The Augustinian, April 2013 (News Fold)

eDiTOriAL HEEDING THE CALL FOR RENEWAL PAge A4

VPAA: New Enrolment System “Fast, Effective” PAGE A2

AugustiniAn the

r E s P o n s I V E VOLUME LVIII • NUMBER 2

deV’t initiatiVes to nurture faith in san ag

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d E V E L o P m E n t A L

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r E s E A r C h - b A s E d

the OFFiCiAL stuDent neWsPAPeR OF the uniVeRsity OF sAn Agustin

iloilo City, Philippines

‘green christmas’ Environmental efforts highlight University Christmas Celebration By ayah daniCa V. granada

thE FIrst unIVErsIty In thE rEGIon did not dream of a white Christmas – rather, it chose ‘green’. as part of the University’s solid Waste Management Program, the utilization of recycled materials such as discarded plastic eating utensils, water containers, and aluminum soda cans for making adornments, added meaning and substance to this year’s Christmas celebration here on the newly-landscaped campus. the centerpieces of the campus decorations included a 25-foot Christmas tree, made up of over a thousand plastic water bottles, and six giant gift boxes, representing the six decades of the school’s having university status.

Following the theme, “Ikabuhi ang Paskua: Celebrating a Life of Unitas this Christmas,” the event kicked off on December 15, 2012, with a lighting ceremony in front of the administration Building (Herrera Hall), participated in by various units, such as the Usa Performing arts, the architecture department, the Fine arts department and the Office of Co-Curricular activities under Mr. eric Divinagracia who was the program director.

Besides highlighting

the campus yuletide celebration, the ceremony also marked the countdown to the commemoration of the school’s 60th anniversary as a University in a separate program of activities that commenced on March 1, 2013.

“Inscribed on each gift box are trivia about each decade the school has ‘lived’ through as the first university in Western Visayas,” said ray adrian Macalalag, editor-inchief of the Usa Publications and designer of the gift boxes.

LeD tube lights were switched on to outline the Mentrida, Herrera, and Urdaneta buildings, and spell out the school initials, Usa, as well as the 60thanniversary slogan, “We shout your glory across the sky,” both of which formed a marquee that ran across the top of Herrera building. the University’s benefactors, sectoral associations and various organizations funded the lighting of the buildings. “[We] can’t give the actual cost yet. the budget was raised through solicitations from different units within the University,

ka-san-ag sang paskWa. the university’s Christmas tree centerpiece is crowned with a burst of fireworks following the switching of lights at the usA students’ Plaza. the university’s week-long Christmas celebration featured a caroling contest and food stalls. See more photos on Panorama, page B4. (USA PUb Photo / thongenn lanz B. PatiaM)

greeN CHristMas • PAGE A6

Performing Arts to host int’l confab

By ChriStine Joy a. SaBer

getting readY. A carpenter finishes the folding door at the entrance of the usA Auditorium. (USA PUb Photo / ray adrian C.

tHe UnIVersIty OF san aGUstIn PerFOrMInG arts hosted the second Philippines - International University theatre association (IUta) Workshop, Conference, and Festival held on February 13-15, 2013 at the Usa auditorium. the University is only the second school to have hosted the said event, having taken the reins from last year’s first host, Miriam College. arsenio Lizaso, IUta Philippine Center head, led the organizing committee, in collaboration with the United nations

MaCalalag)

CAtCh us onLInE At WWW.USA-PUB.BLOGSPOT.COM

iuta • PAGE A2

USA Pub named Publication of the Year

By Seulgi J. han

See full story on page A2 APRIL 1, 2013

USA to mark 60th as first University in Region VI By ray adrian C. MaCalalag

a serIes OF aCtIVItIes On MarCH 1, 2013 marked the kick-off of the school’s celebration of the 60th anniversary of its elevation to university status, the first in Western Visayas. according to rev. Fr. Harold rentoria, Osa, chair of the ad Hoc Committee on san agustin’s 60 th anniversary as a University and Usa Vice President for academic affairs, the year-long event would revolve around the theme ‘USA@60: A Commemoration of the Past, A Celebration of the Present, and A Commitment to the Future’. the celebration tagline, taken from the University Hymn, is ‘Shout your glory across the sky.’

In commemorating the past, the University would put up a ‘Garden of Firsts’, featuring an outdoor gallery showcasing the various fields where the University has had “firsts” in the region, such as the first gymnasium in Western Visayas, the first organized school band, and the first Conservatory of Music.

Historical markers would also be set up around the campus. Urdaneta Hall, built in 1939, and the oldest intact building in the University, would be officially declared by the national Historical Commission of the Philippines and the national Museum either as an Important Cultural treasure or a national Cultural treasure. a seminarworkshop on cultural heritage would also be held. to celebrate the present, the research output of the students, alumni, faculty, usa at 60 • PAGE A3

FOLLOWInG last year’s triumph as Best Magazine, the official student press corps of the University of san agustin sealed its supremacy over other school publications by winning the coveted Publication of the year award and 7 others during the 3rd national Campus Press awards and 9th spectrum Fellowship held at Mambucal resort, negros Occidental, november 22-24, 2012. the augustinian won two awards: Best College newspaper Layout and Best College newspaper; while the augustinian Mirror won three: Best Magazine Cover

f facebook.com/usa.publications

tHree Days before the year of Faith was launched by the Catholic Church, the Usa administration had already taken concrete steps to change the spiritual and moral landscape of the University.

Design, Best Magazine Layout, and Best College Magazine.

Meanwhile, the Publication’s two editorsin-chief received individual awards: Josefa Maria Castro for the Best Opinion article, ‘Curtailing Cyber Freedom’, and ray adrian Macalalag, for Outstanding Campus Journalist, the second time in a row he has been recognized as such; Castro and Macalalag are editors of the magazine and the tabloid, respectively. this year’s victory was unexpected as the number usa PuB • PAGE A6

We shout Your glorY across the skY. Shown above is the official logo of the school’s 60th Anniversary as a university. It was designed by a group of students from the College of business Administration and Accountancy.

(LoGo CoURtESY oF CoMMittee)

USA@60

Y youtube.com/USAPublications t twitter.com/USA_Pub

A2 News

USA Pub wins big in COPRE 2012

By Wilhelm C. Lizada

On its third year of participation, the 84-year-old official student press corps of the University of San Agustin proved itself again as one of the best student publications in the region during the 37th Regional College Press (COPRE) Conference and Awards held at The Business Inn Hotel, Bacolod City, December 6, 2012.

With a total of 18 group and individual awards, the USA Pub made its way to the top of all the major group categories by clinching 1st place, Best Wall Newspaper for “Dingding ni Gusting”; 1st place, Best journ.ph Blogsite; and 3rd place, Best Literary Folio for “Irong-Irong 6”.

The “The Augustinian Mirror”, the official student magazine of the University, won 3rd place in the Best College Magazine and 4th place in the Best Cover Design.

