The Varsitarian P.Y. 2017 to 2018 Issue 06

Volume XC, No. 6 • January 31, 2018 THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSIT Y OF SANTO TOMAS Manila, Philippines

PALMA JOINS DOMINICAN FAMILY. Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma embraces Fr. Napoleon Sipalay, Jr., O.P.. prior provincial of Philippine Dominican Province, during his rite to admission to the Dominican Clerical Fraternity. MIAH TERRENZ PROVIDO

‘V’ marks 90th year as nation’s most influential campus newspaper VARSITARIAN alumni in the arts, letters, media, business, sciences, education, and other fields came home to the University on Jan. 20 to raise a glass to the country’s most influential campus paper on its 90th anniversary.

Editors of the ‘V’ vowed to keep the paper’s mission to uphold the truth as they paid tribute to former editors and staff members who lived through the nation’s upheavals over the past nine decades.

“Despite attempts to shake down and suppress the freedom of some media organizations critical of the administration, the V continues to uphold veritas, the truth, and speak out against any form of suppression,” said Amierielle Anne Bulan, editor in chief of the Varsitarian.

Managing Editor Bernadette Pamintuan said the ‘V’ was strongly against efforts to silence dissent. “It has also been using its voice to condemn attempts to erase and desecrate the Filipinos’ collective memory of Martial Law atrocities through the hero’s burial of the late dictator in 2016,” she said.

Anniversary PAGE 6

3 programs launched; years of study reduced

Thomasians protest award for Mocha Uson

By THE VARSITARIAN NEWS TEAM

UST ALUMNI Association Inc. (UAAI) president Henry Tenedero resigned while Alumni Relations Director Cherry Tanodra took an “indefinite sick leave” on Jan. 23 following the furor over the government service award given to Palace Communications Assistant Secretary Margaux “Mocha” Uson.

In a statement, Tenedero apologized to UST Rector Fr. Herminio Dagohoy, O.P. and to alumni and students for the public outcry over the “recognition” given to Uson, a Medical Technology alumna and die-hard supporter of President Duterte who has gained infamy for allegedly spreading fake news.

“I’m taking the pains — kaliwa’t kanan [na] suntok. You know, pag ikaw ay na-bash, pati pamilya mo nasasama, masakit pero as I said that’s part of being a president,” Tenedero told the Varsitarian.

Awards PAGE 14

Oldest Spanish-Chinese dictionary discovered in UST Archives

THE UNIVERSITY is set to offer new undergraduate programs and tracks for Academic Year 2018 to 2019, while programs with five years of study will be reduced to four years.

The Faculty of Arts and Letters will open a fresh undergraduate program in creative writing, which will be holding writing workshops as part of its curriculum.

“The undergraduate program will feed the [Master of Arts] program. [A]nother reason is a lot of undergraduate students have told us that they’re interested in taking up creative writing,” Cristina Pantoja Hidalgo, director of the UST Center for Creative Writing and Literary Studies, told the Varsitarian in an interview.

The UST-Alfredo M. Velayo College of Accountancy will be accepting students to its New programs PAGE 6

“Mocha” Uson (seated, second from left), with other recipients of the “Thomasian Alumni Awards for Government Service.”

MICHAEL ANGELO M. REYES

By DAPHNE YANN P. GALVEZ

Vocabulario de la Lengua Chio Chiu (A Lexicon of the Changzhou Language)

THE OLDEST and largest extant Spanish-Chinese dictionary of its kind has been discovered in the UST Archives by researchers from Taiwan and Spain, said UST Archivist Regalado Trota Jose.

The Vocabulario de la Lengua Chio Chiu (A Lexicon of the Changzhou Language), a 17th century dictionary was discovered by Fabio Yu-Chung Lee, professor from National TsingHua University (NTHU) in Taiwan, and José Luis Caño Ortigosa, professor

from Universidad de Sevilla in Spain during their research of Chinese-related materials at the UST Archives last April.

It took some time for the scholars to confirm the discovery so the UST Archives is making the announcement only now, Jose said.

He added that the discovery of the Spanish-Chinese dictionary showed the involvement of the University with Dictionary PAGE 3

2 News

Editor: Maria Crisanta M. Paloma

JANUARY 31, 2018

Comelec calls for special CSC elections SPECIAL elections to fill vacant posts in the Central Student Council (CSC) Executive Board will push through with only a few months remaining in the academic year, the UST Central Commission on Elections (Comelec) announced on Jan. 27.

In a memorandum posted on Facebook, the Comelec said special elections would be held on Feb. 3 to fill four out of six positions in the CSC that were vacated after the resignations of Steven Grecia, Gabriela Sepulchre, Daveson Nieto and Richard Javier as president, vice president, treasurer and auditor, respectively.

Rules and regulations agreed upon by the CSC and Comelec will be released within the week, the memorandum stated.

Comelec Chairman Arvin Bersonda said the constitution must be followed despite the special elections being “counterproductive.”

“Yes, we’ll still have the special elections. I personally agree that it is already counterproductive but we really have to comply wih the constitution,” Bersonda told the Varsitarian in a text message.

Article 9, Section 7 of the CSC Constitution states that “no special elections shall be held within two months immediately preceding the day of regular election.”

CSC Secretary Therese Gorospe and Public Relations Officer Francis Santos said they had prepared policies for the special elections, and was awaiting for the Comelec’s go-signal.

“Ready na kami actually. May letter na kami, for release na lang,” Gorospe said.

The special elections was postponed last year due to schedule conflicts and suspensions of classes near the end of the semester, Bersonda said.

Lakas Tomasino Coalition bets Grecia, Sepulchre, Nieto and Javier resigned less than a month after being proclaimed winners next to “abstain” on orders of the Central Judiciary Board. K.A. ALABASO and J.A. R. MANAHAN

UST offers first off-campus course on audio tech

By SAMANTHA-WEE LIPANA THE UNIVERSITY launched its first offcampus training program which will offer a three-month certification course on audiological technology for 33 community health workers last Jan. 16 in San Fernando, Pampanga.

Dr. Norberto Martinez, chairman of the UST Department of Otorhinolaryngology said courses on aural health and technology will be given to trainees to enhance their expertise in administering hearing screening and aural tests.

“The objective is to be able to train the [health workers] so they can deal with their own community needs. We wanted to empower the community because the patients may not have the means to see a specialist for their concerns as far as ear and hearing health care is concerned,” Martinez told the Varsitarian.

Martinez said the urge to further educate community workers was due to the shortage of audiologists and ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctors in the Philippines, resulting in huge doctor to patient ratio.

“There should be one ENT [docAtor] per 25,000 people. There are only about 800 ENT doctors all over the country… More so with audiologists, there could be only as little as 30 audiologists all over the country. So you see the big discrepancy in terms of manpower in relation to the population,” Martinez said.

The program, facilitated by two faculty members from the University, convenes every Monday and Tuesday from January to March in which the trainees are given theoretical and hands-on training and will receive a certificate from UST upon completion.

The program is in partnership with the Global Starkey Foundation and funded by the local government of Pampanga.

More audiology courses to be offered offcampus After the launch of the training program in Pampanga, local governments have started to express interest in replicating the project in their respective provinces.

“Tarlac is already interested to get the Audio tech PAGE 3

AWARD. Mocha Uson, assistant secretary of the Presidential Communications Operations Office, is awarded the Thomasian Alumni Award in Government Service by the UST Alumni Association.

MICHAEL ANGELO M. REYES

High School student still missing after ferry tragedy THE MOTHER, teachers and classmates of a UST Junior High School (JHS) student who went missing in a sea accident last December are hoping he would be found, despite no leads on his whereabouts.

Grade 9 student Jake Noel Mendiola was one of three passengers who went missing after the fast craft MV Mercraft III capsized off Real Port in Quezon Province last Dec. 21.

Mendiola’s mother, Dulcenia, said the coast guard gave the fast craft permission to depart at 9:30 a.m. due to the absence of strong winds.

Dulcenia said they were wearing life vests upon boarding the craft, but they had to remove them because it was hot.

Before lunchtime, the fast craft overturned and sunk.

“Pinilit ko pong umibabaw sa tubig.

Nakita ko po si Jake [umiiyak at tinatawag] po ako. Nakita ko pa po siya nasa ibabaw ng bubong [ng] Mercraft III. ‘Di ko [naisip] na mawawala [siya dahil] kita ko po ang lakas ng loob niya,” Dulcenia said.

Dulcenia said her son was trying to get hold of her until huge waves separated them.

“Tinawag po niya ako nang sobrang lakas, ‘Mama nandito po ako halika na po.’

Inabot po niya ang kamay ko… kaso pagakyat ko po may sobrang lakas na alon po na nakapagpahiwalay saamin. ‘Yun po ang huli naming pagkikita,” she said.

Seven people died in the ferry incident.

Jake and Dulcenia Mendiola The vessel had 251 passengers.

Mendiola’s family asked the Maritime Industry Authority to conduct an investigation early in January.

In her affidavit, Dulcenia said the coast guard should be held accountable in the tragedy for allowing the ferry to depart despite bad weather.

Dulcenia said the craft had an overwhelming number of passengers, and it had difficulty moving forward until water came in and people panicked.

The UST-JHS community offered Mass last Jan. 10 for Mendiola’s safety.

“We extended to them our profound hope and prayers for Jake […] It was just so

unfortunate that something like this happened to one of our students,” Principal Marishirl Tropicales said in an email.

Dulcenia described her son as “kind, obedient and affectionate” toward his family.

“Sobrang mabait na anak po [siya]. Wala po akong naging problema sa kanya kaya po sobrang nahihirapan akong tanggapin na hanggang ngayon ay missing [pa din] siya,” Dulcenia said.

Dulcenia said her family was still hopeful Jake would be found.

“Anak kung nasaan ka man, sana ligtas ka. `Di pa rin [kami] nawawalan ng pagasa na sana isang araw [makakabalik] ka sa amin,” Dulcenia said. J.A. R. MANAHAN

Referendum Thomasian tops January 2018 architecture board exams; UST is top-performing school anew FROM PAGE 3

A THOMASIAN topped the January 2018 licensure exams for architects, while the University remained the topperforming school for the third straight year.

UST’s passing rate went up to 85.71 percent, with 120 out of 140 examinees making the cut, results from the Professional Regulation Commission showed.

The passing rate was higher compared with last year’s 81.75 percent, in which 112 passed out of 137 UST examinees.

Thomasian Marc Heinrich Go led the new batch of architects with a score of 85.40 percent.

Paolo Ricci Bambico ranked seventh with 83.10 percent while Melissa Gregorio placed eighth with a score of 82.90 percent.

The national passing rate slid to 57.60 percent or 1,126 out of 1,955 examinees. Last year’s passing rate was 57.62 percent or 919 out of 1,595 examinees. JACOB MARVIN D. URMENITA

isang article then through that, magiinject sila ng mga possible provisions na idadagdag o tatanggalin. But then lahat ng provision na ‘yun [ay] subject to deliberation [at] pagdedebatehan pa ng [Central Board] kung ia-add o hindi,” Santos said.

The final draft of the new constitution will be submitted to the Office of the Rector for approval, and will be subject to a plebiscite to be held from April 16 to 21, concurrent with the regular CSC elections.

In the April 2017 elections, “Abstain” votes won in four out of six posts— president, vice president, treasurer and auditor—sparking calls for a revision of the CSC constitution. SAMANTHAWEE LIPANA

Assistant Editor: Hannah Rhocellhynnia H. Cruz

News 3

JANUARY 31, 2018

Senate committee wants Divina resignation, disbarment UST CIVIL Law Dean Nilo Divina said on Jan. 24 he was not stepping down from his post after the Senate concluded its probe on the hazing death of law freshman Horacio “Atio” Castillo III and asked for his and other Aegis Juris lawyers’ disbarment.

Divina said there was no basis for him to resign as law dean, denying claims of his involvement or negligence in the hazing rites that killed Atio in September of last year.

“There is no basis for stepping down. As I said I am committed to the University and the students,” Divina said in a text message to the Varsitarian.

In a statement released

Wednesday, Divina said he helped in the investigation on Atio’s case and convinced the Aegis Juris fratmen involved to surrender and to attend Senate hearings.

“I understand that as Dean who happens to also be a member of the Fraternity, all my actions, despite conscious efforts on my part to be totally impartial, will naturally be subjected to extraordinary scrutiny.

Nonetheless, I remain confident of vindication regardless of the accusations hurled or charges that have been filed or may still be filed,” the statement read.

The Senate has requested the Supreme Court to take immediate

disciplinary action against Divina and Aegis Juris alumni, saying they were liable for “grossly immoral conduct,” lacked the “decency expected from lawyers” and made a “mockery of the legal profession.”

The panel, led by Sen. Panfilo Lacson, did not buy Divina’s claim that he had been long inactive from the Aegis Juris after assuming the UST law deanship in 2009, as photos showed him attending the fraternity’s anniversaries, and his acts before and after Atio’s death.

PAULINE FAYE V. TRIA UST Civil Law Dean Nilo Divina

Referendum to amend student charter mulled

Gorospe Photo by DEEJAE S. DUMLAO

Dictionary FROM PAGE 1 Chinese community in the 17th century.

“It shows how involved UST was with the Chinese community [in Manila]… This is a very important material for the study of PhilippineChinese relations,” Jose told the

THE UST Central Student Council (CSC) is set to hold a referendum as part of a bid to revise its outdated 2003 constitution, after “Abstain” votes swept majority of council posts in last year’s elections.

In a news conference on Thursday, CSC Secretary Therese Gorospe said students would be able to vote for or against revising the council charter through their eLearning Access Program (eLeap) accounts from Feb. 5 to 12.

“Since ‘yung CSC may account na sa eLeAP, [doon] na namin ipapasok ‘yung referendum para mas mabilis. “Yes” or “No” lang naman [ang isasagot]… if they want to change the constitution [or not],” Gorospe said.

Jonathan Santos, CSC Central Board speaker and president of the Civil Law Student Council, said the revision would go through a “democratic” process.

“The mode of reviews and revisions or amendments has no steadfast rule in the CSC constitution, so we provided the rule, and to make it more democratic we agreed

Varsitarian.

The researchers were searching for Chinese-related materials in the UST Archives when they came upon the dictionary, which was previously labeled as “vale poco” which means “of little value” on the old catalog.

The dictionary is about 400 years old and consists of 21,000 words and characters. It is linked to the Spanish occupation of

to hold a referendum,” Santos said.

At least 50 percent plus one of the Thomasian electorate must approve of the plan to revise CSC constitution.

If Thomasians vote against amending the constitution, the CSC will proceed with the revision of the long-delayed Students’ Code instead.

If the referendum rules in favor of the revision, the CSC will convene a constitutional convention, which will meet on Feb. 18, March 4 and 11 to deliberate on the provisions of the new constitution.

The proposed revisions will be distributed to the local student councils for review, but will still be subject to the approval of the CSC Central Board.

“Mayroong isang college or faculty president na hahawak ng

Taiwan from 1626 to 1642.

It also contains Spanish, Fujianese, Hoklo and Mandarin entries.

The dictionary predates the Kangxi Dictionary, which dates back to 1711 and was published in Barcelona. The UST dictionary is also larger than the Hoklo grammar book, Arte de la Lengua Chio Chiu, which features 2,000 terms.

“Philippine history can be

Referendum PAGE 2

redefined through documents such as this… We don’t know we are sitting on a mountain of treasures here that other people outside of the University are recognizing,” Jose said.

UST and the NTHU signed a memorandum of agreement on Dec. 14, 2017 to publish a facsimile of the dictionary to be distributed internationally. The published facsimile is expected this year.

Malaya publisher Jake Macasaet, 81

AMADO “Jake” Macasaet, longtime n e w s p a p e r publisher and a Varsitarian alumnus, passed away last Jan. 7.

He was 81.

