The Augustinian, August 2011

New ID strap draws reactions Page 3

NEWS

FILIPINO

SPECTACLE

Pagabi-abi ‘11 welcomes new, old Augustinians

La Niña: Paghahanda ng Pilipinas at ng Universidad

The Sims 3: A world within a computer screen

Page 2

Page 7

Page 8

Rizal: The Man with Many Faces From the nex t- door neighbor’s supposed affair even to President Ninoy Aquino’s lovelife, there always seems to be something peculiar to talk about. Even our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, wasn’t spared from these so-called popmychspopular mythical chismis.

See full story on Page 6

University MIS breaks down

By ANDRE KARL S. FACULIN

A MAJOR database server malfunction has caused the Universit y Management Information System (MIS) to break down, resulting to loss of information, formation of long queues, and laborious manual transactions.

Vice President for Student Affairs (VPSA) Rev. Fr. Pederito Aparece, OSA, disclosed that the technical problem was initially reported on July 21, 2011. “ We n o t i c e d t h e malfunction [when the] colleges [started]inquiring about some difficulties in the database server,” Aparece, also the MIS director, said in an interview.

In effect, the server crash has resulted to physical, emotional a n d f i na n c i a l p ro b l e m s , according to Prof. Gemma Halili, University registrar.

“Physical, because the problem requires personnel to render extra ser vice to reconstruct data… Emotional, because the personnel, as frontliners, serve as shock absorbers of the clientele’s dissatisfaction

SC gives out free affidavits of loss

By GENESSA A. BUENAFE

WAITING… AND WAITING IN A LONG LINE. The students were asked to return to the manual mode of payment as one of the means used to remedy the temporary breakdown of the MIS last June. (USA Publications/Kristine Louise L. Andrade)

and annoyance. Financial, because the personnel have to do overtime work for which the University has to pay in order to cater to the urgent needs of the clientele,” Halili stated.

The MIS identified the two most probable factors

that brought about the server crash: hardware malfunction and software glitches. Aparece explained that the hardware m a l f u n c t i o n c o u l d h av e come from the overheating of essential components such as the motherboard and the

microchips, as well as other electrical factors. The software glitches, on the other hand, could have stemmed from the corruption of files and programs.

Currectly, there are ongoing repairs being made to solve

VPSA, USASC to hold RSO Alumni Homecoming

By RIC MARTIN L. LIBO-ON

ALL USA Recognized Student Organizations will have their first Grand Alumni Homecoming in the University campus on December 17-18, 2011.

The two-day event will commence with a motorcade around the city, to be followed by a Eucharistic Celebration and a general assembly in the USA Gymnasium.

The affair will also feature games as well as perks and souvenirs. It will be capped by a closing ceremony at the Iloilo

Grand Hotel.

“This activity aims to be an avenue of reaching out to our alumni officers, members and advisers of the University student organizations, to work hand in hand in promoting the Augustinian spirit of leadership, and to inspire our young Augustinian student leaders to become true servants to the society. It will also enable us to extend our help to our Alumni Office for updating our alumni registry,” Rev. Fr. Pederito Aparece, OSA, Vice-President for Student Affairs, said.

Aparece emphasized that with this momentous event, the student organizations will realize that helping the University unselfishly after passing through its portals, is already their means of contributing to its growth and development, enkindled with the Augustinian spirit.

“The homecoming is the time to reminisce memorable experiences and for the officer graduates to share their gifts of wisdom and bravery of facing life’s challenges ... with the current batch of Augustinian

Illustration by RAY ADRIAN C. MACALALAG

Population down by 1.26%

Catch us online at www.usa-pub.blogspot.com

FOR the first semester of the current academic year, the student population has decreased by 1.26 percent, according to the tentative resume of enrolment released by the Office of the University Registrar.

According to Mrs. Gemma B. Halili, University Registrar, the total student population, including those of the Basic Education Department and

leaders.... I always pray that this once-in-a-lifetime and splendid event will truly be a heart-warming and enriching experience. Indeed, true effort will be rewarded with real glory,” he added.

The Office of the VicePresident for Student Affairs, through the Coordinator of Student Organizations and the USA Student Council, will spearhead the activity which will involve all the student organizations’ former officers, members and faculty advisers.

By RAY ADRIAN C. MACALALAG

the Saint Thomas of Villanova Institute (STVI), Quezon City, is 10,038 which is lower by 128 when compared to the first semester figures of the previous academic year.

The biggest loser among the colleges was the College of Nursing (CN) with its population down to only 896 from 1,631, or a 45.06 percent decrease from POPULATION Page 3

the problem. The MIS, together with the Administration, is under taking contingenc y measures to address the server crash. The simultaneous troubleshooting of technical equipment and restructuring

DUE to the many demands for the issuance of affidavits of loss, the USA Student Council has been giving out these documents for free since July 1 to the Augustinian students.

The USA Student Council (USASC) launched the said project with the purpose of extending tangible service to the students, helping them save time and money.

According to USA SC President Patr ick Daniel Ladrido, students who avail of the service can save roughly Php100-300 pesos which is what they pay a notary public for the same document.

To prevent abuse, the USASC will issue the affidavit only for the following missing items: Registration Form, Identification Card, Accounts AFFIDAVIT Page 3

MIS Page 6

Arki grad places 9th in board exam

By JESANNY I. YAP

With a rating of 84.8%, Architecture graduate, John Christian U. Tsai, placed ninth in the June 2011 Architecture Licensure Examination given on June 16, 2011, as the roll of successful examinees released by the Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC) showed.

Tsai cited his two-year apprenticeship in construction sites in Iloilo as his key advantage since it required the actual application of his skills and knowledge.

“The board exam is pure situational analysis which demands for your ability in decision-making in certain situations. Hence, you need to be confident with everything you’ve learned and apply it,” he said.

When asked about what inspiration he could give to aspiring architects, Tsai had this to say: “Embrace fear. It’s human nature. If you fail, at least you’ve done something

Tsai

out of the best you have. I’m not a genius. I was not even an active student in extracurricular activities or a dean’s lister back in college. It’s just that, I’m not the type of person who tends to be lax whenever given an obligation to finish within a specified time. I saw to it that all my duties in school were sufficiently accomplished.”

“I am truly thankful to my parents for all the support they’ve provided, the time they’ve invested, and [their TSAI Page 3

Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/usa.publications

2

AUGUST 26, 2011

NEWS

VOLUME LVII • NUMBER 1

Pub staff reaps awards at PIA

Pagabi-abi ‘11 welcomes new, old Augustinians

By MIA ROSE V. EMBOLTURA

By RIC MARTIN L. LIBO-ON

The USA Publications delegates work on a layout of a newsletter for a contest during the Annual Campus Journalsim Workshop organized

by PIA, July 29. (USA Publications/Kristine Louise L. Andrade)

EIGHT USA Publications writers garnered 14 awards as the Most Promising Writers and Promising Writers in various types of journalistic writing during the Annual Campus Journalism Workshop held at Iloilo Grand Hotel, July 27-29, and sponsored by the Philippine Information Agency Regional Office 6 (PIA-6).

The winners in the different writing events were: Mary Leslie Eregia (Most Promising News Writer, English); Jerson Elmido (Most Promising Editorial Writer, Filipino; Most Promising Feature Writer, Filipino; Promising News Writer, Filipino; and Promising Column Writer, Filipino); Andre Karl Faculin (Promising News Writer, English and Promising Column Writer, English); Genessa Buenafe (Promising Column Writer, English); Mia Rose Emboltura (Promising News Writer, English and Promising Column Writer, Filipino); Hannah Grace Taba (Promising News Writer, Filipino), Charrie Rose Duay (Promising Feature Writer, Filipino), and Kristine Louise Andrade (Promising Photojournalist).

The pub staff collectively won the Most Promising Page Layout award in the page designing workshop.

“As one of the editors-in-chief of the USA Publications, I PUB Page 6

EACO election relieves CEA history

By JOEL S. SASTRILLO

The new set of officers of the Epsilon Alpha Chi Organization participate in their team-building activity at Villa Estrella, Oton, July 31. (EACO/Angela Katrina A. Cham)

After 11 years of single appointments, various positions in the EPSILON Alpha Chi Organization (EACO) of the College of Engineering and Architecture (CEA) were finally filled by elected officers coming from two parties who won after an election held on July 1.

Given a a week to do their room-to-room campaigns, the two parties namely: Leaders for Empowerment and Transformations through Partnership with Tekno Youth (LET’S PARTY) of Gemar Emmanuel, and Pilots in Aiming for a Rewarding, Remarkable, and Resplendent Tekno Year (PARRRTY Party) of Angela Katrina Cham, both fifth year Architecture students, made their agenda and projects known to the CEA student body.

Results showed that the PARRRTY Party swept all but one position, that of assistant secretary.

“During our time,” EACO adviser, Engr. Nino G. Blones, said in an interview, “we [had] three opposing parties running for positions in the EACO; that made it more interesting because of very good competition. But for the past eleven years, only one party[had] the guts to run for the positions in EACO; sometimes, just to have officers of the organization, we forced the students [because] they just concentrated on their academics. I am very glad that the old TEKNO spirit has been revived through this election.”

EACO Page 5

THE University of San Agustin opened her gates and welcomed the new students to this academic year with Pagabi-abi 2011: General Orientation at the University campus last June 24, 2011.

