The Crusader Publication AY Starter 2013

Overhaul What’s inside: Carrying out SLMIS Dishonesty in the CSG? The rise of Hipsterism

Contents

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1 | Editorial 2 | Column 4 | Understanding the K+12 drought 5 | Raised bars, rigidified system 6 | Growing pains A closer look at the SLMIS 10 | The utopia of education 11 | After the spring Pinoys stuck in the Syria quagmire 12 | Money matters A look into the XU students’ income expenditure and savings Cover story

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14 | Vox populi

The Cover

21 | Billing bullying 22 | CSG’s silent flop 24 | Fight or flight Stories after the Lumbia airport closing 26 | A paradoxical tale of hipsterism 27 | Cora Contrabida: A Game of Thrones Special The

Crusader

Overhaul What’s inside: Carrying out SLMIS Dishonesty in the CSG? The rise of Hipsterism

Whether we’re in favor or against it, change is the only constant thing in this world, cliché as it may sound.

But an overhaul doesn’t happen overnight.

With this, change embeds itself in the everyday things that we subject ourselves to.

We are the onsets of reform. We are part of the renovation of a system stagnant for 14 years.

We are the hands that paint the city back to its former glory.

Pick up your paint brush and be part of the overhaul that is the nuance of a new era.C Words by Louren B. Aranas Photo by Haiko B. Magtrayo Design by Francis Ryan O. Avellana

The official student publication of Xavier University- Ateneo de Cagayan Vol. 40 No. 1 July 2013

Publishers Subscribing students of Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan | Editors Princess E. Tolentino Editor in Chief, John Kenneth E. Ching Associate Editor, Rico M. Magallona Design Editor, Sam D. Garcia Managing Editor, Louren B. Aranas News Editor (Interim), Nadine Hendrikka E. Legaspi Campus Features Editor, Nadine Hendrikka E. Legaspi Local Features Editor, Saharah Iman M. Alonto National Features Editor (Interim), Kevin Paul P. Mabul Global Features Editor (Interim), Robert A. Villaluz, Jr. Sports Editor, Francis Ryan O. Avellana Layout Editor (Interim), Haiko B. Magtrayo Photography Editor (Interim), Alexes June E. Baslot Freehand Editor | Finance Officers Caroline Joy R. Go Senior Finance Officer, Rochelle D. Barros Junior Finance Officer | Managers Saharah Iman M. Alonto Human Resource Manager (OIC), Christian Loui S. Gamolo Office Manager (OIC), Jennamae G. Espineli, Jaymar T. Patana Circulation Managers, Janrick Carl T. Romales Sr. Computer Systems Manager & Online Accounts Manager, Ma Kristin Victoria Z. Abesamis Video Productions Manager | Staff Writers Alve Jane B. Aranton (Trainee), Johnray S. Asiñero (Trainee), Nikko Lance Galarrita (Trainee), Marina M. Garcia (Trainee), Caroline Joy R. Go, Nitzschia Cassiopiea Beroe A. Lozarita (Trainee) | Staff Artists Ben Clark B. Balase (Trainee), Rochelle D. Barros, Princess Johanni Marinell R. Darimbang (Trainee), Jenamae G. Espineli, Arnel Jade A. Evangelista II (Trainee), Christian Loui S. Gamolo, Jaymar T. Patana, Venice Marie P. Villo, Alvin Paul R. Yao Moderator Mrs. Ann Catherine Ticao-Acenas The

For contributions, please address your articles and/or comments to: Crusader Publication office, Rm. 302, Student Center Bldg., Xavier University 9000, Cagayan de Oro City Circulation: 7, 500 copies

Editorial

The keepers of social change

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www.thecrusaderpublication.com

Illustration by Christian Loui S. Gamolo

e’ve seen several positive changes around us. Changes we’ve all been longing for years, decades and even centuries.

Social movements have continued to fight for advocacies like basic human or gender rights, a proper democracy or the best educational system achievable.

Some of these progresses have already been met. The US Supreme Court, buoyed by the widespread support by the American public for LGBT rights, took a step closer to a more equal and open-minded society by nixing some provisions that denied federal rights to same-sex partners. The Philippines now adopts a new educational system that is intended to fix the shortcomings that the old one possessed. In this city, the regime of a mayor whose intentions have been questioned on several occasions has ended in favor of a new leader who has already proven to be effective in his advocacies early in his administration.

Particularly on the first day of former Misamis Oriental Governor Oscar S. Moreno’s official term as the new city mayor, everything went as planned towards a “hapsay” Cagayan de Oro. Streets were free from clogging vendors, traffic enforcers were visible at almost every corner, and police were making nightly patrols. On the first weekend of Moreno’s administration, the Divisoria Night Café suspended its operations.

The citizens of Cagayan de Oro ached for hope and change in a system that failed more memorably than it succeeded. But is it possible that Moreno and the rest of the yellow team were overhyped during the campaign because of this same thirst for change?

Had the thirst for a better government blindly drove the city’s voters to perceive the former governor a savior?

Let us not deprive ourselves the freedom of trying to prove our doubts in the hope of fulfillment. As we yearn for change, we sometimes oversee critical aspects of its actualization. Are the accusations against Moreno that were brought up during his campaign—like the alleged unliquidated cash advances or his actual residency—still worth debating? How about the prospects of the projects he is implementing or still plan to implement?

Our responsibility entails not only analytically examining the changes we see around us, but also rallying behind the mayor we elected if he starts to fall. For those who voted for him, and if Moreno starts to make indefensible mistakes, will their desertion from his cause be as fast as their adherence to him during the height of his campaign?

In addition, we must do our part in the change we wish to see. As elementary as it sounds, we cannot glorify a singular individual while we put a heavy weight on his shoulders in the form of expecting him to single-handedly fix what’s wrong in this city. The change we want will require us to abide by the law and positively contribute to society. As the mayor-elect himself said in a forum held in Xavier University Gym, “I cannot do it alone. I am not Superman.”

Even the man of steel himself has his kryptonite. In the same way, a leader’s kryptonite is when the people he serves turn a blind eye to matters of public interest, abandon him, or don’t do their fair share in community-building.

In the face of positive change, it is not something we just watch unfold. Like a baby, it is something we care for and raise to make sure it develops the right way in ways we can manage. These ways range from simply exercising your right to question, to starting initiatives that promote the positive intentions of this administration.

Given that Moreno’s term has just started, let’s give the new administration the benefit of the doubt, if you may. But it doesn’t mean that we should also give them a free pass.C

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Collegiate experience

Opinion

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50/50 Princess E. Tolentino

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s college worth it?” This is a question that some of us might ask on a daily basis as we go through a monotonous cycle of attending class, doing homework, and spending sleepless nights studying for exams... when we’d rather be elsewhere sipping milk tea, or playing golf with Justin Timberlake, or already working and earning our own money.

Studies show that it still is worth it. That is if you look at it economically. A study from Payscale. com, a data firm based in Seattle, found that more universities show results where the income earned by their graduates in a 30-year period is greater than the amount they paid in their time in college.

But again, as novelist and video blogger John Green puts it, that view would assume that life is a “purely economic phenomenon, which it isn’t.”

In his experience, post-graduate life was better than what he feared it would be not because college education gave him job opportunities, but because it gave him perspective and context.

“Whether you’re studying electrical engineering or poetry, college is not finally about maximizing income, it’s about becoming a better and more informed observer of the universe. And for me at least, that’s what leads to a more fulfilling life.”

For Green, “the opportunity to learn and study in a formal, dedicated way is still a gift— even if it has become a very expensive one.”

A lot of that is true in every country there is. But in the Philippines, college education is relatively cheaper compared to in America which, according to Green, is “criminally overpriced”. To us who pay a relatively smaller amount for college, it is more suitable to ask what it is that we pay for, rather than if college is worth it. And it isn’t even just the monetary expenditure only. It also includes the blood, sweat, and tears we shed just to graduate in college.

Those who feel like they are not getting the education and training that they are paying for, get the impression that they are wasting their time and money. They might ask themselves, “Why go through all of these? What is it all for? Is it all really worth it?”

Unfortunately, that will not be answered until the moment you sip your freshly squeezed orange juice in your house, with your own family that you can afford to feed and send to school every day and even spend vacations for. Until then, one can only bank on the impression that we get more out of the time in college than what we pay for. And, if you play your cards right, that doesn’t need to be just an impression.

As every cliché would say about the worth of things, it’s always what you do with them.

Maybe not all of us are puzzled in endless pessimism that the money our parents (or whoever spends for our education) pay, or the things we painstakingly do to pass our subjects almost seem pointless. But to some extent, we must know that our time is precious, and every stage in our life must serve a purpose. You can’t just be waiting for our “real life” to start, because when your perception of that “real world” becomes your reality, you’ll realize that it already started from the moment you were born.

What we’re paying for is more of the inbetween time while we transition to adulthood—a time that is still, in fact, part of the real world.

This is the time intended for us to figure out for sure who we really are and what makes us happy and content. What we’re paying for is the time we spend figuring out what constitutes success in our individual lives. And whether or not we become successful, at least we know we were aware of our definition of success this early on in our lives.

So when can we then say that every centavo and every effort we shed during college was worth it and maximized? It depends on how we define success, on what we want out of our lives—a definition we might as well have completely identified in this significant time. For some, it’s earning as much money as they can, for others it may be just having as many real and significant human interactions in one lifetime. It definitely won’t hurt if you figure out what it is for you. And once you achieve that, it is only then you can say that college has paid for itself, and more.C

Vol. 40 No. 1 July 2013

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Slipstream Kevin Paul P. Mabul

LAYGO. Clean as you go”.

On a scale of 1 to Internet Explorer, how ignored do you think are these signs?

Intended to promote the cleanliness of not only the Magis Student Complex, but also of the entire campus by encouraging everyone to clean up after themselves, this highly visible constant reminder remains out of sight to many, attested by the fact that used utensils, bottles, and plastic wrappers lay abandoned on tables and other school facilities. While it is true that there are personnel paid to maintain the general cleanliness of the campus, the question remains: is it really that hard to spot a garbage can within a 10-meter radius and walk up to it to dispose of the said trash?

