By Jelanie Rose T. Elvinia

WITH SILLIMAN UNIVERSITY embracing a new school day format starting this school year, its constituents have been throwing feedback, something the university considers as healthy.The Picture

The “5-Day Week Scheme” is a new school day format that is broken down into two: one day (Monday) to be spent for related learning activities and four days to be spent for class. Traditional class hours spread across five days are now lumped into four days.

Office of Information and Publications Director, Mark Raygan Garcia, said that the plan on having the new format had been in discussion at least a school year ago among the deans and academic administrators of the university.

Garcia said that the scheme involves: the same course curriculum, the same approach to the delivery of

course content and the same number of class hours required to finish a course; the same number of academic days in a school year, teachers and place of learning.

He added that scheduling is done to ensure that the students in the School of Basic Education hold classes over the same period which is 7:30AM to 5PM and College classes are scheduled to ensure that they are mostly done by 7PM, as before.

Garcia also cited advantages of having the scheme: minimizing unnecessary expenses on days when students travel to campus only for a subject or two and utilizing Monday as a replacement class day in case classes during the other four days are suspended due to unexpected events such as typhoons or special holidays.The Inside Story

The new scheduling in the university has garnered a mix of reactions.

Antonio Vincoy Jr., a senior student taking

years

TOWARDS A PROGRESSIVE CAMPUS PRESS | VOL. LXXXVI NO. 01 | WEDNESDAY, 17 JULY 2013

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‘Field trips should be a learning tool’ —GarciaALL HANDS ON DECK. M/Y Esperanza, a ship operated by Greenpeace, docked at the Dumaguete City pier last July 12 to seek support for their environmental conservation advocacy. Greenpeace is a non-government international organization that aims to protect our oceans and inform people of issues climate change. PHOTO BY Nelly May Dableo

By Nova Veraley V. Grafe and Princess T. Abellon

THE MORATORIUM ON field trips that the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) imposed last school year concerning the bus accident in Tuba, Benguet, which claimed the lives of several students and faculty members from Marinduque State College (MSC), has made the Silliman University administration to take-up some actions regarding the university’s

field trip policy. Mark Raygan Garcia, director

of the Office of Information and Publications, the university is not prohibiting fieldtrips. “The policy of the university is that [fieldtrips] have to be part of the academic curriculum,” he said.

The moratorium by CHED last school year was in effect to review the policy on fieldtrips particularly by public schools.

“But, what the university did was to take the initiative to also review

its own policy. Again, we cannot just say yes to all requests for our students to go on a field trip,” Garcia cleared out.

Garcia also added that the university has to take some considerations on whether a field trip should be approved or not. Fieldtrips have to be a part of the academic curriculum, the venues must be safe and parents must be made aware of the budget.

Starting this school year, field trips that will be approved by the university

will have to be incorporated into the academic curriculum. Students from the different colleges in the university should be made aware of the field trip, not only when they’re enrolling, but also in their syllabus and curriculum.

“You need to secure a permit from the Office of Student Services and that permit would be endorsed by your dean and then forwarded to the office of the Vice President for the Academic Affairs,” Garcia explained.

The university’s policy on field trips has been practiced in the past. This school year a new requirement for field trips was incorporated explicitly in the curriculum. “Because it’s for [the students] advantage, it’s really to help the students and their parents budget their funds at the start of the school year, because we don’t like field trips to be a leisure thing. Field trips should primarily be a learning facility, a learning tool,” Garcia stressed.~

continued on page 4

CHOOSING JESUS. Atty. Mikhail Lee Maxino dean of the College of Law delivers his message to students from selected colleges during the UCLEM midweek service last July 10. This year’s theme is “Jesus Christ the chief cornerstone”.

By Katrin Anne A. Arcala

CONSISTENT WITH THE university’s five-day week scheme where Mondays are reserved for outside-class learning activities, the University Spiritual Life Council (USLC) now dedicated an entire month for faith-nurturing activities instead of just a week.

A series of activities is lined up for July for the first semester. The celebration is guided by the theme “Jesus Christ, the Chief Cornerstone”. It began last July 7 with the Commissioning Worship and Communion Service at the Silliman University Church.

