The Augustinian Newspaper October 2018

Augustinian the

SPECIAL REPORT The Transient Flow of the K-12 Transition PAGE A6 Reviewing the University’s preparedness to cater to the needs of the Augustinians with the K-12 curriculum

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The Official Student Newspaper of the University of San Agustin, Iloilo City, Philippines

VOLUME LXIV• NUMBER 1 • October 5, 2018

NEWS • PAG E A 2

EDITORIAL • PAG E A 4

SPORTS • PAGE A7

WV inflation rate, 4th highest in Philippines

The ‘Haunt’ of Red October

JHS upends COC in Women’s Volleyball

Is this a massive plot to remove the President from Malacañang, or a move to terrorize the people and break the peace?

JHS defends intramurals women’s volleyball championship title

Upon TRAIN law’s implementation, the inflation rate continues to increase nationwide.

RED ALERT IN THE UNIVERSITY Bomb threats challenge University security protocols

BY RJ JUNSAY

One day after an improvised explosive device was found at Gate 2 of Ateneo de Iloilo-Santa Maria Catholic School, University of San Agustin (USA) received bomb threats for two consecutive days, October 3 and 4, causing suspension of classes and alarming the administration.

CODE RED. University of San Agustin Security office, officials of Iloilo City Police Precinct 1 and Explosive Ordinance Division of Camp Delgado implement safety protocols and facilitate the evacuation of students and personnel during the first bomb threat last October 3. USA PUB PHOTO • EDREA CLAIRE G. GREGORE

USA tops in Sept 2018 MTLE

BY EVERILD DOMINIQUE A. CAMIQUE With a 100 percent passing rate, the University of San Agustin emerged once again as one of the top universities during the September 2018 Medical Technology Licensure Examination (MTLE) along with Velez College, Trinity University of Asia, Saint Louis University and Cebu Doctors’ University.

Also, two Augustinians, Eldy Barrientos and Justin Albert Escamilla, placed 3rd and 9th with passing percentages of 91.70 percent and 89.80 percent, respectively.

Jose Perez Jr., the academic supervisor of the Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) Program, perceived the 100 percent passing for the second time a blessing.

“It doesn’t necessarily mean that we are not blessed for those years wherein we didn’t come up 100%. We are, actually, always above national passing percentage,” said Perez, “In fact, we don’t fall below the 90% rating.”

Barrientos shared that he felt nervous during the board exam and to his annoyance due to his sweaty palms caused his answers to be smudged but felt relieved after seeing the results.

“I had my goal of making my mom proud,” said Barrientos.

Escamilla shared that he did not expect to be at the top, but when he saw his name at the top 10 list, he was overwhelm with a mixture of emotions - relief, disbelief and extreme happiness.

“Ultimately, all that I wanted was to finally conclude my 4-year journey as an MLS student in University of San Agustin with a passing mark in the board exams on the first take,” shared Escamilla, “I wanted to do that together with my whole batch for a 100 percent passing rate.”

“All grace comes from God,” Perez added, “Probably, we are not only having that kind of system, we are also having good students.”

BARRIENTOS USA FILE PHOTOS • USA YEARBOOK OFFICE

The University Security Office together with the Iloilo City Police (ICP) Precinct 1 and the Explosive Ordinance Division of Camp Delgado immediately implemented safety protocols and measures upon receiving the first security threat at 4:05 in the afternoon on October 3, followed by another threat the next day at around 9:51 in the morning.

In an official statement posted at the USA’s official Facebook account last October 4, the administration said, “The University once again extends its gratitude to the students and personnel for staying calm and for appropriately responding to the threat.”

The first threat was sent to the USA’s official Facebook account indicating that a bomb was placed at the Rada Hall through a Facebook post by “Felix

Tan” while the second threat from “Andalmalek-Al-Ahdal” sent around 6:30 in the morning stated that a bomb was installed at Mendel Hall.

Approximately two hours after the second bomb threat the University was declared clear and safe, posting on its official facebook page that the USA administration assured its employees, as well as the public, that it will continue to strengthen its security measures to ensure safety of its students and around its premises.

The University was able to retrieve the Internet Protocol (IP) address of the second security threat but failed to secure the IP address of the first threat since the account was immediately deactivated.

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LTFRB approves 35.7% increase in jeepney fare

BY EVERILD DOMINIQUE A. CAMIQUE THE LAND TRANSPORTATION, Franchising, and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) approved to increase the fare by up to two pesos and fifty centavos (PHP 2.50), in response to the joint-petition that was filed by Iloilo City Loop Alliance of Jeepney Owners and Drivers Association (ICLAJODA), Iloilo City Alliance of Drivers Association (ICADA) and Confederation of Iloilo Provincial Jeepney Owners and Drivers Association (CIPJODA), last January 9, to the LTFRB Regional Office (RO) VI. Effective last August 30, the price for regular passengers for the first four kilometers amounted to eight pesos and fifty centavos, adding one peso and 15 centavos for each succeeding kilometer; and for students, senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs), the price is six pesos and eighty centavos and 92 centavos for each succeeding kilometer.

“We issued a notice of hearing, because fair increase has such an effect on public interest” said Atty. Ma. Jose Buyco-Abellar, the Hearing Officer of the LTFRB RO6, on the initial fare FARE HIKE

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CHANGE TO SPARE. With the imposition of tax on oil and several factors affecting global oil price, commuters, jeepney owners and drivers ouch on the new fare matrix issued by the Land Transportation, Franchising, and Regulatory Board. USA PUB PHOTO • BJ B. ESCARILLA

“We stick with 60 percent passing grade” - USA Prexy

BY ERIKA DANIELLE M. PEPITO AFTER A SERIES of meetings with the Board of Trustees on the possible increase in the academic passing grade, University President Rev. Fr. Frederick Comendador, O.S.A. emphasized that the University will stick to the 60 percent.

In an interview with The Augustinian, Fr. Comendador shared that the 60 percent passing grade was implemented to empower the programs that need to improve in their Board examination performances.

“Unfortunately, there are

“THE SUCCESS OF THE INSTITUTION IS REALLY DOWN TO THE SUCCESSES OF THE STUDENTS.” - COMENDADOR REV. FR. COMENDADOR, O.S.A. some programs that are not performing well in their Board exams. The Board found out [that we have a] very low [passing] percentage, that was 50 percent.

In fact, the original target here is 75 percent. So when we informed the teachers and

ESCAMILLA We’re online! VIsit our website, w w w. usapub. net.

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academic heads, and did some computation, maybe only 10 percent [of the faculty] promoted [it]. That’s why we negotiated that we will be implementing the 60 percent,” Fr. Comendador detailed on why the decision was reached.

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The University President also reminded everyone that the aim is that no student will be left behind in the respective licensure examinations.

“The success of the institution is really down to the successes of the students.

We hope that the increase of [passing percentage] is not really for the institutions, but it’s really for the students to acquire good study habits and time management,” he offered.

In a previous report by The Augustinian Volume LXI Number PASSING RATE @usa_pub

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USA Publications

A2 Augustinian the

Volume LXIV • Number 3 October 5, 2018

NEWS University releases 2018 PharMedTech Building to rise in 2019 revised student handbook

BY JIELYN ANNE L. BASTIAN A DECADE AFTER planning and delays due to the requirements demanded by various accrediting bodies and changes within the University policies, the Student Affairs and Welfare Office (SAWO) under the office of the Vice President for Augustinian Formation and Mission (VPAFM) released the revised student manual last July 11.

The said manual that was set to be revised since 2008 included the University’s updated mission and vision, new admission policies and procedures, historical milestone, core values of the University, the life of St. Augustine, and the inclusion of sexual harassment law in safeguarding the interest of students and the purposes of such policies.

“The changes on discipline is now more on interventions rather than punishments. The intervention policies contain the rights and responsibilities of students that should not be taken for granted,” stated Rev. Fr. Wilson Capellan, O.S.A., VPAFM. He further emphasized that the student handbook is there because they would like the students to be guided and at the same time be informed about their rights and privileges.

On the other hand, Eric Divinagracia, SAWO director added that a lot of changes occurred within the past years while working on the handbook including intervention programs that do not only discipline, but also restore one’s dignity as a person.

Meanwhile, student leaders of the University of San Agustin were the first recipients of the handbook as a symbol that they must take the lead in guiding the students to act upon the contents of it.

“It’s sort of a reminder to students on what to do and what not to do and if ever they commit a mistake, there are corresponding solutions and it’s also a way to connect the school to its students,” said Joseph Martin Daza, president of the USA student council.

Nevertheless, Capellan reiterated that the delay of the release of the manual is not a problem at all because the Board of Trustees made sure that everything is comprehensively included in our handbook. “We cannot avoid such delays due to late corrections, editing and publication.”

WV inflation rate, 4th highest in Philippines B Y R O C H E L L E MAE M. MU Z ON E S EXCEEDING the 6.4 percent national average rate, Western Visayas ranks fourth among all the regions in the country with a 7.4 inflation rate in the August 2018 data showed by the Philippine Statistics Authority Region VI (PSA-VI).

In the data disclosed by PSA-VI, the latest record is 1.3 percent higher compared to July at 6.2 percent, the highest so far in this year since it started at 3.9 percent in January, and 5.9 percent greater compared to August 2017 at 1.5 percent.

“Ang inflation naga-indicate kung paano gahulag ang mga presyo sing goods, especially ang mga agricultural products and prime commodities. Ang masubo sa mataas nga inflation, ang igo gid sini ang mga pigado because of the higher prices, especially sing mga kalan-on kag mayor nga kilanlanon,” said Department of Trade and Industry Iloilo Provincial Director Diosdado Cadena in an interview with Panay News.

With the August 2018 inflation rate, the purchasing power of the peso in the region lowered to 0.83 and increased the consumer price index at 120.2.

