The GUIDON Graduation Magazine 2013

7/30/2019 The GUIDON Graduation Magazine 2013

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2013The GUIDON Graduation Magazine


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2013The GUIDON Graduation Magazine

Writers:

Jose C. Cua, J. A. de Lima, Alex P. Santiago, Dean V. Roxas,

Isabelle G. Rodolfo, Louella S. Ching, Andrea S. Ang, Katerina R. Rara,

Bea V. Sigua, Pia B. Guballa, Trisha C. Descallar, Tintin P. Lontoc,

Paul L. Ng, Chert V. Chu

PhotograPhers:Mario T. Dagdag, Benjo T. Beringuela, Kitkat S. Lastimosa,

Christella D. Soriano, Mare S. Collantes, Karen F. de la Fuente,

Pia B. Guballa

contributors:

Alexandra L. Huang, Miguel Santiago, Joseph S. Angan, Migi Soriano,

Adrian F. Begonia

editor-in-chief: Raymund Luther B. Aquino

associate editor: Karissa Victoria R. Santiago

Managing editor: Alisandrea A. Coloma

design executive editor: Henedina Shanice A. Garcia

VOLUME LXXXIII, NO. 9, FULL COLOR REVISED EDITION


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Table of contents

10

27

16

33

Leaders

Athletes

Artists

Legends-in-the-making

13

32

22

42

46

Nesmakers

Staff

Geniuses

Legends

Luminaries


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A message from the editor

The GUIDON is proud to present the Graduation Magazine 2013. You have in your hands the

result of the efforts of tenty or so seniors from The GUIDON ho found it but fitting to

celebrate our graduation ith a tri bute to the extraordinary men and omen ho made o ur

college lives unforgettable.

From up-and-coming teachers to seasoned Sanggunian officers, from exceptional student-athletes

to the most eminent professorsthese pages, hile not at all an exhaustive listing, attempt to

cast the spotlight on the people ho have been special to our batch: those ho have alloed us to

make the most out of our college experience and inspired us to dream and live our lives in courage

and love.

Class of 2013, e are done, and yet e are only beginning. As e go don the hill, may the memory

of the people featured in these pages remind us all of our short time here in Loyola and all the mean-ingful experiences e had in it.

Thank you.

Luther Aquino

Editor-in-Chief

The GUIDON SY 2012-2013


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Photo By AlexAndrA l. HuAng


10/52

ONE CAN go the usual route hen talking

about Gio AlejoSanggunian president, health

sciences superstar, m l standing, RIZAL

STUDENT HOTNESS according to the Blue

Roast Google Doc.

Or one can choose to sit don ith him, havea grounded conversation, and understand the

man behind the reputation, underneath all the

layers of (student) political baggage. (Yes, not

everyone is a fan of his politics.)

The man ho shines through is a man of

passion and idealism, of sincerity and earnest-

ness. The sheer tenacity ith hich he led the

Sanggunian as president ensured the survival,

at least for another year, of an institution that

many couldnt care less about. Perhaps, to some

it is nothing but absurdall the effort he put

into an institution that many have already called

irrelevant, even obsolete.

For Gio, though, it as never about the certainty

of achievement. In fact, the simplicity and hu-

mility of his true desire can catch the most voca

gadfly off-guardmore than anything else, hesimply sought to serve the community he loves.

He says, If theres one thing that I ould like to

be remembered [for], its me being a companion

to the student body.

Dont ever think ell forget that for a moment,

Gio. Thank you.

Gio AlejoBy Luther B. Aquino


11/52

By Luther B. Aquino

Toni Potenciano

HOw DOES one make sense of Toni Poten-

ciano? Its hard to begin, hen even she has a

hard time herself.

I dont think I as expecting to be classified

as [a leader in the Graduation Magazine], she

says. I honestly feel like, primarily, hat I do is

performing or hosting. [I] never expected that.

Ending up in student politics partly because

of her failed auditions for Bluerep back in first

year, Toni is a different creature to different

people. She is the SOSS chair, Crusadas (loud-

est) voice, one-time OrSem host, Bobby Guev

A-student, Atenean activist par excellence, and,

of course, all-around m.

But nothing else sets Toni apart more than her

bravery. She alloed herself to be disturbed by

her education, and in fighting the good fight she

has taken to heart in college, she dared to ask

difficult questions on behalf of the oppressed.

Thus goes one of her favorite quotes from the

May 1968 protests in France: Those ho lack

imagination cannot imagine hat is lacking.

Like most Sanggunian leaders, I dont think

ed leave much, she says. But Id like to hope

that [someone] might say, Toni may have been

crazy, but to some extent, she as righte

cant just accept ho things are.

why is Toni Potenciano a leader? Because she

had the courage to be one.

Photos By PiA B. guBAllA


12/52

with the Freshman Orientation Seminar and

the A-Fair under their belts, Blue Roast 2013

heads Daryl Ibasco and Betsi Siojo have been a

constant event tag team on campus.

Ibasco and Siojo, ho first met as classmates in

their high school alma mater, planned their first

event (a variety sho) in high school and have

come a long ay since then. At first, it as our

on personal ant l, says Siojo, a com-

munciation major, but then e started orking

together and it as like, t, lets do this.

Y y -push m to decide ,

s, lets go for Blue Roast, adds management

economics major Ibasco.

Their combined experience from to of the big-

gest events in the Ateneo have pushed them to

make the graduating batchs last hurrah a huge

one, ith performances by Shes Only Sixteen

and Sponge Cola, and, of course, the infamousblue rose ceremony.

Siojo attributes their balance to time manage-

ment and a clear understanding of each others

quirks. Both of us k, ere both aggressive

and not aggressive at the same time, she says.

working together is a painless experience, es-

pecially since the to are close friends outside

their professional tandem. My, Ibasco

says of their orking relationship.

Daryl Ibasco

& Betsi SiojoBy Alex P. Santiago

I DIDNT kno that I as gonna be a big part

of this thing, says Kat Tuason, outgoing ARSA

president, hen asked about her involvement

during 2012s Task Force Habagat.

Although essentially part of protocol, the

meeting that folloed right after the disastrous

Habagat rains served as the tipping point for

ARSA, COA and the Sanggunian to spearhead

the relief efforts of the Ateneo community.

During Task Force Habagat, Tuason stressed the im-

portance of coordinating ith the different student

arms and maximizing the poer of social media to

be able to reach out to the largest possible audience.

The biggest hurdle for Tuason, hoever, as to

manage the volunteers. Everyone as coming

in, people didnt even ant to leave their shifts,

she explains of the influx of people coming to

the covered courts. For her, this as the tough-

est challenge that had to be addressed during

the operations.

Despite the trials, Task Force Habagat as able

to pull-through. when asked about hat the nex

ARSA president should have to be able to equal

this feat, Tuason simply says, Youre not just a

leader eh, youre also a folloer. Others might see

you at the top, but youre really at the bottom.

Spoken like a true leader, she ends ith an

insightful piece of advice: You have to listen in

order to learn.

By Kara R. Santiago

Kat Tuason

Photo By KitKAt S. lAStimoSA

Photo By mArio t. dAgdAg


13/52

wHEN ASKED to describe this school years

recently replaced Sanggunian, former SOH

Central Board Representative and nely elect-

ed Secretary-General AJ Elicao says, Its

this strange, strange mix of people, but e get

along. That is one ay to describe the startling

variety in Sanggunian officers backgrounds, asother former CB representatives, IC San Pedro

of SOSS, Alvin Yllana of SOM and Nicole dela

Cruz of SOSE, ould agree.

IN THE regard that it has firmly upheld its

principles built on social democracy, Crusada

has been consistent since its inception in 2011.

Interim Premier Miguel Calayag likeise claims

that the party has been doing roughly the same

thing. we look at issues that ought to be talked

about and should be at the attention of stu-

dents ho say that they are persons for othersbut dont talk about these issues. These issues,

he says, include those that involve the employ-

ees and orkers both inside and outside cam-

pusescheing the notion of the Sanggunian as

a student government limited to its relationship

ith the administration and student body.

And thus on arguments hether to prioritize

student services or national issues, party mem-

ber Mark Bullo insists that the latter be the

default program of action not just of the Sang-

By J. A. de LimaCrusada

By Katerina R. Rara

SanggunianThroughout the ups and dons of student

politics, the CB seniors have balanced ork and

friendship. Instead of leaving any contention atthe door, they take a step further. when e go

out, e talk about the issues, so the next time,

theres more context, and e lobby for hats

best, says Yllana.