“We used to have the UCLEW as a jampacked week of activities. This time, we changed it to UCLEM because we had to distribute the various programs and events considering that students have longer class hours from Tuesday to Friday,” Rogen Alcantara, USLC Program Coordinator, said.

He added that the plan on having a longer celebration for the UCLEM has long been discussed in their regular meetings. USLC wanted to provide more opportunities for Sillimanians to strengthen their faith. However, it was only this year that the plan was implemented.

“At least they now have a longer

period for reflection,” Alcantara said.Among the more popular in the

line-up of activities is the Galilean Fellowship where students are welcomed into the homes of faculty and staff members and alumni for group reflections.

All-Dormitory Commitment and Dedication Fellowship will cap the celebration on July 29.

Apart from the said change, USLC launched the “Prayer Hotline Project” last July 8. This initiative of the USLC, Student Government and the Silliman University Church Youth Ministry is aimed at providing better access to spiritual counseling or a support group.~

SU Launches Christian Life Emphasis Month

By Samantha L. Colinco

STRONG TYPHOONS IN the last two years contributed to the 99 percent damage of the coral cover in Apo Island, marine experts said.

Dr. Aileen Maypa, a researcher at the Coastal Conservation and Education Foundation, said that before the typhoons, corals in Apo covered 75 percent of the sea floor, but now only 0.63 percent is left.

“Corals have a highly complex environment. When we lose the coral cover, we lose the reef, then the habitat and then the fish,” she added.

Maypa along with other marine and environmental experts announced their findings last July 12 after a reef check of the marine sanctuary condition in Apo Island.

The inspection was assisted by international environmental organization, Greenpeace, which docked its ship MY Esperanza (Spanish word for “hope”) in

Dumaguete last July 9.Dr. Janet Estacion, a researcher

at Silliman University Institute of Environmental and Marine Sciences said that worsening storms in the province is a sign of climate change.

“Fisherfolk in the Philippines become more marginalized as the marine ecosystems they depend on are destroyed and fish migration pattern gets less predictable,” she added.

Greenpeace Southeast Asia representative, Mark Dia, said that in the past 10 years alone, temperature rise due to too much carbon in the atmosphere has come to point where “it is difficult to imagine that this could be reversed.”

He cited recent reports by the World Bank projecting extreme weather events to be more severe in Southeast Asia in the coming decades. By 2050, increased water temperatures will severely affect fish catch that in the Philippines. It is

predicted to decrease by 50 percent, the report said.

Dia added that the oceans have especially borne the brunt of climate change because the waters absorb a lot of carbon from the atmosphere causing the oceans to be very acidic.

“When the water becomes too acidic, coral reefs, squids, clams and some planktons, do not survive,” he said. “We are looking at severe stress not only in our ecosystem but in the food chain in the marine environment.”

Dia added that everyone needs to do something to save the ocean because “we are all dependent on it. Remember, every breath we take today comes from the ocean.”

Greenpeace’s MY Esperanza is in the Philippines for the “Ocean Defender Tour of Southeast Asia 2013.” It aims to promote the beauty of the Philippine seas, to expose the destruction of its oceans and to call for urgent government action to save local waters from crisis.~

Storms cause 99% damage of Apo Island corals

Students, teachers voice feedback on new school

day format

You jump out of bed and make for the closet urgently, pulling out all the green tank tops and brown trekking shorts and tossing them into the emergency suitcase that has been collecting dust under your bed for years now. You snatch half a pad of post-its and some photographs from your mood board, grab some paint tubes from the rack, and pile some Mars bars on top of your sketchbook for the road.

This is it. All those years of just gliding about and

not knowing what to do with yourself have culminated to this moment of clarity because finally, for real this time, you know exactly what to do with your life. As it turned out it’s got nothing to do with becoming an archeologist in South Africa or quitting school to play one of the Cybermen in Doctor Who, no. This time you will set for the countryside, build a wooden hut and paint for a living. This is the forked road right here, your turning point, so bring it on, world! NYAHAHAHA!

The only problem is it’s 3am.And your friend from the other end of

the line is yawning and you can tell he’s really too sleepy and tired of your ‘brilliant’ witching-hour ideas and now he’s yelling for you to “please just get some sleep!” But they don’t get it. They don’t understand that you can’t just sleep off a 3am epiphany. Why would you shut down the voices screaming in your head, the tingling in your bones, the hurricane in your guts when you know moments like this are hard to come by when the sun is up in the sky? Why would you tame down your soul instead of letting it

break free within those few hours between midnight and daybreak when you are most probably yourself? Sleep it off? Nope. Not an option.

