31 JULY 2006. VOLUME 38. NUMBER 6. 8 PAGES

2401 (twen´te for´,o, wun) is a landmark number along Taft Avenue. It is the location ID of De La SalleUniversity-Manila, home to outstanding faculty and students, and birthplace of luminaries in business,public service, education, the arts, and science. And 2401 is now the name of the official newsletter ofDLSU-Manila, featuring developments and stories of interest about the University.

3ChemicalEngineeringDepartment to holdFieldwise seminar

4Field Notes:Ang Mga Bata sa Lansangan,Si Tolits ng Tide, at angKwentong-Pambatani Genaro R. Gojo Cruz

Filipino Departmentco-sponsors AFAP20067

The Department of Literature with theBienvenido N. Santos Creative WritingCenter (BNSCWC) and the LiteratureCircle led the book launching of GenevieveAsenjo’s Pula ang Kulay ng Text Messageon July 22 at the Ariston Estrada SeminarRoom.

Asenjo, assistant professor of theDepartment of Literature and assistantdirector of BNSCWC, is a three-timePalanca awardee. She is also part of theUbod New Authors Series published by the

National Commission for the Culture and the Arts in 2005.Published by the San Agustin Publishing House, Pula ang Kulay ng

Text Message, is her first poetry collection, in Kinaray-a and Filipino. Itwas written in a span of 10 years (1995-2005).

The publication was prompted by the Fray Luis de Leon CreativeWriting Grant given to her in 2005 by the University of San Agustin,Iloilo City. Asenjo was one of the first recipients of the grant.

Most of the poems in the collection were published in nationalmagazines like Sunday Inquirer, Philippine Free Press, Home Life,Mirror Weekly; in journals like Ideya of DLSU-Manila and SanAg of SanAgustin; in anthologies like Ani of CCP andAklat Likhaan of UP; in books like Salatan andThe Rise of Kinaray-a, and in the website - ACritical Survey of Philippine Literature.

The collection chronicles the influencesand growth of Asenjo as a poet. Dr. CiriloBautista in his blurb notes: “Ang pang-araw-araw na daigdig ang tinutukoy ng mga tula niGenevieve Asenjo, kaya’t ang kabalintunaanang malakas niyang sandata upangipahayag ang kanyang saloobin atdamdamin. Natitiyak kong dahil mahusayang hawak niya sa wika at matapat angkanyang pagsusuri sa kanyang kapaligiran,siya ay magiging isang mahalagangmakata ng ating bansa.”

Multi-awarded poetreleases first book

Panata ng Isang Misis sa Panahong de-Glorya PinakamaiksiAng ating yakapan at halikanSa madaling-araw. Tilaok ng manokAng harurot ng mga sasakyanAt kailangan mo uling mag-baka-sakaliSa mga ahensya at kompanya. Kaagad mong binuksan ang tvHindi na ang bintanaSa pagbasa ng panahonSa nagmamadaling balita:Isang binata ang kumitil ng buhayNang matuklasang di-sapat ang diplomaSa pagsilo ng maipang-gasolinaSa katawan, isipa’t kaluluwa. Umusal ako ng panalangin,Maingat tulad ng pagkapautong-patong koNg mga kumot at unan.

Gusto kong sigla at ningningSa aking mga mata ang iyong bauninAt hindi, ay hindi ang pira-pirasongSugat sa isip at dibdibSa pagkapaslang gn sistemang kontraktwalSa pangarap nating humihigit paSa pagkain tatlong beses isang araw. Itong panalig, palangga,Ang una nating ipapakibakaUpang manatili tayong buoPinakamaiksi manAng ating yakapan at halikanSa mga madaling-araw. Excerpt from Pula ang Kulay ng Text Message

TThe event was organized in

cooperation with the Asean UniversityNetwork/ Southeast Asia EngineeringEducation Development Network (AUN/SEED-Net) and the Japan InternationalCooperation Agency (JICA).

The scientific gathering, “StrategicDirections Towards StrengtheningResearch Collaboration in ChemicalEngineering in the ASEAN Region,” isopen to faculty and graduate students ofmember institutions of the AUN/SEED-Net. Attendees will come from Brunei,Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailad, andIndonesia.

It will serve as venue for participantsto strengthen research capabilities andfoster research collaboration of theAUN/ SEED-Net member institutions. Italso aims to develop strategies on how toupgrade their graduate program offeringsand initiate linkage with local

Chemical EngineeringDepartment to holdFieldwise seminarThe Chemical Engineering Department is set to hold its 8th FieldwiseSeminar on Chemical Engineering on August 3-4 at the Manila Hotel.

government agencies, research institutes,non-member institutions, and industryplayers.

