The Los Baños Philippine National Police (PNP) captured a robbery suspect identified as Renato P. Madrid on August 5 along Lopez Avenue of Brgy. Batong Malake.  Madrid, a native and resident of Brgy Pagsawitan, Sta Cruz, Laguna, is being linked to a series of robbery incidents in Los Baños.

On July 26 at about 12:30pm, a couple residing at the Pepito Torres Propriety Apartment in El Danda Street, Batong Malake was robbed while they were using their comfort room.  When Rovelyn Mina went to their room which they left locked, she noticed that the door was closed but with the padlock destroyed.  She shouted for help when she saw the suspect inside their room.  The suspect immediately fled on foot towards El Danda subdivision.  Bystanders tried to chase down the suspect but were not successful.

The robber got one 11.6” acer aspire laptop worth Php 15,000.00 and Php 1,200.00 cash money from the victims. The couple went to their barangay hall to report the incident and reviewed the footages captured in their barangay’s CCTV. Rovelyn was able to pinpoint the suspect who was seen roaming around before the incident and running away from their apartment after the robbery.

The victims were then invited to Los Baños PNP to check the station’s rogues gallery.  The suspect was then identified as a former detainee named Renato Madrid y Paderog, 30 years old, single and jobless who was previously arrested by elements of the same station last February 3, 2012 for robbery. Appropriate criminal charge against Madrid was again filed before the Provincial Prosecutors Office on July 29, 2013.

On August 5, the station received a report from Intel PNCO SPO3 Elmer Joseph B. Gibe sighting a suspicious male along Lopez Avenue heading UPLB campus on board of a Public Utility Jeepney.  Operatives immediately conducted monitoring and verification and chanced upon the suspect at the corner of Umali Subdivision.  The suspect was then brought to the barangay hall of Batong Malake.  Two heat sealed transparent plastic sachets containing dried leaves or suspected marijuana were confiscated from the suspect.  Recovered substances were brought to the region crime laboratory at Camp Vicente Lim, Canlubang, Laguna for laboratory examination. The suspect was positively identified as the same person caught in the CCTV.  Other robbery victims from several dormitories in the same barangay also identified the suspect.  Madrid was subjected to drug test and medical examination prior to his inquest.

The suspect was criminally charged before the Provincial Prosecutors Office in Calamba City for Trespassing and Violation of Sec 11 Art II RA 9165 with bail recommended of Php 200,000.00.  Madrid is now detained at the Los Baños PNP’s detention cell while waiting for his commitment order and transfer to Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP)-Los Baños. (With reports from PNP Los Baños)

by  Ann Gielou M. Posedio

CANDELARIA, QUEZON – The office of the Municipal Social Welfare and Development (MSWD) held a seminar on the new ordinance regarding proliferating cases of crimes and abuses carried out by street children at the municipal’s covered court on August 13.

During the seminar, MSWD warned the parents that there is a new regulation declaring the imprisonment of the minor’s guardian if the minor is proven guilty of a crime. Under the existing law, the minor cannot be jailed.

Headed by Ms. Asuncion Gardon, the chief officer of MSWD, the seminar served as a “consultation meeting” among 25 parents who shared their problems and situation about their children conflicting with the law. Some of the dilemmas mentioned by parents were the unemployment of parents, unsupported education for children, and peer pressure among other street children from the neighboring towns.

In line with this, MSWD also promoted livelihood programs for the parents and free education for the out-of-school youth during the seminar.

According to Ma’am Gardon, the said seminar is part of MSWD’s campaign, “Sagip-Saglit Batang Yagit” which is a strategy they formulated to help eliminate the community’s problem on street children and the possible dangers they can bring to themselves and to the community.

Aside from Ms. Gardon, PO3 Gerkorie Cruzar, the PNP officer of Child and Women’s Desk, and two speakers from the religious sector also talked with the parents during the discussion.

“Nag-serve din siya (seminar) as an in-depth study para malaman kung ano pa yung posibleng…sustainable programs and services to introduce,” Ms. Gardon shared.

Meanwhile, MSWD plans to hold next consultation meeting for both parents and their children this September and conduct it during the Family Week celebration for comprehensive counseling purposes.

