The Augustinian, October 2015 (News Fold)

AugustiniAn the

R E s p o N s I V E • D E V E L o p M E N ta L • 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

Volume LXI Number 2 • October 22, 2015

SPECIAL REPORT

NEWS

A closer look at the Patron saints day celebration

gsO answers parking space concerns Article at Page A3

Article at Page A6

SPORTS

CPMt dominates Cheerdance competition Article at Page A7

‘senioR hiGh school ReadY’

University braces for K to 12 full implementation

by KeVin JeRRol c. eRebaRen

the University of san agustin (Usa) is on the final phase of its preparations for the opening of a senior High school in 2016 -- a program looked into by the school officials to address the concerns brought about by the full implementation of the Department of education’s K to 12 program.

usa pub photo / Gizelle anne d. Villa

To meet the demands and Personnel (overseen by of the Senior High School Dr. Marivis Gangoso, Human program, University President resource Management office Fr. Frederick Comendador, director).

O.S.A., formed Fr. Comendador the K to 12 Task told The Augustinian Force in 2012 that the K to 12 Task and divided the Force’s efforts for team into five the launching of the working groups: Senior High School Curriculum “enabled the smooth (headed by Dr. implementation of Risa Superio the said scheme as of the Quality the University was Management already checked, office); Finance approved, and MONTEBLANCO (led by Mrs. Ella granted a provisional Lopez, University permit by the accountant); infrastructure Department of Education.” (directed by Fr. Basilio SugataHe added, “The University on, General Services office administrators have been director); Marketing (chaired

by Fr. Williener Jack luna); K to 12 Page A3

SENIOR HIGH READY. Maintenance personnel put up signage converting the Physics Lab A used by college students into Grade 11 Physics Laboratory for incoming Senior High enrollees. This signifies that the University is in the midst of implementing major changes in the campus in compliance with the requirements for the K-12 program.

As of now, classrooms in several other buildings are also undergoing conversion. (usa pub photo / mara elaiza a. flores)

INT’L STUDENT POPULATION SOARS BY 10.26%

CPMT yields MedTech Board topnotcher

by aimee andRea d. GaJe

internAtionAl STUDENTS enrolled in the University of San Agustin (uSA) for the academic year 2015-2016 registered a total of 43 students – 10.26% higher as compared to the 39 international enrollees who were admitted A.Y. 2011-2012.

Nigeria is the highest feeder country with 20 Nigerians enrolled in the University this year replacing South Korea, which had 19 Koreans enrolled during A.Y. 2011-2012. “if we use the enrollment trend for the first semester in the last five (5) years as gauge, then we can say that the trend will World-class edUcation. Augustinian education is quality education, this infographic shows countries whose students are being educated the Augustinian way. (USA PUB INFOGRAPHIC / frennie m. taBaBa)

SWIMMING POOL UNDERGOES ‘RECONSTRUCTION’ by stePhanie KaY l. URQUiola

NEW SET OF PLANS. The olympic-sized swimming pool, located near Mercado Hall, undergoes major reconstruction. A bathhouse is also being constructed 30 meters away from the pool. (usa pub photo / mary joHsyen e. paBalinas)

DeSPite setbacks from the original construction plans, the university of San Agustin (uSA) has begun the reconstruction of the swimming pool, June 23.

The reconstruction is set to be completed after 120 working days with a budget of Php 9.2 million headed by Engr. John E. tampo, Director for the office of Strategy and Management, who ensured that they are making good time with the new

set of plans. “i roughly estimate the pool to be 40% to 45% done.

We had to make sure everything was structurally sound before doing anything and upon recommendation, a new set of plans were made but some elements remained like the flooring from the first plan,” Tampo stated.

Based on the blueprints shown to The Augustinian, the Olympic-sized pool would POOL Page A2

We have worldwide reach. Visit our website anytime, anywhere at WWW.USA-PUB.BLOGSPOT.COM

IN SOCIAL MEdIA

WitH the results of the September 2015 Medical Technologist Licensure Examination released on September 17 by the Professional Regulation commission (Prc), the College of Pharmacy and Medical Technology (cPMt) boasts another sole Augustinian topnotcher.

Garnering a rating of 8 9 . 6 0 % , BS Medical Laboratory S c i e n c e graduate Alyssa Joy S. Dema-ala, RMT, tied as seventh h i g h e s t among 4,840 examinees.

W h e n DEMA-ALA interviewed by The Augustinian about the results of the board exam, Dema-ala admitted that she could not believe it at first.

“When the results [of the board exam] came out, the first thing i did was to check if my name was included on the list of passers. All i thE auGustINIaN YEaRbooK 2014 photo

INTERNATIONAL Page A3

by KRistin JoseFF R. GaGaJena

wanted was to get that RMT title. Yet, God has given me so much more and for that i am forever grateful,” Demaala added.

Dema-ala is also among 167 out of 170 Augustinian takers who passed the board exam resulting in a 98.24% passing rate, which also made the University earn a sixth place ranking in the list of top 10 performing schools.

Furthermore, CPMT Dean Zesil Gay E. Gelle, RMT, MSMT, expressed her contentment of the examination results and added that it’s a testament of the College’s effort to maintain a standard to produce q u a l i t y graduates. “i believe that because of [Dema-ala’s] dedication, diligence and perseverance, she was able to get what she deserves and we congratulate her for that.

We are also thankful to CPMT Page A2

f Usa publications - official page t @USA_Pub Y USA Publications

A2

News

USA Personnel Increases by 4%

Augustinian the

Volume LXI Number 2 • October 22, 2015

Admin considers car coding implementation

by MELKY B. ARBOLEDA AND RJ J. REMO

To provide better service for 11,199 Augustinian students, the University of San Agustin personnel increased from 661 to 688 as of August 2015 this academic year, 4.00% higher compared with the number of personnel in the second semester of academic year 2014-2015.

Currently, there are 513 academic personnel, 154 nonacademic personnel and 21 maintenance compared to last year where there were 485 academic personnel, 155 non-academic personnel and 21 maintenance employees.

“Increase in personnel is beneficial to the University as it means opportunity for the University to provide employment and better services to students,” said Dr. Marivis Gangoso, director of Human Resource Management Office.

Moreover, the percentage of personnel who have finished their Master’s degree increased by 9.44% as of July 2015.

“The qualifications for the academic personnel is that he or she must be at least a holder of Master’s Degree in the field of specialization or of related field while for the non-academic personnel only depends upon the requirements of the job,” she added.

According to the Human Resource Management Office (HRMO), 54.35% in 506 teaching personnel finished their MA degree compared to 44.91% 2nd semester in A.Y. 2013-2014.

Dr. Gangaso told The Augustinian that, “We pursue the personnel to finish their Master’s and PhD degree by offering scholarships including scholarships including free tuition, miscellaneous, books and allowances. Also, Master’s and PhD degree is one of the requirements for promotion.”

As reported by the Registrar’s Office, teaching personnel are now getting ready for the K-12 strands: Accountancy, Business and Management (ABM) Strand; Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Strand; Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS) Strand and General Academic Strand (GAS); the University has to offer provided that the personnel will be undergoing several trainings.

USA organizes Educational Apostolate Conference by trishia mae c. molinos

OVERCROWDING. To maximize the space inside the University, the administration has opted to use the field as additional parking space for the growing number of car-owners and visitors in the campus. (usa pub photo / mara elaiza a. flores)

by Philip Robert c. alaban and andrea nicole c. parce

Director of Administrative and General Services Office, Rev. Fr. Basilio Sugata-on, OSA, urged students to maximize all available parking spaces to accommodate the rising number of vehicles in the University.

In an interview with The Augustinian, Fr. Sugata-on stressed that the lack of parking space is not the real problem

To continue the endowment of having a true Augustinian spirit, the University of San Agustin conducted an Augustinian Educational Apostolate Conference in the Nursing Review Center, August 26.

The said event, with Rev. Fr. Anthony Banks, O.S.A., as the guest speaker, focused primarily on the development and establishment of change among the whole Augustinian community, aiming mainly to develop among its constituents the spirit of one mind and heart.