One might have saved time and energy by not doing the extra effort, but soon enough we are all to suffer when everybody does the same thing.

Look beyond the immediate future. What you do now may be but a speck of dust in the vastness of everything, but give it time and it will have profound effects on the world.

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Lorem ipsum Louren B. Aranas

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Crusader

Beyond the immediate future

Opinion

Look after your trash. Switch off lights when not in use. Be honest. Put the welfare of others into consideration before doing something. Petty as these may seem, imagine what can be done when the masses act with you—tons of garbage properly taken care of, thousands of watts saved therefore reducing the world’s carbon footprint from power generation, and a world filled with selfless neighbors for others.

The little things matter. Even with the problem scaled up to ever-continuing issues like global warming and corruption, each and everyone’s ability to care can make a big impact.

Start caring, do what is right, and set an example and you’ll start a revolution towards the right direction.

Each of us may be just one, but we are one among billions of others. Change begins in each of us because we are, after all, parts of the bigger whole that is society.C

The downgrade

hat’s with the squabble on cheerleading, anyway?

A member of a certain college’s cheerleading team was seriously injured, which led its parent-teacher association (PTA) to push for the sport’s removal from the roster of Intramurals events. Safety issues, it is.

Cheerleading, a physically demanding sport entails risk: cheerleaders can acquire fractures, bruises, and injuries. However, students who have undying passion for the sport know beforehand what they’re committing to.

Instead of improving safety measures, why replace cheerleading with cheerdancing—which turns out to be more expensive as more people and props are needed? There should be means to provide sturdier mats, well-trained spotters, experienced coaches, and conducive places for practices. Risk comes with soccer, basketball, and softball, but that doesn’t mean these sport events should be dissolved.

Also, late-night practices posed as a threat to their security as crime tends to thrive more in the darkness, yet the absence of cheerleading is not an assurance for students to go home early.

Cheerleaders say cheerdancing—which resembles that of the UAAP (University Athletic Association of the Philippines) participants— would’ve been okay had there been more time to prepare; but guidelines have yet to be finalized as

of press time. Realistically speaking, how much time is left for practices?

Since cheerleading sets the energetic and competitive tone for the season, it is one of the most exhilarating things about the university Intramurals. Not only do I see daring stunts and pyramids, but I also witness students, despite the diversity, unite in supporting their college. Why remove a sport which has become means to amplify college spirit? School spirit establishes a strong emotional connection in the community, which, in turn, fosters a sense of belongingness and pride.

Out of 30 students I surveyed, 26 students say cheerleading should be retained as it is ingrained in the XU culture and is being anticipated for the excitement it brings. But it’s not just an attraction.

Before hype has built for those two-minute presentations, cheerleaders have invested their time, effort, and resources to hone their skills and to make their college proud. Cheerleading fuels them. It’s their passion.

Turning cheerleading into high school-like cheerdancing is like being told to watch a concert via YouTube when I could have seen the artists perform live. The experience is just like being in the concert, right? I don’t think so.

You may ask, “Why continue cheerleading, anyway?”

The bigger question should be, “Why not?”C www.thecrusaderpublication.com

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U is now employing the K+12 educational system as mandated by law. On 2016, however, the University is bracing for two years of not having freshmen students, with financial complications foreseen.

The most troubling problem in implementing the K+12 system entails is the shortage of college students that will expectedly enroll from 2016-2021, or about two batches. In that period, the supposed freshmen will be undergoing Grade 11 instead. This will mean a dramatic decrease in the University’s population, and ultimately its finances.

to them?

How will XU survive these obstacles? Contrary to popular belief that it intends to increase its tuition to cushion the projected losses, the K+12 system has nothing to do with the yearly tuition increases, according to University Treasurer Lennie K. Ong. The annual tuition increase has always been in accordance with national inflation rates. On average, inflation rates have increased 5.21% yearly for the last 15 years, with the highest rate in 2008-2009 (9.3%) and lowest in 2002-2004 (3.1%). And to cope with the rising prices of goods and supplies, tuition increased in the same time frame.

Design by Haiko B. Magtrayo

The University’s fund will make it through the expected lean years by way of cost-cutting, Ms. Ong explains. Because some of the expenses (e.g. utilities, depreciation, provision for doubtful accounts, etc.) cannot be reduced, it is most likely that the budget for personnel expenses and/or apostolic expenses will be sacrificed. Also, XU has to spend for the reassignment of some of the faculty and staff from the colleges to the high school. Furthermore, the University might have to scale back on scholarships offered, as well as some of its research endeavors, although it will affect the retention of university status.

Improving the country’s educational system, like many good things in this world, comes with a price. And in the administration’s perspective, the price indeed is high. When asked whether XU will survive the so-called “K+12 drought”, Ms. Ong replied “There is a future… We’re committed to the organization so we will make it work. It’s just that […] in 2016, at least in the next four years, it [will] be tough times.”C 4

Vol. 40 No. 1 July 2013

Campus Feature

By Kevin Paul P. Mabul

The numbers Depending on the year level, a minimum QPI that ranges from 1.5 to 2.0 is required for enrollees to meet. If a student fails to meet the said requirement, he/she is put on probation.

Failing to lift this probationary status within two semesters will force the student to shift to a different program or to transfer to another school.

The College of Engineering has been lenient regarding this for years, but has started strictly implementing the policy at the start of this academic year.“Those who were dismissed were long-running OP students and/or those with QPIs 1.0 or less, but of course dili for 1 sem lang… Since discretion man sa dean, ang iyang basis sa pag-decide is based sa past academic records sa students. If, for example, below 1.0 ang QPI sa student for this [semester], pero iyang past academic records [say] ga-perform ang student well, gaconsider ni Sir Linog since there are other factors nga nag-cause sa pag-ubos sa iyang QPI,” Association of College Engineering Students (ACES) President Irish Almanzor explains referring to a

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meeting between the student council and Engr.

Eliseo Linog, the college dean.

Dr. Lina Kwong, XU’s academic vice president, says that the reason of the college’s decision to strictly implement the policy was the recent introduction of the new Student Lifecycle Management and Information System, making academic records easier to trace compared to the previous system.

In effect, around 50-60 students were no longer allowed to continue their engineering studies at the start of this school year.

Upshot A lot of those who were affected shifted to the College of Computer Studies, while those who have been pursuing engineering longer transferred to another school to persevere on the same course.

A Civil Engineering senior, who wishes to remain anonymous, found out as he was about to get his study load that he was to be dismissed from Engineering. “I have no interest in another course, and I [spent] four years in Engineering and I think it’s too late to shift. I decided to [leave] Xavier University to continue my dream [of] becoming a civil engineer in another school.”

Another Civil Engineering senior shares his frustrations over the lack of warning given by the administration. “Nag-saba nalang unta sila daan before enrolment para dili na mi mag kapoy-kapoy ug pa-enroll.”

Even ACES hoped that they were informed of the strict implementation beforehand, allowing them to relay the information and give a fair warning to the student body. However, no matter how the issue is looked at, the decision is justified if based on the student handbook, which covers provisions from the QPI system to the general

responsibility of students to check on their academic status and standing.

Resolve The sudden strict implementation of the policies has been met with varying comments from the XU community, and stirred discussions regarding the decision’s fairness.

“Dili fair. Gusto baya mi mag-graduate sa XU bahala’g dugay-dugay pa. Engineering pud baya; lisud ug daghan bogoy-bogoy busa madugayan gyud,” says a senior. Another, however, disagrees. “I think it [was] fair so that the students will be able to focus in their studies and not just [rely] on others kay unfair sad sa uban [nga] naningkamot.”

With tighter rules, ACES plans to orient current and future students on probation to know what to do, and to help them through mandatory tutoring sessions to facilitate effective improvement. *** In the end, one can only look toward the future. As it seems, the steps for a fairer, more high-standard education have already been taken.

Some students’ complacency can be deeply rooted to the fact that the policy isn’t being strictly implemented, and that this plan of action is seen to address overstaying by some students, at the same time raise University standards.

Regarding the question of fairness, whether it is or it isn’t depends on consistency. This means that for us students, it is when we make sure that our academic performance is, at least, in compliance with the standards set. For the administration, it is when the policies are administered properly, year in and year out.C

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Design by Ben Clark B. Balase

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icture this: It’s an ordinary day of the enrolment season. Considering that this is your fifth year enrolling, you go to school having it all figured out: line up at the Finance Office for the downpayment, at the Registrar for your SLMIS account activation, and finally at your department for your study load and subject encoding.

However, things take a turn for the worse.

Upon evaluation, you find out that the tolerant system you once knew and enjoyed is no more, and you’re no longer eligible to enroll for your college—exactly what happened to some Engineering students during the recent enrolment.

Campus Feature

“ ” “” “” “” SOE The enrollent process was a bit stressing, due to the online enrolment. As much as it should have made the process easier, the Internet connection was too weak and we had to come back the next day just to get our schedules. A lot of the Educ students got so pissed—good thing the volunteers were really accommodating so somehow our heads cooled down.

By Nadine Hendrikka E. Legaspi and Alve Jane B. Aranton

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rmed with your username and password slip, you excitedly type in your login details. You follow the instructions, and after you click the “Self-Service” link, you find yourself in a whole new world—as far as school records go, at least.

This revolutionary way of finding out your grades (before your parents do) is called the Student Life Cycle Management and Information System, more popularly known for its acronym, SLMIS (which itself is quite a mouthful—say it as fast as you can five times).

Since the second semester of last year, students have been using the SLMIS to be updated on their academic status. The University eased into this once-mythical online enrolment in the summer semester of this year, which made for a paperless academic evaluation system.

Only this semester, according to Computing and Information Services Office (CISO) Director Ms. Harriet Fernandez, has the SLMIS been used fullblast for students’ enrolment.

Baby steps Enrolment into the current semester has been riddled with system glitches, much to the ire of waiting students both old and new. You may have experienced being told to come back the next day

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because the system has “crashed”, or you couldn’t enroll into a subject yet because there still weren’t any available classes, or you weren’t entertained right away because it wasn’t the scheduled day of enrolment for your year level—which was the previous day, when you were told “Balik na lang ugma.”

