ADAMSONIAN

It’s been 8 long years since I stopped writing literally, even in my journal; I hardly updated it since I graduated. 

It was a busy corporate world I have stocked in for almost a decade. A different world from where I was before. The struggle was more than just of the papers to be edited and published. It was the real world I pictured when I was in the publication, people in the working force experiencing injustice, paranoia of insecurity and boredom, and the never ending struggle for rights and benefits for the few who can divulge themselves and for the quarter of people who remain silent for years. 

It was a good camouflage. I had to conceal myself and my background after I failed on my first ever interview because of the radical answers on the question, “So on your term, how was the relationship of the student publication and the administration on your university?” 

I learned the art of concealment and latter unmasked it to start organizing the workforce and deal with their problems. 

It was then I realized the reality of hanging on the cliff between the management and the workforce. Infiltrating and organizing of those on the ground, and making a great deal of development and improvement on the larger scale. 

Latter on, I had to choose a side from where I could be beneficial or from where people could take their stand. Standing on the other side could give a long term career and fame, and choosing to be with them would mean a retirement. 

To choose or not to choose it was tainted one. I remembered I fired two contractual for some serious grounds, work-related-repeated-offenses, without any considerations and without thinking their families. It was a hard decision, that even my life has been endangered for the angst and retaliation of those who loose their jobs. 

Then I asked who am I now? Is this the struggle I fought for so long? 

Then I realized that people changed, it was not always the confinement from the past ideologies, it can be reconstructed, it can be modified and it can be streamed down in order to understand and to justify the struggle of those who are on the top and for those always appears as victims. 

I still have a long way to go… 

clave has blogged 1 posts

UAE-based graduates of the University will gather on May 29, 2008 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Star Boutique Hotel in Dubai for a timely get-together dubbed “Proud to be Adamsonian,” the first ever reunion of Adamsonians working and residing in United Arab Emirates. The assemblage will be an initial move to put up an alumni association based in UAE. University president Fr. Gregorio Bañaga, Jr.,C.M. will be the event’s guest of honor and speaker.

Should you have further queries on the details of this gathering, you may contact Herma Dulay at +971502242725 or e-mail herma.dulay@kbr.com, or thru Ferdie Macanas at +971507683352 or e-mail flmacanas@yahoo.com.

Tags: Adamsonian, Adamson University

Ramon Millonte has blogged 11 posts

On any given weekday high noon, human and vehicular traffic at Zobel and Mercedes Sts. in Ermita are at their heaviest. A good part of the student demographic from schools in the hood swarm to the row of kainan for their lunchtime refueling. Caught up in the dizzying swirl of hungry stomachs and eager intestines crisscrossing the narrow backstreets to pick the best hole-in-the-wall are the hapless motorists taking a short-cut route to San Marcelino. From perhaps a smooth 50-kph sweep of Ayala bridge, they decelerate to pushcart speed on left turn to people-clogged Mercedes and Zobel. The scorching heat or the drenching torrential rains, whatever the case, raises the whole commingling one notch higher to inconvenience.

Even so, there’s a fiesta mood in this quotidian chaos. Smiling faces, school uniforms (ditched on “wash Wednesdays” in favor of chic, colorful casuals or emo-gothic statements), personal accessories, school thingamajigs, smoking barbecue stands, vehicles of different colors and shapes, lingering election campaign buntings and posters - all make up a psychedelic assemblage reminiscent of a Joya abstract or a Pollock “dripwork.” If a background musical score were to be supplied, any opus with displaced tonality would be hands-down appropriate.

Food counters display a slew of mouthwatering offerings to choose from, ranging from the succulent adobo to the hot and spicy Bikol express, from the crispy chicken to the sauce-dipped barbecue and from the crunchy half-cooked toge to the soupy mongo. But reality TV-type hindrances must first be hurdled before one can finally enjoy a piping hot meal, including dodging oncoming vehicles, steering clear of sidewalk grilling stands, vying for the food attendants’ attention and jockeying for tables and chairs in trip-to-Jerusalem fashion. Once these are accomplished, then he can settle on the hard-earned chair and put the grub where the mouth is, in partial fulfillment of one’s ego’s requirements (parang thesis title ah?).

