Isko!

Pinatos ko na ren tong questionnaire survey na to :)

Maligayang sentenaryo, UP! Ang galing mo!

1. Student number?
97-18393

2. College?
College of Mass Communication. Diliman Campus.

3. Ano ang course mo?
BA Broadcast Communication

4. Nag-shift ka ba o na-kickout?
I stuck to it. Broad Comm through and through.

5. Saan ka kumuha ng UPCAT?
BA (College of Business Administration) Building. Ako ang pinakaunang dumating - at 4AM ata. I slept sa car and when I woke up, kehaba na ng pila. Balewala, haha :))

6. Favorite GE subject?
Most of my first year subjects: Comm 1, Soc Sci 1, Kas 1. STS din, kase I only had to go for the attendance.


7. Favorite PE?
Bowling! At kahit baku-bako ang lanes sa Alumni Center, madalas isa ko sa pinakamataas ang score. Oh, and wall climbing! Fun din ang aking PEs na dinrop: Fencing at archery.

8. Saan ka nag-aabang ng hot guy/girl sa UP?
Hmmm... that was never a hobby, interestingly.


9. Favorite prof(s)
Ma'am Rose Feliciano - BC 101 (Radio Production)
Ma'am Evelyn David - BC 121 (TV Production) and BC130 (Program Planning and Development)
Señora Carmen and Maita de Ventanilla (Span 1&2, French 1&2)
Ariandne Morta (Italian 10)

10. Pinaka-ayaw na GE subject.
Com 2. By virtue of our professor. I used to sleep through Soc Sci 2 pero that was because it was an 8.30AM class.

11. Kumuha ka ba ng Wed or Sat classes?
Never took Saturday classes. Wednesdays kase dun lang available yung gusto kong professors. But even when I didn't have a class, I went on all weekdays... for tambay.



12. Nakapag-field trip ka ba?
Yes. For class projects, pero none of those official class ones, like sa PI 100. My thesis was like a field-trip all over Mindanao.

13. Naging CS ka na ba or US sa UP?
Yup! First sem ko. Then I went over to the dark side. My average usually made it, but I was not qualified for CS/US na dahil sa ROTC (I only went during my first sem, freshman year).












14. Ano ang Org/Frat/Soro mo?
Broad Ass! The UP-CMC Broadcasting Association.












15. Saan ka tumatambay palagi?
Mass Comm Veranda. Sa old green Rav4 ko, wherever I could park it.








16. Dorm, Boarding house, o Bahay?
I rented room 604 in Loyola Heights Condominium sa Esteban Abada in Katips. Stayed there all 4 years of undergrad, all 2 years of law school... Until na-carnapan ako.

17. Kung walang UPCAT test at malaya kang nakapili ng kurso mo sa UP, ano yun?
On the UPCAT form, Broadcast Communication was the one that appealed to me the most. I was lucky to get into my first choice of course and campus.



18. Sino ang pinaka-una mong nakilala sa UP?
Aside from my HS classmate na si Kristel na blockmate ko ren, si Concep Mendoza. Within the same hour, in the wrong classroom, Alexa Porto, Joni Mosatalla and Mark Carballo - original six ng Council. (Peace, Forsyth, Jean! Hehe)

19. First play na napanood mo sa UP?
Hmmm.... I dunno. First movie na lang sa FC: "Total Eclipse" about Rimbaud and Verlaine, starring Leonardo diCaprio and some guy whose last name was Thewlis (the guy who played Remus Lupin in the Harry Potter movies)

20. Name the 5 most conyo orgs in UP
Most people think Broad Ass is coño, though hindi naman talaga. I didn't care much about the others.

21. Name 5 of the coolest orgs/frats/soro in UP.
Broad Ass. Of the others, I'd've loved to be part of UP Pep Squad - not really because I can cheerdance - cool lang talaga sila.

22. May frat/soro bang nag-recruit sa yo?
Yeah.

23. Saan ka madalas mag-lunch?
All over UP. Casaa, Beach House, SC, Mang Jimmy's! Chocolate Kiss, Chateau Verde. Madalas outside the campus... Sa Katips. SM North. El Pueblo... haha!

