Gapuz, Inress and Pentagon nursing cheating scandal

Nursing graduates who passed the licensure examination conducted in areas outside of Metro Manila and Baguio and those who registered at but did not attend the “final coaching” sessions of the three review centers suspected of leaking test questions may immediately take their oath as professional nurses, the Court of Appeals ruled yesterday.

In a much-awaited decision on the cheating scandal that rocked the nursing profession, the appellate court also ordered a retake of Tests III and V for 1,186 examinees whose names were added to the list of some 17,000 passers following the recomputation of test scores by the Professional Regulation Commission.[source]

UP Baguio Alumni Homecoming

All is set for alumni homecoming at UP Baguio

PREPARATIONS for an all-day alumni homecoming party on February 24 are well underway at the University of the Philippines (UP) in Baguio City.

Alumni from the past decades, starting the 1970s, are invited to participate in the day's activities, which include updating from alumni themselves, reports from the UP Baguio Alumni Association (BAA), awarding of certificates of recognition, launching of a retrospective album from the student performing group Tabak, song from Professor Arellano Colongon Jr. and the Social Sciences faculty, dances from the Shadows, and the Mathematics Honchos (faculty from the Mathematics Department).

Fine Arts alumni Gelo Lagasca, Alexis Pamintuan, Benjo Andaya and Scott Lleva will also put up an art exhibit.

The Pagta, a campus-based cultural group, is also staging "Amungan" at 6 p.m. at the UP Baguio auditorium.

The UPBAA will report on progress done on its building project launched in 2003. This is an alumni and student center projected to be built at the UP Baguio campus to house a UPBAA office, a student lounge and offices for student services.

UP Baguio is the newest consistent university of the UP System, having been granted autonomous status by the UP Board of Regent in 2003. The present chancellor is Dr. Priscilla Supnet Macansantos.

Inquiries may be directed to the Office of Public Affairs, 444-8719 (Tuesday to Fridays, office hours), or to mobile phone: 0917-5062959. Registration fee for the reunion is P250 for snacks and launch. Payment can be made at the registration desks.

[source: Sun.Star article]

IGO launches scholarship

The Igorot Scholarship Program (ISP) is pleased to announce that it will
commence operation this coming academic year 2006-2007. A project of the
Igorot Global Organization (IGO), the ISP is intended to enable needy,
deserving and outstanding Igorot students to attend of the State
Universities and Colleges (SUC) in the Cordillera Administrative Region
(CAR). IGO is a worldwide organization of Igorots, the popular collective
designation of the indigenous ethnic groups in CAR.

During the inaugural 2006-2007 acadamic year, ISP will offer six
scholarships and study grants for the entire CAR. But it intends to increase
the number of supported students in the coming years to as many as funds
would allow. The scholarship is presently worth P7,000 a year except at
Benguet State University (BSU) in which it is P8,500 in recognition of the
fact that tuition and fees are more expensive there. The study grant,
therefore, covers tuition and other school fees and some incidental expenses
depending on location. As in the case of a number of scholarships, the
monetary amount can be increased in the future to the extent warranted by
the circumstances and allowed by the availability of funds.

The scholarship is construed as a four-year deal but maybe shorter or longer
than that period depending upon the program of study being pursued, but not
to exceed five years. It is renewable on a yearly basis based on sound
academic performance of at least B- average at full load. The fields of
study considered acceptable cover a wide range from the sciences
(agriculture, forestry, environmental science), to the social sciences
(sociology and anthropology with emphasis on Igorot cultural studies,
mythology, religious beliefs and practices), to technology (engineering and
information technology), to economics and business (entrepreneurship, hotel
administration and tourism). Other fields may be supported at the discretion
of the scholarship board.

The ISP board of trustees consists of Albert Bacdayan, Ph D, chair, Elmo
Cariño, co-chair, Raleign Agdaca, BelmStrebel Andal, Ray Baguilat, Michael
Bengwayan, Ph D, Mildered Dacog, Ursula Daoey, Rev. Antonio Gomowad and
Dorothy Pucay.

Candidates should be of indigenous ethnicity (Apayoa, Benguet, Bontoc-Mt.
Province, Ifugao, Kalinga, Tinguian-Abra) and will be drawn from the entire
CAR. Aside from indigenous ethnicity, prospective candidates should be
deemed to be economically challenged or poor, academically outstanding and
interested in attending a Cordillera state institution of higher education.

Interested applicants may write to request application forms from Ursula
Daoey, Brent School, Baguio City. Completed forms together with required
documents and letters of recommendation are to be returned to her also at
the same address. Deadline for submitting applications is on March 15.
Successful candidates will be announced on April 1.

[source: Nordis / Bibaknets]

PMA Alumni Homecoming

PMA Alumni Homecoming

Notable Alumni [source]

Sen. Panfilo Lacson (PMA ’71),
Rep. Rolex Suplico (PMA ’81),
former defense secretary and Army chief Maj. Gen. (ret.) Fortunato Abat (PMA ’51),
former Constabulary chief Maj. Gen. (ret.) Ramon Montaño (PMA ’58),
Commodore (ret.) Ismael Aparri (PMA ’56).

