No 4

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112

years

Towards A Progressive Campus Press | vol. LXXXVii No. 4 | WEDNESDAY, 29 JULY 2015

TERRITORIAL DISPUTE. Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Charles Jose discusses the issue on the West Philippine Sea in a campus forum held last July 23 at Silliman Hall. Photo by Cheri Lian V. Ansale

Two injured Sillimanians claim ‘being ignored’ at SUMC By Andrea Dawn E. Boycillo and Babe Jocelie B. Isaga TWO INJURED SILLIMANIANS said that the Silliman University Medical Center (SUMC) ‘ignored’ them in the emergency room after getting injured at SPEx, the all-university acquaintance party last July 10 at Hibbard Avenue. Aily-an Luminario and Lyncon Claire Lasmarias, the two injured students, were in the middle of the partying crowd when a table collapsed. Lasmarias got a cut on her leg, while Luminario was pierced by a nail on her foot.

The Red Cross team was not there anymore, so both students, with their friends, went to the SUMC Emergency Room (ER), where their weight and blood pressure were taken. They were then instructed to buy the anti-tetanus vaccine, but the victims and their friends did not have money. They went to the ER cashier, but the cashier said that the students needed to call the Office of Student Services (OSS) for them to get their insurance and a refund processed by the office. “Pila nami ka minutes naghulat didto, then nihawa na lang mi. Didto

nami sa pharmacy,” said Luminario. They can only afford the materials, not the anti-tetanus shots that cost Php1,300 per shot. They decided to clean the wounds by themselves and buy the medical supplies for cleaning wounds at Pharmacia Mamita, because their wounds were bleeding while waiting. “Wala daw mi gi-entertain kay wala daw tung tambal. Asa mi mangita ug ing.ani nga kwarta?” said Lasmarias.“Ni hapdos naman gud ang samad… kami-kami ra ga taod.” Kirk Philip Emperado, the Silliman University Student Government president, went to SUMC immediately

Admin, BOT to discuss solar energy project fund

By Leslie J. Batallones

THE SILLIMAN ADMINISTRATION and Board of Trustees (BOT) will set a discussion on the financial arrangement of the solar power proposal of Orion Group International, Inc. to install solar panels that will generate 300 megawatts of electricity on Silliman campus. In a forum last July 1, the Executive Vice President of Orion Group International, Inc. Rynor G. Jamandre announced the company’s plan to partner with Department of Energy (DoE) and the university on a project that would use solar energy in powering up a significant portion of the 62-hectare campus. Silliman University (SU) President Ben S. Malayang III said that the university is interested in the project because it can save energy and the environment through nonconventional energy or capacity for solar energy sourcing, mixing it with the geothermal energy of Silliman. “Most of our energy is geothermal. [Mixing] geothermal by itself is not petroleum, and geothermal is already an alternative energy. You mix it with solar, then we might have a mix of

energy sources in Silliman that causes less pollution than petroleum,” said Malayang. Jamandre added that if this project happens, SU will be able save from its estimated monthly power bill of Php4 million. The savings could be used to buy more books, computers, desks and chairs, and even the construction of new buildings. Orion proposed to install a 1.2-megawatt solar energy project in Silliman for free worth $2 million. According to Jamandre, the solar power project will be a grid-tie system and would need no batteries for the solar panels. He said that it will cost between Php80,000 and Php100,000 per kilowatt of solar energy (without batteries), as against Php180,000 to Php250,000 per kilowatt (with batteries). Orion is targeting SU to become the biggest solar-powered campus in Asia. Dr. Nichol R. Elman, project director of Affliated Rewable Energy Center (AREC) of SU, said that SU will not spend in this project. “There will be no cost on the end of the university. But, the SU and Orion will face the same risk if the solar panels

Musicians,poets perform in anti-human trafficking fest

By Jann Viansee O. Cardenas

TO FIGHT AGAINST human trafficking, bands, artists, poets, and advocates gathered in “Looking for Freedom (LF: Freedom) 2.0” last July 24 at the Byblos Library. LF: Freedom aims to raise awareness against human trafficking through visual arts, music, and poetry to educate people about human trafficking and to inform those who are unaware. Local bands Bill Gates, Karate CHOP Sticks, Modern Cassette, ODD, and WillFreeDo and artists Simon Alvarez and Scarlet Migriño performed at the event. In between performances, Angelica Mae Gomez, Gloria Gem Lumayag,

and Thodd Joshua Cabahug recited their own poems about human trafficking. Romualdo Señeris II, Visayan Forum advocacy officer, also spoke about campaigning against human trafficking. This year’s event focused on a smaller audience in Silliman University and made sure it was different from what happened last year. “We focused on Sillimanians. We’re trying to start in campus to breed a new culture of students that are and will be more informed about these kinds of issues,” said Indievided President Mike Pantejo. The event was organized again this year to emphasize that anyone can be a victim of human trafficking, even well-educated continue to page 4...

