Benilde to gain new president

theBenildean 

The official student publication of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2013 VOL. XXI NO. 4 

Participats gather at clark free port zone as the 18th international 

hot air baloon fiesta open last february 21. 

Photo by yla corotan 

NEWS// P2 

ToonBro premieres 

‘Frère’ 

by Clyde Antes, Anna 

Nayve, and Loranne Yaun 

KULTURA// P7 

Di lang basta papa, 

dapat Papa Jack 

by Kurt Porcel 

SPORTS// P10 

Blazers get new 

coach 

by Christian Agbon and 

Angelo Oyardo 

Benilde to gain new president 

by Martin Diegor 

Br. Victor Franco FSC will end his term as the president of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) as he transfers to La 

Salle Green Hills next school year, as announced by a memo from De La Salle Philippines last December 30. 

DLS-CSB Board of Trustees 

Chairman Br. Jose Mari Jimenez 

FSC announced in a cross-sectoral 

meeting last January 17 that Br. 

Franco has been assigned to La 

Salle Green Hills, effective next 

school year. 

Br. Magbanua, who is De 

La Salle Santiago Zobel School 

president prior to the transfer, will 

start his office by May 15. 

The cross-sectoral meeting, 

attended by the administration, 

staff, students, alumni, and faculty, 

was held to initiate the transition 

by discussing concerns that the 

new president may have to face. 

“We’re counting on 

everyone to help us in a smooth 

transition,” said Br. Jimenez. 

A new brother 

When asked about his 

transfer, Br. Vic said, “I have 

attachments here in DLS-CSB, but 

I feel confident about leaving the 

College in good, capable hands.” 

Br. Franco also described the 

incoming president as “innovative 

and young”. 

“He has brought technology 

into the classrooms [of De La 

Salle Santiago Zobel School],” 

furthered Br. Franco. “I’m sure 

[Br. Magbanua] will do well here 

in Benilde.” 

According to Special Assistant 

to the President Mr. Neil Pariñas, 

the presidency of Lasallian brothers 

lasts three years and most brothers 

stay as presidents for two to three 

terms. The recent reassigning of 

brother presidents was done after 

assessing which brothers were 

ending their terms this year. 

Keeping the presence 

A common sentiment 

expressed by the attendees of the 

cross-sectoral meeting was for Br. 

Magbanua to be as present as 

Br. Franco in the College’s affairs, 

from awarding ceremonies to 

simple gatherings. 

“We hope that [Br. Magbanua] 

will be able to extend his presence 

to all the campuses and be able 

to adapt to each unique culture,” 

said Student Council President 

Monica Mariano. 

Other points raised in the 

meeting were the inclusion of Deaf 

education in the president’s agenda 

and to pursue the College’s eventual 

integration of Special Education, 

which Assistant Vice Chancellor Ms. 

Ma. Victoria Dayao described as “Br. 

Franco’s legacy.” 

College adopts 

training for PWDs 

by Lois Lei Nacario 

De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) adopted 

the persons with disabilities (PWD) training service of 

the NOVA Foundation which will be called the St. Jaime 

Hilario Center. 

Send in your comments to @martindiegor on Twitter 

DLS-CSB, LCP push for nation-building 

by Bernadette Daos and Lois Nacario 

Last January, De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the League 

of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) to open opportunities for Benildeans taking their on-the-job training (OJT) that will encourage 

them to take part in nation-building. 

According to Center for 

External Linkages, Alumni and 

Development-Linkages Office 

Head Mr. Hector Gloria, the 

memorandum signing will give 

way to the creation of OJT 

programs that will encourage 

involvement in the country's 

development, thus establishing 

partnerships that will help 

the students land a job. 

“We’ve been working with 

LCP in the Philippines for several 

months. Our mandate was to 

create partnerships that would 

give us more opportunities 

to add more value to the 

academic program offered by 

sec.gen braganza and br. franco, FSC sign the memorandum. 

photo by Jose angelo santos 

the College,” he added. 

The LCP and DLS-CSB 

agreed to work together 

to determine specific joint 

activities on easing problems 

such as those concerning 

nutrition and infrastructure. 

“Malaki ang maitutulong 

ng partnership [with DLS-CSB] to 

help cities have a modern outlook 

when it comes to development,” 

shared LCP’s Secretary-General 

and Alaminos, Pangasinan Mayor 

Hernani Braganza. “Through 

this partnership, the cities will 

come together [to set] a national 

and international standard 

to ensure a better quality of 

life for the Filipino people.” 

LCP Program Officer Mr. 

Third Espero said, “We’re excited 

for this partnership. I’m sure 

[DLS-CSB] has a lot of extension 

programs for the community so 

we will put assistance on that.” 

The LCP is a non-profit 

organization and a nongovernment 

agency that 

aims to empower cities to 

sustain development. 

Photo by JC Jamoralin 

“The College’s advocacy of 

access to education is not only 

limited to financially challenged 

students but also to those who 

have special needs. The training 

center offers the PWDs shortcourse 

programs to develop skills 

to work while they are finishing 

their bachelor’s degree,” shared 

Center for External, Linkages and 

Alumni and Development Director 

Mr. Cesar de Larrazabal. “NOVA 

finally signed the memorandum 

agreement and formally 

transferred its training center 

to DLS-CSB.” 

Mr. Larrazabal added that 

the College is already preparing 

the location for the center at 

the fourth floor of the School 

of Design and Arts campus. 

They will work on constructing 

inclined ramps for wheelchairbound 

students. According to 

Mr. Larrazabal, the renovations 

are still ongoing and will probably 

done by the end of February. The 

training center, however, has been 

operational since October 2012. 

Meanwhile, the Department 

of National Defense provided a 

program for soldiers that were 

disabled in action and is now 

working with the College. 

“There will be a lot of 

developments down the road. We 

have onboard trainers [from] NOVA 

foundation. We are confident that 

this will be an inspiring experience 

for our faculty,” said Mr. Larrazabal. 

“We are looking at expansions of 

training modules and hopefully be 

able to take in more students per 

module,” he added. 

The NOVA Foundation was 

established to assist the PWDs in 

attaining a job and incorporate 

them to the society. 

Send in your comments to @bernadettedaos and @loisnacario on Twitter 

Send in your comments to @loisnacario on Twitter 

GOT SOMETHING TO SAY 

Follow us! 

@thebenildean 

benildeanpresscorps


2 NEWS 

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2013 VOL. XXI NO. 4 

ToonBro premieres ‘Frère’ 

by Clyde Antes, Anne Mikelle L. Nayve, and Loranne Yaun 

De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) and ToonBro Animations finally presented its first animated film entitled Frère 

which features the life of St. John Baptist De La Salle at the School of Design and Arts (SDA) Theater last January 17. 

“Frère is a film that came 

about during our centennial 

anniversary in the Philippines,” 

said DLS-CSB President Br. 

Victor Franco FSC. “We were 

looking for a project that would 

clearly express not simply our 

joy in the centennial, but [also] 

the fact that we wanted to do 

something uniquely Benildean.” 

Mr. Benjie Marasigan 

Jr., executive producer of 

Frère and current chairperson 

of the Animation program, 

explained that the film was 

the first in the whole world of 

animation to be centered on 

the life of St. De La Salle. 

Technical director for Frère 

and one of the senior faculty 

members of the Animation 

program, Mr. Isner Woodrow 

Wasan, said that they used 

the angle of the two boys, 

Albert and Bernard that would 

give the audience a student’s 

perspective of how St. La Salle’s 

teachings affected them. 

In spite of having a small 

budget, the film had received 

[compliments] from Spain, 

France, Mexico, and other 

Lasallian communities around 

the world. Mr. Marasigan also 

mentioned that there are 

plans to create multilingual 

subtitles for the film to be 

distributed internationally. 

“This project [gave] a 

sneak peek to [students] of 

what it feels to live in the 

world of production,” said 

Production Manager Ms. 

Loren Kara Leonardia. “After 

four years, it’s finally done,” 

added another Production 

Manager Mr. Jan Yolec, “[upon 

seeing the end of the film] I 

almost cried,” he continued. 

The film is a collaboration 

between the faculty and 

students from SDA, particularly 

Multimedia Arts and Animation, 

and industry professionals. 

Frère was also dedicated 

to the late Br. Rolando Dizon 

FSC who had helped in the 

film making—but he died 

Send in your comments to @clydewylde @amyevayn and @Lanne098 on Twitter 

Scholars follow new enrollment system 

by Lois Lei Nacario 

Frère executive producer benjie marasigan jr. shares 

the success of the premiere. PHOTO BY abby magsanoc 

New enrollment flow 

halfway before it was finished. 

Special screenings of 

the film was also held last 

January 25 at the SDA Cinema, 

in line with the celebration of 

the Catholic Teacher’s Day. 

To address the efficiency concerns of the enrollment for the growing scholars population which make up 18% of the student body, 

the Student Grants Office (SGO) introduced a new enrollment procedure starting this third term of school year 2012-2013. 

CSS sheds light on 

officer’s death 

by Clyde Antes, Bernadette Daos, and Yves Yu 

Reports about missing De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde’s 

Security Officer Rhoy C. Paala spread through social media 

last February 3 to 6. By February 8, The Center for Safety 

and Security (CSS) confirmed Paala's died of a traumatic 

head injury. 

Paala's wife, Ms. Jannet 

Paala, went to the school last 

February 4 looking for her 

husband after he didn't show 

up in his birthday party on 

February 3. 

“One of our professors 

told us that a [security officer] 

was missing and his wife 

came to the school looking 

for him. I took details from 

his wife and posted it on 

Facebook,” said Consular and 

Diplomatic Affairs student 

Cassandra Catalo, whose post 

gained 5,600 shares from the 

community. 

A relative found out 

about his death after a tabloid 

published a story about Paala 

last February 4. 

According to Center for 

Safety and Security (CSS) 

Director Brigadier General 

Lito Tabangcura, Paala was 

found unconscious by a Red 

Cross emergency volunteer at 

Baclaran, along the boundary 

of Pasay and Paranaque at 

around 9:30 a.m. of February 

3. He was brought to the PGH 

where he passed away seven 

hours later. 

“The news was really 

shocking,” shared CSS 

personnel Vic Espacio. “He was 

a colleague for five years and 

now, he is suddenly gone.” 

The certificate of post 

mortum exam showed that 

Paala died of traumatic head 

injury and has acquired some 

cuts on his lips. The cause of 

the head injury is still under 

investigation by the CSS and 

the Philippine National Police. 

Into God's hands, we commend Kuya 

Rhoy's spirit. His presence in the Benildean 

community will not be forgotten. 

RHOY C. PAALA 

1977-2013 

The sgo encountered quicker lines during enrollment. 

PHOTO BY gerald tejada 

Before, scholars were asked 

to pass their old enrollment 

assessment forms (EAF), all 

course cards, and old tuition fee 

payment receipt before the SGO 

evaluates their scholarship. 

