UP Newsletter May 2012 by University of the Philippines

U.P. Newsletter 1

Wired UP ICCA confab output The full text of the Manila Declaration of the recent Indigenous Community and Conserved Areas (ICCA) conference (see story on page 12) can be accessed in both Tagalog and English at www.newcapp.org , www.kasapi.org , www. pafid.org and www.iccaconsortium.org.

UP tops board exams Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc

The results of the latest round of board examinations administered by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) still had UP graduates topping the examinations for elementary and high school teachers and chemical and electrical engineers; and achieving from high to 100percent passing rates in the examinations for physicians, medical technologists, midwives, electronics engineers, mechanical engineers, and landscape architects.

University of the Philippines Community Newspaper V O L U M E X X XIII

NUMBER 5

MAY 2 0 12

DILIMAN, QUEZON CITY

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

UP graduates newest batch of ‘minds that shape the nation’ Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc

Teachers-elementary

Photo by Jonathan Madrid

UP Diliman’s Richie Carla Almagro Vesagas and Sherryl Lyn Pulido Ecobisag were the first and second placers, respectively, in the licensure examinations for elementary teachers. Eilleen Keith Alfaro Sale shared seventh place with two others; and Emery Lei Suerte Felipe Sicangco and Vanessa Marie Apostol Simon Batch 2012 sing “UP Naming Mahal” for the first time as UP alumni. shared ninth place also with two others. Sharmine Mae Domingo Bitaña, Jean Cruz Mangurali, and Ivy Sena Yasis shared 10th Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo place with two others. All 24 exam-takers from UPD passed. Three gunshots were heard on campus No casualties or injuries were reported. The lone exam-taker from UP Visayas- in the evening of April 24. Unidentified Witnesses’ accounts say that one of Tacloban College (UPVTC) passed but men had fired at the residence of retired three men on board a Toyota Tamaraw FX three examinees from UP Cebu (UPC), Sociology Professor Randolf David in with plate number UDM 191 fired three two of whom were repeaters, failed. The UP Diliman (UPD). According to the shots, left, then returned a few minutes national passing rate was 42.5 percent. official report by Prof. Edgardo Dagdag, later. UPD Police (UPDP) conducted the Teachers-secondary UPD Chief Security Officer, the incident initial investigation and found that one of UPD was the number one school for occurred at 8:50 PM at Area I, while David the bullets had hit the fender of David’s secondary-level teachers, with a passing and his granddaughter were at the house. Toyota Innova. The slug from a 9mm pistol rate of 91.2 percent, or 52 of 57 examtakers. Although it did not qualify as a top school for secondary-level teachers for st not having 50 or more graduates, UP Los Baños (UPLB) had a 100-percent passing Cynthia m. Villamor rate from its 17 exam takers. According to the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) list, 11 of 12 exam-takers from UPVIloilo City, seven of eight from UPVTC, five of five from UP Baguio, three of three from UP Mindanao (UPMin), two of two from UP Manila (UPM), two of three from UPC, and one of one each from “UP Mabini campus” and “UP Tagum campus” passed. The national passing rate was 24.9 percent. UP graduates dominated the top 10 examinees, with Alexis Coronacion Villaflor of UPD placing first and Jeffrey Delposo Magtibay of UPLB and Marie Joe Pesebre Pagaduan of UPD, second. Among those who placed fourth was Raymund Audiences at the Philippine General sides performed two different laparoscopic Bataga Quiambao; seventh, Don Gerrick Hospital’s (PGH) Estrada Hall composed operations. Domingo Galinato; and tenth, Joanne mainly of UP medical students and Led by Dr. Tran Binh Giang, the VietDuct Areniabo Mejia, Owen Abila Verga, and professors had the rare chance of team performed a single port adrenalectomy Roxanne Patiga Suarez. witnessing the first live, interactive surgical on a male patient while UPM-PGH doctors All are from UPD except for Suarez teleconferencing between the Viet Duct Crisostomo Arcilla Jr and Dante Ang of UP Cebu. Sharing eighth place were University in Hanoi, Vietnam and UP performed a common bile duct operation Saldio Jesus Santiago Amador, Mansueta Manila (UPM) as surgeons from both on a 19-year old female patient.

UP Diliman (UPD) held its 101st general commencement exercises last April 22 at the Amphitheater with President Alfredo Pascual announcing UP’s recognition of its graduates as “minds that shape the nation.” In his message to the graduates, Pascual explained the new slogan expressing UP’s tradition of producing graduates imbued with the virtues of honor and excellence in the service of the people. “Let it be known in and outside the university that the excellence and intelligence of the iskolar ng bayan is not conﬁned to the Philippines. In different parts of the world, our scholars are able to banner their creativity and leadership in their respective fields,” Pascual said in Filipino. UP is therefore the university that “shapes the minds that shape the nation.” In line with tradition, the general Continued on page 11

Shots ﬁred at David’s house

Photo courtesy of UPM-IPPAO

UPM, Hanoi university hold 1 live surgical teleconference

Continued on page 5

UPLB prepares safety and security MOAs with PNP, LGUs

UPV Celebrates Women’s Day

Continued on page 6

E Photo courtesy of John Frederick Angulo

was discovered inside the vehicle. The remaining two slugs have yet to be found. The UPDP also requested the Land Transportation Office to run the plate number reported by a witness. The query revealed that UDM 191 is assigned to a Nissan utility vehicle. Investigators also looked at the footage of a closed-circuit television camera installed near David’s house, but it failed to show the men in the FX and the vehicle’s plate number. In an interview with the UP Newsletter Newsletter, Dagdag said the UPD Supervisory Team for Private Security (STPS) strongly suggested that the bullet was ﬁred with the gun pointing in an upward direction, ricocheted off a tree, and hit David’s car. UP Police advanced this theory after a bullet mark on a tree was found during the STPS investigation. Dagdag added that during the initial investigation, David had told him he “had no known enemies” and he could not understand why his house was shot at. While David and his family did not ask for protection, Dagdag asked UPD security personnel to “intensify patrols in the area,” so the incident won’t happen again. As of May 9, security patrol has returned to normal operations. W h i l e t h e Q u e z o n C i t y Po l i c e Department Station 9 is in charge of the investigation, UPD security forces continue to conduct their own probe and will be giving their ﬁndings to Station 9. As for reports of a witness’ calling UPD security with no response, Dagdag said he is investigating whether this has to do with reported glitches experienced by some

CBA student brings light to thousands

‘Transport is important in development’ -- Pascual

2 U.P. Newsletter

may 2012

UPLB prepares safety and security MOA with PNP, LGUs Arbeen Acuña

A tripartite memorandum of agreement (MOA) was the “expected output” of the Campus Safety and Security Summit organized by the UP Los Baños (UPLB) Office of the Vice-Chancellor for Community Affairs last March 28. Attended by ofﬁcials of UPLB, local government units (LGUs), Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed forces of the Philippines (AFP), the summit, with the theme “Building collaborative approaches to safety and security administration,” was held at the Ofﬁce of the Chancellor Executive Conference Room at the UPLB

Main Library. In his opening remarks, UPLB Chancellor Rex Victor Cruz said the summit had “many promises” and regretted holding the summit only after the recent death of UPLB students Given Grace Cebanico and Ray Bernard Peñaranda due to criminal activities near the UPLB campus. Vice-Chancellor for Community Affairs Enrique Tolentino Jr. and UPLB University Police Force (UPF) S04 Gonzalo Baraquio presented the current security situation of UPLB, while Inspector Roselle Orate—

Threats hound students “There is an established trend of UP students’ being accosted, harassed, and attacked by traditional law enforcement,” said UP Student Regent Krissy Conti in a statement posted online last April 7. She was referring to recent incidents of surveillance and harassment by military personnel of students of UP Manila, UP Los Baños and UP Diliman, as well as the continuing detention of Maricon Montajes and the disappearance of Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeño, all three from UP Diliman. The Tanggulan Youth Network for Human Rights and Civil Liberties said it monitored at least 12 cases of human rights violations committed by the military against youth and student activists during the past three months. Among them are incidents involving two students from UP Manila, eight from UP Los Baños and three from UP Diliman. According to Tanggulan, suspected military intelligence agents looking for an unspecified “Nikki” shadowed UP Manila students Cleve Arguelles and Nikki Gamara last Holy Week. Arguelles is a Political Science major and outgoing University Student Council vice-chairperson while Gamara is a Development Studies major and member of Anakbayan. Operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) identified Nikki’s father, Reynante Gamara, as an official of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and arrested him last April 3 for an alleged murder. In its official Facebook page, the Department of Social Sciences (DSS) - UP Manila condemned the said incident and called on the university “to take measures to protect its students from political harassment by state security forces.” The DSS also called for bringing the perpetrators of human rights violations to justice. Last February 5, eight UP Los Baños students doing field work in Calatagan, Batangas were “accosted by members of the Philippine Air Force’s 730th Combat Group” and the local police, according to Tanggulan. The students, who were shooting photos and videos in the community, said the soldiers alleged they were taking “antigovernment” footage and demanded that they submit their names. The youth network also reported that “three UP Diliman students conducting their course practicum at a community in Porac, Pampanga were harassed and assaulted by members of the Philippine Army’s 7th Infantry Division” last January 21. “They were made to stand under the midday sun for an hour while they were accused of being members of the New People’s Army (NPA), and verbally and physically abused by the soldiers,” according

representing OIC Chief of Los Baños Police PCI Conrado Masungsong, and PSUPT Ronaldo Mendoza presented an assessment of the Los Baños security situation. MGEN Alfredo Del Rosario Jr., Commanding Ofﬁcer of the AFP Special Operations Command (SOCOM), and SSUPT Gilbert Cruz, Provincial Director of Laguna Police facilitated the workshop discussion on strategies for peace and safety. Before closing the summit and asking for the commitments of the represented

Fred Dabu

to the report.

Common targets

In a statement posted last March 16 by the UP Student Regent with regards to keeping UP campuses and students safe, Conti warned that “students are common targets for robbery and other crimes against property because of their physical and mental vulnerabilities. But more disturbingly, students from UP have become common targets of statesanctioned harm and harassment. We are vulnerable, for both economic and political reasons, inside and outside the campus.” Conti noted that the recent high-proﬁle cases involving UP Diliman student Lordei Hina and UP Los Baños students Given Grace Cebanico and Ray Bernard Peñaranda have compelled the UP community to improve its security systems. However, she expressed caution on relying on law enforcement agencies, and called for “the constitution of the Joint Monitoring Group, which delineates the authority of the Department of National Defense and the UP administration over UP campuses and students.” Conti said “we have rejected military and police detachments inside campuses, banned operations and deployment of forces, and required proper notiﬁcation in case of arrest, detention or custodial investigation of any UP student, faculty, or personnel. We have to also organize ourselves for more comprehensive and long-term solutions.”

upholding of academic freedom and other rights. The said body pointed out “a disconnect between how certain agencies (speciﬁcally the military and police) perceive the University and its necessary role in a society in crisis.” “Among the most telling indicators of this separation are the murder of UP Botanist Leonard Co; the abduction and continuing disappearance of UP students Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeño; the detention of another student Maricon Montajes and of UP alumnus Ericson Acosta; the disappearance of another UP graduate, James Balao; and the arrest and detention of UP students during protest actions,” the University Council said. In related incidents this year, a student journalist from UP Diliman and a contributing editor of the student publication of UP Tacloban also reported separate incidents of military surveillance. Last February, Pauline Gidget Estella, National Deputy Secretary General of the College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) and former editor-in-chief of the Philippine Collegian, together with other CEGP ofﬁcers, were followed and harassed by military agents after a CEGP convention in Samar. On March 19, Jebri Gil Silda, a journalist and contributing editor of UP Tacloban’s UP Vista who was helping reunite a family allegedly abducted by soldiers in Samar, was reportedly photographed and harassed by soldiers while in a meeting of the Municipal Peace and Order Council. The UP Student Regent ascribes “the systematic vilification and persecution of our students… to misplaced and overzealous military adherence to counterinsurgency programs.”

institutions, Tolentino suggested that they “develop a modiﬁcation” of the 1992 MOA that prohibits the presence of military and police elements inside UP campuses. Tolentino added that not just UPLB but the whole UP system and the national government, through the Department of Interior and Local Government, had signed the MOA. But it was “high time that we have a new arrangement” and clariﬁed that “we have to strike a delicate balance” so that the campus would not appear “militarized” because of military and police presence. Del Rosario committed SOCOM to training programs for UPF and the barangays. “I hope that we can have that MOA right now, so we can sign.” Representatives from the local municipality committed to make ordinances that will promote peace and order, and to concentrate efforts in procuring CCTV cameras and other infrastructure relevant to security. Tolentino said he had requested Nonagon security agency for powerful CCTV cameras that can identify plate numbers even during dark stormy nights. He added that there will be another meeting with the stakeholders. According to Tolentino, “We can offer technical services and research to help the community, but we cannot take security single-handedly.” He also said that the cooperation with the institutions present during the summit would not be limited to security and safety. He said that they will form a council to draft a tri-partite MOA “not just to monitor but to secure our beloved Los Baños.” After the summit, upon being asked by the UP Newsletter whether his office will invite student representatives in the upcoming meetings and whether the students will be among the signatories of the MOA being prepared, he said, “We will still think about it.” Implementing discipline