“A healthy, acceptable inflation rate is one to two percent as it signifies healthy demand and encourages production, encouraging economic expansion. More than four to 10 percent is already in the ‘galloping’ range. Your peso buys even lesser, and common goods and services are priced out of reach of most people,” expressed Clarissa Visitacion, faculty of the College of Commerce and Economics of the University of San Agustin.

According to Visitacion, factors that affect inflation were Demand-Pull Inflation, in which there is more demand than supply, which in turn is caused by abundant money supply, low interest rates, and higher wages, and Cost-Push Inflation, that caused by devaluation or depreciation, taxes, and people’s expectations of inflation.

“Yes [we expected inflation] because of the TRAIN Law. Even BSP estimated it to rise to four percent this year from three percent late last year and from an average of only 2.5 percent since 2012.

And with the “Ber” months underway, traditionally higher inflation season with more demand and the holiday spirit, expect even higher prices. Then, TRAIN 2 takes effect in January 2019 with more excise taxes on fuel, so expect even skyrocketing prices,” added Visitacion.

On the other hand, Region VI comes in at fourth after Bicol Region tops with nine percent followed by Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) at 8.1 percent, SOCCSKSARGEN at 7.9 percent while the lowest annual rate of 3.6 percent remained in Central Luzon.

INFLATING PRICES. With the inflation rate of 7.4, costs of basic commodities in the market begun to rise resulting to the drop on the purchasing power of peso. USA PUB PHOTO • BOBB IEJO M. HEALEY

THE LEGACY CONTINUES. As an offering to the new “breed” of students and teachers with the University continuing its quest for excellence, Augustinian administrators and faculty gathered as one to mix the cement that will lay the foundation of the seven-storey Pharmacy and Medical Technology. USA PUB PHOTO • ERIKA DANIELLE M. PEPITO

BY ROCHELLE MAE M. MUZONES “AFTER TWO YEARS of absence, the Medical Technology and Pharmacy emerged as the college [with] the most number of first year students, resulting in the need for additional classrooms and laboratories, [hence] the need for a new infrastructure.”

Thus stressed University President Rev. Fr. Frederick Comendador, O.S.A., during the Blessing and Groundbreaking Ceremony of the sevenstorey Pharmacy and Medical

Technology (PMT) Building at the University of San Agustin (USA) Review Center, July 12.

The PMT building will be constructed with 20 classrooms equipped with modern facilities and design, and is expected to be operational in June 2019 to facilitate the new “breed” of students and teachers for the next academic year.

“With the construction of the seven-storey building, our students will be assured

of classrooms conducive [for] learning because the classrooms will be air-conditioned and [have] built-in multimedia equipment. The faculty room and the offices of the dean and academic supervisors will be in close proximity to the classrooms, making supervision easier and more frequent,” said College of Pharmacy and Medical Technology (CHAMP) Dean Sofia Cosette Monteblanco on her opening remarks.

Furthermore, the ground floor of the building is intended

for lease to businesses; the second floor is for the offices and conference room; the third floor to fifth floor is to house the 20 classrooms; and the sixth and seventh floor is to be unoccupied for the meantime.

“Under the [principles of] sustainability, it would cover both human resources and financial resources. We have a program for commercialization of areas. The lower ground floors of our new [building is] intended for rental to outside concessionaires [so] that we can have additional income that can be used for operations and other projects,” shared Vice President for Administration and Finance and Project Team Head Rev. Fr. Arnel Dizon with The Augustinian.

This estimated PHP 150 million building project came upon after the approval of the Board of Trustees, headed by Prior Provincial of the Province of Sto. Niño de Cebu, Rev. Fr. Andres Rivera, O.S.A., under the construction of Devlarn Ventures and Development Corporation.

“We learned that [this is] already the third time that we had a groundbreaking for a PMT Building. The first two did not [materialize] so that’s why, the PMT programs and alumni [are] also excited but they are so cautious if this would really happen that a building intended for PMT would rise. That’s our latest project for our University as we give back to these programs, who have given the University so much pride and honor,” Dizon added.

University reaches out to partner communities

BY J I ELYN ANNE L. BASTI AN AND J EFF G. TOLENT I N O IN THE SPIRIT OF CARITAS and as part of the St. Augustine’s Feast Day formerly known as Patron Saint’s Day, 46 Recognized Student Organizations (RSO) together with special groups of CWTS athletes and Sangguniang Kabataan of the University of San Agustin conducted outreach activities simultaneously in its partner communities during the Augustinian Day of Service on August 28.

The said organizations, in collaboration with Social Advocacy and Community Engagement Office (SACEO), answered the call for creating sustainable communities through health and development with activities including community gardening, lecture on dengue prevention, storytelling, and gift giving.

“Students who participated lamented the limited time alloted to the outreach during the SAFD, as express in their evaluation of the activity. I think for next year, in order to make

the experience more meaningful and to give justice to its name, we shall request Student Affairs and Wellfare Office to make this into a halfday, if not a whole day, event, as it was a couple of years ago,” said Maria Cristy Daguay, SACEO director.

The outreach programs of the University were conducted at five communities namely Asilo de Molo, Brgy. Nabitasan Leganes, Brgy. Calubihan, Jaro, Balay Dalayunan, and SOS Village in Iloilo City.

“The programs that the University conducts here is very beneficial to us, they gave us comfort rooms facilitate programs,” shared Lisa Tacay, barangay health worker of Brgy. Nabitasan, Leganes.

Several organizations have conducted fund raising activities like ukay-ukay with the proceeds of the event going to the children of the Brgy. Nabitasan, Leganes.

“They had ukay-ukay here with the proceeds used to feed children, gives out slippers

FARE HIKE

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increase that was petitioned was five pesos and fifty centavos.

Representatives from Kilusang Mayo Uno KMU, Karapatan, Panay Consumer’s Alliance, members of the Trimedia, Pamanggas, Central Philippine University College of Law, Urban Poor, PISTON, CLIAJODA, Western Visayas Youth and Student Alliance were present during the hearing that was held last February 5.

“The fare increase is a balancing act. On the one hand, you have to balance the right of the operator to a reasonable return of investment; but at the same time, you also have to balance the protection of the public,” explained Atty. Abellar.

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22 published last October 22, 2015, the shift in the passing grade from 50 percent to 60 percent started to be effective in the second semester of Academic Year 2015 – 2016, except the College of Nursing (before its integration with the College of Health and Allied Medical Professions) with their 80 percent passing percentage, and 75 percent for the College of Law. With the change in the passing grade, what was 2.0 in the 50 percent passing grade (a grade of 85) is now 2.2 in the 60 percent passing grade, as stipulated in the University Student Manual Revised 2017 Edition.

to those they see barefooted, and helps in maintaining the cleanliness of this community,” shared Tacay.

For at least a day, the entire University moved in unison to answer to call of reaching out to those in need.

“Some faculty even joined in the event, missing the start of the salo-salo. But those who did, it was something they enjoyed doing with the student, but it should have been given more time,” noted Engr. Mary Jeanne Servigon, project manager of

College of Technology.

For their part, the local government officials of Brgy.

Nabitasan, Leganes expressed their appreciation for the students, facilitators, and the yearly array of outreach programs.

“The programs that San Agustin does here helps a lot.

They have useful information that gives the residents an idea about health,” narrated Juan Penetrante, first kagawad of Nabitasan, Leganes. “That would be the number one benefit of the

LOVE OF SERVICE. Student from College of Liberal Arts, Sciences, and Education enjoys taking care of the elderly at the Asilo de Molo Home for Aged during the Augustinian Day of Service. USA PUB PHOTO • STEVEN JOHN N. SUMBING “With regards in the passing grade, despite our efforts in studying, the possibility of failing is greater by having a 60 percent passing percentage compared with the 50 percent.

Upon its implementation, all we have to do is to adjust and study harder, if not hardest,” shared Joseph Martin Daza, USA Student Council 2018 – 2019 president, his sentiments on the shift in the passing grade that started in the second semester of the previous academic year.

However, no amendment was made in the qualifications for Roll of Honor; for a student to qualify “a semestral average of at least 1.7, must have no grade lower than 2.0 in any course and carry the full load or its equivalent” must be maintained.

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“But our hopes are high that we will be able to trace the suspect although we are aware of the challenges like the privacy laws of Facebook and the internet,” said Supt. Jonathan Pablito, chief police of the ICP Precinct 1 in an interview with Panay News.

Due to the number of security threats disrupting classes, the University moved its schedule for final examinations for tertiary level from October 9-12 to October 12-15.

“The bomb threats have brought fear to the students and administration. We urge the students to be more vigilant. A bomb threat is no joke and should not be attempted,” shared Joseph Martin Daza, president of USA Student Council.

The Official Student Newspaper of the University of San Agustin, Iloilo City, Philippines

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NEWS

USA to build 65th Anniversary ‘symbolic’ infra

BY RJ JUNSAY AND ROCHELLE MAE M. MUZONES ON ITS 65TH ANNIVERSARY as the first university in Western Visayas, the University of San Agustin (USA) plans to construct a fountain in front of the chapel as a mark for this year’s anniversary.

According to University President Rev. Fr. Frederick Comendador, O.S.A., the design of the fountain will be anchored on the main message of this year’s anniversary, which is promoting the value of unity and is expected to be constructed within the year.

“We believed that the University of San Agustin as a Catholic-Augustinian academic institution is best represented by the University chapel. It is because the University chapel stands for the Catholic faith and the Augustinian values, which are central in the Augustinian education. Aside from this, the chapel holds special memories of the significant events in the [lives] of the students and personnel of the University,” said Rev. Fr. Williener Jack Luna, O.S.A., director of Philanthropic, External and Alumni Relations Office, when asked about the branding of the 65th anniversary.