The “The Augustinian”, the official student Newspaper of the University, garnered these major awards: 1st place, Best News Page; 1st place, Best Newspaper Layout; 2nd place, Best Editorial Page; 2nd place, Best Sports Page; and 2nd place, Best College Newspaper.

“We, the USA Publications editors and staff, are really trying our best to provide every Augustinian student and reader the best quality newspaper, magazine, wall news, and literary folio,” Ray Adrian Macalalag, the editor-inchief of The Augustinian said.

Macalalag, together with his co-editor-in-chief (The Augustinian Mirror), Josefa Maria Castro, also thanked and congratulated the individual winners of the said competition and the people behind the success of the publications.

Moreover, the editors and several Pub staff members triumphed in their individual contests during the wholeday event at COPRE 2012: Macalalag himself took the first place in editorial writing, English; Thongenn Lanz Patiam, also won first place in photojournalism.

“It’s almost impossible to win in a competition that is participated in by, more or less, 400 campus journalists coming from all over the region, competing for the gold. I was just hoping to be included among the top five and that would have already been a great achievement,” Macalalag stated. “But I guess, it’s fair-luck on my part to have my experience as an advantage over the rest of my fellow competitors who joined this annual event,” he said.

The Canadian Urban Institute also gave recognition to Pub writers Wilhelm Lizada and the writing tandem of Marylex Sumatra and Joyce Gem Cañete, for their respective articles, “Iloilo’s Newest Eco-Park” and “My River, My Life”, by including them among the top 20 writers of the Best Eco-Tourism Articles. All twenty winning writers received certificates and medals, and were entitled to an overnight trip to an eco-park in the region; Wall Newspaper Editor, Ric Martin Libo-on, was hailed as this year’s Mr. COPRE, snagging as well the Best in Interview and Best in Festival Attire awards.

Besides the Best Editorial award, Macalalag also won the Best Photographer award for his photographs on the journ.ph blogsite; Lizada added another stripe to his name when he was named the Best Blogger in the 3rd Smart PIA-6 Campus Blogsite contest. Both winners received a trophy and a token from Smart Communications.

“Let us keep the fire burning! It’s not just about the recognition and awards but also about the essence of being a full-blooded Augustinian writer, which is to inspire, inform, and entertain my fellow Augustinians by providing them with excellent articles to read,” Macalalag said.

In conclusion, he gave assurance that “the USA Publications will continue to innovate in its role as the voice of the students, enhance the high quality standards it has always been known for, and uphold excellent campus journalism in Western Visayas.” iuta • from PAGE A1

Educational, Scientific and Cultural OrganizationInternational Theatre Institute (UNESCO-ITI), which fosters theater collaboration in the world, and Teatrokon, the Western Visayas Theater Network.

“This IUTA workshop, conference and festival is part of the celebration of Philippines Arts Month, as well as the celebration of the forthcoming 60th anniversary of the University, in order to show the relevance of the University in the world”, Eric Divinagracia, Coordinator of Co-

Augustinian the

curricular Activities and USA Little Theater adviser, said in an interview.

Divinagracia also added that they invited different schools, not only those in the region but the foreign schools as well.

He added that the USA Performing Arts spearheaded the preparations for this celebration in school. “ I U TA c r e a t e s a venue for sharing correct theater knowledge and practice; it also provides a venue for collaboration,” Divinagracia said.

The University launched the activities last November 29-30, 2012 in Bacolod City.

Volume LVII • Number 2

April 1, 2013

VPAA: New Enrolment System: “Fast, Effective”

By Marylex g. Sumatra

an end for the long queues. A faculty member encodes the subject of the student in the USA Main Library. Most students remarked that the he new enrolment system showed great differences compared with the previous one. (USA Pub Photo / jerson e. elmido)

In its 109 years of service in educating the youth, the University yet again proved to be an innovator in its effort to realize one Augustinian value - unity through the launching of a new enrolment system that brought all nine colleges together to undergo the same enrolment procedure.

For the second semester of Academic Year 20122013, the new administrators, headed by University President Fr. Frederick C. Comendador, OSA, with the cooperation of the college deans and the university personnel, launched last October 15, 2012 the pilot

testing of the University’s new enrolment system.

According to the Vice President for Academic Affairs, Fr. Harold Ll. Rentoria, OSA, the main feature of this new enrolment system is that “it is fast and effective.”

One of the reasons for the speed of the enrolment process is that it takes place in only three closely-situated locations, namely: Herrera Hall (assessment, payments), Main Library (requirement verification, encoding), and Dolce Garcia Hall (sectioning, scheduling, course listing, and ID validation); the students are not obliged to

visit their respective college offices anymore.

Moreover, in terms of effectiveness, “compared to the previous enrolment system, this (procedure) has the biggest change and the work is centralized in the Office of the Registrar”, Mrs. Gemma Halili, University Registrar stated in an interview.

Besides the University Registrar, Fr. Comendador was also overseeing the entire operations from start to finish, while the task of evaluating the enrolment process was assigned to Dr. Remedios Soncio, the Director of CEIR. “During the pilot test, the

feedback was very good...and based on the evaluation, its [enrolment system] rating was very good,” Mrs. Halili added.

Two days after the pilot testing had been launched, the new system was applied for the enrolment of all students of the nine colleges of the university on October 17-31.

When asked regarding the continuous implementation of the new system, Rev. Fr. Rentoria replied, “the same system will be adopted next academic year; however, we have some minor changes to address the concerns of some stakeholders.”

Dev’t initiatives to nurture Faith in San Ag

By Jeremiah John P. Vardeleon

Three days before the Year of Faith was launched by the Catholic Church, the USA administration had already taken concrete steps to change the spiritual and moral landscape of the University.

Rev. Fr. Frederick C. Comendador, OSA, the University President, issued Memorandum No. 23, s.o. 2012 which called for vital changes in the 2008 Revised Administrative, Faculty, Non-Academic, and Maintenance Manuals, which include the Code of Professional Ethics.

In support of this development, a seminar on Ethics was conducted last October 17, 2012 and was administered by the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Alongside this move for strengthening the faith of the Augustinians, Mr. Marc Dominic Macaranas, the Archdiocesan Coordinator of City School Campus Ministries and also the Assistant Campus Minister of the University, said,“In order to teach others to have faith, we need to constantly respond to the untiring call of the Holy Father in

Comendador usa pub photo / thongenn lanz b. patiam

leading others by example,” explained.

According to Macaranas, the Catholic Church is undeniably suffering from a

crisis in the faith – aggravated further by professors who contradict and deliberately fail to respect the core values, beliefs, and spiritual norms of

the institution of which they belong.

Just recently, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) issued a strong pronouncement (quoting the document Primer on the Year of the Faith and on the New Evangelization) that academic freedom is not a right for faculty members of a Catholic educational institution to betray its Catholic identity and nature; thus, it cannot be a reason for dissenting against the official Catholic position on such issues as the Reproductive Health Bill.

“If the Doctrines of the Catholic Church will be challenged inside the University, the Campus Ministry will be forced to rise to preserve, promote, and defend the Catholic identity of the school,” Macaranas exhorted.