The w hole-day event kicked-off with the institutional Mass of the Holy Spirit in the gymnasium. Rev. Fr. Raul M. Marchan, OSA, USA President, was the presider, together with other Augustinian friars.

An orientation program followed during which the Un i v e r s i t y p o l i c i e s a n d procedures were introduced and a ramp modeling of uniforms was done to show the students the proper uniform and how to wear it.

In the afternoon, a campus tour was conducted and New Student Orientation (NSO) talks were given. To manage the big number of new students and to make the proceedings s ystemat ic, more than a hundred volunteer students from various departments were assigned as Orientation Leaders (OL) to facilitate the afternoon

activities.

Pagabi-abi backpack s containing the Freshmen Orientation Primer prepared by the USA Publications were given to the newcomers.

USA Student Council President Patr ick Daniel Ladrido said that the NSO talks were intended to help the new students face the challenges of college life by letting them know of their rights as students, the University’s Vision-Mission and goals, and the available student services the school offers.

“The NSO is the essential first look of the student at University life. What we wanted for this year was to make sure that the impact of the Pagabiabi would last until the student graduates from the University, as it is the purpose of any general orientation,” Ladrido added.

The restaging of the dance-drama “Tarangban” by the USA Performing Arts in the Auditorium, concluded the series of orientation activities.

Tarangban is a production of the USA Little Theater and its official entry to Tanghal 4 at the College of St. Benilde and Pasinaya Festival in CCP,

The amused expressions on the faces of the audience reflect their reaction to the show prepared by the USA Performing Arts and other student organizations during the Pagabi-abi 2011 New Student Orientation held at the USA Gymnasium, June 24. (Club of Augustinian Photographers/ Vincent Troy D. Lucero)

Manila.

“Pagabi-abi 2011 is such a success, although I wasn’t actually there to witness it all.

I felt it from afar. I felt how OLs were happy to be part of this event and how happy new students are that they chose the University of San Agustin for college. I am so proud of my friends in the USA Student Council for their selfless service given to the students and for making sure the event was a success,” Ladrido said.

Rev. Fr. Raul Marchan, OSA said, as written in the

CPMT launches 65th jubilee year

By MARY LESLIE S. EREGIA

AS a way of gathering alumni to pay tribute to their Alma Mater, the College of Pharmacy and Med ical technolog y launched its 65th year at the USA Gymnasium, July 2.

With the theme “PMT @ 65: Looking back…building it forward”, the joint launching served as a get-together of the alumni and an eye-opener for the students and faculty on the college’s “bountiful harvest” through the years.

“The aim of this launching is not just to prepare for the 65th and 50th years of the Pharmacy (on December) and the Medical Technology (on September 2012) programs, respectively, but also to acknowledge the College’s nurturing concern for its students”, said Victoria A. Sustento, RMT, MedBio, Dean of the college.

The launching started with a Holy Mass celebrated by Rev. Fr. Pederito Aparece, OSA along with Rev. Fr. Mamerto Alfeche, OSA, Rev. Fr. Jonas Mejares, OSA, and Rev. Fr. Jose Seigel, OSA, followed by a motorcade around the city and finally, a Fellowship program and General Alumni Homecoming in the gym.

Mr. Christian Gregoire Tioco, RPh, secretary of the CPMT Alumni Association, said that the most important task done was informing the alumni about the Jubilee celebration of the College. “The organizing body was very happy to learn that the alumni who attended the event were full of gratitude and appreciation for a very warm welcome. Everyone is already looking forward to a blast during the highlight of the celebrations in December for Pharmacy and September

2012 for Medical Technology.

It is our hope to sustain the momentum and amplif y it when the celebration reaches its peak”, he further added.

Jim Jaralene Porquez, president of the Epsi lon Chapter, said that the students also played a role in welcoming the alumni back. “Aside from the mini-concert, students, as well as the faculty, showed their appreciation for the alumni through the various numbers and gags they performed onstage. Ever yone real ly enjoyed that day”, Porquez commented.

The joint launching was sponsored by the CPMT Alumni Association headed by former dean Miss Gilda Rivero, in cooperation with the Epsilon Chapter, the Junior Association of Medical Laborator y Scientists ( JAMLS), and the Apothecarian Council.

Dr. Teves is 2010 Nutritionist-Dietitian

By REXON A. AMASE and CHARRIE ROSE E. DUAY

DR. LILIA S. TEVES has just added another feather to her cap after being awarded the Nutritionist-Dietitian of the Year 2010 by the NutritionistDietitians Association of the Philippines (NDAP) during its 56th National Convention held on March 3, 2011 at the Hotel Sofitel Philippine Plaza, Pasay City, Philippines.

As an awardee, Dr. Teves exemplif ies the versati le nu t r i t i o n i st- d i e t i t i an by manifesting leadership and excellence in professional practice as a teacheradmini strator-mentor, successful food ser vice consultancy and rendering

generous support and services to NDAP in various capacities as Regional Vice President, Iloilo Chapter President and National Convention co-chair.

The award was presented to her by Esther Feliciano, chair of the Awards Committee, and Nieves Serra, NDAP President.

Te v e s e m p a h a s i z e d that sincerity, hardwork and commitment were the key to her becoming an awardee.

“Always give your best in every endeavor that comes your way,” she told The Augustinian.

Dr. Teves is the head of the College of Education Culinary Arts, Hotel and Restaurant

Teves

Management, and Nutrition and Dietetics Department.

freshmen primer, “I wish and pray that as you stay longer in this school, you would grow in values specific of an Augustinian and in your own little way, you will discover and define your newly assumed identifiable identity (of being an Augustinian) that is communal and shared for transformation of self and others” The core group for this event is composed of the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, Guidance Services, CoCurricular Office and the USA Student Council.

Paris receives Outstanding Prof’l Award

By MARY LESLIE S. EREGIA

Paris

ASST. PROF. LERMA L. PA R IS, RMT,MSPH of the College of Pharmacy and Medical Technology, was awarded as the 2011 Outstanding Professional in the field of Medical Technology at the Fiesta Pavillion, Manila Hotel on June 22 Paris was recognized for her professional competence, participation in professional activities of professional organizations, significant contribution to the advancement of the profession, and meaningful contribution or participation in socio-related activities.

“I consider these awards which I have received to be great blessings or bonuses to the hard work and LOVE I put into every work I do.

PARIS Page 5

VOLUME LVII • NUMBER 1

NEWS

New ID strap draws reactions

By KIM ERIC J. DEL ROSARIO

DUE TO THE INSISTENT demand of the students for a change of the old ID strap, the Student Affairs Office (SAO) released on June 23 a newly-designed ID strap with functional features.

Vice-President for Student Affairs (VPSA) Rev. Fr. Pederito Aparece, OSA, together with the University General Advisory Council, approved the new ID strap on the condition that the old ones be sold out first.

The new ID strap i s dominantly red with gold lines running along the edges of both sides of the strap; the gold text, ‘University of San Agustin’ in Old English font, is repeated on the entire length of the strap; it also features a black buckle which can be conveniently detached if a student is required to leave his/her ID in order to gain access to school services.

“I’m real ly glad that students now are proud of wearing their IDs. It speaks of the University and simplicity; it exudes the identity of an Augustinian.” Aparece said.

It must be remembered that last academic year, different college lanyards were used by the students instead of the prescribed one. This prompted

the Office of the VPSA to come up with a new design of the ID strap.

“The students liked wearing the lanyards although there was a memorandum against it since they clamored that the old ID strap was not ‘in,’ not presentable, and easily soiled.”

Aparece added.

Having released the new ID straps, the SAO is expecting that the problem on the proper wearing of IDs within the University campus would be solved. In addition, the VPSA reiterated that although the University has a new prescribed ID strap, the previous ones would still do.

Despite the new design of the ID strap, negative reactions still abound.

Jamme Joe Monteclaro, a junior Engineering student did not buy the new ID strap for the reason that “it was not required anyway.”

“We are not forcing the students to buy the new strap.

The old and the new straps are both considered prescribed.” told Aparece.

On the other hand, most students commented on the length of the new ID strap, and some have also mentioned that the buckle can be much too easily detached.

According to the USA

The new ID strap features the Augustinian colors, name and logo; it reflects the Augustinian identity and simplicity, and provides for easy access to school facilities and services. (USA Publications/Kristine Louise L. Andrade)

Student Council president, Patrick Daniel Ladrido, “the University of San Agustin [text on the strap] is readable, but the length is long for short people, and the new buckle feature makes it prone to getting lost.”

Another junior Engineering student, Hya May Bautista, did

not opt to purchase the new ID strap because “the buckle easily breaks off and would [cause] the student to buy another one.”

The new ID strap can be bought at the USA bookstore at the price of fifty-five pesos. The SAO said it is “reasonable” and ‘student budget-friendly’.

USASC Prexy joins ASEAN Exchange Program

By JOSEFA MARIA A. CASTRO

Ladrido in Jakarta

TSAI from Page 1

suppor t of ]al l my needs throughout the process.” He added.

On the other hand, CEA Dean Reynaldo Asuncion proudly affirms his entire departmental team for the two succeeding years that the University has produced topnotchers in the board exams during his term as dean.

