The Varsitarian P.Y. 2014-2015 Issue 03

Volume LXXXVI, No. 3 • September 29, 2014 THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSIT Y OF SANTO TOMAS Manila, Philippines

UST now under PH Dominican Province FILIPINO Dominicans are now officially in charge of Asia’s oldest and only Pontifical University, after more than four centuries under Spanish Dominicans and the head of the Dominican Order in Rome.

Secretary General Fr. Winston Cabading, O.P. announced last Aug. 7 during the Mass for the Feast of St. Dominic de Guzman that the Vatican’s Congregation for Catholic Education had issued a decree, dated May 31, approving the revised General Statutes of the University, which allowed the transfer of jurisdiction.

Article 3 of new General Statutes, a copy of which was obtained by the Varsitarian, states that the University is governed by the following: norms laid down by the Holy See, pertinent laws of the Republic of the Philippines, the General

Statutes of the University, Ordinances of the Chancellor, resolutions of the UST Board of Trustees, regulations of the Rector promulgated in accordance with the General Statutes, legitimate customs of the University, and finally the pertinent statutes of the Dominican Province of the Philippines (DPP).

Cabading said the DPP, which became independent of the missionary Province of the Holy Rosary in 1971, sets policy and directions for all schools within its jurisdiction, which now includes UST. “Whatever direction the DPP sets for Dominican schools, UST will follow. The direction, mission, vision would be in line with the general thrusts of the Church and the Order in the Philippines,” he said in an interview with

the Varsitarian.

There will be new members in the UST Board of Trustees, namely: the syndic or treasurer of the Filipino Dominicans, the chairman of the Board of Rectors of Filipino Dominican schools, and a representative of the other “educational tradition” in the DPP. A proposal to include lay representatives to the board was not approved.

“There are two Dominican traditions of education in the Philippines under the Dominicans, the UST and the Letran tradition.

The representative of the Letran tradition will be a member of the Board of Trustees,” Cabading said.

Cabading added that there would be no changes in administrative processes of the

University since UST had been functioning as if it were under DPP even before the official transfer.

Other DPP schools are Colegio de San Juan de Letran in Manila, Bataan, and Calamba; Our Lady of Manaoag College in Pangasinan; Aquinas University in Legazpi; Angelicum College and the Philippine Dominican Center for Institutional Studies in Quezon City; and Angelicum School in Iloilo.

Still under the Master Vice Chancellor Fr. Gerard Timoner III, O.P., prior provincial of the Filipino province, said the transfer of jurisdiction meant that the

Dominican PAGE 5

Foreign students to take place of freshmen during K to 12 transition

GRAND. The enthronement of the image of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary in the Santisimo Rosario Parish church is part of the solemn celebration for the month of the holy rosary.

NAZZI M. CASTRO

SC rejects Baybayin is UST's 5th nat'l cultural treasure Faculty Union's P26M claim

By ARIANNE F. MEREZ THE SUPREME Court (SC) has denied the UST Faculty Union’s (USTFU) claim for P26 million in hospitalization and medical benefits from 1997 to 2003, saying the union’s complaint was too late and that it had misinterpreted its collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the University.

The dispute was over whether UST’s annual contributions to USTFU hospitalization and medical benefits fund should be one-time or cumulative given annual increases in tuition.

In the July 30 decision written by Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, the SC said there was no “carryover” provision for the hospitalization and medical benefits fund in the 1996-2001 CBA and the 1999 memorandum of agreement on economic provisions between UST and USTFU. The carryover provision is found only in the 2001-2006 and 2006-2011 CBAs. Moreover, the union did not

USTFU PAGE 5

THE UNIVERSITY reached another cultural milestone as the UST Archives’ collection of ancient baybayin scripts were declared as national cultural treasures by the National Archives of the Philippines (NAP) last Aug. 22 at the National Museum in Manila.

The baybayin scripts consist of 14 consonants and three vowels which orginated from the pre-Islamic and pre-Spanish era.

Coinciding with the 2nd Baybayin Conference, the scripts were formally recognized by NAP’s national archivist Victorino Manalo.

The conference is a forum aiming to create awareness for the importance of the ancient writing system.

UST archivist Regalado Trota said their collection of baybayin scripts are the first articles of history to be declared as national cultures treasures by the NAP. A part of history The baybayin scripts are the fifth of the University’s property to be recognized as articles of cultural importance, along with the Arch of the Centuries and the Main Building among many others.

Trota cited the recognition

as an insight to the history and culture of the University.

“It’s a boost for UST’s own heritage. It will make people more aware of UST’s heritage and culture in the context of Philippine and world history,” Trota said.

Trota made note of the significance of the scripts as these were an early glimpse to 17th century Manila. “Bahagi tayo ng daloy ng kasaysayan,” he added.

Series of transactions The Archives’ baybayin scripts are the only existing complete handwritten baybayin documents.

Divided in two documents from 17th century, the scripts are deeds of sale of irrigated land in Tondo by Doña Catalina Baycan to Don Andres Capiit.

The second document contains the sale of land in Mayhaligue (now an area in Sta. Cruz, Manila) by Doña Maria Silang to Doña Francisca Longar.

Doña Francisca Longar and Don Andres Capiit eventually married and bought the land in Mayhaligue. Longar then married Don Luis Castilla with him selling some parts of the land to UST.

For breaking news and real-time updates visit: www.varsitarian.net

Trota also pointed out the significance of women as entrepreneurs of the time with the likes of Doña Baycan and Doña Longar as landladies.

Actual copies are restricted to the public and are being kept in the UST archives because of its fragile state but replicas are available for public viewing at the Archives bulletin board located at the fifth floor of the Central Library. It will also be uploaded on the UST website later on. KRISTELLE-ANN A. BATCHELOR AND ETHAN JAMES M. SIAT

ONE SOLUTION to UST’s K to 12 woes will be a “foreign” one.

International students will make up for the lack of freshmen in Academic Year 2016-2017 when the K to 12 program goes in full swing.

“We are for the openness of the University as a Catholic university to admit students coming from [other countries] to form them according to our mission [and] vision,” Secretary General Fr. Winston Cabading, O.P. said in an interview with the Varsitarian.

Cabading said the University won’t suffer from the lack of freshmen with the adoption of a plan of action for the K to 12 transition period in 2016. “We [are] ready. [The] board of trustees [has] already approved the creation of a senior high school. We’re [just] waiting for the approval from [the] Department of Education and Commission on Higher Education,” he said.

Another measure was to increase freshmen enrollment this year, according to Marie Ann Vargas, director of the Office for Admissions.

The number of freshmen enrollees increased by 7.8 percent to 13,049 this year from 12,103 last year, data showed.

Vargas said the University would most likely increase freshmen admission again next year.

University administrators are also crafting various schemes to lessen the possibility of leaving teachers jobless, according to Vice Rector for Academic Affairs Clarita Carillo.

Carillo said the planned three-unit reduction in the maximum teaching load, a certification training for teachers, the conversion of teaching loads into research loads, and the option to take a paid study leave were among the measures being readied to avoid retrenchment.

“We are considering all possible strategies to ensure that we cushion the impact of the transition period on the faculty. Even prior to the release of the Joint Guidelines on the Labor and Management Component [of the K to 12 program], the University has already identified several possible options that will help address loading problems,” Carillo said in an email to the Varsitarian.

The three-unit reduction in the maximum teaching load of 24 units is expected to produce more teaching loads for distribution as stated in Article 9 Section 8 of the 2011-2016 collective bargaining agreement between UST and the UST Faculty Union (USTFU), Carillo explained.

The University will also open a Senior High School where qualified general education professors can handle subjects under the curricula of Grades 11 and 12. By 2016, UST High School will be known as the UST Junior High School while the UST Education High School will retain its identity as the laboratory high school department of the College of Education.

Representation sought However, USTFU External Vice President

/varsitarian

@varsitarianust

K to 12 PAGE 10

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2 News

The Varsitarian SEPTEMBER 29, 2014

Editor: Gena Myrtle P. Terre

UST maintains spot in QS world rankings

THE UNIVERSITY failed to improve its standing in the latest QuacquarelliSymonds (QS) world university ranking, retaining its spot in the 701+ bracket in the listing of the top 800 universities.

State-run University of the Philippines led the country’s top universities anew, improving 13 notches to 367th from last year’s 380th.

Ateneo de Manila University also went up to the 461-470 bracket from the 501-550 bracket last year, while De La Salle University slid to the 651-700 bracket from the 601-650 bracket last year.

Since 2012, UST has not placed in the QS subject rankings. Ateneo, La Salle and UP failed to maintain their respective posts in English Language and Literature.

In 2011, the University’s sole appearance in the QS subject rankings was for English Language and Literature, being in the 101-150 bracket.

UP, the country’s only university which placed in this year’s QS subject rankings, maintained its spot in the 151-200 bracket for Agriculture and Forestry, but failed to keep its post in Geography.

UST however improved in this year’s QS QS PAGE 10

Arts and Letters gets PACUCOA level 4 accreditation

By ARIANNE F. MEREZ FOUR PROGRAMS of the Faculty of Arts and Letters (Artlets) have been granted the coveted Level 4 accreditation status, the highest rank that can be obtained by an educational institution from the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities Commission on Accreditation (PACUCOA).

Economics, Legal Management, Literature, and Philosophy obtained the highest accreditation level after a two-day “survey visit” by PACUCOA accreditors last August 18 and 19.

Legal Management Department Chair Antonio Chua said Level 4 accreditation was an indication that programs had met the standards set for universities. “[The accreditation] will help the University maintain its autonomous status,” he said. “There will be changes in the curriculum but not simply because of the accreditation. We will continue to improve the program for the students.”

Last July, Artlets improved its faculty profile by hiring new instructors to prepare for accreditation and to meet the standard set by the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) that a faculty member should have at least a master’s degree.

Level 4 accreditation status grants full autonomy to the program for five years. It also enables school administrators to offer new graduate programs, open learning or distance education, and extension classes related to existing Level 4 courses without need for prior approval by the CHEd, provided that the CHEd regional office is duly informed.

According to the PACUCOA website, criteria for Level 4 accreditation include “excellent outcomes in teaching and learning,” research productivity as tool for institutional effectiveness, community service, linkages and consortia, and career planning and development for students.

Accreditation procedures include consultancy visits, preliminary survey visits, a self-survey, a formal visit, a reaccreditation survey visit, and assessment of requirements, the website said.

Other Artlets programs were earlier granted Level 1 accreditation by PACUCOA. These are Asian Studies, Behavioral Science, Communication Arts, Journalism, Political Science and Sociology.

PACUCOA is “a private accrediting agency that gives formal recognition to an educational institution by attesting that an academic program maintains excellent standards in its educational operations.”

The Varsitarian, the official student publication of the University of Santo Tomas, is looking for web developers to upgrade and redesign www.varsitarian.net, its official website. Interested professionals or parties are invited to submit a résumé or company profile and a portfolio of previous web design projects to the Varsitarian office, Room 105, Tan Yan Kee Student Center Bldg., UST, Manila. For inquiries, contact Ralph Joshua Hernandez at 0905.977.0919 or ralphjdh@gmail.com.

Thomasian tops Medicine boards

BEAT AS ONE. Members of the UST Yellow Jackets bang their drums in support of the abolishment of the DAP.

BASILIO H. SEPE

Students join initiative vs ‘pork’ THOMASIANS once again joined the cry for government reform as they joined the launch of the People’s Initiative against all forms of pork barrel including the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).

The campaign, which coincided with the celebration of National Heroes’ Day, was coined as “Stand Up! Sign Up against all forms of pork!” and was endorsed by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines and the Catholic Educators Association of the Philippines.

Organized by the

#abolishporkmovement and the Scrap Pork Network, the campaign marked the first anniversary of the Million People March which was participated by Thomasians as well.

Among the estimated 5,000 participants who marched from Taft Avenue to Luneta last August 25 were concerned Thomasians, spearheaded by the Central Student Council (CSC) and Office of Student Affairs (OSA).

According to CSC President Ina Vergara, the march is an indication of the disappointment of the Thomasian community

regarding the issues of pork barrel, DAP and corruption in the country.

“As [Thomasians], we fight for Veritas, we fight for truth. We fight for financial stability and transparency in the government,” Vergara said.

Assistant to the Rector for Student Affairs Evelyn Songco, said the University is in full support of advocacies that promote national development.

"It’s important that the students register their sentiments DAP PAGE 10

Gen San campus construction delayed anew THE CONSTRUCTION of the University’s first satellite campus in Mindanao is again on hold due to pending documents regarding the conversion of its site from an agricultural land to an institutional land.

The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has yet to approve another permit that will allow the further development of the satellite campus in an 82-hectare land in General Santos (Gen San) City, encompassing two barangays: Ligaya and Katangawan.

DAR first approved the conversion of the land in 2003 and issued another order in 2008, extending the development period of the site until 2013.

The order expired last July 22, 2013, putting the construction of the UST Gen San campus on hold. The land is currently planted

with coconut trees as part of the University’s project on virgin coconut oil.

Meanwhile, the current city government of Gen San expressed its support for the establishment of the satellite campus, but Mayor Ronel Rivera said “some national agencies are yet to act on UST’s application for conversion.”

“My administration will not stand in the way in providing and accessing quality education for all residents of the city,” Rivera said during his State of the City Address last Aug. 5.

The city council of Gen San, under Rivera, approved the change in the zoning classification of the property to institutional from agricultural last Oct. 8, 2013 through City Ordinance no. 15 s.

