106 years

Towards A Progressive Campus Press | vol. LXXXiI No. 1 | FRIDAY, 26 JUNE 2009

By Jeahan Virda B. De Barras

SU to implement parking fee

of Registration (OR/CR) and drivers license. The target date of the release of stickers is mid-July. Parking violations cost Php 100 for first offense, Php 250 for second, and cancellation of privileges and corresponding disciplinary actions for succeeding violations. The university will deploy traffic enforcers within the campus to issue tickets to violators. With the new vehicle policy, the university hopes to promote not just carpooling, but also a walking campus, which is both environmentfriendly and healthy. Antonio said it has been observed that students nowadays ride their vehicles when going from one class to another. With the key policy changesan organized traffic flowwe can also lessen potential accidents. Why wait for an accident to happen, when it could actually be prevented? The university expects resistance from people, but the new policy, according to Antonio, is imposed for the safety of everyone. We will review from time to time the outcome of this new policy and make adjustments through it. Parking areas are already being paved. There will also be signage put out to guide vehicle owners. The Helmet Policy will stay, added Antonio. However, helmets will no longer be available at the guard houses effective July 1 to encourage motorcycle owners to buy their own helmets. Being the motorcycle capital of the Philippines, we should be a model to safety driving, Antonio said.

Starting mid-July this semester, Silliman University (SU) will impose a new vehicle policy. Students, faculty and staff who own vehicles will have to avail of vehicle passes (inclusive of parking privileges) worth Php 1,000 and gate passes (with no parking privileges) worth Php 250. The mentioned vehicle policy will include color-coded areas which will specify where people from certain departments can park. For every college, there will be a corresponding color, reminding students and faculty members from that college that they can only park their cars there, said Student Organizations and Activities Division (SOAD) Head Jose Mari Jonathan Antonio. Antonio added that parking along roads will no longer be allowed except along closed ones like the road near the University House. However, the university will still provide open parking areas such as those near the archery range, gymnasium, Larena Hall and SU Main Library. According to Antonio, the price of new vehicle stickers for four-wheeled cars and motorcycles is causing doubts among students. However, he said that with the new policy, vehicle owners will only be spending Php 4 a day and that the stickers are valid for the whole year including summer. The process of applying for a vehicle sticker is still the same as with the gate pass. For those who are applying for the first time and those who are renewing, the requirements are your Official Receipt, Certificate

OINK? A healthcare volunteer gets Medical Technology sophomore Bret Jacksons temperature as part of the health evaluation done at the Influenza A(H1N1) Assistance Center located near Hibbard Hall. PHOTO BY Eliora Eunice C. Bernedo

Enrollment hikes up to 1.99%

By Emaleen Franz C. Maputi The Office of Registrar and Admissions (ORA) announced a 1.99 per cent increase in enrollment for the first semester of school year 2009-2010. As of June 23, a total number of 8,624 students have enrolled for this semester. This indicates an increase of 168 enrollees from last years population of 8,456. We didnt expect an increase of enrollment this year due to some reasons and especially [because] most of the parents are financially affected [of the] global crisis, University Registrar Annabelle E. Pa-a said. The School of Medicine, which doubled its enrollment, registered the highest increase of 68.42 per cent. It is followed by the College of Agriculture, 36.25 per cent; College of Performing Arts, 34.21 per cent; and College of Business Administration by 21.64 per cent. On the other hand, the population of the College of Computer Studies decreased by 6.40 per cent, College of Nursing by 8.49 per cent, the Divinity School by 15.38 per cent and the Graduate School by 20.75 per cent. Pa-a said that it is good to know that parents, as well as their children, still believe in this institutions vision and mission to provide quality Christian education.