T h e s e n e w developments, initiated by the University President, are clear manifestations that the Comendador administration is serious in upholding the welfare of the Augustinian community, i.e. a community faithful to the FAITH – the Catholic faith - in the Spirit of St. Augustine.

Augustinian

April 1, 2013

Augustinians look back to Mother Earth

By Joel S. Sastrillo

“Red and Gold goes Green.”

In support of the launching of th University’s Solid Waste Management Program, the Augustinian community celebrated Earth Day 2012, November 13.

White and green colors flooded the USA Gymnasium during the Red Mass that marked the start of the said activity.

“With the theme, Red and Gold goes Green, we advised the students to wear white or green shirts on that day. We conducted this activity because we were trying to help concretize the dream of the USA Administration to manage the wastes in the campus; thus, as the mother organization of the student body, we wanted to let our fellow Augustinians realize that it is not too late to protect the environment”, Zimri Siozan, Secretary General of USA Student Council, stated via SMS. According to him, this was the first time that the University celebrated an environmental awareness day.

The Architecture Department held a week-long series of activities on December 2-8, 2012 to showcase the skills and talents of the students in celebration of the National Architecture Week (NAW). An exhibition of students’ art works was held at the ground floor of the Student Center, Alumni Building. Other activities included competitions in architectural design, photography, and dance; as well as a symposium, a sports fest, and an Arki night. The National Architecture Week is an annual celebration usually held in the first week of December, under the auspices of the United Architects of the Philippines. Joel S. Sastrillo

taking a big time break. The school janitors groove to the music in their intermission number during the launching of the Solid Waste Management Program. (USA Pub Photo / Thongenn Lanz B. Patiam)

“The reason why we wanted to celebrate the activity was to change the normal practices we have in the University into something beneficial not only to the Augustinian Community but to the society as well,” Siozan added.

In his text message, he also said that, currently, the Administration, together with the Student Council and the Waste Management Committee, was planning to implement some waste reduction practices in the

University such as Carless Day (once a week, no motor vehicles would be allowed to enter the University),bringyour-own-baon-day (once a week, the USA cafeteria and concessionaires would not be allowed to serve food in styro or plastic containers, thus students are required to bring their reusable containers) and the like.

Other events in the celebration included Iloilo Coastal Clean-up (at Esplanade), Uniwide Clean-up, Indigenous

By JERSON E. ELMIDO

Who says writers can’t do the math?

The University of San Agustin Statistical Analysis Team, composed of USA Publications editors-in-chief Ray Adrian Macalalag and Josefa Maria Castro, and

BS Accountancy senior Aj Gallenero, clinched the second place in the 9 th Statistical Analysis Contest for College Students held last October 19, 2012 at the National Economic and Development Authority

Regional Office 6.

The USA team analyzed their way to the first runner-up spot, trailed by the teams from Western Visayas College of Science and Technology, Central Philippine University, and Aklan State University that finished second, third, and fourth runners-up, respectively.

The Technological University of the Philippines Visayas team, last year’s first runner-up, edged out of the top five places twotime consecutive champion (2010 and 2011), Colegio San Agustin-Bacolod, that was hoping for a three-peat grand slam bid.

Wh en as ked ab o u t their preparations, the USA team members confessed

usa at 60 • from PAGE A1

University’s participation in Tanghal: The National University Theater Festival and the Dance Exchange at the International Dance Festival; and, in partnership with the International University Theater Association (IUTA), its hosting of the International Seminar-Workshop for University Theaters. The USA Band, also celebrating its 60th anniversary this same year, will hold a series of concerts on campus and go

on a concert tour around Panay. A coffee table book on community service will likewise be published.

University President and Coordinator for Alumni Affairs, Rev. Fr. Frederick C. Comendador, OSA, hopes that the alumni will actively participate in the international alumni homecoming which will be held sometime during the anniversary week. To achieve this and to intensify awareness of the celebration in the local and greater

statisticians in the making. (L-R) Macalalag, Gallenero, Coach Cartagena, and Castro hold their prizes during the awarding ceremony at Smallville 21 Hotel, Iloilo City. (USA Pub Photo / jeremy jasper p. cembrano)

green side The USA Publications’ environmental initiatives this Academic Year 2012-2013

newsbrief

Arch. Dept. celebrates Nat’l Arch Week

Product Making Contest, Body Painting Contest, Extemporaneous Speaking Contest, and the Eco-walk from the USA to SM City Southpoint where a concert for mother earth was held to kick-off the celebration.

Furthermore, the USASC, through Siozan, hoped that the activity would last not only for a day but for a lifetime, a challenge and a commitment to take part in the conservation and protection of our environment.

Pub EICs, Accty Stude cop silver in Reg’l Stat Tilt

and other Augustinian stakeholders in the country will be presented in various fora. The University will also host regional, national, and international research congresses to highlight its relevance as a premiere educational institution in the Philippines.

Aside from researches, cultural and artistic activities will also be included in the program such as the

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Volume LVII • Number 2

that there was “no formal preparation this year... we were afraid that we would lose a slot in the top three because we did not have time to practice [before the contest],” team captain Macalalag revealed.

Together with their coach, Mathematics and Physics Department Chair Prof. Rhodora Cartagena, the USA team received their awards during the closing and awarding ceremonies held at Smallville 21 Hotel, Mandurriao, Iloilo City.

The Annual Statistical Analysis Contest is organized by the Commission on Higher Education Regional Office 6 as part of the series of events held in celebration of the National Statistics Month. community, a number of advertising and marketing activities such as the 2013 AdFest and the International Social Media Marketing have been slated.

Established as a Colegio for boys by the friars of the Order of Saint Augustine on July 15, 1904. The school was granted the ‘University’ status by the Philippine government on March 1, 1953, making it the first university in Western Visayas. It celebrated its centennial in July 2004.

The Augustinian newspaper was originally 12x18 inches wide. This Academic Year, its dimensions have been reduced to 11.5x17.5 inches saving over 73,750 square inches of paper or 788 pieces of short sized bond paper per issue.

Student Council launches Adopt-a-School project The University of San Agustin Student Council (USASC) launched its Adopt-a-School Project last December 14, 2012 with a program for the pupils of its adopted school, Botong Cabanbanan Elementary School in Oton, Iloilo.

