Library blues

By Christian Edu Villegas

(Vol. XXVII No. 27, Editorial Cartoon)

Library blues

At the start of the second semester, various offices and sectors in Negros Oriental State University (NORSU) were disconcerted upon hearing the news that the number of student assistants (SA) was trimmed down due to the meager funds of the Student Government (SG). One of the sectors that was badly affected by the reduction of the number of SAs is the university library – from 17, it went down to 12.

In effect, this has led to various burdens on the part of the library goers. Aside from the fact that they cannot be accommodated easily because of the lack of SAs to attend to their needs, there is also no guarantee that valuables left at the baggage counter will be strictly guarded. Most of the time, because of lack of SAs, the baggage counter is left unattended.

University Librarian Pablita Munar apparently blames the problem to the decreased number of SAs assigned in the library this semester. Munar pointed out that with the current number of SAs, they cannot handle their work well.

Munar’s claim is indeed true. The poor service of the library is the result of the scarcity of manpower. With only few SAs hired this semester for the library, more work is pelted on the remaining SAs; they cannot maximize their assigned tasks because new errands are to be accomplished, thus leading to stacks of pending works. Also, considering the number of library goers, the 12 SAs would surely find it difficult to accommodate all the students flocking, especially during the examination week. Moreover, it should also be considered that SAs are students, too, and they cannot devote all of their time to the library.

In defense, Student Government of Dumaguete City I (SGDCI) President Christopher Don Catacutan answered that the SG should not be blamed for the problems that the library is currently suffering. Catacutan said that before the second semester started, he already informed the university librarian that they will be decreasing the number of SAs assigned in the area because of meager funds. Thus, according to him, it is already the librarian’s full responsibility to look forward to its consequences. Catacutan opined that Munar should have screened well the SA applicants so that she can set the SA’s vacant time for duty. He asserted that hiring SAs is only one of their projects and that they cannot spend the entire SG fund for the said project.

On that note, Catacutan is right. Funding SAs in various offices is only one of their projects, and they also have other projects to attend to. With their insufficient funds, it is only right that they will hire less SAs – for if they will still hire more, they will suffer the consequences like that of the previous administration’s where some SAs were unpaid.

Looking at the problems currently suffered by the library, both parties are right in defending their sides. Munar was right in saying that the poor service of the library is because of the SAs number reduction. Catacutan is also right in saying that the blame should not be put to them because they are only hiring SAs according to their available funds.

With both parties being right, so what now? Will the library problems remain as they are? Having no one to bear the blame, will the library’s poor service continue? The school year is already ending, will these problems continue to haunt until next school year?

Looking for appropriate solutions to the problem may seem out of reach, but if well planned and deliberated, it will lead to impressive results. Maybe, it is now time for the university administration to start thinking of hiring more full-time personnel in the library so that its manpower will not largely depend on its SAs. Also, it is now time for the next SG administration to start assessing that in the coming school year, they must regulate their unnecessary projects like pageant and beautification, allocate more funds in hiring SAs, and assign more SAs especially in the library, because it is an important spot – being the avenue for learning – for most Norsunians.

The library is a very important tool for Norsunians. Its problems go to the students as burden. May authorities work together to put up a worry-free and efficient NORSU library.

The Norsunians’ year

By Christian Edu Villegas

(Vol. XXVII No. 22, Editorial Cartoon)

The Norsunians’ year

Weeks ago, every one of us in this planet, welcomed the year 2010, the Year of the Metal Tiger, with optimism and high hopes. It’s been already weeks since we started our respective journey on this new year – new stories, new adventures, and new pages to fill another chapter of history. It’s been already a while when we finally left and closed that chapter which was filled with eye-popping surprises – the year 2009.

Looking back, the year 2009 had been another healthy chapter in the history of Negros Oriental State University (NORSU) as a young and budding university, struggling to be a dynamic higher education institution of preference in the Visayas and Mindanao. In the year that was, NORSU had another period of commendable transformation.

NORSU-Mabinay Campus was opened; new teachers and faculty members were added to the university’s teaching and working force; IP cameras were installed for tighter security; the ground floor of the College of Nursing, Dentistry, Pharmacy and Allied Health Sciences building was opened for the students’ use; a Doctor in Dental Medicine course was offered; the university grounds were beautified; the mock ship for the College of Maritime Education students was finally furnished and was launched for students’ practical hands-on; more foreign students enrolled here – these were only some of the remarkable improvements embraced by the Norsunian community last year.

Along with these transformations were achievements that added significant pages to the history of NORSU. The year 2009, just like in the past, was another year of achievements for Norsunians, especially in topping national licensure examinations. It’s a year of adding laurels to the university and extending the long list of Norsunian achievers in the history.

