Sunflowers, Sablay and the ultimate rites of passage in UP

Sunflowers and sablay – two icons that flooded social media accounts  of graduates of  University of the Philippines (UP) in Diliman.

These icons  have become the symbol of the ultimate rites of passage in the university, as graduates hurdled every academic requirement through sleepless and restless days and nights.

It is said that the blossoming of sunflowers were already a tradition since the 1970s. However, I do not have any recollection of sunflowers during my two graduation ceremonies, B.S. Economics in 1991 and Bachelor of Laws in 1998.

I also did not wear a sablay as the university amphitheater was just a sea of traditional black togas.

Sablay, translated from tagumpay, or “triumph”, is just a fitting sash for the students that have completed their studies, which became the official academic costume of UP officially adopted in 2000.

The sablay gets its inspiration from the Muslim malong, a loose garment made from a seamless bolt of cloth. It incorporates various traditional elements found in other Philippine cultures.  Running through the sablay are geometric motifs of indigenous Philippine tribes.  

The university colors of maroon and green frame the initials of the University rendered in yellow gold alibata characters, the ancient Philippine alphabet,  

The sablay is worn initially over the right shoulder.  After the President has conferred the degree, it is moved from the right to the left shoulder without being taken off.

Giving   graduation a new and colorful twist in tradition,  the bright yellow sunflowers lead the way for graduates towards the iconic Oblation statue and behind it the Amphitheater where the commencement exercise is held.

The sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is an annual, erect, broadleaf plant with a strong taproot and prolific lateral spread of surface roots.

Sunflowers bloom around the same time the students graduate — formerly, around April. When UP shifted their academic calendar, the people in charge of the sunflowers found a way for these flowers to bloom even during the rainy season around June.

As a parting gift for graduating students, sunflowers become reminders of the various cycles of life and death. As one blossoms inside the campus, there will come a time that one will have to leave.

The growth of Sunflowers is dependent on full sun , just as every Isko cherish  challenges  inside the university as necessary for their personal development.

Sunflowers also always follow the direction of the sunlight, the same  light that calls graduates  to serve the country. 

The tradition for lighting rallies was also expected – a long red banner unfurled with the message “Atin Ang Pinas” during last Sunday’s university graduation.

Towards the end of the program, some graduates also raised placards with messages on various issues, including China, press freedom, political prisoners and LGBT rights.

Speaking at the UP College of Social Sciences and Philosophy, Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio earlier said Filipinos have the constitutional and civic duty to protect the nation’s territorial integrity in the West Philippine Sea He added that the Constitution mandates that the use and enjoyment of the country’s marine wealth in its exclusive economic zone shall be reserved exclusively for the Filipino people. Carpio pointed out that “only a fool will go to war with China. It is clear that the specter of war is being raised only to intimidate the Filipino people into submitting to China’s encroachment of our EEZ.”

Former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, on the other hand, urged the graduates of UP School of Economics to help defend Philippine sovereignty as they continue their quest for excellence in their field and contribute to the betterment of the Filipino people.

A total number of 55 Summa Cum Laude graduates led this year’s Diliman graduates, three of which came from my college School of Economics. This is the highest recorded number of Summa graduates not only in the history of the Diliman campus but also of the entire UP System.

To the new UP graduates, savor the brightness of the sunflowers and be true to the lyrics “Humayo’t itanghal, giting at tapang. Mabuhay ang pag-asa ng bayan!”

 ***

 Atty. Dennis R. Gorecho heads the seafarers’ division of the Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan law offices. For comments, email info@sapalovelez.com, or call 09175025808 or 09088665786).

LESSONS IN HISTORY: THE GREAT LEAN RUN

        

  

“The next best thing to being free is the struggle to be free”. A memorable quote from Lean Alejandro, one of the icons of UP Activism.