As beneficiaries of the project, pupils from Grades 1 to 6 took part in the activities such as games, feeding, and distribution of school supplies. The project involved the various colleges: the Conservatory of Music (COM) provided the intermission numbers; and the College of Business Administration and Accountancy (CBAA) and the College of Engineering and Architecture (CBAA) facilitated the games; all the colleges sponsored the snacks and the notebooks that were distributed to the pupils. The project is one of the extension services undertaken by the USASC. Over-all chairman of the project was Zimri Siozan, USASC Secretary General. Josefa Maria Castro

USA hosts MedTech Oath-taking Rites

For the first time ever, the University of San Agustin hosted the Oath-taking Ceremony for new passers of the Licensure Examination for Medical Technologists on November 6, 2012 at the USA Chapel. Ms. Marian M. Tantiongco, RMT, ASCP, Member, Board of Medical Technology, presided over the ceremony which was participated in by 67 board passers coming from different schools in the Visayas region: 40 from the University of San Agustin, 16 from Central Philippine University, 10 from Iloilo Doctors College, and 1 from Cebu Doctors College. Also present at the oathtaking were Ms. Leila M. Florento, RMT, PhD, and Mr. Ronaldo E. Puno, RMT, MBA-H, the PAMET NATIONAL President and Vice President, respectively. The University of San Agustin posted a passing percentage of 95.56% for first takers, vis-à-vis the national passing percentage of 81.55%. Edrylle G. Cofreros

USA Acctg Tech rules IF-ACTS events The University of San Agustin Accounting Technology Society (USA-ACTS) prevailed over lone opponent Central Philippine University Accounting Technology Society (CPU-ACTS) in various competitions held in celebration of the first-ever Iloilo Federation of Accounting Technology Society (IF-ACTS) Week on November 19-20, 2012. The two-day event included ACTS Factor, Accounting Quiz Bowl, Essay-writing Contest and Poem-Writing Contest on the first day, and the Search for Mr. and Ms. IF-ACTS on the second day.

Romnick Felicierta is the president of USA-ACTS, the official student organization of Accounting Technology students. The University of San Agustin and Central Philippine University are the only schools in Western Visayas offering the Accounting Technology Program.

FEBRIELYN S. TUMINES

The USA Pub News is the official web newscast of the University of San Agustin. This format aims to reduce the use of paper by delivering news via the internet. This newscast is the first ever to be done in Philippine campus journalism outside of Metro Manila.

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Volume lVII • Number 2

ePiCneSS

By JoSefa Maria a. CaStro

“Yes, the bravery of the Sultan ... to protect his people and their claim over Sabah, is no less than admirable; but at what cost? ”

April 1, 2013

bULLeTPrOOF

By StePhanie Kay l. urQuiola

“The citizen’s cry for help has become their own political battle cry.”

Who is paying the price?

Water Campaign?

as the dispute over the spratly Islands has yet to be fully resolved, the same can be said about the conflict between the Philippines and Malaysia over who has the rightful territorial claim over sabah. the Philippine claim is based on the 1878 agreement, signed by the sultanate of sulu and a British commercial syndicate, which provided that north Borneo would be “leased” to the British syndicate for 5000 Malaysian ringgits per year. since there was no ceding or cessation that took place (based on the sultanate’s understanding of the agreement), the sultanate has kept its claim over the territory, dormant though it is. the problem arose when the two bodies had different interpretations or versions of the agreement, specifically on whether or not the word used in the document was “lease” or “cede”. the Philippines further advanced its claim by asserting that the sultanate of sulu had already been established prior to the incorporation of sabah into Malaysia.

It was believed that in 1963, the residents of sabah exercised their right to self-determination after a referendum showed that they did not want to be part of the Philippines or of the sultanate of sulu. It was only later that Malaysia incorporated sabah as part of its national territory. since then, Malaysia has exercised sovereignty over the sultanate. article II, section 2 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution states that, “the Philippines renounces war as an instrument of national policy, adopts the generally accepted principles of international law as part of the law of the land and adheres to the policy of peace, equality, justice, freedom, cooperation, and amity with all nations.” Furthermore, article 51 of the United nations Charter provides for the peaceful settlement of international disputes by means of negotiation, good offices, enquiry, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, and judicial settlement in the International Court of Justice. the Philippines and Malaysia, both being members of the Un, cannot resort to war or other non-peaceful ways to resolve the dispute. the sultanate has made many attempts to advance its claim and the most recent dispute has been violent enough to cause the loss of lives of hundreds Filipino citizens, prompting President Benigno aquino III to declare a stand-down admonition, directing the followers of sultan Jamalul Kiram III, led by his brother Datu raja Muda agbimuddin Kiram, to withdraw their claim and return peacefully to the Philippines. yes, the bravery of the sultan by showing no signs of backing-down to protect his people and their claim over sabah, is no less than admirable; but at what cost? Would losing the lives of even more innocent Filipino citizens, all in an effort to maintain “honor”, be worth it?

It’s 7 in the morning; with an 8 a.M. class I had to attend, I rushed to the bathroom for a shower. now, staying in a dorm is both heaven and hell – heaven, because you finally get a taste of independence; and hell, because... well, there’s still no place like home. Dramatic script aside, I wasn’t known for my ability to move faster than a snail’s pace; more often than not, I need at least an hour’s worth of primping. Imagine my horror when, just as I was about to finish showering, the water conveniently ran out. The water ran out! Towel-clad, I ran back to my room, with conditioner still on my hair because there wasn’t much I could do about my predicament unless I opted for a mineral water bath.

Water shortages have left the residents of Iloilo City crying for help, literally. As of late, government officials have taken drastic measures to provide the affected areas with sufficient water supply. according to a news clip, 58 barangays and approximately 120,000 people are currently affected by this “acute water crisis”. the city has also been placed under a state of calamity after officials agreed that a contingency fund of P700,000 and an additional P2 million from the quick response fund could help stomp down the rising panic among the affected citizens. ra 12021 provides that if one or two barangays are affected by either natural or man-made calamities, officials have the right to declare the area under a state of calamity. It also approves of the release of the calamity fund, part of which is alloted for the purchase of water trucks that are used for making water deliveries to the affected barangays across the city.

People with the capability to help have also pitched in as reports of unofficial water distribution have circulated. Even a political aspirant for an elective post has taken it upon himself to answer the people’s cries for help. His “charitable” act led to a “traffic” of complaints from city hall. all this makes you wonder what the hullaballoo is all about – is it really for the sake of the constituents or the politicians’? It can not be denied that the responsibility of caring for the people does come with the territory, that is, the political one. In fairness, the local government has pretty much been up to par in going through the trouble of coming up with a rational solution; all for helping out and serving the people – just as they promised.

However, the solution may be just as much for their sake as it is for ours. The pressure on those in position is definitely greater.

The moment aspirants file for candidacy they start making vows to serve the people, to take on their every struggle, problem, and calamity that comes along. Helping is human nature, everybody feels the need to help out; there are just some

SURPRISE

August

th

eDiTO

heeding for Ren

as billows of white smoke finally emerged from the Sistine Chapel, eternal hope sprung anew in the heart of the universal Church.

Habemus Papam! We have a new Pope! Former Archbishop of Buenos aires, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, now sits on the throne of st.

Peter. Having taken the name Francis after the 13th-century monk saint Francis of assissi, His Holiness, Pope Francis has become the chosen shepherd that will lead the flock of 1.2 billion Catholics all over the world. He is the new Vicar of Christ and in his hands lies the future of the Catholic Church.