Ginanap ang paligsahan sa pagsulat ng tula at sa paggawa ng poster na may temang “Ang wika natin ay sandata  laban sa kahirapan” noong ika-5 ng Agosto sa Kolehiyo ng Komunikasyong Pangkaunlaran. Kalahok ang mga estudyante ng mga hayskul sa CALABARZON, ito ay pinangunahan ng UP Alliance of Development Communication Students (UP ADS) kaugnay ng  pagdiriwang ng Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa na may temang “Wika Natin Ang Daang Matuwid.”

Sa taong ito, 13 paaralan ang nakilahok sa paggawa ng poster.  Ito ay ang mga sumusunod: Pagsanjan National High School (NHS); Los Banos National High School; Trace College; Southbay Montessori School; Colegio de San Juan de Letran-Calamba; St. Joseph School-San Pablo; Mater Dei Academy-Tagaytay; Alaminos National High School; Our Lady of Peace School-Rizal; University of Rizal System; Mater Ecclesia School-Laguna; Morning Star Montessori School Inc.; at Calamba Bayside National High School.

Si Erica S. Galan mula sa Pagsanjan National High School ang nakakuha ng unang gantimpala para sa paligsahang ito.  Sinundan siya ni Yanicko Sydbourne E. Covar ng Southbay Montessori para sa ikalawang gantimpala at ni Kathleen Nicole O. Buyco ng Our Lady of Peace School-Antipolo para sa ikatlong gantimpala.  Sina Bb. Megan Torres, Gng. Lily Tallafer, at Bb. Ricarda Villar ang mga naging hurado para sa paligsahang ito.

Para naman sa paligsahan ng pagsulat ng tula, ang 11 paaralang sumali ay ang: Pagsanjan NHS; Los Banos NHS; Soutbay Montessori School; Colegio de San Juan de Letran-Calamba; St. Joseph Academy-San Pablo; Mater Dei Academy-Tagaytay; Alaminos NHS; Our Lady of Peace School-Rizal; University of Rizal Systems; Mater Ecclesia School-Laguna; at Calamba Bayside NHS.

Nakamit ni Rexanne Monique C. Cosico ng Mater Ecclesiae ang unang gantimpala.  Si Angelica E. Padilla naman ng Alaminos National high School ang nakakuha ng ikalawang gantimpala habang si Franz Edward D. Oliva ng Los Banos National High School ang nakakuha sa ikatlong gantimpala.  Nagsilbing hurado sina G. Emmanuel Dumlao, G. Dennis Aguinaldo, at Bb. Angelina Bisquera para sa paligsahang ito.

Ang dalawang paligsahang ito ay unang parte lamang ng “Pintig ng Lahi,” isang taunang paligsahan na naglalayong ipagdiwang at pagyamanin ang kultura at wikang Filipino. Gamit ang wikang Filipino, layunin nitong masukat ang kasanayan at kakayahan sa komunikasyon ng mga kalahok at upang maipakita ang pagpapahalaga sa nasyonalismo, sariling wika at kultura.

Ang pangalawang parte ng Pintig ng Lahi na sabayang pagbigkas at tradisyunal na sayawang Pilipino ay gaganapin sa ika-24 ng Agosto sa DL Umali Auditorium, UPLB. (Christian Rieza)

(Photos by  Aivee Tesorero)

The Red Cross Youth of University of the Philippine Los Baños (RCY of UPLB) volunteers visited Bahay Tuluyan in Victoria, Laguna on August 10 to help the unfortunate children.

According to Ruel Mikhael Benzon, Project Committee Head, they hope that they were able to somehow fulfill their objective with their donations and with the little time and effort that the volunteers spent with the kids.

The children actively participated in the activities during the visit of the RCY volunteers. Games and dance numbers were performed by the children and the volunteers. Gift-giving and rendering of speeches were also part of the program.

Maris, one of the children in the shelter, said that the visit made her happy. She felt that she was loved and treated as an important person. She wishes that the organization will bond with them again.

Benzon shared that RCY of UPLB first visited Bahay Tuluyan in February 3 this year and they seek to have a continuous partnership with the organization through their programs.

