Volume XIV

Issue 2
Online Edition
November 2010 – March 2011

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1 NOV10MAR11
2 NOV10MAR11
 Something to swallow. It was not
easy getting you back to read us,
and a more difficult challenge awaits
the team to maintain that reader
interest.

We were up to something after $3X. We clipped our
mouths and kept everything planned to ourselves until
today. This issue is dedicated to our readers who are
hungry for more. We offer you, with more teeth and
balls, the thickest (by far) and most colorful Himati.
We banged our heads in coming up with a good
menu, tried to combine the light and the heavy,
worked long nights at a makeshift cafeteria just to get
the feel, and the result is a version of a six-course meal
served in forty colored glossy pages.
We carefully made the hors d’oeuvres to stimulate
your curious appetites, chose some light course meals
to help refresh your senses, picked a good meal for the
main course, added a salad course to aid in digestion,
a cheese plate to signal that the meal is about to end,
and an indulgent dessert plate to finish sweetly.
To make this possible, we set foot in the
excruciating task of hunting campus journalists who
do not resurrect deadlines in exchange for hugs and
occasional nail-cutter-nipple-pinches. Together, we
cooked what we called the FOOD FRENZY issue.
Let us feed you, make you swallow, and grow
weightier with more stories to tell. Let us tell you more
about UP Mindanao, eggplants, agricultural lands,
different lifestyles, eating disorders, leftovers, and
Himati.
This is food and all its glory. Savor its freshness and
taste. Eat.
Sergei C. Reyes Editor in Chief

Volume XIV, Issue 2

November 2010 – March 2011
Editorial
Editor in Chief Sergei C. Reyes Associate Editors in Chief Beatriz A. Tulio, Jesse Ramon Pizarro Boga Managing Editor Doreen Mae Alolod
Writers Kit Frias, Rosaleen Ramos, Klarissa Concepcion, Danielle Te Contributors Nassefh Macla, Krista Iris Melgarejo, Kapitan Sino, Syra

Online
Online Editor Sam Sanchez Associate Online Editor Iva Barbara Caballero
Vloggers Ferina Santos, Kenneth Porio, Althea Astrid Gopo, Yna Martinez

Art
Art Director Fatima Marie Gaane Associate Art Director Stephanie Puyod
Graphics Director Renz Bulseco Photojournalists Maureen Homez, Jamaica Bulacito

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Menu. November 2010 – March 2011
5 She said, he said. Betsy Tulio and Ross
Ramos witness the exit of Roman, and Pascual’s
entrance to the UP presidency.

6 Mere Leftovers: On the 2011 SUC Budget.

USC Chair Krista Iris Melgarejo shares table
scraps from the UP Budget

8 At The Expense of Agriculture.

07
Sergei C. Reyes zeroes in at the problem of
target fixation in land use and reform.

8 Feed us, Yellow King. Sergei C. Reyes

shares a story about hotdogs from New Amster-
dam and rice soaked in soy sauce.

9 And along came Kalimudan Doreen

Alolod shares the story behind this place-to-be
for fresh meat.

10 Understanding Bt. Kit Frias introduces us

(again) to the Bt.

11 Himati Icon: Dr. Eufemio T. Rasco, Jr.

Jesse Ramon Boga talks to the doctor himself. 12
13 Losing the Arts? Doreen Alolod explains
the state of art in UPMin.

17 Pinalangga kong Oblê

17 Feedback

Himati is a member of the UP Alliance of Student Publications and Writers’ Organizations (UP SOLIDARIDAD) and the College Editors’ Guild of the Philippines (CEGP).

Online versions of published issues are available at scribd.com/himati. Send your inquiries to emailhimati@gmail.com or message us on Facebook at facebook.com/himati.
14
42 NOV10MAR11
She said, he said. As Maam Emer leaves the Presidency, the
challenge is up to Mr. Pascual by Betsy Tulio and Ross Ramos.
It’s been 6 years.
Or five, if you start counting from 2006 – the year she raised the base
tuition per unit from PhP300 to PhP1,000.
How I wished I was born just a few semesters earlier than the 2009-xxxxx
that marked my ID, it could have saved my mother a few of her wrinkles, and
my father, a few of his grey hairs.
In the 2006 Primer on Tuition and Other Fee Increases, the UP
Administration (she) explained that the increase will be used to cover the
“increasing cost of power and other utilities, procurement of equipment and
upkeep of facilities, purchase of books and maintenance of journal and library
subscriptions, and enhancement of teaching and research.”
At present, only PhP210.1 million of the income from the tuition increase
has been tapped for the enhancement of the 9 colleges across the UP system;
PhP210 million of the average 355 million earnings we come up with yearly,
according to the Department of Budget & Management.
Anyhow, Emerlinda Roman still pointed out that the university’s assets
grew in the last five years. “Between 2005 and 2010, the assets increased from
PhP27 billion to PhP37.4 billion,” she said.
Looking back, those six years weren’t that bad – UP celebrated its
Centennial during her tenure, making her the Centennial President.
Celebrations in all units, from Baguio to Mindanao, looked back at one
hundred years of excellence and service to the nation through honor and
excellence.
Yet amidst the fanfare, people at school shaved their heads in indignation
of TOFI. Iskolars ran around naked. Some must have even prayed on Jose Rizal’s
grave for a miracle. Indeed, UP Campuses from across the archipelago staged
every form of protest they could muster. Yes, the tuition hike still struggled
to reach it peak – and it even stayed there for good. But we never failed to
protest, not a minute, in all those six years. We never lost this battle because
we struggled to the end. That’s what counts.
Even as we say goodbye to the glorious Roman Empire with a testimonial
ceremony at the SOM Anda Campus last February 4, we weren’t short of
presentation and flair; not only did we let our spits fly, eggs too. Something
she would remember UPMin with.
Although we close that chapter of UP, we open yet another one.
“Between 2005 and 2010, the assets increased from
PhP27 billion to PhP37.4 billion”
5 NOV10MAR11
Valentines Day brought us our new president, Alfredo E. Pascual. His
visit to UPMin last February 14 gave us all a boost. Finally, the next chapter is
beginning…
A former alumni regent and president of the UP Alumni Association, he
also plans to tap the university’s alumni, an untapped resource for funds and
expertise. “Our goal is to promote among our alumni a culture of giving back to
the university,” he said.
When he walked in, he brought with him the promise “… to develop UP’s
idle properties”, but he said the extra revenues from these will not replace the
budget allocation that UP gets from the government.
He said: “Under my administration, our plans and programs will be guided
by the vision statement that accompanied my acceptance of nomination for
the UP presidency. That vision will mark our path for the next six years.”
What is that vision? We want to see the University of the Philippines as a
GREAT university within Southeast Asia in the 21st century:
• A university that takes a leadership role in the development of the
country, while anchored on academic excellence.
• A university that has a strong research capability, supported by an
expanded graduate program, unshackled by sectarian constraints or
commercial interests, and geared to addressing societal problems.
• A university that has excellent faculty and staff working in an
environment which inspires outstanding performance and high
productivity, and provides decent compensation and equitable benefits.
• A university that recruits students from among the best and brightest
and provides them affordable tertiary education.
• A university that prepares its students for successful careers and
responsible citizenship in a globalized world.
• A university that takes a quantum leap in the physical development
of its campuses and their technological infrastructure for teaching,
research, and administration
• A university that achieves financial sustainability by generating
needed resources and managing costs efficiently, while preserving its
public character.
• A university that is a model for good governance to the country it
serves.
Now that we all have our fingers crossed and breaths held, pray that this
fellow would prove to be a better catch than the last one.
It’s going to be 6 more years you know…
 Mere Leftovers: On the 2011 SUC Budget.
State abandonment or economic independence?
USC Chair Krista Iris Melgarejo sums up the figures.
Last December 2010, President Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III signed the budget for 2011. One of the
items highlighted in this reform budget was the PhP 110 million addition for the Maintenance and Other Operating
Expenses (MOOE) of state universities and colleges (SUCs). Is there really an addition or deficit?
Comparing the data from the Department of Budget and Management’s National Expenditure Program, there is an
increase of PhP317.6 million for the SUC budget, from PhP21.7 billion to PhP22.03 billion. But a closer look at the details
would reveal that PhP200 million will be allocated to UP’s Engineering Research Development Technology (ERDT) and
PhP117.6 million will be allocated for the MOOE of 80 SUCs.
The UP system will be receiving a total of PhP5.751 billion for 2011, up by PhP226 million from the PhP5.525 billion.
Compared to the 2010 UP budget, UP will be suffering a colossal budget cut amounting to PhP1.165 billion for
2011.
Instead of having additions to their budgets, 31 SUCs will be experiencing more decreases in their budgets for 2011.

