Alumwire offers to network UP Alumni with American CompaniesAlumwire (http://www.alumwire.com) is an interactive career network for college alumni and students to find jobs, internships, and other career opportunities. Alumwire will be hosting virtual chat rooms in April 2008 for alumni of the University of the Philippines to chat in real-time with American companies looking to hire UP alumni. Here is a list of companies that have previously chatted in real-time with job seekers on Alumwire: http://www.alumwire.com/vcfPreviousSchedule.php UP alumni can directly chat with American companies in April 2008 by signing up now: http://www.alumwire.com/vcfRegister.php If you have difficulty signing up, please send an email to feedback@alumwire.com with the subject line reading "UP Alumni" to request an invitation. Information from Aaron Sahagun, Co-Founder and CEO of Alumwire, Inc.
This
year marks the 100th anniversary of the University of the Philippines,
The
University of the Philippines was established in 1908 by the American
colonial government UP
treasures its institutional autonomy and nurtures excellence in a climate
of academic freedom. Today,
it is a university system of seven constituent universities with fourteen
campuses In
commemoration of this,
The
logo, overprinted on the watermark space to the right of President Manuel
Acuña Roxas' portrait, The purple and white 100-piso note is the most commonly used purchasing bill. Its
front features the bust of Manuel Acuña Roxas, the first president
of the independent The back of the note depicts the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas buildings. A COLLECTOR'S ITEM FROM THE BSP This
series of 100-piso banknotes is part of the first batch of banknotes
printed in 2008 Alumni
and Friends of the University of the Philippines UP Office of Alumni Relations, Alumni Center, UP Diliman, telefax 929-8226 or by contacting the UP System Office of the Vice President for Administration through Dr.
Arlene A. Samaniego, You may also contact Prof.
Isagani Bagus,
UPAA Centennial Raffle ongoing, raffle draw date set on December 16, 2008The UP Alumni Association, Inc. Centennial Raffle has moved its draw date to December 16, 2008, in in conjunction with the Grand Centennial Ball to be held at the Philippine International Convention Center. Raffle prizes up at stake are:
Tickets cost P1,000,00, with only less than 20,000 raffle tickets to be sold. Tickets are available at the UP Alumni Association Secretariat's Office, 2/F Ang Bahay ng Alumni, UP Campus, Diliman, Quezon City. Free courier delivery is available for orders of five tickets or more. You may contact them at tel. nos. 920-6868 and 920-6871, email upalum@yahoo.com, or upalum2@yahoo.com. Proceeds from the raffle will go to the UPAA Makiling Restoration Project and the UP Varsity Men's Basketball Team.
UP hosts dinner for UP Centennial donorsIn an expression of gratitude for the generous donations to the University of the Philippine Centennial Fund, the University of the Philippines academic community and the UP Centennial Commission held a dinner to honor top donors at the Shangri-La Hotel last May 8, 2008. In her welcome remarks, UP President Emerlinda Roman traced the on hundred years of UP's history and how its existence has been entwined with the growth and development of the country. Roman also expressed her gratitude to the members of Congress who have been instrumental in the passage of the new UP charte,r Repiblic Act 9500. Roman believes that with the new charter and the support of the donors, UP will be able to continue on its mission of providing quality education to the best minds of the country. "The University is only as good as its faculty; our faculty is only as good as the scholarship it generates," President Roman said. Funding is needed for research and development to proceed apace. Therefore, she said, fund-raising remains a priority. UP Centennial Commission Chair Senator Edgardo Angara, for his part, cited the efforts of the members of the Centennial Commission in the UP Centennial Fund. The Fund will be used to improve and maintain facilities, promote research, create more scholarship programs, and focus on faculty development. Angara also lauded the alumni for their help in the endeavors of the Commission to raise donations from the friends of the University. The donors were given paintings of the UP Carillon done by individual artists as part of the promotion efforts of the Carillon Restoration Project. The honorees were: Architect David Consunji; the members of the 14th Congress, who include those who were instrumental in the passage of the new UP charter in the House of representatives and the Senate; Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines as represented by Kandi Anand; former Prime Minister, Dr. Cesar Virata; Dr. Gregorio Alvior; Regent Nelia Gonzalez; Robina Gokongwei-Pei; Dr. Arsenio Baliscana; Ambassador Jesus Yabes; Dr. Magdaleno Albarracin, Jr.; Dr. Angelita Reyes; Atty. Eduardo Hernandez; John Lu Koa; Malou Mangahas on behalf of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism; Ramon del Rosario of PHINMA; Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay; Diosdado Banatao of the University of California Berkeley; fashion designer Jose "Pitoy" Moreno; and Fernando Zobel de Ayala of the Ayala Group of Companies. Several guests also offered pledges for additional donations to the University during the event. Among those who pledged were ABS-CBN; the Philippine Daily Inquirer; the Philippine Star; the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism; Philex Mining Corporation; Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office; PLDT; and smart Communications; and MERALCO. A number o the aforementioned donors also pledged to add to the contributions that they already gave to the University. As a response from the donors to the University, PHINMA President and Chief executive Officer Ramon R. del Rosario, Jr. expressed his enthusiasm about the opportunity to be of assistance to the University. Del Rosario pointed out that government should try to take its education policy seriously by reviewing the state of government colleges and university and amount of government spending that goes into these educational institutions. He stated that instead of spending so much money on several mediocre state universities and colleges, the government should focus on one national university, in this case UP, which can be developed to rival universities and colleges abroad. Senate President Manuel Villar, Jr. on the other hand, said that UP is the only university in the country which offers quality education to those who are intelligent but do not have the financial means to get a college education. He said that his UP education changed his life and that of his family, allowing them to rise from poverty. The hope that UP will continue to help poor but deserving youth is the reason he remains committed to the University. According to Villar, with the new charter and with help from the various donors, UP will be able to change the lives of the marginalized but deserving youth and help them pursue their dreams. Among those who also attended the dinner were Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, Senator Loren Legarda, and Commission on Higher Education chair Romulo Neri. The House of Representatives was also well represented by Rep. Luis Villafuerte, Rep. Abigail Binay, Rep. Edcel Lagman, and rep. Crispin Remulla. Reprinted from
the Manila Bulletin, June 21, 2008
Update on UP Centennial Lecture SeriesAlmost six months into its Centennial year, the University of the Philippines has already conducted 11 of the 28 Centennial Lectures. Four have presented "views from the inside"-self-assessments by distinguished UP professors. They are Dr. Francisco Nemenzo, Dr. Gemino H. Abad, Dr. Edgardo Gomez and Dr. Emmanuel de Dios. Eight more lectures are scheduled in this set. They will be given by Dr. Cecilia Florencio on June 19; Dr. Jose Abueva on July 22; Prof. Randolf David on August 26; Prof. Ernesto Domingo on September 18; Dr. Wilfredo David on September 26; Dr. Ma. Serena Diokno on November 18; Dr. Jose Magpantay on November 28; and Dr. Ramon Santos on December 5. The other set in the UP Centennial Lecture Series features non-UP scholars with Ramon del Rosario Jr. as the first to give the lecture in this set. Future lecturers are Cong. Saturnino "Satur" C. Ocampo on July 10;p Rev. Fr. Bienvenido F. Nebres, SJ., on July 31; Sheila Coronel on August 22; and Dr. Washington SyCip on September 3. International luminaries speaking of their fields of expertise belong to another set of lectures. Three have delivered their lectures so far: Prof. David Jonathan Gross; Prof. Baldomero Olivera; and Prof. Douglass North. The last lecture in this set will be given by former Philippine President Fidel V. Ramos on August 12. The last set in the lecture series features experts discussing issues of the day. Three topics have been discussed: Poverty, convened by Prof. Raul Fabella; Women, convened by Prof. Carolyn Sobritchea; and Global Warning, delivered by Prof. Perry Ong. Future lectures will be about Peace, to be convened by Prof. Miriam Ferrer on July 2; the State of the Nation's Health, to be convened by Dr. Alberto Romualdez on September 9; Indigenous Peoples, to be convened by Prof Marvic Leonen on October 2; and the State of RP Education, to be convened by Prof. Cynthia Rose Bautista on November 12. Reprinted from
the Manila Bulletin, June 21, 2008