It’s probably the darkness outside your room that stretches to forever that feeds you the illusion of infinite possibilities. The traps that shred your plans to pieces and the walls that barricade between you and your

dreams during the day just magically slip your mind in the hours when everything dissolves in the pitch blackness that blankets half of the world. Suddenly, everything seems within your reach, seems easy…or at least not as hard.

There is something about 3am, when the world is reduced to an eerie black ball of coffee brewery and keyboard tappings, that make or break you. Some nights, when you are lucky, you feel infinite. Limitless. Even necessary. Your hands itch and your mind burns so you pick up the guitar, the paintbrush, the pen and pluck out that genuine passion stirring your soul at those most ungodly hours and out of it create something beautiful --- beautiful because it’s important, important because it’s you at your vulnerable best, at your strongest potentials, at your kaleidoscope of possibilities. So what will you make of that?

And then some nights you lay limp on the

floor, cocooned with a blanket to fight the cold but you do not sleep. Your mind is too awake for that. And this is when the sadness kicks in not because your day had been especially bad or because you said the wrong things to someone or did something you shouldn’t have. There is this kind of sadness when you are not sad about anything in particular but you are just really sad. What do you do, then?

You wait for the sun. Because in the sun, it will all seem

ridiculous --- your packed suitcase under the bed, your half-done autobiography on the study desk, your brief contemplation of getting a noose for a necklace. In the morning you’ll be okay again when the rays of the sun shine some sensibility on you and the dawn’s fears will strike you as silly along with the musings, too.

Is that a good thing?To be okay, sure. But why would you

want to be okay --- to be just okay --- when you can bask in the 50% chance of being brilliant or 50% of being miserable at 3am? Is such brief madness really so bad? If a friend calls at dawn and tells you he’s off to the edge of Norway to camp under the auroras, will you laugh at him? Will you drive to his apartment and slap some sense into him and tell him to get a grip for Pete’s sake?

Don’t.If you’re a friend, you will tell him to

remember how he feels right now and run… run as fast as he can. ~

Greatness – the most common thing that an individual would desire while still alive on earth. Journey – the daily walk of every breathing person in order to reach the desires of greatness. Road – the pathway where the daily walk to greatness would be taken. These three words are the very highlights in our lives as human beings. However, among the three terms, one is a matter of choice. Which one do you think could it be?

When people hear about greatness, they usually expect that it is all about luxury and wealth. Some would say it involves power and prowess while others would think it is about the title and fame. Little do they know that greatness is the one precious thing, may it be big or small, which gives a feeling of satisfaction, contentment and happiness. And since everyone dreams of this thing, it is not a choice. It is reality. On the other hand, the so-called “journey” in life, is technically not a fantasy. As a matter of fact, not only people who live are taking a journey but also the ones in their second lives. Therefore, it leaves nobody a choice because no one could ever get rid of taking that daily walk. How about the road? Now, that’s a matter of choice we’re taking about. It’s either you prefer the smooth way or the rough road.

One of the most widely used comparisons to the decision-making in life is the road,

probably because it is indeed a fact that there are literally two types of road which are analogous to making up one’s mind in a yes-no question or a true-or-false examination. Beyond that analogy existing in literature, it could be proven that this is more than what words can say, more than what definitions could mean, and more than what science could explain. This proof could be witnessed through experience.

I, personally, have been through all the ups-and-downs, and straights-and-curves in my life not just in school but also in my home. But in order to make it more relative to other students, I prefer to share my experiences in school life. To begin with, I didn’t start my learning years from nursery or kindergarten. I began with only a year in preparatory level before proceeding to elementary. As a kid, I was not up for anything, and as a newbie in my first school, I did not aim for anything regarding my studies. I was carefree then. While growing older, I recognized the value of having honors, awards, and prizes

