IMPORTANT: Letter from the LSG re: Library Dress Code (No sandos, No slippers)

Dear fellow UP Law students:

Yesterday morning, the Law Library posted an announcement from the Law Librarian which prohibits the wearing of sandos and slippers inside the library. This regulation was to be implemented immediately after posting, without prior notice nor consultation with the students, not even with the LSG. The merits and demerits of imposing a dress code inside the library, thus, were not discussed.

This development comes just a few weeks after the General Assembly (a body composed of representatives from the different blocks) turned down a suggestion to enforce a dress code on Mondays. Why the sudden imposition of a dress code in the library? We at the LSG are at a loss ourselves as to the reason.

Upon clarification with the Law Librarian, Prof. Santos cited three grounds to justify the regulation: 1) a memorandum imposing a dress code for government officials and employees; 2) the Ateneo Law Library's dress code; 3) the UP Main Library's dress code (which allegedly imposes a similar prohibition). A fourth reason are the complaints from some professors about the way some students are dressed.

We will not address these grounds in this forum but will rather comment on them in the statement that the LSG EB is preparing. We will forward the EB statement to the General Assembly for consultation with the different blocks before finally submitting it to the Law Librarian.

We are encouraging everyone to send your comments to jobertn@gmail.com so we can consider your thoughts on the matter. For the meantime, we ask for your patience as we try to address this issue. Thank you!

--
Michael Jobert I. Navallo
President, Law Student Government
Mobile: +639279704899 / +639233330885
Landline: 410-0137
E-mail: jobertn@gmail.com

UP MassComm Alumni HomeComing: Sept. 27, 2008

Dear Fellow Alumni and Friends,

Greetings!

As part of the Centennial Celebrations of the University of the Philippines, the College of Mass Communication Alumni Association is organizing a grand alumni homecoming on Saturday, September 27, 2008 at the College of Mass Communication grounds starting at 1:00pm dubbed as “UP MASSCOMM AND YOU: PHOTOGRAPHS, MEMORIES ATBP”. This homecoming will be bringing back fondest memories of our college days where we had fun in learning and in doing lots of things.

This event will include a variety program showcasing CMC talents and the election of the CMC Alumni Association Board comprised of fifteen (15) members.

However, the highlight will be YOU, our dearest alumni! You! Bringing back your CMC memories and sharing it with your batch mates and other alumni.

We would like you to bring your batch memorabilia like the following:

Ø Oldest classcard, Form-5, class paper with grade, script, journalism article, graded exam in bluebook (should be a masscomm subject), course syllabus, student ID card, library borrower’s card, old photo’s etc.

Ø CMC Student Org album, photos or slum book, atbp.

Just present your memorabilia item at the reception desk and you get a prize instantly!

If you have a special collection during your student days you may want to put them on display at the Exhibition Area to be designated by your college.

Let’s bring back our CMC memories, renew our ties with our fellow alumni and college friends and lovers on September 27, 2008. For more details and information, you may access the CMC website at www.cmc.upd.edu.ph or contact us at:

Maryo J. 0917-8907249 / maryoj56@yahoo.com

Armi (632) 920-6863/ 0917-8129149 / armisan2004@yahoo.com

Katkat (632) 920-6864 / 0927-2495820 / katkatramos@gmail.com

We look forward to seeing you!

Warmest regards, Noted:

Maryo J. De Los Reyes Elena E. Pernia, Ph.D.

