Scientia Staff of 2009-2010

Editor-in-Chief: Carlo Castillo Associate Editor: Ralph

Gonzales Managing Editor: Mellissa Alcantara News
Editor: Teresa Salud-Bautista Features Editor: Erica
Fortuno Culture
Editor:
Joey Cuayo
Literary
Editor:
Kennett Dela
Rosa Senior
Photographer: Garrick Bercero Senior Illustrator:
Peach Arines Writers: Jared Asuncion, Eloisa Atienza,
Kai Boydon, Francine Emralino, Kat Esling, Reena
Ferrer, Harianne
Gasmen, Ciara
Lim, Ryan
Madrid, Nelissa
Marcos, Olga
Martinez,
Andrea Ocampo, Marinell Palangao, Marylette Roa, Eirish
Sison, Jann Sy Illustrators: Niall Lanip, Gero Lumain,
Kristine Olisa, Richter Orpilla, Omar Panlilio, Marylette
Roa Layout: Jared Asuncion, Gama Cabria,
Andy Palma, Jessa Pandy, Reynald Reyes

SCIENTIA
The Official Student Publication of the College of Science
Ground Floor, College of Science Library and Administration Building (CSLAB),
Velasquez St., University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City 1101

onlinescientia@gmail.com
http://scientiaonline.multiply.com

SCIENTIA: ISSUE TWO 1

Scientia Issue Two.indd 1 11/11/2009 10:06:20 PM
 EDITORIAL
Feat or Fear?
For the first time in the history of the Philippine democracy, the tive tallying, then to the provincial board of canvassers and ultimately
country will have its first fully-automated national elections on May to the national board of canvassers. The COMELEC could then display
2010. The effort of writing the candidates’ names on the ballot, the use advanced election results in a secure public website in just a matter of
of large tally sheets posted on the blackboard, and the manual canvass- hours.
ing of each vote will nearly be a distant memory.
SAES1800 offers a quick return of election results without compro-
The question is – will this be for the better or for the worse? mising quality and accuracy. No need to lay too much ink on the ballot.
No need to write the names of the candidates one by one in a legible
Passing a stringent evaluation process of the government, the alli- handwriting. No casting of multiple votes for a single candidate on a
ance of Smartmatic (Venezuela) and Total Information Management, single ballot. No overvoting (undervoting is permitted by the machine).
Inc. (Philippines) grabs the poll automation contract for next year’s No need to invest on high quality ballot boxes with high quality pad-
elections from the Commission on Elections (COMELEC). It is the only locks. No need for immense manpower in the monitoring of the elec-
bidder to have passed the evaluation. Aside from the Philippines who tion procedures, canvassing and tallying of votes and the guarantee of
has had an automated election for regional positions in ARMM last a peaceful and orderly precinct. No need for manual transportation of
2008, only the USA, Venezu- One knows what happens before and when the ballot boxes to municipal/city/
ela and Curaçao have used provincial/national election cen-
the machine in their elector-
ballot is inserted into the machine, but what hap- ters.
ate councils. pens inside?
With the likes of these, cheat-
In particular, the Smartmatic Auditable Election System (SAES) 1800 ing could highly be eliminated in the election process. However, it must
machine will be used to read the ballots, to tally the votes and to as- be taken into consideration that SAES1800 is a machine. For one, this
sess the results. Smartmatic presents SAES1800 as a third generation machine is as complex as the human body framework, with all the dif-
ballot scanning device that is 99.99999% accurate and 100% secure. ferent body systems inside it working in synergy for full performance.
Voters only need to fill up ballots by shading circles corresponding to One knows what happens before and when the ballot is inserted into
their candidates of choice. Accomplished forms are inserted to the ma- the machine, but what happens inside? The algorithm behind the ma-
chine’s feeding device and the machine will automatically and quickly chine is only disclosed to a limited number of authorities due to con-
tally votes in a secured database system. After all votes have been caste cerns in security as this may be a target of potential hacking schemes.
the results of the election for that particular precinct could be printed in Of course, what happens after is beyond the knowledge of the voter as
hardcopy immediately. Moreover, the results will also be electronically trust is merely put on to the assigned election officers. Moreover, the
relayed to the municipal or city board of canvassers for further cumula-

2 3
Continued on Page 4

SCIENTIA: ISSUE TWO SCIENTIA: ISSUE TWO

Scientia Issue Two.indd 2-3 11/11/2009 10:06:23 PM
 Dicho|tomy BLAHring
EditoriaL
DICHO|TOMY: UP REgistration
Continued from Page 3... vs COMELEC Registration
Mellissa Alcantara
Carlo Castillo Continued from page 4...
machine is a machine and machines commit
errors too. A single malfunctioning unit in-
side it might cause system failure. Power loss
UP Registration Here comes the actual enrolment process. Freshmen
Imagine just standing in the middle of Sunken Garden
on a sunny day. Murphy’s Law
or fluctuations may affect its performance.
Above all, and this may be one of the limiting
versus and graduating students have the privilege to enroll a
day before the others. If you are lucky enough, you
Again, this was just the first leg of the registration
process. I was supposed to write ways been sembreak all along: a sem full of breaks.
something else – some- We had almost three weeks worth of breaks last se-
factors, machines are very expensive. Prices
range from $3,000 to $7,000 per machine.
COMELEC could breeze through the registration process swim-
mingly. If you are not, like a thousand others, then wel- Upon entering the building where the COMELEC of-
thing not so dramatic, some- mester. Breaks had always been welcomed; breaks
thing a bit superficial. But had always been loved. But with the recent events,
fice was situated, another long line was waiting for
Registration

COMMENTARY
that was before Ondoy came breaks are the enemies of the students. Deadlines
COMMENTARY

Though the SAES1800 does not require high come to the fun that there is in UP registration!
us. Even if we have made it through the sun’s wrath to give us all a wake-up call. have been pushed and clumped together; exams
maintenance, costs will be allocated to pre- alive, we are now in a battle with our digestive sys-
I remember the time when registration was not as Now, don’t worry, I won’t were to be taken everyday; and worst of all, the
requisites such as enforcement of seminars tem. It is already our fifth hour. After more minutes

to train the election officers who will use the
machine and production of several informa-
tion campaigns to educate the public on how
to vote, the automated way.
Moreover, cases of machine-related prob-
lems have been reported in countries that
employ automated voting methods. These
include occurrences of uncounted or reverse
votes, multiple votes, number of votes great-
er than number of voters, and allocation of
votes to wrong candidates. Highly-skilled
computer hackers were also known to have
invaded the network of these machines to ex-
tensively infiltrate the system.
Despite the assurance of the government
that elections next year will be the neatest in
history, nature will always find ways to soil the
perfection. Candidates will inevitably do the
most silent but dirtiest tactic that they could
do to make their million-worth campaign ex-
penditures be paid off.
Next year’s elections will be a phenomenal
feat for the democratic rule in the country,
and will surely be even more phenomenal
once the results are released.
I am a proud graduate of ten CRS easy as today’s. In order to get my Bio 11, I had to wait of extreme patience, alas, the ACTUAL registration write about how it wrecked ominous thought of more sleepless nights loomed.
the country and the lives of
enlistment rounds and a trium- from 9 AM to 4 PM in the room waiting for enough will now start. This went about in just a few min-
people to get inside in order to open additional slots utes: our application number was assigned as well people. We have all been af- These surprise holidays did more harm than good
phant finisher of a ten-century line
as our precincts, the election officer approved our fected, and lives have been for us. Even professors admit that this semester
towards registration for the nation- for the class. Much worse, others have to dance or forms, and our biometrics was taken which includes changed. I think there has was different from usual – it was much, much more
al elections. The feat still lingers in my veins. sing in front of their professors just to have that single our photo, specimen finger prints and signature and been enough talk about it. I’m here to talk about stressful. Examination schedules that were already
class in his Form 5A. Others have an even more crea- personal data. After which, the long wait is rewarded how odd it really is. And not only Ondoy, but also perfect blew up on our faces. Sem-enders became
I have witnessed several faces of the CRS throughout tive prerog style – bato bato pick sessions until only by that thin slip of paper which states you are now the Influenza A(H1N1) outbreak, the death of sem-starters. It really caused so much trouble.
one remains, or maybe a raffle of IDs in which only a finally a registered voter.
my four-year stay in the university. Back when I was former President Cory Aquino, and the demise of
still a freshman, the CRS was in maroon. And since I few among them will be accepted. Years before, there Chivvies, lines, and patience – these two registra- Iglesia ni Cristo’s Ka Erdie Manalo. They all hap- After Ondoy, there’s Pepeng. And after Pepeng,
was a freshman, I only needed to enlist my GEs as my was even a time when students had to stay overnight tion schemes both call for improvement. pened to have occurred in the last six months. And there’s Ramil. After Ramil, there will be a lot more
major subjects were already automatically enlisted. in front of the enlistment rooms just to ensure that during these six months, what did we get? Surprise typhoons on their way to the country. It is really
Prioritization of classes came a semester after. You they would be first in line. All of these troubles are re- The UP registration process has already moved on vacations. fortunate that these storms did not hit the same
have to rank your classes from 1 to N, with a higher warded by that slip of joyous triumph – the UP Form 5. from being manual to electronic. Pre-enlistment is area consecutively. That would have been overkill.
now online. How about COMELEC moving on as well? The government has this holiday economics
chance of getting class 1 compared to class 2. Moreo- What if everything would be computerized – filling
ver, the Grades Viewing module policy, moving holidays which fall into the mid- If you think about it, it seems that Murphy’s Law
up of forms, assignment of precincts, verification of
has been added. Class cards have identity and all you have to do in person is to have dle of the week to Mondays or Fridays in order to is at work here: if something has the tendency to
“It’s all a matter of survival of the fittest my friends. your biometrics taken and your signature and thumb improve the Phil- go wrong, it will defi-
become extinct. For the next se-
Hakuna matata not.” marks affixed? The long lines which take forever will ippine economy. “If something has the tendency to go wrong, it nitely go wrong. Every
mesters we have had the CRS2,
now become a history. Whether it’s work- will definitely go wrong” possible catastrophe
whose prioritization scheme be- ing or not, I have seemed to have occurred
came even more complicated. Ranking still persists, On the other hand, the UP registration hassle is Nevertheless, no matter how hard we try to allevi- no idea. I am not particularly tired of this holiday this year: flashfloods, landslides, deaths, and poli-
and automatic cancellation of conflicting classes was seemingly just at par with that in the COMELEC. ate situations to make registrations trouble-free, dif- economics of the government, but during the first tics. A lot of people are starting to feel uneasy. For
also introduced. Priority status was also given to fresh- ficulties still persist. Perhaps, it just makes the finish semester, I say there’s been one too many of these one, we won’t be seeing the authentic moonwalk
men, graduating students and registration assistants. I only registered just a week before the dead- line more fulfilling, as you have grabbed that Form
5 or Voter’s ID with intense effort. Plus, that would holidays. The Monday classes suffered most, prob- anymore, nor will we be hearing patriotic rap lyr-
You also have to fill up a comprehensive form about line. Hence, when we arrived at the Parañaque City be a good start for the even more arduous semester ably meeting only half of the supposed number of ics any time soon. There will probably be no flower
your personal details, and this form gets longer as the COMELEC office, I mean, blocks away from the of- ahead, or the upcoming unpredictable regime for the classes, their students required to go to school on festival in the coming February, and there will be
semesters go by. fice at exactly 8 AM when office hours begin, over a next years. another day just to fulfill the requirements. no yummy strawberries either. Festivities for the
hundred people are already in front of us. We endured coming Christmas season might be toned down a
It’s all a matter of survival of the fittest my friends. A friend of mine, during the week-long break little, with money spent mostly on reconstruction.
But take note, this was just the first leg of the regis- the scorching heat of the sun for almost 4 hours.
Hakuna matata not. from Ondoy, suddenly proclaimed that it has al- Life, this year, has been one amazing ride.
tration process. CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

Common Ground Stuff and Nonsense

Teresa Salud-Bautista
Ralph Gonzales Rapid Heartbeat Thank the good Lord for Facebook. there was one girl who hadn’t heard anything from

T en minutes earlier, my heart was racing. Lit- Checking one’s grades is one of the most stress-
erally. It was beating at such a fast rate that I ful events in a student’s life. Whether a student has
thought my heart would have left my body had it not been a delinquent, a topnotcher or a regular student
On my part, I really strive hard
to pass all my subjects. It’s all
hard work; I never get out of a
Self-Indulgence I learned about UP Sagip Isko – not that it had the
her dad since the storm hit, and I saw one of my GE
classmates, whose family, I would find out later, had
name then – from one of the million posts calling for lost all three of their cars and had water in their house
been, you know, enclosed. for the semester, viewing his/her grades can actually major subject unscathed. GE
Y ou don’t need me to tell you just how bad On- relief goods and volunteers. And I went there largely up to the chandelier. And there were the people who
evoke the same feelings as the student tries to an- subjects are never a problem because it was the one volunteer effort that I could made UP Sagip Isko happen – all of the volunteers
I am sure you have all experienced this feeling too. swer the questions “Will I pass all my subjects,” “Will I for me; in fact, my grades pull doy was. It will be a long time before any of us
forget how Metro Manila looked like the End Times get to via Ikot jeep. I found my niche sorting clothes did, in a way, but I have to say that I have unabashed
be a CS or a US,” and “Will I maintain my scholarship,” up because of them. As for my on Day 1, and I never looked back from there. It admiration for the people who headed it, organized
Rapid heartbeat, or tachycardia, is a response of among others. majors, these subjects usually had come, complete with the mental image of Cris-
tine Reyes on her roof. wouldn’t be too much of an exaggeration to say that it, made sure it worked until the end.
the body associated with various medical conditions determine my fate. A passing
I only left the Church of the Risen Lord to sleep, and
such as hypertension, arrhythmia, asthma, anemia For five semesters now, this scenario has never grade for every major is enough
I, for one though, didn’t know what it was like while then only when the Ikot jeeps were threatening to I don’t know how pure my own motives were for
and other heart disorders. However, rapid heartbeat changed. Probably, the degree of nervousness reason for me to celebrate. I do
it was going on. The power had gone out by virtue disappear for the night. And the hangover after thestaying on, how much of it was actually wanting to
can also be caused by the following conditions: physi- changes each occasion but it’s all the same. I consider get higher than passing most of
cal exertion, anxiety, emotion, excitement, anger, myself as a regular student. My grades are not stellar; the time and since I do not ex- of the transformer outside my window having had a week without classes was enormous. I found myself help people, and how much was just me not want-
stress and nervousness. in fact, I just hope to pass every subject I take. pect a high grade, I am happy minor explosion, and all that my housemates and I stealing back whenever I had the time, and feeling ing to feel helpless. (There’s a difference, really,
and contented, to say the least. had to go on were text message rumors in the candle- immensely bitter towards obligations (such as class-
there is, and the latter isn’t so much honorable as it
In my case, I think it is because of the last condition. Yes, grades do matter, but, trite as it may sound, dark. The reality and enormity of it all hit home when es) that were keeping me from the CRL. is a strange form of self-help.) Or how much of it was
I am very nervous right now. grades do not consummate the ability and intelli-What others say about me is self-indulgence – me simply not wanting to let go
not that important, that I know for sure. Honestly, “How much of it was actually wanting to help people, and how much was just me not of what I’d gotten myself into, to the exclusion of
You may know this sce- “Yes, grades do matter, but, trite as it may sound, grades do the only reason why I feel nervous every time I check wanting to feel helpless” everything else that needed seeing to (and I mean
nario very well: sitting in not consummate the ability and intelligence of a student.” my grades is because I just don’t want to feel uncer- everything - I am typing this and other articles on
front of the computer, tainty and there’s no other emotion I could feel ex- the electricity – and the news – came back the next the heels of a deadline because I didn’t work on them
clicking on your internet browser, typing “crs2.upd. gence of a student. This is something that all people cept being nervous. day. And it seemed just so unfair and wrong that I was But – and I have to emphasize this – on the grand then). Don’t ask why I didn’t want to let go, though.
edu.ph” in the address bar, logging in your account, should understand. Every time I check my grades, all right and unharmed and just sitting on my arse not scale of things, I was hardly doing anything. There I don’t think I could tell you. It could have been the
wiping the sweat on your forehead, clicking the my nervousness lies on what other people would say Right now, I am typing this article and at the same doing anything when there were so many people who were people who were repeatedly deployed to the feeling that I was part of something bigger than my-
“View Grades (Student)” tab while hands are shaking, about me when they knew what my grades were. Not time, staring at a blank table on another window. My had lost so much. I had a brief, sudden, absolute, stricken areas, sometimes returning to HQ in the self that was so genuine and good. It could have been
heart beating twice or more than its normal rate and really so much about my grades per se, but I’m wor- grades have yet to be posted. Tomorrow I shall expe- uncharacteristic attack of altruism, and I didn’t know space of time between midnight and sunrise that isn’t the free coffee. Whatever. I can only hope that all of
waiting for the page to load while you put your two ried how my grades will change how people will per- rience another rapid heartbeat moment again. what to do. properly tomorrow but certainly isn’t today anymore. my other weeks of self-indulgence will mean as much.
cold palms together to relieve their perspiration. ceive me afterwards. Some of the volunteers were victims themselves:

4 SCIENTIA: ISSUE TWO SCIENTIA: ISSUE TWO 5

Scientia Issue Two.indd 4-5 11/11/2009 10:06:23 PM
 Six Scientists Under DOST Balik-Scientist Program
Continued from page 6...
Philippine National Election Kicks Off in 2010
By Eloisa Atienza The following individuals initially declared their intention to run for Presi-
dent, but eventually withdrew: Jejomar Binay, Mayor of Makati City, who has
paign or partisan political activity is, if it can be expanded to include any activity
that favors the election of a person who has a clear intent to run for public of-
fice,” said Jimenez.
Jimenez, however, said that the COMELEC is not the proper forum for the

T he Department of Science and Technology revived the Balik-Scientist

Program to encourage overseas Filipino scientist to share their exper-
tise back in the country. The program was established in 1975 and re-instigated
genetics expert from the Colorado State University; Dr. Amor Valeriano Ines, a
water engineering expert from Columbia University; and Dr.Victor Pulmano, a
structural engineering expert
expressed his desire to be Estrada’s vice president; Ping Lacson, Senator; Ed
Panlilio, Governor of Pampanga, who gave way to Senator Aquino; and Mike
Velarde, Founder and leader of El Shaddai Movement.
purpose of implementing legislations against early campaigning. This issue, he
said, should be resolved by the Congress.

in 2007 to counteract brain drain, as plenty of scientists search for more lucra- Poll automation contract
tive work abroad. It aims to improve the scientific, agro-industrial and econom- Dr. Chung currently develops a low-cost TB test dubbed “Microscopic Others individuals who are expected to take an active part in the 2010
ic fields of the country and prioritizes Observation Drug Susceptibility assay elections include Ronaldo Puno, Secretary of the Interior and Local Govern- After a long process of bidding, the COMELEC finally awarded the poll au-
the following areas: alternative fuel, or MODS” which can detect the myco- ment, who intends to run for vice president; Manny Pangilinan, Chairman of tomation contract to Smartmatic and Total Information Management (TIM) -
biotechnology, information and com- bacterium tuberculosis and simultane- the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company, a speculated aspirant to the the only bidder to pass the evaluation.
munications technology, pharmaceuti- ously yields drug-resistance. This method vice presidency; and Vice President Noli de Castro who has not yet declared his
cal and environment would be faster and cheaper than the intentions to run for a higher office, but is popularly considered a presidential “Everything is now on line for the 2010 elections. We are all set and there
current test for TB. He is also working on aspirant. Senator Francis Escudero has not yet announced what party he will will be no hindrance for the 2010 polls, let us hope and pray we will have peace-
The revised code includes two a project to determine why some can- be running for, but it is believed that he will seek the vice presidency next year. ful elections then,” COMELEC chairman Jose Melo said.
programs. The long-term program cer cells are not responding to particular
utilizes the expertise of the Filipino chemotherapeutic agents like imatinid Estrada’s participation Melo quoted an en banc resolution that “after due deliberation, the COME-
Scientist and Technologists with dura- and gleevec. He is also a professor in bio-
tion in the country of at least two years chemistry and molecular biology at the Joseph Estrada has declared his intention to join
for a Balik Scientist and three years in University of the Philippines’ College of the 2010 election race as a presidential candidate.
the case of new graduates. They are Medicine. This is consistent with his prior statements that he
entitled to a round-trip airfare ticket would be willing to run for the opposition in the event
with their spouses and two minor de- Dr. Merino conducts lectures on Ma- that they are unable to unite behind a single candi-
pendents, reimbursement of freight trix Factorization, singular value decom- date. Rufus Rodriquez, one of Estrada’s lawyers,
expenses, housing, and grants-in-aid position, polar decomposition, and ap- claims that the former president is within his rights
for approved projects. The short-term plication of matrices to pure and applied to do so because the prohibition banning re-election