will bug down due to calamities,” said Elman. Elman assured that the faculty, parents, and students can benefit from the project through energy cost savings, books, and scholarships. “For every 20 kilowatt we pay for, one scholarship will be sponsored by Orion. For every five kilowatt, one household is lighted. This project is our extension to our corporate social responsibility by saving millions of our energy consumption,” said Elman. Malayang, however, said that the administration is still proposing to the BOT the “build, operate, transfer” scheme. According to Malayang, the Orion will build the solar project and operate it first before transferring it to the university after sometime. “They use their own money to build it, and then we will pay for the equivalent wattage that they have generated for us. After they have recovered their investment at some reasonable mark up, then they will turn over the property to us,” Malayang said. After 25 years, the Orion turns over the project and the university is looking continue to page 4...

after hearing about the incident around 11 p.m., but did not find them there. He saw the victims at Pharmacia Mamita. “Gipahulat ra man daw sila. Gableed na, pero gahulat ra sila, wala ra sila gitagad,” said Emperado. “I was disappointed that time. So I told them, ‘No. Let’s go back to SUMC.’” Emperado questioned the ER cashier why the victims were neglected when they brought their validated IDs. The ER cashier said that the students lacked the other requirements they were looking for. Emperado called Christy Destor,

the OSS liaison officer. The two were given the anti-tetanus shots and their wounds were treated. SUMC: They were not ignored Dr.Benjamin Ong,the SUMC resident ER surgeon, said that the patients were assessed and given surgical care right away. “After the patients were endorsed to me, I did what we usually do with the patients in the ER. I saw the patient and assessed their wounds and the severity of the injuries that time. I then explained the assessments and enumerated the surgical plans that night,” Ong said. continue to page 4...

Reps question SG pres over misallocation of funds

By Jameela Antoniette I. Mendoza

THE COMMITTEE ON Audit of the Silliman University Student Government (SUSG) questioned SUSG President Kirk Philip Emperado for borrowing money from an event during “Genesis” week to give ice cream to students. In a committee report, Rep. Jahdielle Keemmah Kitane raised concerns against the act during the assembly last July 19 at Oriental Hall. The report said that the free ice cream given out last June 10 as a gimmick in Genesis or freshmen week was not included in the budget proposal. Chairperson of the Committee on Audit, Rep. Kitane said that it was a “misappropriation of public funds, otherwise known as technical malversation, found in Article 220 in the Revised Penal Code of the Philippines (RPC).” “Tata ice cream was bought at Php3,270 for it to be free for all students. The money used to pay for the ice cream

came from the budget of the Christian Night, an event also scheduled last June 10 as a part of Genesis,” Kitane said. Each event under Genesis week was given a separate budget. According to the report, Christian Night had a budget of Php5,500, but only Php1,488 was used. The remaining Php4,011 was used to pay for Tata ice cream, which was not used in the Christian Night. “I believe that there should be proper consequences with this, because in the real world, this misappropriation of public funds is a criminal offense,” said Rep. Kitane. Rep. Niña Sung, a member of the Committee on Audit, investigated on the transaction made by Emperado and Finance Committee Chairperson Joyce Pino. She said that they were planning to take it out on the cash that they will receive from the sponsors. “The idea is that the money should not come from the budget of the students and of the SG, so it should continue to page 4...

DFA spokesperson lectures on West Philippine Sea

By Paulynne R. Dela Cruz

TO RAISE AWARENESS and educate students on the West Philippine Sea issue between China and the Philippines, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) held an Information Education Campaign (IEC) and forum last July 24 at Silliman Hall. DFA Spokesperson Asec. Charles C. Jose said that the issue is a matter of national interest that should concern every Filipino citizen. In partnership with Philippine Information Agency (PIA), the forum is a series of lectures conducted in different places continue to page 4...

AWARENESS. Visayan Forum (VF) advocacy officer Romualdo “Dondee” Señeris shares on the signs of human trafficking during the LF: Freedom 2.0 last July 24 at Byblos Library. PHOTO BY Lucille Jean J. Raterta


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