NEWS 1

Virata School of Business – The Talk of the Town

Kapekonomiya faces off STFAP

scrap, reformA Collection of Viewpoints on the Issue of Renaming UP College of Business

Administration (UP CBA) to UP Cesar E.A. Virata School of Business (UP VSB)

( THE FIRST OF A SERIES ) BY KENJI MURAMATSU

SCRAP AND reform STFAP.It was again another fight between

these two perspectives during a debate conducted by the School of Economics Student Council (SESC) and UP Economics Towards Consciousness (UP ETC), last July 12 at the School of Economics Auditorium.

The said debate came with the title, “Surveying the Financial Affair Policy in UP.” It aimed to tackle the solution towards the problems of the Socialized Tuition and Financial Assistance Program (STFAP) in the UP system.

On one hand were Dr. Ramon Guillermo, Associate Professor of the Department of Filipino and Philippine Literature, and Sarah Torres, chairperson of Student Alliance for the Advancement of Students’ Rights in UP (STAND UP). They are suggesting for the total removal of the said tuition scheme hence greater state subsidy.

On the other were Professor Solita Monsod of the School of Economics and Juan Carlo Tejano, a representative from Bukluran ng mga Progresibong Iskolar, who are pushing for partial changes in the tuition scheme policy and implementation.

The “scrap side” argued that it is the government’s duty to fully subsidize

Search for Dean continues; Dean Gutierrez stays

BY JASON VIRTUCIO

THE BOARD of Regents (BOR) has decided that the search for the next dean of the Virata School of Business (VSB) be extended and expanded, after it concluded its 1289th meeting last July 29. Consequently, Chancellor Caesar Saloma has authorized Dr. Ben Paul Gutierrez’s deanship in a hold over capacity from August 1 to 31.

Student Regent Krista Melgarejo explains, “extended and expanded means that the Board has not appointed a new dean yet and is tasking the search

committee to find more nominees for the deanship of the college.”

The search committee had already conducted its deanship selection process in the past months. At the close of the nomination period last June 21, former VSB undergraduate programs director, Dr. Manuel Dioquino, and incumbent dean, Dr. Ben Paul Gutierrez emerged as candidates for deanship.

A public forum was held last June 24 and was attended by some

>> 8 >> 3

BY SAMANTHA ANDALES, ARVIN LIM and DEBBIE MAE DIZON

IN THE UP CBA Alumni News, Vol. 2013, No. 5, posted in the school’s website, it states that “the UP Board of Regents … approved the proposal of the business faculty to honor its former Dean by renaming the College of Business Administration as Cesar E.A. Virata School of Business.” In the same news brief, the school administration honors

Cesar Virata as a distinguished alumni and faculty, honorable public servant, and respected business professional.

Prior to the actual name change, with the prompting of some distinguished alumni and the backing of the faculty, incumbent VSB Dean Ben Paul Gutierrez started a campaign in August 2012 to move

>> 4

IT ALL ENDS HERE. The Voldies dress the BACBACAN 2013 in majestic purple with their back-to-back win,

sweeping plenty medals and the overall champ title.

2 JUNE - AUGAY 2013-2014

VSB students attack various business tilts

BY SOC MONTEMAYOR

AMONG THOSE that the VSB prides

itself in are the competitions joined

by its students in the various fields of

business. Here are just some of those:

P&G ASEAN BUSINESS CHALLENGE

Last June, Ralph Paulo Morales,

current fifth year BS BAA, and James

Victor Javier, BS BAA Batch 2013,

qualified for the Procter & Gamble (P&G)

ASEAN Business Challenge Regional

Finals held in P&G Singapore.

The P&G ASEAN Business Challenge

is a business case competition which

has two levels: the National Finals and

the Regional Finals.

The National Finals, participated by

30 students selected from universities in

the Philippines, took place in September

2012 at the P&G Head Office in the

Philippines at Makati. Fellow VSBer

Gianni Jasper Dazo, also currently a

fifth year BAA student, joined Morales

and Javier in a marketing/sales plan

competition for one of P&G’s brands.

Participants who were qualified

to the Regional Finals engaged on a

business challenge of keeping P&G as

the employer of choice.

According to Morales, it was

worthwhile to be able to join a

competition such as this since it gained

him a network of friends not only from

other universities in the Philippines

but also from other Asian countries. In

terms of experience, he said that the

competition gave an opportunity to gain

hands-on experience and exposure to

real-life situations.

