ECHOES October 2011

CONTENTS October 2011

4

PREVIOUS ISSUE/CORRECTIONS

5

EDITORIAL

6

COMMITTEE NEWS NEWS

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RUN FOR 53 by Mikhail Singson ECOSOC MONTH LAUNCH by Chrissie Cruz

FEATURES 24

GALLERY by Bruno Santos MISS GRAND TRAD by Patricia Aquillo CHALLENGE NIGHT by Gelo Atienza

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NES by Stefanie Go AD HOC PARTY by Kenneth Reyes

TRIBUTE GENMEET by Horace Cimafranca

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ALAY SA PERSONNEL by Benedict Bismark CDC CULMINATING by AK Mapolon CDC ELECTIVES by Mhela Calugay

Editor-in-Chief

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ONE BIG JOKE The Secret Spot —by Gab Sollano and Hari Orosco

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THE UNINFORMED Among the orgs in Econ, whose members are the most informed?—by Benedict Bismark

36

AD HOC A look into the revolutionary committee—by Jessica Biscocho

40

MUSIKAPELLA Tracking the evolution of TF’s fundraiser—by Beatriz Bayudan

jessica biscocho

44

APP STATS Get to know the new mems by the numbers—by Derek Parreñas

beatriz bayudan

CULTURE

ECOSOC ELECTIONS by Nadine Eleazar MUSIKAPELLA by Briana Campos

kenneth reyes

FEATURED ALUMNUS In the presence of Leslie Octaviano—by Kenneth Reyes

FI WEEK by Ines Pagdanganan

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EDITORS

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GRAND CARAVAN by Selina de Leon

19

FEATURED MEMBER Cocoy Vargas, Ecosoc’s 54th President—by Hazel Sumampong

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LIFE Tips for the end of the semester —by Gelo Atienza

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POLITICS Wall Street’s young, eclectic invaders—by Raphael Dantes

49 50

GOSSIP by Gossip G REPORT CARD by the TV Monster

avril bries

Associate Editor hazel sumampong

Managing Editor raphael dantes

News Editor Features Editor Photo Editor nadine eleazar

Logistics Director joseph “matt” dailisan

Creatives Director kevin estopace

Webmaster

CONTRIBUTORS Ma. Patricia Aquillo / Michael “Gelo” Atienza / Justin Baniqued / Beatriz Bayudan / Jessica Biscocho / Benedict Bismark / Chiara Buergo / Carmela “Mhela” Calugay / Briana Campos / Arthel “Marte” Caronoñgan / Horace Cimafranca / Sol Cortez / Ana Christina “Chrissie” Cruz / Brian Cruz / Raphael Dantes / Selina de Leon / Karlo Elamparo / Nadine Eleazar / Felichie “Faye” Ferrer / Gossip G / Stefanie Go / Margarita “Sam” Gonzales / Arsenio Lukban / Anna “AK” Mapolon / Hari Orosco / Frederico “Derek” Parreñas / Reuel Realin / Kenneth Reyes / Alvar “Bruno” Santos / Mikhail Singson / Jose “Gab” Sollano / Hazel Sumampong / Paolo Tamase / The TV Monster / Arianna “Ria” Zapanta

ABOVE Leslie Octaviano, photographed at Chocolate Kiss on October 13 by Kenneth Reyes cover photograph by arsenio lukban

3

PREVIOUS ISSUE

September 2011

CORRECTIONS

Our mistakes in the August issue In “Ecosoc’s National Artist,” the subtitle was a remnant of the previous Featured Alumnus article that was inadvertently left unchanged. See the correct byline in the Issuu version and the Echoes Online version, or if you like things fun, you can make one yourself!

Echoes is the official publication of the UP Economics Society (UP Ecosoc), a non-stock, non-profit, student organization based in the University of the Philippines Diliman School of Economics.

Since the 2nd semester of the academic year 2010-2011, Echoes is released four times in a sem and eight times in a year, on the months of January, February, March, July, August, September, October, and December.

It draws its funding from a subsidy from UP Ecosoc, sponsorships, subscription revenue, and other small funraisers. For this semester, 60 subscription copies, 3 tambayan copies, 1 archive copy, and a complimentary copy for each of our sponsors, featured members, and featured alumni are produced.

This publication is printed by Yza Copy Systems and Trading, located at Stall 22 at the Shopping Center, UP Diliman, Quezon City. contact us

upecosoc@gmail.com upecosoc.echoes@gmail.com visit for more information

All errors are corrected when posting on TheEchoes.net. If you spot any error in this issue, call us on it by sending an email to upecosoc.echoes@gmail.com.

upecosoc.org theechoes.net facebook.com/up.economics.society No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission.

4 TheEchoes.net

EDITORIAL if you want to be nice about it, you can call the recent

Ecosoc elections disappointing. If you want to be honest however, you can call it by its true adjective: a disaster.

Generally speaking, those eligible to run for the Ecosoc general elections are juniors and sophomores. While juniors, given their larger pool of experience, are vital in an effective Execom, a good handful of sophomores are also desirable as they are the ones primed to run again the following year, usually for the top two spots of Presidency and Vice-presidency.

Getting a head-start in the Execom bureaucracy makes them more capable to become the Society’s highest officers.

Having two candidates run, or ‘clash,’ for the same position in the elections is also desirable. This would force both of them to refrain from being complacent, and ideally, having an opponent allows a healthy discussion of issues to take place. Furthermore, the plurality of Ecosocers clashing for the position speaks of the membership’s pro-activeness in and passion for the org.

Finally, incumbent Execommers running for a second term brings much wisdom to the new roster of officers. Not only can they show their younger colleagues the ropes, their presence is also reassuring for the membership, who have grown accustomed to them as leaders of the Society. It will therefore make the transition to the new Execom smoother.

Having said that, we can agree that a good election involves (1) a sizable number of candidates comprising of both juniors and sophomores, (2) as many clashes as possible, and (3) incumbent officers running for a second term. Using this framework, let us analyze the past four elections of our Society.

The 2008 elections was fair. Twelve hopefuls ran for the Execom, and there were two clashes (for President and Memcom). However, only one sophomore (Karlo Patron for VP) and only one incumbent Execommer (Raymond Zabala, from Spev to President) ran.

In the next year however, more candidates heeded the call of service, with fifteen hopefuls now vying for a slot in the Execom. Five were sophomores (Sel Ortiga, Ray Francisco, Paolo Tamase, Janna Ong, and Van Valdez), though again, only one incumbent (Ogie Enriquez, from Sports to Presiart by sol cortes

dent) ran. On the other hand, there were three clashes, so allin-all, it was a pretty strong election.

The 2010 elections were just as strong, if not stronger.

There were fifteen candidates again, but now six were sophomores. Not only that, two incumbents ran (Paolo from Echoes and Sel from Seccom, both for President) and there were five clashes. This was a very good case of democracy in action.

Unfortunately, the trend didn’t continue. In this year’s elections, only nine candidates ran. There were two clashes, and no one was a sophomore or an incumbent.

One can’t help but wonder whether this is signaling the end for Ecosoc. Even as our events get bigger and better, they are increasingy being pulled off by a small elite of passionate Ecosocers. All the while, our number of members and their overall participation is declining.

But not so fast doomsday prophets—other explanations exist besides the impending death of our beloved org. Due to the 300% tuition hike, perhaps more and more of our members and apps are coming from the higher-end private schools. Thus, they bring with them a totally different culture—one that values professionalism, rigid circles of friends, and a general sense of nonchalance.

Moreover, the turbulent undergraduate curriculum may be taking up the thoughts of students. For instance, batch 2010 and above are suddenly now required to take 3 more units of Math—a scary thought for those who barely made it past Math 17 and Math 100.

One final reason would be the increasing appeal of surrounding organizations. Ecosocers there days can be found everywhere, from JMA to CAP, from the SE Student Council to the University Student Council.

Whatever the reasons may be, let’s hope that this is merely just a crack in the line—a business cycle, if you will.

After all, we can’t be high up all the time; how can we appreciate the heights when we haven’t yet felt the depths?

One thing is certain though: Ecosoc is 53 years old. It has endured Ferdinand Marcos, Erap Estrada, and Gloria Arroyo; it was withstood the Pinatubo eruption and Typhoon Milenyo; it has persevered through countless cat feces. Ecosoc, in all its strength, will live through a disastrous election.  5

COMMITTEE NEWS

PAOLO TAMASE

PRESIDENT / AD HOC CHAIR

fourteenth and last. i’m writing this on my last night as

UP Ecosoc’s president. I actually wrote the final installment for this column a few days ago. It was supposed to be about the lessons I learned as an Execommer; in reality, I spent a lot of lines talking about the pain and disappointment I experienced over the past two years. It didn’t take me long to realize that that was not the way I wanted to close the four semesters I led Ecosoc. We cannot choose the things we remember, but we can choose which memories to dwell on.

I ran for Editor-in-Chief two years ago, admittedly, more to be an Execommer than a commhead. At the time, Ecosoc was refocusing on its socio-civic nature, and our leaders then inspired me to continue that movement. In Execom, I was one of the officers who lobbied for the prioritization of CDC’s and a revamp of the scholarship program. I was convinced that Ecosoc was not just a college org, and we were called to render greater service.

But towards the end of my term as EIC, I realized that what we were doing was still not enough. With our CDC program stabilized, a number of my friends and I saw the many other aspects that needed our attention. So I ran for President on a ‘change’ platform, promising to move forward.

It began an ambitious year. I’m proud of the things we did achieved—they are testament to the greatness of Ecosoc. I hope that when I return a few years from now, future members will still be preparing for NES, UPFront, and the Grand 6

Caravan, because these were new events that really refocused on our nature as an economics and socio-civic organization. I hope we will have more UPSE scholars, and that Ad Hoc will even better represent the best in Ecosoc.

Yet I’m aware that not everything I planned push through.

We wrapped up Concon after the first sem, but changing a constitution is hard work, and one that not all key players were eager to pursue. We’re succeeded by an Execom of many appointed officers, and reckoning with our legacy involves facing the truth that we did lack foresight—we should have chosen better people to train—and inspiring leadership.

But as I end these two terms, I remind myself of a key realization: we are not just a college org, but we are a college org. Ecosoc, for all its members’ talent, has always been capable of great things (we proved that in the past year), but at the end of the day, it’s still composed of students. For the Execom who will replace us, take your responsibilities seriously, but don’t take your job too seriously. Do not be afraid to enjoy what you’re doing!

I think the enormity of the past two years will only sink in when I turn everything over to my successor, but for now, I can only harbor feelings of gratitude for an organization that has given me so much in such a short time.

For all the difficulties, these two years would not have been worth it without these guys.

Frawesome, it has been a year of ups and downs, and while I wish the world didn’t have to find out, maybe it forced us to resolve our differences. Thank you for the companionship; I hope you learned as much from this experience as I did.

Cliquish, it is finished! Thank you for continuing to support me in my second Execom year.

Ad Hoc, I hope you’re as proud as I am about what we’ve accomplished; I’m grateful for your trust, dedication, and spirit—you are truly the best people Ecosoc has to offer.

Scholcom, I know we weren’t able to meet regularly this past sem, but I cannot thank you enough for dedicating a portion of your lives to our scholars. To my former Echoes Editors, your idealism never left my mind in my second assignment.

To my apps and interns, your enthusiasm reminded me everyday of what made me stay in Ecosoc despite the many challenges. To all the carolers I’ve conducted, the apps we’ve supervised (Overdrive, Blueprint, Imprint), and others, thank you for playing small but important roles in my Ecosoc and Execom journey.

On a special note: Cocoy, as Leslie told me two Octobers ago, I leave you with my greatest accomplishment in college.

I know you will be magis! Power Apps, welcome to Ecosoc! I am confident we will leave Ecosoc soon in very capable hands.

You are the present and future of our organization, and I hope you don’t shy away from the challenges (and rewards) of leadership.

I leave Execom with much pride and hope, and many, many lessons learned. Thank you, Ecosoc.

photographs by kenneth reyes

SELENA ORTIGA

VICE-PRESIDENT / TASK FORCE CHAIR

13 commnews, you’d think that i’d finish this in a jiffy. But here I am again, torn about what to write. So for the 14th and last time, here goes my attempt.

WAAAAAAHHHHHHHH. Wooh. I can do this.

So let’s back track to a little over a year ago. I came home one lovely night crying my heart out because my convocation for Ecosoc President didn’t go the way I wanted it to be.

I didn’t need the official count to tell me that I wasn’t going to be the next President. The day after the results came out though, Paolo had asked me to become Vice-president. Despite my lack of experience in the committee and Musikapella, I accepted.

Today, I am so thankful that I said yes. Task Force has not only taught me so many things, but has become a committee that I fell in love with. I’ve learned about how to organize a chorale competition, or simply how to become a better leader to people. I learned how to deal with b*tchy choirmasters and how to force-feed myself 2-piece Chicken Joys with extra sweet ones. I learned about extra-cool printers that print super nice poster-slash-stickers. I learned that TASK FORCE is spelled with two words and later on found out that TASKFORCE as one word is okay too, in Ecosoc. Task Force 11, thank you SO MUCH. As much as I’d like to thank every single one of you here, I don’t think the word limit will allow me to. I hope you all take some time to read my personal messages to all of you (that i will give you on Monday)! From the after

TheEchoes.net

bottom of my heart, I LOVE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. Taking the risk of Vice-president didn’t only bring me Task Force. It brought me to another group of people that I can consider my family. FRAWESOME! You are all seriously people that I can never forget and have a permanent place in my heart. PAOLO, I guess I have you to thank the most for allowing me to be your Vice-president. After two years, it has been such an experience working with you. Thank you. :) REUEL, your energy is so intense sometimes but I thank you so much for being there. FAYE, you are waaay too sweet. Like I said before, you’re one of those people with hearts so big that I’m left speechless. KEN, I never thought I’d enjoy your company but your socially relevant ways never fail to amuse me. REG, you’re someone who I admire so much! I’m glad I got to know you more this sem, especially during our dreaded law classes.

GILBERT, kahit Coffee Twist ka lang nang Coffee Twist, you never failed to keep the Execom alive! MADELENE, you’re seriously like the little sister I never had. <3 I’m so glad I got to know you so much more this semester! ENZO, you don’t know how thankful I am to have a friend like you. :) Thank you for always being there! COCOY, you did it! Thank you for taking care of Seccom! :D Glad I got to know you more this sem. JASON. Hahaha Jasoooon, thank you. :) MYK, you’re one of the best motivators I know. SOBRANG MAMI-MISS KITA. Don’t forget to visit!

Someone once asked me what my greatest moment in Ecosoc was. It would be safe to say that it would be caroling or Musikapella. But I guess looking back, my greatest moment in Ecosoc is definitely losing that election a little over a year ago. I’m so much happier now and I guess this wouldn’t have happened if things turned out differently.

Now that this is coming to an end, I can never end without thanking the people I haven’t mentioned so far. Thank you Papa, Mama, Atsi, Marvin, Ahia, and most especially Shmitty for supporting me in so many ways. Super love all of you! Thank you to the people who have graduated but still show their undying support: Jeanne, Misha, RZ, Mykel, Ogie, Laurence, A, Dean, Ella, and the rest of Cliquish. Thank you to Janna, Gab, Lia (and Henry, hihi), Louie, Mela, and TJ for simply just being there. Thank you, Ecosoc for allowing me to be your VP and TF chair. And, THANK YOU to those who helped out and went to Musikapella 2011. :) Jeremae-mae! I know how much you love Taskforce. :) I’m just here if you need help. Believe in yourself and you’ll do great! >:D< *ehemjasonmrazconcertehem* To the new members, especially the TF INTERNS: CONGRATULATIONS! I’m so proud of all of you! Stay active!

