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45 YEARS OF RELENTLESS CAMPUS JOURNALISM.

'Let Religious Freedom ring'


ROYCE ROBERT ZUIGA

The LaSallian
VOL. XLVI NO. 5 THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF DE LA SALLE UNIVERSITY 13 OCTOBER 2005

f demonstrators are ghting for their right to freedom of expression in the national arena, non-Catholic Lasallians inside DLSU are also ghting for another kind of righttheir right to religious freedom. Concerned student leaders are spearheading the campaign for the inclusion of the right to religious freedom to the Students Charter. Mark Edward Nanquil, Executive Vice President (EVP) of Academic Policy Research Engagement and Lobbying (APREL), which is under the Ofce of the Vice President (OVP) for Academics of the Student Council (SC), together with non-Catholic students are initiating the campaign. According to Nanquil, For this year, we all know that the Student Handbook will be revised and its actually a good timing for the Student Charter to be revised as well. Thats why we also thought of lobbying for the right to religious freedom to be included in the Students Charter.

Recognizing FAITH
The proposed bill seeks to recognize and accredit non-Catholic organizations inside the school so that they will be given the same rights, such as the legitimate right to use the facilities of the University during their activities, which are afforded to Catholic organizations within DLSU. They would not need to mask their activities in order to be approved anymore. Moreover, the proposed act aims to stop the passage of University policies that might reduce the religious freedom of its students and might bar other religions and non-Catholic religious practices inside the campus. Meanwhile, the DLSU administration, as stated in the draft, shall encourage academic discussions of religion and other related subjects inside the university too. In relation to this, the university administration, with the assistance of the SC, should support different sectors inside the University in promoting religious freedom and the religious interests of Lasallians. Nanquil asserts that it will be good for DLSU to include the right to religious freedom in the Students Charter, because it is one of the key factors in helping the university achieve a world-class status. I believe that DLSU is, in fact, on its way to being a world- class university and therefore, one small step to accomplish that goal is to recognize that a world class university should be open to international students, who are not necessarily Catholics. I believe that religious freedom is one of the crucial elements of a university, wherein students, regardless of race and religion, could be accepted freely and could be an integral part of the system, the EVP of APREL said.

Br. Roly resigns from Con-Com


FRANCESCA STA. ANA

LET RELIGIOUS, SEE PAGE 2

PHOTO BY DAN NABLE

Facelift. Workers continue to refurbish the Rizal Stadium for the upcoming Sea Games 2005.

Br. Rolando Dizon FSC resigned from his position as vicechairman of the Consultative Commission (Con-Com) last Oct. 5, a few days after being elected. His resignation was discussed in a meeting of the District Council and Community Directors of the De La Salle Brothers which was called by Br. Edmundo Fernandez, FSC. Health reasons seem to be what is behind Br. Rolys resignation.

Still, Dizons move at that time was surrounded by controversy, and questions of whether politics and conicts within the commission had anything to do with his stepping down. Currently, the Brother is director-at-large of the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP).

Former faculty criticizes student activists


CRISCEL LAMSIN

The Con-Com dilemma


The Con-Com, a body that would tackle the issue of charter change, is headed by former University of the Philippines President Jose Abueva. They are tasked to review the 1987 Constitution, conduct public consultations, propose appropriate amendments, and make recommendations. However, it would still be up to the Congress to approve the changes. The Con-Com is composed of entrepreneurs, members of the academe, constitutional experts, incumbent and former local ofcials and even journalists. Formed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the commission should accomplish its task by Dec. 15. While some might agree with the establishment of the charter consultative body, DLSU System President Br. Armin Luistro FSC said that in spite of the Constitutions imperfections, constitutional amendment will be more of a distraction rather than a help. He closed by saying that modifying the Constitution will not guarantee that things will be better.

History repeating itself?


Br. Roly, who was DLSU-System President from 1998 to 2003, was also at the helm of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) a year ago. While Br. Roly was the chairman of CHED, he launched a more affordable and wideranging student loan program for college juniors, seniors and graduating students. CHED was praised for making an effort to increasing the accessibility of tertiary education to Filipinos. There was also an increase in the number of Filipino seafarers due to the improved standard of education for Marine Engineering and Marine Transportation courses. However, Dizons term as chairman was also cut short when he resigned on September 25 of last year. His term, which was supposed to end until July 20, 2006, was made abrupt, also because of supposed health concerns.

"Shut up and go back to your books!" These were the blunt words, published in an article on Inq7.net, with which former College of Engineering professor Eric Gutierrez castigated the recent spate of Lasallian student protest actions. These statements were prompted at the height of the Gloriagate political drama, and the deafening calls for the President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (PGMA) to make the supreme sacrice, which DLSU has been initiating.

Words of disappointment?
I am dismayed by what you students are doing these days. You students rally for causes that are self-dooming. You students help destabilize and embarrass this country that you think you love so much, Gutierrez said. He further stressed that students should instead focus on their studies, this being the very reason why they are in school. He accentuated that the students involvement in the said efforts to oust PGMA is defeating their very own principles, noting that their drastic political participation will make them the next generation of the same kind of people they cursed on the street traditional politicians, or as he said, maybe even worse. On top of all this, you seem to think you know everything under the sun, thats why you students involve yourselves in matters you should stay away from politics, he further added.

The defense of the students


Ayleen Ortiz, a professor of the Filipino Department, believes that no one has the right to obstruct the students or anyone on that matter, to exercise their constitutional rights. Student Council (SC) Secretary and active youth leader Kate Lim sees Gutierrez pronouncements as a solid attack on her part, remarking that it somehow depicted an apparent denition of who she is. Nevertheless, she believes that there is no way that such statement can hinder the youth from pursuing a ght which they have already begun. As proof of the conviction of the student leaders, Lim further reiterated that the SC has already made a stand even before the Lasallian Brothers came up with Restoring Faith in Democracy, in which the Brothers asked PGMA to make the supreme sacrice. Although Gutierrez statement is a clear condemnation on their part, she still wants to look at it on a brighter note. Still, it is good that someone is criticizing you, quite obviously he is coming from a different perspective, Lim closed. Both Lim and Ortiz share the same view that learning does not begin and end in the four corners of a classroom. It certainly goes beyond that because genuine learning is realizing that each student has a responsibility to the society where he/she belongs.

Admin claries legal employment issues


ROYCE ROBERT ZUIGA

The DLSU- Employees Association (DLSU-EA) continues its legal battles with the DLSU-Administration. It has aired its side on the issue; now, the Administration shared its sentiments.

The Grievance Machinery


According to Human Resource Development (HRD) Director, Atty. Enrico Lusica, the grievance machinery, which comes from the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), is

working. It follows a step-by-step process in the resolution of conicts between the Administration and the employees. There are two steps in resolving a dispute that is being handled by the grievance machinery. Normally, cases are being referred to the HRD level, which is composed of an ofcial representative from the employees union and the HRD Director. However, when the HRD Director renders its decision

and the employees are not satised with it, they may appeal their case to the Committee Level. Four members, two from the administration and the union, and two alternates for each of the parties, comprise the Grievance Committee. DLSU-EA President Baylon Baez, meantime, claimed that the Administration is "authorizing themselves to appoint the representative of the employee to the Discipline Board.
ADMINISTRATION, SEE PAGE 2

Lockout on sponsorships
JOYCE ANNE ALFONSO

In Review

From a strictly prot-based perspective, lockouts can be considered as very good avenues of school commercialism. A lockout is an agreement between two parties that basically gives the sponsoring organization the exclusive right to sell and promote their goods to the sponsored organization. Usually, these companies sponsor university programs and activities in order to associate their brands with these events. These are means for companies to gain entry to a school. There is sense in this venture since in DLSU's case, it is an institution composed of students coming from relatively well-to-do social classes, and as such, it is a strategic market for selling the merchandise of these companies. DLSU continues to have lockouts with several companies. Even if DLSU enters into lockouts with these companies, there is still no formal policy that governs these agreements. This is disadvantageous for the university because lockouts are deemed to be market distortions and as such, it violates the basic free market principles on competition. Also, when market forces are ignored, there is a possibility of abuse within a lockout agreement. There is a danger that the supplier will take advantage of imposing unreasonable terms for a campus. Hence the school needs to be consulted rst if it wants to be part of the lockout agreement or not. In the case of Globe, though not a lockout, the school was consulted so that the terms of the agreement would not go against school policies. However, according to Ildemac Bautista, head of Finance Investment under the Ofce of the President, some ground rules are already sketched out. These are pending for the approval of System President Br. Armin Luistro FSC, in order to address these problems. These ground rules try to see if the university can impose market discipline in entering into agreements with companies. For example, before going through an exclusive contract with a company, DLSU will take proposals from rival companies. In this way, DLSU will be able to compare the various agreements offered by the different companies and it could choose the best possible deal.
ADMINISTRATION, FROM PAGE 1

DLSU, Globe ink P4 million deal; contract not a lockout


JOYCE ANNE ALFONSO

U NIVERSIT Y
The LaSallian

13 October 2005

13 October 2005

Tokyo Tech to supplement DLSU's educational drive

U NIVERSIT Y
The LaSallian
RAYMUND CHRISTOPHER CUESICO

apanese expertise is seen to reinforce DLSUs academic strengths with the inauguration of a Tokyo Tech Ofce last Sept. 29. DLSU played host to the inauguration rites of the ofce at the North Wing of the Marilen Gaerlan Conservatory. Guests from the Philippine government, DLSU Administration, and the Japanese contingent graced the event. The event marks the renewal of longstanding ties between the Philippines and Japan in the elds of education and research. This ofce serves as the gateway for communication across these two nations as it bridges the gap through the use of teleconferencing via satellite connection to the Internet, the only one of its kind in the Philippines. For the rst time, the remarkable technology was showcased as the event was aired simultaneously in Tokyo Tech through a live feed.

Under the agreement, both schools pledged to undertake joint research and publications, exchange experts for lectures, meetings and sharing of information, exchange of invitations of researchers to conferences, colloquia and symposia, exchange of information and lastly, the exchange of faculty members and students for study and research. According to the Agreement on Establishing the Tokyo Tech Ofce in DLSU signed last May 30, the main goal of the ofce is to strengthen the academic and research networks through distance education. The primary role of the Tokyo Tech Ofce is to be the focal point of technological exchange between Japan and the Philippines.

ing in the various programs. Interested parties may contact Engineer Ronaldo Gallardo, the local manager, or Professor Hiroo Niiyama, the director of Tokyo Tech Ofce Philippines.

Recent developments
Tokyo Tech has given its full support to the advancement of research efforts especially in the eld of Chemical Engineering for which DLSU has been nominated as the host institution among ASEAN universities. As part of this support, Tokyo Tech has granted full funding to three new research projects proposed by DLSU. On top of this nancial help, tools and equipment were also sent from abroad in order to facilitate quality research and development. Two staff were also admitted under the Tokyo Tech UNESCO program to study in Japan.

Flaunting the hardware


Located at the fth oor of the Velasco building, the office houses the latest in information and communication technology that allows easy contact with Japanese counterparts. The ofce can provide details on studying at Tokyo Tech, make possible the steady exchange of information between those who are conducting joint research and study, facilitate academe and industry linkages and maintain individual contact with Filipino exchange students in Japan. The ofce also can provide access to the most up-to-date journals of prominent Japanese researchers. This assistance is extended to other institutions interested in participat-

Japanese bayanihan
This facility is the outcome of decades of cooperation between the Tokyo Institute of Technology and DLSU. As early as 1985, the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science already made an agreement with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) for academic exchange and research cooperation. On May 20,1992 Tokyo Tech and DLSU signed an Agreement for Cooperation detailing the activities to be undertaken by the two institutions.

The role of the ofce


In a speech prepared by DOST Secretary Dr. Estrella Alabastro read by Engineering Dean Dr. Pag-asa Gaspillo during the inauguration rites of the Tokyo Tech Ofce, the Tokyo Tech Ofce can provide the platform to strengthen existing partnerships or create new and mutually benecial collaborative projects. She also lauded DLSU for taking initiative in hosting the ofce and in keeping with Tokyo technology. Japanese experts are expected to aid DLSU's educational campaign. PHOTO BY ERIC SIY one of the governments top priorities.

PHOTO BY TIANEL ESPIRITU

In response to the DLSUEA President's claim, Lusica said that he cannot comment on this issue because it is still under litigation to be resolved in the case entitled, DLSU-EA, Peralta et al . vs. DLSU et al., which is now pending in the Arbitration Branch of the National Labor Relations Commission. The number of grievance as contemplated by the CBA to be processed through the Grievance Machinery as provided in the CBA, in a school year, may be approximately placed anywhere from zero to ve grievances a school year, Atty. Lusica revealed.

Within easy reach


The HRD Director disclosed that despite the numerous cases the DLSU-EA has led against the Administration
LET RELIGIOUS , FROM PAGE 1

and vice versa, the Administration has frequently tried to reach out and communicate to the union. The Administration has consistently been within easy reach, open to communication, and responsive to the requirements of circumstances. Aside from the Labor- Management Relations Council, and the Grievance Machinery, as venues that exist for communication, the University is always open to address any concern, Lusica shared. As of now, there are 29 legal cases filed by the DLSU-EA against the Administration that are still unresolved. According to Baez, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) rated DLSU with the most number of employment cases in Metro Manila.

n response to the demand for scholarships and sponsorships for student athletes, Globe Telecom and De La Salle University (DLSU) signed a contract last Sept. 23 for a University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) team endorsement. The agreement, duly signed by DLSU System President Br. Armin Luistro FSC and Globe President was a four million peso, one year deal. The contract makes Globe the ofcial sponsor of all the UAAP teams of DLSU for next school year. However, Executive Vice President Dr. Quebengco stressed that DLSUs contract with Globe is not a lockout. What both parties agreed to is the right to rst refusal, which means that if any telecom company sponsorship is needed by an organization within DLSU, the rst one to be asked is Globe. If by chance that Globe refuses or disapproves the request that is the only time the organizations can approach other telecom companies. Br. Bobby Casingal FSC, director of the Ofce of Sports Development (OSD), said that the deal is a response to the problems it has been experiencing. Every year, the OSD spends a signicant amount of money for athletic scholarships, coaches salaries, rentals, and the like. All of these spending boil down to one effect: a budget decit for the department. The OSD needed to devise a fundraising scheme without taxing the school and the students. The sponsorship is seen to be the solution to the OSDs dilemma.

year. The telecom giant will then select the activities it wants to sponsor. A certain project is proposed to be explored as another means of gaining more funds without taxing the students. This project comes in the form of having a DLSU Menu in the Add-On Services of Globe. This service might help DLSU students who are Globe users to avail of services such as checking of schedules, online announcements, and access to the Ofce of the University Registrar for transcripts without the use of the DLSU Help Desk. On the other hand, the Student Council has just recently launched its text hotline (2955) for subscribers of all networks. Br. Bobby said that this project may take a long time to process and set up because of safety parameters like the security of the Universitys data and programs, and the possible added cost of the service for students.