NEWS
NEWS

program grants the visiting scientist a
duration of at least one month which can be availed several times. They are
given a free roundtrip economy airfare and a daily subsistence allowance of
US$150 a day.
Six returning scientists will be under the program this year. They are Dr.
Francisco Chung, Jr., an expert in pathology and molecular medicine from Pe-
ter MacCallum Cancer Institute in Melbourne, Australia; Dr. Dennis Merino, a
matrix analyst from John Hopkins University; Dr. Carlito Aleta, a nuclear engi-
neer from Cornell University in New York; Dr. Lyssa Lapitan, a plant molecular
mathematics at the Institute of Math-
ematics, University of the Philippines Diliman.
Dr. Aleta will be a consultant on the reestablishment of a regulatory regime
for nuclear power plant licensing at the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute.
Dr. Lapitan will conduct a series of lectures on the principles of selected ge-
nome. While, Dr. Ines will conduct training for crop yield forecasting techniques
to improve crops and the agro-industry and Dr. Pulmano will train future civil
engineers in infrastructure development.
only applies to the incumbent president. However, Fr.
Joaquin Bernas and Christian Monsod, members of
the constitutional commission that drafted the 1987
Constitution, have stated that the constitution clear-
ly prohibits any successfully elected president from
seeking a second term at any point in time. Romulo
Macalintal, election counsel of President Arroyo, has Fill out your ballot. Review your ballot.
-In each column fill out -Before you place your
clarified that the constitutional ban doesn’t prevent
as many ovals as you ballot into the PCOS,
Estrada from attaining the presidency in the event double-check your votes.
are allowed to. This is
that he were to be elevated from the vice-presidency, different per contest, so
for example. Amidst these and other protests, how-

Philippine National Election

make sure you read the
ever, the COMELEC has thrown out petitions to ban instruction.
the former president from the elections, saying that

Kicks Off in 2010 ultimately it will be the people who will determine his
eligibility for office.
By Nelissa Marcos Early election campaigns

W ith promising platforms and ready-made speeches, politicians who

have intentions of taking office for the next three (for local positions)
or six (for national offices) years, will vie in the national elections, slated to hap-
pen on May 10, 2010. The elections will be administered by the Commission on
Elections (COMELEC) in accordance with Republic Act No. 9369, also known as
the Amended Computerization Act of 2007. It will be the first national computer-
ized election in Philippine history.
The elected president will become the 15th President of the Philippines,
following President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who is ineligible for re-election
due to term restrictions. She is, however, expected to run as a representative to
Congress for Pampanga.
Subsequently, local elections are also to be held in all provinces, cities and
municipalities.
Potential candidates
Lawmakers, senators, cabinet members, and even evangelists have un-
veiled their intention to seek the presidency
or vice-presidency. Other individuals, while
they have not given statements implying
their intent to run for a post, are speculated
to join the race in the election. The roster of
official candidates will be released as soon as
the filing of the certificates of candidacy has
been concluded.
A FEW OF THE HOPEFULS. From the left: Mannvy Villar, Noli de Castro, Mar Roxas, Francis Escudero,
The list of those openly aspiring to the Loren Legarda, Gilbert Teodoro. Photo from http://philippinepolls.com.
presidency is long and varied. Senator Benigno Aquino III announced his inten-
tion to run for president following the death of his mother, former President
Corazon Aquino, this year. Senator Mar Roxas, who was known to have been
eyeing the presidential seat, has given way to Aquino, and will be his running
mate in the coming elections instead of a competitor. Former President Joseph
Estrada will be joining the 2010 race, with the intention of retaking the office
which he was made to resign in 2001. Gilberto Teodoro, Secretary of National
Defense, has been selected by the administration’s Lakas-Kampi-Christian Mus-
lim Democrats (CMD) party to be its standard bearer in 2010. Bayani Fernando,
Chairman of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), despite being
overlooked by Lakas-Kampi-CMD, still intends to push through with his presi-
dential candidacy. Senator Manny Villar also intends to run for president, and
his commercials – considered by many to be overt campaign material – have
been common fixtures on television for the past several months. Other presi-
dential aspirants include John Carlos de los Reyes, Councilor of Olongapo City;
Richard Gordon, Senator; Loren Legarda, Senator; Jamby Madrigal, Senator; Ni-
canor Perlas, Environmentalist; and Eddie Villanueva, Jesus is Lord Movement
founder and evangelist.
Continued on Page 7
COMELEC spokesman James Jimenez said
Cast your vote. Closing.
that this issue of early campaigning will be resolved -Introduce the ballot -At the end of process,
through legislation. the voting machine will
in the PCOS. It doesn’t
matter if you do it upside automatically count
“To prevent premature campaigning, we have to down or bottom first. all the votes cast and
produce thirty copies of
decouple, through legislative means, the concepts of SIMPLER AND EASIER. Smartmatic offers SAES1800, which provides 99.99999% accu- election returns.
campaigning and candidacy; specifically, the concept racy of data and only requires low maintenance. Information from http://smartmatic.com.
of campaigning should be expanded to include acts
of self-promotion by those who manifested through LEC resolves to approve report of Special Bids and Awards Committee confirm-
words and actions their ‘clear interest’ to run for public office,” Jimenez said. ing Total Information Management-Smartmatic as bidder with lowest calcu-
lated bid and award contract to them for the automation of elections on May
There are a number of aspiring politicians who have been appearing in tel- 10, 2010.”
evision commercials, engaging in their early campaigning.
To ensure that the consortium will perform according to the contract terms
“By legal fiction, one is judged of premature campaigning first if you are a and provisions, Smartmatic-TIM consortium must submit to COMELEC a bond
candidate or has filed a certificate of candidacy, and second if you hold cam- in the form of a manager’s check worth at least 5% of the total winning bid.
paigning prior to the set campaign period. With RA [Republic Act] 9369, the fil-
ing of certificate of candidacy is made earlier to consolidate the candidates list Melo noted that aside from Commissioners Lucenito Tagle, Rene Sarmien-
in preparation for poll automation. And secondly, it has a provision that one is to, and Armando Velasco who signed the resolution, Commissioner Nicodemo
considered a candidate only at the start of the campaign period,” said Jimenez. Ferrer who was on business trip, issued a sworn statement that he fully ap-
proved SBAC’s recommendation to award the automation project to Smart-
The campaign period starts 90 days before the elections for national posi- matic-TIM. Even bypassed Commissioners Leonardo Leonida and Elias Yusoph
tions, 45 days for local positions, and 15 days for barangay positions, excluding concurred with the resolution.
the day before and day of polls.
Those who filed certificates of candidacy on or before November 30 will Although a falling out between the Barbados-based Smartmatic and its
only be recognized as candidates at the start of campaign period in February. Philippine partner TIM, Corp. in July threatened the fulfillment of the contract,
issues between the two companies have been resolved, and the automation of
“Election laws have to be amended, we need a clear definition of what cam- the 2010 elections will proceed as planned. Continued on Page 9

6 SCIENTIA: ISSUE TWO SCIENTIA: ISSUE TWO 7

Scientia Issue Two.indd 6-7 11/11/2009 10:06:24 PM
 The Consultations:
Continued from page 6...
Tandem Storms Surge

CS EVENTS
Philippine National Election Kicks Off in 2010

Ondoy, Pepeng Annihilate People, Properties

Students Have Their Say on the Code of
Oversees absentee voting

By Nelissa Marcos and Teresa Salud-Bautista OFW groups in Saudi Arabia appeal to the

I t was a two-chapter tragedy that left millions in distress: on September 26, 2009 rain from the epic storm Ondoy (in-
ternational name: Ketsana) mercilessly flooded the streets of Metro Manila and nearby provinces, killing an estimated
COMELEC to consider extending the Overseas ab-
sentee voting registration until 31 December 2009 Student Conduct
288 people, and damaging about P8.328 billion worth of property, by nine hours of non-stop rainfall, followed on October to give OFWs ample time to register and vote in the
3 by super typhoon, Pepeng (international name: Parma), which assailed Northern Luzon, where authorities reported 317
August 15-28 – KaSCIyahan. MBB
2010 elections. By Teresa Salud-Bautista
cheerleaders in pyramid. Photo taken by

T
dead, and estimated damage to infrastructure and agriculture was placed at P5 billion.
Garrick Bercero. he 2009 draft Code of Student Conduct (CSC) is being proposed as the set of rules that will govern
“As the duration of registration has been short-
Initial Attack matters of student discipline and student organizations in UP Diliman and its satellite campus in
ened from originally 1 year to 7 months by virtue
August 17 – CS Consultation on the 2009 Pampanga. Should it be implemented, it will replace all the current rules, which consist of a number of
In addition to the fatalities of Ondoy were 42 missing and 5 injured, and a total of 797,404 families or 3,899,307 persons of COMELEC en banc resolution, we appeal to our
Draft of the Code of Student Conduct COMELEC Commissioners to reconsider the origi- separate documents.
across the country were affected.
nal duration of 1 year so that our fellow OFWs could
The tropical storm did not spare anyone – the rich and poor, young and old, celebrities and the unknown, from the high- August 31 – National Heroes’ Day register themselves and vote come 2010 elections,” The story of the draft code began in 2006 when Chancellor Sergio Cao commissioned the formation of a
end residential enclaves to the squatters’ shanties of the impoverished, all suffered the wrath of Ondoy. said John Leonard Monterona, Migrante-Middle committee to review the existing rules, a move deemed necessary because of their inefficiency, their inabil-
In an attack that took lives, and destroyed infrastructure and agriculture, the typhoon dumped a total of 455 millimeters
East regional coordinator. ity to address the concerns of the times, and the falling standards of UP honor. No student sits on the review
of rain in Quezon City alone in 24 hours, compared to the 250 millimeters of rain that Hurricane Katrina brought to New committee, in spite of requests for student representation having been passed ever since it was formed.
Orleans in Louisiana in the United States in 2005, according to reports. On the other hand OFW Congress-Riyadh ap- Among the reasons given for this was that the committee was created to represent the University Council
peals COMELEC to extend the registration period (UC), the body that approves guidelines on discipline before they can be implemented, and no student is a
In placing Metro Manila and nearby provinces under a state of calamity, the National Disaster Coordinating Council and until 31 of December this year to give way to those
the Office of Civil Defense said the rains brought by the tropical storm Ondoy caused the “worst flooding in the capital in member of the UC, which is composed of all faculty with a rank of assistant professor and higher. To include
OFWs who now realize that 2010 election is very cru-
more than 20 years” because it brought an equivalent of one month’s rain in Metro Manila in less than five hours. a non-member of the UC in the drafting committee has been described as an “abuse of discretion” on the
cial for the nation’s democratic processes.
part of the Chancellor, should he happen to make that decision.
Ondoy surpassed the previous Philippine record of 334 millimeters recorded during a 24-hour period in June 1967 ty-
phoon Dading, according to chief government weather forecaster Nathaniel Cruz.
September 17 – Final Consultation on the CSC
with the students. Vice Chancellor for Student Af- Despite exclusion from the drafting committee, however, students are not being left out of the drafting

NEWS
NEWS

Pepeng Strikes fairs discussing the new CSC. Photo taken by Gar- process – their participation took place in the form of consultations held in the different colleges from July
rick Bercero. to September of this year.
As search and recovery operations continued for victims of typhoon Pepeng, it was found that 101 were injured, 43 were
still missing and 53,313 persons, 11,020 families in 122 barangays were affected from the weeklong rains brought by the
weather disturbance in the province. September 26 – Ondoy hits Metro Manila. Ci- The College of Science speaks up
vilians swimming through the flood brought
The Philippine Disaster Coordinating Council noted that 40 landslides have decimated communities across the western by Ondoy. Photo taken from http://www.pinoy-
half of the rugged Cordillera mountain range and damaged P38,067,296 worth of rice, corn and high-value commercial
The College of Science consultation was held on the 21st of August in the CS Auditorium. The attendees
vote.info/. included representatives of 11 of the 20 recognized student organizations of the college, as well as members
crops, while reported infrastructure damages reached a total of P100M including provincial and national roads, and flood WAITING TO CHANGE THE WORLD. Would-be voters wait
controls in the different towns.
in line during Botong Peyups to register for next year’s of the College of Science Student Council (CSSC) and the University Student Council (USC).
elections. Photo from the Botong Peyups Facebook account.
At the height of the typhoon, authorities evacuated 1063 families in Tabuk, Rizal and Pinukpuk to different evacuation Continued on Page 11
centers to pre-empt further fatalities.
BOARD TOPNOTCHERS:

What NIGS Has Been Up To

The government offered to return families in Metro Manila and nearby provinces hit by Ondoy to their provinces, or
1. EMMANUELLE L.VILLAFLOR,
University of the Philippines-DILIMAN - 83.50%
to relocate them to Sta. Rosa City and Calamba City in Laguna, where houses were being built for the typhoon victims.
2. RICARDO III E. ESCANLAR,
University Of The Philippines- DILIMAN - 83.00%
The death toll rose from leptospirosis and reached 89 when cases of the flood-borne disease in Metro Manila and flood-
ed provinces rose tenfold in the past three days, which brought to 8.6 percent the fatality rate from last year’s 7.5 percent.
3. JERALI D. RODRIGO, By Harianne Gasmen
Adamson University - 82.70%
4. ZAYMON M. CALUCIN, NIGS Colloquium on Ondoy yearly Night of Music on September 11, 2009. Ge-
To facilitate rehabilitation of families affected by the calamity and families at risk in Northern Luzon, the Mines and University of the Philippines- DILIMAN - 82.40% ology alumni, as well as undergraduate and gradu-
Geosciences Bureau (MGB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) were tasked to look for a September 28-October 2 – No classes in UP Diliman; 5. LORAINE R. PASTORIZA,
safer place for the victims.
On October 6, 2009, a week after tropical ate students took center stage to sing, dance, and
students are encouraged to help with the relief op- University of the Philippines- DILIMAN - 80.90% cyclone Ondoy devastated Metro Manila, the Na- play good music.
erations for the victims of Typhoon Ondoy. 6. JUSTIN EDWARD C. VIDAMO,
Various non-government institutions such as Philippine National Red Cross, Sagip-Kapamilya of ABS-CBN and other University of the Philippines- DILIMAN - 80.30% tional Institute of Geological Sciences (NIGS) host-
charity groups also rendered services and donations to the victims of both typhoons. Political figures, some of whom are 7. KATRINA CARLA S. DELOS ANGELES, ed a colloquium with the view of getting a better Earlier on the same day, the talk “A DOG’s
known to have intentions of running in the 2010 elections, were also among those who gave aid to the typhoon victims. Mapua Institute of Technology - 79.90% grasp of the science surrounding the event. Story” – DOG standing for Doctor of Orthoped-
8. ABIGAIL P. ESPALLARDO, ics and Geologist - was given by Dr. Jose Antonio
The Storm in UP University of the Philippines- DILIMAN - 79.70%
JOSE BENIGNO B. LIBAO, “Understanding Tropical Storm Ondoy: A Fo- Socrates. He spoke about his vocation, both as a
An estimated 700 families were affected by Ondoy in communities in and around the UP Diliman campus, from those University of the Philippines- DILIMAN - 79.70% rum on the Meteorology and Hydrology of a Mas- practitioner of medicine and as a geologist. Dr.
whose houses were submerged in flood water to those who were stranded on campus overnight. Both the UP admin- 9. JESSIE JAMES N. LASCONIA, sive Flood Event” sought to answer questions as Socrates, BS Geology ’70 and MD ’74, was given
istration and the student body gave aid in the form of donations and rehabilitation services, with Chancellor Sergio Cao UP Student Volunteers packing relief goods at the Negros Oriental State University (CVPC)-DUM- to why such a tragedy occurred, and how similar the Distinguished Alumni Award for Community
commissioning the formation of Task Force Ondoy, and the University Student Council (USC), in cooperation with the lo-
CRL compound. Photo taken from the USC Multiply. AGUETE - 79.10%
cal college councils including that of the Col- 10. STEPHANIE ANNE E. FROGOSO, events could be predicted, as well as what prepa- Empowerment and Services by the University of
lege of Science, heading the formation of UP University of the Philippines- DILIMAN - 78.80% rations should be made for them. The discussions the Philippines Alumni Association.
Sagip Isko, a non-partisan, non-political October 13 – Last day of classes for the First Semester were led by a panel of experts came from the
volunteer effort. Sagip Isko started op- UP BOARD PASSERS: following institutions: Philippine Atmospheric,
erations on September 28, 2009 and AMORA, Melezra Solarta
continued until the end of the first semester, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Admin-
AZARES, Janice Deluyas istration (PAGASA); the Department of Science UP NIGS Dominates 2009 Geology Licensure Ex-
with goods being distributed first to affected
UP communities, students, faculty, and per- BISCARO, John Ronald Deoso and Technology (DOST); the National Hydraulics amination
sonnel, and eventually extending to other CALUCIN, Zaymon Mendoza Research Center, UP College of Engineering; the
areas severely hit by Ondoy, including Ma- CANTO, Anna Paola Beatrice Chiongson
rikina, Rizal, Novaliches, Pasig, Navotas and
National Institute of Geological Sciences, UP Col- Fifteen out of sixteen (93.75% passing rate)
DELA CRUZ, Michelle Anne Sabigan
Bulacan. In addition to these campus-wide lege of Science; and the Manila Observatory, At- students from UP Diliman passed the 2009 Geolo-
ESCANLAR, Ricardo III Edquila
efforts, various individual student organiza- eneo de Manila University. gy Licensure Examination taken on August 18-20,
tions conducted their own collection of
ESPALLARDO, Abigail Pedro
November 3-6 – Registration for the Second Semester. FROGOSO, Stephanie Anne Enriquez
2009, dominating the topnotch places. UP Cwm
relief goods for the typhoon victims.
Unibersidad ng Pila. Photo taken by Joseph Cheng. JOSHI, Ranee Enriquez Zena’na hosted the yearly Geology Board Review
THE RAGE OF THE STORM. Tropi-
cal cyclone Ondoy creates scenes Note: Ondoy and Pepeng were the first in the se- LIBAO, Jose Benigno Balsicas UPGAA Night of Music and A DOG’s Story prior to the taking of the exam. The Professional
straight out of a disaster movie in ries of typhoons to enter the Philippine area of PASTORIZA, Loraine Rosales Regulatory Board (PRC) declared that 23 out of 38
the streets of Metro Manila. Photo responsibility starting September of this year. After November 10 – First day of classes of the Second ROSARIO, Donna Belle Javier The University of the Philippines Geology examinees passed. The new geologists took their
provided by Nelissa S. Marcos. these two, Quedan, Ramil, Santi and Tino followed Semester Alumni Association, Inc. (UPGAA) sponsored the oath last September 25, 2009.
VIDAMO, Justin Edward Capanzana

8 9
in quick succession.