“We, as Augustinians, must know what it takes to be restless.

Being open to God is important because change only comes from Him. The transcendent change is the work of God,” Banks said in his talk.

Originating from New Zealand, Banks acclaimed the good number of religious, students and teachers that attended the said event and challenged them to bring about the value of obedience in the religious calling as Augustinians to generate change.

“Obedience to the church and the loyalty to the group is essential in keeping the assemblage firm and compact. This then, would give rise to a more impenetrable and strong Augustinian community,” Banks added.

The half-day conference also discussed the Augustinian curriculum, education, tradition and the history of the order.

by the administration. “There are also alternative means of transportation. Students can carpool, bike, or even walk to and from school. This could also be our help to the environment, by minimizing the air pollution,” he added.

M e a n w h i l e , t h e administration made use of the peripheral part of the field as parking space to alleviate the already crowded parking spaces along Blanco, Alumni, Gamboa

SocSci holds ‘Heroism for millennials’ forum

by Resty John L. Palete

AUGUSTINIAN SPIRIT. Rev. Fr. Anthony Banks, O.S.A. gives a talk to the Augustinian community at the Nursing Review Center during the Augustinian Educational Apostolate Conference. (usa pub photo / clyde allen e. sollesta)

of the University. “We do not lack in parking spaces. In fact, we have more than 100 active parking spaces in the whole campus. What we lack is the discipline within ourselves.”

Fr. Sugata-on further explained that the students should practice discipline through the MWF or TTh routine, which aims to lessen the cars that enter the school premises and only allow it on certain days as mandated

and Rada Halls.

“We are still coming up with an appropriate design to maximize utilization of spaces,” Engineer Rizalde Monserate, Assistant Director, Administrative and General Services Office said. This is to address the growing complaints of vehicle users and the students as to the inappropriate parking around the University.

“I hope the administration would focus not only for the benefit of the car users, but for the pedestrians who as well are affected,” an engineering student expressed in an ambush interview.

The University’s master plan for the rehabilitation, beautification and renovation around the school premises, which started in 2012, is still on going. “The proposed master plan is not yet concrete and there are still further developments that the administration will implement,” Fr. Sugata-on said.

C u r r e n t l y , t h e administration is on the process of devising a long-term solution regarding this matter. “The improvement of the facilities especially the parking lots, is a continuous process that depends on the needs of the institution.

We are addressing the demands of the growing population of the University one at a time to serve the students better,” Sugata-on pointed out.

The Social Science Department of the University of San Agustin (USA) hosted a forum in cooperation with the DAKILA Movement to promote the film ‘Heneral Luna’ with the theme “Bayani Ba’To? Heroism for Millennials” at the USA Conference Room, July 16.

The forum was sponsored by the DAKILA Movement – Philippine Collective for Modern Heroism, a civic society organization that comprised of professionals and students who utilize the arts, music, theatre, film, literature and visual arts – into bringing about social consciousness formation towards social change.

“The event was successful that it was able to wake up the sense of nationalism in modern day students by advocating the love for country as seen through the film and it is a chance and an opportunity for the Augustinian to embrace POOL From A1

measure 50 by 20 meters and it was designed to meet the Philippine Sports Commission’s (PSC) specifications for standard pools used for competitions.

“The shallow end of the pool is measured at around 4.5 feet while the deep end is around 6.7 feet. We changed the specifications to meet the

his being a Filipino by the use of creative media, that at the end of the day, people are interested to learn now about Heneral Luna and the history of the country,” Deanne Mitzi Somollo, USA Social Science Club Adviser, explained.

Jerrold Tarog, Director of the film ‘Heneral Luna’ was also present in the forum introducing a preview of the film to selected students enrolled in Rizal and Philippine History classes.

Selected delegates from the university also had their film screening at Cinematheque, on August 21.

In connection, there was a panel discussion and an open forum by each of the panel speakers namely film director Jerrold Tarog, historian Alvin Campomanes, and Executive Director of the Dakila movement Leni Velasco-Bicol.

“The forum was a good venue to give the students and faculty members an opportunity of interacting with a group of people apart from size and depth requirements of the PSC for it to be qualified for competitions. You will also see a bath house also being constructed several meters away from the pool,” Tampo further related.

In an interview with the Director for Administrative and General Services Offices, Fr. Basilio S. Sugata-on, said that the delay in the said pool’s CPMT From A1

her giving the University the prestige of producing another topnotcher. We say thank you [Dema-ala’s] parents for entrusting her education to us and to the administrators for their continued support. We are thankful that our efforts of maintaining the standards paid off. In addition, we are also thankful to the September 2015 MT board exam takers. They took the challenge. Because of

HERO FOR THE MILLENNIAL GENERATION. University of San Agustin — Film director Jerrold Tarog of the film Heneral Luna conducts a nationwide school tour. The forum hoped to spark cultural enlightening and critical thinking among today’s youth. (FILE Photo / sOCIAL SCIENCE CLUB)

their teachers and learning from a strategy not normally observed within the four walls of the classroom,” Marjoerie Castor, USA Social Science Club President, shared.

The university supported the forum by bringing about awareness of patriotism and social consciousness formation towards social change in the Augustinian community.

construction was caused by the change in contractor, among other things.

“We changed contractors because the first contractors weren’t able to meet the deadline we gave them plus additional factors also include further delays caused by weather conditions wherein our contractors cannot start the necessary work, modifications

to the original design, and consideration to the operations of the institution [wherein crews cannot work due to ongoing classes],” Fr. Sugata-on added.

The construction project’s goal for completion is November 2015 and is contracted by the Ace Technical Creations, Inc., a Cebu-based construction company.

their hard work and dedication, we still remained as one of the best schools of Medical Technology in the country. We hope and pray that Medical Laboratory Science Program will continue to excel as we continually strive to provide quality education,” mentioned Gelle.

Gelle also emphasized that based on passing percentages of the different schools in the top 10, landing a spot on the top 10 is “a very tough competition”

and that she is thankful that despite this, the University still managed to rank sixth overall.

Moreover, when asked if she had a message for future board examination takers, Dema-ala shared, “Time management is the key. Study smart, find time to relax, and don’t forget to ask guidance from the Lord. Don’t stress yourself too much because in taking the board exams, you have to be physically, mentally and spiritually prepared.”

Volume LXI Number 2 • October 22, 2015

Augustinian

USA implements 75% passing grade

By ARMIE THERESE C. PENUELA

percentage for them to know their class standing,” Fr. Par added.

The Director for VPAA emphasized that this is effective to both major and minor subjects.

“I am scared of the

required grade but at the same time, I am hoping that this new standard will help the University in providing quality education.

This is also for the good of the students especially courses with board exams,” Essie Batiao, a BS Chemical Engineering student

commented.

As a follow-up, the University plans to conduct an orientation to all the faculty members on the grading system created by the Quality Management Office (QMO) which will be further explained.

Housing project, halfway to completion

by Frennie M. Tababa

To know the progress of the construction of houses at Brgy.

Nasapahan and Dalipe, Lemery, Iloilo, the Augustinian Cares conducted a field visit that started after the launching last April 29 2014.

The housing project designed by Arch. Ma. Regina Falconite, College of Engineering and Architecture (CEA) Faculty, is for the victims of the Typhoon Yolanda, specifically the chosen Magagmay na Kristianong Katilingban (MKK) members.

“The two-story house with two rooms is made of cement at the lower portion and wood at the top. The allotted budget of the University for each house is worth Php50,000 while the counterpart of the community are the labor, hollow blocks and the wood,” Maria Cristy Daguay, Director of the Social Advocacy and Community Engagement Office (SACEO), stated in an interview with The Augustinian.

Out of the 13 houses, only seven at Nasapahan has been completed as of this writing and there are still six more houses at Dalipe and one chapel K to 12 From A1

INTERNATIONAL From A1

continue for the next five years.

With all other factors remaining the same, the enrollment figure is expected to rise by 10% by A.Y. 2019-2020,” mentioned Gemma Halili, University

unfinished.

“The expected end of the construction is on December 2015. Aside from the housing project, we still have more highlights this year, not only in Lemery but also at our adopted community in Nabitasan,” Gilda Salmo, SACEO Training Officer, said.