To recall, Childrico Caingcoy, a graduate of BS Marine Engineering, landed in the second spot of the written phase of the Marine OIC Examination with a score of 87.75 percent. Jessie James Lasconia, a BS Geology graduate, ranked 9th in the August 2009 Geologist Licensure (Board) Examination. Another remarkable achievement was that of Dan Jerome Saycon Barrera, a graduate of NORSU-Bais Campuses, who ranked 3rd in the September 2009 Criminology Licensure Examination.

These accomplishments which highlighted the year that was are pages of history that surely each Norsunian will be proud of. It is very inspiring that despite the evident lack of facilities and equipment in the university, Norsunians excel as one of the best and finest across the nation.

We finally bid adieu to those pages and those are nothing now but parts of history. The chapter had ended and here goes the university and the whole NORSU family paving pages of another chapter to NORSU’s history. As we look back to last year and continue journeying, it is not bad to hope for this year to have an increase in the record of achievers. It is not bad to cross our fingers that this year, like last year, would be another chapter of remarkable achievements for Norsunians.

Moreover, it is not bad to hope that somehow, some longings of the students for equipment and facilities would finally be realized. It is not bad to pray that hopefully, the students’ concerns would be the main priority this year because if Norsunians did more with less, they could do more with adequate facilities and equipment.

Norsunians are known as the Tigers. May this Year of the Metal Tiger be the Norsunians’ Year!

Justice

By Christian Edu B. Villegas
(Vol. XXVII No. 18, Editorial Cartoon)

Justice

Days ago, while the whole Negros Oriental State University (NORSU) system was in the thick of preparation for its 82nd Founders Week Celebration, the whole Filipino nation was shocked with the news on the brutal killing of 64 persons (as of November 28), that include the wife of Buluan Vice Mayor Esmael Mangudadatu, his two sisters, lawyers, relatives, supporters, and some 31 media practitioners. The victims of the gruesome killings were mercilessly slaughtered in cold blood at the grassy hill of Barangay Salman in nearby Ampatuan town of Maguindanao .

Dubbed as the most spine-tingling massacre ever to happen in Philippine history, the news tore the hearts of all media practitioners and the people in the world because the most wicked killings did not only include innocent civilian supporters of the Mangudadatu clan but also 31 journalists – 31 innocent public servants who had nothing to do with the political rivalry between the Ampatuan and Mangudadatu clans, but were just there to chronicle the filing of the certificate of candidacy of Esmael for governor, through his wife, sisters, and lawyers.

What took place was an unimaginable crime that befell in the land of promise. The perpetrators were like demons and beasts. It was the most evil political and media carnage ever to have been perpetrated in the Philippines.

Circumstantial evidences are pointing to Maguindanao Governor Andal Ampatuan’s son, Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr., as the principal suspect in the gruesome massacre. He surrendered to the government, and appeared to have been handled with kid gloves and is now held under the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation. The state prosecutors have found sufficient evidence to recommend the filing of multiple murder charges against Andal Jr., among others cases.

But the question is: Why is it that the Arroyo administration seemed hesitant to use an iron hand in dealing with the suspects?

The Arroyo administration at first publicly offered, in what appeared to be sincere condolences to the families of the victims – condemning the carnage in the highest sense – and vowed to hail the perpetrators to the bar of justice. However, what have been said and promised has not been satisfactorily done.

It is noted that the Ampatuan clan was primarily instrumental in giving the late Fernando Poe Jr., who was very popular among Muslims in Mindanao, a zero vote in many towns in Maguindanao in the 2004 elections against Arroyo. In the 2007 senatorial election, the candidates of PGMA took an unbelievable 12-0 victory against the opposition in Maguindanao.

Obviously, PGMA owes a lot from the Ampatuans. In her statement published in Philippine Daily Inquirer, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo said, “I don’t think the President’s friendship with Ampatuans will be severed… Just because they are in this situation doesn’t mean we will turn our backs on them… It doesn’t mean that they are no longer our friends, if ever they indeed committed the crime.”

Fajardo’s statement is enough to explain everything. It goes with the statement of Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Raul Gonzales who urged the government to go slow in arresting the suspected mass murderers. “If we use the iron hand on them, they might fight back… We should take precautions. These are not ordinary people,” Gonzales warned.

By these statements, it appears that the Ampatuans are extraordinary people by almost any measure. They control almost everything in the town and province of Maguindanao. They control the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. And worst, they have that clout to influence Malacañang, which had to be pushed by public opinion from both ends of the globe to act sensibly.

The outraged media people, media organizations, local and foreign institutions, are calling for immediate action from the government. The killings are way beyond every man’s thoughts and are extremely outrageous. The perpetrators are animals, not humans. The doers of this barbaric massacre must not be tolerated and should not go unpunished – even if they are administration’s allies, even if they are powerful. After all, nobody is above the law. The victims should be given justice and their deaths must not turn in vain, like other political scandals which were gradually forgotten with the change of time.
Justice should be served.