Macasaet, a veteran business editor, became publisher and Macasaet owner of Ang Pahayagang Malaya (later Malaya Business Insight) in 1986.

He founded the newspaper with fellow Thomasian journalist Jose Burgos Jr., and served as its business editor during the regime of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

Macasaet took up journalism in the University. He had a row with Fr. Jose Cuesta, O.P., the Varsitarian’s moderator at the time, over a story claiming that UST’s Department of Military Science and Tactics had been selling brass name plates at a 15-centavo profit over those sold for 35 centavos on Morayta Street.

He served as cadets editor of the Varsitarian in 1963, running the campus publication with veteran writers Cristina Pantoja-Hidalgo, Nestor Cuasay, and former senator Francisco “Kit” Tatad.

Allen Macasaet, Jake’s son, remembered his father as an honorable journalist, saying his career was propelled by truth and its importance in a democratic society.

“He told me that journalism is about freedom. Once we lose that freedom, the people will lose their voice, and when the people lose their voice, we will lose democracy,” Allen told the Varsitarian at the sidelines of a media tribute for the late journalist on Wednesday at the Heritage Park at Fort Bonifacio in Taguig.

Macasaet became president of the Philippine Press Institute in 1999, elected by acclamation. K.A. ALABASO and J.C. L. MEDINA

Audio tech FROM PAGE 2

UST Archivist Regalado Jose reveals the oldest existing Spanish-Chinese dictionary in the world DEEJAE S. DUMLAO

course to [their place] after Pampanga… So it seems like the course, for the meantime, will be off-campus because of the interest of the different provinces to get their nurses trained,” Martinez said.

Although the University focused on offering the course off-campus, it would also be offered in the campus as an undergraduate program.

“The basic idea is to offer that course in campus. It’s just that there is an immediate need and an immediate request by the provinvces, so we will do that… There are many developments in the field of ear and hearing care now, it’s just that we want to reach out to the community,” Martinez said.

4 Opinion

JANUARY 31, 2018

Editorial

Award to Mocha a ‘libel’ on UST IT IS appalling that while the University is promoting “Veritas in Caritate” (Latin for “Truth in Charity”), its own alumni association has given a newfangled set of awards, “Thomasian Alumni Awards for Government Service,” and given one to Esther Margaux “Mocha” Uson, the controversial assistant secretary of the Presidential Communications Operations Office.

Uson is a member of the sexy dance group Mocha Girls and a social-media “influencer” with at least five million Facebook followers. She had campaigned for President Duterte and she has been rewarded by a Malacañang post which, technically, makes her a presidential mouthpiece. From such orifice has emerged a slew of fake news, distorted views, blatant lies, and Nazi-like propaganda.

Uson is barely eight months into Malacañang, and it is to her credit that she has made that much damage on the truth. And it is to the credit (or discredit?) of the UST Alumni Association Inc. (UAAI) that she had been rewarded for such. The UAAI’s vicious decision to award her came after it considered only two vacuous factors: first, Uson occupies a pivotal role in the government, and second, she was a graduate of UST Medical Technology in 1999.

In a statement, UAAI President Henry Tenedero said awardees were handpicked by presidents of alumni associations of the different faculties and colleges and the awards were given by the association as an “independent organization.”

Tenedero’s statement should underscore that what Uson got was not the annual Total (The Outstanding Thomasian Alumni) Award. The Total Awards observe rigid nomination and selection process by alumni committees and experts. Awardees may also be vetoed by the Office of the Father Rector (Fr. Herminio Dagohoy, OP), which gives the final clearance on the awards.

The special awards last Jan. 21 did not follow such a process. They were merely invented just for the general alumni homecoming. (The Total Awards usually have an awarding ceremony all to itself and recipients are announced in advance.) Tenedero said that the UAAI did not even mind if the awardee was “controversial or not.” “Ang amin lang is that you’re a Thomasian graduate,” he told the Varsitarian. “[We are] hoping that this award will inspire you to live [the Thomasian core values] more in your public [service]. Whether you’re living it or not is not for us to say.”

How could the awards inspire Thomasians when they weren’t really given for “Thomasian core values” but for landing a pivotal, high-paying, highEditorial PAGE 5

FOUNDED JAN. 16, 1928 AMIERIELLE ANNE A. BULAN Editor in Chief BERNADETTE A. PAMINTUAN Managing Editor ALHEX ADREA M. PERALTA Associate Editor MARIA CRISANTA M. PALOMA News Editor HANNAH RHOCELLHYNNIA H. CRUZ Assistant News Editor RANDELL ANGELO B. RITUMALTA Sports Editor NEIL JAYSON N. SERVALLOS Special Reports Editor CHELSEY MEI NADINE B. BRAZAL Features Editor NIKKO MIGUEL M. GARCIA Literary Editor JOLAU V. OCAMPO Patnugot ng Filipino LEA MAT P. VICENCIO Witness Editor EDRIS DOMINIC C. PUA Science and Technology Editor AUDRIE JULIENNE D. BERNAS Circle Editor CHRISTIAN DE LANO M. DEIPARINE, THEODORE JASON PATRICK K. ORTIZ Online Editors SHAINA MAE L. SANTANDER Art Director DEEJAE S. DUMLAO Acting Chief Photographer News Kevin A. Alabaso, Samantha-Wee Lipana, Job Anthony R. Manahan, Julia Claire L. Medina, Jacob Marvin D. Urmenita, Pauline Faye V. Tria Sports Jan Carlo Anolin, Mia Arra C. Camacho, Ma. Angela Christa Coloma, Ma. Angelica D. Garcia, Ivan Ruiz L. Suing, Justin Robert Valencia Special Reports Ma. Consuelo D.P. Marquez, Louise Cleindale L. Penera, Arianne Aine D. Suarez Features Louise Claire H. Cruz, Daphne Yann P. Galvez, Julia Camille B. Ocaya Literary Karl Ben L. Arlegui, Elmer B. Coldora Filipino Erma R. Edera, Chris V. Gamoso, Winona S. Sadia Witness Marem A. De Jemel, Lady Cherbette N. Agot, Lexanne O. Garcia, Pearl Anne M. Gumapos Science and Technology Alyssa Carmina A. Gonzales, Miguel Alejandro IV A. Herrera, Beatriz Avegayle S. Timbang Circle Klimier Nicole B. Adriano, Kathleen Therese A. Palapar, Lyon Ricardo III M. Lopez Art Mariyella Alyssa A. Abulad, Blessie Angelie B. Andres, Rocher Faye R. Dulatre, Mari Kloie D. Ledesma, Nathanael Jonas S.J. Rodrigo Photography Miah Terrenz Provido, Maria Charisse Ann G. Refuerzo, Vladlynn Nona Maryse L. Tadeo, Pauline Faye V. Tria 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 and corresponding contact details 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, University of Santo Tomas, España, Manila.

Sa mapanlupig na awtokrasiya, huwag pasisiil!

NAALIMPUNGATAN sa duyan ng pagkakahimbing ang mga peryodistang Filipino sa harap ng unti-unting pagkakatawangtao ng mga bangungot ng batasmilitar.

Naulinigan ang lumang tutugtugin ng karahasan; mga pananamantala sa ilalim ng kamay na bakal, kawalangkatarungan ng pagkakapaslang ng maraming kabataan sa mandato ng ‘di-makataong pakikidigma kontra-droga. Bukod pa ang mga ito sa ilang beses na pagpaparamdam ng pamahalaan na handa nitong ipasailalim ang bansa sa diktaturyang ikinukubli lamang sa iba’t ibang ngalan at tayutay.

Sa likod ng anino ng awtokrasiyang Duterte, nanatiling nakikipagbuno ang buhay at malayang pamamahayag sa bansa.

Gayunpaman, marahil bunga ng angkin nitong kapangyarihang ipagtanggol ang demokrasya, masikap na gumagawa ng paraan ang administrasyon upang supilin ang ugat ng lakas nito.

Unang biktima ng nasabing pagsikil ang Rappler.com nang tahasang pinaimbestigahan ni Solicitor General Jose Calida ang Philippine Depositary Receipts (PDR) ng ahensiyang pambalita sa Security and Exchanges

Kung sino pa ang nagiging mata at bibig ng mamamayan sa pamamagitan ng makatotohanahang pagbabalita ay sila pang pinipiringan at binubusalan.

Commission (SEC) noong Disyembre 2016.

Ang PDR ay isang dokumentong pinansiyal na naglalaman ng mga probisyon hinggil sa dayuhang pagmamay-ari ng isang kompanya kaakibat ng mga karapatan nitong makisama sa pang-araw-araw nitong operasyon.

Sa punto de vista ni Calida at ng SEC, lumabag ang Rappler Holdings Corporation sa Anti-Dummy Law. Itinuturo nila ang probisyong nagsasaad na “not to, without prior good faith discussions on PDR holders and without approval of PDR holders holding at least twothirds (2/3s) of all issued and outstanding PDRs, alter,

modify or otherwise change Articles of Incorporation or By-laws or take any other action where such alterations, modifications, change or action will prejudice the rights in relation to the PDRs” kung saan iginigiit nila ang interpretasiyong mayroong direktang kontrol ang Omidyar Network, isang malaking investor ng Rappler, sa mga editoryal nitong proseso.

Ayon sa Rappler, hindi kailanman nagkaroon ng bahagi o gampanin ang Omidyar sa kanilang pangaraw-araw na gawain.

Tanging ang mga manunulat at patnugot lamang nito ang kumikilos at nagpapatakbo ng nilalaman ng kanilang website.

Hanggang noong nakaraang Hulyo, patuloy ang pagsisiyasat na ito ng SEC habang walang kamalaymalay ang pamunuan ng Rappler sa kakaharapin nilang unos. Masasabi ring malayo sa pagiging inosente ang ganitong hakbang sapagkat si Pangulong Duterte na mismo ang nagparamdam ng kaniyang poot sa Rappler sa pamamagitan ng pagbanggit dito sa kaniyang nakaraang State of the Nation Address.

Matatandaang malimit maging kritikal ang Rappler sa mga kilos ng administrasyon sa pamamagitan ng kanilang mga inilalabas na artikulong tumataliwas sa daang tinatahak ng pamunuan ni Duterte at kaniyang mga kaalyado.

Madalas nitong batikusin ang malawakang dahas ng Oplan Tokhang noon.

Matatandaang naglabas din sila ng “Impunity Series” noong Hulyo 25 na naglalaman ng mga kahindik-hindik na salaysay ng pagpaslang na kabi-kabilang nangyayari sa lansangan.

Samakatwid, isang Dagitab PAGE 5

Social media trolls, cretins unite versus “V” FOLLOWING the Varsitarian’s call on the officers of the UST Alumni Association Inc. (UAAI) to resign over “libelling” UST when it gave the “Outstanding UST Alumna in Government” award to Mocha Uson, there has been a spate of ignorant and infuriating comments on the V’s social media accounts. They claim that the publication has turned a blind eye on more pressing matters such as the cases on the hazing victim Horacio “Atio” Castillo III and Dengvaxia.

Critics claim that the “V” was not “this loud” with the other issues mentioned; that its reports and editorials on the Mocha Uson award made a big deal out of nothing. To them, the publication should “focus more on other national issues,” as if the awarding of a controversial public figure—and government official—did not concern the general public!

These critics must have been absent during the entire coverage of the 90-year-old publication of the Castillo incident. They must have been sleeping when the Varsitarian broke the news on the death by apparent hazing of Castillo

Critics such as these ignorant or shallow netizens lack the responsibility of handling their freedom in expressing their thoughts. and missed out on the 20-page issue published last September, which featured a full coverage and a timeline of events by the V’s news team.

The trolls masquerading as critics were also absent when the publication constantly streamed online for viewing the Senate hearings and the preliminary investigation of the Department of Justice. Perhaps they were also nowhere to be found when the “V” published an editorial last September 2017 titled “Hazing tragedy: Culture of death is alive and well in and out of UST.” In an opinion column, a “V” editor last November lamented how UST’s Office

for Student Affairs appeared to have committed lapses in monitoring the activities of fraternities of the Faculty of Civil Law, especially their initiation activities.

At the height of the hazing row, the “V” was cited constantly by mainstream media for providing content enough to spark the anger and sympathy of Filipinos against its very own University.

On the notorious Dengvaxia issue, an editorial was released on the December issue of the Varsitarian criticizing how hasty the Aquino administration was on administering the supposed dengue vaccine on students when the formula was still on

the trial stage.

“All efforts should now focus on arresting or checking the vaccine’s effects on the students. But of course, this should be done with the caveat that the authorities that would do this would be themselves the culprits of inefficiency, mismanagement and corruption—the DOH, FDA, and the overall bureaucracy,” the editorial said.

Obviously, critics such as these ignorant or shallow netizens lack the responsibility of handling their freedom in expressing their thoughts, as what they create is only a platform for more Filipinos to be in chaos and confusion, much like how Mocha Uson confuses the public with her fake news and crass pro-Duterte propaganda antics.

But these critcs are Mocha Uson’s own babies; they’re the Pavlovian lap dogs created by Duterte’s demagoguery and hate speech and rhetoric of violence. So the Varsitarian is not surprised. In fact, it is proud. These trolls and cretins up in arms against the “V” show that the “V” has been doing its job well.

JANUARY 31, 2018

Aldin Ayo a Dominican product ALDIN Ayo’s hiring as the new Growling Tigers head tactician should make UST forget about its proud tradition of engaging exclusively with alumni coaches in its UAAP varsity teams, and accept “outsiders” that embody the same Thomasian core values.

In a statement released early January that officially inducted Ayo of his new coaching job, the University emphasized his ideals that concur with the Thomasian notion of producing competitive yet disciplined student-athletes as a factor for the hiring.

With this feat, the University also broke its lifelong pattern of keeping the varsity teams’ head coaches exclusive to UST graduates, a trend that is part of its snub on full commercialization of its sports program.

At present, all coaches of UST’s varsity teams are either former players or at least a graduate of the University. If one asks them, they will all utter one common phrase: I’m a proud Thomasian.

The University perpetually prides itself of its rich history and notable alumni. In this case, the

Dagitab

FROM PAGE 4

malinaw na pagkitil sa karapatan sa malayang pamamahayag ang pagbawi ng SEC ng kanilang lisensiya upang magpatuloy sa industriya. Kung pagtatagnitagniin ang mga pangyayari, hindi man lamang binigyan ang Rappler ng sapat na oras at pagkakataon upang isaayos ang anomang dokumentong kinakikitaan ng anomalya.

Dagdag pa rito, maaaring itanong ng mga mamamayan kung bakit ngayon lamang lumitaw ang ganitong uri ng suliranin kung napakaraming korporasyon sa bansa

Purists who say only Thomasians should be made to coach the Tigers seem impervious to the fact that he’s from Letran, UST’s sister school. sporting sphere is also not unfamiliar ground for Thomasians, with countless international athletes across all sports honing their skills and dreaming their dreams first in our beloved España campus.

When the Varsitarian broke the news of Ayo’s transfer, it was met with both positive and negative reception from the community. Some wondered why UST had to look for non-Thomasians for help, when several alumni like former coach Pido Jarencio and Bal David were among the prospects in the coaching hunt.

Purists who say only Thomasians should be made to coach the Tigers seem impervious to the fact that

he’s from Letran, UST’s sister school. According to Ayo, who was once a seminarian himself, his close ties with some of the priests here in the University factored in his acceptance of the head coaching job.

The exception made by the Insititute of Physical Education and Athletics with Ayo’s hiring must be prompted by the Tigers’ horrendous Season 80 showing – winning only one game in 14 outings, arguably its worst showing in history.

To make things worse than worst, it was a team that won only four games in 28 matches under Boy Sablan, a former Glowing Goldie.

During those disastrous times when winning a basketball game was a

ang mayroong dayuhang koneksiyong pampinansiyal?