Yes, “in partial fulfillment” because food, wherever or whenever taken, satisfies only half of the human person, the body, but not the soul, which needs a totally different kind of nourishment. And while one won’t find such nourishment in this crowded nook of Ermita, it’s not like you’ll have to spend a fortune in order to enjoy it. In not a few cases, they can be had for free or at a minimal expense. All it takes is a nosy detective’s perspicacity to find them. Art, literature, music, dance, architecture, theater, film - all food for the soul you’ll surely agree (in addition of course to your religious beliefs and practices) - are around every which way you look; and what better place to start than the vicinity of Adamson University.

For the architecture buff, the area around the university provides an eyeful. The dilapidated Meralco building along San Marcelino was a beautiful art deco structure in its heyday but even in its present state of rot, some elements remain artistically pleasing. On the extreme left of its façade is a big cement bas-relief by Francesco Monti consisting of female figures composed in an upward-left movement. Appearing sooty, one cannot quite make out what the figures are doing but its sheer size must have added a touch of class to the building when it was new. There are other smaller sculptures that can be seen in some wall niches and the decorative pattern beneath the second story overhang is quite pleasing. This is balanced by the rooftop iron grills and the main entrance iron gate. Monti was an Italian sculptor who taught at UST before the war. His works can also be seen gracing the exterior of the Manila Metropolitan Theater, itself a fine member of the art deco family that once included the now forever gone Jai-alai building, its disappearance courtesy of then Manila Mayor Lito Atienza. The hood teems with neoclassical stuff too. Easy shoo-ins as best representatives are the Post Office, the National Museum and the Tourism buildings, the Supreme Court, Department of Justice and U.P. Manila buildings. Our own SV building belongs to this grand architectural breed and tradition.

Visual arts groupies have many venues to visit. First off is the National Museum where the humongous Juan Luna masterpiece, the “Spoliarium,” hangs as a proud testament to world class Filipino artistry. If one is looking for an equally impressive Filipino mural, there’s a Botong Francisco at the Manila City Hall and a freshly restored one at the Fleur-de-lis Theater of St. Paul University, Manila. In-house, we have the three newly acquired Amorsolos, all bequeathed by Sofia Adamson, late wife of the late George Athos Adamson, former Dean of the College of Engineering. Hunting for contemporary art is a no-brainer; all one has to do is go to nearby commercial and alternative galleries like the Galeria de las Islas and NCCA Galleries in Intramuros, the Kanlungan ng Sining at the Luneta, or the Philam Life building and Hiraya Gallery along U.N. Ave. Bobi Valenzuela, well-known and respected art curator, and Manny Chaves, his assistant, used to hold court at the Hiraya during the ‘80s and early ‘90s. Hiraya, still open at present, used to be an exhibition space that showed works that were not only well-crafted but also rich, relevant and progressively Filipino in content. Some of the best contemporary Filipino artists came out of that cul-de-sac: Santi Bose, Imelda Endaya, Emong Borlongan, Charlie Co, Nune Alvarado, Noel Cuizon, Mark Justiniani, Bobby Feleo to name a few. Skip the Mabini area tourist art galleries for they have been painting to death the same subjects over and over again from way way back.

Music enthusiasts also have different venues to pick the preferred free musical fare. Fridays at Paco Park is concert day with both amateur and professional performers giving out their best. Classical pieces, timeless kundiman, pop music are some tunes to sit down to in the quaint and airy ambience of the former cemetery. Sundays at the Luneta open-air theater are concert days too but with a more variegated offering. If you’re lucky, you can catch such rare gems as Joey Ayala, Grace Nono, Lester Demetillo, The Wuds, Susan Fernandez Magno, Noel Cabangon or Bayang Barrios. But they come few and far between. Last April 6, 2008, park habitués were treated to a four-hour music and dance concert by a cross-section of the best cultural groups and individuals within and outside Metro-Manila. What a rich variety of Pinoy talents and artistry on the occasion of “Concert at the Park’s” 30^th anniversary.