“Gubot kaayo, wala’y tarong nga system ug process. [Using] SLMIS man unta ug computer, why grabe ka-hinay? We were told to come back the next day until muabot na sa lain nga [year level] ang turn sa enrolment tungod aning system crash daw,” an ArtScies student recounts. What with all the complaints, there were certain inevitable things that took place—one factor of the system “crash” was caused by a sluggish Internet connection. Ms. Fernandez makes clear, “We instructed our team to be around by 8AM because we wanted all of us to be engaged in monitoring the enrolment.”

She says that though she had expected it, no calls were made to the CISO office complaining about the apparent “crash”, but she herself admits that there are improvements needed to be made on the system.

Apart from the crawling Internet connection, another ArtScies student opens up about questioning the familiarity of evaluators handling the system, “Okay ang system pero I think the

ENGINEERING It was okay lang kay at first na nga bago-han mi sa new process and medyo high-tech na ang pag-paenroll. So far smoothest enrolment [ni] na akong naexperience even though naa’y gubot gamay pero dali ra siya ma aksyunan. Good job kaayo! Kung sa mayor pa, ‘hapsay’.

COMPSTUD Mas smooth ang enrolment process sa CompStud unlike sa uban colleges. Malingaw ra pud ang students while waiting for their turn kay naa ra man sila sa [computer] lab and makapili ra pud sila ug subjects didto.

CIT Mas easy and paspas gyud [magenroll] with SLMIS kay after you pay for the downpayment, you just give the enrolment form sa faculty then that’s it. They just tell [us] nalang dayon nga i-check dayon after an hour among mga subjects.

Vol. 40 No. 1 July 2013

SBM The transactions and stuff were really fast but I just had to wait for a couple of hours for it to be my turn.

There were no complications while we were enrolling; it was just the waiting that killed us.

HOW DID ENROLMENT GO FOR EVERYONE?

We all know the stress we all have to go through waiting in line at the Finance Office and the Registrar, but once we get to our respective departments, our struggles may not be as universal as we think. Here’s a glimpse of how some students from different colleges experienced their enrolment with the new system for the first time.

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NURSING Enrolment has always been easy for us. The admin prepares everything.

So more or less, human na mi halfday pa lang. We’re blocked together so sila na dayon bahala sa tanan.

[With SLMIS], same lang. Actually, murag mas fast pa sauna. Bag-o paman gud ang SLIMIS, dili pa kaayo familiar ang Nursing admin.

ARTSCIES I was happy to see that I have no Wednesday classes, pero after ORSEM I found out nga na change akong [schedule]. Less hassle ang pag keep sa records [with SLMIS], pero we recently had a problem sa Eng 16 class namo kay our teacher told us nga na mix-up ang uban nag-enroll for Eng 14 sa Eng 16. Not really sure if sa SLMIS ba to nga fault.

people of XU do not have enough knowledge on how to operate [it]. Like what happened sa akong evaluator during sa enrolment, wala siya kabalo unsaon pag-add, drop or pag-change sa subject. I don’t know why, pero I thought nga evaluators were trained before they handled the SLMIS.” The lack of manpower to encode and evaluate the students’ records for enrolment was also a major concern, especially for populous courses. An SBM student recounts, “The admin had a hard time accommodating all of us. The admin would come in late for the encoding and it was so gubot. The seniors lined up from morning ‘til evening, and some were [even] told to go back the next day.” The same student articulates that another thing that hampered their enrolment was that only administrators were authorized to do the encoding, and only three teachers were doing so, until they decided that more encoders were needed.

Ms. Fernandez explains that evaluators were trained before summer class enrolment, care of the University Registrar. Given the volume of enrolling students at that time, she speculates that since the trained evaluators were not always available to cater to all the enrolling students, some colleges resorted to having untrained evaluators attend to the students while others made do with the trained ones, hence the slowness of the process. She added that CISO will be conducting post-enrolment evaluations to get feedback from the evaluators to know what should be improved on their part and what should be addressed in the part of the evaluators’ training. “… The system is still on-going; maybe some of you will have full expectation of the system, but I just want to make it clear that this is the first run,” Ms. Fernandez explains.

Awaited potential But other than seeing your grades and viewing your schedule, and hopefully for enrolling in the second semester, the SLMIS was conceptualized to do so much more. “It’s basically a womb-totomb system,” says Fernandez. It is designed to replace your traditional school file that contains everything that went on with you in your stay in the University until you get employed. Unlike the Enrolment Information System, the program formerly used for our academic records, the SLMIS is designed to record all of our other information and activity involvements— formation, curricular, co- and extra-curricular.

Think of it as a more comprehensive, less public Facebook profile—minus the selfies.

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Design by Rico M. Magallona

“ ” ” “ ” “” ” “ ” AGGIES It was really an exhausting, draining, and very tiring enrollment so far.

Nagpabalik-balik ko sa school for like four days just to be enrolled. "Patience is a virtue", mao gyud na amung gihuna-huna while we were waiting outside the evaluation room because the system was really slow, and naa pa'y mga evaluator na grabe ka-late na muabot sa school. I think it would be better gyud if kita na mismo mga students ang mag-enroll sa mga subjects na atong i-take, like we could have na the enrollment at home.

Campus Feature

Campus Feature

Recruitment and Admissions

Contributor Relations

Student Records

Self-Service

SLMIS Academic Advisement

Student Financials

Campus Community

The SLMIS is set to have eight modules: Recruitment and Admissions, Student Records, Academic Advisement, Campus Community, Contributor Relations, Self-Service, Student Financials, and Financial Aid. Most modules are still under partial implementation, while the Student Records module, which enables students to view their past and present grades, has been fully implemented.

Fernandez shares that they are looking into launching the online enrolment for regular students in the second semester. Shiftees and transferees, whose records are a lot more complicated to migrate from the old to the new system because of the need to verify and transfer earned credits, will be able to enroll online when all their credits have been successfully transferred.

Once all the modules of the system are fully implemented, students will be able to update their user profiles, check their grades, view their financial assessments, pay online through credit or debit card, add their subjects during enrolment, view and verify their schedules, and be on their merry way as soon as classes start.

Doubtful origins Talk has spread of the SLMIS costing more than what it’s worth, with the University allegedly paying Php47 million to the Pakistanis for the system. Though Ms. Fernandez was hesitant to disclose the true amount, she sets the rumors straight by explaining that the amount, which is actually less than the rumored sum, is being paid in a staggered manner and was in no way paid for in whole, and the system is only being maintained

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Financial Aid

by Pakistani company Techlogix, Oracle’s partner in SLMIS’s implementation.

“Yes it’s expensive, because it’s an Oracle product… it’s not just an enrolment system— it is a system that will handle everything, from enrolment to the alumni part. There are many modules that have yet to be updated, so you’re just using it for enrolment for now… The implementation isn’t parang ‘Big Bang’. We started implementing it in 2010... So the payment is really staggered. [The total amount to be paid is] not the full, exact amount.” She adds that the system will not only hold college students’ records, but the records of the pre-school, grade school, and high school Ateneans as well.

The fact that the SLMIS was purchased from Oracle, a USA-based software company, bore negative comments from the community as well. Ms. Fernandez explains that there were ten bidders for the project, with Oracle being the only foreign-based company to bid among local contenders. Based on the evaluation of the features and functionality of all systems plus a system demo, the ten were shortlisted into three. After more consultations, Oracle’s PeopleSoft Campus Solution system won the bid. “During the demo [with] some vendors, the local ones, it was found out that their [systems were] not that integrated; because we want an integrated system, but for the local vendors, they only have this module, and another module separately. They’re not integrated. That’s why it’s only PeopleSoft Campus Solution who really catered to our requirements, that we wanted an integrated system—one system to manage the life cycle of the students.” Other big universities do not have integrated systems, but

separate ones for all their divisions (like AdMU, with different systems for different colleges), because of their larger populations.

Since it may take a year or two for the SLMIS to reach its fullest potential, it is likely that the newest batch of XU students would be the ones who would really benefit from this system once it is fully operational. Upon hearing this possibility a first year CompStud student opines, “That would be interesting. I wanna experience the luxury of sitting on your computer chair and doing an activity that was once [stressful] and tiring before.” *** After the bumpy road of refining the SLMIS, Fernandez claims that in one or two years, students will be able to enjoy more payment options and enrolment “in minutes” even from hometowns outside the city, or even while on vacation—as long as you have an Internet connection.

Amid all the speculative feedback from the students, Ms. Fernandez says as a closing note, “I just want students to see the positive side of it. The system is to make their lives easier and to make their educational experience in Xavier more beautiful... We are improving our system, so I hope that the students will be able to see the light in it; that this improvement is for them.”

Just like every kind of change, it takes time to adjust to it; a necessary pain we have to go through to achieve the utopian dream of nearinstant enrolment. So bear with the glitches for now; things will get better. You asked for this, after all.C

Vol. 40 No. 1 July 2013

National Feature

By Marina M. Garcia

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veryone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory.” - Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Unfortunately, this is not the reality in the Philippines.

According to UNICEF, 12 percent of schoolage children here do not have the means to formal education. In fact, only 8 out of 10 children attend primary school. This number drops in the secondary level, where only 6 out of 10 get proper schooling.

Suffice to say, many of them won’t ever attain college education.

Design by Jenamae G. Espineli Photo by Ma. Kristin Victoria Z. Abesamis

National budget for education Philippines’ national budget for education, which is lesser than most of its neighboring countries, could be a factor contributing to our poor educational system. For example, every year Thailand assigns Php45,817 per child; it just allocates Php13,925 per child.

Having that said, quality education is relatively enjoyed by Filipinos who can afford private schools. This quality difference between two kinds of educational systems in the country creates a rift between social classes. Moreover, this leads to further devaluation of public education for both teachers and students who suffer the consequences.

Also, according to UNESCO, the Philippines has the largest pupil-teacher ratio in primary school in Southeast Asia with 65 students per teacher, followed by Cambodia (47), Bangladesh (43) and Nepal (30).

Filipino teachers going abroad for better opportunities aggravate the situation even more.