With the new process, 

scholars can now claim their 

EAFs in the SGO and then 

go straight to the Accounting 

Office for payment. 

“[We wanted] the process 

to be easier for the scholars and 

for us as well,” explained SGO 

Director Ms. Sofia Caccam. “A big 

factor is the online viewing of 

grades in the Student Information 

System (SIS). In the past, we 

had to wait for the students' 

Send in your comments to @loisnacario on Twitter 

SDEAS, DLSU unite for outreach 

by Isabel Cabbab 

The Center for Social Action (CSA), together with School of Deaf Education and Applied Studies (SDEAS) and De La Salle 

University-Manila’s Lasallian Outreach and Volunteer Effort (LOVE), organized For the Kids ‘13 (FTK), an event held at La Salle 

Green Hills (LSGH) last January 20. 

A total of 600 children 

with special needs from 

different schools and centers 

in Metro Manila participated 

in the event through friendly 

sports and interactive games. 

Each year, around 

800 volunteer students, 

professors, and non-teaching 

staff of the Lasallian 

community work together to 

make FTK possible. 

“[This is an opportunity 

for the] volunteers to 

EAFs and all of their course 

cards—that delays the process.” 

“The new process is 

better than last term’s because 

of the less hassle since there’s 

an enrollment schedule for 

every scholarship,” said Pierre- 

Romancon Grant and freshman 

Consular and Diplomatic Affairs 

student Reina May Siscar. 

“The goal is to have 20% 

of the population to be scholars. 

Hopefully by next year we 

could come up with the official 

organization of the scholars. 

[That’s why] I want the scholars 

to really do their best and prove 

that they are really worth the 

scholarship,” shared Ms. Caccam. 

learn and to socialize with 

Deaf children. [They can] be an 

inspiration for [the] Deaf children 

and share their priceless time,” 

FTK organizer and coordinator Mr. 

Leo Cabasag shared. 

FTK aims to help children 

with physical, emotional, and 

mental difficulties to achieve 

a sense of worth through 

physical activities. Furthermore, 

the event serves as a form 

of social outreach for the 

Lasallian community. 

Scholars’ EAFs are forwarded 

from the Registrar’s Office to 

the SGO. 

Student claims his EAFs on 

the scheduled date of his 

scholarship type. 

Student proceeds to the 

Accounting Office to pay for 

his fees. 

Enrolled! 

Two girls run for a mini game during ftk ‘13. 

PHOTO BY JOAQUIN TALAN 

Send in your comments to @yvesyuu, @clydewylde, 

and @bernadettedaos on Twitter 

DFILM major joins NY filmfest 

by Clyde Antes and Loranne Yaun 

The thesis of Digital Filmmaking student Inshallah Montero 

was a chosen finalist in the 2013 Manhattan International 

Film Festival which will be held from February 22 to 24 in 

New York City. 

a scene from montero’s film lalaking parisukat. 

photo courtesy of inshallah montero 

“I always told myself that 

my film should go somewhere 

because a lot of people worked 

hard to create it, so this is a 

huge blessing for all of us,” 

said Montero. 

Her film, which was 

entitled Lalaking Parisukat, 

is a surreal story about a 

businessman who is incapable 

of emotion, greedy, and forgets 

the outside world and his 

family as he surrenders his 

soul to a man named Senyor 

Parihaba for more money. Then 

one day, gifts from visitors 

slowly bring his memories back 

which revives something good 

inside him. 

From a pool of 60 

applicants of the World Youth 

Alliance (WYA), 15 finalists were 

chosen to screen their work in 

the upcoming annual event. 

“When creating something, 

it’s better if you have a purpose 

or a substantial message that 

will benefit society. It’s not just 

for competitions; it’s also for 

you as a filmmaker or an artist,” 

Montero added. 

The Manhanttan 

International Film Festival is 

a cultural initiative that aims 

to invite young directors from 

around the world to submit 

their short films that portray 

authentic entries of the human 

experience and draw viewers 

into deeper contemplation 

and reflection of the 

human condition. 

The WYA is an international 

organization that promotes 

the dignity of the person 

and builds solidarity among 

youth from developed and 

developing nations. 

Send in your comments to @thebenildean on Twitter 

Send in your comments to @amyevayn and @Lanne098on Twitter


3 JANUARY-FEBRUARY FEATURES 2013 VOL. XXI NO. 4 

Remedies for the heart 

by Kim Alexis Chan 

According to laws of fictional books, if your life isn’t written 

by Nicholas Sparks or Stephanie Meyer, sadly, your 

relationship will not last forever. Love stories in books and 

movies indeed have set the standards so high that it becomes 

almost impossible to meet. In the end, these expectations 

become disappointing that each broken-hearted soul has to 

cope with it in their own way. Some seek comfort in sweets 

and cheesy romantic comedies. Some seek comfort in badly 

written teenage love songs. And some others, surprisingly 

mostly women, seek comfort in vengeance. 

Your beating heart 

There have been 

countless versions of the Evil 

Queen but the most sinister 

one would have to be from 

the movie Snow White and 

the Huntsman released last 

2012. What made the Evil 

Queen, renamed Ravenna, 

in this retelling much more 

terrifying, was the fact that 

she now had a backstory. 

No longer was she just a 

narcissistic witch whose life 

has been devoted to being 

the fairest of them 

all but now purposed 

by her misfortunes 

in her first marriage. 

As mentioned by the 

lines, “I was ruined by 

a king like you once. I 

replaced his queen, 

an old woman. In 

time, I, too, would 

have been replaced. Men 

use women. They ruin us 

and when they are finished 

with us they toss us to 

the dogs like scraps”, she 

used her beauty to conquer 

men and kingdoms by 

gaining their trust, only 

to be killed afterwards. 

The golden fleece 

The only character ever 

remembered in the Greek 

mythology Jason and the 

Golden Fleece would be 

Jason because his name is 

obviously on the title. Most 

of the time, we overlook 

Medea, Jason's wife. Despite 

their relationship, Jason 

still left Medea to marry 

the princess of Corinth at 

the King’s request. Medea, 

enraged by this deception, 

murdered the princess and 

the king by sending her a 

poisoned cloak as a wedding 

present. She even went on to 

killing her two children with 

Jason. Mothers were generally 

known to endlessly try to 

protect their children—for her 

to slay her own flesh and 

blood in the name of revenge 

speaks of incredible cruelty. 

IllustrationS by cassie mendiola 

The ancient art of revenge 

The most amusing of 

the women-gone-rogue 

stories come from another 

language—Chinese to be 

more specific. Despite its 

unpopularity, the movie 

Blade of the Rose depicted 

an Empress who vowed to 

seek revenge on all the men 

after her lover had been 

unfaithful with her sister. She 

reigned over an alternate 

universe where the women 

owned everything and had 

the highest positions as 

soldiers while the 

men were sold 

to slavery. But 

the highlight of 

the Empress was 

her ultimate plan of 

revenge, which, had 

nothing to do with mass 

murders, assassinations 

or eternal suffering but a 

magical spell that turned 

men into women—and that 

would really be a nightmare 

for both men and women. 

Yes, men may lose their ego 

and possibly their dignity but 

women will lose their sanity— 

imagine a world filled with 

never ending emotions and 

feelings only to be met with 

more emotions and feelings. 

If your life up to this 

point had somehow turned 

out to be like Disney’s 

misguided fairy tales, 

congratulations. But if not, 

know that taking over the 

world, killing all your children 

and erasing an entire sex 

may not be the best way to 

handle things. There is still 

hope for those lonely souls 

trying to find their way back 

into love and with Valentine’s 

Day around the corner you 

may just be one rose away. 

And if that still doesn’t work 

out, just look at Taylor Swift: 

for every relationship she 

ends, she earns at least a 

million dollars—and that’s 

not a bad way to cope 

with a broken heart. 

Send in your comments to @kimalexischan on Twitter 

WHY BEING 

SINGLE 

10Reasons 

IS BETTER 

by Cecile Reine Cabrera 

Illustrations by Alyssum Teh 

Getting in a relationship can knock the wind out of you for 

two reasons: when you fall in love and when you get heart 

broken. Well, isn’t it better to avoid all that drama and just 

stay on the safe side Yes staying single is totally healthier 

than getting yourself tied up and here are ten reasons why. 

You can focus on everything 

that needs to be done: your 

thesis proposals, assignments 

and last minute cramming 

will be done without worrying 

if you need to make that 

nightly call or not. 

Wearing a marry-me-now kind 

of look when you see your 

celebrity crush on TV does not 

make you an unfaithful twotimer. 

You are free to drool 

on some big screen hottie 

without feeling guilty about it. 

Adele-cate love affair 

by Denise Nayve 

Send in your comments to @reineinmyheart on Twitter 

Valentine’s season can either turn you into a hopeless romantic or harden you like a diamond stone. With couples everywhere 

holding hands, red roses in demand, and dinner reservations at hand, anything and everything can go wrong. But fret not, the 

fast approach of Valentine’s Day comes the height of Adele’s songs with advice for us from her experiences. 

Turning Tables 

I’ll be braver, I’ll be 

my own savior. 

He hit you She cheated 

on you Boy, that’s a lot of 

pain to receive. Usually, we 

expect our significant other 

to never do it again and 

there goes our arms opening 

wide for them to return. But 

there are times when our 

lover would push us to the 

limit until we can no longer 

handle the pain. Hence, once 

the line’s crossed, muster 

up your heroic bravery and 

rescue yourself from further 

heartbreak. Remember you can 

be your own villain, but you 

can be your own hero, too. 

You pay more attention to 

the people around you. 

You can hang out with your 

friends anytime you want, and 

never torment yourself about 

ditching them for some date. 

You can eat a gallon of your 

favorite chocolate ice cream 

all by yourself without 

having to save some for 

that special someone of 

yours. Yes, we know you 

secretly hate sharing, too. 

Make You Feel My Love 

There’s nothing that I wouldn’t 

do to make you feel my love. 

Cupid won’t hit you if 

you’re bumming around your 

house after a heartbreak. 

Instead of having a flat line 

of a love life, make an effort 

to get acquainted with others. 

Stop waiting around for a 

green light to appear over 

your crush’s head. If you try 

and you fail, then try again. Be 

persistent until you’ve reached 

your endeavors. If she says 

“no” and asks you to stop, at 

least you did your part. Take 

a step of courage asking that 

gorgeous girl out, even if it’s 

just lunch at McDonald’s. 

You get to spend most 

weekends with your family 

more often than when you 

are in a relationship. If 

you generally have strict 

parents, you don’t have to 

come up with lies just to 

get permission to go out. 

Being single is better simply 

because you don’t have to 

ask for someone’s consent 

every time you want to 

hang with your friends. 

There's no need for you to 

force yourself into liking chick 

flicks or action movies. You 

can focus more on a petrifying 

horror film than on discerning 

a good way to snuggle close 

to your partner for cover. 

