Vergara is - Loyola Schools - Ateneo de Manila University

Transcription

loyolaschoolsbulletin
VOLUME VI
|
NO. 1
|
MAY 2010
we build community we nurture hope
Vergara is
New VPLS
1997. Virginia Tech also recognized him
for Scholarly Performance in Graduate
Study, also in 1997. He has been a faculty
member of the Ateneo since 1986.
He was an Outstanding Young
Scientist awardee of the National
Academy of Science and Technology
in 2001, and was given the DuPont
Miracles of Science Award by DuPont
Far East, Inc. that same year.
Loyola Schools challenges
Photo by Joanna Ruiz
Vergara: Strengths in systems, strategy,
problem solving
Dr. John Paul C. Vergara is the new
Vice President for the Loyola Schools.
Vergara’s initial term began April 1 this
year, and runs through March 2013.
No stranger to administrative
positions, he has been department chair
of the Department of Information
Systems and Computer Science of the
Loyola Schools, and chair of the it
Faculty Cluster of the Graduate School
of Business. He was appointed vpls
during his term as Vice President for
Administration and Planning, a position
he held from early 2009 to the end of sy
2009-2010.
He graduated BS Mathematics/
Computer Science from admu in
1986, and did his doctoral studies at
Virginia Tech, finishing with a Ph.D. in
Computer Science and Applications in
In making its recommendations,
the Search Committee, composed of
chair Dr. Emma E. Porio, Mr. Rodolfo
P. Ang, Dr. Remmon E. Barbaza, Mr.
Eduardo Jose E. Calasanz, Dr. Ma.
Louise Antonette N. de las Peñas, Dr.
Emilyn Q. Espiritu, Dr. Edna P. Franco,
and Dr. Josefina D. Hofileña, identified
four major challenges facing the Loyola
Schools in the next few years.These are:
1. Globalization and University
Competitiveness: To continuously
improve our standing in the
academic community, and to keep
moving up in the national and
international rankings.
2. Research and Publicaion
3. Resource Management
4. Devolution, in particular, to
continue implementing the
restructuring of the Loyola
Schools, especially the finetuning of devolution of
functions, responsibilities, and
accountabilities to the four
Schools. As interdisciplinarity
is a recognized strength of the
admu, the vpls must push for the
development of interdisciplinary
programs and processes.
Thank you,
Mr. Pangilinan
As the Ateneo bids goodbye to its
outgoing Chairman of the Board, Mr.
Manuel V. Pangilinan, let us look back
at the role he has played in guiding
the University through a period of
rapid growth and diversification—in
infrastructure, programs, and nation
building—in nearly two decades of
formal service to the University.
Pangilinan, a 1968 AB Economics
graduate of the Ateneo and at present
the chairman of the board of Philippine
Long Distance and Telephone Company
and smart, among others, became a
member of the Board of Trustees of the
Ateneo in 1990. He succeeded Octavio
V. Espiritu as Chair in 2003.
His recognition of excellence in
others led him to support groups such
as the Ateneo Blue Eagles, the Ateneo
Debate Society, and the Ateneo College
Glee Club. Through his generosity, these
groups have been able to shine brightly
Strengths
University President Bienvenido F.
Nebres, s.j., in his memo announcing
Vergara’s
appointment,
identified
Vergara’s strengths as that of being “a
systems person, a strategist, and a problem
solver with a vision for devolution and
interdisciplinarity.” Nebres further
cited Vergara’s extensive experience in
working with the University and the
Loyola Schools budget systems as well as
with academic research and mentoring,
which would enable him to address the
challenges enumerated by the Search
Committee.
Cuyegkeng’s contributions
Nebres thanked immediate past
vpls Dr. Ma. Assunta C. Cuyegkeng
for her leadership from SY 2006-2007
through sy 2009-2010. During the
four years of her term, said Nebres, “the
Loyola Schools moved to new levels of
excellence and contributions to nation
building as well as in the deepening of
student formation and spirituality, and
growth in community spirit.”
Rooted, Balanced,
Thankful
Jose Ma. Joaquin B. Buñag
Valedictorian, Class of 2010
Jose Ma. Joaquin
M. Buñag: BS
Psychology, magna
cum laude, class
valedictorian.
Better yet, Kim:
sector-based
cluster head,
aspiring Jesuit,
sometime theater
denizen, musician,
persevering student, typical Atenean.
Asked to describe himself, Kim Buñag
mentions first of all his involvement with
the Council of Activities (coa) SectorBased Cluster and the seven organizations
that make up the cluster. His love for social
development, which took hold of him
in high school, is apparent in the way he
remarks on how each of the organizations
he has joined throughout college (Ateneo
Debate Society, Kythe, Ateneo Student
Catholic Action) and his involvement in
his coa cluster has shaped his commitment
to social justice and the direction he would
like his life to take.
continued on page 3
Presigns
angilinan
from
Board of Trustees
Mr. Manuel V. Pangilinan has resigned
from the Ateneo de Manila University’s
Board of Trustees (bot), of which he was
the Chair. Pangilinan’s decision to leave the
bot was precipitated by an issue involving
the inclusion of plagiarized sections in the
commencement addresses that he delivered
during the Loyola Schools’ commencement
rites on March 26 & 27, 2010.
Photo by Rani Jalandoni
Cuyegkeng: Contributions in nation building
and student formation.
in their fields. The Blue Eagles, thanks
in part to Pangilinan’s constant support
and friendship, are gunning for a threepeat in the coming season of the uaap
men’s basketball tournament. The Glee
Club and Debate Society have made the
school proud many times, performing
excellently in local and international
competitions and building a solid
reputation in the fields of student debate
and choral music. In 2006, the Glee
Club embarked on a European tour
and garnered top prizes in esteemed
competitions in Miltenberg, Germany
and Arezzo, Italy.
continued on page 3
Full responsibility
Although Pangilinan had the help of
speechwriters in the preparation of the
speeches, he took full responsibility for the
slip-up, and apologized to the graduating
class of 2010 and the entire University.
In an e-mail to University president Fr.
Bienvenido F. Nebres, s.j, Pangilinan
expressed his desire to “retire” from his
official duties at the Ateneo. During a
special meeting of the bot on April 11,
2010, the board unanimously voted against
accepting his resignation, and expressed its
full confidence in his leadership. In making
their decision on the issue of the plagiarism
committed, the members of the bot were
guided by Catholic moral tradition, “which
for culpability considers not just the
seriousness of the matter but also whether
there is full awareness and consent.”
continued on page 9
2
Notable
Achievements
Marasigan, Reyes, Ruiz named
Professors Emeritus
Teachers, partners, and culture bearers of the highest rank
by Erlinda Eileen G. Lolarga
Photo by Philip Sison
Roque J. Ferriols, s.j. (Philosophy),
Fr. Joseph A. Galdon, s.j. (English),
Fr. Francis E. Reilly, s.j. (Philosophy),
Dr. Ramon C. Reyes (Philosophy), Fr.
Joseph L. Roche, s.j. (Theology), and Fr.
William J. Schmitt, s.j. (Chemistry).
The selection of emeritus professors
is based on their distinguished academic
record and university service. After due
consideration and process, this title
may be conferred upon professors who
have reached the formal retirement age.
The Committee on Faculty Rank and
Permanent Appointment is the body
which recommends the conferment
of the rank with the approval of the
University’s Board of Trustees.
Nebres, Cuyegkeng express
appreciation
From top to bottom: Professors Emeritus
Marasigan, Reyes and Ruiz
The Ateneo community came
together to pay tribute to three professors
from Loyola Schools whose consistent
exemplary service and distinguished
academic records continue in their
retirement years. The title of Professor
Emeritus was conferred upon Dr. Jose A.
Marasigan (Mathematics), Dr. Soledad
S. Reyes (Interdisciplinary Studies),
and Dr. Mari-Jo P. Ruiz (Mathematics,
qmit) in rites held at Escaler Hall on
November 20, 2009.
Distinguished roster of professors
emeritus
This brings to eleven the number of
emeritus professors in the University.
Starting with the first conferment in
1997, this roster of emeritus professors
includes Dr. Aida C. Caluag (Education),
Dr. Modesto T. Chua (Chemistry), Fr.
Feeling the festive air and warmth
of the occasion, vpls Dr. Ma. Assunta
C. Cuyegkeng thanked Marasigan for
his example of humility; Reyes for her
example of scholarship and commitment
and her gentleness at the core of being
one tough woman; Ruiz for her
friendship that she continues to cherish
as she worked with her closely in many
administrative and academic endeavors
of the University for many years. She
said that as part of their distinction,
the professors granted the title are
encouraged to continue to render active
service in the University in different
capacities. Likewise, they are entrusted
to help pass on the school’s culture to the
next generations of faculty and students.
She hoped the present crop of emeritus
professors will continue to share their
wisdom, generosity and mentoring
for many years to come. University
President Fr. Bienvenido F. Nebres, s.j.
expressed his heartfelt thanks for all that
the three professors have been and all
that they have done. He said that as the
Ateneo celebrates its 150 years, they are
also all very much a part of the journey
we have traveled.
Dr. Jose A. Marasigan
Dr. Jose A. Marasigan, who hails
from San Pablo, Laguna, was an Ateneo
college scholar who graduated cum
laude with a BS Mathematics Honors
degree in 1962 and immediately after
started teaching at the Ateneo Grade
School. His graduate studies were
done in Germany at the Deutscher
Akademischer Austauschdienst (daad) at
the Technische Hochschule Darmstadt.
He completed his Doctorate in Natural
Sciences (Mathematics) in 1971 and his
daad Postdoctoral Fellowship in 1979.
He returned to teach at the Ateneo,
this time at the university level, and is
considered one of the major figures in
Professors Emeritus with the President and LS administrators
the UP-Ateneo-De La Salle Consortium
which was pivotal in expanding the
scope and excellent quality of training in
Mathematics education in the country.
Deeply involved in Math education
both locally and internationally,
Marasigan has assisted the government
in educations programs, conducted
seminars for teachers, edited textbook
series for elementary, high school and
college, and served as exchange scientist
or visiting professor in countries such
as Japan, Australia, France, the us,
and Cambodia. Among his local and
international awards are the Outstanding
Young Scientist Award in Mathematics
from the National Academy of Science
and Technology (nast) in 1982, and
the Young Mathematician Grant of
the International Mathematical Union
(imu) to the International Congress
of Mathematicians held in Finland in
1978. His teaching career at the Ateneo
has seen him teach Math at all levels.
He was instrumental in establishing key
programs such the Program of Excellence
in Mathematics (pem) for mathematically
gifted high school students and the fiveyear BS-MS in Applied Mathematics
major in Mathematical Finance at the
Loyola Schools. Active as well in the
Mathematical Society of the Philippines,
he served as president of the association
for two terms (1983-1989). Among
other things, he has also served as a longtime coach and leader of International
Math Olympiad team.
In his response during the
conferment rites, Marasigan expressed
his deep gratitude for the kindness and
encouragement given to him by his Jesuit
mentors and credited Fr. Nebres who
challenged him to stay on at the Ateneo
to help develop Math education in the
country. For him, teaching Math is not
only an occupation but a vocation—a
source of joy and fulfillment which no
amount of wealth can equal. Thanking
God for his blessings in teaching and
his colleagues at his home department,
he pledged to do his best to come up to
their expectations. In parting, shared
a favorite English prayer which aptly
captured his simple lifestyle and humble
nature: (an excerpt) “Save us Lord, a bit
of sun, a bit of work and a bit of fun…
our goodly best for ourselves and others,
until all men learn to live as brothers.”
Dr. Mari-Jo P. Ruiz
Dr. Mari-Jo P. Ruiz joined the Ateneo
de Manila as a faculty member in 1965
after completing a BA in Mathematics
from Marymount Manhattan College in
1963 and an MS in Mathematics at the
Courant Institute of the Mathematical
Sciences of New York University. She
completed her doctorate in Mathematics
in 1981 at the Ateneo. Her fields of
specialization are graph theory and
operations research, and she has taught
these courses in an excellent and engaging
style as attested by countless generations
of students she had mentored in the
span of her 44 years of service in the
University. Mari-Jo, as friends and
colleagues call her, has been a constant
and caring presence, a “motherly”
figure not just at the Mathematics
Department, but also in other parts of
the Ateneo de Manila as well. She has
served the Ateneo in various capacities:
Mathematics professor, researcher and
scholar, member of the Board of Trustees
(since 2005), dean of the School of Arts
& Sciences from 1994-2000 (before it
transitioned into the Loyola Schools),
chair of the Mathematics Department
(1992-1994) and chair of the
Management Engineering Department
(between the years of 1981–1990, and
serving as acting chair from 1975-1976).
Her research expertise as a consultant
has been sought by both government
and private companies outside the
University such as the Department of
Health, The Mind Museum, Software
Ventures International Corporation,
Colgate-Palmolive
Philippines,
VOLUME VI
|
NO. 1
|
3
MAY 2010
Computer Information Systems, Inc.
and Philippine Airlines. She has also
served on the editorial boards of several
local and international journals, and
has published papers and textbooks.
Recently, she co-authored a mathematics
book for children (in 2008) together
with Professor Jin Akiyama of Tokai
University entitled “A Day’s Adventure
in Math Wonderland.”
Ruiz’s excellence in the many
things she does in the University, her
quiet brand of leadership and her
dedication to academic pursuits have
left an indelible mark in the life of the
University. Multiple awards she has
received through the years for her service
and achievement attest to the high
regard and respect not only of her peers
in the University but also of the larger
academic community: aspac’s Most
Outstanding Senior Lay Teacher Award
(1991), Metrobank’s Most Outstanding
Teacher Award (1992) and Award for
Continuing Excellence (2004), and
the National Research Council of the
Philippines’ Achievement Award in
Mathematical Sciences (1998).
In his citation, Dean Rodolfo Ang
of the John Gokongwei School of
Management, talks about Ruiz’s many
sides. Not only is she a teacher considered
“hot” as she drove around campus in an
olive green Mustang in her early years
at the Ateneo; she is also a “strong
mother who single-handedly raised her
three kids” in the midst of pursuing
her own passion and commitment to
her discipline; “a caring friend who
writes thoughtful notes to go with her
carefully chosen and personalized gifts…
a shopaholic… an enthusiastic traveler
who revels in exploring new cultures.”
Indeed, “the consummate educator
who has taught her many generations
of students what is truly valuable in
life.” In response, Dr. Mari-Jo Ruiz
gave thanks to all for “joining us in the
celebration of our lives in the Ateneo.”
With certainty, she said that “success or
failure arises not from great skills but
from fortuitous circumstances…” and
proceeded to narrate the series of events
that led her to the Ateneo and the things
that happened along the way that helped
her grow in many ways. Taking pride in
her students, she said: “If I was an artist,
my body of work would be my students.”
With candor and lightheartedness, she
recalled how she came to accept the
offer to teach in the Ateneo because the
school offered a salary Php50 more than
the highest offer of a computer company
that she considered working for at the
time. She had no regrets getting to teach
the toughest program in the University
and was grateful to colleagues, friends,
and her children who provided her with
work-life balance. She asserted that
“I belong to a special community…
everyone is multi-talented, caring, and
doing the best they can do.” With a
mirthful glint in her eyes, she quoted the
Virginia Slims cigarettes tagline to cap
her reflections of long life and service
in the Ateneo: “You’ve come a long way,
baby.”
Dr. Soledad S. Reyes
Dr. Soledad S. Reyes, or “Sol” to
her many friends and colleagues, came
to the Ateneo in 1968 as a student
of English Literature. She graduated
with an AB English Literature degree
from Maryknoll College (now Miriam
College) in 1966 and prior to coming
to the Ateneo, she spent two years at
La Salette College in Santiago, Isabela
as a neophyte teacher. Her career in the
Ateneo started as an Instructor of the
English Department in 1971 when she
was hired right after she completed her
MA in Literature from the University.