Rappler lamang ba ang nagkakamali (kung mapapatunayan) sa ganitong mga proseso?

Napag-initan man o hindi, isa itong malaking usapin ng pagsupil sa malayang pamamahayag.

Halatang hinanapan lamang ng butas ni Calida at ng mga nag-uudyok sa kaniya ang pagmamayari ng Rappler upang mapilayan ang pagpapatakbo nito. Sapagkat malaki ang gampanin ng media ownership at investment sa operasyon ng bawat pahayagan, madaling isipin na ito rin ang kahinaang pinupuntirya ng mga kalaban ng demokrasya.

Nakababagabag ang ganitong paglihis ng mga pangyayari sapagkat kung sino pa ang nagiging mata at bibig ng mamamayan sa pamamagitan ng makatotohanahang pagbabalita ay sila pang pinipiringan at binubusalan.

Sa kabilang banda, kung sino naman ang walang habas na nagpapakalat ng huwad na impormasyon ay siya pang tinatangkilik ng mga awtoridad na silang dapat pumoprotekta sa mga mamamayan.

Dapat ituwid ng SEC at ng iba pang ahensya ng pamahalaan ang kanilang moralidad at ituon sa kahabag-habag na mga

Editorial profile government job which, as the continuous pilgrimage to Davao City shows, could be obtained by influence-peddling and hucksterism?

Whatever happened to UST’s enshrined values of “commitment, competence, and compassion”?

Whatever happened to “truth in charity.”

How dare the UAAI tarnish the University’s name with such useless and baseless award!

Certainly, UST has produced outstanding civil servants and government officials and among them would be Uson’s coawardees: Sen. Joel Villanueva, Health Secretary and former Civil Service Commission Chairman Francisco Duque III, Justice Amy Lazaro-Javier, Akbayan Representative Tom Villarin and 15 others. But now caught amid the controversy of Uson’s dubious selection and the rather shallow screening criteria, they may not feel honored but rather, insulted and even disgraced—sentiments shared by the entire Thomasian community.

given during the “homecoming”, for that matter—in the midst of a controversial administration that purveys anti-Catholic statements and programs?

Worse they gave it to Uson, who does not only turn a blindeye on Duterte’s human rights abuses but also viciously attacks the Catholic Church. In her column in the Philippine Star, she asked if the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) was “anti-Christ” for speaking against extrajudicial killings and the Marcos burial in the Libingan ng mga Bayani. When the president wanted to reinstate death penalty, she declared that “death penalty is not murder.” In 2011, she had challenged the Catholic Church to “excommunicate her” for supporting the then reproductive health (RH) bill while giving away condoms in a pro-RH bill parade.

As part of an all-girl sexy dance group pandering to the prurient instincts of men, Uson would hardly be well-regarded by either Catholic or feminist sensibilities.

But in January 2016, she was appointed board member of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board and she vowed to eradicate “soft core pornography” on television.

Anti-Catholic administration In the first place, why would they even bestow a “government service award”—the only award

Foul, profane But given a chance herself for a broadcast stint early 2016 with her own 30-minute radio-TV show on

FROM PAGE 4

thing of the past for UST, everyone called for change.

Everyone wanted Sablan out. All sorts of babble and derogation were thrown.

Now that the most-wanted remodelling was done, some still scowl for not getting their desired person for the job.

Most people anticipated Jarencio’s return. Surely, it might have been a great continuation to a Cinderella story that is the Growling Tigers. But the team needs concrete answers more than anything at the moment, especially after coming off a season so bad, only one person was left watching in the stands in one of their games.

In the same statement

by UST, it also commended Ayo for pushing through with the transfer despite being offered a “modest salary,” obviously lower than the ones he had with the De La Salle University, or even Colegio de San Juan de Letran.

The only tradition the University should Wabi-sabi PAGE 11 Filipino ang kanilang mga ipinaglalaban.

Nakapanhihilakbot na ikinikiling nila ang kanilang layunin tungo sa sistemang iisang tao lamang ang makikinabang.

Sa huli, huwag sanang tuluyang makalimot ang mga mamamayan sa mga dahas ng nakaraang apat na dekada. Isa nang malaking pagkakasala ang paglilibing sa isang diktador sa himlayan ng mga magigiting. Huwag na sanang buhayin pa ang kaniyang masasamang alaala sa pamamagitan ng tuluyang pagtikom sa boses ng mga tagapangalaga ng demokrasya.

DZRH News, she lasted for only a month and taken off the air for her foul, profane language in attacking Vice President Leni Robredo and the press.

She later faced a complaint from the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas for alleged violations of the KBP Broadcast Code particularly on “programs intended to malign, unfairly criticize or attack a person,” and for “offensive, obscene, blasphemous, profane, and vulgar double meaning words and phrases.” DZRH required her to take a broadcast accreditation exam if she wanted to go back on air.

She didn’t take the exam, she went straight to Malacañang. Last May, Duterte appointed assistant secretary for social media, a post created just for her. There’s no evidence she has civil service eligibility yet she has joined other civil-service eligibles with the salary grade of SG 29 or with a monthly basic gross salary of P106,000. We could only guess how much discretionary funds she has as a Malacañang official. That’s what Filipino taxpayers pay her to mouth lies and Duterte’s genocidal propaganda.

And the president, who always mouths platitudes about selfless public service and how he embodies his own platitudes, does not mind using public funds to invent a government position for his lapdog.

“Utang na loob ko ‘yan sa kanya,” Duterte said when he appointed Uson.

Opinion 5

Mockery at Architecture AMERICAN inventor Thomas Edison said, “There is far more opportunity out there than ability. We should remember that good fortune often happens when opportunity meets with preparation.” But what if the preparation focuses only on the results rather than basic principles of justice and fairness?

In June 2017, the University topped the architectural board exams with 184 making the cut out of 221 examinees. Results from the Professional Regulation Commission showed that UST’s passing rate went up to 83.26 percent.

This led the College of Architecture to require fourth-year students to undergo the Architecture Undergraduate Assessment Test (AUSAT), a mock board exam with a 70 percent passing rate for each subject. According to Architecture students, the exam has three-takes on six subjects and they need to pass six out of six to accomplish it. If not, they will not be eligible to take the Research Methods course in Architecture on fifth-year,

Competency lies in the students’ abilities and application of principles they have acquired from good instruction and proper examplesetting. a prerequisite for their thesis. They will thus be irregulars.

“It honestly felt we were pushovers forced to do whatever they want. ‘Pag ‘di mo napasa, you [cannot] graduate. Only UST Architecture has it,” said a senior student who does not want to be named.

AUSAT was supposed to train its students for the board exams. But it seems like it has only become an added burden to the school’s almost burned-out students.

Students said they were not even given any orientation on the exam and many questions were poorly if erroneously phrased and formulated.

On the first and second editions of the mock board exams, only one student passed. This means all those who failed became irregular. When the students and parents expressed outrage, the administration canceled the results.

It seems like the administration dwells too much on the school’s supposed sterling reputation in board exams that it does not take into consideration the capacity of the students to absorb the toll taken on them by impossible demands such as “mock” board exams.

Back in June 2012, the same situation happened when the majority of incoming Architecture seniors also flunked a six-part assessment test that was meant to prepare them for the board exams. The college made adjustments in the spirit of “compassion” and allowed the students to retake the mock exam.

This makes me wonder if it really is the students’ incompetency that leads to such low results or the system. Is AUSAT the only measure of student’s capabilities and not UST Architecture’s competence and effectiveness as instructors?

Student competency cannot be measured by exams alone.

Competency lies in the students’ abilities and application of principles they have acquired from good instruction and proper example-setting. So do the Architecture administration and faculty provide the correct instruction, training, and example when they force students to take a mock exam whose results however could result in a mockery of truth and travesty of justice?

Repetitious lies Amid the controversy surrounding the killing of Kian de los Santos last year, Uson shared an article from the Inquirer.net about a police’s wake, challenging Vice President Robredo and other senators to visit. It turned out that the article was a report from the previous year. When students of St. Scholastica’s College joined the protest against the Marcos burial, she claimed without proof they were forced by the institution. At the height of the Marawi crisis, she posted a photo of soldiers from Honduras captioned, “Let’s pray for our army.” Asked about the misuse of the photo, she said it was mere “symbolism.” And she’s a Malacañang mouthpiece!

Since her appointment, “Mocha Uson Blog” has posted even fiercer attacks against critics of the Madman of Malacañang to its 5.4 million followers; their language and truth-value even fouler and murkier than the effluents and waters of the Pasig’s.

But as a shocking indication of the steep decline in literacy and overall IQ of the general population, Uson’s followers consider her “news and views” as trustworthy, unbiased and reliable. Mocha and her followers are proof of what Hitler’s propaganda chief Goebbels had cynically declared: “Repeat a lie often enough and it becomes the truth.”

Alumni leadership should resign A mere cursory survey of Uson’s work should have alerted any ordinary alumnus that she’s too controversial for UST’s usually prudential and Catholic tastes. But for the entire UAAI leadership to have ignored her dubious track record and the controversy it had elicited (“We don’t mind if awardee is controversial or not,” said Tenedero) is sheer incompetence, irresponsibility, stupidity, and even corruption.

Yes, corruption of values, as manifested in the casual disregard of all evidence of monstrous, is evil conduct.

It was the same corruption that made the Germans ignore Hitler’s vicious demagoguery and monstrousness. It’s the corruption resulting from what Hannah Arendt called as “banality of evil.”

In giving the award with UST’s name on it to Uson, UAAI has manifested banality of evil and perpetuated a libel on UST. It has perpetuated a lie. We need not go far in consulting philosophical and theological authorities here. Let’s take it from St. Thomas Aquinas: (Question 110 of ST, Part 2, Vol. 2) “If it affects a human person’s good, this lie inflicts an injury on one’s neighbor, since it causes him to have a FALSE OPINION, wherefore it is contrary to charity, as regards the love of our neighbor, and consequently is a MORTAL SIN.” For its libel on UST and for abetting assault on the truth, the UAAI leadership should resign.

6 Witness

Editor: Lea Mat P. Vicencio

JANUARY 31, 2018

Cebu Archbishop Palma on entering Dominican family: Nothing late about love

By M.A. DE JEMEL and LEXANNE O. GARCIA CEBU CITY – Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma entered the Priestly Fraternities of St. Dominic in the Philippines in a rite of admission at the chapel of the Archbishop’s Palace in Cebu last Jan. 23.

Palma said his admission to the order was not late, and was an act of “growing in holiness” by living out the Dominican spirituality of preaching and study.

“There is nothing late about love. There is an interior journey [in] the sacred study of scriptures so that we may be able to preach with the voice of God and be instruments of peace and brotherhood. I think that God does not become really old or late,” Palma told the Varsitarian.

Palma said he entered the fraternity to “externalize” the Dominican spirituality he gained while taking up his master’s degree in theology in UST and doctorate in the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome.

Palma admitted that after becoming a bishop in 1998, he feared he would “forget” the blessings he received, but St. Dominic’s teaching on voluntary poverty kept him grounded.

“I thought having become a bishop there is a temptation to forget that I have received so much, and voluntary poverty means the constant reminder that [these] are gifts of the Lord and I am only a steward. Somehow, I rediscovered that,” he said.

Dominican brotherhood Inspired by the celebration of the Year of the Clergy and Consecrated Persons, Palma described his admission to the fraternity as a “renewed enthusiasm” to rediscover the importance of preaching and practicing true brotherhood in the world.

“We are missionaries in the sense of we are in communion and we are brothers. We show people that we are brothers to each one

New programs FROM PAGE 1 new accounting information systems program, which will combine “knowledge in business, accounting and computer systems and involves partnering with management operations and decisionmakin[g],” a memorandum from the Commission on Higher Education read.

The curriculum will serve as a preparation for the international certification of prospective graduates as information systems auditors, Accountancy Dean Patricia Empleo said.

“We ambition to be the model and premier school for the offering of this program,” she told the Varsitarian in an interview.

As a result of the K-12 basic education reform, which added two years in high school, aspiring engineers will now be able to finish their studies in four years instead of five.

The physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech-language pathology programs of the College of Rehabilitation Sciences will also become four-year undergraduate programs.

New specialization tracks The College of Education’s elementary education program will be converted into straight

when we gather for prayer before study, for common meals, and even for plans that would help us live out being priests,” he said.

Dominican Prior Provincial Fr. Napoleon Sipalay, Jr, O.P. said “infinite sacramental fraternity” aids priests in staying enthusiastic about their mission.

“There are indeed challenges in the life of a minister and valuable helps are given so that priests can embrace their mission with zeal and enthusiasm. And the solution is infinite sacramental fraternity,” Sipalay said during the rite of admission.

Echoing the Master of the Order of Preachers, Fr. Bruno Cadore, O.P., Sipalay challenged Dominicans to preach by building friendships in communities.

“Dominicans are friends who are carriers of the friendship of God. Dominicans are bridgebuilders between communities and groups who have appeared to be excluded, thus the existing segregation and exclusion,” Sipalay said.

Thomasian emphasis on education Palma said his Thomasian student life taught him that to become a servant of the Church, one must give importance to education.

“The academics can make it good with the ministry, so it is in spirit that we have become more challenged to give more importance to education and of course to become like St. Dominic,” he said.

Sipalay, together with former provincial Fr. Quirico Pedregosa, O.P., led the rite of admission, which included the giving of the Dominican habit.

Palma is the third archbishop to be admitted to the fraternity, after Archbishop Socrates Villegas and the late Archbishop Rodolfo Beltran.

With 330 members, the Priestly Fraternities of St. Dominic is an association of secular priests who follow the Dominican spirituality.

Two hundred of them came from the Philippines.

With reports from L.C. N. AGOT and P.A. M. GUMAPOS

programs or specialization tracks, such as early childhood education (Kinder to Grade 3), elementary education (Grade 4 to 6) and special needs education.

The Conservatory of Music’s undergraduate programs will also offer straight degree programs such as performance, composition, music education, music theater, music technology and jazz.

New tracks to be offered in the Institute of Information and Computing Sciences are: computer science, game development and data science for the computer science program; business analytics and service management for the information systems program; and network security, IT automation and web and mobile development for the information technology program.

The College of Tourism and Hospitality Management will offer tracks and specializations in culinary entrepreneurship and hospitality leadership for its hotel and restaurant management program; and travel operations and service management and recreation and leisure management for the travel management program.

KEVIN A. ALABASO, KARL BEN L. ARLEGUI, ELMER B. COLDORA and PAULINE FAYE V. TRIA

Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma jMIAH TERRENZ PROVIDO

Fr. Florentin Bolo, O.P., Fr. Quirico Pedragosa, O.P., Abp. Jose Palma, Fr. Napoleon Sipalay, Jr., O.P., Bp. Antonio Rañola, O.P., Fr. Louie Coronel, O.P.

MAREM A. DE JEMEL

Anniversary

FROM PAGE 1

In a Thanksgiving Mass, Fr. Virgilio Ojoy, O.P, former UST vice rector and ‘V’ associate editor, said journalists should embody “truth and goodness” to inspire people to work together and make the nation a livable place for younger generations.

“As future journalists, the Varsitarian staff and alumni play a huge role to recover that hope and drive even if there are threats to seal our lips,” Ojoy said in his homily.

Radyo Veritas anchor and former ‘V’ reporter Fr. Nicanor “Nick” Lalog was the main celebrant.

Communications scholar Crispin Maslog, Manila Bulletin editor Nestor Cuartero, poet Vim Nadera and director Alberto Monteras II recalled how they put

Hospital

FROM PAGE 12

Strengthened Anti-Hospital Deposit Law, which was passed in August 2017, imposes stricter penalties on hospitals that refuse treatment of emergency patients who cannot give advanced payments.

Aside from the increase in penalty, which was hiked to P100,000 to P300,000 from the previous P100,000 to P200,000 pesos, pregnancy was added to the conditions covered by the law.