2013. However, the construction cannot proceed until the University

gets another approval from DAR. UST bought the land for P96 million in 1997 but lacked support from then city officials, which obstructed the progress of the project.

The initial budget for the construction of the satellite campus is P200 million, allotting P60 million for the road network alone.

The UST Gen San campus will offer programs not available in its main campus, including marine sciences and agriculture courses.

Bachelor in Secondary Education (major in English, Math, and Science), Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology, Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy, Bachelor of Science in Accountancy, Bachelor of Science in Entertainment and Multimedia Computing, and Bachelor of Science in Tourism will also be offered. ROBERTO A. VERGARA, JR.

Usapang Uste ‘Repair at bookbinding section’ ng silid aklatan Ni KIMBERLY JOY V. NAPARAN ANO BA ang UST Antonio V. del Rosario Heritage Library?

Sa UST Antonio V. del Rosario Heritage Library pinangangalagaan ang mga aklat at babasahing mas matanda pa o kasingtanda ng Unibersidad, lalo iyong may malaki at mahalagang ambag sa kasaysayan ng bansang Filipinas at pati na rin sa UST. Ngunit alam ba ninyong nagsimula ito bilang book binding at repair section ng aklatan ng Unibersidad?

Bago buksan ang book binding at repair section, sumadya pa ang mga tauhan ng aklatan sa mga book binders sa labas ng Unibersidad, na siya namang nagdulot ng malaking gastos. Dahil dito, naisipan ng Unibersidad na magbukas ng sariling book binding section sa aklatan nito.

Nang magbukas ang book binding at repair section, naging mas madali na para sa mga magaaral at mga guro ang magpaayos ng mga nasirang libro o anumang babasahin.

Noong Setyembre 1947, higit na dumami ang mga magaaral na lumagi sa aklatan upang dayuhin ang book binding at repair section para ipaayos ang mga sirang aklat, magasin o alinmang babasahin na niluma na ng panahon.

Si C.A. Fernandez, dating tagapangulo ng aklatan, ang nasa likod ng ideya ng pagbubukas ng isang book binding at repair section para sa Unibersidad. Siya rin ang nakaisip na maglako ang silid-aklatan ng isang bookcraft

box at book presser p a r a sa mga mag-aaral na gustong matuto kung paano ayusin ang sarili nilang mga aklat.

Ang kauna-unahang aklat na naisaayos ng nasabing seksyon ay ang “A Dominican Mission” na isinulat ng mga misyonaryong Dominiko noong 1953.

Ipinangalan naman kay Antonio Vivencio del Rosario ang seksiyong ito. Si del Rosario ay natatanging Tomasino at tumayong secretary general ng Unibersidad mula 1854 hanggang 1866. Siya ay lolo ng dating embahador ng Filipinas sa Canada, Germany at Japan na si Ramon Del Rosario.

Noong ika-27 ng Enero 2006, pinasiyaan ang Heritage Library nina P. Tamerlane Lana, O.P., na noo’y rektor ng Unibersidad at Usapang Uste PAHINA 8

A SUMMA cum laude graduate of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery topped the August 2014 licensure exams for physicians, a feat last achieved by a Thomasian four years ago.

Eric Royd Talavera, who graduated from UST in 2013, tied with Cebu Institute of Medicine's Raymond Martin Li for first place.

Both scored 89.59 percent.

UST alumni Jessica Mae Sanchez and Lean Angelo Silverio, also summa cum laude graduates, shared the fourth spot with Mairre James Gaddi of the University of the Philippines-Manila, all of them scoring 89.25 percent.

Other Thomasians who made it to the top 10 list of passers were Kevin Bryan Lo (88.75 percent) and Lorayne Ann Chua (88.33 percent) at seventh and ninth places, respectively, and Ryan Anthony Agas (88.25 percent) at 10th place.

Fomer Varsitarian Science and Technology editor Francis James Gatdula was among those who passed the exam.

UST posted a slightly lower passing rate of 98.92 percent this year, with 460 successful examinees out of 465, results from the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) showed. Last year’s passing rate was 99.53 percent, equivalent to 427 out of 429 examinees.

The University was again declared the second top-performing school, behind Cebu Institute of Medicine, whose 103 examinees all passed. PRC requires at least an 80-percent passing rate and a minimum of 50 examinees to be declared a top-performing school.

This was the fourth consecutive year that the University placed second in the roster of top-performing schools for the physician board exams. UST last ranked first in 2010 with a 99-percent passing rate, in which a Thomasian also became the topnotcher.

The national passing rate went down to 81.25 percent, equivalent to 2,218 passers out of 2,730, from last year's 82.95 percent, when 1,834 out of 2,211 passed. BIANCA KRISTIN A. TARAY

Dalawang student orgs, hindi kinilala ng OSA HINDI kinilala ng Office for Student Affairs (OSA) ang Thomasian Writers Guild (TWG) at Alpha Phi Omega (APO) bilang mga opisyal na organisasyon sa Unibersidad para sa akademikong taon 2014-2015, dahil sa hindi pagdalo ng mga opisyal nito sa taunang Leadership Training Seminar (LTS).

Ayon kay Allan Hernandez, kinatawan ng OSA para sa mga organisasyon, ang pagdalo sa taunang LTS ay kailangan upang kilalanin na opisyal ang isang organisasyon.

Mayroong tatlong LTS na dapat daluhan ang mga organisasyon bago kilalanin ng OSA. “As early as February and March, we were already informing [the organizations] of the tentative schedule of the LTS, and even advised them to block their schedules for [the month of] April,” ani Hernandez sa isang panayam sa Varsitarian.

Ngunit ayon kay Rafael Villanueva, pangulo ng TWG, hindi sila nasabihan ng OSA tungkol sa naturang LTS kaya hindi sila nakapagpadala ng kinatawan para rito.

“It’s really a failure to communicate.

I was able to attend the two other required LTS meetings … The [main LTS] isn’t even free. As a lot of people know, attending the LTS costs quite a sum of money,” ani Villanueva.

Organisasyon PAHINA 10

Editor: Andre Arnold T. Santiago

SEPTEMBER 29, 2014

The Varsitarian Special

Reports 3

How come Pinoys paying higher income tax?

By MARY GRACE C. ESMAYA AND MARY GILLAN FRANCES G. ROPERO

ARE FILIPINO taxpayers burdened with an “inequitable” and “outdated” tax system?

The answer is yes, as far as Sen. Juan Edgardo Angara is concerned.

“The country’s current tax system is terribly outdated and inequitable. Since (the enactment of the current Tax Code in 1997), prices have increased, and the cost of living has roughly doubled,” he said in an email to the Varsitarian.

Angara chairs the Senate Ways and Means Committee, which is the tax-writing committee of the upper house.

The first-term senator said individual income tax rates in the Philippines are among the highest in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The National Internal Revenue Code (Republic Act No. 8424) taxes income in excess of P500,000 at 32 percent. The equivalent of the same income is taxed at 10 percent in Thailand, 11 percent in Malaysia, and 20 percent in Vietnam, cited in a position paper submitted by the Tax Management Association of the Philippines to Congress last August.

“No wonder many of our people are enticed to move and work to these countries because it appears that the government there believes that their citizens deserve to keep more of their hard-earned money,” said Angara, who filed Senate Bill No. 2149 last February to amend RA 8424 and lower individual income taxes across the board and adjust tax brackets yearly beginning 2015 until 2017. In his bill, after 2017, the 2017 brackets and rates will be applied.

RA 8424 follows a scheduler system for individual income taxation. Individual income taxpayers are classified into brackets, where more income results in higher taxes, but the tax rates max out at 32 percent. Individuals with annual taxable income of P500,000 or more pay

P125,000 plus 32 percent of the excess of P500,000.

The lowest tax rate is five percent for individuals with annual taxable income not exceeding P10,000.

Under the current tax law, an individual with annual taxable income of P600,000 will pay P157,000 in income taxes. If Angara’s tax measure becomes a law, the individual with annual taxable income of P600,000 will only pay P108,500 beginning 2017, or a reduction of almost P50,000 in annual income taxes. In SB 2149, individuals with annual taxable income of more than P500,000, but not more P1 million, will pay P86,500 plus 22 percent of the excess of P 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 starting 2017.

Moreover, in Angara’s proposed law, individuals with income of P1 million or more will be taxed the most at P196,500 plus 25 percent of the excess of P1 million beginning 2017. The lowest tax rate will remain at 5 percent for individuals with annual taxable income not over P10,000.

Angara said it was necessary to adjust the individual income tax brackets and reduce the rate of income tax in preparation for ASEAN Integration. “If our tax system remains unchanged, more individual taxpayers, who are not considered high earning and who belong to the middle class, will be pushed into the same top bracket as the richest taxpayers or the billionaires in the country—a phenomenon called the ‘bracket creep’,” Angara said.

Angara hopes the simplified tax system and lower tax rates will increase collections because there are only six million taxpayers out of a hundred million Filipinos.

Alvin Ang, economics professor at Ateneo de Manila, agreed that the tax system should be updated. “Our existing tax system is from 1997.

Our taxes seem high because in that particular period, the amount was

Disguised thief arrested SECURITY officials nabbed a 22-yearold man last Aug. 2 for allegedly stealing several gadgets and a pair of leather shoes near the open field.

The UST security office said the suspect, Mark Galvan, was brought to the Sampaloc Police Station 4 after verification with the victims and from CCTV footage. But Galvan, who had posed as a jogger, was later released after reaching a settlement with the victims.

Security records showed Galvan entered the campus on a motorcycle, telling security guards he would go to the Santisimo Rosario Parish Church.

He instead went around the field looking for potential victims, like varsity players and joggers, whose bags were unattended.

considered high, but nowadays it is the norm,” he said.

But Ang said that while Angara’s target to decrease the 32 percent maximum individual tax rate to 25 percent was feasible, it might not be fair to all Filipino employees.

The problem is that the poor outnumber the middle and upper class taxpayers.

“The middle class taxpayers are the most affected.

They are the ones carrying the burden,” Ang said.

UST Legal Management program coordinator Atty.

Antonio Chua, who teaches taxation at the Faculty of Arts and Letters, echoed Ang’s observations, saying the income tax law should be amended to reflect annual inflation since 1997.

“If you earn P1 million, the tax will be around 28 percent or P280,000, which is more than one-fourth of your income. [You] still have to pay [other taxes] such as valueadded tax (VAT), which is another 12 percent,” he said.

“So that will be around 40 percent of your income.”

incentivize Filipinos to comply with the law and pay their due taxes. In fact, it happened in Russia and Singapore, where lower rates contributed to higher tax collections,” he added.

But Ang said the proposed decrease in tax rates would immensely affect the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) because fewer taxpayers would pay high tax rates, reducing the government’s income.

Angara however cited a recent study that showed that “every peso decrease in the income tax yields up to P50 for a Filipino family to spend,” meaning the government might experience lower collections from income taxes, but more revenue from consumption taxes, such as VAT, because of increased purchasing power.

“With some 21 million families in the country, this translates to billions being invested back into the economy,” he added.

Imposing change Angara said simplifying the tax system would be beneficial because more persons would be encouraged to pay taxes, resulting in higher revenue collection to fund the social services and programs of the government.

“Lowering tax rates could

As outsiders cannot be barred from going to the church and other public places in the University, Security Chief Joseph Badinas said car inspections would be stricter.

“If the car has no sticker, it’s considered subject for monitoring. We will verify where it will go,” he said in an interview with the Varsitarian.

Badinas urged varsity players and student joggers in the field to be more careful with their belongings.

In a separate incident last Aug. 13, security officials caught another alleged thief, Aljaafar Bin Dimaporo, who was allegedly caught in the act of stealing a student’s bag in a pavilion on Gonzalez Drive, near the church.

The suspect used the “salisi” modus operandi, in which thieves distract their victims to steal their belongings.

Dimaporo was also brought to the Sampaloc Police Station 4. JEROME P. VILLANUEVA

GenEd dept’s to transfer to Artlets, Education

THE GENERAL Education departments of the University are set to be transferred to different colleges from the supervision of the Office of the Vice Rector for Academic Affairs (OVRAA), adopting the organizational structure of other local as well as foreign universities.

The departments of Philosophy, English, Literature and the Humanities, History, Foreign Languages, and Social Science will be under the helm of the Faculty of Arts and Letters (Artlets), while the College of Education will absorb the Filipino department. Its offices, however, will remain at the Main Building.

OVRAA has yet to release a memorandum on the date of implementation and other changes, but Philosophy department chair Paolo Bolaños said the transfer was expected to happen within the year.

“Dapat ganoon naman talaga ang isang department, dapat nakaalign sa isang kolehiyo. Kung titingnan mo ‘yung structure ng UST at ikukumpara mo sa structure

USTHS and EHS tops NAT in Manila

ng ibang universities, tayo lang naiiba because the University-wide departments are under ng Academic Affairs. Remember, all colleges are under the Academic Affairs. So, ang ginagawa lang ng UST nire-realign lang sa isang specific college na tugma doon sa nature ng disiplina,” Bolaños said in an interview with the Varsitarian.

Bolaños said the realignment would correctly place departments and faculty members with their home colleges. “Pag ni-realign mo, mas madali nang mag-manage ng faculty, magbigay ng load, mas madaling mag-develop ng faculty, and so on, kasi isang kolehiyo na lang ang magma-manage,” he said, adding that establishing linkages with other Universities would also become easier.

