full miscellaneous and laboratory Regents in December 2006 and implemented fees in the first semester of AY 2007-2008. • Bracket C (Annual family income of The STFAP program is divided into four P135,001-P500,000): 40% discount basic components: on base tuition fee, full miscellaneous (Continued on page 11)

JUNE 2011

bout the UPCAT

U.P. Newsletter 7

Making the grade at UP Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc

June 17 for Metro Manila-based schools and June 24 for schools outside Metro Manila. If an application is ﬁled beyond the deadline, late fees are applied. When everything has been submitted, ask the Ofﬁce of Admissions when the test permit will be released. Once the test permit is given to the applicant, all he or she has to do is wait until the scheduled testing date and session. The Office of Admissions warns applicants and parents that “UP has not authorized and will not authorize any individual, group or entity, public or private, to conduct UPCAT review sessions.” The UPCAT is held every first weekend of August in 75 test centers across 16 regions in the country. There are two sessions per day: morning and

UP admits freshmen applicants on the basis of their predicted grade in UP. The university predicted grade (UPG) is exactly that: a prediction of the applicant’s likelihood of success in academic work, or completing a degree program in UP. Regression analyses of student performance have been conducted to make sure that the formula for the UPG—a combination of the applicant’s high school weighted average and UPCAT scores—is reliable. Being admitted into UP is very competitive, and only those who have the highest grades are considered. The prestige attached to being a UP student helps explains why more than 60,000 high school graduates apply to take the UP College Admission Test (UPCAT) every year. In turn, UP students are regarded as the cream of the crop because only a few UPCAT applicants are admitted. Last year, there were more than 65,000 UPCAT applicants. However, the qualifying rate system-wide is only around 17 percent. It must be stressed, however, that UP students can also be regarded as the best of the best from all walks of life and parts of the Philippines. Socio-economic and geographical considerations come into play in the admission of students. This has to be done to level the playing field, so to speak. It operates on the assumption that the rich have an advantage over their counterparts from lower economic groups. Aside from helping empower the marginalized in society through UP education, equity considerations ensure the heterogeneity of the student population and helps create a richer university learning environment. They also ensure that state funds are not used solely for the rich. Leveling the playing field entails standardizing high school grades due to the varied grading systems in schools. The UPGs of students from public high schools classified as disadvantaged and members of cultural minority groups are given a 0.05 “palugit” (loose translation: allowance). Applicants who later appeal to a constituent university (CU) not included in their choices and from a region outside the remote CU’s catchment or target area (such as Mindanao for UP Mindanao) are given a 0.05 “pabigat” (loose translation: additional points). The giving of “palugit” may not sit well with those who think the university is compromising excellence for equity considerations. However, the stiff competition among applicants ensures that even with the “palugit,” all qualified applicants belong to the cream of the crop. This is because the competition compels the CU to set high cut-off grades. For example, at a CU, those who belong to the top 70 percent of its quota may qualify with a UPG (“palugit” included) of at least 2.31. Thus an actual “cut-off rate” of 2.31 is set. UP Manila applications and the very limited number of applicants it can accept result in the highest “cut-off rate” among CUs. In UP Los Baños, the absolute cut-off is around 2.80. Having set relatively high “cut-off rates,” a CU is compelled to accept applicants only if they do not fall below the absolute cut-off rate. In UP Manila, for example, it is 2.5. A CU’s filling up of the remaining 30 percent of its quota—called as the geographic equity round—does not disregard such standard. The geographic equity round consists of choosing applicants coming from provinces, town or city still underrepresented in the percentage of qualified UP applicants. Data from the Department of Education is used to determine whether or not areas are underrepresented based on the population of senior high school students of the country. Applicants from these areas must not have grades below 2.5 if they are to qualify for UP Manila. If there are still slots available after the geographic equity round, they will be given to other applicants with the highest grades regardless of where they came from. But competition can sometimes be so stiff that, for example in UP Manila, their slots are filled even with grades way above their traditional cut-off of 2.5. Having been accepted into a UP campus, the student may now be screened for particular programs which have different admissions processes or equations of their own. The college is also the one to screen transferees from other schools who may have passed or not passed the UPCAT, but must have achieved an average of 2.0 in their college subjects. The UP admissions process is not uniform system-wise. UP Diliman is implementing a modification in which the so-called UP Admission Index, instead of the UPG, is used as approved by the University Council for 2006 to screen applicants. It still uses a “palugit” similar to the 0.05 used in UPGs. It also employs screening passes, such as the excellence and equity rounds. The modification is in line with the constant fine-turning of admissions process, which may be implemented system-wide later on if it proves more successful as a predictor of performance. UPGs of applicants to UPD are still computed for consideration in their application to other CUs. According to Admissions Director Gerald Pio Franco, the system-wide admissions processes ensure that UP qualifiers represent the best from all parts of the country and from all walks of life. However, the actual socio-economic/geographic breakdown of the UP student population may not reflect such heterogeneity. Despite the excellence-equity assurances of the admissions process, it cannot assure that all these qualifiers will enroll. Franco said that the no-show rate of applicants from the provinces is quite high and the general no-show rate is around 35 percent. Thus, the university must ensure that all qualifiers, especially those from marginalized sectors of society, feel that UP is still the university for them.

afternoon. Those who are given the morning schedule have to be at their designated test centers by 6:30 a.m., while those who have the afternoon session have to arrive at 12:30 p.m. The test is bilingual—English and Filipino—and consists of four parts: Language Proficiency, Science, Mathematics, and Reading Comprehension. How are scores computed? According to the Office of Admissions, “standardized scores on these subtests are combined with the weighted average of final grades in the first three years of high school to determine qualification into UP” and that “socio-economic and geographic considerations are factored in the selection of campus qualifiers.”

ng hapon sa kampus ng UP Diliman kung saan mas ado bilang si “Zorro.”