DLSU undergrad graces Hollywood


FELICE CARIASO

Lasallians place third in FINEX


MARK ANTHONY BARIT

Students not consulted?


The contract was signed, but it raised the eyebrows of some ofcers of the Student Council (SC). The SC claimed that they were not consulted regarding the deal. Simoun Ferrer, VP-Activities, expressed that they talked to OSD about the issue. Before contract signing, they requested to look at the provisions of the agreement. The OSD answered that before the contract will be signed, the draft will be shown to the SC in case some revisions will be made. The contract signing nonetheless commenced without the knowledge of the SC. However, Ferrer admits that although the SC doesnt know if the contract explicitly disallows them to see the provisions, the fact of the matter is that the "OSD bypassed representation the SC might have done for the students." Br. Bobby claried that no one was allowed to see the contract before it was signed. It was not merely a secrecy issue, but rather a measure against rival telecom companies. Dr. Quebengco stated that there is no need to consult the SC about the deal as it is already mentioned to the students. "This is not being kept from anyone and any student could have reacted to it or given us comments directly. No policy is violated by this agreement,students are not adversely affected by it; in fact, our athletes have everything to gain from it.so what is there to consult about?" Dr. Quebengco reasoned.

The General Deal


The proposal was initially offered by Globe, which was revised to conform to the relevant campus policies of the university. Dr. Carmelita Quebengco, Executive Vice President (EVP), attested that the agreement can present the opportunity of giving more scholarship slots for student athletes and providing them with better equipment and supplies. The contract states that whenever DLSU plays in any game, the teams will carry the Globe logo on their uniforms. Aside from this, Globe will have the opportunity of putting up a stall at the bookstore of the Don Enrique Razon Sports Complex. In terms of sponsoring student activities such as job fairs or projects presented by the Ofce of Student Activities (OSAc), the deal asserts that Globe will have the liberty of asking for a listing, where student organizations can present their plans for the whole and Catholic students alike inside the university. According to Ngo, the signature campaign has been going on for a week already and it has been going well. We decided to extend the signature campaign for another week so that we can advocate the issue to even more students and gain their support. Aside from gaining their support, we also want this signature campaign to be a way for the students to know and to be aware of what religious freedom really is. In line with this, Nanquil and those who are pushing for the inclusion of the right to religious freedom in the Students Charter will still continue to educate the student body, and will hold talks with different groups in the Lasallian community, in order to gain support for the proposed act. For his part, CBCE Coordinator Simeon believes that, the draft is still open for dialogues in order to make it more acceptable to everybody. Theres nothing wrong with opening that up and theres nothing wrong with pushing for that as a policy and I really encourage thatto open up this kind of talk so that we can have this kind of understanding because if nobody will start this, I dont know how long well still be in the dark.

On proselytizing
Andy Simeon, Coordinator of Community Building and Christian Education (CBCE), which is a component of the La Sallian Pastoral Ofce (LSPO), and one of the resource persons that attended the SC meeting about religious freedom, believes that there is nothing wrong with starting discussions about religious freedom. However, he has some reservations with regard to the issue on proselytizing. Section 13.3.2.7 of the Student Handbook denes, proselytizing as an attempt to convert another to ones faith by attacking or denigrating other persons practices and beliefs, or by offering special inducements. The CBCE Coordinator opined, They (non-Catholic religious organizations) can do that (recruitment of members)but not inside the school. The school is not asking them not to practice their religion. Actually, the school is telling them to practice their religion. But they cannot do that freely inside the school because it contradicts the nature of the school. If they would like to attend in a school, wherein the school can be so open, so accommodatingIm sorry, its not La Salle. They could look for another school, they can go to the non-Catholic schools [or]

they can go to Christian schools and then they could do that. In response to Simeon, Nanquil said that the problem is not about the recruitment of members of non-Catholic organizations because they need it for their operations like solicitations and documentations, but the problem lies in the view of the DLSU administration as regards the conversion of faith. We believe that conversion of faith is not a bad thing. For us, it is only a process of enlightening a student of which god he or she should believe in, or which type of lifestyle he or she wants to choose. We believe that Lasallians are mature and therefore, when they decide to convert or change, it is by their own free will that they decide to convert to another faith, Nanquil asserted. EVP Dr. Carmleita Quebengco, for her part, has nothing against the draft as long as it conforms to the relevant provisions of the Philippine constitution and it does not violate the Universitys policy that is prohibiting proselytizing on campus.

Dean consults student leaders on possible reorganization of SPS


Over the past few months, issues on merging several parts of the Student Personnel Services (SPS) have emerged. Last Oct. 6, Dr. Carmelita Pabiton, dean of Student Affairs, met the student leaders of Student Council, Student Publications Ofce (SPO), Cultural Arts Ofce (CAO), and Council for Student Organizations (CSO). The dean asked the students to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the SPS as an umbrella organization for students. The dean also asked what possible ofces could be merged in SPS to further intensify their functions and avoid overlap operations. The student leaders replied through writing their concerns. According to a reliable source within Student Publication Ofce (SPS), the initial stages of this plan have materialized in the form of job auditing performed by the Internal Audit Ofce. The interviewing process that started last May is already nished. The auditor phoned some SPS personnel and asked basic questions about their functions. Information about the whole process was communicated to SPS staff. The source showed an email that was sent to him about job auditing and possible reorganization of the SPS ofce.
DONELLE GAN AND PAUL GARILAO

Christian acheivers for God and country - this is what DLSU envisions its students to become. However, some students seem to have stretched this vision a little further, landing on the shores of the United States and Hollywood. Pam Tan, who took up BS Philosophy in DLSU-Manila in 1999, proves that shes not just an average Fil-Am. Tan discontinued her study in DLSU and moved to New York University. After completing her degree PHOTO TAKEN FROM PAMTAN.COM in Philosophy in New York, she went on to pursue an acting career in Hollywood. She is currently involved in major acting projects, which is why she is closely linked to todays top Hollywood celebrities. But aside from afliating with the stars, she is working on a lm about the late Pope John Paul II together with a close friend and lmmaker, Robert Evans. She is the executive producer of the said lm entitled The Power of Faith. She recently visited the country, from July 19 to Sept. 9, in order to promote The Power of Faith. She was a guest in different television shows, all interested in how she made it big in Hollywood. Tan confessed that it was not easy for her to get to her present status and many people didnt believe that she can make it, but she pushed through anyway, disproving those nonbelievers. Tan was eager to make her mark in Hollywood, especially since she believed that Asians are under-represented there and it was time for Asians to step out into the limelight. Moreover, she wanted to share her success with the country, which gave her the best memories of her life. Despite Tans success in Hollywood, she never forgets to look back and thank her roots. Although her stay in the University was only for a short time, she remembers and cherishes every minute of it. In fact, before leaving the country, she wanted to get something across to the students via her website, pamtan.com: My message to all of you: love and make wise use of every minute in our University. When those days are over, you will face tremendous pressure outside. And when you do, remember that we bear the name of our University and our personal honor. So dont forget to always give your best shot. In her short stay in DLSU, Tan was active in student organizations such as Englicom and Student Council.

From a fth place nish last year, De La Salle University (DLSU) improved to third place in the recently concluded inter-university nance competition sponsored by the Junior Financial Executives of the Philippines (FINEX). The competition was held last Sept. 27 at the University of Makati. DLSU ranked behind University of the Philippines (UP) and University of Sto. Tomas (UST), which retained their rst and second place nishes last year. UP scored a total of 740 points, UST 660 and DLSU 620 out of a perfect score of 1000. Finance students from different schools all over the country joined the competition. A selected few passed the elimination round, where DLSU ranked fth. In the nal round, DLSU gave other schools a scare as it slowly climbed up the rankings. UP and UST proved to be tough opponents, as DLSU failed to catch up with them. DLSU nished third, followed by Ateneo De Manila University and DLSU-Dasmarias at fourth and fth places, respectively. The contest covered topics like Accounting, Finance, Ethics, and Economics. DLSU was represented by Andrew Pua (BSA), Wainright Gregory Yu (BSA), Mark Gloriani (AE-MFI), Chloe Chizu Go (AE-BSA), and Thai Dang Hoang (MFI). They were chosen among a pool of students who were referred by different departments of the College of Business and Economics (CBE). The team conducted its training under the guidance of Antonio Zamora. The team also underwent training from different CBE departments. Executive Vice-President Dr. Carmelita Quebengco provided nancial support to the delegates. DLSU has competed in all seven FINEX-held competitions. This year marks the second straight year that

DLSU failed to regain the championship it held last 2002 and 2003.

Training
According to Dr. Junette Perez, chair of the Management of Financial Institutions Department, other teams had longer and more rigorous training in preparation for the competition. Some even prepared for one to two years. UST fourth year accounting stalwart and representative Smith Lim likewise said that their team rushed preparations for some topic coverages of the contest, particularly the nance portion. Lim shared that the UST team had serious training for approximately one month. Digressing, it may be noted that the Mathematics Trainers Guild, Philippines, an organization that trains mathematically talented children for international math competitions, trains students as early as elementary all the way until second year high school. During this period, several persons are chosen to compete in the elementary and high school competitions. Addressing limited preparation time, the Universitys long term plan is to identify potential team members in as early as their sophomore year, and train them for competition during their junior and senior years. Dr. Perez and the rest of the faculty were satised about this years results. She attested to the intelligence and manners that the team displayed during the competition. She also expressed her hopes of bringing the championship back to DLSU in the competitions to come. The DLSU team bagged a trophy and cash prize amounting to twenty thousand pesos, which the team members equally shared among themselves.

In the Name of Religion


Currently, BnE 2005 Legislative Assembly (L.A.) Representative, Christopher Ngo is at the helm of a signature campaign, which tries to garner support for the proposed act from non-Catholic

The pie graph reveals that though DLSU is a Roman Catholic institution, there is a signicant number of non-Catholic students who belong to other denominations such as Protestantism, Islam and Hinduism. According to the article, "Drawing the Line of Faith" published in Paradigms, the DLSU student population is composed of 72.46 percent Catholics, 22.15 percent other religions, and 5.39 percent Protestant and Born Again Christians. The statistics, provided by Executive Vice President Dr. Carmelita Quebengco, were as of 2004. DLSU had been very open to other religions and strongly encouraged religious freedom. According to La Salle:1911-1986, De LaSalle College in the 1970s went ecumenical as well as international in its outlook. The book stressed that DLSU took care of the needs of Protestant students as it invited the Protestant-based Campus Crusade for Christ to hold its activities in DLSU. It was during that time that BIGKIS, a religious organization of Protestant origin, was introduced.

The LaSallian tried to get the evaluation of job auditing to Dr. Carmelita Pabiton. However, the dean cannot yet reveal the facts because of administration matters. The publication also tried to get the side of other SPS ofces, but most of them don't want to comment on the issue. Many SPS staff members have shown apprehension towards the audit. Fears of dissolved positions arise, aggravated by the recent economic hardships, the source said. A freeze hiring order was even laid because of the audit, the source also stated. On the other hand, the source speculated the possible merging of two ofces: Student Development Ofce (SDO) and Ofce of Student Activities (OSAc), as well as the SPO and CAO. The source cited a possible reason that SDO and OSAc would function efciently if housed in one ofce. As of press time, the Student Affairs Ofce is continuously evaluating the possible changes in SPS. The merging of ofces is also an issue being discussed by colleges. These included the possible merging of Mechanical Engineering and Manufacturing Engineering and Management, as well as Business Management and Marketing Department.

Faces among the crowd. These are the faces that will shape tomorrow.

PHOTO BY CHYNNA CHAN

EDITORIAL

They do not call it Martial Law. But the Palace is already implementing measures that resemble the operations of Martial Law, a nightmare that intends not to ght national terrorism but to hide layers and layers of lies within the government. In the past weeks, numerous indications of Martial Law have been taking place. First in the list is Executive Order EO 464, an act that sets several rules such as determining the circumstances that will allow government ofcials to testify before the Senate and the House of Representatives. With the recent EO 464 now at the fray, it seems like the showground for the ery battle of the executive and legislative departments has been built. Why would the President create a policy that would hinder its co-equal branchthe legislature from properly performing its functions? The order is indeed an act of destabilization and not in aid of legislation. In fact, the order has sampled both Marine Brig. Gen. Francisco Gudani and Lt. Col. Alexander, since they testied before the Senate Committee and refused to obey a direct order from their commander in chief. Even demonstrators have been restricted to march the streets, because of the governments shift from maximum tolerance to preemptive calibrated response, which bans protesters to conduct unauthorized rallies. With all these basic manifestations of Martial Law already taking place, desperate is denitely a too soft term to describe the recent move of the embattled tenant of Malacanang. After all, the moves of GMA and her minions seem to indicate that their ears are already callous, if not full of earwax, to hear the resounding and persistent call from the silent majority for her and her cohorts to leave Malacanang. The Palace could continue its outrageous spree of coming out with detrimental policies and calibrate the responses through infringing both public ofcials and demonstrations from airing their grievances. For us, students, who have just learned Martial Law from historical books, the challenge is not just to question the system but also seek ways to prevent such suppressions. Action speaks louder than words. Although the government claims that declaring martial rule is just a hogwash, it is already performing virtual methods to exhibit the clutches of Martial Law. In the end, what would virtually explode are the hidden lies and deception, which are under the government's custody.