Meanwhile, English department chair Camilla Vizconde said the realignment would create “birth pains” as regards matters like communication policies and budget.

“The Office [of the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs] will come out with the implementing guidelines.

It will discuss all the questions we will be raising,” Vizconde said.

It will take time before the realignment becomes official as the proposal will have to go through the Board of Regents and the Board of Trustees, among others, she added. ARIANNE F. MEREZ AND JEROME P. VILLANUEVA

THE UNIVERSITY’S two high school again bested other secondary schools in Manila in the National Achievement Test (NAT) taken by fourth-year students last March 5.

UST Education High School (EHS), the University’s laboratory high school, topped 18 schools in cluster three, or schools with 100199 examinees, after posting an average score of 65.91 percent.

EHS got the highest scores in four subjects, namely: Critical Thinking (71.5%), English (79.40%), Filipino (70.25%), and Math (59.89%). It placed second and third in Araling Panlipunan (70.09%) and Science (47.03%), respectively.

EHS had a total of 108 examinees this year. Last year, EHS belonged to cluster four, or schools with 55-99 examinees.

“EHS plans to maintain such performance by identifying weak points, giving emphasis on the least mastered skills, and by motivating the students to maintain our current rank,” Principal Loreto Sauz said.

Meanwhile, UST High School (USTHS) bested the only other school, Paco Catholic School, in cluster one, which groups schools with more than 400 examinees.

USTHS, which had 438 seniors, topped in English with a mean score of 44.18, Filipino with 36.36, and Critical Thinking with 12.99.

“To promote effective communication skills and the love for reading, we administer the Test of English as a Foreign Language Junior Test, a standardized NAT PAGE 5

4 Opinion The

Varsitarian SEPTEMBER 29, 2014

SEPTEMBER 29, 2014

Ang pagiging Filipino sa darating na integrasyon

Editorial

New coach deserves second, final chance Of all the reasons for the Growling Tigers’ forgettable season, the most convenient one is Segundo “Bong” Dela Cruz, the unheralded new coach.

He replaced fan favorite Pido Jarencio, who led the Tigers to the UAAP title in his rookie season and came close to regaining the championship in his last two.

Under Dela Cruz, who was picked from among the likes of Bal David, Estong Ballesteros, Siot Tanquincen and Aric del Rosario, the Tigers played like a whole new squad, one that was only good enough to beat the likes of UP and Adamson (and FEU in the first round).

By “new” we mean a team often lost in a system that just didn't work, at least during Dela Cruz's first crack at coaching the proud Tigers. By his own admission, the “system I adopted did not fit the team” and thus, “the problem was with me.”

“I failed,” he humbly admitted.

Credit the new coach for manning up for a team that adopted its old mentor’s semantically incongruent battlecry of “3 Ps” (Puso, Pride, Palaban).

UST fans, arguably the best UAAP crowd, were unforgiving. After the Tigers’ 5-9 finish, their worst since Season 73, came a Facebook page titled “Replace Coach Bong NOW.” It has garnered around 1,200 “likes” or supporters as of press time.

Is it really time to replace the new coach?

Not everybody does well in his first try and we believe Dela Cruz deserves a second chance, one more UAAP season. We’re curious at how his system could work with a full roster of healthy and more committed players.

We want to see the Tigers not only growling with pride but also showing it on the court by making baskets and playing tough defense the whole four quarters. We want to see the players play like tigers, not cubs. We want Tigers basketball back.

A second season should be enough to show whether Dela Cruz really is the right man for the job. Should he and his system fail once more, we'd like to see him go. We'd like someone who deserves--and who would actually continue--the Tigers’ winning tradition.

The Varsitarian FOUNDED JAN. 16, 1928

SARAH MAE JENNA A. RAMOS GRACELYN A. SIMON RALPH JOSHUA D.R. HERNANDEZ Editorial Board GENA MYRTLE P. TERRE News Editor LORD BIEN G. LELAY Assistant News Editor PAUL KENNEDY A. LINTAG Sports Editor ANDRE ARNOLD T. SANTIAGO Special Reports Editor JUAN CARLOS D. MORENO Features Editor JONELLE V. MARCOS Patnugot ng Filipino APRIL JOY E. DY Witness Editor HEDRIX AR-AR C. CABALLE Sci-Tech Editor KRISTELLE-ANN A. BATCHELOR Circle Editor MICHAEL CARLO C RODOLFO Online Editor KENO CARLO C. ENRIQUEZ Acting Art Director JOHN PAUL R. AUTOR Photography Editor News Dayanara T. Cudal, Arianne F. Merez, Bianca Kristin A. Taray, Jerome P. Villanueva, Roberto A. Vergara, Jr. Sports Angelica P. Abello, Karl Cedrick G. Basco, Delfin Ray M. Dioquino, Josiah Darren G. Saynes Special Reports Mary Grace C. Esmaya, Mary Gillan Frances G. Ropero Features Jelina Anne S. Bunagan, Mone Virma Ginry P. Gumapac Literary Josef Brian M. Ramil, Alpine Christopher P. Moldez Filipino Erika Mariz S. Cunanan, Maria Koreena M. Eslava, Kimberly Joy V. Naparan Witness Angeli Mae S. Cantillana, Danielle Ann F. Gabriel, Marie Danielle M. Macalino Science and Technology Rhenn Anthony S. Taguiam Circle Elyssa Christine A. Lopez, Ethan James M. Siat, Aliliana Margarette T. Uyao Art Joel Francis E. Balquin, Jean Helene C. Estella, Kirsten M. Jamilla, Ava Mariangela C. Victoria Photography Nazzi M. Castro, Alvin Joseph Kasiban, Basilio H. Sepe Editorial Assistant Julius Roman M. Tolop

FELIPE F. SALVOSA II Assistant Publications Adviser JOSELITO B. ZULUETA Publications Adviser

Letters/comments/suggestions/contributions are welcome in the Varsitarian. Only letters with signatures will be entertained. Original manuscript contributions must be typewritten, double-spaced, on regular bond paper, and should include a signed certification bearing the author’s name, address, year, and college. The identity of a writer may be withheld upon request. The editors will not be responsible for the loss of materials. Contributions must be sent to THE VARSITARIAN office, Rm. 105, Tan Yan Kee Student Center Bldg., University of Santo Tomas, España, Manila.

Upholding responsible student journalism

JUST because we wrote about the UST Growling Tigers’ loss does not mean we had lost heart for the Tigers.

For campus journalists, writing about your home team is always a struggle.

The heartbreaking news that the Tigers won’t be part of UAAP Season 77 Basketball's Final Four was no exception.

There were several missed opportunities and moments of frustration for Thomasians, the V staff included.

Some supporters of the Tigers have criticized the V for emphasizing the failures of the basketball team, especially with the entry of Bong dela Cruz as coach. But we simply wrote about what happened in the game, win or lose. Our job is to report the facts.

I appreciate how loyal Thomasians have stood up for the team, but the campus journalists' primary role is to report the news. Do not expect us to report about what really happened and then delete the story after reading angry tweets and comments.

I am not saying that the

To the journalists, do not be afraid to write based on facts.

That is the nature of Journalism.

All biases should be set aside. whole Thomasian community should wallow in the Tigers’ defeat. As their supporters, we should be the first to stand behind them and console them. We should continue to take pride in them for carrying UST’s colors. We saw how the team did its best to bring the crown back to España.

As Thomasians, we need to keep on believing.

But each time we, campus journalists, take on our reporting duties, we forget, albeit temporarily, that we are basketball fans and we remember that the task at hand is to do responsible reportage. ***

Just recently, a photo of a mini footbridge built by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) got snickers among netizens, who thought the project was a stupid idea and another waste of money by the government.

The noise started when a netizen nicknamed “Nick” commented on the photo: “MMDA mini foot bridge project at Quirino Grandstand is one of the ‘Weirdest Project (sic) in the World’. Only in the Philippines. We didn’t only waste money, but (sic) it made us look dumb in the International Engineering

Community (sic).”

It turned out that the mini footbridge was built by the MMDA Children’s Safety Park to teach children how to follow safety rules on the street. A photo of that mini footbridge was later uploaded to the Facebook page of MMDA. It showed children being taught by an officer on how to use the bridge safely.

Lawyer Yves Gonzales, former MMDA traffic director, wrote on the website When in Manila that the project was “an ideal venue for school-aged children to learn traffic rules and road safety in a controlled environment.”

The online hatefest wasn't exactly new. It's easy for netizens to create a stir, bash anyone, and label anything as stupid or dumb without verificafion. The problem is we get easily swayed by comments. One careless post can generate hundreds, even thousands of hate tweets or comments.

I hope this teaches us a lesson: We should know whereof we speak.

Dating during the ‘technosexual’ era

THE EMERGENCE of online social networking has changed the way people look for love from a rusty vending machine, where they get to grip an easy picking process, even sexualized, that is.

New technology has given us a number of dating apps, which take the edge off the traditional face-to-face dating practice. These applications seem to have won their clientele by stitching the lives of two strangers on a faster pace and effortless matchmaking by adding a location-based feature that enables users to scour possible partners within close proximity. This system translates to “hooking up."

With most applications available for free, it is not surprising that they top the charts of Google Play and App Store.

Tinder, a sophisticated version of 90s ‘hot-or-not’and the youngest of these applications, is perhaps at the forefront of linking potential lovebirds. It boasts of 400 million matches to date with approximately four million new matches per day.

I read somewhere that Grindr, a much older application for males launched in 2009, has seven million users in 192 countries around the world. An average Grindr user supposedly spends two hours a day on the app and logs in eight times a day with over 200 million photos

Contrary to the norm, where love comes before any form of lasciviousness, some test the waters by assessing how one is good at sailing the boat. sent every day from different men using their mobile phones.

A number of Thomasians, who possess any device with the latest technological features, probably, have at least one of these applications installed in their devices and certainly someone who is currently reading this column is guilty of such.

However, some Thomasians don’t feel like settling for a talk with an identified user or at least a user with a profile that shows a rigged name, a Google-lifted display photo and an overprized ‘about me’ section. Others seem to have an overt vigor for seeking the thrill of anonymity and sufficing their curiosity for the who’s who.

Omegle, for those who know it, is an exact case in point. It is an online chatting website that sets a user up with an anonymous person. But since Thomasians want to be

in an exclusive circle, the code ‘UST400’ was created.

While it is true that technology, through these online social avenues, bridges the distance between and among people, it is also just for people to know what consequences lie behind the cards laid in front of them.

Unfortunately, many people engage themselves with such applications largely because of some carnal desires. Sadly, this is how many people view love these days. Contrary to the norm, where love comes before any form of lasciviousness, some test the waters by assessing how one is good at sailing the boat.

It is also through these media that physical eligibility falls under a more ideal digital eligibility. This arena is a market where people put themselves on sale hoping that one interested buyer would pick them up from a pool of other merchandise.

It is not fair to make yourself marketable by putting things on your profile that may attract buyers even if none of them really relates to you.

Conversely, with some desperate souls trying to live the illusion of being somebody else, they deliberately copy one’s identity and use it instead. For sure, nobody wants his or her innocent identity to be stolen and be used for an auction.

Some, even more desperate, use these means of communication for doubledealing. They pick a person of interest, build a deceitful virtual relationship and start asking for money or any material object only to close the deal when a face-to-face encounter is called for.

It is sad to know how superficial people have become and are still becoming over the years. They would rather spend an hour or two judging people and putting prices on a prospective partner.

A psychologist noted that people would have completely moved on from romanticism if it were not for Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, engagements and weddings. It is upsetting that genuine love is vented only during these four events.

Of course, there is nothing wrong with pinning one’s hope Parfocal PAGE 5

PAANO maging Filipino sa isang globalisadong mundo?

Higit na bibilis ang ragasa ng globalisasyon sa bansa dahil sa integrasyong pang-ekonomiya ng Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) sa darating na 2015. Sa pamamagitan ng integrasyon, magkakaroon ng iisang merkado sa rehiyon na siyang magpapadali sa pagluwas at pag-angkat ng mga produkto ng bawat bansa, sa pagpapadala at pagtanggap ng mga manggagawa, sa pamumuhunan at pagpapalitan ng serbisyo at higit sa lahat, mas mapapadali ang pagkawala ng mga Filipino.

Bukod sa kakulangan sa kalidad na mga produkto na maaaring makipag-sabayan sa produkto ng mga karatigbansa, pag-usad ng pasukan sa Setyembre at agarang pagpapatupad ng K-12, hindi pa rin handa sa globalisasyon ang mga Filipino.

Magbubunsod ito ng pagkawala ng sariling identidad ng mga Filipino sa maraming kadahilanan.

USTFU FROM PAGE 1 complain during the span of the 1996-2001 CBA, the 1999 memorandum of agreement, and the 2001-2006 CBA. Under the Labor Code, causes of action for unfair labor practices expire after one year, while money claims arising from employeremployee relations prescribe “within three (3) years from the time the cause of action accrued; otherwise they shall be forever barred.”

“USTFU did not file any complaint within the respective one-year prescriptive periods. USTFU decided to file its complaint only in 2007, several years after the accrual of its several possible causes of action.

Even if USTFU filed its complaint under the theory of money claims from employeremployee relations, its cause of action still has prescribed,” Carpio said in the 28-page decision.