UP Diliman as dining, recreation haven Bernice P. Varona

When one talks about UP Diliman (UPD), it is not only scholarly activities or academics that ﬁgure in the stories. There is another side to the so-called UP Diliman experience. To fully know this other side, one needs to literally go around the 500hectare campus. Gastronomic adventures The UPD campus has a lot to offer to the gastronomically adventurous, from local street fare to the more expensive culinary experience in medium priced venues. If you are after student-friendly, lutong bahay kind of food, you have several options. The most popular and one of the oldest restaurants on campus is Rodics, inside the UP Shopping Center (SC). Here, one can order tapsilog (shredded deep-fried beef tapa on top of a mound of rice with fried egg) for around P65, served, believe it or not, even beyond breakfast. Rodics also serves other dishes, so one need not be limited to the -silogs menu.

You can also find Korean food among the stalls in the SC, as well as others which offer Filipino food, fruit shakes, donuts and much more. There is also the UP Cooperative’s “Coop” canteen, which has relatively cheaper prices for kare-kare and fried chicken, among other local food. You can also find street-fare like green mangoes with bagoong on a stick located at the side entrance of the SC, as well as others like monay with cheese and corn in a cup with cheese and butter flavorings, among others. Another contender for Filipino food favorites includes Lutong Bahay, which is a few houses away from the street where the Diliman branch of PhilPost is located. It offers Pinoy meals like bopis, sisig, adobo and more for around P60 or less. One eats in a homey atmosphere since the food is served inside the owner’s home. During summer, Lutong Bahay also serves halo-halo and one can also buy bilaos of pancit for merienda or pasalubong. Other places to get relatively low-priced

meals include CASAA, between the Palma Hall building (more commonly known as AS building) and the Palma Hall Annex (or PHAN). At the CASAA, one can choose among different stalls featuring all kinds of food such as Mongolian stir-fry and roast beef, as well as the usual Pinoy fares like humba, sinigang, and inihaw. Another UPD “classic” is the barbeque at Beach House, which is located within the Main Library premises fronting the Sunken Garden. Lines usually form as early as 11:30 a.m. for those who want to get their pork barbeque ﬁx. For those looking for Persian or Indian food, there is also Khas Food House which is beside the UP Swimming Pool and located near the International Center dormitory. Here you can get ox brains, kebabs, and pita sandwiches with your yogurt shakes and tea. Vegetarians can opt to go to Likha Diwa, located along CP Garcia near the outskirts of the campus. For other commercial restaurants and fast food establishments,

Philcoa and the UP Ayala Technohub are just a few minutes away. The more pricey restaurants that are perfect for meetings or dates include Chocolate Kiss Cafe at the Bahay ng Alumni which is famous for its Devil’s Food Cake, Kahlua Butter Cake and the classic Chocolate Cake. It also serves dishes such as Chicken ala Kiev, Beef Salpicao and Kalbi Chim. There are actually two establishments of Chocolate Kiss on different ﬂoors of Bahay ng Alumni which are open at different times of the day. Another restaurant in the Bahay ng Alumni is the Restaurant of Choice or “ROC’s” Cafe and Restaurant. It serves Whiskey Glazed Pork Chops, Garlic Chicken, different pizzas, pastas and desserts like Banoffee pie. Another newcomer in UPD is Via Mare Cafe at the GT-Toyota Asian Center Auditorium. It serves oysters (if available) and Pinoy dishes like chicken tinola ﬂan, (Continued on page 11)

8 U.P. Newsletter

JUNE 2011

Pascual calls for prudence in spending Francis Paolo Quina

water system which could reveal leaks that are literally draining away money from the university’s coffers. He said that similar checks on all UP campuses’ electric infrastructure and telephone systems might plug the holes in UP’s spending. Pascual said that new technology could be used to cut the university’s spending. He raised the possibility of using close-circuit television (CCTV) cameras to ensure campus security instead of relying on a large pool of security personnel. He said that the university can even save money just by switching from ﬂuorescent lights to LED. Pascual also discussed the ratio of administrative personnel to academic personnel in the university. Citing ﬁgures from former UP President Emerlinda Roman’s end-of-term report, Pascual said that the ratio between faculty and staff positions is at 1:1.333, meaning that for every faculty member in UP there are about 1.333 staff members. Citing his experience in other higher learning institutions as a benchmark,

Photo by Bong Arboleda

“Let us safeguard the taxpayer’s money.” T his was the messag e of UP President Alfredo Pascual during the UP System Coordination Workshop for Administration, Budget and Human Resources Personnel at the School of Labor and Industrial Relations auditorium in UP Diliman last May 14. Speaking before an audience composed of officials and staff of the administration, budget and human resources offices of UP’s constituent universities, Pascual said that UP’s resources can be spent efficiently. He said that while UPD pays around P8 million for water every month, in some of the buildings on campus the water pressure is not even strong enough for the water to reach the fifth, fourth or even third floors. He compared this to the P2 million spent monthly by the Ateneo de Manila University which has roughly half the student population of UPD. He proposed a maintenance check of all UP campuses’

President Pascual addresses selected ofﬁcials and staff from various UP CUs.

Pascual said that there is a possibility that UP might be overstaffed. He said that with a keen process of job evaluation, UP might identify redundancies in the staff and personnel, and eventually lower the ratio from 1:1 or even lower in the next few years. The coordination workshop was

Selected Mindanao youth complete internship at HOR Andre Encarnacion

“To become a future leader, it is but necessary that one has to understand the complexities brought about by the unending problems in one’s community by going down to the community level.” Tasnim M. Bagul, a graduate of the 11th Congressional Internship Program for Young Mindanao Leaders (CIPYML) Academic Course on Public Policy Development and Advocacy, stressed this point as she noted the importance of keen attention to one’s roots while being mindful of the bigger picture. This year’s CIPYML held its completion ceremony last May 5 at the House of Representatives (HOR) in

Batasan Hills, Quezon City The intensive 15-day course on public policy development began in 2002, the brainchild of then House Speaker Jose de Venecia and endorsed by then US Ambassador to the Philippines Francis Ricciardone, Jr. The program aims to make young leaders from Mindanao develop their understanding of policy issues and government processes, with a commitment to strengthening democratic institutions in the region. An important component of the CIPYML is the hands-on training on legislation and policy formation through an

