Tag: September 30, 2008

Once hobbled by towering stacks of books, erratic sleeping patterns and constant anxiety attacks, they boldly trooped to the starting blocks of one of the most daunting run-ups to academic glory with one simple goal: pass the boards.

But determination and hard work, coupled with a “believe in yourself” attitude, gave them a feat well beyond their own expectations.

Aira Therese Javier, Frederich Tan, Emmanuel Plan V, Kristel Ayroso and Kriszel Gatdula now share one common billing — Thomasian topnotchers, all having placed first in their respective board exams.

Sitting all day on a three-legged stool with only a pocket book to ease boredom while waiting for people to get on and off the elevator probably would not qualify as a dream job.

But for Melody Campilla, her 18 years as UST’s resident “elevator lady” has been quite a ride.

At 38, Melody has probably seen them all, university life unfolding right before her eyes in that cramped lift she first operated at the UST Hospital in 1990.

She’s seen relatives pounding the heavens for a sick loved one, doctors speaking in alien tongue over a familiar disease. And yes, she’s seen cadavers, too.

But nothing beats the friendships she’s forged with people who have found comfort in her presence.

ASIDE from predictable storylines, awful special effects and a brain-numbing script, B-movies can be chockfull of lessons too.

I say this after realizing that a plot in a B-movie I once saw mirrored what is currently happening to the Philippine film industry, as well as to its anti-thesis, the “Indie” films.

This B-movie from which I got my latest epiphany starred Clea Duvall (the angsty cop in “Heroes”) as the unlikely heroine/intern who must defeat a gaming monster that came to life after being struck by electricity.

“MALAYSIA could sue us.”

Such utterance by Islamic Studies specialist Julkipli Wadi of the University of the Philippines grabbed my attention and made me wonder. After attending a seminar last month where Wadi discussed the peace process between the national government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), I asked myself whether Malaysia can really bring the Philippines to the international court because of the derailed signing of the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD).

I don’t think so.

Wadi agreed as well, but did not give enough explanations why. But four things should be understood as to explain Malaysia could and should not sue the Philippines.

“The greatest illusion in this world is separation.” – Guru Pathik from Avatar the Last Airbender

THE FEATURES section of the Varsitarian has often been accused of being irrelevant and obsolete.

At the start of this academic year, Levine, our managing editor, pointed out that the articles or topics that cannot be defined often ended up being placed in the Features section because “the section does not have a specialty.”

Add to that the fact that the other sections of the paper were into features as well, inadvertently questioning the relevance of the Features section in the publication. In fact, the section was almost considered for scrapping before the school year started because of its apparent lack of a niche which other sections seemed to have.

THE UST Health Service has issued a new health bulletin declaring the water supply of V. Concepcion Street free of E. coli bacteria.

With the bulletin, eateries and restaurants at the lunch-break haven hope customers will return, admitting that business has been affected by initial findings of water contamination in the area.

Before the new bulletin, however, restaurant owners had filed a complaint against the head of the UST Health Service, Dr. Ma. Salve Olalia, before Barangay 470, claiming the UST health bulletin last August 1 warning Thomasians against E. coli was “malicious” and “unacceptable.”

City Hall health officials sided with UST, stating in a legal opinion dated Sept.24 that Olalia was only acting to ensure the health of UST students.

THE OCCUPATIONAL Therapy program of UST remains unrecognized abroad despite UST having filed its application for accreditation five years ago.

Dean Jocelyn Agcaoili of the College of Rehabilitation Sciences (CRS) blamed the Occupational Therapy Association of the Philippines (Otap) which she said has been sitting on UST’s application since 2003.

Because UST does not have Otap recognition, its OT program remains unrecognized by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT).

According to the WFOT website, there are only five accredited OT schools in the country: University of the Philippines-Manila (accredited since 1968), University of Perpetual Help System-Laguna (1990), Velez College (2000), Cebu Doctors’ College (2001), and Emilio Aguinaldo College (2006).

THE UNIVERSITY scored another coup in government licensure examinations, producing the most number of successful examinees in guidance and counseling and getting seven out of the top 10 spots in the medical technology board exam.

In the guidance counselor licensure exam, the University got a 91 percent passing rate, well above the 60 percent national passing rate, with three Thomasians entering the top ten.

Adonis David, counselor at the Philippine Normal University who finished his master’s degree at the UST Graduate School , led all Thomasian passers with a score of 81.70 percent. The two other Thomasians in the top ten were Maryrose Cortez (81.20 percent) and Janice Triguero (80.80 percent), who ranked fifth and eighth, respectively.

THE COLLEGE of Education unveiled a marker on the façade of the Albertus Magnus Building last Aug. 29, boasting of the institution’s new status as a Center of Excellence (COE) in education.

Dean Clotilde Arcangel, Regent Fr. Romulo V. Rodriguez, O.P., and a crowd of professors and students in yellow shirts flocked to the building’s hallway after the college’s monthly mass celebration at the UST Chapel, after which Rodriguez and Arcangel unveiled the marker.

IN ORDER to boost the economic potentials of provinces and to eliminate political dynasties, UST Rector Fr. Rolando De la Rosa, O.P. is personally in favor of the proposed federal government system in the country—but only if enacted after the Arroyo administration.

“I am personally for federalism, but I do not speak in behalf of the Dominicans,” De la Rosa told the Varsitarian. “I believe that charter change should not be done now, but it should be after the national elections.”

De la Rosa said that although changing the government system to federalism may help resolve the Muslim Mindanao secessionist problem, Filipinos will not take the rebirth of the Charter Change issue sitting down.

“No matter how good the government’s intention is for supporting Charter Change, I do not think the people will take it lightly,” De la Rosa said. “Why didn’t they (Arroyo administration) do it before hand?”