ATENEWS November 2008 Tabloid Release

1ATENEWS |

Fiesta 2008 intechnicolorp 5-8

Feature: Addu Triviap 3

Vol. 54 No. 3 November 2008 Davao City, Philippines

Why great love stories happen in collegep 4

ATENEWS“END THE SILENCE OF THE GAGGED”

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT pUbLICATION OF ATENEO DE DAvAO UNIvErSITy

“In any war, the field of battle suffers worse devastation than either army.” – Salman Rushdie, Midnight’s Children, 1981

This sentence fairly summarizes the scenario regarding the conflict in Mindanao. With a number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) reaching to more than 250,000, people getting killed in evacuation centers and poor-conditioned makeshifts, people overwhelmed by fear and refusing to go back home, human rights violations, civilian residences raided, suspension of school classes, farms and crops destroyed, investments and economy severely affected, and Muslim-Christian relationships starting to divide, there is a necessity to know the root of all these atrocities so as to provide solution at the end of the day.

Late 2007, the public first heard of the MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT ON THE ANCESTRAL DOMAIN ASPECT OF

THE GRP-MILF TRIPOLI AGREEMENT ON PEACE OF 2001, better known to the public as the MOA-AD. It calls for the passing of laws regarding Ancestral Domains for the Moro people and its right for self-determination.

The MOA-AD opens a plebiscite for the reclaiming of ancestral lands of the Bangsamoro people in Mindanao. A plebiscite demands the vote of the whole electorate and the people affected by such matters if they want to be part of the future Bangsamoro Juridical Entity (BJE). Thus, as drafted on the official and legal documentation foreseeing the MOA-AD between the GRP and MILF, the MOA-AD, in its purest essence, talks about the root conflict in Mindanao, resolving it, and thus, ending the war in Mindanao.

History of Mindanao: A flashbackLong before migrants from Luzon settled

here, Mindanao is known throughout the Philippine archipelago as the Land of the Moros. “The Land of the Pirates” as Gregorio Zaide quoted it.

From the 16th century when Shariff Kabunsuan first landed on the shores of Rio Grande de Mindanao, a large portion of the indigenous people living in the southern part of the island converted into Islam. There are ten ethno-linguistic groups which are primarily Islamic in religious affiliation: Maranao, Maguindanao, Tausug, Sama, Sangil, Iranun, Kalibugan, Yakan, Jama Mapun, and Molbog.

1521, the first Spanish fleet arrived at the shores of Limasawa and converted the people into Christianity. On 1565, after numerous failed expeditions by many Spanish navigators, Miguel Lopez De Legazpi managed to take hold of the lands on the North and thus, the

colonization of the Philippines started.Prior to the Spanish occupation of the

Philippines, several datuships and sultanates have already been established in Mindanao. On 1450, seventy-one years before Ferdinand Magellan’s “discovery of the Philippines”, the Sultanate of Sulu was established. An Independent state in its own right, it fought the Spaniards for 333 years and had remained free until 1898. On the other, the Sultanate of Maguindanao was formed in 1619 by the famous Sultan Kudarat from the two datuships of Maguindanao and Rajah Buayan. They fought the Spaniards and remained free until the signing of the Treaty of Paris.

The Treaty of Paris, signed on June 20, 1898, marks the bilateral agreement of Spain and USA upon the selling of the Philippines as an “Insular Possession” for 20 million Mexican dollars. What followed afterwards

MOA-AD: The other side of the coin

ÜMOA-AD, 10

Mr. Neil Ryan Pancho, AdDU-CFU President, said that the ne-gotiations they initiated more than six months ago are still go-ing on with important provisions of the CBA still not set in stone.

In a statement issued by the CFU Negotiating Team last Nov. 7 entitled “Consider This,” the union decried the “lackadaisical treatment” the AdDU management has offered the issues they raised including proposed changes in hiring rates, wages, teaching loads, and benefits among others.

AdDU Personnel Director Esmer-aldo Lampauog on the other hand said that the negotiations are “going well, going smooth [sic] with the union.”

“We are trying to balance out. What we give is taken from tuition. If we commit too much, it will be pass [sic] on to tuition. In every tuition increase, 70% goes to the salary and benefits of the faculty, 20% to the facilities, and the 10% to the operations of the school. We keep the demand within that regu-lation,” he added.

Currently, the hiring rates for new teachers are P7,700 for applicants with a Bachelor’s degree, P9,054 for people with a Master’s degree and P10,263 for Doctoral degree holders.

CBA negotiations continue, Deadlines extended

CAPTIVATING Ateneans marked the University’s 60th anniversary with astonishing colors and priceless joy. / Mick Basa

by Hyangelo Hao and Bai Shaima

Baraguir

ÜCBA, 11

by Bai Shaima Baraguir

The personalities behind the building namesp 4

3rd year Asian Studies Students Goes Asian Escapadep 12

The buzz on the Cheerdance Ticketsp 3

2 | ATENEWS

ATENEWS ‘End the silence of the gagged’

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Hyangelo Henry Hao • Santigo Paulo Pascual ASSOCIATE EDITOR Karlo James Bringas MANAGING EDITOR Jobelle Obguia

NEWS EDITOR Mick Jethro Basa FEATURES EDITOR Ma. Elaine Dy SENIOR WRITERS Carmel Jade Bual • Kheycee Matarlo • Sonito Mole • Blossom Madulin • Hope Charmaine Mangabang STAFF WRITERS Kathleen Dominique Aliño • Bai Shaima Baraguir • Ma. Cristina Elizaga • Maryam Ross Embalsado • Gabriel Farofoldane • Maria Katherina Galope • Merill Jem Llerena • Ma. Cristina Ramos • Syaza Farrah Samanodi • Janina Patrice Dominique Surposa • Cherry Vale

PHOTOJOURNALISTS Mar Vince Reyes • J.M Mercado • Krisini Nanini • Krizsle Muit ILLUSTRATORS Erwin Dirampatun • Noli Jane Pacunla • Audree Tacastacas • Ruki Trumata

LAYOUT TEAM Karla Degrano • Al Pascual MODERATORS Dr. Macario Tiu • Dr. Victoria Tatad-PreCONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Wacky Masbad CONTRIBUTOR Karla Stefan Singson • Akeem Jade G. Fabila

MEMBER OF THE COLLEGE EDITORS GUILD OF THE PHILIPPINESThe Atenews is the official student publication of the Ateneo de Davao University, Jacinto St., Davao City. We accept articles, letters, poems, pictures, comics and other contributions for publication.

ROCKS FROM HEAVENHyangelo Henry Hao

Of Shadows and ShoesIt’s been more than two months

since our previous release and I gather many of you are prob-

ably wondering what the heck hap-pened to Atenews.

Thesis defenses, major projects and exams – that’s what happened. When we started this school year, we put regularizing our releases at the top of our to-do list. They don’t call newspapers periodicals for no reason after all.

During first few months, it all seemed to be going on as planned. We managed to get Banaag Diwa 2008 out on time and we are proud that we did all the work done from cover to cover.