Photo courtesy of UP-NCPAG-CPED

A graduate from the 11th CIPYML batch poses with Dr. Ramon Ricardo A. Roque, Atty. Elma G. Salmani, NCPAG Dean Edna Estifania A. Co and VP for Public Affairs J. Prospero E. de Vera III.

internship at the House of Representatives (HOR). Participants are assigned to different House committees and ofﬁces where they participated in policy research, development, monitoring, constituency relations and ofﬁce management. Twenty-nine Mindanao-based youth participated in the recent CIPYML. In his message to the participants, US Ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas said that they represent the future of the nation and of the world. He said that the recent fall of Osama bin Laden shows that we all live at “a time when great and inspired people across the world are rejecting extremism and embarking on a pathway of peace”. He also noted the longevity of the program which he says helps make “concrete contributions to strengthening awareness of, and respect for, democratic procedures.” In his speech, valedictorian Cedrick Cabales Mastura detailed the dreams of batch to make a positive difference in the lives “of people in Mindanao and ultimately the Philippines as a whole”. He also challenged his fellow interns to throw away outdated perspectives and to organize in order to solve the problems of their respective communities. The program is conducted by the UP National College of Public Administration and Governance (NCPAG) in partnership with the Administrative Department of the House of Representatives and Mindanao State University (MSU). It funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) through its Growth in Equity in Mindanao Program 2 and 3 (GEM 2 and GEM 3).

organized by the UP Ofﬁce of the VicePresident for Administration (OVPA). VP for Administation Maragtas Amante, VP for Planning and Finance Lisa Grace Bersales and UP System Human Resources and Development Office (HRDO) Director Angela Escoto were the discussants during the workshop.

UPMin students win Davao Urban Transport Vision contest Rene Estremera

A team of UP Mindanao students won the Visioning Contest for Sustainable Urban Transport for Davao City last May 4. The UP Davao STEPP Team is composed of BS Architecture (BSA) students April Gabayan, Mykel Edrian Barcena, Rochelle Rhema Caballo, Murielle June Yucamco and Arturo Ravelo III. Another team of BSA students was a ﬁnalist in the contest. Team ECOH-TRANS DAVAO consists of Jessamine Kuh Fortuna and Kimberly Bonghanoy. The winning entry reads, “The main vision of our team (STEPP) is to create a HIERARCHICAL APPROACH to the overall transportation system of Davao City. First level comprises walkable spaces and bicycle lanes; the second level suggests district-wide routed jeepneys; while the third and larger level includes Bus Rapid Transportation (BRT) System as the mass transportation system. These 3 levels of course could not work independently without the help of the fellow Dabawenyos, so this Program also proposes for stronger policy and values from the commuters. Because we owe it to ourselves to give this world, the future generation, and humanity as a whole a shot at a better, healthier and greener path towards life, and you would be surprised that all it really takes, is a single STEP.” The contest was organized by the Sustainable Urban Transport for Davao City (SUTRAD), a project funded by the Asian Development Bank in cooperation with the City Government of Davao and the Department of Transportation and Communications.

UP Mindanao, Hiroshima University to conduct studies on peace-building Rene Estremera

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been signed by UP Mindanao, Japan’s Hiroshima University, and SouthSouth Network for Non-State Armed Group Engagement (SSN) to establish a tripartite partnership in Davao City. The partnership allows researchers from Hiroshima University to cooperate with local research organizations to seek out and establish peace-building studies.

Present during the signing were UP Mindanao Academic Affairs OIC Nilo Oponda, UP Mindanao Chancellor Gilda Rivero, Hiroshima University Prof. Yoshida Osamu, SSN Secretary-General Alfredo Lubang and UP Diliman Prof. Miriam Coronel-Ferrer. The MOU will be forwarded to the UP Board of Regents for ratiﬁcation. The Hiroshima University Partnership

Project for Peace-building and Capacity Development (HiPeC) is committed to research as a tool to establish the partnership between the practice of peace-building and capacity development of people in conﬂict areas, and that of education and research. SSN, on the other hand, is an international NGO network that supports efforts to constructively engage non-state armed groups in the areas of human rights, international

humanitarian law, conflict-resolution, peace-building, human security, human development and democratization. UP Mindanao‘s Mindanao Studies Program has ongoing and planned research projects that may be conducted in partnership with HiPeC in the ﬁelds of anthropology, architecture, communication arts, English and creative writing, sports and recreation.

JUNE 2011

U.P. Newsletter 9

CSSP, OCD conduct disaster preparedness training in UPD KIM Quilinguing

UP Diliman community. Citing awareness as an important tool in disaster preparedness, Engr. Erlington Olivare of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) said that the MMEIRS is an important tool in preparing for disasters in Metro Manila. Olivare said that anticipation of a big earthquake is justified. The West Valley Fault in Marikina has never had a big earthquake since the 1700s. Considering this length of time, it is highly possible that the next quake in the valley system will be stronger than the usual tremors felt in the NCR. On the average, the Philippines experiences 20 earthquakes a day since it sits on the collision point between the Philippine plate and the Eurasian plate. Aside from earthquakes, Olivare said that the communities should also prepare for other disasters which could result from heavy rainfall. Since the country on the average is hit by 20 tropical storms annually, he said that it would be important to consider both earthquakes and heavy rains as potential sources of disaster, destruction and death. In anticipation of earthquakes, landslides and floods, Engr. Allan Benitez of the Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines said it would be important to follow the laws governing the building of structures, particularly homes, to ensure the people’s survival in strong earthquakes and storms. For her part, Michelle Ruiz of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said that offices should designate a group of people who will undergo specialized training in disaster risk reduction and management. These people will schedule regular drills and training to enable other officemates with the necessary skills to survive a disaster. In the formulation of training programs, Cruz said that it is important to consider “the greatest thing for the greatest number” or prioritize evacuation plans and schemes which would ensure the survival of a