Carillon plays music once againOn December 18, 2007, the UP Diliman (UPD) campus was once again ringing with carillon musical pieces as 36 new bells were installed on top of the UPD Carillon Tower. Through the efforts of the UP Alumni Association (UPAA), the bells were imported from The Netherlands; the old clavier keyboard was replaced with a new heavy-duty oak-wood version; a hook-up with a master clock was installed, along with a synthesizer; and the steel framers, bolts, cables, walls and ceilings were refurbished. The restoration of the Carillon was the main UP Centennial project of the UPAA. Former UPAA president Lt. Gen. Jaime S. Delos Santos and current Alumni Regent and UPAA president Ponciano E. Rivera Jr. formally turned over the bells to UPD Chancellor Sergio S. Cao, and earlier in the day to President Emerlinda R. Roman. Gen. Delos Santos recounted that it was during his term as UPAA president, during the 92nd Annual Homecoming in June 2005, that the restoration of the Carillon was named the UPAA centerpiece Centennial project. He said that the UPAA will raise more funds to complete the project this year. Regent Rivera then presented plaques of appreciation to the main donors of the project, which include Engr. Manuel Yu Agustinez, Atty. Loida Nicolas-Lewis, the CASAA Foundation, Dr. Mario and Eva Labadan, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Mr. and Mrs. Antonio Evangelista, and the late Betty Go Belmonte. Other major donors were Atty. Estelito Mendoza, Mayor Jejomar Binay, and the San Miguel Corp.; plus Atty. Ed Hernandez, Bimbo Salazar, Victor Ramos, Susana Guerrero, Loretta Cadavillo-Galang, Mayor Marides Fernando, Vicente Quimbo, Pan Xenia Fraternity, Francis Laurel, Francis Chua, the Capitol Medical Center, BSBA'67, UP Medicine '68, UP Law '67, UPCA (Agriculture) '67, and UP Inter-college Class '58. Arranged and played with much vigor by Prof. Antonio Regalario, a UP carilloneur in the 1960s, the musical pieces were much awaited and met with resounding applause. On the ground, performances were rendered by the UP Singing Ambassadors and the Andres Bonifacio Group conducted by Prof. Jerry Dadap, another UP carilloner. Another phase of the UPAA project is the establishment of a scholarship to train new carilloneurs. The occasion was also attended by Senator Richard Gordon, who promised to start the groundwork for the Oblation with plaza with a donation for half of the cost, and Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte, who highlighted UP's physical role as a locus for the city's development. Reprinted from the Manila Bulletin, June 21, 2008
National Science Complex to risePhilippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has ordered the establishment of a National Science Complex and Technology Incubation Park through what the Palace describes as a "major move to bolster the country's scientific and technological capabilities." Through Executive Order (EO) 583, signed on December 8, 2006, the President also directed the Department of Budget and management (DBM) to release P500 million for the project. The Science Complex, which will be in a 21.9-hectare portion of UP Diliman, will be organized, managed and operated by the UP Board of Regents, and will be composed of nine science-related institutes: the National Institute of Geological Sciences (NIGS), the Marine Science Institute (MSI), the National Institute of Physics (NIP), the National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (NIMBB), the Institute of Biology (IB), the Institute of Chemistry (IC), the Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology (IESM), the Department of Mathematics (DM), and the Natural Science Research Institute (NSRI). The complex will "serve as the national hub for the generation and application of new scientific knowledge in the natural and applied sciences and mathematics," President Arroyo said, stressing that efforts to boost the country's scientific and technological capabilities and their applicant to productive systems require complementary initiatives in new scientific knowledge and technology, technology transfer and diffusion, and technology utilization and management. All these efforts," President Arroyo said, "presuppose the availability of highly trained manpower to lead and direct scientific and technological activities in the academe, the private sector, and the government." She also pointed out that UP has the capability to supply competent manpower and technical support to the Science and Technology Park and its component Technology Business Incubators (TBIs). Last September, the UP Board of Regents approved the establishment of a national science complex and authorized the UP president to seek the support of Malacañang for the project. QC adjusts zoning classification of S&T Park. Meanwhile, on December 21, 2006, Quezon City mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. approved and signed an ordinance adjusting the zoning classification of a portion of UP Diliman devoted to the UP North Science and technology Park. Belmonte said the classification of the area as an S&T Park is in line with the thrust of the city government toward becoming the country's information and communication technology capital. "The (UP North S&T Park) project promises to be a magnet for a fast-evolving high-technology companies that would prove essential for the creation of a strong business and employment center in Quezon City-enough to provide more employment opportunities for its residents," Belmonte said. Reprinted from
the Manila Bulletin, June 21, 2008
Groundbreaking rites for North S&T park heldThe first tangible marker of a longtime "dream" project was laid on March 8, during the groundbreaking rites for the North Science and Technology (S&T) Park in Diliman. President Emerlinda R. Roman, former UP president Francisco Nemenzo, Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte, UP Diliman Chancellor Dr. Sergio S. Cao, UP Regents Justice Abraham F. Sarmiento and Hon. Nelia Gonzales, and officials form partner Ayala Land Inc., the Park's developer, buried a time capsule containing documents relevant to the project in a spot on the 37.5 hectare property along Commonwealth Avenue. The building plans for the Park, in the form of scale models of structures and site plans, were also unveiled during the event. Ayala Land Inc. Senior Managing Director Mercelita Nolledo revealed that initial development would soon begin with the gradual erection of 10 low-rise office buildings primarily intended for lease to corporate office tenants in high-technology fields (i.e. telecommunications, telematics, IT, biotechnology) and high-value business process outsourcing (BPO) industry (i.e. accounting, animation, software development, design and engineering services), as well as start-up companies or incubates. To make the Park a point of convergence not only for the business and technology sectors, but also local communities, a village-type retail strip accommodating restaurants, bookstores, coffee shops and other service establishments, as well as public facilities such as business centers, meeting rooms and fitness and recreation centers will be integrated into the Park. Hotels and residential facilities will also be integrated in to the Park. Designed to be as prominent in the information technology and business industries in the country as the Silicon valley corridor in California is to the US, the North S&T Park "will also set the standard for all future science and technology and IT parks" in the Philippines, according to Nolledo. "This is one of our flagship projects," Nolledo added. "We are bringing all of our company's business lines to bear on this project." President Roman expressed high hopes for the North S&T Park, a project that was started during the term of former UP President Nemenzo. "We envision it (the North S&T Park) as not only providing a venue for the transformation of innovative ideas into cutting-edge commercial products, and giving faculty and students access to world-class learning laboratories, but also as offering competitive employment opportunities," she added. The research prospects and jobs generated by the Park will help minimize the phenomenon of "brain drain" and give UP graduates reason to stay in the country, she said. Among the contractors, designers and consultants for the North S&T Park are firms Makati Development Corporation, RJ Calpo & Partners, Ayala Property Management Corp., Aidea, RA Mojica & Partners, and Davis Langdon. Reprinted from
the Manila Bulletin, June 21, 2008