This brain drain robs the country exceptional teachers who could have educated their own countrymen. With the lack of teachers, the number of children per class increases. As a consequence, the learning environment becomes crowded and less conducive for learning.

The ideal country If the Philippines has a substandard educational system, compared to more developed countries,

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what country is a good example for a utopia in education?

According to the Economist Intelligence Unit for Pearson, Finland has the best educational system.

Interestingly, only 7 percent of their Gross Domestic Product is spent on education. Their students do not have long days of school. They also give homework and quizzes rarely until high school. Despite the unconventionality, majority of the students have high passing rates in national competency exams, which gauge their learning in school.

The real secret for the success of their education system is belief in equality. All children have the same rights to receive education that is totally free. They regard public education as better than the private one. In fact, they have very few private schools. This, together with an ideal number of 27 students per class, makes a perfect environment both for teaching and learning.

Far from finished Despite these sad facts that plague our educational system, from where can we draw hope?

Do we blindly look forward to the future? Do we appreciate any chance for change?

In fact, the Filipino government has inspiring plans for this school year. Aside from the newly implemented K+12 system, these plans include increasing the percentage of funds allotted to education. By next year, it promises to spend this budget on 789 classrooms, 90,461 water and sanitation facilities, and more than 1,000,000 chairs.

Another Php1.5-billion of it will provide more than 31.1 million textbooks and manuals for the teachers.

Soon, every student will have his own book, which is a big leap from 2010, when the ratio was 1 book per 3 students. *** Significant reforms in the Philippine education system will take time to happen, specifically in the rural areas. It will take us years to provide basic educational needs for every child. Reasonably, they will need more time to have an internationally acclaimed quality of education. For now, at least we have just adapted the K+12 system. Not a bad start,

most people would say.

Henry Peter Brougham once said, “Education makes a people easy to lead, but difficult to drive; easy to govern, but impossible to enslave”. Taking this into account, one can easily ask, “Could this be a reason why many Filipinos are deprived of good education?”C

8 out of 10 students attend primary school

Sources: Top tier schools and diploma mills, D+C Development and Cooperation (http://www.dandc.eu) The secret of one of the best education systems in the world, BBC.com (http://www.bbc.co.uk) The World Bank (http://data.worldbank.org) Philippine government moves to increase education budget by 22.6% in 2013, Enterprise Innovation (http://enterpriseinnovation.net) Universal Declaration of Human Rights(http://www.udhr.org) Why Finland’s Unorthodox Education System Is The Best In The World, Business Insider (http://www.businessinsider.com) In observance of the Global Action Week on Education: Philippine Education and the Progressive Role of 24x7guru. com.ph, ASSIST (http://assistasia.wordpress.com)

Vol. 40 No. 1 July 2013

Global Feature

From a spring to a torrent In July last year, the International Committee of the Red Cross declared that the war in Syria at the time was “so widespread that the conflict is now in effect a civil war.” Since then, the world saw the situation spill into depravity and wanton slaughter, and as of late June, the death toll has reached to at least 100,000. There have been reports of either side using sarin, which is a lethal nerve agent.

While some may assume that revolutionaries may be more righteous in their approach, the rebels themselves have received bad press. For instance, a video of a rebel pulling out a regime soldier’s internal organs and eating it on camera became viral worldwide, sparking debate on which side actually deserved support from the international community.

However, with aid being sent to both sides by other countries, the international community fears that the fighting may spill towards neighboring countries. As British Prime Minister David Cameron said, “There is no military victory to be won and all our efforts must be focused on the

ultimate goal of a political solution,” emphasizing the importance of installing a democratic government after the war.

Peacekeepers and patriates According to Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesperson Chief Superintendent Agrimero Cruz Jr., the Philippines has been sending forces on various UN peacekeeping missions since 1992. In the early 1970’s, peacekeeping forces were deployed in the Golan Heights, a buffer zone between Syria and Israel, which were warring states during the time. And as of June, there are 342 Filipino peacekeepers in the said buffer zone, comprising about a third of the whole remaining force as some countries have already pulled out.

Twenty-one of the Pinoy peacekeepers were captured by Syrian rebels early this March and were released four days after. Last month, a Filipino peacekeeper was wounded by shelling.

President Benigno Aquino III played down talk of troop withdrawal, extending their stay until August “with a reassessment thereafter to be made every six months.”

Meanwhile, records from 2011 state that 90 percent of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Syria were undocumented. In light of the conflict and the dangers it poses to Filipinos, the government launched a massive repatriation program for OFWs. According to a Department of Labor and Employment report last May, there

have been 4,178 Filipinos officially repatriated from Syria.

However, the 2011 report noted that there are approximately 17,000 OFWs in Syria.

Especially since majority of these workers are undocumented, owing to illegal recruiters and poor government policy, not much is known about the real number of Filipinos in Syria. Syrian employers also reportedly raised salaries for Filipinos within the area for them to stay amidst the turmoil. *** While the Civil War is going on, civilians, peacekeepers, and soldiers alike are placed at risk. Both sides have shown that they’re willing to resort to extreme measures. Syrian officials may be held liable by international criminal courts after the war ends, but in this one, there are no “good” and “bad” guys. Whether the revolution turns out to be beneficial for the Syrian people— and everyone else in the Middle East—depends on the international community.

However, these questions remain: If the fighting does break out into the UN peacekeepers’ base, how ready are the troops? Will they be well-prepared enough to repel any outbreak of the conflict, or will they add to the rising death toll? And what of the rest of the undocumented OFWs in Syria, especially in Damascus, where the fighting is heaviest?C

Sources: “Syria conflict now a civil war: Red Cross”, Associated Press (http://www.thenational.ae) “UN Security Council extends Golan peacekeeping mandate”, PressTV (http://www.presstv.ir) “Philippines Warns That It May Pull Peacekeepers Out of Golan”, The New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com) “PH sets conditions for continued Golan Heights deployment”, Inquirer Global Nation (http://globalnation.inquirer.net) “PNP to honor Filipino peacekeepers”, Inquirer Global Nation (http://globalnation.inquirer.net) “Daraa: The spark that lit the Syrian flame”, CNN (http://edition.cnn.com) “Syria Crackdown Escalates: Assad Dispatches Tanks, Snipers to Dara’a”, Time (http://www.time.com) “Russia claims Syrian rebels have used sarin gas”, The Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk) “Syrian rebels reject Russian claims on sarin use”, The Times of Israel (http://www.timesofisrael.com) “UK and France claim Syrian attack victims have tested positive for sarin”, The Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk) “Filipino peacekeeper wounded in fighting between Syrian and rebel forces in Golan Heights”, Fox News (http://www.foxnews.com) “Syria death toll tops 100,000”, The Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk) “35 repatriated OFWs from Syria fail to arrive”, GMA News (http://www.gmanetwork.com) “De Lima to immigration execs: Explain departure of undocumented OFWs to Syria”, Interaksyon (http://www.interaksyon.com) “Philippine Embassy in Lebanon Assists in the Repatriation of 58 OFWs from Syria”, Department of Foreign Affairs (https://www.dfa.gov.ph) “Tunisian president resigns as violence persists”, The National (http://www.thenational.ae) The

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Design by Ben Clark B. Balase

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wo years after the Arab Spring, the Civil War in Syria is still raging on. While leaders had been ousted in other countries within the region, Bashar al-Assad is still in power—and Syria is still embroiled in a very bloody civil war between the regime forces and the rebel Free Syrian Army.

By Nikko Lance Galarrita and Lyle Justin A. Egay (contributor)

Campus Feature

Money Matters

By Caroline Joy R. Go

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ha man ga-paingun akong kwarta oy?� You might have asked yourself this question at the end of the day after realizing that only meager portion remained from your allowance. Did you fall victim to impulse buying? Or did you spend it all on something important? TheCrusader conducted a survey to find out.

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Vol. 40 No. 1 July 2013

Campus Feature

Satisfying cravings and feelings The item most XU students spend for when it comes to leisure is movies. Cinemas are now more accessible with four massmarket movie theaters operating in the city.

Also, this recreational activity requires no special skill and can be enjoyed individually or in groups. For these reasons, moviewatching can be considered a worthwhile experience, financially, mentally, and emotionally.

Next in rank is the collective group of accessories/clothes/cosmetics. It doesn’t necessarily mean that many Ateneans are vain when it comes to their fashion; there’s also a biological aspect to this. The early 20’s are years when hormonal levels are highest.

(The survey population’s age ranges from 15-26 years old.) This is the period when young adults try to look for meaningful, and sometimes romantic interpersonal relationships. No surprises, then, that some young adults spend up to make themselves look good for unsuspecting prey, or in other words, prospective partners.

The next three items are essentially “giving” expenses. Whether it’s for a little get-together with friends or for a cancerstricken kid, we value the importance of having people and relationships in our lives.

We immerse and invest both our time and financial resources with them as we embark in the never-ending journey of finding and identifying our roles in the society.

So how about those expenses that concern with the “significant other”?

There are some students who really spend to express their feelings (buying a bouquet of roses coupled with a chocolate bar is a classic example) or to celebrate relationship milestones (a “monthsary” date comes to mind). Looking at the bigger picture, students who allocate portion of their allowance to catering the wants and needs of their special other could mean spending as much as the whole allowance of those who belong to the PHP 3,000-and-below bracket.

Well, one thing’s for sure: like happiness, we can’t buy love. But we do spend to make it happen.

To save, or to invest?

Though a lot of respondents do save, most of them only save about PHP 500 or below, according to the survey. A majority of whom uses the extra cash for emergencies or for when they feel like it, compared to the lesser portion who actually invests on something they want.

A good behavior here is that there are some students who pool their savings into

a bank account or an income-generating venture like investing in stocks or as a moneylender. Either way, they can get more money than stashing it idly in their wallets.

Think of it this way: after an estimate of four years saving PHP 500 a month in college, without spending it whenever we feel like it, we could had have PHP 24,000 after we graduate. That’s enough capital to start our own business and not bother Mom or Dad for expenses when going job hunting.

Or better yet, if we invested PHP 500 a month of an income-generating venture, we could get more than PHP 24,000 and could already be paying for our own apartment after we graduate. If you’re still a senior, that means your parents are still willing to give your allowance for eight more months.