Overdue

By Christian Edu B. Villegas
(Vol. XXVII No. 16, Editorial Cartoon)

Overdue

Ever since the day the university administration decided to have a dress code for Negros Oriental State University (NORSU), deciding what clothes are proper and what are not, has been a dilemma for the students. In the first few months of implementation, arguments between guards and students are a common occurrence. Without a proper guideline, a lot of students are often seen milling outside the university, unable to attend their classes because they were not allowed to get inside.

It was therefore a relief when the Student Government (SG) Legislative body started to formulate a proper dress code which will be followed by the NORSU System. With a proper dress code, there will no longer be questions as to what clothes one should wear to get inside the university.

Unfortunately, the said dress code which has been ‘in the process’ since last school year remains unapproved until now. The result, therefore, is the frequent bickering between the guards and the students, unable to agree with each other because they do not have a proper dressing guideline to follow.

The first semester has ended and the second semester has started and as the term of present officials are getting shorter, one cannot help but wonder if this dress code will ever be realized.

Despite the fact that the dress code policy has been implemented since the previous school year, questions of “nganong naka-sulod ka?” can still be heard inside the campus and girls wearing mini-skirts and sleeveless clothes can still be seen walking around the campus. The latter usually cause other students to grumble why mini-skirt-wearing students are allowed to enter when this type of clothing is explicitly prohibited together with flat sandals and shorts.

A proper dress code will not only eliminate grumblings from the students but will also be an advantage since students will no longer have to constantly worry if the clothes they are wearing will be allowed or not. It would also be easier for the guards to discern which type of clothes are considered proper and which ones are not. In addition, the guards will no longer have to quarrel with the students because they will finally have a document to show to the students and they need not rely on their judgments as to what is decent and what is not.

Every Norsunian is getting tired of the dress code problem, even the Chief Security Officer expressed his weariness regarding the issue. However, just because the NORSU community is getting tired of hearing it doesn’t mean that we have to take for granted the fact that after almost a year, the university still hasn’t come up with a proper dress code for the students to follow.

With the recent discrimination complaints raised by transgenders in the university who were not allowed to get inside the campus for wearing women’s outfit, the need for a proper dress code is again emphasized. Unless the resolution for the proper dress code is approved, the confusion surrounding this policy will continue.

Regrettably, time is running fast. The days are getting shorter and soon it will be the end of another school year and still, no dress code has been approved. Soon it will be too late to implement the said policy because new sets of officers will replace the present ones and new questions will be raised regarding the present proposed dress code.

Unless the SG-Legislative could present the approved dress code, the dilemma will continue and there will be no harmony between the students and the university guards. Norsunians can only hope that by this semester, the headaches and confusion caused by the dress code policy will finally be solved. Each and every student is looking forward to a confusion-free dress code policy this semester and for school years to come.

Only the NORSU admin and the SG can solve this problem. So help them God.

Hayop at malansa

By Christian Edu Villegas
(Vol. XXVII No. 9, Editorial Cartoon)

Hayop at malansa

“Ang hindi marunong magmahal sa sariling wika ay higit pa sa hayop at malansang isda.” Ito ang isa sa pinakatanyag na sinabi ng ating pambansang bayani na si Gat. Jose P. Rizal – isang linya na naglalayong ipabatid sa lahat na kailangang mahalin ang ating wika, ang wikang Filipino.

Sa pagdiriwang ng Buwan ng Wika ngayong Agosto kung saan nagiging tanyag na naman ang pagsasabi sa pangungusap na “ikaw ay higit pa sa hayop at malansang isda kung hindi mo mahal ang iyong sariling wika. Malamang marami sa atin ang naguguluhan dahil hindi nagkakatugma ang mga itinuturo sa atin sa apat na sulok ng silid-aralan. Sa asignaturang Filipino, sinasabing ang pagmamahal sa sariling wika ay susi sa pagkakaisa at kaunlaran. Sa kabilang dako, sa asignaturang Ingles o maging sa halos lahat ng klase, hinihikayat tayong pagyamanin at gamitin ang wikang Ingles o maging ang ibang wikang banyaga. Wika nga, “Speak good English, your future depends on it”.

Malamang marami sa atin ang nagtatanong: Kung ang pagsasalita ng wikang banyaga ay pagiging mas masahol pa sa hayop at pagiging mas malansa pa kaysa sa isda, bakit tayo tinuturuan ng wikang Ingles? Bakit lahat ng ating mga asignatura, maliban sa Filipino, ay Ingles ang ginagamit na wika? O, ang pagsasabi ba sa pangungusap na “ang hindi magmahal sa sariling wika ay higit pa sa hayop at malansang isda” ay nagagamit lamang tuwing buwan ng Agosto?