“Because back then, there’s a query about that: How about the pregnant women? Are they considered emergency cases? No, it wasn’t in the definition. So now, it was added,” Nelson Logronio, faculty member of the Faculty of Civil Law, said in an interview.

Logronio cited “non-institutional delivery” as another provision that was added and defined in the new law, as

the paper to bed during their days as campus journalists in a video presentation.

The cake-cutting ceremony was led

by National Artist for Literature Bienvenido Lumbera and was followed by a countdown to the ‘V’ centennial in 2028, as the UST Symphony Orchestra performed “Ode to Joy” from Beethoven’s 9th Symphony. The UST Singers also sang “Hallelujah” from Handel’s “Messiah.”

The Varsitarian has upheld campus press freedom in the past nine decades, former New York Times correspondent Alice ColetVilladolid said.

Villadolid said the ‘V’ advisers fought for the students’ press freedom despite restrictions in a Catholic University.

Sister Regina Kuizon, provincial of the Religious of the Good Shepherd and a former ‘V’ adviser, said the Varsitarian had always sided with the truth in reporting national and University issues.

“[It] has shown that it always reports what is the truth in the country and in the University. It has always witnessed what the University stands for,” she said.

The Varsitarian, founded on Jan. 16, 1928, is the Philippines’ oldest Catholic newspaper and one of the oldest student publications.

Founded by a group of students led

by Jose Villa Panganiban, the Varsitarian produced journalistic and literary titans such as Arsenio Lacson, Felix Bautista, Jose Burgos, Jullie Yap-Daza, Neal Cruz, Jake Macasaet, Francisco Tatad, Antonio Lopez, Alice Colet-Villadolid, Ophelia AlcantaraDimalanta, Cristina Pantoja-Hidalgo, Norma Miraflor, Eric Gamalinda, Vim Nadera, and Eugenia Duran-Apostol. It has produced four National Artists: Cirilo Bautista, Bienvenido Lumbera, J. Elizalde Navarro and F. Sionil José. K.A. ALABASO and J.C. L. MEDINA

pregnant women, even if not in a state of emergency, must be admitted by the hospital.

The Strengthened Anti-Hospital Deposit Law also views the hospital as a “business entity,” Logronio added.

The law requires the state-owned Philippine Health Insurance Corp.

(PhilHealth) to reimburse the cost of the basic emergency care and transportation services given by the hospital to poor and indigent patients.

If a violation is committed pursuant to hospital policy, the management, director or officer “responsible for the formulation and implementation of such policy” may be imprisoned from four to six years, be fined 500,000 to P1 million, or both. After three violations, the Department of Health (DOH) can revoke the health institution’s license to operate.

so that stakeholders, including private hospitals, would fully understand the law and avoid bankruptcy and medico-legal cases.

“Doctors are trained to be compassionate but they are not owners of the hospitals. I suggest a full information campaign should be triggered by DOH before rolling out the law,” he told the Varsitarian.

Logronio said there was an immediate need for this law as the last anti-hospital deposit law was passed 20 years ago.

RA 10932 strengthens RA 8344 passed in 1997, which amended the 1984 Batas Pambansa 702 or “An Act Prohibiting the Demand of Deposits or Advance Payments for the Confinement or Treatment of Patients in Hospitals and Medical Clinics in Certain Cases.”

“Imagine, 1997—that was 20 years ago. It needed to be amended because it was a long time ago [since it was last improved],” he said.

‘Information campaign’ Anthony Leachon, UST alumnus and PhilHealth independent director, urged the DOH to carry out an information campaign

Acting Editor: Deejae S. Dumlao

JANUARY 31, 2018

Lenspeak 7

AMIH

8

One happy season A memoir by Cristina Pantoja Hidalgo Cristina Pantoja Hidalgo served as the Varsitarian’s editor in chief from 1964 to 1965. She is an alumna of UST’s philosophy program.

She is the incumbent director of the UST Center for Creative Writing and Literary Studies.

I WAS 16 when I entered UST’s Faculty of Philosophy and Letters. I had been told this was where students went who wanted to be writers, to major in either philosophy or journalism. There were no creative writing programs then.

Philets was a tiny, laid-back college, occupying one third of the third floor of what was then called Education Building (now the AB-Commerce Building). We shared it with two other colleges, Education and Commerce. UST was still run by Spanish friars. Our dean, Fr. Alfredo Panizo, O.P., was a true intellectual, and a bohemian at heart. Most of the faculty had been Philets themselves and were practicing newspapermen or advertising executives. At least a third of the students were working students, already on their way to successful careers in media, advertising, or the new field of public relations. This soon cured me of any feelings of self-importance I might have acquired from my early successes in the small pond I had come from.

The University’s official student paper was The Varsitarian, which affected a format borrowed from Time magazine, except that it had a literary section of which it was extremely proud, since many of the country’s major writers (like Frankie Sionil Jose, Johnny Gatbonton, Oph elia Alcantara-Dimalanta, Rolando Tiño, Bienvenido Lumbera, Wilfredo Nolledo, Lilia Pablo Amansec, etc.) had first seen print there.

I didn’t dare set my sights so high. I applied instead to be a reporter in the Blue Quill, my college’s paper, where many ‘V’ staffers got their start. It was a good decision, because its editor in chief was Joe Burgos (who said he was an upperclassman, when he had the time for it). Joe was already an excellent editor, and knocked off whatever nonsense was still left in me, by simply assuming we were all already professional journalists like himself. He was later to become an iconic figure, but none of us—least of all, Joe himself—was aware of it then.

Julie Daza, the Varsitarian’s first woman assistant editor, a Philets senior (who was also working for the Evening News), encouraged me to try for the ‘V’. It was the best training for a career in journalism later, she said. Jean Pope, the Varsitarian’s co-eds editor, a Philets junior (and a writer for a popular section in the Manila Times called, I think, “Crew Cuts and Pony Tails”), also told me I should be in the ‘V’. But I liked the Quill and decided to stay one more year.

Toward the end of my sophomore year, I took the ‘V’ exam, and was accepted, initially as News Editor, and then, at my request, as Features Editor. The paper’s moderator was Fr. Jose Cuesta, O.P., and its technical adviser was Dr. Vic Rosales who taught in the Faculty of Medicine. Father Cuesta read every inch of copy before passing it on to Dr. Rosales, who did the hands-on managing. Father Cuesta had a deep, growling bass and a formidable scowl which quite intimidated me; but I was later to realize he was actually a most gentle old man. And Dr. Rosales, who was married to one of my Philets professors, Piedad Guinto-Rosales who taught Modern Drama, eventually became a good friend.

My EIC was Jean Pope, the first woman to hold the post.

Felicito Bautista was News Editor with Cirilo Bautista as his assistant; Francisco (Kit) Tatad, Literary Editor with Albert Casuga as his assistant; Tish Bautista, Co-eds Editor; Eli Ang Barroso, Alumni Editor; Bayani de Leon, Pilipino Editor with Marietta Dichoso as his assistant; Demosthenes Roja (an engineering student), Sports Editor; and Remedios Baquiren (a fine arts student), Art Editor, with Danny Dalena as her “alternate.” Among the reporters were Ben Afuang, the Cuasay brothers (who were medical students and whose older brother Ramon, also a doctor, had been a ‘V’ editor) Orlando and Nestor, and Arabella Gonzalez.

Our newsroom was on the ground floor of the Main Building, which looked so old that at first I thought it had been transferred, stone by stone, from Intramuros to España, like the Arch of Centuries. It was a dark, cavernous, smoke-filled room, saved from gloominess by the floor-to-ceiling doors on both sides of the room, overlooking grassy quadrangles.

There were slow-moving, fat-bladed fans suspended from the tall ceiling, enormous wooden desks for the editors, equipped with swivel chairs, heavy manual typewriters, and ashtrays, all of which qualified as antiques even then. There were also smaller wooden tables with mismatched chairs and even older typewriters for the reporters. And lining the walls behind the desks were wooden cabinets, with cloudy glass doors. These were crammed with sheets of both clean and used newsprint, copy awaiting copyediting, proofs awaiting proofreading, old ‘V’ issues, typewriter ribbons, and sundry personal effects like paperbacks, umbrellas, jackets and half-eaten sandwiches. It was a mess. And we loved it. We were stepping into a tradition!

The printing press was at the far edge of the campus, on the corner of España and P. Noval. One had to cross the football field to get to it, moving in a diagonal line and passing the chapel along the way. The linotype machines, and little Mang Narcing,

who was the very soul of patience, occupied the first floor. After the corrected proofs were done, they went to the tiny offset department on the mezzanine. Section editors were responsible for putting their own pages to bed, although the editor in chief would go over all final proofs again afterwards. So for a few days each month, we all smelled of printer’s ink and suffered from eye strain.

We took an oath before the Rector Magnificus, swearing to “uphold and preserve the ideals” of UST, and were handed a typewritten list of 13 “Rules,” which included “maintaining order and discipline in the office at all times” and “using the typewriters and the telephone exclusive for official business.”

And we did take our jobs very seriously, putting in many long hours on our own writing and on the editing of submitted materials.

The magazine came out once a month, each issue with around 60-70 pages. We were paid a small allowance, which I later learned was spent by many of the staff on secondhand books in Sampaloc.

But by the time I was a senior, the ‘V’ had become more important to me than my studies, and I think, most of my fellow staff members felt the same way (except maybe for Theni Roja and the Cuasays). This may have been because we were all getting ready for the next stage in our life.

I realize now that the work habits that I picked up in that office have stood me in good stead all my life. To this day I can set aside personal problems and personal taste, and produce a competently written story on assignment, using the number of words specified and submitting it on time. This is what being a professional journalist means to me, and I learned it in the ‘V’.

But all that aside, I think we spent that much time in the office because we liked it there. We felt at home there. We had grown attached to the ratty furniture and the battered typewriters and the old-fashioned ceiling fans and the cigarette smoke and the mess. Of course we also enjoyed each other’s company tremendously. Many of my fellow staffers had been my friends in Philets to begin with, and the ‘V’ strengthened those bonds. These many years after, my memories of that office are among the warmest I have of my old school.

Jean (who by then was in graduate school and already assistant editor of the Sunday Times Magazine, I think) and Cito did another year with the ‘V’. Jun Pangilinan took over News; and Danny Dalena became Art Editor. Theni and I stayed on with Sports and Features respectively; Norma Miraflor joined us as Literary Editor with Nestor Cuasay as her assistant; Jake Macasaet came in as Cadets Editor; Roger Sicat took over Pilipino with Marietta Dichoso as his assistant; Tish became Religion Editor; Susan Santamaria and Daisy Uy took over Co-eds. And Fely Consignado, Rey Datu and Luningning Salazar were among our reporters.

At 19, I had not yet decided what I would do with my life after graduation. The choices seemed to be to go to graduate school abroad or accept the offer of a part time job with the Manila Chronicle, for which I had been writing a weekly youth page column since sophomore year. In any case, I figured there was no harm in taking the ‘V’ exam again, and applied for the position of Assistant Editor.

When the results were released, I was stunned to learn that I was being offered editor in chief. I emphatically did not want to be Editor in Chief! To begin with I didn’t think I could do the job. Secondly, I didn’t want to be boss. Especially not female boss to a staff of mainly male writers, among whom were some who clearly wanted the position since they had applied for it.

Father Cuesta and Father Panizo actually paid my parents a visit to get their help in convincing me to take the job. Their idea was to name Cito Bautista and Manny Azarcon, executive editor and managing editor respectively. “They can do the leg work and the press work,” Father Cuesta said to my parents. “Since she’s a girl, she will need help with things like that.”

To make a long story short, I acceded. For a long time I believed that I had simply succumbed to pressure. But now I think I may well have been simply in denial. Maybe I really wanted the job. What do I know?

Having decided to take it on, I told myself that my first step ought to be to ensure the cooperation of the men who would be part of my team.

Should I play the Helpless Female card? Or should I put on a Tough Woman act?

Happy Season PAGE 14

THE VARSITAR

HAN

RIAN IS NOW

9

JANUARY 31, 2018

The accidental EIC, circa 1960 Or, how I learned to love writing as a V staffer in a former Japanese internment camp A memoir by Bernardo Bernardo Bernardo Bernardo became the V’s editor in chief from 1966 to 1967. He took up journalism in the University. He is a multi-award winning actor and entertainer locally and internationally.

THERE I was in 1966, still in disbelief that I was soon to graduate with a Litt. B degree in journalism from the Royal and Pontifical University of Santo Tomas. The mirror did not reflect that I was a survivor of the slums of post-war Manila; or, that I’ve led an itinerant life, having inhabited a total of 18 domiciles in my young life. Yet there I was, the latest editor in chief of the Varsitarian, looking dapper in my academic cap and toga, getting ready for the commencement exercises at the old UST Gym. Yes, the Varsitarian enabled me to complete my academic journey. The ‘V’ scholarship as a member of the editorial staff was a godsend. Of course, beyond that blessing, due credit goes to Prof. Felix B. Bautista, the ‘V’ adviser and my news writing professor, for shepherding my personal and professional growth.

I remember Sir Felix during my first ‘V’ exam, peering through his eyeglasses, thick as the bottom of Coke bottles, looking at me intently. I’m pretty sure there was no trace of Teodoro Valencia in me.

If anything, the vibe I must have exuded was that of a street-smart kid, like a weird postpubescent cross between Joe Quirino and Joe Guevarra.

While I prefer to think that Sir Felix saw a potential journalist in the gangly boy from the quonset huts of Manila High School, it’s more likely that the deal was clinched when I casually implied that I grew up with the smell of printer’s ink, amid the clatter of linotype machines. I followed through with a short list of fourth-estate colleagues he might know personally: Ramon Vecina, my half-brother, a news photographer at the Philippines Herald; Ignacio Santos, society photographer at the same broadsheet; and, my cousin, Pedro Coniconde Jr., its editorial cartoonist. Furthermore, My Nanay used to run a restaurant (a turo-turo really) where we lived, right across the Madrigal’s DMHM Building in Intramuros!

In any case, Sir Felix gave me his stamp of approval. I was accepted as a reporter during the second term of Jean Pope, who was the first woman EIC of the ‘V’. Not much later, Sir Felix even gave me a part-time job as a cub reporter-cum-researcher at the Evening News in Port Area, where I also began to moonlight as gofer for the desk reporters and columnists of the afternoon daily: Julie Yap, Louie Beltran and Neal H. Cruz.

On campus, I auditioned for UST’s Aquinas Dramatic Guild (ADG) on a whim, and was accepted; this seemingly innocent act triggered my life-long love affair with theater. ADG gave me a booster shot of what could be best described as an addiction to acting.

After a series of shows, I was confronted with the absurd reality that compared with my fevered passion for acting, my dedication to writing for the Varsitarian absolutely sucked. This was tantamount to Sacrilege! I had fervently desired to be an excellent journalist; consequently, I was blessed with a scholarship and the opportunity to be mentored by the best of the best. And then, suddenly, there I was wanting to be an artista!

Worse, there was no professional theater in the Philippines in the 1960s. And it was laughable to even consider a career acting in movies at the time when mestizo stars reigned; or, heaven forbid, to attempt appearing on television during its black and white inane infancy.

To further complicate matters, I began to realize that I was not just a budding journalist; I was also, quite possibly, a budding “bading.” Thus, with sexual identity issues compounding my gnawing insecurity as a ‘V’ writer, I began to flagellate myself (like a good Catholic teenager would) with thoughts that I was, at best, only a passable writer.

I lamented that I used to have a voice. Maybe often rude, raw, and sometimes grammatically incorrect, but always in pursuit of what was authentic; I was a true product of the streets.