Virtual Martial Law

OPINION
The LaSallian

13 October 2005

13 October 2005

Exercise your creative rights


T
hink out of the box. Sounds like a good advice for the artist and the writer, who need to constantly come up with fresh ideas in order to create something that can catch peoples attention. Maybe not so good for the ofce employee, who has to succumb to rules, adhere to standard procedures, and comply with the bosss demands, or else lose the job. This is one of the reasons why I miss being a student. When youre a student, youre encouraged to think out of the box, and when the ideas you come up with dont work, you can simply try again. Its quite different when youre out there trying to make a living. Although youre still encouraged to think differently and you still can try again when your ideas dont work, there are more important things you need to consider, like keeping your job because you cant afford not to have one. Heck, you cant afford anything unless you have one. Thus you cant venture too far outside the box. And as my best friend made me realize, nding that job that you want to be doing for the rest of your life by trial and error is such a risk, unless your parents are still quite able to back you up nancially, and they (and you, sans the pride) dont mind if they still do so years after theyre done nancing your education. Often we hear about people in the creative line of work complaining about their jobs, mostly because creative people in general dont like putting good ideas to waste. Unfortunately, they can forget about doing exactly what they want, and just do the job according to the rules and specications provided by the clients, or whoever it is that puts money in their pockets. And those who have no choice but to follow mind-numbing routines just have to carry on as if they have nothing more exciting that theyd

OPINION
The LaSallian
that gush in almost by the hour, four recent evictees with beckoning showbiz careers, and a theme song thats fast approaching novelty oblivion. Go gure. But, in all honesty, I think Pinoy Big Brother is still groundbreaking for what its worth despite its excessive publicity. In one way or another, it has redened the Filipinos connotations of reality shows from scantily-clad starlets performing circus acts to a bunch of nameless faces portraying reality-based scenarios, while having to deal with their inner demons and the Hawthorne effect. The formula worked, all right. And, granted that these scenarios are real, they cant be all that bad. Right? Such is the premise of shows like Big Brother. When you incarcerate 12 people who barely know each other in one house for 100 days, surely you dont expect them to make like Batibot characters and start singing to us the Filipino alphabet. Naturally, there will be quarrels, backstabbing, and most denitely, attraction. But, there are also positive relationships formed. However, there are still viewers who are still scandalized by onscreen kisses, profanity, and sexual innuendoes, as if theyre not part of actual life. Besides, isnt that what the Parental Guidance disclaimer is for? It means the program contains scenes inappropriate and too complicated for children and its the parents job to do the supervising. Its that plain and simple. And one more thing: Isnt it funny how the MTRCB seemed so outraged with Chx and Sams swimming pool kissing scene, and not with Jomari Yllanas character in Kamapanerang Kuba throwing his own daughter off a bell tower? Well, thats censorship for you. -Juan Carlos Chavez

Uninvited strays

Rules are rules, but theyre there to challenge us to do things a little better every time.
rather do. However, are rules not the exact reason why its so important to think, talk about and come up with fresh ideas? Rules are rules, but theyre there to challenge us to do things a little better every time. Theyre there to remind us to think outside the box, so we can keep ourselves inspired, at least, and see our work through a fresh pair of eyes. This way, we can be able to survive a full day of work, while keeping an eye out for what it is that drives us to excel. -Emmeline Iris Ong, Menagerie Editor (SY 2002-2003) *** When Pinoy Big Brother was issued a one-night suspension last Sept. 25, I wasnt surprised. A bit jaded, maybe, but not surprised. I mean, when you have two housemates sharing an intimate onscreen kiss in an earlier episode, uber-concerned folks will start cackling, cocky censors will be forced to take action, and disillusioned producers will be forced to comply. This opens yet another chapter in the ongoing saga of Culture versus Censorship. Now, I am not really a Pinoy Big Brother fan. The hype is simply too much for me to ingest. We have a 24-hour cable channel devoted entirely to it, incessant updates

45 and ghting. 45 years of relentless campus journalism.


R
ally, demonstration, protest (or whatever it is called) is nothing new to me. The daily walk on my way to school, which is located near Mendiola Bridge, serves as a testament to the notion that rallies are part of my everyday existence. On a Monday, members of the opposition would assert their unied stand against the administration. On a Tuesday, student activists would storm Malacaan in order to air their grievances regarding the proposed budget cut in the education sector. On a Wednesday, drivers of PUVs would create a noise barrage due to the incessant price increase of gasoline and crude oil. On a Thursday, groups representing the minorities make their claim about the governments indifference towards their plight. On a Friday, the OFWs would stage a candle protest to lament the unfair treatment given to Filipinos outside the country. On a Saturday, labor unions would band together to demand a P3000 across the board wage increase. Its only during Sundays that the famous bridge is given its supposed rest. The plethora of available reasons to protest paints an honest picture regarding the current state of the Philippines. On the one hand, it shows how democracy worksproviding people with an avenue for redress of their grievances. On the other hand, it questions the relevance of democracy. There is truth to the truism that democracy works only for people who are ready to accept the responsibilities attached to a democratic country. The freedom of speech and expression, though given much importance in the Constitution, is not an absolute right. Contrary to what people assert, the government has the right to prohibit the continuous or excessive display of such right. The inevitable question arises: What then is guaranteed in the Constitution, if the government can suppress or prevent such rights? Generally, such right, when uttered or discussed within the connes of ones home or in any other private place, is beyond the ambit of government intervention. However, when a group attempts to convene in a public place and exercises the freedom of speech or that of expression, prior government permit is necessary. The succeeding question focuses on the reason behind the need for a prior permit. Under the Public Assembly Act, a city or town

Avenue for change and more

The bastion of issue-oriented critical thinking.

LaSallian

The

There is still an available recourse - to initiate change on a personal level.


mayor can approve or reject a petition to hold a rally three days before it is scheduled. But every rejection must be accompanied by a written explanation, which may be appealed to the courts. The prohibition to stage a protest can be traced on the States police power. The apparent reason for the permit highlights the very nature of a public place. A public place is generally open to everyone. People who desire to use the area for a specic purpose at a given time would necessarily exclude others from enjoying it. Therefore, the State, through the city or town mayor, has the right to enjoin or limit the use of such space, if it deems that there is another area available or that the purpose would not prove benecial. Which bring us to the more important factor: is protest the only available recourse? Some would argue that it is. The failed impeachment complaint, for one, illustrates the current political tension. Cour t proceedings, on the other hand, seem to take an eternity, as seen on the ongoing impeachment trial. Even the supposed truth commission is only as good as the resolution creating it. But the rubber that we ought to stretch has its limits. To constantly use mass demonstration in order to initiate change is just a knee-jerk solution to a complicated problem. What happens is a perpetual abuse of such right, without considering the consequences. And the sad part is, abusing such right is destroying that which we hold dear. There is still an available recourse to initiate change on a personal level. Rather than complaining about the inefciency of the government, start to create ripples of change. These might be small and seemingly insignicant attempts, but if everybody else would do his part, these ripples could generate a wave that could alter the entire system.

13 OCTOBER 2005 EDITOR IN CHIEF Paul Darwynn Garilao ASSOCIATE EDITOR Donelle Gan MANAGING EDITOR Luis Emmanuel De Vera UNIVERSITY OFFICER IN CHARGE Royce Robert Zuiga MENAGERIE EDITOR Juan Carlos Chavez SPORTS EDITOR Earlene Clarissa Ching ART & GRAPHICS EDITOR Jan Michael Jaudian PHOTO EDITOR Eric Siy CIRCULATION MANAGER Alejandro Almendras IV OFFICE MANAGER Kristel Kaye Chua
UNIVERSITY Joyce Anne Alfonso, Angeline Arcenas, Felice Ann Cariaso, Aileen Kristel Cham, Ross Vergel Delantar, Kristel Gayle Guzman, Arvin Alcanar Jo, Michelline Kuon, Paulo Jose Mutuc, Fransesca Sta. Ana MENAGERIE Nancy Chua, Franz Francisco Chan, Rosanna Guintivano, Angeline Martha Manuel, Anne Lorraine Ng, Mariane Lourdes Perez, Anjeli Pessumal, Karess Rubrico, Dianne Margareth Tang, Nicole Tangco SPORTS John de los Santos, Ivan Geoffrey Gayares, Jhoanna Kay Leal, Camille Bianca Pinto, Don Eric Sta. Rosa, Reuben Ezra Terrado, Candace Daphne Ting, Nikki Ann Mariel Tungol, Jewelynn Gay Zareno PHOTO Christopher Kison, Aithne Jaen Lao, Dan Joseph Nable, Diane Lou Reyes, Ofelia Sta. Maria, Amanda Valenzuela ART & GRAPHICS Carvin Choa, Richard Rustum Gutierrez, Frank Herrera, Kenji Inukai, Kimberly Kha, Gene Carlo Magtoto, Christine Marie Mendoza, John Ian Roman, Gerard Philip So Chan, Charmaine Ventura SENIOR CORRESPONDENTS Maria Michaela Ferrer, Jose Paolo Lacdao, Ernestine Suzanne Teves, Meryll Anne Yan, Isabelle Regina Yujuico ADVISER Noelle Leslie Dela Cruz STUDENT PUBLICATIONS COORDINATORS Rosanna Luz Valerio, Joel Orellana DIRECTOR OF STUDENT PUBLICATIONS Fritzie Ian Paz-De Vera
The LaSallian has its editorial ofce at 502 Bro. Gabriel Connon Hall, De La Salle University, 2401 Taft Avenue, Manila 1004. TLS can be contacted through telephone number 5244611 loc. 701, or through its e-mail address, the_lasallian@yahoo.com. All contributions are subject to editing for clarity or space. None of the contents of this publication may be reprinted without the express written permission of the Editorial Board.

It only takes a positive disposition and the willingness to change. -Michael Macabata, University Editor (SY 2002-2003) *** To the people who have joined rallies, I wish to understand one thing: the rst thought that majority of these people think of when they get home, after a long and tiring day rallying on the streets. Although I had been to quite a few of these, my experience is not enough to teach me the answer. Let me put it in another setting I call setting X: During a spiritually engaging evangelistic meeting, the pastor has rekindled in you the passion for God, and you stand up and proclaim, Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! Spirited, you get home and: A) your naughty sibling plays a nasty trick on you; B) your mother scolds you for being late; C) your friends invite you to watch an exotic movie; D) your father orders you to pray to Buddha. What comes into your mind? Whether or not the willingness and initiative to change on a personal level exists in a person is reected in this seeming triviality. Much more this triviality is a moment of truth. In the rst half of the story for both settings, the person is in a group, and with others the little energies of individual people snowball into one behemoth of an emotion. The people initiate, or at least attempt to initiate, changes as a group. The collective drive the group generates is often enough to overshadow personal doubts and weaknesses. But when one leaves the group, everything magically changes. The terms people within the group have used so naturally and matter-of-factly suddenly become taboo. I point the reader to case D of setting X, as this is the most evident scenario. Imagine saying Holy Spirit in front of your father. Try saying I cant pray to Buddha, and youd expect a lengthy sermon/debate. When one is alone, the real world presents constraints that groups are not limited by. People are normally discouraged and revert to their old selves. The same happens with people involved in rallies. If people maintain the same level of passion they had in rallies when they get home, then real change may not be farfetched. So a rally may not be that bad. - Donelle Gan

Playing God and playing gods


R
eality shows and SIM and MMORPG games are everywhere these days. Their immense popularity is attributed to how they mirror real life more accurately than other television productions. Like life, every once in a while an event happens that rocks our boats. In the case of television, its some mini game initiated by the host that throws the entire cast of reality TV stars into chaos, much to the delight of the audience. The outcome of these events and how these characters will appeal to the audience will determine their lifespan in that world. The audience is an observer at rst, checking out which of the characters they can identify with: as an equal. Then it changes into what we can relate to as our relationship with our Creator, or at least thats what we were taught to believe. Like the Apocalypse, judgment is passed upon the poor denizens of that little world through their observers text votes. An unpopular character is usually ejected, red or voted off, either by their fellow contestants/competitors or by the audience. Then here come the simulation games, where one can either create a world, town or theme park, watch it grow and its virtual inhabitants interact with it. If youre bored since you do have the power to do anything, you can also destroy things at your will. Should your creations disappoint or much less bore you, you can either throw in a urry of disasters to entertain your bored self. Throw in a hurricane or an earthquake and see how the people cope up with it. It is entertainment at the core with a sadistic overtone. Make this person ght with so and so, kill this creature, or even just build an army to wipe out another one. All this can happen with just a few clicks of your Sampras, Andre Agassi, and Roger Federer. Now, tell me what they all have in common. Yes, they came, they saw, and they conquered. They dominated the paperbacks, the silver screens, the melodies, the circuits, the hardcourt, and the surfaces. And we all know that the list is just a diminutive portion of a bigger list of gods. I believe that one who seeks excellence in accordance to his development, as well as the welfare of others is, in his own right, a god. And Benedict Spinoza said that desire is the every essence of man. We all desire to be better and that is a given fact. And gods defy the limits to excel furthermore. Now, do you think Adolf Hitler belongs to the list? Why not? He made Europe and as well as the rest of the world do nothing, but stand in horror as his Nazi army trampled over Europe. He amassed incredible power over the decades he had reigned. And he made us realize the way to attain total conquest. Then goes the question: was he a god or did he play god? I strongly disagree. He was denitely not a god; not from my understanding of what a god is. We must understand that it's either gods or beasts. The distinction is very clear. Corrupt, vile, and unreasonable men think they are playing gods. They think stepping over the rights of the others and a mockery of the law is their manifestation of there image as a god. They are just an abomination of the society. And I need not name names for you already know who they are. There is a big difference between playing god and playing beast. Nowadays, who do you think is playing god or playing beast? -Jan Jaudian