Top 10 SUCs with most added budget for 2011 Top 10 SUCs with most deducted budget for 2011
(in Pesos) (in Pesos)
University of the Philippines System 226,124,000 University of Northeastern Philippines 15,839,000
Surigao State College of Technology 6,996,000 Mindanao State University 3,617,000
Technological University of the Philippines 6,960,000 Bicol University 3,148,000
Mindanao State University – 6,297,000 Isabela State University 2,181,000
Iligan Institute of Technology Bulacan State University 2,100,000
Batangas State University 5,468,000 Western Mindanao State University 1,826,000
Polytechnic University of the Philippines 4,930,000 Central Mindanao University 1,768,000
Mariano Marcos State University 4,809,000 Central Luzon State University 1,577,000
Negros Oriental State University 3,830,000 Cebu Technological University 1,554,000
Don Mariano Marcos 3,775,000 Cavite State University 1,519,000
Memoral State University
Pangasinan State University 3,712,000 Top 10 SUCs with most deducted budget (in percent)
Philippine Normal University 23.1
Top 10 SUCs with most deducted budget (in Pesos) J.H. Cerilles State College 22.3
University of the Philippines System 1,164,833,000 Aurora State College of Technology 21.0
Bicol University 91,960,000 Bicol University 19.5
Philippine Normal University 89,442,000 University of Southeastern Philippines 19.2
University of Southeastern Philippines 42,540,000 University of the Philippines System 16.8
Central Bicol State University of Agriculture 31,269,000 Central Bicol State University of Agriculture 15.7
Iloilo State College of Fisheries 16,281,000 Basilan State College 14.8
J.H. Cerilles State College 16,209,000 Davao Oriental State College of S & T 13.7
University of Northern Philippines 12,567,000 Iloilo State College of Fisheries 11.5
Partido State University 11,351,000 Data: UP Mindanao University Student Council
Southern Leyte State University 8,926,000

So, is there really an addition or deficit?

Krista is a guest writer for Himati.

6 NOV10MAR11
 UP will be suffering a
colossal budget cut
amounting to

PhP1.165 billion
for 2011.

