Heads and Editors KEITH JOSHUA DUMPIT, Newsfeatures Editor JOHN XYRIOUS DELA CRUZ, Features Editor ALMIRA PRISCILLA DRAPIZA, Head Cartoonist Management ALEXA N. POTAYRE, Finance Officer Creative Team JESSA KRISTINE DEL MAR, Layout and Graphics FAROUK SUSULAN, Layout and Graphics WINDEL OPINION, Layout and Graphics

THE ATENEO STUDENTRY, Publisher KELVIN J. CULAJARA, Editor-in-Chief

SARAH GAIL C. GALVAN, Associate Editor NEILSON NICK ALINSANGAN, Managing Editor FRANCES GRACE FLORENDO, Creative Director

MARION B. GUERRERO, Moderator

DARRYLENE CLEMENTE, Layout and Graphics EUNICE SERNEO, Cartoonist JENNIFER BANTAY, Cartoonist FAHAD ALFAD, Cartoonist Writers MARIE CYNDIE DOMINGO RIDZANNA ABDULGAFUR KEITH LAURICE DEMAYO ELIMAR PINGKIAN

BARRY BARRACA PAOLA MIGELLI CANANEA ASEYA KHALIDA CALO LEVIN ANGELO LOBREN CHRISTIANNE DAWN SICAT LIANNE MIRANDA ROVIC JOHN ESLAO FRIEND HAYZER GREGORIO MALIVER GAAS

The BEACON Publications holds office at Ground Floor, Xavier Hall, Ateneo de Zamboanga University. You may contact us at (062) 991-0871 Loc 4603. You may also mail us at beaconmag@yahoo.com/

inside

2| JULY 2012

3 |The Rosauro Reconstruction

4 |Bam on Social Entrepreneurship

5 |How Hard Can You Get?

6 |The ADZU Café Diet Plan

9 |The Bird is a Worm, After All

11|The D in OSA

14|The Search for Genuine Land Reform

16|Eew De Toilette

18|Charlyn‘s Story

20|Is the Name Enough?

23|Disputed Specks on the Map

25|Spoiled Brats in Three Wheels

27|Factoids

28|Opinion: That Big Blue Bird

30|WEH? ―Di Nga?!

About the Cover: Model: Miland Manapol Cartoon: Jan Meryl Luna Photo and Layout: Frances Grace Florendo

ur school ad-mi n i s t r a t i on has been on a roll lately. With

the construction of the Fr. Manuel Sauras, SJ Hall and the recent conclusion of the University Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the administration continues to find ways on how to revamp the uni-versity and add more ac-complishments on their mantle. Inspired by the much-awaited centennial celebration, the admin-istration is driven to give the university its much needed retouching after a century of existence. This year, the school has de-cided to renovate another old edifice to give birth to a newer and more mod-

ernized one, with the Fr. Jose Ma. Rosauro, SJ Hall as its focal point. The reconstruc-tion of this hall has begun to take its course of ac-tion following its ground-breaking ceremony on May 30, this year. The school administration opted to tap again the same committee behind the execution of the Sauras Hall and Sacred Heart Church edifices, led by the Physical Plant Council and manager Engr. Joselito Tuñacao. For this project, the de-sign team was hand-p i c ke d f r o m t he Arce.Bailon.Arce Archi-tects. Being an admin-istration-handled project,

it has been blessed by various donations, includ-ing one from an unidenti-fied European foundation which sponsored the con-struction of the hall‘s ground floor. The Rosauro Hall, originally a for-mation center, will still serve the same function, but will additionally house new offices and rooms. The new edifice will con-sist of four storeys: the ground floor will shelter the Social Development units of the university; the second floor will house the Formation Center of the school, and; the third and fourth floors will serve as dormitories for students, faculty, visitors

and guests of the universi-ty. Now that the centennial celebration is getting nearer and nearer, more changes can be ex-pected from the admin-istration, as the time for commemoration and ap-preciation of the Ateneo culture is about to happen. But, having these changes is not merely there to sat-isfy the students‘ need to see the fruits of their pay-ments; rather, these changes, including this new structure, serve as witnesses to the Ateneo experience and to the cul-ture with which we enjoy, holding memories to be unraveled by Ateneans of the future.■

WORDS: KEITH JOSHUA DUMPIT

PHOTO: FRANCES GRACE FLORENDO

THE ROSAURO RECONSTRUCTION

O

THE BEACON| 3

aolo Benigno Aquino IX, more affec-tionately

known as “Bam” was here in the Ateneo on July 14, 2012 to be the guest speaker of a sym-posium which was hosted by the Social Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Develop-ment class taking Mas-ters in Business Man-agement of the School of Management and Accountancy.

“Emerging So-

cial Actions through Entrepreneurship” is directed towards the introduction of what is Social Entrepreneur-ship and how and why it should be embedded on each of the future

entrepreneurs of this maturing country, and most especially to us Ateneans – of whom we are ought to be Men and Women for others.

“Entrepreneu-rship, traditionally, has been equated to solely making money or prof-iteering, but Social En-trepreneurship is a form of service to oth-ers” Bam affirmed. “This is where innova-tion comes in, dapat ho hindi lang tayo ang kumikita, dapat lahat natutulungan natin” he continued.

Bam is one of the three founders of Hapinoy, which aims to alleviate the poor and fully develop the mi-

croeconomics through a systematic sari-sari store industry. “Lahat ho tayo bumibili sa sari-sari store, wala hong tao ang makakapagsabi na hindi pa siya bumibili sa sari-sari store... 97% (of businesses) are still under microeconomics, 3% lang ho ang nasa macro... kinakailangan po natin itong mai-develop para lalong lumakas ang ekonomiya ng ating bansa” he ex-plained.

The nation’s

economic might is in a very unstable founda-tion, but through well-planned and organized entrepreneurship in the microeconomics area, these can be remedied, as what he claims. This

is why Social Entrepre-neurship is directed towards this sector – a practice which cares for others, to improve and expand through innova-tion, and not only for one’s own profit but for everyone’s well-being.

“We must do good through business... there was a cigarette company, one of the largest in the country, who offered us a spon-sorship for three years, it’s really a big thing because we usually had sponsorships that would last six months in the maximum... but we turned them down, simply because they did not fit in our goal,” Bam stressed.■

P

BAM AQUINO ON SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP

WORDS: BARRY BARRACA PHOTO: SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT AND ACCOUNTANCY

Bam Aquino (5th from right) poses with event organizers from the School of Management and Accountancy.

4| JULY 2012

theBEACON| 3

or many years now, students have been nit-

picking as to how the Ateneo’s wooden lockers are not reliable when it comes to security and quality. This year, the El Consejo Atenista, led by its President, Adriel Earl Toribio, spearheaded the installation of metal lockers in the universi-ty’s college buildings. This project was actually planned by the previous administration where Toribio was still the Vice-President, and accord-ing to him, having the project completed in his term has fulfilled the “continuity of plans” the student government must satisfy.