On its previous 60th Anniversary, anchored on the theme ‘USA@60:

ECE’s Team Singko wins at Unionbank-backed hackathon

BY KENT LEXTER B. CO

SHINE LIKE A RUBY. Atty. Jerry Opinion, together with his family, received his award as one of the Alumni Achiever on the field of Entrepreneurship and Management on this year’s Alumni Achievement Awards as part of the 65th anniversary of the University. USA PUB PHOTO • EDREA CLAIRE G. GREGORE Commemoration of the Past, A Celebration of the Present, and A Commitment to the Future,’ the University unveiled the current 13-foot bronze St. Augustine, the Scholar Monument sculpted by the renowned Akeanon sculptor Ronald Castrillo commissioned by 60 donors, while this year’s celebration focuses on looking at the structure that would represent the University as a Catholic Augustinian academic institution as exemplified by the University chapel.

“I hope it will push through also, like [what] we did during

the 60th anniversary, to put up a statue, and we might put up [a] fountain in front of the chapel.

We are still finalizing the design, and then, of course, we are look[ing] for funding. Although we already have donors before, we still have convince them, like the last time [St. Augustine Statue],” shared Comendador.

The University plans to have the artist that designed the Plaza de San Agustin bricks to design the new structure which will reflect the image of unity.

Furthermore, the University had the Alumni Homecoming

with the awarding of 13 outstanding alumni, “May we, the awardees and the hopeful alumni of the great university, the first university in Western Visayas, carry in us wherever we go the excellence, wisdom faith, integrity and seal of St. Augustine. Touching the lives of our families and all the people we meet along the way. One mind, one heart, one home, one University of San Agustin,” expressed Atty. Jerry Opinion, awardee for Entrepreneurship and Management, on his speech during the Awards Night.

Center for Natural Drug Discovery and Development (CND3) laboratories in 4th floor, Mendel Hall, July 13.

Among the audiences were Dr. Fortunato de la Peña, secretary of the Department of Sciences and Technology (DOST) and President Rodrigo Duterte’s official delegate, and Rev. Fr. Andres Rivera, O.S.A., Prior Provincial of the Augustinian Province of Sto. Niño de Cebu.

“This launching of two new state-of-the-art laboratories does not only cement our status as an institution of higher learning contributing towards the national goal of promoting development through science and technology, but also expresses fidelity to our vision to search for and discover the truth towards the promotion of authentic human and societal development,” said Rev. Fr. Frederick Comendador, O.S.A.,

University president.

Moreover, the establishment of these two new facilities emphasizes the significance of the quality of research in the country which depends on the productivity of the universities and other higher educational institutions.

According to Dr. Jonel Saludes, associate vice president for research, launching these two research laboratories emphasizes three major milestones for the University: enabling globally competitive healthcare research, transforming the Philippine countryside into a globally competitive research community, and becoming a member of the global knowledge of society.

The C2B2 and CND3’s establishment paved the way for USA to avail access to grants on drug discovery and development program by the DOST.

TO DEVELOP INNOVATION and to accelerate the agricultural industry, Team “Singko” as they named their group, of the University of San Agustin Electronics Communications Engineering triumphed as the first runner up in this year’s UHack X Tech Up Agri Hackathon sponsored by UnionBank and TechUp Pilipinas at Iloilo Convention Center, September 15-16.

The said team is composed of Gilbert Christopher Siscar, Fremarjun Jalipa, Kyle Patrick Natividad, Jed Vincent Mercurio, and Jo Frenz Caunca who prepared a platform to support the efficient production of vermicompost.

“The idea for vermicomposting was pitched by Fremarjun Jalipa, and everyone else did their best to make it happen. We all worked really hard to make it work to stay true to our goals and the concept Fremarjun originally pitched,” shared Caunca in an interview with The Augustinian.

Vermicomposting is the process of using various species of worms to create a mixture of decomposing vegetable or food wastes into organic fertilizer called vermicast.

“We’ve been working together since we were second year and I believe we had a great balance of skill sets to make our concept to work. I really appreciate the effort they [his classmates] have put in this endeavor. I’m sure we are all very happy to see our hard work resulting in such success,” said Siscar.

In addition to receiving PHP 60,000 prize money, they also had the opportunity to send one representative to the ASEAN Agri Summit 2018.

“This was my first hackathon weekend; beginners’ luck, I guess.

We are overwhelmed with joy,” Siscar added.

UHack X Tech Up Agri Hackathon was a coding marathon in which participants formed concepts based on the seven criteria but not limited to: financial inclusion, marketing, crop monitoring, agrifood supply chain, climate change mitigation, food security and sustainability and organic farming.

“We did not have enough sleep upon the preparation for the event. Some of us did not sleep for 48 hours straight but we have a goal to finish everything and compete,” Caunca concluded.

Tuition is fixed; aircon C2B2, CND3 labs to cater to scientific researchers fee ups miscellaneous

BY PHILIP ROBERT C. ALABAN

GOING GLOBAL. Another measure undertaken by the University in offering globally competitive research facilities, Augustinian administrators and faculty with Dr. Fortunato de la Peña, proudly cut the ribbon on the inauguration of the C2B2 and CND3 laboratories. USA PUB PHOTO • DANIEL JEFF C. TELIC UNIVERSITY OF SAN AGUSTIN (USA) marks another milestone in its 65th year as a University

with the inauguration of the Center for Chemical Biology and Biotechnology (C2B2) and the

USA-ROTC enrollees increase by 3.69 percent B Y K E NT LE X T E R B. CO AN D JE R ICO M. S E VE R IN O UPON President Rodrigo Duterte’s approval of the return of the Reserved Officers Training Course (ROTC) last February 5, 2017, the University of San Agustin’s ROTC program increased by 3.69 percent this school year for college students.

Major Rudante Dolar, group commandant of the University, clarified that the small increase of enrollees is not because of fear but the lack of correct perception of the program.

“Our young students perceive that enrolling in ROTC will give them a hard time but not realizing that in ROTC, we develop the person or the student to become better persons.

Instilling discipline and proper training in preparation for their career when they graduate already in college,” said Dolar.

The University’s National Service Training Program (NSTP) enrollment report shows that the decrease of enrollees started in the Academic Year 2003-2004.

ROTC used to be mandatory until 2002 when the NSTP Act of 2001

or Republic Act 9163 was passed giving the students options to enroll either in ROTC or Civic Welfare Training Service (CWTS).

“There is no final implementation on mandatory the ROTC service. ROTC will run the pilot testing for the senior high school but for college students, the decision is not yet final. It is planned that college students will have CWTS and LTS as their choices for national service. However, SHS ROTC graduates also have the choice to take advanced ROTC classes for officers,” added Consejo Centeno, NSTP coordinatior.

Furthermore, a pending House Bill 5865, entitled “An Act Strengthening the National Security of the Philippines, and appropriating funds therefore”, was passed last June 9, 2015 to the House Committee on National Defense and Security. It could potentially change NSTP’s service components to further strengthen the country’s defense and security structure as stated under Republic Act 9163.

BY E R I K A D A N I E LLE M . P E PI T O ACADEMIC YEAR (AY) 2018 – 2019 saw no increase in the tuition fees, but this year’s boost in the miscellaneous fees reflects the University’s endeavor of improving its services for the students.

This AY’s miscellaneous fees totaled to PHP 8, 389.27.00, with the said airconditioning fee of PHP 1,400.00 charged to the college students, and PHP 1,750.00 to the Senior High School students. As previously reported by The Augustinian Volume LXII Number 2 published last August 13, 2016, the miscellaneous fee increased by 4.88 percent, from the previous year’s PHP 6, 048.77 to PHP 6, 359.27.

“We did not increase the tuition for many years, that’s why our tuition is far from those with the other top performing schools. But for the miscellaneous fees, the airconditioning units caused the increase.

The rest of them is the same. The first year students faced a huge change. We offered discounts to those who enrolled and paid early. We are also offering additional discounts to academically gifted students to lessen the impact on them,” shared Rev. Fr. Frederick Comendador, O.S.A., University president with The Augustinian.

The influx of first year students for this year, amounting to 2,950, compensates for the drought of freshmen enrollees last year, which threatened the University financially as it stabilizes with the K-12 curriculum.

Comendador opined, “We also bench mark not only with the region but especially [the] whole country because we believe our aim to be a competitive school, at least one of the top performing [schools] not only in the region but for the whole country. That’s why we are saying [that] if you want to be [a] top performing school, you should at least be comparable with [the schools in Manila or Cebu].”

Moreover, Katherine Grabato, director for the budget and finance department, backed the statement, saying that the ongoing constructions and facility renovations are part of the University’s efforts to keep up with the ISO standards.

“Definitely all the charges that are part of the miscellaneous fees are correspondingly allocated for the projects and ongoing improvements that we have in the University as well as in our academic programs. We see to it that all aspects of the total and holistic development of the students is supported by whatever we get from the tuition and miscellaneous fees,” quipped Grabato.

Accounting Office Chief Ojay Gonzales, CPA shared in an interview with The Augustinian that “we are still in the K-12 transition because we don’t have normal enrollees for second year and third year.

We don’t have that huge difference compared to last year although we have more enrollees for first year compared to what is expected actually. We’re in a very good position regarding that.”

STRENGTH IN NUMBERS. Upon the order of President Rodrigo Duterte of the return of Reserve Officers’ Training Course (ROTC), the influx of ROTC enrollees rose up to 3.69 percent in the whole NSTP population.

USA PUB PHOTO • MIGUEL CARLOS J. LLAMADO

Whether ROTC will be mandatory or not, Dolar reminds everyone to do their part vigilant in promoting national service to gain widespread acceptance and make the public realize the necessity of ROTC in our country’s development and security.

“For as long as the mandatory ROTC is not yet approved, we will need to

convince our students to be patriotic and they need to be trained in case of any emergency, not only in military activity but also in disaster preparedness,” stated Dolar.