Museums, where our Filipino soul can best be felt, are also in the vicinity. With the National Museum just a few brisk steps away, Adamsonians couldn’t get any luckier. With its new addition – the Museum of the Filipino People housed in the old but refurbished former Finance building, the neoclassical twin of the Tourism building which in turn was the former Agriculture building right up front – the place is a cultural gold mine waiting to be explored. In Intramuros, the culture-hungry Adamsonian can visit the San Agustin Museum, the Archdiocesan Museum of Manila and inside Fort Santiago, the Rizal Shrine. Along Roxas Boulevard stands the Museo Pambata beside the U.S. Embassy. In case one has a day to spare, he can purposely go to the Cultural Center of the Philippines not only for its shows but also to see the beautiful non-conventional set-up of the Museo ng Kalinangang Pilipino. In the CCP galleries and hallways, one has the added bonus of seeing ongoing art exhibitions by select contemporary visual artists.

Admittedly, theater is rarely free but tickets are not always prohibitive. If one is really interested in experiencing it, then he wouldn’t really mind the cost. An alternative to theater is performance art done usually by visual artists who act out their ideas and convictions alone or with the support of fellow artists or friends. These are for free. Last April 25, 2008, the Kanlungan ng Sining at the Luneta, home of the Art Association of the Philippines, held the “Tupada,” a performance art event joined by artists coming from different parts of the world.

There are more in the vicinity for the Adamsonian’s educational uplift. Public art, historical buildings, old churches, plazas, and many other cultural events abound. So next time you feel like spending another hour on a TV gossip show or get that itch to play a round of DotA (Defense of the Ancients!) or any other mind-zapping computer game, skip it. Think of these alternatives. Think about the finer things in life that your soul badly thirsts for. You may not realize it but you may be already culturally dehydrated and in danger of spiritual meltdown.

Food for the body, culture for the soul - no diet could be more perfectly balanced than this.

Tags: egotrikk

raul agner has blogged 2 posts

Naniniwala rin ako na lahat ng bata ay may pangarap.

At naniniwala rin ako na lahat sila ay may karapatang makapag-aral.

Subalit hindi naman lahat ay naniniwala pa rin sa paniniwalang ito.

Ang alam natin noon na ang edukasyon ay para sa lahat. Para sa mayaman at para sa mahirap. Ang alam din natin na ito ay para sa iyo, para sa akin, at para sa kanya. Kahit sino pa sya.

Madalas nating marinig noon ang pangaral sa atin na pagbutihin ang ating pag-aaral. Umiwas din sa barkada at bisyo. Ang mga ito daw ay upang makatapos ng pag-aaral at nang makaahon na rin sa kahirapan. Kapag hindi daw nakatapos ng kahit man lamang high school ay wala raw tayong mapupuntahan.

Kahit sa elementarya pa lang, tinatanung na sa atin ng ating mga guro kung ano ang mga pangarap natin. Kung ano ang mga ambisyon natin sa buhay. Madalas naman ay doctor, nurse, teacher, at pulis lang ang binabanggit ng mga bata. Meron pa yung nangangarap na maging astronaut kagaya ko. Hindi pa kasi nila alam na marami pang ibang propesyon. Kahit sa mga musmos nilang isipan ay mayroon na silang ideya sa salitang ‘pangarap’ at kung gaano kaganda magkaroon nito. Subalit ang hindi nila alam ay hindi ganun kadaling matupad ang mga iyon. Akala nila kapag sinabi nilang nais nilang maging teacher paglaki ay magkakatotoo na ito. Akala nila walang hahadlang sa nais nila. Akala rin nila na kasing kulay din ng mga krayola nila ang buhay na yumayapos sa kanila.

At sisimulan na nga nilang kulayan ng dilaw ang araw, ng asul ang dagat, ng berde ang dahon, at ng pula ang puso.

Para sa isang musmos, mas makulay, mas maganda. Mas maraming kulay, mas masaya. Subalit hindi nila alam na hindi lang isang simpleng papel ang tunay na mundo na pwede nilang guhitan at kulayan ng anumang naisin nila.

Pagkatapos ng elementarya, unti-unti nang magigising ang mga minsang naging musmos sa realidad ng buhay. Unti-unti na nilang mapapansin na pumupusyaw na ang kulay ng mga krayola nila.

Hindi na nila pwedeng kulayan ng dilaw ang araw, ng asul ang dagat, ng berde ang dahon, at ng pula ang puso gaya ng dati. Kasi unti-unti na silang magigising sa tunay na kulay ng lahat.