She completed her PhD in Philippines
Studies at the University of the
Philippines in 1979 and went on to get
a second masteral degree in Sociology of
Literature at Essex University in England
in 1981. Aside from teaching, Dr. Reyes
has held many academic posts: Chair
of the Filipino Department, Chair of the
Interdisciplinary Studies Department,
Chair of the Academic Standards
Committee, Chair of the University Press
Board, and Editor of the Humanities
volume of the Loyola Schools Review,
along with many other Committees
of the Loyola Schools, of the Board
of Trustees, including the University
Research Council and the Convocations
and Awards Committee. She has also
shared her expertise in Philippine culture
and literature to students abroad as an
exchange/ visiting professor to Xiamen
University and Peking University and
had designed Philippine immersion
programs and prepared lectures for
visiting international students of
University of Wisconsin-Madison and
University of San Francisco, among
others.
A feminist of the constructive kind,
she is also cited for one of her lasting
legacies to the Ateneo de Manila
University which is the Ateneo Library
of Women’s Writings (aliww), a unique
one of a kind archival institution in Asia
dedicated to the retrieval, collection,
conservation, and study of Filipino
women writers and artists, which she cofounded with Dr. Edna Z. Manlapaz with
the encouragement and support of then
Academic Vice President, Dr. Patricia B.
Licuanan. In her more than 40 years of
dedicated and committed service to the
Ateneo de Manila as model teacher, fiery
administrator and outstanding scholar,
Dr. Reyes continues to prepare new
articles and new books, poring over new
writings that could open new venues for
teaching and research. Dr. Reyes gained
recognition and is best known for her
valuable and pioneering studies in the
field of literature, literary criticism, and
popular culture. Her academic pursuits
as a graduate student “scrounging
around the National Library” uncovered
a not too well-known but excellent
fictionist, Macario Pineda, whose work
was buried in the yellowing pages of
Filipino magazines of Daigdig, Malaya,
and Liwayway.
continued on page 8
Rooted, Balanced Thankful
Jose Ma. Joaquin B. Buñag: Valedictorian, Class of 2010 continued from page 1
Deeply rooted in the Ateneo
Buñag has deep roots in the Ateneo.
Having spent his grade school, high
school, and college years here, he says
he cannot imagine how his life would
have been without the Ateneo. Among
the greatest gifts Ateneo has given him,
he says, are its particular brand of Jesuit
spirituality, cooperative learning, and
call to excellence. Because of these, he
says, Ateneans always stand out, whether
they intend to or not.
He counts Jesuits such as Fr. Catalino
Arevalo, s.j., and faculty members such
as Onofre Pagsanghan, Roberto Guevara,
and Eduardo Calasanz as mentors, saying
that they have not only taught him by
teaching him, but they have taught him
by how they live their lives. Another
living example he cites is his father, Mon
Buñag of the Residence Halls, whom he
says has always been supportive of his
activities, even if it meant waiting until
late at night so that they could go home
together. He admires his father’s “quiet,
simple dedication,” his philosophy of
just “doing the work” without counting
the cost.
waiting for word on his future with the
Society of Jesus which will come near the
end of March (Editor’s note: Kim learned
of his acceptance into the SJ Novitiate
before he graduated.). He says the call to
be a priest has been with him for a long
time, but has been somewhat repressed
because it is not always the easiest thing
to verbalize or explain. Finding that he
also wanted to become a doctor, he says,
was in a way a welcome relief, as it was
something he could share more readily
with his friends.
A recent vocation retreat, he says,
opened his life to the calling he has heard
ever since he was a young boy. Right
now, he has managed to balance the
structured life at the pre-novitiate with
his studies and extracurricular activities.
Whatever the decision will be at the end
of March, he says that the next ten years
after college will be ones of discernment.
The best scenario for him, he says,
would allow him to bring together his
interests and passions—the missionary
life, social development, medicine—into
a comprehensive whole, a life of service.
Moments, from mundane to lifechanging
A time of discernment
The question about his plans
somewhat stops Kim in his tracks. At
presstime, he is a Jesuit pre-novice and is
In a life spent at the Ateneo, there are
moments that Kim says will stand out
more clearly than the rest—immersion
experiences, discovering girls after
spending grade school and high school
with boys, lining up for uaap tickets,
working with Task Force Ondoy
and being sent out to different areas,
being in solidarity with the Sumilao
farmers, 12:00 noon mass everyday.
From mundane to life-changing, these
moments are part of what have made
college the “happiest” time in his life. “I
am thankful to the Ateneo for what it is
and what it can be.”
Parting words
As he leaves behind his coa cluster,
Kim shares some thoughts on how the
interests of the residents in the areas
visited by Ateneo students can be better
looked after. He advocates the use of
systematic tools to “better structure how
we give out service.” He also remarks on
the need for more political involvement
among the students, pointing out that
political participation is “another part
of being Christian.” He exhorts the
underclassmen to follow their passions
and strive for a rooted, balanced
spirituality.
To his batchmates, he says “I long
to see you, marry, you and baptize your
kids.” He is positive that they will meet
again in the course of doing worthy
work in their different fields. “I don’t fear
na wala tayong magagawa.”
As a sort of pabaon, he shares a
favorite quote from Micah. “He has told
you, O man, what is good; and what
does the Lord require of you but to do
justice, to love kindness, and to walk
humbly with your God?”
Congratulations, Kim and the rest of
batch 2010!
To his batchmates, he
says “I long to see you,
marry, you and baptize
your kids.” He is positive
that they will meet again
in the course of doing
worthy work in their
different fields. “I don’t
fear na wala tayong
magagawa.”
Photo c/o COA
4
Sesquicentennial
Events
Walking the road of
Hope:
by Roy Tristan Agustin
The Loyola Schools’
Agenda for Hope Conference
Hope is like a road in the country; there was never a road, but when many
people walk on it, the road comes into existence. – Lin Yutang
The
University’s
continued
commitment to nation building took
another collective step along the road
of hope on January 22, 2010 with the
Agenda for Hope conference. Carrying
on from the launch of the Agenda for
Hope books on December 9, 2009, the
conference brought many of the writers
of the books together once more, this
time to discuss the ideas and findings
they presented in the books.
Themes of the Agenda for Hope
In the plenary session held in the
morning, representatives from each of
the Agenda for Hope volumes took turns
in giving the attendees a brief overview
of their respective volumes. The books,
which contain articles written by Ateneo
community members, sought out areas
where there was actual positive progress
being made in a wide range of fields.
The
Agenda
highlights
five
main themes: Sharing Prosperity,
Democratizing Governance, Preserving
and Transforming Philippine Identity
and Culture, Promoting Sustainable
Development, and Inspiring the Youth.
The books which were produced covered
these areas and highlighted points
where progress is being made as well as
points where there can still be room for
participation. The conference continues
where these books began by allowing
participants to interact with the writers
directly.
Introduction and context
Vice President for the Loyola Schools
Ma. Assunta C. Cuyegkeng began the
conference by discussing the origins
of Agenda for Hope which began with
former vpls Dr. Anna Miren GonzalesIntal, who, along with the deans of the
different Loyola Schools, wanted to
create a way by which scholarly work
could contribute to nation building. It
was their initial effort that gave birth to
the Agenda for Hope books.
University President Fr. Bienvenido F.
Nebres, s.j., then discussed the issue of
the poverty of capability. He remarked
that while most view poverty as one
of a lack of resources, the more telling
poverty is one of a lack of capability,
most often seen in the lack of access
to proper education and public health
facilities.
He discussed how some programs in
Quezon City, like the ones participated
in by Ateneo Center for Educational
Development (aced), integrate health
and education programs. The feeding,
medicine, and education programs
helped raise test scores in the schools
who participated in the aced program;
concrete proof of how dealing with
poverty of capability can yield excellent
results.
Sharing prosperity: a growing concern
for people over profit
Fr. Nebres was followed by Dr. Mary
Racelis of the Institute of Philippine
Culture, who spoke about ideas from
their book “Sharing Prosperity.” She
emphasized the importance of the very
idea of hope and optimism in the face
of a growing sense of national malaise
and pessimism. Faced with worldwide
questioning of the market system, the
articles in their book discussed how
the very ideas which help form the
market system have been re-examined.
The book looks at the changing norms
seen happening in many communities
around the nation, fostering a growing
interest and concern for people rather
than profit.
Democratizing governance: changing
definitions
Dr. Cristina Montiel presented for
the group which prepared the book
“Democratizing Governance.”
She
discussed the process they undertook
while preparing the book, which began
with a re-examination of the very
definition of “democratizing.” What they
realized as they went through the process
was that democratizing, as a term, had
changed over the years, meaning very
different things at different points in the
country’s history. From overthrowing a
dictator through to occupying the state
to what has been agreed upon as its
current definition, that of building a
state, this was where the group started
in preparing their essays, pointing out
where there have been advancements in
state building, often found in the local
levels of government.
support that occurred for the Aquino
family after the death of Philippine
icon Cory Aquino as a manifestation
of how culture is tapped by people in
their ordinary lives. He also cited the
achievements of designers such as Kevin
Cobonpue in creating designs that are
popular around the world but still tap
into Philippine traditions. He also went
on to discuss how the contributions of
the other authors in the book range from
reforms being undertaken in journalism
to avoid unintentional profiling of
Muslims in their reporting, to studying
Filipino linguistic structures to find
underlying philosophies in the use of
certain terms in the language. In all,
Dr. Zialcita noted a renewed interest in
Philippine culture, and an awareness of
how a better knowledge of this culture
can help improve the lives of Filipinos.
Promoting sustainable development:
managing water resources
Lastly, Dr. Fabian Dayrit presented
the book of his team which dealt
with sustainable development, with a
particular focus on the management
of water resources. He traced the
development of civilizations and their
link to water as a key resource. This
was done in light of the recent events
which have occurred in the country
and in light of the growing awareness of
the importance of water management
in achieving sustainable development.
Aside from discussions on how to
manage water, the idea of sustainable
development was discussed in the book,
leading to possible areas where the
country can achieve success.
This is just the beginning
Preserving and transforming
Philippine identity and culture:
finding meaning through culture
The
afternoon
sessions
were
concurrent symposia led by some of the
authors of each book. The conference
and the books are initial steps in seeing
hope in our lives. It is the dream of the
organizers that the Agenda will continue
to become something that proceeds
even after the run of the books, and in
the process, creates the road that it has
already begun walking on.
Dr. Fernando Zialcita spoke on behalf
of the team who wrote “Preserving and
Transforming Philippine Identity and
Culture.” Faced with the question on
whether culture still matters in a rapidly
globalizing world, he answered this
with an emphatic yes, that it is through
culture that people find meaning in
their lives. He cited the outpouring of
Speakers Dr. Fernando Zialcita,
Dr. Fabian M. Dayrit, Fr.
Bienvenido F. Nebres, Dr. Mary
Racelis, and Dr. Cristina Montiel
ponder the question of building
up a nation’s reserves of hope
Research for
nation
building
What kind of scholarly work would
help move the country forward and give
our people hope?
With this question in mind, more
than forty faculty members of the Loyola
Schools, representing various disciplines,
brought their research and expertise to
bear in addressing the five key areas
of engagement where the Ateneo,
as an academic institution, can help
bring about positive change: sharing
prosperity, democratizing governance,
promoting sustainable development,
preserving and transforming Philippine
identity and culture, and inspiring our
youth.
Providing a diverse range of
perspectives, the authors offer ideas
that are realistic, feasible, propose new
directions for the future, motivate the
audience into engagement and action,
and reflect the Ateneo thinking and way
of doing things.
Sharing Prosperity
Edited by Reuel R. Hermoso, Fernando T.
Aldaba, and Mary Racelis
Filipinos
regularly lament
the sorry state of
their nation, and
the 17 authors in
this book are no
exception. Yet, as
their individual
reflections take
shape, a growing
sense of anticipation envelops the
reader in light of their optimistic tone
and creative accounts. Representing a
wide range of disciplines, the authors
are nonetheless single-minded in their
passion for a social transformation
that produces a caring, equitable, and
productive society with the human
person located squarely in the middle.
Through their teaching, research, and
community outreach, the contributors
take pride in sharing the Ateneo’s
commitment to academic excellence
inextricably linked to social justice. —
From the Introduction by Mary Racelis
VOLUME VI
|
NO. 1
|
5
MAY 2010
Democratizing Governance
Edited by Agustin Martin G. Rodriguez
and Teresita Asuncion M. LacandulaRodriguez
The volume
Democratizing
Governance
presents
an
agenda
of
hope for good
governance in
our country. The
essays in this
volume cohere
along one claim--our political hope
lies in building a viable state that can
govern us well and justly. This means
that we should focus on rebuilding our
governance systems so that they allow
government to be responsive to the
demands of the people and allow citizens
to fruitfully engage government in the
shared task of state and nation building.
—From the Introduction by Cristina
Montiel and Agustin Martin Rodriguez
Promoting Sustainable Development:
Managing Water for a
Sustainable Future
Edited by Fabian M. Dayrit
Is there hope
that
human
society will be
able protect its
valuable water
resources?
In
order to answer
this question, it
is important to
identify the needs
of society for water, and how different
sectors can contribute to its protection.
Water is part of our God-given natural
environment that we all need; all people
have an unwritten right to water, as well
as an unwritten responsibility to protect
it. An understanding of this relationship
is important to the sustainability of
this important resource. While there
are alternative energies and alternative
foods that we can consider, there are no
alternatives to water. Just as water is a
central resource, water is also a central
challenge. In a very real sense, therefore,
our agenda for water is also our Agenda
for Hope. —From the Introduction by
Fabian M. Dayrit
Preserving and Transforming
Philippine Identity and Culture
Edited by Paulynn Paredes Sicam and
Remmon E. Barbaza
Philosophers
tell us that all
human beings
seek to make
sense of their
lives and their
circumstances.
The particular
culture we are
in offers us a
menu of options with which to make
sense of the various and disparate events
in our lives. Culture therefore cannot
be ignored for being “unimportant,”
for, through it, the lives that we lead
acquire a shape that gladdens us.
In the heightened competition that
characterizes globalization, knowing
one’s culture and keeping in touch with
its most intimate values and aspirations
can give the individual plenty of
needed comfort. Without a sense of
inner security that our culture, values
and aspirations provides, it is easy to
succumb in the heat of battle. —From
the Introduction by Fernando N. Zialcita
How, How the Carabao: Tales of
Teaching English in the Philippines
Edited by Isabel Pefianco Martin
After teaching
English for many
years—in
my
case, for twenty
long years—one
is tempted to
believe that one
has seen it all.
Not true! These
twelve tales of
teaching English in the public schools
offer rich experiences and fresh insights
that are not apparent to those of us who
thrive in the comforts of the private
sector. From Laoag City up north, to
the Compostela Valley down south,
from the nearby mountains of Antipolo
City, to the far-flung island province of
Marinduque, each tale of teaching is a
testament to the daily struggles public
This Way.
The Ateneo
Way.
by Rick Olivares
This isn’t a definitive history of the
Ateneo. Not by a long shot.
This is the story of generations. Of
men and women for others. This is a
story of great men. Of artisans. Captains
of the industry. Of molders of men and
women. Of nation builders.
All doing it the Ateneo Way.
This is a story of the rise and fall and
eventual resurrection of a great school
and how disaster and war failed to douse
the fires of learning and achievement.
This is a story of a great order—God’s
soldiers—and their adventures once
they crossed oceans and went down
from the Hill.
This is a story of building a nation.
Of a vastly different time under two
powers. Of blood shed in the cause of
liberty and of noble aspirations. Of
milestones and landmarks. Of growing
up. Of the intricacies of math and
science. Of lessons in the classroom
and the plays of the Bard that are both
timeless and limitless.
This is why when you walk the treelined roads in the late afternoons you
think of Frost’s “The Road Not Taken,”
and you’re glad that you took the road
to Padre Faura that eventually led to
Loyola Heights.
school teachers of English face. One can
only marvel at their heroism and regard
these teachers in admiration and awe. —
From the Introduction by Isabel Pefianco
Martin
could eventually be, and how their hopes
and aspirations would, in time, become
real. —From the Introduction by Ma.
Emma Concepcion D. Liwag and Rofel G.
Brion
In Their Own Voice: The Art of Being
and Becoming
Edited by Ma. Emma Concepcion D.