7 NOV10MAR11
NOV10MAR11

At the Expense of Agriculture.
Sergei Reyes zeroes in on land in the Philippines.
In various regions in the Philippines, many find
themselves doing agricultural activities such as farming
as their main source of income. However, due to some
reasons such as population increase, agricultural lands
have been converted into residential and industrial, and
this has brought change in land-use structure.
Urban Growth and Housing According to the World
Bank, between 1960 and 1995, the Philippines had one of
the highest rates of urban growth in the developing world
with an annual urban population increase of 5.1 percent.
Sixty percent of the total population is currently urban, a
tenth of which reside in four of the largest metropolitan
regions in the country, and this includes Davao City, having
more than a million residents.
“About 84 percent of national GDP is accounted for by
industry and services, most of which occurs in urban or peri-
urban areas” (The World Bank Group, 2010). Businesses and
industries in urban areas are said to be the drivers of national
economic growth. Despite these reports on economic
growth, poverty rates still remain high in urban areas. From
18 percent in 1997, it has since risen to 20 percent in 2000.
Indication of poverty can be seen in the number of
people living in substandard (slum or squatter) housing,
which is about 40 percent; therefore housing is a serious
issue confronting the lower middle class and poor groups.
This is true in the National Capital Region, Cebu and Davao
City (Urbanization Dynamics and Policy Frameworks…,
The World Bank). And to reduce poverty in these areas,
the government welcomes the idea of turning agricultural
lands to housing development projects, in hopes of
accommodating the poor.
Land Use and Policies Land accessibility and
productivity are major factors in reducing poverty in the
Philippines because the poor use land for livelihood and
Feed us, Yellow King. Of succulent hotdogs and soy sauce-soaked rice.
Once there was a King who ruled over some 7,107
islands in the Southeast Asian region, the kingdom
was then formerly known as the Pearl of the Orient
for its splendor and rich resources. Now it is home to
around 94 million Filipinos – the King’s subjects. These
folks yearn nothing more than a proper meal after a
day’s hard labor. At the high throne, the Yellow King sits
and enjoys succulent hotdogs from another kingdom,
New Amsterdam.
The King inherited the throne, not the hotdog, from
his mother who was made Queen when her beloved
husband, the bold Knight, died upon stepping down
from his winged vehicle. The King was told to continue
the family’s legacy, and now, we eye him – almost bald
and fidgety over the country’s malnourished state.
A few decades ago, the kingdom was flowing in
riches. Countries traded with us, countries helped us
until these very countries subjugated us and took over
what made us rich. And now, the nation is hungry. We
grew 600,000 more since the Yellow King sat as leader,
but we do not have enough food for everyone. We
call this a state of poverty – from 400 years spent in a
convent to about 50 years in Hollywood and then we
have now.
Hunger is the most critical manifestation of poverty.
Because of scarcity, prices soar high and many Filipinos
could not afford. Along with this are skyrocketing prices
of other commodities such as fuel. The rise has triggered
social unrest. And we cannot blame the Church for not
8 NOV10MAR11
© Fernando Cortés
welfare. Their houses are considered the beacon for income-
generating activities such as food vending, especially those
in urban areas. Therefore, to sustain economic growth and
alleviate poverty in the country, land market must be well-
functioning. However, land in the Philippines is unequally
distributed, evidenced by boundary disputes, fake titles, and
illegal occupation.
The government has crafted different policies
concerning land use and poverty alleviation, and the
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) is one of
them. This was said to correct inequities in land distribution;
however, this did not meet the expectations of many. In
fact, a number of policies in the country concerning land
use, administration and management are unclear and
inconsistent. Moreover, they are highly politicized.
For example, the Philippine land law through the
Indigenous Peoples Rights Act recognizes, protects and
promotes ancestral domain rights. This is pre-Spaniard
conquest ownership of protected lands by tribal or cultural
communities. However, this raises some property rights
issues. In the case of mineral lands, the State owns all natural
resources of such lands under Jura Regalia of the Philippine
Constitution, but ancestral lands also cover mineral lands,
therefore indigenous people or cultural communities also
have claims of ownership of the lands. So who really owns
them?
The Philippines classifies its lands into categories.
The 1987 Philippine Constitution classifies lands of public
domain into Agricultural, Forest or timber, Mineral, and
National parks; and these are owned by the state, except
for agricultural lands that can be owned privately by
Filipino citizens. These alienable lands are further classified
according to their use and purpose: Agricultural; Residential,
Commercial, Industrial or for similar productive purposes;
Education, Charitable or other similar purposes; and
using condoms, or the money that went to the juicy
hotdogs of the Yellow King.
Early this year, international food prices remained
high and developing countries were the most
vulnerable. “Devalued national currencies, reduced
harvests due to bad weather, and civil conflicts
contributed to these increase,” stated the International
Economic Bulletin. Another reason why food price has
swelled, it added, is the conversion of food into biofuels.
Although food prices fell by 0.3% in September
from August in the country, it still is expected to rise
during the holidays where every family seems to panic
buy and feast on food good for an entire barangay. It
is the time for a Catholic nation to practice gluttony,
making an increase inevitable, as if it were a constant for
any holiday budget computation.
In the Philippines, prices increased by twenty to
twenty six percent from year 2008 to 2009. Moreover,
we rank third among developing countries with
the largest increases in domestic staple food prices.
Although the price increase may help producers and
net sellers of food, the poor cannot benefit from this as
their power to purchase goods is curtailed.
In Aling Belinda’s family of five, what used to be a
thousand peso food budget per week is now only good
enough for three to four days. Prices of meat have been
gravely affected by the rise of fuel used for transport
and the cost of cooking oil has shot up. Vegetables,
Reservations for town site and for public or quasi-public
purposes.
In addition, various laws have been enacted for the
classification and reclassification of lands into different uses.
These include RA 7279 that defines urban lands, and lands
with potential urban use and these are reserved for urban
development and social housing purposes; RA 6657 which
provides restrictions on the classification of agricultural
and agrarian lands including protected areas; RA 7357 and
7668 which reserves certain lands for tourism development;
RA 8370 which gives priority rights to indigenous peoples
over ancestral domains, and RA 7942 Mining Act which
states that minerals are owned by the State. Land use and
classification in the Philippines is tainted with ambiguity
and there is a need to review certain laws to be able to have
well-functioning land markets.
Effects With lands slowly being converted into different
classifications, what repercussions are expected?
It is said that land and real estate activity is associated
to economic performance, however, it sometimes becomes
questionable how these lands are used and the quality of
‘developments’ from this activity.
In addition, with the weakness of Philippine land
laws as shown in changes in patterns in land use, e.g. from
agricultural land to residential or industrial land, what
happens when these lands are converted at the expense of
agriculture? This could create a domino effect which would
lead to food shortage. Saved food cannot hold for long, not
even imported products. Ultimately, this may result to a food
crisis where food will be very much scarce and expensive.
Moreover, this may also turn out to be robbing
cultural communities of their land. Unless urbanization is
done responsibly, that is, planning sites well according to
its purpose and use, then we can say that it is beneficial
for society. However, if this were done irresponsibly, the
society may be in peril. Aside from an inevitable food crisis,
detrimental effects to the environment may lead to a
decline in livability.
It does not mean that just because a place is urbanized
that it is growing economically. It may turn out to be
different if it cannot sustain itself and those living in it.
What the government must do is to review its laws and
policies. They must also map out lands according to its
crop suitability and susceptibility to natural calamities so
food shortage can be answered. From there, they can make
changes to make urbanization favorable for everyone. A halt
in land conversion is not called for, only an awareness to be
responsible in converting lands for the benefit of all and not
for enriching oneself.
spices, and everything we eat is now worth more than
the usual. Aling Belinda instead resorted to halving,
sometimes purchased in quarters, the kilos of pork,
beef, chicken, and fish she bought and added more
vegetables. She also cooked breakfast, lunch and dinner
in one go, and used rice that was cheaper in price. Aling
Belinda admits that it’s harder to feed the kids because
they were not happy when fish was served, but they
had no choice. She says they would soak their rice in soy
sauce just to forget it was fish they were eating.
We used to be a nation of happy people. We
laughed at problems because we were assured
that it can be solved at the end of the day. But now,
we are not the “happiest” or is our country the “best
place to live in”. Majority of us do not know if a solution
is available so we wait idly for one and bear what is
at hand. This is probably because majority of us are
religious? Or because we have lost faith as a result of our
country having no good health care benefits, education
system, and a plan to alleviate the status quo? Maybe,
just maybe, because we are too hungry.
The Yellow King must be sad. The best place to live
in value health, education, wealth, and the fight against
poverty. And he is leading the complete opposite, and
he had the balls to manage a modicum of change
under his leadership.
Feed us, Yellow King.
A story written by Sergei C. Reyes.
And along came Kalimudan. In a bid to become economically
self-sufficient, UPMin has to thread the thin line of public service
and commercialization by Doreen Alolod.
Monday mornings fill the Kalimudan Student Center with
empty chairs and tables.
Its start of operation in August last year has earned several
criticisms from the students. With the current status of the
university in terms of population, the students ask: Is UP
Mindanao indeed ready for Kalimudan?
When the area was turned over to UP Mindanao by the
AFP 55th Engineer Brigade, Chancellor Rivero then submitted
a proposal to rehabilitate the said land. And since the
location is conveniently near the USC and Himati offices, the
administration thought of using the land to build a complex for
students in which they can loaf around and hold organization
meetings and other student activities. Although the longer use
of electricity will have to require the students to pay a fee.
During the planning for the design of the center, Ms. Bambi
Cabrera, the college Business Manager said that they wanted
it to be similar to Diliman’s Shopping Center which aside from
serving the students, is giving services to settlers and residents
of the neighboring big time subdivisions.
According to Cabrera, the student center was
conceptualized based on the survey done by the Office of
the Student Affairs which revealed the list of what services
UP Mindanao students needed. The result indicated that they
needed a bookstore, photocopying services, and more varied
choices of food, among others.
The public bidding for concessionaires last May 2010 had
furnished the center with a canteen, school supply store, two
copy centers and five stalls selling food, UP souvenir items and
other merchandise. However, after the December-January break,
two food stalls have not been operating up to this date.
Commercialization Facilities built to give students better
services are good, but the chairperson of the UP Mindanao
University Student Council, Krista Iris Melgarejo, is not
completely that supportive to the idea.
“Hindi naman po talaga tama na binibigyan tayo ng
ganitong mga pasilidad tapos tayo pa tuloy ang gumagasta
para ito’y magpatuloy sa kaniyang operasyon.” Melgarejo said,
expressing her stand in the construction of the student center.
“Kahit sabihin ng administrasyon na wala nga silang kita dito, ito
pa rin ho ay isang porma ng komersyalisasyon. Kung iisipin ho
natin, mas mababa pa iyong babayaran ng mga estudyante sa
mga bilihin kung hindi na proproblemahin ng concessionaires
ang kanilang babayaran na renta every month.”
Cabrera on the other hand stressed that Kalimudan is a
university facility and not a tool of commercialization. “It’s not
commercializing the university but it’s giving you the services
you need to make your college life comfortable,” Cabrera
contended. “How are we going to encourage more freshmen
students to enroll in UP Mindanao kung even a canteen hindi
natin ma-provide?”
9 NOV10MAR11
She said that a number of potential freshmen backed out
from enrolling in the campus because they have seen the
university’s poor facilities. “Why do they prefer Diliman and Los
Baños, aside from name and prestige? Because of the good
facilities. Tayo, anong maipapakita natin dito?”
Budget Cut and the Road to Self-sufficiency Based on the
2008 UP Charter, UP campuses are encouraged to venture
into income generating programs, provided that “any plan to
generate revenues and other sources from land grants and
other real properties entrusted to the national university shall
be consistent with the academic mission and orientation of the
national university as well as protect it from undue influence
and control of commercial interest” (Sec. 22. Land Grants and
Other Real Properties of the University).
Even before the talk about budget cut, the university has
already been finding ways to generate additional income to
keep UP alive. The construction of the center is “one of the
ways” the administration of UPMin thought off to address the
university’s lack of monetary funds. Cabrera explained: “Kasi
[kung] may income ang concessionaires nakakasiguro kaming
may ibabayad silang renta, pag may ibabayad silang renta, may
income ang UP, kung may income ang UP, may ipangbibili kami
ng mga kailangan niyo.”
In his statement on the issue of budget cut, President
Benigno S. Aquino III said: “We are gradually reducing the
subsidy to SUCs to push them toward becoming self-sufficient
and financially independent, given their ability to raise their
income and to utilize it for their programs and projects.”
The USC chair, however, remained firm to her stand. “It all
boils down to the fact that the government does not prioritize
education,” she said. Although she appreciates the construction
of the new facility, she argued that the UPMin administrators
would not have to worry about how to sustain the student
center “...if the government only gives us the appropriate budget
for that through Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses
(MOOE).”
Understanding Bt. Let all your opinions about Bt be
informed. Kit Frias shares answers to your questions.