from competition. Due to the achievements I had made, I thought I became rather overconfident than carefree by that time. Upon graduating from my primary school, I did not prepare for the next chapter of my life. I expected that I would be as good in high school as I was in grade school. I was almost arrogant during those times. When I reached the secondary level, I was surprised in having good grades but not good enough to qualify for being an awardee and so I felt disappointed, embarrassed and quite depressed. Some important people in my life also got dismayed with what happened, which added to the pressure I was feeling. Since then, I never felt challenged anymore, and I felt no motivation in becoming an honor student. That is why I graduated my secondary years with no academic recognition. Summer vacation came and gave me time to relax and meditate. Not too long that season, I realized my mistake. I should have not felt discouraged; I should have proven my worth. Instead of taking the easy way of accepting things that are acceptably hurtful, I must take the hard way of being appreciated. So when I reached college, I swore to myself that I’ll do better and be willing to take risks just to be great. In other words, I must take the rough road that takes to the heights of greatness.~

2 twsopinion the weekly sillimanian17 july 2013

THE “FIVE-DAY Week Scheme” is one of the most drastic changes in the university’s class schedule format. Mondays are reserved for related-learning activities and regular classes are to be held from Tuesdays to Fridays in this new system. While this has long been a topic of discussion among administrators and deans of the university, it is only in this school year that the proposition is being implemented.

Some of the advantages of the new scheme include saving on expenses as students do not have to go to school for a subject or two only and the making of Mondays as substitute class days in cases of typhoons or special holidays .Academically, it allows for longer class hours per meeting thereby affording teachers and students a lengthier discussion of lessons. Students are allowed more time to rest over much longer weekends as well.

On the other side of the system is a totally different picture: students getting hell-bent on finishing daily heaps of schoolwork, exams and activities and consequently neglecting other subjects. Teachers struggle to finish lesson plans and the checking of students’ papers. What’s more is that both teachers and students, instead on minimizing expenditures, ironically spend the same or even more than in the previous school day system as they need to travel to the campus for required activities and faculty meetings.

There have been instances where required university activities, which should ideally be held on Mondays according to the “Five Day Week Scheme”, took place on other school days, thereby making the system fail under the category of convenience.

Though it is a good initiative to address problems regarding the university’s cost-savings and the continuity of classes during major disruptions, this has somehow triggered a negative effect on the academic and professional performance of students and teachers.

Lumping together subjects and sessions meant for five days has the potential of burdening students with too much to do in four days. This would in turn, affect the academic performance and productivity of many in the population. It could increasingly make the maintenance or improvement of the current standards of excellence that we uphold difficult as students and faculty are continuously subjected to physical, mental and financial strain through the “Five-day week scheme”.

However, the fatigue could just be a sign of adjustment of the student population and faculty. Nevertheless, this does not mean that the administration should wait for it to wane out. There should be a concerted effort from all sides to make the transition easier and truly worthwhile. This means that support should be given to students especially those belonging to courses with heavy subject loads to cope with the changes. Additionally, required university activities should strictly be held outside of the regular recitation days to avoid disrupting classes.

the Weekly Sillimanian believes that there are other viable solutions for the university to cut costs in its operations like the immediate repairing of leaking and dysfunctional equipment and facilities within the university to avoid wastage and many others that the university has to consider and examine.

There is a long and winding semester ahead of every Sillimanian this school year. A lot of changes have and will still come that will either improve or downgrade the student life that we know of within the university. The new school day system, at its infant stage, has yet to experience a lot of polishing and trial runs before it can truly fulfil its purpose and equally bring about positive changes in the performance of students and teachers. For now, what we can do is to manage out time effectively, do our best academically, keep calm and carry on.~

Compiled by Nectarina M. Catada

“What do you think about Silliman’s new enrollment Undertaking/Contract?”

“I think the university has the right to implement the contract but there should have been information dissemination to the students, both new and continuing. Furthermore, a consul-tation should have been held, where students and parents can express their concerns and questions, to prevent any misunderstandings.” Feliciano S. Mahinay, SUMS II

“Inconsiderate, because not everyone can directly comply with the payment scheme. And what makes it worse is that they place penalties if you cannot meet with the terms. They are just adding insult to injury for those who can’t make the payments.” Stefan Daniel S. Alcantara, BBA-MGT III

“I thinks it’s useless. They should just have informed us last semester that they will be im-plementing a “fines” system for delayed payments. Anyway, they are going to get the same amount of money in the end, and the students will pay the same amount no matter how they divide it. Although the university sure has its reasons, they could have mentioned it earlier.” Kathlyn Aprielle Gandola, BS MT IV

“The university’s enrollment system has always been a hassle. With the contract, this makes the whole thing more difficult. also 600 pesos is too much for a day overdue. It is absolutely onerous.” Chix Mariño, BS PSYCH IV

** Next issue’s question:If you missed a university activity, would you rather pay fines or do

community service?”