Sa pagpasok sa high school, maraming bata ang hindi na makakasali kahit naisin man nila. Marahil sapat na sa kanila ito tutal natuto na silang magsulat ng pangalan nila at basahin ito. Pwede na silang magpatuloy sa buhay – ngunit nang wala namang kalaban-laban kasi matindi na ang requirements ng lipunan. Kahit ang isang security guard ay kailangang nakatapos ng high school. Paano pa kaya yung hanggang elementarya lang? Makakapasok kaya sila sa pabrika bilang contractual workers? Magiging teacher pa kaya sila o doktor? Hindi ko alam kung paano ko ibubulong sa mga musmos na iyon na ayawan na. Na hindi na sila makakasali pang muli. Na hindi na sila makakasali sa paggawa ng homework, sa recitation, sa flag ceremony, at sa pagbili ng bagong pencil case at eraser.

Samantalang ang iba ay nasa loob ng mga bago nilang classroom kasama ng mga bago nilang kaklase, ang ibang naiwan ay napilitang bitawan ang lapis, umiyak ng konti sa tabi upang maagang harapin ang responsibilidad na hindi pa naman dapat sa kanila. Ang iba sa kanila ay patuloy pa ring umiiyak hanggang ngayon dahil sa karapatang pinagkait sa kanila. Dahil sa pagkukulang ng lipunan.

Kaya ang iba sa kanila ay ang lansangan na ang naging paaralan at unibersidad. At ang gutom ang naging guro nila na iisang leksyon lang ang tinuturo sa kanila ng paulit-ulit – iyon ay ang gumawa ng kahit na anong paraan para lang mabuhay.

Ang iba sa kanila, nabubusog hindi sa sandwich at orange juice sa kanilang lunchbox kundi sa sinisinghot na rugby. Ewan ko lang kung nabubusog ba sila dito. Pero tingin ko, hindi naman talaga nakakabusog ito. Nakakatulong lang ito marahil para makalimutan nila na gutom sila at mainda ang sakit ng kanilang nabubutas na sikmura. Kawawang mga bata, hanggang tingin lang naman ang magagawa ko. Pero ano ba magagawa ko? Hindi naman ako mayaman para ampunin silang lahat. Pulubi rin akong maituturing kagaya nila. Pero may nakapagsabi sa akin na isang kaibigan na kahit pulubi pa ang isang tao ay hindi ito hadlang upang hindi nya matulungan ang kapwa nya pulubi sa kahit na maliit na paraan. Tama sya dun.

Ano ngayon ang pwede kong gawin? Ano ang pwede mong gawin? Ang ipagdasal sila o bumuntung-hininga ng isandaang ulit? Ang magbigay sa kanila ng limos araw-araw? Ang pagsusumpitin sa mata ang lahat ng pulitiko? Ang magwelga sa kalsada at magsisigaw para sa pagbabago? Ito ba ang mga solusyon? Pakiwari ko ay hindi. Kahit ang pagsusulat kong ito ay wala ring kabuluhan kasi bukas ay patuloy pa ring sisinghot ang mga bata sa kalye. Kasi mas epektib pa nga siguro ang rugby kaysa ideolohiya sa pagpawi ng gutom. Kasi mamayang gabi rarampa muli ang mga batang babae upang ibenta ang kanilang murang katawan sa mga walang-kwentang tao at latak ng lipunan.

At ngayon naiisip ko pa na ang mga batang ito ay magiging magulang din balang araw. Ayoko nang isipin pa ang kahihinatnan ng kanilang mga anak at ng bukas nila. Wala nang katapusang sirkulo ito. Paulit-ulit. Palala nang palala.

Ewan ko ba kung bakit ko sinusulat ito. Alam ko naman na malabong matupad ang mga naisin ko. Alam ko rin naman na hindi ganun kadali ang iniisip ko. At alam ko naman na nag-aaksaya lang ako ng panahon sa pagsusulat ng isang lathalaing alam kong wala namang patutunguhan at walang maitutulong. Pero tinuloy ko pa rin.

Naniniwala kasi ako na ang lipunan ang may problema. Nakalimutan na nito ang tunay na kahulugan ng buhay at pag-ibig. Nakalimutan na nito na may responsibilidad ito sa kabataan bilang mga mabuting patnubay.

At ang pagtanggap na ang lipunan ay wala nang pag-asang mabago ay ang pangunahing sanhi kung bakit ito lumalala. Nakakalungkot isipin na tayo rin mismo ang mga taong bumubuo ng lipunang lumalason sa atin.