However, the definitive Filipino attitude of “utang na loob” was deeply ingrained in me; this, coupled with fear of unknown consequences, taught me to become adept at quiet assimilation and unquestioning acceptance of life at a university

“older than Harvard,” while coping with the discomfort of cluelessness as to why in the mid-1960s we still had separate stairs for teenage boys and girls in the Main Building. And, for that matter, why a Prefect of Discipline (aptly named Fr. Mata) was chasing after coeds who were wearing skirts that were deemed too short.

Having come from public schools, I found it overwhelming that a Catholic University was actually living up to its reputation as a safe, sedate, and conservative haven for learning. The atmosphere was unfamiliar, and I sometimes felt like I was walking through college life feeling strangely cut off from the real world; having neither interest, nor investment in the social struggles happening outside the campus walls.

Sadly, when I became the EIC of the ‘V’, I tried to make up for my cocooned existence in brash, uninformed ways typical of young fools. Extant copies of the Varsitarian during my watch now provide undeniable proof of my unfortunate parochial point of view: including an ignorant tirade at the student demonstrations and mass political protest movements (that I could not relate to), held at the University Belt, not two miles away from the UST Chapel; and, to my eternal embarrassment, my infantile outrage over the essay “A Heritage of Smallness” written by Nick Joaquin, future National Artist (topped by my cringe-worthy riposte: “Who does he think he is?”)

I felt secure knowing that the whole time I was doing journalistic pratfalls, Sir Felix was behind me, allowing me freedom to find my own voice and make my own mistakes.

He backed me up when the new Art Director Raul Garcia, and I decided to give the ‘V’ a fresher look and younger tone that was more in tune with the times, to celebrate Mod and Pop Art, 1960s counter-culture, and the vibrant Age of the Beatles. Sir Felix shielded us from the complaints of the cassocked crew of the Dominican Order who were unsettled by the psychedelic change. More ruffled feathers flew when I wrote a column, “Yes, Father; No, Father,” expounding on the seemingly one-way conversation we were having with the Order of Preachers. Again, Sir Felix buffered the impact of OP reactions.

The only time Sir Felix blew his top was when I used a photo of Rodin’s The Kiss as a background for a poem in the Literary Section of the ‘V’. I was not at the office when he vented is anger. But they said he cursed and rhetorically asked, “Is he trying to get me into trouble?!”

I did not understand the anger of Sir Felix. Even when he tried to explain later about the photo being “an occasion of sin.” And it was never the same after that.

Looking back, it was stupid of me not to cut him some slack. After all, for so many years, Sir Felix gave me enough rope to (almost) hang myself; because he believed in me. And I trusted him. It’s been 51 years, Sir Felix. I want you to know: I love you and respect you. Maraming Salamat.

10 Circle

Editor: Audrie Julienne D. Bernas

JANUARY 31, 2018

‘Larawan’: Self-portrait of the Filipino as paramnesiac LOY ARCENAS’ “Ang Larawan” gives justice to Nick Joaquin’s “A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino,” the most important drama in English in the Philippine literary canon. A convergence of nationalism, literature, visual arts, and music, the film became a—if not the only—redeeming factor in the recent Metro Manila Film Festival, which had again been filled by crassly commercial and zero-IQ films.

A film version of the Tagalog adaptation by Rolando Tinio, who also wrote some lyrics set to music by Ryan Cayabyab, “Larawan” should introduce National Artist for Literature Nick Joaquin to a whole generation of Filipinos who have been reared in the shallow pragmatism and shabby materialism of American values, having had parents and grandparents who, out of choice or sheer ignorance, have shed their European Hispanic heritage and Roman Catholic sense of ceremony and moral propriety. “Portrait” is a drama about the Filipino’s legendary short memory. It is about Filipino’s self-inflicted paramnesia.

The original play was set in 1941 before the outbreak of the war, and the movie adaptation takes the audience back to that era through a black-and-white collage of images of Old Manila in Intramuros, showing for instance the grand procession of the Santo Rosario of La Naval de Manila, the biggest fiesta in the walled city led

by Dominican friars and brethren.

Transitioning into color, the movie introduces Candida (Joanna Ampil) and Paula Marasigan (Rachel Alejandro), two aging sisters fighting to stay in their ancestral house amid dire economic pressures and the threat of eviction from their own richer siblings. They’ve understandably missed the boat because they’ve been taking care of their father, Don Lorenzo “El Magnifico” Marasigan, a renowned painter whose last painting he has bequethed to the two sisters: the portrait shows Aeneas carrying his father Anchises in his back amid the sack and torching of Troy, both figures carrying the same face of Don Lorenzo, the former when the artist was young, the latter now that he’s old.

The haunting double-portrait has a haunted

background: berated at one moment of pure wrath by the sisters for his bohemian and wastrel ways that had compelled them to take care of him and abandon the prospect of ever marrying and settling down, the old artist had taken again the brush for the last time to create the magnum opus and afterward, attempted suicide. But he survived. Now he stays in his room and refuses callers. The sisters tell visitors and inquirers their father is “ill.”

To augment their steadily declining means, the sisters take in a boarder, the vaudeville musician Tony Javier (Paulo Avelino), a charming but deadly rake who tries to woo the sisters into selling the painting to a foreign art collector who has promised him a fat commission. That they’ve taken a male boarder becomes fodder of the rumor mill.

The news reaches older siblings Pepang (Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo) and Manolo (Nonie Buencamino), who have long wanted to sell the Intramuros house. They apply pressure on the sisters to sell the house and the painting. To hell with heritage and legacy.

Breathing life to the Joaquin classic, Arcenas keeps the story intact without risking the music.

With cinematographer Boy Yñiguez, he uses close-up and mid shots to capture the characters’ emotions and elevated shots to capture the antique setting and provide the audience a sense of both historical space and spiritual geography.

The cast is first-rate.

Ampil is a musical stage professional so a singing Candida should not be a stretch for her; but she endows her performance with a subtle presence and a dramatic force that seems to belie her lack of

any film track record.

Portraying Paula for the second time since 1997, when “Larawan” was first staged, singer Alejandro has vastly improved, rendering her singing lines with delicacy and pathos.

Even if he’s not really a singer, movie actor Avelino sings his role with the flair of a professional and fully embodies Tony Javier’s charming but deadly knavery. Former Varsitarian editor in chief Bernardo Bernardo also stars as Don Alvaro, one of the people who celebrated the La Naval Festival in the Marasigan household.

Once again, Cayabyab’s signature textures, timbres and chords with the gravity of each scene matched well with the visuals.

According to Cayabyab, he coordinated with Tinio to “transform” into music the

highlights and nuances of the Joaquin’s drama.

“Only time will tell if ‘Ang Larawan’ the movie musical was a risk worth taking, with musically heightened emotions [and] internal conflicts juxtaposed in musical elements,” Cayabyab told the Varsitarian.

“Philippine cinema has a long tradition of music and singing, even the very first few Filipino films were actually zarzuelas like ‘Walang Sugat’ and the hit movie musical ‘Dalagang Bukid,’” Cayabyab said.

“Ang Larawan” bagged 7 awards in this year’s MMF including the Best Actress Award for Ampil’s performance, Best Picture, and Gatpuno Villegas Cultural Award. A Posthumous Special Jury Prize was also given to Joaquin. K.N.B. ADRIANO

Jaime Fabregas, Celeste Legaspi and Bernardo Bernardo

Joanna Ampil as Candida Marasigan

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ANGLARAWAN.COM

Printmaker Mars Bugaoan: Worth in things, growth in art

PPO concert at CCP reunites UST mentor and ward

Herminigildo Ranera

Ricson Poonin

‘La Naval’ by Benedictine monk-musician Maramba performed by PPO THE NIGHT before conductor Herminigildo Ranera led the UST Symphony Orchestra in toasting the Varsitarian’s 90th anniversary grand reunion, he also had a small reunion himself with his former student and now acclaimed trombonist Ricson Poonin joined him on the stage of the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Poonin, who studied Trombone Performance in the University as a scholar, rendered classical music alongside his mentor who conducted the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) in the fifth installment of “Romancing the Classics.”

The concert was part of PPO’s eight-series celebration to mark its 35th year. It aims to bring the classical masterpieces of the Romantic period closer to Filipino audiences.

Accompanied by the PPO, Poonin played German composer Ferdinand David’s “Concertino for Trombone and Orchestra” in E-flat. “Concertino” is a three-part movement published in 1838. Its duration usually lasts up to 16 to 17 minutes and follows a fast, successive tempo without break.

“It feels amazing to perform with my former teacher. The connection is there, still strong,” Poonin told the Varsitarian.

Poonin began his musical career when he was 9

years old. He was part of a local band in Laguna.

When he was in the University, Poonin won first prize in the 2009 Music Competition for Young Artists (NAMCYA) Solo Category C and the UST Solo Competition for musicians. He became a member of the Asian Youth Orchestra in 2011 and the Southeast Asian Youth Orchestra from 2005 to 2006 and 2008 to 2010.

After graduating, he went to the Johns Hopkins Conservatory in the United States and obtained his Masters of Music and Graduate Performance Degree.

Maramba’s “La Naval” As part of the classical repertoire, PPO also performed octogenarian virtuoso Fr. Manuel Maramba, OSB’s symphony ode “La Naval.”

Revised in December 2017, Maramba’s opera piece recalls the Battles of La Naval de Manila and how the Filipino asked help from Our Lady of the Holy Rosary to win the battle, vowing to walk barefoot in procession to the old Santo Domingo Church in Intramuros.

PPO’s rendition of the symphony ode started solemnly with “Supplication,” the first movement Poonin PAGE 11

WELL-KNOWN for his monotype prints on heated plastic bags, Mars Bugaoan was among contemporary visual artists featured in back-to-back exhibits in Makati City, Jan. 12 to 18.

Bugaoan’s works have always depicted unconventional themes. In the first exhibit, “Tounges,” at J Studio, Bugaoan created an installation made of tinkered plastics and “found objects” (such as a root and a barren ant’s nest).

Titled “How are you? Who are you?,” the installation is composed of objects that intrigued the artist because he “could see the similarity in their intrinsic qualities.”

“I think one’s sensibility as an artist grows as one sees the worth in things,” Bugaoan said. “In a way, all the objects in this piece say something of similar worth to me: they’re all about growth.”

Most of Bugaoan’s works are based on the underlying theme of growth. In 2016, he was also part of a group exhibit in CCP where he used printmaking to show the different layers of a monotype cutout and explore how “the medium will evolve from scratch.”

This fitted well with the main theme of the first exhibit. For curator JC Jacinto, “Tongues” aimed to show the way a single idea could change or evolve if said in several different ways by different people.

In “BW,” the other exhibit held at Vinyl on Vinyl, Bugaoan used relief printing, a print technique that uses a carved or etched surface.

His work, “Who are you tonight?”, WAS an eight-piece rubber-cut print in black and white. Bugaoan used a printing block dipped in white ink to transfer his stark, repetitive images on eight acid-free 8x11.5 black paper sheets. “[BW] is a study on the polarities; on how one thing cannot exist without the other,” the artist said.

Bugaoan graduated cum laude with a degree in Advertising Arts at the College of Fine Arts and Design in 2009. He reaped several other academic awards as an undergraduate, including the Active Scholar of the Year Award in 2007, and Outstanding Thesis Award, and Benavides Outstanding Achievement Award in 2009. He also won the grand prize in photography of the 8th Art Petron National Student Art Competition in 2008.

Bugaoan has been featured in numerous exhibits here and abroad, including two solo exhibits and a two-man exhibit at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. He is also a member of the Philippine Association of Printmakers.

L.R.M. LOPEZ III

Filipino 11

IKA-31 NG ENERO, 2018

Patnugot: Jolau V. Ocampo

Wikang Filipino, tampok sa Waze TAMPOK na rin ang Wikang Filipino sa navigation app na Waze.

Ito ay naging posible matapos pangunahan ng Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) ang pagsasalin ng 2,846 threads o ang mga sugnay na madalas gamitin upang makapagbigay ng mas mabilis na direksyon sa naturang app.

Ayon kay Dr. Benjamin Mendillo, pinuno ng sangay ng pagsasalin sa KWF, mas mainam ang paggamit ng wikang Filipino lalo na sa pagbibigay ng direksiyon.

“Nakatatak na ang wikang Filipino sa pandaigdigang komunidad na mayroong kakayahan na tumbasan o isalin ang mga salita sa pagbibigay ng direksiyon na katangian ng isang maunlad na bansa. Nagkakaroon tayo ng kumpiyansa sa sariling wika sapagkat ito ay nakapasá sa pandaigdigang pamantayan na kinikilala at ginagamit na app—ang Waze,” wika ni Mendillo.

Isa ang Waze sa mga patok na mobile application na ginagamit sa nabigasiyon sa trapiko hindi lamang sa Filipinas kundi sa buong daigdig. Gumagamit ito ng crowdsourcing, isang makabagong paraan ng pag-uugnayan ng mga taong-bayan upang maghatid ng mga nangyayari sa kalagayan ng mga lansangan lalo na sa pagtunton ng pinakamainam na daan. Naipapakita rin dito ang mga aksidente, mga saradong kalsada, babala at iba pa.

Paglilinaw ni Mendillo, mananatili sa anyong Ingles ang pagbigkas sa mga salitang hindi nakasalin tulad ng U-turn sapagkat may mga simbolo na kinikilala sa buong mundo na dapat estandardisado.

“Jargon ito ng public works and highways at engineering kaya ito ay isang teknikal na salitang ‘di dapat pang tumbasan sapagkat imbes na makatulong ay baka makalilikha pa ng kalituhan sa publiko,” wika ni Mendillo.

Dagdag pa niya, kaya namang isalin lahat ng mga salita ngunit iniiwasan na maging katuwa-tuwa ang anyo nito o maging ‘di angkop sa panlasa ng madla.

Para naman kay Roy Rene Cagalingan, tagapagsaliksik sa wika at tagasalin sa KWF, mahalaga na maisalin ito

Usapang Uste

dahil naniniwala siya sa bisa at talab ng wikang Filipino pagdating sa direksiyon.

“Hindi na lang natin ginagawang default ang Ingles sa ating mga gadget at app, magagamit na rin natin ang wikang Filipino upang maging mas maginhawa ang iba’t ibang aspekto ng ating buhay,” ani Cagalingan.

Umaasa si Cagalingan na mas mauunawaan ng mga motorista sa Filipinas ang pasikot-sikot sa mga lansangan gamit ang Filipino.

“Kung mas nauunawaan ang kalikasan ng lansangan at mga batas nito, umasa rin tayo na bababa ang insidente ng paglabag at aksidente,” dagdag pa niya.

Si Adora Binanggit din ni Mendillo na mahalagang marinig ng mga motorista ang mga panuto ni Adora, ang pangalan ng voice prompter sa wikang Filipino, upang maging estandardisado ang mga salitang Filipino na nagtuturo ng direksiyon.

Kaugnay naman nito, maraming mungkahi ang ilang Filipino sa social media ukol sa mga posibleng gamiting boses para sa Filipino voice prompts ng Waze. Marami dito ay mga boses at paraan ng pananalita ng mga artista.

Tinutulan ni Mendillo ang panggagayang ito dahil, aniya, seryosong kompanya ang Waze at hindi nila pahihintulutan ang anumang bagay na lilikha ng kontrobersiya.

“Ang kanilang mga talent na voice prompter ay batay sa mahigpit na pamantayan sa kahusayan sa malinaw na pagbigkas at kaalamang wika na batay sa isinalin na threads na esensiyal sa command prompts ng app,” paglilinaw niya.

Iminungkahi naman ni Cagalingan na gamitin ang tinig na malinaw at tama ang pagbigkas upang hindi magdulot ng pagkalito sa mga gagamit ng app.

Dagdag pa rito, nililinang din ng KWF ang kanilang proyekto sa pagsasalin ng mga paunawa o road signs sa Filipinas sa pakikipagugnayan naman sa Department of Public Works and Highways.