The Engineering Research and Development for Technology ProgramIn 2007, Dean Rowena Guevara of the UP Diliman College of Engineering proposed the establishment of the Engineering Research and Development for Technology Program before President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. The key components of the program are: (1) scholarships; (2) faculty development; (3) research and development; and (40 infrastructure development. The first three components are under the supervision of the Department of Science and Technology. And the fourth component will be supervised by the College of Engineering. The scholarship component will be implemented by a consortium of universities: UP Diliman, De La Salle University, Ateneo de Manila University, Mapua Institute of Technology, Mindanao State University in Iligan City, University of San Carlos, and Central Luzon State University. These universities have mature graduate programs which can accommodate scholars. The consortium agreement was signed on August 15, 2007. In addition to producing a critical mass of MS and PhD graduates in engineering, the consortium shall help implement the research agenda aligned with the National science and Technology plan and the Medium Term Philippine Development Plan; upgrade the qualifications of practicing engineers; and develop an R&D culture among engineering colleges. The consortium plans to take in a total of 766 PhD and 2,016 MS scholars, or a total of 3,008 scholars for the period 2007 to 2016 and hopes to bring the Philippines closer to the benchmark on research scientists and engineers (RSEs) per 10,000 population of 3.4. The Philippines has only 1.08 RSEs per 10,000 population, thus lagging behind other Asian countries. In 2008, the College of Engineering received about P100 million from National Government: P86 million for infrastructure development and P14 million for scholarships. Another P37.5 million for scholarships is awaiting release from the Department of Budget and Management. The College has awarded scholarships to 73 graduate students, 19 of whom are doctoral students. Since the implementation of the ERDT Program in 2007, two scholars have graduated and another three are expected to graduate during the summer session of the current academic year. For 2008, National Government has allocated about P645 million to UP for the infrastructure component of the ERDT Program. Moreover, P160 million has been allocated from the approved DOST 2008 budget for ERDT scholarships and faculty development, and another P200 million for research and development. Convinced by the merits of the ERDT Program, President Arroyo has committed to support the program all the way to 2010 and has assured funding support of up to P3 billion. Reprinted from the
Manila Bulletin, June 21, 2008
Tatak PGH Plus connects with IlocanoOn March 17 and 18, 2008, the Tatak PGH Plus group, led by Philippine General Hospital (GH) Director Carmelo Alfiler, went to Ilocos Norte and set up the Tatak PGH Plus point hospital for Region I at the Mariano Marcos Memorial Medical Center (MMMMC). Tatak PGH Plus is the hospital's project intended to extend its best practices and successful initiatives with other hospitals. A memorandum of agreement (MOA) was signed between PGH, MMMMC, and the DOH Regional Office where MMMMC was designated as PGH's lead hospital in coordinating with all the government hospitals of the Ilocos Norte Region (Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur and Abra). MMMMC was represented by Dr. Mary Lu Magno, while the DOH Regional Office was represented by its director Dr. Eduardo Janairo. A networking scheme was developed for efficient coordination of patient management and transfer between the PGH and the government hospitals of Ilocandia, with MMMMC acting as conduit in sustaining the Tatak PGH Plus activities in the region. After the MOA signing, Director Alfiler gave a brief overview of the recently-concluded PGH Management Action Planning Workshop, as well as the status of PGH's Quality management Systems ISO 9001:2000 certification campaign. This was followed by a two-day lecture series, attended by about 200 participants and 30 PGH alumni. Topics included Excellent Customer Service, best nursing practices, computerization matters, and medical records management. The Tatak PGH Plus team went to the Batangas Regional Hospital in April, the West Visayas Regional Hospital, and the Northern Mindanao Medical Center in the next few months. Reprinted from
the Manila Bulletin, June 21, 2008
UP and the ArtsUP is a haven for the arts and is home to artists in various fields. Considered part of the University's treasures, these artists have consistently brought honor to UP and the country with their achievements in the local and international scenes. In fact, the University honored its 34 National Artists during the Parangal Sentenyal last June 16, 2008 at the UP Theater. There have been 57 National Artists named by the President of the Philippines thus far. Apart from the distinction of having award-winning artists in its fold, the University's campuses throughout the country showcase various works by the masters. In UP Diliman, for example, its Church of the Holy Sacrifice boasts of being the first circular church in the country and highlights the creativity of four National Artists. It was designed by National Artist for Architecture Leandro Locsin. Fifteen large murals that adorn its walls depicting the passion of Christ were created by National Artist for Visual Arts (Painting) Vicente Manansala. Arturo Luz, also a National Artist for Visual Arts, created the floor mosaic showing the river of life. Finally, National Artist for Visual Arts (Sculpture) Napoleon Abueva created the double-sided crucifix and the altar base. In 2006, its importance as an artistic and cultural masterpiece was recognized anew with the unveiling of a marker from the National Historical Institute, declaring it a historical landmark. It was also recognized as a cultural treasure by the National Museum. In 2007, the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the United Architects of the Philippines unveiled two heritage markers in honor of two National Artists for Architecture: Juan Nakpil and Leandro Locsin. These were placed in structures that are the architectural legacies of Nakpil (Quezon Hall) and Locsin (Church of the Holy Sacrifice). Also in 2007, the College of Music received the UNESCO Memory of the World Register Citation on the college's Jose Maceda Collection. It is an invaluable collection of recordings, field notes, and photographs of the traditional music of 68 ethnolinguistic groups. Just this year, the College of Arts and Letters (CAL) unveiled a new sculpture by Napoleon Abueva: "Magdangal." This female counterpart of the Oblation is located in front of the CAL Building. It was donated by Abueva to the University as a tribute to the UP Centennial and its title is inspired by a poem written by National Artist for Literature and College of Arts and Letters Dean Virgilio Almario. The UP Institute of Creative Writing Though based in the College of Arts and Letters in UP Diliman, the UP Institute of Creative Writing (ICW), since its founding (as the UP Creative Writing Center) in 1979, has held fast to its mandate of "stimulating writers from all parts of the country to contribute to national cultural development; and to asset the leadership of the University of the Philippines in Creative Writing." The first-and for decades, the only-such center in the country, it has nurtured practically every contemporary writer in English and Filipino, either through its National Writers' Workshop, its annual anthologies and other publications, or its many other programs and projects. It has served as a model for creative writing centers recently set up by other universities. National Artists have served and continue to serve as its directors/associates. The Institute's associates are drawn from the different constituent universities, based on accomplishments and continued productivity. In the last three years, the ICW, under the leadership of Professor V.E. Carmelo D. Nadera, Jr., has widened the scope of its activities. In 2006, it raised the bar for its annual writers' workshop, making it the only writers' workshop in the country to address the needs of practitioners, rather than of beginners, thus providing a kind of continuing education for professional writers in mid-career. As such, it ensures that UP will continue to play an important role in the evolution of the nation's literature. The workshop is held every summer in Baguio and always includes a teacher-training component, done in collaboration with UP Baguio. The workshop is held every summer in Baguio and always includes a teacher-training component, done in collaboration with UP Baguio. The workshops is mainly funded by the Office of the UP Diliman Chancellor, but now receives additional funding from the NCCA. It is also being considered by the NCCA as a possible model for the national writers' workshops it funds. In December 2007, the ICW launched Likhaan: The Journal of Contemporary Philippine Literature, a refereed journal, which accepts only original, unpoblished work in English and Filipino, including excerpts from new media like blogs and graphic art. The journal is funded by the Office of the UP Diliman Chancellor and is envisioned to be the best literary journal in the country, open to all writers in the country. Among the Institute's other projects is panitikan.com.ph: the Portal to Philippine Literature, the country's main literary portal (funded by the NCCA); the Pagpupugay sa Pambansang Alagad ng Sining at Literatura, which takes the National Artis in Literature on provincial tours to make them more familiar figures to wider audiences (also funded by the NCCA); and the very innovative poetry contest "Textula Pinoy 2005," using cell phone technology. Other Initiatives In December 2007, Senator Edgardo Angara, chair of the UP Centennial Commission, met with the deans of the UP Diliman Arts Cluster and informed them that he would donate P1 million to each of the five colleges, plus P1 million each for College of Human Kinetics and the UP Office for Initiatives in Culture and the Arts (OICA) as seed fund for performances, traveling shows, and exhibits. The college hope to use this for collaborative centennial projects, which will in turn raise more funds for such projects as the renovation of the dance studio in the College of Music, the upgrading of facilities in the electronic newsroom of the College of Mass Communication, etc. Already in the pipeline is a zarzuela festival in 2009. It follows in the wake of the successful komedya festival held by the College of Arts and Letters in February 2008, the first of its kind in the country. CAL also hosted the "12th Biennial Symposium on the Literatures and Cultures of the Asia-Pacific Region," in November 2007, one of UP Diliman's centennial projects. This was participated in by some of the most prominent writers and literary scholars in the region. Reprinted