“I believe topping the board exam is not merely luck. It also speaks of the kind of education ... given to the students, [that it] is of high quality and that being a dean’s lister in college is not a determining factor, because even an average student has an equal chance to top the [board] exam,” Asuncion said.

Furthermore, the CEA dean gave emphasis to the

PAT R I C K DA N I E L LADRIDO, the USA Student Council President for AY 20112012, was chosen as one of the two Philippine representatives to the Association of SouthEast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Cam p u s Jo u r na l i st s an d Leaders Exchange Program Phase IV, held on June 12-18 in Brunei and on June 19-25 in Indonesia.

The program was organized by the ASEAN Committee on Culture and Information through the Philippine Information Agency and sought to address the lack of awareness of ASEAN among its youth through an interactive exchange among campus journalist/leaders of each ASEAN member country Ladrido explained that, “ASEAN has a goal to achieve by 2015 and that is ‘One Vision, One Identity, One Community’.

Through this program, ASEAN plans to instill in the youth its mission and make the youth

become an important factor in achieving it.”

Atty. Janet Mesa, the Regional Director of PIA6, chose Ladrido to represent Region VI and endorsed him to the National PIA Office where the final screening committee selected him and another student from Manila to represent the Philippines.

Dur ing the exchange program, Ladrido was with 15 other participants coming from Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

Throughout the entire program, the participants were made to write a newsletter to document everything that they learned and experienced.

Ladrido wrote an article about the food in Brunei.

“Then for the most part, there were lectures on leadership and journalism; the things discussed were the usual things we hear in other similar seminars.”, Ladrido adds.

passing percentage of the examinees, especially the first takers: “There is still room for improvement. It is now the challenge for both the faculty and the student body to take part in the [improvement] of the curriculum, particularly on the mode of instruction.

We are aiming to be one of the top architecture schools in the country, thus, improvement in

the overall rating percentage is our primary goal and [our graduates] topping the board exam would just be the bonus that comes with it.”

Together with forty- five other Augustinian examinees, Ts a i t o o k t h e t w o - d a y examination on June 10 and 12, 2011, collectively attaining an institutional passing percentage of 78.57 for first takers.

AUGUST 26, 2011

3

CPMT, CEA juniors lead Pub staff

By JAMES MARTHY M. ESLEYER

AFTER five years of Artian leadership, a Tekno and an Epsilonian now hold the reins of leadership of the USA Publications.

Besting 51 other applicants for the publications scholarships, Mary Leslie Eregia, Medical Laboratory Science 3, and Ray Adrian Macalalag, Civil Engineering 3, emerged as The Augustinian Mirror and The Augustinian editors -in-chief (EIC), respectively.

For the two editorsin-chief, their t wo-year experience on the publications has provided them with enough training on improving their skills in writing and managing the staff.

“As the former managing editor, I have experienced organizing the staff. This year, as editor-in-chief of The Augustinian, I would make it even more professional and [improve on the] technical [aspect],” shared Macalalag.

He adds, “The tabloid has already evolved through the years and transformed dynamically in the past year, specifically in its layout.”

For her part, Eregia has this to say, “I feel surprised because ...I never expected that I would be one of the editors-in-chief. However, despite my being an MLS junior, which is very crucial since we are having our major subjects, I would surely work

hard to make the magazine better this year. ” The big task is now on the shoulders of the two EICs being the leaders of the organization that is responsible for being the mouthpiece of the Augustinian students when it comes to informationdissemination and analysis of campus events and national issues, by providing them with excellent campus journalism for the common good.

Eregia

Macalalag

POPULATION from Page 1

AFFIDAVIT from Page 1

last year, followed by the Conservatory of Music (CM) with 6.00 percent (from 68 to 64), Graduate School (GS) with 5.88 percent (from 446 to 333), and the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) with 0.38 percent (from 1,600 to 1,594, including the enrolment of STVI).

However, the Registrar’s records show that, despite the overall decrease, several departments still posted a significant rise in enrollment.

The College of Pharmacy and Medical Technology (CPMT) leads all departments with the biggest increase this year at 26.41 percent, from 1,473 to 1,862, followed by the College of Business Administration and Accountancy (CBAA) which increased from 1,694 to 1,912, a 12.87 percent growth, and the College of Engineering and Architecture (CEA) in third place at 974 enrollees from 898, an 8.46 percent increase.

The College of Education (CEd) had the least population increase rate w ith only 0.85 percent (from 1,301 to 1,312) followed by the Basic Education Department (BED) with 4.14 percent (from 869 to 905).

Clearance and Appraisal Form.

The affidavit is not issued for other lost items not included on the list.

One of the requirements for the issuance of the free affidavit of loss is a proof that the one applying for an affidavit is a bona fide student of the University. In cases when there are no documentary evidences available, any Student Council officer could testify that the applicant is a student currently enrolled in the University.

Furthermore, a student can avail of the free affidavit of loss only once per semester and only the student concerned can procure the form from the USASC Office.

“It is a blessing for many students because there are instances that would cause us to lose some of our school ... items.

Through this, we could save our time and focus more on our studies. This service, however, could be abused if students would get it into their minds that it is OK to lose important documents.” said Marcel Luigi Panes, a sophomore from the College of Pharmacy and Medical Technology.

The affidavit of loss is issued within a day or two from the date of application.

4

AUGUST 26, 2011

EDITORIAL

MIS management THE UNIVERSITY has implemented the manual mode of payment of transactions in the Accounts Section just like in the past because of the unexpected breakdown of the management information system (MIS) and its server last June. Thus, assessment of fees, balance and other account inquiries were not available. Paying students had to write again on three receipts, and payments due for the prelim examinations were set at almost fixed rates for all courses and year levels. Besides the Accounts Section, the college offices also had similar problems - they were not able to provide the faculty with the final class lists so the teachers had a hard time identifying who their students were. Late enrollees were not issued their registration forms and were only given tentative schedules and sections of their classes. Furthermore, the student services posted on the official website of the University were not actually functioning.

In effect, class sizes were not controlled (some sections had more than 40 students while other sections barely had 20) and tellers had to remit each transaction manually. The Administration took the flak as negative feedback came from students and their parents, as well as the faculty. Many complained of the slow-paced transactions that were going on.

It is natural for the clients of this institution to complain about the manual method of making payments but for one thing, it is neither the fault of the employees who use the MIS nor the tellers who entertain the clients.

In the first place, a computer system does not give assurance that it will work for a long period of time. It is expected to go wrong anytime due to hardware failure, virus infection, and human errors.

Computer hardware has its own life span with a minimum of three years. Viruses these days have grown so complex that fully updated and genuine antivirus programs cannot manage to disinfect the bad sectors of a system. Human errors are inevitable since managing such a big system is a very tough job.

Fortunately, before the MIS problem could get any worse, repair and restructuring of the system by the original programmer have been done so that the clientele would not go through more hassles than they already have.

At this difficult time of frayed nerves and short tempers, mutual cooperation is needed. The personnel-in-charge of the offices, being the ones who directly deal with the clientele each day, are expected to be patient, helpful, and accommodating. The students and parents, in turn, must also be polite and patient in dealing with the office personnel. Inasmuch as the system is still in the process of being repaired, the Administration must play its part as controller and supervisor by being more meticulous and vigilant about the maintenance of the MIS so that the institutional operations will not be disrupted again. The persons in-charge of the MIS should also anticipate the old technical problems that may recur, or new ones that could emerge, identify the proper intervention in order to prevent delays in repair and losses of important data, and provide the necessary back-up system.

In the meantime, let us all bear this temporary MIS breakdown with grace and composure. Being impatient and arrogant will not help.

USA PUBLICATIONS FOUNDED 1928

RAY ADRIAN C. MACALALAG MARY LESLIE S. EREGIA Editors-in-Chief JOSEFA MARIA A. CASTRO Managing Editor JESANNY I. YAP ANDRE KARL S. FACULIN GENESSA A. BUENAFE Associate Editors Literary Editor FEBRIELYN S. TUMINES Wall News Editor JERSON E. ELMIDO Senior Writers Ric Martin L. Liboon, Mia Rose V. Emboltura Hannah Grace S. Taba, James Marthy M. Esleyer Staff Writers Charrie Rose E. Duay, Kim Eric J. Del Rosario Joyce Gem M. Cañete Art Director NICOLE FERNAN L. CAMINIAN Photography Editor KRISTINE LOUISE L. ANDRADE Circulation Manager JOHN LOUIE E. ESMAYA Newspaper Apprentice Writers Wilhelm C. Lizada, Marylex G. Sumatra Joel S. Sastrillo, Kevin Jerrol C. Erebaren, Josel T. Majerano Magazine Apprentice Writers Diane Danica C. Dy, Christine Joy A. Saber Ayah Danica V. Granada, Rexon Ace A. Amase Gladys T. Confesor Moderator

The Augustinian is the official student newspaper of the University of San Agustin.

It is published by the USA Publications with editorial office at the 2 nd Floor, Alumni Building, University of San Agustin, General Luna Street, 5000 Iloilo City.

Comments, suggestions, and contributions may be sent to the Editorial Board through the email address usa.publications@rocketmail.com.

OPINION

SIPPING my favorite brew, I was totally invigorated by its comforting warmth, stimulating aroma, and zesty taste. Having been a sleepless ‘zombie’ for the past few nights, my day was jumpstarted not by this cupful of drink alone but by blood pressure-raising news as well.