Itinuturo ang Ingles mula elementarya hanggang kolehiyo, at ito’y bahagi na ng buhay ng bawat mag-aaral. Hinihikayat ng halos lahat ng paaralan na gamitin ang Ingles bilang midyum sa pakikipagtalastasan at hindi maipagkakailang malaki ang naging epekto nito sa buhay ng bawat Pilipino, lalo na sa mga estudyante. Sa katunayan, ang Pilipinas ang isa sa mga bansa sa buong mundo na may pinakamaraming populasyon na gumagamit ng wikang Ingles.

Alam natin kung bakit kailangang pagyamanin ang pagsasalita ng Ingles. Ito ay dahil ang Ingles ang itinuturing na “universal language”, kaya para makipagsabayan sa pandaigdigang kompetisyon, kailangan ng bawat Pilipino na matuto at magsanay sa wikang ito. Ang wikang Ingles ang pangunahing sandata natin upang makipagsabayan sa kahit sinuman sa mundo.

Totoo nga na mahalagang pagyamanin ang pagsasalita ng wikang Ingles. Sa kabilang dako, narito naman ang kahalagahan ng sariling wika – ang wikang Filipino. Maliban sa ito ang instrumento ng komunikasyon sa bansang Pilipinas, ito rin ang nagbubuklod sa isang bansang malaya at ang sinasabing daan tungo sa sariling pagkakakilanlan, pagkakaintindihan, pagkakaisa, at pagpapalaganap ng kaalaman. Mahalaga ang wikang Filipino dahil sa pamamagitan nito, nagiging mas madali ang pagkakaintindihan ng mga Pilipino mula Aparri hanggang Jolo lalung-lalo na dahil ang Pilipinas ay isang bansang binubuo ng mahigit isandaan at pitumpung wika.

Mahalagang pagyamanin, at higit sa lahat, mahalin ang sariling wika – ang wikang Filipino. Sa kabilang banda, mahalaga ring matutunan at sanayin ang pagsasalita ng wikang Ingles. Hindi natin maikakaila na parehong mahalaga ang wikang Filipino at Ingles.

Ngayon, ang pagsasanay ba sa wikang Ingles ay nangangahulugang pagiging hayop at pagiging malansa? Hindi. Bakit? Dahil hindi nangangahulugang ang pagsasalita ng Ingles ay paglimot sa wikang Filipino. Hindi ka hayop at malansa kung nagsasalita ka ng Ingles dahil maaari namang pagsabaying sanayin at pagyamanin ang dalawang wika. Parehong mahalaga ang dalawang wika– ang Filipino upang mapagbuklod ang ating bansa, at ang Ingles upang maging handa sa pandaigdigang kompetisyon.

Tungkulin ng bawat Pilipino na mahalin ang sariling wika kasabay ng pagsasanay ng sa ibang wika upang maging handa sa pandaigdigang panukatan. Nagiging totoong ‘higit pa sa hayop at malansang isda’ lamang ang isang Pilipino kung nakaligtaan niyang gampanan ang ganitong tungkulin.

As time passes

By Christian Edu Villegas
(Vol. XXVII No. 5, Editorial Cartoon)

As time passes

Time, indeed flies fast and we almost did not notice that even the midterm examination is already fast approaching. Classes have now become intense, except for those that are handled by irresponsible instructors. Projects, paper works, presentations, reports, examinations, etcetera, are now loaded to most students’ shoulders. Indeed, we can already feel that from the exhausting enrollment we had, we already have gone a little farther.

Along with the fast-paced days is the revival of the urgent cries of students about the perennial problems that this university has – perennial problems which, unfortunately, remain unattended up to this very day. These problems burden the students since they have to deal with them everyday.

One of the perennial problems is the unroofed pathways. With the onset of the rainy season, treading the pathways under the pouring rain is absolutely a burden. If we will recall, among the recommendations of the accreditors in the past accreditations was for the administration to provide covered pathways for the students. These days, with the unpredictable weather, the need for action on this recommendation has become more imperative. More rain means more burden for the students, and of course, more victims of flu.

Another problem is the lack of comfort rooms (CRs) that really mean ‘rooms for comfort’. This has been a problem of the university since time immemorial. Concerted efforts from the past Student Government (SG) administrations up to the present have been poured, yet, it is only alleviated for a short time, and then later on, it still remains a problem. This time, hiring personnel to maintain the cleanliness of the CRs is not good enough since no matter how hard they try to clean it, the CRs remain disgustingly stinking and are obviously, not rooms for comfort. True, we put the blame on students for not doing their part in the proper use of CRs, but perhaps it is time to consider that students do not care about the CRs because after all, it is not worth caring for. If we are going to look closer on the CRs that this university has, the problem is not with the maintenance as well as with the users – the problem is with the type and kind of CRs that we have.