The ruling upheld the July 2012 decision of

Dominican FROM PAGE 1 mission originally undertaken by the headquarters of the centuries-old Order of Preachers founded by St. Dominic de Guzman, would pass on to the DPP. “[I]t means that the Provincial of the DPP is entrusted with the responsibility of assigning Filipino and nonFilipino brothers to the Priory of St. Thomas, the Dominican community charged with ministering and administering UST,” he said in an email sent to the Varsitarian.

The Master of the Order Fr. Bruno Cadore, O.P., a Frenchman, will remain UST’s grand chancellor, serving as liaison between the Holy See and the University.

Cabading said it was important that the Master of the Order is also Chancellor of the University, to guarantee

NAT FROM PAGE 3 test of English language proficiency for non-native English language speakers, and we have the ‘Drop

Hangga't may mahuhukay na ibang lahi sa kanilang dugo, hindi papayag ang mga Filipino na basta na lamang sila Filipino.

sa mga lumang tradisyon ng bansa. Bihira nang sayawin ang tinikling, cariñosa at pandanggo sa ilaw sa mga pista. Kasabay ng pagguho ng maraming makasaysayang gusali sa Visayas, ay ang pagguho ng pagka-Filipino ng mga Filipino sa pag-usbong ng samu’t saring lahi at kultura sa darating na integrasyon.

Ikatlo, masyadong magiliw sa panauhin ang mga Filipino.

Sa pagdating ng ibang lahi at ng kanilang mga produkto, tiyak na higit silang tatangkilikin ng mga Filipino.

Patunay na rito ang pagkahilig ng mga Filipino sa pagbili ng mga bagay na imported at ang pagpipilit na mag-Ingles o kausapin ang mga banyaga sa kanilang wika imbis na ituro ang wikang Filipino at ipakilala ang kulturang Filipino.

Panghuli, wala naman talagang mga Filipino. Mayroong Filipino-Tsino, FilipinoAmerikano, Filipino-Hapones, Filipino-Koreano, Filipino-

Una sa lahat, Ingles ang opisyal na midyum ng pakikipagtalastasan sa ASEAN. Sa hindi kalayuang hinaharap, maaaring mapalitan ng Bahasa o Malay ang Ingles bilang opisyal na wika ng rehiyon ngunit maliit at halos walang tiyansa na mapalitan ito ng Filipino sapagkat sa Filipinas lamang ginagamit ito.

Kung tutuusin, mainit pa ring usapin ang pagtanggal ng Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) sa pagtuturo ng Filipino sa kolehiyo sapagkat magiging sanhi ito ng kawalan ng pagkakakilanlan ng mga Filipino

sa kanilang sarili. Kung patuloy na Ingles ang sasalitain ng mga Filipino, tuluyan nang lalamunin ng Ingles ang Pambansang Wika.

Ikalawa, malilimutin at hindi mapagmahal sa kanilang kasaysayan at kultura ang mga Filipino. Dulot marahil ng mapait na karanasan at alaala ng humigit tatlong daantaong pananakop ng iba't ibang lahi, mababaw ang pagpapahalaga ng mga Filipino sa kanilang nakaraan.

Mababanaag ang paghihikahos ng mga samahang patuloy na isinusulong ang adbokasiya ng muling pagbuhay

the Court of Appeals that the labor arbiter and the National Labor Relations Commission—which had ruled in favor of USTFU in 2010 and 2011, respectively— had no jurisdiction because the case was about “differing interpretations” of CBA provisions and not unfair labor practice.

The Supreme Court said USTFU should have resorted to voluntary arbitration, which is the mechanism to resolve grievances over interpretations of CBA provisions. Whichever way the case is viewed, USTFU no longer has a claim, Carpio said.

benefits fund for academic years 1996-1997 until 20102011. The University, it claimed, had a P26-million balance after remitting P79 million.

USTFU claimed that the University was supposed to pay P2 million not only in the first year of the 19962001 CBA but also in the subsequent years, along with an additional P1 million for every year and P4 million for the fourth and fifth years of the CBA due to a memorandum of agreement on economic provisions in 1999.

UST remitted P2 million during the first year of the 1996-2001 CBA, P1 million in the second year, P1 million in the third year, and P4 million in the fourth year.

The University also provided a total of P31 million under the 2001-2006 CBA and P40 million under the 2006-2011 CBA. The University, court records showed, said it “religiously complied with the economic provisions of the 1996-2001 CBA particularly its obligation to remit to the hospitalization and medical

benefits fund as [well as] the renegotiated economic provisions under the 1999 memorandum of agreement on economic provisions by remitting the total amount of P8 million,” adding that there was no agreement for a carryover provision.

Lawyer Ian de Leon, who is an associate of UST’s legal counsel Divina Law Office, said the high tribunal essentially ruled that the University faithfully followed the clear provisions of its agreements with the USTFU and remitted the correct amounts to the hospitalization and medical benefits fund.

“The University and the Union have been working hard to establish a foundation of partnership between them. This being said, it is not uncommon for parties to a contract to have disagreements on interpretation of certain provisions thereof,” de Leon said in an email sent to the Varsitarian.

The Varsitarian asked USTFU President George Lim for comment, but he is yet to respond.

prior provincial, who also serves as UST vice chancellor, now has more responsibilities. “[A]ccording to the statutes, [the vice chancellor is now a part of] the laws of the Holy See, the Republic of the Philippines, [and the] statutes of the [DPP], which means that whatever is given [by DPP] to the provincial as a task, there is impact on the operations of the University,” he said.

The book Beginnings of the Filipino Dominicans by former rector Fr. Rolando de la Rosa, O.P. details the Filipinization of the Order and UST that reached a climax with the appointment Fr. Leonardo Legaspi, O.P. as the University’s first Filipino rector in October 1971.

In December of the same year, Filipino Dominicans became a separate Province from the Holy Rosary Province of Spanish Dominicans, which had jurisdiction over UST since its foundation. The University thereafter became a shared responsibility under the Master

of the Order.

Six Filipino Dominicans have since become rector, namely: the naturalized Fr. Frederik Fermin, O.P., Fr. Norberto Castillo, O.P., Fr. Rolando de la Rosa, O.P., Fr. Tamerlane Lana, O.P., Fr. Ernesto Arceo, O.P., and the incumbent Fr. Herminio Dagohoy, O.P. During the 1995 General Chapter of the Dominicans in Caleruega, Spain, the Priory of St. Thomas was transferred from the Master of the Order to the DPP, the first step toward the eventual transfer of jurisdiction over UST to the Filipino Dominicans. The General Chapter, the supreme authority of the Order, gathers leaders of Dominican provinces worldwide every three years.

In 2010, the General Chapter in Rome tasked the Master of the Order, Fr. Cadore, to appoint a commission for the turnover of UST to the Filipino Dominicans by 2013.

JEROME P. VILLANUEVA

subject which could probably explain the excellent score of our students in this area,” she said.

The NAT is administered to graduating high school students every March by the Department of Education.

Parfocal

Union interpretation According to the union’s interpretation of the 1996-2001 CBA, UST’s contributions should be given annually on top of new contributions because economic benefits like hospitalization and medical benefits fund are sourced from annual tuition increases.

USTFU sought a total of P105 million for hospitalization and medical the protection of UST under international law.

“We are still directly under the Master of the Order because he is the assurance of the Dominican and Catholic character [of the University] … If the person occupying the top [position] has international character like the Holy See, there is protection under international law,” Cabading explained.

Under the new statutes, the Chancellor reserves the right to receive the annual report of the University, to require a meeting with University authorities, and to make a periodic visitation of the University.

Moreover, all Universityrelated decisions will be subject to the approval of the Chancellor, including contracts to alienate or rent property as well as debts and obligations, worth beyond the sum assigned by the Holy See in the region.

More responsibilities Cabading said the Filipino Everything and Read’ or DEAR time across disciplines,” Marishirl Tropicales, USTHS principal, said in an interview with the Varsitarian.

“Critical Thinking is also a component in our Christian Living Education

BIANCA KRISTIN A. TARAY

Alunsina PAGE 8

FROM PAGE 4 on serendipity but he or she should also understand that love is a process that germinates through time and not something that burgeons overnight.

The Varsitarian Opinion

5

The true challenge

EARLIER this month, Senator Grace Poe endured long queues and congested train stations when she rode the notoriously inefficient Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line 3 at the height of the rush hour. Poe wanted to experience firsthand the ordinary commuter’s daily woes. Her photo standing in line to purchase a ticket and riding the train while talking to another passenger made the rounds online and drew cheers from netizens.

It became viral because netizens found pleasure in seeing a high government official, who is entitled to a luxury vehicle and a personal driver, experience the hardships of taking the MRT to school or work.

Poe's action led to netizens challenging (akin to the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge) other politicians like President Aquino to ride the MRT so they could relate personally to the problem. Not long after, Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya and Malacañang Deputy Spokesperson Abigail Valte took what the netizens dubbed as the “MRT challenge.”

The MRT has been suffering from constant glitches, malfunction, and technical problems in the past few years. Aside from the disruption of trips, safety became a major concern when a coach went out of control and slammed through a station fence on Taft Avenue in Pasay early August. Around 40 were reported injured, including passengers and pedestrians. In its latest glitch, one of the passengers posted a video online showing the MRT

In the end, the true challenge for our government is... to find a lasting solution, not only for the MRT, but for the terrible transportation system this country has. moving with its doors wide open.

Long queues have become a staple in the daily lives of MRT commuters, largely because of overcapacity. Around 560,000 passengers are ferried by the MRT from North Avenue in Quezon to Taft every day, more than its 320,000 capacity. The delivery of new coaches will not happen until 2015.

In other countries like Japan, Singapore and London, citizens use rapid transit systems to go around the city conveniently and swiftly. In the Philippines, riding the MRT is called a challenge.

The MRT needs a lot of fixing, but it will not happen anytime soon if the Metro Rail Transit Corp. (MRTC), the owner, and DOTC, the operator, are pointing fingers to each other over who is to blame for the deterioration of the train system. DOTC cites MRTC’s failure to maintain the system, while the latter blames the other for failing to provide sufficient funds.

The poor state of the MRT reflects the transportation system of the country: unsafe, inconvenient and inefficient.

In the end, the true challenge for our government officials is not to brave the long lines, cramped spaces and uncomfortable ride, but to find a lasting solution, not only to the MRT’s problems, but to the terrible transportation system of the Philippines. Sadly, it is easier for our government officials to drench themselves in ice-cold water than fix the mess that is MRT. *** When several Thomasians participated in the “Stand Up, Sign Up Against All Forms of Pork!” protest march in Luneta last August, there were comments on the social media accounts of the Varsitarian that criticized the students for joining such rallies, saying it was something that “Thomasians shouldn’t be in” and “adds to the chaos of the society.” The worst one said students should just “stay in the classroom and study.”

They described protesting like it was something disgraceful. Voicing out one’s dismay over the government’s incompetence and budget mismanagement is never a shameful act. It is a form of expression, a practice recognized by our Constitution. Every Thomasian student has the right to participate in protests.

It is because of protests that women were given the right to vote, why segregation ended in the United States, why slavery was outlawed, and why the international labor standard is eight hours of work a day.

In the Philippines, we would not have ousted a dictator if we didn’t take to the streets to express our collective indignation. More recently, President Aquino would not have suddenly changed his position on the removal of the PDAF if Filipinos remained quiet.

Erratum

In its previous issue last August 22, 2014 (Vol. LXXXVI No. 2), the publication erred when it captioned a photo as that of "Arsobispo Socrates Villegas," above the story "Bagong Ebanghelisasyon isinulong ni Arsobispo Villegas" on page 3, when it is Archbishop Teodoro Bacani.

Also, in its literary portfolio, Montage, the publication erred when it spelled John Jack Wigley as John Jack Wigely.

The Varsitarian would like to apologize for the errors.

6 Features

The Varsitarian SEPTEMBER 29, 2014

Editor: Juan Carlos D. Moreno

Gerald Tamayo

Casting a ray of hope WITH the advent of technology, one action could change one’s fate.

Several doors opened for Gerald Tamayo, a 10-year-old kid asking for alms along Dapitan street, when a video showing how he solves Mathematical equations given by the College of Commerce and Business Administration students went viral.

Chelsea Luzanta, the marketing student who took the video of Gerald, did not expect the video would be a hit.

“He said that he’s good in math so we asked him questions to test his skills and surprisingly, he got it all right,” Chelsea shared.

The night she uploaded the video on her Facebook timeline, Chelsea was surprised by the overwhelmingly positive response.

“The day after uploading the video, we were very surprised because we didn’t have any motive why we uploaded it, we were just amazed by his skills and apparently, many people seem to agree,” she said.

His video has touched the hearts of many.

“Gerald made me realize the value of education. Gerald made me appreciate education because not everyone is given a privilege to study,” CJ Bisig commented.

The Dapitan math whiz learned the fast way of solving equations through a group of Civil Engineering students from the University by teaching him do the arithmetic.

Stepping into the street life Gerald’s inspiring story was featured in GMA Network’s “Wish Ko Lang.” He stays with his grandmother and his two siblings.

Their mother had gone away.

The poverty that put to rest boundless dreams of people was the same poverty that made the kid drop out of school.

“Natigil po ako sa pag-aaral kasi nabasa po ‘yong libro ko kasi wala kaming bahay kasi walang pakialam sa amin mama ko,” he said. “Umiyak nga po ako kasi hindi ako makapag-aral.

Naiingit ako sa ibang tao kasi sana grade four na ako.”

Living in the streets, Gerald’s means of earning money is to sell sashes of sampaguita.