Batch 1974 Batch 1976

President, UP-CMCAA Dean, UP-CMC

U.P College of Mass Communication Alumni Association (CMCAA)

U.P College of Mass Communication Foundation Inc. (CMCFI)

Plaridel Hall Ylanan Road U.P Diliman Q.C Phone No: (632) 9818500 L: 2679 / (632) 9206864 / (632) 9283188 / Fax No: (632) 9263465 http//: www.upd.edu.ph/~cmc / cmc.upd.edu.ph/

today and tomorrow

TODAY (August 27):

10am-12nn Talk by Estelito Mendoza at the College of Law Sta. Ana Room

12nn Mass for Cris Mendez at the NCPAG Atrium to be followed by a short program

2pm Special Mass for UP Bar Candidates

6pm Testimonial Dinner in honor of the late Sen. Lorenzo Tanada at the Executive House


TOMORROW (August 28):

8:30-11:30am Kabuhayan, Karapatan at Katarungan: A Forum on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights: Violations and Remedies at the College of Law Malcolm Theater with Keynote Speaker Chief Justice Puno

1-5pm The Future of Philippine Elections: Reflections on the ARMM Election with COMELEC Chair Jose Melo

2:30-4:30pm Rethinking the Bangsamoro Crucible: A Reader book launch by CENPEG at the Bulwagang Sala'am, Asian Center/Romulo Hall

530-6:30pm Anti-Frat Violence Candle-Lighting at the Kalayaan Dormitory Steps

If you have time, please drop by at any of these events.

isang taon na

NO CLASSES today, Aug. 20, 12noon onwards

it's confirmed: NO CLASSES TODAY, Aug. 20, 12 noon onwards.

announcement came from Dean Leonen and Chancellor Cao.

BUT:

Forum on Bangsamoro Juridical Entity Memorandum of Agreement will push thru 1.30 pm today at the Malcolm Theater.

please inform everyone you know.

Michael Jobert I. Navallo
President, UP Law Student Government
Mobile: +639279704899 / +639233330885
Landline: 410-0137

freshie week na!

The UP Law Student Government

in cooperation with

UP College of Law organizations/sororities/fraternities

presents:

FRESHIE WEEK '08

Asskicking Freshness

August 19 (Tuesday)

LSG Gawad Kalinga Batch Build

LSG Barops Relay

Ms. Freshie Photoshoot

August 20 (Wednesday)

Scintilla Juris Fraternity Chess Tournament

Law Debate & Moot Court Union (LDMU) Debate Tournament (Eliminations)

August 21 (Thursday)

Portia Sorority Vice Relay

Charivari Videoke Challenge

August 22 (Friday)

Winlaw Guitar Hero Trournament

LDMU Debate Tournament (Finals)

August 23 (Saturday)

Freshmen Night

Ms. Freshmen Night Pageant

Block Presentation

Games by Upsilon Sigma Phi and Delta Lambda Sigma Sorority and MORE!!

See you at Malcolm!

day 2 in cotabato city

i woke up to 5 text messages and 1 missed call this morning, most of which came from my blockmates. ryan was warning me about an impending conflict in cotabato which he got from our mole in malacanang; tiff was telling me to keep safe while tish texted just to tell me, jobs, uwi ka na.

i don't know if i should feel good about it (your concern dear blockmates is heartwarming) or be more alarmed about recent developments.

but we have to do what we came here for.

so early today we went on an ocular inspection all over shariff kabunsuan and maguindanao. i know i promised my dad i'm not going out of the city but come on, i'm here for the armm elections so i better see the areas where the elections will be held. cotabato city, although the seat of armm, is not even one of them (puzzling, i know). so if i stay in cotabato city, there's nothing to see.

contrary to most people's perception however, shariff kabunsuan and maguindanao are generally peaceful today. except for several checkpoints and a group of soldiers marching with high-powered rifles, and yes, a skirmish in one of the barangays in shariff kabunsuan, most of the reported violence took place in north cotabato, about hmmm, an hour away from the city. what strikes you though is that it's so peaceful, you wonder why there seems to be no activity in the high way on a sunday!

one thing you'll notice also is that it's too clean for an elections. i mean, if there are 7 people running for governor, why do i see only posters of ampatuan all over? there are no signs of his opponents campaigning. i can't even picture out their names, much less their faces.

many observers are saying the contest is over long before election day. i say there seems to be no contest at all!