The lack of a roofed place for Physical Education (PE) classes is also another problem. With the unpredictable weather these days, this is another burden. In the past years, it has been a long promise of most SG candidates who seek for top position in the SG – to find means to provide roofed class areas for the PE students but, unfortunately, no one made it to fruition. PE students remain almost toasted under the scorching heat of the sun and their classes are cancelled when the rain pours. Or if not, after a heavy rain, they would often settle on the slippery wet floor of the open courts which is prone to accidents.

These are only some of the perennial burdens that the Norsunians have. There are still a lot of problems out there and a lot more will come this school year. How to solve even the three mentioned burdens is next to impossible. We were taught in the past years to do more with less since NORSU, as a state university, gets very limited budget from the national government, thus, it is too ambitious for us to say that these can be solved right away.

On the other hand, we should not think that being in a state university, this problem will remain a burden to the students. Now is the time to slowly but surely address these problems, or put them among the priorities of the administration since these concern the students. This way, the students’ burden will be lessened. Someone in power should take the cudgels for these!
Could the Federation of University Parents and Teachers Association come to the rescue? Or the SG? Maybe it is now time to prove to everyone that SG’s remarkable project is not only about beauty pageants. Now is the time to focus on something that really answers the concerns of the majority of the students.

May this urgent call not fall on deaf ears.

Of plans and promises

By Christian Edu Villegas
(Vol. XXVII No. 3, Editorial Cartoon)

Of plans and promises
It has often been said that promises are easier said than done.

This is especially true in politics where we often experience being showered with promises by our political leaders. Unfortunately for us, broken promises are not only limited to the national political circles.

Overflowing plans and broken promises had become a part of our political culture, that even when we are unsatisfied with our leaders we keep quiet and pretend that everything is all right. But is it right?

As the new school year starts, new student leaders will also take the helm of the student government. New leaders mean a whole new year of prospective developments for the student body and the university, a whole new set of leaders laying out their plans for the students—or at least, that is what they say.

While a lot of the promises made by the past SG officers remain unfulfilled, the student body is looking forward to see what the present set of officers have to offer. After all, they did promise a lot when they ran for office.

Aside from fulfilling the many promises that they have made during their campaigns, it is also important to remind the present set of SG officers of the many issues that they need to address now that they are finally in office. It is high time that the student government realize that leadership is not only about providing enjoyable programs and putting up lounges and other projects.

The Student Government is a representative of the student body. The SG officers should serve as the liaison between the students and the administration. The SG should, therefore, fight for the students and not act as puppets of the administration.

For one, the SG should at least come up with a clear and final dress code policy to avoid the continuing confusion in the proper dress code of the university. It is somehow commendable how the past officers tried to come up with a clear dress code but as its present implementation is again being questioned, then the SG should do something about it.

Also, the SG should learn to start fighting for students’ rights as a lot of it are already being violated. Programs that could help the students in matters such as sexual harassments and abuses should be given attention also.

Though it is still too early to judge the kind of leaders that we have, still we are hoping that they will be a lot better than the past student leaders that the university had.

Our present student leaders have countless plans, many of which focus only on beautification and cleanliness, and like our national political leaders; they too showered us with promises during their campaigns. It is still too early to know which among the many promises will be fulfilled but it wouldn’t be too much to expect that the present SG would finally make a difference. Will they? That remains to be seen.

Higher!

By Christian Edu Villegas
(Vol. XXVII No. 1, Editorial Cartoon)

Higher!

With the issues hounding the country today such as the pandemic influenza A(H1N1) virus, Hayden Kho Jr. and Katrina Halili et. al. sex scandal, Constituent Assembly, and many more, it is good to see that everything is still doing good in this side of the Philippine archipelago. After the postponement of the opening of classes as declared by the Commission on Higher Education due to the A(H1N1) virus threat, we are finally back to school ready to make another milestone in our students’ lives.

Like us, our Alma Mater, Negros Oriental State University (NORSU) is now also ready for another academic year. This school year marks the sixth academic year of NORSU in its flight as a young and flourishing university.

Looking back, the past five academic years of the university have been a period of transformation. That is indubitable. From its humble beginnings as a new university, it has risen to what it is now. It can be observed that the university had never drifted but keeps soaring higher. Its colorful history, seasoned with the splatters of success, failures, changes, lessons, struggles, and progress, could give justice to its present stature.

Doors for changes and development have been opened in the past. Significant improvements of the university in terms of upgrading its standards, instructions, facilities, equipment, and other educational tools have taken a large place. Norsunians continually reap honors and kept proving what this university can produce. All of these significant things have taken place along with NORSU’s flight as a university.