The ROTC program aims to train students under a disciplinebased program conducted by military autorities and instill in them the value of loyalty and patriotism.

USA PUB INFOGRAPHICS • JUNE IVAN S. GUMBAN

A4 Augustinian the

Volume LXIV • Number 3 October 5, 2018

EDITORIALANDOPINION The ‘Haunt’ of Red October E D I T O R I A L Here it comes. The terror.

The fear.

News spread like wildfire as bomb threat after bomb threat was sowed in various Catholic educational institutions in the city, including the University, this October. Coincidental as it may seem, October also saw the genesis of another mechanism that seeks to topple down the current administration’s stronghold.

Traumatizing the public in general, it has been tagged to be a potential prelude to what could be another Martial Law incidence in the country.

Red October, pegged

by Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Carlito Galvez, Jr. and Deputy Chief of Operations General Antonio Parlade Jr., is a move speculated to either be a plot to oust President Rodrigo Duterte, or a justification by all means of the motive to impose military rule over the country.

According to AFP, the conspiracy between the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army (CPP-NPA), Liberal Party, Magdalo group, and other antiDuterte factions such as the Movement Against Tyranny,

Coalition for Justice, and Tindig Pilipinas allegedly sparked the Red October plan. Together with the aforementioned groups are labor groups, student activist groups, and some Lumad organizations.

It was originally slated to commence on the 46th anniversary of the Marcos’ Martial Law declaration last September 21.

However, things went into a limbo as the participating groups started to flinch and ditch upon learning that the plot serves some hidden agenda two days before the plan’s execution. Communists are even more driven to carry out the strategy to dethrone the President on the month of October. It is expected to last until December, just in time for CPP’s 50th anniversary.

The AFP recently identified 18 academic establishments whose students were tapped by the communists to join their forces through the “arouse-organize-mobilize” scheme. The leftists took full advantage of the fact that this generation does not sleep in silence when the disarray in the system is too palpable to ignore. However, with all the attempts to justify their solid claim that there exists a plot to extrude the President, the

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Editor-in-Chief ERIKA DANIELLE M. PEPITO Managing Editor WILKIENSON C. MURO Associate Editor ROCHELLE MAE M. MUZONES Associate Editor MA. JUDIEL I. QUINTAR Circulation Manager MARIA CRISTY E. DAGUAY Moderator ART AND DESIGN TEAM: Romari Charlz F. Diaz (Art Director) Helda Mae P. Godoy, Reynelyn P. Yorac, June Ivan S. Gumban (Staff Artists) COMMUNITY AFFAIRS TEAM: Emy Rose G. Gallego (Community Editor) Chito Cezar P. Batoon, Jr., Jeff G. Tolentino, Jielyn Anne L. Bastian (Staff Writers) CREATIVE WRITING TEAM: Mark Anthony A. Masacote (Literary Editor) Everild Dominique A. Camique, Glaiza Rae D. Amable, Jerico M. Severino (Staff Writers) PHOTOGRAPHY TEAM: Edrea Claire Gregore (Photography Director) Miguel Carlos J. Llamado, Bobbiejo M. Healey, Daniel Jeff C. Telic (Staff Photographers), BJ B. Escarilla (Videographer), Steven John Sumbing, Colleen Gaile B. Bilbao (Apprentice Staff Photographers) PROGRAM MANAGEMENT TEAM: Philip Robert C. Alaban (Program Director) Paulene A. Buenafe (Staff Writer) Kent Lexter B. Co (Website Administrator)

Augustinian the

THE AUGUSTINIAN is the official student newspaper of the University of San Agustin, Iloilo City, Philippines. It is published regularly by the USA Publications, which envisions itself as an Augustinian center of campus journalism, fostering the advocacy of the common good and acting as voice of the student body through responsive, developmental, and research-based campus journalism.

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plot is still unclear and the evidences presented by the AFP are not concrete enough.

These assertions not only divert the attention from the looming issues that bother the nation – increase in prices of goods and services as the aftermath of TRAIN law, the dislocation of the Lumad communities, the unresolved cases of extrajudicial killings, the revamp of the constitution, among others – but they also plant fear in the minds of the civilians.

Above all else, the series of declarations (from both out of the spur of the moment, and after intense deliberation with the Cabinet) by the main man in Malacañang has spiraled into what could be a jailbreak of communist blueprints and tyrannical intentions. It could be a form of retaliation from the opposition, catapulting not only the President from his seat, but the whole country from its visions to be unchained from the pervasive memories of the Marcos dictatorship that threw the country off its course.

The dark past continues to haunt us. Who, or what, is to blame? It’s not the wouldbe oppressor who would want to wash the blood off

from his filthy hands. It’s not the oppositional defiance that breeds apprehension among the civilians.

It is the complacency, the tendency for us to take advantage of the peace and security that have existed since time immemorial that we prefer to do the bare minimum to preserve it in times when we are alarmed instead of making it a habit. It is the occasional attention we give to matters that should be given utmost importance at all times, not just when there appears the threat of violence and instability.

Be vigilant.

RC DIAZ

HELP IS FINALLY HERE EPOCH

Erika Danielle M. Pepito, BS Psych ‘19 Scan code to send an email reply Multiple sources disclosed that only 700 psychiatrists and more or less a thousand psychiatric nurses are available to offer mental healthcare services here in the country. In a day, seven Filipinos choose to cut their lifeline. One in five Filipinos are mentally ill, primarily with schizophrenia, depression, and anxiety. 10 to 15 percent of Filipino children, with ages of 5 to 15 years old, also have mental health problems.

And the numbers kept on rising. Until the Mental Health Act of 2017.

This saving grace for individuals with mental health conditions who seek another chance for their optimal growth and rehabilitation, was officially signed as a law last June 21 by President Rodrigo Duterte, with the hopes of dampening the stigma associated with mental illnesses, uplifting mental health and dignifying individuals with psychiatric, neurologic, and psychosocial health needs.

The Philippine Mental Health Law, or Republic Act (RA) No. 11036, aims to bring “timely, affordable, high-quality, and culturally-appropriate mental health care [that] is made available to the public”. Together with Sen. Risa Hontiveros, the author and principal sponsor of the bill, are Senate President Vicente Sotto III, Senators Loren Legarda, Antonio Trillanes IV, Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, Juan Edgardo Angara, and Joel

Villanueva as co-authors.

RA No. 11036 integrates healthcare into the country’s general healthcare system, paving the way for patients to access medical insurance benefits like PhilHealth, including the check-up, medication, and hospitalization, if necessary.

The law also shifts the focus towards the ultimate provision of healthcare through psychiatric, psychosocial, and neurologic services to regional, provincial, and tertiary hospitals. It is also a response to the obligations of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and the RA No. 7277 or the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons.

Having such law would gear the country towards having a holistic approach on healthcare, not just demarcating healthcare provision to public health services alone, but also to mental health. For years, the access to mental healthcare has been the elephant in the room.

There were lesser talks on mental disabilities because they are not easily seen by the naked eye and are under the ruse of mentally ill individuals having a complete and able physical makeup. It is also regrettable to think about the mediocrity of mental healthcare treatment in the country. In some treatment centers, the patients live in unfavorable conditions – locked up in mostly congested cells, with no proper light and

ventilation – as they try to rebuild themselves with an erratic supply of medications.

Philippine Statistics Authority (formerly the National Statistics Office) claims that mental health illnesses rank

Educational institutions are also mandated to organize programs that slowly shed off the stigma and the discrimination associated with mental health.

Just this September 21, the Ilonggo youth responded to the call of amplifying the awareness on mental health with PagAmliganay, the first Iloilo Mental Health Summit at the Central Philippine University. The summit was graced by no less than Hontiveros, speaking about the different facets of the law, and other mental health advocates in the city of Iloilo.

HAVING SUCH LAW WOULD GEAR THE COUNTRY TOWARDS HAVING A HOLISTIC APPROACH ON HEALTHCARE, NOT JUST DEMARCATING HEALTHCARE PROVISION TO PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES ALONE, BUT ALSO TO MENTAL HEALTH. third in the most common forms of morbidity. One of the pressing concerns as to why mental healthcare is deemed unattainable is the cost of the services. Add to that the dearth and rarity of mental health facilities and mental health professionals. Data from the Department of Health (DOH)’s Bureau of Health and Facilities Services reflect that there are only two governmentowned psychiatric health centers in the country (one in Bataan, and another in Cavite), and only 58 private psychiatric health facilities are scattered across the country, 32 of which are concentrated in the National Capital Region, and the others are at Regions 1 to 5, 7, 10, and the Cordillera Administrative Region.

The National Center for Mental Health in Mandaluyong is by far the biggest mental hospital in the Philippines, able to accommodate more or less 4, 000 patients.

Although it has received some criticisms that the law is more inclined towards the emphasis of the rights of the mentally ill, its principal author believes it to be an indication to recalibrate the focus from being passive on mental health to proposing better mental healthcare services. It would “set the path for the government’s policy in integrating mental healthcare in the country’s public healthcare system.”

Mental illness, although it is not overt or seen by the naked eye, puts in disarray the life of a person affected by it. It seeks medical help, not just sympathy.

Breaking the stigma on mental health is burning the bridges of negativity attached to it, and bridging the gap between those who are alienated due to their mental health needs and those who are willing to offer their assistance in reshaping their lives.

The Official Student Newspaper of the University of San Agustin, Iloilo City, Philippines

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Five days before the highlight celebration of Iloilo City Charter Day, the local council passed a resolution authorizing Mayor Jose Espinosa III to negotiate on behalf of the city government for the proposed loan agreement to finance the construction of the PHP 500M Iloilo City Sports Arena on the regular session of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP).

