Monday, September 30, 2013

Communication campaign


Task Force: S.E.L.F.I.E.
(Social Enthusiasts Longing for Improvement in Environment)






A Communication Campaign submitted to
Mrs. Lailanie G. Teves
In partial fulfillment of the
Requirements in Introduction to Communication





Submitted By:

Marc Ace B. Palaganas
Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, 1-1D
Polytechnic University of the Philippines





I. Rationale:
            In today’s increasing problem in regards of climate change, we are in this crucial moment of how can we save our continuously depreciating environment. Mother Nature’s beauty is degrading unstoppably because of our own careless deeds. Many disastrous events-causing-traumas, climate change grouches and many more unfavorable consequences we are facing because of our own destructive activities. Many lives and properties were lost and still counting. Are we going to wait for much more life-threatening catastrophes and let our home be destroyed in correspond of our own work? Are we going to not to do anything to rehabilitate our very own habitat?
           Task Force: S.E.L.F.I.E. (Social Enthusiasts Longing for Improvement in Environment) is a communication campaign calling for “netizens” (cyber citizens) to make their own “selfie” of themselves not just featuring their faces but as of how they can contribute in reviving our environment.
          Selfie, as a worldwide trend, is a good material for a campaign. The fact of having myriads of people getting involved in this craze, a larger audience, wider public and a more diverse mass to influence. Social networking sites is one of the best venue for such environmental campaign and together with the strategic assimilation with a trending fad, which is the making use of “selfie” photography, plus the medium itself as the fastest t way of disseminating information, I concluded, this campaign is quite effective.
           Using social media to captivate a bigger scope of audience can make a wider change towards environmental improvement. This strategy make use of a younger and much more enthusiastic generation (that comprises most of social media subscribers), towards environmental growth.
          A facebook page will be made, and from there starts promotion by advertisement campaign, and acceptance of entries of “selfie” photos of participants while doing an environmental work. A photo exhibit will be done to showcase all entries and an awarding for the best “selfie” shot.
          This campaign will certify of how many people are still caring for their environment in their simplest ways and of how many ways a person can do to save thy environment. It will also further showcase the creativity of every netizens in making their “selfie”.
          In a wider whole, it plans to make a bigger cyber society centered for loving Mother Nature and their “selfie" as well.


The Fuel That Keeps PUP’s Mechanical Engineers on Top- Marc Ace Palaganas and Kevin Carino

The Polytechnic University of the Philippines’ Department of Mechanical Engineering proved its magnanimity once more, as Marvin Bas and Renan Cauilan got the Sixth and Seventh places garnering 93.75% and 93.70% respectively in the recent Professional Regulation Commission Mechanical Engineering Licensure Examination held last September 2013.

After being the second top performing school last year, PUP-ME may have not kept the title after they failed to be on the list but have its name on the top ten examinees this year. This consistent performance of the department can be rooted way back 2006 under the term of      Engineer Edwin C. Esperanza.

That is why it is such a great challenge for Engineer Jesus Callanta in his second term as the chairperson of the department. Sir Jess was the former area chairman for students and was first appointed chairperson back in 1995.

“Before thinking of new plans for the department my term will focus first on some serious problems handed down to me by the previous administration like the Accreditation, 2011 Syllabus revision, and teaching assignments and fixed them first” the engineer stressed.

The chairperson also emphasized that the success of PUPian Engineers is not merely based on the efficiency of the machines and equipment but rather on the determination and perseverance of every students with the efforts of the highly trained faculty.

“Lack of facilities helps the students build their perseverance. Just like in board exams, in terms of the percentage of the passers, oftentimes we get 90% or above, in fact, last year, we got 98%. Why? Because we experience the lack of machines and equipment, that why we are adapting ourselves and strive to learn further”, Concepcion and Orica added.

The continuous success of the PUP-Mechanical Engineering Department is a proof that the courage to face difficulties, the passion to love what you’re doing and the fortitude to step forward despite of hindrances are the main qualities of a real PUPian M.E. student.