“Ang galing talaga ng Pinoy. It

New concessionaire receives subpar rating

BY MAICA FERNANDEZ

CHICKA-RUE, THE new cafeteria concessionaire in the VSB, receives a subpar student

rating due to their pricing scheme, portion size, and service time. In line with this,

as well as the concessionaire’s noncompliance with a university ruling on takeout

containers, the School of Business Student Council (SBSC) has been advised to

bring the issue up with the Business Concessions Office (BCO).

Soon after the concessionaire’s opening last June 19, the SBSC conducted a

survey among the

VSB student body

regarding their

feedback for the

concess iona i re.

The results show

that compared to

the VSB cafeteria

c o n c e s s i o n a i r e

of the previous

year, the current

c o n c e s s i o n a i r e

receives a slightly

higher rating in terms of proper practice of cleanliness and hygiene, and palatability

of food. However, the concessionaire receives a much lower rating in terms of

affordability and value for money. Meal portion size and food selection variety also

notably receive lower ratings.

VSB students from all year levels were represented in the survey, 50% of which

are from third year, followed by fifth year students at 28%. First year, second year,

and fourth year students were represented at 2%, 7%, and 14%, respectively.

In addition, SBSC notes the concessionaire’s noncompliance to the university

rule which states that paper-based containers must be used for takeout meals rather

than Styrofoam-based materials.

In lieu with the results, last July 6, the SBSC sent an official correspondence to

Prof. Gloria V. Talavera, Building Administrator of VSB, regarding the feedback of the

VSB student body. The correspondence included complete details and insights from

the survey. Prof. Talavera has advised the signatory of the correspondence, SBSC

Student Relations Councilor Germaine Gaerlan, to set a meeting with the BCO which

is under the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs (OVCCA) regarding

the student feedback. As of press time, SBSC awaits a response from the BCO.

Chicka-Rue continues its operations Tuesdays to Fridays, 11 AM to 2 PM. The

menu choices vary daily, regularly consisting of meat, fish, and vegetables dishes,

as well as pasta occasionally. A rice meal (consisting of a meat or fish viand) costs

65-80 pesos while bottled drinks cost 25-30 pesos. The cafeteria itself has a seating

capacity of 72 and there is available drinking water free of charge for Chicka-Rue’s

customers. Blue and white tablecloths and flower vase centerpieces add to the

ambiance of the cafeteria.>> 6

FIT FOR 72, TURNOUT OF 15. VSB’s cafeteria has raised concerns from students over its high prices.

NEWS 3

the University for its being a state university. They mentioned that

“education is a constitutional right.” Implementing the STFAP makes

this right something to pay for. They also claimed that STFAP is just

a scheme of the government to fully abandon its duty of subsidizing

UP, mainly through the STFAP’s character of building a financially

independent state university.

On the contrary, the “reform side” asserted that those who can

pay must pay and it would be socially unjust if the government funds

would be used to sustain the tuition fee of those who are well-off. They

also presented that with a reform in the STFAP, those who are under

Bracket A will experience an increase in the tuition fee and a decrease

to those who are under the lower brackets. According to them, this is to

accommodate those who cannot afford to pay their dues.

Monsod also exclaimed, “Demand for full state subsidy? In your

dreams! Education is a right but education in UP is a privilege.”

Christian Tejada, Kristel Tejada’s father, was also present during the

event. It can be noted that Kristel was the Behavioral Sciences freshman

from UP Manila who committed suicide after undergoing forced leave-

of-absence (FLOA) when her family failed to pay her tuition fee on time.

The said forum served as the launching this year of

Kapekonomiya, a series of talks that aims to promote

the use of economic perspective in discussing socially-

relevant topics.

Kapekonomiya faces... from page 1

P-Noy: The Philippines is ready to ride the tides of progress BY ISAAC TAMBUNTING

PRESIDENT BENIGNO S. Aquino III lauded the accomplishments of his administration during the State of the Nation Address

(SONA) delivered last July 22 at the Batasang Pambansa. He praised the country’s progress under him while he made little

mention of the latest controversies hounding the administration.