Just as I was recharged by a dose of caffeine, my mind was spurred by a different coffee variant.

President Benigno Aquino III ignited his State of the Nation Address (SONA) with a revelation that turned into a fullblown blaze. The exposé spoke not of luxury cars, sumptuous meals and expensive mansions but rather, corruption that boiled down into a peculiar yet shocking truth:a mind-boggling price tag for coffee.

Yes, it ’s about cof fee which was poured in three streams: first, this coffee carried a one billion peso bill for accummulated consumption from August 2001 to June 2010; second, it dragged the Philippine Amusement Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) on to the “hot plate”; and third, it immersed former PAGCOR Chairman Efraim Genuino in “hot water”.

In the words of P-Noy in his SONA, “Where did all that coffee go? Who drank it?

Perhaps we can find the people who consumed all that coffee and ask if they have been able to THREE hours have passed and I’m still looking at the same blank document on my monitor screen. Nah! I’m not having a writer’s block or anything; I’m just deliberating on the best subject to feature in my firstever Pub article. I know every writer has been through all these dilemmas once in their lives, so to speak.

So let’s try my luck on this one: It is common that every student’s first day as a college freshman is either one of two things: ideal or, in my case, disastrous. Well, almost.

The sun was already up when I entered the gates of the University of San Agustin. I went straightaway to the PMT Department Office and dashed to the lengthy line to secure my Registration Form from the person in-charge. As I headed

VOLUME LVII • NUMBER 1

Over-all Overhaul Vox Populi

“Unfortunately, personal interest reared its ugly head and struck down public interest.”

ANDRE KARL S. FACULIN

sleep in the last few years.”

Sadly, the overpriced coffee is a stinging slap on the face of the Filipino people.

Imagine how a billion pesos’ worth of coffee has kept some government officials living in caffeine-charged abundance while leaving millions barely awake from hunger and thirst.

Doing the math on this one is easy. Assuming that each cup of coffee costs P100, then one billion pesos means 10 million cups of coffee were consumed.

Who drank all that coffee?!

With 32.9% of Filipinos living below poverty line, according to the CIA World Factbook, why wasn’t the one billion pesos spent on filling the empty stomachs of the hungry? Why was it not spent on enlightening the minds of the youth and the uneducated?

Why was it not used to alleviate the plight of Juan dela Cruz?

Based on the Audit Observation Memorandum issued by the Commission on Audit (COA), the coffee consumed by the casino

patrons of the state gaming firm PAGCOR was overcharged by 6 4 % . How ’s t hat f o r diamond-like coffee? Certainly, something’s not brewing right at PAGCOR. The irregularity apparently comes from the seemingly personal ties of Genuino to the contractor, Promolabels.

Promolabels’ owner, Carlota Cristi Manalo-Tan is believed to be connected to Genuino through her husband, Johnny Tan. This is obviously a case of conflict of interest which is, it seems, the real issue involving PAGCOR and the contractor. Questionable, isn’t it? Unfortunately, personal interest reared its ugly head and struck down public interest.

This 3-in-1 controversy goes beyond being an eye opener for it is, in fact, a siren call for Filipinos to be more alert to the anomalies that have afflicted the Philippine political system for years. Though PAGCOR explained that huge appropriations are set aside for its social development projects,

All is well “Hopes fail. Dreams die. Expectations hurt. Trust is lost. Hearts get broken…” for my first class that morning, I carefully scanned, more like decoded, the unfamiliar numbers and letters indicated on that piece of paper.

I was told that my Registration Form or the so- called “RF” would be my “personal ticket” around the University, or so I thought.

It was already time for my next class and my RF read: Chem 101- AL 42. After climbing the seemingly long,

Truth or Consequence

JESANNY I. YAP

winding stairs-- I finally located the room, found my way to one of the vacant seats at the back, and did the usual “getting-toknow” stuff.

It was only later that I found out that I had attended for an entire hour the wrong class session and mingled with the wrong set of classmates. It turned out that AL was supposedly Alumni Building and not Aguirre Hall.

No, I’m not trying to flaunt

it is as clear as sugar crystals that the controversy is just part of the dregs at the murky depths of the PAGCOR coffee cup.

Current PAGCOR chairman Cristino Naguiat Jr. described the alleged anomaly in three succinct terms: “scandalous,” “outrageous,” and “offensively excessive.”

Mind you, it is hypothetically probable that many other issues are waiting to be stirred in the government anomaly pot. Nevertheless, this revelation calls for radical transformation in all aspects of our country—the family, government and societ y.

Amidst the adversities, the government must remain determined, audacious and aggressive in its fight against the cancer of corruption. Likewise, every Juan dela Cruz holds the magical power of casting the spell for the total revolution of the Philippines. Indeed, P-Noy and the Pinoys are carrying the torch that lights the way along the ‘straight path.’

As I hastily gulped the last few drops of my coffee drink, my mind turned towards the 10 million cups of coffee. Whether or not these 10 million cups have lavished the fortunate with wealth, the 1 billion peso price tag has undeniably deprived the nation of its rights for truth, justice and liberty.

N o w, I c a l l f o r a n overhaul. my shock and humiliation here; instead I’m pointing out my realization that people do make mistakes no matter how careful they are, and that things don’t always work out right as planned.

Truly, life is full of surprises.

There are periods in our lives that find us confronting peculiar circumstances . When this happens, what and how everything will fall into place is undeniably beyond our control.

Sometimes, no matter how much we prepare for everything to be perfect, the things we get are still contrary to the things we’ve wished for.

Hopes fail. Dreams die.

Expectations hurt. Trust is lost.

Hearts get broken.. Families split up. Friendships fade.

Relationships get bitter.

ALL IS WELL Page 5

VOLUME LVII • NUMBER 1

SUCCESS. Grow ing up, I always associated this word with winning, glory, being the first, and achievement. When persons excel in their fields where they have worked hard, they triumph over what they have attained. Events like the Azkals ‘ winning their first international game, students’ passing the major examinations when they thought they couldn’t make it, or simply cooking a mouthwatering meal that makes our loved ones go loco, are enough to show that we, Filipinos, value success and we really work hard to reach the top.

However, working hard seems to be a two-faced persona: when there’s perseverance, the so-called “crab mentality” also tags along; when there’s honest work, its evil twin, dishonesty, also surfaces out of nowhere. If indeed triumph can be reached through honest hard work, why are these “antagonistic twins” here in the first place?

Recently, the countr y has experienced yet another “typhoon” in the supposed switching of election returns (ERs) kept at the Batasang Pambansa building in favor of then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to ensure her SINCE it was first posted in mid-February of 2011, Rebecca Black’s song and YouTube phenomenon “Friday ” has received more than 140 million views. Produced by the vanity recording studio Ark Music Factory, the video features 13-year-old R ebecca and her friends driving around town in an obviously fake car singing about how excited they are about the upcoming weekend.

A lot of controversies have risen not just on the bad acting of the characters in the video, but also about the poorly-written lyrics of the song. It consists of meaningless lyrics such as “we, we ,we song excited; we gonna have a ball today”, making it not just annoyingly terrible, but also gramatically incorrect.

The bridge of the song goes something like this, “Yesterday was Thursday, Thursday. Today it is Friday, Friday. Tomorrow is Saturday, and Sunday comes afterwards.” As if we didn’t know, Rebecca. As if we didn’t know.

In her personal defense, Black made a video response explaining the “layers of hidden ALL IS WELL from Page 4

Problems and even unforeseen situations happen to us in all shapes and sizes every day. In one way or another, we all find ourselves enduring the same changes that life is constantly casting at our doorsteps. Our natural human tendencies of getting frustrated and discouraged prevent us from seeing every positive perspective and continuing to live life as it is.

I am inspired by one of my

OPINION

This honest work Pulchritudinous

“…people would always go through several means to get what they want…”

MARY LESLIE S. EREGIA

victory in the 2004 presidential elections against her rival, the late Fernando Poe, Jr. In a news article on the Philippine Daily Inquirer dated July 28, Senior Supt.

R afael Santiago, relieved Zambales police director, presented envelopes bearing the Commission on Elections (Comelec) seal and containing ERs from Mindanao, which were supposedly among the original ERs stuffed in more than 100 Marlboro boxes taken by his men from the Batasan main building. Santiago further added that he and his men only acted on the orders of then Philippine National Police Director Hermogenes Ebdane, Jr. which were coursed through Special Action Force director, Chief Supt. Marcelino Franco.

With the breakthrough of yet another political controversy, several speculations have arisen

among the populace. Should FPJ have been the 14th Philippine President? What other hocuspocus could Rep. Gloria Arroyo have done during the 2004 presidential elections? This is not anymore surprising given that Arroyo had already been involved in the “Hello, Garci” scandal with then Comelec commissioner Virgilio Garcillano, to rig the 2004 presidential elections.

Coupled with this supposed electoral fraud was Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri’s resignation from his senatorial post to make way for his rival, Atty. Aquilino Pimentel III, after having seen that his (Zubiri’s) victory in the 2007 senatorial elections was made possible through dishonest means and not through the people’s votes.