Sa kasalukuyan, sinisimulan na rin nilang isalin ang mga senyas at ilang pabatid sa kalsada na nakalimbag sa Ingles upang higit na maunawaan ng publiko. ERMA R. EDERA

Pag-aayuno para sa pag-ibig noong 1976

BILANG pakikiisa sa misyon ni Mother Teresa sa India noong 1976, nag-ayuno ang mga Tomasino sa loob ng isang buong araw. Tinawag ang pagkilos na “Because I Care.”

Idinaos noong ika-17 ng Pebrero 1976, ang programa ay pinamunuan ng Student Organizations Coordinating Council ng UST at may layuning iparating ang malasakit ng mga Tomasino sa mga nagugutom sa bansa.

Bukod sa pag-aayuno, nangalap din ang Unibersidad ng mga donasyon para sa mga organisasiyong nagsasagawa ng feeding program sa India at Maynila. Umabot sa P8,323.32 ang nalikom na tulong mula sa mga Tomasino.

Ikinagalak ni Padre Efren

Rivera, O.P., kawaning rektor ng Unibersidad noon, ang nasabing aktibidad at idiniin sa kaniyang homiliya na mainam na paraan ang pag-aayuno upang maramdaman ng mga Tomasino ang hirap ng mga pamilyang nagugutom.

Sa ganitong paraan, wika niya, nakararanas ng kalinga ang mga mahihirap kasabay ng pagkatuto ng mga Tomasino na maging mapagbigay.

Ipinagtanggol din noon ni Padre Rivera si Mother Teresa sa mga kritiko at sinabing ehemplo ang madre ng pag-ibig ng Diyos sa mga taong nagdurusa, naghihirap at napababayaan.

Tomasino siya Sa loob ng kaniyang mahabang buhay, napakaraming naiambag ni Pablo Panlilio sa larangan ng

arkitektura hindi lamang sa Filipinas kundi pati sa ibang panig ng mundo.

Taong 1937 nang magtapos siya ng kolehiyo sa Unibersidad. Matapos makapasa sa licensure examinations para sa mga arkitekto noong 1938, nagtungo si Panlilio sa Pransya upang kumuha ng post-baccalaureate studies sa Ecole des Beaux Arts.

Lumipad siya patungong Estados Unidos noong 1939 upang kumuha ng masterado sa sining sa Catholic University of Washington.

Isa sa mga itinuturing na henyong ambag ni Panlilio sa arkitektura ang pagpapakilala niya sa mas malawak na alulod, ang bahagi ng bubong ng isang bahay kung saan dumadaloy ang tubig-ulan.

Layunin ng nasabing imbensiyon na protektahan ang buong bahay sa ulan at init ng araw. Sa kalaunan, naging modelo at polisiya ang itinakdang

Poonin

sukat ni Panlilio sa paggawa ng mga bubong sa Filipinas.

Dahil sa kaniyang natatanging galing sa napiling larangan, nakatanggap siya noong 1951 ng komisyon sa pag-disenyo ng American Veterans Memorial Hospital sa Quezon City, ang kaunaunahang kompletong ospital sa Asya.

Ilan pa sa mga kilalang estruktura na may ambag si Panlilio ay ang Manuel L. Quezon University at Singian Memorial Hospital. Dahil sa mga ito, itinalaga siya bilang honorary consulting architect ng Maynila.

Bukod sa kaniyang mga proyekto, namuno si Panlilio sa ilang mga organisasiyon tulad ng Architectural Centre Club, Inc., United Architects of the Philippines, Philippine Constructors Association,

at iba pa.

Ginawaran siya ng The Outstanding Thomasian Alumni Award noong 2006.

Pumanaw si Panlilio sa edad na 99 noong 2012. WINONA S. SADIA Tomasalitaan Lamyos (png) - lambing, suyo Hal: Hindi ako humihiling ng anumang higit sa iyong lamyos, Mahal, sapagkat sapat na ito upang patuloy akong maniwala sa iyo.

Mga sanggunian TOTAL Awards 2006 The Varsitarian Tomo XV Blg. 46, Pebrero 26, 1976; 19751980, p.207

Wabi-Sabi

FROM PAGE 10

FROM PAGE 5

that expressed the earnest desires of the SpanishFilipino crew to defeat the Dutch. The tune transitioned into a heavy tone with “Encounter,” signaling the start of the naval combat. This continued as the woodwinds and the strings battled it out to the climax that ended on a high and triumphant note with “Intervention.”

Maramba is a Benedictan monk-musician and a retired faculty member of the Conservatory of Music.

Following PPO’s tribute to Maramba WAS a performance of Russian virtuoso Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky’s “Symphony No. 6 in B minor.

Op. 74.”

“Symphony No. 6” evoked an overall melancholic tune, but an allegro played halfway through the 45-minute piece ushered in a slightly different mood.

The concert series “Romancing the Classics” kicked off last September and will run until April 13. Upcoming performances will be by acclaimed pianists Ingrid Sala Santamaria and Raul Sunico and trumpet player Raymund de Leon. KATHLEEN THERESE A. PALAPAR Herminigildo Ranera and Fr. Manuel Maramba, OSB

keep aside from its winning ways, is its pattern of instilling healthy competition and refined moral values in its athletes, the rest is irrelevant. If UST wants to continue being the most productive and successful sports program in UAAP history, it must take necessary changes and move its vision forward, even if it means leaving some trends behind.

UST’s sports program should be everchanging and adaptive of current measures.

The University obviously has plans to add on its already-celebrated history, and tapping the backs of “outsiders” that share mutual convictions with it is a great first step in maintaining its legendary sporting status.

As a proud Thomasian myself and a sportswriter with extreme concern to our beloved University and its sports program, we should all embrace the changing times and brace for the future. Stop living in the past, for some traditions are meant to be dropped when circumstances arise.

12 Special Reports

Editor: Neil Jayson N. Servallos

JANUARY 31, 2018

Private hospitals defend cash policy However, a wife of a regular patient in the USTH’s clinical division told the Varsitarian that despite the cash-basis policy, the treatment in the hospital is still worth their money.

“Sinabi nila ‘yon na hindi naman ‘to charity na lahat ng ipapagawang laboratory, babayaran.

Minsan ‘di na namin pinapagawa kapag wala kaming pera,” she said. “’Pag kailangang kailangang gawin, pinapakiusap namin sa kanila.

Pumapayag naman sila, minsan `yung mga doktor ang nag-aabono.”

By ARIANNE AINE D. SUAREZ

THE PRIVATE Hospitals Association of the Philippines (PHAP) has defended the “cashbasis policy” of the University of Santo Tomas Hospital’s (USTH) clinical division, following reports of delayed treatments despite the passage of a stricter anti-hospital deposit law.

The cash-basis policy is necessary to stay afloat amid the heavy taxes imposed by the government, PHAP President Rusticio Jimenez said.

“We understand [the patients] but the problem is, BIR is also charging taxes. For example, ‘yong St. Luke’s, they were charged P50 million by BIR, and these cases are done by charity. Wala nang sinasanto ngayon ang BIR e,” he said.

“The hospital has the right to charge and be paid. It’s not a one-sided affair. So if you are in doubt, you think you cannot be admitted in a private hospital, do not go to a private hospital.

Go to a government hospital,” he added.

Contrary to the “charge to bill” process in the hospital’s private division, the Clinical Division of USTH requires patients to pay first before undergoing any procedure. This policy delays treatment, with some patients staying in the Emergency Room for hours without undergoing any procedure, a source told the Varsitarian.

A medical trainee in the University hospital’s semi-private division said admission policies in the Clinical Division are discussed with patients.

“Many people often still mistake it as

the charity division, that medical consults are subsidized and that indigent patients need not spend for anything to get urgent medical attention,” the trainee, who requested not to be named, told the Varsitarian.

The trainee said that while it might seem “cold-hearted” to discuss money with families of patients who needed urgent medical attention, it was better than having patients who could not go home because they could not settle their hospital debts.

One patient admitted at a ward has been in the hospital for more than five months. But despite being stable, the patient could still not leave the hospital because their hospital bill

Political dynasties dominate Congress APPROXIMATELY half of the lawmakers in the last three Congresses were preceded and succeeded by their relatives, research by the Varsitarian has found.

There have been 85 political families whose names have been in and out of the Congress since 2010. Seventytwo families have lorded it over in the House of Representatives, and in the Senate, 13.

“Not one legislation can save it,” Edmund Tayao, political analyst and political science professor in the Faculty of Arts and Letters, said in an interview.

“It is a problem of our [current political] system [and landscape].”

Tayao noted the passage of the Sangguniang Kabataan Reform Act of 2015, the first law in the country with an anti-dynasty provision, but said it was not enough change the system.

The Sangguniang Kabataan or youth council reform, under Republic Act 10742, prohibits the election of a member related to any official in the local government within the second degree of affinity.

Dennis Coronacion, chairman of the UST political science department, said an anti-dynasty law could help in promoting a healthy democracy because it goes against the “principle of democracy that everyone should take turns in governing.”

“If we’re just going to undertake the right reforms needed in legislation, I think we’ll be able to reduce political dynasties in Congress, in the local offices,” he said.

Calling dynasties a “tradition,” Coronacion said inheriting a government office was not new and could be hard to eradicate. “[Political dynasties] are not contributing to the development of democracy. If you want a healthy democracy, then you should do away with the existence of political dynasties,” Coronacion said.

According to a 2016 study by Ronald Mendoza, Ateneo School of Government dean, about 70 percent of the 15th Congress came from dynasties and dominated major but weak political parties.

“This concentration of power by political dynasties produces a noncompetitive political system and, in some cases, underpins the restraints, if not the mechanisms for reversals, on growth and equity-enhancing as well as poverty-reducing reforms.” Mendoza said.

Coronacion said the continuous dominance of political families in the

two houses of Congress could be attributed to the lack of competent political parties.

“Kasi if the criterion for [the nomination of the candidate] happens to be `yung membership in the family, it’s really a bad way of choosing our government leaders kasi it’s not based on competence. It’s based on blood ties.”

Political parties that nominate candidates do not have a proper vetting process, Tayao said.

“You can’t really expect good candidates or qualified candidates to run for office. Either they are scions of a political family or very popular political personalities or, not even political personalities, but media personalities,” Tayao added.

One of the oldest political names is the Osmeña family. Former president Sergio Osmeña, who was a lawmaker during the First Philippine Republic in 1899, was the first to build a dynasty.

Tomas Osmeña was elected in the 15th Congress as 2nd district representative of Cebu. Two Osmeñas have been elected senator after the Marcos regime: John Osmeña and Sergio Osmeña III. The Aquinos have a long staying power in Congress, with members of the family elected 13 times in different periods in the history of Congress. Sen. Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV was elected senator in the 17th Congress.

Unhealthy for democracy Coronacion said it was unhealthy for a democracy to have political dynasties because there was “no level playing field” for other leaders to secure seats in Congress.

“If you’re an ordinary person and you’re up against a political family, medyo lugi ka kasi they have all the resources and you don’t have what they have. So, kung mananalo ka man, there is a remote possibility,” he said.

“In other words, it goes against the principle of democracy that everyone should take turns in governing.”

Cleve Arguelles, chairman of the UP Manila Political Science department, said that if the same people get elected or run for office, others would be crowded out.

“Once elections are no longer competitive, political dynasties are no longer incentivized to respond to the interests or demands of the electorate so it also distorts the quality of representation,” Arguelles said. L.C. L. PENERA

has reached more than 400,000 pesos, which continues to increase as they stay longer in the hospital.

“E kung di sila papayag [sa promissory note], anong gagawin? Sabihin ko na lang sa kanila, sige iwan na lang dito. E wala akong pambigay,” the patient’s mother said.

“Sometimes, the patients’ condition gets worse due to the relatives’ inability to provide medications or procedures,” the trainee said.

“There are even cases when a family is forced to let go of a critically ill patient, let the natural course of a disease take over, since the medical management needed is draining the family financially.”

‘USTH doctors competent’ Benjamin Quito, cardiologist at USTH, said the doctors live up to the principles of the University whatever the hospital policy was.

“If the condition is life-threatening, the procedure must be done at all costs without pay,” he said. “UST is a Catholic university [that] gives compassionate care. The doctors are highly competent and caring. I understand why the hospital is implementing [this policy].”

Jimenez said doctors were trained to stabilize patients whose cases were “between life and death” before transferring them to a government hospital.

“We are doing everything for emergency cases, but I have to tell you, not all cases na sinasabi ng patient na emergency, ay emergency,” he said.

New provisions in the law Republic Act (RA)

10932

or

the

Hospital PAGE 6

Editor: Edris Dominic C. Pua

Sci-Tech 13

JANUARY 31, 2018

2 new equipment allow DNA sequencing UST HAS acquired two high-tech equipment allowing hands-on DNA sequencing.

Philab Industries, a company that spearheaded the establishment and operations of the Genomic Institute of Asia (GINA), donated two Ion Torrent DNA sequencers used for studying and analyzing genetic codes last December 5.

DNA sequencing is the process of determining the sequence that is incorporated into a genome. A genome is basically the complete set of an organism’s DNA which contains all the information necessary for constructing and maintaining cells in our body.

In research, DNA sequencing is used to identify bacteria and viruses as well as to compare genetic codes of animals or plants to classify their class.

Ion Torrent technology is just one type of GS equipment. It translates light into digital information to read the DNA sequence.

Hector Thomas Navasero, founder of GINA and Chairman of the Philab Holdings Corp. envisions the Philippines to be a “hub for genetic sequencing” although there are only few people who know how to operate GS equipment.

Usually, students dispatch specimen to known facilities that would conduct DNA sequencing for them. Hence, they would receive the finished sequences without any knowledge of how the DNA sequencer

“It would now ensure future students lalo na ‘yong mga mag-e-engage sa molecular work for their classes and as well as their thesis. They will have better access to the facilities and it would also show the awareness of the students’ kung paano ginagamit ang sequencing,” Papa told the Varsitarian.

GINA founder Tom Navasero with Philab team and UST College of Science faculty showcase the deed of donation.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PHILAB

operated.

This prompted Dr. Pia Albano, a histology professor and researcher on biomarker of cancer cells, to consult Donnie Ramos and Professor Rey Papa, the College of Science

Dean and Biology Department Chairperson respectively, to materialize a plan to also allow undergraduate science students to have the opportunity to experience hands-on DNA sequencing.

Benefits of DNA sequencing Studying genetic sequencing would be a ladder for genetictesting and future in medicine where it can provide simpler and more accurate methods of treating diseases such as cancer.

By being able to conduct DNA sequencing, it would be simpler to specify a safer and more accurate method to cure disease.

The equipment is said to cut down time, but will cost more to complete a study.

Navasero discussed the donation-project with Therese Faye Chongko-Perez last year.

Perez is a microbiology graduate from the University and Vice President for Healthcare at Philab Holdings Corp.

The equipment worth Php13 million is planned to be utilized by undergraduate and graduate researchers, as well as faculty members of the University.

The GS equipment is situated at the Student Research Laboratory. It is expected to be in full use after the remodeling of the said laboratory and after Philab personnel train faculty members. M. A. HERRERA

Lapuz shrugs off reports Climate change on CHEd chairmanship advocate calls for ‘climate justice’

By MA. CONSUELO D.P. MARQUEZ FORMER UST professor Jose David Lapuz dismissed reports he would soon be appointed chairman of the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd), replacing Patricia Licuanan who recently quit.

Lapuz was tapped by President Rodrigo Duterte to replace Licuanan in 2016. The appointment immediately drew the ire of Lapuz’s former students, who accused him of “incompetence” as a professor in the Faculty of Arts and Letters (Artlets) where he taught Rizal, political science and other courses from 1970 to 2007.

“Whoever is chosen [as the next CHEd chief], I will not ascribe ill intentions just because I was not the one chosen. I have the highest respect for President Rodrigo Duterte.

