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reviewing the rgep

July 6, 2007 – 2:09 am

six years ago, the nemenzo administration came up with an “innovation” on the u.p. general education –a new framework that the g.e. council called the “revitalized general education program” or rgep. the new feature was to make the program consist of five courses (or fifteen units) each from the humanities, social sciences, and sciences. the students had the free choice and mix of any five courses from each domain , or from a menu of old and new courses to be offered as g.e. subjects. in effect, the original 66 units of “tatak u.p.” liberal education would be reduced to 45 units; and the liberal education became equated with the students’ liberality and liberty of subject choice. the move spawned great opposition from various quarters. but admin had its way and in june 2002 implemented what was to become a problematic legacy of dodong nemenzo and maris diokno.

can you imagine what the implications of the rgep have been? a u.p. student could graduate without having taken any communication skills or art and literature appreciation course; without any math or natural science course; without any philippine history or asian history! because each campus had its own set of g.e. courses, the “tatak u.p.” liberal arts program from u.p. diliman to u.p. mindanao became a hodge podge of electives from various colleges. because the non-engineering and non-science degree programs do not require any math or natural science course, their students glided on carpeted paths, spared the peyups experiences in math and nat sci! meanwhile the eng’g and science majors have to struggle with the most diificult courses!

five years after rgep, we reiterated our previous requests to review the program, but admin is taking its sweet time. ania metten!

By fidelis | Posted in Issues | Comments (0)

u.p. women take center stage!

March 11, 2007 – 3:06 am

cheers to all women! whooping cheers to all u.p. women!

u.p. women’s day. on march 12, 2007, 2:45 p.m., u.p. women will take center stage at the recto hall (conference hall) of the faculty center once again. on its fifth year, this celebration of the u. p. women affirms and asserts our various roles, endeavors, and accomplishments in the university and in the bigger society out there.
this year’s celebration takes greater significance as we honor not only more women at the helm of the autonomous units, together with our first woman president, and more women leaders in the university, and outside, but also the best of the up. female student, the embodiment of the hope of the u.p. women, the brilliance and achievement they can become.

a number of outstanding u.p. women will share herstories on march 12.

the champion of human rights. leading the u.p. women to honor and be honored is the chair of the commission on human rights, dr. purificacion quisumbing, whose very distinctive role in philippine society today cannot be over-emphasized. in the throes of the culture of violence and violation of human rights, especially women rights, the philippines finds an indefatigable fighter in chairperson quisumbing. no macho, no general can cow, can stop, can match this champ.

herstory as theater artist, and founder of teatrong mulat . university professor amelia lapena bonifacio is another institution. one of the stalwarts of the u.p. creative writing institute, she has nurtured a children’s theater cum puppet theater in the tradition of the javanese wayang but steeped in philippine culture. our multi-awarded playwright director has travelled to various countries in order to showcase our rich theatre culture. besides, tita amel has been the favorite of children for decades.

lyra garcellano.a ccp awardee for her non-traditional and engage art, our fine arts graduate has demonstrated in various exhibits not just her artistic talents but the influential brush she wields in contemporary art. one blooming artist to watch!
another artist, a sculptor and multi media arts director, will be sharing her experience as a university administrator, the chancellor of the seventh u.p. campus, the open university.

dr. gigi alfonso is grace personified, e-learning and e-tech refigured.

national scientist, dr. lourdes j. cruz. a biochemist and marine scientist, our beloved professor was recently recognized and conferred the prestigious title and rank for her contibutions to science, particularly to the biochemistry field of conotoxins. she is not ensconced in the ivory towers of the national academy of science and technology though. she has spent much time helping alleviate the plight of the marginalized too.

dr. priscelina legasto. our professor of comparative literature and literary critic will be sharing insights as an outstanding teacher. she has been accorded the distinction by the metrobank and the gawad chancellor.

how can a wisp of a girl be a summa cum laude of applied physics at 15? only the child prodigy, mikaela irene d. fudolig can tell us. and she will on monday.

after dr. sobritcheas’ update on “womancipation” in u.p. and on the state of violence against women on campus, an adaptation of the ilocano birthday ritual will be performed (again!) as a tribute to u.p. women. the poetry and drama of the roses and prof. noni zabala’s music will highlight the afternoon’s “kablaaw.”

padapadakam’ a kumabblaaw dayta naindaklan a sirib, laing, sayat, ken pintas dagiti babbai ti u.p.! apay-a-unayen!

