The U.P. Chapter of the most prestigious honor society, the Honor society of Phi Kappa Phi, is celebrating its diamond jubilee this year. Highlights of the festivities include the Diamond Jubilee Awards and Recognition, and the Contests of Excellence among all U.P. students.

Special recognition shall be given to members who have excelled in their fields thru the decades. The awards include the:

1. PHI KAPPA PHI LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS to the most outstanding member-achievers;

2. PHI KAPPA PHI DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS to those who have performed exceptionally in their fields of endeavor; and

3. PHI KAPPA PHI EXEMPLARY SERVICE AWARDS to those who have rendered meritorious service to the Honor Society Chapter with indefatigable and selfless dedication.

The search for the deserving awardees is ongoing. NOMINATIONS may be submitted by PKP members to the PKP Awards and Recognition Committee, Phi Kappa Phi Office, Alumni Center, U.P. Diliman, from September 20 to November 15, 2008. Nomination Forms are available at the PKP Office (Alumni Center, U.P. Diliman).

The DJ CONTESTS OF EXCELLENCE, ABOUT EXCELLENCE, FOR EXCELLENCE (IN THE ARTS, SCIENCES,TECHNOLOGIES, and other Disciplines) have also been launched among the U.P. STUDENTS OF ALL THE U.P. CAMPUSES. The categories include:

1. Best Visual Arts

a. Best Painting or 2-Dimensional art in any medium (oil, pastel, ink, multi-media, etc.) on 9 1/2” x 15” material (illustration board, canvas, or any material of the artist’s choice)

b. Best Sculpture or 3-Dimensional Art (any material)

2. Best Literary Work (Short story, Poem, Script, Play, Essay)

a. In English

b. In Filipino

3. Most Relevant/Significant Research/Project/Investigative

Study/Web page design in the Sciences/in Engineering/in IT

4. Most Outstanding Research/Project in the Social Sciences

5. Best Musical Composition for the HYMN of the PKP, U.P. Chapter

Cash Prizes and Certificates of Recognition await the Winners.

Entries must embody/signify/symbolize either of these PKP themes:

1. “Excellence” or

2. “Let the Love of Learning Rule Humanity.” (Philosophia Krateito Photon)

Deadline for Submission of Entries to any PKP Officer or at the Phi Kappa Phi Office, Alumni Center, U.P. Diliman, is on November 15, 2008. Non- U.P. Diliman entries may be submitted to the PKP Campus representatives, or to the student’s College Secretary.

The DIAMOND JUBILEE AWARDS AND RECOGNITION PROGRAM culminating the search and contests will be on January 16, 2009, the eve of the anniversary of the honor society, at 3:00 p.m. at Bahay ng Alumni, U.P. Diliman.

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!

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!

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! 

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.

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!

a cousin sent me these latest addenda to the king’s english, essential updates to the workplace and elsewhere. what pearson would call bonus english for you!

1. blamestorming. sitting around in a group, discussing why a deadline was missed or a project failed, and who was responsible.

2. seagull manager. a boss who flies in, makes a lot of noise, craps on everything, and then leaves.

3. assmosis. the process by which some people gain success by kissing up to the boss rather than working hard. aha!

4. cube farm. an office filled with cubicles, u.p. admin offices style.

5. prairie dogging. heads popping over the walls of the cube farm when someone yells or makes some commotion.

6. mouse potato. the online, wired generation’s version of the couch potato.

7. irritainment. really annoying entertainment and media spectacles, but you find yourself unable to stop watching them.

8. percussive maintenance. the fine art of whacking the crap out of an electronic device to get it to work again. pity the computer.

9. ohno!second. that minuscule fraction of time in which you realize that you’ve just made a big mistake. (like after hitting “send” on an e-mail by mistake.) oh,no!

10. 404: someone who is clueless. from the world wide web error nessage: “404 not found,” meaning that the requested site could not be located.

11. generic. features of the landscape that are exactly the same no matter where one is, such as fast food joints, strip malls and subdivisions.

12. swipeout. an atm or credit card rendered useless because the magnetic strip is worn away from extensive use.

really colorful for the workplace, huh!

jan. 31, 3:00 pm at benitez hall, up diliman - joint recognition of top graduating scholars. convocation honoring the prospective top graduates sponsored by the up chapters of the international honor societies of phi kappa phi(overall academic excellence), pi gamma mu (in the social sciences), and phi sigma (in the biological sciences). repeat, honor societies, not fraternities. leading the brilliant scholars is the wonder student, mikaela irene fudolig, who’s finishing her bs physics at 14 years old. front liner summa cum laude in one of the toughest degrees in up, at 14!! apay a unayen!