Brig. Gen. (ret.) Francisco Gudani (PMA ’73)
Lt. Col. Alexander Balutan (PMA ’74) – have testified before the Senate that they witnessed election cheating in Mindanao.

It is not clear if these PMA graduates would attend the homecoming but a member of the PMA Class ’81 said Suplico has confirmed he is coming. Lacson is a regular participant in the celebration.

This year’s PMA alumni homecoming is the first since the controversial "Hello Garci" tapes surfaced. The tapes indicated that the President, an adopted member of the PMA ’78, and Garcillano plotted to doctor the canvassing in the Mindanao.

In the tapes, Garcillano linked Army chief Lt. Gen. Hermogenes Esperon (PMA ’74) and Southern Command chief Maj. Gen. Gabriel Habacon (PMA ’73) to the alleged cheating.

UC-BCF athletes to compete in wushu SEA Games

Eduard Folayang
Mark Ediva
Rhea Rifani

The following will compete in the 23rd Southeast Asian Games wushu competition on November 28-30 at the Emilio Aguinaldo College gym in Manila. The three students from UC-BCF will join Jennifer Lagilag, Dolly Andres and Rexel Nganhayna to represent the Philippines.

Update (November 30):
Edward Folayang secured a finals seat after taking down the hot-headed Metee Phonork of Thailand.

Shiosa ni Benguet focuses on culture

Filed under: Shiosa ni Benguet

Thirteen young women of Benguet will be competing in a beauty pageant that focuses on the culture of the province. The project takes inspiration from mythology and nature to redefine the concept of womanhood and attempt to veer away from exploitation.

Each of the 13 candidates will represent their respective municipalities, namely La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba, Buguias, Kapangan, Atok, Bakun, Bokod, Kabayan, Kibungan, Tublay and Mankayan.

Vera Reiter takes MBX 2005 crown

filed under: Miss Baguio Xtreme

Almost no change happened in the ranking of the Miss Baguio Xtreme contenders even after the brains and beauty portion of the month long serires of challenges culminated at the Camp John Hay Bell Ampitheater. This left Vera Reiter as the leading survivor.

Reiter is currently the reigning Miss Univesity of Baguio and Miss HRAB.

Vida Yuviengco came as the first runner-up and Suzette Rodriquez, second runner-up. Completing the mythical five are Stacey Kramer and Asia Urquico.

Special awards were given to Rodriguez (Leadership Cup), Yuvienco (Sportsmanship Cup), Ellen Brillantes (Fighting Spirit Cup), Lourdes Cayatoc (Encouragement Award medal), Leia Angeles (Miss Intensity), and Kramer and Urquico (Most Promising Challengers).

Miss Baguio Xtreme gets controversial

filed under: Miss Baguio Xtreme

By this time, the 16 challengers of Miss Baguio Xtreme should have been chosen already.

Yesterday, only 25 appeared at the Breathing Space coffe shop (Session Road)from the expected 50-80 applicants. A significant number of those who showed up seemed to know the organizers/interviewers. Some applicants decided to leave the place before getting interviewed. They must have noticed that the activity prioritized friends and relatives.

A walk-out too early in the game? This beauty pageant that presents itself as an alternative by adding regular sports events and extreme challenges and removing the swimsuit competition seems to be going the way of Panagbenga 2005. In trying to be different, it might end being so much the same as the rest. It could even be worse. We will see.

Miss Baguio Xtreme

filed under: Miss Baguio Xtreme

Organizers and Sponsors:
DBIG, Big FM and the Baguio Sportswriters Association.

regular sports events:
golf, basketball, volleyball, practical shooting, archery, swimming, paintball, tenpin bowling and badminton.

extreme challenges:
a circuit race of hiking, mountain biking, rapelling and vertical wall climbing.

Applicants:
should be 16-24 years old
must submit 2x2 close-up, half-body and whole body pictures
consent from parent or guardian.

The sports events will be done during the weekends of October.

Inquiries:
Jogin Tamayo: 09185990817
Greg Loy: 09188000888

Miss Tourism Baguio 2005

Miss Toursim Baguio 2005 winners

Melanie Marquez and Zyra Borbon

Melanie Marquez and Zyra Borbon right after Miss Tourism Baguio 2005

Miss Tourism Baguio 2005

Miss Tourism Baguio 2005
Photo credit: Thomas F. Picana [link]

The 15 finalists are selected to undergo rigorous personality development trainings to prepare them for the entire event. They will also be actively doing charity work and tourism promotion campaigns for the City.

The primary goal of the Miss Tourism Baguio beauty pageant is to discover young and talented residents of the City who can represent the City as Ambassadress of Goodwill by promoting its various programs and activities, its tourism potentials, its culture and traditions, and its title as the education and training center for youth development in the North.

Other activities slated for the month long search for Miss Tourism Baguio 2005 are: swimsuit competition and press presentation (August 24), charity day (September 3), evening gown competition (September 7) and coronation night (September 16). [source]