So God, this is what it feels like?


little nger. Now thats power. So God, this is what it feels like? Reality TV and these SIM & MMORPG games are so popular now because they are very entertaining. They are entertaining as well as empowering for the audience. We can watch situations that can either be pleasant or horrible, all in the comfort of our own homes or wherever you do these things. The success of these genres is simply proof of the human beings subconscious desires to at least play as the omnipotent being they temselves fear (or create, depending on how you look at it). - Ramon Del Prado, Ar t and Graphics Editor (SY 2002-2003) *** I came, I saw, I conquered, Julius Caesar resounded these words during his campaign against Pharnaces. Yes, I would have enjoyed saying that, too. And what luxury it would have been, if I was able to sit down and have coffee with him. But Im still being left to think if he really did play god. Now, Ill try to examine several individuals whom I believe played or plays god. Let me cite some names and tell me if they ring a bell. Neil Gaiman, Mario Puzo, John Grisham, Pablo Neruda, Paolo Coelho, Steven Spielberg, Francis Ford Coppola, Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Kurt Cobain, Tupac Shakur, John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Michael Schumacher, Michael Jordan, Pete

ve been wanting to write about poverty for a long time now, even though Ive never felt qualied to do so. Yet if only for those stray cats, I will share my ponderings. They wont make a difference to povertys rude immobility, which is like a boulder in the middle of a highway. Pretty words and philosophy In a perfect world, no wont budge it a millimeter. So Im onehuman or beast not going to say that this is about how to solve the problem. Rather, would ever have to its a selsh confession addressed to sink into this kind of those who have never known whats wretchedness. like to be poor, and consequently, have never known what to say or do in the face of it. I live in Pasay and usually drive to work in Manila. Theres no working day in which I dont see, at the least: Individuals of indeterminate age walking around covered in soot and grease because they havent taken a bath in months. Persons scrounging in the garbage for discarded half-eaten hamburgers. Topless, middle-aged women with their hair in disarray, mumbling to themselves. Or little children tapping on my car window, ropes of wilted sampaguitas in their hands, scrambling to the sidewalk when the light turns green. This last miserable tableau lingers in my mind as I shift the car into gear, thinking that I always see them in the same intersection in the same part of the city, near the squatters area along the train tracks. They wear soiled garments and streaks of dirt on their faces and nothing on their feet. Only the weather varies: Sometimes the sun is merciless or the rain is pouring. When I was their age, I was collecting Barbie dolls that my mother kept locked in a glass cabinet so my playmates wouldnt touch them. Driving away from these children, whom I dare not open my window to, I feel trapped myself. Trapped in a glass house looking out at the ruin of the world, suffocating in ineffectual guilt. I try to do something. Sometimes I give my fries to the children who loiter around the entrance of fast food restaurants. Occasionally I roll down the window to place a few coins on waiting palms. Back in college I had a whole course in community service, so that every term there are entire classes of privileged Lasallians who spend their Saturdays building houses for other people or visiting orphanages. Yet we ask ourselves sometimes if any of this makes a difference. Im reminded of the cats in our compound, who started hanging around because my aunt kept feeding them scraps. The female gave birth to different batches of kittens, until they grew so numerous as to become a major nuisancepissing all over the place, making an awful racket at night, hiding under the car so I have to shoo them away every time I have to drive off. We dont treat them as pets, like our short fat mongrel whom we took to the animal hospital last year for a multi-thousand peso surgery. Generally we tolerate them, giving them the leftovers that arent healthy for the dog. Yet its amazing how they survive on our inadvertent, thoughtless charity, how their very lives depend on it. How they thrive and multiply on the excesses of peoples comfort, encroaching into the forbidden circle and becoming a problem in their numbers, until nally theres talk of putting them all in a sack to heave into the river. What is it like to be an uninvited stray? In the end, its something I hope I would never have to nd out, that my children and my childrens children would never have to nd out. In a perfect world, no onehuman or beast would ever have to sink into this kind of wretchedness. But even knowing what the world is, one takes in the strays, and hopes for the best. -Noelle Leslie Dela Cruz, Editor in Chief (SY 1999-2000) *** Have you ever encountered non-Catholic missionaries who travel everywhere to profess their faith? There are pastors who share their Born Again experiences; Mormons who eloquently speak in native tongue; and Hare Krishnas who promote the modern day version of Hinduism with their monklike attire outts. These types of believers are also considered as uninvited strays for they are seldom welcomed by our Catholic dominated society. Even in our own University, the non-Catholic students are often seen sharing their faith, as well as exhibiting their modes of worship. A primary barrier is the image of DLSU as a Roman Catholic institution, and that other religions are perceived as a great threat to the credibility of the the Catholic faith. When other religions are recognized, more and more students would open their minds to the dynamism of faith. Good news. The acknowledgement of religious freedom opens a more vibrant and lively participation of nonCatholics in the campus. Actually, religious freedom is accepted in the campus. However, non-Catholics are limited to incorporate their ideas and activities, simply because they nd it difcult to get an accreditation. What then is the fear of Catholic zealots and most religion professors in the University? Accreditation of religious organizations will not undermine the Catholic faith. In fact, it will complement other organizations. Denitely, Christian orgs such as Victory for Christian Fellowship and Campus Crusade for Christ will no longer work underground and can freely conduct Bible studies and room-to-room evangelism. However, strings must not be attached on the explicit recognition of religious freedom. The string that I am referring to is no other than proselytizing, an act of converting someone through offering special inducements. But like any mall discounts, religions indeed offer gifts such as salvation, prosperity, and anything beyond physical benets. As I mentioned in my previous column, proselytizing is a vague idea that could still undermine religious freedom. Of course, we will denitely prohibit riot to happen just because of controversial topics on religion. The freedom must not end up like the religious showbiz debacle between Ang Dating Daan and Iglesia ni Kristo. Honestly, the bad side of religious freedom is the personal attack of self-proclaimed prophets against their counterparts. In a perfect world, no variety of religion exists because everyone focuses their attention to God, who is encouraging us to have an intimate relationship with Him. But this utopian society only happens during the second life. In Christian context, accepting Christ Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior is the only way to Gods Kingdom. After all, Christ was an uninvited stray on earth, who invited people and promised an eternal life for them. -Paul Darwynn Garilao

from the

"M Old Man


The Lounge

MENAGERIE
The LaSallian
Calm as the Sea

13 October 2005
Impossibility of the Possibility
Sometimes, no matter how one tries his best to reach his dream, there are still hindrances that separate him from the world of heavenly blissthe attainment of that dream. External factors like unemployment and poverty, brought about by economic instability, result in the veering of ones goal. Instead of reaching for it, one shifts his direction towards something more feasible in the situation. In the end, his long term goal or his dream turned into a mere impossibility of what ought to be possible if he tried. But contrary to the physical barriers of economic conicts, there is an internal factor that defeats the purpose of personal contemplation inferiority from within. Sudarios Mexican night-outs with comforting serenades, movies shown in the plaza and clowns all around, became mere good memories because he never returned to the sea again. He was depressed when his daughter got married at a young age. It was a self pitying circumstance for him when he was on the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, risking his life, unguarded from the possibility of re on the ship, or worst, drowning in the vast water world. And here, his daughter never even nished her studies, his wife was vending in South gate, and his brother in North gate. He gave up his luxurious life of earning dollars and traveling in different places to stay with his family.

13 October 2005

anong pabili po. A quick turn of the eye and you will nd Mang Felipe sitting in his usual corner in front of Metrobank Taft and you may think of him as an ordinary vendor. A few moments later, you nd him in the company of students and you may start to realize that Mang Felipe is no ordinary vendor. If you know him like those students do, then you know about his adventures. His lifetime of adventures in the ocean which took him to faraway lands like Brazil, Mexico and, even Russia. Felipe Sudario, once a seaman, shows us that there is a life after the sea and that no matter where lifes wind blows our sails, we will nd a way to live through it.
Felipe Sudario was once a high school graduate from Arellano. Unfortunately for him, he wasnt accepted in his preferred course which was Criminology, because his nal grade was not sufcient to the requirements. In his mind, he wouldnt have imagined that he would someday set off to see the world. Soon after, Mang Felipe joined the health brigade of a political campaign, and somehow ended up in a job at Pasay City Hall. Uncontented with the low pay, Mang Felipe resigned from the job and set the stepping stone for his journey to the sea. Following the footsteps of his deceased brother, he applied for the job, even knowing that the dangers such as the perils of the sea are there to warn him of what his life could be facing. At age 19, he set out for his rst voyage, and sailed of from continent to continent and to a better life.

MENAGERIE
The LaSallian

FRANZ FRANCISCO CHAN AND NAZRIN CAMILLE CASTRO

The Truth About Selfdefense

Crash course 101

The Sails of Taft Avenue


It is said that when God closes the door, He opens a window. When it seems that fate is so unfair that the means of hopelessness starts to embitter him, faith seemed certain of justifying the end of misery. What had been done was done and there was no turning back. Regrets have no room for self isolation and self pity, for there are opportunities that one blindly knows would make him grow as a personas a great man for himself and as a good man for others. It was a sacrice for Manong Felipe to settle a life far different from what he used to have as a seaman. He ventured into selling cigarettes and candies to be able to support his familys needs. But conicts arise when, at times, his wife would get sick, heaps of monthly bills start to pile up and he falls short of his capital. The things to pay for and the things he needed to buy seemed endless for him. But despite all that, he remained condent that his friends support, like some Lasallian students who would come and serve as a blessing to him and his family, would be a great deal of help. Though he now lacks the extravagant nancial support for his family, not like before, Manong Felipe has strong faith in God that his family would be provided, not with so much but with enough that he could cater to his obligations as a husband, a father of four daughters and a grandfather.

Paradise in Buoyancy

As a seaman, Mang Felipe had the world in his point of view. From the landscape of Europe, the diverse tastes of Asia, the proud continent of America, and the unique sights of Latin America, he had gone to them all. Life in the sea is not all about danger, mutiny, and endless days of seasickness. In his journeys, Mang Felipe calls Latin America and Mexico, Paradise. Entertainment and beauty could be the best words to explain what he felt and witnessed. The nightly serenades and the beautiful scenery accompanied him and his fellow seaman while they were dining and drinking to the night. As the days went by and as the sea water brought his sails to different places, he never failed to thank God for all of the experiences he has received. His rosary was his companion day in and night out, to the extent that a day without praying the rosary seemed incomplete. Yun ang unang-una. Basta sa barko, (kapag) hindi ako nakapagrosaryo, di kumpleto ang araw ko.

"

Mang Felipes four years in the sea was more than enough to show him what the world was more than any ordinary person can learn in a lifetime.

ELVIN NGO
ARTWORK AND GRAPHICS BY LUIS DE VERA

Hardships of the Tidehunter


On the other hand, life in the sea has its own dangers. As Mang Felipe says: Di ako marunong lumangoy pero ibig sabihin malaki yung faith ko sa God, kaya parang buo ang loob ko anuman ang mangyari. Hindi ako nag-papanic. Not knowing how to swim was not reason enough for him to give up on his job. It was all his faith in God that brought him to live on and tell the people of his journeys and his adventures. Once, Mang Felipe had almost died in the vastness of the sea, but amazingly, his faith in God and his trust in him brought him to safety, and to his better days as a person. Discipline is also important in the job as a seaman. A little mistake can send one packing his bags without warning. Despite being adrift on the ocean, travel and exploration was only secondary to the work these people had to go through. Kailangan, nag-apply ka dun, trabaho lang, yun yung pinuntahan mo dun. pangalawa na yung pamamasyal. In the end, Mang Felipe never returned to the sea again when he gave up the job, but it was worth more than a normal life in the city. Mang Felipes four years in the sea was more than enough to show him what the world was more than any ordinary person can learn in a lifetime.

"

raditional martial arts such as judo, kung fu, karate, and tae kwon do have a host of wonderful benets for both children and adults. Some of these include getting and staying in shape, developing self discipline, observing weight control, improving self condence and learning some very important life skills. But most of these will not work on the street. Its because the effect of the adrenaline rush, as a result of fear, is either ignored or not even addressed during training. One doesnt place ones life on the line or think Im going to die/seriously get hurt if I lose. while training/sparring with partners. Fear is simply absent.

street and still getting beaten to a pulp. This is sometimes due to their misconception that their dojo ghting techniques will really work in real self defense. Most martial artists have never trained under pressure so when a real ghting situation occurs they are shocked to nd they cannot access their multi-step, ne motor coordination techniques.

Modes of Behavior
It was once said that real victory is winning a battle without ghting. One will wonder how one will defend, much less survive, without ghting. Well, there really is a way to win most street encounters without ghting at all. Emphasis on most. Sometimes there is no other way than to ght. The best self defense is either to avoid a confrontation in the rst place or know how to defuse a potentially dangerous situation before it becomes physical There are three modes of behavior one can take on in terms of self defense. First, there is the passive mode. Passive behavior is a model of weakness. Picture someone with their head down, shoulders lowered, no eye contact, and feet close together. Not exactly a pillar of strength. Criminals call someone like this, free lunch. The opposite of this is the aggressive mode. Most overly aggressive people are working from a position of fear or inferiority as well, but over-compensate in order not show it. They ght re with re and many times cause situations to become physical when they need not be. It is easily seen by the chest puffed up, the jaw up and perhaps tilted, finger pointing, loud boisterous behavior. By becoming overly aggressive they dont allow the would-be attacker an honorable way out. To save face the attacker would feel compelled to ght rather than back down. The best behavior to avoid in many if not most physical confrontations and attacks is the assertive mode of behavior. This behavior is crafted from a position of condence.

Shoulders erect, head up, eye to eye contact, aware, alert and focused position; prepared but not engaging or insulting; ready but not pre-emptive; always willing to compromise and let the aggressor save face; condent enough to hold his ground without having to win the verbal war. As one become progressively more assertive in a self defense situation there is a good possibility that the aggressor will back off. This is especially true if one gives him an honorable exit. Another benet is that it naturally brings up ones adrenaline levels so if an attack ensues you are prepared both physically and mentally.