feb. 7, 3:00 p.m. at fonacier hall, upd - general assembly of phi kappa phi. phi kappa phiers out there, do come to the reunion, homecoming, ratification of nominees, and election of a new set of officers. special call for also for applications for pkp fellowships and research grants.
must mention too that last year’s batch of inductees was quite unbeatable, with at least four summas in molecular biology and biotechnology, another from econ, and still another from engineering; and a string of magnas and cums.
of course, pkp is a virtual who’s who not just in academe but in the bigger world out there.
february - diliman arts month. lap up (with sheer gusto, or with the critic’s eye or pen) the different colleges’ competition to show their wares. we’ve seen the hall of famer, fine arts, parade the studentry’s art-craft in exhibits and in the annual lantern parades, including the december 2006’s cancelled one. we’ve heard the college of music and its world champions (always defeating hundreds of countries’ choral groups, but never feted the way boxing and billiards champs are by powers that be), especially the up madrigal singers (yes, they’re u.p., appropriated as philippine madrigal singers), the up concert chorus, and the singing ambassadors. we’ve been enchanted by the filipiniana dance troupe of world renown, the film festivals, the theater power of the theater groups, the performance poets, the matrix-defying visual communications, multi-media, etc., etc.

february 24, 8:30 am up - the cal alumni homecoming and reunion. calling all college of arts and letters alumni (including the pride of the earliest college of liberal arts, the grads of the humanities division of the great college of arts and letters, and the alumni of the present college of arts and letters). in store for you are a campus tour, a ‘welcome home” program at the faculty center conference hall featuring the performing groups and talents of cal , and luncheon with your home departments.

sign up and at the same time update the cal alumni directory at calumni.wordpress.com

february 23-24 — international conference on distance education at trader’s hotel. interested in distance learning, or teaching, or preparing de instruction materials? participate in de”quality and equity” interaction for two days. the vips of international fame will be there.

meanwhile, it’s aklasan, dorm walkout, and camp out at upd this week. the issues? reserved for next blog.

• nani perez being indicted for $2M extortion? that long for the ombudsman to nail him down? wasn’t that long ago, when gloria was still a babe(in the polit woods), when she loved nannies in her cabinet — herr nani, err nani, nani kil, nani ngil?
• up naming mahal is rp’s best school! it has always been, and will always be. amen. yet its ranking 299th in the world is nothing to crow about for it used to be one of the topnotch universities in asia a few decades ago. nevertheless, it’s really consuelo to note that the next-ranking philippine university, one of the richest in the country, is almost a hundred notches below our up beloved. and the third-ranking phil. university? almost two hundred ranks further below! if only the budget for the up system (seven campuses) were not slashed every year, if only up-pgh did not eat up around 70% of the whole pie, we’d be higher up there!
• the textbook war rages--in the fray are the tro, world bank, government guarantee for aid, and the scramble to churn out as many textbooks as fast as possible. as long as the dep ed allows multi textbooks and their cutthroat-competing publishers, the scam-prone practice will continue to mire us in $B debts and theftbooks.
• election registration will not be extended? did the comelec officials, national and local, get out of their ivory towers to see the sea of furious faces unable to get “even only a number to assure them that they would be served the following day, or the next…” after staying overnight and queueing up for endless hours under sun and rain (i know.. i was there…i was right smack in the middle of the chaos!). had the enlisting been done in the barangays, had there been more than two cameras per district, had the processing of papers been more systematic, had the comelec deployed more assistants, had the comelec registrars themselves gone out to see the mess out there, the long lines turning and returning many blocks…
• gulf air flight 154, low on fuel, was denied emergency landing; why? gloria’s lear jet had to take off first so that she could be ninang at a wedding. the returning bagong bayani must have been gritting their teeth and calling on all the saints for help because their dollars which keep the phil. economy afloat could not do anything. lives in jeopardy versus gloria’s being tardy? imagine the repercussions if the airbus had crashed. especially this asean summit month or this election year. or is gloria getting alzheimer’s this early?

ania metten.. kasta lat’ biag ‘pinas?

to the non-cl oriented out there, the mine is here. unravelling the theme(s) is but one of them. you can do genre study, what the work gains in literary form and devices, for instance. or if you go thematic, the narrative material, for example, could be examined for the plot patterns and the improvisations made on the archetypal stories (like the sci fi or anime heroes’ saving the metropolis harking back to ancient, biblical, and medieval salvation stories.) or for their concepts of heroes and anti heroes. many want to trace influences or parallels among works of different climes and times. but i prefer to examine the interrelationships that abound: between the literary work … and film, and music, and politics, and history, and psychoanalysis, and folklore, etc., etc. not to forget the various literary critical approaches from formalism down to postmodernism. and if two works, say a philippine piece and a non-philippine text are compared in terms of any of these modes, wow, you’re in for a really rich, textured analysis…in many ways significant, even relevant. litterature comparee matters.

but …ay, ania metten! to the family holidays blued by days spent in the icu. and by the losses of treasured documents and cash…on the 24th at that! also to the man-made disasters’ victims welcoming the new year. ay, to the unforgettably frustrating seven-hour queueing for registration under sun and rain, amid the the confusion of multitudes. grrrrrreat shame on gloria and her minions for making a mockery of our sovereignty and judiciary. and ania unay metten! to the hired political killers and terrorist bombers who have no respect for life and human dignity.