With what has transpired in the political arena nowadays, I have realized one thing: people would always go through several

means to get what they want, even if it requires dirty work and unscrupulous acts. The consequences of their actions are only acknowledged when their faults have been laid out in the open. If this type of behavior is exhibited by our leaders, how can the country triumph over the problems it has so long fought against?

A familiar adage goes “Honesty is the best policy.”

Yes, we have encountered this at a tender age but still, we haven’t learned the importance it plays in our lives. If we really want our country to triumph over corruption and other various problems it is up against, we have to start by being honest in our work and with ourselves.

This is why we never learn to trust one another because we are exposed to a world full of fraud, of trickery.

Success. A word that not only denotes winning, but also honesty. Triumph is not measured by the number of medals received but by the consistent honesty practiced in achieving our goal. Thus, it would be good for us to heed the advice painted on some walls , “BE HONEST: even if others are not; even if others will not; even if others cannot.”

meaning”” of what seemed to be useless lyrics.

The line “gotta have my bowl, gotta have cereal” was supposedly meant to talk about “consumerism in the US and in third-world countries”.

“Kicking in the back seat, sitting in the front seat” was supposed to be a “metaphor for American foreign policy”.

She wanted the listeners to make their minds up between Afghanistan (front seat) and Iraq (back seat).

“Looking forward to the weekend” was supposed to mean “the broken promises to a generation to the current economic climate and looking forward to a brighter tomorrow”.

She was disappointed because people didn't get what her song meant.

Black is just one of the

many girls in the world who can't seem to take a hint and would kill for their 15-minute fame, whether good or bad. People have become attention-hungry as ever because of the influence that media, specifically the music industry, has imprinted upon us.

The music industry has proven to be more influential than television these days, specifically targeting the youth.

Whether they are aware of it or not, the youth are slowly being brainwashed by the lyrics they hear, the videos they see, and the singers they consider to be their role models. It was all fun and good when the Spice Girls and the Backstreet boys dominated the industry; but now with Justin Bieber as prince of pop, we can't help but wonder if it really is a downward spiral for

the youth from here on.

Pop icons such as Bieber determine what's in and not. If the 17-year-old Bieber thinks Public Displays of Affection and having a romantic getaway with 19-year-old girlfriend Selena Gomez is okay, then youngsters all over the world would think the same thing.

It's really sad to see a generation growing up in such a media-gullible society and how some media practicioners take advantage of the power given to them, cramming whatever they feel will add a lot of numbers to their profits, no matter how mind-numbing and morally incorrect thses influences may be.

Peo p l e have b eco m e apathetic and powerless to c h a nge w h at t h e p u b l i c believes to be right or wrong.

However, each of us has the ability to influence change once we set our minds to it.

All hope isn't lost. We should continue to stand for what is morally right and pass this on to the suceeding generations.

Contrary to popular belief, Black did get one thing right: everybody is indeed “looking forward to the weekend”.

favourite lines from the movie, 3 Idiots, that goes: “… This heart scares easily. You have to trick it. However big the problem, tell your heart, ‘All is well pal, all is well.’ ” Problems are only manmade, therefore, they may be solved by man himself. It is the attitude that we exhibit as we face the consequences of every hitch that makes the difference.

Act positively, take chances, accept failures, give people the benefit of the doubt, move on

and live again. Chances are, you learn from your mistakes and lessen the occurrence of those problems again. Not only will a positive attitude help you feel good about yourself, but it will also reflect your perception of everything that surrounds you. Do not allow yourself to be consumed by stress, worries and apprehensions nor dwell on past mistakes all your life.

It’s okay to make mistakes once in a while. It’s human nature to do so. It’s inevitable.

It adds a little spice to your life.

The troubles we get from our mistakes make us better persons after surpassing them.

Back to the incident that happened to me on the first day, I know that that will not be the first and last time. I’ll still be running into these tight /awkward/humiliating/nervewracking incidents in school.

But one thing I’m certain of is that this is just the start. The finish line is still far out of sight and there are a lot more events

Looking forward to the weekend “People have become apathetic and feel powerless to change what the public believes to be right or wrong.”

Epicness

JOSEFA MARIA A. CASTRO

AUGUST 26, 2011

5

Dignity, modesty and accountability “Mahiya naman sana tayo sa ibang estudyante. Iyan ba ang maituturi nating modelo?”

Razor Edge

RAY ADRIAN C. MACALALAG

IN my third year at the USA Publications, I have been given the responsibility of being the leader of the staff. Adjusting to the new environment, I am working big time all the time. I never want to depend on others seeing the possibility that I would become a burden to them. Even with little things, I do not even try to delegate these responsibilities to others for I don’t want people to say, “don’t you feel ashamed for not doing even a simple thing?”

One cold afternoon, as I passed by a table in the Cafeteria to buy some snacks, I was reminded of my very first column article published in The Augustinian way back when I was still a freshman. It was about the piles of food containers, overflowing mess, and the awful smell at our cafeteria.

Unfortunately, the case is not yet closed. About two years after my article was published, the same situation is still happening and I believe that this will continue.

Going back to my story, what I saw was a vacant table full of rubbish. I quickly grabbed my mobile phone and took a picture of the “abominable snowman” (more like a snowman made of garbage). I then posted it on the page of USA Publications in a social networking site and captioned it, “What can you say about this, Augustinians?”

After an hour, a student commented. He pointed out that it is not really the responsibility of the students since the management of the cafeteria is the one responsible for cleaning up the premises. Furthermore, he said that students having on the job (OJT) trainings do most of the work there and not the employees. Though this is just a single comment that I found, I still believe that this speaks of the dominant trait we Augustinian students have – being dependent on other people.

Practicality would tell you that there are other students who will eat at the table you will be leaving. Is it really hard to clean up the mess that you have made? Mahiya naman sana tayo sa ibang estudyante. Iyan ba ang maituturi nating modelo? ***** We do not need to depend on other people for simple things like this. Like the country herself, we tend to go our selfish ways and depend on others even if we can do things ourselves.

For example, the Philippines depends on other countries for providing jobs for our skilled workers and professionals. Instead of developing our own economy by being open to investments and generating more jobs for our people, we depend on other countries for that. So what will happen now that Saudi Arabia will no longer accept Filipino workers? How will these problems be solved? ***** What should an Augustinian do? This may sound too simplistic but I believe we need to have dignity, modesty, and accountability. We have to throw the wrappers or containers of our food in to the proper waste receptacles, and return the food trays to the designated area. It would not even take five minutes of our time to do that.

I am pretty much hopeful that this long-time problem will be solved by the students themselves by setting an example to one another. It does not necessarily mean that just because there are employees assigned and being paid there, they have to do all the work. Remember when we were younger? We were taught in our values education class not to throw or leave our garbage anywhere and rely on the janitor.

Let us think of others as well. Dependence is not a factor for progress and change does not really involve groups, it starts with you. in store.

Rules change on a dayto-day basis and we all find ourselves in a constant race against time. As life continues, so do problems that test our resiliency and optimism. But then again, we need to enjoy the ride and learn from every failure.

After all, life is not perfect, but at least we can make the best out of it. Just don’t forget to tell yourself, “All is well, pal, all is well.”

EACO from Page 2

Newly-elected E ACO President Angela Katrina Cham expressed her gratitude and hope for having been elected to the top position, “With this year’s EACO officers, with our very supportive dean, faculty and staff and the departmental presidents and their members, we can all make things happen.

Together, we shall make this year a rewarding, remarkable and resplendent one.”

6

AUGUST 26, 2011

FEATURES

VOLUME LVII • NUMBER 1

Rizal: The Man with Many Faces it was against morality. Yet, in his letter to his mother, Doña Teodora, Rizal emphasized the idea that “it is better in God’s grace than to be married in mortal sin.” Therefore, “what is better, to live with and love a woman or marry her but cheat and abuse her?”

Adolf and Mao, the Rizal Brothers?

Another funny popmych about Rizal is his supposed fatherhood to Adolf Hitler [the leader of the legendary Nazi Party whose reign in Germany resulted to the murder of as many as 17 million civilians] and Mao Zedong [the Chinese communist revolutionary who changed the history of China by going against the Japanese invasion]. The grounds for these include Rizal and Hitler having the same hairbrushed-to-the-right hairstyle; also, Hitler’s biological mother, Klara Pölzl, was believed to have been Rizal’s trueto-life image of Maria Clara, one of the characters in the latter’s novel, Noli Me Tangere. On the other hand, no evidence can be gathered about Mao Zedong being Rizal’s son.

“Very impossible. If you look at the time frame and the physical features, Rizal was really very Malay. Of course , Hitler was very German [Caucasian]and Mao Zedong was purely Chinese,” Dr. Isidro explained.

Rizal, the Pinoy Casanova?

As cited in biographical books, Rizal was seen to have associated with different women of different races who

Rizal, the Heretic Hero?

After having had an illegitimate child with Josephine Bracken, Rizal faced yet another issue: Can someone be called a heretic for going against morality by having a child outside marriage?

Dr. Isidro defended, “He was so religious. He just condemned the actuations of the friars, of the Catholic Church, because they exploited the Filipinos instead of being the models of goodness and morality. Yes, he had an illegitimate child with Josephine because they were not married. In a conservative environment at that time,

PUB from Page 2

PARIS from Page 2

MIS from Page 1

am proud of what we [the staff ] have achieved in the PIA seminar. Although it cannot be denied that we still need to improve ourselves in the field of journalistic writing, I must say that we had a good start, both in individual and group categories,” says Mary Leslie Eregia, edior-in-chief of The Augustinian Mirror.