Tayo ang lipunan.

Tayo ang suliranin.

Tayo ang kumikitil sa kanilang mga pangarap.

Kung ako lang, pagod na ako - kagaya ng karamihan. Sawa na akong umasa sa makulay na pagbabagong ninanais na hindi ko naman mahahawakan. Pero ito tinuloy ko pa rin.

Siguro hindi naman talaga ako ang tumulak na magsulat nito. Siguro may isang maliit na parte ng pagkatao ko ang hindi nabago ng panahon. At marahil iyon ay ang musmos na ako sa akin na naniniwala pa rin na ang tunay na kulay ng buhay ay nakabatay pa rin sa kung anung krayola ang ipangkukulay ko.

At ang mga pipiliin ko…

Kulay dilaw para sa araw,

asul uli para sa dagat,

berde para sa dahon,

at pula pa rin para sa isang pusong hindi dapat mabahiran

ng kulay itim na katotohanan.

Tags: Adamson University

stiban_graffiti has blogged 7 posts

Where I live is only two long blocks away from the university I work in and where my daughter goes to first year secondary. In very rare instances, such as when we see that she’d be late for the school’s 6:45 flag raising or when the skies threaten a downpour, we take the pedal-powered or motorized trike. Most days though, it’s a sole-powered 200-meter walk that we do, a ready-made form of physical exercise or a coin-saving scheme or both.

The stretch of San Marcelino St. that we negotiate from Padre Faura down to Adamson University may not be a postcard-pretty promenade but we have taught ourselves to appreciate what it has by making the most out of what we see along the way. If Joey Ayala in his light and playful song “Maglakad” encourages people to refresh their minds by taking a stroll, my daughter and I try to make the walk fruitful and enjoyable instead of just doing it as a passive performance of an almost requisite act.

Since we began, we decided to look at the benefits of walking, instead of complaining about the way it exacted a toll on our shoes and legs and dwelling on its negative side. Indeed we wouldn’t be able to experience or enjoy many things if we opt to ride.
One is safety. With walking, we are perfectly in control of where we’re headed and we have a full unobstructed view of the vehicles whizzing by in the opposite direction. By their rider-unfriendly design, trikes deny their passengers these simple but convenient privileges. With a sidecar that is nearly fully wrapped in tarp, including the part where a windshield is supposed to be, you’d feel like Jun Lozada being given a scary joyride to nowhere by someone whose identity you have no inkling of.

Another is the chance to engage in fruitful conversation while walking. We literally walk the talk, stride after stride, telling stories, learning some words or expressions or making observations of people and things that we see along the way. Once she asked what the expression “looking for greener pastures” means. In simple terms, I told her that it means moving from one situation to a better one, like the walk to school every day being actually a protracted effort at moving to a better quality of life in the future especially for her.
Still another is the serendipitous discovery of lessons that people would normally ignore or dismiss as insignificant. Every day, for instance, we pass by a regular huddle of homeless denizens along the perimeter wall of the Philippine Presidents’ Line (PPL) property engaged in various domestic chores in a house that has no hope of becoming. Some are cooking a simple meal heated by bits of burning wooden scraps salvaged from everywhere. Others are sorting out trash not to be thrown away but as a stateless currency that the money changer they know best accepts and converts into pesos: the nearest scrap buyer or junk shop. One middle-aged man I saw was squatting against the cement fence contentedly puffing a cheap cigar, fully enjoying an after-meal piece of heaven in what passes for a long veranda otherwise known as a sidewalk. What’s there for us in this quotidian sight? In the cul-de-sac that we live in, that has the euphemistic name of studio-type apartment, we can call ourselves lucky. It is our family’s comfort zone, a home where we are able to bond and hug each other and carve out our cherished dreams. I therefore cringe at the thought that if we were in their place, God forbid, it would really be a horrible life. My daughter has developed a deeper appreciation of the word blessing.

Sometimes we while away the time by looking for something inspiring or amusing. Two people we always see are a married couple on a bicycle who we assume are on their way to work. With the man driving and the woman sitting sideways and cosily up his front, we conclude that they must be a sweet loving pair. They are also a lesson in punctuality because we gauge our own by where we meet them. Seeing them halfway from our starting point means we are on time; to see them just a minute after we left off means we better hurry; and if we don’t see them at all, not even a taxi ride will bail us out of tardiness. Hate late? Beat the couple, we kid ourselves.