Their synergy may explain the Sanggunians

success, from organizing Deans List subsidies

to creating a statement on the RH bill. Also, the

changes havent only gone on outside. This year,

e met some indigenous peoples from Mind-

anao, and it changed my life, says Nicole.

You need to kno your batch. You need to kno

the pulse, the sense of hen the hell eeks are,

AJ says on the importance of remembering their

primary role as students.

At the end of the day, youre dealing ith people,

not only representing them in a room, San Pedro

adds. Your ork is not separate from ho you

engage ith different people.

gunian but of every Atenean. we should have

already decided that ell alays prioritize

national involvement over anything else, he

says, citing the Anti-Apeco movement. He adds

that Ateneans dont have to lobby for services

hich are given them in the first place.

But if Crusada has been at the forefront of

these efforts, it also arrants the question: hy

is it then that Ateneans remain uninterested

in campus politics? For Crusada Externals

Secretary Julian Torcuator, it is a sad truth that

has yet to be addressed, ap l y

a. After that, ell be faced ith, as Fr.

Jett said, a orld full of lies. dp lm

.


Photo By CHriStellA d. SoriAno


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By Jose C. Cua

Tricia Raya

A CONVERSATION ith to locals during an

exposure trip to Casiguran, Aurora as all it

took to jolt Tricia Raya into further action in

response to their plight.

She as struck by the eariness of the locals,

ho had tirelessly shared their horrific stories

that came about ith the construction of the

Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport

(Apeco). Tricia felt that even ith these locals

efforts to spread aareness of their situation,

barely anything as done in their defense.

with this, she bestirred herself to rise up to the

challenge of helping the locals in an effective

ay through the Ateneo Task Force Anti-Apeco.

She headed this group that elcomed the locals,

ho marched from their hometon to Manila,

hen they arrived in the Ateneo. Prior to the

marchers arrival, the task force had carried out

various activities such as an exhibit and a prayer

rally to spread aareness on campus.

The political science and social sciences double

major explains that she had found the concrete

culmination of hat she learned in theology

and philosophy in the operations of the studentpolitical party Christian Union for Socialist and

Democratic Advancement.

Tricia admits that she had gron attached to

the issue, closely monitoring the progress of

events involving the Casiguran folk. Although

Tricia says that she has gotten close ith some

of them, she thinks that one does not need to be

close ith them to fight for and ith them.



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Moses Albiento

I REALLY dont see myself going don the

hill, because I have alays been don that hill,

says Moses Albiento, social sciences major and

students rights advocate. Aside from being the

secretary-general of the Coalition of Students

Rights and welfare, Albiento is also the chair-

person of Alliance of Student Leaders and theFinance Officer of the Student Council Alliance

of the Philippines.

Originally from Obando, Bulacan, Albiento

entered the Ateneo as the only student from his

high school, but he didnt find it difficult to find

his place and make ne friends. He eventually be-

came active not only in the Sanggunian, but also in

groups involved in relevant issues outside campus.

Perhaps his biggest achievement as initiating

and running the campaign of Ateneo for the RH

bill. what began as an attempt to create an online

campaign for the bill gre into a conversation

among not only fello Ateneans and educators,

but also ith lamakers.

while his achievements seem to be a mouth-

ful, Albiento remains humble and rooted. His

upbringing has pushed him to encourage fellostudents to realize hat they can do to help

out, especially for the marginalized and the op-

pressed. I anted my fello students to see that

national issues are also issues, he says.

As he pursues his dreams to be a layer, Albiento

leaves the Ateneo ith a sense of preparedness,

and a desire to spark change in places here it

truly matters

By Bea V. Sigua

Photo By KAren F. de lA Fuente


16/52

By Andrea S. Ang

Bluerep

FOR BLUE Repertory, the last four years ere

all about direction. Company Manager Tina

Ramos explains, we made it a point to really

produce productions that ould really be relat-

able and socially relevant to student.

This effort to make sure theatre is not an

enclosed space has the company asking itself

ne questions: ho their target market is,

hat social issues theyre addressing, hat

kind of groth their members get from staging

a certain play.

From sp awktob,Ll sp

h toZ d, Bluereps seniors have

shon impressive groth in the organizations

three core competencies of singing, dancing and

acting. Maronne Cruzs on experience as a

performer in countless plays can vouch for this.

It really taught me ho to adjust and also be

more disciplined because theater requires a

lot of adaptability. It requires a lot of patience,

punctuality, perseverance, passion and re-

search, she shares.

Gabi Perez, another staple to the Bluerep cast

list, reveals the secret to the companys success:

never settle. Continue to explore, experiment

ith your acting, he emphasizes.

Alays be fresh ith your attack and ith your

execution because if you become complacent,

then thats hen the actor dies. But if you still

keep it fresh, you keep your instincts up each

performance, then you kno the performance

ill be amazing, he adds.

ANYONE wHO has attended a CADS perfor-

mance knos that you can expect to be amazed

by the concepts, leaps and spins by the street

By Pia B. Guballa

Company of Ateneo Dancersdancers, and be dran in by the emotions in

each jazz performance. Each dance is testa-

ment to the artistry and bond of a group of peo-ple ho have gron and struggled together.

Seniors Ross Tan, JC Genato and Pat Teng

ere all dancers together in high school for

the Xavier School-based dance group, Dance

X. It as a different experience orking

ith a larger group of people, and hile it as

difficult to get people on the same page all the

time, the bond is just as intense, Teng says. He

shares that the three found themselves more as

they began performing as X3, both dancing and

hosting hile being their kky selves.

Jazz division head Tin Pascua says that the

best part about being jazz head as being able

to have that chance to take care of your dancersand inspiring them to be the best they can be. My

dancers also made me so much better a person.

Tan, outgoing CADS president, affirms this

bond by saying that the best part of being in

CADS is being part of a family that shares the

same passion as you. They look out for you and

really make you feel like family.

with every heartfelt performance, these CADS

dancers shoed us that being on the stage ith

one another as definitely home.


Photo By PiA B. guBAllA


17/52

TO SPEAK bluntly, the Tanghalang Ateneo (TA) of

previous years cannot hold a candle to this years,

given that the latter has gained significant traction

in the local and international theater scene.

TA Company Manager Mirick Paala confirms

that exactly this has been the ne reputation

of his organization. He is overhelmed ith

joy that the likes of the Cultural Center of the

Philippines took notice of their productions.

Members of the organization got the chance to

perform their productions, particularly s

dly and 4Ply, there.

The theater companys s dly as rec-

ognized in the Ali Aards, bagging Best Non-

Musical Production. Ricardo Abad, ho is TAs

moderator, as named Best Director. TA also

oed an international crod after performing

s dly in Belarus in July 2012.

Much of the success of TA is attributed to the

closeness of its members. Mirick shares that hile

they are undeniably serious during ork hours,

they spare time for leisure and play. TA for me

has really been my family in schoolLl Sir

Ricky Abad,p y k y, he adds.

Mirick goes back to the hackneyed but often over-

looked characteristic of a family, hich has tied all

TA members together. we all come from diverse

fields but e are united by our love for theater.

ByJose C. Cua

Entablado

IT wAS during the intermission ofLw d-

hen Entablado (Enterteynment para sa

Tao, Bayan, Lansangan at Diyos) as announced

Organization of the Year by the Council of Or-

ganizations of the Ateneo. There as no better

ay to finish first than smack in the middle of

the companys grandest production to dateas

if to shocase their inning performance and

to prove ho much they deserve the aard. Not

that it needs any proving, though.

Thirdy Villarey, the organizationss VP for

Secretarial Concerns, says, I really looked up

to the core team hen e ere nebies. No,

hatever they did, e must have achieved too,

referring to a previous Organization of the Year

in. This years in as only the cherry on top

of Entablados 30th season.

Everything seemed like a blur, and though they

ere pretty memorable, hat stood out as the

end result of our hard ork, Alex Ko, ho plays

an active role in Entablado, shares.

Mark Legaspi, Entablados president, tells

us, we ent through so much pressure to

make a mark, [and] at the same time share

our ad vocacy.

Beyond any aard, that is hat Entablado

ould ant to be remembered for: Not just

for sho, not just beautiful or extravagant, but

productions that uphold a good advocacy.

Tanghalang

Ateneo

By Isabelle G. Rodolfo

Photo By AdriAn F. BegoniA



18/52

David Lina

By Kara R. Santiago

By Paul L. Ng

DIRECTOR, THESPIAN, filmmaker, produc-

tion manager, communication majoralbeit

seemingly generic, these qualifiers are hat

characterize the budding success of senior Mark

Alcantara. Although his name might not ring abell in the Ateneo theatre scene just yet, he may

be ell on his ay to basking in the spotlight.