We don’t have to go far to see proofs of these transformations. Just last year, although rocked with many issues, NORSU was able to improve a lot. The Office of Security Matters was put up along with the installations of blue guards, making the university’s security tighter. There was the adoption of the E-system in the grading process of the university. More equipment and facilities were also acquired. NORSU provided Engine Room Facilities and Mock Bridge for College of Maritime Education students and a mini-hospital for College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences (CNAHS) students. The university gate was also restructured and the construction of the first phase of CNAHS building was started.

On achievements, Norsunians were never left behind. Engr. Bernard Duran Jr. ranked 5th in the Civil Engineering Licensure Examination; Engr. Winston Gomez and Engr. Jephunneh Paalisbo placed 2nd and 7th, respectively in the nationwide October 2008 Mechanical Engineering Licensure Examination; and Catherine Capilla, a graduate of Bachelor of Elementary Education major in Special Education, made it to the top ten of the nationwide Licensure Examination for Teachers – a first in NORSU’s history!

These were only some of the transformations and achievements in the past.

From the good things that every Norsunian is savoring now, we can indeed say that NORSU has lived up to the expectations of the people in providing quality education for the poor but deserving students. None of these good things, however, were achieved in an instant or in a blink of an eye. Of course, it took a lot of painful lessons and arduous toils before they were accomplished. It had to rise from some failures and bittersweet pains before success was finally achieved. It took a lot of guts, determination and genuine efforts before changes and progress took place.

As NORSU opens its gates for the school year 2009-2010 – marking its sixth academic year since its conversion into a university – it must continue to soar and it must go higher this time. There are still a lot of things that this university has to achieve, that is why efforts, toils and hard works must be continually exerted. There are still a lot of problems that have to be boldly faced. There are still a lot of unrealized dreams. That is why the quest to soar high must go on.

Let us all work together to give this chapter of NORSU’s history a colorful and healthy page. To quote American poet Oliver Wendell Holmes, “The great thing in the world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving.” Let’s move higher. Fly high Norsunians! Soar higher NORSU!

Hopefully

By Christian Edu Villegas

(Vol. XXVI No. 11, Editorial Cartoon)

Hopefully

It’s been more than a month now since every one of us in this planet welcomed the year 2009, the Year of the Earth Ox, with high hopes and positive expectations. It’s been already a while since we started the journey in making new pages to compile another chapter of the history. It’s been sometime since we closed that chapter filled with hues and colors – the year 2008.

Looking back, for Negros Oriental State University (NORSU), the year 2008 had been a healthy chapter of its history. The university had been through a lot of transformations. New teachers and faculty members had been added to the university’s teaching and working force; the dress code policy was implemented; the construction of the College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences building started; the university gate of Main Campus I was restructured; the blue guards took in-charge of the university’s security; the university started adapting the e-System – these were only some of the remarkable improvements embraced by the Norsunian community last year.

Along with these transformations are achievements that added significant pages to the history of NORSU. The year 2008 was a year of accomplishments for Norsunians, especially in topping national licensure examinations. It’s a year of adding laurels to the university and extending the long list of Norsunian achievers in the history.

To recall, on the May 2008 Civil Engineering Licensure Examination, Engr. Bernard Duran Jr. was named as the 5th top passer. Two months after Duran joined the list of topnotchers, another two Norsunians proved that the products of the university are of high calibers. The names of Engr. John Michael Villagonzalo and Engr. Christian George Pal-ing were placed on the 2nd and 5th spots, respectively, in the August 2008 Master Plumber Examination.

On September 2008, Catherine Capilla, a graduate of Bachelor of Elementary Education major in Special Education, ranked 10th in the Licensure Examination for Teachers. Capilla, who ranked first in the region and top ten nationwide, is the first Norsunian in history who was included in the top ten LET passers. The triumphs continued. On October 2008, two Norsunians made it to the top ten of the Mechanical Engineering Licensure Examination. Engr. Winston Gomez landed in the second top spot of the exam while Engr. Jephunneh Paalisbo was the 7th top passer.

These accomplishments, which were the highlights of 2008, are pages of the history that each Norsunian should be proud of. Despite the fact that there is an evident lack of facilities and equipment in the university, it is very inspiring to know that Norsunians excel as one of the bests and the finest in the nation.

That chapter had ended and here goes the university and the whole NORSU family paving pages of another chapter to NORSU’s history. As we look back to last year and continue journeying, it is not bad to hope for this year to have an increase in the record of achievers. It is not bad to cross our fingers that this year, like last year, would be another chapter of remarkable achievements for Norsunians – of showing what really a true-blue Norsunian can be.