According to Ma. Consejo Centeno, SACEO community organizer, the major events or projects of the TILIPUNAN are: yearly visit of Malvern students in SOS village, Dalayunan, and Isian, Tigbauan for community service, June 9-16, 2015, Kiddie Center with Parents Meeting, Skills Training for teachers and parent volunteers in Sitio Panusu-on, Brgy. Nabitasan that opened its classes last August 17, and; the Community Sessions for seven sitios in Nabitasan to present community programs, and to identify potential leaders and volunteers.

“Community service is hard and merit is there. Yes, it’s hard, but look at the changes.

If you are able to rise from the difficulties, your hard work is worth it,” Daguay answered when asked about community service.

WORK IN PROGRESS. The two-story house made of cement is being constructed for the residents of Lemery, Iloilo. (usa pub photo / mary johsyen E. pabalinas)

Monteblanco emphasized that several classrooms were already transformed into laboratories with specialized equipment “to take the University to the highest level of academic excellence.”

“The University administration wants to welcome new students and next school year’s Senior High School students and make them feel that sense of Augustinian ownership and excellence,” said Monteblanco, adding, “The University is fully ready for Senior High [School] applicants. That’s because the several task force heads were able to meet the demands asked

from each of their working groups.”

Furthermore, Monteblanco said that there is no principal assigned to the Senior High School program as of this writing but if one has been assigned, “he or she can take over the K to 12 Task Force management.”

In a separate interview, Superio said, “The school has a stable and excellent set of academic programs so the University’s decision to focus on the academic track of the K to 12 program will then surely attract students interested to enroll.”

Superio explained that

while giving emphasis to the development of Augustinian graduate attributes, tertiary alignment of curriculum, and meeting industry needs, the University’s Senior High School curriculum is specifically tailored to meet the four strands: Accountancy, Business and Management (ABM); Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM); Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS); and the General Academic Strand (GAS).

The University is accepting applicants for its Senior High School from October 2015 to January 2016.

registrar.

Furthermore, TamaraDeinyefa Andie, president of the University’s International Student Association (ISA), thinks that the increase can be attributed to “the good reports people may have been getting

from foreign students who have graduated and are still studying here about the kind of education given. “ “I believe people want to go somewhere recommended to them. I guess the Nigerian students are also trying to

help their friends and family study close to them or have the same college experience or educational background as them, especially, since there are a lot of us that go here and recommend this school to other students,” Andie added.

“The biggest mockery of our Democracy is our inability to give flesh and blood to their right of equality to our people”, thus said former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, Honorable Reynato S. Puno in a forum on Constitutional Change held at the University of San Agustin (USA), August 20.

Anchored on the theme, “ B a g o n g S i s t e m a , Bagong Pagasa: A forum on Constitutional Change,” the University of San Agustin (USA) College of Arts and PUNO Sciences, Social science Department, Political Science class 111 and with the support of the Borres Youth Leadership Institute (BYLI), presented a forum as an advocacy and a movement for system change at the USA Conference Room, Blanco Hall.

National Executive Board of Bagong Sistema, Bagong Pag-asa (NEB-BSBP) member, Conbrado Generoso stated that

“The call for system change is an idea born out of a looming crisis, an idea that became advocacy and is expanding to overhaul the country’s political and socioeconomic system.”

The forum was participated by selected Law, Political Science, and Foreign Service students from different schools, namely: USA, University of Iloilo (UI), West Visayas State University (WVSU), Iloilo Doctor’s College (IDC).

Atty. Mark D. Borres, Chair and Founder of BYLI explained,“The forum made the students from different schools realize the right to education but still the status of the Philippine is the same, a failing state. That is why I am in favor of change in the constitution because there are some provisions in the constitution that requires change.”

In this connection, the Bagong Sistema, Bagong Pagasa Advocacy envisions a shift of the current system from Presidential to Parliamentary System where there is a fusion of powers and joint responsibility and accountability.

DOST awards two USA faculty members

by ARMIE THERESE c. PENUELA

To encourage highly-trained overseas Filipino scientists and technologists, experts, and professionals to return to the Philippines, share their expertise for the acceleration of the scientific, agro-industrial and economic development of the country, and serve as the brain gain initiative of the Philippine government, the Department of Science and Technology’s (DOST) recognized two University of San Agustin (USA) faculty members, Dr. Doralyn S. Dalisay and Dr. Jonel P. Saludes, in their Balik Scientist Program (BSP).

Dalisay and Saludes hold two US Provisional Patents and has published 33 papers and 19 papers, respectively, in international journals and were also recently elected to full membership in the prestigious Philippine American Academy of Science and Engineering.

Dalisay is currently the head of the Pharmacy program in the University, graduated Cum Laude with a degree in Pharmacy, gained her Master of Science in the University of the Philippines in the Visayas, and completed her Ph.D. in Microbiology at the University of New South Wales.

“I encourage students to go outside the Philippines, to study outside. Bring your expertise home because it is where you will start your area. You have to be a mentor and a teacher to the new generation. You have to come back,“ Dalisay stated in an interview with The Augustinian.

Currently in-charge of the USA Research Laboratory, Saludes graduated Cum Laude with a degree in Chemistry from the University, took his Master of Science in Chemistry from University of Santo Tomas, Summa Cum Laude, and studied at the University of California Davis to complete his Ph.D. degree.

“My motivation comes from personal, family experiences and recognizing the needs of the community. I view it as using my training and skills as a chemist to answer societal problems. It’s not about coming up with earth-shaking results, it’s about responding to the needs of community. It hits very close to home because if you ask friends or friends of friends who have experienced losing somebody we know because of sicknesses like cancer,” Saludes relates.

Dalisay and Saludes are also members of the American Chemical Society, American Society for Pharmacognosy, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

SALUDES

DALISAY

(file photos / doralyn s. dalisay and jonel P. saludes)

proactive in our approach to the K to 12 full implementation as preparations were started as early as three years ago.”

Moreover, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs and K to 12 Task Force supervisor Sofia Cosette Monteblanco said that the University planned to come up with a total of 15 sections to serve the needs of approximately 600 to 3000 senior high school enrollees in academic year 2016-2017, along with a contingency plan of converting empty classrooms into laboratories if the number of enrollees exceed the target.

Former Chief Justice calls for System Change

By Resty John L. Palete

DOUBLING EFFORTS. Students take down notes and work on their classroom activities in an effort to comply with the requirements of their respective curriculums. (usa pub photo / mary johnsyen e. pabalinas)

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FILE PHOTO / pOLITICAL SCIENCE REPUBLIC

To elevate the University of San Agustin’s (USA) passing percentage in the board examinations and increase quality education, the Board of Trustees (BoT) had decided to increase the students’ passing grade to 75% instead of 50% to pass their subjects effective this semester.

The decision was approved last year by the BoT based on the recommendation of the faculty members.

“All departments whose courses either have or do not have board examinations should comply with this. Exemption to this are the College of Nursing, who have been implementing an 80% passing percentage since then, and the College of Law,” said Fr. Rommel D. Par, Vice President for the Academic Affairs Fr. Par also emphasized that it’s not just about the ranking but how the teachers formulate the questions for students to get at least 75% in their examinations.

“The teachers should always show the students their raw scores and corresponding

News

the

Opinion AugustiniAn the

The Official Student Newspaper of the University of San Agustin • Iloilo City, philippines

Heroes not present

i AlWAYS have my parents with me when i’m getting an award, but there’s this friend of mine that in our four years in high school, i remembered only once that her mother assisted her on the stage. if her auntie has other appointments, her sister or just any teacher will join her during achiever’s day every grading. Nevertheless, it can’t change the fact that there’s an absence of one special person, her mother.

Every time we have a meeting in class right after the awarding, i always find her at the corner, alone. At that time, i really can’t understand why she’s so gloomy. Yes, her mother’s out of the country but of course, the purpose of this is for their family’s advantage, to uplift their status in life, to pay for the school fees, and to support their personal needs. isn’t it ironic? She has to be happy. in Asia, the Philippines is the major supplier of labor migrants to over 100 countries.