"

Worst Case Scenarios


But if ghts cannot be avoided, how will you know if your technique is useful? Here is what to look for: If it requires any ne motor skills immediately toss it out. Fine motor coordination is one of the rst things that one loses in a real situation when the adrenaline starts to ow. Be sure it works on pretty much everyone. There are many techniques that will not work on a very tall (or very muscular, stocky, short, etc.) opponent. You dont want to have a set of techniques for different body types. Its just too much to have to think during a real attack. Many wrist and joint manipulation techniques rely on the pain threshold of the attacker. But peoples joint exibilities and thresholds for pain vary greatly. Some of these techniques just dont work on some people at all. Simplicity is an important part of self defense. Techniques need to be simple to work on the street. Too many practitioners of martial arts and self defense think because they can execute a technique quickly and easily under the controlled conditions of a dojo or seminar class that they have something that is viable and effective on the street.

Fine motor coordination is one of the first things that one loses in a real situation when the adrenaline starts to ow.

In the Danger Zone


Imagine waking up and seeing a man at the foot of your bed, already moving towards your side to attack you. What will you do? Remember, you only have split seconds to take action. Or else. Thats the same condition youll nd yourself in when youre attacked on the street: unaware, unprepared, and afraid. It has severe effects on us both physically and mentally, as it causes adrenaline rush. For one, we lose some or most of our cognitive thinking and ne motor coordination. We also lose peripheral vision, which tends to make things appear larger than they really are. We feel weak at the knees or develop body shakes. Breathing becomes short and rapid; studies have shown that if the heart beat gets high enough we can become totally (even literally) frozen in fear. Just considering the loss of cognitive thinking and motor coordination is in itself big trouble, even for a martial artist. Its because many of the techniques taught in many martial arts schools and self defense programs require precise targeting or wrist or joint manipulation. This probably isnt going to happen under a strong adrenaline rush. Learning fighting techniques for the street can be a diverse issue. Most of us have heard of black belts ghting someone on the

"

What Dreams May Come


It is mind boggling how dreams can be reachable like catching the wind in a sail, if one pursues the conquest of attaining it; but can be impossible, at the same time, like defeating all the giant waves with the fast and strong turns of the propeller, if one makes a trade-off with what he perceives proper. The Filipino dream might be too fragile for most people: earning big bucks in the city, having power and position, and feeding his family at the same time. But for Manong Felipe, I traveled the world [for] free....kasama ko misis ko at mga anak ko. And healthy ako. He is more than fullled of his Filipino dream. It is just a matter of ones own choosing. Mang Felipe has been a vendor along Taft since 1981, but for many, it is hard to imagine how being on top of the world can be so difcult, and going back to reality can be so relieving. Mang Felipes story shows us just how experience and circumstance can solve the mysteries of our lives, and how people come about to be able to tell about them.

PHOTOS BY CHRIS KISON

Reference: Street Self Defense 101 by Shihan Michael Pace

Rant n Rave
The tandem of Johnny Depp and Tim Burton scores yet another potential hit with the early Halloween treat, The Corpse Bride. This fth collaboration between Johnny Depp and Tim Burton takes its audiences into the dark side with the spooky conventional gothic architecture that is always featured in wide repertoire in Burtons lms. The eerie otherworldly style is evidently reminiscent of Tim Burtons earlier animated movie, 1993s The Nightmare Before Christmas , but of course, The Corpse Bride is a different movie on its own. Animated using stop-motion claymation, the emotions that the characters convey seem to transcend animation, which makes the visual effects spectacular. The audience can easily get a feel for the characters, not to mention the bone-rattling musical numbers provided by musical whiz, Danny Elfman. The story begins with a crass cash-forclass transaction. New money sh tycoons, the Van Dorts (voiced by Tracey Ulman and Paul Whitehouse) want their drab, introverted son, Victor (Johnny Depp), to marry Victoria (Emily Watson), the endearing daughter of impoverished aristocrats, the Everglots (Albert Finney and Joanna Lumley). The arrangement unexpectedly turns romantic as the bashful couple surprisingly falls in love at rst sight. But, lo and behold, in a twisted scheme of events, he suddenly nds himself stranded in the land of the dead married to a lifeless bride named Emily (Helena Bonham Carter). Torn between two contradictory worlds and two extraordinary women, Victor is confronted with the staggering decision if he wants to "live" happily ever after with a bride from the afterlife or a bride with a pulse. Based from an old Russian folk tale, The Corpse Bride is churned into the Tim Burton machine and with the help of co-director Michael Johnson and the tireless team of animators resulting to a new rendition to this classic. The voice talents perfectly t their characters like a glove, with each role portrayed splendidly adding the needed spunk and attitude to these at characters. It is also interesting to note that Victor seems eerily reminiscent of Ichabod Crane, another character portrayed by Johnny Depp from Burton's 1999 live action thriller, Sleepy Hollow (Though depiction is plausible). The Corpse Bride is a tenderly macabre and beguiling romantic tale of undying love that nothing in this world or the next can conquer. This lm is a delightful mix of comedy, romance, mild horror and an afnity for goth that only Tim Burton can catapult to life. And with all the time and effort placed into making this movie, it almost certainly will not disappoint Burton fans. - Michelle Reyes With a raise of Phil Koeghans eyebrow and a wave of his hand, they were off. 10, 000 miles to travel, 11 legs to complete, 10 more teams to compete with and $1 million at the end of the nish line. The Amazing Race 8: Family Edition kicks off in New York City, requiring the same physical, mental, and emotional strength from a new batch of adventure-seekers. However, perhaps because the producers realized the previous seven seasons had one model-actor team too many, they added a new format to the show. This season, the show takes 10 American teams of four, with participant's ages ranging from as young as eight and as old as 57. The teammates are required to only be blood relatives or relatives created by law, as opposed to the previous seasons where the participants could race with their roommates or friends. Instead of just one navigator and one driver in road trips, there is one navigator, one backseat driver, one actual driver and one perpetual whiner. There are more people to account for and more people to remember, as the viewer would constantly go Wait, whose kid is this? Which family does this woman belong to again? Also, teamwork is taken to a higher level. Two people working together under the pressure of the race is hard enough, getting four of them on the mat at the end of the leg calls for a modern-day miracle. Rumors have been ying that the route will only be limited to North America to make the race more child-friendly (and perhaps less expensive), which means there will be more road trips and fewer airports. More locals pointing the directions to the nearest federal monument and fewer travel agents. More American history, less international culture. This could mean that the only miscommunication will come from having four people to move together, and not the extreme language barrier in Taiwan or Mongolia. Still, what makes it worth an hour of your Wednesday night is the sight of having that big a team traveling all at the same time. The action never runs out, whether the foursomes are boarding bigger SUVs, bickering for hours or completing Detours, Road Blocks and Yields. Pitting tiny children against older racers doesnt seem like such a problem so far since there is always a situation where their varied sizes and strengths will be needed. Whether these kids will be able to withstand the stress of the race still remains unknown, but judging from the rst few episodes, The Amazing Race: Family Edition might not only promise to be twice as fun but also four times as noisy. Youve been warned.
- Ramona Torres

TELEVISION

MOVIE
The Corpse Bride D: Tim Burton S: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter

The Amazing Race 8: The Family Edition Wednesday, 9pm AXN

They played it cool. But the other team was just too good.

ways to get over defeat


1. Pamper yourself. 2. Shift your attention. 3. Hang-out with your friends. 4. Pig-out. 5. Try something new. 6. Be productive. 7. Join other contests/competition and win it! 8. Accept that sometimes, "Sh*t Happens". 9. Practice, train and study harder. 10. Just forget it and move on. 11. Keep in mind that "today's defeat is a training for tomorrow's victory". 12. Cast your sorrow upon the Almighty.

Text by Royce Robert Zuiga, Donelle Gan, and Luis De Vera Photos by Tianel Espiritu, Eric Siy, and Amanda Valenzuela Graphics by Luis De Vera

10

he program youre watching pauses for a commercial break and onto your screen bounces Georgina Wilson, looking cool, calm, collected, and drop-dead gorgeous in that amboyant red dress. You call on the universe to trip her as she sashays past you on the TV screen to at least make you feel less inferior. Her thousand-watt smile frustrates you, knowing that you will never end up as eye-catching as her. Youll never be able to smile, wink, or sparkle on a TV screen, nor will you ever have an avalanche of product endorsers pounding at your door. Think these thoughts and you have become a certied victim of this generations biggest blunder. Who ever said a woman had to have long awless legs and fair complexion to be beautiful? Or who ever said a man had to be tall and sculpted to be handsome? No wise man, thats for sure. Unfortunately, this generation has been brainwashed to believe that beauty is an elusive aesthetic quality bestowed upon the chosen few who dominate todays catwalks, billboards, and television commercials. Since media projects the idea that these people set the bar for what is considered beautiful, the masses have been left to think of themselves as inferior immortals, less worthy to stand beside these beauty icons.

MENAGERIE
The LaSallian

13 October 2005
of evidence of how the idea of beauty has become a misconception to many. Girls who feel that their worth can be measured simply by stepping on a weighing scale. The idea of beauty that media promotes brings about a lot of disastrous effects. Men and women are disillusioned to the point of developing eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia. Anorexia is a psychological disease wherein a person refuses to eat to control his or her weight. 90-95 percent of anorexics are females, but an increasing number of males are also becoming subject to this disorder. Bulimia is equally dangerous, because it induces a person to consume large amounts of food and then force himself to vomit. Feelings of self-depression and low self-esteem are rampant in bulimics. Aside from malnutrition, dehydration, and ruptured stomach, the biggest danger to anorexics and bulimics is death itself. According to Doctor Walter Kaye of the University of Florida, anorexia has one of the highest death rates of any other psychiatric disorder.

13 October 2005

Twisted Denition
The American Heritage Dictionary denes beauty as the quality that gives pleasure to the mind and senses. However, in this day and time, the media seems to be the one determining this quality. Over time, media has distorted the image of real beauty so much, that todays generation denes beauty based on the ads and images that ll television sets and crowd billboards along highways. Beauty has become so commercialized that people have become too dependent of this medium. And as the level of contentment declines, what to wear, how to act, and how to enhance themselves is left on the pages of magazines just to be courageous enough to call themselves, beautiful. Teenagers and adults alone are not only medias market target, when even children are exposed to this kind of publicity. Take Barbie as a prime example. Sure, she can be easily dismissed as a mere plaything. But read in between the lines. With her luscious locks, her perfect gure, and her permanent pearly-white smile, she can easily dictate to those youngsters the proper look. On the other hand, photos of models and actors reveal fair skin, slim and toned frames, not to mention the mestizo or mestiza parameters. Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes, and todays men and women should be proud of how they look, or at least be contented. A Filipina more than anything nds her natural tan skin, an exotic look to many, a hindrance to beauty. Why then?when other continents consider this to die for and Americans pay hundreds of dollars to get this color. Beauty is relative. Beauty is absolute. But media has taken this to its advantage by plastering what they deem beautiful all over billboards and TV screens, not realizing that the judgment of real beauty is not on their hands.

Beauty and the Media Beast

L ETTERS
Deja vu

Dj Vu
The united opposition, member-lawyers of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines and civil society groups strongly denounced EO 464 because it prohibits the Legislative to check-and-balance the Executive and Judiciary branches of government. Under EO 464, the Executive undermines the power of the Legislative to hold hearings and receive vital information useful for investigation in aid of legislation. EO 464 is illegal because under the revised administration code, any law or executive order must be published in ofcial national newspapers to inform the general public before it takes effect

TO THE EDITO R
The LaSallian
are very clear. First, the IMF-WB and WTO are using loans as their leverage to push for greater privatization, deregulation and trade liberalization at the expense of the Filipino poor. Secondly, PGMA has forged allegiance with other nations under the Coalition-of-the-Willing to promote US policy on the war on terror in the pretext of Balikatan Exercises in the Philippines. The Arroyo administration must realize that terrorist rhetoric and intensied militarization in Mindanao and in other parts of the country will not solve the escalating peace and order problem of our nation. It delays and jeopardizes the peace negotiation between the Philippine government with the New Peoples Army (NPA) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). In the spirit of Bayanihan and Damayan, weve learned from our Philippine history that real crisis brings out the best in every Filipino like what had happened during the 1986 People Power uprising. God will not forsake and abandon the suffering of His people who are repenting from their sins. God will be sending again martyrs and prophets to heal our land. Recall the martyrdom of Senator Benigno Aquino on August 21, 1983 and many other unsung heroes who died in the pursuit of peace and social justice. Recall the important roles played by the Kongreso ng Mamamayang Pilipino (KoMPil) to arouse, organize and mobilize the Filipino masses. We fondly remember the prophetic role of Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin in the 1986 People Power uprising that led to the downfall of a dictator. With former President Cory Aquino, Br. Armin Luistro FSC along with citizens who have genuine concern for this country, we shall overcome all these adversities. If we want peace, let us ght for the truth and social justice under the Bukluran Para sa Katotohanan. Let us always remember that our Philippine history is full with inspiring stories of exemplary Filipinos who stood up and died for freedom, social justice and love of country. Real change must begin within us. Concretely, we can showcase the Gawad Kalinga program to our Filipino youth in teaching minds, touching hearts and building homes for a brighter future to help the needy.