What is Bt? Bt stands for Bacillus thuringiensis. It is a

bacterium that occurs naturally in the soil, in the gut
of caterpillars and on the dark surface of leaves. It is a
gram-positive bacteria, which means it belongs to a
class of generally more harmless bacteria, in contrast
to gram-negative bacteria which are harder to get rid
of.

What is the Bt Eggplant? The Bt Eggplant is a

crop infused with a single gene* from the Bacillus
thuringiensis. This gene makes the crops immune to its
enemy pest, the fruit-and-shoot borers (FSBs).
* a gene is composed of three nucleotides: that’s three half-rungs of the DNA ladder.

How does the eggplant become immune to the

FSBs? During sporulation, the Bt strain reacts with
receptors on the insect’s gut surface, which causes the
formation of crystal proteins called delta endotoxins.
Endotoxins result in cell lysis or cell splitting. The
insect experiences a feeling of satiation, or fullness,
and stops eating, which results in its death.

So if eating the Bt Eggplant is deadly to pests, how

about for humans? The receptor enzymes that are
necessary for the production of the delta endotoxins
are not produced by humans. No endotoxins, no
toxicity, and therefore no harm. Also, it cannot be
harmful to non-target insects because of the same
reason.

What are the benefits of the Bt Eggplant? The

market for eggplants is a PhP3.44 billion industry in
the Philippines. That’s a lot of mouths fed. Losses due
to FSB infestation can take away up to half of the total
harvest.
Using the Bt technology can help reduce costs,
because the farmers don’t need to buy expensive
synthetic pesticides, and increase yield, and of course
increase income.

If it’s that beneficial, why aren’t we using it right

now? We ourselves ask the very same question.