However, he does this with a twist—he shows off his math prowess so that he could convince his customers to buy the flowers.

Despite his situation, Gerald’s hope never wavered and still continues to hold on to his dreams.

“Gusto ko pong makatulong sa lola ko.

Gusto ko pong maging engineer.”

‘The Gerald Project’ Alicia Ngipen, an alumna of the University and a daughter of the founder of Aster DM Healthcare-Philippines, granted Gerald with a college scholarship at the University to study Civil Engineering in

the future. Furthermore, the company will also give Gerald monthly allowance so that he could finish his elementary and secondary school.

Born from the core of an inspiring story, The Gerald Project, spearheaded by the marketing students, aims to help Gerald by selling loom bands to her block mates and give the proceeds to the kid.

The accomplishment of The Gerald Project sparked a larger idea for these students.

Their goal is to send out-of-school youths to schools by focusing on one child at a time.

“We are going to start with Gerald and then when he can now be independent, we will

proceed to another child,” Mhoe Murillo, one of the marketing students, said.

Through these helping hands, Gerald is given a chance to actualize his dream of becoming a Civil Engineer.

“Whenever I see Gerald with a smile on his face you would realize how much you take things for granted. He really made me realize how to be appreciative and thankful,” Mhoe said.

Truly, Gerald Tamayo’s story is a ray of hope for everyone.

SEPTEMBER 29, 2014

COPYRIGHT and financial woes are threatening to destroy the last torch that bears what remains of the flames of Philippine cinema.

Despite the 92,000-strong audience of the 10th edition of Cinemalaya Film Festival garnered, the acclaimed festival faces an uncertain future.

Last August 9, on the eve of the 10th Cinemalaya awards night, movies from the 2011 and 2012 editions of Cinemalaya were uploaded on YouTube by the management, without any consent

BASILIO H. SEPE

f r o m producers or directors.

Cinemalaya Foundation c h a i r m a n T o n y b o y Cojuangco- m a j o r benefactor of the festival for the l a s t

nine years-- apologized to the filmmakers on his opening remarks during the awards night. However, he lamented that the festival has “reached plateau” and must find ways to become sustainable.

“We uploaded the movies on YouTube so people will know what

Cinemalaya is all about,” C o j u a n g c o explained.

“We’re trying to hook people to our movies so they will watch [out] for the next [Cinemalaya].”

The directors and producers affected by the dispute requested for a dialogue with the Cinemalaya management but as of press time, no specific dates have been set.

“Whatever harm that could have happened already happened. With the amount of time the films were exposed in YouTube, downloads would have been abundant,” said Director Jose Javier Reyes in an email interview with The Varsitarian.

Reyes whose film “Ang Mumunting Lihim” won Best Screenplay at the 8th Cinemalaya Festival last 2012, said that even with the Cinemalaya’s blunder, respect is

still due to Cojuangco.

“The filmmakers are demanding respect that is due to them in as much as respect is also due to Mr. Cojuangco, who invested in Cinemalaya for the past nine years and make it what it has become a decade later,” said Reyes.

This year’s edition was funded by the Deparment of Budget and Management through Cultural Center of the Philippines but recent “political developments” has forewarned the management that it can no longer finance the festival.

Cinemalaya Festival Coordiwnator Vicky Belarmino said that the management is trying to handle the issue professionally and wants to keep matters private first with the filmmakers. “All things will be settled with that meeting but as of now, no official word yet regarding the issue,” Belarmino said.

Critical success The 10th stint of Cinemalaya was a critical success with all movies sold-out at least at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

The multi-award winning film “The Janitor” follows the exploits of suspended cop Dennis Trillo as he battles his personal conflicts while investigating a town massacre. The Michael Tuveria-directed film won for Best Director and Best Screenplay.

Meanwhile, Directors’ Showcase winner “Kasal” tackles the challenges

Thomasian artists honor Benavides

By ELYSSA CHRISTINE A. LOPEZ and ALILIANA MARGARETTE T. UYAO

By JELINA ANNE S. BUNAGAN

Photos courtesy of John Salangsang

Workshops.

The A-Team went up against 280 dance crews from more than 40 countries and bested ID CO from New Zealand and Flyographers Dance Team from Russia which bagged silver and bronze, respectively.

Gaining the title of Varsity and Mega Crew Divisions of the World Hip Hop International Philippines-National Champion last May paved the way for A-Team’s participation in the 2014 World Hip Hop International.

The A-team first competed during the Slimmers’ World Step-Up Philippines last October 2011 where they placed second. They went on to win numerous dance competitions abroad such as placing 2nd in the World Supremacy Battlegrounds Varsity Division in Sydney, Australia in December 2012 and then later on earning the championship title in the same competition in December last year.

The A-Team was founded by Angelica and Michael Jordan Arda, two of the country’s most sought after coaches in the Philippine Hip Hop community.

To perform on the world stage, the group had to raise funds through concerts and mall tours. It also got support from SM supermalls

and other sponsors.

“Every time we have mall tours and concerts, we have a donation box that we pass around so we could collect some amount to help us with our expenses,” Pe said.

A-Team, along with another Filipino group, Romancon Dance Company from the College of Saint Benilde, anchored the banner of the Philippines in the world dancing arena.

Trading sweat for success The road to victory wasn’t easy.

Ignacio sacrificed his time for his family because of his commitment with the A-Team while Escano, being then an incoming graduating student, had a hard time completing his internship hours while training.

“I had a very early shift during my internship so it was hard to keep up when my I get home at already 12 midnight from training,” Escano said.

On top of everything, two of the members of their crew were denied of a US visa, which forced their coach to make some changes.

“They were one of the strongest dancers in the team so our coach had to reblock,”

Ramos said.

“There were parts that were choreographed only for them that is why it became a struggle on our part but we viewed the situation as a motivation.”

The members set aside their studies first in order to give way to the competition so that their efforts would not be put in vain.

“We prioritized the A-Team first because we worked hard for it and it was expensive to fly in Las Vegas.” Ignacio said.

It was more challenging for Pe to catch up with her studies when she came back from the competition.

“When I got back, it was already the period of my exams and I had no notes at that time, but my friends helped me to cope up so I think I can still make the quota,” she said.

Amid all the pains and struggles the 30-manned crew encountered throughout the whole experience, they did not forget to seek the guidance of their greatest member, the Lord.

“I think our greatest asset is our hold with the Lord,” Pe said. “Even during our trainings, our coaches inspire us to do well through the prayers we offer to Him.”

The Varsitarian Circle

7

Copyright, financial woes hound decade-long Cinemalaya

ASPIRE. Gerald Tamayo is all smiles while chatting with his Thomasian buddies.

Filipino dance crew bested others in world stage

FIVE Thomasians and 25 other dancers from different schools brought home the gold medal in the mega crew division of the 2014 World Hip Hop International dance competition last Aug. 10 in Las Vegas, USA. Juan Paolo Lorenzo Escano, a sports science senior; John Michael Fitzgerald Domingo, an architecture junior; Maria Bettina Pe, a physical therapy freshman; Rene Ignacio III, a fine arts freshman and Ryan Ramos, pre-school education freshman, were among the crew members of the A-Team.

The win marked the first time that the Philippines emerged as champion in the World Hip Hop International mega crew division. The country had brought home titles in the adult crew division when The Crew won in 2012, Armistice in 2011, and the Philippine All Stars in 2009, 2008 and 2006.

C.I.D.G was also victorious in the varsity crew division in 2007.

Hip Hop International, based in Los Angeles, was founded in 2002 and is the producer of several live and televised street dance competitions such as MTV’s Randy Jackson presents America’s Best Dance Crew, the World Hip Hop Dance Championship, the World Battles and Urban Moves Dance

Editor: Kristelle-Ann A. Batchelor

SELECTED alumni of the College of Fine Arts and Design (CFAD) mounted some of their artworks in Benavides II as they celebrated the “good life,” from July 25 to August 20, in Taguig.

Eric Cachero, Rey de Guzman, Jaime de los Santos, Pedro Garcia II, Ninoy Lumboy, Noli Vicedo and Joe Datuin collectively call themselves as the Benavides Art Group, inspired from the Spanish phrase “Buena Vides,” which means the good life in English.

The artists used their own respective medium but were united in their mission to promote “goodness, beauty and truth” through their compositions.

Artistic outlet Painting for more than 14 years, Garcia rendered his life experiences in romanticized tones. “Black & White, Purple & Gray,” showed a couple getting married in subdued hues.

From afar, Lumboy’s “Cosmic Garden VII” may be seen as a mosaic but up close, it showed his own style of painting called “crosshatchism.” The abstract piece is rendered with multiple intersecting parallel lines in vibrant hues, depicting different sizes of circles creating a colorful pattern.

showcased his limited edition sculpture “Dancing Rings” which depicted five metal rings in seeming flight while dancing fluidly together.

Known for his graphic designs, Cachero’s “Cadillac Small” displayed the front view of the famous luxury vehicle in shades of bright orange, purple and blue colors with distinct floral patterns. It was made using acrylic and tempera paint mixed with ink. The simple black and white ornamental sketches as backdrop emphasized the compartmentalization of the diverse colors.

Influenced mostly by the works of his uncle, master painter and printmaker Mario Parial, de Guzman captured frozen time in crashing of the waves during nighttime while two fishes seemingly danced above sea level creating hues in silver and blue splashes in his painting, “Treasures of the Sea.” The artists initially met at the iconic Benavides monument while reminiscing their younger years in the University. This occasion spurred the group to start showcasing pieces, and adopted the University founder’s name.

Retrospective of his life in the province as a child, Vicedo portrayed a farmer in genuflect while holding his crops in “Man’s Harvest.” The piece showcased Vicedo’s own style of cubism with the asymmetrical division of the portrait.

Meanwhile, De los Santos, former dean of CFAD, presented two parallel portraits of a woman shown in different angles clad in an elegant filipiniana titled “Twin Feather I and II.” At first glance, the two seem alike in every nuance of color, aesthetics and counterpart positioning, but there lies a shift in the mood of the background and facial expression of the woman from apparent contentment to despondence.

The lone sculptor in the group, world acclaimed artist Datuin believes in creating a purity of form in his artworks using stainless steel as his ‘honest’ material. Datuin

GOODNESS, BEAUTY, AND TRUTH. Thomasian artists chose their respective medium such as oil on canvas and metal sculpture, to name a few, all under the light of Benavides.

NAZZI M. CASTRO

of a gay couple as they contemplate on the idea of marriage. For the New Breed category, “Bwaya” was awarded Best Film including Best Cinematography. Based on a true story, the film narrates the missing girl attacked by a crocodile in Agusan del Sur. As for the Shorts category, Kevin Ang received the award Best Director for “Lola,” a horror comedy story of the supposed invasion of zombies in Manila and how one gunshot-carrying grandmother tried to protect her family who was turned into zombies by then from further exposure and danger. The short film also garnered the title Best Screenplay out of all the 10 competing short feature films.

Children trained by syndicates to participate in underground wrestling gave “Children’s Show” Best Sound, including Best Supporting actor for one of its main stars, Miggs Cuaderno. Ida Del Mundo’s debut, jury prize-winning film “K’na The Dreamweaver” is a T’Boli epic centering on a young woman’s role as her town’s ‘dreamweaver’. Joel Lamagan’s “Hustisya,” which won for Audience Choice, features Nora Aunor as her character struggles to fit in the seedy and evil side of Manila. BY KRISTELLE-ANN A.

BATCHELOR, ELYSSA CHRISTINE A. LOPEZ, ETHAN JAMES M. SIAT, AND ALILIANA MARGARETTE T. UYAO

8 Filipino

The Varsitarian IKA-29 NG SETYEMBRE 2014

Patnugot: Jonelle V. Marcos

Editor: John Paul R. Autor

SEPTEMBER 29, 2014

The Varsitarian Lenspeak

9

Pagtaguyod sa rehiyonal na panitikan bilang pambansang panitikan Nina ERIKA MARIZ S. CUNANAN at MARIA KOREENA M. ESLAVA MAHALAGA ang gampanin ng mga rehiyonal na panitikan sa pagpapayabong ng pambansang panitikan.

Ito ang naging sentro ng talakayan sa idinaos na taunang pambansang kumperensiya ng Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas (UMPIL) na pinamagatang “Rehiyonal na Panitikan bilang Pambansang Panitikan” noong ika-28, 29, at 30 ng Agosto sa Communication Auditorium ng College of Mass Communication, University of the Philippines (UP) – Diliman.

Pagsasalaysay ni Rosario Lucero, propesor ng Filipino sa UP, nagsimula ang muling pagkabuhay ng interes sa rehiyonal na panitikan sa pangangailangan ng mga mag-aaral ng panitikang Filipino na bumabalik pa sa kanikanilang mga probinsiya upang humagilap ng mga lumang teksto at akda.

“Naghanap sila sa mga baul ng mga akda kaya naman sumibol ang mga mananaliksik ng kultura at wika mula sa iba’t ibang rehiyon,” aniya.

Matatandaang umiral ang panitikang Ingles

sa bansa hanggang sa mga huling taon ng dekada ’60 kaya naman napilitan ang mga mag-aaral noon ng panitikan na saliksikin ang kanikanilang mga sariling rehiyon para sa mga akdang tila nabaon sa limot nang dumating sa bansa ang panitikang banyaga.

Dagdag pa rito, naging malaking bahagi ang pagkakaroon ng Wikang Pambansa sa pag-usbong ng diwang makabayan ng mga Filipino na siya namang naging sanhi ng paglulunsad ng Philippine Studies.