As part of the independent theatre group Shaha-

razade, Alcantara, together ith his colleagues,

aims to radically change the local theatre land-

scape. s, at some point, l m

requirement m plays, he explains

in an intervie ith The GUIDON.

Alcantara had quite a packed line-up during this

past year. with involvements in Brian Sys the-

sis, tl ty, Tanghalang AteneosK

b and Shaharazades gripping staging of

Jay Crisostomo IVsP, Alcantara has proven

his knoledge of the intricacies of orking on

and offstage.

Like his favorite Shakespearean play,M, hesees promoting the appreciation of art for arts sake

as a challenge. Hoever, at the same time, the thrill

of evoking emotion and immediacy to an audience

is hat pushes him to provide an accessible avenue

for people to get a hold of this aspect of culture.

with a vision of introducing a ave of art renais

sance in Filipino society, he ends the intervie

on a hopeful note, saying he ants to bring

theater back to its grassroots and, through his

craft, promote this gallant advocacy.

Mark Alcantara

music. Its something you share to others. If

youre riting just for yourself, youre not go-

ing to get anyhere.

while most musicians prefer to achieve fame and

success, David just ants to be remembered for

something he deems more important. I ant to be

remembered as a good husband and a good dad.

IF YOU had five seconds to name a random

song, hat ould you pick?

Ateneo Musicians Pool President David Lina

asks this question to prove a point: most of todays

music ill be forgotten five to ten years from no.

why is it up to this day you still kno songs such

as the National Anthem? Because they last. Andthis is hat David aspires to doto create music

that ill endure across generations.

He made a remarkable achievement hen he

on recognition for music composition in the

Loyola Schools Aards for the Arts. But perhaps

his greatest feat as during that time hen the

audience as singing along ith him during his

performance at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.Despite his achievement, though, he has man-

aged to remain don-to-earth.

I dont consider myself an artist. I just ant to

make musicits my passion. For David, music

has to be dran from ones on experience.

David shares one key advice about making

Photo By mAre S. CollAnteS

Photo By Benjo t. BeringuelA



19/52

MUSIC IS the universal language of man-

kind, said Henry wadsorth Longfello, and

the Ateneo College Glee Club (ACGC) can

attest to that.

ACGC is the oldest university choir in the

Philippines, but its performances have not only

Ateneo College Glee ClubBy Louella S. Ching graced the Ateneo or this countrythey have

reached other continents as ell.

In 2011, the choir competed in to qualifiers for

the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing: One

in Maribor, Slovenia and another in Varna, Bul-

garia. winning first place in the latter made them

eligible for the succeeding years Grand Prix.

But aards did not make them lose sight of

the reasons hy they ere singing in the first

place. we really anted to bring attention to

choral singing in the Ateneo, especially since e

dont have a formal music program, says Gorby

Llado, ACGCs outgoing president.

we anted people to realize that theres a

choral community around and it s something

orth investing in. Its a ay of bringing people

together through music, he adds.

ACGC strengthened its presence through many

on- and off-campus concerts. Another milestone

as set hen they heldbl hm: a

cm cl l December, hich as

the first inter-organizational choral singing

competition in the Ateneo in the past years.

The group may not have on the Grand Prix

upon going back to Europe in 2012, but for

bringing the Filipino love of music to the

Ateneo and for living out m to the country

and to the orld, they are nothing less than

true champions.

By Alex P. Santiago

Heights

BACK IN 2000, a college literary magazine as

brought before the Supreme Court for releas-

ing an issue centered on hat as referred to

as being devoid of all moral issues, vulgar,

indecent, and obscene.

h, the official student literary and artistic

folio of the Ateneo, isnt aiming to be in front of

a judge soon. But in the vein of departing from

conformity, their 60th year pushed boundaries

beyond hat they had done before.

This year,h second regular folio as cen-

tered on the theme of crassness. Heights 60th

anniversary folio featured a scratch-off cover

that effectively communicated their vision

looking at life beyond face value, finding light in

the darkness that surrounds us.

Aside from its regular folios, Heights also made

sure to include content for a younger audience,

releasingKw Pm last December.

Photos By mAre S. CollAnteS


20/52

Gabby Quimel

GABBY QUIMEL likes telling stories. But as a per-

son ho keeps mostly to himself, he finds that the

best ay he can truly express himself is hen hes

on the set, creating a film that he hopes is some-

thing his audience can both enjoy and relate to.

Quimel, a communication major, found his

interest in filmmaking in a high school project,

here he created a short commercial ith

his classmates. From that simple project, hes

discovered that filmmaking is something that

he could do for the rest of his life. I dont see

myself in anything else l, he shrugs.

One of his biggest milestones as a filmmaker is

the thesis film he produced ith to fello com-

munication majors. The film, entitled LSS, as

a documentary on contemporary Filipino music,something Quimel is also passionate about.

After 16 years in the Ateneo, he has learned the

most from the people he has met and got to

kno in school. Being a director and a cinema-

tographer has taught him to appreciate these

people better, don to the smallest details and

even the most forgettable conversations.

As he finally leaves the halls of the Ateneo,

Quimel sees everything ahead of him ith

an openness that has already brought him so

many opportunities to gro as a filmmaker. He

doesnt have any regretsinstead, he only looks

back ith immense gratitude.

By Bea V. Sigua

wITH 16 years of Ateneo education under his

belt, itd be easy to think that Mike Shimamotos

loyalty to the Ateneo cannot be rivaled. Unfortu-

nately, the school does have a rival for Shims

affections: music.

My mom said that I started singing at three,

but she didnt think it as music yet, he recalls

ith a laugh. But he kne he as a goner hen,

at 12 years old, he began singing in his churchcommunity. I felt something incredible and

told myself, I need to get hatever that is. I

need to participate in it.

His love for music as reinforced hen, in high

school, he became part of Section M, an honors

class filled ith creative people.

when Shim joined the Ateneo as a psychology ma-

jor, he continued singing at masses, eddings and

other events. By June 2012, he and his best friend

Hero Mauricio had launched the album ofWt sp?, a praise duo signed by Viva Records.

Though Shim first anted to be a doctor, he

thinks everything has orked out the ay it as

meant to. The more you understand hat hu-

man nature is, the more my songs become real,

he says. And hat I love about Atenean faith is

that you discover God amidst people. That gre

into one big concept in methat it s all about

giving love, and hat better ay to do that than

by your life?

By Katerina R. Rara

Michael Shimamoto

Photos By KitKAt S. lAStimoSA


21/52

By Alex P. Santiago

Pam Celeridad

UNLIKE MOST artists ho start dreaming of

blank canvases and hite alls to paint on, senior

information design major Pam Celeridads first

preferred medium as skin. Before I anted to be

a painter, I anted to be a tattoo artist, she says.

Its this unconventional attitude toards art

thats on her the first Loyola Schools Aards

for the Arts recognition for painting in more

than 10 years. Celeridad, ho is self-taught,

doesnt just limit herself to paint and a canvas;

she has experimented ith every possible medi-

um in the art orld, from sculptureAlthough,

k!to ink draings.

Hoever, it is ink on skin that is closest to

Celeridads heart. At 17, she designed her on

tattoo, a tiger on the side of her abdomen. P

yaesthetic paintingk, my overlay, she

says. I like putting things over things. Youre a

human advertisement of your ork.

Despite the unconventionality of her aesthetic, she

prefers traditional art methods over computer-

generated ork. I did try digital,p

p k, she says. Its convenient k

file l y, p p l ppaper.

Celeridad defies conformity. She may be a rebel

at heart, but theres one barrier she has yet to

break. Theres never been a female National

Artist, she says, smiling, ever.

Kookie Santos & Andi Lanuza

wHEN ASKED to share something interest-

ing about themselves, Kookie Santos and Andi

Lanuza start talking about design pick-up

liness k k l, p consist-

ent pmml mand ho design has

permeated into their daily livesKy ml

y mp fonts k ml y

mp m , m-stalk.

This exchange only shos ho art and design

have already played such big roles in the lives

these to artists lead. As a continuation of a

love affair that has blossomed since childhood,

a degree in fine arts as something they ere

alays sure of.

Despite that, they see their Ateneo experience

as something that has helped them gro. with

orks that have been published in local dailies,

handpicked for the annual Graphika Manila art

books, and seen around campus as advertise-

ments for some of Ateneos biggest events, it is

not hard to see that they have truly developed.