2 Swine Flu cases suspected

SU takes preventive measures
By Mariekhan S. Edding Two suspected Influenza A(H1N1) cases in the Siliman University (SU) community are currently under close observation by the Silliman Medical Center Foundation, Inc. (SMCFI) according to Student Organizations and Activities Division Head Jose Mari Jonathan Antonio. According to the Department of Health official website, Influenza A(H1N1) is a new virus causing illness in people, which was first detected last April in the United States. The said virus spreads from person-to-person, in the same way as the regular seasonal influenza viruses. However, Antonio made it clear that there is no reason to panic because the said cases are currently undergoing proper medication, quarantine processes and contact tracing. He also said that there is no confirmed case on campus so far. Antonio also pointed out that the university is undertaking measures to deal with the said threat in the SU community. Among the measures implemented by SU are the posting of quick questionnaires and advisories around campus and the designation of assistance centers outside Hibbard Hall and Scheide Chapel. The said questionnaires include items such as: 1. Have you recently traveled out of the country during the past three weeks?; 2. Have you been exposed to health workers or hospitals/clinics, a person who is currently having fever, cough and/or respiratory problems, and pigs or birds within the past three weeks?; and 3. Did you have fever, runny nose, headache, sore throat, etc. over the past 10 days? [Students and faculty members] who answer yes to any of the questions are advised to visit the assistance centers where healthcare volunteers will evaluate their condition and make recommendations, Antonio said. Furthermore, soap bars and posters on hand washing procedures are made available at comfort rooms. Antonio added that international students and students who have traveled abroad have undergone necessary quarantine processes and were required to submit health certificates from SMCFI upon enrollment. During the enrollment period, students were also handed [leaflets] with information on the Influenza A(H1N1) virus and preventive measures against it, Antonio said. continued on page 4

MAAM, AKO NA PUD! Grade six students from Amador Dagudag Elementary School participate in the question-and-answer game during an outreach activity organized by the Renaissance Youth Leaders Forum (a socio-civic student organization) last June 19. PHOTO BY Ebony-Arianne G. Lautner

Aggies freshmen get Erap scholarship

Twenty freshmen students from the College of Agriculture (COA) are enjoying full scholarship grants given by former president Joseph Estrada as promised during his visit to Silliman University (SU) last semester. Estrada first mentioned the scholarship grants in his speech on Poverty and Education, which was part of the Integrative Lecture Series last year. The agreement was finalized last April and screening for applicants started thereafter. The students given the scholarships come from financial-

By Karla Krystle W. Lezama Another condition for the scholarship is that after the students graduate and eventually find jobs, they in turn should support another student with a full scholarship in the college, Utzurrum said. The freshmen scholars are the following: BSA Major in Agronomy 1. Elmido, Ernebourn M. 2. Iquio, Dharen M. 3. Sese, Genesis A.

ly disadvantaged families. And in accordance with the scholarship, certain requirements were set, said Prof. Santiago Utzurrum, Jr., dean of COA. Students qualified to apply for the scholarship should be SU Admission and Placement Examinations passers, with an average high school grade of at least 80 per cent, and whose parents yearly income does not exceed Php 150,000. To continue enjoying the scholarship, they should maintain a grade point average of at least 2.5, with no grade below 2.0.

continued on page 4

2 twsopinion
The Cost of Entry

the weekly sillimanian 26 june 2009

he new semester starts and the university opens its doors, or gates for that matter, to students, faculty and staff who would again be immersing themselves in their daily routine inside the portals of Silliman. From those who use their cars and motorcycles to school though, there will be more things that the gates of Silliman will now demand. If during the past semester vehicle passes cost students less than Php 200 in order for them to bring their vehicles inside the campus, effective mid-July, they will have to pay Php 1,000 for vehicle passes. Included with the vehicle pass though is a parking privilege which will allow the owner to park his/her vehicle in the premises of the university. The leap of the price of the vehicle pass from less than Php 200 to 1,000 is rather disturbing considering that it only affords one to park in the campus. A gate pass on the other hand, which would cost Php 250, affords a vehicle owner to get inside the premises of the university but not park there. The price can seem considerably cheap, but vehicle owners who will choose to get a gate pass instead will have to take more time looking for a parking space outside school premises, which is just fine if the vehicle-owners arent running late. And the difference between the price of the vehicle pass and the gate pass is unreasonably huge. We have seen cars and motorcycles packed along the sides of the campus roads, and the sight is not very attractive. But theres no stopping people from wondering if asking Php 1,000 for a vehicle pass is sensible considering that the people who are going to have to buy them include students. Also starting mid-July, parking areas are going to be color-coded. Departments and colleges will be designated their own colors which will then mean that students will only be allowed to park their vehicles in their own colleges and in some open parking areas. This will also mean that a student from the College of Mass Communication who has classes in Ausejo Hall (AH) is going to have to park his/ her car near Guy Hall and then run off to AH to catch his/her next class. Well, at least Guy Halls nearer. Think about a student from the College of Agriculture. Will he/she have to park somewhere at the SU Farm and then ride a pedicab to AH, assuming that the open parking areas are full? How many open parking areas could there be inside a campus almost equally shared by different colleges and departments? Will this kind of system work? Its almost July. Lets find out then.