Affirming what UPLB Chancellor Rex Victor Cruz said in his opening remarks, Vice-Governor Caesar Perez said that the summit was the first of its kind. Perez added that students have become the cash cows of criminals because they do not file cases, especially after retrieving the items stolen from them—a claim seconded by Orate. “Maybe, we can (convince) the students to pursue cases,” added Del Rosario. Freedom for our students and alumni Perez also expressed hope that the In a statement posted last December university and its students would exercise 2011, the University Council of UP “moral responsibility.” He said students tend Diliman demanded the release of detained to “disrespect” local government officials. UP students and alumni, as well as the A participant who introduced himself as a barangay secretary confirmed this “disrespect” and the idea that for the students, the student handbook is the only law. The secretary suggested that the university “re-educate” the students. Nilo Lapiz, Chairman of Barangay Batong Malake, suggested that freshmen orientations include barangay officials briefing students so they may know what the local laws are, among them the ordinance that prohibits loitering between 12mn to 4am. Perez also suggested that since professors are held in high regard, perhaps they can monitor the late night activities Buhay UP of the students. Del Rosario Pinamagatan ng kontribyutor ng larawang ito na si Prop. E. San Juan Jr. ang kuha niya na “Ice Cream also suggested the same for the Stop” sa may Sunken Garden sa UP Diliman. Tunay na umaakit pa rin ang berde at maaliwalas na university through the OVCCA. kampus ng pami-pamilya upang dito’y magpalakas ng katawan at kung magutom na sa ehersisyo ay tumigil muna at humigop ng taho o kumain ng “dirty ice cream.”

Continued on page 11

may 2012

U.P. Newsletter 3

BALITANG UNYON CONTEND-UP AUPWA, lumahok sa pagdiriwang ng Mangyan Day

Arbeen Acuña

rin ang isang lider ng tribong Palaw-an mula sa isla ng Palawan, at nagbahagi ng kanilang kalagayan at karanasan ng pangangamkam ng kanilang lupang katutubo. Sa pagpapatuloy at pagpalalim ng talakayan ay, naging matingkad ang patuloy na pangangamkam, pagtaboy at panlilinlang na kinaksangkapan pa ang mga lokal na opisyales ng gobyerno upang di umano ay lumagda sa kasunduan na nagpapahintulot na bungkalin at minahin ang lupang katutubo ng mga kapatid nating Mangyan. Sa pagpapatuloy ng programa ay nagbigay ng mensahe ng pakikiisa si Prop. Ramon Guillermo, kasalukuyang pambansang Pangulo n g AU PA E U, n a ang UP diumano ay nagiging kasangkapan pa ng mga kumpanya sa pagmimina sa usapin ng pagbibigay ng pondo ng mga kurso ng pagmimina sa anyo ng scholarship at ayuda sa mga kagamitan at pananaliksik na sa huli ay sila din ang makikinabang. Masigla at may ngiti sa mga labi na nakibahagi ang unyon sa iba pang gawain tulad ng pagtulong Larawan mula sa AUPWA

“The most significant focus of critical pedagogy is the relationship between knowledge and power,” said Sociology Prof. Gerry Lanuza in his lecture, “Critical Pedagogy: Teaching for Liberation,” conducted by Congress of Teachers/ Educators for National Democracy (CONTEND-UP) last February 28 at the College of Mass Communication (CMC). Prof. Gonzalo Campoamor II said that this is the first of the upcoming lecture series organized by CONTEND-UP. Lanuza presented his paper on his practice of critical pedagogy called “engaged pedagogy,” where he makes himself “vulnerable to students’ interrogation” as he transforms the classroom into “an arena of battlefield of ideas and assumptions.” In a classroom discussion, “to make students justify why they think that way” is the most important part for him. Lanuza defined education as a “subversive activity in so far as it challenges the complacency of students to prevailing public opinion,” not as mere transmission but as engagement into “praxis that allows for critical reflection upon their beliefs and practices.” He said that “every process of transmission allows room for resistance and creativity,” thus the “dialogical process” of engaged pedagogy that “establishes, not just a democratic, but a nurturing relationship” between learners and teachers. “Democracy is now,” said Lanuza; telling students “that democracy is something they will exercise in the near future” makes them “complacent about the non-democratic practices that pervade our society.” He added that if we “focus mainly on the future applications of what we teach, our students will lose sight of the pressing present problems they confront.” Lanuza clarified that he does not deny the “futureorientation of our pedagogical practices.” He said that “as Dewey explains, ‘the mistake is not attaching importance to preparation for future need, but in making it the mainspring of present effort.’” A community of learners, according to Lanuza, is “nourished by a ‘convivial’ approach to educational tools. Making pedagogy ‘convivial’ means treating your students as persons rather than as gradeachievers or grade-addicted freaks.” He said that rather than demanding “less rigor in the classroom,” engaged pedagogy “defines ‘rigor’ not in the authoritarian way that makes it an exclusive property of students who follow the rigid rules and sacred text-like pronouncement of teachers and educational experts.” Quoting Paulo Freire, he said that “rigor lives with freedom, needs freedom. I cannot understand how it is possible to be rigorous without being creative. For me it is very difficult to be creative without having freedom. Without being free I can only repeat what is being told me.” Responding to Lanuza’s statement that dialogue is an “endless process,” CMC Dean Roland Tolentino said that professors however only have a “one-month contract” with the students and that professors may just be “farmers” who can merely “implant seeds.” Prof. Edel Garcellano said that after being taught, students return to the “ethics

Naging bahagi ang All-UP Workers Bag o pa por mal na buksan ang Alliance (AUPWA) sa pagdiriwang ng pagdiriwang ay sinimulan ito sa pamamagitan Mangyan Day na ginanap sa Mindoro ng paghahanay ng mga tribo. Nagsagawa ng Oriental sa bahagi ng Bongabong, Barangay ritwal na pag-aalay ng handog na isang puting Lisap, Sitio Sigao. Tumagal nang dalawang manok. Ginilitan ito sa leeg at ipinahid ang araw ang nasabing pagdiriwang mula Abril dugo sa hawak na kahoy ng bawat tribo na 14 hanggang 15, 2012. may sabay na pag-usal ng dalangin. Idinilig Ang tema ng pagtitipon ay: “Mangyan ang dugo sa apoy bilang simbolo ng lubos Pahigpitin ang Pagkakaisa: Ipaglaban Ang na paglilinis. Sinundan ito ng pag aalay ng Lupang Ninuno at Sariling Pagpapasya.” misa sa pangunguna ng mga pari mula sa Ang Mangyan Day ay ipinagdiriwang United Church of Christ of the Philippines bawat taon bilang pagkilala sa kanilang (UCCP). karapatan at kalayaan na magpasya sa lupang Naging malaman ang pakikibahagi ng ninuno. Kabilang dito ang pitong tribo: bawat lider ng tribo sa kapulungan. Dumalo 1) Hanunoo; 2) Alangan; 3) Gubatnon; 4) Iraya; 5) Buhid; 6) Bangon; at 7) Tadyawan. Ang pagdalo ng mga kasapi ng All-UP Workers Union (AUPWU) at All-UP Academic Employees Union (AUPAEU) ay bahagi ng programang pangedukasyon na may layunin na matuto sa ibang mga batayang sektor ng ating lipunan. Ito ang pangalawang taon ng pagpapadalo ng mga unyon sa naturang okasyon. Ang una ay noong Abril 2011 na ginanap sa Abra de Ilog, Mindoro Occidental, kung saan nakaranas sila ng panghaharas mula sa Larawan ng AUPWA militar.

Congratulations to Drs. Umali & Umewaka: A Rejoinder Amelia Lapeña-Bonifacio This piece was written by Prof. Amelia Lapeña-Bonifacio, author of the Filipino Noh play “Ang Paglalakbay ni Sisa: Isang Noh sa Laguna” which was re-staged last March 5 and 6 at the University Theatre stage of UP Diliman. The Noh training-rehearsals were conducted among undergraduate students of the UP Center for International Studies (CIS), who enrolled in its Japanese Studies courses, and the elementary and high school children, who are being supported by non-government organizations DAWN Philippines and SALT Payatas-Kasiglahan.

DAWN Philippines is an NGO that supports Filipino women migrants in Japan and their Japanese-Filipino children who now live in Manila. SALT Payatas Kasiglahan is a Japanese NGO which supports children and women who live beside the Payatas dumpsite and are survivors of the Payatas dumpsite tragedies in Quezon City in 1999 and 2000 garbage slides. The Noh training-rehearsals culminated in a recital on March 4, 2012 by the children of DAWN Philippines and SALT PayatasKasiglahan and in a performance on March 5 and 6, 2012 of Lapeña-Bonifacio’s “Ang

Photo by Prof. Chim Zayas

hosts lecture on critical pedagogy

Sisa ﬁnds Basilio and Crispin in this scene from the Noh presentation.

of the workplace” and to the “capitalist orientation.” “Allowing them to see (the problems and solutions) does not necessarily transform to action,” said Lanuza. All the professor can do, added Tolentino, is to create a bridge. “We have a misplaced hope in education,” said Lanuza. “Revolution will not erupt from UP but vanguards may emerge from it.” Prof. Roselle Pineda said that “critical teachers should expand their notion of the

academe.” According to Lanuza, the “myth that education can change everything is idealism” and that critical pedagogy shows that organized movements are more powerful than individual efforts. A student who participated in the open discussion said that she gained her “politicization” more from such organizations like the League of Filipino Students than from the classroom.

Sundan sa pahina 4

Paglalakbay ni Sisa: Isang Noh sa Laguna” at UP Diliman. Four of the children from SALTPayatas Kasiglahan were also included in the March 5 and 6 performances. Their participation was made possible with the collaboration between Prof. Amparo Adelina Umali III of the CIS; Danielle Naomi Uy, lecturer of CIS; and Prof. Naohiko Umewaka, Noh Master for Shite (lead actor) of the Kanze school and professor of the Shizuoka University of Art and Culture. Umali, a Japanese Traditional Theatre scholar, studied Lapeña-Bonifacio’s work as part of her master’s thesis on Noh Theatre submitted to the Doshisha University, Kyoto, Japan. Uy, a member of the CIS Noh Theatre Ensemble, was a recipient of a Jenesys grant to study Noh Theatre in Japan. Umewaka has been a visiting professor of the CIS since 2005 continuously mentoring the CIS Noh Theatre Ensemble and training CIS students through workshops, training-rehearsals, and Skype sessions. While UPCIS extension initiatives provided Noh training to the children and to UP students, the children’s recital and the re-staging of “Ang Paglalakbay ni Sisa: Isang Noh sa Laguna” would not have been made possible without the financial assistance of the Japan Foundation Manila, the Chancellor’s Office, UP Diliman, and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts. I found it difficult to sleep tonight, I think because of the overwhelming feeling of boundless joy I experienced watching your beautiful staging of my CCP prizewinning play, “Paglalakbay ni Sisa: Isang Noh sa Laguna.” It must be because of the setting of the place of staging - the intimacy it provided. Who would have thought of the giant stage of the UP Theatre as the whole theatre itself ? I am sure this brilliant idea will be the basis of another production in the future. But, for now, let it be the unique idea born out of a need of a location for Continued on page 6

4 U.P. Newsletter

may 2012

Chancellor to reinvent UPM as entrepreneurial research university

Mentoring scheme for UPV researchers presented

UP Manila (UPM) Chancellor Manuel Agulto is determined to transform the school into an entrepreneurial research university that can better serve the country’s health needs. Six months into his term, Agulto and his team are creating a more enabling environment for the conduct of more translational research through publicprivate partnerships. The e-UP Manila Project will be launched in June to provide full computerization for the campus and achieve academic and operational efﬁciency, along with the SMART InfoBoard initiative and a new, revitalized website. The Agulto administration has concluded agreements with the University of Houston and Seton Hall University in the US, Chonbuk National University of Korea,