Bahay Tuluyan is a non-government organization that provides programs and social services aimed at preventing and responding to abused and exploited children in the country. It has units in Manila, Quezon and Laguna. (Mary Rose B. Manlangit)

Somebody’s leftover is someone’s first meal. According to UNICEF, up to 4.7 million children in South Asia are suffering from malnutrition. Among these are the street children who are the most vulnerable to diseases and health risks.  (Jackie Lou G. Pugay)

by Paoloregel B. Samonte

Armed with just a single pen, a sheet of yellow paper inside her tiny bodybag, and a pocketful of determination, Beatrice Miguel, 15, a senior high school student from Biñan Secondary School of Applied Mathematics in Biñan, Laguna, left her house at 8 that fateful morning to fulfill her long-time life hope. She had dreamt of taking the University of the Philippines College Admission Test (UPCAT) and entering the prestigious University of the Philippines ever since she was a little girl, and that Saturday would dictate the realization of that dream.

Bea was just among the 5,843 high school students from all over Laguna and other nearby provinces who took the UPCAT last August 3 and 4 (Saturday and Sunday), at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB).

UPCAT 2013 Statistics

According to Prof. Myrna Carandang, University Registrar, this year’s UPCAT examinees are the largest batch of students to take the test. From about 75,000 last year, the number of UPCAT takers nationwide rose to approximately 83,000 this year – an increase of about 9.64 percent. Such, she said, is also the case in this year’s UPCAT in UPLB. From about 5,400 students from the previous year, UPCAT examinees this year rose to an additional more or less 400 students, or a percent increase of 6.91.

According to the Office of Admissions records, the average passing rate in UPCAT falls between 16-17 percent, or about 12,000 students for this year. With the increased number of examinees, coupled with a limited slot for the whole UP system, rivalry for a UP education has become even tighter.

UPLB Admin Preparations

While it is the Office of the Admissions in UP Diliman that is in-charge of the overall UPCAT coordination, UPLB, being one of the 82 testing centers in the country, also has its job of conforming to the policies to keep the local UPCAT right on track.

Prof. Carandang explained how UPCAT is being managed by the Office of the University Registrar (OUR). Before the UPCAT, says Carandang, the OUR requests the different units and colleges of UPLB if they can assign people who are willing to be proctors, examiners, and hall supervisors for the UPCAT. These people are all UPLB faculty, REPS, and admin staff.

“We request a list of names of those who are willing to be part of UPCAT. The OUR is also in-charge of searching for big classrooms conducive to the conduct of the UPCAT,” said Carandang.

According to Prof. Carandang, after all of these are settled, the UP Office of Admission will conduct a briefing and orientation for the proctors, examiners, and supervisors regarding the administration of UPCAT. After the briefing, the registrar will then orient the admin staff, which includes custodial workers, technicians, and security personnel, to ensure the success and safety of the UPCAT conduct.

“I am personally in-charge of orienting the admin staff for security and safety purposes. Along with this, we likewise request permits to the Office of the Vice-Chancellor for Community Affairs (OVCCA) regarding the putting-up of security and rerouting of vehicles to control traffic within the campus. We also ask the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Planning and Development (OVCPD) to write a letter to NAPOCOR so that brownouts are prevented,” Carandang explained.

Prof. Carandang says that the UPCAT in UPLB does not usually experience problems, since the proctors, examiners, and hall supervisors, and the offices concerned with the UPCAT are already well-oriented with the process. The only problem that is encountered is when some organizations in the campus get permits to conduct activities in nearby examination rooms during the UPCAT.

“In areas near the testing rooms, there should be no any other activities conducted… This was a problem before, but this was already addressed,” Carandang elaborated.

When asked how the UPCAT went in general, Prof. Carandang said this year’s UPCAT was a success.

“The UPCAT this year was very good. There is an increase in the number of examinees… Also, there was no power interruption this year, and the rains are not that heavy,” Carandang said.

Student Reactions

While the University Registrar busied itself organizing for the UPCAT, some high school student examinees had likewise undergone extreme processes – from month-long reviews to crammed reading – in preparation for the exam.