According to Espinosa, Passi City in Iloilo province and other municipalities have sports arenas but Iloilo City does not have one and it is ‘unfair’ to

Ayon sa Garbage Book by Asian Development Bank ang Pilipinas ay nagdudulot ng 1,500 toneladang basura na itinatapon sa iligal na paraan sa pribadong lupain, ilog at iba pang anyong tubig. Naitalang naglalabas ng 2, 892.04 toneladang basura kada araw ang bansa noong taong 2016. Karamihan sa mga ito ay nanggagaling sa iba’tibang institusyon. Sa kabila ng mga patakarang ipinapatupad ng ating Unibersidad para sa maimtimang paghawak sa sitwasyon ng basura ay tila nagtetengang kawali at nagbubulag-bulagan lamang ang mga mag-aaral sa kanila responsibilidad na maging katuwang sa pagpapatupad ng mga naturang patakaran.

STALWART

Rochelle Mae M. Muzones BS Accountancy ‘19 Scan code to send an email reply the facilities of the sports complex also conforms to the international standards set by different sports bodies.

I do not see the need of the city government to put up another sports arena if

the Iloilo Sports Complex can already answer the concern of Espinosa for venue for local, national and even international events. Universities within the city also extend their use of school facilities such as their gymnasiums to hold sports and other activities sponsored by the city. Furthermore, the demand for hosting major sports events here in the city is not that selling compared to Luzon area particularly Metro Manila where most of the big events are hosted, thus, there is a need for a huge sports arena.

Looking back, the construction of PHP 700 million Iloilo Convention Center (ICon) was completed on September 2015 and inaugurated by former President Benigno Aquino III together with Sen. Franklin Drilon, Congressman Jerry Trenas, Gov. Arthur Defensor, Sr., and former Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog. The twostorey ICON is managed by Tourism Infrastructure and

Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), an infrastructure arm of the Department of Tourism.

Conversely, a year after its inauguration, Alfonso Tan, the owner of Hotel del Rio, signed a lease agreement that gives him the power to handle the management and operations of ICon. Based on the agreement, Tan will pay a monthly rental of P1 million for 10 years.

According to former TIEZA Chief Operations Officer Mark T. Lapid, as a government entity, they are not in the right position to take care of the facility. Therefore, they are inviting interested private firms to handle the management and operations of ICon. If an agency as big as the TIEZA cannot cope with the management demands of the ICon, how much more a local government unit? The issue is not simply whether ownership is private or public. Rather, the key question is under what conditions will managers be more likely to act in the public’s interest. If this thing will happen to the proposed Iloilo Sports Arena, I would rather use the money loaned for other important programs of the city that will make the city a better place to live not just superficially but in reality.

One of the major problems arising in the city is about the Iloilo Terminal Market.

Dilapidated facilities, leaking roofs, defective public toilets, faulty drainage system, unsanitary wet sections, stagnant waste water, lack of

DR. BLOOD

proper sectioning, and lack of cooperation among market personnel and vendors led to the sorrowful state of public markets and abattoir were some of the concerns of the public with regard to Iloilo Terminal Market since the previous administrations. Two days prior to the approval of the resolution of Iloilo City Sports Arena, the SP passed a resolution requesting the finance committee to allocate necessary funds for essential repairs to the Iloilo City public markets and abattoir.

However, according to Councilor Plaridel Nava, the city is not financially capable to repair all public markets.

The city of Iloilo is financially able in constructing a PHP 500 million sports arena but not in repairing the public markets. Public markets that are part of the daily lives of every Ilonggo. Public markets that provide a living to the marginalized of the society.

Public markets that improve the lives of every vendor that sells there. How can the city government focused to projects that will only benefit the few?

I appreciate the initiative of the city government in fighting illegal drugs through engaging in sports. However, there is already an existing sports complex that will provide an avenue to the city youth for a better future.

In other words, more than the physical construction needed to fight illegal drugs is actually the orientation of the people who have directly affected it.

ANG UTAK NA NASA TALAMPAKAN ACROPHONIC

Rj Junsay, BS ChE ‘19 Scan code to send an email reply

paaralan ay isa sa mga dapat nangunguna sa pagpapatupad ng environmental education at naghihikayat ng pagbabago.

Ayon sa General Services Office ng lungsod ng Iloilo, Agosto nitong taon, ay naglalabas ang Iloilo ng 300 tonelada ng basura kada araw.

Bagamat gumagawa ng paraan ang ating Unibersidad na maayos ang problema sa basura kagaya

GAANO MAN KAGANDA ANG MGA IDEYA AT PAMAMARAAN UPANG MAISAAYOS ANG SULIRANIN SA BASURA, KAHIT KAILANMAN AY BASURANG NABUBULOK LAMANG ITO KUNG HINDI BIBIGYANG BUHAY SA REALIDAD. Sa isang pag-aaral nina Rafael Gonxales at Sandra Mendez-Fajardo na “Solid waste management and the role of educational institutions a school-context model,” nasabi na sa mga papaunlad na bansa ang isa sa pangunahing probema pangkalikasan ay ang urban solid waste management.

Naitala sa nasabing pag-aaral ang mga kakulangan ng mga paaralan para sa mga epektibo at sustainable na pamamaraan para sa pagpapalawak ng kaalaman tungkol sa naturang na suliranin. Kaugnay nito, ang mga institusyon katulad ng

FACEBOOK: IN ITS BATTLE FOR SECURITY

A WANT, NOT A NEED

THE ISSUE IS NOT SIMPLY WHETHER OWNERSHIP IS PRIVATE OR PUBLIC. RATHER, THE KEY QUESTION IS UNDER WHAT CONDITIONS WILL MANAGERS BE MORE LIKELY TO ACT IN THE PUBLIC’S INTEREST. the city youth. Espinosa also said being in sports is also a way to help make a drug-free community. However, is there really a necessity in building another sports arena within the city? Is the Iloilo Sports Complex equipped with 7000 stadium capacity, an Olympicsize swimming pool, an oval running track, a football field, two volleyball courts, two basketball courts, two tennis courts, four badminton courts and an indoor gymnasium in La Paz district, not good enough?

The Iloilo Sports Complex is owned and managed by the provincial government of Iloilo under the Iloilo Sports and Management Office (ISMO). Its use is not only limited to sports events and other activities of the provincial government. In fact, the ISMO is catering other agencies and organizations, public or private, in using the facilities of the sports complex for sports and other activities.

When it comes to specifications,

A5

ng paglalagay ng mga paalala at mga label sa kada basurahan para maihiwalay ang nabubulok sa hindi mga nabubulok ay hindi pa rin natatapos ang problema sa basura.

Ang hirap kasi sa mga estudyante ngayon ay hindi nila magawang maayos na maitapon ang kanilang mga basura. Tila mayroong kadenang nakakabit sa kanilang mga paa na siyang nagpapahirap sa kanila upang gawin ang dapat sana’y tama. Ang kadenang ito ay nagngangalang “pagiging ignorante.”

Madalas kong mapakinig ang mga sentimentong “May

janitor man kag gabayad man ta sang tsakto” mula sa mga kapwa ko mag-aaral. Isang napakamapagmataas ng pahayag mula sa isang estudyanteng wala pa naming napapatunay sa kanyang sarili. Kung patuloy ang ganitong pag-uugali ay para saan pa ang mga aralin na itinuturo sa apat na sulok ng silid aralan.

Nakaimprenta na sa ibabaw ng lamesa ang mga katagang “Self-Service” sa loob ng kantina ng ating Unibersidad ay hindi pa rin magawang magsalansan ng kanilang mga kurbyertos at pinagkainan ang mga naturang prinsipe at prinsesa. Base sa aking paglilibot sa kada tapos ng klase sa loob ng isang linggo ay kalahati sa mga silid-aralan sa ubong Unibersidad ang puro tambak ng basura bago magligpit ang mga janitor. Tila isang kagubatan sa loob ng Unibersidad ang mga naiwang silid aralan. Ang utak ng taong may ganitong pag-uugali ay tila nasa kanilang mga talampakan na. Ang kanilang dunong ay nailalampaso na ng kanilang masagwang pag-uugali.

Sa Sambag Campus, ang Unibersidad ay may sariling Material Recovery Facility (MRF) kung saan masuring kinokolekta ang mga basurang pwede pang magamit o magawang recycled materials.

Kung kaya’t napakahalaga na sa pinangmumulan pa lamang ng basura ay napaghiwalay na ang mga nabubulok sa hindi nabubulok, ang mga plastic bottles at papel. Walang fully automated machine separator ang naturang MRF kung kaya’t mano-mano ang pagproproseso ng mga nakokolektang basura.

Ito ay isa sa mga kadahilanan kung bakit ang responsableng pagtatapon ng basura sa wasto nitong lalagyan ay malaking tulong sa pagpapabilis ng proseso sa MRF. Sa katunayan, ang matalinong pagpili ng mga produktong ginagamit ang mas epektibong paraan upang mabawasan ang basura. Ang pagpili ng mga produktong organiko at recyclable ay kinakailangan. Kaagapay nito ay ang wastong solid waste management para iwas polusyon.

Gaano man kaganda ang mga ideya at pamamaraan upang maisaayos ang suliranin sa basura, kahit kailanman ay basurang nabubulok lamang ito kung hindi bibigyang buhay sa realidad. Kaakibat ng ating pakikinabang sa mga produkto na nagmula sa kalikasan ay ang pagiging responsable. May janitor man o wala ay dapat malalaman ng bawat isa ang pananagutan natin kay Inang Kalikasan.

Wilkienson C. Muro B MLS ‘19

Scan code to send an email reply

Just last month, September 25, Facebook reported its worst security breach ever with over 50 million accounts compromised.

Not counting the additional 40 million accounts that were logged out by Facebook due to potential hacking, this was the largest in the company’s 14-year history. Further fueled by last year’s scandal brought about by a British analytics firm that had access to private information of up to 87 million users, the international lawmakers recommended the United States’ government to stepped in to get tighter control of the social media services.