To enable UPV researchers to work together toward boosting the university’s scientific productivity, the Office of the Vice-Chancellor for Research and Extension (OVCRE) presented “UPV Researchers’ Mentoring Initiatives” during an orientation-seminar on new research guidelines and policies last March 7 at the Miagao Interactive Learning Center. The presenters were UPV’s UP Scientists I: Vice-Chancellor for Research and Extension Ricardo Babaran; College of Arts and Sciences (CAS)-Division of Social Sciences Chair Rosalie Arcala Hall; and CAS-Division of Biological Sciences faculty member Prof. Wilfredo Campos. The mentoring scheme aims to increase the number of active researchers among UPV faculty members and research personnel by at least 300 percent within three years; raise the number of UPV ISIindexed publications by at least 100 percent over the same period; and increase the current number of UP Scientists. By forming “working teams,” UPV hopes to speed up publications; fast-track the development of young scientists; expand the exchange of ideas within the university; improve the quality of research; and create more opportunities for links with other institutions. The scheme applies to both in-house grants and for externally-funded research projects. The mentor and mentee need not be afﬁliated with the same unit in order to encourage more interdisciplinary studies. For in-house projects, the mentee will formulate the proposal, which may be within the context of or in relation to the discipline of a preferred mentor. The OVCRE will organize proposal-making workshop sessions to prepare and ﬁnalize outputs from various mentor-mentee teams. Additional evaluators will be invited for inputs on content and research methods to strengthen the proposal evaluation system. A faculty member or mentor developing a research project for external funding may invite another faculty member or researcher, the mentee, to implement a study or component of his/her project. The mentee shall assume part of the responsibility (administrative and technical) for certain outputs of the project. The mentee shall be given an orientation on administrative matters before every engagement. Those who may serve as mentors are UPV faculty members and researchers with proven track records in publishing ISI-indexed journals. They include current UP Scientists; past UP Scientists; faculty members and researchers who are almost at the threshold of becoming UP Scientists; and UPV faculty members and researchers with extensive publication experience in ISI Journals. T he main beneficiaries of the mentoring initiative are faculty members and researchers with PhDs and “PHDs” or “Passion, Hunger, and Drive” to get engaged in research activities towards producing ISI-indexed publications. But priority will be given to junior faculty members and researchers. Applicants must not have outstanding obligations with UPV from previous projects or grants. For its part, the OVCRE will organize capability-building fora; subject all proposals resulting from this initiative to

Photo courtesy of UPM-IPPAO

Lyncen M. Fernandez

Agulto

DDM program now a candidate for PACUCOA accreditation The College of Dentistry’s (CD) Doctor of Dental Medicine program is now a candidate for accreditation by the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities Commission on Accreditation (PACUCOA). This was relayed to the UP Newsletter (UPN) by former UP Manila (UPM) Chancellor Ramon Arcadio and later conﬁrmed by CD Dean Vicente Medina III. The latter also informed UPN that the college is now preparing for the Level I Accreditation Visit from PACUCOA. According to the PACUCOA website, it “is a private accrediting agency which gives formal recognition to an educational institution by attesting that its academic program maintains excellent standards in its educational operations, in the context of its aims and objectives.” Dr. Arcadio congratulated President Alfredo Pascual, UPM Chancellor Manuel Agulto, and Medina for the initial accreditation success. He said that the program “is now the seventh UPM degree program to have undergone a successful accreditation visit.” “This is all part of President Pascual’s university-wide quality assurance program,” Arcadio said.

intensive evaluation procedures to ensure the acceptance of the publications in ISIindexed journals; and prepare an evaluation report on the performance of the initiative after three years. The mentoring initiative may be funded using UPV’s in-house funds or through external funds. As for authorship of publications, all publications shall be governed by existing rules and regulations of the university on intellectual property rights. All publications resulting from this initiative shall be coauthored by both mentee and mentor. For in-house grants, the mentee shall always be the ﬁrst author. For externally -funded projects, the mentor may retain his/her rights to be the ﬁrst author. Any or derivable awards from the collaboration shall be equally shared by both parties. OVCRE is open to further inquiries on the mentoring scheme.

and the Universitas Islam Sultan Agung Semarang of Indonesia for academic and research exchanges. An exploratory meeting between UPM and a health delegation team from the Brunei government was also held last March to discuss possible exchanges of medical faculty and clinicians and course offerings and hospital trainings available in both. Early this April, Agulto and ViceChancellor for Research Vicente Belizario attended a conference on translational research conducted by the Johns Hopkins Medical Institution. The conference taught them strategies on how best to implement evidence-based medical research ﬁndings into the bedside as well as explored possible collaboration with leaders of other universities. (Cynthia Cynthia M. Villamor Villamor)

Agri secretary graces CA’s organic symposium The College of Agriculture (CA) of UP Los Baños (UPLB) conducted a symposium on organic agriculture last March 9 at the Agronomy-Soils-Horticulture Lobby (ASH), Crop Science Cluster. The event, one of the key activities of the 103rd UPLB-CA Foundation Day celebration, was attended by Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala and Undersecretary Fred Serrano as well as UPLB and CA ofﬁcials and personnel. Organic agriculture excludes or strictly limits the use of manufactured fertilizers, pesticides, plant growth regulators such as hormones, livestock antibiotics, food additives, and genetically modiﬁed organisms. It relies on techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, compost, and biological pest control. Organic agriculture

BALITANG UNYON sa medical at dental mission. Lumahok sa palaro sa mga bata na inihanay batay sa laki, pamimigay ng laruan, candy at libro. Maaninag sa kanilang kilos ang ibayong saya at gilas bilang mga bagong kalahok na unyonista. Walang alinlangan na nakisalamuha ang mga unyonista sa mga kapatid nating Mangyan. Naging tampok ng pansin si G. Nestor Ore, kalihim ng AUPWU, dito sa Diliman dahil sa marubdob at seryosong pakikipagkwentuhan niya sa matatanda ng mga tribo. Nagkaroon din ng pagkakataon si G. Jonathan Beldia, Bise Presidente ng AUPWU, na makapanayam ang isa mga namumuno sa tribu. Si Prop. Bernadette Neri ay kumuha naman ng mga footage para gumawa ng isang planong dokumentaryo tungkol sa mga Mangyan at sa kanilang kalagayan. Ibinahagi ni Clodualdo “Buboy” Cabrera sa programa ang pagpapahalaga ng AUPWU sa ganitong mga okasyon at tiniyak ang patuloy na suporta ng unyon sa mga isyu na ipinapaglaban ng mga Mangyan at ng mga katutubo sa buong Pilipinas. Sa pagtatapos ng pagdiriwang ay nagbigay ng ilang pananalita si Felix Pariñas bilang pamamaalam na may tema ng panghihikayat na pakikipagkapit-bisig sa iba pang katutubo mula Luzon, Bisayas, Mindanao at sa lahat ng katutubo ng buong mundo. Binanggit din niya ang isinagawang ritwal ng paghahadog ng hain na “ang bawat isa sa atin ay haing handog para sa susunod na saling lahi. ” Ang sumusunod ay isang tula ni G. Beldia. Binasa niya ang tula noong gabi ng Abril 14, 2012 sa Mangyan Day bilang ambag ng All UP Workers Alliance sa Solidarity Night.

is fast gaining headway and supporters in the CA and the university. During the symposium, Alcala said that the DA is exerting all efforts to promote organic agriculture. According to him, different committees at the level of local government units are being formed to augment the nationwide implementation of the program, which is expected to be sustainable beyond the year 2016. Alcala said he was optimistic that organic agriculture will be the key to Philippine farmers’ success because “it will elevate skills among ﬁeld workers.” He afﬁrmed that the DA is continuously conducting trainors’ training programs simultaneous with the strengthening of organic agriculture policies through the help of the National Organic Agriculture Board.

Mula sa pahina 3

Aking Mangyan……. Ating Yaman Ni Ani B. Kami’y naglakbay sa dakong Oriental Upang masaksihan at maranasan ang isang yaman Ika-5 taong selebrasyon ng Mangyan Festival Pitong tribo ng lahing Pilipino. Salamat sa HAGIBBAT*, trabaho’y kay bigat Pinagbuklod, pinagsama’t pinagkaisa ang layuning hangad Tutulan, labanan, huwag pahintulutan ang mga dayuhan Di lang lupa kakamkamin, pati buhay natin sasakupin. 20 poryento ang Mangyan sa Mindoro Halos 220,000 na populasyon ninyo Likas yaman ay libo-libo Gusto ninyo bang sa isang iglap dayuhan na nagmamay-ari nito? Isang Panawagan at isang hamon Kundi ikaw.. ako…tayo ang kikilos, sino pa ang kikilos? Sino pa ang magmamalasakit sa kinabukasan ng mga anak ninyo Ang sagot sariling pagpapasya at tindig sa isyu. *Pederasyon ng mga tribong Hanunuo, Alangan, Gubatnon, Iraya, Buhid, Bangon, Tadyawan.

may 2012

Lyncen M. Fernandez

The current UP Visayas administration will increase the number of its research studies and publication-driven outputs. This was emphasized during an orientationseminar on new research and extension guidelines and policies organized by the UPV Office of the Vice-Chancellor for Research and Extension last March 7 at the Miagao Interactive Learning Center. Two presentations were given during the day-long program. The first was “Pssst, gusto mo bang maging…UPV Scientist?” by Vice-Chancellor for Research and Extension (VCRE) Ricardo Babaran. The second was on “UPV Researchers’ Mentoring Initiative” by VCRE Babaran, College of Arts and Sciences (CAS)Division of Social Sciences Chair Rosalie Arcala Hall, and CAS-Division of Biological Sciences faculty member Prof. Wilfredo Campos. All three are UP Scientists I. There are in-house and external funding facilities for research grants available in UPV. On top of these are the Research and Creative Works Grants and the Emerging Inter-disciplinary Grants of the Office of the Vice-President for Academic Affairs. All of them will now require an original article in an ISI-covered journal or book, a terminal report, and a seminar presentation to be organized with the assistance of the OVCRE. UPV’s new research and extension initiative is integrating academic, research, extension, and enterprise development in the university. Proposals for such a project would require pre-approval from the Office of the Chancellor. The funds will be sourced from an annual donors forum for UPV-endorsed projects. Aside from ISI publication, the integrated studies need to consider producing print, visual and audio IEC materials; policy papers; new product or new method; business based on developed products or services (e.g. consultancy); public service; support for curricular programs; and transfer of technology.

UP tops board exams

Continued from page 1

Paned Mambiar, John Raymond Palacpac Pingol, and Simoun Victor del Castillo Redoblado—all from UPD, except Mambiar of UPM. Chemical engineers

John Russel de Sagun Canoza of UPD topped the Chemical Engineering board exams. (PRC listed only the top 4.) Eighteen of 23 exam-takers passed, giving UPD a 78.3-percent passing rate; a passing rate of 21 out of 31 gave UPLB a 67.7-percent. The national passing rate was 52 percent. Electrical engineers

Adonis Emmanuel dela Cruz Tio and Jan Vincent Tapia Torres, both from UPD, topped the licensure exams at Nos. 1 and 2, respectively. UPLB’s Chiliast Bote Juan, Ephraim Reodica Labrador, and Domingo Engracio Padilla Mabunay placed at Nos. 3, 6, and 9, respectively. All four exam-takers from UPD and 18 from UPLB passed. As a result, the latter was named No. 1 school for electrical engineers. To qualify, the school must have at least 15 exam-takers and an 80-percent passing rate. The national passing rate is 43.7 percent. The lone exam-taker from UP Cebu, a repeater, failed. While not able to place signiﬁcantly in the top ten, UP graduates had excellent

UPV celebrates Women’s Day Lyncen M. Fernandez

Women mostly, and a sprinkling of men including Chancellor Rommel Espinosa, all wearing the color purple, assembled by the Oblation of the UP Visayas in Iloilo City for the “purple walk” around the campus. This was how UPV started its celebration of Women’s Day last March 9. A tree-planting on campus followed in response to the challenge of creating a sustainable environment and to underline the theme “Babayi: Tagpangapin sang Kalikasan” (Women: Protector of the Environment). UPV Gender and Development Program Director Diana Aure later welcomed the participants in a forum at the UPV auditorium. Philippine Commission on Women Chair Remedios Rikken delivered the keynote address. In consonance with this year’s theme, “Women Weathering Climate Change: Governance and Accountability, Everyone’s Responsibility,” Rikken’s talk covered four topics: reducing disaster risks, The Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, and good governance and incident command system overview for local chief executives. Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog attended the forum. In the afternoon, three plenary sessions

Women of UPV take time to view photographs of fellow women in an exhibit depicting their various personas.

were held: one on a regional situationer on vulnerable disaster areas by Mae Magarzo, OIC of the Chief Geosciences Division, Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region 6; another on women economic empowerment projects in Iloilo by Alma Ravena; and on the psychological effects of disaster by Dr. Julie Seneriches. The closing program included the

announcement of the winners of a postermaking contest. The day-long celebration included a photo exhibit depicting the many faces of women in all walks of life, a tiangge, and food sale. The UPV Gender and Development Program organized the event in cooperation with the Ugsad Regional Resource Center.