Liwag and Rofel G. Brion
Connecting With Today’s Teens:
A Parent’s Guide for Motivating,
Supporting, and Communicating
With Them
By Karina Galang Fernandez
In trying to
understand our
students’ lives,
we thought it
was important to
let their stories
be told, to let
their voices be
heard, to let
them speak out
for and about themselves. To know the
unique experiences and perspectives of
young people -- the complexity, richness,
and sometimes, the sheer ordinariness of
their experiences -- there could be no
better source of information than what
they themselves say about their thoughts
and feelings, in narratives told in the
teller’s own words. These then, are the
voices of our young people -- honest
and raw; often rather tentative; at times
quite sure. They offer us a glimpse of
who and how they are, and allow us to
discover how they view their lives. Their
narratives, too, may suggest what they
This is a book that should be read
with the whole family. With father and
son and daughter. Even grandchildren.
This is why you feel proud to literally
walk in your father’s footsteps through
those hallowed corridors.
This is a book where every picture—
old but lovingly and patiently restored—
could be one of you or me. Where every
written word offers golden nuggets of
our story, his story, and your story.
This isn’t a definitive history of the
Ateneo. Not by a long shot.
This is a book of why you went to the
Ateneo. And why your children will too.
150 The Ateneo Way by Fr. Jose S.
Arcilla, s.j., co-published by the Ateneo
and Mediawise Communications Inc., is
a division 2, category 20 winner of the
Philippine Quill Awards 2009. The book
is available at Fully Booked and other
specialty bookstores as well as oudar in
Alingal Hall and the Loyola Bookstore
in admu.
150 The
Ateneo Way
by Fr. Jose S. Arcilla,
s.j., co-published
by the Ateneo
and Mediawise
Communications
Inc., is a division 2,
category 20 winner
of the Philippine
Quill Awards 2009.
Adolescents
today
live
in
a
fastpaced, quickly
changing, mindspinning world.
At the core of
this new world
is
complexity,
and with it come
confusion and vulnerability. Adolescents
then need much hope. Hope is not just
about wishing for things; it includes
knowing the world where they wish is
a safe place. Parents want to help their
children navigate through it all. But more
than a sense of safety and security, parents
want their children to be self-aware, selfassured, and self-propelling. Parents feel
a need to support their children in a way
that they might survive as well as soar.
Parents best help their children by giving
them hope. —From the Introduction by
Karina Galang Fernandez
I Am Because We Are: Reflections on
Love, Relationships, and Life
By Michael Demetrius H. Asis
This
book
by Mike Asis
on
Love,
Re l a t i o n s h i p s ,
and
Life
is
very
timely
and
urgently
needed
today.
The
heartless
techno-culture all
around us is aggressively de-humanizing
our interpersonal relationships and our
total dependence on the one and only
God of all creation. The ego is being
pushed as the god of the self. Mike’s
book is a wake-up call indeed. —From
the Foreword by Fr. Ruben M. Tanseco, SJ,
Center for Family Ministries
6
Sesquicentennial
Events
Walang Sugat Gala Night:
Finishing with a flourish
Photos by Philip Sison
While Walang Sugat was indeed a first for the Ateneo, it was also a
showcase of its tradition of theater. Since its inception, Ateneo de
Manila had been producing plays and had been using theater as a way
of education, of teaching the values that the school advocates.
February 20, 2010 was a magical night
for those who were fortunate enough to
attend the gala presentation of Ateneo de
Manila’s first grand sarsuwela production.
Walang Sugat, a sarsuwela created by the
father of the sarsuwela, Severino Reyes,
and renowned composer Fulgencio
Tolentino was to be a culminating
event, capping the three-year celebration
of the university’s sesquicentennial
celebrations. The production was a work
of love from everyone involved and
highlights Ateneo’s dedication to theater
as part of education. It was a beginning
of a run that would finish on February
28, 2010.
Setting the scene
The gala night began with cocktails
set in the driveway of the theater. The
Henry Lee Irwin theater’s driveway
was transformed into a street from the
time of the sarsuwela, with classic street
lamps and luminarias, little lamps made
from paper placed on the ground with
a candle placed within it, placed all
around. Latin guitar music played in
the center of the area, courtesy of a live
guitarist. Attendees of the gala night
arrived in their best Filipiniana, the men
in their barong tagalog, the women in
ternos and baro at saya. The food was
likewise in tune with the sarsuwela;
all the dishes were inspired by either
Filipino or Spanish cuisine.
A moving appeal to generosity
The gala performance started
promptly at eight o clock, when guests
were shown an audio-visual presentation
on Ateneo’s current drive to bring more
scholars into the university. The videos
were moving testaments not only of
the dedication of the school to making
their brand of education possible to
everyone, but of the marked difference
this education can make in people’s
lives. Fr. Ben Nebres, s.j., gave opening
remarks, highlighting the goal of the
gala and the production, which was to
raise funds for the university’s 500 @
150 campaign, a campaign to bring the
number of scholars the school currently
supports to 500 students, or 20% of
the population. He thanked everyone,
from the sponsors through to the various
artists and teachers who came together
to stage this landmark production. In
the end, he called this staging of the
sarsuwela an act of remembering, where
we could see “how much we’ve changed,
and how much we’ve stayed the same.”
A community project
The production was a collaborative
work, involving the entire performing
arts block of the Loyola Schools, calling
together the resources not only of
Tanghalang Ateneo, but also of the other
performing groups such as Entablado
and the Blue Repertory. Teachers such
as award-winning playwright Glen
Mas, as well as Mike Coroza took
time out to participate as actors in the
play, showcasing their comic timing.
National Artist and faculty member
Salvador Bernal designed the intricate
and whimsical sets, cleverly housing the
orchestra while providing a backdrop for
the scenes in the play. The sets, based
on children’s drawings, provided an
additional atmosphere of levity, setting
the tone for the play. Ms. Sonia Roco,
an accomplished performer herself, was
also in the cast, playing the important
role of Aling Juana, Julia’s mother. Dr.
Ricky Abad, accomplished director of
many Ateneo productions, in many
ways not only directed the sarsuwela,
but also advocated it, pushing for it to
be the production to be staged from
the very beginning. The play was ably
carried by the young actors portraying
the two lead characters in the story, with
Julia, the headstrong but obedient young
girl played by Laura Cabochan (iv bfa
Theater Arts) and Antonio Rey Manuel
Ferrer of up, who played Tenyong, her
passionate love interest in the story.
Spirited performances
Once the music began under the
direction of musical director Chino
Toledo, the play itself moved apace,
captivating everyone with the power of
the language and the songs. The story,
one of a love story between Tenyong, who
must struggle against the disapproval
of Aling Juana, and Julia, is juxtaposed
in light of the Philippine revolt against
Spanish rule, and becomes an allegory
for the love of a citizen for his country.
The performances sparkled with energy
and enthusiasm and made the threehour production seem much shorter.
The dances, choreographed by Dexter
Santos, and songs were passionately
performed, the energy crackled even
during intermissions, as the strains of the
performers practicing their songs would
occasionally filter through the closed
curtain stage. The song “Bayan Ko”
originated from this sarsuwela, and the
audience became emotional as the song
finally was sung, in rousing chorus, by
the performers. Severino Reyes’ patriotic
theme rang true once more as the
audience, over 100 years later, listened
to questions and needs still being asked
today.
By the end of the play, with its
twists and turns finally resolved, the
esteemed audience of corporate and
political leaders rose, in unison, to give
the performers a standing ovation. The
work and effort made by everyone had
paid off. The play was a definite success.
Showcasing an Atenean
tradition of theater
While Walang Sugat was indeed a first
for the Ateneo, it was also a showcase of its
tradition of theater. Since its inception,
Ateneo de Manila had been producing
plays and had been using theater as a
way of education, of teaching the values
that the school advocates. Walang
Sugat is also a culmination; theater
in Ateneo has grown, able to mount
grand productions. It also points to the
changes that have happened throughout
its 150 year history. The school is now
deeply involved with programs aimed
at helping build a better nation and its
decision to show this deeply patriotic
production shows that. The labors of
love that Ateneo has embarked on have
grown from simply teaching its students,
to helping a nation find itself. Ateneo
has changed, but its commitment to
excellence and community has remained
the same.
The sarsuwela was co-presented by
Smart Infinity, with sponsors abs-cbn,
Businessworld, Eastwood LeGrand,
retailer hbc, Jollibee, and Samsung
Electronics.
The Gala night was
sponsored by Blue Runner Creatives,
Josiah’s Catering, 4th Wall Production
Design Station, Mon Vitan Ilaw at
Tunog, Inc., Coca Cola, Figaro Coffee
Company, and Freixenet.
VOLUME VI
|
NO. 1
|
7
MAY 2010
ASPAC honors Outstanding Teachers
Vistro-Yu, Respeto, and Server are SY 2009-2010 awardees
Notable
Achievements
by Joanna Ruiz
Photos by Kevin C. Tatco
Group picture: ASPAC Academics Committee
Chair Ma. Christina B. Caoile; ASPAC
Board Secretary Gina Gil; Ateneo President
Bienvenido F. Nebres, SJ; Outstanding
Teachers Jerry C. Respeto, Catherine P.
Vistro-Yu, Joseph B. Server, Jr.; VPLS Ma.
Assunta C. Cuyegkeng; ASPAC President
Daisy E. Mendoza; ASPAC immediate past
president Maiette Zee Se Ki
Photos by Kevin C. Tatco
Each year, three Loyola Schools
faculty members are honored by the
Ateneo Schools Parents Council (aspac)
as the group’s Outstanding Teachers. For
schoolyear 2009-2010, the awardees are
Catherine P. Vistro-Yu (Mathematics
Department,
Outstanding
Senior
Teacher), Jerry C. Respeto (Kagawaran ng
Filipino, Outstanding Junior Teacher),
and Joseph B. Server, Jr. (Leadership and
Strategy Department, Outstanding Parttime Teacher). They were recognized
at the aspac’s 19th Gabi ng Parangal at
Pasasalamat held on February 19, 2010,
at the pldt-ctc Room 201.
In her opening remarks, Vice
President for the Loyola Schools Dr. Ma.
Assunta C. Cuyegkeng characterized
the Outstanding Teacher awards as a
reflection of parents’ commitment to
giving their children the best education.
She remarked on how meaningful the
awards are to the faculty members who
receive them, since it is a so-called stamp
of approval from the parents themselves.
Immediate past president Mrs.
Marieta Zee Se Ki was recognized for her
contributions to the ASPAC. 2009-2010
President Mrs. Daisy E. Mendoza paid
tribute to Zee’s “gentle leadership” and
cited her tireless efforts towards raising
funds for the group’s beneficiaries,
which include the Ateneo’s 500@150
sesquicentennial scholarship drive and
the Magis presentation of the School of
Humanities. Outgoing vpls Cuyegkeng
was given a tribute as well, and received
the group’s thanks for being a champion
in promoting aspac’s mission and being
the group’s link to school concerns.
Joseph B. Server, Jr.:
Outstanding Part-time Teacher
First to be recognized was Outstanding
Part-time Teacher Joseph B. Server, Jr. of
the Leadership and Strategy Department
of the John Gokongwei School of
Management. Server, known to his
colleagues as “Shorty,” has taught at
the Ateneo for 29 years, starting in the
early 1970’s, with stints at the Graduate
School of Business and the Management
Department as well.
In his response, which Server peppered
with his trademark deadpan remarks, he
shared that he was touched at hearing
that his 70 years described as a life of
service and leadership. He gave thanks
to his parents and teachers (among
them Fr. Rudy Fernandez, s.j., who was
present during the ceremony), often
by way of witty anecdotes. His greatest
thanks went to his students, whom he
said “make life exciting because of what I
learn from them.”
Jerry C. Respeto:
Outstanding Junior Teacher
Dr. Jerry C. Respeto of the Kagawaran
ng Filipino of the School of Humanities,
was next to receive his recognition as
Outstanding Junior Teacher. Respeto
gave an insightful response in Filipino,
thanking mentors and colleagues and
reflecting on the different qualities
of effective teaching, or mabisang
pagtuturo, learned from each of them.
Effective teaching, according to
Respeto, has as its objective the sharing
of knowledge which is gained from one’s
own efforts and research, and which is
within the context of the wider world.
It comes from a definite orientation
which is manifested in the practice of
teaching. It challenges students to pay
attention to basic principles because
these are what compel them to think
and ask questions. It is rich in examples
that are close to students’ experience and
give clarity to the meaning of the topic
at hand. It is an open exchange of ideas
and the correction of erroneous ideas
and flawed thinking. It is learning from
each other and taking part in the growth
of knowledge.
Respeto claimed his award in behalf
of the entire Kagawaran ng Filipino—
“sa ating lahat ang Orlinang ito.”
(The Outstanding Teacher Awards are
specially crafted by renowned glass
sculptor Ramon Orlina.)
Catherine P. Vistro-Yu:
Outstanding Senior Teacher
Outstanding
Senior
Teacher
Dr. Catherine P. Vistro-Yu of the
Mathematics Department of the
School of Science and Engineering was
introduced by Mathematics Department
Chair Dr. Evangeline Bautista with a
department-crafted presentation entitled
“A Tribute to an Inspiration” with
messages from her colleagues and family.
In her response, Vistro-Yu reflected
Jerry Respeto hanging his picture on the Tree of Excellence: Respeto gets a long-held wish
on what teaching is about. To her, “It
is largely about being present to your
students in their journey through
college.” And it is a presence that is
not just psychological or emotional in
nature, but physical as well. To VistroYu, a teacher’s availability to his or her
students not only during classes but
outside of them too, be it for extra
sessions or for heart-to-heart talks, is
paramount.
The newly awarded Outstanding
Teachers then proceeded to attach their
photos to the aspac Tree of Excellence,
which Respeto had earlier referred to
in his response. “Malalagay kaya ang
picture ko sa punong iyon? Parang ang
hirap yata mapabilang sa mga naroroon.”
University President Fr. Bienvenido F.
Nebres delivered a message on nurturing
a tradition of good teaching in the
Ateneo. He reflected on good teaching as
a craft that is passed from one teacher to
another, from one generation of teachers
to the next. He thanked the aspac for
helping highlight and nurture this
tradition in the University.
From top to bottom:
Server, Respeto, Vistro-Yu
8
Notable
Achievements
2009 THE-QS
continued from page 3
From her own narrative, Dr. Reyes
shared that she did research on various
aspects of Philippine literature and
popular literature asserting that: ”then
and now (it is) a much neglected area of
studies.” Other things she pursued were
to publish books and articles, edited
collections, and initiated conferences
on Jose Rizal, popular culture and
women writers. Having a sense of the
interconnectedness of things, Dr. Reyes
in her response recounted the influences
inside the Ateneo in the late 1960s which
shaped her life as a young graduate
student and a budding faculty member
of the school. She recalled that in the late
1960s, the Ateneo was having its own
cultural renaissance and mentioned the
theatrical productions of Rolando Tinio,
the directing of the plays of Ionesco
and Becket by Bienvenido Lumbera,
and the showings of French new wave
and Japanese films, among other things.
The Filipinization movement, the
declaration Martial Law in 1972 and the
political turbulence of the times, she said
contributed to the choices she made on
topics for her thesis and research work.
In those times in the 1970s and 1980s
of “artificial calm”….(where) one could
not criticize the existing order but one
could immerse oneself in the past and
precisely salvage what could be salvaged
from the retrievable past,” she noted
that young scholars and aspiring critics
such as herself focused their attention on
vernacular literature. She saw the Ateneo
in those times, both faculty students,
“marching in the streets, joining the
rallies that culminated in the explosion
of yellow and the victory of Cory
Aquino….the University has become
a witness , and on occasion, actually
participated in social movements from
the 1990s until the present.” She opines,
however, that “the fervor of the [days of
disquiet and the nights of rage], quoting
activist Pete Lacaba, is no longer there”.