Lasallian faculty members who willgive presentations during the event areChemical Engineering Chair Dr. LeonilaAbella, College of Engineering Dean Dr.Pag-asa Gaspillo, University ResearchCoordination Office Director Dr. LuisRazon, and Asian Regional ResearchProgramme on EnvironmentalTechnology Director Dr. Susan Gallardo.Vice President for Academics andResearch Dr. Julius Maridable will givethe welcome remarks.

In April 2001, the AUN/SEED-Netwas established as an autonomous sub-network of AUN to assist in the humanresources development in engineeringfields to overcome the Asian economiccrisis and lead to sustainable industrialdevelopment for ASEAN countries.

Ang Mga Bata saLansangan, Si Tolits ngTide, at ang Kwentong-Pambatani Genaro R. Gojo Cruz

S

Si Genaro R. Gojo Cruz ay faculti ng Departamento ng Filipino, ang may-akda ng kwentong Ang Lumang Aparador ni Lola napinarangalan sa Timpalak Palanca.

Matalas pala ang pandama ng mgabatang lansangan. Alam na alam nila kungtaos sa puso ang pagtulong ng isang tao sakanila. Lumalapit sila sa akin,nagtatanong, nagkukwento, ngunit tilamalayo pa rin ang loob nila sa akin. Dahildito, natutunan ko silang tanggapin, bilangsila, bilang mga batang nangangailanganng tulong.

Sinisimulan ko sa kwento ang akingpagtuturo. Bilang guro, naniniwala kasiakong epektibo ang pagkukwento upangmaituro sa mga bata ang kabutihang-asal atwastong pag-uugali. Madalas, ako angpumipili ng aklat/kwentong-pambata nabinabasa ko sa kanila. Ngunit isangumaga, habang ako’y nagkukwento, isangbata ang nagsabi nang “Si Titser nilolokokami,” “Oo nga, di naman totoong maymadyik,” ang sabi ng isa, “Di tunay namasarap ang buhay,” dagdag pa ng isa“Wala naman talagang Fairy,” at sabi pa ngisa. Sa mga narinig kong ito sa kanila,natinag ako. Totoo nga, ilusyon angitinuturo sa mga bata, hindi angkatotohanang makatutulong sa kanilaupang makaalis sa kanilang kalunus-lunosna kalagayan. Paano nga ba naman nilapaniniwalaan ang madyik kung sila aynagugutom at walang maayos na tirahan?

Dahil dito, pinili ko ang mgakwentong higit na nagsasalamin ngkanilang kalagayan sa buhay. Mgakwentong tutulong sa kanila upang ma-empower at bumuong muli ng mgapangarap sa buhay.

Ngunit ang problema, kakaunti angmga kwentong-pambata na nagsasalaminng tunay na sensibilidad ng mga batang-lansangan, ng kanilang mgapakikipagsapalaran at problema. Purokwento ng mga batang may-kaya at mga

Anim na buwan akong nagturo sa mga batang-lansangan. Noong una, tila hindi ako tatagal sa pagtuturo dahilhindi ako sanay magturo sa mga batang madudumi, amoy-basura, at walang galang. Gusto kong umurong.Sanay kasi akong magturo sa mga batang magagalang, mababango at anak ng mayayaman. Ngunit naisip ko,mas kailangan ako ng mga batang-lansangan, ng mga batang tila-alambre ang buhok at nagnanaknak angmga sugat. Malaki ang problema ng ating bansa sa dumaraming bilang ng mga bata sa lansangan. Kayasinubukan ko. Gusto kong makatulong.

de-hatid-sundo ng mga magulang sapaaralan.

Sa aking palagay, kailangangmailathala ang mga aklat-pambata namagagamit ng mga gurong tulad ko sapagtuturo sa mga batang-lansangan.Bibihira rin kasing makahawak ng mgaaklat-pambata ang mga batang-lansangan,maging ang mga batang nag-aaral sa mgapampublikong paaralan. Ito ay dahil samay kamahalan ang mga aklat. Tangingang mga may-kayang bata lamang angnakababasa at nagkakaroon ng karapatanupang namnamin ang kagandahan ng mgakwentong pambata.

Dapat ipamigay nang libre ang mgaaklat-pambata sa mga Street Educators, samga bata sa pampublikong paaralan, samga batang mahihirap at nasa lansangan,sa lahat ng sulok ng ating bansa lalo na samga liblib. Siguraduhing ding ang mgamaisusulat/maisasalibrong mga kwento aymakatutulong sa mga bata upang makilalaang kanilang mga sarili, maunawaan angkanilang kalagayan, magbibigay sa kanilang mga alternativ upang maging matatag sabuhay, at higit sa lahat, tutulong upangmahalin ang bansa at ang sarili bilangFilipino.