By fidelis | Posted in Issues | Comments (0)

unsolicited and political

February 17, 2007 – 4:02 am

the comelec. suddenly the wimp (aka comelec) has adopted a tough stance, a whipboy role. abalos and his ventriloquists have made no nonsense pronouncements on implementing the law on posting of campaign materials. at first blush, the stringent measures, the threats of disqualification of violators project sincere attempts to redeem a badly tattered image. so much fuss and media mileage have not minimized the posters and tarps that have sprouted  all around, however. so much fuss and resources cannot distract us from the comissioners’ sins of omission and commision either. so much fuss and resources should have been devoted to investigating and punishing the garcis and generals involved in last elections’ cheating. so much fuss and resources should be spent in overhauling that body, in ridding it of its “fawning publicans.” so much fuss and energy should have been applied to testing foreign offers to help in the election automation.  so much sound and fury. signifying nothing.

manny pacman. why is every popular or popularized figure, in sports or showbiz, highly vulnerable to the political bug? can’t anyone punch in some common sense into pacquiao’s purported, or distorted desire for public service? instead of throwing away his money into campaign gimmicks and fattening the paunches and pouches of  political honchos, why does he not set up a foundation, a microfinancing system, a cooperative, rural schools, sports centers, infirmaries, and other projects that would help his people improve themselves, his city and province progress, and create another lasting monument to himself and his public service? (why, the u.p. college of human kinetics may even accept a million for a professorial chair named after him!)

independent kiko. when he kept ignoring the glaring piling evidence of election  canvassing cheating, i thought he had no principles. his loyalty to gloria eased out any modicum of integrity. then when gloria and her minions’ scams and abuses showed an uncertain, waning star, he started distancing himself from the perceived illegitimacy he himself helped enshrine. i thought then he had no balls. now that he has been adopted by the opposition and given a place in the uno turned go senate slate, he keeps announcing his being independent, unable to show an iota of support for his supposed team. i think he has lost his moorings. ah, no principles. ..no balls… no brains. (am reminded of the u.p. cheer — go back, go back, go back to the woods! cause you ain’t, you ain’t got the goods, you ain’t got the rhythm, you ain’t got the jazz, you ain’t got the brains that u.p. has!)

chavit. (twit chavit? you may get it!) when he blew the whistle on erap, chavit revealed that he and erap had siphoned off funds and jueteng money and that he was willing to go to prison with him.  why has he been scot free? and to think he voluntarily confessed his crime on national television?  hence, before voting time, why don’t we ask the ilocos sur citizens, of course, as discreetly as we can, what the guy is really like, his performance and his reputation in his own kingdom?   or is his kingdom out of this world? (just wondering.)

ay, ania metten! 

By fidelis | Posted in Issues | Comments (0)

duh! duh, duh the dough!

February 13, 2007 – 6:06 am

“up not fair sale” screams the huge streamer at the sunken garden fair. its double-edged theme? obviously, the pun warns those in mt. olympus against commercialization. yet, it seems to protest the sale of up — a not fair sale! to whom? for whom? how much? (hey, figurative sale, that is.)

to her handlers, any unusual movie role, or catchy title, or else, a masa-appealing packaging would invigorate the sagging image of the “malacanang occupant” ( a columnist’s label, not mine). she has morphed from “gloria labandera” to “ate glo” to “ma’am in black,” to “inang bayan.” but when she did a “boom tarat, tarat” to introduce one of her favorite candidates this evening, she certainly stuffed herself into a a new showbiz cloak — “ako ang bigatin ng pasig!” what if she did the “do do do, da da da” next? well, dudes, dudoda na kayo!