Ayon kay Lucero, malaki ang naitulong ng pagtuklas ng mga manunulat sa mga rehiyonal na panitikan na siyang bumubuo sa malaking bahagi ng identidad ng bansa.

Dahil dito, hindi na nakakulong ang mga Filipino sa

Usapang Uste MULA PAHINA 2 P. Angel Aparicio, O.P., prefect of libraries.

Tomasino Siya Alam n’yo ba na isang Tomasino ang isa sa mga nangunguna sa larangan ng kimika sa bansa?

Si Trinidad Palad-Trinidad, nagtapos ng BS Chemistry noong 1970 sa Unibersidad, ay kasalukuyang humahawak ng titulong Scientist II (career scientist) sa Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) ng Department of Science and Technology (DOST) mula pa noong 2002.

Siya ang nangasiwa sa mga mahahalagang pag-aaral na may kinalaman sa absorption of calcium in the human colon at ng functional carbohydrates dito sa bansa. Isa siya sa mga dalub-agham na nagpasimula ng pag-aaral tungkol sa iron absorption na galing sa mga pagkaing Filipino o regional meals ng bansa. Kabilang rin siya sa mga dalub-agham na sumulat ng pagaaral na pinamagatang “The effect of different iron fortificants on iron absorption from iron-fortified rice” na nailathala noong 2002.

Dagdag pa rito, kasama siya sa mga sumulat ng pag-aaral na saklaw ng Human and Clinical Nutrition tungkol sa sobrang timbang at labis na katabaan ng mga Asyanong kabataan, na nailimbag noong 2011 sa British Journal of Nutrition.

Aktibo siya sa mga proyekto ng pamahalaan tungkol sa pagkain at kalusugan. Kabilang sa mga proyektong kanyang nahawakan ay ang “The Technical Working Group

Formalistikong paraan ng pagsusuri na tumutukoy sa nilalaman, kaanyuan o kayarian at paraan ng pagkakasulat ng akda.

Nagsimulang maudyok ang mga mag-aaral na gumawa ng teorya at metodolohiya ng pagsusuri mula mismo sa mga akda, imbis na lapatan ito ng mga teorya na galing sa iba. “ S a pagbabago ng kahulugan n g

Wikang Pambansa, bumukas ang mas marahas, mas malikhaing paraan ng pagsusuri sa panitikang rehiyonal. Ang premaryang akdang pangrehiyonal ang naging batis ng metodolohiya ng pagsusuri,” ani Lucero.

Binanggit na halimbawa ni Lucero ang disertasyon ni Alvin Yapan, propesor ng Filipino sa Ateneo de Manila, na hinggil sa pagsusuri sa panitikang rehiyonal na may salin sa

on Functional Foods,” “The Technical Review Committee for the Clinical Practice Guidelines on Prevention,” “Diagnosis and Management of Osteoporosis in the Philippines,” at “The Body Composition Studies.”

Mula 2004 hanggang 2006, nagsilbi siyang nutrition scientist sa International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), isang ahensya ng United Nations sa Vienna, Austria na naglalayong magtaguyod na ligtas at mapayapang syensiya at teknolohiyang may kinalaman sa enerhiyang nuclear.

Ang kanyang laboratoryo ang nagsilbing sentro ng IAEA para sa Regional On-the-Job Training on the In Vitro Mineral Availability from Foods and Meals in Asia and the Pacific bilang bahagi ng IAEA RAS 7010 Project on The Effectiveness of Iron Supplement in Asia and the Pacific kasama ang mga bansang China, Malaysia, Pakistan, Thailand, Vietnam, at Indonesia.

Pinarangalan siyang Professional of the Year Award in the field of Chemistry ng Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) noong 2007. Nabigyan na rin siya ng Award of Recognition ng FNRIDOST. Sa kabila ng mga ito, hindi pa rin nalilimutan ni Trinidad ang pagpapanatili ng kanyang pagkakakilanlan bilang isang Tomasino sa pamamagitan ng kaniyang pagsusumikap at patuloy na paninilbihan sa bansa sa kabila ng maraming benepisyong maaari niyang makuha sa ibang panig ng mundo. Kimberly Joy V. Naparan Tomasalitaan Lútoy (PNG) – sugat na dulot ng apoy.

Hal.: Agad itinakbo sa ospital

wikang Filipino.

Sa disertasyon ni Yapan, ginamit niya ang mga salin sa Filipino sa pagsusuri ng panitikang rehiyonal upang tukuyin ang dalumat at espasyo sa kontemporaneong panitikang Filipino na nag-ugat sa katutubong panitikan.

Pinabulaanan sa naturang disertasyon ang paratang na ang pagkamalilimutin ng mga katutubo ang sanhi ng paguulit-ulit sa epiko.

Sinadya ito ng mga ninuno at isang uri ito ng kanilang paraan sa pagsusulat.

Pagbibigay diin ni Lucero, hindi na mahalaga kung paulitulit at magkakahawig ang balangkas ng panitikan mula sa iba’t ibang rehiyon. Ang higit na dapat pagtuunan ng pansin ay ang pagpapayabong ng mga ito.

“Ang mga manunulat sa kani-kanilang rehiyon ay walang pananagutan. Sila ang may karapatang pumili kung ano ang kanilang isusulat, paano nila isusulat, saan sila susulat at lalo na sa anong wika sila magsusulat.

Hayaan natin sila sa kanilang kalayaan,” aniya.

Ayon naman kay Joseph Salazar, tagapangulo ng Kagawarang ng Filipino sa Ateneo, ang didaktisismo— isang partikular na pilosopiya

sila Mako at Em matapos silang magtamo ng lutoy sa kanilang katawan at mukha mula sa biglaang pagsiklab ng siga.

Mga Sanggunian The Varisitarian Tomo XVII, Blg. 12, Setyembre 25, 1947.

News in Print, Miguel de Benavides Library, Isyu Blg. 51, Marso 2006.

Ambassador Ramon Del Rosaio Sr. Nakuha mula sa http://www. philstar.com/business/ 402954/ambassador-ramon-delrosario-sr Ambassador Ramon Del Rosaio Sr. Nakuha mula sa http://www. gmanetwork.com/ news/story/118987/economy/ phinma-founder-ramon-v-delrosario-90 2008 TOTAL Awards 2014 Souvenir Program.

Trinidad Palad-Trinidad. (The effect of different iron fortificants on iron absorption from iron-fortifies rice). Nakuha mula sa http://www. pubfacts.com/author/ Trinidad+Palad+Trinidad.

Trinidad Palad-Trinidad. (Ethnic differences in the relationship between body mass index and percentage body fat among Asian children from different backgrounds). Nakuha mula sa http://journals.cambridge.org/action/ displayAbstract? fromPage=online&aid=8415158 &fileId=S0007114511001681.

Trinidad Palad-Trinidad.

Nakuma mula sa http://www.ncbi. nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/ 12362796.

International Atomic Energy Agency. Nakuha mula sa http://www. iaea.org/About/about-iaea.html.

sa sining at panitikan na nagbibigay-diin sa ideya na ang iba’t ibang porma ng huli ay naglalayong makapagbigay ng impormasyon at katuwaan— ang salik na matagal nang nanggugulo at matagal pang manggugulo sa anumang pagtatangka ng tradisyong kritikal dito sa Filipinas.

Gayong malayo na ang narating ng ating panitikan na matagal nang kumakatha ng subersibong salita sa pagbubuo ng kamalayang pambansa, patuloy naman tayong minumulto ng didaktisismo—isang sining, agham, o pamamaraan ng pagtuturo.

“Patuloy ang pagpapatibay ng didaktisismo bilang salik sa tradisyong kritikal dito sa Filipinas ngunit ang didaktisismo ay hindi lamang isang puwersa na tumutukoy sa nakaraan ngunit mahalaga ring salik na nagpapalabnaw sa isang kolektibong kamalayan upang tanggapin ang kaniyang kawalan ng kapangyarihan,” ani Salazar.

Rehiyonal na panitikan sa mga pelikula Binigyang-pansin din sa kumperensiya ang kaugnayan ng panitikan sa pelikula, maparehiyonal man o pambansa.

Ani Michael Coroza,

associate professor sa Ateneo at kalihim pangkalahatan ng UMPIL: “[ang pelikula] marahil ang pinakapaboritong anyo ng sining ng maraming kabataan [sa panahon ngayon] kaya napakahalagang pag-usapan ang paksang ito.”

Paliwanag niya, marami sa mga manlilikha ng pelikula ang may paglingunang ginagawa sa mga teksto ng ating panitikan kaya posibleng ang huli ay nadadala na nila sa larangan ng pelikula.

Bagaman hindi na nalalayo ang pelikulang rural sa pelikulang lungsod sa pagtatagpo ng kanilang biswal na elemento, nananatiling magkasalungat ang dalawa.

Para naman kay John Iremil Teodoro, propesor ng Filipino sa Miriam College, nakatutulong ang mga pelikulang rehiyonal sa pagsusulong ng paggamit ng mga rehiyonal na wika.

“Ang mga pelikula mula sa mga rehiyon ay maaaring maging behikulo upang mag-ambag ang mga rehiyonal na wika sa pagbuo ng isang tunay na pambansang wikang Filipino,” aniya.

UBAN

(Topmost photos, from left to right) The UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe successfully mount a pyramid. The UP Pep Squad feature a rainbow-theme, symbolizing equality. UST courtside reporter Kristelle Batchelor smiles for the crowd. (Second row) The rainbow flag of UP is passed around the audience. (Above two photos) The UP Pep Squad wait patiently for the verdict. The NU Pep Squad celebrate after notching back-to-back titles.

Ang pagtitig nila sa akin ay puno ng pagsinta, pagtawag nila’y natatangi at sa pandinig pari’y halina.

Sa talampakan ma’y pasakit, baiwang nilang pumapalya na, gulugod pa rin ay iniuunat matapos kalingain ng silya.

Aking mga paa, gamìt at maugat man, ay kalahati pa lang ng buhay ang nalalakaran; pagtindig ng mga ito’y sa kanila lamang natutuhanang pagbagal nila ngayo’y pagsulong ko ang dahilan.

Sadyang kay sarap tanawin ng kalangitan sa umaga, papawiring ‘di ko magigisnan kung ‘di sa akin pinatingala; ipinid ko man ngayon at isara’ng aking mga mata, yao’y ‘di ko gano’n matitignan sa kanlungan ng iba.

ALPINE CHRISTOPHER P. MOLDEZ

Alunsina FROM PAGE 5 Espanyol, ngunit madalang ang Filipino.

Parating may kahating lahi sa pagka-Filipino ng mga Filipino. Kung mamalasin, umaabot pa ng sang-katlo, sang-kapat, maging sang-lima ang lahi na nakikihati sa pagkatao ng mga Filipino. Nang lumaon, nagkaroon na rin ng Filipino-Tsino-Koreano-EspanyolAmerikano o kaya nama’y FilipinoHapones-Italyano-Thai-Russo. Hangga’t may mahuhukay na ibang lahi sa kanilang dugo, hindi papayag ang mga Filipino na

(Left to above) A 'Gawi member stretches in full during a stunt. SDT members are jubilant upon announcement of their victory. (Photos below, clockwise from bottom) The UST SDT are all cheers after returning to the podium. NU fans cheer for their pep squad. The Salinggawi Dance Troupe incorporated colorful cloths in their routine.

basta na lamang sila Filipino. Dahil sa mga kadahilanang ito, masasabing hindi tayo handa sa integrasyon. Hangga’t hindi nagiging malinaw sa isipan ng mga Filipino ang kanilang pagkakakilanlan, hangga’t hindi nagiging mahigpit ang kanilang kapit sa kung ano ang tunay na Filipino, mananatiling mga tulog na hipon na tatangayin ng agos ng globalisasyon ang mga Filipino.

Darating ang dapithapon ng 2015 na naghihingalo ang lahing Filipino. Naghihikahos maki-ayon sa globalisasyon, nagpupumilit makipagsabayan sa ibang bayan, patuloy na umuusad, ngunit walang napatutunguhan, nalilimutan ang pagkakakilanlan.

10 Limelight

The Varsitarian

SEPTEMBER 29, 2014

Acting Art Director: Keno Carlo C. Enriquez

By ANGELICA P. ABELLO

BEN N' VIDES NI KIRSTEN M. JAMILLA

FROM PAGE 2 Asian university ranking, climbing to 141st from last year's 150th. Ateneo slid to 115 from last year’s 109 whereas La Salle improved its rank placing in the 151-160 bracket from 151-200 last year. Ateneo de Davao University also made an appearance, placing in the 251-300 range.

The Massachusetts Institute

DAP FROM PAGE 2 regarding issues like the pork barrel," Songco said, who was also present during the protest along with other officers of the OSA. Alexander Cairo, a Legal Management sophomore, was one of those who participated in the protest.

“Sumali ako kasi gusto ko ipakita na kahit estudyante ay may pakialam sa ganitong mga isyu,” he said.

In an interview with the Varsitarian, Most Rev. Broderick Pabillo, Auxiliary Bishop of Manila

Organisasyon MULA PAHINA 2 Ayon naman kay Hernandez, hindi nagkulang ang OSA sa pagpapaalala sa mga opisyal ng mga organisasyon tungkol sa LTS. “I have a proof of an e-mail addressed to their organizations, plus the announcements regarding the LTS that were disseminated online through social media accounts such as

K to 12 FROM PAGE 1 Rene Tadle said no concrete plans had been presented to the faculty members.