One and Only 

I dare you to let me be 

your one and only. 

It’s simple mathematics: 

being together with someone 

is greater than being alone. 

Adele reminds that loving 

one person is fitter than 

playing with two hearts at 

a time. You can’t have both. 

Love’s an exclusive, twoplayer 

sport. But other players 

aren't necessarily banned 

from joining the game. So it's 

up to you, player one, to slap 

the face of anyone trying to 

share player two. There aren’t 

that many extra lives in this 

game and Round one is never 

the same with Round two. 

Send in your comments to @denisianayve on Twitter 

At night, you can just go 

straight to a dreamless 

slumber and not stay up 

for a good hour texting 

a bestseller goodnight 

novel. You may not even 

care to make a night out 

of waiting for one. 

You save time and energy 

on significant matters other 

than stressing yourself 

out on understanding a 

really sulky person. 

No need to worry about 

saying goodbye; because 

obviously, there wasn’t 

even a hello to begin with. 

Rolling in the Deep 

You’re gonna wish you 

never had met me. 

Oh, if only your ex was 

a roach, you’d have enjoyed 

smashing his pee-wee “pestness”. 

Every time you see 

him, you feel the urge to stab 

his eye with your pen. Your 

angel stops you, but the devil 

whispers how he dumped 

you. Beating the so-called 

"ampalaya syndrome” takes a 

lot of time. Instead of spending 

five hours a day planning how 

to kill your ex, invest this time 

by enhancing your skills or 

studying harder in school. In 

short, don’t be an ampalaya. 

Be the rose above the thorns. 

Photo from the internet


4 OPINION 


Hide and seek 

For a democratic country that claims it has a near unconditional freedom of the press, it is strange that the Philippine 

Congress agonizingly prolongs the passing of the House Bill 53 or the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, which calls for 

transparency in all government dealings and records without compromising an official’s right to privacy as privilege 

guaranteed by our constitution. 

Granted such, any 

official who deprives citizens 

of that right is similar to an 

authoritarian dictator that the 

Philippines once experienced 

and promised to never 

undergo again. Democracy 

without transparency in 

government and its institutions 

is not democracy at all. 

With this bill, public 

authorities are obliged to 

publish certain information 

about their activities; and 

members of the public are 

entitled to request information 

from public authorities as 

authorized under Article III 

the Constitutional Political 

Rights of the Filipino 

Citizens in the Philippine 

Constitution. Moreover, the 

FOI, as patterned from other 

international countries such as 

the United States, only covers 

recorded information, printed 

documents, computer files, 

letters, e-mails, photographs, 

and sound or video recordings. 

Yes, it is a "given" that 

the FOI bill should grant people 

access to information vital 

to public interest “without 

hampering necessarily the work 

of government.” Of course, as 

found on Article III Section 7 of 

the 1987 Constitution, “The right 

of the people to information 

of matters of public concern 

shall be recognized. Access to 

official records and documents, 

and papers pertaining to official 

acts, transactions, or decisions 

as well as to government 

research data used as basis 

for policy development, shall 

be afforded to the citizen, 

subject to such limitations as 

may be provided by law.” 

President Benigno Aquino 

III has argued, “The Freedom 

of Information Act sounds so 

good and noble but at the same 

time, first of all, you’ll notice that 

here in this country, there’s a 

tendency of getting information 

and not really utilizing it for the 

proper purposes.” It is quite 

disappointing that the President 

hesitates on the potential of 

this bill, but he has a point— 

the bill also calls for greater 

responsibility on the part of the 

people, especially the media. 

Although it’s the media 

who have been lobbying for the 

FOI’s approval, they are also the 

same people who may abuse 

it. Misuse of knowledge and 

information can be dangerous, as 

evident in the Quirino Grandstand 

hostage crisis back in 2010. New 

generation journalists should 

be founded on a backbone of 

strong journalism principles. 

The FOI gives the public 

great power. If it pushes through, 

the people can now truly 

scrutinize the irregularities in 

public service that we have long 

endured in silence, and dissect 

the leaders in the upcoming 

May elections. However, we 

must not be blinded by this 

new power and try not to 

become the monsters that 

we have so longingly tried 

to pull out from the dark. 

Sweet idealism 

As a kid, I saw life as a pre-formatted template that you'd just have to go through as you grow up: you go to primary school, 

high school, college, and then graduate. After that, you get work, get rich, start a family, and have children. Yes, I was a naive 

little boy with innocent presumptions on how the world worked. Guess how I reacted when I found out that things weren't how 

I believed them to be 

Back then, I was very reliant on the flow; I was on a boat and 

my mom was the captain. She led me to where I should go, and 

I believed her. I easily believed most people, actually, especially 

when they said nice things like how I've done such a good job, 

and how my drawings looked great. My teachers would cheer me 

on and sometimes I'd win contests and get medals and all the 

ribbons as recognition. Weekends was for days out in the mall 

and summers were for beaches and Baguio. I was very happy. 

But, of course, I had to grow up. 

I'm not exactly sure when it started, but suddenly things 

weren't going according to the plan that the seven-year-old me 

plotted way back when. Christmas began to become dull and 

birthdays meant giving treats, not receiving them. I began to 

spend more of my time outside than at home. Friends became 

family, and family became strangers. I became the captain of 

my own ship, but I wasn't quite sure if I was happy about it. 

Being a grown up meant knowing more and more things 

about the world. Having new perspectives was refreshing 

and was like having a new pair of eyes. Reflecting on what 

I believed then and what I know now, I feel like I lived 

in a box before. Growing up meant discovering truths, 

Editor in Chief/ Creative Director-OIC 

Associate Editor 

Managing Editor 

News Editor 

Sports Editor/ Art OIC 

Features Editor 

Kultura Editor 

Literary Editor 

Photo Editor 

Layout Editor 

Web and Social Media Editor 

Head 

Publications Adviser 

Secretary 

Martin Diegor 

Acy De Guzman 

Janeil Vino 

SY 2012 - 2013 

Ms. Dianne May E. Torres 

Ms. Joanah Christine L. Sayo 

Ms. Rizalyn L. Manalili 

WINGSPAN 

by Martin Diegor 

Send in your comments to @martindiegor on Twitter 

Bernadette Daos 

Angelo Oyardo 

Katrina Palencia 

Dempson Mayuga 

Motzie Dapul 

Yla Corotan 

Al Chris Varquez 

Carl Graham 

understanding them, questioning them, and talking about them 

with other grown ups over cups of coffee. The conversations 

were sometimes tiring, but the coffee was always good. 

However, knowing the truth can be sad. The truth, as they say, 

hurts especially when it alters your beliefs. Now, I've seen that we 

will meet many people but not all of them are to be trusted. And 

from all the people we'll meet, not all will be our friends and not 

all of our friends will stay. I've also seen that the weekend splurges 

were unnecessary expenses and that my drawings back then weren't 

really that great but my mom, being a mother, said so otherwise. 

I've learned, most importantly, that life has no pattern; 

it's us who make up these "stages" all along. Change is 

inevitable and striving against it is futile. As most would say, 

we'll just have to live with it. But I'm still kind of jealous of the 

innocent idealism that children possess when they tell you their 

dreams, that they want to go to the sun, or ride dragons, or 

become mermaids, but we somehow never have the courage 

to tell them the harsh reality of things. So go on ahead and 

compliment your little sister on the doodle she made and call 

it a masterpiece. She worked hard on it, after all. Someday, her 

generation will have its turn, but let them dream for now. 

S T U D E N T P U B L I C A T I O N S O F F I C E 

Benildean Press Corps 

A member of the Alliance of Lasallian Campus Journalists and Advisers 

Writers Christian Agbon, Patricia Arafol, Rozzelia Arceo, Adrian Ayuyao, Cecille 

Cabrera, Kim Alexis Chan, Clarisse Co, Hannah de Vera, Rizaline Mabini, 

Lois Lei Nacario, Amy Nayve, Denise Nayve, Kurt Porcel, Hannah Rodrigo, 

Abdulazis Solaiman, Iris Trinidad, Yves Yu, Illustrators Thea Bathan, Patmai 

de Vera Mariel Empit, Maria Angelica Regala, Allysum Teh Photographers Eric 

Beltran, JC Jamoralin, Cherry Lim, Abby Magsanoc, John Roxas, Jose Angelo 

Santos, Joaquin Tolentino Talan, Gerald Tejada, Layout Artists Alberto Cinco Jr., 

Mariel Enriquez, Evanberg Gasgonia, Melissa Gatchalian, Sid Ramos Managing 

staff Roia Cristobal, Westine Lao 

All rights reserved. Except as permitted by law, no part of theBenildean may be 

reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means stored in a database or retrieval 

system without prior written permission. The Benildean Press Corps editorial office is 

located at 2F, Br. Miguel Febres Cordero Building DLS-CSB 2544 Taft Avenue, Manila. For 

inquiries, call 526-7441 local 117 or email bpctopeds@gmail.com. 

YOUTH IN ASIA 

by Acy De Guzman 

Answers to a yearning heart 

Teenagers today are unfortunately hooked on the worldly 

definition of love. If our hearts are broken romantically, 

we always conclude that all love, even God’s love, is 

unstable. If we have a troubled relationship with our 

biological father, we conclude that even our Heavenly 

Father is just like him. Truth be told: worldly love is and 

always will be conditional, compared to God’s love that’s 

so great and so far-reaching, but sadly, is often neglected. 

So, if this is true, then perhaps people are never really 

"single". But then again, Valentine's Day is also known as Single 

Awareness Day or SAD, for those who are not in a romantic 

relationship. What they don’t know is that there’s someone who 

loves them eternally. 

I should not preach here, but I feel like I have the calling 

to testify this to save others from further heartache, at least. 

For instance, just last Valentine's, I have witnessed the different 

dramas of my friends who used to cling to the conditional 

meaning of love. They shared to me all the heart-jerking drama 

I’ve seen in movies a thousand times before, including the cliché 

post-break up suicide attempt. I felt sad because what they felt 

was false love—and that false love will continue to make them 

bitter all the days of their lives until they realize that worldly love 

cannot satisfy the cravings of their heart. 

I understand where these people were coming from. Of 

course, it must have hurt them to have been left and rejected, 

especially if they used to share mutual feelings. In Nancy Werlin's 

book, The Book of Survival, she stated that "sometimes, the 

people who mean you harm are the ones who say they love 

you." And maybe that is unfortunately the sad reality of life. But 

because those feelings are now gone, they ended up cursing 

Valentine's Day (which they used to love when they were in their 

own little world), with all the bitterness and despair they felt 

inside. 

The good news (which is not often realized) is that we can 

still be happy and contented if we would just realize that God 

is always there. Through that broken heart, He has brought His 

purpose to pass in the world. From there, we would, and should, 

realize that God has been loving us ever since—even when we 

don’t love Him in return. His love for us is nothing less than 

constant, unchanging, and eternal; indeed, what a perfect love 

it is. 

