2007 UPAA awardees to be honored on June 23
Twenty-four (24) alumni will be conferred awards in various categories by the U.P. Alumni Association during the 94th U.P. General Alumni-Faculty Homecoming and Reunion at Ang Bahay ng Alumni, U.P. Diliman Campus on Saturday, June 23, 2007 at 3:00 P.M.
Leading this year’s awardees are: Dr. Jaime Aristotle B. Alip (BSA’78; MProfStud’83), Most Distinguished Alumnus; Justice Ameurfina Melencio-Herrera (LLB’47 cl) and Dr. Gelia Tagumpay-Castillo (AB’53 mcl), Most Distinguished Alumnae; Justice Florentino P. Feliciano (AB’52 scl; LLB’52 mcl) and Dr. Ester Albano-Garcia (BSChem’63 cl) Lifetime Distinguished Achievement Awardees.
The Outstanding Professional Awardees in the different fields are the following: Prof. Leticia H. Tison (AB’56 cl), arts and letters; Mr. Tomas C. Banguis, Jr. (BSBA’66), business administration (advertising); Ms. Yolanda Bello-Pajaro (AB’66), business administration; Mr. Mario J. de los Reyes (AB’74), communication (film & audio-visual communication); Dr. Felix D. Librero (BSA’69; MS’74), education; Dr. Aurora Castillo-Matias (BSIE’82; MSIE’89), engineering and technology; Ms. Lenore Raquel Santos-Lim (BFA’67), fine arts; Prof. Belen O. Rillo (BSFT’68; MSFS’73), home economics (food science & technology); Prof. Ruben F. Balane (LLB’66), law; Dr. Romeo V. Fajardo (AA’47; MD’52), medicine (ophthalmology); Dr. Asuncion K. Raymundo (BSA’66), natural sciences – biology (microbiology); Dr. Carmelita A. Divinagracia (MN’75; PhD’01), nursing; Mayor Ma. Lourdes Carlos-Fernando (BSHRA’78), public administration; and Dr. Virginia Alvarez-Miralao (AB’64; MA’71), social sciences.
This year’s recipients of the Community Service Awards are Ms. Rosa Samson-Pacubas (BSE’47) for Luzon and Prof. Margarita de la Torre-de la Cruz (BSFish’73; MS’86) for Visayas, while human rights advocate Rep. Loretta Ann Pargas-Rosales (BSFS’62; CEEE’68; MA’74), is UPAA Presidential Awardee. Mr. Michael B. Gamalinda (BS Biology’07 summa cum laude, U.P. Los Baños) and Ms. Mikaela Irene D. Fudolig (BS Physics’07 summa cum laude, U.P. Diliman) are the Outstanding 2007 Graduates.
Cheche
Lazaro to get UP Gawad Plaridel
The University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication has announced its choice of Cecilia “Cheche” L. Lazaro to receive the 2007 UP Gawad Plaridel.
The college said Lazaro was chosen for her outstanding contributions to the local television industry, her excellence and versatility in the field of television broadcasting as a journalist, producer and educator, and for producing critical and uncompromising programs that set the standard for Philippine broadcast journalism.
The award comes with a trophy by National Artist Napoleon Abueva which wil be presented to Lazaro by UP officials on July 4 at the Cine Adarna of the UP Film Institute.
Lazaro will deliver a lecture on the important issues in contemporary Philippine television.
Established by the UP College of Mass Communication, the annual Gawad Plaridel recognizes Filipino media practitioners who have excelled in any of the media (print, radio, film, television and new media) and have performed with the highest level of professional integrity in the interest of public service.
On its fourth year, Gawad Plaridel’s roster of honorees include Eugenia Duran-Apostol (2004), Vilma Santos (2005), and Fidela Magpayo (2006) who were recognized for their contributions to print, film and radio, respectively.
The award is named after Marcelo H. del Pilar, who used the pen name Plaridel, the selfless propagandist whose stewardship of the reformist newspaper La solidaridad helped crystallize nationalist sentiment and ignite libertarian ideas in the 1890s.
Like Plaridel, a recipient of the award must believe in the vision of a Philippine society that is egalitarian, participative and progressive, and in a media that is socially responsible, critical and vigilant, liberating and transformative, free and independent, the award’s creators said.
Reprinted from the Philippine Daily Inquirer, May 4, 2007
UPLB
puts up AgriPark
The University of the Philippines Los Baños College of Agriculture (UPLBCA) headed by Dean Candida B. Adalla has come up with a novel project called the AgriPark. Located at the Techno0logy Development Center (TDC), UPLB Campus, the park showcases CA-generated technologies, publications, demonstration farms and other related products/services under one roof. Trainings are also conducted in the park.
Launched last Dec. 14, the AgriPark has three components: technology demo, theme parks and recreation areas.
The techno demo is an on-farm technology demonstration area where many of CA’s technologies are showcased cafeteria style. This gives the farmers the opportunity to choose a technology that fits their resources and needs.