The metal lock-

do as student leaders, as opposed to conducting events known and acces-sible only to some, Ateneans can expect that other significant changes may ensue. Fingers crossed, the El Consejo, with the implementation of metal lockers as the beginning, will realize the other things it has promised, that is, to grant what students de-serve in exchange of their suffrage and to serve its student constit-uents one project at a time, one step at a time.■

ers were made available on June 25, with 150 units available for rental and each unit tagged at the price of P150. The payment will encompass locker use for the whole year. Because of the lim-ited number of lockers, the El Consejo estab-lished a “First Come, First Serve” basis to achieve fairness in lock-er ownership. On the day the lockers were offered to students, a sea of students streamed through the narrow hall-ways of the New College Building and the College Building, hoping to ob-tain one of those long-awaited “student must-haves.” According to Toribio, each unit cost P10, 000 inclusive of the freight for the delivery and he added that by the

second semester, when adequate funds will be on hand again, metal lockers will ultimately replace the remaining wooden lockers in the college buildings. As for the maintenance of the metal lockers, Toribio is confident that the lock-ers are durable since they are made of stain-less steel. But if the stu-dents’ culture of abusing lockers persists, Toribio said that they might opt to penalize the locker holders. On their first month of operation, the El Consejo has already created a positive im-pression among its stu-dent constituents. With this year’s student gov-ernment becoming more explicit when it comes to showing what they can

How HARD can you get? Of metal lockers, and the obsolescence of the wooden ones

WORDS: KEITH JOSHUA DUMPIT PHOTO: FRANCES GRACE FLORENDO

F

THE BEACON| 5

number of stu-de nt s we re caught in big

surprise to see Cherry‘s, Nicko‘s Siomai and Ice Scramble shut-off in the university cafeteria. Ques-tions on why these hap-pened were quite a plenty.

But upon scruti-ny, it was found out that even before the school year began, the school administration conducted a survey to evaluate the

performance and the quality of goods and ser-vices that the cafeteria stalls offer to their regular in-school customers. This measure served as their basis for the renewal of contracts of the stalls for another school year. The survey was purposely made to identify the strengths and weakness of the stalls that were necessary bases for any suggestion for improve-ment.

Two reasons seem to appear why the mentioned stalls ultimate-ly faced the axe. Appar-ently, the bottom three stalls which garnered the lowest ratings in the sur-vey were found to be not in compliance with the sanitary and nutritional requirements and pay-ment conditions. This then led the committee to finally declare their forfei-ture of space in the cafete-ria.

Even at the beginning, Bro. Raymund Belleza, S.J., had already received complaints from students, parents and teachers regarding the cleanliness and health value of the food available from these stores. Alt-hough these stalls were popular by demand be-cause of the very cheap prices that they tag on their products, but most of their products were deemed unhealthy and

A

The AdZU Café

DIET PLAN

WORDS: RIDZANA ABDULGAFUR PHOTO: FRANCES GRACE FLORENDO

6| JULY 2012

hazardous to human health.

Some clinical

instructors from the Nursing Department de-nounced Cherry's persis-tent reuse of cooking oil due to its harmful effects on health. Aside from it imparted unsavory flavors to the food, it also caused unpleasant odors in the ground floor of the cafe-teria usually during the peak hours of lunch.

Nicko's Siomai has also been removed due to its persistent sale of instant noodles which are regard-ed as junk foods. Though savored by most students, these are said to have no health value, especially when the cafeteria is also accessible to pre -schoolers and grade-schoolers. Ice Scramble has also been evicted due to its unsettled rental balance for quite some time.

Bro. Bel leza admitted that for the first year of its operation, they were still on the stage of trial and error, and what was more important to them was to buy populari-ty for the cafeteria. But now that they have the knowledge and experi-ence, he says that they are going to be stringent than ever when it comes to its management. Unlike be-fore, the first floor no longer reeks of smoke and

stench of food fried in used oil.

Though it may

sound adverse for some students who used to pat-ronize these stalls, but as what Bro. Belleza empha-sized, what he always wants is the best for all. He says that the eviction of the stalls was not an easy decision because it also took their time to think conscientiously about the possible reper-cussions. However, he says that what they value most is the bigger pic-ture—and that is, the safe-ty and welfare of everyone in the Ateneo.

Bro. Be l leza

hopes that this will also serve as a lesson for the remaining stall owners to strictly abide to the school policies. So as to make the cafeteria better and more convenient for everyone, some stalls that fall short of their responsibilities just have to be closed.■

THE BEACON| 7

8| JULY 2012

By: Barry Barraca and

Lianne Miranda

ince last year, some politician wannabes were

already making them-selves felt. On the main roads of the city we can see billboards or signage of faces of people we do not know with concern messages on them, most of these only have ini-tials – initials are easier to remember than the whole name, only a po-litical animal could have conceived such. Thus, the verdict: They are going to run this coming election. T h e ―heavyweight‖ politi-cians have joined the competition just recent-ly, some early this year but most just this sum-mer. We can see them owning some daily ad-vertisements on the pag-es of the city‘s promi-nent newspapers, re-c ru i t i ng s o - ca l l e d ―members‖ for their causes and movements, or just being involved in media more often. Nonetheless, they have joined the competition. ―Unfortunately, there is no law prohibit-ing them from doing this. If you complain before the COMELEC, they will say they cannot be held liable for any violation of any election

law as they are not yet candidates officially‖ stressed by the lawyer-councilor, Jawo Jimenez. ―If only politicians value honesty and integrity, or that they still have del-icadesa, nobody has to remind them that what they are actually doing is morally wrong,‖ he add-ed. But some have a different view about it. According to city coun-cilor Vincent Paul Ela-go, prohibitions against infomercials cannot ap-ply to anyone who has not filed his candidacy since there is no definite tool to measure his in-tention for running a governme nt pos t . ―There is no prohibition for now. Not until one has already filed his can-didacy which will still be on October…For as long as advertising ma-terials don't use the word ‗vote‘, then legally speaking, they may not be considered as a polit-ical ad[vertisement] for now not until the start of the campaign sea-son‖. When Birds Perch Too Tightly on a Branch One of the basics in a democracy, such as what we have to endure in the Philip-pines, is that popularity does account for most

of your votes if you would run for a position, be it the least Barangay Kagawad or being the country‘s President. Be-ing an incumbent official could mean exploiting whatever power you have to increase your popularity. H u m o n g o u s tarpaulins portray your smiling face on it, gov-ernment utility vehicles with your name in bold letters for people to see it even from afar, or schools and places hav-ing your relatives‘ name-sake– imagine the influ-ence. These and all else can be yours if you are already in a high position within the political arena to amplify your recogni-tion. Senate Bill No. 1967, formally known as the ―Anti-Signage of Public Works Act‖ or famed as the ―Anti-Epal Bill‖ of Sen. Miriam De-fensor Santiago dares to extinguish this practice. If passed, the law will prohibit officials from displaying their image or name to any completed or ongoing government project. After all, these developments are from the taxpayers‘ money, not from the pockets of these politicians – why should they be credited

for it? If only this punc-t u a l i t y i n s e l f -advertisement is applied in the delivery of social services.

