WHAT'SINSIDE Centralian Fest p4 ASEAN 2015 p13
Candidates speak on their most controversial issues Story on page 8
SPECIALINTERVIEW Echoserong Cheken talks with the presidential hopefuls p15
The
VOLUME 104 NO. 3 | THE OFFICIAL STUDENT MEDIA PORTAL OF CENTRAL PHILIPPINE UNIVERSITY, JARO, ILOILO CITY, PHILIPPINES 5000 | MARCH 2014
‘Gas poison’ downs students Rose Memorial Auditorium inspected, suspected sources ruled out by Ron Adrian A. Dionaldo
Two hundred seven high school students and seven faculty and staff members were rushed to the Iloilo Mission Hospital after an alleged gas poisoning inside Rose Memorial Auditorium during the Christ Emphasis Week (CEW) celebration, January 22. The incident happened during the High School convocation on the third day of the CEW although no similar episode occurred on the previous day. Correspondingly, no incident happened afterward as the same venue was used for the college convocation.
The Auditorium was closed on the succeeding days, and the venue for subsequent events including the remaining high school convocations and the CEW closing ceremony was moved to the University Church. Victims recall Around 9 in the morning of January 22 while the speaker was delivering his message, high school students seated near the girl’s comfort room reported smelling a strong odor which they described as ‘acidic’ or ‘similar to something being burned’. The smell seemed to spread
throughout the back portion of the auditorium where mostly second year and third year high school students were seated. One third year student did not report smelling anything but experienced something like sand stuck in the throat when he inhaled the air. “I felt something like sand in my throat and I coughed. But it wasn’t until after lunchtime that I started feeling dizzy and difficult to breathe,” he said. Students and teachers immediately evacuated the area, and
the convocation itself was hurriedly brought to a finish, but by then the fi rst victims started showing symptoms of dizziness, difficulty in breathing, and numbness. First-hand intervention Students who were affected were immediately brought to the University Clinic, and then transferred to Iloilo Mission Hospital (IMH). Throughout the day, students, faculty, and staff came to the clinic as some victims felt the effects only after the convocation, and they were transferred to the hospital in batches.
CCS opens new
Gas poison>>Page3
Digital Media course by Irish Paoline D. Jurinario
a major in Digital Motion and Broadcast Design, Visualization and Animation, and Digital and Social Media Interaction. It focuses on developing the individual’s creativity towards various fields of art industries such as advertising, commercials, fi lms, and corporate communications sectors. On the other hand, issues were raised regarding the BS Information Systems course and if it is to be dissolved once BSDMIA accepts enrollees. In an open forum with the CCS students, Calibjo said that they will not permanently dissolve the BSIS course and will still accept enrollees to the said program.
5 Centralian Nurses top Licensure Exam by Dazen Dawn P. Lariza
photos from Omero Photography
The College of Computer Studies (CCS) will offer Bachelor of Science in Digital Media and Interactive Arts (BSDMIA) program starting first semester of academic year 2014-15. According to CCS faculty member Antonio Montano Jr., it was CCS dean, Dr. Cirilo Calibjo who proposed the course. “As he [Dean Calibjo] visited other schools for the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU), multimedia and digital arts are the main focus. When he came back, he suggested BSDMIA during a meeting,” Prof. Montano added. BSDMIA features an industryaligned specialization course, with
Five Centralian nurses topped the Nursing Licensure Exam (NLE) held December of last year. Ann Marie Roldan (3rd), Rex John Dominado (7th), Irish Jane Lee (10th), Irene Cartagena (10th), Gelbert Jan Porque (10th) bested other board exam takers and became part of the top ten board exam passers. Moreover, Central Philippine University maintained its passing rate of 75.16%. According to the results posted on the Philippine Regulation Commission (PRC), 81.61% of Centralians who took the exam for the fi rst time passed. Meanwhile 37.78% of retakers passed the exam. The PRC also reported that 10, 977 out of 35, 475 of board exam takers passed the NLE. Results were posted 24 working days after the last day of the exam period which was on December 7-8, 2013.