USA Student Organizations Recognition Day 2010 at the University of San Agustin, Iloilo City

Thank you to Fr. Aparece and the staff of the USA Office Prefect of Students for the medal and the recognition given to DMS and UEC! This award is for the men and women of Delta Mu Society, the USA Graduate School, and the USA English Club! Thank God I'm an Augustinian!

The 2010 STI GRAND BALL at Amigo Terrace Hotel, Iloilo City

The much anticipated Grand Ball is over. It's time for some thank yous and boos!

The success of any celebration largely depends on how well prepared the organizers are. As part of the faculty, I have personally witnessed how complicated the preparation was. From its conception to execution, the Grand Ball was never freed from controversies.

For this blog entry, I will focus on the upsides and downsides of this year's Grand Ball, not to point fingers or blame personages, but solely to highlight commendable traits worthy of emulation and respect.

Personally, the conception of this year's ball was a baptism of fire for Ms April. It opened her on the idea of how things work in our "sphere". I hope that it did not just post some traumatic impressions but more importantly, left insightful learnings to her. Thank you Ms April for the courage to defy gravity!

My sincerest congratulations to Ms Nanci , STI student council under the leadership of Donna Kristine Moleta, and the inspiration of the effervescent Noel Bedia for the all out support in program preparation, venue set up and program direction. Hope to see more of your breed in the succeeding years!

To the faculty and staff in attendance, thank you for the effort of dressing up and staying late night just to see that everything goes and ends well! Congratulations!

To the students, thank you for the splendid presentations. The Grand Ball was a showcase of students’ ingenuity. I personally witnessed the hard work and the time you exerted from practice to performance. To the winners, Congratulations! 

To those who effortlessly volunteered to render intermission number, thank you for spicing up the night.

To the different awardees, congratulations for going beyond the limits of our expectations! You surprised us with your wit and glamour!

To those who displayed rude behaviors during the Grand Ball, thank you for letting us see the real you!

In closing I am very overwhelmed that this year's Grand Ball wasn't simply a parade of "colors" but an expression of our individuality which is collectively a mark of our being an STIer

Kudos to one and all and see you at the 2011 STI Grand Ball!

Memoirs from Enchanted Kingdom

Goofing around Eldar's so so so Enchanted Kingdom!

Thanks cousin Kat and BF for the treat and the foodies!

1A & 1B COMARTS Activity NINE

 

Photo Credit: http://express.howstuffworks.com/gif/wq-money-woman.jpg

Instruction: Develop a paragraph with "IF I WERE A MILLIONAIRE" as a controlling idea.

Deadline February 26, 2010

1A & 1B COMARTS Activity EIGHT

 

Photo credit: http://www.tork.com.au/upload/1__Global_Files_And_Com/2__Images/8__Environment/environment_plant.jpg

Instruction: Develop a paragraph with a topic sentence about saving the environment.

Deadline: February 24, 2010

1A & 1B COMARTS Activity SEVEN

 Photo Credit: http://www.wikiwak.com/image/Malakas+and+Maganda+Emerging+from+Bamboo+BambooMan.jpg

Instruction: Develop a paragraph about a superstitious belief in your locality.
Deadline: February 24 , 2010

1A & 1B COMARTS Activity SIX

Photo credit: http://www.ventussportsandleisure.co.uk/images/store.gif

Instruction: Develop a topic bout your favorite leisure activity. 

Write a paragraph using appropriate supporting details.

Deadline: February 24, 2010

My Valentine's Day at Afriques, Smallville Business Complex, Iloilo City

 

To a typical young professional, February 13, Saturday is a time to rest and recreate. Ironically that day was my busiest for the week. For one, as moderator of the CAS college paper, I have to attend and oversee the editorial board during the Sanag Press Awards. Second, as part of the program committee for the Personnel Recognition, I have to hand in the gifts for the service awardees and assist in the program implementation. Adding more was Noel Bedia's request for me to check the multimedia projector at Emillion for the NSTP program. In short, I was spreading myself too thinly over so much tasks. 

Fortunately, everything ended up well.  So after the party at the Iloilo Grand Hotel, mommy Cynia invited me, Arlene, and tita Inday for a post event, late night party treat at Smallville. Though I was tired, I willinglly said YES, afterall it's Valentines Day and Chinese New Year.

Nevertheless, the four of us continued our quest and ended up delighted with Afriques' creammy peny pasta and that oh so green and mouthful pasta el pesto! The supposedly pure culinary treat became a venue for some candid talks.  We capped the night with a plate of Afriques special pizza, a dose of iced cold tea and some more chit chats with friends and long time acquaitances along the busy, crowded and party lane of Smallville Iloilo. 