For your answers, just text the Circulation Manager (09279878522) or tweet to us @tWS12_13. Indicate your full name (with middle initial), course and year.

editorial

sillimaniansspeak

Keep Calm and Carry On

WHAT TO DO AT 3A.M. WHEN YOU WANT TO RUN FAR FAR AWAY AND NEVER COME BACK

The Road to Greatness

The Weekly Sillimanian is published every week by the students of Silliman University, with editorial and business addresses at 1/F Oriental Hall, Silliman University, Hibbard Avenue, Dumaguete City 6200, Philippines. SU PO Box 24. Telephone number (35) 422-6002 local 243.

Opinions expressed in the columns are those of the columnists and not of tWS or of Silliman University. Comments, questions, and suggestions are highly appreciated. All submitted manuscripts become the property of tWS. Manuscripts will be edited for brevity and clarity.

Member: College Editors Guild of the Philippines

Editor-in-chief Michiko Je M. Bito-onAssociate Editor Royanni Miel M. HontucanNews Editor Keren Ann V. Bernadas Features Editor Danica Grace B. GumahadBusiness Manager Justin Val R. Virtudazo

Senior Writer Samantha L. ColincoNews Writers Katrin Anne A. Arcala, Jelanie Rose T. Elvinia, Kristine Ann M. Fernandez, Kristine Felva P. Licup, Princess T. Abellon, Nova Veraley V. GrafeFeature Writers Roberto Klemente R. Timonera, Maya Angelique B. Jajalla, Michael Aaron C. GomezPhotojournalists Dylzaree D. Recentes, Nelly May S. Dableo, Yuys Fatima L. EscorealCartoonist Nicky F. MaypaCirculation Manager Nectarina M. CatadaOffice Manager Honey Grace A. Suello, John Lee D. LimbagaLayout Artist Jae Jireh P. Nejudne

Vatican Cameos

Camille Ibarra

Mayor Gee-Gee

Gift M. Gayo

the weekly sillimanian17 july 2013 twsfeatures 3

By Roberto Klemente R. Timonera

Since it opened in June last year, the Bean Connection at Scooby’s Perdices has probably been one

of the most popular tambay spots for students. Not surprising—it’s a five-minute walk from Silliman proper and its menu is light on the wallet, heavy on the stomach. Its orange and brown walls put you at ease while keeping you awake for the all-nighter to come. Top it off with their cozy sofas and friendly waiters (who start calling you by name soon enough) as well as the memes and one-liners on the walls and you’ve got pretty much the chillest student lounge in the city.

This month it opened another branch at the Scooby’s in Portal West, a place twice as large and twice as cozy (here there is a second floor with a soft blue armchair and an entire corner devoted to sofas). There’s a stage here too, and soon it’ll be holding a weekly open mic session for music and poetry.

For as long as most of us can remember, Scooby’s was always one of the most iconic restaurants in Dumaguete, alongside the likes of Sans Rival and Café Antonio. How it evolved into the Bean we now know and love is a fascinating story.Beginnings

“We wanted something different…kanang pwede gyud matambayan,”

says Casius Pinili, Mr. Bean himself. Five or six years before The Bean, his wife Isabel’s mother had already put up a coffee shop inside Scooby’s—the family business—but not many people knew about it because it wasn’t marketed properly. In a university town like Dumaguete there is a pressing need for a place where students can while away the hours or stay put to do schoolwork. Thus arose the idea for a more competitive coffee shop.

“It all started with the red velvet cupcake,” Isabel says. “My aunt in Manila made red velvet cupcakes I fell in love with. I couldn’t find that here.” She asked a cousin for the basic recipe, and tweaked it until she got the taste she wanted. The cupcake received a lot of positive feedback from family and friends; from there, she and Casius scoured the Internet for recipe ideas, making the necessary adjustments to meet their needs. Their menu went on to include coffee blends, cupcakes, an array of arroz bowls, and even some native delicacies like budbud sa Tanjay and sikwate.