HUHU, I guess this is it. THANK YOU, ECOSOC. I can’t believe it’s over. :( Please continue to love Ecosoc because I’m telling you, it will love you back a bajillion times more. It has been a pleasure serving you. :) :(

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COMMITTEE NEWS

ANDRES “COCOY” LICAROS III SECRETARY / SECRETARIAT CHAIR

i thought this would be easier. i thought the words

would come pouring out of me. I have so many people to thank, memories to bring up and failures to be sorry for. Ecosoc has single-handedly defined who I was in college and who I will be after, but my words are lost. Pardon me when I say that saying good-bye is never easy. Not when you’ve given so much and received so much more in return. Good-bye seems unfair.

My words don’t seem to do my feelings justice. They’ve always had a bad habit of failing me when I needed them most.

It’s an old habit and old habits die hard. But maybe that’s why it’s so hard to let go? How can walk I into the tambayan every Tuesday afternoon and not expect to lead a commeet? How can I not take the microphone during genmeet when it’s Seccom’s turn to announce commnews? How can I not lead the prodworks for the theme board and gallery anymore? How can I not sit at the Execom table during Fridays and not expect my friends to be there for our weekly meetings? To be part of something so grand for such short a time is unfair. To fall victim to habit and to have it taken from you so suddenly is cruel. It’s only now that I’ve come to realize that; only now when it’s time for me to go, only now when it’s too late.

Every Ecosocer worthy of that title will tell you to “love Ecosoc and it will love you back.” I bet you’re smiling now because it sounds so cliché. I say, “You can never love Ecosoc enough.” If love begets love, then we could all do with a little 8

more, don’t you think? Ecosoc will never stop being worth your time. Ecosoc will never stop being worth every ounce of strength you can give. No matter the cause, no matter the thrust, no matter the people beside you, Ecosoc will always, always be worth it. Take it from someone who’s been there.

Take it from someone who’s been bled dry by this organization and came back for more. Take it from someone who’s fallen in love. You can never love Ecosoc enough and you can never start too early.

To the new members, love Ecosoc now while most of you still have the luxury of time. Find the committee you want to be a part of and make it strong. Work for the org and you will understand what it means to be an Ecosocer. Carlo, Monina, Red, and Bruno, you have done me proud.

To the new Execom, you are our leaders now. Be strong, own your committees, make them yours, and never settle for anything less than your best. Appointed or elected, it is what the position demands and I know you’re all up to the task. It’s not a matter of choosing. When the time comes, you will have to be. Trust in each other and never falter.

To my members and apps/new mems, I hope I didn’t let you down. I wasn’t the best person to ever hold the position but know that I did try my very best to be. It was your dedication that kept me wanting to make seccom stronger. I could not have asked for better Spartans. Keep the Spartan way alive. I am proud of all of you.

To Bing, you’re a big guy with an even bigger heart. Listen to it as you always have.

To Yasmin, you don’t talk much but when you do, know that I’ll always find it special. Always.

Whatever you decide, know that neither of you will ever disappoint me. (Just don’t leave Seccom :D) To my Freakin’ Awesome Execom, I couldn’t have picked a more unlikely bunch of people to be feeling this way about.

Knowing who we were then and seeing who we are now just makes it harder for me to let go. You trusted in me when I had none for myself and I thank you all for that. You made me believe I could be something more and I hope that for the year I spent as Execom, I indeed became more than who I was.

There are no words for the love I have for all of you.

Our terms have ended but Ecosoc will carry on the tradition of excellent service; of that much I am certain. My only regret is that I didn’t act sooner. But seeing how promising the future is for Ecosoc, it’s something I’ll live with.

All things must come to an end as they say, so let it end. But know that in my heart, it never will.

Good-bye, Ecosoc. I love you.

photographs by kenneth reyes

GILBERT BUENO, JR.

TREASURER / FINANCE CHAIR

“to my supporters, i won’t let you down. and to my nonbelievers, you won’t bring me down.” This line, even if it wasn’t the reason why I won, played a very important role in my being in the Execom. At first, I too doubted myself, if I was really ready to take on such a big responsibility. I wasn’t prepared, but I guess no one will ever be prepared for such things; you just have to face everything and learn to deal with it and adapt to it. This I learned during my one year as the Finance Chair and member of the Executive Committee. The biggest challenge that I wasn’t prepared to face happened during my first term. I know most of you are aware of the HP7 incident last year where we incurred around P20,000 loss.

As Finance chair, my job is to bring in profit, not reduce the balance we have.

This affected me greatly. I didn’t attend class for one whole week and during the genmeet after that incident, I bursted into tears and walked-out of the room. I almost gave up and even thought of resigning even though it was only my first month as Treasurer. But then, one thing I learned from this is that I never have to face such problems alone. I have friends who are always there to support me, and that when you fall down, all you got to do is stand back up. Sounds cliché, but it is indeed true, for on this same semester after getting back on track, I decided to do Band in Demand 3, and together with my whole committee, was able to pay for the loss and even raise P58,000. This was the shining moment in my whole TheEchoes.net

term as Finance chair, and at this very moment, I tell myself, “Good thing I didn’t give up.”

The following semester was a result of what happened last sem. Although BID3 went well, I was very scared of taking risks again and so I played it safe—so safe, in fact, that I didn’t do other major events. The problem with being the Fin Chair is that in the end, most people will only care about the bottom line: the numbers written on the bottom of your Financial Statement. They won’t care how much effort you put into doing your events, how much you tried to get as much sponsors as you can, and stuff like that. That’s the problem if the people around you are mostly results-oriented. They won’t even bother to look at how it was difficult for you to lead the whole committee amidst the miscommunication and disobedience. I don’t really know how to end this drama, but I have to leave you hanging for I only have 600 words and I still have to thank my members. Haha!

To the members of the LUNGS (I won’t enumerate na), thank you for this semester. I know we ended early but I hope you enjoyed doing our movie screenings. I know our lack of events all throughout the semester affected your being active in Ecosoc, so I’m really sorry. To the Fin apps and all other apps: this was one of the best app batches ever, so we are expecting a lot from you. Don’t disappoint us! Haha! Keep the S.E.T. of Ecosoc alive!

And lastly, to the FREAKIN’ AWESOME EXECOM! Super thank you for the whole two semesters. I don’t need to enumerate the things I’m thankful for, basta yung support and understanding during my stressful days, and simply for us being friends. I never thought that, despite our diverse personalities, we will be this close. Super mami-miss ko kayo. The bondings won’t stop after Turnover ah, promise? Hahaha!

GO FRAWESOME! GO FINANCE! GO ECOSOC!

9

COMMITTEE NEWS

REGINA REINOSO

PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER / EXTERNAL AFFAIRS CHAIR

if you know me well enough, you wouldn’t be surprised

to hear that I don’t like writing much—partly because it’s difficult to string words together in just the right way and partly because words are so limiting. As I’m doing this I’m thinking to myself, “How the hell am I going to tell you all what I feel in 800 words or less?”

I’ve said thank you’s in my previous commnews messages so let’s start off differently this time.

I was a Finance applicant. I know somehow you’re supposed to get attached to your home committee like the rest of them, but I wasn’t. For some strange reason, something led me to Externals. (Forreal! I can’t explain it. It was like a calling!) I’ve loved the committee ever since I entered it. I loved how Externals was so productive, and I constantly wondered why it almost always goes unnoticed. Four semesters later, I found myself running for P.R.O. I knew, of course, that if I did run and win, there were things that had to be sacrificed. Most may not know this, but my standing had gone down to the point that I had to let go of my goal of becoming SCL. (Figure it out haha) Apart from that, I probably had spent the least time with my family out of everyone in the Execom. As you all know, JPES and CES events usually fall on Sundays. But honestly, if I had the chance to go back in time, I would have chosen to let things run the same way in the blink of an eye. I love Externals and I love Ecosoc. I experienced how powerful love can be as a motivation for doing things. Somehow it all 10

was meant to be—it was all worth it. I, together with the Externals members this year, did my best to contribute as much as possible to the org and its cause: from UPFront to NES to all the outrageous tie-ups. And I hope that 10 years from now, I still see them as staple events! (Super cool ng 10th National Economics Summit HAHA) This year of service has been so fulfilling and eye-opening for me that I wouldn’t trade it for anything else.

To the members of Externals 2010-2011 (Arsenio, Miko, Dhiren, Hannah, Chila, Peter, Queennie, John Gan, Chiara, Cheenie, Kiele, Cheska, Larissa, Kevin, Leus, Gab S., Alex) This year hasn’t been the smoothest, but it’s been one hell of a joyride. Time and time again, you’ve all shown me how great you are. I’m extremely proud because excellence always seems to stem from this committee and I take no credit whatsoever for that. It’s all you. Please do know that from all the things we’ve planned and executed this year, it was I who learned the most from each of you, so thank you for helping me grow. Externals will be in very good hands for the next year (Go Chila!) and I know that the committee will do better than ever! Always remember to aim high :) And of course, to the Externals applicants I’ve handled (Imprint: Jade and Raya; Power Apps: Nikki, Mabel, Rino, Cel, Stef, and Ines), congratulations for making it! I always knew you would. I hope your stay in Externals was worthwhile. Thank you for all your energy and all your insights. No matter where you go off to, I pray that you keep that Ecosoc love burning for as long as possible. And never forget that you came from Externals (hehehe). Stay active! You all have so much potential to give back to this organization. I am and always will be proud of you!

To Frawesome <3. I never thought this day would come so soon. We did it. Sure we started off rough, but look how far we’ve come now. I can’t imagine going through this journey with anyone else but you. I love you guys more than a fat kid loves cake!

And lastly, to my family. I doubt you’ll get to see this but I don’t mind. Thank you for your undying patience and love.

I’ve practically been like a ghost this past year. I was hardly ever home, and yet you guys supported me in whatever I had to handle Ecosoc-wise. Don’t worry, I’ll be home this weekend and every weekend starting today! Hahaha. I love you!

It’s been a pleasure and an honor working for this organization that I hold so close to my heart. When I’m old and weary, I’ll look back and say that in this year, I definitely had the time of my life.

Thank you.

Your P.R.O. and External Affairs Chairperson, signing off for the last time,

photographs by kenneth reyes

REUEL REALIN

ACADEMIC AFFAIRS CHAIR

my roughly-3-years-ago self could never have imagined

writing this 700-word commnews, or any commnews for that matter. Nor did I imagine myself being the chair of the Academic Affairs Committee or even a part of the Frawesomest Execom ever. Heck, I don’t even think I was an applicant of Ecosoc 3 years ago and now I’m writing my last commnews.

I really can’t believe how time goes by without me noticing!

This past year has been a rollercoaster ride of some sort for all of us, and for me, it will always be the most memorable one that I’ll have. This year would’ve been for nothing if not for the people who’ve been part of it.

To Friendship <insert hobby, pastime, subject, etc.>: One sem left (for most of us) and I have yet to attend one of our outings. Whyy??? Bawi this sem of 9 units! I shall look forward to future memories of us.

To the best committee ever! ACAAAD! Anjo, Nikko, Therese, Geli, Stef, Cheyence, Cheenie, Jessica, Norika, Diana, Diane, Liette, Irene, Cathy, Sam, Neil, Horace, Nads, Cid, Marian, Jes, and Von. I have already expressed how much I have appreciated the time and effort that you have devoted to this committee. I hope that you have realized that what we do as Acad is unique and meaningful. My stay in Acad has been the most meaningful experience I’ve had in my life as an Ecosocer. Being the Acad Chair, you learn more than you expect to learn and do more than what you expect to do; all these without regrets TheEchoes.net

because of all of you. Know that I’ll always have a special place for Acad in my heart and I hope that each and every one of you do too.

To my successor, Von: you have said how much a critic you were during mine and Dean’s time. Now it’s your time. It may seem that you might not have someone else who’ll critique you the same way you did to us, pushing you up to your limit, but you actually do: yourself. Fight mo na ‘yan! I know you’ll do great as an Acad Chair.

To my (ex-)Power applicants, Topy, Bryan, Nikki, Lance, Cam, and Don: Congratulations for passing the application process! Members na kayong lahat, and with that I hope that you make the choices that will help you develop in the future.

Ecosoc is an organization that will encourage and hone all that you are capable of doing, it’s now up to you if you’re going to step up and face the challenge. All the best!

To the 8th National Youth Congress Team: To my co-convenor, Irene, to the Directors: Neil, Issa, Horace, Nads, Jerome, Mark, and Trixia, and to the 65 people who took part in organizing this year’s NYC, I’m very thankful for everything that was made possible because of your efforts, presence, and support. NYC did not only show how much economics have an impact to high school students, but it also showed how much we, as future economists and leaders, can make a difference in our society.

To FRAWESOME: Pao, Sel, Gilb, Reg, Faye, Mads, Ken, Enzo, Cocoy, Jason, and Myk. This year would be for naught if it weren’t for you guys. Frawesome would not have been FRAWESOME kung hindi tayo kumpleto. I’m so happy to have spent a year in the company of the most amazing people I’ve had the privilege to be with. I have every reason to believe that we’ve forged memories that we’ll never forget. Let’s go Valley Golf kahit hindi sa Valley Golf! hahaha! We are, and will always be, truly…awesomely…freakin’ awesome. and <insertyournamehere>, whom I may have forgotten to mention but was part of my awesome year, THANK YOU! “Love Ecosoc and Ecosoc will love you back.” It takes an Ecosocer to know of this quote, but it takes a true Ecosocer to understand the meaning behind it; and while I’m one of the oldest (in terms of Ecosoc age) in the organization, I must say that I have yet to fully grasp what being a true Ecosocer means. What I do know is this: there is not one definition of what it’s like to truly be the ideal Ecosocer, for being an Ecosocer will always vary from one person to another, but whilst there are differences, we do our best for the organization that we have learned to love.

Cheers!

11

COMMITTEE NEWS

FELICHIE “FAYE” FERRER

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CHAIR

one year? four years?

Too fast.

But before we all get emo and I bid my good-bye, I want to share some things I’ve realized as an Execomer…

• Myth: More events = better committee. It doesn’t mean that if one committee doesn’t have any events, then they’re not “malakas.” Remember that the committees have their own functions, some are events-based and some are not :) • If you don’t have a better solution to things, might as well not complain. It’s so easy to criticize the works of others but we don’t realize how much they tried their hardest to do things. There are a lot of things that we don’t see.

Learn to appreciate; you’ll enjoy things more :) • Don’t compare Execoms. Each group has their own strengths and weaknesses. Give them time to learn and to grow. Trust me, the role is not easy!