More than that, it is not bad to hope that somehow, some longings of the students for equipment and facilities would finally be realized. It is not bad to pray that hopefully, the students’ concerns would be the main priority this year because if Norsunians did more with less, they could do more with adequate facilities and equipment.

Have a happy journey to 2009 everyone!

Preparedness

By Christian Edu Villegas
(Vol. XXVI No. 8, Editorial Cartoon)

Preparedness
In the next few months, Negros Oriental State University(NORSU) will finally be producing new sets of pioneering graduates.

The courses, which were born four years ago–BS Accountancy, BS Business Administration, BS Nursing, and BS Pharmacy, will finally show to the world the Norsunian version of these offshoots.

It maybe is too early to talk about graduation. But as early as now, the present situation of these pioneering students should be diagnosed so at least, if something is left undone, it can be ironed out in the little time left. In a random interview done by The NORSUnian with the pioneering students to find out whether they are ready or not to face the life outside the pylons of NORSU, not all of them nodded with confidence that they are ready to face the real world of their course.

The interviews showed that some Norsunians are not yet ready to tread out of the pylons of NORSU because they lack trainings and hands-on exposures in most of their courses. Some are not yet prepared to adhere to the incoming changes when they go out of the university. This is because, according to the respondents, they are just fed with theories and not actual demonstrations which could have helped them better than just plain classroom meetings and discussions. Others, on the other hand, are not yet ready to practice what they have learned because these are still insufficient to cover the real scope of the job that they will be doing in the outside world.

Despite the sad reality that not every Norsunian is prepared enough to graduate, some still believe that it depends on their ability to use the most of what they have learned in school. Others say that the teachers and their discussions plus the curricula that they are following are enough to equip them with knowledge for their chosen fields. Students are well-motivated to strive hard and help themselves succeed in the outside world.

These motivations are good because at least, students become enthusiastic to strive hard and be successful outside NORSU. But, it could have been better if students are exposed to the things that will help them survive their courses with full confidence of making it to the world- rather than just feeding them with pure speculations. And though the university offers good quality education, it still lacks equipment and facilities to support the students’ learnings. This has been a problem since time immemorial and it will continue to be one if nobody will pay attention to it. This problem with the lack of facilities and hands-on materials for every department in NORSU is turning into one of the major reasons why students say that they are not yet prepared to do the work outside.

There may be courses here which are given full attention with regard to the facilities they need for their departments, lucky are students who took up these courses. But, how about those who belong to the least-attended departments? How are they going to get ready for the challenges that the real world will bombard them if they are not even given attention adequate for their learning?

This problem should have been answered a long time ago because it will only worsen as the years pass by. The lack of support for “important, appropriate and usable” classroom facilities and equipment should have been one of the university’s main focus because it would help the students more effectively than supplying with a lot of projects that are, oftentimes, for our “eyes’ only.

This is also the reason why Norsunians are not that confident to face the world. Because students are fed only with theories and books (which are barely enough), and a number of facilities (which could only be used during accreditations and need a lot of request letters before usage), it is no longer questionable why students who are graduating this year are not prepared.

Education is supposed to be a right that should be given justification, not a privilege of lack and insufficiency. Thus, to have the best education that will prepare the students to share their knowledge outside NORSU would be the best thing that the university could give. This is becoming a hope against hope- that sooner, before the students step out of the university, they could proudly say that they are completely ready.

If this happens, maybe ALL and not just SOME of the Norsunians will be geared up to face the world outside. If it does not, then, it goes without saying that no student will ever be fully ready to step out of this university.

The Sulpicio Tragedy

By Christian Edu Villegas
(Vol. XXVI No. 4, Editorial Cartoon)

The Sulpicio Tragedy

Weeks ago, the whole university was saddened when news broke out that Jayson Alegria, a graduating BS Marine Transportation student who spent his apprenticeship aboard the MV Princess of the Stars, was among the hundreds of passengers and crew whose bodies have been missing after the ship sank in the vastness of the seas near Romblon Island.

The sunken ship that was carrying 860 people on board, counting both passengers and crews, has only less than 50 reported survivors – a sad news that the Filipino nation wished was just a bad dream.

As of press time, there is an on-going operation to hopefully recover the bodies of the people (which are probably decaying now). While the families of the victims, including Jayson’s, hold a little hope that somehow, if they could no longer see their love ones, at least their bodies can be recovered.

While our hearts bleed of the tragedy and while we wish it were not true, we cannot help but ask why such catastrophe happened. Blame it to Mother Nature? No. Blame it to Sulpicio Lines? Yes.

There are two strong reasons why Sulpicio Lines should be held liable and accountable for the death of the passengers. First, it risked to sail even at the height of the typhoon “Frank”. Manila was even under public storm signal number one when the vessel left the port.

