The Varsitarian P.Y. 2016-2017 Issue 06

Volume LXXXVIIII, No. 6 • February 1, 2017 THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSIT Y OF SANTO TOMAS Manila, Philippines

UNENDING MERCY. Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle opens the fourth World Apostolic Congress on Mercy last Jan. 16

NO TO CONDOMS FOR HS STUDENTS “

Distributing condoms to students might send the wrong message.

”

UST Junior High School Principal Marishirl Tropicales

In Figures 8,000 Filipino youth with HIV/ AIDS

By ROY ABRAHMN D.R. NARRA and MARIA CRISANTA M. PALOMA ADMINISTRATORS of two high schools in the University are opposed to the government’s plan to distribute condoms to high school students as a means to curb the rising number of cases of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) among the youth.

UST Education High School (EHS) Principal Loreto Sauz said condom distribution could send the message to teenagers that it would be alright to engage in sexual activities as long as they used condoms.

“I am not in favor of the government distributing condoms to high school students.

This might give them the wrong idea that as long as they are using condom, it’s already allowed to have sex,” Sauz said in an e-mail

to the Varsitarian.

Sauz said EHS won’t follow orders from the government if condom distribution would be made mandatory to all public and private institutions, adding that there are alternative programs in educating the youth about sex.

UST Junior High School Principal Marishirl Tropicales echoed Sauz’s sentiments, warning that condom distribution could encourage students to engage in premarital sex because of peer pressure or curiosity.

“Distributing condoms to them might create a wrong message, which might lead to unwise decisions and actions especially because they are still minors,” she added.

Tropicales said the school supports the stand of the Church against the government’s Condoms PAGE 10

Plant named after Dagohoy

The Mycetia dagohoyana is named after Rev. Fr. Herminio Dagohoy, O.P. PHOTO COURTESY OF GRECEBIO ALEJANDRO

MA. ALYSSA ADRIENNE T. SAMONTE

‘Federalism not the only solution’

By MA. ANGELA CHRISTA COLOMA and NEIL JAYSON N. SERVALLOS FEDERALISM advocates are advising the Duterte administration to pursue “comprehensive reforms” as changing the form of government alone will not end the country’s political problems.

Benedikt Seemann, Philippine head of Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Philippines, Germany’s Christian Democratic think-tank, called for a careful study as the process of shifting to a federal form of government would require multiple reforms in government, constant readjustments and constitutional amendments.

Under a federal system, each of the 18 regions in the Philippines will be granted autonomy, inserting a new level of government between the Federalism PAGE 9

Ex-rector scores Duterte for calling drug killings ‘collateral damage’ FORMER UST Rector Fr. Rolando de la Rosa O.P. has criticized President Duterte for shrugging off the number of killings in the antidrug war, saying the dead must not merely be tagged as “collateral damage.”

In his column published Anti-drug war PAGE 5

Thomasian bishop: ‘Build more places of mercy’

A FLOWERING plant has been named after Rector Fr. Herminio Dagohoy, O.P. Grecebio Alejandro, director of the Office for Graduate Research, and his team discovered a new species of Mycetia endemic to Agusan del Norte and named it Mycetia dagohoyana after the University rector.

Alejandro said he wanted to pay tribute to Fr. Dagohoy who attended his talk at the national conference of the Association of Catholic Universities of the Philippines in Bohol last year.

“After telling stories about my new species named after UST, Pope Francis and Dr. Francis

MALOLOS Bishop Jose Oliveros called for the construction of shelters and orphanages as an act of mercy to the homeless and abandoned.

Oliveros, a Thomasian alumnus, stressed the need for more “places of mercy” following the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy.

“We are called all the time to raise ourselves even more attentively on mercy, so that we may become more

Dagohoy PAGE 10

Mercy PAGE 5

2 News

Editor: Alhex Adrea M. Peralta

FEBRUARY 1, 2017

Filipino 3

IKA-1 NG PEBRERO, 2017

Nursing tops board for 2nd year ‘Araling Filipino,

dapat paigtingin’

THE UNIVERSITY kept a 100-percent passing rate in the November 2016 nursing licensure examinations, with all 324 Thomasian examinees passing the test.

The University was declared the topperforming school along with Benguet State University-La Trinidad.

Eighteen UST graduates made it to the top 10 list.

Topnotcher Faith Rutagines led the new batch of Thomasian nurses with a score of 86.60 percent. She shared the No. 1 spot with Eric Jacinto of Saint Louis University.

Thomasian Augustine Beth Cortez placed second with 86.20 percent, along with Benedict Mark Bunal of University of the Philippines (UP) Manila.

UST graduate John Macdavid Inocentes secured the third place with 86 percent and tied the spot with Aldrin Erwin Bagang of New Era University and Anne Kathleen Garcia of UP Manila.

Thomasian Paolo Abelarde landed on fourth place after scoring 85.80 percent, along with Merielle Czarina Fuentes of La Salle University and Maria Alexandra Santos of UP Manila. Thomasian Jose Genato de la Cruz secured sixth place with 85.40 percent.

UST alumnae Patricia Rose Lim and Ma. Lezrahmae Anthonie Sol Cruz placed seventh with 85.20 percent. They were joined

by Kedzee Sibayan of Saint Louis University and Jubelle May Sipalay of Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology.

At eighth place was Thomasian Joanna Pauline Alfonso Silva with a socre of 85 percent. She was joined by Virgilio Barroga II of Saint Louis University, Mabel Bitgue of Remedios T. Romualdez Medical Foundation, Patricia Mangat of Notre Dame University and Francine Ayana Pingco of UP Manila.

UST graduates Paola Gianerikei Abilgos, Nursing board PAGE 2

Aquinas University renamed UST-Legazpi IN LINE with a plan to integrate Dominican schools, Aquinas University of Legazpi will be renamed to UST-Legazpi, following the approval of Rector Fr. Herminio Dagohoy, O.P. in December 2016.

Aquinas Rector Fr. Ernesto Arceo, O.P. received the “go-signal” from Dagohoy who sent an official letter of approval for the integration of AUL into UST-Manila.

The decision was made by the UST Council of Regents, Arceo told the Varsitarian.

Aquinas’ change of name will take effect after the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the government agency that supervises corporations, approves it.

“We will submit the proposed amendment to SEC, [as] soon as we can,” Arceo said.

Other matters, such as the use of the UST Hymn in Aquinas, will be subject to discussion and approval of the University, Arceo said.

In an earlier report by the Varsitarian, Dagohoy said University officials were working on the final arrangements to merge with other Dominican schools and build satellite campuses to extend Thomasian education beyond the Sampaloc, Manila campus.

This is part of a wider integration plan in which Dominican schools in the country will follow only two “traditions”: the Santo Tomas tradition and the Letran tradition.

Dagohoy had said five Dominican schools would fall under the leadership of UST, with one rector but different boards of trustees. The two Aquinas University PAGE 10

The Aquinas University of Legazpi in Bicol.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE UNIVERSITY’S OFFICIAL WEBSITE

IGINIIT ng Pambansang Alagad ng Sining sa Panitikan na si Virgilio Almario na higit na mapalalawak ng mga guro ang pambansang kaalaman ng Araling Filipino (Philippine Studies) sa pamamagitan ng malikhaing pagtuturo.

“Kapag nag-aaral ka ng BSE (Bachelor in Secondary Education), tuturuan ka ng mga pamamaraan at mga metodolohiya kung paano manghikayat ng mga mag-aaral [na matuto ng Araling Filipino],” ani Almario sa isang pandaigdigang kongreso hinggil sa mga pagaaral sa Filipino sa Manila Hotel noong ika-12 ng Disyembre.

Dagdag pa niya, kinakailangang alam ng mga guro kung kailan at sa paanong paraan nila gagamitin ang pagkamalikhain upang mas maging mabisa ito sa mga mag-aaral.

Nakapaloob sa Araling Filipino ang kasaysayan, kultura, wika at iba pang mga usaping

panlipunan na may kaugnayan sa Filipinas.

Itinuturing namang balakid ni Almario sa pagpapalawak ng asignatura ang mga gurong hindi nagsasaliksik at binibigyang-buhay ang pagtuturo.

Bukod pa rito, itinuturo rin niyang hadlang ang kakulangan sa silid-aklatan ng ilang mga paaralan; lalo iyong nasa mga baryo at mga pook na hindi nabibigyan ng sapat na atensiyon ng pamahalaan.

Pinamunuan ng Samahang Plaridel at Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino ang pagtitipon.

JOLAU V. OCAMPO at WINONA S. SADIA ARALING FILIPINO. Pinangunahan ng Pambansang Alagad ng Sining sa Panitikan na si Virgilio Almario ang pagpupulong ukol sa panawagang paigtingin ang araling Filipino.

JOLAU V. OCAMPO

Disertasyon ng Tomasinong propesor, Ang Pagdulog itinanging pinakamahusay ng KWF ABS-CBN President Charo Santos-Concio (seated second from the left) and UST Rector Rev. Fr. Herminio Dagohoy O.P. sign the memorandum of agreement at the Rector’s Hall last Jan. 18.

MARIA CHARISSE ANN G. REFUERZO

UST opens doors for ABS-CBN scholars

THE UNIVERSITY signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with media giant ABSCBN last Jan. 18 for faculty exchange and internship programs.

“UST will help us in the creative formation of media and industry leaders through [an arrangement] that will benefit [from] a rigorous academic environment [steeped] in the core values and teachings of this university,” Charo SantosConcio, chief content officer of ABS-CBN Corp. and president of ABS-CBN University said in her opening remarks.

At least 300 senior high school scholars of ABS-CBN

University will be given the chance to get degrees from partner-universities such as UST and become employed after graduating from a twoyear course.

ABS-CBN University is a corporate learning institution established by ABS-CBN in 2014 to provide professional development training to its employees.