10
11 NOV10MAR11
NOV10MAR11
himaticon
It’s hard to imagine that, for someone who’s done
so much in his field, Dr. Eufemio T. Rasco, Jr.
never wanted to be a plant scientist.
Read on as Jesse Ramon Boga reveals more
about the doctor.
“I don’t think I really wanted to be a scientist. I wanted to be a
medical doctor.”
Things did not go quite as he planned when he chanced upon an
essay writing contest back in high school.
“I won a national essay [writing] contest (about rice sufficiency in
the Philippines) and the prize was a scholarship in UP Los Baños,” he
narrates. “And I had to take up agriculture!”
He decided to drop his idea of becoming a medical doctor
because of the offered scholarship.
Writing turned his life around even if he was never fond of it. Back
in high school, like most students who try to test their abilities in
everything, Rasco tried writing. “It was only something I liked to do
when I had nothing else to do. So I wrote an essay, [the judges] liked it,
and I was doomed to be in UPLB.”
He didn’t have high hopes for himself, considering he came from
an ordinary barangay high school in Camarines Norte.
College didn’t go easy on him. “When I entered UP, I was shocked!
They were teaching chemistry, and wala man kaming chemistry sa
high school,” he recalls.
For two years, he narrated that he had a tough time getting in
the groove. While he tried to fit in with the university’s standards and
culture, he found himself catching only three hours of sleep a night. “I
really had a rough time ... because i was trying to catch up with those
bright boys from PhilSci, UP High, and Ateneo.”
It was only during his third year that Rasco was able to adjust with
the UP life.
Like any college student, he enjoyed his youth by partying in bars,
chasing girls, hanging out with his barkada and joining a fraternity.
But more than that, he also did many things that were worthy of
recognition. “I did quite a lot,” he says. Outside the classroom, he was
the school paper’s editor, a student council chair, and even an activist.
His secret to life is simple: don’t hold your punches because
something will come out of it, sooner or later.
He never wanted to become a plant scientist, but pursuing the
path that has been laid upon him, Rasco found himself living a life far
from what he could have imagined.
In this article, Himati talks with Rasco about his MST classes,
Bt talong, his college life, and why he likes his pet cat so
much.
11
Tell us about your experience doing your first college
science research. I regret doing that thesis because I had a fight
with my adviser. I didn’t want to do what he wanted me to do. I
wanted to do something else—something that I liked to do, and
that was to criticize my adviser’s work.
But I should not have done that. I would not advise you to
do that because it’s really bad. It bore some fall outs for me after
graduation because I couldn’t find a job. Back then employers
would first call your college adviser, and I was jobless for several
months.
How did you go about the process of designing the MST 4
and 5 classes? MST 4 was an import from UP Diliman, complete
with readings that are this thick. *he stretches both his arms*
Talagang madami! And many of those readings were poorly
written.
The first thing that I did was to replace some of the readings
with my own, and add current, updated ones.
I also listened to the students. MST 4 used to take a historical
approach, which was very boring. But one of my students
suggested to incorporate current issues in the class. It was then
that nuclear energy, aerial spraying, and organic farming saw
action, and made the class more interesting. The course now
runs with two threads: we look back at historical background
and explore current events.
MST 4 is a result of the blend of the people who initially
designed the course and contributions from the students. It’s
not mine alone.
How do you feel about students who are afraid to enroll in
your MST classes? Oh, they’re cowards! *laughs* I think they
have several reasons. Perhaps they want to experience the other
UP campuses, so ginagawa na lang nilang excuse na mahirap
ang MST 4 or 5.
I don’t think it’s difficult. A difficult course is something that
you’re forced to study even if it’s not interesting. But I think these
two are the most interesting courses in UP.
What are the three things that you do before going to work?
I wake up very early. By the time I get to work at 9 a.m., my day is
almost half over *laughs* because I wake up before 4 a.m.
NOV10MAR11
 I think people get disappointed
[kasi] when they fail, they look back
and see that they did not exert
enough effort. That’s the reason why
there are people who are unhappy.
I play tennis; it’s something I do everyday. I read the news,
and if I have to catch up with my readings, I find a new book and
read it. I also do some writing.
I do all the serious work in early in the morning, including
tennis, so by the time I get here [in my office], I’m ready for my
coffee break. *laughs some more*
And you feed your pet? We heard you keep a cat for
company…Oh, yeah. And I closely guard my pet kasi itong mga
biology students, dina-dissect nila ang mga pusa.
I found him in the apartment I rented. May kasama palang
pusa ang apartment. *laughs* He’s partly self-supporting
because I’m usually out of town, that’s what I really like about
him. He probably got bored with my company, so nag-invite sya
ng another cat.
Now I have two cats. *laughs* Some animals can be very
sweet, even sweeter than some people I know. Once, my cat
shared his mouse meal with me.
How do you feel about people who are against your
projects on biotechnology, like the Bt eggplant? Naawa ako
sa kanila kasi obviously, they’re misinformed, and they’re not
doing enough to inform themselves. They think that it’s [UPMin’s]
responsibility to inform them, when in fact, getting information
is a two way process: you ask for it, and then you can get it.
I even offered the City Agriculturist’s Office (CAO) to visit
UPMin, because everything that they’ll need to know about
biotechnology and GMO is in my room full of books.
12
For someone who studies science, do you find it difficult to
talk about religion? No. In fact, I read a lot about religion. If you
look at my book shelf, you can easily find 10 or 20 books there
about religion.
To me religion is just one of the threads of human thought.
Science is another. I don’t like to see them as conflicting.
I was born and baptized as a Roman Catholic. I still go to
church, because it’s a part of my “tribal responsibility.” But i don’t
consider myself deeply religious, though.
Having gone through two difficult years in UP and not
being able to pursue your dream of becoming a medical
doctor, what advise can you give to students who are going
through a similar path? You see, some people think that you
can plan your life—but you can’t.
If you do something, put everything in it: your mind and your
heart. Don’t hold your punches because something will come
out of it, sooner or later.
And that’s exactly what I did. I accidentally got into plant
science, I was recruited into the Institute of Plant Breeding, I was
sent to us for graduate studies, I got back as a plant breeder, and
started to teach STS.
I give everything I have, even when playing tennis.
I think people get disappointed kasi when they fail, they look
back and see that they did not exert enough effort. That’s the
reason why there are people who are unhappy.
NOV10MAR11
Losing the Arts? “Where are the arts?
Asa namo? Makita pa ninyo sila?” asks
Doreen Alolod.

© Laura Pattison

13
14 NOV10MAR11
 “Without art, the crudeness of reality
would make the world unbearable.”
George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950)

It is unbearable to admit that the University is giving Art an undeserved indifference when years before the
tiled Atrium, paved CSM road, and 3-million-budgeted student center (slash beach resort), UP Mindanao was
filled with fervent student artists performing around the campus, conducting exhibits and theatrical plays or simply
strumming stringed-instruments on the corner. And it didn’t matter what colleges they came from.