Photos by Bong Arboleda

“A disaster comes when we least expect it,” Office of Civil Defense Quezon City Regional Director Susanna Cruz said at the Kahandaan at Kaligtasan sa Kalamidad: One day Basic Disaster Preparedness Training Workshop held last April 27 at the CSSP Multimedia Room in Palma Hall, UP Diliman. According to Cruz, every community, regardless of its size and location, needs to adopt a disaster response scheme. She said that it is also important that the community assess its vulnerabilities and define the disaster response scheme around those vulnerabilities. Under the newly-constituted National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, disaster and risk reduction management councils have been established from the regional level down to the barangay level. These groups, along with the Office of Civil Defense and disaster relief volunteer organizations, Cruz said, have undergone training and rescue plans in anticipation of both human-made and natural disasters. Aside from the preparing against floods, landslides and storms, Cruz said that the OCD has been involved in the anticipated earthquake that experts say will split Metro Manila into four different isolated zones. The Metro Manila Earthquake Impact Reduction Study (MMEIRS) anticipates the destruction of 169,000 homes, damage to 340,000 others; the collapse of seven bridges connecting the different areas of the National Capital Region (NCR); and the death of at least 34,000 people, with 114,000 others injured. In an attempt to promote public awareness and hopefully reduce the anticipated casualty rate of the earthquake, Cruz said that the OCD has been conducting training in several government agencies, schools, communities and even private business establishments. The training co-hosted with the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy (CSSP) is one which they hope would promote awareness in the

Above: Engr. Allan Benitez of the Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines giving a talk about structural risks. Below: UP faculty and staff practicing the “duck, hold, and cover.”

bigger portion of the community. It is also important for the community to be prepared to understand risks and possible costs of disasters, even if there is a suitable and proven disaster preparedness plan. The one-day training workshop was organized by the CSSP’s Staff Committee

for Welfare and Development and the OCD-NCR. According to Associate Dean for Administration, Student Affairs and Extension Neil Martial Santillan, the college “deemed it proper and timely to hold the training given the prospect of a natural calamity in the near future.”

PHL needs to define its baselines – UP Law prof KIM Quilinguing

“It is really interesting how something so unknown would become something so important.” These were the words of UP Law Prof. Jay Batongbacal on the country’s baselines and national territory at the forum titled “Deﬁning the Baselines of the Philippines: Issues and Challenges” last May 13 at the Bulwagang

Rizal in UP Diliman. Territory is an essential element of the state and without properly defining its baselines it would be difficult to have the necessary programs and policies which would govern the land, air and seas of the country. The problem, he said, is that the definitions of the country’s baselines have varied through the years.

Photos by Bong Arboleda

Clock-wise from top-left: Director Henry Bensurto of the Commission on Maritime and Ocean Affairs Secretariat of the Department of Foreign Affairs; UP Law Prof. Jay Batongbacal; Prof. Clarita Carlos, moderating the forum;UP Center for International Law Executive Director Romel Bagares

Batongbacal said that the Treaty of Paris of 1898 between Spain and the United States did not include the Batanes Group of Islands due to a typographical error in the coordinates of the country’s boundaries. The Americans, he said, extended the territory of colonial Philippines due to their ignorance of previous laws. The country’s baselines were defined by the Philippine government only in the 1950s. The Kalayaan Island Group was added to the national territory in the 1970s. Since then, the baselines of the country have been defined and redefined by several laws passed by Philippine Congress. Emphasizing the need to properly designate the country’s baselines, Batongbacal said that the national interest of a country can only be properly defined if its territory is properly delineated. He said that the last time the Philippines had a clearly-defined national interest was during the Ramos administration. Since then, the national interest of the country has only been known to the political group holding on to the institutions of power. Citing the culpability of the earlier colonizing powers for the confusion in the country’s baselines, Center for International Law Executive Director Romel Bagares said, “We are a victim of history. Being a colonized nation, we did not have a choice to define our self-determination.” Bagares said that the much of the public understanding of the national territory ignores what the Constitution provides about the baselines. Considering that there have been several international agreements and covenants governing archipelagic countries, Bagares said that it would be necessary to amend the fundamental law of the land if

only to satisfy the commitments the country has made with the international protocols. While granting the need for a capable navy to impose the country’s will over its national territory, Bagares said that the Philippines is among the few countries in the world which has defined its territory in international agreements, maps and charts. “Of course we don’t have a navy, but so what? States have won arguments over territory based on law.” For his part, Director Henry Bensurto of the Commission on Maritime and Ocean Affairs Secretariat of the Department of Foreign Affairs said, “The baselines law is both a policy question, as well as a legal question.” Bensurto said that the last properlydefining baseline law was passed in Congress 27 years ao. The baselines defined in the last law which would also be incorporated, if not enhanced, in the new law, are “products of historical evolution.” He said it should be understood that territory is not acquired by a country’s mere definition of its baselines. Territories are still acquired in the classical modes of accretion, cession, conquest, occupation and prescription. The same modes apply even to archipelagic countries like the Philippines. Baselines, on the other hand, are definitions of the extent of that acquired territory. He stressed that the clear definition of a country’s baselines, especially an archipelagic country like the Philippines, will avoid the creation of pockets of high seas deep within the country’s waters. The forum was organized by the Center for Political and Democratic Reform, UPD Department of Political Science and UPD Third World Studies Center.