The agreement will also prioritize employment for Thomasian graduates, giving them a “first crack at the openings,” ABS-CBN University Learning and Development Manager Marie Mamawal told the Varsitarian.

“The MOA covers several things. One is recruitment which means ABS will have a first crack at the really brilliant graduates, granted that they pass the recruitment process.

And then UST will also have a first crack at the openings in ABS,” she said.

The agreement also intends to add “academic rigor” to the training of students in the Eugenio Lopez Jr. Center for Media Arts Senior High School, a project launched by ABS-CBN last June 2016, through a faculty exchange program with the UST teaching staff.

Negotiations spanned for

10 months, beginning March 14, 2016, which Rector Fr. Herminio Dagohoy, O.P. said was a sign that “UST remains one of the most trusted brands in education in the country and in the region.”

“One of the most important institutional collaborations that exist today is that which involves the academe and the industry. We have a relationship between the two, aroused for dynamic exchanges, practical engagements, and authentic intellectual interactions, addressing specific needs and sharing the best practices,” Fr. Dagohoy said. MIA ARRA

C. CAMACHO and CHRISTIAN DE LANO M. DEIPARINE

Thomasian cited for ‘special needs’ advocacy

Usapang Uste

Velasco

dagdag pa niya.

Napili ni Velasco ang mga kababaihang manunulat bilang tuon ng kaniyang disertasyon upang kilalanin ang kanilang ambag sa pagpapalakas ng sining at panitikan sa Nueva Vizcaya, aniya.

Dagdag pa niya, itinuturing na napakayaman ng mga akdang isinusulat ng mga kababaihan sa kanilang rehiyon ngunit sa kabuuan, nananatiling mahina ang pagtangkilik sa mga ito sapagkat limitado lamang ang

Broadcast journalist Kara David urges media colleagues and students to go beyond statistics and “put a face” in their stories to appeal to the audience in her keynote speech during a media seminar at the Buenaventura Paredes, O.P. Building last Jan. 27

MA. ALYSSA ADRIENNE T. SAMONTE

bilang ng mga mambabasang naaabot ng mga ito.

Nakamtam ni Velasco ang kaniyang doktorado sa panitikan sa UST noong 2016 na may gawad na cum laude.

Bukod pa rito, hinirang na meritissimus, ang pinakamataas na pagkilala, ang kaniyang disertasyon.

Sa kasalukuyan, kawaning propesor si Velasco ng wika at panitikan sa College of Arts and Sciences ng Nueva Vizcaya State University.

Ipinagkakaloob ang Gawad Julian Cruz Balmaseda sa mga natatanging tesis at disertasyon sa agham, matematika at agham panlipunan na isinulat sa wikang Filipino. Iginagawad ito tuwing o malapit sa Araw ni Julian Cruz Balmaseda (28 Enero 1895–18 Setyembre 1947) na tanyag bilang bilang makata, kritiko at iskolar ng Filipino.

Ginanap ang paggawad noong ika-27 ng Enero sa Bulwagang Romualdez sa tanggapan ng KWF sa Maynila. JOLAU V. OCAMPO at

INILIPAT ng binata ang mga sipi ng pahayagan upang silipin ang kaniyang hinaharap ayon sa pagkakasalansan ng mga bituin.

Sabik na siyang iwanan ang nakaraan.

Sinusubukan niyang hindi tumitig sa retrato ng mga “kanser sa lipunan.”

Ipagtanggol nawa ng oroskopyo ang napadadalas niyang panalangin.

“Ihanda mo ang sarili para sa taong ito sapagkat bukas ito para sa malaking pagbabago.”

Masuwerte kung mga bituin ang tatanungin.

Ngunit wala pa ring takas sa talas ng armas ng nakatataas.

WINONA S. SADIA

WINONA S. SADIA

Ang pagkalinga ng Unibersidad sa wikang pambansa

DAPAT bang Filipino ang pangunahing wika ng komunikasiyon at instruksiyon sa mga pamantasan?

Sa isyu ng Varsitarian noong 1962, iminungkahi sa editoryal na palaganapin ang Filipino bilang pangaraw-araw na wika sa loob ng Unibersidad.

Bunsod ito ng paglaganap ng paggamit sa Ingles, lalo na sa mga usaping akademiko na dulot ng pananakop ng mga Amerikano sa Filipinas.

Iginiit dito na mainam na pook ang Unibersidad sa paghulma ng pang-unawa ng mga kabataan, partikular na ng mga Tomasino, hinggil sa pagkakakilanlan ng kanilang nasyon, kasama na ang kanilang wika.

Pinabulaanan din nito ang paniniwalang pinaglumaan na ang katutubong wika kaya hindi na dapat ito gamitin.

“Ang wika ay hindi maaaring ihalintulad sa isang bangkong kinalawang na sa matagal na pagkakaupo, kaya’t (dapat) nang palitan ng mahusay-husay (na wika),” pagdidiin nito.

Mungkahi pa ng editoryal, ang Unibersidad dapat ang nagsisilbing ikalawang tahanan ng mga magaaral upang paghandaan ang kanilang mga kinabukasan bilang bahagi ng lipunan.

Kung pananatilihin ang paggamit ng Filipino at sisimulan ito sa mga pamantasan, tiyak na mananatiling buhay ang mga katutubong wika sa mga susunod na henerasiyon.

AN ASIA-WIDE group will fete next month a Thomasian student for promoting the role people with special needs by speaking in conferences.

Third-year history student John Nepomuceno will be among six individuals to be honored by the Special Education Network in Asia (Senia), an international network focused on raising awareness about special needs.

Other recipients were Nathan Marcus Canon, Sohankumar Motwani, Jason Philip De Los Santos and Stephen Patrick Quiogue from the Philippines and Kan Jiraphongtrakul of Thailand.

Nepomuceno, who was diagnosed with Attention Advocacy PAGE 10

ISANG Tomasinong dalubguro ang pinarangalan ng Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) para sa kaniyang saliksik tungkol sa mga babaeng manunulat mula sa Nueva Vizcaya.

Hinirang ang “Ubbóg Ti Asin: Kuwento at Kuwenta ng mga Babaeng Mannúrat,” disertasyon ni Lovella Gamponio Velasco, bilang pinakamahusay na disertasyon para sa ikatlong Gawad Julian Cruz Balmaseda.

Tampok sa kaniyang papel ang apat na kababaihang manunulat na Ilokano at ang kanilang ambag sa pagpapalaganap ng kanilang rehiyonal na panitikan tungo sa konseptong pambansa.

“Layunin ng aking disertasyon na ipakilala hindi lamang ang probinsiya ng Nueva Vizcaya, ngunit lalo na ang mga babaeng manunulat dito,” ani Velasco sa isang panayam sa Varsitarian.

“Nilalayong higit silang makilala bilang mga babae at babaeng manunulat upang bigyang-tinig sa usaping mapagpalaya sa kababaihan,”

Tomasino siya Bagaman malayo na ang narating bilang mediko, malapit pa rin si Juan Sanchez sa mga pasyenteng

kapos sa kakayahang pinansiyal.

Taong 1980 nang magtapos siya ng medisina sa Unibersidad. Sa kalaunan, ipinagpatuloy ni Sanchez ang pagsasanay ng General Surgery sa Veteran’s Memorial Medical Center (1982-1986) at ng Plastic Reconstructive Surgery sa Makati Medical Center (1988-1991). Tumungo siya noong 1992 sa Virginia sa Estados Unidos upang pormal na magsanay ng Aesthetic, Craniofacial and Microvascular Surgery sa Eastern Virginia Medical School.

Noong 1987, nanguna siya sa Philippine Board of General Surgery gayundin sa Philippine Board of Plastic Surgery naman noong 1991.

Tumatayo siya bilang lead surgeon sa buwanang pagbisita ng Rotary Club of San Francisco del Monte’s

DOCS Mobile Surgical Unit sa ilang bahagi ng lungsod Quezon, siyudad ng Marikina, Bulacan at iba pa. Nagsimula ang nabanggit na Monthly Surgical Missions noong Setyembre 2007. Kabilang din siya sa ilan pang mga misyong medikal tulad ng Gawad Kalusugan, Operation Smile, at mga outreach ng Filipino-American Club of North Texas.

Upang ibahagi ang kaniyang kaalaman sa larangan ng medisina, sumulat si Sanchez ng ilang mga aklat tulad ng Oriental Rhinoplasty, Local and Regional Anesthetic Blocks Made Simple (2002) at Doctors’ Practices, Strategies and Guides to Success (2003).

Noong 2009, ninomina siya sa ilang malalaking parangal tulad ng Ten Outstanding Filipino Physicians at Ten Outstanding Filipinos. Sa loob ng dalawang taon (2009-2010), siya ang hinirang na Most Outstanding Rotarian of the Rotary Club of San Francisco del Monte.

Tomasalitaan: Malimbit (pang-uri) – isang gawain na nangangailangan ng malaking espasyo.

Hal.: Malimbit man ang pagpipinta, masarap naman ito sa mga mata.

Mga Sanggunian: TOTAL Awards 2016 The Varsitarian: Tomo XXXIV Blg. 1, Hunyo 1962; p.25

4 Opinion

FEBRUARY 1, 2017

FEBRUARY 1, 2017

Filipino Catholics junk Pope’s mercy

Editorial

NO TO CONDOM DISTRIBUTION ALLOWING condom distribution to high school students in public institutions is like giving the go signal to have sex anytime they feel like doing it.

It is condoning immorality and abets promiscuity and reckless behavior that have caused the worsening HIV-Aids case in the first place.

On Dec. 2, 2016, the Department of Health (DOH) said it would distributing condoms to junior and high school students. It is said to be part of its “business unusual” strategy to check the drastic rise of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (Aids) among the youth. The official website of DOH shows that between January 2011 and June 2016, over 8,000 HIV/AIDS cases of Filipinos aged 25 and below have been recorded. DOH has allocated one billion pesos for HIV/AIDS program, where 50 to 100 million pesos would go to condom procurement.