 

I was born two years before President Ferdinand E. Marcos placed the Philippines under Martial Law on September 21, 1972, . The declaration issued under Proclamation 1081 suspended the civil rights and imposed military authority in the country. It became unpopular as excesses and human rights abuses by the military emerged. Torture was used in extracting information from their enemies. Martial law was lifted by President Marcos on January 17, 1981. In the following years there was the assassination of Ninoy Aquino in 1983, the Snap Elections of 1986 and the People Power Revolution or EDSA Revolution in 1986 which led to Marcos, with the advice from the U.S. government, left the country and Cory Aquino becoming president.

A notable intellectual and activist who openly criticized the Marcos administration,  Lean was killed Sept. 19, 1987. After the failed coup attempt led by Col. Gregorio Honasan, Lean  announced plans for a major demonstration against the return to fascism. Returning by car to the headquarters of BAYAN, he was fired upon by a gunman, instantly killing Lean.

Lean  died during my freshman year in UP Diliman. Sad to say, I never realized his importance that time perhaps due to my personal struggle  or preoccupation to adjust myself with the UP culture. Apolitical perhaps was the right word that time. Years later, i became part of SAMASA, a political alliance which in a way became my justification for using "sandals" or tsinelas during my UP days. 

From 1987 to 1991, i became one of the so-called "Iskolar ng Bayan" as  part of the UP Diliman studentry when i took BS. Economics.  Basically, I became attached to  my organizations  Philippine Collegian or KULE, and SAMASA Alliance .My relatives and friends usually asked me "bakit ka ba naging aktibista". Perhaps my answer will be because UP is the perfect place to grow in all aspects, whether it be politically, socially, etc. Yes, I myself became part of UP Activisim movement. And i am proud that it made me a better person.

 The Great LEAN Run is an experiential run using a historical approach to teach the new generation lessons on martial law. The Run is scheduled on  November 12, 2016  (Saturday) at the UP Diliman Sunken Garden and Academic Oval. 

 “The 3.7-kilometer run is a special distance experiential run that includes a especially-designed obstacle course, race, and chase production. It is an innovative approach to teach lessons to the new generation who has never experienced martial law. Each participant will experience life under martial law and step into Lean's slippers,” Atty. Susan Villanueva, Sandigan para sa Mag-aaral at Sambayanan (Samasa) Alumni Association chairperson, said.

“It is a celebration of the life of Leandro L. Alejandro, one-time UP student council chairman, and the most popular youth leader during the turbulent martial law years,” Villanueva said.

The 3.7-kilometer run starts at the UP Sunken Garden and covers the entire UP Diliman Academic Oval and a portion of the University Avenue. Opening ceremonies will begin at 4:30 pm at the Sunken Garden . The first wave of runners will begin at 5 pm.

   

 The event hashtag is “BeLean,” making the “Great Lean Run” also a call to healthy living

Lean  was instrumental in setting up the UP Samasa student political party, which was active and a key political force in UP campus politics during the martial law years and beyond.  UP Samasa aims to “re-introduce” Alejandro, his ideals, and his works to the current generation of student activists through the fun run.  It is  hoped that  Lean will become an inspiration to the younger generation

Here are some of the famous quotes of Lean: 

 - “The line of fire is a place of honor”

- "It is in the struggle that we fully realize what it means to be alive, and the more we struggle, the more we see the beauty and profundity of life."

-  “I am sure you will agree with me when I say that the greatest adventure on earth today is our struggle for freedom. The pain and the sacrifice are staggering. The battles are historical. And the victory shall be truly glorious indeed.”

Fellow Kule Boying Pimentel said in his article "Lean’s was a short, eventful life, full of meaning and passion. He was the young firebrand who led to us on those many marches on Mendiola toward Malacanang, who led us in defying the brutal dictator. He was the young idealist who risked his life in the quest for meaningful social change and freedom from oppression. He didn’t die.Lean Alejandro lives on.

Participants will “experience running in Lean’s shoes during the 3.7-kilometer trail, from the UP Sunken Garden to the UP Academic Oval and back,” Villanueva said.  “Lean continues to be a prime example of how the youth can effect change through critical thought and social involvement."