Truly, it's a lesson for us now, not to only celebrate 

Valentine’s Day on the 14th of February and it’s not only for 

those who are in a relationship. As we love God and we know 

He loves us, every day is Valentine’s Day, for His love is so great 

that none of us can comprehend it. As to the words of the wellknown 

gospel song-The Love of God by Frederick Lehmen, says: 

“The love of God is greater far than tongue or pen can ever tell; 

it goes beyond the highest star and reaches to the lowest hell.” 

After all, isn’t that the kind of—“love”— we’ve been dreaming 

for all our lives 

Send in your comments to @acytroodis on Twitter


5 JANUARY-FEBRUARY OPINION 2013 VOL. XXI NO. 4 

On higher ground 

make a trail 

by Bernadette Daos 

A true leader is not a critic of imperfection but a molder of excellence. Of course, it is not bad to criticize but there’s what we call 

‘constructive criticism’ which is more helpful for the growth of the person being assessed. However, in this generation nowadays, 

it is annoying to see how other “leaders” become too arrogant, causing their followers to feel inferior about themselves. 

It has always been a college issue that sometimes, people try 

to compensate for their weakness in a different direction by acting 

superior—believing that they are omnipotent and challenging the 

weaker ones to get past them, unaware that they are creating more 

inferiority, but this time, for other people. 

it takes strong guts to lead a and influence people and surely, 

it is something we can be proud of. I believe in the words of famous 

author, John Maxwell, that “if your actions inspire others to dream 

more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” But, 

can one be considered a leader if he seems to think too much of 

himself I don’t think so. 

So to speak, when the Republic of China decided to display their 

military power, ready to fight against all odds for their own personal 

interest on the West Philippine Sea, did their pre-eminence contribute 

to the improvement of the problem Same as saying that there 

are student leaders who seemed to practice superiority, as if their 

arrogance will contribute to the needs of the students [who actually 

voted for them to be heard]. 

On a personal note, it offends me when some professionals 

Making a mark 

Why do we do art To mirror nature’s beauty Or perhaps, to 

"comfort mankind" All are valid and classic reasons; but in actuality, 

the true motive that drives the human being to do art is only one—to 

get one’s own, and only one’s own message across. 

To do art, is in many senses, to satisfy our innate urge to force 

a part of ourselves upon other people, it is an invasion into private 

mental corners; the artist’s peeing on others’ trees. Any other reason 

used as an attempt to justify this agenda may be justly seen as 

propaganda. 

Take the discipline of painting as an example. We have explicit 

instances wherein art changed society in history, such as the 

emergence of Impressionism and the coming-into-fame of Andy 

Warhol’s art. Going deeper, its plethora of styles, sub-styles, and a 

combination of both also suggests a sort of domination. While it may 

be seen as a celebration of diversity and creativity (or lack of it); it 

is also the camouflaged dispute of various artists fighting over their 

audience’s favor. They are cries in different tones and languages of, as 

author Joan Didion wrote, “Listen to me, see the world my way;" and 

this holds true for every child art mothers. 

Send in your comments to @bernadettedaos on Twitter 

Wet paint 

by Angelo Oyardo 

If an act of imperialism entails the sometimes forceful imposition of power, authority, or influence; then I assure you, artists are 

no different than Napoleon Bonaparte or William McKinley. 

Send in your comments to @Angelo_Oyardo on Twitter 

think some people are less because they are young—as if they don’t 

deserve to take the reign of prudence and intelligence beyond the 

limits of their own competency. Can a person honestly prove himself 

without being given the chance Well, we certainly can’t and that’s 

indeed unfair. No one has mastered his own craft by accident that is 

why we are enrolled in this College to help us determine our abilities 

and be a success in the path we create. 

Yes, I understand that established leaders are far enough to 

motivate their constituents. However, I also believe that leaders 

should be close enough to their people in order to relate to them. I 

am not saying that all leaders are arrogant, but it is quite important 

to maintain moral and ethical values no matter how far we’ve come 

and how many achievements we’ve received. 

Life gives us choices; have prominence alone and fall short of 

our attitude. Or we can take a well-rounded attitude and really stand 

out. God gave each one of us leadership abilities but only a few 

take the responsibility seriously, humble ourselves under His power 

and in His good time. Like what Albert Einstein said, "God does not 

care about our mathematical difficulties. He integrates empirically." 

But wait. I am not condemning the artist. In fact, I congratulate 

the creative. 

This "artistic imperialism”, especially in a competitive setting, 

is helpful because—like science and religion—it provides multiple 

translations to reality, helping us to come closer in understanding 

life's why's and what's. When a piece of art succeeds in shaking 

our foundations and disturbing our present perception of the world, 

we are met with a new reality; and through such, we change, 

we probably even advance. 

But, like the beholder, the responsibility of the artist is profound. 

In their relationship where both play a double role and can just as 

easily affect the other, what is ultimately labeled as art, should, nay 

needs to inspire goodness and wholesomeness, not the opposite. 

Thus, an artist needs to be careful of what ideas he or she tries to 

impose onto others. After all, one can easily, in the end become all. 

Alas, the artist and his work are justified in its imperialism 

because it defines and constantly reinvigorates the meaning of life. Art 

is great because not of the mark it leaves; but because of the simple 

fact that it leaves a mark. 

Dr. Feeler 

by Dempson Mayuga 

Proteksyong sumasabit 

Naniniwala akong walang mali sa pakikipag-sex. 

Actually, ayon sa Maslow's Heirarchy of Needs, 

kailangan mong punan ito upang makamtan ang selfactualization 

bilang isang tao. Magpakatotoo tayo: 'di 

rin maitatangging enjoy at mas heaven kung walang 

gamit na proteksyon 'di ba Hassle nga naman kung 

sasabit-sabit sa bawat ariba. Pero kung iisipin, hindi 

ba mas okey na 'yung hassle ng kaunti kaysa naman 

magbunga ng pakwan na maaaring 'di mapanagutan 

Noong Disyembre 21 lang noong nakaraang taon naaprubahan 

na (sa wakas) ng pamahalaan bilang batas 

ang dating House Bill No. 5043 or mas kilala sa tawag na 

Reproductive Health (RH ) bill. Ito ngayon ay kinikilala na 

bilang Republic Act No. 10354 o Responsible Parenthood and 

Reproductive Health Act of 2012. 

Oo, dapat ay para lamang ito sa mag-asawa pero huwag 

na tayo mag-hugas kamay. Sa kasamaang palad, malamang ay 

mas marami pa ang bilang ng mga kabataan na gumagamit 

nito kaysa sa mga kasal na talaga. 

Nakapaloob sa batas na ito ang konsepto ng paggamit ng 

mga proteksyon gaya ng pills, contraceptives, condoms, at iba 

pang makapipigil sa pakikipag-eyeball ‘nung microscopic sperm 

at egg cells. Dahil dito’y mapipigilan ang ‘di sinasadya at wala 

sa oras na pagtubo ng pakwan sa sinapupunan. Pero hanggang 

ngayon, hindi ko pa rin talaga gets kung bakit marami ang ‘di 

nag-pa-practice nito. 

Ngayong love is in the air, tiyak na marami na namang 

promo at buy 1 take 1 offers ang Sogo at Mahal Inn. 

Kasunod niyan, ‘paniguradong maraming couple d’yan ang 

magpaplanong mag-date sa alapaap. Pero, konting slow down 

lang kasi delikado pala. Base sa ginawang survey ng National 

Statistical Coordination Board, 23% o limang milyong Pilipino 

edad 15 hanggang 24 ay nai-involve na sa premarital sex; 

resulta, ang pagtaas ng bilang ng mga nagkakasakit ng sexually 

transmitted diseases at ‘di plinanong pagbubuntis na minsan ay 

nauuwi sa abortion. 

Naniniwala akong mahirap pigilin ang bugso ng laman. 

Parang pinipigil mong ‘wag matae. Pero sa kabila nito, bakit 

kaya napakarami pa rin ang aksidenteng nabubuntis 

Imposible namang hindi nila alam ang mga protection 

tools gaya ng mga nabanggit. Or baka tinatamad lang silang 

gamitin Teka, gaano ba kahirap magpalobo at magpasok ng 

rubber Gaano ba kahirap uminom ng tableta na inoorasan 

Gaano ba kahirap hugutin kapag nasa sukdulan Sobrang 

carried away ka ba kaya nakalimutan mo na kaya sinagad mo 

na Kalokohan. 

Originally, ang pakikipagtalik ay para lamang sa magasawa 

at dalawang taong tunay na nagmamahalan. Pero kung 

sakaling nagmadali ka bigla at hindi mo na natiis, malawak 

ang isip kong intindihin ‘yun. Pero sana lang ay talagang 

nagmamahalan kayo ng katabi mo sa kama, dahil kung 

sakaling magbunga ang inyong pagkukulitan, hindi lang sakit 

ng panganganak ang titiisin niyo kun’di ang habambuhay na 

sakripisyo at tiyaga para sa isa na namang tumitibok na puso. 

Send in your comments to @DempsonMayuga on Twitter 

A clear and spoken “yes” 

Again, let's talk about rape. In one of the provisions stated 

in the 1997 Anti-Rape Law, which amended the previous definition 

of rape in the 1930 Revised Penal Code, rape can be defined as 

a man having “carnal knowledge” of a woman through coercion 

or force, unconsciousness or any sexual act with anyone under 12 

years old. Does that mean you can have sex with a boy under 12 

and the law won't count it as rape Well no; child protection laws 

make it illegal for any child to engage in sexual activity—but this 

can also mean that 13-year-olds are left dangerously vulnerable. 

Another portion of the law states that marriage between 

the rapist and the victim rescinds the penalty (which is either 

life imprisonment or death). Even if the marriage could very 

well be forced on the victim because otherwise, by coercion or 

simple shame. 

Note my use of the term “victim” rather than “woman”. 

Because men can get raped too. Men can get raped by men. 

THE ONE-WOMAN PRIDE PARADE 

by Motzie Dapul 

Let's talk about rape. You may not know half as much about rape as you should, mostly because our country's raised us in an environment that forbids “that kind of talk”. Incidentally, one of 

the reasons it happens so often is because people don't talk about it. So by ignoring it, you're basically causing the pain and suffering of millions all over the world. 

Men can even get raped by women. This is a fact that has destroyed 

millions of lives because so many people don't acknowledge it. A man 

can be made a victim of non-consensual sexual acts, and cannot even 

report it because he'd be humiliated by outdated machismo values 

and because the law doesn't explicitly protect him. 

Universally, if sex is engaged in without the explicit consent 

of both or all parties involved, then it can be considered rape. If a 

person says “no” to sex, then not respecting their wish is considered 

rape. There is no need for physical force, or coercion. The simple lack 

of “yes” defines rape. As Christians, we should understand this. Even 

God waited for a clear and spoken “yes” from Mary before putting a 

baby in her. 

