Tag: March 16, 2005

INTENSIFYING would probably be the word Osias “Shaz” Barroso, Ballet Manila (BM) principal danseur and artistic associate, wants his audience to remember him by.

Retiring from dance, the Communications Arts and Salinggawi Dance Troupe alumnus, who turned 40 this year, gave one final fiery performance during the opening night of the company’s first season-ender, the late choreographer Eric Cruz’s Carmen, last Feb. 18 at the Star Theater in Pasay City.

FRANCE has its Lourdes. Portugal has its Fatima. And the Philippines has its Manaoag.

But is the Virgin of Manaoag really miraculous?

Ben “M7” Yalung’s latest film, Birhen ng Manaoag, tackles one of the devotional centers in the local church. The film tries to reaffirm the truth about miracles through the witnesses and introduces scientific evidence to prove the phenomena.

FOR THE first time in nearly seven decades, a female corps commander will lead UST’s male-dominated military training service.

Cadet Major Ma. Therese Cecilia Altamirano was officially installed corps commander during formal rites at the UST Grandstand last March 6.

As corps commander, Altamirano will command the University’s Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) cadets, which never had a top female leader in its 69-year history.

Altamirano said she’s up for the challenge.

THE PHILIPPINE Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU) raised the accreditation of the six programs in the Faculty of Engineering (Engineering) to Level II after a survey of the Engineering faculty profile, laboratories, and other facilities last September.

According to Engineering dean Dr. Marilyn Mabini, the Administration is trying to make the necessary facilities available.

“Anybody now is conscious with the delivery of engineering education following the standards set by PAASCU,” she said.

THE CENTRAL Commission on Elections (Comelec) dismissed Lakas Tomasino Coalition’s (Lakas) protest that sought the nullification of election results from the College of Nursing last month following the misprinting of ballots.

THERE’S a difference between killing and allowing the patient to die.

Thus said Rector Fr. Tamerlane Lana, O.P. on physician-assisted suicide during the seminar “Ethical Issues on Death and Dying” last Feb. 19 at the Faculty of Arts and Letters audio-visual room.

“People have a right to die with dignity as much as they have a right to life,” Fr. Lana said. “But to the advocates of physician-assisted suicides, dignity refers only to the ability to control one’s life and to free oneself from pain, otherwise one is better off dead.”

SOME 30 Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) delegates lauded the UST Center for Drug Research, Evaluation and Studies, Inc. (UST-Cedres) after touring its facilities at the UST Hospital last Feb. 24.

According to Parulian Simanjuntak, executive director of the Indonesian-based International Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group, UST-Cedres can even help achieve the standardization of Indonesia’s generic drugs and improve their marketability worldwide.

STRUCK with a sun bolt!

After “sticking its feet” into Burlington Shock-XT socks, the UST Center for Research on Movement Sciences (CRMS) tested Sunbolt, a new local sports drink, and found that it is at par with international brands.

According to CRMS director Prof. Joven Cerdenia, tests showed that Sunbolt was “comparable” to leading thirst quencher and “significantly better” than ordinary water in terms of the test subjects’ performance after intake.

HEADS up, astrologers and horoscope readers.

A Belgian professor stressed Astrology’s rational basis last Feb. 22 at the Martyrs’ Hall of the Ecclesiastical Faculties building, during the lecture, “Astrology and Cosmology in Early Modern Europe: Some New Perspectives.”

Steven Van Den Broecke, a professor from the Catholic University of Brussels in Belgium, explained that there is logic in astrology, the study of the position of stars and planets and their relation to fate. He said astrological phenomena may also involve the sciences.

PHILIPPINE theater pillar and UST alumna Zeneida “Bibot” Amador was honored posthumously with the Presidential Medal of Merit Award (PMMA) last Feb. 22 at the Rizal Hall of the Malacañang Palace.

In an interview with the Varsitarian, Cecille Guidote-Alvarez, executive director of the National Commission on Culture and the Arts, said the award was in recognition of Amador’s contributions to Philippine theater.