Our first tabloid release received both accolades and complaints (as usual). A theology teacher used our editorial as an example of a social analysis - a very welcome change for me since I am aware that English teachers regularly use our issues to illustrate grammati-cal errors to their students.

With risk of digressing, I’d like to stress out that, these days, we at the Atenews do not represent the best writers of the university. Whatever illusion of being the best writer anyone had was wiped out by the insults we’ve received like tides crashing into sand castles.

Even before I became an editor, I was already aware that I have big shoes to fill. Merely looking at front page clippings of circa 80 and circa 90 Atenews re-leases made me realize that the great writers that once occupied our little office cast great shadows on us.

How can I ever fill the shoes left behind by for-mer Atenews members like Dr. Macario Tiu, one of AdDU’s most prolific and decorated writer, who once held the position I am now holding? Or by Augusto “Gus” Miclat and his martial law era colleagues who courageously went on to publish the first student paper

despite Marcos’ news blackout predating even the es-teemed Philippine Collegian of UP? Or by Penelope Sanz and Charina Sanz-Zarate whose works literally cover our walls; Or by the martyred Benjaline “Beng” Hernandez whose portrait hang in our office and whose heroism has gained the undying reverence of many?

I know for a fact that hard times like the Martial Law era brought out the best people and the best in people. I’d say that the golden years of this publication was during those times. Because those are the times when the best writers would come out to chronicle op-pression with the sincerest consciousness and pen the most scathing criticisms of tyranny with fiery passion.

It is clear to me that once upon a time, Ate-news did represent the best and brightest writers of Ateneo – of our country even. I guess over time and after countless closures (no thanks to campus press repression), Atenews has lost its luster. What used to be an organization students lined up to be a member of now, apparently, only appeals to second rate writers like me who can’t even manage to put up issues regularly.

But when I shun the naysayer in me, I see that Atenews is getting back on track, albeit slowly. We may not be the best writers of Ateneo but we still hold the same ideals our mighty pillars did. What we really need now are new writers who

ÜShadows, 11

Coinciding, quite ironically, with the university’s 60th anniversary themed as “60 years of service and

excellence,” the relatively young College Faculty Union launched its Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations with ADDU management. The union move was sparked by the growing concern and discontent of teachers

on Ateneo’s abysmal hiring rates, salaries and

benefits despite being one of Davao’s most expensive schools. The negotiations have dragged on for months and months now and still no agreement inked. The CFU has lamented the excruciatingly slow pace of the negotiations which they attributed to the management’s failure to put forward counterproposals promptly – the management allegedly submitted it three months after the talks started. While the CFU has shown good faith in the negotiations by extending the deadlines they set and not taking a harder stance, it is a concern of the students that the patience of the union might run out and the negotiations will break down into a strike like it has for the Grade School union a few years back during Fr. Martinez’ tenure. A strike means interruption of class-es and even perhaps deferment of gradu-ations. This is an issue of the students as much as it is of the teachers and of the administration. And quite understandably, we, too, have hoped for a speedy resolution of this conflict. But eight months after the union ini-tiated the talks, negotiations are still going on. Had the CFU taken a harder stance, we would have seen a strike months ago. Why has the management let this drag on this long? Perhaps the administration saw fit to attend to other matters like celebrating 60 years of excellence and service before tak-ing the negotiations seriously? And though many students are con-cerned that the proposals of the union might mean more hikes on tuition fees, the rights of teachers, as free workers, to a just and equitable working condition should be re-spected. The management should take the negotiations seriously as any decent orga-nization should. And as an institution that boasts of 6 decades of service and of being men and women for others, it should treat the teachers’ plight conscientiously and faithfully.

Fiddling AroundOPINION

EDITORIAL

3ATENEWS |

The third day of the annual Ateneo Fiesta arrived, bringing with it the much-awaited cheerdance competition and the ordeal of managing several hundred students that accompanies popular events like it. As students eagerly bought tickets for the event, plans were laid out by the organizers, in particular the Ateneo Student Security Forces (ASSF), to ensure the event went along smoothly. And as 6:15 PM and the signal to admit the first students into the covered court loomed, the ASSF girded their loins and steeled themselves for what turned out to be a trying night. Nothing untoward happened when the first group of students (from the B&M division) was let in. But as the second and third groups (from BSA-MA and Nursing, respectively) trickled in, something untoward did happen. All three groups were to be seated at the right-hand bleacher, but in spite of the repeated calls to “Sibug! Sibug!” and “Compress! Compress!” some students simply cannot find seating space. Why is this, we wondered? Why are there still a number of students who cannot get a seat when only 200 seats were allotted per division? The three divisions together should only take up half the bleacher. The same number of tickets for seats was disseminated last year. So why is there an overflow? There was still a queue waiting outside, however, and students from the remaining divisions were let in to sit at the left-hand bleacher. Naturally, overflow occurred again. Students still in line had to be barred from entering. Those inside and still standing were asked to sit on the floor. Raised voices and angry faces greeted us then, but nothing can be done; the covered court can only accommodate so many people. While the cheerdance was in full swing, we confronted the question still hanging in the air. We considered the tickets, which were the requirement for any student to be allowed in. The tickets were carefully examined and segregated, and our findings were alarming. To wit:• The tickets were duplicated, as evidenced by three tickets found with the same series number.• The tickets were duplicated via scanning and printing, as evidenced by the discrepancies in printing, paper quality, and color.• The tickets were tampered, as evidenced by the wrong dates.

The Buzz on the Cheerdance Tickets by ASSF AHTL / JM

ÜThe Buzz, 10

A break in the usual dancing, singing and other usual fiesta frenzy activities gave way to a game like no other.

On a hot Friday afternoon, August 15, representatives from the different divisions were enticed to once again participate in the annual Palarong Pinoy organized by The General Assembly of Class Presidents (GACP).

It marked the third day of the Ateneo’s celebration of its 60th anniversary. It let students get in touch with their Filipino roots by

engaging in games that are unique and 100% exciting. It truly paved the way to relaxation and to have fun the Filipino way.

There were 7 games: Kadang-kadang, Catch the dragon’s tail, Egg catching, Maria and Mario went to town, Paypay isda, Four legged race and Happy Feet; played by the different representatives from the 9 respective divisions. It started and ended with a handful of laughs and cheers and good sportsmanship embodying another fun-filled Fiesta in Ateneo.