11

Subject:martial law in menagerie Date: Fri, 23 Sep 2005 13:48:04 +0800 From:ongj(Ong,Jaime S) <ongj@dlsu.edu.ph> To: the_lasallian@yahoo.com Dear Editor: I am bemused and appalled by Martial Law: Triumph Amidst the Turmoil by Michelle Lauren Reyes and Dianne Margareth Tang (Menagerie, Sept 2005). How can the authors say in the second paragraph that Economic stagnation, political repression and insurgencies sprouted from the callous disregard for humanity and then conclude that The Philippine economy during Martial Law was catapulted to all time highs and With the thriving economy and crime-free environment, the Philippines under Martial Law seemed like an ideal place to live in? This roseate view of the economy under Marcos makes no mention of crony capitalism and its baleful effects on the sugar, coconut, and other industries, the accumulation of foreign debt that now burdens current and future generations, the skewed priorities in the national budget, the rising levels of poverty. The writers may be too young to remember what happened in the rst decades after Proclamation 1081. But youth is no excuse for ignorance, in a campus with a library that has an abundance of materials on the sordid and bloodstained record of martial law. Jaime S Ong Chairman, Marketing Department

Vanity Fair
Dressing up and carrying oneself is another effect of medias displacement of beauty. Body-hugging material, skin-tight jeans, and skimpy skirts are every womans resolution; literally, you have to t in those then. Men, on the other hand, concentrate on sculpting their bodies in order for women to actually notice and appreciate them aside from the good looking face. Media has also become hazardous to human psyche. The images one sees on magazines and billboards can dull their ideas on what passes as beautiful. It has always been like that, to begin with. People, in their struggle for acceptance and belongingness believe that they have to abide with what media dictates before they get noticed by their peers. The sense of self-worth declines, until society continues to remain closed with vanity, ones individuality will come to its lost. People misconstrue what they see in these supposed expressions of reality because they do not realize that advertisements can only go as far as selling beauty products and not the real essence of beauty.

GABRIELLE MARIE ANTONIO, YASMIN NAJIB, AND CARMELA SIOCO


PHOTO AND GRAPHICS BY LUIS DE VERA

Take it from the Greeks


The standards, by which society measures, beauty have become all too supercial. Beauty has even been presented as a challenge, and in the demented search for physical perfection people will never be satised with how they look if they cannot learn to go pass what media offers. This commercialization of beauty forces people to focus on their imperfections based on the established idea of beautythat of which can be measured according to height, physique, weight, and skin color. Media has taught people to settle for nothing less than surface perfection and to consider natural oddities as disgurations. It has spurred society on a never-ending quest for physical enhancement, completely disregarding the inferiority it might cause people top feel on account of their less-than-perfect-but-nevertheless-human appearances. People should understand that they do not have to be carbon copies of models in order to be beautiful. They do not have to succumb to medias thousand-peso theories beautication, instead, they should accept and love the gifts nature has given them. A sense of appreciation and contentment could make people more condent and above all, happy. Because being able to rise above face-lifts and beauty products would highlight a beauty more compelling than that of any over-exposed media god or goddess. To the Greeks, beauty has a virtue within and without, but this generation seems to have forgotten that physical beauty must always be complemented, if not overridden, by inner beauty. Then and only then can a person be truly and completely, not only in the eyes of others but to oneself, say Im ok, Im beautiful.

Vital Statistics
Media is responsible for brainwashing people to believe in a conceptualized notion of beauty. Numerous ads and commercials imply that slim; hence, weight has become a cosmetic concern for men and women across the globe. Women, however, are more prone to obsessing about weight. According to www.pbs.org, 75 percent of women with normal weight think they are overweight, and 90 percent of women overestimate their body size. Moreover, 69 percent of girls said that their perceptions of beauty were strongly inuenced by magazine ads and television commercials. These statistics are pieces

j vu derived from two French words, already seen. It also refers to an experience that causes you to remember something such as the dj vu of the tabloid headlines showing images of mass protesters and student activists being water cannoned, clubbed, mauled, illegally arrested and detained by the policemen and military. News reporters and radio commentators denounced the acts of violence and the imposition of martial law in the pretext of national security. It reminded us of the late President Ferdinand Marcos manipulating the national elections in 1986 to prove to the international community that he still enjoyed the popular support of the Filipinos. A dictator championing the cause of democracy yet, disregarded the check-and-balance of powers in the Executive, Legislative and Judiciary branches of the Philippine government. Recall how the dictator converted Batasang Pambansa into a rubber stamp. President Marcos controlled the military and ordered the arrest of his political detractors and enemies. He prolonged his stay in power for 20 years in cahoots with his cronies and the US government. Today, we are reliving the nightmares of martial law under the Arroyo regime. The butchering of the impeachment case against PGMA in the House of Representatives only proved that we couldnt rely on traditional politicians to unravel the truth behind the Gloriagate and jueteng scandals. Elitism, loyalty to the party (numbers game) and political patronage (pork barrel) persist in the Congress and Senate. Indeed, nothing has changed in our Philippine political system. President Arroyo is determined to prolong her stay in power using the policemen and military to suppress the protest of the Filipino masses against her government marred with graft and corruption. The policy shift of the Arroyo administration from maximum tolerance to calibrated preemptive response grossly violates human rights. Mass media exposed to us how human rights workers, social activists and peace advocates were physically harassed and violently dispersed by the policemen invoking the calibrated preemptive response as their mantra to justify their acts of violence. President Arroyos signing of Executive Order 464 states that all government ofcials and employees must have her permission before appearing in any congressional inquiry. Many viewed EO 464 as unconstitutional and illegal.
ARCHERS LOSE, FROM PAGE 16

"Today, we are reliving the nightmares of martial law under the Arroyo regime."
in 15 days after publication. Senator Maceda is right in his column that without publication, EO 464 becomes secret decrees of the late President Marcos under Presidential Decree No. 6. Political analysts and columnists believe that President Arroyo in cahoots with her allies is gradually retaliating at her political foes and detractors. Just imagine former President Cory Aquino and Senator Franklin Drilon accused of masterminding the alleged assassination plot against PGMA. Brig. General Francisco Gudani and Colonel Alexander who testied on massive electoral fraud are now facing court martial. Those people who stand for truth and social justice become targets of character assassination and political harassment. Aside from the crisis of Presidency, our nation suffers from a crisis of sovereignty. The signs

Greetings in St. La Salle! I fully understand your sentiments regarding Martial Law. However, I wish to clarify that the theme of last months issue, was Searching for the Good in Mistakes. The stories featured in that issue center on seemingly erroneous decisions, technological blunders, sudden career shifts, and in that articles case, tumultuous historical events, that yielded positive resuts in one way or another. Therefore, the intention of that article was not to undermine nor entirely disregard what Martial Law represents in our countrys history, but rather, to tackle the subject matter from a more positive angle. Sincerely yours, Juan Carlos Chavez Menagerie Editor

By Gregorio L. Quitangon Center for Social Concern and Action

Hitachi Young Leaders Initiative

Press release

LADY SPIKERS, FROM PAGE 16

overachieving team. We were the unwelcome guest and the gatecrashers in the nals. We surprised a lot of teams when we came through the backdoor (to the nals). Just being in the nals, parang nag-champion na rin kami, Pumaren stated. We only lost because we did not execute in the last few seconds. We were just one shot away from winning this game, Pumaren added, who lost the championship via sweep for the rst time in his career. The Archers had a scintillating third period as a 17-3 run marked by turnover points gave them their biggest lead in the game at 11, 62-51. But the Tamaraws came back with six straight points, 62-57 at the end of the third.

all of these factors, Coach De Jesus still kept his faith on his team and was condent that they are indeed ready for and deserving of a championship. And his prediction eventually came true. After ve years of coaching the DLSU Lady Spikers, Coach Ramil de Jesus was able to concoct the perfect recipe for threepeat title.

Game 1
The DLSU Lady Spikers proved that experience is indeed a crucial factor in winning a game, as they successfully defeated a younger Adamson squad, 3-0, in Game 1 of the UAAP Volleyball Finals. The Taft-based squad easily dominated the rst set as the Adamson Lady Falcons committed several unforced errors, thereby allowing the Lady Spikers to grab the rst set with a score of 25-14. At the start of the second set, both teams fought tooth and nail by answering each others points. However, Adamson had the upperhand as the Lady Spikers failed to return
DE LA SALLE CAGE, SEE PAGE 14

Game 1
Game 1 was a mirror image of Game 2 with the Green Archers trying but failing to sustain their lead in the dying seconds, no thanks to the all-around play of Santos, which ended with a 75-73 decision at the Araneta Coliseum last Sept. 29 in a game that was almost overshadowed by an altercation after the match. Santos amassed 29 points, 14 rebounds, and three blocks but it was his end game heroics that gave the Tamaraws its rst win of the nals.The lanky Santos drilled a three-pointer to tie the game with 48.6 ticks left to tie the game, 73-all. To cap of his brilliant performance, Santos gave the game-clinching basket after tapping in a missed three-pointer by Isip, thereby giving the Morayta-based cagers the lead, 75-73, with 5.5 seconds remaining. The Archers had one last chance but JV Casio missed his last second shot from behind the arc, almost the same spot where he hit his title-winning shot last season, to end the game. The game was not free from controversy though as Santos and DLSU assistant team manager Manny Salgado got involved in an exchange moments after the game. Television replays showed Salgado hitting Santos at the back of his head that irked the Tamaraws. To prevent further untoward incidents, security came rushing in the court to separate both squads as some fans pelted the court with debris. De La Salle led in the waning minutes of the game as the wily Yeo slashed his way to the goal and gave the go-ahead basket to the Archers, 72-70. At the 1:37 mark, Araa halved his free throws, 73-70, the last time De La Salle would taste the lead before Santos saved the Tams. Yeo was his usual self, scoring 26 points for the Green Archers. However, the defending champions struggled to orchestrate their full-court pressure, which was scouted well by the Tamaraws. FEU also showed their might in height by blocking seven De La Salle shots. After a 12-0 run by the Archers, guard Eder Saldua hit two consecutive triples in a 13-0 blast by the Tamaraws as halftime ended with the Morayta-based squad leading by one, 43-42. The momentum shifted to FEU at the start of the third juncture as they were poised to take the lead, 59-53. But in the ensuing plays, Yeo and Cabatu helped tie the game, 59-all, setting up a highly contested battle.

the drop of the Falcons, bringing the set to 8-6. Not to be outdone, Desiree Hernandez started the defending champions rally. An ace by left-handed spiker Carissa Gotis and Illa Santos successful return shifted the momentum back to De La Salles side. Adamson responded with equal determination as they tied the score multiple times throughout the set. Unfortunately, an outside spike by the Falcons gave the set point in favor of DLSU, 24-23. Hernandezs spike secured the second set victory as the Lady Spikers inched their way to a Game 1 triumph. The second set win boosted the spirit of the green and white squad in the third set. Though the set started with a close ght of both teams, Adamson lost its focus after failing to receive Santos drop, 13-7. From that point on, the Lady Spikers never looked back as the combination of Hernandez and Carla Llagunos spikes, accompanied with Chie Saets aces, were just too powerful for the San Marcelino-based squad. On the other hand, the Lady Falcons couldnt nd their rhythm as they continued to commit several mistakes, ending the set at 25-7.

Inuential leaders from across Asia convened at the 7th Hitachi Young Leaders Initiative (HYLI) held forum on July 11 and 12, 2005, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. With the objective of inspiring the next generation of leaders, they shared their perspectives on critical issues impacting the region today. Under the overall theme of Balancing People, Planet and Prot in Asias Future, specic sub-themes that discussed include: Asian Economic Integration - Challenges and Opportunities; The Changing Role of Education in a Dynamic Asia; and Translating Environmental Awareness into Action. Mr. Nobuaki Furuse, General Manager, Hitachi Asia Ltd. Philippine Branch: said, With a region as diverse as Asia, developing solutions to address common issues requires an in-depth understanding of Asias social, economic, environmental and political landscapes. We are indeed fortunate to have an impressive line-up of speakers who, in their vari-

ous professions, have contributed to alleviating these issues, and leading their countries, businesses and organisations to greater heights. We believe they will serve to inspire our young leaders to do the same in the future. The guest-of-honour for the 7th HYLI was Yang Berhormat Dato Dr. Shae Mohd Salleh, Minister of Higher Education, Malaysia. He was joined by the second keynote speaker, Dr. Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Minister of State for National Development Planning and Chairperson of National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) from Indonesia. Mr. Victor O. Ramos, former Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources from the Philippines, will speak on an environment sub-theme. Together with eminent speakers from the business sector, government and non-governmental organizations, and academia, these leaders presented their insights and interact ed with twenty-four top students from Indonesia, Japan, the

Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. This years initiative, the 7th in the series, was held from July 11 to 15. Students participated in two morning forums, a series of closed-door workshop discussions, a press conference to share their recommendations arising from the workshops, and a community project. Representing the Philippines at the 7th HYLI are Philip Francisco Dy of Ateneo de Manila University; Mark Gregore Gloriani of De La Salle University; Pamela Manuel and Carl Nicholas Ng, both from the University of the Philippines. They were selected from among undergraduate and graduate students from four top local universities through a rigorous selection process, which included a university shortlist, submission of written essays and a panel interview. The 24 students of the 7th HYLI joined the HYLI alumni, a strong network of potential future leaders of Asia formed by past HYLI student participants.

of Sports Development (OSD), the University said that it regrets the incident and adding that they certainly will not condone any such act especially if it harms others. The incident does not reect the values we (DLSU) stand for as an educational institution. We apologize to Arwind Santos and the Far Eastern University community, to the other UAAP member-schools and to the general public, the statement furthered. The statement also said that Salgado voluntarily left the team but Salgado claried that he took a leave of absence. However, DLSU representative Danny Jose personally thinks that the decision was unfair for Salgado. It was too harsh. He (Salgado) did not deserve such punishment. If this happened to a player, would they have imposed such punishment? Jose said.

Life after the Decision


Even with his absence, Salgado declared that he will still support the team in any way he can. Ill continue to give my services to the team and to this institution even if Im no longer on the bench. One act should not erase all the things Ive done [for] the schools sports program. Moving on is what Salgado will do after this issue that rocked the community. Im really sorry to the community. At the same time, Ive already closed this chapter of my life. Im ready to close this issue and end it. The near-chaotic events after Game 1 led to a peaceful Game 2 as the Board disallowed the players from trash talking during Game 2 of the UAAP mens basketball nals, and required the players to shake hands before the game as a sign of sportsmanship.