Tadle also said that USTFU had reached out to the University administration as early as 2012 to include the faculty in discussions relating to the K to 12, but to no avail.

Aside from teachers and administrators, parents also want representation.

Revenendo Vargas, board

Rookies FROM PAGE 12 against Adamson University in the eliminations and two against La Salle in the finals.

They also swept the individual awards as Rondina was crowned Most Valuable Player while Rivera was named Rookie of the Year.

"Malaking achievement kasi Rookie of the Year [ako], pero mas masaya na nag-champion kami, na nakuha namin ‘yung title [even] as rookies," Rivera said.

The Varsitarian Sports

11

Salinggawi 3rd in cheerdance tilt

TOM-ASH-ANN NI MARIA AURORA A. GONZALES

QS

SEPTEMBER 29, 2014

Editor: Paul Kennedy A. Lintag

of Technology remained the top university worldwide after posting a perfect score of 100. United Kingdom’s University of Cambridge regained second place with a 99.4 score from Harvard University, 99.3, which is now fourth after the Imperial College of London, 99.4.

Meanwhile, the National University of Singapore emerged as the top Asian university in this year’s world rankings with a score of 91.1, climbing to the 22nd spot from 24th last year.

UST landed in the 401-500 bracket in 2008, the highest ranking for the University since the survey started in 2004.

The London-based consultancy based its rankings on five criteria, namely: academic reputation (40 percent), employer reputation (10 percent), faculty to student ratio (20 percent), citations per faculty (20 percent), international faculty ratio (5 percent) and international student ratio (5 percent). DAYANARA T. CUDAL

and Chairman of the Committee on Public Affairs of the Catholic Bishop's Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), said that the CBCP not only supports UST in its participation against corruption, but even encourages students to be involved.

“Hindi lang kami in favor [sa participation sa mga protests], ine-encourage pa namin ang mga estudyante na maging involved sa mga ganitong issues kasi may kinalalaman ito sa mga buhay nila.

Dito rin nila pinapakita ang kanilang maturity, they are involved for the good of the society,” said Pabillo.

Pabillo added, “It [student involvement] doesn't affect UST's

position as a Pontifical University.

Bahagi ng ating Catholic teachings ay ang preaching of the church and part of [that] is to encourage citizens to be participative sa nangyayari sa lipunan, In fact it would really show na ang education sa UST ay may impact sa kanila [students].”

Also present during the protest were students from the Faculty of Civil Law, Arts and Letters, UST Theological Society, UST Yellow Jackets, youth movements such as the League of Filipino Students and Youth Act Now, along with national organizations such as Anakbayan, Anakpawis, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, Bayan Muna, Gabriela and Kabataan.

Last year, the Supreme Court (SC) declared the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel as unconstitutional. In a decision last July 1, the SC also declared the DAP as partially-unconstitutional.

The sign-up drive for the People's Initiative Movement aims to collect a total of six million signatures to legislate a law abolishing all forms of pork.

Around 6,000 signatures were collected on that day, with the expectation of gathering sufficient signatures before the end of the year.

According to the Philippine Constitution, a People’s Initiative is a mechanism that allows Filipinos

to directly propose laws through a petition signed by at least 10 percent of the total registered voters, of which every legislative district is represented by at least three percent of the registered voters thereof.

The Commission on Elections is tasked to evaluate the People’s Initiative if it gathers enough signatures for a referendum.

Students from the University of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila, De La Salle University, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, San Beda College and St. Scholastica’s College-Manila were also in attendance. DAYANARA T. CUDAL AND ARIANNE F. MEREZ

Facebook,” aniya. “On our part, kapag kami ang nagkulang, we give way. But if we took all the [necessary] measures, wala na kaming magagawa.”

Kasama sa mga benepisyo ng pagkilala sa mga organisasyon ang karapatang maningil ng membership fee at gumamit ng mga pasilidad ng Unibersidad para sa mga proyekto nito.

Kahit na hindi kinilala ng Unibersidad, patuloy ang pagsasagawa ng TWG ng mga workshops at

seminar sa mga miyembro nito sa mga pampublikong lugar. Ito rin ang naging gawain bago ito maging ganap na organisasyon ang TWG noong 2008, ayon kay Villanueva.

“This year’s non-recognition has not crippled the guild in terms of its primary objective which is to hone the writing skill of its members. As a writing guild, the focus is more on developing the skill of the individuals who comprise it,” aniya.

Samantala, sinubukang kunin ng

Varsitarian ang panig ng APO ukol sa kanilang non-recognition bilang isang fraternity, subalit tumanggi itong magbigay ng pahayag.

Kasalukuyang may 190 na kinikilalang organisasyon ang Unibersidad, kasama ang mga iba’t ibang college-based organizations at dalawang bagong universitywide organizations, ang Bosconian Thomasian Youth Movement at Thomasian Film Society. DAYANARA T. CUDAL

Jins

member of the UST High School Parents’ Association and founding chairman of the Parents Advocacy for Children’s Education (PACE), said parents were not consulted in the K to 12 discussions both in the University and the national level. Parents have been seeking for representation in K to 12 discussions since 2011, he said.

“We should be consulted because we are the ones affected. The fact that we chose these schools, kami dapat ang mag-establish ng partnerships [with the school] but what happened is parang naisantabi kami,” he said.

The K to 12 scheme does not assure employment after senior

high school, Vargas pointed out.

PACE is planning to collect one million signatures to pressure the government to suspend the K to 12 implementation, he said.

More faculty This year, the University hired more faculty members despite retrenchments elsewhere due to the implementation of K to 12.

Data from the Office for Faculty Evaluation and Development showed that 87 faculty members retired last year while 130 new faculty members were hired this academic year as of July 8.

A study by the Commision on Higher Education and the Department of Labor and Employment claims that an estimated 85,000 teaching and nonteaching staff nationwide are at risk of displacement once the K to 12 program is fully implemented in 2016.

The K to 12 Program or the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 requires two additional years of education. In 2016, fourth-year high school students will enroll in Grade 11 instead of going to first-year college.

Grade 12 will be introduced the following year. ARIANNE F. MEREZ AND JEROME P. VILLANUEVA

In the men’s division, the Tiger Spikers lost a winner-take-all Game 3 to NU, 21-19, 18-21, 15-17.

The Tiger Spikers failed to avenge their Season 76 defeat and had to settle for second place anew while the Bulldogs complete a historic three-peat.

Both squads pushed each other to the limit with the deciding set highlighted by 10 deadlocks, the last one at 15 points apiece.

In the end, Edwin Tolentino and Josephenry Pipay each connected for NU to seal another title for the Bulldogs, 17-15.

Coach Lontoc remained positive even after NU took another title at the

expense of his Tiger Spikers.

"Masaya pa rin [ako]. Mag-aral na lang tayo sa pagkukulang natin at 'yung tama, itama pa natin ng todo," he said.

The Bulldogs arrived at championship point first after a quick hit from Tolentino, 12-14, before the duo of Guzman and Mark Alfafara, the reigning Philippine National Games champions, came alive and forced a deuce at 14-all.

Tolentino answered back for NU, 14-15, but Guzman kept the Tiger Spikers alive with a down-the-line smash, 15-all.

In the first set, UST went on a quick 5-0 run to steal the victory and take an

early 1-0 lead, 21-19.

Veteran spiker Alfafara, who played his last UAAP game on the sand court, had mixed emotions on ending his collegiate career with another secondplace finish.

"Masakit kasi ayoko namang um-exit ng hindi champion pero para sa akin great season pa rin 'to. Hindi naman kami lugi sa season na 'to," said Alfafara, who will graduate after this season. "Hindi man kami 'yung nasa pinakataas, lumaban pa rin kami."

NU's Pipay was crowned Most Valuable Player in the men's division, while Edward Camposano of UE was named Rookie of the Year.

WELCOME back.

Four years since their last podium finish, the UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe (SDT) returned to prominence with a thirdplace finish in the 2014 UAAP Cheerdance Competition at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last Sept. 14.

With a near-perfect execution of a Chinese-themed routine, SDT climbed four notches from their seventh place finish last season to bag the bronze medal and a P140,000 cash prize. SDT got a total of 625 points.

With visually entertaining props, SDT stunned the audience through their sevenman pyramid stunts, air flips, high tosses and synchronized floor tumbling.

SDT also formed the letters “UST” in the finale of their performance, drawing loud cheers from the record 22,093 UAAP fans in attendance.

Salinggawi team captain MC de la Cruz said their worst finish last season served as their motivation to display a podium-worthy performance this year. “’Yung last year po, hindi na po namin tinitingnan as failure, parang gusto na lang po namin siyang tingnan as motivation.

Syempre, kapag nalaglag ka, gusto mo na babangon ka bigla. From the ashes, gusto naming umangat,” De la Cruz said.

Defending champion National University Pep Squad made true of their “Bark to Back” battle cry and won a second straight cheerdance title, scoring 677.5 points with a breathtaking Indian American-themed routine. The University of Philippines Pep Squad settled for second place anew, garnering a total of 658 points from their equality-themed performance.

De La Salle University, which performed a space-themed routine, fell out of the Top three and landed at sixth with 557 points.

The pirate-inspired Adamson University Pep Squad surprised everybody and won fourth place after earning 600 points.

Far Eastern University (599.5), University of the East (503) and Ateneo de Manila (494.5) placed fifth, seventh and eighth respectively.

Salinggawi and UP are still the winningest teams in cheerdance history with eight championships apiece.

Completing their comeback, SDT also won second place in the group stunts category after garnering 251 points behind new champion FEU. NU placed third.

For this year’s edition of the cheerdance competition, the panel of judges was composed of local and international choreographers and cheerdance coaches, namely Douglas Nierras, Jean Marc Cordero, Bong Tan, Nancy Crowe, Celine Tanjuatco, Yeeming Tan, Beverly Hon, Bernard Daniel Puatu and Paula Isabel D. Nunag.

The criteria for judging were divided into two categories: cheerleading and dance.

The cheerleading criteria included tumbling (100 points), stunts (100 points), pyramids (100 points) and tosses (100 points).

The dance criteria included overall effect (10 points), choreography (30 points), technique (30 points) and group execution (30 points).

The Salinggawi Dance Troupe, who featured a Chinese-themed routine, notched the bronze medal in the UAAP 77 cheerdance competition where National University gained back-to-back titles. BASILIO H. SEPE

Tigresses crash out of Final 4 after loss to FEU

By JOSIAH DARREN G. SAYNES

2nd round surge push UST Paddlers to Final Four

By JOSIAH DARREN G. SAYNES

FROM PAGE 12 season, ended up with only one gold, two silver and two bronze medals.

UP and La Salle tied for first place with two gold, one silver and one bronze medals but the Fighting Maroons claimed their first title on aggregate.

Veteran Marvin Vidal was the lone gold medalist for UST after posting a score of 8.29 over UP’s Dustin Mella and Raphael Mella, who registered 8.16 and 8.12, respectively.

The UST triads of Airish Cenizal, Raisa Libiran and Jazmine Abenirin of the women’s division and Ronel Avenido, Adrian Ang and Joseph Calo of the men’s group both got silver medals.

UST poomsae head coach Rani Ortega lauded her team for a stellar performance, despite being a rookieladen squad.

“I’m really happy for everyone especially doon sa mga first time magUAAP. They really performed well and their performance today was better than what we do in training,” Ortega told the Varsitarian.

Paddlers FROM PAGE 11 upset in the fourth match but V Lupeba failed to match the aggressiveness of the FEU side and came up short in the deciding fifth game, 0-3.

“Nahuli ng kalaban ‘yung line up namin,” Lady Paddlers head coach Lori Wadjad said. “’Yung expected manalo, hindi nanalo.”

With a twice-to-beat disadvantage, Lady Paddlers will take on the defending champion and top-seeded University of the Philippines in the playoffs.

THE UST Paddlers banked on a strong finish in the elimination round to enter the Final Four of the UAAP Season 77 table tennis tournament at the Blue Eagle Gym in Ateneo de Manila University last Sept. 29.

The Tiger Paddlers notched the second seed and a twice-to-beat advantage in the playoffs after posting an 11-3 record behind undefeated De La Salle University.

The Lady Paddlers leaned on two crucial victories late in the second round to secure the last spot of the Final Four with a 7-5 card.

In men’s play, the Tiger Paddlers survived a late scare from National University after the Bulldogs forced a deciding fifth game.

UST's Kevin Enriquez pulled off a stellar performance in the clincher to save his team with a 3-1 win.

UST also defeated Ateneo, Adamson and Far Eastern University to round up an impressive second round where they finished with a 6-1 record.

Returning Tiger Paddlers head coach Jackson Que commended his team for coming out strong in the clutch.

“Mas maganda ‘yung ipinakitang laro ng team, mas nailabas nila ‘yung skills nila,” Que said. “’Yung prediction natin na nasa finals tayo, nandun na talaga ‘yung level nila ngayon.”

With the team peaking at the right moment, Que expects a better UST squad come playoff time.

UST holds a twice-to-beat advantage and will face either the University of the Philippines or FEU who will clash in the stepladder semifinals.

La Salle advanced to the finals after sweeping the elimination round.

The Lady Paddlers had to squeak past Season 76 runner-up La Salle, 3-2, after demolishing Adamson, 3-0, to book the last Final Four slot.