So, where are the art groups of UP Mindanao?
It seems that the collapse of Kombuyahan, a performing arts
company in UPMin, marked the decline of cultural and artistic
activities in the university. Says its vision: “UPMin Kombuyahan
envisions making the University of the Philippines in Mindanao the
center of culture and the arts in the region by providing venues for the
development of each individual’s artistry and by establishing linkages
with other cultural groups, thereby, promoting the Mindanaon culture.”
Sounds promising. But what we do not understand is that why, in
one mournful day, the Kombuyahan’s seven divisions – dance (Bayla
Vinta), music (Katingugan), literary (Kirim), film (Lantaw), speech and
langugage (Litok), visual arts (Mitandi) and theatre (Teatro Lambigit)
– were gone in the wind.
There was an attempt to redeem its lost name and diverting
vision. To fix whatever there was to fix, to save whatever was left. But
whatever was the outcome of that attempt to rescue art, we don’t
know until now.
Art, in whatever forms, reflects the society where it exists. It
reflects the society’s culture and people. It reflects the social and
political issues of a certain time and how the people of that time
respond to them. Even its absence tells much. Without art as a
creative outlet, people become petulant, resentful, and close-
minded robots. *cough, cough!*
But art can also be driven by its society. A stagnant, apathetic,
torpid culture creates hunger (starvation even) among people. When
people are deprived of the artistic experience, it provokes intense
craving, though the starved may not be aware of what they crave for.
After all, we say that humans are innately unsatisfied. We are never
contented of what we have; we ask for more. We’re curious. We easily
get bored. We hate routines. We dig for possible ways to make sense
of our existence.
No, humans aren’t always unsatisfied. Sometimes, we fill our
stomach with too much junk that we get sated, replete, and too
lazy to still eat what we need to eat. What shallow minds we have
to think that college is all about grades and graduation. When we
leave the university and perhaps find a good job, start a family, and
embrace the society norms, pray that our eyes remain closed. Live
blind, die blind; that we may not regret our ignorance.
Art is exploring life and taking our shoes off. We feel the ground
for the first time. We discover the dirt, the mud, the sparkling dust.
And we fear that. We avoid arts because we fear exposing ourselves
to mockery. We fear we aren’t artist enough to enjoy arts, to talk
about it. We fear baring our feet.
But art doesn’t intimidate, some self-deluded artsy fartsies do.
Whatever your definition for the word “art” is, believe it. People
nowadays are having a hard time trusting their inner genius. We
often box ourselves in our society’s judgments. Let us not try to
define what art is, it should never have a fixed definition. Instead, let
us go to a more concerning matter: what do we need art for?
Art, it gives life order. We need to make sense of our existence,
so we write, we paint, we play music, we dance. Art illuminates life.
Through arts, we remember how human we are. Through arts, we
experience how one another uniquely see and live life. It broadens
our understanding of humanity, our similarities and beautiful
differences, our strengths and weaknesses, our victories and
struggles. Art makes us realize the essence of human diversity and
appreciate it. Art teaches us RESPECT.
Sadly, we haven’t learned much. The out-of-the-blue and
definitely unnecessary shouting of one’s college during university
events is unbelievably heartbreaking. In UP Mindanao, when a
crowd shouts the name of their college, it isn’t merely showing
pride. Along with the name, you can hear the indirect insult, the
assumed superiority, the mockery, the “fuck you we’re the best.”
Curse the pointless competition among colleges!
Seriously, for now we don’t need competitions. We don’t need
more opportunities to amplify our false highness and our pathetic
arrogance. What we need is an opportunity to understand and
celebrate human diversity as well as the universality in what we feel,
think and do as humans.
So yes, UPMin needs art. Terribly. The day we lost our value
for arts, we lost the old UP Mindanao. Yes, change is inevitable.
But if we see that it is giving the next generation of students a bland
mediocre culture, shouldn’t we realize that we need more of it?
It pains me to look back at the days when every time I get bored
listening to the teacher, I would look outside and listen to the
Kwerdas group plucking and strumming and humming and even
practicing their vocals at the atrium. A class was never a torment
then; all you had to do was look outside and see how alive the
campus was. And I will never get tired of saying that the old UPMin
has taught me, even in that brief hello, that college life is indeed not
just about going to classes and getting high grades. Students before
had doors of opportunities to do what they want to do, to pursue
their passions even outside their courses.
And those opportunities we have lost. And if we keep on
accepting that this is all we have – the culture of silence and
mediocrity, the dying love for the arts – we can never do anything to
get those opportunities back. But what is more important to know
is this: we cannot find the courage and motivation to do something
unless we first find the conviction to do it. Only with it can we
radically repel whatever is holding us back.
So here is your question: how do we find that conviction?
Simple. All we have to do is to sit in our classes, look outside
and see how dead UPMin is.

14 NOV10MAR11 29
 Slumbook:
UP Mindanao Dance Ensemble
Name: UP Mindanao Dance Ensemble
Nickname: Ensemble/also pronounced as En-sam. Wala naman
atay ubang tawag sa amo? *laughs*
Age: We were formally recognized last 2005 under the artistic
direction of Prof. Alma Flor Brigole, but we’ve been around
since 1999. That’s 11 years…
Address: Human Kinetics Center, UP Mindanao Campus.
Hobbies: Dancing? Ang hirap ng question ha…
Likes: All forms of dance (Jazz, Contemporary, Ballroom [dance
sport], Ethnic, Neo-ethnic, Lyrical, Tap) & art!
Dislikes: Mediocre performances.
Love is: Dancing.
Dance is: a melting pot of the arts. It’s a form of self-expression
or an opportunity to take on another character and be that
character. It is where art meets science and where ideals meet
reality. It is the convergence of creativity of technique, talent
and skill. All the while, you shall find yourself through dance.
Dance fuels the souls and feeds that passion. Dance shall be
your way of releasing whatever you are holding inside you; as
Martha Graham puts it, dance is the hidden language of the
soul.
Happiest Moments: UP Mindanao Dance Concert @ Mintal Gym
last February 2010 and UP Night 2010.
Most Embarrassing Moment: Best if kept a secret. *laughs* Ayaw
na diha! :P
Most Unforgettable Experience: The taxi ride on our way home
from practice (November 26, 2010); it was quality bonding
time with the members :) 
Motto: When everyone else is expecting you to fall, prove them
wrong.
Ambition in Life: To be able to educate people through
dancing. *char*
Message: There are two types of dancers: one who acquired
the SKILL of dancing through classes and one who was born
with the TALENT to be one.
You can be taught how to stretch your legs, extend your arms,
point or flex your feet – all that jazz – but without the passion
that goes with it, you will never be the dancer that you dreamt
of becoming.
Dance not just with your body, dance with your soul…
15
Looking back
at the remains of
Kombuyahan
Bayla Vinta Bayla is a Tausog term for dance and vinta is a
traditional sea-going vessel for seafarers in Mindanao. Vinta,
with its colorful sails, travels with the wind gracefully
like a dancer. This provided impetus for the name of the
division. Bayla Vinta marks its identity as a group which aims
to explore modern dance and street dancing.
Objectives The group shall promote modern dance and
street dancing in the University. It aims to provide a venue
for UP in Mindanao students to enhance their dancing
skills. It aims to train its members in the discipline which
the art of dancing requires. The group aims to collect the
different experiences of Mindanao people and explore the
possibilities on how to transform these experiences into
different movements in dance.
Katingugan The Music Division of UPMin Kombuyahan shall
be officially known as Katingugan. Katingugan is a Visayan
word for sounds and/or voices.
The division has three sections: the Kulintang Ensemble,
the Choral Ensemble, and the Instrumentalists’ Ensemble.
The Kulintang Ensemble is composed of members
coming from the two other performing arts groups of the
company namely Bayla Vinta and Teatro Lambigit while
the Choral Ensemble is the group called Koro Kantahanay.
The Instrumentalists’ Ensemble is divided into three more
sections namely: Kuwerdas (stringed instruments), Ihip
(wind instruments) at Teklado (percussion instruments).
Objectives The Katingugan aims to: (1) provide a venue
for the enhancement of talents in music, vocal and
instrumental; (2) promote music as an art; (3) contribute to
the development of and promote Mindanaon music; (4)
and contribute to make the University of the Philippines in
Mindanao the center of culture and the arts in the region.
Kirim Kirim is the Literary Arts Division of the UPMin
Kombuyahan. This is a pioneering circle composed of literary
enthusiasts and artists whose main goals are to bring out
and enhance the diverse Mindanaon culture, and to instill
awareness of this culture to the students of UP in Mindanao
through literature. Kirim is open to students and faculty
interested in writing and literature. It aims to encourage
university constituents to produce literary works which will
contribute to the body of Mindanao literature and culture.
Kirim is a Maranao term for literature.
For a fix of nostalgia, visit http://upminkombuyahan.wordpress.com
or http://friendster.com/kombuyahan.
NOV10MAR11