On the statistics released last May 29, 2015 by the Philippine Statistics Authority, there are 2.32 million Overseas Filipino Workers and 8.6% of them are from the Western Visayas region. if many Filipinos still try to go abroad, then, how many families will be left behind? How many children will cry their heart out just to seek the presence of their mother or father? But come to think of it. Why do Filipinos

MAGNIFICUM REGINA FRennie m. tababa, bmls‘18

frennietababa@yahoo.com

“If many Filipinos will try to go abroad, then how many families will be left behind? ” prefer to risk their lives outside their comfort zones? in an article posted at rmniloilo.net on 8 reasons why many Filipinos like to work abroad, the first two in the list are because of the unstable economic situation and the high unemployment rate in the country. With these causes, i can say that Filipinos didn’t even trust their own country for the betterment of their respective families.

They believed that outside the Philippines, there’s hope, there’s money, and there’s dream come true.

Even though there are more benefits given to the OFWs like hotel offers only valid to them, special lanes for Filipino migrants at airport and

discounted health insurance premiums to name a few, the balancing effect of their mere absence is more concerned towards the children left behind.

Based on the compilation and study of the coalition of NGOs and advocacy groups, an estimated of 9 million or 27% of the total youth have their parents working abroad.

Displacement, disruptions and changes in care giving arrangement are the results of parental absence according to the literature review of Melanie Reyes on Migration and Filipino Children Left Behind.

The fact that parents are away, especially for long periods of time, other members of the family look after for

the abandoned children. But it can’t divert us from the reality that they longed for the affection of their biological parents.

Like my friend, considering not only her mother is away but also her father, she had only her sister, auntie and us to lean on. The bond that connects her to her mother or father has slowly been reduced through time.

Sad but true. i can never imagine myself in that position. But because of the bitterness of life, my sister has just applied on a job abroad. She will eventually experience the situation where the parents of my friend had gone to. if our country would just take action to the poor benefits to employees and of course the low salary offered, there will be less number of Filipinos gambling their lives outside Philippines’ border. There will be few (or even none) crying children. There will only be a happy family enjoying the perks of being together.

At the other side of the coin, the OFWs are the ones helping the Philippines on uplifting its economic stability.

With hardships and dedication, Filipino migrants did not only help their respective families but also our country. They deserve to be recognized and to be pampered. They deserve to be called heroes. They are our unsung heroes.

Bahang-baha sa ulan LET it rain, let it pour.

Hanggang sa wala nang mapupuntahan ang tubig at magkakaroon na ng baha.

Kasabay ng pagpasok ng buwan ng Hulyo ay ang kabi-kabilang pagbaha. Hindi maikakaila na ang dahilan nito ay ang pagbabara sa paagusan o ng drainage system. Hinaharang ng mga basura at ng mga debris mula sa mga proyektong pang-imprastraktura ang pagdaloy ng tubig, at ito ay sanhi ng pagtaas ng lebel ng tubig hanggang sa halos wala nang madadaanan at mapaglalakaran. Nawawalan lamang ng saysay ang pagkakaroon ng daluyan ng tubig kapag napupuno at nababara na ito. isa sa mga hinaharap na suliranin ng lungsod ng iloilo ay ang malawakang pagbaha, lalung lalo na sa mga highway.

Bagamat makakatulong sa pagpapaangat ng turismo ang mga iminungkahing beautification projects, malaki ang maidudulot nito sa pagbabara ng drainage system.

Ang mga semento at durog na bato ay sumasama sa daloy ng tubig at nagkakabunton sa loob ng agusan. Kapag ang agusan ay napuno na ng tubig na may kasamang debris at basura, wala na itong mapagtutunguhan at mananatili na lamang sa mga kalsada.

Ang ating pamantasan ay hindi nakakaiwas sa mga pagbaha kapag umuulan.

Kay hirap na ngang maglakad na may hawak-hawak na payong at may tubig sa loob ng sapatos habang umiiwas sa mga daanang lublob na sa

EPOCH

eRiKa danielle m. PePito, bs PsYch ‘19

ERDANIELLE2007N@yahoo.com

“Isa itong paghihimok sa ating mga Agustino na sundin ang mga pangaral ni San Agustin.” baha. Tila nagkakaroon na ng makeshift swimming pools ang unibersidad kapag umuulan – iyun nga lang ay marumi na ang tubig at may palutanglutang na basura pang kasama.

Hahayaan na lang ba natin na madala sa agos ng maruming tubig, sumasamang debris at lumulutang na basura ang pag-asa natin na magkaroon ng gumaganang drainage system?

Ang pagkakaroon ng disiplina, mabilis na aksyon at tamang kaalaman ang makapagsasagot sa tanong na ito.

Bilang mga mag-aaral ng Unibersidad ng San Agustin, nakasalalay sa ating mga kamay ang kalinisan ng ating kampus. isa ito sa mga tungkulin na kailangan nating gawin. Sundin ang 3Rs – Reduce, Reuse at Recycle – at mag segregate, ang tawag sa wastong pagtapon ng basura sa kani-kanilang basurahan.

Kapag walang malapit na basurahang mapagtatapunan,

pansamantalang itago sa bag ang kakarampot na basura. Ang kalinisan ng ating unibersidad ay isang repleksyon ng ating kaugalian at ng ating pakikipagtulungan sa mga tagapaglinis.

Marahil ay parati niyo nang naririnig ang mga ganitong klaseng leksyon; ngunit, ang aksyon sa mga salita na kanilang isinasambit ay manggagaling lamang sa atin na handang gawin ito.

Ang mga namamalakad sa ating pamantasan ay dapat rin na bigyangpansin ang hindi paggana ng mga drainage system at kumilos para sa pagpapaayos nito.

Kinakailangan rin na pangunahan ng mga tagapangasiwa ang pagpapaalala sa mga magaaral, na unti-unting nang nakakalimot, na maging responsable sa kani-kanilang mga kalat. Sa pagtugon sa isyu na ito, ang kapalit nito ay ang patuloy na pagbibigay ng

kalidad na edukasyon para sa kabutihan ng lahat.

Upang masolusyonan ng pamahalaang panlungsod ang pagbaha, kinakailangan na isaalang-alang ang mga batas at adbokasiya ukol sa pangangalaga ng kalikasan bago maipatupad ang mga proyektong pangimprastraktura.

Mahalaga rin na siguraduhin ng mga inatasan na trabahente na ang semento at debris ay hindi basta-basta madadala sa agos ng tubig-ulan. Kung maaari, ay bigyang prayoridad sana ng pamahalaan ang mga proyektong may magagandang dulot sa kalikasan, edukasyon, kalusugan at kaligtasan ng mga mamamayan. isa itong paghihimok sa ating mga Agustino na sundin ang mga pangaral ni San Agustin, katulad ng komunidad at pagkakaibigan.

Sa pagsunod sa mga pangaral na ito, pinapahalagahan natin ang ating kapaligiran at kalikasan. ipinagpapatuloy din natin ang pagkakaroon ng maayos at maaliwalas na pamantasan para mas mapabuti ang kalidad ng pag-aaral. Malaki ang ating maiaambag sa pagpapanatili ng kalinisan sa ating lungsod.

Ang malinis na kapaligiran ay isang magandang pamana at halimbawa sa mga susunod na henerasyon, at ito ay makapagpapatatag sa atin bilang mabuting mamamayan ng ating lungsod. Nawa’y dumating ang panahon na handa na tayong harapin ng buong tapang si inang Kalikasan at sabihin na ‘ Hana kami sa’yo. Let it rain, let it pour’.

never again 43 YEARS AGO— the late president ferdinand e. marcos placed the philippines under martial law. the declaration suspended civil rights and enacted military authority in the country; the dictator stressed its importance in quelling rising threats among the people and the need for control over civil disobedience.