SCIENTIA: ISSUE TWO SCIENTIA: ISSUE TWO

Scientia Issue Two.indd 8-9 11/11/2009 10:06:26 PM
 A Legacy Painted Yellow
By Francine Emralino
The death of Cory Aquino brought grief upon the country that resonated
throughout the world. The streets of the Philippines were riddled with the yel-
low that represented the former president’s campaign: yellow ribbons were tied
to houses and cars, and even on the trees around the University Oval. The “yellow
fever”, as some had come to refer to it, has returned.
But what meaning does this color really hold for the Filipino people? Why do
people choose to don Cory pins? What does raising our fists with our index fingers
pointed upwards and our thumbs sticking out in the familiar LABAN sign actually
symbolize? Surely not the fight of 22 years ago, the one that we, as a nation, won
and the same one that we have yet to triumph over to this day.
The Woman
NEWS
THE WOMAN. Corazon “Cory” Aquino, the Mother of the Nation.
Maria Corazon “Cory” Sumulong Cojuangco Aquino was born on Janu-
ary 25, 1933 to a politically prominent family that was the richest rice and
sugar empire in the province of Tarlac. She was raised as a devout Catho-
lic and a very good student. The young Cory finished grade school at St.
Scholastica College in Manila as class valedictorian. In 1946 the 13 year old
Cory left with her family for the United States. Cory enrolled at Ravenhill
Academy in Philadelphia, and later in the Notre Dame Convent School in
New York City. She entered the College of Mount St. Vincent in the Bronx,
THE BATTLE. Cory Aquino takes oath as the country’s 11th president finally putting an
graduating in 1953 with a Bachelor of Arts in French and a minor in math-
end to the dreadful Marcos dictatorship.
ematics. In the same year she returned to the Philippines to take up law
at the Far Eastern University, a path she abandoned two years later when
in 1955 she married Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. Cory became the wife of a well-
acclaimed politician.
Ninoy was mayor of his home-town of Concepcion at the age of 22. At 29
he assumed position as the governor of Tarlac, and in 1967 became the young-
est elected Senator at 34. People believed that he might have been the youngest
president as well. He was the leading candidate for the 1973 elections, following
Ferdinand Marcos’ completion of the maximum two terms in the position, but that
ambition was never realized. On September 21, 1972, President Marcos issued
Proclamation 1081, declaring martial law over the entire country in order, it was
reasoned, to suppress increasing civil strife and the threat of communist takeover
following a series of bombings. At the same time Marcos dissolved the constitu-
tion, claiming supreme power and jailing his political opponents, including Aquino.
10
SCIENTIA: ISSUE TWO
Scientia Issue Two.indd 10-11
Continued from page 10... the Marcos regime; they granted $200 million of assistance package because of
A Legacy Painted in Yellow it. She had revived a broken nation, proving wrong even her own husband who
used to say that whoever succeeded Marcos was “doomed to fail” because of the
of performance, replaced with sometimes unqualified people of her own. Her troubles the person would inherit.
great loyalty to the people who stood
by her and her husband through the Negativity to the Cory administration persisted through the
Ninoy was charged with murder, subversion, and illegal possession of firearms.
years was reflected in her cabinet. years. Her support for the US bases in the Philippines bought bad
People criticized her for her unorgan- light to her intentions, whether it was truly for the country that she
During the seven years and seven months that Ninoy was in prison, Cory
ized government and her reluctance fought for it or for some self-serving purpose. It was also hard to think
served as his eyes, ears and voice inh the outside world, acting as his liaison with
to make swift decisive actions. Gradu- of an educated elite woman from a rich background as a person who
what remained of the Philippine opposition, smuggling messages between Ninoy
ally, however, as the year wore on, Cory would be truly concerned for the masses. There are those who believe
and his political allies. During their times together in Ninoy’s cell, as Cory shared
came to portray the role of Chief Ex- that if she truly sympathized with the joblessness and hunger that the
her husband with surveillance cameras, she received lessons on opposition strat-
ecutive and the Commander in Chief. In Marcos regime left at its wake then it would have been easy to let go
egy.
the course of 30 months the housewife of some of the Cojuangco wealth for it. Yet the most extreme of the
transformed herself into a self-confi- controversies was the case of the Mendiola Massacre, where farm-
In 1980 Marcos granted Ninoy’s release from confinement in order to undergo
dent leader, continuing to rise to meet ers from the militant group Kilusang Magbubukid sa Pilipinas (KMP)
heart bypass surgery in the US. After the surgery Aquino’s family settled down
challenges as they came. She tided that barricaded themselves at the Ministry of Agrarian Reform (now
in Boston where they spent what Cory described as the 3 happiest years of their
over six coup d’état attempts headed the Department of Agrarian Reform) for 7 days before marching up to
lives. Cory was able to return to the quiet suburban living she favored while her
by Defence Minister Juan Ponce Enrile, Malacañang palace to seek land reforms from the Aquino administra-
husband resumed his plans to overthrow the Philippine dictator. On the 21st of
the very man who put her into position tion. On January 22, 1987 the rallyists were intercepted by police and
August 1983, against all warnings of imprisonment and death, Ninoy returned to
and surprised people when in late No- military personnel at C.M. Recto Avenue. Gunshots were fired and the
the Philippines. He was fatally shot as he was escorted off of the airplane on his
vember, absolutely sure by then of the encounter ended with 13 civilian casualties.
arrival at Manila International Airport.
military’s support and confident of the
backing from Washington, she fired Nonetheless, the people’s faith and love for Cory cannot be
The Battle
Enrile. Four days later, she concluded quenched. Cory was the 11th President of the Philippines. She was
the first cease-fire in the 17 years of the the first female president of the country. She was the president who
As the nation marched at Ninoy’s funeral, it became obvious that the only
Communist insurgency. She offered symbolized the end of the Marcos dictatorship. To her death she re-
person far enough above the political differences to unite the opposition was the
the Communist rebels “amnesty with THE PRESIDENT. The first female president of the mained the faithful, intelligent pillar in people’s eyes. Despite the
widow of the fearless opposition leader. Cory herself admitted that she was not
honor,” bringing truth to her own words country stands beside the photograph of her hus- doubt and antagonism of some, just the overwhelming throng of peo-
NEWS
made for politics, but the people could only see her to bear the torch that her
when she spoke to the US congress: “As band, the late Ninoy Aquino. ple marching alongside her coffin at her funeral procession is enough
husband had left burning. Finally, in October 1985 Cory conceded that she would
I came to power peacefully, so shall I of a statement to the great emotion she stirred. For those of us who
stand for the presidency provided that Marcos called a snap election and that 1
keep it. That is my contract with my people and my commitment to God.” With did not live through those times, or were not of age to remember them, we may
million people petitioned her. The very next month Marcos stunned even his ad-
the same historic speech she entreated the US House of Representatives to give never understand the great impact that her very existence bore. For those who do
visers by announcing a snap election. One month later, Cory was presented with
aid to the Philippines that was impoverished and buried by debt incurred during understand it, it’s as if a part of them had died with the beloved Tita Cory.
more than a million signatures. The rest became what has become history familiar
to every Filipino. A woman clad in yellow stood up against the dictator. The nation
followed suit. Chanting Cory’s name, the citizens rallied to the streets, facing up
Continued from page 10... one actually ended with chants of “Junk the Code.”
CODE OF CONDUCT UPDATE
against Marcos’ armed military men in the most peaceful revolution the world had
ever seen. On the 25th of February Cory was declared president and Marcos left What happens next
During this consultation, several revisions to the draft code were unveiled:
Malacañang and escaped to Hawaii.
recognized organizations should have 20 members including officers instead of A second draft of the Code of Student Conduct was released to the USC and
0.5% of the eligible population; the one year residency necessary before a stu- to the local student councils in October, no copy of which was made available on-
dent can join an org was reduced to one semester; and the terms “recognized” line. This new document consists of each page of the first draft accompanied by
and “university-based” pertaining to student organizations were replaced with the comments and suggestions received by the drafting committee in the course
“registered’ for more clarity. The difference between college and university rules of the consultations, along with revisions made to the contents of the first draft.
was addressed, as were the operalization of some terms found to be vague (e.g. The CSSC submitted its comments on the second draft in the last week of Octo-
“breach of peace”), and the consideration of using students as resource persons ber: in general, the document is still seen as having vague provisions, and it is rec-
in disciplinary hearings. Points raised by the students included the demand for ommended that better policing be instituted instead of imposing more stringent
student representation in the drafting committee (it came out that there is no rules. It is also asked that all studies conducted that justify the creation of the CSC
specific provision in the UP Charter that says a student cannot help write up new be presented to the students.
guidelines on discipline), as well as the primarily academic nature of most CS
organizations, which, members of the orgs described as having helped in their Following the review of the draft CSC by the drafting committee, the docu-
adjustment to the UP environment instead of being detrimental to a member’s ment will be presented to the UC’s Committee on Student Organization, Activities
performance in school. and Welfare, UP’s Executive Committee, the entire University Council, and finally
the Board of Regents (BOR) for approval. Should the 2009 draft CSC be approved
The final consultation by the BOR, it will be take effect 15 days after its being posted on the UP Diliman
website.
On September 17, 2009 the last of the series of consultations was held at
the National Engineering Center, with representatives of student organiza-
tions, alliances, and student councils filling the building’s AVR. Dr. Elizabeth
Enriquez, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and member of the drafting
committee, shared that they were already going over the draft code in the
light of the input from consultations with the faculty and both graduate and
undergraduate students, with revisions being made as deemed necessary.
The issue of student representation was repeatedly raised by the attendees,
The President
as were the concerns and stands of the individual organizations and alliances
concerning the draft code.
In some ways Cory was not suitable to have been president, especially at such
trying times. Yet at the same time, she was the only person for it. She became the
Some students have purportedly expressed their appreciation for the job
rally point of a people who saw her as a ray of hope. Surely God would grant the
the drafting committee is doing. The opinion more strongly voiced by the
martyr’s widow justice for her loss and victory to the cause for which her husband
UP student body, however, is that of disapproval. Throughout the consulta-
lost his life. Cory became the “Mother of the Nation,” the symbol of the Filipino
tions, and even prior to them, demands were made for the scrapping of the
struggle for democracy.
2009 draft CSC, on the basis of both
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. Or demands and reprimands. There were
the manner of its conception and its
Of course Cory had shortcomings. An inexperienced politician, she summarily plenty of all of those during the student consultations regarding the 2009
content. This made for some tension
dissolved parliament and had all the country’s governors and mayors, regardless draft CSC. Photo taken by Mia de Villa.
during the consultations. The last
11
Continued on Page 11
SCIENTIA: ISSUE TWO
11/11/2009 10:06:27 PM
 Meandering Mind
In or Out of Touch?
By Erica Fortuno
W e belong to the so-called “internet
generation.” Small wonder, really.
Most of us spend at least three hours
online every day. Each of us has at least
one blogging account. Everyone is in
Facebook. Even our daily conversations
sound like we’re always online, what with
the “LOL”s, “IDK”s, and “ZOMG”s. Some
of us even lead secret online lives.
The internet attracts us for so many reasons. For one, it allows
us to interact with just about everybody. If we’re into anime or movies
or series or dramas, we can find online friends who will *squee* with
us, gush with us and rant with us. We don’t even have to bother our
“real-life” friends to get into the same things that we are into because
whatever we’re interested in, we’ll certainly find someone online to
share it with. The internet is also fast and efficient. If we need to set
meetings, we don’t really have to consider who will have to go home
to do this lab report or study this or that just so we can set the meeting.
We can just tell everyone to be online at the same time to hold an online
conference. The idea is practical and agreeable since no one has to go to
school and everyone can do other things while in an online conference.
After all, getting disconnected
from the net can’t be worse than
getting disconnected with our real-
life loved ones.
Indeed, the internet has allowed all of us to get in touch – in touch
with relatives, old friends, new friends, classmates, colleagues, girlfriend,
boyfriend, best friend, etc. But some say that the internet did a puzzling
thing to us: we are all in and at the same time out of touch.
This is undeniably true. Although we have hundreds of contacts or
friends in our social networking accounts and blogs, how many of them
have we actually seen? Some of them are faceless friends whom we only
know by username. Some of them we only “friended” because they added
us first. In retrospect, it feels strange knowing that we share every little
detail of our lives with people whose real names we don’t even know. True,
they are great friends. They are sympathetic and amazing and fun, but
they won’t be there when it truly counts. Perhaps they would like to, but
they can’t fly and won’t fly from other parts of the world to help us when
we are truly distressed.
And then there’s the issue of us spending too much time online
that we no longer have time for our “real-life relationships,” that although
we are in touch with the rest of the world, we are out of touch with people
nearby. There are times when our real-life friends don’t even know about
our online lives; they don’t know the things we like, they don’t know that
we write fiction, that we are crazy fans – simply put, they no longer know
us. Also, sometimes we just totally ignore the people around us because
we like our online friends better; they seem to be nicer, friendlier, more
understanding, unlike people in real life that we seem to forget that we
only know their online selves, not their real selves. In the worst cases,
sometimes real-life relationships are torn apart because of our online
lives; I have an online friend who broke up with her boyfriend when he
discovered her online journal, which I don’t think her real-life friends are
aware of.
Yes. The internet is a fast, easy, efficient way to get in touch.
Nowadays, it is a necessity. But we should remember that we can’t lead
fulltime online lives. We should keep our online lives healthy for our real-
lives to be healthy. After all, getting disconnected from the net can’t be
worse than getting disconnected with our real-life loved ones.
Possibilities for Reston ebolavirus
needles, direct contact with the infected, by burying relatives
who died of Ebola and eating monkeys that were infected with
Ebola. Since then, EHF has had sporadic outbreaks in Africa. While the Reston species of Ebola is thus far the least
Despite years of search, the natural reservoir of Ebola is yet to harmful to humans, there still exists the possibility that it can
be discovered; fruit-eating bats, however, are the number one mutate into something lethal and perhaps worse than the
candidates as several species of bats have been found to harbor
other species of Ebola. Studies show that all species of Ebola
the virus but did not show any signs of disease.
are undergoing little mutations, which is unsurprising as the
filoviruses are RNA viruses, implying that they have less stable
Infection with Ebola occurs anywhere within 2 to 21 days
of transmission by contact with infected bodily fluids. Initially, EHF genetic makeup than DNA viruses. In the short span of time that
appears like flu; an infected individual experiences fever, headache, the two pig farms in Bulacan and Pangasinan have been tested,
sore throat, weakness and muscle pain. In some cases, these early four strains of Ebola Reston have already been isolated and
symptoms are accompanied with red eyes and skin rashes, which they are significantly different from the strains isolated from the
are indications of small hemorrhages beneath the skin. As the Ferlite Farm monkeys showing that the virus is ever-changing.
infection progresses, the patient suffers diarrhea, vomiting and
stomach pains. In severe cases, patients suffer rupture of blood
vessels, organ failure, internal and external bleeding, which all
contribute to the liquefaction that is often associated with Ebola in
works of fiction and nonfiction alike. This massive bleeding is often
the cause of death of Ebola victims.
So far, there is no known cure for EHF. Patients are treated
by managing the symptoms they exhibit and reducing the shock
that the bleeding can cause to the body. Several vaccine-making
mechanisms are being studied at the moment but are yet to be
tested in humans.
Ebola in the Philippines
There are five known species of Ebolavirus: Zaire
ebolavirus, Sudan ebolavirus, Ivory Coast ebolavirus, the
tentatively named Bundibugyo ebolavirus and Reston ebolavirus. THE Reston ebolavirus. Like the other Ebola species, the Reston
Of these, the Zaire strain is the deadliest conferring up to 90% Ebola virus takes on a thread-like appearance.
mortality in some outbreaks. All these but the Reston species of
Ebola have proven to be deadly to humans; Ebola Reston only
causes clinical symptoms in infected nonhuman primates such as Scientists fear that the transmission of the virus from
one species to another (as in pig to human transmission) may

FEATURES
macaques and chimpanzees while humans infected with it do not
FEATURES

Tacked show any symptoms of EHF. Notably, all species but Reston are
endemic to Africa while Reston ebolavirus is believed to be from
accelerate the mutations and evolution of the virus. The present
circulation of the virus in pigs further prolongs and, in turn,

Ebola the Philippines. increases the chances of genetic change. Signs that the virus
can undergo respiratory transmission also worsen these fears as
By Erica Fortuno Ebola Reston was discovered in 1989 when crab-eating this could potentially result in a deadly, airborne strain of Reston

N
ear the end of 2008, pork cuts were generally avoided
by a scared public. Rumors circulated that one could
contract a deadly disease by eating pork. This was, of
course, false; at least, humans couldn’t get the pathogen, a
virus, by eating pork meat. It was true, though, that some of
the pigs in the Philippines harbored a virus that was considered
deadly to some primates. Curiously, the pigs didn’t show any
signs of sickness. Even more curiously, the virus had never been
detected in pigs until then. The pathogen that perplexed the
scientific community was Ebola.
Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever
Ebola, named after the Ebola River and technically known
as Ebolavirus, is a member of the Filoviridae family, a family of
threadlike viruses. It is the cause of Ebola hemorrhagic fever
(EHF), with a 90% fatality in humans and up to 100% fatality in
nonhuman primates, making it the “real-life Andromeda Strain.”
Only one other virus, the Marburg virus, is in the same family
as Ebola and it results in a likewise deadly Marburg hemorrhagic
fever. The first recognized cases of the EHF were from near-
simultaneous outbreaks in Zaire (now Democratic Republic of
Congo) and Sudan in 1976 and were spread through reuse of
THE FACE OF EBOLA. This is an image of Ebola Zaire under the
scanning electron microscope. It looks like a bunch of threads,
doesn’t it? Or does it look like spaghetti?
macaques died of what was suspected to be Simian hemorrhagic
fever in a Primate Quarantine unit of Hazleton Research Products
(now Covance) in Reston, Virginia. Investigations showed that the
macaques were imported from Ferlite Farms, a monkey breeding
and export facility in Calamba, though the monkeys came
from Mindanao. In January 1990, monkeys from Ferlite Farms
imported by Hazleton Research Products in Alice, Texas also died
of the Reston species of Ebola that was coinfecting with Simian
hemorrhagic fever. Further, vin 1996, more macaques from Ferlite
Farms exported to Houston, Texas died and tested positive for this
species of Ebola. In all events, the shipment monkeys were killed
and the virus was successfully eradicated.
Recently, from mid-2008 to early 2009, pigs in farms in
Bulacan and Pangasinan tested positive for Ebola Reston. All pigs
– infected and not infected with Ebola – were sacrificed to prevent
spread of the virus. In January 2009, 5 individuals were tested
positive with the Reston species of Ebola; though none of them
showed any signs of illness, their infection with the Reston species
shows that the virus can be transmitted from pigs to humans.
ebolavirus.
Should this happen and a human outbreak of the disease
finally erupts in the Philippines, a potential disaster may occur
as the country has neither the facilities nor the technology
appropriate in handling a deadly agent such as Ebola. Knowing
this, the Philippine government announced that the Department
of Health and the Department of Agriculture are tasked to
limit the risks of the Ebola Reston virus to animal and human
health. The Centers of Disease Control and the World Health
Organization also promised to give aid where needed.
The rest of us, on the other hand, are encouraged to
remain vigilant and to hope that Ebola Reston does not decide
to pounce on us humans.
All monsters and beasts have their benign moments.
– Dr. Karl Johnson, one of the discoverers of Ebola