Aquino cited how changes in government have resulted in a stronger economy for the country. He says, “In tandem with

the increased confidence in our good governance is the continued resurgence of our economy.” The President mentioned the

country’s higher ranking in the global competitiveness index of the World Economic Forum and the attainment of investment-

grade status from credit ratings agencies Fitch and Standard & Poor’s as the results of good governance.

The President also made mention of the country’s achievements in tourism. “When it comes to domestic travelers,” said

Aquino “our previous target for 2016 was 35.5 million tourists.” The President added, “But we have surpassed this as early

as 2011, with 37.5 million domestic tourists.” The President found pride in the creation of 3.8 million jobs, according to

Department of Tourism estimates, from tourism in 2011.

Aquino recognized the Department of Education’s achievement in ending the backlog in chairs and books for our students. The

President said, “If Secretary Armin Luistro continues to demonstrate true grit, even the backlog we inherited in classrooms will

be erased this year.” The President also said “we also have the ability to prepare for the additional needs that the implementation

of the K-to-12 program will require.”

In an attempt to address the latest controversy involving lawmakers allegedly putting their pork barrel in fake NGOs, the

President said, “On the topics of Cadavero, PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Fund), MRT 3 and others: Just because

critics are not aware of what we are doing, they assume that we are doing nothing about these issues.” Aquino added, “If

government possesses no data and yet announces who it will investigate, does not that send a message to the suspects to just

hide the evidence? This is why we go where the truth takes us. The evidence decides our path.”

The President’s comments on the pork barrel did not satisfy the calls of many to abolish this well-known source of graft and

corruption. In fact, the PDAF remained part of the proposed 2014 national budget which Malacañang submitted to Congress

the day after the SONA.

WHAT’S YOUR CUP OF COFFEE? Dr. Guillermo defends the ‘Scrap STFAP’ side from a query thrown by a panelist. (Photo from UP Economics

Towards Consciousness)

>> 8

4 JUNE - AUGAY 2013-2014

the motion. Upon gaining enough signatures from the students and faculty, and consulting with some alumni, the administration passed it for approval to the Board of Regents (BOR) in March 2013. The latter approved the petition in April 2013. According the BOR minutes, “Virata has served UP, the Philippine government and the country for many years and with clear distinction.”

Having said these things, why does there exist a multitude of negative publicity disputing and despising the renaming of CBA into VSB, just barely two months after its approval?

FORUM: Cesar E.A. Virata – A Marcos Crony

A public forum entitled “Marcos Pa Rin!” was conducted by the Third World Studies Center of the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy last 03 July 2013. The forum aimed to discuss the various issues on the school’s name change.

Professor Judy Taguiwalo of the College of Social Work and Community Development urged UP to uphold its values of honor and excellence. She also said that she was not at all surprised that the first naming of an academic institution was in honor of a loyal supporter of the late president Ferdinand Marcos. She reiterated that this was a betrayal of the sacrifices of the Filipino people who fought against Marcos.

Nelson Navarro, a CBA alumnus and former Collegian editor, expressed his surprise at being called a graduate of VSB, and his desire to fight for his rights. He questioned the sudden approval of the name change, and whether there was any consultation at all, let alone the alumni. He also expressed his disapproval to the President and the Board of Regents’ decision. He further said that Virata should have had the decency to “reject the undeserved honor and to the UP officials to accept the withdrawal of Virata.”

Professor Eduardo Tadem of the Asian Center further supported this by recounting that Virata’s rise as a technocrat had a hand in proceeding to implement the agrarian reform. However, it favoured land concentration over land redistribution, which eventually failed.

Lastly, Professor Amado Mendoza of the Department of Political Science, extended the issue by challenging the BOR to honor Marcos himself and not just Virata.

This raises a question on whether this is a step leading to the political rehabilitation of the Marcoses on a national level. Mendoza finally admonished the listeners to be on the lookout for the implications of the renaming of the school to the 2016 elections.

LAW: Renaming CBA to VSB – A Test of Law and Policy

With the help of UP College of Law student Kat Magallanes, Guilder was able to dig deeper into the legal perspective of this issue.

Republic Act No. 1059 prohibits “the naming of … public buildings … and other public institutions and places after living persons…” In other words even without mentioning any of Virata’s affiliations with the Marcos regime, his name attached to the school’s is not allowed by law. As an example, this particular section of the law was exercised in a law suit instituted by a taxpayer in Iloilo to revoke the alleged naming of the provincial building of Iloilo as “President Garcia Hall” in 1966, when President Garcia was still living. Because of this, any stakeholder (student, alumni, or taxpayer) can go to court and file for a revocation of the BOR’s motion.