from the Manila Bulletin, June 21, 2008
UP Centennial Commission Chair envisions UP as leading research university in AsiaIn a statement dated January 7, 2008 for the UP Centennial kick-off day, Senator Edgardo J. Angara, who is the UP Centennial Commission chair, a former UP president, envisioned UP to be the leading research university in the country and in the region. "UP should strengthen its position as the leading research university, firming up its science and technology programs, and developing a community of scholars comparable to those of the best universities in the world," he said. The UP Centennial Commission is currently raising P5 billion for the University, primarily for faculty development, which is in line with is vision. "Filipino students would have the benefit of world-class education if our premier national university is given the support needed to compete with the best in the world. To achieve that, UP must be able to develop and retain good faculty and have the best instructional facilities," Angara said. "Science and Technology research is the direction of the future. The key to prop to prosperity in today's world is a well-educated, technically skilled workforce producing high value added, knowledge intensive goods and services. Globally, jobs and wealth are created through S&T," he added. According to Angara, the UP budget contains an allotment of P51.5 million for graduated scholarships and P86 million for the UP Diliman Engineering Complex. Other developments include the 22-hectare Diliman Science Complex and Technology Incubation Park at the UP Diliman campus, which is envisioned to be the Philippines' version of Stanford University-Silicon Valley-a high-technology hub close to a research university. Reprinted from
the Manila Bulletin, June 21, 2008
Homage to the nakedness truth: Exhibit of 100 nudes pays tribute to Oblation for UP centennialAlumni of the University of the Philippines (UP) paid tribute to the iconic oblation to mark UP's Centennial Anniversary with an art exhibit entitled "100 Nudes, 100 Years" at the Mandarin Suites, fourth floor of Gateway Mall in Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City until June 25. Masterpieces by the 79 artists-all UP alumni-were exhibited. Works included those of Natinal Artists Fenrando Amorsolo, Napoleon Abueva and Guilermo. Almost all art pieces that were featured were for sale and proceeds went to the art studies scholarship program of the UPAA. Models were young students of UP who aspired to be part of the success of the exhibit. The chosen theme was nudity because, according to UP alumnus and Regent Gari Tiongco,"The nude body like the Oblation is our Alma Mater's symbol of freedom-our affirmation that we are ready to accept truth and knowledge and proclaim truth to all without any reservation." Tiongco also explained that "the human figure has been a recurring interest in art since the time of the classical Greeks who openly regarded it as both ideal and heroic. In educated societies like ours, we treat this subject with parallels between 'beauty of the body and purity of the mind'." According to Prof. Ruben Defeo, the exhibit would show the journey of art from pigments to pixels. Several paintings were exhibited but there was only one work by Niña Cabangis using digital art. The exhibit also showed the evolution of works from the day Amorsolo started nude painting until the contemporary age of sketching nude human body. Reprinted from the Manila Times, June 23, 2008
100 Nudes, 100 Years, the coffeetable book, launchedIn a special coffee table book that compiles 100 nude masterpieces of its distinguished artists alumni, the University of the Philipines Alumni Association (UPAA) hopes to rekindle the spirit of Guillermo Tolentino's Oblation by paying homage to its symbolism and significance as part of the centennial celebration of the University this year. Gathering a total of nine national artists and 70 other artists including those who are queued to become national artists themselves, the organizing body headed by Gary Tiongco, UPAA president, has produced a hardbound coffeetable book entitled 100 Nudes, 100 Years, launched last June 19. The book features 15 sculpture by National Artists Napoleon Abueva, and Guillermo Tolentino, and 100 paintings by well-known painters Adbulmari Imao, Fernando Amrosolo and Carlos Castro, who visualized the human form in the nude using materials that typify the evolution of art "from pigments to pixels." An example was a digital expression of nude by Cabangis. Reprinted
from The Manila Times, June 23, 2008
100 years of quality education, by Ana Marie PamintuanMany moons ago when I received my letter of the acceptance to the University of the Philippines, my long, jubilant laughter must have been heard for two city blocks. Our family's dachshund barked and leaped around madly, infected by my wild rejoicing. It was a typical reaction to the news that one had hurdled the toughest entrance exam to the country's most prestigious university. UP Diliman, with its vast open spaces, its acacia trees with spreading branches reaching out to each other across the main road, provided the ideal environment for learning and the free exchange of ideas. It was not exactly quiet; college life is rarely peaceful. There were regular student protests against the Marcos regime. There were the fraternity wars; several punks once entered our classroom and smashed a bottle of Coke on the head of one of my classmates. Classes at the College of Arts and Sciences were often interrupted by yells of obscenities from a fraternity hangout. Left-leaning activitists dragged students from toilets, forcing them to join protest marches. Quality education does not fall into your lap; it needs both good educators and students who work hard to learn. That means piles of homework and endless hours at the library. In news writing class, the late Louie Beltran made us write lead paragraphs on the board so he could insult us in front of everyone and advise us to go back to high school English. We quickly got used to the terrorist tack and it toughened us somewhat, though nothing ever prepared us for the challenges of actual news coverage. But there were enough gentle educators, among them Raul Ingles, my professor in newspaper editing, and Che-che Lazaro, who shepherded me through radio broadcasting. Alex Magno, who taught Social and Political Thought, asked us to grade ourselves. If all professor were like him I would have graduated summa cum laude and qualified for full state subsidy. Still, even regular tuition at UP was so much lower than prevailing rates in reputable private college and universities. Unlike in the exclusive private schools, only a few of our subjects were taught in air-conditioned rooms. Our toilets had no running water until Ed Angara became UP president. You could develop skin diseases from swimming in the pool whose water was changed perhaps once a year, so I didn't take swimming for physical education. And good food does not come in subsidized rates, so our cafeterias had nothing to brag about. There was a notable dessert that I learned to enjoy: a pineapple ring encased in a square of cheap green gelatin, with a few raisins at the center and topped with sweet mayonnaise. Bizarre combination, but I liked it. For P15 you could have lunch at the cafeteria with that dessert. But even if it wasn't the lap of luxury, teaching standards were maintained, and we knew we were getting quality education-our stepping-stones to a better life. My two brothers are also products of the state university. Today their children are also enrolled in UP, and we hope they will get the same quality of education that we received. It is a quality that has disappeared from much of the public school system. UP was set up a hundred years ago today by virtue of Act 1870 of the First Philippine Legislature. The UP Charter aimed to "provide advanced education in literature, philosophy, the sciences and the arts, and to give professional and technical training to every qualified student irrespective of age, sex, nationality, religious belief or political affiliation." The university has been true to its mandate. It has produced leaders in all fields of national life, and representing all colors of the political and ideological spectrum, from dictator Ferdinand Marcos to Communist Party founder Jose Ma. Sison and Moro National Liberation Front founding chairman Nur Misuari. What has changed in the university is the income level of the typical student. "Socialized" tuition now averages P25,000 per semester, but the amount is not the only thing that is keeping away students from low-income families. Quality education simply has become a luxury as a succession of national administrations allowed the public school system to deteriorate. With the exception of students in the Philippine Science High School and the UP primary school system, today's children who are educated in public schools typically cannot compete with their more fortunate counterparts in exclusive private schools. When vying for slots in UP, products of these exclusive schools generally have a wide edge. Today there is an inordinate number of