DOH has partnered with the Department of Education (DepEd) to carry out the proposal. As the promoter of quality education where the goal is to produce well-equipped individuals, DepEd holds the responsibility to distinguish what may inflict intellectual harm and break the values of their students. As of this writing, the education department has not said yes to the proposal yet, but would most likely do. Education Secretary Leonor Briones said they would implement it only after a series of formal talks with the health agency to analyze the possible impact of the program.

What now?

Such unwise decision is appalling. It is obvious that DOH did not bother to evaluate the consequences of its rushed decisions, which may actually create a culture of promiscuity to teenagers who barely know how to cook a decent meal for their starving stomachs. Imagine the parents witnessing their innocent children receive condoms that are supposedly exclusive to married couples only. Condom distribution would not end the worsening cases of HIV/AIDS among the youth in the country. What’s worse is that it may even result in more documented “free condoms” as it would encourage the youth to engage in premarital sex.

While it is true that stopping the ballooning cases of HIV/AIDS requires urgent attention, DOH needs to know that are other logical ways to address the concern. The allotted budget of some P100 million is a lot of money that could have been donated to HIV/AIDS patients who do Editorial PAGE 5

FOUNDED JAN. 16, 1928 KATHRYN JEDI V. BAYLON Editor in Chief BERNADETTE A. PAMINTUAN Managing Editor DARYL ANGELO P. BAYBADO Associate Editor ALHEX ADREA M. PERALTA News Editor PAUL XAVIER JAEHWA C. BERNARDO Online Editor DELFIN RAY M. DIOQUINO Sports Editor LEA MAT P. VICENCIO Special Reports Editor MARIA CORAZON A. INAY Features Editor JOHN GABRIEL M. AGCAOILI Witness Editor AMIERIELLE ANNE A. BULAN Circle Editor KIRSTEN M. JAMILLA Art Director ALVIN JOSEPH KASIBAN Chief Photographer News Mia Arra C. Camacho, Hannah Rhocellhynnia H. Cruz, Christian de Lano M. Deiparine, Roy Abrahmn D.R. Narra, Theodore Jason Patrick K. Ortiz, Maria Crisanta M. Paloma Sports Jan Carlo Anolin, Carlo A. Casingcasing, Philip Martin L. Matel, Ivan Ruiz L. Suing, Ralph Edwin U. Villanueva Special Reports Ma. Angela Christa Coloma, John Paul P. Corpuz, Ma. Consuelo D.P. Marquez, Neil Jayson N. Servallos Features Daniella T. Cobarde, Ma. Czarina A. Fernandez, Alyssa Carmina A. Gonzales Literary Nikko Miguel M. Garcia, Cedric Allen P. Sta. Cruz Filipino Jolau V. Ocampo, Winona S. Sadia Witness Joel Sebastian D. Cristobal, Sigrid B. Garcia, Kathleen Therese A. Palapar Science and Technology Karl Ben L. Arlegui, Dan Albert D. Besinal, Edris Dominic C. Pua, Julius Roman M. Tolop Circle Klimier Nicole B. Adriano, Audrie Julienne D. Bernas, Chelsey Mei Nadine B. Brazal Art Chinny Mae F. Basinang, Shaina Mae L. Santander, Seldon May T. Tagao Photography Deejae S. Dumlao, Miah Terrenz Provido, Maria Charisse Ann G. Refuerzo, Ma. Alyssa Adrienne T. Samonte, Basilio H. Sepe, Jamillah N. Sta. Rosa 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.

New face of state terrorism THE ARMED Forces of the Philippines recently unveiled a campaign that it claimed would support the government’s development efforts while addressing internal security threats. Called Development Support and Security Plan Kapayapaan, the new campaing is supposed to replace the Internal Peace and Security Plan Bayanihan or “Oplan Bayanihan” that expired on Dec. 31, 2016.

Kapayapaan is the Filipino word for peace, but the counterinsurgency program is tailored to perpetuate state fascism through militarization and wholesale abuse of human rights.

AFP spokesperson Capt. Rhyan Batchar said the difference between Kapayapaan and Bayanihan is that the new campaign is geared toward sustaining peace.

But it is really a counterinsurgency program that may worsen human rights violations under President Duterte.

Davao Today reported last Jan. 23 the killing of Veronico Delamente, a Surigao indigenous people leader and

Oplan Kapayapaan, perhaps, meant that it will sustain peace by killing FIlipinos who are thirsty for genuine and radical change in the society. anti-mining activist. He was gunned down in Punta Naga, Brgy. Caagdianao just in time for a Lumad-Mamanwas meeting for the Indigeneous People’s Survey with National Commission on Indigeneous Peoples representatives in Suriao del Norte.

Delamente had fought for the rights of Mamanwa against large-scale nickel mining by Adnama Mining Resource Inc., Tag-anito Mining CompanyNickel Asia Corp., Platinum Group Metals Corp. and Claver Mineral Development Corp. operating within their ancestral lands.

Government complicity in the killing is evident.

Delamente’s assailants, in fact, were not apprehended despite the presence of a military detachment of the Task Force Diamond of the Philippine Army in the area.

One of the four strategic concepts of Oplan Kapayapaan is the active support to law enforcement in war against drugs, where until today no one is held accountable for the vigilante-style killings.

Filipinos praise Duterte’s war on drugs, saying that this will end the problem of drug use and abuse in the country. But it

is the same person they praise who pronounces that those killed, especially children in his campaign, are just “collateral damages.” Worse, it is not only the police who strongly participate in this campaign, even ordinary FIlipino people are encouraged to kill drug addicts.

Of course, Filipino fanatics will follow our deranged president for he himself personally killed drug suspects during his time as Davao Mayor.

Despite the monstrous flak for the spate of killings, Oplan Kapayapaan will only strengthen police force, abetting their wholesale killings and violation of human rights.

Government’s actions are not geared towards sustaining peace. Duterte and his police minions do not even know how to correctly address the root cause of drug addiction. The poorest of Filipinos will not involve themselves in decadent activities if the root cause of poverty is properly addressed, if we can stop colonial and Diaphanous PAGE 5

Welcome changes in the Metro Manila film fest RISKING conflict of interest, Sen. Tito Sotto has filed a Senate resolution calling on the Metro Manila Development Authority to restore the commercialist nature of the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) by avoiding a repeat of the recent 2016 edition in which mostly independent movies form the competition lineup.

In effect, Sotto is saying that “indie” movies should not be allowed anymore to the MMFF so that only commercial movies, like the vacuous “Enteng Kabisote” franchise usually produced for the MMFF by his brother, Vic Sotto, and his cronies like Orly Ilacad, would be shown in the MMFF. The senator’s brother had previously gloated on social media that while his “Enteng” installment in the 2015 MMFF enabled the festival to generate a billion pesos, the 2016 festival made “only” P300 million.

Vic Sotto was obviously hurting from the fact his latest “Enteng” movie didn’t make it to the 2016 lineup. But the movie was shown before the festival and it didn’t make as much as before--it made “only”

Not only did the changes blur the distinction between mainstream and independent films. but it also raise the standards of the festival less than P100 million.

And this was the time when Filipinos had just received their Christmas bonuses.

But of course it would have made far more had it been shown in the MMFF which is actually a form of protectionism for Filipino movies: there’s no competition with foreign movies. Which brings us to the question: why should cretinous movies such as “Enteng” and those starring Vice Ganda be “protected”?

Why should the MMFF protect garbage? (Why of course the MMFF is the one in charge with garbage collection and disposal?)

That is why the 2016 edition was a breath of fresh air to wipe away the smell of garbage generated by previous MMFFs.

The usual shallow movies produced by big studios were finally excluded in the recent lineup of the MMFF, bringing much satisfaction to film enthusiasts who thirst for a quality and not commercially-driven film festival.

For the festival’s 42nd year, the MMFF executive committee applied major changes on the selection criteria, including the scrapping of the commercial viability criterion.

Commercial viability, which covered 50 percent of the previous years’ criteria, outweighing other criteria that actually concern the films’ cinematic excellence, is a measure of the entries’ profitability.

As a result, films

produced by independent outfits dominated the Magic 8.

And the changes were justified because of the graft and corruption that attended previous editions.

Garbage in, garbage out!

In 2015, the MMFF faced ticketswapping allegations and controversies on Erik Matti’s entry “Honor Thy Father,” which was pulled out from some cinemas on the second day of the festival and disqualified from the Best Picture and other awards—an issue that resulted in a probe of the festival by the House of Representatives.

Another scandal erupted when Dominic Du, a member of the 2015 MMFF executive board, was proven to have a conflict of interest with two entries: Dan Villegas’ “#WalangForever” and Randolph Longjas’ “Buy Now, Die Later.” It was revealed during the House probe on Matti’s film that Du’s company, Axinete Digicinema, promoted the films.

Anastasis PAGE 10

AS HE closed the doors of the St. Peter’s Basilica marking the end of the Extraordinary Year of Mercy last Nov. 20, Pope Francis reminded the people that the true door of Mercy would remain perpetually open for the people.

On Dec. 8, 2015, which also coincided with the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council, the Jubilee Year of Mercy was a reminder to the Christian faithful to extend mercy to everyone, just as Christ did so.

But despite the Pope’s exhortation, Filipinos seem to have a bloody concept of mercy toward drug suspects.

For Filipinos, it seems, mercy toward drug suspects means shooting them down, in the twisted spirit of “mercy killing.”

How else could one read Filipinos’ overwhelming support for President Duterte’s all-out war on drugs, in which at least 6,000 people have been killed, one-half by the Philippine National Police, and the other half by vigilante groups not one of whom have been brought to justice?