• EACH ONE OF YOU is being thought of. I hope you think of Ecosoc too :) • Love Ecosoc and let it love you back. I won’t explain this but I’ll leave it to you to realize what it means :) And the greatest learning…

Remember how our Execom’s first sem was full of expectations and critics as we tried to discover who we really are and we realize that Ecosoc is not about the events we make but it’s about the PEOPLE who are behind the events :) Admit it or not, it’s in Ecosoc where you enter and leave as a different 12

person—hopefully a better one :) Now, I want to THANK EVERYONE (not only because I’m ending our execom term but I’m also about to graduate already :( AHHHHHHH!) who really made college memorable and sooo hard to leave behind :( Since, I know that I won’t be able to give a speech during graduation (or we’ll never know, I might end up having a CWA of 1.0. HAHAHA), let me take this opportunity to express my gratitude and share my learning :) To my friends, I know I’ve turned down lakad’s and have missed a lot of dates but thank youuu for the support and understanding. I’ll make bawi :) To my family, I know we’ve cancelled and changed plans because of my work and schedule but know that I am proud to have a family that is sooo loving and so supportive :) Thank you for encouraging me, cooking for me and my friends, and for buying merchandise or tickets because you love me :) HAHA. You were the greatest support system :) To CDC, who have been a WONDERFUL committee! You guys know how much I love you :) For a year, I’ve gotten to know you better and you are all amazing people! And I’m not biased. More than the meetings and events we had, I am proud of you because you’ve done things out of your comfort zones :) Whether you did it because gusto niyo or dahil ang kulit ko (haha), I’m proud of what you guys have become. As I always say, CDC is… Holistic :) and to Frawesome, I know we all did our best but it still is imperfect but I believe that we are the perfect people to be in Frawesome :) You made work extra extra fun :) You know what I have to say to you *read again the invitation aka letter* I love each one of you >:D< Ecosoc, thank youuu for teaching me sooo many things… how to market, sell ticket, go to parties, be sporty, count medicines, console nanay’s, make kwek-kwek, cook fishball, be supportive, make friends, share love, be strong, and to be true to myself :) Thank you for trusting and believing in me. I know I’m faaar from doing perfect but thank you for allowing me to share what I have and hopefully I’ve inspired even just one person :) Ecosoc, you are capable of doing so much! The best mark our org can do to you is to make you YOU! Continue to discover yourself through Ecosoc and do what you love because you do not only help yourself but it lights up others as well :) Working with and for Ecosoc is stressful but it’s worth it :) Don’t give up on it because it did not give up on you :) Just think why we’ve survived for 53 years.. it might tell you something.

And of course, to the One who made it ALL possible, I give back all the praises and thanks, thank you for the support, love, ideas and for being the best chair of my life :) Thank you for giving these people… Thank you for Ecosoc :) There is a time for everything. Ecclesiastes 3:1 We had our time to lead Ecosoc… Now, it’s your time :)

photographs by kenneth reyes and selena ortiga

KENNETH REYES

ECHOES EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

i’m lucky compared to my fellow execommers in that

while they have their own commnews to say good-bye to their jobs, as Editor-in-Chief, I have this entire issue. So fair warning: this is the most personal issue I have ever worked on. But it’s my last, so forgive the vanity!

This month’s Featured Member and Alumna have my name written all over it. Cocoy Vargas has been a good friend of mine ever since our GW days under Dean and Regi. He, along with our co-wards Mads and Hazel, are some of my closest friends in Ecosoc. Cocoy, you’ve come a long way from being that fierce, extremely out-of-place Sports applicant under Ogie. I know how much this means to you. It’s a long, hard road again, but for tonight, just go and enjoy this moment in the spotlight.

Leslie Octaviano, of course, was the whole reason why I’m even here. As an Echoes applicant under her, I had fun writing in Tagalog, selling chilled taho, being compared to Hiro Nakamura, and the like. In her final commnews (Echoes October 2009), Leslie said that the art of Echoes was our escape from the academics we have to go through everyday. She was right. Art is an escape, and Echoes has never been anything but art in its purest form.

To give myself a sense of closure, this last issue of mine parallels my first issue (Echoes December 2010) in many ways. It starts with the cover—a white background featuring the newly elected President of the Society: Cocoy now, Paolo TheEchoes.net

a year ago.

Then there’s the Execom commnews pictorial, which, just like the first, exhibits no gimmick and no theme, just the smiling faces of your Society’s leaders, still optimistic, still eager to serve, even as our time with you has come to an end. It wasn’t a perfect term. We had off days, bad days, and disastrous days. We let you down, and we let our committees down. But no matter what your opinion of our respective terms is, I hope you remember us the way we are in these pictures: happy to have just served at the pleasure of the Society.

There are other parallelisms throughout this release, but I’ll leave you to notice them yourself.

Something peculiar happened two days ago. October 13, the day I turned 20, was also the day that Phoenix Jones unmasked himself before the world. In case you don’t know who he is, Phoenix Jones is a Seattle-based superhero. He probably doesn’t have super powers, but he does wear a bulletproof costume equipped with a baton and pepper spray. It sounds like the plot of Kick-Ass, but this one’s real. If you don’t believe, look him up!

Unsurprisingly, he’s had quite a number of run-ins with the law, some of which, this time, sound like the plot of The Dark Knight. In a trial two days ago, he was ordered to remove his mask, which he obliged to, revealing his identity as Benjamin Fodor, a 23-year-old husband and father.

To everyone who’s ever been a part of my Echoes team: Avril, Hazel, Ralph, Jess Biscocho, Bea, Nadine, Irene, Ben, Matt, and Kevin, as well as my apps: Derek, Judith, Gelo, Chiara, Dave, and Cyril—thank you for everything you’ve given me. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to reach out and connect with all of you. You have no idea how big of an introvert I am. I’m scared of people. You are people. I’m scared of you.

If you were going to take anything from the time you’ve spent with me though, I do hope it’s this: do not be afraid to be the Phoenix Jones’s of the world. If you see something gravely wrong with the universe you live in, put on a mask and fight it with every ounce of your being. Be great, and do great things. Not just in the Society, but in our ashen country.

I don’t know if you remember, but in the last line of “The Econian Spirit,” I quoted an Echoes editorial from several years back. There’s a typo there. It reads, “Ecosocers, do not disappoint”—and the comma makes it a command statement.

‘Ecosocers,’ the piece is saying, ‘please do not disappoint us.’

However, the way it was originally printed had no comma.

“Ecosocers do not disappoint.” It was a declarative statement.

Ecosocers aren’t in the habit of disappointing. The only ones who can ever let the organization down are Ecosoc members.

But when you’re an Ecosocer, it’s a whole different story. You are brave, and you are tireless. You never disappoint.

So don’t just be an Ecosoc member. Be an Ecosocer.

13

COMMITTEE NEWS

MADELENE “MADS” SALAZAR LIAISON CHAIR

if you and i have talked at any point throughout the

“Ecosoc year,” and I really hope we have, you’ll probably realize that I’m really not the type to write or speak with super deep and insightful words. So for now, please be content with these cheesy and truly heartfelt messages!

I started out with such amazing people in Liai last semester. Chrissie, Mark, Ayla, and Pai were already in the committee but so were Jorell, Henry, John Gan, Nadine, Ate Maiko, Patrick, Lesley, Carrie, Dean, Kat Catral, Avery, Justin, Karla, Cj, and Dana! Together, we organized the Alumni Night and I’m proud to say that it brought a lot of alumni together and members together! It was really nice being in the same room with all of them! Thank you so much to the apps and mems of Liai last sem for all your determination and passion for Liai and Ecosoc!

We can’t forget this semester in which we tried to present more options to you through the Company Tours. I do hope you picked up a few more options after visiting some of our alumni and their prestigious work places! I was so blessed to have in my committee some of the most determined people.

I’m glad to call these people my members and friends—Ayla: I will forever be grateful for all the times when you would back me up and catch whatever mistakes I had. You were really an awesome Vice-chair and I’m proud of you for so many reasons! Mark: Yieee! Liai will be so awesome in the next year and I’m so sure of it! I love how you have the biggest dreams 14

and you won’t stop at anything to fulfill it! I’m glad I’m leaving Liai in your hands :) Chrissie: I know that you had tons of things to attend to this sem and I’m so thankful that I will really always have a friend in you to support me and my endeavors (haha deep!) love you! Pai: Josefa, I’m so happy that I’ve gotten closer to you over the term but more than that, I’m grateful for the extra amount of work you put into all our Liai projects. You do things that aren’t required of you and that really flattered me! Thank you so much!! Gab S: Thank you for all the support you gave me and the committee! I’m so happy that I got to work with you and I’m proud of you for doing so well! Lemne!! Nathan: Thank you for all your contributions and for trusting me as more than just a commhead!

I’m always just a text away! Gabene R: Thank you for putting effort into the tasks and the ideas that I asked for you guys to contribute! I’m really thankful that you made it a point to attend meetings and events! Kat: Despite the many org stuff and acad stuff you had to deal with aside from Ecosoc, you still made it a point to contribute to Liai and I am especially grateful for the fact that you really approach me to see how you can help! Thank you! Bianca: Thank you for contributing to our events and all the contests we had! Haha you really helped push the committee to winner-dom haha! Cj: Thank you for making an effort to still ask for how you can help and replying to my texts! I hope we see more of you next sem!

Chie: I hope you come back to Ecosoc! But I hope you’re doing okay! Briana, JM, Aris, Marte, and Pito: I know you guys already know how proud I am of you and I know the pride will carry on! I’m glad I became friends with you guys and that we shared a lot of good times together this sem! Frawesome: I didn’t want to address you collectively because I’m just so thankful to have met each and every one of you but for now I hope you’re content in knowing that you’ve all become such good friends of mine and what sucks the most about this term coming to a close is that I’m going to miss you guys! This better not be the end! I love you all <3 To all the Ecosocers: I know that I had my faults and that there was still so much more I could have done but I hope that my contributions have helped you realize that being in Ecosoc is just the first step to greatness! The org will always be here to help you find a stepping stone but it is up to you to pave your own path and who knows, one day, you might just be the one the Liai chair will be contacting to share your inspirational story and to show them around your wonderful office!

I hope I linked you in a way to the fruits of this org’s 53 years of service, excellence and tradition! I know Liai will continue to rise up and allow for you to meet so many more people and explore lots of other things you can do in the future! In the words of the super fierce Nicki Minaj, “Greatness is what we on the brink of!” Hahaha thank you Ecosoc for the awesome opportunity you gave me to serve you!

photographs by kenneth reyes

VICENTE “ENZO” CLEMENTE MEMBERSHIP CHAIR

“good things always come to an end. but don’t be sad. be happy that at least at one point in your life, you were able to experience it.” When good things come to an end, the thought that something that changed our lives will soon be over makes us really sad. But we tend to forget that despite this, it will still go on in our hearts forever if we want it to.

Two years ago, I recited these words: “I, Enzo Clemente, as a member of the UP Economics Society…” I never thought I would be in this position, two years later, having just finished writing my last commnews as the Membership Committee Chairperson. I always thought that I would just be an ordinary but active member of this organization. But I was wrong.

A year after being a member, I again found myself on top of the Induction Ball stage, reciting similar words: “I, Enzo Clemente, as an officer of the UP Economics Society…” Me? An officer? Are you serious? I never thought I had the potential.

But people thought I had, and I began to believe that I did. It was a risk, but a year after making that decision, I can say it was the greatest experience I’ve ever had.

One year of being the Memcom Chair was the doorway for one tall, skinny, shy, “awkward-looking” guy (as some people say) to grow and shine so bright. Well, I’m almost still the same except for three things. I’m not so skinny, I’m loud, and I’m not so awkward-looking. Behind these three changes lie lots of stories of how this year has gone. I admit, the past year wasn’t the smoothest in my life. As I made the decision TheEchoes.net

to run, I thought I was ready. I loved Ecosoc. I had the best training anyone could’ve had, being under a great leader like Janna Ong. I thought I had both the passion and skills to be a great chairperson. But I guess what an old friend of mine told me was really true: no matter how much training you have, no one is really ready to be a chairperson and an Executive Committee member. Believe me, I felt that during my first semester as the Memcom Chair. It entailed lots of adjustments, lots of sacrifices, and plenty of time. Things didn’t go as I planned them to be and I had a really rough start. I think I even reached my breaking point: thoughts of giving up and not fighting back anymore just spiraled inside my head. At this point, I lost all hope.

But then I wouldn’t be writing my last commnews if I did give up. I realized that I wasn’t alone. I had those 11 other members of the Execom—who turned out to be my closest of friends—and Memcom to help me bounce back.

Going into my second semester as the Memcom Chair, I made sure I was fresh as ever. I had one goal in my mind: to give everything I’ve got and bounce back from a horrible start.

But I knew I couldn’t do it alone, so thankfully, I had the best committee anyone could ever ask for: Jr, Ryan, Angel, Cocoy, Pat, Camille, Karla, Jade, Car, Just, Ray, Ria, Angelica, and Janna. To all of you guys, I will always say this over and over again: out of the 12 Execommers, I believe that I’m the luckiest commhead to have all fourteen of you with me the whole semester. I couldn’t have bounced back without all of you guys. As I always tell you, we’re not just a committee. We’re a family, and I enjoyed every bit of the memories shared with this family. As the saying goes, “Family means no gets left behind.” We never left each other. I will always consider all of you as family.

To Jr, a long year awaits you. I know you’ll do great. I wish you the best of luck. I know you have great plans for Memcom, and it was really a pleasure to have worked with you.

Love Memcom, love Ecosoc, and things will turn out great.

To Frawesome (Pao, Sel, Reuel, Faye, Ken, Reg, Gilbert, Mads, Cocoy, Jason, and Myk), from that very awkward first Frawesome picture in Paolo’s house, to our very intimate and memorable photoshoot in CS: it’s the end of our journey as members of the Executive Committee, but this does not mean the end of the strong bond formed during the process. Though we may not be able to talk and interact with each other as much as before, I know each of us will always be there for each other no matter what. I’m so lucky to have come across and worked with diverse people like you guys. Generally, I’m just so lucky to really have all of you as my friends.

To Ecosoc, it has been one heck of a year. I have no regrets.

I gave all I can and I hope all of Ecosoc enjoyed every bit of what Memcom and the Execom did. Now, it’s time for me to become what I always envisioned myself to be when I entered Ecosoc: to be the best member I can ever be and support Ecosoc no matter what. I love you, Ecosoc.

15

COMMITTEE NEWS

JASON TAYAWA

SPECIAL EVENTS CHAIR

i have pondered upon the things that have been my life

in college. Two years and a half have passed and I have yet to discover what I really want. To you, my reader, what have you accomplished that made you discover what you really want?

Do you want recognition of your achievements? High grades or positions that put you on a pedestal? Or money so you can buy yourself a person to talk to? Well, you can find none of those here. What you will find are the things that made me find myself. Maybe you were even a part of it.

Learning differently. I always dream that I will be part of the academe having that title after my name and being cited by papers for a certain study. That would be the day! Having my track now is definitely a far cry from this dream of mine. First of all, I have a bad record in getting would-be or so-called professors in my subjects. Professors/teachers are those who taught you well and made you think differently, and many of them I found outside the four walls. The ones who I consider dear to me like A and Dean taught me invaluable lessons about life: don’t stop fighting (for the right reasons) and kick some ass doing it.

Love and all that. I believe that love is a function of time spent together, fruitful conversations, understanding, trust, and a whole lot of risks. Most of us fear of submitting to love.