Objectives Kirim aims (1) to inculcate literary awareness
in students and faculty alike; (2) to utilize this division as a
medium to make the members appreciate the Mindanao
literary arts and what all these entail; and (3) to be able to
conduct related activities that would foster the mentioned
objectives and propose plans regarding these.
Lantaw Lantaw envisions a critical community of filmgoers
in the University. Lantaw is a Cebuano word meaning to
view.
Objectives As an organization, Lantaw’s goal is to bring
a new understanding of film and cinema to the UP
community.
Litok Litok envisions to develop speech and language
among the UP in Mindanao community and the whole
of Mindanao; and to promote, develop, and preserve the
culture of Mindanaons through language and speech.
Litok is a Cebuano term for pronounce.
Objectives Litok was established to cater to the need for
harnessing speech and language in the UP in Mindanao
community. The group aims to be the body that will
conduct various activities, which will promote and develop
the fields of speech and language. Students may gain
interest in the field and use it as a helpful tool not only in the
University but also in their lives. Litok would like to help in
the improvement of speech craft and language usage in the
community, taking its part in the campaign for nourishing
UP in Mindanao.
Mitandi The word is a Maranao term for “stream of
consciousness.” In the world of artists, every single thing has
a meaning. Every single line symbolizes something. Every
single color portrays a certain idea. Every single brushstroke
means a lot of things. The artist sees the world in a different
way. Though things would appear menace to some, still the
artist recognizes the beauty that lies behind it.
Objectives (1) Mitandi would want to help and make the
University of the Philippines in Mindanao the center of
culture and the arts in the region through the visual arts.
(2) Mitandi aims to serve as the venue for the development
of an artist’s ability and widen his/her knowledge of art. (3)
Mitandi aims to establish linkages with different cultural
groups in recovering, preserving, and promoting the
Mindanaon art and culture. (4) Mitandi aims to awaken
the sense of consciousness of the people, particularly in
Mindanao, regarding the culture and the arts of the island.
Teatro Lambigit The Theater Arts Division of UPMin
Kombuyahan shall be officially known as Teatro
Lambigit. Lambigit is a Visayan term, a verb, meaning to
interact or to become part of.
Objectives Teatro Lambigit aims (1) to develop each
member’s talents and skills in theatrical production; (2) to
study and promote Philippine theater, finding its roots in the
indigenous communities; (3) to interact and work with these
communities and other cultural groups; and (4) to promote
Mindanaoan theater arts.
16
Slumbook:
Koro Katingugan
Name: Koro Katingugan
Nickname: Korow, Katz, Skemadudes
Age: 2 years old
Address: Last table on the right wing of the atrium when you’re
not facing Oble’s butt (kay naay outlet na pwede masaksakan
sa keyboard), Administration Building, UP Mindanao, Sitio
Basak, Mintal, Davao City.
Hobbies: Jamming, playing instruments, laughing, playing
spin-the-cellphone, eating at Jaokiks together after late night
practices, group chat sa Facebook, SINGING (obviously!)
Likes: We like people who audition for Katingugan. *laughs*
that could mean you.
Dislikes: Mga hilas (conceited snobs). LOL :P
Love is: When people have contrasting personalities but are
united by a single bond – MUSIC…
Music is: Sa dami rin naman kase ng definition…music is this…
(Anne, President of Katingugan, plays Maybe by Yiruma on
the piano. I was speechless. Music was never meant to be
written; only heard)
Happiest Moment: Sa SM! Speak-up event, lingaw kaayo. Mura
lang mi’g nagjamming sa stage. Impromptu to the max!
Most Embarrassing Moment: Gitagaan mi ug dos sa barat nga
taga-Uraya katong nangaroling mi. (Ay te, choir diay mi. duh.
Maulaw unta siya.)
Most Unforgettable Experience: After atong kanta sa MTS,
nagdasok mi ug nangatulog sa sala sa boarding house ni
Treeng (doll house), nag-iluganay sa sofa, hangtud ang uban
sa balkunahe nalang dapit nanghigda. WINNER!
Ambition in Life: A record label would be nice! *laughs* Kidding
aside, we believe that the best thing we could do is to inspire
others with our music.
Message: Passion is the greatest driving force in life. If you’re
really passionate about something, nothing is impossible.
And never let anyone tell you that you haven’t got talent, if
they do, prove them wrong. That person could kiss his sorry-
ass while you went on and rocked the world…
Viva La Vita Fare Musica.
Live Life. Make Music.
NOV10MAR11
Pinalangga kong Oblê,
Usa ka maanindot nga adlaw diha
kanimo.
Kumusta imong barog diha?
Makasugakod pa gihapon ka?
Sa akong tan-aw, murag nahimutang
pa man gihapon ka. Bilib kaayo ko nimo
ba kay maski man gud lisud kaayo imong
kahimtang karon, gapabilin gihapon ka nga
matinud-anon sa imong trabaho. Dili man
gane ka matarog sa imong ginatindugan diha
masking kaganiha pa gadagook imong tiyan.
Gutom na kaayo no?
Malahi pata, kakita naba ka sa mga
bag-ong panghitabo sa TV o bisan man lang
nakabati sa mga balita sa Facebook?
Ang imoha tawong mga Iskolar, sikat
na kaayo. Ang uban sa ilaha ilado na, ilabina
pag-abot sa pulitika. Ang uban hasta na
tawong datoa. Sa sobra kadato, pati tawo ila
nang mapalit. Sakit sa buot mahibaw-an ning
tanan. Nalahi na ang panahon. Ang imong
mga Iskolar sauna mao na gayud ang mipuli
sa mga tao nga ilang ginasaway. Gipadayon
ra nila ang mga maling binuhatan sa mga
tawong ilang gipulihan. Unta, ang mga
umaabot nga mogradwar, dili mapareho sa
mga nauna sa ilaha.
Nakita man pud siguro nimo diha gikan
sa imong gibarogan ang mga binuhatan
sa katawhan nga nakapatanggal sa imong
dignidad ug respeto. Wala man lang sila
kagahin ug oras para makakuha ug saktong
alamag mahitungod sa panghitabo. Kung
nabuhat pa to nila, makatabang gayud
unta sila sa ilahang katilingban ug ilabina sa
ilahang mga kaugalingon. Apan kaning tanan
magpabiling mga pangandoy na lamang.
Unya, napasmo na ka?
Nanaghan na mi dire Oble. Daghan nag
mosabay nimo ug kaon. Lingaw gani kaayo
huna-hunaon nga nanaghan na ang mga
makapahimulos nga mga taga-Mindanao sa
UP. Wala ka kabantay? Tua, naghilum-hilom
ra sila pero nanaghan na na sila. Dile lang
jud tanan imong makit-an nga gawelga sa
kalsada, o nagapabatyag man lang nga aduna
sila’y pagpakabana sa mga problema karon.
Murag dile na man gud uso karon ang pagka-
mahigugmaon sa yutang natawhan. Hilas na
man gud daw na paminawon karon.
Pasayloa ko kung sa imo nako
gipahungaw ang kasakit nga akong
gikumkom. Gigutom ra pud diay ko.
Ayaw kabalaka kay dile man pud tanang
mahitungod sa UP angay ireklamo. Naa pa
may mga Iskolar nga nagpabiling matinud-
anon, maabilidad, og may kaugmaon. Kini sila
ang mga estudyanteng bisan pa sa paglabay
sa panahon aduna gihapo’y pagpakabana
nga motahod sa lugar nga ilang gigikanan.
Sila ang mga taong dili magduha-duha nga
motunol ug grasya sa ilang mga kaigsuonan
ug buot nga mohatag ug alibyo sa mga
balatian nga nasinati sa ilang katilingban. Sila
ang mga taong masaligan nga magsilbing
paglaom sa dakbyan.
Hinaot nga sa umaabutay nga panahon,
kining mga butanga makab-ot nato.
Gahigugma kanimo,
Himati