He may appoint me or he may not appoint me, which is really his absolute decision,” Lapuz told the Varsitarian in a phone interview.

He added that the next CHEd chief should focus on funding scholarships for students.

“Money is awash in CHEd,” he said.

“Hindi natin pwede i-dahilan na kasi walang tutulong [na pondohan ang scholarships].

Kung walang tutulong, then employ more accountants and bookkeepers.”

Licuanan stepped down on January 15 after receiving a call from Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea asking her to resign.

Lapuz pointed out that he was “misrepresented” after being tapped as the next CHEd chief by Duterte in 2016.

“What hurt me when I was being presented as a candidate was kung ano-ano ang nilalabas nila. Why cannot they assume some virtue, some good qualities?” Lapuz said.

Former students Chris Cahilig and Philip Landagan were two of Lapuz’s many critics who took to social media to say the “Rizalista de Vanguardia” was unqualified to hold the top CHEd post.

Lapuz was also accused of committing plagiarism in his book Perspectives in Politics: Public and Foreign, which was published in 2005.

Lapuz was chairman of Lyceum of the Philippines’ Department of Political Science from 1967 to 1973. He obtained his political science degree from the University of the Philippines in Diliman. One of his students at the Lyceum was the future president, Rodrigo Duterte.

In 2017, Lapuz was appointed commissioner of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization-Philippines. Previously, he was President Duterte’s adviser for education and international organizations.

By B.A.S. TIMBANG

Lapuz. FILE PHOTO

Licuanan’s resignation Licuanan was set to finish her term in July but resigned following accusations of corruption and mismanagement such as the delayed funding of scholarships for displaced faculty affected by the K to 12 transition. She has dismissed all the allegations.

“It is time to resign as my continued presence in CHEd is inimical to the interest of the institution.

It is particularly important for CHEd to focus on its work especially when it prepares for the implementation of the Republic Act 10931 or Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act,” Licuanan said in a statement last Jan. 15.

Commissioner Prospero de Vera was named CHEd officer in charge.

Ada Abad, legal counsel of Philippine Colleges and Universities, called on the Duterte administration to appoint a CHEd chief who would continue faculty scholarships to improve graduates’ job opportunities abroad.

“Hopefully, the new [CHEd] chairperson will continue the scholarships for master’s or doctorate degrees for teachers affected by the K to 12 transition […] and must continue aligning Philippine courses with that of other international frameworks, to enable our graduates to work abroad,” Abad said in an e-mail to the Varsitarian.

Licuanan was appointed by President Benigno Aquino III as CHEd chief in 2010 and in 2014.

ALTHOUGH the Philippines is considered a minor contributor to global carbon emissions, it is one of the most susceptible countries to climate change as shown by frequent calamities in the past.

The issue of climate justice prompted a national inquiry on 47 private companies bearing top carbon emitters, eight of which are operated in the country. These are collectively known as the “Carbon Majors.”

“Climate justice means that the climate debt must be settled—it acts on both responsibility and accountability. It is also a call [for] major carbon emitters to reinvest in renewable and sustainable energy,” Rodne Galicha, a climate change advocate from the University, told the Varsitarian.

Renewable and sustainable energy sources can generate electricity without producing pollutant and they include wind power through wind turbines, solar power, geothermal energy which uses stream and heated water, and hydrothermal energy which uses flowing water to run turbines.

In December 2017, the Commission on Human Rights(CHR) held the “National Inquiry on the Impact of Climate Change on the Rights of the Filipino People and the Responsibility Therefor of the ‘Carbon Majors’” with a resolution to be released in 2019.

The CHR responded to a petition filed in September 2015 by typhoon survivors, farmers, and environmental groups versus carbon majors, which included the mining company BHP Billiton, and oil companies namely BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, Shell, Suncor, and Total.

Galicha, the country manager of The Climate Reality Project Philippines, said stopping climate change is a “challenge” as it requires ceasing operations of coal-fired power plants and other producers of greenhouse gases.

“It is undeniable that these [extreme] climate events have been caused by more than 200 years of making our atmosphere a giant sewer for excessive [pollutants] which include carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels,” he said.

In November 2013, Super Typhoon Haiyan, known locally as Yolanda, struck the Philippines and caused the death of more than 6,200 people and damaged more than a million homes.

Greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, which can trap more than 93 percent of heat energy in the oceans, cancause oceanbased storms like Yolanda. Higher ocean temperature can also trigger severe climate events.

“The impacts of extreme weather conditions due to climate change generally affect the very right to life of every Filipino.

We are also seeing the effects [of climate change] on agriculture. Typhoon Pablo in 2012 caused over $210 million in crop damage,” he said.

In February 2016, the UN’s emergency aid coordination body said [nearly] 27,300 farmers in Mindanao were affected by drought.

Carbon pricing in the Philippines Galicha said carbon pricing, or imposing tax on carbon-emitting sectors, could be one of the means for industry players in the country to invest more in climate-friendly businesses.

“Increase in coal excise taxes [is] a big step toward attaining higher ambitions to reduce carbon emissions while making big polluters pay.

We expect that the proceeds shall be utilized to respond to the needs of [the] most vulnerable communities affected by climate crisis,” he said.

Renewable energy players should maximize clean and indigenous sources as they could be practically cheaper in the long run; their cost quickly decreases, while the cost of fossil-fuel-based sources increase over time, he added.

14 Limelight

Art Director: Shaina Mae L. Santander

JANUARY 31, 2018

TOMA N’ SHAN BY MARIYELLA ALYSA A. ABULAD

KWENTO NI MATO BY JOELLE ALISON MAE P. EUSEBIO

TOMAS U. SANTOS BY NATHANAEL JONAS S.J. RODRIGO

Awards

FROM PAGE 1

Dagohoy earlier said he did not know UAAI had decided to give an award to Uson for her service in government.

“We were not informed by [the UAAI]. The only invite that I received was to officiate the Mass in the [morning], which I fulfilled,” Dagohoy told the Varsitarian in a text message.

The UAAI’s board of trustees, however, did not revoke the award for Uson, along with similar awards to other alumni given the “Thomasian Alumni in Government Service” plaque.

“It was unanimously approved…not only for Mocha but for the whole. Because remember, there were 20 recipients…so we’re not focusing on that particular person but on [all] recipients,” Tenedero said.

Uson returned the award on Jan. 24 to the alumni association through her assistant following the uproar.

In an interview with the Malacanañang Press Corps, Uson urged the public to stop bullying Tenedero.

“Tama na ‘yung pambubully sa kanya... Ako nalang ang i-bully niyo, ako na lang murahin niyo, wag na si Sir Tenedero,” Uson said.

A source told the Varsitarian that UAAI vice president John Simon, who was appointed acting district collector at the Bureau of Customs last December, nominated Uson as one of the recipients of the

Happy Season FROM PAGE 8 I need not have worried. Cito and Manny were both fine editors and perfect gentlemen. Jun stayed on as News Editor, and Tish as Co-eds.

Norma took over Features; Nestor took over Literary, with Rita Gadi as his assistant. The other section editors were Anastacio de Guia, Jose Ser Sahagun, Ma. Concepcion Zamora and Ofelia Reyes. And among the new reporters was Bernardo Bernardo (who would become editor in chief after Jun, who would replace me). My Art Director was Ramon Dellosa, who had been handpicked by Danny. It was a good team.

This was before the university campuses became battlegrounds.

Though UP’s students had always been politicized, and the Collegian, always oriented toward national events, UST was still cocooned in an age of innocence.

Today, going over my old copies of the 12 issues of that year when I sat behind the editor’s desk, I can’t help but cringe a bit. The First Quarter Storm was only a few years away. Our personal dreams and private struggles were about to take a backseat to politics. But we were blissfully ignorant of it. I think now that the best thing about my editorials was the art work by Mon Dellosa on the margins.

In 1964, the University had set up a new College of Science, and merged Liberal Arts and Philets to form the new Faculty of Arts and Letters. Mine had been the last Philets graduating class.

The new college needed teachers, and I was asked to teach one undergraduate literature course, which with incredible temerity, I actually agreed to do. I had also

enrolled in the Graduate School. This meant that I was studying, and holding down three jobs—assistant women’s editor for Graphic Magazine, part-time teacher, and editor of the ‘V’. Somehow, it all worked out. Today when young people refer to “multi-tasking,” I remember that time in my life, and think to myself: “Been there, done that.” Somehow, it all worked out. Youth makes everything possible.

After one year, I decided to give up the editorship of the ‘V’, but following the footsteps of my predecessors. I stayed on for another year as contributing editor and writing a monthly column.

After work a few nights ago, over coffee in our favorite café, a friend said to me, “If you could go back to one period in your life, which would you choose?” And I answered, without missing a heartbeat, “College of course—when I was in Philets, was about to step into my twenties, and was working for the Varsitarian.”

award.

Simon did not resign.

Meanwhile, Tanodra, according to the alumni affairs office, took an “indefinite sick leave.”

A campus official said Tanodra would be on leave “up to the end of her term.”

Uson’s award condemned The unexpected award feting Uson as an outstanding alumna of the University was roundly condemned by Thomasians.

In a strongly worded statement posted on Facebook the Central Student Council said Uson “does not, in any way, embody the ideals of a real Thomasian.”

“We express our dismay over this event as Mocha Uson does not, in any way, embody the ideals of a real thomasian, [Uson] does not deserve an award that was supposed to be meant solely for outstanding thomasian alumni,” the statement read.

On Facebook, award-winning writer Cristina Pantoja Hidalgo, who heads the UST Creative Writing Center, said she would have been “shocked and ashamed” over Uson’s award had she attended the ceremonies.

Henry Barrameda, a former Varsitarian editor in chief, said the alumni association “must be in dire need of support from the government” to fete Uson.

“You have just made me really ashamed to be a Thomasian. In what universe can that fake news queen be even remotely outstanding?” Gigi Bautista Rapadas, former Varsitarian editor in chief, posted on Facebook.

“My dear university, help me understand why we honor a fake news peddler?” Raymond John Naguit, Nursing alumnus who was also named among the top ten outstanding students in the Philippines, said in a tweet.

UST Simbahayan Director Mark Anthony Abenir said the lack of criteria to bestow Uson with a government service award is a “material fallacy.”

Alumni return awards Akbayan Representative and Arts and Letters alumnus Tom Villarin, a coawardee of Uson, said he was returning the award in protest.

“I am returning the Thomasian in Government Service Award given to me last January 21 by the UST Alumni Association because I refuse to buy into their recent justification for awarding Mocha Uson that one only needed to be a graduate of our Alma Mater, and be part of government. If that were true, then all Thomasian civil servants should have also been given such an award,” the statement read.

Villarin said Uson’s actions go

against the Thomasian core values such as “truth in charity” and public accountability and transparency in government.

“Uson is a purveyor of fake news, an unrepentant violator of ethical standards in journalism, and a free-flowing fountain of foul language and obscenity. Indeed, she has corrupted the values that Thomasians hold dear,” the statement read.

Former Department of Health Secretary Dr. Carmencita Noriega-Reodica, who received The Outstanding Thomasian Alumni (Total) award in 1997, said she would return the award as it had already “lost its meaning and significance,” she said in a Facebook post.

Acclaimed FilipinoAmerican novelist Alvin “Bino” Realuyo, UST High School alumnus. expressed intention to return the Total award he got in 2003 in protest.

In a forwarded email to the Varsitarian, media scholar Crispin Maslog, a magna cum laude graduate of the defunct UST Faculty of Philosophy and Letters (Philets) and a former news editor of the Varsitarian, expressed intention of returning his UST diplomas and Philets Award in protest of the award given to Uson.

“I am refusing my award to show my objection to the award to Mocha who is the champion of fake news and character assassination on the Internet... Pwede ba isauli ko ang aking mga diplomas?”

Maslog said.

Aside from Uson and Villarin, the government service award were given to Sen. Joel Villanueva, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez, Buhay Partylist Rep. Jose “Lito” Atienza Jr., Senate Secretary Lutgardo Barbo, Court of Appeals Justice Amy Lazaro Javier, among others.

The government service award, a first of its kind, was given to Uson and more than a dozen other alumni during the association’s homecoming on Jan. 21 at Buenaventura Garcia Paredes, O.P. Building.

Editor: Randell Angelo B. Ritumalta

Sports 15

JANUARY 31, 2018

Female Tracksters eye 4th title

By MIA ARRA C. CAMACHO THE UST Female Tracksters are set to open their titleretention bid, eyeing to become only the second team in UAAP women’s track and field history to reap fourconsecutive crowns since powerhouse Far Eastern University (FEU) did it thrice in 1990, 1999 and 2014.

But the team will have to do it with a lineup reduced to 17 players because of the K-to-12 program’s impact recruitment.

“Walang graduates kaya walang makuha. ‘Yung mga natira sa atin na manlalaro, nagdagdag na ng events because they are willing to sacrifice anything just to make sure that we keep the title this year,” Female Trackstershead coach Manny Calipes told the Varsitarian.

In Season 65, the Female Tracksters had a chance to win their fourth-straight title but got dethroned by the

University of the East (UE).

This year, Calipes said the players were as determined as ever after initiating training sessions even on holidays to keep their conditioning at the maximum in time for the UAAP. “Continuous ang ensayo, kahit Pasko o bagong taon,nandito kami. Sila nagsabi sa akin na mas gusto nila mag-training,” said Calipes. “We have more than 50 percent chances for a four-peat. Kapag champion ka, everyone wants to beat you.”

The multi-titled coach also listed FEU, UE and theUniversity of the Philippines, which have been training twice a day, as constant hurdles in the Female Tracksters’ title bid.

UST’s athletics program also enabled a recovery period from October to February that kept the Female Trackstersin tiptop shape on and off the season.

Other than the daily conditioning in the UST

field, the team also works out at the Rizal Memorial Stadium on Sundays and cross-train through intercollegiate sports events and fun runs.

“Cooperative lahat kaya hindi tayo tulad ng iba nanagmamadali. Every year may improvement [and] for the past years UST is dominating with gold medals and resetting the records. Malakas ang legs nila, we will maximize their potential,” Calipes said.

In Season 79, the Female Tracksters broke two UAAP records courtesy of Luz Delfin (hammer throw) and Sarah Dequinan (heptathlon).

Calipes is confident the team will have a solid place in all events despite being undermanned in the long distance and throwing categories.

Team captain Dequinan also urged her teammates to enjoy the competitions.

“Sinasabihan ko po sila na dapat masaya tayo at mahalinnatin ang ginagawa natin,” Dequinan said.

Last October, the Female Tracksters reigned supreme in the 2017 Unigames and collected 16 gold medals in the women’s division.

The Female Tracksters will have an intact lineup this year, with team captain Sarah Dequinan, veteran players Janine Mansueto, Aira Teodosio, Rosnani Pamaybay and Season 79 Most Valuable Player Louielyn Pamatian still playing.

Last season, the Female Tracksters garnered 490 points through an 11-11-8 goldsilver-bronze medal haul.

Female Tracksters

Lady Fencers shoot for podium Booters seek end to semis jinx A DEPLETED lineup will make it difficult for the UST Lady Fencers to take championship this season, their coach acknowledged.

While the team is eyeing for its first championship since the tournament started in 1996, head coach Ricardo Fuenzalida admitted the campaign will not be easy amid recruitment issues brought by the K-to-12 program.

“Ang mindset namin lagi ay magoverall champion. Pero sa taong ito, inaamin namin na nahihirapan kami… Naubos ‘yung mga seniors namin,” Fuenzalida told the Varsitarian.

After UST fencing vets Donita Navarro, Joanna Marie Guevarra, Anna Patricia Macaraig and former captains Hanniel Abella and Maylene Pailma exhausted their playing years, the Lady Fencers will draw from their young core this year.