You, my reader, might already have someone in mind when you read the word ‘love,’ but you will not confess it. I have to admit that it really is hard because of all the uncertainty 16

that you keep asking yourself everyday: ‘papayag kaya siya mag-movie’ or ‘magre-reply kaya siya.’ Just brace yourself, be courageous and risk it. To all those who I have found to love and those whom I lost, you still have a special place in my heart. Thank you ;) Life of a Chairperson. “I know now it takes two [semesters] to be in the Execom. The first is for making mistakes, the second is for making up for them” (Reyes, 2011). True enough that I may have made more mistakes than doing something right. I was in shambles and so was the committee. There is nothing wrong with it and you just have to accept your failures and do what you can to improve. Do not be afraid. Once you are, you are doomed to fail FOREVER. (Of course you’ll still have your friends, but you will still fail *tear*) Do not be afraid of making the hard decisions and always believe in yourself because you are the only one that knows how you feel.

Also, do not forget to PRAY. Lastly, always thank the committee and who helped out in the process. Your committee is like your second family—somewhere you can be yourself. \m/ SPECIAL EVENTS YOU ROCK! \m/ The Cycle of Execom. This is where you actually grow.

Frawesome didn’t actually start that freakingly awesome.

There were so many internal conflicts. The enraged and drunk man that I am actually threatened to punch our President Pao (buti na lang napigilan hehe). But through these you will learn how to handle people, show compassion, and give way for others. I also learned that change is the medicine that is so hard to take even if your intentions are altruistic (this applies to anything). Also, remember that too much change is bad so exercise continuity. Two semesters are that right amount of mix for change and continuity —change only so much and continue what preceded.

Life after Executive Committee. It is sad that our term has ended. All the lost opportunities and the regrets will always haunt me. The things that will stay are the memories of each other as friends and colleagues (Haha parang may namatay). Everything comes to an endm but we must move on and not let this stop us from achieving greater heights. Thank you Myk, Gilbert, Enzo, Pao, Sel, Ken, Reg, Reuel, Cocoy, Mads, and Faye. I will forever treasure the friendship and all the hardships we’ve been through.

I, for now, will continue in the pursuit of better grades or passing Econ 131. Living in the past is a crime and bawal maging CLG (joke) but I will carry what I learned and help others in the process.

WE WILL BE FOREVER FREAKIN’ AWESOME! I have pondered upon that these things are my life—what I really want and who I really am. How about you?

Everything was fun until it lasted. Ciao!

photographs by kenneth reyes

MICHAEL “MYK” NARCISO SPORTS CHAIR

it only took five semesters and my ecosoc life is now

over. Two years ago, I was inducted as a new member of the organization. The year after it, I was inducted as the Sports Chairperson. And by this year, I will be sent off to join the thousands of alumni who all loved and worked hard for this great organization.

All should realize that the end is inevitable. Most Execomers have at least one semester left after their incumbency. As for me, I’ll be leaving the organization without having that extra semester. Oh life. That sucks. I cried over it a couple of times. I wanted to stay longer. I wanted to be part of Ecosoc for one last semester but my hopes were shut down. I am graduating. I need to move on—soon.

Looking back at my journey as an Ecosocer, my stay has been full of ups and downs—a few accomplishments here and there, but to be offset with shame and guilt every now and then. All these made me complete, stronger—the person I am today. I wish I could still write my story on but sadly, it has to end.

Hazel was my first Econ friend. We were in the same room to enlist for a class. She invited me to sign-up for Ecosoc after a conversation. And so we did. I really had no plans at first to join any Econ org. As a shiftee, I wanted to test the waters at first and see where I belong at the school. Signing up that day made me realize today that I belong to Econ. I belong to Ecosoc. Signing up for this organization was never a mistake.

TheEchoes.net

At first it wasn’t easy. During the Overdrive sem—my first sem as a member—there was a week or two when I made tambay and no one, as in no one, talked with me. It was as if I was not there—as if I’m air. Kacel would make fun of me, pointing out how I can last an hour staying in a tambayan where even no one talks to me. I knew I had to reach out. I knew it had to be part of the process. And so it was. From then on, I gained friends who all made my life happier and more complete. They were my best college buds—life-long friends who will always be there for me even after college.

In a year after my induction as a new member, I think I have accomplished a lot. From Sales AD of Sisfire to Sales Director of Cypher, all those were part of my proudest moments in Ecosoc. Of course, receiving Outstanding Member recognition from Janna also made me proud. But what I’m proudest of is when I became the Sports Chairperson—an Execomer. With a slim lead over ABSTAIN, I got the position and it changed my life forever. Jo, my guardian, said to me that a victory is a victory. She added that I should make sure that I give my best and prove to everyone that I’m worthy of the position.

After a year of being the Sports Chairperson, I realized that all my efforts and hard work is worth the ride. Having to work with incredible and great people in Sports, sharing with them all my passion, joy and sometimes frustrations, it all made it harder for me to move on and accept the fact that time is up.

To Sports, you know how thankful I am to have you in my committee. No words can express how happy I am to have you all in my life. And so this is goodbye. I know things will be different from here on but I just want to let you know that each and every one of you will be in my heart, the muscle that helped me all the way in becoming your deserving leader.

Good-bye Sports and see you around! To Janeen, please take care of Sports. Love them and they will love you back.

To Frawesome, thank you for sharing a year of wonderful experiences. It has been one of the best years for me. Thank you for everything. Each of us knows how hard we tried to make Ecosoc better and I say we did a great job—a freakin’ awesome one! You all have at least a semester to stay in Ecosoc and I request that you all stay active for me. You know I’ll forever wish for that extra semester! Please make the best of it and still be active members of the organization. I love you all!

So this is good-bye. I will miss everything for sure—the tambayan, the events, the people and most especially you, the one who made time reading my last note to Ecosoc. Thank you!

Hoping to move on soon and still with great love for Ecosoc,

17

NEWS

THE CIRCUS IS IN TOWN WITH CDC’S GRAND CARAVAN

BY SELINA DE LEON

2, 2011, the ad hoc Committee launched the much-awaited 53rd Ecosoc Month anniversary celebration at the UP School of Economics Lounge from 4pm to 6pm.

Attendees enjoyed free San Marino Tuna Paella and Coffee Twist from our month-long sponsors, in addition to one of U.P.’s very own street food vendor.

The official UP Ecosoc Ad Hoc teaser for the Anniversary Party was launched after members and applicants represented in a game sponsored by Coffee Twist. Finally, the UP Streetdance Club capped off the program with yet another hip performance.

This semester, the Ecosoc Month Launch, usually held during general meetings, was open to partner organizations and other members of the U.P. community as an invitation to the everyone to celebrate Ecosoc Month with Ecosoc. 

3, 2011, the community Development Committee, in partnership with U Happy Events, held the very first Grand Caravan in the Department of Agrarian Reform Gym, Quezon City.

The event was held with a storybook theme for over a hundred young participants from Children’s Joy, Holy Family, and Pook Ricarte. In line with this, the whole gym was set up like a children’s fair, complete with balloons, circus performers, and photobooths. There were also storybook mascots and various booths for the children to visit and play with that were set up by Ecosoc’s 14 partner organizations from both U.P. and the Ateneo.

The children were given a chance to vote for their favorite booths and mascots. At the end of the day, it was U.P. Touch Football’s Kung Fu Panda booth and Rapunzel who won the awards.

Even with all the fun and laughter throughout the day, the organization still found a way to help others by having the Ahon Foundation as its main beneficiary. This foundation aims to bring literature and children together by replenishing libraries with books. Ecosoc became a part of this as they gave over 300 donated books to the foundation during the Grand Caravan.

The Grand Caravan was part of Ecosoc Month 2011, representing the thrust of service. 

9/2/11 ECOSOC MONTH LAUNCH

9/3/11 GRAND CARAVAN

on september

RUN FOR 53 MARKS THE EVE OF ECOSOC MONTH

BY MIKHAIL SINGSON

31, 2011, the sports committee held the Run for 53 at the Academic Oval from 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm.

Twelve flags bearing the logo of each committee were made, in addition to a slightly larger flag bearing the Ecosoc logo.

The run began at the School of Economics, moving clockwise around the Academic Oval, and ending at the Grand Stand. Sports Chairperson Myk Narciso led the run while brandishing the Ecosoc flag. He was followed by the 12 committees, who each had a representative to bear their respective flags.

The run experienced some slight disarray as gaps widened in the middle of the line separating those with differing staminas. Nevertheless, everyone eventually convereged as one Ecosoc in the Grand Stand for some picture-taking.

The Run for 53 is a pioneer event. It celebrates 53 years of Ecosoc’s service, excellence, and tradition as it ushers in Ecosoc Month, which lasts the whole of September.  last august

8/31/11 RUN FOR 53 18

AD HOC LAUNCHES ECOSOC MONTH IN STYLE

BY CHRISSIE CRUZ

last september

photographs by (l-r) paolo tamase, sam gonzales, karlo elamparo

SAILOR MOON FEARLESSLY WINS MISS GRAND TRAD

BY PATRICIA AQUILLO

the membership committee celebrat-

7, 2011, the ecosoc Month Gallery was launched outside SE 125. Part of the Ecosoc Month celebrations, the Gallery consisted of large panel boards that showed the different events organized by Ecosoc and the committees behind them.

This year, Ecosoc Month had a revolution-inspired theme, so the Gallery was mainly red and black in color and conveyed an image of movement and propaganda. Spotlights allowed the fixture to be illuminated even at night, adding a dramatic effect.

Beside the Gallery proper was the Ms. Grand Trad gallery, which showcased the contestants for the upcoming installment of Ecosoc’s beloved cross-dressing pageant.

The gallery was handled by the Secretariat committee, headed by Cocoy Licaros. He and his team of Seccom members and apps spent tedious late nights cutting and pasting the lettering The Ecosoc Month Gallery is traditionally set up during September to showcase the Society’s identity to the public as it celebrates its anniversary. 

ed girl power as our favorite heroines of all time graced the steps of the auditorium with their humor, jaw-dropping talents, and eye-catching glamor.

Fearless: The 28th Miss Grand Tradition was held in the UPSE Auditorium last September 9, 2011 from 6pm tp 9pm. The event started with the Memcom Chair Enzo Clemente giving a short opening remark, followed by the introduction of the hosts and judges.

The opening act garnered passionate screams from the audience as the candidates fiercely danced to “Run the World (Girls).”

Afterwards, each candidate showed off his character’s magical powers and extraordinary capabilities through the talent portion. Cory Aquino (Van Valdez of Seccom) for example, presented a very heartwarming enactment of her love for her husband and country by dancing along a medley of love songs, which eventually made him win the award for Best in Talent. The Q&A on the other hand provided a venue for the judges to challenge the contestants, and for the heroines to boast of their wit.

Miss Grand Tradition 2010 Ursula (Miguel Andres of Spev) made her comeback as the judges decided over which heroine owned the night. In the end, Cory Aquino bagged the third place, Super B (Darrel Magsambol of Finance) ranked second, while Sailor Moon (Iso Garrido of Spev) brought home the title of Miss Grand Tradition 2011.

Miss Grand Tradition was part of Ecosoc Month 2011, representing the thrust of tradition. 

9/7/11 ECOSOC MONTH GALLERY

9/9/11 MISS GRAND TRADITION PAGEANT

ECOSOC GALLERY CALLS ALL TO DISOBERY

BY BRUNO SANTOS

last september

photographs by (l-r) chrissie cruz, marte caronoñgan, marte caronoñgan

A NIGHT OF MAGIC AT APPS’ CHALLENGE NIGHT

BY GELO ATIENZA

16th of september, the PowerApps held their Challenge Night. Entitled MishAPP: Le Grande Cirque, it had a circus-inspired theme and was held at SE 111.

The event started at around 6:30pm with a parade of the apps dressed up as the weirdest freaks of nature. It was immediately followed by a hip-hop dance performance by four of the apps which blew the crowd away. (I heard that Gelo was so awesome. Joke!)

The apps also prepared a magic video to suit the theme of the event. The lead character in the video is David Michael, played by our very own Darrell Magsambol. The first part of it was played before everybody had dinner.

When the program resumed, a song performance was given by Paulo Bautista and Loice Nipa singing “Broken Strings.”

As a fundraising for the event, the apps held a raffle where participants can win a variety of gift certificates and picking the winner was done during the event.

A rap performance of some of the latest songs followed afterwards performed by six of the apps. The second part of the magic video was played and it was time for something special when the apps gave tribute to their respective guardians. The finale of the video was played and all the apps gathered for their community dance to the tune of “Waka Waka.”

The night ended with the giving out of the gift certificates to the winners.  on the night of the

9/16/11 CHALLENGE NIGHT 19

NEWS

EXTERNALS PULLS FIRST-EVER NATIONAL ECONOMICS SUMMIT

REVOLUTION IS IN THE AIR AS RENEGADE HITS ONE ESPLANADE POWER APPS TAKE LAST STEP

BY KENNETH REYES WITH THE FI

nomics organizations in different universities around the Metro gathered last September 17, 2011 for the first-ever National Economics Summit (NES).

The event, spearheaded by the External Affairs Committee and held at the U.P. Engineering Theater, focused on the discussion of Philippine development, education, and labor.

The speakers included Professor Emeritus Solita “Winnie” Monsod, former Department of Education Undersecretary Juan Miguel Luz, Department of Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, and National Economics Development Authority Director-General, Dr. Cayetano Paderanga, Jr. The participating organizations, which included Adamson University’s AUSES and ADUBES, Ateneo’s AEA and MEcO, DLSU’s EconOrg, FEU’s Ecosoc, JRU’s Ecosoc, PLM’s Ecosoc, PUP’s Economics Research Society, San Beda’s Ecosoc, St. Scholastica’s EconOrg, UA&P’s BEA, UP’s OBEM, and UST’s Artlets Economics Society and Ecosoc, ended the summit by formulating a statement. This took a stand on the issues discussed.

The NES was part of Ecosoc Month 2011, representing the Society’s thrust of excellence. 

23, 2011, ecosoc culminated in the Ad Hoc Party entitled Renegade, which was held an OneEsplanade.

Much hype was generated in the weeks leading up to the event. The Publicity team enlisted the help of ‘ambassadors’—influential young men and women who were tasked to promote the party in their respective circles and to participate in the publicity materials as models. These ambassadors were ‘vectorized’ to achieve a truly eye-catching effect.

Two weeks before the party, it was also announced that entrance was free for all members, provided they arrived at 8:30pm.

Come the night itself, lines began forming even before the gates were opened. The venue’s stage had a large LCD screen that was adorned with a gigantic white triangle.

The program was hosted by DJ Max, Chrissie Torres, and Jelo Andres and consisted of a game involving couples, who were dared to perform an action as determined by rolling two dice.

The dancefloor opened afterwards and free-flowing drinks were served. A sensational midnight reveal also drove the party-goers wild.

The party ended at around 2am, with many guests looking exhausted but exhilarated as they made their way home. 

9/17/11 NATIONAL ECONOMICS SUMMIT

9/23/11 AD HOC PARTY

BY STEFANIE GO

college students from various eco-

20

last

september

BY INES PAGDANGANAN

month

26-30 that the applicants of the Power Up batch capped off their application process with their final interviews. The first part of the interview, the written test, started off the week-long process and tested PowerApps’ reviews and hard efforts to study the daunting constitution of Ecosoc, from the preamble down to the last article. It was held at Room 127 and all fifty-five applicants who took it were given two hours to finish.

The second half of the final interview, the oral exam, was held throughout the week, although many interviews cancelled due to the two-day cancellation of classes caused by Typhoon Pedring.

They were quickly rescheduled to the coming Saturday.