ARCHERS LOSE, FROM PAGE 16

Meanwhile, Geleen Handog landed in 4th place for the combined girls high school and college division. The De La Salle teams won all 5 divisions they ended scoring the biggest victory in the ve year history of the Samsung tournament. The DLSU Golf Team shares its victory to the entire Lasallian community and credits its success to the support of team manager, Mr. Ferdie Atendido, the DLSAA, Pisanti, ICTSI, Campos, Lanuza & Co., and Island Wide for sponsoring them in this years tournament.

12
JIPNIY DRAYBERS

P OPTOW N
The LaSallian

13 October 2005
Abs Go

PHOTO
The LaSallian

USAPANG BUTIKI

BC Uy

SHAYDER TIME

Carvin Choa

WORST CASE SCENARIO

Char Valdez

MAIS CON CARNE RETURNS

Jan Jaudian

ALTERNATE REALITY

Luis De Vera

14

P O R T

The LaSallian

13 October 2005

13 October 2005

DLSU Paddlers struggle in UAAP wars


CAMILLE PINTO AND JULIUS

P O R T

The LaSallian

S
W

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Tankers: A notch down


NIKKI ANN TUNGOL

PHOTO BY TIANEL ESPIRITU

fter stumbling to fourth and third places respectively in this years UAAP swimming tournament, the Green and Lady Tankers ended up in a disappointing predicament as the two teams both placed a notch down compared to last seasons nish. The Green Tankers nal record of 80 points was simply lacking as they trailed UP, UST, and Ateneo. The UP Fighting Maroons bagged its third straight title after garnering a total of 304.5 points. UST and Ateneo followed suit with 225 and 154.5 points, correspondingly. On the distaff, the Lady Tankers had better luck as they scored 166.5 points behind defending champions USTs 244 and UPs 200 points. It was a blistering reality for the Green Tankers to settle at the fourth spot as the team was actually eyeing for a second place nish prior to the competition. Their hopes came crashing down after two-time MVP Benjamin Uy and highest pointer Mickey Quilala werent allowed to play due to the UAAP residency rulings. Since Uy and Quilala were really expected to contribute precious points for De La Salle, the decision became detrimental to

REUBEN TERRADO AND CARLOS REBULLIDA III

De La Salle cage ofcial banned in UAAP

the team as they lost their top gunners, especially for the 400m individual medley event. Besides lacking players, the poor recruitment also contributed to their paltry nish since the other competing schools capitalized on their exceptional recruits. Despite the tournament results, the Green Tankers still remained as proud. We never gave up even though we were feeling so down. We stayed tough, said Tanker Jetro Asis. We knew we lack players, so all of us in the team needed to step up and really focus on team points, JR Sia also added. The Lady Tankers, on the other hand, experienced the same distress after falling far from their championship target. They suffered from the loss of key players Michelle Nisce and Ace Sapinoso, who were consistently reliable in chipping in a good number of team points. However, notable performances from sophomore LC Langit and rookie Tessa Alcantara, carried the Lady Tankers into a better niche. LC Langit, a former UAAP MVP in UST High School, was condent as she bagged the silver in the 800m and 200m Freestyle while bronzes were in hand in both the 400m Individual

Medley and Freestyle events. Before the season unveiled, Langit was expected to step up. True enough, Langit indeed showed big improvement from her performance last year. Alongside Langit is rookie Tessa Alcantara, who unexpectedly showed her best times. A former Most Outstanding Swimmer awardee during her high school days, Alcantara captured the second place in the 50m Freestyle, and third place in the 200m Backstroke, 100m Breaststroke, and 50m Buttery events. For the relay events, the Green Tankers nished as runner-ups for the 400m Freestyle while landing the third spot for the 200m and 400m Medley, and 200m Freestyle. For the womens division, the Lady Tankers ranked second in the 200m Freestyle and nished third in the 400m and 800m Freestyle, and 400m Medley. With the Green and Lady Tankers still possessing a somehow lineup next year, expect the Taft-based swimmers to gradually improve and bring the glory back to De La Salle in the seasons to come. With reports from Rey Christian Sikat

PHOTO BY TIANEL ESPIRITU

Missed the ball. Despite the paddlers focus on the game, they missed out on the UAAP Table Tennis titles this

Green Archers: Season in review


REUBEN EZRA TERRADO

Is admitting ones own fault ever enough to justify ones actions? Assistant team manager Manny Salgado has already admitted his mistake; however, a lot of people still continue to judge him.

What really happened?


A near skirmish broke out when Salgado hit FEU stalwart Arwind Santos with a closed st at the back of the head moments after the Green Archers lost to the Tamaraws in Game 1 of the UAAP mens basketball nals, an act that was seen on national television. Newspaper reports stated that Salgado was trying to pacify Joseph Yeo and Arwind Santos from trash talking. Santos then said slanderous remarks to Salgado which prompted the latter to hit Santos at the back of the head. Still, my act was not justiable. It was uncalled for and I apologized for it, Salgado shared.

Coming into this season, the Archers knew that they will have a gargantuan task of reaching the nals after explosive scorer Mark Cardona and bruiser Jerwin Gaco left the team, two of which were vital cogs in the past campaigns. The lack of height was evident as some players were forced to play out of their usual positions. Basketball experts somewhat were skeptic about the chances of this years bunch of Archers. After a big opening day win against Ateneo de Manila, the Archers were upset by the UP Maroons and the UE Red Warriors in close fashion and ending the rst round with an unimpressive 4-3 record. A loss to the Tamaraws in the second round left observers and even some members of the De La Salle community wondering whether the Archers have what it takes to go back to the nals. But like last year, the Archers peaked at the right time, putting together a string of victories in the second round. Their game against FEU in the second round was their solitary defeat in the

second round. And even with a board room decision to replay a won game against the Warriors, the Archers got even better as they beat UP, Adamson, Ateneo, and UE in a return match, by an average margin of nearly 19 points. Thanks to the tournament format, the Archers, ending the elimination in a three-way tie for second with a 10-4 slate, found their way marching into the Final Four with a twice-tobeat advantage because of a superior quotient to the Eagles and Warriors, tagged as the early favorites but both faltered in the end after having good starts to their campaign. They went on to dominate the Eagles again, 74-57, in the Final Four setting up a nals rematch against the Tamaraws. Weve been dreaming for this (reaching the nals). Its good to be back in the nals, Pumaren noted in an earlier interview. Pumaren tagged themselves as the underdogs to the Tamaraws, who took command in the tournament with a 12-2 slate. Not surprisingly, the Tamaraws of rookie coach Bert Flores

used their height advantage, veteran leadership, and the desire for redemption from last years failure to cop the mens basketball crown against the Archers. Santos, this seasons MVP, even skipped playing in the PBA just to have a crack at the championship trophy. Now, he has it. The championship was FEUs 18th UAAP mens basketball crown, tying UE and UST for the most in league history. Overachieved, as Pumaren depicted it, is what the Green Archers were this season. And even if this will mark the end of the collegiate careers of the veterans Yeo, Cabatu, and JR Aquino, Pumaren feels optimistic next season as Tang and Casio will be spearheading the team while highly-touted big man Marko Batricevic, the comebacking PJ Walsham, and other recruits are expected to play doubly hard for the Archers. We will be a bigger team next year. And with this experience, our young players tasted a bitter pill. It is going to be a good springboard for us next year, Pumaren concluded.

The UAAP Boards Decision


The UAAP Board pulled an axe on unsportsmanlike behavior by banning Salgado for life from being present in all the events of the UAAP. In a decision after an emergency meeting last Sept. 30, the Board statement declared that after due deliberations the UAAP Board of Trustees decided to perpetually ban Mr. Manny Salgado from personally watching all UAAP sports competitions in all venues thereof. The decision was based on the recommendation of the technical committee, which was approved unanimously by the Board. Salgado said that he will not appeal the lifetime ban sentenced to him. Ill leave it at that. I will face the consequences and I dont need to react further, Salgado said in a phone interview with The LaSallian.

Woodpushers: Bridesmaids in Season 68


GEOFFREY GAYARES

ast season, the Lady Paddlers made histor y as they bagged De La Salles rst table tennis title via a rare complete sweep of the eliminations. However, this season is a different story. With former MVP Crisanta Abas out of the picture and the changes in the playing format, the Lady Paddlers failed to defend their crown as they ended the 68th UAAP season at third place. After ending the eliminations at the third spot, the Lady Paddlers battled second seeded Far Eastern University (FEU) Lady Tamaraws in the seminals round at the UST gym last Oct.5. Unfortunately, the Morayta-based squad, who carried a twice-to-beat advantage, proved to be too overpowering as they swept the Lady Paddlers, 3-0. National Team members Arlene Borja and Ayra Malabayabas, together with the tandem of Leah Calamiong and Vanessa Ng, tried to bring De La Salle back into the game but their efforts werent enough to beat the stronger FEU team. Both the Lady Paddlers and the FEU Lady Tams were tied at rst place after the rst round of eliminations. As the second round progressed last Oct.1, the Lady Paddlers suffered a big loss against the University of Sto. Tomas(UST) Lady Tigers. However, Coach Ramil Sta. Anas troops managed to pick up their games as they defeated the Ateneo Lady Eagles and Adamson Lady Falcons by the end of the day. Despite being down by two games, 0-2, the Lady Paddlers were still able

to control the tempo of the game as they won over the Ateneo Lady Eagles, 3-2. Borja together with rookies Mabalayabas and Ng, prevailed in the remaining singles round with set scores of 3-1, 3-0, and 3-2, respectively. In addition, the Lady Paddlers trounced the Adamson Lady Falcons in three straight games, 3-0. The Taft-based squad continued their dominance as they crushed the UE Lady Warriors in three consecutive games, 3-0, last Oct. 2. Praine Ong and Borja swept their respective single matches on three straight sets while Lei Bonifacio and Calamiong only overcame their foes in the fth set. Then again, lady luck was not on the Lady Paddlers side as the FEU Lady Tams shattered their hopes of gaining a twice-to-beat advantage. The Lady Paddlers were outmaneuvered in the second and fourth singles with both scores at 0-3. There was no luck either in the doubles game as they settled for a 2-3 score, thereby handing the FEU squad the victory. The UST Lady Tigers brought home the championship that was once stolen by DLSU while the FEU Lady Tamaraws nished as the runners-up. The Lady Paddlers didnt go empty handed as freshman Ayra Mabalayabas bagged the Rookie of the Year honor.

Paddlers werent able to sustain their momentum as they succumbed to a fth place nish as the UAAP wars came to an end. A win over the Ateneo Blue Eagles in the second round gave the Green Paddlers a chance to grab a Final Four spot as the matches ended with set scores of 3-2, 1-3, 3-0, and 3-1. With momentum on their side, the Green Paddlers continued to show their true form as they pounced on the Adamson Lady Falcons, 3-1. The victory over the San Marcelino-based squad boosted the spirits of the Green Paddlers as they earlier suffered a 1-3 loss against the same team in the rst round. Just when the Green Paddlers were starting to get their hopes high, reality came crashing down once again as they lost to the defending champions in three straight matches. The loss marked the end of the Green Paddlers bid for the crown.

Turnaround of Events
The reason for the Green and Lady Paddlers dismal nish may be accounted by the new table tennis format. According to head coach Ramil Sta. Ana, both teams would have better chances if the UAAP had sticked to its former playing arrangement. Nahirapan talaga kami sa Blind Entry system na hindi mo alam kung sino ang kakalabanin at isasalang at the same time. He also added that, Last minute nagfafall down ang mga players. That is beyond my coaching and explanations at nasa player na rin ang judgment.

Green Paddlers settle for fth place


This is simply not De La Salles year in table tennis. Despite nishing third in the rst round of eliminations, the Green

De La Salles Side
In a separate statement signed by Br. Armin Luistro FSC, President of the De La Salle University (DLSU) System, Dr. Carmelita Quebengco, Executive Vice President of DLSU-Manila, and Br. Bobby Casingal FSC, Director of the Ofce
DE LA SALLE, SEE PAGE 11

All good things have come to an end. After dominating the UAAP chess scene for six straight years, the De La Salle Green Woodpushers nally bid goodbye to glory as they only wounded up in second place, thereby missing the chance to rewrite collegiate chess history. With eventual champions UP leading by a half-point before the last round, the tension took its toll on the Woodpushers as they settled for a 2-2 draw against 3rd place nishers UST in the UE Brieng Room last September 24. Since the UP Maroons disposed the Ateneo Eagles with a 3-1 score, the Green Woodpushers had to win all its boards against the UST tigers for them to grab their seventh title. Unfortunately, the 2-2 draw proved to be too costly as it signaled the defeat of the Green Woodpushers, while spelling victory for the UP Maroons. UP garnered a total of 39 points to end the season on a high note while the Green Woodpushers followed suit with 37.5 points. The UST Tigers, last years runner-ups, fell to the third spot.

The Taft-based squad missed the chance of tying the longest championship streak in UAAP History, which was the 1971 UE Mens Basketball Teams feat of 7 straight championships. Unlike their male counterparts who fell to a lower placing, the Lady Woodpushers managed to improve to one spot from last years nish to claim second place. UST topped the womens division while the Green and White squad together with the UP Lady Maroons both nished with 30.5 points. Since the Lady Woodpushers were able to beat the Lady Maroons in their previous meetings, it was Coach Randy Segarras troops who ended up as the runner-ups. Jennifer Advincula took home the Board 4 Gold while fellow Negrense Eden Tumbos grabbed silver for Board 5. Rookie Angeli Dimakiling missed the ROY honor, but was awarded Board 3 Silver in consolation. Team Captain Faith Dimakiling nished with a bronze in board 1, ending her rich UAAP career together with veterans Aileen Caos and Myrill Garcia.

The team really did great despite the fact that we lost [the championship] to UST, but our matches were good enough as we played harder moving into the crucial rounds, said Faith Dimakiling on her teams overall performance. The awarding ceremony was graced by Br. Ceci Hojilla FSC together with DLSU chess team managers George Barcelon and Gerry Achacoso.

