October 2012
Jo Ann A. Oruga
The 2nd UPLB Faculty Conference was held last September 26 to 28 in Lipa City, Batangas, with the theme, “Towards a World-Class University.” It brought together UPLB’s faculty in the effort to develop strategic and action plans to concretize the vision to be one of the best universities, if not the best university, in the region. With the foothills of Mount Malarayat as backdrop, the conference commenced with contingents from various colleges introducing themselves and their colleges. Vice-Chancellor for Administration Crisanto Dorado formally welcomed the participants. Chancellor Rex Victor Cruz, in his keynote address, reported what UPLB has been doing since he took office. He reported that UPLB has been closely working with the UP System for the implementation of eUP, a three-year program that aims to develop and implement an ICT system and infrastructure across all UP campuses. This project will help promote administrative efficiency and help create an enabling environment conducive to achieving academic excellence. Cruz also related that groundwork for the construction of the integrated laboratory is underway. “This centralized research laboratory concentrates the resources used in analytical procedures in one integrated laboratory, the better for us to be responsive to our students, researchers and our external clients,” he explained. The chancellor also reported that UPLB is aggressively implementing traffic rules and regulations and antilittering and solid waste management policies. Likewise, it is also pushing for an energy-efficient campus. The conference centered on the following nine thematic areas: 1) mentoring, University’s response to the K to 12 program; 2) mainstreaming emerging trends in teaching and learning; 3) recruitment, retention, and acceleration of the best and the brightest; 4) empowering faculty for effective student support services; 5) building a culture of research and publication; 6) emerging interdisciplinary programs; 7) resource generation; 8) UPLB as a public service university; and 9) internationalization. After deliberating on these thematic areas, the faculty members came up with action plans for each theme. They also proposed specific activities to address each action plan, with corresponding target dates, budgetary requirements, and expected outputs. Among some of the targets that were identified were the construction of the integrated laboratory; strengthening of Internet connectivity and the UPLB website; provision of funds for retooling and mentoring of teachers; more research grants and scholarships; strengthening of resource generation initiatives; and revision of curricula. According to Cruz, his team will use these action plans to push for developments that would mark UPLB as a world class university.
Aswang: Modern and ‘transmedial’ Alexandria Camille M. Castillo, UPLB in the News
Dr. Felicidad “Bliss” Cua Lim, associate professor of Film and Media Studies at the University of California-Irvine, shed last August 22 at UP Los Baños’s (UPLB) NCAS Auditorium a different kind of light on the topic of aswang. During probably the most peculiar of all the GE Conversations series conducted by the Department of Humanities’ Literary Division this year, Lim incited the audience to look at aswang “within [the] queer social fabric.” According to Lim, the aswang is often conceptualized as a national symbol for monstrous asociality in the functionalist paradigms that dominate Philippine folklore. In her lecture “Aswang Transmedia,” Lim took exception to Raul Pertierra’s argument that the aswang has an “asocial” or antisocial nature. She argued that the “transmedial aswang” can be a relative, a friend, or even a lover. Lim cited and presented a number of fragments found in different media that support her statements. Among them is Ricky Lee’s novel, Si Amapola sa 65 na Kabanata, where Lee portrayed aswang and bakla as “marginal characters who move through time and space.” This seemingly simple yet very technical topic gave the audience a new perspective on the aswang. Dennis Gupa, assistant professor at the Department of Humanities said he agrees with Lim’s points and noted that “we are an aswang nation.” Lim is an expert on Philippine cinema; temporality; archival loss; postcolonial and feminist film theory; transnational Asian horror and the fantastic; and taste cultures. She wrote the book Translating Time: Cinema, the Fantastic, and Temporal Critique, published by Duke University Press in 2009.
Photo by Alex Castillo (http://ovcre.uplb.edu.ph/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=193:aswang-modern-and-%E2%80%9 8transmedial%E2%80%99)
UPLB holds 2nd faculty conference
U.P. Newsletter 13
Lim agrees with a point raised by a member of the audience.
UP, COMELEC ink agreement to ensure ‘intelligent’ polls Continued from page 1
voting population, better preparing voters to choose candidates their wisely. “An informed electorate is a requisite for a democracy.” Pascual also called for UP-COMELEC partnership beyond the 2013 elections. “UP is ready to assist COMELEC to conduct election-related research, provide policy guidance in the crafting of new laws, provide technical assistance in the new priorities of the COMELEC leadership such as the monitoring of campaign finance, improving the party list system, and promotion of political party reform.” COMELEC Commissioner Rene Sarmiento said that it was the first agreement between the commission and a university. He explained that the COMELEC can better fulfill its mandate under the Philippine Constitution when it has the full support of its stakeholders in empowering the people of this country. He added that UP alumni in the COMELEC, including himself, look forward to a “fruitful and dynamic relationship with our alma mater [in serving] the people.” Pascual was the signatory for the university while Sarmiento signed on behalf of the commission. Witnesses included COMELEC Commissioner Lucenito Tagle, UP VP for Development Elvira Zamora, UP VP for Public Affairs J. Prospero de Vera III, UP VP for Legal Affairs Hector Danny Uy, UPD Chancellor Caesar Saloma, UP Manila Chancellor Manuel Agulto, UPD University Student Council (USC) Chair Heart Diño, and UPD USC Councilor Jules Guiang. The signatories and witnesses then led the signing of a commitment to voter registration and education at the Quezon Hall lobby after the signing of the MOA. (With report from Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo)
UP Diliman Student Councilor Jules Guiang speaks during the press conference for the UP-COMELEC cooperation, as UP Manila Chancellor Manuel Agulto and UPD Chancellor Caesar Saloma sign the commitment board upholding honest and intelligent elections in 2013.
Rene Reinoso is Inquirer COO: Headed for exciting new journey Continued from page 12
mention in the prestigious Newspaper Association of America’s Acme awards (advertising, circulation and marketing promotions division) for Single Copy retailers program. In 2007, as chair of the CBA management negotiating panel, Reinoso successfully led the team in negotiating and completing the CBA in record five meetings through diplomacy and sound economic principles. This was recognized as the shortest CBA ever in the history of the Inquirer, earning the commendation of business and industry leaders. In 2011, he spearheaded the launch of the Inquirer online trading site, Pinoy Best Deals, catering to buying, selling and trading of goods and services back-linked to all social networking sites. Reinoso took his early education at San Beda College, where he received the gold medal for excellence when he graduated from high school in 1978. He was this year recognized as the Most Distinguished Bedan Awardee by the San Beda College Alumni Association. He obtained his business economics degree from the University of the Philippines School of Economics, earning a dean’s medal for academic excellence. He took master’s studies in economics at De La Salle University. He earned his master’s degree in business administration, graduating with distinction, from Murdoch University in Perth, Western Australia. (Connie R. Kalagayan, http://business.inquirer.net/94865/ rene-reinoso-is-inquirer-coo-headedfor-exciting-new-journey)