The Birds of Prey Ever wondered why most politicians file their candidacy at the latest time possible? Most do it in the last day, at the last hour. They utilize the time still usa-ble for maneuvering ―activities‖ during the pre-campaign period. Notice: They suddenly show up in televisions doing the season‘s greet-ings or delivering a con-cern message, they max-imize their appearances in the circulation, or the like – but they do not ever ask to vote for them for any position whatso-ever. ―All of these are not yet considered to be campaign materials. That is why most politicians file late, some even doing it on the last day at mid-night. If you are already an official candidate, you can already be accused... let‘s keep the campaign clean. Let the people decide,‖ JV Faustino, ZTZ Movement spokes-person, explains. What politicians do during and even be-fore the campaign period

s

THE BEACON| 9

is a matter of wit and genius. The law is sup-posed to be simple in order to be fully under-stood and implemented. Nonetheless, it can be outmaneuvered because of the sheer variety of interpretation and view point. Legislators have failed, whether uninten-tionally or not for the reasons we can only guess, to correct these defects of our domestic laws. Consequently, the-se perversions occur – indeed, we reap what we sow. Hitting the Birds with the Right Stone ―An unjust law is no law at all,‖ St. Au-gustine of Hippo de-

clared. Indeed, people are criticizing the politi-cians for premature campaigning, to the point of disgusting the entirety of our political system, but at the same time we fail to realize that this inherent tradi-tion rose from the insuf-ficiency of the law to hinder or deter them to do such things. Truly, there must be substan-tial amendments to be done if we want these travesties to be reduced if not to be eradicated completely. Exploring fur-ther, one of the best solutions presently avail-able is the ―Anti-Epal

Bill‖ to be passed. Though it will not imme-diately be effective, at least it will wobble those whose positions are well-fortified by their influ-ence through mere fame and not by the services and accomplishments given and made. But then, how could this pass through legislation if verily the legislators themselves are benefit-ing from the status quo? If, moreover, these legis-lators are safeguarding their powers through this blemish, how then can we expect that the Bill will ever pass? Nevertheless, it will mostly be the bur-

den of the people. We are a democracy, and being such, all power and authority emanates from us. And as a Republic that is – by, through, and for – the people, every-thing is in our hands. What we demand is in our capability, be it change in our politics, it all rests in our choices that we make by the end of the day. If these things happen, it is also because we have come to allow it. ―Every time we witness an injustice and do not act, we train our character to be passive in its presence.‖ – Julian Assange.■

10| JULY 2012

“ [At first], I was very hesitant

to take the position...but if

God is giving it to you, then I

guess I have something to

give [too].

”—Engr. Stevan Dimaguila,

Director of Student‘s Affairs

WORDS: JAM CAMILLE QUINTANES

PHOTOS: DARRYLENE CLEMENTE

THE BEACON| 11

n a memo dated May 27 of this year , Father

President Antonio F. Moreno, SJ announced the accession of Engr. Stevan S. Dimaguila as the new Director of Stu-dent‘s Affairs, replacing the 17-year legend Mr. Francis Jay Llenado who was then transferred as the University Security Chief Officer. Such an-nouncement stirred ques-tions as to the reason of the sudden transfer of the man who has been deemed an institution himself.

Now that the DSA‘s tenure has transi-tioned, let us go beyond what we usually know about Engr. Steve. Some may plainly recognize him as a faculty member and former dean of the Col-lege of Science and Infor-mation Technology, while some deeply remember him as a compassionate person. With all these attributes, who would have thought that a sim-ple, calm and composed man as he would succeed one of the most aggres-sive posts in the Ateneo community? Seeing through Although born in Bacolod City, Engr. Stevan S. Dimaguila, or

―Steve‖, practically grew up here in Zamboanga. He had an ordinary child-hood alongside his four siblings under the care of hardworking parents. As a kid, Engr. Steve de-scribes himself as a hy-peractive tot. ―I cannot stay put. I get easily dis-tracted and I get bored sitting down,‖ giggling as he reminisced the fun kid he once was. ―Although it is totally different now due to physical reasons and because I learned to be more focused,‖ he adds. He studied in Ateneo for the first two years of his elementary but had to transfer to Zamboanga Normal School in Baliwasan as his family also relocated there. He spent his high school in Claret School of Zamboanga and graduat-

ed BS Mechanical Engi-neering in Western Min-danao State University. After passing the board exam, Engr. Steve contin-ued his teaching career for four years in Trade School and later took a Master‘s Degree for the course at the De La Salle Universi-ty. ―There came a point in my life where I didn‘t want to be under anyone – I didn‘t want to have a boss. I wanted to have independence.‖ It was for this very reason Engr. Steve gave up teaching so he can ven-ture out into the business world and start something by himself and for him-self. He was very open to business opportu-nities and everything went smoothly for him. As he

recalls, he always had enough money in his wal-let. However, he experi-enced something to which he emphatically described as the turning point of his life. ―It was definitely a 180-degree turn for me.‖ According to Engr. Steve, the success he attained during that time led him to put God aside. ―It wasn‘t much that God moved away from me, but I moved away from Him.‖ From that moment on, he says he learned how to keep his priorities straight and keep God in his life. Being a father of four is no easy task. Just like any other father, he was the provider of the family. Engr. Steve admits he had a difficult time in Zamboanga. Many would identify with him trying to raise his kids and send them to school one after the other. He had a stable job that time, but it was not paying enough for the family expenses and needs. It took quite some time until his wife met a friend who suggested him to apply in the Ateneo. Contrary to an expected response, Engr. Steve did not quickly jump to the opportunity. He did not want to let go of his busi-ness. ―What really pushed me to teach full-time in

I

―

There came a point in my life

where I didn’t want to be

under anyone – I didn’t want

to have a boss. I wanted to

have independence.

‖

The D in the OSA

12| JULY 2012

Ateneo was the scholar-ship that my kids were going to get.‖ In this bold move, as any father would want the best for his chil-dren, he decided to go back where he first start-ed and once gave up: a teaching career. Prayers, Position, and Perspective ―I was very hesi-tant to take the position at first.‖ Engr. Steve re-members going to Fort Pilar and fervently pray-ing for this decision. ―But if God is giving it to you, then I guess I have some-thing to give.‖ He honest-

ly declares that he accept-ed the position because God told him to. The newly-appointed director shares that his goals mainly re-volve around developing the students‘ holistic character and imbibing Ignatian Spirituality. The man has a deep convic-tion for touching the lives of the students for them to be close to God and to always possess the Ateneo Spirit. He sees his role going beyond the usual day-to-day opera-tions, implementation of rules and addressing stu-dent affairs. He stresses that he takes importance

in instilling Atenean ideals in students which he hopes they would carry with them even as they leave the walls of this school. Engr. Steve says he is quite aware that he has big shoes to fill after Francis Llenado. The former DSA has been in the position for a very long time and everybody regards him as a house name. Though he does not really feel any pres-sure on his part, he is mindful of the challenges that this change awaits him. ―I would probably grow less hair,‖ he joking-ly adds. ―But I think I

would have to make many sacrifices… and hopefully I will change for the better – to be closer to God,‖ he continues. As many would be surprised (as I have been), the new face be-hind the famous desk is the face of a man who has been through a lot, who has grown a lot, and who wishes to share his convic-tions with others. He is a man of deep faith with his God, and just as he is a father to his children, he longs to teach us students the same values to get through life steady and strong.■

A NEW MAN. Engr. Stevan Dimaguila sits as Ateneo’s Director of Student’s Affairs—one of the most crucial posts in the community.

THE BEACON| 13

hile the rest of the Filipinos were celebrating

the 114th Independence Day on June 12, the oth-ers were fighting for free-dom on the streets of Mendiola.

A m i d s t t h e

scorching afternoon heat and the firm presence of armed police forces, al-most two thousand peas-ant farmers from Central Luzon, Southern Tagalog and Negros finally made their voices heard over the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Pro-gram (CARP), which they say, served them ―little good‖ since its inception.

Farmers from

different regions gathered and marked their protests with statements accusing President Benigno S. Aquino as a puppet of his clan‘s, the Cojuangco‘s,

interests in Hacienda Luisita, and pressuring him to redistribute the lands to tenants who have been yearning for social equity for so many decades.