 Each runner will have to wear a belt with three ribbons: life, liberty, and property. During the run, elements of an authoritarian regime will try to grab the ribbons from the participants, as was the practice during Martial Law. Participants are being challenged to complete the run with at least one ribbon, an indication that he or she survived the martial law years. 

 With a registration fee of P350 for students and P800 for non-students, The Great Lean Run is jointly organized by the Samasa Alumni Association and the UP Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs (UP OVCSA).

 For details, please visit the Great LEAN Run Facebook page.

Eraserheads. my famous UP Dorm roomates

                              

At last, I now have completed the updated photos with my infamous celebrity roommates known as Eraserheads. The B&W photo is the only one I had with them during UP Days. The colored ones were recently taken almost two decades later.

Buddy Zabala and Raimund Marasigan were my roommates for two years at the Molave Dorm during my last college years at the UP Diliman (1989 to 1991) before I was booted out from the dorm since I already finished my B.S. Economics in March 1991. Our room was identified as “AS 101”, with high ceiling and huge windows, which was at the end of the second floor of the Molave boys’ wing. Ely Buendia’s room was also at the second floor, a few steps away from AS 101 I think in front of the shower room. Marcus Adoro was a regular “visitor” at our room, who was staying at the Narra dorm, and sleeps in an extra cushion being pulled out underneath Raimund’s bed.

During my birthday in 1990, I did not go home to Las Pinas and instead celebrated my birthday with Buddy over ice cream while watching an old film at the TV room. Buddy is a bookworm who loves to stay inside our room in contrast to Raimund’s gimikero character who usually arrives late in the evening and misses the breakfast as he wakes up late. Too late for breakfast and too early for lunch.

Everytime they made our room as their “practice area” I usually go out since I can not study due to the “noise” they are creating. It was beyond my comprehension that the “noise” that I tried to avoid made them known as one of the most successful, critically-acclaimed, and significant bands in the OPM history earning them the accolade, "The Beatles of the Philippines”.

Moral of the story: never downplay small things, however annoying they can be. Guys that are noisemakers can reverberate through history as musical icons

Tatak KULE

Beyond prestige and honor, the Collegian’s legacy is a tradition of fearless and critical journalism that writes, and rewrites, history. Words that were printed in the invitation letter i received for the Alumni homecoming of Philippine Collegian last night at the Bahay ng Alumni, UP Diliman in celebration of its 89th year anniversary.The theme was "TATAK KULÊ: 89 na taon ng tapang, talas at talab ng pamamahayag ng Phililppine Collegian "

The Philippine Collegian is the official student publication of the University of the Philippines Diliman. It is more commonly known to UP students as Kulê (pronounced coo-leh). It is known for its radical, often anti-administration views. It often gives critical views on the policies of the UP administration and the Philippine government.

Mosquito Press is a term in journalism coined during Martial Law. It is a term used for publications such as the Philippine Collegian, which continued to criticize the martial law government despite the dangers this entailed. These publications were likened to mosquitoes, which are small but have a stinging bite.

 

Copies of the weekly Kule are usually available either on Tuesday or Thursday. Passing by the lobby of UPs colleges, students would hurriedly grab a copy on their way to class to read burning issues of the day in UP and beyond.

From 1987 to 1991, i became one of the so-called "Iskolar ng Bayan" as  part of the UP Diliman studentry when i took BS. Economics. I became attached to  organizations like   KULE, and SAMASA Alliance My relatives and friends usually asked me "bakit ka ba naging aktibista". Perhaps my answer will be because UP is the perfect place to grow in all aspects, whether it be politically, socially, etc. Yes, I myself became part of UP Activisim movement. And i am proud that it made me a better person. Perhaps, members of the various generation of activism has their own way of reminiscing such so era."Iba nung panahon namin"...My passion for photography likewise developed as photo editor of KULE..

 Apart from invoking nostalgia, the organizers of last night's affair noted that  the event also aims to raise funds to maintain the current state of operations of the publication. The student publication fee in UP Diliman has been fixed at P40 per student every semester since 1989. Due to increasing production costs, the Collegian now incurs an average deficit of P200,000 per year. coincidentally, 1989 was the year i entered Kule under the term of then editor in chief Ruben Carranza, then Francis Perez then Alecks Pabico.