Pope Francis, the first elected pontiff born outside of Europe in more than a millennium and the first pope from the Jesuit order, has delivered a strong message of “a poor church for the poor” through his manifest example in action, creed and character. shunning the accoutrements and lifestyle of his predecessors, Pope Francis is the epitome of simplicity and humility. He wears plain white robes and chasubles during public appearances, a simple papal ring and cross instead of the bejewelled ones worn by other popes before him, and plain practical shoes, instead of the red, showy, pontifical ones worn by his predecessors. He has yet to transfer to the papal quarters from his simply-furnished apartment outside the Basilica. recently, the 76-year-old pontiff broke tradition during a Maundy thursday service in the re-enactment of Christ’s washing of the feet of his apostles. Instead of having twelve selected members of the roman clergy representing the twelve apostles whose feet he would wash and kiss, Pope Francis opted instead to have twelve juvenile prisoners, among whom were, for the first time in history, a Muslim and two girls. the Church has been enthusiastic in welcoming his papacy along with his simple lifestyle, humility, and charismatic persona, despite the scandalous controversies that have put the Vatican u n d e r fire and cast shadows on the moral ascendancy and doctrinal authority of the Church. the age of editoriaL • PAGE A6

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By JerSon e. elMido

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Ray Adrian C. Macalalag Josefa Maria A. Castro Jerson E. Elmido

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Febrielyn S. tumines Ric Martin L. Libo-on Anne Catherine D. Malazarte thongenn Lanz b. Patiam Ayah Danica V. Granada Wilhelm C. Lizada Joel S. Sastrillo

Joyce Gem M. Cañete Jeremiah John P. Vardeleon Marylex G. Sumatra Christine Joy A. Saber Daniel P. Abutas Seulgi J. han

Edrylle G. Cofreros Rochelle Louise D. Doromal Gladys t. Confesor

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By ray adrian C. MaCalalag

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“Wish ko lang, the University Website would be �inished soon for it to be up and running on the digital highway.”

tiniAn

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ersity of san Agustin • Iloilo City, Philippines

official student newspaper of the University of San Agustin. It is published by the nts, suggestions, and contributions may be sent to the editorial board. No part of produced by any means without written permission and approval from the USA rs.

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in YOUr FACe

By JeSanny i. yaP

“Unfortunately, this challenge hasn’t been effectively addressed.”

San Agustin Memes

Trash Talk

MeMe. It is ‘a cultural characteristic passed down from generation to generation’ as a dictionary defines it. However, to us who spend time liking and sharing on Facebook, this term is connected more to 9gag. the latter enlivens me especially if the memes posted are so much relevant to our daily lives. they keep me from doing anything else but, thanks to power failures or ‘brown outs’ - the effect of a power plant monopoly - I can resume studying with just a candle for illumination.

Before I continue, let me share with you an anecdote.

One time, when we went to the Usa archives, we came upon this section of an old nineties issue of the augustinian named ‘the Bogustinian’. It was a lampoon page where problems of the University at that time were identified, but presented in a lighthearted, somewhat sarcastic style, though in a wholesome way. to those who have kept up with the times, read on and enjoy the san agustin memes this techie has observed: ‘Y u no manners?’ recently, my friend and I stopped by the cafeteria for a meal of instant food and instant beverage. as we were slurping and sipping, we were disturbed (or more like demoralized) by a group of three mature “professionals” who were sitting at the next table. they were talking so loudly that the entire cafeteria could hear them; they were using a “highly sophisticated language” which included graphic Hiligaynon words of spanish origin. they had bought a lot of food which, in fairness, they totally reduced to mere crumpled wrappers and messy utensils. But when they were done gabbing, cursing, and chowing, they simply left without cleaning up their mess or returning the utensils to the designated counter.

The lesson lesson: not everyone in the University, even the socalled professionals, observe decency in the words they use, the volume in which they speak, and the manner in which they behave. not everyone has the functional literacy to understand the self-service notices posted around the cafeteria.

If they do read, they may not have enough neurons to interpret action Kon mag istorya kamo, and translate those notices into action. hagan-hagana lang ninyo ang inyo tingog kag ipaiway ang paggamit sang malain nga mga tinaga para indi matublag ang iban.Tapos ninyo kaon sa cafeteria, ihaboy ninyo inyo basura sa basurahan. Hiligaynon na ini para mas maintindihan pa gid ninyo. (these are merely suggestions, not offensives).

‘True story’ Have you ever experienced running in the hallways because you are already late? Well, how would you feel if you happen to pass by an angry mob of students flocking around a posted announcement on a wall along the hallway, making the passage too narrow even for a midget like me?

The lesson lesson: To the victims of human traffic bottlenecks, you can only take so much, so be smart - find a less crowded route and never let packed hallways ruin your day. to those posting notices requiring students to read a lengthy list of course requirements, or to search for their names on a kilometric list, please be considerate enough to post them in areas that can accommodate a throng of students without creating blockage of the passageways. Or better yet, post them online. Wish ko lang, the University Website would be finished soon for it to be up and running on the digital highway.

‘Problem?’ this meme is so true especially in “queueing situations”. actually, there are no lines. Why? Whether it is in the bookstore, at the photocopier, or even at some carinderia outside the U, cutting in line just to be served first is a rampant practice. If you’ve been butted out, you would likely see the culprit looking at you as if you are the one who has done something wrong.

The lesson: We have been taught since grade school to wait for our turn. So I say, never cut in line! But if you are a victim, saying ‘I was here first’ just doesn’t work. It will merely cause more trouble if the “cutter” is a ‘wild animal’ on a “needto-feed” mode, ready to pounce on anyone who dares to cross its path. so what can you do but just smile, act decent, and wait for your turn, one excruciating wild animal at a time.

‘What kind of sorcery is this?’ this happens when students miraculously enter the campus in an outfit or with a hairstyle not supported by the student Handbook. red, brown, chestnut, mahogany, or even mauve - you will surely see some students with peroxide-treated hair and worse, clad in mid-thigh skirts. the magic behind their entrance into the U is simple - they use a trojan horse to enter the campus – a taxi or their own car.

reD and Gold.

No, I’m not referring to the official school colors. I’m talking about the two color-coded receptacle bins found in the hallways of every building within the campus. I’m sure almost everyone started noticing these containers - with their attention-grabbing colors and noticeable labels - when the second semester of this school year rolled around. and yes, I was also one of the many who stopped, took a few minutes to read the labels on each side of the bins, and thought of where my trash should go. Could this new program be the answer to the University’s solid-waste management issues?

razor edge • PAGE A7

*** the most evident environmental issue we literally see every day is the one on solid waste disposal. We see piles of garbage around every street corner and litter almost everywhere, even in our very own houses. We see them on sidewalks and roads, at front yards and plazas, and in jeepneys and pedicabs. see what I mean?

Most of the wastes we have in school, such as plastic and styro containers, bottles, and cans, are non-biodegradable, which means they do not get broken down through inorganic or organic processes easily. thus, when they accumulate they pose a health threat to people as well as to the environment.