However, one way for Virata’s name to be a part of the school, and this is allowed by the Republic Act, is that if “it is a condition in a donation in favor of the government.” Prof. Taguiwalo also made mention in the “Marcos Pa Rin!” forum regarding existing university rules on naming rights, which currently allows the naming of structures after those who donated 50% or more of the construction costs, in addition to the original guideline of naming after exemplary persons, those who have sterling reputation, and those who can be looked upon as a model of the youth. Whether or not Virata donated to the extent of being able to have his name on the face of the School of Business, is still an unconfirmed and undisclosed issue.

STUDENT COUNCIL: ‘Our thrust is one VSB’

The mixed reactions from stakeholders inside and outside the institution prompted the School of Business Student Council (SBSC) to initiate actions towards the issue. Wesly Paul Cortez, SBSC Chairperson said that

Virata School... from page 1

4 JUNE - AUGAY 2012-2013

NEWS 5

the surge of responses was something that he expected. According to Cortez, while it is understandable to

have issues regarding Virata’s attachment to the Martial Law regime, his participation on the reforms for the college cannot be ignored as well. “We cannot sanitize his name by just actively saying the reforms he made for the college and isolating the others and vice-versa,” he pointed out.

He also explained that the matter regarding the violation of RA 1059 prohibiting public buildings, spaces and institutions to be named after a living person, is a gray area for there was no direct violation. Cortez clarified that “what was renamed here was not the building but the academic program, the abstract.”

The SBSC asked for a formal statement from Dean Gutierrez to answer the “accusations” on him three times already: first was when Cortez directly asked Gutierrez, second, during the deanship forum and third, when Vice-chairperson Nina Gerodias and College Representative to the USC Fenina De Leon asked for an update on the formal statement. As of press time, no formal statement has been issued for it will be the whole faculty who will release a statement.

Pressured by the heating up of the matter, the SBSC decided to ask the students and alumni on what their pulse is. “We initiated the weighing in of the pros and the cons and made a survey out of it,” Cortez said. In the said survey, 97% of the respondents does not agree

with the name change and wants the name of the school be changed back to CBA. The results of the survey and position paper have been forwarded to the BOR to guide them in the reassessment of their prior verdict. Cortez made it clear that although the result of the survey, being the pulse of the VSB students and some alumni, will definitely have a weight regarding the rescinding or maintaining of the status quo name, the minority’s opinion should also be heard.

When asked how he thinks this issue affected the name of the VSB, Cortez said that the equity of the college has decreased since the topic has been so far sensitive. However, he added that he is happy for the heightened student participation. Cortez assured that the Council would try its best to take necessary actions, together with the Administration, to help the students adjust to whatever the final decision will be. The council will still be proactive in making sure that all students are asked of their opinions especially on big college decisions. He also added that even after this, SBSC would still want to optimize student involvement on all aspects regarding matters affecting the college.

Lastly, Cortez said that SBSC hopes for one VSB where all stakeholders will be proactive and participative. “Our thrust here is one VSB - a community that motivates each other and shows the strength of the community as one. We hope that after this issue is settled, we will meet the target of one VSB,” he said.

INQUIRY 5

Some of the pubmats of forums by different organizations around the university about the college’s name change. (Photos from the CSSP Student Council and Third World Studies Center)

6 JUNE - AUGAY 2013-2014

SBSC visits Puray anew, holds medical mission

BY JAPHET LUISTRO

The SBSC spearheaded a medical mission in Barangay Puray,

Rodriguez, Rizal, last July 27, 2013, in line with the community

service program of the Virata School of Business (VSB) called

the Adopt-A-Barangay. The Adopt-A-Barangay project aims to help

improve the holistic well-being of the residents of Barangay Puray,

a community devoid of electricity and proper health care.

The SBSC was joined by a team from the Civic Welfare Training

Service (CWTS-BA) class of Prof. Jardiolin-Villa, a group of doctors

from the Mu Sigma Phi Fraternity of the UP College of Medicine,

the Association of Biology Majors (ABM) from UP Manila, and

some members of the Philippine Red Cross.