     There were earlier reports that Kule  was  unable to publish regular issues since August 2006 because its funding has been withheld by the UP Diliman administration. Many see this as a curtailment of the freedom of the publication to operate without intervention from the UP administration. This has led to a long, protracted stand-off between the two groups. It has led, among many things, to rallies, walk-outs, the publication of what is known as the "Rebel Kulê." At present, to keep the student’s informed, the Philippine Collegian has made available its issues online (http://www.philippinecollegian.org/

Past Editors-in-Chief

• Francisco Capistrano, 1923-1924
• Emerito M. Ramos, 1930-1931
• Wenceslao Q. Vinzons, 1931-1932
• Ambrosio Padilla, 1932-1933
• Arturo M. Tolentino, 1933-1934
• Armando de J. Malay, 1934-1935
• Romeno S. Busuego, 1937-1938
• Renato Constantino, 1939-1940
• Angel G. Baking, 1940-1941
• Delfin R. Garcia, 1941-1942
• Juan M. Hagad, 1946-1947
• Mariano V. Ampil, Jr., 1947-1948
• Leonardo B. Perez, 1948-1949
• Augusto Caesar Espiritu, 1949-1950
• Elmer A. Ordonez, 1950-1951
• Francisco D. Villanueva, 1951-1952
• Ignacio Debuque, 1952-1953
• Crispulo J. Icban, Jr., 1953-1954
• Luis Q. U. Uranza, Jr., 1954-1955
• Sabino Padilla, Jr., 1955-1956
• Homobono Adaza, 1956-1957
• Jose H. Y. Masakayan, 1956-1957
• Pacifico Agabin (Acting); Caesar Agnir, 1958-1959
• Leonardo A. Quisumbing, 1961-1962; Luis V. Teodoro, Jr. (Editor)
• Angelito Imperio, 1962-1963
• Tristan Catindig, 1963-1964
• Salvador T. Carlota, 1964-1965
• Enrique Voltaire Garcia II, Ancheta K. Tan 1965-1966
• Agustin Que, 1966-1967
• Miriam Defensor, 1968-1969
• Victor Manarang, 1969-1970
• Ernesto M. Valencia, 1971
• Antonio S. Tagamolila, 1971
• Reynaldo B. Vea, 1971-1972
• Eduardo T. Gonzalez
• Teodoro D. Yabut, Jr.
• Oscar G. Yabes, 1972-1974
• Diwa Guinigundo, 1974-1975
• Abraham Sarmiento, Jr., 1975-1976
• Cosme Diaz Rosell, 1976-1977
• Alexander Poblador, 1977-1978
• Diwata A. Reyes, 1978-1979
• Ma. Lourdes Mangahas, 1979-1980
• Roberto Z. Coloma, 1980-1981
• Roan I. Libarios, 1981-1982
• Napoleon J. Poblador, 1982-1983
• Raphael P. Lotilla, 1983-1984
• Benjamin Pimentel Jr., 1984-1985
• Noel Pangilinan, 1985-1986
• Dean Karlo La Vina, 1986-1987
• Ma. Cristina Godinez, 1987-1988
• Patrocinio Jude H. Esguerra III, 1988-1989
• Ruben Carranza, Jr., 1989-1990
• Francis Ronald Perez, 1990-1991
• Alexander Pabico, 1991-1992
• Pablo John Garcia, Jr., 1992-1993
• Bernard Cobarrubias, 1993-1994
• Michael John C. Ac-ac, 1994-1995
• Ibarra M. Gutierrez, 1995-1996
• Voltaire Veneracion, 1996-1997
• Lourdes C. Gordolan, 1997-1998
• Jeanie Rose Bacong, 1998-1999
• Seymour Barros-Sanchez, 1999-2000
• Herbert V. Docena, 2000-2001
• Duke M. Bajenting, 2001-2002
• Ellaine Rose A. Beronio, 2002-2003
• Sherwin A. Mapanoo, 2003-2004
• Jayson DP Fajarda, 2004-2005
• Juan Paolo E. Colet, 2005-2006
• Karl Fredrick M. Castro, 2006-2007
• Jerrie M. Abella, 2007-2008
• Larissa Mae R. Suarez, 2008-2009
• Om Narayan A. Velasco, 2009-2010
• Pauline Gidget R. Estella, 2010-2011
• Marjohara S. Tucay 2011