With this massive waste generation, it undeniably causes flooding. The important constituents of solid waste which bring about floods are the plastic carry-on bags. These solid materials enter the drainage system, gradually build up, and eventually clog the canals and other water outlets. *** the solid Waste Management for schools is a guide on how the program should be implemented, and who among the members of the school community would serve as the key players in the process. the biggest challenge, however, is to come up with strategies that would effectively reduce the waste consumption of the students, and to promote an informed and proper way of trash disposal.

Unfortunately, this challenge hasn’t been effectively addressed.

Despite the implementation of this new project of providing labeled/color-coded containers to facilitate the proper sorting of the discarded items, many students, and sadly, even some faculty members, still fail to observe proper waste segregation. By doing so, they’ve shown how careless and irresponsible they are. those two color-coded bins and three other big receptacles for cups, plastic bottles and styro materials are strategically placed around the campus not just for the efficient disposal of trash, but also for reminding all of us of our augustinian responsibility of doing our part in taking care of the environment. there are more serious cases, however. even though students responsibly dispose of their litter or trash, that is, putting them in the properly designated bins, the people who are in-charge of the final collection of these pieces of garbage simply dump all the segregated materials into a single container. Talk about epic fail! the solid Waste Management is a term that, in the simplest terms, refers to the proper disposal of garbage or trash for the benefit of stakeholders and the community at large. It is a must because, first and foremost, it is mandated by law, specifically RA 9003, which stipulates an effective solid waste management to protect the public from the spread and/ or outbreaks of infectious diseases resulting from unattended solid wastes. But how can we have an effective and efficient waste management if we do not abide by its implementing guidelines? How can students be credible stewards of the environment if they themselves do not know the value of responsibility and accountability? the success of the waste management program is only as much as the degree of support it gets from its stakeholders - the administration, the teaching, non-teaching, and maintenance staff, and the students. Its sustainability is only as far as the extent of the dedication of the same stakeholders. the bottomline is, it is everyone’s business to be proactively involved in the solid waste management program so that it doesn’t end up in the waste bin.

A6 News

Gud eve, anuh man na ang pwerta sa lib kg sa internet section duh tanan nga pwersa muh madala katulod. – Incredible Hulk nu man ni ang aton nga library man?.kamahalmahal xng library fee.. law.ay ang mga facilities.. iban nga aircon la ga gana ..ceiling fan ang gnagamit..daun ang opac la man gaandar.. nu na, pangdisplay lng? hay naku exam pa naman xbng.. – Library Geek

AugustiniAn the

Anu pr0blema xang admin mn? .ma 9 nha offline ghapun? .mkalab.0t nha dgay2 ang pila xa lib. ,wla gihapun? .kapoy mag tind0g f0r almost an h0ur m0h.

– Rheuma Girl sa mga nagabilin sang mga basura nila sa cafeteria especially sa mga tables, try nyo bala kaon sa canteen sang uP para mahuya man kamo. disiplinado gd cla ya bisan indi cla catholic school.

– UP Naming Mahal

ma xtampede nlg di ang mga 1st yr xtudntz xng nstp. .mkkuha lg xng pelm exam. ! .kg pla na kmi di ka 0raz .

– Crowd Control Team nga.a aku nalang pirme gina sita kung wala q naka uniform man? nga damu man da ibn nga wala ga uniform.

– Special Child

ngaa my karton nga gna butang sa mga urinal s blanco mn? Kun mangihi ko ga-agsik! Pangsot2 pa sang cr! – Mr. Good Smelling

Ang maestra bla namon indi kabalo mag spell. Ang powerpoint presentation nya puro pa may underline nga green. dba meaning sina wrong grammar?

– Mr. Webster bg-0 lng gn pintahan ang mga chairs, may mga k0dig0 agad? sulat bla sila sa mga batiis kag palad nila para wla sila mahalitan..may0 pah..! – Traditional Kodigo Writer

Volume lVII • Number 2

April 1, 2013

ka kiosk sa cafeteria may ara na! – Finding Maggot Kapila na nabunggo ang ulo ko sa guba-on nga pwerta sang cafeteria ang sa softdrinks area bala dapit? nan! Isa na lang gid.

– Super Mario

Anu mni ang ladyguard xa lib mn? kng mka asta daig pa ang supervisor, mka bati lang gamay nga sound mangakig gd dayun.feeling perfectionist.,:-( – Ms. Perfect

Kakita na kmo maggots sa lid sg softdrinks in can? Ang isa

Want your innermost reactions to be read here? text us at 09283206395 . you may email us at usa.publications@rocketmail.com.

tilipunan celebrates usa bags 6 golds in iloprisaa 2012 32nd Anniversary

By WilhelM C. lizada

beYond san agustin. usA Pub staff members prepare reading materials for the people of sitio Panuso-on. (USA PUb Photo /

thongenn lanz B. PatiaM)

tHe COMMUnIty serVICe Center, more commonly known as the tilipunan Center, celebrated its 32nd anniversary with a tilipunan Day at sitio Panuso-on, nabitasan, Leganes, December 10, 2012.

With the theme, “Pagtuo, Paghigugma, Pagbinuligay sa Pagtin-ad,” the whole-day event commenced with a holy mass co-presided by Fr. Jessie tabobo, Osa and Fr. noli Detoyato, Osa, at the Panuso-on community chapel.

Dubbed as tsinelas Day, the celebration involved both the young and old residents of the community. the program of activities included fun games such as the Japanese walk, tugof-war, and egg-throwing contest. Volunteer representatives from the College of engineering and architecture, College of Business administration and accountancy, College of Pharmacy and Medical technology, College of arts and sciences, College of nursing, and the Basic education Department facilitated the morning activities. “this event became an avenue for sitio Panuso-on and the University to be reunited in terms of giving gifts in this yuletide season, sharing what we can, and serving our adopted community,” annie Pedregosa, director of the Community service Center said in an interview.

In the afternoon, a bazaar or ukay-ukay was held, where various clothing items donated by the students, faculty and staff of the University were sold at very minimal costs. the proceeds of the sale went into the community funds which are then used to finance the residents’ various livelihood projects.

Pedregosa said, “they (the people of sitio Panusoon) are not just buying ukay-ukay [items]for their own consumption, but they are also funding their community livelihood projects… through their endeavors like beadmaking and chicken-growing, they will continue to foster growth and solidarity within their community.” she added, “the tilipunan and its volunteers will also continue to provide them with activities not only for entertainment but for the inculcation of values as well.” the line-up of afternoon activities included the regalo agustino program which was the awarding of prizes to the winners of the games, the best Christmas tree contest, and the raffle. In response, the zone families presented their prepared Christmas production numbers to cap the celebration. the community service Center, through its director, thanked the staff, the students, and the augustinian volunteers who contributed to the success of the tilipunan’s 32nd Foundation anniversary celebration and helped in “making its dreams a reality.”

“We are happy bringing the augustinian spirit into our community, together with our staff and, most especially, the volunteers who, in their own heartfelt ways, serve as the bloodline of tilipunan through the years,” Pedregosa concluded.