editorial

sillimaniansspeak
Compiled by tWS Staff

Are you for or against Con-Ass? Why?

[I am] against Con-Ass. Given that the Philippines is a democratic country and our president is supposed to be a democratic person, changing the constitution wont turn the coin upside down. Roxanne Dominique Benitez, AB English II Im not for Con-Ass. Only one thing comes to mind when I encounter the term: greed. Janelle Krystine Reserva, BMC III Dili ko, because they [the proponents of HR 1109] are not really explaining what Con-Ass is, and I dont know where it will lead us. Ralf Dolan Macasiljig BSN III

What is a good story? Does it only seek to inform? Or should it be more than that? Its interesting that the more we know about the unfortunate things that happen around the world, the more numb we become. I dont know about you but Im sure that the more I drank in news from around the world, the more apathetic I became. Nothing is really new to me anymore. Bad news becomes normal and good news can sometimes sound so cheesy and trivial. And Im not exactly proud of that. I had this oversimplified and bythe-book view about journalism. Journalism was just about being the watchdog of the government, protecting democracy and the peoples right to know by exposing the truth through stories. It was as simple as that but it was also abstract. And last summer changed everything. Last summer, I got the chance to spend a month in Cagayan de Oro City and be an intern at ABS-CBN Northern Mindanao. I thought that the job of a journalist was so boring and everything seemed like routine. Going to the field to gather information and present them to the public now

seemed so boring compared to just talking about it in the classroom. But I could tell that a lot of the reporters really enjoyed what they were doing. They were passionate about writing a good story. As I observed them from the sidelines, I kept on asking no one in particular, What is a good story and why is it so important? It was just another lazy afternoon on April 23. Or so I thought. I was told to go with the news team assigned to cover the PNPs awarding ceremony. Everything was as mo-

One Afternoon

Hephzibah
Emarrah Contessa A. Sarreal

notonous as it was the day before and the day before that. In the middle of the ceremony, the reporter got a call. There was a cybersex den raid going on and we had to go to cover it. When we arrived at the place, I could see the NBI and policemen surrounding a three-storey building, shouting to the people inside to come out and surrender. When we finally got inside the building, I saw a girl who

wrapped her face with a sarong holding tight to one of the NBI as he was asking her questions. 17 more girls were found in the building. As I watched the reporters ask questions, I realized that this is exactly what I see on TV. The only difference is that I watched the progression of the raid first-hand. But what shocked me the most is that I couldnt feel sympathy for the girls who were victims of such a horrible act. Has my heart grown too cold to care? Then I realized that I dont want to be too numb and cold. I wanted to care and be interested in what the girls had to say. To understand. To be human. That afternoon, I understood that being a journalist doesnt just mean being pesky about getting the information needed to write a story. But its all about the peoples experiences and opinions. So what is a good story? A good story lets the world hear that lone voice crying out for help. It also brings the people to where the story happens. It brings out real emotions and needs. It captures the essence of events. And as a student journalist, everyday I have a story I cant wait to tell.