Kailangang pondohan angpaglalathala ng mga kwentong-pambata naang dalisay na layunin ay hindi upangkumita, kundi maimulat at matulungan angmga batang-lansangan at walangkakayahang bumili ng mga aklat.Kailangan din mahikayat ang mgamanunulat na Filipino na sumulat ng mgakwentong tunay na maka-batang-Pilipinoat para sa batang-Pilipino. Kailangangbigyan ng insentibo ang mga manunulatupang maengganyong sumulat.

Sa kasalukuyan, lahat ng bata ay

nangangarap na mangibang-bansa,nasubukan ko ito sa mga batang-lansanganna tinuruan ko. Lahat sila gustong umalisng Filipinas. Sa mga bata sa kasalukuyan,partikular sa mga ipinapakita ng midya okomersyal ng mga produkto tulad ng Tide,tila si Tolits na lang ang gumagamit ng“po” at “opo”. Siya na lang din angnakaiisip ng kung anong kurso ang dapatniyang kunin sa kolehiyo upang magingPresidente ng Filipinas. Ngunit ang ibangbata, pangarap na umalis ng bansa.Kailangang malikha/mahubog ang iba pangTolits na ang pangunahing pangarap aymakapaglingkod sa sariling bansa.

Tila ubos na ang pag-asa natin samatatanda, kung kaya kailangan natingatupagin ay ang pagtulong sa mga bata,partikular sa mga batang-lansangan at mganasa pampublikong paaralan. Sila angmagiging mamamayan ng Filipinas sahinaharap. Hindi dapat ipagwalang-bahala ang problema sa dumaraming bilangng mga batang-lansangan.

Ang mga bata ang natitira nating pag-asa upang makamit ang isang bansangmaunlad, bansang tumutulong sa lahat ngtao, lalo na sa lubhang mahihirap namamamayan.

Subukan natin ang kapangyarihan ngkwentong-pambata upang paunlarin angating bansa.

FIELD NOTES. What in the worldis going on? We ask our facultymembers to make sense of what weneed to know, understand, andreflect upon. They agree to shareinsights and observations about theirrespective fields or special interests.Field Notes serves as a window todifferent worlds where we all belong.

OFrom page 1

Out of the top 60 students who passedDLSU-Manila’s College Entrance Test,seven made it through the rigorous StarScholar screening. Four are now studentsof the College of Science, two of theCollege of Business and Economics, andone of the College of Engineering.

They are Laurenzo Alba(BSBCHEM), Richard Eduard Almeda(HUM-BIO), Abegail Ceralde (HUM-BIO), Jaime Miguel Leogardo (ECM-BMG), Fredric Eron Tan (MEE), JanaFrancesca Tumpalan (HUM-BIO), andKenneth Gregory Yu (ECM-BMG).

Star Scholars who graduated in SY2005-2006 were also recognized. The listof honorees include Jeffrey Bernardo(CIV), magna cum laude; Alvin Regan Go(CS), summa cum laude; Chloe Chizu Go(AE-BSA), summa cum laude; MarianeLourdes Perez (BMG), cum laude;Deborah Trisha Que (AE-BSA), magna

University honors new Star Scholarscum laude; Ramon Felipe Rubio (BS/MS-IE), honorable mention; Maria CarmelaSogono (CS), cum laude; Cindy StephanieToh (PSM-BMG), summa cum laude;John Paul Udarbe (BSA), honorablemention; Meryll Anne Yan (CAM-LMG),magna cum laude; and Isabelle ReginaYujuico(CAM-BMG), cum laude.

During the ceremony, the high schoolsof the new Star Scholars were likewisehonored. Representatives of De La SalleSantiago Zobel School, Philippine ScienceHigh School Q.C., Xavier School, andZamboanga Chong Hua High School wereinvited to join the recognition ceremony.

During the event, Executive VicePresident Dr. Carmelita Quebengco andVice President for Academics andResearch Dr. Julius Maridable presentedcertificates of recognition to the membersof the new batch, Star Scholar graduates,and to representatives of the schools.Official Star Scholars pins were also givento the new Star Scholars.

The night’s festivities also included aresponse on behalf of the graduates givenby Rubio, a member of the Stars ScholarsBatch 3. Meanwhile, Tumpalan gave herresponse on behalf of the new batch ofStar Scholars.