But perhaps their most famous item—their flagship product, if you like—is their super moist chocolate cupcake. This rich piece of chocolate sorcery was actually the result of an accident: “I made a mistake in the icing and it turned out great,” Isabel reveals. When she tried again, this time taking

extra care to follow the original recipe, the “mistake” version proved to be far tastier. This fortunate accident went on to be the reason many people found out about the Bean.The Art and the Name

Back in high school, Casius used to do posters and hang out with a barkada of artists. The skills he got during that period helped him design their logo: a cup of coffee and a single coffee bean in an orange circle with a brown outline bearing the name “The Bean Connection.” He also did much of the interior design, taking the main color scheme from the logo. Being an avid fan of 9gag.com, he incorporated Internet memes into the posters and signs the Bean is now known for. The chalkboard outside the original Bean currently has a drawing of Fry from Futurama, the caption being “Not sure if they come for the coffee…or for the free wi-fi.” Other coffee-themed memes include their tip jar (which changes from time to time, and now has a 4 Pics 1 Word problem that spells out “tip”) and “Making your

own coffee? Ain’t nobody got time for that!” Memes aside, the Bean is known for their many humorous signs and posters, like “Instant human—just add coffee” and “Time is precious. Waste it wisely.” “We incorporate funny stuff in our posters,” Casius says. “It really helps your day, when you’re stressed out and you see something funny.”

The Pinilis are good friends of the artists Paul Benzi Florenzo and Hersley-Ven Casero, whose many paintings decorate both Bean branches. The couple’s love for art and music is one of the reasons they decided to open a second branch.

“We really wanted to have open mic night,” Casius says. The original Bean was too small for that, so when they set to work on the Portal West branch, one of the first concerns was a stage.

With an ever-expanding menu, the Bean is currently sprouting many other treat ideas, such as YOLO (You Obviously Love Oreos) cupcakes and flavor-of-the month drinks. Today it retains its distinctly Dumagueteño feel (it isn’t a franchise) and remains a prominent chill spot everyone belongs in. Just remember to buy coffee.~

Of Coffee, Cupcakes, and Mr. & Mrs. Bean

By Maya Angelique B. Jajalla

When light passes through water, a rainbow is formed.

In the story of the great flood in the book of Exodus, a rainbow appeared after Noah’s Ark sailed through the deluge. The arc in the sky with seven colors symbolized God’s covenant between man and Him. The rainbow held a new promise: the promise of hope.

Today, hope comes in many forms. It can be a fleeting feeling. It can be a fleet itself, sailing between light and water. Today, hope can even be heard. It can be said in many dialects. It can be spoken in different ways.

“Hope”, in the Spanish language, literally means “esperanza”.M/Y Esperanza: MY HOPE

Last Friday, M/Y Esperanza docked in the port of Dumaguete City for the Ocean Defender Tour of Southeast Asia 2013. Esperanza is Greenpeace’s largest ocean vessel in a fleet of three: The Rainbow Warrior, Arctic Sunrise and Esperanza. Greenpeace is an independent global organization which campaigns for environmental sustainability. Its ships are used to manoeuvre the organization’s advocacies, sailing to “remote areas to bear witness and take action against environmental destruction.”

“We go to where we are needed,” said Vince Cinches, Oceans Campaigner. Where the problem is, there the ships will also be.

The City of Gentle People is Esperanza’s one of only four stops in the country. It paid a visit to Apo Island last week and is set to visit Bicol and Manila. It leaves the country on Friday.

But why visit Dumaguete among the many places in the Philippines?

“It’s really because of Apo Island and

Silliman’s role in preserving it,” Mark Dia, Regional Oceans Campaigner, said.

Apo Island, dubbed as one of the world’s premier diving spots, is also home to the country’s top community-managed marine reserve. It is also an emerging tourist destination in the archipelago.

So, where’s the problem in that?Grief over damaged reefs

Due to heavy battering waves brought by typhoons Sendong and Pablo, and the 6.9 magnitude earthquake that hit Negros Oriental last February 6, 2012,“extensive reef damage” was reported in the surrounding area of Apo Island.