If you can’t immediately find a job after graduation, you might still be helping your parents by using this amount to defray your personal expenses. It’s a lot better than doing nothing but waiting for job offers, and letting your parents spend for your needs. *** Money, like time, is limited. We spend it on the things we think we need and on things that give us the most satisfaction but there are also opportunity costs. More often than not, we tend to unconsciously sacrifice the long-term benefits for instant gratification.

Think about it, money matters exist because money does matter.

Now ask yourself again, “Aha man gapaingun akong kwarta oy?”C

Disclaimer: This study, conducted from June 24-July 4 2013, was done to get an overview and rough representation of the Xavier University student population’s spending habits. Due to time and financial constraints, the publication cannot survey the whole population of 10, 625 students for the 1st semester of A.Y. 2013-2014. The sample size of 371 respondents who participated in the survey was computed using Slovin’s formula. Stratified sampling was also used to proportionate the different colleges, year levels, and gender to better represent the population. Other factors not catered and foreseen by survey questions are outside the scope of the survey. The “population” referred to in this article is not the actual population, but the represented sample size of students surveyed in the study.

Acknowledgement to the following persons/department in making the study feasible: Catherine Almaden and Kresna Navarro of the Economics Department, Diana Macalong of the Mathematics Department, Registrar’s Office, Venice Villo, Christian Gamolo, Louren Aranas, Jmar Patana, Janrick Romales, Kevin Mabul, Sam Garcia, Jenamae Espineli, Shem Villoro, Lyle Egay, and Ryan Avellana.

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Design by Janrick Carl T. Romales and Rico M. Magallona

We can see that the top seven most frequently-spent items of the XU students are either personal necessities or important expenditures. There’s little surprise here as needs should be satisfied before wants.

Further down the table, we can see that the expenses for leisure have the next largest percentage. And in a separate table, we get to see the details of XU students’ leisure spending.

Team CDO and Mayor Oscar Moreno have their work cut out for them. Can they pull it off under the optimistic, yet watchful eyes of the Kagay-anons?

By John Kenneth E. Ching

Design by Francis Ryan O. Avellana and Haiko Magtrayo; Photos by Alvin Paul R. Yao , Arnel Jade A. Evangelista II, Haiko B. Magtrayo, Venice P. Villo, Jaymar T. Patana and Volco Louie J. Magbanua

Cover Story

T

ropical Storm ‘Sendong’ will forever be known as a killer storm in this part of the world, causing hundreds dead and millions of pesos in damage. Beyond death, demoralization, and destruction, it also claimed another victim: Sendong also shattered what was once a virtually impregnable hold on Kagay-an politics by ex-Mayor Vicente Emano and his allies. Various movements sprouted like mushrooms in social media, many of which took a decidedly anti-Emano stance. All the pent-up emotions that much of Emano’s critics suppressed through the years raged as if it were a flood in itself.

So when then-Misamis Oriental Governor Oscar Moreno publicly declared his intention to challenge Emano for the mayoralty seat, much of the latter’s cynics immediately flocked to the challenger as if he were a God-sent savior. Despite having other contenders to the seat, Cagayan de Oro became a city of two colors: one side, composed mainly of the establishment, was purple; and much of the remainder, those that strongly advocated for change, was clad in yellow.

Team CDO

In the months leading to the 2013 elections, Emano, the deep-voiced, cigarchomping leader of CdeO’s lilac political juggernaut that lasted for four consecutive terms arguably (because there are some who insist that former lawmaker Constantino “Tinnex” Jaraula, city mayor from 2007 to 2010, was a puppet of Emano), was said to enjoy a huge following among the urban poor communities in the city through his controversial “Piso-piso” Program (PPP) that sells land to informal settlers for as low as Php1.00 only.

It is said that the Liberal Party, Moreno’s affiliating party, is the underdog in this game of thrones. While the purple alliance was said to build its strength through the masses through pro-poor initiatives such as the PPP, the party meanwhile gained the support of the middle class.

Probably one of the key turning points during the campaign is the inclusion of incumbent 2nd District Representative Rufus Rodriguez into Moreno’s slate. The lawmaker, who was running for his third term in Congress, aligned himself to Moreno in deference to public appeal. Emano’s 16

camp claimed that there was a “prior understanding” that was made by the allies as the opposition did not field a candidate for the 2nd District, to which Rodriguez immediately denied. “Walay panagsabot nga nahitabo and I have been neutral since 2010 (There was no prior understanding made between us and I have been neutral since 2010),” Rodriguez said. He won in a landslide over rival and Emano protégé Ian Mark Nacaya.

Aside from Rodriguez, the Liberal Party also secured the support of Hon. Rolando “Klarex” Uy, barangay chairman of Carmen.

Uy, who lost in the mayoral race in 2010, faced Jose Benjamin “Benjo” Benaldo, who was known more for his celebrity wife—Brazilian television personality and model Daiana

Menezes— and his flamboyant fashion sense than his legislation. Uy translated this into a victory over the incumbent Benaldo by over 20,000 votes.

Loose ends The May 8 debate between the two mayoral rivals exposed what was perceived—

by Emano’s camp, at least—as the crack in Moreno’s armor: the Commission on Audit reported that the provincial government has about Php193 million’s worth of public funds unliquidated during 2011. How or why did the amount went unaccounted for was unknown by the public, but it seems that Moreno apparently has some loose ends that were left hanging. It is also rumored that Emano has left more money in the city Vol. 40 No. 1 July 2013

Cover Story

coffers than Moreno has with the provincial funds.

In an e-mailed statement to Philippine Star, the former governor claimed, “To set the record straight, it is not true that the province had not accounted for Php193 million in public funds.” He also denied the existence of unliquidated cash advances, stating that they provincial government has duly fulfilled with regulations set by the Commission on Audit.

Meanwhile, the COA also ordered Moreno to explain for the unsettled cash advances amounting to Php96 million that were incurred by the provincial government from 1973-2009. Emano then challenged Moreno to explain for the said amount.

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Moreno retorted, however, that Emano also incurred his share of the cash advances during his term as governor.

The Liberal Party also wasn’t immune from the typical post-election mudslinging common between political rivals. A photo of a Php200 bill stapled with a sample ballot that featured the whole Liberal Party slate surfaced on the social media right after the elections. They were also accused by Emano’s camp with the manipulation of vote counting.

Nevertheless, it can be said that these allegations, and more, against the new mayor did little to quell the support for the Liberal Party. But it did reinforce the notion that Moreno, too, is far from perfect.

A tall order Proclaiming Moreno and Team CDO as saviors would be audacious, and it seems that they have a long way to go in accomplishing their mission of making Cagayan de Oro City “hapsay”—a Cebuano word for “orderly”.

Here comes the hard part: Team CDO is now inheriting a city that is a mishmash of cosmopolitan chic and Third World drab.

Cagayan de Oro resembles, more or less, a typical modern Filipino metropolis. The city accommodates Starbucks, McDonald’s and Marks & Spencer inside air-conditioned posh malls. Owing to its stature as Northern Mindanao’s premier city, brands that once were accessible only in Manila, Cebu or Davao are now enjoyed by the people all over the region.

Construction projects are commonplace throughout the city and its environs.

Despite all these, there is a stark contrast between the haves and the have-nots in the city. The homeless still linger around at parking lots and sidewalks, asking—some even harassing—people for some spare change. There are areas where the slums still surround subdivisions, hotels and malls.

During the height of the campaign period, theft and mugging became commonplace; criminals are becoming bolder, even at hightraffic areas such as the intersections near the Ysalina Bridge or the always-crowded Cogon Market area. Criminality might have reached its zenith when a group of armed men staged a robbery at the Carmen branch of Cagayan de Oro Power and Light Company (CEPALCO) in broad daylight.

Some areas of the city are flood-prone, as many residential and commercial zones are situated in or near low-lying areas. The drainage system remains faulty, with silt and garbage clogging these channels, leading to overflowing in some areas. Meanwhile, the city landfill continues to disturb residents nearby with smoke coming from the burning of garbage.

Team CDO also has to contend with deficiencies of its public structures, especially of the dilapidated JR Borja Memorial Hospital in Carmen. The hospital has long been lacking in equipment, supplies, and medicines. Various donors have pulled out from supporting the city hospital as they found out that their donations have been “neglected” and shelved by the city government.

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Local Features

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Vol. 40 No. 1 July 2013

Cover story

The honeymoon On July 1, Moreno’s administration immediately went to work.

The new government, for the first week of its term, held true to its promise of “hapsay”. The streets around the city’s public markets are largely cleared from peddlers.

Street food vendors regularly stationed on a stretch along Pabayo Street are now being transferred to other areas in the city where they cannot interfere with traffic. The Night Café was halted indefinitely, and the administration is looking for suitable areas for the open-market vendors to set up shop.

The number of traffic enforcers stationed at major intersections increased, and so did the number of arrests of traffic violators.

Furthermore, City Hall is slowly erasing the visual remnants of Emano’s rule in the city. The three flyovers that were painted purple are now coated with black and white. Recently, Moreno has cancelled all special mining permits for projects in the hinterlands of the city. It was discovered that these permits were granted by the ex-Mayor without the approval of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau. Many of the recipients of these permits are small-scale miners that dot along the Iponan River; the mining activity in the area is one of the primary reasons of the killer floods in late 2011.

In a forum held in XU’s AVR 1, Moreno discussed with representatives of the internally displaced persons (IDP) living both in ‘Sendong’ relocation sites and offsites the possibility of the city to acquire a Php10 billion annual fund for urban development. For Cagayan de Oro to be one of the fund’s recipient cities, the local government and the IDPs have mulled over possible revenue-generating projects in order

to meet the fund’s equity requirements. The for Cagayan de Oro. As we have witnessed lately, administration plans to include improvement our problems have been complex. We discover of living conditions of ‘Sendong’ survivors that more and more people got themselves into in the appropriation of the fund, among a bureaucracy that encourages challenging the others. system more than anything else. As a The campaign of possible result, solving one aspect communal order and strict of the problem might lead to “The people implementation of the serious repercussions later law was met with on. have spoken. They widespread approval.