Palarong Pinoyby Tweetie Embalsado

List of Winners:

Kadang-kadang: B&MCatch the Dragon’s tail: BSAEgg-catching: .NS&MMario and Maria goes to town: BSAFour-legged race: B&MPaypay isda: B&MHappy Feet: E&AFirst placer: B&MSecond placer: BSAThird placer: NS&M

Ateneo Trivia

•…planting an Ateneo in Davao was planned in the early 1940s but was delayed because of World War II? •…in 1948, the wooden grade school building in Matina (which has now been replaced by the Martinez Hall) was constructed on a 6-hectare lot? It opened on June 1948 with 71 elementary and 131 high school students. •…the first University Rector was Fr. Theodore E. Daigler, S.J., who was assisted by Fathers Alfredo Paguia, S.J., Grant Quinn, S.J., James Donelan, S.J., Rodolfo Malasmas, S.J., and John Montenegro, S.J.? •…the first wooden college building in Jacinto was blessed by then Papal Nuncio to the Philippines Msgr. Egidio Vagnozzi on July 2, 1951? •…the first offered courses were Commerce, Liberal Arts, Associate in Arts, Pre-Law, Elementary Teacher’s Certificate, and Secretarial? •…the university chapel was installed under the supervision of Fr. Paul V. Finster, the second University Rector? •…the Ateneo de Davao Law School was established in 1961? •…the Graduate School was opened in 1968? •…on March 29, 1969, then Ateneo de Davao College became the 16th duly accredited college by the PAASCU Board of Trustees? •…under the administration of Fr. Miguel Ma. Varela, S.J. in 1966, Ateneo de Davao became one of the 35 institutions of higher learning in the Philippines? •...in 1967, the Ateneo Grade School became coed? The High School followed suit in 1977. •…in 1969, Ateneo de Davao was one of five schools that pioneered a program for upgrading science teaching in the Philippines under the National Science Development Board? •…in 1969, the Mindanao Consortium of Ateneos was established? Its members are Ateneo de Davao, Ateneo de Zamboanga and Xavier University (Ateneo de Cagayan). •…in 1974, under the supervision of Fr. Emeterio J. Barcelon, S.J., the covered court was constructed along with a 5-storey classroom building, 3-door commercial building and a 5-storey dormitory (now called the Dotterweich building)? •…the university used to provide

Did you know that…

by Carmel Jade Bual

ÜAteneo, 10

NS Snatches Cheerdance Cupby Jobelle Obguia

Not so many can have the gold. But this year, Not So Many has the gold.

As Ateneo celebrated its 60th year of excellence from August 13-16 the Fiesta fever got 60 times hotter, making the cheerdance competition this year’s most anticipated event. One can only imagine how intense the excitement

was and how nervous the participants must have been, knowing the crowd expected a majis-tic performance.

The cheerdance is always a must-see event. Some booths were even giving away cheerdance tickets as a prize. The students were all set to watch, even if they have to wait for almost two hours in line. A snake-like column of fiercely

patient students crowded the hallways leading to the covered court as soon as they were signaled to get in.

From the moment the first cheerdance squad started their performance, the tired-from-waiting crowd was brought back to life. All eight didn’t fail the crowd; each division tried to outdo each other with roaring

cheers, exceptional moves, and stylish routines. Their presentations were a blast, resulting from weeks and even months of preparation. The competition was a splendid flaunt of flairs.

Engineering and Architecture, Computer Studies, Natural Science and Math, and the College of Nursing made it to the top four. It was a blazing

ÜNS, 10

Paper Personality. One of the entries in the installation art competition set in a sea of blue water cellophane / Marvin Reyes

The first day of this year’s Ateneo fiesta paved way for the installation art competition at the Dott’s Park near the gazebo. Installation art is a conceptual art that integrates almost any media (such as music, sculpture, painting) to create an architectural tableau or a new conceptual experience in a particular environment. Beyond the concept it exhibits, it also seeks to convey an uncovered message just as what other forms of art do. In conjunction with the celebration of the Feast of the Assumption of our Blessed Mother, its message must be in relation

to the theme “Mother Mary: Our Model of Following Christ in Excellence and Service”. All nine divisions participated in the yearly on-the-spot competition. Every division was entitled to a single entry. The division chairperson, division secretary, three faculty members, and four students comprised the division representatives. Under the raging heat of the sun, each team showed a great deal of enthusiasm and solidarity in working with their masterpieces. It was a venue for them to express their ingenuity, resourcefulness,

Ateneans expose artistic virtuosity by Kheycee Mae Matarlo

ÜAteneans,11

4 | ATENEWS

The personalities behind the building namesby Carmel Jade Bual

• St. Robert Bellarmine is said to be the Jesuit patron of teachers. He wrote many sermons including one on catechism that was translated into 40 languages. His famous quote goes “The walls won’t catch colds,” referring to the hangings in his rooms which he took down and used to clothe people.• St. Peter Canisius was of prosper-ous Dutch heritage. In his early twenties, a retreat with Fr. Peter Faber inspired him to devote himself for the Society of Jesus. He founded the Jesuit German Province and was one of ten Jesuits sent to Sicily, Italy to open the first school for boys. Many Ateneo schools today are still ex-clusive for boys.• Bishop Luis del Rosario, S.J. of Zamboanga used to be the chaplain of the Bureau of Prisons in Manila.• Fr. John Dotterweich, S.J. was considered to be one of the first model PFOs (persons for others) in the univer-sity. There is even an internally-funded scholarship grant in his name. • Fr. Paul V. Finster, S.J. was the

second University Rector. He became the first Blue Knight Awardee in 1992. The Award is given to Atenean leaders who are not only excellent in their chosen field but whose life, more importantly, caused a positive impact to society and whose work greatly benefited his or her immedi-ate community.• Fr. Matteo Gisbert, S.J. was born in Tarragona, Spain. He is believed to be the first priest who brought the gospel to the Bagobos, Tagacaolos, Atas and other native tribes. In 1892, he published a Bagobo-Spanish and Spanish-Bagobo dictionary of 188 pages. • Bishop Clovis Thibault was born in Quebec, Canada and used to be a parish priest of San Pedro Church. It was through his generous support that the Jacinto cam-pus was obtained in 1951. He became the first bishop of Davao, consecrated on February 11, 1955. He is also a 1970 Datu Bago awardee.• Fr. Justus Wieman, S.J. was a pro-fessor of the Ateneo de Davao for roughly ten years, from 1957 to 1968. He died

If you’ve found that one person who completes you, who lights up your day and most of all, who promises to cherish you for the rest of his/her life, you might have met him/her during college. If you didn’t, I’m certain you’ve met someone who fit in the same profile when you were still in college. What’s with college? In this article I will be discussing about why the college environment is most conducive for great love stories and of course, why you never noticed.Maturity Spurs When we were still in the process of choosing our college course, we were faced with the threat of changing the itinerary of our lives. Through this, we are pushed to think, act and behave maturely so as to make the best decision possible. This is the first form of forced maturity that we learn to wear as we approach college life. As we go through college we are confronted with everyday social evils (e.g. an overconfident pal, monster profs, but-I-was-drunk! incidents, etc.). Through these

evils, we become emotionally polished as individuals and we learn about life in such a short span of time. Love demands maturity and maturity is a free enterprise in college.Your Heart is at its Prime In line with being mature, great love stories happen in college because college shapes our personality in such a way that we reach a full circle, making us “whole”. Notice that debut parties happen in college and it is at this point when a “girl” becomes a “woman”. And jeeringly, “boys” become “men” through informal rites such as losing their virginity or downing a liter of beer. Men and women are terms which connote wholeness. When we feel whole, it is at this point when we are most willing to share our wholeness with another person. It is with such maturity that we become ready to give ourselves to a significant other. College, as a mosaic of emotional, social, mental and physical pressures, facilitates the achievement for such wholeness.