Dr. Angel Alcala, director of the Silliman University (SU) Angelo King Center for Research and Environmental Management, reported last Friday that from an average of 150 tons of bio-mass fish a year, fish yield outside the no-take zone has now dropped to as low as 15 tons a year.

According to the National Statistical Coordination Board, the Philippines ranked 11th in the world in terms of fish production, yielding a total of 2.27 million metric tons in 1990. The country also placed third in tuna production and was the top producer of cultivated seaweed (carrageenan) in the world on that same year. However, we no longer hold the position since the year 1990.

The Coastal Conservation and Education Foundation and the SU

Institute of Environmental and Marine Sciences have been doing regular reef checks in the island. Last week, Greenpeace volunteers joined in the counting of marine species and installation of coral modules.

Cinches added that they will report the data that Greenpeace has gathered in its reef check to the Philippine government. “We want to discuss this problem with them so that we can create solutions… because we believe that the corals can be saved and [the

national government] can help us with that.”

How can the Negrense contribute to the fast recovery of the Apo reefs? “We can do nothing but allow the sea to heal itself,” Dia answered.

However, there is a higher problem that affects the whole world: climate change. Greenpeace claims that together with fossil fuel usage in the

ocean, climate change is the ocean’s silent killer.

If we continue to exploit our once abundant seas and marine lives, our grandchildren will never know the taste of sinigang na hipon.Attack of the ‘sea monsters’

On July 13, Esperanza opened its deck for the public, spreading awareness on marine life issues while Greenpeace volunteers toured visitors around the vessel.

There were inflatable boats inside

Esperanza which are used when volunteers rescue a whale, clean a certain part of the sea or operate on a certain project. The guide also showed where the control room is. While a crew member explained which button does what, a kid of about eight years old raised his hand and asked: “How do you track sea monsters?”

The adults in the room laughed at

the innocent question. The crew played along, taking the binoculars and told the kid that he can look out for sea monsters through the lens.

Sea monsters with large fangs and thorny fins may just be a myth. But the real sea monsters are not even in the ocean. They’re the ones who are on land, throwing their pieces of garbage to the sea.

So how do we track sea monsters? We start by looking at ourselves. The revenge of the sea

The ocean covers 71% of the world. From afar, the Earth is the “blue planet”. Water makes us stand out from the rest of the planet in a universe run by the sun.

Sadly, reef damages are not only happening in Apo Island. They happen everywhere. Because of the continuous drop of catch fishermen are experiencing right now, the issue on territorial disputes and fishing zones arise. While we try to cope with a loss, two more potential losses await us. When fear of scarcity and hunger strike, war brews between nations.

It may take two decades for the reefs in Apo Island to recover, Greenpeace said. It may take longer if we “disturb”

it. The earth is getting older and it’s not aging gracefully because of man’s negligence.

Passenger’s song “Let Her Go” says: ‘Cause you only need the light when it’s burning low. Only miss the sun when it starts to snow. Only know you love her when you let her go.

Will we only love “her” when we let her go? ~

To see the seaPHOTO BY Yuys Fatima Escoreal

PHOTO BY Jae Nejudne

Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology, identified the positive effects of the scheme to his student life: “I like it because ideally it gives us enough time to sleep. It’s less hassle to organize academic related meetings and at the same time there would be a thorough discussion in class due to extended time.”

Vincoy however, a junior student from the Bachelor of Science in Accountancy, Charles Cyril Apigo, has a different sentiment.

Apigo said that some students like him have a six-unit subject which they used to take in two hours a week for three days. But now, they are taking it every day for one hour and a half.

“That is insane! First day of (chapter) discussion there will be a quiz. The next day would be an assignment and continuation of assignments if it (discussion) won’t be done. And then after assignments would be chapter exams. So basically we don’t have rest day on weekends because we have to make assignments every single day. Unlike the old system we can rest for Monday or Wednesday night because there will be no major (subject) for Tuesday and Thursday,” Apigo said.

He said that it could have been better if they don’t have other

subjects to consider, but due to the new schedule, some of his subjects

are being left behind. Asst. Prof. Dina Remoto of the

College of Business Administration said that the new schedule is inconvenient.

Aside from not having enough time to check student’s papers and preparing lessons for the next class, Remoto also said that the scheme did not meet the purpose of minimizing unnecessary expenses since they still have to go on Mondays for activities such as faculty staff meetings.The Throwback

Although there are negative feedback on the scheme, Garcia said that it shows as an effort from the university’s constituents on how they want the university to address the adjustment period.