In Dark Nights of the Soul

Browsing through my Facebook, Multiply and Yahoo pages everyday for the past few weeks surprisingly made me realize a deep, profound and surprising sense of loneliness. It wasnt something quick; I didnt even see it coming. Pain, pain, and more pain: Underserved, or otherwise. And it gets to the point where youre so hurt you dont care anymore what happens next. After heartbreak, you stop caring how your next exams are gonna go, because you cant perceive of anything worse than what youve already gone through anyway, and you think, Why bother? This is nothing. Ive had worse. You go numb, not because you really wanted to. You just cant help it. I used to think my depression and anxiety attacks were a result of the magnitude of pain inflicted upon me. But what I have found is that the depression did not necessarily reveal the magnitude of pain inflicted, but, in a sweet, surprising twist of paradox, it revealed, rather, the magnitude of my relationship with Christ. I know. You didnt see that coming. But hear me out before you shut me out as being religious. Pain is a constant in life, but its effects and damages are determined by the presence of Jesus Christ in your life and how much you really allow Him to minister to you and comfort you. How people may hurt us will never compare to how we have hurt God. I dont think our minds can comprehend enough how much our sin offends the God of the universe who created us and Whom we have betrayed and forsaken. And the scandalous thing is that He still chooses to love us in spite of who we are and what weve done, sending His Son to die an inconceivably painful death so our sins to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit. If you want God in your life, you have to humble yourself, seek His forgiveness, and repent from your sinfulness in His power. Until you do this, you remain unforgiven and rebellious, and God will not be for you, but against you. But for those who humble themselves and desire His forgiveness and help, His Word washes all the pain away, and strengthens the weakened soul. He alone can help you. We know from Scripture (Romans 8) that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. Literally nothing is an accident: what you went through, how you suffered, who hurt you (or who you hurt), etc. God uses pain, ultimately, so we can realize that there is nowhere else we can turn to but Him. Psalm 119:67 and 71 say, Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey Your word... It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn Your decrees. The purpose of pain is to draw us away from this world, and to point us to the Savior of the world. And the simple fact of you reading this is evidence of Him reaching out to you even right now. Pray to Him. Humble yourself and seek Him. Trust in Him.

Editor-in-chief Deil Jossaine C. Galenzoga Associate Editor Mariekhan S. Edding News Editor Alton Jave E. Tenorio Features Editor Emarrah Contessa A. Sarreal Business Manager Roanne Gel B. Tagaan Writing Pool April Rose A. Abines, Gilbert Augustin J. Ganir, Jeahan Virda B. De Barras, Karla Krystle W. Lezama, Emaleen Franz C. Maputi, Carmelisa Tolentino Circulation Manager Marc Joseph C. Cabreros Layout Artist Maria Czarina M. Dollente Photographer Eliora Eunice C. Bernedo Cartoonist Phillippe Antoni B. Credo

The Weekly Sillimanian is published every week by the students of Silliman University, with editorial and business addresses at 1/F Guy Hall, Silliman University, Hibbard Avenue, Dumaguete City 6200, Philippines. SU PO Box 24. Telephone number (35) 422-6002 local 243. www.weeklysillimanian.com theweeklysillimanian@yahoo.com Opinions expressed here are those of the columnists, and not of tWS or of Silliman University. Comments, questions, and suggestions are highly appreciated. All submitted manuscripts become the property of tWS. Manuscripts will be edited for brevity and clarity. Member: College Editors Guild of the Philippines

Young, Restless and Reformed

Micah Stefan B. Dagaerag

be paid for and we can be restored to Him, our original and real Father. The interesting thing is that the length of time we spend in our depression (days, weeks, months, maybe years?) reveals the length of time were actually delaying our surrender to Him, and thats why we dont get out. To be honest, this is just plain pride on our part. But He alone can heal the limping soul. He alone can bring peace to the restless mind. He alone can mend and restore the broken heart. Psalm 34:18 says, The LORD is close