The eighth and newest batch of theDLSU-Manila Star Scholars washonored by the University duringrecognition rites organized by theMarketing Communication Officeat the North Wing of the MarilenGaerlan Conservatory on July 20.

Star Scholars Batch 8

TThe AFAP isdesigned to provideintensive and special-ized instruction inFilipino (Tagalog) foradvanced students andteachers of Filipino andPhilippine studieswithin its natural,cultural, and social context. The programaims to supplement their previous trainingin Filipino and help them attain a highlevel of language competence in a shortperiod of time.

It involves lectures and workshops onHistory and Religion, Cavite Locals’ Wayof Life and Education, Economics,Literature and Performing Arts, Politicsand Governance, and Visual Arts andMusic. The short course also includeshomestay arrangements with host familiesand tours of various Philippine scenicspots.

The program is facilitated by AFAPProject Director Dr. Teresita Ramos, UH-M professor of Indo-Pacific Languages

Filipino Departmentco-sponsors AFAP2006The Filipino Departments of De La Salle University-Manila and DLSU-Dasmariñas, and the University of Hawaii-Manoa (UH-M) are currentlyconducting the 2006 Advanced Filipino Abroad Program (AFAP). Thisannual seven-week immersion program began in June 18 and will rununtil August 5. Eight scholars from different American institutions joinedthis year’s program.

and Literatures; AFAPUS Director Dr. RuthElynia Mabanglo, UH-M professor andcoordinator of theFilipino and PhilippineLiterature Program; andAFAP In-CountryDirector Dr. Teresita

Fortunato, College of Liberal Arts vicedean.

AFAP is funded by the US Depart-ment of Education under the Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program andadministered by the University of HawaiiCenter for Southeast Asian Studies.

A consortium of seven universitiessupports this program: Cornell University,University of Hawaii, University ofMichigan, Northern Illinois University,University of Wisconsin at Madison,University of California at Berkeley, andUniversity of Washington. They contrib-ute consortium fees, participate in theselection of participants, and their Tagalogfaculty act as co-directors for the project.

Tis published bi-weekly by the Marketing Communication Office (L-163, intercom 144). Editorial deadline is 3 p.m. Tuesdays.Contributions should include the name, office and signature of the sender. Materials may be edited for clarity or space.

Johannes Leo Badillo (badilloj@dlsu.edu.ph), Director; Sheila Bartolome (bartolomes@dlsu.edu.ph), Editor; Ruby Añonuevo-Carlos, Brian Gail Bautista; Writers;Peter Varona, Art Director; Meneer Marcelo, Graphic Artist; Malou Caluma, Public Relations; Virginia Umacob-Gases, Secretary; Wesley Tambong, Office Assistant;Dawn De Guzman, Stephanie Lim, Efren Tigas, Raul Torres, MCO Volunteer Corps. 2401 may be accessed online through the URL: http://www.dlsu.edu.ph

A member of the second batch of theStar Scholars, Toh graduated summa cumlaude with the degrees Bachelor of Artsmajor in Psychology and Bachelor ofScience in Commerce major in AppliedCorporate Management. She is a recipientof the Student Leadership and the BrotherGabriel Connon Awards during the 144th

De La Salle University-ManilaCommencement Exercises. The latter isthe highest distinction given to a DLSU-Manila graduate.

Other distinctions she received in thepast include the 2005 Jose Rizal Model

Star Scholar makes itto 2006 TOSP roster

De La Salle University-Manila alumna and Star Scholar Cindy Stephanie Toh (PSM-ACM ’05) was recognized as one of the Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines(TOSP). She received the award from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in aceremony held at the Malacañang Palace on July 14.

Student of the Philippines Award, Procterand Gamble Student Excellence Awardsin 2004, and the Gawad Mag-aaralOutstanding Council of StudentOrganization President Award in 2003.

The TOSP awardees were chosenfrom among 225 nominees from variouscolleges and universities nationwide. Thenumber was narrowed down to 131candidates whose qualifications weredeliberated over by a National ScreeningCommittee. Thirty students were chosenas national finalists of the awardsprogram.

An annual search program, the TOSPAwards is a recognition of what theFilipino youth can do and achieve. “TheTOSP serves as a laboratory of leaders,”says Jose Concepcion, Jr., RFMFoundation chair. Started in 1961, TOSPhas produced outstanding contributors inthe fields of government, business,academe, church, and civil society.

The TOSP Program is a project ofRFM Foundation, the Commission onHigher Education, RFM Corporation, andin cooperation with National Bookstoreand Rotary Club of Makati Central.

Cindy Toh (third from left) poseswith her family, DLSU-Manilaadministrators, and PresidentGloria Macapagal-Arroyo.