Team CDO’s want to really change The same discussion leadership presents this administration. We groups that met some kind of a the previous paradox: to secure will be working hard sa administration’s the general welfare pagbag-o sa city, bagmoves with derision of the public, they ong adlaw, bag-ong quickly greeted those might have to step of the new one with over the interests of paglaum ug bag-ong delight. some Kagay-anons kalambuan.”

But not everybody albeit understanding was happy with the the significance of the development. The vendors implementation of a new order. were among that took the hardest “The people have spoken. They hit during the restructuring. As many of want to really change this administration. them were primarily dependent on their We will be working hard sa pagbag-o sa city, businesses to survive, the crackdown left bag-ong adlaw, bag-ong paglaum ug bag-ong them moving to areas where they will earn kalambuan (We will be working hard for the less than they normally would. As of press city’s change, a new day, new hope, and new time, the leaders of the Night Cafe vendors progress),” Rodriguez said. association are still lobbying for Moreno to Much of the hullabaloo about the local reconsider his decision of suspending the partisan politics obscures the fact that a weekly night market. revolution is happening. This is typical when Within the City Hall, Moreno, along with the populace hungers for something new... his allies, will have to contend with a largely something to rejuvenate our hopes for a pro-Emano city council. But Vice Mayor better society. Change might be an overused Caesar Ian Acenas, himself affiliated with term, but it holds true today. Obviously, we PaDayon Pilipino, promised to work with are left with two choices: either to embrace the new mayor nonetheless. this uncertainty with optimism or to continue doing the things we are used to. Since many A new era? of us chose the former; now, we get to see With Team CDO making good on its whether we made the right choice. promises so far, the future seems to be bright It’s our voice, after all that led to this.C

SourcesSources “Moreno “Morenoadvises advisesbigbigbusinesses businessestotoback backoffoffnight nightcafe caferow”, row”,“Mayor: “Mayor:Guv’s Guv’sstate state address address just for just‘pogi for ‘pogi points’”, points’”, “Moreno “Moreno gi-endorso gi-endorso sa mga sa Rodriguez”, mga Rodriguez”, “Emano “Emano waves off waves Rufus,offOca Rufus, unity”, Oca“Comelec unity”, “Comelec proclaims proclaims Moreno, Rodriguez, Moreno, Rodriguez, Uy”, Uy”, “Local“Local newspaper newspaper to facetoraps”, face raps”, “COA: “COA: Unsettled Unsettled Capitol Capitol cash advances cash advances not just not just P8M”, P8M”, SunStar SunStar (http://www.sunstar.com.ph) (http://www.sunstar.com.ph) “Full text of Mayor Vicente Emano’s election protest against Mayor-elect Oscar Moreno”, “New COA reports out, hound Moreno, Emano”, “Benjo’s ‘imeldific’ lifestyle examined”, “Moreno voids Emano’s special mining permits”, Mindanao Gold Star Daily (http://www.goldstardailynews.com.ph) “Robbers take P100K from power distributor in CDO”, GMA News Online (http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/)` “‘No unaccounted P193-M Misamis Oriental funds’”, Philippine Star (http:// www.philstar.com) CDODev.com CDODev.com (http://www.cdodev.com) (http://www.cdodev.com)

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Editor’s note

The Crusader Publication apologizes for not being able to produce its annual literary and art folio, Veritas last academic year.

The total entries received were not sufficient to meet the allotted number of pages for the said folio.

We ask for your understanding as well as further cooperation for us to finally complete the production of Veritas 2013. Please send in your works to veritas@thecrusaderpublication.com or bring them to our office at StC 302. We accept poems, essays, short stories, as well as paintings, drawings, photographs and digital artworks. The entries already received from last year have already gone through initial screening and the contributors will receive confirmation via e-mail regarding the status of their entries.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely, Princess E. Tolentino Editor in Chief

The Crusader Publication is once again accepting entries (essays, short stories, poems, digital art, traditional art, photographs) for its literary and art folio. We accept entries from XU students (undergraduate and graduate students), faculty and staff as well as alumni. Submit your pieces to StC 302 or email them to veritas@thecrusaderpublication.com with th e theme, The Five Senses.

National Feature

By Nitzschia Cassiopiea Beroe A. Lozarita

Anti-bullying Act of 2012 In the Philippines, statistics state that about one in seven students from kindergarten to high school is either bullying or being bullied. Though it is not treated as importantly compared to other in countries like the US, at least in the Philippines, bullying is seen as a vital school issue that needs to be contained.

In an attempt to address this escalating problem, the House of Representatives passed House Bill 5496, also known as the “Anti-Bullying Act of 2012.” It requires all elementary and secondary schools to implement preventive policies against school bullying.

According to Section 4 of the bill, once bullying is observed in the campus, any witness

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must report the incident to the school principal or any assigned personnel. Upon receiving the report, investigation must take place. If bullying is confirmed, the personnel concerned must notify the law enforcement agency, and the parents of both the bully and the bullied. Appropriate disciplinary actions will then be imposed.

Define “bullying” Though researchers have found it difficult to point out what constitutes bullying because of its inherent subjectivity, it is generally defined as the “repeated verbal, physical, social or psychological behavior that is harmful and involves the misuse of power by an individual or group towards one or more persons.”

But the definition fails in confronting the details of bullying. As brought up by Time Magazine, does it have to be frequent, or happen just once for it to be deemed as bullying? Does it have to be in front of a crowd or just between two people? If you were taunted in school, were you bullied or just annoyed?

Apparently, our law can’t clearly say for sure.

Aside from considering the effect bullying has on the bullied, the article resolves that it boils down to the intention. “For a bully to be a bully, he can’t have just been any insensitive kid. He had to want to hurt his classmate.”

Psychological ffects According to the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress, the psychological effects of bullying are both short term and long term.

Short term effects include anger, depression, anxiety, and suicidal tendencies. Victims can get

over these. However, long term effects like the desire for revenge, mistrust of people, interpersonal relationship difficulties, a preference to be alone, and the damage to self-esteem, are harder to overcome.

They could persist for years or for a lifetime. *** Despite being halfway into college, Missy isn’t free from the negative effects of bullying—to a point that she had secretly considered suicide.

“Maskin unsaon, naa gyu’y damage. Those repetitive instances of bullying [fed] my insecurities and ripped my self-esteem.” (Whatever I did, the damage has been done. Those repetitive instances of bullying fed my insecurities and ripped my self-esteem.)

Though the Anti-bullying Act of 2012 is a good initiative to combat bullying in schools, it still begs the question of why tertiary schools are excluded from its provisions knowing that bullying is in fact still prevalent in college.

Perhaps it would be better to bring the responsibility back to the people instead of leaving it all to congress. Although it has evidently become a national concern, bullying is essentially a social issue.

It can happen to anyone. If it’s not enough to know its effects through their stories, imagine if you were one of Missy’s bullies. Had she committed suicide, could you carry the weight of knowing you were responsible for the effect of an act you may have considered to be harmless?C *Name changed for the purpose of anonymity

Sources: “Bullying Statistics 2010”, The Registered and Licensed Guidance Counselors in the Philippines (http://clinicalcounselor.blogspot.com) “House-Bill-Number-5496-Anti-Bullying-Act-of-201”,Scribd. (http://www.scribd.com) “A definition of bullying”, NSW Public Schools (http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au) “When Bullying Turns Deadly: Can It Be Stopped?”, Time Magazine (http://www.time.com) Breaking News, Analysis, Politics, Blogs, News Photos, Video, Tech Reviews - TIME.com www.time.com www.thecrusaderpublication.com

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issy*, a Xavier University female student, shared her horrible experiences for the past six years. “I thought mag-end akong struggles [after] high school, but I was wrong.” She claimed that bullying still exists even in college.

“My classmates [still keep] calling me names. Boy, bok, baboy, piggy.” She isn’t only verbally attacked, but also physically harmed. “Muabot pa gyud sa extent nga bunalan ra ko nila sa likod tapos mukatawa sabay syagit ug ‘Aparador’!” She didn’t resort to calling the attention of authorities for she feared they would laugh at her as it wouldn’t be a big deal to them.

On a bathroom cubicle door, there are also writings of different girls’ names and some offensive words referring to them. At home, a mother scolds her son for repeatedly skipping class. But little does she know that his reason is some boys from his class torment him because of his appearance.

In fact, right now, somebody could be verbally or physically harassed bullied.

Campus Feature

U

nknown to the majority of XU students, a silent impeachment trial ensued within the XU-CSG Supreme Constitutional Court in March 2013. It implicated the highest-ranking student government leader in the campus, then-CSG President Dean Cris Acabo, who was accused of violating provisions of Article XII Section 2.1 (culpable or willful violation of the constitution) and 2.5 (malversation of funds) of the XU-CSG Constitution.

According to the XU-CSG 19th Directorate, composed of all the council presidents and served as the petitioner of the impeachment complaint, Acabo had allegedly violated the law when he was not able to justify the purchase of “personal items” in his liquidation report for a project

named “Disaster and Networking Fund 20k.” There were also other points of dispute such as his costly transportation expenses along with two acknowledgement receipts that amounted to Php14,087.25. In a ripple effect, the president was assumed to have willfully violated the CSG Constitution as well because he didn’t distribute funds appropriately and accordingly to the project’s objectives.

For Jhon Louie Sabal (AB Econ 4) who was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court during the trial, “The case should have been regarded as a special case considering that the accused is not just an ordinary student leader but the CSG president himself.” Sabal is convinced that if court technicality was set aside, Acabo could have been easily found

guilty, as brought about by “absurd” actions which he could have prevented.

The verdict Before it reached the university administration’s jurisdiction, the XU-CSG Supreme Constitutional Court handled the case in due process and fair procedure.

Surprisingly, the verdict was contrary to the Directorate’s petition: Acabo was not impeached. Three out of the five Associate Justices believed that there was not enough evidence to prove Acabo’s engagement in malversation of funds or violation of their constitution.