Eregia also admitted that the Pub writers still have a long way to go before reaching the top. “It’s difficult, yes, but not impossible,” she said.

On the other hand, Gladys Confesor, moderator of the USA Publications has this to say, “I’m very happy about the over-all performance of the staff writers. Their having been chosen as the Most Promising and Promising Writers from among more than 200 of the best writers in the region was no small feat. The recognition they received is an affirmation of their talent and “passion” for writing. Hopefully they will continue not just to excel in journalism but also to learn from every experience they go through as campus journalists in order to hone their skills and become better, more committed, more credible Augustinian writers,” states Confesor.

The Most Promising Writer title is the highest award given to only one or two workshop writers who have produced the best outputs. Sometimes it is not given at all. The Promising Writer recognition is for runners-up.

No more than 5 participants are given this award.

What makes it more fulfilling is the fact that family and friends share in the joy brought about by this recognition.

I take all these with [my] feet on the ground and pray that God may find me worthy of all of these gifts,” Paris said.

She was nominated for the said award by the Philippine Association of Medical Technologists (PAMET) National Board.

“As I continue to serve, I hope to inspire many more people, especially my students and colleagues in the profession. I share this recognition with all my fellow Augustinians. To God be the glory!” Paris concluded.

This national award is the second for Paris who was also awarded in December 2010 at the Manila Hotel as the 2010 Most Outstanding Medical Technologist in the country by the Philippine Association of MEdical Technologists (PAMET). She is currently in-charge of the USA Clinical Laboratory and a member of the faculty of the College of Pharmacy and Medical Technology.

of the database server are carried out by the original programmer and former MIS director, Atty. Rey Ejes, and the newly-hired system database administrator.

“As far as the problem is concerned, only these persons are allowed to tackle [the repair operations] kay very delicate ang data,” Aparece stressed. “[Suffice it to say that], for the students to know, the two (Ejes and the database administrator) are using efficient tools in recovering the data which [have been] lost or hidden.”

Halili likewise assures that the Registrar’s Office keeps hard copies of each student’s complete academic records saying that, “when needed, the transcript of records, diplomas, certificates and the like could be generated manually.” She adds that, “the same is true with the students’ payments and account balances.”

Mi n i ma l e x p en d i t u res are currently spent for the fixing of the database server. According to Atty. Rey Magtubo, University chief accountant,

HARRY POTTER from Page 8

their journey. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint embody their characters to the tee, that it is bittersweet to have to say goodbye; the epilogue of the movie gives them a fitting farewell that older Potter fans will surely appreciate.

Deathly Hallows Part II brings this franchise to a satisfying - and suitably magical - conclusion. It truly

was brought up, some of which included their having the same initials ( J.R.), Jack’s murder of women and Rizal’s fondness for them (this one’s vague, if he’s fond of them, why mutilate them?), Jack being an expert in medicines which he used in his devious schemes and Rizal being a doctor, and upon the latter’s leaving London, the murders immediately stopped.

Dr. Isidro concluded the issue, hastily exclaiming, “That’s off ! These allegations are just loopholes that critics are trying to come up with to prove he’s a human being. He’s not a saint, he’s not perfect, but, he had unquestionable love for his country and he never failed to give honor to [his fellowmen] - that a Filipino can excel and [has] equal or even more power than the Spaniards. I truly believe that we should be proud of him, since once in a century, we have produced a brilliant and multitalented

hero. We should be thankful about these accusations for these are eyeopeners that lead us to search further for the truth”.

It seems, however, that our very own Pepe, despite his brilliance in the pursuit of freedom amidst the battle cry of Filipinos and the last thudding of his heart after the gunshots, never survived our misconceptions. But then, at the end of the day, like in comics and books, the hero saves the world. Long live Rizal! Long live the man with the many faces!

the costs for the repair are primarily allocated for the financial incentives, accommodation pay ments and travelling allowances of the in-house programmers.

As the MIS director, Aparece recommended that a long-term solution must be realized through an overhaul of the network structure and system in order to avoid future recurrences. In fact, the MIS deems the provision of an on-site and off-site secure back-up, alongside with the re-evaluation of the integrity of the software to assess the compatibility of the old and new programs, as necessary.

“My vision is to have a better MIS in which the [pieces of ]equipment are up-to-date… especially that we are aspiring [for] the full automation of the records,” Aparece shared.

As of this writing, the server has resumed partial operations but it is still in the process of retrieving the entire server data.

“The server is already up and running. What we are doing right now is [recovering] the data…,” Aparece revealed.

He believes that the MIS, originally procured in 2004, is “congruent to the modernity [plans]of the University”

since the MIS stores the digitalized records, from the most confidential information to the basic information that students can access such as grades and assessment of fees.

In addition, Halili emphasizes the importance of the MIS since the data generated basically help the administration provide good services to its clientele by allowing the Registrar’s Office, the Student Accounts Section and departments/colleges to efficiently and effectively generate reports on enrolment, student profiles, grade reports, faculty load, class list, class schedules, class size and account balance, to name a few.

The information uploaded to the University’s intranet system is made available for public use which then allows faculty members to access the class records in encoding the periodic grades of their students.

Amid the inconvenience, Aparece emphasized that this must not hamper the University’s operations because there are “other means of coping with this particular problem”.

“Let us just wait until the machine is restored to its normal state and again, patience. Patience is a virtue,” Aparece appealed.

LA NIÑA from Page 7

oras na hindi tayo handa.

Kagamitan.Kaalaman.

Kooperasyon. Tatlong simpleng mga salita na maaring makakapagligtas ng libu-libong buhay. Gamitin natin ito at nawa’y magsilbi itong aral na tayo’y dapat laging maging handa.

IAN

taught him the many sides of love.

Names like Leonor Valenzuela, Leonor Rivera, Consuelo Ortiga, O Sei San, Gertrude Beckett, Nellie Boustead, Suzanne Thill, Josephine Bracken and Segunda Katigbak, believed to have an acquaintance with Rizal, gave birth to the idea of the latter being a womanizer, a ladies’ man, a playboy.

To clear things up, Dr. Rowena Isidro, Chair of the Social Sciences Department of this University shares, “Rizal was really appealing. [Women like us] consider smart men as goodlooking. He was of course smart, sweet, simpatiko and mysterious. It’s just that he needed some companions and many women were attracted to him, but these are not enough to brand him as a womanizer. He [had his women] one at a time. He never cheated. He was honest. He even had a great heartache about Leonor Rivera marrying another man and the sayonara scene with O Sei San. He couldn’t marry them because he always stressed the idea that his heart was for his country.”

FERNAN L. CAMIN

R

emember years ago when you were so scared to step into any Robinson’s department store dressing room to fit in some pants, believing that some half-snake and half- human creature would grab you from behind and drag you down into “nothingness”?

That was nothing more than a false account of Robina Gokongwei’s snake twin drama spreading down the block.

Talk about the fright it caused in every person who chanced a look at the mall.

It is without a doubt that we, Filipinos, have this certain fondness for talking about [and even believing] outof-the-world stories about everyone we know. From the next- door neighbor’s supposed affair and even to President Ninoy Aquino’s lovelife, there always seems to be something peculiar to talk about. Even our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, wasn’t spared from these so-called popmychs- popular mythical chismis.

What could be more interesting than discussing the other side of a hero?

Just like some cartoon superheroes whose alter ego turned against them, Rizal is both the protagonist and the antagonist in his own life story.

Womanizer. Heretic. Supposed father of Adolf Hitler and Mao Zedong.

Believed to be Jack the Ripper, England’s infamous serial killer. What more about our national hero do we need to know that has not been told before?

LE Graphics by NICO

By JOSEL T. MAJERANO and FEBRIELYN S. TUMINES

The Hero turned Murderer?

The worst of all beliefs about Rizal is him being England’s notorious murderer, Jack the Ripper. A series of coincidences

is a classic.

In the ten years since Harry’s first big-screen appearance, the spell that he cast upon us has yet to be broken. For those of us who stuck with Harry until the very end, remember that the magic only stops once you stop believing.

And in the words of the late Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape: “After all this time?”

“Always.”

iligtas ang mga mamamayan sakaling dumating ang trahedya. Ayon sa kasabihan, lahat ng pagbabago ay nag-uumpisa sa bawat nilalang kaya huwag nating hayaang maunahan tayo na pagbaha at pagguho ng lupa sa mga

FILIPINO

Boses ng Makabagong Panahon, Mga epekto ng Street Language Ni HANNAH GRACE S. TABA

L

inggo. Nagkataong libre na ako sa lahat ng aking mga gawain kaya naman napagdesisyunan kong pumunta sa mall para maglibang.

Habang naglalakad, nakita ko sa di-kalayuan ang isang grupo ng mga tinedyer na nakukwentuhan at nagtatawanan. Sila ay pawang mga babae – magagan da , at katamtaman ang pangangatawan.

Kung ibabase sa kanilang mga suot na uniporme, masasabi kong nasa hayskul pa lamang ang mga ito.