The journey to and from the barangay was a challenge for the

volunteers as the terrain proved to be inaccessible using their

vehicles. However, the Philippine Army assisted in transporting

the medicines and other paraphernalia to the site.

The SBSC will be returning to Barangay Puray on September

28 for a livelihood seminar program.

BACBACAN surprises; magic tested BY JASON VIRTUCIO

THE SCHOOL of Business Student Council (SBSC) brought

the VSB student community: Slythirteens, Dumbledos,

House of Pi, Gryffinfours, and Voldies together for its inter-

batch sports competition, BACBACAN, themed the Wizarding

Wars, last August 3, 2013 in the College of Human Kinetics

Gym. It is done annually “to increase the spirit of friendly

competition while at the same time, unify our school through

sportsmanship,” states SBSC.

Voldies reigns as back-to-back overall champions as they

clinched first or second in all games/areas but futsal, a year

after their championship in BACBACAN 2012.

For the first time in many years, the Masters returned to

the competition, playing basketball with their undergraduate

counterparts.

Dumbledos particularly came out strong with

championships in basketball and cheer dance.

The intense competition and Mr. &

Mrs. BACBACAN entertainment kept

the heavy downpour’s blues at bay.

Fortunately, the rain had stopped as

BACBACAN was coming to a close.

Interesting additions to the staple

BACBACAN events were chess, capture

the flag, Chinese garter, the BAggest

Loser fitness campaign, and sponsored

events.

Tensions ran high when the capture

the flag saw “miscommunication

[among the SBSC and the batches] regarding the mechanics,

its commencement, and scope.” It was eventually cancelled

by the VSB community to avoid further risk to well-being and

cooperative spirit.

(For more details on official results and live coverage, visit

facebook.com/upsbsc or facebook.com/guilder.institute)

only shows that we really are the ones fit to enter these

competitions,” he added while encouraging everyone to

participate in this business challenge.

INTERCOLLEGIATE FINANCE COMPETITION

Another major competition that VSB awaits every year is

the Intercollegiate Finance Competition (ICFC) organized by

the Financial Executive Institute of the Philippines (FINEX).

This year, the 14th ICFC, in partnership with JP Morgan

Chase & Co., will be held on September 21 and October 22

for the Eliminations and the Finals, respectively. It will be

held at the JP Morgan Chase & Co. office at the Bonifacio

Global City. The representatives to the ICFC are Earl Bautista,

Nigel Lee, Josel Rivera, Israel Tan and Al-Habbyel Yusoph, all

fifth year BS BAA students. To prepare for the competition in

which the questions asked are patterned after the Chartered

Financial Analyst (CFA) Level 1 examination, the team is

currently undergoing rigorous training under the professors

from Department of Accounting and Finance.

VSB students... from page 2

YOU WILL TUMBLE, YOU WILL STUMBLE. The Dumbledos’ Army Cheerdance champs end the battle with their winning pose.

OPINION 7

Breaching Breakeven PointFROM COLLEGE of Business Administration to Cesar E.A.

Virata School of Business. Within weeks, local media became

awash with histories of martial law, sociological commentaries

of isolating the self from the environment, and litanies of

exasperation of what happened and what did not happen

among the proximate players and stakeholders in the issue.

And at the heart of the fray are the students who, on one hand,

are following sanctioned

policy to transition from

CBA to VSB, and on

the other hand, stand flabbergasted at the thought of having

been part of the process that sanctioned it in the first place.

Once asked with some alumni after the issue blew out, they

answered in resounding opposition. But the survey result did

little to shed light on the dubiousness of the process and more

importantly, the extent of the student body’s participation.

With respect to what activity to participate in, value has

ever been the operative word. The interplay between what can

be received versus what should be given in return and the

resulting action or non-action is very much alive throughout the

timeline of the name change. Within the context of the college

community, this value recognition by students of participation

in the name change was distinctly influenced on three levels.

On the college level, the administration orchestrated

a campaign too selective and evasive for the cause and its

scope. It started off well; key faculty and/or alumni moved

to confer honor upon the former Dean Virata. The exclusivity

of determining the proposal is forgivable, even efficient. But

given the potential identity crisis, rebranding repercussions,

EDITORIAL

and the polarizing figure of the proposed namesake, it is

obvious that the consultation must be as comprehensive and

inclusive as possible. This warrants, at the very least, an effort

for a representative sample from each stakeholder group. But

instead the administration opted for live announcements of the

proposal and its merits in the August 2012 student assembly

and in room-to-room campaigns; all are mainly backed by a

signature drive, which is essentially a method skewed in favor

of its approval. With a process leading and filtered through

word, method, and place, the student is poised to insufficiently

assess matters at hand and ultimately miss recognizing the

value of fully participating in the name change in time.

