NEWS
2
AY 2020 - 2021 VOLUME LXXIX
from page 1
AY 2020-2021 ...
NEWLY APPOINTED. Rev. Fr. Romeo Ben Potencio, Jr., OAR is the new University Religious Education Department Director for academic year 2020-2021. photo courtesy of JOEY JOLITO
Potencio is new REED director; Teodulfo leaves for Baguio by CARLA JOANNE ROBLES
Rev. Fr. Romeo Ben Potencio Jr., OAR marked the beginning of his stay at the University as the new Director of the Religious Education Department (REED), Sept. 1. “As a religious education director, my primary task is to assure that the evangelizing mission of the school is realized through the theology subjects offered in the tertiary level,” he said. After his transition period, Fr. Potencio plans to look into the content of the REED subject material in view of reinforcing the effectiveness of religious education in the University. Fr. Potencio will be under the supervision of the Vice President for Religious Affairs and previous REED Director Rev. Fr. Cristituto Palomar, OAR. One of Fr. Potencio’s duties is to be the new spiritual director of the Recoletos Augustinian Youth (RAY) de Bacolod, taking over the position of Rev. Fr. Jose Teodulfo Jadulco, OAR. According to Fr. Potencio, he will be focusing on two things as RAY spiritual director, accompaniment and formation. “My primary task is to assure that the evangelizing mission of the school is realized through the theology
subjects offered at the tertiary level. This would mean looking into the needs and concerns of the REED professors for them to make their classes an evangelizing experience for their students,” Fr. Potencio added. Fr. Potencio was previously assigned in the Order of Augustinian Recollect General Curia in Rome, Italy and was informed of the transfer last July 25. “I taught first at the Recoletos School of Theology in Quezon City, but I also taught in some other theological centers in Metro Manila.” he shared. Fr. Potencio earned his Licentiate in Patristic Science from Institutum Patristicum Augustinianum in Rome, and then came back to the Philippines to teach Patrology, Augustinology, Latin, and Greek. On the other hand, the University extended its gratitude to Rev. Fr. Jose Teodulfo Jadulco, OAR, previous property office administrator for almost three years and two-year RAY de Bacolod Spiritual Director, as he ventured on his new assignment in Baguio City, Sept. 28. No property office administrator is assigned for academic year 2020-2021 according to University Registrar Engr. Christopher Taclobos, MEng.
SDPC services center on mental health in new norm learning by CRISTOPHER VILLARUEL
Mental health programs are one of the focus campaigns of the Student Development Placement Center (SDPC) for academic year 2020-2021 according to College SDPC Director Chris Feli Joy Tajonera, MSGC, Dec. 2. “There can be people who struggle on this [mental health], which is why your SDPC counselors are trying their best to be within reach so no one will struggle alone,” Tajonera said. The Office is offering online psychosocial support for students via Messenger where counselors and the concerned student talk online within office hours for their personal concerns. “Students can send us a private message right away. They can also refer another student or a friend through [Messenger] chat and make use of our [SDPC counselors] contact details. There are some [students] who reach out through the counselors’ personal Facebook accounts and there are some who send emails for privacy. Rest assured, though, that on the official Facebook account of SDPC, everything is treated with utmost confidentiality.” As online classes ensued in the University, Tajonera assured students that the office still renders its services to those seeking to avail them. “Prior to the school opening and having the pandemic in the mind, we did turn the table by designing all
activities into online ones. We made it a point to befriend all UNO-R students through our official SDPC Facebook account in order to stay in contact with them.” Along with the online counseling sessions, Tajonera stated that other office activities, such as awareness campaigns and webinars, are being pursued as well. “With our monthly meeting, we get to check the status of activities written on our action plan.” As the University currently requires a skeleton workforce in its operations, Tajonera shared that it does not hinder the office in assisting student needs. “The skeleton workforce, I believe, did not hamper our chance to cater to the students’ concerns. A few [students] would call the office about their concerns but a lot would reach out through chat. That, even at home, we get to spend time addressing their concerns,” she shared. The office is also planning activities that are suited for both online and face-to-face means, such as the administering of admission exams while observing health protocols and homeroom guidance classes to be in touch with the students. College students can reach the SDPC office through its official Facebook account, UnorCollege Sdpc, for queries.