According to the official document they released, the liquidation report in question was just a draft and still open for revisions or

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Vol. 40 No. 1 July 2013

Campus Feature

The aftermath The uneventful trial begged a lot of questions from many concerned parties: Does corruption exist in the CSG? Why did Acabo’s own directorate prosecute him? Is he really innocent?

Princess Kimberly Ubay-ubay, incumbent CSG president, feels strongly for the previous administration’s fiasco. When asked about what could have been Acabo’s motives last year, she coined a certain “president philosophy”, which a student leader may apply during his term. She says that every year, a president can do something because he sees certain needs that have to be addressed. “I don’t know what [the] need was for him last year. Mine is different this year. So with regard to the motive, most likely, it is really connected to what he saw as his needs.”

On the other hand, Ubay-ubay is deeply concerned as to how the CSG’s image may be tarnished by the incident. “The reason why I was afraid to speak for this issue [is] I really know that [in] one way or another, it might have an impact to my term this year.

As a public officer, I really see public trust

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as the foundation of good governance in every government. And seeing this article, the students might think badly about our government this year considering what happened last year.”

The loud ascent The current president was also quick to turn the tables regarding rumors of corruption in the CSG. She lauded her administration by saying, “I am very confident that corruption didn’t happen during our first 100 days here at XU. And it will not happen considering our protocols this year.” On July 9, 2013, an official 100day report was also posted on Facebook.

It exposed the CSG’s accomplishments so far as well as other gray areas, which they can improve on for the rest of the school year.

“Right now, we are formulating our financial liaison system in CSG. I’m doing it through the help of our budget and finance officers. This system would be assumed through an Executive Order for it to be sustained all throughout,” said Ubay-ubay.

She is confident that through this measure, corruption, which she vehemently rejects in student organizations in XU, can altogether be prevented.

She also thinks that even if there are loopholes to the audit system, as long as a leader’s integrity remains intact, he wouldn’t be corrupt. “It really is a matter of choice and you can’t put the blame on the system for it,” she opined.

The rules Ms. Richel P. Petalcurin, the newlyinducted SACDEV Head, sheds light on the current system for student organizations.

According to her, “Once we get project proposals approved, we expect to have them liquidated after 15 days of the implementation of the project. Pag-audit ana nila, we have the Commission on Audit (COA) for the student councils. For co-curricular and extracurricular [organizations], we have JPIA. And we also double-check [them] here in the office.”

Moreover, she says that all student organizations are prepped before the start

of the year through an auditing seminar administered by SACDEV. Through each organization’s internal auditor, cash flows are ideally balanced before they are even submitted to COA or JPIA. It suffices to say that the auditing process is cut-anddried before it gets to the Finance Office.

However, there is a loophole on unitemized official receipts to which Ms. Petalcurin says: “Dapat ang receipt official jud, and dapat nakaitemize tanan didto. Para makit-an jud kung asa nipaingon ang kwarta.”

If worse comes to worst, and students are in fact found guilty for malversation of funds, Ms. Petalcurin says that the Review and Recognition Committee, a special committee assigned by the University President, or the College Administrative Board would convene and impose appropriate sanctions for the students. The student may be suspended or removed from his leadership position, and in the gravest cases, be expelled from the university.

Ms. Petalcurin gives her advice to all students holding leadership positions in XU, “You take care of your reputation. Kay it’s not something that you ask the people, you earn it. Also, you are from Xavier. You carry with you values.”

The leadership in question In line with Xavier University’s Ruby Jubilee, the theme “Forming Leaders the Ateneo Way” should challenge all students in the campus to be very vigilant in keeping their integrity as leaders, and as persons.

The university is their training ground if they were to step up as forerunners of the nation’s future.

Malcolm Flores, last year’s ASUL Director says, “There is a need to instill and fortify the morals and values of a leader aside from keeping watch of how resources are managed. Once these are corrupted, it becomes easier to cheat and do injustice to the people they are supposed to serve.” ***

In light of the recent flop coming from the CSG’s end, student leaders in XU should therefore ask themselves this: how do I maintain my integrity as a servant leader?C

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Design by RFrancis Ryan O. Avellana

corrections. Therefore, it didn’t have enough binding power to prove the allegation.

Furthermore, the accused took measures to settle any discrepancies by paying the amount, which held him liable, in accordance to the guidelines set by the Commission on Audit and SACDEV. Simply put, Acabo took steps to clear his name before he was subjected to the Supreme Court’s final judgment. The verdict also states “culpable violation of the constitution is to be taken to mean willful violation and not violations committed unintentionally or involuntarily or in good faith or an honest mistake of judgment.”

In an online interview, Acabo disclosed with generosity his say on the matter. “It is the right of the students to know [...] I have offered myself to the due process set by our constitution and safeguarded by the Supreme Constitutional Court. I had nothing to hide, but everything to reveal. With the conscience instilled by Xavier, I know also where I am coming from as a leader.”

. Aranas

by Louren B

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Vol. 40 No. 1 July 2013

Occupation: none After being informed that the Laguindingan Airport will not avail of their services, Olarte, together with his fellow SkyCap Multipurpose Cooperative members, went to the new airport and sought the truth of the matter. They openly aired their questions and concerns, to which Mohammad Naga Rascal, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) Region 10 Area Manager, answered with, (non verbatim) “All aboard tayong lahat.” They interpreted this reply as an affirmation that they will be included in the transfer.

However, two days before Lumbia’s closing, they received bad news—their terms had come to an end. They didn’t have ample time to find another source of income.

Disappointedly, he explained, “So, mura mi’g, matud pa sa termino sa akong kauban, na-knock out kalit.”

Although they received job offers, they didn’t find these appealing because they calculated that it will take about three months before they would get their first paychecks. Fortunately, the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) helps them by tying them up with companies like Del Monte Philippines and FICCO. Sadly, some of these jobs are too demanding for the elderly porters to work in.

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They have no back-up plans should they not be transferred to Laguindingan Airport, but Olarte refused to conclude on anything.

With a tone of positivity, he voiced out, “Kung i-close ang usa ka pwertahan, duna’y usa ka pwertahan na mu-abre,” CAAP reportedly got requests to allow these workers to continue their livelihood in the new airport, but they didn’t announce any final decision as of press time.

The porters of SkyCap, who reside in Biasong, Macasandig, regularly hold meetings to discuss their next move. Is their goal simply to find any available job, whether it’s similar to the one they had or not? Olarte emphasized that according to CDA, their services, which their fathers started circa 1958, are “vested rights”. A politician also told them that since these are “existing services”, they should be retained.

These men are still seeking help from political bigwigs. So far, they are receiving some feedback; hence, losing hope is the last thing on their minds. “Basin unsa na’y nangatan sa among mga sulat,” he said while finishing yet another handwritten letter.

Where will we go from here?

Roel Garcia, a 45-year-old airfield lighting and power technician, lives in Zone 1, Lumbia. Next month, he and around 100 families in the zone would be receiving a letter demanding them to vacate their houses. The Philippine Air Force 15th Strike Wing from Sangley Point, Cavite will convert the area into a military base.

“Ang hayop man gani, palitan pa man gani nato’g cage, unya kami ing-anaon lang, lisod pud kaayo,” he commented on not receiving any assistance from the government. Officials had frankly told them that they would not provide any relocation assistance. For now, the residents are quickly forming an association, which aims to strengthen their defense once demolishers come for their homes.

Although CAAP owns the land, Garcia claims workers of the airport had been given the freedom to build their houses on it. For several decades, they regarded it as their home. Being suddenly shooed away, they could hardly accept their current situation.

He said if they were warned before they settled the area, it would have been in a less grueling situation for them.

There are also certain throwbacks if they’ll be transferred to Laguindingan, a

faraway place for them. Considering the time given to find a new home, he stressed that one of the possible problems is settling into the area.

His daily routine had also remarkably changed since he has a lot of free time these days. For example, he does not anymore purchase goods for his carinderia—an activity that used to take a huge chunk of his time. But with the airport’s closing, he had to close his business, which used to generate additional income for the family. His family will have to tighten their belts if they were to rely on his salary from CAAP alone.

Artemio Garcia, former CAAP Region 10 Area Manager, questioned an unnamed brigadier general of the Air Force about their refusal to give a proper relocation for the residence. He pointed out that the Air Force has enough resources to put up new buildings, but none allocated for the relocation. The said officer was mum on the query.

But whining won’t solve anything. He said they’d seek help from government offices, including the Community Management Division. For now, they’re still waiting for their certification of living from their barangay captain. According to him, if a demolition should happen, he plans to file a case in court.

Garcia, who earned Php6.00 a day back then, encapsulated his reason for staying.

“Kung ikaw ba, ang na nag-serbisyo nang mahigit 40 taon, higit 50 taon ka nang nakatira, ang gandaganda na ng bahay mo, hindi naman obstruction, hindi naman hazard ang aming tinayong bahay sa eroplano, pagkatapos darating kami’t pinaalis ka namin? Ikaw kaya ay makakain, ikaw kaya ay makatulog?” *** Modern infrastructure is a sign of progress. But in the case of Laguindingan Airport, it is clear that its opening will leave the Lumbia Airport porters, who are struggling to make ends meet, to themselves.

There’s nothing wrong in improving the country unless it negatively affects the lives of people. If it is unavoidable, is it worth its adverse effects? Does the Php7.85 billion worth of airport’s pros outweigh the cons?

We’ll just have to wait and see.C Editor’s note: The Crusader Publication has tried to interview Mohammad Naga Rascal, but to no avail.

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ark Alfred Olarte, 49, used to live contentedly. His earnings from working as a porter (about Php300-500 per day) in the now idle Lumbia Airport were enough to buy rice, provide transportation fare for his two pre-school children, and make it through the day.

“Okay kaayo kay dili naman mi mangita [para sa] pang-adlaw-adlaw na kinahanglanon.”

His situation fatefully changed when Lumbia Airport officially stopped its commercial operations on June 15—which also marked the sudden end of his job.

“Pagkawala na sa airport, wala man sad mi na-absorb, dako kaayo ang impact sa amo kay bisa’g pamilite, wala.”

With much anticipation for the new airport, people had overlooked what remained of the Lumbia airport, especially the people left behind. In contrast to the potential future gains from the new airport, some families, whose livelihood used to depend on the old airport, have already presented stories of loss.

