Tag: June 30, 2007

MADALAS na minamaliit ng mga taga-lungsod ang mga taong naninirahan sa mga malalayong lalawigan tungkol sa kanilang kakulangan ng kaalaman sa modernong pamumuhay. Subalit sa aspeto ng talino at sipag sa pag-aaral, hindi hamak na lamang ang mga mag-aaral na taga-lalawigan sa mga taga-lugsod ayon na rin sa resulta ng pambansang pagsusulit na isinagawa ng Department of Education (DepEd).

“TAO PO!”

Hinawi ni G. Caspe ang kurtina at sinilip mula sa bintana kung sinong nasa labas ng kanilang bakuran.

“Sir, sulat po.”

“Ang kartero pala,” sabi ni G. Caspe sa kaniyang sarili. “Sandali lang, iho,” pasigaw niyang sinabi bago ipinatong ang mainit na tasa ng kape sa mesang nasa gilid ng bintana.

COLD and damp in darkness’ study, we stand

Armed with nothing but swords to cleave the air

Against foes who know where our blows will land.

To bleed for victory, what heart would dare?

All scores consumed by unfurling defeat:

By refusing-parry from one held dear,

Or when one pierces us to shamed retreat,

Heroic knees fail, to the earth draw near.

Drop our guard, and rob our grave of flowers,

Sheath in salt, the sword meant to gash death’s cheek,

And maim the giver of hallowed powers,

Thus, no euphoric life is left to seek.

But in mankind’s sempiternal making

All our labyrinthine jokes find meaning.

THOUSANDS of dreams have been realized in New York. As for author Carissa Villacorta, the Big Apple not only held the key to her dreams but also to her identity.

Dwelling on the erratic lifestyle of a New Yorker is Surreality (UST Publishing House, 2006), composed of 14 essays written by Villacorta who contributes for the US broadsheet Philippine News. Recognized by the Philippine New York Junior Chamber of Commerce for her outstanding achievement in contemporary literature, Villacorta narrates her life-changing, four year sojourn in New York through her collection.

Villacorta kicks off each essay with a teaser, called “Roller Coaster Ride,” which tells of her random musings about New York. Making this part more vivid is the use of photographs featuring images of Times Square, subway stations, and the author’s immediate family.

DEATH of the author? Postmodern writing seeks nothing less than the death of writing itself.

According to UST Graduate School professor Florentino Hornedo, postmodernism is an overturning of the conventions of writing.

In his book, Free Fall: Postmodernism, Hornedo calls the postmodern style as “free play,” where everything is permissible.

“Postmodern literature avoids structures, foundations, and big narratives,” Hornedo told the Varsitarian.

One of the major traits of postmodern writing is that it denies concepts that used to be the sole source of themes for literary pieces, such as universality, science, socialism, and even the existence of God.

“The one rule that it follows is to not follow any of the rules,” he said.

Many fictionists and poets today refuse to follow the rules of conventional writing, which they find suffocating to freedom of expression.

THE CENTRAL Board of Students (CBS) said it expects the Magna Carta for Student Rights to be fully realized this year.

While the previous CBS had passed the proposed charter, the current CBS is reviewing it, said CBS vice-president Ron Robby Rosales.

“The Magna Carta is the great charter that would ensure the rights of every Thomasian student,” CBS president Jim Eduard Trinidad said. “The Magna Carta seeks to underscore the role of student as catalyst of academic excellence, moral integrity, spiritual growth and national development.”

FOR 15 years now, the UST singers continue to reach not only the highest notes but also the world’s grandest recognition despite the financial constraints usually experienced by most university-wide organizations.

Backed by supporters who actively sponsor their local and overseas endeavors, plus a convenient venue to practice everyday, the UST Singers continue to bring prestige to the University.

“Our skills have been developed and nurtured over time,” UST Singers conductor Fidel Gener Calalang, Jr. said.

IT WAS during the thawing of Martial Law in 1981 when the University saw the revival of student political parties which were eager to test the democratic space and to introduce political change.

But nowadays, do student-politicians have what it takes to resist the paralyzing swear-and-tear culture of politics on and off campus?

AS THE school year begins, different academic societies start to map out their activities for students.

“On the first day of class, we conduct room-to-room orientations about the council’s programs and activities and how can these endeavors help the students understand the course better,” Architecture Student Council president Micaela Christina Uy told the Varsitarian.

Symposiums, assemblies, review sessions or tutorials and quiz bees are some of the activities that academic societies organize to help students cope with the demands of college life.

LESS concerts and more student-oriented projects--the Central Student Councils (CSC) has vowed for this school year.

“Concerts are just icing on the cake,” CSC president Reyner Villaseñor said. “We opt to give the students not what they want but really what they need.”