June 2016

ISSN 2094-3991

VOLUME 8, ISSUE 6

JUNE 2016

Agenda Setting: Bicol University President Arnulfo M. Mascariñas presents the administration’s plan to attain the SUC Level V status by 2018 during the enhancement training of the different colleges and units. (Earl Epson L. Recamunda/OP)

The PRESIDENT’S OUTBOX

BU eyes SUC Level V by 2018 School year 2016-2017 has a lot of things in store for Bicol University. As we continue to move towards our goal of becoming a world-class university, we constantly improve on all aspects of our academic life.

We have started a new academic cycle, and with it, the challenge of a school year that will surpass all other school years in the past.

This year, we are faced with a new challenge, brought on by the Joint Memorandum of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) categorizing State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) into five levels instead of the current four.

As a Level IV university, we certainly aim for no less than the highest level, and so we prepare ourselves for the more rigorous evaluation that will bring us to that level.

I am confident we can make it. We have proven our ability to work hard together and surpass quality assurance evaluations time and again. We will do so once more, because, yes, the best is yet to come!

Consistent with Bicol University’s (BU) vision to become a world class university, President Arnulfo M. Mascariňas urged the faculty and staff to work together as the university sets its eyes on attaining an SUC Level V status by 2018.

In a series of visits held Joint Circular No. 1, s. 2016, from May 30 to June 3, 2016 otherwise known as the during the annual college/ revised FY 2016 SUC Levelling campus enhancement Instrument and Guidelines. programs, Mascariňas bared Formulated jointly the administration’s plan by the DBM and CHED to apply for SUC Level V in coordination with the accreditation, underpinning Philippine Association of the university’s performance State Universities and Colleges targets along Key Result (PASUC), the circular is issued Areas (KRAs) specified in the to revise the leveling instrument recently released Department for SUCs, categorizing of Budget and Management- SUCs into five levels.

Commission on Higher In the new performance Education (DBM-CHED) evaluation instrument, SUC

BU programs undergo AACCUP accreditation

Prof. Marina S. Quesada, overall team leader, delivers her opening message during the opening program of the AACCUP accreditation survey visit to the BU College of Agriculture and Forestry, and Polangui Campus, at the CAF Farmers Training Center Main Hall on June 20, 2016.

In its relentless pursuit of world-class status, Bicol University once again submitted 11 curricular programs offered in the College of Agriculture and Forestry (CAF) and Polangui Campus (PC) to the Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities in the Philippines (AACCUP) for evaluation.

AACCUP/page 2 LEADERSHIP

SCHOLARSHIP

levelling will be along quality and relevance of instruction, research capability and output, services to the community, and management of resources.

The levelling of SUCs is governed by three principles: Movement towards outcomes; alignment with ASEAN standards; and alignment with Typology-based Quality Assurance. The instrument has, for its Legal basis: PDP 2011-2016, Public Higher Education Reform Agenda 2012, Executive Order (EO) No. 80, s. 2012, and CHED Memorandum Order (CMO) No. 46, s. 2012.

In one of his campus/ SUC Level V/Page 3

BU celebrates Charter Day

Celebrating its first-ever Charter Day, Bicol University (BU) commemorated the establishment of the premier state university in the Bicol region in a simple ceremony held at the Bicol University College of Arts and Letters (BUCAL) Amphitheatre on June 21, 2016.

In his speech, President Arnulfo M. Mascariňas highlighted the significance of the event, emphasizing the difference between the Charter Day and Foundation Day, which is annually celebrated every September.

According to Mascariňas, June 21 should be celebrated as the Charter Day/page 3

SERVICE

CHARACTER

CAL, BU High School are 100% smoke-free compliant – LGU Legazpi

Two units of Bicol University were certified as two of the “100% Smoke-Free Establishments” by the Legazpi City Health Office last June 29 at AVP Function Hall, Tahao Road, Legazpi City.