The ARTIAN is SANAG's Best Departmental Paper, University of San Agustin, Iloilo City

Congratulations to The ARTIAN Editorial Board!
(L-R) Back row Lloyd Celis, Elsed Togonon; fron row, Dannielle Parian, Judith Fresnido & Joven Suobiron

The USA Publications recently held the 2010 SANAG Campus Press in celebration of the 106th year University Week Celebration. The awarding ceremony was held at the President's Conference Room, USA Herrera Hall. The program commenced with a prayer led by the USA Little Theatre, then followed by the singing of the national athem and the USA Hymn. Professor Erwin Sustento, moderator of the USA Publications, welcomed the guests, writers, and moderators coming from different schools in Western Visayas. The program continued with parade of performances- poetry in motion- by the USA Little Theatre. Then after, the awarding ceremony began. 

Among the runaway winners this year is THE ARTIAN- the student publication of the USA College of Arts and Science- which was awarded the Best College Departmental Paper. Staff writer Dannielle Parian received the award. In her acceptance speech, Parian dedicated the award to the CAS' continued mission of promoting Excellent Liberal Education for the common good. 

USA Personnel Recognition 2010

Here are some candid moments during the 2010 USA Personnel Recognition Night held at the posh Iloilo Grand Hotel. To all the service awardees, CONGRATULATIONS!!!

THANK GOD I AM AN AUGUSTINIAN! 

1A & 1B COMARTS Activity FIVE

Photo credit: http://candorville.com/comics/2008-05-18-penpal.jpg

Instruction: Assume you have a pen pal Write a paragraph to your pen pal describing your physical appearance. You might want to describe your face, or you may prefer to describe one or two of your outstanding features.

1A & 1B COMARTS Activity FOUR

Photo creadit: http://www.wallpapers8.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/free-movie-wallpaper-neytiri-wallpaper-character-in-the-movie-avatar.jpg

Instruction: Think of a strange-looking creature from a movie. Write a paragraph describing its face or another part of it.

1A COMARTS Activity THREE

Photo credit: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2001/2540719214_be896b38a1_b.jpg

Instruction: Write a descriptive paragraph about a place you recently visited. Use similes and metaphors to make your description richer and more interesting.

1A COMARTS Activity TWO

Photo credit: http://www.stlucia-vacationspots.com/content_images/1/Caribbean%20Jewel%20Beach%20Resort.jpg

Instruction: Write a paragraph describing your favorite place. Be sure to narrow down the are you are going going to write about.

1B COMARTS Activity ONE

Photo credit: http://www.dreamhomedesignusa.com/jpegs/Mansion%20eclectic.jpg

Instruction: Write a descriptive paragraph about the picture. Decide your own controlling idea.

I miss daddy!!!

Thank you for the good times sir johnrey!

see you around!

My Tagaytay Trip

 
I was fortunate to accompany tita Teri to her recent Manila trip. The very reason for the untimely trip was the death of tito maue. We arrived two days prior to the iterment. But due to accommodation problems, we have to skip the wake and stayed in Lipa City, Batangas. We came back to Manila on the day of the burial rites at Libingan ng mga Bayani in Fort Bonifacio Taguig City. The occassion became a venue for the entire clan to be reunited once again.


After the burial, tita Olive proposed that we extend our stay over the weekend so that the family we'll have time to talk, and get together -  a sort of an informal reunion. Kuya boyet suggested that since almost everybody was around, why don't we go for an out of town trip?


The clan decided to go to Tagaytay and enjoy the cool mountain breeze, the majestic view of Taal volcano, the sumptuous lunch at Gerry's Grill,and the bountiful goodness of fresh fruits.

How to Share a load, Pasaload, Globe Smart and Sun

How to Share a load, Pasaload, Globe Smart and Sun

In the Philippines prepaid mobile phone users are able to share and pass their recharge load from one phone to another on the same network. Each carrier Smart Pasaload, Globe Pasaload, Share a load and Sun Give-a-load have different rules and charges when sharing recharge load.

Pasaload Smart Instruction

Share recharge minutes from one Smart cell phone to another is called Smart Pasaload. In order to share minutes both phones must be usinga prepaid SIM card such as Smart Buddy. The amount of load shared i sup to the user and can be as low as P2. Load expiration varies.

Smart Pas-a-load Instructions

This is how to pasaload from one Smart cell phone to another. You will get a text message notifying you if the user you are sharing with is not on the Smart network and that the share has failed.

1. Text [mobile number to send load to] space [amount to share]
2. Send the text to 808
   Example: 09181234567 P300
3. Your friend will receive a text notification if the pasaload is successful.