Even some lay,clergy, and religious have violated the 5th Commandment by backing Duterte’s Hitlerian solution to the drug problem

savaged the Church, saying the Church has “no moral ascendancy” on the issue since it has allegedly not done anything about the drug menace. But the Church has always extended mercy to drug suspect through patient care and rehabilitation, not finishing them off .

After all, the Church does not have guns: guns are a monopoly of gunromancers such as Duterte; violence is a monopoly of the PNP, Armed Forces, and the Philippine state. Violence is a monopoly of the Philippine state. But Filipino Catholics, some of them even from the clergy and religious, seem not to mind if state violence is turned against the citizenry based on a mad man’s vision of eradicating the drug menace. They seem suddenly blasé that they’ve given their wholehearted accord to a wholesale violation of the Fifth Commandment. They seem not to be aware that they’ve joined Cain’s cause: they have blood on their hands.

May God have mercy on them!

While the Pope has called on the faithful to practice outof-bounds-mercy, Filipinos, many of them Catholics, have gone out of bounds to support extrajudicial killings of drug suspects.

In the recent World Apostolic Congress on Mercy hosted by the Philippines, Church officials expressed disappointment over the lack of vigorous Filipino Catholic concern over, much less opposition to, the alarming number of the extrajudicial killings in the country.

Manila Archbishop Luis Cardinal Tagle urged the people to show mercy to parents who lost their children in the rampant war

on drugs. He urged Filipinos to foster the culture of mercy and reaffirm the sanctity of life.

UST itself was one of the key sites where delegates gathered during the Mercy congress.

Fr. Rolando de la Rosa, O.P., a former rector of the University, said in his column in the Manila Bulletin that through the anti-drug war, the moral sensibility of Filipinos was slowly wavering as deaths and murders were merely referred to by President Duterte as “collateral damage,” and Filipinos seemed to accept the excuse.

Duterte meanwhile has

Davao University, Frances Camille Ortigosa of San Pedro College of Davao City, Kassandra Meloni Pacleb of Saint Louis University, Lykee Angelique Padilla of UP Manila, Christopher Pateña of Central Philippine University and Hazel May Tan of Colegio San Agustin – Bacolod City.

Thomasians Trisha Nadine Andaya, Judiel Christine Diaz, Ma. Catherine Grace Reyes,

Jamiah Tablada and Bernard Joseph Villaflores landed on 10th place with a score 84.60 percent. They tied the spot with 18 others.

The national passing rate improved to 47.73 percent, with 6,836 examinees passing the test out of 14,322 takers. Last year’s passing rate was 49.26 percent, with 9,114 examinees passing the test out of 18,500 takers.

UST also aced the

nursing boards last year with a 100-percent passing rate.

Twenty-four Thomasians made it to the top 10.

The UST College of Nursing is designated as a Center of Excellence by the Commission on Higher Education, and has Level IV or the highest accreditation status from the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities-Commission on Accreditation. HANNAH

the government should invest more in educating people about the perils of FROM PAGE 4 sporadic sexual activity than procuring and distributing not have the ability to afford condoms,” Secillano said. quality medication.

Based from the Fr. Jerome Secillano, teachings of the Church, executive secretary of sex is a sacred gift between the Catholic Bishops’ two married couples in order Conference of the Philippines to procreate. Sex is not Permanent Committee on just for fun and pleasure.

Public Affairs, released an Emphasizing the importance official statement saying the of respecting the sacrament government should focus on of marriage, the Catholic educating the people more Church has maintained that and not by allowing the high parents should be the first school students to take free educators of their children condoms. when it comes to instilling “We need to address how sacred sex really is. the rising number of HIV It is gratifying to know, cases in the country. But however, that the two high

schools in the University has always been aware when to draw the line between what orders from the education department are worth heeding and what should not be followed. Should the condom distribution become mandatory even to private institutions, the University’s Junior High School Principal Marishirl Tropicales promises that they would say no.

“UST High School has always been conscious in following the mandates imposed by the DepEd and other government agencies.

This, however, must be tempered by the inherent rights of UST as a Catholic

school,” Tropicales told the Varsitarian.

It is the same for UST Education High School Principal Loreto Sauz who maintained that condom distribution “might give [students] the wrong idea that as long as they are using condom, it’s already allowed to have sex.”

We believe that this project by the health agency is not the best solution on stopping the HIV/AIDS cases. Proper education about responsible sex is what the youth needs.

DepEd should not be afraid to refuse in implementing such project. Hopefully, they would say no.

Diaphanous

Anti-drug war

FROM PAGE 4

FROM PAGE 1

commercialized education, achieve genuine land reform and give our workers the right and just salary.

Oplan Kapayapaan, perhaps, meant that it will sustain peace by killing FIlipinos who are thirsty for genuine and radical change in the society. It is the new face of terror and a machinery to perpetuate state fascism and become puppets of the imperialist United States.

in the Manila Bulletin last Jan. 7, De la Rosa said the constant use of “collateral damage” to refer to the fatalities of the anti-drug war makes people forget the gravity of killing.

“The President calms our fear and alleviates our moral indignation by calling the casualties as mere ‘collateral damage,’” his column read.

“[W]hen we no longer shudder at the sight of dead bodies piling up because we see them only as collateral damage, it becomes easier for us to kill without any sense of accountability or fear of retribution.”

De la Rosa said the real collateral damage in the war on drugs is the people’s ”loss of moral sensibility.”

“When a society condones or trivializes the murder of innocent people, human life ceases to matter, whether that of a full-grown human being, or that of the

Marilao, Bulacan last Jan. 19.

On the fourth day of Wacom on Jan. 19, the delegates visited “places of mercy” under the Diocese of Malolos and in Valenzuela, including Galilee Homes, a rehabilitation center for former drug users.

Diocese of Malolos Vicar General Msgr. Bartolome Santos said the Church “is doing

everything it can” to employ mercy as an instrument to end the Duterte administration’s “war on drugs.”

“It is very timely for us to be aware and take part in the efforts of the Church to reestablish the means of putting an end to drugs,” Santos said in an interview with the Varsitarian.

The fourth day of Wacom

unborn.”

He reminded Filipinos to avoid the careless use of words in times of widespread killings and injustice and urged citizens to be vigilant.

De la Rosa, a former Varsitarian Witness (religion) editor, was a threetime rector of the University, from 1990 to 1994, 1994 to 1998, and 2008 to 2012.

According to a Dec. 6 report by ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs, the body count in the anti-drug war has risen to 5, 882. 2,041 were killed in police operations and 3,841 murdered by civilians. MIA ARRA C.

Board exam FROM PAGE 2 Sheina Domingo, Lance Xavier Feliciano, Marian Luina Fontanilla and Nicole Dominique Vargas ranked ninth with 84.80 percent.

They were joined by Anthea Lu Ellema of Remedios T. Romualdez Medical Foundation, Joan Audrey Faith Odi of Ateneo de

Editorial

Mercy FROM PAGE 1 and more an effective sign of the Father’s action with our lives,” he said in his homily during a Mass for delegates of the 4th World Apostolic Congress on Mercy (Wacom) at the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy in

RHOCELYHYNNIA H. CRUZ

was capped and by the THEODORE unveiling CAMACHO of tallest statueK.ofORTIZ the Divine JASON PATRICK

Mercy image of Christ, standing about 100 feet tall atop a fourstorey building at the National Shrine.

The blessing and inauguration of the monument was presided by Bishop Oliveros and Bishop Martin Uzoukwu of Nigeria.

Opinion 5

My mom, certified cancer survivor ONE NIGHT in early 2005, my mother complained of chest pains.

She was just 48 years old. She examined where the pain originated and found a lump in her left breast.

But she ignored the pain and thought the lump would just disappear.

Months passed and she ignored the lump as well as the pain; as long as the pain didn’t cause much discomfort, my mom said she would be fine. But in December that year she found the pain unbearable.

It began to dawn on her that her condition might be serious; the pain just couldn’t be wished away. But she still delayed going to the doctor, preoccupied as she was with running her small restaurant and attending to her nine-year-old kid.

She went to the doctor in the new year, 2006. She underwent mammography and biopsy. The result was as anyone had expected but still we found it shocking: she had a two-centimeter malignant tumor in her left breast. Within two weeks, her condition had worsened: the tumor had rapidly grown half a centimeter more. Her oncologist declared that she had Stage 2 breast cancer.

The finding changed our lives.

According to the Philippine Society of Medical Oncology in 2012, the Philippines has the highest number of breast cancer cases in Asia. Three out of 10 women, according to the

Our parents do not easily give up: they fight to survive and endure in order to be always be there for their sons and daughters. study, will contract cancer before reaching the age of 75, while one out of 100 will meet death before 75.

The findings correlate with the report done by the Department of Health and Philippine Cancer Society, Inc., which declares that breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in the Philippines, constituting 16 percent of the 80,000 cancer cases logged in 2010.

As a young kid then, the only prior knowledge that I knew regarding cancer was that it took the life of one of my teachers in elementary school. She was diagnosed late with stage 4 cancer, which meant the cancer cells had spread out to other organs of her body and she was unlikely to be cured.

I remember how my mother opened up to me with her trembling voice about her health condition. Upon hearing it, I felt nothing but fear. I was reminded of the funeral of my late elementary teacher. I couldn’t help but associate cancer with death.

It was the toughest time for me. I couldn’t afford to lose the most special person in my life.

Miracles happen But, I guess miracles really happen.

My mom opted to undergo mastectomy, or the removal of the whole affected breast to prevent the cancer cells from scattering to other parts. The operation was successfully done on Feb. 20, 2006.

The challenge did not end after the operation, as it was the beginning of her rigorous and highly expensive medical treatment.

Her medication continued until the following years.