Fuenzalida also said the team still has a long way to the championship due to its roster composed of mainly first-timers in the UAAP. “Ang [aim] lang namin ngayon ay second-runner up or third, sinabi na namin ‘yun,” Fuenzalida said. “Pero tina-try namin na hindi lang ‘yun ‘yung goal kasi gusto namin maibalik sa first-runner up or champion, lagi naman naming pinaglalabanan ‘yan.”

Last year’s captain and national team player Palima initially opted to skip Season 79 and join this season’s team but had a change

of heart to give leverage to the Lady Fencers’ then overall placing. Despite the gaps, the Lady Fencers coaching staff doubled the team’s training efforts in time for the tournament, which will start on the first week of February.

The team trains for six hours daily and only skipped sessions during the Christmas break.

Last season, the Lady Fencers placed third behind one gold, silver and bronze medals.

University of the Philippines and UE, which placed second and first, respectively, remained the hurdles in the Lady Fencers’ road to the podium.

The Lady Fencers’ current training pool which consists mostly of rookies will be led by newly-minted captain Maricar Dizon. “[During trainings] I tell them to instill discipline to reach our goals for the upcoming UAAP,” Dizon said.

Dizon was part of the UST women’s epee team which won bronze in Season 78. “[I tell them to] train not just to comply with the required training time, I tell them train because they are aiming for something. I tell them to love what they’re doing because the outcome is more victorious when [my teammates] give their best effort,” Dizon added.

UAAP fencing action will start on Feb. 8 to 11 at Tiendesitas in Pasig. MA. ANGELA CHRISTA COLOMA

PARADING an intact core this Season 80, the UST Golden Booters still need to solve their semifinal puzzle for another crack at the UAAP men’s football championship they last won in 2007.

For the past two seasons, UST got booted out in the semifinals by powerhouses and eventual championsUniversity of the Philippines and Ateneo de Manila University.

Golden Booters head coach Marjo Allado said the team’s defensive lapses last semifinals against Ateneo took its toll but this year, the team is more ready to compete.

“Nag-dominate kami noong second half (last semis) perohindi pumasok ang mga attempts,” Allado said. “So anyway, ‘yung team na ‘to, ready na for UAAP and lahatmakakalaro kasi walang deficiencies.”

However, Allado said the team needs to improve on its ball-sharing and avoid errant passing, an area the Booterstried to polish in their pre-season tournaments.

During the offseason, UST reigned in the 5th Pinas Cup last Oct. 28 to 31, outlasting Ateneo and NCAA powerhouse San Beda.

The Booters are also the defending champions in the ongoing Ang Liga tournament where they are currently at seventh place with a 3-1-4 win-draw-loss slate.

“Good experience din ‘yung sa preseason, so sanamakatulong ngayon sa UAAP in terms of confidence ng players para tumaas pa,” Allado said.

During his stint as interim head coach of professional football team Global FC last May, Allado said he had no trouble training the Booters simultaneously because of the similarity of training mechanics the clubs use.

“Mga training sessions doon tsaka dito is almost the same. The only difference is ‘yung players kasi ‘yung players doon mas experienced compared mo dito,” Allado said.

Veteran striker Steven Anotado will return to the lineup after missing out two seasons due to a string of injuries.

Aside from Anotado, the Booters will lean on veterans AJ Passion Marvin Bricenio, Aljireh Fuchigami and ConradoDimacali to help out Anotado in scoring duties.

With the UAAP football tournament starting on February, Allado is confident of his team’s chances.

“Lahat naman makakapag-laro so sana walang ma-injurebefore the UAAP,” Allado said.

Graduating player Jopridale Molino and veteran Ian de Castro were appointed co-captains for Season 80.

With eight players graduating this season, Molino wants to reach the last dance before closing his collegiate football career.

“Ito na ‘yung last namin kaya ibubuhos na namin para kahit sa limang taon namin, may makuha kamingchampionship,” Molino said.

IVAN RUIZ L. SUING

Tiger Cub Cansino leads MVP race

By J.R. VALENCIA CJ Cansino

THE UST Tiger Cubs have a clear shot at a first Final Four spot in six years, with muchimproved wingman CJ Cansino at the helm.

Cansino showed glimpses of his stellar play in the second round of Season 79 and finished the season with an average of 12.8 points per game (ppg) and 6.9 rebounds per game (rpg).

This year, Cansino’s huge improvement is marked by his Season 80 average of 27.25 ppg and 15.62 rpg.

With those numbers, the 6’1” wingman led the Most Valuable Player (MVP) race after the first round of eliminations with 100.57 statistical points (sp), while Ateneo de Manila University behemoth Kai Sotto had 74.43 sp at second place.

“Lahat ng pinaghirapan ko noong offseason, lahat ng pain, lahat ng sakripisyo, lumabas ngayong first round,”Cansino told the Varsitarian.

Cansino has emerged as the team’s main offensive weapon, with Tiger Cubs

head coach Chris Cantonjos opting to run crucial plays for him down the stretch and averages 6.4 ppg in the fourth quarter.

“Pinaghahandaan ko ‘yun palagi, mentally and physically. Pina-practice ko ‘yung one-onone para pag dumating na ‘yung clutch time, may mailalabas ako,” Cansino said.

This season, Cansino recorded career-highs in points and rebounds after exploding with 35 points against the National University Bullpups last Nov. 26 and grabbing 25 boards against the University of the East Junior Warriors last Dec. 16.

Cantonjos commended Cansino for his leadership skillsthat rub off the whole team.

“Makikita mo sa kanya (Cansino) ang isang MVP [dahil] pinapagaling niya ang kanyang mga teammates tsaka dinadala niya ang team,” Cantonjos said.

Before his breakout season, Cansino missed several training sessions after a groin injury he suffered at the tail end of the season in their preparation against UE. He spent his rehabilitation period doing shooting drills and watching game film to improve his game.

Despite being the MVP frontrunner this season, Cansino is more focused on bringing the Tiger Cubs back to the Final Four.

“Ano naman kung magiging MVP ako kung wala naman ‘yung Final Four. Ang pangit naman kung pangalan ko lang aangat, hindi kasama ‘yung UST,” the Valenzuela native said Last year, the Tiger Cubs fell short of a Final Four spot after losing to the De La Salle Junior Archers in the playoff game for the fourth seed.

Cansino started his basketball career when he joined the varsity team of Juliever Academy in Valenzuela during his fifth grade. He then joined the basketball team of La Salle – Araneta in his third year.

Now on his final season in the juniors’ division, Cansino is still unsure if he will suit up for the Growling Tigers, but made it clear that he wants to stay.

“Sa sarili ko, ang first option ko talaga ay UST kasi gusting gusto ko talaga maglaro para sa UST,” Cansino said.

Sports

JANUARY 31, 2018

Ayo faces tall order as new Tigers head coach

Aldin Ayo

By SPORTS TEAM NEW GROWLING Tigers head coach Aldin Ayo will face his biggest challenge yet – to rebuild a team coming off its worst season in UAAP history.

Ayo, who jumped ship from the De La Salle University Green Archers to UST, admitted that turning a one-win team around is a “big responsibility.”

“We haven’t achieved anything yet. I think hindi [dapat] congratulations [‘yung pagbati], they should wish me luck because this will not be easy,” Ayo told the Varsitarian in an exclusive interview.

Ayo and his coaching staff met with the Tigers and school officials for the first time last Jan. 11 at the Quadricentennial Pavillion.

“Rest assured that everyone will be given equal opportunities so walang problema. We’re going to have the whole season for that and we’ll make it final before the UAAP starts,” he said.

The 40-year-old coach said that he would employ the same full-court defense and run and gun offense that brought him two championships with the Letran Knights and the Green Archers in 2015 and 2016.

Practice sessions began last Jan. 12 and will serve as an evaluation period for the coaching staff.

“From now on every practice will serve as a form of evaluation. Every practice we’ll conduct, we’ll make sure na kita namin kung sino ang deserving, sinong fit, at sinong makakatulong sa team natin,” Ayo said.

The Varsitarian broke the news of Ayo’s confirmation to coach the Tigers last Jan.

Tigresses confident despite missing Laure

By JAN CARLO ANOLIN DESPITE a depleted lineup, Golden Tigresses head coach Emilio “Kung Fu” Reyes believes the team has enough firepower to make up for the absence of key cogs EJ Laure and Ria Meneses in the upcoming Season 80 women’s volleyball tournament.

Meneses opted out of her final playing year while Laure was ruled out for the season after aggravating her shoulder injury.

“Panibagong challenge ito para sa team. With that, kailangan [naming] magdouble time especially sa mgataong papalit sa posisyon ni EJ and Meneses,” Reyes told the Varsitarian in an interview.

The Tigresses will lean on energizer bunny Cherry Rondina and opposite spiker Dimdim Pacres for offense, while hitter Carla Sandoval is tasked to fill in Laure’s role as open spiker.

Reyes said Sandoval is next in line in the rotation after Laure and they have prepared a “special recipe” for the open hitter to get the team’s solid blending and balance.

“Kapag ganun ‘yung ginagawa sa kanya, mas nagigingmatapang [siya], ‘yung tipong wala na siyang hesitation gawin ‘yung isang bagay. Para ma-overcome niya lahat‘yung mga puwedeng mangyari,” the three-year tacticianadded.

The 5’7” Sandoval is confident of her new role and saidpressure will not be a problem for her.

“Ine-enjoy ko lang kasi laro lang din.

Tsaka nagte-training naman kami arawaraw. Nakaka-pressure pero hindi na[kasi] mawawala ‘yun. Kailangan [kong] magstep at mag-mature,” the third-year Sports and Wellness Management student said.

The Tigresses’ PSL stint last November

gave the squad a big boost for Season 80 in terms of maturity and exposure,despite remaining winless throughout the competition.

The Tigresses faltered on all eight games against semi-professional teams with imports.

Despite the team’s winless campaign, Reyes saw improvement in the team’s techniques.

“Napakalaking gain ng mga players doon (PSL). Doon nilanaranasan ‘yung makipagsabayan sa mga veteran at seasoned players, with imports pa. ‘Yun ‘yung ‘di na natinmatuturo sa kanila. This time, alam na nila yung galawnila,” Reyes said.

Before PSL, the Tigresses defeated De La Salle University and repeated as championsh in the 2017 Unigames in Dumaguete City.

This year, to further hone the team’s skills and technique, the team embarked on a 10-day practice in Thailand from Jan. 5 to 15.

While the team’s problems remain to be its end-game tactics, team captain Shannen Palec said the Tigresses should bring their game a notch higher this season.

“Mayroon kaming isang vision para lumaban kahit kulangkami. Lahat kami naka-experience na ng PSL so madadala namin ‘yung experience [sa UAAP.] Lalabankami, kung hindi hanggang semis, hanggangchampionship nga dapat. Dapat mag-level up,” team captain Shannen Palec said.

Last season, the Golden Tigresses settled for bronze after faltering against De La Salle University in their first semifinals stint in five years.

5. Details of the contract are yet to be finalized until the coaching staff is complete.

Ayo will inherit a team that had eight rookies last year and struggled to close out games.

Last year, the Tigers were the worst in the league in turnovers (24.9), threepoint percentage (24.7), and freethrow percentage (58.4).

“We’re going to maximize their potentials. I’m just going to allow them to play, make sure they enjoy the game and of course we’re going to instill the work ethic that we want because this season, we’re going to be the hardest working team, talagang magta-trabaho kami,” Ayo said.

A philosophy graduate of Dominican sister school Colegio de San Juan de Letran, Ayo said he opted to join UST partly because of his closeness with some Dominican priests Ayo also cited “personal growth” as a main reason for his transfer.

“I believe that I can coach here the way things should be,” he said. “Second, most of the priests are my personal friends and my contemporaries in the seminary. Most of the seminarians in Sorsogon studied here [UST].”

Ayo’s official induction brought a new era in Tigers basketball after being the first non-Thomasian head coach of the team, a feat that was met with mixed receptions from the UST community.

“Whatever they say or kung ano

man, everyone’s entitled with their own opinion,” Ayo said. “There were things that were out of control pero as much as possible, gusto ko kontrolado. Pero ganun ‘yung basketball eh, you cannot control everything.”

Incomplete coaching staff Ayo tapped four familiar faces, two of them from his La Salle champion team, to assist him on the bench.

He introduced Bonnie Garcia, McJour Luib, Kristoffer Co, and Rene Baena during the press briefing last Jan. 11.

Garcia is a former head coach of the Sta. Lucia Realtors in the Pilipinas Commercial Basketball League (PCBL) last 2016, while Luib and Co were part of Ayo’s previous coaching staff in De La Salle University. Baena was an assistant coach of the Adamson Baby Falcons last Season 79.

The 24-year-old Luib played for Ayo at Colegio de San Juan de Letran in 2015 before he was joined his coach in La Salle.

Ayo said he was still completing his coaching staff since some of the eyed members still had prior commitments.

“Once makumpleto yung coaching staff saka namin titingnan kung ano yung roles [nila],” Ayo told the Varsitarian.

Co, who was with Ayo since Season 79, said he would most likely be assigned to scout the other teams and edit game film for the team’s use.

Ex-Warrior finds new home in UST AFTER serving his one-year residency, multi-time UAAP juniors’ champion Joshua Umandal with suit up for the Tiger Spikers this season to aid in UST’s men’s volleyball campaign.

Umandal, former University of the East (UE) Junior Warrior standout, is confident that UST can make it back to the finals after placing fourth last season.

“Confident ako na makukuha namin ang championship ngayon kasi sa coach pa lang eh, mai-inspire ka na kaagad. Sabi kasi ni coach, lahat naman kaya basta paghirapan lang.,” Umandal told the Varsitarian.

The 6’2” rookie was a former table tennis player in elementary but switched to volleyball due to his height.

He was discovered by UE when it held a training camp in Umandal’s former school Barrio Obrero Elementary School in Maypajo, Manila. The coaches admired his height and his potential, the same reason UST head coachOdjie Mamon included him in this year’s lineup.

For Umandal, playing for UE was a keeper, but the Tiger Spikers’ camaraderie brought pride in representing UST. “Iba ‘yong bonding ng team na to eh,” he said. “Kahit dumarating kasi sa sitwasyon na nakakadismaya kapag lagi kayong talo, basta naniniwala lang kami na kaya pa namin, ayun, nakakabangon kami.”

Last October, the Tiger Spikers finished bronze in the Premiere Volleyball League (PVL) after blasting the National University Bulldogs in two games.

Umandal led the Tiger Spikers in scoring after averaging 15.4 Joshua Umandal

points per game, enough for him to earn the Best Opposite Spiker award.

“Marami akong natutunan sa PVL, doon ko natutunan maging buo, lalo na ‘yung tiwala ko sa team… Ang goal ko lang is ‘yung championship para sa team, wala sa isip ko ‘yung individual awards,” Umandal said.

After placing third in the PVL, the Tiger Spikers bagged gold in the 22nd UniGames last Oct. 22 to 28 in Dumaguete City after thrashing the College of Saint Benilde Blazers in the men’s finals.

With the Tiger Spikers’ impressive showing in their preseason stints, Mamon hopes to reach the Final Four.

“Actually ‘yung performance sa PVL at Unigames, passable na rin pero I cannot promise pa ‘yung finals appearance pero ang goal namin syempre ‘yung Final Four and then kung mag-overachieve na lang siguro, mag-pray na makasama sa finals,” the UST tactician said.

In preparation for the upcoming UAAP season, the Tiger Spikers underwent a training camp last Jan. 5 to 10 in Thailand under the Thailand Volleyball Association.

“Ang laking motivation at experience para sa amin ‘yungtraining camp kasi iba’t ibang mukha ang naka-tune up namin kaya mas nakagagaan ng laro,” Umandal said.

The Tiger Spikers will open the volleyball season against the De La Salle University Green Archers on Feb. 3, Saturday, at the Mall of Asia Arena.

M.A.D. GARCIA