students from affluent families in UP. Their educational achievements make them deserving, but it would be a great day-for both UP and the country-when we see more graduates of public high schools from lower income families entering what is now classified by law as the national university. Not too lnog ago, the public school system provided the highest quality of education at all levels. The Philippines was seen as an Asian center of higher learning. Today the Philippines is lagging behind its neighbors in the quality of public eudcatino at all levels. The Philippines was seen as an Asian center of higher learning. Today the Philippines is lagging behind its neighbors in the quality of public education, and the results are starting to show in the quality of our human resources. Families that can afford it prefer to send their children to Ivy League schools. Think of how much national progress can be possible if the majority of Filipinos can get that type of world-class education strating from primary school in their own country. Universal quality education levels the playing field for rich and poor. It helps create a merit-based society. It saves people from a life of dependence on state subsidies and dole-outs. It allows people like Manny Villar, a UP alumnus, to rise form poverty and realize their full potential. It's not yet too late to reverse the trend. Real national progress is achieved when UP won't have much to brag about because its quality of education would have become the norm in all public learning institutions. Reprinted
from the Philippine Star, June 18, 2008
Voices of forgotten and abused children resurrected in Dulaang UP's "Hinabing Pakpak ng Ating mga Anak"In celebration of the centennial of the University of the Philippines, Dulaang UP (DUP), on its 33rd theater season, presents its initial offering written and directed by Anton Juan Jr. billed as Hinabing Pakpak ng Ating mga Anak, which opens on July 16 at the Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero Theatre, second floor, Palma Hall, UP Diliman, Quezon City. This is Anton's return to the theater scene in the Philippines after his long stint at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, USA. Hinabing Pakpak is a new theater piece featuring two writers who flesh out different narratives on Filipino children. These stories present abused, molested and forgotten children. Hinabing Pakpak is Anton's tribute to his colleague, the late Rene Villanueva, an advocate of Philippine Children's literature. This device is a poignant take-off form the symbolic elements found in Villanueva's texts. Voices of dead and abused children are resurrected in this new theat earpiece. Anton Juan returns with this new, tender but searing elegy that depicts the social conditions of children from document, memory, and Rene Villanueva's texts. Joining Juan in his artistic team are Dexter Santos (choreography), Leo Abaya (production design), John Ilao Batalla (lights design), Jetrho Joaquin (sound design), Winter David (video and graphics) and Paul Mondoc (photography). The play also features Theater Arts students Carlo Pagunaling (costume design), Carlo Cannu (makeup), Patrick Valera (dramaturgy and assistant direction), and Arkel Mendoza (sound design). Joining the cast are Earl Ignacio, Joel Saracho, Olive Nieto, Ronnie Martinez, Mary Jane Alejo, Rico Del Rosario, Via Antonio, Katte Sabate, Chic San Agustin, Mara Marasigan, and JC Santos. Hinabing Pakpak ng Ating mga Anak will run until August 10. Weekday shows are at 7 p.m. and weekend shows are at the 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. and weekend shows are at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Tickets are P250 with discounts. For inquiries and ticket reservation, visit the Dulaang UP office, Room 1365, Palma Hall, UP Diliman, Quezon City, or call 981-8500 local 2449 / 2451 or 926-1349 or telefax 433-7840, or call marketing manager Luz de Luna at 0917-6206224, e-mail luzsdeluna2003@yahoo.com, or visit www.upd.edu.ph/~dup. Reprinted from the Philippine Star, June 30, 2008
UP to host international conference on Philippine Studies, July 23-26An international conference that will examine Philippine realities and chart new directions in a global era will be held on July 23-26 at the Philippine Social Science Center, Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City, and at the Ateneo de Manila University (Admu), Loyola Heights, Quezon City. About 285 papers will be presented in 72 sessios by some of the best Filipino and international scholars at the 8th International Conference on Philipine Studies (Icophil), which is one of the major events included in the University of the Philippines' Centennial celebrations. The conference, which has at its theme "Philippine Studies for the 21st Century: New Meanings, Critiques, and Trajectories," aims to provide a forum on developments and discourses for scholars engaged in research on the field. Since 1989, the Icophil has been held every four years at an international hosting institution. The 8th Icophil will be hosted by the Philippine Studies Association (PSA) in conjunction with the International Board for Philippine Studies Conference currently based at the Center for Philippine Studies at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. The co-conveners of the 8th Icophil are PSA president Bernardita R. Churchill and Icophil chair Belinda A. Aquino, with the Philippine Social Science Council serving as secretariat. It is co-sponsored by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts' Subcommission for Cultural Heritage, National Historical Institute, UP, Admu, Center for Philippine Studies at the University of Hawaii and the Office of the Mayor of Quezon City. Inquiries may be directed to icophil@pssc.org.ph, (632) 929-2671, (632) 456-1930 or nitachurchill@hotmail.com. For registrano details, visit www.pssc.org.ph/icophil. Reprinted
from the Philippine Daily Inquirer, June 28, 2008
UP launches book on National ArtistsThe University of the Philippines puts the spotlight on the best of the College of Fine Arts through a newly released coffee-table book, Forming Lineage: The National Artists for the Visual Arts of the University of the Philippines, which is a compilation for some the best works of the nine National Artists found in the UP collection. UP's nine National Artists for Visual Arts are Fernando Amorsolo (1972), Carlos Villaluz Francisco (1973), Guillermo Estrella Tolentino (1973), Napoleon Veloso Abueva (1976), Vicente Silva Manansala (1981), Torrente Legaspi (1990), Jose Tanig Joya, Jr. (2003), Benedicto Reyes Cabrera (2006) and Abdulmaria Asia Imao (2006). Written by Prof. Ruben D.F. Defeo and Dr. Patrick D. Flores, Forming Lineage showcases the various works of these national artists that are housed in UP's seven campuses. Inside the books' 120 pages are productions in full color of the artist's work. Limited copies are for sale at P3,000 each. For inquiries, contact the Office of the Vice President for Adminsitration at 925-6721 or 981-8500 locals 2525, 2527 and 2526. Reprinted
from Business World, July 4-5, 2008
UPiktyuran Na! UP Centennial SMART MMS Photo CompetitionIn an effort to promote and support the University of the Philippines' Centennial Celebration, the UP College of Mass Communications has partnered with SMART Communications, Inc. in launching UPiktyuran Na! with SMART, a photo competition that vividly portrays the significance of the occasion and gives meaning to what being part of the country's premier university is all about. The UP Centennial-SMART MMS Photo Competition, UPiktyuran Na! is open to all UP students, alumni, faculty and employees, encouraging them to share their stories and experiences in and around the university via pictures entries taken using a camera phone and submitted through the MMS service of SMART. Entries can also be viewed on a microsite created for the competition, www.smart.com.ph/UPiktyuran. Those who are not eligible to join the MMS photo competition may participate in the UPiktyuran Na! People's Choice, a polling component where the general public can vote for their favorite photo as seen on the microsite. MMS photo entries should communicate the participant's UP experiences to illustrate what being part of UP and its Centennial celebration means to him/her. It must contain elements symbolic of UP--pictures that show people, places, things or moments, or a combination of these. UPiktyuran Na!, announced during the Grand UP Alumni Homecoming last June 21, will run for 100 days, from June 22 to September 29, 2008. The ten best photo entries will each be awarded a SMART BRO Prepaid Plugit and an Asus laptop. The image with the most number of votes in the UPiktyuran Na! Poll in component will be declared the "UPiktyuran Na! People's Choice" and shall be awarded a special prize by SMART. How to Join UPiktyuran Na! with SMART:
By sending the MMS photo to the access number and by participating in the contest, the participant agrees with the contest rules, mechanics, waivers and other terms and conditions. Full details of the rules and mechanics can be viewed at www.smart.com.ph/UPiktyuran. How to Activate your MMS Most Smart handset packages already have preloaded settings. To activate and download 3G/GPRS/MMS settings on your cellphone, text SET <phonemodel> to 211. Upon receiving the configuration settings, choose to "Save All" to save the settings on your phone. To get a list of supported handsets, key in SET LIST to 211. P1.000 charge applies to SMART to SMART MMS. MMS to other networks is at P2.00.