Recalling on this rule of dictatorship especially on its anniversary evokes reactions from both loyalists and protestors; articles and news clippings from both ends of the stick are making their way around social media. The martial law era has transformed into the Philippines’ own fairytale where martial law was a ‘benevolent dictatorship’, that human rights victims were only after the money, that the economy boomed under his term, that he was the greatest president since he built the most number of infrastructure (e.g. Cultural Center, Folk Arts theater, Kidney center, San Juanico Bridge, etc.) and that his iron hand was exactly what we needed to gain peace and order.

Marcos called his reign a ‘smiling martial law’, and supporters echo the stories of his good governance. Many historians, however, recalled how his reign of terror only looked like good governance on paper. Marcos’ reign managed to silence activists, but at what cost?

How much did it cost?

When he became president in 1965, the Philippine foreign debt was less than uS$1 billion. By the time he and his family fled, this had

AugustiniAn the

The Of�icial Student Newspaper of the University of San Agustin iloilo City, Philippines EdITORS-IN-CHIEF

MANAGING EdITOR

ASSOCIATE EdITORS

LITERARY EdITORS WALLNEWS EdITOR ART dIRECTOR PHOTOGRAPHY EdITOR CIRCULATION MANAGER SENIOR WRITERS

STAFF WRITERS

ARTISTS

PHOTOJOURNALISTS

APPRENTICE WRITERS

MOdERATOR

stephanie Kay l. Urquiola Kevin Jerrol c. erebaren edcel b. Fajutag

erika danielle m. Pepito Frennie m. tababa trishia mae c. molinos

Gizelle anne d. Villa edcel b. Fajutag Frennie m. tababa anne catherine d. malazarte mara elaiza a. Flores Jordan c. Galache Kristin Joseff R. Gagajena Resty John l. Palete Gizelle anne d. Villa marie Julienne V. caballete RJ J. Remo Wilkienson c. muro armie therese c. Penuela Jecel t. buenavides Rochelle mae m. muzones daryl s. selerio herod a. montiel Ronnyl b. bulahan mary Johsyen e. Pabalinas John elmer J. balan clyde allen e. sollesta aimee andrea d. Gaje nicole ailice F. serisola andrea nicole c. Parce melky b. arboleda Jessa madeleine P. Gange Philip Robert c. alaban may anne t. Jaro

A4-A5 Volume LXI Number 2 • October 22, 2015

EDITORIAL

ballooned to US$27 billion – a nearly US$26 billion increase. That’s over uS$1 billion per year; a nose-diving dollar to peso currency from Php3.90 to Php20; and possibly uS$20 billion in payoffs. there were at least 10,000 human rights victims who were killed, or were tortured and survived.

This is overlooked by most of his supporters (many of whom weren’t even alive then) and his praises are sung over and over again.

Given, this generation cannot hold a grudge to a dictator they don’t know but what about keeping the truth of history constant? Historical facts depicting the gruesome truth may aid today’s youth in making the correct decision. After all, a nation cannot move forward without drawing lessons from its past.

What was the point of getting rid of a dictator? Arguably, there’s still so much corruption and injustice in the Philippine society after all these years. Won’t a leader with a firm hand aid us in achieving the greatness we overthrew a tyrant for? What is great about democracy, our democracy, is how much power we have in our hands; in our fingers, to be exact. complaints about the current administration?

Register and vote. Our ancestors died for us to have ink-stained thumbprints. Demand! Speak up about it! it is within your right as a Filipino and your responsibility as a citizen. Just don’t romanticize and revision our history.

Never again will we believe those who don’t like democracy just because it keeps them from acquiring power. Never again will we cling to those who present themselves as the nation’s saviors. Never again will we trust an illusion of peace and order. Never again.

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this newspaper was designed using adobe indesign cs5, adobe illustrator cs5, and adobe Photoshop cs5. characters are set in cambria, optima, and helvetica. stephanie Kay l. Urquiola and Kevin Jerrol c. erebaren

Wall of Hostility THE correlative principle of the 1987 Philippine Constitution specifically Section 6 of Article ii - Declaration of Principles and State Policies, the “Separation of Church and State” that it shall be inviolable has become the wall between the government and the religious sectors in the country.

Apparently, the principle was put to test when the anomalies within the religious sector of iglesia ni cristo (inc) emerged; rallying the gates of the Department of Justice (DoJ), which thousands of the inc members considered as a vigil, addressing Justice Secretary Leila de Lima whom they accused of meddling in their internal affairs.

The hostility started when the DOJ ordered an investigation of the criminal complaints filed against some officials of the inc and isaias Samson, who was former editor-in-chief of inc’s official publication Pasugo and a member of inc, accused them of harassment, illegal detention, threats and coercion of him and his family.

There were no violations on the doctrine of separation of church and state on the part of DOJ. ‘Sallus Populi est Suprema Lex’ which means the welfare

LEX AEQUALIS RestY John l. Palete, bs PsYc ‘16

restyjohnlauronpalete@gmail.com

“It is not only the state that is prohibited from interfering in purely religious affairs; the Church is also restrained from meddling in purely state matters.” of the people is the supreme law. The government is bound to make certain actions on the complaints made by any citizen or entity in accordance of law. The controversies of inc were respected by the government as it does interfere in internal matters of the said institution but once complaints were filed, an immediate investigation was done by the

government. With due respect to the inc’s jurisdiction, the members of the inc are citizens and thus must be protected by and subjected to the law. inviolability of the separation of Church and State was observed by the DOJ. Corruption, harassment, illegal detention, threats and coercion was presumably ignored if

there were no complaints filed. the public and media’s negative perception of the inc’s current crisis is mostly due to the lack of information and confirmation even within their own ranks. The government has no right to meddle, but chose only to interfere due to the existence of the filed complaint which is considered as a legal document and must be addressed. thousands of inc members rallied at the gate of the DOJ failed to see that their strategy will get them off the hook. the inc was placed at the center of controversy and they need a distraction and the preliminary investigation made by the DOJ was the best solution. They failed to see that they aren’t demanding justice; they are demanding special privileges in their own way.

The wall of separation of church and state is not a wall of hostility. The government in fact recognizes the beneficent influence of diverse religions in the enrichment of our country. The separation is not considered as boundaries between the two institutions but to avoid intrusions by one against the other because of a misunderstanding of the limits of their respective exclusive jurisdictions.

All dried Up Back in the late 90’s the Philippines experienced what was probably the worst drought brought about by the El Niño phenomenon. The said drought lasted from June 1997 – September 1998 and caused an estimated Php8.46 billion worth of damage to the country’s agricultural sector. Given how strong its effects were, will this experience prepare us for what could be history repeating itself?

According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), there’s a huge chance that another drought will strike the country later this year. This dry spell may last until early 2016 and 32 provinces, namely, isabela, Aurora, Batangas, Cavite, Rizal, Quezon, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, Albay, Catanduanes, Masbate, Sorsogon, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Bohol, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Siquijor, Southern Leyte, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Southern Cotabato, Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat, Basilan, Maguindanao, Sulu, and even our home province iloilo could be affected.

While droughts can be attributed to natural phenomena such as the El Niño, they can also be caused by man-made activities. One of which is widespread logging, which reduces a forest’s watershed potential, disrupts of the water cycle because of the lack of transpiration, and causes because of the ground being dried up; all of which leads to drought. This practice is definitely not new to our country given that the coverage of Philippine forests has dropped drastically from 70% to 20% over the course of

BLACK BIRD

KRistin JoseFF R. GaGaJena, ab com ‘17

kristinjoseff@gmail.com

“Will this experience prepare us for what could be history repeating itself?” the 20th century.

Another man-made contributor to droughts are the overuse of water. Proof of this can be seen in Angat Dam, the concrete water reservoir embankment hydroelectric dam that contains Metro Manila’s water supply which is located on a hilltop in Barangay San Lorenzo, Norzagaray, Bulacan.

According to the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDrrMc) of Bulacan, as of October 2, 2015, the dam’s water level measured about 190.90 meters. That’s 21.10 meters lower than the normal high water level of 212.00 meters.