Both see the need to communicate ideaseven if

they are not their onand make people under-

stand them as the ultimate goal in every design

they make. with the rate they are going, it ont

be too long for their designs to not just reach

hearts but also to change the orld.

By Shanice A. Garcia


22/52

Arnold Lau

wHILE MANY of us can easily count the As e

received in college, its not particularly the case

for Arnold Lau.

Save for a fe semesters throughout his resi-

dency in the Ateneo, Arnold assumed the high-

flying character of a kid. Many people

have asked him not about the subjects he aced,

but those that ended up as blipsa meager four

subjectsin his sublime academic record.

Having excelled in mathematics even before col-

lege, Arnold initially anted to take up applied

mathematics major in finance in the Ateneo.

Hoever, his Filipino teacher in high school

piqued his interest in social issues. To add to that

a chance encounter ith Development Stud-

ies Program Director Leland Dela Cruz, hom

Arnold no considers his mentor in college, on

social netorking site Multiply further sayed

him to pursue development studies instead.

Right before officially stepping foot in the univer-

sity, the merit scholar had decided to sitch

courses and has undoubtedly gron by leaps and

bounds in school. Arnold ants to join the ork-

force of the government, specifically the peace

process office. The soi-disant music geek admits

that, in the long run, he dreams of becoming part

of an internationally renoned think tank.

Although nothing is absolutely sure yet, Arnold

knos better than to be anticipative. After all, if

there ere one thing he invaluably learned from

his mentor, it ould be to elcome uncertainty.

By Jose C. Cua

Kryslette BunyiBy Jose C. Cua

INSISTING TO eat something one is allergic to

may ell be a perfect example of a catch-22, but

someho, Kryslette Bunyi manages henever

she buys an order of Jolllibees steak.

The self-admitted perfectionist surprises even

her friends at times, one of the latest ones being

her decision to double major in the economics

honors program, hich means that she ill stay

on through next school year to finish it. For this

year, she ill be marching ith a degree in ap-

plied mathematics majoring in finance.

Kryslette explains that her parents, both ork-

ing in the banking industry, have influenced

her and led her to become interested in finance.

They ere supportive of her studies and en-

couraged her to join math contests before. Allthese contributed to her love for the subject.

Even ith loads of math subjects peppered

throughout her stay in the Ateneo, the math

major singles out her first to philosophy

classes under Manny Dy as her favorite

subjects. She says that they taught her to be

more critical and to understand life in a more

profound ay.

Her dream is to be genuinely happy and to be

able to help others, hich is no onder hy,

off the top of her head, she enumerates socially

oriented institutions such as the Asian Develop-

ment Bank as those she guns for in the future.

Photos By mArio t. dAgdAg


23/52

Eos Trinidad

EOS TRINIDADS typical day already starts at four

in the morning and ends at eight in the evening.

He adheres to a daily routine regimented for his

personal and social activities. Once he akes up, he

freshens up and studies, then he joins in the morn-

ing prayer ith his fello residents at Arvisu House

here he stayed during the latter half of his college

life. At night, he engages in prayer for an hour, and

then goes on for socials till it is time to hit the hay.

A candidate for the Society of Jesus, the inter-

disciplinary studies major actually discovered

his special calling in and through people. Eos

recalls seeing Associate Dean for Academic

Affairs Eduardo Calasanz attend Mass in the

morning for to days straight, hich inspired

him to go to Mass every day. This, coupled ithhis groing love for the liturgy, kept his inclina-

tion toard the priesthood aflame.

His secret to academic success sounds anything

but complicated: to keep everything balanced

and to use time isely. The humble Irigueo

ould inculcate to his Intact freshmen the value

of dreaming bighich perhaps explains hy

he himself plans to pursue the noble vocation of

priesthood through hich he can unreservedly

serve God and man.

By Jose C. Cua

Dom Bulan

LARYNGITIS MIGHT have derailed Dom

Bulan from his choral involvement back in grade

school, but his ever-groing passion for music

got him back on track in college.

The outgoing Vice President for Finance of the

Ateneo College Glee Club (ACGC) confesses that

the incident almost convinced him that his sing-

ing days ere over. For to eeks, he could not

talk and had to resort to Magic Slate, a peel-back-

dry erase board, to communicate ith people.

The tides apparently had turned hen college

came. His active involvement in ACGC actually

brought him abroad for the first time, particu-

larly in Europe here they competed. In fact,

they ent to Europe again for a second time andbagged numerous aards.

Dom also shares that he has alays taken interest

in mathematics, hich is hy he took applied

mathematical finance in the Ateneo. He tries to

anticipate ork to avoid backlog and makes study

plans ahead to ensure that each of his subjects

gets a fair share of his time.

This true blue Ateneans motto is to ork

hard and be alays open to learn. Indubitably,

this has been shon in Doms balanced life in

college, for he has made great strides in his

academics and extracurriculars.

By Jose C. Cua


24/52

Riche Lim

I ALMOST got kicked out of ME [management

engineering] during my first year, Riche Lim

admits, k mk k mk Math.

while he has represented the Ateneo in some of

the most competitive contests in finance, passed

the chartered financial analyst exam even beforegraduating, as ell as interned for the Mitchell

Madison Group, herein he has orked ith cli-

ents abroad, Riche remains humble and motivated.

His being a genius is defined not just by ho ell

he performs but also from ho it stems forth

from his perseverance and determination in mak-

ing sure that he delivers. Keeping a QPI that is

only second to one in the entire JGSOM is a feat

that is almost irreconcilable ith the fact that

he is also active and holds executive positions in

MEs home organization and Ateneo Celadon.

By committing to a strict schedule of orking

everyday, he cites time management as hat

enables him to pace his academic and extra-

curricular ork properly. His drive also comes

from the good balance that his Ateneo educationhas provided him and the people around him that

religiously follo the code ofmof excelling

in action and going even farther.

Never anting to settle for second best, Riche

shos ho the four years of college do more

than just prepare us for the orld outsideit

ultimately inspires and humanizes us.

By Shanice A. Garcia

Photo By mArio t. dAgdAg, edited By SHAniCe A. gArCiA


25/52

Alfred Marasigan

ALFRED MARASIGAN describes himself as sys-

tematic. Its a rather surprising notion given his rep-

utation as an artist (he on second place in the 2012

Maningning Miclat Art Competition for his painting

Traverse), but this is ho Marasigan orksa

balance beteen spontaneity and discipline that has

made him into an artistic (and academic) success.

Aside from being shortlisted for valedictorian and

having his thesis, Historiles, featured on several

nes outlets, Marasigan also recently on the

Loyola Schools Aards for the Arts recognition

for graphic design, a medium he started to explore

in college as an information design major. M

inclined k art, but [I guess] design is more

service-oriented, he says. M -ka

tangibly to a cause or an advocacy.

while he ants to pursue art (and be a National

Artist!) after graduation, Marasigan is choosing

to stay close to home. He plans on applying for a

teaching position ith the Fine Arts Program, in

line ith a proposed move to include fine arts as a

core subject for all majors. nk k [] y

something orth my education, he says of the

Ateneos core curriculum. He vies philosophy and

history as his favorite subjects, and attributes most

of his inspiration to these.

with a promising career and more time ahead of

him to chase his dreams, Marasigan has only one

thing in mind to keep him motivated: Inspire and

be inspired.

By Alex P. Santiago


26/52

Yna Sta. Maria

Ray Pine

ONE THING about Yna is that she has made

huge strides throughout her lifeoften literally.

when she as 12 years old, her family made

the big move from Iligan, Mindanao to Laguna.

There, she became a student representative of

her high school, De La Salle Canlubang.

Entering college in 2008 as a ne experience.

I stepped into Ateneo very uncertain about

myself, she says. But soon she as a top student

and an active member of Ateneo Psyche and

the Ateneo College Ministry Group. She also

as one of the first psychology majors to go on

JTA, and hen problems ith her IPS arose,

she chose to extend a yearand to minor in

Hispanic Studies, too.

Unlike the mass of students ho take notes first

and figure them out later, Yna ent through

classes focused. when I ould go to class, I

ould sit right up in front and give my prof

110%. Id ask my seatmates not to talk to me,

she laughs. Then, no longer needing to revie,

she had enough time to spend ith her friends

and org mates.

But though Yna is knon for her brains, hat

defines the future therapist is her heart. The

one reason I excelled is that I am so passionate

about hat I got myself into, she says. Psych is

not only a discovery of others; its also a discov-

ery of the self. And she ould kno. She knos

it best, after all.