By JoSefa Maria a. CaStro

tHe University of san agustin took home 6 gold medals in the different Literary-Musical and academic Competitions of the Iloilo City Private schools athletic association Meet (ILOPrIsaa) last november 23-25, 2012. among the first place winners were the Usa Debate team composed of Junine Wednesday Java (College of arts and sciencesCas), Valerie Kaye Binayas (Cas), anderson Gedoque (Cas) and ric Martin Liboon (College of Pharmacy

and Medical technologyCPMt) who were coached

by Mr. eric C. Divinagracia, Ms. Mona Pico, atty. anfred Panes and Gian C. Bermudo. rupert renz arañas (College of Business administration and accountancy- CBaa) and teddie Jhan tumparan (CPMT) also won first place in Filipino Oration and Binalaybay, respectively. Both contestants were coached by Mr. erwin sustento.

Johanne Melody Manzano (Conservatory

of Music-COM), who was coached by Mr. Wynn natividad, won the gold in Vocal solo Classical.

Joni Patrick Jinon (Cas) won first place in the Computer Quiz. He was coached by Mrs. Josephine De asis. Jomalia Garrido (College of engineering and architecture-Cea) was also a gold medalist in the Math Quiz and was coached by Ms. rhodora Cartagena. apart from the 6 golds, the University also bagged 3 silver medals and 2 bronzes.

the silver medalists were Jastine Felmae Lemos (Cas) for english Oration, andre Karl Faculin (CPMt) for the science Quiz and the Usa Kawilihan Dance troupe for the Hip-hop Competition.

Michelle Luna (COM) placed third in the Vocal solo Pop as did Celine Ciara Celis and Melky arboleda, both from Cas, in the Vocal Duet Pop Competition. all competitions were held at the Western Institute of technology (WIt), the host school for this year.

usa PuB • from PAGE A1

John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University Molo, John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University arevalo, University of negros Occidental-recoletos, University of san Joserecoletos, and West Visayas state University. the spectrum, the official student media corps of the University of st. La salle in Bacolod City, organizes this annual Journalism Conference and Press awards ‘inviting several of the country’s top personalities in the field of writing and journalism to share their expertise and experiences’, as the spectrum invitation read.

editoriaL • from PAGE A4

has called for the Church to “act decisively” against pedophile priests; he has made plans to substantially reform the roman Curia, with the appointment of new heads to manage the different offices in this powerful Vatican bureaucracy. the nascent pontificate seems to have given the Catholic Church a new lease on faith. It appears determined to restore the Church’s tarnished reputation, gather the missing pieces of faith, and lead the flock towards renewal and reform.

Centuries ago in the Church of san Damiano, st.

Francis heard God’s voice telling him to “rebuild his Church”. now, it is Pope Francis’s turn to heed His call.

of participating institutions has increased and the quality of the publications has improved.

“I never expected the Usa Publications to win all the top prizes in the major and minor categories. this simply proves that the training [in the Usa Publications] is high quality,” Macalalag said.

Various schools from all over the country participated in this year’s fellowship and competition, namely: adamson University, De La salle College of st. Benilde, De La salle University Manila, De La salle University Dasmarinas,

greeN CHristMas • from PAGE A1

Usa sectoral associations and Usa benefactors,” rev.

Fr. Harold Ll. rentoria, Vice President for academic affairs, stated.

Meanwhile, in the parol and Christmas tree-making contests organized by the Office of the Vice President for student affairs and the Usa student Council, the College of Pharmacy and Medical

technology and the College of arts and sciences grabbed the top prizes, respectively, while the College of Business administration and Accountancy won first place in the Christmas caroling contest. the Christmas display on campus lasted from December 17, 2012 to January 6, 2013.

globalization has changed the tides of faith and created a swirl of problems which include sexual abuse by the clergy, internal power play in the roman Curia, or the Vatican central administration, rapidly dropping church attendance of Catholics around the world, and very low response to the call for priestly vocations.

Her conservative stand on such key issues as abortion, contraception, homosexuality and same-sex marriage has been divisive, to say the least. these problems should be directly addressed by the Church to stem the tide of discontent and doubt among the faithful. In his recent remarks, the Pope BuLLetProoF • from PAGE A4

people who believe it is tHeIr job to help, and to serve. the need to prove themselves to the people has now become a requirement for aspirants.

But with elections just around the corner, one may question the real motives behind the helping act. a calamity may be a

congratulations!

Mae Therese Alcayaga Alabot 10th Place

DECEMBER 2012 NURSING LICENSURE EXAMINATION WITH AN AVERAGE OF 83.80.

situation that could prove to be an opportunity. It is the perfect time for politicians to draw attention to their platform. the citizen’s cry for help has become their own political battle cry. thus, with politicians, water is indeed more useful than necessary after all.

Augustinian

Opinion A7

the

Volume LVII • Number 2

April 1, 2013

Lance Armstrong: ‘Living strong’

IMPETUS

BY RIC MARTIN L. LIBO-ON

“Religion or not, Manny Pacquiao must have also learned something from his defeat; and the entire nation has his back, win or lose.”

Faith or Fate

photo courtesy of the costa rican times

By Genessa A. Buenafe

Once a world-renowned champion cyclist, now a disgraced athlete who changed the face of sports.

Lance Armstrong ruled the grueling Tour de France, the Oscar race of road cycling, for seven consecutive years to become the undisputed king of the road. His feat was legendary. Alongside the most reality-defying athletes, Armstrong became a hero to his fellow athletes as well as to the fans who believed in him. Recently, however, all these changed.

His once-pristine life has been tainted by a scandal so foul that it has been considered as one of the world’s worst deceptions in the history of sports.

To aggravate the issue, he himself admitted that his “perfect life story” wasn’t flawless after all.

‘I am a flawed character’ In the hope of going back to competing, he broke his silence and told the world the “truth” of his story. In an interview, Lance Armstrong opened up to the media and admitted his past habit of doping, that is, taking prohibited enhancers during most of his races. He revealed that he started doping in mid-

1999 and continued until 2005, a time frame which coincided with his seven consecutive victories at Tour de France.

According to the US Anti-Doping Agency, the drug program on his Tour de France winning teams was “the most sophisticated, organized, and professionalized” doping scheme in the history of cycling.

The concoction that Armstrong had taken included testosterone, cortisone, human growth hormones, and the bloodbooster EPO (erythropoietin).

Redemption Setting his ill feelings aside, Armstrong continued to answer the media questions as directly and honestly as he could possibly do. He spoke about how he would dedicate the rest of his life to making public apologies for the disgrace that he had brought to the sport, as well as for all the lies that he had told the world.

From a champion cyclist on top of the world to a chastised rule-breaker on his knees, Armstrong revealed the greatest defiance of

his life and faced a harsh backlash of humiliation and criticism. Despite his tainted past achievements and the fraudulent crime he had done, he proved himself a true participant of his sport.