Tons of tests and laboratory exams were done to her such as pap smear, transtaginal ultrasound, mammogram, abdominal ultrasound, repeated bone scan, SPGT, Lipid profile, and x-ray.

It was an exhaustive, exhausting treatment, and up until now, she’s undergoing some laboratory exams.

Keeping house and family and running a business were already financially draining, how much more expensive medication?

While sending a son to school and running a business, my mother was also paying for high medical expenses for cancer treatment. There were even times when she would prioritize my school expenses more than her medication, causing lapses to her sessions that were supposed to be prompt and continuous.

Fortunately, recent tests showed the cancer hadn’t spread and she was on remission. She’s now a certified cancer survivor and her medication can now stop.

These events have shaken and unnerved the family, but my mother has proven tough as a doomsday vault. During my teenage years, I often overlooked the things that she did for my sake alongside battling cancer. Now that I’m in my adult years, I now fully understand the hardships that she went through.

I couldn’t imagine how I would comport myself if I were in her shoes. Despite her condition, she never stopped providing for the family so as to secure for me a brighter future. A mother’s love is truly unfailing.

Surely, I am not the only one with this kind of story.

Others may have been through far worse challenges. But one thing we all share in common is that our parents do not easily give up: they fight to survive and endure in order to be always be there for their sons and daughters.

6 Circle

Editor: Amierielle Anne A. Bulan

FEBRUARY 1, 2017

CCP retrospective pays tribute to the art of Danilo Dalena THE CULTURAL Center of the Philippines is holding a grand retrospective exhibit of the art and times of Thomasian artist Danilo Dalena, one of the foremost Philippine expressionists and a nominee for the National Artist for Visual Arts award. It is running on the third- and fourth-floor galleries of the CCP until March 4.

The title of the exhibit, The Last Full Show, is intriguing and even worrying art aficionados, anxious that Dalena, who hasn’t been regularly exhibiting for 25 years now due to health reasons, may be paving for his exit.

But Dalena, now 75, clarified that he chose the title exactly to underscore he had not stopped practicing his craft despite facing several health crises and taking a break from the art-gallery circuit.

“People should not take the title seriously,” Dalena told the Varsitarian.

“As the title suggests, last full shows are just an indication that there is an event going on.”

The exhibit features over 500 of Dalena’s paintings, editorial cartoons, sketches, sculptures and studies from more than 40 private collectors, including Lopez Museum and Library, Silvana Diaz of Duemila, Gilda Cordero Fernando, columnist Recah Trinidad, and the family’s private collection.

Displayed along Pasilyo Guillermo Tolentino is Dalena’s “Pakil” series from 1984 such as “Portreia,” which shows faceless human figures conversing.

From his “Jai-Alai” series is “Special Llave,” showing again faceless figures clumped together while waiting in line to place their bets on their favorite player.

A more recent work, “Kayang-

“Balitang Pakil” by Dalena

“Push Up” by Dalena

“Dancing Boots” by Dalena

“Huli” by Dalena

Dalena

Kaya” (2005), is from his “Exercise” series, shows a nude obese man sitting on an elevated brick-floor while lifting small barbells above his head.

Known for injecting wit and satire in his paintings, Dalena’s “The Fall of Bataan” (2003) humorously depicts an old man wearing hospital clothes, with slipping adult diapers.

All of his works are painted in Dalena’s signature style of expression, an aesthetic characterized by distortion and high-intensity and very textured brushwork.

Dalena is also fond of painting portraits. Suspended on the walls of Pasilyo Victorio Edades are more than 20 paintings and sketches of his friends dated from 1981 to 1995.

“All of my artworks are based on my recalled memories and experiences.

My art is not about predictions, it’s about my experiences in different aspects of my life,” Dalena told the Varsitarian.

In 1990, Dalena had a major survey exhibition in the Bulwagang Juan Luna of CCP. It was his last major exhibit before the current Last Full Show.

Dalena took up fine arts in the old College of Architecture and Fine Arts.

His teachers included Galo Ocampo, Diosdado Lorenzo and National Artist Victorio Edades.

In 1964, Dalena won second prize in the Shell National Students Art Competition. After graduation, Dalena worked in publishing, doing editorial cartoons and political illustrations Philippines Free Press Magazine and Asia-Philippines Reader where he worked with National Artist for Literature Nick Joaquin. KLIMIER NICOLE B. ADRIANO

Arturo Luz at 90:

Art that goes beyond the nation National Artist for the Visual ARts Arturo Luz gets a retrospective — somewhat — of his 70-year-old art career in #LUZ@90, an exhibit at Ateneo Art Gallery in Katipunan, Quezon City running until April 8.

The exhibit is mounted to mark the artist’s 90th birthday and it consists of 50 paintings, prints, paper and photo collages, and a sculpture from the collection of historian and columnist Ambeth Ocampo, who is as expected the curator of the show.

“The exhibit is a documentation of a long friendship,” Ocampo told the Varsitarian. “Many of his works were usually just given to me so I decided to donate it to the gallery instead for the public to see.”

Born in 1926 in Manila, Luz began painting figurative artworks which was inclined towards linearity and simplicity. For some 20 years beginning 1969, he later on shifted to geometrical figures dipped in abstract expressionism, which puts emphasis on

Photo by Mau Mauricio from Philippine Tatler

spontaneous, automatic, or subconscious creation.

Arturo, who briefly studied at the the old UST College of Architecture and Fine Arts. His teachers included Diosdado Lorenzo and Galo Ocampo.

He was conferred as National Artist in Visual Arts in 1997.

Luz is known for his linear art and abstract artworks that mostly portray musicians, cyclists, leaves and carnival performers. Abstraction is the process in which concrete objects are portrayed as ideas or concepts.

Luz’s expertise in illustrating lines and figures were shown in “Binondo Houses,” a pen and ink on paper work from the 1950s. Luz illustrated narrow, checkered lines on the roof and irregular shapes and curves that served as windows. It shows a “bahay na bato” Luz PAGE 10

“Print Collage III” by Luz

UST chief archivist opens first underground cemetery museum MA. ALYSSA ADRIENNE T. SAMONTE

UNIVERSITY Archivist Regalado Trota Jose led the inauguration of the Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery Museum last Dec. 9 in Nagcarlan, Laguna.

The inauguration was in line with the efforts of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) to further develop the cemetery, declared a National Historical Landmark in 1981.

“It is our chance to explore and examine our history in order to not make the mistakes of the past and create a proactive contribution to restore our heritage,” Jose said.

The cemetery was founded in 1845 by Fr. Francisco Velloc, OFM. It is the only

church in the Philippines that has an underground burial site located 15 feet below the chapel.

The burial site was also used as a hideout and meeting place for the members of Katipunan and guerrilla fighters during the Japanese Occupation.

“The cemetery served as a resting place of former parish priests and cabezas de barangay in Nagcarlan,” said Philip Astronomo, administrative officer of the Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery and Museum.

“The last recorded burial in the cemetery was in 1974.

Since then, no more burials were allowed in the cemetery,” Astronomo said.

Displayed in the museum are interactive walls that feature the restoration and conservation process applied on the 172-year-old chapel with a focus on how fabricated blocks, adobe, lime and riverstones strengthened the original structure’s bricks, sand and rocks.

Conservation materials and tools such as paint, pilaster and wood were stored in glass containers labeled with explanations of how these were used to preserve the cemetery and chapel.

Another important feature of the museum is the chapel’s original headrest of the Santo Underground PAGE 10

Editor: Alvin Joseph Kasiban

FEBRUARY 1, 2017

Lenspeak 7

8 Witness

Editor: John Gabriel M. Agcaoili

FEBRUARY 1, 2017

State cannot silence the Church: priest A PRIEST and legal expert has stressed that the Church can speak its mind on government affairs and cannot be muzzled by the state.

“When there is no compelling interest, the state should not interfere in the practices of the clergy.

[But if there is], the state should interfere in the least intrusive way possible,” said Thomasian alumnus Fr. Ranhilio Aquino in his lecture during the 82nd Thomasian Alumni Priests Association homecoming at the Buenaventura G. Paredes, O.P. building last Jan. 25.

Aquino made the statement following recent attacks by President Rodrigo Duterte against the Church and clergymen over their condemnation of the government’s bloody war on illegal drugs, which has claimed the lives of some 6,000 drug suspects.

Aquino, dean of the San Beda Graduate School of Law, said the principle of separation of Church and State, under Article II (Declaration of Principles and State Policies), Section 6 of the 1987 Constitution, is often misunderstood. It

states: “The separation of Church and State shall be inviolable.”

This provision, Aquino said, does not stop the Church from making statements against the government.

In fact, the Constitution accommodates religion and does not exclude it, he said.

Article III (Bill of Rights), Section 5 of the charter states: “No law shall be made respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.

The free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without discrimination or preference, shall forever be allowed. No religious test shall be required for the exercise of civil or political rights.”

“They (constitutional provisions) are not meant to stop the Church from commenting about the state. They are not meant to stop the Church from even making suggestions to the state,” he said.

Aquino lamented the declining influence of the Church in national life.

“The influence of religious institutions will never be

the same as in the past,” he said.

The alumni homecoming, which had the theme “Communio,

C o m m u n i t a t i u m ” or “communion of communities,” was held from Jan. 24 to 25. The benediction was led by

Bishop Victor Bendico of Baguio.

Archbishop Bernardito Auza, representative of the Holy See to the

United Nations, led the closing Eucharistic celebration while Tarlac Bishop Enrique Macaraeg delivered the homily.

Thomasian alumnus Fr. Ranhilio Aquino delivers a lecture during the 82nd Thomasian Alumni Priests Association homecoming at the Buenaventura G. Paredes, O.P. building last Jan. 25. Photo cour tesy of Nathaniel Bullecer Pagalan from the UST Central Seminary.