THE LAST thing you ould expect to hear

from Ray is that hes unhingedthe ord he

ould use to describe the person hes become

over the past years. But he understands the

ord more positively.

Entering Ateneo High School from Nueva

Ecija, Ray as embarrassed by his thick accent.

English as my second language, he laughs,

adding, Adolescent boys arent the most under-

standing human beings. Instead of folding, he

responded by joining the debate teamthe start

of a promising career.

In college, Ray as flexible, briefly shifting into

mathematics from management engineering.

Though he liked the former, his return to ME

had to do ith more than academics. The ME

support group is great, he says, and I anted

to be ith them again.

Upon his return, Ray moved from debating to

adjudicating, and did so in competitions, includ-

ing the world Universities Debate Champion-

ship. He also joined business competitions,

recently inning the International Institute

for Business Development Case Competition

ith his team. He as aarded Best Presenter

as ell.

That is here being unhinged comes in. Its

literally for you to empty yourself, take the risk,

he says. when you try to risk yourself, you

find and appreciate the beauty of companions,

friends, and your hope and faith in God as ell.

By Katerina R. Rara

By Katerina R. Rara



27/52

Blue Batters

NO ONE forgets their firsts, and the Blue

Batters first glorious championship is for

the books. Although there is no contest that

achievement runs in the veins of the blue-

blooded, this flag on top of another mountainstands out in particular because of the climb.

Bocc Bernardo says, we ould have made

back-to-back by no, but it fell short. No here

[came] another threat: that e had to go all the

ay to game three to in [a championship.]

The agony of the previous year as a lo point

that made this years in much more of a tri-

umph. Ive experienced everything from the

highest of highs to the loest of the los To

be able to come back and ork hard for every-

thing is pretty satisfying, and pretty unbeliev-

able, says outgoing captain Gab Bagamasbad.

Aside from the fact that this batch of the Blue

Batters on the first, Bernardo says its allbecause they are 18 men deep, adding, were

not a bunch of nine players ho are good, ith

the other nine for display. Anyone can start,

anyone can finish. Thats ho strong ere

supposed to be.

It has been a good year for the Blue and white,

but hy do the Blue Batters stand out, exactly?

Bagamasbad says: we made history.

By Isabelle G. Rodolfo


28/52

By Chert V. Chu

Miguel Sibayan

AFTER FOUR years of playing in the UAAP,

Miguel Sibayans supersenior year marked his

last chance of representing the track and field

team of Ateneo. During the UAAP competition

this season, Sibayan smashed his personal best

in his first thro in the mens javelin, inning

him the gold medal for the event. The same goes

for the mens discus thro, snagging him his

second gold medal for the season. It as indeed

a magnificent feat to end his five years of stay in

the Loyola Schools.

Sibayan suffered from elbo and heel injuries

during the early part of the season. A common

challenge that is faced by almost every athlete,

this delayed him from joining the rest of his

teammates during their conditioning program.

Hoever, Sibayan says, what made me bounce

back as the support of my teammatesthat

as a supersenior, I have the responsibility topush myself and make an impact to the team,

especially to rookies ho ill also lead the team

in the future.

Clearly, this year asnt easy for Sibayan hen

it comes to bagging medals, but in line ith

the nature of the sport, he alays attempted to

surpass his best in every game. He ould alays

do more than hat as expected of him, living

by the ord m.

By Dean V. Roxas

Adel Barlisan

BRAINS AND bransits pretty rare to see

the to together in an athlete, but this is ho a

lot of his peers see Blue Tankers team captain

Adel Karlo Barlisan. Being an elite simmer in

the UAAP explains the brans aspect, but the

brains come in the form of a degree in health

sciences, a pre-med course.

The 21-year old balances time-consuming

subjects like biology and physics laboratory

sessions ith to one-to-to hour training

sessions each dayand you have to onder ho

he does it.

Apart from breaking the athlete stereotype, he

as also pivotal in the Blue Tankers defin-

ing moment last season 75: inning their first

ever UAAP Simming Championship. In his

13-year simming career, Barlisan alays had

a knack for leading and for pushing his team-

mates in training and during competition. The

preparation for season 75 as no different, as

he gave up training ith his Valle Verde club in

order to help prepare his fello Blue Tankers

for ar. This mindset paid dividends as the

team bagged the elusive cron after so many

runner-up finishes.

Once he took over the role of team captain, he

imprinted his on brand of leadership, hich

definitely contributed to the teams success.

Barlisan leads by example and sums up his role

in one quote: First in training, last one out.




29/52

Toby Gadi

ONE AND six. Numbers are enough to describe

ho this athlete is in the orld of badminton

in the Philippines. Antonino Benjamin Velarde

Gadi, commonly knon as Toby Gadi, has been

the number one-ranked mens singles badminton

player in the country for six consecutive years.

whenever opposing teams ould see Gadis name

in the brackets prior to a tournament, they kno

that they are in for a tough match against the

countrys best shuttler. Gadi proved this time and

time again and as one of the key ingredients in

the Blue Shuttlers stellar Season 74 campaign that

led them to capture their first championship since

the early 2000s. This season, hoever, they fell

short of repeating the feat, but Gadi and his boys

nevertheless played ith all their hearts.

Outside of the UAAP, he continued his flaless

singles play by topping to Pbars tourneys in

2012. The 23-year-old has yet to lose a singles

match since 2006. His impressive unbeaten streak

only goes to sho hy he has represented the

country in several international tournaments and

hy he is a mainstay in the national team.

Off the court, Gadi describes himself as an outgo-

ing and even goofy character. Nonetheless, he put

it perfectly into ords as to hy he is so successful

on the court: I choose not to give up; its alays

easy to quit but I choose not to.

By Dean V. Roxas

Cess TrinidadBy Chert V. Chu

BRINGING HOME a number of medals from

track and field competitions and being able to

play ith the Ateneo omens football team,

Cess Trinidad had a great year during her last

year of stay in the Ateneo.

An unexpected turn of events occurred fol-

loing the discontent surrounding Trinidads

performances early in the season. She realized

that she had to focus more on herself and thusjoined the track team this year.

She says, The difference beteen team sport and

individual sport is that I get to focus more on my-

self [in individual sport]. In football, I kno I have

my team mates to back me up during the game,

hile in track, its just me and the javelin or pole.

After her experience in individual sport, her

coaches in football convinced her to give

football another shot. It turned out a good

season for football this year because everybodyimproved and there is greater chemistry.

As such, this year, Trinidad conquered both team

sport and individual sport. Indeed, she simply

appreciates the joy that sports bring to her and

embraces the challenges that come ith it.

Even ith a seemingly faltering passion for foot-

ball and the need to adjust to her nefound sport,

track and field, Trinidad doubtlessly displayed the

character of perseverance and flexibility.

Photos By CHriStellA d. SoriAno


30/52

Lady Spikers

Blue Booters

FOR THE thousands of avid fans, it may have

been difficult at first to accept Ateneos defeat

under archrival De La Salle University for to

years in a ro in the UAAP omens volleyball

division. It as painful to think that our Lady

Spikers erent able to bag the championship

they still havent experienced. Moreover, this

year also sa the veterans play in the league

for the last time: Fille Cainglet, Jem Ferrer, Dzi

Gervacio, Gretchen Ho and Aillysse Nachachi.

Looking back, hoever, that final game as

one of those instances hen inning as

not everything. what e, the FAB5, did as

something beyond inningp , shares

Cainglet. Throughout their playing years as

athletes of the Ateneo, they have received

an overhelming kind of support even from

many non-Ateneans.

These years also had stories of people coming

from different places ho share a deep sense

of gratitude for the Lady Spikers. For these

people, the Lady Spikers inspired others in

many ays that the players might not have

been aare of. Mp l l y

kk-p k , says Nacachi,

recalling moments hen fans ould come to

them to express support.

we have these five ladies to thank for as they

proudly ended their collegiate athletic careers

knoing that, together ith a great team and

coaching staff, they made a big difference for

the future of Philippine volleyball.

By J. A. de Lima



31/52

Blue Eagles FIVE-PEAT CHAMPIONS


32/52

Alma Fermano

ATE ALMAS graduation magazine shoot began 15

minutes after the originally planned time. There

ere to reasons for this. First, she made sure to

finish photocopying the readings of the remaining

underclassmen ho needed them for finals.

Second, because she insisted on going to all of the

seniors she ould be posing ith that afternoon,

to give them a hug, make them promise to give

her a graduation picture (Kasi pagpapartner-

partnerin ko kayo lahat!) and to tell them each,

Alam mo pangga, ma-mimiss kita!