Low rankings for RP universitiesIn a country where diplomas are displayed prominently in living rooms and name plates bearing professional credentials hang outside homes for the neighbors to see, degree holders who have spent a fortune on their college educations will be dismayed to find out that Phlippine universities do not fare well in global rankings. Only four Philippine universities out of the country's more than 2,000 higher education institutions have produced flickers on the global radar screen--state-run University of the Philippines (UP) and three Catholic schools: Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University, and the University of Santo Tomas (UST). But in the latest global Top 500, only two universities remain in the elite circle: UP, which fell to 398th in 2007 from 299th in 2006, and Jesuit-run Ateneo, which rose to 451st from 484th. La Salle and UST have dropped out of the Top 500, ranking 519th and 535th, respectively. In measuring quality, the yearly survey by The Times Higher Education Supplement and consultancy Quacquarelli Symonds (THES-QS) relies on ratings by peersand job recruiters as well as indicators like student-to-faculty ratio, the presence of foreign faculty and students, and whether university researchers have been cited internationally. Much importance is placed on ratings given by peers (who are not allowed to vote for their own universities), which have a weight of 40%, followed by student-to-faculty ratio (20%), citations per faculty (20%), "graduate employability" through the recruiter review (10%), and international faculty and students (5% each). In a field where number one Harvard University scored 100 and Cambridge, Oxford and Yale universities were almost perfect, UP scored 34.7 and Ateneo, 30.8. La Salle and UST tallied 23.9 and 20.8, respectively. Comparing Philippine universities to the Ivy League may be foolhardy, but the problem is that Indonesian, Indian, Thai and Malaysian universities also rank better. Thailand and Malaysia have five universities in the Top 500. India has eight on the list. Indonesia has three, all of them higher than UP: Gadjah Mada University (360th), Bandung Institute of Technology (369th) and the University of Indonesia (395th). Thailand's prestigious Chulalongkorn is way up at 299th. Another ranking by a Chinese think-tank attached to the Shanghai Hiao Tong University does not have Philippine universities in the top 500. This survey is tougher: universities must have Nobel Prize winners, Fields Medals for mathematicians, highly cited researchers, or articles in Nature or Science. Not surprisingly, Japanese, Israeli and Australian schools dominate that list. There are other rankings with entirely different methodologies. The "Webometrics" ranking by a Spanish research body, which measures a university's Internet presence and the volume of research output freely accessible online, has UP and La Salle dominating other local universities. Last year, the Ecole des Mines de Paris ranked each university according to the number of alumni who are CEOs of Fortune 500 companies. In Asia, only Japanese, Indian, Korean and Chinese universities made it to the list. With school prides hurt, the rankings have generated much debate. Some Internet blogs and forums are devoted to attacking their methodologies. Catholic universities say that working to improve their showing in the THES-QS indicators might not be in keeping with their avowed missions. Ateneo de Manila President Bienvenido F. Nebres, SJ, for instance, has declared that the university's priority is producing a new generation of leaders who will be "at the service of others." Ateneo may have become the top private university in the Philippines based on the THES-QS survey, but the global ranking is something it would rather not promote in official brochures. The university's associate dean for academic affairs, Eduardo Jose E. Calasanz, said: "We see the survey form two points of views. We see it as a way to improve ourselves and at the same time it tells us not to bow down to the criteria of the other institutions." "The problem with the Times survey is that there is a different set of priorities. For instance, they put more premium in internationalization and research but for us, we give more priority on national development. "The survey does not speak of the entirety of the quality of a certain school because each school has its own set of criteria and mission and vision. Moreover, a university should be judged based on its discipline," he said. Jose Mari S. Magpayo, executive director of La Salle-Manila's Marketing Communication Office, said: "It is hard to gauge the impact of rankings as the methodology and criteria change year after year." La Salle, which ranked higher than Ateneo in the 2006 THES-QS listing, acknowledges that being in the Top 500 would be good "from a marketing standpoint." "[But] at the end of the day…we should ask ourselves: 'Who is conducting the survey? What methodology has been employed? What is the purpose of the survey? What is it measuring?' These surveys are useful for us to know how others perceive us," he said. Locally, these schools are way ahead of the pack. La Salle enjoys the distinction of being the first private academic institution to receive the rare Level 4 status-the highest level given by a private accreditation body. Most other schools are only Level 3. Ateneo is also at Level 4. Eleven academic programs have been declared by the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) as "centers of excellence" or COEs, while two are "centers of development" or CODs. Ateneo's John Gokongwei School of Management was the first to be declared a business and entrepreneurship COE among over a thousand business schools nationwide. La Salle has 11 COEs and four CODs. As a perk, these programs receive state grants for scholarships, faculty development, library and laboratory upgrading, and research, among others. Not counting UP, which has the lion's share of COEs and CODs at more than 50, the country's top private universities have the biggest number of these centers entitled to state aid. At school opening ceremonies last week, the UST rector, Fr. Rolando V. De la Rosa, OP, noted that among private universities, UST had consistently obtained the highest average passing rates in board exams and the most number of CHEd center of excellence and development (17), even without state subsidies. In a report released by the CHEd and the Professional Regulation Commission last year, UP Diliman and UST were the top schools in terms of average passing rates in board exams from 1999 to 2005. The rest of the top 10 are Saint Louis University of Baguio City, UP Los Baños, Xavier University of Cagayan de Oro, Ateneo de Davao University, Ateneo de Manila, Silliman University, University of San Carlos, and Mindanao State University-IIligan Institute of Technology. Marilyn C. Mabini, assistant to the rector of planning and development, said the nearly 400-year-old UST is still competitive "globally especially in the area of health sciences." Enrolment levels may also indicate which schools are perceived by the market as offering quality education, she said. Despite expensive tuitions, Catholic universities still enjoy a large student population. La Salle has more than 13,000 and Ateneo more than 11,000. UST, a middle-class bastion, has 33,000 students, the biggest Catholic university in the world in one campus. UP, meanwhile, has not been giving data to the THES-QS survey for two years, said Jose Wendell P. Capili, associate dean for academic affairs of the College of Arts and Letters, and yet it still continues to rank. While something to crow about, there is a sense in UP that it's still better than a number of universities on the THES-QS list. Many UP officials also feel the ranking is skewed toward schools with money, and that it does not have emphasis for fields such as arts and the humanities, Mr. Capili said. But UP economist Solita C. Monsod said Philippine universities should treat the rankings as a "wake-up call." "[We should not have this] false sense of righteousness…everybody is being compared to everybody," she told BusinessWorld. Local universities