to Taclobos. “We can cite several factors but one obvious reason is their [students] connectivity. Not everyone is ready for the demands of online learning,” Taclobos said. Melody Cauntod, a second year BS Social Work student shared how, despite the circumstances of online class, she still pursued in continuing her studies this school year. “Despite the financial problems, for me it is still important to continue with my schooling and not miss a year to graduate soon,” Cauntod said. However, Jade Christine Orquia, a former BS Business Accountancy student who stopped this school year, shared her thoughts on different circumstances brought by the new educational set-up. “I had to stop because of how difficult it is to look for a good internet connection in our area. I know it sounds cliche but i think my mental state also had to do with my decision. Considering how everything has to be done online now, my mother also suggested to take a break for now,” Orquia said According to Orquia, online classes can be fitted to everyone with has a good access to the internet; however it is not the same with students whose
learning capacity is not suited for the said kind of learning approach. Moreover, having the most enrollees, the College of Engineering caters to 1,416 enrollees while the College of Business and Accountancy comes second with a total of 975 students. The College of Allied Medical Health Sciences accommodates 495 students and 397 students in the College of Arts and Science with the colleges having positive increments of 17.6 percent and 9.1 percent, respectively. 360 students are enrolled in the College of Criminal Justice Education while the College of Education caters to 273 students. Moreover, the overall student population, including those of the Integrated School, School of Law, and Graduate School, dropped from 8,696 enrollees in the previous academic year to 7,421 total enrollees, an overall 14.7-percent decrease for this academic year. COPING WITH CHANGE “Even though we experienced many challenges during online classes, I hope that we, your faculty members, didn’t fail to inculcate knowledge to the students during this pandemic,” Civil Engineering faculty member Engr. Mark Edwin Jereza shared. However, Jereza also elaborated that
going through phase one was difficult for him as he, at that time, did not have a laptop and was faced with signal interruptions during content delivery. “I remember that I needed to travel to another city just to get a stable signal to upload the said video [for discussions] whenever I encounter signal interruptions,” he stated. Moreover, Medical Technology student Alrenzi Esparagoza shared that going through the online learning set up took a toll on her mental health. “I miss walking around campus and the company of my classmates. There’s also the anxiety of the possibility of graduating without actually mastering the concepts,” she elaborated. Acknowledging the struggles faced by the students and faculty members in the online learning set up, Fr. Alipin shared that these challenges are gratefully accepted amidst the circumstances. “They [students and faculty members] just have to embrace technology and be ready to unlearn, learn, and relearn,” he added. Moreover, Taclobos shared that for the second semester, laboratory activities will be conducted via face-toface classes while lecture subjects will continue through Microsoft Teams as the LMS.
[information] with the different schools [that are members of the organization] were surely a struggle,” Ea said. He shared that since Rev. Fr. William Emilto Villaflor, OAR, president of the Recollect Education Apostolate in the Philippines, is in Bacolod City this year, he is eyeing for a head start in compiling the requirements for the accreditation. Ea then elaborated that he and other members are still working on the proposed turnover ceremony for all of the other members of the Federation in light of the suspension of mass gatherings due to the pandemic. “FARSL pretty much works over the Internet since then. So, this is kind of normal [for us] but we’re still hoping for the Congress inauguration to happen when this pandemic ends,” Ea said. Ea also shared that there was no
election process that took place but since UNO-R is the host school for this year, the president was automatically chosen from UNO-Rians who attended FARSL’s eighth congress. As this organization unifies the five Recollect institutions, the Federation is focused on initiating the exchange of leadership strategies of student leaders while adapting the cultural inputs of the respective Recollect schools. Conveyed in FARSL’s history, as ratified in its Seventh Federation under President Hon. Richmond Alimarcan, FARSL is a federation that consists of registered Recollect colleges namely the University of Negros Occidental- Recoletos, University of San Jose- Recoletos, San Sebastian College- Recoletos de Cavite, San Sebastian College- Recoletos Manila, and San Sebastian College- Recoletos Canlubang.
“From the very beginning, my aim is to foster the Augustinian values of loving, sharing, and caring amongst the UNO-R community, to showcase the UNO-R talents, and to raise funds,” Calimpos said. Forty-eight performers from different partner organizations graced the online benefit concert according to Online Musical Director Rowel Huera. “We invited student performers from the Integrated School and College Departments. Some were UNO-R faculty members, religious administrators, and alumni. In this way, we could maximize their capabilities
by representing their circle.” Online Musicale Program Committee Head and UNO-R Supreme Student Government (UNORSSGO) President Charles Gabriel Gelotin said that the online concert was divided into three acts that revolved around the initial outlook for the year 2020, current social realities, and a call for unity. “We used the eyesight as a metaphor in conveying these messages. From the perfect vision full of aspirations to the darkness that made us all blind until the sun rays pierced through the clouds again signaling a new beginning,” he
UNO-Rian leads as 9th FARSL Prexy
by LESLIE MARIE BANABAN
Andrei John Ea, third-year Civil Engineering student and former UNO-R Supreme Student Government senator, stepped up as the Federation of Augustinian Recollect of Student Leaders (FARSL) Organization’s Ninth Federation president. “Being elected as the president of the five-member Recollect school organization is more than just a responsibility and a blessing. I felt like all this time, I knew my efforts and capabilities were far much more than the things I think I could possibly do,” he added. Ea believes that his plan for applying for the accreditation of the organization could be a legacy that he could leave in his term. “FARSL hasn’t been accredited since then [First Federation]. There were attempts [for accreditation], I believe. But having a lack of communication and the stresses of having to relay
UCDO, UNORSSGO raise over P100K in online benefit concert by KRISHA MARIE SEMELLANO
Bows of charity. More than P100,000 worth of donations served as early Christmas gifts to the University READS scholars, security and janitorial staff, and RESOURCE-Handumanan families through the “Caritas: One Love UNO-R, An Online Benefit Musicale” via a live stream on the Heart Media Production Facebook Page, Dec. 5. According to the overall event chairperson and University Community Development Office (UCDO) staff Elmeer Meynard Calimpos, the concert served its purpose not only in raising funds but also to showcase the talents of the students.
continued on page 05
CURTAIN CALL. Jaylloyd Garche together with the AMS Scholars Dancers awed the audience with their final performance. photo by RAEVERLY ELENA RAMIREZ
TOLENTINE STAR IS THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEGROS OCCIDENTAL - RECOLETOS