12 SCIENTIA: ISSUE TWO SCIENTIA: ISSUE TWO 13

Scientia Issue Two.indd 12-13 11/11/2009 10:06:27 PM
 Zooming In
CASAA Ninjas
By Jared Asuncion, Photos by Joseph Cheng
S a wakas, tapos na ‘yung pamatay na long test
sa kung anumang subject na naimbento para
mampuyat ng mga estudyante. Tapos na ang hirap.
Naisipan n’yo namang lumabas. Burger King?
Sbarro? Mcdo? Pagkatapos ng halos kalahating oras
ng pagtatalo kung saan (oo, pati ‘yun pinag-iisipan
din ng mga CS students), gutom na ang lahat. Kaya
wala nang arte-arte. Food court na lang. Pagpasok
n’yo ng mall, naghanap kayo ng mauupuan. Pero
ang mga mesang malinis ay parang limit ng 1/x
as x approaches 0*, kaya umupo na lang kayo sa
pinakamadaling linisin sabay tawag ng tagalinis.
Habang hinihintay niyo ang tagalinis, bigla mo
na lang naisip: bakit nga ba hindi na ako sanay sa
ganitong klaseng hintayan?
Isa lang ang sagot diyan. CASAA ninjas.
Nasanay ka na sa araw-araw mong papasok sa
CASAA at makakakita ka agad ng bakanteng lamesa.
Hindi lang bakante, malinis pa. Siyempre, bilang CS
student, napaisip ka (analytical thinking lang yan),
bakit nga ba laging may bakanteng upuan sa CASAA?
‘Wag ka nang mag-aksaya ng oras sa pagformulate
ng theory tungkol diyan, kasi ininterview na ng
Scientia ang isa sa mga kabilib-bilib na mga ninjas
na ito.
Nakausap namin ang isa sa mga ninjas
na ito – si Kuya Emil (or at least ‘yun ‘yung ninja
name niya). Noong 1986 pa raw siya nagsimulang
magtrabaho sa CASAA. Marami na pala siyang
training. Kaya pala hindi ko siya nakikita ‘pag may
pasok, masyado nang mabilis. High-ranking ninja na
si Kuya.
Una naming tinanong kung ano ang
dinaraanang sistema ng ating mga plato’t kobyertos
sa CASAA. Ayon kay Kuya Emil, pagkatapos
pagkainan, nilalagay nila iyon sa kanilang push cart
na strategically na nakalagay sa gitna ng CASAA –
FEATURES
para talagang sulit ang lakad na gagawin nila. ‘Pag
puno na ito, dadalhin ito sa kusina kung saan lilinisin
at pwede na muling pagkainan.
Tinatanong namin kung bakit sobrang
bilis nilang magligpit. “Siyempre, kasi maraming
customer,” sagot ni Kuya Emil. Tama nga naman.
Kapag mas maraming kakain, kailangan mas mabilis
Rocking the House
By Erica Fortuno
E rupting like volcanoes, shaking the ground like earthquakes, the National
Institute of Geological Sciences (NIGS) conquered KaSCIyahan 2009 with
their indomitable spirit. NIGS was feared by all the other institutes in most if not all
events. They had the big, athletic players. They had long days of training and practice.
They had the fiercest hunger to win.
DRIBBLING FOR THE GOLD.
NIGS in possession in the
finals of men’s basketball
against IM. Photo taken by
Miji Dy.
14 SCIENTIA: ISSUE TWO
Scientia Issue Two.indd 14-15
Kuhang kuha ng ating spy
camera ang mala-lightning
speed na bilis ng mga kamay
nitong isang CASAA ninja.
Ang layout ng mga mesa at ang push cart ng
CASAA ninjas.
ang pag-ikot ng plato. “Konti lang naman kami rito,”
dagdag pa niya. ‘Di tulad sa mall na marami silang
nakadestino sa isang napakalaking area, ang mga
katulad ni Kuya Emil ay kailangang alerto sa mga
grupong tapos nang kumain para may mapagkainan
pa ‘yung mga susunod na papasok.
Huli naming tinanong kung may mga
engkwentro siya dati na premature – premature na
pagligpit. Alam mo ‘yan. Yung tipong binaba mo lang
ang kutsara’t tinidor tapos – fwing! Ayun, wala na.
Ang “push cart” na nakata- Natawa si Kuya, at siyempre, sinabi niyang merong
laga sa isang strategic na lugar kaunti. Hindi na masyadong nagbigay ng detalye
si Kuya, ayaw na niyang balikan ang nakaraan.
upang mapabilis kanilang tra- Ang sinabi niya, siyempre, may ilang nagreklamo
baho.
pero wala namang nagalit nang todo kasi sa mga
ganoong aksidente, humihingi agad ng pasensya
silang mga tagalinis. Ika nga ni Kuya Emil, “nadadaan
lang naman sa mabuting usapan ang mga ganiyan”.
Kung anu-ano man ang mga tactics nitong
mga CASAA ninjas na ito ay marahil hindi na natin
malalaman kahit sa interview na ito. Sabihin na
lamang natin isa itong – TOP SECRET.
*it does not exist (pasalamat ka’t odd number ‘yang
tanong na ‘yan)
CASAA ninja in action. Mukhang may special mission na naman itong si Kuya.
KaSCIyahan
PULL PULL PULL! NIGS give everything in tug-o-war no wonder they
got the gold. The carnage wasn’t very pretty. Photo taken by Miji Dy.
All the hard days paid off. After years of trying to grab the gold, they finally
did it! NIGS wins the KaSCIyahan 2009 gold.
Wa z z u p , C S ?
cardiac arrest
ff on the catwalk
The CS Student Council prepares the venue (White Avenue in Tomas of Science strut their stu
Morato) before the night’s festivities. Photo taken by Miji Dy. ts fro m the var iou s institutes of the College and Hung and makeup by The Face Shop.
Studen featuring clothes by Fol
ded
during a fashion show
Photo tak en by Mij i Dy.
st.
at Cardiac Arre
e Re d fo r Lif e Dolls being solde dolls will benefit
Th the sale of thes
FEATURES
and
Proceeds from Campaign of Folded and Hung ken by
th e Re d fo r Life os s. Ph oto ta
National Red Cr
The Philippine
M iji Dy.
Drinks anyone
Girls help prep the boys for the pinning ? Photo taken
by Cherry Orte
game. Photo taken by Miji Dy. ga.
Sweet Victory
KaSCIyahan
By Ciara Lim and Erica Fortuno Bram: It’s just not 5 years. It’s probably at least 8 years from what I’ve heard. The
difference was the chemistry and a better defensive scheme. There’s also an
Tandhehave
National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (NIMBB) students
long proven that despite their heavy academic load, they can compete
element of luck because NIP just lost their best player who may have graduated.
Fortunately, we finally had a first five that could defend and shoot. Sadly, the
dominate in sports. In fact, the insti has been constantly in the top three of
KaSCIyahan over the past few years. But there is one thorn in this rose: the NIMBB
Men’s Basketball Team has not won a single game in at least five years. In this year’s
dynamics are not that well developed yet. I often carry the offensive scoring load
when people can’t shoot. It’s really hard because despite having a good starting
five, we have a really short bench so people tire easily. That’s the reason we lost
KaSCIyahan, however, they managed to break that losing streak by winning against the other games after this one.
NIP and landing themselves into the semi-finals for the first time in KaSCIyahan Jerwyn: Well, I guess we just wanted it so badly this year. Comparing this year’s team
history. to the team 3 years ago, this one has overwhelming chemistry amongst the
Scientia asked what two of the members of the team, Bram Cruz (team captain) players. Each member’s role was clear to them, and they manned their positions
and Jerwyn Yao (point guard) had to say about their success. very well.
Scientia: We understand that this is the first time NIMBB got into the semi-finals. Scientia: What do you think should the team improve on?
How did you feel about this? Bram: We just need more players who know how to play. It doesn’t even matter whether
Bram: It felt like dying and going to heaven. Haha. After 8 years, at the very least, of they’re tall or not. It’s a bit sad that there seems to be a few men from NIMBB
having bad luck, it’s really nice to finally win one. I’m graduating already so it’s nice who know how to play basketball properly despite the sport being almost the
to graduate knowing we finally won one game. national sport.
Jerwyn: Like we won the championship. Hahaha. Sobrang saya talaga. We were Jerwyn: To the next batch, kung mamimili kayo between exams and the games, kung
jumping around, screaming our hearts out. Ang hirap i-describe ng feeling. on the same day yung dalawa, piliin niyo basketball! Haha joke lang. The next
batch should have a lot of practice games with each other. That builds chemistry
Scientia: What do you think this victory signifies for your team and the institute you kasi, and good chemistry is for me the most important aspect of any team in any
represent? sport.
Bram: Well, minsan malakas ang tsamba.
Jerwyn: Na ang mga taga-MBB ay hindi lang aral ang ginagawa palagi. And that we Scientia: Do you want to leave a message for our readers?
always strive to become better in whatever we do. Bram: To all the tall, smart, and athletic students out there who know how to play
basketball, please shift in to MBB. We will accept you with open arms. Hahaha.
Scientia: What did you think led you to this success? Isn’t this the first time in a long Jerwyn: Just keep on trying and never lose sight of your goal.
time (five years) that NIMBB won a game?
SCIENTIA: ISSUE TWO 15
11/11/2009 10:06:36 PM
 KaSCIyahan
Doing it Again
By Ralph Gonzales
Thashey may seem to be roses outside the court, but they have proven that they
are fierce like thorns when playing basketball. The IC Women’s Basketball Team
proven once again that they are the hardcourt champions as they bagged the
fourth championship in a row in this year’s KaSCIyahan.
People both from the Institute of Chemistry or otherwise initially thought
the IC Women’s Basketball Team would suffer a great loss after the graduation of
its power triumvirate, composed of Celine Santiago, Dyan Hatague and Lara Sotto,
which led the team to championship for the previous three years. However, the
team, now under the leadership of Jasmine Rosales, a BS Chemistry senior, proved
the skeptics wrong after being proclaimed the champions this year.
To give us a background about the team and their feelings in this year’s
KaSCIyahan, Scientia interviewed the team captain herself, Jasmine Rosales.
Scientia: What did you feel after winning the fourth championship in a
row? Nag-celebrate ba kayo? O nakaramdam pa ng pressure?
Jasmine: Sobrang saya! At nabitin kasi gusto ko pa maglaro. I’m so proud
of my teammates kasi ang gagaling nila lahat maglaro at masaya ako na bago
man lang ako maka-graduate sa UP eh naka-experience ako ng isang napaka-
challenging na championship!
Scientia: Seryosong tanong, sa tingin niyo ba matatalo kayo?
Jasmine: No! *laughs* Naka-set na kasi sa mind ko, actually namin, na
magcha-champion ang Chem kahit anong mangyari at malaki ang tiwala ko sa
team namin. Nung nalaman ko ‘yung mga ka-bracket ng Chem sa basketball
[Physics at MBB], kinabahan na ako nang sobra kasi sa simula pa lang mukhang
mahihirapan na kami dahil magagaling mga players ng mga insti na ito. Saka,
3-on-3 na lang ang game unlike last year na 5-on-5. Para sa akin, mas tight ang
defense pag 3-on-3 kasi konti lang yung area na nako-cover. Pero never ko inisip
na matatalo kami. Sobrang napi-pressure din ako kasi iniwan sa akin nina Ate
Celine, Ate Dyan at Ate Lara ang team.
Waking Lions
By Marinell Palangao and Erica Fortuno
P articipation of the National Institute of Physics (NIP) in KaSCIyahan has
grown steadily over the past few years proving to us that NIP students do not
spend their entire time studying. More than that, NIP is proving to be a tougher
competitor in all the events as they took the College by surprise in winning the
gold for Sports Climbing.
FEATURES
Because Scientia wanted to hear from NIP students themselves, we
talked to Gino Leynes, the College of Science Representative to the University
Student Council, and to Charmaine Rose de los Reyes, a second year student and
one of NIP’s participants in the Cheerdance Competition, an event in which NIP
did not compete in KaSCIyahan 2008.
Scientia: We heard that NIP won first in Sports Climbing. Has NIP always been a
tough competitor in the sport?
Charmaine: I really don’t know. This is my first time kasi na sumali sa KaSCIyahan.
Gino: Nope. Yung mga sumali this year are second year students. Medyo bata pa,
at hindi sila sumali last year.
Scientia: We were told that NIP did not join last year’s KaSCIyahan Cheerdance
Competition. But this year you did. How do you feel about your presentation?
Charmaine: This is something remarkable because it took a long time before NIP
joined the Cheerdance Competition again. First, wala kasing organizers at
walang magtuturo. Ngayon lang kasi nagkaroon. Kami ni Aya Cariño ang nagturo
sa kanila. We did okay, and compared with the other presenters, I think we did
well. Even though we lost, we still enjoyed performing our moves!
Scientia: What can you say about NIP’s participation in KaSCIyahan 2009? Has
NIP become more active?
Charmaine: Yes, makikita naman ang pagiging mas aktibo ng NIP ngayong taon na
ito kaysa sa ibang taon. Katulad na lang ng Cheerdance na nakasali na ulit
ngayon ang NIP.
Gino: Medyo halo, eh. For indoor sports, super nag-boost up. We got players for
all indoor sports (volleyball, basketball, table tennis, badminton, cheerdance).
Pero for outdoor sports, nag-dip yung participation.
Football has usually been a strong sport for NIP, but this year we had to default
all games. Frisbee, though NIP has not really performed for this in the past year,
we managed to play it out, but not with the players who really play the sport.
We have decent players sana, like those who played for the only Frisbee game
we won, but they were unavailable for the other games. This would be due to
the fact that the SPP (Samahang Pisika ng Pilipinas, a Physics Congress) deadline
was scheduled, I think, the day of the games, then postponed a week after,
which was the day of the finals of the outdoor sports.
I think over all, NIP came out better this year than last year. But I believe we can
still do better. With a better schedule, I think NIP is a force to be reckoned with
for next year’s KaSCIyahan.
16
SCIENTIA: ISSUE TWO
Scientia Issue Two.indd 16-17
KaSCIyahan
Scientia: How did you cope with the loss of the triumvirate of Dyan
Hatague, Celine Santiago and Lara Sotto?
The Ultimate Scientia: Do you guys have any rituals before a game?
Andy: Well, we do the normal huddling and shouting. That helps us physically and
mentally. One, it gives us adrenaline rush. Two, it boosts our self-confidence and
Jasmine: Pwede pa naman sila maglaro kaso nga lang sobrang busy nila By Mellissa Alcantara
determination to win, knowing that everyone is willing to give all for the sake of
dahil sa board exam, pero buti na lang noong championship ay napilit ko maglaro si the game.
Ate Dyan. *laughs* Pero, kahit hindi sila maglaro, may magagaling na players naman
na pumalit. Mayroon ding mga magagaling na naiwan! Ang lulupet naman talaga ng
mga bago kong teammates kaya mas lalo ako naging kampante na mananalo kami. Fbackyards,
risbee - it’s a game you can play practically everywhere, and people of all ages can
enjoy. A few years ago, Frisbee was a game made familiar by Americans in their
I would like the IB team to have a “ritual” AFTER a game, though – like a victory
dance! That would be awesome!
usually with their pet dogs, shown on TV. But now, Frisbee is a sport with fast,
mud-flinging, high-jumping action. This year, the Institute of Biology (IB) Frisbee team Scientia: Frisbee is a very active game. Were there any funny moments you will
Scientia: What is your main strategy? Or was there a strategy to begin fought their way through the competition and emerged as the over-all champion. never forget?
with? Andy: Lots, especially when it rains or when the field is muddy. It’s so funny to see
Jasmine: Maglaro lang at i-enjoy ang game. Nagpaturo pa ako kay Coach Andy Palma is a member of the IB Frisbee team, a junior, and an avid Frisbee someone slip in the mud.
Reece (Hugo, an IC instructor) kung paano maglaro pero hindi naman naming nagamit enthusiast. Knowing her for quite some time, Andy has been known to be a Frisbee guru
noong game na mismo. Ang nangyari, shoot na lang nang shoot at todo offense at around IB, playing with her orgmates whenever she had the time. Rain or shine, Andy is Scientia: What about frustrating moments?
defense. game for Frisbee. Andy: I get frustrated the most when I miss to catch a good throw which could have been
the winning point and you don’t get to redeem yourself and your team loses
Scientia: Against which institute was your most challenging game this year? During a little chat, Andy shared some of her insights on Frisbee and her because of that. The effort of your team gets wasted. Don’t you just hate being
Jasmine: Nagulat ako this year kasi lahat ng insti may players! Dati apat experiences during the KaSCIyahan competition. Let’s take a look. patalo?
na instis lang yata ang naglalaro. Kaya mas challenging ngayong taon, lalo pa na ang
gagaling ng players. Pero sa lahat ng instis, sa NIGS kami pinakanahirapan! Ang dami Scientia: First question, how would you define “Ultimate Frisbee”? How is it different Scientia: How did you feel when you became the champions? Are you going for
nilang players! Ang lalaki, mabilis at magaling maglaro. Marami rin silang bagong from just “Frisbee?” another win next year?
players kaya wala kong idea kung paano sila maglaro. Andy: As far as I know, “Ultimate” alone refers to the official game itself. “Frisbee” is a Andy: Playing Frisbee with great people like the IB team is already gratifying. Winning
popular brand of a flying disc which eventually became a general term - parang Colgate for this year’s KaSCIyahan is a bonus. I personally felt very proud of the IB team to
Scientia: You will be graduating this year. Who will be carrying the team at toothpaste. But then, I’m not so sure. have gone that far. And yeah, why not? Success, anyway, is earned. That means we
after you? Sa tingin mo ba, masu-sustain nila yung momentum? just have to work hard for it and do our best to win again.
Jasmine: Si Corrina siguro. Syempre naman, magagaling naman mga Scientia: The IB team won this year’s ultimate Frisbee. What do you think is the edge
players ng Chem at baka may freshies na darating tulad ni Isabel na sobrang passionate of the IB team over the others? Scientia: A lot of people are interested in Frisbee, but don’t see it as a sport. Any words
din sa basketball. Pero may pressure rin syempre kasi four-time champion na ang Andy: I think the IB team shares a passion for Frisbee and knows the definition of for them?
Chem. Dapat mapanatili ang korona sa IC! *laughs* teamwork very well. We play a lot and that could have made us familiar with one Andy: I don’t consider Frisbee much of a sport either. When you say sport, you associate
another’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as with our own, so it was easier for us it with competition most of the time so it becomes tiresome. I like to see it more of
Scientia: Will IC be aiming for a 5-peat? to strategize. my stress-reliever. That way, there’s no pressure and I don’t stress myself with my
Jasmine: Oo naman! Hindi lang ‘yun ang aim ng IC, ang aim namin ay mistakes. I could focus more on the “fun” part. The others I know like to see it as
mamaintain ang pagiging champion until the end. *laughs* Pero, at the same time, a sport because the essence of competition is what drives them to work and train
ang goal din namin ay ang mag-enjoy sa paglalaro at maka-meet ng maraming friends
galing sa ibang instis. kasciyahan results hard. Others don’t like Frisbee at all. One time, I overheard from a stranger, “Ayoko
maglaro ng Frisbee. Larong pang-aso ‘yun eh.”
Well, we all have our own lenses on how to view Frisbee. Pero sayang naman, he
Missed the KaSCIyahan awarding? wouldn’t be able to experience playing the coolest dog game ever!
Here’s a tally of the top three teams in each event.
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
Basketball (M) NIGS IM NIP DribblingBy with the Rocks
Basketball (W) IC NIGS IM Olga Martinez
Volleyball IB NIGS NIMBB
Table Tennis NIMBB IB IC T he men’s basketball team of the I-Math found that sometimes, going down
a game would be the best way to save the team.
FEATURES
Swimming NIGS IB IC Karlo Victor Lumbao played three games of basketball for the I-Math
in this year’s KaSCIyahan. During these games, he observed different lines of
Badminton IB NIGS IC attack from the six institutes, including from his home institute.
Football NIMBB NIGS IB Scientia: For the past years, I-Math has been triumphantly grabbing the first
place in men’s basketball. Unfortunately, IM’s men’s basketball team
Ultimate Frisbee IB NIGS IM failed, quoting the cliché, to bring home the bacon this year. What do you
think is the major factor for this year’s setback?
Tug-of-War NIGS IB NIMBB Karlo: Uhm, I think it has something the do with the number of players from
our institute and of course, the new set of players from the other institutes.
NIMBB. The NIMBB Men’s Basketball Team engages in a very Dodgeball NIGS IC IM We were really encouraging the men from Math, especially those who really
light-hearted pre-game talk. Photo taken by Miji Dy. play the basket to support this year’s game, but we ended up with the same
Scavenger Hunt IM IC NIMBB group of people. Good thing, some graduates of the institute were still there
Sports Climbing NIP IM NIGS to support and to play for the team. Also, I have to admit, NIGS has a bunch
of good players this year, so we really had a hard time to pose our moves
Cheerdance NIMBB IC & NIGS (tie) against them. I think they deserved to win the first. Our games with them
were close fights, though.
OVERALL NIGS NIMBB IB
Scientia: I heard that were was one game that you chose to “let go.” Is this
sort of a strategy from the team or something?
Karlo: Well, I wasn’t really part of that stretch. Kuya Chris (a teammate; an
alumnus of IM) told me about that one game. I’m not sure whether it’s a
match against NIGS or NIMBB, but, well, the team opted to surrender the
game to the opposing team. It wasn’t a tactic though, according to him, but
it was more of “admitting the defeat.” The opposing team was of a better
hand of the game and IM already accumulated a fair number of wins at that
time, so they thought that it was okay to let that game lay off. It wasn’t that
bad after all; IM still placed second this year. Anyway, we promise that we’ll
try to recoup the highest place next year.
Scientia: Being a part of the men’s basketball team of IM, you might have
NIP. Can’t argue with a physicist especially when he’s some aspirations of being in a professional basketball team. If you were to
waiting for the cue in KaSCIyahan 2009’s Cheerdance be a part of a local and foreign team, what team would it be and in what
Competition. Photo taken by Garrick Bercero. position would you be?
Karlo: In both teams, I would like to be the point guard. I don’t know, maybe
because I’d be better in that position. Local team? I would say Purefoods.
NBA team? Of course, I would like to be a part of the Lakers. C’mon.
NIGS. NIGS bags the trophy as the overall champion of KaSCIyahan 2009. Photo
17
taken by Garrick Bercero.
SCIENTIA: ISSUE TWO
11/11/2009 10:06:37 PM
 FEATURES
FEATURES