Globe Pasaload and Share-a-load Instruction

Globe prepaid subscribers can transfer load through Globe Pasaload or Globe Share-a-load. The amount shared is up to the user sending the load but the expiration varies by amount sent. To get the latest load expirations text [HELP] to 2916.

How to Share-a-load or Pasaload with Globe

1. Text-in the load amount you would like to share.
   Example: [P300]
2. Send the text to “2” plus your friend’s 10-digit phone number (P1.00 per send).
   Example: 2917xxxxxxx
3. You and your friend will receive a message confirming the successful reload.
4. After the first load, you will receive a text message prompting for a 4-digit PIN. Use it to protect your phone against unauthorized loading.
5. Starting with your next load, text in amount and 4-digit PIN.
   Example: 5 1234

Sun Give a load Pasaload Logo

How to Give-a-Load, Share a load Sun Cellular

Sharing load on the Sun network is called Sun Give-a-load. With Sun give a load users can share load from one peso to twenty pesos. Load expiration varies based on the amount sent consult Sun for current expirations and fees for transfer by texting HELP to 2292.

Instructions Sun Give-a-load

1. Text [amount (P1- P20)] space [11-digit recipients mobile number]
2. Send to 2292
   Example: 300 09223214567

I MISS YOU KEVIN JAY FUJII

Bilingualism in the Philippine Education

Bilingualism and the Philippine Constitution

The 1986 EDSA Revolution catapulted into power the first woman president, Corazon Aquino, who restored democracy through the 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines. The constitution declares Filipino as the national language and reiterates the position of English as an official language of the country. As before, both were to serve as languages of instruction. (Sugbo, 2003)

Specifically, this declaration is embodied in Article XIV, Sec. 6 and 7. The provisions are as follows:

1. Section 6. The national language of the Philippines is Filipino. As it evolves, it shall be further developed and enriched on the basis of existing Philippine and other languages.

2. Section 7. For purposes of communication and instruction, the official languages of the Philippines are Filipino and, until otherwise provided by law, English.

The above provisions provided the legal basis for the various language policies that are being implemented in the country today.

Philippine Education Policy on Bilingualism

The Department of Education Culture and Sports, consistent with the 1987 constitutional mandate, promulgated its policy on Bilingualism thru its Department Orde r No. 52, s.1987. The policy states that “Bilingual Education aims at the achievement of competence in both Filipino and English at the national level, through the teaching of both languages and their use as media of instruction at all levels.”

The goals of the Bilingual Education Policy shall be:

1. Enhanced learning through two languages to achieve quality education as called for by the 1987 Constitution;

2. The propagation of Filipino as a language of literacy;

3. The development of Filipino as a linguistic symbol of national unity and identity;

4. The cultivation and elaboration of Filipino as a language of scholarly discourse, that is to say its continuing intellectualization; and the maintenance of English as an international language for the Philippines and as a non-exclusive language of science and technology.

In 1994, Republic Act No. 7722 (Higher Education Act of 1994) was signed creating the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). This Act provides that the CHED shall be independent and separate from the DECS and shall cover both public and private institutions of higher education as well as degree-granting programs in all post-secondary educational institutions, public and private.

One of the first steps undertaken by CHED was to update the General Education Curriculum of tertiary courses leading to an initial bachelor's degree. The requirements of the new GEC are embodied in the CHED Memorandum Order (CMO) No. 59, s. 1996. Listed under miscellaneous of this CMO is its language policy which is as follows:

In consonance with the Bilingual Education Policy underlined in DECS Order No. 52, Series of 1987, the following are the guidelines vis-a-vis medium of instruction, to wit:

1. Language courses, whether Filipino or English, should be taught in that language.

2. At the discretion of the HEI, Literature subjects may be taught in Filipino, English or any other language as long as there are enough instructional materials for the same and both students and instructors/professors are competent in the language.

Courses in the Humanities and Social Sciences should preferably be taught in Filipino.

The above DECS and CHED policies on Bilingual Education aim at teaching English in all levels of school to produce highly literate and skilled workers without obstructing the growth and development of a common national language.

Today these policies has succeeded not only in generating widespread use of English as the medium of communication in government and business, but also in maintaining Filipino as the medium of communication among citizens speaking different languages.

References:

De leon, Hector, Textbook on the Philippine Constitution, Quezon City, Philippines: Rex

Printing Company, 2002.

Espiritu, Clemencia. Language Policies in the Philippines. Downloaded from

<http://www.scribd.com/doc/7270028/Language-Policies-in-the-Philippines>

Sugbo, Victor N. Language Policy and Local Literature in the Philippines. University of the

Philippines in the Visayas, 2003.

Image taken from :http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/4859945.jpg