Harping on CARP

H i s t o r i c a l l y , major land reform legisla-tions find their begin-nings in 1954 when the Agricultural Tenancy Act was passed. Subsequently, similar legislations were pursued in 1955 and 1963. In 1972, under the rule of the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos, the Agrarian Reform Code of 1971 was legislated, and with it is the formal crea-tion of the Department of Agrarian Reform which accordingly gave ―more teeth‖ to the law. Almost sixteen years af-ter, the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law

was enacted and signed by the late President Corazon C. Aquino that promul-gated on 1988 the Com-prehensive Agrarian Re-form Program (CARP).

CARP of 1988 is

a state policy which man-dates the redistribution of eight million hectares of lands to landless tenant-famers within ten years to ensure the promotion of justice and social equity in rural areas. However, while the initiative of an agrarian reform was deemed laudable, it has recorded slow progresses through the years due to lack of political will and constant interference of oligarchs in the Philippine politics .

In 2006, the

Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and the Department of Environ-ment and Natural Re-

sources (DENR) reported a land distribution rate of 79.4%, or approximately 6.4 million hectares out of the 8.1 million target scope of the CARP from 1972 to 2005. By face value it may seem remark-able, but the current target distribution scope of 8.1 million hectares is a short-adjusted figure from the original 10.3 million-hectare land distribution target. From 1988 to 1998, at least 60,000 hectares were exempted from the scope of CARP. Subse-quently, the Supreme Court also declared CARP exemptions to millions of hectares of land which were claimed to be devot-ed to commercial live-stock operations.

Moreover, while

Estrada, Arroyo and Aqui-no have been bragging about the successes of land reforms under their

The Search for Genuine Land Reform WORDS: KELVIN J. CULAJARA PHOTO: PINOYWEEKLY.ORG

W

14| JULY 2012

The Search for Genuine Land Reform WORDS: KELVIN J. CULAJARA PHOTO: PINOYWEEKLY.ORG

own regimes, the Census-es of Agriculture reveals data that should make them feel otherwise. Ac-cordingly, while full land ownership by landlords decreased by 12.3% from 1971 to 2002,this did not necessarily entail full farmers‘ ownership since majority of the landless tenants are part-owners only which implies persis-tence of tenancy and lease arrangements with the landlords. In fact, the Annual Poverty Indica-tors Survey (APIS) re-ports that only 11% of all i n t e n d e d f a r m e r -beneficiaries had obtained land through CARP.

Quelling defiance

―We were the ones who planted but the goons of the landlord ate it,‖ says one of the farm-ers of Hacienda Baldevia in Negros, according to Bulatlat report. ―Life is hard here. There are times when we eat only once or twice day. We are very lucky if we get to eat at least three times a day. But that is very rare.‖

Ironically, in a

nation where agriculture is what keeps it afloat and where the peasant sector is what largely comprises the Philippine population, rural poverty caused by social inequity and exploi-tation seems resurging.

Currently, the

nation-wide agricultural

daily minimum wage ranges from P190 to P262, yet ordinary farm-workers‘ wages range from P20 to P69 only in Negros, Samar and Caga-yan. Moreover, most farmworkers are finan-cially exploited through high interest rates pon-dered in their loans used for farming amenities. Such interest rates soar as high as 20% per month, 200% per harvest and even 400% per year which are approximately 8% to 388% higher than the legal interest rate of 12% per annum.

Due to persis-

tent abuses by landlords, farmers from different regions organized unions and federations to solidify movement for the ad-vancement of their rights. However, their demon-strations are usually met with violence and brutal resistance from the high-er echelons . In Novem-ber 2004, twelve farmers and two c hi ld re n were slain and hun-d r e d s w e r e wounded during a m a s s i v e protest in t h e

Cojuangco-owned Haci-enda Luisita.

Recently, atroci-ties by an armed group, Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPA-ABB), against ordinary peasant farmers in Negros were reported. According to reports, RPA-ABB was hired by the landlord of the Hacienda Baldevia to defeat possible radical movements, and to ―quell their (farmers) defiance‖. Only this January, RPA-ABB demolished farm-workers‘ homes and burned them to the ground. ―They were even laughing while they were burning our houses‖ says one farmer.

Finding courage

In its entirety, CARP has been a slow empowerment to peasant farmers, but recent devel-opments prove that it is nonetheless worth push-ing for.

In an April 24

ruling, the Supreme Court en banc unanimously vot-ed for the tota l -distribution of Hacienda Luisita to the farmer-beneficiaries. Meanwhile, the court decision to stick to the 1989 valuation of P40, 000 per hectare pre-v a i le d ami ds t the Cojuangco family‘s peti-tion for a P10-billion compensation.

Meanwhile, on

June 15, President Aquino had sworn that all lands covered by CARP will be totally distributed by 2014. ―Between now and June 2014, all agricultural lands shall be covered and dis-tributed to qualified bene-ficiaries,‖ says presidential spokesman Edwin Lac-ierda.■

THE BEACON| 15

hat moment when you had gotten rid of

everything and found out the flush was broken… That rarely hap-pens. W h e n ne w s broke that the ―Excretion Capital of ADZU‖ in the LRC third floor was shut down indefinitely, count-less people incapable of preventing their bombs from dropping mourned over the closure of the

room that always wel-comed them with open arms and wrapped them with privacy. But they must not lament over such tragedy, for the Ateneo is still giving them a restroom experience teeming with luxury and class. First off, men – they tend to be undisci-plined when it comes to focusing the trajectory of their fluid waste. What do we have then? Glistening floors enough to produce

m i r r o r - l i k e r e f l e c t i o n s , with an am-m o n i a - l i k e fragrance to boot. Never-theless, inani-mate as they are, the floors confirm that they have not had contact with mops since… Naah, the floors have lost track of time, they say. Is something

straining the friendship between floors and mops? They used to be very close. Floors shimmer in men‘s restrooms, while cubicle locks fasten very well in ladies‘ powder rooms. Women, in secre-cy, actually create intricate poses while inside their respective cubicles, trying to use their limbs in keep-ing the door from going ajar. All it needs is a pho-tographer and we have our very own Top Model rip-off. Thanks to those locks, our Ateneo ladies are ready to grace the

pages of Vogue Italia. But regardless of gender, when one‘s stom-ach gears start to turn, it will be better for him to begin collecting sheets of paper and start treading towards one of our luxuri-ous lavatories. At the same time, he could recite the tongue twister ―I slit a sheet, a sheet I slit…‖ be-cause those shreds of pa-per will come in handy once he enters the façade of toilet paper abundance. But he better be careful, ordinary paper cuts deep. Our restroom toilet pa-

T

EEW | DE | TOILETTE A Peek at AdZU’s Five-Star Restrooms

WORDS: KEITH JOSHUA DUMPIT PHOTOS: DARRYLENE CLEMENTE & WINDEL OPINION

16| JULY 2012

pers are not for dabbing cuts and gashes. Technology has played a key role in the Ateneo‘s plans to beautify our lavatories. Ever heard of the automatic faucets of the LRC restrooms? Cool. But, in dire times, how can we make do of the water running through the faucets? Dip-pers are so last year, and the new trend today is using your own water tumbler or plastic cups. But when disaster is posi-tioned at the brink, LRC restroom users, especially

men, could resort to the only hollow material in the lavatory: the flower vase. Talk about trend-setting. Quest ion in mind, could we consider yellow submarines as assets of our lavatories? Yes, we can, for they are fixtures or preset human investments. Nonethe-less, the investors them-selves dislike what they just endowed. What‘s worse than seeing a yel-low submarine about to take action? Not being able to get them sucked

by a whirlpool. Ateneans never get to do that. In a battle between submarines and humans, the mortals lose because they do not have the device that, if detonated, will lead to the eternal abolishment of the former. Let us just say that the device humans need is a functioning flush system. Only that will end the nightmares students have in voyaging through our flushy, er, flashy re-strooms. Comfort Room – from a pilosopo‘s per-spective, a place which offers comfort to its us-

ers. Ideally, comfort rooms uphold, above all, hygiene and cater to the biological needs of hu-mans. Zooming into our context, user abuse is ram-pant, and constant, but not being able to offset the abuses is not warrant-ed, for payments encom-passing the betterment of the lavatories are made. Hence, is the Ateneo justi-fying its usage of the label ―comfort room‖ or is it living up to an unidenti-fied one? Think about it. One day you will venture into it and be made known to the truth.■