Diliman logged the activity of a dubious Internet Protocol (IP) address which was trying to gain access to the database of the university network. Nineteen minutes later, the same IP address was detected as it scanned through the folders of the UP System website. Around 3:08 a.m., an SQL injection

was made into using the update command. The hacker or hackers uploaded a message saying “We come from China, Huangyan Island is us Hacked by Silic Group Hacker Army.” An SQL injection is a hacking technique where a hacker exploits the vulnerability of a website through query forms. The hacker submits a malicious code through these forms which would later allow control of the database of a website. In the case of the UP System website, the suspected IP address exploited a hole in a section. At 3:11 a.m., a picture of a map was inserted showing the disputed Scarborough Shoal and modified the earlier text from “… Huangyan Island is us…” to “Huangyan Island is ours.” The Scarborough Shoal, called Huangyan Island in China, and Panatag Shoal by the Philippines, has been the site of a stand-off since April 10, after Chinese fisherfolk found to have captured protected and endangered marine species were intercepted by the Philippine Navy. Chinese surveillance ships would later come to the aid of the fisherfolk, preventing their arrest.

Timeline of the hacking of the UP System website KIM Quilinguing Barely a month had passed since the April Fools’ Day hacking of the UP Los Baños website (http://www.uplb.edu.ph) when hackers attacked another website of UP. This time, it was the UP System website (http://up.edu.ph/). At about 2:20 a.m. of April 20, the University Computer Center in UP

UPM, Hanoi university hold 1st live surgical teleconference Continued from page 1 While the operations were being done, members of the audience on both sides compared notes, asked questions, and clariﬁed the procedures and instruments used during their respective operations. Dr. Serafin Hilvano, a hepatobiliary surgeon, former PGH Department of Surgery chair and coordinator of the Asia Pacific Advanced Network’s (APAN) Medical Working Group, said that the historic event aimed to share best country and institutional practices and experiences in doing surgeries. The teleconference, he added, was the first in a series of teleconferencing activities being planned with several foreign universities as part of

APAN’s thrust of promoting collaborative medical activities across Asia and the Pacific. Current PGH Department of Surgery Chair Eduardo Gatchalian expressed g ratitude to the people from both universities for making possible the live surgical teleconference. UP Manila held its first teleconferencing activity with other Asia-Pacific university hospitals in 2010. But the university had been participating in the telemedicine sessions of APAN’s Medical Working Group since 2007. The group was part of the 30th APAN meeting held in 2010 in Hanoi, Vietnam.

passing rates in the licensure examinations for physicians, medical technologists, midwives, electronics engineering, mechanical engineering, and landscape architecture.

passed, giving the school a passing rate of 83.8 percent. The lone exam-taker from UPM passed but one from UPVTC, a repeater, failed. The national passing rate was 45.3 percent.

All nine exam-takers from UPM passed, but the lone exam-taker, a repeater, from the UPM School of Health Sciences (SHS) in Leyte failed. The national passing rate was 52.5 percent.

UPD’s 27 exam-takers passed. The national passing rate was 53.6 percent. Jeffrey Montañez Castro was at No. 7 with another exam-taker.

Physicians

Medical Technologists

Eleven of 12 exam-takers from UPM and two of two exam-takers from UPVIloilo City passed, beating the national average of 66.3 percent. Midwives

UPM-SHS in Leyte placed fourth among the country’s top four schools of midwifery after 57 of its 68 graduates

Photo courtesy of UPV-IPO

OVCRE bares new UPV research and extension initiative

U.P. Newsletter 5

Electronics engineers

Mechanical engineers

All eight exam-takers from UPD passed. The national passing rate was 59.7 percent. Landscape architects

Nineteen of 28 exam-takers from UPD passed, comprising the bulk of passers for licensure in this profession. There are only 22 passers among 33 exam-takers in the country from three local schools.

Continued on page 12

PGH child protection pioneer receives US award Continued from page 7 Nutrition (Department of Science and Technology). The NCAC is located in Huntsville, Alabama. The non-profit organization provides extended services in prevention, intervention, and treatment for abused children, and is one of the leading providers of quality training for professionals working with abused children and their families. The NCAC model serves more than 900 established and developing Children’s Advocacy Centers in the U.S. and gives hope to more than 250,000 child abuse and neglect victims every year, according to www.nationalcac.org. (Fedelynn M. Jemena/IPPAO-UPM, with data from NCAC)

6 U.P. Newsletter

may 2012

UPM chancellor, vice-chancellor explore joint research in US while Agulto presented the infrastructure, manpower capabilities, and projects of UP Manila. With the high prevalence of malaria, TB and hemorrhagic dengue fever in the Philippines as afﬁrmed by Dr. Billy Cabellon, incoming president of the UP Medical Alumni Society in America (UPMASA), the officials of both sides agreed that infectious diseases is a possible area of collaboration. Brieﬁng the group on his vision and plans for UP Manila, Chancellor Agulto stated that the conduct of research relevant to the country’s needs and development is a primary focus. He mentioned that P30

million was made available to UPM for managing the flow of research information. Other priorities are fiscal management and security issues. Vice-Chancellor Belizario identified six priority research areas such as maternal health and child health. He seized the opportunity to meet with School of Medicine officials at George Washington University (GWU) and gave a talk on rare tropical diseases which is the subject of an existing collaboration between GWU and UPM. Over dinner with some UP alumni, Agulto and Belizario shared their vision of

making UP Manila world-class. The two UPM ofﬁcials also met with members of the Philippine Academy of Scientists and Engineers (PAASE) for informal discussions on research activities and possible areas of collaboration with UP scientists. A meeting with UP medical doctors of the UP Medical Alumni Society headed by President Dr. Jun Jun Razul capped the visit. ((Based on the summary prepared by Dr. Manuel Datiles, MedicalOfﬁcer, Senior Investigator, and Senior Attending Ophthalmologist, NIH-NEI, and Dr. Billy Cabellon, UPMASA Incoming President.)

Brunei health delegates visit UP Manila Health delegates from the Negara Brunei Darrussalam (State of Brunei, the Abode of Peace) visited UP Manila last March 14 to discuss possible exchanges of medical faculty and clinicians between the two countries as well as course offerings and hospital trainings available in both. The meeting lasted two hours. The delegates had already been to FEU and UST the day before for the same reasons. The Bruneians were met ﬁrst by ViceChancellor for Planning and Development Abundio Balgos, Special Assistant to the Chancellor Leo Cubillan, College of Medicine (CM) Dean Alberto Roxas, Philippine General Hospital (PGH) Deputy Director for Health Operations Ester Bitanga, Prof. Joey Lapeña, and some department chairs and representatives of CM and PGH before they were escorted to meet Chancellor Manuel Agulto. The ﬁve members of the Brunei health delegation were Yang Mulia Dr. Dayang Hajah Norlila binti Dato Paduka Haji Abdul Jalil, deputy permanent secretary of the Ministry of Health; Dr. Ang Swee Hui, head of Accident and Emergency Services, Medical Services Department, Ministry of Health; Dato Seri Laila Jasa Dr. Ravindranathan, head, Department of Maxillofacial, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, RIPAS Hospital, Bandar Seri Begawan (who worked in Isabela Province for 19 years); Dr. Dk. Siti Nur’ Ashikin (Connie) Bte Pg. Dato Tengah, co-secretary, Postgraduate Advisory and Training Board,

Photo courtesy of UPM-IPPAO

UP Manila Chancellor Manuel Agulto and Vice-Chancellor for Research and National Institutes of Health Executive Director Vicente Belizario Jr. recently attended a conference on translational research sponsored by the Johns Hopkins Medical Institution in the US. Their participation was part of the current UPM administration’s vision to transform UP Manila into a world-class university by strengthening its translational research program. The conference discussed strategies of implementing evidence-based medical research findings into the bedside and explored possible collaboration with leaders of other universities. With the help of UP alumni Dr. Manuel Datiles, Dr. Silverio Cabellon, and Dr. Jess Socrates, the two UPM leaders also met with officials of institutions and groups in the United States to inform them of Agulto’s plans for the UP System’s health campus and to explore potential areas of research collaboration. The institutions visited were the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland, particularly the National Eye Institute (NEI) and Fogarty International Center (FIC), and George Washington University (GWU). At NEI, Agulto and Belizario met with Dr. Paul Seving, director, and Dr. John Prakash, associate director for international program activities. Discussed during the meeting were possible areas for collaboration in teaching and research, particularly with the UPM’s Sentro Oftalmologico Jose Rizal and Institute of Ophthalmology. Agulto, an ophthalmologist, former IO director, and former president of the Southeast Asian Glaucoma Interest Group, identified possible areas of research, such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and congenital and hereditary eye diseases. A glaucoma specialist, the UPM chancellor also took the opportunity to clarify that narrow angle glaucoma which is more common among Filipinos is not necessarily secondary to acute angle closure sequelae as previously thought but is more insidious, similar to the open angle glaucoma which is more common among Caucasians. During the FIC visit, the two UPM officials discovered UP’s involvement in most NIH-funded studies of the center. Among these were the studies of Dr. Baldomero Olivera of the University of Utah and Dr. Gisela Concepcion, UP Vice-President for Academic Affairs and professor at UP Diliman, and Dr. Leah Tolosa of the University of Maryland and Dr. Evangeline Amor of UP. Dr. James Herrington, NIH Director of International Relations, briefed the visitors on the center’s activities in Asia

Establishing a strong and mutually fruitful partnership. Chancellor Agulto exchanges warm greetings with Yang Mulia Dr. Dayang Hajah Norlila binti Dato Paduka Haji Abdul Jalil, deputy permanent secretary of the Ministry of Health.

Ministry of Health; and Dr. Sia Ai Tee, representing the director of health services, Ministry of Health. They specifically requested representatives from the departments of Surgery, Pediatrics, Rehabilitation Medicine, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Neurosciences, Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Anesthesiolog y, and the Postgraduate Institute of Medicine. The delegates encouraged the Filipino doctors to consider working in Brunei instead of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, or Australia. Dr. Ravindranathan expressed sadness at seeing Filipino doctors

Shots ﬁred at David’s house

A Rejoinder

Continued from page 1

ofﬁce phone lines in the campus. The university is doing its best to ensure the security of the community, Dagdag explained. UPD covers 493 hectares, seven barangays, and 100,000 people on a regular day with 339 security personnel—42

UPDP, 246 private security guards, and 51 members of the Security Services Brigade. It exercises maximum police visibility with four mobile patrol cars monitoring the campus, most especially the high-risk areas. Photo courtesy of UPM-IPPAO

New partnership between PHL and Korea. UP Manila and the Chonbuk National University (CBNU) of the Republic of Korea signed a Memorandum of Agreement for educational and scientiﬁc cooperation last March 26. The MOA, which will run for three years, covers joint research; consultancy services; exchange of information, including, but not limited to research publications; participation in seminars, lectures and academic meetings; exchange of faculty for part-time teaching; exchange of students under UPM’s English Language and Cultural Enrichment Program. UPM Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs Marie Josephine De Luna and CBNU President Geo-Suk Suh signed the MOA in the presence of (L-R, back) CBNU Vice-President of External Cooperation Min-Ho Kim and Vice-President of Academic Affairs Yeong-Jeong Kim; UP Manila’s Vice-Chancellor for Planning and Development Abundio Balgos, Vice-Chancellor for Administration Joselito Jamir, College of Arts & Sciences Dean Reynaldo Imperial and Inter-Institutional Linkages Coordinator Dr. Carmencita Padilla. (Prepared by Fedelynn “Chat” M. Jemena)

leaving their country in order to work as nurses abroad. He said he lost two very good friends and assistants that way when he was still working in Isabela Province. Dr. Tengah said that Brunei has manpower limitations—both in serving and training. Doctors with postgraduate training—fresh residents, retirees, or visiting professors—will help pick up the slack in these areas. Future communications are on the table among the Ministry of Health, the Ofﬁce of the Chancellor, and the Dean’s Ofﬁce of the College of Medicine. (FMJemena/ IPPAO-UPM)