‘Pray for change,’ Villegas says at end of Dominican jubilee THE HEAD of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Conference (CBCP) closed the Philippine celebrations of the 800th anniversary of the Dominican Order last Jan. 20, as he called on Filipinos to pray to God for change rather than rally to the streets.

Prayer, said LingayenDagupan Archbishop Socrates Villagas, was the “best contribution to social transformation.”

“It is men [and] women who pray on their knees who are able

to engage [and] change the world so that it may follow Christ,” the CBCP president said in his homily during the closing ceremony of the Dominican Jubilee celebrations at the Santo Domingo Church in Quezon City.

Villegas cited St. Dominic for his prayerful life and fervent devotion to God.” Pray well.

You know those familiar lines to describe St. Dominic. If he was not talking to God, he was talking about God,” he said.

Villegas lamented that the

loss of a “sense of mystery” had caused a decrease in faith among Catholics.

“When the sense of mystery is lost, faith is diminished. And when faith is diminished, hope is dampened and when we live in discouragement and despair, then we also start to run out of love.

The well becomes dry and we have no more fire,” he said.

The Holy Mass was concelebrated by Fr. Quirico Pedregosa, O.P. and Fr. Jesus Prol, O.P., rector of UST Central

2 Thomasians named fellows in Silliman writers’ workshop TWO THOMASIANS are set to join a prestigious national writers’ workshop.

Fourth-year literature student George Deoso and Faculty of Pharmacy alumna Maria Tanya Patricia Cruz will be among the 12 fellows in this year’s Silliman University National Writers’ Workshop.

Deoso has participated in a number of writing fellowships inside and outside the university, such as the Varsitarian Creative Writing Workshop, the UST Center for Creative Writing and Literary Studies’ Thomasian Students Summer Writers’ Workshop and De La Salle University’s International Writing Program Alumni Writers’ Workshop.

In the 31st Gawad Ustetika, Deoso bagged three awards and an honorable mention, while Cruz won first place in the Essay category.

Cruz was a fellow in last year’s UST National Writers’ Workshop in the Fiction category.

Apathetic reading community In an online interview with the Varsitarian, Deoso attributed the lack of interest in literature by students to the growing problems of our time.

“We, Thomasians, should play our part in combating this anomaly (declining reading culture). I think this is the reason why students should give literature the attention it rightly deserves: because

without it, we are letting others who do not read, who knew less than what they’re supposed to know, to take advantage of our democracy,” he said.

Deoso urged students to also participate in writing workshops and write for the country.

“If we, students, the ones who were taught and read in the academe, or at least, the ones who read, would not write, then who should write for this country? Should we let ignorance and mere outbursts of emotion be the bases of the majority’s decisions? Or are we already content with what we’re seeing, what we’re hearing, that it’s alright for us to be part of this on-going carnage of art and knowledge?” he added.

The Silliman workshop was founded in 1962 by SEAWrite awardee Edilberto Tiempo and National Artist for Literature Edith Tiempo.

In 2012, the Cultural Center of the Philippines awarded the workshop the Tanging Parangal in the Gawad CCP Para sa Sining, the highest distinction given to an individual or an organization for significant contributions to Philippine arts and culture.

This year’s workshop will be held from May 8 to 19 at the Rose Lamb Sobrepeña Writers’ Village in Camp Look-out, Valencia, Negros Oriental.

NIKKO MIGUEL M. GARCIA and CEDRIC ALLEN P. STA. CRUZ

Seminary and vicar provincial of the Holy Rosary Province of the Spanish Dominicans, respectively.

Dominican, Thomasian history The commemorative book titled “400@800: A tribute on the 8th Centenary of the Dominican Order (1216-2016),” was launched following the Eucharistic celebration.

“UST Publishing House believes the Dominican Jubilee’s [significance] is expected to linger, as much as the congregation’s

influence and legacy for 8 centuries,” Publishing House Director John Jack Wigley said. “[We believe the book] is a fitting tribute of the University of Santo Tomas to the Order of Preachers on its 800th foundation anniversary,” he added.

The local Jubilee celebrations began on Nov. 7, 2015 with Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle presiding over the opening of the Holy Door at Santo Domingo Church. JOEL SEBASTIAN D. CRISTOBAL and SIGRID B. GARCIA

Y ear of the Rooster AMUSING it is as I muse on the rooster’s different forms throughout the ebb and f low of time, finding not a difference but rather a semblance of us Filipinos: We could be in cockpits sparring with each other with blunt spurs.

Only one shall be regarded victor.

Editor: Lea Mat P. Vicencio

FEBRUARY 1, 2017

CBCP head calls on government to follow SC order vs abortifacients THE HEAD of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has called on the government to respect the Supreme Court’s order to temporarily stop the implementation of some provisions of the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012 (RP/ RH Law), after President Rodrigo Duterte signed an executive order accelerating its implementation.

“There is still the TRO (temporary restraining order) of the Supreme Court.

The legislators and executive both have to respect the TRO issued by the Supreme Court,” CBCP President and LingayenDagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas told the Varsitarian.

Duterte signed Executive Order No. 12 last Jan. 9 calling for “modern family planning services, modern contraceptives to be adopted by women of reproductive age.”

While most of the provisions of the RP/RH Law were upheld by the Supreme Court in 2014, the tribunal ordered the Department of Health (DOH) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to certify or re-certify artificial contraceptives to make sure these were not abortifacients.

Pro-life groups however pointed out that the agencies did not observe due process in the certification scheme, and secured a TRO from the Supreme Court in July 2015.

The TRO in particular stopped the distribution of hormonal contraceptive implants Implanon and Implanon TXT, which the pro-life group Alliance for the Family Foundation Philippines said had abortifacient effects.

The DOH, along with the Office of the Solicitor General, filed a motion for reconsideration against the TRO, but the high court denied the motion in September 2016.

The tribunal required the DOH to craft guidelines and procedures in the screening, evaluation, approval, purchase and distribution of contraceptives, and observe due process such as the issuance of notices and the holding of hearings.

CBCP President Socrates Villegas leads the closing of the 800th anniversary of the Dominican Order at the Santo Domingo Church.

ALVIN JOSEPH KASIBAN

No clear process Nelson Logronio, a faculty member at the Faculty of Civil Law, said there was no clear process in implementing the high court’s decision on the RP/RH Law. “The meat of RP/RH law has been removed, particularly full access where everyone has to be informed. The Supreme Court said it is unconstitutional to force

the health care providers to do something against their freedom of religion, belief and their conscience,” Logronio said in an interview with the Varsitarian.

The Catholic Church supports family planning using natural methods. However, it regards artificial contraception and sterilization as morally unacceptable.

Logronio said no bills had been filed to

amend the RP/RH Law following the high court’s 2014 ruling and subsequent TRO. The Supreme Court struck down parts of Sections 3, 7, 17 and 23 of the RP/ RH Law, regarding sanctions on health personnel, government employees and health institutions for refusing to comply because of religious beliefs. MA. CONSUELO

D.P. MARQUEZ and NEIL JAYSON N. SERVALLOS

Federalism not the solution to governance woes FROM PAGE 1 national and local governments. Countries that practice this form of government include Australia, Malaysia and the United States.

“First, you have to choose if you will stick with a presidential or a parliamentary form of democratic governance,” Seemann told the Varsitarian. “Secondly, you have to look into opportunities in creating a better participatory governance where the people have a say in policy-making.”

“If you want to start federalism in the Philippines, you have to bear in mind

that you can’t implement a perfect form of federalism right from the start. There is always a need to constantly readjust things,” Seemann added.

Jonathan Malaya, executive director of the Puwersa ng Demokratikong PilipinoLakas ng Bayan Federalism Institute, said implementing federalism could help spread out government services beyond the National Capital Region (NCR).

“The unitary system has centralized [the government] too much in Manila and therefore the local governments have to struggle. They have to be close to the people in power in the national government because

We could be as sacred as we could desire, beings as high as the sun praising and venerating one another.

We could be crowing for those forsaking Jesus Christ as their faith peters out.

And that is all we could do: crow.

We could be perched atop weather vanes stock-still praying bahala na, not until the winds dictate the direction we would be facing.

We could be strutting and striding on the land, we animals of pride. Or yet, we could try f lying but reach only midair, for that is who we are: Roosters.

NIKKO MIGUEL M. GARCIA

Special Reports 9

President Duterte giving a speech at a solidariy dinner with the poor residents of Tondo, Manila last year BASILIO H. SEPE

all of the decision-making is done in the capital region,” Malaya said in an interview.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government’s task team on federalism plans to mount an information campaign on President Rodrigo Duterte’s vision of a federal government this year.

The 1987 Constitution must be revised to allow the shift to a federal form of government. There are three ways: a constituent assembly, a constitutional convention and a people’s initiative.

Duterte’s allies in the House of Representatives want to do it through a constituent assembly, in which lawmakers directly propose amendments to the charter, after which the new constitution will be submitted to a plebiscite.

Structure President Duterte favors a federalparliamentary form of government, with a strong presidency directly elected by the public and a unicameral legislature.

In implementing a federal system, Seemann said a parliamentary government would be a good choice for economic and democratic stability.

“We have to choose a form of government that makes our government more robust [against] fears of corruption,” Seeman said.

But the legislature should be bicameral, with regional government representatives serving as the upper house of congress and participating in decision and policymaking, he said.

“In countries that are stable in a federal government, the regions form the upper house of the parliaments. And that makes sure that in all important processes that affect federal entities, they have a say in such legislation and policymaking,” he said.

As for the courts, Malaya said the judicial branch does not need a full-blown federal system like that of the US. “A full-blown judicial system enables many regions to have their own laws and definitions of these laws. If we will have different laws then, it will be chaotic,” he said.