Truth and honesty were values he once took for granted and now these are the very same values that prove he is an advocate of positive change.

The right direction His coming clean to the public was an encouraging move to make things right.

In this, he was affirmed

by Travis Tygart, chief executive of the antidoping agency, who called Armstrong’s admission “a step in the right direction.”

But why now?

According to Armstrong, he made a clean breast of the doping issue only now because he wanted to spare his supporters and the people under his foundation from the deception that he had carefully construed. His voluntary admission also proved helpful in mitigating his doping case from a lifetime ban imposed on Olympic athletes to mere suspension.

Lance Armstrong has

been willing to eat humble pie and be humiliated just to take a second, sober shot at a chance to compete in the Olympics once again.

Without the assurance of winning or the support of the people that once loved him, he knew with certainty that his coming out in the open was all worth it.

Cheater When asked if he felt what he did was wrong and if he did feel like a cheater, Armstrong said no. He even stated that he looked up the definition of the word ‘cheat’ and found that it simply meant to do an illegal act of gaining advantage in a competition.

Being around top gun cyclists who also used drugs, he reasoned out that he only used dope to level out the competition. Joining the race without drugs was like going to war without weapons and he felt that he needed to do something – like taking drugs - for the race to be “fair”.

“Living a lie to living the truth?” Whatever he has now, Armstrong still continues to face his demons, but with a promise to change for the better, for a life of living strong.

ONE punch was all it took to stun the entire world as the clock paused for a second in the sixth round. Juan Manuel Marquez delivered a lethal counterpunch that hit dead on target - the face of Manny Pacquiao - sending the pound-forpound king sprawling on the canvas.

It was a shocker, a dazzling knockout win that hurled speculative signals to the Filipino and global boxing fan demographic. Tongues started wagging over the sports hero’s dramatic loss that marred his knockout-free thirteen-year boxing career.

The aftermath saw the swirling of unfounded theories, irrational excuses, internet memes, and lengthy explanations.

It did not take long before Filipino netizens and supporters swamped the social networking sites Facebook and Twitter with their reactions and opinions. Heart heavy with pathos, the nation went into denial mode. Something had gone wrong.

A common denominator among the speculations over the loss was that Pacquiao should have won if he did not change his religion. Yes, many attributed his humiliating defeat to a change of faith.

Before his multi-million contracts and endorsements, it was a Manny Pacquiao trademark and practice to wear a rosary around his neck when he entered the arena; to pray and kneel in his corner before the fight; and to make the sign of the cross prior to the much-awaited combat. But this time, things were different. He didn’t do any of those.

As revealed by Pacquiao’s number one fan and “spiritual adviser”, Mommy Dionisia, in various television interviews, she was not in favor of her son’s turning his back on the Catholic faith and becoming a member of another faith group. She said that since the new group’s leaders came into his life, Pacquiao had not focused on his boxing. She wanted him to quit and become a Catholic again.

While this may be true, one cannot dismiss the fact that it was a clear victory for Marquez. It was not a lucky right punch that put the fighting pride of the Philippines to sleep.

It was rather a calculated and decisive move which sealed the deal for the Mexican to emerge as the top dog in Vegas that night.

According to expert and boxing aficionado Ronnie Nathanielsz, Marquez trained rigorously for four months, replaying and studying the former matches of his nemesis; while Pacquiao trained for just under two months, of which two weeks were spent working out in his hometown of General Santos City, instead of spending two full months training at Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles.

Being a ten-time world champion in eight various weight divisions is not easy at all. On top of that, Pacman is also a congressman, a lieutenant colonel of the Philippine Army, an actor, singer, bible preacher, TV game show host, father, husband, and anti-RH bill supporter. That’s a lot of balls to juggle! Seriously, Pacquiao should lose some and cut some slack, or he could bungle his juggling act.

I cringe at the thought that religion caused Pacquiao’s defeat. What it was all about was lack of FOCUS. If he wants to reclaim the crown, he should go the extra mile and set his priorities straight.

Religion or not, Manny Pacquiao must have also learned something from his defeat; and the entire nation has his back, win or lose. He assured his countrymen that he would rise again and return to the ring this 2013.

He is a fallen icon who rolled with the punches and is ready to stage a comeback after two consecutive losses. He thirsts for redemption and plans on reclaiming his glory.

The ring is the arena where Pacquiao rightfully belongs, the place where he must take a good shot at fate and taste sweet victory again. razor edge • from PAGE A5

The lesson: Feeling Rich: ride in a taxi; Filthy Rich: ride in your own car; Fabulously Rich: ride on the provisions of the Student Handbook and be rewarded in heaven.

(Applause, that’s all I can give

you.) The security guards should be aware of the violators’ devious tricks so that enforcement of the rules would be fair to everyone.

More fails and 9gagging to come here in the U. When you see one, smile; but do the right thing.

USA Publications

B

ROSTER OF 2012-2013 ACHIEVEMENTS

THE 9TH SPECTRUM FELLOWSHIP: NATIONAL CAMPUS PRESS AWARDS

November 22-24, 2012 at Mambukal Resort, Murcia, Negros Occidental Major Categories 1st Place, Best Newspaper 1st Place, Best Magazine Publication of the Year Minor Categrories 1st Place, Best Newspaper Layout 1st Place, Best Magazine Layout 1st Place, Best Magazine Cover Design Special Individual Awards Best Opinion Article, Josefa Maria A. Castro Top 10 Outstanding Campus Journalists, Ray Adrian C. Macalalag

2012 REGIONAL COLLEGE PRESS CONFERENCE AND AWARDS

December 6, 2012 at The Bacolod Business Inn, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental Major Categories 1st Place, Best Wall Newspaper 1st Place, Best Journ.ph Blog 2nd Place, Best Newspaper 3rd Place, Best Magazine 3rd Place, Best Literary Folio Minor Categories 1st Place, Best Newspaper Layout 1st Place, Best News Page 2nd Place, Best Sports Page 2nd Place, Best Editorial Page 4th Place, Best Magazine Cover Design Special Individual Awards Best Blog Photographer, Ray Adrian C. Macalalag Best Blogger, Wilhelm C. Lizada Top 20 Eco-Tourism Article, Wilhelm C. Lizada Top 20 Eco-Tourism Article, Marylex G. Sumatra Top 20 Eco-Tourism Article, Joyce Gem M. Cañete On-the-Spot Contests 1st Place, Editorial Writing - English, Ray Adrian C. Macalalag 1st Place, Photojournalism, Thongenn Lanz B. Patiam Mr. and Ms. COPRE 2012 Mr. COPRE 2012, Ric Martin L. Libo-on

THE CENTRAL ECHO JOURNALISM SUMMIT 2013 February 26-27, 2012 at Central Philippine University, Jaro, Iloilo City Major Categories 1st Place, Best University Publication 1st Place, Best College Newspaper 1st Place, Best College Magazine 1st Place, Best Feature Page 1st Place, Best Editorial Page 1st Place, Best News Page

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