In her response, Dr. Reyes expressed
her gratitude for the opportunity that
the Ateneo had given her to insert herself
into its systems as a graduate student and
young faculty, and then allowed her the
needed space to grow and develop as a
teacher and scholar. She acknowledged
that what she achieved had been shaped
greatly by what she learned from
her mentors with the support of the
University administrators. She thanked
her colleagues and said: “ I find myself
truly blessed that I have been part of a
living tradition of this great university as
it sought to flesh out its vision to make
its students truly aware of what it means
to be men and women for others, and to
realize, to use a slightly dated term, that
kapwa ko, mahal ko.”
by Ma. Assunta C. Cuyegkeng
World University Rankings:
Marasigan,
Reyes,
Ruiz named
Professors
Emeritus
The performance of Philippine universities
The results of the 2009 the-qs World University Rankings (www.topuniversities.com) show Ateneo de Manila University
with Rank 234, up 20 notches from last year, and sharing the rank with Brandeis University (usa) and School of Oriental and
African Studies (uk). up with Rank 262 is up 14 notches, sharing the rank with George Washington University (usa). dlsu is in
the 401-500 group and ust in the 500+ group.
Both admu and up showed good performance in Subject Rankings, landing in the top 100 for Arts and Humanities, in
the top 200 for Life and Biomedical Sciences, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences, and in the top 300 for Engineering and
Technology.
World subject rankings of Philippine universities, 2009
Arts & Hum
Life Sci
Nat Sci
Soc Sci
Tech
admu
88, down from 79
186, up from >300 114, up from 121
138, up from 163
243, up from >300
up
93, down from 82
171, up from 266
176, down from
153
123, up from 143
281, up from >300
ust
>300, down from
188
>300, down from
260
>300
>300
292, up from >300 >300
>300
>300
>300
dlsu
The quality of the rankings depends
on the soundness of the methodology,
data acquisition process, and survey
instrument. The qs methodology has
often been criticized because of the
volatile nature of rankings below the top
100-200. This is, perhaps, quite normal
when ranking more than 600 universities
worldwide.
There are five indicators with different
weights: Peer Review (40%), Citations
per Faculty (20%), Faculty-Student
Ratio (20%), Employer Review (10%),
and International Faculty (5%), and
International Students (5%).
Asian University Rankings
Having said these for the World
University Rankings, one has to note
that the Asian University Rankings,
undertaken by the same research group,
yields a different ranking for Philippine
universities. In this ranking system
introduced only this year, up is the top
Philippine university with rank 63 in
Asia, followed by dlsu with rank 76,
admu with rank 84, and ust with rank
144.
In the subject rankings, admu and up
were consistently the top two universities
in the Asian rankings. Once again,
admu topped the internationalization
criteria (10%) and had very close scores
with dlsu for Papers per Faculty and
International Students; and up for
Employer Review. However, admu did
not do as well for Citations per Paper
and Student to Faculty Ratio.
The Asian University Rankings
have modified indicators and weights:
Peer Review (30%), Papers per Faculty
(15%), Citations per Faculty (15%),
Faculty-Student Ratio (20%), Employer
Review (10%), and International Faculty
update
(2.5%), International Students (2.5%),
Inbound Exchange Students (2.5%), and
Outbound Exchange Students (2.5%).
Viewing the Rankings
Rankings are designed to have a special
purpose or market. As Fr. Bienvenido F.
Nebres, s.j., commented in a discussion,
rankings like this address the need of
certain higher education institutions to
get their share of international students
(both for reputation and funding) as
well as the need of families to find a
suitable school international standing,
e.g., for families who can afford to send
their children abroad.
The
criteria,
thus,
include
Internationalization efforts, which get
10% in both World and Asian rankings.
There is also emphasis on the Employer
Survey, which constitutes 10% of the
criteria. However, Teaching Quality,
which should be a major concern, is
measured only through Faculty-Student
Ratio (20%), but it is clear that this is a
poor measure of teaching quality.
While we have often reiterated any
form of ranking will not give a complete
picture of how good a university is,
we also know that these rankings give
us an idea of how we are perceived by
others. Thus, whatever our standing is,
it is the breakdown of scores that we
want to understand, because it is more
instructive and gives better insight into
the particular strengths and weaknesses
of the institution.
We also recognize that rankings
are temporary and are more subject to
fluctuations as they move away from the
top range because of the error range and
deviations, as well as the addition of more
>300
universities from more countries. Thus,
these rankings should be prudently used.
International rankings vis-à-vis the
University’s mission and vision
Finally, as we keep reiterating in
our yearly analysis, we maintain that
rankings like these don’t reflect our
vision/mission. We will not allow these
to distract us from pursuing our goals.
We will continue to work harder at being
better known in the region to highlight
the leadership and excellence of our
faculty and students, and the institution’s
contribution to national development.
We will continue to do what Ateneo
does best: the total formation of students
and the preparation of students for
leadership. This formation for leadership
is what makes Ateneo the highly regarded
university that it has been for almost 150
years.
As Fr. Bienvenido F. Nebres, s.j.
pointed out in 2006: “Rankings in the
Times survey are important because
they measure how the world perceives
us. But just as a person has to take what
people think of them in the context
of their own values and priorities, we,
too, have to reflect on these perceptions
and measures within our own view of
our vision and mission… We need to
do this in a way that does not move
us away from our vision/mission and
our traditional strengths: leadership
formation and contribution to national
development. These have to continue
to be our priorities as a Jesuit university
committed to the service of faith and the
promotion of justice and as a university
in a Philippines, whose greatest challenge
is overcoming poverty and national
development.
The Ateneo de Manila University is among four Philippine universities included in the
Top 200 Asian universities list of consultancy Quacquarelli Symonds Ltd. (qs) for 2010.
The Ateneo placed 58th, tying with National Central University (Taiwan) and improving
on its 84th place placing in 2009. The other Philippine universities are the University of
the Philippines, the University of Sto. Tomas, and De La Salle University. The top ten slots
were taken by universities in Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, and South Korea.
VOLUME VI
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NO. 1
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9
MAY 2010
A
teneo
welcomes the new
Rizal Library
The Timing’s the Thing
Ateneo de Manila University formally
inaugured its new library on December
8, 2009, in rites led by University
The date was noteworthy for several
reasons: firstly, it was the Feast of the
Immaculate Conception, a feast dear to
the University, which is devoted to the
Virgin Mary. Secondly, the opening
occurred within the celebration of the
University’s sesquicentennial, an event
that happens, as Nebres so neatly put
it, “Not just once in a lifetime, but (the
sesquicentennial happens) once in many
lifetimes.”
The crowd that gathered at the new
lobby of the building was composed
mostly of alumni, many of whom had
contributed to the construction of the
five floor facility. Among those present
included Ateneo Board of Trustees
Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan and
Benny Santoso of the Salim group, both
of whom were instrumental in bringing
the building to life. Other personalities
in the crowd included Fr. Robert Suchan,
s.j., the first director and chief librarian
of the Rizal Library, and Tony Meloto of
Gawad Kalinga.
The library’s rites began with a
welcome from Vice President for
the Loyola Schools Dr. Assunta C.
Cuyegkeng, who was the first among
many speakers to praise the library and
emphasize the importance of libraries
in general as well as thank everyone
involved in completing the project. The
blessing followed, done by the Jesuits of
Ateneo de Manila, who fanned out to
the various sections of the new building,
sprinkling each area with holy water.
The blessing rite was concluded in the
open-air fifth floor by Nebres, who also
expressed his thanks to everyone who
contributed to the project, and expressed
his joy at actually seeing the library
opened time for the sesquicentennial.
He talked about the decision making
process for the construction of the
facility, citing that, among the many
possible configurations, the school
finally decided to create a structure that
would serve as a facility not only for the
present, but also for the future.
Rizal Library Director Lourdes David
spoke about the development of the
library, from its beginning to her own
stories about how it had kept up with
rapidly changing times. The rapid
growth in influence of the Internet,
as well as the increase in the Ateneo’s
student population made it clear that
Loyola Schools programs obtain paascu accreditation;
Ateneo conferred autonomous status anew
The Colleges of Arts & Sciences,
Management and Computer Science
of the Ateneo de Manila University
were granted re-accreditation by the
Philippine Accrediting Association of
Schools, Colleges, and Universities
(paascu) for a period of five to seven
years, valid until December 2016.
Meanwhile, paascu gave the Graduate
Program in Arts and Sciences initial
accreditation for a period of three years,
valid until December 2012.
The decision was conveyed by the
paascu Board of Directors to university
President Bienvenido F. Nebres, s.j., in a
letter dated December 4, 2009, according
to a memorandum to the community
from Dr. Ma. Assunta C. Cuyegkeng,
Vice President for the Loyola Schools.
Autonomous status
Meanwhile, in a ceremony with
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in
Pangilinan Resigns
The bot, however, did acknowledge
plagiarism to be a “very serious matter,”
especially for an academic institution
such as the Ateneo.
Response from the community
Statements from different groups
followed the announcement of the bot
decision. The statement by Batch 2010,
to whom Pangilinan had delivered the
speeches in question, supported the
bot ’s decision. However, a group of
more than 90 faculty, administrators,
professionals and staff from the Loyola
a new building was necessary for the
university to be able to provide the
research and learning facilities required
by students and faculty members.
From hastily strung wires across the
original Rizal Library’s walls to a “smart”
building, designed to meet the needs
of the community for “at least another
50 years,” according to David, the new
building is more than ready to serve the
University for generations to come.
The Blue Symphony, an orchestra
composed entirely of students, served
as a brief intermission to the program,
serenading the attendees with Christmas
songs, which complemented the steadily
cooling air in the makeshift auditorium.
Nebres, along with Cuyegkeng
and David then awarded tokens
of appreciation to Pangilinan and
Santoso, who were both cited for their
contributions to the construction of
the new library. Santoso gave brief, but
direct remarks about the wonders of
the library and the school. Pangilinan
capped the evening with stories about
his formative years in the Ateneo. He
talked about how, in his time, the library
was still in the second floor of Xavier
Hall, and how various teachers helped
shape him into the person that he is
today. He also extolled the virtues of
a library, that even in a time when the
Internet and computers have become so
indispensable, a library offers more than
just books and information; it offers
a place for interaction and discussion,
something which the new library was
precisely designed for.
The program finished with the sun
completely set, and with cocktails served
to the attendees. The new Rizal Library
is now officially part of the Loyola
Schools campus. The timing could not
have been better.
Fr. Nebres, Mr.
Pangilinan, Mr. Santoso,
Dr. Cuyegkeng during
the ribbon cutting
ceremony
www.ateneo.edu
Malacañang on December 10, 2009,
the Commission on Higher Education
(ched) conferred “Autonomous Status”
to the Ateneo de Manila University,
effective November 15, 2007 to
November 14, 2012. Ateneo was also
granted autonomous status in the
previous period, 2001-2006.
The award of distinction was given
to the university for “continuing
exemplary performance in the trilogy
of functions of a higher education
institution namely: instruction, research
and public service, and in recognition
of the outstanding performance of its
graduates, which manifest its genuine
commitment to quality, excellence and
global competitiveness.” Ateneo is one of
44 higher education institutions (heis)
that has been awarded autonomous
status by ched.
In a newspaper report, ched chair
Dr. Emmanuel Angeles was quoted as
saying that institutions awarded with an
autonomous status will enjoy benefits
such as exemption from issuance of
Special Order (s.o.), priority in the
granting of subsidies and other financial
incentives/assistance from the ched
whenever funds are available. They will
also be free from regular monitoring
and evaluation by ched except where
there are complaints filed and there
are reported violations of existing laws,
rules and regulations and there are
controversial issues/problems raised
about the operation.
Schools and the School of Medicine
and Public Health posted a statement
which “strongly” disagreed with the bot
’s decision not to accept Pangilinan’s
resignation. Likewise, the Sanggunian ng
mga Mag-aaral ng mga Paaralang Loyola
posted a statement which encouraged
Pangilinan to “continue his retirement”
from the bot. The Ateneo Alumni
Association also issued a “statement of
support” that called on the community
to “discern with quiet introspection” and
act “as true followers of Christ.”
For the groups which dissented with
the bot decision, the values at stake were
intellectual integrity and accountability.
Common to all statements, however, was
an admiration for Pangilinan’s decision
to take command responsibility for
the commencement addresses. The lsasmph group called it “an honorable act.”
Sesquicentennial blessings
In her memo, Cuyegkeng thanked
“all who, in one way or another,
contributed to these achievements” and
“additional blessings for [the university’s]
sesquicentennial.”
Also
gratefully
acknowledged were the administrative
offices of the Loyola Schools, especially
the Offices of the Deans, the Associate
Dean for Academic Affairs, the
Irrevocable resignation
On April 16, in a letter addressed to
Nebres, Pangilinan made his resignation,
or “retirement” as he termed it, from the
bot irrevocable. He thanked Nebres and
the bot for “the kind words of support.”
“Circumstances have continued to
the point where [this issue] is creating
division within the university. I have
no desire to see this happen, or be an
accessory to it. In that light and all things
considered, it is best that I stand firm in
my decision to retire…Please take this
Associate Dean for Graduate Programs,
the Associate Dean for Research and
Creative Work, the Associate Dean for
Student Affairs, Registrar, Management
Information Systems, Administrative
Services, Admission and Aid, and the
vp for the Loyola Schools; the Rizal
Library and ls Bookstore; the Central
Administration
Offices,
especially
their respective Heads; Maintenance
personnel, technical staff, and ushers
from the non-teaching staff.
Finally, the vpls thanked Fr.
Bienvenido F. Nebres, s.j., “for his
leadership and support; and the
community for making the Loyola
Schools a true center of excellence of
higher learning and for endeavoring to
transform society through its various
activities.”
letter as confirmation of my resignation
from the Board of Trustees of Ateneo
with immediate effect. Further, for the
sake of completeness and of good order,
I am relinquishing the honorary degree
which the University has bestowed on
me last 26th March,” he continued.
Pangilinan ended his letter with
the hope that “the subject controversy
develops closure soon.”
In a statement following Pangilinan’s
resignation, Nebres reiterated the wish
that all members of the community
“dialogue and work together in a spirit of
openness to bring about closure, healing
and greater caring so we can continue to
effectively carry on our mission for the
Ateneo and for our country.”
10
Photo by Cricket Soong
After the Deluge
The worst of floods brings out the best in the Atenean
September 26, 2009 began with
pouring rain, as was normal for the
typhoon season. It was the usual
Saturday on campus, with classes being
held, offices open, and various events
taking place, including the Grade School
fair. By mid-day, however, it became
obvious that the rains had brought
with them much more than the usual
inconveniences. With the rain falling
nonstop and floodwaters rising in many
places in Metro Manila (and within the
campus as well), many students, faculty,
and staff members were left stranded on
campus.
Office for Social Concern and
Involvement (osci) director An Manapat
recalls how she was at home that day,
receiving calls from osci professionals,
student leaders, and other Ateneo
officials on the situation in the campus
and its immediate vicinity. Contacts from
partner communities were also in touch
with updates on the damage to their areas
and calls for assistance. Information was
quick to spread via mobile phone and
social networking sites. By the latter part
of the day, many parts of the Ateneo had
become impromptu evacuation centers
for students, faculty, staff members, as
well as outsiders who had been brought
to safety from the flooded Katipunan
Avenue area.
Relief operations
Makeshift relief operations began
the following morning, with the first
student volunteers distributing lugaw
and champorado to evacuees at nearby
Our Lady of Pentecost parish. The
Barangka area in Marikina was next to
be visited. A group led by University
also visited Ateneoville in Nangka, San
Mateo, a housing area for Ateneo staff
and faculty. Meanwhile, donations had
begun pouring in, with the Colayco
Pavilion as the initial drop off point for
cash pledges, groceries, and cooked food.
The College Covered Courts later
became the venue for the collection,
packing, and deployment of relief goods
and clean-up volunteers. By this time,
Task Force Ondoy had also become more
organized, with operations handled by
osci, the Office of Student Activities, and
Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan; volunteer
sign-up and deployment handled by the
students led by the Sanggunian; finance
handled by Simbahang Lingkod ng
Bayan; and communication handled by
the School of Government.