Continued from page 3

the staging of my play. And it was just right as a ﬁrst for my play, thank you very much. Now it will be known that there are three theatres in that one building: the Aldaba theatre at the back, the University theatre out front, and the Paglalakbay thrust theatre in the middle! First of all, there is something to be said for the elimination of the raised Noh stage which provides the crowned area for the lovely play of Noh. Until tonight, I did not think it possible to see the beauty of Noh in an unraised thrust theatre style of staging. But now I am convinced that the Japanese should see this as it happened in your staging tonight. At least something must be said or written about it. And that is only the ﬁrst overwhelming and brilliant coup! I must write about how thrilled I was watching the coming of the musicians – drums (John Paul Afable, Darren Balolong, Jan Nigel Cabaluna and Danielle Naomi Uy) and the chorus (Laureen Lioanag, Continued on page 8

U.P. Newsletter 7

may 2012

Photo courtesy of UPM-IPPAO

PGH child protection pioneer receives US award C h i l d r e n’s A d vo c a c y Center (NCAC) of the United States last March 21. The award was given during the NCAC’S 28th National Symposium on Child Abuse which was held at Von Braun Center, Huntsville, Alabama, from March 19 to 22, 2012. N C AC ’s N a t i o n a l Symposia on Child Abuse are internationally recognized multidisciplinary conferences which feature experts who train, and share with child abuse professionals the latest knowledge and skills in child abuse prevention, Dr. Madrid receives her award from NCAC Executive Director i n t e r v e n t i o n , a n d t r e a t m e n t . T h i s y e a r, Chris Newlin Dr. Bernadette Madrid, founding approximately 1,100 child executive director of the Child Protection abuse professionals from 47 American Unit (CPU) of the UP Manila-Philippine states, the District of Columbia, Canada, General Hospital (UPM-PGH), received Australia, Brazil, Jamaica, Sweden, Japan, the Most Outstanding Services Award for and Turkey attended sessions on law Child Protective Services from the National enforcement, legal, medical, mental health,

victim advocacy, forensic interviewing, prevention, child protective services, and administrative best practices. Madrid received the award during the symposium’s annual awards luncheon. The criteria for the Outstanding Service Awards are based on the pioneering work that began with the formation of the National Children’s Advocacy Center in 1985 and revolutionized the way America responds to child sexual abuse. The honors are intended to recognize professionals who have made a signiﬁcant positive contribution to services that address child abuse and exploitation in their communities. In recognizing Madrid, NCAC Executive Director Chris Newlin noted that the Child Protection Unit (CPU) at the PGH became a template for the Philippine Departments of Health, Social Welfare and Development, Interior and Local Government, and other organizations. Newlin said, “There are now 40 Child Protection Units in the Philippines, all based on the concept developed by Madrid. Each of these Units serves as a one-stop health care facility for abused children.” In her acknowledgement speech, Madrid stated that

UPB prof earns Oxford degrees

she received the award for the whole CPU team and not just for herself. In addition to Madrid’s award in Child Protective Services, the NCAC also selected Outstanding Service Award winners from multiple nominations in the categories of Law Enforcement, Medical Care, Victim Advocacy, Mental Health, Multidisciplinary Team response, Prevention and Prosecution. The CPU of PGH was established in 1997 in response to the thousands of cases of child abuse and neglect in Manila. It is a collaborative project between UPM and the Advisory Board Foundation (now Citybridge Foundation). It was the ﬁrst such unit in the country. Since then, with the help of national and local government units and NGOs, 40 CPUs have been created nationwide, a CPU Network was born in 2002, and two Asian Child Protection Units were established in Lahore and Peshawar (Pakistan). In 2003, the UP-PGH CPU received the GAWAD Pagasa Award from the Civil Service Commission for dedicated performance exemplifying the best in any profession or occupation. In 2006, the UP-PGH CPU was cited by WHO and UN Secretary General’s Study on Children and Violence as a model for intervention for Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc the care of abused children. Madrid is the executive director of the Child Protection Network. She is a graduate of the UP College of Medicine (UPCM); a diplomate and fellow of the Philippine Pediatrics Society; an International Research Fellow of Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York; chair of the Education Training and Consultation Committee of International Society of the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN); and a clinical associate professor of Pediatrics at UPCM. She has received many national awards and recognition such as the Outstanding Women in Manila (Soroptimist International, 2009); Most Distinguished Alumni for Health (UP Alumni Association, 2008); Top 10 Leaders in Health (2005); Most Outstanding Philippine Doctor (Philippine Junior Chamber of Commerce with DOH and WHO, 2004); The Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service Awardee for Medicine, Child Protection (2001); and, Most Outstanding Research in Health in Photo courtesy of Analyn Salvador-Amores

UP Baguio College of Social Sciences instructor, Prof. Analyn Salvador-Amores, hurdled four years of academic work in UK to earn her postgraduate degrees at Oxford University. The instructor returned to the country and her home college with a Masters in Social Anthropology and a PhD in Social and Cultural Anthropology conferred upon her in October 2008 and November 2011, respectively, by Oxford. Aside from the knowledge, discipline, and pedigree, SalvadorAmores also brought home her inspirational narrative of her Oxford experience through a series appearing in Ti Similla, the official faculty newsletter of UP Baguio. It was also a narrative of the process behind her master’s thesis “Tattoos in Colonial Photographs of the Igorots, 1898- Salvador-Amores during the ﬁnal formal ceremonies at Oxford 1913” which argues for the use of alternative sources (archival photographs, all learned from multi-cultural viewpoints, bibliography, down to the appendix. For narratives, diaries and travelogues) in even how to carry a glass of red or white three days, I labored on and cleaned my understanding a particular practice and wine, by trial and error.” thesis very well – content, spell-checks, her dissertation “Tapping Ink, Tattooing Enrolled in the School of Anthropology clarity of arguments, research questions, Identities: Tradition and Modernity in and Museum Ethnography, she studied substantial literatures and others. Lay-out Contemporary Kalinga Society, North anthropology under the supervision of took me a week with images in text to get Luzon, Philippines.” experts Marcus Banks, Elizabeth Ewart, rid of the appendix of 218 images. I had In her essay, Salvador-Amores pieces Ruth and Bob Barnes. She did collaborative no printer in my house and this meant together memories of place and people; work with scholars such as Thomas staying in the Middle Common Room and the consciousness of being part of Zumbroich, Udi Butler and Hawaiian (MCR) computer room to print. Printing traditions that go back to the Middle Ages. tattoo practitioner Keone Nunes. She also a 350-page three-copy thesis took me These became her medium in painting her contributed Kalinga indigenous tattooing three days. My provisions were complete thoughts, inner struggles, triumph, and implements to the Oxford’s Pitt Rivers – food, clothes, and sanity. Tea breaks and final resolve to make good as an Oxford- museum. endless coffee. I had short naps in the learned teacher. “While writing, like my other peers, I comfy leather sofa near the fireplace of “Hertford College was… my home for had to live with homesickness being away our common room fronting the Bodleian four years. Not only was it an aesthetic from my family. There were funding issues Library, Sheldonian Theatre and, beside it, experience to study and live within the and writing fatigue… I found the silence the Bridge of Sighs.” old walls like what my predecessors did of the Oxford libraries a respite from the On the big day, she walked into – navigating from the old libraries, to the many hurdles I had to surmount,” Salvador- the closed-doors session wearing the underground bookshelves, the archives, Amores says. She gives details of writing’s traditional gown, assuring herself that the modern lecture halls, dining halls, discipline from the mental stages—the she had read all the examiners’ books museums, concert halls and to the cobbled “thinking hard” part—to the series of and articles thus getting into the “psyche streets. Oxford was also an awesome revisions which included consigning of their thinking.” She had to know the adventure,” she narrates. chapters to a “cemetery” in her room. context and content of all books she She then goes on about the “brutality” Working on her final dissertation quoted from. “I [had] to understand the of Oxford graduate work: the arduous draft for the final oral defense, “ was like genealogy of debates from the oldest essay writing and reading, publication seeing a lego city come up with the earlier to the most recent publication. I [had] requirements, one-on-one and group sets that I built on. I was amazed by my to locate my arguments in these many critiquing-mentoring sessions, conferences supervisors’ attention to detail, from conversations,” she says. in academic gowns, and socials where “[w]e periods, semi-colons, figures and plates, “At the end of the viva (oral defense),

Continued from page 6

the examiners handed seven points of typographical errors, misspelled words and clarifications on some entries,” SalvadorAmores recalls. “I went out of the school teary eyed and had to break the good news to my supervisors; we were all ecstatic!” Salvador-Amores ends her narrative with a close description of the regal graduation ceremonies at Sheldonian Theater built in 1664 and the thought of work ahead—what to do with what we know. “And as soon as I reached the Philippine airport and boarded a bus to Baguio, I was excited to teach my students and share the passion for learning,” Salvador-Amores enthuses. She thanked the Ford Foundation, the University of Oxford, the School of Anthropology, Hertford College and the University of the Philippines that enabled her to study in Oxford. She also thanked friends from UP Baguio for the messages and emails and her two children Justine and Julian who kept her company over Skype. The first part of the complete text of Salvador-Amores’s narrative is accessible online at http://www.upb.edu.ph/ attachments/article/65/February2012. pdf and the second one at http://www.upb. edu.ph/attachments/article/65/April2012. pdf. f f.

8 U.P. Newsletter

may 2012

CBA student brings light to thousands, wins award

Continued from page 6

Karl Louie Mariano, Sarah Perlawan, Shiela Muya, Aurea Christabel Dris, Jasmine Ebuenga and Lenie Pahimnayan) and later hearing them and the beautiful sounds they made. In watching the Noh in Japan under an ASPAC Fellowship grant, I was always mystified by the crisp sound of the shoulder drum combined with the guttural sounds of the musicians’ voices. Tonight, I heard the exact same sounds again and it did not escape me that two pre-teen girls wearing white were part of the black clad chorus and that they were given separate lines of my poetry to recite for themselves. That the whole production’s success is dependent on the great potential of the Filipino in the arts and the disciplined approach to theatre, which was very obvious right from the very beginning in the rolling up of the panelled curtain covering the entrance of the hashigakari bridge to the stage and the entrance of the first actor, the priest Padre Salvi (Bryan Viray), and then the woodsmen and fisher folk (Takahiro Ishii, Melanie Adan and Ana Elizabeth Bongon) and, finally, the total impact of SISA (Diana Alferez) in voluminous silvery kimono topped by the most gigantic white wig, the tallest one can ever hope to see in his/her lifetime. From the Noh movement of the cast before her to Sisa’s controlled steps and most economy of dance as she traversed the stage, making three oblique crossings, one asks, are these not Japanese Noh actors of many years training in the Noh Theatre? Yes, the young Filipino students, most of them appearing on the stage for the first time, rewarded the labour of their two mentors, Drs. Umali III and Umewaka, with their best gift - the potential of Filipino artistry, first class. Dr. Umali III, I must thank again for her love and respect for my play, from her first encounter with it, her excellent

Iba’t ibang uri ng pagtatanghal ang tampok sa masiglang palatuntunan sa bukana ng Bulwagang Palma na pawang nakabatay sa mga likhang obra ni Lumbera. Sa huli ay pinutungan siya ng laurel bilang “Guro at Artista ng Bayan.” Nangyari ito isang linggo pagkatapos namang magkaroon ng isang pagdiriwang sa araw ng kanyang kaarawan sa Executive House sa UP Diliman, ang opisyal na tirahan ng presidente ng UP.

graduate thesis on it, and her excellent work in directing it as a Noh play for the second time, and a promised third in 2013. Directing and training each newcomer participant and whipping them into a disciplined ensemble in a play of the greatest challenge reveal a rare master director indeed. Dr. Umewaka not only contributed his vast training as Noh Master for the Shite or lead actor, as choreographer and consultant, but brought the wealth of his Noh theatre in terms of costumes, wigs, masks and footwear and musical instruments, etc. and the non-dramatic part, but surely so much drama in it, the

changing of costume right on stage, the removal of the giant wig and slivery kimono removed by the pulling of one straight thread, which Dr. Umewaka did himself. I would like to thank you in this year’s production, for the use of the concluding lines of my play as projected on the giant bell, the lines of goodbye of Sisa: May impit na hinaing sa aking dibdib Galing sa isang tinig na aking narinig Bago kami nilamon ng apoy; Wika niya, Ako’y mamamatay na hindi masisilayan Ang paglaganap ng pagbubukang liwayway

Sa kahat ng dako ng ating bayan Kayo na makasasaksi riyan, Huwag kaming kalilimutan Kaming bumagsak sa kadiliman Huwag kaming kalimutan, Huwag kaming kalimutan… Huwag! For providing the Filipino a brilliant presentation of a Filipino Noh in three showings only, 3:00 PM & 6:00 PM on March 5 and 6:00 PM on March 6, we wish to express our gratitude, Bravo, Drs. Umali III & Umewaka! Bravo to the entire Cast & Crew!