“wowowee” is really making waves. after making “boom tarat” the national anthem, whether done the jerky or sexy way, willy has started, popularized a new trend –the national action song, “puso ko’y paalog-alog.” and everybody gives it a standing ovation! my, as i watch the millions do the “patalbogtalbog” with sheer gusto, puso ko nama’y nagdadabog…nadudurog. never mind if that sounds corny. it’s the irony of it all — of giving the wretched circuses, the promise of millions, two hours of entertainment, only for them to go back to the harsh realities of wretchedness again after the program.

ah, the sob stories air the miserable plight of our poorer brothers and sisters, and tug at the heartstrings of willie, the tfcs, and us all. (what an entertainment for the rich and the tfcs all over the world, feeding on the ill fortune of others!) and the three thousand pesos plus fifty dollars he doles out may be truly heaven-sent to the needy performers (the luckily chosen ones); the coveted big prizes and jackpot may change the fortunes of the ill-starred.

but, the big but is the figurative stampede. prefigured by the previous literal and murderous stampede. the prizes, the opportunity to be on tv, and be a star even only for a few moments really lure the less in life to troop to the program, or to experience these vicariously by watching and coveting everything going on in the program. in the process, however, many have developed the beggar’s stance, many have pushed and shoved one another, many are trampled on along the way, their humanity bruised if not battered.

of course, the program affords an opportunity for the richer to share their dollars, or salve their consciences. of course, the wow! production makes willy’s songs gain double platinum. of course, it gives an opportunity for the small fry to go big on television. of course, channel 2 is raking in the ratings, and the talents and prize donors getting the honors.

but please be wary of the stampede. literal and figurative.

By fidelis | Posted in Issues | Comments (0)

becoming summa cum laude vs. being summa cum laude

February 1, 2007 – 2:52 am

“…The importance of rewarding academic achievement, of recognizing it as a valid pursuit by itself and in itself, lies not in the achievement alone.

What is more important is the process that goes on as a student achieves from day to day. More than being summa cum laude, it is becoming summa cum laude. More than being here, it is in becoming qualified to be invited here.

That process, ladies and gentlemen, is called the pursuit of excellence. Not just excellence by other people’s standards, but the true excellence one feels achieved when one has done his/her best. The consistency in effort, the single-mindedness of ideal across the disciplines that we study, the relentless passion to deliver one’s best – these are what are being honored today.

The pursuit of excellence is never irrelevant. It is what drives the progress of nations. It is what elicits the respect of our neighbors. It is the reason why we are here.

Next year, most of us will leave the University for what is called “real adult life,” the real world out there.. Some will join industry. Others will join the government. Still others will go into other fields. The rest will stay to teach and do graduate studies. There may be no grades nor academic honors outside the academe. But that does not matter.

Our passion for excellence will keep us relevant even outside the University. It will be our best weapon against harsh realities and vicissitudes out there. It will make us the best we can be. Managers who lead. Politicians who deliver. Lawyers who win landmark decisions. Inventors who change the world. Teachers who inspire to greatness.

We will become successful farmers, well-read authors, sought-after consultants, great parents. If we inspire people to be like us in the way we do things, they will be more productive and successful.

And maybe we can rebuild this nation, regain our neighbors’ respect from those old days when we were the most advanced country in this part of the world. Those old days when we, as a nation, honored passion for excellence, and held academic achievement in awe.
Let those days begin again. Today.”

really big beautiful words from a mere wisp of a girl… the child prodigy mikaela irene fudolig in her response at this afternoon’s tri-honor society’s recognition of outstanding scholars.

take note: the active progressive (becoming) vs. the passive (being). the continuing process is also a passion. hence, the passionate pursuit of excellence. hence, the passionate pursuit of excellence in every undertaking, not merely in academe– that is becoming summa cum laude (even without a general weighted average of 1.104!).

dr. ramon acoymo, dean of the college of music, a phi kappa phi member, was a summa in this afternoon’s musical performance — rock music and classical songs that brought the house down. yet he was magna cum laude in biology.

not to forget that the guest of honor himself, the chancellor, a math and finance major, is a concert singer…for charity causes. that seems another mark of the scholars — straddles several areas of excellence.

another striking development — ariel lopez, also a frontrunner with his 1.105, will teach at his home department, history. undaunted by the starvation pay of the up faculty!

finally, from the ranks of the phi kappa phi officers, the president-elect gilda rivero, will become the up mindanao chancellor starting march 1st. congratulations!

By fidelis | Posted in Issues | Comments (4)