The students also proved that with the power of the heart, the mind, and the soul, nothing is impossible. The determination of the students serves as the fuel that drives them in the road of success.
II. Interview transcription [translated]


Interview with Chairperson Jesus Callanta, over-all coordinator, Department of Mechanical Engineering

Q: What set your department apart from other department?

A: There is actually no difference but Mechanical Engineering, as a department, achieved its main goal and it is to see our graduates having their name at the top. Last year, we got the 2nd top performance and just released is the result of September 2013 licensure exam, we have two graduates who made it to the top 6th and 7th place respectively.

Q: What set your department apart from other universities?

A: Again, there is actually no difference; the only goal of our department is to meet the admired passing rate of ours. The fact that other universities though lacking of equipment obtain high passing rate means that it only depends on what kind of student we produce and here in PUP, we have these set of student overflowing with determination.

Q: What are the edges of the students under your program?

A: Just like of what I have said, it is all about their determination and passion as students.

Q: Are you confident that next year your department will top the licensure exam?

A:Definitely yes, now that we have seen the problem why we fail to have our goals this year and it is because of the division of students to 3 review centers, now we are planning to send them to only 2 centers so that the instructions that will be given will   be  just right and equal for every examinees.

Q: Are you satisfied with your student’s performance?

A: Yes
Q: As the newly-designated chairperson, what are your plans in the nearest future?

A: Actually, I have no plans right now, I believe, that there are more things to focus on, and before make plans, I prefer to face first the problem handed down by the former term before proceeding to those plans.
Here,(show a piece of paper) we have to focus on the next round of AACUP Accreditation, 2011 syllabus revision and teaching assignments for my instructors. As the new chair, I better focus on solution, I just don’t think if my co-newly-designated chairpersons do the same.

Q: Why do you think incoming freshmen students should choose Mechanical Engineering?

A: it is in their decision

Interview with Apple Concepcion, fourth year student and JC Orrica, staff of Mech. Engineering official publication


Q: What makes mechanical engineering student of PUP apart from other universities?

Apple: Because of lack in facilities, it helps a lot in building the perseverance of our students. Just like the result of our board exam, the percentage of passers hit up to 98%, why? Because we are the ones that experiences lack (in facilities), we are the ones that most of the times have none. That is why we strive harder and thus persisting more to learn more, as well.

JC: lack of facilities set us apart from them, lacking of those stuffs serve as strength to strive harder. That may serve as a weakness, but we found strength behind it.

Q: what set ME apart from other engineering courses?

Apple: rumor says ME is the heaviest, ME is the most difficult, maybe, because it has something to do with machines. I can agree with them. In fact, out of the total number of our enrollees, we also have the most number of drop-outs; indeed, it is survival of the fittest.

JC: I think, discipline, our department is actually the first one that initiated cleanliness within CEA.

Q: is excellence in math a pre-requisite in taking up an engineering course?

Apple: No, even masters in math may fail in this course. Personally me, I’m not really good in math. I believe that one just needs persistence. Everyday you’ll come to school and everyday there’s math, you will actually get used to it.











Monday, September 23, 2013

Katotohanan: It’s worth dying for (Paglaban sa kultura ng pagkitil sa mga mamamahayag)


Minsan sa aking buhay, bilang isang mag-aaral, aking pinangarap ang maging isang mamamahayag. Hinangad kong sumulat gamit ang mga sandatang kaloob ng Diyos ng buong karangalan, ninais kong makalikha ng mga artikulong hindi lamang magsisilbing borloloy sa pahayagang pampaaralan, kung hindi ay makaimpluwensiya at sa kahit papaanong paraan ay makapagpabago ng pag-iisip ng mga tao.

            Isang pangarap, para sa akin, ang pamamahayag ay isang pangarap. Pangarap na hindi ko hahayaang di ko maabot, aking pagsusumikapan at bibigyang katuparan. Masarap sumulat, iyan ang totoo, masarap lasapin ang mga pribilehiyong handog ng demokrasyang ating niyayakap. Isang kalayaang ganap, tunay na ganap.

Nakalulungkot man, pero naging kultura na raw sa Pilipinas ang impunity o media-killing. Ito ay ayon sa Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines o CBCP. Labag sa mata ng Diyos, labag sa harap ng batas, at labag sa karapatang pantao.