Applicants were asked to be in corporate attire as members of Ecosoc’s Executive Committee interviewed them and tested how much they have learned throughout their semester-long application process.

97% was the highest grade achieved and results of the application process were released a week after the final interviews.

The final interview is the last step of the application process; it is a comprehensive exam reviewing their entire application process and their knowledge of Ecosoc as an organization.  it was last september

9/26-30/11 FINAL INTERVIEW WEEK

photographs by (l-r) chiara buergo, justin baniqued, kenneth reyes

ECOSOC VOTES A NEW BATCH OF LEADERS; VACANCIES ABOUND

BY NADINE ELEAZAR

on september 30, 2011, ecosoc partici-

pated in the annual election of the Executive Committee from 8:30am to 6pm.

The convocation was held the day before on September 29 at SE 125 from 5pm tp 7:30pm.

After the voting period, the Comelec tallied the votes in the tambayan, which was open for public viewing.

Official election results are as follows: Jose Maria “Cocoy” V. Vargas for President, Carmela Grace “Mhela” B. Calugay for CDC Chair, Jessica Marie B. Bodo for Treasurer/Finance Chair, Mark Daniel M. Matibag for Liaison Chair, Ancilla Marie B. Inocencio for Public Relations Officer/Externals Affairs Chair, and Maria Angelica E. Espiritu for Secretary/ Secretariat Chair.

Voters’ turnout was 140 out of 145 eligible members, or 96.55%.

The Comelec also scheduled a special elections a week after regular elections to address the vacancies for Vice-president, Echoes Editor-in-Chief, Academic Affairs Chair, Special Events Chair, and Sports Chair. However, there only Jeremae Soliman filed, vying for the VP position. A special convocation was held on October 5, while the special election itself was held the next day, October 6.

With a voter’s turnout of 77.9%, lone candidate Jeremae gained 78 votes and won the position.

The remaining vacancies will be filled through appointment by the newly elected Execom. Notably, no one from the sophomore batch ran. 

9/30/11 GENERAL ELECTIONS

WHEN SEPTEMBER ENDS, MUSIKAPELLA BEGINS

ECOSOCERS PAY TRIBUTE TO OUTGOING EXECOM

BY HORACE CIMAFRANCA

ecosocers gathered for the last gen-

mittee held the much-awaited Musikapella 2011, with the theme Awitin Mo: Sasayawin Ko, held at the University Theatre from 5pm to 8:30pm.

The 12 participating schools were to perform—a choice piece and a contest piece—in ten minutes. The choice piece had to be a capella, an Original Filipino Music (OPM), and must be considered classic Pinoy pop music. Meanwhile, contest pieces were chosen by Task Force, namely: “Annie Batungbakal” by Hotdog (for all-female schools), “Macho Gwapito” by Rico J. Puno (for all-male schools) and “Tayo’y Magsayawan” by VST & Co. (for mixed schools).

The UP Concert Chorus and the UP Dance Company presented as well.

From the carefully chosen hosts and judges, sold-out tickets, numerous sponsors, and grand prizes, the event concluded with new title holders: St. Paul Pasig (champion), Don Bosco Makati (1st runner up), and PAREF Woodrose (2nd runner up). Last year’s champion, St. Scholastica Manila, won the People’s Choice Award, while Chrizanne Tagle from UST High School won the Hannah Hotel Facebook Competition.

Musikapella is an annual high school chorale competition. Its goal is to raise funds for the scholars through the Economics Society Scholarship Fund (ESSF). 

eral assembly of the semester at SE 127 to pay tribute to the outgoing executive committee.

Members of the Sports Committee were the first to honor their chair, Myk Narciso, with a video. This was followed by videos prepared by the Liaison, Special Events, and Finance Committees for their chairs, Mads Salazar, Jason Tayawa, and Gilbert Bueno, respectively. Tayawa also received a cake from his members.

Secretariat Committee Chairperson Cocoy Licaros received a bottle of energy drink as a token of gratitude from his members. Echoes members, on the other hand, prepared a publication solely dedicated to their Editor-in-Chief, Kenneth Reyes.

The lunchtime tribute had to be cut for running overtime. It was continued later that afternoon.

The second part saw committees paying homage to Faye Ferrer of the Committee Development Committee, Reuel Realin of Academic Affairs, and Reg Reinoso of External Relations. Realin was given a deck of cards, each of which have messages from grateful Ecosocers.

Ecosoc President Paolo Tamase received unsold x-deals from Ad Hoc sponsors while Vice-president Sel Ortiga was given a pack of gummy bears.

The last general assembly of each semester is usually designated for the members’ tribute to the Executive Committee. 

10/2/11 MUSIKAPELLA

10/5/11 TRIBUTE GENMEET

BY BRIANA CAMPOS

last october 2nd, the task force com-

photographs by (l-r) reuel realin, faye ferrer, kenneth reyes

21

NEWS

CDC ELECTIVES FLOURISH THROUGHOUT THE SEM

BY MHELA CALUGAY

SEAC SHOWS SE FACULTY AND STAFF SOME LOVE

cdc electives serve as an outlet for

6 in se 105, the school of Economics Advisory Council (SEAC), the alliance of all SE orgs, held the Alay Sa Personnel.

As a tribute to the SE faculty and staff, each of the seven SE organizations had a hand in the preparations with the common goal of showing the SE faculty and staff their gratefulness.

Org members also participated in Staff for a Day, which occurred last October 5. Volunteers went to SE offices, including SE 101, the Lounge, and the fruitshakes booth, to assist the staff with their work.

Over lunch on the 6th, the tita’s watched a video featuring several Ecosocers thanking them for their help. Again, Horace Cimafranca fails to disappoint with his video editing skills.

The event was capped off by a performance by Juliet Laguda on voice and Paulo Bautista on the guitar. Arguably one of the best onstage performances, the staff requested for several encores.

The two were more than willing to oblige.

There were also games such as Spell with Your Name, among others. Several Ecosocers who attended played with the faculty and staff. Some even helped out with the food and became waiters for the event.

The Alay Sa Personnel is a semestral tradition spearheaded by the Academic Affairs Committee with SEAC. 

CDC APPS HOST LAST CDC OF SEMESTER sy of the CDC applicants last Saturday, October 8, 2011, when they were thrown a birthday party-themed Saturday CDC at the School of Economics Atrium for the culminating activity of the Community Development Committee for the semester.

With Carmel Baquilod and Faye Ferrer as the hosts for the morning, the kids and members alike got to enjoy parlor games like Longest Voice, Musical Members (a variation of Musical Chairs), Bring Me, Longest Line and Paagaw.

For lunch, they were served spaghetti, cupcakes, and hotdogs on a stick, which they enjoyed along with their ate’s and kuya’s.

The morning was ended with a small speech from Faye Ferrer, the outgoing CDC Chair, followed by pictures with the kids as well as the members. The kids then went home smiling with their lootbags full of candies that the applicants prepared for them.

The CDC Culminating activity is the final activity of CDC for the semester.

It is organized by the applicants of the Community Development Committee. 

members to reach out to other people in and out of the campus aside from the Pook Ricarte community. This semester, we had various electives that catered to the our holistic aspect.

The Haring Ibon elective was different this time from what they had last semester. While we cleaned up U.P. last time, this time, we taught children about nature and how to take care of it.

The first-ever activity in partnership with the Academic Affairs Committee were the ACDC Tutorials, a very promising system of Math tutorials. Last sem, we only attend to the children’s assignments and immediate academics obligations. This sem, however, we tried to address the improvement of their Math skills for the long-run. The first few weeks of ACDC were really a challenge because of the typhoons that hit the metro. As weeks passed, not only did we experience weather problems, but the children’s schedule and seeming lack of motivation also put us to the test. In the end, the ACDC Tutorials were withdrawn pending a re-evaluation.

Out of all the electives, the vendor elective is the favorite. Aside from getting one full CDC count, you also get the chance to prepare your favorite meryenda meals and learn Selling 101. But more importantly, you give the vendors time to rest. This sem, aside from the stalls by Vinzon’s, we also opened slots for the Popcorn near UPIS. Remember: Having fun plus serving others equals CDC Electives.

For suggestions of CDC electives, please feel free to tell the committee. 

10/6/11 ALAY SA PERSONNEL

10/8/11 CDC CULMINATING ACTIVITY

CDC ELECTIVES

BY BENEDICT BISMARK

last october

22

BY AK MAPOLON

the cdc kids got a real treat courte-

photographs by (l-r) ria zapanta, reuel realin, kenneth reyes

FEATURES

member • Cocoy Vargas • alumna • Leslie Octaviano • one big joke • Our own Secret Spot • the uninformed • Testing the current events awareness of Econ students • ad hoc • The

team that revolutionized everything • musikapella • When Jules Gollayan met Sel Ortiga • app stats • Get to know the new batch of members ABOVE Crowds disperse from the U.P. Theater as Musikapella 2011 draws to a close. Photograph by Faye Ferrer

THE NEW BOSS Cocoy Vargas makes for an unconventional leader

FEATURED MEMBER

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT The man who once dreamt of being Memcom Chair has now achieved the height of power in Ecosoc. Introducing Cocoy Vargas, our 54th President

BY HAZEL SUMAMPONG

I

n his blog, cocoy confesses finding himself go from

a “wallflower” to a “jewel in the palace” when he went to a vacation trip in China. But he didn’t really need to cross the miles and face the Great Wall to prove that. His many expeditions in life have certainly taken him from diamond in the rough to precious gemstone.

It all started May 30, 1992 when he was born Jose Maria V. Vargas to bankers Gary Vargas and Maria Rosario Vargas in the Manila Sanitarium and Hospital (now called Manila Adventist Center), Pasay City. photograph by arsenio lukban

His family lived in a humble apartment in the lush city of Makati where he spent his younger life as the four-year-old kindergartener of the Gaemar Academy, and then as “Mary,” the teacher’s pet, in Don Bosco Makati.

He was generally shy and focused on his studies during those times. He wanted little to do with outside commitments. He recalls that once, during Grade 5, he even cried over having elected as class officer due to the pressure his teacher exerted on the class officers. For some reason though, a re-election was called and Cocoy managed to avoid winning 25

FEATURES

SARTORIALIST-IN-TRAINING Cocoy’s dream is to be a famous blogger, or to be featured in a famous blogger’s blog

the position.

Resettlement his family eventually moved to a per-

manent house in Cavite. And then his journey began to take flight.

He transferred to Ateneo High School (AHS), and had to stay in his relatives’ house in Lower Antipolo. The transition was far more than physical for this lad; he had to adjust to the curriculum of his new school and adapt to different social norms.

But despite his introverted nature, he was able to find a home in AHS in the form of cliques and social committees.

He became an active member of the prom, grad ball, and yearbook committees. He was also elected as the Class Vice-president during his senior year after reluctantly being the Sports Beadle previously. This time, he really wanted it, and he fought for it hard.

Interestingly, Cocoy never attained the top tier position in any leadership body. He was VP, but never President, an editor of his class, but never Editorin-Chief. He was even active in helping 26

the student council, though he had no plans of running for a position in it.

He managed to be a consistent honor student and a winning writer despite his busy extra-curriculars. He eventually graduated Second Honors from AHS in 2009 and passed the college entrance exams for both the Ateneo de Manila University and the University of the Philippines.

Disinclined to turn down U.P. and with the backing of his parents, Cocoy decided to pursue a degree in BS Economics.

The rest is history—a story that is worth reliving.

Finding Ecosoc cocoy’s decision to traverse the eco-

soc land was the most ad hoc one he has had. He didn’t think of it as something as monumental as his birth, as essential as his primary education, as challenging as his high school years, or as crucial as his choice of university. He simply wished to find a comfortable base that he could come to amidst his two-hour ride to school and long walks around

the campus.

But he ended up being more mistaken than ever.

He started out as a misplaced applicant who thought of joining the more social teams such as Special Events and Externals, but was assigned to a different yet fairly familiar committee, Sports.

Given his experience as Sports Beadle, not to mention his genuine fervor for volleyball, he sufficiently performed as an applicant. Nevertheless, he became curious and eager to know what it would be like in other committees.

Actually, not just any other committees: he specifically developed an enthusiasm for the undertakings of the Membership Committee. He says this rooted from the energy that the committee emanated and the dynamism he experienced in his guardian-ward family, which consisted of Dean Dulay, Regi Li, Gilbert Bueno, Hazel Sumampong, Mads Salazar, and Kenneth Reyes. Cocoy considers it “one of the best parts of his Ecosoc life.”

He was awarded as one of the outstanding applicants of the Livewire photographs by arsenio lukban

batch, and has had his eyes on an Executive Committee role since then.

But things didn’t go according to Cocoy’s plans. He wasn’t appointed as Memcom Vice-chairperson on his first semester as a member, although he eventually got to serve the following semester.

Then the heart-breaking loss happened: he was defeated in last year’s election for the position he was willing to give everything for.

But as absence diminishes little passions and increases great ones, Cocoy’s ardor to work for Memcom and serve the organization only grew bigger.

He showed no suggestion of being disillusioned or apathetic about the organization. Instead, he continued his journey by finding other avenues in which he could offer his service to the Society.

With his outstanding experience in event organization and people management, he rightly was appointed head convener of the Ecococ Leadership Council and then as Logistics Head of the Ad hoc Committee.

TheEchoes.net

Ascension after five semesters of service and

learning, passion and loss, commitments and opportunities, Cocoy realized he had nowhere to go but to seek the Presidency of this Society.

Don’t get him wrong though. He says Memcom is really his true love, and failing to be its chairperson will always be

As absence diminishes little passions and increases great ones, Cocoy’s ardor to serve only grew bigger

his biggest frustration.

But true loves aside, being President was a calling for Cocoy. He certainly didn’t need it to validate his skills nor his passion. Ecosoc needed, deserves, and will always want a leader as dedicated and passionate as he is.

And so come the night of September 30, on the last day of Ecosoc Month, the Comelec released the tallied votes, and in one instant, Jose Maria V. Vargas, for the first time in his life, was in the highest leadership position of a body.

For the first time, the shy boy was in the spotlight.

A leader can’t let anyone else further as he has gone himself. And for that, we are right in choosing Cocoy— someone who has grown from being a little boy who cried under pressure, to a young man who managed to strike a balance in his academic and social life, to a person challenged by loss and frustration, and eventually to a mature leader ready to pioneer change.

Indeed, life has shaped this diamond to be a priceless jewel. And Ecosoc is lucky to be his Summer Palace.  27

PHOTOPHOBIC Leslie reluctantly smiles for a picture

FEATURED ALUMNA

RIVER GIRL Leslie Octaviano: law student, photographer, serial quipmaker, and likely one of the most unique persons anyone can ever meet

BY KENNETH REYES

L

eslie is having a crisis.

“did you hear about Given?” she asked. “After I heard about that, it’s like, life has no meaning.”

She was referring to Given Grace Cebanico, a student of U.P. Los Baños who was found raped and murdered a few days ago.

“She was 19,” Leslie says dejectedly. “Ang sad.”

The ‘life’ she spoke of that has lost meaning was the stack of law readings she had to pour through that night. How can she study, she ponders, when 19-year-old girls like Given were being raped and murdered somewhere?

And then Leslie smiles. She waves it off, trivializes it, and tries to hide how much that news report affected her leslie anne o. octaviano was born

on September 16, 1988 to Ricardo and Analine Octaviano in Caloocan City. She grew up, however, at Fort Bonifacio, in a friendly neighborhood where she and her sister had a circle of neighborhood friends.