Global Warming, for obvious reasons, also plays role in causing droughts and although this is a natural phenomenon, man-made activities also share the blame for this occurrence. As stated in an article in greenliving. lovetoknow.com, some manmade causes which contribute to global warming are burning of fossil fuels via electricity production and gasoline from automobiles which causes an

increase in carbon dioxide levels, usage of fertilizer as adding fertilizer to soil causes nitrous oxide (a gaseous compound wherein a pound of it is 300 times worse than a pound of carbon dioxide) to escape into the atmosphere, mining of oil and coal which allows methane, a greenhouse gas, to escape, and of course, deforestation for the same reasons stated earlier. Suffice it to say that engaging in these activities not only worsens global temperatures but also increase the likelihood of droughts. it’s definitely not news that our society is guilty of these practices. in other words, we are also to blame for what could happen to the country and if we just trivialize things like the practices stated above, we might as well be out there deliberately destroying our environment. Of course, this isn’t to say that nothing is being done; while efforts to save the environment and improve the Earth’s condition are underway, they apparently aren’t enough given that many people are falling victim to ignorance or

apathy.

Whether or not sources that say that the upcoming drought is in fact going to strike the country are to be believed, it’s still a good idea to prepare for a drought obviously by rationing and conserving water.

Among the many ways to do so are stocking your fridge with bottled water, installing a rain catch system while it can still rain, checking for any leaks in the plumbing as early as now, disabling decorative fountains, etc. There are many different ways to conserve water and what we can do is be creative and make the most of the impeding situation. in doing these things, we can make it through the hardships the drought could bring us and align our actions so that if this drought does happen, it is not due to human activities.

We can even take water conservation beyond our own homes and into the community.

Acting now and getting people to wake up and see the reality can possibly be an assurance that more water will be saved (that is, if they’ll listen). Proper information dissemination about phenomena such as this has very significant effects that help members of the community find solutions. of course, we still have to remember that to advocate change into the community, no matter how used this line is, we must first begin with ourselves. in the long run, we can’t go back and change the past. We can’t do anything to counteract the forces of nature. What’s done is done, and we can only look forward from here on end.

Nonetheless, we can choose to accept that this is the reality and do our part to wake up, adapt, help, and possibly prevent environmental disasters from getting worse.

SpecialReport Augustinian the

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The Official Student Newspaper of the University of San Agustin • Iloilo City, Philippines

* Inbox!

1JUST AROUND THE CORNER

Volume LXI Number 2 • October 22, 2015

psd: a bigger picture A clo ser lo o k o n this yea r ’s patr o n sa int’s day ce l e b r atio n

By GIZELLE ANNE D. VILLA AND RJ J. REMO usa pub PHOTO / MARA ELAIZA A. FLORES

YOU HAVE JUST RECEIVED A NEW MESSAGE! Yes, that is right. This year, in this edition, the USA Publications doubled its efforts to interview the persons who are in authority to answer the issues that you have shared in our Inbox. Through this, we promote an open communication between the students and the University administration. All concerns were brought up by the staff to the persons concerned in a polite manner. We do hope that this innovation would bring something good to our community. Enjoy reading.

* nidoranidshelp: Kasadya gid ya ever sang PSD ah.

Hamakon mo, do hell week lang ah este do free week lang namon. Nagsulod gid ya akon balatyagon ko ang presensya ni San Agustin, as in, I’m crying like a dog. * pingsters: Kilanlan na gid naton diri sa eskwelahan sang LBC mo. Hamak mo do matuigan kami ya sa kahulat sang mga letter namon to sa opisina. I need an explanation!

I need an acceptable reason about this! * dutertelovers: Palihog lang gali da sa mga kampon ni Venus Raj ah, konsiderasyon man gamay hindi kita Major Major, Minor Minor lang. C’mon! * kuyakemie: Aga pa ko bala nabugtawan sang makalamatay nga bagyo sang adlaw nga to. Dayon declare sila ya may klase sa gihapon. Ano lang abi nila sa amon, X-Men lang. Kahit ano susuungin! * PBBGirl: Wow, USA is so sosyal na ha. CCTVs are like everywhere daw PBB house lang. Hi there Big Brother, ai este kay Father. * DerPiWH: chosera man ja ang school, waay gid nagpabalo nga may road widening sa tubang Alumni hall, kundi nadasma ko. * ANNABayan: Hala.. Why did they make sara the doors there in the cafeteria man? Are they making tago of Elsa there?? Elsa...??? * Dumi-Disneyland: WAW! Daw mini amusement park ang San Ag kung mag ulan ya! BIGLANG WATERWORLD! Indi ka gani mabasa sang ulan, galusong man sapatos mo sa isa ka dangaw nga baha! * Whip My Hair: Hi! Nanotice ko lang nga daw kaliberated sang mga students when it comes to hairstyles.

May gapalugom, may gapakalbo, may gapalaba buhok.

Hello, nasaan ang hygiene at uniformity? * UniTorn: Remind ko lang gali ang gma Agustino nga Catholic School kita ah. Indi ni smallville nga makaporma kamo dalahig pa uniform, lip-ot skirts, pilo-anay sleeves?

Ha? Ha? * Ms.CHAIR-man: Kamusta naman ang mga classrooms nga kulang ang pulungkuan? Ano ni, standing ovation mag-klase? Hustisya sa pagtaas sa tuition lang bala. * The Travelers: Daw ma stress ka gid ya kada may event sa Audi kag gina tawag ka ni Mother Nature. Grabe pa lakbayon mo para maka Number 1. San-o pa bay mabuksan ang banyo dira? * Knights of the Stone Tables: BAW DIOSNATON! Wala ka na gani makan-an sa sulod Caf kay puno kinan-an sang iban, pag gwa mo, mas damo pagid basura ang mga lamesa didto! * Peek-a-boo: Baw gabusog gid ya pirme ang mata sang girls mag-labay sa Boys CR. KADAMO TANA GWAPO! Pru lihog, pwede naton na pabutangan bisan gamay nga pwertahan? * Piknikeros Hinaing: Gusto man tani namon magpaharon haron sa field kung hapon after classes.

Banding banding wid prends, cadel cadel wid lab ones.

Pero daw kabudlay man kay magpungko ka palang, gakadula ka na sa hilamon!

Got an issue to share? Perhaps, an opinion? Don’t be afraid to voice out. We don’t mind your grammar or language. As long as it can be understood. You can make a change by sharing to us your concerns. Let it be heard (or read) here in the Inbox. Send your message at our email, usa.publications@rocketmail.com or our Facebook page.

DISCLAIMER All words stated above are products of our readers’ freedom of expression.

These words, therefore, do not reflect the editorial position of the USA Publications and its individual staff members.

With competitions, streamers, parades, kiosks, and the never-failing effect of the contagiousness of joy through celebration, Patron Saint’s Day has always written itself in bold on the list of students’ looked-forward-to events. This year, PSD adjusted itself to the University’s theme for this academic year, “One heart, One mind, One San Agustin” and has incorporated new activities to strengthen the student body’s sense of togetherness. This fresh burst of color has left a large number of people with reactions ranging from being over-the-moon to complete distaste. Has this change drifted us farther from our goal of unity or is this the difference we need, the one we’re looking for?

PSD 2015’s sudden change produced several reactions and concerns from the students. The Augustinian gathered feedback from students as well as the organizers to be able to discuss and present information that will inform Augustinians and clear their minds from all the notions and misconceptions.

A break from the usual In the past years, the University of San Agustin had a lot of salu-salo, a lot of games, competitions, color, and there was a lot of music. This year, the University dedicated PSD to “Agustino Para sa Tao.” There were more than 70 organizations and about 20-25 sites on and off campus engaging in community service. “What we make of ourselves is a gift to God.” Sir Eric Divinagracia, Director of Student Affairs and Welfare Office, quoted Saint Augustine upon sharing his thoughts on this topic “We started together as Agbayan.

After that, we competed again against each other, showing the best of our potentials, but at the end of the day, after becoming better people because of these competitions, then what? Let our talents we’ve hold within the week of PSD be offered to God through the community.”

Concerns and Complaints There were many complaints about the long processes of fulfilling the requirements, such as waivers, a chosen community to serve, payments for transportation, food, and planned activities.

Regular classes were also a concern during the event because these stopped the students from participating in community services and other PSD events.