Why great love stories happen in collegeby Karla Stefan Singson

FEATURES

As if to prove that Ateneans are not just about singing and dancing, several knights flocked room F213 last August 14, 2008 to outwit and outlast each other on the battlefields of debate and extemporaneous dialogue.

The event was successfully organized by the Ateneo Debate Community in time for the university’s 60th anniversary celebration.

Following the British Parliamentary format, the debate was participated by four teams with two speakers each. Team A of the Business and Management division represented the Opening Government while Team A of the Philosophy division did so for the Closing Government. Team B of the College of Nursing held the banner of the Opening Opposition while Team A of the Accountancy Division also raised it for the Closing Opposition.

Debating on the motion “This house believes that in schools, standardized testing is the enemy of learning,” the Opposition team got the upper hand in the end with the Closing Opposition garnering the title of

11th Ignatians Debate Cup Champion. The team was represented by future accountants James Bernal and Maria Jessica Fortaleza, who was also crowned as the tournament’s Best Speaker. The First Runner Up prize was given to the Opening Opposition team represented by student nurses Kate Angelli Lucero and Norman Lobino, Jr.

In the extemporaneous dialogue competition, where the object of the game was to impress and sometimes flatter the judges, the speakers had to deliver an interesting and intelligent conversation while displaying wit and a little bit of satire. Discoursing on their topic “Marriage is an outdated institution,” the Engineering and

Architecture division represented by Vikki Fe Albino and Johanna Monica Yu received the third prize. Garnering the second prize were Josa Piñol and Benedict Madrazo of the College of Nursing with their outrageous subject, “The next president of the most powerful country in the world should be Paris Hilton”. Finally, discussing the issue “Ateneo’s no permit, no exam policy is justified”, the championship title was bestowed on the Humanities division’s Anna Francesca Mempin, famed for being the university’s emcee extraordinaire, and her equally engaging teammate Mary Kathleen Faye Nosdo.

The speaking events were indeed a breath of fresh air amidst the barrage of dancing and singing competitions during the university fiesta. Although not that well participated by the public, they surely proved that many Ateneans are still exhibiting the qualities of well-rounded individuals. Already, intellectuals are hungry for more of the exciting speaking battles next year.

11th Ignatians Debate Cup Championships andExtemporaneous Dialogue Competitions

by Carmel Jade Bual

Eloquient and Elegant. The Ateneo Debating Community strikes a pose after the competition. / Hyangelo Hao

July 31 is the 212th day of the year (213th in leap years) in the Gregorian cal-endar. Some may be oblivious to this fact for they regard this day as “just one of those passing days”.

However, for some, this day can’t just be that passing day. For avid Hitler wor-shippers, July 31 is the date of the appall-ing Holocaust. For Harry Potter maniacs, cheers are raised for the birth of the books’ creator, J.K. Rowling. How about us Ate-neans? Do we hold this day dear too?

July 31 is the date of St. Ignatius’ death, the very reason why Jesuits around the world commemorate him. It’s not just a death anniversary. It’s also a feast day. This July 31 has been especially significant to us and also to the history of the school because it marks Ateneo de Davao Univer-

sity’s 60 years of service and excellence.Honoring this day meant celebrating

with a mass especially dedicated to St. Ignatius the day before, July 30. More celebrations took place at the Ateneo De Davao University Matina Campus, Sports Complex on the feast day itself. To the student population’s glee, classes were shortened up to 2:30 in the afternoon while evening classes were cancelled to give way to the celebration.

The event started at 4pm and ended at 9pm. Special guests included Vice Mayor Sara Duterte. Teachers and staff from the college, high school, and grade school di-visions also took part as the spectators.

The program opened with the giving of special awards and speeches at 4pm. The early dinner at 5pm allowed guests

I Know What Happened last July 31by Merill Jem Llerena

ÜLove stories,11

ÜI Know, 11 ÜThe Personalities, 11

Can’t win ‘em allby Ma. Katherina Galope

Even though this game brought no glory to any of the divisions, it gave AdDU another reason to feel even more festive. The basketball exhibition game between Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU) and Notre Dame University of Midsayap (NDU) took place in the Ateneo Covered court right after EA won the basket ball championship against BSA during the last day of our college fiesta.

Madelo, Awad, Solitaria, Claveria and Pagdalian were the Blue Knight’s first five while Belo, Gonzales, Vilorva, Yongco and Gutierrez were Notre Dame’s. The Atenean team was in the

lead by the end of the 1st quarter with a score of 28 against NDU’s 21. The Blue Knights held the lead through out the 2nd and 3rd quarter. By the end of the second quarter AdDU led by 12 points, 51-39.

After seemingly endless chants of “Oden! Oden!” the crowd’s favorite was put in by the coach during the last few minutes of the second quarter. During the third quarter the gap between the two scores was only widened. AdDU now led by 22 points, 72-50. A large amount of these points were due to Madelo who easily stole and dunked the ball spectacularly several times. The final score was 86-62, in favor of Ateneo. The Blue Knight’s team by far won this invitational game.

5ATENEWS |

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9ATENEWS |

The championship of the men and women’s basketball game started on the festive morning of Friday, August 15, amidst all the dust, noise and fuss the construction of the new Engineering building is making. It started late as few people did not seem to know that that day was the start of the championship games. But the spectators rushed in when they heard of all the excitement the games were causing.

SS&E women players and their coach, Akeem Fabila, came in early to talk strategy, to get the feel of the court, and to warm up early. For the men, the Accountancy players, coached by Vincent Marasigan, were the ones excited and hopeful. The Nursing women followed, led by their coach, Sol Pizaro. Lastly, the EA men’s team in orange and white arrived, led by the mighty Richard Madelo.

The games were officiated by the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) referees in their uniforms, making the games all the more official-looking. Coach Pochollo Elegino commentated the games.

The games started with the women’s teams, followed by the men’s.

Nursing vs. SS&E (Women)The Nursing crew finished first in

the elimination rounds. With the high-scoring Ms. Trexie Cabatbat in their team, it seemed that nothing could stop them from winning the whole tournament.

The SS&E club also had good games for the most part of the tournament, including that game with the Nursing division in the eliminations, yet at the end of that game they crumbled as the Nursing squad shot a 3 that doomed SS&E’s chances of a twice to beat advantage.

Women: Game 1Headed by their primary offensive

option, Ms. Kriska Herrero, the SS&E club dominated Game 1. They started strong as the star player of the Nursing

division, Ms. Cabatbat, came in slightly late, arriving nearly in the middle of the 1st quarter. Ms. Herrero seemed to dominate every inch of the painted area as she continually challenged the defenses of the Centers of the Nursing Division. Ms. Kiara Rioferio as well as their designated Centers, Ms. Dawn Pates and Ms. Karen Cajipe supported Ms. Herrero all the way showing screens, rebounding-prowess and excellent ball handling.

