The Office of Senator Aquilino Pimentel, Jr., together with the UP Pagdumala, and the Center for Local and Regional Governance brought to the University of the Philippines National College of Public Administration and Governance Dialogues on Federalism: Leaders’ Forum, with guest speaker Senator Sharon Carstairs from Canada, and Senator Aquilino Pimentel himself. Also in attendance were Senator Pia Cayetano, Congressman Antonio Cuenco and Congresswoman Faysah Dumarpa, among others.

Dean Alex B. Brillantes, Jr., of the UP NCPAG, welcomed and introduced everyone to the Leaders’ Forum. After his speech, Senator Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. introduced the guest speaker to the audience.

Basically the main topic presented, discussed and enlightened by Senator Carstairs were the Trends and Challenges for Federalism, how it was for the Canadians, and their experiences and dealings in their own country.

Senator Carstairs was able to briefly and concisely retold the history of Canada, and how Federalism came about in their region - its evolution, major political milestones to the current issues and trends of Federalism in Canada. She also told us about their financial, educational, health, and other sectors and how it interplays in the Canadian system.

For me, she clearly painted a picture of how Canada came to progress with their system. Despite the flaws and intricacies of Canadian Federalism (Yes, they do have problems too, like the Philippines), for me, it’s ultimately about learning about these structures, and seeing if it will or will not, if it will help or will not improve our own system.

As Senator Pia Cayetano said, it’s important that we initiate these dialogues and debates in order for everyone to be challenged and think about how it will or will not affect us in the end.

Jester, on the other hand, was able to record the whole lecture, and the question and answer portion which came right after the lecture. Go and see for yourself what Senator Carstairs and the Canadian experience has for us. Enjoy!

Ploning brought both the UP students, their family and friends, and Judy Ann fans to the special screening of the movie in the UP Film Institute (Adarna Hall) last Wednesday night.

It’s a statement of support of the UP community to the bid of the Philippines to the Best Foreign Language Film Category of the 81st Academy Awards or the Oscars 2009.

“Ploning, a Cuyonon folk song, is essentially a plea from a boy to her lover for the latter to wait for him and remember him as he leaves her for a different land. The final verses of the song bare the boy’s wish that the girl keep a stone wrapped with her handkerchief, as reminder that his love for her is undying. It’s a lovely song, with a melody that encapsulates the emotional longing that the lack of physical intimacy emboldens. Slow, passionate, and moody, the song functions as both a narrative precursor and musical anthem of Dante Nico Garcia’s film with the same title.” as stated in Francis Cruz’ blog.

Ploning was shown in limited release from April 30 to May 6, 2008 with Filipino subtitles in the Philippines before going to wider release and subsequent worldwide screenings with English subtitles. On August 2008, Judy Ann returned to Cuyo to grace the screenings and was awarded as the town’s “adopted daughter.”

Ploning Official Website | Ploning Multiply Site

10 Reasons Why YOU should watch and support Ploning:

1. The movie was graded an A by the Cinema Evaluation Board, the highest score possible in the Philippines.2. Critics and filmmakers around the world (France, United States, India, China and Singapore) took turns in praising this motion picture and showcasing it as part of their own International Film Festivals. It’s an official Selection to the 6th Paris Cinema International Film Festival, July 5, 2008 ^[4] and to the 1st Hong Kong Asian Independent Film Festival, November 16 and 21, 2008 ^[5]

3. High caliber character actors like Ronnie Lazaro, Joel Torre and Jojit Lorenzo accepted the roles with little exposure and dialogue given to them. Seemingly a testament to their faith in the movie’s quality.

4. Cuyonon actors were trained and hired to add authenticity to the film. All of the actors and even the major players in the crew has Cuyonon buddies to guide them as they film every scene.

5. Dante Nico Garcia is an authentic local of Cuyo Island who studied in UP and became Judy Ann Santos’s friend during her Mara Clara days. Dante grabs this rare opportunity to save the dying Cuyonon language. This is also his birthday gift to Judy Ann.