On the student body level, if the survey result of dissent is

taken at face value and as reliable, the student body was not

well-represented in the name change process. College students

often defer voicing out decisions and opinions to the institutions

they authorize to represent them. These institutions, in turn,

consult them and organize a unified stand. Now, the somewhat

surprise and divide-and-conquer nature of the administration’s

methods brought about a perennial question, “Who is Virata?”

The problem is, instead of being strategic, action-oriented,

and one step ahead, public word of these institutions to the

student body was descriptive and information-oriented. From

its proposal in August 2012 to its approval and transition in

April 2013, advisories were get-to-know. And the students,

after some research and the media buzz on the issue, did get

to know him. Only in July 2013, around two months after the

implementation, was the student body’s voice consulted and

>> 8

8 JUNE - AUGAY 2013-2014

officially heard. In the end, the importance of vigilant student

institutions in making the students recognize the value of

involvement in community matters is poignantly made known.

On the individual level, the student searches for opportunities

that are aligned with his principles and that bring him closer

to his desired goals. The student has a multitude of choices

he can take. Probably personal economic heuristics point to

choices that offer the same value. In addition, community

matters may be under a bit more difficult set of choices due

to freeloading and nil short-term returns. Vaguely community-

related course incentives can only do so much. Academics,

org work, and socials seem to practically precede community

matters. At the end of the day, what is with a college name

when one’s own works and achievements speak for themselves?

The crux of the name change issue for the student is clear.

How does citizenship factor into our goals? Circumstances

may have been unfavorable, yes. But how long can we politely

listen to one side in a clearly multi-sectoral issue? How long

after knowing something is not right can we wait before voicing

out an opinion, a grievance, a request, to clearly open and

mandated representative student institutions? How long does it

members of the faculty, staff, and student body. An interview of stakeholders, especially those who attended the forum, followed the day after.

Dr. Dioquino envisioned the School as “an independent think tank and critique, sought after by those who matter in both private and public sectors in the Philippines,” while Dr. Gutierrez was for the international recognition of the School as “a provider of high quality research, instruction, and extension services in the Asia-Pacific region.” The former emphasized sectoral connections and an up-to-date global and technological mindset, while the latter focused on research, publication, and the manageable expansion of the School.

As far as the decision of the BOR is concerned, both remain nominees. In the meantime, Dr. Gutierrez remains as VSB dean, “until [his] successor shall have been appointed,” as per Article 79 of the University Code.

The President showed a video of certain citizens explaining

how they have benefited from the programs of Aquino’s

government. As an end to a speech which, in most parts, talked

about government’s success in bringing change to the country,

the President said, “I am Noynoy Aquino, and I proudly say to

the world: I am a Filipino. How wonderful it is to be a Filipino

in these times.”

take after reading words and words and words of perspectives

and criticism of outsiders on our college before we actively

take part in resolving college matters? When do we breach that

breakeven point of building a truly vital college?

After all has been said and done about the name change

issue, we stand on the hope that the student’s breakeven point

has changed for the better. It would vindicate everything we’ve

learned so far of the modern, process-oriented, value-driven,

business UP student we are challenged to be.

PUBLICATIONSKyle Abella, Maki Bajit, Erika Buenaventura, Camille

Calma, Angelica Calso, Edison Chow, Debbie Dizon, Maica Fernandez, Marty Gonzaga, Jose Isaguirre II, Raphael Layosa, Mikhael Magana, Nadine Magtibay, Socorro

Montemayor, Kenji Muramatsu, Aiko Sagusay, John Soriano, Isaac Tambunting, Alyssa Uy

ADMINAlvin Amil, Patricia Anatalio, Hector Salatan, Renzo Tiangco

CREATIVESDaniella Adriano, Carmela Mira, Jadiene Teng,

Kristine Racoma, Shei Ruiz

THE GUILDER INSTITUTEEditorial Board

Editor-in-Chief

Associate Editors

Managing Editor

Business Manager

Creatives Director

JASON VIRTUCIO

CARLO PIO RODAARVIN LIM

JAPHET LUISTRO

SAMANTHA ANDALES

THERESE ASEOCHE

Breaching Breakeven... from page 7

P-Noy... from page 3

Search for... from page 1

IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO JOIN GUILDER!