But, the Nursing Division did not quit. Yes, they trailed behind nearly the entire game. But, there were times when the momentum was on their side as Ms. Nikki Conejero made some steals and Ms. Kristy Anne Lutz made some excellent rebounds both offensive and defensive,

which led to sure points for their squad. And not to mention the untouchable Ms. Cabatbat, who used her athleticism to wade through the defenses being shot at her by the SS&E team.

In the end, though, the Nursing Division’s efforts were not enough as some of their players they were counting on never came through as Ms. Sandie Marie Fuentes’ favourite baseline shots never hit the basket; and Ms. Cabatbat, having a few stumbles, complained for the no-calls, and at the times when those fouls were indeed called, she did not manage to shoot some of the free throws awarded to her.

Ms. Herrero, on the other hand, showed composure all throughout and her team was also with her all the way. The Nursing crew spoiled their twice to beat advantage as the SS&E women won Game 1, 49 – 40.

Women: Game 2SS&E brought their winning streak to

Game 2. Ms. Herrero was still the go-to girl for her team. She brought her usual skills and game, thus managing to carry her team to the victory they so wanted.

SS&E now knew whom to expect to carry the opposing team to victory and so came in ready with the right defenses all polished and clean.

Seemingly, everything conspired in SS&E’s favor, as the Number 1 player of the Nursing Division, Ms. Cabatbat, succumbed to an injury, perhaps because of fatigue and the constant hits she has taken from her defenders that greatly slowed her game.

These reasons and SS&E’s will to win the tourney managed to bring Lady Victory towards their side, ending 1st place securing a championship trophy for their batch.

Accountancy vs. EA (Men)From the start, the Accountancy crew

were the underdogs of this tournament,

SS&E (Women) and EA (Men) ballers force game 2 winsby Sonito Mole

Running in Pink. An SS&E player clad in pink running during a fastbreak / Krisini Nanini

Numbered Solidarity The EA basketball team in a huddle before the start of a game / Santigo Pascual

ÜSS&E and EA, 11

so when they came in strong at the beginning of the season all gamblers and opposing teams alike were struck dumb by the squaf’s strength. They beat all their contras in the elimination, including the EA, thus securing a twice to beat advantage.

On the other hand, all bets were on the EA team after winning the game against B&M, establishing their place as the top rank division in ADDU collegiate basketball. But their total domination was put in doubt after that defeat by the Accountancy in the eliminations, yet the EA fans crew (a stunning whole lot of them actually) never did become wary of their team. They thought that the Accountancy club just got lucky that time. Damn lucky.

So at the start of Game 1, nobody really knew what to expect. Would the Accountancy team continue their so-called luck? Or would the EA team strive to reclaim their team’s dominance?

Men: Game 1The Accountancy club had the advantage

in Game 1, since the star player of EA, Mr. Napthan Trespalacious, also fondly called Naruto, did not play because of a suspension. But, this advantage did not seem to be apparent at the start. The EA crew started strong headed by their substitute-triumvirate of Mr. Ginuel Ryan Gamil, Mr. Felix Pepito, and Mr. Ed de Peralta. Mr. Gamil was making the necessary shots for his team. He seemed to love the limelight, Mr. Trespalacious had left for him and I even heard some of the EA crowd calling him, Sasuke. Mr. Pepito showed coolness at the start, also making 3’s and doing some terrific hang-time moves. Mr. Peralta did some excellent rebounds that at times the EA crowd seemed to wish for an offensive miss just to see him get that ball with fervor.

Yet, the Accountancy team did not lose heart. And amazingly they fought the triumvirate of EA with their own triumvirate, composed of Mr. Chino Gadia, Mr. Ronnel Sepe, and Mr. Ranel Sencio. They battled hard, fighting off the opposing team and making the game even more exciting. They maneuvered through the opposing team’s obstacles and they found their glory at the end of the 3rd quarter as finally they managed to take the lead, 45 – 47, from a height of 10 points.

They embraced their surprise momentum, and extended their lead to 6 points in the 4th quarter, as Mr. Sepe and Mr. Gadia shot their 3’s and Mr. Sencio and Mr. Mykel Claveria did their share of the rebounds. It seemed that victory is at hand. And I really did believe that they already had the trophy from that point on. But, once again proving that the ball is indeed round and everything can change in just minutes, the EA troop proved everyone wrong (well not everyone because the EA crowd never did believe that their team had a chance of losing).

The tides have changed in favor of the EA crew. Led by their young bloods, Mr. Denber Tabanao and Mr. Felix Pepito, Mr. Tabanao started EA’s own run by fishing out some fouls that led to free throws which he successfully made, thus increasing their energy levels to the maximum. They fought as any dying man would have fought because for them this was a do or die game. Either force a Game 2 or lose to the Accountancy team. And losing was never an option for them. Their own EA crowd would eat them alive.

The deadly blow was brought down by Felix Pepito as he shot a 3 in the dying seconds of the game tying their team to Accountancy, 64 - 64. Because of pure pressure and nerves the Accountancy team never did manage to fight that run the opposing team had made and, alas, lost that final possession of the ball destroying their hopes of taking back the lead.

With that last flurry to get the ball back, the Accountancy team fouled Mr. Al Usman hoping that he, too, would succumb to pressure. But, hopes were destroyed as Mr. Usman remained cool (even though you can see in his eyes that he was not perfectly cool and you can even see him visibly shake) and shot his 2 free throws, thus winning Game 1, 66 – 64.

Men: Game 2Game 2 was totally dominated by the EA

Division. The EA crew learned their lesson from the past games they’ve had versus the Accountancy Division and this was to not overlook Accountants at all because they have the capability to hoodwink you of your victory no matter how seemingly good your division is.

And with Mr. Trespalacious playing,

10 | ATENEWS

ÛNS from page 3

battle as pompoms colorfully dyed to almost neon-fluorescence were thrown excitedly into the air.

But during awards night, the Natural Science and Math division stood out from the rest as they captured the crowd’s favor, taking away the cheerdance crown from last year’s champ, the College of Nursing. The neat lines and superb moves of the NSM performers undoubtedly left everyone, including the judges, in awe.

Thinking back on how many calories were burned during practice and the countless drops of sweat the dancers had devoted to their craft, a relieved smile broke over sweaty faces knowing that their efforts paid off well.

The spirit of excellence was indeed evident at how Ateneans give their best shot in everything they do.

All the dancers went home as winners in their own right, but only Not So Many took home the sweet feeling of victory.