18 SCIENTIA: ISSUE TWO SCIENTIA: ISSUE TWO 19

Scientia Issue Two.indd 18-19 11/11/2009 10:06:38 PM

O ne of my best friends once told me that
he believes that what people do in their
free time and what they do to relieve stress
speak volumes about their character. At first I
was surprised when he told me this, but then I
felt myself agreeing strongly with him. People
like to ask what one does. More specifically,
they ask what one does for a living, what one’s
interests are, professionally, academically, etc.
But I think a far more interesting and telling
question would be about what one does when
given the chance to choose how to spend one’s
time.
As a child, I was given mostly free reign of
what I’d do with my free time. I was rather play-
ful, from what I can recall, and also quite inquis-
itive. I loved to play make-believe. I could be a
princess one moment, a doctor the next, then
later a master chef cooking up masterpieces
made from grass, flowers, rocks and leaves
from my mother’s garden. I played with Bar-
bies, put together puzzles and biked around in
my pink and purple trike. And, of course, I loved
my video games, from Mario to Donkey Kong
to Princess Ariel.
Later, when I grew “too old” for make-
believe and running around, I graduated from
Barbies to Polly Pockets, and instead of playing
make-believe with the neighborhood kids, the
stories of doctors, of princesses and of hero-
ism continued, grew and became even more
intricately woven in my mind, fed and fueled
by each and every book I could get my hands
on. I read anything from the Reader’s Digest to
CULTURE
BANANA PANCAKES
SO, WHAT DO YOU DO FOR FUN?
BY JOEY CUAYO
with one of the saleswomen in the bookstore
we frequented. The salesgirl would call my
mother up whenever there was a sale, knowing
exactly which books I already had and which
ones I didn’t, and my mum would stop by af-
ter work and buy me a small pile, which I would
go through in a matter of hours. I read so much
my mother had to limit my book-buying to one
book a visit. And I played so much, my parents
had to limit the hours I spent with our console.
I like to observe people. More than a handful
of times, I was audience to adults cooing over
their little ones and I have always thought it
a rather funny
thing to watch.
They’d ask the
children what what people do in their free
grade they are
in, what their time and what they do to re-
favorite sub-
jects are, what
their scores and
lieve stress speak volumes
grades are like.
It would climax, about their character
of course, with a
question about
what the little one wanted to become once
they are all grown up. Engineer! Teacher! Doc-
tor! Lawyer! And the parents would beam, so
very proud of their ambitious children.
Of course, not all children grow up to be
what they so excitedly crowed countless of
times to the grownups. And while I think that
the use of the child’s performance and interest
fessional gamer. I think that, more than my
schooling, all those hobbies and all those ac-
tivities I had chosen to do in my free time have
become a great part of what has molded me
into the person I am today. I like to think that
whatever eloquence I have in speech, as well as
the extensiveness of my vocabulary, can be at-
tributed not primarily to what I have learned in
school, but from the thousands of books I have
read since I could proudly sing my ABC’s. As
for video games, I have read that studies have
shown that surgeons who played video games
performed better in the operating room than
those who didn’t, and doctors who played as
well paid more attention to detail than those
who didn’t. And, perhaps, video games have
helped me in problem solving skills as well. We
can’t really say, but it’s rather tickling to think
so.
So. What do you do for fun? What do the
things one does for fun say about a person?
It’s quite fascinating to think about it, to think
BREAKING FREE
JOURNEY TO THE FOURTH DIMENSION
BY KAT ESLING
Ever wanted to run with the dinosaurs, ex- ture. The visuals take center stage, with the like a Star Wars character in seconds.
plore the galaxies on a starship, or simply just movements playing a supporting
want to break away from reality? Well, now role, which makes For a high speed adrenaline rush, the Car
you can, and you don’t even have to leave the it the fa- Race does the trick. Accelerating amongst the
city to do so. X-rider is a 4-D adventure ride futuristic cars and reaching velocities that are
that promises to recreate reality. way over any legal speed limit will
As many know, the 4-D experience is
comprised of images featured in 3-D, cou-
get your blood pumping
and leave you
asking for more.
pled with movable seats and air jets that
create the sensations suppose to be felt However, the
from the movie interactions. Located at general favorite
the ground floor of the recently opened of the attractions
SM Mall of Asia – Kid’s Universe, X-rider
prides itself as being the only 4-D at-
traction designed for malls; combining
is the roller coast-
er. A gravity defy-
ing ride through
the thrill of the ride with convenience. the mountain tops,
The ride is around 4 minutes long and down the cliffs and
costs Php100 per person. Although the into the deep caves
four-seat compact ride was originally of a volcano will have
intended for kids and their parent’s you shaking with de-
looking for some quality time, it de- light. Along the tracks,
livers the fun to all age groups. you’ll find giant taran-
tulas, buzzing insects
Walking by the X-rider stall, you and a drum of dyna-
get drawn in by the stimulating mite or two. Odd as it
sounds coming from the ride and may sound, it is the most
the excited cheers of the people spine-tingling of the four
on it. To add to the growing and recommended for us
anticipation is a screen in the
waiting area which features the
older folk. It has the perfect
balance of visual and physi-
group currently inside. Looking cal sensation that gives you
at their reactions, you a get feel the feeling of being in anoth-
of what is about to come and er world.
an extra laugh at the some
of the antics that people do Because of the compact
in response to the ride. The
movable seats are found in
nature of the X-rider, it lacks
some of the other features we
a separate room behind a have come to expect from a 4-D
sliding door that eliminates ride, such as the water sprits
distractions from outside. but the overall effect is same.
It is a treat to the senses The accessibility, cheap rates and
and a great escape. more mobile seats make up for
the missing feature. The perk of
A hallmark of the X- being able to select the scenario is
rider is the ability to an advantage that makes sure that
choose your own ad- there’s something for everyone,
venture. There are 12 making it a fun activity for wheth-
scenarios to choose from that are er you’re with your friends or your

encyclopedias to children’s fiction and, later, to
teen fiction. The video games remained, im-
proving with every new console, more addict-
ing with each new game.
Out of all my free time larks, whims and pre-
occupations, both my love for video games and
for books were greatest. I would spend hours in
front of the telly, playing level after level, game
after game. My mother even came to be friends
in academics by the “grownups” as the indica-
tor of one’s potential and inclination towards
a particular career is, of course, rational and
reasonable, I also think that it is also of great
importance to take note of what the child loves
to do in his or her play time.
I did not become a writer (although I had
considered it for a while when I was in the 5th
grade) and I definitely did not become a pro-
about how telling our breathers and stress-
relievers can be sharing what things are most
important to us, what we take joy in, what we
value most.
(And, for the record, my love for books and
video games is still strong, to this day, and I
engage in going through both whenever I have
the chance to. Michael Crichton and Chrono
Cross, anyone?)
rotated throughout the year. For this season,
there are four, namely, Jurassic Adventure,
Cosmic Wars, Car Race and Roller Coaster. The
Jurassic adventure takes you back through
time where you get to explore the wild terrain
while interacting with the various dinosaurs.
You get to move with the T-rex and get carried
in the air by the pterodactyl with this adven-
vorite
among younger
children.
If you’re more in to the celestial unknown
then dinosaurs, then you may prefer the Cos-
mic Wars. Battling in spaceships amongst the
stars and dodging lasers will make you feel
CULTURE
whole family. Getting to Mall of Asia
is easy, but if you still think that it’s still
too far away, not to worry. X-rider will
be opening branches in SM Fairview by
the end of November and in SM North
Edsa probably around summer of 2010.
Experiencing the magic of 4-D will soon be
only a jeepney ride away.