(L-R) Bureau Chief of Philippines News Agency (PNA) Bicol Floreño Solmirano, PNA’s Acting Executive Editor Luis Morente and BU President Arnulfo M. Mascariñas sign the Memorandum of Agreement as they renew their ties in the conduct of the Summer Internship Program of the BUCAL Journalism Department.

Also in the photo are Ms. Connie Destura of PNA-Bicol, Prof. Benjamin D. Nebres III of the Office of Student Services and Dr. Maria B. Sarte and Prof. Anacito E. Dematera of CAL.

MOA signing from page 4

Spearheaded by BU President Dr. Arnulfo Mascariñas and PNA’s Acting Executive Editor Luis Morente, the partnership agreement aims to further strengthen the ties between the two parties in the conduct of the internship program offered by Bicol University to incoming senior Journalism students.

Senior High School from page 4 Program.

CEILS High School Department Unit Head Sandra Casitas also shared this observation. According to Casitas, the university has made sure that it has a pool of qualified teachers. In fact, among its roster of teachers, around 20 faculty will come from BU, which include the most outstanding graduates last graduation in April, teachers coming back from retirement and another BU graduate who has previously worked in Dubai but has now returned to the Philippines.

“Teachers should share the objectives to the students. They [students] have to be motivated to learn and to accept expectations.

They have to do their best. They have to be given activities that will develop their critical thinking and creativity. We will apply the Outcomes-Based Education,” Casitas said.

Meanwhile, starting this academic year, the Department of Education will work with the State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) like BU to use their existing facilities and teaching staff to reduce the impact of the lack of incoming freshmen in the tertiary level during the transition program.

DEPED VOUCHER PROGRAM In order to assist parents for their children’s education under K-12, the national government allocated a P12 billion fund for DepEd’s SHS Voucher Program.

As stated in DepEd’s website, “The Voucher Program is intended for Grade 10 (Junior High School) completers who wish to

Floreño Solmirano, Bureau Chief of PNA Bicol, CAL Dean Dr. Maria B. Sarte and Print and Broadcast Media Department (PBM) Chair Prof. Anacito Dematera stood as witnesses to the occasion.

(Shan Gabriel Apuli, Shane Irish Pelonia/ CAL, Photo

by Jona V. Castañeda/OP) pursue Senior High School (SHS) education in non-DepEd Schools such as Private High Schools, Colleges, and Universities; Local Universities and Colleges (LUC); State Universities and Colleges (SUCs); and Technical and Vocational Schools, starting SY 2016-2017.”

“The voucher enables students to claim a ‘discount’ or a deduction from the cost of tuition and other fees charged by a nonDepEd SHS where he or she will enroll. The voucher subsidy is not given to students directly in the form of cash but will be disbursed

by DepEd to the non-DepEd SHS where he or she enrolls.“ Under this program, qualified students who finished Grade 10 may get a subsidy. For those coming from public schools, they will get a voucher worth P17, 500.

Students coming from SUCs like BU will get P8, 750 which will be released to the school on a persemester-basis and will only be valid if redeemed within the first semester of the school year after completing Grade 10.

The voucher is disbursed to the school rather than directly to the student. This covers the tuition and other school fees for two years regardless of how long the student takes to finish. However, if the amount of fees exceeds the value of the voucher, the student should shoulder the remaining amount.

The SHS program allows students to choose the track that is most relevant to their needs and career goals. (By Cassandra Balala and Randall Matthew Lorayes/The Bicol Universitarian and Joshua Caleb Pacleta/OP)

The College of Arts and Letters (CAL) and College of Education - Integrated Laboratory School (CEILS) received the Red Orchid Award from the Legazpi City Smoke – Free Committee (LCSFC).

The award is given to establishments that valuably contribute to the implementation of the Smoke Free Ordinance No. 0007 – 2009 of Legazpi City.

Both CAL and CEILS underwent a rigorous process before achieving the award. It was the LCSFC through its SmokeFree Inspection Team that conducted a secret inspection and evaluation of establishments in schools, hotels, restaurants in Legazpi City for the Search for 100% Smoke-Free Albay.