ÛAteneo from page 3

ÛThe Buzz.. from page 3

ÛMOA-AD from page 3

dormitory services for scholars and other students? •…in the years 1975-1976, the Montessori course was offered with about 50 students enrolled? •…in September 1, 1977, Ateneo de Davao was granted university status? •…the university used to have an Agriculture Division, called “Aggie Division”, with these offered courses: BS Agriculture, BS Agri-Business, BS Agricultural Extension and BS Agricultural Engineering? •…in 1982, the Aggie Division had 406 students? •…in consortium with other Davao schools, the Ateneo founded the Davao Medical School Foundation which offers the courses Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Medical Medicine? •…the university campus is on a 2.5 hectare lot? •…the University Library used to be located in the second floor of the Canisius building? •…a canteen used to exist between

the Wieman and Canisius hall? •…in the 70s and early 80s, these were the existing divisions: Natural Science, Agriculture, Business, Humanities, Social Science and Social Work? •…in 1989, these were the divisions under the College of Arts and Sciences: Business Administration, Commerce, Engineering, Humanities, Natural Science and math, Philosophy, Theology, and Social Science and Education? •…in the late 80s and early 90s, the university offered 2-year Associate in Computer Science and Pre-Dental Medicine courses? •…in 1991, the Computer Science Program was opened? •…in 2002, the blue-polo-and-khaki-pants uniform was finally required for males? Only females used to wear uniforms. The design of the white dress has not changed since the 70s. Sources: ADDU History by Lourdesita Sobrevega, Historical Background of the Ateneo

As if that wasn’t alarming enough, we found out that tickets were sold for more than their stipulated value (25 and even 50 times its true price) to students and parents (who are not required to present a ticket to enter) at a “black market existing outside the school”, as evidenced by ASSF witnesses and the Ateneo guards. We called for an emergency meeting with the SAMAHAN after the event to discuss these issues. Our findings and the statements of the witnesses were reviewed. As per the conclusion agreed by the ASSF and the SAMAHAN, there was indeed a mischief on the tickets. We are aghast at such unscrupulous and fraudulent deeds that only dirty, corrupt minds can fabricate and run against the Ateneo virtues that the Fiesta celebrates. May this incident never happen again.

is a series of injustices as reflected on several Philippine laws such as the R.A. 1888, Public Land Act No. 926 which was amended by Act No. 2874 by the Senate and House of Representatives, Land Registration Act No. 496, and Commonwealth Act No. 41 among others.

Republic Act 1888 formalizes the label National Cultural Minorities upon referring to non-Christians. This law highlighted the differences of the people thus alienating the non-Christians and creating a social stigma that has rooted firmly to the consciousness of many Filipinos until today. Public Land Act No. 926 states that the 16 hectares of land allowed to individuals are extended to 24 whereas the non-Christian, under section 22, was allowed an area not exceeding 10 hectares. Land Registration Act No. 496 calls for registration of lands by private persons and not of communal properties. This is detrimental to a fact that the land ownership of the indigenous community is communal in nature. Commonwealth Act No. 41 aggravates the law implied on PLA No. 926 by cutting the 24 hectares allowable land area maximum into 16 hectares. This law also states for the non-Christians to acquire a piece of land not exceeding 4 hectares!

“If you would look at history, you could see that Mindanao is, actually, illegally annexed to the Philippines. Prior to the Treaty of Paris, there are several independent states in the archipelago of the Philippines, the Republic of the Philippines ruled by Emilio Aguinaldo, the Sultanate of Sulu, the Sultanate of Maguindanao, the Pat a Pangampong sa Ranaw (Confederate of Lanao Sultanate). When Spain sold the Republic of the Philippines, they included Mindanao as a part of the republic, which is obviously immorally wrong and unjust. No plebiscite happened asking the Moro People to be part of the Philippines.” Moro activist, Moslemen Macarambon Jr, states.

“In addition, the injustice did not end on the illegal annexation. It was ratified by several land acts thus, causing the Moros displacement in their Ancestral Homelands!” Rimannah Panda∗, an officer of Ateneo Moro Youth Organization (AMYO) said.

Premise of the Moro self-determination as indicated on the MOA-AD

Both Parties, the GRP and the MILF, acknowledge that the right to self-governance of the Bangsamoro people is rooted on ancestral territoriality exercised originally under the suzerain authority of their sultanates and the Pat a Pangampong sa Ranaw. The Moro sultanates were states or karajaan/kadatuan resembling a body politic endowed with all the elements of nation-state in the modern sense. As a domestic community distinct from the rest of the national communities, they have a definite historic homeland. They are the “First Nation” with defined territory and with a system of government having entered into treaties of amity and commerce with foreign nations. The Parties concede that the ultimate objective of entrenching the Bangsamoro homeland as a territorial space is to secure their identity and posterity, to protect their property rights and resources as well as to establish a system of governance suitable and acceptable to them as a distinct dominant people.”

The first MOA passed asks for whole of Mindanao to be given back to the Moro. But due to the weight of negative repercussions drafted and signposted along with this agreement, the land area is cut down to small areas. The banks of the Rio Grande Mindvanao remain as the epicenter of the Moro culture; thus, the lands that are of nearer distance to the central area were written to be part of the MOA.

The MOA asks for the return of the ancestral domains of the Moros to themselves. An ancestral domain, as defined on the memorandum, “encompasses ancestral, communal, and customary lands, maritime, fluvial and alluvial domains as well as all natural resources therein that have inured or vested ancestral rights on the basis of native title.” Thus, the areas drafted into the map of the expansion of ARMM to grant Ancestral Domain connote the legal entitlement upon the grounds of ancestral rights.

“The Philippine Constitution oppresses the rights and self-determination of the Moro People, thus there’s a need to amend this constitution to give way for the aspiration of the Moro People. This constitution was drafted by the Filipino Leaders and not a single Moro Leader was present during the

Malolos Convention at the time of President Aguinaldo. To further prove that the Moro people is not part of this Constitution the Moro Leaders in Lanao signed a Dansalan Decralation of March 18 1935, declaring they don’t want to be part of the Philippines.” Macarambon states.

“Look at the current Philippine scenario, the Moros are discriminated. Yes, I concede that adjustment is essential in mingling with other people’s cultures but if you would look closely, it is the Moros who do a bigger task of adjusting. Usually, young Moros have to eradicate the contention of the stereotyped “Moro” before gaining trust and friendship with Non-Muslims. This is the reason for the MOA. The MOA is the first step for self-determination. Worth natin as a culture ang pinag-uusapan diyan eh.” Panda implied.

The Role of Media and the Cultural Essence of the Struggle

Adding to the usual misconceptions of Mindanao as a rural and conflict-torn area is the current media hype on exaggerating information and overblown hearsay about the real scenario in Mindanao.

For a fact, it is not the whole of Cotabato province per se, which suffers from warfare casualties. The North, wherein Pikit, Aleosan, and Libongan are situated, is only a small part of the whole Cotabato province. It is completely different from South Cotabato and Cotabato City.

Probably the most common misapprehension is the notion of the MOA-AD as a religious issue. Though it is granted that majority of the Moro people are following the Islamic way of life, the end-goal of the MOA is not for religion by nature. In fact, there is a huge difference between a Muslim and a Moro in terms. “Muslim” is a religious concept whereas “Moro” is cultural group of people.

The word Moro was further legitimized when Moro leader Nur Misuari use the word in Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). The Bangsamoro people refers to those who are natives or original inhabitants of Mindanao and its adjacent islands including Palawan and the Sulu archipelago at the time of conquest or colonization and their descendants whether mixed or of full native blood.