Ate Alma, hose photocopying kiosk in SEC-B

is often the favorite of students and teachers

alike, has provided much more than photocop-

ied readings and notes or the occasional handful

of Potchi or chocnut. Her seet Magandang

By Pia B. Guballa

umaga, pangga! makes coming to a laboratory

in the SEC area so much more bearable at 7:30

AM in the morning.

Bored hile aiting for your readings to finish?

You ont need to look for a friend to talk to

because Ate Alma ill surely ask you about your

love lifeand yes, she remembers ho youve

dated. Late at night, hen youre alking past

the area to study in Matteo or get picked up in

JSEC, sometimes the only distinct hir you

hear is the sound of her photocopy machine,

here she often orks beyond its usual operat-

ing hours, just to finish everything the students

need for the next morning.

Although e may be Ate Almas pangga, or fa-

vorite, she, in turn, ill alays be ours, too.

Jhong SiguenzaBy Chert V. Chu

MANG JHONG has been serving the Loyola

Schools and its students for quite some time

no. Students ould alays spot him at the

Loyola Schools simming pool because hes

the one responsible for making it one of the

cleanest simming pools in Metro Manila.

He arrives in school before six in the morning as he

opens the pool for Jesuits, the faculty and students. If

only a lot of people kne ho public pools are main-

tained, then one ould truly appreciate the ork of

Mang Jhong and ho earnest he is in performing his

duties for all the members of the Ateneo community.

Aside from the ork he does, Mang Jhong

also engages in triathlon events. Sometimes,

he ould bring his bike to school. while most

people ride mountain bikes, Mang Jhong has a

road bike, hich is more capable of speed.

Along ith other members of the faculty and

staff such as Tom dela Cruz and Theology

Department faculty member Rodel Crisostomo,

he rides his bike back and forth from Com-

monealth to Timberland here bikers usually

train. Although his hite hair can be deceiving,

Mang Jhong, ho is in his mid-forties, is as

healthy and as strong as the simmers and run-

ners on campus.

Though very strict ith campus rules, Mang

Jhong is actually friendly hen you get the

chance to kno him more.




33/52

Leloy Claudio

LELOY CLAUDIO seems to revel in his on

paradox: he comes to the intervie in a short-

sleeved hite button-don sprinkled ith

small sailboats, and shares in his signature

deadpan ho he rites long, boring articles of

a minimum 10,000 ords as an academic.

The balance of academic rigor ith refreshing

By Andrea S. Ang candor is Claudios hallmarkbarely pushing

30, the political science and history teachers

references run from despised senators to Taylor

Sift, and the 2008 US financial crisis toby

vmp sly.

It definitely keeps his students engaged:

Sometimes I joke that I dont maintain a

blog, so my classroom becomes my blog,

he explains of his no-PoerPoint rule. Its

alays very conversational.

Claudio doesnt bank on age, hoever. His ef-

forts to bring his broader orld pursuits, such

as t Ml rw, a convergence point for

critical discussion of academic and literary

publishing, back to the classroom ground theory

in relevance.

Its this treatment of life in the Ateneo as one

that reflects life outside of it that Claudio ants

to emphasize to his students: The complexity

of human life is actually represented by litera-

ture, by ideas, by philosophy and things like

thatsomething you get in the university.

RR Raeses

IN THE past to years, RR Raeses says he

began to build better relationships ith his

students. I started hanging out ith students.

And learning about their on personal experi-

ences and problems, I realized each student

has a distinct struggle, a distinct encounter,

he shares.

Perhaps the significance in knoing this comes

from the fact that he used to be greatly feared

by many Ateneans in his first years of teaching

political science, hen he ould readily yell

at his class hen students dont recite. while

Raeses definitely continues to uphold the

high standards he demands in his classes, like

paper requirements that should meet hat

he calls global benchmarks in the scholarly

sense, he admits that coming off as very intimi-

dating as something that did not ork ell

for the kind of citizens he anted his students

to be in the long run.

I realized that someho the posture of being

scary and all that performance can actually

turn off people rather than empoer them. It

can actually disempoer them, he explains.It makes more sense, though, hen Raeses

attributes this to being insecure himself, in the

sense that he had to assert his authority.

But, at least for no, hat matters are the

meaningful friendships he currently has ith

his students and the trust he has gained from

thema kind of dynamic he guesses he got ac-

customed to as he gre into the profession.

By J. A. de Lima




34/52

By Louella S. Ching

Brian Giron

FOR THOSE ho never had reason to love

history, you ill find plenty in Girons classes,

especially if youre a fan of Star wars, Batman,

Pale Pilsen, the zombie apocalypse, computers

or even penguins. Beyond that, hoever, hat

ill really glue you to your seats in his classes

are the ays he tells our countrys stories.

Instead of quizzes, he ill size you up through

rigorous debates and a photo project. Aside

from his lectures, he ill urge you to seek pri-

mary sources to better understand Martial La.

Rather than memorizing, he ill ask you to spot

the flas in the United States agenda of Be-

nevolent Assimilation instead. He ill convince

you that this country cannot move forard if

e do not look back, or if e choose to forget. I

ant them to remember that I taught them ho

to think for themselves, he says.

He ill also say that he doesnt care about his

students, but then again, he also said never to

blindly believe in anything anyone tells you.

After all, he did sho a modicum of concern by

reminding the seniors of the necessity to purge

their inconsistencies. You shouldnt aste

time, but time isnt asted hen youre sorting

things out.

Above all, if you never had reason to believe that

By Luther B. Aquino

Aris Atienza

ITS NOT alays easy to understand the

relevance of Ateneo core subjects to our actual

lives. For the most coo among us, its especially

difficult to see the point of nine units of Filipino

But to Aris Atienza of the Filipino Department,

the anser is commonsensical. Indeed, ho

can a good education in Filipino not be relevant

hen Filipino is the language of the streets? It i

the best years of our country lie ahead or that

e are the greatest nation in the orld, then let

Giron harness the poer of our beautiful and

onderful history to sho you otherise.

we fight for the right things. And thats the kind

of shit that make up a really aesome country.




35/52

precisely this grounding in local realityin pop

culture, in media trends, in national heritagethat animates Sir Aris Filipino 12 classes and

imbue them ith much relevance to our lives.

s k [ m y k]

wl pkk l k y

pl, he says. s l p l,

y m l m l mk

l. As such, something he ants his

students to take from his classes is critical

thinking.

eplly k pp lk, m

y m pp l, he says.hw ml pl y m kl

ppl, k, , [ppk

] k m km, p k-

l , kkl kkl k p

pp l.

His point, perhaps, is that in his class, the

reading assignments ere never just about

reading the textsthey ere about reading

our very lives.

D. M. Reyes

OVER THE course of his teaching career, one

thing that has not changed, shares Danilo

Francisco M. Reyes, or D. M. Reyes as he is

commonly knon, is his ish to inspire his

students. Ive alays anted my students

to take something, if not useful, something

memorable from my class.

True enough, the most cherished memories

he has had as a professor ere those instances

hen former students later on told him that

they learned something from his literature

classes. For him, this signifies a genuine kind

of learning. I think it makes a hole lot of

difference because of the eight of experience,

the years of reflection that accompanied that,

notes Reyes.

whether he knos it or not, Reyes possesses

the natural ability to embed special nug-

gets of life-changing lessons in his discus-

sionsbe it on poetry or prosethat move

his students hearts in one ay or another.

This has even gone beyond the classroom, as

a parody Titter account sharing some of his

quotes as even put up, presumably by some

of his students.

Draing from the Jesuits, Reyes says he abides

by the dictum of beginning ith a short princi-

ple and giving many examples, hich indeed is

evident in the ay he teaches literature. If you

see dimensions of the theoretical, the abstract,

the philosophical in the everyday things that

you do, then I think there are no gaps in your

apprehensions of the orld. It is experience in

perfect amity, he opines.

By J. A. de Lima

Ambeth Ocampo

THEY CALL it t am omp Experience.

Historian and author Ambeth Ocampos pres-

ence is alays eagerly aaited on campus.

Slots for his classes disappear in seconds

during enlistment, despite Ocampos on

arning: Students expect the unexpected,

and kno that a grade does not truly reflect

hat you learn in school.

The pioneer of a sho, dont tell method

of relating history, Ocampo offers a fresh

perspective on the history you only k you

kno. He brings to the classroom not only his

experiences in teaching and research, but a

searing it that qualifies the pasts relevance

in the present.

History may seem useless in itself like algebra

or geometry, he shares, but it trains the mind

to think, trains the heart to feel so that the past

can be a ay to understand the present and

meet the uncertain future.