Unlike the Cambridge Analytica scandal, in which the thirdparty company speciously accessed data from a then-legitimate quiz app’s gathered information, the vulnerability this year escalated as the attackers directly took over the user accounts. What is worse in this case is that the vulnerability was introduced on the site in July 2017, but Facebook did not recognize it profoundly until last month, September 16, 2018, when it spotted a spike in unusual activity. If that is the case, then the data accessed by hackers would become untraceable.

For Facebook, the logging in and out of accounts in every device is important in this incident. There are many way for hackers to easily access the user’s account like using those accounts that were not logged out from other devices, siphoning up those information from applications that are used in Facebook, and having no two-factor authentication passwords. Hence, the identity of those attackers are yet to be discovered due to multiple and more sophisticated processes involved in the hacking incident.

Considering that every story has its own sides, this incident mainly projects a triangular relations than just a segment in trigonometry. Facebook should not be blamed solely because of the breaching of their users’ data. As mentioned above, the responsibility of the users to secure their accounts via thorough selection of applications to which they will be sharing their data matters the most.

Hackers are just their waiting for a hole to where they can fit their game into, owning other people’s information. Ergo, the consequence comes in between both the users and their ignorance.

“If the attacker exploited custom and isolated vulnerabilities, and the attack was a highly targeted one, there simply might be no suitable trace or intelligence allowing investigators to connect the dots,” says Lukasz Olejnik, a security and privacy researcher and member of the

IS THIS A SIGN THAT THIS CERTAIN SOCIAL MEDIAL PLATFORM IS LOSING ITS SECURITY? AND WITH HUGE POSSIBILITY, COMPROMISED

BY OUTSIDE HACKERS? W3C Technical Architecture Group. The company’s engineering team discovered ‘that hackers appear to have exploited a series of bugs related to a Facebook feature that lets people see what their own profile looks like to someone else. The “View As” feature is designed to allow users to experience how their privacy settings look to another person.’

That explains why Facebook resort to log out millions of the accounts; they served to reset the access tokens of both those directly affected and any additional accounts “that have been subject to a View As look-up” in the last year, Rosen said. Facebook has temporarily turned off “View As,” as it continues to investigate the issue. David Kennedy, the CEO of the cybersecurity firm TrustedSec, further explained that it is easy to say that security testing should have caught this, but these types of security vulnerabilities can be extremely difficult to spot or catch since they rely on having to dynamically test the site itself as it is running.

At this time, the company is trying to trace all the possible activities involved since last year to resolve the breach. This is already their second vulnerability for this year. Another incident last June 2018 involved a discovery of another bug that made the 14 million users’ posts publicly viewable to anyone for days. Is this a sign that this certain social medial platform is losing its security? And with huge possibility, compromised by outside hackers? If proven so, Facebook may be penalized – severely – as accorded to the International Data Privacy Law.

A6 Augustinian the

Volume LXIV • Number 3 October 5, 2018

SPECIAL REPORT The Transient Flow of K-12 Transition Let us review and anatomize the current state of the University as it strives to cater both the college and the senior high school for quality education

@SIKSIKAN CHALLENGER Nami man tani nga damo projects sa san ag pero ngaa sa kadamo sang lugar nga pwede practisan sang mga students, dira lang tanan ipaslak sa grandstand? Biskan ang rooms na manlang tani ipausar sa mga students kung for school purposes man lang. Biskan mahulam lang mop sa Pacific Suns, daw himuan pa letter.

@JINGAY TAPUNGULAY IF YOU NEED COMFORT, go to the Comfort Room, except in Tekno. CR sang Tekno, wala na gani espiho, guba na gani pertahan, wala pa ga flush.

@FUTURE RMT Commendable guid ang unity nga ginapakita sang program namon sa MLS para suportahan ang September MTLE Takers. Afternoon masses for three consecutive days and rosary every 1PM for one week straight. This is how we achieve 100 percent!

@ ALIKABOKIN Dapat tani gina print nila ang breakdown sang balayran upod sa RF, hindi nga mabal-an lang namon kung pila tanan ang balayran kay ang Final Amount lang ang nakabutang

@ MASCARA Tani ang tubig halin sa baha sa Rada Park gin sag ob nalang nila kag ginadala sa 3rd floor nga CR kay wala gid to pirme tubig. Damo pa ga swimming swimming sa bowl.

@SQWEEK Ay abaw daw Calajunan na kis-a ang mga classrooms kay kada magsulod ka may makita ka nga paper cups kag empty food containers bisan diin lang. Pagprangka kung ang Smokey Mountain nagsaylo na halin Mandurriao pakadto General Luna.

@TOOTSIE ROLL Ngaman ka rude sang iban nga admin kag SA sa first timers mag process ssang scholarship nila? Like kun magsala bi sa pag process sang scholarship nila pakahuy’an gid kag i-question ang credibility sang student. I-accommodate niyo man kami tani in a friendly way para hindi kami madulaan gana nga mag-avail sang scholarship nga ginpangabudlayan man namon.

@CHANGEPLEASE The education system should be changed. The students should be trained for the actual work for the future; not just focusing for passing the board exam. The Univerity should give more fundings for the laboratory facilities.

@AMERICANOPY Ka artistic tulukon bala sang canopy ta dira sa Blanco noh? Transparent kag masanag kung masilakan sang adlaw pero kung mag ulan gani, imbes nga makasilong ka, madugangan pa imo pagkabasa.

@CHA-KIT Lihog lang da tani ah. Kung pwede lang man mabutangan signages sa guina pang construct sa palibot sang campus kay kis a makibot ka natuhog ka na gali ya sang mga kabilya.

@KIKAY Change has come na guid man. Damo beautification sa San Ag ba, gakapressure man ko magpabeauty hehe.

@COMMENDABLE Nami kay gina-encourage ang mga students sa mga inter-school competition. Tane kung magdaog bala ang mga student representatives may incentives para mas mamotivate pa gid sila.

Twenty-fifteen. This was when University of San Agustin Publications (USA Pub), the official media corps of the University, released its issue on the readiness of the school nine months before the actual implementation of the K-12 curriculum. At that time, University President Rev. Fr. Frederick Comendador, O.S.A. disclosed to The Augustinian that a K-12 Task Force was formed in 2012 to meet the demands of the Senior High School Program. As such, the University planned a 15-section classroom availability and prepared a contingency plan of converting empty classrooms into laboratories with specialized equipment if the number of enrollees exceed their target. However, a lot of issues were still raised questioning the preparedness of the administration in some aspects of their implementation.

Hence, it left us into thinking – in what part of the K-12 preparation did the University assure itself that it is ready?

WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE Rewinding, the K-12 Task Force had four working groups, namely: the Curriculum headed by Dr. Risa Superio of the Strategy and Quality Management Office (SQMO); the Finance led by the then-University Accountant Ela Cristina Lopez; the Infrastructure directed by the then-General Services Office Director Rev. Fr. Basilio Sugataon, O.S.A. ; and, the Marketing chaired by Rev. Fr. Williener Jack Luna, O.S.A..

Then-Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs and K to 12 Task Force supervisor Sofia Cosette Monteblanco mentioned that the University was fully ready for the Senior High School applicants because the several task force heads were able to meet the demands asked from each of their working groups.

There were no principals assigned to each strand of curriculum at that time.

However, the University would be offering the four strands of K-12: Accountancy, Business and Management (ABM); Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM); Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS); and the General Academic Strand (GAS). They envisioned that these strands, while giving emphasis to the development of Augustinian graduate attributes, should have tertiary alignment of curriculum, and be meeting industry needs.

The University opened the application on October 2015.

With regards to the personnel, the University highlighted the increase from 661 to 688 as of August 2015 which was 4.00 percent higher compared with the number of personnel in the Second Semester of academic year 2014-2015. Dissevering, there were 513 academic personnel, 154 nonacademic personnel and 21 maintenance, compared to year 2014 where there were 485 academic personnel, 155 non-academic personnel and 21 maintenance employees.

“During the first year of having the K-12 program in our school, with all honesty, the school was a bit unprepared. It is evident in the limited number of facilities and scarce teachers,” expressed Joseph Martin Daza, USA Student Council 20182019 president, when asked about his impression on the implementation of K-12.

THE STORY IN BETWEEN Anchored on Republic Act (RA) No. 10533 or Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, “An act enhancing the Philippine basic education system by

strengthening its curriculum and increasing the number of years for basic education, appropriating funds therefore and for other purposes”, the University on June 6, 2016 opened the semester with the new curriculum on hand, confidently flagging itself as ‘K12 Ready’.

In 2016, the first year when there were no freshmen students, the University struggled with the decrease of number of students. The former seven colleges namely, College of Engineering and Architecture (CEA), College of Nursing (CN), College of Pharmacy and Medical Technology (CPMT), College of Management and Accountancy (CMA), College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), Conservatory of Music (CoM), and College of Education (CoE) were merged into four colleges: CN, CPMT, and Nutrition and Dietetics program were combined to become College of Health and Allied Medical Professions (CHAMP); CAS, CoE, and CoM composed the College of Liberal Arts, Sciences and Education (CLASE); while CEA and CMA were reverted to their original name College of Technology (COT) and College of Commerce (COC), respectively.

In the previous interview of The Augustinian with the University President, he explained, “last 2013 during the strategic planning in Subic, we have anticipated the threat of having no first year on the full implementation of K-12. The University is highly dependent of its operation on the fees of students, so as early as 2013, we strengthened our campaigns.

[The] merging of colleges is one of the adjustments to adapt [to] K-12.”

Rev. Fr. Wilson Capellan, O.S.A., vice president for Augustinian Formation and Mission, explained that the merging of colleges was neither temporary nor definite. However it depends on the results of assessments of its effectiveness.

With the 1,243 decrease in student population in 2016, there was a decline in the budget allocated for the performing arts scholars of the University, such as Kawilihan-USA, USA Choir and Troubadours, and USA Little Theater.