The certification is divided into three levels - the Red Orchid award, Pink Orchid Award, White Orchid Award. The award is non-monetary although Sarte shared that the Legazpi Health Office bared that it would device other means to make the award more attractive to the establishments and academes. (Joshua Caleb P. Pacleta/OP)

AACCUP accreditors evaluate the documents submitted by the Bicol University Polangui Campus (BUPC) during their survey visit last June 23, 2016.

AACCUP from page 1

Five programs from CAF underwent the third survey of their Level II accreditation, namely Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, Bachelor in Agricultural Technology, Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Engineering, Bachelor of Science in Forestry, and Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness. The master’s degree program offered by the college, Master of Science in Agriculture, was also subjected to its second survey after its Level I accreditation.

In Polangui Campus, five programs namely Bachelor of Secondary Education,

Bachelor of Science (BS) in Food Technology, BS in Computer Science, BS in Electronics Technology, BS in Automotive Technology underwent the second survey of their Level I accreditation.

AACCUP is one of the four accrediting agencies in the country tasked to accredit the curricular programs of state universities and colleges.

Programs that pass AACCUP standards and are awarded accreditation status are recognized for their excellence and quality standards.

(Jona V. Castañeda/OP)

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A World-Class University Producing Leaders and Chan

CLOSS head presents paper in Thailand

BU President Arnulfo M. Mascariñas turns-over the University banner to the faculty members of the College of Education who will be the host for the Charter Day celebration in 2017. (Jona V. Castañeda/OP)

Charter Day /from p.1 university’s Charter Day because it was on this day that R.A. 5521, also known as the Bicol University Charter was enacted.

R.A. 5521 officially established Bicol University, converting what used to be the Bicol Teacher’s College which was formerly the Albay Normal School, Daraga Central Elementary School, Albay Provincial High School, Bicol Regional School of Arts and Trades, Roxas Memorial Agricultural School, and the School of Fisheries in Tabaco, into “appropriate or other units of the University.”

The BU Foundation Day, on the other hand, commemorates the historic event when the university became operational through BOR Resolution 1, series of 1970, which was passed on September 22, 1970. On the same day, certain officials were also designated as in-charge of the respective schools through BOR Resolution 2, series of 1970.

Mascariňas added that it was SUC Level V from Page 1

college visits, Mascariňas announced that according to the 2013 to 2015 statistics gathered and analyzed by the university’s Planning and Management Office (PMO), BU belongs to Level IV of the revised SUC levelling instrument. He then urged the faculty and staff to “build on these achievements to become a Level V State University, and realize BU’s vision of a world-class university.”

For this goal to be achieved, Mascariňas said that the administration has set up a number of mechanisms to ensure that the whole university work together collaboratively. One of this is the revised individual and office performance commitment review (IPCR and OPCR), which will now be geared towards the KRAs. The new IPCR and OPCR are uniquely designed that individual performance affects department and

former President Lylia CorporalSena who declared through Administrative Order No. 2, series of 1998 that the said dates should not be confused, highlighting the significance of both events as ratified through BOR Resolution 33, series of 1998. He further said that from this year on, the BU Charter Day will be properly commemorated; even promising that in the years to come it will be celebrated “with more grandeur.”

This year’s Charter Day was celebrated with a Thanksgiving Mass and a half-day program that highlighted speeches from University Student Council Chair Patrick Anthony Nota and Board of Regents Member Engr.

Clemente S. Ibo. Ibo is an alumnus of the College of Engineering.

The Search for BU Alumni Awardees was also launched in an announcement made by Dr. Rosana L. Madrona, BU Alumni Relations Officer. (Ma. Celina Eladia G. Meneseses/OP)

The head of the Consultancy, Linkages and Other Support Services (CLOSS) of the Bicol University (BU) Extension Service Center presented a paper at the Joint American University of Sovereign Nations (AUSN)- Chulalongkorn University Intensive Environmental Ethics and Ethics of Science and Technology Conference held at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand on June 13-19, 2016.