so why are we still here? well we're here to see how the automated elections will go, if it's feasible at all to adopt the system in the 2010 elections and if so, which among the two systems: one that resembles an upcat exam (shaded ballots read by counting machines) or one where voting is via touchpad (i'll spare you the technical names).

one sad realization during the trip though is seeing huge mansions in the middle of vast fields while lowly nipa huts and dilapidated houses abound next to them. how can you flaunt your wealth in front of people barely able to make ends meet?

the trip took the entire morning. we reached as far as the border of sultan kudarat, the province adjacent to maguindanao. we were back in the city for lunch before we met with the head of the philippine national police in the area. then krizna and i had to finish some things just before the 6pm deployment meeting with the volunteers. had to buy some stuff, have some documents photocopies and look for a tarp printer on a sunday while it's raining.

meeting finally ended at around 9pm but lo and behold we're not yet done. at 12mn, we're still waiting for our posters (which we will post in our vehicles) and we have to deliver them to the different roving teams before dawn!

tomorrow, we leave at 6am for sharif aguak, dropping by at some precincts along the way. we have to be back in cotabato city before lunchtime to prepare for presscon at 1pm. after that, i don't know exactly what will happen. but we'll definitely stay up until the last vote has been counted.

what a long day it's been; the next one is even longer. but the adventure has just begun. good luck to us all.

p.s. it's interesting to meet some old acquaintances while in cotabato city. last night, i met raffy lerma, a former collegian photographer who now works for the inquirer. benjie liwanag of dzbb, whom i first met when i was a trainee reporter in camp crame, is also here. just tonight, i bumped into an orgmate, janice ponce de leon. she is working for probe.

of course, it's also good to meet a lot of new faces, mostly law student volunteers like myself. and people who are connected to you in some way you never imagined.

small world ika nga. too bad we still fight over it.

blogging in cotabato city!

after that early (mis)adventure at the naia3 terminal this morning (i.e., we got left behind), krizna and i finally arrived in cotabato city at 2pm this afternoon, thanks to pal (down with cebu pacific hehe). we went straight ahead to pacific heights hotel for the meeting with local lente volunteers and other election watchdogs. it's interesting that there's quite a number of citizens' organizations and foreign watchdogs that are taking part in this elections. even more fascinating are the number of law students who are willing to cut class for this initiative.

i'm excited for my job. apart from "municipality-hopping," i was tasked to help out in consolidating reports from different areas in the region and in preparing press releases for the media. sounds familiar? wow, is this college all over again?

we have one whole day to prepare for the elections on monday. lots of work to do tomorrow, but i'm looking forward to it.

so this is me, trying to live my backpack lawyer/journalist dream. never thought this is possible while being in law school. thanks lente.

now, can this trip get any better?

p.s. happy trip sa mga aalis tom for zamboanga, marawi and basilan. berns, arianne, abdel, dianna and kiko, ingat kayo guys! see you wednesday.

naiwanan kami ng plane!

we were supposed to take the 10:05 am cebu pacific flight for cotabato. guess what, krizna (from ateneo human rights center and legal network for truthful elections) and i got left behind. well, the plane hasn't actually left yet when we reached naia3 terminal at around 9.30am. they didn't allow us to board the plane anymore (kasi malayo pa raw ang tataxihan ng plane from naia 3 terminal, it's going to cause a lot of delay, etc...). so now we're taking the 12nn pal flight as chance passengers 1 and 2. we're crossing our fingers because the only other way to get there is to take the plane to davao and travel by land to cotabato (which is almost a non-option given the areas that we will have to pass by to get there).

thanks to krizna's pr skills however, i'm confident we'll make it to that flight.

if it makes us feel any better, our boss, atty. chochoi, also missed his flight to zamboanga. ayun, hindi kami mapapagalitan hehe.