10 U.P. Newsletter

JUNE 2011

UP celebrates SP Lopez’s birth centennial KIM Quilinguing Photos by Jun Madrid

UP launched last May 27 the celebration of the life and legacy of one of the most loved presidents of the university. The President’s Committee in Commemoration of the Birth Centennial of Former UP President Salvador P. Lopez organized the activities from May 27 onwards to celebrate what it described as “one of the most democratic and relevant presidencies” in UP’s long history. The launch at the Varg as Museum included messages from UP President Alfredo Pascual, UP Diliman Chancellor Caesar Saloma and former President SP Lopez’s widow, Adelaida Escobar Lopez. The program was followed by the opening of a photo exhibit on the former UP president’s years in the university. Lopez, a journalist and a diplomat, was president of UP from 1969 to 1975. During his presidency, he confronted then Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos with demands from the UP community during the turbulent period prior to the imposition of martial law. Lopez would not only be a witness but would also be involved with student groups during the First Quarter Storm and the Diliman Commune. On several occasions, he visited and checked on students who were assaulted and arrested by the police and other state forces. In the darkest days of martial law,

Lopez did not hesitate to speak out against the regime. In his Dillingham Lecture delivered at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu, USA, he described, among others, what had been the impact of military rule on the University and the country. Aside from his commitment to the students and to a democratic society, Lopez is also credited with creating the University of Philippines system to protect UP campuses from being transformed by some politicians into separate institutions. The system Lopez created has grown from one university in several campuses to a system composed of seven constituent

Kalayaan at konsepto ng piitan na aktibista, lahat ay sumisibol sangayon sa kalagayang panlipunan. Bilang tuition and other fee increases (TOFI) baby, hindi naging mailap sa kanya ang krisis sa edukasyon, hindi naging abstrakto para sa kanya ang kagustuhang sa pinakasimple, baguhin ang maling umiiral. Taong 2007 nang pumasok siya bilang resident photographer ng publikasyong Outcrop sa UP Baguio— nakipamuhay sa komunidad ng mga Kankanaey at sa maagang edad nakita kung paanong ang militar ay nakasira sa kanilang komunidad. Taong 2008 nang lumipat siya sa UP Diliman, at lalong sumidhi ang pagkamulat niya sa krisis, sapat para hindi na lamang siya magkasya sa pakikibaka para sa kalagayan ng kapwa niya estudyante, tinanaw niya ang pagtulong sa masa. Tampok sa kanyang karanasan ay ang piket ng mga manggaggawa ng Kowloon House sa West Ave. Nang minsang hagisan ng mga pulis ng tear gas ang kubol o kampuhan ng mga manggagawa, isa si Maricon sa kabataang hindi nagatubiling habulin ang mga pulis upang sila’y itaboy papalayo sa picketlayn.

universities in eleven campuses stretching from Luzon to Mindanao. The creation of this system provided opportunities for poor and deserving students from different corners of the country to avail of quality education in the country’s premier university. Aside from the photo exhibition, the president’s committee headed by former UP Faculty Regent Judy Taguiwalo scheduled several activities which would run from May to October this year. Among those being organized are a student literary and video competition;

a tribute by the staff and research and extension personnel; and an academic conference which will address pressing University and country issues in the light of Lopez’s legacy.

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Pagbalik sa bulto, sinabi sa kanila ng mga manggaggawa—“kung hindi dahil sa inyong kabataan, hindi kami magtitiyaga sa picketlayn...pinapalakas niyo ang loob namin.” Kalaunan, natapos din ang piket ng mga manggaggawa. Sa tagumpay ng piket sa Kownloon House, lalo nitong pinasikad ang kagustuhan ni Maricon na magtuluy-tuloy na kumilos. Kaya hindi nakapagtataka na noong Mayo 2009, nagpaalam siya. Bente-uno anyos. Sa ganitong edad dapat pinakamalaya ang tao. Malayang makipagbarkada, tuklasin ang mga bagay na gusto niya at hindi niya nais gawin, magkamali, magsisi at matuto. Pero, sa kasamaang-palad, sa ganitong edad, ginawa siyang kriminal ng estado dahil sa kanyang pampulitikang paninindigan, kasama sina Romiel Cañete at Ronilo Baes—dalawang nakasama niya sa hanay ng pesante. Silang tatlo ang kasalukuyang tinatawag na Taysan 3. Sa pagtatapos ng panunungkulan ni Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, umabot sa 371 ang bilang ng detenidong pulitikal sa bansa. Lahat ng ito ay naganap sa balangkas ng Oplan Bantay Laya 1 & 2 na naglayong

tugisin ang lahat ng lumalaban sa estado. Sa loob ng bagong administrasyon, halos walang pinag-iba dito ang Oplan Bayanihan, dahil kapwa sila tinulak ng planong counter-insurgency na binuo ng Estados Unidos at pilit na pinapatupad sa mga bansang may papet na pamunuan tulad ng Pilipinas. Hindi mali ang lumaban at sa katunayan, wala itong kinikilalang edad. Si Maricon, o EEDOM sa kanyang kababata at malapit na kapamilya ay tumindig para sa tunay na esensya ng kalayaan. Pinanganak noong Pebrero 25, at matamang niyakap ang diwa ng palayaw niya na isang paalala ng kung paano sama-samang tumindig ang sambayanang Pilipino para patalsikin ang diktadurang Marcos. Natutuhan ni Maricon na hindi ganap na malaya ang lipunan—habang ang manggagawa ay alipin ng sahod, walang tunay na reporma sa lupa, walang katiyakan sa paninirahan, hanggang ang edukasyon ay para sa iilan, lahat tayo ay bilanggo ng lipunang nagpoposturang demokratiko. Sa ganitong diwa, tunay ngang mas maraming bilanggo, pero mas masahol dito ang mga bilanggong hindi

Democratic governance impedes academic reform and confidently when making decisions. And not to let himself be intimidated by his superiors and powerful science and education officials in government, who are not academic scientists. When known reformer and physical chemist Zhu Qingshi was appointed president of a new Chinese university, he made it clear that he would be calling the shots. In an interview with Science, “Zhu explained how he intends to shake up China’s university system—whether