Ang unang naglaro sa aking isipan, anong kinabukasan ang aking patutunguhan sa karerang ang buhay ang nakasalalay? Marapat ko pa bang ituloy ang pag-alab ng pangarap na minsan sa aking musmos na isipan ay nagningas?

Minsan tayong sinindak ng malawakang masaker sa Maguindanao. Tunay na kahindik-hindik ang mga pangyayaring tulad nito. Kultura, anila’y nakasanayan na, bahagi na nga ba talaga ng kultura ang pagpaslang o pagkitil sa isang mamamahayag?

Takot…takot ang naramdaman ng aking mga magulang sa tuwinang sumasagi sa kanilang alaala ang aking kurso sa kolehiyo. Lagi nilang nasasariwa ang mga balitang nagdulot ng kaba sa kanila. Tingin nila’y kamatayan ang tadhana ng gusto kong tahakin. Tunay na napalitan ng kamatayan ang isang imahe ng katotohanan at kalayaan na noon ay dala-dala at taglay ng mga alagad ng panulat.

Masakit isipin na sa ating makulay at mayamang kultura’t tradisyon, sa isang iglap lamang ay nabahiran dulot ng anila’y kagawian ng media-killing. Hindi lang minsan naisaalang-alang ang mga karapatan at kalayaan ng mga journalists, isang ganap na katotohanan na  sa bawat titik nakataya ang kanilang buhay , sa bawat exposé may panganib na nagbabadya, marahil sa aming mga journalist ay given na iyon, ika nga, anong bago?


Katotohanan, iyan ang tanging laman ng tikom na palad ngunit bukas na bibig ng mga mamamahayag. Siya ring katotohanan na naglantad sa kahubdan ng tunay na buhay ng mga journalists. Tadhana na nga  ang nagtatakda sa kasalimuutan ng buhay ng mga journalists. Karapatan at kalayaan ang nagsilang sa amin, ito rin naman ang kikitil sa amin. Sabi nga ni Ninoy Aquino, it’s worth dying for. Totoo, ang katotohanan, it’s worth dying for.

Sunday, September 1, 2013

5th Pandayang Lino Brocka Film and New Media Festival

Photo credits of Tudla Productions and Aperture







Indeed, it is an experience to cherish being one of those blessed person to be a part of this open forum/ film showing / film festival at the University of the Philippines- Diliman film center from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm.

The 5th Pandayang Lino Brocka Film and New Media Festival held last August 29, 2013 having its theme " Pelikula at Pulitika; Diskurso hinggil sa relasyon ng U.S. at Pilipinas sa Pelikulang Pilipino" is a real eye-opener...
The event featured Dr. Roland Tolentino, Dean of College of Mass Communicatio of UP Diliman and Dr. Bienvenido Lumbera, a national artist for literature. I remember that i asked them about their perspective about "filipinized" hollywood movies featuring western way of living shown at television. For me, doing such things, is just like introducing

 their ways nearer to the Filipino households.
Two films burst out of the big screen of the film center...
"Supremo", a political and historical film of Andres

 Bonifacio featuring National Sovereignty.
Next is "PX", a Lino Brocka's Film and a masterpiece of it's
 writer, Ricky Lee, who is present at that night.

Titus

Salamat sa iyo, Titus sa pagbibigay inspirasyon
salamat sa pagbibigay kalakasan at ibayong determinasyon,
Dahil sa iyo highest ako ulit sa Journalism Midterm Exam 
Salamat sa 91 points, sa wakas, wala na 'kong agam-agam.

Mula sa iyong pagsama kapag ako'y nagre-review
Hanggang sa mismong pagsusulit, di mo 'ko iniwan, i love you,
Hinding-hindi ko kakayaning mawaglit at mawala ka
ni hindi ko kayang palitan at makitang kasama ng iba.

Sana titus ay di mo ako iwanan
gusto ko ikaw lamang Titus ang nasa aking kandungan,
ayoko sa piloto, kay Faber o dun sa Health Barangay Worker
Sana lamang Titus, di ka mawalan ng tinta forever...