Consent is one of the most important things in life that gets less 

attention than it deserves. Without consent, it's rape, one of the most 

abominable crimes humanity could ever engage in. 

Rape fantasy is not a crime. Roleplay, Domination/Submission 

Send in your comments to @mothermotzie on Twitter 

(D/S), Sadism/Masochism (S&M) are not crimes, because these 

activities require both explicit consent and a way to communicate 

consent throughout the entire act. No matter how unusual or taboo 

these acts are, they are not crimes, and the only thing that separates 

these acts from rape is consent. 

Rape can happen to children because they are still developing. 

Their consent is incomplete because their understanding is usually 

incomplete. Rape can happen to men because men can refuse or 

not give consent, and anyone who violates a man is still very much 

a rapist. Rape can happen to women because, like men, they can 

refuse consent or omit it, not because they are “weaker”, or “made 

for rape” as the receiver in sex (both vicious falsehoods against 

all women). 

Let's talk about rape. Do something about it, because silence 

is one of its greatest allies, and we are no friends of rape or 

its perpetrators.

KULTURA 


6 JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2013 VOL. XXI NO. 4 

Move on, walkathon 

ni Dempson Mayuga 

Dibuho ni Mariel Empit 

Nag-break kayo Masakit ‘no Ang pangit mo kasi ‘e, joke. Pero alam mo, okey lang ‘yan. Baka talagang hindi kayo para sa isa’t 

isa. Tandaan, forever is a lie. Ang buhay ay umiikot lamang sa salitang “hello” at “goodbye”. At kung sakaling dumating na si 

goodbye, simulan mo na kaagad maglakad palayo. Pero huwag mong madaliin kasi baka ka madapa. ‘Wag mo ring aatrasan 

kasi sa huli’y para sa ikabubuti mo ‘yan. Bagkus, dahan-dahan mong lakarin, masakit lang 'yan sa una, pero malalampasan mo 

rin ‘yan, sigurado. Kaunting tiis lang sa sakit, matatanaw mo rin ang finish line. 

Share your jinx 

“It’s better to give than to 

receive”—oo nga naman, kaya 

ang dapat mong gawin, ipamigay 

ang lahat ng bagay na binigay 

niya sa’yo. 'E kasi, hanggang 

nasa'yo 'yan, 'e maaalala 

mo siya. Pero siyempre, may 

fundamentals ring pina-follow 

ang pamimigay. Kapag teddy 

bear na kamukha ni Jollibee, 

ibigay mo sa emo para ma-gets 

niya na bida ang saya. Kapag 

unan, ibigay mo sa siopao-wan, 

extra stuffings ‘din ‘yun. At kapag 

naman couple shirt, ibigay mo sa 

iba pang single para siya na lang 

ang ma-bitter at ma-motivate pa 

siyang humanap ng partner. 

Think tubol 

Pinakamadali sa lahat, 

mag-isip ka ng mga pangit na 

bagay tungkol sa kaniya. Sa 

pamamagitan nito, ‘e ma-tu-turn 

off ka na sa kaniya ng tuluyan. 

Isipin mong may abs siya sa 

mukha, na creepy siya kasi nag-iisplit 

siya sa kisame o ‘di naman 

kaya’y boses angry bird siya. 

Isipin mo ang facial expression 

niya kapag tumatae at isipin 

mo ring may U.T.I. siya o upper 

throat infection para mandiri 

kang halikan siya. Hindi naman 

Swak sa pusong wasak 

ni Patricia Arafol 

Kuha ni Cherry Lim 

Ipadala ang iyong mga komento kay @DempsonMayuga sa Twitter 

“Ang aklat na ito ay kailangan mo sa buhay pagkatapos mong matugunan ang food, clothing, security at iba pang nasa pinakaibaba 

ng Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Bago ka umibig, at para maabot ang self-actualization, magbasa-basa ka muna. 

Thank you.” 

Talaga namang biglang 

pagsikat ang natamo ni Ramon 

Bautista matapos bumenta 

sa kabataan ang libro niyang 

Bakit Hindi Ka Crush ng Crush 

Mo Nagsimula ang lahat sa 

mga pagtatanong at paghingi 

ng payo sa kaniya ng mga 

netizens tungkol sa kanikanilang 

problema sa pag-ibig. 

Ang may akdang si Ramon 

Bautista ay isang self-proclaimed 

internet action superstar at next 

boyfriend material. Isa rin siyang 

radio DJ, TV host, komedyante 

at propesor sa Unibersidad ng 

Pilipinas sa Diliman. Sa dami ng 

humihingi ng saklolo sa kaniya, 

naisipan niyang gumawa ng 

formspring.me account at gawing 

pormal ang kaniyang pagaastang 

doctor love. 

Tinamaan ng magaling 

Ang libro ay naglalaman ng 

samu’t-saring paghingi ng saklolo 

mula sa mga duguang puso at 

ang sagot ni Bautista sa bawat 

isa sa mga ito. Mula sa kaniyang 

formspring.me account. At dahil 

may halong katatawanan ang 

laman nito, swak na swak ito sa 

kahit sinong mambabasa, taken 

man o desperado lang talaga. 

“WHY CAN’T I HAVE A 

GIRLFRIEND! Look, I can draw, 

masyadong gross at bitter 

mong tingnan, hindi mo lang 

talaga napansin ‘nung una. 

'Eto moonstone, mag-evolve ka 

Tandaang isa kang rare 

Pokemon na mahuhuli lang 

kung may ultra ball. Mag-evolve 

ka ng bonggang bongga at 

paglawayin siya. Ipakita mo sa 

kaniya na kahit wala na kayo ay 

hindi mo sisirain ang buhay mo. 

Punta ka sa salon, magpa-new 

haircut ka, magpa-kulay, ‘yung 

copper brown, para masaya. 

Pagdating naman sa aura, 

‘e maging mas optimist para 

blooming ka tingnan inside and 

out. Pagandahin rin ang iyong 

pangangatawan (‘yung tipong 

yummy in a decent look) upang 

hindi naman niya isipin na 

nasira ang buhay mo buhat ng 

mawala siya. 

“Siguro, ganito talaga 

ang buhay. May mga taong 

dumarating at umaalis ng 

walang paalam. Hindi mo 

alam kung sa’n nanggaling 

at sa’n papunta. Siguro sa 

lansangan ng pag-ibig, sapat 

na ‘yung minsan ay nakasabay 

o nakasalubong mo ang isang 

tao sa daan, pasalamat na 

lang at kahit minsan, nagtapat 

paint her face, I can play guitar, 

compose her songs, can do 

magic, make her impress, I am 

loyal and would never leave a 

girl. Is it my destiny to be single 

all my life” Isa lamang ito sa 

mga tanong kay RB. At ang 

kaniyang sagot Simple at diretso 

sa punto—“Mirror. Now.” 

Presyong di perwisyo 

Sa halagang Php150, 

matutugunan na ang mga words 

of wisdom na kailangan ng isang 

pusong sawi. Kung talagang 

interesado at nasa higit na 

o nagpantay din ang inyong 

hakbang,” ika nga ni Eros 

Atalia sa libro niyang It’s Not 

That Complicated. Ang pagmo-move 

on ay parang isang 

walkathon. Ang kaibahan nga 

lang, hindi mo kailangang 

madaliin ang pagmo-move 

on kasi given na iyon na it 

pangangailangan, siguradong 

kahit isang upuan ay mabilis 

na matatapos ang libro—with 

feelings pa. Bukod pa rito, 

handy pa ito at mayroon 

lamang 136 na pahina, kaya 

kahit habang ika’y naghihintay 

ng order sa Paotsin, nakapila 

sa elevator, o habang 

nagbibihis ng pang-PE, tiyak na 

mae-e-enjoy mo pa rin ito. 

Simple at diretso sa punto 

ang mga payo ni Bautista 

sa mga tanong sa kaniya. 

Nakakaaliw at nakakatawa 

man ang mga payo niya, hindi 

Ipadala ang iyong mga komento kay @patarafol sa Twitter 

takes time talaga. Hindi rin 

mahalaga kung manalo ka man 

o hindi. Ang mas mahalaga 

‘e yung naabot mo ang finish 

line at napagtanto na ang pagibig 

ay isa sa mga weirdong 

elemento ng kamunduhan. 

Mahirap maintindihan, 

pero nararamdaman. 

maitatangging may sense ang 

mga ito. Wala man siguro siyang 

kinuha na kursong Pag-ibig 101, 

marami siyang naipapayo sa mga 

wasak ang puso at talagang ikaw 

na mismo ang sasagot sa tanong 

na kung bakit hindi ka crush ng 

crush mo. 

Wasak man ang iyong 

puso ngayon o di kaya’y 

namomroblema sa iyong bipolar 

na jowa, may kasagutan na ang 

mga problema mo. Kaya’t huwag 

nang magmukmok. Ika nga ni 

Ramon Bautista, “There is more 

to life than love”. 

Mga hulang eklabush 

ni Clarrisse Co 

Mga dibuho ni Angelica Regala 

Aquarius (January 20-February 18) 

Pisces (February 19-March 20) 

Aries (March 21-April 19) 

Pag-ibig: Mapapanaginipan mo ang isang 

lalaking blurred ang mukha. Tulog ka pa, baka 

luminaw na’t makilala mo na siya. 

Pera: Mahuhulog ang pitaka mo sa jeep. Pero 

‘wag ka mag-alala, may nakakuhang mabait 

na nilalang. 

Pag-ibig: ‘Wag kalimutang banatan ng iyong 

killer smile ang iyong crush dahil ‘yan ang 

asset mo. 

Pera: Nagbabagang balita: nagkaroon ng 

baby ang nag-iisa mong goldfish. O, baka 

suwerte ‘yan. 

Pag-ibig: Katulad ng tambalang Haylor, maghihiwalay 

din kayo ng ka-relasyon mo ngayong 

buwan. Pero ‘wag mag-alala, Robsten naman 

ang peg niyo sa susunod na issue. 

Pera: May maghahatak sa iyong kaibigan para 

sa isang business. ‘Wag ka na mag-alangan pa, 

yayaman ka diyan. 

Taurus (April 20-May 20) 

Pag-ibig: Isang rosas ang matatagpuan mo sa 

upuan mo pagpasok mo ng classroom. 

Pera: Isang Php500 ang nagliliwaliw ngayon 

sa daan pero mag-ingat sa rumaragasang trak 

na paparating. 

Gemini (May 21-June 20) 

Pag-ibig: Unti-unti ka nang nawawalan ng 

oras para sa girlfriend mo dahil mas pipiliin 

mo nang kasama si Baby Girl, ‘yung aso 

mong Pomeranian. 

Pera: Ang ideya mo para sa negosyo ay papatok 

sa maraming tao. Sali na sa networking. 

Cancer (June 21-July 22) 

Pag-ibig: Nahihirapan ka sa sitwasyon niyo 

ngayon ng mahal mo at gusto mo makahanap 

ng kasagutan. Walang masama¾ kung tatawagan 

mo na si Papa Jack. 