Honorary doctorate for Pascual UP President Alfredo Pascual was conferred a Doctor of Pedagogy degree honoris causa by the Angeles University Foundation (AUF) last April 21 in Angeles City. AUF President Joseph Emmanuel Angeles (third from left) and AUF

Photo courtesy of the AUF website

A Rejoinder

According to their websites, over 1.6 powered lights. The villagers can now use the darkness that surrounds them.” billion people around the world rely on the the 30 percent of their incomes that they According to Peralta in her story printed insufﬁcient illumination of kerosene lamps used for kerosene for “the education of in the Star Star, a partnership with Energizer and many families spend about half their their children and other basic needs.” will see them reach seven more provinces: income on kerosene. And more disturbingly, This great contribution led to their Mindoro, Kalinga Apayao, Mountain the OML also says that kerosene lamps are being recognized by President Aquino for Province, Eastern Samar, Cebu and Rizal to responsible for 1.5 million deaths annually “choosing to light up the lives of the less distribute 2,950 more solar-powered lights – “62% of which are children”. fortunate rather than being insensitive to to about 15,000 Filipinos. A f t e r receiving positive feedback from the OML Team in Califor nia, Peralta, through her relatives found two barangay in Catanduanes who could greatly benefit from their project – Barangay Dugui Too and Barangay Dugui Wala. With the help of sponsors like Philippine Airlines and T he Cer tified Brokerage Corp., and the daunting task of fundraising, Muy Bien: Guro at Artista ng Bayan. Sinalubong ng mga kaibigan, kapanalig, at tagahanga ang makatang makabayan na si Bienvenido Lumbera patungo sa pagdarausan ng isang programa para sa kanyang ika-80 kaarawan. Pinamunuan they managed to ang mga pagpupugay ng UP, ilan nitong mga kolehiyo at mga organisasyong nakabase rito, pati na ng Concerned Artists deliver 250 solar of the Philippines at ng Sentrong Pangkultura ng Pilipinas. Photo by Jonathan Madrid

“Pushing myself beyond my limits for One Million Lights - Philippines made me realize that in order to change the country, I have to start with myself.” UP Diliman College of Business Administration (CBA) incoming sophomore Tricia Peralta, along with her friend from PAREF Southridge School Mark Lozano, was given the Spirit of Edsa award by President Benigno Aquino III and the EDSA People Power Commission last February 25. Sharing the stage with Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile and former president Fidel Ramos, the two young founders of One Million Lights – Philippines (OMLP) proved that youth is no barrier to innovative public service. The seeds of OMLP were first sown in 2010, when Lozano returned from the Global Youth Leaders Conference in Washington D.C. with a desire to create an environmental project. Together with Peralta and a few other friends, they brainstormed on possible solutions and eventually discovered One Million Lights, an international non-profit organization based in Palo Alto, California with a goal of distributing one million solar light units to replace kerosene lamps in communities with limited access to electricity. Kerosene lamps, according to OML, not only pollute the environment, but can poison its users with toxic smoke and cause accidents due to the highly flammable nature of kerosene.

Andre Encarnacion

Chancellor Emmanuel Angeles (fourth) led the conferment rites. Pascual was with wife Carmen, children Czarina and Carlos, and grandchildren Aaron and Anica. Pascual was recognized for his professional achievements and contributions to the

economic growth of the Asia-Paciﬁc Region through his 19 years service with the Asian Development Bank. His contributions to education include having previously served as faculty and lecturer at the Ateneo de Manila University from 1973 to 1978 and the Asian Institute of Management from 1980 to 1989. Pascual pioneered development initiatives in the AsiaPacific Region when he assumed important positions at the Asian Development Bank from 1989 to 2008. Pascual addressed the graduating students of the AUF Colleges o f A l l i ed M ed i ca l Professions, Arts & Sciences, Computer Studies, Education, Engineering and Criminal Justice Education, according to a Sun.Star report.

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U.P. Newsletter 9

hosts lecture on Bay of Pigs commemoration “Transport is CIS Arbeen Acuña important in was not “a simple He said that if the media “wanted freedom embargo,” as the cut of information,” they should not report development” in the sugar cane and on Cuba by citing only Western sources nickel trade resulted of information such as the AP, CNN and –Pascual

Key Success Factors

“Transport is very important in the development of a country,” said Pascual as an introduction to his presentation entitled “Case Study: North Luzon Expressway Project (A Successful Public-Private Partnership in the Philippines).” Roads allow the transport of goods and people and therefore facilitate a country’s commerce. The NLEX PPP consisted of “a concession given to a private sector entity which is MNTC for the rehabilitation, expansion, operation and maintenance of the 84-kilometer North Luzon Expressway.” He identified the project as an example of Limited Recourse Financing, where the bulk of the financing will come from the project lenders, and where these same lenders can step into the shoes of the project company should anything go wrong. Pascual highlighted several important success factors: a) experienced, competent and reputable sponsors; b) the government’s obligation to acquire needed land; c) fair and appropriate allocation of risk and obligations; d) strong project economics; e) a clear need for the project; and f) a comprehensive communication program. He underlined the role of a study by the UP Planades of the UP’s School of Urban and Regional Planning (UP SURP) which argued that the rise in toll rates to be brought about by the project will be more than offset by the amount saved on travel time and operating costs. “The important lesson learned here,” Pascual said, “is the communication a project needs to make to its prospective consumers…” Pascual also explained the importance of experts, especially those representing the government, in projects of this scale. “One thing that the government should be conscious of when they deal with the private sector developer is that the private sector developer is supported by expert consultants in insurance, in law, and in finance.” Pascual recounted his experience

Arencibia delivers his lecture.

“Remember the US War on Cuba – Bay of Pigs: Invasions and Evasions,” a lecture by Cuban Ambassador to the Philippines Juan Carlos Arencibia Corrales, was hosted by the Center for International Studies (CIS) at UP Diliman (UPD) last April 20. A r e n c i b i a , w h o u s e d t o t e a ch international law in the University of Havana, talked about the many difficulties faced by his country as a result of US aggression, and its achievements despite those difficulties. He said that Cuba was a neocolony of Spain for 60 years and has been under “permanent aggression” by the US for more than 50 years. Aggression “since the beginning of the (Cuban) Revolution” has consisted of “terrorist actions, sabotage against (our) economy, more than 600 plots of assassination against Fidel Castro” and an “economic, financial and commercial blockade for more than 50 years.” The last

in starvation. “Yesterday we commemorated the 51 s t militar y, mercenary invasion of the Bay of Pigs,” he said. He added that the US wanted to retake control of Cuba after the Treaty of Paris. Batista partook in the invasion, “fully supported by US with military training, ﬁnances and preparation and weapons from military bases in Florida, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, etc.” He said that the invasion, called Operation Pluto, had the purpose of creating a cabeza de playa, or occupying a certain portion of the country and declaring a provisional government. As a result of the blockade, “we (had) to reorient our economy and open our market to Asian, Eurpean and Latin American countries,” said Arencibia. He mentioned different pretexts and misinformation used by the US to justify the blockade: that Cuba was a satellite of the Soviet Union and other socialist countries, and a tyranny under Fidel Castro with a great level of violation of human rights. Arencibia decried these as “black propaganda.” The main power of the US government is that of “misinformation.”

BBC. Despite the “permanent aggression,” Cuba has produced more than 73,000 medical doctors, of whom almost half are in African countries; more than 100,000 professionals; a health care system totally free of charge; free education from the primary to the university level; and literacy programs and faculties of medicine in different African countries. Having a presence at the general assembly of the UN since 1992, Cuba has gathered 187 votes favoring the end of economic aggression, with the US and Israel casting the two votes against, and three abstentions from Micronesia, Palau and the Marshal Islands, which he said are “small countries pressured by a superpower.” Cuba is “a very small country” but has defeated the US through the “participation of the people as members of the popular militia” and that the government gave people weapons. “Not only the regular army of Cuba, but all men and women with the (right) physical condition, defend their country. The mercenary forces of America know that.” In her opening remarks, CIS Director Cynthia Zayas said that the Philippines is “closer to Cuba, in terms of [its] past, more than America.” Prof. Sarah Raymundo introduced the speaker.

NZ scholar: LGBTs suffer discrimination even in disasters Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc

Photo by Jonathan Madrid

UP President Alfredo Pascual shared his knowledge and personal experience in public-private partnerships (PPP) in a forum organized by the National College of Public Administration and Governance (NCPAG) in UP Diliman (UPD) last March 23. The forum “Public-Private Partnership in the Transport Sector: Experience in the North Luzon Expressway Project (NLEX)” was held at UPD’s National Institute of Physics, and was the third in a series which began in February of this year. It differed from its predecessors by focusing on NLEX – one of the most successful PPP projects in the country to date. Pascual drew from his experience as a finance expert in the Asian Development Bank and as a key figure in making the NLEX project possible. He was joined by Manila North Tollways Corporation (MNTC) President Rodrigo Franco who talked about the success of the NLEX project after its renovation, and the future plans of the MNTC. “We would like to see more productive, more concrete contributions and developments for this nation; which the University of the Philippines stands and works for,” said Dean Edna Co of the NCPAG in her introductory message. She highlighted the importance of PPP to the NCPAG as a field of study, adding that it was “at the heart of our discipline in Public Administration.”

Photo by Misael Bacani

Andre Encarnacion

Gaillard explains the nature of his research.

A University of Auckland scholar led discussions on the many issues related to the LGBTs (lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders) of Asia-Pacific in times of disaster, during his lecture “Hey Jay, Is Everything Really Okay?: Exploratory Reflection on Transgender Minorities in Disaster” last March 26 at the UP Center for Women’s Studies in UP Diliman. Dr. JC Gaillard of the New Zealand university’s School of Environment coauthored a multidisciplinary study of the same title with Kristinne Sanz of the Department of Anthropology, University of Durham, UK; Soledad Natalia Dalisay at ADB where governments relied on their own people rather than hire experts. He advised governments to establish their own panel of experts to avoid such a mismatch. An Urban Expressway

In his presentation “Showcase of a Successful Public-Private Partnership in World- Class Transport Infrastructure,” Franco talked about the project’s development history, profile, risks and recent developments. “As of this time, we in the development company consider the project as a success,”

of the Department of Anthropology, UP D i l i m a n ; Va i t o ’ a Toelupe of the National Disaster Management Office, Ministry of Natural Resources a n d E nv i r o n m e n t , Samoa and of the S a m o a Fa ’ a f a f i n e Association; Benigno Balgos of the Center for Social Concern and Action, De La Salle University; and Ruth Mónica Díaz Sánchez of the Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios Superiores en Antropologia Social, Mexico. The study drew upon initial research and disaster risk reduction activities conducted with bakla in the Philippines, waria in Indonesia and fa’afafine in Samoa. With additional input from a miniworkshop with the audience, the lecturer argued that LGBTs are subjected to discriminatory practices before, during and after disasters. “These result in particular vulnerability and needs which are usually disregarded by policy makers and practitioners. Yet

empirical evidence also illustrates that transgender people’s ability to swing back and fourth from male to female roles within their household and larger community has proved invaluable in facing disasters. Transgender minorities are therefore often, albeit informally, on the frontline of disaster risk reduction (DRR) activities. Such contributions to DRR should be recognized and integrated in both short- and long-term policy and practice.” The vulnerability of LGBTs in disasters reflects the everyday hetero-normativity of society in Western or Western-influenced society, according to the study. They do not as yet fit in the scheme of things, including disaster risk-reduction activities. The study proposes an integrative framework for disaster risk-reduction, which will incorporate a dialogue between “insiders” and “outsiders,” which include LGBTs in the Philippines, in particular. Gaillard is a Visiting Professor at UPD, where he was also an Associate Professor from 2002-2005. His topical research interests include disaster risk reduction and marginalization with focus on ethnicity, gender minorities, prisoners and homeless people.

he said, pointing to the goal of the project “to transform an old dilapidated highway into a modern highway comparable to the best in the world.” Like Pascual, he emphasized the importance of managing and assessing risks, identifying six of these as market, construction, right of way, financing, foreign currency, and operations risks. Above all these are regulatory/political risks associated with the steep increase in toll. “We thought that high political risk … is not something you can pass on to your consultants or to your engineers. It’s

something that you have to handle properly and will have to be well planned.” Franco also talked about future plans, speciﬁcally phases 2 and 3. The 22 kilometers involved in Phase 2—though much shorter than the 84 kilometers of the original expressway—is far trickier and more expensive, relying on several overpasses and elevated portions. The already-developed Mindanao Avenue Lane, which connects Mindanao Avenue to NLEX, is part of an “urban expressway” which will decrease trafﬁc congestion and ease access to the NLEX from various points in Metro Continued on page 11

10 U.P. Newsletter

may 2012

Kalasag, Philippine Collegian,The Varsitarian

host 80th homecoming of student press alliance

Photo courtesy of CEGP National Ofﬁce

The student publications of UP Diliman (UPD) and the UPD College of Arts and Letters, the Philippine Collegian and Kalasag, Kalasag together with The Varsitarian, student publication of the University of Santo Tomas (UST), hosted the 80 th alumni homecoming of the College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) at the CAL Atrium last March 30.