the weekly sillimanian 26 june 2009

twsfeatures 3
>> Fast Facts
Lets deviate from all the talks on Con Ass and see whats happened to the rest of the world. - A former Rwandan official was convicted to 30 years in jail after he was found guilty of playing a part in murdering up to 800,000 people during the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Callixte Kalimanzira, a former interior minister, was condemned to prison by the International Criminal Tribunal last June 22 for encouraging the genocide of the ethnic Tutsi group from Rwanda. - In sport, Cristiano Ronaldo has agreed to a move from Manchester United to Real Madrid for a fee of 80 million pounds. This is the most expensive transfer in football history and the amount equates to roughly P6 trillion. In this deal, Ronaldo may earn up to 11 million a year. - The United States, the European Union, and China are in an economic dispute after China put restrictions on the export of certain raw materials on grounds of environmental conservation. The US and the EU say complained to the World Trade Organization that Chinas action is making a negative effect on American and European companies, especially because of the recent economic downturn. - Iranians are showing their dissatisfaction at the state of politics in Iran. Men and women have taken to the streets to protest against the re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as president, saying that the elections were rigged. But most significantly, even the mullahs or clerics, normally loyal to their leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (who supported Ahmadinejads reelection), have also shown their defiance. - The British House of Commons elected a new speaker last Monday after the former speaker was forced to leave office after the British publics anger over the expenses scandal, which exposed certain members of parliament of using large amounts of public money to pay for their personal needs such as paying for rent and gardening. The said scandal had also forced many of Prime Minister Gordon Browns cabinet members to resign and thus, has put his administration under pressure.
Source: http://www.cnn.com

Uncovering Con Ass

By Gilbert Augustin J. Ganir

he Philippines has seen too many newspapers in its history with the Constitutional Assembly (Con-ass) splashed across the headlines. Its one of the most talked about issues yet it is the least understood. Presidents before Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo planned to change the current government system either for the good of the country or for personal gain or both. Last June 9, the House Resolution 1109 (HR 1109) was approved which discounts the Congress as a two-house institution. It effectively declares that as long as 217 votes from both congressmen and senators are acquired, Con-ass may take place. Normally, it requires a three-fourths majority vote (199 votes) in the House of Representatives, after which it will be passed to the Senate, where another threefourths majority vote (18 votes) must be won. What makes this proposal dangerous is that it undermines the integrity of Congress, because even if all the senators were absent on the day of voting, Con-ass may still be convened. This is an obvious obstruction of the democratic process; for what then is the reason for the establishment of an Upper House and a Lower House of the legislative if the one below may make decisions without the checksand-balance mechanisms for which the one above exists? If we check again, there is a disparity in the functions of a representative and a senator and these should be respected if democracy is upheld. The fact that the president has been keeping quiet about her post presidential plans and letting her officials talk vaguely about it is raising eyebrows from an untrusting country, with wounds still fresh from Ferdinand Marcos Martial Law. The proponents of HR 1109 intend to amend or revise the Philippine constitution but they have

failed to provide an explanation for any changes they plan to make on the constitutionchanges which they have also failed to openly propose. It is for this reason that many, be it the ordinary Juan de la Cruz or the thorough political analyst, are critical of its apparent necessity. It may only be an assumption, but, should Con-ass be con-

vened, an unchallenged change of form of government would permit of a Prime Minister Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who can stay in power well after the rightful termination of her second term.

Such a noticeable usurping of power is what Teresita Camacho, the advocacy officer of the Justice and Peace Center here in Silliman University, is warning everyone about. Students must already know how to react to this. They [can] always have a hand in the happenings of their country, she said. She encourages students to discuss about Con-ass with their classmates to promote a higher level of political discernment, especially now that she has noticed that there are similarities in how Arroyo is grabbing power just as Ferdinand Marcos did during the depressing years of martial law. Many say that this country is already showing signs of a dying democracy. The growing list of symptoms includes an unresponsive government, extra-judicial killings, and urban militarization. All these bring back memories of the tyrannical illness of the Marcos era, something the generations before us had hoped the country was already immune of (or at the least, more resistant to), yet the latest PulseAsia survey shows that up to 46 per cent of Filipinos disapproves of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyos performance, only 28 per cent can express some appreciation, and only 25 per cent completely trust her. Since her first term (or maybe even before that), the political health of our nation has been deteriorating just as much as Cory Aquinos body has become frailer year after year. And EDSA, that pill of solidarity which we had always depended on, is fast becoming an obsolete medicine with the recent overuse. So then... what if Gloria rises to power when a parliamentary form of government gives her emergency powers a la Adolf Hitler? Are we prepared for the reincarnation of a tyrant? We would hope that that ungodly reincarnation would not happen, because the Catacombs behind Silliman Church is infinitely better off as a venue for acoustic nights than a headquarters for government resistance.