EEW | DE | TOILETTE A Peek at AdZU’s Five-Star Restrooms

WORDS: KEITH JOSHUA DUMPIT PHOTOS: DARRYLENE CLEMENTE & WINDEL OPINION

THE BEACON| 17

n d e n i a b l y , Ateneo has been a home to some rich and affluent

personalities. Sons and daughters of politicians? We have them. Future heirs and heiresses of local business establishments? We have them. And in an environment where stu-dents seem to be more worried about lip gloss and how a P500 weekly allow-ance seems not enough, sometimes we fail to realize how much we have than those who had to endure each day with hungry tum-mies. In the nooks and crannies of this campus, live a breed of Ateneans who very much deserve a unique celebration and recognition as they silently but decisively work their way up to their dreams and goals. Charlyn Blando is a third year Education student majoring in Filipi-no. As I find my way to her dorm here in ADZU, I am welcomed by her shy smile and inviting personal-ity. One look and I knew she had a story to tell. The fifth in a

“

family of eight children , Charlyn hails from the municipality of Labason . Her parents are farmer-tenants of a land. After graduating high school in Labason as class valedicto-rian, Charlyn was recom-mended to study here in ADZU. However, it was not without hesitation that she greeted the idea. She recalls that the first thing that came to her mind was “Hala, hindi namin „to afford. Kahit maging scholar ako, malaki pa rin ang gastos – pagkain, boarding house, pa-masahe.” But then again, Charlyn knew that this was an opportunity she was not willing to let go, “Pero kung may tutulong sa amin, mag-pursigi talaga ako pumarito, kasi opportunity na iyon”, she says. The hesitation due to financial constraints was further blurred in her

mind because she says her parents were very support-ive of this.

ATENEO, FIRST-HAND

―[Noong] first time ko dito, parang out of place ako. Ako lang ba ang ganito, ako lang ba ang taga-province?‖ Charlyn relays that some of her earlier worries included the fact the she could not under-stand and speak Chavaca-no. In addition to that the physical aura and atmos-phere of the students, she was clearly uncomfortable and taken aback. “Dating ng mga taga ADZU sa akin, parang to the highest level. Sosyal talaga…iyong mga sasakyan pa lang nila.” As with any adjustment period however, the girl realized that she was not alone. She

was able to cope with the environment and soon enough, everything turned out to be okay. The culture shock did not only come in the form of students, but in the form of classes as well. Charlyn recalls comparing how her high school life was much easier and re-laxed than college life. In class, she was afraid of not being able to give the cor-rect answer whenever the teacher asked her a ques-tion. Her usual bubbly self also disappeared as she did not have the guts to talk to her classmates just yet.

OF DREAMS AND SACRIFICE “Ok lang talaga ako, Ma.” –Charlyn on con-vincing her mother not to worry about her situation In a nutshell, this scholar has been through a lot. Charlyn narrates some of the toughest experiences she had to go through. There was a point in her life where for four straight months, she was eating only once a day because she needed to budget her mon-ey. There were times when she would come home at

Charlyn’s Story WORDS: JAM CAMILLE QUINTANES. PHOTO: FRANCES GRACE FLORENDO

U

”

Sa hirap ng

buhay, dapat ko talagang panindigan na kaya ko.

18| JULY 2012

midnight and wash her single pair of uniform for the next day and lose her physical will to study due to stress and exhaustion. Being a scholar who needs to maintain a grade of 85%, Charlyn says that prayer has been her great-est weapon and key to maintain the grade needed.

When her father had to go to Manila and attend to his sick brother, Charlyn was living under the notion that she had no resources to pay off ex-penses and needs. She says she could not ask money from her mother because she also knew their poor situation way back home. For the first time in her life, Charlyn was not able to spend Christmas and New Year with her family. Instead of receiving gifts and caroling, she spent the usual holiday break looking for jobs and other sources of income.

She did land a job as a household help and somehow this helped alleviate her financially. No matter how hard and heavy her work was, she re-mained to be inspired. She

did not dare tell her par-ents about the things she had to do to save them from worrying. Enrollment sea-son is one of those times Charlyn dreads. ―Every enrollment ako namom-roblema. Iiyak ako tapos pa-rang sinisisi ko sarili ko.” An impressive quality she ex-udes is the fact that she never blamed her parents for not sending enough money for her. “Kasi alam ko iyon lang talaga ang kaya nila.”

THE VISION “Sa hirap ng buhay, dapat ko talagang panindigan na kaya ko.” –Charlyn on staying motivated According to Charlyn, her ultimate aim is to help her parents. She feels she could not do this unless she studies well and graduates. Excelling in her studies is a vital key for her to achieve that goal. “Pag mababa yung exam ko or failure yung work ko, naiisip ko paano yung family ko?” Family is Charlyn‘s inspira-tion to keep going amidst all circumstances and diffi-culties. As a scholar, she

also believes that you can‘t take life too easily and wait for things to happen. “Kailangan mo talagang paghi-rapan, pagsikapan,” she adds. Life here in the Ateneo is not as easy as it is for some. There are those who have to work hard and earn just to get by their daily needs. We are cele-brating a hundred years of

excellence, spirit, and ser-vice. We must also cele-brate a hundred cheers for those people who have silently succeeded and over-come the great obstacles in their own lives, in their own little ways.■

Charlyn’s Story

A hopeful Charlyn Blando scribbles her notes as she prepares for her next class.

THE BEACON| 19

he existence of a private school largely

depends on the num-ber of students enrol-ling in it. That unde-niable truth is the reason why choosing a school nowadays seems to be more of a commercial endeav-or than an education-al one. ―Does the school provide a quality educa-tion? Are the facilities good? If I graduate there, will my future employers be impressed from where I studied from?‖ These ques-tions are some that top the most when a number of students were asked as to how

they chose which college they will go to. Eerily enough it sounds similar to how people choose what clothes or shoes to buy. Trends tend to favor those that have a known brand name than to those that do not. Fortu-nately enough, the name ATENEO is a well known name indeed.

THE FACTS Below is a line graph of AdZU‘s enrollment turnout for the last eleven years to the present. The data was taken from the Registrar‘s Office last June 29 and was the most current one that they

had as of that date. Significantly, this year shows the biggest turnout of enrollees for AdZU. Mr. Emir R. Españo, Director of Admis-sions, says that this is because of the cen-tennial activities, new buildings, and ―all the little things‖ that the University has been doing. Moreo-ver, he shares that it is not only the Office of Admissions that is doing all the work. The different schools and colleges are also moving on their own and are taking care of their own marketing. Take for example the College of Science and Information

Technology that or-ganizes the annual Statistics Camp for high school students and whose engineer-ing students also went ―school hopping,‖ exhibiting projects that they have per-sonally done. Despite the results, the Office of Admissions maintain that the turnouts can-not be attributed to a

T

IS THE NAME ENOUGH?