Prof.

Rowena Zoilo a cross-cultural approach. presented her paper titled From Bangkok, Zoilo “Environmental Education for proceeded to Phnom Penh Sustainable Development” upon for the four-day (June 20the invitation from the Center for 23) ASEAN Inter-cultural Ethics of Science and Technology, Visit which was funded by Chulalongkorn University, the ASEAN Entrepreneur Thailand, American University Foundation in Cambodia. of Sovereign Nations (AUSN), The said visit was part of the USA, the International Peace ASEAN 2015 Integration which and Development Ethics Centre, aimed to provide opportunities and Eubios Ethics Institute. for inter-cultural sharing, The conference, which visits to community projects includes sessions on Bioethics, and universities, discussions Sustainability, Sustainable on successful entrepreneurial Development, Peace, Disaster undertakings, and exploration Resilience, Environmental of possible collaboration with Ethics, Policy-making, Paper the Cambodian Government. and Thesis Writing, used

Pres. Mascariñas and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Sec. Adrian Cristobal Jr. unveil the FabLab Bicol plaque during the inauguration of the DTIfunded Shared Service Facility (SSF) at the BUCIT Multi-Technology Complex on June 23, 2016. (Jona V. Castañeda/OP)

FabLab from Page 4

college performance, and college performance affects individual ratings.

Mascariñas also promised full support to faculty and personnel for human resource development, including sending qualified applicants to top universities in the ASEAN region such as the National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University.

“If we want to build a world-class university, it should start from our faculty members.

I believe that the faculty members, our personnel, the non-teaching staff, they are the best resources that we ever have,” Mascariñas said.

Should BU attain the SUC Level V status, the university would be comparable to the best universities or colleges in Asia, therefore achieving its vision to become a world-class university.

(Ma. Celina G. Meneses & Gladys G. Serafica/OP)

nge Agents for Social Transformation and Development.

has been tapped as an engagement with the trading partners worldwide.

“It is already a huge trend for the past several years and we want to make sure that we are not left behind. We have the creativity, the talent, and the strong potential to make the best, most beautiful and useful products in the world.

We just need the right tools to do that,” he said.

Cristobal added that DTI’s partnership with BU is a good decision, assuring that the said partnership will be sustainable as DTI will always be there to continue to support this effort.

“The name of the game now is innovation and entrepreneurship.

Together, government, academe, private sector and civil society must join hands to compete with the bests of the world,” he said.

In his speech during the inauguration, BU President Arnulfo M. Mascariñas thanked DTI for its grant to fund the building of the SSF inside the

university. By providing advance state of the art fabrication equipment, Mascariñas said that BU can now be able to respond to the challenge of the SMEs and become a partner of the industry, thus contributing to the region’s economic growth.

According to the DTI website, FabLab “helps develop the local economy by providing better and more competitive products.

It enhances the local MSME ecosystem, encourages start-ups, and develops entrepreneurs who create more jobs.” By spurring innovation and creativity, DTI believes that through the FabLab, MSMEs can be at par with the global market demands.

The FabLab launching was attended by DTI Directors, officials from different regions, entrepreneurs in Bicol, Local Government Units (LGUs), officials and trainers of Fablab Bohol, JICA volunteers as well as BU employees and students.

(Wilma E. Pajavera/BUCIT)

I S S N 2 0 9 4 - 3 9 9 1 VOLUME 8, ISSUE 6

JUNE 2016

BU welcomes exchange studes from Japan

Grade 11 students under the HUMMS strand in the College of Arts and Letters listen attentively to their teacher during their first day of classes. (Earl Epson L. Recamunda/OP)

BU welcomes 400 Senior High School studes

Linkages: Prof. Samuel C. Bobiles, Director of the Global Linkage Office @ Bicol University and Dr. Arnulfo M. Mascariñas warmly welcome Japanese exchange students Chinatsu Oda and Mori Kumazaki during their courtesy visit to the Office of the President on June 13, 2016. (Earl Epson L. Recamunda/OP)