Local Feature

By Saharah Iman M. Alonto

D

o you label yourself a hipster? If you do, then you are not. If you don’t, then you might just be one.

Confused? Apparently, most minds are warped by this irony of “hipsterism”, an emerging subculture of this generation. Despite its popularity, the intolerance to hipsters is manifested both by hipsters and non-hipsters alike. Love it or hate it, hipsterism is definitely alive and well in these times.

Looking back Though a current fad, a Time Magazine article traces the roots of hipsterism back to the 30’s— when the earliest hipsters were a community of jazz music enthusiasts. They were American youths who broke free from the rigid system and advocated a carefree lifestyle. In fact, the term hipster was said to have derived from “hepi”, an African word that means “to open eyes”.

Over the years, the hipster evolved. In New York, there were the Beats, a counterculture against conformity. They had a radical take on almost everything: from politics down to music. In San Francisco, there were the hippies. They expressed their freedom through music, sex, and drugs. They rallied for peace and Mother Nature. As unorthodox as they were, the market still replicated some of their ideas of free culture. After a while, that generation quietly died down. It ended with a legacy marked by pride, courage, and acceptance.

At present Today, there’s a hipster version for almost everything: hipster music, hipster fashion, and even hipster photography—signs of the rebirth of the culture. The word “hipster” has become

an overused, or sometimes even a mocking term.

When a group of XU students were asked if there are hipsters in the university, they all echoed a confident “Yes, daghan.” (Yes, a lot.) But when asked to define what a hipster is, they digressed.

No one gave a concrete definition. This goes to show that hipsterism is regarded with prejudice.

All people know of them are their preferences.

For example, their music of choice is that from indie bands; their fashion, which is supposedly an overall statement of being laidback, usually has iconic or vintage elements; and most of all, their attitude is that of shunning away from what is “mainstream”. Most XU students blurted out indications of being a hipster, such as “wears non-graded, thick-rimmed glasses”, “out of the norm”, and “has a unique taste for everything”.

Into the future?

Often associated with art, hipsters are known for their refusal to follow or participate in the mainstream. For non-hipsters, they see this as a sign of superiority and apathy. People easily assume that the objective of their lifestyle is to attest that they’re “cooler” or better than everyone else.

An XU Psychology student ranted, “I am not totally against [it], but I am definitely against those who use this to somehow look down on others.”

But in hipsterism’s defense, in an article in the website of Psychology Today, it isn’t all about being cooler than others. “Tom”, who they considered a hipster said that “The minute you start identifying with a subculture... you kind of lose individuality, surrender part of your identity, and we don’t wanna do that.” A mark then of a true hipster is not coolness but one who values his uniqueness.

As they refuse to be labeled as anything, then there are no hipsters if you base it on selfidentification alone. This reality imposes a bigger issue on hipsterism—perhaps the foremost reason it is judged hastily. Since no one dares to speak for it, hipsterism has no voice; therefore, it sells no philosophy or movement. That’s why it’s labeled as shallow and pretentious.

Despite contradicting perspectives, hipsterism is undeniably a growing subculture. Now the question is: How will it evolve in the coming generations?

Hip·ster (n.)

- A person who is unusually aware of and interested in new and unconventional patterns *** You are a part of a generation who rallies for individuality and battles against discrimination.

You have created a free world—a fertile breeding ground for all kinds of cultures. It is ironic of you if you deem hipsterism exempted from this.

It’s their chosen lifestyle. You are neither obligated nor privileged to question, much more condemn if they identify as hipsters—ironically, a term that you might have labeled them with in the first place. Instead of finding fault on how others live their lives, try reflecting on yours –before it goes mainstream.C Sources:

Hipsters, Time.com (http://www.time.com) Are You a Geek or a Hipster?, Web Appers (http://www.webappers.com) Hipster Countercultures Through the Decades, Divine Caroline (http://www.divinecaroline.com) What Was the Hipster?, New York News & Features (http://nymag.com) The Sad Science of Hipsterism, Psychology Today (http://www.psychologytoday.com/) Design by Haiko B. Magtrayo

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Lampoon

Valar morghulis. All men must die.

That’s the first thing that popped into my head when I was on my way to school today. Like a heroine spurred for war, I wore my best armor.

A white cotton shirt, track pants, a pair of running shoes, and another cotton shirt. I was ready for battle, but I could have literally died from exhaustion. It so happens that every year, students would claim one enrollment as the worst anyone has had since the last dragons were sighted.

Were dragons ever sighted in the Philippines?

I’m not even sure if a dragon and the “Oro Fish” are the same. Maybe they’re relatives, because the enrollment has never turned out well since ancient times.

First off, I was greeted quite nicely at the gate by the City Watch. One of them, with the usual magic stick, particularly liked my Targaryen locks. “Ma’am, bawal man na’ng pa bland-bland sa buhok.” she said.

“Dracarys!” I screamed at the back of my head. I wanted so badly to scorch her black hair. How would she feel if she’s somewhere foreign and all the yellow-headed folks would cast her away for looking strange? Ugh. I seriously wished I had dragons. They’re really cute and creepy, and yes, Dracarys.

After an amusing start, I decided to pay my enrollment fees for the new semester. To my horror, I saw lines and lines of the masses outside the Finance Office. Has House Tyrell offered food for XU students? What are so many people, reeking and sweating under the sun, trying to get at? Why, of course! The majestic Green Form which actually shrunk to fit my sweatpants’ pockets.

Lining up for three hours to pay could not have been the worst. I just had to drink gallons of water afterwards from drinking fountains that spewed out lukewarm water. “Winter should definitely be coming here, Ned Stark.” I thought.

What made my day more interesting was seeing the Children of the Forest invade the university by the hundreds. They were the first inhabitants of Westeros and nobody has seen them in quite a long time. It was very easy to

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identify them. They were mostly short and had a pubescent aura emanating from them. “Ate, ate, asa dapit ang Soccer Field?” yelled one of them. Out of my goodness, I said “To Pelaez, child.”

Clutter. My head was so cluttered by the time I arrived at my College Department. I kept losing my cool and shouted “Dracarys!” to anyone who dared to stare disgustingly at my yellow hair. I know I have Asian features and all, but who gives people the right to judge my character through how I look? *coughs* When I finally had the chance to pick my subjects for the

semester, the one in charge suddenly said that SLMIS crashed. I said: “Excuse me, what is S-L-M-I-S? Is that Valyrian for ‘not worth it’? I’ve been playing the Game of Thrones here since this morning. Give me a break!”

Feeling all downtrodden, I decided to retreat to my sole refuge inside the campus. StC 302. I hurried to catch the Student Center’s elevator since I could not wait one more minute to rest my feet. Because I wasn’t wearing my spectacles, I couldn’t see much of the elevator’s interior before I got in. By the time the doors closed, I was surprised to not see anything at all. The light was busted. Mother of dragons.

“For the night is dark and full of terrors.” I imagined Melisandre whispering to me. My mind was racing and claustrophobia almost made me faint. “Could anything be creepier than this? Lord of Light, help me!” I blurted out loud, not minding the awkwardness between all the passengers who were subjected to the blackness.

I had to push my way out when the elevator reached the third floor. I was almost crying, thinking of how ugly my day went when suddenly, a tall, handsome guy greeted my sight. He almost reminded me of Khal Drogo.

My Khal Drogo. I spazzed until I realized that he was looking at me like I was somebody crazy. “Okay ra ka, bes?” he suddenly said. I stared at him in disbelief. His pink shirt finally gave it away. Ugh. Without second thought, I ran to the The Crusader Publication’s office. I reclined on one chair and uttered words in High Valyrian: “Valar morghulis, S-L-M-I-S!”C

A

Game of Thrones Special

Illustration by Rico M. Magallona

A

word of caution: This article has a lot of references from the series Game of Thrones. If you haven’t watched the television series or read the books, be confused at your own discretion. And, what is wrong with you?!

Cora Contrabida

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Vol. 40 No. 1 July 2013

Aquarius (Before Rose Beach) Paminaw sa klase undoy, maoy ingon ni lola nga bongol2x pud uroy.

Lucky Day: Eveready

Lucky Color: Watercolor

Aries (Lalaki nga kanding) Ayaw na intawon pamandal sa elevator, kay tua nay daghan dingding sa magis 3rd floor.

Lucky Day: Hinday ko kayang iwan ka Lucky Color: Itom na medyo sunog

Cancer (tag-iya ana kay si sir) Ang pag-waldas sa kwarta dili nah sala, hilabina kung apilan ko ug libre anah.

Lucky Day: Today and Threeday

Lucky Color: Color sa imong undies karon, under arms

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Lucky Day: Doomsday Lucky Color: Color-color

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Lucky Day: mokoyobi

Lucky Color: Nasa Japan 3rd floor

Leo (Dako nga ering) Wala napuy klase yepee! Ang gibayran nga tuition yepee!

Lucky Day: Yesterday once more Lucky Color: Red Horse

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Lucky Day: Friday no night cafe Lucky Color: Bun-og black

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Lucky Day: Holiday Lucky Color: Rainbow, Stormbow, Kilatbow

Taurus (Gapanuwag, mura mag lain paminawon) Ayaw watch sa World War Z, Hindi na kailangan kamukha mo kasi.

Lucky Day: Di siya day minutes ra Lucky Color: Piyong gani

Virgo (Demur pag umaga, Warshock pag gabi) Ayaw na pag gamit anang facial cleanser, Pag gamit nag facial harvester.

Lucky Day: Happy Birthday Lucky Color: Browny River

Sagitarius (Gapangutang ni Scorpio) Buotan kaayo na si Scorpio, pwede ka mangutang niya migo.

Lucky Day: Utang day Lucky Color: Greeny Joke

Scorpio (Walay utang karun ugma na!)

Naay mangutang sa imuha, igna siya “walay utang karon ugma na!�balik balika sa iyaha.

Lucky Day: Period day

Lucky Color: Bluish blue

To join: Photocopy this Kurisearch with your answers and submit your entry to theCrusader Publication office at STC 302 with your nameand contact number. Lucky participants will receive limited edition collectibles.