Fred Dabu

The CEGP is Asia’s oldest and broadest alliance of Filipino student journalists. It was founded in 1931 by staff members of several campus publications, namely, the Philippine Collegian, The Varsitarian of UST, The Guidon of Ateneo de Manila University, and The National of National University. It has a membership of more than 750 student publications nationwide. Twelve Collegian editors have served as CEGP president. The ﬁrst alliance president was Wenceslao Vinzons, Collegian editorin-chief from 1931 to 1932. Vinzons Hall in UPD is named after him. Distinguished CEGP alumni Satur Ocampo and Kenneth Guda shared their experiences and insights about the student journalists’ roles in catalyzing social change during the homecoming Former Congressman Ocampo is currently the president of Bayan Muna party-list and the Makabayan coalition. He described the situation of the youth, the muzzled press, during the Martial Law period. He said he pursued writing and organizing work in the underground movement after being a student journalist during and after the Marcos administration. Kenneth Guda, Pinoy Weekly editor and former Ocampo noted that while student and editor of the Philippine Collegian, delivers the mainstream publications which criticized keynote speech for the CEGP’s 80th alumni Marcos were padlocked and tens of homecoming.

thousands of dissenters were arrested, the people found various ways to continue the ﬁght. He said the writers who stood up for freedom and deﬁed the regime’s tyranny risked their lives in many ways. Guda, who was with the Collegian from 1999 to 2002, delivered the keynote speech. He is editor of Pinoy Weekly, an online publication and alternative media group. He praised the CEGP for providing skills trainings and for being a progressive alliance of student journalists. He expounded on the myth of objectivity espoused by mainstream media entities versus the CEGP motto “To Write Is Already To Choose” by saying that journalists have already taken sides and have biases evidenced by the content of their reports. Guda also said many CEGP alumni, despite risks to personal liberty and safety, joined people’s organizations and continued their advocacies for the marginalized sectors of society. “Ang ilan na pinili ang katulad na landas, landas ng paglilingkod at panganib at sakripisyo, tulad nina Randy Malayao at Ericson Acosta, ay siniil at piniit. Nawawala pa rin sina Jonas Burgos at James Balao. Kasama natin sila ngayon, ang kanilang diwa, ang kanilang panulat at paninindigan,” said Guda.

Philippines speaking to fellow Phi Kappa Phi members and starting his own business called RoverTown, a mobile platform for universities to offer a discount program to their students while generating revenues for student programs, which he hopes to expand to the Philippines. “You never know where life may take you,” he said as he challenged the new inductees to never close the door on opportunity, be it a new friendship, a job, or a new learning experience. “Together, you [the new inductees] will be united under the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, and you have an opportunity to make a positive difference with your own unique talents,” Harrison added. “It is no coincidence that I use opportunity and uniqueness once more, because when you combine these two elements with passion, you have the power to change lives for the better.” For his part, UP Diliman Chancellor Caesar Saloma, who gave the inspirational address, focused on a critical issue of the comparative lack of faculty with PhD degrees in Philippine universities, including UP Diliman, who can mentor young faculty and researchers and help boost the country’s competitiveness in science and technology, the social sciences and humanities—a lack that is projected to worsen in several years when the current PhD degree holders, many of whom are senior faculty, will soon retire. And even more in light of the somewhat skewed enrollment proﬁle, with a great number of undergraduate students enrolling in Business Administration and Accounting, Engineering, Tourism, Psychology and so on, and graduate students in Education, Science and Engineering, while less popular but still much-needed programs such as Araling Panlipunan, Community Development, Geography, Social Work, Library Information Science have little to no enrollees. Given UP’s mandate as national university to serve as a graduate and

research university, this lack of faculty with PhD degrees poses certain challenges. “UP should be a source of solutions, not problems, for Philippine society,” he said as he explored the question of UP’s role in the challenge of producing more graduates with doctorate degrees. In conclusion, Saloma enumerated six challenges that he exhorts the PKP inductees, as future leaders and academics, to confront: the need to produce more graduates with doctorate degrees in general; the need for UP to produce more faculty with PhD degrees in order to plug up the hole when the current PhD-degree holders among the UP faculty retire; the need to increase UP’s undergraduate capacity in order to keep up with the country’s increasing population, which, according to the chancellor, is the “most rationale argument for an increase in the UP budget;” the need for higher publication rates among UP faculty members—at least a ratio of one published per faculty with a PhD degree; the need for more efficient means of operating the university, including improved security in the campus through technological solutions, because “it is very difficult to achieve academic excellence if we can’t manage the university efficiently”; the need to effectively use the university’s assets, including its land holdings, its faculty and experts, its investible funds and its intellectual property; and finally, the need to optimize UP’s personnel utilization by finding the right ratio between faculty and administrative personnel. With more than one million members worldwide and 300 chapters in universities and college campuses throughout the United States, Puerto Rico and the Philippines, Phil Kappa Phi is one of the oldest and most respected academic honor societies. Founded at the University of Maine in 1897 as an interdisciplinary honor society, its primary objective is the recognition and encouragement of superior scholarship in all academic disciplines, thus fostering an abiding love of learning. The Society’s motto—Philosophia Krateito Photon—is

Photo by Jonathan Madrid

UPD chancellor and international guest grace Phi Kappa Phi induction Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta

Harrison

Embrace your uniqueness, and always keep the door open to opportunity. This was the advice given to the new crop of inductees to the International Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi (PKP) Chapter 045 – University of the Philippines Chapter by a guest from Southern Illinois University, Jeffry Harrison, Vice-President for Students in the National Board of Directors of the US-based Phi Kappa Phi mother chapter and representative of the North Central Region in the PKP Council of Students. “Each and every one of you is unique in your own gifted way,” said Harrison in his special address during the PKP induction ceremony held last April 13 at the UP Theater, UP Diliman. He said that whether one was born with his or her unique talents or earned these talents through practice and hard work, “it is important to embrace these talents because they make us unique.” As for opportunity, Harrison recounted how his journey in the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society had begun as an almostmissed opportunity—he had initially torn his PKP invitation letter in two—to traveling around the US and even the

Past presidents of the CEGP shared their thoughts as well. Prestoline Suyat, who served for two terms from 1994 to 1998, said the campus press renewed itself during those years by addressing certain disorientations it previously had. Republic Act 7079 (Campus Journalism Act), he said, was used by repressive school administrators as a tool for curtailing press freedom. The alliance thus formalized its priorities of establishing publications in all schools, reopening all closed student publications, and fighting all forms of campus press repression. Ronalyn Olea, 2002 to 2004 president, narrated how student journalists engaged in political campaigns which culminated in People Power 2 or EDSA Dos. She recalled that the alliance was one of the first groups that called for the removal from office of then-president Joseph Estrada. Jose Cosido, president from 2004 to 2008, shared the alliance’s struggles during the decade-long Arroyo administration. He said during those years, more than a thousand people were abducted or killed in government counterinsurgency operations and many CEGP alumni were harassed or victimized by state security forces. Cosido said they campaigned then to hold the Arroyos accountable. Gidget Estella, deputy secretary general of CEGP and former editor-in-chief of the Philippine Collegian, said it is time to fight all forms of foreign domination, exploitation and imperialism. She described imperialism as manifest in the greed of the international businesses that exploit Philippine manpower and resources and in the global militarization being led by the United States. She urged young writers to unhesitatingly use and fearlessly explain the term imperialism. Incumbent president Trina Federis said “the CEGP remains steadfast in its commitment to uphold freedom of expression, press freedom, and the people’s democratic rights.” She warned that the Noynoy Aquino administration is proving to be similar to Arroyo’s. Estella also said the CEGP will keep promoting “a type of journalism that takes the stand based on objective conditions of exploitation and inequity.” “It takes passion and fearlessness for a patriotic and democratic organization to exist for 80 years,” Federis said.

translated “Let the love of learning rule humanity.” Chapter 045 was established at the University of the Philippines in 1933 by 14 scholars, four of whom eventually became UP Presidents. To date, the chapter has initiated a total of 8,877 into membership. Membership to the honor society is only by invitation and is earned by meeting Phi Kappa Phi’s criteria of excellence and good moral character. Those invited include the upper 10 percent of seniors and 7.5 percent of juniors, along with outstanding graduate students, faculty, administrators, professional staff and alumni. This year’s crop of inductees include 29 juniors who have maintained general weighted averages of 1.2 higher; 359 honor students graduating with baccalaureate degrees; 35 top graduates of master’s and doctoral degrees; and two distinguished UP alumni, artist and advocate for indigenous people Carlito Amalla, and for mer Ambassador Rosario Manalo. Anna Victoria Ang San Pedro, a BS Psychology senior graduating summa cum laude this year, gave the response on behalf of the inductees.

may 2012

U.P. Newsletter 11

UPLB prepares safety UP graduates newest batch of ‘minds that shape nations’ Continued from page 1 commencement exercises also saw the Cruz of UP Los Baños (UPLB), and college, there are a total of 8,536 graduates and security MOA conferment of an honorary doctorate Rommel Espinosa of UP Visayas (UPV) for Academic Year 2011-2012, broken down with PNP, LGUs on a distinguished member of society. were the commencement speakers in into 7,109 with undergraduate degrees,

Recognizing problems

Mendoza said that when the police inspecting team went to the dormitories, respondents including a dorm manager told them that guards are only deployed at night and asked for more guards. According to Tolentino, under the OVCCA are 40 UPFs, 75 blue guards and 41 CSB or Community Support Brigade men—non-government workers designated as “augmentation force” that “assists the UPF,” “looks after street children and vendors,” and “helps in relief operations.” Lapiz said the university’s 156-strong security personnel, as claimed by Baraquio, is enough to assist the 16 barangay tanods of Batong Malake in securing the vicinity of the campus. Orate also said that the 53strong police personnel of Los Baños was not adequate and their chief has resorted to coordinating with the barangays for intensiﬁed intelligence, monitoring, and increased security visibility. He added that with the help of the regional mobile group, there had been additional police duty from 6pm to 12mn and from 12mn to 6am. Deploying “multicabs” to ferry students during late hours are among the measures being implemented by UPLB. However, maintenance issues including gasoline expenses and minimum fare setting have arisen. Police Director Cruz suggested an “honesty box,” where the students may voluntarily drop money. Other issues related to the ferry include auditing; the need for memoranda of agreement between institutions, deeds of donation and LTFRB registration; and the complaints of PUV operators of unfair competition. Tolentino said that though three of the 10 donated multicabs fetch UPLB students, they are not ofﬁcially owned by UPLB and the UPLB administration cannot shoulder their gasoline costs. Given “meager resources,” LGUs suggested the drafting of several MOAs among UPLB and the LGUs to address the petrol problem. In his discussion, Mendoza said that the “time clock of crime” is during 9pm to 12mn and 12mn to 3am. Although the UPLB campus has 18 CCTV cameras and a three-guard-shifts system, they are not enough to address the complicated security situation. One of the main problems is the lack of lights in the Institute of Plant

their respective campuses. Pascual was the speaker in UP Cebu. Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, Cordillera Administrative Region Executive Director Clarence Baguilat, former Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri and Espinosa were the commencement speakers in UP Mindanao (UPMin), UP Baguio (UPB), the UP Open University (UPOU), and UPV Tacloban City, respectively. Based on figures culled by the UP Newsletter separately from the seven UP constituent universities and one autonomous

Photo by Jonathan Madrid

He added that the OVCCA may designate schedules to make rounds in “red light districts,” so that the curfew would properly be implemented. This may be “half effective” as it does not cover “overstaying students” above 18 years of age. Provincial Police Director Cruz announced that drinking and selling liquor shall be banned, not just in UPLB, but also in areas in Los Baños near schools. In response to the issues raised regarding the conduct of students, Tolentino said the values of the students are already molded when they enter the university and that disrespect could have begun in the elementary and high school years of the students. He cited instances where university officials are criticized during rallies and mentioned the paintball incident involving Former Chancellor Luis Rey Velasco. He said he will raise these issues with the Office of Student Affairs. Tolentino apologized for the alleged disrespect of the students toward barangay officials. Del Rosario said that to have discipline and “submission to authorities,” students should join the UP Vanguards.