WORDS: SARAH GAIL C. GALVAN

ADZU ENROLMENT TURN-OUTS from A.Y. 2001-2002 to 2012-2013

20| JULY 2012

set of fixed variables because there are a lot of factors that should be considered and most of them are personal preferences and reasons of the students themselves.

THE IMPLICATIONS

It truly is a success to be able to achieve a high turn-out especially when it is considered to be the highest as of date.

However, this just means that the more students that have enrolled, more ex-pectations have to be met. The question then is, ―Is AdZU meeting the expectations of its students?‖ The Ateneo name connotes quali-ty education and an environment that is most conducive for learning. It prides

itself to give the best to the students who are paying a very high fee for its ―worth.‖ Indeed, this centenni-al year sees the Uni-versity with a new building, the renam-ing of some, and a lot of other activities that will celebrate the 100 years of excellence, spirituality and citi-zenship that Ateneo is known for.

And yet, with all the efforts it exert-ed from the Manuel Sauras building to the ongoing construction of the giant letters of AdZU 100 that can be seen on the front field, where are the efforts to improve the quality of the facilities of the school that is most important for the students‘ educa-tion? Where are the efforts to fix class-rooms that suffer from broken fans and lack of chairs? Where are the efforts to as-sure that a class who is assigned the room right next to the gym will not be disturbed

ADZU ENROLMENT TURN-OUTS from A.Y. 2001-2002 to 2012-2013

THE BEACON| 21

These should be met and should be nonne-gotiable if the Univer-sity wants to maintain the high turnout rates that it is enjoying now. For as market-ing goes, what good is the name if that is all there is to it?■

from all the activities and practices that are being done there? Where are the efforts for better and defi-nitely cleaner comfort rooms? In name, the Ateneo is about ex-cellence and yet, things are not that quite excellent on the ground. The AdZU‘s highest turnout rate is something good but it should also mean that the University is expected to do more since more students are enrolling. The students are paying

an exorbitant price to be called an Atenean and graduating as an Atenean. The educa-tional environment then should show that we are paying for that worth. Students en-roll because of per-sonal reasons and some of those rea-sons lean towards using the University‘s good name in landing a job in the future. But the name will never be enough if in truth that is the only thing that we can boast about. One

student commented on the fact that there are other schools in the city that provide quality education at an affordable price whose facilities are on the same level as Ateneo‘s. How much more can we say that AdZU is better if that was the case? The students are definitely not pay-ing thousands for just the Ateneo name. Expectations are of a quality education and the best that can be provided for a learn-ing environment.

Photographs courtesy of Ateneo de Zamboanga University

and Ateneo Fiesta 2011 Facebook pages.

22| JULY 2012

DISPUTED

SPECKS ON THE MAP

WORDS: LEVIN ANGELO LOBREN

A basic for economic stability is to balance the demand-resource ratio. The long debated Paracel and Spratly Islands have been the ignitions for territorial disputes between Asian countries that eye new sources of raw materials. As to how it has been, claiming sovereignty over bodies of

land and water—which result to territorial expansion—would grant great access for untapped potentials; within a few square meters of land could be a deposit of minerals, a buried lake of natural gas, a fertile farming ground, and boundless other possibilities.

Bajo de Masinlóc, more known as the

Scarborough Shoal, is at risk to befall on China’s hands. Technically, among the 7, 107 islands is Bajo de Masinlóc. Disinheriting the shoal would mean losing a rich fishing ground which would upset groups of fisher-men and industries, and losing essentially an oil deposit which could have otherwise countered our economic struggle.

The rightful claim

According to United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the Philippines qualifies for its sovereignty in the Scarborough Shoal. The UNCLOS, which came into force in 1994, recognizes Scarborough as a regime of islands under the Re-public of the Philippines through the Exclusive Eco-nomic Zone (EEZ). The EEZ is measured 370 km (200 mi) from the baselines of its land territories. The Scarborough, despite its location in South China Sea, is within the Philippine EEZ, thus, the reserved rights for Philippines’ exploration, conservation, and exploita-tion.

Persistent military presence in the Scarborough and trade

embargo from the Chinese government led the Philippines to challenge China to settle the dispute in international court. However, China dis-missed the idea since it did not want intervention from the international

A

THE BEACON| 23

community. While the Philip-

pines raises its flag in the disputed waters, China per-sistently asserts its claim of the Scarborough by using historical data. Accordingly, its sovereignty dates back in the year 1279 during the Yuan dynasty when the Scar-borough was proclaimed as “the point in the South China Sea”. The Chinese govern-ment even asserted that Scar-borough has then been in-cluded in Chinese maps, and had had a declaration for its sovereignty.

Battle of histories Early maps pub-lished in 1734 presents Scar-borough as a part of Zam-bales. Spanish Jesuit priest Pedro Murillo Velarde, the map-maker, indicated the shoal as Bajo de Masinlóc. Several other maps by Spain and United States in 18th and 20th centuries are also con-sistent with the shape of the shoal with the Philippine maps we have today. The Philippines also enumerates various activities accom-plished in the island such as the construction of the iron tower by the Philippine Navy in 1965 and the erecting of Philippine flags in 1965 and 1967. It had also been a tradi-tional fishing ground for Filipinos, even shelter during bad weather.

The aforemen-tioned are generally the sup-ported claims, each with underlying complexities still under the microscope. While China is in abundance of historical evidences, these should still be further sub-stantiated diplomatically.

Steadfast opposition China does not wish other countries to join the dispute with the Philip-pines. ‚The Philippines’ attempt to draw any third party into interfering or inter-vening through whatever means in the incident is bound to further escalate the situation or even change the nature of the issue and will meet steadfast opposition from the Chinese side.‛

In May 2012, Chi-

nese maritime ships sur-rounded Bajo de Masinlóc intimidating Filipino fisher-men from throwing their nets for their daily catch. As at-tested by the fishermen of Masinlóc, Chinese vessels blocked their entry to the shoal.

Amidst the talks

between the Philippines and China to ease the tensions around Scarborough Shoal, Chinese vessels continue to increase in number from fourteen to ninety-two. The Philippines accused China for the increase of tension in the area and subsequently

demanded for an immediate pullout under the violation of Philippine sovereignty.

Tight security

President Benigno Aquino III met with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak in November of last year for military boost on aircraft, patrol boats, and other facili-ties that would aid the Philip-pines in securing its defense.

This year, South Korea sent equipments, such as helmets and vests, for the Armed Forces of the Philippines for the Scarborough standoff.

According to re-

ports, United States of Ameri-ca sent a second Hamilton-class cutter. Australia would also send a number of ves-sels for search and rescue operations, and skill trainers to help develop the Philippine military. Japan would likely provide ten forty-meter patrol boats under official develop-ment aid.

As of the date, military vessels are still omni-present and tensions still continue to rise up despite the two nations attesting to settle the dispute in peace.■

24| JULY 2012

Photo Sources: http://w w w . e -ir.info/2012/04/26/the-china-philippines-face-off-at-scarborough-shoal-back- to- square -one/; h t t p : / /www.a1social.com/2012/05 /a -c h i n a - v i e w - of -scarborough-shoal-or-huangyan-island-dispute-in-south-china-sea/

Eight pesos per passenger for the first kilometer.