In the early 1970’s, Nur Misuari, a University of the Philippines professor, formed the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). The MNLF aims for the secession of the Mindanao islands from the Philippine archipelago. Thus, the numerous peace talks from the government.

On 1981, internal factionalism gave rise to a new group under Hashim Salamat, this is what we call now as the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

“The MILF is the only liberation movement now that are pursuing the rights and aspirations of the Moro people with wide mass support of the Moro People.” says Macarambon.

Macarambon and Panda agree that the media plays a huge role in the current scenario in Mindanao.

“Ang mahirap kasi nagpa-paint ang media ng image na the Moros are all about violence. Isa pa, hindi ito religion issue tulad ng pag-aakala ng iba. Kultura ito eh. Dinadamay lang nila yung religion. Ang nangyayari tuloy parang Muslim vs Kristiyano ang labas. Eh sa totoo lang, hindi naman dapat ganun.”

Macarambon stressed that the struggle does not only exemplify the interests of the professionals and hierarch in the MILF, but of the grassroots level as well. The BAF is, in fact, composed of farmers and ordinary citizens who took up arms in search for justice and freedom.

“Mahirap ba na ibigay sa amin ang sa amin naman talaga? Think of it this way, kung mangyayari yun, matatapos na ang gulo. Kung sana yung pera na ibinubuhos ng gobyerno sa gyera, ilagay na lang sa education at iba pang developmental programs, mas makakabuti pa sa Pilipinas. Plus, the MOA-AD could stand as a leeway for federalism.” says Panda.

Macarambon and Panda agree that root cause of the struggle of the Bangsamoro is not poverty but the unjust annexation of the Bangsamoro in the Philippine Republic. The Bangsamoros bank on their culture and history and these concepts are keeping the flame alive in their hearts. Eons have passed and many generations have faded away but the struggle of these people to reclaim their worth will continue. Justice will be served. Maybe not now, but eventually, it will be.

11ATENEWS |

ÛLove stories from page 4

ÛThe Personalities from page 4

ÛI Know from page 4

ÛAteneans from page 3

ÛSS&E and EA from page 9

The Element of Definitive-ness Moreover, college has a feel of “definitive-ness” in it. We are forced to look ahead, to know ahead and to move ahead. In college, we determine WHAT WE REALLY WANT. When we know what we REALLY WANT, we look for it. When we are in this level of certainty, it’s easy to weed out that one person whom we desire for reasons which we may or may not know.A Wider Market College is our social debut. We become exposed to different circles, mostly circles which feed our interests. If you study in a university, there are numerous clubs where you can entrench in. Moreover, there’s the everyday cycle of meeting A LOT of people at the same age bracket as yours. There’s the presence of irregular students, friends of friends, and even young and available professors! Basically, one gains a statistical advantage in the opening of a wider prospect pool for that one great love.Perfect Timing

The normal college age bracket is 16-23 years old. If you examine this bracket, this is the point of your life when you have to be definitive of the decisions that you make about your life. It is the transitionary phase from dependence to independence. When we find significant others within this age bracket, we tend to align our futures with them. In effect, our love stories become as definitive as our chosen careers. Say, when we have a lover at our junior year, we plan our senior year with that person factored in and when we reach senior year, we leave school in line with the plans of this lover. This is one of the reasons why a lot of couples who ended up in the altar met during college. Notice also that when married couples are asked where they met, when they answer “college”, people tend to understand why and don’t bother asking other questions.College Celebrates YOU!Remember when you were in high school you viewed college as a freer arena? Well

it’s true. In college you can choose your schedule, wear-as-you-wish your clothes, your hair and your accessories. College offers avenues where you can practice AND exhibit your skills (speech, dance, music, literary, etc.). College also trains you to become what profession you intend to take. All of these things define you as a person. And college, as an institution, celebrates the heart of every person. When YOU are being celebrated for being YOU, you become more confident about who you are. You tend to be at your best, and you are willing to showcase your being. When you are at your best, you are easy to love. When two “bests” find each other and cherish each other, anybody can bet that what they can last forever…or at least half of forever. LOL.

_________________Have you found your own great love story? Go to college and tell me about it. [email protected]

to fill themselves with food, laughter and chatter. The program opened at 6pm where students and teachers from all levels got to showcase their talents. First among the performers is the Ateneo Dance Troupe who performed the illustrious Muslim Dance – the Singkil. Teachers from the School of Arts and Sciences also showed that they too can be as graceful as their students with an exhibit of their folk dance. From the grade school level, chosen students performed an ethnic dance piece. The Carillon Ateneo Glee Club, who charmed the guests earlier during the opening of the awards ceremony, also displayed an entertaining rendition of the OPM hit “Boy”. Students from the College of Nursing and the High School department staged dances which were not only amusing but also interesting.

Just when the guests think they’ve seen the best performances from all levels, the SBG Trio comes in to serenade them. Soothed to the bone by the Trio’s deep and romantic voices, the guests sit on their chairs contented and pleased as they then watched a video presentation. After the teachers and students have done their parts on stage, the attention was diverted towards our dear university president, Fr. Antonio Samson, SJ, as the host read the letter of the superior, Fr. Michael Pineda.

Voices were joined next when the VTR rolled and played the song “You” popularized by the Carpenters. Subsequent to that was Fr. Samson’s most awaited reply to the letter of the superior. He surprised everyone with a brief and rather humorous speech which he concluded with the statement, “To-morrow (August 01) is a holiday.”

on March 1968 from a cerebral hemor-rhage during his last scheduled class for the year. He was 44. The Ateneo Batch ’62 has this to say about Fr. Wieman in their yearbook:“…To him, who has had the biggest part in making us what we are, who drummed into us Literature, Philosophy, Theology and love of life, who has laughed with us and made us laugh when we felt least like it, who has opened the door not only of his room but also of his heart at all times, who has been patient with our tears and our groping for truth and maturity, who has infected us all with his sense of humor and wisdom, who has been to us priest, counselor, shoulder, teacher and friend, we offer this yearbook because it is the symbol of our gratitude, of our labor, of our love, of ourselves… ”Source: Historical Background of the Ateneo, ADDU Website

the EA Division was virtually unstoppable. Naruto went through the defenses of the Accountancy division with ease. I even heard a fan saying, “ah, mura man ug nag turbo,” which only shows how fast Mr. Naruto is at the playing court. He was like a raging bull, and, as with all the other games, no one equalled his stamina.

He was supported by his crew, Mr. Pepito and Mr. de Peralta. Mr. Pepito as usual was superb, and his clutch-shooting antics was a sight worthy to be seen in the pros. Mr. de Peralta’s much needed rebounds came through, giving EA more chances of boosting their offensive game.

Yet, seemingly, at the later part of the game, Mr. Naruto got carried away, taunting his defenders thus, meriting 2 technical fouls that caused him to be kicked out from the playing court.