The theme park exhibits some technologies with agribusiness potential. This basically highlights organic farming, biodiversity promotion and conservation/appreciation of the use of indigenous plants and animals, to mention a few. Envisioned to be a self-sustaining project, the theme park caters to high school students and features the following:
- Insekta Filipina – shows a butterfly garden and beneficial insects like honeybees and natural enemies of the plants.
- Herba Hortikultura – a graden of scent, flavor and healing. This features tsaang gubat maze garden for the blind and aromatic arch trail.
- Edible Landscape – a landscaping endeavor using edible plants. This presents the concept of container gardening and the process of combining vegetables and other plants in an aesthetic manner.
- Livestock Royale – this is a carabao-shaped mini petting zoo where children can pet rabbits, touch chicken or chase goats. This also aims to inform guests that there are plants and grasses that can be useful in growing these animals. This place also features goat house, organic free-range production of chicken, rabbit battery cages, multi-terrace forage demo plots and mni forest park.
- Tekno Organiko – this aims to make the public aware of safe foods and healthy environment through agricultural waste management, quality compost production and preparation/utilization of bio-fertilizer and pesticide showing that some flowers are important in warding off pests.
Dean Adalla said the park showcases UPLB’s homegrown technologies. “There will be no room for imported technologies where their adaptability to our local condition has not been fine tuned yet,” she stressed during the formal launching.
A resto park and a producers’ market are also featured. The resto park is a common area where families can bond together during weekends, while the producers’ market is a venue where all products from the AgriPark are sold.
Finally, a two-hectare area will be available for retired professors, student organizations and people living in nearby barangays. They can rent a small area and grow vegetables provided they follow the technology of organic farming. Under this set-up, they will be assured of a captive market. Involving the people nearby will facilitate harmonious relationship with the neighbors. Hence, security in the AgriPark will hopefully be ensured.
The project was initially funded through a P5-million grant from the Agricultural Credit and Policy Council, an agency under the Department of Agriculture.
Reprinted from the Philippine Star, May 13, 2007
UP Baguio graduates first summa cum laude
Baguio City - The long excruciating wait is over for Jahzeel Abihail Cruz.
On Friday, April 20, the 20 year-old journalism major marches at the head of Class of 2007 of the Uinversity of the Philippines Baguio, which will confer on him summa cum laude honors, the first for the 46 year-old autunomous regional university.
Only a week ago, the University Council, the academic body that approves candidates for graduation, decided not to give Cruz the highest scholastic honors despite his obtaining a weighted grade of 1.15 in all courses in the Bachelor of Arts in Communication program because of a technicality.
Cruz had underloaded in the first semester of the school year and had re-enrolled in the thesis course, in which he earlier received an “Incomplete” grade.
The university rules disallow the graduation with honors of students who have enrolled in less than 15 units of academic courses.
But on Tuesday, the council, deliberating on the appeal of Cruz’s college, reversed itself and approved the summa cum laude honors to Cruz and the cum laude honors to five other BA Communication and BA Language and Literature students.
“I was speechless,” said Cruz, who received the news while he was taking lunch in a Tarlac Mall.
On a bus to Baguio from Tarlac City, where he had participated in a debate contest as a member of the UP Baguio Debate Society, he called his mother, Nancy.
“I was shouting and shouting,” the mother, a math teacher at the Brent International School here, said when she learned about it from her son.
The mother and son had been sleepless since the rejection of Cruz’s graduation with honors last week.
During the council deliberation on Cruz’s appeal. UP Chancellor Priscilla Macansantos said she reconvened the body to “make sure the decision we made was a good one to both the faculty and the students.”
“(We want to make sure) justice is served and that we do not deny anyone what is due him/her based on a technicality alone,” she told the council composed of professors.
The five other students whose graduation with honors was also approved by the council were Jomel Anthony Gutierrez (1.71) and Sheila Mae Rabara (1.71), both in the BA Communication program; and Jennifer Marie Tamayo (1.69), Abigail Emmanuelle Torreliza (1.69) and Janice Bagawi (1.72), all in BA Language and Literature program.
All five faced the same problem as Cruz’s: Being underloaded and having re-enrolled in the thesis course.
Reprinted from the Philippine Daily Inquirer, April 18, 2007
“Little
Women” premieres in 2nd U.P. opera season
By Nestor Pillar
“Little Women,” a new contemporary opera by Mark Adamo and based on the Louisa May Alcott classic, had its premiere at the U.P. College of Music opera season.
The performance took place at Abelardo Hall in UP Diliman last April 25.
There was nothing little about the pioneering production.
Dean Ramon Acoymo’s message suggests the yardstick by which any opera production may be enjoyed, and therefore measured.
“Opera is arguably the richest experience in the arts…an amalgam of all that the universe of performance expressions embody: music, movement, dance, design, theater, and whatever else creative and imaginative artists can devise…”.
“Little Women” measured up to this yardstick in a big way.
First the plot. As Adamo explains, the plot revolves around four adolescent sisters growing up in the post-American revolution era.
“The conflict in ‘Little Women’ is Jo versus the passage of time,” says Adamo.