CS Students FAVORITE 10 9 7.5

TOP TEN COLOR BLACK PASTELS NEUTRAL WHITE
20 SCIENTIA: ISSUE TWO SCIENTIA: ISSUE TWO 21
Scientia Issue Two.indd 20-21 11/11/2009 10:06:39 PM
 MELTING POT
CULTURE SHOCK
BY JANN SY
W hen I first decided to attend the Uni-
versity of the Philippines, a lot of my
friends and family warned me that I would ex-
perience “culture shock.” Initially, I wondered
why the UP would be so “shocking.” I under-
stand now that they could have meant the worn-
down facilities, fast-paced curriculum, or even
some of the eccentric instructors would be sur-
prising, but why highlight the word “culture?”
Perhaps it was because I had Chinese blood
and there exists a delusion that since I had no
Filipino blood, I would not identify with my
fellow Filipinos. Maybe it was because my race
is identified with the affluence of those like John
Gokongwei, Henry Sy or Lucio Tan that I would
be astonished by how the UP students go about
their routines. So imagine my surprise during
the first few days of school when I waited for
the culture shock that never came.
Sure, I was surprised by how not-so-good the
general chemistry laboratories were and how
heavy the course load was, but I wasn’t surprised
by the UP culture.
Why would I experience culture shock? I’ve
lived in this country my whole life. I’ve been
speaking, reading and writing in Filipino since I
was born. I watch local channels so I understand
not only the latest fads or events in pop culture,
but also the state that the country is in. For all
intents and purposes, I am part of the Filipino
culture, not just because I know what’s going on,
but because I experience and participate in it.
Yet there are those who indirectly oppose, if
not outright forbid, the assimilation of Chinese
culture with the Filipino culture.
Even before the Spanish era, the Filipino and
Chinese people have been living together and un-
til now, we continue to coexist, albeit with some
lingering mutual exclusivity. Although there are
certainly many examples of Filipino and Chi-
nese cultures mixing, especially through blood,
such as famous Chinese Filipinos like Jose Rizal,
St. Lorenzo Ruiz, Corazon Aquino, and the late
Cardinal Jaime Sin, one cannot ignore the fact
that there are Chinese and Filipinos who frown
upon the union of cultures - through marriage
or even just social interaction.
CULTURE
Some of my family have only recently begun
to accept the fact that exclusivity of culture has
become outdated. Before my uncle’s wedding to
his Filipina girlfriend, we’ve never had a mixed
marriage in our family. Now, my generation is
allowed to date non-Chinese girls and guys, al-
though still with a strong preference for Chinese
lineage.
4.5
RED
22 SCIENTIA: ISSUE TWO
Scientia Issue Two.indd 22-23
However, until now, there are still some Chi-
nese families that forbid their progeny from
marrying Filipinos. Why? The reasons range
from stereotypes to cultural differences. Some-
times, the heads of the family are traditionalists
who do not want their practices tainted or for-
gotten, but even worse, there also still remains
some Chinese families that look down on the
Filipinos and their “barbaric” culture, believing
that their culture is more superior and refined.
But let’s examine the desire for these fami-
lies to protect their culture. Is the real reason
for the taboo of mixed marriages that Chinese
families are trying to protect and preserve their
culture? I have a friend whose grandmother cur-
rently lives in the United States and prefers that
her grandchildren marry only either Chinese or
Caucasians and none of the other races. Given
this outlook, I do not think that my friend’s
grandmother has the protection of their family’s
heritage in mind; otherwise, she would limit her
preference to only the Chinese.
On a related note, would a Chinese family
allow the marriage between a Chinese man and
a Filipina woman who knows how to speak Chi-
nese dialects fluently and practices the Chinese
traditions? Or would they allow a Chinese man
and Chinese woman to wed even if the Chinese
woman doesn’t speak Chinese at all and refuses
to practice the traditions? Perhaps not all Chi-
nese families have the preservation of culture in
mind when they prohibit mixed marriages from
taking place. Some families simply discriminate
against other races, especially the Filipino race
in this context.
From first-hand experience, I can testify
that some part of Chinese culture does, in fact,
discriminate against Filipinos. My parents
have this habit of asking whether the
friends I hang out with are Filipino or
Chinese. Although they don’t say any-
thing about my hanging out with Fili-
pino friends outright, it’s easy to read
between the lines. “Hang out with
Chinese friends only, because Filipinos
can be a bad influence.” And although
I somewhat understand their concern,
I cannot help but be appalled by their
bigotry.
On the other hand, there are some
Filipinos who treat Chinese people
differently just because of their ap-
pearance or heritage. Some would ste-
reotype Chinese people as not being
able to speak in Filipino to the point
that they would exclude them from
ORANGE
CURTAIN CALL
conversations or simply avoid them.
Although personally, I haven’t experienced
any discrimination because of my race here in
the Philippines, I do know that it exists. Racism
“THE MUSICAL IS BACK!”
doesn’t exist in a single vicious form; rather, it
thrives as the many tiny comments, suggestive
BY EIRISH SISON
remarks and jokes thrown here and there. I know Curtain Call is a theatre column and
it’s supposed to be about actual live theatre, but
this issue’s theme calls for something different.
In my opinion, we’re too far into the first
decade of the second millennium to be judging It’s a sad fact that not everybody has the time
people based on their appearance, heritage and and budget to see a play or musical live. The
theatre scene in the Philippines isn’t so well-
racial background. Differences aren’t necessarily
evil or negative; in fact, life favors flexibility and funded and supported that usually a show
can’t be kept running for a period of time
variety. As Mahatma Gandhi had once said, “No
culture can live, if it attempts to be exclusive.” long enough for many people to watch it.
Luckily for us, the folks at Hollywood have
And by Chinese families’ fostering marriages to
be made within its own race and segregating the adapted several works from stage to screen.
The movie musical, especially, has been re-
Chinese culture from the Filipino culture, we at-
tempt to be exclusive. gaining popularity as of late, with the suc-
cess of films like “Hairspray” and “Mam-
Recently, our generation has become open to ma Mia!”. Keep things fun and light this
accepting the fact that we were raised in the cul- time of year by sampling musicals that
have gone from The Great White Way to
ture media of both Chinese and Filipino tradi-
tions. Moreover, there exists an emerging trend the silver screen.
to identify as Chinese Filipino with Chinese as
the adjective and Filipino as the noun. Personal-
The Rocky Horror
ly, I do identify with this trend and I understand
that my lineage and heritage is predominantly Picture Show (1975)
If you’re amused by hor-
Chinese, yet I am a Filipino, and a part of this
glorious nation. ror movie clichés, cross-
dressing mad scientists
and toe-tapping dance
Perhaps, it’s about time that we let go of
our stereotypical images of the Filipino people routines, this delight-
fully campy show is just
or the Chinese. In fact, moving forward means
destroying all stereotyped images of any race, for you. It is a dark and
stormy night when a
religion, or even gender identity. However, this
doesn’t mean that we eradicate culture; quite the young couple, Brad
and Janet, are driving
opposite, we must cultivate and impart it to oth-
ers so that bridges of understanding may form home from a friend’s
wedding. Suddenly,
– just how we have learned to accept Japanese,
Korean, American, European cultures. their car stalls, and the closest
place they can go to for help is a creepy old
castle where they meet “the sweet transvestite
And in the end, our testament to the world
from Transylvania” Dr. Frank N. Furter, and
will not be genocide and ethnocentrism, but a
his equally weird servants and houseguests. Dr.
coexistence of many cultures, an ultimate melt-
Furter boasts that he has created for himself the
ing pot, and the absolute culture shock.
perfect man, Rocky Horror. He brings Rocky to
life in a Frankenstein-esque scene, and hilarity
ensues. Tim Curry of Monty Python fame plays
the mad scientist in both the original musical
and the movie, praised as one of the most popu-
lar cult classic films of all time.
Hair (1979)
The original 1960’s
musical shocked au-
diences with its cre-
ativity and utter au-
dacity. A throwback
to the hippies of
the era, Hair was a
flower child’s dream.
Nearly 50 years have
passed since then,
and the show still
retains its charm, so
3 2
DARKCOLORS VIOLET
much so that the 2009 Broad-
way revival even won a Tony.
If you simply don’t have the
time to fly to New York to see
it, watching the movie that was
hailed by critics as “even better
than the original” would be a great
substitute.
RENT filmed
Live on
Broadway
(2008)
Almost everyone
has heard of the
2005 movie adaptation
of RENT, but in 2008, the
producers decided to have
the very last stage show
filmed and shown in movie
theaters. This is RENT as no
one could have seen it on its
entire 12-year run on Broad-
way. With its many close-ups,
viewing angles impossible from
an audi- ence point-of view, and perfect
sound quality, it’s the closest you can get to see
the wildly popular show about the bohemians of
New York’s East Village, live. If you can hold out
though, my sources tell me that a certain local
theatre company held auditions in October for
another Philippine remake of RENT. Keep your
eyes peeled. (RENT has been announced to show
this coming February 2010, two shows every day,
Fridays to Sundays, 3:30 PM & 8:00 PM. You
may visit http://9workstheatrical.
com for more de-
tails.
Hedwig and
the Angry Inch
(2001)
Hedwig and the An-
gry Inch is a rock mu-
sical about love and a
transsexual glam rock
star. Hedwig (once Han-
sel Schmidt) once had a
boyfriend who stole the
songs she wrote then
proceeded to become a famous
rock star with them. Now she follows his tour
route, performing at nearby bars and telling
people her story, hoping to be able to get what’s
rightfully hers. Despite the rock influence, the
tale is touching, wistful and sincere. Particularly
thought-provoking is the song which interprets
the old Greek myth that humans were once born
as one of three genders: two men, two women,
or one woman and one man joined together, un-
til the gods split them apart, causing the genera-
tions after them to wander the Earth, searching
for their “lost half.” This song, aptly titled “The
Origin of Love,” is one of many that earned this
show its cult following.
GREEN
Chicago (2002)
As they say, hell hath no fury like a
woman scorned. In this musical, you
better hope that she doesn’t want
to be a celebrity, or her crime just
might pay. The movie adaptation
interprets the original tale of fame
and scandal in the 1920’s jazz age
wonderfully, with every lavishly
styled, almost-dreamlike song
number. Watch out especially for
the highly climactic, very sexy,
darkly funny “Cell Block Tan-
go.” Sporting a cast of Hollywood hot-
shots like Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renée Zellwe-
ger, and Richard Gere, the movie shimmied and
shook its way to quite a handful of Oscar wins
and nominations, ultimately bagging the 2003
Best Picture award. Watch them sing, scheme,
dance, manipulate… And all that jazz.
Hairspray (2007)
Hairspray is unique on this list, since it actu-
ally started as a movie in 1988, adapted
for Broadway in 2002, then
remade into another movie.
The star-studded 2007 film,
sporting big names like
John Travolta, Zac Efron,
Michelle Pfeiffer, and
Queen Latifah, almost
flawlessly captures the
toe-tapping energy of
the original material.
It treats the social is-
sue of segregation with
the respect it deserves,
while keeping things
fun and light at the same
time. Colorful costumes, funky
beats and awesome choreography just make
you want to get up and dance, and they’ll defi-
nitely make you greet the ending credits with a
big grin on your face.
Coming Up in Theatre:
Mary Stuart / Maria Stuarda [Dulaang UP] –
November 8 to December 6, 2009; Wilfrido
Maria Guerrero Theatre, Palma Hall
Sweeney Todd [Repertory Philippines] – No-
vember 14 to December 13, 2009; Onstage 2/F
Greenbelt 1, Ayala Center, Makati
The Nutcracker [Ballet Philippines] – Decem-
ber 3 to 6, 12 to 13, 2009; Tanghalang Nicanor
Abelardo, Cultural Center of the Philippines
CULTURE
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
[Atlantis Productions] – December 4 to 13, 2009;
Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Building,
Makati
1
BLUE
SCIENTIA: ISSUE TWO 23
11/11/2009 10:06:40 PM
 DOPPLER EFFECT Younha (Secret Code 486)
Album: Secret 486 (2007)
Genre: Pop/Rock
GO GO GADGET ↑ ↑ ↓ ↓ ← → ← → BA
BY MELLISSA ALCANTARA Similar artists: Taylor Swift
GO GO GOOGLE READER THE RISE OF THE SEQUELS
“Express your love 4 times a
Y ou’ve heard of Super Junior and Girl’s Generation.
And I’m sure that you’ve heard about the Wonder
day, laugh 8 times, kiss me 6
times - it’s the only password
BY JARED ASUNCION BY GERO LUMAIN
Girls and 2NE1. They are part of the Korean Wave, or to my heart”
S ince our academics usually come first, we tend
to have little time to browse our favorite sites.
as one of four different classes: the skull-crushing
Barbarian, the spell-slinging Wizard, the steel-fisted
S
Hallyu: the program of the Korean government that
aims to introduce Korean culture to different coun- In our country, it is “143” and ince our academics usually come first, we By now, most of us have a routine on how to use our Monk, or the enigmatic Witch Doctor. Whichever
tries. These four groups are probably the most popu- in Korea, it’s “486.” Know tend to have little time to browse our fa- ‘fifteen-minute breaks’ in between study time. Usu- hero you choose to play, the fate of the world is in
lar idol groups both in Korea and overseas, but there’s what it is? Yes, it’s the secret ally this involves opening all social networking sites your hands.
definitely more to Kpop than them, so let’s explore a code for “I love you!” The vorite sites. By now, most of us have a routine
bit, shall we? song tells of the playful in- and commenting on interesting topics. Some even go
on how to use our ‘fifteen-minute breaks’ in be- to read webcomics and other blogs. Typing in each of Diablo III is slated for release sometime in 2010
nocence of a girl in love and
her firm stand against being tween study time. Usually this involves opening world. This would definitely keep anyone inter- these URLs and checking back every now and then and will be compatible with both PC and Mac.
IU (Missing Child) cheated on. Younha is a tal- ested. Siguradong ‘di ka mababato!
Album: Growing Up (2009) all social networking sites and commenting on for updates can prove to be a time-consuming task.
Genre: Rock/Ballad ented pianist and a great vocalist, making her songs an Luckily, feed readers are here to save the day. What to expect: • While it is true that there are
Similar artists: Dido, Kelly Clarkson experience to listen to. interesting topics. Some even go to read web-
fewer classes to choose from compared to the previ-
comics and other blogs. Typing in each of these MJ’s Human Biology Blog In layman’s terms, feed readers are like your mag- ous two Diablo titles, the gameplay and progression
“My heart filled with gashes, the deep wounds make URLs and checking back every now and then for According to its description, this blog “high- azine subscriptions. You choose your topics of inter- of each class more than make up for the lack of other
me want to hate you” Kim Jong Kook lights recent items in the news or in scientific est and subscribe as you find them. A very popular classes. • The game features an immersive story that
(Today More than updates can prove to be a time-consuming task.
“Missing Child” is a very strong rock ballad which journals that cover new findings and hot topics feed reader is Google Reader, an online reader. You is sure to take quite a few hours to play through. Be
showcases the 15 year old’s unique voice, praised by Yesterday) Luckily, feed readers are here to save the day. can virtually read the latest updates wherever you are prepared to spend many an endless hour playing this
many for its raspy but clear quality. The song opens Album: Here I Am (2008) relevant to the teaching of human biology”. You (assumin Greetings and salutations, dear readers, game. • Some story characters from the first games
with a soft violin prelude, building up to a chorus with Genre: Pop/Ballad
Similar artists: David Archu- In layman’s terms, feed readers are like your can also comment on the posts and discuss these and welcome once again to this humble gamers’ col- are said to return in Diablo III. Popular rumors have
strong beats. The song is simple and easy to listen to; umn. In this issue we’ll be taking a look at some of it that the titular Diablo himself will reappear to rain
the type of song you’d want to tune out to whenever leta magazine subscriptions. You choose your top- topics with fellow biology-inclined people.
you’re stressed out or sad. the many game sequels that have been announced for hell upon the innocents once again.
“I have never met someone ics of interest and subscribe as you find them. release, namely StarCraft II, Diablo III, and Final
so important to me that it A very popular feed reader is Google Reader, an Dot Physics Fantasy XIII. These games might not be out yet but
hurts.”
G-Dragon (BigBang) online reader. You can virtually read the latest This site can serve to be a useful resource what we’ve seen so far of them have us salivating all Final Fantasy XIII
Album: Heartbreaker (2009) Formerly a hip-hop artist, when studying for your next Physics exam. over our controllers and keyboards. Since we can’t We can’t talk about video game sequels without
Genre: Pop/Electronic updates wherever you are (assuming wherever really give tips for games we have yet to play, we’ll be
Kim Jong Kook now dabbles mentioning the legendary Final Fantasy series. The
Similar artists: Lady Gaga, Black Eyed Peas in pop songs and ballads. Today More than Yesterday” you are always has wireless Internet access). By Though it sometimes posts about greater Phys- providing you, our dear readers, with some glimpses latest title in the series Final Fantasy XIII is not
“What was the reason why
is a song of confession. “I love you so much that it now, you’re probably excited to know how to ics, most of its posts are reader-friendly. Some- as to what to expect from each game. Now without just one game;
hurts” and “I don’t want to break up unless it’s a break further ado we go on to our first game.
you didn’t like me?” up to meet you again” are some of its more touching use such an amazing program. Well, I don’t one who took up Physics 10 might be able to it is three con-
lines. understand and appreciate this website. Give it a nected games that
The first time you listen to want to keep you waiting, so let’s start setting are to be released
the song, you’d think it was up your feed reader! try; add it to your reader. StarCraft II across different
being sung in English. The Se7en (Come Back to Me (Wajeoh)) It is once again time to command the forces of the platforms: Final
song, however, is controver-
sial since it is believed to be Album: Just Listen (2003)
Genre: Ballad/R&B First, you must have a Google account. If you FlowingData space-age Terran, psionic Protoss, or monstrous Zerg Fantasy XIII, Fi-
plagiarized from Flo Rida’s in the battle for galactic supremacy in the sequel of nal Fantasy Agito
“Right Round.” Despite all Similar artists: Justin Timberlake, Westlife don’t, go to Google and make one. Tired of presenting your reports with the de- the greatest sci-fi real-time strategy game of all time. XIII, and Final
the bad publicity prior to re- fault MS Office charts? Find new and innova- Fantasy Versus
lease, the track rose through “How am I supposed to carry
the charts, getting number 1 before the official release on? I’ll be right here if you Next, you must log in to your Google Reader tive ways to present your data by reading Flow- StarCraft II of- XIII. Given that
need someone.” ingData.com. The author is a statistician who fers not only a new the all three are
of the album. The upbeat, modern dance song is very (http://www.google.com/reader) using your ac- experience to those still Final Fantasy
catchy - sure to be your LSS for a couple of days. With a rather familiar melo- count. usually teams up with artists to present reader- unfamiliar with titles it is no sur-
dy, “Come Back to Me” easily friendly graphs about virtually any topic under the previous game prise that all three
sticks to one’s mind. A break-
S-Doll (Inhyeong) up song, it speaks of a man And finally, let’s add your subscriptions. Just the sun. He also provides sites where you could but also gives hard- are role-playing games (RPGs).
Album: Doll [ Single ] (2001) sharing his feelings, sadness, er challenges that
Genre: Ballad click “Add Subscription” and type in the title get data which might prove to be handy when must be overcome Agito XIII and Versus XIII are action RPGs while
and last goodbyes to the girl
Similar artists: Martin Nievera, Jim Brickman he loved, and hoping that she of the site. Google should take care of the rest. you’re doing your thesis. with new tactics to Final Fantasy XIII is more like the traditional turn-
will return to him. No need for all the unnecessary clutter of URLs. gamers who have based Final Fantasy. However, Final Fantasy XIII
“I’ll miss you, I can’t do any- played the first uses an improved version of the battle system used
thing about that, but I won’t YouTube StarCraft. To be in Final Fantasy XII which, as those who have played
give you a hard time.” Brown Eyed Girls (Abracadabra) Just when you think this program can’t be
Here is a list of potential sites you might released as three the game may recall, deviates from the classic Final
“Doll” is a song by a group Album: Sound G (2009) more magical, it also lets you go through your
Genre: Dance/Electronic want updates from: separate games Fantasy battle system by giving the player actively
formed by Shin Hye Sung, Lee Similar artists: Shakira, Madonna YouTube subscriptions – or anyone else’s, if each centered on a different race, Blizzard Entertain- controlled movement in space while in battle.
Ji Hoon, and Kangta. “Doll”, ment’s StarCraft II will be compatible with both PC
considered to be one of the
most beautiful Korean bal- “I used to be nice, soft and tender, but I’ll turn bad if Slacker Astronomy you’re that creepy stalker type. All you have to and Mac. These three games made by Square Enix are to be
lads, written and composed I go crazy like this.” Of course, we’re sure that this site is about as- do is add this URL to your subscriptions: released by the end of this year.
by Kangta, speaks about a tronomy. What keeps bugging me is why its title What to expect: • New units have been added to
man’s message to a girl he’s just broken up with, is Just as its title implies, the each side and new abilities have been added to al- What to expect: • These three might be different
a heart-wrenching song made more poignant by the song puts you in a trance. uses the word ‘slacker’. My best bet is that, its http://gdata.youtube.com/feeds/base/users/
“Abracadabra” is a very flirta- ready existing units. These additions to the StarCraft games with different stories but they are all con-
trio’s powerful vocals and the accompanying strings tious song, seducing a man to posts are short and concise so that lazy readers [username]/newsubscriptionvideos roster will challenge players to think of different nected to one another somehow and this connection
and piano. break up with his current girl- can instantly understand what the post is about. strategies to use against opponents • Characters from will greatly enhance and support the plots of all three
friend to be with the singer the first game return to the fray in StarCraft II. Ker- games. That’s just how good Square Enix is at writ-
instead. The girl questions the This site links to a lot of different articles that
KARA (Mister) rigan the Zerg Queen and Rouge Terran, Jim Raynor, ing storylines. • Another to watch for, rather, listen
Album: Revolution (2009)
man about who he really loves update us on what the latest discoveries are in are examples of fan favorites who will come back to for would be the fantastic musical score arranged
and offers to do anything for
Genre: Dance/Pop him if he chooses her. Interest- the world of astronomy. once more grace us with their presence. • We expect by none other than Final Fantasy veteran Nobuo
Similar artists: Wonder Girls ingly, the rap portions are in the storyline of StarCraft II to be much far better de- Uematsu who’s been responsible for most of the
the perspective of the man’s veloped than the first game’s because each race will series’ great musical accompaniment. • We haven’t
“Hey, Mister, look over here!” girlfriend. Geology.com have their good share of plot in the portions of the seen much other than official trailers and a scant
Wanna see something that ROCKS? Meh, game that centers on them. (Though we’re not saying few gameplay videos of any of the three games but
CULTURE

CULTURE
The song, which became a
hot topic due to the “butt Geol majors are probably tired of these types of we didn’t like the storyline of the first game.) • The from what we can gather we can safely assume that
dance” performed with it, is Norazo (Superman) jokes, so I’ll go straight to the point. Geology. first two games, which center on the Terran and Zerg all three Final Fantasy XIII titles will be great games
about girl hoping to catch the Album: Three GO (2008) races respectively, are due for release in 2010. The fi- in each and every right.
attention of a guy she finds Genre: Rock com provides updates about the latest happen-
Similar artists: Eraserheads, Parokya ni Edgar nal game, which focuses on the Protoss is, however,
attractive, and so calls him to ings in the world of rocks and minerals. Updates scheduled for release in 2011. • There is definitely one Platforms: o Final Fantasy XIII will be released
look at her. The strong beats “Be careful of imitations, it’s an S inside a pentagon. thing that we can all expect from StarCraft II and for the PS3 and XBOX360. o Final Fantasy Versus
of the song and the flirta- can range from current events, new discover-
tious lyrics make it a good Top and bottom, 100% Spandex.” that thing is: Sheer Epicness. XIII will be exclusive for the PS3. o Final Fantasy
disco song, thought still with
ies or simply photos of rocks from around the Agito XIII will be a PSP title.
a freshness and innocence in If you feel like having a good
the melody. laugh, Norazo is the band for
you. Their songs are so re- Diablo III
tarded you’d feel your brain SG Wannabe, which stands for Simon & Garfunkel Another great evil threatens to destroy the world
melting. With lines like: “Red Wannabe, is a three-member group that made waves and it is up to mighty heroes to vanquish that evil These games have all amazed and astounded us
Epik High (Love Love Love) undies over blue tights are my in Korea when they debuted Where [username] is your username or the
in the third already from their previews alone and they promise
Album: Remapping the Hu- charming point” and “I show without showing their faces. username of whom you want to stalk. hours upon hours spent glued to our screens, con-
man Soul (2007) up when there’s trouble, the installment of
“Crime and Punishment” Blizzard En- soles, and portables playing through each of them.
Genre: Rap/Electronic bat shape in the sky… wait, has completely blown away
Similar artists: Francis M. that’s Batman,” you really listeners, besting even songs After a hard day’s work of studying and tertainment’s Patience may be a virtue, but these games have im-
can’t ask for a better Super- by popular boy bands. The highly ac- pressed us so much that we are itching to get our
“Have you ever been in love man song, can you? song is about how a man who catching up with the latest scientific blogs and claimed action hands on them once they are released. This concludes
before? Falling at first sight, locked up his loved one for his journals, it’s also good to unwind to other sites r o l e - p l ay i n g this issue’s Konami Code and, this time, we’ll join
like in the movies?” own selfish reasons, and now, our favorite pink marshmallow copycat, Kirby, in
that interest you. So whenever you find a site game series,
The song deals with the con- SG Wannabe (Crime and Punish- with regret, he has to set his
that does catch your fancy, follow these five easy Diablo III. saying “Bye-bye~!”
ment) lover free. The song is very
cept of romance, why people heavy and filled with emo-
fall in love, and why people Album: As We Live (2005) tions. steps. Go to Google Reader, click “Add Sub- In Diablo
like falling in love even when their hearts just get bro- Genre: Ballad scription”, type in the title, hit Enter then click III, players can
ken. The last two lines of the chorus go: “Though it Similar artists: Boyz II Men Want to check out the songs? Drop by Scientia’s Mul-
hurts, I can’t stop. Love love love,” which is something Subscribe. That’s five easy steps to keep you up- choose to play
“As a last farewell, just tell me this: you loved me tiply site (http://scientiaonline.multiply.com/) for a
most of us wonder, too. preview and more information about the artists! dated with all your favorite sites.

24 25
even if a little.”

SCIENTIA: ISSUE TWO SCIENTIA: ISSUE TWO

Scientia Issue Two.indd 24-25 11/11/2009 10:06:42 PM
 IN THE TUBE COVER-TO-COVER FLICK FEEDS
BY JANN SY BY EIRISH SISON BY KAI BOYDON
O ne can’t deny the fact that College
of Science students are probably the T he theme for this issue of Scientia is “break-
ing free”, and, really, there are few better
ways to relax than to have a good laugh. While I f fear is the most destructive element
in the human mind, why do we en-
most stressed-out students on campus. With joy watching horror movies and sus-
so many terms, concepts, definitions, deriva- webcomics aren’t books in a technical sense, a
tions, formulas and theorems to understand great many of them are funny and, better yet, Kikomachine pense thrillers? Here are ten reasons.
and memorize, it’s no surprise that CS stu- free. What could beat the access to hilarity at the This Philippine-
dents are in a constant state of sabaw. Not to click of a button? made comic about

10
mention that we’re all probably on the verge university life gets The Blair Witch Project
of looking like Einstein, white hair and all. eerily familiar.
(We make nosebleeds look good, at least.) Questionable Content The strips revolve What makes the Blair Witch Proj-
http://www.questionablecontent.net around a group of ect scary is that it was presented as
CS students do have ways of coping though Recommended if: You’re looking for music to students and their
Although Eureka’s comedic factor isn’t as listen to, and you like indie pop culture refer- the ‘real life’ experi-
– whether it’s releasing their stress by jog- pronounced as those of other shows, it em- various exploits, ence of three students.
ging around the Academic Oval or going on ences or smart, sassy girls. from finding a table
ploys the quirks of its dynamic cast with the Updates: Weekdays at a very crowded The movie seems to
workaholic mode with their extracurricular talents of Colin Ferguson, Salli Richardson Cyanide and Happiness has a very simple art
activities. But if you’re the type of CS stu- and Jordon Hinson to name a few. Its ap- style, a bit more sophisticated than xkcd’s stick canteen at lunch have been shot us-
dent who would rather not exert your body peal also relies on interesting fringe sciences figures, but very far from Questionable Con- time, to the idea of ing a common video
to its physical limits, we give you an easy like human cloning, applied nanotechnol- tent. As you browse through the strips, however, renting brains out at camera, giving it the
way out with the perfect list of TV Shows to ogy, alternate universes, ‘psychic’ abilities, you’ll realize that one doesn’t need much more isaw stands, and are
get you out of the mid-school-year slump. filled to the brim feel of a ‘home video’,
artificial intelligence and the list goes on. than lines, basic geometric shapes, and not-so- adding to the movie’s
occasional pools of blood to be weird and very, with jokes that tread
Community The series just finished running its very funny. A particular highlight is the yearly the very fine line realism. The shaky
Starring funnyman Joel McHale from E!’s third season and has been renewed for a “Depressing Comics Week” that is a strange between extremely and unstable way the
The Soup, Community is a comedy that re- fourth season slated to run on June 2010. kind of masochistic fun that may make you funny and annoy-
volves around McHale’s character, Jeff, a sus- ingly corny. It’s never expressly mentioned camera was handled
laugh one second, then feel slightly violated the may seem a bit tacky
pended lawyer who has to go back to college next. All in good fun, of course. where the characters actually study, but let’s just
in order to get a new degree after the State Nurse Jackie say that my friends from other universities find or cliché, but once
Bar discovers his old one had been falsified. Nurse Jackie is a medical dark dramedy that it only about half as funny as I do. we have been hooked
In community college, defined by the pilot premiered just last June. Its content is at the very Girls with Slingshots
episode as “loser college for remedial teens, Invincible by the movie, one can
least ‘atypical’ and some would even label it ‘con- http://www.gwscomic.com feel the terror set in.
twenty-something dropouts, middle-aged di- troversial’ compared to those of most medical Recommended if: You’re a girl (and that is not (Image Comics)
vorcees and old people,” Jeff befriends (or TV series. The dramedy’s storyline focuses on me being sexist). Newbies to the super-
rather antagonizes) his classmates, each with hero comic genre may