By the time she started elementary, her family had moved to Brgy. Horseshoe in Quezon City, partly so that her dad, a doctor, could look after his mother—Leslie’s grandmother—who lived in the area. photograph by kenneth reyes

Leslie recalls that in grade school, her obsession was finding a best friend. She had a new one every year, but the ones she liked, she did her best to keep.

“I think I was a clingy friend,” she worries. “Even when we weren’t classmates anymore, I’d still visit my best friend in her class. Ang weird ko.” “i feel like everything in my life was accidental.”

In high school, she was a member of the Eco Team, an ecology club. Not that she was a hardcore environmentalist; when she and her friends were looking for a club, the Eco Team room was the nearest.

“Environmentalism is okay,” she adds helpfully.

That didn’t stop her from aiming high though, and she’s still sullen she was voted only as Vicepresident, not President, of the Eco Team.

“Ang daya kasi ng system,” she grumbles. Instead of voting for the President down to the P.R.O., they voted for the P.R.O. first. So when it came to the Vice-presidency, Leslie was pre-maturely nominated. As she was too polite to decline, she lives now with the regret of never having reached the pinnacle of the Eco Team.

After graduating St. Paul Pasig with honors in 2006, her mother urged her to take Economics in 29

U.P.—another life decision she had no pro-active role in.

As a freshman in the School of Economics, Leslie recalls that she was the type of student to go home right after her classes finished. Her friends then even called her ‘predictable.’ But not for long—during her second semester in U.P., a batchmate of hers, Hazel Co, took a stack of Ecosoc application forms and distributed it randomly to her classmates.

It was the beginning to Leslie’s affair with the Society. “what are some of the life-changing experiences you’ve had?” I asked Leslie.

Her almond eyes looked up from the chicken salpicao she was playing with. I had a feeling she wasn’t going to finish her meal.

“I don’t have any,” she says. “Or maybe I do, but I have a tendency to trivialize every big thing that happens to me, so it’s as if they never happened.”

But big things do happen. As an applicant, Leslie was elected Assistant App Head to future-President Raymond Zabala. The poster she made for their Challenge Night caught the eye of another woman who has graced the covers of this publication: then-EIC Czar Carbonel. Czar was impressed by her work, and as her Layout Editor then had gone MIA, she was hoping to recruit Leslie for the role. During that time, Echoes, like Memcom, had no applicants allotted to it. Unfortunately, appointing an applicant to an editor position didn’t sit right with the Execom, so Czar waited.

True enough, as Leslie attained membership in the Society, she found a position in Echoes waiting just for her. leslie flows with the river of life.

A YEAR’S WORK Leslie always says that releasing an issue is like childbirth—painful, but largely rewarding. Above are the covers of her six issues as EIC 30

She does not mind where the destination is, because it’s always been about the journey.

Perhaps it’s also a gift of hers to share this trait with others. three years after Czar noticed her talent, Leslie herself became this publication’s Editor-inChief. Under her term, she spearheaded the first Literary Night that was held outside the School of Economics, optphotograph by kenneth reyes

TOAST AND TEA Leslie shares her life with us ovr lunch at Chocolate Kiss, U.P. Bahay ng Alumni

ing for the more romantic setting of the now-demolished Tree House.

As it happens, one of her applicants was me. There was this one commeet with her that I remember vividly. Since I had classes during lunch time, I had to meet with her one-on-one. In this particular meeting, we were in the lounge and her Features Editor, Paolo Tamase, was sitting in. She was talking to me about the upcoming release, and she said that the other apps thought it’d be fun if I write about an invention.

She nodded enthusiastically, so I nodded too. She asked me if I could lay it out as well. Laying out, I thought.

That didn’t sound so hard. I was a neat guy, I’d imagine I’d be good at laying things out.

When I got home and received the instructions from Layout Editor Mia AstuTheEchoes.net

dillo though, I realized I had no idea what I was doing. I didn’t know how to use Photoshop, or InDesign. Nonetheless, I didn’t want to disappoint, so I agonizingly learned Photoshop in one afternoon. The results, unsurprisingly, were disastrous: I had left it at 72 ppi— every digital artist’s nightmare.

But that was Leslie’s effect on me.

She made me float along the river of life, even if it ended in a waterfall of pixelated mess.

2011, leslie graduated cum laude from the University. She is now a second year student at the U.P. College of Law. These days, she spends most of her time focusing on the taxing demands of law, though she occasionally still attends musical productions and plays, an last march

activity she enjoys profusely. Her favorite is Spring Awakening, a story about a group of teenagers who discover their sexuality, but as their menacingly conservative parents and mentors have left them ill-prepared, their naïve brushes with intimacy lead to tragic consequences.

Leslie’s life doesn’t quite play as a tragedy. It plays like a Sunday morning cartoon show, in fact—easy-going, relaxed, and simple. But then again, that’s just the surface. You’d never hear her say it, but those close to her know it: one day, the world will know Leslie Octaviano as that brilliant mind with a penchant to do great things, all without showing an ounce of effort.

Truly, she will accomplish a lot. And when she does, I bet she’d just trvialize it like everything else.  31

ONE BIG JOKE

HULING PASABOG Featuring Kenneth Anthony Luigi Susmerano Reyes

BY GAB SOLLANO & HARI OROSCO

napakarami nang kalokohan, este pakikipagsapalaran na

ang napagdaanan nina Gab and Hari. Mula sa pagpapalaki ng katawan sa gym (tingin naman namin na walang kokontra dito), papunta sa paghahamon kay T-boner sa kauna-unahang at pinakamagaling sa balat ng lupang Flip-Top, at higit sa lahat, ang pang-aakit nila sa milyong-milyong babae gamit ang kanilang mga napakatamis na pick-up lines. Chicks, single pa kaming dalawa pero wag naman kayo magpatayan para lang makarinig ng pick-up lines namin. Maghintay lang kayo at makakaisip kami ng mga linyang mauukit sa isip at puso niyo. NAKS! Ngayon, napagtanto nina Gab and Hari na pwede pang bigyan ang Echoes ng isa pang pasabog. At dahil ito na ang huling artikulo namin para sa ating minamahal na EIC, naisipan namin na dalhin ito sa mga lugar kung saan kami gumigimick. Puta, basahin niyo ‘tong maigi kasi ito na yung mga secret spot ni Gab and Hari. Dito namin napupulot ang katalinuhan namin at ang pagkawais namin sa buhay. OO, CHONG! WAIS KAMI! Dahil bitin tayo sa papel sa Echoes, isang gimmick spot lang ang pinuntahan ni Gab and Hari and ni Kenneth Anthony Luigi Susmerano Reyes. Pumunta kami sa Tomas Morato at dumayo sa minamahal naming spot doon. (Hanapin niyo na lang yon kasi hindi kami binayaran non kaya walang pangalan ang babanggitin. GAGO, KUNAT NIYO E!) Syempre, nung nakita kami, pinaalis kagad nila yung mga taong nasa upuan namin. Aba, hari ata turing sina Gab and Hari. Umupo kami sa pwesto namin at nag-order ng mga pagkain at inumin. Hindi namin kinalimutan ang special guest namin kaya pinatagay muna namin ito ng isang beer para naman matauhan to at maging game sa gagawin namin.

Pagtapos namin kumain, nagsimula na kami. Una kwentuhan lang tapos dumating na sila. CHICKS, BOY! Puta, sabi namin kay EIC, “Pare, cute yon o. Lapitan mo.” Pero tang ina, 32

ayaw niya e. Kami tuloy lumapit at nasampal niya pa tuloy yung boyfriend niya kasi bakit hindi daw niya kaya mag-isip ng mga linya gaya ni Gab and Hari. Nagpakilala nga pala kami at may nangyari sa kanya at isa sa amin. Alamin mo na lang kapag lumabas yung video :>. Daming kakabalaghan at kasarapan sa video na ito! ABANGAN!  Gab and Hari Fun Facts ♥ By the age of 60, most people have lost 50% of their taste buds. At age 60, Gab and Hari will not loose their taste in women. ♥ Most dreams last only 5 to 20 minutes. Gab and Hari do not agree with this statement since most of their dreams are slightly of watery nature. ♥ Hair does not grow back darker and thicker after it has been shaved. Gab and Hari shave, if you know what we mean. ♥ Identical twins do not have identical fingerprints. Gab and Hari do! Asa kayo twins! ♥ People with blue eyes are better able to see in the dark.

Gab and Hari see best in the dark, especially when their are chicks. ♥ Forensic scientists can determine a person’s sex, age, and race by examining a single strand of hair. These forensic scientists concluded that Gab and Hari are from a race called homo perfectum. ♥ The tongue is the strongest muscle in the human body. Gab and Hari say, “ULOL!” theechoes.net/hulingpasabog

What happened in our heroes’ last adventure? october 22

photographs by beatriz bayudan and selena ortiga, photo-illustration by kenneth reyes

FEATURES

WERE YOU INFORMED? Survey reveals Ecosoc to be least informed org in Econ

BY BENEDICT BISMARK DUST CLOUDS OF DOOM

By Ben’s estimate, 1 out of 15 jeeps emit visible smoke

photograph by chiara buergo

33

FEATURES

A

lbert einstein may have said

that imagination is more important than knowledge, but he wasn’t an Ecosocer in the tambayan a few days after the SONA. It would’ve been a casual July afternoon except for the GMA7 reporters who barged in SE 121. Armed with a microphone and a camera, they sought to hear a U.P. economics student’s perspective on PNoy’s State of the Nation Address.

No amount of imagination could’ve invented an informed opinion.

Fortunately for everyone, Paolo Tamase was there at the time. Not surprisingly, he was ready for the flash interview. Debt servicing, GDP, primary education spending, among other few bits and pieces, were the only things that rang a bell in anybody’s ear. True enough, as our knowledge increases, the more aware we become of our ignorance.

Inspired by this incident, Kenneth Reyes led the Echoes team to conduct a survey within Econ to see exactly how aware we are of current events. Each organization hails itself to be the pinnacle of social awareness. Ecosoc, the Organization of Business Economics Majors (OBEM), Economics Towards Cconsciousness (ETC), and the Debate Society (Debsoc)—it’s all the same story of claiming to be the organization that boasts of members that are not only excellent Iskolars ng Bayan, but also possess acute social awareness regarding the world at large.

The Echoes team embarked to put this to the test.

Results were generally the same for all Econ-based organizations. 54.7, 60, and 55.7% were the average scores of all org members of EcoSoc, OBEM and ETC. DebSoc’s average was relatively higher at 76.9%. The test was also designed to measure local and international current event awareness. There was barely any difference between the scores of the four orgs for local events.

66.5, 78.5, 75.7 and 73.8% were the scores of Ecosoc, OBEM, ETC, and Deb34

DOSAGE OF INFO A student passes a pamphlet to another student

soc, respectively. However, for international awareness, Debsoc became a clear outlier. 42.8, 41.4, and 35.7% were the scores of Ecosoc, OBEM, and ETC, while Debsoc scored 78.5%.

A little below 60% is the median score. Off-hand, the average Econ student is functionally aware of current events. No one said that we have to know everything. We just have to know a decent amount.

But more than just having a barely respectable median, we have to know why Debsoc generally scored higher than all other orgs. The answer is simple: they stand to gain a lot more by knowing about current events. With debates about Pakistan, Greece, and the assassination of bin Laden sprouting up often in tournaments, the information can really come in handy.

People only seek out knowledge that

they want or need or those that will give them utility. That’s why only 14% of those surveyed had any clue as to who the front-runner of the Republican presidential nomination is; it’s not really going to affect their lives any time soon. Compare that to the 97% of students who knew about the SUC budget cuts. If a rally outside your classroom on that won’t inform you, I’m not sure what will. The 80% correct responses to who the CEO of Apple was also supports this. Without a doubt, people care about their iPhones, iPods, and Macbooks, regardless of whether or not they have one. The recent death of Steve Jobs may have also boosted people’s awareness of his life and work.

Knowing has its opportunity costs.

Everyone would want to know about who the Vice-president of the U.S. is if they could—even if that issue isn’t close photograph by chiara buergo

THE TEST

LOCAL OBEM ETC Debsoc Ecosoc

78.6% 75.7% 73.8% 66.5%

Our questionnaire wasn’t able to reach you? See how you stack up to the averages. Answers are at the bottom.

Local 1. Who is the President of the University of the Philippines?

GLOBAL Debsoc Ecosoc OBEM ETC

78.6% 42.9% 41.4% 35.7%

2. Who backed out of the 2010 presidential race to support Noynoy Aquino and is now the Department of Transportation and Communications secretary?

3. Who is the Senate President?

TOTAL Debsoc OBEM ETC Ecosoc

76.2% 60% 55.7% 54.7%

5. What were students protesting during the massive walk-outs last Septemer 21 to 23?

6. What government inaction is causing the country’s slowed economic growth?

MOST KNOWN SUC budget cuts

4. When are the next elections for the Philippine Congress?

almost everyone

U.P. President

8 out of 10

Typhoon Pedring

8 out of 10

7. What was the name of the storm that ravaged the country two years to the day after Typhoon Ondoy?

International 8. Moammar Gadhafi is the former leader of what country?

LEAST KNOWN Republican front-runner

1 out of 10

U.S. Vice-president

3 out of 10

Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell

4 out of 10

9. What country was Osama bin Laden caught and assassinated?

10. The ongoing eurozone crisis is centered on what debt-ridden European country?

A sample of 70 sophomore, junior, and senior students belonging to either Ecosoc, OBEM, ETC, or Debsoc were surveyed between October 4 to 11, 2011.

11. Who is the Republican frontrunner for the 2012 presidential elections in the United States of America?

to anyone’s heart. But on a usual night, reading about that would mean not studying for an exam or missing out on an event. Sorry U.S. V.P., but the choice is obvious.

The buck has to stop somewhere though. Ecosoc, for all its unbridled excellence and passion for service, appears to be the most uninformed organization in Econ. Despite the Political Report Card found at the end of this very publication, no one in the tambayan but Paolo Tamase knew how to respond to the reporter attack.

The benefits of being an informed citizen may be marginal for average students just hoping to make it through their majors for the sem. But if you think about it, most of our country’s problems stem from misinformation. Our incompetent officials are misinformed. The abused and marginalized poor are misinformed. The rally-happy, finger-pointing activists are misinformed. Our celebrity politicians are misinformed, and those who hang on to their every word are likewise misinformed. With all this ineptitude controlling our lives, it’s about time we separated fact from myths, opinions from prejudice.

And hey, we live in the information age. The costs of being informed aren’t that high; remember, Inquirer.net is always just a click away. 

12. Who is the Vice-president of the United States of America?

14. The “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy was recently repealed in the United States.

What shall now be permitted in the U.S. army?

1. Alfredo Pascual; 2. Mar Roxas; 3. Juan Ponce Enrile; 4.

May 2013; 5. Budget cuts to education; 6. Slow spending; 7. Pedring; 8. Libya; 9. Pakistan; 10. Greece; 11. Either Mitt Romney, Rick Perry, or Herman Cain; 12. Joe Biden; 13. Steve Jobs; 14. Gay soldiers to serve openly in the military

TheEchoes.net

13. Who was the long-time CEO of Apple who recently resigned his position?

35

36â&#x20AC;

photographs and design by kenneth reyes

BOARD OF RENEGADES The Ad Hoc directors from left to right: Paolo Tamase, Lia Pablo, Ray Francisco, Cocoy Vargas, Horace Cimafranca, Romano Alonzo, and Janna Ong

FEATURES

REVOLUTION ROCK The Ad Hoc Committee that changed the way we celebrate the Society’s anniversary forevermore

BY JESSICA BISCOCHO

TheEchoes.net

37

LAST FRIDAY NIGHT Scenes from Ecosoc’s night out with friends last September 23 at One Esplanade

T

his semester, we, ecosoc, de-

cided it was time for change.