Additional two pesos for every succeeding kilome-ter and thereafter, regard-less of the number of passengers.‖

According to the

Land Transportation Franchising and Regulato-ry Board (LTFRB), this is the tricycle fare matrix which everyone ought to comply. Under this ma-trix, if you live in Baran-gay Tetuan and decide to ride a tricycle to school, you have to pay roughly P10. But no, if you look at reality, a short trip to school would cost you

P30 to even P40 which is three to four times higher than what it should cost.

Everyday, while

you give in to the little piece of injustice by tak-ing out P30 or more from your measly daily allow-ance, you disregard the thought of how far such amount could have taken you. In places like Dipolog and Pagadian, you‘d be surprised to find out that a humble P7 can take you to a one-kilometer distance al-ready. Brats’ rants

Most tricycle drivers interviewed refuse

to follow the fare rate matrix because according-ly, it gives them insuffi-cient profit at the end of the day. Given the sky-rocketing prices of com-modities, and the fact that most of them are merely agents of the real tricycle proprietors, they claim that what they usually receive is not enough to sustain their family‘s needs.

Moreover, in an

attempt to convince the passengers, many of them claim that there is an al-leged plan by the City Government to increase the fare rate from P8 to P20. At this they insinuate

that if ever it gets imple-mented, why would they not exercise it as early as now?

The passenger’s seat

Instead of reli-giously following the fare rate plastered on the dash, tricycle drivers rely on oral contracts with their pas-sengers to set the price of their transportation ser-vice. As noted by Tymothy Chua, a regular tricycle passenger, the drivers charge them way over the legal fare thinking that they will earn more if they do this. But, more often than not, drivers only end up losing poten-tial passengers considering

SPOILED BRATS IN THREE WHEELS WORDS: PAOLA MIGELLI CANANEA. PHOTOS: DARRYLENE CLEMENTE

“

THE BEACON| 25

that there are various alternatives, like jeepneys and even sikad-sikads, on the road. What happens is they end up making rounds and having a lot of idle time because pas-sengers are too disgusted at the price they offer.

Kevin Jimera

points out that the best thing to do is make a ver-bal contract with the driv-er before agreeing to ride as a passenger. A verbal contract, in this case, will only exist once the pas-senger and the driver agree on an amount. This is to avoid having further disagreements about the price once you reach the destination. But he also admits this is a difficult feat during rush hour when he has no choice but to immediately get in the first tricycle he can find.

Last resort

The Tricycle

Adjudication Board of Zamboanga is the regulat-ing body for matters con-cerning tricycle com-plaints. The board urges the public to file a formal complaint when faced with issues regarding the tricycle fare so that prop-er action can be taken.

Drivers will be charged with a penalty of P1,000 if found guilty.

If you ever en-

counter yourself in the same annoying situation, you can choose to give in to the tricycle‘s request and just walk away deject-edly, or if you are strong-willed, you will probably get on a heated discus-sion with the driver be-fore slapping the fare begrudgingly. Again, do-ing this won‘t take you far. Take the name and plate number and report this to the LTFRB so that authorities can take the proper action and give the due process. Because as minor as this issue may be, it is a case of tram-pling upon of human rights that has accumulat-ed over time and has now become one of the most prominent problems in

the city. While jeepneys

do not offer the same amount of comfort and convenience as tricycles do, it can practically rise above the occasion. You may have to squeeze in between sweaty strangers but if you‘re practical and willing to endure little feats like this, then it‘s the best way to get away from unscrupulous drivers.

What now? The obvious

issue lies in the reality that it has become normal to charge passengers three or four times the applicable rate. This is a clear injus-tice that Zamboanguenos have strangely passed off as routine now. Some-thing has to be done to change this social stigma – not just the attitude of

drivers in terms of over-charging, but also the in-difference and unwilling-ness from citizens to do something constructive about it.

Come to think of

it. What if all of us who experience this injustice on a daily basis do some-thing about it? What if we actually take the time and effort to report all these cases? Soon enough, driv-ers‘ awareness will be heightened and the ten-dency to overcharge will lessen once they realize that passengers and au-thorities are being vigilant about it. From the meager amount that they earn in a day, no driver would want to be penalized for one thousand pesos.■

26| JULY 2012

THE BEACON| 27

fter seventeen years of pro-student leader-

ship as the Director of Student Affairs, Mr. Fran-cis Jay Llenado was set to a new ground as the Uni-versity Security Officer. Considering the longevity of his tenure as DSA, many deemed him as a superman irreplaceable. But in an administrative mandate last May that made him hop to a new post, the Ateneo has to bow down to Mr. Stevan Dimaguila as its new DSA who has assumed office only this June.

As such, the DSA is expected to foster utmost fervor to be the

defender of every student in the community. He is expected to march on the front line in pursuit of preserving student‘s wel-fare. The DSA is ex-pected to heed to the whims of the student body, and implement or impose sanctions that are needed to enforce disci-pline. More than any-thing, he is expected to be the immediate bridge of the students to the administration.

These are the expectations that the student body has for the new DSA. And while some doubt Mr. Di-maguila‘s capability to meet these due to his

―soft-spoken and calm‖ nature, the rest waits un-wearyingly on what is in store in his plans and vi-sion for the Ateneo. Hav-ing served as a former dean and faculty member of the College of Science and Information Technol-ogy for quite a number of years, students and even Father President Antonio Moreno agree that he can start over the legacy from where Mr. Llenado left off, and swerve the 3,000-plus studentry of the Ateneo college to the right direction.

However, while that seat which he has seized is of great im-portance, his esteemed position will remain to be still if the students brush its function and powers to nothingness. The rampant versions of underground chronicles of student har-assments but with no verified evidences to such stories are a testament to that. The existence of these hearsays may prove

the possibility that these stories are real, but if no one dares to testify, all these shall remain myths which only deserve a very meager space in the ad-ministration‘s priorities.

This is the first challenge that Mr. Di-maguila will have to face in his first year as DSA. And in order for him to

A

SUPERMAN AND

THE DEMONS

“ ”

The existence of hearsays may prove the

possibility that these stories are real, but

if no one dares to testify, all these shall

remain myths which only deserve a very

meager space in the administration’s

priorities.

ILLUSTRATION: ALMIRA PRISCILLA DRAPIZA

28| JULY 2012

live up to the expecta-tions of students, he has to appease and persuade them that either they will be safe if they choose to report, or their effort of stepping out and testify-ing will be worth the risk.

Moreover, his office will also face thirty-nine accredited school organizations in which

only a handful remains operative. In a statement during last year‘s Council of Leaders Assembly, former vice-president (now president-elect) Adriel Earl Toribio said that many of these organ-izations no longer func-tion to meet their objec-tives and platforms which they have stated in their

reports when they sought for accreditation from the former DSA. This then leaves us wondering if some student-run organi-zations are really serious in fulfilling the general objective of cultivating individual maturity and talent of its members and forming a dynamic and responsible Ateneo com-munity.

The next chal-

lenge to Mr. Dimaguila is not to activate these dying student-run organizations (because, obviously, that is an unfair burden for him to govern) but to execute tighter and more stringent measures to ensure the quality and maturity of the incoming organization-applicants before they are given recognition. After all, while the right to an as-sembly is fundamental and ought to be upheld, such right likewise entails the responsibility of func-tioning to achieve their

very goals and objectives, and to contribute to the intellectual, moral and ethical development of the Ateneans.