6. This movie made Judy Ann Santos transcend her soap opera image.

7. The film’s cinematography is simply superb. It is a visual candy that provides us an opportunity to know that the Philippines’ environmental beauty is beyond Boracay and Mayon.

8. Aside from the beauty of the island, Cuyonon’s rare culture was made public in the film.

9. It is seldom that a film that shows some tragedy would also be labeled by a lot of people as a feel-good movie.

10. This film is a saving grace for a dying local movie industry marred by traditional conservatism, censorship, dirty politics and commercialism.

The University of the Philippines Chinese Student Association
together with KAISA will show Panoramanila Pictures’

PLONING

in the University of the Philippines Film Institute on

26th of November, 2008 (Wednesday) 5pm and 7:30pm

Tickets are priced 100 pesos (non-UP students) and 80 pesos (UP students) for both screenings. There will be an open session with the cast during after every screening.

You may contact me at superbong(at)gmail(dot)com or at 09178619022 for tickets.

Ploning Synopsis | Let us promote and support our bid to the Oscars 2009!

Our SLO or Service Learning Option for my Public Administration 161 (Ethics and Accountability) opened realities to me. For the last two Saturdays of August, I have conducted leadership-training seminars to underprivileged Grades 4-6 elementary students of Nayong Tsinoy, a resettlement/ former GK village created by the Federation of the Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in Ascoville, Caloocan City.

Our objective was to be able to teach them or at least show and give them inputs (based on their own basic knowledge and understanding of their surroundings) what it is to be a leader and a team member. We gave them several activities that would ultimately gauge, show, and teach them all about leadership and the skills and values (like cooperation, peace and unity among themselves and to others) that would make them better persons.

I felt that some of the activities we had weren’t really in line with their age level and ultimately didn’t impact them (as much as it would impact, say, a high school or college level student). But even with that constraint, we managed to pull through and cut across that problem with more explanations and other activities on our part.

During one of our activities, we were shocked to find out that these kids, at that early age, have knowledge on what’s happening in our country. We did an activity which made them portray current situations on relationship among peers, relationship or status in their family, in school, in their community, and in our country.

To our surprise, some of what they portrayed are: their fathers beating up and shoo-ing off suitors of their “ate-s” (older sisters) and “tomadors” and “sugarols” (alcoholics and gamblers) wrecking havoc on the streets, and the war in Mindanao. It came to a point that we had a hard time leveling, relating and explaining to them those situations and where those situations lie in the grander scheme of things of being a leader.

But even with such social perspectives in these kids’ (as young as 10 year-olds) minds, I guess I was thankful that some of them acted out something good they see in society - friends helping each other when one of their other friend is sick.

After everything we did, Teacher Mia, the head teacher/volunteer there, debriefed us. She was very thankful of what we have done, and that she hopes that we continue to do these kinds of things because according to her, “it gives hope and promise for these kids’ future.” It is with these little acts of kindness and sharing our time and talents (despite everyone’s busy academic schedule)  she holds the hope of a brighter and better future for the country and for the less fortunate people.

I was touched and moved by her words. This for me was more than enough to make all the exhaustion (from preparing, going there, and delivering the activities) go away.

Recently, we had our assessment in class, and our professor asked us if we see that these kids will be the hope of our future. Honestly, I really don’t know if these kids will be among those people who’ll result to stealing or street rambles (God forbid) or become leaders in their own communities.

The fact is that there are a lot of impovirished kids here in the Metro (What more in the provinces, right?) But what makes me keep on hoping, that indeed there will be future for these kids and for the Philippines, are the people who continue to go out of their comfort zones and continue to make a difference in the lives of our less-fortunate brothers and sisters. One small act of kindness may go a long long way in the hearts of these kids.