“It is better to have a Court of Appeals and a Sandiganbayan (anti-graft court) for every region to monitor governance and speed up the process of appeals for every region. Then, they would not have to come to Manila,” Malaya said.

Strengthen local governments Seemann said federalism could improve the Philippines’ economic potential by making way for more opportunities to cities and towns outside NCR. “The Philippines is a country that is very young and has an economic potential.

If you can decentralize that potential to regions, you can create more power hubs also,” Seemann said.

Louie Montemar, a political science professor from De La Salle University, said shifting to a federal government is a good idea, but such move could worsen economic disparity if captured by business giants and political families.

“If federalism is going to be imposed without the necessary conditions, [we] might be seeing a resurgence…we might find the control of the oligarchy being strengthened,” Montemar warned.

He called for the strengthening the Local Government Code of 1991—a law that transferred several national government functions to local governments and established mechanisms of recall—to expand the autonomy of local government units.

10 Limelight

Art Director: Kirsten M. Jamilla

FEBRUARY 1, 2017

BUHAY USTEDYANTE BY CHINNY MAE F. BASINANG

Editor: Delfin Ray M. Dioquino

Golden Sox bars reigning MVP from returning

By CARLO A. CASINGCASING REIGNING UAAP baseball Most Valuable Player Julius Diaz left the UST Golden Sox in October but had a change of heart and decided to come back. However, even with a depleted roster, head coach Jeffrey Santiago and the rest of the team chose not let Diaz return.

“I and the team decided not to let Diaz be part of the team anymore as he already stained the image of the Golden Sox, I cannot afford to let him do it for the second time around,” Santiago said in an interview with the Varsitarian.

The Golden Sox was considered the dark horse last season but did not live up to expectations after a series of injuries and mental breakdowns that resulted in a dismaying fifth

TOMALINO BY SHAINA MAE L. SANTANDER

TOTOY N BY SELDON MAY T. TAGAO

Anastasis

As a result, the MMFF executive committee headed by chairman Emerson Carlos had the festival vision revised.

The new vision looked at the MMFF as “a festival that celebrates Filipino artistic excellence, promotes audience development and champions the sustainability of the Philippine film industry.”

Other major changes in this year’s edition include a new submission requirement that is restricted only to finished films, a reorganization of the MMFF board of directors and the discarding of the New Wave section—a

separate lineup that used to be exclusive only for independent film entries.

The changes paved the way for the much-improved 2016 edition. Not only did the changes blur the distinction between mainstream and independent films, but it also raise the standards of the festival as both kinds of films equally fought for the final competition lineup.

Since low-budget indie movies were shown in the MMFF, the final MMFF take of P300 million is big. The MMFF execom in fact said the festival earnings met the target set by the MMFF. But obviously the earnings aren’t big

enough for industry bigwigs like the Sottos and Mother Lily Monteverde of Regal Films, who are now claiming the MMFF should go back to being a commercialist fest since its aim really is to raise money for movie worker’s welfare and social security. But why should moviegoers raise money for the welfare of movie workers?

Why should they be penalized and forced to watch shallow movies to aid movie workers given slave wages by Mother Lily and other studio bosses? A film festival should showcase quality Philippine cinema, not the cinema dull-witted of Vic Sotto and Vice Ganda.

and the rising number of HIV/AIDS cases.

The topics will be integrated in science, social studies, health and Christian living subjects.

Tropicales said the Department of Education (DepED) should observe UST’s inherent rights as a Catholic institution.

“UST High School has always been conscious in following the mandates imposed by the DepEd and other government agencies.

This, however, must be tempered by the inherent rights of UST as a Catholic school,” she said.

DepEd to prioritize RH education Education Secretary Leonor Briones said the DepEd would focus on the proper implementation of reproductive health (RH) education instead of the Department of Health’s (DOH) plan to distribute condoms.

“We have to distinguish between the program of the DOH and the DepEd, kasi ngayon lang nag-emerge `yung issue ng condoms,” she said in an interview with the Varsitarian.

Briones said the DepEd was still unfamiliar with the details of the DOH plan. The curriculum on RH education, as required by the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Law, however, is in place, she said.

“That is [DOH’s] program but we are not saying that we will agree to it because we don’t know the details,” she said.

Briones has not specified the date of implementation of the RH curriculum, but said the program would stress teaching and counseling, as instructed by President Rodrigo Duterte.

The DepEd released a statement last Dec. 7 saying the two departments would hold more thorough discussions on the health agency’s plans for condom distribution.

Statistics from the DOH website showed that over 8,000 Filipinos aged 25 years old and below contracted HIV/AIDS between January 2011 and June 2016.

Advocates for Youth, a US-based nonprofit and advocacy group, published a report saying that majority of youth living with HIV/AIDS are located in sub-Saharan Africa with 3.8 million cases, while in Southeast Asia, there are 500,000 cases of young people with HIV-AIDS. The DOH has a budget of P1 billion for an HIV/AIDS prevention program, with P50 million to P100 million allotted to the procurement of condoms.

Underground

Advocacy

Dagohoy

Luz

FROM PAGE 7

FROM PAGE 2

FROM PAGE 1

FROM PAGE 6

Entiero icon made from batikuling wood.

“In restoring heritage sites, sensitivity to the availability of materials, direct observations, comparisons and historical research is vital,” Jose told the Varsitarian.

The Nationalhe baroque-style cemetery went under renovation from 1982 to 1986. It went through another year-long restoration process and surface cleaning in 2008.

From 2015 to 2016, it was again renovated in preparation for the museum’s inauguration.

Also present in the inauguration rites were NHCP acting commissioner Rene Escalante, former NHCP commissioner Maria Serena Diokno, NHCP Executive Director Ludovico Badoy, and Nagcarlan Mayor Nelson Osuna.

Jose, former chair of the National Committee on Archives of National Commission on Culture and Arts (NCCA) and a former NCCA commissioner himself, is a well-known scholar and author of books on Philippine bibliography and Philippine sacred art and architecture like Simbahan: Church Art in Colonial Philippines, 15651898. He was awarded Patnubay ng Sining at Kalinangan in 2013 given by the Manila City Hall. CHELSEY MEI NADINE B. BRAZAL

Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), said the recognition could be an example to the society that individuals with special needs are far from being useless.

“I’ve encountered many special needs individuals who throw their lives away because they think that they’re useless with their disability and they won’t go anywhere,” Nepomuceno said in an interview with the Varsitarian.

“I’d like to show them that I, myself [who has an] extremely difficult case, overcame it. And because I didn’t want my disability to bring me down, I used it to my advantage,” he said.

As an ADHD advocate, Nepomuceno has spoken in various events sponsored by the Occupational Therapy Association of the Philippines and the ADHD Society of the Philippines.

The awarding ceremony will be held on Feb. 10 at the Yokohama International School in Japan.

Senia is a network of educators, professionals and parents in Asia promoting awareness for individuals with special needs.

Since 2012, the group has been recognizing students across the Asia who advocate the same cause.

Montoya … I uttered spontaneously to the audience that if I discover another interesting endemic Philippine plant I would name it in honor of our dear Rector,” Alejandro said in an interview with the Varsitarian.

Mycetia dagohoyana is the fourth species of the flowering plant genus Mycetia. In 2015, Alejandro and his team discovered a rare flowering plant in Antique and named it Hedyotis papafranciscoi after Pope Francis, who visited the Philippines that year.

abstracted as geometry.

In “Imaginary Landscape,” a 2012 painting on a graphite and acrylic on canvas, Luz rendered monochromatic leaf- and grass-like figures on a red background designed with checkered and triangular patterns.

Luz’s lone sculpture in the exhibit, “Anito,” is made of Philippine hardwood formed with thick chunks of curved blocks intertwined, stressing the sculpture’s elevation. The exhibit also shows Luz’s collection of photographs such as the “Boxes and Shells,” a series of three photographs that shows ordinary objects in sepia hues.

Ocampo, a longtime friend of Luz, said Luz’s works are at par with modernist works in the West.

“It is (body of) work that speaks to everybody, not just to one particular group,” Ocampo said.

“Luz’s works are not rooted to one particular culture, they go beyond nation.”

He received several foreign scholarship grants, including those from Spain in 1953, Italy in 1963, and the United States in 1963. He also joined various exhibitions abroad, including the Philippine Cultural Exhibition held in New York in 1953, Arte de America y España in 1963, the 11th Sao Paolo Biennale in 1971, the Tokyo International Print Biennale in 1974, and the 8th British International Print Biennale in 1984.

FROM PAGE 4 Several sectors as a result demanded reforms in the MMFF. “Rather than promoting film as a social tool that can educate the audience and help them understand their own society, culture, and history, the festival operates according to the dictates of the culture industry and capital,” the University of the Philippines Film Institute said in a statement earlier in 2016.

Condoms FROM PAGE 1 plan.

“With relevant education and creative strategies, Catholic principles in engaging in sex could still impact the high school students of today,” Tropicales said.

A strong collaboration between home and school carried out by parents, teachers, the media and community leaders can influence the mindset and practices of the youth, Tropicales said.

The Junior High School plans to launch “Project LOVE,” a collaboration with the Parents’ Association and the Student Council that aims to raise awareness about sexuality

Sports 11

FEBRUARY 1, 2017

Aquinas University FROM PAGE 2 Angelicum School campuses in Quezon City and in Iloilo, Aquinas University in Legazpi and two future satellite campuses in Santa Rosa, Laguna and General Santos City will be under the UST system.

The integration plan was discussed in the 11th Chapter of the Dominican Province of the Philippines in October last year.

Aquinas was founded in 1948 as Legazpi Junior Colleges by Buenaventura de Erquiaga. It was turned over to the Dominican Order on June 1, 1965. HANNAH RHOCELLHYNNIA H. CRUZ and

MARIA CRISANTA M. PALOMA

AUDRIE JULIENNE D. BERNAS

place finish.