should also not take offense that others in the region have a higher rank, because "it is what it is." At least, the global rankings are a "consistent benchmark," Ms. Monsod said. Mr. Capili pointed out that there are simply too many state colleges and universities tending to eat up the government's resources and leaving UP, the "national university," with less. There are more than 500 government-run higher education institutions, of which 436 are state college and universities, including satellite campuses. This year, state colleges and universities have a P26.2-billion budget, out of which P19.4 billion will be funded by direct subsidies. The entire UP system-which has more than 50,000 students in 246 undergraduate and 362 graduate programs-has a P6-billion subsidy this year. The total expenditure this year is P7.2 billion, some P135,000 per student. "Many state colleges and universities are of poor quality, and serve only as milking cows of politicians," the UP official argued. Senator Edgardo J. Angrara, a former UP president, has the same assessment: "Many of [the state colleges and universities] may not be qualified even to be universities." Ms. Monsod agreed but said this was different matter. For UP, celebrating its centennial this year, a new charter passed recently by Congress is "a very big step in the right direction," providing more flexibility in fund-raising and faculty recruitment. It gives UP an additional P100 million in state funding every year for the next five years, and allows the development of the university's assets. Some private schools, meanwhile, are thriving under a smaller scale. Far Eastern University (FEU), with some 24,000 students in 50 academic programs, spent around P1 billion last year, or about P43,000 per student. The publicly listed school booked P628 million in profits. Another listed school, Centro Escolar University (CEU), which has around 20,000 students, spent P883 million last year or P44,000 per student. It reported P238 million in profits for the fiscal year ending March 2007. But overall, the situation could be as problematic as the mushrooming of substandard state colleges. Out of nearly 1,500 private sectarian and non-sectarian high education institutions, the government could grant autonomy to only 22, most of them in Metro Manila: UST, Ateneo, La Salle, CEU, and Miriam, St. Joseph's and Assumption colleges. Autonomous status allows universities to design their own curricula, offer new programs and put up branches or satellite campuses without having to secure permits, confer honorary degrees, and carry out operations without much interference from CHEd. Another 12 schools led by Ateneo de Naga University, Jose Rizal University and FEU have "deregulated" status, with the same privileges as autonomy. They must still secure permits for new programs and campuses. Mr. Angara said the better performance of other Southeast Asian universities in the latest survey is something that "we have to worry about." "As I see it, the weakness in our educational system is in the teaching of mathematics and science and technology, which are considered as the weakest links in the educational chain," he said. More investments in education are needed to improve research and development and faculty qualifications, he added. Article by Felipe F. Salvosa, II, reprinted from BusinessWorld, June 16, 2008
UP@100: A journey of a thousand milesTo many of the distinguished alumni awardees, UP's 100th anniversary is a journey of a thousand miles. From the far corners of the world, they came home for the once-in-a-hundred-year event into the welcoming arms of their Guillermo Tolentino oblation trophy. "One hundred years doesn't happen everyday," remarked France-based Ofelia Gelvezon Tequi, one of four awardees for Culture and Arts. Besides having committed to be present at the Distinguished Alumni Awards rites, artist-printmaker Tequi had also wanted to fly a thousand miles from Paris and stay a week "to relive the fun, energy and joys of UP days in the presentations." Other awardees would echo Tequi's sentiment that the time and expense were worth "being recognized for my works by an Alma Mater who demands the best from us." In his acceptance speech, Most Distinguished Alumnus Chief Justice Reynato Puno would exhort his fellow alumni to bring their involvement in the nation's interest to a high level as he delivered his most quotable quote:" In critical issues, the UP alumnus has no right to be wrong." The UP alumni would be comfortable tangling in issues with fellow alumni, just as Sen. Benigno Aquino did with then President Ferdinand Marcos. The phrase, "trabaho lang, walang personalan," must have been the unspoken dictum. In the case of Marcos and Aquino, not only were they products of the same university, they were also fraternity brothers in the Upsilon Sigma Phi. And so were Salvador Laurel, Joker Arroyo, Christian Monsod and Francis Pangilinan, not to mention two prime movers of the underground NPA (New People's Army), Melito Flor and Mer Arce. The university has produced stalwarts from opposite ends of the political spectrum, particularly in the decades of the '70s. To name a few: Jose Diokno, Lorenzo Tanada, Juan Ponce Enrile, Fabian Ver, and Rodolfo Aguinaldo. Self-confidence "Lahat magagaling," as Tequi would put it. "So that when I went abroad (first for a diploma in painting from the Accademia di Belle Artis di Roma, Italy, and then for special studies at the Pratt Institute of New York, USA), I had enough self-confidence (and) title, connection or wealth didn't impress me. Tequi, who taught Humanities in the College of Arts and Sciences for five years before leaving in 1973, said excellence was the great equalizer at UP. "My students looked at me as a mentor-friend. I was ma'am in class who would give them a deserved '4' (conditional failing grade) and Ofie outside who would banter with them on the latest goings-on." She remembered her students quite well: music composer Ryan Cayabyab, curator Ruben Defeo, present Fine Arts dean Tina Colayco, Juan Luna expert Jack Santiago Pilar. "I still see them," she said. When she left to join her French husband in Paris, she interrupted her art career for five years and devoted her time to raising their two sons and a daughter. Still lifes This November, Tequi will be returning to mount her paintings on Peridgord still lifes. Perigord, home of foie gras, duck confit, truffles and a thousand chateaux, is the region where the Tequis now reside in the very rural place of Limeuil. The solo exhibit will be held at the Alliance Franciause, where Tequie met her future husband who was her French language teacher. Mark Tequi was on a two-year duty under the French cultural exchange program with UP where he taught French. The romance blossomed on campus, and this is probably another reason the artist is indebted to her Alma Mater. It's a long way from where she has her roots but she does not mind coming back once more. Article by Lynette Advincula, who graduated from UP with a degree in Fine Arts (Class of '72) and now heads the Inquirer's Art Department, the Philippine Daily Inquirer, June 30, 2008