On Saturday morning, emotions were roused and fusses are heard as the examinees queued in restaurants and fastfoods after the just-finished examination.

After about five hours of completing the exam, Cyrhys Payag, 16, from Jeremiah Montessori School in Cabuyao, Laguna, felt relieved and nervous at the same time now that the exam is over.

“The exam was really difficult but I’m just glad it’s over,” she said.

When asked why she chose to take the UPCAT, Cyril confessed that she still believes firmly that UP is the best university around the country.

“I want to study here in UP because it’s UP. Everyone knows that when you study here, the quality of education is good… It’s the best university around,” she explains.

This was also the sentiment of Khrysmin Villapanda, 15, from the Biñan Secondary School of Applied Academics, when she was asked why she took the UPCAT.

“UP is one of the best schools in the country… It has the highest quality standards in tertiary education,” she shared.

Parents’ Sentiments

More than the UPCAT takers, it is the parents of these students who are both excited and nervous about the exam.

Mrs. Susie Payag, 41, mother of Cyrhys, expressed her anxiousness and anticipation just as her daughter came out of the examination room. She, like many other parents around, believes that a great deal of their child’s future depends on entrance examinations just as this one.

“I am excited because during my time, I am not able to take the UPCAT. Now that my daughter took it, I am just nervous and happy at the same time,” Mrs. Payag explains.

Just like her daughter, Mrs. Payag likewise believes that UP education is the best one around.

“There is no doubt in UP education… If you are a UP graduate, no questions asked – you easily get accepted for any job,” the single parent of two said.

However, she expressed disappointment with the tuition fee hikes, and even the high price of the UPCAT itself.

“UP is a government school, but the UPCAT already costs around P500. How much more when my daughter studied here? Education here is supposed to be cheap,” she explained.

On the same note, Mr. Jun Gamboa, 47, a call center agent and father of an UPCAT examinee, expressed his disapproval on the current tuition payment scheme. He believes that the Socialized Tuition Fee Assistance Program (STFAP) is a commendable tuition payment mechanism, but its evaluation system should be reviewed.

“The bracketing system (STFAP) is fair enough, so that people pay according to their financial capability. But the problem is the administration’s manner of screening. I know some families who do not report their actual income… This is unfair to others, and I think this should be reconsidered.”

Mr. Gamboa suggests that the administration improve their screening mechanism, such as sending people to check the households of applicants, so that they can actually verify the properties reported in the STFAP forms.

Security Issues

While Mrs. Payag and Mr. Gamboa’s concern was the tuition fee and payment mechanism of UPLB, Mrs. Lilia Legaspi’s major apprehension in allowing her daughter, Graziel Hannah, to take a chance in UPLB was the security of the campus.

“When I first heard of the crimes happening around in UPLB, to be honest, I became unsure if I still want my daughter to take the UPCAT and enter UPLB.”

The businesswoman from Cabuyao, Laguna admitted that she had to reconsider her long-ago hopes of having her daughter join the roster of the respected Iskolars ng Bayan after the news of deaths and crimes around UPLB circulated. But after a while, she said she realized that most of the crimes actually happen outside the campus, and that no one really has control over death.

“I believe that when it’s your time already, you can’t do anything about it. Everything is God’s will… But at the same time, I hope that the UPLB administration do their best to lessen the crimes happening in the vicinity of the campus.”

Mrs. Payag believes that apart from the UPLB administration, it is still the job of the local government to manage the safety and security around the campus.

Pencils for a Cause

On a related story, the University of the Philippines Society of Agronomy Major Students (UPhilSAMS), in partnership with the University Student Council (USC) and College of Agriculture Student Council (CASC) conducted an activity along with the UPCAT titled “Keep Calm, Ace UPCAT, and Donate your Pencils” at UPLB’s Carabao Park.

Now on its second year, the activity aims to collect pencils used by the UPCAT examinees during their exams so that they could be donated to less fortunate elementary schools around Los Baños.

“This project was actually an idea of our organization’s alumni, who is based in Mindanao. We only decided to adopt it here in Los Baños to cater to the needs of the poor school kids in the area,” Juan Rodrigo Vera Cruz, head of the activity, explained.