Himig Pasko held last night

Posted on December 11, 2012 by rbvillar

by Kamille Anne Anarna, Aizel Dolom, and Gretzel Lantican

(Updated as of 10:39am) The Lopez Children’s Choir and the Christian School International Choir (Glee Club) won the young and adult category of last night’s Himig Pasko 2012. The event started at 7pm in the Municipal Covered Court.

Organized by Ms. Jenette Palisoc from the Civil Registry Office, Himig Pasko is a choir competition involving schools and organizations. It is part of the month-long celebration of the Paskuhan sa Bagong Los Baños.

This is the fourth year that the Himig Pasko was held. Pattricia Legaspi, Los Banos’ SK Chairman and host of the event, said “mas tinangkilik yung Himig Pasko ngayong taon. Yun nga lang mas okay kung mas maraming contestants.”

The participating groups were divided into two categories. The first group was composed of young competitors aged 8 to 14 years old from Los Baños Central School Children’s Choir, CSI Elem Choir, Brigada San Antonio Children’s Choir, and Lopez Children’s Choir.

On the other hand, the second group was composed of adult competitors aged 15 years old and above from Los Baños Community National High School, Los Baños Seventh Day Adventist Singing Group, and CSI Choir (Glee Club).

The first, second, and third placers received their prizes amounting to P10,000, P7,000, and P5,000, respectively.

LB holds third Musikohan Brass Band Competition

Posted on December 9, 2012 by rbvillar

By: Kathleen Mae Idnani, Gretzel Lantican, Easter Paz Issa D. Paulmanal

The Sinag Katipunan Drum and Lyre Corps (DLC) from Pasig City, Metro Manila, and the ACES Drum and Bugle Corps from Tagaytay City were the champions in the recently concluded Musikohan Brass Band Competition 2012 for the Drum and Lyre Category and Brass Band Category, respectively.

The said competition was held yesterday morning at Paciano Rizal Park, Barangay Timugan. The participating bands marched along the streets near the park and at 10 AM, they proceeded to the contest proper.

The prizes for the first, second and third placers were P70,000, P50,000, and P40,000, respectively.

“Maganda ang performances kasi maraming participants mula sa iba’t ibang bayan.,” George Bryan De Lara, an employee at the municipal hall, commented.

A total of 14 bands from different towns including Daet, Camarines Norte and Pangasinan competed; nine for the Drum and Lyre Competition and five for the Brass Band Competition.

The Musikohan 2012, now on its third year, is part of the Paskuhan sa Bagong Los Baῆos.

Family, friends express disbelief over ‘no foul play’ ruling on Flatrocks case

Posted on December 9, 2012 by rbvillar

by Ma. Khrisma Soliven and Levi Joshua Verora Jr. with reports from Gumamela Celes Bejarin and Kezia Grace Jungco

Los Baños, Laguna- The family and friends of the two students found dead at Flatrocks, Mt. Makiling showed their disbelief regarding the autopsy result.

The bodies, correctly identified by their respective families as Mark Lorenz Valdez and Kevin Lagadon, both students of UP Los Baños, were autopsied Friday (December 7) morning by SOCO led by Superintendent Roy Camarillo. After the autopsy, they declared the cause of death as asphyxia due to drowning. It was also estimated that they were dead for about four to five days. Los Baños Police Chief Inspector Conrado Masongsong also ruled the case as ‘closed.’

Meanwhile, the two students’ respective families and friends had other things to say over the ruling that the Flatrocks tragedy was an accident.

Retired Muntinlupa police Vergilio Sagum, Mark Lorenz’s uncle, was unsatisfied when it comes to the investigation of the PNP and UPLB-University Police Force. Mr. Sagum said that there should have been a sense of urgency or a mandatory search from the police when they found out that two people were not able to log out from the Makiling Trail log book during Sunday.

“Kahit pa weekend yan e, basta nasa loob ka ng campus dapat responsable ang pulis sayo (When you are inside the campus, whether during weekends, the police should be responsible for you),” says Mr. Sagum. He is also puzzled why the bodies were only discovered last Thursday. “Tingnan mo, kung Thursday lang sila nakita, at Sunday sila namatay, ibig bang sabihin Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, walang nagpunta ng Flatrocks? (They died Sunday and were recovered Thursday, would it mean that there were no visitors who came to Flatrocks from Monday to Wednesday?)” added Mr. Sagum.

He would also want to see the log book that contains the attendance of visitors entering the Makiling Trail. He also noted that nobody realized that Kevin and Mark Lorenz were missing until the news of two bodies discovered at the Makiling Trail came out. He would also like to find some information regarding the rumored seven more people who trekked minutes after Kevin and Mark Lorenz logged-in.

Mr. Marlou Valdez, the father of Mark Lorenz also disagrees with the results. He told The LB Times that there were some marks at the back of Mark Lorenz. His hand bag and mobile phone were also missing when they vacated Mark Enzo’s room. He seeks for further information and at the same time, justice for the two students.

The College of Human Ecology (CHE) Student Council likewise believes that there could have been foul play involved. Chairperson Ayesha Sarapuddin noted the negligence of the authority saying that they could have searched along the Trail when they found out that two visitors were not able to log out.

Likewise, students who have already been to the Flatrocks before said that the water level there is too shallow for someone to be drowned.

The Los Baños Times went to the PNP at Brgy. Baybayin for the log book. According to the police, the results of the investigation and the log book were already in the provincial office.

As of this writing, the two students’ remains are at their respective hometowns. The Los Baños Times is still gathering more information regarding the incident.

Move to MOB goes to Elbi

Posted on December 7, 2012 by rbvillar

by: Ladylove May Baurile and Easter Paz Issa Paulmanal

with reports from: Julianne Marie Leybag

UPLB community led by the Gabriela Youth of UPLB and other organizations danced on Carabao Park to support the campaign for reduction of violence against women. (photo by: LMBaurile)

As of 4:00 pm today, the UPLB community participated in Move to MOB at the Carabao Park. It is part of the international campaign of Ms. Eve Ensler of the Vagina Monologues production, actor-director Ms. Monique Wilson and the Center for Women’s Resources (CWR) to end violence against women.

Move to MOB includes series of fora and photo exhibits about cybercrime. Earlier, performances from different organizations and students, photo exhibits of violence against women and testimonials from organizers were showcased.

According to Maria Helen Dayo, director of UPLB Gender Center, the event was conducted to “harness light-minded people to really rise up against women violence”.

The Vice Chairperson of Gabriela, Gertudes Libangon, explains to the UPLB community the different incidents of violence against women as part of their campaign. (photo by: LMBaurile)

“Pumunta ako siyempre para suportahan yung advocacy nila… dahil alam naman natin na sa kasalukuyan, babae at saka bata ang inaabuso…,” said student Don Castillo.

Included also in the event was the testimonial letter from the parents of Given Grace Cebanico, a UPLB student killed last year. “Hindi lang wakasan , kung hindi bigyan ng hustisya,” said GABRIELA Vice Chairperson Gertudes Libangon in her speech.

The highlight of the event was the Flash Mob, done for the first time in the UPLB campus. “I think that dancing is a stronger expression of feelings of support compared to just bursting out,” shared UPLB student Lauren Raquel.

The event is a preparation for “One Billion Rising” global campaign on February 14, 2013.

Students, teachers and other constituents of UPLB did the flash mob presentation at the Carabao Park earlier this afternoon. (photo by: LMBaurile)