Pera: Dahil naka-purchase ka ng Php1000 sa 

department store, nakasali ka sa kanilang raffle 

ngayong buwan. 

Leo (July 23-August 22) 

Pag-ibig: Sa kasalukuyan, inaayos pa ni God 

ang love story mo. Chill ka lang. 

Pera: Dodoble ang allowance mo ngayong 

linggo kung makakakita ka ng shooting star 

bago mag-alas dose ng madaling araw. 

Virgo (August 23-September 22) 

Pag-ibig: Malamig ang panahon ngayon kaya 

lagi magdala ng jacket at ipahiram sa 

iyong napupusuan. 

Pera: Abangan ang araw na ‘to. Babayaran ka 

ng taong may utang sa‘yo.Three gives nga lang. 

Libra (September 23-October 22) 

Pag-ibig: Pag-amin na lang sa kanya ang 

tanging hindi mo pa nagagawa. Habang hindi 

pa huli ang lahat, gawin mo na. 

Pera: Pagtapon mo ng papel sa basurahan, may 

Php1000 kang makikita. Wala nang arte-arte, 

tandaan: may pera sa basura. 

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) 

Pag-ibig: “I love you”, sabi ng isang lalakeng 

nasa likod mo. Pero wait, ‘wag ka mag-assume. 

‘Di para sa ‘yo ‘yun. 

Pera: Sa ilalim ng kama ng iyong kapitbahay, 

doon mo matatagpuan ang isang treasure map. 

Panahon na para ihanda ang backpack ni Dora. 

Sagittarius (November 22 -December 21) 

Pag-ibig: Magkakabalikan kayo ng ex mo ngunit 

mangyayari lang ito sa isang kundisyon—alamin 

mo muna kung saan galing ang mga penguins 

sa Star City. 

Pera: Alam na ng bolang kristal ni Madam 

Auring kung nasaan ang pot of gold. Uy, 

magpapahula na ‘yan. 

Capricorn (December 22 -January 19) 

Pag-ibig: Puso’y biglang sisikip at ika’y matutulala 

sa babaeng ngayon mo lang nakasabay sa 

jeep. Papara ka pa ba 

Pera: Isang chocolate bar katulad ng nasa 

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ang nakatago 

sa SDA. Siguradong may golden ticket ‘yun. 

Ipadala ang iyong komento kay @clarisse04 sa Twitter

Hindi lang basta papa, dapat Papa Jack 

ni Kurt Porcel 

Kuha ni Abby Magsanoc 

Dear Charot 

KULTURA 



Muling ibalik 

Buong araw nakatulala o kaya naman ay umiiyak—nagtatanong kung bakit biglang natuldukan ang pagmamahalan na dating 

pinagsasaluhan (kahit minsan ay one-sided lang). At sa oras na nagamit na ang lahat ng paraan at nakausap na ang lahat ng 

taong puwedeng hingahan ng ating problema, buti na lamang sa pagkagat ng dilim ay to the rescue ang isang phone pal na ‘di 

man nakakausap ng personal ay handa tayong payuhan. Salamat, Papa Jack. 

Meron akong classmate dati. Crush 

na crush ko siya pero nawala rin kasi nadrop 

siya sa subject na ‘yun at ‘di na kami 

nagkikita. Ngayon, naging close kami bigla. 

Ang dami pala naming in common. Kahit 

sandali pa lang kami magkakilala, nag-click 

[kaagad kami]. Pakiramdam ko ang tagal na 

namin magkakilala. [Kaya tuloy], unti-unting bumalik yung [feelings] 

ko sa kanya. Kaso nalaman ko na may nagugustuhan [pala 

siyang iba]. Niligawan niya daw kaso ‘di naging sila. Ngayon may 

boyfriend na yung girl pero alam ko gusto pa rin niya 'to. First time 

ko magkagusto sa isang lalaki na kaya kong ipakita talaga ‘yung 

totoong ako. Mas malaki yung pagkagusto ko sa kanya ngayon 

kaysa sa pagkagusto ko dati. Sinubukan ko [pigilan] pero ‘di siya 

maalis sa isip ko. Gustung-gusto ko talaga siya pero gustung-gusto 

niya rin yung girl. May pag-asa kaya ako 

Nang ma-in love si Dr. Love 

Tunay nga naman, sino pa 

ang magpapayo sa atin kun’di 

iyong mga nakaranas nang 

masaktan at maiwanan. Sa kabila 

ng kaniyang buhay na buhay na 

aura, sino’ng mag-aakalang isa 

palang single dad si Papa Jack sa 

isang siyam na taong gulang na 

batang babae Kahit hindi naging 

maayos ang unang pag-ibig 

tila ba naging makulay naman 

sa pangalawang pagkakataon. 

“May fiancee [ako], [and] I will 

marry her this year,” sabay 

birong “[Kapag] hindi nagbago 

ang isip ko, kasi pogi ako.” 

Matamis pa sa TLC 

Walang duda, tunay ngang 

maraming napapasaya si Papa 

Jack sa programa niya sa radyo 

na talaga namang numero-uno 

sa mga malalandi ang puso, at 

isa na nga dyan ang True Love 

Confessions (TLC) ng Love Radio. 

Yummy charm 

ni Hannah Rogrigo 

Kuha ni Abby Magsanoc 

Ang TLC ay isang programa 

kung saan nakapaglalabas ng 

sama ng loob ang mga taong 

tumatawag sa kaniya at in return 

ay papayuhan niya sila. At dahil 

sa mabibigat na payo at kung 

minsan ay nagiging intense na 

conversation over the radio, 

mabilis na nabigyan ng mabigat 

na pagkakakilanlan ang kaniyang 

pagiging love guru. Pero saan 

nga kaya talaga nagsimula ang 

segment ng Love Radio na ito 

At bakit naging Papa Jack ang 

tag sa kaniya “It was [actually] 

given by my boss, kasi [ang Love 

Radio ay] sectoral, kung baga 

sila ang nagbibigay ng pangalan 

sa amin. [‘Yung sa akin ay] 

pang-pedicab driver, sosyal lang 

pakinggan pero yun talaga ‘yun”. 

Bago pa man naging 

tanyag ang pangalang Papa 

Jack, hinulma niya muna ang 

pangalang ‘to sa paghihirap. “Dati 

akong tagalinis ng kulungan ng 

baboy at magsasaka ako." Kung 

iisipin, tila baga rags to riches 

lang ang peg ng kwelang radiojock 

na aming nakapanayam. 

Payo ng eksperto 

“Hindi madaling magpayo, 

[nagiging] praktikal lang ako,” 

wika niya. “At some point, I’m 

just confirming what’s obvious. 

There’s nothing brilliant about 

the way I give advice,” paliwanag 

niya. Katulad sa industriya ng 

showbiz, parang artista lamang 

din si Papa Jack—maraming 

kritiko. Kung sa bagay, mahirap 

masampal ng masasakit at 

diretsahang salita lalo na kung sa 

mga salitang may matututunan 

tayo. “Gusto ko kapag tumawag 

ka sa akin, at least may binaon 

kang magandang kuwento, 

[hindi] ‘yung magsasayang 

tayo ng panahon parehas.” 

Hindi lang nakakabilib kung 

paano siya magbigay ng 

Ipadala ang iyong mga komento kay @ratedKurt sa Twitter 

payo sa mga tagapakinig 

niya ngunit nakakahanga 

ng lubos ang lalaki sa likod 

ng boses na naririnig natin 

sa radyo dahil sa mga aral 

na gusto niyang makuha 

ng kaniyang mga walang 

humpay na mga tagapakinig. 

Pero hindi ibig sabihin na 

pinayuhan tayo ni Papa Jack ay 

obligado tayong sundin ito. Tao 

lamang din siya at alam natin na 

kung tayo ay may mabigat na 

pinagdadaanan sa kasalukuyan, 

talagang mahirap nga naman 

sumunod sa kung ano ang 

tama at dapat na gawin. 

Kumplikado ngang tunay 

ang pag-ibig na sinasabing 

nagpapaikot ng mundo. “Love 

is a discovery of yourself. You 

love someone because you 

want to feel good,” dagdag 

pa niya. “I can never define 

love more effectively than 

how you define it yourself.” 

Skyflakes, 2nd year, ABMMA 

Charot: Dear Skyflakes, parating may pag-asa. Hindi pa huli 

ang lahat para magkagusto siya sa ’yo. Ngunit sa ngayon, dahil may 

gusto pa nga siya sa iba at mukhang hindi ka niya napapansin, 

i-enjoy mo na lang muna kung anong mayroon sa inyo ngayon. 

Kung ipagtatapat mo ang feelings mo sa kanya, hindi natin 

masasabing masusuklian niya ito or worse, baka magkailangan at 

umiwas siya sa’yo. Sabi ko nga, sa ngayon ay makuntento ka na 

muna sa kung ano ang meron at who knows Baka ma-develop ang 

feelings niya sa ’yo someday. 

Friendzone 

May friendzone problem ako! ‘Nung una 

ingat na ingat naman talaga ako umarte sa 

harap niya na kunwari wala ako masyadong 

pake sa existence niya.’ Yan tuloy. Sumobrang 

galing naman ako sa pag-arte na minsan 

natatangahan ako sa ginawa ko. Bakit ko ulit 

ginawa yun Nauubusan na rin ako ng oras 

na sabihin sa kanya ang tunay kong nararamdaman. Pero minsan 

nalilito rin ako kung meron nga ba akong nararamdaman o baka 

[imagination] ko lang. Paano na yan” 

In-denial-na-hindi, 3rd year, ABMMA 

Charot: “Mahal”—isa ‘yang mabigat na salita. May pagkakataon 

na baka infatuation lang ang ating nararamdaman. Kaya ang tanong 

ko sa’yo, handa ka ba sa pagmamahal na ito Isa ba siyang taong 

gusto mo makasama at makita araw-araw o baka naman hindi Handa 

ka ba magsakripisyo para sa taong ito Napakalalim ng salitang mahal 

pero kung ito na talaga ang nararamdaman mo, maging totoo ka sa 

sarili mo at huwag maging in denial. 

Something from the heart 

Ano ang magandang iregalo sa taong 

special sa'yo at bakit 

Ken, 4th year, ABMMA 

Sa tamis at lagkit nito ay siguradong mapapa-Kung Hei Fat Choi ang sino man sa sarap. Bukod sa linamnam ng lasa nito, 

nakabalot din dito ang malagkit na pagyakap natin sa kultura ng ating mga kapatid na Filipino-Chinese. Kasabay ng makukulay 

na fireworks at nakakaindak na mga dragon dances ay ang hindi mawawala sa eksena na masarap na pagkaing ito na 

inihahain tuwing Chinese New Year—walang iba kung hindi ang yummy at pampasuwerteng tikoy. 