College Clique 101

By Gilbert Augustin J. Ganir illiman University has always promised a holistic education of the individual. And so, coupled with the formal education that we get inside the classroom, there is the informal education that we get from our extra-curricular activities, which are immediately catered by the various student organizations. So, if you are one of those students who just have too much kinetic energy for your classroom chair, we have prepared a guide to the types of organizations that you can join. Fraternities and Sororities Searching universities without fraternities and sororities in Google will only lead you to a page that says Did you mean universities with fraternities and sororities? This is testament to the fact that brotherhoods and sisterhoods have become an integrated part of university life. And Silliman is no exception. Advocating the virtues of loyalty and camaraderie to the utmost, frats have existed even before the very first universities were established. In fact, some of the greatest universities in the world were founded by

such brotherhoods; the first colleges of Oxford University were founded by the Society of Jesus for example. It is in the spirit of service that fraternities and sororities, such as Beta Sigma and Pan Hellenic Society, are training their members to become disciplined leaders. However, according to university rules, freshmen will have to wait for their second year before they are allowed to join fraternities and sororities. Until then, the boys can practice how they can call each other when they become members. Suggestions are: bro, bruh, brad, and broo! Regional Organizations If lately you have noticed yourself to be using Dumagueteno terms such as tsada more frequently as youd like and you feel yourself to be missing your province, why not join your regional organization? It would be a chance for you to meet up with kabsis (kababayang Sillimanian) and keep in touch with and promote your provincial roots. Take it as a chance to speak in your accent or dialect without the glaring looks of some high-nosed Sillimanians. Some of these regional orgs have been long defunct or are yet to be established. But last year, some have

been revived, like LeySam, the organization for anyone who hails from Leyte and Samar. And we encourage the revival of these orgs to promote the diversity in Filipino culture and just so that maybe you would have someone to sit next to on the boat home on school breaks. Academic Organizations You really cant escape becoming a member of an academic organization once you enrol into Silliman (unless your department is too small to form this kind of group). Biology people will have to join the Biology Society, Medtechs will have to join the Medtech Society, etc. This is really the one true organization that is guaranteed to be listed down below your name in the yearbook. Your most immediate friends will most likely be among the people with whom you are taking the same course. And more often than not, they will be the very same people who you will sit next to in all your classes. And you will suffer the same possible excruciating experiences from teachers with them, so it is very worth it to bond with them to have a shoulder to cry on when the major subjects are starting to kill you. But these organizations will also

be responsible for the bulk of whatever fines you accumulate until the day you graduate. So if you dont want to pay jaw-dropping amounts of fines, you might as well do the activities they require you to do. Socio-civic Organizations If you have an inclination to care about the issues that affect our society today, then you might be interested in joining an organization of this type. These are the organizations which take a keen interest in things from religious life (like the Philippine Students Lay Alliance Movement) to the development of Filipino culture (like Ang Sandigan). These are the organizations which usually go around communities to give aid or organize events to encourage awareness about their respective advocacies. See if you can find a group that coincides with whatever passions you have and see if you can make those flourish. Special Interests So far, the only organization in this classification is Cuernos de Negros, for the special reason that they cant really qualify for the descriptions of the other types. They are wellknown around the campus for being

one of the best teams in the extreme Frisbee playing field, but they also do some mountaineering in Mt Talinis, thus the name Cuernos de Negros (the Spanish name of the mountain). All of the above are just the organizations registered in the Council of Student Organizations. Look around. We have everything for singers, writers, and dancers, and maybe someone will even be brave enough to revive that something for painters. Look around. Not everything is learned in the classroom. Writers note: The mentioning of the names of certain organizations was only for the purpose of making examples and should not be regarded as a means to advertise the said organizations.