Photo c/o COA
Relief goods
A total of 195,000 bags of relief goods
were packed and distributed by the task
force’s volunteers, who came from all
sectors of the Ateneo and its extended
community—students, faculty and staff
members, parents, alumni, residents of
nearby Loyola Heights, and students of
nearby schools.
Throughout the relief operations
stage, donations steadily poured in,
aided by real time updates broadcast
via social networking sites and sms.
Volunteers also helped by offering their
vehicles, from family vans to delivery
trucks, for the deployment of goods and
volunteers to the different beneficiary
areas of Barangka, Nangka, Provident
Village, Plaridel in Bulacan, and other
Photo by Erick Lirios
VOLUME VI
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NO. 1
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11
MAY 2010
Photo by Cricket Soong
Ateneo partner areas. Areas in which
Ateneo personnel lived were given top
priority, followed by Ateneo partner
communities.
Rehabilitation activities
Rehabilitation efforts followed the
relief operations stage of Task Force
Ondoy. These efforts were focused more
on helping Ateneo employees deal with
the devastation, whether physical or
psychological, brought by the floods.
Clean-up crews were deployed,
with over 500 student and employee
volunteers joining in. Areas serviced were
Ateneoville, Provident Village and gk
Camacho in Marikina, Bagong Silangan
in Quezon City, Brookside in Cainta,
and Dela Costa 5 in Montalban (another
area where many Ateneo employees
make their homes). The Psychology
Department offered to provide debriefing
and counseling services for affected
members of the Ateneo community.
An internal service assistance program
was also put in place, offering food
provision, temporary lodging, laundry,
day care, and plumbing, carpentry, and
electrical services. The students’ Blue
Bayanihan project raised more than
P100,000 which was earmarked for
scholars affected by Ondoy.
The Ateneo way
While the relief and rehabilitation
efforts certainly made an impact on their
beneficiaries and left its mark on the
volunteers, what was most impressive
was the Ateneo community’s drive to
offer their assistance when and where it
was needed.
As Manapat surmises, the desire to
help has always been present. “People are
just looking for a tipping point.” And
what a tipping point it was. Typhoon
Ondoy and its aftermath galvanized the
Ateneo community into a well-oiled
community-for-others as whole families
appeared at the Covered Courts, eager to
assist in packing and distributing goods,
and participate in clean-ups. Students
whose classes had been disrupted filled
the area and often had to be reminded
to take a rest or have a snack. Alumni
took leaves from their offices to help out.
Faculty and office staff pitched in as well.
Worth noting was the fact that many
volunteers were themselves victims of
the floods.
On the base of a basketball goal post
in the Covered Courts was scrawled
this message: “Ondoy was here. And so
were hundreds of people who unselfishly
gave their time and effort helping the
thousands misplaced. Our nation is
New Books
Looking Out for Heroes
By Glenda Oris, with illustrations by
Andrea Pua
Looking Out for Heroes is part of
a series of children’s books that feature
children’s encounters with Philippine
works of art. This particular book
is about a little boy’s adventure that
involves Jose Mendoza’s bronze hero
monuments in Makati—Gen. Pio del
Pilar, Sultan Kudarat, and Gabriela
Silang. The two other books are “Tito
Arturo Makes Robot Monsters” written
and illustrated by Yasmin Ortiga (on
Arturo Luz’s sculptures) and “Laughter
on the Wall” written by Germaine Yia
and illustrated by Katerina Angara (on
Anita Magsaysay-Ho’s paintings). The
authors are members of Kuwentista ng
mga Tsikiting (Kuting), the Philippines’
premier organization of Filipino
professional writers for children.
Kuting president Oris says, “The
stories in this series try to capture
children’s encounters with works of art:
the wonder of seeing something odd
yet beautiful, the comfort of knowing
something different yet familiar, and
the excitement brought about by figures
that are both inviting and mysterious.
Philippine art that is alive and vibrant
pulsates in words and images in the
pages of these books made especially for
children.”
doing fine.” And so is the Ateneo.
Typhoon Ondoy happened during the
school’s 150th anniversary year, and
though it was completely unexpected
and unplanned for, never were the
sesquicentennial values of celebrating
excellence, deepening spirituality, and
building the nation more evident than
during the weeks that Task Force Ondoy
was in operation.
For the Atenean, the Ateneo way is
not a path to follow, nor a mantra to
repeat—it is an internal compass that
points us toward the good of others and
the best in ourselves.
Transnationalizing Culture of Japan
in Asia: Dramas, Musics, Arts and
Agencies
Edited by Tito Genova Valiente and
Hiroko Nagai
Globalization may have been the
pervasive element in the order of world
things but with it comes this phenomenon
called the “deterritorialization of
culture,” or, in some writings, the
“transnationalization of culture.” Under
globalization, this phenomenom is seen
as picking up strength, and in its wake
and wave, aspects of Japanese popular
culture—comics, popular music and
horror films composing just a short
list—have been emerging in other
Asian countries. These forms have had
significant impact on youth culture
of the region. Deterritorialized and
transnationalized, elements of cultures
regain boundaries and markers and
lose them as easily. In the “lostness,” tv
drama series and music from Taiwan,
Hong Kong and South Korea, on top of
those from Japan, assume celebrity and
popularity. In the academe, the process
of the transnational seduces the gaze and
attention of researchers. Cultures are not
only pluralized but also popularized to
form a new field in the Asian studies, new
ways of looking, valuing, and measuring
heritages and identities. This volume
is an attempt to tackle the topic of
transnationalization of culture of Japan
in Asia in the domain of drama, music,
and arts. Along the way, the contributors
generate questions as they develop the
themes of the hybrid and the reactionary,
the localizing and accommodating in the
films and arts, even a nostalgia for a place
that
imagined
by
strangers
and
outsiders,
becomes
a
landscape
and at once a
performance
stage.
12
Notable
Achievements
Excellence for others:
The Ateneo de Manila University has
always promoted a culture of excellence.
Its drive to have its students be the best
that they can be has always been one of the
paramount values of the University. The
Loyola Schools Awards for Leadership
and Service, held on March 8, 2010, once
again showcased this value and linked it
with a more contemporary concern of
the University, that of contributing to
the task of nation building. The awards
evening proved to be a series of inspiring
moments, punctuated by the keynote
speech delivered by cnn Hero of 2009
Efren Peñaflorida.
The awards were held on the roofdeck
of Leong Hall, where the setting sun
provided a dramatic backdrop to the
ceremonies. Then vpls Dr. Ma. Assunta
C. Cuyegkeng welcomed everyone
and remarked that, while Ateneo is
committed to the task of producing
leaders, it is also very aware of the
dangers of misinterpreting the meaning
of leadership. Leadership is not power,
she said, but service. The awards handed
out that evening were all in recognition
of leadership in service of a community,
something that Ateneo has been very
conscious about in its programs.
The Loyola Schools Awards for
Leadership and Service recognizes
groups and individuals who embody
the ideals of service to the community
and excellence in their own fields. Also
The LS Awards for Leadership & Service
conferred that evening were the Ateneo
Socio-Civic Engagement for National
Development (ascend) awards, the
Council of Organizations in Ateneo
(coa) awards, the Guidon-Moro Lorenzo
Sport Awards, and the Ambrosio Padilla
Awards for sportsmen.
The ascend awards are given
to outstanding papers and projects
that significantly merge the need for
excellence with personal competencies
and skills committed to the service
of the larger communities. The coa
awards recognize projects, executive
boards, and individuals that embody the
Ignatian ideals of excellence, service, and
collaboration with other organizations.
The Guidon-Moro Lorenzo Awards
for Sports recognizes Atenean men
and women who have shown passion,
dedication, and excellence in their
sport. The Ambrosio Padilla Award for
sportsmen recognizes Ateneans who
exemplify the ideal of mens sana in
corpora sano—a sound mind in a sound
body.
Aside from the awards, the evening
also featured violin virtuoso and music
instructor Alfonso “Coke” Bolipata, who
performed a rendition of “Sana Wala
Nang Wakas.”
The highlight of the evening, however,
was Peñaflorida’s keynote speech. In his
typical soft spoken manner, the cnn
Hero shared with everyone the journey
he and his organization, Dynamic Teen Company, took—from being ridiculed by
the very people he was trying to help to being recognized globally for their efforts.
The achievements of the young Atenean awardees dovetailed nicely with his message
that “anyone can help,” concerns of gender, finances, and capability aside.
The evening finished with the Blue Babble Battalion leading everyone in a
rendition of the alma mater song. The messages, music, and the exuberance of the
awardees proved to be inspirational to everyone fortunate enough to be part of it.
The nominees and winners for each category:
ASCEND Awards
ASCEND AWARD for SOSE
Physico-Chemical and Microbiological Study of Virgin Coconut Oil
Ian Ken D. Dimzon (MS CH), Jaclyn Elizabeth R. Santos (MS CH)
ASCEND AWARD for SOSS
Pag-Abyad sa Altaran: Maintaining the Rice Terraces in Tayabas, Quezon Province,
Southern Tagalog Region, Philippines
Kathleen Felise Constance D. Tantuico (4 AB SOS)
Special Citation for the School of Science & Engineering (SOSE)
Smart Solar Power Systems for Off-Grid Communities
Francis Gerald D. Bautista (5 BS COE), Helen Dominic L. Cabrera (5 BS COE),
Claire Kathleen K. Yu (5 BS COE), Salvador P. Granda, Jr. (MS ECE)
Special Citation for the School of Social Sciences (SOSS)
A Discursive Analysis of Land Conflicts Between Muslims and Christian Settlers in
Central Mindanao
Brenda S. Batistiana (PHD PSY-SOP)
Sa Isip, sa Puso at the Gawa: The Impact of the Biak-na-Bato National Park
Conservation project on the Environmental Attitudes as Perceived by the Local Hosts
John Jerome O. Cortez (4 BS Psy), Desiree May L. Llanos Dee (4 BS Psy),
Maria Francesca V. Torrente (4 BS Psy)
Keynote speaker CNN Hero of 2009 Efren Peñaflorida.
Inset from top to bottom: Most Outstanding Individual - Gregorio Ramon A. Tingson; COA Leader of the Year - Michelle Aquino Roque (AtSCA President);
Guidon-Moro Lorenzo Sportsman of the Year Award - Severino A. Baclao, Jr. (Men’s Basketball) & Salvador S. Reyes, Jr. (Judo)
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COA Awards
COA Project of the Year: Ban Aerial Spraying Campaign (AtSCA)
Finalists: No Speed Limit (SPEED), OPLAN Malanday (Youth For Christ),
Ban Aerial Spraying Campaign Project (AtSCA), Under the Stars (Loyola Film
Circle), I Am Hope Campaign (KYTHE) COA Executive board of the Year: ENTABLADO
Finalists: Ateneo Youth for Christ, ENTABLADO, Computer Society of the
Ateneo, Ateneo Kythe, Ateneo Student Catholic Action
COA Leader of the Year: Michelle Aquino Roque (AtSCA President)
Finalists: Michelle A. Roque (AtSCA), Melody Kay O. Carolino (CompSAt),
Marco Alfonso C. Ordonez (Youth for Christ), Kris Gem Danica P. Pasia
(Entablado)
COA Organization of the Year: ENTABLADO
Finalists: Ateneo Debate Society, Ateneo Special Education Society (SPEED),
Enterteynment Para sa Tao, Bayan, Lansangan at Diyos (ENTABLADO), Ateneo
Student Catholic Action (AtSCA), Company of Ateneo Dancers (CADS) SPORTS Awards
Ambrosio Padilla Athletic Award: Itunu Olusegun Kuku
(Men’s Track and Field Team)
Finalists: Kaye Locaylocay (Ateneo Rifle and Pistol Shooting Team), Itunu
Olusegun Kuku (Men’s Track and Field Team), Antonio Salud (Men’s Rowing
Team)
Guidon-Moro Lorenzo Sportsman of the Year Award: Severino A. Baclao, Jr.
(Men’s Basketball) & Salvador S. Reyes, Jr. (Judo)
Finalists: Ayon Stephen C. Sanchez (Golf ), Salvador S. Reyes, Jr. (Judo), Michael
Vaughn F. Mendoza (Track & Field), Siverino A. Baclao Jr. (Men’s Basketball)
Guidon-Moro Lorenzo Sports Woman of the Year: Myra Margarita N.
Mendoza (Track & Field)
Finalists: Myra Margarita N. Mendoza (Track & Field), Louise D. Sarmiento
(Swimming)
Loyola Schools Awards for Leadership and Service
Most Outstanding Project Award: I Am Hope Campaign / KYTHE Ateneo
Special Citation: Ateneo Task Force Ondoy
Finalists: National Center for Mental Health Visits (Ateneo PSYCHE), Apostolate
Area (MUSMOS), I Am Hope Campaign (KHYTHE Ateneo), Ateneo Task Force
Ondoy
Most Outstanding Group Award: Ateneo Task Force 2010
Special Citation: Ateneo Corps of Cadet Officers, Ateneo Management
Economics Organization
Finalists: Ateneo Management Economics Organization, Ateneo Task Force 2010,
Ateneo Corps of Cadet Officers
Most Outstanding Individual: Gregorio Ramon A. Tingson
Finalists: Anton Lorenzo V. Avanceña, Greogorio Ramon Tingson
SOSE awards majors for
outstanding science research
Text and photos by Karen Liao
Chemistry students reaped most of the top awards at the School of Social Science
and Engineering Awards for Outstanding Student Research held on March 5, 2010
at Escaler Hall.
For the undergraduate level, Keith Michael A. Villanueva and Leo Albert G. Sala
(both BS Chemistry) won the research award for the basic science and mathematics
category with their work entitled “Fabrication of Amphiphilic Glycerol-Crosslinked
Poly (Methyl Methacrylate) Microparticles: Vehicles for Controlled Drug Delivery.”
Patricia Teresa F. Agbayani (BS Chemistry) won for the applied science and technology
category with her work “Novel Chitosan Subparticles for the Sequestration of
Propafenone.” Dr. Soma Chakraborty was the adviser for both winner papers.
For the graduate level, Michael Joseph N. Tan (MS DISCS) received the award
for best research in the basic science and mathematics category with his work
“Polynomial Solutions to One-Poset Cover,” while Eric C. Abenojar (BS Chemistry)
won in the applied science and technology category with “Surface Energy of Thin
Film Magnetic Recording Heads (slider) during Fixed-Abrasive Lapping.” Tan was
advised by Dr. Proceso L. Fernandez, Jr., and Abenojar was mentored by Dr. Erwin
P. Enriquez.
Awards were also given to the runner-up in each of the four categories—Hermund
M. Rosales (BS Chemistry), Thea Alikpala and Riza Milante (both BS Biology), Eden
Delight B. Provido (BS Mathematics) and Glenn S. Banaguas (BS Environmental
Science). Emerson G. Escolar (BS/M Applied Math, major in Mathematical Finance)
Dr. Fabian M. Dayrit, Eric C. Abenojar and
Dr. Erwin P. Enriquez
and Mabeth M. Anoñuevo (BS MIS) also
received the Security Bank Excellence
Awards, presented by Melissa R. Aquino
of Security Bank Corporation.
The winners presented their research
findings during the awarding ceremony
which was attended by sose faculty,
administrators, students, and guests
from various industries.
Selection process
The Awards for Outstanding Student
Research seeks to recognize the research
work of science and engineering
Michael Joseph N. Tan and
Dr. Fabian M. Dayrit
students, either in an undergraduate
or graduate thesis or a research project.
A board of judges, which includes a
representative from each department
under sose, selects four semi-finalists
for each of the four categories: basic
science and mathematics (undergraduate
and graduate level) and applied science
and technology (undergraduate and
graduate level). The judges evaluate the
research projects and theses based on the
quality of the written work, the poster
presentations, and oral presentations.
From each category, judges name a
winner and a runner-up.
Celebrating student research
“Today, we celebrate the research our
students have done…For me, having seen
the posters and presentations, they’ve
done very good and excellent work,”
said sose Dean Dr. Fabian M. Dayrit
in his welcome remarks. He added that
the students who did not make it to the
semi-finals or did not win awards should
not be disappointed because they have
done well in their projects and theses.