Just like any other place, San Marcelino has its own downside. These are givens and we refuse to be discouraged. After all how can you avoid pollution, discourteous drivers, smelly beggars, impassable sidewalks and even unsightly and dilapidated old houses and buildings anyway? You can’t. They are an inextricable part of the territory. Only one’s political will to see the brighter side of the street will do the trick.

My daughter agrees that if we extend that mindset to the bigger reality called life, then we are in I guess for a rewarding journey.

raul agner has blogged 2 posts

Thought I’d share this picture which was taken during the Bb. Liberal Arts 1991 beauty pageant. Iris Alfelor, one of the most sought after MASP speech instructor during that era, won the much coveted title.

The faces you see in the picture belongs to (from left to right): Alorna, the English Department’s SA from 1989-1992 (?); Kathy, daughter of Prof. Lucy Diano (former chairperson of the English Department); Weng Inocencio-Kim, now the proud owner of Kerrimo, that snack stand you see in SV; Yours truly, aka The Deity (I looked so innocent noh?); Iris, the alluring Cebuana who used to capture freshmen’s heart with her exotic beauty and husky voice; Christian, the English Department’s Ozanam Playhouse official make-up artist; Malen, the demure MASP who got the young engineering dudes tailing her all the time; Cynia, also an outstanding MASP, presently connected in one of America’s top airlines; Carlo, nowadays a businessman making a name in Cebu; and Arthur, the self-proclaimed MASP gigolo during our batch. The last I heard about Art is that he’s teaching in Lyceum.

With the exception of Rowena, Cynia and Carlo, who remained dear friends to this date, I have no idea where some of the former MASP’s are these days, especially those that I worked and played with from 1988-1990. All I know now is that they have a special place in my memory.

I still can’t believe it’s been that long ago…

Deity has blogged 2 posts

[Emailed and written by Dennis Torrecampo (Adamson Chronicle editor-in-chief, 1991)]

Newbie or veteran, writers should be open to criticisms, even scathing ones. Feedback, wherever it’s coming from, good or bad, is a healthy indicator that what you write matters. Or that you get read after all. To wounded soldiers, pain is a welcome sign of life. A writer’s life does not exist in a vacuum, much more that of a campus journalist’s. Welcome the noise of arguments or step out of the kitchen.

Writing is a two-edged sword of privilege and responsibility—through a writer, voices get heard. As a conduit of various opinions, a writer distills thoughts and filters out what seems to make sense. Which is why a huge amount of writing centers on research—a writer has to weigh several viewpoints and see how they measure up to the issue at hand. Some write-ups may be found wanting, which signals a room for improvement later.

Much more specifically, writing news or journalism is literature in a hurry and must effectively reflect the pulse of the time. If you missed a beat, probably you weren’t listening hard enough. Which is why writers cannot afford to be arrogant. The privilege of being the mouthpiece comes with a price. The writer must be prepared to pay that due.

“Official student publication” is not just a string of words. There is a binding reason why The Adamson Chronicle or any other campus publications are so called, in addition to having the students as their publishers. Humble representation, intelligence and leadership come with being a campus journalist.

Campus writers are expected to be the beacon for intellectual discourses, the lighthouse that guides students’ way, and the heartbeat that drives the students’ sentiments and advocacies. Mediocrity is unacceptable. You are one on top of so many readers and any writer owes that audience an article worth their time, money and effort.

There is as much honor as there is burden attached to bearing that Press badge such that not just anybody can stake his or her claim to it. That is what makes the pen mightier than the sword. Either you use it well or just don’t. There is no other way.

In this age of interactivity and collaboration, it is simply irresponsible to be ultrasensitive when your write-up just didn’t quite make the cut. Learn from it, move on, and do your homework next time around.

To confront criticisms, the trick is to stick to the issues at hand and to not personalize what may be an offensive remark. It is alright to be passionate when you make your response, but make sure you back it up with facts. That is the writer’s best defense. In the end though, do not expect to please everyone but earn their respect at the least. That is when you know you really know what you signed up for.