By Andrea S. Ang



36/52

Michael Liberatore

ITS AN oddity that he never fails to point out

himselfStupid hite guy, he mutters, chuck-

ling self-deprecatingly hen asked hat brought

him from the United States to local shores. But

give Michael Liberatore a fe more minutes

to talk, and youll hear a nice, charming story

involving romance and happy accidents.

He ent to Guam 12 years ago as a member of the

Jesuit Volunteers International, and it as there

that he met his Filipina ife. when e decided

to get married, one of our questions as, where

are e called? The more e prayed about it

the more e felt that maybe the call as to come

this ay.

Its been quite a journey for him since then. Lib-

eratores Theology 141 classes are no among the

most popular for the subject, perhaps next only

to Bobby Guevs, ho he considers a mentor.

If theres anything he ants students to take

from his classes, its that the reality in hich

e live, the life that e lead, is not the totality of

our existence.

Theology 141 talks about the unity of temporal

liberation and evangelization in the ork of the

faith. This is something that manifests even in

the ay Liberatore lives his life. To his students,

it shines through in every lecture: his vocation

is an acknoledgment of hat he calls, quoting

Karl Rahner, the infinite mystery that envelops

our existence.

By Luther B. Aquino

Joed TirolBy Bea V. Sigua

AFTER 16 years of teaching in the Ateneo, Joed

Tirol jokes that hes stuck to the job because he

has three kids to send to college, and he ants

the tuition discount that orking in school

arrants him. By the time my last kid finishes

college, Ill be 59, so hat the heck, he laughs.

He immediately recants, hoever. On a more

serious level, teaching is therapeutic. Its not a

job to me. Tirol describes himself as an intro-vert, scared of crods and audiences. But hes at

most ease hen hes teaching, here hes able

to express himself and his values the best ay

he knos.

Recovering from flu and poering through his

classes ith a lot of paracetamol, Tirol says that

the orst thing about teaching is hen hes so

tired, yet he still has to keep going. The spiritis illing, but the body is eak, he quips. Ho-

ever, he comforts himself by saying that theres

alays the next semester to do better.

This piercing yet astute honesty is hat makes

Tirol an outstanding history teacher. The ors

ay to teach [history] is to teach it like a sub-

ject, he says. To Tirol, history is not something

you memorize. To him, its a story that each and

all of us can find a connection ith.

Ultimately, he ants his students to realize that

they all have their on roles to play. No matter

ho big, no matter ho small, everything you

do or not do makes a difference.




37/52

Jethro Tenorio

MaPaLad Yata k k m p l

y y lm k m k w.

g k l m, shares Jethro

Tenorio of the Filipino Department. But it ill

perhaps be to the surprise of many to kno

that he first aspired to be a religion teacher or,

to makes things more complicated, a priest. He

remembers ho his grandmother even anted

him to become the pope.

fl k y my ll p

k, he quite seriously notes.

But ith the influence of his professors as a

college student in the Ateneo, such as Jerry

Respeto and Alvin Yapan, Tenorio decided to

teach Filipino instead. College, after all, as also

By J. A. de Lima

here he thought he as really able to connect

the dots as to the path he as taking, starting

from hen he joined Entablado in sophomore

year.

d m y-y, l yAB Org, minor in Comm

ll, he jokes. Today, he maintains

his affiliation ith the socially oriented theater

organization by being its active moderator.

Furthermore, Tenorio is undeniably identified

as among the Ateneos popular professors. He

thinks this is idely because he keeps his classes

as alive and spontaneous as they could get,

marked by the deep sense of appreciation for our

on literature that every Filipino should have.

Vene Rallonza

wHILE IT could be said that every individual is

a distinct human being, Vene (pronounced: ve-

ne) Rallonza is just remarkably different.

Students in general recognize her to be this

bald political science professor ith tattoos all

over her body, but such is in fact a telling bodily

expression of hat Rallonza believes in and

upholds ithout hesitation hen interacting

ith homever she encounters.

In light of hat to her seems to be an unfathom-

ably violent patriarchal society, she says that she

is ly a feminist, and that she takes a lot

of sexist antics seriously. And that is something

that is non-negotiable for me.h k p kll

pmm as a school of thought or as a tool

for critical analysis, y k pl,she recalls about her college days in UP Dili-

man, here she had the chance to lead one of

the universitys progressive sororities.

In the Ateneo, here she has taught since 1997,

Rallonza continues to advance her advocacies

by teaching courses on omens rights and

inspiring students to reflect on matters pertain-

ing to politics at the margins, the latter being

an elective hich students appreciate for its

unique experiential pedagogy.

For Rallonza, it is ultimately her ay of pushing

Ateneans toards having a more active and

critical political involvement.

By J. A. de Lima




38/52

Roy TolentinoBy Luther B. Aquino

SOMETIMES, THE joy of philosophical reflec-

tion lies in its ability to offer someone a ne

lens ith hich to see the orld, for a vision

more receptive to the onder that radiates from

the seemingly ordinary.

Roy Tolentino, then, must have reflected much

on his experiences ith his students, because

he does not just see the process of groth they

undergo for a school year as the monotonousdaily grind it might look like up close. To him,

the process is nothing short of a miracle.

I think the most meaningful experience for me

is to itness, especially in Philo 101-102, ho

your students gro over the course of a year,

he shares. what emerges, especially at the end

of the year, is something altogether miraculous.

Something happens to them. whether you had a

part to play in that or not, its still a privilege to

itness it.

In his classes, this groth takes the form of

groth in humility and responsibility. The

point of my class is for students to get a sense

of humility, on the one hand, before the

onder that is our orld and our existence...

But at the same time, hat e do matters, and

therefore, e are also responsible for hatever

e do.

what Tolentino teaches seems to be an art of

living that is difficult to perfectbut perhaps to

pursue perfection is, in this case, to miss the point

Learn to take yourselves seriously enough to be

responsible, he tells the graduating batch, but

not so seriously that you feel burdened by every

thing that you have to do in the future.

Jope Guevara

JOPE GUEVARA is orried.

Hes going to be on teaching hiatus next year to

ork on his PhD dissertation. Excited as he is,

it ill be the first time in 13 years that he ont

have a teaching load.

Im excited because I can start on the dis-

sertation, but at the same time, Im scared,

because, fast-forarding to the future, I dont

kno [hether] if and hen I return, I [ill]

still kno ho to teach, he says. will I still be

the same Jope? will I still be accepted by my

future students?

[Its] scary, because, of course, hen you

experience ne things, it adds on to your per-

son, he explains. I ill be a different person.

will that ne person still be accepted by my

ne students?

His fears are understandable. Hes a perfection-ist, and that has perhaps shon in the fact that

his Philosophy 101-102 classes are among the

most popular for juniors. when one already has

such a good a grasp of things, its difficult to let

go and believe that he ill ever really have the

same grasp again.

Its amusing that Sir Jope is saying these things

because e never really expect to find ourselves

in the same boat as our teachersright no, as

fresh graduates, ere also getting bombarded

ith all sorts of orries and fears.

But e are all human, and the isdom in his

ords for the graduates apply as much for him

as it does for us: tly-ly l, even if the

road ahead ill be difficult, p mlm

l. whats important is that you still

do hat you have to do.

By Luther B. Aquino

Photo By miguel S. SAntiAgo



39/52

Chay Hofilea

JC Uy

NOTHING GIVES teachers more pride than

seeing their students as successful practitioners

of their chosen fields. In Chay Hofileas case,

they eventually become colleagues.

Aside from teaching nes riting and inves-

tigative journalism, Hofilea acts as online

nes site Rapplers Nes, Citizen Journalism

& Community Engagement Director. Teach-

ing, hoever, is her first loveparticularly

molding the minds of aspiring journalists.

If you ork ith college kids, theyre very

malleable, she says. I think the potential to

influence them is stronger.

with former students such as Rappler reporter

Paterno Esmaquel and ABS-CBN reporters Jeff

Canoy and Ryan Chua, nothing gives Hofilea

more fulfillment than seeing former students live

out the things they had learned from the class-

room. It tells me ho old I am! she laughs.

Journalism is a field that subjects one to a bap-

tism of fire, ith Hofilea sending out her stu-

dents on immersions ith actual practition-

ers. Not only does this prepare them for a life on

the field, but eventual employment as ell.

The profession ill be in constant need of

fresh and young blood, she says. They end up

asking me, s y m mstudent

pw -?