Dayrit also said these projects, as
well as the student poster presentations
at the Interlinks 6.0 exhibit show the
range of the work of sose. At Interlinks
6.0, which was held on the same day,
students displayed their research work
through posters and discussed their work
with visitors, which included faculty
members, students and guests from
different industries.
“This addresses the multifunctionality
that the university has become. We’re
working in basic research to advance
knowledge, but also to generate research
which is of use to the industry, and to
the public, all the way down to the [less
fortunate] sectors of society,” he said.
University President Fr. Bienvenido
F. Nebres, s.j congratulated the students
and thanked the sose departments for
encouraging and pushing for student
research. “Over these ten years, we have
generally seen the quality go up…we
have seen much better papers, much
better research. It’s not actually that our
research is better now, but you work in an
environment that has developed over the
years. You’re standing on the shoulders
of those who have gone ahead of you and
Dr. Fabian M. Dayrit, Keith Michael A.
Villanueva , Leo Albert G. Sala and Dr.
Soma Chakraborty
therefore, you can go so much further,
and you can achieve so much more,” he
said to the students.
Nebres also recognized the work of
the sose faculty members, who guide
and train the students in their research
work. “What we want to honor is the
fact that your teachers, those who have
gone ahead of you, have done this work.
It is precisely pushing and continuing
this work that we build something better
and stronger for the future.”
Dr. Fabian M. Dayrit , Patricia Teresa F.
Agbayani and Dr. Soma Chakraborty
loyolaschoolsbulettin
Volume VI, Number 1
May 2010
EDITOR
Joanna Ruiz
ART AND LAYOUT
Ivan Jacob A. Pesigan
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Roy Tristan Agustin, Jayce Franco Chua,
Jonathan O. Chua, Ma. Assunta C.
Cuyegkeng, Karen Liao, Erlinda Eileen G.
Lolarga, Rick Olivares, Joanna Ruiz
PHOTOGRAPHS
Nono Felipe, Rani Jalandoni, Karen
Liao, Erick Lirios, Buddy Manaois, Jolly
Morata, Joanna Ruiz, Philip Sison, Kevin
C. Tatco, The Agency, Cricket Soong,
University Archives, Alyson Yap
WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF
The VPLS and Deans, Ateneo Sports
Shooters (www.fabilioh.com), Jon Aguilar,
Sonia Araneta, Jonathan Blaza, Kim
Buñag, Marivi Cabason, Jeremy Dalisay,
Tonette Delica, Gia Dumo, Tinay Garcia,
Rose Gatchalian, Erwin P. Enriquez,
Cholo Mallillin, Melissa Macapagal, Eppie
Maglacas, An Manapat, Lot Medina, Jolly
Morata, Bong Oris, Anellin Perez, Anne
Roca, Joy Salita, Anne San Agustin, Tim
Sto. Tomas, Carla Siojo, Milet Tendero,
Rona
Valenzuela,
www.ateneo.edu,
www.goateneo.com
Loyola Schools Bulletin © 2010 is
published by the Office of the Vice
President for the Loyola Schools, Room
105, Xavier Hall, Ateneo de Manila
University, Katipunan Avenue, Loyola
Heights, Quezon City
14
Notable
Achievements
Dalisayan 2010:
In 2008, consistent national debate
champion, the Ateneo Debate Society,
brought the prestigious Australasian
Intervarsity Debating Championships
(Australs), with hundreds of participants
from Asia and Australia, to the halls of
Ateneo de Manila University.
Much-needed infrastructure has also
been put in place, thanks to Pangilinan’s
assistance and recognition of the role
played by academic and extracurricular
life in preparing the young to contribute
to society. The Manuel V. Pangilinan
Center for Student Leadership (mvpcsl)
is now a modern, comfortable home for
the college’s student organizations and
formation offices. The pldt-Convergent
Technologies Center provides venues
for classes and ict programs. The
New Rizal Library, inaugurated in
December 2009, is a state-of-the-art
structure which now houses the library’s
vast collection of books and provides
intellectual space for the college’s
dedicated scholars. Pangilinan, together
with other equally generous benefactors,
was also instrumental in the completion
of the Ateneo School of Medicine and
Public Health, the first institution in
the country that offers a dual program
for Doctor of Medicine and Master of
Management.
Not content with merely providing
infrastructure
and
supporting
certain student groups, Pangilinan
conceptualized and funded the Ateneo
mvp Leadership Forum. Since 2006,
the forum has brought Ateneo student
leaders face to face with international
business and political leaders such as
Chartsiri Sophonpanich, president of
Bangkok Bank (Thailand), Ronnie Chan,
chairman of Hang Lung Properties
Limited (Hong Kong), Aleksander
Kwasniewski, former president of
Poland, and Tony Blair, former prime
minister of the United Kingdom. The
forum has given the students and other
members of the Ateneo community rare
opportunities to hear first hand accounts
of how it is to be a leader of a corporation
or a nation.
As a leader himself, Pangilinan
showed his personal values at close range
with students. At a small gathering at
the ls Bookstore in 2009, Pangilinan
candidly shared his thoughts about his
favorite books and answered students’
questions on the role of reading in their
lives. He gave everyone a rare glimpse
into his unguarded thoughts as he talked
about a topic he loved. This man who
has led corporations (and at least one
university) to the heights of success
showed everyone that the basis for
success is simply a questioning mind—
one that loves learning, that is voracious
for knowledge, and that is always ready
to share knowledge for the good of all.
For all that you have shared with the
Ateneo, Mr. Pangilinan, thank you.
Photos by Buddy Manaois
The LS Awards for the Arts
Thank you, Mr. Pangilinan
For all that you have shared
with the Ateneo,
Mr. Pangilinan, thank you.
It was definitely an awards night.
One could not mistake it for anything
else. Awardees, presenters, and guests
were dressed in their best formal Filipino
attire. Escaler Hall was dramatically lit
and the stage designed with performances
in mind. Pianos, drums, and various
instruments were prepared, and guests all
waited for the Loyola Schools Awards for
the Arts. What would turn out would
be beyond what anyone, including the
organizers, would have expected.
The awards night, called Dalisayan,
was a glamorous event, filled with music
and enthusiasm. The initial performance
by musical awardees Klieg Lights, made
up of Mark Alcantara, Arlene Calvo,
and Mikko Quizon, and Marvin Sayson
on an elevated
stage was haunting
and filled with
energy, which set
the stage for the
performances of
the other awardees
later
in
the
evening.
School
of Humanities Dean Dr. Maria Luz
C. Vilches welcomed everyone to the
event, citing the awards for its 17 years
of existence and recognizing that pain
was part of growth, and saying that the
awards recognized the pain and effort
that these artists had gone through.
Theater awardees Marc Peter M.
Baluyan, Laura Corazon A. Cabochan,
Jay M. Crisostomo, Ma. Regina C. De
Vera, Marian Ernestine P. Dimacali,
Exzell Angelo T. Macomb, And Lancie
Mitzi A. Ong presented a short montage
of theater scenes all touching on the
theme of love, showcasing their acting
and singing prowess.
University President Fr. Bienvenido
F. Nebres, s.j., spoke about how the
Ateneo had become more and more
conscious of beauty and art over the
years, a change which he attributed to
the achievements of students and faculty
members alike. He also commended the
artists for sharing their talents and their
art with the community. He honored the
awardees, saying that their achievements
remind us “how noble and beautiful we
can be via the arts.”
Fr. Nebres’ talk was followed by a short
but stirring audio-visual presentation
honoring Atenean artist-heroes, going
all the way back to National Hero
Jose Rizal. Audio-visual presentations
likewise showcased
the
works
of
Patricia Gosingtian
for photography
and Eusebio Ehron
Kylo Y. Chua
for
sculpture.
Awardees for visual
arts
Genevieve
Deniece D. Go, Alyza May T. Taguilaso,
Frances Krista M. Alvarez, Cisco Javier
D.R. Ignacio, Joi Marie Angelica M.
Indias, Danika Rio T. Navarro, and
Carina Samantha R. Santos were
honored shortly before awardees for
dance Kesse Gilliam G. Castillo, Phillip
Robert Raphael R. Pamintuan, and
Ma. Daniella Renee C. Publico came
onstage to perform a thrilling number
showcasing the diversity of dance, from
ballroom to hiphop, which suited their
very different styles.
The program moved on seamlessly,
accompanied by the expert piano work
of both musical coordinator D.M. Reyes
and faculty member Nikko Vitug, both
of the English Department. Awardees
for creative writing Hermund Rosales,
Zoe Anne M. Dulay, Lourdes Marie
S. La Viña, Gian Paolo Simeon T.
Lao, Patricia Angela F. Magno, Wyatt
Caraway Curie L. Ong, and Jay M.
Crisostomo accepted their awards with
characteristic enthusiasm.
Perhaps, however, the highlight
of the evening was the awarding of
the Outstanding Achievement in the
Humanities to Dr. Benilda S. Santos,
current director of the Fine Arts Program.
She was, of course, honored by the
school but, perhaps more importantly,
she was also honored by her peers,
writers who themselves are icons in
Philippine writing.
Her speech, by
turns
touching
and
hilarious,
drew tremendous
applause
and
adulation from the
crowd who knew
her best as Ma’am
Beni. Her speech was candid, eloquent,
and moving, particularly when she finally
stopped reading from it and improvised,
moving from her own history to finally
ending with a piece from her own poetry.
She was given a standing ovation.
The evening was brought to a close
by outgoing vpls Dr. Ma. Assunta C.
Cuyegkeng, who exclaimed “What a
harvest!” The evening was capped by
dinner at the pldt-Center for Convergent
Technologies, where the awardees, still
brimming with enthusiasm after the
hours-long ceremony, regaled the diners
further with jokes, songs, and poems.
The awards night had finished, but the
evening had just begun.
VOLUME VI
|
NO. 1
|
15
MAY 2010
The API Fellowships Program celebrates LS honors SY 2009-2010 retirees
The Loyola Schools paid tribute
a decade of regional cooperation
to retiring community members at a
Photos by Rani Jalandoni
From May 28 to 30, 2010, The Nippon
Foundation Fellowships for Asian Public
Intellectuals (api Fellowships Program)
commemorates its 10th Anniversary
Regional Celebration in Manila,
Philippines, to be hosted by the Ateneo
de Manila University. The celebration
will consist of three main events: the
symposium “Asia: Identity, Vision and
Position” on the 28th; the conference
“Asian
Conditions,
Communities
and Directions on the 29th; and the
exhibitions and performances “Creative
Index: Ten Creative Years by the api
Fellows” on the 30th.
Launched in July 2000, the program
was designed to nurture and create
a network of public intellectuals in
the region. It operates through a
partnership established between The
Nippon Foundation and five partner
institutions: the Indonesian Institute
of Sciences, the Center for Southeast
Asian Studies of Kyoto University, the
Institute of Malaysian and International
Studies of Universiti Kebangsaan
Malaysia, the Institute of Asian Studies
of Chulalongkorn University and the
School of Social Sciences of Ateneo
de Manila University. Over 250
individuals have been recipients of the
api Fellowships.
The celebration is meant to
acknowledge the dedicated efforts of
the api Fellowships Program’s founders,
fellows, partner institutions, and other
community members. It is also an
opportunity to discuss the current state
of Asia and the role that the fellows
might play in responding to the needs
of the region within a rapidly globalizing
world.
ACFJ gears up to mark 10 years
An anniversary program with noted
photojournalist and social activist Dr.
Shahidul Alam as speaker opens acfj’s
celebration of its tenth year on June 7
to 9, 2010. Dr. Stefan Friedrich, head
of the Asia Department of the Konrad
Adenauer Stiftung, and Ateneo president
Fr. Bienvenido F. Nebres, s.j., will also
speak during the morning celebration.
The Fifth Annual Forum of Emerging
Leaders in Asian Journalism follows the
anniversary program. About a hundred
journalists and scholars from at least 14
countries in Asia are expected to gather
in this annual conference, with more
We Remember
Agnes Colette Condon, retired
associate professor at the Interdisciplinary
Studies Department, died last on
November 16, 2009 in Pawtucket,
Rhode Island. She was 84.
Ms. Condon was born in Rhode
Island on 16 August 1925. She finished
a master’s in Hospital Administration
at the St. Louis University in Missouri
(1958) and obtained an M. A. Literature
at the University of Rhode Island (1966),
writing a thesis on Albert Camus.
Before coming to the Philippines, she
had worked as an assistant administrator
at the Kennedy Memorial Hospital in
Brighton, Massachusetts and as director
of publications of the Mission Press of
the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary in
Rhode Island.
participants expected. Keynote speeches
will be delivered by Philip Bowring,
columnist of the International Herald
Tribune, and Pana Janviroj, executive
director of the Asia News Network.
An exhibit of the best works of
the center’s photojournalism program
graduates will also be inaugurated on
the same day. Among the photographers
featured are award-winning and seasoned
photojournalists Luis Liwanag, Rony
Zakaria, Lyn Rillon, VJ Villafranca, Rem
Zamora, Christina Sevilla, Raffy Lerma,
and Estan Cabigas.
She arrived in the Philippines in 1967
to teach Literature and Religion at Stella
Maris (1967-69) and at Maryknoll (now
Miriam) College (1969-78), where she
also became the head of its Literature
Department.
In the summer of 1975, she taught
part-time with the English Department,
then chaired by Fr. Joseph Galdon, of
the Ateneo de Manila. She was being
hired, at P15/hour, to step in for faculty
members who had either gone on leave
or moved to other departments. Wrote
Galdon, “English gains experience at
cheaper salary. Everyone is happy!”
She became a fulltime faculty member
in 1978, teaching the introductory
courses in composition, rhetoric, fiction,
poetry, the essay, and the drama, as
well as involving herself in textbook
development.
But Ms. Condon apparently was
as much needed in administration
as she was in teaching. She was
appointed, at various times, Assistant
Dean for the Graduate School (19781981,
Officer-in-Charge
1993),
Summer Program Director (1978-79),
Program Coordinator of the Hospital
Administration Program (1981), and
Director of the Interdisciplinary Studies
Program (1988-91). Throughout most
of her stay at the Ateneo, she was also the
Coordinator for Faculty Development
(initially, Assistant to the Dean for
Faculty Matters). Jonathan O. Chua
luncheon on March 23, 2010. As always,
the event was suffused with the warmth
of remembrances and appreciation for
the seven retirees of schoolyear 20092010.
Reaching the retirement age of 60
were Germelino “Boying” M. Bautista
(Economics Department), Margarita
“Margot” R. Orendain (English
Department), Tomas “Tom” G.
Rosario, Jr. (Philosophy Department),
Teresita “Tessie” C. Alcantara (Biology
Department), Milagros “Mila” Q.
Andaya (Chemistry Department),
Francis “Frank” D. Puzon (Rizal
Library), and Evelyn “EQ” A. Quidlat
(Office of the Vice President).
Both University President Fr.
Bienvenido F. Nebres, s.j. and thenvpls Dr. Ma. Assunta C. Cuyegkeng
expressed their thanks for the retirees’
years of service to the Ateneo, and
for their personal connections with
each one of them. In his remarks,
Nebres pointed out that “ang Ateneo
ang dapat magpasalamat sa inyo.” He
invoked the value of community and
interrelationship, telling the retirees that
“Ateneo has grown because you have
grown. You have been part of the growth
of Ateneo. You have shaped Ateneo.”
Germelino “Boying” M. Bautista (Economics
Department): Retirement for him will be “a time for
solidarity with other Jesuit campuses to promote
justice, equity, environmental protection; a time to
know and love our God.”
Margarita “Margot” R. Orendain (English Department):
For this person who, as SOH Dean Dr. Marlu Vilches
put it, “has an inner strength, an inner self that is
unfazed,” coming to the Ateneo was a decision (“the
best”) that brought her spiritual growth, academic
challenges, warm friendships, and colleagues that
she admires.
Francis “Frank” D. Puzon (Rizal Library): The
29-year Rizal Library veteran gave special
thanks to former RL director Fr. Robert
Suchan, SJ, who believed in him when he
was still Suchan’s student and was the reason
for his decision to work at the RL.