UPHOLDING THE QUALITY EDUCATION To continue the pursuit for quality education, the University applied for accreditations including the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) series of 9001:2008 and

prepared for the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, College and Universities (PAASCU) revisit in 2016. Last February 2018, the University had prepared for the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities Commission on Accreditation (PACUCOA) preliminary survey for nine programs including eight from COT excluding the Fine Arts and the Bachelor of Science Library Information System program.

For 2018, the University is working with two accrediting bodies, or agencies under the federation of accrediting association of the Philippines.

Currently, it is preparing for the PACUCOA Level 1 and PAASCU. The University is working back to back with these accreditations so that by 2023 they could apply for the autonomous status, the title which was lost back in 2009.

“The heart of the preparation is really on the faculty, and curriculum and instruction. Especially on, the loading of teachers, dapat hindi mag sobra sa 24 so that they could really give quality time for instruction. The hiring of competent teachers, siguro, by accreditation standards, Master’s and Ph.D degree holders and mga professors,” Analiza Salaya, accreditation officer of SQMO. Compared to the 4.00 percent raise in the number of teachers during the Second Semester of Academic Year (AY) 2017-2018, the HRMO detailed to The Augustinian a 3.2 percent decline on the number of faculty in the opening of AY 2018-2019.

Salaya further explained that they are ensuring that “the prescribed competencies indicated in the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Memorandum Order or CMO should be complied with.” The delivery of instruction, their syllabus including the references, and acquired online books and printed books in the library are being checked. The accreditations cost millions, In these accreditations, the University sees to it to have the students be part of it. In the rating of the analysis and evaluation, a student representative, faculty, professionals from the industry, and alumni are required to be involved as part of the consultation.

“After receiving the Commision on Highed Education (CHEd) Memorandum Order in 2018 with the policies, standards, and guidelines, we immediately convened. We call it the program advisory panel. This advisory panel were recommended by the

Dean to Father President and the Father President officially appointed them. So they were given the official appointment, not only to revise the curriculum but also other concerns like OBE -related activities,” COT Dean Felicidad Altalaguire, FPIChE recounted on the measures taken by the college to come up with the new curriculum for incoming first year college students.

WHAT LIES AHEAD The University now has a number of 6,903 in student population which caused a problem on the availability of classrooms to accommodate the Augustinians. As of today, renovations and construction of new facilities are being done to cope with the challenges brought about by the K-12 transition and as part of the recommendations from various accrediting bodies.

“We’re blessed that we have a good number of students enrolled in our University. So right now, we have some challenges in classrooms and laboratory. We have plans to put up the PharmaMedTech building, so there will be like 20 classrooms in that building.

We have the construction of additional laboratories going on.

It has been a plan, two years back before the full implementation of K to 12. There’s another ambitious plan and that is putting up a [more or less] five-storey building at Mercado Hall that will be the house of the laboratory of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology and maybe another laboratory for the other colleges. Of course, we also wanted to cater to the need of students and the teachers, so putting air conditioners in all classrooms [has been] beneficial, we at least hit the target for this school year,” explained the University president.

“Through the course of time and because the school has already adapted to the system, our University has improved. The administration is doing its best to ensure that all the students get the quality of education they need. And upon observing some first year students, I think that they have adapted to college life quickly and have greatly noticed the improvements our school have,” shared Daza.

With the said increase of freshmen and the continuing physical improvements within the University, Comendador explained, “We’re aggressive in developing the institution.

We are even looking to increase the salary and benefits. We are happy and bless[ed]. Our prayers [were] answered and people had responded. I think the students and the parents have seen those efforts even if it’s not perfect.

We still have thing[s] to be done.

We are doing our best to improve the service here despite a lot of challenge[s].”

The challenges caused by the transition will be felt for the next years but the University promises to continue upholding the quality education in Virtus et Scientia.

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SOURCE • CHED.GOV.PH

USA PUB I LLUSTRATIO N • JUNE IVAN S. GU MBA N

BY RJ J UNSAY AND WI LKI EN S O N C . M U R O

The Official Student Newspaper of the University of San Agustin, Iloilo City, Philippines

www.usapub.net

A7

SPORTS NEVER SAY NEVER IN NEVERLAND Neverland of College of Health and Allied Medical Professions touches down to four-peat triumph

FOURTH TIME’S A CHARM. The College of Health and Allied Medical Professions secured their fourth win with a performance inspired by the childhood film “Peter Pan’ during this year’s Hugyaw Sayaw Agustino Cheerdance Competition. USA PUB PHOTO • BJ B. ESCARILLA B Y J E F F G. TOL E N TIN O

Lights gave a brightness of a thousand stars chasing shadows to the corners. The audience awaits fr the impendidng clash of cheers. Thunderous roars pierced the walls of the gymnasium and every stunt casted raises a havoc that bewitched the crowd. Every stump trembled the floor giving birth to a ferocious battle ground. They moved with the delicacy of dandelions caressed by the wind and the cheer of every Peter Pan and Tinkerbell – the stage is set for a four-peat triumph.

The College of Health and Allied Medical Profession (CHAMP) defended their crown during the Hugyaw Sayaw Agustino 2018 Cheerdance Competition.

With six contenders fighting for a comeback, CHAMP’s team proved prowess among others.

Embracing each other during the proclamation of winners, a rainbow of emotions exploded

when they were proclaimed victorious in their battle.

“Ang concept namon is fantasy. May Tinkerbell kami kag Peter Pan. Marelate na sa sa amon sa course. Siyempre kun maghambal ka nga fantasy, maka imagine ka things nga di mo siya mabuhat in reality. At the same time, gasanto siya sa amon course kay kabudlay sang kurso namon but then we end up being

JHS upends COC in Women’s Volleyball , 3-0

against their archrivals, the JHS team started a fiery onset with Maryiel Maglupay’s astonishing hits and Chelsea Cagampan’s solid receives making their rival rattle around the court and prompted them to call for a timeout.

The COC volleyball team powered by Lecniel Castillanes and Allen Barcalzil roared back with their pair of punch attacks to neutralize the opposing team’s defense, but their efforts were junked by Jeraldine Deocampo’s blocks ending the

first set with the score 25-15 in favor of the JHS team.

Better floor defense by the COC started in the second set showing their grit and prowess, however, the JHS team rode on that momentum as Reysil Robles, Joan Prugalidad, Deighme Pamplona, and Maglupay’s clever combinations scored the consecutive points with their down-the-line hits putting a lift to the team.

The COC tried to regain their momentum with Gevie Mae Delos Reyes and Kreyziel Cain’s aggressive spikes, but they were not enough to beat

the opponent’s lead with a 5-0 run through Cagampan’s serve that allowed the JHS team to pull away, 25-6.

“Our primary goal was just to secure the first set since it would build a strong drive to the team. This changed when the COC gave us a hard time during the second set with their resilience, but it didn’t fluctuate our team spirit to dominate the court once more,” Maglupay shared.

A deciding third set raised COC’s enthusiasm as they fabricated their own twist of fate as Narelle Lee and Barcalzil kept on fighting through some huge plays, but a miscommunication in the final rally doomed the team’s comeback attempt, making its way to the 3-0 advantage of the JHS team.

“The power of communication, unity, and trust in God is truly venerable on its own. ,” Robles, team captain, JHS team, conveyed.

Meanwhile, the Senior High School (SHS) Volleyball Team finished third after seizing control against the College of Health and Allied Medical Profession (CHAMP) Department hacking out a 3-0 victory.

“Our team just showed it, with complete focus and unwavering togetherness, and that these things earned us victory,” Robles added.

During the Intramurals 2017, the the SHS and College of Technology placed second and third place respectively.

receiving news that world amateur golf rules may be violated if they accept their 2018 Asian Games medal bonus, Saso and her team decided to donate a total amount of P16.8 million pesos to the National Golf Association of the Philippines (NGAP).

“We unanimously agreed that if it were possible to donate this money to support the national golf program – and thus help other aspiring

golfers reach their goals – this would be the best scenario for us,” the Asian champion trio of Yuka Saso, Bianca Pagdanganan and Lois Kaye Go said in a joint statement with Rappler on Wednesday, September 13.

They further stated that they believe that this is born out of a sincere and honest desire to help Filipino athletes, and to rightfully reward them for bringing distinction to the country. Accordingly, they would

like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to the kind officials who made these incentives possible.

Saso hauled in a total of P10.67 million from her double gold performance.

Now amidst the premise, Saso’s future in golf holds so much promise. Years of refining her talent, fastened with unbridled determination, secured her the victorious spots that carved her name in the roster of Philippine athletes.

CHAMPIONSHIP AT STAKE. College of Commerce blocker on her set point defense against Junior High School Department during the volleyball woman championship match. USA PUB PHOTO • DANIEL JEFF T. TELIC B Y GL AIZ A RAE D . AMABL E BUOYED by massive determination and fan support, the Junior High School (JHS) Volleyball Team dished out a dominating performance en route defending their championship title in the women’s volleyball competition during the 2018 Intramurals Meet against theis year’s overall champion, College of Commerce (COC), in a stunning three set sweep, 25-15, 25-6, 25-18 at the University of San Agustin Gymnasium on September 26.

In a thrilling showdown GOLFING PRODIGY

FROM PAGE A8

the Philippines and is ranked 49th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. However, the FilipinoJapanese has set her sights on another big stage, the Youth Olympic Games set on October 6 to 18 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

KEEPING AMATEUR STATUS Despite all the glory her victory has brought, Saso has not forgotten her roots. After

champions here,” shared Alysa Mae Llanora, a BSMLS Intern and the cheerleader.

Proving what is impossible to others, the team’s costumes mesmerize the viewers to the world of fantasy. Their routine acrobats with furnished flexibility, vigor and exquisite execution are their weapons in attacking the crowd. As they marched to the different formations and cast heartpounding jumps, they proved to be an unmatched performance.