Ang malagkit na kasaysayan 

Ang Nian Gao o mas 

kilala sa tawag na tikoy ay 

isang panghimagas na galing 

sa bansang Tsina. Ito ay gawa 

sa malagkit na galapong at 

asukal. Sa kulturang Chinese, 

ang matamis na putaheng ito ay 

simbolo ng pagbubuhay ng sarili 

para sa susunod na mga taon. Ito 

rin daw ay isang pampabuwenas 

dahil pinaniniwalaan nila na 

ito ay alay para kay Zaowang 

(Kitchen God ng mga Tsino) 

upang manatili ang tikoy sa bibig 

niya at hindi niya masabihan 

ng masama ang mga tao. Kung 

babalikan ang ating kasayayan, 

hindi pa dumarating ang mga 

Kastila ay naitatag na ang 

pagkakaibigang Filipino-Chinese 

dahil sa kalakalang barter. Hindi 

nakapagtataka na humalo na 

rin sa ating kultura ang kanilang 

mga gawi katulad na lamang ng 

paniniwala sa Feng Shui. 

May timpla ng Pinoy 

Sa kulturang Filipino naman, 

sabi nila na kapag may malagkit 

daw sa lamesa kapag bagong 

taon, magiging mas close sa 

isa’t isa ang bawat miyembro ng 

pamilya. Kahit na nahaluan na 

tayo ng paniniwalang banyaga 

ay hindi pa rin natin nawala ang 

pinakakilalang pag-uugali natin— 

ang pagiging malapit sa pamilya. 

Isa ring natatanging Filipino 

trait ay yung paniniwala natin 

sa pamahiin—patunay na diyan 

ang malakas na paniniwala natin 

sa mga suwerte at malas. Kaya 

naman hindi na nakapagtataka 

nahango natin ang ideya na 

kumain ng tikoy tuwing Chinese 

New Year o sa ating nakagawian 

bagong taon. Sa paglipas ng 

panahon, kahit pa ang mga hindi 

na naniniwala sa suwerte na 

dala ng pagkain ng tikoy ay tila 

kumagat na rin sa tradisyong ito. 

Mahalaga na ipinagdiriwang 

natin ang bagong taon na 

may ngiti mula sa tikoy hindi 

lang upang magpasalamat sa 

panibagong taon pero para 

Ipadala ang iyong mga komento kay @hannahbetina sa Twitter 

na rin gunitain ang ating 

matatag na pagkakaibigan sa 

ating mga kapatid na Tsino 

at Tsinoy na nagbigay na rin 

ng malaking impluwensya sa 

ating kasaysayan. 

Ang makulay na kultura 

ng mga Filipino-Chinese ay 

obra maestra na maituturing. 

Tinimplahan ito ng kasaysayan, 

binudburan ng mga tradisyon 

at patuloy na pinapasarap ng 

paniniwala, pagkakaibigan at 

pagkakaisa ng dalawang kung 

tutuusin ay magkaibang lahi. 

Walang duda, ang tikoy nga ay 

higit pa sa masarap na putahe ito 

rin ay isang kulturang Chinese na 

niyakap na ng ating bayan. 

Charot: Hello Ken! Kung gusto mong pakiligin siya hanggang 

bone marrow, try mo siyang sulatan ng love letter. ‘Yun ang pinakasweet 

and at the same time, hindi ka pa gagastos ng malaki. 

Juana Tamad 

Ano po ba ang dapat kong gawin para 

maiwasan na mag-procrastinate at tamarin sa 

paggawa ng aking mga school requirements 

JM, 3rd year, ABANI 

Charot: Napakagandang katanungan niyan, JM. Actually, para 

rin ‘to sa lahat ng Benildeans. Isipin mo ‘to palagi—kung hindi 

ngayon, kelan Palagi mo ring iisipin ang kalakihan ng tution mo 

sa iyong paaralan. Maganda rin na i-motivate mo ang sarili mo sa 

bawat klase na papasukan mo upang mas maging masaya ang araw 

mo at may ngiti sa labi mo habang ginagawa ang mga school task 

mo. At lagi mo ring iisipin na kapag may tiyaga, may nilaga. 

May gusto ka bang i-share o gusto mo lang chumenes Ipadala 

ang iyong problema o kung anumang meron sa'yo 

sa bpc.kultura.sec@gmail.com. at asahan mong sasagutin ka 

ni Charot!


8 ART 


ARTWORK OF THE MONTH 

Send in your comments to @yhelmore on Twitter 

FTW - PATMAI DE VERA 

Send in your comments to @patmai on Twitter 

Send in your comments to @azulmint on Twitter 

for little tulip - ANGELICA REGALA 

Send in your comments to @azulmint on Twitter 

Send in your comments to @thenameisthea on Twitter 

HEY ALY - ALYSSUM TEH 

Send in your comments to @AlyssumTeh on Twitter 

Uncertain 

GLENNE SARCILLA, 21 

4th YEAR, ABMMA 

winterlaced.tumblr.com 

Who are your design inspirations Any artists you love 

There are quite a handful: Makoto Shinkai, Audrey 

Send in your comments to @georjanosaur on Twitter 

Kawasaki, Sam Spratt, Cadence Sisco, Yin Sam – Ouen, 

Kidchan, Laphet, KANA… sorry, there are just too many! For 

me, everything can be an instant inspiration–from a little 

flower blooming on the street to the stars shining bright up 

the sky. The universe is the limit! 

FOREVER ALONE - MARIEL EMPIT 

Send in your comments to @yhelmore on Twitter 

SEE YOUR ARTWORK ON THE BENNY! 

Send in your best artwork to bpc.art.sec@gmail.com with 

your name, and degree program for a chance to see your 

work on our next issue. 

Of gods and heroes 

by Pat Mapili 

Many may not know the name of Arnold Arre, but as far as Philippine illustration art 

goes, he's truly one of the few artists who's made a lasting impression in the scene of 

pop culture and comics. For this issue of theBenildean, we get to know the icon behind 

the icons and what makes him continue to create his masterpieces. 

cover illustration for eraserheads anthology vol. 2 

cover art of arre’s graphic 

novel, ang mundo ni 

andong agimat 

Tala, a piece from arre’s show 

mythos in 2000. 

How long have you 

been drawing 

Since I was four or five 

years old. 

What made you want to start 

drawing Or what sparked your 

interest in the arts 

It was really because of 

my love for the comic book 

medium. I’ve loved comics 

and graphic storytelling from 

as early as when I was four 

years old. I kept borrowing my 

brother’s comic books, studying 

paneling and figure drawing. In 

high school I did a book report 

on Noli Me Tangere in comic 

book form which impressed 

my teachers. The only thing 

that’s changed now would be 

my drawing style. My early 

works looked very much like 

anime. I prefer the style I have 

now which I honed myself over 

the years. 

What are the top five things 

you always have in your bag 

I always have my iPad, 

phone, sketch pad, black 

Sharpie, and a pencil. 

Besides your favorite artists, 

from where / what do you 

usually get inspiration from 

I go online, read a lot of 

books and watch a lot of TV/ 

films. It’s important for an artist 

to stay updated with what’s 

current and fresh. 

Who are your design 

inspirations Any artists 

you love 

Bill Sienkewicz, Syd Mead, 

to name a few but I greatly 

consider the late French artist 

Jean “Moebius” Giraud as my 

greatest influence. 

Do you have any tips or 

advice for the young artists 

starting up 

Be original. Be remarkable, 

not replaceable. You can 

emulate your favorite artists 

while you’re starting out but 

make sure to evolve so you'll 

be known for your style. 

Send in your comments to @patmapili on Twitter


9 JANUARY-FEBRUARY LITERARY 2013 VOL. XXI NO. 4 

The little white duck 

by Rozzelia Arceo, Adrian Ayuyao, Motzie Dapul, and Iris Trinidad 

Have you ever gotten so into a story that you wanted to decide its ending, to decide the fate of its characters and play 

with the world the story’s opened up for you Of course you have! Well, now’s your chance. This month, the Benildean 

Press Corps’ (BPC) literary section is inviting all members of the College to finish our newest short story, The little 

white duck. Fill in the blank portion at the bottom of the page with your own ending. Go crazy! Think outside the box. 

Romance, tragedy, sci-fi, fantasy—there are no rules! 

Once upon a time, there was a little white duck. It had 

the eyes of a thinker, and the heart of a hero, but all 

the same, it was a duck, and ducks have no time for 

thinking, or heroism, or other such nonsense. The other ducks were 

merciless, malicious in their prodding of the little white duck. 

“Nobody likes you,” some would say. “You should go away!” said others. 

And though they thought the little white duck never would, it did go 

away. There were kinder places than a pond full of prodders, after all. 

So the little white duck travelled miles and miles, until it came 

upon a tall palm tree. Up above the tall tree hung a little star. 

“You don’t belong there, little star,” called the little white 

duck. “But then again,” thought the duck, “neither do I.” 

“Who are you to say where I do and don’t belong” replied 

the star, for it was proud and confident of its brilliance, 

despite its size. “I am nobody,” whispered the duck. 

So the little white duck kept travelling, still looking for kinder places 

where it might belong. It passed many ponds and many tall trees, 

each with their own prodders and stars and other unwelcome things, 

and each time, the duck would think, “I don’t belong there.” 

And that was quite true. At least until the little 

white duck met the little brown platypus. 

He was a curious little creature, the platypus; with the tail of a beaver 

and a beak very much like our little duck’s. He floated silently in a 

pond, enjoying the feel of cool water flowing against his chocolate 

fur and the warm summer breeze blowing against his face. 

“What a strange creature!” thought the duck, “His parts are mismatched 

and his fur certainly isn’t fair. And yet he seems so happy!” 

The little white duck silently waded into the water, all the while gawking 

at the peculiar creature before him. “It’s rude to stare,” the platypus said 

suddenly with a laugh. With a slight gasp and a tinge of pink on its face, 

the duck hid behind its wing in apology, before it started to wade away. 

“Wait!” the platypus called out. “Don’t you want to play” 

“You want to play” The duck asked in disbelief. “But, why Why me” 

“Can’t you see You and I are the same!” he said with a smile, pointing to 

his yellow beak. “Besides, there will always be room for new friends.” 

The little white duck dove into water, rising up in the middle of 

the pond where the platypus floated. Suddenly the world did not 

seem so cruel. Suddenly he was no longer afraid, and the duck, 

in his quiet musing, realized that maybe, he was not so alone. 

The best entry will receive a slew of 

prizes: the finished story featured 

in the next issue of The Benildean, 

as well as a Starbucks gift certificate 

and a surprise gift from the section’s 

editor. Entries may be dropped off at 

the Student Publications Office at the 

second floor of the Br. Miguel Febres 

Cordero building. Submit your entries 

to bpc.lit.sec@gmail.com. Deadline 

of submission is on March 15.