Our vision is the reason why we embarked on such an ambitious effort—it’s true that many Ecosoc Months (of decades past) featured more events but of smaller scale; it resulted often to an Ecosoc Month where people were tired but largely unsatisfied. So when the directors brainstormed for this year’s Ecosoc Month, we proposed less events but of a grander scale; furthermore, we designed the calendar so that our three main thrusts—service, excellence, and tradition—would each be highlighted by an event. The party would be leveled-up, and would culminate the month. revolutionary. “from the very begin-

ning, our Ad Hoc worked on an unwritten but well-embraced vision: to rebrand Ad Hoc as Ecosoc Month, and to organize a September that would showcase the best of Ecosoc,” sets Paolo Tamase, Ad Hoc Chair. Ad Hoc felt it was high-time Ecosoc traded the backseat for a more inspired spot in the league of prominent organizations. It was time to raise the bar in Ecosoc as Ecosocers.

But of course, you don’t take on a challenge and expect to come out unscathed.

Position the shield, load up the ammunition—prepare for an uprising.

Interestingly, this rebranding—this thirst for greatness—was all meant to be showcased internally, to inspire and motivate members within the walls of the organization alone. But the infectious hubris of Ad Hoc 2011 spread like wildfire, and a string of rumors started to circulate. Allegedly, there were some who didn’t welcome the idea of Ecosoc 38

Ad Hoc’s overreaching ambition, even possibly seeing us as a threat.

Much room for misunderstanding was left to fester, with friendly neighbors mistaking our vision as a competitive attack against them. This unspoken rivalry of sorts exploded into daylight when the unchecked, recklessly incendiary banter was published in the gossip column of this very publication two months ago.

Naturally, exceedingly furious reactions were expressed—ones that required a public apology to be appeased.

But just to set things straight: the rebellion Renegade espoused was not meant to be directed against anyone else but our mediocre selves. That was the real objective of Ad Hoc. revolutionary. it is a word often

used to described the violent overthrow of a government. Why, then, choose such a turbulent allegory?

This connection is mostly credited to the creative, visionary minds of the Publicity Department. Simple change wasn’t enough. “Change by itself is so cliché, so we ended up with revolutionary,” says Publicity director, Horace Cimafranca.

“It denotes active, forceful and dramatic change, so somehow, it magnified our vision for the new Ad Hoc.” However, it wasn’t just the theme and the outstanding publicity that changed.

Within the Ad Hoc team itself, there was a reconstruction. What made this Ad Hoc experience special for most, if not all, of us wasn’t just the prestige that came from being part of the team nor the title we each held; rather, it was the family we gained from being part of the team.

“Mas lalong masarap magtrabaho kapag pamilya kasama mo,” shares Miguel Andres, Logistics A assistant director. Call it mushy, but nevertheless, it’s the truest it could be. This heartwarming sentiment is one that could only be fully grasped with personal exphotographs by justin baniqued

perience—and this is absolutely the best compensation for all the hard work and the nerve-wracking stress.

Do you remember the night we Remembered September? It was the first online publicity promotional Ad Hoc released. True enough, it was a day worth remembering. Twitter and Facebook were both flooded with so much Ecosoc love that night. Everyone, piqued with intrigue, waited in solidarity with eagerness until the promo video was published at a little past midnight.

All throughout the wait, Ecosocers set aside personal sleep and rest needs to take part in this unveiling—passion in its manifestation. All together, at the split second it was posted, in one click, the campaign spread. The first blast that signaled the beginning of a revolution was sounded.

From there, the proceedings just gathered more and more steam. From the Grand Caravan, which embodied service, to the Miss Grand Tradition, which embodied, well, tradition, and to the National Economics Summit, which embodied excellence, until finally culminating in one Friday night of adrenaline-fueled jubilance at Renegade.

To have been there is one thing, but to have worked on it too is another.

The team spirit, though it may have had its subsiding moments, was kept lit. It was inspiring how the team kept each other on their feet. Hopelessness and dreariness were most certainly inevitable when working on a project of this scale, but at the slight hint of it, the team would immediately take action with words of encouragement!

You know you’re not alone because you have these people who understand the difficulty you’re going through. I know of several members—myself included— who initially had no plans of joining Ad Hoc, each with expressed personal reasons. However, be it from incessant prompting or last minute decisions, we ended up taking on the job nevertheTheEchoes.net

less. There we were, formed as a team, the Ad Hoc squad of Ecosoc’s 53rd year celebrations.

Looking back at how we pulled through, and with success, we can proudly say how grateful we are to have been the team who served Ecosoc from day one to the end of the month-long anniversary celebration. revolutionary. an upheaval was kin-

dled, but has it been won? As the semester comes to a close, can we say that the vision was met?

September may have passed, and the anniversary celebration may have already been culminated, but the revolution fervently lives on. Ecosoc as an organization goes on a continuous battle to live up to the new set of standards it has set—Ecosoc as a renegade against itself, against settling for second-best, against the burn-out passion.

Paolo Tamase, who led this gallant team closes, his term as the Ad Hoc chair with one final message: What Ad Hoc—Ecosoc Month—has always aimed to instill in Ecosocers was a sense of pride for the organization. More than the line-up of events, the profit model or the standards we worked hard to establish, this sense of pride is what we want to be our legacy in Ecosoc.

I am thankful and proud to have worked with the best committee any Ad Hoc chair or President could. It has not been a perfect process (we’ve lost major sponsors, failed to realize all our promotions plans, and overshoot our budgeted expenses), but I don’t think anyone in Ecosoc could’ve done better.

Most importantly, I’m thankful for all the Ecosocers who really helped publicize the events, attended our activities, and embraced September as Ecosoc Month. We wanted the Ad Hoc team to energize Ecosocers this semester; somehow, the members also did the same for us.  39

THE MAESTROS Jules Gollayan and Sel Ortiga at CafĂŠ Breton, Technohub

FEATURES

TO SING FOR YOU For the fifth time around, Task Force has pulled off another successful Musikapella. Here’s how the latest one did it

BY BEATRIZ BAYUDAN

T

2005 was a golden year for contemporary Pinoy music, with OPM dominating the airwaves. Banking on the then-popularity of the said genre, the UP Economics Society’s Task Force Committee organized Soundtrack, a movie-themed high school chorale competition, whose contest piece was “Circle of Life” from The Lion King. It was led by then-Vicepresident Raymond Lagdameo and held at the PhilamLife Theater on September 4, 2005.

Raymond didn’t know it then, but Soundtrack became the spark that would ignite the fire of service, excellence, and tradition among TF-ers in the years to come. he year

The Story Then lagdameo’s successor was jules gollayan,

an amibitious, 19-year-old go-getter whose claim to fame then was the wild Treasure Hunt he organized as Spev Chair. How wild was it?

It was day-long. The objective was to find as many of the hundreds of medallions scattered around U.P. as they can from 10am to 4pm.

That’s right—the Hunt continued even during photograph by kenneth reyes

class hours, and Jules fondly recalls the excessive truancy it caused.

After he won as the Society’s new Vicepresident, he sought to build on the success of Soundtrack by making a bigger, better chorale competition. In order to reduce costs, he pursued a grant from the National Commission on Culture and Arts, which was known to give as much as P50,000 for student-led cultural events.

To make the endeavor more appealing to the NCCA, Jules and his team repackaged Soundtrack to be more blatanly Filipino.

“Among the rejected names,” Jules recounts rolling his eyes, “were ‘Acafellows,’ and ‘Musichoir.’” Finally, ‘Musikapella’ was chosen, a suggestion coming from either then-applicant Lia Veneracion or then-Publicity Director Jamie Reyes.

They never did get the grant, but come September 6, 2006, the first-ever Musikapella debuted with resounding success.

The Story Now this year, task force is back, bigger and

41

CURTAIN CALL The members of Task Force ‘11 take a picture onstage after Musikapella more ambitious than ever. Spearheading this year’s Task Force Committee are Vice-president Selena Ortiga and her Co-chairperson, Dhiren Karnani.

“It was a very good decision,” Sel declares. “I picked someone who was the right blend: Dhiren could motivate people, and he also had the experience that would contribute greatly.”

Like before, these two heads started the selective application process for the directors and assistant directors. It was early May when the list was finalized— eleven of Ecosoc’s most willing and capable members in total.

Named directors were Jessica Bodo for Marketing, Von Benavidez for External Relations, Trixie Garcia for Sales, Kevin Estopace for Publicity, and Jeremae Soliman for Logistics. Serving as their assistant directors were Karla Ruiz, Beatriz Bayudan, Hannah Alipio, Ancilla Inocencio, Georgina Gonzales and Yasmin Sehob, respectively.

To facilitate a more internally bonded Task Force, this group of directors and assistant directors (or DAD’s—a term coined by previous VP Laurence Go), along with heads Dhiren and Sel, held a mini-plansem before selecting their staff members.

42

Some of the DAD’s cite this as one of the really memorable experiences with TF’11.

“It was kind of a wild nine-hour planning session,” Karla Ruiz shares. “I won’t deny it: by the second half of the plansem, we were all really sleepy and sabaw. We said a lot of funny things.”

On a more serious note, of course, that nine-hour planning session was not for naught. “We made a lot of progress that night,” Dhiren notes. “Even with all the other things going on.”

It turned out to be quite fruitful. Goals were set and through the semester, each department’s goals were realized.

The Marketing department, tasked with getting sponsors for the event, set a quota for themselves—initially P400,000 worth of sponsorship deals.

By September, they had exceeded it by around P170,000.

“Ang galing ng team ko!” Jessica Bodo enthuses. “Sobrang galing at sobrang sipag nila. I’m so proud to have witnessed their growth. I can’t fully describe it,” she beams. “I’m just really proud!”

Mirroring Marketing’s success, the Sales department made huge strides too with their work. The ex-deals they had

acquired and the merchandise they produced sold quickly, and the rummage sales they held turned a sizeable profit.

“All our efforts paid off,” Trixie Garcia shares. “It’s not just about the money; it’s also the learning experience. We may not have enjoyed immediate success with our work, but through that we learned patience, which proved to be better for us in the long run.”

The External Relations Department contributed to Musikapella’s revenue through ticket sales—also selling beyond the quotas they set. Of course, their main assignment of inviting schools to participate, they did more than adequately.

“I think we had the hardest job,” Von Benavidez, director for ER, shares. “But we did our best.”

Publicity also stepped up their game this year, revolutionizing a design concept for the posters, videos, and other materials to advertise Musikapella.

“I’m proud of my Pub team!” Kevin Estopace, Publicity Director, says. “We have learned a lot from working for Musikapella. We weren’t close when we started out, coming from different batches, but through working for Pub, we became really good friends.” photograph by kenneth reyes

Last but not least, of course, is the Logistics Department, who were given the charge of fixing the program, equipment, and all the other things that Musikapella would need.

According to Logistics Director Jeremae Soliman, “I’m proud of my team because I believe we did great things for Musikapella. I’m proud because our work involved actually helping create Musikapella, and it took a lot of hard work.”

Working in Task Force for the whole semester is no easy feat. It is not uncommon to witness TF members always on the phone, picking up ex-deals, or simply rushing from one place to another.

Weekly general assemblies were also held on Wednesday afternoons, where each committee is expected to provide updates on what they should have accomplished. Crucial decisions regarding certain adjustments with Musikapella are also made during these assemblies.

The Fruits of Labor 2 was the day when all of those harried meetings and preparaoctober

tions came to life at the University Theater in the University of the Philippines Diliman. Twelve choirs who had rehearsed and trained so diligently competed for the top prize, singing their hearts out for a shot at glory, all the while entertaining the crowds with classic Pinoy pop hits.

While everyone else was enjoying a night of choral music, Task Force was still hard at work, manning and watching the show from the rafters and the

Some of us joke that TF can stand for other things.

‘Tunay na Ferowsh’ was one of the sillier ones

shadows.

It was kind of a bittersweet ending for Task Force that they weren’t able to witness the show they devoted so much time to in its entirety. Nevertheless, while the work had been taxing for its members, but with all the time they have spent together, a bond among them all was undeniably formed.

Some of the members joke that TF can stand for other things. ‘Tunay na Ferowsh’ was one of the sillier ones, referencing and complimenting the quality of work that Task Force has been showing. But the other one, ‘True Family’ comes closer to what Task Force felt.

Already the members are feeling nostalgic about how it has been for them.

“It was both fulfilling and a relief,” chairperson Sel Ortiga muses. As an afterthought, she adds, “But I’ll miss it.”

And with those words, she summarizes what every single member of Task Force feels. But more than that, Task Force is excited to see Musikapella finally happen. Every song ends, but that’s no reason not to enjoy the music. Or in this case, the Musik. 

THROUGH THE YEARS

An overview of Task Force’s high school chorale competition. Notice where the numbering was thrown off.

Year

Title

Venue

Winner

Guest perfomer

Vice-president

2005

Soundtrack

PhilamLife Theater

Ramon Magsaysay High School

Hale Cueshe

John Raymond Lagdameo

2006

Musikapella: Awit ng Kabataan

PhilamLife Theater

Ramon Magsaysay High School

Orange & Lemons

Julian “Jules” Gollayan

2007

Musikapella II: Himig ng Pag-ibig Noon at Ngayon

University Theater

Ramon Magsaysay High School

Sugarfree

Krystle “Tetel” Ramos

2008

Musikapella III: Himig ng Kahapon, Tinig Ngayon

University Theater

School of Saint Anthony

Urbandub NictiNasty U.P. Concert Chorus

Mykel Sampan

2010

Musikapella V: Isang Pagbabalik-tanaw Tungo sa Kinabukasan

Crossroad77 Convenarium

St. Scholastica’s College Manila

U.P. Concert Chorus

Laurence Go

2011

Musikapella 2011: Awitin Mo, Isasayaw Ko

University Theater

St. Paul College Pasig

U.P. Concert Chorus

Selena Ortiga

Musikapella did not push through in 2009 due to Typhoon Ondoy. The Vice-president then was Karlo Patron.

TheEchoes.net

43

NYC

THE ULTIMATE NEW MEMS STATS Numbers go a long way in painting a vivid picture. Let Derek the painter/iPad user lead the way

BY DEREK PARREÑAS

W

e were all brought into

this blind and deaf, in that little room where we had our Applicants’ Orientation. We didn’t know we were to be the Power Apps, we just assumed the moniker. We didn’t expect that overwhelming exuberance every time a mass of Power Apps were around, it just happened. We just went into the unknown, we didn’t even know how the people exactly are in Ecosoc. Sure, we knew that Ecosoc was for a socio-civic cause, but that didn’t really say much about the people that rallied behind the cause.

Eventually, we did learn about them; their quirks and their wonts, their timbres and their tones. We learned about their anecdotes, their experiences, their stories, their lives. It’s not fair that we leave them at that. We learn about them yet we keep ourselves firmly tucked in safety, choosing false answers over the truth, in order for us not to be placed in ridicule and judgement. Well, this survey is a step to trusting these new people in our lives. And let’s see new alliances and stronger friendships borne out of these answers.