Bicol University (BU) welcomed at least 400 Grade 11 students for school year 2016-2017 with the opening of the Senior High As School (SHS) program.

part of the university’s goal to promote globalization and internationalization, Bicol As one of the tertiary schools Technology, Engineering, and University opened its doors to two Japanese in the region offering K-12, BU Mathematics (STEM) strand, opened the SHS program that three classes for the Humanities exchange students from the National University allows students to take specific and Social Sciences (HUMSS) Corporation Kochi University (KU), Kochi, Japan. career tracks and strands which are similar to college courses and specializations.

Of the total 400 SHS enrollees, 102 finished Junior High School (JHS) at the BU College of Education Integrated Laboratory School (CEILS) while 298 came from other schools. The said enrollees were the first batch to finish the four years of JHS who are then required to advance in SHS instead of entering the tertiary level.

President Arnulfo M. Mascariñas said that although BU is not mandated to open SHS in the university, BU still accepted incoming Grade 11 students because there is a laboratory school in BUCE. The university has a total of 10 classes for the different strands in the K to 12 Program: four classes for the Science,

strand, and another three classes for the Accountancy and Business Management (ABM) strand.

Of the three tracks offered, it is STEM which is lodged at the College of Science that has the most number of enrollees with 160. Both the HUMSS and ABM tracks have 120 enrollees, with the former lodged at the College of Arts and Letters and the latter at the College of Business, Economics and Management.

Based on the breakdown, each track has a maximum of 40 students per class.

In an interview with the BUzzette, Vice President for Academic Affairs Helen Llenaresas assured that BU has undertaken steps in preparation for the new academic arrangements. She further said that the university is ready for the transition from the old curriculum to the K-12 Senior High School/page 2

June 2016 Nursing Licensure Examination

JOSZABELLE C. ESTRELLA 2nd Placer, 86.60% ARGIE JOY C. RED 8th Placer, 85.40% MONETTE JANE B. GUEVARRA 9th Placer, 85.20% The Editorial Board

Editorial Head: Dr. Ma. Celina Eladia G. Meneses Associate Editor: Prof. Gladys G. Serafica Managing Editor: Ms. Merly J. Loria

Mori Kumazaki and Chinatsu Oda, both AB International Communications students of KU are currently taking up AB English subjects in the College of Arts and Letters. They will stay in the college for two semesters.

The Exchange Student Program was made possible through the Memorandum of Agreement between KU and BU which started in 2011 and was reapproved last May 23, 2016. (Earl Epson L. Recamunda/OP)

DTI launches Fabrication Lab in BU

To help local entrepreneurs produce high quality outputs and propel the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the region, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) inaugurated the Fabrication Laboratory (FabLab) at the Bicol University MultiTechnology Complex, College of Industrial Technology last June 23.

FabLab Bicol, the first facility in the region, is one of the existing DTI-funded Shared Service Facility (SSF) in the Philippines. The facility is not only a laboratory but also a Negosyo Center Plus in Bicol.

According to Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Adrian S. Cristobal Jr., the concept of building the Fablab is something that FabLab/Page 3

BUCAL, PNA renew ties through MOA signing

Bicol University (BU) renewed its partnership with the Philippines News Agency (PNA) through the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on June 17, 2016 at College of Arts and Letters Amphitheatre.

The renewal of partnership between both parties happened during the graduation rites of the 16 Journalism students (11 for PNA Bicol and 5 for PNA Manila) who spent their 200-hour Student Internship Program (SIP) with the said agency last March - April this year.

MOA signing/page 2 Circulation Manager: Ms. Mary Ann M. See Photojournalist/ Layout Artist: Earl Epson L. Recamunda Writer: Joshua Caleb P. Pacleta

Editorial Consultants: Dr. Reina O. Habalo Dr. Helen M. Llenaresas Overall Consultant: Dr. Arnulfo M. Mascariñas www.facebook.com/BicolUniversity