But UST closed the elimination round with a 2-3 loss to FEU. Lady Paddler Celinber Montes scored a 3-2 Paddlers PAGE 10

Graduating player Kim Reyes hugs assistant coach Japs Cuan in her last game in the UAAP.

ALVIN JOSEPH KASIBAN

THE UST Growling Tigresses finished at fourth place after faltering anew in the fourth quarter with a 61-62 defeat against the Far Eastern University in the UAAP Season 77 women’s basketball stepladder semifinals at the Mall of Asia Arena last Sept. 21.

With less than a minute remaining in regulation, the Tigresses squandered several possessions that resulted in a resounding 13-2 FEU surge, capped with a Claire Castro layup to snatch the lead from UST, 60-61.

Lore Rivera managed to tie things up again at 61-all after a split from the stripe with 20 seconds remaining, but Lady Tamaraw Lorraine Ventura pushed her squad back on top with a split of her own, 61-62.

UST had 3.8 seconds to come up with a winning play but failed to convert as the Lady Tamaraws completed the comeback victory.

Rivera led the charge for the Tigresses with a double-double performance of 23 points and 14 boards, backed by Maica Cortes’ 10 markers and 23 rebounds.

UST head coach Chris Cantonjos said he was proud of his team’s achievements despite a disappointing outcome.

"We are humbled with what happened. I told the players after the game that I am still proud, knowing we gave everything we got," he said. "We had high expectations this season after winning two titles from four finals in the summer but we understand that you have to be tough in the UAAP." The Tigresses, who last won the championship in 2006, will miss the services of several veterans next season as Rivera, Cortes, Mary Rose Mandilag, Kim Reyes and Kristine Siapoc have all exhausted their playing years in the UAAP. Box scores: UST 61 – Rivera 23, Cortes 16, Reyes 6, Felisarte 4, Peňaflor 4, Siapoc 3, Magdaluyo 3, Angeles 2, Isanan 0, Brillantes 0.

FEU 62 - Arellado 18, Castro 15, Tanaman 12, Ventura 5, Siat 4, Chan 4, Valenzona 2, Gabriel 2, Baldonado 0, Lozano 0, Abat 0.

Quarter scores: 12-11, 31-24, 48-41, 61-62

Pat Barredo: A champion in waiting

By KARL CEDRICK G. BASCO ONE MORE for the dream.

Two-time Palarong Pambansa badminton doubles’ champion Anna Patricia Barredo will have to wait another season to fulfill her dream of leading the UST Female Shuttlers to the UAAP title.

Barredo, the top women’s badminton player of UST for four years now, failed to tow her squad to the Final Four. The Female Shuttlers lost to Far Eastern University in a playoff and settled for fifth place.

Barredo, the former top-ranked Philippine mixed doubles player, was the lone bright spot for the Female Shuttlers this season after winning 12 games, sweeping all her singles matches and winning five out of seven of her doubles games.

The team captain admitted that despite her remarkable campaign this year, she was frustrated about the team’s overall performance and standing.

“I was frustrated especially in our games against UP (University of the Philippines) and Ateneo [de Manila University] because we were the only team that had a good chance of beating them.

Kaso, pinakawalan pa namin,” she told the Varsitarian.

During the Female Shuttlers’ game against the defending champion Ateneo, they were on the brink of a humiliating 0-3 defeat after losing the first two matches. But

Barredo scored an upset against the Lady Eagles’ top duo in the first doubles match to keep the team alive, 1-2.

But UST’s second doubles pair fell to Ateneo, 1-3, and squandered a potential game-winning match of Barredo in the third singles against Janella de Vera.

The Female Shuttlers were almost in the same situation against the undefeated UP squad after Barredo and Steffi Aquino tied the game at 2-2 after winning the second doubles match. But rookie Airish Macalino could not contain the pressure and succumbed in the fifth game.

Barredo did not want to blame any of her teammates in their close defeats but wished she could have played the crucial games.

She said she knew even before the start of the season that she needed to step up and act as the leader.

Barredo said she did not want to be the team captain due to her stoic-like attitude when it came to leadership but nevertheless took the responsibility.

“Personally, I don’t want to be a team captain. I don’t know how to be, but I don’t have a choice. I am the eldest and most senior in the team,” she said.

After her impressive performance in the UAAP, the 20-year-old shuttler was invited to again suit up for the national team.

The UST Shuttler has accepted the offer but has not decided when she will return to the RP team as her parents have not yet

learned her decision.

Barredo had been part of the Philippine team since third year in high school but left during her second year in college after suffering hyperthyroidism, a disease which speeds up one’s metabolism, causing her to experience palpitations and get tired easily.

Despite the setback, the veteran did not regret leaving the national team, saying the bonding with her teammates in UST was totally different from that with her fellow national team mainstays.

“I am happy here in UST because here we treat each other like true siblings. We are a family,” Barredo said.

For her final UAAP stint next year, Barredo vowed to continue chasing her ultimate goal to cap her collegiate years with a title.

Barredo

Sports

SEPTEMBER 29, 2014

The Varsitarian

Tigers suffer worst season since 2010 After two straight finals appearances, the Growling Tigers suffered a string of bad luck and missed the Final Four for the first time since Season 73.

By DELFIN RAY M. DIOQUINO THIS is not our year.

The UST Growling Tigers failed to end their forgettable season on a high note after a 73-78 loss to the University of the East Red Warriors in the UAAP Season 77 men’s basketball tournament at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last Sept. 16.

Graduating team captain Aljon Mariano went all out in his last UAAP game with the Tigers after finishing with a game-high 18 points despite their elimination in the Final Four race by a loss to De La Salle University two games back.

With less than two minutes left in the payoff period, the Growling Tigers trimmed a 12-point deficit to six, 69-75, after Karim Abdul scored four straight points.

However, Mariano’s fifth and last foul led to UE’s Roi Sumang sealing the win with a dagger layup, 77-69.

Abdul and Ed Daquioag, who contributed 16 and 13 points, respectively, still tried to salvage

UST by scoring four more points, but came up short as the time expired.

The Growling Tigers finished the season at sixth place with a 5-9 record and will miss the Final Four for the first time since Season 73 when they landed at seventh place.

Paolo Pe (9 points) and Kim Lo (7 points), who also played their last game for UST, likewise made their presence felt.

"Overall, 'yung game ng mga bata maganda. Nakita naman ng crowd 'yung fighting pride nila kaya lang 'yung breaks ng game hindi napunta sa atin," Growling Tigers head coach Bong dela Cruz said.

The rookie coach also took the blame for the Tigers’ disappointing season after coming from back-toback finals appearances.

"I failed. The players did their best, pero sa ‘kin nagkaproblema," he said. "’Yung system na in-adopt ko, hindi nag-fit sa team."

After posting a 17-15 first quarter lead, the Growling Tigers looked confused in the second period after committing three consecutive turnovers that led to an 8-0 UE run

courtesy of back-to-back baskets from Chris Javier, 23-17.

But UST went on a 14-3 surge with Lo and Daquioag scoring four points apiece to give the Tigers a fivepoint lead, 31-26, until Dan Alberto pushed the Red Warriors ahead, 3635, going into the second half.

UST never managed to regain the lead in the second half as Charles Mammie, who came late into the game after sitting at the bench in the first half, quickly made an impact inside the paint to help UE build a 13-point lead, 58-45.

Bong Gallanza paced the Red Warriors with 17 points while Alberto scored 15 markers.

Box scores: UST 73 – Mariano 18, Daquioag 16, Abdul 13, Pe 9, Lo 7, Sheriff 6, Vigil 4, Basibas 0, Faundo 0, Gayosa 0, Lao 0, Subido 0.

UE 78 – Galanza 17, Alberto 15, Sumang 10, Varilla 9, Javier 8, Mammie 7, Palma 4, Arafat 3, Guiang 2, Olayon 2, Jumao-as 1.

Quarter scores: 17-15, 35-36, 5060, 73-78.

FLUSTERED. Growling Tigers head coach Bong de la Cruz holds his head in frustration.

ALVIN JOSEPH KASIBAN

Tiger Jins sweep Lady Spikers regain title, Tigers Spikers second anew tourney; Lady Jins, Poomsae team drop to third

By ANGELICA P. ABELLO

By KARL CEDRICK G. BASCO THE UST Tiger Jins swept the competition on their way to another championship while the Lady Jins and the UST poomsae team were dethroned in the conclusion of the UAAP Season 77 taekwondo and poomsae tournament at the Arena in San Juan.

The Tiger Jins escaped both the defending champion De La Salle University and the University of the Philippines with identical 4-3 final tallies to capture their 12th title with an immaculate 6-0 record.

“The men’s team was very consistent since day one. All throughout, they were able to win all the matches,” coach Jasmine Simpao said in an interview.

With the title already under their belt, UST fielded reserve players in its last game against UP but still managed to overpower the Fighting Maroons, 4-3.

In the women’s division, the Lady Jins failed to defend their crown after suffering a heartbreaking 3-4 loss to Far Eastern University to settle at third place.

The defeat put UST’s pulsating 4-3 triumph over UP to waste as the Lady Jins lost a crack at back-to-back championships.

Because of the loss, the Lady Maroons clinched the title with a 5-1 record, while UST tied La Salle for the second-best record as they finished with 4-2 cards apiece.

However, the Lady Jins had to settle for bronze as the Lady Archers registered a total of 27 victories compared with their 25 wins.

“We prepared very hard for this. It was just breaks of the game. Either you make it or not,” Simpao said. “The performance was okay. It’s just that in a competition, there is a winner and a loser.”

UST’s poomsae team also had to settle for third and denied of back-to-back titles.

The Tiger Jins, who swept the competition last Jins PAGE 10

SUPER rookies Rica Jane Rivera and Cherry Ann Rondina capped their maiden season by capturing the UAAP women’s beach volleyball crown.

But the Tiger Spikers suffered another heartbreaking defeat at the hands of National University in Game 3 of the men’s beach volleyball tournament at the University of the East-Caloocan sand court last Sept. 7.

The Lady Spikers won their second title in three years after sweeping De La Salle University in the rubber match, 21-15, 2111.

Rivera and Rondina bucked 'Super rookies' and newly crowned beach queens Rivera and Rondina celebrate a point during the beach volleyball tourney in UE-Caloocan.

BASILIO H. SEPE a slow start and got their game

going in the second set when they posted several 10-point leads on their way to an easy Game 3 win.

With the Lady Spikers at championship point, 20-10, Rivera and La Salle’s Kim Fajardo exchanged service errors, giving UST its third beach volleyball title overall.

"Fast learner sila. Pagdating sa ball training, doon sila lumalamang sa mga kalaban at the same time 'yung ball quickness," said returning beach volleyball head coach Emil Lontoc.

The two Cebuanas dominated the tournament and dropped only three sets, one Rookies PAGE 10

Judokas pull off stunning twin championships FROM zero to hero.

After a dismal finish last year, the UST Judokas regained the UAAP championship after ruling the Season 77 judo tournament held last September 27 to 28 at the Blue Eagle Gym in Ateneo de Manila University.

The Tiger Judokas, who held the crown for two straight seasons before they lost it last year, dethroned Ateneo after collecting 11 medals: one gold, five silver and five bronze for a total of 45 points.

Meanwhile, the Lady Judokas, who were the three-peat champions until they settled for fourth last season, deposed De La Salle University after scoring 42 points off 10 medals: two gold, two silver and six bronze medals.

After scoring only 14 points in the opening day, the Tiger Judokas exploded for 31 points in the last day of the tourney to edge Ateneo’s 43 points and University of the Philippines’s 23 for the crown.

Similarly, the Lady Judokas only managed 11 points against Ateneo’s 30 in the opening day but finished strong to climb up to 42 points

to triumph over the Lady Eagles (32 points) and University of the East (22 points).

“Kailangan naming bumagsak para marealize namin ang mga pagkakamali namin.

Sabi ko sa kanila, kukuhain natin ito ngayon, kahit anong mangyari, kukuhain natin ito,” Lady Judokas head coach Gerard Arce told the Varsitarian.

UST likewise swept the individual awards after Al Llamas and Annie Ramirez were crowned Most Valuable Players in the men's and women's divisions, respectively after winning gold medals.

Llamas won over fellow Thomasian Adrian Mercado with a wazari (half point) takedown in their under 66 kg duel after going undefeated in the elimination round.

Ramirez, on the other hand, prevailed over UE’s Patricia Rosario with an armbar finish in their under 63 kg championship match.

Ednorly San Andres delivered the other gold medal for the Lady Judokas with a last-minute ippon (whole point) against UP's Kristine Yu. "Unexpected ang nangyari. Malakas talaga ang UP at Ateneo. Hindi ko inexpect na 'yung

A Lady Judoka grapples her opponent. ALVIN JOSEPH KASIBAN

non-medalists noon, may medal na ngayon," said Tiger Judokas head coach Steve Esteban, who expected a third or fourth-place finish for UST before the season started.

Brian Lllamas, Daryl Mercado, Joaquin Ponciano, Randolph Dalupiri, Princess Lucman and Mae Bayas entered the championship round of their respective divisions but fell short as they settled for silver.

Sherwin de Rosa, Lucky Flores, Niko Ong, Renzo Cazenas, Kazuki Masaoka, Renielyn Castillo, Tracy Honorio, Lorelei Tolentino, Sueko Kinjho, Jyniene Honorio and Jamaica Ponciano rounded up UST's campaign with bronze medals. DELFIN RAY M.

DIOQUINO