When Cynicism becomes Cataclysm Throughout my four college years, the Ateneo de Manila Student Government (or the Sanggunian) has experienced recurring problems: the perceived question of irrelevance, weak delineations and unclear ideological grounds of political parties, an absence of politicization, and more often than not, a cynical electorate, marked with more or less a quarter [...]
Kevin V. Mizon: The second part of the agenda in the peace process is the Comprehensive Agreement on Socioeconomic Reforms (CASER). What are the exact, specific socioeconomic reforms that Communist Party of the Philippines–New People’s Army–National Democratic Front of the Philippines (CPP–NPA–NDFP) is heavily pushing for? Jose Maria Sison: The socio-economic reforms include mainly upholding [...]
When I was a child my father would always goad me to light up some incense in front of the Blessed Virgin Mary and pray to her before I went to sleep. That got stuck into my head until I was in high school, when I actually had the capacity to ask some questions, especially [...]
Issues regarding the Office of Student Activities’ (OSA) Performance Management System (PMS) had largely fallen on two opposite categories or value-systems: that of upholding its success and efficiency, and the other of rejecting such notions because of what they perceive as the excessive policing and control by OSA. It would, however, facilitate deeper discussions if [...]
Ateneo offers one of the best, if not the best organization life in the country. This discussion attempting to uncover the anatomy of successful organizations may be relevant both for freshmen choosing orgs they want to be active in, and for top org officers who wish to improve their orgs’ systems. A Strong Community of [...]
Here’s the situation. You and your friend are nineteen, and you’re helping out three Dutch girls write about the Philippines. They say that they’re interested in the Aetas of Sta. Juliana, Tarlac. Because of difficulties along the way, you were only able to set an appointment on the same day of your departure from Manila. [...]
In every class I have had in my 6 years of teaching at the Ateneo, I have met many types of students. There are the lazy, the lost, the bored, those who merely coast along, and there are also the enthusiastic, the intensely curious and the achievers. This was not a real revelation to me since as a college student, some 36 years ago, I noticed that my batch had its quota of all these types as well.
The campaign anchored on the ideal of reform politics has successfully captured the hearts and minds of a rather huge plurality of Filipinos, exemplified best by the election of Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III to the presidency. Notwithstanding doubts concerning his competence, PNoy, as he is now called, has been seen as the beacon of democratic renewal the way his parents were. The timing of his candidacy and eventual victory could not have been any more perfect, especially given the manner with which the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo regime undermined the very democracy Filipinos loved, cared, and even died for.
by Carmina S. Reyes A man takes a photo of himself. He takes a cheap analog camera, turns it around to point the lens at him, and looks straight at it. He clicks the shutter and pays no mind to the flash though it blinds him temporarily. He hands the camera to his companion with [...]
Blue Jeans By Lisandro Claudio The Ateneo is a remarkable institution in that, as of late, there have not been many disputes between the studentry and the administration. Unlike other universities (particularly Western universities and our neighbor down the road), where students challenge everything from budget allocation to curriculum, Ateneo is a relatively tension-free environment. [...]
A month ago, I received an e-mail from one fellow law student, bemoaning the continuation of classes notwithstanding the torrential floods that hit Manila. In his words, he branded those who sought to push through with classes as having “exceptionally screwed up priorities.” The day after, another law student sent an e-mail, declaring that it [...]
by: Nash Tysmans I tried my best not to comment anymore on the demise of the National Artist awards. The issue seemed best handled by those vanguards of culture: those whom I believed would keep ours alive for good. Besides, the call for bread (or in our case, rice) is often what echoes strongest among [...]
One of the most driving motivations I had going into the Ateneo and into the School of Management was the Junior Term Abroad (JTA) program. Even before I got my acceptance letter to the university, I was convinced that I was going to some grand location to spend a semester. Thereafter, I fought to resist the temptations of shifting out of my course; I clamored to keep my grades up and made sure that my disciplinary record was spot clean—all for a semester abroad. All for the best four months of my life (so far).
A bloodless revolution against a dictatorial regime—that was EDSA 1—and virtually no one questioned people power. After EDSA 2 and the unrecognized EDSA 3, some Filipinos started to change their opinions. An article in Manila Times even reported that Cory Aquino apologized to Erap Estrada for having ousted him in EDSA 2. The article quoted her for saying “Lahat tayo nagkakamali, patawarin mo na lang ako (We all make mistakes, please forgive me).” Like Mrs. Aquino, should we also think that EDSA 2 was a mistake?
November 27 marked the 40th year anniversary of the publishing of the once most famous manifesto in Ateneo de Manila’s history. On that day in 1968, The GUIDON published “Down from the Hill,” written by five passionate Ateneans-Jose Luis A. Alcaraz (AB ’70), Gerardo J. Esguerra (AB ‘70), Emmanuel A. F. Lacaba (AB ’70) and Leonardo Q. Montemayor (BS ’70), and Alfredo N. Salanga (AB ’69).
A response to the position paper Catholics Can Support the RH Bill in Good Conscience
For our Theology immersion, my groupmates and I wandered into the office of Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan (SLB), the social arm of the Jesuits, because we were yearning to help out. What we chanced upon was an immediate call for help. There is something horrific happening in Davao. You see, in the outskirts of Davao City, banana plantations are being aerially sprayed with pesticides. They don’t just spray it on bananas; they spray it on people too. Now, as a student, part of a movement to advocate the banning of aerial spraying in Davao, let me share this story, which I think, needs to be told.
by Camille Kimberly V. Pilar
You know Richard Pilar as your Statistics or Operations Management teacher, the one whose number-riddled lectures you did not fall asleep in or curse after a three-hour departmental exam. One of his students said that he was like Yoda, very wise and adorable—minus the pointy green ears. He is a Math genius, a charming comedian, and according to him, a clone image of Christopher de Leon because of the moustache.