Left to right, clock-wise: Manansala painting of former UP President SP Lopez; the UP Singing Ambassadors performing at the DECL Conference on Lopez’ Literature and Society; SP Lopez Birth Centennial Commemoration Committee Chair Prof. Judy Taguiwalo; UP Diliman Chancellor Cesar Saloma; former UP President Francisco Nemenzo viewing the photo exhibit

the education ministry likes it or not.” (“University Head Challenges Old Academic Ways”) To finish the job, outdated UP policies entrenched by group decisions should be changed. They should agree with the innovative practices started last decade using objective criteria rather than personal judgment. Examples are obsolete policies in faculty hiring, promotions and award-giving. They reduce the gains achieved by research

batid na sila ay nasa piitan, at higit sa kanila ay mga bilanggong nagkakasya na lang maging bilanggo. Ang kampanya para sa mga detinidong pulitikal ay hindi lamang kampanya para sa pagpapalaya para maalpasan ang mga pisikal na rehas ng isang bilangguan. Sa pinakaesensya ito ay sama-samang paglansag sa tanikalang hadlang sa pagkamit natin ng panlipunang-hustisya. Ito ay isang kilusan, hindi lamang para kay Maricon at sa ilang daan pa, kundi para sa sambayang Pilipinong kumakalam ang sikmura at sa araw araw ay pagal ang katawan. Hang ga’t may nagtatanim ngunit hindi nakakakain, hang ga’t may mang gagawa ngunit hindi matamasa ang kanyang nilikha— ito ay kilusan, habang, hangga’t may pagsasamantala. -------------------Si Mai Uichanco ay nagtapos sa Kolehiyo ng Pangmadlang Komunikasyon sa UP Diliman. Gusto mong makialam? Ipadala ang iyong sanaysay sa wikang Filipino (500-700 salita) sa UP System Information Ofﬁce (upsio@up. edu.ph).

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incentives and objective criteria in performance evaluation. I believe consideration of the above review is necessary for UP’s transition from a primarily teaching u n ive r s i t y t o t h e c o u n t r y ’s f i r s t research university. As a research university, UP can be the national center for preparing qualified mentors in graduate schools, instr uctors in post-secondary education, teachers in primary and secondary levels and,

foremost, the future leaders of the country. This will start real reform in the country’s educational system and national progress. -------------------Dr. Flor Lacanilao obtained his Ph.D. (specialization in comparative endocrinology) from the University of California at Berkeley. He served as chair of the Zoology Department at UP Diliman, chancellor of UP Visayas and chief of SEAFDEC in Iloilo. Email: florlaca@gmail.com

JUNE 2011

In praise of the dictatorship of the highly published not give adequate coverage to topics of relevance to the Philippines and Southeast Asia in general. It therefore seems highly contentious to put forward the number of ISI publications as an “objective” measure of competence or “technical knowledge” in every possible ﬁeld of study within the University. Such an assertion would merit at least a number of empirical studies which would demonstrate how “competence” across the disciplines correlates with ISI publication rates. We would also have to inquire as to what “minimum” number of ISI publications one must have in order to be adjudged by Lacanilao, “competent” in a particular ﬁeld. However, the core of his argument is that “group decisions” within the University which are made by “competent” members jointly with the “incompetent” (or badly published) majority will be worse than when the “competent” members make the decisions or call the shots by themselves. Lacanilao therefore supports what he sees as a “more effective alternative to democratic governance” which is for the well-published minority to “wield executivedecision power, as done in political and military crises.” In short, he advocates the dictatorship of the well-published over the poorly published. He cites a study which came out in the magazine Science (2010) entitled “Optimally Interacting Minds” by Bahrami et al. (Lacanilao mistakenly cites one of Bahrami’s co-authors Chris Firth as the main author of the study

in question) in support of his position against “democratic governance” in the University. The aforementioned study demonstrated how a simple “perceptual decision task” (i.e., perceiving differences in visual contrast in an image) involving inputs from two observers who are free to communicate their degrees of conﬁdence to each other and possessing “nearly equal visual sensitivity” could be combined to produce more accurate collective decisions. In this particular case, the study showed that two heads were indeed better than one. However, Bahrami et al. also found that if the two individuals have “different visual sensitivities,” then the results tend to be less accurate and the beneﬁts of collaboration are much reduced. They therefore concluded that: “Individuals with very different sensitivities are best advised to avoid collaboration and instead should rely entirely on the more sensitive individual.” Using a ver y wide latitude of interpretation, the paper by Bahrami et al. could indeed be construed as providing evidence against “democratic” forms of decision-making among “differentlycompetent” individuals. At the end of their paper however, the authors used the example of the “existence of weapons of mass destruction” to illustrate the “catastrophic consequences of consulting ‘evidence’ of unknown reliability.” In our view, what this particular example really demonstrates is how a naïve reliance on

Applying for STFAP

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• Subsidized education for every UP student regardless of ﬁnancial capacity, tuition and other fees paid to UP that are much less than the direct cost of education in the University; • Socialized tuition by which UP grants subsidies covering tuition, miscellaneous and laboratory fees, the subsidy level being based on capacity to pay and ﬁnancial need of the student; • Scholarships consisting of living subsidies that are based on both financial need and academic performance; and • Student assistantships which give undergraduate students the opportunity to earn P30/hour working for UP. To qualify as STFAP applicant, a UP

student must: 1. Be a Filipino citizen. 2. Be a bona ﬁde undergraduate student. Except for Law or Medicine, the applicant must not have a bachelor’s degree. For an incoming freshman or new student, the applicant must have a UP Notice of Admission. 3. Never have been adjudged guilty of any offense that carries a penalty of more than 30 days’ suspension. 4. Submit an application form to the designated office of his/her campus and complete the required documentation. 5. Be in need of ﬁnancial assistance as determined by the University. For STFAP application forms or submissions, as well as inquiries as to other

UP Diliman as dining, recreation haven sinigang, binagoongan, bibingka and puto bumbong. But what really makes UPD famous are the isawan stalls beside the UP College of Law (Malcolm Hall) parking lot. These stalls offer the usual isaw baboy/manok or grilled pork and chicken intestines which you can dip in vinegar. It is common to see some celebrities lining up to buy isaw at these stalls. Fishball and squid ball stands (which also serve kikiam and kwek-kwek or quail eggs dipped in butter and deep fried) are also scattered within the UPD campus, as are other sandwich and snack stalls in almost every college. The friendly bananacue and karioka vendors also roam the campus, as do ice cream vendors selling “dirty ice cream.” It is practically almost impossible to go hungry within UP with such delectable treats at almost every corner (assuming, of course, that you have some money). Beyond books and classrooms Aside from eating places, UPD also

provides a lot of extracurricular and recreational areas. Places like the Sunken Garden are always busy in the afternoons as Ultimate Frisbee, soccer and sports teams play until dusk or until the light holds out. The Academic Oval is also a popular destination for runners, joggers, and bikers as the bike lane provides a safe path for those who engage in these activities. Picnic-goers also favor the Sunken Garden and the Lagoon where they go to lounge and enjoy being surrounded by trees. One activity that is increasingly becoming more popular within the campus is bird watching. UPD is home to a host of species of endemic and migratory birds, all of which can be seen by the patient observer. Members of the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines (WBCP) regularly organize tours for which people can sign up to watch for the colorful and elusive birds found within the campus. Aside from annual events the UPD community hosts and enjoys such as the UP