CONTACT US: 09064129542theguilderinstitute@gmail.com

/guilder.institute @GuilderWire

CULTURE 9

10 JUNE - AUGAY 2013-2014

Their mission was to rewrite history, and they did just that.Terminals 2014, a.k.a. “The Voldies,” emerged

victorious from among the five houses in BACBACAN, fighting with big hearts and an unwavering will to win. They were champions in mixed volleyball and women’s basketball, second best in cheer dance, men’s basketball, and parlor games, and fourth place in futsal. The Voldies didn’t mind that Lord Voldemort may be known as the “dark lord”; all they wanted was to lift that golden championship trophy, and sing to the tune of victory.

There were no shortcuts to success however for the Termies, who are now back-to-back BACBACAN champions. Everyone stayed until the confirmation of their unprecedented feat, undone in the past 17 years.

“Practice might have chipped in hours that could have been spent in studying accounting, but it was still extremely fulfilling,” according to former BAC Councilor Corr Reyes. “One of the best moments to celebrate batch spirit and unity is

during BACBACAN. It’s very heartwarming to see your fellow batchmates come together cheer for/with you while you’re onstage. Sobrang ma-feefeel mo yung energy and support ng buong batch,” she added, having been part of her batch’s cheerdance team in nearly all her years in VSB. Former BAC Councilor and cheerdance competition first-timer Ian Dazo remarked similarly: dancing for his batch seemed “an ecstatic feeling,” and that “regardless of the challenges of the cheer preparations, [the Voldies still] managed to produce one hell of a routine!”

Any team victory is of course impossible without team work. Embracing the concept of achieving a common goal as a team is often a problem for a team of superstars, who would rather display their vast array of skills and don’t mind who’s on the playing court with them.

That was not the case however, for the Voldies’ volleyball team. Each one of them would rather give up individual awards for the championship and share the award with everyone else on the team.

“I’m truly flattered to be given such an award, but if it were up to me, I would rather [say] that Danalaine So, our captain, be part of the top 3

SPORTS 11

instead. Her energy inside the court, great agility, and high skill level were instrumental to our team’s success.” Those were words from Aileen Ko, who was awarded with a medal for being one of the three best volleyball players in this year’s BACBACAN. “We helped each other inside the court and made it a point to enjoy our last game as a team instead of just focusing on winning. That positive attitude and team spirit allowed us to be at our very best,” she further relates.

In the championship game, they trounced the Gryffinfours by a whopping three set to none victory. It may seem lopsided, but according to Ko, “it was really tough battling with them especially since their team has good spikers and consistent receivers. They were even double blocking our spikers! Though we won straight sets, the lead we had per set wasn’t really that big, so I still say it was a close fight. Also, it was just really unfortunate that one of their starting players, Raya Tan, got injured before BACBACAN,” referring to the volleyball ace from the Seniors’ side.

The Voldies were led by their indefatigable batch representatives, Ramon Vinzon and Ervin Mamaril.

“We are driven by our thirst for excellence and

our appetite for success. Our batch continuously strives to make our mark in VSB history, and winning as BACBACAN overall champion as Termies, after making a full sweep as Seniors, is a feat that may never be replicated by other batches. Also, work-life balance is an important thing for us. By becoming BACBACAN champs again, we have proved that we don’t just dominate in acads, but in sports as well,” Vinzon says.

“Our batch has a bond unlike any other. We are our own support system. Each member of the batch also gave his/her own unique contribution to lead us to win. Each one willingly shared his/her time and talent,” the former Seniors BAA batch representative further states.

It was indeed time well spent with and for each other in their last BACBACAN together. And as they leave the hallowed portals of the School of Business in a few months, they will carry with them numerous record-breaking achievements, including their BACBACAN 2013 victory.

12 JUNE - AUGAY 2013-201412 JUNE - AUGAY 2013-2014

FEATURES 13

14 JUNE - AUGAY 2013-2014

FEATURES 15

16 JUNE - AUGAY 2013-2014