Green Tennisters start off strong in Milo Interschool Tournament


CANDACE DAPHNE TING

PHOTO BY AMANDA VALENZUELA

The Green Tennisters opened the Milo Interschool Tournament last Oct. 8 and 9 at Mandaluyong Mental Hospital tennis court with compelling victories. The team was divided into two contending groups as they participate on the competition. The Team B of the Green Tennisters opened the tournament with a two to one win against the University of the Philippines. The squad took the rst advantage as Jandrick de Castro scored an 8-6 victory ov*er BJ Sison in the rst singles match. Miguel Pantua failed to defeat OJ Sison, 3-8, at the other singles match. Luckily, Edu Diaz and Lawrence Magaway already sealed the win for the team, beating the duo of Gerald Remio and Junjie Guadayo with scores at 8-5 in the doubles match. The next day, the squad had it easy as they won by default against San Sebastian whose players were not able to make it to the game.

On the other hand, the Team A of the Green Tennisters kicked off the competition with a win as well. They outclassed the squad from College of St. Benilde, winning two of their three matches last Oct. 9. In the rst singles game, JR Moreno gave the green squad a head start as he handily defeated JV Cruz with the nal score at 8-3. The tandem of Yannick Guba and Nico de Dios secured the teams win, nishing their doubles match at 8-2 against the pair of Johan Guba and JV Cruz. Unfortunately, the team was not able to sweep their three games against CSB as Pereme Alina suffered a 5-8 nonbearing loss to PV Cruz, in the last singles game. Exciting matches await both DLSU squads, as they move on to the seminals on Oct. 15. Team A will be facing PUP, the number one seeded team, while Team B will be competing against UST, the second seeded squad.

hen I received a text message from Abbey last week about writing for the sports column, I immediately said yes even though I didnt know the topic. Upon learning it, I then thought about all those hours I spent learning my course: Marketing Management. Remembering all the stuff Ive read and studied about was not that easy as I thought it would be. Although you could say that I am still considered a bit fresh from college, graduating June of last year, I can vividly recall all those stuff regarding the four Ps of Marketing (Product, Price, Place, Promotion). After watching the ick Fever Pitch which stars Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon last Monday, the idea suddenly popped in my head. You see, Basketball is still the cult-following of this nation with Boxing nishing a far second. Basketball has been inculcated in every Filipino as they are born. The popularity is so widespread that you dont have to announce that in the UAAP for example, De La Salle and Far Eastern will again meet in the nals this season. Much similarly to the movie, Fallon since 7, was brought by his uncle to his rst Red Sox game, he didnt miss a game. Only after 11 years when he met Barrymore and fell in love did he miss one. Passion and love for the game has enabled him to follow the team and the sport, much similar to us Filipinos I realized that you cant force someone to watch the other UAAP games since this would not be benecial in the long run. What other sports enthusiasts could do to promote their craft is basically encourage family and friends (including their blockmates) to watch. They could then teach them the basics of the sport, the how-to practically, and ask them to bring some of their other friends to watch. In reference to the movie, Fallons uncle brought him to the game at a young age. He was given the Red Sox annual and other baseball merchandise which were other primary information materials. His uncles friends in the ball park also were able to help mold Fallons love for the sport as they were able to give him tidbits of knowledge regarding baseball and life. On the part of the UAAP schools, they could in return do some belowthe-line marketing to promote the other sports. One thing they could do is set-up banners or tarpaulins in strategic areas around the school with the game schedules and the other pertinent information regarding these sports. This would reinforce the rst-hand information given by the athlete/enthusiast to their school mates. The school could also ask Studio 23, as a start, to cover games of the other sports and possibly include it on the airing contract with Basketball in the near future. What Im proposing is not guaranteed to ll the rafters of the other sports on the spot. What it will do is constantly increase the number of those watching. Sounds clich but great things do start from small beginnings. Ric Alvin Gayares (sports editor during SY 2003-2004) *** After the Lady Archers failed to make it to the Final Four for the rst time in seven years, I had a conversation with one of the teams defenders, Gay Mitra. She mentioned that nobody really watches their games except for some friends and family members. In addition, the De La Salle pep squad has only gone to their games several times. Compared to other teams, DLSU is really lacking in terms of supporters. During the conversation, the idea on how to promote other UAAP sports especially in DLSU besides basketball came to my mind. For me, this would be a good time for me to test if I really learned something in my marketing classes. Though the Philippines is a basketball-dominated country, there is still hope for the other sports to be noticed. Take volleyball for example. For several years, nobody really cared about volleyball but the moment the Shakeys Vleague was launched, supporters started swarming around the court. Now, TV coverage is not just the solution because I know that there are not enough budgets for all the UAAP sports. However, there are still some strategies that can be used. One, I talked to one of my marketing professors, Mr. Leongson. He mentioned that one way to market the other UAAP sports would be displaying banners and announcements around the DLSU campus. This would inform the De La Salle community about the games and other stuff. Actually, some of the game schedules are posted outside the Ofce of the Sports Development in the 9th oor of the Enrique Razon Sports Complex but the OSD is too far away for the students. These students would not take the time and effort to just go to the OSD to just nd out the latest news. Like what they say in marketing, dont let the customers (students) come to you, come to them. Banners and tarpaulins (which may feature the prole or picture of the star player of a particular sport perhaps) would denitely catch the attention of the student body. Two, in other UAAP schools, they allow their schools to be used as venues for the games. UST holds the table tennis and tae kwondo competitions in their place. UP is also the venue for volleyball and judo matches. This gives them the supporters and homecourt advantage as well. Why cant De La Salle use its facility like in womens basketball or volleyball perhaps? Why not do what the NBA does, travel from one state to another? This time around, the athletes just travel around the schools. Honestly, I dont think that we should be just limited to one venue. Three, Ive noticed that in Adamson and UP, the P.E. professors somehow require their students to watch the games. I think this is a good way to teach the students about a particular sport. They are not just conned to the four walls of the classroom but they are able to witness the real game as well. I believe that this is being done in judo classes; hopefully, the other P.E. professors will follow. The students will not just learn, but they are also able to support the DLSU teams as well. These athletes work hard for the DLSU community but they are not getting the support that they really deserve. They need people to boost their spirits but sadly, we only recognize them once they win a championship. But is winning a title the basis for people to support a team? I hope not. Banners, venues, and school requirements-these are just icings on n the cake. But whats beneath all this is the word support. I hope that there exists support for the other UAAP teams in each and everyone of you. Its only the end of the rst half. But for the second half, its just the beginning. Support the UAAP teams. Animo La Salle! Earlene Clarissa Ching

Passion

Lady Spikers snag three-peat


JHOANNA KAY LEAL AND NIKKI ANN MARIA TUNGOL
PHOTO BY ERIC SIY

VOL. XLVI NO. 5 THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF DE LA SALLE UNIVERSITY 13 OCTOBER 2005

S PORTS
The LaSallian

Frustation. Despite pushing the FEU Tams to the edge, the Green Archers failed to pull through in their quest to becoming back-to-back champions.

Archers lose crown to FEU Tamaraws


REUBEN EZRA TERRADO

PHOTO BY JERRY ACHACOSO

assion plus determination plus hard work equals victory. For the third consecutive season, the De La Salle Lady Spikers continued their reign as queens of the volleyball court after they trounced the Adamson Lady Falcons in Game 2 of the UAAP volleyball nals via a four set win, 3-1, at the UPCHK Gym last Oct. 5. After sweeping the Lady Falcons in Game 1, the Lady Spikers maintained their repower to defeat the Adamson team in four sets, 25-18, 19-25, 25-16 and 25-21. The Lady Falcons, who handed the defending champions their rst loss during the rst round of eliminations, displayed great defense all throughout the game. However, the green-and-white squad was just too much for them to handle. Adamsons quartet of Kristine Dave, Rissa Laguilles, Jacqueline So, and Hannah Suarez were not able to get past the explosive trio of two-time MVP Desiree Hernandez, Illa Santos and UAAP best setter Chie Saet. Rookie Michelle Datuin and three-time Best Libero Shermaine Peano complete the powerhouse cast of the Lady Spikers.

De La Salle set the tempo early in the rst set by capitalizing on their opponents errors, bringing the set at 10-3. Then again, the Lady Falcons managed to tie the game at 10-all, after DLSU committed several unforced errors of their own. The Taft-based squad aimed to grab the rst set as they pushed the scores to 24-18 while a fault from Lady Falcon Dave sealed the rst win in favor of the Lady Spikers. The second set belonged to the Lady Falcons as they consistently sustained their lead over Coach Ramil Sta. Anas troops. Several errors from DLSUs Carla Llaguno and Carissa Gotis allowed the Lady Falcons to pull away with a victory in the second set at 19-25. With both teams tied one set win apiece, the third set became crucial as the winners will have a better chance of winning the set and the game. Led by Hernandez and Santos, the Lady Spikers found the right moment to avenge themselves as they gained the upperhand. A running spike from Datuin nally closed the third set at 25-16. It was a no-turning-back point for the Lady Spikers as there was only one set left to conclude the season and claim the pres-

tigious championship. On the other side, the Lady Falcons were as eager to tie the game and force a deciding fth set. With hunger for their rst volleyball title ever, the Lady Falcons quickly took the lead, 19-18, courtesy of Kristine Daves hot passes. Coach De Jeses modied the DLSU lineup to adjust to the situation, substituting the offensive-minded Santos with tall defender Erika Tiamson. Rookie Tiamson was enough to intimidate Dave as her good blocks answered the latters hard spikes. After banking on the Lady Falcons faults and service errors, the Taft-based squad caught up with the young Adamson team. On the later part of the set, Santos was brought back to the game and smashed a hard spike, securing the championship with a nal set score 25-21. The green-and-white squad were faced with several problems upon entering this seasons tournament. They had to dwell on the departure of skippers and threetime MVP Maureen Penetrante and the inavailability of Clarissa Gotis for the rst few matches. In addition, the Lady Spikers were also considered a young team as it possessed a rookie-laden lineup. Despite
LADY SPIKERS, SEE PAGE 11

They dreamed to repeat. But in the end, they fell short to the feisty Tamaraws. Having a daunting task of becoming back-to-back champions, the De La Salle Green Archers marched into the nals with the motivation of being crowned as kings of the hardcourt once again. Unfortunately, their dream ended with a reality of failure as even the willpower of the Green Archers could not thwart a team blended with taller, heftier, more talented players whose battle cry all season long comes in just one word payback as the FEU Tamaraws swept their best-of-three championship series against De La Salle with a pulsating 73-71 win in Game 2 of the best-of-three nals series last Oct. 6 at the Araneta Coliseum. The Tamaraws struggled to win it all but the Archers were poised to extend the series as Joseph Yeo sliced the lane and scored a lay-up against the outstretch arms of Arwind Santos and Mark Isip to take command, 71-67, with 1:22 ticks remaining. But FEU refused to give up as they appeared to be the hungrier and better team in the end. Rookie Jonas Villanuva scored on an uncontested lay-up with 1:07 left. Then, the Tamaraws showed might on defense on the other end as the Archers could only come up with a jump shot by Cholo Villanueva which missed the mark. In the ensuing play, the veteran Isip, who nished with 12 points, scored the go-ahead basket on a timely pick-and-roll from (Jonas) Villanueva that drew a foul for a three-point play which he converted, 72-71, with 33.2 seconds remaining. The Taft-based cagers tried to take away the lead again but TY Tang missed a short jumper. FEUs Villanueva corralled the loose ball and was fouled. With six seconds to go, Villanueva split his charities, giving the FEU team a two-point advantage, 73-71. The Archers last opportunity backred as Jun-Jun Cabatus triple in the left corner missed completely. Ryan Araa led the game with 20 points including 11 rebounds, while Yeo and Cabatu tied with 13 markers for the Archers, who were limited to just six points in the nal quarter. Santos led the Tamaraws with 14 points. Even with the loss, Coach Franz Pumaren said that this years nish is still an achievement to the team mainly composed of a young and small line-up. Even with this loss, I should say Im still proud of my
ARCHERS LOSE, SEE PAGE 11

What's inside
On page 14

DLSU golfers sweep 5th Samsung tilt


NIKKI ANN TUNGOL & IVAN GEOFFREY GAYARES

Tankers:

A notch down
On page 14

Woodpushers:

Bridesmaids in Season 68

On page 15

DLSU Paddlers struggle in UAAP wars

After settling as runners-up for four years, the Green and Lady Golfers three-day event. The Team A roster also included Jason Barcelon, nally got its taste of glory for both the boys and girls college divisions Marlo Capinianes, and Nico Lanuza. Team B, consisting of Jared in the 5th Samsung Interscholastic Samson, Borgy Torre, Jorge Paez, Golf Championships at the Valley and Marvin Pizarro followed suit GolfOn page 14 and Country Club- Executive at third place with a total of 252 Course in Antipolo last Sept.27-29. points. The Green Golfers-Team A disOn the distaff, the Lady Golfplayed their winning form as William ers topped the combined girls Hong and Charles Hong submitted college and high school division a combined 111 points while Oliver as they marched off with a total Gan carded 56 to end the second day of 172 points, only seven points of the event with 167 points. This away from 1st runner-up St. Paulwas nine points higher as compared Pasig. The team was composed of to their scorecard during the openGeleen Handog, Kim Hong, Aina ing day. On the nal day, the team Garcia, and Lilet de Villa. exploded with a score of 168 to emThe Golfers dominance also brace victory with an aggregate of 491 loomed in the individual awards points, 47 marks ahead of defending Breakthrough. Golfers are nally champions after years of runner up as Charles Hong, William Hong, nishes. PHOTO COURTESY OF DLSU GOLF TEAM and Oliver Gan seized the top champion Ateneo. Aside from fullling their promise three slots in the boys college dito give the golf championship to DLSU since a lot of them will be vision, respectively. Hong, a freshman from Sacred Heart School, Cebu graduating this term, they also broke the record of Samsung Inter- won the individual honors for the college division, scoring an aggregate scholastic since no other team has yet scored an under-par total in a of 158 points, thereby edging his brother William by 5 shots.
DLSU GOLFERS, SEE PAGE 11

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