“It is in our blood to serve the community. It must be natural to us. You don’t have to be rich, effort and joy is enough. If you need a waiver, get a waiver. If you can’t go out because of safety risks then you could always invite the community to join us here oncampus.” Sir Divinagracia said, “There is always a reason to serve.”

Complaints spread like wildfire because there was only a limited number of students that could attend. There were also complaints on the sudden occurrence of outreach programs, breaking the tradition of a merry, crowded salu-salo in the campus.

“This year is the Year of the Poor, that’s why the activities were centered on community service,” Fr. Rommel Par, the Vice President of Academic Affairs, stated “Next year, if the concept changes, then the activities will change, too.”

Regular classes were continued due to the frequent suspension of classes before PSD because of holidays and typhoons, and were done to correspond. Further suspension of classes would’ve taken a toll on the part of the teachers, as well as the students, to finish the required topics for midterms as well as for finals.

“Regular classes were going on because some colleges

didn’t organize anything.

If a college didn’t organize anything, what would you have them do?” Par, explained further regarding the issue on the occurrence of regular classes during salu-salo.

A ruckus also formed due to classes not being suspended during PSD events.

Many students have been complaining about this, how only selected classes were excused to attend such events.

“If we allowed the whole University to suspend classes to attend a particular event such as Mr. And Ms. Intramurals, also considering the capacity of the location, how many people would be there?” Par questioned.

Lack of information also rendered PSD unstable.

Announcements and tarpaulins weren’t properly disseminated. Lack of time and communication are to blame.

“Unfortunately, we were only able to allot only one week of sleepless nights to prepare for the suggested and approved activities. This gave us little time to prepare visual materials that serve to disseminate information on the activities of PSD 2015.” Sheen Marie Mabilog, President of the Student Council, also shared her concerns saying, “People tend to forget that we’re students, too, and that we also need to attend our classes.”

“It’s challenging. We’ve had some lapses. Leaders learn from their mistakes. We’ve learned a lot this PSD which can help us in preparation for University week,” Mabilog added.

Change of plans One of the causes of the students’ uproar was the sudden disappearance of the initially planned activities and amenities, such as the “Laro ng Lahi” which was supposed to be conducted during the salusalo, the trampolines, and the balloon castle. “Laro ng Lahi” didn’t make it to the list of the final activities due to lack of time and only five activities were allowed to be facilitated.

“We were made to choose between Laro ng Lahi and Pasiklaband.” Mabilog stated, “In the end, the Student Council decided to pick Pasiklaband over the latter.”

This hard decision between the two initial activities was due to the events that were planned by the co-curricular coordinators two months before the PSD. These limited the space for the activities planned by the Student Council. #OneSanAgustin PSD has always been an opportunity to compete against other departments and colleges.

This is supposed to be the time for the Augustinian community to work together, hand-in-hand, for the common good.

“Is that really what we want to do? Or do we transcend competition and celebrate community, celebrate One San Agustin? Can we do something together for once, instead of against each other?”

Sir Divinagracia emphasized our need for unity during the interview.

During the 28th of August, the Augustinians were asked to pose with their colleges, take ‘groufies’, and post them on social media sites with the hashtag, #OneSanAgustin, at exactly 1:11 pm. This is in line with the celebration of the University’s 111th year and its theme, “One Heart, One Mind, One San Agustin.”

“People say it might not have been successful, below their expectations, different from what they’ve expected, or didn’t have happiness. But if they only listened to the laughter of the children, in the long run we can appreciate the risk and the critical step that we took. It can be the start of something new,” Sir Divinagracia concluded.

One way or another, despite all the negative reactions, we have to admit that this year’s PSD has left us with memories of what we really are and what we are capable of doing as an Augustinian community in the spirit of service and togetherness.

Augustinian

After employing a new set of cheerdance rules and replacing it with Sadsad competition in 2013 and 2014 respectively, Cheerdance competition quenched the thirst of the Augustinians for the clash of sizzling hot performances. Let’s take a closer look at the three winning competing teams who captured the heart and mind of the crowd.

UNDERDOGS’ REDEMPTION After being out of the picture of the competitive teams for the past two years, the science enthusiasts of College of Pharmacy and Medical Technology made their way to the top with their fierce military themed performance that made the crowd go wild.

The perfect execution of their synchronized cartwheels, jumps, stunts and the over-all difficulty of their choreography gave them their own blend of uniqueness.

“I’m overwhelmed. All sacrifices are worth it. Despite all the calamities such as flood, typhoon, lightning, having one of our performers accidentally hit by the explosion of a transformer during the rehearsals, all works were paid off. It’s not all about the cheerdance but also the CPMT students who supported,” said John Vancouver S. Timon, fourth year MLS student and president of Epsilon Chapter.

CPMT didn’t just nailed their name in the hall of fame for their breathtaking performance but also their cheerleader, Kaycee Lacson, gained the spotlight with her dynamic energy upholding the spirit of a true cheerleader against other aspiring best-cheerleader in the said competition as she was awarded as the Best Cheerleader.

In an interview with The Augustinian, Kaycee Lacson, first year BS Pharmacy student and CPMT cheerleader said

“Although our trainer is not here, we are still inspired to perform because of all the CPMT students. We’ve been through ups and downs.”

UPHOLDING THE LEGACY The robotic inspired performance of College of Engineering and Architecture (CEA) proved that they are deserving of their title “The Home of Real Champions” when they were declared as second placers which served as the fruit of their labor.

“The cheerdance competition was well participated and the performances were all great for the colleges prepared very well for this event in order to represent to respective college.

The participants were very energetic and powerful in performing and they did a great job,” said Nikkie Gepilango, president, Epsilon Alpha Chi Organization.

“Last year, we tried our best to win in the Sadsad competition but it seemed that it was our lucky year. Now, we have reaped the fruits of our labor. We thank all the people who helped us all throughout especially our Dean and God Almighty,” shared by Niel Calixterio, second year Civil Engineering student.

KEEPING THE PASSION BURNING Meanwhile, the golden swimmer concept of College of Management and Accountancy (CMA) with their flexible

ELAIZA A. FLORES)

s e g e l l o C f Clash o

S E R E N T C O L L EG E F F I D M O R F S E C RFORMAN E R S IT Y S I Z Z L I N G HOT P E W ITH I N TH E U N I V

movements and choreography set the standard to beat for this year’s cheerdance competition as the first performer earning them the third place.

In 2013, the fall of the

cheerdance powerhouse of CMA after holding the championship title in 2012 inspired the college to pursue their goal of landing in the top three spots this year.

USA’ S PR ID E IN DEFENSE OF TH EIR KING

MIND GAMES. Augustinian Woodpushers play a leisurely game of chess with each other after their win during the ISSA. (USA PUB PHOTO / clyde allen e. sollesta)

The University of San Agustin (USA) Women’s Chess Team has proved that they were no weak link after the team bested two other schools in the final

match of the chess competition earning them the championship title during the 2015 Iloilo Schools Sports Association (ISSA) hosted by the University, September 16-18.

Triumphing over Central Philippine University (CPU) and

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UNEXPECTED VICTORY. A College of Law player grabs hold of the ball from a player of the opposing team during the Basketball Championship. (USA PUB PHOTO / MARA

Augustinian Woodpushers bag gold in ISSA

By andrea nicole c. parce

Sports

the

Volume LXI Number 2 • October 22, 2015

Western Institute of Technology (WIT), Augustinian wood pushers Aleah Bianca Garingalao (B Medical Laboratory Science 1) dominating Board 1; Shara Kate Badilla (BS Pharmacy 3) on Board 2; Carmele Benihagan (BS Civil Engineering 3) for

Board 3; and Rica Dianne Famillaran on Board 4, blasted their competitors as they outwit them with their powerful offense and unbeatable defense in the said event.

“It’s a surprise on my part because I’m just on my first year and representing the University was enough. Winning was just a bonus,” Garingalao revealed in an interview.

USA wood pushers ruled boards one, three and five as 1st placers while they ranked 2nd place in boards two and four.

“We practiced really hard for this year’s ISSA because we want to prove something,” Benihagan shared.