Every write-up is a reminder of the writer. Whether that writer has done his or her job well, it is for the readers to judge and for the writer to respond accordingly. Surely, you as a writer do not want to be remembered for a lousy write-up. Or worse, forgotten for an article that is neither here nor there.

* There is no malicious intent to ridicule the kamote or the act of planting, but used here mainly as a figure of speech for suggesting finding something more productive and probably harmless to do.

Tags: Adamson Chronicle, Adamsonian, Adamson University

JB has blogged 101 posts

I sat up for hours last night thinking about my dear Adamson University, and the looming dialogue on tuition fee increases that is about to transpire in the coming months. I recalled how we handled it during my term and was able to bring down the TFI from the proposed 12% to 6% in the school year 1995-1996. And then a thought occurred to me, that if the current AUSG is not preparing for the dialogue that is about to come, they will not have a chance of winning the argument. So for those in the student body, allow me to give in my dibs and unsolicited advice on how to present a valid and compelling argument against TFI.

From the point of view of the administration, the TFI is an accepted fact of running a business for reasons of competitiveness and economics. Students need high quality teachers and there is no way to retain them if they do not get paid well. The facilities needed maintenance and the only way to do that is to spend. New equipment needs to be purchased and upgrading old computers also will cost money.

From the point of view of the Faculty, raising tuition fees is justified simply because they need it to cover their adjusting cost of living. Without increasing fees, there is no way they could get a pro-rated amount of increase to cover the labor contracts they already entered into thereby guaranteeing a stable raise in income. For them, the students’ families can bear the brunt of tuition hikes since they have already done so for a number of years. It is expected in an inflating economy that education expenses share the bulk since education is an investment that will hopefully pay off in the long run. The teachers would normally be sharing the same view as that of the Administrator, that every year expenses go up and so does salaries and operating costs.

So that leaves the AUSG, the sole legal representative of the studentry in these proceeedings, virtually alone in the stand against TFI. They will have to come up with a strong presentation of ideas that will negate if not neutralize these points. The only thing that could save them is good research and a strong negotiating skill. These are the things they would have to do:

1. Present to the group a reasonable scenario proving that TFI is not necessary, and

2. Convince the conniving factions that TFI is not beneficial.

The AUSG has about fifteen minutes to deliver the presentation, after the University Controller submits the projected Financial Budget for the coming year. In order to come up with a strong position, they would have to weaken the position of the Administration by questioning all the entries in the proposed budget. They should look at redundant entries, unreasonable budget allocation, unexplained accounting items, promises made over the years that were not delivered, wasteful spending and other financial allocation that does not make sense. The outlook of the team when they pore over these documents should be to make every bit of entry justified. If not, the AUSG should come up with a reversal of the specific item thus bringing down projected costs. A review of the actual Financial Statement of the Admin will also be made available for them to scrutinize. If they compare what is current versus what is projected for next year, they will be able to find a lot of things that are not justified and should therefore not be included in the budget.

And this is just the preliminaries. It usually takes four meetings in a span of three months to settle this issue. And this is when the AUSG will prove to be strong. For in these coming months, the graduating officers of the AUSG will have left the campus life behind, with nary a care as to what the students will pay for in the coming year. They would be busy looking for jobs in a crazy society where all their ideals will be crushed. This happens every year and this is a reality that the AUSG will have to face. It would take commitment from the leadership of the AUSG to attend every dialogue and attempt to strengthen their position. They usually forfiet this chance of a mediation by the Alumni, when the radical of the factions will resort to street demonstrations and leave the negotiating table behind. This happens because it is easy to shout than to listen. If this year will be an exception, then I have high hopes that any TFI would be justified.

A rationalization of fee increases usually come with a solid set of numbers. Data that shows inflation rates, purchasing power of the peso, median income of average Adamsonian families, economic indicators such as GDP and minimum wages, labor conditions, and comparative rates of increases of all Universities in the area, will be useful in presenting a valid case. The bulk of any argument in this scenario should be quantitative and so a consultant like an economics professor may come in handy.

More than the numbers, an argument based on the qualitative merits of any increase should also be given. How are the facilities nowadays? What more do we need to be competitive? Where does Adamson want to go? Is this in the same spirit of the Founding Fathers? Is the poor well reached out? These and more questions dealing with the essence of Adamson University as a non-profit, Catholic institution, will help bolster that AUSG stance that it is not necessary and beneficial to increase fees from a specific percentage to the proposed. And this is where lies all true wisdom…the AUSG needs to come up with a number other than ZERO!