“It’s not as if we give something new, everybody would say yes. In a healthy environment you have people who will voice out their opinions, who will voice out their concerns and we welcome that because they’re part of the university and their suggestions and their comments also allow us to asses whether the scheduling is really effective,” he said.

Garcia added that by the end of the school year, the scheme will be reviewed. ~

MECHANICS: Every week, the Weekly Sillimanian publishes a riddle about things found within the university campus. Participants must be students enrolled in the current semester of SY 2013-2014.Participants must literally bring their answers to the Weekly Sillimanian office on Thursday or Friday at 12 PM – 3 PM following the release of the Weekly Sillimanian paper.Winners will receive awesome prizes from the staff.

Here’s our riddle of the week:

With pointed fangs it sits in wait,With piercing force it doles out fate,Over bloodless victims proclaiming

its might,Eternally joining in a single bite.

Bring me to the TWS Office and claim your prize!

THE BRING ME RIDDLE!

4 twsbackpage the weekly sillimanian17 july 2013

It’s a new school year to begin with, a chance to welcome the changes in our university. Here are some of the things to look forward to: Compiled by Michael Aaron C. Gomez

Undertaking marked the new step in the enlistment process. In it the student is obligated to pay his/her school fees for his prelims, midterms and finals—punctually—lest he/she be refused to enroll.

theRANDOMspace:

roundup

SNEAK PEAK. Headed by celebrated play director, Amiel Leonardia, In My Father’s House cast rehearse for its premier on July 19. PHOTO BY Yuys Fatima Escoreal

By Kristine Ann M. Fernandez

ONE HUNDRED NINETY-TWO nursing graduates from Silliman University are among the country’s 16,219 new nurses registering a passing rate of 95.54%.

“We’re happy because we are way beyond the national passing rate of 40%. There is always room for improvement but I am satisfied,” said Dr. Evalyn Abalos, the acting dean of Silliman University College of Nursing (SUCN).

Although SUCN¬—a recognized Center of Excellence in Nursing Education by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED)—missed the list in the NLE top performing schools since 2011, it plans to add a refresher course to prepare the students in the next NLE.

Abalos said, “We are planning to closely monitor our students so that they will be focused more on their studies. The preparation for NLE is not just the last year [fourth year] but the preparation starts from first year up to the time that they take the board exam.”

Furthermore, this year’s enrolees in SUCN increased to 333. ~

SUCN hits 95% in recent

NLESTUDENTS, TEACHERS... from page 1

Love at FIRST sight

By Katrin Anne A. Arcala

SILLIMANIANS ARE ON to another year of opportunities to expose their talents.

Silliman Idol jumpstarted its latest season with screenings held last July 8 and 15.

Committee Chairman Ina Taburaza said that they want to continue inspiring every Sillimanian, may they be students or members of the faculty or staff to hone their talent in the field of singing. She called for participation and support for the event.

“We want to bring the best in every Sillimanian. In the end, what will matter is not the prize but the experiences that may help them go

out of their shells,” Taburaza said.A live audition is scheduled

on July 26 at the Oriental Hall lounge. Eliminations will be on August 3 and 4 at Robinsons Place Dumaguete. After which, remaining contestants will undergo workshops and mentoring sessions with esteemed experts in the said field.

The grand finals night will be on August 26 at the Hibalag Booth Area.

The Kapunungan sa mga Mass Communicators and the Silliman Junior Business Executives are the main organizers of the event.~

On search for the next Silliman Idol

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1 4Day school week is one of the radical changes instituted in Silliman University this year. Naturally, the students have expressed delight and excitement at the extension of their weekends. 45

Wifi Zones used to be one of the most awaited developments in the university and now have finally arrived this school year—Silliman has partnered with local cable provider FilProducts to provide wi-fi functionality throughout the campus. Using a student’s birthday and ID number as both account name and password, he/she can access the Internet virtually anywhere at school, even in dormitories.

MOVING IN. Medicine students move in to their new building. The Silliman University Medical School (SUMS) is now located near the dormitories Vernon Hall and Pulido Hall. PHOTO BY Dylzaree Recentes