4 twsbackpage
the
thousand is the estimated total number of confirmed cases of swine flu around the world. At least 20,000 of these cases were found in the United States.

the weekly sillimanian 26 june 2009

REALscore: at the moment. Here are some facts about the A(H1N1) virus situation around the globe (up to date since June 22). Source: http://www.who.int/csr/don/2009_06_22/en/index.html
people have been confirmed to have caught the virus here in the Philippines. is the number of verified cases in Central Visayas, but so far there are no confirmed cases here in Dumaguete. is the total number of people who have died around the globe because of swine flu, even if it is easily treatable with anti-viral drugs.

Pandemic. Last June 11, the World Health Organization declared Influenza A(H1N1) the first global pandemic since 1918. This has been one of the most talked about issues in the world

is the number of African countries which has had reported cases of swine flu.

Trend? What Trend? roundup

By Zakiyah Sidri Trends are overrated. No really, they are. Its a capitalist world we live in these days, and as the case usually is, the more pointless a product is, the more hyped up it is. Havaianas, hiphop culture, smart phones, Crocs-- the list goes on. Not to mention that some of the trends in Filipino culture are really pointless. What does it matter whether or not you can dance the Ocho-ocho of the Spaghetti? I mean really, now. So maybe going against trends in general is a personal thing. I dont resist trends just to rebel against society and its conventions, as many people who know me are wont to assume. I just dont see the point in many of the popular trends, period. The hiphop trend is something that I both get and dont get, contradictory as it may sound. I admit that once upon a time, I was also part of the hiphop trend. I dressed in baggy jeans, baggy shirts and claimed that Nelly and R. Kelly were cool. But even then, I never went as far as referring to people as dawg nor did I ever say anything along the lines of just hit me up, aight? Even then, I had enough sense to think that was silly. After a while, I came to my senses. Hiphop just doesnt sit right with the Filipino for one major reason: hiphop is a culture, not a trend. Its a lifestyle. If you dont get what I mean, imagine a Caucasian man saying Hey, whats up Pare? just because he thought that adopting Filipino terminology would be cool and trendy. We might not think its the same thing, but it is. Whether you know it or not, hiphop has values and principles that go with the lifestyle, and not just the bling, booze and sexay women that rappers love to rap about over and over and over and over again. And what in the world is with this Emo trend? Why is being dark, depressed, suicidal and angsty even a trend? Last I heard, those were signs that someone needed to be checked into counseling. What does having hair covering one eye have to do with supposedly being dark, depressed, suicidal and angsty? Or wearing black? Or wearing black eyeliner?! I am not kidding when I say that wearing a black shirt and having your hair cover one eye is enough to make someone say You look so Emo today. Then we have the Goths. Closely related to Emos, they dress in black and wear outrageous makeup, as well as being dark in nature. Nothing much else to say about them other than that theyre also misunderstood stereotypes with music to match. Personally, I dislike these types of trends because such lifestyles are often superficialized into fashion statements. Goth and hiphop are lifestyles, each with its own set of beliefs and principles. In terms of music, each genre of music is a result of the lifestyle, discounting Emo, which was a genre of music which spawned a fashion statement. If you do believe in those particular values and principles then alright, fine. Go ahead and be part of whatever subculture you choose. You have my blessing. But if youre just into it because its cool and/or everyones into it, then youre better off growing some sense, kid. Goth is a lifestyle. Hiphop is a lifestyle. Theyre not fashion statements put out there to make you look cool. Okay sure, so some of these trends do kind of have a point. So Havaianas are durable and do have that soft rubbery feel as a pair ages. But does that really explain the need to have like, five pairs? Or even in some casessuch as in the case of a friends cousins ex-girlfriendALL the styles in every color combination that Havaianas has ever released? And Crocs! Okay, so Ill admit that they can withstand a heck of a lot of abuse. But I dont see the point of wearing knockoffs of either brand of the quality and durability which is known for is going to be compromised anyway. This time, my problem with these types of trends is that theyre turned into status symbols by ignoramuses. Really. Havaianas and Crocs are expensive, because you pay for the quality. But precisely because theyre expensive is why theyre turned into status symbols. If you can afford such products, youre sometimes automatically branded by some as rich. So maybe its not applicable to all people, but I have been subject to such quick generalizations several times in my life. I find that it is one of the more annoying traits of the Filipino. Before I come off as a total hypocrite, let me just reiterate that Im not against trends. I just dont see the point. Alright, so I do have a pair or two of Havaianas, and I do have a pair Crocs. I also listen to Emo music. But youre not going to see me going around raving about how great this and that product is, or how in that and this song is. Nor are you going to see me trying to act all dark and depressed to match the days outfit of all black. Its really the hype of superficiality that Im not in favor of. Because theres nothing wrong with trends themselvesits always fun to try new things.
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SU appoints new associate pastor