“All of us are fair, indi man kami tanan ga cartwheel, di kami tanan talented with the skills but then as long as we unite, as long as we have oneness, we act as one college of CHAMP. Biskan mahambal sang iban nga tama ka imposible kay kabudlay na sa ila nga course, mahambal na sila mabudlay na sa ila nga course, hulas lang sila perdihon kay wala na sila talent, sarama na ila studies, sarama na ila study out but then here we are, your champions,” narrated Llanora.

Despite the hectic schedules and obligations that she and her team had, struggles and trials were just part of the road to victory. The hardships that they received along the way amplified their glorious moment as they conquered with their four-peat triumph.

“Super happy gid kay at first ginakulbaan kami kay siyempre kinanglan namon i-hold ang title for the fourth time. Grabe ang struggle kay siyempre we

have duties in the hospital kag kabudlay pa especially nga ara kami sa Western Visayas Medical Center. We have been struggling for balancing our time with our studies, and with our interviews,” Llanora said.

Through great dedication, they found themselves standing out from the rest. Coupled with challenges that they faced are the doubts that they received. But despite it all, the end justified their means – to succeed.

Among the seven competing groups, the best cheerleader was awarded to Miho Kosezawa, a third year Architecture student of the College of Technology (COT). Although unexpectant of the title, Kosezawa shared her thoughts. “Actually, wala ko kabalo kung ano akon i-dance sa showdown competition, just going with the flow. So, I’m just giving all my best during that showdown. I think I won best cheerleader because I’m not competing with others, I’m competing with myself that’s why they choose me to won best cheerleader,” she concluded.

In sports, there will always be winners and losers. But winning is only appreciated when sportsmanship from other teams are shown. Although CHAMP’s team conquered this year’s crown, nothing is eternal. A glorious comeback may be witnessed in the next competition or perhaps, CHAMP’s legacy will continue with the five-peat triumph.

BASKETBRAWL MARS FIBA WORLD CUP 2018 PETRICHOR Mark Anthony A. Masacote, AB Philo ‘22 Scan code to send an email reply According to Novaroma, sportsmanship defines the spirit of a true athlete. The significance of sports was originally found in its role in building good relations with different people. Sports were supposed to build and establish hale and friendly connections among men participating on athletic endeavors. However, it was distinctly forgotten by some Filipinos and Australians during the Philippines vs. Australia FIBA World Cup Qualifier game where a dramatic brawl ended in a wild controversy.

The 2018 game between Gilas Pilipinas and the Australian Boomers started without tension at all. Everything was obviously going smooth and each player was set to step up their game and compete fairly for victory. The apprehension burst just two-couple minutes remaining in the third quarter when guard Chris Goulding (a Boomer) got fouled and coerced down right to the court floor. Immediately Daniel Kickert (also a Boomer) responded eruptive and elbowed the cheek of the other team’s player. Wild got wilder when chaos broke out of the incident and caused a dramatic demonstration of a slum riot.

Haymaker jabs , elbows sprang, chairs hurled and kick bursts marked one of the most infamous “chaotic events” in FIBA World Cup history.

Goulding lay powerless on the floor and led out of court springing him at the back of the ring where the rest of the Gilas players piled up and rained punches on him.

The next day, the news spread like torch flames hitting paper sheets. Not seen on camera though, was Troy Rike, a member of the Gilas Cadets who protected the Boomer Goulding, leaving him with a few cramps after the game. Heroically, Rike sprinted to lay over and protect Goulding as the entire team of Gilas Pilipinas piled like firewood against their Gilas teammate and the helpless Aussie Basketball player.

Countless channels never missed to mention the chaotic event; however, as Rike was discovered to have been the hero behind why Goulding was not aggravatingly injured, his label as “hero” attached with him. After that unfortunate incident, Troy Rike was rewarded by the “Chooks-to-Go” Boss, Ronald Mascariñas with a compensation of undisclosed amount for his selfless deed. Rike donated half of it to one of his supported charities in the country and one in Australia .

The gesture was seconded by the “Chooks-to-Go” Boss himself. Troy Rike’s actions somehow redeemed his Gilas brothers and also made the healing of the relationship of Australia and Philippines possible.

Neither of the teams was to be blamed for what happened.

The match got tarnished and 13 players got evicted out of the game.

It became a win for Australia with an 89-53 score as nine Filipinos got involved in the eviction. It certainly coils us to that cliché adage: “violence will never be the answer”. The competition got finished, actions were done, offenses were taken, and the game was history.

Clearly, seeing it in a positive way, the redemption of a team can be possible even with just one player. Hastily resorting to violence and force is completely irrational.

Augustinian the

Volume LXIV • Number 3 October 5, 2018

SPORTS

BATTLE FIELD. Augustinian footballers seize the ball any chance they get for a victorious goal in one of the football games during the 2018 Intramurals.

USA PUB PHOTO • EDREA CLAIRE G. GREGORE

COC SEIZES INTRAMS GOLD SHS loses chance for Intramurals championship title three-peat streak

UNDEFEATED. Junior High School crushes the College of Commerce on the first half of the game leading them with a score of 37-25 during the Intrams Basketball final game. USA PUB PHOTO • BOBBIEJO M. HEALEY

BY PAULENE A. BUENAFE DESPITE THE DISCREPANCIES on the swimming competition

that resulted to the delay of the announcement of results, the College of Commerce (COC) still lived up to their title as the

‘Home of the Champions’ as they seize the over-all gold in this year’s Intramural Games, ending the Senior High School’s (SHS) two-year winning streak.

Garnering 340 points, COC players grabbed two gold medals, eight silver and three bronze out of 15 individual and team events, placing their college on top of the pedestal.

“I believe that the reason why we won as overall champion is because of the collective effort of the COC department.

The coaches together with our officers showed both diligence and passion for their respective sports events and the COC athletes played great in their practices and in their games.

They may not be as skilled and as experienced as the typical athlete but their passion and spirit for the game were like one,” said Janiel Alcalde, Sports Association of Managers and Accountants (SAMA) president, expressing his gladness for the triumph.

On the other hand, the 35-point edge of COC took a toll on SHS as they placed 1st

runner-up with 304 points, halting their road to grand slam.

“Maybe this year is not for us. I can’t say that we went through a struggle because we enjoyed all of it. Maybe luck wasn’t on our side this year.

We may lose the position but spiritualy and emotionally we are all champions,” said Jess Fransel Ducasi, SHS student council president.

Furthermore, the College of Technology (COT) backslid to 2nd runner-up from last year’s 1st runner-up, while the Junior High School (JHS) raced to 3rd runner-up, earning 280 and 200 points respectively.

“As the president, I believe that what we need to do is to continue keeping what we have formed and improve what needs to be enhanced, to provide more support and cater the needs of the players in the most possible way that we can. But nevertheless, I am and always will be proud of Tekno’s achievements,” shared Kaira Claire Oducado, College of Technology president.

YUKA SASO: THE PHILIPPINES’ GOLFING PRODIGY

BY KENT LEXTER B. CO SHE WALKS THE COURSE with quiet grace, her creaseless face does not reveal and all seems cool, all seems calm in this athletic, young girl. As she sets up her shot, her careful swing accompanied by cheers from a small Filipino crowd rewrites Philippine golf history in the Asian Games. Yuka Saso won the first ever gold medal for the Philippines at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia in both women’s individual and team golf competition.

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT The 17-year-old golfer born in San Ildefonso, Bulacan has been into golf since 2009, thanks to her father’s influence.

Two of her biggest inspirations in pursuing a golfing career are Northern Irish golfer, Rory McIlroy who was world number one in the Official World Golf Ranking for 95 weeks, and US golfer Tiger Woods who is considered one of the most

successful golfers of all time, and one of the most popular athletes of the 21st century.

Saso was eight back then when she started playing golf.

At that exact age was also the time when she left Japan for the Philippines. She decided to hold her trainings at the latter country because of the proximity of her house from the golf course. She starts her day at 5 AM and works out until 7 AM then has breakfast before playing 18 holes and practicing on the driving range and working on her short game before going back home by 6PM. As for the father-daugher tandem, the double-gold medalist shares her secret on her success in the golf course.

“Simula bata palang ako, si dad na po ang laging kasama ko. So nasanay po ako na siya na ang kasama ko and hindi po kami yung nag-aaway.

I don’t disagree of what he says,” Saso disclosed in an interview with ABS-CBN Sports.

USA PUB INFOGRAPHICS • KENT LEXTER B. CO AND REYNELYN P. YORAC SOURCE • UNIVERSITY OF SAN AGUSTIN SPORTS OFFICE

PIONEER. 17-year-old Yuka Saso is the first to take home a gold medal in the women’s individual and women’s team event in the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia. FILE PHOTO • ABS-CBN SPORTS GOLD IN A HOLE During the competition, Saso ruled her game in a dramatic fashion as she was able to come up with a crucial eagle in the final stretch to keep her Chinese rival, Liu Wenbo for the top finish at bay. This ushered her to beating the other 41 competitors after four rounds of action.

She finished with a -13 while China’s Liu Wenbo trail with -10.

“She (Liu) hooked her drive into the hazard, and sa isip ko if I

made an eagle I would still have a chance. So ang mindset ko lang talaga maka-eagle. Siyempre may pressure kinikilabutan na ako habang naglalakad pero ayun, yung eagle lang talaga nasa isip ko,” Saso answered when aske about her sentiments during the final round in the same interview with ABS-CBN Sports.

Yuka Saso has become the top-ranked youth golfer in GOLFING PRODIGY

PAG E A7

TORCHBEARERS. Athletes representing the Philippines during the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia create more winning streaks for the country since the 2014 Asian Games. USA PUB INFOGRAPHIC • KENT LEXTER B. CO