I really feel happy and fulfilled after everything. I nearly didn’t want to go through with the Service Learning Option, and opt to just make a policy paper, but after everything, I am glad I did. From start until the end – from the trainings we went through with Eduk Inc. to the actual output we delivered and when we carried out our plans and did our best in making an impact and being the difference to these kids – we came out better individuals, who are more aware of the situations of these people.

My hope is that other schools consider giving Service Learning Options to their students. It’s through these activities we open our hearts, minds, and actually act out and live out what we learn inside the four walls of our very comfortable learning institutions.

No it’s not time for the UP College Admissions Test, in fact, it just ended more than a month ago. It’s the recently talked about UPCAT - The Movie! I got this from an email from Thea; then her sister Tiffy, and a lot other people did the viral messaging, and now it’s famous, at least in the internet world!:)

So what is this talked about film? It’s about two teenage boys who believe that passing the UP College Admissions Test is the passport to their dreams. They each have different views in life, and different goals they want to achieve - just like many other UPCAT passers now studying (who have studied) in UP.

I guess this film wants to connect with the students, and the alumni and give somewhat of a reality check for each UP student/faculty and staff/alumni regarding their hopes, goals and dreams, and where they are right now.

Here’s the first ever trailer-video I saw:

And this is from Director Roman Carlo Olivarez:

UPCAT is a 2008 Cinema One Originals film with Happy Endings Films in cooperation with Bigtop Media Productions and Digitrax Sound Productions. It’s original content and direction is by Direk Roman Carlo Olivarez.

Cast
FELIX ROCO
HIYASMIN NERI
JOSEPH ROBLE
BEMBOL ROCO
MALOU CRISOLOGO
MARK GIL
RICHARD QUAN

You can visit their official site here: http://upcat-themovie.com/

Classes will be over and done with in less than a week. CRS has already updated its site and opened the enlistment of 2nd Semester classes. So far I’ll be taking 5 majors and a GE subject (English 1 or 10 - depending on how generous CRS will be to me).I’ll have my Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays off, and will have 5:30-8:30pm classes on Thursdays and Fridays. What a life.

It’s super nearing sem break, and I really really really want to go on vacation NOW! But we all have to keep ourselves in check, back to reality, and face all the remaining stuff we have to finish. I believe I did this last year, and now I’ll be doing it again:

• Eng 30 Last Activity/Paper
• Eng 30 Final Output
• PA 141 Policy Analysis Paper
• PA 141 Generics Act Report
• PA 141 Finals
• Pa 161 Debate
• PA 161 SLO Diary
• PA 161 (optional) Finals
• Psych 108 Newsletter
• Stat 101 (take home) 4th Exam
• Stat 101 Finals
• PA 113 Activities
• PA 113 (not yet sure) Finals/ Activity

After all of these, here we go Cam Sur!

The UP Chinese Student Association is selling 我愛UP (I Love UP) Shirts! Only XS, S, M, L, XL sizes on white-colored shirts are available at a very low price of Php180. Orders may be coursed through Tasha Teh at 09176678113 or you can email her at tashateh@yahoo.com.

Today’s 中秋節, the Mid-Autumn Festival or more commonly known as the Mooncake festival to younger generations of Chinese descent. This is the time of the year when the Filipino-Chinese community are busy celebrating the festival by playing the famed dice-game.

Back in my younger/grade school days, we always play the dice game in school. But as we grew older, we didn’t get to play it anymore, but instead, we had alternative activities, such as painting contest, and other related contests and activities to celebrate the occasion.

Now that we’re already in college, in the UP Chinese Student Association,  this time of the year signals our annual event of Mooncake Dice game for both Filipinos and other interested people  and Chinese students to play the popular dice game and enjoy the culture.

Today, my Gua Ma came down from Dagupan to be with us in Manila. She brought us some Mooncake too. I love this time of the year because the supply of Mooncakes overflow — I just love to eat 月餅！