Based on experience, leading students in the fight against TFI can be troublesome. Most radical leaders think that it is brave to say they do not want an increase. They feel that it would be a sell off to agree to a certain number. So most of them carry the fight to the streets and forego the process. They do not realize that had they done their research and met with the opposition in a spirit of dialogue, they would have a winning situation.

Tags: Adamsonian, Adamson University, tuition fee increase

erwinilao has blogged 15 posts

By Fr. Daniel Franklin Pilario, C.M.

(Fr. Daniel Franklin Pilario,C.M. , Dean of Adamson University’s St. Vincent School of Theology, delivered this homily on February 24, 2008, at the St. Vincent de Paul’s Parish in San Marcelino, Manila. The University’s community—from students, staffs, faculty members, and administrators— took part and became one on this occasion. Also present to give their support are former president Cory Aquino, Noynoy Aquino, Mayor Fred Lim, and Jun Lozada.)

Of Water, Mountains, and Husbands

When I was asked to deliver this homily, I immediately read the Gospel for today. I was a bit frustrated. The reading was not only long, it also appeared irrelevant. I asked myself how a seemingly harmless story of Jesus and a woman talking about water, mountains, and husbands can be relevant to the current wave of disgust, anger, and frustration growing among our people. I read it a second time and saw how it painfully strikes at the heart of the events that are happening in our midst. The story of the woman of Samaria is the story of us all—the story of Jun Lozada; the story of the woman in Malacañang; also my story and yours.

Probinsyanong Intsik and the Samaritan Woman

Simulan natin kay Jun Lozada. Jun, nais ko sanang magpaalam kung maari ko pang dagdagan ang mga pangalang ibinigay na nila sa ‘yo. Hindi ka lang ‘probinsiyanong Intsik’ o katulad ng ‘crying lady’. Sa umagang ito ikaw ay magiging isang ‘Samaritan woman’. Forgive my cross-gender and cross-cultural references. Pero parang magkatapat na rin ang pakahulugan ng babaeng taga-Samaria at probinsiyanong Intsik. For the self-righteous Jews of Jesus’ time, Samaritans were mere ‘provincials’ . Jerusalem was the center. Samaria was marginally far-off. But it was not only the geographical location. Samaritans also belonged to a disgusting breed that a good Jew needed to avoid. Kung buhay na si Apostol noon, matagal na silang na-deport!

But how did Jun become the Samaritan woman? Let me cite in three ways.

First, the Samaritan woman was no saint. May tinatago siya sa kanyang buhay. Kung baga, ayaw niya ring mag-testify. Kung kaya tanghali siyang pumunta sa balon dahil wala pang mga tao doon. Wala pa doon ang mga tsismosa. Dahil sino ba sa atin ang nais na maging pulutan ng iba ang ating sariling buhay? Ganoon din si Jun. Kaya nga dumating siya sa oras na dapat wala ang media. Salamat na rin sa advice ni Atienza – dahil tulad ni Jun, may tinatago din siguro siya kahit sinasabi niyang tumutulong lang naman siya, tumutulong magtago.

Isa sa mga sinasabi ngayon ay ganito: “Bakit ba kayo naniniwala kay Lozada? Kasabwat din naman yan, a?” Jun, para sa akin, mas mabuti na lang kasabwat ka, dahil kung hindi ay sasabihin na naman nila, “wala namang alam yan, e. Dahil hindi naman namin ‘yan kasama.” And that is the storyline they are pursuing in the Ombudsman hearing: that you have left early on in the negotiation. That is why you do not know how it reached $329M. But above all, I thank God that you are not a ‘saint’ – that you had wallowed with them in the dark. It was the experience of that darkness that disposed you for the light. It must be really cold in Hong Kong that you began to long for warmth. It must have been so lonely that you longed for home. It must have been so arid that you started to ask for water. Then, unexpectedly, you were led to the well. There, a man was waiting. Hindi po ‘yon si General Atutubo! This brings me to my second point.

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Tags: Adamson Chronicle, Adamsonian, Adamson University

Ramon Millonte has blogged 11 posts

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