The Silliman University Church Council (SUCC) appointed Reverend Bernadette Amistoso-Morales as the new Associate Pastor for Christian Education of SU Church for the school year 2009-2010 last June 14, replacing Reverend Noel Villalba. Morales was advised by the SUCC to serve the university for a span of three years until further notice. Being the new Associate Pastor, she will coordinate church activities, programs and will also cater to spiritual needs of the students.

My vision as the new Associate Pastor is to see students being transformed by the power of God and help them realize that God is not just a product of imagination but [that] He is real and that he loves us. Morales added. Morales was a graduate of St. Paul College Manila with the degree of Bachelor of Science in Nursing last 1991 and was the 18th placer in the 1991 National Nurses Licensure Examination. Morales then pursued her formal theological education in 1997 at the Union Theological Seminary in the same college where she took Masters of Divinity and graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2001. She is pursuing her MA/PhD in Philosophy, Cultural Analysis and Religious Ethics at the Philippine Christian University-Union Theological Seminary. Morales is married to Gregorio Tingchuy Morales II and is blessed with two kids. (Emaleen Franz C. Maputi)
Aggies freshmen...from page 1

DEL & DUDUNG

4. Cabugnason, Orlando P. 5. Bulfa, Arsenio D. 6. Almosara, Annie Gler B. BSA Major in Animal Science 1. Devero, Mansueto I. 2. Tuting, Alfred T. 3. Morales, Argie Lloyd Y. 4. Lazaga, Rachelle Mae F. 5. Formanes, Janine Ashley A. 6. Nepomuceno, Rafael B. BS in Agricultural Business 1. Migullas, Regene Mae P. 2. Ayco, Reymund Anthony M. 3. Melon, Michelle S. 4. Macias, Crizza Marie K. 5. Tirambulo, Mariton Fema S. 6. Antolo, Rotonda L. 7. Atacador, Jan Patrick A. 8. Altarejos, Gretchen E. A 465-hectare property within Ticao Island, one of the major islands of Masbate Province where five out of the 20 scholars come from, was assigned to COA after it was donated to SU in April 2007, giving SU the task of land developing. The Erap Foundation isnt the first to give scholarship grants to COA. Last year, 15 students were granted a full scholarship by Agri Nurture Inc. (ANI), the biggest exporter of agricultural products in the Philippines today.

Panibugho sa Payapang
Ni Jai M. Dollente

2 Swine Flu...from page 1

Sa bawat pagbubukang-liwayway Na kinagisnan ko nang makita Ng lampas dalawampung-taong Pagkasanay sa karaniwang pag-iisa Ay wala pang tumumbas Sa pintig ng sentidong Kumakabog sa pag-akyat ng dugo Na marahang umaakyat sa batok Pinilit pagbigyan ang lahat Ng baluktot na katwiran Pinilit palampasin Ang saliwang damdamin Ngunit pilit mang tahiin Ang kada retasong telang Bumubuo sa alaalang Iniwan mong kapiling ko Nananatiling tuliro Ang pagal kong katawan Sa balon ng mga sikreto Ng lihim mong pagkatao.

The University is currently disseminating an advisory on dealing with expected guests and visitors of SU. Some colleges will be receiving guests [from other parts of the country and even abroad] for events this semester. Those who will be staying within the campus will have to undergo mandatory quarantine and health assessment routines. Brief visits and/or interaction are also preferred, Antonio said. Antonio also stressed that in contrast to other schools, suspension of classes in SU is unlikely as it currently operates under the Response Level 2 school system formulated by the Commission on Higher Education. The said system states that in the case of zero confirmed cases in the school and in the community, the school is to observe precautionary measures but will not suspend classes.

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