9
Jackie Peyton, Resi- Updates: Weekdays
their own quirks and strange backgrounds. dent Nurse, mother find Invincible a good The Others
QC is a great comic that is, to quote from the
of two daughters, website, “ostensibly about romance, indie rock, “So these two girls walk place to start, since
The show premiered only last September 17, it’s a fairly new story How soon af-
happily married, but little robots, and the problems people have.” It into a bar…” This slice
but it is already clear that the show has the mak- also adulteress and of life comic tackles life, that doesn’t have years ter we die do
ings of a huge hit. Joel McHale brings with him started out about Marten, a geeky indie music-
dependent heavily loving boy who hates his job and generally love, and the perks and and years of continu- we realize that we are
his biting sarcastic wit from The Soup to Com- on Vicodin and Oxy- pitfalls of being a girl. ity to catch up on in already dead? How
munity and the writing is just pure comedy gold. doesn’t know what he’s doing with his life. He
codone. (Sound like meets Faye, a smart, sexy “indie girl”, at a bar Best friends Hazel and Ja- order to enjoy. In the long do we stay igno-
any other flawed fic- and, by some twist of fate, they end up becom- mie get drunk, hallucinate comic, Mark Grayson
tional medical prac- talking cacti, and make seems like your aver- rant of our ‘change
ing roommates. The first few strips mostly re-
titioner we know?) volve around their (extremely witty) daily inter- you laugh too. If you like age boy-next-door. He of state’? Death sepa-
actions, coupled with crazy antics from Pintsize, Sex and the City (and hm, goes to a public high rates us indefinitely,
Though not re- Marten’s neurotic little robot. As you progress even if you don’t), you school, hangs out with if not eternally, from
ally outright funny, through the story, you’re rewarded with more should definitely give this gem of a comic a try. his friends, and falls in
the show’s sto- love. Pretty normal, ex- those we love. The
characters, art that gets better and better, and a
rylines, interest- whole lot of laughs. cept for a little glitch: he is also the high-flying, thought that it is pos-
ing outlook on the Penny Arcade punch-slinging, half-alien superhero, Invincible. sible to suddenly wake
stresses of the medi- http://www.penny-arcade.com The story may seem ordinary at first, but the up and realize that
cal profession and xkcd Recommended if: You really like video games. content is much lighter than regular superhero
even life itself make fare from other publishers, and makes for a fun we no longer are is
http://xkcd.com Updates: Monday, Wednesday, Friday
you think. It also doesn’t hurt to have such Recommended if: You get a kick out of finding read if you’re looking to relax. undoubtedly unset-
an eccentric and flawed cast of characters. science jokes funny because you actually under- A comic in which two guys make jokes about tling and it is this fear, precisely, that
10 Things I Hate About You stand them. video games, gamers, gamer culture and tech- makes this movie subtly frightening.
The US network, Showtime had so much Updates: Everyday nology in general. The humor can get pretty Tiny Titans
10 Things is based on the 1999 movie of the faith in the success of Nurse Jackie that it im- DC Comics
same name, and stars Meaghan Jette Martin as exclusive to those who are part of the gaming

8
mediately picked it up for a second season. culture, so if you are, prepare to be thoroughly Imagine the DC su-
Bianca, the typical girly teenager with dreams perheroes: Robin, The Silence of the Lambs
of becoming popular, and Lindsey Shaw as Kat, amused.
Flash, Wonder Woman, The mere mention of the name Hanni-
the postmodern feminist. Set in high school, 10 The Big Bang Theory Raven, Cyborg… in grade
Things brings with it a refreshing and funny Let’s end the article with a bang. Pun intended. school. Battling deten- bal Lecter sends chills down our spine.
look into the cliché caste system of American tion instead of super vil- His taste for human flesh may even inspire
public schools. Al- lains, racing to beat the some of us to become vegetarians for months.
though we are nei- morning bell instead of
ther in a public high He even outshines the serial killer Buffalo Bill,
to catch a crook, need I
school, nor in Amer- say more? Tiny Titans who skinned his vic-
ica, it doesn’t matter is a limited release series tims alive, but did not
because the show’s
CULTURE

CULTURE
full of fun, light humor, have a palate quite like
writers have a wicked rendered in an extremely
sense of humor, mak- that of Hannibal. Si-
cute art style. Who says
ing the show great only kids can enjoy this lence of the Lambs is
fun to follow. While stuff, anyway? a far cry from a simple
watching this series, slasher movie. We are

pssst.
I can’t help but liter-
ally LOL alone in my forced into trying to
room. (I know, sad.) This “webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, understand the work-
Big Bang is probably the funniest show and language” hardly needs introduction. For
about science geeks ever made. The series re- ings of the intelligent
The show’s first volves around theoretical physics geniuses
the average internet-savvy person, the word is A Softer World and disturbed mind
season only had 10 synonymous with nerdy, love-struck stick fig- http://www.asofterworld.com
Leonard (Johnny Galecki), Sheldon (Jim Par- ures. Recommended if: You’re looking for some-
Oo, ikaw.
of an incredibly intel-
episodes, but it has re- sons), their other intellectual friends, and
cently been picked up thing different. ligent serial killer and
Penny (Kaley Cuoco), their comparatively The site comes with a warning: “This comic Updates: Weekly
Kung ikaw ay nagsusulat,
for another season, premiering on January 2010. ‘dumb’ blonde neighbor. Watch this show and (Balita, kuwento, tula, features, blog, kanta, fanfiction, haiku, lab somehow causes us
occasionally contains strong language (which to doubt our sanity. Silence of the Lambs may
I guarantee laughs every time you enter your may be unsuitable for children), unusual humor reports, lahat na)
Eureka physics class and discuss the Doppler Effect or A Softer World is a bit of an outlier in the we- O kung ikaw ay marunong gumuhit, o kaya’y magaling mag-layout, disturb us visually, but it is the ideas that slip
Eureka isn’t your run-of-the-mill science (which may be unsuitable for adults), and ad- bcomic genre. For one, it uses photographs in-
perhaps Schrödinger’s cat. God bless whoever vanced mathematics (which may be unsuitable stead of drawings, and the “dialogue” is usually
o mahilig kumuha ng mga litrato,
into our minds that really give us the scare.
fiction TV series. Totally different from typi- brought together the cast of Big Bang and the O kung may gusto ka lang gawin sa buhay,
cal your sci-fi TV series like Star Trek or X- for liberal-arts majors).” Click away. just a caption with a line or two. The topics are
show’s writers. Put simply, the show is smart, completely random, and the strip has the type
Files, Eureka fills the void of comedy in the

sci-fi genre with its charm and quirk. Natu-
ral science majors, especially physics majors
would probably enjoy watching this series as
many of their episodes refer to theories and
hypotheses postulated by big names in sci-
ence like Higgs, Einstein, Tesla and so on.
comic, and literally and figuratively ingenious.
Big Bang just started airing its third
season last September 21, and it is al-
ready lined up to shoot a fourth one.
7
of humor that makes you ponder a bit, and then Sali ka na sa SCIENTIA.
Psycho
Cyanide and Happiness laugh. Sometimes though, it stops at the “pon-
http://www.explosm.net/comics der a bit” part. Kung may tanong ka Man’s best friend is not his dog.
Recommended if: You’re a fan of dark, not- (o kung gusto mo na talagang sumali - mas maganda yun) ,
mag –email lamang sa onlinescientia@gmail.com o kaya’y mag-
Man’s best friend is always his mother.
quite-subtle humor. Purists and true believers worry not, for I have
Updates: Everyday some print comics to recommend as well. text sa 09177058811, 09183399949, o 09223337264.

26 SCIENTIA: ISSUE TWO SCIENTIA: ISSUE TWO 27

Scientia Issue Two.indd 26-27 11/11/2009 10:06:45 PM

We begin to doubt the
nice, quiet guys after
watching Psycho. Af-
ter all, Norman Bates,
the main character in
this thriller, is a typical
nice guy with the most
disturbing personal-
ity defects ever. His
‘mother’ perpetrated
the most famous hor-
ror movie scene: stabbing Marion Crane in the
shower. The heavy psychological themes and
suspense of the movie make up for the unre-
alistic blood spattering. The movie’s eerie am-
biance, the motel and the movie soundtrack,
though stereotypical, can still inspire goose
bumps even in the most jaded of moviegoers.
It’s a cult classic that won’t necessarily make
you jump off your seats but would definitely
leave us just a bit more troubled and scarred.
aa
inverse element
DELICIOUS
DEFINITELY
APPLES, RAISINS AND QUICKER,
HEALTHY SNACKS
BY REENA FERRER
Refreshing Tuna Apple Salad
Because sleep is inevitable, there This is one of the healthiest and tastiest snacks I
is no escaping Freddy Krueger. came across. Not only is it really quick and easy
to make, but all you need are five basic ingre-
Nightmare on Elm Street not only unsettles dients. Once you have an apple, mayonnaise, a
us visually with the tremendous blood and small can of tuna, celery, salt and pepper, you’re
gore, but it also affects us psychologically by set! This is good for around 3-4 people and can
the thought of an assault during our most vul- easily be stored in the refrigerator should there
nerable state: in our sleep. It infiltrates our be any leftovers.
dreams, the very haven of our slumber. And,
Dice up half an

6
of course, we get to see Johnny Depp be-
The Shining apple, place it in a
ing eaten by his bed and bathed in blood. bowl. Mix in about 2
“Heeeere’s to 3 spoons of may-
Johnny!”

2
onnaise with the ap-
The Exorcist ple. Drain the tuna
The thought of an The movie capitalizes on the Chris- and place it in the
axe chopping human tian Church’s belief that there is an bowl as well. I using
flesh, leaving gashing ongoing battle between the Holy and the Un- prefer Century Tuna
wounds, and severing holy. Not only is the Unholy One capable of (it’s good for the heart), but any brand of tuna is
body parts is more violent physical display (the green vomit, the fine. Mix these three ingredients well and season
than enough to make reverse crab walk, and the 360 degree head the mixture with salt and pepper to taste. The
us cringe. The pacing turn included) but of psychological warfare salad is ready once this is done. For added flavor
leaves us breathless. as well. Nothing dramatizes this more effec- and crunch, eat the salad using a stalk of celery
The different elements as a spoon. It adds to the fun of eating the dish
and it also means you take away the hassle and
and events of the mov- water waste from washing utensils afterwards!
ie give us near heart at- Now, how about that – a dish that’s both healthy
tacks. The chase builds and Earth-friendly!
up to such a climax that we are kept at the edge
of our seats until the end. This is probably one of
the most suspenseful movies ever. However, the Grandmother’s
terror comes not from the movie itself but from Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies
the sort of thoughts it leaves us with in the end. I consider this one of the classics that has been
spiced up a little twist. These cookies are a de-
licious dessert, especially when they are baked

5 The Amityville Horror (2005)
Many articles have been published that
allege that the events from which the
movie was based were just a concoction to
salvage a mortgaged
property from being
sequestered. The sus-
picions and wagging
fingers, however, could
not diminish the hor-
ror of this movie. It
tively than the scene where the Devil chants
the ‘Hail, Mary’. This attacks the very core of
the Christian faith and leaves the spiritually
weak, doubtful, and disturbed. What if evil
prevails? Will good always triumph over bad?
to a crisp and golden brown. One batch makes
about 24 cookies, with up to 15 minutes of bak-
ing per batch.
The ingredients needed are: • ¾ cup all-purpose
flour • ½ tsp baking soda • ¼ tsp salt • ½ cup
butter/margarine (softened) • ½ cup granulated
sugar • 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar • 1 large
egg • 2 tsps vanilla extract • 1 ½ cups uncooked
oats • ¾ cup raisins
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). In a small

1
bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda and
has all the elements Halloween salt. In a large bowl
anyone could want in Curses affect only the superstitious. Ghost (with a mixer, ideally),
a ghost story: the blood, the gore, the scream- stories scare only those who believe in beat the butter and the
ing, the strange voices, the barking dogs, the ghosts. But, a thriller about a crazy serial killer granulated and brown
CULTURE

possessed dad, and even the spirit-seeing little on the loose is for everyone. Though the idea is sugars together until
girl. The Amityville Horror terrorizes us visu- a bit farfetched, the possibility, however small, is light and fluffy. Add the
ally, combining supernatural phenomenon and there. Although many of us do fear the supernat- egg and vanilla to the
suspense. It does not allow us time to think as it ural, the greater the chances that something may butter-sugar mixture.
takes us to the horrific chase through the snow. occur, the greater the fear it can generate. Re- After doing so, add the
member the Columbine High School massacre? flour mixture. Make
sure the ingredients are

4 The Ring Note: The horror movies were compiled from blended together before
Said to be among the scariest of the mixing in the raisins and
lists of various top horror films such as those oats. Line balls of the
scary movies, the Ring perhaps garners found on besthorrormovies.com, insidemov- dough on cookie or bak-
the highest startle score. Every time Sadako ies.com, and boston. ing sheets. Using a small
comes out of the screen off the TV set, we nearly com. The author of ice cream scooper helps in shap-
jump out of our skins and grip our seats for her this article chose the ing the cookies. Make sure to
next appearance. With her Kabuki white skin, movies she found most place the drops of dough about
long black hair, and unseen eye, Sadako is ter- bloodcurdling and 2 inches from each other so they

LITERARY
ror personified. also took into account don’t stick to one another during
the rankings given by the baking process. Bake until
golden for about 15 minutes per

3
a random sample of
Night- students from UPD. batch. If you prefer them softer,
mare reduce baking time by 2 minutes.
Remember to cool them before
on Elm taking a bite.

28 29
Street

SCIENTIA: ISSUE TWO SCIENTIA: ISSUE ONE

Scientia Issue Two.indd 28-29 11/11/2009 10:06:46 PM
 Trilogy Blot 2
Lethe
By Teresa Salud-Bautista

The sky is dark, an angry, mournful gray, and it

unrepentantly sends down rain in magnificent
torrents. It even throws in a roll of thunder every
now and then to make sure that no-one can ignore it.

It isn’t lost on her. It couldn’t be, seeing as she’s

been walking in it long enough that she is thoroughly
soaked. She could, admittedly, stop walking, look
for a roof of some sort. She simply doesn’t care
anymore. It’s part of the same, sad rigmarole. Wet
is wet.

But she swears that one day, one blessed day, she
will remember her umbrella.

Untitled
By Joey Cuayo

It was all she could do

The passing faces and places
She would stare and blend with the background
The whispers of fabric, the tiptaps of busy feet
Overpowering so
From her mouth seemed not a sound
A push here then there
A shove and a sorry
No time but for brisk hellos and goodbyes
It was all she could do
The passing faces and places
Just another girl stumbling by
Trampled on feet, dress always rumpled
She thought, enough was enough
CH ANGE

She stepped aside from the crowd

Smoothed the wrinkles away
Tilted her chin up, shoulders back,
And smiled.
1 0 0 - W O R D L I M I T S TA R T S N O W.

New World
By Erica Fortuno

The move was sudden. One moment, he was in his

study reading Plato, Father was poring over his
accounts, his sisters were embroidering handkerchiefs.
The next, they were packing and auctioning items off.
PROMPT:

Then they were in a cottage in the forested, magical

north. Cold, penniless, disheartened.

But he wasn’t exactly averse to the change in lifestyle.

He preferred simple than grand. He liked forests better
than cities. But he knew he would never get used to
LITERARY

LITERARY
the idea of never entering the university again. But
maybe he didn’t have to. Perhaps he should try the
bookkeeping position Father mentioned.