Second, we wonder why Sulpicio Lines is still in business and why MV Princess of the Stars is out at sea when in the past two decades, four of the company’s ships were figured in major sea incidents resulting in the loss of the lives of thousands of people. A painful lesson should have been learned from the history, but it seems like a wrong lesson was taught. Sulpicio Lines continued sailing – bringing numerous people to death.

To recount the sea tragedies involving Sulpicio-labeled ferries, on December 20, 1987, MV Doña Paz sank after a collision with oil tanker MT Vector. The tragedy killed more than 4,000 people, making it the worst peacetime maritime disaster in history. Less than a year after the vessel sank, on October 22, 1988, a shocking tragedy was repeated when the untamed Mother Nature swallowed MV Doña Marilyn. The vessel left Manila for Tacloban in the middle of the storm, sailing at least 250 lives to their ends. Ten years later, on September 18, 1998, the line’s biggest ship, MV Princess of the Orient, left Manila for Cebu – again in the middle of the storm. It sank near Manila Bay and 150 lives were taken by the tragedy. Lastly, MV Princess of the Stars took its turn.

Looking back at those four tragedies, it seems like there is a common denominator – each was avoidable. In the cases of MV Doña Marilyn, MV Princess of the Orient, and MV Princess of the Stars, Sulpicio Lines had the choice to either push through the shipping schedule or wait until the typhoon passes by. But the shipping line took the risk to sail despite the likelihood of very rough seas and despite the decisions of other shipping companies to wait for the weather to calm down. In the same manner, the shipping line opted to go off in the vastness of the sea amid the bad weather and despite its tragic sinking history.

In Jayson’s case, we may say that it is the nature of his chosen field, but the fact remains that the shipping company should have prioritized the lives of the many, including Jayson’s, over their business.

It is such a sad thought that a dream of a hopeful student was suddenly capsized into nothingness just because of business interest.

The slogan of Sulpicio Lines that goes, “Bridging the Islands”, should make a stand as it is, not bridge the tragedies. Certainly, justice should be served for Jayson and hundreds of other victims.

No Ningas Cogon Please!

By Christian Edu Villegas
(Vol. XXVI No. 2, Editorial Cartoon)

No Ningas Cogon Please!

The definitions of various dictionaries to the word “discipline” can be summed up to the thought that it is a training that develops self-control.

The word “discipline” refers to the strict control to enforce obedience; treatment that corrects or punishes; training to act in accordance with established rules; accustoming to systematic and regular action; subjection to rule; submissiveness to order and control; and habit of obedience.

Rules such as the “No ID, No Entry” policy and the proper dressing policy are implemented to Norsunians with the vision of creating a more disciplined university. Except for the freshmen, these policies are certainly not new to the majority of the students because these were already introduced to them years ago. These policies are supposed to have disciplined most of the Norsunians by now. These policies, by now, would have taught students to bring their IDs and groom properly every time they go to school.

Unfortunately, the mentioned policies failed to achieve its vision of molding disciplined Norsunians. This is very evident when the Security Department of Negros Oriental State University (NORSU) relived back the policies early this school year. Just as when Norsunians should have already learned their lessons from the past implementations, as observed, there are still a large crowd of students, most of them are returning, who were not allowed to enter the campus because they did not follow the rekindled rules.

The implementation of the policies was announced days before it took effect that is why it would be a lame excuse to say that students were not informed. Also, for the returning students, it is expected that they already have their IDs at this point in their university lives. And so, we wonder why Norsunians are still not learning from the past implementations of the policies? We wonder why the policies did not discipline the students yet when those were already taking effect in the past years.

If we look at the situation closely, blames should not fully go to the students. Students should not be fully charged why they are still not used of abiding the policies until the present. Most of the blames should go to the ‘ningas-cogon’ way of implementing the policies. As observed in the past, the policies suffered swift deaths after a few measly weeks of strict implementation. Or if not, it was a now-on-off implementation that only functions at some point of time.

If only the policies are implemented at all times in the campus, it would have inculcated a lesson to the Norsunians’ minds that they must abide to it; else, they will end up missing their classes. If only the policies were consistently implemented in the past, Norsunians would have been careful now to bring their IDs and groom properly. If only the policies are functioning at all times in the past, students would have cared to follow it at all times “it would have disciplined them. Unfortunately, because of the ‘ningas-cogon’ implementation, the policies failed to achieve its purpose in disciplining Norsunians.

Inconsistent and vague implementations of policies inculcate the culture of indiscipline. For a disciplined university, what is needed is an iron hand to truly and fully implement policies to enforce discipline, order and control.

As the Security Department of the university brings back the policies this school year, hopefully this time, there will be no more ‘ningas-cogon’ way of implementation. Else, if it will still be the old way, the ‘ningas-cogon’ way, it will never discipline Norsunians. It will defeat its purpose.