U.P. Newsletter 11

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the opinions of competent “experts” marshalled by Bush and Blair on the existence of these weapons in Iraq ended up having“catastrophic” results. Instead of demonstrating the dangers of democracy, this example actually underlines the necessity for openness in the dissemination of information among an actively involved and politically engaged citizenry. It should furthermore be emphasized that this study is not yet about how reasoning within a scientific community can achieve optimal results. Nor is it yet about the optimal mechanisms for collective decision-making within a highly complex human polity. Any further speculations about its broader implications ought to be subjected to the necessary scientific research and critical scrutiny. One should also point out that the study pertains to a generally “fixed” sensory capacity. If one were incurably blind, then one would naturally have to permanently rely on sighted people to determine the colours of objects. However, higher level forms of analysis, such as logical reasoning, critical thinking, aesthetic discrimination, ethical discernment etc. are not fixed capacities which remain the same through every cycle of decision-making. Such “competencies” are learned and may be continually improved and expanded throughout one’s lifetime. Furthermore, is not the domain of democratic decisionmaking precisely the school of the intellect and the grindstone of the critical mind?

Aren’t democratic forms of organization and governance valued not merely for achieving optimal results but also for the practices of human emancipation and individual autonomy which these nurture? Doesn’t the true collective benefit of science reside in the generalization and active dissemination throughout society of scientiﬁc and critical thinking rather than in the outright exclusion of those labelled “incompetent”? If Lacanilao is interested in pursuing his line of argument then questions such as the following ought to be looked into carefully and dealt with in a scientiﬁcally rigorous way: Can the variety of competencies involved in all the different academic disciplines be reduced to a single “objective” measure, namely, number of ISI publications? Are the manifold high-level competencies involved in the various academic disciplines from art criticism, legal ethics, marine biology and so on reducible by analogy to the sensitivity of a single sensory function? Dr. Lacanilao still has many things to prove to make his rousing call for a dictatorship of the well-published ISI elite more convincing to the poorly published and incompetent majority of the University. We hope these topics can be the subject of his future ISI publications.

financial assistance programs like student/ graduate assistantships, student loans and other scholarships, please visit UP’s offices of student affairs or scholarships: UP Diliman Office of Student Scholarships & Services Room 301-306, Vinzons Hall Tel. Nos. (02) 928-7228 / 981-8500 local 4503, 4504, 4505, 4506 osss@up.edu.ph UP Baguio Office of Scholarship & Financial Assistance Tel. No. (074) 446-5230 UP Los Baños Office of Student Affairs Telefax (049) 536-2238 osa@uplb.edu.ph UP Manila

Office of Student Affairs 2/F, Student Center, UP Manila Tel. Nos. (02) 526-2274, 525-4105 UP Mindanao Office of Student Affairs Administration Building Tel. No. (082) 293-0016 local 114 UP Open University Scholarship, UPOU Headquarters College, Los Baños, Laguna Tel. Nos. (049) 536-6001 to 6006 loc. 420 scholarships@upou.edu.ph UP Visayas Office of Student Affairs UP Visayas Iloilo City Tel. Nos. (033) 513-7019 (Miagao), (033) 337-2929 (Iloilo City) osa@upv.edu.ph

-------------------Ramon Guillermo is associate professor at the Department of Filipino and Philippine Literature, UP Diliman. He received his PhD in Southeast Asian Studies from the University of Hamburg, Germany. Email: rgguillermo@up.edu.ph.

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Lantern parade every December and the UP Fair every February, student organizations and colleges also have their own events and programs. In the College of Music, for example, there are concerts by students. The UP Film Institute also shows movies with varying themes almost every afternoon and evening at the Cine Adarna. If one is interested to catch up on the UAAP, all he or she needs to do is go to the College of Human Kinetics (CHK) and look for the varsity office for the schedules of games. During summer, the UP CHK also hosts a series of community classes for those who want to learn swimming and tennis, among others. If theater is your interest, Dulaang UP and the UP Playwrights Theater both have their own series of plays every year. Usually, announcements of these events can be seen either at the colleges’ websites, or through the UPdate publication produced by the UP Diliman Information Office (UP DIO). And to take home the “UPD experience” with you (aside from filling your stomach

with goodies and being dog-tired from all the activities), one can shop around for souvenir items within the campus. At the SC, the Maroons shop offers UP-themed shirts, jackets, and more for people who want to wear the school colors and letters. There are also bazaars that spring up every June and December on campus where almost all kinds of goods, from bags to shoes to toys and books, are sold at bargain prices. For bookworms, the UP Press bookshop located inside the Balay Kalinaw is also worth a visit as it sells UP-published books at competitive prices. The UPD experience is truly not all about studying, as can be seen from the vast variety of choices available for recreation and enjoyment. This is not only true of Diliman, but also of all the other constituent universities of the UP System. It is always an adventure each time one steps on any UP campus, which are something worth coming back to if only to be reacquainted with their sights and sounds (and tastes!).

12 U.P. Newsletter UPD to mark Rizal’s 150th b-day with int’l confab The College of Social Science and Philosophy and the Departmento ng Filipino at Panitikan ng Pilipinas (DFPP) of the College of Arts and Letters will commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of national hero Dr. Jose Rizal with an international conference from June 22 to June 24 at the GT Toyota Building, Asian Center, UP Diliman. “Rizal in the 21st Century: Local and Global Perspectives” will bring together Rizal scholars from the Philippines and abroad to enrich the discourse and perspective on Rizal and his continuing signiﬁcance to today’s society. For more details, please call Susan Alcantara at (632) 924-4899, (632) 9818500 loc. 2123 or send an e-mail to rizal.conference.2011@gmail.com.