Teresita “Tessie” C. Alcantara (Biology Department):
“Kasama akong umunlad ng Ateneo—spiritually,
psychologically, physically, and mentally.”
Evelyn “EQ” A. Quidlat (Office of the Vice
President): She is “truly blessed and grateful”
for all her experiences at the Ateneo,
“particularly the lesson of being a person for
others.”
Tomas “Tom” G. Rosario, Jr. (Philosophy Department):
“Hindi ka maaaring magturo sa Ateneo nang hindi ka
nagpapakahusay, nagpapakagaling.”
Milagros “Mila” Q. Andaya (Chemistry Department):
Her 33 years in the Ateneo were a “rewarding
experience,” and she gave special thanks to Fr.
William Schmitt, SJ—“a very grand person,” her
friend, chief, and boss—who gave her many chances
to love her work.
16
Research Notes
Philippine
Studies:
The elder brother
A tale of
Two Siblings
out on that date, which puts much more
pressure on the resources. Fortunately,
we are supported by the University.”
Blind refereeing process
Ateneo de Manila University currently
has two academic journals which are
internationally indexed. One can look
at them as two siblings, coming from
a common parentage and upbringing.
But, like most siblings, the two are very
different in personality and attitude.
The Philippine Studies journal, currently
headed by Dr. Filomeno “Jun” Aguilar of
the History Department, is the elder of
the two, and, as the elder, carries with
it the pride and distinction of being not
only the first academic journal of the
Ateneo, but of the nation as well.
History
The journal was established in
September of 1950. It was originally,
as Aguilar puts it, “A Jesuit magazine,
with learned content, interested in
manner, and with a general scope.” The
magazine was named the Philippine
Studies Journal in 1952 and the first
issue came out in 1953. It was not yet a
strictly academic journal but was already
steeped in the Jesuit scholastic tradition,
since the first contributors to the journal
were Jesuits themselves. It was under the
care of Fr. Miguel Bernad, s.j., that the
journal became what it is today. Since
then, it has stayed the course, offering
insights into different aspects of the
Philippine experience.
Global audience with scopus indexing
2009 marked an achievement for the
journal with its inclusion in the scopus
index, opening it to a global audience.
Aguilar explains that the inclusion of
the journal in scopus will help in the
current drive of the University to assert
its presence in an international setting.
It wasn’t an easy task, he continues,
saying that the stringent requirements of
knowledge compendiums like scopus on
timeliness and consistency of publication
make for a challenge to the journal.
Aguilar puts the challenge this way, “If
you declare that the journal will come
out by a certain date, you must come
Another challenge to the journal is the
constant need for more manuscripts that
pass the blind refereeing process adopted
in 2003. The process, which farms
out submissions to “referee,” who then
read and comment on the manuscripts
submitted, is a way of ensuring that
the articles to be published are up to
international standards of scholarly
writing. The board of referees of the
journal feature readers from various
countries, all of whom are experts in their
respective fields. The refereeing system
has raised the standards of the journal to
such a degree that, since instituting the
system, the rejection rate of the journal
has gone up to 50%, which has added to
the pressure of coming up with adequate
issues on time.
Aguilar explains that the journal
actually wants to encourage and nurture
writers but, “unfortunately, Filipino
scholars and writers are still adjusting
to the refereeing system, and they
sometimes feel hurt by the comments
their manuscripts receive.” Happily,
even with the high rejection rate, the
journal has been able to compile enough
material for several issues.
Interestingly,
most
of
these
contributions have come from overseas,
either from Filipino writers based abroad,
or from foreign scholars specializing in
the Philippines. These contributions
from overseas account for nearly two
thirds of the manuscripts received.
Aguilar remarks, “There is plenty of
interest in the country; it’s just not
coming from here (in the Philippines).
There is a need to develop a culture of
research and writing here which can lead
to the production of knowledge.”
Call for Filipino contributors
The journal is currently taking efforts
to encourage more contributions from
Filipino writers. It works with other
departments in the University to host
conferences which, it is hoped, will
spur writers to submit their work to
the journal. Aguilar finishes by giving
his own reflection on publication and
research in the country: “It seems like
the Filipino culture is not a reading
culture, at least for most people. For
those who do read, they seem content to
just read, rather than contribute to the
discourse. There is a need to develop
the discipline of thinking, arguing, and
writing in a certain way in order to create
works that can withstand scrutiny. If we
are to push our country’s ideas forward,
we have to take the initiative and effort
of publishing and writing.”
Kritika Kultura:
The young
overachiever
The University currently has two
scholarly journals that are internationally
indexed. The elder of the two is the
Philippine Studies journal, a publication
which has a distinguished history hailing
back to 1952. One can imagine it to be
the gray-haired gentleman of the two,
spic and span, with nary a hair out of
place.
The younger sibling would be Kritika
Kultura, just seven years old, possessed of
a more vibrant and dynamic personality.
This one would be the one clad in jeans
and a t-shirt, laptop in hand, earphones
firmly set. Kritika Kultura comes from
very different origins and carries with it
a different spirit. However, like its elder
sibling, it has become a hallmark for
Ateneo in a very similar fashion to the
Philippine Studies journal.
First online journal in rp
Kritika Kultura can lay claim to
being the first online, open access
journal to be indexed internationally in
the country, a feat that becomes even
more noteworthy given its intriguing
origins. Dr. Lulu Reyes of the English
Department, founder and editor-inchief of Kritika Kultura discusses the
origins of the journal as well as her views
on how to foster scholarly research in the
University.
The roots of Kritika Kultura, or kk,
as it is commonly called, can be traced
back to the turn of the millennium, with
Reyes exploring the rapidly growing
availability of research materials available
on the Internet. She saw the potential
and, as she says, “I saw something
happening (on the Internet) and I
thought that it would be the perfect
time to participate.” She approached
then English Department chair Dr.
Isabel Martin with what was then an
unheard of idea: an online journal “of
some sort.” However, there was no real
precedent for this, nor was there anyone
really who knew what directions to take
nor where to get support for such a
project. The University had just opened
up some financial support for Internetbased projects, which Reyes applied for,
but she was not able to get approval for
kk, and the English Department was not
ready to provide the needed funding.
The project, however continued to
move, mainly through Reyes’ efforts.
“It became an itch, something that I
really had to do.” So, with the approval
of the English Department, Reyes used
the papers from the recently concluded
conference Localities and Nationhood
and proceeded to work on creating the
journal. “With no budget, we had to
rely on friendships, elbow grease, and
merienda,” laughs Reyes, “at this point, I
was just seeing just how far it could go.”
The first issue launched not only the first
online journal of the University, but also
of the nation, overtaking efforts by other
universities. “All on basically nothing to
run it!” exclaims Reyes.
From rag-tag experiment to crowning
achievement
It went further than anyone hoped,
as the first issue continued to a second,
then a third. Eventually, kk gained
a reputation outside the University,
enjoying praises from schools such as up,
LaSalle, and ust. It was internationally
refereed by the third issue, and was
indexed with the Modern Languages
Association by 2007, just five years after
it’s the publication of its first issue. By
this time, it was already well known,
gaining not only readers but contributors
from around the world.
With the encouragement of the
University, kk entered the scopus
index just last year, alongside its older
sibling Philippine Studies. It is now in
the process of applying for isi indexing,
which it hopes to finish this year.
In its seven years of existence,
the journal had gone from a rag-tag
experiment to becoming a crowning
achievement which the University justly
places pride in.
The passion to keep going
When asked on where she sees the
journal going in the coming years,
Reyes has this to say: “Well, the
journal’s achievements are very unique,
especially considering just how weird
the circumstances of its birth were. The
difficult part wasn’t really the starting of
it, it’s the sustaining. And with our goal
of publishing the best in their fields and
with the journal now representing the
University, the pressure’s definitely gone
up. Hopefully we can keep attracting
people with edgy and new thinking, and
it is good that the University seems to
be interested in the same thing. But, at
the end of it all, I think it will be people
with passion that are important, for the
journal and for the University. It will be
passion that will keep things going.”
Visit Kritika Kultura at
150.ateneo.edu/kritikakultura.
VOLUME VI
|
NO. 1
|
New Books
MAY 2010
New titles from the Institute
of Philippine Culture (ipc)
Capability Building for Urban
Slum Upgrading: Views from Five
Communities in Quezon City
By Cynthia C. Veneracion
The book is an
output of a threecity research project
covering Bandung
in Indonesia, Hanoi
in Vietnam, and
Quezon City in
the
Philippines.
The
ipc
study
investigates the slum upgrading and
related development interventions that
have taken place in five urban poor
communities. In examining the external
linkages forged by the communities
studied, it presents a closer look at the
reach of programs and projects of the
Quezon City government, national
agencies, civil society groups, and other
urban development stakeholders.
The Myth of Recovery: The Asian
Crisis More Than a Decade Later
By Edsel L. Beja Jr.
Three issues have
been underplayed
in the retrospective
analyses of the
1997 Asian Crisis.
First,
economic
performance
of
the
crisis-affected
economies in the post-crisis period has
been inferior relative to their pre-crisis
period performance. Second, the crisisaffected economies have yet to recoup the
losses incurred during the Asian Crisis.
Lastly, unless policies move in a positive
direction, recovery would be limited
and punctuated by crises. In view of the
Global Crisis, it was deemed necessary to
pull out the policy guidelines outlined in
the book and apply them to the present
crisis.
We Remember
Fr. Joseph A. Galdon died on March
15, 2010 at 5:30 A.M. in the Jesuit
Residence Infirmary. In the last several
years before his death, he was suffering
from Alzheimer’s. He was eighty-two.
But his former students and colleagues
at the Loyola Schools fondly remember
him as an energetic and engaging
teacher of literature and composition, a
champion of English language teaching,
the founder of Prayer Days for Coeds,
and the writer of an inspirational column
called “The Mustard Seed.”
Overseas Filipino Workers Turned Entrepreneurs:
Breaking Stereotypes, Redefining Paradigms
By Joseph Sedfrey S. Santiago, Manuel Ricardo L.O.
Sacramento, and Jose Atanacio L. Estuar
Twenty-six overseas Filipino workers
and four ofw family members share their
entrepreneurial journeys in this book.
They tell us when they decided to try
their hand at business and the reasons
for choosing the business, where they
sourced their funds, and who they tapped
for acquiring technical skills in running
their venture. Some have succeeded,
while others are still trying to make a go of their business. But
they all provide invaluable lessons that could benefit other
ofws who plan to take the same route.
Southeast Asia Today: Development Paradigms, Reflexive
Engagement
Edited by Angela Desiree M. Aguirre, Emanuel C. de Guzman,
and Jon Michael R. Villaseñor
Classified under five thematic areas that
reflect major preoccupations in peoplecentered development—household and
community asset building, social capital
formation, state-civil society dynamics,
local and regional networking, and social
change and sustainable development—
the papers in this volume champion the
participatory paradigm by bringing to the
fore the issues of gender and development, problematizing the
structures of power of centralized governance while exposing
its elitist logic, highlighting the important role of civil society
in development and democratization, and espousing the role
of the local people in development.
All ipc titles are available at the Institute of Philippine Culture
(2/F Frank Lynch Hall) and the Loyola Schools Bookstore, and
distributed by Ateneo de Manila University Press. Website: http://
www.ipc-ateneo.org
New Books
Looking Out for Heroes and
Transnationalizing Culture of Japan in
Asia: Dramas, Musics, Arts and Agencies
See page 11
for details.
For the People, With the People:
Developing Social Enterprises in the Philippines
Edited by Ma. Regina M. Hechanova-Alampay
17
This book is about hope—something
we need in a developing country like the
Philippines. The stories (here) are about
empowering urban women, providing
families a home, turning garbage into
gold, improving employees’ quality of
life, or building capabilities of people and
organizations. They are stories of struggle,
of commitment, of joy, of pain, and even
luck. Yet, they all began with ordinary
people dreaming and believing that change could happen, and
committing themselves to that change.
More than this, these stories show the power of a collective.
How bringing together business people, development workers,
and community leaders can create much more impact than simply
doling out money. We learn how radical solutions may actually
work. The stories highlight how the best ideas don’t necessarily
come from the most educated or powerful. One only needs to
listen and keep an open mind. After all, that is the heart of a social
enterprise—an organization for and with the people.
The Highest Hiding Place
By Lawrence Lacambra Ypil
In The Highest Hiding Place, Ypil takes
us to places in the self where words do not
exist, where thoughts glimmer and perish
before they could threaten one with their
fangs and claws, where only things without
names thrive in their tenuous luminosity,
shades, auras, feelings, moods. Yet doubt
not the reality of these secret places, they
are an infinite dimension of the world we
experience daily, sunlight in the garden, a
family picnic, old photographs, the common
places we take for granted that yields the poet’s poetic world. These
hiding places thrive in the spaces between words of a conversation
between mother and son, between men and their lovers, between
generations, as between son and father, children contemplating
their “mother-as-child only as tall as lola’s hips. / Her hair tied
to strings. Her breasts flat / milkless yet. Her womb/ full to its
rim with possibility.” Ypil’s poetry invents a language that makes
this secret world palpable and alive somehow without disturbing
the ineffable quality of these experiences. Reading Ypil is meeting
oneself in memory, that of the poet’s and one’s own, and in that
encounter, affirm everything that one had gone through—pain,
fear, lust, love, the interminable secrets that are always converging
and fading, and converging in every moment of one’s ordinary
day, and even in one’s dreams. And we find our own hiding place.
—Merlie Alunan
Mga Hinirang:
The Women Awardees of the Ateneo de Manila
Ateneo Library of Women’s Writings
Fr. Galdon joined the Ateneo de Manila faculty in 1953,
teaching English, Religion, and Latin at the High School. In
1956, after completing an M.A. in English at the Ateneo, with
a thesis on the “Definition and Function of the Imagination
in the Critical Theories of Thomas Hobbes and John Dryden,”
he went to the United States to finish his religious studies. He
was ordained priest in 1959.
He returned to the Philippines after finishing a doctorate in
English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University,
to hold various positions in the Ateneo and beyond. He was
Dean of Studies at Berchman’s College in Novaliches (196566), Dean of Studies at the Loyola House of Studies (196668), and Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences of the Ateneo
(1968-70). Until 1998, he taught with the Department of
English and the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies (then
the Interdisciplinary Studies Program), serving as the Chair or
Program Director at various times. He was also Director of the
Office Admissions and Aid and editor-in-chief of the journal
Philippine Studies.
Outside the Ateneo, he is perhaps best known for teacher
training. He founded the Ateneo Center for English Language
Teaching (ACELT), which continues to conduct seminars
and workshops all over the Philippines, and edited A Reader
for Teachers of Literature and Language (1973). Generations
of students were taught literature through his textbook, coauthored with Fr. Joseph V. Landy and Nenita Escasa, Insight:
A Study of the Short Story (1972). Jonathan O. Chua
Mga Hinirang is an album of portraits
of remarkable Filipino women. Their
contributions to Philippine social, political,
religious, and cultural life are recalled in
citations read before them at the annual
academic convocations of the Ateneo de
Manila. On its 150th year, the Ateneo,
through the Ateneo Library of Women’s
Writings (aliww), remembers the 53 women whom it has awarded
by gathering together those citations in this book.
Maalwang Buhay: Family, Overseas Migration,
and Cultures of Relatedness in Barangay Paraiso
by Filomeno V. Aguilar Jr. with John Estanley Z. Peñalosa, Tania
Belen T. Liwanag, Resto S. Cruz I, and Jimmy M. Melendrez
The greatest single strength of this
work can be termed its anthropological
foundations. Many studies of overseas
migration fail to dwell upon the underlying
structural context that helps us understand
the cause, nature and consequence of this
phenomenon. After all the separation of
children from their parents is a matter of
kinship, and to understand it we need to see
it first and foremost in the light of Philippine kinship. What this
book shows is how such an anthropological focus upon kinship
can become integrated with a development perspective providing
a far more satisfactory and scholarly understanding of these events.