Jo fights the growing up syndrome as it will mean growing apart. Thus, Jo rejects the impending union of Meg and Brooke as well as the importunings of Laurie until she meets her match in Friedrich Bhaer.
Did it help that one saw the Hollywood version in the 50’s? The drama was there in the competent hands of June Allysom, Janet Leigh, Elizabeth Taylor and Margaret O’Brien but that was a Hollywood movie and this is an opera produced by Filipinos.
No, it did not help because this production can stand alone, particularly for the following reasons.
The story will probably click with Filipino audiences because of its focus on the family.
Besides, the UP College of Music (UPCM) Opera Workshop that produced the show advanced the period of the post-World War II (shades of “Romeo and Juliet” transformed into “Westside Story”).
It did away with elaborate costumes thereby facilitating movement. Jo clad in bobby sox, pedalpushers, and sneakers pranced around the stage minus the billowing Victorian petticoats and skirts.
The best surprise came from the performers. There were only 10 characters which a competent cast brought to life.
Anna Migallos gave a riveting rendition of Jo, a strong-willed dominating persona.
While her solos were not as vocally demanding (as compared to those of Meg), she was in every scene. On top of this, Anna doubled as production manager.
We also appreciated Aretha Angcao (Meg) who produced the sweetest sounds and sang the most impassioned aria in her confrontation scene with Jo in Act I.
Zuriel Valbuena (Laurie) was the most communicative. We heard and understood almost every word he uttered. Patrick Lauchang (John Brooke) elicited laughter in his expression of love for Meg.
Laurence Jatayna’s (Bhaer) baritone was pure and sonorous but could he have injected a little more swagger to sweep the impetuous Jo off her feet?
Kimberly Kwok (Beth) sang her role with a quiver that betrayed her secret illness. Aizel Prietos (Amy) we thought had the most vocal challenge in Act II scene 2 where she tests Laurie’s feelings for Jo.
Lesley Ong-Hay (Aunt Cecilia) was a scene stealer in her vampish attire as the sophisticate intervenor whose advice, like most outside intervenors, is rejected.
The deep bass of Enrico Lagasca and the powerful alto of June Gonzaga (the parents) gave an authoritative ring to their roles.
Other contributors deserve commendation. Michelle Nicolasura accompanied marvelously on the keyboard.
Joaquin Valdez, director, and Macky Mangasi, lights director, contrived the appropriate settings even with minimum props and costumes.
The production was under the Opera Workshop Class of Prof. Vina D. Gonzales. Retiring from the College this semester, “Little Women” is her valedictory work. She is also credited as artistic and musical director.
Finally, kudos to Mark Adamo. He has enriched the plot by injecting thematic passages that unite the scenes.
Adamo is reportedly an exponent of the 12-tone genre. Pardon my ignorance, but the only reference I have on this genre is that Beverly Sills essayed Nono’s 12-tone “Intoleranza.”
Thus, “Little Women” is my (and probably the audience’s) first exposure to this genre. But whatever the genre – baroque, romantic, bel canto, or verismo – audiences favor melodies that easily stick and can be hummed on the way home.
If the UPCM continues to educate its students and the growing audience of opera in terms of contemporary works, Filipino or not, it would be nice if we can enjoy the melody as well.
One such American contemporary work is “The Ballad of Baby Doe.” UPCM’s future opera workshops, please take heed.
Reprinted from the Manila Bulletin, May 14, 2007
Patricia
Evangelista is new host of "DOKYU: Ang Bagong Mata ng Pinoy Documentaries"
Outstanding youth achiever Patricia Evangelista will be the new host of "DOKYU: Ang Bagong Mata ng Pinoy Documentaries" when the 2006 KBP Golden Dove Awards Best TV Documentary Program returns next month on ABC 5 with a new format – a student documentary competition. She will take the place of veteran broadcaster Anne Torres.
Evangelista pleasantly shocked the nation in May 2004 with her signal achievement in winning the English Speaking Union's (ESU) International Public Speaking Competition in London. Delivering a five-minute extemporaneous talk, she won by a unanimous vote over a field of 59 contestants from 37 countries. The contest theme was "A Borderless World."
She was then an 18-year old communications sophomore at the University of the Philippines in Diliman. She completed her BA in Speech Communications at UP graduating cum laude.
Currently, Evangelista is a Philippine Daily Inquirer columnist. Her column "Rebel Without a Clue" appears every Sunday in the PDI's Opinion section. She also hosts the TV program "Y-Speak," a youth debate show on Studio 23. A very energetic and prolific talent, she is also writer/host/segment producer for Living Asia Channel which is seen in Asia, Europe and North America; writer for "Media in Focus," a talk show on media affairs hosted by Cheche Lazaro; writer for "The Explainer," a history talk show hosted by Manolo Quezon; and a consultant for "Square Off," a debate show. On top of all these, she teaches Creative Writing at St. Paul College.
Evangelista also finds time for socio-civic advocacies. She is National Youth Representative to Operation Smile Philippines and a volunteer writer for Gawad Kalinga.
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