JUNE 2011

Writers’ union to hold literary conference on Rizal for teachers The Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas (UMPIL) will hold the Rizal Sesquicentennial Literary Conference for Teachers on August 25 and 26 at the Bulwagang Rizal in UP Diliman. National Artist for Literature Bienvenido Lumbera will be guest of honor. Scholars will deliver papers on the works of national hero Dr. Jose Rizal. Among those expected to speak are Dr. Soledad Reyes of Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU) who will discuss Rizal’s novels, National Artist for Literature Virgilio Almario of UP Diliman (UPD) who will analyze Rizal’s poems, Dr. Paul Dumol of the University of Asia and the Paciﬁc who w will talk about Rizal’s plays, and Dr.

Ambeth Ocampo of AdMU and UPD who will discuss Rizal’s essays. Prof. Danilo Francisco Reyes, Dr. Jerry Respeto and Dr. Corazon Lalu-Santos will demo-teach the works of Rizal to help educators ﬁnd new methods of teaching the Rizal course. The two-day literary conference will end with the annual UMPIL convention. The convention will feature the Panayam Adrian Cristobal, part of UMPIL’s public intellectual lecture series, a book launching, a literary forum and the Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas. The event is supported by the Adrian

Cristobal Foundation, the UP Institute of Creative Writing, the UP College of Arts and Letters and the Office of the Chancellor-UP Diliman. The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Department of Education (DepEd) have endorsed the conference. UMPIL members, teachers and other interested parties are encouraged to participate in the conference as well the convention. For details, please contact Eva Cadiz at (632) 922-1830 or send an email to Conference Director and UMPIL Secretary-General Michael Coroza at mcoroza@ateneo.edu.

that come with their admission. Aside from their duties as participants in various competitions, they must enroll in five academic courses every semester for two semesters per academic year. VAAS awardees must also pass four out of these ﬁve subjects per semester. Failure to comply with the rules results in disciplinary action by the VAAS committee composed of the chancellor, vice-chancellor for academic affairs, vice-chancellor for community affairs, CHK dean and one faculty representative. Because the CHK manages the VAAS awardees, it informs the Ofﬁce of the University Registrar (OUR) of the varsity members’ status. The college also ensures the eligibility of its athletes in authorized leagues like the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP). Aside from providing for the basic

needs of the VAAS awardees such as uniforms, equipment, practice and game allowances (as well as services like medical assistance, tutorials and counseling), the college also recommends deserving VAAS awardees for scholarships and grants offered by UP. These scholarships are usually in accordance with the UAAP’s policies and standards. The UAAP is one of the major collegiate athletic leagues and, as such, most of their rules and regulations are also integrated into the VAAS. An example is the policy on transferees: If an athlete from a UAAP member-school decides to transfer to any of the UP varsity teams, then he or she must earn two years of residency in the university before being able to compete in UAAP events. If the athlete is from a non-UAAP school, then the residency required is only one

year. These transferees must take at least 33 units per academic year and have an average grade of 2.5 or better. If an athlete just graduated high school from a UAAP member-school, he or she is required to undergo a year of residency in UP before being able to compete in the senior division of the UAAP—unless his or her high school gives prior clearance stating that he or she is being voluntarily released to join a varsity team of another UAAP member-school. UP has to be strict in implementing the varsity rules to ensure the quality of its performance in different competitions. With an average of 120 athletes admitted every year into the 28 UP varsity teams, the varsity program faces the challenge of developing VAAS awardees with both academic and athletic excellence in mind.

UMPIL National Convention

Strict admission policy for UP athletes Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo

Passing the UP College Admission Test (UPCAT) is not the only way to get into the university. There is also the Varsity Athletic Admission System (VAAS) administered by the College of Human Kinetics (CHK), UP Diliman. The VAAS, established in March 1978, authorizes the college to “recruit athletes, Filipiniana dancers, and pep squad members who may not have taken or may not have passed the UPCAT.” Though regarded by some sectors as a “backdoor” to gaining admission, it does not mean that because an applicant did not pass the UPCAT, he or she can be easily admitted to UP through the varsity program. The process is actually very stringent. The applicants undergo tryouts for weeks, depending on the varsity team they want to enter. The VAAS contract states that the program is “a recognition of the worth and talent [of the applicant] in sports and dance.” UP therefore has the responsibility to develop and nurture these talents fully. Students who become part of the varsity, on the other hand, have to serve UP by participating in national and international competitions for four consecutive years. For Academic Year 2011-2012, the Board of Regents (BOR) approved last June 3 the admission via VAAS of 160 new UP Diliman students. There were 637 applicants who participated in the try-outs held mostly last March and April. Due to the limited quota requirements of other colleges, the CHK admits and houses most of the VAAS awardees in their degree programs for their ﬁrst year, either in the Bachelor in Physical Education or Bachelor of Sports Science, until they are able to shift to their preferred course. These VAAS awardees, no matter which college they belong to, are required to comply with the rules and responsibilities

U.P. NEWSLETTER PROF. DANILO ARAÑA ARAO Editor-in-Chief FRANCIS PAOLO QUINA Managing Editor PROF. LUIS TEODORO Editorial Consultant CAMILLE DELA ROSA, ANDRE ENCARNACION, CELESTE ANN CASTILLO LLANETA, JO. FLORENDO B. LONTOC, KIM QUILINGUING, ARLYN VCD P. ROMUALDO, BERNICE P. VARONA Writers BONG ARBOLEDA, MISAEL BACANI, JONATHAN MADRID Photographers CELESTE ANN CASTILLO LLANETA Layout 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 ewsletter Mezzanine Floor, Quezon Hall, UP Diliman, Quezon City 926-1572, 436-7537 e-mail: upnewsletter@up.edu.ph upsio@up.edu.ph