An impressive

and highly-academic back-ground as dean, faculty member and research manager are Mr. Dimagui-la‘s pass to directorship. His will be term we‘re willing and eager to watch over. For if we heard it right from those who know about him, beyond the subtle and quiet char-acter is a man who is said to have command, author-ity and competence. We believe that these qualities are what suit a Director of Student Affairs. After all, we‘re too convinced that the DSA is any student‘s most accessible hero against any demons who are, as of the moment, unnamed.■

Kelvin J. Culajara

THAT BIG BLUE BIRD

COMMENTARY

ILLUSTRATION: ALMIRA PRISCILLA DRAPIZA

THE BEACON| 29

a l a n a n g kabataan ang

m a t i n o n g k a u s a p ngayon. Bakit? Dahil sa lahat ng pagkakataon na s i l a a y i y o n g makakausap, kung hindi ka ba naman babarahin ay malamang ganito ang isasagot sa iyo, ‚Weh? Di nga? Pagsure oi!‛ At kapag ipinagdiinan mo pa ang iyong gustong sabihin, ito naman ang sasalubong sayo, ‚Ikaw na teh! Ikaw na! Ikaw na ang magaling!‛ Maaring ito ay kabastusan at

kawalan ng galang

sa pananaw ng mga nakatatanda

ngunit, ganito na talaga ang mga kabataan ngayon. Ano pa nga ba ang ating magagawa? Ika nga nila, ‚if you can’t stop them, then join them!‛ Saan ka pa? Parang mga k a b u t e k u n g makasulpot ang mga salitang balbal na ito, kaliwa’t kanan at kung saan- saan, tiyak na ito ay maririnig mo pa rin. Malamang kahit sa mga malalayong mga bukirin at kapatagan, malamang mula Batanes hanggang Tawi-Tawi ay laganap na ang ganitong uri ng pagsasalita. Masisi mo

b a s i l a ? Masisi

mo ba kami? Hindi. Ano nga ba ang pinag-ugatan ng pagkakaroon ng ganitong mga salita o mga ekspresyon? Alam kong alam niyo na ang kasagutan sa tanong na iyan. Oo naman, kayo na, kayo na ang may alam! Karamihan ay nagsasabing ito ay buhat nang sumikat si Vice Ganda. Sa tuwing siya ay mapapanood sa Showtime o di naman kaya ay sa Gandang Gabi Vice, eh hindi m a t a t a w a r a n a n g kanyang pambabara at paggamit ng mga g a n i t o n g u r i n g ekspresyon. At mula roon, ay unti-unting kumalat ang tsismis sa bawat sulok ng Pilipinas. Siyempre naman, pati sa mga text at social networking sites gaya ng Facebook, ay

nasakop na rin ng

ganitong paraan ng pagsasalita, idagdag mo pa si Simsimi. Weh? Di ka mak apina wa la no? Maniwala ka! Ito na ang uso ngayon! (Ay hindi, bukas...bukas pa iyan magiging uso.) At hindi natin maikakaila na pati ang ibang nakatatanda ay nakikisabay na rin sa uso! Astig hindi ba! Ngunit, marapat lamang nating tandaan na hindi sa lahat ng bagay, oras at pagkakataon ay nararapat na gamitin ang ganitong paraan ng pagsasalita o pagsagot. Ikaw ba naman, subukan mo ngang sabihan ang iyong guro ng ‚Ikaw na Ma’am, ikaw na ang tama!‛ Baka naman masipa ka niya palabas ng silid-aralan niyan. Subukan mo raw barahin ang iyong magulang kapag sila ay nagtanong ng ‚Oh anak, nasaan ka na ngayon?‛ at ito ang

W E H N G A ? ?

W ‘D I

30| JULY 2012

iyong magiging sagot ‚Malamang nasa Earth pa rin, alangan namang nasa Jupiter ako ngayon.‛ Tingnan lang natin kung makakauwi ka pa ng bahay niyan. Sa ating paggamit ng ganitong paraan ng pagsasalita, marapat lamang na ipakita pa rin natin ang tamang respeto at paggalang sa kapwa. Maging sensitibo tayo at alamin ang pagkakataong magbiro at magseryoso. Nakakatuwa kaya kung ito ay iyong marinig sa mga kabataan ngayon. H a t i d n i t o a y halakhakan, tawanan at biruan. Tama nga naman, bakit ba naman kailangan pang tanungin ang mga bagay- bagay na sadyang halata naman? Halimbawa, ikaw ay kumakain, at b ig la na lamang itatanong sa iyo ng isang kaibigan, ‚Pare, anong ginagawa mo ngayon?‛ at sasagutin m o s i y a n g ‚Nagtutoothbrush ako ngayon, hindi mo ba

nakikita?‛ O di naman kaya habang ikaw ay kumakanta at biglang magsa-sayd koment ang isa mong kaklase ng, ‚Wow, kumakanta siya oh!‛ at sasagutin mo siya ng, ‚Ayy hindi, Naliligo ako! Naliligo!‛ Hindi ba nakakatawa kung ito ay iyong mapakinggan? At may iba pang magsasabi sa iyo, habang ikaw ay t u ma t a wa , ‚ Ku n g makatawa naman diyan, parang wala nang bukas. Ikaw na talaga!‛ Ayun, mapapatawa ka na lamang. Kung minsan nga lang, sa paggamit natin ng mga salitang balbal, katuwaan man ang hatid nito sa atin, baka hindi natin napapansin na tayo ay nakasasakit na ng damdamin ng ating kapwa. Ang mga pambabara at mga pagsagot na ganito ay maaring maging bastos at hindi kaaya-aya lalung lalo na sa isang pormal na okasiyon o sa i s a n g s e r y o s o n g

usapan. Maraming mga m a t a t a n d a a n g n a g s a s a b i n g nakalimutan na raw ng kabataan ang tamang paggamit ng mga salitang nagpapamalas ng paggalang, kagaya na lamang ng pagsasabi ng ‘po’ at ‘opo’, o di kaya’y ‘salamat’ at ‘walang anuman’. Sa paglitaw ng mga makabagong uri ng p a n a n a l i t a s a m a k a b a g o n g henerasyon ng mga k a b a t a a n ng a y o n , marapat lamang na ating panatilihin ang mga mabubuting asal na ating maisasambit nang pasalita. Matuto lamang sana tayong lumugar at isipin ang sitwasyon bago natin ibuka ang ating mga bibig at magsambit ng kung anu-ano. Iba na talaga ang mga kabataan ngayon. Ibang iba na talaga! Astig kung pumorma at manamit. At siyempre, astig kung makapagsalita. Ito raw kasi ang uso eh. Ano pang magagawa natin?

Eh maghintay ng mga susunod na magiging uso sa darating na hinaharap. Kung ganito ka-‚out of this world‛ ang mga kabataan ngayon, ano na lamang ang sa susunod na henerasyon? Ikaw na kabataan! Ikaw na talaga! Ang galing galing m o ! N a t u t u t o n g makibagay at makisakay sa agos ng buhay. Ano na naman kaya ang ipapauso nitong si Vice Ganda? Siya na, siya na talaga! Sa kabila ng g a n i t o n g m g a pagbabago, nawa’y panatilihin natin ang p a g k a k a r o o n a t pagtataguyod ng respeto at pagmamahal sa kapwa. Hindi naman masama ang magbiro o mambara, hinay-hinay lang. May bukas pa naman.■

A ? ! MAY-AKDA: JO

HN XYRIOUS D

ELA CRUZ

THE BEACON| 31

Your voice. Your light.