Hindi ko lamang sila pinansin dahil naisipan kong pumunta sa isang resto upang bumili ng makakain ngunit natigilan ako ilang hakbang lamang mula sa kanilang kinatatayuan at di naiwasang ikunot ang aking noo at itaas ang aking kilay nang marinig ang ilang kakatwang salita mula sa kanila na noon ko lamang narinig.

Slang , kung tawagin, ay kilala rin sa tawag na Salitang Kalye sa Tagalog at Street Language sa wikang Ingles. Ito ay hango sa mga pangkat o grupo ng mga tao at nagsisilbing mga code o mga salitang sila lamang ang nakakaintindi. Ang iba ay mula sa mga wikang banyaga na kadalasa’y hinahaluan ng Wikang Filipino

upang makabuo ng mga parirala o pangungusap na may iba’t-ibang kahulugan.

Idineklara ang buwan ng Agosto bilang Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa.

Sa buwang ito, iba’t-ibang paligsahan at aktibidad ang isinasagawa para sa lahat upang ipaalala ang tunay na kahalagahan ng Wikang Filipino. Subalit sa panahon ngayon, naging kasabay na ng pagusbong ng makabagong teknolohiya ang pagkatuklas ng mga ganitong uri ng pananalita na nagiging bukambibig na ng mga Pilipino, maging bata man o matanda. Nauso rin ang Taglish, kumbinasyon ng Tagalog at Ingles, na madalas ding bukambibig ng Queen of All Media na si Kris Aquino sa kanyang mga talk shows. Sumikat din ang Gay Lingo, na maririnig sa mga beki o bakla gaya ng sa mga sikat na artistang sina Vice Ganda, Chokoleit at Pooh. Maging ang mga Jejemon, ay minsan ring itinampok sa ilang TV shows. Ganito na ba talaga kabilis ang pagbabago ng panahon?

Kung ikukumpara, ang mga balagtasan at iba pang uri ng pakikipagtalastasan sa pamamagitan ng Wikang Filipino ay pinalitan na ng fliptop, ang modernong balagtasan, kung saan dalawang grupo ang nagtatagisan

sa pamamagitan ng rap. Ang mga talumpating pawang Tagalog noon ay puro na Ingles ngayon dahil kung hindi, mapagsasabihan kang cheap. Ang iba kasi, makarinig lang ng diretsong Ingles, kahit baluktot naman, magaling parin sa kanilang paningin.

Sosyal o kakaiba mang pakinggan ang mga ganitong uri ng pananalita, malaki ang magiging epekto nito hindi lamang sa ating mga sarili kundi pati na rin sa ating bansa. Bukod sa hindi tayo matututong ituwid ang mga baluktot na Ingles na ito, mawawalan pa tayo ng pagkakakilanlan bilang mga Pilipino. Marapat pa’y alamin natin ang ating mga limitasyon sa paggamit ng mga salitang ito. Masabi man na karapatan natin ang malayang pamamahayag, hindi naman natin dapat abusuhin ang karapatang ito.

Marahil kapag nangyari iyon ay malilimutan na sigurong tawaging Filipino ang Wikang Pambansa ng Pilipinas.

Mga pinagkunan: http://tl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikang_Tagalog#Ang_ paggamit_ng_Tagalog_sa_Pilipinas http://www.seasite.niu.edu/Tagalog/salitang kalye.htm

ALLERGY Nina HANNAH GRACE S. TABA at CHARRIE ROSE E. DUAY

A

sthma. Hay Fever. Eczema.

Ilan lamang ito sa mga pangkaraniwang uri ng allergy na nagtala ng mga kaso dito sa Pilipinas. Kaya naman bilang pakikiisa sa layunin ng Department of Health na bigyan ng sapat na kaalaman ang mga tao kung ano ang allergy at kung paano ito maiiwasan, idineklara ang buwan ng Hulyo bilang Allergy and Asthma Awareness Month.

Ang allergy ay iniuugnay sa iba’t ibang reaksyon ng mga sangkap, gaya ng semilyang pulbos sa bulaklak (pollen), balahibo ng pusa, o ng iba pang sangkap na ipinapalagay ng katawan na hindi nito kilala. Sinasabi rin na ang allergy ay bunga ng hypersensitive immune system. Ang mga taong may allergy ay hypersensitive sa ilang elemento na ang karamihan nama’y hindi apektado at ipinapalagay na ang mga ito’y hindi nakakasama.

Pinaka-karaniwan ang hay fever sa mga kaso ng allergy. Ang sintomas nito ay pagbahing, runny nose, nasal congestion, pagkati, nagtutubig na mata, makating bibig, tainga, at lalamunan.

Ang asthma ay may relasyon pa sa pag-atake ng sakit kahit sabihin man natin na ang asthma ay hindi palaging pinagmumulan ng allerg y.

Karamihan sa mga taong may asthma ay may allergy-related condition. Kapag umatake ang asthma, ang lining ng airways ay namamaga at ang cells na nakalinya sa airways ay gumagawa ng mas maraming uhog na tinatayang mas makapal kaysa normal. Ang mga karaniwang sintomas ng asthma ay madalas na pag-ubo, pagkawala ng paghinga, humihinga ng pahingasing

(wheezing), paninikip ng dibdib, at kirot.

Maaari ring magkaroon ng allergy sa pagkain dahil ang ating katawan ay malimit mag-react sa ating mga kinakain. Ang mga pagkaing kadalasa’y pinagmumulan ng allergies ay tsokolate, itlog, isda, shellfish, wheat, soy, peanuts, iba pang uri ng mani, at minsa’y mga inumin tulad ng gatas.

Ang atomic eczema o mas kilala sa tawag na skin allergy ay makikita sa mga taong may allergy sa ilang mga sangkap ng isang produkto. Ito ay nagdudulot ng pamamaga, pamumula, pagbukol o pag-alsa.

Nagdudulot din ng allergy ang mga kagat ng insekto gaya ng bubuyog, wasp, yellow jacket, at hornet. Ang mga sintomas ng allergic reactions nito ay hirap sa paghinga, pamamaga o pag-alsa ng mukha, lalamunan at mouth tissue,

pagbahing o hirap sa paglunok at, sa ilang malalang kundisyon, maaaring magdulot ng kamatayan.

Nagsasagawa ng allerg y tests upang tukuyin kung anong uri ng allergy mayroon ang isang pasyente.

Mahalaga ang pagkonsulta sa mga espesyalista kung nakikitaan ka ng sintomas ng allergy upang masuri ito ng mabuti at mabigyan agad ng wastong medikasyon. Importante rin na kumain ng sapat at balanseng pagkain gaya ng prutas at gulay upang lumakas ang resistensya at malayo sa anumang uri ng sakit.

Mga pinagkunan: http://tl.yourwebdoc.com/ http://fil.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Unang_ Pahina

Grapiks ni NICOLE FERNAN L. CAMINIAN

AUGUST 26, 2011

7

La Niña: Paghahanda ng Pilipinas at ng Universidad Nina GENESSA A. BUENAFE, CHRISTINE JOY A. SABER at DIANE DANICA C. DY Kuha ni KRISTINE LOUISE L. ANDRADE

VOLUME LVII • NUMBER 1

P

ag-ulan. Pagbagyo. Pagbaha.

Ilan lamang ito sa mga senyales na paparating na ang isang di-inaasahang bisita: si

La Niña.

Matapos ang nagbabagang init na pinalubha ng El Niño, ngayon nama’y panibagong pagsubok na naman ang ating kinakaharap. Ang ulan na ating nararanasa’y hindi karaniwang ulan lamang dahil maari itong maging senyales sa pagbunga ng La Niña. Ang La Nina ay labis na tag-ulan na nagdudulot ng sobrang tubig na maaring gamitin sa pagpapatakbo ng kuryente, pagtatanim at supply na tubig sa pang-araw-araw na pangangailangan. Ngunit ang sobra ay hindi rin nagdudulot ng mabuti.

Kung ang El Niño’y naghahatid ng labis na pagtuyo, grabeng pagbaha naman ang dulot ng marahas niyang kakambal na si La Niña.

La Niña sa Bansa Ayon kay Aldczar Aurelio, weather forecaster ng Pagasa, ang La Niña ay nagdaragdag ng 20 porsyento na ulan na mararanasan sa bansa. “Kunwari ang ulan sa isang buwan ay may 150 mL so i-mu-multiply mo yan sa 20 porsyento at makukuha mo ang dami ng ulan sa isang buwan kapag may La Niña,” pahayag ni Aurelio. Ngayong taon, 35 porsyento ang posibilidad na makakapasok ang La Niña sa mga buwan ng Hulyo, Agosto o Setyembre.

Ang La Niña ay pawang akyat –bahay, manggugulat at mangungupit, sa kahit anong oras kusa’y dumarating.

Ang mga umiiral na palatandaan, tulad ng pagbaba ng temperatura ng tubig sa Pacific Ocean, ay nagpapahayag na 55 porsyento ang pagkakataon na madarama sa Pilipinas ang epekto ng La Niña Phenomenon sa susunod na ilang buwan sang-ayon kay Senior Weather Specialist, Daisy Ortega, ng Pagasa. Mahigit sa kalahati ang posibilidad na tatama ang La Niña sa ating bansa, kaya makakapahamak sa atin ang paghintay na lamang na dumami ang pagpatak ng ulan.