feedback
The Himati staff is overwhelmed by your responses. Keep them coming. Seeing you read the paper makes us
feel, yes, orgasmic. All the hard work we put in working on The $3X Issue (in different positions) was all worth it.

We are hoping to see more of you (in your pants, this time) in our online discussions in Facebook and
Twitter, as much as we’re hoping that you’d continue to see us more often too.

Himati’s The $3X Issue is more daring, more outstanding,
and more interesting. The theme strongly draws the
readers to get in the paper. I found some news articles
unappealing, though, but it may be just because I’m not
interested in them.
Himati managed to make the paper not too plain and
boring. I think in future issues, the topics should be more of
things that students could immediately relate to, without
getting too serious about things. Sometimes, being too
serious makes the publication uninteresting for the students.
Perhaps serious topics could be delivered in creative ways
that can still draw the attention.
Neil Ramos
President, BioS (Biological Society)
The main topic of the issue was good: a shocker, re-entry
with a bang. I’ve never seen Himati that interesting in
a long while. I found the articles on the RH Bill very VERY
relevant (you guys should make follow up articles on that).
The center fold trivia was fun and helpful, though it took a lot
of space.
The Himati Index could have been put together
with the center fold and/or at the back. The back was
unnecessarily large and empty for just two poems, though.
But together with the illustrations and photos, the overall
layout was great; I couldn’t imagine it arranged in another
way. 
Plagiarism would make a good theme for the next issue.
My thanks and appreciation to the Himati staff for the
great issue last semester. Keep up the game.

Himati brought back it’s presence by making use of Jeffrey Javier

different forms of media, ranging from print to online.  BA English
But I only found a few articles relevant to what UP
Mindanao, the UP system and the society is facing. In my Maganda ang pagbabalik ng Himati last sem.
Siguro ang main beef ko sa issue na yan is how bad
opinion, I think that it was OK that you have included the RH
poetry was published. I mean, [the publication has] a very First, kumpara sa mga past issues na akong nakita, mas
bill in your issue, but it would have been better if it was not
competent writing pool in the form of the creative writing “superior” ang design ngayon, lalo na ang front (page) kay
the main headline for your issue because there are a lot more
majors in the university, as well as students who are good captivating gyud siya sa mata nga makaingun gyud kag
things that we should talk about other than sex, sexuality and
writers from other departments, but why weren’t they tapped “Unsa ni?” Plus naa pa gyud tung lingaw na hand gestures
the likes.
instead of asking for contributions? nga witty gyud.
The paper could have talked about the 1.39B budget
The $3X Issue itself was timely, so I guess 3.0 siya para sa Second, ganahan ko sa idea nga gibuhat, nga murag
cut in UP, the decreasing subsidy for state colleges and
akin, in light of the reproductive bill. I think though that the major topic (or issue) ang sex kay maka-curious man gyud
universities, K-12 and many more issues that affect us, not
issue should have been at least more subtle. FHM and Uno siya sa reader kay hindi mo talaga mapigilang magbasa.
only as UP students, but as people who live in this current
are already doing the sex trivia thing, so Himati could have
state of society. Our students need to know that these are Para sa akua, ang murag maka-turn off lang man kay
done something more, how do I say, relevant. So ye.
happening around them and it›s now time to speak and act. gibuhat nga murag big deal kaayo ang sex, to think nga
I hope your editorial board shifts to an online paper, para liberal pa naman sana ang UP, pero personally lang man pud.
Although students may seem uninterested in these
mas current events ang approach. You have the tools, so I Actually, wala ko kabalo unsa ang maganda para sa next
issues, you can make it interesting and understandable to
hope you guys will put it to good use. issue, pero gwapo gyud tung last sem.
them.

Yas Ocampo Marc Fortes

Krista Iris Melgarejo
UPMin Alumni, former Himati EIC BS Applied Math
Chairperson, University Student Council

17 NOV10MAR11
 l b e serve d on
o n w i l
Print versi

April 18
The Fa
ll of Ma
gonna richu ●
die! ● I’m so
Giving r
Maps ●
Eat up! Up Me ich, I’m
of UP M ● I’ll Pa at ● Fo
od
o ● Him ● The Future
indana ss
ati Inde
x

18 NOV10MAR11