This approach should make this book a standard work for anyone
seeking a deeper understanding of an example of parent-child
separation that now has worldwide attention. —Daniel Miller,
Professor of Anthropology, University College London
18
Notable
Achievements
New RL multimedia
rooms named
in honor of donors
Three groups have made generous
donations to the new Rizal Library, and
three multimedia rooms in the library’s
Multimedia Resource Center have been
named in their honor.
Ateneo de Manila College Class ‘83
On December 5, 2009, the Ateneo de
Manila College Class ’83, represented by
core group members Rodolfo P. Ang (AB
Com) and Rhoderick M. Casis (BS Bio),
signed a memorandum of agreement
with the Ateneo and witnessed the
turnover of the Ateneo de Manila
University College Class ’83 Multimedia
Room. Raising funds for the new Rizal
Library was a project of batch ’83 in
celebration of their silver anniversary.
Ambrosio B. Padilla Foundation
As December 7, 2009 marked the
99th birth anniversary of the late
Senator Ambrosio Bibby Padilla, it was
fitting that the turnover of the Ambrosio
B. Padilla Room at the new Rizal Library
should take place on this day. The room
was named in honor of Padilla as a way
of thanking the Ambrosio B. Padilla
Foundation for its donation to the
library. Signing the memorandum of
agreement in behalf of the foundation
was Padilla’s daughter Mrs. Josie PadillaRufino. Also present were were other
Padilla siblings and their spouses, along
with some of their children.
National Bookstore, Inc.
Another donation to the new library
was National Bookstore, Inc., represented
by Alfredo C. Ramos. In honor of their
donation, a multimedia room has been
named the National Bookstore-Socorro
Ramos Room.
Number of scholarly
work awards and
grants given in sy
2009-2010
Scholarly Work Faculty
Grants: 29
Instructional Materials
Development Grants: 5
University Research Council
Grants: 8
Publications Awards: 72
Special Citation: 1
Outstanding Scholarly Work
Awards: 3
Scholarly Work with Most
Social Impact: 1
LS Scholarly Works Awards 2010:
A celebration of faculty research scholarship excellence
by Erlinda Eileen G. Lolarga
Photos by Rani Jalandoni
The achievements of Loyola Schools
faculty members in the field of research
and creative work were given due
recognition during the annual Faculty
Scholarly Work Awards held on March
11, 2010 at Room 201 of the pldt-ctc
Building. The event was hosted by Dr.
Isabel Pefianco Martin of the English
Department.
Loyola Schools Review Volume viii
Then Vice President for the Loyola
Schools Dr. Ma. Assunta C. Cuyegkeng
acknowledged the work of all the editors
and contributing authors of the Loyola
Schools Review Volume viii (2009):
Dr. Jovino G. Miroy (Humanities),
Arturo A. Valencia (Management), Dr.
Jumela F. Sarmiento with assistant editor
Dr. Raphael Guerrero (Science and
Engineering) and Dr. Joseph Anthony Y.
Lim (Social Sciences).
a plaque and a cash award (which is
prorated among the authors). A special
committee constituted by the dean of
each school is tasked with selecting
the outstanding work from the pool of
submitted and nominated publications.
The Outstanding Scholarly Work
Award in the Social Sciences for this
year went to Dr. Joseph Anthony Y. Lim
of the Economics Department for his
paper entitled “Central Banking in the
Philippines: From Inflation Targeting
to Financing Development” published
in 2008 in International Review of
Applied Economics, volume 22. The
work, according to Lim, although dated
and needing more work, addressed at
that time an important monitoring
policy of the Philippines and presented a
provocative macroeconomic alternative
framework that deserved government
recognition in the area of price controls
and price stabilization.
Research grants and publications
awards
Recipients of the ls Scholarly Work
Faculty Grants, the ls Instructional
Materials Development Grant and the
University Research Council Grant were
announced along with the Publications
Awards given to faculty members with
works published during the relevant
period. The University Research
Council, in particular, allotted funds
for research projects under the themes
of disaster mitigation and public health
for sy 2010-2011. The School of Science
and Engineering took the lead in number
of faculty members given awards and
having published works (56), followed by
the School of Humanities (30), School
of Social Sciences (24), and the John
Gokongwei School of Management (4).
Special Citation
Lawrence Ypil of the English
Department was acknowledged with a
special citation for the book The Highest
Hiding Place and published by the
Ateneo de Manila University Press in
2009.
Outstanding Scholarly Work Awards
Outstanding Scholarly Work awardee for
SOSS Dr. Joseph Lim with Fr. Bienvenido
Nebres, Dr. Assunta Cuyegkeng, and Dr.
Celeste Gonzalez
The ls Outstanding Scholarly Work
Award is described a “special recognition
to work that contributes significantly
to its appropriate disciple, that is novel
or innovative, and that meets the high
standards of excellence in its domain.”
Recipients of this award each receive
Outstanding Scholarly Work awardee for SOH
Edgar Samar with Fr. Bienvenido Nebres, Dr.
Assunta Cuyegkeng, and Fr. Adolfo Dacanay,
SJ
Award in the Humanities was given
to Edgar C. Samar of the Filipino
Department for his novel entitled
Walong Diwata ng Pagkahulog
published in 2008 by Anvil Publishing.
The work is a “well-crafted piece of
postmodern literature” which was
translated into English by Michael Co,
giving it international recognition. It
is now on its second edition by Anvil
Publishing—a good indication of its
popularity. He said that you are lucky
to get a second printing in less than ten
years in the Philippines. Apparently, he
remarked, younger readers have found
it appealing. The book touches on issues
such as “sex, kabaliwan at katalinuhan,
pagpaslang at pagtitiwakal.” Samar
thanked all those who helped him with
the publication and said he will use the
cash award to come up with another
piece of work in progress.
Award in Science and Engineering was
awarded to Dr. Ma. Louise Antonette N.
delas Peñas and Enrico Paolo C. Bugarin
of the Mathematics Department,
for their paper entitled “On Color
Groups og Bravais Coloring of Planar
Modules with Quasicrystallographic
Symmetries,” published in 2008 in
the Zeitschrift fur Krystallographie,
volume 223. According to Delas Peñas,
mathematical crystallography is a study
of crystals being researched on by an
elite circle of mathematicians. Her
passion and enthusiasm for this new area
of study, she said, was sparked during
her sabbatical leave and fired on with
the help of Bugarin, a younger colleague
who shares her enthusiasm for studying
crystals. She gave this caveat to her fellow
faculty members as she reflected on her
energies at work as a mathematician:
“Nothing is impossible when one works
hard to achieve them.”
Outstanding Scholarly Work awardee for
SOSE Dr. Ninette de las Peñas and Enrico
Paolo Bugarin with Fr. Bienvenido Nebres, SJ,
Dr. Fabian Dayrit, and Dr. Assunta Cuyegkeng
Scholarly Work with Most Social
Impact
Lastly, Loyola Schools recognized
Dr. Queena N. Lee-Chua of the
Mathematics Department for her book
entitled Magaling ang Pinoy! How and
Why Filipino Public School Students
Achieve published in 2007 by the Office
of Research and Publications, Ateneo
de Manila University. The Scholarly
Work Award with the Most Social
Impact awarded to Lee-Chua this year
recognizes sound scholarly work by
fulltime faculty that makes a distinct
difference in addressing socio-civic and
national development concerns. The
work was nominated by Solvie NublaLee of Pathways for Higher Education,
a University unit which greatly benefited
from her scholarly work with the group.
Lee-Chua thanked all of the parents and
volunteers who helped her conduct the
research work on 3,000 families with
children in public schools. Guided by
the adages “education begins at home”
and “education is the key to a brighter
future,” her research explored factors
contributing to children’s performance
in school. The research showed that
effective parenting does help raise
children’s potential.
Scholarly Work with Most Social Impact
awardee Dr. Queena Lee-Chua with Fr.
Bienvenido Nebres, SJ, co-authors Nerisa
Fernandez and Maribel Dionisio, and Dr.
Assunta Cuyegkeng
Special tribute
A special tribute was also given to
Cuyegkeng, as outgoing Vice President
for Loyola Schools for her own exemplary
level of scholarship in her own field. She
was recognized and given appreciation
for nurturing research and creative work
in the Loyola Schools during her fouryear term.
VOLUME VI
|
NO. 1
|
19
MAY 2010
The Crown Defended
Sports
In 2008, during Season 71, they lost to
feu by 6 in the sixth game of the season.
Ateneo closed out that first round with
a 7-point win over ust. Following the l
to up in the fourth game of Season 72,
Ateneo topped Adamson by 10.
The team likes to look for motivation
wherever and whenever they can get it.
They circled the date with the return
bout with up and once game day arrived,
they attacked the Maroons from the
opening tip and the resulting 18 point
winning margin left all without a doubt
who was king when they had their game
faces on.
When ue took Game 2 of the 2009
Finals, there was an element of danger,
maybe even drama. The ghosts of the
2006 meltdown to ust were resurrected.
In the space of one game, the Ateneo
Blue Eagles went from having one of
the greatest runs of any college team in
history to possibly one of the biggest flops
of all. That’s of course no disrespect to
the University of the East Red Warriors
who have also been one of the top teams
in recent memory albeit without a uaap
title to show for it. Different quarters
openly asked who was the real “team of
destiny.”
But when the lights came on for
Game 3, Ateneo reaffirmed its mastery
over its Recto-based foe with a 13-point
margin of victory to wrap up the school’s
fifth uaap Men’s Basketball Crown.
They had shown remarkable resiliency
and character in the two-year title run
where a record of 32-3 was compiled.
The journey that had begun in 2005
when Norman Black, Rabeh AlHussaini, and Jai Reyes first came in had
now gone full circle. And the mission,
a fitting birthday gift for Ateneo on its
150th anniversary, had been completed.
Eight months from now, they’ll be
aiming for history.
Photo by Nono Felipe
www.fabilioh.com
Blue Judokas bag
two-peat
Photo by Aly Yap
www.fabilioh.com
by Jayce Franco Chua, goateneo.com
The Ateneo de Manila University
men’s judo team showed tremendous
skill on the floor as they blew away
the competition in this season’s uaap
competition held on October 4, 2009 at
the Blue Eagle Gym.
The Seniors Judo team entered the
event as defending champions gunning
for a two-peat. Beating all opposing
teams from University of Sto. Tomas,
University of the Philippines, University
of the East, Adamson, and La Salle,
Ateneo successfully defended their
championship and made uaap history.
The Judokas from Katipunan trained
hard to make sure they’d have another
shot at the gold. The team displayed
key grapples, hard-impact take downs,
painful submissions, and tough battles
throughout the competition. The
Judokas in their blue gis emerged on top
winning two gold medals, one silver, and
five bronze.
Team captain Jhonel Faelnar (iii bs
me) and Salvador Reyes Jr. (ms cs) won
gold medals in the -60kg and +100kg
weight divisions, respectively. Faelnar
and Reyes won on their matches via an
Ippon Throw.
Paulo Luz (iv bs hs) racked up points
to finish second place in the -66kg event.
Gian Dee (iv bs mgt) won bronze in
the -60kg division via a Pin, while Miguel
Abaca (iii bs ch-acs) also nabbed the
bronze in -73kg by winning his match
with an impressive Ippon Throw.
Both Josh Miciano (ii ab psy) and
Joseph Wong (iv ab mec) won bronze
medals in the -90kg division by points.
Andro Umali (iii bs bio) completed the
winning team with his bronze in the
-100kg division with enough points to
put him in the top three.
Photo by Aly Yap
www.fabilioh.com
Photo by Aly Yap
www.fabilioh.com
Photo by Aly Yap
www.fabilioh.com
Photo by Aly Yap
www.fabilioh.com
uaap Season 72
Podium Finishes
Photo by Aly Yap
www.fabilioh.com
Photo by Aly Yap
www.fabilioh.com
Champion
Men’s basketball team
Men’s judo team
First runner-up
Blue Babble Battalion
(cheerdancing)
Women’s fencing team
Men’s swimming team
Women’s swimming team
Second runner-up
Men’s taekwondo team
Women’s tennis team
Men’s track and field team
Men’s volleyball team
Women’s volleyball team
Photo by Aly Yap
www.fabilioh.com
www.fabilioh.com
www.fabilioh.com
The Crown
by Rick Olivares
Defended
If the first title was a journey, the second consecutive crown was a mission.
“Champions aren’t made in gyms.
Champions are made from something
they have deep inside them: A desire, a
dream, and a vision. They have to have
last-minute stamina, they have to be a
little faster, and they have to have the
skill and the will. But the will must be
stronger than the skill.”
- Muhammad Ali
If the pursuit of a championship is
a journey one team undertakes then
defending a crown is a mission.
In the history of Ateneo basketball,
despite the 19 titles the school has
amassed since its halcyon ncaa days, it
teams aren’t built to win a championship
year after year. Previously, the blue and
whites achieved the back-to-back feat
fives time and one of them was for a
three-peat back when the world was a
vastly different place.
But as the Ateneo Blue Eagles
entered Season 72 of the uaap, despite
having won its fourth league title in
the previous year, most quarters merely
pegged them as a contender for the most
coveted basketball championship in the
Philippines.
Far Eastern University (feu) was a
runaway favorite to unseat the champs
largely because of its national players and
its new recruits who were touted to make
an immediate impact.
Even if the team wasn’t an outright
favorite to win the championship, there
was no way the Blue Eagles were going to
slip under the radar. Not when the team
had the reigning Most Valuable Player in
Rabeh Al-Hussaini, the Defensive Player
of the Year Nonoy Baclao, the Rookie
of the Year in Ryan Buenafe, and other
blue chip players. Since the basketball
program was implemented a decade ago,
the team has consistently made the Final
Four and made the championship round
five times. Every team got up to play the
Blue Eagles.
Yet if people expected them to win in
Season 72, almost no one imagined that
they could have at one point duplicated
the previous year’s effort when they went
16-1.
But as the champs won their 14th
straight match (dating from the previous
season), it seemed an unlikely story
as Ateneo was winning even without
putting up spectacular numbers or
whopping individual statistics. They
were winning ugly even as their
individual stars were struggling at one
point or another. That left opponents
with a chilling thought—what more
when they get their act together?
As the team with a diesel engine
went through a hell of an opening week
where they faced the feu Tamaraws, the
University of the East Red Warriors,
and the University of Santo Tomas
Growling Tigers—all of them legitimate
contenders and eventual Final Four
survivors—and dispatched them in
varying fashion, the team felt cocky. As
polite as they were about their chances,
they privately felt that some games were
won even without setting foot on the
court. It was a disturbing sign and one
that would come back to haunt them as
the tournament progressed.
In the team’s fourth assignment, they
were pitted against the University of the
Philippines Fighting Maroons. Had the
Maroons had Fil-Am Mike Silungan
in uniform they would be considered
a contender since they have a veteran
line up of good players complimented
by promising rookies. But Silungan was
disallowed to suit up just before the
season began and up was downgraded
to a “dark horse contender.” With up
0-3, Ateneo paid dearly for taking the
Maroons lightly. The Diliman team
played inspired ball as they stripped their
Katipunan neighbors of their blanket of
invincibility for the Blue Eagles’ first
loss.
In a league like the uaap where the
basketball season could be as short
as 14 games or as long as 19 games,
every win counts. The league can be a
little more predictable as the perennial
powerhouses—Ateneo, La Salle, ue, and
feu—promise to be in the championship
picture year in and out. But every win
counts even for the four traditional
powers who jockey for the top two seeds’
crucial twice to beat advantage.
The loss to up put Ateneo on level
with feu while ust and ue remained
within striking distance. Archrival La
Salle, on the other hand, was surprisingly
somewhere in the bottom half of the
standings.
In the three years the Blue Eagles
made the Finals under head coach
Norman Black, they only lost back-toback games once and that was to ust in
the 2006 finals. In those title run years,
the team showed an amazing resiliency
in bouncing back. During the 2006
eliminations, they lost to ust in the
second round of Season 69 by 8 points
but the team got back on track with a
27-point demolition of nu.
continued on page 19

Vergara is - Loyola Schools - Ateneo de Manila University

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