La Niña sa Iloilo Ayon kay Engr. Renan Escuto, Natural Management Specialist ng City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO), ang Iloilo ay kilala bilang “Flood Plain of Panay”. Kapag bumaha dito sa Panay, ang Iloilo ang unang maaapektuhan. Dumadaloy ang ulan mula sa mga matataas na pook ng Panay papuntang Iloilo kaya hindi

maiiwasang bumaha sa mga bayan nito. Ang bilis ng pagpatak ng ulan ay kasing bilis din ng pagtaas ng baha na dulot nito. Kung mayroong payong na panangga sa biglaang pag-ulan, may sapat na mga rescue boats kaya tayo para sa biglaang pagbaha?

Ang Iloilo ay isa sa mga libulibong lugar na biktima ng La Niña.

Ang hindi malilimutang karanasan mula sa Bagyong Frank ay patunay na ang epekto nito ay sadyang ‘di inaasahan. Ang isang dahilan kung bakit maraming bagyo ang dumadating dito at nagpipinsala sa bansa taun-taon ay dahil ang posisyon ng ating bansa ay bukas sa malaking kapitagan ng dagat.

May mga pagkakataong konti lang ang ulan ngunit bumabaha na agad sa Iloilo, kaya hangga’t maaga pa ay dapat na tayong kumilos.

“Hindi handa ang Iloilo para sa La Niña,” dagdag ni Engr. Renan Escuto, “Hindi pa nakatatag ng nararapat na Risk Reduction Team, kulang ang mga kagamitan, at kulang ang pagsasanay ng mga rescue teams.”

La Niña sa Unibersidad Sa ngayon, sadyang makikita natin ang biglaang pag-iba-iba ng panahon sa napapadalas na pag-ulan at pagdilim ng langit. Paano nalang kaya kapag La Niña na ang dumating at hindi lang bagyo? Isa na sa lubusang maapektuhan ang ating Unibersidad.

Ngayon pa lamang nakakaranas na tayong mga estudyante ng pagbaha sa loob ng institusyong ito. Makikita ito sa pagbaha sa harap ng Mendel Hall at sa mga bahagi ng Football Field. Sa loob pa lamang ng Unibersidad mararanasan na natin ang tag-ulan. Makikitang hindi pa handa ang ating eskwelahan hindi lang sa mga bagyong dadaan, kundi pati na rin mismo sa La Niña.

Magkarugtong man ang mga gusali ng Unibersidad, hindi pa rin ito sapat na proteksyon laban sa matinding pag-ulan. Dahil dito, kailangang maging handa ang mga estudyante sa lahat ng oras at magdala ng mga panangga gaya ng payong, dyaket, sombrero at raincoat. Sa pagdating ng La Niña, makakabuting makinig sa balita, at magbasa ng dyaryo upang magkaroon ng kaalaman sa mga paparating na matinding pag-ulan.

Tuluyang magiging kapahamakan ang paghintay na lamang sa pagdating ng La Niña. Lalong mas mapanganib ang umasa na lamang sa pamahalaan na LA NIÑA Page 6

SPECTACLE Artwork by JERSON E. ELMIDO

THE MAGICAL world full of mystery and mayhem may have made its final bow but everything does not end with just one flick of the wand.

Harr y Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II is the final adventure in the decadelong Harry Potter film series.

The much-anticipated motion

picture event is the second of two full-length parts.

Par t I of the Deathly Hallows follows Dumbledore’s death, w here Voldemor t completes his ascension to power and gains control of the Ministry of Magic. Harry, Ron, and Hermione leave Hogwarts to hunt and destroy Voldemort’s

remaining horcruxes (objects in w hich Voldemor t lef t pieces of himself that, once destroyed, would make him weaker), isolating themselves to ensure their friends and families’ safety. Throughout their search, the trio repeatedly encounter a strange symbol, which they later on learn to be

Irong-Irong6

Change starts with you. We want to hear your views on the latest happenings in school. Text us at 09283206395 (Smart) or 09179219383 (Globe).

Short story enthusiast? Poet in the making? Write now and get published!

The Irong-Irong, the official student literary journal of the University of San Agustin, is

By AYAH DANICA V. GRANADA and JOSEFA MARIA A. CASTRO

the mythical Deathly Hallows (Resurrection Stone, Elder Wand, and the Invisibility Cloak), three sacred objects, each serving its own purpose.

Throughout their adventure, Harry learns that Voldemort is seeking the Elder Wand, but is unaware of the other Hallows and their significance.

Part II resumes with the spine-chilling cliffhanger left off in Part I, in which Lord Voldemort manages to steal the Elder Wand from the tomb of Albus Dumbledore. With Voldemort set all-out to kill Harry, the trio are in for a frantic race against time.

As Voldemort and his followers besiege Hogwarts, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and their allies defend Hogwarts to the very end. In the epic finale, the battle between the good and evil forces of the

wizarding world escalates into an all-out war.

Though Albus D u m b l e d o r e ’s b r o t h e r , Aberforth, debuted on the big screen, characters that we’ve all grown-up with such as Professor McGonagall, Professor Lupin and the beloved half-giant, Hagrid, take their final bow. The movie proves to be a real tear-jerker for all the dedicated “Potterheads” around the world, given that it has a particularly high body count as a hefty portion of the characters bid farewell to the wizarding world.

Although the movie does skip a few minor details that are sure to trigger emotions as mentioned in the novel, director David Yates was able to capture and portray on the big screen the essence of how the Harry Potter series was

looking for literary works written in English, Filipino, or any dialect.

Contributions may be submitted to the USA Publications Editorial Office or sent through email at usa. publications@rocketmail.com.

supposed to conclude.

The film definitely threw a huge emotional punch at the generation in which Harry is seen to have grown up. As we positioned ourselves in our theatre seats one last time for the finale, we remembered the day Harry bought his first wand, his first voyage aboard the Hogwarts Express, the first time he rode his Nimbus 2000, and the very first time he set foot on Hogwarts grounds.

Who could forget how every girl cringed in her seat after seeing Harry’s first kiss? Seeing him all grown-up and dueling Voldemort to the death surely got everybody on an emotional rollercoaster ride.

But, ultimately, what got most of the fans teary-eyed was being able to follow Harry, Ron and Hermione to the end of HARRY POTTER Page 6

A world within a computer screen

By GENESSA A. BUENAFE

Comics by JERSON E. ELMIDO

The Evolution of Sims Let’s start off with a tour around The Sims 3 world. First we must know that Sims is a game in which a player can make a character called a Sim cluster into families that live in a specific household.

From the first series of the game evolved The Sims 3.

The first ever “The Sims” only showcased features such as career and house life while in Sims 3, endless activities can be

Comics by JERSON E. ELMIDO

Comics by JERSON E. ELMIDO Screenshots by RAY ADRIAN C. MACALALAG

SITTING on a bench at the cafeteria, my eyes chanced upon a group of students leaving their table with all their clutter still on it. Wouldn’t it be fun if I could compel them to pick up their trash with the use of my mind?

And what if I could mute the voices blabbering just across my table? What if I took control of everything I see?

A world that allows you to rule has finally come [although it doesn’t involve controlling an actual human person]. It only involves you and a laptop or desktop.

Recently, control over individuals, characters and heroes in RPGs, Video Games, PC Games and the like evolved into a new REALM OF FUN.

done. What is it about The Sims 3 that makes it tick?

Simple. There’s just NO LIMIT to what you can do.

Boundless Gameplay Your Sim, basically, can be anyone and can do anything. The Sim can have a specific lifetime wish that serves as the goal of the player. In accomplishing this goal, the Sim can do other activities in the meantime such as looking for a lover, gaining a skill, having a job, growing up and embarking on the path of

Comics by WILHELM C. LIZADA

opportunities.

In The Sims 3, any Sim can fall in love with anyone they choose as long as the traits of both Sims are compatible.

With this, pairs can undergo various relationship stages which are Friend, Best Friend, Budding Romance, Girlfriend/ Boyfriend, Fiancé and Spouse.

Skills can also be gained by a Sim to improve its performance at work .

Eventually, opportunities can come to a Sim to contribute to a promotion or an increase in skill

as the Sim grows up. Growing up has its stages, too, such as Baby, Toddler, Kid, Teen, Young Adult, Adult and Elderly.

Distinguishing Features A distinct feature of The Sims 3 is that Sim houses and neighborhoods are entirely located in one continuous map.

The developers stated, “What you do outside your home now matters as much as what you do within.”

Moreover, a Sim is provided a cell phone (from Kid to Elderly)

and an inventory so there is no need to rush to a far-off phone booth to get services or cry for help from other Sims. The inventory serves as a storage space where the things that belong to a Sim are kept.

Extension Packs also give additional features and bonuses that enhance the experience of playing Sims. These Extension Packs are World Adventures, A m b i t i o n s , L a t e Ni g h t , Generations, and Pets.

From a scale of 1 to 10, The Sims 3 would be a 7 because

of its unique features and cool graphic effects that could entertain a player, both young and old. Its realistic set up of Sims in a world that a player can control makes it a really fun game.

The next time you see anyone you want to control or do something that you have never done before, if the exam week has passed and when home work is already done have a go at playing The Sims 3. You can be the person you never got to be.