Amidst all this, the Accountancy division never did recover from losing Game 1. They lost a hard fought game ending the tournament second only to the EA squad.

and creativity in transforming pieces of scrap into a piece of art. Mr. Bryan Fuentes from the Campus Ministry and Ms. Carlota de Pio, an artist, judged the exquisite and outstanding plethora of masterpieces in the afternoon. They painstakingly examined and critiqued each displayed work according to its relevance to the theme, resourcefulness, originality, aesthetic expression, and style. In the end, the Philosophy Division brought home the bacon followed by the Humanities and Nursing in second and third place respectively. Indeed, Ateneans are not just academically excellent, spiritually enriched, and socially involved but also artistically gifted.

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According to a document provided by the CFU, among schools here in Davao, AdDU has the lowest hiring rate for appli-cants with Masters and Doctorates and sec-ond lowest for hiring people with a Bach-elor’s degree. Notably, AMA Computer College offers more than twice what AdDU offers for Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctor-ate degree holders alike.

According to Mr. Pancho, the hiring rate for College faculty is just the same with the hiring rates for the Grade School and High School.

The CFU is asking the AdDU manage-ment to increase the hiring rates for appli-cants with Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doc-torate’s to P15,000, P17,000 and P20,000 respectively.

The union is also asking for, to name a few, the reduction of working loads, a sal-ary scale to be formulated by the CFU and the Management, educational benefits for dependents of single employees, free annu-al medical checkups, increase in retirement and severance pay, longer leaves (sick, maternity, paternity, union, emergency and personal), an Annual Family Day, increase in the Loyalty Award, and the addition of new benefits.

The CBA negotiation was initiated by the CFU as early as March this year but the actual talks only started after more than a

month. The CFU also lamented the fact that the management frequently comes to the table without the necessary data and docu-ments needed for a fruitful discussion.

Furthermore, the management, accord-ing to the CFU, has only submitted counter proposals last July, “more than three months after receiving the CFU proposal and only upon the insistence of the CFU panel.”

Lampauog, however, said that “meron nang mga proposals na nakuha(some pro-posals have already been taken)” but the is-sue about the salary is still pending.

When asked about why university presi-dent Fr. Antonio Samson will not sit down in the negotiation table, Lampauog said that “it has always been [this] way. The ad-ministration appoints its negotiation panel. The president is kept away for two reasons. First, he is busy. Second, he needs time and chance to weigh things out.”

He also added that he believes that the “intention of the employees are valid” and that “the faculty is the key resource of the school” but the management “cannot com-mit something [it] can’t sustain over time.”

The HR chief also said that the manage-ment wants to resolve the negotiations as soon as possible, just like the CFU, because the High School union is coming up with their own CBA and Grade School union will be renewing their CBA this May.

ÛCBA from page 1

join not to get extra accolades in the yearbook but to fulfill their passion to write about the realities we face.

Writing for the Atenews was a choice I made more than three years ago. And upon much reflection, I realize that all writers regardless of talent and skill start at the same place. Writing is a choice before anything else. To write is already to choose.

ÛShadows from page 2

12 | ATENEWS

More than three months of intense planning, numerous classroom discussions and sleepless nights, hard work and patience paid off when the Cultural Anthropology class of Ms. Mae Fernandez held their in-ternational trip last October 13 to 24. The unforgettable tour of the group composed of third year Asian Studies students consisted of stops in the beautiful cities of Singapore, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur. The “Amazing Race”-like adven-ture started at the Davao International Air-port, continuing on to Mactan International Airport for the group’s connecting flight to their very first stop, Singapore. The group’s experience in this small but highly industri-ous country kicked off with a visit to the very modest Philippine Embassy. There, Honor-able Vice Consul Quinones lectured on Phil-ippine-Singapore relations, while Honorable Ambassador Minda Cruz shared some of her insights and experiences as the representa-tive of the Philippines to the Lion City. The group’s first full day in Singapore climaxed in the magnificent island of Sentosa where the students experienced hair-raising rides and jaw-dropping views and the great Sin-gaporean hospitality. The next three days of the trip was spent in the city of Bangkok. This pit-stop also kicked off with a visit to the Philippine Embassy. The class was warmly welcomed by Honorable Ambassador Antonio V. Ro-driguez in his “spooky” office where he discussed thoroughly Philippine-Thailand relations. The rest of the day was spent mall hunting in which the group was able to visit

MBK, or Mahboonkrong, one of the oldest shopping malls in Bangkok; and Siam Para-gon, one of the biggest shopping malls in Asia. Their next day in Thailand saw them visiting the widely acclaimed Grand Palace and listening to a lecture discussion with Habitat for Humanity Asia Pacific. During this short meeting with the non-profit orga-nization, the class was able to gain signifi-cant information about Habitat’s extensive works and projects in the Asia Pacific Re-gion, which includes the Philippines. The trip to Thailand’s economic center ended with a “no holds barred”-like shopping at Chatuchak Weekend Market, where the students learned the art of bargaining. One member of the class was even shoved away out of one of the souvenir stores for trying to buy an item for twenty percent its original price. So much for effective diplomacy. The elapsed five days were perhaps

the longest five days of their lives, but the experience of a lifetime was far from over since next up for the students was an exciting trip to the home of the famous Petronas Tow-ers, Kuala Lumpur. Unlike the previous des-tinations, the group started their Malaysian experience with a tiring walk to the majestic Batu Caves, one of the most popular Hindu shrines outside India. The first full night in this beautiful city concluded with a visit to one of Malaysia’s landmarks, the KL Tower. The group also carried out a visit to the Phil-ippine Embassy, but this time they received a cold welcome from their hosts, since at first they were not granted the permission to enter. The group was finally given the green light, but only after some diplomatic talks with the security personnel. After a cour-tesy call to Ambassador Victoriano Lecaros, the group proceeded to the historical city of Melaka, where instead of seeing differ-

ent historical sites the group ended up soak-ing in the rain. Yet as the saying goes “the show must go on”. So the group still went to visit St. Peters Church, the oldest Catholic Church in Malaysia. The “Malaysia, Truly Asia” experience more than fittingly ended with a visit to Malaysia’s world renowned landmark, the Petronas Towers. Singapore was the final leg of the Asian Studies Amazing Race. For two day, they spent their time visiting historical and symbolic attractions of the country like the Merlion and the Raffles Landing Site where Sir Stamford Raffles, founder of modern Singapore first set his foot in this country, and of course the never-ending shopping. Indeed this Asian Escapade was a dream come true for everybody in the group because not only did it pave the way for most of the students to travel outside our proud country for the first time but more importantly it allowed the students to visit the historical places and sites and experi-ence different cultures and people they only experienced before in Zaide’s Asian history textbooks. All these would have not been suc-cessful without the support of some very im-portant personalities. First of all the group would like to thank Mr. Rikki Enriquez and Mr. Jerome Serrano for their approval of the trip. They would like also to thank their fam-ilies and generous sponsors for their support. Finally, the trip would have never been actu-alized even in their wildest dreams without the guidance and care of Ms. Fernandez.

3rd Year Asian Studies Students Goes to Asian EscapadeBy: Akeem Jade G. Fabila