During last year’s ISSA, USA women’s chess team ranked as 5th placer.

“We are looking forward to making the whole Augustinian Community proud,” Benihagan added.

Meanwhile, the team is training under the supervision of Rosendo H. Reyes since June and now planning for strategies that they will use for the upcoming Augustinian Schools Athletic Meet and the PRISAA on November.

“We are hoping that we can still dominate the board in the next competition. We want to continue the legacy of the Augustinian wood pushers,” added by Benihagan.

CAN’T STOP THE BEAT The competition might be over this year but the passion of the Augustinians to prepare for more complicated routines and witness mind-blowing

By rj j. remo

performances for the next cheerdance competition just started. More will be expected for the beats have just get into the nerves of the competing teams.

The longest game of chess was played by Ivan Nikolic and Goran Arsovic in 1989. The duo played for 20 hours and 15 minutes, ending in a 269move draw.

Chess is called the game of kings because for many centuries it was played primarily by nobility and upper classes.

The folding chess board was originally invented in 1125 by a chessplaying priest. Since the Church forbid priests to play chess, he hid his chess board by making one that looked simply like two books lying together.

Chess is often cited by psychologists as an effective way to improve memory function. Also allowing the mind to solve complex problems and work through ideas, it is no wonder that chess is recommended in the fight against Alzheimer’s.

Blindfold chess is real and documented in world records. It is as it sounds: a player makes all of his or her moves without looking at a board.

Originally, the queen was the ‘fers’, a counselor or prime minister, the king’s advisor. The European’s later changed it in the 1400’s to become the strongest piece in chess.

sports AugustiniAn the

Clash of Colleges sizzling performance

Woodpushers bag gold medal during ISSA Article at Page A7

Article at Page A7

The Official Student Newspaper of the University of San Agustin • Iloilo City, philippines

Volume LXI Number 2 • October 22, 2015

CEA defends intrams championship title

BACK TO BACK CHAMPIONS. College of Engineering and Architecture students and faculty hold up their trophy in a sign of victory after holding on to their intrams championship title for 2 consecutive years. (usa pub photo / MARA ELAIZA

a. flores)

bY edcel b. FaJUtaG

DUBBED as the home of the real champions, the College of Engineering and Architecture (ceA) upheld their title as the overall champion by being victorious in this year’s intramurals making it 2 years straight.

With an edge of 55 points over the College of Management and Accountancy (cMA) and jolting 7 other competitors, Teknos proved that their college is indeed the home of the real champions.

CEA athletes grabbed 5 medals out of the 14 individual and team events and earned a total score of 335 points making them atop the leaderboard.

The college proved their supremacy by seizing gold medals in badminton (men and women categories), volleyball (men’s category), chess (men’s category), and football (women’s category). teknos also clutched near-to-gold spots in basketball (men and women’s categories), table tennis (men’s

category), and lawn tennis (men’s category).

Nicole Joyce Gepilango, president of the CEA’s student council Epsilon Alpha Chi organization (eAco) said, “Despite of the many lapses along the event, our college still managed to do our best. it is an overall result of the college’s efforts.”

Engr.

Josephine C. Gellecanao, dean of the college commended the athletes’ fervor towards sports, their camaraderie and their drive to win. She also hailed the Tekno’s unanimity saying, “The coaches’ efforts and the athletes’ good relationship really made them win. Seeing that there was no competition that interfered among them proved that the virtue of unity is instilled in them.”

Moreover, Mark Melvin Minerva, an athlete of the CEA said “our college had been through many challenges in reaching this spot. Being the champion of the intramurals in 2 consecutive years is one best achievement that our college could have.”

College of Law overthrows CEA, 78-55

by RJ J. Remo And KRistin JoseFF R. GaGaJena

AFTER a continuing underdog streak, the college of law finally grabbed the limelight of success in the championship game in Basketball during the 2015 intramurals leaving the college of Engineering and Architecture (ceA) in the dust, 78-55, at the USA Gym, August 25.

While it seemed that CEA would regain the championship title after they dominated last year’s champion, the College of Management and Accountancy, in the preliminaries, the College of Law still overpowered the Teknos.

“The day we won that championship was the day we made history for the College of Law. We were hungry to be champions because last year we thought we almost had it when we entered [the] final four but injuries and conflict of class schedules impeded us from performing our 100%. We thank our Dean, the Faculty and also those who really inspired us to fight and win it all. our beloved College of Law Students!

Bulahan kamo!” said Jo Vanne C. Trivilegio, College of Law player.

Although CEA turned up the heat of the game with the three-point shots of Tekno players John Victor Tupaz and roel Jeremy Diaz ii finishing the first half, 11-13, in favor of CEA, the would-be lawyers turned the tables against the engineers-to-be on the second quarter as Kazper Vic Bermejo showered few jump shots and a three-point shot of Joseph John Michael Sale, rendering an eight point advantage against CEA, 32-24.

“We’ve exerted our effort even after the [two straight] games [in] one day before the championship but maybe this year’s championship is for the College of Law. All that matters is that CEA is still the reigning

What’s Our National Sport?

INDOMITABLE

KeVin JeRRol c. eRebaRen, bsPsYch ‘16

kevinerebaren@yahoo.com

“The Philippine National Sport is a symbol that represent Filipino Athleticism”

UNEXPECTED VICTORY. A College of Law player grabs hold of the ball from a player of the opposing team during the Basketball Championship. (usa pub photo / mara elaiza a. flores)

overall champion,” said Jesserey Villarba, a BS Civil Engineering sophomore student of CEA. During the start of the second half, College of Law was able to maintain their team’s momentum as Joey Mondero, Jose Ray Vencer and Mel Phildrich Ganuhay weakened Tekno’s hope for the championship title with their

aggressive and powerful shots doubling their point advantage at the end of the third quarter, 56-40.

“This year was our year because we really felt that the universe conspired for us to win this championship. But it is not only the universe that has to be thanked. We also appreciate all those who believed in us, in

order to prove all those doubters wrong,” Trivilegio added.

CEA tried to push their efforts to redeem themselves under the support of Diaz but they ultimately lost the game against the College of Law who ensured their win as they earned 22 more points during the fourth and final quarter leaving ceA helpless.

HOW DOES ONE define a symbol? How does one give meaning and importance to a state of being or existence? What gives these symbolisms power to exist? Such is the crux of the issue that brought the confusion to the Filipino people. Confusion that boggled the minds of our kindred about the state of our symbol that is known as the “Philippine National Sport”.

For the longest time that was recorded in Philippine history, sipa was considered as the de facto Philippine national sport.

Therefore it doesn’t become as a big surprise then when former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo gave her approval to enact Republic Act 9850 -- an Act asserting arnis as the successor as the new national martial art and sport of the Philippines last 11th of December on the 9th year of the 3rd Millennia -- many people responded adversely against that movement and thus putting into question the sudden change. As sipa had settled deeply within the subconscious of the Filipino nation and her people, having its status as one of the national symbols that represent our country unnerved a lot of individuals. From being considered and labelled as the “national sport,” sipa eventually became the Philippine favorite past time, but there is actually more to sipa than simply being a kid’s street game.

Though it’s one thing to know the national game and it is a whole different beast when putting it into practice. Despite our rich history with the sport and everything that it entails, do the Filipino people really know all about sipa? it is given that elementary students were educated that sipa was the Philippine National Sport, but there was clearly a big lack of interest to put the classroom learning into action. The scope and study of sipa was confined and limited mostly to the four corners of the classroom and were lacking in practical use. Whereas more institutions comprised arnis in their curricula and as such are able to form intimate relationship within their students. Due to this reason too is that arnis can generate more hype due to its popularity amongst the populace. On the other hand of the spectrum, the nation has very few in sipa’s name – if there at all –and most of them practice sepak takraw. in addition to that as arnis is a martial art, arguably it is possible that the sport raises more competition among individuals. Though it matters not whether sipa should have been still the Philippine national sport nor if arnis is a worthy replacement as our national symbol, it does not change the fact that both are facets of our culture-- important pieces of who we are. Symbols will definitely change overtime as the norms of that culture evolves accordingly.