24. Masaya ba sa UP?
Pinakamasaya sa UP.


25. Nakasama ka na ba sa rally?
Yup! Erap Resign! And eventually, EDSA Dos - which happened on the week we were doing most of the key interviews for our thesis. The day we interviewed Angelo Reyes, kinabukasan, nag-step down sya sa pagiging AFP Chief of Staff.

26. Ilang beses ka bumoto sa Student Council
All times.

27. Name at least 5 leftist groups in UP
Stand UP, LFS, atbp.




28. Pinangarap mo rin bang mag-laude nung freshman ka?
Not so much pinangarap as in-expect. Haha angas! In the end, summa...bit lang. Hehe.

29. Kanino ka pinaka-patay sa UP?
Hmmm... Some person I used to see in Starbucks :)

30. Kung di ka UP, anong school ka?
La Salle siguro, cause most of my Zobel classmates went there. But I was gung ho on going to UP. I didn't have a specific reason... I was just drawn to it. Now, I can't imagine myself having gone somewhere else.

UP, Ang Galing Mo!

Of my few accomplishments in life, I count being an isko in the University of the Philippines among those I am unapologetically proud of. However trivial it may sound, I consider passing the UPCAT, surviving life in its Diliman campus, and ultimately obtaining my degree from UP as accomplishments. That's why I was excited to be at the country's premiere state university yesternight for the kick-off celebration of UP's centennial.

I arrived a little past 6PM, with the academic oval clad in darkness, save for the makeshift stage set up in front of the Oblation shrine. Despite that, the atmosphere was thick with excitement, with every corner busting at the seams with people both young and old. I suspect, every one of them a proud Iskolar ng Bayan.

As I made my way to where the centennial cauldron was, I bumped into Thess and Trisha, friends I made during my short stint with Dulaang UP. While sitting on the gutter waiting for the program to start, we noticed a cluster of torches inching its way to the Quezon Hall at the left side of the acad oval, in front of the College of Music. Apparently, I got there just in time for the lighting of the cauldron. Within minutes, the torch bearers were marching in front of us, supposedly led by Fernando Javier, who at 100 is the oldest known UP Alumnus. We kept suspecting every gray-haired grandpa as Mr. Javier. Today's paper confirmed that I actually managed to take a picture of him :) (He's the oldest looking bloke near the torch in the picture below.) He was accompanied by other luminaries. I managed to get a glimpse of Maestro Ryan Cayabyab, fellow Asser Direk Maryo J. de los Reyes, and Richard Gomez. President Emerlinda Roman, the 100th torch bearer and first female president of the UP system, delivered a brief welcome and proceeded to the lighting the cauldron. The university suddenly lit up and the crowd broke into wild cheers. Trees along the acad oval were decorated with lights, as if Christmas has been extended. Then, the jubilation smoothly segued to the singing of the UP Naming Mahal. I sang along, glad to realize that I haven't forgotten the words. And after throwing our fists up in honor of our Alma Mater, the UP Pep Squad performed in the midst of the throng.

I lost Thess and Tricia in the frenzy, but at least it allowed me to take more pictures of the momentous event. Soon after, I finally met up with my date for the evening. Olive found me waiting right beside the centennial cauldron, ruining most people's pictures by refusing to leave my spot :)

Afterwards, we joined the hundreds of people in watching the free show at the ampitheatre behind Quezon Hall, where the university graduation is yearly held. Choral groups from different UP units performed. Even Ryan Cayabyab sang a composition entitled "Salamat Sa 'Yo UP," which he penned with another UPIS alum. Ultimately, though, I think most of the spectators were really waiting to see for more routines from the UP Pep Squad, and they did not disappoint. There was another heartfelt singing of the UP Naming Mahal, and then the evening culminated with a spectacular fireworks display which felt like it would go on forever.

Sabi ng ang friend ko, I was on a high daw that evening. I couldn't help it. Celebrating with all that pomp and being surrounded with all that greatness... not since my graduation did UP's imprint on me feel that tangible. How can one not be in awe of the glorious legacy of UP? What more if you are actually part of it? :)

Mabuhay ang UP!

UP, Ang Galing Mo!

(Click on the pictures for the full resolution, especially for the fireworks :) I uploaded the rest of the photos in my Multiply site.)