SPORTS 



Blazers get new coach 

by Christian Agbon and Angelo Oyardo 

After months of deliberation, the three-month power vacuum in the College's basketball team has finally been filled as their 

new Head Coach Gabby Velasco takes the whistle. Let's take a trip down memory lane and find out how the Blazers got their 

new leader. 

Following the end of the 

NCAA basketball season last 

year, one by one, coaches 

such as Louie Alas of Colegio 

de San Juan de Letran (CSJL), 

Ronnie Magsanoc of San Beda 

College, and the College's own 

Richard Del Rosario announced 

that they would be resigning 

from their coaching positions. 

In response to the power 

vacuum that ensued, Del 

Rosario proposed for Assistant 

Coach Mike Buendia to 

temporarily take his post. 

“Coach Richard 

recommended me sa athletic 

director when he stepped 

down,” said Coach Buendia 

in an interview with TV5's 

Interaksyon.com. “I was 

already given a free hand by 

him to do what I want to do.” 

One month after Del 

Rosario’s resignation, news 

of Buendia’s commitment to 

run as the official head coach 

reached the public. 

Buendia was not alone, 

however. The College’s judging 

panel, which according to 

Buendia consisted of “two 

brothers from La Salle, the 

athletic director and one 

representative from the 

school administration” is also 

considering Gabby Velasco, 

gabby velasco officially the blazers’ new head coach 

Photo by yla corotan 

a former coach of the De La 

Salle University Archers and 

former mentor of Del Rosario, 

to fill in the void on DLS-CSB’s 

basketball team. 

Another goodbye 

But last January 26, after 

a game in the Fr. Martin’s Cup, 

one publicized text message 

from Coach Buendia turned 

everything around. 

The message read: “Great 

effort today guys! There’s 

nothing to be ashamed of. I’m 

really proud of how we played 

today, all of [you] showed 

tremendous character. Let’s 

double the effort [and] get 

the win tomorrow. Let’s make 

our last game with the team a 

memorable one.” 

The next day, Coach 

Buendia officially tendered his 

resignation and accepted a 

position on the CSJL’s coaching 

staff to join fellow coach Caloy 

Garcia. Coach Buendia had 

worked with the Blazers for the 

entire 88th NCAA season. 

Just like when Del Rosario 

quit, the resignation of yet 

another mentor inspired the 

Blazers to post their words of 

thanks via the internet. 

Still undecided 

Last January 30, rumors 

about Velasco’s arrival in 

Benilde surfaced. Seeing the 

Send in your comments to @Ughbie and @Angelo_Oyardo on Twitter 

DLS-CSB: Football update 

by Christian Agbon 

coach's arrival as the College's 

long-awaited decision, Blazers 

cheerfully welcomed the 

visitor—despite of no official 

announcement from the 

College's adminisitration. 

“Welcome to DLS-CSB 

Coach Gabby Velasco,” Alison 

Carlos posted on Twitter. 

But on the following 

day, Carlos queerly followed 

up with “Masama ba magwelcome 

ng bisita sa school” 

More recently, last 

February 8, Altamirano also 

tweeted a similar conjecture: 

"Our new head coach is 

coming tom[morrow]. Good 

luck to my teammates! I'll be 

playing with y[ou] all soon!" 

Finally 

But, alas, in the third 

week of February, a descision 

has finally been made. 

"Coach Gabby," Vice 

Chancellor for Development 

and Institution Relations, Br. 

Dante Jose Amisola FSC stated 

in an email to the College, "is 

[now] a welcome addition to 

the Benildean Community." 

He furthers, "The College 

is optimistic that [his] athletic 

programs will continue to 

nurture and train extraordinary 

student-athletes." 

Winning the Makati Football Challenge (MFC) last November might have shrugged off doubts about the College’s football team; 

but the 88th National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Games is, sadly, a different tale. 

A look at the 

indoor spikers 

by Jeffrey Majarucon 

Unlike the College’s relative victory in outdoor volleyball 

last year, the Spikers were, heartbreakeningly, not able to 

bring home any titles this time around. 

Blazers going for the spike. Photo by gerald tejada 

Following the De 

La Salle-College of Saint 

Benilde’s (DLS-CSB) Lady 

Spikers’ progress from the 

start of the season, they 

brought on triple triples 

early in the season as they 

conquered Lyceum of the 

Philippines University (by 3-0 

sets), Colegio de San Juan de 

Letran (also in 3-0 sets), and 

Mapua Institute of Technology 

(also by three sets). 

This chain of victories 

broke, however, when they 

lost to Arellano University. 

Another loss came when the 

University of Perpetual Help 

System Dalta (UPHSD) turned 

them back in three sets. 

But the Lady Spikers 

eventually bounced back 

later in the season with a 

four-setter victory against 

San Beda College. They also 

triumphed opposite Jose 

Rizal University (JRU) but 

was unable to sustain their 

momentum against San 

Sebastian College–Recoletos 

(SSCR) in a bitter 0-3 match. 

With only one more shot 

to enter the top four, the 

Lady Spikers, led by Jannine 

Navarro and Rossan Fajardo, 

fought against the season 

leading Emilio Aguinaldo 

College. However, DLS-CSB 

lost in a four-setter match. 

Out of the game 

On the other hand, the 

male Spikers, coming from 

an unsuccessful final four bid 

(5-4) last season, failed to 

repeat the same performance 

this time around. 

Starting slow this 

season, the male volleyballers 

dropped their first two 

games against Lyceum of the 

Philippines University (by 1-3 

sets) and Colegio de San Juan 

de Letran (in 0-3 sets). But 

they crossed shoulders with 

victory when they faced this 

season’s under-performing 

team, Mapua Institute of 

Technology, by three sets. 

Later, they returned to 

another draught when put 

against Arellano University, 

UPHSD and also SBC. 

After short bursts of 

redemption from beating JRU 

and SSC-R, the spikers ended 

their season as they bowed 

out of the Season against 

Emilio Aguinaldo College with 

3-0 sets. 

Send in your comments to @Tweetmotripko on Twitter 

(Still) checkmate 

by A.A. Solaiman 

With multiple championship titles collected, the De La 

Salle–College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) chess team, the 

Wood Pushers has found themselves worthy of those myriad 

of checkmates. 

Blazers dash for the ball against MAPUA Institute of Technology booters. Photo by Jose angelo santos 

Rookies from De La Salle- 

College of Saint Benilde (DLS- 

CSB) swept the stage during 

the Makati Football Challenge 

(MFC) in the University of 

Makati under-19 and kept 

San Beda College (SBC) from 

the gold. 

“Inaabangan talaga pag 

Benilde at Beda ang laban,” 

predicted Roberto Orlandez, an 

ID 112 winger for the Blazers. 

However, although 

the victory lived up to 

expectations, their captain ball 

Justine Paluga , who stood 

vigilantly on the sidelines 

during their matches, came 

up with an observation: 

“Medyo kulang pa sa exposure 

[sila],” he said, “kailangan [pa] 

mag training lalo at makinig 

sa coach.” 

NCAA run 

With the kick-off of the 

NCAA football event last January 

19, the Blazers continued where 

they left off by sending Mapúa 

Institute of Technology home 

with a commanding 3-0 victory. 

Unlike the MFC, however, 

the NCAA is a more violent 

playing field—seniors are now 

put into the mix. 

Hungry for a slot in the 

final four, DLS-CSB sought to 

continue their winning streak by 

beating the Arellano University 

Chiefs. The plucky Chiefs and 

the Blazers outlasted each 

other, ending the game in a 

deadlock that set both teams in 

the same standing. 

Desperate for a win, DLS- 

CSB had to beat their next 

opponent, which was also its 

MFC rival, SBC. 

SBC led the match early 

in the morning of February 7 

at the Army Support Command 

football field in Taguig City, with 

a goal in the 24th minute of the 

first half, and another on the 

78th minute of the second half. 

But DLS-CSB steadily picked up 

its pace, snatching at least one 

goal before the clock reached 

its final tick. 

The College was the 

only team to score against 

SBC in the first round of the 

NCAA, but it wasn’t enough 

to put out the lion’s flame, 

as they sealed the top spot 

and dropped Benilde with a 

2-1 win. 

Besides the lapses and 

blunders, Captain ball Paluga 

stressed more on the team’s 

maturity as the problem. 

“Bata pa sila, kailangan 

nila mag-mature.” 

The Blazers rally ended 

with 2 wins, 3 losses and 1 

draw placing them 5th overall. 

Under the supervision 

of head coach and 

Fédération internationale 

des échecs Master Fernie 

Donguines—father of the 

two younger Donguines in 

the team—along with the 

help of assistant coach, 

National Master Rolando 

Andador, the team boasts 

of six trophies from the 

88th National Collegiate 

Athletic Association(NCAA) 

championship. And the 

Wood Pushers still asserted 

that they walk amongst 

the best chess players 

within the country’s 

collegiate ranks, proving 

it in last year’s UniGames 

Sandugo, held at the 

University of Saint La 

Salle in Bacolod City. 

According to Jesse 

Abucejo, NCAA Gold medalist 

for Seasons ’86 and ’88, 

the team has always 

been united and focused 

on reaching their goals, 

putting countless efforts in 

practicing, whilst balancing 

their academics as well. 

“In chess, you should 

always make sure that 

you are not just mentally 

ready, but you should also 

be physically fit and ready 

to take on matches that 

could sometimes go on for 

four hours straight,” said 

Abucejo. “Resistance is 

a must for our training. I 

make sure I get adequate 

sleep, eat properly and even 

exercise before a game.” 

Sometimes they 

play together in private 

chess tournaments and 

help each other, believing 

that that would teach 

them a thing or two. 

“We always strive to 

have a good performance in 

every match,” Abucejo said. 

Send in your comments to @Ughbie on Twitter 

Send in your comments to @Zeal_94 on Twitter

PHOTOGRAPHY 



Photos by John Roxas 

PHONEOGRAPHY 

We can’t deny that technology has brought us to unimaginably greater heights when 

it comes to accessibility and creativity—and this is all evident in Phoneography, the 

art of taking photos through camera-enabled phones. This trend has created a silent 

debate on its credibility because of alleged “mediocrity”, but as far as photography 

is concerned, the camera is only secondary to the talent of the person who holds it. 

Filters 

If there’s one thing that makes phoneography eye candy, it’d 

surely be because of the filters and applications features. 

One of the most popular applications there is, is of course, 

Instagram, where numerous filters are offered—from film to 

panoramic. It’s like having everything in your phone indeed! 

Composition 

In phoneography, exploring how good composition 

works in a photograph is limitless. Since you’re literally 

carrying your “camera” everywhere you go, you have 

enough time to learn how balance and patterns give 

way to making the photo outshine the others. 

Accessibility 

Taking photos using your phone is definitely a lot accessible 

than taking photos using cameras, considering its fast 

social integration. It can definitely be a good tool for citizen 

journalism, or even blogging.

Benilde to gain new president - Benildean Press Corp

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Benilde to gain new president - Benildean Press Corp

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