AT FIRST glance, JC Uy seems to be very

young. One can even mistake him for a student

as he travels around campus on his bicycle. But

as he ends his eighth year of teaching philoso-

phy in the Ateneo, he proves that hile hes only30 years oldyoung compared to his esteemed

colleagues in the Philosophy Departmenthes

ise ay beyond his years.

while hes built a certain reputation over the

course of his teaching, Uy remains to be very

amicable and approachable. Contrary to hat

the enlistment rumors say about him, hes nei-

ther terrifying nor punishing. Instead, he makes

pop culture references in class, relating points

of St. Anselm to the journey of the hobbits to

By Alex P. Santiago

By Bea V. Sigua

Mordor. He doesnt hesitate to reach out to his

students, helping them both in and out of class.

Uy says that one of the best things about teach-

ing is that his students eventually become his

friends. He sees the trust that his students give

him as a ay to sho them that philosophy

is not only an intellectual activity, but also an

experience of learning ho to love.

And if his students ere to learn one thing

from him, it can be summed up by these simple

ords: Do not be afraid.

Photo By Benjo t. BeringuelA

Photo By mAre S. CollAnteS


40/52

Ron CruzBy Tintin P. Lontoc

TO MANY students, Ron Cruz is the science

teacher ith a penchant for pop culture. At 31

years old, Cruz has 10 years of teaching under

his belt, is an internationally published specula-

tive fiction author, founder and moderator of the

Ateneo Biological Organization, a noted keen

predictor of Oscar victors, and a student favorite.

when informed about his legend-in-the-mak-

ing status, his initial response is, Ho? It may

have something to do ith his uncanny ay of

getting a class to appreciate the subject matter

that is, his knack for injecting his film knoho

into the otherise routine science course.

Nevertheless, hile film and pop culture trivia

have become staples of his Science and Society

lectures, he has since then developed a class

that heavily involves sci-fi and practical sci-

ence beyond the odd bonus quiz item here and

there. Cruz is the brains behind the inventive

and relatively novel Biology in Science Fiction

course, here the film buff gets to flex his

creative muscles.

The first of its kind, the class integrates liter-

ary and film analyses ith biologyto of his

favorite things. Cruzs novel efforta triumph in

hat looks to be a long, exciting career ahead

might not be the last. whats next?

I ould like to develop a course in biology of

horror films.

Ray Aguas

FIRST RULE in his class: call him Ray. Not Sir

Ray, not Sir Aguas, not Dr. Ray, not Dr. Aguas.

Just, Ray.

Calling him anything other than his name, he

says, commands that you give him respect for

the titles or positions he holds, and not for his

being a person. It is this same respect (and love)

he ill inspire you to haveafter one semester

in his theology classfor everyone ho comes

into your life.

His amusing, frank, and straightforard manner

By Pia B. Guballa

of teaching often catches students off-guard.

This is not your typical high school Christian

Living class here you are graded on the basis

of ho many saints you can name. with his

flavor-changing e-cigarette in one hand and the

other free for the occasionally dran artistic

doodle analogy, Aguas introduces ideas that can

blo your mind.

Hell encourage you to think critically in class

about contemporary issues such as homosexu-

ality, the possibility of omen priests, repro-ductive health, and advances in science and

technology. Hell introduce you to the coolest

guy in all of history, Jesus of Nazareth, and sho

you hy youd ant to be just like him.

Aguas ends his classes ith a simple question:

Still cute? Getting cuter every day? with

beaming smiles and ultimately a reneed call to

do all things in the spirit ofplzm, his

students leave his classes ith a reneed under

standing of hat it means to be Christian.


Photo courtesy of migi S. SoriAno


41/52

Wilson Gan Migoy LizadaBy Andrea S. Ang By J. A. de Lima

wILSON GAN has a ay of making things

unforgettable.

Be it marketing or operations management

or decision analysis, hen you leave his

classroom, his lectures tend to follo you

around. why? Gan litters his lectures ith

interesting anecdotes collected over the

years, eighing out heavier concepts ith re-

al-life application. He is in his element hen

putting a qualitative spin on quantitative

subjects, keeping the class not only engaged,

but curious.

Most recently, the former operations manager

of Red Ribbon told me an interesting opera-

tions supply chain story, he shares excitedly.

Right after talking to that person, I immedi-

ately ent to my computer, opened up Ever-note, and typed all of the key facts kasi I told

myself I have to share this interesting story.

Gans style of tackling challenging subject

matter from a practical, relatable point of

vie translates even outside the classroom.

He implores, Embrace challenges in life. As

my on experience taught me, its those chal-

lenges in life that ill help you to learn the

mostand its the challenges in life that ill

also make you realize your full potential.

ONE JUST couldnt help but love the Ateneo.

This pretty much summarizes Miguel Lizadas

profound attachment to the university, hich

clearly shoed hen he found himself going

back to Katipunan to teach literature for one

summer hile he as still in Singapore finish-

ing his graduate studies.

I as riting my thesis. And I as having diffi-

cultymy ideas couldnt move. So one day I as

riding the bus, sabi ko, Shet, I miss Ateneo.

And so he ent back, and it as a summer he

ill remember for the rest of his life.

For Lizada, the Ateneo allos one to have more

meaningful ays of perceiving and experienc-

ing the orld. He recalls at once that apart from

the classes he took, studying as a dormer also

deepened his sense of belonging to the Ateneo.

Its really about here I gre upaay from

the comforts of my parents Its really here I

found myself.

Returning to teach full load in 2011, Lizadas

fervor to finally be of full service to the Ateneo

also gave birth to the viral Overheard at the

Ateneo de Manila Facebook pagehich is

no also on Titterhich has become every

Ateneans favorite pastime at least once in their

college life.

More than that, hoever, Lizadas love for

the school has been consistently reciprocat-

ed by the idespread appreciation students

have for him, young as he is in his career.

For me, its just a matter of enjoying hat I

do. Its really giving your all I just ant to

be a good teacher.




42/52

Fr. Adolfo Dacanay, SJBy Luther B. Aquino

wHEN FR. Adolfo Dacanay, SJ alks into the classroom for the first time,

he ill strike terror into your heart. W wl i myl

, you ill ask yourself. If you are particularly unlucky, you ill get

shouted at at one point in the semester, in hich case having an extra pair

of pants might prove invaluable.

Truth be told, if you took Dacanay for Theology 131, you probably made that

choice in full freedom. You might question your on sanity because of that,

but hen the semester finally ends, you realizeall those Fs in the quizzes

and the stare that almost killed you during orals?i w ll w .

All this amuses Dacanay. On the one hand, this legend [talk], I think it s

overblon, he says. On the other hand, it helps Like, they say, terror

or something. [As a result,] I dont have to do anything or say anything in

class. Most people have to repeat: I mean this!

whether its due to his forceful delivery or his high standards, the lessons

you learn from him stick for life. And rightfully so; as he says, Being amember of the Church is not enoughyou have to be a responsible and

mature member of the Church.

That is hy I alays say: Be critical! Think! he explains. Genuine

faith, the truth of our faith, should in no ay be in conflictand it

be in conflictith other truths that e find in other disciplines.

Dacanays reminder to graduates about Christian living is, in fact, very

simple: ere adults no, and e need to do justice to that fact.

Benjamin TolosaBy J. A. de Lima

IF THERE is one person from the faculty ho as able to make the most

significant contributions to framing political issues and social realities in

the countryand that includes the Ateneo de Manila as ellit ould be

no less than Benjamin Tolosa of the Political Science Department.

Tolosa says that part of his project as an educator is the value he gives to

developing perspectives for a deeper understanding of social phenomena.

Since e are in a university context I think e do have that opportunity

to step back and ask critical questions: Ho has this come to be? what is

holding it together? Can it be otherise?

It as Tolosa, after all, ho introduced critical constructivism to his

department hen he came back in 2001 from his doctorate studies at the

University of Minnesota under the guidance and mentorship of esteemed

political scientists, such as Raymond Duvall and Kathryn Sikkink.

He has been teaching in the Ateneo since 1983for 30 years noa stint

that has seen from him prolific output, such as key contributions todwm hll: a Ml i f t Y u Ml Lw,

1971-1982, a hp, and sdm, and other efforts in mapping the

political landscape of the Philippines ith a focus on Ateneo history in the

context of Martial La.

His influence is also ell found in the young minds of Ateneans he has

taught, such as Risa Hontiveros, Manoling Francisco and Erin Taada.

Photo By mArio t. dAgdAg Photo By CHriStellA d. SoriAno


43/52

Eduardo Calasanz Roberto GuevaraBy Luther

Documents

The GUIDON Graduation Magazine 2013