With the loss of Diaz, Christian Mercado and former team captain Arcel Aligno, UST will have a harder time getting past powerhouse De La Salle University and Ateneo de Manila University.

The Golden Sox has not made it in the Top 2 since 2010 when they last won the title.

Unlike other UAAP sports where the top four teams compete for the two finals spot, only the top two teams in baseball advance directly to the championship match.

But Santiago is confident that his wards already have the experience and mindset to pull off an upset, saying they have learned the concept of team work.

“Compared before, I can say that this team is better when it comes to gelling and familiarity as differences

DETERMINATION. The UST Golden Sox have a long way to go against UAAP powerhouses Ateneo, La Salle, NU and Adamson

between my players are already settled,” he said.

Veterans Daquis, Jayrome Kimilat, Amiel Lallana, Kirk Peralta will lead the Golden Sox who will be parading four new key additions in John Benedict Pedracio, Ian Llave, Jefferson Vergara and Averie Villalon.

Max Mercado will be the new team captain while Jackson Acuna, Lesmar Ventura and Ron Christian delaCruz will lead the defense with their pitching.

The Golden Sox will miss Diaz who hit 12 runs battedin last season, tied as the most in Season 78, but Elijah Pagkaliwanagan, Noriel Valencia and Alwen Calbang are expected to have breakout performances this season.

“I always make sure that we are complete every time in practices because as a captain, it is my duty to keep the team cohesive,” Mercado said.

ALVIN JOSEPH KASIBAN

Depleted Tiger Spikers eye better record

By RALPH U. VILLANUEVA

A Tiger Spiker tries to snatch a point as he spikes the ball.

Booters FROM PAGE 12 captain Darrel Regala, Ian de Castro, Renz Umban, Marvin Bricenio and goalkeeper Zaldy Abraham.

The Lady Booters have to start from scratch after 15 players were removed from the team and were replaced with neophytes.

Priscilla “Aging” Rubio, who replaced JR Judal as head coach of the Lady Booters, said the team did not have any recruits this year and instead focused on the changing the system.

The Lady Booters won only one game in six outings last year and Rubio associated their dismal season not because of their lack of talent and skill

ALVIN JOSEPH KASIBAN

but because of attitude problems, noting that some players were “uncoachable” and stubborn.

Now that she has instilled discipline among members of the team, the team’s low skill level and football IQ are what the player-turned-coach plans to address.

“We train every day, morning and afternoon, and worked hard because

THE UST Tiger Spikers have set a modest and rather more realistic goal in this year’s UAAP tournament.

A “better record” from last season’s, said coach Odjie Mamon, who believes two-time defending champions Ateneo and National University will be the teams to beat.

It shouldn’t be a tall order for the Spikers, who have the most number of UAAP titles at 19 next to Far Eastern University’s 25.

But reaching the Final Four won’t be easy for UST, which finished seventh last season with a 4-10 win-loss record.

“It is easier said than done, but our primary goal for this season is to improve [in the standings],” Mamon said.

Mamon will miss the services of veterans Paul Castillo, Jason Sarabia, Patrick Balse and Mark Pangan, who all exhausted their playing years.

Promising recruit Jomaru we want to achieve something. We do not want to feel the same of what we experienced last year,” the former UAAP gold medalist added.

Second-year talents Charisa Lemoran, MJ Indac, Hazel Lustan, Shelah Cadag and team captain Aira Ilan showed remarkable improvement during the ongoing Philippine Football

Amagan left the team saying he was “unhappy.”

Mainstays Anthony Arbasto Jr. and Kris Roy Guzman opted not to suit up for the team to focus on the beach volleyball team which won the UAAP title this season.

After finishing the previous season with a 4-10 win-loss record for seventh place, the Tiger Spikers aim to at least surpass last year’s dismal showing.

Left with a depleted roster, the Tiger Spikers will rely on sophomore Manuel Medina and team captain Arnold Bautista who said a better team chemistry this year compensates for the shortage of manpower.

“The camaraderie, the [good] treatment and the trust are all there among the team.

We all trust each other in any way, so I can really say that the team has more chemistry compared to last year,” Bautista said.

Mamon said the team is more skilled and more cohesive compared to last season but is relatively raw in terms of

experience.

“We’re still in the perfection stage, we have a lot of things to fix but I am confident with the team, especially with my starters,” Mamon told the Varsitarian.

Even though the seniors were the core last year, they were not able to lead [the team].”

As for Amagan, Mamon disclosed that he did not know of the former NCAA juniors’ MVP’s intent to leave the team until The Varsitarian broke the news.

The veteran mentor added there are several players who are capable of filling up the void with the load of young talent the team has. “[With the departure of key members of the team], the players wanted to show they are worthy of the roster spots and it resulted in a stronger performance,” Mamon said.

The Tiger Spikers last won the championship back in 2011 when the team was under the tutelage of former longtime coach Emil Lontoc who steered UST to four straight championships.

Federation Women’s League, as assessed by Rubio.

“As team captain, I need to lift their morale and keep in mind that we should not waste what we have been training for,” Ilan said.

The last time the Golden Booters won the championship was in 2007 while the Lady Booters took home the title in 2012.

Softbelles FROM PAGE 12 -they won the UAAP title eight times in the last 10 years—UST showed they could be beaten.

“We have the tools to defeat Adamson as long we can communicate as one,” Antolihao said in an interview.

Sports

FEBRUARY 1, 2017

Softbelles seek to end Adamson reign

By PHILIP MARTIN L. MATEL

The Adamson University Lady Falcons were once considered invincible, unbeaten in six seasons with a 73-game winning streak.

That’s until the UST Softbelles did the unthinkable pulling off a 6-2 victory on March 2 last year.

But having lost a do-or-die Game 3 in the finals, UST is determined to finish the job this season.

“We can take down Adamson. We both lost key players but we have a cohesive team and we can win the championship,” said team captain Mallows Garde.

National team mainstays Garde, Celestine Palma, Cristy Joy Roa, and Anne Antolihao are still with UST. Adamson lost Queeny Sabobo, Annalie Benjamen and Krisna Paguican, who all finished their UAAP careers for Adamson.

“We are not afraid of them,” UST head coach Sandy Barredo said. “Our team is much more formidable this season because the players are much more disciplined. We don’t have drama queens anymore.”

The Softbelles have gotten better each year.

In 2015, the Softbelles barged into the Final Four to secure UST’s 40th general championship but fell to the University of the Philippines in the playoffs.

The following year, UST earned a twice-to-beat advantage in the semifinals and quickly dispatched the National University to reach the finals where they made a run for Adamson’s money.

And though the Lady Falcons are still considered as the team to beat this yearSoftbelles PAGE 11

INVINCIBLE. The UST Softbelles win against the once unbeaten Adamson University Lady Falcons.

UST pole vaulter sets sights on Malaysia SEA Games

By RANDELL ANGELO B. RITUMALTA UST’S ERNEST John Obiena is moving on from a missed opportunity to compete in the 2016 Rio Olympics blamed partly on a broken pole vault.

Obiena, 21, has set his eyes on a more reachable goal, this year’s Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Malaysia.

In his final chance of qualifying, the UST Trackster was .45 meters short of the 5.70-meter Olympic qualifying standard after he recorded 5.25 meters in the Taiwan Open last May. Obiena, who finished second in Taiwan, said he could have done better but admitted the pressure took a toll on his performance.

“I wasn’t able to achieve what I want. I was devastated and I lost my passion for the sport,” he told the Varsitarian in an interview.

He seemed on track just six months before the Olympics when he set the national record and then-personal best 5.46 meters in the UAAP Season 78 athletics competition last Feb. 17.

A month later, Obiena broke his own mark with 5.47 Obiena

meters in the Philippine National Games in Lingayen, Pangasinan, before logging his current career-high of 5.55 meters in the 78th Singapore Open Athletics Championships.

But things went downhill from there. Obiena’s pole was broken on his flight back home from Singapore, leaving him unable to compete for one and a half months.

“I lost momentum and a lot of important time,” he said.

He participated in several mini-tournaments in Europe to try to salvage his Olympic dream but to no avail.

Obiena said he regained his passion for the sport through his coach Vitaly Petrov, who he trained him for three months in Italy.

He was granted a scholarship by the International Association of Athletics Federations in 2014.

“My coach [Petrov] said I aimed a little too high but learning from it is what I can achieve in the process,” said the third-year Electronics and Communications Engineering student.

Aside from Petrov, Ermerson Obiena, Ernest’s father and coach, provided extra motivation.

“He [Emerson] made me who I am today. He doesn’t need to say anything because I know he has my back no matter what,” Obiena said.

ALVIN JOSEPH KASIBAN

Booters seek to turn things around

By JAN CARLO ANOLIN UST’S FOOTBALL teams have not made much noise in the UAAP in the past two years but they are looking to turn things around this season.

The Golden Booters grabbed the top spot early last year before collapsing to fourth place in the second round.

They still barged into the semifinals but crashed out against the University of the Philippines, which won the title eventually.

The Lady Booters, who appeared in the finals in 2014, finished last in the last two seasons.

Golden Booters coach Marjo Allado said the problem b o i l e d down to his player’s lack of motivation.

“I always tell my players that if we have matches, even if it is not in the UAAP, they need to maintain their confidence and determination at a high level as soon they enter the pitch,” he said.

The Golden Booters lost four players to graduation.

Scoring machine Stephen Anotado will also be out for

the second straight year due to injury.

Anotado, who led UST in scoring in 2015, already nursed his medial collateral ligament injury that sidelined him last season and said he was ready to suit up for the upcoming UAAP football tournament but suffered the same injury during one of the Golden Booters’ training session.

But UST, which won the Ang Liga football championship recently at the expense of UP and the Ateneo de Manila University, will still have a solid core in team Booters PAGE 11

Valderama