30 SCIENTIA: ISSUE ONE SCIENTIA: ISSUE ONE 31

Scientia Issue Two.indd 30-31 11/11/2009 10:06:47 PM

For_Play
By Anon
Once there was a girl
she trailed behind crowds
tapped strangers on sleeves
and asked for things for Play
She mingled with kids
followed them all day
tried to make them love her
and asked for things for Play
She tagged with old folks
in her clothes patched and frayed
worked to be useful
and asked for things for Play
Everyone got used to her
and gave her things for Play
wondered how big her toy chest was
until she vanished one day
They saw her again
beside a pauper’s grave, to pray
she was quiet and listless
and never again asked
for things for Play.
Imagine their surprise when they approached
the dead was her sister,
her once-sweet little sister,
her once-sick little sister,
her sister Play
Desperadong House Keeper
By Ryan Madrid
Madalas ang tanong sa akin
Kung may pinupuntirya ba’ng damdamin
Madalas din aking tanungin
Kung bakit may kailangan pang puntiryahin
Ang puso ko’y bukas sa lahat
Kahit sino’y pwedeng pumasok
At magkalat --
Ako na’ng magwawalis
Bawal kasi ‘tong madumihan:
May tumawag, kamakailan lang,
Tanong kung may libreng higaan.
Wala siyang iniwang pangalan
Umaasang darating siya para magtingin,
Ako’y nagpunas: kisame, sahig, at dingding.
Hanggang ako’y napagod at aking napansin:
Malamang sa oo’y hindi na siya darating.
Kaya sige, okey lang, dito ka muna,
Hindi pa agad ako maaabala
Protection - tepid sponge bath
By Tessa Salud
She’s more than a little crazy over him. More than
a little crazy, more than a little obsessed, and more
than a little scared that she finds she can think of
very little else. She simply doesn’t have the time:
there are exams this week, and other things, sig-
LITERARY
nificantly more important. No time to spare at all.
There is a simple solution to that.
She fishes out a carving knife from a drawer in the
32 SCIENTIA: ISSUE ONE
Scientia Issue Two.indd 32-33
Te s t meant. I called home. My wife needed to pick up the my fault. I crawled back to her and embraced her. I
ABUHIN By Kai Boydon phone no matter what. I didn’t care if it was two in
morning on the other side of the continent.
closed her eyes. I vowed that I would make all her
pain go away. I muttered under my breath how much
I
By Harriane Gasmen
was just five meters away from trespassing. I ran I loved her. I laid her down like she was a sleeping
Abuhin
through a yard while evading security cameras as “Hello,” she answered the phone. Snow white.
Sa pinakawengwang mong panahon
Palagay ko kaya pa rin kitang mahalin if I had been practicing it all my life. I swiftly and
Pero, gently walked in the house just like I was walking “Hon, it’s me.” I tried to remain as calm as possible. Then, it hit me. It wasn’t my fault. It was their fault.
Wala na pala akong pag-asa on a landmine. I peeked through a small gap of a My wife was fine. She was still able to pick up the They did this. They should have not involved my fam-
Kawangis mo ang kaagaw ko. door. And there was my target, the senator. He was phone. “Get out of there now. Take our kid and get ily in this. I clenched my fist. Daddy would make that
Minamasdan ko ang larawan mo habang tinitipa ko ang mga titik hindi ko alam kung saan magmu- peacefully reading a book. But there was no hesita- out of the house. I don’t have much time to explain.” anybody who hurt them wouldn’t get away with it,
mula, tion in my part as I took out my stiletto, my choice right hon? I knew what I had to do.
alam kong walang tama sa ginagawa ko, pero sino ba ang makakapagsabi ng tama of weapon: quiet but lethal. I charged towards this “Please leave your name and message after the
Kabaliwan man. I hoped to beat my personal time record of beep.” It was the answering machine. Curse it. Who would have thought that the sound of the
Abuhin, kung ranas mo lang ten seconds. casings that fell was music to the ears? The distinct
Ang siphayo “Take our daughter and get out of there. Just do smell of gun power was an aroma. Each employee of
Tila ang nagsabog na bituin He sensed my presence lurking behind the shadows, what I say.” I was at brink of falling apart. “Love ‘yah.” the agency received a fitting token of my apprecia-
na unti-unting nahuhulog sa pugad but he wasn’t able to run away. I became disap- I hanged up. I really hoped that I wasn’t too late. tion. They didn’t even struggle because they stood
sandamukal
pointed with myself since I could only bury the sti- no chance against me. They knew that resistance was
subalit walang dagitab
letto in his abdomen. He crawled away from me and I never imagined that the airport service was that futile. There was an unexplainable satisfaction as I
Ganyan ang pagkabigo
reached for his gun in his drawer. I was not taunted. slow when you’re in a hurry. I kept calling home. saw each of them pleading for his life. They begged
Sa hindi pa man umuusbong.
The agency trained me for this after all. His shaky They might be still asleep. After all, it was just four for their lives, as if I was the god of death.
TC7 PREFACE + Brief histor y of Time right hand pointed the gun at me. His left nursed his in the morning. There was nothing to worry about,
Untitled By Harriane Gasmen wound. I could really tell that he has never fired that right? I felt tense. I ran down the taxi bay as soon “Let’s seee – ee ,” I replied playfully. “I wonder
as the plane landed. I could always get my baggage what the agency said when my wife pleaded for her
By Anon thing in his entire life. This was going to be easy.
What could possibly go wrong? later. They still weren’t answering the phone. I raced life.” Then I pulled the trigger. Sure, I slit a couple of
Wisdom is a goal, strive for it TAO 1: Gusto mo bang ganito, ang mawala ang lahat
ng tao sa mundo mo? Na ang natitira sa’yo ay teorya at towards the door of our house and kicked it open. throats, but they all deserved it. Before I knew it, the
Faith is a road, work it
Compassion is a rarity, multiply it bulate sa integral ng dU equals U + C (∫ dU = U + C)? Kapag “You can’t kill me,” I smirked. “Not even if your life I shouted out my wife’s name out of desperation. deed was done. I really believed that I had done my
Success is a privilege, deserve it inubos ng bulate ang “dead U”, ikaw patay, at ang C, depended on it.” There was no answer. I tried again. It became harder family justice.
Optimism is a disease, spread it carbon, ang natira sa agnas? to shout after each cry. I called my daughter’s name
Happiness is a choice, take it He shook his head. I took a step closer. in the most cheerful possible tone muster. Silence. I arrived home that night. An unusual silence echoed
Hope is a risk, chance it TAO 2: Some situations have breakpoints. At these points, through the house. “See? That’s what they get for
the function is discontinuous. This discontinuity is caused
Loves is a trick, fall for it “Now,” I continued. “There’s no need to resist. And I felt a sudden movement. I turned around. My messing with daddy’s little girl,” I whispered. I stood
by the fact that the limit does not exist. besides, you’d be doing your country a favour,” I chest loosened. I saw my daughter with her cheerful without moving. Suddenly, I let out a loud cry. I
Life is an adventure, Go for it
held his 9mm. He held it tighter. I smiled. “Let go of glassy blue eyes and soft chocolate braids. However, buried my face in my palms. I fell to my knees. I just
TAO 3: Stop me, tigilan mo ako, bakit ba tingin natin sa
the gun.” I said. He did as he was told. I wasn’t going I saw my little girl all covered in blood. “No.” I cried. realized something. No amount of effort, no amount
math, e nagpapakumplikado sa mundo? Siguro dahil
to kill him with the gun, but I pointed it to his head, I repeated it so many times. I held her gently in my of pain, no amount suffering could bring them back
WHEN A SCIENTIST LOVES AN ARTIST mayabang tayo at hindi natin binasa ang Preface ng TC7
just to show him who was in control. “Now – “ arms. Tears mixed with her blood. She wiped of my to me.
By MAARS ni Leithold.
tears.
It meant that
TAO 2: “Everything should be made as simple as possible, “Daddy?” A voice squeaked. I looked behind me. That fact still remained. They were already gone.
the color is
but not simpler,” sabi ni Lol Grampi Einstein. And I saw a girl, about the age as my little daughter. “I told mommy that daddy would come.” She
how some waves smiled. “I knew daddy would come. And daddy did
are stretched
TAO 1: Reform with reason. “Get out of the room, sweetie.” I said just like how come. See, mommy. I was right. Daddy did come.” I
to some random
I called my little girl. “Your daddy just has a friend caressed her frail body in my arms. I was already too
heart configuration.
TAO 3: Grampi Einstein said, “Equations are more im- over. Go to sleep.” late.
portant to me, because politics is for the present, but an True Friends
It meant that
pigment by pigment
equation is something for eternity.” I would have just forced the stiletto through his “Daddy’s here now. Don’t be afraid.” I hugged her By Andrea Ocampo
T
the conversations throat. I could have just pulled the trigger. But I tighter. Her life was sucked before my very eyes. I
and makes the cut. here were these four high school friends
wake up in thought about that child. I saw image of my little wept. I tried to smile. “Daddy will make sure that
to a painting. girl through her eyes. How would she feel if she whoever bullied you will not get away with it, okay?” and after years of studying in college,
It could be supposed that the entire process would saw her father die before her very eyes? How much I shook her, hoping to revive her with my words. The it was finally time for them to gradu -
And we will paint be easier done with a scalpel, but she tried it with a sadness would she bear? How heavy might her reality dawned on me. I screamed in agony. ate. Weeks before their graduation day, they
you press your hand scalpel once and found it to be immensely uncomfort- grudge be against that person who killed her father? planned to go out together and just have fun.
timidly, then the green able. She has become deft with the knife, anyhow: One of them brought a car and drove it. The
How could she possibly face the world without her I ran upstairs to our bedroom. I fell to my knees. My
hardly, then the red she knows exactly where to cut, where to saw, where day was successful and all things went out
father? I could never imagine bringing her such sor- entire life crumbled before me. There, on the floor,
See that floor is fragile to slice. according to their plan. On their way home,
row. I put down the gun and threw it on the floor. bathing in a pool of blood, was my beautiful wife. I it was already dark and they couldn’t see the
for its grayness. And I left as a failure. I failed for the first time in my embraced her. I just couldn’t let her go. “You said not road clearly ahead. Their friend, the driver,
When she finishes, the sliver of muscle lying in the life. even death could keep us apart! You told me that I’d didn’t saw an old woman crossing the road. She
And we will fall there palm of her hand is bright red with blood (freshly die before you do!” I moaned. I banged my head on m oved the car to avoid the woman. It swer ved
on the canvass
supplied with oxygen, she remembers from her high And how prepared am I for the consequences of my the wall. “WHY?” and hit a huge tree…
leaving a rainbow blot.
school biology, from the lungs), and it is still twitching actions?
with a rhythmic beat. She is confident that it will stop I searched for the gun in my wife’s dresser. It was On the hospital, the two sitting in the front
And our heart will also splatter. eventually. She puts it in a little glass jar, which she “Do not worry.” My commanding officer called as gone. No! It can’t be. I did not deserve to live. What seat were dead on arrival; the other two on
kitchen, and whets its blade against a block of hides away with all the other pieces of her heart that soon as he had the chance. “We won’t dispose of purpose did I have left? I shouted and shouted. I took the back seat were on a critical state. After
stone when she realizes it isn’t sharp enough. She she has removed, each labelled explicitly as to whom you just yet. We’ll get rid of the hindrances that out my stiletto and sat on a corner. “I’m sorry. It’s my 30 minutes, they eventually died. The doctors
made you fail the job.” entire fault.” I wailed. My hands were shaky. I kept were puzzled why the other two died because
tests it on her finger and is satisfied at the thin they belong.
crying despite running out of tears. The stiletto found they knew that their two patients were already
red line that appears against her skin. stabilizing their vital signs. Maybe these two
The front of her shirt is ruined and the stains will “There was a kid in the scene,” I said. its way centimetres from my wrist. But I could not
LITERARY
bring myself to do it. patients thought that their life wouldn’t be
When she first started doing it, she had to stand never come off, but it’s a small price to pay. She is no complete without their two other best friends.
“I see. We’ll take care of it immediately.” And the
in front of a mirror to make sure she got it just longer in danger of loving him.
right, but she has done it so often now that she
phone went dead. I took a glimpse of my wife lying a few meters away
from me. Her eyes still wide open as if pleading
Fire and Ice
could do it with her eyes closed in the dark. She
Reality sank in when I realized what my supervisor not to do it. It was as if she was telling me it wasn’t Continued on Page 35
touches the knife point to the skin of her chest
SCIENTIA: ISSUE ONE 33
11/11/2009 10:06:48 PM
 EXAM BLUES. Ah, yes. Exams. They are the bane of every college student. Cups of coffee and nights of
preparation all boil down to the holy hour of the exam itself. But the load is greatly eased if you managed to
listen well in class, avoid being late, participate in class discussions, and look out for bonus requirements.
Rest assured, come exam time, you are ready and the reward is being able to ace the test. The exam pro-
cess can be divided into four stages: scheduling, pre-exam preparation, exam proper and post-exam results.

Pre-exam The Exam Proper

Scheduling the Exam
Ipapaalam ko pa kung pwede kayong
mag-exam sa Integration Period.
Tutal mag-iintegrate lang din naman
kayo.
-Sir Renier Mendoza, during
one of the last days of his Math 64
class
Sabi ko sa inyo, nung undergrad
ako may isang araw na nag-exam
ako mula 8:30 hanggang 5:00. Pati
PE. Pinakamahirap pa yung PE nun,
Social Dance. Kayo ba, marunong
kayong mag-Rumba?
-Sir Johnatan Pimentel,
after some students complained that
they will be having other exams dur-
The Exam Results
Makulay! Ang buhay! … Sa kabilang buhay! :)
- Dr. Corazon Buerano, singing upon hearing her students bemoaning
that they wanted to die after seeing their Bio exam results
She’s always slate but she’s gneiss, and
I phyllite her.
- Dr. Sanna Balangue-Tarriela,
on the frequent latecomers in her Geol
150 class (slate, gneiss, phyllite are
rock names)
O, sinong uno sa Math 17? Oyyy..
walang gustong umamin.
-Sir Johnatan Pimentel, after
a few failed attempts to call on volun-
teers for recitation
Aaay, wag kalimutan, on Monday you
are REQUIRED… no, wait, PRIVILEGED.
But also required… to attend the [the-
sis] poster presentation of the fourth
year students.
-Dr. Cynthia Palmes-Saloma,
encouraging the junior students in her
MBB 142 class
Pag bumagsak kayo sa Math 55,
marereincarnate kayo as a POWER
SERIES!!... ‘Yan ang curse ko sa inyo.
-Sir Johnatan Pimentel,
threatening his students
As long as you know that what you’re
doing is right, even if you don’t see the
answer, you’ll get there.
- Dr. Jose Magpantay (NIP),
during his lecture on electromagnetic
theory
If your solution is long, it’s wrong.
- Dr. Danilo Yanga (NIP),
during his lecture on a problem about
probability and statistics
Pag ‘di nyo gusto, don’t leave it! Titigan
nyo lang nang titigan until it burns your
neuron.
- Dr. Jose Magpantay, teach-
ing his students an approach in solving
difficult Physics problems

Heard anything that fell from the horse’s mouth? Share it by sending to onlinescientia@gmail.com.
Fire and Ice world that you can’t notice because that’s all Too late for that now.
continued from PAGE X there is to it.
I’ll stop wasting time. There’s not much of
How do I know? I know, okay. I’m surprised it left, and there’ll be other things you want
Confessions at the End of the you don’t. But, well, it’s you. You don’t really to do. The final phone calls, kiss Mom good-
World notice things. You can be marvelously dense bye, all that. Right.
B y Te s s a S a l u d sometimes, denser, in fact – and you will have
to forgive the physics of this – denser than a There’s something you need -– no, that’s not

It’s the end of the world again.

What? The world ends a lot. You just don’t

black hole. Don’t give me that look. You are.

Anyway. The end of the world. No, there’s

notice most of the time.
So. Where was I? Yes. It’s the end of the
world again (and by ‘it’s’ I mean this slice of
LITERARY
nothing we can do about it. Maybe someone
else, somewhere, but not us. Definitely not us.
That’s not why I’m talking to you. Please stop
right. Something I want you to know. You
don’t need to do anything about it. Just.
It’d kill me if you never knew, ever. And,
really, I promise I don’t mean to mess with
your head or anything, I’m sorry if I do.

putting me off track. But….

time, this place, everything happening here
and now – I don’t want any creative writing Why then? Well. I really like you. I hope you don’t mind.
teachers calling me down for that). And it
just might be it. The big one. The end of the I should have made speech cards. I’m sorry.

34 SCIENTIA: ISSUE ONE SCIENTIA: ISSUE TWO 35

Scientia Issue Two.indd 34-35 11/11/2009 10:06:48 PM
 LIEKZOMGWTFBBQ!
sions na. There’s this collegiala Taglish, the dude Taglish,
and the sosyalin Taglish. What naman the pagkakaiba?
By Pa-tweetums Cutie Pie The colegiala Taglish is like the one that uses the super
like ride the jeep everyday no!) and there were a
bunch of dudes that were like in my tabi, and the
dude told his dude, “P*cha, pare, ang hot nya! Am-
bango bango pa! ‘T*ng*na talaga!” Like if I were

L
ike have you made rinig na people who make sikat na “make tusok tusok the fishball” and “make the girl they were making kwento about I’d be
kwento like this? Oh-em-gee lang talaga, it’s sara the pinto.” The people who make gamit this one like so ewww, kadirdir naman kayo no! Like you
like so nakakainis, no? Like why not talk na must always have “like” and “make” in their sinasabi. have to make muramura pa just to compliment!
lang in straight English or Filipino? Oh, well, Taglish Like you have to make bawi in your exam or you have
naman is okay pa, pero this is like sobra na, yan- to like be mabait na. This is like the pinakamadalas Since we’re like in the Unibersidad ng Pilipinas,
no. I really can’t make intindi why and how they that you hear. They’re like so nagpapaka-TH kaya! like we are so haggard in our studies, diba? I will
can make salita like this! It’s like so nakakapagod! make kwento to you an everyday conversation:
The dude Taglish naman yung the ones who like to
You know, like there’s this one time, I was making use like “pare” and “dude” in every sentence. Yanno, A: Grabe, pare, p*t*ng*na talaga yang subject na
ikot-ikot sa AS, and like there were these two BFFs like “Pare, you do this” and “Dude, that’s like so as- yan! P*cha, parang wala akong ibang subject a.
making kwento to each other. The friend was like, tig!” This is like medyo tolerable pa, coz like they That f*cking subject should just f*cking disappear.
“Oh my God, he made harana to you last night?” don’t make tusok the fiishball nor do they make sara B: Onga, pare, e. What the f*ck talaga.
Oh-em-gee. Pero she has a point naman, diba? Ser- the pinto. But like they’re kotse yanno is their favorite
enading is like so the 60’s naman, no. I wonder what topic! Once, I heard this dude saying: “Pare, yung ko- Like are they like nagkukulang in their vocabulary? Or
song the guy made kanta… maybe “Jai Ho?” But tse namin, nine years na, but it looks like it just came are they trying to make pagyabang? Anyway, if they
that’s not tapos pa! Once upon a time, I was in the out of a showroom.” At, of course, there’s like match- like pay a piso everytime they say the F-word or PI or
jeepney, and this girl suddenly said aloud, “Where’s ing movements pa. Pero it’s keribels lang naman. any other type of mura, we’d get like anim na piso na
your payong? Why don’t you have your payong?” to from that conversation! And if they do it like for every
her friend. I was seriously making antay for her to say, The sosyalin Taglish is the most keri of all kasi subject, let’s say they have five subjects a day, that’s
“It’s making ulan, can’t you see?” like 30 pesos a day na! For one month
There’s this collegiala Taglish, the dude Taglish, and the
we’d like get 600 pesos na! That’s
sosyalin Taglish. What naman the pagkakaiba? like my f-ing baon already! …Ooops!
There has been like so many times
na that I’ve gotten to hear those people who like to you can like understand why they do it. Kasi na-
speak like this. If you think about it, even celebrities man they like grew in this English speaking en- There’s like so many different types of nakakairita
are becoming the target of these people. Like in an- vironment so they really can’t help it. If you tu- na mag-salita, but, anyway, who am I to make salita
other jeep, this girl said, “You know what? I saw R***n log, I tulog too. O diba? Parang iTouch lang diba? naman? Like people can make pili how they want
P*****a in Powerbooks yesterday! He reads pala!” to make salita no. But still, I’m just nagmamak-
Like ohemgee why is it so surprising kaya? Like is there Another naman na nakakainis is the people who like aawa that people should like be considerate na-
anything masama with people who read? At least nga to f-ing say f-ing obscenities at every f-ing sentence. man to other people kasi it’s so irritating! Like how
he speaks properly no! In fluent, proper Filipino! Not Like ano ba naman! If you want to f-ing curse, like do you get irita with those lamok and langaw over
like this na parang making gulo-gulo lang my brain! it naman with reason no! Like my ears are making tulo your isaw, some people think that if you make sali-
dugo na because of your f-ing f’s. And like syempre, ta like this or like @#$(@#&@*#($)@*#)@* this,
But yeah, I guess it’s like trying to make pasikat lang. they want to use F*CK and not PI dahil they, like, want you’re like the langaw and lamok – so nakakairita.
Like trying to make pakita the people that they can to be astig, yanno. Like they just have to f-ing show
salita in English. Kasi naman it’s so saucy to hear! And the madla how amazing they are na they can put f*ck Kaya konting hinay-hinay lang, mga repapips.
like when you can talk in English, you are, like, so cool. everywhere. Puhlease, that’s like so immature kaya! Baka bugahan kayo ng Baygon n’yan. Patay.

But yanno, we’re like so sosyal that there are many ver- Like once, I was like in a jeep again (ohemgee, I

Neutral Bodies tain events for fear that doing so will compromise
neutrality. Doing that implies that some events You don’t have to agree with me. But that’s what
By V.L. Antigen III

I
are deemed unimportant, or that a news body I think. So there.
will not beat around the proverbial bush. is shirking from its responsibility to keep people
News is news. And news is supposed to informed, whether because it is scared to offend “Media? I think I have heard of her. Isn’t she the
inform, to let readers and viewers and listen- or because it simply can’t be bothered to do so. one who killed her children?”
ers know what is going on in the world. News is
not supposed to force an opinion down people’s It’s a fine and difficult line to walk. And consider- “Different woman,” said Mr. Nancy. “Same deal.”
throats, whether by the outright statement of ing how professional journalists can be bought, -Neil Gaiman, 2002
such or the clever use of words to give an article how some of them actively ask for money under
a desired slant without being obvious about it. threat of defaming the subjects of their stories,
News that pushes an opinion isn’t news anymore. maybe we just shouldn’t bother to try to be as
It’s propaganda, and passing propaganda off as accurate, balanced, and objective as possible.
news isn’t right. Maybe we shouldn’t look for all the sides there
are to a story or talk to people with a different
Truly objective, neutral, non-slanted news prob- stand from ours, because if they don’t agree
ably doesn’t exist. It probably can’t exist, except with what we believe in, they probably aren’t
as a hy- Truly objective, neutral, non-slanted news probably
pothetical doesn’t exist.
ideal, see-
ing as everyone has an opinion about everything, worth the ink and page space. Maybe be-
and a writer doesn’t have to intend to influence ing objective is just a silly, quixotic ideal.
people to think a certain way in order to give a
story a slant. But to not even try to be objective, Sod it. Everybody doing it doesn’t make it
to only print views you agree with, to pass propa- right, even if the said everybody includes
ganda off as news is a shameful, shameful thing. the big journalists and reporters. And if
you aren’t idealistic at some point, if you
On the other hand, though, neither is it com- just settle for the status quo, nothing will
mendable to not handle news, to not cover cer- get better, hm?

36 SCIENTIA: ISSUE TWO

Scientia Issue Two.indd 36-37 11/11/2009 10:06:49 PM