What I've Learned: The Gospel of the UP Chapel, by Mr. Onofre Pagsanghan, educator and icon(Editor's Note: The Catholic Church on the UP Diliman campus, officially named the Church of the Holy Sacrifice, is a modern, circular, open structure. It has been declared a National Historical Landmark and designated an Important Cultural Property by the National Museum. Much has been written about this place of worship, but trust an Atenista to present it in the context of how we should live our lives. Onofre Pagsanghan, aka Mr. Pagsi, the superstar teacher at the Ateneo high school, likes to use the UP Chapel to illustrate what he learned from the man he consider his greatest teacher, Fr. John Patrick Delaney, S.J., under whose watch and spiritual guidance as UP chaplain from the late 1940s through the mid-1950s, the chapel was built). The altar is in the middle of the dome-shaped chapel. The UP chapel altar answers the question Fr. Delaney often asked of people: What do you put in the center of your life? When I talk to value education teachers, I ask them to list down 10 things they want to do with their lives. It is a list that is meant for their eyes and God's eyes only, not to impress others. After maybe 10 minutes, I ask them to stop writing and look over their lists. How many of you think you can accomplish all those 10 things, I ask. Two or three hands go up. All right, 10 may be too many so cross out five things from the list. Which ones do you cross out and which ones remain? Then I ask how many of them think they can accomplish the five things on their lists. Four or five people raise their hands. Cross out two more, I say. More hands go up when I aske how many think the three things on their lists are doable, but still not all hands. All right, I tell them, cross out two more and leave just one. That one item is your core value. It is what's in your heart, the very thing that governs your life. Let it be the one criterion by which you live your life. What is the most important thing for you? What is in the center of your life? As Fr. Delaney used to say, "What is truly valuable is what lasts. Aim for the hardest and the best because, almost always, the hardest is the best and the best is the hardest." There are doorways but no doors. I can just hear Fr. Delaney saying, "I want a chapel that reflects the God I love and the God who loves me." He used to always say, "God is open 24 hours a day." Outside his anteroom there was a simple, poorly made poster that delivered the same message: "Nobody ever says no." The man who practiced what he preached was my idol. If I had a tough decision to make, I would go see him. At 8 p.m., there would still be people waiting to see him in his office. Sometimes it would be 10 p.m. before I got my turn to see him and, at that late hour, Fr. Delaney willingly gave me as much time as I needed, even though he knew there were still three or four people waiting outside to see him. That was the Delaney I idolized. He always made time for everyone.. Maybe that's why he died at a young age. (Fr. Delaney celebrated only one Mass in the UP Chapel, the Christmas Eve Mass. He died in 956 at the age of 50.) There are four National Artists represented in the chapel. When I take my students to the UP Chapel on Holy Thursday, they notice the altar in the middle and the open architecture, but what makes their jaws drop are the 15 Stations of the Cross murals by Vicente Manansala. I ask them how come their eyes widen when you say Manansala. "Sir, he's a National Artist (visual arts)," they say. These are bright boys (Mr. Pagsi teaches the first year high school honors class in the Ateneo). They know you cannot own an original Manansala without paying a huge amount of money. Well, I say, Manansala is not the only National Artist who is represented here. Look at the floor (mosaic mural called "the River of Life"). It is by Arturo Luz, National Artist for visual arts. Look at the roof. It is by Leandro Locsin, National Artist for architecture. Look at the cross, it is by Napoleon Abueva, National Artist for visual arts (so is the marble altar). What is the lesson here? Each of these men was not a National Artist when he was asked by Fr. Delaney to work on this chapel. Each was an artist struggling to make a name for himself. Fr. Delaney could spot genius. He was able to bring out the best in people. The best, not the beast. And that's what makes a good leader, a good teacher, a good boss. That's why in my talks, I always say, "Love your students to excellence. Love your employees to excellence. Love your children to excellence." The Christ on the crucifix has disproportionate hands. People who look at the crucifix may think there is something wrong with the hands of Jesus. As one of my students put it, National Artist Napoleon Abueva doesn't know anatomy. But the UP Chapel crucifix is not a lesson in anatomy. It is a lesson in how God loves you. I can just hear Fr. Delaney saying to Abueva, "Carve me a Christ who is not only man but is God. Go ahead, distort the hands. Extend the arms beyond because that's how much God loves us." And that's what the artist did. The hands are spread outward, open to all--the somebody and the nobody, the billionaire and the pauper, the virginal and the prostitute, the guy who has a PhD after his name and the guy who is unlettered. Tanggap ka kahit ano ka-babae, lalaki, bakla, tomboy--lahat kayo tanggap. I ask myself as a teacher, do I have favorites among my students? If Christ was standing in this classroom instead of me, who would his favorites be? One boy dares to answer my question, "Sir, the 3 Ls. The lost, the least and the last." The lost sheep--the prodigal son; the least--the poor, the deaf, yung leproso; the last--the worker who comes in on the 11th hour and gets paid the same pay. We cannot choose the people who come into our lives, but we can choose how to treat them. Reprinted from the Philippine Daily Inquirer, June 30, 2008
Filipino artist designs special Namibian stamps"It was my idea, but I never thought they would actually let me do it since I'm a Filipino." Filipino artist and philatelist, Marco Ruben Trinos Malto II, designed the Namibia Twyfelfontein UNESCO World Heritage Site commemorative stamps, launched last June 27 in Namibia. Twyfelfontein, with its pre-historic rock engravings, is Namibia's (formerly South-West Africa) first and only World Heritage Site to date, proclaimed by UNESCO on June 29, 2007. These rock engravings, depicting a lion, elephant, giraffe and other wild animals of Africa, are believed to be the creation of the ancestors of present-day San Bushmen some 3000-5000 years ago. "My wife and I went on a tour to the site and seeing the pre-historic rock engravings up close inspired the thought. I then personally delivered a handwritten letter to the NamPost Chief Executive suggesting that they come up with such stamps, but I wasn't expecting any reply, at all. I did not even know the guy. So I was really surprised when in my next visit to the post office, one of the employees who recognized me, approached me and said they've been looking all over the city for me!" Meetings and deliberations with the Chief Executive, Managers and Namibia Stamp Advisory Committee late last year, just before Malto left the country, eventually led to the approval of the proposal to issue the commemorative stamps. "A local artist has to design the stamps, which I understand completely being an artist and a philatelist myself. This is not only due to preference for local over foreign artists, but also because of NamPost policy. But since I initiated the idea and I am a stamp designer, too, the Chief Executive thought it is only fair that I be awarded the project. Naturally, this raised a lot of debates and conflicts among the members of the Stamp Advisory Committee, and even after sending the final artwork for the stamps last February, I had doubts whether they were going to use my design." Malto stayed in Windhoek, Namibia in 2007, to accompany his wife who served as a development worker in the country. For six months, Malto traveled around Namibia, taught art classes to orphans and vulnerable children due to HIV & AIDS, and cooked meals for his wife. "I was content with being my wife's personal chef and doing volunteer activities on the side during my time in Namibia, I never imagined being the first Filipino artist to design Namibian stamps… and a special series at that." Malto teaches Fine Arts at the University of the Philippines- Diliman and was the Chair of the Department of Studio Arts, prior to his trip to Namibia. In 1994, he designed the Philippine UN stamps series commemorating the International Labor Organization's 75th Anniversary, the International Civil Aviation Organization's 50th Anniversary and the International Year of the Family. His other designs include four miniature sheets in conjunction with the ASEAN Philatelic Exhibition in 1996 (ASEANPEX'96), and Far Eastern University's 75th Anniversary stamp in 2003. For photos and further details, or if you are interested to do a full story on this, please contact Marco Malto at 0929-5738428, or Abby Mercado at 0929-5738528. Reprinted from the Philippine Star, July 17, 2008
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