The keynote speaker, Oscar Lopez of the Lopez companies, was conferred a Doctor of Laws degree honoris causa for “distinguished service to learning and to humankind through his lifelong passion for biodiversity conservation which ﬁres his generous support for research in the biological sciences, thereby helping strengthen the science of plant taxonomy, tropical forest ecology, and wildlife biology in our country.” Newly-appointed chancellors Manuel Agulto of UP Manila (UPM), Rex Victor

Lopez delivers the commencement speech, focusing on environmental protection.

1,277 master’s, and 119 doctorates. UPD has a total 3,998 graduates consisting of 3,281 with undergraduate degrees, 656 master’s and 61 doctorate. UPM had a total 1,166, of whom 1,036 had undergraduate degrees, 129 master’s and 1 doctorate. UPLB had 1,744 graduates, of whom 1,500 had undergraduate degrees, 191 master’s and 53 doctorates. UPV had 664 graduates, 601 of whom had undergraduate degrees, 92 master’s and 2 doctorates. UPMin had 135 graduates, 118 of whom had undergraduate degrees and 17 master’s. UPB had 363 graduates, 349 of whom had undergraduate degrees and 14 master’s. UPOU had 159 graduates consisting of 61 with undergraduate degrees, 96 master’s, and 2 doctorates. UP Cebu had 276 graduates, 191 of whom had undergraduate degrees and 85 master’s. Not included are UPOU’s post-baccalaureate diploma and certiﬁcate holders. The undergraduates were led by 21 who graduated summa cum laude, 254 magna cum laude, and 1,222 cum laude. UPD had 19 graduates who are summa cum laude, 222 magna cum laude, and 862 cum laude; UPM, 1 summa cum laude, 17 magna cum laude, and 137 cum laude; UPLB, 1 summa cum laude, 9 magna cum laude, and 118 cum laude; UPV, 2 magna cum laude and 54 cum laude; UPMin, 12 cum laude; UPB, 2 magna cum laude and 28 cum laude; UPOU, 1 magna cum laude; and UP Cebu, 1 magna cum laude and 11 cum laude.

“Transport is important in development” –Pascual Continued from page 9

Forum participants are all ears to Pascual as the latter speaks from experience.

Manila. The upcoming Segments 9 and 10 will connect the NLEX to the North Harbor, which will allow trucks to travel 24 hours a day. Segment 10 alone is said to cost around P6 billion. According to Franco, they hope to finish it in about three years. “And all these projects as I’ve been telling you are 100 percent financed locally,” Franco proudly announced. He considered it a great transformation from 2003 “when no financing institution (in the country) wanted to touch (the projects)” and they had to rely on foreign sponsors, “and now in 2012, (when) all banks apparently want to lend us money.”

Breeding area. Mendoza said that UPLB is situated in three barangays with Barangay Putho-Tuntungin not having direct access to the highway compelling students to use the IPB road—where Cebanico’s body was found—to go in and out of the campus. This dark area had unmanned outposts. The killing of Peñaranda also happened in a poorly-lit area at Batong Malake. Among the illegal and criminal activities tackled during the summit were “riding in tandem,” motorcycle theft, and trade in secondhand and stolen gadgets such as laptops and cell phones. Director Cruz suggested that a system be devised to register secondhand gadgets being sold. He added that police had uncovered information about such modus operandi as a result of interrogations in the Peñaranda case. He also sug gested that security companies obtain police clearance. Del Rosario added that biodata required of security guards should be “extensive” enough to include addresses for “the last so many years.” Orate said that besides proﬁling security guards, security agencies must also assure a guard carries only one gun and that gun should be surrendered

including those “mga pakalat-kalat tulad ng mga magbobote.” Cruz also mentioned Governor ER Ejercito’s donation of four horses to address the “problem with kaingineros and the mag-uuling.” He said that a program using the horses will be launched this May. Tolentino said that Chancellor Cruz has already talked with the Maria Makiling Foundation about tapping mountain police on horses for the ecotourism program. “The mountain police would not just serve as tourist police, but also to address and beset timber poaching, charcoal making and illegal kaingin,” said Tolentino. According to Del Rosario, the AFP and PNP’s jungle survival training in the Makiling forest reserves is a proactive way of driving away kaingineros, which can have a “chilling effect” on lawless elements. Tolentino reiterated that there will be other meetings that shall deal with the security and safety situation of UPLB and Los Baños. Many UPLB stakeholders and many Los Baños sectors—students, faculty, federations of drivers, the local homeowners, etc.—were not represented in the March 28 summit.

Photo by Abraham Arboleda

Continued from page 2

during off-duty.

Drafting strategies

Tolentino mentioned current securityrelated policies being implemented by UPLB, which involve an ID system, traffic management, an anti-loitering program, setting curfew hours, smoking ban, littering ban and responsible pet ownership. UPLB has also implemented precautionary measures by designating building administrators and putting up one kilometer of fence per year, through a border management scheme. UPLB has yet to finalize MOAs with the offices invited to the summit—the LGUs, PNP and AFP. As it is, Mendoza said that the PNP can only enter UPLB premises during hot pursuit. Otherwise, it has to coordinate with the office of the chancellor or the UP president. Del Rosario said he “would like to ask his classmate Rex (Cruz) to maintain the security provider (Nonagon) and to have a terminal station at the UPG headquarters where they can also monitor (the CCTVs).” The current set-up allows only Nonagon to monitor the CCTVs. Director Cruz suggested that profiling be also conducted on drivers and loiterers

12 U.P. Newsletter

may 2012

Photo by Abraham Arboleda

Online law journal accepting manuscripts

CONSERVING THEIR OWN A member of an indigenous community (IP) in traditional garments adjusts her headpiece as she attends a conference where participants passed the Manila Declaration upholding the IPs’ own management and protection of community conserved areas and territories (ICCAs). The ﬁrst to be organized in the Philippines, “Nature in the Footsteps of our Ancestors” was held in UP Diliman last March 29 and 30 and brought together IP leaders from ancestral domains representing the country’s key biodiversity areas, government representatives, local and international NGOs, UN agencies, and cooperation agencies from numerous countries. Department of Environment and Natural ResourcesProtected Areas and Wildlife Bureau collaborated with UP’s National College of Public Administration and Governance and the UP Ofﬁce of the Vice-President for Public Affairs, together with the Philippine Association for Intercultural Development (PAFID) and Koalisyon ng mga Katutubong Samahan ng Pilipinas (KASAPI), to ensure the success of this campaign. UP President Alfredo Pascual assured the conference of UP’s willingness “to provide the expertise and assistance needed to support ICCAs so that our indigenous peoples can be empowered to continue their work.”

Timeline of the hacking of the UP System website

Continued from page 5

The suspected IP address was last seen on the UP System logs at 3:41 a.m. By 4:10 a.m., a screenshot of the defaced website was seen circulating on Twitter after UP Diliman Prof. Lawrence Velasco attached it to his tweet to news organizations. Velasco was seeking the assistance of media outlets in informing the concerned offices of the university. In his interview with GMA News that same day, he said “Magche-check ako dapat kung may list na ng mga summa cum laude tapos yun na.” University Computer Center (UCC) Security Consultant Raymond Nuñez said he received a call at 4:43 a.m., informing him of the defacement of the UP System website. He then contacted UCC Network Engineer Gerry Roxas and asked that the website be shut down to contain the hack and prevent the possible compromise of the database. By 5:04 a.m., Roxas had shut down the UP System website and its network interfaces. By 6:45 a.m., the UP System Information Office (SIO) through this writer was informed of the incident by friends in the media. He then proceeded to inform university officials of the incident, most of whom were on their way to UP Manila to attend the university graduation ceremonies. Assistant Vice -President for Public Affairs and SIO Director Danilo Arao would later call on the UP Information Technology Training Center (now Information and Technology Development Center or ITDC) to join the SIO and UCC in investigating the incident. It was not until 8 a.m. when the UCC

again accessed the hacked server. It set up a Temporary Virtual Machine which can be used in investigating the hacking incident. By 12:32 p.m., the UCC had posted a downtime message on the temporary UP System website. It then proceeded to clone the server in the hope of reconstructing how hacking was done. By 6:30 p.m., the UCC had started converting the recent contents of the UP System website from dynamic content to static files. The UCC had planned to reconstruct the website with static content so as to minimize the possibility of a follow-up hacking of the website. The UCC team would take until 10:04 p.m. to completely reconstruct the UP System website according to its contents on April 19. As to the origin of the hacking, the UCC has traced the IP address which was logged on the UP System servers. Because an IP address can be masked, university officials decided to keep the IP address of the hacker confidential. In the wake of the incident and in the context of the simmering tension between China and the Philippines brought about by the Scarborough Shoal stand-off, UP President Alfredo Pascual stressed in his April 23 statement to “avoid jumping to conclusions and taking actions that could further inflame people’s sentiments, particularly on the territorial dispute between the Philippines and China.” He said, “Giving the perceived ‘enemies’ a dose of their own medicine by hacking their alleged country’s websites achieves nothing but unproductive counter-actions.”

The Philippine Law and Society Review (PLSR) is now accepting papers for its June 2012 issue. An online and peer-reviewed publication of the UP College of Law in collaboration with scholars from other units of the UP System, the PLSR aims to publish manuscripts on how the law relates to other disciplines like history, philosophy, economics, anthropology, sociology, gender studies, psychology, literature and politics. Submitted manuscripts should be in Word format and typewritten in Times New Roman, font size 13, single space. Authors of accepted manuscripts are entitled to a modest honorarium. Please send manuscripts to phil. lawandsocietyreview@gmail.com. Prospective contributors may send an email or call the Institute of Government and Law Reform, UP Law Center at (632) 927-0368 for inquiries.

UP conducts review classes for librarians starting July The UP School of Librar y and Information Studies (SLIS), Diliman, Quezon City will hold two review classes for librarians who will take the November licensure examination. The Regular Review Class will be held for 12 consecutive Sundays from July 29 to October 21 at SLIS Rooms 3 and 4. The two-week Intensive Review Class will be held October 15 to 26 at the same venue. A Pre-Board Examination will also be held on October 28.

UPN contributor corrects inaccuracy in donation story As rejoinder to her article “Cars, motorbikes donated to UPDP” on page 5 of the April 2012 issue of the UP Newsletter Newsletter, University Extension Associate Maribelle Espiritu-Lobendino of the National Center for Transportation Studies (NCTS) at UP Diliman corrected an inaccuracy in the first paragraph. The article said that the National College of Public Administration and Governance (NCPAG) of UPD donated four Honda motorcycles to the UP Diliman Police (UPDP). UPDP Administrative Officer Elma Gabriel clarified with the UP Newsletter that these were purchased by the UPDP in 2011. Upon further research, EspirituLobendino found out that NCPAG donated a Nissan Sentra, which was up for repairs, to UPDP in 2011. The vehicle is now being used by the UPDP. The rejoinder was issued upon the request of UPDP. The UP Newsletter apologizes for the error.

The reviewers are teachers of library and information studies and practicing librarians from academic, public, special and school libraries who are experts in their respective fields. Interested parties are requested to make early reservations because the number of reviewees is limited to 100. Reservations are strictly on a first come, first served basis. A non-refundable fee of P1,000 is required upon reservation. The registration fee of P4,000 covers the cost of handouts, a kit, and the lecturers’ fees. Deadline for full payment is on July 21 (for the Regular Review) and on October 8 (for the Intensive Review). For reservations and more details, please call (+632) 981-8500 local 2869 to 2871 or send an e-mail to sorinafranco@ymail. c o m , j o s e f i n a . c e r va s @ u p. e d u . p h , ssbayang1996@yahoo.com.ph and grace_ golfo@yahoo.com.ph. You may also visit the UP SLIS website at http://www.upslis. inf and its Facebook group (UP SLIS info Community).

ERRATUM In the article “3rd OVPAA research symposium features PHL biodiversity” which appeared on page 2 of the April 2012 issue of the UP Newsletter Newsletter, the second sentence of the sixth paragraph (She described the work being done under the PharmaSeas project, which aims to discover new drugs through the study of cone snails and corals) should instead be “She noted… through the study of turrids and sponges.” We apologize for the error.

U.P. NEWSLETTER PROF. DANILO ARAÑA ARAO Editor-in-Chief JO. FLORENDO B. LONTOC Managing Editor PROF. LUIS TEODORO Editorial Consultant ARBEEN ACUÑA, FRED DABU, ANDRE ENCARNACION, CELESTE ANN CASTILLO LLANETA, JO. FLORENDO B. LONTOC, KIM QUILINGUING, ARLYN VCD P. ROMUALDO Writers BONG ARBOLEDA, MISAEL BACANI, JONATHAN MADRID Photographers ARBEEN ACUÑA 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