One of Kule's editor in chief,  Alecks Pabico passed away due to liver cancer on Wednesday, 7 October 2009, 4:36 p.m. at the St. Luke’s Medical Center. He was 42 years old. Pabico was the editor-in-chief from 1991 to 1992. I had the opportunity to work with him as photo editor during the earlier two terms. Until his last hours as a full person ( before he became ashes after his cremation), Alecks Pabico still brings smile and awe to other persons.  Imagine a funeral procession october 2009  from UP Chapel to the crematorium in Antipolo with Bob Marley's music being played instead of the traditional sad funeral songs. As we tailed the funeral car ( mira and the kids inside my car), I guess the people asked "Seryoso ba ito na patay ang nasa loob ng funeral car?" And when mira and I heard the fave song of Alecks (Three Little Birds), i recalled some of his last words to Mira as lifted from the song "Dont worry about a thing, cause every little thing gonna be all right"

eraserheads, my roomates

(a reposting of March , 2009 fb notes)
Hey  they were  my roommates!

Perhaps, that is a statement that I can say with pride as I watched the “Eraserheads: the Final Set” at the MOA grounds  last  March 7, 2009, Saturday night, along with an estimated crowd of “more than a hundred thousand” fans.

            Buddy Zabala and Raimund Marasigan were my roommates for two years at the Molave Dorm during my last college years at the UP Diliman (1989 to 1991) before I was booted out from the dorm since I already finished my B.S. Economics in March 1991. Our room was identified as “AS 101”, with high ceiling and huge windows,  which was at the end of the second floor of the Molave boys’ wing. Ely Buendia’s room was also at the second floor, a few steps away from AS 101 I think in front of the shower room. Marcus Adoro was a regular “visitor” at our room, who was staying at the Narra dorm, and  sleeps  in an extra cushion being pulled out underneath Raimund’s bed. During my birthday in 1990, I did not go home to Las Pinas and instead celebrated my birthday with Buddy over  ice cream while watching an old film at the TV room.  Buddy is a bookworm who loves to stay inside our room in contrast to  Raimund’s gimikero character who usually arrives late in the evening  and misses the breakfast as he wakes up late.   Too late for breakfast and too early for lunch.

            Everytime they made our room as their “practice area” I usually go out since I can not study due to the “noise” they are creating.  It was beyond my comprehension that the “noise” that I tried to avoid made them known as one of the most successful, critically-acclaimed, and significant bands in the OPM  history earning them the accolade, "The Beatles of the Philippines”.

            I had no intention at that time to watch the concert. I’d rather see them in person again over  dinner or coffee and reminisce our dorm days. It was a last minute plan due to proddings of my friend Atty. Shiela, who called from Thailand three days before the concert  and insisted that we watch them upon her arrival. And we did watch “UP Sunken Garden” style, watching and  listening from the periphery. We stood in front of Starbucks just outside the main VIP entrance at the right side of the stage. From our location, we can see four big screens placed at the top of the stage, with each screen showing one member of the band.

My roommates  performed most of the materials during their early days, or from their first three albums namely Ultraelectromagneticpop! (1993) Circus and Cutterpillow (1995) Majority of the songs included in the mentioned albums were highly popular as they were all released at the time the Eraserheads were at the peak of their game. Colorful fireworks adorned the evening sky as the final strains of “Huling El Bimbo” reverberated from the speakers.The band came back to do a three-song encore composed of “Ligaya,” “Sembreak,” and “Toyang.”

            Moral of the story: never downplay small things, however annoying they can be. Guys that are noisemakers  can reverberate through history as musical icons.