(Out of 45)

Basic Stats 3 are 16 11 are 17 24 are 18 7 are 19

1 is 20 26 like sports 8 like writing 26 like reading 15 like videogames 9 like cooking 12 like drinking 13 like helping children 3 like sky diving 19 like ‘others’ (e.g. eating, dancing, being sexy)

School Stats 2 Southridge Admirals 4 Paulinians 13 Blue Eagles 2 Green Archers (DLSZ) 7 Maryknollers 3 Assumpionistas (AA) 2 Xaverians 1 Bosconian 1 Theresian 1 Brent student 1 Povedan 1 Secretian 1 Good One-ian

The Unmentionble Stats 19 have tried smoking 4 are smokers 42 drink alcoholic beverages 1 is an alcoholic 11 have tried illegal substances 1 has an eating disorder

Outlook Stats 42 believe in God 39 are Catholics 1 is Protestant 1 is Iglesia ni Christo 1 is Born Again Christian 4 are Agnostics 42 believe in Democracy 40 believe in Capitalism 6 believe in Communism 11 believe in Socialism 11 believe in Anarchy

Last Question

Love and Other Things Stats

“You’re waiting for a train, a train that will take you far away. You know where you hope this train will take you, but you don’t know for sure. But it doesn’t matter. How can it not matter to you where the train will take you?”

2 Bisexuals 2 Homosexuals 20 have a serious crush on someone in their app batch 7 are in a relationship 22 have been in a relationship 4 have engaged in sexual activities 1 is sexually active

Most common: “Because it doesn’t,” “INCEPTION” Funniest: “Fuck,” “Coz im badass” Correct: “Cause we’ll be together” (two got it) Best: “Because wherever it is, I know it’s where I’m meant to be.” 

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photograph by chiara buergo

CULTURE

• End the semester right • politics • Who are these kids that are trying to invade Wall Street? • gossip • Get to know the new mems—GG style • report card • Strikes become fashionable life

ABOVE A protestor holds up a sign under the rain. Photo taken from Wikimedia

LIFE

HOW TO END THE SEMESTER A guide to starting your sembreak right

BY GELO ATIENZA

T

his semester has really been

a whole lot of fun and stress.

Deadlines here, final exams there, and other extra-curricular activities such as org work we all had to fulfill. Students have worked hard to meet all these requirements that caused them to stay up late all night, sacrifice their personal time for leisure, or sometimes, they do not even get any sleep at all. Surely, anyone who was able to complete these tasks truly deserves some break time just to stretch, sit back, relax, and just to unwind to relieve the stress brought about by these things especially the students, even more, the Ecosocers.

The sem break is just about to begin—well, unless you still have exams or any academic matter at hand, you have to finish them first. To those who are already enjoying their vacations now, good for you. But wait! Have you thought about of how you will spend these few weeks without classes? Do you even have a plan or a checklist of things you want to accomplish while away from school works? If yes, lucky you. If no, here is a list of things you can do to make your sem break worthwhile.

1. Finish any remaining school related work. Before you could totally relax for the break, your mind should be calm and at peace and in order for this to happen, you must relieve yourself of any tasks you have to accomplish. Remember, your mind set should be for unwinding and relaxation, but do not forget your pre-enlistment! You might run out of subjects to take, or at least a good professor for that subject. Picking the right professor is crucial!

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2. Take time to reflect and plan. This may sound corny but it is good to know what you have achieved from the previous sem. You could learn from your mistakes and make plans for the next sem on how you will improve from your mistakes. Speaking of planning, attend the plansem! Also clean up your room.

I’m sure it has been a mess after all the work you’ve done.

3. Sleep! Sleep! Sleep! Throw away your alarm clock! This is the perfect opportunity to get some sleep and not during classes. Remember to keep your body healthy since health comes first before work.

4. Enter a 3-4 week exercise program or engage in sports. Live a healthy life.

Since you do not have enough time to go to the gym when there are classes, keep your body fit this break. Make a list of work outs and if you do not feel comfortable at the gym, jogging with friends

outdoors is not bad too. Try Gold’s Gym which will be soon opening in Katipunan. Don’t just sit down in front of your computer and do nothing. Engage in our out of this world sports like bird watching and bridge or even stretching!

5. Read a few books. You might want to do away with Mankiw and Economic jargons. How about try reading Jose Saramago for an unusual read, a little brain teaser perhaps by Dan Brown if you’ve not read The Lost Symbol yet, or go for classics by Alexandre Dumas while lying down in your backyard. But comics are not bad options too. Calvin and Hobbes never fail to make anyone laugh. There is this huge compilation in Fully Booked!

6. Try writing! Echoes could use more writers. The more the better. Instead of tweeting and blogging all day, why not try to write an essay or a short story perhaps. Explore the creativity in you. Are

SEMBREAK PLANS From left to right: Real Steel, The Lost Symbol, Dragon Nest

you not inspired by the Echoes? Start by thinking of a random topic and grab a pen and a paper and let your hand write whatever pops in to your head. Do not formulate your concepts and sentences inside your head since there is a tendency that you might forget them. Who knows? Your work might be the next Harry Potter.

7. Play video games or computer games. If you do this during the sem, you might probably get distracted with schoolwork and reviews for your exams. Though people may get addicted to DotA or Ragnarok Online, there are a lot of computer games and video games out there that’s less addicting.

Speaking of DotA, to the DotA lovers out there, DotA 2 will be released soon with a more realistic gameplay and better graphics. By the way, DotA means Defence of the Ancients for the benefit of those who don’t know. Dragon Nest, another online game, just came out and TheEchoes.net

I’ve heard that it is making a trend right now. It’s an online RPG game where one can interact with strangers while enjoying 4 basic characters at the moment.

8. Movie or series marathon 24/7. A lot of good movies came out this year. If you failed to watch Vampire Diaries or 90210 because of thesis or problem sets, or you have a deadline to meet the next day or you have to review for an exam, now is the time to catch up. Just search for the title online and download it then enjoy. If you are not content with just watching a movie on your laptop or on your television, then go to the cinemas.

Try Real Steel! It is a robot boxing inspired story with lead character played

by Hugh Jackman. Or watch the 3rd season of Glee which airs every Wednesday at 4pm.

9. Road trip! If you failed to catch that promo flight to Singapore or Hongkong or just to get outside the country, there

are still lots of good destinations in the archipelago. Try whitewater rafting on the Chico River in Cagayan Valley or visit Puerto del Sol in Panggasinan if your craving for the white sand but do not want to go to Boracay. Just gather your resources get a ride and go. Go wherever your wheels lead you and take pictures for memories. If you don’t want to go out of town, you always have the choice of partying anyway.

10. Volunteer for charity work. Volunteer for a cause-oriented group like Sagip Kapamilya or any group at all.

Your help will be much appreciated, especially now that our fellows were struck by the storms Pedring and Quiel.

Remember that every good deed you do adds more materials for your mansion in heaven. these are just some of the things you

can do. Try adding things to the list of you want or if you still can!  47

POLITICS

OWING TO THE PARK They have no plan or agenda, just an intense feeling of anger

BY RAPHAEL DANTES

P

eople power, as legions of

protesters across nations and decades have coined it, has been shown by history as a force not to be trifled with. Time and time again uprisings led by a mass of disenfranchised individuals whose only commonality is a strong sense of discontent rip through the streets to broadcast their outcries and grievances loudly across society.

This phenomenon reared its fearsome might once again around a month ago, this time in one of the most opulent regions in the entire world: Manhattan in New York City. An estimated group of 3,000 composed of eclectic, mostly young people assembled at Battery Park with the intention of occupying Wall Street. Despite how different these individuals were, an intense anger at what they perceived as a culture of voracious greed concentrated in Wall Street spurred them to mobilize. They haven’t succeeded—at least not exactly, stopping short of Wall Street to settle for nearby Zuccotti Park, just a few blocks away from Ground Zero. However, they still show no signs of slowing down.

Zuccotti park has been serving as a home, at least for now, for these protesters. As the weeks wore on, this grassroots movement has taken root in this park. The protesters have become more organized, agreeing amongst themselves the responsibility for different tasks: remove the garbage, roam the camp to enforce a ban on open flames (an evictable offense in the eyes of the NYPD), and engage with the people in the area. A few of the establishments in 48

MONEY TALKS A teenage protestor at Occupy Wall Street the area have let them use their facilities, while some even donated food. In the center of the park, a media center was formed where protesters send out twitter updates and live-stream the latest news on their website; footage of a female protester being pepper sprayed by a police officer during their march to Union Square circulated on the internet.

A picture of the woman now decorates the board at the entrance to the park, at what’s now become the group’s pseudoofficial information booth.

Something that “Occupy Wall Street” lacks—and is under some pressure, both internal from within the group and external from the public, to formulate—is a traditional outlined agenda: a list of demands, a set of legislative proposals, a program. For many of the protesters,

this absence is an essential part of the attraction, something that makes the movement truly grassroots. They’re making it up on the fly, and akin to hormonal teenagers consumed by an obsession with love: they don’t really know where it will take them, and they like it that way. Occupy Wall Street is undoubtedly a political project, but it is equally about release from isolation, resignation, and futility. The point lies in the process, not the platform. If Occupy Wall Street can persist with its nonviolent restraint, if it can wake the political center-left out of its stupor, if it can hearten downtrodden Democratic politicians (including Obama, who, lately and belatedly, has begun to show signs of fight), then Main Street will truly owe Occupy Wall Street. photograph taken from reutors

GOSSIP

BUONA GIORNATA MIEI AMICI This is the first page you’re reading, isn’t it? Couldn’t you at least pretend to skim the other pages first?

BY GOSSIP G oh, it’s already the end of the semes-

ter? I didn’t even notice! Maybe I was too busy minding everybody else’s business! Well, before I bid you all a fine and well-deserved farewell, let’s have a little dose of gossip, shall we?

Know what? I’m actually getting a bit tired of talking about the same people over and over again. It’s always about this guy and that girl, always about how this person hates that person. Thankfully, we have a whole new batch of people who just got in! Knowing you spent 4 or 5 months in giving that bitch application process your all, nothing compares to that feeling when you see your name in that list that says “CONGRATULATIONS!” Well, how would you “newmems” feel if you see your name in one of the stories here? *laughs*

SPOTTED! Miss [insert letters here]-47 and Mister Same-Name-With-A-MovieBlogger seeming to be a bit too close!

They’re not really the type of people you see together all the time, but I heard after school hours, that’s when they get it on (no sexual innuendo intended)! I’m pretty sure my Burnbookkeepers heard this from those people who are experts in noticing relationships bloom all the time. I’m not quite sure if this is true, but if it is, then he doesn’t just bring her home all the time just for the sake of bringing her home. Get it? *wink*

SPOTTED! Mister Alumni-TurnedStock Market Trader’s “Brother” being too—how do I say this—MAARTE. I must admit, the applicants this semester are pretty different from the usual and stereotypical U.P. student. But this guy is just way too much! I heard that he is speaks fluent conyo, he uses designer shampoo (WTF?!), and wears only clothes that are Italian designed! I have nothing against all those things I just said, but if you start telling everybody about it every single time? COME ON! I don’t think you’re impressing people; you’re more of annoying them.

Just stop. People don’t have to know who you’re wearing, alright? Besides, you wear them all the time, I think we already know which ones are wich. p.s. Banana wrap is not turon in English.

SPOTTED! Mister Everybody’s Lucky Number being a bit too into it! He was fine (FINE) during the start, and I don’t really know why and how, but he suddenly transformed into this new person who is extremely noisy, tries to be FC with everybody, and somewhat tries to look super cool like Mister Mayor up there. I heard that a lot of people’s first impressions were really disproved when they saw his true colors! Poor mister, you just got it yet you already have a lot of haters. Maybe it’s them. Maybe they have really high standards for liking people. Or maybe... it’s just you. I fully understand that you’re hot (by the way your six-pack screams it out loud *yummy*) but please, don’t rub it in everybody else’s faces. If this was never your intention, I CLEARLY DO NOT GIVE A SHIT. Try asking Miss Nut*lla some ad-

photograph by kenneth reyes

vice, maybe she can help. ;) SPOTTED! Miss Bottled Iced Tea apparently a bit prone to self-pity! Awww, that is so sad! I mean, honey, you’re not really bad looking. My burnbookkeepers tell me that one day inside the tambayan, they heard her go something like “OH MY GOD. I’m so ugly. My clothes suck so much!” (not a direct quotation) Darling, please, don’t. Seriously. If you want people to actually complement you, don’t start by insulting yourself, okay? Someone, someday, might just suddenly answer back “I know, right?”

Oh and I heard you think a certain unstraight member hates you just because he doesn’t add you as a neighbor? *just laughs* well, i guess that’s about enough

hearsay for one issue! I hope everyone had a blast! To all the new members reading this column, I AM GOSSIP G! One of the things you signed up for when you entered Ecosoc is watching your back! You’ll never know when one of my Burnbookkeepers, or even me, might just be there. HAVE A GREAT SEMBREAK EVERYONE! p.s. I’d probably be revealing to all you avid readers my true identity in the near future. I’ll start by giving you guys clues, starting now. The title of this article is my new favorite language. Would you happen to know why? :>  49

POLITICS

grade

2.5

REPORT CARD September 2011

BY THE TV MONSTER strikes left and right are staged, protesting every-

thing from outsourcing to the prices of oil. When can we, as a country, finally realize that People Power was a blip in reality? When will we learn once and for all that strikes and rallies are completely and utterly useless?

PRIDE 2 DepEd Sec. Armin Luistro vows to end shortage of desks and textbooks by December

6 Tons of confiscated fishes caught illegally will be donated to charity, says BFAR

15 Talks between PNoy and transport groups avert planned transport strike 15 “No segregation, no collection” policy improves garbage disposal in Cebu barangay 16 18 firms sign agreement to help clean up Butuanon River in Mandaue City 19 PISTON organizes a transport strike; nation ignores them 21 DILG notes decrease in fires, damages caused by fires, and deaths related to fires 27 PALEA stages sit-down strike at PAL, delays more than 14,000 passengers 28 Ateneo Debate Society supports alumnus’ challenge to Sen. Vic Sotto for a debate on the RH bill

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SHAME 2 Senate discovers 2,000 fake names benefitting from pension in the PNP; over P1 billion was lost to the scam over the last five years 5 MILF rejects peace plan and pulls out of talks 5 Rep. Mohammed Pangandaman accused of punching a security guard at Technohub for refusing exempt his number 8 license plate from inspection

14 9 prisoners escape Qeuzon City police station 14 PNP Chief embarks on campaign to end jueteng while Aquino administration remains nonchalant 14 Environment ministry successfully breeds 7,000 endangered crocodiles in captivity; unfortunately, no mayor wants them in his municipality 15 Malacañang proposes Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund in national budget, whose disbursement it would control, because if there’s one thing Malacañang is good at doing, it’s deciding when to spend 23 U.S. Ambassador says that 40% of tourists in the country are here looking for sex; DOT firmly denies this 23 Students and professors stage massive walk-outs to protest proposed budget cuts to education 27 PALEA stages sit-down strike at PAL, delays more than 14,000 passengers

29 Talisay vendors relocated to new marketplace with 4 months’ rent free; old marketplace was rugby boy hangout