wish us luck, not just for our safety and security. i'm more concerned about the lawyer we're supposed to be with (who got on board cebu pacific). when krizna told her that we're going to miss our flight, her reaction was: pano na yan, i spent all my money in bacolod. i'm supposed to check in the hotel as soon as i arrive, i don't have money with me...blah blah

um, kinakabahan ako kung ganito makakasama ko, sorry. she didn't even bother to ask how we'll make it to cotabato. so pano to kung giyera na? oh well...

update: we're taking the 12nn pal flight. confirmed na! we'll board the plane in a while. see you all when we come back. pls. pray for us. we'll be safe. or try to haha.

crushed

this is one of those times when i wish people don't read the news. just when i'm all set to leave for maguindanao (change of plans, i'm no longer going to basilan) for the armm elections, then comes a scathing text message from my parents, after having read the news: i thought mga bright mo. wa mo maghunahuna na nag ready na ang mga milf for war due to tro sa moa signing. hinay hinay baya mo. (akala ko matalino kayo. di niyo ba iniisip na naghahanda na ang mga milf para sa giyera dahil sa tro sa moa signing. dahan dahan kayo.)

where did that come from?

i know i know there's been talk about "fear of resurgence of violence" in the armm region because of the suspension of the signing of the memorandum of agreement on ancestral domains between the milf and the philippine government. but to say that milf is preparing for war, that's a bit exagg from my point of view.

or maybe they are. regardless. war or not, the armm elections will push through and so will our job in monitoring the automated elections. there's no turning back now. not two days before the scheduled flight!

i tried arguing my way before my parents over ym. i told them that everything will be fine since there'll be lawyers around and that we'll just stay in counting centers. i told them that i think what we're doing is really important that's why i'm willing to cut classes for it (before launching into a discourse on how vital elections are to democracy, how this armm automated elections will affect 2010 elections, and how my presence there will be my own little contribution as a filipino). i tried varying the intonation of my voice, changing the look on my face, god knows what else. i even asked my brother to help me argue my case. alas, it seems that my arguing skills aren't working. after an hour or so of pleading before the chief magistrates, i am unable to convince them to change their minds.

damn.

this is terrible. i am 23 years old and yet i can't decide for myself. it's not as if i'm leaving a 2-year-old kid behind should something happen (god forbid). i'm not suicidal but what will happen to the world if we constantly live under the fear of something going wrong? i mean, if you die, it's your time to die, whether you're in maguindanao or not.

of course, i'm not a parent so i may not be able to understand how it is to be worried sick over your beloved child who has gone to some unsafe place. i understand how my parents feel, but does this mean i will never be allowed to go to these places just because they're "unsafe"? what if it's my job to go there to cover these places? (i haven't even told them about what i wanted to do after law school.)

i can argue with them forever but the moment they start talking about working abroad to send me to law school and how they just wish to see me graduate, i just fall on my tracks. how can i argue against that?

how will i ever explain to them that i feel strongly about lente and the whole automated election monitoring thing. we've been preparing for this for months now. i've been looking forward to that trip. and it's not because i just want to. it's because i think i have to.

maybe i'm a bit naive or too idealistic. maybe it's foolish to go to armm these days, as a blockmate of mine would point out. maybe i just have this messianic complex that's misplaced. someone bring me back to my senses please. or let me just rant for a while.

now i'm not sure if i'm going to school today because frankly, i don't know why i should. the only reason i see why we should study the law is for us to apply it and make our own contributions, no matter how little, to improving this country. it shouldn't wait until we graduate; it should start now while we're still in law school.

if i can't even do that, why bother. especially if i really can't see myself making pleadings all day and making millions out of it. and be a waste of space.

off to basilan

if all things go as planned, i'd be in basilan this time next week for the armm elections. just got the go-signal from my dad via ym, a reluctant yes, with a hint of resignation: unsa pa man amo mahimo di na man guro ka mapugngan (ano pang magagawa namin, di ka naman magpapapigil). i'd like to think i'm a good son, but a stubborn one i guess hehe.

thank you LENTE for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. i'll give it my best shot. can't wait!